The Creators: Book One by

“Let me see that.” Willowbud said, reaching for the paper. She opened it and looked-over the words, her mouth moving as she read, revealing her lack of schooling. Brandon read over her shoulder, and Corruption peered with equal interest.

“Holy shit,” Willowbud mumbled, “she blew up the palace tower, disintegrated the princess, and then escaped the city undetected. They think she went south, to Grundinar.” Willowbud scanned the paper again, and then frowned, “Sorry Astrid and Tera, but you guys only made it to page six. Fucking Heat Bringer stealing all my press.”

“This is huge,” Brandon said, taking the paper from Willowbud, “The Creators have returned! I always thought they were bullshit stories told by travelers.”

That was believable enough, I guessed.

“Eh, they’re a bunch of assholes,” Willowbud said, taking the paper from Brandon and tossing it on the table, “the world’s just fine for a few thousand years, and then they come along and fuck it all up. I’ll tell you one thing though; there is no way Julia went south to Grundinar.”

“Why do you say that?” Astrid asked.

“Because the elves have that border sealed tighter than your mom’s asshole.” Willowbud replied, “No, if Julia escaped the empire, she went through Arbortus.” Willowbud chuckled to herself, “The Heat Bringer in Arbortus; what a mess that could be.”

“The Earth Former in Drastin,” Tera smirked at Willowbud, “what a mess that could be.”

Willowbud glowered at Tera, and shifted uneasily in Brandon’s lap as Brandon pointedly didn’t react to what Tera had just said. This house of cards was one mouse-fart away from blowing over. There was a tense silence in the room, and then Brandon broke it with all the grace of a drunk hippo.

“Yeah, that sure would be bad,” Brandon laughed nervously, “kind of like The Life Giver in a cemetery! Haha, am I right? Because… you know… everyone’s dead…in a…cemetery…”

“Holy shit,” Willowbud laughed, tousling Brandon’s hair, “you are the cutest fucking thing in the world, you know that?”