Into the Shadows of Arcadia

Party Monster

"Okay."

"We wait until he's asleep."

"I use my shadow staff to get us in."

"And I ever so gently remove the ring from his finger."

"Hold up there, Mr. Storyteller. Do changelings even sleep?"

"Good point, Tobes. New plan"

"We spike his coffee with extra strength cold medicine."

"I use the shadow staff."

"And I bring my Warhammer in case that doesn't knock him out."

"And I ever so gently..."

"Wait. What if he's not alone? His office was guarded last time."

"Okay, fine. We spike the coffee."

"Shadow staff."

"I use my Warhammer to take out his goons."

"Then I ever so gently remove the ring."

"But what if it doesn't come off?"

"Why would it not come off?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's glued on, or he added a few pounds."

"Why would it be glued on, you dingus?"

"You said be ready for every precaution."

"He's waking up."

"Oh, how is he waking up? This isn't even really happening!"

"Cut off his hand!"

"What?"

"Use the sword. Hurry! Do it!"

"No, I'm not gonna cut–"

"Do it! Do it! Before it's too late!"

"Stop! Stop! Stop!"

The three are laying near Claire's bay window. Toby on his back with a bowl of popcorn, while Jim sat on the floor, Claire right beside him. Trying to come up with a plan they only have so much time to figure this out. Jim might be safe from the assassin but his friend's are the ones who's lives are in danger while Strickler has the ring. Claire starts to keep analyzing the situation. 

"If you chop his hand off, you chop your mom's hand off too, remember?"

"Oh, I forgot. Angor Rot's binding spell. We are not ready, there's too much risk."

"But Angor Rot said if you don't get the ring, he's coming back for you two."

"Why us Jimbo?"

"Strikler still needs me apparently. It doesn't matter I just need to keep you all safe."

"Hey, we'll figure this out, Jimbo. It's not like we don't have a secret Trollmarket right under our feet filled with crazy magic.."

Toby keeps going on about trollmarket and how cool everything is. The couple straggles behind him as they start to leave. Claire shows the two boys out and Jim turns back to her. 

"You sure you don't wanna come?"

"Sorry, parents are on a weekend long trip. So Mary and Darc are coming over for girl's night. Just keeping up appearances. You know what I mean."

Jim flinched at the word choice. Claire took note of that Toby was to distracted to notice he blurted out something else instead.

"Ooh, girls? I love a good pillow fight."