Golden flames flickered in Vlads eyes as he took another sip of his soup. By now the sun had hidden away from sight, with the stars taking its place in the night. The dwarfs were waiting around for Vlad to continue his story.

He didn’t disappoint.

“When the national crisis hit, everyone in the prison was set free to fight against the bug horde under the orders of the city lord. Of course, my father and I were also set free and sent to the frontlines to fight. You might not know it judging by my looks, but I learned a fair amount of blood magic in my time. Although it seems my memories are being repressed like most of you, so I’ve forgotten most of my spells, unfortunately.

“Back to the story. Well that bastard of a city lord already had the information so he didn’t need us anymore except to be meat shields in the grinder. And so we fought, pulling out all the stops to kill one more bug.

“We killed and killed for a day as the bugs kept coming. I watched brothers and sisters killed by the bugs only fueling my rage as I gathered their blood to keep on fighting. Every drop used to fight against the bugs caused by my mistake.

“In the end, we were overrun and we had to retreat to the inner wall. I only managed to make it to the inner wall thanks to my father blocking a killing blow aimed at me with his body. With the last of his strength, he pushed me through the closing gate and told me to live.”

His hands trembling, opening and closing tears flowed down his cheeks. Urist saw the utter rage in Vlad’s twitching body wishing to take his anger out.

“I… I caused my father to die. Not listening to his dying wish I cut my wrists and charged right back out. I don’t know why I did it but it must be a move hidden in my memory. All I remember was entering a berserker rage killing dozens and dozens of bugs in my path using my own blood. The blood of the bugs. The blood of the fallen. Until I couldn't move anymore.

“Eventually I used up all my blood after killing at least a thousand by myself alone. My body weak, skin dried up, I hung on by a thread of life. I closed my eyes and awaited death, but I felt no scythe run me threw.

“It was at that time I opened my eyes weakly to see a beautiful woman in white stand before me. She was surrounded by bowing praying mantises. At the time I couldn’t believe a king had taken humanoid form. It had never been recorded that kings could take human form so I was quite shocked.

“We stared at each other for a long time before the king bowed her head slightly to me and said to me. ‘Thank you for raising me, father.’ Before she grabbed me by the arms and raised me at eye level. Her jaw expanded and clamped over my head and that's how I died. With my head swallowed.”

Vlad started laughing as he rubbed his neck, “Can you believe it? A king called me a father after how inhuman I treated her. Then ate my head!”

He was laughing so hard that Urist went over to him and held him by the shoulder, “Are you ok?”

Vlad suddenly stopped laughing and fell over from his seat and started to stare at the stars.

Urist thought something happened to Vlad so he tried to help him up only for Vlad to hold up a hand to stop him.

“I’m fine boss. It’s in the past, Nothing can change it. Since I’ve been given a second life, I’m going to live my life for my father this time. I owe him and everyone's life I killed because of my curiosity. I must… Repent… Will you allow me, boss?”

Vlad smiled bitterly as tears gushed out of his eyes.

Urist pulled Vlad by the hand forcefully making the dwarf startled.

Looking him in the eye Urist replied, “That's expected, you can’t die until I say so and thank you for sharing that painful memory. I’ll make sure you live well for your father!”

Leaving the stunned Vlad, Urist turned to the crowd, “That goes for the rest of you! You are not allowed to die until I say so! I care not of your past as this is your new life. Make a difference and fight to live. Do not waste your second life. Is that clear!”

“““““Understood boss!”””””

Everyone cheered on filled with fighting spirit. They were shouting that rats wouldn’t kill them. That they would survive. That they would live on.

Vlad looked at the back of Urist with wide eyes. Looking at how someone so small could have such a large back that seemed it could carry the weight of the world. He felt the bitterness and hatred in his heart lessen when staring at the back. It was at this moment Vlad inwardly pledged his loyalty to Urist up until his dying breath.

…

Elsewhere in the dark forest of bamboo, the rats moved to and fro from a certain hole in the ground. Inside was a rat up to the size of a dwarf kneecap feasting on the flesh and blood of rat intestines.

With each bite digested the rat grew at a visible pace. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say the rat would grow to be the size of a dwarfs hips by morning. While it ate it watched it subordinates dig down to create a larger living area.

By now the place was about the size of a hundred feet. The rat smiled evilly as seeds and flesh poured into nearby stock plie that it gorged itself on. It wasn’t the only one eating from the pile countless females feasted on the pile, did the deed, and shortly after birth rats. Feeding the newborns for an hour the newborns were ready to eat and soon birth more rats to then be put to scavenging or breeding.

The rate of propagation was outstanding. If any scientist saw such a scene on earth their hair would have become white from seeing such an explosion of a population. But the rat king wasn’t satisfied at the progress, he needed more if he wanted revenge.

He had personally gone to see the construction of the base of the tall ones of and it was grand. With the intelligence, it had gained he knew if he charged at the base right now they would be slaughtered.

Crunching sounds filled the cave as the rat thought. He would eat and grow strong to repay the injury he had so unjustly gotten. He would raise an army to topple those walls. And when his army swarmed in he would find the one who took his eye and devour his entire being!

The rat king let out a screech of hatred which all his subordinates mimicked.

He would have his vengeance!

Rat Tide timer activated 5 Days 11 Hours 22 Mins

Beast Swarm timer activated 13 Days 11 Hours 22 Mins

Point Amount: 7343