"It's Mordred?! Where?!"

  The shouts only grew more excited by the second and the swell of children continued to grow until I was an island alone in the courtyard.

  It took everything I had not to flip Igas off, but I reined in my impulse and patted Fern's shoulder.

  "Well, yes. It's me. Mordred. Though, I must warn you. I'm not nearly as scary as they made me look."

  Preston jabbed a dirt-stained finger against my leg. "What do you mean not scary?"

  "Yeaah! You're supposed to be scary," another kid, Yul shouted.

  A clamoring of replies ranged from simple uhuhs to demanding I terrifying the children until they exploded. A wild-eyed human girl made that remark.

  I'm not feeding into your fantasy, you future pyromaniac.

  Preston rallied the troops with his sword and pointed it to the sky in an awkward pose. It took me a second to realize he was copying Thunder Serpent's starting move.

  A couple others attempted the same, and a few even mimed spinning a spear and extending their hand like some anime villain.

  "Summon lightning!" Preston demanded.

  "Yeah! Summon the lightning!" another kid shouted.

  What horrible things I must have done in a past life to deserve a swarm of feral children demanding I smite them, I don't know. But thankfully, Mirabel stepped in.

  The kids gave space, but none of it was out of true fear. Even though Preston shrank a tad while maintaining his pose.

  "As cool as it would be to summon lightning, children," Mirabel winked at me before continuing. "I don't think we want to serve roasted children for supper. Unless you are volunteering to be the main course, Preston?"

  Preston winced, but a gleam in his eye spelled mischief. He raised his sword higher and pumped his fist. "A meal worth serving! Fitting for the Tyrant!"

  Mirabel sighed, and made a show of looking everyone in the eye. Preston wasn't the only mischief maker, but the rest kept their antics to a shit-eating grin.

  She turned to me and hung her head low. "Well, I guess it's decided. My apologies, Tyrant. Preston here has volunteered to be our meal. Please summon your lightning and make it painless. I'd rather not spend too much time washing off the burnt bits."

  Preston's stoicism faltered and his sword dipped. But Fern and Yul patted his shoulder.

  "It's okay, Preston. I'm sure Ms. Mira will make you tasty," Fern said.

  Yul nodded along. "Salty. She'll make you salty. Maybe wash you first so there's no dirt."

  "H-hey!" Preston shouted. His face scrunched and he lowered his sword. "I changed my mind! Don't roast me!"

  Some kids booed, and a few of the older ones laughed good-naturedly.

  Mirabel smiled and leaned closer. "You're doing a good job so far. Thanks for the help."

  Glitter in every crevice and orifice, Igas. Every one.

  Keeping my inner grumblings to myself, I approached Preston and watched him squirm. He looked caught between trying to be brave and afraid I'd deliver on a promise he no longer desired.

  "Well, are you sure? I could summon some lightning and blow you away."

  "I-I'm sure! No lightning. You said you're nice. Nice people don't hurt kids."

  I tapped my chin and pretended to contemplate his words. For fun, I changed the ink on my mask to display a swiveling question mark.

  A few kids pressed in closer to get a better look, but most kept their distance, creating a visible space around Preston and me.

  Slowly, I nodded and held out my arms. "It's smart of you to know when to back down."

  "He's a coward! Scaredy Preston!" someone yelled.

  I didn't catch who said it, but more joined in the jeering and Preston stomped his foot.

  "I'm not a coward!"

  I clapped. The crowd went silent and I extended my arms. "Preston is not a coward. Courage requires accepting and acknowledging your fears and knowing when to back down and go to power through. There's nothing wrong with wanting to live."

  I feel like a massive hypocrite. But alas; do as I say, not as I do.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  "Can you show us your skills? Or your spear! It looked weird," a smaller girl asked excitedly.

  "My spear? You mean this?"

  With a flex, the tentacle spear appeared in my hands. Rather than be afraid, they excitedly reached for it, so I held it out of reach.

  "Aaah, ah. Big pointy weapon that you don't know what it can do. Don't touch dangerous things. Now observe." I willed the spear to bend and move, making it dance in the air as if it was still alive. "It's not an ordinary weapon. I looted it from a rift and can make it bend like this. It also secretes poison to help me slay monsters."

  "Can I touch it?" Fern asked.

  I shook my head. "No touching."

  "We want something cooler! Bring the lightning!" the wild-eyed girl demanded.

  I bet you would.

  Still, while I wasn't going to allow them to lose their fingers playing wth my weapon, there was something I could do.

  But even though I doubted it'd create a problem, I would play it safe.

  "Mirabel?" I asked, turning to the matron.

  "Yes?" she replied.

  "How trustworthy would you say they are?" I asked.

  "We're trusty!"

  "You can trust us!"

  "Lightning!"

  "Children," Mirabel warned, in the tone only a mother could pull off.

  The hungry crowd went quiete.

  "My apologies, Modred. They're just over eager."

  "My question stands. Do you think I can trust them?"

  "Hardly," she snorted. One kid began to protest, but she glared them into submission. "But if you make them swear an oath, I know they'll keep it. Some are chatterboxes, but I trust in them to know the importance of when to keep things to themselves."

  They want lightning so bad they might as well get it.

  "Mordred?" Igas asked.

  He cleared a path through the rows of children and stopped close enough for us to whisper without too much being revealed.

  "What are you planning?" he whispered.

  I smacked his leg with my tail. "You left me to the wolves. I'm going to feed them a friendly version of crack."

  "That Earth drug? Cyrus, no."

  "You'll make a vampire jealous when I'm done with you. A disco-ball Igas. A disco ball."

  "What?"

  I shook my head and dropped the faux anger. "I was going to summon Sturmrorex, maybe áine. She could give them a clean bill of health and he can wow them till they're exhausted."

  Igas snorted. "Good luck with that. They're blessed with endless energy."

  "Yeah, well, I'm trying."

  "Keep it to those two. Maybe Magnus. Zharia might start a riot, and your other familiars aren't appropriate."

  "You hating on my spirits?"

  Igas glared.

  "Fine," I relented. "I'll stick to two for now. It should be safe, right? No hidden spies or something crazy."

  "They'll have forgotten you by the end of the week. I promise."

  "Works for me."

  As dramatically as I could play it up--even going so far as to flash the ink on my mask into a barrage of swirling colors and shapes--I extended my arm and slammed my spear.

  "Ms. Mira here says I can trust you if you were to keep an oath. Is this true?"

  The consensus was yes, except for one.

  The wild-eyed devil proudly shouted no.

  "Alright then! Everyone except her, follow me!"

  Her jaw dropped and she raised her hand. "I change my mind. You can trust me!"

  I stopped. "Are you sure? Because if not I-"

  "Yes! Super super trusty!"

  "Alright," I relented. "Then I request that you all step back so I can show you something cool."

  Igas stepped back and dragged a curious Mirabel. When I thought the space was sufficient for Sturmrorex's entrance, I pulled my mana into his skill.

  "Keep the sound safe for their ears, but be as flashy as you want." I mentally whispered.

  "They shall bow to my entrance and experience true greatness!" Sturmrorex roared.

  As the mana settled in place and the connection to Sturmrorex pulled him into the physical world, I screamed through the link.

  "NO FLASHBANGS! Safe means not blinding them!"

  His disappointment bled through, but thankfully, there wasn't an explosion of lightning from the heavens.

  Instead, the wind picked up and a strong gust carried bits of fallen leaves and loose grass into the air. It swirled around a glowing ball of mist that obscured Sturmrorex's form.

  "What's that?!" Fern shouted.

  "Behold, little ones. A great and terrible power that helped me strike fear into the pretender. The mighty serpent who stands above all. The fearsome, the powerful... Sturmrorex!" I shouted.

  Upon the final sentence, a crackle of electricity shot through the mist and into the air. Sturmrorex kept it carefully controlled and redirected it into his horns as he pushed the fog away and let the floating ice around his back disperse.

  The effects were muted compared to how he usually preferred showing off, but it did little more than send a shiver down some of the children's spines.

  Sturmrorex roared, one just mighty enough not to come off as cute--though I was sure that some of the kids would think he was no matter what he did to dissuade them of that notion.

  "Bow, little peasants. Bask in my glory!" he roared.

  His voice boomed like thunder, thankfully without the crack of lightning.

  With the mist pushed away and zaps of electricity to highlight Sturmrorex's scales, he was in full view for the kids to see.

  None dared speak; a few didn't breathe. But the lightning noodle kept himself afloat and posed for the crowd.

  Like a hivemind, they breathed together and exploded with excitement.

  I glanced back to see Mirabel's reaction, but thankfully, Igas whispered into her ear. Slowly, she relaxed and even smiled my way.

  "That is not all," I declared, commanding their attention. Sturmrorex circled my neck and settled atop my shoulders like a scarf before conjuring a new ball of shadow.

  "Woah," Preston whispered.

  "Woah, indeed. But let me introduce you to another good friend of mine. A partner who keeps me safe and in tip-top shape. áine."

  The fairy appeared, and the kids were just as excited as Sturmrorex, even if she simply appeared rather than create a dramatic entrance.

  Slowly, I foisted the kids off to my familiars, who moved through the crowd and allowed the kids to touch and admire.

  áine would boop several noses, sending a jolt of healing mana throughout their bodies. Minor scrapes fixed themselves, as did tired muscles.

  Mirabel neared and she bowed. "Thank you, Cyrus. The healing is more than appreciated. And I'll ensure they know to keep this information to themselves."

  I scratched the back of my neck and smiled. When she didn't react, I gently tapped her shoulder. "Enough of that. I'm just helping a friend and owing him a favor."

  "Whatever the reason, the orphanage apprecaites the kindness. I insist you stay for supper. The real roast is rather delicious."

  I laughed. "Sure. How long would it take until the kids are bored?"

  She shook her head and watched my familiars with a grin. "An impossible question. Probably never if I had to guess. It's not everyday they get to encounter such a rare skill."

  Igas grunted. "You create an ice castle for them, and they'll never be impressed again."

  "I warned you. You should have kept it to a small hut," Mirabel teased.

  He grunted again and watched the kids.

  With my personal space returned, I took the opportunity to escape toward the tree I had last seen Sereza and Isaac.

  If I was lucky, the kids wouldn't see me till supper was ready.