Eight Gods on a Windowsill

 "Okay, Mara. We need to talk about what just happened." Abryi said, suddenly, as we stood there still recovering from the battle. He hurried over to me, checking me over.

 His eyes on my body gave me chills. It was almost as if he was checking me out again. The first thing I wanted to do was tell Hina on him. "What do you mean?"

 Even Campbell made his way over, observing the surroundings. There were two giant craters, now filling in with water. The sand around them was scorched black, almost appearing like glass.

 "How did you do that?" Came his response to all that he saw. Abryi was just nodding his head vigorously.

 "Do what?"

 "That!" They both exclaimed.

 I was lost. I just did my best to be helpful. I didn't want them to have to protect me. "Please, explain."

 "You had Yog Thalthos on the defensive. I've never seen a Minor One be pushed so far." Abyri said. "And then, he just disappeared."

 I wanted to laugh. "I managed to break some crystal inside of him. I think he ran because of that."

 "Crystal?" They said in unison. "What crystal?"

 "You didn't see it? The red crystal inside his chest was so bright. How did you not see it?" They shook their heads. I had no idea how we were still standing. Abryi had a few scratches but was otherwise fine. Campbell and I seemed mostly unharmed. How did we manage that? I asked myself. We faced a god and managed to come out unscathed. We were barely hurt, sore, and out of breath. But, we were alive.

 "I know someone who might know what you're talking about." Campbell said suddenly. "But, we will have to go across the ocean." Then, he looked for the boat. "I think your ride is gone.

 I looked around. I could see shards of the dingy scattered across the beach. It wasn't like we had gotten very far from where we came to the island and Abryi had beached the boat so it wouldn't drift. Now, it was gone.

 "How are we going to get back?"

 Campbell looked at Abryi and smiled. I didn't like it. Something told me they were going to do something rash. "I'll race you to the other side, descendant of Hered." Then, he proceeded to pick me up and throw me over his shoulder. I looked on in horror as they both ran across the water as if they couldn't sink into it, silently praying that Campbell wouldn't drop me.

 When we finally reached the other shore, I bashed my fists into Campbell's back, over and over. "Never." Hit. "Ever." Hit. "Ever." Hit. Hit. "Do." Hit. "That." Hit. "Again!"

 Campbell erupted into a rip-roarious laughter. He set me down gently. "Okay. Okay. No need to beg." He shrugged off my fervor and anger. He began to walk back to the town hall, which was very close. "Come." He beckoned. "We will have to call my father."

 "I could take us to see him." Abryi said. "Mara could use with seeing a little more of her world." Without warning, he was off, probably to gather the others.

 "Your majesty, what is your father like?" I asked, trying to make conversation in the meantime. I really didn't know how to approach this man. He was odd, not in a bad way, just odd.

 "He is," Campbell's voice trailed, "very different, yes. He has done a very decent job of making sure I kept a lookout for you. You are very special. At least, that is what he says." Campbell paused. "You will come to understand quite a bit from him."

 I could tell it was very difficult for Campbell to talk about his father. He barely told me much and the way he did so basically mimicked my leave me alone attitude. After that, I just stood in silence as I waited for Abryi's return. When he did return, trailed by Silas and Hina, I asked, "Where are we headed?"

 "Eh'zanko." Came the response from the four of them at once.