Leaving the inn, Timothy strolled through the busy streets, mostly window shopping though he did stop to purchase some hair gel for his mohawk.

“Ah, there you are, Tim!”

Timothy turned to see his partner in bounty hunting, his staff tapping against the pavement as he walked, his long overcoat flapping at his heels.

“Yo, Necrodemius,” Timothy smiled in greeting, looking down at the considerably shorter fellow. “I got some new hair-gel.”

“That's very nice,” his associate rubbed his shiny bald head, “but have you uncovered any leads? Heard any juicy gossip?”

Timothy shook his head.

“Nah, I was just talking to this dude with horns. Nice bloke.”

“Horns?” Necrodemius asked curiously.

“Horns and goat legs.”

“A faun!” Necrodemius hurriedly reached into his coat and pulled out a scroll. He unrolled it to reveal a wanted posted featuring a man's shaggy face. “Did he look like this?”

Timothy peered at the drawing for a few moments and his eyes widened.

“Blimey, it is him!”

“Where did he go? Is he still here?” Necrodemius demanded, stuffing the scroll back into his coat.

“I left him at The Stooping Stone Golem.”

Necrodemius darted off down the street, Timothy following quickly behind. They arrived at the inn and rushed inside.

“Where?” Necrodemius scanned the room.

“Over there,” Timothy pointed to the empty table in the corner. “Damn it, he's gone!”

Necrodemius walked to the counter, giving the bartender a friendly smile.

“Good afternoon, ma'am! The faun at that table, do you know where he went?”

“Friend of yours?” the elf asked. Necrodemius nodded.

“They saddled up and left just half an hour ago,” the elf explained. “Had three humans with him.” “Thanks!” Necrodemius dropped two coins on the counter. “Here's something for your trouble.”

“A good day to you too, human!” the elf replied with a condescending smile.

* * *

The moon was almost full, grinning down upon the land with a smile so cheesy that one could have believed the satellite was indeed made of cheese (as everyone knows the moon is made of butter, frozen solid by the coldness of space). The three wizards and their new faun companion rode slowly along the barren road in silence, warily scanning the fields and copses they passed. When they were about five miles from the city, they turned their horses off the road and down towards the river. As they approached, Olga gazed across the expanse of water, sparkling silver in the moonlight. The opposite bank was just visible on the horizon. There was a rustle as two men emerged from the bushes nearby, twigs and leaves still stuck in their hair and clothes.

“Good to see ye, masters,” one of them said courteously. “The boat's prepared as ye ordered.”

“Excellent,” Malcomn smiled. “Let us be quick. You'll receive your payment in full once we reach the other side.”

The man smiled and nodded.

“As agreed.”

The wizards dismounted as the two men heaved a small rowboat out of the bushes and down to the river. The splash of the boat entering the water was followed by a sharp voice from behind them.

“Hold it right there!”

They turned to see two figures coming down the bank towards them.

“Timothy!” Bogdon cried in surprise. The huge man gave an apologetic shrug.

“Sorry, mate. Turns out you're wanted.”

“Fifty-thousand gold coins for his head!” the shorter man added. “As bounty hunters, it's impossible to turn down a reward that good! Hand over the faun and the rest of you can be on your way.”

“Go on!” the boatman said fearfully. “We don't want no trouble. Hand 'im over!”

Malcomn smiled and took a step towards the bounty hunters.

“Perhaps we can work something out?”

“Unlikely,” Necrodemius growled, “unless you have fifty-thousand gold spare on-”

“Cranium Vitalae Functionus Ceasum!” Malcomn cried, extending his hand. A cloud of purple smoke sprouted from his palm, forming the shape of a leering skull as it flew towards Necrodemius.

“Necromantus Cancellium!” the bounty hunter shouted back, seizing the skull in midair where it vanished in a puff of smoke. Necrodemius paused and smiled.

“A necromancer? Rare to see a fellow practitioner these days.”

“Get in the boat, quickly!” Malcomn snapped, turning and running for the river.

“After them!” Necrodemius cried.

Timothy sped down the bank after the fleeing wizards, the thumps of his heavy footsteps growing closer every second. Despite the weight of his heavy armor, with his immense stride there was no escaping him.

“Kindle!” Roxie cried as she ran, summoning a small flame in her palm. She turned about to face Timothy, holding the flame out towards him. “Oxygen Surplus!”

The flame roared as it grew and rose. Trying to ignore the armored giant bearing down on her, Roxie grabbed a vial from her belt and popped the cork off with her teeth. Holding the vial just behind the flame, she shouted, “Aqua Geyserus!”

Black liquid shot out of the vial and through the fire. Timothy screamed in agony as he was hit by the burning stream, stopping dead in his tracks as the flaming substance coated his upper body. Tossing the empty vial aside, Roxie swept her hand across the grass in front of her.

“Infernus Obstructum!” and a wall of fire rose up between her and the bounty hunters. She turned and ran down to the boat, leaping the last few feet and landing sprawled on the deck as the terrified boatmen paddled for dear life. Olga watched with a mix of horror and amusement as Timothy's massive burning form ran straight through the wall of fire and dived into the water, splashing about in an attempt to douse the flames.

“Where did you learn that?” Olga asked eagerly.

“It's a combination of a few simple water and fire spells,” Roxie replied, sitting up. She winced as she watched Timothy thrashing in the water. “I'm starting to wonder if it was a bit too much...”

“Imagine if you used it on a rat, or even a pig!” Olga suggested. “That would be hilarious!”

“Sometimes I'm very glad you slack off on your studies,” Malcomn said dryly.

The two boatmen exchanged a nervous look, wondering what on earth had gone wrong with their simple smuggling job, and hoping it was all a bad dream.