Mendigo death

  "Where's our puppet?" Seth asked, voicing her thoughts.

  Kendra walked to the black pool, crouched, and dipped the tip of the unicorn horn in the foul fluid. Bubbling and smoking, the tarlike puddle turned to vapor. On the bare floor rested the sword, a flashlight, and numerous small golden hooks.

  "What the heck?" Seth exclaimed. "He's gone!"

  Kendra considered the evidence. "That black sludge must have dissolved the wood. "

  Seth picked up a hook, examining it closely. "Not even a splinter left. " Tears shimmered in his eyes. "That sort of takes the fun out of everything. Think we could rebuild him?"

  "With only hooks left? I guess we can gather them up, just in case. "

  Maintaining his grip on Kendra and the horn, Seth crawled around the area, meticulously collecting every hook and clasp he could find. Kendra gathered hooks as well.

Chapter 25