"Essence of demon. . . feather of raven. . ." he mumbled, throwing said items into an iron pot.

The man was wearing a blackk cloak, so black that he disappeared when he stepped into the shadows of the room. His hood was up, slightly muffling his words.

He was currently walking around a small five-pointed star pentacle, with the pot right in the center. It was bubbling without heat as new ingredients were added.

"Blood of human. . . eye of snake. . ." he said.

"Mmm!"

The man stopped reciting and turned to his "guest," a man in tattered clothing, chained to a wall, gagged with a soiled rag. His pale skin shone brightly against his metal shackles, and he seemed keen on escaping.

The man laughed. "Don't waste your time, Jackyn. Those bonds have been dipped in Dess. You cannot escape."

But the prisoner continued his struggles.

The man tsked at the other, and threw in the last item on the list.

"Rise, cobolorum! Created by the deadliest ingredients in the Universe, arise! Wear the essence of demon! Take flight with the feathers of raven! Tear metal with the claws of nightwolves! See the world through the eyes of the snake! Rise, cobolorum, rise!" he intoned dramatically.

The pot started to shake violently and it tipped over, spilling the contents into the pentacle. But the substance never passed the borders of the star. In fact, it started to rise up, as if the star was a bowl.

The liquid began steaming and moving into a creature with yellow claws and eyes, green skin, and hidden black wings.

The man smiled. "I am your master, cobolorum. Your first task," he said.

Then he turned to the man in chains. "Kill."

The monster complied, jumping from the pentacle and mercilessly striking and eating the flesh of the person.

The man nodded, smiling. "Your second task, cobolorum," he said.

"Multiply."