Entry 8: 

 Merith's eyes were closed the whole time I explained the day's events. When I was done, she looked at me. 

"I thought I told you to stop the doggy death alley." She said.

"You're still mad about the pit?" I blurted out. "What about the weird request to take me alive or the fact that it talked to me in the first place?" The Elf sat back on the sofa, letting her feet dangle off at the edge.

"The Archinary, an unfortunate Bronx staple, from what our data tells us. An ancient species of the nocturnal beasts from the Leechin family of monsters. They feed by sucking the mana directly from their hosts."

"Do all Leechin talk?" 

"No. The Archinary are particularly special in that department. When they consume their prey, the Archinary take the memories, mannerisms, and in some cases, the appearance of those they've consumed." 

"I don't know anyone who looks like Justine. It was like they were wearing a Halloween mask of a person." 

"It's not perfect, but then again, if it was… let's just say they'd be pretty well fed."

"And the exploding part?" 

"Their internal organs are designed to extract mana in its rawest form and metabolize it. That process basically turns their bodies into power plants. You might as well have been burned with nuclear waste." 

"Damn," I said, looking down at the mark on my hand. 

"Beyond their ever-growing intelligence, that last part had made them a nightmare for Erasers of the past. Slay one, and you'd bring an entire building down," she said. The Erasers: Shadowy monster hunters who killed with a mix of mystic arts and brute force. They were the implements of the Guardians' will. I'd never spoken to them, but every time I've been put on my ass by a monster in the Bronx, it was an Eraser who saved me. 

"My Erasers have been trying to find their home for days, but it appears they're a secretive bunch. This was the first one we'd seen in public." She let out a long sigh. "And it just had to run into you." 

"Once again, I wasn't looking for trouble," I said, putting up my hands. She didn't respond. "So am I in trouble or…"

"-No. This makes my life more complicated," she said, through a groan. "But it's best if we keep you inside for a while if they're actively coming for you." 

"Ah..so I'm still grounded,d I see." 

"Just follow the usual procedure. Don't leave the gym. If you need supplies, call out what they are, and I'll have them for you by the end of the day," she said.

"Do ya have this place bugged?" 

"Nonsense… I'll hear you," she said, wiggling her pointy ears. 

"So not even privacy in my cell?"

"You always make it sound like I'm locking you away forever, Christian." 

"It feels like that's coming down the pipe." 

"I have always wanted a pet. Though one is much more cuddly. Less Abrasive." 

"Sorry, I'm not cute enough for captivity," I said. She chuckled at that. I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes. 

"I wonder if this is how they felt," I said. I heard a subtle rubbing of fabric as she crossed her legs.

"The dragons you mean?" she said.

"Yeah…" I said. "Everyone was always chasing 'em, trapping 'em in caves. I could never imagine not being able to move. But now I think I'm starting to get it."

"Well, your people are nomadic. It makes sense. Your kind can't stay in one place for too long before things become hazardous." 

"Eh, it was different back in the day. We didn't have to pack up every three weeks and start over when we had dragons by our side."

"Your people migrated with them anyway. It's not like there's any records of Runner colonies lasting longer than two years." 

"Yeah, but there's a difference between traveling and fleeing for your life. Forget it. You wouldn't understand," I said, opening my eyes. They met hers. Her face had hardened.

"Speaking of which, have you found any clues lately?" She asked. I was silent. "I understand the importance of your pilgrimage, Christian, but if you do find a dragon, I am required to know." 

"I'll let you know as soon as I travel back in time and find one." 

"You still don't trust me. I built you a fortress, made your clothes," she said, pointing to my hoodie.  

"My people's existence was based on the preservation of one thing, which the Erasers annihilated. I thank you for all you've done, Merith, but let's not pretend our end goals don't conflict. I know you're working me." 

"What makes you say that?" she said

"No one's this nice," I said. I could see her little fingers squeezing her arms, followed by an eyebrow twitch. I had pissed her off. 

"Ugh, whatever, Christian," she said, slowly floating up in the air. "If you meet one of your sentient god lizards, it would be in your best interest if I heard about it from you."

"If my purgatory ever ends and I meet one, I'll ask if they wanna meet my manic elf friend. I doubt the excitement will be mutual," I said, burying my face in my elbow. "I'm gonna be locked up forever," I heard her nose let out a low breath from above my head. I moved my arm. The Elf was looking down at me again. Her arms were still crossed, but her face was different. She had a tiny smirk.

"What? 

"Nothing. It's just you called me your elf friend. It was cute," she snickered. 

"Huh?" is all I could say before she snapped her fingers, and she evaporated into a cloud of smoke with the sound of a firecracker. I stared off at where she was a moment ago and let out a low whistle. House elf-house arrest again, Creed. I laid my head down on my desk. 

"What the hell was that smirk about?" I said. "Wait she said I was. Ahh crap, she really is gonna turn me into a pet!"