I could hardly breathe.

Anubis, what have you become?

Blade edges bit angrily into one another as what had once been my lovable pet companion—now upright warrior—stood off against my assailant. The much-larger foe bore down on him, but Anubis didn’t seem to be giving any ground.

“This is your master?” Stratholm demanded, his eyes flicking towards me and then quickly back to Anubis.

“He’s too low level,” he continued, grunting with effort. “I call bullshit. He's a total newbie. No one's master would be this oblivious.”

Stratholm sneered.

"Unless, you're just as weak as him?"

In response, Anubis simply leaned forward, pushing harder against the devil-man's guard.

"Try me," he snarled.

Just as I began to wonder if they’d stay locked up like that forever, Stratholm sprang a few feet back, keeping his blade up for protection. His feet began to glow with a dark, foggy light. It seemed steam was rising from the ground beneath him.

“You’d better Mistwalk away from here, coward,” Anubis said, bringing his blade up defensively, and gripping it in both hands, “I will cut you to ribbons otherwise.”

Anubis, when the hell did you get so... cool?

“Yeah, fuck you. I’m going, dude,” Stratholm said, defeated, “don’t try to follow me, either.”

The creature's legs had been obscured by the same fog as his feet, and the rest of his body followed. After a moment, the mist dispersed, and Stratholm was gone. Anubis kept his eyes narrowed and focused, his sword still at the ready, presumably to make sure that Stratholm was true to his word.

Beyond the edge of the rock facing, two sparkling pillars of light appeared. Columns of blue and yellow crackling energy shot into the sky, and in a flash, were gone. A moment later, a third pillar appeared and dispersed near the tree line the same way.

“Good,” Anubis said, visibly relaxing and lowering his blade. He turned around and slid his sword into the sheath at his side, regarding me very seriously.

Suddenly, the stern look dissolved. His mouth fell open, and before I could react, he was running straight at me.

“Master,” he shouted, grabbing me in his tiny arms, “I missed you so much!”

He was a few feet shorter than me, about the height of a five-year-old, but he felt strong. His peered up at me, his tongue dangling from one side. There were tears in his eyes. He was the picture of joy.

I reciprocated by hugging the anthropomorphized pup in return. He was acting much different than a moment ago. No longer the authoritative rescuer, he was almost childlike in his glee.

This is such a strange experience.

For about the millionth time that day, I questioned my sanity, but quickly dismissed my doubts.

Insane or not, let’s see where this goes.

“Master, I’m so happy to see you! I didn’t know where you were or how I was going to find you, but I had a feeling if I just kept hope that eventually, I’d see you again! Kellmen thought I was crazy, but I knew that if I just kept searching, then you’d show up and then—”

“Anubis,” I said, chuckling, “calm down, buddy. Take a breath.” I stroked the top of his head like I’d done countless times in the past.

Was this what it was like to have kids?

He smiled up at me, his tail wagging. I beamed back at him.

Definitely.

“Let’s take this slow, okay?” I said, releasing the hug and sitting back against the cold rock.

Anubis nodded happily, plopped down into a sitting position, and started taking his boots off. He struggled with the first boot, and it came off with a dull pop. Then he jovially busied himself with the next.

“What were those things?” I asked, flicking my head where the attackers had vanished.

“Oh, Master, those are members of Malicious Intent. The one I squared up against was a Fomorian Scamp of some type, I’d imagine. Oh, and the other two were Fomorian Warriors,” Anubis announced casually.

“Fomorian,” I said, nodding, “so that’s what those devil things are called…”

Once his boots were removed, Anubis gestured, and a Menu sprang to life in front of his clawed digits. It was the same circular interface that popped up when I had interacted with the campfire. The tendrils of the image wrapped around him in midair.

Anubis selected a few options. The boots in front of him split into sections and materialized into several long strips of leather and a clump of metal. Then he unclasped the cloak draped from his shoulders. After a few option presses, that too seemed to deconstruct into its base components. A thin fold of dingy fabric sat next to the leather and metal on the ground.

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Anubis looked up at me, and cocked his head to the side. It was a familiar movement from back when he didn't walk on two legs.

“Master. This might take a moment. Is that alright?”

I shrugged.

“What might take a moment?”

He smiled back, his tongue lolling to the side again.

“I’m crafting a shirt and boots for you, Master," he said, "so that you don’t freeze.”

I nodded.

“...sure—Hey Anubis, why do you keep calling me ‘Master?’”

His black and white face froze, and then he chuckled.

“Because you’re my master, Master,” he said as if that explanation were obvious. Then, without elaborating, he returned to his work, picking up the leather and procuring a large needle and thick thread from his lap.

I stood, stretching. Instinctually, Anubis’ eyes snapped to my direction, but he seemed to catch himself, and went back to his crafting.

“No," I continued, "I mean, I’m not a ‘master,’ I’ve always felt like you were kind of my kid. Just call me Vale, maybe? Master seems too...weird.”

Anubis nodded.

“Sure thing, Master Vale.”

I sighed.

“We’ll workshop it.”

He didn’t respond, so I prodded a bit.

“Anubis, what happened to you and Lina?”

I’d been too afraid to ask at first, hoping he’d have offered up the information on his own, but my companion seemed blissfully content to just be in my presence.

“Oh,” he started, pausing his work, “she’s gone. I don’t know where.”

Without bothering to go into detail, he continued looping thread through the strips.

“What? What do you mean?” I asked, "wasn’t she right ahead of you?"

I began searching the tree line, incredulous.

"She couldn’t have gone far," I continued, "that was at most... three hours ago. Four, maybe? If we get going now, we can still probably find her.”

Anubis’ hands stopped midair. His eyes met mine.

“Master,” he began gravely, setting down the leather, “that was many months ago.”

“WHAT?!” I shouted. I hadn’t meant to scream, but I felt like my heart had stopped.

“Please, Master… Vale, you must be calm.”

I was getting a headache and pinched my temples. I rotated my fingers in small circles and then switched to rubbing my neck. My tension was ridiculous.

“I’m calm. Just tell me what happened after you came through.”

“Yes, Master,” Anubis said, "I'm not exactly sure what happened, but when I emerged from the portal, I found myself in these woods a few miles from here. I was scared. Confused. I didn’t know where I was or the circumstances, but I noticed something new. I was wonderfully aware.”

He finished one boot, and began work on the other.

“The world had changed me. It made me intelligent beyond my wildest imaginings. It had also given me the fine motor skills to walk about on two legs, to climb trees, to wield a sword. However, I knew that I was alone. Alone and searching for Master—er Lina," he looked sheepishly at me.

“She was gone. I couldn’t catch her scent, and I didn’t think you’d appear for some time.”

“Why did you think that?” I asked.

“Because, Master Vale," he stated, "you are a coward.”

That hit me like a ton of bricks.

“What? Anubis, why would you call me that?”

He cocked his head to the side again.

“I thought you knew this about yourself, Master Vale. You have always been very frightened by things. It is why I have always endeavored to protect you.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. Protect me?

“I was your protector Anubis. I fed you, sheltered you, and, despite my initial reservations—clothed you! I kept you safe!”

“You were my provider, Master, but not my protector. Master Lina was our protector.”

Our?

My own dog thought I was a coward. Anubis was keen to read my expression.

“It is okay, Master Vale. Cowardice is natural, but you have other abilities. Consider what you said yourself, a moment ago. You took care of my basic needs. You provided shelter and food, and kept me groomed when I could not do these things myself. I am aware of the disparity between my current state and my former. However, I am grateful, regardless. You are my Master.”

“Buddy, you’re blowing my fucking mind,” I said, trying to diffuse the apparently one-sided tension.

“So you haven’t seen Lina in...how long did you say?”

“Six months. Give or take. At least, in this place, it’s been that long. Time, I think, might work differently here than back home, Master Vale.”

He shrugged. I stayed silent as he finished the other boot, and watched as he worked to carefully assemble the cloak scraps. In less than a minute, the cloth had transformed into a nicely folded shirt. The clothing was a bit medieval-looking, but would do.

When in Rome...

I was impressed with how quickly Anubis had created the apparel and considered the items at his feet.

Crafting seems infinitely less time-consuming here.

“Please,” he said, reaching for the set and moving them near me. A window popped up.

Anubis would like to trade with you!

Yes/No

I selected yes, and another window expanded. Items populated. I realized there was a button for my own inventory, but once again, it was gray. Did that mean I didn’t actually have anything?

Will you accept...?

[ Durable ] Leather Boots

[ Clothing ]

Rarity: Super Common

Type: Greaves

Durability: 40 / 40

[Okay] Linen Shirt

[ Clothing ]

Rarity: Super Common

Durability: 2 / 2

Bluebell Potion [ x 1 ]

Type: Healing

Restores 60 Health Points over 60 Seconds.

Accept | Decline

I accepted all three items, and another message popped up.

Would you like to use Bluebell Potion [ x 1 ] ?

Yes / No

I selected yes. Instantly, the Potion appeared in my hand. The first thing I noticed was that it was roughly the size and dimensions of a bottle of beer. It had the same long neck and body, except the lower section of the vessel was a bit more stout. It was loosely sealed with a cork stopper, so I flicked it off onto the ground with my thumb.

A fine, obscuring vapor tumbled out of the open neck of the bottle, but seemed heavier than air. The fog spilled over the lip and made a slow tumble to the rocks below, puffing out in intermittent plumes. It reminded me of the way dry ice reacts in warm water and I used my left hand to muss and pinch the fog, playing with it, and watching it disperse around my fingertips as it coasted down.

Anubis cleared his throat.

"Master," he said, "you drink it, not bathe in it."

I chuckled.

"Fair enough," I said, "down the hatch."

I lifted the smoking barrel to my lips and tilted my head back, prepping my tastebuds to receive that disgusting medicinal taste that most prescription drugs had.

This is probably going to taste like mint buttholes.

However, as the liquid touched my tongue, I found I had been delightfully mistaken. The liquid was room temperature, not too cool or warm, and had the same taste and consistency as sugar water.

Finally, something is looking up in this place!

As I swallowed, I felt my body heat increase. A warm blanket of magical energy wrapped me in its comforting embrace, and sparkles of green light danced along my arms, legs and chest. I felt a similar sensation inside my body as well, and I watched as my HP slowly began to return to me, one second at a time.

I smiled over at Anubis, who beamed in return and winked.

Another message sprang up.

Would you like to equip [ Durable ] Leather Boots ?

Yes / No

I selected yes, and did the same when the prompt appeared again for the shirt.

Instantly, I was warmer. The clothing had already materialized on my torso and feet.

“Well…that’s cute,” I said.