The Bloody Night part 5  

POV Gnolls

Minutes before Lanthios attack the camp

Shackled to the walls of their cage were two beautiful looking gnolls, one child and one guardian. The guardian sat there with nothing but the dark cover of the shady tent to conceal her modesty with a black blind fold covering her beautiful amber eyes, her lightly tinted brown fur help much to keep her warmth in which she used to shield the child form the cold and windy breeze that would enter the tent. As the child stirred awake her big orange eyes locked onto her guardian's amber eyes and said "I sense a storm is brewing" Miss Nonreth, as she was talking her little hands tighten their grip on Nonreth waist. As to response to the child's worry miss Nonreth patted the child's royal gray fur and said "don't worry, whatever happens I will protect you princess Ashtine".

During invasion

Ground shaking, people screaming, little Ashtine held onto miss Nonreth for dear life and said with a fearful expression the elements told me of a great fight outside miss Nonreth. Yes I can hear the great drums of war…looks like there might be hope for us yet.. Hey shut up, in there! Yell the guard on prison duty. No one is coming to save you, under my watch! You girls are going to catch us a fortune! If you think for one minute that our boss would lose in a fight, haha you got another thing coming! He is a monster himself, after all even you "miss Nonreth" a rank 2 beast beastmen was no match for him… as the guard kept taking smugly and condescending a strange looking creature that look like it's a cross between a lion and a horse came bursting through with a skeleton dress in full armor riding on its back with a rat riding on it shoulders. Before the guard even had time to react a sword found its way into his gut while the lion horse removed his head with one fast bite motion. With blood splattering on the girls' face it reactivated their fighting spirit for beastmen just loves the taste of fresh blood. However even with reinvigorated spirits the beast women were not dumb and waited patiently to see what their new potential "saviors' ' would do in here. In a low snarly Miss Nonreth tolled princess Ashtine to observe them and relay to her what was going on since she couldn't see them, she could however hear them and smell them, with a low growl Nonreth said I know for a fact that they are of the undead from the smell alone! Be careful princess if they come this way!

As Ashtine observed the string looking knight and rat pair she noticed that it was the rat that was giving orders. When she relayed this to miss Nonreth, she said could the myth be true?.. Ashtine replied what myth? No isn't the time to worry about that! If it is true then maybe we have a chance of getting out of here! I don't understand, said Ashtine. I will explain it to you later princess but right now we need to get their attention. Look I'm going to call out to them and when they come over if I'm right they should offer us a contract.. Look I'm here with you but as the princess of the tribe this contract that you'll be asked to make could affect us all. Do you understand princesses? Yes miss Nonreth, relied Ashtine with a worried expression. I know you're scared and that this will be the first time you'll be doing diplomacy, but keep your head strong! I and as well as the entire tribe trust your judgment.

Just when the girls finished their prep talk, Ashtine turned to face their hope when she saw a thick fog come out of the rat and in golf the body of some elf women lying on the floor motionless. As just as quickly as the fog came it disappeared along with the elf. She also noticed that the knight was gone along with two other prisoners that were here with them. Confused by what was going on, she didn't have much time to dwell on it as her companion called out to the rat. The rat that was about to leave suddenly turned to face their direction! Its teal colored eyes and rotten body made shiver go down Ashtine back, she thought to herself "do we really need their help" ? but before she could voice her misgivings to miss Nonreth, miss Nonreth called out again! But this time when she called out to the rat, the figure disappeared into the darkness of the tent as the clouds covered up the scarlet light. Confused of where it went, Ashtine quickly called out in an adorable bark to hopefully get the rat to reappear when suddenly the cloud allowed the scarlet light to reenter the tent. With its light, pop, the rat was standing right in front of their cage, right in front of her! Its teal eye stared right into her as if he could see her very soul itself. Frightened, she mustered up the courage and asked the rat in the most childlike demeanor as she could muster, "mister, could you please free us". The rat blinked for a second as if deep and thought and said you could stop the act, young princess of the Gnolls. Shocked, Ashtine said you know of me? How? Are you an acquaintance of my father? The evil looking rat blinked a few times before saying I know not your father as a friend but I do know of him and of your tribe situation. Immediately Fear and sadness grip young Ashtine as she said if you know of our situation can you help us in any way? The rat replied, in What way, Young princess? Do you mean free you from this cage or free your people from extinction? Both of them, she replied. Ohm.. I can help free you from your prison, and even give you the power to save your tribe from extinction, however are you aware of the price you'll have to pay for such a thing? And even if you gain the power to save your tribe, the actual saving part will ultimately still rest on your shoulder. Now whether or not you're capable of doing it or not is on you. In Other Words I can grant you strength but it will be all on you if you're able to fully optimize my "gifts", as for I will not personally move to save your tribe for I have many things I need to prepare for. I will give you a minute to think it over with you guardian, but I can't wait any longer so discuss quickly.

It's ok mister rat, there is nothing to discuss, as you can see beggars can't be choosers and I can't afford to be sold off to some disgusting human in some far off land. I see.. Alright let's get out a temporary contract! Wait temporarily, Asthine asked. Yes temporary because in order to sign a permanent one you need to sign in blood with my main body! As you can see this is just a puppet I am using to talk to you. The real contract must be a true blood pact if you know what I mean. OH! But a true blood pact would mean…you would go that far to help us? Why? Hehe, let's just say as a servant of death I don't wait to see a species I like go extinct if I could help it. I mean sure your species will only be extinct on this island content and not on the main content but still it doesn't sit right with me. Wait hold up! Astine yelled in a disbelieving tone. You mean there are other tribes and other contents?

??? Why are you asking such an obvious question? If you don't believe me ask the elements! You're a shaman aren't you? Look, we don't have time for that so you're just going to have to trust me. Anyway here the contract the rat said as a glowing floating piece of paper materialized out of nowhere in front of Ashtine. The contents of the paper read:

Temporary contract

List of agreements that the recipient of the contract will agree to "servant of death"

THE RECIPIENT "FILL IN BLANK' WILL AGREE TO BIND THEIR SOUL BOTH FOR THE TEMPORARY CONTRACT AND THE PERMANENT ONE TO LANTHIOS

THE RECIPIENT "FILL IN BANK" WILL NOT TRY TO ATTACK OR RUNWAY FORM THEIR OBLIGATION TO THE CONTRACTOR; PUNISHMENT IS DEATH BY SOUL, THIS INCLUDES GETTING OTHER OUTSIDE THE CONTRACT TO CAUSE HARM TO THE CONTRACTOR

THE RECIPIENT "FILL IN THE BANK" WILL PROMISE THAT IF THEY SIGN THE PERMANENT CONTRACT THEY WILL START A CHURCH OR CULT FOLLOWING OF THE CONTRACTOR.

List of agreements the contractor is responsible for

SAVE THE RECIPIENTS FROM THEIR IMPRISONMENT.

WILL GRANT THE RECIPIENT ON THE PERMANENT CONTRACT THE HELP THEY NEED IN THEIR ENDEAVORS TO SAVE THEIR TRIBE.

KEEP THE RECIPIENT SAVE UNTIL THEY DECIDE WHETHER TO OR NOT MEET THE REAL BODY OF THE CONTRACTOR.

THIS TEMPORARY CONTRACT ENDS WHEN THE RECIPIENT AND CONTRACTOR DECLARE THEY ARE DONE WORKING WITH EACH OTHER.

As Ashtine read the contents of the contract two things stood out to her, so she asked the rat what is a soul bind? The rat replied in an excited tone the soul bind is as it means your soul is in my hands for the duration of the contract. In other words if you bench your obligation I can take your soul. Just to let you know even in death I can still take your soul.. So don't get any funny ideas. Lanthios said while cautiously looking at the princess guardian with squinted eyes. With not fully understanding the concept of a soul as she is still too young and inexperienced as a shaman to fully grasp the situation she asked then who is this Lanthios, mentioned on the contract? While taking a pause for dramatic effect the rat stood up and stared right into Ashtine eyes and said, Well my dear that would be my real name!{ picture of the girls in comments}