"Oh my gosh!" Pat burst out laughing, "you're seriously a fairy? That's so gay!"

"Awfully annoying for a bard," Felix said, not breaking character, "I was under the impression that people hired bards to be entertained, not insulted."

"People hire me to insult their enemies miss fairy girl," Pat said, "and nothing is more entertaining than that."

"Ignore him," Rykker said in Tadon's deep voice, "I must thank you for your aid. We were done for."

"I noticed," Felix scoffed. "What were you fools doing traveling through the iron forest at night?"

"The door to the carriage slowly creaks open," Derek narrated.

"I- is it safe to come out?" Lord Yestal asked.

"Not if you want a face unmarred from arrows you idiot nobleman," Felix said. "What were you thinking endangering these three, and your own pitiful life?"

"Bah! You think I care about the lives of -"

"In a flash, Fern has her bow drawn at Yestal's face," Felix said.

"Oh oh oh my," Yestal said. "I... I will get back in my carriage."

"See that you do," Felix said.

"He goes back in," Derek said.

"What is your name miss?" Rykker asked as Tadon.

"Fern Nightshade," Felix said.

"Well Miss Fern," Rykker said, "we are in your debt."

"I'd say," Felix said. "get a fire going. In the meantime..."

"Fern summons several glowing spheres to light up the area," Felix said.

"I'm assuming that now you plan on taking a rest?" Derek asked the group.

"Yes," they answered in unison.

"Alright then," Derek said, "you rest until dawn, let me count up the experience you guys get."

"I think you mean guys and gal," Pat snickered.

"Whatever," Felix said.

"When we said we wanted you to do something new, I didn't think you'd do something so stupid," Pat said.

"Are you going to update your hit points or something Pat?" Derek scowled at him.

"Sorry," Pat shrugged in a definitely-not-sorry tone. "I mean, he literally willingly chose to be a fairy."

"Half fairy," Felix corrected him.

"Pff," Pat said, "whatever. Also, shouldn't she be super short?"

"Not if everyone else is," Derek said. "You chose to be a halfling, Rykker chose to be a dwarf, and Felix chose to be a half fairy. I thought it'd be interesting for everyone to be short."

"And what happened to that coachman in the fight anyway?" Pat pointed out, "was he -"

"Whatever," Derek groaned. "I can't keep track of everything. He got dragged away by the wolves, or something."

Pat clicked his tongue. "Oh how unfortunate. I shall have to compose a ballad about this, with some cautionary tale attached."

"Oops," Derek said, "I forgot to mention, Cryill's lute was tromped upon by the wolves and completely destroyed."

"Oh," Pat said, "that one was a terrible lute anyway. I shall bully lord Yedal into paying for a fancy gold inlaid one for me."

Derek shook his head. He read off how much XP each of them got. Felix having done most of the fighting, he got a good amount of XP, and leveled up.

"What?" Pat asked, "he's alreadly leveling up?

Derek shrugged. "Pull your weight next time bard. Also, Fern's fairy wings allowed her to hover around over the top of the battle."

"You may think that being a half fairy is dumb," Felix said, "but I chose it for a reason."