I felt a barely noticeable trail of mental magic brush across my consciousness. So light, weightless, almost imperceptible... Like the flutter of a butterfly's wings on the other side of the clearing. But I could have heard it too, if I had been focused and tense, like now.
I noticed it only because I was using Occlumency to the fullest, concentrating on the complex ritual of raising the Infernal. Modified by me personally, by the way. Through trial and error, which almost cost me my life and health, but nevertheless...
If my mind had not been overclocked for the final arithmancy calculations, if I had not had to simultaneously track the position of the full moon in the sky, then I would not have been able to catch this invisible touch at all. But I did. I was lucky. I guess. Sometimes ignorance really is a blessing.
That's why, when I heard a "ding" in my head and a screen with a standard notification from a completely standard system popped up in front of my eyes, I... didn't fall for it.
"Now that's interesting." I smiled involuntarily, baring my sharpened fangs.
Today was a full moon and some of the characteristic features of a werewolf manifested themselves in me. For example, my bite during a full moon could lead to tragic consequences for anyone bitten by me. There would be one more werewolf in the world. I'm not proud of this feature of mine, because becoming a werewolf in the magical world means automatically sliding to the very bottom of the wizarding hierarchy, so I try not to flaunt it too much.
Yes, I'm not a werewolf, but will that bother a court made up entirely of arrogant, haughty aristocrats? What would happen if I bit, say, Percy Weasley? No one would delve into the intricacies of my nature.
But there is a serious plus to this, besides the obvious increase in strength, speed, endurance and magical resistance. I can bite my sworn enemy, and in such a way that he will definitely not know that it was me, and will not even understand that he has acquired the curse of lycanthropy. It's not difficult, you just need to show a little imagination.
And what does this mean for him? It means that on the full moon he will turn into a crazy death machine and chop up everyone who is nearby. At best, he will be relegated to a reservation and a complete collapse of hopes and expectations as a wizard. And that's if his innocence is proven, but if not... Then the dementor will teach him a French kiss like an adult. Me too, by the way, if I get caught red-handed. But I'm into girls, so I probably won't get caught.
Spacious thoughts distracted me from pressing matters. Someone really wanted me to believe that I had received a message from some "system". Why? Well, you can always ask the one who tried to foist this lie on me and sit on my neck, overwhelming me with unnecessary strange assignments.
Whoever was the instigator, it was clearly a being outside my current competence. It immediately sensed the flow of my thoughts and the fact that it had been involuntarily exposed due to an absurd accident. Or was I being tested and this was not an accident? I will be guided by the principle of Occam's razor in this matter. If something sounds like a lie, smells like a lie and looks like a lie, then it is a lie.
In any case, the notification screen, like in the many fictional stories I read in my past life, disappeared instantly. I didn't even have time to open the message to find out how exactly they were going to hook me and what they were offering in return. Too bad.
Instead of a beautiful, ornate system window, apparently displayed on the retina of my eye, I felt something completely incomparable to me in its scale, strength and boundless wisdom and power penetrate my mind, completely ignoring my defenses. I canned the almost started ritual, preparing... For something.
Time froze. More precisely, it froze for me, subjectively, of course, no one would stop the flow of time of the entire world for my sake. But my mind was so strongly forcibly accelerated that everything around seemed to stop in time, turned gray and faded, like an old black and white photograph in the sun.
It lasted only a second. A very, very long second, fortunately not eternal.
Luckily for me, soon everything around instantly faded and I seemed to find myself in absolute emptiness, hanging over an abyss into darkness. No, a real black abyss.
I felt that I was inside my mental world, but everything around was filled with an alien, powerful force, capable of crushing me with one desire. In my world of reason, I should have been like a god, but when an entity comparable to real gods came to visit me, I realized that the prefix HOW in this matter decides absolutely everything.
I was absolutely defenseless. Not even a white mouse in the hands of a lab assistant, but just a bacterium or a virus under the microscope of an interested scientist-enthusiast. Such an overwhelming presence... If I had to breathe here, I would hold my breath. Neither I, Amos, nor I, Alexander, had ever been so scared in both of our lives. An existential threat to my very essence and soul, that's what I felt. I gathered all my will into a fist and tried to protect myself from this incredible pressure. At first it seemed to me that everything was in vain, but then I felt that I felt a little better. Just a little, but it was very, very important. So this power was not absolute!
I decided to use the trick that the past Amos used to deceive Dumbledore when he once again interrogated him after another brawl with the use of dark magic on both sides. The old man was haunted by the dark magic in my hands, he wanted to understand where the source of my knowledge and power was, so that he could clip my wings. Apparently, having been burned by milk, he will now forever blow on water. But he still achieved nothing. My mental avatar seemed to imperceptibly shed its skin, exfoliating. My main consciousness hid inside, and outside there remained only its exact copy-echo, which will not exist for long. On the outside, it was an empty shell, a copy, and the main core of personality and important thoughts and memories curled up deep inside, feeding the mask with itself, giving direction to thoughts from time to time. Yes, the response time doubled, but it was not critical. From the outside, my slight slowness could pass for deep doubts and careful weighing of all the answers.
My guest could easily destroy me right here and now, but so far they did nothing. The guest could certainly destroy if not the body, then the mind, that's for sure, but did he feel my little trick that allowed him to hide true thoughts, feelings and especially important memories inside himself?
If not, then the outcome is possible, where just bam - and Amos Sunhide becomes a fool because of the failed dark ritual that he decided to conduct during the summer holidays in the Forbidden Forest near the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The end of the story of a novice dark magician who just wanted to live happily ever after and not worry about his survival and health.
The darkness around me was not hostile, yet. In any case, I was still alive and even thinking independently, through my mental proxy, which meant there was still hope for a bright (relatively) future.
Blood-red letters (thank goodness they weren't eyes) began to appear in the darkness, slowly forming into words, and the words, in turn, into complete sentences. I examined them slowly, carefully considering each word along the way. Memorized them. What if they came in handy?
The language was completely unfamiliar to me, but I understood it perfectly well. It seemed to evoke a response in my very soul, as if we were communicating on some particularly subtle level, when it's enough to just meet someone's eyes to understand the other person. I felt mental tentacles scurrying around my proxy avatar. What an abomination. I'm a wizard, not a witch girl! It's good that I had the sense to present a version of consciousness other than my original one to the visitor, otherwise my brain could have been fried for such thoughts.
I needed to take my time to think everything over carefully and evaluate it from the outside, since I had such an opportunity. I did not delude myself with the illusion that my thought processes could be somehow protected and hidden from this... Entity that was now in charge of my head, if my original plan failed. They would definitely not give me a second chance and would take me seriously. And I no longer have such a serious trump card, there is nothing more to surprise this terrible creature with.
"I greet you, the one who took a new name, Amos, and decided to become a part of this world without a trace, continuing to play the role assigned to you.
The World Law assessed your actions, your deeds, your desires and aspirations in comparison with the original entity and its behavior matrix. The World Law has concluded that your synergy has reached an extremely high value, so much so that you can be considered the same person, just with two sets of memories. Congratulations, this is a very rare result that life has brought you, human.
You can be considered not as a violator and a dangerous anomaly subject to immediate elimination, but as a small statistical error in the fickle nature of Amos Sunhide. However... you can still be considered a harmful violator, bringing only problems and chaos to the World Law..." - I read to the end and realized that if the dialogue on the part of the guest had not been conducted in writing, there would have been a meaningful pause here. Apparently, now my avatar will have to answer.
- I understand where you are getting at. Let's immediately move on from threats and blackmail to negotiations, for the sake of which you have honored me with a part of your, undoubtedly, very important and busy presence. What do you want me to do, and what will be the price for my flawless integration into this world and the settlement of all issues with the World Law? Is it possible that the fulfillment of your request-task will entail exactly this? My integration and recognition, I mean? - In the world of consciousness, emotions were almost not felt. Like a dim light of a night light, they barely flickered in the darkness. I was calm and collected, ready to bargain for my life to the last knut.
"Okay. Let's get straight to the point." I thought I heard a contented rumbling between the lines. Probably the way a crocodile's stomach rumbles when an antelope approaches the watering hole. I'm a bit scared. I had to pretend to believe in the system and live my life without worrying.
"I have many names. Those that are known to you are Gaia, World Law, Will of the World, Akashic Chronicles. You can choose the name you want, it will not change the essence. I adapt to the categories and standards that are understandable to you, which you can comprehend, that is why writing is intuitively understandable to you, and the style of text formatting and slang seem so familiar. Everything is taken from your head, you understood everything correctly.
"I will call you World Law, if you do not mind." I tried to squeeze a smile on my face, and then threw a touchstone, trying to create a chair, a stool, or, at worst, at least a stool, to assess my capabilities at the moment and at the same time get comfortable. Naturally, I transmitted to the outside only the desire to sit down in my favorite leather chair and cross my legs. Instead of the above-mentioned interior items, only chiseled peaks materialized behind me. I got the hint. I'll stand.
"Okay. One of the functions of the entity known to you as the World Law, which is most appropriate in context to your situation, is to protect our world from external threats and invasions by alien entities, gods, demons, and others not belonging to this world.
Another invasion has recently occurred. This time, the enemy, an outsider, prepared very carefully, collecting preliminary data on the capabilities and strength that I can freely operate to counter the invasion of such as him. Time after time, this outsider sent more and more of his adepts to slaughter, ripping their souls from his world and throwing them into this one, sparing no effort or time.
The more of them were killed, the more he learned about what the World Law can and cannot do in relation to intruders, and under what conditions it actually has the legal right to eliminate them directly, personally.
The enemy was looking for something that could protect him and his minions from my power and my gaze, for the World Law is inviolable and knows no mercy. Having accumulated enough knowledge and experience, the enemy put almost all his power into his final move. The stranger transferred almost all of his karmic luck to the man and began to wait. Now the intruder is protected by my own rules of the world from the righteous retribution of the World Law! What unforgivable rudeness. Definitely, a worthy opponent has come around. A very persistent one. Apparently, the intruder simply has nowhere to return, so he goes to the end. This sometimes happens. Perhaps his home world was destroyed, or he was expelled, or ... Many different reasons. If his man can gain a foothold and become stronger, then he will be able to open a full-fledged path for the stranger. Then it will be almost impossible to eradicate him. The World Law cannot directly interfere with the course of history and interact with the natives of this world to guide them. But you... You, Amos, are a little different. You are not a full native, but at the same time you are no longer an outsider, the World Law can communicate with you without serious consequences. Although it is not worth overdoing it. Your mind and body cannot withstand such stress on a permanent basis, so this may be our first and last personal meeting.
You are not a unique case, Amos, but you are certainly rare. In the British Isles, the World Law will soon need someone like you. Someone who can solve problems radically. A good asset. Your intervention in the course of history... will be acceptable.
If it is necessary to eliminate an intruder or an anomaly, one can ignore the predetermined "fate" on the scale of one country, to maintain the balance of the world as a whole."
- May I know what my potential target was awarded with that is so interesting that even the World Law cannot lay hands on it? What does this thing do and how can I counter it. The second question is, who is my target, actually? What means will I be given to counter it?
"Good questions, the World Law was not mistaken in you. The answer to the second question is unknown to me, you will have to find the answer yourself. As for the first... As long as the stranger's chosen one has a reserve of karmic luck, it is almost impossible to kill him. The world itself will strive to protect him, but, in this case, karmic luck will be spent. The more serious the danger of a fatal outcome and the stronger the intervention of karmic luck, the more of it will be spent on compensating the universe.
For example, to make it clearer to you - Avada Kedavra thrown in the back. Deadly, but not large-scale and not critical. For the owner of high karmic luck, of course.
The expenditure, say, of one hundred conventional units of karmic luck, depending on the conditions and circumstances, magical background, landscape and other variables. A pinch of luck can easily protect against this spell. For example, right in front of the spell beam, a column or ceiling will collapse, or a rusty knight's armor will suddenly fall, taking the blow of the deadly curse. Very simple, as you can see.
And here's another example: if someone launches hellfire into the building where the target is, sparing no effort... This is already more serious. Let's say, the expenditure of karmic luck to get out of this mess... it will take five times more conventional units of luck.
There are several more ways to lower the opponent's karmic luck. Destroy his reputation, his connections, his treasures and money, take away his friends, seduce his mistresses or wife/fiancée, crush his motivation and take away all the achievements he has gained with his luck. In turn, this will also benefit you." Watching from the side, I saw how the letters slightly floated and curved, as if swirling in a funnel. It was somewhat reminiscent of some kind of hypnosis. My proxy avatar floated a little and his attention became slightly scattered. The creature planted in him the seeds of greed, intertwined with euphoria and the desire to get such power for itself. What a bastard. Would I have been able to find these seedlings if not for my innate paranoia, which once again saved me from huge troubles?
"Hmm. Let's even the odds. You will be given access to the numerical indicators of your luck."
There was a click, as if someone had opened a small secret door in my head, and I felt that some sacred knowledge was now available to me.
I reached inside myself, feeling this something, and wished to see what was previously hidden from me. To make it easier to visualize what I was feeling, I tried to embody something on the back of the avatar's right hand.
A thick, ink-like darkness seemed to appear in the pores of my skin. Some kind of black pigment, taking the form of a small black clover, under which the number 5039 was flaunted. Like a simple, but very detailed tattoo, that's all. But I knew that I could remove it back at any time. Meanwhile, the letters began to change again, rearranging themselves into a new order.
"Black luck - differs from karmic luck in that it grants luck to the user only in cases where he uses dark magic, dark rituals, casts curses or counteracts them, commits acts that can hardly be called good. Helps the owner find special lucky opportunities associated with darkness and evil, attracts those who are drawn to darkness to the user. Like dark charisma, but acting exclusively on the same dark magicians and all sorts of creatures.
Black luck does not affect ordinary luck in any way, so no matter how high the black luck indicator soars, it will not help you arrange a happy personal life or anything like that. But black luck has its own strong side.
Black luck can take away karmic luck from other people, under certain conditions and circumstances. Which brings us back to finding your goal. He will have a sea of karmic luck and you already know how to drain this sea and create your own. Thanks to your special feature, his luck will not flow away like water through your fingers, into nowhere. Part of it will flow to you and be absorbed, becoming part of your black luck."
"Can I see the indicator of my usual, non-black luck?" I asked, admiring the black clover on my hand, which was mesmerizing with its simplicity and natural beauty.
"No. This data should not be available to people at all. Let's say this is internal system data for official use of higher powers. Be content with what has become available to you and be grateful for it."
Did it seem to me, or was the answer given too hastily and even as if irritated? No, it didn't seem so. My perception and mind are still accelerated to the limit. I am sure that the bloody writing appeared a pitiful fraction of a second faster than usual.
"I see. Last question. Can I see someone else's karmic luck? - I decided to go all in.
"No."
I smiled. So that's how it is. I'm ready to bet my kidney that I just felt an elusive veil of annoyance and anger, and not mine, but my interlocutor's. Someone understood that I understood, and now they were dissatisfied with me. It seems that my little game was never discovered, but in the end I walked right on the edge. If my guest hadn't been in a hurry, then perhaps everything could have ended rather sadly for me, but...
"That's all. Good luck to you, you'll need it."
It sounded almost like a threat.
And the world regained its colors. I hung there for a moment, breathing heavily and leaning my hand on a pine tree standing nearby. The stick in my right hand almost slipped out of my fingers. Its handle was rough and warm. She gave me confidence, a sense of strength and security that I had grown accustomed to, I admit. For the first time in a long time, I felt so empty and weak that I would clutch at such a straw.
It smelled of pine. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. My temples were pounding with blood, and my head was aching mercilessly, as if I'd been hit in the back of the head with a sledgehammer. A warm trickle of blood ran out of my right nostril, rolled down and I felt the salty taste of my own warm blood.
"Amos, are you okay? What happened? Recoil?" A familiar voice sounded nearby. Caroline came closer to me and began to look me over from head to toe with concern. "You look like shit." She pointed her wand at me, and out of habit I was about to jerk to intercept her hand, but stopped myself in time.
Considering our new agreements and the fresh student-teacher contract, she couldn't hurt me, just as I couldn't hurt her. The contract was very strict, because the knowledge I gave her was, for the most part, prohibited in our country and for distributing it I would face a Dementor's kiss. Thanks to the contract, I was sure that they would not go to the side and she would not be able to use them against me.
But a reflex is a reflex. If someone points a wand at you, no matter if it is your friend or just a passerby, you need to act immediately. It's just common sense. If someone suddenly points a gun at you, no matter who it is, would you be comfortable being in the trajectory of the bullet? But a wand is not even a gun, it is a whole arsenal in the hands of an experienced wizard or witch.
Wincing with displeasure at her unceremoniousness, I allowed Caroline to conduct her diagnostics. I will need to explain to her that pointing a wand at people is a sure way to ask for trouble. But not now. Right now I could use a little push in the treatment. It won't get worse. She was much better at healing than me, thanks to her blood magic. A very multifaceted area of magic.
- Multiple ruptured capillaries and blood vessels. There's even a small hemorrhage in the brain, but your regeneration has already stopped the problem on its own, having identified it as a priority target in the first place. The rest... it's not fatal, given your regeneration, but it still won't be pleasant. It'll take you half an hour to recover at this rate, and the ideal time for the ritual is almost here. Can I patch you up, if you allow me? - She raised an eyebrow questioningly, waiting for an answer.
Caroline is such a Caroline. Even now she wouldn't miss the opportunity to practice a little blood magic, on me. She didn't often have to work on creatures with a high resistance to magic. For her, each such "operation" is a way to grow a little above herself.
- Go ahead. Just be careful and don't get into my head, since everything has already healed there. — I leaned my shoulder against the tree trunk and closed my eyes. The capillaries in them had clearly burst and the sight must have been quite terrifying. Red whites of the eyes, black bottomless pupils and irises... Well, a typical bloodsucker or some kind of undead creature standing in the middle of the Forbidden Forest under the full moon... And Caroline with her red hair and eyes was no better, she only completed the picture from scary fairy tales for first-year students.
Why did I decide to take Carol's training seriously? I need a smart companion and assistant, especially now, in light of the prospects and problems that have opened up.
The Dark Lord raised his own guard, trained his people in dark magic himself, and then caused such a stir in the entire country that they are still dealing with the consequences. Of course, he was a complete bastard, but a smart complete bastard. No, I am not going to follow in his footsteps and rebel against the authorities in order to become that very authority myself, but gathering around myself competent and dedicated specialists who are loyal and interested in the common benefit seemed like a good idea to me.
Caroline will be the first. She already has an excellent base thanks to me, and in some aspects of the magical art she even surpasses me, so this is definitely a good investment. Caroline was also pleased.
The number of books in the Room of Requirements is simply amazing, so I don't even know how much time it will take us to read the most necessary and interesting ones. We will never manage to finish while attending Hogwarts, but the past me has already taken care of this for the present me. The Vanishing Cabinet worked properly and connected his secret lair and the secret room. The flow of knowledge will not dry up after graduating from Hogwarts, and that is the main thing.
True, there was another problem - where to find people willing to learn from a shady Muggle-born wizard of dark magic, which remains a mystery to me. The Ministry's propaganda is too good at processing newcomers from ours, so much so that they are afraid to even look in the direction of dark magic... As for the aristocrats... Hah, it's not even funny. They have so much rare knowledge hidden in their home libraries that, if they wanted, each of them could become an expert in dark magic. Of course, there is a possibility that parents strictly limit their children from premature creeping towards dark grimoires, because these are not toys at all, or that the family will decide to "change colors" and forbid their youngest to get into dark magic, and they want it so much... But even so, will they come to me?
No, I don't think so. They would rather find a friend from their wealthy class who is also into dark magic than turn to a Muggle-born, even if he is head and shoulders above all other students in dark magic.
So what? He is superior now, but tomorrow he will graduate from Hogwarts and will have nowhere else to draw new knowledge on dark magic. Then he will certainly fall behind them, because the family libraries hide many secrets. In the long term, I am not worth anything in their eyes at all. Just a lucky upstart, nothing more.
Of course, in reality, everything is completely different, but I am not going to shout about it at every step. They are already going to kill me immediately after school, and attempts to get to my mother were made last year. That couple of human infernals at my beck and call are the result of their failure. Okay, it doesn't matter, I'll think of something. I don't need much, it will take too much time, and I can find a couple of enthusiasts. I'll tempt them, so to speak, with the Dark Side of the Force. It's not for nothing that I have some dark charisma, right?
A wave of healing magic passed through my body, and I felt the aching pain recede, and regeneration, spurred by a good portion of blood magic, began to heal minor internal injuries even faster. Good.
So, what do we have? They tried to screw me over twice today, but to no avail.
The first time with the system, and the second time an unknown entity tried to pass itself off as the World Law. Yeah, that's what I believed. Very plausible. I'd rather believe that it was that very stranger, or maybe someone else, but definitely not the entity that the unknown wanted to pass itself off as.
I hope it doesn't turn out that I'm playing against the world law. What did I get from this "meeting" besides a rather non-figurative headache and a bunch of problems and threats? Not that much, really. Almost no benefit, just more extra work. Maybe some interesting information.
Black luck? As I understand it, I already had it, I just didn't have access to its numerical data and didn't know about its existence in principle. But it was there and it worked properly.
Apparently, she saved me from a huge number of mistakes at the very beginning of the path, not allowing Amos to kill himself on dark rituals. So in this regard, my guest did not give me anything special. Well, now I know how much luck I have, and so what? Just an insignificant handout from the master's shoulder, if you do not dig deeper.
Much more important than this was how I can use the opportunities that opened up, applying a little ingenuity.
It became easier to determine the owner of extremely high luck. By taking away his luck and adding it to yourself, for example. This is the first method, and it is not very reliable, since it can take a long time before I stumble upon an ocean of luck. But all people have a little karmic luck, as I understand, so how can I understand that I am taking luck from the one from whom I need it, huh?
Here's the second option, if, no, when I learn to spy on other people's karmic luck indicators... That would be an interesting development. It's not just extra units of luck for my black clover, but also all sorts of lucky chances that can fall to the lot of those with a high luck indicator, whose tail I can fall on and intercept goodies for myself.
On purpose or by accident, but my guest has opened this Pandora's box for me. If I succeed... It will open almost any door for me. A high indicator of black luck can also protect me from the influence of all sorts of entities, as I understand it.
It seemed to me that I heard some noise, unusual for a dark night forest, and reluctantly opened my heavy eyelids. They haven't let me rest for even fifteen minutes, bastards.
- Carol, finish with the treatment and quickly collect our things. Don't forget the ingredients and equipment. Once you collect everything, use the portkey to our base. It seems we have guests, - I stood up and stretched my stiff shoulders. I felt pretty good, so it wouldn't be possible to catch the enemy off guard. I can already hear the clatter of hooves, - those are centaurs.
- Got it. What about you? - Sharphart clarified, picking up the ingredients from the ground in a businesslike and calm manner, stuffing them into her pockets and bags.
- It's a full moon today, I want to let off some steam. If these horsefucks think they can constantly pester me and kill my infernals just to unwind, they're very much mistaken. - I smiled bloodthirsty, turning towards the approaching herd of centaurs. My blood was boiling and demanded action, some movement, I wanted to hunt.
- Why are they even bothering you? - Having scattered the vials of acromantula venom into two small bags, Caroline asked, throwing them over her shoulder. - We're far from their camp.
- Who knows, Sharphart. Maybe Mars fried their heads, or maybe Venus drove over their brains... They saw some kind of omen and now they're chasing all the dark wizards who enter the Forbidden Forest. Or maybe it's simpler - and they have a contract with Dumbledore to shoot all sorts of shady characters in the vicinity of Hogwarts. Pays them in lemon drops, for example, every second Thursday of the month. - I chuckled, and Carol smiled politely, not appreciating the joke, but supporting the mood. - I didn't touch them first, honestly, I didn't even come within cannon shot of their beloved unicorns. I only kill the spiders that have bred, with whom they themselves are at war. Idiots. - I spat angrily on the floor and grabbed my wand more comfortably. I sniffed. It smelled like horse sweat. Thank goodness it wasn't manure. - Come on, friend, hurry up, they're almost here.
- Damn it! - Carol sped up and began to scurry, picking up the last artifacts that masked the magical background from the ground. - Are you sure you don't need help?
- I'll be fine. You won't be of much help here, and I have five infernals from our friendly arthropod neighbors at hand. Then I'll leave by apparition or portkey when I'm left without cover. Will you wait for me at the base?
- I'll wait, where would I go? I still don't know how to apparate, and you promised to teach me only at the end of the holidays. To waste a portkey to get home... Too wasteful. I'll cook us something to eat for your arrival, since that's the case. - The girl grumbled. - Okay. I'm going. Have fun here, but don't get too carried away, or they'll fill you with arrows, and then who will teach me ritual magic and curses?
- Yes, yes. - Without turning around, I waved goodbye and walked stealthily towards the approaching noise. Space clapped quietly behind me. My infernals had already taken up positions in the trees and were preparing to attack. Another one, quite fresh, was quietly scurrying along with its paws next to me.
- Well, shall we hunt the hunters?