“What do you think about this one?” Erik asked, picking out a book from the shelf whose title was “Mythos Of Auryndale”.

  Veronica squinted a bit before clapping her hands. “Looks great!”

  Erik’s lips curved into a grin. Without another word, they settled into a pair of chairs, placing the book on the table in front of them and flipping it open to the first page.

  Since their first real meeting a few weeks ago, Erik and Veronica had fallen into a routine. The Magic Tower had become their unspoken meeting point. Once a week, Erik changed his academy uniform for casual attire and made his way to meet her. Their evenings together turned into small adventures: wandering the labyrinthine streets of Auryndale, sampling weird dishes, or simply talking about nothing and everything.

  It was a welcome change of pace from his usual routine of relentless training and meaningless exchanges with passing acquaintances.

  They rarely spoke of their pasts, but certain details still slipped through. Veronica had an affluent background, which was evident in the carefree way she purchased things without a second thought to their price. Yet, unlike some nobles at the academy, she carried herself without arrogance.

  Perhaps she could be part of his friend group when classes got back on track—that was after Erik would start hanging out with them again.

  “Oh, this one is interesting,” Veronica said, placing her finger on a drawing in the book.

  “The Rat King…” Erik read the title before looking at the drawing. It was a bipedal rat wearing some sort of green-hooded cloak. Erik raised an eyebrow. Could a thing like that even exist?

  Draac had long vanquished most of the powerful monsters from its land, though it was still possible to find magic beasts if you knew where to look for them. Was this one of those?

  The book described the Rat King as a beast that roamed Auryndale’s sewers decades ago. Some people had seen it before, reporting it either as a demonic fiend or some kind of animal sage. Despite the uproars it caused in the past, little action was done about it since the Rat King never attacked a human, feeding itself by eating human waste—

  Erik’s stomach turned as he read that last line. His face twisted in revulsion, and he slammed the book shut with a sharp motion. “Ugh, that’s disgusting,” he muttered, looking anywhere but at the page.

  “Indeed, but that’s what rats do, I guess,” she said, biting her nails. Then, she turned to Erik. “Want to go find it?”

  He blinked a few times, staring at her face. Was she crazy? This was some sort of weird beast that probably shouldn’t be interacted with, especially since it involved going to places like that..

  “Alright, sure,” he said with a smile, betraying his thoughts in the face of adventure.

  Erik stood a few paces from the entrance, studying the wrought iron gate that led the way to the sewers. Even from here, a foul stench seeped through, making Erik strain his nose.

  The boy looked behind, watching Veronica. She was wearing sandals and light and breezy clothes. They might be good for the heat, but in a place like this?

  "You’re going like that?" Erik asked. He could already imagine the situations that kind of clothing could create. He at least had boots, which could help a bit.

  Veronica turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "What’s wrong with how I’m dressed?"

  He opened his mouth to warn her, but then a mischievous thought appeared. “Nah, nothing.”

  I want to see her reaction when she gets full of shit.

  With a slight shrug, Veronica stepped forward, her eyes determined. She opened the gate, and the pungent smell instantly hit the pair.

  It was horrible, like things had been rotting in there for decades and building up the worst smell imaginable.

  Rot…

  Erik froze as that word stuck in his mind.

  “Not coming?” Veronica asked before stepping into the dark.

  Erik tried to answer, but his throat tightened. This wasn’t as good of an idea as he thought.

  By then, Veronica had already moved ahead, her form disappearing into the blackness of the tunnel. After a long, tense pause, Erik shook his head, trying to ignore the feelings that clung to him. This wasn’t the time to hesitate. They had a task to do, and he wasn’t going to back down.

  After some moments, the boy finally shook his head and followed her. Right at the entrance, there was a downward staircase, darkness looming ahead. He ignited flames on his hands before going down.

  He breathed in and forced himself to move. Flames instantly ignited to life as he prepared to descend into the darkness.

  The stairs were steep, uneven, and crumbled beneath his weight, threatening to give way with each step. How did Veronica even manage to get down without tumbling when she didn’t have a light source?

  The air grew colder as he descended, and the firelight cast shadows on the walls, revealing the twisted, damp pipes that ran along the stone.

  Erik paused at the base of the stairs, the darkness stretching out before him. With a final glance back at the still-open gate, he stepped forth to Veronica, who was but a few steps away.

  “Thought you got scared in the last second,” she teased, placing her hand on his shoulder.

  Erik scoffed, shaking his head as he adjusted the grip on his flame. "Scared? Please, I'm just taking my sweet time.”

  His words earned a soft laugh from her as they continued down the dark passage. Veronica kept close, her presence lingering near him as he served as the only source of light in the oppressive dark.

  They walked in silence, the only sounds filling the air were the faint splashes of their footsteps against the slick stones and the distant scurrying of rats, their tiny feet echoing in the cold air.

  “So…”

  “What?”

  Erik glanced at her. “Are your toes liking the water?”

  “Oh, shut up,” she said, bumping him slightly. “I’m trying not to think of that…” she trailed off as her gaze fell, her steps stopping.

  Erik was about to say something else when suddenly, Veronica’s face twisted in horror. “Oh no…” she whispered, her foot freezing mid-step.

  Before Erik could even ask what was wrong, Veronica screamed, a high-pitched shriek that echoed through the tunnel. She jumped, her foot coming down with a splat. “AHHHH! What the hell is that?!”

  “What—?”

  Veronica jumped on one foot, her expression one of utter disgust. “I just stepped in poop!” She yelped. “That’s it. I’m never walking again.”

  Before Erik even had the time to say anything, she jumped on his back.

  The sudden weight shift made him lose balance, almost knee the murky waters before he rushed mana throughout his body.

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  “Don’t drag me to your shit, literally,” he shouted at her.

  Veronica seemed not to care, gripping him with her arms. “I don’t care, you’re a man, so do what you gotta do so I don’t get traumatized! [Water Sphere],” she conjured a spell, cleaning her foot with it.

  Erik sighed. This was an unexpected turn of events, but he wouldn’t argue too much. It was still entertaining, after all.

  For the next few minutes, Erik focused on giving the safest piggyback ride he could and keeping his flames alight. His eyes watched every shadow, every new tunnel, every pipe.

  “You know, I’m surprised there’s so much waste here. I thought all toilets were like those at the academy that just deal with… everything in the moment.”

  She shifted on his back, straightening herself. “Well, I think most places are connected to the sewer, and only some aren’t—Rat!” she shouted out of nowhere.

  Erik widened his eyes, straightening his back. He knew what that shout meant—she was going to freak out again.

  ‘What do I do?’ He questioned himself. Maybe incinerating the poor creature was the best way to avoid more screams—

  —She jumped out of his back, her foot landing on the thing.

  Splat

  What…

  “Oh no! My foot is full of blood and bad water again!” she cried out, almost bawling her eyes as she stretched her arms to Erik.

  The boy could only raise an eyebrow, finding the situation completely nonsensical.

  Erik raised an eyebrow, staring at her in bemusement. The sight was so absurd it almost didn’t register. “Wait, you stepped on it?”

  She nodded frantically. “I didn’t mean to! It was just… there!”

  “And you somehow jumped like… three meters forward and landed exactly on it when you saw it?”

  The frantic nods continued.

  Erik sighed. She was a weird one.

  Yet, he offered another piggyback ride. At the end of the day, despite the inconvenience it brought, he still got a smile from it somehow.

  I’m carrying a girl, I guess I am that cool!

  No amount of stepping rats would cull those thoughts.

  As they unveiled the underground, the air grew damp and heavy. The flickering flame was the only thing that brightened the dark path.

  Erik could feel Veronica repositioning herself before sniffing the air. “Go on the right… Yes, I smell a rat right there,” she said, pointing.

  Erik raised an eyebrow, sniffing as hard as his nostrils allowed, however, he only coughed as the putrid smells made their way in. “What are you… a beast?”

  As a response, she pulled his ear, making Erik groan in pain. “Never call a lady a beast!”

  What a lady, huh. His face finally relaxed as she stopped.

  Without saying another word, he continued on the laid-out path.

  As they progressed, the mundane grime of the sewers gave way to something far stranger. Runes and symbols became etched into the walls. Some seemed new, while others clearly weathered with time.

  After a few more corners, glowing fungi could be seen growing on the walls. They emanated hues from blue to green. It would’ve been beautiful if it wasn’t for the disgusting place they were in.

  After some more walking, he stopped. Ahead was an expansive chamber in which no bounds could be seen.

  “Hihihihi,” somewhere in the shadows, faint giggles began to rise.

  The giggles were faint at first, high-pitched and scattered. Then they grew louder, each laugh sending a chill crawling up their spines. Erik tensed, his muscles coiled, scanning for the source.

  Suddenly, a soft, golden light burst to life in the center of the chamber. The glow illuminated a crumbling throne made of jagged stone and debris, and perched atop it was a figure. The Rat King.

  He looked exactly as Erik remembered from the book: grotesque and uncanny. His rodent features—a snout twitching with every breath and sharp, yellowed teeth—were unnervingly humanized in his upright, two-legged frame. His body, covered in patches of wiry fur, was draped in tattered human clothing that hung awkwardly on his bony figure. The contrast of his beastly nature and mockery of human attire sent a wave of unease rippling through Erik.

  "Welcome, wanderers," the Rat King said. "What brings you to my kingdom? Where whispers crawl and courage stalls? Is it treasure you seek? Or perhaps—"

  Without warning, Erik could feel Veronica steady herself again. His gaze perched up, she had raised her hand, magic coalescing into a sphere of water in an instant. Her eyes widened as she prepared to hurl it towards the rat. “I—I didn’t mean to!” she bawled.

  Erik reacted just as quickly. He twisted his body, causing Veronica’s spell to steer off-course and explode harmlessly against a wall. Water splashed everywhere, soaking them both.

  “What are you doing?!” Erik shouted.

  “It’s his fault for scaring me!” Veronica protested, gesturing at the Rat King.

  The Rat King, however, was no longer perched atop his throne. He had leaped down and was now cowering in a shadowed corner, his crown askew and his spindly arms wrapped protectively around his face. “No more! No more of the wet! I hate the wet!” he wailed, his voice full of despair. His long, furry fingers covered his eyes and elongated nose.

  Veronica blinked, the tension draining from her as the absurdity of the situation settled in.

  The Rat King let out a long sniffle before whimpering, “You—you dare assault me, the sovereign of the underworld? The… the king of—of rodents and refuge?” He hiccupped, then muttered. “This is why I hate visitors.”

  “I think you broke him,” Erik said.

  “I panicked!” she whispered back, her cheeks turning red.

  The Rat King peeked out again, his hands still trembling. “If you promise no more water… I might consider sharing my riddles,” he squeaked.

  “Riddles?” Erik asked.

  “Yes! If you, traveler, are wise enough to answer my riddles, I can promise you great rewards!”

  A grin curled on Erik’s face. That sounded fun. His gaze moved to her, noticing hers was also upon him. The pair nodded in agreement without saying a single word.

  “Alright, let’s hear it,” Erik said.

  The Rat King raised a scepter from within his garments, raising it dramatically. “I am not alive, but I can grow. I don’t have lungs, but I need air. What am I?”

  Erik blinked. That wasn’t nearly as difficult as the Rat King made it sound. “A fire.”

  The Rat King froze mid-dramatic gesture. “What?”

  “Fire.”

  The Rat King’s shoulders slumped as he muttered, “How are they always so fast…” With a sharp cough, he straightened and tried again. “Fine! A second riddle! I am always ahead of you no matter how much you wait, yet you always expect me. What am I?”

  “Future,” Veronica said nonchalantly.

  The Rat King’s jaw dropped. “Wha—you—stop that!”

  “Are these really supposed to be hard?” Erik asked, smirking.

  “Enough! No more riddles. You win! I concede!” He screamed, throwing his scepter to the floor and stamping on it until it broke.

  From the shadows, a small creature emerged. It was a rat, but unlike any ordinary rodent. Its fur shimmered with an ethereal white glow. Its eyes, a bright silver, locked onto Veronica as it scurried forward quickly.

  “This,” the Rat King declared. “Is your reward. A familiar, forged from my very essence. It will link to your mana core, amplifying your abilities and serving as your lifelong companion. A gift fit for one who has bested me in my domain.”

  The pair stared at the glowing rat. In a blur, it dashed forward, climbing over Erik’s leg and leaping onto Veronica’s shoulder.

  “Eeekk,” the rat screeched.

  “Scary—” Veronica screamed.

  Erik knew what this meant. He brought his hand upwards, stopping her before she could even move her arm. “Don’t kill it! This is special.”

  “I… uh… don’t know how to feel about this,” Veronica admitted.

  Erik tilted his head, frowning. “Wait, why did it go to you? I answered half the riddles!”

  The Rat King gave a dramatic shrug. “Ah, yes, well… my kind has long evolved to hate human males. Nothing personal—it’s just how things are.”

  There was a pause.

  “…That makes no sense,” Erik muttered, utterly baffled.

  “It doesn’t have to,” the Rat King said, waving a clawed hand. “I am a rodent monarch. Logic is beneath me.”

  Erik opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again. It wasn’t worth it. “Right. Of course. Rodent monarchy. Got it.”

  Veronica side-eyed him, still clearly unsettled by the glowing rat sniffing her neck. “You should feel honored!” the Rat King huffed, crossing his spindly arms. “Few are deemed worthy of such a gift!”

  Erik grinned. “You look good with it. Matches your aura,” with that, he let go of her arm.

  Veronica shot him a glare. “What do you mean a rat matches me?!”

  The Rat King ignored their banter, continuing his explanation. “This familiar will enhance your magical output and provide insight into summoning arts. Of course, this requires study and care.” He tilted his head dramatically. “You will learn much from it, though its true potential lies untapped until you hone your skills.”

  Veronica sighed, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Great. Guess I’ll be joining the summoning class next year to figure this out.” She glanced at the rat, which chirped softly and nuzzled her cheek. Her expression softened, despite her earlier hesitation. “Alright, you’re kind of cute. But don’t get used to this. My kind kills you for a living, so don’t expect much from me.”

  Kind? Erik repeated before shaking off his head. There was indeed something weird about her.

  And just like that, this adventure ended. The walk back was long and treacherous, with Veronica stepping on any new rodent she saw, but still unwilling to walk herself even on the mostly dry parts.

  Their new little companion, nicknamed “King” could only watch in horror from her shoulder as dozens of his siblings were slaughtered by the new master it chose.