The Kingdom of the Emerald Hills

Virgil Veneficus the young baron of Morningwood Glen after a weekend of demons has finally gotten in bed. His day isn't over yet. A few minutes of sleep only to be woken up by the thought Look up. Look out.
Virgil got out of bed a second before the longsword landed.

“What.” as he reached for his weapons only to find them missing. Then the cold whisper behind him.

“He said you'd be faster. Don't move.”
Virgil freezes.
“Now. The Vizier is in a royally bad mood. He was at the point you and your “brother.” would have died in such a way even my darkness couldn't imagine it.”
Virgil feels the coldness of the stranger's breath and a cold blade at his throat.

“He's figured you would be more useful on his side. I don't believe so. I promised to deliver a message to you. I didn't promised I wouldn't kill you. However the Vizier knew that and if I did. He's gotten creative of late and figured killing folks from far away is more fun.”

“So. What's the message?”
“It is the will of the people that the elite must fall.”

The cold metal blade disappears.
The longsword is still there.

Wiping off the sweat from my face I pulled the sword out of my bed, "What was that message about..." I thought to myself "It is the will of the people that the elite must fall. what can I do with such an incomprehensible message." I began to lay down after throwing the sword to the side. "that was dangerous, with such a heavy sword I would have died, even with my demon blood." I said laying down "my "brother" eh? Well whoever they are they know allot about me and I know nothing about them, that message was more than likely a warning." I couldn't consentrate after a few weeks with little to no sleep it was a miracle that I was still up and running. "just when I thought everyone might be safe for a bit." I thought aloud. After the successfull conquest of the city of earth and the defeat of the demon Terrus I figured that everyone earned a good night's sleep, so with that in mind I drifted into a deep sleep, after all whatever that message was telling me could wait at least until morning.
"Virgil, come quick!" a voice awoke me from my slumber "What time is it?" I asked dazzed "A few minutes past seven in the night." Ohh great that gave me about ten minutes of sleep, oh well duity calls, If I had known being Barron was such a pain in the ass I would never had gone for it. "what's going on?" I said as I rushed out of my quarters getting dressed as I went along. "there has been a murder!" The person In front of me said, I was still quite drozzy and not fully awake.
"Was it demons?" I asked
"No it looks like a human did it."
"OH great First Mephestophillies attacks and now I have my men killing each other, They don't pay me enough for this.... wait am I getting paid at all? I need to talk to... wait off track lets get back to the murder." I thought in my sleep deprived state
I soon entered the barracks where the body was found, it wasn't pretty at all, I could discribe it but I dont want to remember that horrid sight. "Your sure a HUMAN did this." I asked whomever it was while I covered my nose "Yes I'm sure, after all I saw the culprit." they said "YOU SAW THE CULPRIT AND YOU DIDN'T ACT!" I shouted. "whatever I can't do anything like this, someone clean up this mess and let me get some sleep. We will find the culprit in the morning." I told them as I walked back to my quarters. A cold chill ran down my spine, whatever is going on it needs to be solved quickly, then after several weeks of none I finally drifted to sleep

_________________
"He may be out of his mind But some day you will find
That sanity's left us all blind And dragged us all behind"

"I cannot quench your thirst
Because even if you yearn for the truth, you refuse to believe in it.
I cannot quench your thirst
Because no such truth exists that you are in anticipation for.
But I still want to quench your thirst.
Because I am the one the that put you into the desert."
-Frederica Bernkastel

Virgil finally gets to sleep. It was somewhat peaceful until the music.
“Deception...Disgrace...Evil as plain as the scar on his face”

“What?”
Then two kids voices
“What? What?”
“Now what?”
“You tell us?”

Virgil sits up to see the two little people standing on his knees.
“You're fairies.”
“We know that. Duh?”
“Why are you in my bedroom?”
“Your bedroom? Um look up.”
Virgil looks up to see not a ceiling but a starry sky complete with shooting stars.

“Before you freak out. Like most humans do, What was the last thing you did?”
“I fell asleep.”
“Oh. Well. No worries.”
“No worries? I fall asleep and wake up in the woods.”
“Who said you're awake.” the male fairy says as he flies up.
“And who says you're asleep.” the female fairy says as she flies up.
"What?”
“As the song says 'Roaming inbetween the worlds of sleep and awake”
“The realm of the Dreaming. Home to the Fae.”
“Welcome to the Forest of Tow'land.”

Virgil looks around. This Forest seems more alive than the woods of Morningwood. Even the trees seem to be stretching as if yawning to go to sleep.
“How did I get here?” Virgil asks
“Have you messed with anything from our world lately?”
“Does a black longsword mean anything?”
“No.”
“How about a whispering assassin?”
“Whispering...assassin...”
“That's familiar?”
“A sluagh. You pissed off a sluagh, and lived.”
“Well the Vizier said ...”

At the mention of the Vizier there was an audible shiver from the forest.
“OK. You're in trouble now.”
“What did I say?”
“Oh nothing. You just said, out loud, that the Highest ranking creature in Tow'land Forest needs you alive. And with the Vizier being a mercenary in his former life...”
“So. I can buy him off?”
“No it mean...”

The forest audibly gasp at the next statement.
“I recognize that stench. Amtgardian.”
“It just got worse.”

Virgil barely had time to say anything before he was airborne and face to face with a Black Dragon.
“By order of the Prince of Tow'land Forest, No Amtgarders without proper paperwork. Where's your paper's, boy?”
“I don't have...”
“Great. I pop you into my mouth and we call it a night.”
“Wait! The Vizier wants me alive!”
“Alive?” The black dragon laughs, loudly.
“The Vizier's designed an ENTIRE tournament to see who would get to destroy Amtgard. Why would he keep you alive? You don't even... Hmm?”
The dragon takes a good whiff of Virgil.
“You smell like his apprentices with a bit of ancient like the Vizier. Lets ask him in person.”

Virgil barely had chance to get comfortable when the dragon took to flight. The dragon flies at incredible speed, until hes over a desert. This is when it gets weird.

“We'll this is far as I go. If you survive the fall the Vizier wanted you alive. If you don't I'll make a stew out of your remains.”

Virgil thinks to himself “Where's a flying spell when you need one?”
Then the fall didn't seem bad. It felt bumpy... Then Virgil hears three voices.
Familiar voices...

A young kid “I can't hold him.”
A teenager “See. I told you.”
The exasperated sigh of an old man and then, “All of you... Go Home!”

Virgil falls

And lands

In Bed.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Morning comes around and all Kenta was wondering was...
“Caboose!”
“What?”
“Where's my sandwich?”
“Um...”
“It was sitting on my plate.”
“Its in the window and you're not gonna like it.”
“What?”
Kenta turns around.

In the window with the sandwich in its mouth is a grayish owl.

(Heartbeat )

“I'm gonna kill him.”

Evrek has never visit Tow'land before. He wasn't expecting this. An normal elven woods isn't this... lively. He's not even sure some of the stuff is even elven. Evrek not even sure the guy guiding him is even alive. His guide is skeletal and pale. The guide hasn't said a thing during the trip. Evrek didn't wonder why. He was enjoying it. The trip wasn't bad until the forest changed into a desert. The guide beat Evrek putting the hood over his eyes.

The trip to Changeling's tower was quicker than the trip through the forest. Both walked into a shaded room, cold stone and metal. Changeling sits in the middle of the room.
“I sense two assassins. One a prodigy.”
Evrek smiled only a little, then spoke. “Why am I here?”
The guide speaks, barely a whisper, “So it can talk.”
“Will you two stand down. I'm not cleaning drow or sluagh blood off my walls.”
Evrek and the guide stares at each other
“Evrek. Rain Dante Weatherstorm. Weatherstorm, Evrek. Now that you two have met. Calm down.”
Weatherstorm shakes his head turns to a grayish mist.
“What?”
“That was a teleport Evrek.”
“But he didn't...”
“Amtgard magic isn't the same a fae magic. Its much more... barbaric.”
“OK. Why am I here again?”
“Three things. One, congratulations on your last kill. I heard it was right through his chest.”
Evrek was surprised Changeling heard about that. Changeling wasn't even there.
“Second, I'm starting a rebellion and looking for help. I choose you because, you won't kill everyone. Weatherstorm would. Besides between your bow and Shin's, I'm quite sure the elite will learn.”
“OK, and third.”
“The guy who attacked you at the Emerald Hills midreign.”
“Yeah.”
Changeling holds up a scroll. “Here's more info on him if you need it.”
Evrek blinks. “How?”
“I was guild-master once. You should try it. You would like it. It would scare the kingdom to death.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kenta walks into meet Virgil still wiping blood off his sword.
“Kenta?”
“Three times. I killed it three times and it still living.”
“What happened?”
“Changeling sent me a message...”
“OK.”
“He's in a good mood.”
“How good?” Virgil ask as he drags out the black longsword that almost ended him. Kenta sees that and starts to laugh.
“In that good a mood. Haven't seen that sword since the the New Dawn Rebellion.”
“What? Is he trying to kill me?”
“No just saying, Be on my side or you wish I would have killed you.”
“So what does Changeling want?”
“A rebellion against something he calls, the Elite.”
Virgil thinks to himself. “I think I know what he's talking about.”
“Cool. So tell me what he's up to. The only hint he gave me was his PS.”
Kenta shows Virgil the letter.

“PS: Ano is as annoying to you as the Elites are to me.”

I thought to myself for a while, In a room closed off from the world, in the city of one of my conquered foes. "nothing will be settled unless me and this changeling person actually have a face to... face? talk." the elite, why would they be the target of a rebellion? Although I will admit that they can be a little snobish, but that is human nature. No one of the "elite" must have done something to anger changling, but what? But an even pressing matter is how will I be able to speak to him if he belongs to a dream world? "It's simple Virgil one of the two of us has mastered traveling between realms." I heard a voice behind me that filled me with dread, I quickly grabed my sword and rammed it through the chest full force of my visitor.

"Ohh come now you know I won't die that easily!" The being said "even though you aren't a man of much skill, I will give you this: your one hell of a craftsman."
"Mephestophillies." I said "how on earth did you find me?"
"Well we know you can remember at least my face, but really now you should know better than to think you can hide from me." He said as he picked me up by my neck "we are one, Virgil, you can't hide anything from me. I know about your little trip to this "Tow'land" and about your current predicament."
"So you choose now to strike, when I'm weakest.." I gasped "for the strongest of the 13 demons that is a pretty cowardly tactic."
"Don't Insult me Wretch!" Mephestophillies said slaming me into the stone wall nearby "I was mearly thinking that this game has become more interesting, after all there is a third player now, a wild card so to speak." He dropped me on the floor and continued to speak "Now as you know I cannot enter any sort of dream realm because as a demon I do not sleep."
"Sucks to be you." I muttered
"yes putting your smartass coment aside, it does suck because, I WANT to enter this realm." Mephestophillies said disspleased "HOWEVER you can enter this realm."
"what is your point?"
"My point is you have a need and I have the answer." He said helping me to my feet forcefully "It is no fun killing you when you are not at full force. That is why I have been throwing you Bone after bone. Remember In the city of Sound when your forces where completely desimated, I was the one to told Sanus to duel your champion! Why would a demon who controlls earth need doors to enter his realm, after all he could just move it himself. Virgil I am the one helping you." Mephestophillies put his face right in mine "That way I can kill you once you are at full force."
"We don't need your help." I said forcefully at my nemesis
"you want your troops at full force don't you?" he asked and I nodded "I want the same as well This Changling is a third wheel. He hasn't helped you or me."
"I see your point."
"Now I can send you to this realm so you can speak to this "thing"" Mephestophillies smiled "and you will deliver a message from me to him." He snapped his fingers and a sealed evelope apeared.
"what is this?" I asked looking it over
"Don't be so suspicious If I wanted to kill you I would. This is to be opened by this "changling" ONLY, if anyone else opens it...." His eyes shone dark, yet bright much like the demon himself "Well I just hope they have had a nice life."
I thought for a second and then spoke " what if I refuse?"
"Why do you always have to try and be the heroic type?" He asked right back expecting it "If you refuse I will kill all of your little friends." He said coming closer "Now Nighty night!" then everything when black

_________________
"He may be out of his mind But some day you will find
That sanity's left us all blind And dragged us all behind"

"I cannot quench your thirst
Because even if you yearn for the truth, you refuse to believe in it.
I cannot quench your thirst
Because no such truth exists that you are in anticipation for.
But I still want to quench your thirst.
Because I am the one the that put you into the desert."
-Frederica Bernkastel

The next the Virgil heard was, “Hey Boss, we found something.”
The things that found Virgil seem elven except made of either wood or metal. Next are the strange green folks, who seem to be taking glee from poking at Virgil with sticks.
“Hey!”

This is when a guy wearing leather armor with pockets, lots of pockets, a tool belt and a hard hat walks in.
“What the hell is that? Why is it on my floor? You have two minutes then I'm tossing you in the furnace or the boiler.”
“That's a nice greeting.”
“One minute, fifty-seven seconds.”
“OK. My name is Virgil Veneficus.”
“Wait!”
The guy is now almost nose to nose with Virgil.
“What is your name?”
“Virgil Veneficus.”
The guy steps back, far back. A smile growing ever larger on his face. In fact the other are starting to smile too. The green ones are actually giggling.
“HOOK HIM UP!”
Virgil didn't get a chance to say anything before he got mobbed.

Minutes later.
Virgil find himself being bolted down to a chair with metal straps. A guy with a large nose clamps a metal ring around his head
“OK Mr. Veneficus I'll introduce my fraking self and tell you was is happening. I'm Nicolas Nack: Forman of the Mill. This is a simple test to check your energy. Rumors say you might be sutable. OK. Not rumors. I paid a sluagh almost an arm and a leg, literally, for this. It shouldn't hurt.”
“Much.” A dwarven technician says.
“Shut the hell up.”
Part of the machine sparks.
“Damn it.”
More sparks
“Boss?”
“OK. Test him already before we accidentally melt this one.”
“Wait?” Virgil yells as he feel a small jolt, “Is this Tow'land?”
“Yes.”
“Test starting, Sir.”
“Your Vizier needs me alive.”
They carry on as if they didn't him. Another jolt passes through Virgil
“Results coming in.”
“I have a message for Changeling!”
“We have a positive, Sir.”
“Great. Start calibrations quickly.”
Nick pulls out a weird prismatic ball.
“Hey old man. I'll have your number 20 working soon. Take that you … GO.”
The prismatic ball lifts up and flies away.

“OK Mr. Veneficus, Virgil. Frak the formalities *Small shock to the machine and Virgil* The reason our Vizier, your Changeling wants you alive is for us. Lets cut to the chase. I'm no storyteller like he is. SOB *Small shock to the machine and Virgil* Something happen in a realm he was visiting called Amtgard that pissed him of so well he decided to dreck the whole fragging place. *Small shock to the machine and Virgil* Some of his ideas were... farblunjet Alter Kocker they were K'nocker. One had a special power source he rigged up. Could never get our hands on it until now. And here you are.”
“We're gonna blow something up! We're gonna blow something up! We're gonna blow something up! We're gonna blow something up!”
“But, I need to get this letter to Changeling.”

The folks of the Mill start to celebrate when they hear the sound of a special type of sword. Most of the Mill expect that now from the Vizier. They are use the Aqua glow of his blade. This blade however...
is Red.
“Oh sh.... “

“I was in the middle of a project. I was relaxing. Then this crystal thing flies in spouting something and then exploded.”
“Sorry.”
“My project went with it.”
“Now you know how I feel old man.”
“So before I try to electrocute you. What do you have?”
Everyone points at Virgil.
“Hello Changeling.”
“Oh.” Changeling walks over to one of the machines. “Didn't check everything did you?”
“What?” Nick says as he looks.

While he does Virgil has notice all the straps holding him have come undone. He also notice hes slowly floating away from the chair.
“WHAT THE ….”
The floating becomes flying,
Then darkness
Then...

“Sorry about that!”
Virgil finds himself in an underground room, lit with green stones; with Changeling levitating the letter. .
“According to my friend there.” Changeling points to the extremely pale person leaning against the wall. “This letter shouldn't be opened.”
“Its only for your eyes only.”
The guy leaning against the wall shakes his head.
“I have to agree with my friend, there. Demons only do diplomacy when they find out they did something stupid.”
“What did Mephestophillies do you think is stupid?”
Virgil though he heard the guy on the wall whisper “Gnome.”
“Well said Weatherstorm. The Inanimae still do not like the folks of Morningwood and now your demon friend disturbs the glomes. Disturbing sleeping glomes is never a good thing.”
“Glome?”
“A faerie earth spirit if you will.”
“Oh.” It dawns on Virgil, “Oh, so the earth demon...
“From the glome's point of view. It felt... odd. Kinda like waking up to a thief in the house whose only rearranging the furniture. The kuberas in the area though it was annoy. Mud everywhere, and squads of people with weapon. The kubera and their kith and kin still think Morningwood Glen should leave. They are still not happy at the Duke who decided to rape the forest. Which brings me to ask, before I even think of reading this letter. How many more elemental disturbances does your demon 'friend' have planned?”