> "We've got the girl, the gold, and didn't have to kill a single goon! What can possibly, realistically go wrong?!" -- Anon Guest
The Universe is glad to educate someone who asks silly questions like that. Melvin was behind on learning that question but clearly realised that he had said something wrong, the instant that Wraithvine and Lady Anthe smacked themselves in the face.
What could realistically go wrong was a thousand well-camouflaged guards coming out of the woodwork to oppose their potential exit from the multilevel labyrinth that was the home turf of Rixir the Confounder. All wearing the stealthiest armour, and all armed to the teeth.
"Remember that rug of teleportation you sold?" asked Wraithvine. "The one you specifically don't have in your bag of holding?"
"Maybe?" said Lady Anthe.
"Please tell me you actually still have it and you probably swindled someone to acquire all that gold?"
"If I told you that, you'd yell at me," said Lady Anthe, already digging in her bag of holding.
"If we survive, I'll downgrade it to a stern talking-to. Maybe a lecture and a half."
Lady Anthe unfurled a very specific carpet and added the last sigil in the blank spot of the weave, activating the magic. She kept a hold of a corner as the others leaped through, then she leaped through the portal just as the arrows started to fly.
Only to find that the circle they had just teleported to was surrounded by the King's Guard. Who were not happy to see them at all.
"I told you my father would be pissed," said Princess Andri. "The only thing he loves more than bossing people around is keeping a white-knuckle grip on all his gold. I really try to warn people, but does anyone listen to me? No-o-o-o..."
Lady Anthe started bundling the rug back up. "In our defence, it was rescue you or die," she said. "Dead if we did, dead if we didn't, it seems."
"This is exactly why I ran away in the first place," muttered the Princess.
Wraithvine whirled and snarled towards Melvin. "Are you happy now? _This_ is what can possibly go wrong!"
[Image <a href="https://www.canstockphoto.com">(c) Can Stock Photo / sborisov</a>]
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