Shazog the Shy Orc

At 9 p.m., the hallway on the fifth floor of the northeastern tower glowed with orange flames, casting flickering shadows that danced across the walls.

'Thud-thud.'

I was heading back to Cupcake's room after a drink at the bar on the tower's first floor.

The moment my fingers brushed the handle, the door creaked open and invited me in.

I thought the door was locked. Did Cupcake forget?

The room was dark, illuminated only by faint moonlight filtering through the window.

As I walked through the narrow entrance corridor, I heard water splashing in the bathroom. I couldn't tell if Cupcake had forgotten to turn off the shower or if she was already back.

'Creak.'

I reached for the handle and opened it. A silhouette stood behind the shower's mist inside the bathroom.

I took three steps in and froze. Cupcake was barely five feet tall, but the person in the shower was much taller than I.