Many-named, part 1

The gods lived in a hall that, compared to most rooms in the Inverted Tower, was spacious. By Cael's own impression, it was small—barely ten meters wide and long, but despite that, lavishly decorated.

Its walls and floors were smoothed and carved with crude engravings. Two scared fettas were hiding in the corners behind clay pots in which some mushrooms grew. The floor was covered with furs and straw mats.

Near the back of the room stood a massive beast. At least as big as a horse, it was nothing Cael had seen before. It looked like a giant wolf or a similar predator, but with a shorter snout and a smooth forehead. From the middle of it jutted a single saber-like horn. The entire creature was covered in thick, black fur.

Cael and Ginevra stopped in the doorway, tensing. The creature looked away from the sheep-fettas and turned its bright yellow eyes at them.

'Have you ever heard of a monster like this?' Cael asked Ginevra.