Hump held his staff low to the ground, dragging the butt along the floor at his feet while the townsfolk pressed against him, helping to keep it concealed. Lucile was beside him, her shield hidden in someone's coat, and her staff short enough not to be visible over anyone's heads. Still, one unlucky glance and the gorger would be onto them.

They’d need to be fast. His party were so close now, if worse came to worse, he could hit the gorger with a well-placed Essence Blast then wall off the flesh prowlers blocking his path to the gateway. He’d be out. He was so close now, just one final push. Perhaps a few of the townsfolk would make it too. Perhaps. There were too many monsters to be sure of anything. At least it was there as a plan to fall back on.

Hump tried not to worry. He needed his mind clear now more than ever, especially while he was so exhausted. The essence chips gave him a burst of energy, but he was far from in the best state already.

He studied the temple, and any avenues of attack that might be useful to them. Up close, he realised there were the remains of multiple layers of walls, partitioning off various rooms around them. The artefact was suspended on a podium, positioned at what Hump guessed was once the front of the central chamber. A formation marked the ground around it, carved into dark grey stone that didn’t fit with anything else Hump had seen in this realm. Likely it had been here from long before the gorger, which meant the creature had managed to repair it. It had said it could learn through those it possessed, it seemed it knew a fair bit about magic too.

The gorger stopped them a dozen or so paces away from the gateway. Shades swept overhead like vultures, and flesh prowlers circled them, snarling with such hunger Hump was amazed the gorger maintained control. The townsfolk pressed closer in their panic, crowding in like sheep, almost crushing Hump at the core. The flesh prowlers enjoyed the fear. They growled and snapped at their ankles, jumping back and forth excitedly as people cried out.

The gorger let it happen, watching them with dull amusement. After a short while, it silenced them with a low, rumbling growl. It reminded Hump of an avalanche.

The gorger held a hand to the artefact and his essence rose from the formation on the ground, tendrils of power seeping up to the gateway and forcing it to remain open. Hump wondered how long he could make it last. How quickly could it close if it wished it?

“Here they are,” the gorger said. “My prized pickings. Let me see the star.”

“Where’s Hump?” Bud demanded.

“Who?” Hump could hear the taunt in the gorger’s voice. The sadistic playfulness that he knew would make Bud furious.

“The wizard,” Bud growled.

Hump smiled slightly. It was a bad move to show emotion in a negotiation, especially one like this, but that was Bud. In a way, it was nice to have someone that cared enough to anger so quickly.

“Ah, the wizard.” It grinned, showing its ivory teeth. “There wizard is elsewhere, but rest assured, he is alive. I will not part with him so easily.”

“That wasn’t the deal,” Vivienne said coldly. “Everyone you’ve captured for the star. That’s what we agreed.”

It held out an arm, gesturing back at Hump and the townsfolk. “View this as my counter offer.”

“We won’t give you the star without everyone,” Vivienne said.

A woman broke down whimpering, and the gorger glanced at her, its grin widening. She looked to be somewhere in her forties.

“Is that so?” It reached out and grabbed her.

She screamed and Hump’s stomach plummeted. He knew what came next. He felt it as the gorger’s magic soured, its essence cold and vile, sending shivers down Hump’s spine. He felt the same ice in the air that he’d grown so used to; the gorger’s will given form. The woman let loose a shrill, mad scream. It pierced Hump to his soul. He remembered the pain. The fear. And he thought about how much worse it would have been if he’d lacked the power to resist.

Above all, he felt hate. Such deep and loathing hate it took everything to hold back from blasting it right there and then. He clenched his fist around his staff until his knuckles went white, pressing his teeth together hard enough that his jaw hurt.

“Stop!” Vivienne shouted, voice like a hammer. There was authority to it that Hump couldn’t replicate. Not charisma, but power. Unlike the rest of them, Vivienne was a true threat to the gorger. In a straight up fight, it might not win. “Release the woman or the deal is off now. I will take the star to a place where you will never find it, then call upon every Chosen we can muster to ensure you never step a foot through this gateway.”

The screams cut short and Hump knew the beast was listening. “It is a fair exchange. Do not forsake twenty lives for one. They are here, and as long as you agree, they are free to go.” Essence radiated from it, rising from its body in streaks of red. “But do not threaten me again, witch, or you may find me less than willing to part with my meal.”

Vivienne hesitated. It was a difficult decision, and Hump appreciated the moment she spent on it, but the choice was obvious. The gorger held too many cards. Time was on its side, and above all, it was so unpredictable it might just kill them all there and then for the hell of it.

Bud seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he stepped closer to Vivienne, speaking too quietly for Hump to hear, but he could see how furious he was in his posture. Celaine and Dylan joined in, and by the end of it, the four of them looked displeased. Hump understood. They couldn’t let these people die for his sake alone. Not when they stood in front of them. Not when they could make the difference. He could hardly blame them. It was the right decision. The decision he would make in their stead.

Fortunately, he’d made his own plans.

“We have an agreement,” Vivienne said. “The star for your prisoners.”

The gorger grinned gleefully. Its clay-like skin stirred excitedly. Hump knew it wouldn’t give them up like that, but he also knew Vivienne must have something more in store. There was no way she would just give up the star.

The exchange would take place in two parts. Half the townsfolk would go through the portal first, and one would return with Hestia’s Star. They would place the star on the ground, and only then would the other half be free to leave. They were hardly good terms. The gorger would have every opportunity to pounce on those that remained once it had what it wanted.

“Take this,” Hump whispered to Lucile, handing her his staff. “I’m going to slip in with the first half and return with the star. It’s best it’s me that brings it back. You stay here with our weapons.”

She stared at him with wide eyes. “Why don’t I go?”

“My party won’t recognise you,” Hump said. “I need to know what they’re planning and figure out how I can help. Don’t worry, if I were going to leave you here it wouldn’t have been when we’re this close to escape.”

She studied his eyes for a long moment. He could see the reluctance in them, the hopelessness. She looked ready to give up. “Okay.” She sighed. “I’ll trust you.”

The townsfolk that remained ushered her to the centre while Hump and the others were led forward by the flesh prowlers. Those that protested at who went first were quickly shut down by bared teeth and snapping. Hump staggered forward, waiting for something to go wrong. Waiting for one of the creature’s to take it too far, or for the gorger to laugh and change its mind. They hounded him all the way to the gateway, and then he was through.

It was an odd sensation stepping through. So much essence was concentrated into such a small space, it almost felt like liquid—cool and wet across his skin. But when he stepped through to the other side and breathed the musty air of the human realm’s temple, there was no liquid on him.

And he was home. The air was damp and stale, and the only light to see by was Vivienne’s wand, but he was home. He could feel it in the essence even in this forgotten place. Where the remnant realm was lifeless and dry, there was an energy in the air here.

“Quickly,” Vivienne ushered them closer. “Get behind us, all of you.”

“What are you doing witch?” the gorger snapped.

“I will bring you the star,” she said. “To ensure you keep your word.”

“No!” it roared, its temper changing like a spark of thunder. It grew in size, its body expanding until it nearly encompassed the gateway. “The terms have been set. They cannot be undone.”

Hump stepped in front of her before she had a chance to argue. “Why don’t you let me take it?” Hump said, grinning, letting his hood slip back.

“I shall do it…” she trailed off, her eyes widening as she took in his face.

“Great Mother Owalyn,” Celaine hissed. “Hump?”

They all gawked at him. Bud’s mouth opened and closed again, searching for words. He looked like he wanted to grab him into a bear hug, but Hump held up a hand to stop him, his grin widening as he did. He had his back to the gorger, but it wouldn’t take much for it to realise something was off.

“We need to be quick,” Hump said. “We can save the reunion for when there’s not an insane monster waiting to devour us.”

“You’re so skinny,” Bud said.

“Not a whole lot of food in the gorger’s dungeon.” He held out his hand to Vivienne. “Give me the star.”

She placed it in his hand, then used both of hers to wrap his fingers around it, holding him tightly. “Get away as soon as you can. I’ve set a formation on it that will explode the moment any foreign essence interacts with it. It will explode.”

“Will it kill it?” Hump asked. “I think the gorger must be a Tier 6 monster.”

Vivienne frowned. That was a no then.

“Its physical body is weak,” Hump said. “It will need a few seconds to rebuild its body. Before it gets the chance, I’ll blast its heartstone into our realm. Its body won’t be able to survive here long.”

“You want to fight it?” Dylan asked.

“We have to,” Hump said, a part of him thinking for the good of those that lived around Fishers Lake, and even bigger part of him just wanting to see it fall. “I’ve spoken to it. If we don’t stop it now, it will only become more difficult to deal with. And there are other gateways, they’re spread across the sky as far as I could see. Gods know how many more like the gorger there are.”

“Do it,” Vivienne said. “But do not put your life in anymore danger. Get everyone else out and I shall handle the rest.”

Hump nodded. They wished him good luck. Hump had to wipe the smile from his face as he turned back to the gateway. He raised the hood of his cloak, feeling its protective power wrap around him, then, head low, he stepped back through the gateway.

He held Hestia’s Star close to his chest as if it were the most precious thing in the world. Essence washed over him, cool and refreshing, then the dusty, barren air once more filled his mouth. The gorger was staring hungrily at him. No, not at him, but at the star against his chest.

“Drop it down,” it said excitedly. “Drop it down. Yes!”

Hump did as it asked, placing it on the ground. Before he’d even stepped back, the gorger’s arm shot forward like a spike from its body, wrapping around the star. It drew it back, dragging it into its body. Hump’s eyes went wide as he realised what was happening.

He ran for the townsfolk. “Everyone down!”

Lucile stepped before them, shield raised, as Hump crouched to the ground, pulling up his cloak for cover.

And the gorger exploded in an earth-shattering boom.