Hank listened in on Bobby and Diana's conversation. Bobby was obviously still puzzling over the predicament of the two trolls they had encountered earlier at The Crossroads. One could speak only truths; the other, only lies. Only one question had been allowed, and Diana had been the one to figure out what to ask to discover the true path to Edonlea Village.

"I didn't know, Bobby. I didn't have to," she explained as they walked. "It didn't matter which one I asked, as long as I asked what the other would answer."

"Oh, yeah. Right," said Bobby uncertainly. The little unicorn trotting at his side echoed him, but in a more confident tone that implied she understood perfectly. And perhaps she did.

Hank wanted to smile, but couldn't. Today, more than usual, he was feeling depressed, frustrated, and a little bit angry. Diana shouldn't have to be solving a mind-bender so they don't end up lost or dead. And Bobby shouldn't have had to be exposed to those disgusting trolls! None of them should be going through any of this!

He thought of the years they had spent in the Realm, of the strange encounters with even stranger beings than the trolls that had become as commonplace as the four suns and the three moons. There were always obstacles of one sort or another, and many were overcome by the solving of a riddle � Dungeon Master's riddles, most of all. As many times as their hopes had been crushed, he held to the hope that one day the right answer to the right riddle would get them home, and to the belief that Dungeon Master was their best chance of escaping the Realm.

It was his faith in that belief that kept him going, and it was Dungeon Master who sent them on their present journey to meet him at the Rocks of Resonance beyond Edonlea. While they didn't yet know their way to the Rocks themselves, Dungeon Master had spoken of one in the village who may help them. And, naturally, Eric had been quick to pick up on the word "may." As he walked, Hank wondered how they would find this person, or how he or she might know them.

That's how it usually started � trying to think his way through an impossible clue. And when no sense could be made of it, his thoughts would start to turn dark, just as they were now.

Why can't Dungeon Master just come out and say exactly what he means? Why can't he simply spell it out for us? Why can't he be more helpful?

And if it wasn't irritation at Dungeon Master's wordplay, it was doubt in his own intelligence and ability as a leader. Three years gone and they were still stuck in the Realm. He had to wonder if some of the blame didn't lie with him. He wondered how much longer his friends could respect him. Was the day coming when they would no longer follow his lead?

He was tired of thinking himself into circles every time they set out on a new adventure. It was the same every time: the guessing, the second-guessing, the worrying, and the self-doubt. One thing he figured that he must be good at was not showing it. But he knew he owed that to one certain red-head who was always there to make everything all right again.

He turned to look at her now, and mused that her title of "Thief" befitted her, if only for that she had stolen his heart. She was smiling amusedly down at her little brother, but then her eyes met his and she flashed him that special smile, which he returned without hesitation.

She was an angel with fiery hair and emerald eyes. His heart skipped a beat as the light of the three remaining suns that approached the horizon shone from behind her, creating a halo around her figure and setting her hair ablaze. He didn't want to take his eyes from the sight of her, but a sudden sound forced his attention away.

He stopped and held up his hand to signal the others to be quiet.

"Did you hear that?" he asked.

"All I heard was my stomach growling. When are we gonna�"

"Quiet, Eric!" Hank commanded. "Listen."

"Quiet, Eric," Eric mimicked under his breath.

Hank shot him a cold look, and Eric rolled his eyes.

There were faraway sounds of a scuffle. A feminine voice cried out, followed shortly by an inhuman shriek.

"Sounds like someone's in trouble," said Presto.

"C'mon, that someone may need our help," Hank said, and broke into a run.

The rest joined him. They ran through a final bend in the road before the outskirts of a village came into view downhill. The sounds of a hellish fight were unmistakable now, and all readied their weapons for whatever they were about to face.

Then they saw them: Five huge crimson spiders surrounded a woman who was holding a sword.

The spiders' legs held their height at nearly twice that of a man. Their heads, however, carried lower to the ground, giving them a menacing visage. Long, bloody, needle-sharp fangs protruded from hairy, misshapen mouths. They clicked together as they closed in on her.

The woman held her sword ready to strike at whatever came within its reach. Even in the light of three suns, the sword visibly glowed with a light of its own. Her dark clothes and hair starkly contrasted with the sickly pallor of her skin, making her appear as an animate corpse arisen from the grave to fight these foes.

The spider immediately behind her was already lying crumpled in a pool of blood issuing from the gaping death wound on its abdomen. One leg, pointing skywards, still twitched. The other four had all been dealt various injuries, but none were yet ready to withdraw. Their legs drummed the ground as they closed in on their quarry.

Hank was first to respond, loosing three arrows in rapid succession to draw the hungry pack's attention. The powerful arrows burst in front of the spiders, drawing three of them off.

Startled, the woman turned to find the source of these blasts and was knocked to the ground. She rolled underneath her attacker's raised front legs and perforated its head from below. Blood gushed from the thing as it lurched sideways, and she moved just in time to avoid being pinned to the ground by the sharp point of a leg. Finally, it fell and rolled onto its back, its legs already folding inwards.

In the meantime, Hank's arrows weren't going unanswered. The remaining spiders separated and stalked toward the group. Eric and Presto had the first of them to deal with, and it wasn't going too well. Eric was holding off the spider with his shield, while Presto was frantically trying to produce something from his hat.

"Could you hurry up back there, Presto!" Eric yelled.

Presto reached inside his hat, and then groaned as he pulled out something seemingly useless. "Bug spray? Oh great," he said. Nevertheless, he raised the can toward the spider and sprayed a pitiful cloud into its face.

To their surprise, the spider froze. Then it started sneezing. With each sneeze, the spider was forced backwards. Over and over it sneezed until it finally retreated into the woods that bordered the settlement.

Three down, two to go, Hank noted and looked around. One headed toward him and Diana, the other was chasing Uni.

Bobby and Sheila ran after the unicorn. Then Bobby shot sideways and yelled, "Sis, get Uni and disappear. I've got a bug to bash!"

Sheila called out to Uni, who turned and jumped into her arms. She brought up her hood and they were gone.

The pursuing spider faltered at its prey's sudden disappearance, and Bobby took his cue and rushed it with a yell. Hank only then saw the stranger running up to attack the monster from behind. There was no time to warn her. He nocked an arrow and took aim, hoping to move her in time.

But Bobby had already swung. A powerful upward swing sent the spider flying over her head to land in a heap far behind her. It jumped up, twisting in mid-air, and ran away.

Hank brought the bow down but kept his arrow ready. He caught the woman's look of surprise as Sheila and Uni reappeared at Bobby's side.

With a hand on his hip, Bobby triumphantly rested his club on his shoulder. "Nothin' to it."

Diana smiled and then gestured toward the last saliva-dripping opponent. "Guess it's our turn."

Hank brought the bow up again and fired at its face. He kept firing as he advanced, blinding it, pushing it back. Diana ran behind it and positioned her javelin underneath. Her weapon extended, and she flipped the beast up and over her, onto its back. Another well-placed arrow sent it spinning into the woods.

With it gone, the village fell utterly silent. Hank turned his attention to the stranger. She visibly relaxed her grip on her weapon and let her head fall back as she caught her breath. She stepped backwards to lean against a burnt-out dwelling.

"Are you all right?" he asked before he reached her.

She checked herself over. "I seem to be," she answered breathlessly. "Thank you, all of you. Well fought. They would have had me soon."

"You're welcome. I'm just glad we got here when we did."

"My good fortune, rare though it be, that you came along." She gestured toward his bow. "Those are very impressive weapons you all have."

"Oh . . . yeah. I . . . guess they are." He suddenly felt the need to change the subject. It was never good news when anyone took an interest in their weapons. But, he had to admit that he was taking an interest in hers. Her sword seemed familiar, but rather than ask, he made introductions as the others came up to them.

"I'm Hank, and this is Diana, Sheila, Bobby, Eric, and Presto," he said, gesturing to each. The little unicorn nudged Hank, and whinnied to be recognized. "Oh, and this is Uni," he added, smiling down at the unicorn.

She nodded to the group. "Donnova," she said, still panting. "I'm indebted to you all. You saved my life."

Presto pushed up his glasses. "Hey, you weren't bad yourself."

She smiled at him.

Presto smiled back until something caught his attention beyond her. His smile faded and all color drained from his face as he surveyed the village around them.

The others were now looking, too. There hadn't been time to consider their surroundings at first.

Burnt and bloodied corpses lay here and there throughout the small village. Houses were crumbling, patches of land were scorched.

"What happened here? Did those spiders do this?" Sheila asked, inching closer to Hank.

"No, the Blood Spiders were simply drawn by the scent of death about this place. I had the misfortune of disturbing their feasting, and this red garment only further enticed them," Donnova said as she brushed dirt and ashes from her sleeves. "They're quiet when huddled over a juicy meal. Walked right into them. I should've been more careful." She pushed herself off the crumbling wall that had supported her. It fell to dust behind her as she ambled across the way.

"Do you know what happened here?" Diana asked, catching up with her.

With her sword, Donnova tapped a dusty spiked helmet that lay in her path. "I think this answers for it."

Presto looked down, and his eyes widened. "That's an Orc helmet!"

"And that means Venger," Hank attested, loath to speak the name.

"Hey, where's Bobby and Uni?" Sheila suddenly asked.

Hank's stomach lurched at the panic in her voice. He twisted to look behind him and froze, at the same time inwardly cursing himself for not keeping a closer eye on them. Bobby and Uni were standing over a child's blackened skeleton.

Sheila saw, too. "Oh no," she said, breaking away from Hank to go to them.

He watched her walk over and kneel beside her brother. Bobby said something to her, but Hank was too far away to hear. Then, brother and sister hugged each other tightly.

Brother and sister, Hank thought. You're more like a mother to him, Sheila. And I feel like his father. So what does that make us?

But this wasn't the time for such fantasies. He looked around to bring himself back to reality. Presto and Eric were having a look around. Eric held an arm across his nose and mouth. He was turning paler by the minute.

"Why would Venger wanna destroy a small village?" asked Presto.

"Yeah, what could these people have done to deserve this?" Diana gestured to the whole scene.

"Perhaps this village held something Venger wanted," said Donnova. "And perhaps it didn't. Does Venger need a reason to destroy? He's a sorcerous tyrant," she paused, "or a tyrannous sorcerer. Whichever you prefer," she finished with a shrug.

Sheila had come back with Bobby, Uni close behind. She stood behind him with her hands resting on his shoulders. Her soft voice was barely above a whisper when she spoke. "I wish we could have helped them."

Hank put an arm around her.

Donnova found the village's well and propped her sword against its base so to use both her hands to pull a burnt corpse from its edge. It fell to the ground with an abrupt thud.

Eric spun around at the sudden noise. A second later, he covered his mouth and ran behind a broken wagon.

She watched him go, and then looked to the rest of them, apologetically.

"I'll go check on him," Diana said, heading his way.

Donnova went on about bringing up the bucket of water and rested it on the edge of the well. She rinsed her hands and face as she spoke.

"We shouldn't tarry here. There's nothing left but death and debris. And more scavengers will come with nightfall," she warned. "Where are you headed? Not here, I hope."

"Depends on where 'here' is," said Hank. "We're looking for a village called Edonlea."

She stopped a moment. "Well, you're in the right place." She dropped the bucket back down. "You're definitely . . . in the right place," she said again with a sigh.

Hank studied her. There was something odd in the way she said it.

"What's left of it, anyway," she then added.

Hank frowned and looked all around the dead village. It felt odd to be casually conversing amid such death and destruction, but he wanted to keep focused on the matter at hand. "A friend told us to meet someone here," he said, still scanning the waste.

"I've seen no survivors. If there were any, they either fled or were captured by Venger."

Just then, a pale Eric walked up with Diana. "What our little friend said, o attentive leader, was 'You may find help in the village of Edonlea from one who can ensure your way is sound.'"

"Same thing, Eric," said Diana.

"No! It's not! Do any of you guys ever actually listen!" he yelled.

"Watch your mouth, Eric!" Bobby yelled, pointing his club in Eric's face.

"Bobby . . . ," Sheila said as admonishment.

"Watch your own! You think that club makes you so big? Bring it on!"

"Calm down, Eric," Diana scolded.

"Everyone, stop!" Hank ordered, hating having to always be the one to break up fights � especially around strangers. It angered him more that Eric never seemed to care in any circumstance. He had to get them all under control.

"Look, Eric's got a point." He gave a weary sigh. "I know we're all tired, and it seems we came all this way for nothing, but we've got to keep it together."

Everyone went silent.

"I was sent here, too."

Their attention shifted to Donnova, who looked at each of them before turning to Hank.

"Probably by the same one who sent you here," she continued. "Tell me, would this friend of yours happen to have long white hair, wear red robes, and be small enough to crush underfoot?" she asked with a crooked smile.

Hank's face lit up at the realization that she surely referred to Dungeon Master, though he was unsettled by her rude quip.

"You know Dungeon Master?" he asked. Hearing the hopefulness in his own voice, he wondered why exactly it was that he always considered it a plus when whomever they met knew their guide. It was like a feeling of discovering you're not the only one seeing the same ghost.

"We've met," she answered, eyes averted. Hank thought he detected a hint of unpleasantness in her tone. "You're looking for one. I'm looking for many," she explained. "I'd say we've found each other. Now we just have to figure out where we go from here."

"Dungeon Master said the one we found could help us get to the Rocks of Resonance." Hank looked over at Eric as if daring him to put his two cents in again. Eric returned a hard look.

Donnova thought for a moment, but then shook her head. "I've never heard of such a place. I'm sorry."

There were looks of disappointment all around.

Eric scoffed. "Lot of help she turned out to be. C'mon, Presto. Let's get out of here."

Hank looked at Presto, who, as always, looked put on the spot by his friend's callousness. He was about to suggest that they all at least leave the village to figure things out when Donnova stepped forward.

"Wait!" she called out. "Eric?"

Eric stopped and turned around.

"You said, 'ensure the way is sound'?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered in a flat tone, as though none of it mattered anyway.

Hank watched her, trying to read the look on her face. If he had to describe it, he would say it was one of disbelief and alarm.

"How did he�" She took a deep breath, looked away, and let it out slowly.

Definitely anger, Hank decided.

She took up her sword and looked at it, tightening and loosening her grip as though checking its heft.

"Is . . . everything OK?" Hank asked.

"Yes," she said, but by her tone, she seemed far from OK.

Then she looked all around � first at the sky, then around the village. Hank watched as she walked back to one of the dead Blood Spiders and sliced off its pair of fangs with her sword. Next, she found the tallest tree and began using the fangs as spikes to aid the climb into the high branches.

Hank finally went toward her. "What are you doing?"

"If this works, you'll know in a moment," she said and winked down at him.

Hank and the others watched her, exchanged glances and shrugs amongst themselves.

She reached the top, and then suddenly, they were surprised by a high-pitched, ear-piercing wail. They covered their ears until it ceased.

"You could have warned us first!" Eric yelled up at her as he massaged his temples.

"Sorry!" came the reply from above.

Then, all were silent as a bass ringing began to answer from a distance. Everyone strained to hear the peculiar sound. Uni's ears turned this way and that to locate it.

"It's that way, straight through the forest!" Donnova shouted, pointing the direction. "Not that far!" she added, and then climbed down.

Diana approached her with a look of wonder and asked, "How did you do that? With your voice, I mean. That was incredible!"

"We should get moving before we lose any more light," said Donnova, obviously evading Diana's question. As she walked past Eric, she said, "I'll try not to cause you any more trouble."

Eric shrugged. "Why not? Everyone else does."

Behind him, Bobby said, "Can it, will ya, Eric."

"Can yourself." Eric turned and bumped his shield against the top of Bobby's helmet, pushing it down over his eyes.

"Hey!" Bobby yelled.

"OK. I don't think any of us want to spend the night here. So let's move," ordered Hank.

He was feeling better about the whole situation already. They'd found their help, just as Dungeon Master had said they would. And Donnova knew Dungeon Master, was sent there by him. There was also the likelihood that her weapon came from the same place theirs did, The Dragons' Graveyard, and that Dungeon Master himself had given it to her, as he had their weapons. Wasn't that reason enough to trust her? Still, something about her left him uneasy.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Sheila as she stood at the edge of the woods and looked back at the bodies left scattered around the village. Hank touched her shoulder, and she turned beautiful yet sad eyes on his. And he understood, indeed he expected nothing less from her. He knew she'd heal both this world and theirs if she could.

"I know," he said in answer to what he knew she was feeling.

"It feels so wrong to just . . . leave them here," she said.

He wanted so badly to hold her right now, to take her far away from all the Realm's horrors. For even the aftermath of this apparent massacre to be beheld by such a delicate creature, such innocent eyes. . . . And such was the need he saw in those eyes that it wrenched his heart. If only she could know his urge to provide. One day she would, he vowed.

"Let's go," he said softly.