“Are you not scared of me, child of man?” The shadow asked, its voice a mix of astonishment and breaking ice.

“No, silly,” the little girl giggled, as she pulled her tattered dress around her knees, trying to protect her exposed legs from the cold kiss of the winter snow.

The fact that this pitiful thing made of flesh had survived for so long all on its own, amazed the shadow. It was one of the reasons it had dared to approach the child. Her kind was usually very fragile, but this one was proving that to be wrong. For three days and nights, the shadow had observed the little girl, while she failed to construct a rudimentary shelter. Then it watched as she struggled to start a fire with the dump twigs she had been collecting. Such dance with death meant that a feast was to be had, and this was the second reason it had stalked the child. But during those three days, it hadn’t sensed once desperation from her. There was the occasional outburst of anger, and her dreams oozed sadness, but there was no desperation. And then, as the sun began to die the night sky in crimson, the impossible had happened. The girl, this disappointing meal, had smiled at the shadow and waved at it.

Curious, the shadow approached, confused by the beaming grin with which the mortal thing had greeted it. Its appearance – when it deigned to show itself – drove people to the edge of insanity, sending grown men and women screaming. Now, however, it was certain that it had been hidden. This alone made the girl very special and very dangerous. Attacking the child would violate the fragile truce between its kind and those pests which frolicked in the blinding light. Alas, such a choice was impossible for it to make. Its master and creator had forbidden the attacks on the mortal creatures and the shadow had to obey or risk a fate worse than a thousand deaths. At the same time, it couldn’t call upon its master, for to do so without reason was equally as dangerous. And, one single human child was not a good enough excuse.

“Why should I be scared?” The girl asked absentmindedly, peaking at the frozen tears decorating her pale cheeks. “Well, I was a little at first. But then I figured out that you were protecting me!” She clapped her hands and her smile grew.

“Protecting… you?” the shadow was confused. Nothing this mortal creator said made any sense to it. The very thought that the shadow might be protecting one of her kind was sickening. To it, the girl was a meal which would sate its eternal hunger for a little while.

“Yes!” She buried her face in her knees, to hide the snot spilling out of her nose. Her mud-coated blonde hair glistened like gold in the early morning light. “You’ve kept the beasts away for three whole days! Thank you.”

The little girl opened her small hand to reveal a meagre haul of a few frozen berries and a couple of sweet roots. She reached out towards the shadow offering the food to it. “You must be tired and hungry, so I got those for you.”

For the first time in countless aeons, it was lost for words. It stretched its senses, noting that indeed the twisted monsters of the Wilds were keeping their distance. Not because they had seen it, but because their primal instincts warned them that something more dangerous than them was lurking around. The same instincts that should be screaming at the girl to run as fast as her shivering legs could carry her. Instead, she lowered her head and the smile disappeared from her face.

“I wanted to build you a fire as well so that you could warm up since you don’t have a shelter like I do.” At that, she pointed at the chaotic pile of slender branches and leaves.

“I require no such thing,” the shadow’s cruel laughter echoed like a cracking iceberg.

The audacity of this mortal creature, to think that one such as it would need protection against the elements. It could wield powers beyond the child’s wildest imagination. The very forces of creation were its to manipulate and abuse if that was the shadow’s desire. Of course, doing so within the bounds of the mortal realm was extremely taxing and was not worth the effort. However, it felt compelled to correct the girl’s misconception. To strike terror in her heart, which would reach her soul, opening the way for it to devour the precious morsel. With a thought, it commanded its formless body to shift and change. Where once was a formless blob made of darkness, now stood a horror conjured by the worst nightmares which plagued humanity. Black flames bathed its skinless body, draining the life from the surrounding area. Decaying gull-like wings burst from its back, greedily feasting on the chilling wind. Its maw, filled with hundreds of jagged obsidian teeth opened to reveal a dark void which consumed the light. The tar-like blood that oozed from the wounds splitting its twisted muscles sizzled as it touched the hard earth.

It had been hundreds of years since it had last revealed its true form, one which had sent an entire village into suicidal madness. The one its infinitely cruel creator had blessed it with. To show itself for one tiny soul was unquestionably a terrible exchange, however, this soul was unique and those tended to have incredible value. Once the shadow had it secured in its claws, it could trade for a feast with one of the denizens within the realm of darkness. Or it could even offer it to its master and creator in exchange for more power.

The shadow diverted its attention to the human child. To its delight, she was frozen in place. Tiny hands covering her mouth, most likely to stop a scream that would never come. Her bright eyes fixed on it, not daring to stray. And the best part was all the fear flowing out of her… But there was something else mixed it in. Something the shadow had never tasted before. A sensation that it quickly concluded it didn’t wish to consume for it stung like poison.

“You feel sorry for me?!” the shadow hissed, its three tongues cracking like whips with each violent motion. “Are you blind, little mortal?”

It reached out with one of its clawed fingers, the digit jerking and twisting before becoming a wicked talon as long as the girl’s head. Very carefully, so as not to violate the orders of its creators, it pressed the tip against the child’s cheek. Not strong enough to damage her pale skin, but hard enough, for her to feel how sharp it was. The shadow had to lower itself significantly since it was three times the child’s height, so it bent its spine at an impossible angle, the tortured bones splintering and tearing through its skinless flesh.

“Are you so eager to die, that you would dare provoke my anger?” The monster asked in a voice that burned the air.

“No!” The girl exclaimed and puffed her gaunt cheeks. “I didn’t mean to be rude. You know, I thought you might have been lonely because you don’t look anything like the others. But you’re kinder than them! You came to talk to me, instead of keeping ignoring me and waiting for me to go away. So, that’s why!”

“Others…” It stretched its senses once more, searching for those of its kind who would dare to interrupt its meal. “Do not lie to me, little mortal. We are alone here.”

“I’m not lying!” the girl protested, tears forming in her eyes. “I’m not!”

“Explain yourself,” the monster demanded, taking a menacing step forward. It didn’t want to admit it, but the words of this little defenceless thing had intrigued it. There was no sign of falsehood in them, and it doubted it very much, that the child was skilled enough to be able to fool it.

“You know… The others like you,” she began and stopped as if that explained everything. After a moment the girl became animated, waving her hands around in tact with her words. “They are like this big. And they look something like you. Well, not now, but before. However, they are very rude! They sing and play all day and night, but when I try to approach them, they go quiet and ignore me and… and… and…” Her voice quavered and turned into a sob.

Intrigued and starving, the monster stepped forward, placing its clawed palm on the girl’s head. Greedily, it consumed the sadness, made more delicious by the innocence of the mortal thing.

“Thank you,” the small thing of flesh whispered, leaning into its open palm.

“I did not do this to…”

The monster stopped, reminding itself that there were many ways to torment these pitiful creatures. Fear was the quickest, and brought with it emotions which would feed it for a while. At least, until it could find another victim. In comparison, the cruelty brought by deceitful kindness would create a feast to remember. Alas, the majority of mortal beings were wary creatures.

“You are welcome, little one,” the monster purred, the sound more like that of an avalanche than anything a living being could hope to produce.

“See! I knew you were kind,” the girl giggled. But the shadow could see behind the forced smile. There wasn’t much time left for her in the mortal realm. Not much time for it to prepare its feast.

“Tell me, child of man. Why are you here? Alone… Unprotected.” It reverted to its formless appearance, unwilling to waste any more of its power.

“Mommy and daddy didn’t want me anymore,” the girl sniffed with a hint of anger. “Because I was different from the other kids. Because I could see things that even Casper couldn’t see.” She stopped and looked directly at him, as the light slowly faded from her eyes.

“But you’re different too. Is that why the others don’t want to play with you? Actually, I’ve never seen a spirit like you before? What kind are you?” The question caught the shadow by surprise and it chuckled, imagining the carnage that would happen should its path cross with one of those prancing buffoons.

“I am nothing like those avatars of conformity and stagnation. All their honeyed words promise is entropy,” it corrected the child, who squinted at it as if she was examining it.

“If you say so,” the girl shivered as death crept closer. Suddenly she smiled at it and offered the shadow her small fragile hand. “Do you want to be my friend?”

“And what do you have to offer for my friendship?” it asked, tasting victory.

“I can be your friend,” her smile grew as hope entered her dimming eyes.

“It is not enough,” the girl’s lower lip shook as the words reached her.

“That’s all I have,” she sobbed as she tried to pull her dress towards her frozen ankles.

“No,” the shadow glided even closer. This was the moment it had been waiting for. “You have your soul. Give it to me, and I shall be your friend for as long as you live.”

“My… soul?” The mortal child asked startled and for the first time, worry entered her soft voice. For a moment the shadow thought it had been too hasty, but then the little girl continued. “Is that what makes me feel pain whenever I remember mommy and daddy?”

“Yes!” It spoke loudly, excitement oozing from the word as it hovered a hair's breadth away from the child’s face.

“Fine!” The girl’s face became as bright as the sun, her eyes turning golden in colour for a brief second. “I’ll give you my soul if you become my friend… uhh… What is your name? We can’t be friends if I don’t know your name?”

“I do not have one, nor do I need one to prove my existence,” it snapped viciously at her. To think that such a trivial thing would deny its prize was infuriating. If it was one of its lesser kind, they would’ve snapped this foolish mortal’s neck without a second thought.

“Don’t be silly,” the child continued, ignorant of the danger. “Everyone needs a name. If you don’t have one, I’ll give you one!” She clapped her tiny hands together in excitement.

“If you insist.”

“Hmmm,” the girl placed a finger on her mouth and began to talk to herself. “A name that will fit you… Hmmm… You’re strong and very dark, but also kind. The kindest, you know! And you constantly make this tapping sound before you speak…”

The shadow stopped its constant movement as it felt the weight of the mortal world lessen. For a moment it worried that it had lost its grip on this realm of existence and would be flung back to the infernal pits where it was born. No, it was something else. Something it couldn’t explain but at the same time something that felt all too familiar.

“I know!” The girl suddenly clapped her hands together and pointed at the shadow. “I’ll call you Ferox Tac! Like the ferroxite-stones, because they’re all black and hard but very, very, very useful and warm, and the sound you make!”

The moment the name left the girl’s lips, her eyes took a distinct golden hue and the shadow was forced into its original form. All the pressure and sickness it had felt from being forced to exist in this miserable mortal world were gone as if they had never been. And in that same moment, Ferox Tac saw its first glimpse of the young girl’s soul and a broad smile split its hungry maw. Without hesitation, the monstrous thing dropped to one knee and placed its clawed hand over the collection of damp twigs and broken branches.

“Burn.” It commanded in the tongue of its kind, forcing the elements to obey its desire. A blazing inferno engulfed its hand pushing back the cold which was draining the child’s life.

“Tell me, little one,” Ferox Tac spoke softly at the wide-eyed girl, “what is your name?”

“Amazing! How did you do that? Can I, do it? Can you teach me how to do it?” The questions came one after the other and the monstrous thing had to place its taloned finger on her lips to stop them.

“All in good time,” it whispered, the words dropping from its three tongues like uncontrolled desire. “Now answer me, little one. Your name? What is it?”

“Oh, right! I’m Alice,” she chirped as she moved closer to the fire, trying to grab the red tongues of the flames with her cold hands and giggling uncontrollably when they touched the tips of her fingers.

“Well, mistress Alice,” Ferox Tac pushed her gently away from the fire before it could jump onto her hair. “I give you my word, that as long as I live you will fear nothing. I shall be more than your friend. I shall be your servant; my power shall be yours to command as you so desire. Now wait here, you must be starving.”