Chapter 7
(Wagglebottom)
"May I suggest that you choose your weapon now, suzerain?" Xinpo asked Jarow telepathically, his mental voice tinged with a mix of trepidation and excitement.
Jarow opened his character sheet, his eyes darting across the screen as he scanned the lengthy list of available weapons. "Yeah, that's a good idea," he whispered in response.
He searched for 'dagger,' but it was nowhere to be found. "Ummm... You don't happen to have another form do you? Dagger doesn't seem to be on the list."
"Perhaps you need to keep scrolling down, look for small blades or knives," Xinpo instructed, his growing anxiety audible through the mental connection.
Jarow continued scrolling down the list, his heart beginning to pick up its pace. The sound from the hall drew closer, the clicking of claws followed by a rhythmic scraping of something metallic against the floor growing louder with each passing second.
Jarow's elven senses were acute enough to determine an approximation of what he heard by extrapolating the sounds and connecting them to the most likely producer of said sound. He couldn't be certain, but after facing the Shlazak and then the uncharacteristic coincidence of something being heard directly after talking to Xinpo about the next monster showing up, claws seemed like the most likely candidate for producing the clicking sounds.
The menu offered a dizzying array of weapons: mace, morningstar, nunchaku, quarterstaff, rapier, slingshot, scimitar, spear, sword, shillelagh, trident. But still, no small blades.
"No small blades either, Xinpo," Jarow muttered under his breath, his anxiety rising with each passing second.
"Swords may work, or perhaps simply blades?" Xinpo suggested. He had assumed the dagger would be a common enough weapon that it would appear in any form of general weapon skill list, but now he began to wonder if he'd chosen an incompatible form.
The rhythmic clicking echoed closer, its maker obviously moving forward at an even pace. Jarow’s senses struggled to pinpoint the source of the grating sound, his mind conjuring up nightmarish visions of creatures with bladed arms or metallic scorpion-like tails, desperately trying to reconcile the sound with a possible source all the while still searching through the list of weapon options.
Jarow hurriedly scrolled backwards through the list, desperately searching for the elusive 'dagger' option. His eyes raced down the page, skipping over entire sections of the alphabetized weapon’s catalog until he reached the 'B's: Ballista, Baton, Blowgun. But no blades. In desperation he frantically followed the list upward and continued reading, his eyes darting across the choices: Bow and Arrow, Battleaxe, Crossbow, Cudgel, Cutlass, Dagger, Dart, Dirk.
As his mind read the word, it didn’t register at first, then with startling realization Jarow mentally did a double take. He was almost sure when he had last looked through the list the sequence went: Cudgel, Cutlass, then Dart. Jarow wasn't sure what had happened or why he had missed the entry, but was relieved to finally find the 'dagger' option. He hastily clicked it and a sense of relief washed over him as he finally had found what he needed.
Do you wish to choose [- Dagger -] as your simple weapon proficiency? Caution: this option can not be changed at your current level. Weapon proficiencies can only be modified at higher levels.
At this moment, Jarow couldn’t give two shits if he could change his choice again, so he hurriedly told the system, “Yes.” The menu disappeared from in front of his character sheet, which now showed his beginner-level skill with dagger.
“I can feel it getting close, suzerain. It's right on the edge of my aura. Get ready," Xinpo mumbled quietly in Jarow's mind, his voice laced with anxiety.
Jarow darted a quick glance around, searching for any semblance of cover. Standing out in the middle of the hallway was probably not the wisest choice, his brain belatedly informed him. Now that he wasn't preoccupied with navigating the UI's menus and his survival instincts were beginning to kick in.
Luckily, he had just searched the cell just behind him, and the door remained open. With a swift and silent movement, he ducked inside, not daring to close the door for fear it would cause unwanted sound.
The room he had ducked into was on the side of the hallway where the cell doors opened inwards. This meant that whatever lurked in the hallway could easily push the door open if he decided to close it. Therefore, in this situation, closing the door seemed undesirable because the door itself would offer better concealment than defense.
Jarow's brain told him that this wasn't the most strategic position. But with too many unknowns and the creature's presence growing closer, it would have to suffice for now.
Jarow's eyes remained focused on the hallway. He had positioned himself behind the door, but kept his head poked out in order to continue to see through the doorway. The corridor remained still and unmoving, but Xinpo informed Jarow that the creature causing the unsettling noises, abruptly stopped before getting any closer to his aura senses.
"I can sense it there, just inside the fog at the farthest extent of my abilities, so unfortunately I am unable to ascertain a clearer description, suzerain?" Xinpo mentally whispered.
Jarow was hesitant to talk, but he wanted to ask Xinpo what was going on outside the room. He moved the dagger close to his face and whispered as lightly as he could, "What is it doing?"
"It's just standing there," Xinpo telepathically answered. He then continued, explaining, "Instead of whispering, try talking to me mentally, suzerain. It will be much easier and less loud to communicate that way."
Jarow took a moment, paused. He had never done anything like trying to speak to someone else from inside his own head, so had never really considered it. He was used to Xinpo talking to his mind, so it made sense that he should be able to talk back in the same way.
"You can hear me like this?" He asked questioningly inside his head.
"Yes, good job, suzerain." Xinpo replied, pleased.
Jarow was a little embarrassed that he had never thought of this before. He was also somewhat excited and felt the next question he asked come out a little too enthusiastically, "How big is it?" He was obviously thinking about the size of the monster, yet a small snicker followed the thought.
Xinpo, for his part, didn't seem to notice the over-enthusiasm or the implied innuendo, and replied with his usual decorum. "I can't 'see' it clearly, but I would estimate it's roughly the size of a Quigza."
The strange word Xinpo used was extremely confusing. Not only did Jarow not know or understand the word itself, but it caused Jarow to realize that his new friend Xinpo was from a different place. Thus far, they both shared the same vocabulary and references, so thinking about him being similar to himself was much easier than dealing with Xinpo being another unusual aspect of his new reality.
However, he didn't know what a Quigza was, nor did he know how big it might be. He also didn't know how to spell the strange word. "Um, Xinpo? What's a kwigsa?" he asked, slightly confused.
"A Quigza! You know; furry, four legs, three tails. A Quigza," Xinpo replied, assuming Jarow would recognize the creature.
"That really didn't help me. I don't know the word or the animal you're trying to describe," Jarow confessed, a tinge of frustration evident in his voice. He had the suspicion Xinpo was describing something similar to a dog, but he wanted to press a little more to see if this misunderstanding was due to his memory loss or a part of Xinpo's knowledge which Jarow didn’t have.
“You really don’t know what a Quigza is?” Xinpo asked curiously. “It seems we truly are indeed from different worlds, as I’ve suspected for a while now. My apologies, suzerain. I was unaware. A Quigza is a creature, ranging from quite small to rather large, with most variants standing around three feet tall.”
Rather than being comforted by the somewhat familiar size reference, Jarow’s mind reeled as he took in what Xinpo said. Not only did it seem more and more like Xinpo was describing a three tailed dog, but how could he know to measure it in feet?
He had a rough understanding of how large a foot was, but he also believed there were other, more common ways to measure something. The strange yet familiar connection between him and Xinpo was truly bewildering at times, even the ability to speak the same language was astonishing once he began to think about it.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
How could Xinpo, a being Jarow was coming to terms with as being from an unknown place, know how to measure anything in feet? A measuring system that wasn't even the standard in his world? At least that is what his mind told him about his world and old life. These strange bits of knowledge filtering through Jarow's mind were extremely confusing at times.
A wave of disorientation washed over Jarow. How could Xinpo know the term "feet," only to use it to describe what Jarow was almost certain was a dog, yet call it a "Quigza" at the same time?
The more he thought about it, the more his head began to throb discomfortably. With a small shake of his head to clear his mind, he decided to put the topic aside for now, fearing that if he continued to dwell on it, his brain might literally explode, because it seemed anything was possible now.
That was not a pleasant thought, Jarow was still enjoying being in this elven body and would hate to lose it due to a brain aneurysm turned explosive brought on by his attempt to comprehend the strangeness of his newfound reality.
"If I die from a stroke and wake up in another body, what's next, waking up as a duck?" he darkly chuckled to himself, a hint of self-deprecating humor laced within the thought.
To keep the conversation moving, Jarow raised his hand to a height he estimated to be three feet from the floor and leveled his palm down horizontally to mark the height he assumed three feet was. "About this tall then?" he asked Xinpo mentally.
"Yes, suzerain," Xinpo confirmed, "give or take an inch."
A shiver ran down Jarow's spine. “No,” he thought, “don't dwell on it. Let it go.” With some effort, he managed to regain control of his thoughts. The potential danger posed by the unseen creature was a more pressing concern than the absurdity of his situation or how Xinpo chose to measure.
“Okay,” he said telepathically, “I can’t hear it anymore, but it’s still there, right?”
"It has not moved, I believe it's waiting, suzerain." Xinpo replied.
Waiting for what? Jarow wondered. He and Xinpo were the only living beings he had encountered in this strange place, apart from the beetles and the Shlazak. Could the creature smell him, or perhaps it had heard his whisper earlier?
It seemed they had reached a stalemate. The creature remained motionless, and Xinpo could discern no further details about it. Several minutes passed, and neither party made a move. Those minutes stretched into an hour, the creature maintaining its position, as did Jarow and Xinpo.
"I don't think I can endure this much longer," Jarow thought to Xinpo. "I say we charge at it and see what happens. Maybe I can land a hit on it before it realizes what is happening." His youthful elven body yearned to move, to be active, and found remaining stationary to be an excruciatingly boring chore.
"I am not certain, suzerain," Xinpo responded thoughtfully. "If it intended to attack, it has had ample opportunity. Perhaps its presence here serves another purpose?"
"What other purpose could there be in a place like this?" Jarow retorted, his impatience evident.
The debate continued as the minutes ticked by. "If you truly feel the need to alter the situation, perhaps we could attempt to retreat?" Xinpo suggested. "It may remain stationary, unable to see or hear your movement. That would allow us to formulate a more effective strategy, suzerain."
Jarow took a moment to ponder this option. Moving and accomplishing something would undoubtedly satisfy his urges to move, but he wasn't eager to back down from a potential fight either.
Jarow’s mind remained clear though, and unaffected by this body's anxiety, so he was able to see the advantage of a strategic retreat. Also, in the end, Jarow couldn't think of any better options. Their choices were limited to advancing or retreating, attacking or running away.
"All right, let's back away by one door and see how it reacts," Jarow decided and telepathically informed Xinpo. He straightened up and cautiously moved backward out of the doorway, his gaze fixed on the foggy area where by Xinpo’s accounts, the creature stood. He held his dagger high in a defensive stance, anticipating an attack.
He swiftly positioned himself against the wall to maximize his stealth skill and began slowly backing away, his feet making no sound, inaudible even to his keen elven ears.
Sneak skill upgraded. Congratulations, you’re skill has advanced to: [- Intermediate -]
Jarow mentally brushed the window away from his view, but he couldn't resist checking his log window as he slowly walked backwards, it read:
Sneak successful, you are well hidden.
A subtle smile curved one side of Jarow's lips. He was genuinely proud of himself. He felt this elven body was adept at stealth, and the log entry he read proved it to him.
Carefully, he retreated backward, sliding soundlessly against the wall until he reached the next door on the same side. Luckily, he had opened all the doors up to this point, allowing him to slip effortlessly into the room.
Once again, Jarow positioned himself on the internal side of the door but kept his eyes glued to the hallway, scanning for any movement.
Moments passed, he held his breath and waited for something to happen, but nothing did. Finally he asked Xinpo, "Well, did we lose it?"
"Yes, suzerain," Xinpo replied, "it appears you did an excellent job of staying... wait."
Jarow could detect the curiosity and nervousness in Xinpo's voice and wondered what had happened.
"It appears to have followed you, suzerain," Xinpo announced. "It has moved the same distance as we did and then stopped, just beyond my ability to sense clearly. Once again it seems to be obscuring itself in the fog at the border of my senses."
"How can that be?" Jarow inquired, double-checking his log window. He verified the message of his successful sneak; there had been no indication of failure. He thought this meant that he had successfully evaded the creature's detection, so how did it know they had moved at all, and exactly how far?
He had previously considered the possibility of the creature being able to sense them in a similar way to Xinpo. Now, it seemed certain: "It must possess the ability to discern Xinpo's sensing range in order to maintain a distance just beyond it," Jarow thought to himself as he reevaluated the situation.
"This is troubling," Jarow stated to Xinpo within his own mind. "It knows the limits of your senses, and the fog obscures it from my sight."
"Yes, suzerain," Xinpo agreed. "I have reached the same conclusion. This creature is no ordinary monster. It has to have a more deliberate purpose than to simply hunt you. It is waiting for you to make the first move."
They remained on guard, their options even more limited than before. Retreating further would obviously serve no purpose, as the creature could apparently sense their movement and position regardless of how stealthily they moved, not to mention that Jarow had learned there was no point in going backward past his original cell, as the hallway began repeating itself endlessly.
Their only remaining path was forward. The question was whether to fight or attempt to communicate with whatever it was hiding and waiting for them within the fog.
"Well, I don't see any more point in retreating, I suppose we may as well face what's out there. Do you agree, Xinpo?"
"Indeed I do, suzerain, and as always, you have what assistance I can offer." Xinpo added. The sentiment gave Jarow some added courage, something he desperately needed now, since he was about to walk out into the grasp of what his mind was continually conjured as a monster ready to kill him again.
With a deep breath, Jarow straightened his posture and walked out of the room. He still held the dagger out in front of him, more for defense than in any aggressive way. He stood for a few moments, anticipating an attack, but none came.
Slowly he began walking forward. The fog, as it always did, moved along with him. The hallway before him seemingly being created as the mist pulled away from its surface. He took only five steps forward before the fog slipped from around the form of the creature which was stalking him.
What Jarow saw as the mist unfurled, revealing the three-foot creature he had been fearing since its arrival, sent his mind spinning. The absurdity was even greater than how Xinpo knew to measure in feet or even how they shared a language.
Before him stood a small bipedal creature, approximately the same height as Jarow had guessed earlier. Its body was mostly hidden beneath plates of shiny steel armor that it wore over its body of stringy white fur.
"I told you it was a Quigza!" Xinpo's mental shout reverberated through Jarow's mind. The dagger’s excitement rang clear before a recoil of embarrassment could be mentally felt by both parties.
Jarow flinched at the sudden mental shout from Xinpo, but he quickly regained his composure. To him, the little creature which stood before him resembled an oversized schnauzer stuffed into a full suit of armor.
Jarow wasn't quite sure how he knew what breed of dog this creature reminded him of, but the name seemed to fit in his memory-deprived brain. From the long, straggly hair and the small, dark eyes, even down to the clawed feet it used to walk, the diminutive creature resembled an upright schnauzer.
The only significant differences Jarow could see were the hands and the multiple tails. Instead of paws like a normal dog, it had five small fingers, each tipped with a small black claw.
The Quigza stood stiffly upright on its hind legs, in its left hand it held a polearm with a wooden shaft and metal tip which looked like an axe head with a pointy tip at the top end. The weapon was small in comparison to the image Jarow held in his mind of a human size weapon, but seemed rather large in the hand of this Quigza.
A small sword was strapped to its side, although once again comparatively to the Quigza’s size, the sword could be considered more like a large dagger to someone Jarow’s size.
Jarow noticed the three fluffy white tails protruding from the Quigza’s posterior as he stepped forward. They hung down rigidly in a sign of readiness instead of swaying animatedly as Jarow had hoped to see, and they remained stiff as he approached.
The Quigza’s head was free from a helm which revealed its long, bushy whiskers that bristled around its tiny black nose and small, dark eyes which gleamed with an intelligence that was both unsettling and captivating at the same time.
The Quigza stood tall and resolute, as if guarding its position. Its ears twitched as it noticed Jarow, and its dark brown eyes focused intently on him. A small snarl caused the Quigza’s lips to curl back slightly, revealing short white, but obviously sharp teeth. Yet, no other movement betrayed its dominant stance.
Jarow paused to study the creature before him, a smile teasing his face. After a moment of mutual stillness, he cautiously moved closer, taking slow, cautious steps. As he neared, coming to within only a few steps of the Quigza, it lowered its polearm towards him and barked.
"Go no further," it commanded. The voice, though very similar to a bark, also had within it a growl-like quality that shaped the sound into intelligible words. It was an odd yet also oddly charming and surprisingly clear voice. "Who are you, state your name and your purpose."
Jarow knew he had to control himself, but it seemed like every fiber of his being urged him to rush forward and tackle the adorable creature and rain down a torrent of ‘good boy scritches!’
But despite the polearm reaching only to Jarow's chest, he had no doubt the little fellow would know how to wield it, so he halted his advance and forced his mind back to the reality of the situation. This, after all, was the creature that had been stalking them, and he knew there was more to it than met the eye.
"My name is Jarow," he stated, unable to control the smile that crossed his face as he spoke to the adorable Quigza. "And I don't know what I'm doing here or even where 'here' is."
The schnauzer-man gave Jarow a thorough once-over. He had been watching him as he moved forward, but it seemed only now that he was truly taking him in. "Where are your clothes?" he inquired, his voice laced with curiosity.
Each time the cute little guy spoke it made Jarow’s smile widen. “I don’t have any, no I don't. But you are so cute I just want to snuggle you, yes I do.” Is what Jarow wanted to say.
"I don't have any," he replied, a hint of amusement lacing his tone. "I woke up here without any clothes. I've been using the blankets in these cells to cover up as best I can." Despite his predicament, Jarow couldn't help but relish the interaction with the Quigza.
The canine knight cleared his throat with a sound that resembled a dog's sneeze. Jarow almost felt compelled to start baby-talking to him for real this time.
"I can tell you're eager to pet this fellow, but I have a hunch something's wrong," Xinpo whispered cautiously into Jarow’s mind.
"And that strange blade, how did you come across such a weapon?" the Quigza barked.
"Actually, it was..." Jarow began.
"Do not reveal my transformation or my sentience," Xinpo interjected swiftly, cutting Jarow off before he could tell the whole story. "Something's not quite right here."
"Uhh... in truth, I found it beneath one of the blankets in one of the cells," Jarow replied, trying to conceal his surprise at Xinpo's warning.
The Quigza-knight emitted another harrumph, before shaking his head and seemingly accepting the explanation.
Before any further questions were asked of him, Jarow took the opportunity to ask a question of his own. "Who are you, and why have you been following us?"
While relieved to discover the creature stalking them was a cute dog-person instead of the metallic scorpion-tailed, spider-bodied, clawed, poison-spitting monster he'd envisioned, Jarow couldn't resist the opportunity to inquire about their situation.
The small Quigza paused momentarily before responding. "My name is Sir Wagglebottom."