Day Three

[Harry Dresden]

It didn't take too long for Harry and Desco to make their way to the river. The wizard refilled their water bottles from the swift-moving water, dividing the plastic containers evenly between his bag and Desco's. Taking note once more of Karl's new danger zones, he let the "final boss" rest a little. She needed it, after the beating she'd taken. However she was floating, not having to use those muscles took a lot of stress off the healing burns. That was pretty much the only reason Harry wasn't making a camp, and to hell with Primes and Danger Zones. Harry pulled out his map and recalled all the danger zones that Jak had announced, sighing. "It looks like we're in a pretty rough spot. We have to go one of these paths through the danger zones." Harry's finger traced a handful of pathways through the grid. "What do you think, Desco?"

"Desco thinks we should go that way." Harry looked at the piece of paper and saw where the girl was pointing. He really didn't have much else to suggest. No one direction looked much better than the other, and Harry found himself standing almost before he'd made the decision.

"Alright. Can you move?"

"Of course Desco can move!" The girl's voice was still obviously pained, though she seemed to be managing it slightly better as time went on. "Desco is a Final Boss!"

Harry still kept his pace slack for her benefit. She didn't complain about it.

He walked through the forest, leading Desco through the woods along the edge of the river, close enough to see the water but far enough to still be in the treeline. "Desco, Karl gave everyone a weapon when we started this. What was in your bag, besides the food, water, and map?"

Rather than talk, Desco showed him, reaching into her duffel bag and pulling out a weapon that Harry recognized very well. "Desco got this! It's a cool laser sword. There are two of them!" The floating girl pantomimed the humming sound of a lightsaber perfectly as she swung the hilt down through the air and almost floated straight into Harry, who had stopped and was staring, wide-eyed.

"Is that a lightsaber?"

Desco looked up at him. "It's Desco's cool red laser sword!"

Harry leaned against a tree and lapsed into his second fit of laughter since finding himself here. Desco looked up at him. "What's wrong, Harry?"

Harry shook his head, managing to choke out something coherent; [b]"Darth Maul's... lightsaber. I can't believe... Star Wars." He got himself under control and stood back up. "Sorry, Desco, I just recognized it from somewhere."

Desco nodded in that sage manner only kids could really pull off. "That's OK, I guess. But Harry..."

"Yes, Desco?"

"What were those 'star wars' you mentioned?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked," the wizard replied, launching into the heroic tale of Luke Skywalker and his travels across the galaxy. It was relaxing, to say the least; telling a story to a kid on a hike through the woods. He could almost forget where he was, and why he was here.