Eldor couldn’t help but be awed as they walked through the front gate of the city. What had appeared to be crystal from a distance had actually turned out to be a kind of opaque fluorescent blue rock, Everywhere he turned, Eldor saw magnificent structures w/ intricate and detailed carvings along their edges, he saw small creeks that ran through the city, supplying the sage bushes that were so delicately placed along the way. Everything about this place seemed to speak of peace and prosperity. Though Eldor wondered how, since they couldn’t exactly get a regular supply of cargo ships in from any other Dimension.

“Hey!” Somewhere behind them a girl yelled. Immediately, Lena spun around on her heel in a sort of half-pivot and stared back towards the alley they had just come from. Eldor followed suit and turned back as well. There, towards one of the many alleyways that dotted this street stood two people.

One of the people, a man who was much taller than Eldor had the other, a small girl (Eldor couldn’t tell her age), pinned against the wall. The man, who was so bald his head shone even brighter than the smooth buildings than surrounded them, dressed in typical workman’s wear, sporting a sleeveless white shirt and gray breeches. His arms were thick with muscle. The girl, in huge contrast, was small and thin and wore tattered black robes and an old filthy witches hat.

“Let me go!!” The girl hissed ferociously at the large man, who merely laughed and pressed her harder. “I’m warning you! If you don’t let me go, I’ll –“

“You’ll what?” He mocked her, then grinned, showing rotted yellow teeth. The girl her head back as far as she could, obviously offended by whatever smell was emanating from the man’s face. He cackled again.

“You know it’s illegal to use magic within the city,” He leaned closer, still grinning “That’s why I picked you.” The girl’s eyes widened and creases formed beneath them as she registered what he had just said. It was the onset of shock, Eldor had seen it plenty of times.

Neither of them seemed to notice as Lena broke away from him and dashed, head down toward the large man, leaning forward and plunging her shoulder into the giant’s ribs just as Eldor yelled:

“Lena, Wait!” The sound of bones breaking with a brittle crack filled the street, as the giant man stumbled sideways, his eyes glazing, and then falling into a massive crumpled heap on the ground. Lena straightened up, her shoulder and arm sagging slightly, as she registered the girl’s appearance. It was then that Eldor realized it had been her bones cracking, not just the man’s.

“You must be the witch Madam Beauxdesque hired.” Lena said, smiling, “She’s not known for her hospitality.” The girl blushed.

“She is alright.” Said the witch quietly. “It is this wretched son of hers whom I cannot stand.” She pointed to the giant man.

By this time Eldor had meandered over to the two girls and was silently listening to their conversation. Damn. I wonder if all the girls in this city are pretty? He thought to himself as he looked into the Witches face. Despite her raggedy hat and robes, she was very pretty, if, of course, you could get a look at her through the thick curtain of shoulder length blackish blue hair that hung limp around her face.

“Yeah, Jacques’ an ass, but hey, this guy’s pretty nice” Lena said perkily, while jerking her thumb at Eldor, who was standing at her shoulder. The little witch looked up, obviously surprised to find a blue haired demon w/ long sickle-like horns protruding from his head standing there smiling down at her.

“Oh my!” she exclaimed quietly. “A demon? But … how?” She was, to say the least, shocked.

“That’s what I’d like to know.” Eldor and Lena replied simultaneously. Lena stared at him, eyebrows raised.

“What?” He asked, somewhat defensively

“You mean” she looked at him hard, “You didn’t come here on purpose?” She was clearly having a hard time with this concept.

“No. I fell out of a tree when that ass Keiko shot me” He indicated the bloody hole in his shirt, “and the next thing I knew, I woke up to you and your friends giggling about something.” Lena and the witch exchanged a nervous glance.

“Perhaps we should hurry along to my master, now.” Said Lena hurriedly, grabbing Eldor’s hand once more and pulling him away.

“Wait!” The little witch girl yelled after them. Eldor was the one to stop this time, as the girl came trotting up to them. “M-my name is Sean, Sean Montague.” She handed them a card.

“You can find me in the kitchen and ward of the Shining Way Inn, or working in the vast gardens of Madam Beaxdesque.” She said, patiently

“Great!” said Lena, beaming, “My name is Lena Brighton and this is er…” She looked at him, her face a total blank

“Just what is your name, anyway?” Eldor blinked, he’d forgotten to tell her?

“Oh, er … It – It’s Eldor. Eldor Estagacion” He ended with an awkward attempt at a smile, but he almost immediately knew something was wrong. Lena’s eyes were wide and fearful and her whole body seemed to be shaking, while Sean had let out a little gasp and covered her mouth with her hands. Both looked as though they wanted either to scream or to cry. Eldor knew he looked confused. Lena took a step back, cradling her hurt arm.

“Y-you’re …. You’re evil ….” She backed away still further. Creases had formed around her eyes “You murdered all those people…” Eldor was even more confused now, he had never murdered anyone.

“You killed them!!!” screeched the little witch, clearly on the verge of tears. “You killed my parents … My family!!!” Eldor saw her begin to make the signs of a certain very nasty little spell of the dark magic variety. Genitalio Extractus. Eldor had used that one before and did not wish to be one of its victims.

“No, I didn’t!” He knew it was in vain, but he could at least attempt to quell their anger long enough to escape. “I know which attack you’re talkin’ about, but I didn’t do it , I sw— OW!!!” Lena had hit him with a brick while he had been distracted by Sean’s spell to remove his ‘manhood’.

“WHAT TH” HELL WAS THAT FER?!?!” He thundered at Lena, pulling his attention away from Sean for a few seconds, in which time she fired her spell. It erupted between his legs like fire, swarming up through his pants and hitting, w/ lightning force, his genitals. Tears streamed from his eyes as crumpled, clutching himself, and rolling around on the ground in pain. The last thing he saw was Lena’s foot coming full force at his face.