Get up, pitiful thing. There’s no time to rest. 

The voice called out to me again, demanding my attention. I sighed, but didn’t complain. The sooner I managed to solve this place, the faster I could get my friends out of the rift. So, what now? Where could I find the rift’s connector? 

It’s too soon to worry about that. You're too weak to continue like this. Get up and walk up to the lizard. 

Why should I get to the lizard? It was dead, there was nothing to gain from its carcass. Why should I waste my time with checking a corpse? Sure, I did feel exhausted after this and there were many questions I wanted to answer.

You’ll only get to these answers if you move already. I won’t repeat myself again. If you want your friends to breathe further, get your ass right to the lizard's remains! 

I wanted to argue with the voice, but I didn’t dare. Not with their lives on the line. So far, the strange voice hadn’t lied to me, so I expected it to be honest now as well. Ok, I would walk up to this corpse, but I wanted to get some answers afterwards.

Fair enough. You shall hear your answers. 

Maybe I should have been more wary, but after this strange being had saved my friends and me, I didn’t expect him to cause any harm. Why would he save us just to kill us personally? No, that would make no sense. My feet moved towards the lizard’s carcass. At first, I didn’t understand why my gaze focused itself on the dark, red liquid that had flown out of the beast’s body. Strangely enough, there was an unexpected scent right near the lizard. Why did I smell fresh popcorn with a whiff of caramel? I leaned towards the corpse, trying to determine the source of the aroma. When I realized its source, the voice called out to me again. 

Drink its blood while it's still fresh. A few sips should be enough. 

Wait, what? I jolted back from the corpse, shaking my head in the process. It was the lizard's blood that smelled this appetizing?! No. No matter what reasons the voice had to suggest such a disgusting thing, I wouldn’t touch the blood of another being. I couldn’t tell what revolted me more. The idea to drink someone's blood or the fact that it smelled like a delicious film snack. 

Drink its blood, pitiful thing. Why the restraint? Doesn’t your kind eat meat as well? It’s just another part of an animal, ready to strengthen yourself. 

No! This definitely was not the same. There was no way anyone's blood should smell this way. So, why did it have this scent? What was happening to me? Was this a side effect of the strange powers I had channelled? 

What does it matter at this point? Things are as they are. You’ll only suffer trying to resist the inevitable. I’ll only ask you one more time. Drink its blood! 

I took another step back from the lizard’s' carcass. It didn’t matter how many times he asked me to do it, I would never devour it. As I wanted to move further away, my body’s movement came to a hold. What was going on? Suddenly, my whole limps felt numb and heavy, as if they had been turned into stone. 

You preferred not to listen, pitiful thing. If you don't follow my suggestions, I’ll simply move you myself. 

I watched my feet moving towards the beast’s corpse with no way to stop it. What was going on? Why was my body moving on its own? How was this thing able to control me? I tried to resist, tried to regain control of my body, but the battle had weakened myself so far, that it felt as vain as defying gravity. All I could muster with every ounce of strength was, leading my muscles to shake in their movement. Still, I couldn’t stop my body, as my hands plunged into the red puddle. 

My head sprang forward, bringing my lips to the life essence. I could feel its warmth as I parted my lips. Caramel melted on my taste buds, along with the taste of freshly made popcorn. If I’d shut my eyes, maybe I could have fooled myself into believing that it wasn’t a lizard’s blood. Sadly, I didn’t even have the freedom to close them. Was this my fate? Becoming a marionette for a voice only I could hear? Why did he force me to  drink this blood? He didn’t bother to answer. 

The blood flew down my throat and I felt the fatigue vanishing from my body and mind. A few more sips, before my hands stopped moving. As I tried to move my fingers again, I noticed his grip had left. I wished I could throw up the blood I had devoured, but I was sure he wouldn’t allow me to. I brushed my hands against the lizard’s scales, trying to wipe the blood from my hands.  

Stop that, pitiful thing. You’ll only hurt yourself. 

The hardened scales rasped against my hands, reopening the wounds the staff inflicted. He was right, it was no use, but at least I managed to rid myself of the bloodstains. So, what now? What was he aiming for? 

You don’t need to know anything, pitiful thing. There’s only one thing you need to understand. From this moment onwards, you and your whole existence are mine and mine alone. 

What? Was he insane? How could anyone think I’d agree to this?

I no longer need your consent. You already gave it to me the moment you were prepared to do anything to save yourself and your friends. You didn’t define a price for the covenant, so I took what I required. It’s as simple as this.

“What? Are you kidding me? How is it possible to claim a person’s existence? Why would you require me anyway? Who are you?” I probably didn’t need to speak my thoughts out aloud, as he had answered every thought I had before. But I felt so irritated by his claims that I felt the need to shout my thoughts right in his face – or at least into the cavern where I remained. 

Why would I? You’ll be useful to me and I will make use of you. You can complain, if you want, but I’d refrain from further resistance. 

“Why should I play along with this game of you? Give my any reason to become your puppet!”

I’ll give you three reasons instead. Four, if we include you, pitiful thing.

“Are you threatening them? Are you telling me that you’ll kill them if I don’t obey you and your commands?” Was he serious? Did he save them only to use their lives to bend me? 

Well, that would be just as easy, but no. I don’t care for your little friends, nor do I have any reason to hurt them. But if it wasn’t for my help, you and them would be dead already, wouldn’t you? So, it’s simply, pitiful thing. Think further. Who will save them the next time? 

“So you’ll only help me to protect them, if I’ll do as you say? Is that what you’re getting at?” How was that any different? 

Still, you’re wrong. Let’s be clear. I could force you to do my bidding, just like I did a few heartbeats ago, but it would be a real pain in the ass to waste my power on this for every single thing. So, I’ll make you a more comfortable offer for both of us. You’ll obey me and as a sign of goodwill I will allow you to save them, if they find themselves in another danger they cannot overcome. 

So, he was only offering me this much to make things simpler for him? Was he telling the truth? Could I trust him? Hell, no! I surely couldn’t trust someone that controlled me without restraint and refused to tell my anything about him. But did I have any choice in this matter? If I resisted, what would happen to my friends? Would they have any chance to survive? Without his help, we would be dead already. Still, I couldn’t shake off the oppressive feeling that forbade another disaster, ready to devour me.