Cory perched in front of a stone door and pressed her ear against the cold surface. She licked her lips as she listened to the squeaks, moans, and grunts coming from the room. “Wah,” she muttered to herself. “They’re really going at it. This is totally foreign territory to them too.” She tilted her head to the side and scratched her scalp with her talon. “She asked for the best room with the best bed, but maybe I shouldn’t have given them Ivan’s room….”

The red harpy shrugged as she stood up and hopped away. On her way down a passage, she saw a red lizardman with spikes jutting out of his knees and elbows. “Hi, Ivan,” Cory said and waved before increasing her speed. “I think Solra was assigning you to a new room. Your old one’s been taken over.”

“Huh?” The red lizardman furrowed his brow. “Wh—“

“Itwasnicetalkingtoyoubye.”

Ivan stared at the bend that Cory just vanished around. He heard her singing, “Harbinger, harbinger, going to tell the flock….”

“What was that about?” Ivan asked himself as he scratched his head. He always thought harpies were a bit eccentric, but then again, which race wouldn’t be after living underground for a century or two? “Wait. My room’s been taken over? I only went to take a piss. What the hell?” Black flames flickered at the tips of the spikes on his arms and legs. His back straightened as he stomped down the passage, heading towards the stone door.

He lifted his leg and kicked the door open while shouting, “Who dares to claim Ivan Blackflame’s room!?”

A prolonged moan was his only answer. The red lizardman stared blankly at his bed which was being occupied by two unknown creatures. The sheets were tattered, and the walls around the mattress had deep gouges decorating them. The rest of the furniture was in ruins, and his favorite axe was warped as if something heavy fell against it. The two beings raised their heads and stared at the doorway. Ivan cleared his throat as his flames flickered and dispersed. “Wrong room,” he said with a cough and shut the door. A second later, laughter rang out from within the room followed by a squeal. Ivan closed his eyes and pinched his arm. It didn’t hurt. His brows furrowed before his eyes flashed open. He shoved the door and saw the same exact scene as before. Raea and Palan stared at him. He cleared his throat again. “Just making sure,” he said before shutting the stone slab and retreating into the hall.

Ivan exhaled and stared at his feet. When had he become a coward? Just looking into their eyes practically paralyzed him. What a bunch of perverts! A shiver ran down his spine. His mouth had become unusually dry, so he wet his lips with his tongue. “Okay, Ivan Blackflame, give them a piece of your mind,” he said and steeled himself. “That is your room. That is your bed! Your name is even inscribed on the door!” He raised his head and made sure. It really did say “Ivan Blackflame’s Room” above the doorknob. His fingers splayed themselves against the stone surface.

The door swung open, and Ivan marched inside. He shouted, “This is”—Raea glared at him—“my axe….” His shoulders sank as he inched forward and picked up his warped axe before scurrying out of the room. He stared at the bent metal. How was this possible? It was made of the same material as the checkpoint walls. Even if an elephant fell on it, it wouldn’t be as bent as this. He narrowed his eyes and glanced at the door.

“If that lizardman comes in one more time, I’m going to kill him.” The voice sounded like a harp, but it sent shivers down Ivan’s spine.

“Really? It seemed like you got more excited.”

Ivan clutched his axe to his chest and jogged away from his room. They really were a bunch of perverts. And he thought Mathias and Cory were bad enough. Were they multiplying? Had the world become this deranged? A sigh escaped from Ivan’s mouth as he stroked his axe while walking. An earsplitting scream reached his ears, causing him to cut his finger on his axe. What was going on today? Black flames bloomed along his spikes as his eyes turned red.

He followed the sounds of the screams and ended up at the camp’s prison. Everyone who saw him made way, pressing their bodies against the walls in an attempt to escape his gaze. “Oh,” a familiar voice said. “Isn’t that Ivan?” There was another piercing scream.

“Who dares interrupt Ivan Blackflame’s cognition!?” the lizardman shouted and waved his bent axe. His vision was red. Everything was blurry and indiscernible. Black flames billowed from his body, invoking more screams from the people in the prison. A piece of cloth smacked him across the face, clearing his sight and dispersing the flames.

Ivan’s mouth dropped open as he froze in place. “Oh great benefactor,” he said once he recognized the person in front of him. “Forgive my impudence.” He dropped to his knees and touched his forehead to the ground.

“What did I say about kneeling?” Pyre asked and snorted. In front of Pyre, Dinah was shackled to the walls, her wrists and ankles bound by manacles. Blood and flesh decorated the ground around her, but her body was unblemished. Currently, wisps of white light were dancing around her body, healing her.

Ivan stood up and straightened his back. “When did you return?” he asked.

“Just now,” Pyre said. “I brought two allies. They’re a bit strange, but I’ll introduce you to them later.”

“Clear the area,” Ivan roared. The surrounding halflings dispersed, and the doors to the prison slammed shut. Ivan waited for the sounds of footsteps to disappear before saluting Pyre. “I have accomplished all the tasks you set for me.”

“Really?” Pyre asked and raised an eyebrow. “That quickly?”

Ivan nodded and bit his lower lip as he glanced at Dinah. Pyre followed his gaze and chuckled. “Don’t worry about her. She won’t be sane by the time I’m finished,” he said and pat Dinah’s cheek with the cloth in his hand. A whimper escaped from her lips as her body trembled.

Ivan nodded again. “Solra suspects nothing,” he said. “Everyone has agreed to your plans. The trolls were a bit harder to convince because they’re stupid and can’t see logic, so I explained it to them with a fallacy. We are all looking forward to reaching the capital.” A smile bloomed on Ivan’s face, revealing his pointed teeth.

“Good,” Pyre said and nodded. “You may leave.”

Ivan saluted and stepped out of the prison, closing the door behind him to shut out the screams.