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“Pick a wall,” Alessio said to the newcomer, authority in his voice as flames crackled over his body. If Malvat had ever doubted that he was empowered, he couldn’t now. “If there’s not a door we’ll make one. Anyone who has an ability can start chiseling out a weak point. Malvat can ram it down then?” He looked up, dark eyes meeting Malvat’s. He cocked his head, then forced a stiff nod.

I shouldn’t have to answer to a mankind.

Patience. I must have patience.

“Everyone else, gather anything that could prove to be useful. Let’s see how long the castle wants to keep us if we start tearing it down.”

It was a good plan. Malvat turned to the wall he stood in the shadow of and looked it over with a keen eye. His nostrils flared, searching for an unrecognizable scent. Nothing.

Starting in one corner, Malvat ran his tail across the stones. Anger began to flare in his stomach as he was greeted with disappointment after disappointment. Yet, towards the end, his tail hitched ever-so-slightly on a crack in the mortar between stones.

Doing his best not to trample anyone, Malvat maneuvered so he was facing the crack. He ran a talon down it, testing its strength. Behind it were more stones, but at least this was a beginning. “Man–Humans,” he called, “this may be our exit.”

Wiggling a talon into the crack, Malvat pulled. The stone slid to the side enough that he was able to get his other talons in. With his great muscles rippling, Malvat lifted the stone and set it down next to the wall, a stepping-stone of sorts for the mankind. After all, the hole was level with Malvat’s eyes. There was no way a mankind would be able to reach it.

Three empowered, Malvat mused as he worked on extracting another stone. Two with flames. The third has some kind of energy power – I need her not. Brendin is weak at the moment – it would be easy to crush him. But I cannot betray the mankinds’ trust until I have a way to return to Eriath. Curse this castle.

As if in response to his thoughts, the stones shifted suddenly, causing Malvat to lose his balance and crash forward into the new hole. Bricks tumbled on the other side, raising dust. He sneezed violently, shaking his head as he stared into the pitch black room, calling on his night-vision power to aid him. The room seemed empty, but something lurked in the shadows. He couldn’t see it, which was slightly alarming, but he could smell it.

Pulling his head back out of the hole, Malvat turned and gazed at the mankind. “I would advise caution,” he said. “There is a menacing presence in this next room, and it is as dark as the dwarves’ caverns.” The thoughts he could read skittered across his brain.

“Great,” someone muttered.

Malvat turned back to the wall and set to work enlarging the hole. He was glad for his gargantuan size now – while it was cumbersome at times (especially when stuck in a constantly changing castle), it provided the strength he needed to quickly make an opening large enough for him to enter. He went first, not caring if it was impolite.

Nothing stirred as he stepped over the pile of rubble and lifted his muzzle to sniff the air. The mankind filed in behind him.

“Hush,” Malvat whispered. “This has the air of a trap.”

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Sorry if I was too controlling with everything there – feel free to edit stuff in or out! @rose-colored-fancy @crazywriter @kimlikesart @irishcelticredflowercrown