I’m Cadrien. No last name, just Cadrien. I live in a small hut on top of a hill, overlooking the village of Kanala. I’m the local terror, and everyone knows my name in that village, and most shudder in fear of it, even though to all outward appearances I’m just a kid. It’s been that way for a long time now, as long as I can remember, and I wouldn’t have it any other way – after all, if they insist I’m some kind of monster, who am I to argue? I have jet-blackhair, my eyes are red, and I like to spook small children… and of course, the small, red demon perched on my shoulder helps. His name is Prorewyr, and we look out for each other – hunting, terrorizing the villagers, that sort of thing. He has bright green eyes, and bat-like wings. There’s also a few things I can do, that no-one else can, like walk through walls, or see in completely darkness, so like I said, who am I to argue against my being a monster? I don’t even know my parents; I can’t remember anything before the day I arrived at Kanala, a small, confused child with a smaller, hissing guardian.

The only person I really respect is Geezer, the village elder, known to everyone else as Medan. He used to be a wandering hero, but now he watches over the village and protects it, largely from me. When I was about twelve, he decided to try to ward me off, but he’s not the fighter he used to be, and between myself and Prorewyr, he soon returned to the village, scratched and bruised and proclaiming that he had succeeded – the demon-child could be sated with a weekly offering of bread. Of course, I also take a goat or sheep if I don’t feel like hunting, just to keep them on their toes. Mind you, that’s not the reason I respect him. That story happened much later, when I was older, about fifteen, and started when I was enjoying the peace of leaning against my home.

“You damn monster, where is he!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Geezer.”

“My silverware set, your gremlin stole my silverware.” The geezer approached, trying to look imposing in his fine cloth cloak, with faded purple die and a barely visible emblem on the back. His short gray hair waved slightly in the breeze, and his face was contorted into a practiced grimace.

I, unimpressed, looked up to my roof. “Prorewyr!” He climbed from the roof of the hut to the edge, and peeked over, hissing at Geezer. “Did you take this nice man’s silverware?”

Prorewyr hissed again and spat, and a fork flew across the yard, then a knife, and some more small hsarp thigns. Geezer held up one arm, and blocked them, knocking the majority of the silverware to the ground before him. He then knelt and picked it up, piece by piece.

“Well, I guess he did… I’m quite sorry about that. Prorewyr, won’t you apologize to the nice man?” There was another hiss, and while Geezer was crouched and facing away, a sharp knife whizzed by his head, and a thin red mark appeared on his left ear. He rose silently, then turned and threw a spoon at the small demon. It hopped off the hut and caught the projectile in mid-air, then shrieked and fell toward the ground. I ran forward to catch him and growled, “What have you done, old man?”

“A demonic ward, weak but effective.” He held up a small vial, made of black glass and corked with cotton. “He will be dead within the day, unl-”

“If you think that this is going to get rid of me, you’re dead wrong! I thought we settled this long ago.” I ran forward, and swung my free fist, holding the bird-sized demon in the other. I caught him in the chest, and knocked him to the ground. As I leapt on top of him, he knocked me clear over with his knee, and I ended up on my back behind him.

“If you want to save that monstrosity, you will shut the hell up and listen to what I have to say.” I shut the hell up and listened, sullenly, as he got to his feet. “My granddaughter is very ill. I believe you are the only one who can help her.”

I sat up and frowned at him, “I see, so you want to make a joke of this? Of killing my friend?” I fail to see the humor.”

“I have a counter-charm, an antidote if you will, and if you can save my granddaughter, it is yours. Come with me.” I stood up then, and studied his face. It was the picture of seriousness. He turned and left, and after a moment or two, I followed.

Walking between the buildings, I saw no one on the streets. There were a few shuttered windows with eyes peeking through, and when I was just entering the village, I saw a child pulled through a doorway in the distance and the door slammed. Just like I had expected… Geezer kept his gaze straight ahead as walked. After a couple of minutes, I hissed toward a house at my left, and shutters slammed closed around me. “Can we hurry, please?”

“This is my family’s house just now, boy.” The elder’s house was the largest of the village, and in the center. It was practically a mansion, two stories high and built to house an entire extended family. I hesitated as we reached the front door, almost turning to a window or to the back, but Geezer caught my shoulder, “If you are going to be my guest you will enter as such” I swallowed, and followed him inside.

All this time, Prorewyr had been in my arms, completely silent. In fact, he hadn’t moved since I caught him, and now I glanced down. His skin was beginning to dry out and become brittle, and I was worried that the old man was lying. When I looked up, we were stepping through a hallway, and the doors around us were closed. I could hear hushed conversations, fearful or doubtful or both, and this reminded me how I should be acting – I composed myself then glared left and right.

At last the journey was finished, and Geezer brought me into a pink room, with lacy pillows and stuffed animals. There was an elaborate, covered bed in the center, and a maid was kneeling beside it. She looked up, and when she saw me, she gasped lightly and her eyes became wide. She looked to Geezer, “Lord Medan!” I was still behind him, and couldn’t see his expression, but the girl bowed hastily and left the room.

I walked to the bed and set Prorewyr on a pink dresser beside it. There was a small, pale child, of only five or six years, lying under several sheets. Her skin was pale, and she was barely breathing. “Well? What do you want me to do?”

“I had her examined by a healer, and was told there is an infection growing in her throat, one which normally could be simply cured. However, the cause of the infection isn’t quite so simple. A small coin, cursed by one of my old enemies, we think he offered her something to eat and she swallowed it. However, to remove it, the healer would need much more time and money, both of which are scarce. I obtained the ward instead, and the antidote. I know what you can do, and I need your help.”

I nodded sullenly, “Fine, if you swear to me that you will not leave Prorewyr to die.”

“You have my word.”

I held one hand up, and it darkened and became translucent, then almost clear, like a solid shadow. The shadow spread down my arm, and enveloped my clothes. As my face faded away, the world around me also faded and became immaterial. Soon, everything around was dull and see-through, and when I glanced back at my shadowed hand, it Looked normal again. Now a gleaming light caught my eye, and I turned to the girl again. I could see her face as a vague shape, but a red circle was in her chest, and the magic on it was like beacon.

I looked to Geezer, and there were two shining tubes in his pocket – with a start I realized one was the potion he had used on Prorewyr, the other was the counter-spell. I needed to do little more than reach out and take it, and I could be done with the matter. But then I looked at the girl again, and forgot it. I reached into her body, and saw it shudder as though caught in a chill. I closed my fist coin, and when I concentrated on that light, I felt the metal materialize in my hand. I pulled it out, and returned to the physical world.

Geezer’s eyes were wet with the start of tears as his granddaughter coughed and gained some colour. Then, however, he turned to the red demon on the dresser, and scowled. “I hate that game, you know… he really did steal my silverware.” He took another black-glass vial from his pockets, and poured it over Prorewyr, but nothing happened. I prepared to attack the coot, but he chanted suddenly and loudly, “Nata verna denos…” My tiny protector was revived just like the girl. I picked him up, and he crawled slowly into my shirt, his wings flat against his body. His head poked out of my collar, and he wheezed softly, before hissing at Geezer and falling asleep.

“Now… give me the other vial,” I held out one hand. Geezer smiled wryly, and handed it over. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll return to my hut now.” I turned and left the same way I came.

Of course, life remained largely unchanged after that, and every now and then, I would overhear the story of how Medan the Elder overpowered me and forced me to remove the curse I had placed on his family, a plague that had spread through the household. I still scare people who bother me, and Prorewyr scratches at anyone that tries to stand up to me, and there’s a regular offering. Sometimes, though, Geezer comes out to greet me, and tell me what’s happening in the village, and how Lana – that was the little girl’s name – is doing. I wouldn’t have it any other way.