#wizard xb

xB’s circle appears, followed by a rush of water over Grian’s body. Like someone dropped an entire tub of water on his head. His feathers ruffle and splash the nearby hermits, who voice their displeasure, but the stains disappear from his skin, wings, and clothes. 

Except now he’s wet. Mumbo and Stress groan and clasp their heads. They’re about to meet the elder of Fielville, one of the last few towns that still have an elder council. And of course Grian had to be.... Well, Grian now of all times. The rural village orphan, playing in dirt as they enter this tradition filled hall. 

The scorpion guards stand at attention, waiting for the crew of hermits to stop their bickering. Impulse blasts Grian with a heat explosion, fixing the wet problem but creating a whole new issue. Now Grian’s hair is blown back in a thousand different directions, and his clothes pressed in odd angles. 

Honeycomb shaped doors open, guards bowing with tails arched over their backs- stingers dripping with venom as they point towards the hermits. Down the cavernous nest, insectia crawl up the wall from floor to floor, flying and walking. Town square one level up, the marketplace in another wing of the hive. But the ground floor was where the queen ruled. Following the guidance of mantis advisors, they wander down until they reach the rise in combs. Standing atop was the queen bee.

Literally. A bee insectia stands at the podium, antennae swiveling with curiosity. A mantis clambers up and whispers in her ears, while the hermits attempt to bow and curtsy to their best ability, following all protocols and tradition they can muster up. The bee flutters her wings, peering over the podium. “You wish to know about the Hangman’s Playground? What for?”

TFC steps up, as the leader of the guild it’s tradition for him. “Queen Erlea, we… We believe something dangerous is being hidden in those woods. We are the only ones who have any understanding for this mission, we’re the only ones who can go in search.”

The queen’s transparent wings flutter, her hums sounding more like a buzz. Black and yellow locks of hair fall over ebony eyes. “Yes, that dangerous thing is the whole forest. Nothing is more dangerous than the Forest of Memories, and none of you are ready. I can sense it in each and every one of you.” 

“But we’re ready!” Grian shouts, and the entire hive fills with gasps, including from Mumbo and Stress. Speaking out of line isn’t tradition. Shouting is not tradition. 

“I am reluctant to tell such an ill prepared, unadvised, incapable guild about the Forest of Memories. No one should go wandering in there- perhaps whatever this danger is should be left within the Forest. You will hear nothing from me, and by my order none shall enter.” Queen Erlea juts her chin out, dismissing them as she seats herself beside the podium.

Tango isn’t about to go that easily. “We’re going in, whether we have this information or not!” 

His voice is backed up by Impulse and Zedaph. Mumbo feels as if he’s about to have a panic attack, eyes wide and alarmed. None of this is tradition, and the queen bee’s legs uncross beneath her long, honeycomb styled dress. He can’t tell the queen’s emotions through her eyes- dammit, why didn’t he study body language of insectia before?

Silence falls over the hive, the queen staring at the hermits. There’s a soft click of stingers surrounding them, as if the whole hive is ready to defend their queen. Defend their tradition. Until laughter falls over the blanket of quiet. 

The queen titters, before collapsing into a full chested guffaw. Pollen escapes from her long hair, dancing along the lace and puffs of her gown. “Finally! Finally, someone with enough gusto to talk back. Do you know how boring it’s been to never be spoken back to for so many years?” 

The clacking of stingers stops, and the hermits’ nervous laughter follows. Keralis notices an interesting looking beetle skittering down the hall, but is only halted by Xisuma and a firm grasp to his collar. Now’s not the time for a snack. Zedaph raises an eyebrow. “So… will you help us?” 

“Help you? After that show, I simply must! I will tell you all I know of the Forest of Memories. I have entered there many times, and my fellow Fielville peers are quite knowledgeable as well. If I do not know your answer, surely they shall.” 

Joe pulls out his pen, licking the tip and ready to jot down notes. “What is it about the Forest that is so dangerous? Is it monsters, traps? Magic? Magical traps with monsters?” 

“Nothing that you can fight. The Forest of Memories shall test you mentally and emotionally, it shall dredge up your worst fears and greatest pains, but only if you expose that side of yourself to it. Enter the forest with any negative thoughts, and it will destroy you.” 

“But if we enter with only positive thoughts, it’ll be easy?” Mumbo questions, biting his lip. Maybe he shouldn’t go on this mission. 

“Precisely. Lady Cielle, for example-” Queen Erlea reveals a book from her frocks, the very book that brought them to the ghost. “Her beloved Nellaime had just proposed to her before she entered the forest. She had nothing on her mind but her soon-to-be wife.” 

“So just go in thinking good thoughts, that’s not too bad, it’s like a kids play!” BDubs scoffs. How is it that bad if all it takes is thinking good things and saying ‘i believe’?

“Not so simple, bubble boy.” The queen titters. She sits down on the risen honeycomb, legs swinging from beneath her dress. “The forest is like a parasite, and it feeds on your emotions. Negative emotions are as sweet as honey to it. Even if you hide those feelings, it will draw them out, and use them against you. So you will have to go in prepared to face your darkest demons.” 

“I’m not even ready to face my lightest demons.” Keralis’s eyes are wide and terrified, no longer thinking of all the bugs around him. 

Queen Erlea nods. “It would be wise for you to supply yourselves.” She taps her finger against her chin, antennae flicking as she thinks. “Potions to ease your fears and hinder the effects of the Forest of Memories, as well as amulets and talisman to ward it off in the first place. They won’t stop attacks from the forest all together, but it will provide armor.” 

“No better place to gather magical supplies than Redland.” Etho raises an eyebrow, grinning beneath his mask.

“Will we be able to afford all those supplies?” Scar knows much about the magical capital of Lairyon. And he knows better than anyone how expensive the merchants will sell their goods. At least, his family did. Even then, as many potions and amulets as they’ll need will be a costly necessity. 

“We have money from the championship!” Grian remembers the chalice full of gold that they just abandoned in the guild hall. They were so focused on the revelation that Magistrate Dolios was the dark mage that they left the winning gold and trophy just sitting in the alcove of the guild tree. 

“As for the actual forest- the Hangman’s Playground is a thicket of brambles, thorns, poisonous plants and carnivorous flowers.” Erlea nods her head to False’s blade.”You will need an arsenal of diverse weapons- the Forest will learn and adapt against you. It is alive- it will fight back. Your magic will be useless compared to physical blades. So better start training.” 

TFC bows his head, gloved hand pressing at his heart. “Thank you, your majesty. This information could be lifesaving.” 

Erlea hums. “Thank me when your guild returns safe, sane, and alive.” 

The hermits all bow, and allow themselves to be guided back to the hexagonal doorway, back out into Fielville, among the druids and insectia beyond the beehive of a castle, townhall, marketplace- just about anything, built by the insectia people to protect against the elements. Especially rain. 

“You guys said something about taking back Lairyon?” Beef raises an eyebrow, looking over at Doc. “This isn’t your rebellious phase coming back, is it?”

“We’ll explain everything on the way. TFC has a lot to tell.” Etho wraps his arms around Hypno and xB, before disappearing into their shared shadow. 

The kipling laughs, shaking his head and looking around the island. “Some things never change. I see you haven’t fixed the hole in False’s forge either.” 

The hermits laugh, the entire group filled with life as they return to the guild hall. Joe and Cleo regale the missing hermits with the story of their victory at the Chimaera’s Championship. Their battles and challenges in the arena, facing off against the best guilds and winning the cup. They also tell Hypno, xB, and Beef about the heist, the discovery. 

“Why am I not surprised?” Hypno hums, tapping his fingers against the wood of the table that he sits down at. TFC pats the boys on the head, grabbing at Beef’s face and tapping his finger on a scar he sees. Beef shrinks away, concerned for a second, but the guildmaster only chuckles in response.

“I can’t wait to hear that story. It’s good to have you guys back.” TFC pats him on the back. “Treat you to a pint of beer next time we go to town.” 

“Let’s hear about this big job you’ve got planned for us first.” xB raises an eyebrow. In response, TFC rolls out his map.

The paper has changed since they first decided to go after Dolios and his creepy crystals. If there’s one thing an outlaw guild knows how to do, it’s to find new jobs through the grapevine. “Dolios has these tales silenced. I’ve heard of at least six other guilds being attacked or wiped out by unknown magic. Unfortunately, we’re too late to help them.” Team ZIT glance at one another, but focus on the here and now. “But there are places we can make a difference, as well as get information and better ourselves as a group.”

TFC motions to the Evernight forest. “An old friend of mine said there has been stories of familiars and companion animals going missing. No trace of where they went, except for a few patches of charred grass.”

“Charred, or drained?” Mumbo muses. To anyone, that sounds like the signs of a dragon ravaging Foresta, but after Mumbo’s duel with a draconic mage he knows dragons aren’t that dastardly. Nothing is as dastardly as Dolios. 

TFC grins, the newest member and the guildmaster sharing a knowing glint. “There’s also Shellor- which, I believe one of our hermits here knows quite intimately.” Etho gives a two fingered salute, rocking on the back legs of his chair until they fall out from under him, dumping him on the floor. Doc, Beef, and BDubs laugh at him. “There’s a few spies who’ve seen things Dolios has done, but the hard part will be earning their trust.” 

“Hmm, yeah. I don’t think I really left Shellor on a good note.” Etho grimaces. 

“That’ll be you, Keralis, and Grian’s problem. Meanwhile, we also need some help in the magical beings department. And if there’s one group that has mysterious, arcane magic on lock, it’s-”

“The fae!” Stress slams down her hands, a bright smile on her face. Iskall jolts upright and nearly hits the table again on the way down. “But where will we go? The fjords? The mountains? Heartbreak Trench?” 

“The flowerfruit fields. While you’re there, you and BDubs can gather ingredients that we’ve been running low on.” TFC glances at the map, running a finger over the lime green patch on the map. “We do have two confirmed crystal sightings, as well as Gildara. Edenswell seems to be falling ill to dark magic, and there’s reasonable belief that Dolios isn’t getting these massive rocks from nowhere- he’s using gems from the mines.” 

Heads peek over one another in an attempt to see the map. The charcoal diamonds and swirls. Gildara still sits untouched, and every hermit looks at one another. Do any of them want to return to the beginning of this all? Even to put an end to the dark magic plaguing the land, the memories of what they saw, what they experienced, still remain. 

Except for those that weren’t there. “I don’t think I’d mind checking out this hokey little town you guys keep talking about.” Beef grins, glancing over at Hypno and Wels. “We’ll have that place brimming with flaxen fields and green gardens all over again.” 

TFC grins, dipping his head in thanks to the returning hermits. He leans back, looking at the filled guild hall. “It’s been so long since we’ve all been together. If only it were on good terms.” 

“It feels good to return home.” xB ruffles his hair with a scaled hand, looking around for a second, then returning to speaking. “Even if it’s just for a short time, we should enjoy everyone being together again.” 

“What I’m hearing is we need to have our signature hermit celebrations.” Tango’s face splits into a devious smile. All around him, other hermits get a similar smirk on their face. Before TFC can agree to the idea, the hermits are gone. Cleo rushes to her wrecked pirate ship, hefting kegs of ale with the aid of Stress. Wels commandeers False’s forge to begin baking his favorite sweets, while Mumbo, Grian, and Iskall work together to fix the pennants, lanterns, and flags that decorate the guild hall in a myriad of colors. 

Tango snaps his fingers, and a small flame dances at his fingertips, jumping from his nails to the wicks of the lanterns. He ducks out of the way just in time to avoid being smacked in the face by a massive fish, tossed from the sea by xB and grabbed by Grian midair. The whirlpool mage disappears back underwater, back to hunting in the realm he was born in. 

The sun begins to inch towards the western horizon, turning the sky ablaze in a mosaic of pinks, oranges, yellows, and reds. A blue flag flutters against the ancient oak tree, catching on a branch. BDubs reaches out from his seat near the food platters, hardly even glancing away from the fresh baked goods, and with a flick of his wrist the branch bends away and the flag flies free again. 

False appears beside Wels, grabbing a brownie from the hot pan and sticking her tongue out at him as she passes. When Wels objects she’s quick to retort. “You used my forge. It’s rental payment, paladin.” 

Beef sets out plates, which are promptly ignored once Impulse and Zedaph have finished cooking the tuna xB caught. Music swells from a music box the creation of Ren, with the help of Mumbo, the upbeat songs written and composed with Joe and requests from the other hermits for their favorite tunes. 

The music thrums against the low roar of talking, the sound only broken by the common lilt of laughter. Hermits tell their stories, whether they be heard for the thousandth time or a new tale to tell. Beef causes Hypno to flush as he recounts the prank he pulled on the dream mage. Hypno turns bright red, quiet voice cracking over the tale. “I smelled like centaur shit for a week! It was awful, I’ll tell you that.” 

A raucous laugh erupts from that table, overshadowing the story of Mumbo’s duel to xB. “I swear on my life, I thought she was gonna swallow me whole. Or burn me like coal.” Mumbo shakes his head. “I don’t think I ever want to go up against a draconic mage ever again in my life.” 

“I’m surprised a kipling, a draconic mage, and a desert wizard were one team. That’s a strange group. I don’t think I’ve even met each of the others.” xB takes a bite of his fish, marinated in fresh fruits that Cub plucked from nearby islands. “But I’m sure that kipling gave you guys a run for your money. That magic she had… it’s rare beyond imagination. In kipling legend, it means a legendary hero is about to arise.” 

“He definitely kicked Ren’s ass. I don’t think I ever saw so much water moved at once.” Mumbo shakes his head, and stuffs a red jelly tart into his mouth. 

Keralis stands, tossing his woven hat from the brown curls of his hair, and inviting himself onto the open floor. “I love this song! Come on, my wonderful friends, let’s dance!” 

The setting sun casts a golden glow, bouncing off verdant leaves, twisting along the waves of the Ashioll sea. Laughter and music dance in the gilded light, playing in the curls of Zedaph’s hair as he joins Keralis. The two bumble around, drunk from Cleo’s ale but enjoying themselves immensely. 

Only one hermit wasn’t taking part in the festivities. Atop the canopy that protects the guild hall below, Xisuma watches as the stars appear in the sky. For a few moments in the day, the void and the sun share the space above. And he always thinks of the one person he knows he should forget by now. But he would’ve loved this, even if he’s constantly worrying about being caught doing something wrong. 

“Hey X, you gonna mope up there all day or join us?” Jevin grins below, one hand placed on his hip and the other waving Xisuma down. “Just because you’re a void mage doesn’t mean you have to a-void everything!”