A Start to a Pyromaniac

Shadow widened his eyes in surprise before smirking.

"What're you doing Dream?" He tilted his head in an almost innocent way. "That's my own business. I mean I'm not called Shadow for nothing."

Dream didn't release his stare.

"Come on."

Johnny looked between the two growing increasingly nervous.

The grin on his face turned into a frown.

"You sure you want to know?"

There was silence before Dream opened his mouth to respond.

"Yes and please don't lie to my face."

"Alright, hey look over there. There's a goblin!"

Dream and Johnny turned their heads.

In a flash, Shadow had placed his right hand onto Dream who jolted back in surprise. Shadow followed him with his hand firmly gripping Dream.

His left hand held a small dagger inches away from Dream's neck.

Shadow had a dark look on his face.

"Still want to know now?"

Sensing the danger that he was in. Hesitation started crawling into Dream's mind.

A sliver of panic appeared in his eyes before he closed his eyes and reopened them.

'F*ck it. We are stuck in an SS-tier world. What am I scared of?'

He glared at Shadow. "Are you done?"

Dream shrugged Shadow's hand off before brushing aside his knife-hand.

"Just tell me already. I am feeling pissed because somebody buried my sword under a pile of corpses."

Shadow was slightly taken back with his mouth open before reverting to his usual glare. He was surprised that Dream had this much balls.

He walked around Dream and walked out of the cave.

Dream's heart jumped up and down. 'F*ck, all that for nothing.'

"Hey Dream."

Dream jumped around and saw Shadow standing at the edge of the light.

Shadow held up the small red-stained pouch. Dream could see a transparent aura rising out of it.

"Since we're teammates. I'll at least give you this." Said Shadow who has turned his head at Dream. "Don't go running your mouth around Aoife and Chad, but I dabble a bit in bone magic."

'Bone magic? Isn't that dark magic?' Dream looked at Shadow puzzledly.

He sighed. "Go find your sword, I'll wait here."

As curious as Dream was. He felt that he shouldn't push Shadow for any more information, that said he couldn't help but feel that he was getting more familiar with Shadow.

Unknowingly, Dream has gotten used to the dark aura of Shadow.

After digging through the pile of kobold corpses that Shadow had pointed at. Dream had up with nothing.

"Hey, Shadow. I don't see my sword here. Where in Nirvana did you put it?"

Shadow coldly snorted. "I don't f*cking know. Just look around."

Dream moved onto another pile of kobolds. Still nothing. He made a move to another pile when he noticed something weird. Many of the bodies have their thumb bone sliced out.

"Your work?" Dream looked at Shadow and pointed at the missing thumbs.

Shadow simply lifted his pouch in reply.

Dream frowned, but didn't speak anymore and went on uncovering the pile. This time around he found his sword sheath sticking out like a sore thumb.

'Great. Now I'll just have to find the sword.'

Looking around there was only one more pile of kobolds. He walked over and immediately saw the glint of a blade. Dream walked forward and moved the bodies on top of and reached for the sword.

He then held up his blade to see that it was a dent on the left. It also looked somewhat worn out and dull, but it was to be expected with the number of kobolds that they have killed. Any normal weapon would have gone dull.

On the dulled blade of his sword. Dream could see the reflection of deep dark red. Frowning he turned around and looked at the edge of the light of the spear.

There, jars of red liquid stood silently. Dream sheathed his sword and made a motion towards Johnny to come towards him.

He walked closer to the jars. The stink of blood became a maddening odour.

Dream spoke.

"Say, did we fight a blood shaman or a dragon wrought?"

Shadow and Johnny looked at him with questioning looks. Dream continued.

"Cuz if it wasn't a blood shaman why would it collect so much blood?"

"Blood and bones are generally recognised as dark magic so I don't know much," He looked towards Shadow. "But I suppose you do."

Shadow gave him a hard stare before replying. "Blood and bone magic serves the same effect except that bone magic is generally more powerful, but blood is much easier to collect and move around in large amounts then bones."

Dream frowned. "Do you reckon that they're selling-"

"The masked men!" Johnny yelled out suddenly. "They were talking to the kobolds!"

He looked around at the two. "Huh?"

Dream was halfway out withdrawing his sword before realizing that it was just Johnny. Meanwhile, Shadow had already pulled out a handful of knives and a slick dark blue dagger in his other hand.

They both froze before retracting their weapons.

Dream could see Shadow creepy aura literally jump out before disappearing.

Johnny shifted away from them hesitantly. If you made a literal translation of his body language it would probably go like: "Why am I fearing for my life? Aren't you guys the good guys?"

Shadow and Dream had their eyes met. They had a moment of synchronised thoughts.

'Calm Johnny down!'

Shadow looked away while Dream started humming a song that alternated between being catchy and off tone.

Johnny noticeably seems to relax his guard and gave Dream and Shadow a strange look before continuing.

"I remember one of the masked men staring at me. He had a very creepy smile on his face."

"Did you hear them say anything?" Asked Dream.

Johnny replied. "One of the masked men crouched down before me. The voice that came out was not that of a man, but a woman. She said that 'You shall be blood for our new saviour.' and stood back up."

Enveloped in his painful memory, Johnny shuddered. "The man talking to the kobold said that they come on the day of the eclipse and collect their debt."

'Collect their debt?' Dream and Shadow looked at the blood jars.

The two waited for Johnny to continue talking, but he didn't speak more and went mute.

Dream said "Hey Shadow."

"Yeah?"

"Let's get rid of the blood jars."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Questioned Shadow.

Dream stowed his sword and sheath behind his waist before holding out his right hand.

A great red flame erupted from it.

"With fire of course."