The Time Capsule

Chapter 24: The Insurgence Hideout

Chapter 24: The Seeing Pools

*Feed connecting...feed connecting...Feed stable! Note from the wri- AUTHOR IS CURRENTLY IN HIDING AND UNABLE TO ANSWER ANY REQUESTS, REASONABLE OR UNREASONABLE, INCLUDING TO PEN A STORY WITH HER OWN HAND. SHE IS BEING HUNTED BY THE MOST FEARED BEINGS IN THIS UNIVERSE AND REGRETS TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU, THE READER, ARE IN DANGER FROM THESE VERY SAME CREATURES CREEPING THROUGH THE PAGES OF THIS VERY BOOK. BEWARE SHADOWY FIGURES WHO ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM. YOU KNOW THE OLD SAYING, DON'T YOU? NEVER TRUST A NURSE, NEVER TRUST A NUN, AND NEVER, EVER, CHALLENGE A WORDSMITH TO A DUEL. YOU DON'T? OH DEAR...

.....

James Sparrow. James, a name fit for a king six times over, if one was in Scotland, a name for a bird of flight. James Sparrow, the king of flight, trickery and hiding. James Sparrow, the man who had lied for eleven years to his only daughter, to the one person who meant the most to him in this world. James Sparrow, who now paced around the fire, awkwardly avoiding everyone's glare in his general direction, as his said daughter lay passed out on the bridge. He twisted an odd hat around in his hands, frantically brushing the dust off it as he finally met their gaze. 

"Any wine in this joint?" He joked, but was met with silence. 

Levi was the first to speak after a rebel finally made just enough space for James to awkwardly sit down, leaving just enough room to be pushed off the bridge, should it be required.

"So...you spent twelve years as a troll," Levi said, puzzled. "Guarding a bridge. With a magic staff." 

"No, no, no, not twelve years, don't be ridiculous," James said, earning raised eyebrows. "It was twelve days. Morgan is ruthless when you escape his tight hold. I needed somewhere clever to hide, and it turned out there was a vacancy for riddles to cross the bridge." 

"So you...*chose* to be a troll?" Jillian asked with a sigh.

"Why not?" James asked. "It's in all the best fairytales." 

Jillian could sense a story was coming on, so she went to tend to Angelica and brushed her black hair away from her eyes, trying to wake the poor girl up. James put a hand on he black hair away from her eyes, trying to wake the poor girl up. James put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. She awkwardly drew away but raised an eyebrow in confusion. 

"I'd rather she weren't awake for this particular tale, love," James explained. "She hasn't been around to see the true horrors of Morgan's underground caverns and caves."

"You've been to Morgan's underground taverns!" Jillian perked up. "I've heard all sorts of stories about those. Tricksters, thieves, the worst people in the magical world go to trade lost and forbidden items. Still, I hate Tricksters in fairy tales. They all turn out to be him." 

She jabbed her thumb at Levi and he smirked. James' shoulders relaxed a bit, the banter between them was still there, just like when they had set off to try the quest the first time. She was trying to make him feel at home, which he was immensely grateful for. The giant next to him wasn't giving him the friendliest of vibes, and the scary bird woman was terrifying to look in the eye.

"The names' Nightwing," she flashed her orange eyes at him. "You should know, James Sparrow. You helped me out of quite a tough spot a few years ago. And I do hope you haven't forgotten about the revolution I asked you to cause, nor how I healed your bones in the tournament." 

"Ah, yes," said James. "Is your partnership with Morgan still a thing? Or did you stop the helpless child torture act?" 

James grunted in pain and clutched his head, as though his brain was recalibrating.