Mason Martinez!

Horrouce's population grew faster than the town could be built. At the time of this story, it consisted of almost exclusively blue tarped-tents, pitched in the ground surrounding the three proper and constructed buildings.

The first was a fine and cozy log cabin, out of which 3rd Lieutenant Mason Martinez lived. On an alternating schedule, members of his personal guard would join him in the cabin at night, when it was their turn to watch him. The next building was a plank-walled map room, better protected from the elements and wildlife than a tent would be and with a higher roof to boot, which all of Horrouce's explorers would rally to after expeditions to note what they had learned. The final building, a fine blend of plank and wood, had an interior set up to emulate the design of a pub -- though all of the food and drink was free of charge for the 3rd Lieutenant, his guard, and the troop of explorers which lived in Horrouce. Said explorers, and the guard whose turn it was not to spend the night with Mason, slept in the tents. Excess blue tarp was strung between tree trunks to protect supplies from the rain and to provide a more public space for social breaks among the populace.

Made in this way, Horrouce had a rather large footprint, which necessitated patrols to keep wild creatures from the settlement. The focused, stoic-minded 3rd Lieutenant was more than happy to undertake these personally in between his managemental duties. Whenever Mason was busy, his guard would all squabble over who had to take patrol duties this time around. This time, like every other time Mason underwent these duties, all six women of his guard accompanied him and stayed very, very close.

"It's my turn to sleep with him, Penny!"

"Like hell!" Retorted the guard walking beside Mason, holding his arm with both of her own.

"Nuh uh!" Retorted the woman walking beside Mason, holding his arm with both of her own (but the other side this time). "Me!"

"Guys." Mason tried to rub at his eyes, but both of his arms were too busy being held by women walking beside him. "I get that the cabin's a lot nicer than the tents, but this is a temporary setup. We made a schedule for a reason, you're all just going to have to tough this out."

"Got lost."

"It-" Mason stopped walking to turn and look at Remy, the guardswoman who just spoke. "Again?"

Just then, the patrol's discussions were interrupted by a loud kra-koom!, which echoed out across the forests, followed a few seconds later by a rushing gust of hot wind. A thick-trunked tree, on the edge of the clearing in which Horrouce was built, had erupted into bright, crackling flame.

"Ee-hee-hee-hee!" With a zooming sound, seeming to just appear from the dark night sky, a cackling silhouette of a figure flew out from behind the burning tree and came down towards the centre of town at speed, where she seemed to set down. Was she.... it had almost looked like she was straddling a broom in her descent.

That's all that Mason needed before he was ready to leap into action! As he rushed to the centre of down, yanking his arms free and closely followed by his look-exchanging guardswomen, Mason could hear the evil laughter growing even louder.

What he saw when he reached the centre of town shocked him -- there was indeed a figure, the source of the laughter, floating just above the ground and straddling a broomstick. She wore a dark pointed hat, which bent backwards under its own weight at the tip, with a wide brim and a red sash wrapped around its core. Her robes were the same dark colour, though she wore a solid red tie with the tongue tucked mostly beneath them, and while we're speaking in terms of a figure, this woman's would be considered impressive by just about everybody in the world besides the focused and hard worked 3rd Lieutenant before her. To Mason, all he thought of her shape was just how impractical it must be to have such an overloaded top half.

As the cackling laughter at last died down, the woman looked out towards the arriving group with a wide grin. "Heya, name's Coven. Glad to meet you!" The woman spoke in a voice very unfitting for her entrance -- at least, in words and giddiness. Her confidence and authoritative nature seemed to fit excellently. "Who's in charge here?" She hopped off of the broomstick, which continued to float statically in place. Mason stepped forward at her question, to the slight gasps and grabbing reaches of his guard.

Sauntering her way over to the 3rd Lieutenant, swaying as she did so (or perhaps Mason was correct in how her top-heavy nature was a hindrance), the woman put forth a finger and tapped it against Mason's chest as she spoke.

"Lemme make something- very clear to you." She closed her eyes and straightened her posture. "I am very bored."

Mason eyes her carefully, as the researchers and explorers still in Horrouce began emerging from their tents and encircling this strange engagement.

"If you- hic, sorry- if you agree to fight me," Coven stuck a thumb to her pillowy bosom. "In single combat, in fronta everybody here, then I won't- Iunno," She took a quick glance around. "Then I won't set all of those tents of fire."

A flick of the wrist set her hand ablaze. She turned ninety degrees and chucked the flame with a nngha!, where it flew and harmlessly impacted the already blazing tree.

"Sound good?" She turned back to Mason.

"And how do I know that you won't use such.... strange abilities in your fight against me?"

"Oh no, I super could. Just, like, trust that I won't. Because again, bored. No fun rolling a die that's a 6 on all sides, right? I got other ways."

Mason paused a moment before responding to look across the townspeople who now encircled both of them, hand on the hilt of his blade. The explorers looking anywhere from nervous to scared, and his personal guard looking all the more anxious.... no, he had to do something.

"Very well." He replied with a sigh. "But then you must be on your way."

"Cool! I won't cast any spells, promise."

With that, the circle of townspeople widened to provide ample space for what was about to ensue. As Mason drew his weapon, and the two of them squared up to fight, Coven had an unnatural smile on her face. She'd been watching this town for a long time to stave off boredom, though she acted otherwise, and she'd seen the 3rd Lieutenant's guards' constant unnoticed attempts to get in his pants. Sure, this was about having a bit of fun, but it was also about trying her hand at him and seeing if Mason was really all that he was cracked up to be.