Chapter 3:

The Foul Dog

Soul Law


After a couple of days traveling through the woods, we finally arrived at the village.

Hungry and sleep-deprived, I dragged my feet. “Finally, we’re here… so tired.”

As we passed through the village gates, something felt off. The long, empty dirt path led past houses made of stone with wooden roofs. It looked more like an empty carcass than a living town.

I glanced at Ari. Her hood was up again. I’d noticed she only ever took it off when we were alone.

I hesitated, then asked, “Hey, Ari, why do you—”

“Shut up,” she cut me off quickly.

“There’s something here,” she whispered.

“Ari, watch out!” I yelled, shoving her aside just as a dog-like creature lunged from behind.

Before I could react, it had already pinned me to the ground. Its long, dark, shaggy hair hung over me, and its bloodstained teeth gleamed in the light. Its breath reeked—like old cheddar cheese. Its claws dug deep into my chest, leaving wounds that would definitely scar.

A blast of fire from Ari struck the beast, stunning it just long enough for me to throw the foul thing off.

As I got back to my feet, I looked down to see a massive slash across my chest. It hurt like hell. I drew my sword and charged. The creature slashed with its claws—I blocked with my sword, and we locked in a vicious standoff.

“Ari! A little help here!” I shouted.

She cast a binding spell—ropes of glowing mana shot from her hands and wrapped around the creature’s legs. It toppled to the ground.

I switched my sword to a reverse grip and drove it into the creature’s skull. The blade began to glow and vibrate violently... then stopped.

I wasn’t too worried about that. The massive wound in my chest was a bigger problem—I’d lost a lot of blood.

Ari stood a few feet away, near the village entrance. I staggered toward her… then collapsed face-first onto the dirt.

“Hey, Ari... mind doing some more miracles, please?” I muttered, my face smushed into the ground.

“Fine,” she sighed. “You’ve got to stop almost passing out—it’s gonna get old fast.”

She knelt beside me and began her healing magic. The pain faded enough for me to stand again, though I still felt dizzy.

As I got to my feet, an old man with a rusty spear stepped out of one of the nearby homes. Soon, at least three dozen villagers emerged to inspect the dead creature.

A middle-aged man with a brown beard and a bald head approached us. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Many have died by the claws of this creature—women, children, and fathers. Is there anything we can do to repay you?”

I looked at Ari, then back at the man. “Let’s talk somewhere a bit more private.”

He nodded. “Follow me to my home.”

Inside, the house was small—a cozy living room, two bedrooms, and a kitchen, all made from thick tree logs. The whole place smelled like the forest.

“Welcome. Please, have a seat. My name is Denerlark, the village leader,” he said, introducing himself.

I stuck out my hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Riven, and this is my partner, Ari.”

He smiled warmly and shook my hand, but his expression soon turned serious.

“Alright, let’s get down to business. We don’t have much. We’re a small village, and that monster has drained most of our resources over the past few weeks. Travelers don’t want to trade here anymore.”

“I can offer you 100 gold pieces, a room, and food at the local inn tonight. Sound good?”

I stood up and nodded. “Thank you very much. I’ll take you up on that offer.”

“You can collect your payment tomorrow morning,” he added, standing as well. “And… thank you again. Truly.”