[aight as much as it pains me, I'm doing it anyway.]
The portal opened up before them. Durwin smiled at Sariel,
"That's how." He grabbed Sariel, and stepped in. While the normal teleport felt as though they were being launched from a bow, this felt more like sliding sideways, but just as fast. The feeling like they were going to fall at any moment wasn't altogether pleasing in the slightest. It finally ended with a mix of smells, from foods that they had never experienced before. With a loud 'bang!' Durwin appeared, but on a table. He scrunched his eyebrows,
"What a strange place for Duffie to break the gem..." Over to the side Sariel roared with laughter, and Don looked happier than he had in a long time. Durwin frowned at Sarial,
"Now just what is so fun-" That was when he smelled it. And when he felt it. Durwin looked down to find himself butt first in a pot of soup with legs coming up over the side. Very hot soup. Very wrong soup. Not wrong in the way that was hurting him, but in a different sense, like it was tainted. He wouldn't have noticed it, if his senses weren't still on high alert from the traveling. Durwin muttered,
"Well we can't eat this now." And then the pain was too much. He jumped out as quick as he should have done right from the beginning. Durwin couldn't look down at his robe. He winced at the mere thought of it,
"Oh... this was my favorite too." He walked over the still laughing, and rolling Sariel and kicked him,
"Get up, it's time for introductions. Where's
Duffie by the way. She should be here, if I was summoned. And Refresh too." The butler strode forth. He looked very angry at Durwin for ruining the soup,
"Now see here young man. That Doku Soupe was made especially for this occasion! I will not have your insolent 'riff-raff' running amuck in this palace. Behave yourself or you will... find......tha-" His words slowly died away as Durwin towered above him. Durwin gave him a stare with red eyes, that reflected his long life, and much knowledge. A look that could only be obtained after wisdom had finally coalesced with experiences, and time itself. In that look it seemed as though a thousand things had been laid in front of the butler, different passings of ages, kings, great and old and foolish, lands struck anew, and burned to ashes, wars that never ended, lived that had ceased to exist, dreams obtained and forgotten. A thousand times a thousand. The butler too late realized his mistake. Durwin was not a 'young man' and didn't take kindly to ignorant baratings from butlers. The butler tried to recede into himself like a crab, to hide away from that age old and time weary stare. Durwin never looked away from him,
"I'll ask again. Where are
Duffie and Refresh. Both happen to be my friends and I'd like knowing that are both safe." The butler's eyes dropped to the ground. He finally managed to stammer,
"Sh-she... the l-lady, w-w-"
"OUT WITH IT MAN!" Durwin cut him off. The butler swallowed before continuing,
"The princess in is the bathroom." Durwin gave a hard laugh,
"Princess." He shook his head and then asked,
"And where is Refresh?" This time a guard stepped forth,
"I saw a man jump off the side of the palace to the ground below a while back."
"What did he look like?" Durwin asked.
"He wore all black."
"That sounds like him... we'll have to go get him soon... or his carcass. He wouldn't have jumped with out a reason. Do you know why?"
"Sure. He had this funny creature running after him. Pushed me aside and leaped off after him. Looked like it had come from the Nether itself." At this Durwin nodded,
"Right." He turned back to the butler now,
"Who made that soup? Who came into contact with it, with it's ingredients? Who ordered it? Who insisted upon having it, on others having it? What are it's ingredients? Where did it come from? Why was it here in the first place? When was it prepared? Do not displease me again."