Nevaeh PoV

“Are you sure about this? We don’t know anything about this Nylarthog,” his butler asked, always looking out for him, even when it wasn’t necessary.

“Of course I’m not, even with the contract signed, we can never be absolutely sure if there isn’t a loophole we didn’t notice. But I have a good feeling here.

We were the ones who sent the thugs to show Orion that his ability boon isn’t a guarantee for survival, so this wasn’t set up by someone. There is also the fact that Nylarthog didn’t arrive last time, so it is extremely likely that he truly stumbled upon the scene on accident.

He is also under observation for the coming two years, if nothing changes we will be forced to send Orion to Lower Heavens, and you know just as well as I that he will still be in considerable danger, so having someone who can get him out of danger at a moments notice would help me worry less.”

Nevaeh’s butler relaxed a bit at those words. This had been a rather sudden decision, so they hadn’t had time to talk about it so far.

“I just always worry about the Young Master, he is my daughters son.”

Nevaeh nodded in understanding. "I know you do, but we have to think about Orion's safety in the long term. We can't always be there to protect him ourselves, so we need to have other options in place. And Nylarthog could be just the ally we need."

The butler sighed, still looking unsure. "I suppose you're right. I just hope this doesn't come back to bite us in the end."

“Me as well, me as well, my friend. How about this, instead of only having a shadow follow Nylarthog at all times, we follow Orion and him for the next few days?”

“Do we have the time for that?”

“He is my son, I have always time for him, and if I don’t I will make it.” Nevaeh's tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. His butler nodded in agreement, knowing that for him, nothing was more important than Orion.

Nevaeh then made sure that he would be free for the next few days, and if one of his associates had a problem with that, he didn’t care, people would pay just to meet one of his subordinates, so if someone was unhappy, they could make room for someone else.

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The next day was a sunny day, birds were chirping, flowers were blooming, when Nylarthog was awoken by the screaming of the Young Master.

“My name is Orion, don’t forget that.” followed by a door being closed loudly.

Nylarthog rubbed his bleary eyes and stretched his limbs, groggily awakening to the sound of the Young Master's voice. "What's going on?" he mumbled to the empty room. Mornings had never been his forte, and the fact that it wasn't even 7am yet made it even harder for him to fully wake up.

He still finally managed to get up and into the bathroom adjacent to his room. Yes, he had his own.

After freshening up, there were hoodies as part of his wardrobe, honest to [insert whatever deity you would like to be referred to here] hoodies. He had missed them so much, why hadn’t they been a thing?

After that Nylarthog made his way to the kitchen, where he found the Young Master, or rather, Orion, sitting at the table with a scowl on his face. Nylarthog cleared his throat and cautiously approached him. "Good morning, Orion," he greeted him, trying to sound as cheerful as possible, though it probably sounded more like a sleepy cat's meow.

Orion grunted in response, clearly still upset about something. Nylarthog took the hint and quickly made himself a cup of cacao before retreating to the living room to give Orion some space. He had never been a fan of coffee, he would rather suffer tiredness.

As he sat on the plush couch, sipping his cocoa and admiring the view of the garden, Nylarthog couldn't help but wonder what had upset Orion so much. Maybe it was that name thing, though he had to wonder how that had even come up.

But musing over that wouldn’t help him, so he took the time to cultivate some more, he had neglected that the last few days, until he heard Orion leaving the kitchen.

He followed behind, close enough for Orion to notice him, but far enough to still give him some space in case he wanted it.

Once they reached the gaming room, Orion turned around, “This Young Master will forgive you for your transgression if you play video games with him again!”

Nylarthog was all too happy to oblige, so long as it wasn’t a dress-up game, he had never seen their allure. But everything else. Well, he loved games. He only wondered what it was with the ‘again’, as far as he could remember they hadn’t played any.

"Of course, Orion. I'd be happy to play some video games with you," he said, glad that whatever had been bothering Orion seemed to have passed.

Orion grinned back, and together they settled into the gaming chairs in front of the giant screen. Nylarthog could feel the excitement building as he picked up the controller, ready to take on any challenge Orion had in store for him.

For the rest of the morning, they battled it out, taking turns winning and losing. Nylarthog couldn't remember the last time he had so much fun. Games were life, well, fiction in all its forms was.

The competition was intense, and both Nylarthog and Orion were fully invested in their respective strategies. Each move was calculated and executed with precision, and as the morning wore on, the score remained neck-and-neck.

Nylarthog couldn't remember the last time he had so much fun. Games had always been a source of joy for him, a way to escape the mundane reality of everyday life. And in that moment, as he sat there playing against Orion, he felt completely immersed in his own little world.

For a few hours, the two of them battled it out, taking short breaks in between games to snack on some chips and soda. But as the sun started to set and the day came to a close, Nylarthog knew that their time together was coming to an end.

They mostly played shooters, with Orion complaining that his father refused to install an internet connection into the house for him, limiting him to offline games.

As they finished up their last game, Nylarthog turned to Orion and asked, "Do you always play video games alone?"

Orion shrugged, "Mostly. My father is always busy with work and my mother is no longer with us. I guess I just got used to it."

Nylarthog nodded in understanding. "You know what? You don't have to be alone anymore. We can play games together anytime you want."

Orion's face lit up with a smile, “I know. And I don’t even care that you don’t like guns in games.”

“How dare you? Guns are boring, they can in no way compare to any form of magic.” Nylarthog retorted in mock-hurt, hands above his heart.

Orion laughed, "I know, I know. I'll have to teach you the ways of the shooter games eventually, though."

Nylarthog grinned, "There are plenty of shooters with way more options than just guns, it seems that I will have to educate you on that matter, rather than you me.”

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“Says the one who only ever played like five different shooters and a collective playtime of 2,000 hours.”

Nylarthog chuckled, "Okay, okay, you got me there. You really need to tell me your informant.”

Orion grinned mischievously, "Sorry, can't reveal my sources. It's top secret information."

Nylarthog raised an eyebrow, "Top secret? Are you a spy or something?"

Orion laughed, "No, but my sources are very valuable to me."

Nylarthog was surprised by how easy it was to get along with Orion, it couldn’t be only that they were both gamers at heart.

As the conversation died down, the two of them packed up the gaming room and headed to the kitchen to get some lunch. Nevaeh had said that he wouldn’t be there for lunch, so Orion could eat whenever he wanted.

And after that they went back to gaming, and if somebody told Nylarthog that he was too old for that, then they should be prepared to suffer an unimaginably gruesome fate at the mercy of Nylarthog's insatiable appetite for destruction. He would tear them limb from limb, slowly and methodically, relishing every scream and whimper. Nylarthog's power was absolute, his cruelty unmatched, and his wrath eternal. Those foolish enough to challenge him could only hope for a swift death, for anything else would be far too agonizing to bear. And so, if someone dared to tell Nylarthog that he was too old for something, they would soon realize that they had made the gravest mistake of their life.

*Cough* He may have let his thoughts run away a bit with that, his wrath wasn’t eternal, he had neither the patience nor the attention span for that. Torture was fucking boring, the only reason he would do it would be to get information, and even then it wouldn’t be something as boring as physical torture, but he was getting lost in his mind again when he should be shooting things. With a bow.

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The next day was spent differently. Orion had a limited to how much he was allowed to play, and since the previous day had been spent nearly entirely only in front of some screen, he wasn’t allowed for the day, though after lunch, when there wasn’t much else he could do, he was allowed again. But anyway, the next day was spent with Orion showing Nylarthog the city.

Mostly the less hospitable parts, as they were ‘more interesting’ Orion claimed, and Nylarthog couldn’t help but agree. And if there was any danger he could always fast travel them somewhere else. Not that the area was that dangerous, they stayed away from the slums as they smelled horribly. Ever smelled the putrid stench of rotting flesh mixed with excrement and urine? If you have, that’s about what it smelled like there.

Instead they went to the industrial district. Sure, the air was thick with the acrid smell of chemicals and rusted metal, but it wasn’t anything unbearable.

Now before anyone wonders why the industrial district would be less dangerous, well, for one, no human lived there, while it was technically not a restricted area, it was patrolled regularly, and if you happened to be there after sun-down you would be advised to leave the area, with force if necessary.

But even if that wasn’t the case, still nobody would live there. Long-term exposure to the fumes had mutated quite a few animals there. They weren’t any kind of enhanced beast, beasts that had enough internal energy to result in physical changes. Unlike for humans, where it mostly just slowed down or stopped aging, animals didn’t control it, so accumulation of internal energy resulted in growth beyond what would normally be considered realistic.

Anyway, it wasn’t enhanced beasts. It were just mutated animals. They weren’t really dangerous, but if you were asleep and one of them found you, well, you would probably end up as a snack.

In the outskirts of the area, they even saw some, but as they delved deeper, even hearing something other than what they themselves produced was rare.

As they left the mutated animals behind and delved deeper into the industrial district, Nylarthog's excitement grew. He had always had a rather morbid sense of humor, and generally liked dark things, there was a reason he had chosen Unholy Entropy as part of his name. Both concepts often associated with negative things, even if they weren’t. So he couldn't help but be fascinated by the decay and neglect that surrounded him. He had always had a rather morbid sense of humor, and generally liked dark things, there was a reason he had chosen Unholy Entropy as part of his name. Both concepts often associated with negative things, even if they weren’t.

The silence of the empty buildings was broken only by their footsteps echoing off the walls, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Orion, sensing Nylarthog's excitement, urged him on, leading the way through the maze of abandoned factories and warehouses.

Nylarthog reveled in the abandoned factories and warehouses, exploring the eerie silence of the empty buildings. He loved the feeling of decay and neglect, relishing in the sights and smells of the seemingly forgotten structures.

But as they ventured deeper into the district, Nylarthog noticed a strange slime coating the walls and floors. It was a sickly green color, pulsing with an otherworldly glow. As they moved closer, the stench of decay and sulfur intensified, making Nylarthog's stomach churn. Orion seemed unfazed, urging him on, a gleam in his eye. It wasn't until they turned a corner that Nylarthog saw the source of the slime: a grotesque creature, with slimy tentacles writhing from its body. It was covered in pustules that oozed a viscous, black liquid, and its eyes glowed with a sinister intelligence.

“What is that?” Nylarthog whispered, barely able to take his eyes off the creature. It didn’t seem hostile, but he didn’t plan on losing his job so early because he had been careless, well, more careless than he allowed himself to be.

Orion grinned, clearly pleased with Nylarthog's reaction. “That was my mother’s pet.”

Nylarthog stared at Orion in disbelief. "Your mother's pet?" he repeated, trying to wrap his head around the idea. "What kind of creature is that?"

Orion shrugged. "I'm not sure. My mother was always interested in exotic and dangerous creatures. She used to collect them and keep them as pets."

“Is that why you wanted to come here?”

Orion nodded. "Partly. I knew this creature was down here, and I wanted to see it again. It's been a while since I've been here, not since my mother's... Dad never lets me come here anymore."

"Well, it’s definitely unique, and you don’t need to feed it.” Nylarthog wasn’t about to trust it, but he didn’t trust anyone to behave in anything but self-interest. But he did have to say that, after the initial shock wore off, that it had something. Or maybe the half-melted arm that smelled like barbecue was just making him hungry.

As they watched, the creature seemed to sense their presence and turned its glowing eyes towards them. Nylarthog took a step back, but Orion stepped forward, seemingly unafraid.

"Hello there," he said, addressing the creature. "Do you remember me?"

To Nylarthog's surprise, the creature seemed to respond, emitting a low, guttural sound that Orion seemed to understand.

"I see you do," Orion said with a grin.

Nylarthog watched closely as Orion interacted with the creature. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. The creature seemed to recognize Orion, and even responded to his voice. It was almost as if they were communicating somehow.

“You know, we should probably return soon, you don’t want your father to know you have been too far from the estate, do you? Now that I have been here, I can always just teleport us both, no travel necessary. Maybe we can even bring some food for it next time.”

It wasn’t actually that, it was more that, he wasn’t being paid to enforce any kind of rules, only to serve as shield against far-seeing abilities and to teleport Orion to safety, not to care about any rules Orion had been told to adhere to, but rather that he was getting hungry. But telling Orion that would have likely not been taken positively.

"It's just that...I miss my mother," Orion said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't even really remember her anymore, only snippets.”

The creature let out a low, guttural growl, its tentacles writhing and twitching. Almost as if trying to comfort Orion.

The creature emitted a low gurgling noise, almost like a purr, and reached out one of its slimy tentacles towards Orion. He hesitated for a moment, then tentatively reached out and touched the tentacle with one finger. The tentacle twitched and curled around his finger, but it didn't seem aggressive.

Whatever it was that had been corroding the arm, it wasn’t on the tentacle, as Orion stayed completely unharmed.

“Yes,, I will come back, pinky promise.” Orion said, and the tentacle began to recede, leaving Orion to turn to Nylarthog, “I’m read, we can go back.”

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Nevaeh sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and relief. “See, nothing overly concerning happened. You should stop worrying so much.”

The butler chuckled, his eyes twinkling mischievously. “Says the one I had to hold back earlier to stop him from rushing in there and taking Young Master to his room and give him house arrest for at least a month.”

Nevaeh scowled, “I still think I should punish him, he knows he isn’t allowed here. Especially two days in a row, he should know better. Also remind me to never again hire someone without having a clause that makes sure that they can’t simply let Orion break the rules. They are there for a reason.” He paused, his tone softening as he looked down at his hands. “I would almost be tempted to dispose of Nylarthog, contract be damned, if he hadn’t made Orion so happy.”

The butler laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We live, and we learn. But at least you know that Nylarthog won’t just run away at the first sign of danger and leave Orion behind and that he won’t be smothering as well.” Nevaeh nodded slowly, her mind racing with thoughts of Orion's safety. “Orion will need some extent of danger, you know we won’t be able to protect him much longer, wasn’t that part of the reason for hiring those thugs?”

“That doesn’t mean I will stop observing them.” Nevaeh said firmly, he would not compromise on that.

The butler smiled, his expression fond. “Of course not, that’s why you’re a great father. And you won’t be watching alone.”

With that both vanished, arriving at the mansion so fast, that one may have thought they had teleported when they had just moved at speeds beyond what most humans could perceive.