Chapter 4

I am The Thomas Frewdenburg, and after way too much sneaking, we finally made our way back to the library. Nightfall arrives as the citizens donned in tattered clothing rush to their homes. As I enter, I set the supplies on the table, I notice the guard that escorted us is gone, and Gnomeo is nowhere to be found.

After a bit of frantic searching I find Gnomeo under the table, and he is holed up in the fetal position. I kick him and ask “What’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with me!? What's wrong with you! You had one jo–”

“GOOD EVENING IRONFAST,” echoes across the building. It seems to be an intercom system. “I HAVE SOME LOVELY NEWS FOR MY CITIZENS, AS WELL AS THE WORLD. TOMORROW, I WILL BE REVEALING A PLOT THAT INVOLVES THE VERY FABRIC OF THE PEACE BETWEEN NATIONS, THE CORE OF THE DARKHOLD PLOT, THE VERY REASON OF THE SUMMONED’S EXISTENCE. AS WELL AS, A PUBLIC EXECUTION. TOMORROW, WITNESS THE BIRTH OF A NEW STONEVEIL!”

Gnomeo bounds from beneath the table and frantically packs up all the documents and supplies.

“Where do you think you’re going?” David asks.

“I’m getting the hell out of here. Shit’s about to hit the fan, and I won’t be around to be sprayed,’ Gnomeo retorts.

“Heh heh, good one,” I chuckle. “We can’t leave Cryo though, what about him?”

“If he’s stupid enough to get caught, he deserves to die.”

I look at David, and he avoids my stare as if he didn’t cause all of this.

“You know what?” I start, “Maybe he’s right. If we all die, this whole journey will be pointless. Lets just leave with the information we have and cut our losses.”

Dopey steps towards me and smacks the purple out of me.

Barely containing my rage I grab him by the collar and say, “Okay kid, seems like you want to be treated as a man.” I notice a chain around his neck. It's a pendant. I go to reach for it, and Dopey swats my hand away.

“Back off!” Dopey shouts. “Cryo is your friend! He’s going to die, and you just want to leave? What kind of heroes are you?”

“I’m no hero, kid, I’m just a Firbolg caught up in business I have nothing to do with!”

“My father says that’s what makes heroes! People with power who choose to save those without it! What about the rest of your friends? Do you think Varys would make such a big show if what he is revealing wont compromise you all? If you leave now, you might survive, but not for long.”

Damn it, Dopey is right. If I don’t save Cryo, my music will never be etched into legend!

“Sigh. Fine, but only for my self interest.”

“Good luck killing yourselves,” Gnomeo says as he heads out the door.

“Wait!” I shout, “You aren’t going to stay?”

“Absolutely not, see you around!”

The door slams behind him as the room is left in silence.

A migraine erupts from this impossible situation. “Belphor, follow Gnomeo and make sure he’s okay, David, you’re coming with me to save Cryo. And Belphor’s father I guess…”

David and Belphor, all nod in agreement, and we leave the building, heading towards our certain deaths.