Congratulations! You have slain x11 Humans!

For your crimes against Humanity, as a sentient creature, you are now wanted for their deaths within Sotrmhaven. A bounty of 110 gold has been issued for your arrest.

Experience gained from the deaths of x11 Humans:

1100 EXP

You have aided in the deaths of Hero Party Vecna!

Stormhaven's bounty has risen by 2500 gold against you, bringing it to a total of 2610 gold!

Experienced gained from the deaths of Hero Party Vecna:

2500 EXP

Your level is 6! You 19,400 more EXP to reach Level 7!

Through your usage of , you have gained the following Passive Skills:

Due to your mental instability, you have gained the Passive Skill ! With it, you won't know when you'll slip into another rampage. Good Luck!

Karastak glared at the placards with semi-focused eyes, his head feeling as though someone took out his brain and scrambled it before shoving it back inside. To which he rubbed his temples in an effort to lessen the pain therein before swiping away a few of the notifications, but paused at the last.

“When did I get...” he mumbled slowly, “Command!”

“[Awaiting Command.]”

“Why did I gain skills from my spell?” his voice came out in a confused growl as he noted the children at the other end of the room, and Little Mother cleaning herself on the counter with soft squeaks.

“[By consuming the brains of those targeted by , will you gain their abilities,]” it spoke with a voice that believed it was of common knowledge, “[Though the chances of gaining 100% of the skill is slim, it is still a possibility.]”

“Huh,” he commented slowly before pulling up his Status Menu.

Karastak

{Race: Foxman (Demon Lord)}

{Age: 25}

{Level: 6} {STR: 30; DEX: 30; CON: 77; INT:34; WIS: 40; CHA: 120}

{Health: 254/254} {Mana: 440/440}

{Class: Illusionist} {Subclass: N/A}

{Skills: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; }

{Passive Skills: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; }

{Titles: Soul Bound; Tamer of the Unknown; Indomitable Will}

{Titles Equipped: Indomitable Will}

“And what does the plus percentage mean next to it?”

“[If you were to attempt to use these skills, then the production and usage will be increased as such.]” Though Karastak distrusted Command after the tortuous session, and the fact that it had tried to change him any which way it could, he could not fault the wealth of knowledge it had. Therefore, he would use it, but kept a close eye on everything as it spoke to him.

“Hmm,” his voice hummed inside his throat as he tapped the right side of his muzzle. After which a finger tapped upon the skill, pressing down upon the word before swiping it off his Status Page. “I don't need that one,” he grumbled slowly and could feel Command judging him for it. Whereupon he pointed up at the silent presence, causing the girls to tilt their head at the movement, “Don't care what you have to say, Command. You've already admitted that I am in charge. Therefore, I am in charge.”

“[Acknowledged...]” came the response from the invisible Command.

“Don't need the and ,” the Foxman muttered slowly, swiping them away as he stood tall once more and waving the placard away. His eyes scanned the carnage he had wrought upon the Humans with a frown upon the edges of his lips, “What a mess,” his right hand rubbed against the back of his neck.

“Welp,” he clapped his hands, causing the girls to jump with a yip, and Little Mother to squeak with her body jumping slightly before she glared up at him, “What?” The little bat shook herself before taking flight once more as his body shimmered in the dim light, becoming a venerable old man. One that was still covered in gore, but the robe was waved away quickly, a new one taking its place almost immediately.

Whereupon she dove underneath his hair, wiggling against his scalp with a few more squeaks before snoozing. Here, he smiled softly before making his way to the children and squatting down before them, asking, “Are you two alright?”

“Scewy,” Puella mewed, rushing over and buried her face in his chest.

“There, there,” he pat her head a couple of times before lifting her up into his arms and standing tall. However, Karastak's gaze fell upon Lupa who stared up at him with a complex look of fear and shock tinged with a desire to flee. She couldn't though, because that would mean abandoning her friend to the monster who hid beneath magicks and a warm smile. Therefore, she had to at least try to stay close until she was strong enough to protect her friend, even if it meant being near the thing which she was terrified of.

“Did we leave our staves somewhere?” he asked with a perplexed expression whilst staring about himself. Of which ended with him shrugging and holding up his right hand just as Puella had re-wrapped her neck and face with his beard. This led to him snapping his middle finger and thumb, creating a sharp cracking song which caused both the cat-eared girl and Little Mother jump with a squeak. Whereas he just smiled as Lupa turned to glare up at himself for making them all jump.

“Ugh... My head... Wha-what?!” a gruff woman's voice flittered through the air, causing the group to stiffen as they turned around. They each noted the Innkeeper, the one who had both spat a glob of spittle upon Karastak's robe, and was subsequently mesmerised before the slaughter took place.

“Huh,” he commented with a shrug, “Forgot about her.” After which he moved towards the woman, who stared at his illusory self in surprise, confusion, and fear. Which led to him holding up a single finger just as she audibly gulped, “I do have one question,” he pointed it towards the woman.

“Anything you want!” her voice was full of stressful panic as she sought to move away from his person. Though she didn't understand what had occurred during her mental shock, it was clear that he and the children were the cause of it all.

“Where's this 'Witch' that you lot have captured?” A glint of red entered his eyes as Puella hid herself in the illusory hair that she had wrapped herself up in, and giggled for it.

“What?” she began slowly, not all all believing her ears. For she had believed he was going to ask her to strip, or even die, but to ask about the Witch? Perhaps they knew one another, or perhaps he was here to rescue it. Who knew?

“The Witch,” his voice was slow, patient, but the glint in his eyes turned dangerous.

“I-it's in the jailhouse,” she pointed towards the north east direction of the town.

“In that direction?” His own finger mirrored where she pointed, and after a quick bob of the head, he grinned at her before whispering, “.” A bolt of darkness lashed out, devouring the world between them as it tore through her chest and out the back of her body. Where her heart was, was a hole that one could see through.

The Innkeeper blinked a few times, not understanding what had happened, and slowly looked down with a, “Wha-?” After which her body collapsed to the ground, the light in her eyes fading away as he led the girls out into the twilight filled village.

“Northeast, huh?” his voice was soft, but he could see the children's ears perk up as he spoke, “Well, let's go see this so called 'Witch' then.”

*****

Sia sat in a decrepit Jail cell, fuming in her bonds and rags after being knocked out by a pair of farmers just after she cleaned herself from defecating in the woods. She was a Wolfwoman who had lived as a guard for the local Magistrate in the city of Stonewall, and was tasked with figuring out if the rumours of a “witch” roaming the lands of Stormhaven were true. Unfortunately for herself, a pair of Farmers found her after finishing her business behind a tree, and instead of speaking, they used a club to knock her unconscious. Whereupon they bound and gagged her, proclaiming they had caught a “witch” in the woods.

She was lucky they didn't try to ravage her, as they believed her body was a curse and whomever touched her would become like her own. This was spouted by a Priest for some unknown deity of Light, and used his own “Holy Water” to “cure” the Farmers of a “curse”. Of which was a diluted form of acid, and proclaimed that the water was working to remove the curse that had found its way into their bodies.

All of this and more was seen by her eyes, and she was kept bound and gagged throughout it all as her person was tossed into a cell to rot before being put to the torch. This Priest then proclaimed that she was to go without food and water. For if the witch were to retain her strength, then she would continue to cast her spells upon them all. Yes. The populace of Stormhaven had fallen for his charismatic lies, as they were.

It had been two days since she was caught, her throat dry and her mind delirious. So much so that she imagined the shouts and yells of her captors as it turned into howls and screams of pain. What is more, visions of children appeared before her cell, a dark haired Cat-kin and a Wolfgirl. Both of whom turned towards the darkness with shouts of, “Found her!”

Sia's eyes tried to focus on the tiny visions, her throat parched and stomach desiring food, but could not. However, the soft footfall of something tall was coming, which was then followed up by a voice which caused the small images to disappear. 'No,' her mind whispered fleetingly, 'Come back!'

The cell around her then shuddered as a gust of stale air filled her nose, which she tried to sneeze away. Unfortunately, she was without any moisture for so long, that it came out in a ragged and whistling tune.

“There, there,” a voice whispered, her body drifting away, “Everything is alright.” Her eyes, still unfocused, drifted towards the voice, but could not discern who it belonged to. Instead, all that was see was darkness, but she felt warm and safe.

“Don't worry,” the voice continued as her mind slipped away towards slumber, “We'll get you someplace safe. I promise.”

*****

“What do you mean 'the Witch escaped'?” growled a large and balding man. Of whom was a pale skinned Human with many rolls of fat all about his body. He sat up in his fine upholstered bed ladened with silk sheets and blankets. Stirring next to him was one of Farmer Tomson's young daughters, who was properly deflowered by himself the night prior. However, she was one of the few more willing women to join his flock, as all others were forced to endure a night with himself before being turned over to his men for the rest of the night.

“Tha's the thing, Master Rolveck, sir,” shivered a Farmer-turned-Guard in fright, “Las' nigh' there was a lot of witchy magick. Somefin attack ar' inn, then took ar' Witch. Who was s'pose to burn tonigh'.”

“What do you mean by that? Who would dare attack Stormhaven?”

“I dunno, sir,” the Guard shivered once more, wishing he was elsewhere, “buh the Inn was filled wiff blood an' bodies, an' Vecna's group is also dead.”

“WHAT?!” Rolveck howled, causing the girl to awaken in fright as her Lord and Master jiggled with rage, “This is an OUTRAGE! Find out who it was and bring me their heads!”

“Yessir!” the Guard saluted, “Righ' away sir,” then left the home as quickly as his feet could take him.

“Master?” squeaked the girl in his bed, her hand tried to snake into his own, but was immediately gripped and crushed. Whereupon she gasped, eyes filled with tears as the fat man glowered down upon her. She then tried to beg him to stop, but couldn't as he seethed with rage from the loss of his Hero Squad. This then led to him taking it out on the girl by choking her forcefully until he heard a muffled snap from her neck. Her body becoming limp as his member peaked from beneath the folds of his bulbous flesh. Of which was then used to satisfy himself with the cooling corpse of what used to be a loyal woman in his flock, now a dead and abused body.