1: The Light of No Tomorrow

Diana tightens her fists and grits her teeth. Zen be damned, she could only hold in so much. "Really, Presto? Really!? We're just gonna take some naps or something while Kosar is out there having who knows what done to him? Would you rest if it was Varla out there?" With that barb thrown, Diana turns around and storms out. In the back of her mind, she knows it's not Presto's fault that they found out about Kosar after he'd exhausted himself. And she knows he's right that rushing in weak was likely a bad idea. On the other hand, she isn't exhausted, and it's frustrating to need Presto to get her to Kosar. Halfway to the door, Diana yells an incoherent sound of frustration. Then she exits the tower and slams the door behind her.

Presto sighs again. It's a wonder he hasn't hyperventilated with all the sighing, but moments like this seem to call for it.

"I'll leave the decision to the rest of you. I can do it, I can get us there. But I'm at the end of my ability with moving through space. There will be consequences to stretching my ability thinner than it should go. They could be beneficial...or it could kill me. It could kill more than one person, I suspect. It's not an easy thing to predict. But we'd get there earlier than tomorrow. What do you think?"

Eric turns to Malchor. "What about you old man? Surely you can teleport us there."

"We're expecting a fight, so we best be fully prepared. Diana, that's the case whether it's Kosar or Varla. It was underestimating our enemy that caused Varla and Lorne to be hurt in the first place." Hank again blamed himself for not finishing off One-Hand. "When we arrive we must expect trouble, and must also expect them to be waiting for us. This is Kelek we're speaking of, if he could scry us now he would."

Diana hears everyone talking, some to her, as she heads outside. She just waves her hand dismissively - it's easier than admitting they're right.

When she gets outside, she sees everyone looking up. Instinctively she does the same and sees the ominous light show. "Oh thay can't be good," she says to herself. Repeating something that someone told her - she can't remember who at the moment - she says, "I guess sometimes the universe really does remind us where our focus should be." Then she runs back to the tower door, opens it, and yells inside.

"Hey guys, I think we may have a new problem out here!"

"They're here already?" Hank had barely suggested that their enemies were equally adept at responding to them. Had another wave arrived at Presto's? Hank moved to the nearest highest point to see if he could make out what was happening, bow in hand.

"If I teleport anyone right now, man-child," Malchor chided as he watched the sky, "it won't be you."

After a few seconds, he added, "It has no bridle, no reins, no saddle... No tack whatsoever."

Sheila follows Hank up to the top of Presto's tower. She looks out upon the nightmare and takes another drink from her glass. "The shitfest never ends does it?"

"I think it gets worse Sheila. That's Venger's nightmare, but where's Venger?" Hank aimed his bow and fired off an arrow, not to hit the nightmare, but to show he meant business. At this point, finding out why it was here was more important than fighting it. "Why are you here?"

Bobby joins the others at the window on the rooftop. Still shirtless but wearing an apron that says "KISS THE CHEF"

If that nightmare makes a wrong move he'll send the Thunder Club flying.

Eric joins the others atop the tower. He stays silent but steels himself for another fight.

Presto gathers a traveler's bag and lays it on the floor by the forcecage. "This will get you as far as a major city, and there's some money in there to get you started. You've got a clean slate. It's what everyone prays for at one time or another. Use it well. And if you cross out paths with malice again, I won't be bringing you back."

When he joins the others at the top of the tower, he doesn't have anything to say. What could he possibly say that would make their situation any better? Their dumpster fire just got a little more complicated. Presto sighs and heads down his tower. A random thought emerges, bubbling its way to the top of all the other fears. I really ought to put in a pole to slide down, it would be so much faster.

Presto emerges through the front door on ground level and cautiously steps out. He can see the Nightmare, but has no idea what it wants. They've all seen it many times, but how many times was it riderless? It's either a trap, a message, or...no, I can't predict this. There are too many possibilities.

Presto lets a long moment pass, hoping something would occur. The suspense is killing him. "Well? I assume you didn't come because you like the view combined with the smell of charred wagon. What do you want?" He only wonders after if the creature can even understand him.

Hello, my dearest friends, Uni said in your minds.

And especially to you, Bobby.

"UNI!!!" Bobby cries out! The barbarian hurries down to his dear friend, hugging her neck and sobbing into her mane.

I missed you so, my strong Bobby. What is wrong? I hope the sadness has not overtaken you too greatly since we last met.

Sheila found unicorn remains in the woods. Leavings of an orc warband's meal. I was so afraid something had happened to you. Bobby thinks back to Uni.

He gestures to the nightmare. "Why is this creature here, Uni?"