《Demonic Intervention》


 Prologue-v2

    What does the demon world look like?


    The answers vary depending on which demon you ask. Some say it¡¯s an endless wasteland, others tell about floating fortresses. Not to mention the stories of cities that lie beneath the very earth itself. One thing is for certain, the demon world is as large, if not larger than our own. Even after countless testimonies not one demon has ever claimed to have seen all its corners. Each new generation brings stories of new lands and new sights, indicating that the world itself may be ever-changing in nature. This would make mapping the world useless to demons, which would explain their unusual distrust for our science of cartography.


    There is however one place each demon knows of, one that has not changed locations since time memorial. It is considered the very center of their world, the Black City, home to the ruler of demons itself. Only a few archdemons have encountered it, each mentioning the pitch black fog that envelops their ruler, and each refusing to provide more information out of respect for its power. Whether the ruler is a he or a she, what Sin it embodies, or its plans for our world, we may never know. All we know is that we were warned not to anger it under any circumstances.


    - First chapter of the Great Book of Demons.


    A large red sun illuminated the rocky wasteland.


    Fitznit ignored it as he turned over small rocks with his long black claws, growling in frustration at the continuous lack of insects. He was hungry and the numerous lacerations on his back still stung from the earlier scuffle. A quick snack of some mana rich beetles would help him heal his injuries, though it would do nothing for his wounded pride.


    ¡°Stupid Pickwitz,¡± he mumbled to himself. ¡°Fellaniz, my mate! Not yours! Stupid, stupid wings. No fighting fair fair on ground, like real imp! No no, Pickwitz just fly fly, like stupid beetles.¡±


    His tail lashed out in anger at the memory. One moment he was enjoying his time with Fellaniz, next thing he knows he was fighting for his mating rights. It did not go well. He was powerless before Pickwitz¡¯s flying. Without proper wings of his own, he was only able to get the occasional hit in when Pickwitz swooped down to rake him with his claws. Suffice to say, it did not take long, before he had to flee for his life. To add insult to injury, Fellaniz completely ignored him as he scuttled past her to safety. She looked too busy admiring the wings of this new suitor.


    Envy started stirring within him as he flapped the two tiny wings on his back. That stupid look of admiration on her face, bothered him more than losing the fight. Pickwitz would pay for cutting up his back, but she would pay for hurting his pride.


    ¡°Stupid Fellaniz,¡± he said louder. ¡°Me will eat many beetles. Grow big wing wings. Bigger than stupid Pickwitz. Will show you big wings, then you beg begs to be Fitznit mate. Yes yes¡­ and then me will say, only imps with big wing wings may mate with Fitznit!¡±


    A toothy grin slowly crept on his face, the triumphant image causing small chuckles to escape from his devilish smile. He basked in this imaginary victory for minutes on end, before his ears picked up a low buzzing. Curiosity and fear peaked his hearing as he concentrated on the new sound. Slowly, but surely, it grew into a low but ominous humming noise. His eyes started to dart around, fear smothering his initial curiosity. He quickly scanned the small hills around him, before he settled his sights on a horizontal crack running along one of the many rocky outcrops dotting the landscape. Not one to to take any chances in the wasteland, he made a quick dash towards the hiding place.


    As he neared the outcrop, a quick backwards glance revealed the source of the noise. In the distance a humongous black tidal wave swept across the lands, its size dwarfing the very hills it enveloped. Fueled by a sudden new-found motivation, his little clawed feet started to gouge the soil as fast as his little imp legs could carry him.


    Having reached the hiding place at a breakneck speed, Fitznit stopped only briefly to catch his breath. The break did not last long, the ever increasing humming noise behind him quickly spurring him back into action. He instinctively inspected the crack for any unwanted occupants, before squeezing into it as far as possible. Precious seconds passed as he grunted and cursed at the walls which were chafing his open wounds, promising them payback for damaging his precious wings. He only stopped moving when he couldn¡¯t squeeze himself any further, his wings now uncomfortably pressed against the cold rock behind him.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    With nothing else to do, he looked up at the sky. Above him was a slight sliver of light, its red tinges dimly illuminating the upper portion of the crack. Though it did not do so for long, the light growing dimmer by the second as the humming noise grew in intensity. The sound irritated his ears at first, before it developed into a splitting headache that made him plug them in desperation. Fitznit tried to ignore the building pressure in his skull, not to mention the knot forming in his stomach. Fear told him not to look up, but curiosity won out in the end. The light was gone now. And what little was left of the red sky above, slowly started to darken before his very eyes.


    Fear and instinct battled each other as the very air slowly started to vibrate all around him, pebbles and small rocks bouncing up and down in gleeful anticipation. The tremors tickled his skin, worming its way into his skull. His teeth chattered, his bones shook. He dry heaved in terror as liquids started to dribble down his legs. And still the only thing he could do was look up and wait.


    It felt like an eternity, before the darkness finally fell upon him, robbing him of his sight, and his mind. He started screeching in perpetual pain and terror, as vibrations rattled his brain, and fear clouded his senses. His head felt like exploding. His ears and nose started to bleed. His eyes felt like they would pop out any second now, but not before their night vision revealed his tormentors.


    They were mana beetles.


    Mana beetles in numbers so great that their black carapaces blocked out all light. Fitznit could only continue to screech in pain, and wonder, as the sound of thousands upon thousands of little insect wings assaulted him. His jaw clenched. His head throbbed. The pain built up more and more as black spots started to appear in his vision. Agonizing minutes went by as the continuous wave of beetles passed overhead, the sound and the pain only lessening as the last of their numbers flew by. More minutes passed as Fitznit snapped out of his daze, his instincts screaming at him to make his way home.


    Now wounded, miserable, and exhausted, he slowly made his way out of the crack. His ears rang whilst his vision was filled with numerous black spots. Some of them were his own, whilst others were more mana beetles crawling from their hiding places, only to fly in the direction the wave was currently going. Fitznit was no expert of the wastes, but he knew that whatever disaster scared the beetles in such numbers was not to be trifled with. Especially not in his current condition. Having made up his mind, he quickly exited his hiding place, before setting of in the wave¡¯s direction. The plan was to put as much distance between him, and whatever scared mana beetles, before looping back towards his nest. Maybe he would get lucky and find the place where they all landed, then he could eat his fill and get back at Pickwitz before the cycle¡¯s end.


    A sudden rending sound interrupted his thoughts as a visible tear in the air started to form in front of him. Through it he could hear strange mumbled words that didn¡¯t make sense, though their arcane power caused his heartbeat to quicken. Everyone in this plane knew it on an instinctual level, and so did Fitznit. He had been chosen for a summoning.


    The realization struck him as he felt himself being pulled towards the ever expanding tear, a tingling sensation spreading along his very being as he felt tendrils of power grab hold of his body. He relaxed at their pull, enjoying the tingle of their mana seeping through his skin. Followed by the cool sensation it brought along his back, the familiar feeling of shifting flesh, muscle, and tissue, knotting together in seconds as cuts closed and wounds healed. Black spots began disappearing from his vision, the ringing in his ears faded away as the mana washed over every inch, not missing one spot.


    He closed his eyes as he felt his body slowly being dragged towards the now newly formed black hole, reveling in the prickly sensation of power that this new mana gave him. He would serve this new master, and in return he would feed on his mana. With it he would grow strong powerful wings, and when his job ended, he would have the biggest wings of all the imps!


    ¡°Just you wait wait,¡± he giggled manically. ¡°I will make you all pay pa-¡±


    His voice froze in shock as his eyes jerked open to survey his surroundings, triggered by the ice cold feeling of dread that suddenly could be felt in every sinew, bone, and muscle, of his being. Compared to the fear he had felt moments ago, this one was incomparably greater. His body started to shake uncontrollably, mind reeling in terror at his predicament. A pitch black fog had enveloped him up to his neck. Within it, he felt a massive hand holding him in its grip, crushing the wings on his back ever so slowly. Old habits took over as he started screeching in terror once again.


    Amid his panic attack, a sudden thought struck him. The beetles didn¡¯t fly away from something, they flew away from someone. The realization caused his neck to angle ever so slowly backwards, his instincts screaming and raging against him in protest, but to no avail. Curiosity won out once more, self-preservation sacrificed, all to have but a single glance of the person that inspired fear into mere insects. Close above him loomed more pitch black fog shaped in the vague round form of a head, pierced only by two blazing red flames of even greater color intensity than the sun above him. As he felt the creature¡¯s gaze upon him his bowels could only squirt in terror.


    ¡°I loathe breaking my own rules,¡± it suddenly spoke in a deep voice. ¡°And as such I propose a deal.¡± It pointed to the ever expanding summoning void in front of it. ¡°I take what is rightfully yours¡­ and in return I will give you something that is rightfully mine.¡±


    Faced with this ultimatum, only one thing crossed Fitznit¡¯s mind.


    The one thing indirectly responsible for all the troubles he has had this day.


    Stupid, stupid Pickwitz!

 Chapter 1v2

    Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Pride, Sloth and Wrath, known by all, despised by many.


    Always prone to rear their heads wherever demons walk the earth, their spread both a mystery and a science. Copulation with demons all but ensures a blessedbloodline, whilst marriage between Blessed Ones preserves the purity of the Sin in question for generations to come. Though this theory of inheritance may have been proven time and time again, it does not provide explanations for the birth of the so called ¡®Awakened¡¯. Children born with Sin, yet neither their parents nor their forefathers knew the touch of demons. Their birth still begging the question: What are the actual triggers for one to be born with Sin? Their environment? The presence of demons? Or maybe even the will of the Gods themselves? For all the mystery that shrouds Sin and its spread, one thing has been proven true over the ages.


    Never before, in recorded history, has there been one to wield both the powers of Sin and Virtue.


    - Second chapter of the Great Book of Demons.


    I closely inspected the grooved patterns on the floor for any inconsistencies.


    Satisfied with my work I stood up, eyeing the summoning circle before me. It was small but intricately made, a mix of different, runes, shapes and lines, assorted in such a way to channel the flow of magic. Around it lay a larger, but equally intricate circle, a ward net. Its patterns and shapes filled with strange arcane symbols that illuminated the empty but shadowy basement in a dark red hue. Despite its larger size, it had taken far less time to make. Earth magic had a way of speeding up these things. But that wasn¡¯t the hard part.It was the smaller summoning circle inside of it that had taken the better part of a year.


    I looked down at my callused hands, recalling the many months of hard work that went into preparing this ritual. The forming of the ward net required a precise control of earth magic that bellied conventional wisdom. Its construction made me into a husk of my former self, pouring mana incessantly into every line I drew, every symbol I carved. Not to mention the horrible mental and physical exhaustion that came along with mana depletion, just thinking about that period started to give me the shivers.


    Though it was nothing compared to the grueling experience that followed afterwards. The many months that passed, as I slowly but surely chiseled out the summoning circle pictured inside the grimoire. I knew my father¡¯s resourcefulness, but the debts he must have made acquiring something this valuable fill me with unease to this very day. It lingered for years in the back of my head, whilst driving me to fix even the tiniest of mistakes with earth magic, redoing parts all over again by hand till I got it just right. I was not about to waste this opportunity given by my father, only fools would squander such gifts by cutting corners. And I¡¯m no fool. The grimoire had been very clear about the summoning circle: It needed to be done by hand, and it needed to be done right. No blemishes, no scratches, no nothing.


    I gave my work a last inspection before steeling myself for what would come next, my hand tightly grasping the iron locket hanging around my neck. Failure was not an option, only success would bring me closer to my goal. Soon we will be together again. A quick prayer was all I needed, as my hand pulled the steel dagger from its sheath. It was simple, yet well made, the years of wear and tear concealed by regular maintenance. I gave it one last look as my other hand grasped the ornately carved golden goblet that lay at my feet, its surface adorned with numerous etched runes. Not that it came cheap, in fact, it came at the expense of my carefully hoarded stash of currency, saved up over many years of hard work at different venues. And a little bit of time spend finding someone to make the goblet. Something which was surprisingly easy. If you are willing to pay double for no questions asked, that is.What proved to be the hard part was convincing my inner Greed that it was worth it. Not that it actually worked, just looking at the goblet made me feel small pangs of regret. Still, those feelings would not stop me from achieving my goals, the sharpened dagger already resting on my right wrist.


    ¡°This time I will not hesitate.¡±The words had barely escaped my lips as the dagger¡¯s tip sliced the skin open from wrist to forearm. Blood trickled from the wound as I hissed in pain. My mind tried to ignore the burning sensation, whilst I steadily collected the dripping blood with the goblet. That¡¯s enough blood. We don¡¯t want it to overflow, now would we?My body sprang into action as I quickly moved to place it in the exact center of the summoning formation, carefully cradling my arm to avoid staining the circles with my blood.


    With another few steps I was standing outside the circles again. I quickly hovered my left hand above my right forearm as I channeled magic into it, urging the flesh to mend as I stemmed the bleeding artery. The burning pain quickly receded as a cool sensation started to envelop it, fingers spasming whilst muscles repaired. I channeled some more magic into it, just to be sure, before wiping away the blood on my forearm, the skin beneath now as good as new.


    Satisfied with the results, I closed my eyes to focus, retreating within myself according to my father¡¯s teachings. Minutes went by as the red hue of the warding net grew fainter, the low humming noise it made grew more distant, until all I could see and hear was nothingness. Slowly I opened my eyes again, greeted by a familiar black void that stretched in all directions. Its vast darkness pierced by numerous lights of various colors, shapes, and intensities. Some moved, whilst others were stationary. Some brightly shone, whilst others were but a dim glow. Nevertheless, its spectacle never ceased to amaze me. Except till the headaches show up¡­


    Speaking of headaches. An intense burden began crushed my mind, its intensity waning as I swiftly reduced the range of my perception. It caused distant lights to snuff out of existence, making the closer ones that much more detailed. Not now, there¡¯s work to be done.I had neither the time nor the mental energy to spare for spying. So, I dismissed these newly shaped lights until my perception could only see what was in front of me. A darkness that was driven away by a single dome of bright red, arcane energy.


    Numerous runes and symbols slowly drifted across the reddish dome, its color contrasted by the golden goblet shaped light that lay in its center.I prepared myself with a few slow breaths as I took up a grounded stance, my mother¡¯s old saying softly resounding through my head. One shot is all you need. With my resolve firmly rootedI began channeling mana into the goblet, more precisely the detailed runes, a veritable bottomless pit as I felt it steadily taking it in without any signs of abating.


    It did not take long before the engraved runes flickered to life. Gradually, mana began to overflow from its etchings, the magic saturation leading a new life of its own. Green light slowly snaked away from its base, diligently following the twists and turns memorized in my head. My eyes intently focused on the green glow spreading before me, looking out for any inconsistencies in the distribution of light. Lowering the flow of mana to the parts that grew bright, whilst increasing it in those that were dim. I knew that my mana reserves were average at best, so I needed to make due with what I had. A pinch here, a drop there. More time passed as I carefully applied the magic evenly into the circle, not willing to waste even a single drop. I persevered in my control, knowing I could not keep this up for long. Even now mental exhaustion began to creep upon me, thoughts clouded as I stifled an upcoming yawn.


    More minutes passed as I battled to ignore the effects that mana depletion brought. Don¡¯t rush, remain in control.I reminded myself as my eyelids started drooping, my legs beginning to buckle as fatigue threatened to overtake me. Patience endures, speed falters. I reprimanded myself as the fear of failure tempted me to cut corners, afraid that I could not last any longer. Be precise, be perfect, be patient. I grinned at myself, the truthfulness of my mother¡¯s wisdom reflected in the runes that started to shine all over the summoning circle. Their meaning unknown, but their purpose apparent.


    Each rune that sprang to life lessened the amount of mana I needed to pour into the goblet. My burden steadily declined with each green rune that flared brightly within the summoning circle. Their careful placement fed and reinforced each other, revealing the circles masterfully made design for all to see. I wonder who designed this thing. Not that I had time to contemplate it, my body feeling unusually heavy.


    With a groan I slumped to the floor, legs floored with exhaustion, my head still fixated on the thing before me. I did it. I actually did it! An intricate dome of bright green light, laced with countless archaic symbols and letters, pulsed with life before me. Its light waxed and waned with rhythmic intensity as the sound of a heart beating echoed across the void. Even the warding net couldn¡¯t contain the energy oozing out of this circle, each pulse bringing a tingle to my skin, my hairs standing up from the thick mana around me. All I could do was give a quick prayer of thanks to my father as I basked in this feeling of power.


    Time slowly passed by, my limbs gradually regaining their former strength as my depleted soul greedily absorbed the enriched mana environment around it. Breaks over. Back to work. I could already feel the beginnings of a nasty headache worming its way into my skull. Not planning to kill myself later due to a lack of concentration, I retreated within myself once more. Gently, the slow rhythmic beating grew fainter by the second, the sound replaced by a familiar damp smell filling my nostrils.


    When I opened my eyes I was standing in the basement again, the dark red hue of the ward net now contrasted by the bright green of the summoning circle that lay within. Its magic now almost invisible to the eye, except for the dimly lit runes etched into the smooth stone floor. Be that as it may, the hairs of my skin still stood straight up, courtesy of the thick mana now present in the air. I couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the sight before me. A mere son of <u>Shapers</u>had just managed to create a summoning circle that would draw envy even from the high Bloodlines themselves. I wasn¡¯t going to settle for failure on my first attempt. Frankly, I don¡¯t have the time for it.


    My lips parted as it spewed forth the harsh guttural tongue that was written in the grimoire, the memorization of its pronunciation, the result from years of training, research, and repetition. The language that covered its pages a thing of ancient history, heralding to before The Great Sunder. My father had scoured libraries, greased palms of priests and nobles alike, all to slowly put together its alphabet piece by piece. The true meaning of the words that rolled of my tongue still escaped me, but their tone and intensity revealed the dark purpose for which they served.


    As the words of my second verse echoed across the basement, a thin crack started to form in the air. Its size slowly grew as it hovered over the summoning circle. Each syllable that passed my lips fueling its further expansion, the very air crackling with power as shivers went up my spine; amplified by mana so thick, it made breathing difficult. Then came the third verse, followed by an unholy tearing sound resounding through the basement. The crack burst open, revealing a distorted black void. Its newly formed gaping maw reverberated a strange sound, almost as if the very air was being sucked away. I payed it no heed, opting instead to steadily chant my way towards the fourth verse, careful to avoid stumbling over each pronounced syllable. As the mana around me rapidly siphoned away, I ignored the urge to speed up, the last words of the third verse gradually resounding through the room.


    No sooner had I started reciting the fourth verse than the summoning circle started shining in recognition. Arcane runes, etched into the floor, brightly flared with green light as the sucking sound started to diminish in intensity. My continued chanting slowly but surely twisted the distorted void into a large black oval shape, its edges stubbornly expanding in different directions, before being pushed back and encased in a green hue. Don¡¯t get sloppy now. I mentally steeled myself as the fourth verse slowly stabilized the portal before me, my mind preparing for the final stretch of the summoning process.


    It all hinged on this last part. The grimoire clearly stated that one needed to recite the fifth and last verse repeatedly until the ritual was complete. A single mispronunciation or a lull in concentration would result in the portal going haywire. Having seen the strength of the magics at work, I was under no illusion as to what would happen in case of failure.The Burrows would count itself lucky, if the district was still standing come morning.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Though its more likely that some would throw a celebration instead¡­The joke helped calm my nerves, before I slowly began chanting the fifth verse. My lips meticulously emphasized each word, tongue tingling as I worked my way through each line. A weird feeling in my throat gradually developed into a strange warmth; causing each repetition to sound louder than the one before, the heat intensifying with every rehearsal. I tried to remain patient with stoic determination, hoping that this was only temporary. Unfortunately, I was proven wrong. The heat showed no signs of abating. Even worse, its intensity slowly ramped up to ever more painful levels. Why did that damn book not say anything about this! My mind reeled in panic as the sixth repetition of the verse caused my throat to feel like it was on fire. Its booming reiteration a complete disaster, emphasized by the few broken words that did made it past my lips. Dread rapidly replaced anger, as I saw the green hue encasing the portal start to falter, before fading away mere seconds later. Fuck.


    ¡°Wakey wakey,¡± a raspy voice said. ¡°Good thing I stabilized the portal before you blew us all to kingdom come.¡± My eyes snapped open in reaction, before I doubled over in sudden agony. Pain flared in the back of my head as I found myself slumped against the cold stone wall, relief flooding my system when I realized that I was still alive. Though it did nothing for the dull headache that assaulting my mind. What happened?


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel so good,¡± I said, whilst groggily standing up. My muscles refused to cooperate in exhaustion as my throat felt like I had swallowed sand by the buckets.


    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± the earlier voice replied.


    I rapidly swiveled my head towards the source of the sound, instantly regretting the decision as I lost balance before stumbling onto the floor. ¡°God¡¯s be damned!¡± I croaked in exasperation.


    ¡°Now now, no need to insult me,¡± a voice in front of me snickered. With great effort I lifted my head, only to see a strange pale creature in the distance. ¡°Don¡¯t look so mortified, you¡¯re not much to look at either,¡± it smiled back in obvious contentment.


    Is this what I think it is? A further glance told me everything I needed to know: humanoid frame, large pointy ears, clawed hands and feet, small wings on its back, the thick smooth tail sweeping behind it, and finally the pupil-less yellow eyes staring back at me, like two bright suns tracking my every movement. Demon. ¡°Yes!¡± I shouted out loud, my body finding new strength to scramble upwards, only to have a better look at the thing before me.Its looks far less intimidating now that I finally stood up, mostly due to the small size it had even from this distance. Not that it seemed to care, as it met my gaze with a bemused smirk, the odd protruding fang reminding me not to let my guard down due to its height. You prepared for this. I quickly numbed the icy feeling of fear as I reminded myself of my meticulously made ward net, its red hue granting me courage as I strode forward.


    Yellow orb like eyes followed my movements with interest, its large bat like ears lightly twitching with each step I took towards the thin red dome, only to slightly rotate towards me when I stood before it. I mentally sighed when I took a good look at him. All that work for this pipsqueak? My size towered over him, the comically large ears being the only thing to surpass my belt buckle, though I had to admit that I was a good deal taller than the average man. Courtesy of blessed blood. Though the difference in height made me more comfortable, that did not mean I would grow lax in my safety. The demon may have looked small, pale, and sickly from a distance, I did not let that fool me. Close up I could clearly see the hidden daggers that it carried, each of its fingers and toes adorned with sharp hook-like claws, twenty natural weapons to tear up those stupid enough to underestimate it. And I¡¯m not stupid. I warily eyed the creature as the two small slits where his nose should have been rapidly opened and closed, tail and small wings sporadically twitching as it loudly sniffed the air, its previous smirk widening to a smug smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re a mixed one, aren¡¯t ya?¡± It simply stated, my sudden flinch eliciting a small chuckle from the creature. ¡°Knew it. My guess would be a mixture of Greed and Patience.¡± If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would think that this little runt could read minds. ¡°Don¡¯t look so surprised. It¡¯s quite easy to figure out if you know enough.¡± It slowly started to walk away from me, opting instead to lean on its tail near the summoning circle. ¡°Firstly, you reek of Greed, yet your eyes possess the icy blue of Patience. Secondly¡­¡± it pointed at the green runes. ¡°Your mana is green, yet I don¡¯t sense any Envy. Lastly, you possess an Angelic Virtue, yet you summoned a demon.¡±


    With a defeated sigh I closed my eyes. The annoying feeling, like something was stuck in my eye, lasted a couple of seconds before I opened them again. The demon lacked eyebrows, but that did not stop it from expressing a triumphant look when confronted with my othereyes. ¡°Possessing both the serpentine yellow eyes of Greed, as well as the icy blue eyes of Patience,¡± it smirked. ¡°Your parents must have been very naughty people.¡± A knowing smile now plastered all over its face.


    Fuck it. Direct and honest was going to get me further than skirting around the issue. Besides, the little runt proved to be far more perceptive than his looks indicated. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a mixed one,¡± I stated. ¡°Got any problems with that?¡±


    It quickly waved his hands in defense. ¡®¡¯No no no, not at all, I just like being proven right. Having said that, there are more important things to currently discuss.¡± It leisurely stood up before making its way towards me. This is it. I reflexively clenched my hands, sweat rapidly forming in anticipation of what was to come. The moment I¡¯ve been working for all these years. Eyes fixated on the demon now standing before me. Don¡¯t let him word the pact to its advantage. My mind kicked into overdrive as the demon started to speak the all important words. Stay vigilant. ¡°You must be drowning in pussy with such a bloodline.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°What?¡± I blurted out.


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about,¡± it said before giving me a knowing wink. ¡°The sheer amount of cooch thrown your way must be exhausting. All these nobles clamoring to partake in that bloodline of yours.¡± I could only stare in disbelief at the demon, my dismayed face only eliciting a further barrage of vulgar questions. ¡°You know¡­ Beaver? No? What about Fanny? Ehm, Front Bum? Still nothing? Ham Wallet? ¡­Meat Curtain? Aha! Pink Sink! Come on, how could you not know that one! Shame Cave! Stench Trench? Tuna Town!? ¡­I¡¯m only asking how many Wizard¡¯s Sleeves you¡¯ve sheathed, you damnable idiot!¡± My lack of response only fueling its further disappointment as it began to facepalm.


    ¡­


    Seconds ticked by as the demon let out an audible grown of defeat, though its dismay didn¡¯t last any longer than that; quickly replaced by a sense of child like curiosity. ¡°Just to clear things up, exactly how old are you?¡± it asked.


    Why would that matter? Not that that thought stopped me from answering. ¡°I became sixteen years old as of last week.¡±


    I was taken aback by the sudden twinkle in its eyes, its tail swiping the floor with obvious excitement. I especially didn¡¯t like the way the creature was currently eyeing me. ¡°You¡¯ve never kissed a girl before, have you?¡±


    Again I flinched, my mind quickly coming up with words to defend myself with. ¡°What does that ma-¡±


    I never got to finish my sentence as the demon started to laugh uncontrollably. The continuous sound of laughter filling the room for a good minute, only broken up as it gasped for breath to hurl insults my way, ¡°HAHAHA, oooh, oooh, summoned by a sixteen year old, kissless virgin!¡± The demon began gasping for more air, before dropping to its knees to repeatedly prostrate itself before me. ¡°Oh mighty king blueball, please don¡¯t smite this lowly servant with your powers of Chastity!¡±


    Faced with this display, anger the likes of which I haven¡¯t felt in ages overtook me, ¡°I summoned you all by myself, you little shit!¡±


    The demon abruptly stopped laughing. Serves you right. Before laughing even louder. ¡°Make him stop!¡­ I can¡¯t breathe!¡­ I can¡¯t breathe! Ooooh, ooooh, is this how I die!?¡± I could feel the anger bubble beneath the surface of my skin as the creature crawled over the floor, sporadically gasping for breath, only to recover enough air to speak again. ¡°I can just picture it before me!¡± it shouted, before standing up, palms facing outwards with a serious face pointed at the ceiling. ¡°VIRGINS OF THE WORLD! GIVE ME YOUR ENERGY!¡±


    Calm down. Caaalm dooowwn. I closed my eyes as I focused on my breathing, unsuccessfully trying to block out the loud nuisance currently rolling on the floor from laughter. In and out¡­ In and out¡­Remember that its a demon, he¡¯s just trying to rile you up, waiting for you to do something stupid. Don¡¯t give it the satisfaction. The anger gradually abated with every breath, until the dull pain in the back of my head was the only thing remaining. Grab the grimoire, get my head checked and let it calm down on its own. I diverted my attention from the nuisance currently clamoring for air, flopping and gasping like a fish on dry land. Albeit even uglier.Several minutes into my search I began to rub my eyes. That blow to the head must have been harder than I thought. Focus, it must be here somewhere. With renewed concentration I began meticulously scanning the room anew.


    ¡°What are you looking for, did you drop your manhood somewhere?¡± the demon giggled.


    I ignored the obvious taunt, opting instead to voice a question of my own. ¡°I suppose you haven¡¯t seen a grimoire lying around somewhere?¡±


    The demon raised a figurative eyebrow, before pointing its tail towards a certain spot on the floor. ¡°You mean that thing over there?¡± My eyes followed to where he was pointing, the red hue in the room only revealing a small pile of ash. Ash? Why would he point a- A sudden realization caused me to dash towards the pile, praying to be wrong, only to be met by bitter disappointed as I touched it. It¡¯s still warm. I frantically began to sift through the ash, ignoring the searing sensation in my fingers, hoping to recover at least a piece of its ancient knowledge¡­ but my search came up empty. Gone. It¡¯s all gone¡­ I just sat there on my knees, dejectedly looking at the remains of a priceless treasure. I¡¯m sorry father.


    A sudden voice snapped me from my daze, ¡°Kid, if you got time to mope, you got time to form a Contract.¡± I looked over my shoulder, only to see the demon standing before the dome with its arms crossed, exuding a imposing presence at odds with its small frame. He¡¯s right. My hand instinctively sought the locket around my neck. Only by moving forward can I bring back that what was lost.My fingers brushed its smooth iron. I will bring them back. Renewed vigor willed my legs to move, my gaze now firmly settled on the demon before me.All of them.


    ¡°At least you found your backbone,¡± it stated as I moved closer. An approving look now settled on its face, its earlier outburst all but forgotten. A final step brought me in front of the demon, the red dome being the only thing to separate us. I pulled out my steel dagger with a practiced motion, before placing its familiar edge on my forearm.


    ¡°Anything you want to add before I make the Pact?¡± I asked.


    The demon sneered in disdain, ¡°Put away the knife, kid. I said Contract, not some barbaric blood ritual.¡± With a flourish, a puff of smoke enveloped its hand. It quickly dispersed, leaving behind an oddly colored scroll. To my surprise it poked the scroll through the ward net without any effort, looking at me with impatience as my mind tried to register what just happened. ¡°Just grab the scroll already!¡±


    I hastily put away the dagger as my other hand snatched the scroll, almost dropping it on instinct due to the paper giving off an uncomfortable warmth. As I rolled it open, the demon began to list some instructions, ¡°The terms of our agreement are on both sides of the page. Take your time reading them, before signing on the dotted line.¡± I gave the demon a weird look, before inspecting the scroll again. The entire front consisted of a weird mixture of black and gray, contrasted by a rectangular box of white, wherein was written but a single line: I, Gob, shall follow the commands of Marcus Ashwood until the end of his days.


    ¡°Gob, how do you know that my name is Marcus Ashwood?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Well you just told me,¡± it replied. I suppressed a flare of annoyance, before focusing on the scroll again. I¡¯ll command you to spit it out later anyway.


    I turned the scroll over, only to be met with the same mixture of black and gray. It monotonous color only broken up by two similar, albeit very small, white boxes in the bottom corners, both empty except for three simple dots. ¡°So, ehm, how do I sign this contract?¡± I asked.


    Gob just lazily stared at the booger currently stuck on its finger. I don¡¯t even want to know where he got that from. Before flicking it on my robe. You fu- ¡°Just put your thumb on the empty spot before channeling your magic,¡± it simply mumbled, before continuing the exploration of its nasal cavities. The things I¡¯m going to force you to do will be foretold for generations to come.


    My thumb started to channel mana into the box with a vengeance. I¡¯ll make you squeal in just a moment. A sudden jolt of pain interrupted my torture fantasies, causing me to flinch, an audible ripping sound resounding through the basement as I pulled my thumb back. I quickly looked at it, it seemed to be alright, though it felt quite numb to the touch. I turned towards Gob for explanation, only to find him inspecting the scroll closely with some weird extravagant monocle. Scroll? I quickly glanced towards my other hand, the scroll now gone from my grasp. How did he even- ¡°Seems like your signature,¡± Gob voiced. I looked back, Gob¡¯s thumb now pressed on the other box, the strange monocle nowhere to be seen. Wait, where did the monocle go?


    Only a few seconds passed before Gob pulled its thumb away, accompanied by the same ripping sound from before. With a satisfied grunt it threw the scroll into the air, where it began to hover as black fog began to wisp around its edges. Not again¡­ With a sudden burst, pure black light shot outwards, muting all my senses, but the burning pain that seared every inch of my being. It was intense, but lasted only briefly, the black void quickly dispersing as familiar smells, sights, and sounds filled my mind. I think I¡¯ve suffered enough for today. The blackness now replaced again with my basement, plus one ecstatic looking Gob.


    Please don¡¯t make me regret this.

 Chapter 2v2

    Hear me, hear me, young mages of proud Cedia,


    Do you wish to enlist into the illustrious order of the Shapers? To fight for Cedia and its people? To protect us of those that deem to harm our great country, and be granted a family name of your own? Or perhaps you aim even higher? Maybe your strength is great enough to join the ranks of the exalted Warlocks, rulers and defenders of all that we stand for. Your family and yourself lifted into nobility by your own hands! Whatever your goal, whatever your resolve, those of you between the age of sixteen and twenty-one can make our country proud! The yearly testing will soon start anew at the Royal Academy. One full week before the summer¡¯s solstice, when Luna¡¯s eye is fully open, will you have the chance to prove yourself! One full week, in our great capital Redgate, will you have the chance to better yourself! Now come! Take destiny in your own hands, like our ancestors before us!


    And as always,


    May strength guide you!


    - Yearly reminder of Cedian town criers.


    The demon before me looked positively giddy with excitement.


    ¡°We¡¯ll make a great team, Boss,¡± Gob said with a big grin, casually skipping closer towards me as its body slipped through the ward net.


    I instantly scrambled backwards on instinct, shouting at Gob for explanations, ¡°How did you do that!?¡±


    ¡°Do what, Boss?¡± it replied, gazing back with childlike innocence.


    ¡°The ward net! How did you get through it!?¡±


    It glanced over its shoulder, before giving me a questioning look. ¡°Boss, you mean that fancy illumination you installed?¡± I could feel my eyebrows twitch in annoyance. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Boss,¡± Gob said, dismissively waving his hands. I am worrying about it, runt.


    Air filled my lungs as I straightened my posture, a weak attempt at displaying dominance. But a display nonetheless. ¡°Gob, I command you to tell me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to,¡± it said, before tacking on the last part with a goofy smile. ¡°¡­Boss.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, you don¡¯t want to?¡± I blurted out, my previous posture all but forgotten.


    Gob snapped its fingers; the scroll and monocle appearing in both hands with a puff of smoke. It fiddled with the eyepiece a bit before putting it on, mumbling aloud as it scanned the scroll.


    ¡°¡­No no no, not the dismemberment clauses.¡±


    I just overheard something dangerous.


    ¡°Don¡¯t need the provisions about soul destruction.¡±


    Why are there multiple!?


    ¡°I even get vacation days, interesting¡­¡±


    What kind of contract did I sign?


    ¡°Aha!¡± Gob said, its ears visually perking up. It cleared its throat, before reciting, ¡®¡¯According to Appendix 712, I, Gob, am not required, in any shape, way, or form, to follow the commands of the one referred to as Boss, also known as Marcus Ashwood, be they verbal, non-verbal, thoughts, or conveyed through other means.¡±


    I opened my mouth to protest, but stopped when Gob signaled me to shut up. The demon eyed me briefly ,before continuing on with its recital. ¡°Unless said person conveys the command in such a way that the ensuing motivational stimulus from carrying out such a command, would drive me, Gob, to follow it even if I was not bound by the current Contract.¡±


    I need a drink. A strong one. My body agreed; legs quickly moving up the stone steps of the basement, barely pausing as I flung open the heavy wooden trapdoor with little effort. It hit the wooden floor with a loud thump, the light from a single window revealing scattered bits of dust across the large, but sparsely furnished room. I payed it no mind, instead heading for the small empty hearth nestled against the back wall, my sight fixated on one of the floorboards in front of it. I quickly pried it loose, revealing my father¡¯s stash of prized liquor. I reached for one of the bottles, my fingers hesitating as they brushed its cold exterior. We Greed¡¯s were known for pursuing those that stole from us with a vengeance, my father even more so.


    Especially after all that he lost. That we lost¡­


    The sound of clawed feet, walking up stairs, snapped me from my daze. I quickly grabbed one of the cheaper looking bottles, before putting the plank back in its place, turning around to find a pair of pointy ears poking out of the basement entrance. ¡°Is there a problem, Boss?¡± Gob asked, its head coming into full view.


    Yeah. You.


    Not in the mood for conversation, I grabbed one of the wooden cups close at hand, sitting down at the only table in the room. I poured myself a glass, ignoring the sounds of something shattering in the background. I grimaced as I gulped down the burning liquid, turning around, only to see Gob discreetly push some pottery shards into a corner. ¡°It just, ehhh, tipped over, Boss.¡±


    Gonna need more. I took another long swig, this time straight from the bottle. My throat still felt bone-dry from the incantations, and this swill was not helping to alleviate that problem. I clenched my teeth, forcing the vile spew down, bringing with it a loud coughing fit. Better stick to water.


    ¡°You mind sharing, Boss?¡± Gob asked, his eyes glued to the bottle in my hand.


    ¡°Sure, go ahead,¡± I said, lobbing the bottle towards his eager hands. They deftly snatched it with practiced ease, tightly cradling it against its chest. ¡°It¡¯s not like your going to listen.¡±


    I eyed Gob as I grabbed some water, amused by the care for which it handled the bottle. Not that it lasted very long. Within seconds the bottle¡¯s lip was inside its mouth, guzzling sounds filling the room as it steadily gulped down the contents, ravenous hunger gleaming in its eyes. With a loud belch it signaled its satisfaction, gently rubbing its cheeks against the dark glass. ¡°Oh blessed liquor, how I¡¯ve missed you.¡±


    So my first summon is an alcoholic demon who doesn¡¯t follow commands. Just great¡­


    I could feel the frustration bubble up again inside me as I kicked the table. ¡°Fuck!¡±


    ¡°You okay, Boss?¡± Gob asked, with a questioning look.


    ¡°Just leave me alone, Gob,¡± I said, waving him away when he stayed still. ¡°There¡¯s another bottle of liquor hidden upstairs, entertain yourself a bit.¡±


    Gob didn¡¯t need further encouragement, quickly dropping the empty bottle it was holding as it flew up the staircase, claws loudly scratching the wood as it did.


    Well that was easy.


    I slowly moved towards the open window, removing the locket from my neck, holding it up for all to see. It was of simple, yet elegant design, with a smooth iron exterior glistening in the sunlight. I lightly pressed the top button, opening the locket with a click. Inside was a defunct compass, its needle slowly spinning circles as it hovered above a faint blue crystal. Minutes passed as I observed the needle lazily spinning around, dreading the moment where it would lay still, never to move again.


    My heart nearly gave out as a gut-wrenching scream of desperation resounded throughout the house, followed by several loud thumps that seemed to descent. I turned around to find Gob sprawled out near the bottom of the staircase. It swiftly checked its tail, the bottle firmly clenched within the squirming limb, before relief began flooding its face. ¡°Found it, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Gob, please sit down,¡± I said, putting the locket away. I made my way back to the table, grabbing a nearby chair to sit on. ¡°I summoned you for a reason, but first we need to discuss business.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, Boss,¡± Gob said, opting instead to use its tail as a makeshift stool. ¡°But, Boss. Just to let you know, I don¡¯t swing that way.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I,¡± I said, grabbing the pitcher of water on the table. The room was silent as I finished pouring its contents into a wooden cup. ¡°Not that I would touch you with a ten feet pole even if you were female.¡± I brought the cup to my lips, eyeing Gob all the while. ¡°You are male, right?¡±


    ¡°Want to see proof, Boss?¡± Gob replied, hands quickly reaching towards his nether regions.


    ¡°Gods be damned, Gob! I¡¯m trying to drink here! A simple yes would do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not nearly as fun as watching you squirm, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, have fun teasing me,¡± I said, before downing some water, parched throat relishing in the new cold texture. That¡¯s the stuff. Pleased, I turned my attention to Gob again. ¡°Why don¡¯t you use those hands instead, to grab me that contract?¡±


    Gob looked at me like I just called his wife fat. ¡°It¡¯s called a Contract, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I said contract, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°No, Boss,¡± he said, managing to look even more offended. ¡°There¡¯s a huge difference between contract and Contract. It¡¯s like me calling you boss instead of Boss, Boss.¡±


    For some reason the second pronunciation just felt right, though I couldn¡¯t figure out why. ¡°What did you do?¡±


    Gob contemplated a bit before speaking. ¡°Names have power, they always did, some more than others. It usuallystems from their impression upon large numbers of souls, the more beings know, the more powerful the name. As to how exactly a name becomes a Name, that¡¯s a rabbit hole you don¡¯t want to go down, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Give me an example.¡±


    ¡°He committed a sin, he has a Sin. Same wording, very different weight, Boss.¡±


    I got where he was coming from, I just knew what kind of Sin he talked about when saying it a second time. Though that doesn¡¯t explain everything. ¡°Then how am I called Boss, instead of boss?¡±


    Gob had a small giggle at my expense. ¡°Nice try, Boss. Though, stressing the word doesn¡¯t help, you need to believethe importance of it.¡±


    ¡°How can the word boss be important?¡±


    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re just not any boss. You¡¯re myBoss.¡±


    Fascinated, I leaned forward. ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I¡¯ve existed for a very, very long time. And in that time, you¡¯re the second being I¡¯ve decided to call Boss, Boss.¡±


    That information was both disturbing and intriguing. Though I don¡¯t like the way he¡¯s currently looking at me. I got the feeling that I was some kind of toy to Gob, one he would play around with at his leisure.


    First things first. I need to find out what I¡¯ve gotten myself into. ¡°That¡¯s very nice of you, Gob. But can now please show me this Contract?¡±


    ¡°See, Boss! You can do it, if you try.¡± Gob said, snapping his fingers as the scroll materialized on the table. He slowly pushed it towards me as he spoke, materializing the monocle in his other hand. ¡°Just put this on, and look at where I¡¯m pointing, Boss. It will do the rest of the work.¡±


    I cautiously took the monocle, its rim plated with an unknown white metal. What could it be? Closer inspection revealed several weird symbols etched along its surface, similar to those found in the grimoire. I¡¯ll ask Gob about it later. I wasted no more time, donning the monocle on my right eye, before looking where Gob¡¯s claw was resting. It was a seemingly random point on the contract, around it nothing of note but that weird mixture of black and gray. ¡°You need to shut your other eye, Boss.¡±


    I followed his advice, the tip of Gob¡¯s claw rapidly expanding in size the moment I did. It kept growing till it loomed like a great mountain over an endless field of white paper, each stacked perfectly next to each other, filled to the brim with words. My eyes fell on the only page whose lines were emitting a green light: Appendix 712, the title read.Its text a word for word copy of what Gob had recited to me earlier. This can¡¯t be true. I looked at the page left of it. Appendix 711. Then choose a page a few columns down. Appendix 25438. I scanned some more pages at random, each and every one of them filled with legal loopholes that allowed Gob to get away with something. I¡¯ve been had.


    I closed my eyes, nestling my head on the table, the full realization of what I just signed crushing my spirit utterly. It¡¯s over. It will be decades before I summon another.


    A clawed hand gently patted my back. ¡°You okay, Boss?¡±


    I did not answer, taking off the monocle instead as I slowly banged my head on the wooden surface.


    ¡°It¡¯s not so bad, boss. It could have been a lot worse.¡±


    I stopped banging. ¡°Like?¡±


    ¡°Well, for one, Boss. The Contract is set up in such a way that neither party has control over the other. It would¡¯ve been an easy thing to make it that I controlled you, not the other way around.¡±


    Just thinking about Gob being in control of my body and soul send shivers down my spine.


    ¡°Besides, Boss. I still left you with a collared leash.¡±


    ¡°A what now?¡± I said, head turning to face its glowing, yellow eyes.


    ¡°Leash, Boss. You know that searing pain you felt in the basement? Our souls are bound together now. Where you go, I go. Though that does mean we need to stick close to each other, for now, otherwise we¡¯ll dissolve. Permanently.¡±


    My head had trouble digesting the severity of what he just mentioned. ¡°So what, we need to stay in the same room or something?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I reckon staying about three hundred feet should be fine for now.¡± I shot Gob a shocked glance. Only three hundred feet!? Not that he seemed to care. ¡°Remember, Boss. The Contract binds our souls, not our bodies. We don¡¯t need to be able to see each other, just be close enough that it matters.¡±


    Oh, wow! Now that solves everything!


    ¡°And what if I accidentally walked beyond said range?¡±


    You¡¯re stinking mad, if you think I¡¯ll spend the rest of my life within three hundred feet of you.


    ¡°Bits and pieces will start to fall off, Boss.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Okay, maybe I will.


    Gob seemed to enjoy the flash of horror that fell across my face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss. You¡¯ll notice when you near the edge, it¡¯ll feel ¡­uncomfortable.¡±


    I¡¯m feeling extremely uncomfortable right now.


    Gob fell silent, letting me mull things over. He seemed to wait in anticipation for something. ¡°The leash part I understand, but what¡¯s this about a collar?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I¡¯m currently muzzled, Boss.¡± Gob replied, a dangerous glint flickering in his eyes. ¡°I like it that way, makes things more interesting.¡±


    His form slowly edged closer, face now mere inches away from mine as alcohol tinged breath assaulted my nose. ¡°But if you want to have some real fun, just command me to Loose this Collar.¡±


    How about no?


    ¡°So what¡¯s with all the empty bedrooms, Boss?¡± Gob asked, pulling his face back, opting instead to glance at the staircase, the dangerous atmosphere from before nowhere to be found. My lack of answers prompted a stupid grin, causing him to wiggle his eyebrows as he spoke. ¡°You plan on makingsome extra additions to the family?¡±


    Should I tell him?


    ¡°Something like that,¡± I said, amused by Gob¡¯s visible surprise. ¡°Though I plan to recover, not make.¡±


    Gob¡¯s ears twitched at the answer. Slowly he scooted closer, his interest plain as day. ¡°Sounds interesting, Boss.Let me in on it.¡±


    You¡¯re not the only one who can play this game.


    ¡°I might tell you,¡± I said. I let the silence linger awhile longer as I faced away from the enthralled demon, gently sloshing what water was left in my cup. ¡°Butonly if you agree to help me on a need to know basis.¡±


    The demon hesitated, its response guarded. ¡°Need a bit more than that, Boss.¡±


    Gob seemed far too nosy to let this bait go. One more push.¡°Just know that we may end up toppling dynasties, before we¡¯re finished.¡±


    Gob¡¯s tail began to wag at the piece of juicy information. Got him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Deal, Boss.¡± Gob said. The words had barely left his mouth, before the Contract flared bright red, new text audibly being burned into the large white space: I, Gob, have agreed to aid, Marcus Ashwood, in recovering his family. I softly clenched my fist.Now we¡¯re talking.


    Gob stood next to me, unable to contain his excitement. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan, Boss?¡±


    ¡°Ever heard of the Royal Academy?¡±


    ¡°Sounds fancy, Boss.¡±


    I shot Gob a knowing look. ¡°Fancy is an understatement. The first part of the plan hinges on my admission there, though thanks to you; I already passed their enrollment standards.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Let me grab my stuff,¡± I said, ignoring the smug remark. Surprised by the elation that tinged my own voice. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to be late on the last day of testing, now would we?¡±


    I headed up the staircase, swiftly moving to grab what little I had. ¡°What about the goblet, Boss?¡± The question froze me in my footsteps. That¡¯s right, forgot about that.


    ¡°Good thinking, Gob,¡± I said, walking back a few steps to see him whisk away both Contract and monocle. I asked my question once he was done, ¡°Could you grab it for me?¡±


    Gob nodded wordlessly, heading towards the open trapdoor. Satisfied, I headed upstairs again, passing three small, but empty bedrooms, before entering my own at the end of the hallway. Small and compact would best describe it, since it contained nothing more than a single bed and footlocker. Everything still seemed to be lying where it should be, minus the bottle of alcohol, that is. Maybe he isn¡¯t so bad after all. I quickly got to work, grabbing the pouch of coins buried between the mattress as I tucked away the knife hidden beneath the cushion. I gave the room one last glance, before walking downstairs. My vision soon confronted a Gob indulging in my bedside booze, the goblet, blood still inside, laying still besides him on the table.


    ¡°Thanks, Gob,¡± I said, pointing at the goblet. ¡°Just ditch the blood outside, we¡¯ll sell it later.¡±


    ¡°You daft, Boss?¡± Gob said, dropping the now empty bottle on the floor. ¡°I brought it here so you can drink it.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I just stared at Gob in disbelief, before focusing on the goblet. There¡¯s something fishy about it. I¡¯ve seen my fair share of blood, and it tended to clot in mere minutes, though this blood looked strangely fresh. A soft kick to the table caused it to ripple. Something¡¯s happened to it.


    Gob watched my scrutiny with amusement, waiting a bit, before interjecting. ¡°Just drink it, Boss. It¡¯s not everyday you find blood this infused.¡±


    Gob¡¯s last word was the hint I needed. I calmed myself, retreating within once more. Within a minute I stood in the familiar black void, the blood before me giving off a surreal amount of light. That settles it. I¡¯ve heard rumors that Warlocks drank demon¡¯s blood to grow more powerful, their truthfulness dubious at best, but something infused with this much power is bound to have some effect. Right?


    I snapped myself out of the trance, hand grasping the goblet tightly, before raising its edge against my lips. Here goes nothing. Warmth ran down my throat as I gulped down its contents, the familiar metallic taste of blood lingering on my tongue as I held the emptied vessel. That wasn¡¯t so bad.


    ¡°How you feeling, Boss?¡± Gob asked, its tail restlessly sweeping the floor.


    ¡°Same as always.¡± I answered, placing the now empty goblet back onto the table. ¡°Are you sure tha-¡±


    Searing agony forced me to my knees. I take it back. I gasped as muscles rippled beneath my skin. This is bad. I cried out for help, my voice transformed into an inhuman wail. Real bad. Gob slowly backed away, eyeing me with fascination. Help! I tried to say, a bestial growl my result. What¡¯s happening to me!? The pressure in my head rapidly grew, enveloping my sight in darkness. Gob¡¯s faded words echoing through my mind as I passed out from anguish. ¡°How interesting.¡±


    A sharp pain stung the left side of my face. Moments later, something else smacked the other side. I feebly lifted my arms in protest, hoping to ward off any future blows. ¡°Welcome back, Boss.¡±


    I opened my eyes, only to be met with Gob¡¯s shit-eating grin. ¡°I feel terrible.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss. You already looked like shit.¡±


    Gob fiddled a bit as he pushed a cold cup into my hands, water lazily sloshing inside. I gratefully sipped from it, strength slowly returning to my limbs. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, Boss. Probably some adverse reaction with that blood of yours. Maybe the¡­¡±


    I stopped following what Gob said, my mind focusing on the weirdly colored living room instead. Why¡¯s are some parts gray?


    ¡°¡­ I think. But that¡¯s not important, Boss.¡± Gob finished. He reached back to pull out a small glass mirror, before holding it steady in front of my face. ¡°Though you might want to take a look at this.¡±


    Where did that come from? The mirror reflected my usual face, except for the pair of serpentine eyes starring back, their color now icy blue. Where¡¯s the yellow of Greed? I closed my eyes, willing the annoying feeling to appear, its absence apparent as nothing could be felt. Icy blue stared back as I opened them again. Did they merge?


    I slowly stood up, my limbs feeling lighter than before. ¡°You okay, Boss?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now, thanks for the concern.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, Boss.¡± Gob said, leaning back on its tail. ¡°So what do we do now, Boss?¡±


    He looks bigger. Stronger. I did not notice it before, but Gob was now easily half my size, ears reaching up to my upper torso. Not only that. His frame was also packed with wiry muscles, slowly shifting beneath his pale skin as he basked in the moonlight. Moonlight? I turned around, a full moon visible through the window. No no no no.


    I lurched forward, grabbing hold of Gob¡¯s shoulders, before shaking him violently. ¡°After the sky turned red, how many times did you hear a bell ring!?¡±


    ¡°W-w-what¡¯s gotten into y-y-you, Boss?¡±


    ¡°Just answer the damn question!¡±


    ¡°Only once, B-B-Boss.¡±


    There¡¯s still time. I rushed the door, donning the cloak that lay near the entrance. Afterwards, I turned around, arm outstretched as I willed Gob to disperse. Seconds ticked by as Gob scratched his backside, waiting for something to happen. ¡°Why won¡¯t you dismiss!?¡±


    ¡°Cause that would be boring, Boss.¡± Gob said, teeth barred in a creepy smile. ¡°Can¡¯t do anything fun without a body.¡±


    Why can¡¯t it ever be easy!? A demon running around the burrow would attract far too much attention. Not to mention the capital punishment that loomed for unchained Warlocks.Think, Marcus, think!. With no time to spare, I raced up and down the wooden stairs, my thick brown bed sheet now clutched in my hands. I draped it over Gob, his ears and wings protruding through the fabric, tail coiled up around the waste. This will never work. ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t lose that sheet!.¡±


    I shoved Gob outside as I slammed the door shut behind me. No time to be quiet. It was usually a bad idea to make noise in the Burrows, for it attracted all kindsof rats. Or worse.But tonight was different, with Luna¡¯s eye open, moonlight illuminated Redgate¡¯s slums. Its small streets devoid of the usual occupants, for they preferred to do their business in the dark. This can¡¯t be good.Whatever was still out there would stick to the shadowy alleyways. But I need the shortcuts¡­ Screw it.I¡¯ll deal with it, when it happens.


    I quickly dashed into a nearby alleyway, not bothering too see if Gob followed me. Not that I needed to, the nearby sound of scratched stone told me all I needed to know. Time passed as I weaved my way through decrepit pathways, dodging passed out drunkards and discarded junk with ease. The darkness offered their shapes no comfort, its mysteries revealed to me in black and white. This is awesome! I kicked up my speed another notch, my body brimming with energy as I slipped pass more corners. Soon after, I made my way into another alleyway, Redgate¡¯s walls now clearly visible at this distance. Just have to find a way to deal with the guards.


    My thoughts got interrupted as something tangled up my legs, causing me to slide across the ground to a standstill. I turned to see three rag clad figures step forth from a nearby back street. The smallest one made its way towards me, his dirt smeared face gloating as he spoke. ¡°Well well well, look what we have here.¡±


    A quick downwards glance revealed my legs to be tangled up in some makeshift contraption. Have to bid my time.


    I shifted my gaze to the man moving closer. Wait for it.He stopped only to taunt me up close. ¡°A loud idiot and a¡­¡± he turned to look behind him. ¡°Bed sheet?¡±


    Now.


    I lunged forward, aiming a conjured wind-blade at the man¡¯s inner thigh. To my dismay, he sidestepped it, using my forward momentum to pin me to the ground with his knees. Any further attempts discouraged by the cold edge of iron now resting upon my throat. He leaned in laughing, his rancid breath assaulting my senses as he softly whispered into my ear, ¡°I love it when they struggle.¡±


    ¡°So do I,¡± a raspy voice replied. I looked up to see a bed sheet tackle the man off me, his scream cut short as it enveloped him. Unholy wails of agony started echoing throughout the area as the bed sheet twisted and contorted, each movement bringing sounds of rending and tearing. The man¡¯s cries gradually died down to a weak whimper, a loud crunch ending them. Silence descended upon the night once more, safe for the occasional slurping and chewing.


    I could only stare at the spectacle besides me. A thick brown bed sheet stained in blotches of deep crimson covered my assailant, its wielder unknown where it not for the two large ears visibly protruding through the fabric. It almost seemed a single entity, the way it rippled and moved, fouling its hide with the occasional spray of blood. A feeling of urgency broke the mesmerizing sight, my hands reaching for the dropped dagger. I sliced my legs free, scanning the area for more threats, only to spot two pairs of lifeless eyes further up the alley, their owners throats ripped apart by some beast. My beast. I felt no pity for these dregs. If Gob hadn¡¯t interfered; my corpse would¡¯ve sported some extra breathing holes. Not that sparing them was an option either, mercy tended to get you killed in the Burrows. No wonder that it was in short supply.


    Distant shouts reminded me of our predicament. We made far too much noise this close to the walls; soon this whole area would be crawling with guards.


    ¡°We need to move, Gob,¡± I said, lightly kicking the bed sheet. It paused to gnarl at me, before continuing its loud chewing. ¡°Would you rather eat moldy bread for the next few years?¡±


    The sheet shuddered, its reply curt, ¡°One moment, Boss.¡± I let it be as I headed towards the corner, ignoring the wet ripping sounds behind me. I peeked around its edge, happy to see no guards, before looking back to find a blood drenched bed sheet standing next to me. ¡°Ready, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Follow my lead.¡± I darted into the shadows, aiming to avoid any patrols. The guards may have worked here, but I lived here. No ratwas going to be caught in its own burrow. Especially not me.


    Within minutes I slipped past several of them, utilizing the various dark pathways my home had no shortage of. Not that they tried very hard, sticking to the streets washed in moonlight. Can¡¯t blame them. With several gangs actively encouraging attacks on the nearby garrison, only suicidal guards would willingly venture into our alleys. Though it hardly matters anymore. My evasion turned out to be a success, the Lid now clearly visible from around the corner.


    A massive reinforced portcullis and drawbridge, preceded by a stretch of cleared land. Its moat deep and wide, and it¡¯s walls high and strong. Outfitted with its own personal garrison of guards, they patrolled their fortification every waking moment. Magically lit, and enchanted, the Lid was designed for one thing, and one thing only: to keep the Burrows¡¯ filth from seeping into the capital.


    Looks like the usual business. Moonlight basked the crowd near the drawbridge, each clamoring to get through as wagons loaded with crates rode out off the city, their contents carefully guarded by fellow rats. At the same time, a large contingent of guardsmen thoroughly checked the papers of people coming in. They were thorough in vetting those they deemed suspicious, not afraid to get rough if they had to. Their actions halted as some commotion drove the crowd apart, revealing several chained figures pleading to the guards. Their pleas went unheard as they were driven off the drawbridge. After which they were simply abandoned in the barren killing grounds, safe for the single key thrown their way. Looks like we have some new rodents.


    Redgate disliked the Burrows, but that did not mean it disliked our riches. It was a give and take relationship. We sold minerals, they bought minerals. They sold food, we bought food. And so, each day the Lid opened, greedily taking in shipments from the Well. As thanks, it dumped its civic waste at night, before closing at the Chime of Darkness.


    At least the drawbridge is still open. My schemes soon crushedas bells rang in the distance. No! The guards quickly got to work, pushing back those unfortunate enough to still stand in line, making way for the last of the carts to leave the drawbridge. No time to think. Need to improvise. I looked at Gob, or what I assumed to be him. For all I saw was a blood drenched bed sheet, its contours humanoid except for two large pointy ears. This might work.


    ¡°Gob, you up for some terrorizing?¡± I asked.


    The bed sheet shifted towards me, its voice buzzing with excitement. ¡°Boss, I¡¯m always up for fun.¡±


    I leaned in closer, explaining the plan. The sheet shivered in response, its question restless. ¡°Permission to let Loose, Boss?¡±


    ¡°Only a little, whatever that letting loosemeans. We¡¯re here to scare them, not to fight them.¡±


    The dark chuckle that followed made me feel uneasy. ¡°A little is all I need, Boss.¡±


    Right¡­ I glanced around the corner, seeing the mob slowly disperse away from the drawbridge. It would be empty enough to raise in mere minutes. Now or never.


    ¡°You ready?¡±


    ¡°Ready when you are, Boss.¡±


    I took a few breathes to calm myself, before shooting forwards, pretending to stumble upon the main street in panic. ¡°It¡¯s coming!¡± I bellowed in alarm at the top of my lungs, faces turning towards me in curiosity. ¡°Cave rat!¡±


    If that name didn¡¯t have any affect, the ungodly roar that followed sure did. Mass panic broke out as people scattered into alleys, others into nearby shops. The gate crowd surged up the drawbridge instead, hoping to find safety behind its massive walls. That¡¯s it. Don¡¯t think. Just run.


    I steadily got closer to the Lid, as screams and roars filled the night. The drawbridge guards having crumbled into complete disarray: some ran, some hesitated, whilst others stood their ground. All of them occupied by this illusory threat. And so the rat slips in.


    ¡°It¡¯s coming this way!¡± one the guards shouted.


    What do you mean? I glanced over my shoulder, moonlight revealing the form of an actual cave rat chasing me. Six-hundred pounds of naked monstrosity followed in my wake, its claws ripping apart the single stone road in its eagerness to get closer, drool spilling from its ravenous maw. I could feel its gaze upon, even though it lacked eyes to see. Change of plans. My body shifted into high gear, legs bolting towards salvation as guardsmen visibly panicked the closer I got to the Lid.


    ¡°Close the gate! Don¡¯t let it past the walls!¡± boomed a deep voice. Its command quickly followed by the sound of chains rapidly falling, the heavy steel portcullis slamming down in mere seconds. Not that it helped poor little me, desperately trying to shake off the beast. It stubbornly refused to chase the other guards, hounding my steps as I zigzagged across the barren area. Why is this happening!?My only hope was to keep ahead of it, one which proved folly as it steadily gained on me, the killing grounds providing no shelter or obstacles to slow it down.


    ¡°To the gate, child!¡± the same voice resounded. ¡°Let our arrows bring it down!¡±


    I knew getting stuck in front of the gate was a death trap, but the oncoming exhaustion left me no other choice. Here goes nothing.


    I veered sharply to the right, passing a terrified guardsman, hoping it would take the bait for once. Not that it seemed to care, the sounds of its pursuit still hot on my heels. This is it. I could feel myself slowing down, salvation a mere fifty feet away, were it not for the creature being almost upon me. This is how I die.


    ¡°Fire!¡± the voice commanded. Bowstrings and chants began filling the night sky, as fire-bolts lit up the darkness. All manner of projectiles whizzed overhead, the beast pausing briefly under the continuous barrage. Hope filled my heart, only to be squashed by its roar of anger. What¡¯s up with this thing!?.


    ¡°Keep running, child! I¡¯ll protect you!¡± the voice said as my feet hit solid wood. And how are you going to do that? My question soon answered as a dark shape crashed in front of the gate.


    It was a black suit of armor, its owner standing up as it lifted the great black warhammer besides it.


    Did he just jump!?Not that I cared, rapidly crossing the drawbridge, before scampering behind my would be savior.


    ¡°Stand back,¡± the armor said, its feet shifting into a stance. Not one to argue, I quickly retreated towards the portcullis, not willing to face the incoming cave rat. Speaking of which. It had decided to slowly approach the two us, leisurely strolling across the drawbridge. Arrows bounced off its naked skin as magical bolts dissipated around it, its sightseeing tour ending just a few feet short of the armored knight. Why did it have to be a blasted deviant!?


    Our situation looked grim, till the knight uttered some dark incantation. Within seconds his helmet grew several curved horns as its armor expanded to twice its size, the surface of the black warhammer now riddled with dark-yellow lines, their pulse radiating an immense heat. A Shaper of Wrath.


    Silence descended upon the ramparts, its defenders now watching the imminent clash in revered silence. The cave rat cocked its head in curiosity, looking at the Shaper¡¯s stance. It had readied its great warhammer, waiting for the creature to get into striking range. With a contentious snort, it sat down. Its eyeless head turned towards me as an all too familiar voice spilled from its throat. ¡°Boss, what¡¯s up with this flashy idiot? He compensating for something?¡±


    I groaned internally as the knight froze up. The dead silence that followed broken as the armor trembled, radiant red flames consuming its wielder, its deep voice laced with rage. ¡°You¡¯ve got some balls on you, vermin.¡±


    ¡°At least they¡¯re bigger than yours.¡±


    Please stop talking, Gob.

 Chapter 3v2

    Filch of the Burrows, better known as Sandsnake,


    In the name of Cedia, and the laws that govern it, you have been found guilty of possessing an unregistered demon. In accordance to the law, any who possess an unregistered demon, are considered to be unchained. For which the punishment is death. The Council has decided that your demise will be one by hanging, from the very walls you despise so much. May your corpse serve our great nation as a warning to all those that skulk in the Burrows shadow.


    As for your final request to see your family one last time.


    Denied.


    - Hadrian Blackwall¡¯s speech, seconds before kicking Sandsnake, noose and all, from the walls.


    A single, wet rat wormed its way through thick, steel bars, pausing briefly to sniff the stale air of our prison cell.


    Once inside, it scampered around the cold stone floor, quickly tracking down the few bread crumbs strewn across it. Small hands greedily stuffed food inside its cheeks, little beady eyes unaware of my nearby presence. The dim orange glow, that emanated from the hallway, insufficient for its sight to pierce the deep shadows of my confinement. Unlike me.


    I watched in amusement as the rat gorged itself on the remnants of my very lastmeal. The darkness offered no shelter to the rat, nor the room around it. Its contents revealed to me in varying shades of gray. Not that I would get to enjoy my new found sight for much longer, let alone the next sunrise. I don¡¯t want to die.


    There was no getting out of this one. Not with my arms constricted in these damnable binders. Two, hollow, iron balls encapsulated my hands, connected to two thick shackles around my wrist, my fingers forced into a fist by the lack of room inside of them. With no way to move my fingers, or open my palm, casting magic would be next to impossible. Though even if I could, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. The person that guarded us, would make sure of that. Especially that great warhammer of his. The Shaper that captured us was sitting opposite our cell, his hands resting on the pommel of his weapon, just begging us to pull something stupid. Torchlight reflected of his black helmet, a set of hard eyes peering at me through its slit. Is he the one who will execute me?


    My body shivered in fear of the inevitable, the chains binding my feet softly rattling. Startled, the rat promptly slipped away through the bars, dragging with it the last crumb of bread. At least one of us is getting out of here. I heard a loud yawn come from the other side of the bench. I turned to see Gob lying next to it, finally waking up again. That natural disaster didn¡¯t even resist when he was taken prisoner. He simply picked his nose, till they slapped his hands into binders. Just to be safe, theyhogtied him with chains, before dumping him into the cell. He just rolled around a bit, saying something about finding a ¡®comfy¡¯ spot. When he got to the corner, he proceeded to lay still, telling me to wake him if anything interesting happened. I didn¡¯t want to talk to him, but silently waiting for my execution would be even worse. Maybe he¡¯ll drive the guard insane, make him do something stupid.


    ¡°You awake, Gob?¡± I asked, scooting closer up the bench.


    The demon stifled a yawn. ¡°Yes, Boss. Though my ass itches badly. Mind scratching it for me?¡±


    I lifted my binders, smiling as he noticed it. I¡¯d rather sleep in the Underground.


    ¡°Just use your toenails, Boss,¡± he said, writhing around to get closer to me. ¡°I¡¯m getting kind of desperate over here.¡±


    How about I stick my foot up your ass?


    I started distancing myself from the squirming of the demon. ¡°Mind telling me, how you turned into a cave rat, Gob?¡±


    He briefly stopped twisting near the edge of the bench. ¡°That¡¯s a secret, Boss.¡¯¡¯ He decided to lay sideways for now. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want to spoil the fun.¡±


    What we wouldn¡¯t do without fun¡­


    ¡°Can you at least tell me why you turned into a cave rat?¡±


    Gob¡¯s tail began pushing him upright as he spoke, ¡°Well, Boss. You wanted me to imitate a cave rat. So I thought, why not become a cave rat? I even asked permission to let a bit Loose, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    I need to start being more careful with my words.


    Finally upright, Gob began scratching his backside against the edge of the bench. The Shaper seemingly annoyed as obscene sounds of pleasure emanated from the cell, Gob¡¯s wings and tail trashing in obvious ecstasy.


    With one final scratch, Gob quieted down. ¡°Aaaah, that hit the spot.¡± Satisfied, he turned his attention towards me. ¡°So what now, Boss?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, thanks to you.¡± I sighed, looking upwards at the stone ceiling. ¡°Instead of applying to the Royal Academy, I¡¯ll probably get hanged from the Lid come morning.¡±


    My stomach churned at the mere thought of it, before twisting at Gob¡¯s followup. ¡°Can¡¯t have that, Boss. Just tell me to Loose the Collar, and we¡¯ll break out of here.¡±


    I quickly stared down again, the Shaper¡¯s gauntlet now firmly grasped around his weapon¡¯s hilt. Gob seemed to have noticed it too, his teeth displayed in a ravenous smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the small fry, Boss. I¡¯ll have you out in no time.¡±


    The Shaper stood up, flames flickering between the joints of his armor. ¡°Don¡¯t provoke him, Gob!¡±


    Gob ignored me, his eyes almost twinkling in the dark. ¡°What¡¯s he gonna do, Boss? Whack me with his walking stick?¡±


    That seemed to be the final straw. Fire erupted from the black armor, washing my body in a wave of heat, its light driving away the shadows that blanketed my cell. Not that Gob seemed to care, laughing like a maniac in the corner.


    ¡°You better let me Loose, Boss!¡± he cackled as the Shaper ripped the barred cell door off its hinges. ¡°Cause this guy is just burning with hatred!¡±


    The knight briefly froze in the cell opening, before his flames blazed with a new intensity, the air now painful to breathe. Here lies Marcus Ashwood, death by pun.


    The inferno slowly moved through the opening, its heat forcing me to close my eyes. I need to word this right! I screamed the command as the flames roared closer. ¡°I command you, Gob, by the power of our Contract, to Lo-¡±


    The roars of the flames vanished.


    The sudden silence surprised me, my words trailing off as cold air brushed against my skin. I slowly opened my eyes to see the Shaper¡¯s black armor before me. His body petrified as his great warhammer hovered above his head, ready to strike the hogtied demon at his feet. His helmet slowly shifted towards me, a deep voice resounding from within. ¡°Did you say Contract?¡±


    I stumbled my words as his hard eyes observed me. ¡°Y-yes¡­ I said Contract just n-¡±


    Gob¡¯s voice cut through my sentence. ¡°Hey, tin can! Why¡¯d you sto-¡±


    The Shaper kicked him hard in the ribs, launching his backside into the nearby wall. Gob hit it with a sickening crunch, before falling to the floor again. His wings, arms, and legs twisted in weird angles as his frame remained still. Not bothered in the slightest, the Shaper walked towards me, hands reaching for my arms. I backed away on instinct as I closed my eyes, feeling him tug my binders. There was an audible click as the weight around my wrists suddenly lifted. Surprised, I opened my eyes to the resounding clang of metal upon stone, my hands now free of their constraints.


    ¡°Show it to me,¡± the Shaper said, his palm outstretched towards me.


    I stretched my fingers, hoping to buy some time for an answer. Better tell the truth. ¡°I, uhmm, don¡¯t know how.¡±


    Two metal gauntlets grabbed my collar, lifting me from the ground, anger apparent in their wearers voice. ¡°So you lied to me!?¡±


    Terror drove me to respond, ¡°No, you see. I-I just summoned Gob this morning, And that¡¯s when I signed this Contract. He was t-the one that made it appear, I swear! I don¡¯t even know where he got it from! You¡¯ve got to believe me, please! I don¡¯t wanna die!¡±


    I could feel the tears start to stream down my face, snot filling my nose as my sobs echoed through the silent room. The Shaper fell silent, hands gradually lowering me to the floor. His sight fixated at the wall behind me, voice vacant and empty. ¡°You made a contract with a demon¡­ that you summoned this very morning?¡± His helmet shifted towards me. ¡°How old are you?¡±


    I wiped away the tears and snot on my face before answering. ¡°Survived sixteen summers as of last week . . . sir Shaper.¡±


    The darkness within the cell may have hid the startled reaction on his face, were it not for my new found sight piercing through the confines of his shadowy helmet. He quickly noticed, taking a few steps back to distance himself. ¡°Whatare you?¡±


    I just stared at the Shaper, unsure how to answer. ¡°No matter. Forget what I said. Since you don¡¯t know how to summon a Contract, I¡¯ll have to figure something out. Now, what did Lady Adeline do again with¡­?¡± The knight started mumbling a bit, before speaking up. ¡°Try grabbing the air.¡±


    I was confused, but did what he told me. Nothing happened. The knight scratched his helmet. ¡°Maybe, think of the Contract while doing it?¡±


    I closed my eyes, fingers moving through the air as I envisioned myself grabbing hold of the dark scroll that eluded me. My hand grasped a familiar warmth, paper brushing against the skin of my palm. With a tug I pulled it towards me, eyes open to see the puff of smoke that engulfed my forearm. It quickly dissipated, revealing a dark gray scroll now clutched in my hand.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°So it is true¡­,¡± the Shaper whispered, his voice carried by the silence around me. He fiddled with his helmet, hastily removing it, before holding it under his arm. Brown eyes, set in a face worn by the deep lines of age, looked at me with amazement. His Wrath manifested in the few patches of red that streaked his silver gray hair and mustache. He strode forward, eyeing me with a sense of reverence, stopping a mere feet away from me. His gauntlets reached for the scroll, briefly pausing. ¡°May I, child?¡±


    I just nodded in consent, not sure as to what was truly happening. The metal finger joints gently picked up the scroll, handling it with the utmost care and safety. I could only stare in disbelief as the Shaper treated the Contract like some long lost treasure. What¡¯s the big deal?


    After opening the scroll and reading its contents, the man softly placed it back in my hands. He carefully lay down his helmet, before kneeling in front of me, his booming voice echoing of the stone walls. ¡°Lord Warlock, forgive this foolish knight for his past transgressions!¡±


    Huh?


    The knight continued to speak, head facing downwards. ¡°I was under the misguided assumption that your personal demon belonged to one of the Four Kings. My belief was that you were merely a decoy, one send to distract us from the real Warlock.¡±


    I could only mumble in confusion at the Shaper kneeling before me. ¡°What do you mean? Aren¡¯t unchained Warlocks supposed to be executed?¡±


    The man looked up, his eyes meeting mine. ¡°You wished to join the Royal Academy, did you not?¡± I nodded my head in confirmation. ¡°I can contact the Academy. Surely, they would spare someone of your outstanding talents.¡±


    I get to¡­ live?


    Joy welled up inside of me as I tried holding back tears of relief. Not that I succeeded, the man considerate enough to look away as they streamed down my face. I tried wiping them away, but stopped when his hand grabbed my shoulder. Its grip was strong, though nothing compared to the hard look on his face. ¡°But if you want to get out of here, you will need to do me a favor.¡±


    Should¡¯ve known there was a catch. Not that that stopped me from agreeing, the choice between life and death an obvious one. ¡°Deal.¡±


    The man¡¯s grip loosened, an obvious weight lifted off his shoulders as he let out a long sigh of relief. He stood up, hand held out in greeting. ¡°Lord Warlock, allow me to introduce myself. Richtus Redbridge, one of the Shapers under Hadrian Blackwall¡¯s command.¡±


    I shook it as hard as I could, not surprised to find his handshake firmer than mine. ¡°Just call me Marcus.¡±


    The man chuckled at my feeble attempt at dominance. ¡°Seems you got over your crying.¡± I looked away, humiliation burning my cheeks. ¡°No need to feel ashamed, boy. It is natural to be fearful of death. Gods be damned, I¡¯ve pissed my breeches in many a battlefield!¡±


    The Shaper broke out in a hearty laugh. Even Shapers know fear? I looked back, his words lifting my spirits. ¡°That¡¯s it, boy. Be strong. If not for me, then for my granddaughter.¡±


    ¡°Granddaughter?¡±


    The man reached inside his armored collar, pulling out a long golden chain. He held it before me, a portrait in the middle silently swaying in the wind. Depicted on it was a young girl, couldn¡¯t be more than twelve summers old. Her brown eyes sparkled as she laughed, deep crimson hair swaying in the wind. Her body held in the air by a smiling Richtus. ¡°Isabelle, the joy of my life.¡±


    He gazed into the distance, before speaking to me in a serious voice. ¡°Marcus. I am the last Shaper of my line. With my daughter failing to inherit my Sin, and my son-in-law being a good for nothing scumbag.¡± He spat onto the ground. ¡°I feared our surname would end with me. But that all changed the day my sun was born.¡±


    He took my hand, opening it. ¡°Little Isabelle.¡± He proceeded talking as he slowly dropped the chain inside it. ¡°She was born Awakened, Marcus. The power she wields great enough to pass this years entry test to the Royal Academy.¡±


    I see where this is going.


    He met my gaze. ¡°The same place you will enter.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve gotta look out for her?¡± I asked.


    Richtus clenched my fingers around the chain. ¡°Protect, Marcus. Protect.¡±


    He saw the confused look on my face. ¡°I am Bound to hide the truth, Marcus. All I can say is that the entrance test is not what it seems to be.¡±


    Now that confused me even more. ¡°Look, all you need to do is protect Isabelle for six months. Got it? Six months. Do that and you will have returned the favor.¡±


    That¡¯s oddly specific, but sure. I raised my hand to my heart, before reciting the old promise, ¡°I swear upon the Gods, both old and new, that I will do this for you.¡±


    Richtus nodded. ¡°Good. She may be older now, but finding her should be a matter of spotting the girl with crimson hair.¡± He stood up, grabbing his helmet. ¡°If she¡¯s suspicious of you, just show her the necklace.¡±


    He fiddled a bit with it as he put it back on, stepping over the ripped out cell door, only to pause in the hallway. ¡°Stay here, till I brought the examiners.¡± He cast a glance to the thing still lying in the corner. ¡°And make sure that demon of yours stays put. I don¡¯t want it running around the place, scaring my men.¡±


    With that Richtus disappeared into the stone corridor, footsteps growing ever more distant. I turned towards Gob, worrying about his injuries. The way his bones crunched, when he hit the wall, couldn¡¯t have been a good sign. I laid the Contract on the prison bench as I moved closer, perplexed that his limbs seemed to have straightened themselves. Strange¡­ I don¡¯t see any bruising. I touched one of his arms, trying to feel if the bone shifted beneath the flesh. It didn¡¯t budge, his leathery skin not swelled in the slightest. I could swear I hea-


    ¡°He¡¯s gone, Boss.¡±


    I jumped back in fright, landing ass first onto the ground. I immediately scrambled upwards, only to see a Gob smirking at me. ¡°Stop doing that!¡±


    ¡°Stop doing what, Boss?¡± Gob asked with a sickeningly sweet voice.


    ¡°Stop doing that-that¡­ just stop being you!¡± I shouted, hands trembling in anger.


    ¡°But I like being me, Boss.¡± he chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s you,who¡¯s no fun.¡±


    I mentally sighed. This is going nowhere.


    ¡°How long have you been awake, Gob?¡± I asked, standingup slowly, ass still sore from the fall.


    ¡°Since I hit the wall, Boss,¡± Gob said as he started squirming again. ¡°Mind getting me out of this hogtie, Boss?¡±


    I talked as I sat down on the wooden bench. ¡°And have you terrorize anyone within three-hundred feet of me? You must think me mad.¡±


    ¡°Not mad, Boss. Just a crybaby.¡± My stare evoked a deep chuckle. ¡°Though I reckon I can terrorize anyone within half a mile by now.¡±


    I leaned my head against the cold wall. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to stay within three-hundred feet of me?¡±


    ¡°That was before you drank the blood, Boss,¡± Gob said as he started wiggling his way to the cell opening. ¡°The stronger you get, the stronger I get. Which in turn strengthens the binding between our souls.¡±


    I mulled over his information, my foot restlessly tapping the stone floor. In the meantime Gob hopped and bounced his way to the cell opening ever so slowly. Oh no, you don¡¯t. I quickly moved to intercept him.


    ¡°Almost there,¡± Gob said, before I pulled him back to the corner by his tail. Suffice to say, he did not look happy. ¡°What you do that for, Boss?¡±


    I turned around to sit on the bench once more, giving the demon a hard look. ¡°The Shaper said to stay put. So we stay put.¡±


    Gob scowled at me, before worming his way to the opening again, only to be dragged back when he got close to the exit. This continued for a good while, with Gob spewing a variety of creative insults at me, each time I dragged him back to his corner. He finally lay still after his eighteenth attempt proved unsuccessful, though it did not last long. Deep dark chuckles soon emanated from Gob¡¯s lonesome corner, his eyes blazing with an intense yellow light. ¡°Hey, Boss. Since we¡¯re staying here anyway, let me ask you a question.¡±


    Let¡¯s get this over with. I turned to face him. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Ever heard the most annoying sound in the world?¡± Gob asked, before inhaling deeply.


    What kind of que- An unholy screech filled the cell as Gob opened his mouth, rattling my brain as my ears throbbed in pain. That¡¯s it. I¡¯ve had it with him. I plugged my ears, the screeching now physically bearable, albeit annoying as ever. No more playing nice. I looked around the cell, happy to see my pair of binders still lying on the floor. I snatched it up, before making my way towards Gob. My Virtue of Patience had finally been worn thin, binders clenched in my hands. I¡¯m going to take my time, caving in that skull of his.


    Gob stopped screeching when he saw me approach with the binders. Face adorned with that stupid grin of his. ¡°Might not wanna do that, Boss.¡±


    I stopped before him, binders raised above my head, ready to wipe that smirk of his face. ¡°Give me one good reason why I shouldn¡¯t brain you right now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll die, Boss.¡± Gob said, the grin now evolved into a full blown smile. ¡°We¡¯re soulbound, remember? If my soul departs, so does yours.¡±


    The binders trembled in my hands, before I flung them onto the floor with a resounding clang. ¡°Gods be damned!¡± I boiled with rage as I stomped through the prison cell, making my anger known to all those that could hear it. ¡°What¡¯s the point of having a demon, if you can¡¯t summon it again, when it dies!?¡±


    ¡°There are many reasons, young Warlock,¡± a female voice said. I turned around to see a hooded figure standing in the cell opening, a thick black robe hiding the features of her body. Face hidden beneath an impenetrable mask of darkness, Richtus nowhere to be seen. She stepped forward, surveying the room. Her gaze briefly rested on the ripped out cell door, before turning her attention towards me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about old Richtus. He¡¯ll catch up soon enough. Having said that, I¡¯ve personally volunteered to test your value.¡±


    Gob interjected with a short whistle. ¡°You better be careful, Boss. She¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    The hood shifted towards the corner, her voice now dripping with curiosity. ¡°Thought that hardly seems necessary anymore.¡± She moved closer to Gob, kneeling down to get a closer look. ¡°So you¡¯re the one who morphed into a cave rat. You certainly don¡¯t look the part.¡±


    Gob chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from one with Envy.¡± She flinched. Seems like he hit a sore spot. ¡°Your kind tends to reek quite a bit, especially that thing hiding behind you.¡± She quickly backed away, heading towards me instead, her face still hidden from my eyes. Probably some kind of spell.


    ¡°Your pet has quite the mouth on him, doesn¡¯t he? No matter, we¡¯ll deal with that later,¡±she said as she walked past me. I turned to see her pick up the scroll from the bench. ¡°Though, I will deduct some points. Can¡¯t have you leaving your Contract out in the open.¡±


    She walked back, handing the scroll to me. ¡°Just to confirm Richtus¡¯s information, I¡¯ll need you to dismiss your own Contract.¡±


    I grabbed the scroll, looking blankly at her. ¡°I don¡¯t know how.¡±


    She giggled, her voice now softer than before. ¡°And here I thought that old dog was lying to me. You really are completely new this, aren¡¯t you?¡± I simply nodded. ¡°How exciting! Now, just imagine putting the Contract into a container, after that it should do the rest.¡±


    I closed my eyes, hand moving forward as I imagined myself putting the warm scroll into a small wooden chest. I let go, my opened eyes revealing nothing now, but an empty hand. The hooded woman started laughing, only to stop when she noticed my confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just imagining the faces at the academy. I can¡¯t wait to see their looks, when they realize the youngest Warlock in history turned out to be a Burrow rat.¡±


    I could barely suppress the excitement welling up inside me. ¡°So I¡¯m in?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re in alright,¡± she said as a metallic noise echoed through the hallway.


    A wheezing and exhausted Richtus soon appeared in front of the cell, choking down air as he tried to speak. ¡°Lady¡­Adeline ¡­please don¡¯t¡­ run off again.¡±


    ¡°There you are Richtus,¡± she said as she walked out of the cell. ¡°Be so kind to go and escort Marcus back to his house. He¡¯ll need a hand in moving what earthly belongings still remain there.¡±


    Richtus gulped down some more air, before replying, ¡°My lady¡­ I strongly suggest we leave Marcus at the Academy. The Four Kings will surely be on high alert after tonight¡¯s incident.¡±


    ¡°That is none of my concern,¡± she said as she walked close to him. ¡°That was not a suggestion, but an order Richtus.¡±


    The Shaper snapped into a crisp salute, fist striking his breastplate. ¡°Yes, my Lady!¡±


    ¡°It was a pleasure meeting you, Marcus Ashwood,¡± she said as she disappeared around the corner. Wait, how does she know my full name? Her voice echoed one last time through the hallway, ¡°Shade, you can let him go now.¡±


    I felt something brush past me, the orange light of the hallway¡¯s torch flickering as if it stood in the wind, before continuing to burn with its usual steadiness. I turned to find Gob gasping for breath, eyes alit with a red blaze as anger seeped through his words, ¡°Reminder to self¡­ stab the next Envy demon I see.¡±


    I looked at Richtus. ¡°Who was she?¡±


    ¡°That would be Lady Adeline Kendall, Archduke of Envy.¡±

 Chapter 4v2

    Hadrian of Bloodgate, better known as Blackshit,


    In the name of the Burrows, and the laws we made ourselves, you have been found guilty of being a righteous pain in the ass. In accordance to our rules, any who dare hurt our own, are considered to be enemies. For which the punishment is death. Salamander of the Four Kings, has decided that your daughter¡¯s death will be one by live flaying, in front of the very walls she so desperately tried to protect. May her skinless corpse serve our Burrows as a warning to all those that dare overstep their bounds.


    As for her final request to see you one last time.


    Well¡­


    We¡¯ve taken the courtesy of sending you her eyeballs.


    - The Burrows¡¯response to Sandsnake¡¯s execution.


    I eyed the brown cloth covering our wheelbarrow¡¯s contents. Seems like he¡¯s keeping his end of the bargain.


    ¡°You sure he will lay still?¡± Richtus asked softly, gaze directed at me. His suit of armor now gone, replaced by a ragged sackcloth clothing his body. His facial features difficult to discern with the brown hood, and cloth, covering his face.


    ¡°He will, if he wants his free booze,¡± I said a bit louder, the cloth briefly twitching in response. ¡°See?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± he urgently whispered, eyes scanning the people around us.


    ¡°Stop being so jumpy,¡± I said, already noticing the odd glance cast towards Richtus. ¡°We rats pick up on that sort of thing.¡±


    Richtus took a deep breath, seemingly calming down, were it not for his shaking hands. I raised an eyebrow at him, before he noticed the same problem. ¡°What? My fingers get itchy without my weapon.¡± Soon after he began to continuously scratch his back. ¡°Though not as itchy as these damned rags. How can you stand wearing this all day?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll learn to live with it,¡± I shrugged, barely feeling the coarse fabric on my skin. Not that my relaxed demeanor seemed to help, Richtus was still drawing far too much suspicion. ¡°Now stop fidgeting, or you¡¯ll blow our cover.¡±


    This is bad. The crowd gathered at Redgate¡¯s side of the Lid was quite large this morning. Their numbers great, and their foul mood even greater. Probably courtesy to last night¡¯s stunt.A lot of people and carts were forced to stay on this side of the wall, and none of them were too happy about it. I pulled the hood closer over my face, hoping that people wouldn¡¯t recognize my earlier appearance. Come on bells. Ring already.


    Not that I was afraid or anything. In fact, I felt quite safe beneath the shadow of the massive gatehouse before me. Its fortifications thick, and its guard towers imposing, even more so up close. No wonder none of the Four Kings ever dared assaulting the Lid.Heck, even on the inside it would not be an easy job. All the staircases were hidden within the walls themselves, safeguarded behind heavy steel doors. And what this side of the Lid lost in fortifications, it made up in sheer manpower. With the Lid¡¯s guard garrison stationed in the shadows of the great wall, there was no shortage of guardsmen willing to come to our aid. For now.


    The plan was a simple one. We would sneak into the Burrows alongside the daily morning crowd, disguising ourselves as normal rats. Rats who had nothing more than a simple wooden wheelbarrow. A demon infested wheelbarrow, that is. Once inside we would avoid the gang patrols, working our way towards my house. From there, we would simply let Gob out of the wheelbarrow, before putting my belongings inside of it. Only to escape back to the Lid under the cover of darkness. Yeah right.


    The plan involved more than three steps, it was bound to fail somewhere along the way. They always do. Unfortunately, it was the best I could come up within this short amount of time, no thanks to Richtus. The mad Shaper simply planned a guarded escort to my house. I quickly talked him out of it, reminding him that there is a reason the guard never ventures far from the Lid. Those that do, tend to vanish.


    Bells began to ring in the distance, causing the gatehouse to spring into action. Slowly the drawbridge began to lower as people pushed their way forward, hoping to be first in line. I lightly kicked Richtus¡¯s leg in the moving crowd, speaking a bit louder to overcome the sounds of chains being lowered. ¡°You remember the rules I gave you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak. Don¡¯t make eye contact. Follow your lead, and avoid helping others,¡± Richtus recited. He grabbed the handles of the wheelbarrow, before looking at me. ¡°You sure, you don¡¯t want an armed escort?¡±


    ¡°Trust me,¡± I said, slowly weaving my way through the press of people. ¡°If there is one thing the Burrows is good at, it¡¯s killing those cocky enough to provoke it.¡±


    The drawbridge slammed into place with a resounding thud. Immediately the crowd surged forward, guards not even attempting to stop the oncoming stampede of humans. I held onto the wheelbarrow as we were forced forward by those around us, our destination slowly coming into view as we passed through the gatehouse.


    So that¡¯s how Cedia sees us. The Burrows loomed before me in all its squalid glory. Rows upon rows of tightly packed and poorly made buildings. The Well¡¯s red sandstone visible in their construction as they stretched in an endless swath of crimson towards the mountains behind them. Contrasted by the gaping hole of the Well that lay in its center, its edges visible due to the houses gradually sloping down towards it. One could clearly see why this was considered the country¡¯s greatest prison.A great circular cliff enveloped the Burrows, its dark red hue adorned with numerous dwellings as stone staircases crisscrossed its exterior, accompanied by countless pulleys bringing up its richer inhabitants. It eerily resembled a plague victim¡¯s face, scarred and mired in all sorts of hideous abscesses. Safe for the forehead.


    Most of the cliff¡¯s surface may have been covered with huts, its top was strangely devoid of construction. If one looked a bit further up, it would seem obvious why. Nestled on the cliff¡¯s edge were various Cedian watchtowers, all manned and guarded, ready to repel anyone stupid enough to try and climb his way to freedom. No rat could crawl his way out of here. Well no ordinary one, that is. With one last push we made it through the mass of bodies, ending up behind the crowd clogging the drawbridge¡¯s entrance. I looked back, taking in the sight of the Lid blocking the only opening this enormous natural basin offered. Richtus¡¯s voice grabbed my attention. ¡°Those walls sure make you feel hopeless, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing compared to what the Burrows felt, when you left it to die,¡± I said, feet moving away from the oppressive battlements.


    Richtus soon caught up, wheelbarrow in hand. ¡°A dark page of history, indeed,¡± he said, glancing at the occasional corpse hanging from the walls. ¡°One that we still pay for, to this very day.¡±


    I shot him a sharp glance, ¡°Bought and payed for, with Burrowblood.¡± He tried to say something back, his reply lost as I pointed at the incoming mass of people. ¡°Now remember the rules, and shut up. I¡¯d like to be alive come morning.¡±


    Richtus chose to remain quiet as we entered the Burrows¡¯ main street, our hooded disguises somewhat blending in with the press of people around us. Most of them were dressed in lighter clothing, hoods down so they could bask in the mild summer heat. If it were anywhere else in Cedia, we would stick out like a sore thumb, were it not for the large numbers of obscured faces mixed into the Burrows¡¯ crowd. Even some of the merchants, in their shaded stalls, shouted through elaborate clay masks. The safety that anonymity brought a much needed luxury in these parts. Though I wish they would stop shouting in my ears.


    Peddlers competed in volume with their adjacent competitors, whilst whores threw themselves on the wasted men stumbling from nearby inns. The alleys of the main street populated with ragged figures looking for their latest fix of jolt. Some things never change, do they? We slowly continued making our way throughPython¡¯s district, careful not to get pulled into its usual mix of decadence, debauchery, and debasement.


    Halfway through, the Cedian guards all but disappeared, replaced by patrolling groups of well armed gang members. Their presence obvious as the sea of people parted before them. I tuned out the nearby vendor calling out to me, eyes fixated on the ground, pretending to ignore one such group closing in. A quick glance told me all I needed to know. Five soldiers, one sergeant. All wearing violet headbands.¡°Head down, Richtus. Incoming vipers.¡±


    ¡°What, where?¡± he asked, looking around.


    Don¡¯t look, don¡¯t lo- I internally cringed when he locked eyes with the head of the group. A few seconds passed by, before the sergeant pointed at him, his soldiers pushing their way towards us.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Marcus, they¡¯re coming this way,¡± Richtus said urgently.


    ¡°I told you not to look, idiot,¡± I replied. I needed to think, and think fast, the soldiers quickly closing in on our position. Let¡¯s hope this works.I sharply veered left, crashing into the wooden wheelbarrow. Richtus tried to hold it steady as I spun to face him, my voice filled with fake outrage. ¡®¡¯Shit stain can¡¯t you even push straight!¡±


    ¡°What are y-¡±


    ¡°It seems, I¡¯ll need to teach you how we do things on this side of the wall!¡± I shouted, rolling up my arm sleeves.


    The people around us slowed down, slowly backing away, waiting to see what was going to happen.


    Richtus put down the wheelbarrow, raising his hands in obvious confusion. ¡°Marcus, can¡¯t we-¡±


    He never got to finish the sentence as my kick pulverized his babymakers. I¡¯m sorry. He dropped to his knees in agony, face twisted in pain as he gasped for breath. Not that I gave him that luxury, my fist already impacting the side of his jaw. His head snapped sideways, launching him into the ground, his form laying still in the brown dirt.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here!¡± a familiar voice shouted. I turned to see the sergeant and his soldiers push their way into the human circle that had formed around us. I quickly pulled down my hood as I stepped between him and Richtus.


    ¡°Breaking in the new rat,¡± I said, emphasizing my point by lightly kicking Richtus. I stared at the sergeant, happy to recognize his face. ¡°Sorry about that, Toothless. Didn¡¯t mean to bother you.¡±


    The man studied me, before breaking out into a smile, revealing the large gaps between his teeth. ¡°I like the new eyes, Marcus. You¡¯ll need to teach me that trick, but first things first.¡±He looked at the gathered crowd. ¡°Fuck off, there¡¯s nothing to see here!¡± People quickly sprang into action, bustling along in a hurry. Satisfied, Toothless turned towards me. ¡°It¡¯s rare seeing you here, Marcus. Couldn¡¯t resist getting your cock wet?¡±


    I shivered. ¡°And find myself in one of Python¡¯s pleasure cells? No thanks, I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    Toothless chuckled, ¡°The way she¡¯s been chasing your father, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± He nodded towards the body behind me. ¡°How new?¡±


    ¡°Fresh from the wall.¡±


    Toothless let out a sharp whistle. ¡°No wonder he didn¡¯t know the rules. Hawk must be getting desperate.¡±


    I tried my best to feign concern on my face. ¡°Lizards been pushing in hard, Hawk needs all the fresh blood he can get.¡±


    ¡°Thrice damned Chameleon,¡± Toothless said as he spat on the ground. His action mimicked by the soldiers around him. ¡°Salamander¡¯s corpse wasn¡¯t even cold, before his goons had gobbled up half the district.¡±


    I nodded, moving to drag Richtus into a nearby alley. ¡°If only Salamander hadn¡¯t provoked Hadrian like that.¡±


    ¡°If only,¡± Toothless said, slowly walking with me. ¡°Everything¡¯s gone to shit, Marcus. With the balance broken, there will be war. Mark my words.¡±


    I slumped Richtus against a nearby wall, softly slapping him awake. ¡°Hawk knows, Toothless. Why do you think even I¡¯ve been tasked with recruitment?¡±


    Toothless wanted to say something, but stopped when Richtus began to groan in response. ¡°Enough chitchat, I¡¯ll leave you and your little princess alone. Just make sure he follows the rules next time.¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± I said, before clasping Toothless¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Just visit me next time you get your ass kicked in the ring. I¡¯ll patch you up for free.¡±


    He clasped mine, his gaping grin on full display. ¡°You¡¯ve got yourself a deal.¡± I waved him off as he disappeared back into the bustle of people, soldiers following in his wake. I grabbed the wheelbarrow and parked it next to Richtus.


    His eyes were open, though he groaned whenever his head moved. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°You got your ass kicked for looking.¡± Which is true. He flinched when I touched his jaw. ¡°Don¡¯t speak, I¡¯ll fix it.¡± Richtus¡¯s eyes widened when he saw me channel Light Magic into his jaw. He wanted to speak, but stopped when I gave him a stern look. Luckily, light was abundant during the summer days, greatly speeding up the healing process. Satisfied with my work I pulled back.


    Richtus proceeded to slowly stand up, hands clutching his nut sack. ¡°Mind heal-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not touching your sweaty balls, Richtus,¡± I said, moving to pick up the wheelbarrow again. ¡°Just follow my lead, and keep your damned head down.¡± Richtus simply nodded as he limped his way besides me.


    Slowly we made our way towards the western part of the Burrows, leaving behind the more pleasurable elements of Viper territory. Brothels and inns decreased in frequency till they were replaced by shops peddling goods ranging from the mundane to the downright illegal. Yellow armbands worn by patrolling gang members clearly marked our entrance into Hawk¡¯s smuggling district. Where Python had the monopoly on matters of the flesh, Hawk held dominion over all that was material. If you had the coin, this was the place to spend it.


    Having reached my destination, I broke off from the main street. With wheelbarrow in hand I distanced myself from the Well in the center, heading instead towards the outer edge of the Burrows. Time passed, and it slowly became tedious to push the wheelbarrow uphill, no matter how gentle the slope may have been. Luckily, I was getting close to home, no longer impeded by the hustle and bustle of the main street. The housing areas may have been less crowded, people still traveled its smaller streets together for safety. And for good reason.


    I may have missed it a few days ago, but my current sight clearly saw through the shadows lining the alley next to me. Nothing escaped my notice, especially not the large, scaled tail that whisked away around the alley¡¯s edge. Dweller.


    ¡°Richtus, get ready to run!¡± I said, increasing the pace of my steps as I crossed the street. People saw my sudden change in behavior, quickly mimicking my actions. There was a tangible nervousness in the air as everyone checked the opposite alleys for movement.


    Richtus limp was mostly gone, making it quite easy for him to catch up to my frantic form. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Marcus?¡± he asked, glimpsing over his shoulder. ¡°We running from something?¡±


    ¡°No time to explain!¡± I said, pushing the wheelbarrow as hard as I could. ¡°We¡¯re almost at my house, we¡¯ll be safe there!¡± I hope.


    We turned a bend in the road as my house came into view. Sudden relief extinguished by the sounds of nearby humans screaming. I pointed at the door of my house. ¡°It¡¯s unlocked!¡± Richtus flew past me, quickly flinging the door open as I barreled through with my wheelbarrow. I dropped the thing inside, before grabbing the thick wooden plank laying next to the entrance. Richtus pulled the door shut as he came in, stepping aside as he saw me approach with the plank. I slammed it into the door stops, before grabbing the key from the table. ¡°Close the shutters!¡± I ran back to the door, fumbling with the lock as the room went dark. Not that it hindered me, the mechanism soon giving a satisfying click.


    I let out a long sigh of relief, turning around to find Gob already crawling out of the wheelbarrow. He began to dust himself off as I took my time to calming down, heartbeat slowly lowering. Suddenly, I something moved upstairs. Intruders.I wanted to say something, but stopped. Something large and heavy was prowling about, softly shaking the ground with every step. A strange clicking sound began resounding through the air, coming ever closer. I sucked in my breath, trying to be as quiet as possible. All three of us dead silent as the sound moved in front of the house.


    ¡°So where¡¯s that free booze, Boss?¡±


    The sound stopped. I looked at Gob in absolute horror. He seemed to understand what he just did, his face completely flabbergasted. ¡°Boss, don¡¯t tell me you forgot your promise.¡±


    Or maybe not.


    I covered my head on instinct as something smashed into the house, stone and wood flying in all directions. My screams muffled by the bestial screech outside. Daylight burst into the room through the gaping hole in the front wall, a large milky white eye peering through it. I froze up, looking for an escape. Not good. Rubble blocked the entrance to the basement, while the wooden staircase lay in tatters. Maybe... I searched for Richtus, finding him slumped on the floor. His silver gray hair matted with blood. The large eye blinked a few times, before pulling away. Now. I grabbed my chance as I bolted towards the back wall, passing a bored looking demon. Gob seemingly contend with picking his nose in the middle of the room. I slid as far as I could into the back corner, gazing intently at the gaping hole.


    The source of the destruction soon appeared as a large reptilian head wormed its way through the opening, stopping when it became stuck at the shoulders. Its pitch black scales contrasted by the white of its eyes, which swept across the room, never resting in one place. Gob just simply stood in front of its nose as its slits began opening and closing, loudly sniffing the air. It stopped, before sniffing one more time. Slowly, a dark leathery membrane folded out around its neck, forming into a pitch black cone. It opened its mouth, displaying rows upon rows of sharp, needle-like teeth, the strange clicking sound emanating from inside its throat. Gob responded by cocking his head, trying to shy it away with his hands. ¡°Shoo.¡±


    The dweller loudly screeched, before snapping at Gob, its reach insufficient by mere inches. It screeched again in anger as it tried to squirm its way inside, house shaking as it repeatedly smashed into the walls. Gob turned towards me, looking, and sounding, very annoyed. ¡°Permission to get rid of the nuisance, Boss?¡±


    My mind went briefly blank at the absurdity of the question, only to recall Gob¡¯s ominous statement: Let¡¯s just say that I¡¯m currently muzzled. I couldn¡¯t scream my permission louder if I tried. ¡°Loose whatever Collar you need, just get that thing away from me!¡±


    ¡°Got it, Boss.¡±


    Gob turned back towards the snapping head, gone was his raspy voice.


    Instead, a deep dark tone resounded, one that sent shivers along my spine. ¡°Quiet down, mongrel.¡± The creature froze in response, its murky white eyes frantically looking in every direction. ¡°Sitting still in a wheelbarrow. No booze. No women. No nothing.¡± Gob¡¯s muscles began to shift beneath his skin, their size slowly growing as black fog began to wisp around his body. ¡°And now a lizard has the audacity to challenge me? Me!?¡±


    This feels wrong. Gob was forming into an unrecognizable mass of black fog. He feels wrong. And for whatever reason, the fear I felt for the Dweller, was nothing compared to the terror I felt towards the darkness before me. The giant lizard seemed to agree, pulling his head out of the hole. It tried to run away, before the mist grabbed it¡¯s tail. ¡°You¡¯re going nowhere,¡± it said. The finality of its statement supported by the dimming light outside. I watched through the gaping hole as the sun slowly got eclipsed by a bright red moon. Its name known across the world. Deimos


    Darkness began descending upon the land, the giant lizard madly trashing and screeching as the mist held onto its tail. I could feel the void that was Gob¡¯s voice, spell its imminent demise. ¡°I am the shadow of your existence. The lurker in the dark. Despair be my name, and death be m-¡±


    The creature¡¯s tail detached with a loud pop, allowing its previous owner to shoot out of view. The fog was quiet for a few seconds, grasping the still twitching rear end. Suddenly, it called out, pleading in desperation. ¡°Please don¡¯t run away! If you do that I wi-¡± It couldn¡¯t even finish the sentence, its fog already rapidly dispersing, leaving behind the Gob that I knew. The darkness stopped getting deeper, light slowly returning to the day as Deimos reversed its eclipse. And I just sat there, watching, as a frustrated Gob hurled insults to the sky.


    Note to self: Collar stays on.


    Indefinitely.

 Chapter 5v2

    Pride before the fall.


    My fellow scholars, myself included, simply sneered when one mentioned the Burrows. Like all Cedians, we deemed it a wretched hive of criminals and thieves, a parasite that continuously sucked upon our nation¡¯s wealth. Many advocated outright genocide, to clean the Burrows out and take their precious resources for ourselves. Indeed, cries of vengeance rang true through our halls, mere hours after the brutal slaughter of Lady Edelinne Blackwall came to be known. Everyone, low born and noble alike, demanded swift and brutal retribution on these so called rats. Their wish soon granted, when The Council put together an army. An army of volunteers.


    Be it miller or soldier, peasant or aristocrat, everyone was free to aid in the Burrows certain demise. Many indeed did, the army quickly swelling in size as thousands upon thousands joined its ranks. A sense of pride filled our hearts as we watched our people unite under a common cause. An unified army was born, akin to those that beat back the Derean aggression.


    It was this army, led by Hadrian Blackwall himself, that would accomplish our long lost dream of stomping out that dark corner of our great empire. He would slay the Four Kings and bring glory to Cedia, bringing back the riches that the Burrows so greedily had kept for themselves.


    And so we cheered them on as they marched through the long narrow canyon towards the Burrows. Our people already holding celebratory feasts at the inn as the sound of battle echoed ever so faint through the mountain tops.


    We thought we were right, we had to be. How could mere slum rats stand up to our great military? Our cries of joy muffled those few that dealt with the Burrows, their words of warning drowned out in a sea of victory cheers.


    Imagine our silence when Hadrian Blackwall returned, left hand clutching the severed head of Salamander himself. It would have been reason for celebration¡­ were it not for the missing right arm, and the near destruction of his entire army.


    - Burrowing into Redgate¡¯s underbelly. A comprehensive guide to the Burrows,by Jullianus Retan.


    Gob continued his made rave of insults at no one in particular, the sun now restored to its former glory as Deimos had disappeared from the sky. Almost as if it was never there.


    Something crashed onto the remains of the wooden staircase, reminding me of the movement upstairs. Intruders. I turned to see a young, blonde woman, stand up from the wooden debris. Her identity unknown, were it not for the spotless tanned skin peering through her makeshift rags. Only one person could scurry through the Burrows, dirt-free. ¡°Sly, is that you?¡± She turned to face me. Yup, that¡¯s her. Short blonde hair, coupled with sharp, amber eyes that made me feel less of a rat, and more of a mouse. She may not have had the extra endowmenttypical to those blessed with Lust, but that did not stop her from striking an enticing figure. Even in rags, she looks predatory.


    She smiled, the kind of smile that Gob made when he was up to no good. ¡°Calling me by my name, little Marcus. Things must be really dire.¡±


    I rubbed the bridge of my nose. I didn¡¯t have time for her games. ¡°The gang upstairs?¡±


    ¡°All four of em,¡± she said, slinking her way closer, like a cat stalking towards its prey. My heart started to hammer in my chest, mind coming up blank as she pressed herself against me. I¡¯m no good with her. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she looked up to me. ¡°So tell me, Marcus,¡± she said, finger circling my chest. ¡°Why is there a demon ranting outside?¡±


    That¡¯s right, priorities. I grabbed her hand, ignoring the yelp of surprise. ¡°No time for teasing, leader. I need a favor.¡±


    She examined the grasped hand with playful demeanor, her earlier slip up all but forgotten. ¡°Scared little Marcus, taking the lead.¡± She squeezed it, before looking at me. ¡°Finally becoming a man, eh? Took you long enough, now tell me what you need.¡± Her hand feels so sof-


    Focus, Marcus, focus! I quickly released my grasp, clearing my throat to regain composure as Sly softly giggled. I tried to hide my burning embarrassment by focusing on the task at hand. ¡°I need you to get my footlocker from upstairs,¡± I said, before pointing at Ricthus¡¯s unconscious form. ¡°And take him with you. We¡¯ll escape through the basement.¡±


    Sly simply nodded as she started making her way back to the broken staircase, my feet instead moving towards the hidden liquor stash. I grabbed the biggest bottle hidden under the floorboard, not caring about the repercussions. Father was going to kick my ass anyway, the hole in the house made sure of that. I stood up, spotting Sly¡¯s feet disappear onto the second floor. Quiet as always. I didn¡¯t even hear her jump, probably due to Gob¡¯s continuous barrage of creative insults.


    Speaking of which¡­ I closed the distance between me and Gob in a hurry, pulling him inside whilst slapping the bottle into his hands. ¡°Shut up and follow.¡±


    The demon¡¯s mouth opened to protest, but shut close once its fingers felt up the cold bottle. A fire lit up in its eyes as it ripped out the cork, lips enclosing around the newly-formed opening, throat bulging at the big gulps of liquor streaming down its gullet. Not that it bothered me, him shutting up allowed me time to clear the basement¡¯s entrance of debris. With the last of the rubble removed, my hands closed around the trapdoor¡¯s ring. I spoke up as Gob shook out the last few drops from the bottle, ¡°You ready?¡±


    ¡°You know me, Boss,¡± Gob said with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m always ready.¡±


    Ready to fuck up my day. I flung open the trapdoor, feet descending the rocky staircase. It¡¯s more powerful than I thought.The summoning circle was still glowing with activity, its bright green hue illuminating the basement¡¯s interior. The red glow of the warding net nowhere to be seen, its etched stone pattern the only reminder that it was even there. Claws hit stone behind me, pausing briefly at my command. ¡°Close the trapdoor.¡±


    I continued on till my shoes rested on flat ground, the heavy thud of wood on wood resounding through the basement. I turned around to see Gob hop down the steps, his carefree attitude getting the best of me. ¡°What in Gods¡¯ names was that form!?¡±


    Gob stopped, before scratching the back off his head. A goofy grin plastered on his face. ¡°I was a bit cranky, Boss.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± I shouted, voice trembling. ¡°Every time you get cranky the sun gets eclipsed? Anything else I need to know? Like the moon exploding when you feel upset?¡±


    ¡®¡¯That¡¯s a secret, Boss,¡± Gob said with a sheepish smile. ¡°Though you did tell me to Loose the Collar.¡±


    I closed my eyes, fingers rubbing my temples. Of course I did. ¡°At least tell me that you can¡¯t do that¡­ thing at will.¡±


    ¡°No worries, Boss. Can¡¯t do anything of the sorts. Not with this Collar on me.¡±


    Thank the Gods for that. For all I know, he was just blanketing the area in darkness¡­ or he was about to doom the Burrows and anyone in it. Better safe than sorry. That Collar stays on, till I find out more. I¡¯m not taking any more chances with this demon.


    My questions had to wait as several people jumped down onto the ground floor, the wooden floor creaking under their weight. I opened my eyes again, looking for Gob. Apparently he was sitting quietly next to me, his tail functioning as a makeshift chair. So he can be silent after all. ¡°Gob, I¡¯ll stop pestering you for now, if you keep quiet about your recent¡­ antics.¡±


    ¡®¡¯Deal, Boss,¡± Gob said, not even taking the time to think it over.


    There was some more rummaging upstairs, before footsteps made their way towards the closed trapdoor. ¡°Remember, Gob. Not a single word.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be as silent as the grave, Boss. Discounting any noisy zombies, that is.¡±


    What are zombehs? Not that I could ask the question, the trapdoor already being thrown open to allow a pair of legs in, big legs at that. What followed was an equally impressive frame carrying Richtus on its back, Hammer¡¯s size taking up the majority of the staircase. Where I was a good head taller than the average man, Hammer would tower even over me. Not that he was an exception, those with Gluttony tended to grow big. Leaves them more room for desserts. I wasn¡¯t really intimidated as the hulking mass of muscle eyed me, knowing that beneath those brown eyes and scruffy hair, lay a gentle bear with a passion for cooking. Just don¡¯t touch his rations.


    ¡°Morning, sergeant,¡± Hammer said with his gruff voice. ¡°Where do I put the old one?¡±


    ¡°Just lay him down in the circle, corporal. I¡¯ll deal with him later.¡± Hammer simply shrugged as he moved from the staircase, revealing the two blonde figures standing behind his back. Where Hammer was a wall of flesh, they were more like a pair of sticks. Silent, agile sticks. With a tendency to stick their grubby hands where they don¡¯t belong. Their Greed betrayed by both their habits, and their yellow eyes. The Sin in their blood too thin to manifest in more significant ways. Fortunately.


    I first addressed the male twin, before addressing his sister, ¡°Dirk, Dagger. I trust you found the thing upstairs?¡± They started to shift uncomfortably. ¡°You know, a certain shiny, golden goblet lying among the rubble?¡±


    Dirk started squirming even harder, before his sister jabbed him in the ribs. ¡°Just pull it out, Dirk. The sarge clearly knows.¡±


    Dirk sighed as he took out the goblet tucked within his loose rags. ¡°How¡¯d ya know sarge?¡±


    I didn¡¯t. I simply smiled as I took it from him. ¡°We Greeds tend to think alike, corporal. How else do I catch you so often?¡±


    ¡°Move aside, fuckwits,¡± an annoyed voice said from above. ¡°Or I¡¯ll drop sarge¡¯s footlocker on your asses.¡± Dirk and Dagger quickly jumped off the staircase. Good choice.Pickle had a tendency to make good on his threats.What followed was a short and stout man descending the stone stairs. Disgruntled hazel eyes watched me as he carried my long wooden footlocker under his arm. Barely twenty years of age, and already a head of gray hair. Sucks having Sloth. Not that the Sin stopped him from being active. Actively getting into trouble, that is.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Good to see you, sarge,¡± Pickle said as he pushed the footlocker into my arms. ¡°Now I don¡¯t have to carry your shit around.¡± Still too lazy to care about military conduct. Business as usual.


    ¡°Thanks, corporal,¡± I said, not bothering to chew him out. ¡°Where¡¯s lieutenant Sly?¡±


    ¡°Topside, making a final sweep of the surroundings,¡± Pickle said as he found a place to lie down. ¡°We ran into some trouble with the lizards, she¡¯s just making sure there aren¡¯t more crawling around.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully, the dweller ate them,¡± I said, placing the footlocker on the cold stone floor.


    ¡°Maybe¡­ though that did not stop it from devouring your front wall,¡± Pickle chuckled. I joined in, happy to laugh the tension away. The other three kept silent as they watched my demon with visible interest. Pickle simply looked at Gob, before looking back at me. ¡°So you gonna tell us about the demon, or what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain once leader gets back.¡±


    ¡°Suits me,¡± Pickle shrugged, ignoring the demon with his usual lack of concern. Dirk and Dagger quickly grew bored of Gob, their attention shifting over to my summoning circle instead. Hammer remained vigilant, however, watching Gob with a guarded expression, ready to step in at the first sign of trouble. With nothing to do but wait, I moved towards Richtus, checking his skull for any major damage. It seemed he was bleeding from a small gash in his hair, though a concussion probably knocked him out. With my low affinity for Light Magic, I wasn¡¯t going to heal any damage deeper than an inch. He would have to wake up by himself. Which serves me fine. I placed my hand on the head wound, channeling magic as I willed it to close, the healing process proceeding slow but steady. Luckily, the green hue of the summoning circle gave me enough light to work with, though I always preferred healing in broad daylight. Nothing beat healing in the in the light of day, basking in the element of Light Magic made things so much easier. But I¡¯ll make due with what we have. At least I was not healing by torchlight, now that would have been a downright shitty task.


    My train of thoughts got derailed as a familiar form shut the trapdoor behind her. ¡°Topside is clear, no lizards in sight.¡±


    ¡°And the dweller?¡± I asked as Sly jumped down the staircase.


    She landed gracefully, before answering my question. ¡°No sign of it either, though the way it has gouged out the ground, it would seem to be in a state of panic.¡± And with good reason. ¡°But enough about that.¡± She moved closer to my place in the summoning circle. ¡°I think you have some explaining to do, sergeant.¡±


    I need to know what she saw. ¡°Gladly, though I would like to know what you were doing in my house in the first place,¡± I answered, careful not to take my concentration away from the closing gash.


    ¡°Your unusually pushy today, aren¡¯t you?¡± Sly asked. I did not bother to answer, focusing instead on mending Richtus¡¯s wound. ¡°I like that, you should crawl into my bed tonight.¡± The light glow in my hands sputtered, before going out completely. The rest of the squad chuckled at my failed concentration. One day, I¡¯ll stop falling for her teases.


    Sly spoke up again as I renewed my attention on the wound, ¡°There were some lizards staking out your house, so we decided to sneak inside to guard it. Figured the windowless second floor would be a good place to hide.¡± She moved closer towards me. ¡°Next thing we know, you stormed inside. Dweller busting down your doorstep.¡± Her faces now inches away from me, voice serious. ¡°And then that voice began to speak, and all we could do was shiver in terror, Marcus.¡±


    She maintained eye contact till I canceled my healing, waiting patiently as I turned to face her. ¡°I know fear, Marcus. We all do. You know the fate of those that don¡¯t properly fear the Long Dark.¡± She grabbed my shoulder, looking me straight in the eye. ¡°But this was different, Marcus. Purer, intenser.¡± Her nails slowly began to dig into my skin. ¡°Like my body screaming at me not to move a muscle, all to avoid alerting the thing speaking downstairs.¡± The others nodded their heads in agreement. ¡°I didn¡¯t see what said it, but I know you saw it. Now tell me, Marcus. The voice, what was it?¡±


    So they didn¡¯t witness the eclipse. Better not mention it. I opened my mouth, squad mates leaning in expectantly for the answer, only to be interrupted by a massive fart. It resounded loudly through the basement, slowly decreasing in intensity till it ended with a squeak. I quickly covered my nose with rags, to no avail, the unholy stench permeating through the thin cloth. The source of the deadly miasma sat undisturbed, as he simply leaned on his tail, breathing in deeply. ¡°Boss, if you sniff hard enough, you¡¯ll smell the guy I ate yesterday.¡±


    No thanks. The serious atmosphere was all but gone as people coughed, retched, and pinched their noses. Hammer took the worst of it, his Gift of smell coming back to bite him. Poor bastard.I pointed at Gob, my voice somewhat muffled as I spoke through the rags, ¡°Warriors, meet the source of your terror.¡± They all looked at him as he scratched his backside. ¡°He is known as Gob. Spreader of farts, slayer of noses. And a righteous pain in the ass.¡±


    Gob smiled. ¡°Thank you, Boss. I try my utmost best to annoy you.¡± Oh I know, don¡¯t you worry.


    Hammer got up, moving towards the trapdoor as Sly looked at me with teary eyes, her voice quite doubtful. ¡°He¡¯s the one who spoke?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Though his voice is the only scary part, mind you.¡± I¡¯m sorry for lying.She raised an eyebrow in response, so I turned to Gob. ¡°Gob, do that voice again. Just say something silly this time.¡±


    Gob¡¯s tail began to sweep along the floor, wings softly flapping. ¡°Permission to Loose the Collar, Boss?¡±


    I¡¯ll have to risk it. Better than letting the truth be known. I pondered the correct wording as Hammer threw open the trapdoor, greedily sucking in fresh air. ¡°Only a bit, and only for saying a few silly lines.¡±


    Gob cleared his throat as he stood up, unable to hide the smile on his face. ¡°Gob be my name,¡± he said, blood freezing in my veins as he continued to speak. ¡°Farting be my virtue.¡±


    I¡¯m stuck. Whatever he did, it froze my muscles into place, my eyes being the only thing that could still move on their own. The others seemed frozen too, their eyes moving in a frantic fashion. Maybe I¡¯m the only one feeling no fear?Strange. I was the first to regain my movement. Pickle being second as he burst out in laughter. The four remaining people soon followed afterwards, their faces sporting sheepish smiles. Safe for Sly, her face devoid of any emotion.


    I spoke to her as she approached me, ¡°Do you believe me now?¡± She didn¡¯t answer, pulling a dagger out of her rags instead. Really, we doing this now? I just raised my hands above my head as she closed the distance.


    She looked surprised, but did not waste the opportunity. Her form darted forward, cold steel resting on my throat within moments. ¡°Do you yield?¡± she asked, more out of courtesy than actual necessity.


    ¡°Yes, yes. I yield,¡± I answered. ¡°By the laws of yada yada, you know the rest. I submit to your leadership.¡±


    She grinned, stepping between my legs, before shouting, ¡°Victory Pile!¡±


    Oh crap. I tried to move, but could feel my feet already leaving the ground. The ceiling briefly flashed past as I found myself lying on the stone floor, the airborne form of Hammer descending towards me. Gods have mercy. I sucked in air, steeling myself for the pain, Hammer forcing it all out as he slammed onto me. Pickle, Dirk, and Dagger gleefully jumped on top of Hammer, Gob joining in for good measure. Traitor.


    As I was wheezing and struggling to breathe under the mass of living flesh, Sly took her time to ascend the human pile, sitting down on top of a giggling Gob. She looked at him, before speaking at me, ¡°Summoning your first demon. I suppose congratulation are in order, lieutenant.¡±


    ¡°Victory celebration!¡± Dagger shouted.


    ¡°Drinks are on the loser!¡± Dirk added.


    ¡°Priorities people!¡± Pickle interjected. ¡°We can¡¯t have a virgin as our second lieutenant.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Hammer said, standing up as he shook off the pile. I was thankful for the air rushing inside my lungs, but could not find the strength to avoid Hammer¡¯s grasping hand. He just lifted me up, and tossed me over his shoulder, bellowing for all to hear, ¡°To the whorehouse!¡±


    Cheers were heard all around, Gob shouting as hard as the rest. I started to struggle, pleading them to let me down. ¡°Guys¡­ guys, let me go.¡± I was supposed to slip away.


    Sly just chuckled at my pitiful attempts, ¡°Your father has been trying to keep you apart from the Burrows for far too long, Marcus. With this demon, you¡¯re officially one of us now.¡± She stood on her toes, patting my cheek. ¡°It¡¯s time you accept that.¡± I don¡¯t want to leave you.


    Hammer and the group started moving towards the stairs, chatting among each other as they walked. ¡°Brunette or blonde?¡± Dirk asked Dagger. I didn¡¯t want to do this.


    ¡°Seen the way he eyes Sly? Definitely blonde.¡± Not like this¡­


    I breathed in deeply as Pickle talked to me, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Marcus. Well get you the bustiest blonde out there. Come morning, your balls will be as dry as a co-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯M LEAVING!¡± I shouted with all my might, stunning the group into silence. Everybody stopped walking, my feeble voice breaking the room¡¯s sudden stillness. ¡°Please¡­ put me down, Hammer.¡± He slowly placed me back on the ground, a look of concern on his face. All I could offer in return was a weak thanks.


    ¡°Hammer, close the hatch,¡± Sly commanded. He promptly did as he was told, standing next to her after he was done. ¡°Say that again,¡± Sly ordered me, the gang¡¯s faces filled with worry.


    I can¡¯t go back. Not now. ¡°I-I¡­¡± I stuttered. You need to do this, Marcus. Your family depends on you. ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± I said. Leaving what, Marcus? ¡°I¡¯m leaving the Burrows,¡± I repeated one last time, conviction filling my voice.


    Their reaction were unsurprising. Shouts of protest erupted, asking me why? How? When? Sly simply silenced them by raising her clenched fist, their ingrained training shutting them up quicker than any conventional words ever could. ¡°Does this have something to do with that old man, Marcus?¡± she asked, her eyes now cold and hard.


    They deserve to know the truth. ¡°Yes,¡± I said. I moved myself between Richtus and the group, knowing full well what anger my following words would evoke, ¡°His name is Richtus Redbridge, a Shaper of Cedia. And the man sent with me to retrieve my personal belongings.¡± At the mere mention of the enemy, daggers were drawn from concealed sheaths, Hammer¡¯s rags even holding room for a short sword. Keep talking, Marcus. ¡°I¡¯ve been accepted into the Royal Academy, and will become a Warlock of Cedia.¡± Their eyes were now filled with pure hatred. Not just for Richtus, but also for me. I didn¡¯t want to hurt you. ¡°Using my new found noble status, I will retrieve my stolen family from the clutches of the Derean kingdoms.¡± They inched forward, doubt and friendship, staying their hands. Please forgive me. ¡°And then I will come back, never to leave again. I promise.¡± I beg of you¡­


    Those words seemed to douse the flames feeding their hatred. Sly stepped forward, hand trembling as she clutched the dagger. ¡°Move aside, Marcus. We¡¯ll deal with him, and pretend this never ha-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said, the look of betrayal on Sly¡¯s face hurting far more than I wanted to admit. ¡°He saved my life, I will not let you touch him.¡±


    The others looked at leader, not sure what to do. I could see her bite her lip, drawing blood in the process. ¡°Family, family, family,¡± she started raving. ¡°It¡¯s always that damned family of yours! Family this! Family that!¡­ People die everyday, Marcus! Stop clinging to the past, and deal with the present! You have no idea ho-¡±


    ¡°YOU HAVE NO IDEA!¡± I shouted. ¡°I was six years old, Sly! SIX! My mother! My sisters! Kidnapped as they torched down the whole fucking town! And the screaming! Gods, the screaming, Sly! I can hear still hear it, every time I close my eyes! Little Sara, crying next door for help! That awful screech she made when the fires reached her! I still can¡¯t ge- ¡±


    ¡°And what about us!¡± Sly yelled. ¡°We¡¯re your family too! Why don¡¯t you think ab-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯M DOING THIS FOR YOU!¡± I shouted back. ¡°YES, YOU! Remember when there were seven of us!?


    Remember, Whisper!? She died, because of me! ME! I froze in fear when it mattered! I could have saved her, but I didn¡¯t! Not then! Not now! Not ten years ago!


    ¡°Back then it was the same! I was the youngest, so I had the knife! You know what I did when the man dragged my sisters from under the bed!? Nothing! I could have stabbed him in the back, but I didn¡¯t! I just froze up in the closet, like the scared little shit that I am! Fear binds me! Fear drives me! Fear has taken everything from me, except you guys!¡±


    My voice cracked as I uttered the last sentence, tears streaming down my face in an endless torrent. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? I need to do this. I need to fix my past. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll just fail when it matters the most. I¡¯ll freeze up when I should save you. When you need me the most. Please understand.¡±


    Sadness, fear, and guilt forced me to my knees as I pressed my forehead to the cold floor, afraid to be rejected face to face. My croaked voice pleading for forgiveness, ¡°Please¡­ I beg of you. Don¡¯t hate me. Please¡­ You guys are all that I have left¡­ I can¡¯t let fear take you away. Don¡¯t let me lose you too. I-I just can¡¯t¡­ please don¡¯t leave me. Please don¡¯t leave me. Please don¡¯t leav-¡±


    Warm hands enveloped me as Sly¡¯s voice filled my ears. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little Marcus. We¡¯re not leaving without you.¡±


    I cried.

 Chapter 6

    The hidden threat


    Following Hadrian¡¯s defeat, I interviewed what few survivors that were left from his forces. They all spoke of the same thing. An abandoned Burrows. One devoid of life. Its streets deathtraps as patrols vanished, their blood the only reminder they were even there. They spoke of armored troops, and well forged weapons. Their own woefully inadequate in comparison, mere rats better equipped than the army assaulting them. They spoke of well trained fighters, and fearless warriors. Their betters bested in battle by the most standard of their footman. They spoke of Shapers, and Warlocks. More numerous and powerful than their own, the way they destroyed those few that their soldiers couldn¡¯t take down. They spoke of sewers, of creatures, of Salamander¡¯s strange death. But most of all they spoke about the fear, the fear they felt when they realized their error. They had marched to crush a slum.


    What they found was a fortress.


    - Burrowing into Redgate¡¯s underbelly. A comprehensive guide to the Burrows,by Jullianus Retan.


    I removed my hands from the bloodied hair, checking to see if Richtus¡¯s wound had properly closed.


    Satisfied with my work I stood up, noting the puffy eyes staring back at me. I wasn¡¯t the only who cried my heart out, the others weeping alongside me. It was a simple Burrows custom, one born from necessity. The Long Dark did not care for one¡¯s grief, it¡¯s tunnels unknown to the notion of respite. Those that faltered at their comrades deaths, the next to be taken.


    And so we we wept for one another, treating departures as our final goodbye. For why would one falter in combat, if his struck down friend was but a walking corpse? At least there was a flip side; no parties existed that rivaled those in celebration of someone¡¯s resurrection. At least they¡¯ve made peace with my decision.


    I rubbed my dry eyes, their earlier questioning weighing heavy on my mind. Burdened by the many lies I spewed forth, all to obscure the real truth from coming out. First came the lie about my icy blue eye color, telling them it was a Gift, something born from tribulations, not sheer stupid coincidence. It certainly was a Gift in certain ways, darkness now revealing as much as daylight, albeit in sobering black and white. But it did not come to me like my Mage Sight, born only days after the village was raided, the desire to find those that were taken from me so great that my Greed came to physical manifestation. I still remembered the pain searing my eyes, the feeling of flesh shifting, of blood boiling. The unknown knowledge that flooded my brain, what it was, how it worked, and what it could do; a sudden torrent of information. If only it was different.


    My cries of anguish had pulled father from his deep depression, concern soon replaced with great worry as I explained my Gift. Our chase abandoned in favor of hiding me in the Burrows, his words of warning haunting me to this very day.Marcus listen to me. Whatever you do. Whatever you say. Don¡¯t let anyone know the true extent of your Gift. Hide it. Lie about it. Run if you need to. Just remember to keep your mouth shut. And so I did, never sure as to why. It was not like I could compare. The specifics of one¡¯s Gifts and Decrees were a closely guarded secret, only shared with lovers or family. For good reason. Even my squad¡¯s Gifts and Decrees were not wholly known to me. My general ideas about them put together from their testimonies and their actions, the true extent of their power a mystery.


    Still, that did not make me feel less horrid when they cheered at my deception, contend with the nugget that I could now see in the dark. Maybe that was all the eyes could do, I didn¡¯t know. Certainly, there was agonizing pain from drinking the goblet¡¯s blood, but it lacked the knowledge that came alongside it. Maybe it wasn¡¯t just the eyes? What if it had changed others things inside of me? It could have removed organs, changed my blood, made me impotent. Or maybe some strange urge would overtake me, limbs moving without mental commands. Am I still in control?


    My stomach churned at the thought, the pulsing falsehood beneath my feet doing nothing to alleviate it. The green summoning circle still shone brightly, the gang having lost their interest in it after they bought my second lie. It was a simple matter to convince them that my father had hired someone of Envy to power the circle. No one else had green mana, safe for ancient, brooding Balthazar below. And he would never risk going topside, the old fart far too attached to that underground garden of his.


    I let out a deep sigh, growing weary of my continuous charade. I¡¯ve been taught to mask my mana since the day I could walk, the many years of practice paying off as conscious effort turned into subconscious instinct. Heck, I even appear yellow in my sleep.Still, that did not disguise the physical manifestation of my mana. Evident by the green glow powering my summoning circle.


    I studied the damnable color below me, resenting the trouble that it continued to bring. As if my Mage Sight wasn¡¯t enough, I also had to contend with being of mixed blood. Something to be frowned upon, but not entirely without precedent. Either the Sin or the Virtue would come out on top, the winner defining the power and mana of one¡¯s blood. But noooo. Not little Marcus. He just had be the weirdo with both Patience and Greed. It was not like it did me any good, Gifts or Decrees of Patience still absent after sixteen trying years. Except for that stupid color.


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± I said, wanting to get away from this source of irritation. The rest of the group silently sprang into action. All were quiet, safe for Hammer slumping Richtus over his shoulder, and Pickle picking up my wooden footlocker. We had said our goodbyes, now was the time to silence.


    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re not going to take that?¡± Gob asked, pointing at the circle. What does he mean? I looked at the circle, the rest joining in, faces scanning to see if I left something behind.


    ¡°Take what?¡± I asked, my search coming up empty.


    ¡°The mana, Boss. Why leave all that extra power?¡±


    He had a good point, though we lacked the necessary equipment. ¡°Sorry, Gob. I haven¡¯t got any crystals on me.¡± I scanned the others, their heads giving a quick shake of refusal. Tough luck.


    ¡°Just put your hand on the circle, Boss,¡± Gob said, taking his place beside me. Should I trust him? My fingers flexed, caution slowly giving way to curiosity as I sat down on the ground, palm pressed upon the green lines crisscrossing the floor. Nothing happened. Did he trick me?¡°Now for the hard part, Boss. I need you to stimulate your Greed.¡± I need to do what, now? ¡°Just imagine the mana being something you need to fulfill your desire, something you need to reclaim what is rightfully yours.¡±


    I know of only one thing. I closed my eyes, slowly reciting the names of my mother and sister. Ari, Emma, Aidyn. My fingers pressed down on the cold stone floor, trying to claw their way through, grasping for something that wasn¡¯t there. Ari, Emma, Aidyn. I was in the closet again, body brimming with the power of the circle, the man¡¯s back turned towards me. Ari, Emma, Aidyn. I burst forth, jamming the knife as deep as I could, warm blood coating the handle. Ari, Emma, Aidyn.I pushed the limp body away, looking under the bed. Sara¡¯s scorched face stared back at me, fingers clutching a broken pocket watch, its hands spinning wildly.


    She screamed.


    My eyes snapped open, revealing a dark room coated in black and white, safe for the hovering flame illuminating its center. I blinked a few more times, noting Sly¡¯s hand below the smokeless flame, face stoic, but her eyes an odd mixture of concern and fear. Behind her stood the rest of the gang, faces neutral, their stares mimicking her emotions. I feel like a freak.


    ¡°Too quiet, Boss¡±


    My heart skipped a beat from the raspy voice beside me. Damned demon. Gob was liable to give me a heart attack some day. I glared at the source of the sound, Gob not paying attention to my stares, his own eyes fixated on the members of my squad. ¡°Far too quiet, Boss,¡± he said again, voice low, tail softly lashing at the floor. ¡°I don¡¯t trust ¡®em, Boss. They didn¡¯t even utter a word as you did your thing.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    So this really is goodbye. I inspected the floor, the summoning circle now devoid of light, no traces of magic to be seen. It seems like it worked. Though I didn¡¯t feel any different, a quick inspection of my body revealing nothing of note. I turned back to Gob, his eyes still looking past me. ¡°Did something strange happen?¡±


    ¡°Nothing important, Boss. You just looked really cool while doing it.¡± Sly¡¯s flame briefly flickered at his words, the others twitching slightly. There¡¯s something¡­ but what.


    ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to, Boss.¡± Should¡¯ve have known. Gob nodded his head towards the standing group. ¡°Why not ask them?¡± And break the Silent Vigil? I like living, so that would be no. I walked past him, towards a certain section of the basement walls. ¡°Where are you going, Boss?¡±


    ¡°The Lid.¡± I stopped in front of the wall, feet spread apart in a grounded stance. My fingers grasped the air left of me, arms slowly pulling towards me as I willed the wall to move. It took quite a bit of arm strength, like dragging along a stubborn teenager, but gradually the wall shifted aside, fitting neatly inside a hidden compartment. A fetid wind began wafting into the basement, my rags quickly pulled up as I covered my nose. Before me lay a large open tunnel, running parallel to my basement wall, albeit at a slight downwards angle. Dark wet bricks covered its interior, matched by two stone pathways flanking a channel of flowing water. Daylight streamed in through the systematically placed sewer grates, revealing the putrid liquid slowly streaming downhill, the occasional splash heard in the distance as people added their waste to the vile substance. I stepped through the opening, suppressing the urge to gag, my voice muffled by the thin cloth guarding my nose. ¡°You coming?¡±


    The gang said no words as they stepped into the tunnel, Sly¡¯s flame still blazing above her hand as the other pinched her nose. There was room enough on the pathways, the rounded ceiling measuring around ten feet at its highest point. Even Hammer, a Glutton, could easily stand upright, something that was probably calculated in when they built this place. Gob peeked through the hole, eyes brightly shining as he inspected the tunnels. He quickly hopped in, my fingers already pulling at the air again, the wall slowly sliding back into place.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t we use this way before, Boss?¡±


    ¡°Cause travel here¡­ is forbidden¡­ during the day.¡± With a final grunt the wall clicked into place, its edges all but invisible to those who didn¡¯t know what to look for. ¡°And I don¡¯t want Richtus to see all this.¡± I looked around for a small overpass, finding one a bit further up the tunnel. I moved towards it, the squad matching my pace me as Gob walked beside me. ¡°Besides, this place is far too crowded during the night.¡±


    Gob continued inspecting the tunnel around him, voice mumbling to no one in particular. ¡°This place is far too sophisticated for a slum.¡± He turned towards me, his voice almost accusatory in nature. ¡°You¡¯ve been keeping secrets from me, Boss.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s rich, coming from you,¡± I said, finally reaching the overpass. Once across, I made for another section of wall, humoring him along the way. ¡°The Burrows holds many secrets, Gob.¡± I stopped before a seemingly normal section. ¡°Most of them hidden.¡± My fingers grasped at the air again, pulling the bricks aside. ¡°And situated¡­ beneath the¡­ earth.¡± The wall slid aside, revealing a long dark corridor, big enough for two people to walk side by side. ¡°We started calling it the Burrows for a reason. Something the Cedians seem to have forgotten along the way.¡±


    I stepped into the bare corridor, its interior clearly visible for me as Gob¡¯s raspy voice filled the hallway. ¡°Let me in on those secrets, Boss. Like these tunnels for example.¡±


    That much I could tell, the events from two years ago still fresh in my mind. But first I slid the wall back into place, after everyone managed to squeeze inside. ¡°Shortcuts through the sewers,¡± I said, making my way through the dark passage. ¡°Only those sergeant or above know where they are.¡± I walked down some stone steps. ¡°We use them for rapid troop movement.¡± Turned some corners. ¡°Allowing us to strike wherever and whenever we want.¡± Only to stop in front of a dead end, unable to hide the smile on my face. ¡°Hadrian found that out, the hardway.¡±


    Gob wanted to speak, but I shushed him, softly whispering my request. ¡°See if you can hear anything move on the other side of the wall. I¡¯ll tap you on the shoulder when I need an answer.¡± Gob nodded, before pressing his large ears against the wall, the pointy tips twitching as he fell into a deep concentration. Happy with his cooperation, I closed my eyes, retreating deep within myself. Sounds slowly grew fainter, till only nothingness remained. I opened my eyes again, the familiar black void stretching in all directions, broken up by countless lights, both above and below. Why my father wanted me to hide my Mage Sight was still a mystery, but I could always pretend to see far less then I actually do. And so I did, quickly shrinking the range of my vision to a large frontal cone in front of me. The sudden burden on my mind alleviated as almost all the lights snuffed out in an instant, safe for the humanoid looking one dozens of feet away from me. It¡¯s color was that of faint dark blue, a person of only scant magical prowess, untouched by both Sin and Virtue. Probably a patrolling sewer guard. I waited till the light passed by, breaking my concentration after it suddenly veered away from me, signaling that it had turned a corner. Sound and smell began returning to me, till the void peeled away, my sight replaced by an intently listening Gob. I tapped him on the shoulder, softly voicing my question, ¡°What did you hear?¡±


    ¡°One pair of footsteps, Boss. It passed by but a minute ago.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± It seems like there were no other guards around, my Mage Sight being only able to see that which had mana. A normal guard would have been impossible for me to detect, luckily Gob¡¯s ears seemed up for the challenge. Speaking of which. Gob had been standing in front of me, yet I could not see him. I expected to see him light up the void, especially with what stunt of him earlier. Maybe he loses all mana when collared? It could be. Or maybe it was something else. He eclipsed the fucking sun, erasing his mana signature should be child¡¯s play. Whatever, I¡¯ll deal with it later. ¡°Step aside, Gob. I¡¯m opening it.¡±


    I slowly grasped the air again, pushing the wall aside as daylight streamed into our black corridor. I peeked outside, scanning for threats. When none came up, I stepped into the sewage tunnel, this one identical to the one we left. My squad silently entered after me, Gob following behind, eyeing them with suspicion. With some effort, I pushed the wall close, before making my way to another hidden passage.


    Gob and I slowly made our way through the sewers, my sight, and his ears, the perfect combination to avoid the bothersome patrols. Not that we had to try very hard, the tunnels only sparsely guarded this day. It probably had to do with the earlier eclipse. I hope.As we neared our destination, I decided to take a break. My eyes felt heavy, and mental fatigue was making me drop my guard, the toll of using too much magic rearing its ugly head. We had taken refuge in one of the hidden passageways, Sly¡¯s fire providing light enough for the squad to see.


    I was surprised by how fast the drowsiness vanished, no more than fifteen minutes must have passed since we¡¯ve taken shelter in this dark hallway. I expected to need at least two hours of rest, maintaining a demon¡¯s form really cut into one¡¯s recovery rate. I motioned the party of our departure, the squad quickly falling back into line, safe for Gob, the demon still seated on the ground. I moved towards him, noting the deep furrow in his non-existing eyebrows. ¡°Is there a problem, Gob?¡±


    His tail swept the floor, wings neatly folded as looked past me, his voice dark and low. ¡°They¡¯re weird, Boss.¡±


    I followed his gaze, which ended at the squad standing behind me. ¡°They seem pretty normal to me,¡± My head turned back to a slack-jawed Gob. ¡°Did you crack your head, Boss? They¡¯ve been following you this whole time, not uttering a single word.¡± He moved closer to Sly, pointing at her stoic face. ¡°They clearly want to talk, yet they keep their mouth shut. It¡¯s unnatural, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Not for us.¡± Gob looked confused, it seems he needed an explanation. ¡°It¡¯s a Silent Vigil, Gob.¡± I pointed at each member of my group. ¡°They¡¯ve made peace with my departure. Remember their wailing a few hours ago?¡± Gob nodded at my question. ¡°That was them mourning my death, I am but a corpse now. This walk to the edge of the Burrows, their last duty. Like carrying a casket to a grave, grim and silent.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked. He dropped the Boss, he must be really curious.


    I pondered for a suitable answer. ¡°Hesitation kills you in the Long Dark. So we sever all ties when one leaves the Burrows, hoping that the lack of weight will aid them in their struggle. Give them that extra edge needed to escape its clutches.¡± Gob wanted to ask more, but I turned around, walking down the dark hallway. ¡°All you need to know is that they consider me a walking corpse, not truly alive till I¡¯ve made my way back to them.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s about accepting death, Boss?¡± Gob asked as he quickly caught up with me.


    ¡°Something like that, though only few become fearless because of it.¡±


    The demon began rubbing his hands together, his gleeful voice filling me with unease. ¡°Good¡­ good. These Burrows seem like a most excellent place, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± I quickly increased my pace, distancing myself from Gob, not liking the way he occasionally chuckled to himself. He kept up the creepy display as we finished the final leg of our journey, stopping inside another sewer tunnel, this one almost next to the Lid. I grasped air once more, forcing open the last secret wall before me. Behind it lay a basement, similar to mine, safe for the lack of a summoning circle. I stepped inside, twisting around to give my final goodbye. ¡°Lieutenant Marcus, will hereby depart! May death reject me!¡±


    ¡°May life revive you!¡± my friends answered in chorus, dropping both Richtus, and footlocker, inside, before turning around and marching down the tunnel. Gob hopped into the basement as I began pulling at the air, one last time. My head a mess of emotions as the wall slowly shifted, mind screaming insults at me as the rock obeyed my command. Get out there, mongrel! You need to tell them the truth! How do you expect to conquer your fear, if you can¡¯t even face your friends!? Hide, weakling! Hide! Close that wall, like you closed that closet!


    The taunts I could bear, but not the feeling that filled me as the wall slid into place.


    Relief.


    It seems I am a coward, in more ways than one.

 Chapter 7

    Unforeseen interference


    I still don¡¯t understand. No matter what archives I search, nor what libraries I scour, there¡¯s no information on the Burrows. It¡¯s like they burned all the books and hid all the info! You¡¯re telling me we have volumes on the mating habits of rabbits, but not a single page on the thing that crushed our army!? This is madness, and I will not stand for it! I don¡¯t know what the Council is doing, and frankly I don¡¯t care. History may be written by the victors, but that won¡¯t stop this historian from sticking his nose where it doesn¡¯t belong! Now to find myself a way to get thrown into the Burrows¡­


    Might as well assault a noble while I¡¯m at it.


    - Jullianus Retan research notes.


    The coachman closed the door with an audible click, locking me inside this place of luxury.


    Smooth black wood reflected the red hue of the small crystal mounted in its painted ceiling, sunlight strangely absent as a wispy darkness covered all windows. I sat down on the thickly cushioned bench, enjoying the feeling as my head sank into the padded wall, the human chatter outside but a distant rumble. Gob took the opposite bench, laying flat out with his tail tucked between his leg, head resting on an embroidered pillow. Shortly after a sharp whipping sound was made, my body slightly lurching forward as horses neighed in defiance. Slowly, the room began to shake, Gob¡¯s voice breaking the emerging clip-clops coming from outside. ¡°I¡¯ll give that Envy bitch one thing, Boss. She sure has a comfy coach.¡±


    ¡°That it is, Gob. That it is.¡±


    Time ticked by as we enjoyed our ride of luxury in silence, the rhythmic bumps of the carriage dampened by some unknown means.I stifled an upcoming yawn as boredom took over, my mind wandering to the shadow covered windows. Maybe I can see Redgate again.I reached my hands towards the rolling darkness, surprised to find it cold and wet to the touch. I pushed inwards, fingers easily sliding in as if it were mere water. Icy cold and¡­ furry!? I quickly pulled my hand backwards as something coarse brushed against my skin. The darkness didn¡¯t even ripple at the sudden motion, it simply stood there undisturbed. My hand seemed fine, fingers still intact and dry, albeit lightly shaking from the experience.


    ¡°Be careful, Boss.¡± I turned to find Gob snuggled into his cushion, one blazing eye intensely focused on the rolling darkness. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many Sins that bitch has acquired, but I guess at the very least three.¡± I shivered at the information. ¡°How else would she maintain such a darkness spell during the day. That requires some decent Pride, Boss.¡± I was beginning to feel very uncomfortable, maybe meeting Adeline Kendall wasn¡¯t such a good idea? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss.¡± Gob gave me his trademark grin. ¡°She¡¯s still shy of all six, let alone mastering them.¡± He began to tap his nose. ¡°Besides, I can smell true Pride from miles away, Boss. Its rather distinctive.¡± That¡¯s right, no need to panic. I¡¯ve got mister eclipse the sun when grumpy on my side. What could go wrong?


    ¡­


    Maybe I should go back.


    Not that I was going to display my inner turmoil, Gob would pounce on my insecurities like a druggie finding a hidden stash of jolt. So I simply sat back, my tension slowly drifting away as I sank into the comfy interior once more, the distant sounds of human chatter calming my mind. I really want to see the outside again. ¡°Any chance of removing this darkness, Gob?¡±


    The demon lazily opened a single eye. ¡°With the collar, Boss? No chance.¡± I made a deep sigh, only to find Gob sitting upright, his wings softly flapping. ¡°But if you say the magic words¡­ that¡¯s a different story altogether, Boss.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine for now,¡± I said as I closed my eyes, hearing the sounds of the capital all around me. Merchants haggled whilst others shouted. People ran, cheered, celebrated, and much more. Kids screeched, horses neighed, and wagons creaked. The sounds didn¡¯t differ from the Burrows main street, and yet it was worlds apart. That was there, and this is here. One my prison, the other my freedom. I wonder if Redgate still looks the same? I tried to pierce the darkness, hoping to catch a glimpse of the outside. The true outside. Ten long years¡­


    ¡°Boss?¡±


    And an eternity with this guy. ¡°What is it, Gob?¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason why you¡¯ve been clutching that dagger and locket?¡± I opened my eyes, finding my right hand firmly clenching the steel dagger whilst my left softly held the locket. Old habits. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Boss,¡± the demon said as he waved his hands. ¡°I¡¯m all for stabbing that envious bitch. Though I suggest waiting till you¡¯re a bit stronger.¡±


    I raised my eyebrow. ¡°A bit?¡±


    Gob placed his hand below his chin as he briefly inspected me.¡°My mistake, Boss. Make that a lot. A lot, lot.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, oh magnificent dispenser of knowledge. How would this lowly one ever get by without your continuous nuggets of indispensable wisdom? Surely, I would stumble within the darkness of stupidity, were it not for this shining beacon of intelligence before me.¡±


    ¡°Oh stop it, you,¡± Gob said with a girly voice as he covered his hands covered his cheeks. ¡°Your making me blush, Boss.¡± He didn¡¯t lie, his pale cheeks were actually flushing red. I contracted with a blushing male demon, maybe I should kill myself? ¡°If-if it¡¯s you, Boss,¡± Gob said as he squirmed in his seat, tail slowly coiling around himself. ¡°I don¡¯t mind giving you my first time¡­¡± Definitely killing myself.


    Gob¡¯s charade immediately vanished as I placed the knife¡¯s point against my throat, a big toothy smile now plastered on his face. ¡°So that¡¯s what the knife was for, Boss. Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡±


    This guy. I sheathed the dagger as I answered his question, ¡°Cause you were making stupid remarks.¡±


    This luxurious carriage was beginning to feel suffocating with this nuisance. ¡°You know that weapon I was holding int the closet?¡± I tapped the leather sheath. ¡°This is it.¡±


    Gob¡¯s eyes began giving off a dangerous sparkle. ¡°That¡¯s quite a bit of history in one little dagger, Boss.¡± His gaze shifted towards the necklace. ¡°Now I¡¯m even more curious about that locket.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, if you answer a question of mine.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Boss.¡±


    I opened the locket, revealing the spinning needle within. ¡°It¡¯s a tracking device attuned to my mother¡¯s mana.¡± Gob wanted to say something, but I stopped him. ¡°And yes, I know it¡¯s spinning wildly. That just means they managed to block the signal. But as long as it spins, I¡¯ll know that she¡¯s still alive.¡±


    Gob slunk back into his own side of the cushions. ¡°Handy little gadget, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Expensive little gadget,¡± I said, mirroring his actions. ¡°But enough about that. Now it¡¯s my turn.¡±


    Gob giggled. ¡°You do know I promised to answer a question, not the next question, Boss?¡±


    ¡°I know, I know.¡± I closed the locket again, tucking it back into my rags. ¡°Not gonna pry into that Collar thing of yours. I know you like your secrets.¡±


    Gob nodded. ¡°Glad you understand, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Can you at least tell me why I still rapidly recover my mana?¡± Gob seemed confused. ¡°You know, with me having to maintain your corporeal body, and all that?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know, Boss?¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡±


    ¡°Our souls are linked through the Contract.¡± He waited a bit, but continued after I gave no reaction. ¡°So that means our souls are bound to the same plane.¡± Gob poked through his skin, black blood slowly trickling through the opening. ¡°See, Boss? Actual flesh and blood, not some construct made of mana. No need to maintain anything, Boss.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°That does explain a lot,¡± I said as I immersed myself further into the thick cushions. So that¡¯s why captains can have their demons out at all times¡­


    Wait.


    Doesn¡¯t this mean that I¡¯m a captain, not a lieutenant?


    ¡­


    The next proving will be the end of me.


    I contemplated possible ways to survive the inevitable, happy nonetheless. I had ample amounts of times to train and prepare, it would probably be decades before I returned to the Burrows. Or maybe I should forfeit all matches? I can always fight my way up later.I relaxed in this sea of time, enjoying the rhythmic bumps of the road as time passed me by.


    A sharp nail poked my leg. ¡°Boss.¡±


    I turned towards the source of the irritation. ¡°What is it now, Gob?¡±


    ¡°The carriage stopped moving, Boss,¡± Gob said as as an audible click came from the door. It swung open to reveal four hooded figures, armed with a simple sword and unmarked leather armor, their faces obscured by the same wispy darkness covering our windows.


    ¡°Marcus Ashwood?¡± a male voice asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± I replied, stepping out of the carriage. I found myself standing on cold stone, brick and mortar lining the floor of the massive enclosed courtyard around me. The monotony of flat ground broken up by the ornately sculpted fountain adorning its center. Buildings several stories high encompassed the square yard, their countless windows filled with precious glass. How did they pay for all this?


    There was a sharp inhuman screech behind me as the figures grabbed the hilts of their swords. I dashed forward, before turning around. A lone Gob casually hopped out of the coach, his arm covered in black blood. He looked towards the shadows rolling around the carriage as the same substance began seeping from the windows. Gob made a satisfied grunt as he addressed me. ¡°Told you, Boss. The next Envy demon I saw would be stabbed.¡± He lapped up some of the blood with his long black tongue, teeth stained black as he smiled at unknown party. ¡°And so I did.¡±


    I quickly interposed myself as swords were pulled from their scabbards. ¡°He¡¯s with me! He¡¯s with me!¡± They seemed to hesitate, their weapons halted within their sheaths. ¡°This would be Gob,¡± I hastily introduced. ¡°The one I Contracted with.¡±


    The front guard warily inspected the grinning demon, before giving a nod. ¡°He fits the description.¡± I froze as weapons were sheathed, surprised by the cold chill running up my spine. I could feel their gazes on me, the front man¡¯s tone promising death and retribution. ¡°Though next time you harm the Lady¡¯s vassals, we will not be so merciful.¡± They turned around, leaving a single command in their wake. ¡°Follow.¡±


    I quickly did as I was told, pulling Gob along by his ear. ¡°Ouch, ow ow, not the ear, Boss. Not the ears!¡± I paid it no mind, and neither did our escorts, the demon¡¯s complaints unanswered as we passed through empty hallways and corridors. Are we the only ones?


    We went up several flights of stairs, the top floor lavishly decorated with statues and paintings depicting battles I¡¯ve never even heard of. Not that I payed it too much attention, I was too busy enjoying the soft feeling beneath my feet. Whatever this red thing was, it was very pleasant to walk on. Sly¡¯s father had a smaller one, he called it car¡­ something, something. I need to get me one too.


    The group stopped in front of a large, black double door, loudly knocking the wood three times. ¡°Enter,¡± an aged voice replied. They opened them, ushering me in, before slamming it shut, leaving me and Gob alone in the room.


    The chamber did not lose to the hallway in ornaments, what I presumed to be Cedian history adorned every aspect of its very being. Thick, red drapes were pulled aside, letting the sunlight stream in through the large glass window. The view of the courtyard obscured by a single figure, his back turned towards us as he gazed into the distance.


    My vision swept across the room, till it settled on the person¡¯s deep, blue cloak. I trembled, stitched on it¡¯s back was the mark of the invader. A black battlement sporting an unadorned flag, stone walls surrounding it on both sides. A trap. My hand itched towards my hidden dagger as sweat began to drip down my neck. The door is guarded, and the window is blocked. I clenched the leather pommel as hard as I could, eyes darting around, looking for hidden enemies. I¡¯ll run when Gob is Loose.


    ¡°So you gonna talk, or what?¡± Gob asked loudly. ¡°At least hurry up, I need to take a piss.¡± My hand shot forward, slapping Gob in the back of the head. ¡°Ow!¡± Gob rubbed the hit skin, pale skin slowly turning darker. He looked at me, eyebrows furrowed. ¡°What you do that for, Boss?¡±


    I tried to lower my voice as much as I could, though it came out louder than I wanted to. ¡°That¡¯s Hadrian fucking Blackwall, you idiot.¡± I pointed at the person wearing the Blackwall coat of arms. ¡°The damned Archduke of Greed.¡±


    ¡°Former Archduke of Greed,¡± the aged voice said. ¡°I¡¯m just a Duke now.¡± He turned around. ¡°And you must be our new Warlock.¡±


    The man of our nightmares, the holder of the wall, the unbreakable fortress, seemed tired. His golden hair had lost its sheen, whilst his bloodline¡¯s famous bronze skin was but a dull color. The curse of age had finally taken hold on his physical features, evident by the little crowfeet wrinkling besides his brown eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t be alarmed,¡± he said. ¡°Ely asked me to test you in her stead, she¡¯s been swamped with work.¡± He looked out of the window once more. ¡°This whole eclipse thing got people running around like headless chickens.¡± A few seconds passed, before he refocused his gaze on me. ¡°But enough blabbering. Let me see you up close.¡±


    My legs slowly shuffled across the room, muscles tense, waiting for the hidden dagger. Hadrian chuckled. ¡°Still wary of assassins, are you?¡± He softly clapped his hands. ¡°Good. A true warrior can never be too cautious.¡± I stopped, giving Hardrian a look of surprise. ¡°What is it, boy? Can¡¯t I praise you?¡± It just feels awkward. ¡°Look, boy. I don¡¯t hate you for being a rat. You didn¡¯t kill my daughter, your superiors did.¡± I remained silent. ¡°Me hating you would be like me hating another country¡¯s soldiers during a war. They didn¡¯t ask to fight us, yet here they are, killing our men.¡± He pointed a finger at me, a strong fire burning in his eyes. ¡°Their officers shoulder the burden of my hostility, and I¡¯ve already enacted vengeance upon yours.¡±


    Salamander. I nodded, before making my way towards the imposing man, hand still tightly clutching the dagger¡¯s grip. My feet stopped in front of this living legend, neck slightly craning upwards to look him in the eye. Conquer your fear in small steps. Maintain eye contact. It was not easy, my legs trembled under his scrutinizing gaze, body flinching as he prodded and poked my physique.¡°You¡¯ve got some good muscles on you, and the scars to go with it.¡± He grabbed my chin, turning my head left and right. ¡°Still can¡¯t believe your only sixteen.¡±


    ¡°I can prove it, sir,¡± I managed to squeak out. ¡°The ink doesn¡¯t lie.¡±


    He let go. ¡°No need to show me that barbaric custom. Good waste of skin, if you ask me.¡± He pointed at a nearby desk. ¡°Grab yourself a chair, we have some things to discuss.¡±


    Something pulled my rags, I looked to see Gob covering his lower regions, balancing from one leg onto another. ¡°I really need to go, Boss. I can¡¯t hold it much longer.¡±


    ¡°Guards!¡± Hadrian shouted. The doors promptly opened, four figures stepping in with swords in hand. Hadrian scoffed. ¡°Put down your weapons, fools¡± He nudged at the skipping Gob. ¡°And get this demon out of here, I don¡¯t want him urinating all over the floor.¡± The guards quickly did as they were told, escorting Gob outside as they softly closed the door. Hadrian gave me a smile ¡°Ely¡¯s bunch are usually like that. A bit tooparanoid.¡± He began moving towards the wooden desk. ¡°Then again, she is the current spymaster.¡± I stumbled. ¡°Haha, didn¡¯t see that coming, now did you, boy?¡± This is bad. I sat down on the opposite site of the desk, the luxurious padding doing nothing to easy my distress. I¡¯m being surrounded by all kinds of monsters.


    Hadrian slid into his chair with a groan. ¡°I¡¯m getting too old for this.¡± As he settled in, an empty arm sleeve slid out of his cloak. Why no replacement?¡°Armless Hadrian that interesting?¡± I quickly straightened up, gaze fixated forwards. A predatory grin spread on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, pup. I wear it as a mark of pride.¡± He removed the cloak, the missing right arm now glaringly obvious. ¡°Is see your burning with curiosity. Spit it out, boy¡±


    I swallowed, my voice feeling dry as I spoke, ¡°Why not replace it?¡±


    "See this?¡± Hadrian asked, pointing at the emerging wrinkles on his face. ¡°The aging has finally begun. I¡¯ll be lucky to get another twenty years of life.¡± He sat back in his chair. ¡°Though I should consider myself lucky for having reached the ripe age of one hundred and thirty.¡± He picked up the armless sleeve. ¡°Learning to manifest my affinities as an arm is no easy task, kid. Chances are, I¡¯ll be dead by then.¡± I opened my mouth. ¡°And no. No regrowing with Life magic, nor grafting with Deathmagic.¡± He patted the stump beneath his clothing. ¡°This is both a mark of shame, and a mark of victory.¡± He gazed into the distance. ¡°For letting my ego kill countless of men.¡± Only to fixate on me. ¡°And for killing the strongest warrior I¡¯ve ever faced.¡±


    ¡°How did he die?¡± I asked, the words slipping past my lips without hesitation.


    Hadrian¡¯s face scrunched up. ¡°Miserably.¡± His eyes grew distant once more. ¡°Through no fault of his own.¡± I waited in silence, letting Hadrian do the talking. ¡°I was surrounded, my guards were dead, and my hope for revenge crushed. Then out comes Salamander, calling back his troops. That cock sure attitude of his as he challenged me to a one on one fight .¡± Hadrian made a deep sigh. ¡°I was overjoyed, the chance to avenge my daughter was within reach. So I took it, and took it I did.¡± His hands slowly edges towards the armless sleeve. ¡°We fought a brutal battle, Salamder¡¯s strength and skill clearly outmatching my own. All I could do was avoid dying, not able to get a single good strike in.¡± He clutched the stump on his arm. ¡°When I lost my arm, I though it was all over. I could only wait for the final blow.¡± His voice began to tremble with rage. ¡°And then Salamander froze. Coughing up blood by the mouthful. I took my chance and cut of his head, using your laws to escape that death trap.¡±


    ¡°Poison¡­¡± I murmured, my voice lingering. Salamander was done in by fucking poison!


    ¡°Whatever it was, it saved my life and gave me my revenge,¡± Hadrian said. ¡°Is what I like to say. But the truth is but a hollow victory, and a dead daughter buried in my crypt.¡± Hadrian shook his head. ¡°No matter, this concerns you as well.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°With Salamander gone, a war between the four gangs is inevitable. We¡¯ll let them slug it out, and sweep up what¡¯s left of them.¡± His voice was now resolute. ¡°And no more peasant soldiers. This time we will bring our full strength to bear. Let us see how they fare against Cedia¡¯s finest.¡± Hadrian gave me a knowing smile. ¡°Be glad you jumped ship when you did, kid. Had you waited another year, you, and the Burrows, would be nothing more than a bad memory.¡±


    Well shit.

 Chapter 8

    Dear mother,


    I will not be coming home this summer, nor the subsequent years. I have robbed a nobleman¡¯s son in the name of uncovering history, which caused me to write this letter from a damp prison cell. Tomorrow I will be dragged before the judges, and probably be shipped towards the Burrows. Fret not, this was my goal in the first place, and I¡¯m delighted at the prospect. By the time you receive this letter, I will be long gone and there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. So please stop sending me potential brides, history has conquered my heart long ago, and I will stop at nothing to preserve it!


    Your dearest son,


    Jullianus Retan


    - Jullianus Retan lousy farewell letter.


    Gob was tied and gagged when we left the room, his form slumped over the shoulder of a drenched guard, the stench of urine wafting through the wind.


    Ignore it, there are bigger problems. I quickened my pace, guards trailing behind as I caught up with a snickering Blackwall. A full-scale attack, just one year from now. The man seemed serious when he said that, especially when he began mentioning the specifics. Cedia¡¯s full might battering down our gates. Twenty-thousand fucking Warlocks. Let alone all the Shapers under their command! My stomach churned just thinking about these disclosed numbers. The Burrows finished.


    ¡°I was ordered to,¡± Blackwall said. I looked beside me, gone was the chuckling visage, a stern gaze was all that greeted me. ¡°You¡¯re probably wondering why I told you all this.¡± I nodded. ¡°Adeline¡¯s orders.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t know what she¡¯s planning now, but it can¡¯t be good for you.¡± He slowed his pace a bit, taking his time to admire the paintings in the hallway. ¡°Be very careful, Marcus. She may give of a playful vibe, but beneath that facade hides a dangerous feline.¡± His brown eyes settled on me. ¡°One that tends to break her new toys.¡± I made an audible swallow. He smiled, tussling my hair with his single arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, pup. I¡¯ll talk to Ely, see if I can convince her to back off a bit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Lady Adeline,¡± one of the guards interjected.


    ¡°And it¡¯s Ely for me,¡± Blackwall retorted. A sigh escaped his lips as he shifted his attention back to me. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them, boy. Ely¡¯s troops are obsessed with hierarchy.¡± He mumbled on as we descended the stairs. ¡°The most rigid bunch of shape-shifters I¡¯ve ever met.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Until they change into someone else, that is.¡± They can fully shape-shift!?¡°You should¡­¡± I looked over my shoulder, the urine soaked guard¡¯s expression unreadable through the black smoke. Don¡¯t be mad, please don¡¯t be mad. I don¡¯t want to be on a Envy Warlock¡¯s shit list. I continued to sporadically glance over my shoulder, my back feeling vulnerable and exposed to the potential grudge behind me. ¡°¡­but that¡¯s not important right now,¡± Blackwall said as we finally reached the bottom floor. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that after your first fight.¡±


    ¡°Fight?¡± I asked. They can¡¯t mean¡­


    ¡°Yes, a fight in the arena,¡± Blackwall said. Breathe Marcus, remain calm. ¡°Don¡¯t look so alarmed, boy.¡± He slapped me on the back. ¡°You¡¯ll do fine, trust me.¡± Easy for you to say. I could feel my heart start beating faster as we made our way through the Academy¡¯s hallways, each room feeling more dreadful than the other. There was only one proper arena in the Burrows, but most fights were settled in the numerous fighting rings. I just hope that they have an actual arena, instead of some enclosed fighting hall. I was going to need every advantage I could get, getting stuck in some sunless, windless room would severely limit my options.


    We ended up in the deserted courtyard, heading towards a deep archway on the opposite end. So they have some open fields to fight in. Good. I slowly exhaled. At least I¡¯ll feel grass one more time... ¡°Is the entire Academy watching the fights?¡± I asked, looking through the empty rooms as we passed them by.


    ¡°Just the administration staff, and some teachers,¡± Blackwall said. ¡°They¡¯re ranking the last passing batch from yesterday¡¯s entrance test.¡± He fumbled for something in his pockets. ¡°Those that scored high enough are staying in the dorms right now.¡± It was a golden pocket watch. ¡°Second year and up will start flooding in after the weekend, at least those that stayed home during the break.¡± He pressed the top, popping the lid, revealing a simple clock face. ¡°They should be finishing up with the Shaper rankings, you¡¯re turn will come after.¡±


    ¡°Rankings?¡±


    Blackwall creased his forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Only the top ten percent can stay and study at the Royal Academy.¡± He closed the pocket watch. ¡°The rest are shipped off to a school that suits their ranking.¡± Killing for the top spot, no wonder Cedia¡¯s nobility is so ruthless. ¡°Not that you should worry, standard rules don¡¯t apply to you.¡± He must have seen my surprise, as his lips moved to form a big grin, the shadow of the archway blocking his facial features. ¡°That Contract of yours, is all the validation we need,¡± his voice echoed. ¡°This fight is nothing more than a formality, you¡¯ll be admitted anyway. Just a way to stop people from complaining when yo¡­¡±


    We exited the archway, and onto a stone paved road that stretched into the distance. It was flanked by great lumbering towers of wood, their small limbs bending and swaying in the soft morning breeze. Their leaves softly rustled in the wind, producing sounds I never though I hear again. And the ground. Oh, the ground! Carpeted in sweet fragrant green, that soft feeling as it brushed against my fingertips, the smell of grass filling my nose as it tickled my toes. The rough texture of the tree roots at my back, as my head rested on the sturdy trunk, fractured beams of sunlight warming my face in the shade. Birds sang, and wind blew, a clock softly ticking as distant voices slowly grew louder. My sisters ran off a nearby hill, arms frantically waving. I waved back, the warm feeling of happiness turning icy cold as flaming horsemen appeared on the horizon, their fiery hooves galloping towards my family. The voices were now screaming in pain and agony, as a blackened hand gripped my shoulder, forcing me to watch the inevitable tragedy. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°... y.¡± ¡°¡­oy.¡± ¡°Boy!¡±


    Blackwall¡¯s arm was firmly shaking my shoulder, his face frowned in concern. ¡°You okay, boy? Speak to me!¡±


    My heart hammered in my chest, cold beats of sweat dripping down my face. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, pushing his arm away with a grunt. My head softly bumped into wood as he let go, a mighty tree stretching high above me. I wanted to walk, to rescue my sisters, only to realize they were gone, body lying nestled in some tree roots, my boots strangely absent. ¡°Why am I here?¡±


    ¡°You tell me,¡± Blackwall said. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who went and lost it.¡± He waved his hands in front of my face, his gaze intently tracking my eyesight. ¡°You should lie down for now. I¡¯ve seen people act like this before.¡± He looked at me with pity. ¡°Though none as young as you.¡± He rested his back against the trunk, eyes closed. I did the same. Time went by as my heartbeat steadied, the soft rustle of leaves calming my nerves. ¡°Want to talk about it?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Figured as much,¡± Blackwall said, tossing and turned a bit. ¡°You must have been through some tough times. At least tell me you got a Blessing out of it.¡± A what now? ¡°Though I wish it didn¡¯t come with all that pain. I¡¯d just get the knowledge, and be down with it.¡±


    ¡°You mean Gift.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Blessing, boy. You¡¯re in Cedia now, better learn the proper language.¡± What does it matter? ¡°So what¡¯s your Blessing? We need to know, can¡¯t really build a lesson plan without knowing your strengths and weaknesses.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t need any specifics, just give me something to work with.¡±


    ¡°I can see in the dark.¡± At least that¡¯s what I think it does. Blackwall fumbled some more, before I heard some scratching on paper. ¡°But only normal darkness, the guards¡¯ faces are still obscured to me.¡±


    ¡°I see, I see,¡± Blackwall said as he scratched some more. ¡°It may be low in terms of overall power, but sensory Blessings are always high in demand.¡± I know. ¡°It¡¯s good that you got a useful one so early in life.¡± The writing stopped, as a paper was muffled away. ¡°Thanks for sharing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got another one.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got two Gif¡­ I mean Blessings.¡± Paper ruffled as it was pulled open. ¡°The second would be Mage Sight.¡± I heard a small gasp. Here we go again. ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited, I need to fall into a deep concentration to use it.¡± I could not see his face, but his sigh was enough information. ¡°Though when I do, I can pierce through several inches of solid rock.¡± There was some more furious scribbling. Inches, miles, what¡¯s the difference?. ¡°Range would be around thirty feet, I guess?¡± That should be enough downplaying.


    ¡°Part of a breach team?¡± Blackwall asked no one in particular. ¡°Or maybe a watchful eye?¡± I let him scribble his notes in silence, contend to enjoy the summer breeze. ¡°Shame about the concentration part, but we can find ways to mitigate that weakness.¡± A strong hand hit my shoulder, slapping my eyes wide open.¡°But you¡¯ve been holding out on me, boy! Sixteen years old and already two Blessings, one of them a Mage Sight! Not to mention that Contract of yours!¡± Blackwall broke out in joyous laughter. ¡°Maybe the Burrows isn¡¯t so bad after all!¡± I rubbed the sore spot, the wall watcher¡¯s punch still packing some serious power. ¡°Now let¡¯s hope they develop well over your lifetime! That would be a sightto see! Haha¡­ get it?¡± His laughter finally died down as he went into quiet contemplation. ¡°Still, to have two Blessings concerning sight. What is it that you¡¯re lookingfor, boy?¡±


    ¡°My family got abducted,¡± I said, Blackwall not even flinching at the news.


    ¡°Mmm, yes. Now I see,¡± he began murmuring to himself. ¡°Ely¡¯s agents already confirmed your Greed.¡± When did they¡­? No matter, the mana masking seemed to have worked. ¡°A desire to find back that which is rightfully yours.¡± He looked at me, giving a small chuckle. ¡°I didn¡¯t peg you as the family man.¡± You think this is funny? ¡°Now, now, no need to get mad. I know what you¡¯re feeling, trust me.¡± The wrinkles in his face seemed to grow deeper. ¡°Having someone taken from you isn¡¯t easy.¡± He softly squeezed my shoulder, eyes filled with untold sorrow. ¡°Just be happy that they¡¯re still alive, I know I would.¡± He softly patted me, before making his way back to the road.Stolen story; please report.


    Gods, I feel stupid. I quickly scanned the grass, finding and putting on my discarded shoes. Great way to ruin the mood, idiot. The guards remained stationed on the road, silently waiting till we got back. The one that carried Gob seemed to have finally dried up in the sun. Shame it does nothing for the smell. We began moving again, silence reigning safe for the soft sound of footsteps. I need to salvage this.


    I looked around, hoping to find an answer. Trees hampered my vision, but I could could glimpse big stone buildings between their trunks. Probably the other schools Blackwall mentioned. The stone building behind me seemed small in comparison. Quality over quantity, eh? The path seemed to converge into a far larger road running perpendicular to it, the trees quickly thinning as we closed in on the conjunction. Why isn¡¯t the Royal Academy next to the main road? Do they value silence so mu-


    My breath remained stuck in my throat as we passed the last of the trees, granting me full view of the pure monstrosity in the distance. What in Gods names is that!? It was massive, with multiple wings, several stories, and a giant plaza adorning it¡¯s center. The buildings I glimpsed earlier seemed small compared to this veritable fortress, large slabs of rectangular, white stone dwarfed only by the mountains looming in the distance. ¡°Move along, boy. We haven¡¯t gotten all day,¡± Blackwall said.


    ¡°W-w-what is that?¡± I asked, pointing at the rocky behemoth.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s the Royal Academy, of course.¡±


    My blood froze.That thing is the Royal Academy?I pointed back the way we came. ¡°Didn¡¯t we just leave the Royal Academy?¡±


    ¡°Are you daft, boy? That¡¯s the administration office, surely you can¡¯t b-¡± Blackwall stopped talking when he saw my face, only to break out in hysterical laughter. That was just a side building? I sat down, huddling my knees as I drew circles in the air. Burrow pride, yaaaaay. I¡¯m totally not jealous or anything. No way. It isn¡¯t like they have a fucking fortress for a school, who would need that? I¡¯d rather have dark rocky tunnels, filled with unspeakable horrors trying to eat me. Boy, oh boy, I sure was lucky living in the Burrows until now. Wouldn¡¯t want to grow up safe and sound in the outside world, now would we? If I¡¯m not careful, I¡¯ll die shamelessly of old age. Just imagine the anguish of spending my last days in a soft bed. Brrrrr. That¡¯s not the way to go, now is it? Better return quickly, lest I miss my dying moments screaming and crying, punching the very thing clawing my guts out. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ What was my father thinking?


    Blackwall made a last few chuckles as he blinked away his tears. ¡°Sorry, boy. Didn¡¯t mean to laugh so hard.¡± He pulled me upright with a single tug of his arm, a warm smile adorning his face. ¡°No need to feel ashamed. It¡¯s easy to forget that you¡¯ve been living in a honk of shit all this time.¡± He pointed at a large stone structure, circular in shape, surrounded by several smaller copies. ¡°Just make sure you display your amazement outside the arena, no need to embarrass yourself in front of fellow students.¡±


    We gradually made our way to the structures, their surfaces littered with small archways that grew in size with every step. And I thought our arena was supposed to be big. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering about something,¡± Blackwall said. ¡°Does the name Malius Bludwan, ring a bell?¡±


    ¡°Never heard of him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the head of the Norwood bloodline, and my successor on the Council.¡±


    ¡°Sounds important,¡± I mumbled, too busy to pay attention to all the new sights around me.


    ¡°Ha! Important is an understatement.¡± Blackwall said, his voice carrying across the empty school grounds. I still can¡¯t believe this whole thing is a school. ¡°But I digress. Are you perhaps related to him?¡±


    What?¡°I doubt it. Didn¡¯t even know he existed till a few seconds ago.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps a stupid coincidence,¡± Blackwall said as we closed in on the smallest of the arenas. ¡°No matter, let¡¯s enjoy the fight shall we?¡± That¡¯s right the fight. My heart thumped faster at the mere mention of the word. Don¡¯t get killed, you still have a lot left that needs doing. We stopped in front of an archway, the unmistakable sounds of battle echoing in the distance. ¡°I¡¯ll guide you to the staging area, just stay put till the gate opens.¡± Blackwall stepped inside, me following in tow with the guardsmen, our passage through the enclosed hallways uneventful. Nothing but smoothly shaped stone, and regularly placed lighting crystals accompanied us on our journey.


    We ended in a tunnel shaped room, crystals illuminated the stone benches lining the sides as a thick slab of black wood blocked the opposite end. With a grunt the guardsman dropped Gob on the ground, his form twitching briefly, unaware of the dagger closing in. ¡°No need to cut him loose,¡± Blackwall interjected. ¡°His fight will be without a demon, it wouldn¡¯t be fair for his opponent if it did.¡± Blackwall turned to me. ¡°Your opponent has already been decided, Ely was adamant about the choice.¡± I don¡¯t like the sound of that. ¡°He¡¯s an Envy, so water and dark attacks are a given. Now normally that wouldn¡¯t be a problem, seeing as you can counter his Dark affinity with your own. But he¡¯s one of those few with an extra affinity, and unfortunately for you that turned out to be Wind.¡± So three versus four? Could be worse. ¡°You don¡¯t seem so worried.¡± A thunderous applause resounded through the tunnel. ¡°Is there anything I should know?¡± Blackwell¡¯s eyes got a dangerous sparkle.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got four affinities, I¡¯ll manage.¡±


    I narrowly dodged the incoming shoulder slap. ¡°Of course he has four!¡± Blackwall laughed loudly. ¡°Next thing you know, he¡¯ll pull out a Domain!¡± Does he mean Decree? I opened my mouth to speak, but Blackwall interrupted me. ¡°No need to tell me, attaining one so young would be impossible anyway. Still, four affinities¡­ you seem to get more valuable by the minute.¡± He began rubbing his chin. ¡°What could they be? Wind and Dark for Greed, that¡¯s for sure. That leaves four more of the natural order¡­ or perhaps you dabble in artificial ones?¡±


    ¡°You could ju-¡±


    ¡°No answers! I would like to do some betting on this fight, see if my hunch is correct.¡± A soft wind blew through the closed tunnel as Blackwall closed his eyes. ¡°It seems I am needed, we will be seeing each other soon, Marcus.¡± He began moving towards the only exit, stopping briefly when he reached the guards. ¡°Just head out when the gate opens, these guys will take care of your demon in the meantime.¡± And with that he slipped around the corner, his footsteps softly echoing through the hallway.


    ¡°Got a knife I could borrow?¡± I asked one of the guardsmen. They remained quiet, none of them moving a muscle to help me. The fact that the guy who Gob peed on was in the same room didn¡¯t really help easy my nerves. At least he can¡¯t kill me right now¡­ he¡¯ll just do it later. Not that I could rely on Gob in case he came for me, the fucking demon seemed to have fallen asleep after his antics. I can¡¯t fucking understand him. He¡¯s hyper active, but sleeps when he feels like it. He¡¯s always cracking jokes, but eclipses the sun when angry. Food barely passes his throat, yet it guzzles down liquor by the bottle. I don¡¯t get it, he¡¯s a living contradiction.


    There was more cheering and applause outside, the sound largely muffled by the thick slab of wood beside me. That¡¯s right, the fight. I willed some wind around my finger, carefully cutting off my ragged sleeves. Deal with one problem at a time. Next, I cut up what was left of my sleeveless shirt into two long stripes. No use worrying about tomorrow, if you die today. I pushed one sleeve along my arm till my hand almost exited the hole, tightly tying it secure to my wrist. Going to need every advantage I can get. Afterwards, I sliced up the sleeve in several long strips of cloth, leaving the fabric¡¯s base at the wrist untouched. I¡¯ll blind him with the strips in close combat. I did the same for the other arm. Whilst they keep my finger movement obscured at range. Satisfied with my work I rested my bare back against the cold stone wall, focusing on keeping my breathing steady and relaxed


    I did not know how much time passed as I breathed in and out, my mind too busy mulling over possible strategies and techniques to survive the coming trial. I was pulled away from my inner struggles as chains loudly began to rustle, the black wood slowly but surely rising up into the ceiling. Daylight flooded my vision as I made my way through the opening, course sand crunching beneath every step of my shoes. Stone floor with sand covering. I can work with this. Slowly my eyes adjusted to the brightness, the arena floor gradually coming into full view. Looks familiar. A large flat surface stretched before me, littered with lit fire pits and pools of murky water, a lone figure standing in its very center. The oval shaped area was surrounded by stone walls, several feet high. Stone benches encircled the ring, each row a bit higher than the next, with the right side laying empty, whilst the left side was filled with numerous spectators, probably numbering in a few hundred. Must be a quiet day. I ignored the sounds of laughter and mockery as I made my way further into the ring. I wasn¡¯t here for entertainment, I came here to kill.


    And the person striding from the opposite side seemed to be my prey. I took a good look, intently studying his movements. He didn¡¯t seem like much, just a thin frame covered up by white cloth. Silver hair partially covered his green eyes, the sunken cheeks doing nothing to dispel my previous notion. Don¡¯t let your guard down, looks can deceive. We both approached the central figure, a grinning Blackwall. Bloodthirsty maniac.He held up his hand, motioning us to stop just fifty feet from each other. He crowd grew silent as he began to speak, ¡°Are you ready for the fight?¡± I nodded, the other did the same. ¡°Good, you can proceed on my mark.¡±


    The man took his stance, a fire now burning brightly in his eyes. Seems like he won¡¯t go down easily, better to kill him quickly. I¡¯ll probably make enemies, but I can¡¯t risk holding back for a knock-out. He seemed to know what he was doing, body and feet positioned for mobility and minimum exposure. The visible intention is probably a feint. His heels were lifted of the ground, knees bending forward. Nobody is that obvious. I took a somewhat similar stance, knees relaxes as my front foot hovered a mere inch from the floor. He¡¯ll dash to the side, hoping to fight from afar.


    ¡°Let the battle¡­¡± I won¡¯t let him. ¡°¡­begin!¡±


    The man shot forward, intent on closing the distance. What?My heel struck the ground before I knew it, fingers splayed wide at this golden opportunity. A small protrusion burst forth from the ground, snagging his feet as he began toppling forward. Now! I pushed with all my force, springing forth a sharp stone spike ready to impale my falling enemy. People began to scream, before a gust of wind hit him, steering him clear of imminent death. How!? I didn¡¯t see his hands move! I quickly shifted back into my stance, my movement frozen as a voice bellowed through the arena, ¡°What are you doing!¡±


    I turned to the source, a surprised looking Blackwall. ¡°Are you trying to kill him!?¡±


    I was stunned by the stupid question, and even more by the looks of horror from the audience. ¡°Well¡­ yeah.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, yeah? This is a fight, not some duel to the death!¡±


    A realization slowly began to dawn upon me. ¡°You don¡¯t kill people in fights?¡±


    ¡°Why would w-¡± Blackwall facepalmed. ¡°This is one of your stupid Burrow things, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Well fighting is what you do during battle, so when you fight in the Burrows that means you¡­¡± I trailed off as I saw the four figures guarding Gob, drop into the arena with swords drawn. I couldn¡¯t see their obscured faces, but I certainly could feel their bloodlust.


    Blackwall probably felt them too, swiftly interjecting himself between me and them. ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding, I should have explained the rules clearly to him.¡± The four halted in their tracks, three of them looking at their leader. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the consequences, you have my word.¡± The front figure nodded, sheathing his sword. His eyes were hidden, but that did not stop me from feeling his lingering gaze. Definitely on his shit list.Blackwall let out a deep sigh as he walked towards me, his voice now old and tired. ¡°Be happy that I stepped in when I did. You almost murdered Adeline¡¯s third son.¡±


    Maybe I should brush up on the local dialect. Yes, let¡¯s do that.

 Chapter 9

    What do we have here?


    Robbery, assault, and mental harm to a nobleman. Those are some serious charges against you, sir Jullianus Retan. I don¡¯t know why a Shaper like you would do such a thing, but surely you must have a reason for this? What do you mean, no reason? You plead guilty to all charges? This court session is not some joke, sir Jullius. I assure you. What¡¯s that? My mother is a what!? Stop that! Is that actually¡­ I think I¡¯m going to be sick. That¡¯s it! I¡¯ve had it with you!. By the power bestowed upon my office, I exile you to the Burrows! Never to walk, nor be seen on Cedian soil ever again! Now get this degenerate out of my courtroom, before he flings more shit at me!


    - A most unusual court session.


    The demon hung limply over the guard¡¯s shoulder, snores rhythmically interrupted with each step the man took.


    Gob. Wake up, buddy. I really could use some help over here. The man¡¯s face was blanketed by wispy shadow drifting inside his hood, and darkness from the imminent sundown, but that didn¡¯t stop his pair of eyes from drilling a hole into my back. Make that four pairs.The familiar escorts were even more twitchy than usual, not that they could help it. Who would¡¯ve expected him to cling to me like that? Then again, his mother didn¡¯t exactly give me any normal vibes when I met her. Maybe their family is just a bunch of social weirdos.


    ¡°Come on now, Marcus. Why won¡¯t you tell me about that tattoo on your back?¡± Maximilian asked with sparkling, green eyes.


    I didn¡¯t mean to off him, alright? So stop glaring daggers at me! The killing intent behind me was suffocating, or maybe it was these damn clothes. These so called noble garments were almost impossible to move in, let alone breath. Not to mention the damned shoes that came with it. It was like they were made to crush toes or something. Why would anyone wear this willingly!? Maybe they never did, and they were forced to wear them to festivities like the one were going to now. Now that would explain permanently pissed nobles.


    We were getting close to the plaza of this monstrously big Academy. Just like everything else in this place, it didn¡¯t lose in terms of size or grandiosity, either. Fountains, statues, and other decorations, littered these stone grounds. Though none of them could compare with the big golden clock ticking away above the school entrance. Clocks were notoriously expensive, and one this big must have cost several smuggling runs worth of money. These people are downright crazy. Even my Greed seemed to agree on that point. Gold tended to get its attention, but not when people were pissing it away like cheap wine. Everything about this place was ridiculous, be it the dorms, the parks, or even the damned toilets. Why even make golden toilet seats!? Seriously, what¡¯s the point!? And don¡¯t get me started on the compulsive urge to trim everything that can be considered green. Was it really necessary to hire people for grass measuring? Why does such a job even exist? At least the arena was as plain as it could be; I¡¯d rather sleep over there than in the dorms.It wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t like the comfy beds, or the new-found existence of toilet paper. It was just that everything in this place was just too much. Some comfort I could understand, but the level of pampering that was displayed in this place was downright nauseating. The Warlocks, and Shapers, this placed housed might be the best of the best, but battle didn¡¯t tolerate those weak of mind. Anyone that graduated from this place was bound to end up in a ditch somewhere. Maybe this isn¡¯t the way to go?


    ¡°It¡¯s not nice to ignore your roommate, you know?¡± Maximilian said as we entered the stone plaza. He blew away some of the silver hair covering his eyes, not paying attention to the other people gawking at us, his gaze only focused one me. ¡°But still, ranking first in the entire Warlock group. You¡¯ve got to tell me how you did it.¡±


    Therein lay the problem; there was nowhere to go. I was hoisted on the highest platform in the arena, and declared the most valuable of the first year attendees. I couldn¡¯t care less about the entire ranking ceremony, nor did all the glares of disdain bother me. What really shocked my core was the sheer number of them. Only the top ten percent were selected to attend the Royal Academy, a mere seventy ascending the podium, leaving the remaining six-hundred and thirty something to be enrolled elsewhere. Seven-hundred fucking Warlocks in just their first year. I held the vague hope that Blackwall was just embellishing his invasion numbers, but with this much people enrolling each year it would seem he was making a conservative estimate. Sure, the Royal Academy may train piss-poor warriors with its pampering ways, but fighting twenty-to-one tended to make such trivial disadvantages obsolete. Forgot their demons. Make that forty-to-two.


    ¡°It probably has something to do with that high Earth affinity of yours,¡± Maximilian said as he poked my side.


    I slapped his hand away. ¡°I barely qualify as upper-low.¡± I could feel the waves of killing intent, behind me, intensify. ¡°You were just stupid in your approach.¡±


    Maximilian let out single laugh. ¡°Hah, upper-low my ass.¡± The short gasp from the guards didn¡¯t seem to bother him. ¡°That¡¯s a joke, surely? Your speed and control would put you at upper-mid, mid at the very least.¡± I don¡¯t need your flattery. He stopped near a fountain as he grabbed my elegant jacket, pulling me closer. The soft trickle of nearby water contrasted by the raging torrent of hate within his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, rat. I¡¯ve been lied to my whole life. It¡¯s bad enough that other nobles kiss my ass everyday. I don¡¯t need another bootlicker as my roommate.¡±


    I pulled myself from his grasp. What¡¯s his problem? ¡°I could care less about your feelings.¡± His face seemed to soften at those words. ¡°Besides, you nobles are far too full of yourselves for my liking.¡±


    Maximilian let out a small chuckle. ¡°I suppose we are.¡± He began straightening out my ruffled clothing; his former anger nowhere to be found. ¡°Sorry about the outburst. Didn¡¯t mean to grab you like that. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m sick and tired of playing these noble games all the time. Your no holds barred approach in the arena was a much needed breath of fresh air.¡± I could feel the icy stares of our surroundings judge me as he began dusting of my shoulders. ¡°I was was afraid you were one of those people.¡± He looked at all the people sneering with disdain, holding eye-contact till they shied away. ¡°Though why lie about your Earth affinity?¡±


    I flinched. The look of disappointment he gave me told enough. What are you afraid of, Marcus? Sure, my permanent escorts served his household, and they were none to happy about the room arrangement. Especially with my little stunt in the arena. But I was going to be his roommate for a whole year. Might as well make the best of it.¡±Look, I¡¯m sorry about exaggerating my Earth affinity. Truth is, I¡¯m just at the low level.¡± Maximilian¡¯s face became stoic. ¡°It will probably be another year or two before I qualify as upper-low.¡±


    He broke out in big grin, slapping my shoulder as he did. Why do people keep hitting me? ¡°And here I though you were downplaying it!¡± He began to chuckle. ¡°Turns out you were merely embellishing!¡± He slung an arm around my neck, leaning into me. ¡°You and me are going to be great friends, Marcus. I just know it!¡± He turned his head towards me. ¡°I was serious, though. You would definitely rank upper-mid at least.¡±


    I escaped his clutches, taking a few steps back before speaking up, ¡°Maybe with your piss-poor rating system, but not tested and true method of the Burrows. We rank purely based on firepower since speed and control should be a given. A single earth spike like mine, doesn¡¯t amount to much. In order to be considered having a high affinity for Earth one would probably need to spike the whole arena floor at the same time.¡± Maximilian didn¡¯t look impressed. ¡°Instantaneously.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow as a thin smile formed on his face. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s pretty impressive.¡± He began spreading his fingers towards the nearby fountain. ¡°I wonder how you would rate my Water affinity.¡± His arms began to lightly shake as the water began to rumble. The liquid slowly rose into air, the entirety of the fountain drifting above him as his arms were trembling; all fingers spread wide to keep the ball of water from losing its form. Several onlookers crept closer until the sphere¡¯s edge began to rumble. Not that their stares bothered to me; I was too busy concentrating on Maximilian¡¯s goofy grin. ¡°Catch!¡± He threw his arms forwards as his fingers switched to knife hands. Shit. I rolled forward as though my live depended on it.It was good that I did; my body narrowly avoided the blast of water directed at my former position. I ended in front of Maximilian. A quick kick towards the groin was all I needed. His face registered the mistake as his hands moved to protect his manly treasures. I quickly jumped back before the shrunken ball impacted the ground, soaking Maximilian thoroughly.


    With his hair plastered to his face, and water leaking from his trousers, he looked downright miserable. Except that goofy grin. I answered his smile with one of my own. ¡°A total failure. Zero points. My guess would be lowest of the low on the affinity scale!¡± Maximilian shrugged his shoulders. ¡°See my point about speed and control? Besides, I could have killed you a dozen times over while you were busy lifting that ball.¡±


    Maximilian gave a gracious bow. ¡°I admit my defeat.¡± People around us began murmuring at the display. ¡°Though I would say the latter is unimportant.¡± Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow. ¡°That problem is easily fixed with enough Shapers and demons on protection duty. These one-on-one bouts hardly seem similar to battlefield conditions.¡±


    I snorted. And what would you know about doing battle? ¡°Everybody pulls their own weight in the Burrows. Besides, we don¡¯t have the numbers to throw away protecting useless combatants.¡±


    Maximilian began laughing. ¡°You really are merciless, aren¡¯t you?¡± He began shaking the water out of his boots. ¡°Not that I¡¯m completely innocent, either. I was really hoping you would have tired out after having that demon of yours manifested all day. But it seems you¡¯re number one for a good reason.¡± What the fuck is he talking about? ¡°No matter, let¡¯s proceed to the banquet. Hopefully it will be warm enough to dry these clothes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to change?¡±


    ¡°Oh abyss, take me!¡± He almost looked offended. ¡°I cheated, and still lost the fight. Displaying the shame of such a defeat is the least I can do as compensation.¡± It seemed he was not fucking with me since several heads around us nodded in understanding. More importantly, I didn¡¯t detect a critical amount of bloodlust emanating from our personal escorts. Just the usual near-critical.


    One of the lone onlookers caught my attention. I remembered her name when she stepped onto the podium during the ranking ceremony, though her appearance differed quite a bit from the one in the locket¡ªespecially the multitude of horns.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Maximilian asked as I made my way towards her. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t ignore me!¡± Wet clothes began squelching behind me. Not that I cared. I was simply too busy studying the woman before me. She had grown quite a lot. No longer did she have the body of a twelve-year-old, but one of a proper adult. One with the right curves in the right places. My guess would be eighteen or above. It was always a pain to identify a Shaper¡¯s, or Warlock¡¯s age. We aged normally to adulthood, only to slow to a crawl afterwards. Only those near the end of their natural life would visibly, and physically, age rapidly to their graves. It wasn¡¯t a joke when Blackwall mentioned his impending death; he was quite serious. Still, this woman must have been very young otherwise she wouldn¡¯t have been accepted here.


    It may have been getting dark, but my eyes could clearly see the numerous dark, small horns riddling her body and elegant clothes. I know Wrath¡¯s have a tendency to sprout horns, but this is bordering on the extreme. Only the more delicate areas seemed to have been spared from this manifestation, her face unblemished by the many protrusions, as well as her more bouncy assets.Focus, Marcus. Focus. I craned my neck upwards again,only to met with the fearful brown eyes of the crimson redhead. I reached my hand for her. ¡°Sorry, Isabelle. I didn¡¯t me-¡±


    She slapped it away. ¡°Don¡¯ touch me!¡± I hissed. Her sharp, pointy horns had drawn a small gash across my left hand. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± she said with a softer voice. She was shivering lightly in my presence; her arms poised to strike if I got too close again. So that¡¯s how it is. Extreme manifestation like hers weren¡¯t the norm, but they were still there. Some were just born like that while others manifested them during less savory circumstances. I was born with icy blue eyes, though that changed quickly following a certain event. With a pretty face like hers, spikes protecting her body, and her obvious fear for me. It wasn¡¯t exactly hard to put two and two together.


    ¡°You okay, Marcus?¡± Maximilian asked. He looked at the barely bleeding wound before his brow formed a small furrow. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look so bad.¡± He turned towards the shivering woman. ¡°I know you are afraid, miss. But that doe-¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have tried to grab her.¡± She remained wary, not lowering her hand, not even a little bit. ¡°Look Isabelle. I¡¯m not her to hurt you. I just want to talk.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°How do you know my name?¡±


    Maximilian scoffed. ¡°My dear, you are this year¡¯s highest ranking Awakened.¡± He paused for a reaction. He got none. ¡°Out of the fifteen that made the cut, you were number one! That¡¯s twice as many as normal pass, and you placed first!¡± Maximilian face began to twitch when she remained still. ¡°Combine this with the fact that you placed seventh in the entire ranking, and you, dear madam, are now a hot topic among Cedia¡¯s many bloodlines!¡± He poked his elbow into my ribs. ¡°Though not so much as my buddy Marcus here. He¡¯s downright notorious I tell you.¡±


    She lowered her hand, her former wariness disappearing, though that didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t on guard. ¡°I see¡­¡± She lifted the hem of her skirt before giving a small bow. ¡°But I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not interested in any potential relationships. I hope you¡¯ll have a nice evening.¡± She quickly skirted away.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t know you were into spikes, Marcus.¡±


    I ignored him before shouting after Isabelle, ¡°Richtus send me!¡± She stopped in her tracks. I pulled out the long golden chain with my right hand, the portrait dangling at the very end, careful not to stain it with what little blood trickled from my left. ¡°We need to talk!¡±


    She swiftly made her way back once she saw the chain. Not that her voice was very friendly when she snatched it from my hands. ¡°Who gave this to you?¡±


    ¡°Richtus Redbridge did,¡± I said. She remained quiet. ¡°You know. Old guy, silver hair with blotches of red.¡± Her face remained an impasse. ¡°Stationed at the Lid. Likes to wear black armor whilst swinging that idiotically big warhammer of his.¡± The facade quickly crumbled. ¡°Calls you his sun-¡±


    She let out a long sigh. ¡°That¡¯s grandpa, all right.¡± Her eyes became sharp again as she eyed me. ¡°I¡¯ve heard nothing but bad things about you rats. Why do you have this?¡±


    ¡°He gave it to me.¡± She didn¡¯t seem convinced. ¡°Look, you can keep it. Your granddad helped me out off a tight spot so now I owe him one.¡±


    ¡°And what does that have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°He just asked me to protect you.¡± She seemed dubious of my intentions. Can¡¯t blame her. ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics either. He just asked me to protect you for six months. Was very specific about the six months part, and before you ask, I¡¯ve have no clue why it¡¯s six.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that strange,¡± Maximilian chimed in. ¡°Whether you like it or not, miss Isabelle, your recent rise, and status as a Awakened, is bound to aggravate those of the established bloodlines.¡± He surveyed our surroundings. ¡°There¡¯s probably no shortage among my peers that would target you out of spite. The nobles do tend to be quite the jealous creatures.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°Says the noble Envy.¡±


    He gasped as he lay the back of his hand to his forehead. ¡°You wound me, Marcus. Lumping us Envys with that rabble of jealous humans. I¡¯ll have you know that jealous and Envy are two completely different things.¡±


    ¡°Sure they are.¡±


    He turned to Isabelle. ¡°Oh, Madam. I implore you! Surely, you can help this savage see the light?¡± He pointed at me. ¡°This barbarian can¡¯t be let loose to spread his heretical thoughts! Lest he doom our enlightened civilization!¡±


    She didn¡¯t even bother to register his whining. I like her. ¡°But why only six months?¡±


    Maximilian raised his finger to answer before lowering it again. ¡°I have no clue. Maybe your dear grandfather decided that six months would be enough time for you to make a reputation.¡± He made a small bow towards her. ¡°I mean no offense, but you seem like the sort of woman that would strike fear into the hearts of men. Given enough time.¡±


    Isabelle smiled. ¡°No offense taken.¡±


    ¡°But that is that, and this is now.¡± He stood up again. ¡°I would be lying if I said my next question was only in support of my dear friend¡¯s goal to protect you.¡± He began straightening his wet hair. ¡°And I know my current watery appearance is nothing if not off-putting.¡± He reached out his hand towards her; putting on the biggest smile he had shown so far. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid your dazzling smile has thoroughly enchanted me. I would love nothing more than to bask in your fine company this special evening. Would you mind me escorting you to your table?¡±


    Isabelle began stammering, ¡°Oh, I-I don¡¯t know if¡­ if¡­¡± Her cheeks slowly turned the same shade as her hair. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind¡­¡± she said softly as she linked arms with him.


    ¡°He¡¯s good,¡± a raspy voice said besides me.


    I merely flinched this time. The same couldn¡¯t be said for the others. They both stumbled backwards in fright. It was only through my quick reaction to grab their clothing that I prevented them from falling down. The demon was loudly snickering as I pulled them both upright. ¡°Finally awake, Gob?¡±


    ¡°You know me, Boss.¡± He gave me a big toothy smile. ¡°I can practically smell the liquor from here.¡±


    I turned to the more or less flabbergasted people in front of me. ¡°Isabelle, Maximilian. Meet Gob. Gob, meet my new classmates.¡±


    ¡°Pleasure meeting you, fellows,¡± Gob said.


    ¡°No no no, the pleasure is all mine,¡± Maximilian said as he stepped closer to inspect him. ¡°A most fascinating demon, Marcus. Where did you find an imp this big?¡±


    Isabelle slightly pulled on Maximilian¡¯s clothing. ¡°Can we do this inside? I don¡¯t like the way people are staring at us.¡± Indeed she was right. Almost everyone that streamed towards the Academy¡¯s entrance slowed down to watch our figures. Then again, a demon, a spiked woman, a drenched noble, and a former rat, must have made for quite the interesting spectacle.


    ¡°Your right, my dear,¡± Maximilian said. He held out his arm towards Isabelle. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    She silently looped her arm around his, though not fully. The spikes on her arms were visibly getting in the way for that. Aren¡¯t we the gallant nobleman? I couldn¡¯t help, but voice my petty frustration as we made our way to the entrance. ¡°For someone who despises nobles and their manners, you sure like to act and talk like one.¡±


    ¡°Marcus, my friend. You misunderstand me. I hate people that pretend to be a gentleman, but I have nothing against those that actually conduct themselves appropriately. Just act and remain true to yourself, and we¡¯ll get along just fine.¡±


    My follow-up lingered in my throat as we entered the main hall. It was as excessively decorated as the rest of this school, if not more. Paintings, statues, two alternating sets of marble stairways on the side, both leading to the higher levels, not to mention a host of other outrageously expensive stuff filling this suffocating place. If I looked left, and right, I could see the hallways stretch into the distance. Their interior as seemingly well-decorated as the main hall.


    We continued walking forward towards a large engrave wooden door that stood open between a twin marble staircase. Through it we could see the ceremonial hall where this evening¡¯s grand acceptance feast was being held. They call it a banq-, something something. Doesn¡¯t matter. At the very back end was an heightened platform of black marble whereupon ornately carved, marble seats and thoroughly padded, marble chairs stood. The wall behind them contained numerous alcoves wherein regal statues stood in a series of striking poses. This, combined with the fact that the marble tables were the ones most lavishly filled, left little doubt to who would sit there. In front of the platform was an empty gap followed by three long horizontal tables of dark wood. A veritable feast of food and drinks lay upon them as most of our fellow first year Warlocks were seated one the long benches that flanked them. The rest of the hall was was occupied by even smaller horizontally laid tables, another gap between them and the vertical ones, these were for the Shapers that outnumbered the Warlocks ten-to-one.


    A large crowd of tough looking people were stationed near the ceremonial hall¡¯s entrance. Our escortssplit off towards them as we walked through the door. We made our way through the Shaper¡¯s feasting area. It was quite comical to see all the normal human servants scurry along. Normally we were the ones that stood out with our tall sizes, but this time they were the ones that drew attention in this forest of human giants. A Warlock was a good head taller than his average human counterpart, though that wasn¡¯t all. He was on average twice as strong, twice as fast, grew twice as old, and aged a lot slower. Combine this with the fact that his demonic blood allowed him to summon demons, receive Gifts and Decrees, and gave him at least two guaranteed affinities, and you ended up with someone practically worshiped by those that didn¡¯t knew better. Shapers were merely those that had thinner demonic blood, and thus received a smaller amount of its benefits. The main problem was that they were never able to manifest their demon more than a couple of minutes. So instead, they temporarily fused their bodies with them. That way they could properly manifest their demonic powers for a significant amount of time.


    Though in the end, it didn¡¯t matter if one possessed demonic blood. Warlock, or not, if one had the strength and skill to fight, it¡¯s background shouldn¡¯t hinder it¡¯s right to command. At least, that was the way the Burrow taught it. The clear distinction between the tables told me that Cedia had a different thought about this; the fact that the only normal humans were servants was the most discerning part. I¡¯ll bug Maximilian about it. But first we eat. Maximilian had taken a seat near center of the middle table with Isabelle to his left. I promptly sat down to his right as Gob did the same to me. I had a mind for conversation, but the food in front of me was just to delicious to ignore. Gob seemed to have the same thought as we began shuffling it in by the bucket-load. Though I was careful to sip only small amounts of the spicy wine. If I had attempted to drink as much as Gob was guzzling down I would probably be pissing red for the rest of my life. It¡¯s free.Why not take what I can? Not that everybody seemed to agree with me. It wasn¡¯t hard to hear nearby Warlocks whisper among themselves about my supposedly disgraceful eating habits. How I shouldn¡¯t have my demon attend the dinner. Go fuck yourselves. You pretentious pricks. I didn¡¯t like the way Gob kept screwing my plans with his antics, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m some ungrateful snob. If it wasn¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t be here. It¡¯s as simple as that.


    The great doors to the hall slowly closed. It seemed the ceremony was about to start since all the tables were now fully seated, and the servants were scurrying away through side entrances. Soon after, the doors at the back end opened as twenty something figures took their seats at the black marble tables. All of them were fully hooded and cloaked in black garbs. Their faces obscured by the same wispy darkness that covered the faces of my escorts. What¡¯s with these people, and obscuring faces? Are all Cedian nobles this weird?I gave Maximilian a glance. Probably are. A familiarly shaped figure took its place upon the throne like seat in the middle. The person slowly clapped three times, the sound loudly echoing through the room, each clap quieting people down till there was total silence.


    The figure stood up as it announced itself. ¡°Welcome dear students. My name is Adeline Kendall, and I¡¯ll be your headmistress during your stay at our illustrious Royal Academy.¡± Hushed whispers began forming as people talked about the Archduke of Envy being the one to lead the school. Adeline seemed used to this as she waited for the murmuring to quiet down. ¡°I would like to be the first one to congratulate you all on your admission.¡± People began to mutter happily. ¡°And especially the large number of Awakened that met our rigorous standards. May you do well in the future, and establish new bloodlines that will last through the ages.¡± This statement was met with far less enthusiasm as people wore nasty sneers. ¡°I suggest you show some proper respect.¡± Her words caused the room to darken as icy fear began gripping my heart. People around probably felt the same thing since their displayed anger turned to one of visible fear. ¡°No matter what you think, your neither a Shaper, nor a Warlock, and thus not deserving of the respect given to one of such a station.¡± She reached her hand forward before a puff of smoke enveloped it. From it she pulled an all too familiar black scroll. ¡°What I have in my hand is called a Contract.¡± ¡°For what it does, and how you get it. You will learn soon enough.¡± She thrust a finger at three large tables at the front. ¡°One cannot call themselves a Warlock without one of these.¡± She then pointed it at the smaller tables in the back. ¡°And one cannot call themselves a Shaper without a proper Pact.¡± She glared around the room as the deadly silence did most of her work. ¡°I don¡¯t care where you come from, or what you did. All of you will be judged by your rankings, not your heritage.¡± She let the stillness linger a bit longer. ¡°ANYONE calling themselves a Warlock, or a Shaper before they¡¯ve accomplished this will face severe punishment. You will simply refer to each other by name, or as trainees.¡± She began listing of fingers. ¡°You will be Bound to hide this truth, and many others. You, and your demons, will be registered and Branded to prevent escape. You will abide by our rules, or suffer the consequences. And the only way you will leave this school intact is as a respected member of our military.¡± She waited a bit more before saying the last part. ¡°Or a corpse.¡±


    Adeline put away the Contract as the last sentence softly echoed through the halls. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve aired all this dreary stuff, it¡¯s time to introduce you to the various Heads of our Royal Academy,¡± Adeline said as she made a sweeping gesture towards the people behind her. ¡°But first we must make a toast to your admission.¡± She rapidly clapped her hands three times. The side entrances flew open as numerous servants began pouring out. Each carried a single tray whereupon stood a golden goblet filled with deep red wine. I was still processing what was just said when a goblet was placed in front of me. For some reason Gob seemed to get one to. It seems my choice was already made for me. There¡¯s no way I can contact the Burrows now. Adeline waited for the servants to exit the hall before hefting the goblet high. ¡°Normally I would be honored to give you the first toast. But today there¡¯s someone among you far more deserving of that.¡± She looked at me. At least her hood did. ¡°Marcus Ashwood, please rise so everyone can see you.¡± I grabbed the goblet before forcing my shaky legs to stand straight. I really don¡¯t like the looks that I¡¯m getting. ¡°Marcus here, is the only one deserving to be called a Warlock.¡± Whispers could be heard around me. ¡°Although he is a rat, he managed to form a Contract at the mere age of sixteen. The youngest living Warlock in Cedian history¡± Maximilian¡¯s eyes almost popped out with reverence. ¡°And instead of wasting his talent there, he chose to nurture it for the good of Cedia.¡± She waved her goblet at me. ¡°For this you may honor us with the first toast.¡±


    No sweat, Marcus. You do this everyday¡­ not. The air was suffocating, and my body trembled. The fact that everyone gawked at me like some divine being didn¡¯t help one bit either. Just keep it simple. The best things are simple. I raised the goblet. ¡°To Cedia, and its people! May death reject it!¡± It remained quiet. They don¡¯t knowing the saying, do they? Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.


    ¡°May death reject us, indeed!¡± Adeline shouted. ¡°Not much point in celebrating, if you¡¯re dead, and done for! Cheers!¡± She hefted the goblet through the shadows veil of her hood. The rest of the hall did the same, drinking deeply from their goblets, and so did I. As I was trying to think up ways to kill myself, I spotted Gob loudly sniffing his drink.


    Before I could down the last of the spicy wine, Gob slammed his fist on the table. ¡°WHICH ONE OF YOU TWO LEGGED CUM STAINS SPIKED THIS PERFECTLY GOOD WINE!¡± Gob shouted as jumped onto the wooden surface. I lurched forwards to stop the commotion, but found my body strangely sluggish. Eh? Gob pointed at Adeline. ¡°I bet it was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± It slowly began walking towards her as people slumped onto the floor, remaining perfectly still. Poison. I quickly mustered what strength I had left to jam a finger into my throat. Bile began to rise rapidly as I spewed the content over the table. But it was already too late. My body slumped forwards into the disgorged mess as the last visage was that of Gob crunching his knuckles. Only his voice was still there as darkness claimed my sight, mind registering his final words.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to enjoy cutting open that pretty face of yours.¡±

 Chapter 10

    Hiding the truth is difficult. It involves keeping things away from nosy idiots. Idiots like me.


    - Itched into the stone floor of the Lid¡¯s holding area.


    Head. Hurts.I tried to moan in complain, but only a muffled whimper left through whatever covered my mouth. Gag?


    I lifted my cheek from the cold, hard floor it was resting on. My eyelids, still heavy with sleep, refused to open. I moved my hands to rub them, only to feel a tug on my legs, chains rattling in response. Huh¡­? I pulled again. There was another tug. Someone was crying behind me. Why cry? Sadness. Happiness. Danger. Slowly, more moans, cries, sobs, and whimpers, became apparent around me. The symphony of wails, and rattling chains, gradually began turning the gears in my head. I¡¯m Marcus. This is¡­.somewhere. Chained up. Not good. Sleepy. Heavy. There was water. A fountain. I remember¡­ lots of eating. And drinking. Drinking lots. Drinking wine. Spicy wine. There was¡­ a speech? Drank more wine. Then darkness.


    I gently blinked away the sleep in my eyes. Each flutter brought with it another piece of information. Large room. Lots of people. Hundred? Could be less, could be more. Few light crystals. Lots of gray. Lots of shackles. Shackles?I found the reason I couldn¡¯t move. A pair of binders encapsulated my hands as a set of manacles clamped my legs together. Both set of limbs connected to each other by a short, dark iron chain looping through a metal ring between my knees; the circular shape firmly embedded into the stone floor. Chained up. Not good. Need to escape. Most of the people seemed to be awake. Only a few were still lying down on the ground. The women wore the same elegant dresses while all the men wore the same fancy jackets. Same clothes? I looked down. Same jacket. Jacket. Dorm room. Had no clothes of my own. Academy¡­ gave me some. Academy of royals. No, wrong. Royal Academy. Yes. It was for something¡­ An odd odor eminated from a large red stain on my jacket. It smelled like vomit. Vomit? Had to vomit. Vomit at banq¡­ something. But why? Drinking, lots of drinking. No vomiting. I was getting close to something. Toast. Fear. Goblet. Wine. Sleep. Darkness. My eyes fell on the only platform in the room. It was located near the only door. Besides it lay a gagged demon. It¡¯s body covered in multiple layers of chains as it wiggled around like a worm. Gob. Drink. Spiked drink. Anger. On the platform itself sat a familiar figure in her hooded cloak. Her face covered by the only darkness in the room my eyes couldn¡¯t pierce through. Adeline. Poison. Traitor. Cheater. Scum. I squirmed in anger, but quickly settled down. For I remembered. I remembered everything.


    And frankly, I¡¯ve had enough. These last two days my soul got bound to some unknown monster pretending to be an imp. Followed by a near stabbing. A cave rat that tried to eat me. Imminent execution. A dweller that tried to eat me. I watched said contracted monster monster move moons with his mind. Evaded capture and some more execution. Almost committed a capital offense in the arena. And now I got drugged and dragged off to Gods know where. I was beyond fear. Beyond anger. I had reached that mythical point of serenity called: I don¡¯t give a fuck. Maybe things will get better after a good night of sleep. Or maybe I¡¯ll be dead before sunrise. Whatever it would be, it didn¡¯t matter. My shackles made damn sure of that. So I did the only thing I could do. I sat, and waited.


    Adeline remained quiet for a good long while. She just sat there¡ªlooking. Nothing more, nothing less. But mostly she looked at me. Or I think she did. I got the distinct feeling of being watched as I checked my surroundings. These red stones look familiar. I just hope this place isn¡¯t where I think it is. I was located somewhere near to the front. Situated close to the platform, and the heavy wooden door. The only escape route from this place of constant moaning. Not counting the barred windows. What few light crystals there were basked the walls in a eerie red glow. Their dim light not sufficient toreach the ceiling, nor the floor. Outdone by those few slivers of moonlight that managed to creep through the high windows. Not that it helped the people below. Most of those that cried, sat in total darkness. The lucky few near the walls were hugging them like their lives depended on it. Can¡¯t blame them. I would probably be scared shitless were it nor for my eyes. And my fried nerves.Though it didn¡¯t help much. Being forced to watch the slow, mental breakdown of those around me, in various shades of gray, wasn¡¯t exactly how I imagined spending my time at the Academy. I¡¯m getting real tired of this prisoner business. The fact that the only illuminated part of the room was occupied by a grim, silent figure on a platform, and a chained up Gob screaming muffled threats through a gag, didn¡¯t exactly inspire hope in my fellow unfortunates. That was until the figure finally moved. She simply stood up. That was all she did. And yet that one act was enough.


    The room became as still as the platform she walked on. Those that sobbed, quieted down. Those that moaned, went silent. And those that cried, stifled their tears. All sound vanished, safe for Adeline¡¯s voice. And the angry grunts of a certain demon. ¡°I see you have finally woken up. There¡¯s much to explain, and not much time.¡± An angry voice could be heard in the distant, seemingly getting closer by the second. ¡°Know that there¡¯s a reason I brought you all here. One that may end up saving your lives in th-¡±


    There was a series of furious knocks on the door. ¡°Ely!¡± Blackwall¡¯s muffled voice came from the other side. He sounds pissed. ¡°I know you¡¯re in there, Ely! Open up, right now!¡± The thick door reverberated briefly at the strong kick that hit it. ¡°ELY!¡± He is pissed.


    Adeline¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°Excuse me while I¡¯ll deal with this ol-¡±


    A loud boom echoed through the room as the door was blasted of its hinges. A gust of wind smashed it into the opposite wall, disintegrating into a mass of splinters. Blackwall one. Door zero. People shielded themselves from the debris as a fuming Blackwall made his way into the room. ¡°Have you gone mad!¡± he shouted at Adeline. ¡°Agreeing to the Council¡¯s proposal is utter insanity! You might as well kill this lot, right here, right now!¡± Why does everyone keep trying to kill me?


    Adeline remained quiet, silently waiting for Blackwall to calm down. The man¡¯s big, lumbering breaths steadily grew softer as Gob stopped squirming. His eyes alight with sparkling interest. I¡¯ve seen fish with larger concentration spans. ¡°You got it out of your system?¡±


    ¡°Uhm, yes¡­ Sorry about that,¡± Blackwall began grumbling. ¡°Something like that couldn¡¯t possible be true.¡± He gave a small shrug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for letting my Wrath get the best of me.¡±


    Adeline waved him off. ¡°No need to apologize.¡± Blackwall nodded. ¡°Besides, I was the one that proposed this plan. Not the Council.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare give me that stare, Hadrian.¡± The man flinched. ¡°I was left to pick up the pieces because a certain someonefailed miserably two years ago.¡± Blackwall seemed to wither under the finger pointed at him. ¡°Did you really think I could resist the Council five-to-one? That you getting booted in favor of Malius was but a setback?¡± If my hands were free, I would probably have dug myself a hole to hide in. Angry Adeline is scary.¡°I¡¯m attempting to resist five purists simultaneously, Hadrian! When you were still the Archduke of Greed, we had some breathing room. Two against four isn¡¯t the best of odds, but at least we formed a front! A front that allowed us to save a precious few, but a few nonetheless. But now, forget saving, I¡¯m barely able to retain my seat in the Council as is!¡±


    Blackwall was fidgeting his single hand whilst avoiding her gaze. ¡°I know I fucked up, but there has to be another way.¡± His eyes found me instead. How you doing, Blackwall? If you could just unlock these cuffs that would be great. ¡°If we lose this batch, we¡¯ll end up no better than those stuck-up Dereans down south.¡± He looked away again. Or not. No pressure, I¡¯ll be here if you need me.


    ¡°There is no other way.¡± She pointed a finger at someone in the front. ¡°In fact, it is the only way. One that requires sacrifices from us all.¡±


    My eyes tried to pierce through the crowd left of me. I glimpsed some silver hair as Blackwall took in a sharp breath. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?¡±


    ¡°I am serious.¡± Who¡¯s she pointing at? ¡°Risk it all now, or lose it all later. Either way, I¡¯m bound to lose something in the end.¡±


    Blackwall gave the platform an audible kick. ¡°Fucking purists! These last few centuries must have rotted their brains.¡± He began pacing back and forth. ¡°They¡¯re acting like their bloodlines sprang up from the fucking ground. Like their founders never started as simple commoners!¡±


    ¡°It got worse this morning.¡± Blackwall stopped in his tracks. ¡°They¡¯ve doubled the duration of the Culling.¡±


    Sounds bad.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    Badness confirmed.


    ¡°Shit doesn¡¯t even begin to describe it. Six months was already enough to kill almostall of them.¡± Badness level increased.¡°And that was when you were still in a position to help.¡± Blackwall looked away. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly expect me to keep them alive by myself. Not for six months, let alone an entire year.¡± Badness level broken.


    ¡°But why?¡± The man began pacing again. ¡°Why would they risk their offspring like this? Are they that desperate to get rid of us?¡±


    ¡°Desperation has nothing to do with it,¡± Adeline snorted. ¡°If they were prone to overextending, I would have exploited it years ago.¡± She folded her arms. ¡°No, this decision was made due to other circumstances.¡±


    Blackwall gave her a blank stare. Adeline sighed before bending down to whisper in his ear. Blackwall eyebrows furrowed as he nodded to whatever information was passed to him. Occasionally he would slip in some questions of his own. ¡°It actually caused that? Orgies with female imps? Since yesterday?¡± Blackwall seemed lost in thoughts when Adeline finally stood up. ¡°So what? We¡¯re going to have another total war with the Dereans on our hands?¡± That last line certainly got my attention. There was hardly a better opportunity to free my family than during a total war. Especially if I was in command of a bunch of trained killers. If I survive today, that is.


    ¡°The reports from the Black City have been verified by multiple sources,¡± she said. ¡°If their ruler is acting like a kid drunk on power-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of when, not if,¡± Blackwall finished. He slowly ran a hand through his golden hair. ¡°I¡¯m getting too old for this.¡± And I¡¯m getting too young to die. Now get me out of these cuffs.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t plan on dying peacefully. If this plan fails, I¡¯ll be dragging you to hell with me.¡±


    ¡°Always in it together, eh?¡± Blackwall chuckled. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want it any other way.¡± He took his place next to Adeline on the platform. His eyes seemed to briefly linger on a certain person in the front before clasping Adeline¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Want me to break the news?¡± I think I already know where we are.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± she said. ¡°This is my plan, my responsibility.¡± She broke the physical contacts as her feet moved towards the platform¡¯s edge, each step slow and deliberate, the wood beneath her boots lightly groaning when she came to a standstill.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Please let me be wrong.


    Chains softly rattled through the room as people fidgeted around me. It gradually died down when Adeline raised a hand for silence. When all was quiet again, her voice filled the air. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± The leather of her gloves squeaked as she wrung them together. ¡°I will be honest with you. Within the hour, you will all be sent to a near-certain demise.¡±Most people froze up, safe for those few that made muffled cries of anger. Their suppressed outrage soon doused by her follow-up, ¡°The other option was letting you all die alone. Butchered like mere beasts.¡± Still preferable to getting send back.


    Adeline started to pace around, hands raised high. ¡°Most of you will be asking: Why am I here? Why is this happening? What did I do?¡± I got drugged. I got drugged. I was stupid. You happy now? She stopped with her back to the crowd. ¡°The answer is simple,¡± Her cloak billowed as she turned around. ¡°Youwere born Awakened. No. We were born Awakened.¡± Eh¡­ I¡¯m not. Not that I could complain, the gag in my mouth made sure of that. ¡°Look around you! Almost everyone here is a fellow Awakened.¡± She slung an arm around Blackwall¡¯s neck. ¡°That includes the both of us!¡± Wait, what? Really? Both of them were common born?


    The room became abuzz with the sound of iron rattling as people began to look at me, and the others around them. The fear in their eyes seemingly replaced with the sparkle of wonder. ¡°And therein lies the problem.¡± The sparkles dimmed. Well that mood didn¡¯t last long. ¡°This last century hasn¡¯t been very kind to us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s putting it mildly,¡± Blackwall snorted.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ever wonder why the famous bloodlines always stayed the same? Why so few commoners ever made it into nobility?¡±Adeline made a sweeping gesture. ¡°Among you are fifteen Awakened qualified to become Warlocks. Fifteen people, fifteen commoners, that can establish their own noble bloodlines. And yet.¡± She paused. ¡°None of them will live long enough to realize that future.¡±


    The silence that followed was nothing short of stifling. ¡°You want to know why?¡± Many heads around me bobbed up and down. ¡°It¡¯s because we get treated like weeds. Something to be nipped in the bud, never allowed to fully bloom. Something that needs to be manually removed lest it spreads itself further.¡± So¡­ a rat?


    ¡°Make no mistake,¡± Blackwall said. ¡°Old Cedia is no more.¡± He strode forward. ¡°Derean¡¯s twisted mindset has firmly taken root into our nobility. Overpowering the very principles upon which we were founded.¡± Adeline moved behind him. ¡°Now, strength without heritage means nothing to them. It¡¯s something to be disdained, to be feared.¡±


    ¡°To be removed,¡± Adeline added as they switched places. ¡°To be disposed off during the Culling.¡± Her gaze swept over the room. ¡°An ancient tradition where we would Bind, Brand, and dump all the first-years in various groups near the Forbidden Zone.¡± People began to shift nervously. That doesn¡¯t sound like the most friendly of places. ¡°We would secretly shadow your footsteps for six whole months. Documenting your survival, and ensuring your safety from threats beyond your capabilities.¡± This sounds awfully familiar. ¡°Those that managed to stay alive till the very end would be deemed worthy enough to truly enroll into our education.¡± How is this any different from basic training? ¡°What was once a test of strength is now nothing more than a glorified deathtrap. Six long months where the nobility have free reign to root out those they deem unworthy.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t be thinking you¡¯ll die an easy death,¡± Blackwall said as he took his time studying the crowd. ¡°These purists have been at it for a whole fucking century. Competing among each other to see who could kill Awakened in the most interesting ways. Sick fucks, one and all.¡± He spat on the floor. ¡°It started small. A stray arrow here, a lost monster there. Just enough to kill, but not enough to stand out.¡± His shoulders slumped. ¡°I was naive. Chalked the higher percentage of Awakened deaths to a lack of early training.¡± He looked at Adeline. ¡°When Ely joined the Council, the accidents seemed to quiet down a bit. As if things were looking up.¡± Blackwall¡¯s fingers twitched. ¡°We were wrong.¡± A soft breeze began blowing through the room. ¡°They had secretly waited till the other four seats of the Council were filled with like-mindedcocksuckers. Next thing you know, Awakened candidates start dying in droves.¡± It picked up in strength. ¡°And they did not go gentle. Nohoho. The corpses they left in their wakes made that abundantlyclear.¡± I squinted my eyes to shield them. He¡¯s back to being pissed again.¡°So we battled it out in the shadows, saving a few, but losing many in the process.¡± The wind abruptly died down. Or not.¡°And then I made a grave mistake.¡± He grasped the stump on his right side. ¡°One that cost me my position, and robbed me of my chance to protect you.¡±


    And killed a bunch of people in the process. Let¡¯s not forget the attempted genocide part. It tends to matter. I liked how Blackwall treated me. But that didn¡¯t mean I would so easily forget the ultimate goal his campaign. Had we been the actual weaklings that they thought we were, we would all be lying several feet below the ground. Not that I would ever say that to his face. I valued my life far too much for that.


    Adeline laid a hand on his shoulder. It took several seconds before Blackwall nodded in response, slinking back a bit on the platform. ¡°My influence alone isn¡¯t enough to guarantee anyone¡¯s survival here,¡± Adeline said as she took the forefront. ¡°To be honest, I doubt I could save even a single soul now that the Culling spans an entire year.¡± There were several sharp intakes of breath around me. I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this. ¡°So I¡¯m left with but a single choice.¡± She sighed. ¡°A choice that involves sending you to the only part of Cedia untouched by this purist influence. The one place where you will not be left at their mercy.¡± Please let me be wrong. Please let me be wrong.¡°Your Culling location, this year, will be the Burrow.¡±


    Phew, I was wrong. I thought we were going to the BurrowS. Ha. Burrow, Burrows, two totally different things. Never heard about this Burrow place. Must be a wonderful location to live in. Who knew that a single s could make such a difference? Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha, ha, he, he, heeee¡­ I¡¯m fucked.


    I could already feel cold sweat starting to form in various places. Followed by a short, but intensive, version of the shakes. Worse was the fact that my inner peace had decided to leg it the moment the unavoidable tidal wave¡ªcalled fear¡ªloomed on the horizon. I tried to trip the serene bastard, but that skinny fuck dodged my foot with a small hop. He quickly sped of into the distance as the flat ground began to rumble with the incoming water. Fucking clock. There was this loud ticking sound in the background. Almost as if the world mocked me with my own personal countdown. I could only scream my guts out when it rang a single time, just before the wave crushed me.


    ¡°Snap out of it,¡± Blackwall said in an urgent whisper. I looked around in confusion, finding myself in the stone hallway, fear firmly settled in my gut.


    ¡°Leave him to me,¡± Adeline said. ¡°You introduce Maximilian to them.¡± She didn¡¯t wait for an answer as she forced him through a door opening.


    ¡°How long was I out?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Adeline whispered. ¡°You¡¯re awake, and we need your help.¡± I just stared at her. ¡°Look, you either help us, or we¡¯re all dead. Including you.¡± She grasped my shoulder. ¡°If you thought that purists hated Awakened, just wait till you see how they¡¯ll murder you for being a rat.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that.¡± I pulled free from her grip. Can¡¯t I get a fucking break? I want more options than: do this, or die.


    Adeline gave a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re not doing this for free.¡± You got my attention.¡°Whether they like it or not, you are a Warlock in all but name.¡± Her hood fixated towards me. ¡°You give me a personal Oath that you will protect as many of these Awakened as you can, during this Culling, and I¡¯ll make you a Baron the moment you step foot back on Cedian soil.¡±


    At least the choice was better than death, or survival. Death, or nobility was something a lot of people would be willing to risk their lives for. And with that upcoming war I was going to need all the manpower I could get my twitchy fingers on. With the decision made, I laid a closed fist on my heart. It took a while before I spoke up. Gotta get the wording right. ¡°I Marcus Ashwood, son of Manfred Ashwood, and Aidyn Ashwood¡¯s son, hereby swear an Oath to protect the Awakend, of this year¡¯s culling, and for the duration of this year¡¯s culling, to the best of my abilities.¡±


    Adeline nodded before mirroring my actions. ¡°I Adeline Kendall, daughter of Lucan, and Alena¡¯s daughter, hereby swear an Oath to make Marcus Ashwood into a Baron, and raise him up into nobility, should he keep true to the promise he just uttered.¡± There was a brief gust of wind as our chests radiated dim blue light. It quickly died down leaving behind a warm feeling.


    That went well. ¡°Never knew that you Cedians had Oath-stones. Let alone knew the whole Oath thing.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have them, and nobody knows about it.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± That can¡¯t be true.¡°But then¡­ how could you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have some people check the Oath-stone in the Burrows.¡± I took a step back. ¡°Don¡¯t look so surprised, Marcus. Did you really think we wouldn¡¯t send spies after that massive disaster from two years ago?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Sure, most of them got caught, but not all of them. And that¡¯s all that we needed.¡± I feel fucking stupid. ¡°Did you never wonder why we would attack the Burrows full-force?¡± Now, I feel really fucking stupid. ¡°We can¡¯t possibly let something like thatexist within our borders.¡±


    So much for pretending to be a normal rat. She lead me to the door opening. Through it I could see the wooden platform. On it were both Maximilian and Blackwall. The latter was still busy holding some kind of speech whilst pointing at the former. I couldn¡¯t really hear what they were saying since Adeline¡¯s voice was taking priority. ¡°Just walk on the stage with me. Nod and agree with what I say, and we¡¯ll get through this in no time.¡± Just shut up, and follow orders. The wonderful life of recruits. Aaahhh, those were the days.


    ¡°...so don¡¯t hate Maximilian here,¡± Blackwall said as I waited. ¡°He¡¯s been forced into this as much as you. His addition to this group was the only reason the Council accepted Ely¡¯s proposal in the first place.¡± He shot a glance at Adeline. She gave him a nod before he turned back to the crowd with a smile. ¡°And now she is here to bring you some good news.¡±


    Adeline stepped forward, and I followed suit. Blackwall quickly slunk back as we ascended the platform, making sure to drag Maximilian with him. ¡°Normally sending you to the Burrows would be no better than sending you to the gallows.¡± The no-nonsense approach. I like that. ¡°But the Burrows isn¡¯t the barbaric place Cedia wants you to believe it is. There are rules, and laws they abide by, though they tend to be hidden beneath the surface.¡± Nice pun. She clasped my shoulder. ¡°And Marcus here knows how to use them.¡±


    For once I wasn¡¯t happy with my new vision. I had no problem commanding a small squad of men, I would be a shit sergeant if I did, but that sea of expectation filled gazes before me was something else. They were like those scripture fanatics down below, treating her words like they came from the gods themselves. Chained up fanatics whose lives may very well rest in my hands.I suppressed the shaking of my legs as mind started going blank. Luckily I remembered my o so simple instructions. Don¡¯t think. Just agree. And so I did, making sure I gave the occasional nod to her words.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already send word to the Four Kings, and gotten their response. They will consider sparing your lives, and sheltering you, in exchange for the information that Marcus has been given by us.¡± What information? I didn¡¯t even need to ask. Adeline already leaned in to whisper, ¡°Remember the briefing with Blackwall.¡± Troop numbers, and invasion dates. Got it. She continued on like nothing had happened, and so did my nodding. ¡°But in case that isn¡¯t enough, I still have a card to play. Something that will surely convince one of the Kings to side with you.¡± A faint whisper filled my ears, ¡°You¡¯ll hear it after the speech.¡±


    ¡°And should the worst come to pass. Marcus here can always call upon a certain law of theirs to escape execution.¡± I stopped nodding. ¡°Won¡¯t you, Marcus?¡± Adeline asked as she tightened her grip on my shoulder.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Adeline¡¯s grip became painful. ¡°What do you mean, Marcus?¡±


    My gaze swept over the faces of confusion. Not that. Never that. Despair began to creep into some of their expressions. I¡¯m doing this for your sake. ¡°We¡¯re not using thatlaw. Not without their express consent,¡± I said. Voice now deeper, and more resolute than before. Adeline flinched at my words, allowing me to pull free from their grasp. I quickly moved away, happy that no shackles bound me, as I faced the crowd at the platform¡¯s edge. ¡°What Adeline says is true. There is indeed a guaranteed way we can avoid execution.¡± Chains rattled as the tightly packed mob crept ever so slightly forward. ¡°But that involves sending you to a place where men aren¡¯t meant to walk. A place where hope goes to die, and life is but an eternal struggle.¡± I locked eyes with one of the more frightened looking ones at the front. It was a woman with brown hair, and browner eyes. The way her chest had stopped moving told me enough. ¡°So instead I ask you this: Who of you is prepared to die the most gruesome death imaginable? To forego an easy death, for this tiny promise of freedom? To even risks one¡¯s very soul?¡± The mass of people began to pull back as one. ¡°I am not exaggerating. Not all those that prowl that dark place seek to consume flesh. There is more at stake than just your current life.¡± The brown haired woman had averted her eyes as soft trembles wrecked her body. That should be enough. ¡°Those of you that are still willing to risk it in favor of a quick execution, raise your binders.¡±


    Everyone had their eyes downcast as if the floor was the most interesting thing they had ever witnessed. That was a good thing. I just saved these people from making the biggest mistake in their lifetimes. Sometimes death is preferable. The fact that I didn¡¯t need to go, if nobody did, was but a small bonus. A very small one. Totally not the main factor for my speech. Had nothing to do with it.


    The unmistakable sound of iron scraping against iron broke the silence. A pair of binders slowly rose above the crowd. Its owner¡¯s hair was the same dull gray as the rest of the people sitting in the darkness, but the protruding horns on her arms were a dead giveaway. I stared at Isabelle as my mind raced to understand why she did it. Didn¡¯t I just tell you that they you¡¯ll die horribly!? A pair of binders in the back began to rise. And then another. And another. And another. It didn¡¯t take long before every binder was held high. The fear in their eyes replaced by firm resolution.


    What are they feeding these people?

 Chapter 11

    I knew it!


    There¡¯s more to these Burrows than meets the eye. The fact that they singled me out, the moment I crossed the drawbridge, confirms it. It was almost like they knew who they were looking for. Sure, they were a bit rough in the beginning, but who could blame them? I am, after all, a former Shaper of Cedia. Though I do wish there was another method to remove the Brand. Their way was nothing short of excruciating to say the least. But I endured it. I endured it all in the name of history! My continued silence throughout the treatment even earned me a measure of respect. Enough to convince them to talk to their superiors about my dearest wish! Now I just have to wait for their approval. Though that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t start taking notes already.


    The first thing that intrigues me are these different colored headbands my captors are wearing. What do the colors mean? And why doesn¡¯t everyone have them? My current hypothesis is that they signal some kind of class distinction. Maybe even a difference in rank. Whether one¡¯s class, or rank, is based on merit, or birthright, is something I still have to puzzle out. My observations seem to point towards a kind of militarized class system since the only observable weapons are worn by those in possession of said headbands. Weirdly enough, the same headband wearers have taken to hiding their armors underneath the baggy sackcloth they¡¯re wearing. Could this be status related? Or maybe a ruse to trick Cedians like me?


    Only time will tell.


    - Jullianus Retan cell notes.


    Clouded moonlight reflected on the binders encasing my hands.


    I glanced over my shoulder, down the street, seeing the two long rows of prisoners in my wake. An assortment of lieutenants, captains, and their demonic servants, walked alongside them. Most of which belonged to the Sins of Wrath, or Gluttony.


    Where the Wrath demons were more normal looking with their two legs, assortment of different horns, and densely packed muscles on their humanoid frames. The Gluttony demons came in all sorts of different variations instead. Two legs, four legs, no legs. No arms, several arms, and even the occasional tendril. Their twisted appearances all vastly different, safe for two constant factors. Each of them was at least the size of a horse, and each of them had one or more appropriately sized holes to shove food in.


    In contrast, the humans looked quite vulnerable even though they were fully armed, and fully armored. Their figures clad in a mixture of tabards; all of which displayed one of the Four King¡¯s factions: yellow for the Foxes, led by the Hawk of Greed. Violet for the Vipers, sworn to the Python of Lust. Gray for the Wolves, followers of the Fang of Sloth. And lastly, green for the Lizards, controlled by the Chameleon of Envy.


    If the displayed armor, and the necessity to bring along demons, did not draw people¡¯s attention. Then the fact that the escort consisted of several factions certainly did. Viper¡¯s district had grown unusually quiet as the various nightly customers parted before our grim procession. Almost like we were cutting through water, not people. Soon enough, the Well¡¯s familiar sounds broke the lingering silence that followed our every step. Ever-present grunts of physical effort began filling the night as the Well continued to do what it always had done. Keeping our topside alive.


    More eyes peered, through various windows, sneaking looks at me and the poor sod beside me. The man¡¯s green eyes were hidden beneath his silver hair. The color in stark contrast to the dark rags that clothed his naked body. This change of garbs was one of the first things I insisted upon before our departure. We¡¯re not about to walk into a city of warriors dressed up like a bunch of pompous pricks. No way that¡¯s going to end well.


    ¡°How you holding up?¡± I asked the man. Unlike the others, Maximilian had gone quiet ever since we entered the Burrows. Where most began to cry the moment we crossed the drawbridge, he just grimly marched on. Then again, he did get thrown in here by his own mother. Talk about tough love.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t add up,¡± he finally answered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    He looked at me. ¡°I know my mother, Marcus. If it didn¡¯t suit her agenda, she would have left these Awakened to die. There¡¯s some angle she¡¯s trying to play here.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit harsh?¡±


    ¡°Trust me on this. She views people as pieces on the board. Something to be moved around as she sees fit. The fact that I¡¯m just a sacrificial pawn isn¡¯t what¡¯s bothering me. It¡¯s the fact that she left herself exposed.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°She¡¯s a waiter, Marcus. Even if the Council were to outnumbered her five-to-one, she would silently watch for that inevitable opening. For her to put herself out there like this can mean only one thing: she¡¯s seen some path to victory. I¡¯m just trying to figure out what it is.¡±


    Then she must be a pretty good looker. Cause I ain¡¯t seeing shit. The crowd gradually changed as we got closer to the Well. Whores, drunks, and gamblers, were slowly replaced by workers, guards, and various jug filled carts. ¡°Nothing makes sense,¡± Maximilian said. ¡°Especially that supposedly convincing card of her. What does hanging a man have to do with anything? Best I can think of is some weird blackmail.¡±


    ¡°I hope not.¡± I spat on the ground. ¡°If she¡¯s half as smart as she pretends to be, she would know that threatening the Four Kings can only end badly.¡± I gave Maximilian a hard look. ¡°Badly for us, that is.¡± Not that the emergency phrase meant a lot to me. I was just hoping that I wouldn¡¯t need to use it. Thick was the rope that hang him. Thicker still was the deceit that bound her. Those two nonsensical lines sounded sketchy to say the least.


    Various gasps could be heard behind me as the clouds finally halted their obstruction of Luna¡¯s eye. Moonlight now finally allowed to fully wash over the Burrows, giving people a better view of the area, the Well in particular. There used to be some discussion on the actual name. They ranged from pit of misery, hell¡¯s anus, to the ever favorite: big fucking hole in the ground. But since it made the Burrows the thing that it is today, we decided to name after it¡¯s most valuable function. Namely water.


    Surrounding the vast Well, easily the size of several market squares, were large amounts of wooden cranes. Manned and operated in some organized, yet strangely chaotic way as numerous people swarmed around itscircular edge. A third of these cranes were constantly busy lowering, and raising, comically large wooden buckets. While another third had the duty of bringing up wooden platforms filled with vast amounts of earthly wealth. Be it stone, ore, crystals, or otherwise. Most of it went east, cart upon cart packed with materials, all heading towards the eastern warehouses in Fang¡¯s housing district. Ore was shipped north to the Chameleon¡¯s production district. Where even at night the fires of industry refused to cease in that part of the Burrows. Going west were barrels filled with crystals, and the occasional guarded convoy of crafted goods. All of which would end up somewhere in the twisted streets of Hawk¡¯s trading district. The last third of the cranes were smaller in size, but no less important. They were the lifts that ferried people to the surface. Some that disembarked dispersed into various directions, but most headed south, towards us, their cheers and cries giving away their plans for the night.


    ¡°What is that thing?¡± Maximilian asked.


    I chuckledat the way his mouth was hanging open. ¡°That would be the Well. Something of a blessing, and a curse.¡± He gave me a confused look. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll learn soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Does it have something to do with those walls?¡± Yes. Yes, it does. The view inside the Well was slowly beginning to be blocked as we descended down towards the black pit. The large, red walls that encircled it, the main perpetrator. Occasionally therocky mass was broken up by either a gatehouse, or a round tower. Each fully manned by a mixture of the various factions.


    We were heading towards one such gatehouse, and the large line of people that were trying to get through its customs. ¡°I get the distinct feeling that those walls aren¡¯t only meant for keeping people out,¡± Maximilian said.


    I could only snortat that statement. ¡°You don¡¯t even know the half of it.¡±


    ¡°Make way!¡± our frontal guard shouted as we approached the mass of waiting workers. Some of them cried in protest until they turned around, and witnessed the mass of humanoid metal descending down upon them. The way they scrambled over each other in a hurry was quite the sight to behold. I could get used to this treatment.


    As much as I liked seeing people behave like actual rats. The unopposed entry towards the gatehouse gave me nothing short of a bad feeling. ¡°Why aren¡¯t we stopping?¡± I asked the frontal guard. The man¡¯s green tabard softly swayed in the wind as he continued his march onward. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to bag the other prisoners?¡± Again, nothing but silence. ¡°Shit.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Marcus? What¡¯s this bag business all about?¡± Maximilian asked.


    ¡°Something really good, or something really bad,¡± my voice softly echoed as we passed under the portcullis. ¡°It seems the Four Kings have already reached a decision. No need to hide the Burrows secrets if they¡¯re going to shelter us anyway.¡± Maximilian let out a sigh of relief. ¡°The same goes for soon to be dead men.¡±


    Maximilian¡¯s sudden choke got muffled as we exited the gatehouse. Voices, cries, and grunting filled the air, and drove away what little quiet there was. Various shops, stables, and other constructs were build against the inner walls as the sides of the road were littered with an assortment of crates, boxes, and shipments of barrels. People hustled, and bustled, along each other in various ways. So much that it was not uncommon for someone to go sprawling from the occasional shove. The Well was by far the busiest part of the Burrows. Even at night things never stopped moving in these parts.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Make way!¡± the frontal guard shouted once again. But this time it didn¡¯t work. Not soon after, the prison guards began amassing themselves to the front as the lead guard¡¯s commands were routinely ignored by the ever flowing tide of people. That quickly changed when the Gluttony and Wrath demons made their presence known. The way they cracked their knuckles, and licked their lips was enough to get everyone¡¯s attention.


    With traffic temporarily halted, albeit with a lot of grumbling, we were guided to a set of nearby cranes. Our lifts stood ready and waiting for us as people were prevented from getting close to them by an additional layer of guards. The lifts were of simple, yet effective design. They consisted of a rectangular wooden platforms, resting on an iron frame, with a waist-high set of walls to prevent people from falling out. The edges of the frame ended in four upwards pillars which ends were connected to four separate, thick, iron chains. These chains, in turn, were attached and operated, by the crane itself.


    Unfortunately, there¡¯s no time for sightseeing. We were swiftly herded into the lifts in groups of ten. Two guards to every eight prisoners. Seven prisoners and a demon in my case. One of the guards was holding the chained up Gob. It seemed that they didn¡¯t bother unpacking him when he was transferred. Good. Having that natural calamity running loose was bound to get me into trouble.


    One of the guards closed the entrance to the box as he gave the crane operator a big thumbs up. Not soon after the chains began to rattle as they were pulled into the crane. With a wobble the platform left the ground. Its movement almost as shaky as Maximilian¡¯s voice. ¡°Ehm, Marcus?¡± I could see the blood drain from his face as the crane slowly swiveled the lift over the dark abyss below us. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of heights.¡±


    ¡°Sucks to be you.¡±


    Maximilian, and five others prisoners, let out girly screams as the lift suddenly lurched downwards. Only to snag to a halt a mere second later. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for games, Boris!¡± the green clad guard yelled at the crane operator. The man inside the contraption gave him a shrug before pulling a large iron lever. This time the chains slowly lowered the lift downwards as the busy topside gradually disappeared from view.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk as Maximilian¡¯s hands gripped the railing¡¯s edge so hard, his nails were starting to leave markings. ¡°Why are we heading into the mines?¡± he asked with a fear laced voice. The rest of the prisoners had been discussing similar questions as we descended into the Well. Their talk cut short now that they were looking at me for an answer.


    ¡°Contrary to what little you know. There¡¯s a lot more than mines hidden below these grounds.¡±


    All of them gave me blank stares. ¡°You¡¯ll see¡­¡±


    The questions that followed soon ended when one of women peeked over the edge. ¡°Look at all the people down there!¡± The rest of the group began doing the same, safe for Maximilian who was huddling near the floor for dear life. ¡°Why are there so many?¡±


    I leaned my arms on the railing, taking in the sights around me. I never noticed it before, but top part of the pit we were descending in seemed to form some sort of natural stone dome, one with a large cylindrical hole at its top. The same hole we finally entered through after being lowered for a good long minute. Out of habit I scanned the ceiling, the lack of light now no longer a problem, happy to see nothing clinging or crawling along it. It wasn¡¯t for nothing. Dwellers were a constant danger in these tunnels, but at least we were equipped to deal with them. The problem lay with those few that could actually climb out. Once they made it topside they could wreak all kinds of havoc in the vulnerable living quarters. Point in case, my house. Former house, I might add. Fucking overgrown lizard.


    Contend with our safety, I gazed at the usual activity below. Every part of the ground floor was washed in the murky light of low quality crystals. The different array of colors showcased people swarming and mingling in all directions. A veritable nest of human ants.


    The crowd itself was split apart by a large, raging river running through the middle of this domed area. Crystal clear balls of water levitated upwards from the torrent. The various magic users, flanking the river, were hard at work at filling the empty buckets that came down. Their movement slow and deliberate as they willed the floating liquids into the wooden containers. Not all of the water was considered drinkable. A bit further downstream, a thick green sludge could be seen leaking from a hole in the ceiling. The filth gathered at the focal point of the topside¡¯s sewers continuously fell into the churning waters below. Only to be carried downstream, towards the south, and away from the mountains themselves.


    A large group of miners, and their carts full of mined materials, just came from that direction. Before they could enter the services below us they needed to pass through a series of stone fortifications. One on each side of the river, both sides connected by a series stone bridges, and both of them heavily manned by a mixture of men and demons. Although it was effective at keeping things out, it didn¡¯t mean shit against the dwellers that could either fly, or climb. Or both. A shiver ran along my back. A former, fateful encounter with winged spiders was something I would rather forget.


    We were down halfway when the same mining group reached the staging area. They checked in their materials at the various wooden buildings that dotted the landscape, and began unloading their cargo once one of them had shook hands on some kind of bargain. Coin pouches were pressed into palms before they crossed the other bridges spanning the river. A small part went to the lifts, while others chose to stay at the local establishments. Most of them, however, split off towards either the eastern tunnels, or the western tunnels. Both of them guarded by only a single set of walls, and a lot less manpower.


    The lift was getting close to the ground, but was still high enough to allow us take a peek over these lonely fortifications. In the distance, both east and west, one could see more crystals lighting the way towards two separate housing sections. They almost seemed peaceful compared to the bustling town we were about to land in.


    With a thud the lift hit the ground as a nearby man flipped a hourglass. The guards threw the entrance wide open before driving us out with practiced haste. The people that waited gave us a few stares, but ultimately were too busy pilling onto the platform. When the last of the sand hit the bottom of the hourglass, the lift began ascending again with its new cargo of living beings.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± Maximilian gasped as we were herded through the crowded streets.


    I dodged a pair of drunkards that came tussling out of a nearby bar. Laughing hard when the closest Wrath demon bowled them back inside. ¡°This is the Burrows, Max.¡± The stupefied look he gave me made for a good after-chuckle. ¡°I suggest you ration your amazement. We don¡¯t want you to run out before the big surprise, now would we?¡±


    Other prisoners heard my answer before proceeding to barrage me with further questions. I simply waved them of as we headed upstream, and away from the hectic streets. ¡°What are those?¡± a male prisoner asked as he pointed north into the distance. Where the southern, eastern, and western tunnels, were too large to be vertically blocked off. The northern one didn¡¯t suffer from that same problem. It was smaller in size whilst being situated above ground level. The only way to reach it was by walking up a set of stairs intrinsically carved from the rock below it. Each step a work of art, just like the large stone fortifications that completely plugged the tunnel shut. Most of which consisted of hewed stone the size of a normal man. Numerous bearded faces, and other Founder like depictions, were chiseled into the blackened rock guarding the tunnel. Their countenance worn, and weathered, by the passage of time. The man, however, was pointing at the two large statues flanking the fortification¡¯s gate. They depicted two stout, bearded men. Both clad in thick heavy armor as they crossed their axes above the only entrance. Namely a thick slab of dark metal that didn¡¯t show any signs of moving.


    ¡°That would be the Founders,¡± I said. ¡°The ones who built this entire place.¡±


    ¡°Are all of them that small?¡± the prisoner asked. Then again, probably almost anyone would look small compared to a full-blooded Glutton like him. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he could give Hammer a piggyback.


    ¡°We like to think they are since everything they built is not exactly tall, nor very accommodating to people like you.¡± I could already see several more questions start to form in their minds. ¡°Look, all we know comes from whatever text, art, or sculpture they left behind. This place was deserted when we found it. With not even a single soul in sight. And this spot isn¡¯t the only one. There are similar, albeit far smaller, locations littered throughout the Underground. Every single one as empty as the last.¡± I held out a hand. ¡°And before you ask, we haven¡¯t gotten a clue as to why they would leave this all behind. There¡¯s a lot of shit stalking these tunnels, but they seemed like the sort of people that could handle it.¡± The frontal guard glared at me. ¡°What? If you didn¡¯t want me to tell them, why not bag them in the first place?¡± He looked away again. Idiot.


    We ascended the various stone stairs before stopping at the flat area before the gate. More people were waiting here, but unlike the workers, or the miners, these were all visibly armed and armored. In addition they either wore a colored tabard, or a headband. Those few that had neither, were thoroughly inspected by a multitude of heavily armed guards, and their respectively armored summons. A mature demon was scary enough in and on itself, but a fully outfitted one easily surpassed that fear. It was like the mind just knew that fucking with one was a bad idea. Especially the one that approached us.


    From a distance it could pass for a man, but up front the crystal light did a good job of dispelling that illusion. As the robbed figure drew closer, three sets of stick like arms appeared from beneath the golden threaded robes it was wearing. Two of them were rubbing their pale gray hands together as a third lifted the cowl covering its head. Revealing the pasty white head that hid beneath it. It actually couldn¡¯t be called a head since it lacked all the features that should have come with it. No hair, no ears, no mouth, no nothing. Instead there was a single thin line that ran all the way from the top to the bottom of where its face should have been. It slowly slid open when the guard, and the demon, met each other halfway. What revealed itself was a single golden eye that looked past the lead guard, and instead rested on our huddled group of prisoners.


    My mind began setting off all kinds of alarms as the guard started a conversation with it. Normally I wouldn¡¯t fear the Hawk¡¯s personal demon, but circumstances were different, and the fact that he was our escort meant they were taking this whole prisoner business very seriously. Almost too seriously. They both seemed to agree on something before heading back towards us. The guards simply remained silent as the demon¡¯s eye inspected our little band of misfits one by one. It didn¡¯t even bother looking at Gob as he squirmed for attention in a nearby guard¡¯s grasp.


    Once done, the eye closed itself as the demon gave a nod to the lead guard. Followed by a disembodied voice echoing all around us, ¡°It seems Adeline was speaking the truth. You are all carriers of various Sins. How positively enticing.¡± The bottom pair of hands began rubbing themselves together. ¡°Now, be so kind as to follow the instructions I am about to list. I don¡¯t mind breaking you, but my master has ordered me too handle you with care. And with care I shall.¡± A pair of hands grabbed the head of a black haired female before pulling it closer to his own. ¡°Unless someofyou intend to defy me.¡± The women fervently began shaking her head. ¡°Good.¡± It released her from its grip while at the same time counting down three fingers on his bony hand. ¡°One. No talking unless spoken to. Two. You move where the guards tell you to move. Three. Do as you are told, and we will get along just fine.¡± It loudly clasped all six hands together. ¡°That should be simple enough to remember. Any questions?¡± Several people raised their binders high. ¡°No?¡± It flipped back its cowl before turning away.


    ¡°Let us depart then.¡±

 Chapter 12

    We¡¯ve made a grave mistake. Greater than we will ever truly know. But that will not stop me, nor will it stop history. The city beneath the earth holds treasures and knowledge beyond our understanding. Things that the nobility will surely squander on their own. Things that only people who have suffered truly will appreciate. We cannot let this knowledge be lost. We cannot let this ignorance prevail. We simply can not. And thus I have made my choice.


    I am a man no longer, for I am reborn a rat.


    - Jullianus Retan cell notes.


    The sound of turning gears rumbled through the cave as the frontal gate slid into the ceiling.


    Without further ado, the Greed demon stepped into the opened passage with our group following closely behind. There were murmurs of awe at the inside of the tunnel. Statues lined the sides, depictions covered the ceiling, and another gate blocked our progress. Again a rumble of gears could be heard as we approached the hunk of steel sliding into the floor. More steps were taken until we reached the last gate. The emblem engraved barrier made from dark metal, sporting the symbol of a two-sided hammer and anvil, soon rolled out of the way to allow us entry.


    Our group ended up on a stone terrace overlooking the true hart of the Burrows. The Founder¡¯s city had valiantly withstood the test of time when we discovered it, barely affected by the measly centuries that passed following its reclamation by our own hands. Crystals dotted the ceiling, giving the city a night sky of its own. Their lights also apparent in stone lampposts scattered throughout the entire area, illuminating the angular stone buildings that packed every inch of this natural, dome shaped, earth pocket; Its size only rivaled by the Burrows¡¯ topside basin.


    In addition, a raging river brought life to the city as it snaked its way through various districts, only to seemingly end against the wall below us. That was not the case, for it ran on beneath the surface, coming out on the other side; the place where we landed at with our lift from the Well.


    ¡°Wow, what is this place?¡± one of the male prisoners asked. The man¡¯s face quickly contorted as he began gasping for air.


    ¡°Could someone repeat rule number one for me?¡± a disembodied voice asked. People began panic instead of answering the question. ¡°Anyone? No? I suggest you hurry, for he doesn¡¯t have long to live."


    ¡°No talking unless spoken to,¡± I answered. Eyes firmly locked on the Greed demon standing still before us.


    ¡°Good,¡± the demon said. It snapped a finger as the man finally began drawing in several deep breaths. ¡°This will be your final warning. The next one that breaks the rules won¡¯t be getting up again. That much I can assure you.¡± It began walking down the staircase attached to the stone terrace. ¡°Let us proceed.¡±


    The prisoners quickly followed as the other guards herded us downwards. Within minutes we reached ground level. Surrounded by the true warriors of the Burrows, not the ragged looking bunch that squirmed around topside. They filled the streets everywhere you looked. Each and every one of them clad in a tabard of their respective King, or wearing the associated headband. None here bothered in upholding the illusion of the topsides¡¯ weakness as armor and weapons were freely worn, and clothing was donned that consisted of more than a simple sackcloth.


    More importantly, the group tried to silence their surprise when they had their first encounter with a living, breathing bronco. Six-thousand pounds of solid muscles, packed into a four-legged mass of gray scaled laziness, surprised them as it plodded down the street. Each slow step faintly shaking the ground as the lumbering beast pulled along a cart full of coal. The bronco suddenly stopped mid-stride until its rider chucked a fist-sized rock into the beast¡¯s gaping mouth. Large molars clamped down, audibly crunching the treat it had been given before continuing its lumbering pace through the crowd. The man riding the beast didn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry; his satchel of deep mushrooms still untouched and unopened. He was too busy gawking at our merry band of doomed sods, and so were the rest of them.


    Eyes followed us everywhere as we made our way through the mass of onlookers. Those few that had either a hammer, or an anvil stitched into their tabards seemed more interested in the one leading us. Understandable. It wasn¡¯t like Hawk¡¯s personal demon would just stroll around without reason. Especially not when it had a group of prisoners in tow.


    Our destination soon became clear as the minutes ticked by. We were heading towards the Founders very own castle: the Great Hall. It lay on a heightened piece of ground in the middle of the settlement, elevated a good amount above ground level. The Lid may have been a tough nut to crack, but it had nothing against the absurdity that was proper Founder fortification. Thick stone stacked into thicker walls; Combined with jutting towers, metal gates, and a variety of Founder mounted siege weaponry made an assault on this position near impossible by normal means. And that is what the eye can see. The inside of the walls were scribbled with Founder letters. Their meaning unknown, but their purpose clear as it strengthened stone or dispelled magic to degrees not thought possible before. It¡¯s a shame we don¡¯t know how to make them. Copying the letters was simple, but that didn¡¯t mean they would do anything. Maybe there was some hidden step involved, or maybe it was something Founder exclusive. We will probably never know.One thing still remained very clear. Whoever the Founders were, they sure knew how to build. And craft. Can¡¯t forget their weapons and armor. Those things are equally scary.


    With a last turn with entered the main square, the large open space that occupied the area in front of the Great Hall, and the only way to access the long winding road that led to its first set of walls. Merchants, warriors, and craftsmen all hurried along to their respective districts. Only a few stopped to look at the thing that lay in the square¡¯s center, the Burrows sole Oath-stone. It was a perfectly square, black block of granite twice the height of a house and just as wide. Its surface engraved with countless lines of text that gave of a faint blue glow, and the occasional red one mixed in between them. As we approached the stone one of the lines changed from faint blue to wispy red while one of the names contained within it shone fierce crimson. It drew the attention of the guards surrounding the stone as well as the nearby scribes. All three of which faced a side of the Oath-stone while holding an open book on a pedestal in front of them.


    The robed man in charge of that particular section furiously began scribbling in his book when he witnessed the change. Afterwards he called to one of the messengers stationed at the nearby bars before handing her a piece of parchment. I could see the woman speed off to the western districts, home to the Founder Archives, as we stopped in front of the Oath-stone.


    Hawk¡¯s demon turned around whilst clapping his hands. ¡°May I have your attention, prisoners?¡± Everyone remained quiet, safe for Gob who was as noisily squirming in a nearby guard¡¯s grip. At least he is gagged. ¡°Before you lies an Oath-stone. An ancient item left behind by the Founders a long longtime ago. How it works, and what it does doesn¡¯t concern you. I merely require you to follow my instructions.¡± The demon pointed at me. Soon after, a pair of guards pulled me from the group as they dragged me in front of the Oath-stone. One of them freed my hands from the binders as I stretched my fingers in gratitude. ¡°Marcus here is familiar with the procedure. He will show you how to stand.¡± I placed one hand on the stone, and the other as a fist on my heart. ¡°Once you have taken this position you will proceed to state the full names of yourself, your father, and your mother in exactly that order. In addition you willstate whether you are their son or daughter. As for those of you who have never known their parents, simply stating your own full name will suffice.¡±


    The demon gave me a nod. ¡°I Marcus Ashwood, son of Manfred Ashwood, and Aidyn Ashwood¡¯s son-¡±


    ¡°That is the first part of the process,¡± the demon interupted. ¡°Afterwards you will swear an Oath that you have not been Bound in any way, shape, or form by Demonic Magic. Mister Marcus here will demonstrate.¡± The cowl shifted towards me. ¡°Please do it fully this time.¡±


    I took a deep breath. ¡°I Marcus Ashwood, son of Manfred Ashwood, and Aidyn Ashwood¡¯s son, hereby swear an Oath that I have not been Bound in any way, shape, or form by Demonic Magic.¡± Wind ruffled my rags whilst a faint blue light began shining inside my chest. It soon dimmed as a single blue line of text, its words an exact copy of my Oath, began to etch itself into the stone. It briefly stayed there till the sentence finished writing itself; after which, it exploded into a small burst of blue dust that quickly vanished, leaving the stone unmarked once more. One of the guards strode forward, only to clasp my hands back into the binders. Poor hands.


    ¡°Simple is it not?¡± the demon asked. ¡°Now take your turn one by one, and don¡¯t worry about the order. None of you will be moving till everyone here is done. Except Marcus, he has some important information to pass on.¡± Two guards grabbed my shoulders before dragging me closer to the demon that was heading towards the eastern district. Shit. Shit. Shit. I could only glance back as the distance between me and Gob was getting bigger and bigger by the second. Bits and pieces will start to fall off, Boss. I let out an audible sigh of relief as the demon stopped near the main square¡¯s exit. With a snap of its finger the guards released their hold of me.


    It turned around to address them, ¡°I¡¯ll be enough to escort our prisoner here. You two make sure that all the verified ones get put into their respective cells. As for the ones that turn up red. Well¡­ you know what to do.¡± Both guards clicked their heels before walking back to the stone. This time the gold-threaded cowl turned towards me. ¡°Follow me, and stay quiet. I loathe listening to the whining of a traitor. It tendsto irritate me.¡± It began moving again.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go,¡± I blurted out. The demon froze, but only briefly. One of its hands was already reaching for something inside its robes. ¡°I can¡¯t go without my demon.¡±


    This time it turned around. ¡°What do you mean, you can¡¯t go without your demon? That¡¯s nonsense. You should be easily able to dismiss it unless you-¡± It flicked off its cowl, eye fully open, as it alternated its gaze between me and Gob. A disembodied chuckle began to resound around me. ¡°I see. I see. So that¡¯s how it is. It seems Sly was a better judge of character than we thought.¡± All six of its hands began to rub together. ¡°How absolutely lucrative.¡± The guard holding Gob must have heard something since he quickly made his way towards us before dropping the mass of chains on the ground and making his way back.


    Hawk¡¯s demon waved a hand at Gob after which his gag promptly split into two. Gob immediately began spitting it out as the other demon¡¯s voice filled the air around us, ¡°Tell me imp. And tell me now. Why, and more importantly how, did you manage to form that with such pathetic amounts of power?¡±


    Gob began to laugh loudly. ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from you, little Guesack . Does your mom even know you¡¯re here?¡±


    Guesack flinched. ¡°How do you know my name!? No, never mind. That doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯re just trying to bluff you¡¯re way out if this.¡± Guesack folded all six of its arms. ¡°I¡¯m too smart to fall for such empty threats. Now tell me imp, or suffer.¡±


    Gob snorted. ¡°And here I was thinking that Fioma ran a tight ship. A shame really. All that hard earned reputation ruined by one snot-nosed brat.¡± Gob let out a deep sigh. ¡°I can only imagine her reaction once she finds out where her son has been hiding.¡± Guesack¡¯s eyeball immediately retreated back into its head. ¡°Boss, I need to make a phone call. Mind letting me Loose a bit?¡±


    Thick beads of sweat began to roll down Guesack¡¯s featureless face. Whatever this fone kall was, it seemed very fearsome. ¡°What is this fone kall thing you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing special, Boss. Just something that allows me to talk to someone else over very verylarge distances.¡±


    That doesn¡¯t seem so bad. ¡°In that case sure, but only for making that fone kall. Nothing else, got it?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, Boss,¡± Gob said as some unknown sounds began to resound around us. In the meantime, Guesack was starting to shiver uncontrollably. It only got worse when a weird tone repeated itself over and over again. Thought that only lasted till a clicking sound was heard. Guesack suddenly became as stiff as a board when a female voice filled the air, ¡°This is Fioma, Archdemon of Greed, with whom am I speaking?¡± Gob sported one of the biggest grins I had ever seen. ¡°Hello? Is anyone there?¡±


    ¡°A thousand apologies, master supreme!¡± Guesack shouted as he smashed his face into the ground with a kowtow. Followed by all twelve of his hands loudly clasping above his head in forgiveness.


    ¡°Guesack, my boy? It¡¯s you isn¡¯t it? Where have you been hiding, dear? It¡¯s time to come home now.¡± The way Guesack¡¯s arms trembled seemed to indicate otherwise. ¡°Guesack, don¡¯t ignore me now. You¡¯re in enough trouble as it is. No need to make things worse for yourself.¡± Guesack was busy kowtowing his face through stone. ¡°Guesack¡­ Guesack¡­ GUESACK!? I know you¡¯re there, Guesack! You will NOT ignore your mother on the phone! Guesack!?¡± The demon in question was softly whimpering on the ground. ¡°GUESACK GILVANIS GALLIUS if you don¡¯t pick up this phone right this inst-¡± Another clicking sound was heard as the angry female voice suddenly got cut off.


    ¡°It seems we have reached an understanding,¡± Gob said with a smirk.


    ¡°Indeed, master supreme! My life in exchange for silence!¡± I could only watch the display with mouth agape, and so did the rest of main square. Feet stopped moving, mouth stopped talking, and brains stopped comprehending. The stunned surprise of nearby rats only outdone by those few demons still present in the square. Guesack didn¡¯t pay attention to it, and neither did Gob. ¡°Forgive my rudeness, master supreme, but I need to escort your master to a certain location. Should I remove your chains so that you may follow him?¡±


    ¡°Nah, keep them on,¡± Gob said with a loud yawn. ¡°They¡¯re surprisingly comfy once they¡¯ve warmed up.¡± Gob¡¯s eyes began to sag ever so slowly. ¡°Carry me, servant. I¡¯m going to take a short nap in the meantime.¡±


    Guesack only nodded as he raised one of his hands. After which Gob began to levitate above the ground. With that done he turned towards me. ¡°Supreme master¡¯s master, please be so kind to follow me.¡± And with that he took off into a nearby street; a floating ball of chained demon following in his wake. I quickly stumbled after him as all the dumbstruck gazes shifted towards a new target. Namely me.


    Soon the looks of confusion gave way to looks of curiosity. Our passing through the street noted by those around us. Where our exact destination was I didn¡¯t know; I wasn¡¯t really familiar with this part of town. All these buildings near the Great Hall looked equally impressive to me. Their boring square shapes easily compensated by their sheer artistic craftsmanship. Whether it were it in the form of murals, sculptures, or other means that portrayed stout, bearded men. Occasionally a depiction of a woman Founder could be seen, equally as impressive, albeit it without a beard. Thank the Gods for that. The mere thought of entire race of bearded women sent shivers down my spine. Do not want.


    Guesack stopped in front of one such building. Ten-score demons and their tabard wearing masters, all with a hammer shaped symbol stitched into their differently colored cloths, left little to the imagination. Only one certain event would warrant this many captains in one place. Especially when they belong to different factions.


    Guesack stepped through the gate that surrounded the property before leaving Gob in the guard-filled courtyard. ¡°Follow me,¡± he said as my legs hesitated separating from Gob. The stink eye I got from the nearby guardsmen soon remedied that problem. A few steps up the stairs, and I was now in front of the front door. The sculpted edges made it look like a Founder¡¯s mouth waiting to swallow me. Whoever the Founders were, they had an unhealthy obsession with depicting themselves wherever they could.


    ¡°Stop shaking,¡± Guesack said. ¡°You are a warrior first, and a traitor second. You would do well to remember that.¡± That helped calm my nerves. I didn¡¯t even realize my shivers till he pointed them out. ¡°Speak the truth. Speak only when spoken to. And make sure you answer any and all questions they have. Nod if you understand.¡± I did. ¡°Good, then let us proceed.¡±


    With another wave of his hands, the door began to slide inwards. It soon closed with a loud thump as we made our way through lavishly decorated, stone hallways. Each stacked with those soft carpets that my feet couldn¡¯t help but enjoy. Not that I could enjoy it for long. Within a minute I found myself in a large room several heads higher than me. Its ceiling depicted battles with pointy-eared humans as its floor was engraved with slain, unknown monstrosities. Upon it stood a thick, rectangular table made of black marble, contrasted by the two feet stack of normal, gray stone beneath it. That particular modification was necessary in order to raise it high enough for the four people sitting behind it.


    Each of the Four Kings occupied a single stone throne; their large sizes easily filled by the Warlock-class people before me, and all of them easily surpassing six feet. The smallest one, Python, was located in the left-most throne. Just shy of seven feet, her height caused her ample bust to tower above the table. Silky, black hair obscured half her face as the locks rested on her chest. What skin peeked past it had an unearthly sheen to it, almost as if someone had polished it over and over again. The same could be said of her face, and the single violet eye caught sight of me, as her lips formed into a thin smile.


    The topless man behind her looked less amused. A full head taller than its master; Python¡¯s demon was everything one would ever need from an incubus. Muscles that you would see only on statues, serving more form than function. Eyes that pierced the darkness, giving off a faint red light. And a face that had most women in the Burrows swooning for his attention. He could easily pass for a human were he to lose his more demonic features. Namely the pair of leathery wings that protruded from his back as well as the thick horns that jutted from his temples, only to curve backwards over his ears and into a crown. The sweet scent that filled the room undoubtedly emanated from that side of the table, but whether Python or the incubus gave it off would be anyone¡¯s guess.


    Right next to Python sat the polar opposite of skin exposure. Chameleon had taken a page from Adeline¡¯s book as every inch of his being was covered up by some sort of dark, thick cloth. Where Adeline¡¯s face was covered by wispy darkness, Chameleon¡¯s hood was shadow itself. Like a void that sucked in all light that dared come near it. If Chameleon had hoped to avoid standing out, then he failed miserably. Being the tallest man in the room, a full two heads above Python, naturally caused my eye to shift towards him. His poor excuse for an outfit made that only worse. It almost seemed like the man was trying to appear fishy on purpose.


    This feeling was once more amplified by the mundane looking demon behind him. Or is it a normal guard? I couldn¡¯t tell, for the man looked like a perfectly normal human, outfitted and donning a green tabard with a anvil stitched into it. Then again, nobody had ever seen Chameleon¡¯s demon in the flesh. For all I knew it was not the guard, but the golden goblet of wine clenched within Chameleon¡¯s grasp that would strike me down if I did anything stupid.


    The man in the third seat harbored no such deceptions. Fang was unusually large for a Sloth, coming just half a head short off Chameleon¡¯s height. Scars and teeth-marks riddled what flesh could be seen through his suit of dark metal armor. One particularly nasty wound consisted of a missing part of upper lip, leaving his trademark canine exposed to the world. His gray eyes bore the sharpness that only came with decades upon decades of rigorous command. Their weight threatened to crush me as he studied me intensely whilst leaning forward on his clasped gauntlets, partial beard hidden behind the metal hands.


    Where Fang gave the impression of a sleeping bear, his demon looked more like a mass of¡­ well¡­ mass. It basically consisted of nothing more than a big pile of gray goo that sported a variety of ears, eyes, and mouths. All closed safe for the soft snoring that escaped its multiple lips. It didn¡¯t look dangerous, but I knew what havoc it could wreak when fighting in the closed spaces of the Underground.


    And last but not least there was Hawk sitting on the right-most throne. What Chameleon tried to avoid through clothing, Hawk achieved by merely being himself. Dressed in a ruffled jacket, and sporting a thin mustache, the man just screamed upper-class. He was taller than Python, but that came in the form of lanky arms and legs. Nowhere near to the concentrated bulk of Fang¡¯s frame. His face was rather gaunt, and were it not for his clothing, one would have never guessed him to be anyone of great importance. Until you met his eyes, the golden eyes that made the man who he is. Where Python drew your attention through feminine charms, Chameleon shifted your attention through suspicious demeanor, and Fang commanded your attention through pure presence; Hawk simply seized it through eye contact alone. With eyes that could inspire inspire fear in men and demon alike.


    It was behind this man that Guesack took his place. His voice loud and clear as he reported his findings to the Four Kings, ¡°None of the prisoners were found to be in possession of a Brand upon entry to the Burrows. They are currently being tested at the Oath-stone for any signs of a Binding.¡± He pointed a hand towards me. ¡°Marcus here has already been proven to harbor no Binding nor Branding. It is safe to proceed with the interrogation.¡±


    ¡°Nicely done, Guesack,¡± Hawk said as he broke eye contact. I immediately released a breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding. ¡°Were there any particulars I should know about?¡±


    The demon briefly flinched behind Hawk¡¯s throne, but the man didn¡¯t notice it. ¡°None whatsoever, master.¡±


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s get this thing out of the way,¡± Fang said. ¡°My naptime is coming up, and I don¡¯t want to be sleeping on these cold floors.¡± He looked at me as he leaned forward on the table.


    ¡°But first an Oath of truthfulness from you, boy. We have some serious talking to do.¡±

 Chapter 13

    The Mark doesn¡¯t distinguish between good and evil. It merely distinguishes between right and wrong.


    - Ancient Founder scripture.


    The two hulking demons that guarded the entrance to the throne room looked anything but friendly.


    ¡°Boss, please stop ignoring me,¡± Gob said. I felt a sharp nail poke the bruises on my arm. ¡°Boss.¡± The finger poked again. ¡°You there, Boss?¡± And again. ¡°Booooss?¡± And again. ¡°This is fun.¡± And again. ¡°What if I use two fingers?¡±


    My arm whacked his hand away with a loud slap. ¡°Cut it out, will you?¡± I asked in a low whisper. ¡°We¡¯re in the Great Hall, show some respect.¡± The royal guards didn¡¯t look to happy when we came in, but Gob¡¯s continuous annoyance only further soured their already irritable demeanor. Not that it mattered. It wasn¡¯t like we were going to stay anyway. Can¡¯t he fall asleep or something? This isn¡¯t the time for fucking around.


    ¡°It¡¯s so boring here, Boss,¡± Gob said as lay down on the smooth marble floor. His pale skin a stark difference to the blackness that surrounded it. He rolled onto his stomach as his tail gently swept from side to side, eyes focused on all the people that sat in chains behind us. ¡°Why the long face, dear? At worst you¡¯ll be dead come morning.¡±


    The woman he addressed flinched before huddling her knees closer. Her soft, echoing sobs soon spread to other members of the Awakened. Their ragged forms in stark contrast to the wealth around them. Clothed in prison garbs, looking like gagged and chained up beasts, They seemed out of place in these dark halls. It was like the Founder¡¯s themselves deemed them pests; the way their corridor statues looked down upon the huddled humans before them.


    With a strong pull from my hand, Gob slid back next to me. I could only mouth an apology towards the woman in question. I¡¯m sorry. As my foot kept the squirming demon under control, and my fingers locked his arm tightly behind his back. A quick kick, and a short scuffle later, Gob was firmly pinned down beneath me. ¡°Listen, and listen well, Gob,¡± I whispered into his ear. ¡°No more teasing, got it? They¡¯re miserable enough as it is.¡±


    Gob chuckled. ¡°And who¡¯s fault is that, Boss?¡± He turned his head to look me in the eye. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me that fucked up the negotiations, Boss. That one is totally on you.¡± More sobs followed his words. Fucking Adeline. Deceptive bitch. The conversation with the Four Kings didn¡¯t go smooth to begin with. I never expected it to be easy, but the earlier Oath with Adeline really fucked that one up. Hi, I¡¯m Marcus. You can trust me. Really, you can! Just disregard the fact that I made an Oath for personal gain with Cedia¡¯s leading spymaster. It was all a ruse! I swear! Not that I could dispute it. That tended to get quite difficult when said Oath showed up on the nearby Oath-stone.


    And then there was the part about openly threatening the Four Kings in their seat of power. Convincing emergency phrase my ass. More like fucking deathtrap. Chameleon and Fang were a lost case from the beginning, but that still left me Python and Hawk to work with. That soon changed after those two stupid lines Adeline taught me. They simply laughed as they pulled the last bits and pieces of information out off me before depositing my body into the nearest cell. And if the treatment that followed was any indication, things weren¡¯t looking good. Getting beat up in the morning wasn¡¯t the most gentle ways of waking up. Being dragged to the Great Hall in chains wasn¡¯t either. Though the crowd that mocked and shouted at us along the way really served to drive across the point. We weren¡¯t welcome, and that meant only one thing. A decision has been made. A bad one.


    I clenched my trembling hand. At least I¡¯m not chained up. They had removed my chains as the designated speaker forthe Awakened. Not that it would help me in any way, the vigilant eyes around me made sure of that. ¡°Boss, could you get off me?¡± Gob gasped. ¡°You¡¯re kind of heavy, and I nee-¡±


    ¡°Bring in the prisoners!¡± a voice said as the thick granite doors to the throne room began to swung open. The surrounding royal guards quickly herded us together before driving us towards the seeping light. I could only think of one stupid thing when we entered my place of judgment. Why is it called the throne room? It looks more like a throne hall to me. A smooth, black floor made of marble stretched all the way to other side of the room. Its surface dotted with unadorned granite pillars that held up an unusually high Founder sealing. The numerous crystals embedded there, up high, basked the rest of the hall in white light. As the banners that lined the stonework cast shadows over various parts of the room.


    Strangely enough, this hall lacked the usual display of Founder pride. Its floor was barren, its walls unmarked, and no artistic feats of masonry could be seen anywhere in the room, except for two places. The first was a giant, granite Founder face situated at the far end of the hall. Its size massive, and its eyes inlaid with two white crystals that each easily outshone the ceiling light.


    The second was the marble set of stairs directly below it. Each step imbued with gold, and lit by crystals. They all led to the single heightened platform of this area, upon which sat four golden thrones. Each occupied by one of the Kings, and each guarded by their personal demon. They looked like kings indeed, sitting above a crowd of people; a crowd of people neatly split into two stacks.


    We swiftly passed through the unobstructed passageway that ran directly between said crowd. All of them with heels clicked together, and faces facing forward as we were pushed, pricked, and prodded along. I didn¡¯t need to see the faces that were mixed into the crowd; the tabards they showed were more than enough.


    Each and every one of them sported either a stitched hammer or anvil. Not a single stripe was to be seen in the long line leading up to the thrones. Only captains and lieutenants. And there was only one reason for gathering all these officers into one place. They¡¯re going to make an example of us.


    My stomach began churning as one of the royal guards forced me onto my knees, just a mere feet away from the stairs, while Gob was pinned to the ground by several spear-butts. ¡°Easy there, fellas,¡± Gob said as the wooden ends pressed down onto his form. ¡°If I knew you liked sticking people with poles, I would have brought along some incubuses.¡± One of the guards smacked the end of his spear into the demon¡¯s face. A tooth flew loose before skidding to a halt across the floor. Black blood dribbled from Gob¡¯s mouth as a new one rapidly pushed its way through his gums. The gap in his smile soon filled with a new addition. ¡°Do you always hit people when they talk? Or am I special enough to receive your wife¡¯s usual treatment?¡± The same guard raised his spear once more.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Fang shouted. The royal guard froze as the grizzled man rose from his throne, a single finger thrust towards me. ¡°Marcus Ashwood, this is a place of verdict. Keep your demon under control, or we¡¯ll do it for you.¡±


    ¡°Do as he says,¡± I hissed through my teeth.


    Gob snorted before spitting out a globule of blood. Its color matched by the floor it splattered on. ¡°No deal, Boss.¡± His gaze shifted to Fang. ¡°They¡¯re planning to kill us anyway. What¡¯s the point of going along with their theatrics? Might as well set me Loose while you still can.¡±


    The knot in my stomach started to grow larger. Can I do it? Can I sacrifice everyone in this room just to save my own life?And it wouldn¡¯t stop there. Gob would need to kill even more as we made our way back to the surface. Familiar fear crept into my limbs as muscles began to shake involuntarily. Fang¡¯s fists were now clenched, and his face was looking anything but merciful. Maybe I should let Gob Lo- No! I shook my head. What difference will that make? I would only end up destroying my one, true home. And then what? We would trade on problem for another. Face death by Burrow law, or face death by Cedian Culling. It¡¯s all the same in the end. That is if Gob even manages to make it. His powers could be merely a ruse, an illusion. Something that looked scary, but didn¡¯t do shit. Though it definitely didn¡¯t feel that way. That left me with one choice, one thing, one law that offered us a fighting chance. I took in a deep breath. Endure, resist, struggle, and wait. Let Patience be my guide.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Now, now,¡± Chameleon spoke up. ¡°No need to be hasty, Fang,¡± He played with his leather gloves. ¡°Killing them here won¡¯t send the proper message we need.¡± Several breaths were released as Fang sunk back into his throne. ¡°Don¡¯t feel relieved yet.¡± Chameleon rested his head on his hand. ¡°We have no use for quick deaths. Corpses like those only serve as a reminder.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°But screams¡­ screams are different. One scream can make all the difference in reminding a man where his boundaries truly lie.¡± He interlocked his fingers. ¡°And trust me, I¡¯ll make sure everyone south of the Lid will witness yours.¡±


    Soft crying began to seep from behind me. ¡°Is that true?¡± I asked. ¡°Is the verdict death?¡±


    Python crossed her legs as she spoke up, ¡°What did you think was going to happen, little Marcus? As much as I adore your father, we can¡¯t let such blatant treachery slip.¡± A smile formed on her lips. ¡°We won¡¯t kill everyone though. One of you has enough noble backing to justify being used as a bargaining chip.¡± She looked past me. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, mister Kendall?¡±


    Keep your breathing steady. Don¡¯t be shaken. ¡°And what about the Awake-¡±


    ¡°Execution,¡± Hawk chimed in. ¡°We got the information we needed. Sheltering a bunch commoners from the enemy would merely drain our resources. Something we can ill afford if your reports prove themselves to be true.¡±


    ¡°But what about diploma-¡±


    ¡°Diplomacy was dead the moment they announced our genocide.¡± Hawk leaned his head back. ¡°The noble can be exchanged for prisoners of war. But these commoners are merely a liability.¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s stopping them from joining in our slaughter once we hand them back? What¡¯s stopping them from reporting all that they have seen and heard when they return? More importantly, what purpose can they serve if they don¡¯t have anyvalue as hostages?¡±


    ¡°They could fight with us, they could help re-¡±


    ¡°Resist the invasion?¡± Hawk finished. ¡°Are you stupid, Marcus? Or merely faking it?¡± I fell quiet. ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee that they¡¯ll remain on our side once the fighting begins. A sudden betrayal at the right moment, and they¡¯ll will be safe behind Cedian lines.¡± He opened a single eyes as he held my gaze. ¡°Would you be willing to fight with such a turncoat? To entrust your back to those that may jump you the moment the situation turns around?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Don¡¯t shove burdens onto others that you aren¡¯t willing to bear on your own. That¡¯s the mark of true hypocrite.¡±


    ¡°Or a king,¡± Gob sneaked in. Several suppressed laughs could be heard around the hall. They swiftly ended whenHawk¡¯s eye swept across the room.


    ¡°So there will be no mercy?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Mercy,¡± Fang snorted. ¡°Mercy is something you earn, boy. Not something to be freely given.¡± His sneer exposed his other fang. ¡°And you my boy, royally fucked up what little you had earned with your betrayal.¡± He sighed as he slumped back into his chair. ¡°It¡¯ll be a pain to deal with Manfred, but that¡¯s a thing for later.¡± He looked at Hawk. ¡°At least your departure made Sly come back to her senses. It would have been a waste for her to remain faction-less with you.¡± Hawk nodded deeply.


    Dad¡­ My fingers ached for the locket around my neck, but it wasn¡¯t there. That¡¯s right. It was still at the academy, locked into my locker. I clenched my teeth. Not like this. I would be damned before I let my father return to a fresh grave, and the loss of my mother¡¯s locket. Now or never.


    ¡°The Exile law,¡± All Four Kings turned their head towards me. ¡°I invoke the law of Exile.¡±


    The words had barely left my lips before the two crystal eyes of the giant Founder face turned bright red. White-hot pain seared through the left side of my face as I collapsed into a ball of wailing agony. Smoke filled my nostrils, vision went black, but the pain never left me. It only departed after several more seconds of torment. Sight soon returned as thin lines of smoke obscured my left eye, and the stench of burned flesh wafted through the air.


    ¡°Have you gone mad, boy?¡± Fang asked as I panted on the floor. ¡°Exile may only be rightfully invoked by captains.¡±


    ¡°I am a captain.¡± I shakily stood up on one leg. ¡°At least I think. Whatever the secret rite of passage was, I¡¯m sure I passed it.¡±


    This time their heads swiveled towards the pinned demon on the floor. Fang shifted his gaze back towards me. ¡°If you¡¯re lying, boy, death will be the le-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    Fang studied my face for several more seconds before he stood up, hand thrust forward. ¡°All lieutenants will leave this hall immediately! Captains will remain standing where they are!¡±


    Heels clicked together as I looked over my shoulder. The back-end part of the crowd departed, leaving behind the several hundred captains stationed at the front. Several minutes passed as the lieutenants orderly marched their way out, their departure signaled by the resounding thud of the granite doors.


    ¡°Speak,¡± Fang said.


    ¡°You mean show,¡± I replied. The smile I got back was enough confirmation. I closed my eyes as I withdrew the Contract from the imaginary wooden box where I had left it. A puff of smoke enveloped my hand as that unusual feeling of warm paper filled my grasp. I presented it to Fang as he descended down the steps. His gauntlet grasped the paper before turning it over, rolling it out, and looking at its content.


    ¡°Warm paper, shifting letters, and appears out of smoke,¡± Fang said. ¡°This is without a doubt Contract if I¡¯ve ever seen one.¡± He crouched down near Gob, looking the pinned demon directly in the eyes. ¡°How long have you two been Contracted?¡±


    ¡°Two days,¡± Gob answered with a smirk.


    ¡°And when were you first summoned?¡±


    ¡°Two days ago,¡± Gob said with a full-blown smile.


    Fang grabbed one of his ears. ¡°Listen here, you ugly mutt. You think me born yesterday? Now speak the truth, or I¡¯ll sk-¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not lying,¡± I said. Fang stiffened as I placed a fist on my heart. ¡°I Marcus Ashwood, son of Manfred Ashwood, and Aidyn Ashwood¡¯s son, hereby swear an Oath that I formed a Contract with Gob when I summoned him two days ago.¡± Wind began blowing through the room as my chest filled with blue light.


    Fang was momentarily shocked before standing up and pointing at two nearby captains. ¡°Get your asses to the Oath-stone! I want written confirmation, and I want it NOW!¡±


    ¡°Rise, captain Ashwood,¡± Fang announced. I stood up from my kneeling position in front of the black marble stairs. The Four Kings sat firmly in their thrones as the air felt heavy with Fang¡¯s voice, ¡°From this day onward you are an Exile. One who¡¯s plea for mercy has been heard by the Forgefather. One who¡¯s debt of gratitude must be paid to the Founders.¡± Fang stood up. ¡°You are no longer welcome in these halls, nor are you welcome in our homes.¡± He pointed at my face. ¡°That Mark you bear will be your chain, your cell, your very prison itself. It will bind you to this earth until the day the Forgefather considers the debt fully paid.¡±


    I turned around to face the throne room. My vision filled with rows upon rows of captains and lieutenants, and the ragged forms of the Awakened that sat in front of them. ¡°Rise, prisoners,¡± Fang said as he waited for them to follow his command. His voice strong and resounding when they finally stood up, ¡°Do you wish to follow this man into Exile? To share his burdens, bear his pain, and have him shoulder your crimes in return? Those that do, step forward. Those that do not, sit down.¡±


    All of them stepped forward, none of them sat down. The ceremony had been clearly explained beforehand, and the choice between exile and execution was quickly made. ¡°Let the Forgefather bear witness to your choice,¡± screams filled the air as the flesh on their faces began burning, ¡°and let the Mark be his acceptance of it.¡± Soon their cries stopped, and all that was left was a single, archaic symbol etched into their skin. Each one small, and each one different. I touched my own Mark, one that covered the entire left side of my face, feeling some unknown connection with the ones before me.


    ¡°And you, Maximilian Kendall?¡± Fang asked the silver haired man still sitting on the floor. ¡°What is your choice as one not burdened by crime?¡±


    The man smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve been a pawn in my mother¡¯s game for far too long now.¡± He stood up. ¡°It¡¯s time this pawn jumped off the board.¡± He stepped forward. The process was repeated before he joined our line with his head down. The Mark branded onto his right eyebrow. So the girly scream is his normal cry?


    This time Fang addressed the crowd filledhall, ¡°Are there any among you willing to bear the Mark? To make sure this man succeeds in pleasing the Forgefather, and bring glory to the Founders in the process?¡± Fang didn¡¯t let the silence linger for more than three seconds. ¡°Then I annou-¡±


    ¡°Me, me!¡± a female voice shouted. Hawk instantly broke out into a loud coughing fit as my heart skipped a beat at the voice. ¡°Sorry, sorry. Coming through, coming through.¡± The voice got closer and closer as someone wormed its way through the mass of people. It couldn¡¯t be? But it was. The woman that broke through the front rank of captains sported a yellow tabard, a stitched anvil, and amber eyes. Beautiful amber eyes.


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Hawk suddenly shouted.


    Sly placed a hand on her hip before talking back at him, ¡°And this need for control was exactly the reason mom left you in the first place, dad.¡± My heart skipped another beat as she threw me a smile.


    ¡°Long time no see, Marcus.¡±

 Chapter 14

    Bloody beginnings.


    The archives hidden within the Founder city shed light on the Burrows formative years. Dark and rive with bloodshed. They painted a picture grim enough that Cedia¡¯s attempt at the destruction of this history will come as no surprise to any who read them.


    It all started roughly four hundred years ago. The Endless White had left the lands, and Cedia was merely a century into its own existence. A rich deposit of red-stone had been found in the basin that now holds the Burrows topside. And a quarry quickly established to provide the stone needed to build the mighty keep of Redgate, Cedia¡¯s current capital. Vast amounts of slaves were brought in, and work continued on for many years. Slowly the basin was hollowed out more and more as Redgate¡¯s demand for it¡¯s stone never ceased increasing. That was until disaster struck.


    Rumblings could be heard from the basin¡¯s center, the deepest part of the quarry. Not soon after the ground caved in, leaving a gaping hole, forming what is now referred to as the Well. Most slaves that toiled in the center had managed to make a run for it, escaping with their very lives. Unfortunately for them, they were the first to die.


    Monsters, creatures, and other abominations poured forth from this new opening in the earth, attracted by the smell of flesh and the screams of terror. These so called dwellers proceeded to wreak havoc on the slaves and their masters, killing many in the first few minutes of confusion and wounding even more.


    As the dwellers were busy eating their new-found prey, the large amounts of remaining slaves rallied together before rushing towards Redgate, trying to force their way through the narrow canyon that connected the city with the quarry. It was at the basin¡¯s entrance that betrayal struck.


    A single Cedian palisade, no more than a collection of tied logs with a wooden gate, stopped the desperate mob of refugees. For the gate was locked, and the guards grimly silent. The commander in charge had considered both monster and slave a threat to Redgate¡¯s security. Thus he ordered the slaves to stand and fight, promising them freedom if they managed to hold out until the city''s garrison could be mustered.


    Suffice to say, that promise never came through.


    - Burrowing into Redgate¡¯s underbelly. A comprehensive guide to the Burrows,by newly appointed archivist of Burrows scriptures, Jullianus Retan.


    Fire crackled loudly within the stacked logs, casting dark shadows across darker walls.


    It greedily fed on the yellow tabard thrown in its grasp. The symbol stitched into its fabric blackened as the strands of the anvil, shaped stitching popped loose one by one. Sly stepped away from the bonfire, revealing the Mark branded into her skin. Dark, straight lines that ran from her eyebrow to her cheek, forming some weird pattern only known to Founders. She kneeled.


    The large, stone hall remained silent safe for the roaring flames, tendrils eagerly lashing out at the nearby sources of fuel. Four tabards, each stitched with two black stripes, each held by two dark hands. Sly stood up, making way for the bear of a man standing behind her. Hammer didn¡¯t say a word as he stepped forward, Mark illuminated, as he added his own tabard to the flickering light. He also kneeled.


    Sly took her place beside me, followed by Hammer, Pickle, Dagger, and Dirk. The silence that had gripped the hall remaining till the last pieces of Dirk¡¯s tabard had given themselves fully to the pyre. My feet strode forward, slowly moving across the sooth covered floor. Rags fluttering as I turned around, heat behind me, faces in front. ¡°Fellow Exiled!¡± my voice echoed through the hall. ¡°Today is the day of corpses. Today is the day of funerals. But today is also the day of goodbyes. May you make due with what little time you have left.¡± I motioned the guards; Their hands started pulling the iron rings hanging from the doors, slowly dragging the stone slabs apart. ¡°May you cry without reserve.¡±


    People streamed through the opening, most of them carrying trays of food and drink¡ªbut not all. Asmall portion of them rushed towards the three people breaking away from our group. Their journey shortened as Sly, Pickle, and Hammer met their families halfway with tears in their eyes.


    The Awakened began sitting in small huddled groups on the floor, drinking and eating from the trays placed in their circles. Meat and ale was quickly brought to our small band of three; Dirk¡¯s face sporting a wistful look as he gazed at the crying group near the entrance. ¡°Must be nice, having a family.¡±


    Dagger squeezed his hand before resting her head on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you still have me.¡±


    And I¡¯m left with Gob. Not that the demon was here; he was too busy swiping drinks from whatever group wasn¡¯t paying attention to their trays. I took a sip from my mug. Better clear the mood. ¡°I don¡¯t know how Pickle does it, but even now he manages to look pissed off. I almost feel sorry for his mother.¡±


    The twins chuckled before Dirk spoke up, ¡°You should¡¯ve seen him when you left the Burrows. He looked like he¡¯d been forced to eat bronco shit.¡±


    ¡°With a pinch of rat piss,¡± Dagger added.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Dirk¡¯s eyes looked past me. ¡°Don¡¯t let that stubborn look fool you. He¡¯s as happy as he can be right now. Mark be damned.¡±


    Dagger began scratching the symbol on her cheek. The dark lines mirrored on Dirk¡¯s face. They seemed the same, but subtly differed. A small twist here, a different angle there, nothing you could spot from a distance. I stared deep into my own mug, fiddling with the wooden container. ¡°I¡¯m-I¡¯m sor-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize,¡± Dagger smiled. ¡°We made a promise in that cellar, and we intend to stick to it, sarge¡­ eh, I mean, captain.¡±


    I leaned backwards, gazing at the shadows that flickered across the ceiling. ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a captain now¡­¡± I took another sip, surprised by how much more flavorful the ale had become. Captain, huh?


    I looked over the rim of my mug before wiping away some of the foam stuck on my lip. I couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°I better start acting like one, don¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Dirk raised his tankard as I met his with mine. Dagger soon followed. ¡°To your promotion!¡±


    ¡°To my promotion!¡± A few gulps later, I slammed down my mug, letting out a loud belch of satisfaction.


    ¡°Mind if we join you?¡± a voice asked. It was Maximilian holding hands with Isabelle. Well¡­ holding is a strong word. It seemed more like gently grasping to me. Those horns really got in they way of everything, and today they seemed sharper and pointier than at the Academy.


    ¡°Sure, take a seat. Have some ale.¡± I handed him one from the tray. He politely declined it as he sat down; Isabelle meekly took it instead, cradling the thing to her chest. Maximilian stared into the bonfire, mulling over something.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about my mother,¡± he finally said, twiddling his thumbs. ¡°I was probably sent here after she realized she couldn¡¯t protect me during this Culling.¡± His form slumped. ¡°You and the others were nothing more than sacrifices made to get the Council¡¯s approval for her plan.¡±


    ¡°Piss off,¡± I said. The man¡¯s green eyes cast themselves downwards. ¡°Can you read minds or something?


    ¡°No, but I know my mother, and sh-¡±


    ¡°Shut up then.¡± The man flinched. ¡°Shut up, survive, and come back alive.¡± I forcefully jammed a mug into his hands. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you die till you¡¯ve crawled your way back home. I have a lot of questions for that deceitful bitch, and I sure as hell ain¡¯t going to let myself get stuck at her front gate.¡± I flicked his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re my ticket to her inner sanctum, so don¡¯t even think about dying.¡±


    A thin smile spread across his lips. ¡°Thanks, friend.¡± He dipped into the ale, emerging with a foamy lip before wiping it away with the back of his hand. ¡°Still, I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s an actual city below the ground.¡± He threw his arms wide. ¡°And here we are, having a feast within it!¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Enjoy it, it will be your last one for a long while,¡± I said as I tore into a juicy leg of chicken meat. The chatter around us was slowly growing over time. People began to dance, sing, and clap as alcohol worked its way into their blood. Some groups had gravitated towards a corner of the hall, attempting to best Gob in an informal drinking competition. They wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Not with the way he¡¯s downing those cups.


    ¡°Mind if I touch them?¡± Dagger asked Isabelle. She nodded in response before Dagger¡¯s hands were roaming the various pointy horns. Her fingers stopped at one of the more curved variants around Isabelle¡¯s shoulders. A single index finger applied pressure to the tip, causing a red drop of blood to drip from it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Isabelle said. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ my horns become sharper and longer when I¡¯m nervous¡­ or emotional¡­ or irritated.¡± She lowered her head with each addition.


    ¡°So¡­ always?¡± She shot me an angry look. ¡°I¡¯m just saying. You area Wrath.¡±


    Dagger had started sucking on her index finger, managing to voice a question while she was at it, ¡°How do you sleep?¡± Isabelle seemed confused. ¡°Don¡¯t those horns get in the way?¡±


    ¡°They do,¡± she nodded. ¡°But it works both ways. When I am calm and relaxed they retreat into my skin, leaving just small lumps.¡±


    ¡°At least your nervous,¡± I said; The people around us were anything but. They just laughed and roared, happy to be alive. That would change. Everything would change.


    ¡°Is being exiled that bad?¡± Maximilian asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason we¡¯re holding this Mourning Feast.¡± I picked my teeth with a chicken bone. ¡°In case you missed it, we¡¯re holding a funeral for ourselves. Come morning we¡¯ll be nothing but walking corpses.¡± I pointed the bone towards Sly, Hammer, and Pickle crying with their families. ¡°And they¡¯re making the most of it.¡±


    ¡°You think we¡¯re all going to die?¡± Blood began draining from Maximilian¡¯s face.


    ¡°Not think, know.¡± Maybe the light was playing tricks, but I could swear that Isabelle¡¯s horns just grew another inch. ¡°If it was the Underground we could have had a decent shot at survival. But the Long Dark? No way.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Did you see the area where we came in?¡± Maximilian nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the Underground. It¡¯s the area of tunnels that follows the mountains to the Northwest.¡± I drew a rough sketch of the continent with the grease on my fingers, marking the Northwestern part of it with an X. ¡°That¡¯s Redgate and the Burrows below it.¡± An arrow pointed away from the X and towards the sea. ¡°That way would be the Underground. Short, dangerous, but doable. A couple of weeks of travel and we would find ourselves out of the mountains and into the forests.¡± I tapped the left side of my face. ¡°If we lose the Mark, that is.¡±


    Another arrow was drawn into the opposite direction and into the middle of the continent. ¡°T-t-that leads to the Forbidden Zone,¡± Maximilian stammered.


    I circled the middle of the continent before pointing at it. ¡°You mean No Man¡¯s Land?¡± He nodded. ¡°Name aside, these mountain ranges run all the way to that damned place. And whatever has been living there has had, Gods knows how many, centuries of time to pour into the tunnel entrances dotting the landscape.¡± My finger tapped the Southeast arrow. ¡°That¡¯s the Long Dark, our place of Exile.¡± I tapped the Northwest arrow once more. ¡°And don¡¯t even think about looping back to the Underground. None of the tunnels connect. The Founders made damn sure of that.¡±


    I began wiping the grease from my hands. ¡°Do you know what the real fucking problem is?¡± Both Maximilian and Isabelle shook their heads. ¡°It¡¯s this thing,¡± I said, finger tracing the Mark. ¡°Once we leave this place we won¡¯t be able to set a foot back inside. It just doesn¡¯t allow it. The same goes for any smaller Founder settlements we have garrisoned further in.¡±


    ¡°Wait there¡¯s more places like this?¡± Isabelle asked.


    ¡°Similar, yes, but a lot smaller,¡± I made four smaller X¡¯s that were spaced out towards the Southeast. ¡°They tie up most of our military strength, serving as a buffer against attacks from further in.¡± They both raised an eyebrow. ¡°Not everything walking down here is a beast. There are some groups lurking around that can think and speak. Well¡­ more like scream and shout.¡±


    Maximilian studied my work of art, thinking deeply before pointing at the X closest to No Man¡¯s Land. ¡°So we¡¯re relatively safe as long as we don¡¯t go beyond this point?¡±


    Dirk and Dagger began to laugh: I joined in for good measure. My hand swiped away a tear. ¡°Sorry, sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to¡­ it¡¯s just¡­ your innocence is refreshing, that¡¯s all.¡± My hand grabbed five pieces of chicken bone, lining them above each other. ¡°The Long Dark is made up of multiple layers.¡± I tapped the uppermost bone. ¡°This would be the layer we¡¯re on. We call it the ground level. Everything above it is named topside.¡± Then I worked my way down, starting with the second highest bone. ¡°Level one, level two, level three, level four.¡± I tapped the last bone one more time. ¡°You got that?¡± I made Isabelle and Maximilian repeat the names out loud before continuing, ¡°The general rule is: the deeper you go, the more dangerous it gets.¡±


    ¡°And fucked up,¡± Dirk added.


    ¡°And fucked up,¡± I said.


    ¡°And messed up,¡± Dagger added.


    ¡°And messed up,¡± I corrected myself.


    ¡°An-¡±


    ¡°You get the point,¡± I cut off Dirk. ¡°Ground level is dangerous enough as it is, no need to make things worse.¡± I motioned Dagger. ¡°Here¡¯s the catch.¡± She started putting chicken bones that crossed one or multiple levels. ¡°All the levels are connected with each other. Some tunnels lead from ground level straight to level four. Some jump to level three before another tunnel, further in, goes back to one. While others lead to sections of lower levels that are completely sealed off with no other tunnels leading further up or down. See the problem?¡±


    ¡°Attacks can come from any direction,¡± Isabelle said.


    ¡°But, wait.¡± Maximilian picked up a bone before placing it on top of the uppermost one. ¡°Aren¡¯t there tunnels leading to the surface?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and no.¡± I placed Maximilian¡¯s bone several feet to the right. ¡°The closest ones are a few weeks worth of travel away, and would leave us stranded in the freezing mountain ranges.¡± I sat back down. ¡°More importantly, we can¡¯t use them. The Mark doesn¡¯t allow us to leave the Long Dark. The same thing that keeps us from entering occupied Founder settlements, keeps us from exiting these very tunnels.¡± Maximilian raised a finger. ¡°I¡¯m not joking, it¡¯s true. You take a step outside with this Mark on you, and nothing will be left but a human puddle.¡±


    ¡°So, what?¡± Isabelle hissed. ¡°We¡¯re just to rot here for eternity? Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t do anything, yes.¡± Her horns seemed to grow another inch. ¡°Look, the Mark is a ball and chain. One that can be unlocked with a key.¡± My hand balled into a fist. ¡°In order to get this key we need to perform things that help the Founders.¡± I raised a finger. ¡°One, we kill anything deemed threatening by Founders. Which is basically almost everything. Something I¡¯m not keen on doing since you lot don¡¯t seem like the most battle-hardened of warriors. Basically high risk, next to no reward.¡± I raised another finger. ¡°Two, we enter the abandoned Founder settlements on the lower levels, and retrieve lost relics or scriptures from their ruins. Very high risk, but probably our best option.¡± My last raised finger formed a triple. ¡°Three, we travel down to level four. Gather as much of the purest crystal humanly possible before bolting back to ground level. Extremely high risk, but the pay-off will be great.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like those odds¡­¡± Maximilian seemed depressed.


    ¡°You better get used to them since that¡¯s all we¡¯re going to get.¡±


    The man ruffled his silver hair. ¡°But who holds the keyto these Marks? Is it one of the Four Kings?¡±


    ¡°Both me and the Forgefather.¡± Now he looks really confused. ¡°My Mark is the key. We do the deeds I just mentioned, and the lines will slowly disappear. Once it¡¯s gone, you¡¯re Marks will vanish without a trace.¡± I took a deep swig of frothy ale. ¡°And if the worst comes to pass¡­ don¡¯t worry. My Mark will jump from person to person till we¡¯re all dead and gone.¡±


    ¡°I need more ale,¡± Isabelle said as she downed her cup. Maximilian merely nodded before doing the same.


    ¡°You should count yourselves lucky.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the stares they threw me. ¡°We¡¯re far from the first Exiles. Just imagine the terror and despair the first few felt when they didn¡¯t know how to get rid of the Marks.¡± The mere thought of it send a cold shiver down my spine. I raised my mug high. ¡°A toast to the unfortunate souls of past centuries! May their acquired knowledge serve our trial well!¡±


    ¡°Cheers!¡± Wooden tankards were loudly clinked together as people around us responded with their own little toasts of celebration. One guy was too drunk to hold onto his share, drenching the person on the opposite site of his circle. They both laughed at the absurdity of it. At least they¡¯re happy drunks.


    ¡°You seem awfully unfazed about all of this,¡± Maximilian said after a few minutes.


    ¡°I¡¯m just pretending to be.¡± I took another swig of ale, letting it drown the cold terror nestling in my stomach. ¡°You have no clue as to how fucked we truly are.¡± I beckoned him to come closer. ¡°Check my Mark, notice anything?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anyt-. Wait¡­ there¡¯s a number. It says¡­ ninety-four?¡±


    ¡°Ninety-fucking-four.¡± My mug struck the ground. ¡°We need to clear ninety-fucking-four death sentences. The heaviest of punishments, and thus the most difficult to get rid off. Ninety-three held by Awakened, and one by myself.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but let some anger slip into my voice. ¡°Want to know something interesting? The biggest group of Exiles that survived, in the last four centuries, consisted of twenty people. All Marked with death sentences, all dead safe for four. And these were captains one and all. The best the Burrows had to offer.¡±


    I took a deep breath to calm down. ¡°That¡¯s not all. The numbers won¡¯t go down when someone dies. You could all drop dead tomorrow, and I¡¯ll be left to labor away all ninety-four charges.¡± My body slumped onto the floor as the familiar sensation of fear worked its way through my body. ¡°So no, I¡¯m not unfazed. Just really really frightened.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡± Maximilian asked softly.


    ¡°And what? Spread fear through the group?¡± I rolled onto my side. ¡°No. We keep this to ourselves. Fear kills a man as well as any blade. I know from experience¡­ trust me.¡± I sat back up again. ¡°No mention of this to the other Awakened. Not a peep. It will require a miracle to get us out of this one, and I don¡¯t intend to waste what chances we have with consoling dispirited crybabies.¡±


    And with miracles, I mean Gob. My own moon summoner was still busy in the corner of the hall. Several forms were slumped around him; empty tankards strewn about. He had dragged them together to form a makeshift throne, sitting firmly on the belly of some brown haired man. ¡°Who dares challenge this God of liquor?¡± he shouted from his seat of power. Several drunkards, or madmen, met his challenge with cries of their own. A disorderly line quickly formed in front of the giggling demonas a crowd cheered the challengers on from a distance.


    That¡¯s right, Gob. Celebrate while you still can.


    Tomorrow, we¡¯ve got work to do.

 Chapter 15

    Read your Contracts before signing them. Trust me.


    Unless you prefer being forced to streak for 30 minutes every morning.


    - Wise wisdoms of a woeful Warlock.


    ¡°May death reject us!¡±


    ¡°MAY LIVE REVIVE YOU!¡± the crowd thundered back.


    Chains could be heard rattling through the city as the cogwheels of the northern gate jerked into motion. The heavy gate surpassing the height of several stacked houses slowly lurched open. Each tick of the cogwheels forced apart the two Founder statues, engraved into its black metallic exterior, further apart. The Awakened around me started shuffling and murmuring among themselves, though the crowd of rats showed nothing but tensed muscles and grim silence. A silence that was broken the moment a small gap began to form between the two massive slabs of metal.


    ¡°Soldiers, form up!¡± Fang shouted. Rows of tabard wearing rats moved in sync to his command as they picked up their weapons from the ground, forming a row of pikes that even a bronco would hesitate charging into. The Awakened quickly fell back from the mass of metal now blocking the street; their sudden yelps of surprise quickly turned into cries of despair as Fang issued his next order, ¡°Line, forward!¡±


    The ground shook with the rhythmic march of pointed death heading our way. Most of the Awakened made for the only opening whilst others stood frozen in fear, uncertain about the sudden change of circumstances. ¡°Move!¡± I shouted as my foot connected to a blonde girl¡¯s ass. She yelped in pain, glaring at me with in anger. ¡°Move or be skewered. It¡¯s your choice.¡± She looked past my shoulder, eyes lingering briefly on the encroaching threat, before sprinting away. A few kicks and nudges later, and all of the Awakened were finally herded through the massive gate.


    A last sweep revealed no stragglers as I slipped through the opening and into the beyond. Well, slip is a bit too much.For the gate itself it might have been a small gap, but that was still big enough to let several man abreast pass with ease.


    Beyond the massive gate lay an equally massive bridge; its width alone could easily support several carts side by side. Let alone its length. What¡¯s more impressive was the bridge spanning several miles in one direction while the light of equally spaced pieces of white crystal, embedded into the parapets and the middle of the stone bridge, droveaway the darkness that suffocated every inch around it. And darkness it was. True darkness. The kind that only existed in places where the sun never shone. The kind that even my eyes couldn¡¯t pierce, for they were deeper and darker than dim crystals ever could illuminate.


    Those few Awakened that weren¡¯t retching out their meals were instead looking over the railing, and finding an equally disturbing void greeting them down below. Don¡¯t fall. ¡°Alright, listen up!¡± I shouted; one-hundred heads turned towards me at the sound of my voice. Some still with bile dribbling down their nostrils. Shouldn¡¯t have let them party this long. ¡°I know you are all scared. And I know you all want to go home. But the quicker we get moving, the quicker we can get out of here!¡±


    ¡°But first some good news.¡± I gave Sly a knowing look. You knew daddy wouldn¡¯t let you leave empty-handed, didn¡¯t you?She winked back. Spoiled brat.¡°I¡¯ve received some valuable information last night.¡± I pointed at the distant bridge lights. ¡°Within the hour, a trade run will be making its return from the Long Dark. We¡¯ll wait for them at the bridge¡¯s entrance before heading deeper into the caves. With some luck, we¡¯ll be able to beggar our way into some of their food stock.¡± I motioned the gang to step forward. ¡°Afterwards we¡¯ll head deeper into the caves. Just make sure you follow either me, or one of my trusted friends here.¡± I pointed at Sly, Hammer, Pickle, Dirk, and Dagger. ¡°Keep quiet and stay close. And whatever you do, don¡¯t scream.¡±


    I didn¡¯t leave time for questions. ¡°We¡¯ll walk till we reach the main underground river. There we¡¯ll set up camp and discuss our plans for the near future. You¡¯re free to do whatever you want to after that.¡± Most of them eagerly nodded. Though some shot me a foul look. A look I knew all too well. ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow us now, if you don¡¯t want to. Nobody is stopping you from braving the darkness on your own. I¡¯m just offering you a place to stay.¡± The same gazes quickly shifted away. That¡¯s right, I¡¯m in control now.


    The group of Awakened moved when the last few souls finished their morning retch over the bridge parapets. The lack of any splattering sounds confirmed the height of this bridge, and with nothing but darkness all around them the only way was forward. And so, forward they went. Poorly made boots slapped the well-crafted stone as some people started shivering. We were sent out here in nothing but our prisoner garbs, and what spare footwear what was left. Dead men need no clothes, though sending Exiled naked into the Long Dark was a bit too much ¡ªeven for the Burrows.


    After several minutes, Maximilian made his way towards me as I stayed near the back with Hammer. Eyes filled with animosity tracked his every move, though he seemed to ignore them while he was busy navigating his way through all these people. Or maybe he doesn¡¯t care.A faint whisper marked his eventual arrival, ¡°What do you mean, feel free to do whatever you want?¡±


    ¡°You know as well as I do that not everybody here is going to work together. Just cause they chose to live, doesn¡¯t mean they chose to cooperate,¡± I whispered back. ¡°Better nip them in the bud before they start trouble.¡±


    Maximilian broke into a coughing fit. ¡°You¡¯re going to kill them?¡± he hissed under his breath.


    ¡°Even better. I¡¯m going to solve our food problem.¡±


    The stone the Founders used for this bridge was probably white in origin. But dirt and age weathered it down to a motley gray. I always wondered how light it would have looked in ages past, though the blood drained face of Maximilian gave me a good view on what pure white actually looked like. ¡°Y-y-you wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I would and I will.¡± My voice shifted a tone deeper. ¡°And when I¡¯m done picking their corpses clean, I¡¯ll fashion me some proper weapons from their bones. Or are you suggesting we fight with bare fists and empty stomachs?¡±


    ¡°Are you mad? We¡¯ve got magic! There¡¯s no need to ki-¡±


    My hand snapped his mouth shut as Hammer moved to block us from the view of onlookers. ¡°I¡¯ll say this as a friend. Keep your voice down if you want to live. I¡¯m not the only one they want to stab in the back. I thought you all of all people would have noticed by now. Especially, with the stab happy vibes you nobles give off all the time.¡± Maximilian calmed down with that last line. ¡°No offense.¡± A gasp escaped his lips as I removed my hand.


    ¡°Now listen, and listen well. Morals aren¡¯t going to fill our stomachs. Ego isn¡¯t going to protect our lives. And your past knowledge will get you killed. When it comes to this place, all rules get thrown out of the window.¡± I shot him a sharp glance. ¡°Do rocks move?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Of course they don¡¯t mo-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll here they do. And if you see one move, or even think you saw one move, you tell me.¡± I grabbed his collar before pulling him closer. ¡°You get your ass away from that rock, and you tellme. Ok?¡± Maximilian swallowed hard before nodding. ¡°You hear a child giggle, you run. You smell sulfur, you hide. You see shadows move, you pray. But whatever you do, don¡¯t scream.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°W-why not?¡±


    ¡°Ever heard of a dinner bell?.¡± His eyes lit up the mere mention of those words. ¡°That¡¯s what this place it like. Everything out here exists to eat you.¡± I released his collar. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t want to eat you, it wants to fuckyou. If it doesn¡¯t want to fuckyou, it wants to live inside you. And god forbid if it doesn¡¯t even want to do that.¡±


    ¡°It gets worse?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking when I told you your souls were at risk. There are things crawling around here that even demons have learned to fear.¡±


    ¡°Sounds interesting, Boss,¡± a familiar voice said. Maximilian almost yelped out loud were it not for my hand latching onto his mouth on instinct. Gob merely smirked. ¡°Care to let me in on that soul eating busine-¡±


    A man¡¯s scream echoed in the distance. It continued for several seconds before being cut off abruptly. That can¡¯t be good. My eyes may have been able to pierce darkness, but that didn¡¯t mean I could see very far. The dim light of the bridge crystals showed nothing but the emptiness on the horizon. Whatever had happened, it must have taken place near the bridge¡¯s entrance. ¡°Dagger, I want eyes on the entrance!¡± I shouted as Hammer made his way to the front of the group. ¡°Dirk, keep your ears open for anything scurrying up these pillars!¡± People began murmuring among themselves. ¡°Shut up and stay quiet!¡± Do as I say, not as I do. ¡°Whatever caused that scream is still out there. Keep your eyes and ears peeled, and tell me when you spot something.¡±


    I began weaving my way through the crowd, heading towards the large, burly man now stationed at front. ¡°What happened to staying quiet?¡± Maximilian asked as he tagged along.


    ¡°Chow time¡¯s already been announced. Everything within a few miles now knows that there¡¯s food to be had.¡± Hammer stood with arms crossed as Dagger started climbing her way up his shoulders. Standing up straight, not swaying in the slightest, before peering into the distance. Within seconds I was close enough to see her pupils adjust themselves appropriately. ¡°See anything, corporal?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, sarg- ¡­ captain.¡± She leaned ever so slightly forward as Maximilian looked with wide eyes at her display of balance. ¡°Wait. It looks like some bronco¡¯s just passed the bridge entrance right now. They seem to be running from something.¡± Running bronco¡¯s? That doesn¡¯t seem to be right.


    ¡°Can you see what they¡¯re running from, corporal?¡±


    ¡°No, captain. Though someone seems to be riding the head bronco. The rest are carrying either wounded or casualties. I can¡¯t tell from this distance.¡± Only one rider?


    ¡°Who¡¯s the rider?¡±


    ¡°Her tabard is sporting¡­ an anvil, captain.¡± Lieutenant, huh. ¡°She¡¯s wearing the violet. Though it seems to be stained red in several places. Unknown whether she¡¯s wounded or not. No signs of her demon.¡± This supply run was supposed to be led by Hawk¡¯s group, not Vipers. Maybe some stragglers from the lower levels?


    I felt a tap on my shoulder before turning around to find a sour looking Dirk. ¡°Is something climbing our way, corporal?¡±


    ¡°Worse, captain. I can hear drums in the distance.¡± Drums? Why would there be drums? Unless¡­


    ¡°Dagger, give me rundown on those other passengers!¡±


    Dagger almost stumbled at my sudden command. She must have heard her brother¡¯s words, and they did not bode well. ¡°They are all wearing yellow, captain. And¡­ I¡¯m not entirely sure, but there seems to be only women. Wait! Some of them have arrows stuck in their armor.¡± Fear began to etch itself into her face as the realization churned my stomach.


    ¡°We need to move, and we need to move now!¡± I shouted. ¡°Dagger, please tell me that the bridge entrance is still clear!¡± My request had barely passed my lips before the slow steady rhythm of drums started to faintly echo in the distance.


    ¡°It¡¯s still clear for now, captain,¡± Dagger said. ¡°Though I can see movement heading our way from further up in the caves. Gods, there must be thousands of them.¡± We¡¯ll never make it in time.


    A hand pulled me towards a panicking Maximilian. ¡°What¡¯s happening, Marcus? What¡¯s coming this way?¡± he asked, fingers squeezing my arm.


    ¡°No time to explain,¡± I said as I pulled away from his grasp. ¡°Everyone to the gates! Those that wish to die can stay behind!¡± And with that I took of sprinting back the way we came, weaving my way past confused looks and scared expressions. Not that they lasted long. Within seconds the unmistakable sound of boots hitting stone thundered behind me. Let¡¯s just hope they can keep up. I didn¡¯t have the time to deal with the stragglers. Every second would be needed if I was going to negotiate us out of this one. Please let it be a measly warband.


    The sound of nails clicking beside me signaled the arrival of an unwelcome guest. ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve hit a snag, Boss. A rather deadly one.¡± Gob snickered as he ran besides me, not bothered in the least by the fast pace I was setting.


    ¡°What¡¯s so¡­ funny?¡± I managed to ask between controlled breaths. ¡°We¡¯ll both die¡­ you know.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and no.¡± He flashed me his stained, pointy teeth. ¡°It all depends on your point of view. Though I must say, I¡¯ve grown quite attached to this vessel.¡± Vessel? What is he talk- ¡°Anyway.¡± Gob smacked me loudly on the back. ¡°Thanks for the concern. It¡¯s nice knowing that you care about my safety.¡± Maybe I should dropkick him over the edge. Yeah, let¡¯s do that.


    The only thing that stayed my legs was the sight of the still open gates, and the light of salvation that shone from between them. I closed the distance with a final burst of speed, slowing down when I could see the silhouettes of guards lounging about the entrance. When they saw me running at them, they quickly shouted something to the people inside as more guards made their way outside, weapons at the ready.


    I skidded to a stop when I reached the closest of the guards, staying well away from his weapon¡¯s reach as I forced myself to get my breathing under control. ¡°Is commander Fang still here?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s urgent.¡±


    The guards looked at each other before the highest ranking one spoke up, two stripes adorning his gray tabard. ¡°He¡¯s stationed further in. What¡¯s it to you, Exile?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a warband of Roamerscoming this way.¡± That seemed to grab their attention. ¡°They ambushed the supply caravan and are now crossing the bridge as we speak. My scout estimated their numbers to be in the thousand, if not more.¡±


    Some more shouts, and a dispatched messenger later, my squad finally caught up with me, followed by the fitter variants of the Awakened. Though quite a lot of them were still lagging behind, unsure why we were running for the gate. Almost all of them were accounted for by the time the supply convoy came barreling through the gate. Some of the Awakened even had to dive out of the way to avoid getting squashed by the rampaging broncos.


    Not that there was an easy way of stopping them. The female rider was now slumped over her reigns, an arrow sticking out from between her shoulderblades. It seemed that the broncos would run loose into the city streets, were it not for Fang¡¯s arrival. The man made his entrance with a few hand gestures before the street stones turned into mud, swamping down the broncos until they could be subdued by a combination of soldiers and demons.


    With his job done, the grizzled man made his way towards me. Guardsmen parting before him like his mere presence was repellent in nature. He looked angry during the trial, though none of that was currently apparent from his features. There was only calmness, the one that came with many years of command. ¡°How many?¡± Fang asked, stopping a few feet short of our huddled group of wheezing and puffing Awakened.


    ¡°A thousand at least.¡± I said, clenching my fists. ¡°Dagger, please check again.¡± Fang remained quiet as I chewed my lip in silence, hoping she saw wrong.


    A short climb later, and I got the answer I was dreading. ¡°I estimate them to be at least ten-thousand strong, captain. They¡¯ve filled the bridge as far as my eyes can seen.¡± I started to draw blood. ¡°Estimated time of arrival, ten minutes.¡±


    Fang¡¯s face changed to one of pity, and that was enough to shatter what hope I had left. ¡°You know we need more time than that to muster an appropriate force.¡± Fang said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Exiled. We¡¯ll have to close the gate till we¡¯re ready to meet them.¡± The Awakened began to panic at the sound of the news.


    I could only stare at my feet as the reality weighed heavily on my shoulders. ¡°I know.¡±


    Fang partly unsheathed his sword. ¡°I can, however, offer you a swift death, if that is what you desire.¡±


    Several Awakened recoiled at his action, though I simply raised my hand in response. ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯d rather go down fighting.¡± Fang merely nodded at my dispirited words before turning around and making his way back. The unmistakable sound of cogwheels turning signaled the beginning of the end as the gate lurched into motion.


    ¡°Fuck this shit. I¡¯m not facing an army,¡± yelled one of the Awakened before bolting towards the still open gate. A stampede was the reaction as the majority of Awakened followed suit. The dash for safety foiled by the Forgefather himself. Cruelly halted halted before it even began as an invisible wall rippled with blue light at every point of impact; faces mashed against the very definition of an immovable object. Fist thumped against it. Wails filled the air. And sobs were heard all around.


    But nothing stopped the gates from moving ever closer; the view of salvation growing slimmer with every second until, finally, it disappeared from sight entirely. Leaving only the cries of the bereaved and the drums in the distance. Drums that seemed to get closer by the minute.


    Drums that were muffled by a demon loudly clearing his throat.


    ¡°So¡­ about my Collar, Boss.¡±

 Chapter 16

    Beware the things, that lurk below.


    For darkness is, all they know.


    - Founder script recovered from the fourth level.


    ¡°State your terms, Gob.¡±


    The demon seemed contend with my final reply. ¡°Glad you¡¯ve come around, Boss.¡±


    People panicked all around me as the drums came ever closer. Their terror amplified by the myriad of Roamer¡¯s that loomed on the horizon. Short, pale looking creatures. Devoid of both hair, and eyes. Their physique may not have been that intimidating, but pure numbers made up for it. Add in the addition of their tamed ¡®pets¡¯, ranging from giant spiders, to slithering snakes, and you had a recipe ripe for mass hysteria. A hysteria in which Gob decided to negotiate, instead of act.


    Why now? That damned demon has been pestering me about his Collar all this time, and now that I had Loosed it, he simply refused to act. I could only scowl as Gob closed his eyes to listen to the wails of despair around us. I get it, you¡¯re in control. Just do something!


    ¡°That¡¯s enough enjoyment,¡± Gob finally said after a long minute. ¡°For now.¡± His sight alternated between me and the incoming horde, sporting a small grin, one which got wider with every second that passed. ¡°Sorry, Boss. But I¡¯ve found that Deals made under pressure tend to be that much more beneficial for me.¡± To say that I got irritated by the shoulder pat he proceeded to give me, was an understatement. ¡°Surely, you¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°Your. Terms. Now,¡± I managed to squeeze out between my clenched teeth.


    ¡°Now, now, Boss. No need to look so angry. If you aren¡¯t careful, you might pop a vein somewhere.¡± He looked over his shoulder. ¡°Though something tells me, that isn¡¯t the biggest of your concerns.¡± Breathe in, breathe out. Don¡¯t let him get to you. ¡°The thing is, Boss. You¡¯ve been keeping me on a tight Leash these last couple of days, and as such I demand a vacation.¡± He chuckled as I began grinding my teeth down at a rapid pace. ¡°Can¡¯t function properly with all this pend up stress, Boss. You know what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough drivel from you, imp,¡± Sly said before whispering something in my ear. ¡°We appreciate your attempt, but we¡¯ve prepared ourselves the moment we accepted the Mark. No need to try and kindle our hope with this farce. We know he can scare away a dweller, but we¡¯re going to need a lot more than that to escape this shitstorm.¡± She backed away until she stood next to the rest of my squad-mates. ¡°Just give the order and we¡¯ll gladly die alongside you.¡± The other four nodded in agreement.


    ¡°At least some people get it,¡± Gob sighed. ¡°Pity my Boss isn¡¯t one of them.¡±


    ¡°Get what?¡±


    Gob¡¯s eyes looked at me with pity. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss. You¡¯ll have your entire life to figure it out. And if that doesn¡¯t work. Well¡­¡± Gob shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be this lifetime specifically¡­¡±


    My head started to hurt thinking about the implications of that last line, though the beating drums quickly put an end to that. Right, we¡¯ve got bigger problems. ¡°Are you going to state your terms, or what?¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Boss. Jeez¡­ can¡¯t a demon stall for some time in peace? Youngsters these days¡­¡± Drop-kicking him off the bridge seemed to get more alluring by the second. ¡°But this should be close enough.¡± Gob made a last take at the horde in the distance before focusing on me. ¡°I reckon they¡¯ll be on you in five minutes, Boss. Whether you accept or decline my proposal during that time is solely up to you.¡± He flicked his wrist as a familiar puff of smoke enveloped it. Out of it appeared a white piece of paper; its heading read Addendum as numerous pulsing red lines sprouted forth from that word and ran through the paper. Yeah, no. Been there before, not doing that.


    ¡°I¡¯m not signing any more of your damned Contracts, Gob,¡± I said, pushing the paper away when he presented it to me.


    ¡°At least you learnedsomething, Boss,¡± Gob said. ¡°But this one only contains text clearly visible to the naked eye. No hidden clauses, or anything like that.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to believe you?¡±


    Gob almost looked offended by my statement. ¡°Of course not, Boss. I¡¯m a demon. Why would anyone sign anything I offered them without reading it thoroughly. Only idiots would do that.¡± He put his hand on his chin. ¡°Wait a second. There was this one dumb-ass in a basement, I can¡¯t exactly remember his name... Matthew? Matt? Mark? Marcu-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± I said, snatching the paper from his hands. The page looked blank, safe for single block of text in the middle. ¡°How do I know you¡¯re not lying?¡±


    ¡°Simple¡­ you don¡¯t¡± He held out his hand. ¡°Instead, I¡¯m offering you a Deal. If any hidden or invisible text is contained on that document, it will be considered null and void. In addition I will be forced to clean this mess you¡¯re currently in for free.¡±


    I shook his hand before he hand a chance to pull back. ¡°Deal.¡± The air visibly rippled for a brief moment, only to settle down like nothing had ever happened in the first place.


    ¡°You happy, now, Boss?¡± Gob looked over his shoulder again. ¡°Better hurry up, you only got 3 minutes left.¡±


    The whooping noises in the distance made that statement abundantly clear. The Roamers may not have eyes, but that didn¡¯t stop them from hearing our cries of terror. And they were going crazy from the sound of it. The drums began to beat faster, causing their pace to pick up as the remaining distance began to grow smaller by the second.


    My eyes flew over the pulsing page, checking both the back and the front. Confident there was nothing else, I settled my sight on the only block of text the document seemed to contain.


    Marcus Ashwood, current Boss of Gob, will agree to let Gob, his Contracted demon, to Loose his Collar for the remainder of his stay in the location known as the Long Dark. Were Marcus to lose his Mark and return to the Burrows, or the surface, the previous clause will become null and void, in addition to the immediate reapplication of the Collar per the conditions set in the original Contract.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    In exchange for the aforementioned agreement, Gob will be forced to use his new-found Collarless power to, one-time and one-time only, get those people bound to Marcus Ashwood''s Mark, safely off the Burrows¡¯ main, underground bridge.


    A shiver went down my spine. The mere thought of an unrestrained Gob was enough to instill fear. But it was nothing compared to the cold terror churning in my stomach ¡ªone that came from the rumbling earth beneath me. Thousands upon thousands of Roamer cries pierced the air as they began their charge. The last few hundred feet of safety rapidly shrank in their mad dash to get at us. ¡°Live or die, what¡¯s it gonna be, Boss?¡±


    My body acted before my brain could catch up, thumb channeling mana into the small corner box with desperation that only imminent death could bring. The paper gave off blinding light before blinking out of existence. What was left behind was the sight of a grinning Gob, eyes filled with the kind of madness only the truly depraved knew.


    ¡°Shame you didn¡¯t embrace it, Boss.¡± Gob¡¯s body began to sweat black blood. ¡°Though I should thank you, either way.¡± The murky liquid slowly pooled beneath his feet. ¡°Having to watch you grow up would have been a pain in the ass.¡± What the fuck is he talking about? ¡°I suggest you stand back a little.¡± Gob turned towards the incoming horde of screaming savages. ¡°And try not to pass out.¡±


    A thunderous clap rumbled through the cave as Gob smashed his palms together, shaking the ground as little bits and pieces of rock fell off the ceiling. The limbs of all the Roamers froze into postistion mid-stride, causing their faces to skid across the floortill they came to an eventual standstill, leaving streaks of red smeared across the stone bridge. At first glance they seemed dead, were it not for the occasional limb spasm, and the twitching of flat nose-slits.


    Nobody moved as silence descended. Not a twitch, not a cough, not a word. For they couldn¡¯t. I tried to move, tried to speak, but the same paralysation that seemed to plague the Roamers also had worked its way into my own body. I could only watch, unable to take any action, as the black liquid around Gob began to bubble and rapidly grow in size. Each second that passed made it that much larger as it refused to flow towards the immobile Roamers, only ominously creeping towards us instead.


    Some primal part of me railed for control of my mind; whatever that blood was, it was not something I wanted to touch. Not that any of it helped. I could only silently struggle as the stuff started flowing past my knees, little pinpricks emanating from where the warm blood met bare skin. If that wasn¡¯t enough, the sensation began to steadily creep upwards, slithering and worming its way beneath my clothes; heart hammering in my chest as panic took over. Soon, it was almost up to neck, making its way to my open mouth; a mouth I desperately tried to close with all my might.


    My eyes couldn¡¯t see what was happening below them, but the people around made it abundantly clear. The black blood had crept all over their skins, coating their frozen limbs in a cloak of impenetrable darkness, eyes sporting the same look of terror as it slithered up their necks.


    My mind shocked back to my own predicament as the bitter tasting liquid began to invade the insides of my mouth. Oh Gods. It quickly submerged my tongue before heading deeper in. No, no, no, no, no.


    Bile rose from my stomach at the realization of where it was headed, hoping to flush it out before it got any further. It never got there in time. My throat got drowned with the substance as strands began crawling into the inside of my nose. Tears streaming endlessly from my eyes as it did. I¡¯m going to die. I¡¯m going to die. I¡¯m going to die. The last sight I saw was that of blackness making contact with my eyeballs. Then there was only darkness. And a voice, a voice I knew too well.


    ¡°You awake, Boss?¡± Gob asked. ¡°Never mind, you can¡¯t answer anyway.¡± My primal instincts were going completely wild, but quickly settled down when one truth became obvious. I can breathe. No, that was wrong. Blood still blocked my airways; breathing should have been impossible. I don¡¯t need to breathe¡­ ¡°For those few of you still clinging to consciousness, congratulations. It seems you¡¯ll receive the honor of knowing where you¡¯re headed.¡± Splashes could be heard as if someone waded through blood. Or maybe it was water now? I didn¡¯t know, everything was still pitch black for me. ¡°You see, my Boss and I made a Deal. And due to that Deal, I¡¯m forced to get you off this bridge safely. But that¡¯s the thing, I just need to get you off this bridge.¡± I have a bad feeling. ¡°And going the conventional way is sooooo boring. Anybody can walk over a bridge.¡± A really bad feeling. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m really curious as to how deep this chasm will go. So I thought¡­ why not go down?¡±


    If I could scream, I would have done it. ¡°Now, I know deciding something like this without a proper group discussion is only going to lead to resentment down the line. So we¡¯re going to have a proper vote on this, majority decides.¡± How about¡­ no. ¡°Those of you who want to go down, please raise your hands.¡± My muscles were still locked into place, but that didn¡¯t stop my arm from magically rising into the air. ¡°Wow! Everyone wants to go, how wonderful!¡± Gob began clapping his hands in excitement. ¡°Since all of you want to go, we better make sure we do it right the first time. Climbing back up seems like it would take a while. Any suggestions?¡± It remained quiet, safe for the inside of my wailing mind. ¡°Now, now. No need to be shy. You, miss, in the back. You seem to be harboring a great idea.¡±


    What followed was a high-pitched, gnarly voice coming from the same direction Gob was just talking a second ago. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know sir demon. I have difficulty concentrating when your broad, perfectly chiseled chest is so openly on display. I¡¯m having trouble just thinking of anythingbut you.¡±


    My mind drew a blank as Gob cleared his throat. ¡°Yes, I know this perfection is hard to gaze upon, miss. But I urge you to cease this seduction, less my equally perfect wife finds out. I don¡¯t want to get the hopes up of one as beautiful as you.¡± I think I¡¯m going to vomit¡­ again.


    ¡°Oh, sir demon, what a shame. It seems your heart is as pure and just as any angel. Alas, I shall cease this folly and offer my maiden¡¯s wish instead.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, fairmaiden. And I will grant that which your hearts desires.¡± If this goes on, I¡¯m going to jump voluntarily.


    ¡°Oh, absolute, perfect, beautiful, charismatic, and supreme, sir demon. I always dreamed of cannonballing off an impossible high bridge since I was a little girl. Surely, one as magnificent as you can fulfill my lifelong dream?¡±


    ¡°Fear not, fair maiden. You are in the company of like-minded people. Men and women who have dreamed each night of cannonballing down high places. Making plans, perfecting their technique, and calculating the optimal cannonball to wind resistance ratio. You are in the presence of cannonball experts, my lady! And they would love nothing more than grant you your dearest wish. Isn¡¯t that right, fellow cannonball lovers!?¡± My head began bobbing up and down on its own. ¡°See there, their answer! Now, follow me, fellow cannonballers! May we make the cannoniest cannonball that ever cannoned!¡±


    A series of splashes were heard before Gob began to shout, ¡°CAAAAANNNNNooooooonnnnnnbbbbbbbaaaaaaaalllllllll.¡±


    My limbs began running towards the ever more distant sounding Gob as my mind reeled against the magic controlling my limbs with all its might. It did not help. Within seconds the familiar feeling of ground beneath my feet disappeared, replaced by heart-lurching feeling of falling into a black void.


    I don¡¯t want to die.


    Not like this.

 Chapter 17

    You wanna know why no one ever ends up drowning in those underground lakes? It¡¯s quite simple.They tend to get ripped apart before the water can claim them.


    - Conversation overheard somewhere in Viper¡¯s district.


    No more than a minute could have passed, but it felt like an eternity. Every fiber of my being screaming in terror as I lost what little control I had left of my bowels. The eternal free-fall ended when my body plunged into something that felt like water, before slowly drifting further down. The world grew muted, safe for the occasional thump of other things impacting the surface. Why am I still alive? Why doesn¡¯t it hurt? Those were the only things I could think of as my body began its slow descent downwards.


    I floated down a good thirty seconds before my back rested on something solid. The trustworthy sensation of something beneath me finally helped calm me down. I controlled my breathing till the muffled sound of flowing water grew ever more faint, before disappearing entirely. The only thing that remained was the void, no sound, no heartbeat, no nothing. Just me and the starry darkness.


    With a final exhale I opened my eyes, taking in the spectacle before me. Dozens of human-shaped lights stood in stark contrast to the blackness around me, some stationary, some sinking down, and some rapidly descending from above. Their familiar shape broken up by numerous clusters of crystal shaped mana, some shining with an almost blinding intensity. How old are these crystals? I looked up, seeing more clusters of brightly shining colors scattered above me. How deep did we go¡­?


    My mind had barely enough time to mull on things before one of the sinking human lights began to get thrashed around by some unknown force. It was shaken about like doll, only to slowly be squeezed together and funneled through something before ending at a central point. A point where it rested while moving up, down, and sideways as more and more of the lights began to receive the same treatment. I need to get out of here. Fast.


    Whatever thing, or Gods forbid force, was collectingthese lights, surely it wouldn¡¯t just stop with the the moving ones. Knowing my luck, it would probably eat me the moment I even entertained the thought of moving. Fuck it. Anywhere was better than here. Where ever here was, that is.


    I waited till a light began to get trashed around before attempting to move my arm; happy to see results as the shining green limb obeyed my command. My legs seemed to be working fine too, green, sparkling toes wiggling at my behest. Now I just need a place to swim to.


    Up was the most logical answer, but how far was up, and how close was land? I could only perceive mana in this state, and my normal vision didn¡¯t mean shit in this weird contraption of Gob. Gob¡­ I suppressed the resentment flaring up at mere thought of that name. Not now¡­ later. First I needed to avoid getting grabbed by whatever was roaming these waters. Strangling that pointy-eared disaster could always come later. But not soon enough.


    A quick glance revealed nothing of note, crystals were erratically placed all around me, and none of the lights seemed to have floated upwards. All of them were either resting on some unseen pieces of scenery, or sinking further into the star filled darkness below. At least something stopped my descent. The ground beneath me felt jagged and rough, probably some kind of rock. Let¡¯s hope this suit thing lasts longer than a couple of minutes. The last thing I needed was to be near-blind, preyed upon, and drowning in the process.


    I flipped on my stomach the moment another sinking light began to get trashed around, crawling forward and away from the tossed aroundhuman light. Carefully, I patted down the area in front of me as I progressed further and further. Soon I reached, at least it felt like, a wall. One that had enough protrusions for me to cling on. And so I made my way upwards, standing, and resting, on various protrusions until another light began to get swung around before peddling with all my might, always checking over my shoulder for the moment such alight stopped moving.


    On the seventh peddle my efforts bore fruit. The constant pressure of water ceasedas my head broke through the surface. Only the faint feeling of running water-drops remained, broken up by the gentle sloshing of water against my chest. Beyond that, the unknown reigned. An unknown that was quickly explored as my hands began to seekpurchase on the wall in front of me. Asearch that ended with a couple of solid handholds.


    With a tug I began hoisting myself up, feeling the liquid release its hold on me until only my legs were submerged; feet firmly rested on some rocks. With that taken care off, I began to pad down the wall. My chest feeling abuzz with excitement when I felt it curve away from me at the top. Please let it be land, please let it be land. My fingers scoured for a good grip, my left hand finding purchase quickly, but my right hand coming up empty. Should I risk it? The hold felt like a part of the wall, one which could possibly support my weight. But what if my initial guess was wrong? What if there was no land above me? Then I would be dangling above the water, praying to find a good foothold.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Looking down didn¡¯t really help, most of the sinking lights were already piled up and moving in the same direction. And the constant tingling fear in my submerged legs didn¡¯t help in that regard either. If I do something, it has to be now. Whatever was swimming down there, was bound to find me sooner than later. And I¡¯d rather be out of the water before that happened. On three. One. I tensed my muscles. Two. Bent my kneesThree. And jumped.


    My right hand shot towards the rock gripped in my left, clamping down the moment it brushed my coated fingers. There was a strong tug on my shoulders before my body stabilized; arms hanging above my head as my feet scurried beneath, trying to find purchase. They came up unsuccessful, sliding off the wet, sleek wall for seconds on end. I quickly gave up when I felt myself kicking away bits and pieces of small rock in the process. Please don¡¯t notice me.


    The tingle in my legs became even worse after the ball of humanlights briefly stopped moving. My heartbeat quickening now that I was in a position where I couldn¡¯t evade even if I wanted. Need to move. Now.The desire of safety, and the fear of the unknown fueled my strength as I began pulling my arms back. With muscles trembling, my chin finally made it past my hands. The sensation of not needing to breath while exerting was strange, but welcome. I¡¯ll take anything I¡¯d get at this point. And that included land. Sweet, solid land.


    With another lunge, my right hand flew forward, grasping for anything in reach. Yes!My efforts were not in vain as my limb clamped down on a solid piece rock. The promise of safety enough to tempt my other hand to find something else to grab hold off. Within seconds it found something rigid to latch onto. Something that wiggled from my grasp.


    An instance later, that something rapidly crawled up my arm before latching onto my face. Both of my hands trying to pry loose the small tentacles laced around my head on instinct; mind registering the mistake the moment my right hand let go. Oh shit.


    There was a brief moment of weightlessness, followed by a strong impact. Whatever had kept a hold of me quickly let go as the sinking sensation manifested itself on both the outside, and the inside. I didn¡¯t need to turn around to know what was going to happen, though that didn¡¯t stop me from sneaking a peak. The ball of human light had changed its course for me.


    I began to swim with all my strength, crashing into an invisible wall. It didn¡¯t hurt, and neither would I care if it did, for my hands were far too busy grabbing hold of something. Anything. Their frantic struggle rewarded with small pockets, pockets I pulled myself up with with all my might. Come on. Hands struggles as muscles strained. Come on. Feet almost embedded themselves into the walls. Come on. My heart-rate rose with every second. Come on! GIVE. ME. LAND.


    My fingers flexed as a green tinged spike sprang into view, color rapidly fading as mana dispersed into the nearby area. Earth Magic¡­ Gods I¡¯m stupid. My left hand grabbed the saving grace as my right made rehearsed patterns before slamming itself into the wall. Each strike bringing forth another stepping stone to latch on. A quick glance revealed the thing to be almost upon me, though it seemed a lot less scary now that my body began hoisting itself upon genuine land. Tough luck. The moment I could stand, my legs began to sprint away from it. No dessert for y-


    There was a tug, followed by my face smashing into the floor. Hands desperately trying to hold onto something as my body began getting pulled back. I kicked whatever was coiling around my leg before aiming another earth spike right at the darkness beneath my feet. The green spike sprang into existence as the tugging ceased. Move! My body sprang up before something else slammed it back down. The force strong enough to cause me to bounce across the floor. Still there was no pain, no notion of injury, only the feeling of dread as another thing began coiling itself around my abdomen. Whatever it was, it was several magnitudes larger than the thing grabbing my foot. And several times more pissed.


    Before I knew it, my body was sailing through the air, slamming into invisible surfaces left and right. Each impact devoid of pain, but not of nausea as my world whizzed by left, down, right, and up. Light flashing by in all directions when it finally stopped, only to pull me back into the water¡¯s embrace. I struggled against the thing coiled around me, trying to free my arms in vain.


    Within seconds, something began to nibble on my feet, munching further up my body as my lower part seemed to get mushed together into some invisible tube. A tube with a ball of human lights at the end. This is it. I¡¯m going to die in some freak¡¯s stomach.


    I slide in further and further until all I could feel were muscles contracting and expanding as they pushed me down, each second bringing me closer to my fellow snacks. Is Sly somewhere in there? What about the others? My whole being wanted to resist, wanted to fight back. But with no earth or wind in this environment, only light and darkness were left. With light probably be absent as well. That left only Darkness to work with, an affinity to weak to hurt anyone when fueled by only one Sin. So I struggled, even as I felt myself get pressed against the ball of human shaped lights, pushing and prodding the constantly squeezing walls of muscles, hoping to break through. Or at least make it barf me out.


    Minutes passed before fatigue overcame my futile endeavor; the never-ending pressure of contracting walls a reminder of my pitiful attempts at resistance. The icy feeling of fear and dread slowly gave way to warmth. A warmth that came with surrender, with the knowledge that this ¡°suit¡± of Gob¡¯s making would block out any pain. A painless death, one without fear, without torment, and without screaming. There are worse ways to die. The constant silence of the void ended with the soft ticking of a clock, and the hum of a deep, trembling voice. ¡°You pass¡­ for now.¡±


    No sooner had those words been spoken, then the darkness, far below, showed movement. It was almost as if it was blacker than black, blacker than darkness itself. Dark enough to be visible even in this star filled void as it blotted out whatever light was unlucky enough to come in contact with it. Lights that rapidly disappeared as it raced its way towards me.


    Fear crept back into my bones, though I wasn¡¯t alone this time. Before the blackness reached me, the creatures muscles had stopped contracting.


    Instead, they shivered.


    Seems like we¡¯ll both end up as snacks.

 Chapter 18

    There¡¯s a reason we fight to the death over something like simple arguments. For arguing in the Long Dark will get you, and your party, killed sooner rather than later. So you might as well nab that future teamwork problem in the bud by removing the friction entirely.


    What¡¯s that? The best way to settle your differences? That¡¯s quite simple. You just need to drive your point home. Preferably between the ribs.


    - Grumpy, the Burrows¡¯ most feared drillmaster.


    ¡°Hand over that traitorous piece of shi-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, blondie, one more step and I¡¯ll be messing up that pretty face of yours.¡±


    A groan escaped my lips as the shouting match began to intensify. Their insults lost on me when Sly¡¯s voice filled my ears. ¡°Thank the Gods, you¡¯re awake.¡± An arm gently lifted me up against the rocky wall; blurred vision filled with dozens of vague shapes. ¡°Things are getting out of control, Marcus. You need to call Gob. As in, right now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± was all I managed to blurt out. A few rapid eye-blinks made my sight sharper, though it did nothing for the splitting headache. What the fuck is happening? I was propped up somewhere in the back of a cave; crystal light revealing the mob of Awakened in front of me. They were practically foaming at the mouth as Hammer, Pickle, Dirk, and Dagger had positioned themselves into a protective semi-circle.


    ¡°He¡¯s awake!¡± a blond girl shouted, barely able to advance an inch before Pickle¡¯s fist impacted her face. Her head snapped backwards as she collapsed back into the arms of a bystander, blood spurting from her broken nose.


    ¡°How could you!¡± One of the men stepped forward before freezing in his tracks. Hammer¡¯s raised fist proved enough to send him scurrying back into the crowd.


    ¡°Well, I did warn her,¡± Pickle said, wiping away the fresh blood onto his sackcloth. His stiff lips now curled into a smile as his other hand drew a knife from one of his boots. ¡°Though I suggest you don¡¯t try my patience again.¡± Whether people backed off because of the knife, or the dangerous glint in his eyes, I never knew.


    With another groan, I forced myself upright. This doesn¡¯t look good. We were situated in a huge, natural alcove whose ceiling was at least dozens of feet high. The light of the various crystal clusters, scattered on its walls and edges, enough to convey the situation. That¡¯s a lot of angry people. I reckon a good sixty to seventy Awakened had driven me and my squad-mates into the alcove¡¯s pocket. Most of them angry, but still in control. What scared me were a few at the front. The way that their hands made various gestures as they locked eyes with me. Magical gestures. This is going to get real ugly. Real fast. I broke the eye contact before looking around. I need your help, Max. Where the fuck are you? A few seconds later, I found him.


    He was sitting with the rest of the Awakened, on a lower elevation, in the middle of the alcove. Thirty something men and women huddled alone, or in small groups, as they rocked back and forth. Maximilian situated next to a thing resembling Isabelle; her face was still there, but here horns had grown to at least a foot each, concealing most of her body in a forest of human thorns. Thorns that dripped blood as her fingers scratched at what few places of flesh remained, her eyes vacant as she mumbled incoherently.


    ¡°Say something, you asshole!¡± one of the men shouted. Dark rings under his brown eyes wrinkled as the eyebrows above were pulled into a scowl. ¡°I heard your demon¡¯s speech! Deal my ass! You were just pretending all this time!¡±


    What are they talking about? Sly must have noticed my stunned look, for she quickly made her way besides me. ¡°A few of them remained conscious inside that¡­ suitGob made.¡± She shivered, and so did a few others. ¡°Those that didn¡¯t, woke up the moment they hit the water.¡± She pointed behind the crowd. ¡°When we finally got out of them, we found ourselves wet and washed up over there.¡± There was a gentle slope leading from the alcove and into a large lake ¡ªone whose span suddenly ended when it hit a steep vertical wall. Several massive bridge pillars rested on a series of small island situated in the lake. Its waters lit with a myriad of colors as numerous crystals shined beneath the surface. A surface mired in a puddle of black blood and floating chunks of flesh. I felt someone squeeze my butt. ¡°Focus, Marcus.¡±


    I coughed awkwardly before looking back at Sly. ¡°So what¡¯s that got to do with me?¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°We were hoping you could tell us.¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± someone shouted in the crowd.


    ¡°Get that fucker!¡± a girl screeched.


    ¡°You get him yourself,¡± a man said at the front, barely able to resist the mob pushing him into Pickle¡¯s knife range.


    ¡°What the fuck did I lie about?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t play games with us!¡± the tired-looking man spoke up again. ¡°We all found you lying here in the cave! Sleeping away, safe and sound, as we had to suffer through that whole¡­ that whole¡­ thing.¡±


    One of the girls clenched her arms together as she began mumbling, ¡°I can still feel it crawl all over my skin, the way it slithered into my mouth.¡± A few in the crowd began to dry-heave at her words. Even my stomach churned when remembering those events.


    ¡°And don¡¯t forget the fact that we all got eaten alive!¡± someone at the back shouted.


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    Most of the crowd joined in, but not all of them. ¡°I didn¡¯t get eaten,¡± a bald man said. A few other Awakened nodded in agreement.


    The tired looking man began to gnash his teeth before looking back over his shoulder. ¡°Almost all of us got eaten alive. You happy now?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± the bald man replied. ¡°I kinda feel left out, you know?¡±


    ¡°You feel¡­ left out?¡± the tired man asked before face-palming. He quickly turned his attention back to me. ¡°Stupid aside, why did yo-¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± the bald man interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. I just have a learning disa¡­ disa¡­ disa-some-¡±


    Another man, this one also bald, slapped him in the back of the head. ¡°Shut up James, you¡¯re embarrassing me.¡±


    ¡°Ow! What you do that for, Rick? You always hit me when I talk to others. Mom never does that.¡±


    ¡°Mom still feels guilty about dropping you as a baby.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s guilty Rick? Can you eat it?¡±


    The man called Rick began to bury his face beneath his fingers. ¡°No, James. It means th-¡±


    ¡°CAN WE PLEASE GET BACK TO THE TOPIC AT HAND!¡± the tired man interjected. He was visibly wheezing at this point.


    Not that it bothered me, there were bigger problems. This can¡¯t be good. We¡¯re making too much noise. ¡°Pipe it down wi-¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like him, Rick. He seems like a meanie.¡±


    Rick gave James another tap before grabbing his earlobe. ¡°I think we¡¯ve caused enough problems here. You¡¯re coming with me.¡±


    ¡°Ow, ow, ow. That hurts, Rick,¡± James said as he began getting dragged off. ¡°Stop pulling so hard. Why do yo- oooh that¡¯s a shiny rock. Can I have it, Rick? Please¡­? Pretty please¡­?¡±


    Another slap echoed through the alcove before silence reigned. What remained was the continuous falling of water-drops, and the soft wheezing of a tired looking man. ¡°Are we done?¡± he asked, looking around the crowd with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Can I speak now?¡± The mob nodded, causing him to look at me once more. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Why did your demon only bring youto safety? And no-¡± A human scream cut off his sentence midway, causing the man to practically start fuming at this point. ¡°What is it now!?¡±


    ¡°The water, there¡¯s something in the water!¡± The mob turned collectively towards the underground lake. A shadow, bigger than the pool of blood, lurked beneath the surface before a giant open maw swallowed the various bits and pieces of floating flesh in one gulp. More screams were heard as the thing dropped back beneath the water, causing a tidal wave to wash towards the alcove. People quickly scurried to higher ground, some of them pressing against the throng of people in front of me.


    Soon after, the cave grew still again, safe for the gentle laps of waves washing in and out on the alcove¡¯s slope. ¡°What was that!?¡± the tired man asked.


    ¡°I have no idea,¡± I said. ¡°But I suggest you shut your trap, or thatthing won¡¯t be the biggest of our problems.¡± The man was getting on my nerves. Each time he opened his mouth, only loud noise tended to come out. Noise that attracted all sorts of things. Things that made me shiver uncontrollably.


    The man looked at my reaction and then back to the crowd behind him, causing a thin smile to appear on his lips. ¡°You¡¯re not the one who gets to make demands!¡± He spread his arms wide. ¡°We are here, because of you! So you better star-¡±


    He froze mid sentence when Sly lunged forward, ripping Pickle¡¯s knife away before resting the business end of it on the man¡¯s nut-sack. It all happened in the span of a second. His eyes flicked downwards before he let out a soft squeak as Sly started applying pressure.


    ¡°Look at me,¡± she said. The man did as he was told, albeit trembling in the process. ¡°Youare still here because of him. So, you,better start showing, him,some damn respect.¡± She shifted her gaze to the crowd. ¡°That goes for all of you.¡± One of the women opened her mouth to reply, but was promptly cut off when Sly spoke up again, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your whining. If it weren¡¯t for Marcus here, you would still be on that bridge.Alive.¡± The woman looked puzzled, and so did many others. ¡°As for the men, they would have been lucky enough to only serve as lunch.¡± A light of understanding began to glint in the eyes of many women.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± the now shivering man said. He gasped for air when Sly grabbed him by the balls, squeezing them hard enough to make my own start to tingle.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t understand, shit for brains. If thinking was your strong suit, you would have killed yourself the moment you crawled out of your mother''s asshole. Save her the trouble of raising such a worthless piece of shit.¡± The man buckled to his knees as more pressure was applied, all the men in the crowd wincing at the sight. ¡°Now if I hear another thing coming out of your mouth. Just a peep. I will make sure that you¡¯ll be squeaking like a mouse for the rest of your misbegotten life. Do you understand me?¡±


    ¡°Ye-¡± the man doubled over the moment those words left his lips. I saw the muscles in Sly¡¯s forearm relax as her other arm dropped the knife, using the now free hand to pull his head back.


    The man was pale and shivering, though his eyes conveyed a deeper terror. ¡°Once more, shit for brains. Do. You. Understand. Me?¡± This time the man only nodded. ¡°Good.¡± She let go off his hair, and his balls, before kicking him back into the crowd. She picked up the knife, pointing it at everyone in the front row. ¡°Anyone else got any complaints?¡± The women shook their heads as most of the men seemed too scared to make eye contact. ¡°In that case, I suggest you fuck off and get some sleep. We¡¯ll call you when we have a plan of approach.¡± The crowd began to disperse, but not before Sly got in one more thing. ¡°Oh, and before I forget.¡± People froze mid-stride at her words. ¡°Since you all seem so fond of screaming and making noise. I suggest you keep an eye out on the walls and the water. There¡¯s no telling what visitors your whining will have attracted.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but sit down and laugh at that last statement. There¡¯s no way they would be sleeping soundly with that information. Not with the way they fearfully glanced about. It was more likely they would stay up, suspecting every shadow of hidden threats. Just the way its supposed to be.


    ¡°Good job, boss lady,¡± Pickle said as Sly made her way back. ¡°Sure showed them who¡¯s in charge.¡± He looked at me before shrugging. ¡°No offense, captain.¡±


    ¡°None taken,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not cut out for this leadership crap.¡±


    ¡°Give it a few months,¡± Sly said. She handed the knife back to Pickle before sitting next to me. ¡°I wasn¡¯t any better when I started.¡±


    ¡°Broncoshit,¡± Dirk said. ¡°Hawk daddy got you tutored on leadership when you were what? Eight? Nine?¡±


    ¡°Six,¡± Sly said.


    ¡°See?¡± Dirk patted my shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t compare yourself to this freak of nature. You¡¯re doing fine for a second-day captain. Trust me.¡± He stretched a it before sitting down. ¡°Besides, you managed to keep your cool without knowing what happened. Normally you would¡¯ve cowered from the beginning instead of at the very end.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t afraid of the mob.¡± Pickle looked skeptical, to say the least. ¡°Just afraid of what they might be attracting.¡± That sentence caused us to make a few fleeting glances at nearby shadows; a habit hard to shake in these dark parts.


    ¡°Well, well, well. Would you look at that,¡± Sly¡¯s voice tingled my ear. She¡¯s close.¡°Little Marcus seems to be growing up into a brave man.¡± An arm began to snake its way around me. Too close. ¡°Shame we don¡¯t have a tent.¡± She began to press herself against me. Way too close¡°Though I don¡¯t really mind doing it in the open.¡± Just when I couldn¡¯t contain myself any longer, she pulled back with a smile. ¡°My, my, little Marcus. Do you have cold? Your face is all red.¡±


    I could only look down in embarrassment as people snickered around me. Really need to stop falling for her tricks. ¡°So you want to know what happened, or what?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, little Marcus. Teasing you seems so much more fun. But it¡¯ll have to do¡­ for now.¡±


    There were several more snickers before I retold all my experiences. They seemed impressed when I told them about my near escape from the lake. And grimaced when I got to the getting eaten part. It seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one swallowed whole by that thing. Though none of them seemed to have heard that deep voice at the end. Instead, something had suddenly destroyed creature before dumping them on the alcove¡¯s shore. ¡°And that¡¯s when I woke up to you having a shouting match.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Dagger said. ¡°So that means you have no idea where your demon is?¡±


    ¡°Well, I have an inkling.¡± Dagger leaned in closer for an explanation. ¡°He stated that we always have to be within a certain range of each other. Unless he lied about that part too.¡± I frowned before relaxing again. ¡°Though that doesn¡¯t matter. Even if it was a lie, he¡¯s too curious to let such an entertaining opportunity escape from his grasp.¡± I looked towards the countless shadows around me. ¡°He¡¯s probably sitting somewhere nearby, observing. Laughing his ass off as we struggle to survive this place.¡±


    ¡°So we got a rogue demon, with an unknown amount of power, watching our every move?¡± Pickle asked.


    ¡°That seems about right.¡±


    ¡°I told you that Gob was special,¡± Pickle said before elbowing Hammer. ¡°It seems to me that you owe me a couple of rounds.¡±


    ¡°What is this all about?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We knew you were hiding something in that basement,¡± Dirk answered. ¡°There¡¯s no way a newly summoned demon would be powerful enough to scare away a dweller. Heck, not even Sly¡¯s demon can do that.¡±


    ¡°But if you knew, why didn¡¯t y-¡±


    Dirk raised a hand. ¡°We were planning to pull it out of you after we got you drunk and fucked silly. But after that crying plead of yours¡­ Well let¡¯s just say that it wasn¡¯t the right time to ask questions, now was it?¡± He looked around our circle, getting nods of agreement all around. ¡°Though that doesn¡¯t mean we agree with that magic circle stunt you pulled. I don¡¯t know how you did it, but don¡¯t do it ever again. You almost gave Sly a heart attack.¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡± My question raised several eyebrows.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Dirk looked at Sly. ¡°Well what happene-¡±


    ¡°Not now, Dirk,¡± Sly said. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to personally check it later. For now, he doesn¡¯t need to know.¡±


    Pickle began to laugh. ¡°Lucky you, Marcus. That will be an inspection to remember, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    What are they talking about? I looked at Sly What happened? She simply shook her head. It bugged me that I didn¡¯t know what they were talking about. Though that hardly seems fair with all the secrets I¡¯ve been keeping. I sighed before voicing my opinion, ¡°I understand. You can tell me later.¡±


    Sly seemed happy with my answer, almost grinning when she spoke up again. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve got that out of the way, we¡¯ll need a plan of approach. But first, something important.¡±


    All eyes were suddenly fixated on me. ¡°What? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯re the captain now,¡± Dagger answered. ¡°So we were wondering, who¡¯s your second?¡±


    That¡¯s easy. I locked gazes with Sly, feeling ever so small in those predatory eyes of hers. ¡°Sly, would you do me the honor of being my second-in-command?¡±


    She made the most cocky grin imaginable. ¡°Sure I will, little Marcus. But only on one condition. And one condition only.¡±


    ¡°And that is?¡±


    I could feel my heart-rate rise again as she scooted closer, breath caressing my ear.


    ¡°Only if I''m number one in bed.¡±


    My reddening cheeks caused more than a few giggles.

 Chapter 19

    Pets resemble their owners.


    Demons resemble their Warlocks.


    But mostly their bad parts.


    Their really bad parts.


    No wonder I can¡¯t get married.


    - Wise wisdoms of a woeful Warlock.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± I said, tearing myself free from the void. ¡°We¡¯ll set up a defensive line before breaking through.¡± My normal vision returned as the sweat streaked faces of several Sloth bearers greeted me. The medium-sized tunnel, in which we were standing, kept upright by another group of Sloths behind me, audibly huffing and puffing to keep the earth from crushing us.


    ¡°You heard the captain,¡± Pickle said as he stopped his tunneling duty. ¡°Move your asses.¡± The rest of the front group let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you shits are feeling lucky.¡± Pickle smiled at their confusion. ¡°You still have some load-bearing to do.¡± Their were some mutters and complaints, but they quickly died down when Pickle gave them the stink eye.


    ¡°I heard we¡¯re almost there?¡± a voice said. I turned around to find Sly looking at me, her eyes sporadically flicking up whenever the ceiling started to groan softly.


    ¡°One good push and we¡¯re through,¡± I said beforemaking my way past her, towards the tunnel entrance. ¡°How are things on your end? Did the examinations go well?¡±


    ¡°Numbers weren¡¯t an issue. It¡¯s their quality that poses a problem.¡± Figured as much.We neared several Awakened with their arms outstretched in the air, limbs shaking with effort. Their trembling lessened considerably when Pickle and the other diggers joined in. ¡°Their may be another one or two Warlocks hidden within these Sloths, but we¡¯ll have to check that at a later date.


    ¡°So¡­?¡± I asked as we neared the entrance. ¡°How much are we talking about?¡±


    ¡°Sixteen Warlocks and seventy-eight Shapers. Us six not included.¡± So that means a hundred Exiled in total. I¡¯m beginning to think the Gods are playing a trick on me.


    ¡°I¡¯m probably guessing that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ve got sixteen lieutenants and seventy-eight worth of sergeants?¡±


    ¡°No, captain. I don¡¯t know what they teach them on the surface, but to call it broncshit would be a compliment. Their combat strength puts nearly all of them at recruit level¡­ private at best. Though one can actually be considered a corporal.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm, a corporal. Not bad.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an exception, sir. In more ways than one.¡± She furrowed her brows. ¡°Those few that could classify as private made the cut only barely. The main problem is that they¡¯re-¡±


    ¡°Too slow.¡± Sly raised an eyebrow. ¡°I know. I¡¯ve dueled one of them before. Can¡¯t quick-cast a spell to save their lives.¡± I sighed. ¡°At least tell me that their summonings went well.¡±


    ¡°No problems on that end.¡± We stepped out of the tunnel and back into the alcove. The Awakened were now neatly split into two stacks. The left stack was, by far, the largest. Hammer, Dirk, and Dagger were busy making their rounds through its ranks, periodically stopping and commenting on the mock battles held throughout this group. Sly gave my arm a tug, speaking up as we moved towards the smaller stacks on the right, ¡°As you can see, their demons are all still in their larva stage, though your friend Maximilian seems to be the exception.¡±


    The right stack consisted of sixteen Awakened, divided into three, neat columns, with a familiar bald man standing alone next to them. Each person was flanked by a smaller demon, their height barely enough to reach chest level. Most of them had pointy-ears, a variety of skin colors, and the wings you would expect of the average imp, though two of them were notably different.


    The first one was the barely recognizable imp standing next to Maximilian. The thing seemed to be nearing the end of its transitioning phase. Its frame and limbs had elongated to twice the normal length of an imp, hands replaced by a set of sharp, bone-tipped spikes. Back bare and devoid of wings as two extra pairs of spiked limbs had taken up residence in that area.The imp had morphed into an obvious Envy demon, perfectly suited to his masters Sin, for there was no face. Just an empty slate, one which could be changed at a moments¡ªsuch was the way of Envy. Didn¡¯t think that Maximilian cared so much about other people¡¯s opinions.What bothered me were the numerous ears growing on different parts of its body. An obvious reflection on the inner workings of Maximilian himself.


    ¡°Mister! Mister!¡± the solitary man shouted when we neared the group. ¡°Do you know where brother is? Grumpy man won¡¯t let me see him.¡± The bald man proceeded to point at the demon standing in front of the formation; a tall, lithe incubus who shielded most if its bare skin with a set of mighty wings curled around him. The demon looked over its shoulder, revealing a set of amber eyes surrounded by a golden mane. Long canines visible as he snarled at me with a bestial growl before giving a deep bow towards Sly. ¡°Mistress.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Stand down, Monac,¡± Sly said. ¡°My Pact mentions nothing about courting other males. You would do well to remember that.¡± The demon let out another low growl; one which caused Sly to close the distance in a heartbeat, pulling his mane till their faces were barely touching. ¡°Next time you growl at me, you better do it in bed. Or I¡¯ll make sure that breaking our Pact will be the leastof your worries.¡± The incubus furrowed his brows, locking eyes with Sly for a few more second before nodding. ¡°See,¡± Sly said as she tapped his cheek. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so difficult, now was it?¡±


    ¡°Mister! Mister!¡± the bald man shouted again. He seemed happy when I turned my attention towards him. ¡°Have you seen Rick? I don¡¯t know where he is.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask your demon?¡± I answered dismissively. I was far too distracted to take his questions seriously, instead my attention was focused on finding his imp. I though this group consisted solely of Warlocks. Did Sly fuck-up somewhere?


    ¡°Good idea, mister!¡± the man said before looking down. ¡°Thump-Thump, do you know where Rick is?¡± I didn¡¯t notice it at first, but there was a large pool of dark gray mud spread beneath his feet. Its surface rippled before it gathered up into a small hill, reaching waist height, as various holes hollowed themselves out on the dark, sticky surface, creating a series of shapes that vaguely resembled a face. The thing opened its makeshift mouth, only to say something that barely resembled human speech, ¡°Maaaaaaaaaaa.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡± the man said, making a small jump of joy. ¡°Lead the way, Thump-Thump!¡±


    ¡°Maaaaaaaaaaa.¡±


    The man made a rapid series of hand gestures before something akin to a mud saddle sprang forth from the demon¡¯s skin. He plopped down onto it, letting his legs get sucked into the mass of mud squirming beneath him, firmly fixing him into place.


    I watched in amazement as the sentient pile slowly began sliding its way towards the Awakened on the other side of the alcove. ¡°Sly,¡± I said. ¡°I thought I told you that I needed all the Earth-affinity mages you could find.¡± I looked towards blonde lieutenant. ¡°Unless I¡¯m completely mistaken, but that seems like a Sloth demon to me. Care telling me why he isn¡¯t digging?¡±


    ¡°Quite simple, captain. I deemed him¡­ unfit for any position requiring anyform of responsibility.¡± She shot me a glance. ¡°In case you didn¡¯t notice, captain, he¡¯s -¡±


    ¡°As dumb as dirt,¡± I finished, massaging my temples. Why do demons have to mimic their owners¡­. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s our only Earth Warlock.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid he is, sir.¡± She looked at me with pity. ¡°And he¡¯s the only one I actually deem to be corporal level strength.¡±


    ¡°Is this before or after realizing he¡¯s stupidity incarnate?¡±


    ¡°After, captain.¡±


    ¡°Gods preserve me. An actual idiot savant.¡± My temple massage had evolved into full on knuckle rubbing. ¡°I want eyes on him at all times, and see if that brother of his can actually make him do something useful.¡±


    ¡°Got it, captain. Any other requests?¡± I almost let out a yelp. Her voice was flat, but the covert butt-squeeze conveyed her hidden implication quite well.


    ¡°N-no, lieutenant. That will be all.¡±


    ¡°A pity, sir.¡± She stealthily slipped her hand back. ¡°Mind me introducing you to your new officers?¡±


    ¡°I take it they¡¯ve been informed?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, they have, captain. Everyone here has accepted your proposal.¡± For now. The fact that Sly maintained her poker face was enough info. Everyone had either accepted, or pretended, to follow this new hierarchy. But that meant that dissidents were bound to start trouble sooner than later. Trouble that we could ill afford when everything is trying to kill us.


    ¡°In that case, proceed as planned.¡±


    Sly nodded before inclining her head towards the ¡°maaaing¡± mud-hill crawling away into the distance. ¡°As you can see, sir, I¡¯ve had some difficulty deciding the one to head our Earth-affinity Warlocks, due to the abundance of choices. So I¡¯ll leave that decision to you, captain.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, lieutenant. I think I¡¯ll take command of this promising bunch.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Some snickers could be heard from the other Awakened. ¡°I¡¯m sure Pickle will appreciate it. I¡¯ve left him in charge of those Earth mages belonging to the Shaper class.¡±


    She pointed at the leftmost column which was pitifully small compared to the other two, forming a grand total of three people. The head of this column proceeded to step forth; a brown-haired woman who had lost half her face, and eyesight, to some hideous scarring. A single golden eye locked gazes with me, for the other socket was but black and empty. ¡°This is Hilda,¡± Sly said. ¡°She¡¯ll be in command of the Wind Warlocks while Dirk and Dagger concern themselves with whoever makes the cut in the Shaper group.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Hilda.¡± I stepped forward to shake her hand, surprised to find her grip strong despite her thin frame. We¡¯ve got a survivor here. These were wiry muscles built by adversity, not the kind that came from lack of nourishment. The woman didn¡¯t utter a sound during the whole process, keeping her gaze fixed on me before stepping back into line.


    ¡°Next up we have Maximilian.¡± Sly motioned the noble forward. Behind him was the rest of the middle column, forming a combined total of six people. ¡°He¡¯ll hold the reins on the Water Warlocks for the duration of our stay. Though I¡¯ve left Hammer to deal with those Water mages lurking in the Shaper portion.¡± I shook his hand for good measure, almost rolling my eyes as Maximilian finished with a formal bow.


    ¡°Last up we have Isabelle.¡± The spiked menace broke away from the rightmost column, this one as large as the middle one. ¡°She¡¯ll be in charge of the Fire Warlocks when I¡¯m not around, or too busy keeping stupid Fire Shapers from committing suicidal charges.¡± I wanted to shake her hand, but it proved to be quite difficult with all the spikes protruding from her body. She must be really nervous. After a few vain attempts, I settled on a simple head nod. The redhead seemed thankful for it as she quickly moved back to her original spot.


    All the while I studied the imp at her side, seemingly normal save for the blotches of red that permeated his brown skin. Must be newly summoned. Whilst watching, I had a distinct feeling of discomfort. One whose source made itself known when I looked a bit further down Isabelle¡¯s column. The sleepy eyed man was situated in the back. I didn¡¯t see him move his head the moment I looked his way, but that made my suspicion only grow. The feeling was gone now, but it was a feeling I knew all too well. It was that little tingle in your back, that sixth sense shiver of danger. It seems I¡¯ve found my future meat-shield.


    I could not help but smile as I turned towards my newly assembled band of misfits.


    ¡°Before I reveal our tunnel¡¯s destination.¡±


    ¡°Tell me... does anyone here hate spiders?¡±

 Chapter 20

    You eat or you die.


    Just make sure someone else does the dying part.


    - Grumpy, the Burrows¡¯ most feared drillmaster.


    The airborne flare began to dim as it descended back towards the underground lake. Its white light reflected on the shifting forms of numerous black shapes crawling all over the huge bridge pillars.


    ¡°And that¡¯s why we don¡¯t climb up,¡± I said before turning around towards the crowd of Awakened. Most of them looked horrified at the revelation my Light magic had brought, whilst others were already busy tearing off a single arm sleeve. ¡°So we either climb up, and die for sure. Or we¡¯ll gather the fuel necessary to start a fire.¡± Most still seemed hesitant at my words. ¡°Unless you want to fight giant spiders up close and personal?¡± The sound of tearing fabric began filling the air. Got em.


    I pointed towards the entrance of our newly dug tunnel. ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t bunch them up in one big pile. I want several clumps of cloth situated near the opening.¡± I jumped off my little rocky platform as the group slowly began marching their way towards the tunnel. Sly immediately began following me when I set off in the opposite direction. ¡°Any news from our lake scout?¡±


    ¡°No, captain,¡± Sly said. ¡°The imp has yet to return, but seeing how she¡¯s still standing it¡¯s safe to say it hasn¡¯t died yet.¡± Emphasis on yet. We quickly closed in on Maximilian and his Water Warlocks. They were situated near the edge of the underground lake, their imps situated close by, scanning the waters for any submerged threats.


    ¡°Maximilian, what¡¯s the status on th-¡±


    One of the girls in the group wobbled briefly before collapsing. ¡°Mary!¡± another man shouted as he caught her falling form. He brushed away her brown hair, flinching at the rolled back eyes beneath. ¡°Wake up. Wake up, Mary.¡± He began to softly shake the unresponsive body, only to sneer at Maximilian when his efforts bore no fruit. ¡°What did you make her do!¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t make her do anything,¡± I budded in. ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°How dare you ki-¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not dead. She¡¯s unconscious.¡± I pointed at her rising chest. ¡°Last time I checked, dead people didn¡¯t breathe.¡± The man¡¯s mask of anger slipped off, quickly replaced by rising relief. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me asking, but why the reaction? You know she would have been fine in a couple of hours.¡± The man gave me a blank stare. ¡°You know¡­ standard Pact terms and all that?¡± More stares. ¡°The same Pact you made with your demon?¡± The man couldn¡¯t look more flabbergasted even if he wanted to. ¡°The compensation principle?¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid to ask, but is there anyone else here who thinks I¡¯m speaking gibberish?¡± Everyone except Maximilian and Sly nodded their heads. Gods have mercy on me. ¡°Your name.¡± Again there was silent staring. So I decided to voice my request again, albeit a few inches away from his face, ¡°Tell. Me. Your. Name.¡±


    The man seemed to get the message as he began fumbling for words, ¡°I, uh¡­ that would be Ben, sir.¡±


    I nodded towards the unconscious woman. ¡°And this is?¡±


    ¡°Mary, sir. She¡¯s my sister.¡±


    Two warlocks in the family, must be a one with some renown. Albeit a retarded one. ¡°What is your surname?¡±


    The man began to fumble for words as I stood up. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have any,¡± Maximilian chimed in. ¡°He¡¯s a commoner. Only Shapers and Warlocks are allowed to have a surname.¡±


    ¡°And being a commoner means what exactly?¡±


    ¡°That your family has never possessed or doesn¡¯t currently posses any living Shapersor Warlocks.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me that a family with no active Sins just happened to give birth to two Warlocks?¡± Maximilian nodded. ¡°What are the fucking chances of that?¡±


    ¡°Low. Extremely low, I must say. But not low enough.¡± Maximilian gestured towards the Awakened stationed across the alcove. ¡°These people are the result of that very low chance applied to a very large population. They are Cadia¡¯s fresh influx of new blood, at least that would have been the idea.¡± A dark shadow fell over his face. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the yearly Purges.¡±


    ¡°That may well be, but how do these people even manage to make a Pact in the first place? They don¡¯t even know the compensation principles for Gods sake.¡±


    ¡°I can tell you that,¡± Ben said. ¡°When we came to the yearly test, we were each given a room with a teacher and some weird circle.¡± He scratched his head. ¡°Once there, they made us read some lines from a scroll while we were channeling our mana.¡± Ben looked at a couple of imps stationed near the group, before pointing at the brown one. ¡°Next thing I know, Muck here steps through some black gate before offering me this Pact thing. So I do what the teacher told me to do and offered him my blood.¡±


    ¡°You just offered him your blood? No questioning about the Pact whatsoever?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ yeah.¡± I made an audible facepalm. ¡°I mean, the teacher told me I would pass if I followed his instructions. And I didn¡¯t want to disappoint me ma at the farm. Not with the chance of becoming one of them fancy nobles, and all that.¡± A farmer. He¡¯s a fucking farmer.


    I turned towards the other Warlocks in the group. ¡°Anyone else care to tell me their profession?¡±


    The other three quickly gave their answer, ¡°Baker.¡± ¡°Fisherman.¡±¡°Tailor.¡±


    ¡­


    We¡¯re doomed. Finished. Destined to die. Might as well start damage control while I still can. ¡°Sly, I want you to degrade the combat level of all Awakened to civilian status. Any further engagements are to be fought out with the use of hand-picked elites. Anyone else is to be used as meat shields to buy time for the actual combatants to-¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Hey now, Marcus,¡± Maximilian said. ¡°They¡¯re not that ba-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve completely destroyed you in our arena duel. And you¡¯re a Cadian noble, taught and tutored in the art of magical combat.¡± I looked around. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that these farmers, bakers, and whatnot stand a decent chance in battle? Not to mention the fact that they don¡¯t even know the very basics of demonology.¡±


    ¡°Surely it can¡¯t be that bad.¡± one of the men asked. ¡°Can it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m stuck at an unknown depth, in the most dangerous place imaginable. Branded by a Mark that binds me to stay here till I¡¯ve repaid my massive debt to some Founder God. In addition my demon ran away, my brothers in arms don¡¯t know the pointy end of a sword, nor could they quick-cast a spell if their life depended on it.¡±


    ¡°I get it, we-¡±


    ¡°In addition I¡¯ve got some savant idiot walking around with enough power to blow us all up if he feels like it. A hundred mouths to feed, but no food. Two-hundred hands to arm, but no weapons. And not even a fucking stick to set aflame for my Fire mages. So now I¡¯m forced to burn arm sleeves in order to create enough heat to make said mages combat-effective. But you¡¯re right, its okay since I have this monster-infested lake from which to drink water. So long as nothing decides to crawl out of it and eat me for breakfast.¡± Those last words caused the group tot take a few steps away from the water line.


    Maximilian wrapped his arm around me. ¡°You okay, Marcus?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the stress talking. I just¡­ I¡­ give me a second, okay?¡±


    ...


    ¡­


    ...


    ¡°Okay, I think I got it,¡± I said. ¡°Maximilian, I¡¯m going to rethink my strategies. You just make sure to explain the basics of demon combat to them.¡±


    ¡°Sure, thing,¡± Maximilian said.


    ¡°What about my sister?¡± Ben asked, cradling the limp woman.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine.¡± I answered. ¡°She¡¯s just lost all her mana, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Ben gave me a weird look. ¡°How? She didn¡¯t cast any spells.¡±


    I managed to suppress a sigh. Baby-steps, Marcus. You¡¯re dealing with idiots here.¡°I¡¯ll start from the basics, so listen up. Do you know what your imp, Muck, is made of?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ meat?¡±


    ¡°Wrong.¡± I crossed my fingers. ¡°Only contracted demons appear to be made from real flesh and bone.¡± At least that¡¯s what Gob told me. ¡°Pact demons like yours are simply a clump of mana given shape. Merely a vessel that houses their soul, though that vessel will always strive to match their real appearance as best as possible.¡±


    I still can¡¯t believe I need to explain all of this. ¡°Summoning the soul, and creating this vessel isn¡¯t something anyone can do. Those who lack the necessary amount of mana, be it through a too small mana pool, or wasteful channeling, won¡¯t even be able to establish a Pact in the first place. Those that do manage to establish a Pact will fall into one of two groups.¡±


    ¡°The first, and by far the largest, group would be the Shapers. People with enough talent and mana to summon a demon¡¯s soul, but not enough to actually create and maintain a vessel for it. Instead they house the soul in their own body, receiving a portion of that demon¡¯s strength and abilities.¡±


    ¡°The second group, the one you belong to, are the Warlocks. People with enough talent and mana to both summon andcreate a vessel for said demon soul. They can manifest the full strength and abilities of their summoned demons, albeit not through their own bodies.¡± I scanned the small crowd for signs of mental leakage. ¡°Are you still following me?¡± The group nodded in unison.


    ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯ll probably notice when you start casting spells, but anchoring the demon¡¯s soul is a constant drain on your mana regeneration. That counts double for maintaining and repairing its physical vessel. Simply said, you¡¯ll recover a lot slower while your demon remains on this plane of existence. And in case your natural recovery isn¡¯t fast enough, you¡¯ll fall unconscious eventually.¡±


    ¡°Is that what happened to my sister?¡± Ben asked.


    ¡°No. In your case it would be because of the compensation principle.¡±


    ¡°The what?¡±


    ¡°The compensation principle. A set of rules that gives demons a reason to even bother coming here in the first place.¡± I turned to the other three commoners. ¡°Anyone her knows how a demon grows more powerful?¡±


    ¡°Mana?¡± one of the men eventually answered.


    ¡°Correct.¡± I snapped my fingers. ¡°Its mana, pure and simple. The more mana a demon¡¯s soul absorbs the more powerful it becomes. Of course that isn¡¯t the only way it can grow more powerful, advancing one¡¯s Sins is another major way, but that¡¯s a topic for another time.¡± This time I began staring at Ben. ¡°And where do they get this mana from?¡±


    ¡°Us,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Correct. A portion of both the anchoring of the soul, and the maintaining of the vessel is simply the demon leeching mana as per the compensation rules of the Pact. That¡¯s why demon¡¯s grow to reflect their owners¡¯ Sins and vices. It¡¯s your mana they¡¯re feeding on, so it¡¯s bound to change them over time.¡±


    Ben thought a bit, his brown eyebrows creased into a deep furrow, before voicing his complaint, ¡°But Mary seemed fine just a minute ago. I would have noticed it if she showed signs of mana exhaustion.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± I said. ¡°But that¡¯s because Mary got hit by the another rule of the compensation principle. The one that is even more important to demons than the one just mentioned. Namely the buy-out.¡±


    ¡°Buy-out?¡± all four of them asked at the same time.


    ¡°Since a Pact demon¡¯s vessel releases the soul upon destruction, he or she returns to the demon realm upon death. Ready to be summoned again at a moment¡¯s notice¡­ as long as you¡¯ve got the mana that is.¡±


    ¡°So I can re-summon my demon each time it dies?¡± I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s awesome.¡±


    ¡°Maybe for you, but not for them.¡± Some of the imps in the vicinity nodded at my words. At least their ears aren¡¯t just for show. ¡°Dying sucks, you know? Not even demons want to go through that more times than they have to.¡± There was a chorus of agreeing grunts among the nearby imps. ¡°So they came up with the buy-out rule before added it to the compensation principles. The rule basically means they are allowed to take all your remaining mana upon their vessel¡¯s destruction. And I mean, allof it. See it as a sort of bonus for dying in various horrendous ways. Plus, they¡¯ll be able to take a short breather before their next summoning. Quite smart if I must say so.¡±


    ¡°What ab-¡±


    ¡°Ask Maximilian, he¡¯ll be happy to help you,¡± I said before giving him a light shoulder slap. ¡°Won¡¯t you, Max?¡±


    Not that I waited for an answer. My feet were already moving towards the tunnel entrance, and away from these human distractions. It was only after they were far enough, that I began giving out orders, ¡°Sly, I¡¯ll delay the tunnel breach for another two hours. While I¡¯m holding the ceiling up with the rest of the Sloths, use that time to round up all the remaining Awakened and drill them in the basics of demonology. I¡¯m not fighting giant spiders with a bunch of stupid imps, controlled by even dumber Warlocks.¡±


    ¡°You sure they were spiders?¡±


    ¡°Whatever my Mage Sight saw on that other side of the wall, it definitely wasn¡¯t humanoid. Not unless humans have eight legs, and are the size of a small cart.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope they¡¯re edible. We won¡¯t last long without food.¡±


    ¡°Hope is nice and all, but we better make preparations.¡± I did several takes to make sure no one was in our vicinity before whispering, ¡°Ask the other squad members about possible dead-weights. We¡¯ll station them close to the entrance. If we¡¯re lucky, enough of them will die to feed the rest of us.¡± Sly suddenly punched me in the shoulder. ¡°Ow, what did you do that for?¡±


    ¡°Not suited to leadership, my ass,¡± she smirked. ¡°For someone supposedly unqualified, you¡¯re having little trouble making the tough decisions.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± I asked whilst rubbing my shoulder. ¡°Cry and moan as we starve to death?¡± Sly bit her lip before grabbing my collar. ¡°Wait, what are y-¡±


    My mind blanked out when our lips met. The warm, foreign sensation the only thing that I could focus on. A few seconds later it was already over as Sly smacked her lips, giving me a full-blown smile. ¡°So that¡¯s what a grown-up Marcus tastes like.¡± She sauntered closer. ¡°Not bad, not bad at all.¡± I could not think¡ªthere was no need to think. One more. One more time. Sly rested a finger on my lips, softly pushing my face away.


    ¡°Easy there, fellow. We wouldn¡¯t want to spoil you too much, now would we?¡±


    Please do.

 Chapter 21

    Our hubris became our downfall.


    - Founder line scratched onto the back of everythrone.


    ¡°Quit grinning like an idiot, or do you want me to kick you?¡± Pickle said before wiping the sweat off his brow. He was busy holding up the ceiling, arms softly trembling, as I commanded another support beam to rise from beneath my feet. ¡°You think it¡¯s funny, eh? Watching poor, old Pickle suffer. Just you wait¡­ I¡¯ll have my revenge soon enough.¡±


    I tried my best to wipe the smirk off my face, but my taut lips wouldn¡¯t listen. ¡°Hold on for a little longer,¡± I said. ¡°Almost done with the alignment.¡± I could feel the rock shift as I willed it upwards with all my might. Slowly a stone beam rose from the ground with every second I spent pushing against the empty air. Gods, this is exhausting. My body ached all over, and my thoughts were growing foggy. A little more and I can take a break. With a last push of effort, the smooth-cut rock slid against the load-bearing beam held up by Pickle. The last piece of a three part construction, one repeated every few feet inside the tunnel. We held our breaths, listening for the sound of an imminent collapse. But the ceiling remained quiet, and the supports resolute in their purpose.


    ¡°Fuck me,¡± Pickle said, collapsing against the wall. ¡°I need a drink.¡± The man had become a sweaty mess over the course of an hour. My original plan was to have the other Sloths help in the construction, but they proved to lack the fine control needed to properly shape with Earth Magic. That just left me and Pickle to reinforce the tunnel against imminent collapse. At least they had the stamina to keep it up until now.


    ¡°Get up you bastard,¡± I said while offering Pickle a hand. ¡°We both need a drink. Or do you detest me that much?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself,¡± the man said as he clasped my forearm. With a grunt, he pulled himself up. ¡°You may be piss-poor company, but that¡¯s still better than no company at all. But first¡­¡± A glint appeared in his eyes as he kept a tight grip on my forearm. ¡°¡­it¡¯s payback time.¡± Shit.White-hot pain flared up from between my legs, knees buckling as I gasped for breath. ¡°Should¡¯ve stopped grinning, captain. I did warn you after all.¡±


    My balls¡­ I gasped for air as a pair of hands pulled me upright. Body slumped over his shoulder as he began dragging me towards the underground lake. Once we exited the tunnel, we were greeted by several small piles of torn arm sleeves. A single Awakened with his imp was stationed near the entrance; both of them gave us a weird look when they saw my condition. ¡°Nothing to worry about,¡± Pickle said. ¡°Stupid here, didn¡¯t listen to my warning.¡±


    The man shrugged before leaning against the stone wall, imp quickly following suit. He was one of the very few not ignorant on the basics of demonology, and thus was put on guard duty as Sly went about educating the rest of the mob. I think I saw him in Sly¡¯s earlier lineup. Some former noble, or whatnot.


    ¡°Useless pricks,¡± Pickle mumbled when we finally passed the large, seated crowd on the left side of the alcove. ¡°Can¡¯t fight, can¡¯t build, can¡¯t think. They just piss, shit, cry, and moan. Darkness claim them.¡± Most of the Awakened were listening quietly to Sly¡¯s instruction, though quite a few were busy raising a ruckus. They seemed to disagree with Sly¡¯s notion that they amounted to ¡°less than shit¡± as she had so aptly put it. Those few that didn¡¯t back down were quickly put into place when they tried to demonstrate their oh so superior combat skills.


    ¡°Stop grinning. Or do you want to me to kick you again?¡± Pickle asked. The mere words made my balls shrivel as I dislodged myself form his grasp, stumbling backwards. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that seeing them beaten up makes for a damn fine show, but I don¡¯t think its that hilarious.¡± The man locked eyes with me. ¡°Or do you know something that I don¡¯t?¡± I frantically began shaking my head, trying to keep my eyes focused on Pickle, and not Sly. Sly with her warm breath, her soft lips, and her- ¡°There it is again! That stupid grin!¡±


    Pickle followed my gaze, scanning the crowd until his sights settled on the source of my thoughts. He froze for a second before turning to me with a predatory smile. Shit. I quickly looked away, hoping he didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Hohoho, it seems like we¡¯ve got ourselves a juicy story here.¡± Fuck. ¡°Tell me, captain. What has my chain of command been up to lately?¡± Pickle stepped closer. ¡°Any secretive exchanges of vital intel?¡± I could feel his stare burning into the side of my face. ¡°Or did you settle for a thorough physical inspection of our second-in-command?¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Those flushed cheeks tell a different story.¡± Gods be damned. ¡°You better spill the beans, captain. Or I¡¯ll have to involve the twins¡­¡± Anything but them.


    ¡°We just kissed, okay?¡± I could barely take a few steps back before Pickle burst out in laughter. The man doubled over as he wiped away the occasional tear streaming from his eyes. A few wretches of air later, he finally answered, ¡°Just a¡­ just a kiss?! Fuck me! And here I was thinking you¡¯d gone down and dirty!¡± He cupped his hands before shouting, ¡°Marcus and Sly, sitting in a-¡±


    I mentally congratulated myself on the near perfect choke hold, squeezing so hard that Pickle soon began turning a crystal shade of blue. His frantic tap outs briefly ignored, for there were numerous faces looking my way and all of them were snickering in some way, including Sly.


    I broke the hold, grabbing a wheezing Pickle by the neck as I dragged him towards the lake and away from the source of my burning embarrassment. ¡°I swear,¡± I said, glaring at the smirking Pickle. ¡°If the monsters don¡¯t kill you, I¡¯ll finish the job myself.¡±


    Pickle inhaled sharply a few times before answering, ¡°That¡¯s what you get for keeping secrets, captain.¡± He began clearing his throat. ¡°Though a kiss is hardly something worth concealing.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to shout it out loud, for Gods sake. What if your fuckery attracted unwanted attention?¡±


    ¡°No worries, captain,¡± Pickle said as he broke free from my neck-grip. ¡°These so called Awakened have been plenty of loud since the moment we came here. And yet here we are.¡± He gestured around him. ¡°Not a single attack. Not one. Not even from the fucking scavengers crawling all over the bridge.¡± He spread his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s keeping them away, maybe they¡¯re afraid of the lake, maybe the crystals smell like shit to them, or maybe¡­ just maybe¡­ they figured out not to mess with the biggest, baddest, ratfucker ever to walk out of the Burrows.¡± Pickle finished his statement with some good, old-fashioned, muscle flexing.


    Although it was funny to see his poor attempt at looking bigger than he was, Pickle¡¯s words set me to thinking. It was true, this situation was wholly unnatural for the Long Dark, especially on the deeper levels. By all accounts we should have lost at least half the group with the way people were screwing about. And this was not only related to the noise they were making. No. It went a lot further than that.


    It were the little things, like the piss-poor awareness of their surroundings. The abysmal night watch schedules, if they even bothered making one in the first place. Or the way they drew water from the lake before me. They were stupid enough to drink from it directly, instead of asking a nearby Water mage to draw some water from a safe distance. That alone should have resulted in some of them being chomped by whatever creatures that lurked in thedimly light lake.


    Though this whole situation was absurd, there was something even more absurd hiding somewhere out there; watching, waiting, and probably laughing his ass off all the while. Gob. That little runt defied common sense. And it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if I found out that he was keeping tabs on us, scaring away the local monster in order to make things more interesting.


    ¡°What you thinking about, captain?¡± Pickle asked. ¡°You look more miserable than usual.¡±


    ¡°I was just thinking about possible future headaches.¡±


    A cry of alarm came from the direction of the tunnel, ¡°They¡¯re coming through the wall!¡±


    ¡°Does that count as one?¡±


    ¡°Shit.¡± I broke into a sprint, giving Pickle commands along the way, ¡°Rally the others! I¡¯ll hold them off in the meantime!¡± I watched him break off towards the panicking group of Awakened, their numbers practically stumbling over each other in their desperation to get further away from the source their distress. Those fucking idiots. I could only watch in despair as they destroyed any hope for a speedy response. Got to fix it myself. I willed my legs to run even faster than before.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I did not take long to reach the panicked guard I met earlier, his brown hair plastered all over his skin from intense sweating. ¡°Thank the Gods, you¡¯re here! These¡­ these¡­ thingswere digging through the wall!¡±


    ¡°What things? What did they look like?¡±


    ¡°They were¡­ they looked¡­ oh Gods.¡± The man emptied the contents of his stomach all over my feet, soaking the ground in rancid lake water.


    I grabbed his shoulders before lifting him up. ¡°Look at me!¡± I turned his head towards me. ¡°I said, look at me!¡± The man was shivering, and breathing sharply. Not good. He can¡¯t concentrate like this. ¡°Everything is going to be fine, you hear me?¡± The man didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Just answer my questions, and you¡¯ll be okay. You got that?¡± The man opened his mouth but no words came out. ¡°Just nod if you understand me, alright?¡± The man weakly did as he was told. ¡°What is your name?¡± No answer. Snap out of it already, for Gods sake. ¡°Could you please tell me your name?¡±


    ¡°B-b-b-ob,¡± the man finally divulged. ¡°My name is Bob.¡±


    The tunnel was dark and devoid of any light, but that didn¡¯t mean the sound coming from it was any less scary; it intensified with each passing second, rocks clattering against stone, causing me to tighten the grip on the man¡¯s head¡ªall to prevent him from looking backwards. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Bob.¡± Or you¡¯ll die. ¡°Follow my orders and we¡¯ll get out of this.¡± We¡¯ll both die.


    I pointed towards the bundles of torn cloth on the ground. ¡°You¡¯re a Fire mage, aren¡¯t you, Bob?¡± The man followed my gaze, freezing when he saw what I was pointing at. ¡°And you wouldn¡¯t want to face those thingswithout any fire. Now would you, Bob?¡± The man began nodding frantically, almost like he was struggling to break from my grasp. Good. ¡°I¡¯ll block the tunnel¡¯s entrance. You just make sure that we have something to roast them with while they¡¯re inside.¡± The man nodded one last time, and not a moment too soon.


    ¡°Now go!¡± I shouted as rock audibly crumbled in the tunnel, followed by inhuman shrieks and the patter of flesh slapping against stone. I slammed my feet into the ground, stabilizing my core to the best of my abilities as I hunkered down. I closed my eyes, breathing deeply whilst ignoring the incoming threat. Rise. My leg muscles strained, fingers pushing against some invisible force in the air. I need you to rise. The ground began to rumble as I slowly pushed against the invisible weight bearing down upon me. I command you to rise. Breath steady. Heart pumping.I obey you to rise. With one final push, the burden was lifted from my shoulders. Stone shot forth from the ground, colliding against the top of the tunnel. And so you have risen.


    Once the dust settled, all that could be seen of the tunnel¡¯s entrance was a big fat wall. One which almost completely blocked the former opening, only leaving gaps barely big enough to fit a limb through. That should do it. The inhuman screeches intensified as they impacted against the stone, causing the rock to visibly shake and shed gravel which each audible pummel against it. Or maybe not.


    I stretched my arms forward in the air, pushing against an invisible force that shook with each assault the wall had to wither. We need fire. And we need it now. I strained my neck, looking over my shoulder to see a frozen Bob wielding a pitifully small flame near one of the cloth bundles. ¡°Don¡¯t just stare, you idiot! They¡¯ll break through at this rate!¡±


    ¡°Out of the way, useless,¡± Sly said as she shoved aside the frozen man. Behind her were Pickle, Hammer, and a couple of other Awakened¡ªIsabelle and Maximilian included. Thank the Gods. Most of them turned out to be Fire mages, evident by the small flames that sprung up from their hands as they lit the textile fuel. Flames that quickly grew in size as warmth began to radiate through the area. Pickle joined in my stabilization of the wall as Hammer and Maximilian levitated a huge ball of floating water between them. All of their demons had their claws at the ready, though none of them looked eager by the looks of it. Especially not with what poked from between the cracks.


    If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would have said they were human hands. With thick fingers, hairy skin, and an assortment of bloody, peeled-off nails. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be sick,¡± Bob said before dry heaving.


    Infestors. No that couldn¡¯t be it. I checked barely an hour ago. Whatever was on the other side of the wall, it was supposed to have eight legs. Since when did infestors mutate? Then there was their mysteriously large numbers of human hosts. I would¡¯ve heard it if such a large group went missing on the lower levels. Whatever the reason, it didn¡¯t chance the plan. We would¡¯ve needed to burn them to a crisp anyway.


    Cracks started to form along the wall as I could feel their pounding reverberate through every inch of my being. Since when did infestors get this strong?! I could feel myself slowly getting pushed back alongside Pickle. Hurry up already!


    ¡°We¡¯re ready, captain!¡± Sly shouted. Several small fires were lit behind me, vaguely resembling a semicircle, each with a Fire mage standing ready behind them.


    ¡°Shoot! Shoot it now!¡± I answered back.


    ¡°But what about-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, and-¡± Something slammed into the wall, pushing me and Pickle back by several centimeters, as cracks began to crisscross all over the natural barricade. ¡°I move, and we¡¯ll all die! So roast these bastards already!¡±


    Sly nodded before giving the order. ¡°Water!¡± Hammer and Maximilian began channeling liquid towards us from the levitating mass of water, thoroughly drenching both me and Pickle. ¡°Fire at the ready!¡± Every Fire mage, including Sly, took a grounded stance; forearms raised at hip level with fists clenched. Its just fire, Marcus. Nothing to worry about. Just fire, that¡¯s all. ¡°Burn them alive!¡±


    Their fists shot forward, each Fire mage managing to spew a jet of flame from thin air. Flames that streamed into the cracks along the wall. Flames that forced me to close my eyes as their inferno began to heat up my skin. You¡¯re safe. They¡¯re just flames. Don¡¯t worry. Stay in control. I could feel the familiar terror work its way throughout my body, locking my muscles and tightening my chest. Its spread halted when another torrent of water drenched me from top to bottom. See. The flames can¡¯t hurt you. You¡¯ve got people protecting you. You¡¯ve got people to protect. Now focus. And then the screams came. Real screams. Human screams. Oh, Gods, the screams. The way they wailed in agony as the fire tried to muffle their cries of suffering. Not again. Please, not again.


    Someone banged on a wooden wall. ¡°Marcus! Help me!¡± a girl shouted. My eyes shot open, only to close back immediately as I inhaled the thick smoke covering the room. I fell to my knees, coughing and gasping for fresh, cold air. For anything that didn¡¯t scorch my lungs with every breath I took.


    The thumps began to become more frantic as loud coughing could be heard coming from the other wall. ¡°Marcus! Save me!¡±


    ¡°Sara! Is that you?!¡± I asked, looking around my old bedroom. The fire hadn¡¯t reached it yet, but smoke drifted through the floorboards, creating a suffocating black cloud that covered the dial face of a nearby ticking clock.


    Screams could be heard from the other side of the wall. ¡°It hurts, Marcus! The fire hurts!¡±


    ¡°Hold on! I¡¯m coming to get you!¡± I began crawling along the floorboards, willing my stiff limbs towards the door as terror threatened to overtake my every move.


    ¡°NOOOO! Don¡¯t leave me, Marcus!¡± the girly voice screamed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come back for you! I promise!¡± I shouted, almost reaching the door.


    ¡°GET AWAY FROM ME! GET AWAYYYY!¡± The screams turned into unholy screeches as smoke began to creep through the wooden wall; the occasional orange flicker growing to a intense yellow flame as they shone through cracks between the wooden planks.


    Gods, please make it stop. I pulled the door open, stumbling backwards as I saw what was standing in the opening. A withered black husk of a girl. Devoid of human features, safe for the blackened skin stretched over an even blacker frame. ¡°You didn¡¯t come back, Marcus,¡± Sara said. She stepped forward as I froze in terror, tears streaming down my face. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. ¡°You left me, Marcus. You left me here to die.¡± Her small, left hand began to wrap itself around my neck. Please forgive me. ¡°This time, I won¡¯t let you go so easily.¡± Her right hand moved towards my face. ¡°This time, we¡¯ll die together.¡± It rested itself on the Mark.


    White-hot pain seared through the left side of my face, agony so severe I could only collapse into a puddle of misery. Kill me!¡°Shit!¡± I heard a man say. ¡°Shit, shit, fuck, shit!¡± The voice shouted again. Somebody please¡­ kill me! Something wet gripped my leg before pulling me across the stone ground. It hurts! Faces and voices blurred together as I tried to retain myself among the agony assaulting me. It hurts so much!¡°I can¡¯t hold it much longer!¡± The earlier voice shouted. ¡°It¡¯s gonna break any second now!¡±


    Please, I beg of you! ¡°Prepare for combat!¡± a female voice commanded. ¡°Demons in front! Concentrate your fire! And whatever you do, don¡¯t let them touch you!¡± Kill me already! Flames roared, and people screamed.It didn¡¯t matter as the sound was soon muffled by the water that enveloped my head, causing steam to rise from my face. Thank the Gods. Salvation. Everything grew muted, safe for the loud thunder of rock toppling in the distance. The roars of the flames intensified, only to stop a few seconds after; and with them, the debilitating pain.


    Two vague shapes came into vision as the water dispersed, and the pain faded; they were Maximilian and Hammer. Both of them had their backs turned towards me, and were sending water whips at some unseen enemy. I groaned, barely able to crane my neck upwards to get a better look at the horrors they were fighting.


    Whatever they were, they had ceased being human a long time ago. Each sported four legs, and four arms, on a frame that was twice the size of any normal man. Each pair of limbs long, strong, and thick enough to be walked on by its own. Their rib cages broken open to reveal the pulsating, maggot-infested organs inside. Most of them were once men, evident by the thick, slimybeards each of them sported. And some of them were probably women, forced to endure pus-leaking tits. But most discerning of all were the faces, the completely normal faces. Faces that were twisted into a grimace of pain, fear, and apparently relief.


    For all of them simply swarmed past the defenders, not bothering to attack them as they dived into the lake, or chose to scamper up the walls. Not bothered to save those that were immobilized, or taken down, by a combination of Warlocks, demons, and the scant few of other Awakened that decided to stand and fight. They just continued to pour from the tunnel, like a never ending wave of warped flesh. A mass of limbs which thundered past for minutes on end; till only their dead brethren remained.


    And a tunnel.


    A tunnel to Gods knows where.

 Chapter 22

    It can¡¯t be hopeless.


    - Last recorded line of Founder history.


    ¡°Are you absolutely sure the number changed?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Marcus, I¡¯m sure of it,¡± Sly said. ¡°And no, I¡¯m not going to check it a fourth time.¡±


    I touched the still throbbing Mark on my face. It used to contain the number ninety-four, but apparently not anymore. Instead it now showed one hundred and twenty-six, and the most obvious reason for it lay at my feet. Dead, scorched, and riddled with holes for good measure. Whatever life was left, it manifested itself in the form of crawling maggots. Maggots that were busy devouring their former host.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid to ask,¡± I said, looking around the gathered circle of trustees. ¡°But how many did we kill?¡±


    Isabelle was busy clutching her blood stained side with a painful expression while Maximilian, and Hilda, threw quick glances at the smoking corpse. They didn¡¯t show any uneasiness at the hidden implication of my question. An uneasiness that had begun manifesting itself in my oldsquad mates.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like where this is going,¡± Pickle said. ¡°No way that can be true.¡±


    ¡°How many, Pickle?¡±


    ¡°We whacked a good six of em outside the tunnel,¡± He mumbled, scratching the back of his head. ¡°The rest either swam, or climbed away.¡±


    ¡°And inside the tunnel?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have an accurate number,¡± Sly said. ¡°There¡¯s quite a pile of charred corpses in there. My estimation would be somewhere between ten and thirty.¡±


    A dark shadow fell over my fellow rats as they began processing the numbers. For they spelled something bad. Something really fucking bad.


    I turned to Sly. ¡°I want you and someone else to start counting them immediately. Actually, make that three people. We can never be sure enough.¡±


    ¡°On it,¡± Sly answered before walking away.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening¡­¡± Dagger said as she ran her hands through her hair. ¡°They aren¡¯t supposed to look like¡­ like¡­ this, whatever this is. Hell, they shouldn¡¯t exist anymore in the first place! Fuckers should¡¯ve been dead for ages! These are just some mutated humans. Yes, they¡¯ve must have been humans¡­ right?¡± She looked up, frantically seeking conformation among the group. ¡°Right?!¡±


    ¡°Can somebody please tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± Maximilian asked. He, and the other two Awakened, had become fidgety from Dagger¡¯s wild eyes. Isabelle¡¯s unrest was the most apparent, for her horns were visibly expanding before my very eyes.


    ¡°Founder stuff,¡± I answered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t concern you¡­ at least for now.¡± That didn¡¯t seem to easy their nerves in the least. ¡°I could be totally wrong. I hope I¡¯m totally wrong. But until Sly¡¯s report verifies it, we¡¯ll be wasting our energy on what ifs instead of what is.¡± I turned to Dirk, interrupting him as he tried to calm down his panicking sister. ¡°You two stayed behind to rally the Shapers. Anything important I need to know off?¡±


    The man looked over his shoulder, towards the large huddled group of Awakened behind us. Their bodies pressed closely together for safety as they tried to stay as far away from both the tunnel, and the now silent lake.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got around twenty wounded, and four missing,¡± he said before turning his head back. ¡°Most of them minor wounds from that panicked scuffle. Three others¡­ not so much.¡± He looked at his feet. ¡°Poor bastards got trampled when those things came through. I¡¯ll be surprised if they¡¯ll make it come morning.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but pinch the bridge of my nose. Our first encounter with the unknown, and we¡¯d lost seven people to it. Seven. Against enemies that didn¡¯t even bother fighting back. ¡°Did you find the four missing Shapers yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, captain. And something tells me we¡¯ll never will.¡± His gaze shifted towards the water. ¡°I heard that a small group decided to risk the lake when the wall fell. Haven¡¯t heard anything since then.¡±


    That didn¡¯t surprise me. Not after the thing lurking in the lake decided to surface again, devouring almost everything that swam with just a few, big gulps. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do about the wounded,¡± I sighed. ¡°Though I don¡¯t suppose you have a healer hidden somewhere?¡± Of course you don¡¯t.


    That last line seemed to snap Dagger out of her continuous mumbling. ¡°Actually we do.¡±


    ¡°Come again?¡±


    ¡°We do have one.¡± Her voice became excited. ¡°One of the Shapers actually tested positive for Life affinity. He¡¯s nowhere near as good as Balthazar, but no one can match up to that old fart anyways.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow towards Dirk. ¡°And the reason you didn¡¯t tell me this is¡­?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t see the use of it,¡± Dirk answered. ¡°At least your Light affinity can actually be used to heal in this place. Plenty of shiny crystals to light up wherever you need to work.¡± He spat on the ground. ¡°Though I don¡¯t see a lot of life here to draw from, just a bunch of lifeless rock.¡±


    ¡°Who said anything about using the terrain?¡± I pointed at the huddled group of Awakened. ¡°We¡¯ve got our bundle of life right over there.¡±


    ¡°Now wait a minute,¡± Isabelle said. ¡°You can¡¯t just siphon someone¡¯s lifeforce. That¡¯s all kinds of fucked up.¡±


    I wanted to speak up, but Hilda reacted sooner, ¡°And who was it that bumped you into one of those stampeding things?¡± Isabelle tightened her grip on the scabby injury. ¡°It didn¡¯t happen to be one of those panicking idiots, now did it? Or are you telling me that wound just magically appeared out of nowhere?¡± Isabelle bit her lip, remaining silent. ¡°I don¡¯t where you grew up; but from where I come from, we take full responsibility for our actions.¡± She tapped the empty eye socket. ¡°Always.¡±


    Then she turned to me. ¡°But she does have a point. Using people¡¯s lifespans as some improvised cure-it-all isn¡¯t going to fly. Not with me. Not with her. Not with anyone.¡± She made sure to stress that last part. ¡°So I suggest we only take from those who¡¯ve performed¡­ poorly,shall we say. That way it will be a lot easier for the group to accept it as a whole, instead of murdering you in your sleep.¡± Good point. I like living.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± I answered, before turning towards Dirk and Dagger. ¡°I take it you two remember the biggest culprits of those shoving matches?¡±


    ¡°Sure do, captain,¡± Dirk said with a glint in his eyes. ¡°Though I reckon that Sly has an even better idea. She was lecturing them when the panic started, after all.¡±


    ¡°Good. I want you two, and Sly, separating those poorly behaving people before the hour¡¯s end.¡± I looked at Hilda. ¡°And you¡¯re going with them. It¡¯s your idea, so you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to pitch it.¡±


    Hilda shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Sure¡­ no problem. I can hardly do a worse job at it than you. With your amazing speaking capabilities and all that. Especially the flinching part, that really inspires confidence in people.¡± Pickle chuckled at her response.


    ¡°You sure she isn¡¯t from here?¡± I asked Dagger.


    ¡°Not that I know off,¡± Dagger said in contemplation. She proceeded to think for a long, hard minute before answering, ¡°Nope. Nothing. Not even a rumor about a sassy, one-eyed woman.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m flattered by your interest in me,¡± Hilda said. ¡°But just so you know, the Burrows isn¡¯t the only slum in Cedia. Not by a long shot.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡± That sure explains the familiar feeling she¡¯s giving off. ¡°You¡¯ll have to show me your slum customs some other time since we got a more urgent mater to attend to.¡± With that I bent down, picking up one of the maggots writhing in the corpse. ¡°Namely food.¡±


    The maggot was thick, white, and plumb from all the flesh it had gorged, squirming in the air as I held it pinched aloft between my fingers. If the thing itself wasn¡¯t nasty enough, my mention of food made Maximilian and Isabelle recoil in disgust. ¡°I¡¯m not eating that,¡± Isabelle said.


    ¡°Me neither,¡± Maximilian agreed. He looked more pale than usual. ¡°I think I¡¯d rather go hungry.¡±


    ¡°Tough luck.¡± I kicked the corpse at my feet, causing several more maggots to crawl out of the small holes riddled in its flesh. ¡°Unless you plan on eating rock for breakfast, this is the only thing around worth munching on.¡± This time I turned to Hammer, already noticing the glint in his eyes. ¡°Corporal, I take it you now how to deal with these.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, captain.¡± The man took the grub, before placing it in his mouth. He bit down hard, causing some of the white juice to spray out, hitting Isabelle next to him. She recoiled, almost gagging at the stuff dripping from her horns. While she tried to scrub her affected horns clean, Hammer gave his honest report, ¡°Chewy¡­ quite rancid¡­ mushy insides.¡± He smacked his lips a couple of times. ¡°Give me a fire and some flat stones, and I¡¯ll make it work somehow.¡±


    ¡°Good to hear. You¡¯ll be on cooking duty as usual. Ask Pickle if you need anything made.¡±


    ¡°Why the fuck do I have to help him?¡±


    ¡°Cause you¡¯re the only one without a job.¡±


    ¡°Broncshit.¡± Pickle pointed at Maximilian and Isabelle. ¡°And what about them? Why-¡±


    ¡°If you would let me finish.¡± I turned towards the sick looking noble. ¡°Maximilian I want you and your Warlocks to draw water for the wounded, Hammer¡¯s cooking, and anyone looking for a drink. Don¡¯t let anyone get close to the lake again, you hear me?¡± The man nodded, trying to keep his eyes off the second grub that Hammer popped into his mouth. ¡°Isabelle, you¡¯re going to help Hammer with the cooking.¡± She opened her mouth. ¡°No worries, I only need you to keep the fire going. For anything else that will be needed, well¡­ just listen to the man. He knows a lot more about cooking than any of us do.¡±


    Hammer wiped away some of organ juice with his thumb before presenting the hand to Isabelle, ¡°Pleasure working with you.¡±


    The woman eyed the limb like it belonged to some plague victim. A few seconds later, she took a hold of it, trying to keep her hand as far away from the stained thumb as possible. ¡°Likewise¡­¡± She looked at the maggots writhing around on the ground before switching to the corpse. The content of her stomach seemed to rise, only to be pushed down again with a good swallow. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m suggesting this, but can¡¯t we just eat the thing¡¯s meat?¡± She almost gagged when Hammer decided to go for another maggot snack. ¡°Please¡­ I¡¯ll take anything over maggots.¡±


    ¡°No can do. Not unless you like to die horribly.¡± I bend down, poking the corpse. ¡°I thought these guys had mana at first, but I was wrong. My Mage Sight didn¡¯t pick up mana, it picked up crystals.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be true,¡± Maximilian said. ¡°They would have crystallized ages ago.¡±


    ¡°Well, unfortunately it istrue.¡± I began slicing away a piece of meat with Wind magic. ¡°Their bodies are riddled with tiny crystals. Bones, muscle, organs, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I shook the meat, causing several maggots to get dislodged from their current home. ¡°The maggots are safe, I made sure to check them beforehand. But these¡­¡± I showed the sparkling pieces of green crystals hidden beneath the initial layer of flesh. ¡°These aren¡¯t safe for consumption.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Me neither.¡± I wiped my hands clean. ¡°Maybe these are special crystals, are maybe their flesh was resistant. I don¡¯t know.¡± I looked at the meat one last time before dropping it on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m not going to risk people¡¯s lives when I don¡¯t have to. The meat is tainted until I say otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Seems like a waste of resources to me,¡± Hilda said. Maximilian, and me, both looked at her with raised eyebrows. ¡°Then again, what do I know? I didn¡¯t have enough money for food, let alone a crystal.¡±


    ¡°Be thankful for it,¡± Maximilian said. ¡°Your ignorance would have been your undoing.¡±


    She shot him a sharp glance. ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± I added. ¡°It¡¯s rare for a crystal miner to live past the age of forty, and with good reason.¡± I sighed, sitting down. ¡°And here I thought this was common knowledge. It seems we need another lecture on stupid shit to avoid doing.¡± I turned to look at the several clusters lighting up the alcove. ¡°Thanks the Gods that these crystals are up high. I can only imagine what would¡¯ve happened if some idiot decided to grab them.¡±


    Hilda looked at the crystals with a sense of caution. ¡°Is it that bad?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mana solidified over thousands of years, of course its bad.¡± I pointed at the cluster of white crystals above us, brightly shining its light in all directions. ¡°The clearer the crystal, the older, and purer, the mana inside of it. And more importantly, the stronger it reacts to things containing different magic.¡±


    I picked up a small rock, before placing it on my skin. ¡°If a murky crystal would touch my skin like this, I would have couple of seconds before I risk contamination.¡± I nodded upwards. ¡°With crystals this pure, I would be a dead man walking the moment it even grazed the barest ofskin.¡±


    ¡°That sounds¡­ bad.¡±


    ¡°It isreally fucking bad. Once crystallization takes hold, it¡¯s practically over. Your flesh will slowly get converted into more crystals, which in turn will spread even more crystal. The fucking crystal will greedily gorge on your magic till it reaches a blood vessel. You chop of your limb before that, and you¡¯re good. If you¡¯re lucky enough to notice it on time that is, and if you¡¯re dealing with some murky crystal that is slow to spread.¡± I pointed upwards again. ¡°Not this shit.¡±


    ¡°No, sir. When this shit hits your skin, it will spread in a matter of seconds. It won¡¯t spread far, just a centimeter or so, but it doesn¡¯t need to go far. It just needs to reach that all important blood vessel. And once it does, you¡¯re fucked. Completely fucked.¡±


    My words had some obvious effect as Hilda began to distance herself from the corpse on the floor. ¡°We¡¯ve got a name for people that reach that stage. We call em living lights. Wanna know why that is?¡± She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s because the crystal gets pumped throughout the body, devouring it from the inside as it grows and glows in size. Their organs and bones light up like some freak show as they turn into some weird human torch. One that dies an agonizing death.¡± I sat down again, staring at the squirming maggots. ¡°So yeah, don¡¯t touch them. Not unless you want to die.¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t die,¡± Dagger said. Dirk, Hammer, and Pickle nodded in agreement.


    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about? I didn¡¯t die?¡±


    ¡°You know? The whole basement thing. The one where you absorbed that magic circle.¡± I gave her a blank stare. ¡°Didn¡¯t Sly tell you?¡±


    ¡°Tell me what?¡± Dagger gave a startling look to the others as they seemed to realize their mistake. ¡°What happened in the basement, Dagger?¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­ well¡­ the magic lit up your arm like a crystal, and-¡± She stoop up, pointing behind me. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Sly? She¡¯s coming back.¡±


    I looked behind me; she was indeed coming back to our circle. Though she seemed to be brooding over something. Doesn¡¯t matter, I need answers. And I need them now. ¡°Sly! Hey! Sly!¡± I walked over shouting, snapping her from her concentration. ¡°Sly, you need to tell-¡±


    ¡°Twenty-six.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s twenty-six corpses inside the tunnel, Marcus. I think you¡¯re on to something.¡±


    I hate being right.

 Chapter 23

    ¡°Don¡¯t mess with the unknown, lest it messes with you.


    - Standard Burrow doctrine.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, they were Founders.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t be true,¡± Dagger said. ¡°They had to be something else.¡±


    ¡°Think you idiot,¡± Pickle replied. ¡°The Mark never increases when slaying monsters. Unlesswe kill something that isn¡¯t a monster. Something, or someone,who¡¯s death would count as murder in the Forgefather¡¯s eyes¡­¡± He was constantly moving his makeshift light-source during the argument, casting large, shifting shadows along the depth of the tunnel. ¡°Don¡¯t look away! You know I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°Would you two please shut the fuck up?¡± Sly asked whilst looking over her shoulder. Her glare lingered for a few more seconds before she continued walking, prodding a sharpened piece of bone into Bob¡¯s back. The former, scared, tunnel guard grumbled, dragging his feet as much as he could get away with. ¡°Keep moving, traitor. We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°Keep prodding, lady, see what happens...¡± Bob¡¯s threat sounded hollow, for his hands were bare, and up in the air, but that did not stop him from flapping his tongue. One that has been spewing non-stop dissent ever since the incident of last week. ¡°Listen to me, Marcus. We¡­ no, you, need to get out of here. Trust me.¡±


    Trust me, says the traitor. How ironic. ¡°One more word, and you¡¯ll be breathing through your chest,¡± Sly hissed, kicking the man hard enough to send him tumbling to the ground. She barely waited hoisting him back up before giving him the motivational prod to move forward. We didn¡¯t have time for his shit, especially not after all he did.


    ¡°The balls on this guy,¡± Dirk whispered besides me in the back. ¡°Riling the whole Awakened group up for a takeover, while we were busy making tools, weapons, and equipment from those corpses.¡± He spat on the ground. ¡°I say we gut the little shit, captain. And be done with it.¡±


    ¡°I still prefer using him as life bait,¡± I replied. ¡°That way he¡¯ll turn out at least moderately useful.¡± Compared to that shit show at the tunnel. God, did he fuck that one up.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right,¡± Dirk pointed further up the tunnel. ¡°Since he¡¯s going to need to prove it real soon.¡±


    ¡°Halt,¡± Sly commanded. The small group skidded to a stop, leaving nothing but the faint crackling of fire, and the soft whistle of wind, to linger through the tunnel. Before us was the breakthrough, or at least that¡¯s what Bob had used to describe the opening those creatures had made.


    ¡°What the fuck kind of breakthrough is this?¡± I asked. I was certain I¡¯d heard stone falling when those things finally dug their way through, but no loose rock was to be seen¡ªnot even bits of gravel for fuck¡¯s sake. Only a perfectly round hole, one whose size could easily let a cart pass. ¡°Who made this shit? This wasn¡¯t here a week ago.¡± I turned to Pickle. ¡°Did anyone sneak into the tunnel without permission?¡± The man shrugged his shoulders, clearly he didn¡¯t know better. ¡°Pickle, I want you ready to seal this hole with me the moment something even farts in our general direction. Collapse the ceiling if you have to.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, captain,¡± Pickle smiled. If there was one thing Pickle liked more than lazing around in his free time, it was wrecking stuff under orders. That, and bar fights. A few seconds later, Pickle began to move towards the front, myself following closely behind, before stopping in front of Bob. ¡°Don¡¯t drop it, it seems you¡¯re going to need it.¡± Pickle gave the man his¡­ torch. If you called an arm bone with a bunch of lit beard hair stuck on top a torch, then yes, he handed him a torch. Or as Pickle liked to call them ¡®fart sticks¡¯, cause, oh boy, did they stink.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this, we¡¯ll all-¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Pickle mumbled as he began pushing the man towards the hole. ¡°Less talking. More walking.¡± With a final shove the man stumbled forward, only to land face first into an invisible wall. One which flattened his face, but didn¡¯t seem to stop his torch from tumbling through.


    ¡°What the fuck.¡± My surprise was echoed by several of my fellow rats, albeit a bit cruder. Never seen this before. That can¡¯t be good.I gave Sly a whistle, making several, short stabbing motions. She quickly got the idea as she began prodding Bob back into action.


    ¡°Ow! Stop that,¡± Bob said while rubbing his red nose. ¡°Gods, what do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°Push through it,¡± I replied. The man raised an eyebrow. ¡°Try ramming it, shoot some magic at it. I don¡¯t know. Just do something. We¡¯ll figure out what works soon enough. Though you better hurry if you want to save that torch.¡± The thing was still burning, revealing nothing but bare rock around it. But it was the only light that managed to illuminate the blackness around it, a small island of light among a sea of darkness, for our own torches didn¡¯t illuminate past the hole. Or maybe the light doesn¡¯t want to. Whatever it was, this place was setting off all kinds of alarm bells; alarms caused by a simple rule known to all those that ventured into the underground.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I think we should turn back,¡± Dagger spoke up. ¡°The instructors warned us about messing with the unknown.¡±


    I wanted to agree with her, were it not that we were stuck, and running out of food at an alarming rate. The fried maggots would last another week at best, and then we would be running on nothing but an empty stomach. If only we had more time. ¡°No, we proceed as planned,¡± I finally decided. ¡°Digging another tunnel will take too much time, besides we don¡¯t know how far this passage will lead. Knowing the Founders it¡¯ll probably run around this entire lake.¡± That possibility still existed, and wasn¡¯t that rare of an occasion. The Founder¡¯s were known to make whatever freshwater supply there was as accessible as possible. This usually meant an abundance of tunnels leading up to, or around the thing they wanted to reach.


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°No buts.¡± I cut her off. ¡°We¡¯re definitely in Founder territory. Their corpses are proof enough.¡± I held her gaze as she opened her mouth to speak. ¡°My face felt like it was being scorched off, Dagger. I don¡¯t know what we killed, but it seemed to have pissed of the Forgefather. Or are you suggesting that the Forgefather has a fondness of mutated humanoids for no apparent reason? Humanoids that just happened to vaguely resemble the Founder statues of old.¡±


    Dagger shut her mouth, opting instead to look at her feet. I understood her reluctance to accept what was happening; the implications alone were staggering. Not to mention the uproar our report would bring to the Burrows. If we reach the Burrows, that is.And in order to insure said goal, a certain someone needed to start enacting his role of bait.


    ¡°Sly, if he doesn¡¯t start pushing within ten seconds, you have my permission to provide external motivation.¡±


    Sly and Pickle couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at my wording; a chuckle that was totally absent on Bob¡¯s face. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°But don¡¯t say that I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± Yeah, yeah. We¡¯ve heard enough of your lies. Bob finally laid his hand on the invisible wall, planting his feet solidly into the ground. If it weren¡¯t for the soft breeze carrying his voice, I would never have heard his whisper, ¡°My wife is going to kill me.¡±


    The cave began to rumble, crack, and shudder as Bob put strength into his arms, groaning as he pushed against something, ¡°Yes, yes... I know¡­ you don¡¯t want me here.¡± He drew breath once more before continuing his push. ¡°But it seems¡­ that choices were made.¡± The rumbling intensified in a mere minute to almost earth-shattering proportions, causing bits and pieces of the ceiling began to clatter down upon the floor.


    ¡°Stop pushing!¡± I yelled at the top of my lungs, hoping to overcome the deafening noise.


    Bob ignored my command, choosing to push on instead. ¡°You asked for it¡­ so you¡¯re gonna¡­ get it!¡± With those last words, he broke through, almost flying into the blackness beyond. The rumblings instantly ceased when he did, though that meant nothing for the damage already done.


    The support beams showed numerous cracks along their surface, and the rumbling had instead been replaced by a soft groan in the ceiling. One which would undoubtedly escalate in mere minutes.


    ¡°Back to the lake!¡± I shouted. The rest quickly followed, leaving Bob behind, though that part didn¡¯t really bother us. We sped through the tunnel, only to be met halfway by a panicking mob of Awakened. One headed by Hammer, and the rest of the Warlock leaders.


    ¡°Through the tunnel!¡± Hammer bellowed, not sparing us a glance. Whatever had spooked the man, it wasn¡¯t your average thing. I, and the others, immediately turned around, not wanting to be squashed beneath the oncoming horde.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening!¡± I shouted over the roar of thundering feet behind me.


    ¡°The ground shook!¡± Hammer shouted. ¡°Then things began crawling out of the lake!¡± That made their panic quite apparent. Whatever things were swimming in that lake, they were bound to be dangerous. Especially at the depth we were currently residing.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know if the passage is safe!¡± I shouted back.


    ¡°Better than the shore! There¡¯s hundreds of them!¡±


    ¡°Fuck it!¡± The opening came in sight. ¡°Passage it is!¡± Soon after the mob of Awakened barreled through into complete darkness, safe for what small flickers of light that their fire mages had hovered above their hands. To my relief, most of them had supplies and equipment clutched in their hands. Though some entered the passage panting, sweating, and devoid of any possessions.


    I quickly found Sly in the crowd, and made her make a few hands signals with fire. A minute later our group was stationed across the opening, ready to take one whatever things that were chasing the few stragglers at the end.


    But they didn¡¯t come, nothing did except for a few exhausted Awakened happy to see a friendly face. ¡°I¡¯m the last one,¡± a black haired man said. He was carrying another unconscious Awakened on his back, covering the large scar one would normally see near his shoulderblade. ¡°The rest is either dead, or soon to be dead.¡± He glanced over his shoulder, gazing into the darkness. ¡°I would¡¯ve been a goner, were it not for this tunnel. Those things stopped chasing me the moment I set foot in he-¡± He suddenly wobbled, almost crashing to the floor.


    Dagger quickly caught his faltering frame. ¡°Easy there, Botan. You did good.¡±


    ¡°Get him inside, Dagger. I need our healer fed and rested. He¡¯s got some work to do.¡± It seems I needed to have a talk with the others. Letting our recently discoveredhealer almost die was a mistake I wasn¡¯t about to-


    The moment Botan and Dagger passed through opening, everything changed. The passage disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving only smooth, rounded stone behind. And more curiously, there suddenly was light. Lots of light, created by even more crystals. Crystals that somehow appeared out of nowhere. Or maybe they were already there? It didn¡¯t make sense. Nothing made sense. And I wasn¡¯t the only who was seeing things. Everyone else in the group gasped, and whistled at the sudden change.


    Everyone except for one.


    A someone called Bob, or should I say Gob. For his head grew some awfully familiar pair of ears as he made his way towards me, stopping just a few feet away to sport that stupid grin of his.


    ¡°If I knew you were this stupid, I would¡¯ve left you on that bridge, Boss.¡±


    How about I smack you instead?

 Chapter 24

    Beware the one who talks to nothing, for he has nothing to say.


    - Ancient Founder Wisdom


    ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me, Boss.¡±


    Please shut up. Please shut up. Please shut up. I SAID, DON¡¯T IGNORE ME. Shut up, shut up, shut up. I trudged along the tracks, careful to not trip over the set of rails beneath my feet. Rails that ran along into an increasingly dark tunnel whose crystals grewsparserwith each day we travelled. Not even a week had passed, and I was growing considerably irritated by the fruitlessness of our walking, not to mention my personal spirit of torment. How far can these fucking rails go?


    ¡°You can always ask, Boss.¡± Gob smiled. ¡°Provided that you¡¯re willing to give something in return.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± I swung my pickax at him, hitting nothing but air as the thing harmlessly passed through his body. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything with you anymore! No deals, no trades, no nothing! You got that?¡±


    ¡°Marcus, we need to talk,¡± a female voice said behind me. I turned around to find a worried looking Sly, and the rest of my squad mates a bit further behind her, whispering to each other. ¡°But before we do, you need to drop that pickax.¡± What? You think I¡¯m going to attack you, is that it? I tightened the grip on the shaft, causing Sly totense herbody ever so slightly. Now even they think I¡¯m going crazy. Shit. Shit. Shit. I¡¯m not insane¡­ am I?


    The question lingered in my head. That wasn¡¯t a good sign; actually there was a distinct lack of good sings for some while now. ¡°Fine,¡± I finally said, throwing the thing to the ground. It wasn¡¯t that useful anyway. We had stumbled upon it just two days back; the only indication that someone had indeed used these cart tracks in the past. But whether or not they were still here, no one knew. For nothing, not even thosethings, had bothered to make their presence known to us since our intrusion.


    Sly nudged the weapon away before letting out a deep breath. Her shoulders sagged as she shot me a worrying glance. ¡°I¡¯ve talked it over with the others, and I think you need to step down for a bit.¡± I tried to react calmly to this news, but the stupid giggle behind me had me snarling instead. ¡°Look, Marcus, I know you¡¯re under great pressure. That is normal. But the group isn¡¯t going to follow someone who keeps lashing out at nothing.¡± She began fidgeting with her hands. ¡°I want to believe your story, I really do. But the others can¡¯t accept something like that on just mere words. They¡¯ve become increasingly restless as of late.¡± Her hands stopped; her gaze now firmly settled on my own. ¡°So I¡¯ve decided to take charge till you get your bearing back.¡±


    Gob¡¯s incessant giggle had devolved into loud laughter. ¡°Why won¡¯t you shut up!¡± I turned around, hand passing through his misty form till it struck solid rock. I gasped, clutching my wrist as Gob began rolling on the floor, gasping for breath between short bursts of hysterical laughter. ¡°I swear, one day I¡¯m going to find you an-¡± My eyes met Sly, and all that burning hatred just fizzled into nothingness.


    There remained only a pit in my stomach, and the feeling like someone was squeezing my heart to a pulp. For they were the eyes of pity, and more importantly, fear. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy,¡± I mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± I crouched down, trying to ignore the distrustful stares of the Awakened further back in the tunnel. Or maybe I really am? Gob was still rolling on the floor, displacing bits and pieces of gravel all over, though nobody seemed to notice it. Maybe I¡¯m really going crazy.


    ¡°I guess¡­¡± I whispered. ¡°It¡¯s just that-¡± I let out a deep sigh, scratching the back of my head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, you¡¯re right.¡± I stood up, dusting off my pants. ¡°I¡¯m not fit to lead in my current state.¡±


    ¡°You never were,¡± Gob interjected.


    I clenched my fists. ¡°As I was saying, I¡¯m not cut out for the job.¡± I meekly looked up to Sly, giving her a lopsided smile. ¡°So have pity on this poor fucker, and pick up my slack, will ya?¡±


    ¡°Of course I will,¡± Sly said, sporting the first genuine smile since we entered this mysterious tunnel. ¡°I¡¯m sure the rest won¡¯t hold it against you. We know how the Long Dark can get to you.¡±


    Before I could react, Gob¡¯s presence made itself known in my mind, voice whispering directly into my head. But you¡¯re no longer in that precious Long Dark of yours.He giggled. If only you knew what skulked these tunnels...I tried to ignore his venomous tongue, focusing instead on the warmth of Sly¡¯s arm wrapped around my waist. A warmth that dimmed at Gob¡¯s final words. Enjoy it while you can, Boss. Enjoy it while it lasts¡­And with that his misty form faded away, leaving me with blissful silence. Silence I have yearned for, for three days straight.For now¡­ he¡¯ll be back. I''m sure.


    ¡°... and you can work with the Wind Warlocks. How does that sound?¡± Sly asked, eyes sparkling with hope.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I stopped moving towards my group, softly trying to peal myself from Sly¡¯s embrace. ¡°I need some time alone, okay?¡± Her head drooped down, hair hiding the eyes beneath, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, trust me. I¡¯ve just been¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but sigh as I rubbed my tired eyelids. ¡°Look, I haven¡¯t had more than four hours of sleep since we entered¡­ where ever this place is. Just give me a good night¡¯s rest, and I¡¯ll be fine. Okay?¡±


    ¡°You know¡­¡± One of her hands began making its way down my chest, heading towards dangerous territory. ¡°I could help you with those nightmares of yours,¡± Sly said, sporting a mischievous smile. ¡°If only for one night.¡± Her other hand had snaked its way behind my head, suddenly drawing me in for a deep kiss.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    One that quickly ended when I realized where I was. ¡°Shit, Sly!¡± I whispered, pulling myself free. ¡°Everybody¡¯s watching!¡±


    ¡°Let them,¡± she said, giving my neck another thug. I desperately struggled against getting closer to those soft lips. It wasn¡¯t really working. When did she get so strong?


    Another kiss, and another gasp later, I renewed my resistance. My desire locked into battle with the burning flames that were shame and embarrassment. ¡°Tell me this is just your Lust talking.¡±


    ¡°It could be,¡± she smiled. ¡°Or it could be allme.¡± A dangerous glint flashed through her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s only one way to find out.¡± I don¡¯t like where those hands are heading. Okay, maybe we need to- Abort! Abort! Abandon the operation!


    I grabbed her wrists before catastrophe struck, though it didn¡¯t do anything for all the Awakened eyes paying rapt attention to our performance. Eyes that made my embarrassment reach new-found heights. ¡°Yes¡­¡± I peeled away her hands. ¡°I¡¯m think I¡¯m going to go now¡­¡±Maybe even find a hole to crawl into. I quickly began walking away from the group, and further into the tunnel. ¡°Yes¡­ someplace to bury myself in.¡± I could hear muffled laughter behind me. ¡°Preferably forever.¡± Their snickering haunted me for several more hours.


    ¡°Do you mind if I join you?¡± I asked the unlikely couple. The large tunnel we were walking in was darker than usual, though that didn¡¯t matter to me. I could still see Maximilian grin at my request, and Isabelle¡¯s soft blush developing at my appearance. Fucking Sly and her antics.


    ¡°Good to have you back, Marcus,¡± Maximilian said. He let go of her hand, opting instead to position himself between me and the timid woman. A woman that seemed to have found something resembling security in Maximilian. Makes it easier to keep my promise with Richtus, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°So, Marcus¡­¡± He lowered his voice, keeping his pace even. ¡°I know it is kind of crass of me to pry into personal matters, but¡­¡± It was but a whisper now. ¡°What was she like?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You know¡­¡± He gave me a wink. ¡°How did your nightly escapade go?¡± I could only give him a blank look, one that was met with an equally blank stare. ¡°You¡­ you didn¡¯t do it yet?¡±


    The unanswered questions hung heavy in the air, bringing with it the gaze of several nearby Awakened. ¡°Mind your own business,¡± I snarled at one of them. The man quickly backed off, as others made way around us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind them.¡± Maximilian interjected. ¡°They¡¯re just curious. Their almighty symbol of hatred, the one responsible all their current misery, turned out to be some embarrassed virgin from the slums.¡±


    ¡°How do they know that!?¡± I hissed under my breath.


    ¡°Oh, everybody knows, Marcus.¡± He stretched his arms behind his head. ¡°There is not a lot to do besides walking. Rumors and gossip are but one way to pass the time.¡± His statement made me keenly aware of the constant whispering that now surrounded us. ¡°Frankly, high society has nothing on these people,¡± he chuckled to himself. ¡°It seems no matter where I go, there will always be someone willing to pass juicy information.¡± He looked at me, eyes twinkling. ¡°I¡¯ve never met a girl so scrawny, yet so full of life. The tales she has been telling us, have been entertaining to say the least.¡±


    Dagger! Oh, when I get my hands on you¡­.¡°Do not worry, Marcus. This is a good thing, embrace it.¡± He slung an arm around my neck. ¡°Yesterday they hated your guts. Now¡­ now they just dislike you. Well, at least most of them do.¡± He patted my shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s good, trust me. Dislike you can live with. Hate¡­¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Hate is something else. Hate gets your food poisoned, and your pets killed.¡±


    Maximilian¡¯s eyes had grown vacant, as if he was staring at something in the distance. ¡°You okay?¡±


    He blinked, life returning to his eyes as quickly as it had left it. ¡°I¡¯m fine. But more importantly.¡± He drew me closer. ¡°Don¡¯t start talking to yourself again. It freaks people out more than you think.¡±


    ¡°That was just¡­¡± What was that actually? I scratched the back of my head. ¡°I hadn¡¯t slept properly for three days straight. I think I¡¯m fine now.¡± It hasn¡¯t come back. So that¡¯s something.


    ¡°Good to hear.¡± He looked around, shooing away those Awakened that seemed to be a little too close for comfort, before whispering, ¡°So you said you saw Gob?¡±


    I temporarily halted my steps. ¡°Wait¡­ you believe me?¡±


    ¡°Ssshhh.¡± Maximilian pressed a finger to my lips. ¡°I¡¯m already in enough danger as it is. Being the only true noble around here is hard enough without being associated with a madman.¡± I¡¯m the local loonie now? ¡°So, what did he do?¡±


    I looked around before joining in Maximilian¡¯s whispering, ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know if it was Gob. But I know for sure that it looked like Gob.¡± I furrowed my brow, trying to come up with the events of the past days. Events I would rather forget. ¡°The thing had been stalking me non-stop since we entered this tunnel. Always whispering insults, laughing when I did something stupid, or keeping me awake at night with its terrible singing.¡±


    ¡°What? It sang to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes it fucking sang to me.¡± I shivered at the memory. ¡°Its was like listening to a cat getting skinned alive. One that decided to sing the most annoying song known to humanity.¡±


    ¡°That sounds¡­. terrible¡±


    ¡°It was fucking terrible,¡± I chided. ¡°And every time I tried to bash that stupid face of his, I would just pass through him. No matter what I used, be it magic or weapons, it flew through it like it was just mere air.¡± Horribly annoying air.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you¡­ you know, just ignore it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± I began whispering louder. ¡°Every time I did that, it became twice as annoying. I plugged my ears, it sang twice as loud. I ignored its comments, it would start screaming directly into my mind. If I refused to talk, it would begin discussing certain¡­ memories.¡±


    Maximilian grimaced at that last sentence. ¡°I take it back, that¡¯s not terrible, that¡¯s torture.¡± He shot a quick glance at Isabelle. ¡°So do you have any clue what it is, or what it wants?¡±


    ¡°It must be Gob, otherwise I¡¯m being chased by some shadow that just happened to be as, if not even more, annoying than that little runt.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve read about such ghosts before,¡± Maximilian said, lost in thoughts. ¡°They¡¯re send by the coalition in the east. Harassing dangerous criminals till they are too weak to resist capture.¡± He was shaking his head. ¡°Though it doesn¡¯t add up. Magic should kill them easily enough. But reading memories¡­ that¡¯s a whole new thing. Countries would kill for something like that.¡±


    ¡°So what do you think?¡±


    ¡°It could be Gob. Hells, if that display at the bridge wasn¡¯t an illusion, but his real power; it probably is.¡± He looked me in the eye. ¡°The only way to know for sure is to see if that thing interacts with the environment in any visibleway. Interactions which can be seen by both you andother people.¡±


    ¡°And if I''m the only one seeing it do things?¡±


    ¡°Well, my friend, then I suggest you keep your new-found insanity under wraps.¡±

 Chapter 25

    Strike first. Strike hard.


    - Way of the warrior, by Grumnir Deephelm


    A loud smack resounded through the tunnel.


    ¡°Ow!¡± Dagger said, rubbing the back of her head. ¡°What the fuck you do that for?¡±


    ¡°You know damn well why,¡± I replied. And don¡¯t give me those puppy eyes. ¡°Or would you rather have certain rumors spread about you?¡±


    Dagger averted her eyes. ¡°Told you he was gonna find out,¡± Dirk said. He was sitting crouched in front of us, ear pressed against a series of wooden plank blocking our way through the tunnel.


    Dagger scooted closer to him, trying to get away from me. ¡°Hear anything yet?¡±


    ¡°Maybe if you finally shut up¡­¡± I could only sigh at the twins lax behavior. It¡¯s been five days of walking, five days where nothing happened. No wonder they were letting their guard down. As if you¡¯ve been acting so great lately. Do I need to remind you of th- Shut up. I willed the voice away. It sounded like my own, but that didn¡¯t mean it was necessarily my own thoughts. Whatever Gob, or it, was doing, he was being a lot more subtler than before. That, or I¡¯m really going crazy. You already were.


    I almost began wishing for another manifestation already, something to swipe at for stress relief.


    ¡°Nope, nothing.¡± Dirk removed his ear from the boards. ¡°Whatever that place is, it seems abandoned.¡±


    ¡°See!¡± Dagger smiled. ¡°So it didn¡¯t matter that I set off that alarm earlier.¡± This time it was Dirk that slapped her in the back of the head. ¡°How could you hit your own sister!?¡±


    ¡°Cause you keep doing dumb shit.¡±


    ¡°Shut up you two¡± I hissed. ¡°Something just moved.¡± I was peering through one of the cracks between the boards, spotting a shadowy figure dash into one of the clustered buildings.


    ¡°What?¡± Dirk whispered before pressing his ears against the boards. ¡°We¡¯ve been sitting here for at least two hours. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve heard nothing move.¡± His eyes were closed in concentration. ¡°Do you think that primitive alarm tipped them off?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Though that would mean they¡¯ve been hiding for two hours straight. I¡¯m guessing that one of them just woke up.¡±


    ¡°Do those things even sleep?¡± Dagger asked.


    ¡°Could be, or it could be that one of them just arrived a few seconds ago.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Whatever it is, I¡¯m not taking any chances.¡± I turned to Dagger. ¡°Send the signal.¡±


    She nodded before whispering into the cusp of her palmed hands. A few seconds later she released the message, pushing it away from us and towards a shining light in the distance. Barely a minute had passed before another breeze swept past us, carrying Hilda¡¯s firm whispers, ¡°Got the message. Sly¡¯s been informed. Help is coming your way.¡±


    There was a faint mumbling coming from further up in the tunnel, followed by a series of flashing red lights. A while later, the rest of the our Wind Warlocks came sneaking down the tunnel. The pair had their demons in tow; two small imps that both sported a set of wings. Wings that were unusually large for an imp their size. Hilda, however, was noticeably absent, for she needed to remain where she was. Pity she¡¯s only one of four that can use message. The first one was me, and the other two were still busy peering through the board cracks.


    ¡°Get ready,¡± I told the twins, tapping their shoulders just to be sure.


    ¡°Got it, cap,¡± Dagger said, before stopping her peeping. She took a few steps back, her skin rippling as she did. It turned ashen gray, though that change was minor compared to the others. Another pair of arms slipped through openings made in the back of her clothing; they were thicker and more muscled compared to her normal limbs, sporting dagger like claws that ended in pointy tips. Her lips parted in a smile, showing serrated teeth as her pupils continually adjusted themselves as she looked around, shielded by a second eyelid whenever she blinked.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve improved,¡± I said, spotting the new singular eye opening between her brows.


    ¡°Hehe. Thanks, cap,¡± Dagger said, ashen gray cheeks growing slightly darker. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to grow it on the back of my head, but seeing all around me still makes me barf.¡±


    ¡°No worries, you¡¯ve got time to improve.¡± I turned around. ¡°You ready Dirk?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± the man replied; skin turned several shades darker. Though if one were to take a closer look, they would find it covered in numerous, tiny black hairs. Hairs that even covered the empty space where his eyes should have been. Instead there was a pair of antennas a bit further up; ones that twitched and squirmed at the slightest bits of movement or sound. Dirk had opted to take off his pants, and for good reason. A thick, hairy bulb, the size of cooking pot, was firmly attached to the base of his spine. Protruding from it was a long, black stinger, ready to pierce anything.


    The pair of incoming reinforcements looked grossly inadequate in comparison to these two, and they seemed to know it. Jameswas alternating his gaze between Dirk and his small imp, looking visibly dejected at the difference in power. Mary,on the other hand, was looking at Dagger with eyes full of wonder, not noticing the way her imp softly pulled on her clothing before beginning to sulk.


    They had told me they weren¡¯t related to each other, just from the same village, though one wouldn¡¯t say that at a glance. Both had brown hair, brown eyes, and a slightly upturned nose. Maybe villagers in Cedia look alike? Or maybe their dad had been very naught- Fuck off. I snapped my fingers, both to grab their attention, and to ward off my insanity. Shame you won¡¯t be seeing your dad ever again.


    I quickly smothered the rage that remark brought, trying to control my facial expression as I whispered, ¡°Listen up, people.¡± I picked up the pickax near my feet, twirling it before pointing at the wooden planks. ¡°I saw something move on the other side of this barricade. Unfortunately for us, that¡¯s the only way out of this tunnel.¡± I softly tapped the wood. ¡°Whatever it is, its bound to move once I start breaking down these boards.¡± I pointed at the four before me. ¡°Your job is to kill it in case it decides to interfere. If it turns out to be something dangerous, or another one of those stampeding hordes, we¡¯ll retreat while sending the signal. Afterwards, we''ll regroup with Sly and the rest of our defenses further in.¡± I planted the tool¡¯s shaft into the ground, softly leaning on its head. ¡°Any questions?¡±


    Jamesraised his hand, gazing both at Dirk and Dagger. ¡°I don¡¯t see how we can be of much help with you having those two, and us only having¡­¡± He looked at his own demon. ¡°These.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    The imp¡¯s ears drooped as it wings curled around it. ¡°I take it you¡¯ve been paying attention to Sly¡¯s demonology lessons?¡± The man nodded, and so did Mary when I turned to her. ¡°So you should know that they¡¯ll grow stronger over time as they absorb your mana. These twonext to me have a few years of headstart, but don¡¯t let that fool you. Were they to face a Warlock¡¯s demon of equivalent age, they would most likely lose the fight. A fair fight, mind you,¡± I chuckled. ¡°So don¡¯t let it get to you, you¡¯ll catch up to these Shapers soon enough.¡±


    ¡°But how the hell does that help us now?¡± the man asked, raising his voice.


    ¡°There¡¯s more, so stop whining.¡± James seemed to wither under my stare. One that I began directing towards his sulking imp. ¡°First things first, you¡¯re dismissing the advantage numbers bring. Secondly,¡± I crouched down. ¡°These guys are a lot more dangerous than they look.¡± The imp¡¯s ears seemed to perk up, eyes peeking from between its wings. ¡°And what would your name be, little fellow?¡±


    The imp looked left and right before settling his gaze on James. A small nod from him was all that was needed to get his name. ¡°I¡¯m Gargiks¡±


    ¡°Well Gargiks, I take it you¡¯re quite the fighter?¡±


    The imp eagerly nodded his head. ¡°Yes, yes. Gargiks has killed many things. Small things, big things. With sharp claw, claws.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you did.¡± The sarcasm was lost on the imp as he gave me a beaming smile in return. They may morph differently, but I¡¯ve yet to find an imp that didn¡¯t like to brag. I looked at Jamesand Mary. ¡°They¡¯re fast, and they¡¯re deadly. And they¡¯ll gut your sorry ass if you¡¯re stupid enough to underestimate them.¡± Both imps seemed to be basking in my praise, sporting a pair of goofy grins.


    ¡°Besides, you two have forgotten the most important part.¡± I stood up. ¡°They don¡¯t fear death.¡± I turned to Gargiks ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°Dying hurt, hurts¡­¡± Gargiks said while stroking his arms. ¡°But its not the end, end. So Gargiks not afraid.¡±


    I looked back at the Warlock pair. ¡°They¡¯re small, they¡¯re fast. But most importantly, they¡¯re fearless.¡± Gargiks¡¯s wings were softly flapping as I stroked his bald head. ¡°Humans can scrape by with begging. Imps need to fight tooth and nail if they want to see the next day.¡± Mary¡¯s imp had scooted closer, pressing its head against my other hand. ¡°You take care of them, and they¡¯ll take care of you.¡± Unless they just happened to be something pretending to be an imp. Like a certain someone¡­ who is absolutely gorgeou- GET OUT OF MY HEAD.


    My hands had stopped rubbing, much to the dismay of the two imps in front of me. ¡°Sorry, guys, but we¡¯ve got work to do.¡± Their pointy ears began to sag again. ¡°If you do a good job, you might get awarded a rub by your master.¡± The mere mention of reward made both imps giddy with excitement. It seems their Warlocks'' Greed is already beginning to rub off on them.


    ¡°But first.¡± I turned around, closing my eyes as I faced the wooden . ¡°A final peek.¡± I could feel myself slipping again, entering that dark void of shining lights. Not even a minute had passed before I had reached the sufficient depth. I opened my eyes, letting out a sigh of relief as numerous stars filled my vision. It was now easier to slip into the trance, though that surely wasn¡¯t the case just three days ago. The constant harassment, coupled with mental exhaustion, had barred me from entering this place for quite a while. It made me feel vulnerable, walking the Long Dark without my greatest weapon, for one could never have enough information in this damned place.


    Speaking of which. The lights were noticeably sparser than normal. It seemed that whoever had lived here had done a good job at mining out the majority of the crystal veins. The only sources of nearby light were the ones besides me, and the small cluster in front of me; crystal which we had observed earlier through the board cracks¡ªsitting abandoned in a mine cart. Its light had helped us identify the surrounding area. A bunch of stone buildings surrounding a central point where different tracks met. We hadn¡¯t seen anyone, or anything, move during our two hour long stakeout. And even now, I still couldn¡¯t see anything besides the crystal. So whatever moved, it either left, or wasn¡¯t magical to begin with.


    I preferred the former, but I¡¯ll take whatever I could get. ¡°No signs of moving magic,¡± I said, snapping my vision back to the material world. ¡°Though that doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t anything there. Keep your eyes peeled, and your ears open.¡± I jammed the pointy end of the pickax between one of the boards. ¡°Everybody ready?¡±


    Their chorus of grunts was followed by the sounds of wood being wrenched, torn, and chopped off where it needed to be. Plank by plank, I dismantled the barricade, making sure to take the occasional small break to see if we caught any creature¡¯s attention. None came, and within minutes the way had been cleared , leaving only a pile of broken wood as a reminder of what once was. I bet Sly will be happy to have it. Something else to burn besides stinking Founder hair.


    ¡°Dagger, Dirk, you take the lead.¡± I turned to James and Mary.¡°I want your imps behind them in case we run into trouble.¡± A few short commands later, and I was in the rear with the rest of our Wind Warlocks, tightly clutching the pickax in my hands. I¡¯d rather have a demon, but it¡¯s better than nothing.


    We were slowly inching our way through the large cavern, and towards the seemingly abandoned buildings, carefully checking our surrounding with every step. The light of the stashed mine cart crystal provided much needed vision on the shadowy surroundings, though we always had Dirk to fall back on in case we got ourselves trapped in total darkness. ¡°Cap, I think I see something,¡± Dagger whispered. The entire party froze. ¡°They¡¯re letters.¡± She pointed at one of the buildings entryways. ¡°It says Mogrim¡¯s respite in Foundish.¡±


    I peeled my eyes, unable to even see a single marking at this distance, let aloneindividual letters. I would have to take her word on it, though the chance of finding some undiscovered Founder ruins seemed almost too good to be true. Maybe we¡¯ll be able to get rid of this Mark after all.


    We continued towards the building Dagger pointed at. It seemed to be the largest of the bunch, consisting of three stories chiseled into rock. Its dark walls were unadorned, but it sported the familiar square windows and impressively smooth rock that Founder houses were known for. This is it. I could barely contain the fluttering in my stomach. Once we gather enough artifacts, we¡¯ll just need to find a way back to the city and be done with it.


    Once we passed the cart, Dagger bend down, picking up something shining beneath its wheels. It was a metal lantern, one which had a white crystal embedded in its center. ¡°Finders, keepers,¡± Dagger said with a stupid grin before marching onward with her new light source clutched in hand. Things are looking up. Now all we needed to do was stumble upon a cache of rune weapons, and we¡¯ll be set. If only it were that easy¡­ like your mo- WE ARE NOT GOING THERE.


    ¡°Did you hear something?¡± Mary asked, frantically looking around at every moving shadow.


    ¡°No, nothing.¡± I turned to Dirk. ¡°And you?¡±


    The man¡¯s antenna twitched a couple of times, before staying still. ¡°Can¡¯t hear anything but the wind, captain.¡±


    ¡°No, I-I just thought that,¡± Mary said. ¡°Since you suddenly stopped moving, you know, you might have heard something.¡±


    ¡°No, I was just inspecting our surroundings for a second time, just to be sure.¡± Absolutely not talking with the voices in my head. Nope. The woman wiped off some of the sweat on her brow, meekly nodding before continuing to walk. Good safe. ¡°Keep me posted in case you do pick up something, corporal.¡±


    The man twitched his antenna in confirmation. ¡°Will do, capta-¡± The antenna froze, and so did Dirk. Almost immediately the things started to twitch and squirm in multiple directions; head swiveled towards the building we were currently walking to. ¡°Something exhaled, then inhaled sharply, captain. I think it was trying to hold its breath.¡± Why would it do that? Unless¡­ Dagger and Dirk had the same idea, bodies tense and ready to strike at anything and everything. An intelligent monster. The worst kind of opponent one could possibly get. I scanned the nearby surroundings, noticing how our position was the worst one could possibly be in. We were in the middle of the settlement, surrounded by flat terrain, and shadowy buildings on all sides. ¡°I hear movement, captain. What are your orders?¡±


    I pointed at one of the houses we had past. ¡°We go back to the tunnel, but we¡¯ll need to keep our backs to the wall till we get there.¡± As I was giving out my commands, I spotted a faint glint in the window I was pointing at. A glint that rested on a weapon well known to me.


    Is that¡­ a crossbow?


    There was a hard twang as something whizzed past my face before clattering against the stone behind me. I softly touched my cheek, coating my fingers in fresh blood. My mind still reeled from the near death experience as several more glinting tips appeared in nearby windows. BZZZZZZZZZ Some weird sound went of in my head, followed by Gob¡¯s ever annoying voice


    You guessed wrong.


    It¡¯s multiple crossbows.

 Chapter 26

    Honesty begets wisdom.


    - Handbook of the Keepers


    ¡°Everyone on your knees.¡±


    A quick scan had shown the hopelessness of our situation. Surrounded on all sides, with no cover but our own. One false move, and we would be dead before we knew it.


    ¡°Keep your fists above your head.¡±


    My commands were quickly followed as the rest of the squad followed my lead. (Even the imps, albeit it rather clumsily.) James earned a kick to the shin when he raised his hands above his head, palms open. ¡°Close them, you idiot!¡± I hissed. Luckily, none of our ambushers had decided to turn us into pincushions for that mistake. They were too busy glaring at us with fear in their eyes. And something else which I couldn¡¯t put my finger on.


    I studied the face of the one that almost killed me. The thing was mostly obscured by an iron helmet that covered everything above the nose, leaving two, rectangular gaps through which his eyes peered. Iguessed it was a he since a dark brown beard covered the chain mail guarding his neck.


    What frightened me the most was that the man¡¯s crossbow was softly trembling, fingers tightly clenched around the triggering device. Killed by a coward. A fitting end for you. I clicked my tongue, this was not the time and place to be dealing with my recent¡­ distractions of the mind. I agree. Jacking off would send the wrong kind of message.


    A harsh series of shouts broke me from my internal rant of creative curses. It came from the building Sly had previously pointed at. It can¡¯t be¡­ Standing in the opening were three armor-clad warriors which could only be described as a weird mixture between Sloth and Gluttony. They were small, smaller than the average human. Hells, even Pickle would have looked big in comparison to them. But they made up that difference in sheer bulk. Like someone had taken the hulking monstrosity that was Hammer, and condensed it to a smaller, walking, talking wall of muscle. One that was armed to the teeth as well.


    The middle one barked another series of shouts at us, pointing his two-handed ax our way. I wasn¡¯t a craftsman, but I knew what sold well. And that thing would¡¯ve been enough to start a war over. Not to mention that fucking armor. Thick, engraved, metal plates covered every inch of the man, safe for the long, blond beard that stretched over his belly. The other two sported less impressive weapons and armors, though less than invaluable was still more than enough to make me drool. And not only me. It seemed our shared primal Sin had gotten the best of my party.


    The man said something to the shield holding warrior besides him, the one without any visible beard, after which the warrior quickly retreated back into the building. A few seconds later he emerged again, hand grasping a piece of small, flat rock. One that had a glowing white character chiseled into it. Rune.


    Everything clicked. The armor. The weapons. The thick frame. Granted, I knew it the moment that trio stepped forth from the building. But it couldn¡¯t, no¡­, didn¡¯t want to admit the truth. Not until the Founder had donned the necklace, rune resting on his beard, and began to speak. ¡°My name is Mogrim Deephelm, Guardian of this outpost.¡± He slammed his fist on his breastplate. ¡°Identify yourselves.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice seemed less harsh and guttural than before, but that didn¡¯t mean he sounded friendlier. A silent threat had followed his last words; one that hung heavy in the air. ¡°I am their leader,¡± I said, locking eyes with the man. ¡°Let me speak for them.¡± The man gave a nod, beckoning me forward. Ever so slowly, I stoop up before moving myself towards the front of our group, making sure to avoid any and all sudden movements. James and Mary were too busy silently whimpering to make much of an impression, but Dirk and Dagger had probably reached the same conclusion that I had. Dirk was still, safe for the occasional twitch of his antenna. Dagger, on the other hand, was rapidly blinking her eyes, brows furrowed in utter confusion. Shit, if I¡¯d known that the Founders were still alive, I would¡¯ve payed more attention during the Archives¡¯ history lessons.


    I calmly breathed out, panic wasn¡¯t going to help me in any way. These were people, and people could be reasoned with. Let¡¯s just hope I remember enough about their customs. I really don¡¯t want to fuck this up. Don¡¯t worry. Worst case scenario, you¡¯ll just end up dead.


    You¡¯re not helping. And neither are you. Now, start talking or get skewered. I had been spacing out again, much to the ire of the man in front of me. ¡°My name is Marcus Ashwood, captain, and current leader of this group.¡± Afterwards I began introducing the rest one by one, stating their names and ranks in order from the highest to the lowest. Such was the Founder¡¯s way. I think¡­Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    At least it didn¡¯t seem the wrong method since Mogrim signaled the rest to lower their weapons, taking his time to study our faces¡ªespecially mine. ¡°Who are you?¡± the man asked. The question made me slightly panic. Didn¡¯t I just tell you? Or maybe the rune didn¡¯t properly translate what we were saying. Did he think I was lying?


    ¡°I-I, we¡­ as I¡¯ve said my name is Ma-¡±


    ¡°We know you Vyvaries don¡¯t like stating your true names, but let me remind you that you¡¯re trespassing on dwarven territory. Our treaties dictates that you identify yourselves.¡± He planted his ax into the ground, eyes squinted at me. ¡°So let me ask again. Who are you?And more importantly, where did you learn that form?¡±


    Vyvaries? Dwarven territory? What is he talking about? The Founder¡¯s helmet obscured his face, leaving no clue to work with safe for the silent threat his gaze conveyed. I swallowed on reflex.¡°I don¡¯t know what a Vyvary is, but I can as-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me!¡± the Founder shouted, hefting his ax once more. Instantly all crossbows were aimed at our group again, causing Mary to softly start crying. Mogrim lowered his weapon as he gazed at her, letting out a long sigh. ¡°I get it now¡­ you¡¯re just youngsters forced to do dirty work. I should be mad at your cowardly elders, not you.¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°Still, I can¡¯t give you the crystals. No matter how desperate the Vyvaries are.¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t ne-¡±


    ¡°No buts.¡± He held up his hand. ¡°Just tell your elders that if they want their crystals, they¡¯ll have to get it the usual way. Oh, one more thing.¡± He pointed at my face. ¡°I don¡¯t know who though it funny to teach you that Mark, but I¡¯ll warn you. Most dwarves would have struck you down for imitating a Sin-bearer.¡± A deep chuckle resonated from his armor. ¡°Luckily for you, I¡¯m not much of a traditionalist.¡± That remark caused a series of laughs among the other Founders. Their weapon lowered as the previous tension was all but gone.


    Seeing the changed atmosphere, I lowered my hands. Not really sure how to proceed. Should I clear up the misconception? Or try something else? It did not take long to arrive at an answer, for Mogrim was already speaking to his guards about other things. ¡°We¡¯re sorry, Mogrim Deephelm,¡± I said. The man stopped talking before looking at me. ¡°It seems there¡¯s been a misconception. We¡¯re not Vyvaries, we¡¯re actu-¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. I know.¡± With some effort I managed to avoid clenching my fists. ¡°You¡¯re totally notVyvaries,¡± he said, rolling his eyes. If you would just let me finish for once. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about my report. I¡¯ll make up some excuse for the short delay in mining. Nobody will know you were here, trust me.¡±


    ¡°If you would ju-¡±


    ¡°Listen, kid,¡± Mogrim sighed. ¡°You¡¯re lowlander disguise isn¡¯t too shabby, though next time you should make yourself less¡­ big. Lowlanders that matched dwarves in strength were an exception, not the rule.¡± He tapped the side of his helmet. ¡°Still, that fake wound on your cheek really fooled me. If lowlanders existed in this forge forsaken place, you would¡¯ve tricked me for sure.¡± He looked at Dirk, Dagger, and the other two imps. ¡°Were it not for your companions¡¯ choice of disguise.¡±


    ¡°Could you please just listen to me?¡±


    ¡°What more is there to discuss?¡± Mogrim asked, counting down fingers. ¡°You¡¯ve wasted several hours of precious mining time. I¡¯ve graciously decided to overlook your attempt at theft. I¡¯m willing to let you go despite clear violation of current treaties. I¡¯ve complimented your ability at maintaining this unusual form, giving you some pointers for improvement. And no¡­ you¡¯re not getting any crystals.¡±


    As Mogrim counted down his long list, the bearded Founder next to him had gone into the building before coming back with a bucket of what seemed to be water. Mogrim had barely finished his last sentence before the wooden container¡¯s content was flung at my face. The complete absurdity of the action caused me to freeze into place, getting completely drenched in the process.


    ¡°Did I ask for your help?¡± Mogrim asked, turning towards the Founder in question. The man replied something in that harsh language of theirs, but I couldn¡¯t understand. Whatever was said, it caused Mogrim to raise a tightened fist. One that froze mid-air as the non bearded shield bearer began to tap his shoulder.


    ¡°One moment, love, I¡¯m busy,¡± he replied. Surprisingly, a short, high pitched voice came from the shield bearing armor. It sounded distraught as its taping intensified; shield pointed at me. Mogrim visibly deflated as he turned around. ¡°What is it, woman?¡±


    He froze once he laid eyes on me, the bearded Founder next to him showing a similar reaction. ¡°Get me another bucket.¡± Mogrim said. The Founder remained stock-still. ¡°Bring me another bucket, NOW!¡±


    The man made a small jump before darting inside the building once more. Some of the other Founders had raised their crossbows in the meantime, whilst other just looked on stupefied. Is is supposed to be some special liquid? It didn¡¯t smell. A quick lick of my lips revealed it to be tasteless, just like normal water. Its just water, why the big deal? Cause you look hideous without your makeup.


    Before I could react, Mogrim had found himself another bucket of that colorless liquid. ¡°Don¡¯t you move,¡± he said. Not that I was planning it with all these projectiles aimed at me. The Founder threw the liquid, drenching me a second time. He eyed me closely, sporting the same stupefied look the other Founders were wearing. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t the water work?¡± He took off his helmet, revealing a large nose and thick eyebrows. Thick eyebrows that were raised in amazement. ¡°You¡¯re not reverting...¡± Hepinched his cheek, blinking several times with his blue eyes. ¡°And I ain¡¯t dreaming.¡±


    This time he furrowed his brows, hefting the priceless ax once more into the air, asking that same question¡ªone more time.


    ¡°Whoare you?¡±

 Chapter 27

    To stand before a Sin-bearer, is to stand before the Forgefather himself. Heed him well, for he hears his whispers, and speaks his words.


    - Handbook of the Keepers


    Mogrim groaned as he sat down, tightly grasping the female Foun- dwarven hand on his shoulder before letting it go.¡°Thanks for the chair, love,¡± he said. She seemed to ask him a question. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I just need a minute, that¡¯s all.¡± She rummaged into the backpack she had brought, taking out an expensive looking pipe. He graciously accepted the object, stuffing and lighting it in a few fluid motions. He drew deeply, before exhaling a long, thick, cloud of smoke; the weariness, created by our long conversation, disappearing from the lines on his face. What remained was the weird, angular tattoo under his eyebrow. Something that turned out to be a Mark on closer inspection.


    We were still sitting in the middle of the outpost, though the mood was completely different. Where once fear and suspicion ruled, there remained only a sense of awe. And hope. Hope that was apparent in all their faces, even the grumpy looking Mogrim in front of me.


    The blond dwarf leaned back into his stone chair, talking as he gazed up at the ceiling. ¡°So you couldn¡¯t get out?¡±


    ¡°Magic, tools, nothing worked,¡± I replied. ¡°Once we found ourselves in the tunnel, we were stuck there. Nothing we did damaged the earth in the slightest.¡±


    ¡°So the barrier is still up¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°No matter, if half of what you say was true, that will be more than we could possibly hope for.¡± He looked at my other party members, all of them still slightly damp from the earlier drenching. Dirk and Dagger were now back in their human forms, my explanations about our powers had raised more than a few eyebrows. ¡°Choosing to ally yourselves with demons, what is going on up there?¡±


    ¡°Humanity has had to make some¡­ difficult choices over the years,¡± I said. ¡°We weren¡¯t exactly blessed with many options.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not judging you on your choices, human. Father knows, we¡¯re hardly one to criticize.¡± Mogrim stared into the distance, before snapping back, ruffling his blond hair in the process. ¡°Its just¡­ aaagghhh, this was supposed to be an easy day. Mine some crystals, drink some ale. And then you people show up telling me you just stumbled in here.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t stum-¡±


    ¡°I know. But you did manage to get in. Nothing has gotten in. Notfor a thousandyears.¡± A warm smile began to fill his face. ¡°But if there is a way in, that means there is a way out.¡± All the other dwarves eyes glazed over with that single remark. How long have they been here? How high can you count?


    I was a bit weary breaking their new-found happiness. But I knew Sly, and she would undoubtedly have considered us dead or lost after this two hour long absence. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if the whole group came barreling down the passage in a desperate attempt to break through. We were running dangerously low on water. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯ll agree to help us?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do more than help you. But first a final test.¡± Mogrim snapped his finger, at which the female dwarf carefully searched for something in the bag. At some point she stopped rummaging, pulling out a long, thin necklace. One that bore the unmistakable symbol of the Forgefather. She held it out in front of her, careful to not let the small anvil touch any part of her armor. The armor-clad dwarf stopped in front of me, eyes glued on my face. More precisely, the Mark marring the whole left side of it.


    ¡°Open your hand,¡± Mogrim said. My slow and hesitant reaction did not seem to please the dwarf, for I found his iron grip forcing my arm forward, peeling my fingers open one by one beneath the dangling necklace. ¡°Truth be told.¡± Mogrim¡¯s breaths were beginning to get short and heavy, hands wet with new sweat. ¡°I had given up hope a long time ago, but this¡­ this could change everything.¡± I don¡¯t like this. Mogrim¡¯s eyes were getting bloodshot. I really don¡¯t like this. I tried to pull back, my arm barely budging from Mogrim¡¯s grasp. I could only struggle in vain as the necklace was slowly lowered, every other dwarf drifting closer to see the result.


    Then the metal touched my skin, and I could do nothing but grit my teeth. Smoke rose from the palm of my hand, body switching into panic mode at the familiar pain of burning. I could barely gasp for breath before Mogrim¡¯s grip was released, and I was left clutching my hand on the ground in anguish. I hissed and cursed, watching the smoke settle, revealing an anvil shaped scar on my skin.


    ¡°What the fuck¡­ did you do to me?¡± I panted. No one replied. ¡°I said, what the fuck did you do to me!?¡± There was only more silence. I glanced up, only to see every dwarf prostrating before me¡ªface firmly planted on the floor. What is happening?


    A dwarf spoke up. ¡°My deepest apologies, Sin-bearer.¡± It was Mogrim. ¡°It just¡­ we¡­¡± He raised his head, looking at me in a new light. ¡°The dwarves need to know for sure. Weneeded to know for sure.¡± He stood, pulling up the non-bearded warrior beside him before slowly shuffling closer; faces cast downwards, avoiding all eye contact. Once the pair was in front of me, he dropped to his knees, hefting his ax high as he remained fixated on the ground.


    ¡°Sin-bearer, h-hear my plea.¡± Mogrim¡¯s voice was beginning to shake. ¡°Striking us down for our transgressions is well within your rights. But please...¡± Something dripped from the man¡¯s face; it became apparent when he looked up. ¡°Please¡­ I beg of you.¡± The man was a wreck, tears and snot streaming down his face in equal measure. ¡°Bear my wife¡¯s Sins before you do.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The female dwarf besides him began towail beneath her helmet, screaming insults as she pummeled Mogrim with abandon. The man dropped the ax, catching both her arms before holding her tight in his embrace. Easily suppressing what weak resistance she put up, whispering softly as she sobbed into his breastplate, ¡°Ssshhh, my love, sssshhh.¡± He kissed the top of her helmet. ¡°It¡¯s okay now, ssshhh¡­¡± His eyes were puffy as he bit his lips, softly cradling the armored woman. ¡°It¡¯s just another century for me, nothing I couldn¡¯t bear.¡± He had sounded soft and reassuring, but his wide open eyes conveyed something different¡ªpure terror. He closed them tightly, hugging her even closer than before. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let him take you a second time. Consequences be damned.¡± He grasped her helmet, angling it up till she met his gaze. ¡°I will endure. I will return. And when I do, I will cleanse my Sins at last.¡± He kissed her helmet on more time. ¡°We will dine, together,in the Father¡¯s halls for eternity. You have my Oath.¡±


    The woman was briefly silent before replying. Magic buzzed in the air, causing them to both glow briefly in a faint blue light. As it settled, Mogrim wiped away his snot and tears. ¡°And so it is sworn.¡± He looked at me, then the woman. She briefly nodded as she peeled herself from his grasp, removing her helmet in the process. Beneath it was a dwarf with blond hair, fair skin, and a puffy cheeks. The polar opposite to the rough, and weathered exterior that was Mogrim. The only similarity, besides the hair, was the possession of a Mark. Its pattern burned into her skin, starting somewhere near her ear before snaking upwards and hooking itself into her eyebrow.


    She watched me, brown eyes red, but steps slow and resolute as she and Mogrim knelt in front of me. Only Mogrim¡¯s voice managed to draw me from that iron conviction. For his voice contained a even stronger determination, ¡°I may have broken with dwarven traditions, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have forsworn the Forgefather.¡± He pulled the fallen ax from the ground, offering it to me once more. ¡°We knew our lives were forfeit the moment we hurt you. But please¡­¡± He lowered his head. ¡°Grant this dwarf his final request.¡±


    My mind panicked, unsure what to do. Or more importantly, how to do it. My body, however, jumped at the opportunity, snatching the priceless ax from the dwarf¡¯s grip. Yoink. No refunds. A very familiar voice echoed in my head. Eeehhh, I mean *cough* *cough* this is your long deceased grandpa speaking. The voice sounded like it had squeezed its nose shut. I am merely reclaiming a¡­ ehm¡­ priceless heirloom of our family. Stolen long ago by¡­ uh¡­ less than human hands. But, alas, I can¡¯t speak much longer. The underworld¡¯s pull is getting stronger by the minute. I must go now, but remember that I always loved you.


    ¡­


    Gob.


    ¡­


    I know you¡¯re in there, Gob.


    ¡­


    No I¡¯m not.


    ¡­


    Gob. I don¡¯t care how you got there, but get out.


    I¡¯m not Gob, I¡¯m¡­ Bob. Wait, I mea-


    Gob.


    ¡­


    Yeeeess?


    OUT.


    There was a deep sigh, followed by a series of grumpy mumbling, and the sound of a door opening. A few seconds later, it slammed shut, bringing with it total mental silence. Wispy smoke began to flood out of my nostrils, forming into that ever irritating form of his.


    I crossed my arms, tapping my foot in irritation as Gob leaned lazily on Mogrim¡¯s head. The man was beginning to sweat profusely for some reason, but he gave no indication of noticing Gob. Not even when he began to sit on his shoulders, eyes droopy, and voice annoyed. ¡°I¡¯m out. Happy, Boss?¡±


    It took everything not to swipe off his stupid head. But I knew it wouldn¡¯t connect. It never did. So I just rubbed the bridge of my nose in annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m mad, let alone happy. Where were you? And why did you do all those things in the tunnel?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Gob stuck a pinky in his ear, wringing it around for good measure. ¡°I saw you eyeing that Sly girl. All lovey dovey, marriage in the air.¡± He pulled it out, inspecting the yellow goo. ¡°So I thought, why notgive you a taste of the married life. Someone has to prepare you for the rigors of spouse hood.¡±


    ¡°You mean that whole thing was training?¡± I could barely keep my mouth stop from hanging open. ¡°Even those whispers at the end?¡±


    ¡°Marriage is where hope goes to die.¡± Gob smeared the earwax onto Mogrim¡¯s pristine armor, leaving a nasty stain on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m an expert on this, trust me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been done trusting you a long time ago. Now I ju-¡±


    The dwarven woman pleaded something to me, clasping her hands profusely. ¡°Silence, love,¡± Mogrim said. ¡°He¡¯s clearly communicating with the Forgefather. Mercy is his decision, not yours.¡± The man was now sweating buckets, prostrating himself as low as he could. ¡°I beg your forgiveness, Sin-bearer. Her love had clouded her judgment. It will not happen again.¡±


    The woman bit her lip before mimicking Mogrim. The other dwarves just watched in amazement from a distance, silently whispering and pointing at me in wonder. My party had quite the different reaction, ranging from confused stares to slowly inching away.


    ¡°Not bad.¡± I turned to Gob¡¯s voice, only to find him sitting on Mogrim¡¯s back, feet resting on the woman before him. ¡°A bit too solid, Boss, but nothing a few cushions can¡¯t fix. I think we should keep them.¡±


    I raised the ax high, much to the dismay of the dwarves around me, only to stop at some shouting from the tunnel. A dwarf burst into the outpost, holding a scroll high as he shouted some words followed by Mogrim¡¯s name, over and over. He was exhausted, and panting, but still froze mid-stride when he saw the situation.


    Mogrim sat straight up, causing Gob to tumble on the floor face first. I chuckled at the sight. ¡°Fate is indeed funny, Sin-bearer,¡± Mogrim said. ¡°It seems I have one last task to perform in the Forgefather¡¯s name. If you permit me, that is.¡± I happily nodded, enjoying the way that Gob was rubbing his reddening nose.


    Mogrim beckoned the man closer, reading the scroll in deep concentration as Gob screamed in the background, ¡°I demand an execution, Boss! This aggression cannot, and will not stand! Off with his head, and burn the beard! I want hi...¡±


    I began to block out his mindless raving, finding it easier than expected. So all that nagging was good for something after all. Instead, I turned towards Mogrim, waiting for him to finish the scroll. His brow was deeply furrowed as he handed it back to the messenger. ¡°So¡­¡± Even I was getting curious. ¡°What did it say?¡±


    ¡°For some reason the Despoiler¡¯s armies have switched their targets five days ago. Whatever their aim, they¡¯ve been charging through the north-eastern front, closing in on this position whilst ignoring outposts and defenses at staggering losses. My guess would be that they are looking for something.¡±


    He met my gaze.


    ¡°Or someone.¡±

 Chapter 28

    Facing a trained mage is scary.


    Facing a prepared mage is terrifying.


    Though both of them have nothing onthe mage willing to wait.


    Why?


    Try dodging a fireball in your bedroll.


    See how that works out.


    - Way of the warrior, by Grumnir Deephelm


    ¡°Message received, we¡¯re heading your way.¡±


    Mogrim immediately gripped his ax tightly, looking at the shadows all around them. ¡°What was that?¡± he asked, pressing himself against the back of his wife as she branded her sword and shield in vigilance.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± I said. ¡°Dagger just messaged our agreement with some Wind Magic. What you heard was their reply.¡±


    Mogrim¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡°You mean that she¡¯s a mage?¡± Martha¡¯s mouth did that same when she heard her husband¡¯s question. Both of them proceeded to stare in wonder at Dagger, causing the usually bold blonde to blush slightly, squirming beneath their combined gazes.


    ¡°Hold on a second.¡± I raised my hand. ¡°Is her being a mage a problem?¡±


    ¡°No, no, Father forbid.¡± Mogrim backpedaled, frantically waving his hands in rejection. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ we were surprised. The story¡¯s my grandfather told me about the surface mages was nothing short of legendary. And to actually see one of them in the flesh¡­¡±


    I managed to suppress an internal groan as Mogrim¡¯s statement was overheard by the other dwarves, causing all of them looking at her in a new light. Should I tell them?One of the dwarves was so busy admiring the rat that he stumbled over a rock on the ground, scattering travel supplies all over the floor. This is going to be a problem.


    I tapped Mogrim on the shoulder as he berated the poor dwarf, beckoned him closer as I softly whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t panic at what I¡¯m about to say, okay?¡± The dwarf looked confused, but only briefly. He gave me a firm nod, before leaning his ear closer. ¡°Actually, everyone in our group is a mage.¡± Mogrim did his best, though that wasn¡¯t enough to stop the other dwarves from noticing his brief spasm. ¡°But most of them are¡­ underwhelming at best. I don¡¯t know what stories you¡¯ve heard, but don¡¯t go expecting us to be able to solve every little problem you have.¡± I leaned back, speaking normal this time, ¡°Do with that information what you will. You¡¯re probably know best how to use it to our advantage.¡±


    The man immediately clasped his hands, giving me a deep bow. ¡°Certainly master mag-, master Sin-bearer.¡± The other dwarves could only look on in curiosity as Mogrim whispered some words into Martha¡¯sear, causing the female dwarf to suffer a similar kind of reaction. Not that they looked on for long; Mogrim¡¯s second-in-command was busy kicking the asses, sometimes literally, of all those that slacked on his watch.


    Gurtrumseemed to take this job very seriously, hounding the various bearded men to ever greater speeds, making sure that everything was packed up and ready to go for our departure from the outpost. I had tried talking to the black-bearded man in the beginning, but since it came to light that I was supposedly a Sin-bearer, he had avoided me like the plague itself.


    Mogrim merely laughed at his actions, saying something along the lines of, ¡°You should confront him with a bucket.¡± I was stupid enough to follow his instructions, unable to understand the few curt replies the man gave as he bowed so low he could have kissed his knees. Shortly after, he took the bucket, heading into a building before emerging again. This time with a full one. One he used to drench himself from head to toe. Why he did it, or what it meant, I didn¡¯t know. But apparently it did the man some good as he stopped walking away whenever he noticed my presence.


    That same Gurtrumbriefly eyed me as he walked closer, stopping in front of the gossiping couple of Mogrim and Martha. Both of them too busy looking, whispering, and pointing at me to notice the five foot tall iron statue standing next to them. He cleared his throat, pretending not to notice his commander¡¯s sudden fluster as he struck his breastplate in salutation.


    He grunted a short series of sentences that caused Mogrim¡¯s face to redden at a rapid pace. ¡°What do you mean, the ale¡¯s gone?¡± the blonde dwarf shouted, raising his arms high in the air. ¡°How do nine barrels of ale just disappear overnight!?¡± Every dwarf in the settlement froze when they heard the news. There was a mixture of shock and stupor, that soon turned into anger and cries of outrage. Whatever had happened, it seemed to have taken priority over the looming threat of the incoming army.


    ¡°I want every beard present and accounted for!¡± Mogrim shouted. Dwarves hopped to his command, forming lines of ten dwarves abreast, several rows deep. All in all a good sixty to seventy dwarves stood still in the middle of the outpost, most of them still fuming with rage. ¡°Men,¡± Mogrim said. ¡°It seems we have an ale thief in our midst.¡± He began pacing in front of the group, eyeing each dwarf with careful scrutiny. ¡°I don¡¯t who of you had the stones to do this, but rest assured. I will find you soon enough. And when I do¡­ shaving your beard will be the least of your worries.¡±


    Mogrim gave Gurtruma nod. The man barked out an order, one that caused all dwarves to take off any headgear they were wearing as they remained ramrod straight, waiting like statues as Mogrim and Gurtrumworked their way down the line. They would stand in front of a dwarf, inspecting his eyes and cheeks before making him blow softly in their faces. They sniffed the air, asking some individual questions before moving on to the next.


    As this was happening, an earth-shattering belch resounded from the main building. One that remained unnoticed to everyone, except me. I could only facepalm as I watched a certain demon stumble out of the stone door, with stumble being a generous description. I should have known. ¡°Heee, heee, hee, hick.¡± Gob slowly made his way to the crystal filled mine cart, leaning hard to the left and right in opposite fashion, but never enough to topple over. Once there, he scrambled his way up, spreading his arms as he shouted, ¡°I¡¯m on top of the world!¡±


    He wobbled. ¡°Wohoho, hick, this world needz to pee¡­ hihi.¡± He pulled out something I¡¯d rather not have taken a look at. Something I did my best at to burn out of my mind whilst covering my eyes. Tell me this isn¡¯t happening. What followed was the sound of water hitting rock. Yep, its happening. I peeked through my fingers. Its happening, and no one seems to give a shit.


    Gob had his hands behind his head, shaking his hips left to right. ¡°Make it rain! Make it rain! Hick.¡± He spread his arms wide. ¡°Flood the unbelievers!¡± He tilted a bit too far backwards. ¡°Oh oh.¡± He landed in the pile of crystals, fluid shooting upwards and drenching him thoroughly. He just sat there giggling as it happened; giggles that slowly changed to snoring over time.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    He¡¯s sleeping in his own piss¡­ I groaned. Dirk and Dagger both gave me a strange look. My demon is sleeping in his own piss¡­ After a minute I was able to bear the shame of looking at the cart again.Should I pull him out? He didn¡¯t show any signs of crystallization, not even with the pure crystals all around him. Maybe I should do it anyway, just to be sure. But how was I supposed to transport him? No on else seemed able to. Not unless I carried him myse¡­ Nope. Not doing that. He¡¯ll be fine, no worries.


    Instead, I headed towards Martha, tapping her on the shoulder before pointing at Mogrim. She seemed to get the message, managing to pull away the man after a brief discussion. Mogrim was struggling the whole way, complaining as his wife forcibly dragged him to me. ¡°This is a grave matter, woman. Morale is at stake here. We can¡¯t-¡± His resistance relented when he saw me waiting, causing his wife to almost topple overfrom the sudden obedience. The couple quickly bowed their head when I approached, clasping their hands in the process. ¡°What is it, Sin bearer? Our lives are yours to command.¡±


    ¡°About that,¡± I said. ¡°We need to have a talk.¡±


    A shiver went through the man. ¡°Is something amiss?¡± he asked, lips trembling as he looked up. ¡°D-do you want to revoke your earlier mercy?¡± The question caused Martha¡¯shands to softly start shaking.


    ¡°For the last time,¡± I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you.¡± Mogrim let out a deep breath, before giving his wife a nod of assurance. ¡°And please stop the whole bowing and scraping thing, it¡¯s getting annoying.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, Sin-bearer.¡± He stood up straight, prompting Martha to do the same. ¡°So what was it that you wanted to discuss?¡±


    ¡°This whole Sin-bearing business.¡± Their shoulders sagged. ¡°I¡¯m not going back on my word. You would know if you let me finish for once.¡± Seriously, how evil do you think I am? ¡°With my group coming to meet you in short order, and the whole evacuation thing, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have time to grant your request any time soon.¡± I looked at Martha. ¡°So my question was, would you mind me trying it out right now?¡±


    Mogrim couldn¡¯t nod his head fast enough. ¡°Yes! I mean¡­ certainly, Sin-bearer.¡± He hugged his confused wife, kissing her on the head before talking to her. ¡°The Sin-bearer is willing to give it a try, love.¡± She made a small scream of joy, tightly hugging Mogrim as he twirled her around in the air.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m just trying, right?¡±


    Mogrim set down his wife. ¡°I know, I know,¡± he said, wiping away a single tear. ¡°But trying is already more than we could have ever hoped for.¡± He pushed her towards me, looking on eagerly in the background.


    The woman¡¯s brown eyes were still wet tears; a smile plastered on her face as she closed them. I began inspecting her Mark up close, looking for any clues to this mystical process they were describing earlier. ¡°So these keepers of yours,¡± I said, following the dark lines burned into her skin. ¡°They would know how to perform this ritual?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Sin-bearer,¡± Mogrim answered. ¡°The Keepers protect our knowledge, both new and old. If anyone would know, they would be the ones.¡±


    I took some distance from Martha¡¯s face. ¡°And I don¡¯t suppose you have any insights you can give me?¡±


    ¡°Ehm¡­ no.¡± He hung his head, wringing his hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sin-bearer.¡±


    This is going nowhere. ¡°Do you mind if I touch her?¡± The wringing stopped. ¡°The Mark, that is.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes. Certainly.¡± He spoke up a bit. ¡°The Sin-bearer is about to touch you, love. Don¡¯t be surprised.¡±


    I took Martha¡¯s nod as one for consent. I gently placed a finger on the Mark, ignoring the brief flinch Martha made. Slowly, but surely, I traced the entirety of the thing, trying to feel, see, hear¡­ something. Anything. This isn¡¯t working¡­ or maybe I¡¯m not seeing enough. I closed my eyes, maintaining contact with the skin as I retreated deeper into myself.


    ¡°Wrong.¡±


    My concentration faltered, winking out what few light were springing up in front of me.


    ¡°You¡¯re dooing it wrung, Bosz.¡±


    My vision returned as I looked beside me. There stood Gob, in all his drunken glory. Drooping ears, unfocused eyes, and pale skin that now flushed deep crimson in certain places. He let out a belch, scratching his butt as he ranted at me, ¡°Thatz not how you doo it.¡± He stumbled forward. ¡°Thiz is how.¡±


    Before I could pull my hand back, Gob¡¯s claw had latched on, and with it¡ªagony. Mind numbing, soul scorching agony. My vision went white as I screamed, wails mixing with those of Martha to form some fucked up chorus of torment that drowned out everything but the pain.


    It may have lasted seconds, but those were seconds too long. Whatever it was, it blasted us apart, knocking the wind out of me as I smashed into the floor. What followed were muffled voices, and hands touching me, but I couldn¡¯t care less. All I wanted was for the pain to stop, that scorching sensation on my face that drove me mad.


    Slowly the white began to retreat. ¡°Ma¡­¡± Color returned to my world as the pain subsided. ¡°Marc¡­¡±


    Figures were moving about, holding me down as they spoke to me. ¡°Marcus!¡± It was Dirk.


    ¡°Ugghh,¡± was all I managed to voice.


    He immediately forced open my eye, looking at it move as he snapped his finger next to my ears. ¡°Can you hear me, Marcus?¡± I nodded, but then froze. ¡°What is it, Marcus?¡± Behind Dirk stood Gob. But that wasn¡¯t the problem. It was that Gob was grinning at me. Grinning, and still drunk. I began to struggle, causing me to be pushed down by multiple hands. ¡°Keep him down!¡± Dirk shouted. ¡°He¡¯s not fit to move yet!¡±


    ¡°Open wide for papa...¡± Gob said with a hick. My struggles intensified when he turned into black mist, snaking its way towards my face. My body revolted, lungs gasping for air, but not finding any as the revolting thing forced its way through my nostrils and mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him bash his head open!¡± Bodies pressed down on me, hands keeping my head steady as every part of me spasm-ed and twitched in primal disgust, gasping for breath.


    Moments later, it was over. Fresh air entered my lungs as I inhaled deeply, savoring like it would have been my last breath. I lay still for a minute, just enjoying the sensation of being alive and not in pain. That, and I needed some time to think about what happened. More importantly, how to not get murdered by the dwarves. Those were definitely Martha¡¯s screams I was hearing.


    I finally opened my eyes, only to find my entire group sitting around me, looking worried. Dirk snapped his finger to get my attention. ¡°You okay, Marcus?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine-fucking-tastic, thank you.¡± I looked at him. ¡°Now help me get up.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°Is it that bad?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fine, but¡­¡± He looked behind him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you did, but I don¡¯t think them crying is a good sign.¡±


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    ¡°Shit indeed.¡± He turned to me. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan? We running¡­ or what?¡±


    And go back to the tunnel without water? That wasn¡¯t going to work. And I doubt the dwarves would be happy to share theirs with my recent fuck-up. Gob¡¯s recent fuck-up. But that little runt would come later. ¡°Help me up.¡±


    Dirk and Dagger both supported one of my shoulders, heaving me up in one go. I thanked them as I dusted off my clothing, taking the time to get a better look at my surroundings. The dwarves were all huddled on their knees around Mogrim. He cradled a still Marthain his arms, crying like no other. Not that the other dwarves lost for lack of trying, the man was simply on a whole other level.


    Gurtrumlurked at the edges, coming my way the moment he saw me stand up. Here we go. I stepped forward, signaling the others to be ready. The man came steadily closer, demonstrating the intimidation factor that full armor brought to bear. Let us see how fucked we are. A few feet away, I could see the tears falling from his eyes. Pretty fucked. I prepared to retaliate when he stepped closer, only to find myself swept up in a big hug.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    What?


    The man released his hold, grabbing my arm as he pulled me towards the crying mob. I just let him, mind still catching up to the complete absurdity of it. Once there, dwarf after dwarf reverently made way for me, prostrating themselves with tears in their eyes as I got closer to the inner circle. Each chanted the same two words, over and over again. Whatever it meant, it was creeping me out. Big time.


    And then we reached the center, where Mogrim softly lay his wife on the ground, her chest softly rising, before giving me something that resembled more of a death grip than a hug. I can¡¯t breathe. I can¡¯t breathe. ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank you,¡± the man said, face buried into my shirt. I could only gasp for breath while snot and tears were rubbed all over my clothing.


    ¡°Marcus!¡± a voice shouted.


    I craned my neck to find Sly and the rest of the vanguard looking at me in amazement from the circle¡¯s edge. She stepped forward. ¡°What the fuck is going on here!?¡±


    My vision was beginning to darken, but not before I made my last reply.


    ¡°Diplomacy, lieutenant.¡±


    ¡°Diplomacy.¡±

 Chapter 29

    For Father¡¯s sake, make sure you let the Rune identify you before opening! Do you have any idea how many valuables went up in flames, just because you didn¡¯t want to drop some blood on it later!?


    - Angry dwarven merchant yelling at a his son.


    ¡°Spread out, we¡¯ll make our camp here!¡±


    The column halted at an abandoned three way junction; one that seemed similar to the ones we had passed through earlier this day, though this one seemed to have a tunnel where the tracks didn¡¯t lead to. Instead, it curved sharply to the left, heading deeper into a different part of dwarven territory.


    Most of the dwarves simply hopped to Mogrim¡¯s command, unpacking the heavy backpacks they had lugged along for ten hours straight. My group, however, was a lot more pitiful. Most, if not all, simply plopped down onto the ground, lying on their backs, gasping for air as dwarves stepped over them to complete their tasks. They set a surprisingly fast pace for people with such short legs.


    Even I was feeling the strain of today¡¯s journey, though that didn¡¯t mean the dwarves would leave me alone. No. After what happened yesterday, none of the dwarves seemed liked they wanted to separate from me. Always whispering and watching whenever they though I wasn¡¯t looking. Even going as far forming a protective circle around me during the march, turning everyone away they deemed suspicious. I never knew that being the center of attention was this mentally taxing. No wonder Sly always chose to hang around with us. The pressure of being Hawk¡¯s heir must be crushing.


    My attraction toSly had been growing increasingly large as of late. Be it the way she swiftly adapted to the new information about Founders, giving out orders and making plans at a moment¡¯s notice. Or the ease with which she got along with our new dwarven friends, chatting and bantering like long lost friends. Whatever she did, it was enthralling. And as the day went on, I found myself sneaking more and more peeks at her, fantasizing so much I had to utilize the string belt on my sackcloth lest my lower region revealed its intentions to the world. At least nobody had seemed to notice the slightly swollen navel area. Or maybe they pretended to see nothing. Now that I thought about it, with all the eyes upon me lately, that would be a far more likely scenario¡­ Noooooooooo! Would you mind quieting it down a little!? I¡¯m trying to sleep here! Ugh¡­ my head. It hurts, it hurts¡­


    ¡°Sin-bearer, when you¡¯re ready,¡± Mogrim said smiling as he made his way towards my twitching and squirming form. One of his hands was tightly gripping Martha¡¯s; the two inseparable since Gob¡¯s little stunt. The woman¡¯s eyes began to water again when she looked at me, bowing deeply once more whenever our eyes met. Her husband still wore the same stupid grin he had since the whole death hug thing had come to pass. Sometimes his lips would sag down a bit, only to get right up again when he saw Martha¡¯s face. Sublime, pristine, and completely Mark free. Snaking tattoo nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said, turning my face away in still burning embarrassment. The couple turned around, making their way towards the largest of the abandoned buildings. This one similar in looks and style to the one we left behind this morning, safe for the large, open addition to the right of it. One where several of the tracks led into on which the mine cart full of crystals had been pushed. Dwarves were busy unloading its contents, handling the crystal with utmost care as they placed them into thick, dense sacks. Thick enough that even their bright light became but a dim glow.


    An arm hooked around mine, warm breath tickling my ear. ¡°Hello, handsome,¡± Sly whispered. She patted my stomach just around the navel, sounding quite disappointed. ¡°Aaaah, and here I thought you would be happy to see me.¡± She gave me a quick peck on the cheek. ¡°You certainly looked happy during our walk.¡± A finger tugged on my belt. ¡°Extremely happy¡­¡± Please kill me now.


    Sly giggled and teased me the rest of the way, not taking notice of Gurtrum joining our company of four. Her teases softly echoed through the building as we climbed the stairs, passing through long, empty rows of stone tables on the first floor; bare beds, and ransacked chests on the second.Only to end up in a deserted single room on the third. This one, like all before it, stripped off any and all things considered useful by the dwarves.


    Mogrim set down the crystal lantern on the stone table; its round surface large enough to accommodate whatever Mogrim wanted to show us. Martha handed him a small, metal box. Gold was used to decorate the edges. Its gleaming surface chiseled with various patterns and depictions of dwarven warriors. In the center of it was square shaped indentation that contained an angrily glowing Rune of red in the middle of it. Mogrim simply touched it with his thumb, causing it to turn white in an instant. Afterwards he pulled out a small cube, sliding it into the opening. A few small turns to the right, and two large ones to the left, and the chest made a sharp click, parting open in the middle as Mogrim¡¯s hand retrieved a large, parchment scroll from it.


    ¡°Are you going to stare, or help me lift this thing?¡± Sly asked.


    ¡°Huh,¡± I grunted, looking around. Sly was standing at one end of a stone bench, gesturing me to pick up the other side so we could move it closer to the table. ¡°Eh, ah¡­ sure.¡± I bend down, wiping away some of the drool on my chin. We scooted it closer, sitting down onto its hard surface as Mogrim began spreading the scroll out onto the table. For all their craftsmanship, dwarves surely suck at making comfortable furniture.


    I wiggled my ass, trying to find somewhere that didn¡¯t feel like sitting on bare rock. I stopped once I had gotten a good look on the thing before me. I really should have learned more at the Archives. Although I couldn¡¯t read the dwarven letters, I definitely could see the reason the reason why Mogrim would lock it up in the first place.


    On the table lay an extremely detailed map of what seemed to be an almost circular, enclosed cave system. On the southern end you had an semi-circle area shaded light blue. In it were numerous symbols, shapes, and figures that had letters scribbled next to them. Thin and thick lines connected these various pictographs through countless numbers of mapped out tunnels and passageways, all of them eventually ending up at the most southern point in the humongous circle. One that had big, bold letters to its equally impressive symbol.


    The shaded light blue area extended till it reached the outer edges of the circle, or collided with two other spheres of influence. One was tinted light red and situated in the north-west. The other rested easy in the north-east¡ªa soft yellow on the eyes. Both of these pushed against each other in the north. Each of them containing one bold lettered symbol at their respective edge of the circle, though the rest of their area was far less detailed and filled in than the blue one.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    What peeked my interest the most was the large, colorless center of the map. Whatever was situated there, it had some visible effect on the other colors. Wherever the other colors met each other, they remained a somewhat equal line. Not a lot of divergence, safe for a small wobble here and there. But the center was a different story. The colors had shifted like waves on a map, sometimes surging out to form a small circle surrounded by nothing. Other times it retreated inwards, letting the colorlessness seep various holes into their respective spheres. Whatever was happening at the center, it seemed to be lashing out all three respective powers at the same time. The biggest hint being that the very center was devoid of any drawings. Like it had been impossible to map out for quite some time.


    Mogrim bend over the map, studying it intently. ¡°Yesterday¡¯s report indicated that the defiler¡¯s armies are charging through our most north-eastern front,¡± he said, finger pointing at the north-eastern edge of the blue sphere; the part close to the center where yellow, blue, and nothing clashed into each other. He let the finger slide outwards, before resting on a small triangle near the circular edge of the map. One that still lay in the blue sphere, and not the yellow one next to it¡ªalbeit barely. ¡°We left from Mogrim¡¯s respite, here.¡± He tapped his finger on the triangle, before sliding it slightly westwards. ¡°To our current position.¡± It ended at another triangle; this one crossed out. ¡°Over here.¡±


    ¡°With a bit of luck...¡± Mogrim¡¯s finger now went a bit further to the southwest, hovering above a larger circle that encompassed a junction of several tunnels. ¡°We¡¯ll make it to Bin Tholdir in one go.¡± He stood back, crossing his arms. ¡°It will easily deal with whatever groups of defiled that have managed to slip past our lines. Everything after that will be safe, or as safe as it can get in this place.¡± He tapped the big, bold symbol at the southernmost edge of the map. ¡°Though we''ll need to keep a tight pace ifwe want to reach the capitol in a manner of weeks.¡±


    Mogrim looked at me. ¡°Once we get there, Sin-bearer, I will introduce you to the right people. Though I urge you to hide your powers in public for as long as possible.¡± His brows were deeply furrowed. ¡°It seems impertinent of me to ask you this. Especially after all you have done for me.¡± He gazed briefly at Martha before looking back at me. ¡°But it is for your protection.¡± Mogrim hovered his hand over the light blue area. ¡°We may look united on the surface, but don¡¯t let that fool you. Our politics can be as bloody as any surface scuffle you humans tend to have.¡± Gurtrum laughed, barking something at Mogrim. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± the dwarf replied, eyes vacant as he traced the Mark below his eyebrow. ¡°We¡¯re much worse than that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me trying to stand out.¡± My words snapped Mogrim back from his daze. ¡°I doubt I want to stand out more than I already do.¡± The mere though of thousands of dwarves hounding me wherever I went was enough to send shivers down my spine.


    ¡°Politics-wise,¡± Sly chimed in. ¡°We¡¯ll need more info about those various factions before we feel comfortable heading into that capitol of yours.¡± She looked at the map. ¡°I take it this Bin Tholdir can be considered a safe place?¡±


    Mogrim nodded. ¡°I know its ruler; He¡¯s a close friend of mine. Just make sure to keep your heads down. Were any to know you¡¯re actual humans, and not Vyvaries, things could get¡­ tricky.¡±


    ¡°Can I request something?¡±


    Mogrim perked up. ¡°Certainly, Sin-bearer. What is that you wish for?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± I began scratching the back of my head. ¡°I have a friend that knows a lot more about the whole politics game than me.¡± Sly mouth twitched. ¡°I was wondering if we could include him in our future meetings?¡±


    Mogrim took no notice of it, eagerly nodding his head. ¡°Any friend of the Sin-bearer is a friend of mine. And his name would be¡­?¡±


    ¡°Maximilian. He¡¯s the pale looking guy with silver hair and green eyes. Tends to hover around a woman with more spikes than skin.¡±


    ¡°Oh, those two. They do tend to stick out quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°They certainly do,¡± I chuckled before leaning back. ¡°Anything else we need to discuss during this meeting?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing we can¡¯t discuss better with some warm food in our belly,¡± Mogrim replied. Martha had already rolled up the map and placed it back in the box she was presenting to Mogrim. He drew a small dagger from his belt, pricking his finger before dripping a couple of red drops on the white Rune. It eagerly slurped it all up, turning an angry red once more.


    With all that done, the dwarves turned around, heading towards the stairs as I trailed after them. Sly pulled me back by the scruff of my neck. The move caused the dwarves to take notice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sly said. ¡°Me and him have some things to discuss.¡±


    Martha whispered something into Mogrim¡¯s ear, causing the dwarves eyebrows to rise in understanding. ¡°Oh¡­ yes, of course. Do you need your food brought up at a later time?¡±


    ¡°I doubt it will take that long,¡± Sly replied.


    The dwarf chuckled at the remark. ¡°I see. Though you should have at least some light while you do it.¡± He motioned towards Gurtrum, the man obeying quietly as he left his own crystal lantern on the table. ¡°Have fun, Sin-bearer.¡± He waved as descended down the stairs. ¡°I will see you in a bit.¡±


    I could feel my cheeks start toburn at the remark. Is this it? Sly¡¯s hand felt awfully hot of a sudden, the way her fingers gripped my skin. With each step the dwarves took, I could feel my heart beat just that bit louder. Once they were further down, Sly turned me around, eyes boring straight into me. I swallowed.


    ¡°What you did that for, you idiot?¡± Huh? She intently studied my face, hands tightly griping my arms at either side. ¡°Why would you invite that slimy bag of bones to our meetings?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with inviting Maximilian?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s wrong!?¡± She made a deep sigh. ¡°He¡¯s the reason you¡¯re in this danger in the first place.¡± She released her grip. ¡°Without him, you wouldn¡¯t be here. You would be somewhere up there.¡± She pointed at the ceiling. ¡°Safe, secure, not branded like some fucking murderer.¡± Her head slumped. ¡°Thought that hardly matters now, does it? You¡¯re already here, and there is nothing I can do about it.¡± She walked towards the single window, resting her head on her hands as she gazed outside. I cautiously approached, not sure what to do, but leaving her alone definitely didn¡¯t feel like the right option. ¡°I don¡¯t like the little weasel.¡± Sly murmured once I leaned on the railing next to her.


    I remained silent, watching the multitude of lantern lights below. The dwarves had set up camp with proficient easy while most of the humans needed help with their equipment, not used to the interlocking tubes the dwarven tents utilized.


    A few fireplaces had sprung up in the middle of the formation, red candles in an otherwise impressive mixture of differently colored crystals. Hammer was busy bustling around, sniffing and sampling the different pots that were brewing above the roaring fires. He would end up throwing some dwarven spices in one kettle, stirring deeply in another, always inspecting each and every meal till he deemed it up to his standards. The man never talked much, but he didn¡¯t need to. A good meal did more for morale than company ever could, and he knew it. Sly just watched at the spectacle, letting out another deep sigh.


    Come on, Marcus, say something. ¡°Sly, I¡­ uh-¡± How about you shut up already, and let me sleep?


    ¡°You think we¡¯ll ever be happy as those two?¡± she asked.


    I followed her gaze, spotting Mogrim and Martha. Both walked hand in hand as Martha laid her head on his shoulder. Sly¡¯s wistful look caused my heart to wrench. Before I knew it, my hand had grabbed hers, pulling her along softly as I made my way towards the stairs.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Finding out.¡±


    The fire crackled dimly in front of us; Sly¡¯s chest softly rising and falling as the last embers of the earlier cooking dissipated. Her head was nuzzled on my chest, breath steady while asleep. I lightly stroked her hair, leaning against her as I pulled the blanket tighter around us. I closed my eyes, listening to the sound of her breathing among the snores of other dwarves around us. I could think of only one thing as I felt myself slowly drifting away, warmed by good food and even better company.


    This¡­


    This if fine.

 Chapter 30

    To be part of a shield wall, is to be part of a greater whole.


    You don¡¯t budge, you don¡¯t bend, and you certainly don¡¯t back down.


    Ever.


    - Way of the warrior, by Grumnir Deephelm


    A blowing horn roused me from my sleep.


    It sounded again, but this time a lot closer.


    I opened my eyes to a burned out campfire, and a lot of dwarf heads peaking out of their tents. Suddenly, a smoky, red light burned in the distant tunnel where the rail-tracks veered into; the one we hadn¡¯t come from. ¡°Kalthir!¡± a dwarven shout echoed from it.


    ¡°Kalthir!¡±


    ¡°Kalthir!¡±


    ¡°Kalthir!¡±


    The cry was taken up by every dwarf in the encampment as all Hell broke loose. Humans stumbled out of their tents, heavy with sleep before being knocked down again by other dwarves that darted passed. Each of them too absorbed equipping various pieces of arms and armor. ¡°Enemies?¡± Sly asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.


    ¡°Probably,¡± I answered, letting the warm blanket slide to the ground as I stood up. Sly remained on the ground, yawning as she stretched out her limbs before grabbing one of the nearby dinner knives. A quick swipe later, she was bend over the stone floor, drawing a pattern with her blood.


    While this was happening, I spotted Mogrim bustling pass a nearby campfire, one hand putting on a helmet as the other buckled the bindings of a shoulder pauldron. ¡°Mogrim!¡± The dwarf skidded to a halt. ¡°Mogrim, over here!¡± He turned around, finding me waving my arms.


    ¡°Sin-bearer!¡± the dwarf shouted as he ran closer, still fiddling with his armor. ¡°The defiled will soon be upon us! We need to get you out of here!¡± He nudged me aside, shouting at another dwarf behind me. ¡°Gurtrum, get some sappers on our exit!¡± Mogrim pointed at the one tunnel that didn¡¯t contain tracks. ¡°I want it ready to blow in fifteen minutes!¡± I only caught a glimpse as the man banged his breastplate in confirmation, heading off while grabbing a seemingly random dwarf along with him.


    There was a bright, red flashbefore a heavy musk began filling the air. ¡°Mistress,¡± a deep voice echoed.


    ¡°Monac,¡± Sly replied. I turned to find the incubus standing up from the pattern, wings outstretched. ¡°We¡¯ve got some unknown pests heading our way. Be so kind and kill them.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, mistress,¡± the demon bowed. ¡°Though fighting to the death will require some additional¡­ motivation.¡± That last word contained a deep hunger, enough to make my skin crawl.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Sly said. The demon¡¯s face fell as she turned towards Mogrim. ¡°You needed time, not numbers, right?¡±


    Mogrim ripped his attention away from the demon, looking at the illuminated tunnel. The smoky, red light bobbed up and down as it got steadily closer. ¡°A red flare indicates more than we could possibly deal with.¡± Mogrim lost himself in brief contemplation. ¡°But we do have your surface mages to fall back on¡­¡± He repeatedly shook his head. ¡°No, no, no. That would be most unwise. We don¡¯t know what you are capable off. Besides, I should trust my sentries'' decisions. They¡¯ve been around long enough to earn that right.¡±


    ¡°You heard the man,¡± Sly said. ¡°Make sure to delay them as long as possible.¡±


    ¡°As you command.¡± The incubus stepped back, flapping his powerful wings as he slowly rose from the floor. Several dwarves stopped what they were doing as they saw the spectacle, pointing fingers and giving cheers.


    ¡°One more thing!¡± Sly shouted when the demon hovered high in the air. ¡°Try not to fry any of our bearded friends!¡± The incubus gave a nod before diving towards the red tunnel, flames coalescing between his hands. ¡°Now that that is dealt with¡­¡± Sly stepped closer, kissing my cheek before running off. ¡°SQUAD LEADERS ON ME! I WANT EVERYONE¡¯S ASS IN THAT TUNNEL, AND I WANT IT NOW! YOU OVER THERE, YOU BE¡­¡±


    Mogrim and I just watched as she started pulling together the various groups of panicking humans, creating order out of chaos. ¡°That¡¯s a good woman you got there,¡± Mogrim mumbled.


    ¡°That she is¡­ that she is.¡±


    ¡°Remember, this battle is about stalling them! Not about beating them!¡±


    My words echoed through the large, trackless tunnel in which we stood, washing over the formation assembledin the entrance of it. Further in, some other dwarves were busy sticking bundles of weird, red tubes all over the insides of the tunnel. Tubes that were connected with wires that led to some strange black box. Whatever they were doing, Mogrim assured me it would be effective. I sure hope so. If it failed, we would need a lot more than fifteen minutes to collapse it properly. We could do it in five if we really wanted to, but that would mean collapsing everything on top of us. Not the smartest of ideas.


    A dull explosion rumbled in the tunnel opposite of us as the inside briefly lit upwith a ball of fire. They¡¯re almost here. I turned back to the crowd, and odd mix of demon, dwarves, and humans. ¡°We do not fight to win!¡± I shouted, addressing the shivering humans. ¡°We fight to retreat!¡± The bulk of our Awakened were the Shapers in the middle section. Scantily clothed and weird looking as they had been forced to shift moments after waking up. Most sported elongated claws and ears; the marking that their demon¡¯s soul hadn¡¯t progressed beyond that of an imp yet.


    ¡°Whatever comes through that hole, it does not matter!¡±More Shapers looked up at me. Some cried, some shivered, while others were busy emptying their stomach on the floor. Only those few stationed directly behind the dwarven lines showed resolute calmness. ¡°What matters is that you stand your ground!¡±


    Another rumble as more flames flashed in the distant tunnel. ¡°Stick to the plan, and do not run! If you do, our back-line dies.¡± I gestured at the Warlocks at the back of our formation, but mostly the Fire Warlocks stationed on elevated rock platforms like me. They each held a burning torch, and an imp at their side; the only imps not to be interspersed between the back ranks. ¡°No fire, means no light! No light, means we¡¯re fucked!¡± Except for me. I could see fine withwhat little light the crystal lanterns gave off, but it must be utterly terrifying for everyone else. Their first real battle, shrouded in near darkness. ¡°Listen to your leaders. They will tell you what to do!¡± I pointed at the four Shapers standing behind the dwarves. Two were Dirk and Dagger in their shifted forms. The third was Hammer, or what had taken his place; something that resembled a giant bear on two legs. One whose arms and nails were much longer than normal. The last one was more difficult to spot, for Pickle wasn¡¯t that tall; not even in his shifted form. Though it did came with other benefits, ones that his rocky skin would make quite clear in the coming scuffle. ¡°And remember-¡±


    This time the explosion could be felt from here, causing bits and pieces of rock to clatter down from the ceiling. A quick glance at the source told me why. A massive fireball had enveloped the entrance as a winged figure shot out from it. It was heading our way, carrying what seemed to be a quite badly burned dwarf. A dwarf that was busy trying to stamp out the patches of flames burning his beard. Unfortunately, the incubus was rapidly losing altitude, almost diving as he flew towards our tunnel. He passed right over the dwarves, dropping his passenger in their mass, before slamming into the ground behind them. A few rolls later, he came to a standstill, leaving him a mess of broken wings and limbs. Sly ran towards him, cradling his mangled form as she began chanting some archaic words. The open wounds on his body were dripping a bright, violet glow. Their insides showing no bone, nor flesh, only more of this shining subtenancy. When Sly finished, the wounds grew larger, visibly eating away at the demon until he dispersed into a cloud of glittering particles. A few seconds later, it was dark again.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    If only I could dismiss a certain someone... Not that fantasizing would do me any good. Gob still snored loudly in my mind, refusing to wake up no matter how hard I shouted. And boy, did I want him to wake up. ¡°They¡¯re coming!¡± I yelled, watching as a flood of abominations began to swarm out of the scorched tunnel. Their forms as grotesque and twisted as the day we encountered them at the lakeside.


    Mogrim peered into the darkness before laughing. The other dwarves joined in the merrymaking as the man lifted his ax high. ¡°Brethren, it seems the Father has blessed us this day!¡± He slammed his breastplate. ¡°May fortune guide your blows!¡± All the dwarves let out a fierce war-cry that shook the air, their earlier fear seemingly gone¡ªreplaced by a foreign madness. Now they jumped up and down, repeatedly slapping their helmets as they were psyching themselves up. Some of the dwarves proceeded to step outside of the tunnel, only to be pulled back by the more cool-headed ones. Even the dwarf that had crashed into the formation tried limping back towards the front, dragging his broken leg behind him as he leaned close enough to use his crossbow. What the fuck is happening?


    Whatever it was, it had to be dealt with later. The horde was speeding our way, and with their advancement, my anxiousness only grew. The tunnel we were in served as a natural choke-point. Were it not a rather poor version of it. It was wide enough to support twelve dwarves side by side. And with the numbers heading our way, I could only wish that it was that much smaller.


    ¡°Get ready!¡± I shouted. The Fire Warlocks lifted their torches, holding it in front of their open hands. ¡°Steady!¡± My voice was beginning to get drowned out, lost in the chorus of dwarven taunts, but mostly the rumbling of the impeding horde. ¡°Steady!¡± Vibrations ran through my body as small pebbles and stones began to bounce up and down on the ground. ¡°Steady!¡± My teeth chattered. Sound assaulted my ears as flesh met dwarven steel. Several of the grotesque dwarves flipped over the shield wall, hacked to pieces before they could get their bearing. Earth groaned as the dwarves got pushed back, sliding along the floor as fist, tooth, and nail rained upon them. Bestial grunts and battle-cries filled the air as dwarf and monster vied for dominance. And then the sliding stopped; the dwarves gone quiet as their shield wall refused to budge another inch. There was only the sound of monsters, and my command cutting through the air. ¡°Loose!¡±


    Jets of flames streamed past me, flying over the dwarves before washing the immobile horde in a sea of red. Ghastly screeches resounded through the tunnel, coming from the endless shifting mass of flesh before us. Whatever drove these things, it had deemed them expendable. Dwarf upon twisted dwarf threw itself through the fire, battering against the defender¡¯s shields with reckless abandon, heedless of the scorching heat that melted its skin and cooked its insides. They simply stood tall on their four legs, raining down blow after blow until the fire became too much, or the intercepting axes had relieved them of their weaponry.


    A dwarf screamed. One of the creatures had grabbed hold of his shield. Axes began chopping of its limbs and fingers, but not fast enough. With a strong pull, the creature tore of the defender¡¯s arm, taking his shield with it. The dwarf made a roar as he leaped forth, planting his ax into the being¡¯s skull. It toppled over, pulling with it the dwarf as he swung around, cleaving and dismembering before being pulled apart himself. His final act brief, but long enough to buy his comrades the time needed to plug the breach.


    This stalemate didn¡¯t last more than a minute before the creatures started using their fallen as stepping stones. Very soon, they would waltz right over the shield wall, and then things would get really ugly. A few seconds later, it came to that. Several creatures dropped into the middle of the dwarven formation, causing Mogrim to blow his horn. That¡¯s our cue.


    ¡°Loose!¡± I commanded. This time no jets of flames went flying past, for they were already there, scorching the enemy. No, it was a combination of both Wind and Earth Magic. Projectiles both visible and unseen. The combined might of our Shapers¡¯ and Warlocks¡¯ magic smashed into the enemy, tearing, and slicing apart flesh while giving the dwarves the breather they so desperately needed. They took full advantage of it, retreating a dozen paces before interlocking their shields again.


    A newly formed line, and with it, an extra minute of time. It was over before we knew it. Mogrim blew the horn once more, having lost only a couple of dwarves to the horde¡¯s lucky fingers; instances where they had found some purchase on their slippery shields.


    Now comes the hard part. ¡°Loose!¡± I shouted once more. The dwarves retreated deeper into the tunnel under our barrage of projectiles, reestablishing their line with practiced ease. Only this time, the jets of flames ceased flying. What remained were small orbs of floating flames, large enough to give a decent illumination of the tunnel¡¯s inside. Most of the Awakened began shouting in protest, asking the Fire Warlocks what in the Gods names did they think they were doing. But Sly had drilled them well, and they were not budging under the pressure.


    Good. It was difficult to notice under the sweltering heat, but the lingering temperature wasn¡¯t the reason people were having difficulty breathing. No. For some reason, channeling flames in a tunnel, or an enclosed space, would rob the air of its essence. And without this essence, people would find it hostile, robbing them of their conscious before killing them slowly. Whether it was punishment of the Gods, or some weird form of revenge, no one knew. We rats had just stumbled upon it during our long struggles underground, incorporating it into our tunnel warfare.


    It seems we need a lot more lessons. If we get to live, that is. ¡°Shapers!¡± I shouted. ¡°Get ready for close combat!¡± Without the flames scorching the edges of the tunnel, the true horror of our enemy got revealed. Their twisted figures began to crawl alongside the walls of the tunnel, arm muscles bulging as they gripped their way forward with surprising speed. Below, the dwarven shield wall was holding up nicely against the monster¡¯s renewed charge, but it would be next to useless against these new tactics.


    ¡°Focus your fire!¡± Sly began to shout. ¡°Shoot those already targeted. Leave those already knocked down!¡± It took a while for elemental projectiles to start whizzing past; the glaring weakness in the Awakened¡¯s casting time apparent when faced with these sudden changes on the battlefield. I gripped the air tight with my fingers, pulling down hard to the left as an earthen spike burst from the right tunnel wall, skewering one of the creatures into place. Other Earth Warlocks and Shapers tried to do similar things, mostly failing by being too slow in their casting, summoning spikes and protrusions at places their targets had already passed seconds ago.


    As time passed, some of the crawlers began jumping at the dwarven flanks whenever they got far enough, but most of them proceeded onward, reaching dangerous territory. ¡°Brace yourselves!¡± I shouted, heel striking the ground as I punched my fist down. An earth column surged out of the ceiling, sending the mutated dwarf, crawling there, plummeting to the floor. It crashed with a sickening crunch, ripped apart by nearby Shapers as it struggled in vain.


    ¡°Marcus, look out!¡± I turned towards the voice on the right, finding the airborne form of a crawler flying towards me. Not thinking, I leaned back, kicking my leg upwards as I felt myself topple backwards. The creature slammed into my platform, finding itself impaled on the skewer I left there. But with that, I found myself now sailing through the air. Time seemed to slow down as I plummeted, only to speed up again as I slammed onto my back, head bouncing hard on the stone floor.


    Air left my chest, refusing to come back no matter how hard I gasped as pain flared through my head. I felt someone pull me up, my vision now dark and hazy as the screams and cries of battle grew muffled and soft. The shadowy shape tried talking to me, but I couldn¡¯t understand him. Ally? Suddenly, something big sent him flying before looming over me. Enemy? I could barely stand, let alone fight. My legs gave out, causing me to topple backwards as the dark figure seemed to do something. A dark part of it zipped by, barely missing as air brushed against my face. An attack? Not good. Need to defend. My legs didn¡¯t work, and I could barely move. So it will be that.


    I clapped my hands together as the figure moved closer, pulling them apart in a blinding flash of light. It probably worked since I was rewarded by a muffled screech in return. Light Magic, bitch. Didn¡¯t expect that, now did ya? The flash began to fade, screeching replaced by the sounds of flesh being torn apart. In its place was an even larger shadow, busy ripping black parts and pieces from the one in front of it. It stopped when it saw me looking, catching my arm as I attempted another clap. Ah, it¡¯s hairy. I think I know someone hairy¡­


    It picked me up, heaving me over its shoulder as a horn began blowing softly in the distance. This feels familiar. Bright red colors began lighting up my hazy vision whilst warming my skin. The screams grew softer as the figure lugged me away from the dance of shadows. Many of them accompanied us in a hurry, while others stayed behind to tussle with their bigger versions. I¡¯m feeling sleepy¡­ My eyelids began to sag, consciousness fading with the rocking motion of being carried. I had almost fallen asleep when an earth-shattering explosion rocked the ground, loud enough to pierce the muffled haze that was my hearing. Quiet soon followed the rumbling, leaving me alone to doze off with the voice in my head.


    Huh? What was that?


    Did I miss anything?

 Chapter 31v2

    To die is to surrender.


    To live is to endure.


    - Way of the warrior, by Grumnir Deephelm


    ¡°...are losing him!¡±


    Pain flared through my head, drowning me in a sea of misery.


    ¡°Hold him down or¡­!¡±


    The pain came again, this time intenser than ever before. I groaned, tossing and turning as I opened my eyes. It appeared I was in a tunnel. A tunnel where people lay down on the floor, moaning, groaning, and complaining to no end. ¡°Hammer, don¡¯t let that little shit go!¡± Agony rang through my head as the loud voice assaulted my ears. I wanted to scream for quiet, but nothing but a pitiful gurgle escaped my lips. My throat, my neck, and everything else seemed too hurt to function properly.


    ¡°James is going to be okay, right?¡± a voice in the distance asked. ¡°Right!?¡±


    The high pitched question made me want to puncture my ears. I rolled towards the other side, squinting my eyes as I almost got blinded by the crystal lantern next to me. The bright light caused the pain to persist as a dull throb, but that was nothing compared to what the person laying next to me was experiencing.


    It was James, shaking and twitching as Dirk, Dagger, and some other man pinned him down to the stone floor. Blood was bubbling from his mouth as the black haired man was busy channeling something into the man¡¯s belly. A green glow swirled through his arm, pooling inside James¡®s torso with ever greater intensity. The source of this glow seemed to come from the other man restrained next to this channeling person. He was forced on the ground by Hammer, struggling in vain, screaming muffled obscenities through his gagged mouth. Tears streamed from his eyes as the dark haired man¡¯s hand was gripped tightly on the back of his neck, siphoning more of this green energy by the second.


    Suddenly James¡¯s twitching stopped, and with it the flow of energy. Instead, it seemed to reverse this time, flowing back into the man from which it once came. ¡°What are you doing, Botan?¡± Dirk asked, glaring daggers at him.


    ¡°Conserving energy,¡± the man replied. He nudged his head towards James¡¯s face, revealing a still expression as pooled blood began to leak from his mouth.


    ¡°Nooooo!!!¡± a voice wailed in the distance. There was a scuffle, followed by the patter of feet coming this way. Dagger had barely enough time to stand up before Mary had waltzed her way into the circle, almost throwing herself onto James. ¡°Wake up, you idiot!¡± She slapped his face. ¡°Wake up!¡± She pulled on his shirt, shaking his head up and down as Botan averted his gaze, silently continuing his siphoning. It did not take long for Mary to stop. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me alone¡­¡± She said, nestling her head into his chest. ¡°I¡¯m scared...¡±


    Dirk shook his head at Dagger, her hand freezing above Mary¡¯s shoulder as she began to cry. Cries that soon turned to anger when she turned around, focusing on the man restrained by Hammer. She lashed out, kicking him square in the face. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you!¡± She readied her leg again. ¡°If you didn¡¯t push hi-¡± The second kick got caught by two hands¡ªhands that sported wicked claws, and held onto it like steel. Mary looked beside her, staring at the three eyes that Dagger now sported. ¡°It¡¯s not fair,¡± she muttered. ¡°It¡¯s not fair¡­¡± Her head hang low as Dagger released her grip, comforting the crying woman before leading her away from the bloody spectacle.


    ¡°You done yet?¡± Dirk asked, fingers closing James¡¯s eyes one last time. The man only gave a grunt, releasing his hand from the torso as the last vestiges of green light clung to it. ¡°How many?¡± Dirk asked. Botan just stared into the distance, never blinking. ¡°How many, Botan?¡± The man didn¡¯t reply. It took a couple of snaps from Dirk¡¯s finger to bring him back. ¡°Stay with me, Botan.¡± He put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°We need you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s number seven,¡± Botan said, voice trailing off. Slowly he began to count his fingers, lifeless fish-eyes going over each tiny limb one by one. ¡°We lost another twelve to the cave-in. Add to that all those lost in the fighting¡­¡± His hands trembled, tears falling from his eyes.


    Dirk gave him an abrupt hug. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay,¡± he whispered. ¡°Let it all out.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­,¡± Botan heaved for breath, snot running down his nose. ¡°There was this girl. And she-she just kept crying for help. And I tried to help... I really did.¡± Dirk nodded at his words. ¡°But she just wouldn¡¯t stop bleeding. And I tried to stop the bleeding. But it kept coming, and coming, and coming, and¡­¡± Botan looked at his trembling hands. ¡°And then she¡­ and I did¡­¡± He mouthed a silent scream. ¡°Oh Gods, what am I doing here? I''m supposed to be a fucking gardener.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve had enough for today,¡± Dirk said, lifting the man up. He guided Botan away from the corpse next to me, heading into the same direction as Mary and Dagger, Botansoftly muttering along as his gaze remained fixated on his hands. Soon it was quiet again, safe for the murmurs for help echoing in the tunnel.


    Some were distant, coming from those asleep and dreaming. Others were close, maybe too close. I turned the other way, finding a man with a broken legs next to me. Bits and pieces of white bone had broken through the red bandages around his knees, face wincing and hissing at the slightest of movements. Turning my head had hurt a lot, but I doubt it hurt as bad as that. At least I can still move¡­ can I? I mustered my willpower, pushing down the cold fear gathering in my gut as I gritted my teeth. With a grunt, I heaved myself up, pain flaring through my body. I did not get far, maybe a couple of inches from the ground, but at least I could move my legs. Even if it hurts like Hell. I slumped down again, letting out a long groan as the headache came back with a vengeance.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Captain.¡± I turned back to find Hammer starring at me, heavy bags under his eyes, and patches of beard ripped from his face. You look like shit.


    ¡°Hammer,¡± I replied. Those two syllables was about as much as I could manage to squeeze out. Any more, and mythroat would threaten tochoke me. ¡°How bad?¡±


    There was a short silence. ¡°Real bad.¡±


    A let the silence reign a bit longer, opting to stare at the rocky ceiling instead. ¡°Numbers?¡±


    ¡°About half.¡± Hammer shifted his weight a bit on the man he was sitting on. ¡°Most of them in battle.¡±


    He wrenched the man¡¯s arm a bit higher up his back, causing a muffled cry of pain. ¡°Some of them unnecessary.¡±


    I looked at the man he had restrained. It turned out to be the one that had started trouble when we got here; the sleepy looking one. Whether his current baggy eyes were to exhaustion, or a natural state, I didn¡¯t care. He seemed to be pleading to me, murmuring through his gag. Don¡¯t bother. I returned my gaze to the ceiling. The murmurs turned to soft cries, joining those few that sobbed in silence.


    ¡°Pickle is dead.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Silence followed my short response. He¡¯s dead. I thought I would feel sad, but instead I felt nothing. Nothing except that fucking headache.


    ¡°Got caught in the cave-in.¡± Hammer scratched his ruined beard. ¡°Almost made it. Just a few feet short.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Just like his height.¡±


    The joke was so stupid, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh in response. A laugh that made me curl up in pain. It didn¡¯t matter whether Pickle was alive or not, somehow he had managed to hurt me again for laughing about that most taboo of topics. Fucking Pickle. I could feel tears start to well up in my eyes. Why did you have to fucking die, you dumb fuck?


    I softly sobbed along with those around me, chest heaving with pain every time I had to inhale deeply. But that didn¡¯t matter. Pickle was gone, and there was nothing I could do about it. I could only cry, cry and survive.


    After some time, a voice called out to me, ¡°Glad that you¡¯re alive, cap.¡± I turned my head, wiping away the tears despite the stinging pain. It was Dirk, the Dirk I knew from all those years back in training. Wide open eyes, dirt smeared skin, and a need to check his back every few seconds. ¡°Need a moment?¡±


    I shook my head, instead looking at the patch of skin missing above his eyebrow. Where the lantern shone dull on the dirt covered skin, it reflected brightly on the red, open wound. ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much,¡± Dirk shrugged. ¡°Got an antenna ripped off. It will heal. More importantly¡­¡± He came closer, ignoring my grunts of pain as he put his head under my shoulder. ¡°I need you to move.¡± He waited a bit before lifting me up. ¡°Can I?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to be moved, but Dirk clearly had a reason for it. Is it safe to do so? Most of the pain came from the headache, but my body felt like it had run several days in a row without stopping. I cautiously moved my limbs one by one, making sure that nothing was broken. At least on the outside. Everything seemed to be in working order, were it not for that sharp, stiff pain that came with it. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±


    Dirk nodded in response, heaving me up in one go. He remained quiet as I hissed in pain, instead turning towards Hammer who was now seated with his back to me. ¡°You coming with us?¡± Dirk asked. Hammer made some weird choking sound, waving us away with his hand as his other one was busy wiping his face. ¡°Take your time,¡± Dirk said with a knowing smile.


    We headed left, away from the wounded and broken Awakened that lay on the ground. Most of them in pain and discomfort, but nothing that seemed life threatening at first glance. There was a short bend in the tunnel where only a single guard was stationed. Around its corner were the rest of the Awakened, sporting a variety of bruises, scrapes, or no wounds at all. Most sat huddled in groups, hugging their knees, or slowly rocking back and forth¡ªBotan among them. Others simply stared at the lanterns, as if they held some answer to alleviating their current misery.


    The tunnel wasn¡¯t that wide, maybe ten feet at best, so we had to weave and step our way through the small hurdle of people spaced around in groups. Still, we got through them surprisingly quick. A mere shadow of the former one-hundred we started with. I reckon there¡¯s less than fifty now¡­


    We came upon another bend, this one guarded by a battered dwarf. The man snapped to attention when he saw me, banging his dented breastplate in salute as we passed. Behind the bend was a small cave where a few other dwarves frantically excavated the cave-in on the other side. Most of them, twenty something dwarves, were still busy resting against the cave walls, swapping out periodically to start hacking at the pile with what few pickaxes that were left. It didn¡¯t seem like they were making much progress, the rubble they had set aside was but a small portion to the heap that lay before them. A heap that seeped blood in certain places, one of them having a huge muscular arm poking out of it, maggots still crawling around in its flesh.


    Most of the resting dwarves sat on the left side of the cave, being scolded by a furious Martha. I couldn¡¯t understand what she said, but I just knew. It was that tingling in the skin, that natural aversion whenever you hear someone¡¯s mother being angry at their child. It didn¡¯t matter that she wasn¡¯t yelling at me, because it felt like everyone here was the target of her ire. The most notably of these targets was Mogrim. The man hacked away at the cave-in with almost zealous effort, shouting and prodding the other dwarves into ever greater actions while showing no signs of exhaustion. Not that he had a choice. When I saw him slow down for a second, Martha seemed to sense it. Immediately, she turned her fury on him in a tirade that reminded me of that time I took off into the woods alone. Gods, I was stupid then.


    Opposite of the fuming Martha was the opening to an even smaller cave. Metal clanged inside as questions were asked. ¡°How many shields are left?¡± Sly¡¯s voice echoed.


    ¡°Fifteen, not counting the one with the guards,¡± Dagger answered


    ¡°Water bags?¡±


    There was some more rummaging before an answer was given. ¡°Only twelve, though two of them have holes in it.¡± Isabella answered. There was a yelp, followed by the sound of water hitting the floor. ¡°Make that three¡­¡±


    We entered the opening to find a drenched Isabelle, being helped up by Dagger in front of a pile of equipment, skin spikes hooked into one of the water bags she mentioned. In the corner Maximilian was quietly scribbling down on paper with a quill. With what, I didn¡¯t know. I hadn¡¯t seen any ink, though I had hardly bothered to check the dwarves for it.


    Next to him was Sly, seemingly worse for wear with her disheveled hair and dark rings under her eyes. She sat down on a piece of rock, head leaning on the wall as her arms hang limply by her side. She glanced at us briefly before looking away. Then she immediately looked back again, eyes wide open.


    ¡°Brought a present for you,¡± Dirk said with a cocky grin.


    Sly shot forward, belying her earlier slumped posture as she swept me into a hug. I tried to protest in pain, but instead found a finger pressed to my lips. ¡°Ssshhh¡­¡± Sly whispered. Her hand snaked its way to my back, squeezing me a bit tighter as she rocked back and forth.


    ¡°Just shut up, and let me hug you.¡±


    Maybe squeeze her butt while she''s at it, Boss.

 Chapter 32

    Death isn¡¯t what scares us.


    It¡¯s what happens afterwards.


    - Founder text found scribbled into a piece of furniture.


    Finally¡­


    Sly had rested her head on my shoulder, seemingly contend with sitting next to me in the corner.


    I¡¯d never thought she¡¯d shut up, Boss. I softly stroked her hair, the initial muscle aches now bearable after these couple of hours. A door opened, and slammed shut in the distance. Black smoke spewing from my nostrils as Gob began to take shape in front of me.


    He materialized in this small, empty cave devoid of people. They had quietly left when Sly began crying. Giving us some privacy as the grunts of dwarves could be heard just around the corner. That, and Martha¡¯s never ending tirade. A tirade that now seemed far more justified after being brought up to speed.


    ¡°Boss, we need to talk for a second,¡± Gob said, plopping down onto the pile of salvaged equipment. He shifted a bit, trying to get his wings and tail in a comfortable position. I simply shook my head, nudging towards the sleeping form of Sly. ¡°Oh, that.¡± Gob snapped his finger before picking up one of the shields in the pile and lifting it high. Don¡¯t you dare. I knew what he was planning, but I couldn¡¯t move without waking Sly up. That split second hesitation was everything Gob needed to throw it down as hard as he could. The thing bounced, rolled, and finally lay still. But it didn¡¯t make any sound; nothing in this room did, not even the dwarves next to us. Sly¡¯s breath had gone silent as well, yet her chest was still rising and falling at a slow pace. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of my own breathing, and that annoying chuckle of his.


    ¡°Problem solved, Boss.¡± He gave me a stupid grin. ¡°How¡¯d you like that trick?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked, keeping an eye on Sly to notice any reactions to my voice. There were none.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯ve enjoyed hearing the story of you getting trashed.¡± Gob pulled out a golden coin from the pile, lazily inspecting the anvil minted on it. ¡°And as much as I¡¯d wished I was there to laugh at you.¡± He looked at me. ¡°There¡¯s something we need to discuss, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Boss?¡±


    ¡°I said, I don¡¯t want to.¡± I leaned back resting my head on the wall. ¡°You already wiggled your way out of your restrictions. You already fucked me over multiple times. And whatever you want, you can take it, make it, or do it anyway. Why the hell would I help you?¡±


    Gob averted his gaze, slowly sliding his feet on the floor as a finger scratched his cheek. ¡°Cause I may, or may not, have made some modifications to your body¡­¡±


    ¡°You did what!?¡± I managed to restrain myself from lashing out. Sly¡¯s presence being the one thing that kept me in check.


    Gob was awkwardly laughing while scratching the back of his head. ¡°Well¡­ I was bit bored, Boss. And you were knocked out.¡± He tried his utmost best not to look in my direction. ¡°Normally you would have some dream I could mess with a little an-¡±


    ¡°You.¡± My voice cut off his sentence. ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Gob¡¯s neck turned a bit further away with every second I stared at him. ¡°You were the one kept chasing me with that weird horn, dressed as that¡­¡± I shivered when I recalled the one that haunted my recent dreams.


    ¡°It¡¯s called a clown, Boss.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an abomination, that¡¯s what it is!¡± I pointed a finger at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever do that again, you hear me!?¡± That white face, those pointy teeth, and that laugh. That bone-chilling laugh it made. My body trembled at the mere recollection of it.


    Gob made a small cough. ¡°As I was saying, Boss. You were in a dreamless slumber, so I had to find other ways to entertain myself...¡± I glared at him, slowly leaning Sly onto the wall instead of me. ¡°Possibly, maybe, perhaps?¡±


    I stood up, cracking my knuckles with audible pops. ¡°Give me one good reason why I shouldn¡¯t strangle you right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll sue yo-¡±


    My arm shot out faster than ever, fingers gripped tightly around the imp¡¯s neck as I lifted him off his feet. How I managed to grab him, I didn¡¯t care. All my attention was focused on the sensation of my fingers digging into his flesh, and the way his eyes bulged from his skull. ¡°Tap out¡­¡± He gurgled, slapping my shoulder repeatedly. ¡°Tap out¡­ tap out, Boss.¡±


    I gave him an extra squeeze before letting go, contend to watch him crawl and retch for air on the floor. I inspected my arm, turning it left and right while forming a fist. The muscle ache was annoying, but there was something else. Some new surge of hidden strength. ¡°What did you do to me?¡±


    Gob held up a finger, heaving for more air before answering, ¡°Fail-safe¡­ needed another¡­¡± He coughed a couple of times. ¡°Needed another way out.¡±


    ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°Strength, speed, but more importantly¡­¡± He coughed again. ¡°Power.¡± He pointed at my hands. ¡°You can¡¯t kill what you can¡¯t touch, Boss.¡± Gob massaged his neck. ¡°And if my hunch is right, we¡¯ll be needing that ability soon enough.


    ¡°We?¡± I took a step back. Gob¡¯s we usually meant him. And somewhere down the line was me, getting fucked over and fucked up. ¡°You mean me.¡±


    Gob shook his head, hugging his arms. ¡°No, I meant we. Or more specifically¡­ us.¡± He looked my way. ¡°I think I did something stupid, Boss.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms.


    Gob heaved himself onto the pile again, settling in with a deep sigh. ¡°Since I woke up I have this gap in my memory, Boss.¡± He was rubbing his temple. ¡°I can¡¯t remember what I did yesterday, yet I can¡¯t shake this feeling that something went wrong.¡±


    ¡°You were drunk on dwarven ale.¡±


    Gob¡¯s ears perked up, previous tension gone as he smiled. ¡°Really? I got wasted?¡± He slapped his knee, laughing loudly. ¡°So that¡¯s what it was!¡± He bend forward, eyes twinkling. ¡°How much, Boss?¡±


    ¡°All of it.¡± I sat down again. ¡°The whole nine barrels.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Fuck me!¡± He slapped his forehead. ¡°I haven¡¯t had that much dwarven ale since their Bani-¡± Gob coughed. ¡°Since forever.¡± He leaned back. ¡°Tell me more, Boss.¡±


    I began counting down my fingers. ¡°Well you belched, burped, and pissed your way through the outpost.¡± Gob was eagerly nodding his head. ¡°Ended up pissing yourself asleep as well.¡± Gob chuckled in his seat. ¡°Before standing next to me in a drunken stupor.¡±


    Gob inched forward, smiling as his tail softly wagged behind him. ¡°What then, Boss? What happened then?¡±


    ¡°You helped me remove Martha¡¯s Mark,¡± I said, looking at the new arrival in the cave. The tail froze, and with it every other part of Gob. The smile slowly turned upside down, transforming into abject horror as beads of sweat began to appear on his face.


    ¡°C-c-come again, Boss?¡±


    ¡°You grabbed my hand, after which my head nearly exploded in pain.¡± I turned my eyes back to him, grimacing at the memory of it. ¡°When it ended we got blasted apart, Martha¡¯s Mark now gone from her face.¡±


    Gob shook his head, a strained smile now plastered on his face. ¡°Hehe. Now, now, Boss. No need to make such silly jokes.¡± One of his eyebrows wouldn¡¯t stop twitching. ¡°Tell me what really happened.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you look for yourself?¡± I nudged my head towards the cave opening, and the person standing there. ¡°She¡¯s right there.¡±


    Gob turned ever so slowly towards Martha. The female dwarf was wearing the Rune necklace, and had mouthed words that I couldn¡¯t hear. She had stopped the minute she heard me talking, staying silent as she watched at me with eyes of wonder.


    Gob, on the other hand, showed anything but wonder. It was more a mix of horror and surprise. Wings and legs that didn¡¯t stop shaking, and eyes that threatened to pop out off his skull at any moment. Whatever Martha¡¯s clear face signified, he wasn¡¯t taking it well.


    Gob turned towards me, eyes wide with horror as he pointed behind me, shouting, ¡°Clown!¡±


    My body turned on instinct, the ingrained horror of the last week¡¯s dreams doing its job perfectly. I had barely turned my head back again before dark mist shot up my nose, body convulsing as it tried to fight off the foreign substance. A strong pair of arms grabbed my shoulder, a voice growing stronger by the second.


    ¡°Si¡­¡±


    ¡°Sin-be¡­¡±


    ¡°Sin-bearer!¡± Martha voice shouted into my ear. The shaking stopped, and with it the feeling of something crawling inside my skin. ¡°Sin-bearer, are you okay?¡± I nodded at Martha, letting her guide me towards some rocks to sit upon. With a sigh I lowered myself, glancing in the direction of Sly. Martha followed my gaze, speaking up when she noticed that she was still asleep. ¡°The girl has been running herself into the ground ever since the cave-in.¡± She patted my shoulder. ¡°Let her sleep some more, she deserves it.¡± Martha offered me a hand. ¡°Can you walk?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I just need a second.¡± Or minute. Or hour. Wherever Gob had hidden himself, he wasn¡¯t answering my questions¡ªno matter how hard I screamed. Instead, there was only his continued muttering. Please don¡¯t notice. Please don¡¯t notice. Please don¡¯t notice.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said, pulling myself up with her hand.


    We moved towards the cave¡¯s exit, Martha fidgeting with her fingers before asking, ¡°So what did he say?¡±


    ¡°Mm?¡±


    ¡°What did the Forgefather say about me?¡±


    ¡°He was curious about the¡­ Mark. Yes, the Mark.¡± I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell them the truth that it wasn¡¯t their deity that spoke to me, but a bald imp with a knack for causing trouble. ¡°He wanted to know if everything went well with removing it.¡± Though he didn¡¯t look all that happy with it.


    Martha touched her brow, tracing where the tattoo used to be. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it. After all these years¡­¡± She suddenly stopped to give me a deep bow. ¡°Words will never be able to express my gratitude, Sin-bearer.¡± Fists trembled at her side; hot rage now seeped into her voice. ¡°If only I could atone for my kinsmen¡¯s actions.¡±


    ¡°Sly told me about it.¡± The hubris. The madness. The lust for glory that ended up killing far more than was needed. Including Pickle. Something churned in my stomach, demanding to be unleashed upon the dwarf before me. ¡°Bring me to them.¡± I kept it in check. She wasn¡¯t the one responsible for our current mess. Someone else deserved that anger.


    ¡°Yes, Sin-bearer.¡± Martha walked into the larger cave with me, calling out the two most exhausted and sweating dwarves from the sorry lot excavating the cave-in. The first one was Gurtrum with his black beard and thick eyebrows. Sweat stained his face, dripping on the floor in a steady rhythm. It was nothing compared to the other dwarf. Mogrim had sunken eyes and cheeks, sweat running down his skin like droplets on a cave wall. His blonde beard had lost is healthy shine, and his blue eyes refused to meet my own, staring downwards instead.


    ¡°Take this,¡± Martha said as they got close, tiptoeing so she could put the Rune necklace on me. The stone felt warm to the touch, tingling my skin as it rested on my breast. There was a short burst of unintelligible whispers, the Rune flaring brightly in response, before both died down again.


    With a grunt, both dwarves arrived in front of me, dropping down on their knees in an instant. Martha crossed her arms, staring down on them as if to see which one was stupid enough to raise his head. ¡°You know why you are here?¡± Martha asked.


    ¡°Because I failed as a leader,¡± Mogrim answered.


    ¡°Because I failed as a captain,¡± Gurtrum grunted.


    ¡°Because we failed protecting what mattered most,¡± they both said prostrating. ¡°Forgive us, Sin-bearer.¡±


    Martha made a dismissive sneer at their groveling forms. ¡°At least you¡¯ve finally learned something.¡±


    I crouched down, turning my question to Gurtrum first, ¡°Sly already informed me, but I would like to know for sure. Did you, or did you not order more of these eksplosifs to be placed than necessary?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°And did you know that this would delay our retreat by valuable minutes?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Were you¡­¡± I inhaled deeply, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me. ¡°Were you planning this from the very start?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gurtrum said. ¡°I made that decision once I heard our rearguard take up the cry of salvation.¡±


    ¡°Which brings me to you.¡± I turned to Mogrim. ¡°Tell me, why didn¡¯t you keep your men in check?¡±


    ¡°I lost myself to glory, Sin-bearer.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice our rearguard creeping towards the front?¡±


    ¡°No, I did not.¡±


    ¡°More importantly¡­ is it true that you sounded the retreat minutes after Gurtrum¡¯s signal?¡±


    There was a long silence. ¡°Yes,¡± Mogrim finally answered.


    I could hear myself gnash my teeth. ¡°So both of you wasted time killing instead of retreating.¡± I looked at the cave-in. ¡°Which, in the end, not only killed most of my group, but one of my closest friends as well. Am I right?¡± They both remained silent. ¡°AM. I. RIGHT?¡±


    They glanced at each other before answering, ¡°Ye-¡± It got cut off as my fist slammed into floor between their heads. Pain flared through my hand, but that was nothing compared to my anger. I lifted it from the ground, expecting to find broken knuckles and mangled fingers. Instead, it didn¡¯t show much more than cut skin. That, and two pair of bulging eyes as Mogrim and Gurtrum looked to the ground inches away from their faces, cracks forming around the point of impact. Whatever you did Gob. I flexed my fingers. Thank you.


    I inhaled deeply, letting the torrent of anger run its course, flowing through my limbs before pooling it inside my lungs. With a long exhale, it flowed out, leaving me alone with my mother¡¯s words. Patience, Marcus. Patience endures. I opened my eyes. ¡°At least tell me why.¡± All three dwarves shifted their attention from the crack back to me. ¡°Tell me why my friend had to die.¡±


    Martha gave the two dwarves a nod before both of them sat upright to face me. ¡°We can only tell what we know from experience,¡± she added. ¡°As to the hows, why¡¯s, and anything else, I¡¯m afraid only the capital¡¯s Keepers know for sure.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, Sin-bearer.¡± Mogrim struck his chest. ¡°But I bear more bad news.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that your friend is actually alive.¡± How is that bad?


    ¡°You don¡¯ think¡­?¡± Gurtrum asked.


    ¡°Indeed I do,¡± Mogrim nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve got the Mark, so I don¡¯t see why not.¡±


    ¡°This is bad,¡± Martha said, chewing her finger. ¡°How are we supposed to find him? And even then, at which Source will he revive? Will he even revive?¡±


    ¡°Aaagghh¡­¡± Mogrim ran his fingers through his sticky hair. ¡°I don¡¯t know, woman. I¡¯m a warrior, not a Keeper. Besides, does it really matter if he revives? I¡¯d rather he be dead than go through all that.¡±


    All three dwarves nodded in unison at those words. ¡°Slow down a minute,¡± I said, rubbing my temples. ¡°Being alive is bad? Reviving? You¡¯re going to have to explain some things to me.¡±


    Mogrim scratched his head. ¡°Where do I even start?¡±


    ¡°Over here!¡± a digging dwarf yelled near the cave-in. He was next to a collapsed pule of rubble, one that had a stone arm wiggling in its debris, Fissures ran all throughout the moving limb, but it was a limb that I recognized from a mile away. Pickle. I stood up, legs itching to get closer. I had barely made a step before Martha slapped me on the back, pushing me forward. ¡°Go and grab yourself a pickax.¡±


    She gave me a beaming smile.


    ¡°We have some digging to do.¡±