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.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ATLGfoR12
"How are you doing?" Will asked.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuv2RKV5QU
"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.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9PtR4Yepc
"Why don't you tell me more about where you're from?" Will asked.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJ8EXPulV0
"I live in Arkansas," Ashley said. "Right by the river. Mama and I have been living with Grandma since Daddy went missing."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdwDLwLf16
"I've been there," Will said. "It can get a bit humid, but it's pleasant."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0ZToo7s0W
Ashley smiled. "Yeah."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwoFVeENdz
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?656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4qsu5aEG1
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?656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxyC6E5EYh
"Hello?" She heard somebody call. "Hello? Is somebody there?"656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXNwHdIBiN
"Yes," Ashley called back, "But I'm lost."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrSMouu5VA
"I wish I was lost," She heard the man laugh, "But, sadly, I know exactly where I am."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JWlGAk9Qb
"Then can you help me? I need to find my friends."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlDydZshFN
"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."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrIsBEhgc0
As he kept talking, Ashley followed the sound of his voice. She gasped when she found him.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUlxGPiJWr
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.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNMHuiBdBp
"I assume you've found me," He said.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9ww4E3Nx4
"I think so," Ashley said, stepping closer to him. She was both curious and scared.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5AmNQwROj
"I hope it's not to much to ask if you could help me."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OaBn6ZoNj
"Does that mean you'll help me find my friends?"656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2V4R95eGSa
"I'm not in much of a position to negotiate," The man laughed, "But if it helps, I give my word as an Elder."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOU1chgDHpx
"I've heard that word before," Ashley said excitedly. "I've heard Will and Jack use it. Do you know them?"656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7uo8Is2mm
"Of course I do. They're Elders like I am. My question is, though, do you?"656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4aWs1Q3J8
"Yes. They're helping me get back home."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciH9VnbBbk
"Home?" the man repeated. "Where are you from?"656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIPiDRyzmW
"Arkansas," Ashley said.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjnkz5pD1c
"Arkansas? What kind of place in the entire kingdom is named Ark-wait...you're not from the kingdom, are you?"656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHk3DkRLDh
Despite his covered face, Ashley shook her head. "No. That's why they said they would help get back home."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNolV87c8W
"And you said that Will and Jack were helping you?" The man asked.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aJrzzum1H
"Yes, Will's taking me to Nightmare City."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi31wPjmT3a
"If you have their help, then you have mine...well, once I'm untied, of course."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaV84QU25l6
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.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKWNPyeDMg
Once the sack fell off, Ashley took a step back and started to count.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkep42urLS
The man looked at Ashley, his eyes blinking repeatedly to adjust to the light.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpex7cFP1CR
Once, twice, three times Ashley counted.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4ILAga2RW
Four.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEUnJkPi1V
The man had four eyes. They were bright red and there were definitely four of them.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYmZ3zuG2w
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."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEOJpRNrm4
Ashley had a hard time taking her eyes off of him, but she untied the larger rope that bound him to the tree.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwVgwQc5rg
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.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPetwV8785O
"Might I know who I owe my gratitude to?" He asked.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsIJjeYxn0
"My name's Ashley."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12irjMozAV
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?"656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwTMEAR1CU
Ashley pointed, "That way, I think."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvITFgvVvOw
Just as Ashley pointed, she found herself on the ground, greeted by Cott's happy bouncing.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAiUxo7qdR
"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.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpksGLHSSd1
"Long time no see, Will," Tommy smiled. It was an eerie smile that revealed rows of pointed teeth.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcJp350ts9
"Long time, indeed," Will nodded. "What happened to you anyway?"656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXs7v8a7zK
Tommy shrugged. "Gambled with some goblins who played dirtier than most and, well, I don't think I need to say the rest."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YULTRGI6y
"Then you deserved what you got," Will said.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjDYQjjuVU
"I hear you're helping Miss Ashley get back home, right?" Tommy asked.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTSlHgXzPc
"Correct," Will nodded.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDc34ShBR9J
"I've agreed to help as well," Tommy said, "But the problem is that I can't find my hat."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9lq4hNJRP
"Why do you need your hat?" Ashley asked. "Can't you just go on without it?"656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuC14lea35V
"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."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0ypiklnbD
"Because of light?" Ashley asked.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGb8qIyIlre
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.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFDzo5PS2N
"So," Ashley said slowly, "You're like a vampire?"656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMpHcGotD1
Ashley assumed he was laughing, despite the noise sounding more like hissing. "No, no, no. They're a whole different story, believe me."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRBS6iZMFg
Ashley felt something lightly tap her leg. She looked down to see a ratty, old leather wide-brimmed hat.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzChEYXqlF
"Ah!" Tommy exclaimed. "Best catch it before it gets away!"656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajxxZf0cy9
Slightly confused, Ashley reached down to pick it up, but it promptly stood on it side and rolled away.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9HWf1VKz4
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.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9bKrDzyYF
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.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1OkOvISaO
"Stop!" She shouted.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboYOdfRd74
Tommy halted, staring questioningly at Ashley.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8syz08luH
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.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTLpIJBErX
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.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI45xYzLMCO
"That was quite clever of you, Miss Ashley."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUi9UwrXbUW
Ashley could feel her cheeks redden. "Not really," She mumbled.656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAvUr6HrmJ
"Oh, but it was," Tommy said. "I can guarantee you that was the fastest I've ever caught that hat."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXG7ncfNpQC
Will arrived with Cott following closely behind. "I assume we're finished here?"656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5hhScsULq
Tommy tapped the rim of his hat. "I've got my hat, so I'm ready to go whenever."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qd8NYeGLs
Will cocked his head to the side. "Are you sure you want to accompany us? We're heading off to the Collector's Mountain."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2WkFNA4po
Tommy froze for a second, then drew in a deep breath. "I owe this young lady and gave her a promise. I'm going."656Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQUCZNL0Hp
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