You don't like the idea of pesky diminutive faeries controlling you. You could go back and show them who's boss. It was only because you were caught off guard that you couldn't respond. You trudge back across the area you ran across. There's no sign of them now. You approach the trees you first saw them at. It's not with a little apprehension that you proceed closer. You remember the terror of being chased across the field. You wouldn't like to go through that again. They could kill you if they wanted to. Maybe you shouldn't go on. Then again, if you can't defend yourself against these little creatures, how would you defend yourself against an actual monster? If you couldn't handle them, you might as well give up your quest. You reach the trees but you don't see anything. Twice you think you hear whispering in the bushes but a thorough search reveals nothing. Then you see something you didn't see before. A nearly circular ring of mushrooms behind one of the trees. Was it there before? It must have been although it's hard to see how you could have missed it. You walk closer. Nothing unusual. You step inside and fall to the ground unconscious.

When you wake up, you're in a limestone cavern. It contains what looks like almost a million faeries of all types having a wild party. There's a huge banquet on dozens of tables laden with food. Thousands of faeries are dancing in a complex pattern. You can hardly hear above the din. There are singers, musicians, dancers, acrobats, jugglers, ventriloquists, knife-throwers, and fire-eaters, all swirling to convulsing music. Most took part in a circular dance, or leaped and twisted alone in a wild reel. They played fiddles, harps, acordians, tamborines, and cymbals. All the while, others gorged at the limitless feast, which includes all manner of beasts, fish, fowl, and flora, much of which you don't recognize. It's dark except for chandeliers and candelabras. The air is hot with sweat. The music is highly rythmic and hypnotic.

They don't appear to notice you. You stand up and glance around uneasily. Perhaps they don't know, or more likely, don't care that you're here. Near you is a grotesquely malshapen creature, perhaps a spriggan. You decide to speak forcefully. "All of you are condemned to Hell, dark demons of the Underworld, with the strength of goodness I thwart and repel you! Know you not Ravemir's minions were crushed beneath the heel of Osemori? You foul wretch, kneel before me and acknowledge thou master!" The spriggan reels back in such derisive uncontrolled laughter you think you might kill him. He looks like he's trying to catch his breath but he can't stop laughing. The faeries took your food so they owe you food. You walk over to one of the banquet tables which is knee-high to you, although the food is normal sized. You take off your backpack. You take two drumsticks of what looks like turkey and put them in the bag. Some faeries stop eating and watch you. A few snicker but none try to stop you. Is this normal food? Maybe it's poisonous to humans? Maybe it has some magic spell attached to it. You pluck a grape from a bunch of grapes on the table. It looks completely normal. It probably is but you can't be certain. You tentatively touch your tongue to it. What's the use of getting the food if you have no intention of eating it? You pop it in your mouth. It's incredibly sweet, almost unpleasantly so. The spriggan walks up, "Pullupa chair! Y'be withus a spell! N'un ooh eats d'food uhduh Underworld can'er leevit!" Damn! That's right isn't it? You have heard of that. The faeries laughed at your predicament and do so for the next 90 years. The party continues full swing thoughout that time with no sign of letting up. In your mind, your life becomes quite dull.

Click here to hear the faeries' music.

End

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