The journey with the Fabula Mediocris Iter Labe started roughly. All around them, colorful lights swirled and danced like a chaotic kaleidoscope. Ben felt a strange sensation in his stomach, one he could best compare to the feeling after his first time smoking: a mix of euphoria, nausea, and adrenaline.
Plop.
The first sound.
Plop.
Another one.
Plop.
Then came Franz's voice:
"So… here we are: the Greek forest, year 600."
He took a deep breath.
"Wow… the air in the fairy tale itself is something else entirely," Franz added, giggling. Ben and Henri followed suit, inhaling deeply — and the air felt truly different: stronger, magical, almost tangible. Almost instantly, the strange feeling in Ben's stomach vanished.
"Okay… this is different," Ben said, looking at Henri and Franz. Then he looked down at himself and noticed his clothing had changed as well.
"Has the Fabula Mediocris Iter Labe changed our clothes too? Wow, practical."
Ben now wore a simple white chiton. Henri wore a similar white chiton, but with golden accents. Franz had a green chiton.
"Yup, super practical. And by the way, you don't need to worry about language. Also covered by the Fabula Mediocris Iter Labe," Franz explained, grinning like a child.
"That's very good," Ben said.
He walked toward the cliff. From there, he could see the lake. Henri and Franz followed him.
"So… your ancestor Benedikt should be here soon, right?" Ben asked.
Franz nodded. "Yes."
"Does anyone have a plan?"
Ben thought for a moment. He knew something could change here, and they needed to let events unfold normally. Also, the Fabula Mediocris Iter Labe only had three attempts before needing a week to recharge.
"Here's the plan," Ben suggested:
"First attempt, we observe only and see where things change. Second attempt, we act. Third attempt, backup."
Franz and Henri nodded. Then Franz grew serious. He grabbed Ben by the shoulders.
"Don't forget: my life is on the line. So this better work. Got it?"
Ben nodded. Franz immediately smiled again and went to the cliff to observe.
"Does it seem like he changes emotions really fast?" Ben whispered to Henri.
"Absolutely. Let's hope it's just because he's stressed right now," Henri replied.
They followed Franz to the cliff and waited. Fully concentrated, they watched Benedikt approach the river. He attempted to chop wood, but his grip was too loose, and the axe flew from his hands. Almost out of nowhere, it was stopped by a shield.
Not just any shield, but one wielded by a roughly thirty-year-old man in armor.
"Oh, careful," said the man kindly. "That almost fell into the water."
All the while, he wore the friendliest smile possible.
"Thank you so much, sir! That's my last axe. You don't know… I owe you my life."
"No problem," the man reassured him and walked away.
Ben, Henri, and Franz stepped back from the cliff.
"HOLY SHIT! There's actually someone out to hurt my family—"
Henri put a hand over Ben's mouth.
"Are you crazy? Behave like an adult for once. Look at the situation from the outside and help us think instead of screaming like a kid who didn't get candy."
Then Henri took the book and the page; Ben and Franz touched the stone. Franz spoke:
"Η ιστορία του έντιμου ξυλοκόπου."
Even this time, the journey barely felt better. When they returned, Franz sat down.
"Dude, you were right. We need to think. Any suggestions?"
"Well… we need to stop that weird guy from blocking Benedikt's axe. I just saw he came from the right to the lake. So I suggest we go right too and see where he appears. You two go ahead; I'll stay back and analyze if I see something," Ben proposed.
Henri and Franz agreed. They went right, observing, and plop — not far away, the man appeared.
"Quick, stop him until Benedikt is done, and try not to be too loud!"
Immediately, Franz ran at the man and swung. The blow hit only the quickly raised shield.
Ben thought: "Shit… that was loud."
Luckily, they still weren't noticed. Quickly, Ben gave a new order: "Drive him away!"
Henri ran, grabbed the man's left arm. Franz took advantage, grabbed him by the stomach, and together they carried him away. Only when they were far enough did the man break free, striking Franz on the head with a club hard enough to knock him down and briefly unconscious.
Franz quickly got back up. Henri swung and struck the man in the stomach. He flinched but barely felt it. The man tried to hit Henri too, but Henri dodged. Just as Franz tried to exploit an opening, all three of them were pinned to the ground.
Ben felt the magical energy in the air grow even stronger, almost too much for magical beings. He looked around and saw the source: Benedikt had thrown his axe into the water and prayed to the gods — Hermes appeared.
"Hehehe, hello mortal," Hermes said, hovering above the water.
"Oh Hermes, please! Bring my axe back, I have no other!"
Hermes dove into the water and pulled out a diamond axe.
"Is this your axe?"
"No, it's not," Benedikt answered honestly.
Hermes dived again, this time retrieving a gold axe.
"And this one?"
"No, this isn't mine either," Benedikt replied again.
"Very well," Hermes said, then brought out the real axe and placed it at Benedikt's feet.
"You have been honest. You deserve a reward. You may keep all the axes."
Benedikt could hardly believe it. "Thank you, Lord!"
Hermes disappeared. The moment he left, the air weakened again, and the fight continued. Henri threw himself on the man, pinning him to the ground.
"Who are you?!" Franz shouted.
"I'll tell you shit, punk!" the man yelled, reaching into his pocket.
"This is not the last time we meet. You'll hear from Nahum again. Reditus ad mundum normalem."
Ben saw blue light glow from the man's pocket. Franz, Henri, and Ben regrouped.
"That actually went pretty well," Franz said happily.
Henri looked concerned at Franz's head.
"Are you sure? He hit you pretty hard."
Franz considered.
"True… normally that would bother me. Huh, why not now?"
"I have a theory," Ben spoke up. "The strength in the air — this fairy tale air — enhances your strength, since you're magical."
"Hmm, possible. That would explain why I'm stronger and faster than usual," Henri said.
Franz smiled. "Hehe, makes sense. In fairy tales, the rules are different."
Ben retrieved the Fabula Mediocris Iter Labe from his bag.
"Time to go home."
They placed their hands on the stone. Henri said:
"Reditus ad mundum normalem."
Slowly, Ben, Henri, and Franz adjusted to the return. Their stomachs plopped again, though in this world it was worse: less magic.
"Henri! Franz! You're still alive!" Heinrich's voice rang out joyfully.
"And you're still alive too," he added less cheerfully.
"Yes, we're back, Papa. We made it," Henri said, almost ignoring how Heinrich was speaking to Ben.
"And me… and my hand are fully recovered," Franz said happily.
Heinrich decided they could rest three minutes, then explain everything. And they did.
"So, this guy is an absolute idiot," Franz laughed.
"I said: 'What's your name?'" Franz added.
"And he goes: 'I won't tell you, punk!'"
Then he continued:
"This isn't the last time you'll hear from Nahum."
Franz still giggled.
Ben spoke:
"One more thing: Everything indicates he also has a Fabula Mediocris Iter Labe."
Heinrich shouted worriedly:
"What?! That can't be! There's only one! If there are more, we're not safe. That Nahum can enter any fairy tale anytime. I don't usually say this, but I think we need to make this a permanent team now that you have experience."
Henri and Ben beamed.
"So Ben is permanently part of the team," Henri said, grinning.
"Papa, I think he should also get paid," Henri added.
Heinrich sighed.
"Isn't it enough to live with the knowledge that you saved fairy tale lives?"
"Ben would be fine with that. I'd be fine. But not him. So how about 1,500€ for this first mission?"
Heinrich relented, giving Ben the payment.
Franz hesitated.
"I'd like to be more on the bench. Don't get me wrong, but I need to make sure everything goes smoothly."
Heinrich sighed again.
"Fine, then one will always rotate. Better for planning anyway."
And so it was official: Ben and Henri were part of a Fairy Tale Rescue Team.
Elsewhere:
"Fuck!" Nahum shouted. The wooden puppet he had bought as a test was back. Suddenly, a memory of his likeness in the book struck him.
"These assholes…"
He calmed down, grinning.
"Hm… not bad for a first try. Next time I need to act more elaborate. Sinistra Ignis."
He burned the puppet in his hand.
Bonus:
On the way back, Ben asked Franz out of curiosity:
"Hey, if your fairy tale is Greek, why are you in Germany?"
"Simple. My great-great-grandfather expanded to Germany, and his planned main manager died. Since he had more qualified people in Greece, he decided to run the main business in Germany."
Ben thought.
"And what about your fairy tale? If I'm right, it's French, not German."
Henri nodded thoughtfully.
"Good question. I'll answer that as soon as I can."