Groaning at the sunrise, Chuck was thankful he’d taken the first watch. He groaned again while he stretched. Still not sure how I stay in the same form through the night. It's probably a good thing; I would hate to see what my nightmares would do to my shape.

  “Good morning, Chuck,” Whyth handed him a piece of warm bread. “Spent my watch pulling a few supplies out of inventory and cooking us something to eat. It’s not much, but it's better than nothing.”

  “Thanks.” Chuck took a bite and grinned. “Warm and tasty.”

  Marl looked over his shoulder at the rest of the group and growled. “The quicker we get back down to the marsh, the better. We’ll be moving even slower than we planned on. We need to stay on guard for more of those monsters.”

  Everyone quickly gathered their belongings, their footsteps squishing on the damp ground as they returned to the shore of the murky swamp. The pungent scent of decaying vegetation filled the air, mingling with the earthy smell of sludge. The sounds of insects buzzing and birds chirping echoed through the dense trees as they reached a safe distance from yesterday’s terrifying attack.

  “Feels weird not to have Mergrex sending us off,” Chuck said, just to be saying something.

  “It does, but he needed to start his healing.” Rahmys paused, then motioned to the swamp. “Charge straight ahead, or is there something we can do to keep from being surprised again?”

  Marl shrugged. “Be ready to act with each step is the only thing I can think of doing.”

  “I have nothing better.” Whyth offered.

  Rahmys’ first step into the marsh sank an inch. A slurping squelch seemed loud enough to wake anything nearby. She paused for a few heartbeats. When nothing happened, she took another noisy step onto the slight knoll. The rest of the group followed behind her.

  The ground grabbed at their feet, making each step difficult. Each time they lifted their feet, sucking sounds along with popping from the release added to the noise.

  “This isn’t going to work, is it?” Whyth asked. "We'll be worn out in two hours or less. And everything in the marsh will know we're coming."

  “We haven’t even gotten to the marsh proper. This is waterlogged ground. It will go from ankle to knee-deep soon and even deeper in spots. Agree, we'll be worn out by the time we get anywhere.” Marl added as he scratched at his nose.

  “Anyone have a raft in their inventory or a spell?” Rahmys asked.

  Marl turned to Chuck. “This is only partially joking. We have you. Could you thin out and carry us?”

  “Maybe in an emergency? Not sure the wood transformation would help. It would hurt. Imagine the three of us standing on you, be the same for me.”

  “Yeah, wanted to sound it out, but didn’t think it was a great idea. We could cut some small trees down or use larger branches and create something we could float with.” Marl pointed back to where they had camped.

  Rahmys pointed to a knoll ahead of them. “Could we make it to those trees there?”

  Chuck and Whyth nodded.

  Marl shook his head. “Not unless one of you can get me there. I expect it'll be over my head before we make it there."

  “Let me try something.” Chuck’s body undulated and transformed into a stocky, muscular, dwarf-like form. “I’m a little tall for a dwarf, but thought this form would be best for giving you a ride Marl. Hop on my back and let’s test out Spatial Leap.”

  Marl cocked his head, his lips thinning. “Nothing personal, but is that safe? You’re just learning what you can and can’t do. Is that,” Marl pointed to the knoll, “in your range?”

  “Don’t know. That’s why I wanted to test. First, just jump a safe distance straight up. Then if that works, we can discuss range. If I can leap with you, the worst case is I’ll need to leap a few times.”

  “Best idea we have.” Rahmys said.

  “Don’t kill me, squishy.” Marl clung to Chuck’s back.

  Chuck confirmed Marl’s readiness. “Spatial Leap for the win.”

  Chuck felt faint nausea as he and Marl reached a height of twenty feet. The soft ground cushioned the impact of the landing. Chuck, being thigh-deep in the mud, presented only a minor problem with the landing that he overcame by doing some more shape manipulation.

  “Flying and leaping may be our way across this thing. It would reduce the chance of getting attacked.” Whyth observed. "I can fly, sort of, will only stay about a foot of the ground and only my weight."

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  Rahmys nodded her head. "Can do the same. Thought this is about the extent of my distance. I'll be drained and need to recharge."

  Chuck turned his head. “Just hold your breath when we come back down, Marl. I can thin my legs and leap again, so we shouldn’t be underwater for long if we end up underwater. I shouldn’t land as hard, don’t need to go that high, so the leap should be flatter. ”

  Marl muttered. “Don’t like this, don’t like it t’all. But does seem best way across.” He climbed onto Chuck’s back and deadpanned. “Spatial Leap for the win. Wahoo.”

  Chuck laughed, then focused. Not too far for first try, need to make sure I can keep control. He eyed a grassy spot about fifty feet ahead and leapt.

  Underwater already. His legs were knee deep in silt. Water and debris filled in the holes as fast as he could thin his legs. He felt Marl’s legs tighten around his midsection. Ten seconds later, he pulled his legs into his torso. Forgot to target the next landing spot…shoot for the knoll, don’t hit the trees. Spatial Leap for the win.

  The water erupted, with Chuck and Marl soaring forward.

  “Lywatu’s spit!” Marl shouted. “A few seconds! You nearly kil…” Marl’s words stopped when they went back underwater.

  Chuck pulled his legs in when he hit the water, which kept him from sinking into the silt. Should make the target with one more jump. Spatial Leap for the win.

  Marl resumed his yelling as soon as they broke the surface. “You did that on purpose. You…you…umphh.” He grunted as the shock of landing on harder ground vibrated through him.

  “Stop your complaining. Got you here, didn’t I?” Chuck tried to sound angry, his laugh prevented success.

  Marl jumped to the ground and made a show of plopping on his stomach and embracing the ground.

  “So much drama.” Whyth chuckled.

  Rahmys stepped closer, laughing. “I found it one of the most entertaining things I’ve seen in a while.”

  Standing up, Marl glared at them briefly before his grin broke out. “I admit the last round of complaints were for show. The first set, however, was heartfelt. I wasn’t expecting to be under that long, and Chuck’s struggles to get free of the mud didn’t do anything to calm me down.”

  “The muck at the bottom and the water combined to be a little more challenging than the ground we tested on, but I got it figured out.” Chuck shook his head and shrugged.

  Whyth rubbed his chin, then pointed further into the marsh. “I’d say we may have found the way we can get across the marsh. Should keep the chances for attacks down to…”

  Rahmys gasped and fell to the ground, her hands pressing against her temples. “Gravanich!”

  The other three rushed to her. Marl called out, “What’s wrong?”

  Struggling to get to her knees, Rahmys groaned. “Sharp pains in my head. They’re called migraines, a word the Structure borrowed from your world, Chuck. There's no need to panic.” She paused, a soft moan escaped her lips. “This one came on sudden. Hurts like daggers stabbing my head.”

  A sharp grunt replaced her words, and within seconds, she shuddered and emptied her stomach into the grass, following it up with a spitting noise mixed with groans.

  “What can we do?” Chuck asked.

  “N-nothing, other than be ready. When they get this bad, I can lose control of my magic.” She worked at swallowing. “Been almost two years since that happened, though.” She rolled over on her back, away from the vomit, and closed her eyes. “Just let me rest for a few minutes.”

  Chuck, Whyth, and Marl looked at each other and then back down at Rahmys, followed by another round of exchanged glances. Marl lifted his shoulders and then stepped to the other side of Rahmys and sat down. The other two followed his lead. They sat in silence, watching their friend.

  Ten minutes passed before Rahmys opened her eyes and looked up at them. A weak smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Based on your looks, I’d say I’m dying soon.” She wiped at her mouth and chin with the back of her hand.

  Whyth offered her a cloth. She grabbed it and ran it across her face.

  “Is your head any better?” Chuck asked.

  “Better yes, pain-free, no, but it’s heading in the right direction. Sorry to have caused the commotion. No warning this time.”

  Marl shook his head. “No need to apologize. So what are these migraine things?”

  “Vassyn is the one who told me what they were. Here, help me sit up, but be slow and careful about it.”

  Marl and Chuck took her raised arm and pulled her up until she could sit up on her own.

  Rahmys smoothed the front of her robe. “Now I don’t have to be looking up your hairy noses. Chuck, yours isn’t hairy, but still don’t want to look up it. Anyway, Vassyn explained them as a reoccurring pulsing headache. They can cause someone to be nonfunctioning, and for anyone casting magic, it can cause you to lose control of your magic for a brief period. As far as the Structure is concerned, they are a randomly occurring negative trait. Mine is mild-moderate, which keeps the occurrences from happening too frequently. I get some magic points and spell benefits for keeping it.”

  Chuck sputtered. “Keeping it? Negative trait? What?”

  “Your blob of meat body isn’t listed as a negative trait?” Whyth asked.

  “Not on anything I’ve seen.”

  “Hmm, odd. Well, negative traits are exactly that — some trait that is negative.” Whyth took a step and turned back to Chuck. “Most times, the person with the negative trait can refuse it outright or earn enough experience for it to be eliminated. However, they may choose to hold on to it because it positively affects their stats. So, in this case, Rahmys decided the pain to be a cost she would pay for the pluses she’d get for having the negative trait.”

  Rahmys nodded her head. “Fifteen magic points, longer duration for some of my spells, and some minor healing abilities are worth the pain. At least, that has been the case so far. I could, with a little work, get rid of the trait if need be.”

  “How bad has the loss of magic control been?” Chuck asked.

  “That’s the oddest part of this.” Rahmys lifted her palm upward. “Vassyn swore I’d lose total control at some point, but I haven’t, yet. I have experienced a minor loss of control, doesn’t mean I won’t lose it, like Vassyn said. I’m surprised you don’t have some negative trait on your stat sheet.”

  “Like I said, nothing I’ve seen that talks about negative traits.”

  “Wonder if it’s all factored into your stats and you don’t have a way to overcome or eliminate it, so it’s not listed,” Whyth said.

  “Look!” Marl pointed into a pond-like area of the marsh, mostly water with little plant life. The group watched as small red and purple mounds floated toward them.

  “Everybody get ready,” Marl growled.

  “Floating miniature islands?”

  “Don’t think so, Chuck. Too many moving together to be random—either some type of magic, or those are creatures of a sort.” Marl answered.

  Chuck’s eyes widened. “Are those…”

  “Eye stalks?” Whyth finished.

  The mounds had three tall red stalks of grass rising upward, with round ovoid balls at the top of each stalk.

  “Creatures it is,” Chuck muttered.