Capítulo 24: Chapter 5 - Part 7

"G-!" That was the only sound that came out of the man's mouth, as fear froze his vocal cords. His bladder emptied itself on his new velvet trousers and in a frightened panic, he whirled around on his heel and dove through the crowd, running as fast as he was able, looking back all the while, eyes round with fear.

"Hey! Watch it!" Came the irritated complaints of the people that were forced out his way. And then they too followed his gaze and they spotted the hound. Complete panic broke out.

The low-level enforcers that had been coming towards Pash and his master were sent flying as a mass of people fled altogether, stampeding everything in their path. It was towards the open castle gates that they ran and the enforcers soon ran with them.

The dog came by a few seconds later, when nearly everyone had already fled and disappeared. It ploughed through the guide ropes of a merchant's tent, barely batting an eyelid as it fell to the floor beside him. And then, in front of Ermos, it sat down on its haunches, looking him in the eye and panting lightly, waiting for the next command.

"Good boy," Ermos praised. The tail wagged at that.

Where that had been a few thousand people just minutes before, there was now no one at all. Or at least, no one that Pash could see. A steel shield fell to the floor and the clamour of metal rolling on stone resounded loud and clear for all to hear, where once the crowd would have overpowered it completely.

Pash looked to his master. He didn't seem phased in the least that they had caused nearly the whole town to run for safety.

The only person that mattered to his master had remained behind. He must have sensed something as wrong, for the entertainer's unsettling face and his dead eyes soon poked their way out of the flap in the tent.

The first thing he saw was his two men lying knocked out on the floor, covered in wounds. Then his eyes flickered to Ermos and Pash, carrying a hint of recognition. And then he noticed the dog and all the people that were missing. His jaw fell open, he said his prayers to the gods and then he stumbled back inside.

Ermos was not likely to let him off the hook that easily, especially when he had been so rude to them earlier. He thrust open the tent, baring the terrified entertainer for the whole world to see as he scrambled on the floor in his fear. "See, I told you we weren't lying," Ermos said, pointing to their hound.

"M-monster…" was all the man could say, spitting all over his chin.

"No, I wouldn't say so. He's just a little big," Ermos corrected. "But he's pretty smart. I'm still willing to sell him to you… As long as you aren't too cruel," it was then that Pash's master took a look around the tent and saw all the many cages and all the despondent animals.

A toothless tiger growled at them from inside a cage that was far too small for it. Its beautiful coat was more red than orange from all the abuse that it had suffered. Small monkeys raised a racket, shaking the birdcages that they had been stuffed inside. Two black bears had been fastened in nearer the back with many more imprisoned animals squealing between them.

"I… can't buy… a monster!" The man stammered, flinching every time he looked up, for the two giant red spheres of the hound's eyes were firmly pinned to him.

"Do you know someone that will?" Ermos asked, growing impatient.

"No one! You fools! No one will buy such a creature! It shouldn't even exist!" His fury gave him a false courage and he spat his rebuttal at Ermos.

"…He is no longer for sale," Ermos declared his face darkening. He seized the man by his collar. Had his master not done it, then Pash likely would have done it himself.

"Let go of me! Let go of me, I say! You'll pay for this, you will! The Earl will hear of it, and he'll have all your heads! Yes! You think you're invincible just because you've got a pet monster? Sir Mane will cut him two! He will! Then you'll be sorry!" The man babbled madly as Ermos dragged him across his own tent as though he was nothing more than a basket full of dirty washing.

His master stopped in front of a cage. Inside, a mother orangutan shielded her baby protectively. Her face was a mess of abuse. Fresh cuts from whipping and bloodied gums from where her teeth had been pulled out.

Ermos grew even angrier seeing that. "I used to like your show," he said bitterly, plucking open the catch to the cage. "But this kind of cruelty is unforgivable. If you tried to treat our boulder hound like this, he'd tear you to pieces. You've gotten all excited over a tiny bit of power, but you're nothing but a weakling."

The door to the cage swung open with a creak. The mother orangutan saw the pathway to freedom, but she looked upon it with suspicion and fear, seeing her tormentor so close by.

"If it were you, and you alone, you would not be able to even stand against this orange monkey," Ermos declared.

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