The red-clad men quietly walked through the government-owned forest. They had one hour to make their delivery and leave the forest before the guardian creatures were let loose again.

Finally approaching a trodden path, one man turned to the other, “Stay here. If I’m not back in time, leave without me.”

Then he took the large, rope-woven basket and hurried down the path.

The stench of rot hit him way before he saw the dilapidated residence. The sagging roof capped a miserable cottage with warped walls. The vegetation assaulting it on all sides was to the point that it was creeping into the shattered remains of windows. But the one thing that chilled him was the behemoth sized claw marks on the door and surrounding forest floor.

This is no place to leave this child The man bitterly sighed.

“Solon!! Your presence is requested by the order of the El’Jan Council and the Syndicate.”

He heard a loud crash and the sound of breaking glass before the monotone reply, “No.”