Gotta be careful 'bout writing in you, diary. You'll find out why in a minute.
Before I address anything else, I'll finish the thought from yesterday. When I was putting on my clothes, not only did I find my little rat sleeping in my armour, it was laying beside a bottle of pale green, shimmering dust. On it was a note that I'll copy out:
"Dragomir,
Once you're inside the castle, open the bottle and stand back. Way back. The cure will do the rest.
June
P.S. I'll see you in a couple months."
Considering she wasn't THERE, I dunno how June got the cure. Since I never picked any. Or went back to her house. I'm surprised she would help me in the first place! And what the hell is that bit about seeing me in a few months?! I don't wanna run across that foul hag again, she was rude.
But yeah. That's that. So I had the bottle, and I had clothes - the Omega Corps armour, which was an added bonus - and I was sitting with the rhino, who guards the merchant entrance to the castle. (The regulars don't go over the Neck. Only the newbies. They remain newbies for the rest of their very short lives, sad to say.) I gave the rhino a bit of grass, scratched behind his ears - he's really quite tame, if you know him - and went down and through the tunnel to the castle. The rhino's the only guard this entrance needs, so I didn't see anyone.
And, by gods, diary, was I excited! I was so damn ready to save the day! I'd been gone for months, and I imagined that the castle would be full of sick people, and then I'd swoop in with my magic medicine and save the lot! I'd be a hero, and get a new job, and not have to guard ANYTHING! EVER! AGAIN! I couldn't wait!
… so, naturally, as soon as I got away from the rough stone and back into the castle PROPER, as soon as I saw the first guard - little Bernard, Philip's replacement, as it happens - I tripped! The bottle went flying, and it smashed, and the powder scattered everywhere.
My heart just about died. I started the debacle with powder, and it would end with powder, too. End badly. I was so distraught in that split second that I didn't even pause to wonder why Bernard didn't look sick.
Then it happened. The dust, rather than hitting the ground, took to the air. It expanded, turning into a small tornado that stormed in the middle of the passageway! Bernard dove for cover as it tore past him, little tendrils of the storm reaching out and touching him, and before I knew it the emerald tornado was sweeping through the entire castle! Curing people!
I thought!
I ran after it, Bernard on my heels, and watched it sweeping in and out of windows, chasing people around, until it finally rose into the sky and dissipated. I was cheering so much, because, by the gods, it had worked. Clearly.
Then I heard somebody saying "Not that thing again!", and I got all confused. Then Captain Cedric, bless his soul, sneaked up on me and clubbed me over the head. Down I went.
That's not the end of the story yet, diary, but I'm locked in a cell right now. I've got a wicked headache. Libby sneaked you down - I, uh, guess she knows about you after all - and I should stop writing before we both get in trouble.
I should probably be upset, diary, but it's nice to be home. The dungeon's not so bad. I have a good view of the treasury, just across the hall (kind of a tease for all the bandits down here), and the guards've kept me fed. I missed yak tarts.
Sincerely,
Dragomir the Prisoner
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