“Why are you feuding with a pixie, of all things?” Arushi asked.

  Damian looked away, “Are you still on about that?”

  Arushi gave him a deadpanned stare, “It has been ten minutes since you pulled out that horse skull. I feel justified in asking!”

  Damian just turned a way and whistled nonchalantly. Arushi let out a frustrated scream, as Viktor approached with a laugh, shovel sitting on one shoulder. “Just be glad, Damian had it, or this vould have taken much longer.”

  “Fine. How do we find Leshy? I want to get this nonsense over with quickly!” Arushi huffed, and crossed her arms.

  The ruskala, still standing off to the side, chimed in. “If you head off due east from here, you will reach the gardens edge, where it meets the forest. Just enter the woods and speak his name, he should be expecting you.”

  “Thank you. Well, you heard the woman people let’s go!” Damian took off eastwards, eager to escape the awkward situation.

  Reaching the edge of the garden took less than an hour, the garden almost seeming to warp around the trio as they walked. The forest outside the garden was overgrown and wild, a bed of fresh leaves and twigs littered the ground and bird calls could be heard coming from all directions. Taking a deep breath, Damian stepped forward and spoke, “Lord Leshy! I have come at the behest of the Baba Yagga, to negotiate with you terms that would allow her to expand her garden. I humbly request an audience so we may hear your terms.”

  A breeze blew in from the forest, and the bird calls went silent. The only sound heard for a time was the rustling of settling leaves, then slow, purposeful footsteps could be heard approaching. Emerging from the vegetation, was a giant. His hair was a tangle of branches, and his green, lichen beard reached down to his navel. His pants were made of bark, much like his skin seemed to be, only the faintest difference in hues allowed one to denote which was which. He carried a large club in his hands, that he absently waved back and forth before him.

  Leshy came to a stop before the group and observed them for a time. Whatever he was looking for, he seemed to have found as the giant began to shrink, quickly matching their own height.

  “So, the old hag doesn’t even have the decency to meet with me in person. Typical, I will not waste your time mortals, assist me with one thing and I will agree to move.” Leshy’s voice was a gentle, patient rumble, with an undertone of the gentle sighing of the wind, and a crack of a falling tree.

  “May I hear the task first, before agreeing?” Damian asked cautiously.

  The forest spirit nodded, “You see, my anniversary is coming up and I’d like to do something nice for my beloved, Leshachikha. If you can assist me in setting up a nice romantic spot for our date I will move.”

  Damian blinked, not sure he heard right. He looked to the others for confirmation and they looked just as bewildered. “Is…….is that all?”

  “Yes. I was thinking of a picnic, like our first date, but I’m not sure it would be enough.” Leshy continued.

  Okay, it looked like this was actually happening. Damian decided to just go with it, to preserve his sanity if nothing else. “Alright, I have a few questions to get us on the right track.”

  Thus, started the weirdest and most wholesome experience any of the trio had experienced in a portal. Leshy was almost bashful as he waxed poetically about his lady love. They had to gently prod the being a few times to get him back on track, he had a bad tendency go on tangents. Viktor was quickly put in charge of making the dinner, Leshy having led them to his home so Viktor could use the amenities. Arushi taught Leshy how to slow dance, while Damian made some quick decorations. Taking from his candle supply, he placed the ones that smelled faintly of lavender, Leshachikha’s favorite flower apparently, into glass jars. He then proceeded to tie string around the lip so it could hang from branches.

  It depleted his candle supply, but if it ended this side quest quickly, he would eat the loss gladly. Once Damian finished, and Leshy was confident in his ability to dance without stepping on his wife’s toes, he spent the next few hours debating the quality of date spots with the ancient being and Arushi. Out of all of them Arushi seemed to be the most invested in this little situation. Looks like she was a romantic at heart. She was stricter on the requirements for the location of the picnic, than both Leshy and Damian combined. They had finally settled on a lakeside vista when Viktor emerged from the kitchen with a packed basket.

  “I made mostly Italian food, caprese skewers, pesto pasta salad, that sort of stuff. I threw in few sandwiches for good measure. Lean venison, cut like roast beef, vith lettuce and tomato. No condiments, so no need to vory about getting embarrassing stains.” Viktor said happily, as he passed over the basket.

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  Leshy beamed at them all, “Thank you friends! I will remember this favor, should you need anything just ask.”

  The tutelary deity snapped his fingers, and with a swirl of trees and shrubbery, the trio was standing on the porch of Baba Yaga’s hut. The trio staggered at the disorienting method of travel. The door to the hut opened in clear invitation, one they were reluctant to take, but no one made Baba Yaga wait. Not if they knew what was good for them. The hut was a mostly open affair with a door, leading to the only room they could see, at the back wall. In the middle of the hut was a simmering cauldron. Its contents were a neon green that swirled with smoke, a rod stirred itself in a slow endless rotation. On the left side, opposite the chimney was a table, topped with a myriad of ingredients, but what arrested their attention was the old lady standing before it.

  She looked to be in her eighties, with a slight hunch to her back. Her hair was a long, white, tangled mess that ran down to her mid back. Her hands, though gnarled and wrinkled, held a butcher’s cleaver with an unnatural steadiness. She brought the cleaver down with a solid, wet, whack, and turned to the trio who had entered.

  When she spoke her voice was kind, upbeat, and energetic. She sounded like a grandmother welcoming her favorite grandchildren into her home. “You all did wonderful, dearies. I didn’t expect you to finish so quickly, I was unable to prepare your lunch in time. All I can offer you is your reward before sending you on your way.”

  “Thank you honored babushka. I brought you gift, I hope it is to your tastes.” Viktor said as he pulled out a container of steaming fettuccini alfredo, and a basket of bread.

  “Such a thoughtful young man!” Baba Yaga exclaimed as she took the offered items. “Wait just a second dearies, granny will be right back.

  She disappeared behind the far door and was gone for half an hour. When either Damian or Arushi went to speak, Viktor would gesture for them to remain quiet. Deciding to heed the more knowledgeable man’s advice, the time passed by in tense silence. With a rustle of cloth Baba Yagga emerged from the backroom with a tray, holding three items on top.

  “One for each of you! Don’t be shy, you have earned it.” The old witch hummed as she approached them each in turn and handed them an item. First was Viktor, Baba Yaga passed him what looked like a human vertebra. It pulsed with a deep green glow, and gave a little hum when it landed on Viktor’s palm. Arushi received a gnarled root that, in its roots, was tangled a solitary white raven’s feather. It was pitch black with crevices that glowed a sickly greenish-yellow.

  “Be careful with this one girl, it is a one-time use only, use it wisely.” Baba Yaga warned.

  Arushi nodded her understanding, “Thank you honored grandmother.”

  The Baba Yaga nodded and moved to Damian. She handed him a deep blue, bead of ice on a bracelet made of braided hair. When he went to put it on his left arm, he was stopped by the gnarled hand of Baba Yaga, her grip like a vise.

  “Not that arm dear, the other one. You may actually get to use the item then.” The old crone advised.

  The hell did that mean? Regardless, Damian stared at the old woman and said, “If you insist grandma Yaga.”

  She let go of his arm, and he placed the bracelet on his right wrist. The bead was cool against his skin, and a tingling sensation spread up his arm briefly before disappearing. Baba Yagga returned to her table and set down the tray she was carrying. She turned to them with a bright smile, “Now, I believe it is time for you all to leave. Thank you for your help dearies, granny will remember you all the next time she needs a little help.”

  The old crone snapped her fingers, and the trio found themselves at the edge of the Fellwood forest, facing a pond with countless floating dead bodies. Before proceeding, they decided to investigate the items they were gifted. Damian focused on the bracelet and willed the system to pull up a description.

  Morana’s Crystal Bracelet

  Ability:

  Imbues all attacks (with or without weapons) with the deadly chill of winter, causing targets to freeze over slowly. A word of caution, Morana is an indifferent goddess, and all who would use her power must suffer it in turn. When you strike a target, you will be covered in a slowly growing patch of permafrost. Should you be completely covered by the permafrost you will fall into a comatose slumber, plagued with nightmares, until thawed. Should the crystal shatter, a wave of pure cold will explode out from the impact site and attempt to freeze everything in a radius of fifty feet.

  Damian supposed it could be worse, an extra avenue of damage that he would have to be mindful of was valuable, in the right circumstances. He sent the bracelet to his inventory, no need to harm himself needlessly, he would retrieve it when it could provide the most benefit. He turned to the others and asked, “What did you guys get?”

  Viktor spoke first; he had a strange look on his face. “This vertebra can heal, but causes user to suffer intense bouts of melancholy and depression. I am not sure vhat it means by intense. I vill try it out.”

  The vertebra glowed brightly, before anyone could stop Viktor. The large man immediately slumped to his knees. Damian walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder, “You okay, man?”

  Viktor looked up at him, his face a mask of depression and self-loathing. “I am dirt on ground, only good for trampling. I let down mama and baby siblings, they need caretaker and I am galivanting around countryside. They must hate me.”

  “You know that’s not true, Viktor. It’s the vertebra talking, your family loves you. I am sure they are proud of you.” Arushi comforted the big man, stroking his head in a comforting manner. Viktor seized her in a crushing hug as he sought some kind of comfort. The trio waited there in awkward silence, one wracked with supernaturally inflicted false guilt, and two trying to help him through it. The bout of depression lasted ten minutes, before Viktor regained his faculties.

  The big man stood up, took a step back, and looked away with a red face. “Vell, that vas intense and embarrassing. Let’s forget that ever happened. Please.”

  Damian couldn’t help the small smirk that appeared on his face, unable to help but tease his new friend, “Sure thing, Viktor. It will just be between you, me, Arushi, and everyone tuning into the broadcast.”

  Arushi giggled and swatted Damian on the shoulder, “Behave yourself. Viktor was not in control of himself, don’t twist the knife of embarrassment deeper.”

  Viktor stared at the two in horror, before falling two his knees and wailing, in embarrassed despair.