Over The Rainbow

The Journey Never really Ends

        After they untangled themselves, the Mighty Nein made a plan. They decided that some of them would stay behind to escort Ophelia to Zadash while the rest went to find Molly. In the end, Caduceus, Beau, and Nott decided to stay behind while Caleb, Yasha and Jester  rode ahead to Hupperdook. They would all meet in Zadash, hopefully with one more than they had started out with. They prepared for the split that night, packing up the horses with enough food and water to last the week and a few tents for warmth. They all say around the fire and talked like they would never get the chance to again, going on and on about nothing in particular. That next morning Nott inspected all of Caleb's bags. "And you have enough food?"

"Ja."

" Water? "

"Ja, Nott."

"Extra clothes! You almost forgot extra clothes!"

" Nott. "

       Nott rushed around, grabbing any stray item of clothing she could find. "What, it's important! Especially if you do find Molly, since he'll probably still have the same clothes we buried him in." Nott leaned in mischievously. "Or maybe he won't be wearing anything, hmm?" Caleb blushed deep red and gently smacked the goblin on the side of her head. "Nott, we don't even know if we can find him yet, maybe hold of on the puns." He muttered. Nott drooped a bit and nodded before quietly stalking off to find Caduceus. Caleb sighed and mounted his horse. "You ready?" Yasha asked as she rode up next to him, Jester not far behind. Caleb swallowed and nodded, looking back and waving to the others. Yasha grinned and spurred her horse on, leading Caleb and Jester down the road. They went on for days without any sort of issue, but on the fourth night, they were not so lucky. It was the middle of the night and Jester was supposed to be keeping watch, but instead she was doodling in her sketch book. The next thing she knew she felt the cold metal of a sword pressed to her throat. "Ello there, little miss." A scratchy voice chuckled. "Looks like we caught you a bit unawares, huh? So sorry, but we heard that you've been travelling with a certain Tiefling we've an interest in. You wouldn't happen to know where he was, would ya?"

      Jester shook her head and tried to shout something, but a gloved hand came down on her mouth. "Uh-uh-uh, none of that now!" The voice came again. Jester growled and bit at the hand, causing her captor to cry out and release her. "Caleb, Yasha!" She screamed as more figures started to rush forwards. Caleb shot up, quickly looking around before shaking Yasha awake. As she awoke, Yasha's skeletal like wings unfurled and she grabbed her sword. " Jester! I thought you were keeping watch! " Caleb called as he ducked away from a tall half-orc. "I was, but then these fucks snuck up!" She yelled back. "I think they want Molly for some reason!" Yasha's eyes flared angrily and she growled, lifting the Magician's Judge sword over head. "Well they can't have him!" She snarled, running forward and slicing at the one holding Jester. Caleb jumped up and away from the half-orc, setting off a fire bolt that struck his assailant square in the chest. He grunted in pain, doubling over and leaning on his sword. Caleb ran up and slammed his foot up into his head, causing him to go limp and fall.  He looked around and started to count the number of people assaulting them. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, ..... " There's too many! " Caleb muttered, looking back as Jester was pinned to the ground by a grizzled  man. Caleb thought for a moment, then pulled out some bat guano and some sulfur. He looked down at his hands. He sighed. The he smooshed them together and opened his hands, releasing a fire ball that hit 5 of the bandits off to the side who had been running up to help.

     The man pinning Jester looked up in shock and then back to Caleb. An expression of dawning realization spread across his face. "Oh shit, everyone fall back!" He shouted,    
" It's him! The one Ikathon warned us of! " Caleb froze, palms still open and facing towards the burnt corpses, staring forward . Yasha screamed and ran up, grabbing the older man as the rest started to retreat. "Jester! You go deal with them." Yasha growled. Jester nodded and rushed off after the survivors . A short while later, they heard screams and saw bursts of pink arcane energy off in the distance. "Now." Yasha said, turning to the man, "We have questions." He sneered and spat at her feet. Yasha took a deep breath her brow burrowing deeper in anger. She pulled out the Magicians Judge and used it to push him up against the tree, causing him to scream as it was embedded halfway through his stomach. "I don't have a lot of fucking patience right now. So are you ready to answer our questions, or do I have to kill you?" Yasha growled. The man looked at her, sweat dripping down his forehead, and then back to Caleb. He grinned through the pain and let out a weak chuckle. "Astrid's been looking for you, Bren, and she is getting very. Worried." He coughed . Caleb inhaled a shaky breath and looked down at his feet in mute fear. The man laughed again, leaning back against the tree. "Ikathon worries that she's gone soft, and honestly, he's right." He snarled. " I don't know what she ever thought of you, coward. "

     "Enough!" Yasha shouted, driving the blade further in. "What do you want with the Tiefling?" The man looked back at her in annoyance and spat a mouthful of blood by her feet. "I don't want anything to do with the bastard. It's Master Ikathon who wants him, says he has some kind of inherent power- ugh!" The man cut off as Caleb ran up, eyes blazing, and shoved the sword completely through his back. "If you get out of this alive," He hissed in his ear, "You tell Ikathon that if he so much as breathes in that Tiefling's General direction, I will fucking kill him. Understood?" The man nodded weakly. Caleb turned around and started to pack up the camp. "Come on, we can't stay here. They'll be more coming soon." He muttered. Jester walked up and put a hand on Caleb's arm. "Are you ok?" She whispered. Caleb shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut as the last bit of confidence left him. Jester sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist. "It'll be alright,Caleb. We won't let this guy get to you, and we won't let him get to Molly. We'll make sure that you're both safe, I swear." She said fiercely. Caleb sniffled quietly and nodded. Quietly,Yasha came over and started to help pack. In an hour they were back in their way to Hupperdook and, if they were very lucky, on their way to Mollymauk.