At school, everyone was enticed by Ffyr. Her chaotic behavior, her cute little voice and her size made her look incredibly cute for everyone. Even the people who resented Matthew for either being friends with the most beautiful girls in class, or for blaming him for the incident at the Tower of the Dead couldn't help but smile when Ffyr came in the classroom showing herself to everybody with extreme pride.

Erin, particularly, got fascinated by the little fairy. She kept asking her questions and complimenting the Fey on her beauty which made Ffyr immediately bond with her.

Tina was more scientific in her approach. She asked Matthew's familiar a dozen of questions about her powers and about the Fae Realm. Tina even wrote down on a notebook one or other information that she thought relevant.

Mia and Helen soon lost interest on the fairy after the surprise passed and started to talk about other things between themselves.

Faralynn kept her eyes on Ffyr thinking a thousand things to ask or say. But her bashfulness stopped her from saying anything. She just stared and smiled at Ffyr who was hyperactive from all the attention.

When Professor Lydia entered the room and saw the commotion. She also got close to look at the little Fey.

"You managed to do it, Matthew." Lydia said looking at Ffyr really close. "She's cute."

"I'm more than cute! I'm perfect!" Ffyr said proudly flicking her hair back.

"I hope you managed to do it without major complications." The professor added.

"Yeah. It took me 5 hours and 7 mana potions. But there were no problems." Matthew said.

"I'm going to start class now." Lydia nodded at Matthew and proclaimed straightening her back and walking to the front of class. "Make silence everyone. Specially you, Ffyr."

It took less than a minute after Lydia started the lecture for the fairy to throw her hands up in the air exclaiming how boring it was and fly out the window to play in the greenery that surrounded the school.

During lunch, Ffyr ate too much cake and spent the rest of the afternoon laying on the grass moaning in pain. Matthew trained that day with Master Geovanna and sparred with other students who were very above his technical level.

At the day's end, Matthew was sore all over.

Ffyr was sitting on his shoulder while he was waiting for the bus home making fun of him every time he moaned when he moved. The bus stop was still broken from his fight with the robbers all those months ago which forced him to wait standing up.

Suddenly, a black limousine stopped in front of him. The back most window opened.

"Good evening, Matthew. How are you?" A familiar voice asked making Matthew's hairs shoot up with cringe.

It was Claudio, from the Tower of Ryvylin. He smiled his familiar creepy smile and continued:

"Do you want a ride home? I have a business proposition for you."

"No, thank you." Matthew said while Ffyr showed Claudio her tongue.

"It should be very profitable. Why don't you come in and listen? I promise I'll just take you home, you don't need to say yes to my proposition." The man said adjusting his glasses on his face while looking at both of them.

Matthew's body was aching and he had no idea how much longer the bus would take to come. He looked inside the limousine and the leather white seats looked too comfortable. It was just a ride home, right? Claudio wouldn't kidnap him like this, would he? It was not his way. He just needed to say no to anything Claudio asked.

"Alright. But if you try something." Matthew tried to intimidate the man, but soon realized that Claudio was, most likely, very much stronger than him.

"Good." Claudio said opening the door and moving over to the other side of the car. "And don't you worry. I won't do anything."

Matthew got in despite of Ffyr's protests which were quickly silenced after she noticed how soft the limousine's seats were. She started to bounce to and fro the seats with a loud giggle.

"So, what is it you want to talk about?" Matthew asked with a sour face. "And I trust you know where I live?"

"Of course I know." Claudio laughed looking at Ffyr having fun. "What I want today is her."

"Ffyr?" Matthew got defensive, his hand instinctively hovering at the gun he started to hide on his ankle ever since the mall incident.

"Don't worry, I don't want to take your familiar away." Claudio said sarcastically. "We hit a wall at our research into the Labyrinth of Enkidu. We tried summoning Fae spirits ourselves, but you know the Fae. They are most uncooperative. Even with powerful Callers using Charm Spirits we found no new data. So I thought about you and Fyr. Out of the few adventurers with Fae pacts, you are my best choice." Claudio explained.

"Why is that?"

"I've already done business with you. You know how I work and you are willing to help out. Not to mention you need the money." Claudio said serving himself from some wine he got from the mini fridge that stood in the middle of the seats in front of them. "Want some?" He offered Matthew.

"I can't drink." The 18 year old said. It was only legal for him to drink at 20.

"I won't tell the cops if you won't." Claudio joked.

"Still. I don't want to." Matthew was resolute.

"Suit yourself." Claudio smiled and took a sip. "Anyway, Fyr was also summoned by the dungeon itself. So it also works in our favor. All you need to do is get your party together and dive again in the Labyrinth with my team following you." He added.

"And how much you'll be paying us?" Matthew asked suspiciously.

"Oh…" Claudio gave a wicked smile. "This time I won't be paying with money."

Matthew froze when Claudio took out a tablet and showed Matthew pictures of him and Vanessa walking in the game shop that hid the Howling Spear's Vice-Leader's drug den.

"We have a common enemy." He said with a smirk.

"What the hell?" Matthew exclaimed. "How did you get that?"

"You think I stopped monitoring you?" Claudio laughed. "You can't hide from the Tower, Matthew."

Matthew looked at him in anger calculating what he could do. But he was utterly powerless in front of that man.

"It's not that the Tower is an enemy of the Howling Spear, per se." Claudio started to explain. "But we don't like them either. I mean. If they were out of the picture, we would benefit. Of course. But they are not a thorn too big for us to care." He chuckled and drank some wine.

"What are you proposing?" Matthew was cautious.

"You need a person inside the DA's office who you can trust with whatever that lawyer friend of yours found about them, don't you?" Claudio smiled. "We have someone for you."

"And you're offering that for a dive?" Matthew was skeptic.

"Not a dive. For as long as I need you. Or better, for as long as I have use for Fyr." Claudio said with a rare serious tone. "You know that whatever corruption scandal your Vanessa found out will be swept under a rug without someone with connections helping. She has friends in there, but, I assure you, none of them have the authority or are willing to risk their careers for her. You need me and I need Fyr."

"It's Ffyr! Ffyr! Fffff! Can't you say a name properly?" The fairy protested vehemently. "And we will never accept it." She crossed her arms sitting down with a humph.

"You don't need to answer me now, Matthew." Claudio ignored the fairy and looked out of the window as the limousine stopped in front of Matthew's house. "Talk it over with Vanessa. See what she says."

Matthew took a few seconds to realize they had arrived at his home. He got out of the car a bit stunned with the proposition. Ffyr followed him close behind. The little fairy then showed her tongue to Claudio before Matthew closed the door.

"Think about it with care, kid." Claudio said lowering the window. "It's your best bet to get those friends of yours the revenge they need."

The revenge they need. Those words reverberated on Matthew's head as the limousine drove away. He could still remember Vanessa's crying vividly. All the pain she was in. All the anger she was carrying. Would bringing the Howling Spear to justice give her peace?

Even if it wouldn't, at least would make Vanessa stop pursuing them and putting herself on danger.

Matthew read a message from Eric on his phone. That night Vanessa was stalking the game shop taking pictures of every person that went in and out of the drug den. Again she was in danger. Eric was with her this time and got Paula to babysit Katia that night.

Claudio offered a quick way out of that conundrum. They just needed to give the documentation Vanessa got to Claudio's man inside the DA office and the Mayor and the Howling Spear would certainly be held responsible. After all, the Tower of Ryvylin was also a powerful entity in the country. Even more powerful than the Mayor herself.

But doing that would mean that Matthew was basically becoming a slave for the Tower. It meant that he would be putting Ffyr in danger, not only himself.

Matthew had difficulty sleeping that night. What was he to do?

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.