Jett sighed, rubbing his temples. He eventually spoke again:

  "Fine. Fine! I hope I won't become Gargoyle chow."

  Barty nodded, and pointed to the stairs far across from them.

  "Deal! Now, the stairs are just behind that imposing statue of the guy with the snakes for hair, you can't miss it. Volkov usually patrols the main living area or his study, he likes to brood dramatically by the fireplace."

  Jett glanced towards the statue Barty indicated. It was indeed quite imposing, and the snakes looked disturbingly lifelike.

  "Great. Just great."

  He took a deep breath, gripped Bloodletter tightly, and walked towards the stairs. He could feel the eyes of the caged creatures on him, their snarls and growls echoed audibly in his ears.

  "And try not to get eaten!" Barty called after him. "I'm rooting for you, pizza boy! Think of the pizza!"

  Jett didn't bother to respond. He just focused on putting one foot in front of the other, trying to ignore the dread that was building in his chest. The stairs were steep and winding, leading up into darkness. With each step of his feet, the sounds of the creatures faded.

  He emerged back into the hallway, the ornate decorations and expensive furniture were a stark contrast to the horrors he had just witnessed below. He ran his hands through his messy, black hair for a moment, sighing.

  He could still hear the faint sounds of destruction coming from somewhere in the apartment. Volkov was still tearing the place up.

  "Okay, Jett," he muttered to himself.

  "Infiltrate, acquire, exfiltrate. Like a ninja. A very clumsy, pizza delivering ninja."

  He crept down the hallway, his eyes scanned each room. The dining room was a wreck, the furniture was overturned and smashed. The study was no better, books and papers are scattered everywhere. He could hear Volkov's enraged roars echoing through the apartment—getting closer.

  "Crap, crap, crap!"

  Jett muttered, his heart began pounding in his chest. He had to get the keys, and get out of the building before he became the monster's next meal.

  He finally spotted Volkov in the living room. The creature was pacing back and forth, his massive form was completely visible. He was still in his monstrous form, the chitinous plates were still active as well.

  Jett ducked behind a overturned couch quickly. He had to wait for an opportunity. He had to wait for Volkov to calm down and to become less alert.

  Hours passed. The sun began to set, shadows through the windows. Volkov finally seemed to grow exhausted, his pacing was slowing. He soon slumped into a large armchair, his eyes were closing.

  The Dark Frenzy trait began to subtly enhance his senses as the darkness grew. His vision sharpened, his hearing became more acute, and his body felt lighter and more agile. Hours passed. Volkov eventually stopped pacing and slumped into a large armchair, his eyes closed. He seemed to be drifting off to sleep.

  This was Jett's chance.

  The darkness seemed to cling to Jett, obscuring his movements. His eyes glowed slightly, shifting from brown to red. He reached Volkov, his eyes were fixed on the ring of keys dangling from the monster's belt. They were close.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  So close.

  He reached out toward the keys, his fingers were twitching slightly.

  'Just a little further...'

  Suddenly, Volkov's eyes snapped open. They glowed with a harrowing orange light.

  "Trying to steal from me, whelp!?" he snarled, a loud growl emerged from his large chest.

  Jett froze, he couldn't believe that he was caught red handed. Or rather, red handed and bat wielding.

  "Uh… surprise?" he stammered, his grip tightened on Bloodletter.

  Volkov lunged at him with his claws outstretched. Jett reacted on instinct, he still had the feeling of his lingering resentment from the earlier beating he had received from the Gargoyle.

  He swung Bloodletter with all his might, aiming for Volkov's head, while yelling at the top of his lungs:

  "I'm fed up with you—you crazy bastard!"

  The impact was sickeningly loud. The bat connected with Volkov's skull with a crunch. The monster's head snapped to the side with tremendous force, and he collapsed to the floor.

  'Wait, did I kill him?'

  Jett stared in shock at what he had done. He had actually managed to take down the monster. Or did he? He didn't hear the announcement of the voice stating his kill.

  But there was no time to celebrate or think. He grabbed the keys from Volkov's belt, his hand were shaking. He didn't wait to see if Volkov would get back up. He turned and ran.

  He didn't stop running until he was back in the underground chamber, Barty's cage appeared in front of him.

  "I got the keys!" he gasped, his voice was straining. "Let's get out of here!"

  Barty clapped his hands together, his black eyes were filled with excitement.

  "Excellent work, pizza boy! I knew you had it in you. Now, about that freedom…"

  He looked towards the lock on his cage. "If you'd be so kind as to unlock this… aesthetically challenged prison, I'd be happy to give you a lift back to wherever you need to go. To save you the trouble of navigating this…neighborhood."

  He winked, continuing:

  "Plus, I owe you one. And I always pay my debts."

  Jett glanced back at the dark hallway he had just emerged from, then at the rows of cages stretching into the darkness. The thought of venturing back into the apartment even for a moment longer made his skin crawl. But the idea of wandering around this unknown and clearly dangerous part of the city was equally unappealing.

  He looked back at Barty, who was watching him with an expectant, almost eager expression. The creature's unsettling grin didn't exactly inspire confidence, but Jett had to admit, he was a little desperate.

  "Alright, fine," Jett said, he stepped over to the cage.

  "But you better not try anything funny, Quibblebottom. I still have this bat, and I'm not afraid to use it."

  He held up Bloodletter for emphasis.

  "Funny? Me? Never! I'm a model prisoner, a paragon of good behavior. Just ask the… uh… the jailer. Oh, wait…"

  His grin widened, revealing those rows of sharp teeth.

  Jett ignored the creepy comment and focused on the cage. He examined the keys, trying to figure out which one would deactivate the field. They were an odd assortment of shapes and sizes, some made of metal, others of what looked like bone or stone.

  He tried the first key—it was a small ornate key with a skull shaped head.

  It didn't work.

  He tried another, and another. Finally, he found one that fit into a small slot on the base of the cage. As he turned the key, the energy field flickered and died, the shimmering bars vanished into thin air.

  Barty stretched, his long limbs unfolded like a spider's. The leathery wings on his back emerged, casting the cage in the shadow of their size. They were much larger than Jett had initially thought, spanning several feet.

  "Freedom!"

  Barty exclaimed, his voice filled with a manic glee that made Jett's hackles rise.

  "Oh, how I've missed the sweet taste of liberation! And the open road! And… well, mostly the freedom."

  He hopped out of the cage, landing lightly on the floor. He was taller than Jett had realized, towering over him by at least a foot.

  "Alright, pizza boy," Barty said, turning to Jett. "Hold on tight. This might get a little… bumpy."

  Before Jett could react, Barty's wings expands, generating a gust of wind that sent dust and debris swirling. He picked Jett off the ground and took off through an opening in the ceiling.

  They burst out of the building's roof seconds later, Jett clung to Barty.

  'This is scary!'

  From their height, it looked almost peaceful, but Jett knew better. He had a glimpse of the possible horrors that inhabited the city.

  "Where do you stay?" Barty shouted over the wind.

  Jett pointed in the general direction. "A few blocks that way. Near that old pizza place! Uh..I left my bike somewhere outside that building by the way.."

  Barty nodded, his wings adjusted their course, an hour later, Jett was holding onto his bike after returning to the entrance of the building to retrieve it. They flew swiftly through the city's skyline. Jett could feel the wind whipping through his hair and the cool night air stinging his cheeks.

  The journey was surprisingly smooth, despite the speed. As they approached Jett's neighborhood, he spotted his apartment building in the distance.

  "There it is!" he shouted, pointing at the apartment complex. "The one with the slightly less-broken windows!"

  "The epitome of urban charm. Alright, pizza boy, prepare for landing!" Barty said.

  He descended slowly, circling Jett's building before gently setting him down on the sidewalk beside his bike.

  Jett's legs felt wobbly as he touched the ground. He leaned against his bicycle, trying to regain his composure.

  "Thanks," he said, his voice was still a little shaky. "For… you know, not dropping me."

  Barty shook his head and smiled, exposing his razor sharp teeth again:

  "My pleasure, pizza boy! Just remember, you owe me a pizza. And if you ever need another… unconventional ride, just hit me up at that abandoned building across from your place. I'll be moving there."

  He spread his wings again, preparing to take off.

  "Wait!" Jett called out. "Barty! Why were you locked up down there? What are you?"

  Barty paused for several seconds, his expression turned serious for a moment:

  "That my dear pizza boy, is a long and complicated story. A story that I'm not quite ready to tell. But trust me, Volkov isn't exactly known for his hospitality. Let's just say I'm… a guest who overstayed his welcome."

  He shrugged and his usual mischievous grin returned.

  "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a craving for deep dish and a city to explore. Farewell, Jett!"

  With a powerful unfurling of his wings, he soared into the night sky and disappeared into the darkness.

  Jett watched in silence, his mind was still trying to process everything that had happened.

  He had delivered a pizza, fought a monster that looked like a Gargoyle, discovered a secret underground prison, and made friends with a talking - winged creature he now called Barty.

  It was safe to say this was not a typical Monday night.