for help… it had given him nightmares. He had gone to his mother and asked her to make Enver stop. His mother had been unhappy with him and told him to accept it. A Dark Mage could not be affected by his victims’ cries. Mother forbade Enver from harming or even touching him, but she didn’t care about psychological tortures. In her eyes it would only make him stronger.
Waldo eventually learned not to show any favor on the slaves. He learned not to care when they died in front of him, and Enver finally grew bored with that game. The vampire would then threaten to kill him and would make a point of bending iron bars or crushing stones in his bony little hands.
“I’ll kill you and drink every last drop of your sweet blood,” Enver would growl and approach him menacingly. The vampire wanted to hear screams and see Waldo shaking in terror.
Waldo had learned how to deal with him by the time he was apprenticed. “Who are you trying to scare? You can’t touch me and we both know it.” Waldo would then walk past him, daring Enver to prove him wrong.
The vampire never did and it made him furious.
Waldo knew that if Enver were not bound by his mother’s command the vampire would tear his throat out in an instant. The day his mother died the contract she had made would be broken and Enver would be free. On that day (if they were both still alive of course) one of them would die. Waldo knew and accepted that. If Enver turned out to be the first person he ever killed he would be very happy.
“So you want me to live so you can kill me yourself one day?”
“Exactly,” Enver smiled. “I’ve dreamed of tearing out your throat for so long I would simply hate to be denied that pleasure.”
Waldo knew that was true and, oddly enough, it did give Enver a reason to want to help. Reaching down he slowly and carefully unfolded the paper. He soon saw that it was a map of Lothas with a path marked on it and three distinctive X’s.
“What is this? A treasure map?”
“In a sense, if you follow that it will lead you to three Great Monsters.”
“Great Monsters?” Waldo said disbelieving. There were ten races that were classified as Great Monsters due to their superior power. They were; Dragons, Vampires, Giants, Ogres, Werewolves, Trolls, Succubi, Griffons, Medusas, and Elementals. Capturing a Great Monster and making a contract with one was a challenge even for an experienced Dark Mage. For a novice to capture one, let alone three…
Waldo tossed the paper aside.
“You must think me a complete idiot. Either the map is a fake or you really are trying to get me killed.”
“Not at all,” Enver said. “You cannot return until you have made a contract with at least three monsters correct? These three will be of far greater use to you than some lazy goblins would be.”
“My mother told you about that?”
“Why are you surprised? She always shares everything with me. I am her trusted confidante.”
“You’re her familiar.” Waldo reminded him.
Enver gave a careless shrug. “Six of one, half a dozen of the other. The point is that once I learned of that I drew up this map for your benefit. If you can capture these three creatures they will be a major help to you on your quest. Who knows? You might actually survive, though it is unlikely.”
“Just overpowering some goblins or orcs is going to be hard enough. You expect me to take on giants and vampires?”
Enver’s lips quirked and twisted in a silent laugh. “Oh, I think you might manage with these monsters.”
Waldo knew that tone much too well. It was the one Enver always preferred before performing some particularly cruel jest. “Just what are you up to?”
“I am simply trying to help you survive in the hopes of eventually making a meal of you.” He turned back to the door. “I have given you my help. You may accept it or not as you wish. I will not be
Waldo eventually learned not to show any favor on the slaves. He learned not to care when they died in front of him, and Enver finally grew bored with that game. The vampire would then threaten to kill him and would make a point of bending iron bars or crushing stones in his bony little hands.
“I’ll kill you and drink every last drop of your sweet blood,” Enver would growl and approach him menacingly. The vampire wanted to hear screams and see Waldo shaking in terror.
Waldo had learned how to deal with him by the time he was apprenticed. “Who are you trying to scare? You can’t touch me and we both know it.” Waldo would then walk past him, daring Enver to prove him wrong.
The vampire never did and it made him furious.
Waldo knew that if Enver were not bound by his mother’s command the vampire would tear his throat out in an instant. The day his mother died the contract she had made would be broken and Enver would be free. On that day (if they were both still alive of course) one of them would die. Waldo knew and accepted that. If Enver turned out to be the first person he ever killed he would be very happy.
“So you want me to live so you can kill me yourself one day?”
“Exactly,” Enver smiled. “I’ve dreamed of tearing out your throat for so long I would simply hate to be denied that pleasure.”
Waldo knew that was true and, oddly enough, it did give Enver a reason to want to help. Reaching down he slowly and carefully unfolded the paper. He soon saw that it was a map of Lothas with a path marked on it and three distinctive X’s.
“What is this? A treasure map?”
“In a sense, if you follow that it will lead you to three Great Monsters.”
“Great Monsters?” Waldo said disbelieving. There were ten races that were classified as Great Monsters due to their superior power. They were; Dragons, Vampires, Giants, Ogres, Werewolves, Trolls, Succubi, Griffons, Medusas, and Elementals. Capturing a Great Monster and making a contract with one was a challenge even for an experienced Dark Mage. For a novice to capture one, let alone three…
Waldo tossed the paper aside.
“You must think me a complete idiot. Either the map is a fake or you really are trying to get me killed.”
“Not at all,” Enver said. “You cannot return until you have made a contract with at least three monsters correct? These three will be of far greater use to you than some lazy goblins would be.”
“My mother told you about that?”
“Why are you surprised? She always shares everything with me. I am her trusted confidante.”
“You’re her familiar.” Waldo reminded him.
Enver gave a careless shrug. “Six of one, half a dozen of the other. The point is that once I learned of that I drew up this map for your benefit. If you can capture these three creatures they will be a major help to you on your quest. Who knows? You might actually survive, though it is unlikely.”
“Just overpowering some goblins or orcs is going to be hard enough. You expect me to take on giants and vampires?”
Enver’s lips quirked and twisted in a silent laugh. “Oh, I think you might manage with these monsters.”
Waldo knew that tone much too well. It was the one Enver always preferred before performing some particularly cruel jest. “Just what are you up to?”
“I am simply trying to help you survive in the hopes of eventually making a meal of you.” He turned back to the door. “I have given you my help. You may accept it or not as you wish. I will not be
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