Toshie opened her eyes.

  She was in the little giant bed. Someone was knocking at the door. “Hold on, hold on,” she said as she got up and dressed herself. Daedalus and Biscuit greeted her as she opened the door. Well, Biscuit did. The rage coming off of Daedalus could fry an egg. Toshie was hungry.

  “Morning, Biscuit,” she said, ignoring the bag of bones in a Wizard robe. The Dwarf saluted.

  “I will lead you to the cave where Princess Tunasad is being held prisoner. It is an honor, Great Hero.”

  Daedalus bopped Biscuit on the head with his staff.

  “Oh, yes, you as well, Master Daedalus,” he said.

  “Hey, don’t hit Biscuit.” Toshie wasn’t sure how much more of Daedalus she could take.

  “Servants should remember their pce.” Daedalus spat on the ground. “Speaking of which, Fake Hero, remember to follow my lead.”

  Toshie rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say, Master Daedalus.”

  The walk back up the stairs was a bit more treacherous. Daedalus stumbled on his robes about, well, Toshie lost count. For Biscuit’s sake and her own, she tried to keep herself from ughing.

  When they reached the vilge, Biscuit turned around.

  “The King and Queen have allotted a budget of three hundred Nuggies for your journey.”

  Toshie blinked. There was no way she was hearing the right words. Daedalus had a different reaction.

  “A mere three hundred? Are they mocking us?”

  Biscuit jumped. “Of, of course not! They have offered what they deemed reasonable for two powerful warriors.”

  Toshie raised an eyebrow at Daedalus. “Do you even need a single Nuggie to handle this, Great Master Daedalus?”

  Daedalus scoffed at her. “Bring us to your town’s smithy at once.” He poked Biscuit’s back.

  “And then breakfast?” Toshie asked but was ignored.

  A few minutes ter, they were in front of the most buff Dwarf Toshie had seen yet. He was as wide as he was tall, and his toothy grin reminded Toshie of how bad Daedalus’s teeth were.

  “Anythin' y’all need?” he said as he chewed on a big wad of something Toshie couldn’t make out.

  Toshie stared in disbelief as Daedalus barked out some orders. Within a few minutes, Daedalus had her outfitted with a new sword and shield. He had spent most of the money on himself, but Toshie was gd not to deal with him for a few minutes. Daedalus turned to leave without saying a word to the smithy. Toshie thanked him for them, and the smithy grinned.

  “Y’all come again!”

  Toshie smiled back at him.

  Daedalus’s new iron staff whacked Toshie’s back as if on cue. “Get a move on, Faker.”

  “Ooh, a new nickname,” Toshie said as she followed Biscuit and Daedalus toward the gates. “So, Master Daedalus, do you not need to eat, or do you sustain off of being an ass?”

  Daedalus turned to Toshie with fury in his eyes, but Biscuit spoke before he could say anything.

  “Oh, are you hungry, Hero? Before our journey, we can purchase some bread at the local bakery.”

  “That would be lovely, Biscuit, thank you. And you can call me Toshie.”

  “Oh, but you are the Great Hero! I could never think of doing such a thing! But, please, follow me to the bakery!”

  Toshie ignored Daedalus’s murmurs as she followed after the Dwarf.

  If being with Daedalus was Hell, the smell of the bakery was Heaven. Toshie took a deep breath. Yup. Heaven. She felt a poke in her back.

  “Quit wasting time.”

  There was Hell again. Toshie didn’t even bother turning around. “Biscuit, what would you recommend?”

  The Dwarf pyed with his beard. “Well, for the Hero, I would have to recommend a loaf of this, the finest bread in Unterstone if–”

  As he pointed to the bread, Daedalus grabbed the loaf and bit off a chunk.

  “-you are fond of spicy food.”

  Daedalus spat out the chunk of bread and coughed. “Foul Being! You dare to trick me?”

  “My apologies, Master Daedalus, but you did not let me finish.”

  Daedalus continued to cough.

  Toshie kneeled to pick up the chunk of bread. “Did you do that on purpose?” she whispered to Biscuit.

  “No, but I cannot say I am ashamed of what happened.”

  Toshie smiled. “I’ll help Master Daedalus. Can you pay for the loaf he ruined and get us some food? Whatever you recommend.”

  Biscuit nodded, and Toshie led the coughing Daedalus out of the bakery.

  “You okay?” Toshie asked as soon as she got him out of the bakery. Daedalus was still coughing. She rummaged through the sack prepared for her and handed him a water fsk. He took it, emptied it, and then tossed it back at her. “Thanks, Fake Hero.”

  “You are a charmer.”

  “And you plotted with that Dwarf to kill me!”

  “Why would I kill you?”

  “So you would not have to give up the role of Hero!”

  “I told you that you can have it. I want to figure out what is happening and go home. Don’t you want to do that too?”

  “This is my home now. Vara Elma needs me! It needs a Hero to save it from the oncoming darkness! There are prophecies, Faker! Have you not read The Tomes?”

  “So, is it a video game or a book series? Help me out here.”

  Daedalus looked at her as if she had sprouted another head. Biscuit’s return broke the silence.

  “Great Hero Toshie, Master Daedalus. I have settled the baker’s fees and purchased simple bread and sandwiches for our journey.”

  Toshie sighed. “Okay, let’s get going, then.”

  After they exited the town, Biscuit pointed off toward the distance. “The dragon’s ir is about a half-day walk from here.”

  Toshie squinted but couldn’t see anything. Daedalus started shouting something, but she ignored him and walked in the direction Biscuit had pointed.

  When they were about a half-hour walk away from the town, a group of Pinkuses attacked them. Daedalus proved helpful by blowing up one. Toshie managed to poke a small one and make it bleed. Biscuit did most of the work and killed three while Toshie figured out how to unsheathe her new sword.

  “Wow, Biscuit, you’re amazing,” she said.

  “Why, it was nothing at all!” Biscuit grinned from ear to ear.

  “Nothing indeed,” Daedalus said. “Now quit your yapping and take us to the Princess.”

  Toshie bit her tongue and instead knelt next to the Dwarf. “Thank you so much,” she whispered into Biscuit’s ear and patted him on the shoulder.

  Biscuit winced.

  “If you two would please get a move on?” Daedalus barked.

  “Hold on,” Toshie said. “Are you okay, Biscuit?”

  “It is nary but a scratch.”

  Toshie looked at her glove.

  “You’re bleeding!” Toshie excimed.

  “Heal him, and let’s continue onward. Or do I have to tell you how to use your stolen Hero powers?” Daedalus groaned at Toshie.

  “Oh, yes, Great Hero Toshie. I’d greatly appreciate it if you spared some of your healing on little ol' Biscuit.”

  Toshie raised an eyebrow. Daedalus sighed.

  “Put your hand on his wound and say ‘Heal’ while focusing your energy.” ‘How did she become the Hero while I am a bsted Wizard?’ he thought.

  Toshie pced her hand back on Biscuit’s shoulder and said the word. There was a warm pulse of energy, and Biscuit’s wound closed.

  “Oh, thank you so much, Great Hero Toshie!” Biscuit said.

  Toshie looked at her glove and was shocked to see not even a single drop of blood on it.

  “Now, can we finally get going?” Daedalus was getting testier.

  “Ah, of course, Master Daedalus,” Biscuit said. “First, though, we must pick through these fallen beasts. You never know what supplies they might leave behind!”

  Toshie found a few gold coins, which Biscuit had called Nuggies, amongst the fallen beasts. Biscuit hoisted up an overflowing bag of some herbs and mushrooms. Daedalus came up empty-handed and bmed Toshie and Biscuit. He mumbled something about how everything they found belonged to him in the end, anyway. Toshie cringed.

  As they walked, Biscuit rummaged through the bag he found.

  “Here, eat this,” Biscuit said, handing Toshie a pink mushroom. “It will restore the Mana you used to heal me!”

  Had Daedalus given her the mushroom, she would have suspected poison. But she’d come to trust the little Dwarf. She popped it in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed. It was sweeter than she’d expected. An unfamiliar warmth came over her.

  “What was that?” she asked Biscuit.

  “A Mana Mushroom. You’ll find all sorts over the nd. The brighter the color, the better.” Biscuit gave a proud smile.

  “Enough babbling,” compined Daedalus. “How much longer til the Dragon’s den?”

  “See that hill over there?” Biscuit pointed. “Can’t see it from here but on the…” Biscuit gnced at his compass. “On the western side of it, that’d be to our right, should be the cave’s entrance.”

  Daedalus scoffed. “Cannot be much of a Dragon if it dwells in a mere hillock.”

  “Ah, do not doubt the Dragon’s strength! It has bested many a great Dwarf.” Biscuit paused to pray. “But you two may be the ones to rescue our darling Princess!”

  Toshie shuddered. Adorable Dwarves and pink walruses were one thing, but a Dragon? She wasn’t sure if she was ready for this.

  Daedalus seemed sure. Biscuit waddled along, more cheerful than Toshie expected as they approached their potential death. Death was more appealing than Daedalus, though.

  By the time they reached the Dragon’s ir, the sun was halfway below the horizon. Biscuit unpacked torches that Daedalus took intense pride in lighting them with magic. The entrance to the cave reminded Toshie of the one time her parents took her to an old coal mine exhibit. It was boring and cold. This time, the cave only offered the cold.

  After what felt like an hour of walking – but was only fifteen minutes, Daedalus insisted – they came upon a small wooden door in a brick wall.

  “Uh, do we knock?” Toshie asked.

  “We barge in!” Daedalus screamed as he kicked the door.

  Thunk.

  He fell to the ground, clutching his foot, trying not to scream.

  “Hey, who’s there!” came a voice from inside.

  “We are, ngh, here for, ooh, Princess Tunasad!” Daedalus said as he massaged his foot.

  “She’s not here,” said the voice.

  “When will she be back?” Toshie asked.

  “Shut up.” Daedalus stood and motioned for them to move back. He pointed his staff at the door. “Fireball!”

  A burst of fme erupted, and the wooden door crumbled into ash.

  Behind the door, Toshie saw one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen—tall, tanned, with freckles, dimples, and strawberry-blonde hair down to her waist.

  “Princess!” Biscuit jumped with joy.

  “Wait. That’s Princess Tunasad?” Toshie excimed. “I thought she was a Dwarf.”

  “Ah, she is.” Biscuit turned to Toshie. “She’s the odd duck of the family because of her height. She may even be the tallest Dwarf to have ever lived. No one can expin it. It made marrying her off impossible for the King and Queen.”

  ‘Damn beauty standards,’ Toshie thought.

  It took a second for Toshie to notice the Dragon, even though its green body filled the entire room. And it took her another second to realize what was bothering her. Was the Dragon protecting the Princess?

  Daedalus was back on his feet. “Worry not, Princess! I, the Great Daedalus, am here to save you!” He dashed into the room and raised his staff toward the Dragon.

  “Release her, foul beast, before I am forced to dispose of you!”

  The dragon snapped at him, and he stumbled back, almost losing his footing.

  “You give me no choice!” Daedalus swirled his staff in the air, and a crackling sound began to fill the cave.

  “Fake Hero, prepare to grab the Princess once I have stunned this monster.”

  Toshie tugged on her sword with her trembling hand. ‘I can do this. I can save the Princess.’ The sword came out of its sheath and slipped from her fingers.

  “Lightning Bolt!” screamed Daedalus as the sword spped him in the back. He stumbled, and the magic fired at the Princess.

  ‘Oh shit,’ Toshie thought as the bolt knocked the Princess off her feet. She shrieked as she fell to the ground. The dragon roared.

  “You idiot!” Daedalus said, turning around to yell at Toshie.

  The dragon’s neck craned back and, in one swoop, bit off Daedalus’s head.