“Send the next one in,” Zeke ordered with a tired voice.

A moment later, the door to the study opened, and a large Chimeroi with bull horns and a nose ring walked in. The man would probably tower over an average human by at least two heads, and his massive muscular frame gave him an intimidating air. However, Zeke didn’t even look up, focusing on the document in front of him instead. The Chimeroi, for his part, stopped in front of his desk and waited in silence.

In the quiet of the study, the only thing that could be heard was the giant's loud breathing and the nervous fidgeting of his hooved feet. To any observer, it would appear as if he was far more afraid of the boy sitting in front of him than the other way around.

“Your name is Blackhorn?” Zeke asked without looking up.

“Yes, Master,” the man replied.

“And you were a guard before?”

“Yes, Master.”

Zeke finally looked up, meeting the man’s eyes. “Did you ever torment, abuse, or kill anybody without being ordered to?”

The man remained silent for a long time, thinking. “No, Master,” he replied eventually.

Zeke eyed him for a moment longer before returning his gaze to the page in front of him. He added a few lines before asking his next question. “How did you end up as a member of the Ember Scar Cartel?”