This random side street is bustling with activity. Mostly push-carts and pedestrians, but there's also the occasional ox-drawn carriage.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/004.png]
I've scoped out the city's side streets and found many small vendors. I know the main street has several bigger vendors. I can't read anything. Even though I'm here, my lack of literacy is making things difficult!
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/004b.png]
Why is a lizard-thing with 102 Int so completely illiterate? That makes absolutely zero sense.
I look down at my neon orange legs.
Or maybe my lack of pants is making these people unwilling to talk. I have no idea why. Being a lizard-thing, I'm not exposing anything. Besides, how would I wear pants over my tail? I don't see any others I can compare m—
"Get the hell out of the way, kaizen."
I hear someone behind me, so I turn.
"Sorry, are you talking to me?"
It looks like some kind of dwarf. He's rolling his eyes at me.
"Yes, you, kaizen. Are there any other kaizen blocking the whole damn alley?"
I'm confused, but I back out of his way.
"Um, what is a kaizen?" I ask as he goes past.
He gives me a weird look. "You, dumbass."
{"Freakin' drug addicts."} He mumbles.
I get an idea and quickly walk after him. I block his way again so he doesn't dart off into the stalls.
"I'm sorry, sir, but do you mean my species?"
He stops and looks mildly annoyed.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/004c.png?v=2]
"Yes, you dolt. If this is a lead-in to a scam, it isn't a very good one."
"No, it isn't. I have no idea about what's going on. I'm sorry to bother you— and thank you for answering my question."
Since I'm trying to be as polite as possible, I skirt around him and walk away. I don't want to provoke him further.
The dwarf calls after me.
"I ain't fallin' for it! Go on, git!"
I had no intention anyway. So, apparently I'm a kaizen. That's good to know, I guess?
But it seems coming here wasn't particularly useful. Most people make money here, indeed, but they're all selling trinkets, weapons, food, and so on. I have nothing to sell.
Now what?
I need something I can sell, right?
The map pops up once more. Again, out the front gate. That seems to be where a lot of my queries are leading. But I can't imagine I'll do well on my own. I have nothing to sell and thus no way to get started. With no weapons, I've also got no way to defend myself out there.
I need the location of the most valuable enemy I can easily defeat within a 10km radius.
The map leads to a random house on the west side of this city. My valuable enemy is inside the city limits? Huh?
How does THAT happen?
I begin following the map's directions. I weave through many streets, each looking no different than the last. Thankfully— I have Pathfinder.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/004d.png]
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/004e.png]
Once I reach the house detailed on the map, I push open its unlocked door. It's a normal house. Rather barren, old handmade furniture, and nobody seems to be home.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/004f.png]
The map leads to a room near the back. I follow the map into the house, down the hallway, and find the right room.
The door's closed.
Whelp, here goes nothing! I open the door. I'm greeted by— wow! Almost literally nothing.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
The room is completely empty except for a mid-sized wooden chest sitting in the center of the room. It's got tarnished golden straps, plus a shiny gold keyplate flush with its exterior. No other defining features.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/004g.png]
Curious.
Above all, I'd asked for an 'enemy.' I have no idea what's going on here.
Hmm. I'll take this one step at a time.
First, I'll throw something at the chest. If it's booby trapped, maybe something will happen?
I go back out to where I entered in search of something to use. I immediately see a vase.
Ah, perfect. Hopefully, it'll spread clay dust around my target. I want to highlight any possible tripwires, levers, or so on. I wrap my scaly hand around the vase's neck and return to the room I've been pointed towards.
The chest is gone. The room is totally empty.
Whaaaat?
Is the chest moving? Wait— no. I've heard of this before. Is the chest itself a monster? Okay, then I need to find it before it finds me. First, let's use the map again.
I mentally examine the map. The red dot is in the exact same position. Did it not update?
I ask it the same query as before. It clears, then puts another red dot smack dab in the center of the room.
Was the chest not my target? But then, why would the chest move on its own? I don't have time to figure this out. Who knows if the owner of this home will return soon.
Actually— what about the fact I broke in?
I need anyone who will pay attention to this house over the next hour.
The map lights up like a red Christmas tree. It's got hundreds of red dots everywhere. Then, it zooms out to thousands, TENS of thousands...
Holy freaking HELL! Do it NOW!
I throw the vase toward where the map has pinpointed my 'enemy.' It breaks in midair above where the chest was, somehow, which is good because I obviously missed.
The chest reappears from thin air.
Huh, so it didn't move?
Well, ummm.
That's definitely my target.
I edge forward, cautiously surveying the pieces of the broken vase. Damn, I should've filled it with water or sand. Never mind— this is good enough. There doesn't appear to be any obvious trap or mechanism. How did the vase break in midair, though? It was still above the chest.
I think for a moment. Then, I look at my scaly right hand.
Why not?
Rather than making a fist or palm, I wrap my fingertips into a sharp point.
I hesitate.
This is only possible due to the shiny black claws adorning said fingertips. They fit together so well that they almost create a solid blade. Seems my earlier comment about not having a weapon was incredibly stupid.
Whatever! Now's not the time for distractions. I've already made my way to the chest.
Then— let's do it.
I attack the mysterious chest with plenty of strength. At the same time, I ready my left hand's claws in case of an enemy counterattack.
*KRAK*
My claws pierce the chest's flimsy wall with ease. But, how can this be an enemy? It seems to be made of normal wo—
*shump*
I feel a sharp spike of pain from behind.
No, damnit! Did someone attack me?
I turn around and am met by— nothing. Again, pain from behind! I feel it in the same place on the back of my scaly neck. I put my hand onto my neck.
*ploop*
It doesn't reach my neck. Instead, there's some sort of squishy blob there. I swear, if that's the so-called enemy I was supposed to defeat...
I grab at it with my claws, but my hand jerks away as if I were feeling pain. Except, I didn't feel anything.
My world begins to spin. The blob latched onto my neck simultaneously swells in size.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/004g_e.png]
Sure, something this small should've been easy to defeat, but I have no idea what it is or what it's doing. This gap in information has really screwed me over. Damnit!
The blob swells again. I feel strength drain from my body in tandem— I feel like I'm about to fall to the floor. I try to attack my own neck with my claws as a last-ditch attempt at saving myself. My orange scaly arm decides to not listen, refusing to attack the blob thing.
Before it swells again, I need to kill it. I MUST kill it. I force my arm to move with all my might. I manage to fight against the restriction bit by bit.
The blob swells larger again, simultaneously feeling like it's creeping down the inside of my spine. I hear a voice.
"Oh, hello there! You're SUUUUPER tasty."
Nooooo! I pull and pull against my own subverted mind, trying my damnedest to escape its clutches. Whatever the hell 'it' even is! Why is something so dangerous in the middle of a city?! This is nooooot working!!!
I need a solution to this monster.
The map shows up, showing a red X over the room I'm in.
I'm stunned for a moment.
I don't wanna know what that means.
I feel the blob slip fully inside my body. It's squirming and growing rapidly inside my torso now, spreading along my muscles and bones as it goes. It's not slowing down— it's speeding up. This is BAD.
I try to activate Chronometric Fixation with my Will. I don't know if it can be activated, but—
(~THhshhTtTttsht~)
...
Nothing at all seems different.
No, no way. You gotta be kidding me?
Status?
Name: Rafien
Level: 1
Job: None
Skills: Mind Control (forced)
Talents: None
Stats:
Str: 11
Sta: 12
Int: 117
Wis: 43
Okay, so Chronometric Fixation is gone. That's bad. It was a one-time use talent and I screwed it up. I don't even know what the thing does because I panicked and forgot to ask. I don't think it made a damn difference, though.
Second, all my stats have gone up. For some reason. Since I'm still level one, I doubt it has anything to do with my own actions. It's probably the blob.
I'm going to ignore the mind control. Ugh.
"Why? I like mind control!"
Of course you do.
...
Wait. Is it reading my mind?
Damn, status!
Name: Rafien
Level: 1
Job: None
Skills: Mind Control (forced)
Talents: Parasite (24%)
Stats:
Str: 16
Sta: 19
Int: 122
Wis: 61
Okay! Okay, so 'Parasite' is considered a 'talent' now. That's better than nothing. So, now how do I get this horrid thing out of myself.
I feel it squirming down to my gut, where it spreads into my abdomen with great speed.
Ugh. Status, Parasite.
Parasite (53%)
Parasite has consumed 53% of your faculties. It is currently in the process of growing.
Whaaat? It was at 24%! No way! Never mind my arms; my entire body feels locked in place. This is really freakin' bad!
I feel the thing crawling back up my spine from my abdominal area. I don't know why it had to go down there, but I seem to be losing sensation of my body starting from my legs. I realize I can move my head, so I look down.
My weird legs have bulked up substantially. They were already muscular before, but now my scaly walking devices look like they belong on some kind of lizard body builder. Clearly, the parasite isn't solely affecting my nervous system.
"Nuh! Not 'the' parasite! My name is Parasite!"
I feel the annoying blob still crawling up my spine. As it reaches the base of my neck, I notice— I can't move at all anymore. My body straightens up without listening to me.
My right arm comes up and rubs the back of my neck. Is it my neck? I'm not doing that.
Then, I feel the thing slip up into my brain. I don't feel it, actually, so much as know it. Exactly like that time I knew I was dying.
I just...
I just started over!
I don't...
Arg.