Douxie's hand grazed his bare left wrist.  The commotion of the room faded until it was nothing but a distant battle.  A pink scar had been hidden from daylight, so much so, that there was a tan line for where the gauntlet used to be.

My staff is gone, Douxie's mind sighed.  Possibly forever.

"Douxie, what do you think?"

The wizard's head shot up.  His gaze met Jim's.  "Huh, what?  What is it?"

"Blinky wants me to use Excalibur to destroy the Arcane Order," Jim explained.  He hung his head and his huge blue eyes were sad.  "I couldn't weild it the first time, so why would I be able to now?"

"There's more," Archie butted in, throwing Blinky a nasty glare.  "Why don't you tell them, Blinkus?  After all, you seem very positive in your plan."

"Arch?" Douxie muttered.  "What are you talking about?"

Blinky fidgeted.  "If Master Jim uses Excalibur to kill the Arcane Order--"

"--Wait," Toby interrupted.  "They're gods.  How can you kill gods?"

"They're demigods," Archie frowned.  "There's an important difference.  Demigods live forever unless killed."

"But like ancient sorcerers, they can only be killed by powerful means of magic," Douxie added.  "Excalibur is probably the only existing weapon that has the potential to destroy Skrael and Bellroc."

"Not just Skrael and Bellroc," Archie warned.

Everyone stiffened.  Douxie's heart skipped a beat.  All eyes turned to Blinky, waiting for him to respond.

Blinky's six eyes were filled with hurt and dread.  He twiddled his thumbs as he sighed.  "The Arcane Order consists of three sibling demigods.  Their essences are bound together by a force even we cannot comprehend.  If we were to kill the Keeper of the Flame and Guardian of Ice... Nari's life force would cease to exist."

"So you're saying," Jim whimpered, "if we want to stop the Arcane Order once and for all..."  He trailed off and fell silent.

"We would have to kill Nari, too," Douxie finished quietly.  

...

"What?" Krel shrieked.  "That is insane!  You would want us to destroy Nari as well?  Isn't she one of us?"

"Exactly!" Claire agreed.  Her hatred turned on Blinky.  "Blinky!  How could you think of such a thing?"

"I am sorry, Claire," Blinky apologized.  "It's the only way."

"No, no," Douxie shook his head violently.  "That can't.  No.  I promised to Merlin that I would protect Nari until my final breath.  I... I can't break that promise to Merlin.  Nari is one of us.  We can't destroy her, too."

"Yeah," Toby agreed.  "Doesn't she get a say in whether she dies or not?"

The room's social order collapsed into chaos.  Everyone screamed insults, lashing out at one another.  Tears specked the floor in shimmering drops.  Anger clouded the atmosphere, trashing morals.  Douxie's vision faded of color.  When he blinked, he saw Nari's smiling image behind his eyes.  

Blinky wants us to kill Nari, his mind hissed.  There has to be another way.  There just has to...

"QUIET!!!!!" Aaarrrggghh!!! roared.

The council members complied, ceasing their argument.

Blinky patted Aaarrrggghh!!! on the shoulder.  "Thank you, my friend."  He turned to Jim, who backed away as his mentor came near.  Hatred and betrayal masked his face. 

Blinky gripped his elbows and swayed side to side.  "Master Jim, I know this is a lot for you to handle, but please, at least try to pull the sword."

Douxie turned to the shimmering sword across the room.  So many memories with that sword projected behind his eyes, but most of them bad.  The blade was cursed.  Arthur had killed Morgana with it... twice.

Claire put a hand on Jim's shoulder.  A reassuring look passed between them.  Jim marched over to the sword, but threw a glance back at Claire.  She nodded.

Jim closed his eyes and wrapped his hands around the golden hilt.  He gave it a firm tug. 

Nothing.

Defeated, Jim dragged himself back over and sank into his chair.  He put his head in his hands and cursed.

Douxie's heart turned to stone.  If Jim couldn't wield Excalibur, they were all doomed.

Something grabbed his attention.  Douxie scanned the chamber, but realized in alarm that someone was missing (aside from Steve, whom had slept through the meeting).  

"I'll be back soon," Douxie explained as he headed for the exit.  He doubted anyone heard him.

Douxie raced through mobs of trolls and tried not to step on any rouge gnomes.  His hazel eyes whipped around for any signs of the missing person.  He halted his run, and began to pick his way through the rocks over to an undeveloped part of the cave.  Zoe didn't turn to face him as he sat down next to her.

"Pretty precarious place to sit," Douxie remarked.  Even from here, he could feel the cool mist of the waterfall.

For a while, Zoe didn't acknowledge him.  Then, she shifted her gaze.  "Why did you bring me here?" she demanded.

Douxie frowned.  "What do you mean?"

Zoe flung a loose pebble down into the abyss.  "Everyone else here is special and powerful.  They all got something, but... then there's me."

"What are you talking about?" Douxie exclaimed.  "You're a witch, one of magic.   Like me."

"No, not like you," she retorted bitterly.  She reached into her pocket and pulled out a slender wooden wand.  "I'm just a hex witch.  I'm useless without this thing.  I didn't manifest a staff like you, or get trained or whatever.  I'm just... me."  She folded her knees to her chest.  "And me is pretty useless."

Douxie placed his hand on hers.  "No," he promised.  "You're not."  He offered her one of his million-dollar smiles.  "You're one of the most amazing people I know, magic or no magic.  Zoe, you're my best friend.  I can't do this mission without you.  Please come back with us."

Zoe deflated, pursing her lip.  After a couple centuries, she turned back to him, "Okay.  I'll come."