Hapless

3 years prior to current events, cursed necklace in Parvil’s possession but unworn.

Parvil sat on a fallen tree staring at the fire. A fairly different looking person than he is today. Stripped away from the mock elven features he presently sported, some traits remained the same though dully. His eyes were still green, the same raven hair, albeit shorter, and a frame that screamed too fast growth spurt with the lankiness of too long limbs, but he lacked any of the baby deer clumsiness that usually came with that height. His clothes a simple charcoal grey shirt and cloth pants, his only armour a chest plate that covered mostly his ribs, heart and lungs but not much else

Aspen stared at Parvil for a moment. Watching him watch the fire. Something about the way the fire caught light and shadow against his features, and something about his pensive stare caused Aspen to chew the inside of her lip involuntarily. She noticed just before breaking, drawing blood and looked away.

“You know you can tell me if I have something on my face, right?” Parvil said, pushing some of the embers with a stick.

“Oh!” Aspen said, turning a bit too quickly, her large round glasses slipping down her nose. Putting her pointer and middle fingers on both hands on either side of the glasses and pushing them back in place. “You don’t you just look…so…” she chewed her lip once thinking. “Serious…you looked very serious for a while there.”

Parvil’s face softened. “Was I?” he said looking up to match her stare.

“You…” Aspen paused again, sucking her lips nervously to moisten them. “You looked like you were somewhere else. If you are getting second thoughts about this we can reformulate the plan.” she said.

Parvil shook his head emphatically. “No, no. It’s a great plan.” he said, “Just…” he gestured vaguely to himself then to Aspen. “I’m just some guy.”

Aspen gave Parvil a soft smile. “You aren’t just ‘some guy’ you are Parvil Vaxil Killian, I trust you with my life.” she said. “And with your luck, we only need half a plan.”

Parvil chuckled at Aspen making his name sound like a big deal. “Just promise me you’ll have the teleportation scroll ready.” Parvil locked eyes with her, “I need you to get away if anything goes wrong.”

Aspen felt the shunt of energy pulling her from one place to another. Her hand that had just a moment ago had Parvil’s wrist in a death grip snapped closed into a fist as she stumbled out onto a large circular room in the Headquarters of the Office of the Balance of Magic.

“No…no no no no no no… no, Parvil what did you do, no no no.” She started to repeat as her throat started to be racked with sobs. “No. No….”

She barely heard the footfalls behind her as the guard entered the room. “Oh, Miss Aspen.” the voice of her superior filled the room, but fell on deaf ears.

Apen fell to her knees where she stood. Pounding her fist into the stone floor. “Why…”

Aspen chewed on her top lip as Parvil stared her down. Nervous that even if she promised him she would, she wouldn’t be able to when the time came. Parvil stared at her, she could she his expression change to more concerned as eyes grew wider and he was frowning a bit. “I promise.” she said but it wasn’t all that convincing.

Parvil sighed, “You have to.” he said, “You have the means to stop him long term if something happens. I don’t.” he said, rocking the sword placed against the log. A far from impressive blade. “If I can give you just one second of a head start to get to headquarters where he can’t follow and you can get people to stop him.” Parvil exhaled. “That’s the price we have to pay.” He didn't seem thrilled by what he had said or even convincing that it was even at the top of his list of worries but it was clear he was worried about Aspen.

“I promise.” she said again, this time with more believability. Even if she still wasn’t sure she could go through with it.

Eager to change the subject, Aspen looked to Parvil’s bag. “Did you ever get that junk you pulled out of that old ruin identified?” she asked.

“Hmm?” Parvil wasn’t paying attention as he placed another log on the fire. “The junk. Oh right yeah.” he said pulling open the flap and taking out a bunch of random objects. “Dagger of Returning.” he said dropping the wicked looking throwing knife, “Eye of Magnifying.” he said he held up a flat half domed piece of what looked like oily glass polished smooth by a river.

“A…magnifying glass?” Aspen said, “What's the point in making one of those magical?” she asked.

“Not quite.” he said, giving her the sign to open her hands, as he tossed it to her. “It’s more like a spyglass, but it puts a sort of glow around everything. Not quite as good as Night Eye Goggles, but could be used for tracking if put in an actual spy glass.” he said, pulling out the next thing. An ugly necklace with a green cat eye gemstone. “This one’s a twofer Periapt of Wound Closure and Mind Shielding.”

Aspen looked at it as he dangled it from the chain wrapped around his fingers. “Looks cursed.” Aspen said.

“So does the dagger.” Parvil said, “I’m not about to try it. A curse is for the wizards to deal with.” he added taking out the last item. “Broken wizard staff, unknown spell school.” the staff was the head of what was likely once a very expensive staff. The wood that made up the bulk was pitted with age with odd black spots, the top was a cloudy crystal ball made of some lilac coloured substance, not glass or gemstone. When tapped against a surface it would clink like glass, but touched with a finger it felt more like some kind of hard jelly.

Aspen quirked an eyebrow at the strange staff head. “Enanth might be able to tell you what that is.”

Parvil chuckled. “You want to take it to him?” he asked, “He never likes it when I bring stuff to him.” Parvil cleared his throat and switched to an impression of Enanth, “Objects of this significance and power should not be in the hands of the likes of you, mishandling them.” Parvil blew a raspberry. “Blah blah blah.” he mouthed with his hand. “Risk my neck, getting him lost knowledge and I get a lecture. Not what I’d call payment.”

Aspen had to laugh at that. It wasn’t a ‘good’ impression, but he’d nailed the inflection and cadence. While Parvil repacked his bag Aspen pulled the small pot from the fire and took the lid off using a branch. “Soups ready.” She said.

The two settled down to eat, making light conversion. Parvil letting out an occasional “Hot Hot Hot.” when he ate too fast. After finishing most of the soup. Aspen yawned. “Really should get to sleep.” she said. “Mind putting the Portable Home down?”

“You mean Portable Hole?” Parvil asked, pulling out what looked like a layered cube of fabric. As he started unfolding it, it broke any preconceived laws of matter taking up space unfolding into a large round tarp, blacker than the deepest black.

“I know what I said.” She said, “It just sounds better. Would you rather sleep in a hole or a home?”

“Fair, but it gives away the surprise when someone looks inside if it's called a home already.” Parvil said throwing the fabric, giving it a whip in the air like making a bed. When the circle touched the ground it snapped to it like a circle of black had spontaneously painted itself on the forest floor.

“I’m going to change.” she said, “I’ll let you know when I am finished.” Aspen stepped over the hole, changing direction before she fell and walked inside. “No peeking.”

“Give me some credit.” Parvil said, far less embarrassed to change outside, changing his normal protective pants for linen pants. Before he could put a shirt on, Aspen poked her head out. “Don…” in the fire light Aspen caught a glimpse of Parvils back, all sinewy muscle and a few superficial scars, her face flushed red as she poked back inside the portable hole. “Done.” she repeated.

Hearing her Parvil turned around and started to drag a tan coloured tarp over to the hole covering it from sight and weight it down with random stones and branches before slipping in. Aspen had already lit a few candles inside giving the small space a warm glow. Parvil put his things near the foot of the bed alongside Aspen’s and then opened a door on a storage cubby taking out an extra pillow and blanket. “You can have the bed.” Parvil offered.

“It’s your bed. I couldn't possibly take it.” Aspen said.

“I insist you are my guest.” Parvil retorted.

The two did this song and dance almost every time they used the portable hole as camping accommodations. Aspen settled down on the bed, using a pillow she had bought and left here in the storage crate just for these occasions. Aspen laid there half way between sleep and awake hearing Parvil struggling to get comfortable on the floor, as the boards creaked under him.

“Stop being a stubborn mule.” Aspen whispered.

“I don’t want to make things weird.” Parvil whispered in response.

“They’ve been weird for a while…” she sighed. “Just…just stop making yourself so uncomfortable, you need sleep for tomorrow.”

Parvil relented pushing off the floor. It was a bit of a trick fitting together on the bed designed for one person, and it not being awkward. Eventually they found a way laying back to back Parvil uncomfortable close to the wall, his nose close enough he could feel his own breath on his face. Parvil was the first to wake in the morning, somehow in the night they’d shifted. Playing the classic ‘big spoon little spoon’ Parvil’s cheeks felt hot. Aspen shifted a little and softly mumbled. “Five more minutes.”

Parvil swallowed. “Yeah, five more minutes.” when they woke again, Aspen was first to wake this time. She felt Parvil’s arm draped over her as she blinked in the muddled light, but it wasn’t as bright as it should be, and was far cooler. “What time is it…?” she asked mouth dry, worried they’d slept the whole day. Feeling the room was much colder than it was when they went to sleep she fought the desire to stay in the warm comfort of the bed. But a clap of thunder shook that notion. “Parvil, wake up.” getting only a groan in response. “Parvil!” she said this time shaking his arm. “Thunderstorm.”

“Crap…” he said, getting up too quickly and smacking his head on the low part of the ceiling slash wall. Causing sparks to dance in is vision. “Ow.” he winced. “Get changed I’ll get things packed. Just leave anything you don’t need right now in the Hole. I don’t want it flooding.” he said, rushing out in bare feet to start getting the camp supplies.

“Done.” Aspen called, and Parvil ran over passing her things to put in their place in the portable hole. She passed thru the door and felt the chill right away. “Should it be this cold?” she asked as she watched Parvil folding the hole up and into his pack.

“No.” Parvil said, sniffing the air. “This isn’t a natural rain storm,” he said. Aspen looked at him and did the same.

“You’re right. It doesn’t smell earthy, it just smells…like lightning.”

Parvil didn’t waste anymore time, slipping his armour over his sleep clothes and tying his boots poorly. “We need to go,” he said, “How quick can you get your teleportation circle ready?”

“In fi…” Aspen started but they both heard clapping. Not of thunder but of a pair of hands.

“Always the clever one.” a voice came from somewhere in the trees out of sight.

Parvil felt panic rise in himself and could sense it coming from Aspen. “Get the spell ready quickly.” Parvil said, “Just jump back to the last circle you used.” he whispered.

Aspen’s breathing hastened. “That’s a blind jump, it could be dangerous.” she said.

“No choice.” he said, “Better than here, just cast it fast.”

“No. No. Take your time, I have nowhere to be.” the approaching man said.

Aspen started to rapidly chant the words needed for her teleportation. Parvil knew the spell not that he could cast it but knew the formation and length of time it took to cast it. Nearing the last words the man began to raise his hand and say words of magic of his own. Thinking quickly, Parvil threw the cooking pan he was holding at the man, it collided with the man’s forehand. Not hard enough to break skin or knock him out but it was hard enough to break his chant and concentration on the magic.

Hearing Aspen on the last word, and at the very last second Parvil yanked the arm she was holding free from her grasp, the portal snapped open and closed in less than a blink of an eye. The only indication it happened was the moment of the air changing temperature.

Aspen felt the shunt of energy pulling her from one place to another. Her hand that had just a moment ago had Parvil’s wrist in a death grip snapped closed into a fist as she stumbled out onto a large circular room in the Headquarters of the Office of the Balance of Magic.

“No…no no no no no no… no, Parvil what did you do, no no no.” She started to repeat as her throat started to be racked with sobs. “No. No….”

She barely heard the footfalls behind her as the guard entered the room. “Oh, Miss Aspen.” the voice of her superior filled the room, but fell on deaf ears.

Apen fell to her knees where she stood. Pounding her fist into the stone floor, hot tears stinging her eyes and running down her cheeks. “Why…”