Valora swiped sweat from her forehead, hands greasy her pretty face dirtier by the minute. She'd just finished with her cleaning of the armor sets. She still had the weapons to do. She grunted, throwing her rag at the row of weapons. “ It's been 3 hours! I don't have time for this! She frumped down on her stool, arms crossed like a wronged child. Looking at the floor she kicked a small stone that lay there. It bounced and hit a spear that fell backwards and to the floor. As it hit the ground it fell with a loud clang bouncing off the ground vibrating then back to the floor. She moved to pick it up quickly, worried it was loud enough to be heard by Bastion. She bent over grabbing it. Using both hands she heaved the spear up barely budging. She sat then rolled the end of the spear over to the rack on its end, the stone floor grinding under its path. She leaned it against the wall. “ *pant* this frikken thing weighs a ton!” She heard the door open. Bastion stepped in looking around the room. He looked at her holding the spear against the wall. He moved to the armor inspecting it.

  “Well, armor looks okay for a rush job but it'll pass.” Looking at Valora he then continued “ Thrice the time I said to spend and this is what you have to show for it.”

  Valora blushed, biting her tongue fear of angering him with rebuttal.

  “ And controlling your temper under critical word…” he said, stepping forward to her grabbing the spear one handed and popping it up onto the rack in place. “ You're a quick learner Valora, good job. I appreciate your diligence.” He said, patting her on the head. She bit her tongue harder.

  “ Well come with me, it's dinner time.” Bastion said walking out of the room. She was happy for a break and followed. They crossed the yard, opposite of the armory, and entered a dining room kitchen combination. A long table against a wall of which the opposite corner had a stone oven and a large tub filled with dishes in water. Cleaning tools, pots and pans, knives and various cutlery hung from a roof mounted rack above a table in the kitchen area. On the table against the wall a candle lit the room, with two plates of food waiting for them. “Sit here.” Bastion said pointing to a chair, with a small portion of food. A diced baked potato and a large steak next to a glass of milk.

  Valora moved over to sit. Bastion sat next to her. She grabbed her knife and fork ready to dig in. She moved to cut her steak. As she cut a slow hand came and touched her forearm gently.

  “ Valora I'm thankful for your eagerness to eat such bland food. But before we eat please cite the code with me.”

  She set her silverware down. Bastion put his right hand on his left collarbone flat.

  “ I Sire Bastion Growl, shall yield to none who disgrace peace. It is my duty, to uphold honor and dignity, escaping my pride, for the sanctuary of those who cannot preserve their station. I am owned by none, and yield to no kingdom, but seek prosperity for all. Peace, by blade or sunder, greed abated by Love, and Wonder. I a Knight of Freedom's Thunder. Heed my lightning.” Bastion spoke slowly and proud, ending his codes by crossing his chest with his right hand in a zigzag from collar to right then left breast and then center belly, a lightning bolt. Valora spoke slowly and concise following his words replaced by her name and Squire respectively. Bastion began to eat and she did as well.

  She was pleased, she expected the meat and potatoes to taste different, some wild rendition common to her recent food experiences in Wish Legacy. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Just steak and potatoes. As she ate, she couldn't help but ask. “ So a Knight of Freedom's Thunder.

  That sounds pretty cool. But uhmm where's the rest of them?”

  Bastion took a drink of his milk. “ Dead, lost Or vagrant. Their code replaced by kingdom servitude, mostly. Those I could not find. I've heard tales of dying or squalor. Some may have just moved on. None have come back. Except me.”

  “ Why? What happened?”

  He didnt respond and Valora took his silence as if she had touched upon taboo. They continued to eat in silence. As he finished his plate, Bastion then looked at her his eyes hiding emotion. “You're a wish you wouldn't understand. Just do what I tell you and you'll be fine. Hurry up then we’ll meet in the stable, after you do the dishes.” He stood up then began to walk away.

  “ Wait!” Valora slammed her hand on the table. “ Listen, you have to stop walking away when I’m talking to you. Please. Where I'm from, that's disrespectful.”

  Bastion stood there. “ Okay, proceed.”

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  “ No you, explain what you mean. I'm a what? A wish?”

  …. Meanwhile,

  “Courage now!” King said dropping from above atop a pair of goblins using his Chiten arms he used a pair on both to pin them down.

  Courage ran up from behind a speleothem. He took his hand and pressed it onto a goblin. “ Psychic cage!” The goblin flailing arms swinging wild with anger at King. The other trying to worm free. A cage formed around the goblin then disappeared immediately. “TSK. Damn I knew it. Doesn't work alright Lance go ahead.” Lance who had appeared next to them, struck down with the Giant's Poker killed both goblins with a quick pierce to their heads.

  “ Worth a shot I guess.” Courage said standing up

  “ I'm pretty sure that'd be a bit too strong if you could take over Intelligent creatures.” King said his Chiten arms crawling back into his leather armor.

  Lance began cutting into them taking out their gems. “ What about the charm thing? How long does that last?”

  “ No, it's a certain distance, for a minute. Says so in the definition. We'll figure it out.”

  “ Nothing we've done has worked, and it doesn't even help that we know goblin now.” Reilly said interjecting, “ I think it has to be one of them. Why not just try to buy them to do it.”

  “ No, I think we're missing something. We tried talking to them but it's not working, I wonder if we need a key of our own. I'm telling you we have to find the goblin village or something.” Lance said wiping his hands on the goblins tattered clothing.

  “ The rules do say you can come back only twice. Maybe that's a hint, he could be right.” King said.

  “ Look if that's the case then how come the goblins can walk through the door like it's not there. I'm betting you it's some kind of ability” Courage said petting Screech.

  “ I don't think we should care about it right now, we found 2 exits, and that door. We're way past this floor on info, let's just loot and leave, unload all this crap and get in touch with Valora.” Reilly said.

  “ I agree” King said.

  “ Same” Courage nodding.

  “ Wait wait wait. Guys. Your’e jumping the gun here. We haven't even found the boss yet.” Lance said

  “ How do you know there is one? There can be levels that don't right? Imagine how boring it would be if it was floor after floor of the same thing. Fight, fight, rest, fight, boss. Lame. Be more creative than that.” King said arms crossed.

  “ Yeah I mean also the exits are completely different. What if this was a floor that was like a choose your path kind of thing. Plus they both lead outside! The literal level three sign is floating at both exits.” Courage said.

  Lance put up a finger and thought his hand on his chin. “ Exit one, a pitfall with floating stone steps to the wide opening of the cave mouth. You can't see past the threshold because it is bright beyond bright but in red bold letters against the wall of white, level 3. Up a roof hole passed the mirrors an exit to a tree top again in bold, level 3. One is sketchy, you can just bet the floating stones drop you to death and the other, the roof hole, if you fell it'd be to death. Am I just over-thinking this?” he thought. Scratching his head Lance sighed. “ Alright, fine. But I'm coming back for that door.”

  The group had found a door in a far off section of the map that was goblin sized. They waited around it for a while and eventually a goblin entered, a few goblins left, a couple more came back in. It was like the path of these goblins was set to enter and leave but they always did so in secrecy putting out their torches and using the roof holes lights as guide to the door. They had tried to open it. They tried to kill a goblin in the act, they waited and ambushed goblins coming out trying to hold the door. But every time the door wasn't tangible, and if it were it led to pure rebuttal. Any attacks against it did nothing. A simple wooden door, with a silhouette of a goblins head, but it was nearly indestructible.

  “ We can cross that bridge when we have more info. I vote to go up” Reilly said.

  “ Yea same, Easy that way.” King said.

  “ I'd like the stones, they seem pretty straight forward.” Reilly shook her head “ What they float what makes you think they will stop because we step on it?” Courage explained.

  “Alright, looks like we are waiting for Valora's vote.” Lance said.

  “ What? Vote now it's only a tie breaker if you vote stones.” Reilly said.

  “ The reason I'm not declaring my vote yet is so that Valora doesn't feel pressure from anyone. Here I'll write mine down right now. Courage you don't get to encourage her decision, let her come here and see both first.” Lance said writing in his notebook.

  Courage raised his hand and shrugged his shoulders. “ She wouldn't listen to me anyways.” he said, faking to lock his lips with an imaginary key.

  “ Alright loot and scoot then?” King said.

  “ Yeah if we hurry we can head back and I will cook” Lance said happily.

  Reilly drooled, King nodded, and Courage punched from his hip.