I spied at a distance with Void Seer, hovering between stalactites, mind running in overdrive as I eavesdropped, absorbing privileged information.

  I never thought I'd catch two monsters constructing a dungeon, using a system of their own. Their discussion raised numerous questions, but I was mostly interested in hearing about Chaos, a topic that hadn't come up. And with the two of them at odds, I doubted it would.

  As the lich reeled from realizing his trusted advisor was a void hound, I continued channeling Void Seer across the ceiling, closing in for a better look at my targets. Their negative karma ratings raised my confidence and unraveled my worries after the sand worm debacle.

  As much as I wished to conduct a proper interrogation, I wouldn't take that risk. I planned on eliminating them in the cheapest of manners, hopefully before they even acknowledged my existence. A clinical assassination, void of risk.

  Dazmire tapped the ground with the bottom of his staff. "So... Orc zombies, skeleton archers, and maybe sprinkle in some goblins?"

  Fayador shook his snout from side to side. "Unless there's instantaneous delivery, there's no point."

  "One second," Dazmire said, flicking his finger through the air. "I've got them all added to my cart. Let's see... Delivery by next dawn. There, it's done."

  The lich lowered his staff while his void hound trotted across the plateau, nose pointed in the air. "It's too late, someone's here."

  "Adventurers?" Dazmire palmed his forehead, bones clattering. "You must be mistaken."

  "A human..." Fayador whiffed the air. "Or something wanting us to think it's human."

  "What do you mean by that? One foolish human is nothing to lose our composure over. In fact, it's lucky."

  "No—it's an omen."

  "Eh?"

  "I sense an overwhelming presence of darkness."

  "I'm an Abyssal Lich Lord who has gone without scented oils for days. Of course I'm a bit ripe," Dazmire said with an annoyed tone. "It's a miracle a lowly dog's advice took us this far."

  "Sir, Abyssal Lich Lord Dazmire, perhaps silence is a foreign concept to those forged in the Abyss, but I request it now."

  "How dare you—"

  "Shut the fuck up!"

  The void hound's demonic roar shook the cave's walls. The message echoed repeatedly while Dazmire stood shell shocked, jaw locked, fist tightly clenching his staff. Finally, silence washed over the cavern, and the creature raised its decomposed ears.

  "A vast evil lurks nearby. They reek of the void. I can hear it buzzing, like it's infecting this place."

  "Could it be the pale one again?"

  "No. He said we would never see him again." Fayador shuddered. "Whatever it is, I think it's watching us."

  The lich lord double tapped the base of his staff on the ground, and plum colored lightning crackled within the staff's spherical glass bulb. Glowing purple light surged through the cavern, coursing over the walls and ceiling in a singular wave.

  "Eh, you were right the first time. I detect one puny human. The imbecile is actually napping a few chambers away. He's in for a rude awakening if those monsters get delivered before he wakes up."

  The void hound's gaze swept over the ceiling, passing over my little eye in the sky without a second glance. Seconds later, the void hound leaped down from the platform.

  "Where do you think you're going?" Dazmire asked.

  "I'm seeking out the source of this dreadful sound. Ages past a demon carved its words into my soul. It told me the purest of evils whispers until it is heard. Then it screams, the shadows flinch, and existence crumbles."

  "Huh? Whose existence—which demon inscribed such nonsense into your soul? Fay-Fay! I'm talking to you!"

  Dazmire snapped his bony fingers, once, twice, and thrice, and hound left him in the dust, gripping his staff so tight it creaked.

  I disconnected Void Seer, instantly snapping back to my body several caverns away.

  So there's another evil presence hidden in here besides the Abyssal Lich Lord and its canine?

  The alternative was unfathomable. I firmly rejected the possibility they were speaking about me.

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  No, another horrible monster had to be lurking somewhere in this dungeon. There were still several unexplored caverns serving as the perfect spaces to lie in wait.

  Worried the beast could happen upon me during its search, I activated Invisibility. With the ability ticking, I maneuvered through the darkness, turning out of my cavern and into another. Dizziness from suddenly regaining my hand-eye coordination took nearly a minute to wear off.

  With any luck, the void hound would pass right by, and I could dispatch the lich lord before he knew better. Claws scrapping over rock produced a hideous echoing noise. Karma's Gaze revealed the hound's status as it turned the corner and dove through the darkness at incredible speed.

  Then it disappeared, status and all. A second later I felt the creature's chilly breath on the back of my neck. I whipped around, and found the monster dog perched on a flat rock beside me.

  "I can smell boundless darkness radiating from your soul."

  Shadow Weave.

  I sent a straight-edged shadow blade at Fayador's neck, but the creature shifted through the darkness, reappearing at my feet, tiny bones rattling as it wagged its tail.

  "Fear not, I'm an ally of all evils, whether you're from the Abyss, the Void, or beyond the Pale Horizon, my purpose is servitude."

  "I'm from Earth."

  I raised both arms, erecting razor-tipped spikes out of the ground, aiming for the demonic pooch's torso. Fayador jumped with grace, landing with a paw on each spike.

  "There's no need to lie. You can drop your human disguise."

  Offended beyond reproach, I leapt into the air, chasing after the pooch with my bare fists. However, it simply lunged head first into the darkness against the rocky wall and re-emerged across the cavern. Fayador stood on all fours, panting with its forked tongue unraveled, slithering over his claws.

  "You're wrong,” I said as Invisibility wore off.

  "Rarely."

  I swung my arms like I was conducting an orchestra. Two massive pitch black hands emerged behind Fayador, and swiped at his back. The cadaverous beast howled as it dodged through the shadow hand's reaching grasp. Claws screeching, Fayador slid off the rock's surface and took an Olympic style dive over the edge.

  Sweat drenched the nape of my neck and I cancelled the ability only to engage another strip of shadows at the bottom of the cave in preparation for the dog's landing.

  Gotcha.

  Fayador's serpent-like tongue shot out of its mouth, and wrapped around a stalactite. Using the appendage like a rope, the creature swung itself across the ceiling, seeking refuge on another angled rock sticking out of the wall.

  I withdrew Shadow Weave, already having consumed a good chunk of stamina, deciding to change tactics.

  "I'm human."

  "Human's don't speak the banished tongue," Fayador said, sniffing the air, snout pointed in my direction. "Orc sweat?"

  "So? I'm a busy multilingual adventurer who hasn't had a chance to shower. I'm not an orc or any other evil entity."

  Fayador cocked his head to the side, tapping his claw against stone as he took another whiff. "Strange, beneath it all, I do smell a hint of human. Yes, about 99% evil to 1% humanity."

  Cheeks burning with frustration, I shook my head. "I'm not evil. I'm a noble adventurer."

  The mutt threw his head back, unleashing an unsettling maniacal laugh that filled the chamber. "A mortal reeking of the void... Wait–no, the void smells of despair, this is more of a creepy cosmic contagion type of scent. Madness, masking its hunger behind an illusion carved in suffering. I'd say it's impossible if I wasn't aware of the universe and its vast horrors. I never thought I’d hear this melody again."

  Rather than a single chill running up my spine, it felt like the dog had dunked me in an ice bath. I ran a hand through my hair, only now noticing how matted it was with scabby, dried blood.

  "I know it's been awhile, but I've volunteered at soup kitchens. I helped prep, clean up, and ladle for hours. An evil man doesn't do that..." An uncomfortable pause lingered until I threw my hands up. "Fine. I'll admit it. I’ve killed a few hundred people since I got here. All of them rotten—as far as I know."

  I scratched at my neck and cheeks, fingernails digging into my five o' clock shadow. All of the sudden I was acutely aware of how much blood had been drenched across my face, forming an itchy layer of crust.

  The hound nodded slowly. Even without saying a word, I could tell he was thinking, "Yeah bud, sure."

  "What would Skeletor's dog know? You don't even have a nose."

  The dog sat upright on the edge of the rock, staring down at me, tail wagging.

  Finally, I dropped my arms at my side, and accepted the truth I'd known for quite some time. Something was wrong with me.

  "Others have mentioned similarly disturbing things about me. What exactly is this thing you're referring to?" I asked.

  As the dog opened its mouth, I saw something flicker in the corner of my eye. I spun around only to find static darkness along the cave's walls.

  "Interesting. It sent a clear message," Fayador said, his voice wavering.

  "What?" I asked, a prickling sense creeping in that I was on the outskirts of an inside joke.

  "It won't allow me to speak on it any further."

  I was starting to regret choosing Shadow Weaver as my class specialization.

  Why did I choose such a creepy class? Of course it had to come with baggage.

  I bet Paladin's don't deal with this BS.

  +Companion Faydor

  The bold text shined too brightly in the darkness, serving as a complete shock to my system as I watched it float down between me and the dog, eventually disappearing through the cavern's floor.

  Jaw agape, I locked onto the void hound's hollow eye sockets. Its tail wagged, panting with its disturbingly long snake tongue out.

  As I was about to speak, the dog cut me off.

  "Yes, I am now bound to you. The contract has been signed."

  "I didn't sign a goddamn thing," I objected.

  "Your shadow did, on your behalf."

  "What kind of underhanded nonsense is this? You didn't think to ask first?"

  "I thought you'd say no. So, I didn't ask," Fayador dropped down from the rock's surface, disappearing into the darkness and reappearing at my side. "Seems you really are human, which is even more intriguing."

  His tail rattled as it wagged, slapping against the side of my leg. "Thank you for accepting my application."

  I pinched my nose, finding the mutt's stench unbearable up close. "There was no application and I had no say."

  "Wow, neat framework you have here. Shadow Weave, Dagger Step, Void Seer… I was right, you were watching us."

  My brain practically exploded as he continued rattling off the names of my abilities.

  "Shadow Weaver..."

  The dog's tail curled upward. "Never heard of that class before. Yet, you also have access to Rogue and Fighter abilities. Strange."

  Ice ran through my veins, an unknown fear realized in an instant: a talking dog that knew all of my dirty secrets.

  "How?"

  "Didn't you finish the tutorial?"