Colt's bloody body slammed into this other dimension's slightly moist, yellow-carpeted room. The last thing he remembered was taking a blow across the face and then the jaws shallowing him. There was a tremendous amount of pain, and then there was nothing. As he lay there, a sense of calm washed over him; he didn't want to be here, but he was alright with it.
His mission was completed. His journey, after all this time, was over.
His breathing slowed, and his eyes flickered closed. The warm embrace of the unknown slowly kept up his body as he was prepared to let go. However, his mind wandered to disjointed memories.
He was standing outside a chateau with an elven cleric, a half-elven thief, an Orc Paladin, and a halfling fighter. The two elve's faces were clear, but the Orc and the halfling were fuzzy. There were features, but he hadn't exactly recognized them. Soon enough every cleared up.
"I'm going to start digging!" The Orc said, grabbing a shovel and digging into the ground in front of a tombstone. "Wait, we are digging up graves looking for this amulet?" Colt said with his arms crossed. He was dressed much as he was now, although perhaps he looked more flashy. "Seems a little....unseemly. Rowan, Harper? I don't suppose you approve of this." "I mean... " the male elf said with a shrug. "Who am I to stop him?" The other elf just shrugged.
"Aren't you going to help me, writer?" the Orc said, making progress.
"Ha... uh.. no," Colt said with a bow and tip of his hat. "But I will document it for my small yet loyal subscribership." The halfling took the other shovel and began to dig with the Orc. .
His mission was completed. His journey, after all this time, was over.
His breathing slowed, and his eyes flickered closed. The warm embrace of the unknown slowly kept up his body as he was prepared to let go. However, his mind wandered to disjointed memories.
He was standing outside a chateau with an elven cleric, a half-elven thief, an Orc Paladin, and a halfling fighter. The two elve's faces were clear, but the Orc and the halfling were fuzzy. There were features, but he hadn't exactly recognized them. Soon enough every cleared up.
"I'm going to start digging!" The Orc said, grabbing a shovel and digging into the ground in front of a tombstone. "Wait, we are digging up graves looking for this amulet?" Colt said with his arms crossed. He was dressed much as he was now, although perhaps he looked more flashy. "Seems a little....unseemly. Rowan, Harper? I don't suppose you approve of this." "I mean... " the male elf said with a shrug. "Who am I to stop him?" The other elf just shrugged.
"Aren't you going to help me, writer?" the Orc said, making progress.
"Ha... uh.. no," Colt said with a bow and tip of his hat. "But I will document it for my small yet loyal subscribership." The halfling took the other shovel and began to dig with the Orc. .
There was a noise that caught everyone's attention. Everyone drew their weapons, but instead of an ogre wandering out, a purple Tiefling dress in simple but well-made traveling clothes popped out with a small gnome. She looked unsure of herself looking around but hesitantly smiled and gave a little wave as she approached the party. Seeing there wasn't much of a threat, the party stood down and watched the pair approach. "Hello there," the gnome said. "The name is Tyranus."
There were some nods from people. Colt looked them over both, but his eyes were drawn to the Tiefling, who was looking around, awkwardly holding one of her arms. "And who is your friend?" "Oh, hi, my name is Velhalla," she quickly said before the gnome could say anything. "I ran away from home because I found out that I was adopted. So I have been in the forest for a bit, running away from them. My parents, who are not my real parents, think I blew myself up with my magic because I left a big tree growing in my room. So I don't think they are after me, but I am definitely not going back. It is nice to meet you." After that, there was a bit of silence that hung the family graveyard, other than the shoveling of the halfling, who did not stop at all to look at what was going on. The elf and half-elf were confused, while Colt was amused. "Well, that is a memorable introduction; I'm Colt Sebastian Taylor. A pleasure, Miss Velhalla." She smiled at him, but the Orc soon lumbered over and leaned in. He took some of her black hair into his hand tightly and pulled it up to smell it. "Mmm... you smell nice." Vel's face, smiling a bit relieved, having found other people, soon melted into regret. She took a single step back away from the Orc. "You want to dig up a grave with us?" He said, letting her hair go.
The purple Tiefling took a step back, and the Orc took a step toward her. Vel looked like she was going to bolt back into the forest. She took another step back, but before the Orc took a step forward, Colt stepped between them and looked up at the Orc. "Friend... as... intimate of an introduction as that was, I would suggest giving our Tiefling friend her a little space. And I would most certainly recommend keeping your hands to yourself."
The Orc glared at Colt and then laughed, "Very brave for a writer." He turned and moved back to continue to dig. Colt turned to face Velhalla. She glanced down, breathed a sigh of relief, and noticed Colt's hand gently realizing a casual grip on his sword. "Thank you... Colt, was it?" "Colt Sebastian Taylor.... but my friends call me.... Colt Sebastian Taylor," he smiled, and the two laughed. "But I suppose you can call me Colt; just don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to maintain."
"I think I found -" The party was transported to the Shadowfell, and standing before them was a Wright and a dozen lumbering zombies. It had been some sort of trapped coffin that the Orc and Halfing had neglected to inspect. The Orc charged toward the Wright and zombies, and the other spread out to take on the horde. Colt looked at Vel, frightened and about to take off into the dark forest of the Shadowfell. She glanced at Colt. Colt grabbed her and put both of his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, look at me. Stay close. Don't run. We'll get out of this. I promise you I won't abandon you, alright?" Velhalla's face hardened slightly, and she smiled, standing up a bit straighter. "Alright. Alright. What do we do?" "Do you have magic?" Colt asked. "Yes," she said, nodding. "Then stay close, burn stuff, and don't hit me by mistake." He sighed and looked around. He popped out two wings and floated up. "You can fly!" Vel exclaimed in amazement, like a child seeing a trick for the first time. "Sure can," He winked and turned around. .
The Orc glared at Colt and then laughed, "Very brave for a writer." He turned and moved back to continue to dig. Colt turned to face Velhalla. She glanced down, breathed a sigh of relief, and noticed Colt's hand gently realizing a casual grip on his sword. "Thank you... Colt, was it?" "Colt Sebastian Taylor.... but my friends call me.... Colt Sebastian Taylor," he smiled, and the two laughed. "But I suppose you can call me Colt; just don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to maintain."
"I think I found -" The party was transported to the Shadowfell, and standing before them was a Wright and a dozen lumbering zombies. It had been some sort of trapped coffin that the Orc and Halfing had neglected to inspect. The Orc charged toward the Wright and zombies, and the other spread out to take on the horde. Colt looked at Vel, frightened and about to take off into the dark forest of the Shadowfell. She glanced at Colt. Colt grabbed her and put both of his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, look at me. Stay close. Don't run. We'll get out of this. I promise you I won't abandon you, alright?" Velhalla's face hardened slightly, and she smiled, standing up a bit straighter. "Alright. Alright. What do we do?" "Do you have magic?" Colt asked. "Yes," she said, nodding. "Then stay close, burn stuff, and don't hit me by mistake." He sighed and looked around. He popped out two wings and floated up. "You can fly!" Vel exclaimed in amazement, like a child seeing a trick for the first time. "Sure can," He winked and turned around. .
A glass full of wine was tossed into his face. Colt was sitting at a table at the Yawning Portal. The elf was glaring at him, and the gnome looked equally irritated. "You are, Colt Sebastian Taylor, by far the most frustrating, arrogant, and miserable son of a bitch I've ever known!" Colt gently licked the wine off his lips, "Rowan, my friend, I'm sorry you don't like the answers I'm giving you. But when you use Zone of Truth on me without asking me, I tend not to be very.... forthcoming." He leaned back, wine dripping off of his chin. "But this is a top-shelf wine. If you are going to make a point, use something that's discounted, handsome." Rowan stood up and stormed off. The gnome ended the spell and followed. The 2nd elf came up to Colt's table and gently tapped the table, "Colt..." "Go check on him; he seems upset," Colt said, taking a deep breath and tilting his head to the side. The two shared a somewhat intense look. The elf said in elven, "I know you are upset." "Do you?" he said back in Elvish, taking her by surprise. She nodded and walked away. Colt poured the rest of the wine into a glass and toasted those who were looking at the incident. "Happy health to all of you," he said and leaned back. Reaching into his shirt, he pulled out a platinum pendant and fiddled with it in his fingers. It was a subject of many discussions, and the party members asked, but Colt had refused to say what it was.
"Hi," an earth Genasi said, walking up to Colt. Her name was Ametrine, and she was a new party member. She was sleepy and seemingly unfamiliar with how things worked in the area. She was curious and interesting.
"Miss Ametrine, what can I do for you?" Colt said, looking at her. "Are you thirsty?" she asked curiously. "Umm... I have something to drink," he said, confused. "You must have been thirsty. Rowan threw wine into your mouth. Are you dehydrated?" She asked, not understanding the social interaction.
"Hi," an earth Genasi said, walking up to Colt. Her name was Ametrine, and she was a new party member. She was sleepy and seemingly unfamiliar with how things worked in the area. She was curious and interesting.
"Miss Ametrine, what can I do for you?" Colt said, looking at her. "Are you thirsty?" she asked curiously. "Umm... I have something to drink," he said, confused. "You must have been thirsty. Rowan threw wine into your mouth. Are you dehydrated?" She asked, not understanding the social interaction.
"Oh," Colt said with a smile. "No, he was angry and threw wine at me." "Oh," She said, tapping her chin. "That's strange. Why was he mad at you?" "He asked me something, and I didn't feel like telling him the answer," Colt said something. "Why?" she asked. "I don't want to. It's my secret to keep," Colt said softly. "I don't understand secrets. Why would you keep something from someone who cares about you?" Ametrine asked "It's complicated," Colt said. "Why? Ametrine asked, sitting down.
"Would you like to dance?" Colt said, standing up. "What's dancing?" Ametrine said, getting up with him. "I'll show you," Colt said with a smile. Colt took Ametrine to the middle of a dance floor and began to Waltz around with her. He twirled her around, dipping her a few times. She was a little rough initially, but she soon picked up on it. She was smiling widely, having a great time. They locked eyes with each other. Colt broke a small smile and spoke gently, "You are a natural." "You said you were going to leave the group earlier," she said. "Will you?" "No," He said as they twirled her. "I suppose I'll stay for a bit." "I can sense that you are sad," Ametrine said. "Is it because your Tiefling friend left?" "I do miss her," He said with a small smile. "But she'll be fine." "You care about her deeply." She added. .
"Would you like to dance?" Colt said, standing up. "What's dancing?" Ametrine said, getting up with him. "I'll show you," Colt said with a smile. Colt took Ametrine to the middle of a dance floor and began to Waltz around with her. He twirled her around, dipping her a few times. She was a little rough initially, but she soon picked up on it. She was smiling widely, having a great time. They locked eyes with each other. Colt broke a small smile and spoke gently, "You are a natural." "You said you were going to leave the group earlier," she said. "Will you?" "No," He said as they twirled her. "I suppose I'll stay for a bit." "I can sense that you are sad," Ametrine said. "Is it because your Tiefling friend left?" "I do miss her," He said with a small smile. "But she'll be fine." "You care about her deeply." She added. .
Colt said nothing for a moment, "I do care about people, but don't tell anyone. I do have a reputation to keep." She laughed gently, "I think you should stay," Ametrine said with a wider smile. "I like this dancing." She smiled again. "You are.... funny. I like you pretending to be something you are not, and no one sees it except me. There is more to you than just a writer with a small but loyal... subscribership, whatever that is." "What do you see?" Colt said.
"You are a good person," she said, pushing hair behind his ear.
"I am, the very best," he said with a bragging smile.
"Your song, is, intersting," Ametrine said tilting her head and looking deeply into his eyes. "I'm not really known for carrying a tune," he said with a smirk. "No, your song," said with extra meaning. "Everyone has a song. And when we listen to each other's song, we know each other better and can help each other." "Know everything about someone?" Colt said and shook his head. "I don't like the sound of that. I like my secrets." "My people never keep secrets from each other," Ametrine said. She looked around, "It is all very strange up here on the surface. So many secrets." Colt continue to twirl with her, "That there is.'
"Maybe I'll learn your secrets one day, Colt," She said with a sweet smile. "Perhaps." Colt smiled and closed his eyes. .
"You are a good person," she said, pushing hair behind his ear.
"I am, the very best," he said with a bragging smile.
"Your song, is, intersting," Ametrine said tilting her head and looking deeply into his eyes. "I'm not really known for carrying a tune," he said with a smirk. "No, your song," said with extra meaning. "Everyone has a song. And when we listen to each other's song, we know each other better and can help each other." "Know everything about someone?" Colt said and shook his head. "I don't like the sound of that. I like my secrets." "My people never keep secrets from each other," Ametrine said. She looked around, "It is all very strange up here on the surface. So many secrets." Colt continue to twirl with her, "That there is.'
"Maybe I'll learn your secrets one day, Colt," She said with a sweet smile. "Perhaps." Colt smiled and closed his eyes. .
