“Stop! You’re under arrest!”

  Scule could only snort and shake his head as he ignored the cries of the low-level guard behind him and continued to run with his latest haul held high over his head. He wondered if any Rogue, anywhere, had ever actually listened to a guard shouting at them to stop.

  Ignoring the law was sort of how being a Rogue worked.

  Running around the corner, Scule pulled up short, clicking his tongue as he found himself face-to-foot with a second guard who’d clearly heard the first one shouting. Thankfully, the first guard hadn’t shouted anything about him being a petian, and the second guard was not prepared to suddenly find the regular-sized thief he’d been expecting to instead be a six-inch-tall, fully-grown man. With a grin, Scule leapt forward, sliding across the guard’s polished boot before sticking the landing and continuing to run.

  “Thanks for taking such good care of your footwear!” Scule called behind him, snickering as the guard spun around and joined the first one in giving chase.

  Now with two guards hot on his heels, things were getting serious. Panting a little, Scule tried to wipe the sweat from his brow on the shoulder of his ragged shirt before it could drip down into his eyes and distract him. His haul required both hands to carry over his head, and not for the first time, Scule found himself wishing he had a partner to help when it came to getaways like this. Petians were fast and strong for their size, there was no doubt about that. But carrying something the size of his own body over his head as he sprinted full tilt was something no tall-folk could ever hope to understand.

  He had something in the works regarding that partner issue, but only time would tell if his idea would actually bear fruit or not.

  Deciding he’d played this game of tag for long enough, Scule ducked down a familiar alleyway he’d prepared ahead of time. The second rule of being a Rogue was to never try and take something without having prepared for the occasion.

  The first rule was to not get caught.

  “Stop right there!” the first guard demanded, turning the corner and spotting Scule trapped at the end of the alley. Panting a bit himself, the beastkin grinned, pointing a stubby finger at him as the second guard caught up and doubled over, heaving as he tried to catch his breath. “End of the line, putian.”

  Scowling at the derogatory term some genius had come up with by combining ‘puny’ with ‘petian’ back when Scule’s village had first moved into the citadel, Scule laughed, trying not to look as tired as he felt.

  “You dogs sure are good at playing fetch,” Scule remarked, shifting his haul from leaning on one shoulder to the next as he winked at the growling beastkin. “Though I thought you preferred going after sticks? I’m pretty sure there’s one right between your partner’s legs there. You’ll probably have better luck catching that instead of me.”

  “You’ll be going back to Tiny Town in pieces once I’m through with you!” the beastkin roared, raising his club as he strode forward with murder in his eyes.

  “You have to catch me first!” Scule sang, laughing as he turned and pulled aside a patch of moss covering the brick wall behind him. To the guard’s shock, a chunk of the brick was missing, conveniently covered with the prepared curtain of moss ahead of time to hide the hidden passage. With one last wave, Scule turned and slipped through the hole in the wall, his grin only widening as he dragged his haul behind him and let the moss fall closed, hiding the snarling guard from view.

  Popping out the other side of the wall, Scule didn’t waste any time. There was no telling what skills or passives the guard or his partner might have, and while tempting fate was fun to do on occasion, his current haul was too important to leave to chance. Scule went out of his way to only target areas of the city he knew fresh, low-level guards patrolled in order to get experience. While encountering hot heads and people who just wanted an excuse to hit criminals with their clubs was always a risk, he felt it was a worthy trade to ensure he didn’t accidentally find himself facing off with a guard who’d actually prestiged already.

  Most of the Rogues he’d known over the years had met their end going up against guards such as those.

  Maybe once I get my first Capstone, I can try being a little more risky, he thought, making a beeline for Tiny Town as fast as his legs could take him.

  As soon as the large warehouse came into view, Scule finally let himself relax a little. His arms and back were aching from carrying his haul over his head all this time, and knowing it would only be another minute before he could finally put it down gave him the last bit of stamina he needed to slip into one of the many secret entrances they’d dug in and out of Tiny Town over the years. Guards often watched the official front entrance, for their own ‘protection,’ which meant Scule hadn’t actually gone out the front door in almost five years now.

  Thankfully, Tiny Town itself was something of a safe zone for him. Upon allowing the petians to join the citadel, the holy classes had decreed that no tall-folk would be allowed to set foot into Tiny Town itself without an invitation from one of the petians themselves, or in a few extreme cases. That meant while the guards could stake out the entrance all they wanted. Once Scule was inside, he was home free.

  Letting the secret entrance close behind him, Scule sighed as he took in the comforting view of Tiny Town. There was something about seeing regular-sized houses and people again all over the place that brought him comfort after running around in the land of giants.

  Even if said regular-sized people didn’t exactly share the same sentiment when they spotted him in turn.

  Scule ignored the hushed whispers of their many neighbors as he strode down the path toward his family home. More than one petian pointed at the haul he carried atop his shoulders, but Scule didn’t mind. Even if his newfound profession wasn’t one the others approved of, it was the only way he knew how to help provide for his family. Scule had been ‘appropriating’ from the citadel for years prior to his Choosing Day. Now that he actually had the Rogue class and was actively gaining levels, he’d be able to stea-appropriate bigger and better things before long.

  “Scule!” Nute called out, his little sister hopping out of the fake stream beside their house and running up to him. Nute was almost six years old, and the easily excited girl’s eyes went wide as she gaped at what he’d brought with him. “Where did you get that?!”

  “Would you believe I found it lying on the side of the road?” he asked, carefully balancing his haul for a moment in order to reach out and ruffle her hair. “What are you doing swimming in the river on your own? You know you’re not supposed to do that without anyone watching!”

  “Copi was with me for a bit, but he got bored,” Nute shrugged. “I think he’s with dad.”

  “Oh is he? Fantastic,” Scule muttered, trying not to let the annoyance show on his face. Despite how he felt about his parents and them him, the three of them at least agreed to try and keep things cordial in front of his younger siblings. “Is mom in the house? I wanted to drop this off before I headed back out.”

  “You can’t stay?” Nute frowned, tugging at the hem of his shirt. “You’re always gone these days.”

  Someone needs to actually provide for this family, Scule thought, not letting his thoughts show on his face as he smiled. “I’m just a busy guy. I’ll try and stay longer next time, I promise.”

  “Okayyy,” Nute said, turning and jumping back into the river once more, squealing and splashing about with wild abandon like only a six-year-old could.

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  Seeing Nute play without a care in the world was like sinking into a warm bubble bath, and Scule smiled as he watched his sister for a moment, reminding himself why he kept putting himself at risk of getting caught or worse again and again. Sadly, all good things had to come to an end sooner or later. Walking over to the front door, Scule finally plopped his haul down, groaning as he rubbed his back and knocked.

  Unsurprisingly, seeing as she spent most of her time peeking through the windows at their neighbors anyway, the door was yanked open almost instantly. Scule’s mother stood there in her usual pristine attire, frowning at him as her eyes bounced between him and his haul.

  “…I don’t suppose you want to tell me how you managed to get your hands on a whole apple?” she asked, her nose wrinkling as she sniffed at him. “And why do you smell like sewage?”

  “It’s my natural musk,” Scule drawled, slapping a hand atop the shiny red apple he’d snatched right off the merchant’s stall. “Make sure you wash this thing well before you give any to Nute and Copi, I had to drag it across the ground at one point. Wouldn’t want the two of them getting sick.”

  “Glad to hear you’re at least concerned for their health,” his mother shot back, letting out a weary sigh as she spotted a few other petians watching from the distance. “Scule… isn’t it about time you gave up all this reckless behavior? How much longer do you think you can get away with doing stuff like this before you get caught? Your father could always use another hand in the mushroom fields.”

  “I hate farming, and I hate mushrooms,” Scule said, cutting himself off before he said the silent part out loud. And I hate my father. “Look, I’m not going to get caught. Unlike farming, I’m actually good at being a Rogue. You and dad struggle enough as it is. Even if you won’t admit it, the fact that you actually take what I bring home despite taking every opportunity to tell me you disapprove of what I do is all the evidence I need. You’re too stubborn to ask the neighbors for help, so you get to deal with mine instead. That’s it.”

  “We are not having this argument again,” his mother said, narrowing her eyes at him. “Now would you help me get this apple inside and off the front porch so the neighbors can stop pointing at it?”

  “Sorry, wouldn’t want to make any part of the house smell like sewage, now would I?” Scule drawled, turning and waving over his shoulder. “If I’m not back by night, tell Copi sorry I missed him. And you are keeping an eye on Nute over in the river, aren’t you?”

  “Of course I am!” his mother snapped. “Nute’s having a phase where she thinks she’s too grown up to play with her mother anymore, but I’ve got my eye on her.”

  “Good. In that case, see yah. Enjoy the apple.” Just as he ignored the many stares and whispers, Scule ignored the rumbling in his stomach as he strode off, wanting to leave as much of the apple for his family as he could. He had his own hidden stashes he could dip into if necessary.

  Slipping back out of Tiny Town, Scule made sure the coast was clear before darting over to one of those very stashes. Peeling the mold off the chunk of cheese he’d tucked away almost a month back, he took a few bites for himself, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the rich flavor. Cheese was one of his favorite things to try and snatch whenever possible, as it lasted an incredibly long time even without any sort of icebox to put it in.

  Not to mention it was critical for his latest scheme he was cooking up.

  Breaking off a sizable chunk of the cheese, for a petian at least, Scule made sure it was secured in a loose sack tied around his waist before heading off to the spot he’d been spending most of his evenings the past few weeks. Slipping under the grate and sliding down the side of the ladder, Scule soon found himself walking through the sewer. Caves, sewers, anywhere isolated and largely cut off from the rest of the world were pretty much considered death traps for petians. In fact, Scule probably never would have set foot into here if he hadn’t found himself in a rather desperate bind about a month back.

  Having drawn the attention of a guard who actually had her first Capstone, Scule had been cornered and only managed to escape his pursuers by throwing himself headfirst into the nearby sewer. Wounded, tired, and thoroughly terrified for his life, Scule had lay there against the sewer wall, trying not to freak out as he tore strips off his shirt and bandaged the gash across his side he’d gotten from the guard’s crossbow bolt that had narrowly missed skewering him. Every echoing sound and movement in the shadows had made him think his time was up. But when something finally had emerged from the darkness, rather than try to eat him, to Scule’s astonishment, it had actually curled up beside him for whatever reason. Not only that, it had hissed and scared off a few other critters that had been attracted by the smell of his blood, keeping him safe while he patched himself up.

  Ever since that day, Scule had been stopping by almost every evening, providing his savior with food as a thank you. After realizing he enjoyed spending his time down in the sewers with his newfound friend almost as much as he did pulling off a heist, Scule even devoted one of his few skill points into the Animal Taming skill, determined to make the idea he’d come up with into a reality.

  “I’m back!” he called out, strolling into the usual section of the sewer and grinning as a familiar rat raced up to him. Scule held up his hand and the rat paused, sitting back on his haunches just like Scule had taught him.

  “Very good!” Scule smiled, pulling a piece of cheese from his pouch and handing it over. The rat eagerly snatched it up, nibbling away as it looked at him.

  “Alright, ready for the hard one?” Scule asked, holding his breath as he pointed down at the ground. “Ride. Riiide.”

  This was a trick Scule had been working on for weeks. Something he’d been eager to make work ever since realizing he might be onto something with his rat friend here. Just like the other times he’d tried this, the rat merely cocked its head and looked at him, either not understanding him or just not willing to do what he wanted.

  “Come on, imagine all the fun mischief we could get up to,” Scule whined, pointing down harder. “Riiide. You can do it, buddy! Ride!”

  The rat stared at him a little longer, and Scule sighed, shaking his head as he pulled out another chunk of cheese and handed it over. He knew he wasn’t supposed to reward him for not following his instructions, but he couldn’t help it. He just liked having a friend who was just as eager to see him as Scule was.

  “It’s alright, you do it whenever you’re ready,” Scule smiled, petting him on the head. To Scule’s shock, the rat actually paused in its nibbling, his beady black eyes trained on Scule as it seemed to think for a moment. After a few seconds where Scule dared not move, the rat lowered itself to the ground, squeaking as it showed its back to him.

  “You did it!” Scule laughed, jumping and pumping his fist in the air. “Okay, hold still, buddy. Don’t move…” sucking in a breath, Scule very carefully stepped over the rat, gingerly placing his weight on the rat’s shoulders, all the while scratching him behind the ears the way he liked as he whispered encouraging words. Finally, he placed the last of his weight down, laughing as he realized he was actually sitting on a rat of all things.

  “Alright, buddy, last step,” Scule muttered, patting him on the head. “Up.”

  Scule swore as the rat jerked up and he was nearly tossed off into the muck of the sewer. He barely caught himself from grabbing onto the rat’s ears to stabilize himself, instead wrapping his arms loosely around his neck at the last second.

  “Need some sort of saddle…” Scule muttered, making a mental note for later. His plotting was interrupted, however, as he received two very welcome messages from the System he’d been expecting for some time now.

  Animal Training increased to lvl 14! 1,400 exp gained.

  Level up! Rogue level 5.

  +3 attribute points

  +1 passive point

  “Perfect timing,” Scule grinned, patting the rat under him as it turned to look back at him, licking its lips as it reached for more cheese. “One sec, buddy, I’ve got something even more exciting for you.”

  Scrolling through the passive list, Scule picked out the one he’d hoped beyond hope would be there. Sure enough, there it was, and Scule felt his heart race as he selected the passive and added it to his interface.

  Animal Companion. You have (1) animal willing to join you as your companion. Would you like to form a bond?

  “It’s your choice, buddy,” Scule muttered, handing the rat another piece of cheese and watching as he scarfed it down. “Want to get out of this sewer and see the world? It’s a big place for people our size, but I think if we work together, we can take on whatever the tall-folk throw at us.”

  Scule knew the rat didn’t actually understand him. Even so, he blinked as the rat happened to chose that moment to nod its head, scratching at its ear.

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” Scule laughed, making the required selection in the System. Instantly, the rat jerked underneath him like it had been hit with a tiny lightning spell, and Scule looked at the tiny, new interface popped up right beside his own.

  “You get your own interface? Cool,” Scule grinned, pausing as he realized one important part of it was still blank. “Huh, looks like you need a name. I’m not really good at that sort of thing… How about Reginald? That was my grandfather’s name, and he really liked eating cheese. Ate the stuff morning, noon, and night. What do you think?”

  For the first time, Scule noted the spark of intelligence in the rat’s eyes that definitely hadn’t been there before making him an animal companion. Slowly, the rat nodded its head, letting out a squeak that Scule knew in his soul was the rat’s equivalent of yes.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Reginald,” Scule said, scratching him behind the ear and leaning down to give him one more hug. “You and I are going to do great things!”

  ? The Wandering Archmage ?

  by A Random Turtle

  Verloren of Lineage Gruen lost his way. His death is meant to serve as a means to atone for the sins he committed, but that changes when he wakes up in a world he does not recognize, alive and still in possession of all the magic he had honed for three centuries. A new path is offered to him, a chance to figure out that there is a lot more to life than magic, and Verloren is determined to make the most of it. Hopefully, nothing will force him to burn down another world like he’d done his.