“That’s the dog I saw before!” Ash shouted.

“No I’m not!” The dog replied.

“Get him!” Ash yelled.

Ash jumped up and leapt towards the small table. Luke set Ave down on the ground and moved to try and help Ash.

The dog scampered under the table.

“Don’t let it get away!” said Ash.

“Ah! Yip yip yip yip yip!” The dog yelped away as it tried to hide from the group.

The table was pushed to the side. The candle rolled onto the ground.

“I’ve got him!” Luke said. He slammed his hands together as the dog tried to run between his legs.

“Ah no! Release me!” The dog squirmed in Luke’s hands. Using its little paws it grabbed a hold of Luke’s thumb. The dog slowly started to open its mouth.

Luke gave it a stern look. “Don’t do it.” he said.

The dog continued to open its mouth wider.

“Don’t.” Luke repeated.

The dog *Chomped!* Luke’s thumb between its teeth.

“Ah! Yeowch!” Luke dropped the dog and massaged his thumb.

The canine hit the ground running and dashed under the bench.

“Grab him!” Ash yelled. He tried to shove the bench aside. The table flipped over. The bottle sitting on top of the table rolled off and spilled wine all over the ground. The candle was extinguished.

*Pitter*Pap*

“Where did he go?” Ash asked in the darkness.

“I can’t see anything.” Luke said back.

“What the moons was that?” Ave asked.

“That was the dog. The dog I saw earlier. I thought I was imagining it. But I think it was leading us deeper into the dungeon.” Ash said.

“I still can’t see anything.” Luke said.

*Ba-clunk*

“Ow, my knee.” Luke hooted in the pitch black room.

“Bring me the candle. I can light it.” Ave said.

*Click*Click*

The candle spread its soft nimbus of light once again. Ave put her striker back in a pocket.

“I don’t see anyone.” Luke said. He bent down and picked up the cheese and the wine bottles. He straightened up the table and put them back on top.

“Where could he have gone?” Ash looked around in confusion.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“What was it?” Ave asked. She eased herself down onto the bench.

“It was a talking dog.” said Ash.

“Some kind of Shadowbeast?” Ave looked at Luke.

Luke pushed back his bangs. “I’ve never heard of Shadowbeasts being able to talk. None of the old legends ever mentioned anything like that.”

“Maybe it’s a different kind.” Ave mused.

“I don’t see it anywhere. Maybe it ran away?” Luke conveyed.

“Wait one second.” Ash angled his eyebrows in anxiety. “Why are there two wine bottles on the table?”

The three of them looked at the table.

“Were there not two bottles before?” Ave asked.

“I picked two up off the ground.” Luke said.

*Shush*

Ash held up a finger. He picked up one of the wine bottles. “Warm, dark glass, smells like alcohol.” He set the bottle down. He picked up the other bottle. “Warm again, smells like alcohol.” Ash squinted. The label on the bottle had a picture of a dog.

“Luke bring me that candle.” Ash said.

Luke handed Ash the candle. Ash held the candle next to the wine bottle.

“Hold on. You’re not going to…” Luke looked concerned.

A bead of condensation ran down the neck of the bottle.

“Burn the bottle? No, no, no. Of course not.” Ash said.

The bottle relaxed.

“I’m going to burn the cheese.” Ash held the burning wick of the candle out to the edge of the cheese wheel.

*Doggy-poof*

“No! You can’t!”

The wine bottle transformed into a dog in Ash’s arms.

“That cheese was aged for two years in ideal conditions.” The dog yelled.

The dog wiggled out of Ash’s grasp and dodge rolled onto the table. It put all four of its little paws around the cheese wheel and curled up to protect the cheese with its body.

“It’s real.” Ave stared at the creature on the table.

“What is it?” Luke crouched down.

Ash, Luke, and Ave crouched leaned over to get a better look.

The dog rolled over. It tried to shield itself with the cheese wheel.

“I’m just a normal dog that learned how to talk.” it said.

“Why do you have bat wings?” Ash pointed. There were two miniature bat wings the size of a pinky finger poking out of the dog’s fluffy back between its shoulder blades.

“For flying of course.” The dog shot back.

*Confusion*

The dog peeked out from behind the cheese wheel. “Dogs don’t fly do they? I keep forgetting that.” It looked annoyed at its own forgetfulness. “Look I don’t want any trouble. Just leave me alone.” The dog cowered under its shield of coagulated milk.

Ash pointed a finger. “Did you call that monster to attack us?”

“No! I was trying to tell you to go away!” said the Dog.

“With barking?”

“I get nervous around new people.”

Ave reached out and gently put her hands around the dog’s midsection. “Come here.” She carefully pulled it onto her lap. “We’re not going to hurt you. We only want to know what’s going on. Can you tell us what’s happening? Please?” She patted down the fur between the curious canine’s ears.

“I was just minding my own business. Trying to have a snack. You’re the ones who burst in here and attacked me.” The dog defended.

“Sorry. We weren’t trying to scare you.” Ave said.

“We’re the ones who should be terrified of…” Ash pointed at the dog. “Whatever this is.”

“Is there a reason that you’re petting me?” The dog asked.

“Sorry. You’re just so fluffy. I couldn’t help myself. I’ll stop.” Ave replied.

“I didn’t say you had to stop.” The dog repositioned itself on her lap.

The peculiar pooch looked around the room at the others. It took a few quick test licks off of the cheese disc.

“I suppose that there’s no point in hiding it anymore.” said the perplexing pup. It stood up on its hind legs and placed one forepaw against its chest. “I am Eins the great and powerful. I am what you mortals would call a god.” Eins held out its paw. “You may worship me as you see fit.”

Ash and Luke looked at each other. Ave continued to scritch the dog’s ears.

“I don’t mean to offend you, but you’re not very big for a god.” Luke said.

“This is just a disguise. I have taken this form to prevent your mortal minds from… falling apart. If I showed you my true form you would be driven insane.” Eins took a few more licks off of the cheese wheel.