The Hound's Trials

Chapter 1

 It had been about 2 years. That's how long Tyler had been working for Black Sun, a gang based in New Orleans, Louisianna, and that' what he was there for.

A door opened into a shop, the bell ringing above the doorway to alert the store clerk of his arrival. He walked to the back of the store, running his tan hands through his raven black hair and pushing it back. Tattoos decorated his skin while the gel in his hair kept it out of his face. His calculating blue eyes swept side to side, glancing at the various people in the isles next to him.

He went to the counter in the back and the clerk looked up from behind his paper, his eyes hesitant. Tyler pulled up his sleeve and showed the underside of his arm, letting the old man see the tattoo he kept there. A black sun which was circled by two snakes that were eating each other's tail. The old man's eyes went wide and he immediately jumped out of his seat and beckoned him into a room behind a wooden door.

The clerk stood back and let Tyler enter the dim and sparsely furnished room. An armchair sat in the corner on the left of the door while a few posters littered the wall. In the far right corner sat a desk with a small table lamp on it and some papers. Walking over, Tyler tapped the lamp and a little buzzing noise started to fill the room.

Then, a small pixie popped out from under the shade. It was tiny, big enough to fit in the palm of his hand. It had made clothes from rags and had a small needle that it carried around like a sword. Ever-changing colored eyes stared at him as a frown graced its small, delicate face.

"What do you want?" she hissed in her little voice.

"Easy Pix. I just wanna see the boss," he said, using his nickname for her.

"And you ain't seein' him. Ain't nobody seein' him right now. Not with the police stirrin' up our fights," she grumbled.

Tyler tilted his head a little and dug around in his pockets. He pulled out a gumdrop and held it up for her to see. She started buzzing in excitement as her small eyes gazed upon it, a smile gracing her face. Her small little wings tried to fly towards him but she suddenly stopped.

Both of them looked towards the source of her immobility and Tyler was the first to speak.

"You know you can't go far. That's why I'm over here,"

A symbol was painted in blood on the lampshade. It was a binding spell and held whatever creature it wanted to a certain place as long as its blood was used in making it.

The little pixie hissed in anger and landed back onto the desk, giving her wings a rest. The bright little see-through leaves were only temporary. Pixie magic wasn't strong, except for their cloaking spells. That's why she was there, guarding the entrance into their lair.

"Just let me in and you can have it, Pix," he said.

"That's not fair, Tyler,"

"Neither is you denying me entrance. I'm one of the best suppliers the Black Sun has ever seen. Now let me in," he smirked.

She stomped her feet and crossed her arms but whispered something under her breath. The wall next to him started to open and he grinned before walking through.

"The candy, Tyler."

Without turning around he shrugged.

"Fine, here you go," and with that, Tyler walked into the opening in the wall and disappeared from sight.

The tunnel was dark and damp, giving him the creeps as he walked through it. He shivered slightly as he felt things watching him but he knew if he didn't keep walking, it would be the end. He kept his hands in his pockets, his right hand grasped onto the switchblade he kept at all times, although it wasn't a normal knife.