"Do you remember your lines?"

Stella and Lien stand at the door of the hut n° 324, Euraidd's home. The Human intended to recruit him and his sister by the end of this day.

The pup nodded. "Yup. But here's what I don't get. Why would me imploring while lying down on my back convince anyone?"

Stella sighed. "Because the cuteness factor is a powerful weapon for adults!" She flicked her forehead. "Duh!"

While rubbing her paw on the struck area, Lien's eyes widened. "You think I'm cute?! Seriously?!"

The Human finally took notice of her proverbial slip. Her cheeks started to burn. "I-I mean, Humans usually find puppies adorable, so-"

The pup grasped her shoulders firmly, almost shaking her like maracas. "You never told me that before! I'm so, so happy!" Her muzzle was a few centimeters away from the girl's lips.

"Don't do anything stupid! Don't you fucking dare!"

Her racing heart was stopped by a loud thud caused by the hut's door being kicked open by its owner. The floppy ears and golden fur were what undoubtedly characterized Euraidd. He wore green khaki shorts and a black and red T-shirt featuring what appeared to be a metal band of four Crows, with a singer, a guitarist, a drummer, and a bassist, each wearing red, tight leather attire, a black hood, and white war paint. The name "Bloody Murder" was emblazoned on the top.

"Yo, can you guys pipe-" His gaze fixed on the girls. "Oh, it's you two!!! Welcome!" He took a second to glance behind him, then waved his paw at them. "Please, enter! Don't mind the mess too much!"

This was a tall order since the inside of his hut was too similar to whatever improvised home Stella would create in the slums. The decoration included piles of dirty clothes, bones, tools, and other objects on random corners and a Bloody Murder poster identical to the guard's T-shirt.

The Human wanted to give them a listen someday. In the middle of this chaos, the only zones of relative order were a drawer and a table with a single chair.

The golden Wolf sat on a red pillow in front of a television with a black video game console connected to it. Why does his hut get electricity and hers don't?! It was not fair!

"Whatchu playing?" Stella asked, sitting at his side.

The screen displayed a battered guy with a The Sims-like, shining crystal on top of his head, carrying a torch, fighting an oversized rat on a sewer.

"It's a game where you fight through many floors with different enemies on each one," Euraidd explained. "There's secret bosses, challenges, and so many playstyles to choose from! When you die, you reset to square one, but with a few bonuses. So, you always have something to push you further on each run!"

Stella understood... some of the guard's words, at least. "So, there's no checkpoints?"

His floppy ears waved when he turned his head at her. "I mean, yeah! But it's a little complicated. Besides, I must complete this game with zero checkpoints for my torchbearer challenge run!"

In the meantime, Lien was sniffing around the guard's mess. Stella decided not to bring unnecessary attention to it.

"How far have you come?"

"I defeated the 'secret boss' of the second floor, who technically is the obligatory final boss of the floor. It's a whole thing."

The more he talked about the game, the less the girl understood.

"Oh! And one of my two party members betrayed me and killed the remaining one!" He scoffed. "I never liked them, anyway."

Oh, that sounded fun, actually.

The guard's frantic fingers ceased when his eyes shifted to the girl again. "Do you... want to play?"

Stella froze. Could she accept such power at such a young age? The life of a fictional someone hanging at her fingertips. Was she ready for her first step in the gamer path? Was a life of Cheeto puffs and energy drinks really worth it?

Her philosophical riddle was interrupted by someone's hot breath on her ear.

"Psst. Is it my cue now?" Lien asked.

Euraidd heard the murmuring. "Cue for what?" He cocked an eyebrow.

Without prompt or reasonable context, the pup lay down with her belly exposed and started to make her most babyish voice yet. "Pwease, Mr. Euraidd! Can you help-"

Stella shut her muzzle by gripping it with her two hands. "Okay! I regretted everything the moment the first word came out. You can stop it now."

The guard watched them, slack-jawed for a minute before breaking into an unhinged cackle. "I-I don't know what's up with you two, but please go on!" A loud cracking noise came out of the TV, bringing a scowl to his face. "At least it was the first floor..."

Stella let go of her friend's maw and slowly returned to the guard. "I know you must be busy, mister. But-"

"Oh no! I'm free this week and the next!" He interjected, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Right. Well, me, Lien, and a few others are-"

"Planning a party for the Knight, I know."

Oh... Well, that made things easier...?

"How do you know that?" Stella narrowed her eyes.

"Locci told everything through our coms." He put the controller down, now giving his attention to them exclusively. "I'm in!"

The Human exhaled with relief. Finally! No more petty favors!

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"My sister, on the other hand..."

She slowly facepalmed as the crushing reality settled in. Why was she expecting anything different?

"Why? Did she give a reason?" Her tone carried unrest, imagining what type of beast she'd have to fight for Hufen's approval.

He grinned sheepishly. "It's my fault. Other than work, my sis won't go anywhere with me."

Lien jumped above Stella, putting her paws on the Human's head as support, then flawlessly landing.

"You two are fighting again? Is this about the dung incident?" The pup asked.

Stella interposed. "What's that about?"

Lien was about to explain, but Euraidd hushed her with a finger. "Don't. For the sake of your friend."

The pup nodded as he slowly retreated his hand. "Sorry, Stella."

She shook her head, exasperated. "Look, we're already without the captain. I need a little more than three adults and two kids!"

Euraidd scrunched his snout in thought. Lien followed suit.

The guard gestured to the TV. "Can we just settle down for the day and play some Pen-"

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT YOUR GAME!!!"

Stella's fuse blew into flames. A short, irrational fit of anger before her mind cleared, and her eyes directed towards the two Wolves. They looked... miserable.

Lien covered her ears, her tail coiled. Fuck, what has she done?

The girl was desperate. Surely, Euraidd wouldn't want anything to do with the party after this tamper tantrum. She had failed the simple lesson of not being a raging asshole.

Asra would finally see her for the lost cause she was.

Her whole body started trembling. "I'm sorry." The Human fell to her knees, touching her hands and head on the floor. "Please, attend the party. I'll do-"

The golden guard's chuckle was startling yet comforting. Even Lien was taken aback by his action.

"Kid, I lived with my sis most of my life, including our mom's womb." That remark made both girls cringe. "I'm not so easily spooked by a tamper tantrum!" His eyes lit up. "You know what you need?"

Stella answered deadpan, not by annoyance, but mental exhaustion. "Your videogame?"

He snapped his fingers, shooting an approving wink. "You got it! It helps me when I'm on my last nerve!"

The girl wasn't sure what to think or say. Organizing a party was a much bigger headache than she ever anticipated, and she was still in the inviting phase!

You know what? She deserved an actual break, damn it!

"Sure." A subtle smirk crept on her lips. "Can you teach me first?"

Euraidd's grin outshone even Lien's. "Hell yeah!" He clenched his paw in genuine excitement. "What class do you want to try?!"

----------------------------------------

"Barbarian?" Euraidd asked, throwing a dirty look at her. "This is the worst class! Too much risk and barely any reward!"

Stella smirked. "What can I say? This ax was practically calling me. Besides, I prefer actual combat rather than relying on pew-pews at a distance."

The mage gasped. The Human didn't care if it was genuine or just for dramatic effect. It was hilarious either way.

"But you don't know magic yet, do you?" Lien was practically glued to the girl. She cursed herself for enjoying this proximity more than she should. "Magic is pretty fun to use! The boring part is learning it."

Euraidd crossed his arms and nodded. "I can accept that. But let me tell you something, Stella. Real-life mages are nothing like what the Knight showed me. We must undergo arduous physical training so our use on the battlefield is less limited."

Something about Saniya lectures and fighting styles resonated with Stella. Her thirst for knowledge in that category was vastly superior to anything else.

"What about your staff?" She pointed at the majestic weapon, ungracefully standing on top of a pile of dirty underwear. "What makes it different from someone like Captain Tash or the Knight, who can do magic without it just fine?"

A faint, white aura radiated from Euraidd's paw. He stretched it at the staff, and its green sikpha crystals started to glow in response. Then, it flew to its owner's hand.

"The advantage of a sikpha staff is that it works as a complementary Saniya conduit, working in tandem with your body." He tapped the crystalline tip with one claw. "You can store your own energy inside the crystals, serving as a great way of conserving energy in long battles and casting stronger, more complex spells." He stood up, showcasing many offensive and defensive maneuvers by swinging and spinning his weapon with the fluidity of an experienced martial artist. "Also, it's a sick weapon to use!"

Oh, Stella had to try that someday. Perhaps once she had learned a few spells, at least.

"Okay, enough about staffs!" The mage jumped, crossed his legs, and slowed down his descent back with a mini-tornado beneath his butt. "Ready to get your ass kicked for the first time?"

The Human scoffed, tightening her grasp on the controller. "You wish!"

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[Game Over! You can't keep swinging that ax mindlessly, Rod!]

Stella groaned. "Fuck this guy and his stupid skeleton!"

Euraidd cackled. "As I thought, you can't even defeat the necromancer with this shitty class!" He clutched his aching tummy.

She narrowed her eyes. "What class do you recommend then, smartass?"

After swatting the painful laughter away, the guard's eyes sparkled. "Oh! The conjurer one is so broken!"

"What's that do?"

"You create magic animal buddies to fight for you."

"Like Pokemon?"

"Dunno what that is."

Before Stella could open her mouth, Lien cannonballed between them, paws clasped. "I've found a friend! Look!" She opened her hands, revealing a small brown rat. "I call him Peat!"

Euraidd shot her pet a concerned look. "Lien? Where you found Peat?"

She pointed at his underwear pile.

The guard gulped. "So that's why it was so itchy yesterday."

Lien's stomach started to growl. "I'm hungry."

Euraidd and Stella traded glances.

"Lunch break?"

"Yep!"

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[Congratulations, you beat the first floor again! Now, stop wasting time, and let's advance.]

Stella stood up, howling victorious. "Second try! How'dja like that, golden boy?!"

He indifferently crossed his arms behind his fluffy head. "Congratulations. It takes a rare breed of gamer to use the most OP class and still sacrifice all your pets to beat the goblin trio."

Backhanded compliments have always touched the Human's nerves. "Oh yeah?! It also takes a rare breed of gamer to suck my nonexistent di-"

"What time is it?" Lien interjected. Peat became more comfortable around the pup, prancing between her toes.

Euraidd glanced at the window. "Crap, it's almost nightfall."

Both girls gasped.

"How?! I haven't played THAT much!"

"I've spent two hours explaining Death Boons and stats to you." He reminded.

"Right... That makes sense..." Stella scratched her chin. "I guess that's our cue, then. We should still talk to your sister, at least."

Lien hummed in agreement. "If her problem is with you, you should go with us and sort this out."

Euraidd fidgeted his claws anxiously, however. "I don't know... I messed up big time with her. I told what I shouldn't to a Wolf she had a crush on and singlehandedly ruined her chances."

The pup turned around him and tugged his shoulder. "Have you said 'I'm sorry'?"

He grimaced.

Stella pinched the bridge of her nose. "C'mon man... That's the bare minimum..."

He scrambled away from them, flustered. "I was embarrassed, okay? Just apologizing won't be enough for her!"

"You're her brother, so I'll take your word for it." Stella approached him. "But I don't think she will hold this grudge for so long. How long has it been? A week?"

His eyes were focused on a random pile of bones. "Yeah..."

Lien hopped in front of him with the pet rat on top of her head. "Then what's stopping you from giving her a big hug?! It's what I do after I fight with Mom."

Euraidd's tail coiled around his leg. "What if I go too far again? I don't want to ruin her life further."

Stella punched him in the shoulder. "Then you talk to her and listen to what she needs from you! Don't go doing stuff that will affect her on your own!" She cleared her throat. "At least, that's what I'd want in her place."

After a few seconds, the golden Wolf clenched his paws and took a more confident posture. "Alright! I can do this! I'll be the most supportive, attentive brother in the history of siblinghood!"

Lien howled with enthusiasm, which prompted the rat to hide on the collar of her tunic. "What are we waiting for?! Let's bombard her with our sheer positivity!!!"

Stella didn't know what the word 'bombard' meant, but she was into it! Perhaps spending her time with dumb distractions like these wasn't a terrible idea at the end of the day. She had to admit it was fun spending time with Lien, Euraidd, and even Locci.

Huh. Was the Human... making new friends, after all? Nah, that was silly! They probably had better people to hang around than a freaking tween!

...

Still, she wouldn't mind hanging out with the mage another day.