The rustling in the bushes grew louder. Blood stained Dex’s right half, his body aching as he rest against the tree trunk. Whatever was in those bushes wasn’t nearly as large as the wolf, but anything could be a threat in this strange new world. He had gotten lucky twice now, and there was almost no chance he would get a third victory, not in his condition. Dex could barely lift his sword as his adrenaline spike started to fade and the agony of the wound started to set in.
“We need to leave, now!” That same voice he had heard just before the wolf burst through the bushes entered his mind again.
“Who are you?” Dex yelled out, shakily pointing his sword forward. He scanned for any movement, but the world around him had gone stagnant.
“The voregar’s howls almost certainly attracted its pack. Please, Dex, be a big boy and get the hell up.” The voice echoed in his mind. It sounded squeaky, almost like whatever was talking to him was squeezing a rubber ball with each word. Well, if you could even call this talking.
“How do you know my name?” He asked. Dex drove the sword into the ground and used it to stand.
“No time for that now, and I think you know that.” Finally, who had been talking decided to show themselves. He could not have prepared himself for what walked out of that bush. Barely up to his ankle stood a small rat, covered in snow-white fur and eyes as red as the blood splattered around them. “Follow me.” The mysterious rat said, then it bounded off.
Dex didn’t waste any time and kept up with his new friend as quickly as he could. Every step shot pain into his right side. How deep are these cuts? He wondered. Did it hit an artery?
“Unlikely.” He heard again in his mind. “Voregar don’t have particularly long claws, but they do have a small amount of venom that trickles out and can cause a burning pain. You will be fine, dude.”
“How did you hear me?” Dex said. He struggled to speak as he jogged after the rat.
“Look, there’s a lot to go over. The short version, I’m your familiar. Just keep running and I will explain shit in a minute.”
“My familiar? I thought I had to bond with something. I wanted a cool tiger or a dragon!”
The rat shot him a look that Dex felt was massive attitude. No, he didn’t just feel it, he knew it. He could tell what the rat was feeling. It felt insulted.
“I’m sorry.” Dex said.
“Please, just keep moving.” The rat said in his mind.
Until he couldn’t move any longer, the pair rushed through the forest. The pain and exhaustion he felt finally took over and Dex collapsed against a nearby tree. He had never been very athletic back on Earth, and it’s no surprise that hadn’t changed. Honestly, he was surprised by his ability to run for as long as he just did.
The rat stopped and ran up to him. “Is that all you got, little man? You really want to die because you can’t walk anymore?” It sat between his legs, red eyes staring him down. “Drink one of the potions in your back pocket. You’ll feel better in no time.”
“Oh potions, duh,” Dex said out loud. He should have realized sooner that the fruit juice bottles were health potions. Everything else here was so video-game-like. How could he not have figured that out sooner? Fishing out one of the bottles, he fumbled with the cork. It was stuck. Without realizing it, he held the bottle out towards the rat and it immediately bit into the cork, pulling it out. Why did I do that? He wondered.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“I’m telling you dude, we are connected. That’s how I knew they were in your pocket, because you knew they were there. I’m Priscilla, by the way. I usually go by Princess. Drink up.”
Downing the drink, Dex immediately felt invigorated. The aching in his shoulder dissipated and, if he hadn’t just been running for his life, he’d have guessed he just got up from a power nap. “The pleasure is mine, Princess.” Dex replied in a mocking, regal voice.
Dex and Princess carried on through the forest. Trees spanning dozens of varieties flew passed them, seeming to get closer and denser as she lead him deeper into the woods. He found himself able to run much longer than before. Maybe his physical attributes were being enhanced in this new world. He just hadn’t noticed because of the gash from the voregar. The more Dex thought about it, he realized he had been wandering around by himself for quite a while without feeling physically exhausted, even despite his tiredness from lack of sleep.
Finally, Princess stopped and began sniffing the air, her tiny whiskers twitching. “We’re in the clear. I can’t smell them anymore.” She squeaked into his head. Dex still hadn’t gotten used to another voice echoing in his mind, but at least Princess wasn’t trying to kill him. Yet, anyway.
“Oh, fantastic.” Dex said as he blasted to the ground against a tree. He didn’t feel as tired as he would have back on Earth, but he was thankful for the rest. “So,” he began awkwardly, “You’re my familiar, huh.” Examining his sword to avoid eye contact, Dex noticed that most of the blood from the spider and voregar had fallen off. It looks almost pristine, save for a few remaining spots.
“Sure am.” Princess squeaked. “Been waiting for you for a while now.” She scurried over to him and crawled up onto his shoulder. Somehow, this didn’t bother Dex at all. He never had a major aversion to rats or rodents like most people, but he didn’t particularly care for them, either.
“Listen, I know my initial reaction probably wasn’t what you were expecting.”
“No kidding.” Princess cut him off.
“Let me finish. I just wasn’t expecting you so quickly is all, and I hope we can still be a good team, you being a rat and all.”
“Wow, that was the worst apology I’ve ever heard, dude.” Princess hopped down and stared at him from his lap. “Now you listen to me. A familiar and their master is a sacred bond. Not everyone gets one, and you should be thankful you have me at all. Most Transients die within a day, and those that make it out of their starting zone last a week at best. But, you have me.”
“I just saved you from a big red wolf.” Dex countered.
“Sure did, and I’m going to save you from damn near everything else. If it wants to eat us, you’re our guy. If you want to eat it, leave it to Princess. I’m not saying the others died from voregar. Most idiots eat brieberries and die from poison.”
Dex remembered seeing dozens of bushes with berries of several colors before meeting Princess. The thought of immediately poisoning himself made him shudder.
“Alright, fair trade, I suppose. Oh, what’s a Transient, by the way?” He questioned.
“Ahh, right, ironically Transients don’t know about Transients. Basically, you aren’t from ‘round here.” Princess echoed in a strange accent. “You come from another world and are no longer a part of any. You are a guest.”
“Not a part of any? Does that mean I can go home?” The thought of being untethered to this world gave Dex hope.
“Oh no, you are definitely stuck here for now.”
His hope immediately disappeared. “For now.” He echoed. “I, well, we better make the most of it, I suppose.” Tiredness started to set in as his extra long day was finally catching up with him. He wanted to find a nice, soft bed to lay in. Somewhere comfortable to shut his eyes and ignore this place for a night.
“You’re tired. I know a place we can sleep safely. It’s not far from here.” Princess started to scurry off. Dex stood up and followed her, slinging the sword onto his right shoulder.
“I guess you are useful after all.” Dex joked. She shot him a look but didn’t stop moving. Before he could catch up, a small window popped up, a smile shone on his face.
[Find your familiar and bond to it: 1/1]
[Reward: Bonded with Priscilla, +1 Resonance]