"I'm not done yet!" Horatio replies in a low forceful tone, fire in his eyes. "We begged no reward for saving your eternal life, but you offered one. A bargain my friends accepted. A bargain, your majesty! But every thing they asked of you was rejected as what... tiresome? Why offer us your reward if you won't make the time to effort to give it? If you are so powerful, then you can restore a lost brother - something we mere mortals have no ability to do in our current condition. And yes, we need to get home, but since you had no hand in getting us here it is a certainty that we won't need you for that so why would we waste a wish on it? You make it sound like we should naturally trust you to fix that carnival - or any of it, when all that your subjects - YOUR SUBJECTS, NOT THE HAGS - have taught us is that Fey do as they please unless bound by their word otherwise. They have also taught us that no one will lift a finger to do any good whatsoever, no matter how important or favorable that good thing would be to themselves. My friends have learned this painful lesson time and again. So please, make promises, not vague replies about what you could do. Oh, and here is my wish, your majesty; That you forbid - and enforce a law against - any of your realm visiting ours. Right the wrongs done, return those taken, then recall your carnival and anyone else you've sent out, never to return again. As Queen, that is entirely within your power to decree and enforce, or am I wrong?" His expression is calm, but his eyes hard. 

Matilda looked helplessly at Horatio........if half the stuff they'd learned about this ZybIggtasha person was true this was not a safe place to stand if she was angry....

"Horatio!" Titaani cries, pushing herself in front of the fighter. "Stop it! Zybilna isn't our enemy!"

"Please, your majesty, what he says isn't true," The little gnome turns back to the queen. "Not entirely, anyway. We've met lots of kind people! Like Clapperclaw, that lady in the walking house, those little guys with their wish stones and the dragon in the basket, to name a few!"

Turning back to Horatio, she tugs on his sleeve imploringly. "Listen. We can't ask the queen to seperate our worlds forever. The feywild is a terrible, dangerous place, but it is also a beautiful, wondrous one too. Think of all we've seen and done here, of the adventure we've had that many others could only dream about! Even if our worlds were split, permanently, so much of this place would remain within us. There would be no point at all."

"You're part right, we're all changed by this place. But wonders? Adventures? We have seen but one horrible thing after another. They murder people. Enslave them. Steal parts of their... I dunno, soul? And you cannot blame that on the Hags, they weren't even that powerful. We beat them!.. No one helps anyone else, but everyone you listed as good were more than willing to ask children to go march off and die for them. To fix the messed up things for them. Just as long as they didn't have to risk anything they cared about in the process. It is all the worst parts of the worst people back home, but its not like back home, because its not just a few - its all of them. I'm not even talking about violence... just... just the complete lack of caring. Even their Queen is cold as ice. She has no idea how her indifference harms us even as you all plead for help. If this Queen can keep her people away, to close that bridge as you say, then my wish would save future folks from such horrors. Our world is no great place, and we have enough problems to deal with. We don't need cruel and powerful beings wrecking common lives for sport any more than we already do. No. My wish stands. If she is just then she will not punish honesty. If her word is her bond then she will grant my wish." Horatio says, not unkindly but still firm.

Zybilna's cold irritation congeals into a face of pure business. 

"I cannot grant every wish," she declares. "But I am a steward to my land and my people, as well as to our guests. You have done a service to myself, to Prismeer, and to us all. We thank you, truly. And I Wish you to stop, to lay down your arms, and to Go. Home."

"Farewell."

The world shifts around you, into blackness. The music of a calliope draws you back to reality. Cool pre-dawn air is filled with the sweet smell of candy and the fragrances of autumn.

You find yourself in the Witchlight Carnival. It is shortly before dawn, closing time, and the grounds are relatively deserted as most of the customers have gone home.

Where Zybilna stood a moment ago now stands the wooden mannequin of a grinning, raven-haired young woman in witch’s attire and a green flowing cape, hovering inside a glass cabinet. At the top of the cabinet, a sign reads “Tasha the Wizard—Known for Her Hideous Laughter.”

The party stands outside the Hall of Illusions. This large tent is painted with a mural of shifting images that show grinning faeries diving into pools of color. The helical stripes of the tent’s pointed canopies rotate in disorienting spirals. A tired-looking clown dressed in muted garb stands at the tent’s entrance, blinking at you as he folds up a chair. A large, cracked mirror is propped up next to the entrance. Horatio finds himself staring at his reflection within it.

Your weapons are gone, replaced in your sheathes and scabbards by replicas made of ornate multicolored sugary confection. Instead of a dagger, Matilda finds herself gripping the sphere she pulled out of the frog's mouth. Instead of a flaming longsword, Ben finds himself holding his silver key with the question-mark-shaped head. Instead of her fearsome Eldrich Staff, Titaani finds herself holding her tiny birch wand.

Pud looks up to see two men watching them curiously. One, a slender elven man in thick makeup and a wild, colorful costume carries a fancy weather vane which he twirls and waves around. The other, a distinguished elven gentleman in top hat and a cane, looks up from his gold pocketwatch. "Ten minutes until closing!" booms the latter, humorlessly. Some of you remember his name as Mister Witch. "Get in your last bit of fun!" adds the other, Mister Light, with an infectious grin.

Ben:

Blinking once, then twice, Ben assesses the situation and says, “Well, that was abrupt.”

”What shall we do now?  Go to the list and found and tell the cat mother Dirla her cub is well and happy in the company of the lost boys somewhere in Prismeer?  Or maybe that sphere can guide us to your lost brother?” he adds hopefully.

Matilda put the sphere away sadly, " I doubt that. Lets tell Mama Cat at least....that's something somewhat positive I guess."

" And then leave if this place is closing soon......we don't want to get trapped again....."

( Just to check are all of Matildas items gone? magic armour etc.?)

Horatio is quiet, fuming at himself - and the two Elves in front of the group. "I am sorry. My anger got the better of me... and I fear it still might again. Those two run this evil place. They knew about the Hags... the missing things... missing children. Would any of you be unable to forgive me if I burn it all down around their ears?" 

Matilda looked at Horatio seriously, " It wouldn't bother me......but there are some nice people and....cats....here that would need to leave first."

Ben:

”There is much wonder and delight here, It would be a shame for the world to lose this, though the darker manifestations need to be purged,” remarks Ben.

Going over to masters Witch and Light, Ben says, “The Hourglass Coven is defeated and the Queen is once again temporally present.  How much is owed to the carnival by those who could not or did not pay?  I would erase their debt here and now so that they may never face the losses we have had to endure.”

"The Hourglass..." repeats Mister Witch, then stops in confusion, his brow furrowing. He begins again in a tense, uncertain whisper. "Zybilna? She has been returned to power?"

Mister Light gives Mister Witch an odd smile, the butterfly shape at the top of his weathervane spinning slightly faster.

Ben:

”Queen Zybilina, Monarch of all Prismeer, has indeed returned to power.  Bavlorna, Skabatha, and Endelyn have been defeated.  The queen is grateful to be back among us and has much work to do to correct the problems caused by the coven and their lackeys, the League of Malevolence.  I am offering to pay the debts of those who owe you for tickets and such so you may hopefully avoid the worst of these corrections,” says Ben firmly but without malice.

”I would also hope you see your way clear to expedite the return of people and items taken from the innocent carnival-goers.  Maybe you’d like to start with my companions?” he adds hopefully.

"Well... that's... good news I think?" Mister Witch looks around nervously. "Do you think we could speak privately somewhere? How about my office?" he asks quietly, sweeping an arm out toward the Big Top.  

"Yes, how about a nice hot cup of tea?" asks Mister Light. He looks at Witch. "I think we can postpone the final closing for a few minutes. Don't you agree, Naeryx?" he asks his partner. Witch nods emphatically. 

Matildas eyes narrow and she slips the sharpest piece of candy in her pocket into her hand.....its not sharp at all but it makes her feel better.......but nods to the two to lead the way.....

Pud stands there, mouth agape, and he stares at Mister Witch and Mister Light. He’s snapped out of his daze by the sound of his friends speaking. 

“Is this really happening?”

He turns and see’s Ben and Matilda with their candy weapons. He searches his pockets and he finds most of his things are still there. He snaps his head up and his eyes bug out in concern.

”Rizzo…?! Rizzzzzzoooooo!!” Pud begins frantically searching for his little friend. “Rizz? Come on girl!” Pud whistles frantically trying to call out to his little friend. 

Pud turns puts his head down and walks over to be with his friends. 

“She must not’ve made it. I’m gonna miss…”

Just then his little clockwork hummingbird buzzes out from behind a carnival tent. She chirps, buzzes and does some loops around Pud and the rest of the party trying to lighten the mood. 

Pud smiles, laughs and claps his hands in excitement. 

Titaani, hearing Pud search for Rizzo, immediately looks for Tiny - and sighs in relief as the giant rabbit nuzzles her shoulder. Mounting him, she follows the others with a strange bittersweet smile on her face. 

The party follows Witch and Light past rows of little stalls and stands, one selling sugar-glazed button mushrooms, and another offering "goblin wrestling". Many of the stands are already closed for business. An elf stilt-walker in a rainbow-striped outfit wanders by, looking tired. (“Strong folks! Test your mettle in a goblin wrestle!” calls out the barker as you pass his stall.)

Just before the three-peaked Big Top tent, Witch and Light step behind a gaily decorated tree and toward a tangled wall of thorns, which part upon their approach to form a 4-foot-wide archway. Stepping through it, you see a circular caravan of wagons lit by lanterns, one of which appears to be a glass-enclosed water tank. A bugbear stands watching you closely within the circle wearing a large jack-o’-lantern on his head, as one would wear a helmet, in addition to his dungarees and fake fairy wings. Witch and Light open the door to the fanciest wagon. "Please step inside for a moment so we may speak in private," adds Mister Witch.

Ben:

Stepping inside, Ben looks around cautiously for threats, worried that these two might still have a secret pact with the hags…

Insight:  10