The cemetery was the largest place in Yikensworth. Northside of the city, the cemetery lay outside of the walls with only one way through the walls. The iron gates, now broken and bent stretching outwards in the air remained as reminder of the hell it had unleashed half a day ago. The undead, now properly dead lay infront of the gates, defeated under the foot of their sword-wielding successors.

A blond man observed his handiwork with a grim expression, glancing more than once to whomever walked near, away or anywhere at all. He leaned against the stone wall and waited for further instructions as his mind replayed the events of the hour prior.

There were Five groups in total that accompanied him and Volvo; two ‘Three Strike’ mercenary groups, two ‘Two Strike’ ones and one large group of soldiers, probably the crème de la crème from the duke’s personal guard. His companions were good, clearing out the undead before he could even sweat. However their resourcefulness also meant they were meant to be kept wary off, their sharp edge too close meant they could slice him open before he’d have a chance to react. Thanks to what he and Peter did at the manor a heavy atmosphere of mistrust had descended around him, it must’ve been worse for Peter who put himself out there. Volvo taught him better; to never trust those who were his equal or superior unfortunately that also meant Peter.

He may be his junior in age but that did not mean he was anyless dangerous. A long time ago, before that fateful encounter with in the plains of Duurkin he had trusted Peter to watch their backs. Volvo advised against it but he didn’t listen, his blind trust almost caused a falling out between him and their wise leader. However after the incident at Duurkin he realized his folly. Only Volvo had his best interest at heart and anyone else who claimed so was a liar.

Sure, a couple of years and a team change later he had forgiven the blond fool but he could never trust him as much as he did before. After the incident with the liche he was willing to give Peter the benefit of the doubt but even that he squandered when he disobeyed one of Volvo’s taboo instructions; never spy on him during his meetings with the Duke. It was a serious offense and Peter knew it well, though he had been punished and he had no doubt that he would survive it, Luvrit could no longer trust him like he did before.

Only Volvo had his best interest at heart. He could not trust anyone except the man who raised and protected him.

However the man in question had integrated himself amongst his old friends and stuck himself at their lordships side like sap to bark. From under the cover of his long hair Luvrit glared at their ‘big boss’; that one man who had Volvo within the palm of his hand, the man responsible for both order and chaos of Yikensworth, self contructed to control the populace. Within his own dukedome that man was god.

His benefactor and lord; Duke William Von Solus.

Their Lord currently read a map of the cemetery while Volvo held the lantern. Under the mist and darkness it shone much more brightly than usual, clawing at his fears of attracting additional undead like the beacon of Galdavor in the country by the water. But he couldn’t voice his concerns, not when time was of the essence.

‘I’m a lot like his lordship?’ Luvrit thought, remembering a time when Volvo had spoke of their similarities. They were narcissistic and flaunted their knowledge and power for satisfaction?

He merely commented on what he knew, he did not flaunt it. He worked to please others; any good man would do that. However for the duke, he knew it to be just a charade, an act to seem good while the reality of the situation was much grimmer. Of course being a part of that reality meant he would be privy to that knowledge. The only thing he was willing to admit they shared was that both of their fathers died because of war.

He still remembered the time he’d spent with his father. No matter how small or how bad that memory was, at least that was something he had over Peter who couldn’t even remember calling someone by that name. The proof was in the first time he tried pronouncing ‘father’, a sad sight it truly was. However he wasn’t much better off himself; the only thing he retained about his father after all these years was how much he hated the nobility and how he was killed.

His father was a deserter-turned-thief from the last war or so he suspected from the personal research he’d done. His father like many others joined the war with great excitement to climb the ladder of society, but after more than one failed champains and the harsh truth that his life was as dispossible as a handkerchief to William’s father he deserted the army and turned into a thief. That’s probably when he met his mother in the same profession and a few years later they’d have him. Mother likely died in Wallowing Gallows; a purge led by William von Solus against crime when his own father was killed in an assassination by a thief. His father was…very open about his views on the nobility, something that got him killed in the end.

If he tried hard, he could still remember the dampness and the smell of sick he’d felt living in the hut wedged between two taverns, hidden under the alleyway trash. Luvrit would always wake up to see half-eaten food waiting for him on the upturned basket they used as a table, but never would he see his father come back before he went to sleep. All except for that one fateful night when he did and Luvrit could remember every detail of the night he died.

He remembered being shaken awake and being thrown out the back window when he was. He didn’t remember much of what happened after, but he knew that he’d run away from the when the sound of his father dying filled his ears. That was the last time he’d seen his home, the hut, crumbling under the downpours of the roof drainage system that had been created overhead, that and it was the last time he’d seen his father. Probably killed by whoever his father dragged into that house that night. Luvrit didn’t look at this memory with anger, but joy, for after that moment his life turned for the better. He met Peter, a fellow orphan and after a few years of working together through childhood they were met with Volvo, under whose wing they learnt their trade and grew up into fine men.

He’d tried everything to dig up anything he could on his parents but after a couple of years of searching more of what he knew were assumptions than facts. But after joining the inner circle of the ‘big boss’ though he didn’t get the truth about his parents he did find out that it was because of his lordship that so many orphans roamed the streets.

Did Duke William kill his father that night? Did he order his own and Peter’s parents to die because of fear of another assassination? Is blackmailing Volvo into doing this for him?

...Those thoughts he’d been punished for were beginning to manifest again. Who was he kidding? They never went away in the first place. With the city devoid of most its residents his mind was turning to its darkest corner the further he travelled with the man in question. But there was the matter of saving themselves that took pre-prece…precedance over whatever he was thinking. He pushed himself away from the wall, adorning the calm and emotionless persona once again before addressing the approaching Volvo.

“Did his lordship make a decision yet,” he whispered unable to avoid the sarcastic tone.

“Careful,” Volvo warned tiredly. “His lordship’s deciding upon whether to send a scouting team or cut time and advance all together.”

“How preposterous,” Luvrit folded his arms and continued in a hushed voice. “Does he not realize how much time he’ll waste by just deciding this simple, uh, strategium?”

Volvo narrowed his eyes at Luvrit as he too folded his arms and confronted the youth.

“First of all, stop with the words. You’re making more of a fool of yourself trying to speak out of your character and standing than you are achieving respect. They laugh behind your back, calling you an idiot rather than a genius for speaking a half-broken noble tongue. Secondly, he is the duke and he has every right to do what he believes right in his region. Have faith in him, I’ve had it for almost two decades and it hasn’t led me astray yet.”

Luvrit reluctantly nodded. Volvo smiled and continued.

“All of your stupidity aside, it’s nice to see how well your speech has matured. A few more years and you’ll learn the basics of noble-tongue. That’s sure to impress him and then you can act as his spy over at the other fiefdoms.”

“Thank you Volvo, but…,” Luvrit hesitated. “Why did you stop practicing it?”

“I didn’t have the motivation for it,” Volov smiled. “Also, I started late. If I had started at the age I came under his lordships employment I would’ve been this old by the time I’d learn the basics and what good would’ve that done me by then? I’m too large and well known to act as a spy. It’s much better for you to learn it than me and when you do become one then you will understand why I tell you to not trust anyone even your own family-well except for me that is. After all, I’ve your best interest at heart Luvrit.”

“Thank you for your kind-”

“Gather around!” Duke von Solus announced, interrupting his conversation. Everyone immediately converged at his position and created a defensive circle around him, with the team captains in the front and their members behind them.

“We’ll send a scouting team to clear out the small fries,” he said grimly. “They’ll take up positions around the von Solus Mousaleam and send one to relay the situation there while they await our arrival. Understood?”

“Hoo-ah” they whispered.

“My lord, it shall be my honor-” Volvo began but was immediately silenced by the Duke’s raised hand.

“You shan’t accompany them Volvo. I need my best by my side,” he said. Turning towards the ‘two strike’ mercenaries he smiled. “Normally I wouldn’t do this, but I think it is about time I expand my circle of trust. My young mercenaries; consider this your initiation. If you complete this task I vow to place a good word for you in the mercenary guild and support you in the guild for as long as you remain in my dukedom.”

“Uh…thank y-you my lord, ho-how-however my team is still very inexperienced in large battles” The taller team captain bowed. “So we can’t accept your request, my lord. I’m sorry.”

‘Wrong answer,’ Alarm bells began ringing in Luvrit’s head as he saw the duke transform into the ‘big boss’.

“…tell me captain, will you bleed for me?” He asked in a deadly serious voice.

“O-of course my lord,” the man shivered and held his head in shame.

“Do you speak for your team as well?”

“Ye-Yes my lord.”

“Then bleed buckets,” he said.

It took only a few seconds for realization to descend on his face but by that time, their heads had already fallen off. The few guards closest to that teams stabbed their hearts and carried their bodies away from their lord. While the man himself turned his attention to the shorter captain.

It gave Luvrit a slight warmth in his stomach when he saw the surprise on their lords face at the mercenary’s reaction.

“Hehe, he was an idiot to begin with. My Lord,” the smaller team captian eagerly stepped forward. He was a good two head’s shorter than the previous one and wore a chainmail over his clothes, worts swarmed his face and the pointy metal shoes did not help his already jester-like image but none of that seemed to bother him much as he continued; “If you’re grace is willing, I would like to offer up my group’s services for this task.”

“Ah…Minús yes? Very well, your services I accept,” The duke nodded. He banged his staff to the ground as he stepped aside, pointing to the foggy graveyard behind him. “Your task is simple; scout ahead and secure my family mausoleum. Understood?”

“Yes sir,” the whole group bowed. Everyone on that team bowed their heads in fear, still shaking form what happened to the other team. Except for Minús’s who looked out into the fog as if he was discerning something. He looked over at his direction and the glint in his eyes told Luvrit that whatever he wanted, he will not like.

“My lord, may I have ‘three striker’ Luvrit’s help,” the midget smiled in his direction. Luvrit looked at the man with a scowl and he understood the meaning behind his infamous ‘slave-smile’.

“Hmmm, alright, now go and get it done,” William von Solus ordered.

“As-you-comaand, my lord,” the midget exaggerated. He led the way for his team over the trampled gates and Luvrit followed closely after. He trekked slowly into the graveyard, readily surveying the land before them and listening for sounds of any approaching being, while keeping his sights on the people around him. They were far into the graveyard, where the fog had become the thickest; forcing only what was within arms length of them to be seen, when the midget suddenly laughed.

“Funny ain’t it?” He asked.

“Not at all, you’ve always been a thorn in my side, Minúsculo,” Luvrit responded with a rueful smile.

“Oooh, nice. Did you read that line from another one of your books?”

“Quite so, Minúsculo,” Luvrit smiled. “Glad to see you alive, I much prefer to travel with the evil I know than the evil I don’t.”

“Heh, evil?” Minúsculo giggled. “You’re in the same boat as me buddy; don’t think the rest of us down here don’t know what you do for your duke. But this is my chance, I’ll meet you up there and then we can start this thing for real.”

“Not if you die right now,” Luvrit glanced at Minúsculo.

“…We don’t joke about these things, Luvrit.” Minúsculo said threateningly as he gripped his sword tightly.

“Heh, man you really must be stupid to not understand advice,” Luvrit smirked.

“With you, advice and threat might as well be just the same.”

“Speaking of threats; when did you change teams?” He nodded to the people following them.

“Ahhh, those other guys were really slowing me down,” He said with a sigh. “So I ditched ‘em for something better. Atleast I can’t beat this whole group by myself, those other ones were soo weak.”

“Alright Asterix-*Snap*” Luvrit head turned to their left from where the sound of a twig breaking came. Everyone seemed to stop breathing as they waited, until nothing happened for several slow minutes. “Hey Minúsculo, how’s your curious cat?”

“Sleepin’,” he answered, stretching his free-hand’s fingers. “It must be cause I haven’t had to urge to search through my team’s pouches since I left my old one. I’d rather live thank you very much.”

“Good because I don’t want you looking for valuables this time and getting us killed in the process. We all know there is a Mausoleum and it’s surrounded by undead and that duke will kill you if he finds you with your hands in the till,” Luvrit turned to the others. “Everyone, follow me.”

The fog was too thick to see anything clearly beyond a few meters, however they only needed to see the black figures stumbling in the white fog to know of the undead’s locations. There seemed to be a multitude of them circling the mausoleum and even after a long moment of observation Luvrit couldn’t see them leaving the site. He stalked forwards and found that the tall, well-ornated gravestones of the house staff belonging to the von Solus family plot had caged them within. They tried moving out yet only got as far as the next gravestone before stumbling over it. With no flesh and soulful vessels to entice them with, they aimlessly stumbled through their corrupted afterlife, much like Luvrit leaving the RoyalRoads bookstore without finding a good book.

“Oh yeah, the flowreader’s down there alright,” Minúsculo a nervous smile.

“Let’s go,” Luvrit ordered seriously.

“Follow him boys,” Minúsculo licked his lips. “You might actually live through tonight.”

Luvrit unsheathed his second sword and led the assault between the gravestones. He didn’t run, like most would’ve, instead he opted to slowly stalk through the gravestones. The undead, noticing their presence, clumped towards the gravestones in their direction.

“Spread out and surround them,” Luvrit commanded.

“You heard him,” Minúsculo said as he led two of his teammates to the left while the others went to the right. Luvrit kept moving forward, swinging his swords to warm up his arms in the chilling environment. A corpse finally made its way through the gravestones and stumbled towards him. When it was within striking distance Luvrit quickly slahed both his swords towards the head, decapitating it in a single strike, with it’s controller gone the body writhed in a pointless struggle as the flowreader’s control left its body and a small pool of black liquid spurted out its neck before it ceased motion completely.

Luvrit smiled as he saw the herd in front of him slowly thin. The two-strikers must’ve drawn the undead around the whole mausoleum as the large clump infront of him was getting smaller by the second. Luvrit’s expression was quickly replaced by one of determination as there were still many more that needed to be taken down before him. So Luvrit picked up the pace and started culling.

The further he moved in the thicker the fog got, by the third graveston layer he could only see at an arms length. Luvrit could recognize the undead because of their contrasting skin colour to the surroundings but that didn’t mean they were completely visible. A few more corpses were able to get past the gravestones and were moving in a pincer formation towards him, due to their slowness however, he was able to quickly maneuver in and out of their reach stabbing their throats each time he came in close before jumping back and swinging with all his might to decapitate the weakened organ. Thusly he advanced into the last two gravestone layers, just out of the incoming corpse’s reach to catch his breath.

A hand suddenly popped out of the ground and grabbed his foot in a vice grip. Instinctively Luvrit jumped back but the weight of the body supporting the hand kept him in place, so with his upper body going back while the foot was held firmly in place, made him fall. Luvrit, feeding off of adrenaline, swung his sword and cut off the hand that grabbed his foot. Getting to his feet he squinted at the ground and realized that similar hands were wriggling their way out of the earth. More corpses were unearthing from their graves while they were busy fighting those cropses still out in the open.

“Check your feet,” He hissed, hoping that he could be heard. “Their coming out from the gro-”

And as if on cue; one of the mercenary screamed from the back of the mausoleum, sending everyone on high alert.

“Plebeu!” Minúsculo hissed. When no response came he shouted; “Check your surroundings you idiots!”

What followed was an awkward stomp-fest. The undead couldn’t move through the gravestones by more than a few finger-lengths and the unearthing process took too long to complete, allowing them to stopm them back down before they could come up. They were stomping on the new-born undead’s skulls when they weren’t dealing with the incoming ones. It didn’t take more than a few seconds to deal with each undead so by the time the others had arrived he had bought himself enough time to give them his undivided attention and by the sounds of the others it seemed as they shared his success.

Slowly but surely they advanced into the inner sanctum of the mausoleum, eventually killing off the last of them. While the others took to a break to catch their breaths, Luvrit and Minúsculo took watch of anything else appearing out of the ground.

“That was…unexpectedly easy,” the midget commented.

“We lost Plebeu,” one of the two-strikers said.

“Yeah, we did” the small man sighed. “But this job is for the exceptional, we can’t have commoners amongst our soon-to-be three strike team, they’ll slow us down. Better to die early and alone because of your incompetence than to live longer and kill us all because of it.”

“You’re a sick man Minúsculo,” one of them spoke and spat on the ground, his friend keeping him back.

“Yeah and this sick man can kill ya before ye could even blink. Now, get back before I slap the shit out of ya,” Minúsculo threatened, showing off an intended swing. “Something none of you seem to understand.”

“I can see why you switch teams a lot,” Luvrit silently nodded to himself.

“Oh Ha dee da. Minas, deliver the message that it’s all clear.” Minúsculo said. One of the angry men jumped off his resting spot on the mausoleum and disappeared into the fog where they’d come from. “Keep alert you three, I can’t have you die before he comes. I know it’s hard but try not to kill yourself from stupidity.”

They all stood up and after some talks; took up positions at each cardinal point around the mausoleum but he didn’t miss the glares they gave the small man as they got to work.

‘I hope this doesn’t turn into another Duurkin,’ he thought before burying his worries for later.

Luvrit took up the point facing back to where he’d come from hoping to enjoy some time alone when he was joined by Minúsculo, who copied his stance and stood in silence.

“The flowreader seems young,” Minúsculo commented.

“Or he’s inexperienced.” He replied.

“That’s what I meant, but even all of us being there didn’t change the outcome, the flow reader had numbers on his side and now more than half the city’s dead.” A tense silence formed between them until Minúsculo spoke; “Anyways I wanted ta ask if ya if ya would mind putting in a good word for me to yer lord and when I become a three striker?”

“Don’t be so uncouth and speak properly…and for what? You’ll be one of the elites, what more do you want?” Luvrit frowned, looking down at him.

“You know what I want, I want in. What are you looking at me like that fer? People talk Luv,” Minúsculo smiled, scratching his beard. “All hushed and quite of course, but nothing stays hidden…not from the worst of the lot your lord is brewing in the underbelly of this city. It was funny, to be honest with ya. The men I saw hanged out in public, I find a few months later walking amongst us in the alleys, sewers and of course atop the buildings at midnight. So I awoke that curious cat and finally got around to catching one of them; a brown haired woman with two ugly scars leading up her arms. You know her?” the short man must’ve seen his reaction because a smug grin soon began spreading across his ugly face. “Would you believe the tales she told me?”

“Throw your cat in a bag and forget this, this is no time to be distracted.”

“It’s not distraction if we both know what we’re talking about,” the midget waved his hand in uninterest. “The city’s underworld boss, the big man, controls the guards and keeps peace within this city. Protects it from outside problems; invading spies from our good neighbors, merchants creating money problems and such. But what caught my interest; was learning about how the big man had a hand in the mysterious destruction and disappearances all over town. Now I thought to myself, how could something that has been happening since my childhood be controlled by an underworld boss whom I didn’t know about till I was already growing a beard?”

Minúsculo clasped a hand behind his back and placed his hand, still holding onto the sword, on his heart.

“But you know me, I’m a clean-ish guy. I don’t mix with rapists or fu-fugitives, so I didn’t think about it further…and probably that would’ve been it for me, I’d have let her go after that much if the beauty didn’t have a mouth on her the size of her head,” He smiled, trying to gouge Luvrit’s reaction. “She said it all so fast that I almost missed it. Apparently she was pretty upset at a certain blonde enforcer working for ‘the big man’, a blond with a very favorable position in the mercenary ranks of this city. She said he didn’t give her enough of a good time for all she’s done for him, said she should’ve just done it when she had the chance. Hahaha, can you imagine it or have you already experienced it? So there I am about to interrogate this woman and she’s rambling on about her life like that will help her…well in this case it did. Now being the good holy man that I am, I just couldn’t help but pity the sex deprived woman infront of me. So I did something to her that her blondie couldn’t ever do. I gave her what she wanted most and we both left pretty satisfied that night.”

“What did you do?” Luvrit tried masking is anger but the sound of his gloved fist being balled up betrayed his efforts.

“Relax, I wouldn’t stoop to taking advantage of a woman in need,” Minúsculo backed away. He stopped and thought for a moment before saying; “Fine, I would. But she wouldn’t let me so good fer you in finding a devil with tits. Said she’s saving it for her man, ha, like that cunt’s gonna get better with age. It ain’t like wine ya know, it gets all saggy and uughgh. ”

While Minúsculo exaggerated his disgust, Luvrit crossed his arms and gribbed his biceps, letting the anger out on his arms.

“…Fine,” he sighed in defeat. “After my failed…venture, is that what that’s called? Anyways, so I helped her get out of the city away from her lord. And you know what? I risked my life and limb for that theif and she only gave me a smile, a fucking smile….can’t complain though, I got to cope a feel of those magnificent mountains before she left, hehe. You chose well my friend, you. Chose. Well.”

“If you’re trying to get a rise out of me then you’ve failed, idiot.” Luvrit sighed. “I wouldn’t hang out with a thief and criminal condemned by the duke. The only reason I’m even invested in this is because I don’t allow this type of behavior to happen to any helpless woman-”

“-Oh she wasn’t helpless.” He chuckled.

“And I would’ve probably cut your thing right here if you did rape her-”

“Hey, I show people a good time! They don’t call me Asterix for my fighting skills,” Minúsculo puffed his chest with pride. That pride quickly deflated when Luvrit placed the tip of his sword against it and pushed to return it to regular size.

“There are quite a few of people matching that description in the mercenary ranks. Why would his lordship be the big man?”

“No, no, of course not. It’s obviously his dead mother,” Minúsculo said sarcastically. “I never said his lordship was the big man.”

“You said ‘her lord’-”

“Why are you trying to prove it’s not him?”

“You implied-”

“And why would you care for what happens to a criminal? If you are so against sinful things then you should have no trouble accepting what happens to a murdering, thieving woman. Admit it I’m right Luvrit. I’m not that same idiot who tried to rob you…I’ve grown, man. Now cut the bullshit and tell it to me straight, I deserve more than this, don’t ya think?”

“No, you’re still that shorty Peter beat half to death that evening you stole his bread. Then decided to mooch off of us for the next couple of years so I think you’re getting what you deserve,” Luvrit smirked, returning to his star into the fog.

“Cut the horseshit, Luvrit. You’re the enforcer that woman was all crazy about.” Minúsculo said. “I know it! If you value our friendship then you will tell me this.”

“Then it’s a good thing I don’t trust even my friends….I’ll answer one day and my answer’ll depend on what happens to you after tonight,” he said with pressed lips.

“Hmm, alright it’s not like I’m completely clueless. I know that you took over Volvo’s previous position, you acting and speaking like that just means I was right with what I knew,” Minúsculo scowled.

“Why would you think that?”

“C’me on,” He gave Luvrit a deadpan look. “He isn’t the oldest mercenary living here, yet he has the most influence than any of us, over the guards, tavern owners and that warden’s lot. Given how much our jobs gets us it just seemed wrong how he’s able to afford all those weapons and armor when we first started. By the time he cut me loose rumors were already flying about him and one thing led to another till I found that woman. I connected everything after that. So…you took over from Volvo right?”

“Yes, he gave me leadership of our group-,”

“I knew it-”

“-Nature’s Call, that is. Volvo, Fliss and Peter, I lead them now. Of course there is the odd day when Volvo takes control in meetings but that just abou-”

“Stop,” Minúsculo gestured. “You’re, ugh…oooohhh, you’re as annoying as that idiot muscle midget my replacement in your team knows so well...Well it doesn’t matter if you tell me, ‘cause i’m gonna confirm that on my own. Once I get into his inner circle I’ll know everything and then it’ll be the easy life for ya boy…oh, you hear that, my heart hasn’t jumped this much since the first time I picked up the sword.”

“Was that before or after I saved you from those two?”

“Uh-uh, we fought together and each killed one of ‘em, if I remember it right.”

“If I remember it right; Peter owed you after that, right?”

When he didn’t speak up, Luvrit looked over and saw him tracing his wrist, seemingly lost in thought.

‘Where did he get that scar?’

“…saving that idiot’s ass probably got me the biggest favor I could’ve asked for.” Minúsculo muttered. Then he said in a whisper Luvrit strained to hear, “He saved me from myself…fucker.”

“…”

“…”

“Why?”

“Huh?”

“Why’d you save him? Back then you hated him and on more than one occasion tried to kill him too.”

“Seriously, it took you that long to ask?” he giggled. *Sigh* “You know what Luv? Sometimes, I think you’re the stupid one in the group…Sure I hated him for what he did when we first met eachother, but I never wanted to kill him. Defeat him maybe and sometimes we fought ‘cause I was bored but I never wanted to kill him. Before it was Luvrit, Peter and Fliss there was Luvrit, Minúsculo and Peter and I ain’t one to forget those days…Even though Volvo replaced me and you all did nothing to stop him I still consider you my old friends. Old goody-two-blondes.”

‘Volvo did that?’ Luvrit thought. ‘I really forgot such a thing? What…have I become? He told not to trust anyone but…this is Minúsculo we’re talking about if he was really planning something I would know before he does. He’s as open as anyone of those books on display. I can trust him…right?’

Silence…and then;

“…This type of work will not suite you,” Luvrit said grimly.

“What?”

“You say I’m the enforcer, but you’re wrong. I’m not what the rumors say I am. I’ve heard some say that this enforcer job is the worst out of all of them, isn’t as glamorous as it’s made out to be… sleeping with the rats; that what this job is. You hide amongst the garbage of the town for days, sometimes weeks before a certain whisper comes your way. You report it and then wait again for the du-big boss’s orders…or so I’ve heard.”

“So what? There’s a lot of waiting around, I get it. But atleast you get paid well and are allowed to go to the, uh, rich places whenever you want,” Minúsculo frowned. “The guards don’t bother you and the church backs your descisions.”

“Is that what you think?” Luvrit rubbed his head, tired from it all. “And here I thought you got smarter.”

“…”

“I guess all the rumors are really just about Volvo, cause those aren’t perks of the job,” Luvrit began. “Volvo’s achieved all of that by himself. The guards know and respect him because he used to be one of them…for a short time at least, the best out of his batch. The church backs him because over the past decade he’s been paying charity every other week without fail and the pay you think is soo much…a few pouches of gold a year I’ve heard.”

“No…you’re lying.”

“I said this before; this job isn’t all it’s made out to be. You have to kill the people whom the big boss deems worthy, spend sleepless nights spying in the sewers and constantly keep watch on all the criminals he’s released in this town. This job isn’t worth the risks but Volvo is too blinded by...by whatever makes him so-what’s the word…loyal to the big boss to see it.”

“…Wait, if you hate it so much why did you agree to it? No I’m not pretending we’re talking about some unreal situation, if you got an answer say it to my face, tell me the truth.”

“Because I don’t, I save the people not kill them, not all,” Luvrit smiled, despit the sorrow in his eyes. “I use Volvo’s name to get those people out of this city, because if I don’t then we won’t have any decent folks left. Just corpses. We don’t need anymore of those, do we?”

“No, we all know what that get us,” Minúsculo murmered. “Hmm, fuck………*Sigh* Fine forget about it then.”

“Already did.”

“Thanks. Hey you three, all right over there?” the midget asked without looking back. When no response came he warily turned towards the nearest person’s location and stalked towards it, waving at the fog to dissipate.

“Everything alright?” Luvrit asked. He unsheated a sword and held it in a two handed grip as he stalked towards him.

“No,” Minúsculo said as he squinted into the fog. Suddenly a squealching sound came from under his boots and he jumped back. Short-sword in hand, the midget crouched to the ground where he’d jumped from and examined the soil. He was almost on his knees when he began to see a red and white mixture in the ground. Poking the thing with his weapon he skewered something on his swordtip and pulled it back up to observe. It was a deflated, burst open eye.

“Fuck! Get back!” He yelled. Luvrit stopped in his tracks when suddenly a large figure dropped from above and almost crushed the midget had he not been expecting it. The little man rolled to the sides, coming to a stop on the back of the gravestone. After checking on Minúsculo, Luvrit looked back at the creature, taking in the form of the beast through the dissipating fog.

“What the…”

The creature in front of him seemed to be a mixture of multiple bodies melted together. The creature had five heads; two of which were embedded in the shoulders, another two were attached to the back and chest and the final one was rooted between the shoulders looking up like a tulip bud. The rest of the heads were extended on long necks, swaying slightly, while those on the shoulders were embedded deep into the flesh.

Unlike the top head sporting black hair the others had white, fortunately covering a part of their face. The chest-head facing Luvrit had its mouth sewn shut with a black thread. Its eyes were lidless, mutilated by pikes jutting out of them.

‘Pikes of the cemetery gate…’ Luvrit unconsciously thought. His arms began to tremble as he looked for a weakspot.

The monster’s body was covered with rags like most undead; however they were much thicker and larger. The part uncovered by the rags, the stomach, seemed to be hollowed out and only the thick spinal cord, almost as thick as four more than normal, seemed to be connecting the top of the monster with the bottom…

The top body had 10 arms protruding out in random directions, while the bottom was more…complicated. Five of its legs were connected to the waist, supporting its large weight and the other five were bent and curled around its stomach, hanging limply. There were a lot of opening in the creature, but none he could exploit. He was too weak, so survival instincts took over and he franctically began looked around for an escape. Meanwhile Minúsculo had regained himself enough to slowly take out another sword.

“EEAAA!” The creature noticed him and bounded towards the screaming midget. He threw a sword aimed at its chest and without hesitation jumped over the gravestone to run away. The sword struck the chest and pierced it, but that didn’t stop in in the least. He should’ve ran right there and then, but something about the way one of it’s heads kept its neck craned towards him told him that if he tried he was as good as dead, he was rooted. Luvrit saw Minúsculo get as far as the fifth layer of gravestones before he was caught. It grabbed his shoulders while the other arms began latching onto his legs.

“Mausoleum!” Minúsculo shouted as his sword fell, piercing one of its legs on the stomach. He struggled for a moment before the monster’s strength overpowered him. His left arm and leg were discolated with a pop before they were ripped out. The fog was thick; all he could see was the blurry red colours fly out of the stumps.

‘Minúsculo…I’m next.’

That thought alone was enough to get Luvrit going. He didn’t think, he just ran. Soon he would be protected, up the steps and through the gates. He’ll be safe. He only reached the second step. A large shadow covered his own and only out of instincts did he jump back, narrowly missing the hands of the monster as it grabbed thin air. But he didn’t escape completely; the legs attached to its waist kicked out and pushed him off into the gravestones.

Luvrit fell to his knees and out of instincts jumped to the side, nearly dodging the creature again. He saw the head on the monster’s left shoulder shriek out at him. Despite having pikes running through its eyes it seemed to know exactly where he was. Its two feet on the stomach had broken the top of the gravestone and were supporting its bent position. As it shrieked those feet kicked the body back upright and it wobbled towards him.

Eyes widened, hairs stood on end and reactions exploded.

Luvrit yelled at it before throwing his sword and without hesitation, he turned around and ran. It was a sickening realization that only after the first turn two fingers, proded his shoulder and slid across his back. It was a miracle that he was able to keep running and soon he’d come full circle. Glancing at the open door of the Mausoleum he saw the open door and just behind him heard the stomping of several feet. He jumped in.

Luvrit sailed through the air, over the stairs, feeling the fingers poke his feet as he landed into the tomb. He quickly propped himself on his elbows and crawled backwards till his back was completely against the wall. The monster repeatedly slammed into the door, its frame too large to fit. The stones began chipping away and at that moment Luvrit knew he was hanging by a burning thread.

“Kurva, Kurva, motherfucker, motherfucker, fuck, fuck fuckitty bitch, fuck, motherfucker, oh god!” Running out of incoherent curses Luvrit picked himself up and let the shivers run their course. The tips of his fingers and feet felt so sensitive that even the slightest motion of air sent shivers through them.

‘No matter how many times I face it,’ Luvrit thought. ‘It still feels like I’m falling with dead weight pulling me down.’

Suddenly the creature stopped its rampant assault and backed away from the door and for a moment, that weight lifted off him. Then doubled when the monster rammed into the door; breaking off the concrete edges and widening the entrance enough to slowly push through.

The building shook with tremors while Luvrit unsheathed his other sword, ready to go out fighting, when his attention was drawn to a large rock with an unobstrusive carving falling off the wall and to his side. Muffled sounds of rocks grinding against each other followed afterwards and he felt the wall behind him move back. Jumping up he realized that the wall behind him was actually a stone coffin that was moving to the side revealing a dark passage. It merely took him a few seconds and another tremor to decide his fate.

He entered the darkness.