A Quest for the Stars

It was nearly done.

The plan, complicated as it was to set up, was fairly simple. The guard that Horseface had blackmailed was to leave all of the cells unlocked. Since nightly duties only had a skeleton crew on site, it would fall on him to watch all of the cells. On Starflower's signal, the jailbirds would break out and make their escape.

The escape crew consisted of Horseface, his henchmen, Starflower, and Thomas. Only they knew of the actual plan; everyone else would simply be used as bait, while Horseface would lead everyone else through an escape route he made with Starflower's guidance.

All of them would live on the run as wanted men. Starflower warned that they would need to grab the items they came in with and leave nothing behind; being savvy with magic, he told everyone that leaving even a single object behind would help scryers learn of their whereabouts, making their plans moot. Starflower had to promise his keys to his vacation home in Ulysses Crossing as part of his deal with Horseface, once he obtained them, for they would all go their separate ways once they were free. The police would be looking for them, and the sooner they all left the city, the better. Splitting up would mean that the police would have to divide their strength into smaller parcels; easier for the escapees to deal with.

The purpose of the getaway vehicle would be to take all of the jailbirds to designated locations, allowing them to split up. Once Starflower was dropped off, he was on his own.

It was now the night of the escape, and the jail birds anticipated Starflower's signal. But in order for the disgraced headmaster to give them the signal, he had to break free from the shackles binding his feet and magic. And there was only one way he could pull it off.

21st of Cobre, 7:55pm, 1659 (164 days before Starflower's trial)

"Almost done."

Nurse Sarnai removed the bandages from Starflower's head and torso, having put them in place after a shovel-related incident.

"I'll need you to put your shirt back on, but your wounds should be healed now. You really have to stop getting on Horseface's bad side."

"Yes, silly me." The headmaster chuckled. "But as you can see, I'm not that harmless."

"I guess you're right, most of the elves I tend to don't worry about their upper body strength."

"Oh?" Starflower smiled slyly. "So, you have noticed. Admiring my physique, Ms. Sarnai?"

"W-what? N-no!"

"My offer still stands, ma'am. What your husband doesn't know can't kill him."

"I-I already told you, I'm an old woman. I can't be running around having an affair like some teenage girl!"

"I can tell you still have the energy. I don't think you're old." Starflower pointed at the shackles around his ankles. "If you take these off, then all I'd need is five minutes to convince you. Ten, if you're feeling sturdy."

Her face beet red, the nurse stared at the ground. "M-Mr. S-Starflower! J-just w-w-w-what kind of woman do you take me for?"

"A savage in heat, like the rest of them." Starflower gave her a warm smile. "One who hasn't been touched by a man in years," the elf said matter-of-factly. "By all accounts, even I think I should be reported for making a pass at you the other day. But you haven't reported me. Why is that?"

The nurse gasped, as she had no rebuttal.

"You blush when I say things like this, you smile when you receive a compliment, and you shiver when I touch you longer than a second. You say you want to be faithful, but your subconscious betrays you. Perhaps you want to be a faithful wife, but there's no guarantee your husband feels the same way. Any man would come running home the moment he is free if they had a woman like you waiting for them."

"Mr. Starflower...you know I can't."

The timid nurse averted her gaze. Starflower took this opportunity to grab a lone scalpel within his reach and rose from his seat. In just seconds this would all be over. Until he heard something.

Sobbing.

The headmaster stopped himself, quickly pocketing the scalpel before the nurse could see him.

"You think I don't want to?" The nurse's tears sprinkled on the hard ground. "I made a holy vow to my husband all those years ago. I know he's out there. I know he's probably cheating. But I can't prove it. And even if I could, I can't just stoop to that level. It's not right!" She sobbed some more. "I gave myself to him on our wedding night, but ever since then, his attitude slowly changed. By the time we had been married for six months, I could feel him just going through the motions. Even if I wore something skimpy, or set up a romantic dinner, he wasn't the same man I married. But I vowed before the altar that I would stick to his side through thick and thin."

She turned to face Starflower, who had been taken aback.

"When you love someone, you endure all kinds of pain for their sake. My whole family thinks it's stupid, and I can't disagree. But what kind of person would I be if I broke this holy vow? I promised to be with him until death do us apart, and that means I can't run at the first sign of adversity."

"You really are old fashioned." Starflower had given up before, and he was ready to give up on Sarnai for good. Wracked with guilt, he approached the saddened woman with a tear in his eye. "I must apologize once again. What you said is quite admirable, and if I had met you several years ago, I no doubt would have tried to woo you then. You deserve to be happy, and I truly wish I could show you what love truly is," he said sincerely.

His words helped the nurse relax. He meant it this time, but the escape plan was still in his mind. He was no fool.

"It's fine," the nurse said as she wiped her tears away. "I know young men can't help themselves sometimes."

"I wish to make it up to you. If you undo these shackles-"

"Don't start!"

"-I can cast a spell that will find your husband."

The nurse looked at him with hope in her eyes. "Don't. Don't play with my heart like that."

"I'm not joking. Are you familiar with scrying, Ms. Sarnai?"

The nurse nodded. "Every spellcaster I know charges an arm and a leg for such a spell."

"I'll do this for you, free of charge." He stared at a nearby mirror. "Yes, this will do nicely."

***

Meanwhile, back at the cell area, the jailbirds waited anxiously for a signal that had taken its time to arrive.

"Where the hell is he?" Horseface stared at the door leading to the north exit, which had a hallway that led to the nurse's office. "He better not have escaped without us!"

***

Starflower's shackles hit the cold, hard ground. Able to spread his legs once more, the former headmaster did some leg stretches before getting to work.

"Ms. Sarnai, do you have something that once belonged to your husband? A lock of hair, a portrait, anything?"

The middle-aged nurse rummaged through her clothes for something she couldn't find. Then, with hesitation, she removed her right glove to reveal a plain silver band. "My engagement ring. He bought this for me on the day he proposed. It's technically his."

"Perfect." Starflower stretched out his hand. "Give it to me! I only need it for the duration of the scrying spell's casting period."

The nurse held her hand back, but eventually gave in after constant urging from Starflower. "Are you sure you can find him?"

"Yes. You'll get your answer right away. I just need a name now."

"Rutherford!" For the first time since they met, Nurse Sarnai had a joyful expression. "Rutherford Spark!"

"Got it!" Facing the mirror, Starflower made some elaborate gestures with his hands. Holding the wedding band as well as some rose petals from some abandoned "get well soon" flowers, he turned back around and aimed his palm at Sarnai.

The nurse, horrified by this action, had no time to react as a nebulous purple light wrapped around her head. She fell limp and collapsed, but Starflower caught her in time.

"What the hell am I doing? I should have killed her." He carried the unconscious nurse and set her gently on the bed. "I guess I did use her for my own ends. The least I could do is spare her and find her husband for her." He pocketed the wedding band away and marveled at his own hands. An electric current coursed throughout his entire body, causing some loose strands to erect themselves upward. "But first, I have to get everyone out of here."

***

The jailbirds heard a thunderous commotion coming from the direction of the north exit.

One guard gestured for another - Horseface's mole - to stand back as he investigated what was going on. The former checked through the peephole, but right as he did so, the door was blasted open from the other side. Splinters and electricity pierced the guard, who cried in agony before he passed out from the pain.

With electricity still at his fingertips, Starflower cried out. "It's time! Open the cell doors!"

"You heard him!" Horseface removed his own shackles from his ankles. "This is a jail break! You're all free!"

Horseface waited until the jailbirds near the southern exit opened their cell doors and made a break for the south exit. Once that happened, he and his men opened their own cell doors and closed the gap between Starflower and themselves.

A random henchman failed to see the wisdom of the don. "Boss, why did you have us wait? Doesn't every precious second count?"

"Yes, but keep one thing in mind. In chess, the pawns go first."

Gunfire was heard to the south. The jailbirds could hear the sounds of battle not far away, with guards ordering for someone to check the cells.

"Leave the words of wisdom for later! Let's go!"

"This is where we part ways," Horseface told his mole. "Stay here and be free of debt or come with us and join my empire! The choice is yours!"

The escapees wasted no time in falling in line and ran down the north hallway. Horseface and his five henchmen, faster than humans, easily outsped Starflower and Thomas. Some of the henchmen nearly stumbled on the corpses of two guards that had been fried. They were the guards that guarded the nurse's office, as mentioned by Starflower back when they plotted their escape.

Thomas stopped at the entrance of the nurse's office. "If Jean killed the nurse, then her body must still be there..." But just as he tried to open the door, Starflower pulled him away and continued running. "Jean!"

"Not her!" Starflower grimaced. "Have you learned nothing?!"

"Come on, Jean. Just give me five minutes with her."

"I said no! You do so much as touch that door knob and I'll cut your hand off! Understood?!"

"Geez, okay." The two continued on their way, and soon both flinched at the sound of gunfire up ahead. There, they witnessed Horseface facing down two guards. The don's muscle mass had increased by at least 50% and his eyes glowed red once again. The don of the Greco family was shot at by the two men, but he charged at them like an unflinching train. Once he closed the distance, he grabbed both men by the neck and slammed them against the wall.

There was a look of fear on Thomas's face, resulting in a foul scent coming out of his backside. Starflower could barely stand the smell but understood anyone would be afraid of such a sight.

"A barbarian." Starflower instantly recalled the moment his career ended; the moment Beau Bisset grabbed him by the throat to protect his sister from harm. "I'll pay him back tenfold!"

Once he snapped out of his daydream, one guard had been knocked out while Horseface lifted the other one and finished him off with a backbreaker maneuver with his knee. The exit door was right in front of them, but Starflower pointed to another door to the right.

"Our belongings are in there! Horseface, you and your men gear up first! And you better grab all of your stuff!"

"Don't order me around, wizard! I know what I'm doing!" Taking a moment to catch his breath, the winded Horseface kicked down the door and let his men through first. Thomas peered into the room and witnessed the horsemen already made a mess of it by busting open all of the lockers inside.

Meanwhile, Starflower summoned a red and black glyph as he prepared another spell. After six seconds, five diabolical hounds - about four feet in height, having black fur and red eyes, and flaming mouths - appeared around Starflower. Taking a moment to lick their master, Starflower quickly shushes them and, with a series of hand gestures, made all five of them disappear.

"Go, my hounds!" Starflower pointed at the opposite end. "Tear any guard that follows me to shreds!"

The invisible canines get to work, heading in the direction of the cells.

"Geez, I never did like your dogs," Thomas said.

"They'll buy us time. Not every guard is trained against invisible monsters."

"We're done!" After a minute, Horseface and his henchmen, now armed with swords and guns and wearing black suits, signaled for Starflower and Thomas to grab their belongings. Once inside, the two quickly found their belongings and geared up.

"Listen to me, Thomas. Take this." Starflower showed Thomas an envelope.

Thomas cautiously grabbed the envelope. It was stamped and glued with a red seal. "What is this?"

"It contains a [Hypnotism] spell. Whoever opens it, they'll be at the beck and call of the delivery boy. We'll use this to lure that mongrel into a trap. We'll use her as bait to grab the paladin and Madam Bisset's brother and kill them in one fell swoop."

Thomas had stopped listening right when Starflower said 'hypnotism.' He placed the envelope on his back pocket and grinned lecherously. "Whatever you say, Jean. I thought you'd be still mad at me for trying to turn the mob against you."

Starflower smiled. "Thomas, Thomas." He chuckled. "Me, mad? Your father asked me to look after you. We're family."

Thomas could not restrain his puppy eyes. "Y-you mean it?"

"Heh. What do you think?"

It did not take long for the two to gear up, as Starflower had a robe that transformed into a black suit of his own as soon as he put it on, while Thomas wore his flea-ridden leather armor and a magical backpack where he stored the rest of his belongings, including his white and black-striped jumpsuit. Starflower had the same idea with a backpack of his own; he did not want to look like a hypocrite in front of Horseface if the authorities managed to scry them and teleport to them.

It was around this time the alarm finally sounded.

"Let's move!" Once the two were done, all eight escapees made their way to the exit and all but Starflower were shocked after they saw what had happened.

The adjacent building that had contained all the giants had a hole in the wall, allowing cave giants, ogres, and trolls to lumber their way outside. They all made their way towards a single direction, and soon enough the escapees heard the panicking voices of some of the guards who were surely getting mauled or devoured.

"Good call on setting an explosive there," Horseface said. "My man on the inside had no trouble planting that at all. it looks like he made his choice by setting it off."

"It's home stretch from here." Starflower pointed at the brick wall several yards ahead of them. "This is where your strength comes in handy, Horseface. We have plenty of time to tear down that wall, but once it's breached, we only have a minute to make it to the getaway vehicle."

The elf then tossed a set of keys, along with two scroll cases, at Horseface.

"The deed and keys to my vacation home, as well as a scroll of [Teleport]. It's not gold, but it should sell for a reasonable price. Definitely more than twice for what we bargained for. You know, since we'll be splitting up soon."

"Very good." Horseface nodded. "Let's get moving."

Starflower smiled. The time for payback was nigh, and he could savor it now.

"One more thing." He turned around and pointed at Thomas. "It appears the guards have their own snitch."

"What?!" Horseface and Thomas said in unison.

"I watched him talk to one of the other guards earlier today. I couldn't hear him because they were whispering, but the guard gave him a strange envelope."

Horseface's eyes turned red for a brief second. "Search him!"

All five of the henchmen surrounded Thomas, who tried to run away but was quickly overpowered when four of them grabbed his arms - two for each arm - while the fifth fished through Thomas's filthy pockets and found the envelope Starflower had given him earlier.

Horseface snorted violently upon looking at the red seal. "That's the Amphibonacci seal!" Horseface tore the envelope open and pulled the parchment from the inside.

Mr. Carpathia,

I hope this letter finds you in good health. Thanks to your contribution, I tipped off the authorities on where the rest of the Greco family holds their activities. As promised, once we execute them all, we'll give you what you requested. Please see my associate on the inside and confirm this is what you wanted.

Sincerely,

Salvatore Amphibonacci

Out of the envelope, Horseface pulled out a hand-drawn sketch of a young female horsefolk. "Natalia..." Crumpling the sketch and the letter, Horseface looked at Thomas furiously. "Quel diavolo."

Thomas looked over at Starflower, who simply grinned at him. "Jean, tell them you did this! This is just a big prank you set up! Tell them!"

"Horseface," Starflower said, "you looked over the files I requested, right?"

"I remember." Horseface snorted. "Thomas Carpathia. I knew you set off the wrong vibe when I met you that day, but you purposely deflected the blame of your crimes and tried to pin them on your cell mate here. All to hide who you truly are: A predator!"

"Change of plans." Starflower made his way to the brick wall. "Horseface, this looks like a personal matter. I'll breach that wall for you."

Without batting an eye, Horseface kept his eyes on Thomas menacingly. "Take your time."

"Jean, wait!" But his words fell on deaf ears. Starflower had ran his way to the wall, and took his time inspecting it carefully.

Thomas tried to break free, but a punch from the fifth henchman weakened his efforts. Now with a black eye, all Thomas could do was scream.

"Let me go! Help! Help! Police! Police! Somebody help me!"

"Boss, we have to get him to stop squealing," one of the henchmen warned.

Horseface happily obliged with a punch of his own, but all that did was give Thomas another black eye. "You thought you could ruin my daughter, you son of a bitch?!" Horseface nodded to his henchmen and walked away. "Give him the hangman treatment!"

"You heard him, fellas. We better make it quick, too; the family's in danger!"

The four henchmen continued to hold Thomas in place while the fifth rummaged through his belongings until he found what he was looking for: A rope. Panicking once again, Thomas tried to wriggle free, but this time the henchmen released him; they all took turns to beat him into submission while the fifth henchman climbed a tree to place the rope over a sturdy branch.

Once one end of the rope was secured, the henchman used the other end to make a noose, which he then put around Thomas's neck. Now a whimpering mess, Thomas no longer had the strength to fight back, and could only watch as the mob pulled the other end of the rope to lift him up in the air.

Everyone panicked when they suddenly heard quaking footsteps.

"Hey, we got to move!"

"But his neck ain't snapped yet!"

"Leave him! We can't let the giants see us!"

The mob henchmen ran off immediately, with one remaining member staying behind to tie the end of the rope to the base of the tree. He managed to get done and run away in time just as two giants entered the vicinity.

By the looks of it, two cave giants.

"H-help...!" Thomas's strained cries were too faint to be heard, but he was no less horrified once he spotted the giants. And the giants had spotted him, too.

"Look, Thrak!" One giant said to another. "Food!"

The other giant sniffed the air. "A human that hasn't bathed in days."

"My favorite," both said in unison.

His voice too strained to cry, Thomas looked over at the brick wall one last time. The giants had failed to notice Horseface and his henchmen escaping through a perfect hole in the wall while Starflower leaned against a solid surface and was watching everything unfold with a smile on his face.

His consciousness fading, Thomas's vision became a blur. He could no longer see the giants, but he could hear their breath getting closer. He kicked his feet wildly in an effort to ward of the attacks he knew were coming, but he soon felt a strong grip around both of his legs.

Like low-hanging fruit, he was yanked with enough force to snap the hemp rope, freeing his neck from asphyxiation. But when one problem was resolved, another took its place. Thomas could feel his blood flow slowly go to his head as a giant held him upside down.

"Dibs on the eyeballs!"

His sight returned just in time to see the inside of a giant's maw, which soon bit down on his skull. He coughed at first, then screamed as loud as he could.

"Someone, anyone! Please help me! I promise I'll try to change!"

Starflower shrugged coldly. "I hear you loud and clear, Thomas. But how many times have you sang that same tune?"

"Let's go!" Horseface ordered. "If you don't hurry, we'll leave without you!"

"Then I guess this is goodbye, Thomas." Starflower walked through the hole and ended up on the other side of the wall. He then touched the edge of the hole, which came off like a piece of cloth, leaving the wall good as new. He then folded the hole as if it were a piece of clothing and inserted it in one of his pockets. "If it's any consolation, I'll tell your dad you died like you lived. But I don't plan to see either of you ever again!"

Starflower followed Horseface into the woods of the nearby park, smiling at the sound of Thomas's fading screams. After a series of hand gestures, Starflower, Horseface, and the henchmen disappeared.

Ogres and trolls soon gathered around the two cave giants, and they all fought over the bruised body like animals, each individual grabbing a limb and pulling it towards themselves. Thomas felt indescribable pain all over his arms and legs, and his skull halfway inside a giant's mouth.

Right before his skull and spine were disconnected from his body, Thomas had one last thought. "If I had stayed with the nurse, I wouldn't be here right now..."

***

Some time later, Thomas's mutilated corpse was found among a pile of giant corpses. The police were finally able to get the situation under control, placing the criminals back to their cells and killing the giants that had proven themselves too much to handle. The two cave giants present had been gunned down, while a third had been reported to be slain by Constable Richards himself.

A silhouette in the shadows gazed upon Thomas, who was merely a head attached to a spine and vessels of the nervous system. "Interesting..."