[Darcia's Perspective]
The vehicle glided smoothly to the ground as we arrived at Shadowpaw's cabin in The Red Desert. Stepping outside, we found him on his front porch, sitting on a chair, eyes fixed at the back of his head, twitching involuntarily. Iris, Zachary, Isyra, and I exchanged puzzled glances.
Approaching cautiously, I reached out, tapping Shadowpaw on the shoulder. No reaction. Trying again, a bit firmer this time, but still met with silence. Zachary, with a determined look, stepped forward and delivered a swift slap to Shadowpaw's face.
Slap!
"Zachary!" Isyra scolded.
"What?" Zachary shrugged. "I wanted to see what would happen."
Yet, Shadowpaw's trance persisted. His eyes continued twitching, ignoring our attempts to rouse him. Frowning, the German Shepherd-man seemed lost in a world we couldn't perceive. I exchanged a concerned glance with Isyra.
"What just happened?" Shadowpaw mumbled as he rubbed his face, finally awakening. "Did somebody slap me?"
"You were in some kind of trance," Isyra explained.
"Eyes at the back of your head kind of stuff," Zachary added. "And no, I think you dreamt that."
Criticism etched across my features, I inquired, "Any idea what caused it, Shadowpaw?"
Shadowpaw shook his head, a look of mock confusion on his face. "No clue." He chuckled.
"I thought you weren't supposed to get high on your own supply," I taunted. "And I thought you stopped making drugs."
Shadowpaw laughed. "I am the supply… and who am I hurting? Now, enough about my crippling addiction, let's just cut to the chase. Why are you here again? Something go wrong with the Disruptor?"
I paused. I didn't even know where to begin. "I… well… no, it worked just fine. But…" My voice trailed off.
"Kaizer didn't want to be saved," Iris interjected. "He came with us at first, then he went back to the Upper World. Said he wanted to 'play his cards right.'"
Shadowpaw's eyes slightly widened. He stroked his dog beard, nodding. "I see…"
I began to explain. "See, the thing is, Shadowpaw, we're kind of on crunch-time right now — Alessia is breaking free."
Shadowpaw didn't seem bothered by the notion. "And…?"
"And she's gonna kill everyone in Sanguine if she does. And everyone in the Upper World. There'll be mass destruction!"
"Everyone in the Upper World, you say?" Shadowpaw clicked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk, tsk… what makes you say this?"
"We received a message directly from Alessia herself," Isyra said, snaking forward. "She possessed my body and spoke through me. I am the last Serpentine. My people once worshipped Alessia, and she gave us prophecy."
"Prophecy, hm?" Shadowpaw smirked. "You do know that Alessia is not a Daemon, right? She cannot give prophecy."
"She simply told us what was going to happen if we didn't get Kaizer back to her within one month," I said. "She's growing impatient, and more powerful. She plans to break free and unleash the monsters of Achiron into the world."
Shadowpaw rubbed his snout, and sniffed. "So whaddaya need me for?"
"To create another Disruptor," I replied. "Ours was confiscated when we were arrested by Bloodguard. We need a new one that can take us to the Underworld. It has to be built within a month."
Shadowpaw raised a furry eyebrow. "Are you insane? It took me 500 years to finish the first one—
"Do it again!" I snapped, my emotions overflowing. I took a step back, taking a deep breath. "Please, Shadowpaw, you… you're our only hope now."
"Ughh…" Shadowpaw leaned back, stretching his legs out. "Ahhh…"
He let out a deep sigh from his snout. "This is gonna be a pain in my ass, I just know it."
"YES!" We all exclaimed with triumph, our hope rekindled.
"Also, there's one other thing we need your help with," I said.
Shadowpaw scoffed. "What is it now?"
"Will you let us stay here until you get it finished? My friends and I… we can't go back to New Sanguine City. Bloodguard's looking everywhere for us."
Shadowpaw didn't take long to think about it, surprisingly. "Sure, whatever."
A breath of relief went through the group. "Oh, thank you so much, Shadowpaw! Thank you so, so much!" I said, leaning and giving him a peck on the cheek.
"Yeah, yeah, don't mention it," Shadowpaw said, standing up from his chair and waving his paw for us to follow him to the front door of the cabin. "Come on, inside."
Shadowpaw's home surprised us with unexpected comfort. The living area featured earthy tones, cozy furnishings, and a fireplace. Bookshelves showcased a wealth of knowledge, while the kitchen hinted at culinary expertise. Bedrooms offered a serene retreat with rich fabrics and desert views.
"Wow, Shadowpaw, I didn't know you had such a beautiful home," I said, taking it all in.
Shadowpaw let out a huff and reached inside his refrigerator, pulling out a large bottle of Troll brand liquor. He unscrewed the cap and poured himself a glass.
"Alcoholic beverage, anyone?" He asked, not looking up.
"Don't mind if I do, Shadowpaw," Zachary replied, grinning. "Half a glass is fine."
"No," Shadowpaw said, scoffing and grinning. "You slapped me."
"Aw, you knew?" Zachary threw his arms up. "Come on, man, your eyes were closed!"
"I'm messing with you, kid." Shadowpaw chuckled, prompting more laughter in our group. He poured a half-full glass for Zachary. "Here. Careful. The Trolls — they don't hold back with their drinks."
Zachary took the glass and knocked it back with ease. He sighed. "Actually, y'know what, can I have another shot? Full glass this time." He set the glass back on the counter. Shadowpaw chuckled, pouring.
Iris, Isyra, and I shot Zachary bewildered looks.
"What?" Zachary said, looking at each of us.
"Didn't take you for much of a drinker, that's all," Iris confessed.
Zachary smirked, taking his glass back off the counter. He took a small sip. "I think you ladies tend to forget that I was a Human before I was a Vampire. This stuff is nothing compared to the drinks we have in the Overworld. I drank stuff ten times stronger than this before I was even a teenager."
"He's not wrong," Shadowpaw said, nodding as he put ice cubes in his glass. "If there's one thing that Humans do better than us supernaturals, it's alcohol. Now drugs, on the other hand… I prefer my own." Shadowpaw stuck a paw in his cloak and pulled out a vial filled with a red, shimmering liquid.
"Oh, boy…" I said, sighing. "If Kaizer were here, he'd be drooling at the mouth."
Shadowpaw took the cap off and sniffed the opening of the bottle. "That's what I liked most about him — he appreciated my work more than anyone. One time, and I will never forget this — Kaizer gave me two full bags of Bloodcoins for just one vial. I only charged 10 Bloodcoins — he gave me 800. To this day, I have no idea why he gave me so much. Later that night, I had myself a night at my favorite pub, and three lovely Dark Elf women to accompany me at my hotel room."
Zachary laughed. "Now that sounds like something I could toast to." He lifted up his glass. "To Kaizer Anderson, and his absolute disregard for price tags."
Shadowpaw smirked, lifting his glass as well. "To Kaizer." They clinked glasses and drank.
Isyra giggled. "Imagine if Kaizer knew you made a toast to him."
Shadowpaw finished his glass in one long gulp, then set it down on the table. He wiped his mouth and grinned. "He wouldn't believe ya."
With all this talk about Kaizer, it was bumming me out. Iris seemed to notice, leaning in and whispering, "Hey, you okay?"
I looked at her, nodding. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine… just… stressed."
"Yeah… me too. So much has happened in such a short time. Fuck, I think I need a drink too," She said, turning to Shadowpaw. "Shadowpaw, I would also like to drink."
Shadowpaw grabbed two glasses from a cupboard and began pouring. He glanced at Isyra. "And how about you, darling? Care for a drink?"
Isyra smiled sheepishly, shaking her snake head. "Oh, no, I'm okay, thank you…"
Iris scoffed. "Isyra, don't act all polite now — I've seen you drink before. Do I have to remind you of that night at Lucius's house, when we found you—
"Shhhut up!" Isyra interrupted, hissing. "Okay, I will have one drink. One."
Zachary cheered. "Woo-hoo, yeah, the whole gang's drinkin'! Let's part-ayyy!"
We all rolled our eyes, everyone holding a glass, except for me. Yet, something told me to also make my own toast.
"I would like to make a toast as well."
Everyone's eyes fixed on me. Looking at all of them here, seeing the faces of my friends, I felt kind of at home.
"In all of my many, many years of life… I never once imagined that I'd be standing here now; I never once thought that one day I'd have such good friends that I went on these crazy adventures with. I never thought I'd one day be fighting to save the world…"
I paused. Silence lingered as everyone listened with bated breath.
"Kaizer… was the first person I ever truly could call a friend. In our Academy days… he was all I had to look forward to. And… now… I have much more than just… him. I have you guys… and I'm thankful."
I could feel my emotions welling in my chest, and a pressure rose in my throat. I swallowed it down.
"Even when all is said and done, and we stop Alessia from destroying our world… if Kaizer still doesn't come back to me… at least… I know… I have my friends—"
I broke out into sobs mid-breath. Iris and Isyra rushed to my side to comfort me. Zachary watched, taking an awkward sip from his glass. Shadowpaw remained still, simply watching.
"Heyy, it's okay, Darcy…" Isyra whispered comfortingly, holding my hand. Iris rubbed my back.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is… thank you, guys. For all of your help so far. And thank you, Shadowpaw — without you, I would have never got to see his face again. And thank you, Isyra, for saving me from that canyon. And Iris, thank you for believing in me and helping me stay strong. And Zachary… thank you for existing. You never fail to keep the fun and joy alive, even when everything seems hopeless."
Zachary seemed to be near reaching tears. "Darcia…"
I wiped my tears, regaining my composure as I finished my speech. "If it weren't for everyone here, I'd probably still be rotting away in that canyon."
"So this toast is to us." I raised my hand, pretending to raise a glass.
"To us," the group repeated in unison, and they drank.
The drinks flowed, and we settled into Shadowpaw's living room, a space warmer than any of us expected. The flickering fireplace cast a cozy glow, and the air buzzed with the tales of centuries past.
Shadowpaw lounged in his oversized chair, swirling his drink. "Ah, the days when I'd trick Trolls into paying double for invisibility potions. Classic."
I laughed. "Well, you can't blame them — your potions worked. That's good enough for Trolls."
Isyra, curled up on the couch, chimed in with her melodious voice. "Speaking of Trolls, I remember the time I accidentally walked in on Lucius watching—"
Iris burst into laughter. "Oh, Goddess, don't finish that sentence."
Zachary raised his glass. "To Lucius, the dirty traitor who likes to watch troll porn."
They clinked glasses, laughter ringing through the room.
I shared my own story. "Back in the Academy, I once convinced The Cauldron that I could control fire with my mind. Caused quite the commotion until they figured out I was using a hidden flint."
Iris grinned. "Classic Darcia, always the mischievous one."
"I was young and full of spirit," I defended with a smirk. "Way before I ever met Kaizer or any of you guys."
I leaned forward. "Oh, and one time, it was me, Kaizer, Lucius, and Alaric Vishblood, and we made a plan to steal Kaizer's bag back from my mother. At the time, Kaizer was in big trouble with The Cauldron, and part of his amazing plan was to bait my mother into leaving the palace — well, from what I saw in his memories, he went into the cafeteria, played some music, and danced on the tables like Michael Jackson. And there were girls flashing him!"
Zachary doubled over with laughter. "Oh, Kaizer, you magnificent idiot."
Shadowpaw raised an eyebrow. "What do you Vampires know about Michael Jackson?"
"Very little, to be honest, I only know what Kaizer knows," I admitted. "But I must say, Overworld music is so refreshing."
Isyra's scales shimmered as she shared her tale. "In my time, I once sang a serenade to a group of mesmerized Vampires. Little did they know, it was a snake mating call. Chaos ensued."
I wiped away tears of laughter. "You sang a snake mating call to Vampires? Is that how you got your charm, Isyra?"
Isyra winked. "You'd be surprised how effective it is."
As the night wore on, laughter echoed through the cabin, and the weight of our burdens seemed to lift, if only for a moment. The thought of saving the world seemed so trivial in those moments — if the world had ended right then and there, perhaps I wouldn't have even minded.