The metallic dog lunged at me, its maul open to end me in a single bite. I dove to the right just in time. Using all of my strength, I plunged my metal stick into the side of the dog’s neck. Before the beast could retaliate, I pressed a red button located at the stick’s center. An electric current traveled down the end of the stick and into the monster. The metallic dog let out a high-pitched screen, rolling onto its side.

“What is that?” the girl said.

“A gift from my mentor, Dr. Wu.” I pressed the red button again, letting the end of the bar glow with blue electricity. “Hopefully, that did the trick.”

As if on cue, the robotic hound rose to its feet. It shook its head as well as its tail, which looked more like a broken lever.

Of course, I could never be that lucky.

“We’re getting out of here!” I reached my hand out to her. To my surprise, she pushed the hand aside.”

“I can handle this.” She looked at me with a worrying look. She certainly didn’t exude confidence.

“But I need you to close your eyes.”

“You’re crazy. Like I could take a glance off this thing before I become dog food.” As if on cue, the mechanical dog began to pace towards us. Slowly, it moved, eyeing the electric stick in my hand. Like a vulture it circled us, looking for any apparent weakness in our defense so that it could strike.

“ Trust me.” Again, her voice didn’t sound trustworthy. If anything, she sounded more terrified than I did and that should be impossible. “Even if it's just a second, close your eyes.”

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

“You can’t be serious.” The robotic creature was circling closer now. Any moment now, and it would decide to attack.

“Fine then, but a second only.” I closed my eyes. As soon as my eyelids covered my vision I heard a sharp thunderous noise and then a high-pitched squeal. I opened my eyes. Where once the hound stood, still a fuming pile of mechanical parts. Electricity danced from the broken wires.

“What did you do?” She didn’t answer. Instead, she looked over at the dog, her head bent and hands clasped in prayer.

“Who are you?” She paid me no attention as she whispered some words, none of which I could understand, to the fallen beast. Then, she turned around.

“Sorry, but I can’t answer any of your questions. It’s not you, it's me or truthfully how others see me.” She walked over towards me. I noticed that her red tattoos appeared to be glowing. Her hair too seemed to stand a bit on edge. Whoever she was, the girl wasn’t quite human.

“My name is Clarice. I’m just your average well maiden.”

“There’s nothing average about you.”

“Well…you see–” She paused. A look of fear passed through her face.

“There’s more coming.”

“More? How can you tell?”

“I really wish I could tell you, but for now we have to get moving before they arrive. I can’t take them down all at once.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” She nodded and reached out her hands to me. I thought about returning the favor from before, but thought better of it. I didn’t want to become the human version of that robotic corpse.

“Any idea on where we should go?” I asked. She shook her head.

“They're coming from the south of Kiestchen. I’m guessing going up to Taleman might be the safest route.

“That’s too far. By then, if those hounds are tracking us, we’d be finished.”

“You might be right, but I don’t have any better ideas.”

“Actually, I think I know a place we can go. I think it's time to pay an old friend a visit."