I woke myself up. The green mist from before has faded. I looked around for the hag and found her 5 feet away from me. She is on the ground. I look her over and find that blood is seeping from her eyes, mouth, and ears. I guess the dream gave her an overload. She never demonstrated the ability to move into the ethereal plane but I am not taking any chances. I haven't kept up with my quarterstaff so I create a horse leg and bash her head in. Rule number 1 when dealing with the death of an enemy is they aren’t dead if you didn’t see the body. I guess another rule for this world is if they practice necromancy, they still might not be dead. Her face is caved in so I am counting this as a win. 

The magic in the air is starting to fade as well. The world feels less hopeless and the unknown sense of oppression is gone. But not all of it goes away. I turn to the tree knot that holds the vestige. I had broken enough of it to see inside. So I did just that. I had been expecting the Hide of the Feral Guardian, a magical armor set that can increase the combat potential of shapeshifters. That was not what I found. I saw a weird-looking vambrace. It was made of bone and shaped like a cow or horse skull. There were red lines down the top of the vambrace that curled around under the eyes and down to nose holes. I assume this was the vestige but it was not one I had seen or heard of. I took it anyway. 

When I pulled the armor from the tree the whole cave shoot, I turned and saw the portal begin to destabilize and rocks began to fall from the ceiling. With no time to lose, I ran and scooped up Samson and Typhoon into a tentacle. I turned into a dire wolf and lept over and around tree branches. Rocks continued to fall in this cave. I wanted to joke about how the hero always made it out of these escapes but actually living through one is horrifying. I don’t have a giant mole or a giant wurm form yet so I do not want to be buried alive. 

We soon reached the tunnel leading up and into the hag's home. I created all eight tentacles and pulled myself to the surface. As a bundle of squishy flesh and suckers, I blast past the painting into the room and keep rolling out of the house.  The ground felt stable so I unwound and untransformed. I am exhausted. We have been running and fighting for what felt like hours. I had to relive a horrible memory and kill a monster worse than the monsters she commanded. BUT. We were alive. I looked over and saw both Klaneste and Fetu sitting on the ground surrounded by corpses. They were breathing. Samson and Typhoon were still asleep but both were breathing. I had pulled the vestige from the hag’s spell network. And last but not least, the hag was dead. 

The forest was silent and I could see the sun in the sky. Birds even began to sing and the world looked freed from a great curse. After what felt like an eternity I didn’t have to worry about being chased by a power-hungry hag. 

“Ha. Hahaha. HAHaHAHA,” I laughed. 

The others looked my way. I was crying tears of joy. Smiles creeped on their face and they began to laugh too. The witch is dead, the witch is dead. 

“Come on Samson wake up we need to celebrate,” I said shaking the man.

“Hugh what? Ah,” he screamed. Probably was having a bad dream or something. I didn’t wait to explain and began to shake Typhoon as well. 

“What fuck where is the bitch,” Typhoon said springing awake and ready for combat.

“She is dead and you two fell asleep for the final battle. I had to handle her myself,” I said. 

They both looked confused. They took their surroundings into account and looked at the sky. 

“She used some weird magic voodoo. I would have totally beaten her ass if I didn’t have to protect Samson from the fireball,” Typhoon said. 

“Ah huh. It doesn’t matter the deed is done and the Othemoor is free. Now as much as I want to relax and get about two days of sleep, we can do that in Othe. Now let us hurry I want to enjoy the hero’s welcome for a bit,” I said laughing. 

The hag’s reign of terror is done. This small, insignificant corner of the world has finally found some peace. And I helped give it to the poor souls that needed it. That feeling of good karma helps wash away some of the lingering pain from earlier. I am rushing to Othe to drown that pain even further. I am not ready to deal with that or anything else the hag brought up. Right now I want a bath and to drink some sweet tea on a sandy beach. The second part can wait a few days but that’s fine. The others looked at each other and smiled. Tonight they would celebrate and drink away the pain of these horrible wounds. 

……..

The sun was setting on the horizon and Othe was in sight. I spoke to the group,” I can’t wait anymore. I am going to check on Mata.” I took off without waiting for a response. The city of Othe seemed tense. I don’t know if they know what happened today. They might have heard about the Marquis and were preparing to mourn. I found the tall building in the center of the city and flew to the door. Dropping my form I rush to the Marquis room. 

I burst through the door not stopping for the guards. Mata is being attended to by several clerics and doctors right now. He is awake and relaxed. He is paler than normal, it's only been a day but he seems smaller. It doesn’t look good. But I ignore all the signs of old age. I see the man who has spent his life for the betterment of Othe and this damned swamp. I give him the best news he will hear ever. 

“The hag is dead.” 

He looks at me and smiles. The doctors and clerics are shocked. Did they think we couldn’t do it? Well, believe it. One hag-free swamp courtesy of Edsom and the Claret Order. Mata begins to laugh. His face fills with life. I laugh with him as I sit by his bed. I tell him the full story. The smile had never left his face. The old tortle had been released from a nightmare. 

“Edsom. Othe can never repay you for this deed,” Mata said.

“It doesn’t have to. Well, not much I mean. I wouldn’t mind at least some reward,” I said. 

“I am sure we can do something,” Mata said. 

Eventually, everyone arrived at the house. I spent the rest of the talking with them about what comes next. Samson even asked me to join the Claret Order.

“Your skills and powers make you a fine warrior, but your attitude and desire to help those that can’t help themselves makes you perfect for the Orders,” Samson said. 

“I am flattered but I have just begun my adventure. There is still much I need to see and do. But if you ever need help I will rush over there. I can fly after all and I plan on getting a better bird form,” I said. 

“I understand. If I may ask, what are you doing next?” Klaneste asked. I don’t know if she has any hesitation about my abilities still but she isn’t showing it.

“The reason I came here to Othe was that I learned about the powerful creatures that lived in the Vezdaweald forest. I wanted to hunt them but I was nervous about encountering a Swavain Basilisk. So I came to Othe for some Willowshade oil. Now that I have gotten so many other forms though I have a different idea. I need magical abilities. Maybe not real magic but stuff that magic can do. So I am changing my hunting grounds. I am finding a ship and heading into the Lucidian ocean,” I said. 

What I didn’t tell them was I knew of a portal to the elemental plane of fire in the middle of the ocean. The Everplume. It could not be a portal and instead something else but that doesn’t change what lives around it. Creatures twisted into fiery versions of themselves. Then there is the second target I have in mind. Deep in the jungles of the gravid archipelago is an ecosystem of various flying creatures. Harpies, giant birds, and the biggest of them all. A Roc. The ruler of the bird kingdom. If dragons didn’t exist it would be the apex predator of the sky. With a body over 30 feet long and a wingspan of more than 90 feet, it is an animal that will elevate my hunting to new heights. I laugh at my unintentional pun. 

“You do stuff like that kid and I might start to worry about you,” Typhoon said. 

“I am fine just laughing at a joke. Thank you all. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you guys,” I said. 

“You too Edsom. I am serious about my offer. If you ever feel that you have wondered enough come find me. We have a base on the southern edge of the Silberquel ridge. I am sure you will find it,” Samson said. I might do that one day. Retire and become a monster hunter. Seems fun. But first I desire phenomenal cosmic powers and I can’t get those without some murder. Wait. Claret orders hunt demons, devils, and all manner of extraplanar beings. I could do some freelance work. I have added it to the list. 

…………

It was late and I was resting in a new room. I didn’t need the protection of the jail cell anymore. I wanted to sleep and celebrate with all my other friends in the soul dream but I was kept up by a lingering thought. What the hell is this vestige? Is it really something the Wildmother made? I don’t have any knowledge of how magic actually works. All the things I can do are instinctive or through willpower. This is real magic. I might ask Klaneste tomorrow. I could also stop in that magic shop in Port Zoon. What was her name again? Ah yes, Morgana. The obsidian-skinned magical shopkeeper. I hadn’t seen a genasi except for her. I could do some shopping there. Mata paid the others their reward but I was given 1,000 gold. Soon I will probably have so much money it won’t matter anymore. I am going to spend some of it though. I need a bag of holding. It will make transformations easier. 

There is one more thing that I will need a bag of holding for. All the pirates I will be encountering. There is no doubt in my mind that I will end up meeting a lot. I might even get myself a ship. Stealing pirate ships and selling them to a port sounds like a fantastic idea. 

I will probably spend one more day here in Othe. Mata seemed fine, but I know he could go either way. I want to remember him at his best. I am sure he won't mind. I don’t need to be here for his death. 

I need to sleep. Tomorrow holds new possibilities and the promise of new adventure.