It didn’t take long before Princess slowed down, lending some well-earned rest to Dex’s legs.
“Wait here. I’m going to double check that this shit isn’t compromised.” Princess echoed to him.
Princess scurried through a bush and disappeared. Dex could still feel her, however. He felt she was safe and, deciding that was a good sign, followed her through.
Breaking through the trees and brush, Dex found himself in a large clearing surrounded by thousands of beautiful flowers. This place would have been a florist’s dream back home. It felt peaceful. Right up until he noticed the dilapidated stone building in one far corner. He could see Princess halfway between him and the structure. He made his way over towards her.
“We should be good. Better to be safe than to be food, my mother always said.” She thought.
“Your mother seemed wise.” Dex remarked, slouching down as he stepped into the slumped stone doorway.
“Words mean nothing if nobody hears them, including the speaker.” Princess’s tone seemed to dip as she went on. “Seen her get scooped up by a [bird monster] ‘bout a year ago.”
“Oh my god. I’m so sorry.” Dex wasn’t sure how else to respond to such a heavy subject change.
“No no, it’s fine dude. Senile old bitch had it coming.” Princess squeaked, which Dex somehow knew was a laugh.
“Well, this seems like a subject for another time...”
Dex took stock of his surroundings after settling into the main room of this strange building. Besides the entrance he came through, there were three other doors. Two of which lead back outside. The final door lead to a staircase that, somehow, seemed to be lacking the titular stairs, save for the first two. The building was in such shambles he couldn’t even imagine it had multiple floors at any point in time.
In the far left corner of the room, Dex noticed a large pile of grass set up like a bed.
“Now that’s convenient.” Dex said, making his way to, and sitting on, the makeshift bed.
“Convenient? Please, give me some credit.” Princess thought. “I have been waiting for you for a while, as mentioned. I didn’t want you to be laid out on the ground like some animal.”
Dex found himself immediately relaxed as he settled into his new bed. It was nothing compared to a mattress back home, but given the day he’s had, he’ll take it.
“Aren’t you... I mean, like no offense, but...” He couldn’t figure out how to call her an animal without being rude. Obviously she was a rat, but for some reason she seemed to have a human brain in there. Or, at least, comparable to a human brain.
“Yes, Dexter, I am an animal. A measly little rat, aren’t I?”
“I didn’t mean it like that...” Dex blushed a little.
“I’m kidding, dude. I’m only as smart as I am because of you. Getting picked as your familiar really leveled-up my brain juices.” Princess scurried up next to him and curled up, pressing her back into his side, just under a flap of the poncho. Dex had a million questions buzzing through his head that he wanted to ask. Princess could hear his questions, he was sure of it, but she seemed to be just as tired as he was. It wasn’t long before the pair fell deep into a much needed sleep.
— — —
Tunkor lazily swiped the blade of his scimitar across a whetstone. The sound of metal on stone echoed through the damp cave, only scarcely interrupted by the other Vrakir mumbling and laughing. He had spent the better part of the last hour sharpening, yet somehow the blade didn’t seem any deadlier. His crew sat around a small fire, cinder and ash jumping from the cracking wood. The light barely reached their deep blue skin.
“The boss really has it out for this one.” Errock rumbled, just barely over the fire. He was the second in command, and the largest Vrakir in the group.
“’Ow do we e’en know this blast’d Transient is ‘ere?” Cormick Questioned. He must have spoken a little too loudly. Tunkor stopped sharpening, snapping his head over.
“I’ve told the lot of you once before. I’ll tell ya all again since you got maggots in yer ears.” Tunkor walked towards the four Vrakir seated around the fire, scimitar still in hand. “If ya gots a problem, come have a word with me, tusk to tusk.”
Cormick raised his clawed hands. “It ain’t like dat, boss. I’m a just sayin’, we ain’t seen’t the signs we seen before when the last Transient come ‘round these parts.”
“And I’m just saying, ya best be brute enough to stand and face me with more than words if ya gonna question my guts.” Tunkor smacked the side of the blade into his stomach. “These instincts of mine haven’t led us wrong yet, have they?” He pulled a small burlap sack from his waist, dumping the contents on the ground. “Or have you forgotten the last year of my work?”
Seventeen severed fingers scattered the ground by their feet.
Errock spoke up, “That’s not what he means, boss. He be meaning you no disrespect, we’s just tired and hungry is all.” Errock knew Tunkor was by far the strongest among them, and a bit unstable at that. He wasn’t sure the others knew just how strong he really was. If it came to it and Tunkor lost his patience, they’d never have a chance of fleeing, let alone overpowering him.
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“Ah, tired are ya?” Tunkor leaned into Cormick’s face. “Can’t last a month in Eazewood without a proper bed, can’t ya?”
Tunkor grabbed one of Cormick’s tusks and pulled him to his feet. He dragged the scared Vrakir to the entrance to their cave. “Go on then, get it done yourself so you can head back to yer safe little house.” Tunkor shoved him out the entrance, tossing the scimitar at his feet. “Take this rusted pile o’ shit with ya and bring back his finger and head by morning, then ya can go home.”
“A’ite boss.” Cormick slotted the scimitar into his belt. “Should ‘ave done this in the first place far as I’m a thinkin’.” He walked into the forest, disappearing into a blur as he activated his Camoskin and mumbling to himself as he left.
Tunkor stood back in front of his crew, a small fire began engulfing his hand. “Anyone else got somethin’ they feel gettin’ off yer chest?”
The remaining Vrakir stayed quiet, nervousness shone on their faces through the flickering dim light of the campfire.
“Good. Now get some rest, I’m sure we are pickin’ up his slack as the sun hits.” Tunkor held out his still burning hand towards the fire between the crew. The flames seemed to come alive as they elegantly flew into his palm, joining with his own flame. He snapped his hand shut, and the cave went dark.
— — —
Princess’s whiskers twitched uncontrollably, a putrid stench filling her overly sensitive nostrils. She shot up, panicked. What the hell is that? She wondered. It smelled of death, provided death itself hadn’t showered in at least a month. Whatever it was, it was getting increasingly unbearable. She scanned the room and saw nothing. Even in the pitch black of night, Princess could still see quite well given her Night Vision Rat Racial ability. She considered checking the perimeter but decided against it when she heard a leather boot hit stone. Something was there with them, but she just couldn’t see it.
A minute passed before she heard another step. It was closer this time. Whatever this thing was, was patient and diligent. Princess decided it was time to act.
“Wake up Dex!” She shouted into his mind. No reaction, aside from a light snore. He was deep asleep and couldn’t hear her thoughts. Fuck this. She bit Dex’s hand to wake him up.
“Ow what the fu-“ Dex shouted, getting cut off by Princess screaming into his mind.
“Something is here with us!” She sounded more afraid than when she was running from the voregar only a few hours ago.
Before either could say or do anything else, a flurry of footsteps rushed towards Dex. He was quickly lifted into the air by his throat, and the creature revealed itself.
A large blue-skinned humanoid, at least seven feet tall, stared into Dex’s eyes. Its massive tusks pressed into Dex’s cheeks, drawing a trace amount of blood that rolled down his neck. It seemed to be smiling. The creature wore nothing aside from some torn leather shorts and a belt to keep them up. In his hand, a rusted and dented scimitar which he threw to one side. The metal crashed into stone, echoing into the quiet clearing surrounding them.
“Need to ‘ave it sharp f’r when I cut yer ‘ead off.” Spit flew from the creature’s mouth as it spoke. “Figure I be killin’ ya the ol’ fashioned way.”
Dex grabbed at its arms, trying desperately to out-strength it. As he expected, there was no chance. It was like trying to bend a solid steel pipe with his thumb. He reached down for his sword and his hand was met with the free hand of the brute holding him.
“I don’t be thinkin’ so.” The creature smiled wider as it pulled Dex’s hand up, holding him by the wrist and neck now. It took one of its thumbs and drove its claw straight through Dex’s palm. He screamed, blood streaming down his arm.
Priscilla screamed into Dex’s mind, having ran behind the blue monster. “Kick it in the nuts when he buckles.” Without a second wasted, Priscilla opened wide and chomped on the back of the creature’s ankle. It shrieked in pain, loosening the grip on Dex just enough for him to catch a breath.
Dex did as he was told and shot his leg up directly between its thighs, a clear shot into its nuts. Assuming it had nuts, of course.
The creature seemed suddenly very human as it lost its grip on Dex entirely, dropping him to the ground.
“Fu’in’ b’tch.” It moaned in a noticeably higher pitched voice.
Dex didn’t waste any time drawing his sword with his uninjured hand, which luckily was his dominant one. He pulled back and thrust forward, aimed right at its abdomen.
A moment before the sword would impact, the creature spoke, its voice having a strange feeling of intent.
“Suh.” It said, its voice rumbling. A massive shockwave shot out from the creature. The walls of the building shook and princess was thrown straight out the door on the other side of the room into the clearing. Dex’s makeshift bed was blown into nothing. It’s as if a hurricane blasted from this creature, but only for a split second.
Dex, however, felt nothing more than a light breeze pass by him, and so did his sword. The blade pierced the creature’s abdomen, a sickly looking green ooze splattered the ground and walls around them.
“’Ow did you?...” It managed only three words as Dex pulled the sword straight up, clanging it into the ceiling. The two split chunks of the creature slumped to either side, blood and entrails spilling out in all directions. Its hips stayed connected as it fell back, slopping on the ground as a fresh carcass.
Dex fell on his ass, seemingly just as confused as, whatever that thing was, was just before he killed it. His hand pulsing with pain as his vision blurred slightly. Whatever that was didn’t affect me? He thought. Then another thought hit him.
“Priscilla!” He screamed. Dex looked around, having not seen where she went. He assumed she was blasted by the shockwave, but he had no clue where she was, or even if she was alive.
“I go by Princess, dude.” She echoed in his mind.
“Oh thank god.” Dex said, exhaling as she scurried back through the door.
“It was just a shockwave spell, nothing to be that panicked about. The real question is, why the hell didn’t you get knocked back?” She asked.
“After the last twelve or so hours, do you really think I know the answer to any questions you have for me?” Dex replied, a tinge of attitude lacing his words.
“It was rhetorical, obviously. I saw you stab him as I flew through the air. I was sure we, or at least you, were done for already.” Princess went to the corpse and began sniffing it furiously. “So that’s what they smell like. Vrakir.”
“Vrakir?” Dex wondered. “That’s what they are called?”
“Yeah, ruthless beasts. Most are savages, like this one obviously was. A few have made headway in some political scenes or as entertainers, but the majority of their race live in small clans or tribes, hunting and killing for sport. This is the first one I’ve ever met in person. Vile things.” Princess explained.
“Thanks for the info dump, Princess.” Dex said sarcastically.
Before she could give back any attitude, a small popup appeared in front of Dex.
[Slay hostile opponent: 3/3]
[Reward: Class Gem]
A small blue gemstone about the size of a pool ball sat on the floor at Dex’s feet. He didn’t see it appear; it was just there, almost like it always had been.
Princess’s ears perked up. “A class gem! I hadn’t realized you were going to get it so soon.”
“I take it this is rare?” Dex asked, holding the gem up near his nose, his hand still shaking from the fight. Not to mention the straight up hole in his other palm. The gemstone glowed faintly, almost too faint to notice.
“No, not rare at all. Everyone gets one, even me. Transients just don’t usually get them quite this quickly, or so I’ve heard.” She echoed. “I’ll keep a lookout, pick your class. We might need it. This likely wasn’t the only Vrakir in the area.”