It's a long way down, huh. A really, really long way down, actually. Not super eventful, either, other than the ichor splashing against my hat, and when I passed a couple birds on by. 

I'm not sure where Bro is, but I figure that if he were here and alright, he'd have used his thing by now. This ain't a good sign, that's for sure. 

Of course, I'm not concerned about falling. After all, I could fall from space and not feel a thing. But he's not as strong as I am. If he's hurt down there, then I need to figure out this light magic thing, fast. His kind's incredibly fragile, if he really was hit by one of those things-

. . .

He's... He's not dead, is h-

"GAHAHAHAHHAHAHAEHEHEHHAHEHAAHEHEHAEHEHAEHEHAHEHAHEHEHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHH!"

OH, GOD DAMN IT.

GOD, I HATE THIS... WHATEVER THE HELL THIS IS!

Before I came here, Pops had informed me that I was unable to feel pain, and that I didn't have much to worry about. What he seemingly neglected to mention was that in the place of pain, well... This happens. 

I involuntarily dropped my rod as I fell to the floor. The terrible laughter set in immediately. It seems that the intensity of the fit gets higher the more pain I negate. And since I fell several thousand feet...

Damnit! For all I know, I could be down for... Gah, I don't have time for this! 

Ugh, I just need to... AAAAAH- 

With what control I still had over my body, I used every ounce of strength I could to force my damn eyes open. 

He's... Not here. I guess I should have I expected that. If he was here, he surely would've said something. Unless he couldn't-!

Bro? BRO, ARE YOU THERE?

"BRAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-"

Damnit! Bro could be dying on the floor right now, and I can't even get up off the ground, I can't even SPEAK! DAMNIT DAMNIT DAMNIT!

THIS WASN'T HOW THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO GO! THIS WASN'T ANYWHERE CLOSE! DAMNIT!

IF ONLY I- IF ONLY I COULD... JUST... MOVE, DAMNIT!

I AM AN IMMORTAL, DAMNIT! I WON'T BE STUCK HERE, GIGGLING LIKE AN IDIOT!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHh... NYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... GyAAAaaaaahh...

It's...

I can't.

DAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNITDAMNIT

Every time I tried, I only laughed evermore. Every minute muscle movement seemed to make the next even harder. Compounding impossibility. Even keeping my eyes open was beginning to strain.

I can feel some sort of moisture on my face. Flowing downward, making it's way onto the quickly drying grass. 

DAMNIT, WHY DO I EVEN HAVE TEAR DUCTS? HOW DO THEY EVEN FUNCTION? THE HELL IS THAT MOISTURE COMING FROM? I'VE NEVER DRANK ANYTHING IN MY LIFE, DAMNIT!

DAMNIT!

DAMNIT.

Damnit...

Damn...

I... I can't...

?

What... What is...

A...

A spike? 

Was... That there a second ago? 

Th-they're still here? Damnit! I can't even grab my weapon!

No... It's rising! Please, he's not-

The moisture on my face began to build up at a rapid rate.

No... No, I won't let... No, PLEASE DON'T-

"NAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHHPLEEHEHEHEHEASEDON'T-"

The spike rose out of the ground.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHSTOPPLEAEHEHEHEHEHEASE-"

And it flew.

. . .

. . .

Slowly. And weakly.

Towards me.

It's centimeters away from me, near my head.

Wh-what? 

"G..." 

What? Where's that coming from? It sounds like it's in my head-

"Gra---n"

Is... Is it telling me to grab on? With what? I can't use my arms-

Wait, it's near my head... 

Oh boy.

Pops, my teeth better be indestructible. 

. . .

Clank-

. . .

Huh. Looks like you can still laugh with your teeth clenched. I didn't know that.

The spike slowly dragged me along. It was slow, far, far slower than it was when we were fighting. 

It dragged me over to my fishing rod. I suppose it can't get too far away from the horn, or something. 

It's still safely hooked onto the line. If I could just grab the rod, I could bring it with... But... I just... Damnit! My arm won't move!

Hold on, the spike's kinda scooping it over... Okay, it's kinda just dragging me on the ground now- Damnit, if only I could- AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH DAMNIT GIVE ME MY FRIGGIN ROD!!!!!!!!!!

?

!

AH!

I GRABBED IT! HAHA! Somehow, I managed to open and close my hand! I got it!

BRO, HANG IN THERE!

With that, the spike began to move, dragging me and everything along, around the edge of the butte. Every ounce of energy and control I managed to wrestle out of this state, I spent scanning the ground, desperately scanning for any sign of Bro. 

To be honest, now, as I keep looking, I'm not sure what I want to find. If I want to find anything.

If I do find him, it either means he's de- No. He'll probably be out cold. I'll have to... I'll figure out how to fix him.

If I don't find him, it means he's alive, he got away. But that means someone else is fixing him. They might screw up, or what if they also try to- Damnit! 

DAMNIT DAMNIT DAMNIT...

. . .

. . .

We've been going for some time now. My thoughts have grown... Repetitive. We've almost made our way around the whole butte. Only thing in particular I've been able to notice was this large hole in the ground. Conveniently anvil shaped, it seems. If Bro was here, this is probably where he was. 

. . .

He's not here.

I'll need to finish circulating this place, to be sure. If I don't see him, if he's not here, I... Suppose I'll start running. 

. . .

. . .

It's been... God, I don't even know how long. Minutes? Hours? I already don't do well with time, and all this... The giggling's not stopped, but it seems to be weakening. I can feel some control returning to my body, at least. I'm not at peak form, but... I can move my legs, I think... Arms, too. 

Ahk!

I feel face down in the dirt. Looks like both at once is still... 

The spike, still clenched safely in my jaw, lifted me back on my feet, slowly. 

"Where." That's the voice from earlier. It seems to echo around in my head. Telepathy, I suppose. Not too uncommon for things like us. 

But I don't have the time to care about that. I need to get moving. Standing still, I unhooked the horn from my rod, and I put the rod back into it's scabbard. Now that I can move on my own, I guess I don't need the horn anymore. 

The spike disappeared from my jaw.

"I can see that is no longer needed." The voice spoke in my mind, more clearly. "Please, take me with you. Just for a moment."

I loosened my grip on the horn. I have no need for added weight.

"Hold on, such an object is of great value."

I dropped the horn, and stepped towards town.

"He, ---t -oy --ht ---- -se-"

I stepped once more. Though, I must admit, I find it hard to raise my leg again. 

I suppose... It makes a good point.

I stopped, reached for the horn, and clutched it hard before I began moving again.

I suppose I owe him at least this much, at least. 

"Thank you." The voice made itself apparent again, much more clearly. "Now, if you'll indulge me, I have some questions I'd like to ask you, if I may."

I stepped again, again, again, towards Starsford. If he's anywhere, he's there. I think. 

"You may respond to this , by the way."

I continued walking forward. Shit, what'll I do if I run into something? No, that shouldn't be a problem. I can move my arms. I don't need to be able to move around to cut down a few mortals.

"Need I remind you that, had it not been for my help, you'd only just now be searching the butte?"

'I suppose I should thank you, then.' I... Thought? Telepathic communication is odd.

"Indeed."

I kept walking. I had a long ways to go, after all.

"It costs you nothing to chat with me, young one. In fact, a clearer mind might increase your efficiency." 

'Fine. What do you want? And why haven't you returned to your world, already? Why restrain yourself in that horn?'

"There we go. As I said, I have a few questions." 

'Get on with it.' 

"Of course. Firstly, why did you choose to do combat with me? What was there to gain?" 

'Nothing, really.' 

"Nothing?"

'We were bored. Thought it'd be a bit of excitement. I was curious.' 

The voice hesitated, for a bit.

"Is that truly all?"

'Yep.'

"I see. I suppose that, too, explains why you waited to take off my horn. As I understand it, you could have done it at any moment." I didn't mention it, but I imagine that's the same reason they didn't just drop an anvil on me at the start, and why they engaged in that banter with me. They were probably bored, too. They continued, "But how did you know to do that? My... Brethren... They are most uncommon in this world."

'I ain't from around here. I know stuff.'

"I see. And where is it that you hail from?"

'Up There.'

" 'Up There?' Do you perhaps mean the heaven-"

'My father told me not to talk about it much. Think what you will.'

"The heavens? Are you quite certain- No, forgive me. I won't pry." They said, prying. "And your father, you mentioned him before, is he-"

'Again, can't talk.'

"Of course. Of course..."

There was a very, very welcome moment of silence as I continued to step closer and closer. 

"That thing at the end... That flight...  It was most impressive. How did you manage that?" 

'Side effect of excellent craftsmanship. My fishing rod, I built her myself, also functions like a grappling hook.'

"A grappling hook? How did you do that?"

'No idea. It just sort of happened as a consequence of the thing being nigh indestructible. I'd never actually tried it before then. I'm surprised it worked as well as it did, honestly.'

"As am I." 

. . .

"One last thing... That boy, he is an odd one, isn't he?"

'I'd be careful with my words if I were you.'

"O-of course. It's just that, going through all of this for a mortal, you seem oddly... Committed to him, are you not? "

'Yeah. I suppose I am.'

"Why is that? I-If I may ask."

Well, that's an easy one.

'It's my job.'

"Your job?"

'Pops told me that guy was going to be alone for a while. Mortals are fragile, and strange. He told me to make sure he doesn't break, and to make sure he doesn't just sit around for too long.' I explained. 'It's... It's the first time Pops had ever asked anything of me... I wanted... I want to...'

Ah, crap, I probably said too much.  'That's it, really. I intend to follow through with my task.' 

"I see. I see... Is that all?"

. . .

'It... It would be unfortunate if he were to die. Beyond that, I have little reason to care about the affairs of mortals."

. . .

"Truly? Is that all? 

. . .

The giggling is starting to die down. Soon enough, my body will be wholly mine again. 

. . .

I began to think of a response to their question, but, before I could communicate anything, a hole in reality itself tore open in front of me, and I found myself staring into what appeared to be an alleyway.

"Thahahnk... Ghahad..." I said, feeling moisture on my face once again.

And I felt the presence that was within the horn in my hand begin to fade, ultimately leaving nothing but the horn itself.