“And you found demons there…?” Guildmaster Audie tapped a finger to her chin in thought.

  Mouse nodded. “A couple small ones and a larger demon.”

  She paused. “A larger demon? Inside the walls?”

  Field confirmed the information, and the guildmaster turned towards he and Telania, eyebrows furrowed. “And when did you think to tell me? Something like this and you…” She breathed, closing her eyes a moment. When she reopened them, she’d put on a facade of calm.

  “I thank you, Sir Taiga, for at least trying to knock wisdom into these fools.”

  Taiga shrugged. “Their organizational skills remind me of the attack on Winolin’s wall.”

  Audie nodded. “I agree. Which is what concerns me most.”

  Mouse couldn’t let go of the image of that demon. It wielded fire with purpose. It caused the fireworks to go off. And it was the one to issue a retreat to the other demons. Planning and organization aside; it also had the ability to lead, which the other demons followed.

  He’d never heard of a demon capable of that, either. Mouse considered saying something, but Taiga tapped his knee and gave him a look telling him not to. He’s already considered the possibility.

  “We still have some daylight.” Audie looked out the arches before turning back to Mouse. “I want you with me. With a few others, I want to investigate the area myself before we form a plan. Understood?”

  “What? No wa—”

  “He’ll go.” Taiga cut Mouse off, side-eyeing him.

  Audie, promptly ignoring Mouse’s objection, nodded. “Good. Be ready in fifteen minutes. I’ll get a few more mercenaries for the job. Telania, you’ll join, yes?”

  A pit of hard uneasiness burned in his gut. So not only did he have to go, but she’d be going with them? He shot a look at Taiga before whispering, “I don’t want to.”

  “I know.” Taiga burrowed under his cloak as a chill swept through the guildhall. “But we can’t anger the guildmaster and,” he made sure none listened in, “I want you to tell me what you find.”

  “You’re worried about these humans?” Mouse didn’t see why that was his problem. He supposed Taiga couldn’t exactly go himself, but still! He grumbled to himself and Taiga set a trembling hand on his leg.

  “I’d go myself, but I can’t. Can you do this for me?”

  Mouse looked towards the flickering fire pit. Of course he’d do it, whether he liked it or not. But he didn’t have to be happy about it. “Yeah.”

  “Report back to me. This is all… more suspicious than they,” he nodded his head to the mercenaries, “may be able to handle. We can’t let something happen that corrupts the land.”

  Taiga was right. As always. Mouse sighed, “okay.” Then, dropping the subject, he turned and fully faced Taiga. “But you return to the room first.”

  After a few moments of hesitation, Taiga agreed. Mouse took the stones from the fire, having burned far longer than necessary, and slid them into their cloth. He carried them, helping Taiga off the sofa and up the stairs.

  Once Taiga was safely back in bed and the heat stones returned to their place, Mouse rechecked the windows for any drafts. He found none, and after saying his goodbyes, took one last glance at Taiga to see if he needed anything, and left the room.

  When he returned to the hall, Audie, Telania, and two mercenaries Mouse recognized from the raid on Ravenguild named J-something and probably Loser, waited near the sofas. J saw him coming down the stairs and gave him a wave. He didn’t bother returning it, Telania already glaring at him.

  “Ready, then?” Audie tapped a foot, arms crossed over her chest. She’d belted her sword to her hip in his absence and put up her hair.

  Mouse nodded, “I guess.”

  She paused, looking over him. “You could at least pretend to enjoy my favor.”

  “Why should I?” He clicked his tongue. Mouse had earned enough money from the raid to no longer need the odd-jobs. He and Taiga could coast through the remainder of winter in peace. But no, here he was, off killing demons with a mercenary who hated him and the guildmaster who watched his every move with extreme scrutiny.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Why would he ‘enjoy’ any of this?

  “My favor is not given out easily. And you earned it for your help with the Ravenguild. It comes with perks—”

  “Like free food?”

  “Like being selected for specialized missions.” She furrowed her brow at him, shifting her weight to one leg. “Which pays premium rates from important clients.”

  He shrugged. Mouse preferred the free things he got from the cooks. If these missions meant working with mercenaries he didn’t like and excluded Taiga, he didn’t need them. Audie, realizing he wasn’t won over, gave up and took several quick steps back to the other mercenaries.

  “I want to be back by dusk. We go to the burrow and do an inspection of the area. I want to see where these other tunnels are. Then, we report back. It should be a quick trip. I intend for you four to follow this investigation going forward, and want all of us to see the same things and be on the same page. Understood?”

  More zealously than Mouse expected, the other three mercenaries responded in a loud, unisoned, “understood!”

  They walked in silence much of the way back towards the lake. J and Loser laughed about something to each other, roping Audie in after a bit, and the three of them talked and laughed the rest of the trip. Telania walked ahead, leading the group to the den.

  Once they arrived, Audie stepped upm scanning the demon tracks and having Telania recount the story of the demons they’d found. “A little scout?”

  Mouse nodded, “killed it against a tree. Never seen one that small out in the open.” In fact, the only other time he’d seen demons of such small stature was at the western border, where the land steeped in corruption from tragedy.

  She touched the soil with her bare hands, squatted down in front of the den’s entrance. “We’ll need to check this soil for corruption. Nothing strong enough to feel by touch, thankfully. But a large demon and a scout? It doesn’t bode well. I’ll have to discuss it with the governor.”

  “I’ll contact a friend. They may be able to look at the soil.” Loser said, agreeing with Audie.

  “Thank you, Loisen.” Ah, so his name wasn’t Loser? Mouse considered making a mental note, but shrugged the idea off. “To the den, then?”

  Mouse led the way in, quickly descending before realizing the others needed a little extra time. He waited, using the excuse of ‘scouting ahead’ to run off whenever they approached. But there were no new demons in the tunnel. This was of no surprise, of course, considering he’d cleared it out only a few hours prior.

  Audie made a few quick observations with the other two new mercenaries before they left the den. Then, Telania led them to the other three tunnels they’d found. Mouse, seeing them for the first time, peeked around J to get a good look at them.

  They were smaller than the den, with a narrow entrance with a slope so steep, one would drop or fall more than walk down it. With two of the mercenaries, Telania and J, being too bulky to likely fit, it was decided that only one of them would descend, which the rest could help up.

  “I’ll go.” Mouse volunteered without a second thought. Like he’d want to be stuck on the surface with Telania. And this seemed the sort of thing Taiga wanted information about.

  “Alright, we’ll secure a rope for you to go down with, and we’ll pull you up when you’re done.”

  He shook his head. “Don’t bother. I can climb down and back without it.”

  Before anyone could protest, Mouse heaved himself into the narrow hole, gripping the sides of the tunnel and leveraging himself down without much trouble. Audie squatted in front of the hole as Mouse’s head dipped below the surface.

  “Watch your back. I’m letting you go because it’s you. But come back immediately if you find any demons. We’ll fight them together.” She waited until he nodded before giving him the go-ahead. But even if he did find any demons, he’d take care of them himself.

  He listened while he descended, but no scratches, claws scrapes, or clicks altered him to any presence. He eventually kicked off the wall as it flared out a little, dropping a good ten meters down. Altogether, between the distance he jumped and climbed down, he estimated the hole to be roughly twenty or so meters deep.

  The narrow bottom left little to the imagination, nothing beyond dirt or stone making an appearance. He pressed a hand to the mud, realizing how slick it was. He pulled back, watery mud dripping from his hand. The mud there was far more saturated with water than the den. Why? Because of its location?

  He stuck a boot against the muddied wall back towards the surface, and his boot easily sunk into the mess. He wouldn’t be able to get out nearly as easily as he got in. Still, it wasn’t a problem.

  Instead, Mouse jumped as high as he could, clearing the lowest and messiest part of the hole with ease, and used all his strength to dig his fanned fingers into the mud. He hit resistance, but his extra strength managed without issue, and used his fingers like claws. Then, he pounded the toe of his boots into the mud and climbed until the mud solidified and hardened enough that Mouse could climb out normally.

  “There’s nothing down there, just a deep hole. Ah, and it’s super wet at the bottom.” He pulled himself out of the hole, detailing the exciting highlight for Audie who awaited him at the top.

  “Wet?” She tapped a foot. “Not surprising. We’re quite close to the lake. Beneath the surface, there’s actually a large underwater tunnel system. This hole may stretch close to it.”

  So that’s how the kikaua live down there. It’s spacious. “Hmm, is that so?”

  “Should we assume the other hole is simi—” J startled to a halt, immediately reaching for his sword. “Demon!”

  Mouse unsheathed his sword. But by the time he and the others reacted, Audie had taken hers out and slashed off the head of the small creature. It’s blue blood splashed over her coat and she wiped it off with the already ruined wool.

  Mouse smiled. So, she’s the guildmaster for a reason, hmm?

  “Onward then?” Audie put her sword away, turning back to them with her typical stoic expression.