Rick woke in the middle of the night, or it was more like he hadn’t slept. His thoughts kept moving back to the blue haired woman, Kiara. Her visit had been a surprise, a maiden pretending to be a human woman. He’d felt the way his body tingled to the power, that itching “crawling ants” sensation across his body that shifted through him with a clear sense of purpose, so light he’d almost mistaken it for his own nerves.

But his gut had told him she was a maiden.

And now he was going to meet her tomorrow. She wanted to bond him, why? It felt off, Dia didn’t know how to answer either, as far as she knew a maiden’s interest in forming a bond was to find a partner and avoid going feral.

But this Kiara woman clearly had something else in mind. Rick felt there was more to it, not… he couldn’t put his finger on it. She was showy, but had played it cautious. Those eyes had bore into him as if trying to pry him open.

He could’ve sworn he’d seen those eyes before at some point. But… where?

Sleep eluded him, even as Dia and Monica slept soundly at either side of him, neither willing to leave him alone after the visit. He wasn’t going to complain, having them both around was safer, better, reassuring.

In the perfect darkness of the basement-room, Rick’s thoughts flickered to the box with the pokeball. A gift from the Earl, unused, it’d been meant for him to use on Monica. The thought still sat badly with him, Rick could easily imagine the smooth resin surface in his grip, he remembered the warning, it couldn’t guarantee capture, but…

A tingling sensation broke Rick out of his thoughts.

It had been subtle, as if his whole body had been a moment away from falling numb. It jolted him, however. “Monica.”

The feline didn’t stir, she didn’t move, but her azure eyes opened. Rick couldn’t see them with his eyes, it was too dark, but he could sense her focus was upon him for only a second. Then it was turned elsewhere. “Danger.”

Her proclamation was all Rick needed, he turned to Dia and gave her a slight shove.

But she would not wake.

The tingling was becoming more intense, as if his limbs had gone numb. “Dia!” He hissed, but she only slept, not waking up. That shouldn’t be, she was always easy to wake, something was wrong.

Rick shuffled to his feet. It took him a moment before he found the small glow-stone Dia had purchased. Its soft white light bathing the small basement room. Monica was by the door, staring at it intently, Rick dressed as best he could.

His hand snatched the small wooden box.

Monica eyed the sphere, her brows furrowed as she slowly looked at Rick.

Their eyes met, and emotions welled and passed between them. He could sense that edge of apprehension, the memory of her capture, the helplessness. Her eyes lowered to the device, and then back up to him. The fear was gone, only a slight nod was shared.

No words were needed.

She vanished into the shadows, melting into darkness until nothing was left but darkness, and Rick opened the door leading upstairs. The short-sword was on his hip, but Rick’s trust in it against a maiden was nill. It would be a toy.

Ironic, that the bright white and red sphere that looked so much more like a toy was the better option.

He could feel her within his shadow, even as he moved while holding the glow-stone. It gave him a swell of confidence, a feeling that nothing in this world could properly threaten him so long as she remained with him. It was a powerful feeling, it reminded him of the forest, the Baron.

She trusted him now, they understood each other better.

Whatever was going on was dangerous, but unknown. Monica was good at handling things directly. And maybe this danger wasn’t for them to handle, wasn’t for them to consider. A quick glance out the window showed a darkened city, a heavy fog had descended, the outside was milky white.

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But Rick’s skin was prickling and as he approached the door, seeing the shadows at the other side, the feeling in his gut tightened.

There was a knock.

Rick considered things briefly. He could answer, or he could not. If there was a maiden at the other side of that door, how much risk was he in? She’d be able to get through the door, it was just wood. Could the layer provide any actual protection?

No, his protection was in his shadow.

Slowly, he approached the door.

“Who is it?”

“Are you Rick?” The voice was female, because of course it was. It made him think of the forest, the darkness, the spider that caught the screaming student.

Every nerve in his body chilled. It could be a guard, it could be a messenger, or someone, anyone, wanting to check on him. But his gut told him to run. And run hard. Could he though? Dia was downstairs, Monica could get him out of there, but not her.

“Sorry, wrong house.”

“Oh.”

The shadow moved, leaving. The sound of steps going away.

Rick didn’t relax, his eyes locked on the door. He considered whether it would be a good idea to get Dia into the pokeball and make a run for it with Monica. Was that the better option? He didn’t know, he wasn’t even sure he was under threat.

Monica was silent within his shadow, through the bond, he could feel her focus like a physical force upon the world around him. She was catching every detail he missed, every aspect, and as that broad spectrum of focus narrowed in a direction behind him, Rick’s gut screamed at him to freeze.

Monica had tensed, deep within his shadow, hidden, ready.

“You are Rick.”

The voice spoke from behind him.

He clenched his jaw.

“Sorry, don’t know who you’re talking about.” He wanted to turn around, his eyes remained locked on the door.

“You’re awake, no human should be awake within my mist. Not unless they’re delicious.”

A single step was taken, light, so light the wooden floor didn’t even creak.

“I wouldn’t get any closer, if I were you.”

“But you smell so…” There was a single long inhale. “Pure.”

His hands were tense, he did not turn to meet the speaker. One hand locked on the short-sword’s hilt, the other on the pokeball. “Why are you here?”

“Someone very high up is interested in you.” A light laughter followed.

“I hope it’s not revenge.” He muttered under his breath. Had someone found out about the Baron’s actual death? Had the Baroness only pretended to accommodate him since she couldn’t do anything to Monica? Or was this somehow tied to the Earl? “That would really suck.”

“Who knows? I’m sure it won’t be pleasant either way.”

“Right.”

Every part of his body tense like a coiled spring, his jaw so tight it hurt.

“I prefer when I look prey in the eye.”

“I take it looking into my eyes makes it easier to use your powers on me?”

The maiden laughed. “Do you think it matters?”

“I mean, for me it probably doesn’t make a difference, but for Monica?”

It happened in an instant. Rick didn’t look over his shoulder, he didn’t look back, he burst into motion towards the door exactly at the same time he sensed Monica leaping out of his shadow. The gust of wind was followed by an ear-splitting roar and shattering wood.

By the time he’d reached the door, there was a hole in his house.

No time. Monica had to fight, he had to find reinforcements.

The door swung open, and he ran face-first into a wall of tit and muscle.

Rick’s eyes looked up, at the woman that had to be nearly three meters tall, built with a body that was meant to smash through walls and lift tanks, with steel-shredding claws for hands, arms covered in fuzzy orange striped fur. It was like looking at someone he would have claimed to be Monica’s aunt.

“Huh.” The smirk on her lips was anything but friendly.

Maybe it was luck, maybe it was instinct, maybe it was both. Every fiber in his body had told him to run, and instead, Rick took a swing. A wooden box in his hand as he aimed for her stomach.

The maiden was amused, enough she didn’t even try to dodge. Perhaps she thought he’d break his hand against her iron muscles. Except he wasn’t trying to punch her.

The box shattered, the pokeball made contact.

Time slowed, the point of contact glowed red, her eyes widened, the red instantly spread, and she vanished in a flash.

The spot she’d been occupying was left empty, empty save for a black glass orb that clunked to the floor.

Rick looked at it in shock, then at the pokeball.

The device was shaking violently, heating up as if a fire had lit inside. He didn’t hesitate to throw the thing into the gutter, picking up the black glass ball and throwing it into his travel bag before making a run for it straight back into the house.

He heard the road exploding behind him, and a furious roar.

He ran through the hole Monica had made.

The destruction didn’t take long to follow.