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 usually stems 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 believe the importance of it.”

“How can the word boss be important?”

“Boss, you’re just not any boss. You’re my Boss.”

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.”

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 making some 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. “But only 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 kinds of 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 rat was 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 crushed as 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 loose means. 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.