“There we are.” Said Glom as he settled himself inside of his offering bowl.

I stared daggers at him, contempt palpable in the air. He was a stupid toad, he ate my friend beetle and he never stopped calling me a worm. In my mind, he was in league with the other demon toad as well, though I didn’t have more than my own thoughts on the matter to prove it.

Understandably, I would rather be anywhere else but standing here in front of Glom.

“So? What is it?” I said impatiently.

“Thou art possessed of much tenacity and endurance, little one.” He answered.

I blinked, mildly surprised and immediately suspicious. Was that a compliment? From Glom?

“Yet thou lack focus. Thou possess will, yet no path lights thy path.”

“You’re saying I don’t know what I’m doing or where I’m going. That I’ve got no purpose.” I said.

Glom inclined his head in agreement.

“It is so.”

It was. I had no big goal to work towards, beside the vague promise of helping whoever I could and being the best me I could be. Though, why would I ever reveal that to Glom?

“Well, I don’t see it that way. I am out there to help people. That’s enough of a calling for me.”

Glom croaked. “Yet, to what end dost thou lend aid? To build a family, a village, a country, an empire? For a loved one? For thyself? Out of duty or of guilt?”

I didn’t like what he was implying. I didn’t think I was helping anyone out of guilt, or duty, because, well… I was a good egg and good eggs helped people. Simple as, no need to think one single step further.

“I help because I need to.” I answered.

Glom folded his legs and closed his eyes, looking almost gentle to the untrained eye. To my eyes, he looked to be scheming. Stupid Glom.

“Then, allow me to help thee.” He said.

Out of all the things he could have said, that was not one of the things I was expecting. Immediately, even more suspicion laced my thoughts. Why would he want to help me? What would he gain, how would he do it, what would I gain from it?

I stared at him with boring eyes until he finally broke the tension in the air.

“Would you be interested in a boon?” he asked.

A what now? The confusion was written on my face as Glom continued.

“A power, magical in nature. From myself to thee. I have many I can offer if thou are willing to enter an exchange.”

Magic. Magical power. It was something I had heard of before. I knew you could study magic and then you could do cool things like breathe fire, run as fast as the wind or open doors by clapping your hands together. However, this was not academic study he was offering. It was a trade where I would gain power and Glom would gain something else in return. And I immediately knew what he would demand.

“You want my soul.” I said matter of factly.

“I wish for a share in every future soul thou would consume. In addition, a small fee of soul would be required presently to facilitate the pact.”

Of course. What else could it have been but a demonic pact? Instant power beyond what humans could command, gained with the snap of a finger, and shake of hands? A promise, a temptation, no strings mentioned besides the payment? Yeah, that just smells like demon stuff.

I scoffed at the offer. “No way in hell.”

Glom opened a single eye. “Thou wouldst do well to listen until I am done, little one. Thou know little and less. It is in thy better interest to perk up, to settle and learn.”

But I had heard enough.

“No. Screw you Glom. I knew you were just an ugly demon trying to weasel your way into entrapping me within some unholy soul pact all along, but this seals it. I know better than to trust you. I’ve seen through you and your lies, I will not sell my soul to a demon, or ever at all.”

With that, I turned and left. The grumbling toad remained within his bowl as I strode past Avice, who was still sleeping, grabbed my club and went out the front of the temple.

“Thou art making a grave mistake, young one.” I heard Glom’s voice echo unnaturally.

Hah, yeah right. I wasn’t born yesterday; I know when I’m being scammed. No demon toad is gonna get a hold of this soul.

I walked up and past the bridge, getting as much distance between me and Glom as was possible while also staying reasonably close to the only safe haven I knew. The glimmering eye of the gem-sentinel proved that it was indeed still a safe place. But I had to share that haven with a demon of all things.

I was quite proud of myself, having not fallen for his fiendish temptations when all of a sudden, a dark figure stepped right into my bright light.

“And where are you headed, savior?” It was the wolf, carrying the carcass that would be today’s dinner.

“ACK!” I said, totally not surprised half to death by him.

Seriously, how can’t I see him at all when he’s skulking around in my dim light? But this is kind of fortunate; I was looking for him next after all. I need to learn how to be a knight. Or rather, act like one, with the saving of maidens and slaying of dragons and whatnot. Dragons don’t exist though. And as far as I know, he’s the only one around who could possibly know where to even start. So, here goes nothing.

“I-I was looking for you. I want to become your apprentice.” I said in all seriousness.

He stared at me for a solid ten seconds, before chuckling quietly.

“Apprentice? To me?”

I gave him my most serious nod.

“Apprentice of what? What could you possibly wish to learn from me? Me, the Wolf, the knight, the murderer?”

Oh. So, I didn’t mishear that before. He’s a murderer.

I wasn’t so sure I wanted to train under him as much anymore. If this was hell, and I was getting increasingly unsure that it was, then he at least was here for an obvious reason.

But I don’t really have any alternatives, do I? He’s still oath-sworn to serve me and he seems to take that very seriously.

I fiddled with my bandages as I tried to order the words in my head. I wanted to be a knight. A knight that defeated monsters. A shining beacon. The image was quite clear to me, and it came again that I thought of the painting, me standing atop a mountain of corpses that all looked like mockeries of myself as well. On the path I would take, I didn’t want to become the kind of monster that I would have to slay. But to take that path, I first had to learn how to walk. One step at a time, preferably, though I was under no illusion that it would be that easy.

“I… I want to be a knight.”

He snorted. “Figures. They all do.”

I took it as that he had trained people before. He certainly sounded old enough and with the way he swung his dreadfully dull greatsword, he had to know how to hold one’s one in combat.

“I can’t really learn any of the other two, right? I wasn’t born a wolf and murderer isn’t really a choice.” I said.

“Is it not?” he asked, coyly.

“Well, no one should want to become a murderer, given the option of anything else.”

“Then how do people become them nonetheless?”

“Well…” was this some sort of trick question? “…they kill people?”

“And wolves and knights don’t?” the smile under his helmet was near audible.

Ah. He’s trying to get at something and I’m not picking up what exactly. Is this one of those ‘so easy you feel stupid once you know the answer’ kind of questions? Probably. I’m absolutely ready to be stupefied.

He began unraveling the mystery. “They do. Wolves because it is their nature. Knights because in the pursuit of order, what sticks out must be cut away.”

Not sure I was liking that answer so far.

“So… it’s in your nature to kill people?” I asked him. It sounded like an excuse to get away with sin.

His answer was blunt. “Yes.”

That didn’t make any sense to me. How could someone have it in their blood to kill? If the gods made us how we are, then why would they make someone whose purpose was murder? He picked up on my confusion.

“If you want to be a knight, you will have to kill not just monsters, but people too. The worst monsters can be found deep in the hearts of them, mortals and gods alike. And, apologies, but you are not born to kill, savior.”

“Well, that’s true. I guess.” I said. “I don’t want to kill people, at all. But I think I’ve learned that I don’t always get to make that choice.”

I kept a straight face and he looked me in the eye. Probably. I still couldn’t see through his visor. Then, he nodded.

“That’s a good lesson to learn.”

The slight praise had me feeling happy. Not butterflies-in-your-stomach-happy, just exam-question-gotten-right-happy with a side of realizing-you’re-not-totally- hopeless-happy. It felt nice. Even if I had just admitted to being alright with murder. That was my mind talking. My heart? It had its own opinion. And I was very uncertain whether the former would prevail over the latter.

Back to the original question though. “So. Are you going to let me be your apprentice? Squire would be the right word I guess.”

Sadly, he had other plans. “No. I do not think I’d suit your expectations of knighthood. I am not a good example to follow.”

Drats. Well, I’m not gonna order him to do it. That’ll just make him dislike me even more than he already does.

He started walking back to the temple. For him, that was the end of that discussion. For me, I wasn’t quite done yet.

“Well… can you train me in the art of not-dying then?”

“The art of not-dying?” he repeated after me, sounding slightly bemused.

“Yeah.” I inhaled a breath of air, preparing myself mentally for what I was about to say. “I am short. I am weak. I can barely see, barely hold a sword and shield and as you may have noticed, I barely have any idea as to what is going on around me. I… am not a knight. I’m just pretending because I got lucky enough to be buried with a set of armor. I guess that means I’m not in hell as well. Maybe. I need to think on that. But I want to change. I know I need to do better to survive in this dark, dark place. And I know I can’t do it on my own.”

I let that whole confession sit in the air for a hot moment. The wolf answered after a second of pondering.

“And you want me as your teacher still?”

“Well, you deliver a new monster to our doorstep for food every single day. You’ve been here longer than me, obviously, and you go out into the darkness and don’t come back with a broken arm even though you don’t have any light.”

It was true, there were things about him I could admire, if I turned a blind eye to, well, the majority of other things. He definitely seemed a bit too heartless, bordering on callous and, dare I say, cruel? I didn’t have to follow his example in that regard. I only needed to learn how to defend myself and others.

“Very well.” He said. “I will teach you how to be as a knight. However, I have a condition. Once you are trained to my satisfaction or give up on your training, you will release me from my oath.”

That… well, that was quite a demand. But if that was what it took, I’d gladly give it. The oath was something important to him, very much so. He followed it, in the graveyard against his wishes, and until this day in providing food as well. All because he was sworn to me. Having so much unconditional power over a person, well… It didn’t sit right with me that I should have it.

“Deal.” I said, extending a hand. With that, two burdens were lifted off my shoulders.

We shook on it, and both turned towards the temple as we walked the short rest of the way towards it.

“By the way, I’ve never seen that kind of thing before.” I pointed at the scaled lizard the size of a sarcophagus he had hoisted above his shoulder. “What is it?”

“Tree-croc.” He said.

“Tree croc?” I asked.

“Tree-crocodile. Found it in the marsh. Near Regent’s Rest.”

“Oh.” I had no idea what a crocodile was, but if things like this were what lurked in the deeper end of the swamp, it only confirmed my visceral need to avoid ever going back there again, for any reason. “Regent’s Rest is where I found you, right? Why does it have eight hairy arms? Human-like hairy arms?”

“To climb better with.”

“Oh.” I swallowed thickly.

Yeah. I am never ever going back there again.

“On a different note,” he said, “you should perhaps ask for guidance and a boon from Glom.”

I nearly froze up at that. Was he in league with the demon frog as well? Was he trying to get my soul sucked? Did Glom coerce him, threaten to hop in his shoes or lick his eyeballs while he was sleeping?

“Haha, yeah he already offered me one, but only demons do pacts with souls and stuff, so I told him where he could stick that idea.”

Now it was the wolf’s turn to freeze. He didn’t seem to like the D-word. We walked over the bridge and down the stairway before he gave me an answer.

“Two things I have to say to that. One, Glom is related more closely to the gods than any of us, and you would do well to treat her with due respect.”

I looked at him quizzically. How could a frog be a god, related to them, or even just god-like? He was a toad! A frog. Frogs were horrible. He had to be joking.

“And second, Glom is a woman, not a man. A lady in fact.”

I stared open-mouthed at him, then at Glom as we entered the main offering room. He-, or rather she, as I was just informed – looked back at me with eyes that betrayed no emotion. Then, with a casual flick of her tongue, she licked one of them and I finally lost my composure.

“WHAT?”

“It is the truth.” Glom said. “Now, are thee more inclined towards a pact for a boon? I assure thee, hoppy legs are a favorite for good reason.”