"Yet still not long enough, Tolum," the wizard replied passively. This seemed to irk the seelie before him as his eyes hardened and his grin disappeared. He stood, gossamer silk clinging lightly to his hips as the lustrous fabric draped around him. Two iridescent wings unfurled proudly as they quivered in anger.

"You will address me by my title while you stand in my court, human," the seelie seethed. "Why do you not bow before me?"

"I do not need to bow when this court could have easily been mine." The wizard tilted his head to the side as if challenging the Faerie King to deny his statement. "Now sit down, young one. I'm being generous in letting you speak to me as an equal."

The court cried out in outrage, gnashing their teeth and nearly lunging out of their seats. Yet something seemed to hold them back as they hurled insults at the wizard.

"You do not have fae blood, human! You do not have a right to our court!"

"Whore's son! Bastard of Larrag!"

"Liar! Murderer! Enemy of the Fae!"

Seeming to have grown tired of the chaos, the wizard only sighed before a dark energy enveloped him, lashing out at the court in a single wave. The same energy present when they dealt with the harbinger. Immediately harsh words dissolved into terrified screams as the seelie retreated back to their thrones, hiding their faces and clawing at their ears. The Faerie King stumbled back as well, sitting down heavily and clutching at the arms of his throne with ragged breaths. He gritted his teeth as he glared at the wizard who had since retracted his dark magic.

"What is it you want."

"The Dew of the Gods," the wizard stated simply as if he had done nothing a few moments ago. Noctifer was mildly impressed by the amount of nonchalance the other could have in a situation like this. If the wizard was any less of a virtuous man as he was now, he would only need to snap his fingers for the world to bow at his feet in fear.

Tolum narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the wizard. "Is that all?"

"Well, I'm sure I could think of something more if you'd like," he mused with a smile, shifting his gaze to turn around the room.

"The nerve to even ask for the Dew of the Gods," a braver seelie hissed but shrunk away from his gaze when he turned to her while others began to mumble in agreement. "Why should we give you it?"

"Unless you wish to be dragged there by force," he said carefully, "I think you all should be thinking about what you want in exchange instead of continuing this chatter."

The sharp words echoed around the room, and none dared to speak against him.

"I wish for the golden apple from the Tree of Opulence," Tolum suddenly announced. Unfortunately for him, his court wasn't as afraid of him and thus began voicing their thoughts on his decision.

"Your Majesty! Ask him to bring the head of a deity!"

"A chip of the stone that lays at the bottom of the realm, my liege!"

"Gold from Hurgikks Hoard!"

"I know what I'm asking of him," Tolum said above them all, raising his hand to signal them to stay silent. They all quieted, but not without grumbling. "The Tree of Opulence lies in the Garden of the Damned, does it not?"

The court looked to one another in confusion at first, but soon, laughter could be heard from a man in the back. One by one, they all realized what traveling through the Garden of the Damned meant. Soon the hall was filled with loud, mocking laughter as each of them jeered and pointed at the wizard. Noctifer didn't know what the whole "Garden of the Damned" business was, but it only took a glance at the wizard's expression to know it was something more than just a hard battle ahead. The wizard ignored the rest of the court, only keeping his eyes on the now-smirking Faerie King with a slight grimace and wary eyes.

"What do you say, Ordephus?" Tolum taunted. "You get me the golden apple, edible and in good condition, and I'll give you the Dew of the Gods."

"Only if I'm allowed to collect it myself, can magically inspect the vials, and you promise that my companion and I will not be harmed or killed by any seelie as long as we stay in this realm."

Tolum shrugged. "As you wish. I will give you access to the Eten'eslr and promise you and your companion will not be harmed or killed by any seelie while you are in this realm unless you give them a reason to attack." He presented his palms as a symbol of no trickery. "Do we have a deal?"

The wizard mulled it over his head for a moment before presenting his palms in kind. "Just as you and I have agreed."

"Excellent." He stood, signaling to servants near the sides. "I'm feeling generous at this moment. Prepare them equipment and provisions."

As soon as they were left alone, Noctifer sat heavily onto the padded bench in the room, alternating between staring at the ground and the legend in disbelief. Said legend shifted uncomfortably when Noctifer's eyes landed on him again, and he awkwardly moved to look through the equipment they were given.

"Sorry, the realm barrier around Illovona doesn't allow illusions, so I can't really change back at the moment," the legend explained. "Turns out tricksters don't like being tricked."

Illovona? Noctifer shook his head and pushed the thought aside to think about later, realizing that the legend felt self-conscious. "I just needed a moment to process all that happened, that's all."

He then stood to pick through the supplies as well, picking up a faerie claymore. It was too gaudy in his opinion, much like everything else in the Seelie Kingdom, but he could feel the magic imbued blade humming with power. Without any (verbal) complaint, he slipped on the harness and adjusted it so the sword sat comfortably against his back.

"I'm surprised you're Ordephus, though. I said as much to your face back in Langerich, but I couldn't believe in someone who had so many contradicting stories. If anything, you were an imaginary figure people could blame." Noctifer caught the legend wincing at the last part from the corner of his eye. "I always knew there was something strange about you, but I never thought it'd be this."

"Yes, well," the legend gave him a timid grin, quickly flitting his gaze between the warrior and the leather brace on his arm, "it's not really something I like to flaunt, hence why the glamours and false names."

Noctifer nodded at that. "What do you want me to call you?"

"You can still call me Darin if that's easier for you," the wizard shrugged before moving on to rustle through the bag he was given.

"That's not what I asked."

With a huff, the wizard stopped to consider, looking straight ahead with a conflicted expression. Noctifer didn't mind the fact the other still avoided his gaze. It made sense as to why; it was a constant in all stories that Ordephus had red eyes. Now as the red-eyed man himself stood before him, it was clear he no longer wanted the recognition. It was nearly a minute before the wizard looked back at him, his attention still shifting, but generally staying on his face.

"I guess . . . I'd like to go back to Ordephus." He hastily defended himself, misjudging Noctifer's subtle eyebrow raise as something negative. "I know it holds a lot of bad connotations, especially with anything relating to the dragonkind, but I just—It's been so long since I've been able to—"

"It's a name, not a title," Noctifer reminded him calmly, causing the wizard's mouth to shut with a click.

"Ordephus, then."

Noctifer hummed his acknowledgment, returning his attention back to the last-minute preparations.

"Although," he heard the other man say, turning his head back to the now-smirking legend, "it might take a few tries for me to acknowledge it again. I've forced myself to not react every time I hear an 'Ordephus be with you,' or, 'by Ordephus,' or something of the like."

Noctifer snorted. "Ordephus' hairy balls."

Ordephus groaned at that. "Now that was hard to ignore. For all the dwarves' creativity, they tend to extend it to the most wrongest things. If you're going to be so crude about it, use your own name, for Ordephus—" A look of absolute horror crossed his face, and Noctifer couldn't help but bark out a laugh.

"What was that about using your own name?"

"I am using my own name," he glared. "And that's the problem."

Noctifer snorted once more before straightening, finally done with adjustments. "Are you ready? Iver and Argent are still waiting for us."

"I'm ready," Ordephus nodded, looping the bag's strap around his neck before leading the way out of the room they were given and through the halls of the palace.

"You know your way around the palace quite well," Noctifer noted as they stepped into a courtyard.

"I spent a small portion of my life down here," he explained. "It was after Agkaneel freed me and brought me back to be raised with the rest of the half-dragons. Tolum was only a faerie child back then. He didn't even have his wings yet."

Noctifer only stared at him in bewilderment.

"Ah. Wait. That probably doesn't make sense to you." He gave a long-suffering sigh. "Bards. Always twisting stories to be more 'engaging.' I promise I'll tell the whole story—the true story—when we get back. It's too long to tell twice, and I'm sure Iver will want to hear it as well."

"I suppose," Noctifer reluctantly agreed. "But I'm holding you to your promise."

It wasn't long before they exited the palace grounds and began walking down the white-washed streets of the Seelie Kingdom. Everything seemed to be clean and pristine, just like the seelie themselves, but he only needed to look up into the "sky" to know why they chose the light color. Above them stood a void. No sun, no moon, and no stars. Only simple darkness. Without the lights that lined each street religiously, as well as anything that stood in the houses' windows, the world around them would have been pitch black. It was another startling reminder that they were no longer in Amare, but in Druuo. They were in the underworld where the less noble dead came to rest.

"You won't encounter any spirits here," Ordephus said next to him, having since been watching Noctifer's expression become unsettled. "Not until you go further down into the realm, but even then, you wouldn't be able to enter it."

"You've tried?" Noctifer asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Once, out of curiosity, but Tene quickly kicked me out."

He gave him an incredulous look. "You're on a nickname basis with the Goddess of the Dead?"

"Tenebrilla doesn't mind really," the legend shrugged. "She's actually quite lenient with titles and all that. Much more so than other gods and goddesses I've met. Very humble and understanding, and oddly good of a conversationalist considering most of her company consists of spirits and the occasional faerie."

"I see." He did not see, but he decided not to question it as the streets became more crowded.

All parted before them—men and women sneering while children ran to hide behind their parents. Some were even brave enough to curse Ordephus' name and spit at the ground. Many shouted and jeered around them, but none dared to come close. It seemed that they knew of their King's orders, but that didn't stop them from trying to provoke them. Not that Noctifer felt anger towards them in the slightest from the mistreatment. Instead, he almost felt sorry for them. Seeing them up close and walking through their city, it was clear they weren't much different from humans besides the set of transparent wings on their backs. The difference between human children and faerie children was even fewer, as the faerie children could have easily been mistaken as elven.

He dodged at the last second as a piece of fruit was chucked at his head, and he glanced to the side to see who had thrown it. A faerie child glowered at him fiercely as if daring him to strike back, only to be dragged behind her mother after the woman realized what the girl had done. The mother glared as well but made sure her daughter was safe, ready to face the consequences of her daughter's actions. But Noctifer only turned away dismissively and continued walking by Ordephus' side. It was only a harmless show of anger, and it wasn't as if the child was old enough to fully understand what she was doing. She was only acting out on behalf of the hate she felt around her.

"Save your pity," Ordephus said lowly next to him, and he looked at him in disbelief. The legend quickly continued when the warrior narrowed his eyes. "Trust me, it's the last thing they want from a human."

Noctifer only nodded slowly, not completely understanding why. But then again, he had always been more focused on real-life matters rather than unreliable stories. Perhaps it had something to do with the fae being sealed in Druuo. He sighed. Another question for another time.

"So what is this Garden of the Damned?" he asked instead once the streets became quiet again. They were nearing the edge of the kingdom.

"It's actually more of a forest rather than a garden, but somehow it grew in a perfect circle," he explained. "The origins are a bit muddled—Tene only saying it was something the gods before her had made—but it's not exactly the most cheerful of places. Most in Druuo aren't, but this one especially. The Tree of Opulence is said to grow at its center."

"Have you been in it?"

"Only the outskirts of it. I never really had a need to go any deeper, especially since . . ." He trailed off with a somber expression. The same expression he had when talking with the court.

"Since . . . ?"

"There's strange magic in that forest," Ordephus said haltingly, trying to find the right words. "It's not mana, and no one quite knows where it's coming from. Some would even say it's the cause of invisible creatures who have no true form. The Garden will show you a variety of things such as your worst fears, terrible deeds, and greatest regrets. There's no real danger in the Garden since the unseelie are just as afraid of it, but . . ." He gave a rueful laugh. "That bastard. He knew there's nothing down here I haven't faced before, so he decided to make me take a walk through hell." He looked at Noctifer, offering, "You don't have to follow me all the way in. It's not very large, and I'd be out within—"

"I'm coming with you." There was no room for argument.

". . . If you insist. But feel free to change your mind at any time."

"I won't."

Ordephus grumbled at Noctifer's stubbornness as they passed through the city gates, leaving the Seelie Kingdom behind.

Word count: 2576