The trees were thick and tall, but the fog that weaved through them made the scenery truly confusing. There was no telling one direction from the other. Even more fascinating was how the sky was completely devoured by both fog and forest. Ground and sky were as distinguished as the directions and that was what terrified Ashley the most.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKZ2zztLGk
"How are you doing?" Will asked.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgL0EfaRu2V
"Okay," Ashley lied. She tightened her grip around his tail. It wasn't until she was walking behind him that she realized that swirling black stripes that decorated his fur were moving.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRl1YaWrm3
"Why don't you tell me more about where you're from?" Will asked.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ispX0mYzk
"I live in Arkansas," Ashley said. "Right by the river. Mama and I have been living with Grandma since Daddy went missing."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30PR4oVkEk
"I've been there," Will said. "It can get a bit humid, but it's pleasant."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkNhDZ46Ft
Ashley smiled. "Yeah."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVd1M7XDBU
Then the next step Ashley took, she found her self falling. Somehow she had lost her grip on Will's tail and was tumbling down a hill. When she finally stopped, she held her breath and tried to keep her tears back. Slowly, very slowly, she stood. She couldn't see anything more than fog and trees and was terrified of moving anymore than she already had. Would they be able to find her if she moved?743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZK39Xenfy
Ashley remembered a teacher of hers saying something about a situation like this, but she couldn't remember exactly what they said. Did they say to move? Or did they say to stay still?743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4LwZlxKuk
"Hello?" She heard somebody call. "Hello? Is somebody there?"743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelo7KyENOQ
"Yes," Ashley called back, "But I'm lost."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwk2Fg2Z9Cq
"I wish I was lost," She heard the man laugh, "But, sadly, I know exactly where I am."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhr4LsN8nbF
"Then can you help me? I need to find my friends."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4r9TpBmFP
"I would love to," He said, "But there's a bit of a problem. Well, I think it's a problem. It's hard telling anymore. Hell, I could be dead and just cursed in my own ever loving afterlife."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdNLcD47Fj
As he kept talking, Ashley followed the sound of his voice. She gasped when she found him.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNNt4eWEdB
The stranger was a tall man that was tied to a tree. He was bent forward with a leather bag over his head that was tied around his neck.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEk7E1PCrw
"I assume you've found me," He said.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1SBSAUg0l
"I think so," Ashley said, stepping closer to him. She was both curious and scared.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgx18IzTK6
"I hope it's not to much to ask if you could help me."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLcYyjT0CX
"Does that mean you'll help me find my friends?"743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2F8fBwjDmj
"I'm not in much of a position to negotiate," The man laughed, "But if it helps, I give my word as an Elder."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VQV1xaH4V
"I've heard that word before," Ashley said excitedly. "I've heard Will and Jack use it. Do you know them?"743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQLFg51qhf
"Of course I do. They're Elders like I am. My question is, though, do you?"743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1juzGzOHX
"Yes. They're helping me get back home."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRj8JlpDOoY
"Home?" the man repeated. "Where are you from?"743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEP4y3ojt5
"Arkansas," Ashley said.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKe43xmfom7
"Arkansas? What kind of place in the entire kingdom is named Ark-wait...you're not from the kingdom, are you?"743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpsgy4MFTN
Despite his covered face, Ashley shook her head. "No. That's why they said they would help get back home."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wEx5oZI8U
"And you said that Will and Jack were helping you?" The man asked.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYW9upsI3OP
"Yes, Will's taking me to Nightmare City."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNu6EtDBZNa
"If you have their help, then you have mine...well, once I'm untied, of course."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEE7zO8W74G
Quickly, Ashley started to untie the knots. If the man had been a normal height, Ashley would have had no problems reaching his head. However, she found that due to his outlandish height, she had to stand on her toes to reach the thread that tied the sack on his head.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7CvP1ESEu
Once the sack fell off, Ashley took a step back and started to count.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnPOl0VHeg
The man looked at Ashley, his eyes blinking repeatedly to adjust to the light.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCIyye5eF5
Once, twice, three times Ashley counted.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedZYlG77JW
Four.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMleqqYFHWC
The man had four eyes. They were bright red and there were definitely four of them.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFDpEi95LF
The corners of the man's mouth, quite literally, were nearly touching each ear. "I can't tell you how nice it is to see the world again...I hope you won't mind it too much if I ask that you do the same to the other rope, too."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzNmFLEsys
Ashley had a hard time taking her eyes off of him, but she untied the larger rope that bound him to the tree.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9PvTIUyQs
The man stood, towering taller than anyone Ashley had ever met, and stretched. She could hear all kinds of bones crack as he did so.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIWW0iiGTp
"Might I know who I owe my gratitude to?" He asked.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YrxXKTu9Q
"My name's Ashley."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cZIOTPUgg
The man bowed deeply. When he stood upright again, he said, "I've many, but I've been going by Tommy recently." Tommy looked around, "So you were with Will...I don't suppose you remember which way you came from?"743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIxQU030h1
Ashley pointed, "That way, I think."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bwdeyOHnn
Just as Ashley pointed, she found herself on the ground, greeted by Cott's happy bouncing.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRJr1WhRxp
"It's a good thing you don't need to recall, isn't it?" Will asked as he came into view from the thick fog.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2QvZUou6A
"Long time no see, Will," Tommy smiled. It was an eerie smile that revealed rows of pointed teeth.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1y0niVLlbO
"Long time, indeed," Will nodded. "What happened to you anyway?"743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYu6g9ALAXV
Tommy shrugged. "Gambled with some goblins who played dirtier than most and, well, I don't think I need to say the rest."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacpvC0pCTw
"Then you deserved what you got," Will said.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPi3AoIaTo8
"I hear you're helping Miss Ashley get back home, right?" Tommy asked.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWn9BOLiGW
"Correct," Will nodded.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfQYN9ipBx
"I've agreed to help as well," Tommy said, "But the problem is that I can't find my hat."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNWc4weTPN
"Why do you need your hat?" Ashley asked. "Can't you just go on without it?"743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3x51j9Nid
"This hat is a little more special than most," Tommy said. "It protects me from light...because, you see, light does a lot of harm to me and I could very well die."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKS9J4iRNxu
"Because of light?" Ashley asked.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEgbgtB4CG
Tommy smiled, revealing rows of sharp, pointed teeth. "Light and I have never really gotten along. You see, most of my work is done in the dark and, after a while, light became dangerous. The only reason I'm fine without it now is because of the fog. It's protecting me for the time being.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKP5WZ9nBP
"So," Ashley said slowly, "You're like a vampire?"743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7O8KjWk8Pd
Ashley assumed he was laughing, despite the noise sounding more like hissing. "No, no, no. They're a whole different story, believe me."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17fIIWVCo2
Ashley felt something lightly tap her leg. She looked down to see a ratty, old leather wide-brimmed hat.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVd7yrvDPqo
"Ah!" Tommy exclaimed. "Best catch it before it gets away!"743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV68Vtw0J5m
Slightly confused, Ashley reached down to pick it up, but it promptly stood on it side and rolled away.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4ThqumpC4
Tommy bolted after the runaway hat and Ashley followed without a second thought. Will, on the other hand, curled up into a tight ball and closed his eyes, but kept his ears perked and fully alert.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcPuANmlS7
An idea popped into Ashley's head that forced Ashley into a dead stop. She saw the dark hat emerge from the thick fog, Tommy following it immediately. Ashley grabbed a low-lying branch pulled it back.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMbxcF2pQF
"Stop!" She shouted.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAXxa65ldh
Tommy halted, staring questioningly at Ashley.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxO5j40VfVh
She waited, keeping her eye on the hat. When it was close enough, she released the branch. It swept forward and knocked the hat high into the air.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxQjox4zJZ
Realizing what Ashley had done, Tommy jumped and caught the hat. When he landed, Tommy dusted the hat off and guided it to his head. An arm then emerged from over his head, it looked like it came from his neck, then grabbed the hat and placed it on his head before shrinking away.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7X3KfIblqb
"That was quite clever of you, Miss Ashley."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIdz5bURj6
Ashley could feel her cheeks redden. "Not really," She mumbled.743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCrWOlttQf
"Oh, but it was," Tommy said. "I can guarantee you that was the fastest I've ever caught that hat."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPYtMV1hV3
Will arrived with Cott following closely behind. "I assume we're finished here?"743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYnjQQTe3D
Tommy tapped the rim of his hat. "I've got my hat, so I'm ready to go whenever."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDGxaKQrlI
Will cocked his head to the side. "Are you sure you want to accompany us? We're heading off to the Collector's Mountain."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bsjNlNIof
Tommy froze for a second, then drew in a deep breath. "I owe this young lady and gave her a promise. I'm going."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHi4GmhryzX
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