Jack slumped back down onto the ground, burying his face into his hands .

"You're useless," he said .

Frumpkin snorted . ["It really is all or nothing with you, isn't it?"]

He exhaled a loud sigh of exasperation .

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["Alright kid, so you're right . You did do something heroic . You defeated a group of Gnolls with your companions and drove off a powerful shaman . That's worth rewarding, for a newbie like you . So, what do you want as your quest reward? A magic item, a familiar, or the relative whereabouts of a particular friend you might happen to suddenly be missing?"]

"I don't want some stupid item or pet or whatever! I want my friend b . . . wait, can you repeat that last option?" Jack said, stopping short .

["I said if you want to know Eleanor's location as your reward for completing this quest, that is something I can do . Now, keep in mind this is the location of her physical form I am giving you . I have no idea what's around her, or even if she'll still be alive when you get to her, but I don't need permission to share information she isn't trying to hide . "]

"That! I want that! Give it to me!" Jack said, a sudden rush of hope and adrenaline surging up inside him .

["Done . "]

Suddenly, Jack's head and vision exploded with imagery . Sights, sounds, smells . . . It all roared into his brain like a flood . He could see himself traveling over the ground at high speed, weaving back and forth between trees, flying over a river, and then another, before banking sharply and diving into a narrow ravine between two cliffs . He rushed and weaved through the narrow channel until it terminated in a wide cave entrance adorned across the sides and top with various skulls, both humanoid and animal .

["That cave is where the shaman took here . You know where it is, and roughly how to get there . Now, don't say I don't ever give you what you want . "] Frumpkin said .

Jack's mind rushed back to his current location, and he bowed prostrate on the ground, his forehead pressed against the dirty stone .

"Thank you, Frumpkin! Thank you!" He said .

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["And don't go thinking this is how things are always going to be . Another rule is that I cannot continually do for one individual or group above and beyond any others . One or two favors is fine . A whole buncha favors . . . that's a problem we can't have develop . Kapische? So here's your one freebie for a long while . And you're welcome . "] Frumpkin said .

"I don't know what to say . . " Jack said, sitting up and feeling almost foolish .

["You've said it . Now, may I suggest you get going? You're looking at at least three days travel by foot, and and I hate to break it to you, but gnolls aren't really know for their hospitality . "] Frumpkin said . ["Besides, the other two are here now . I'll leave you three two it . "]

Frumpkin's words seemed to have the effect of snapping Jack back to reality, and he worked his way back to his feet, using the handle of his axe like a crutch . Ellie was out there, and only he could save her .

The thought made him naseous, and absolutely terrified .

But, strangely, it also caused a thrill somewhere deep inside him . Some part of him had always longed for adversity and challenges like this . Some part of him was finally getting what it had always wanted, even if the thing it wanted almost certainly guaranteed pain, suffering, loss, and a likely horrendous death to something unspeakable .

It was honestly pretty nice .