The Fool's Freedom

A wolf rider came out first. It was a bit generous of a term as the kobold was holding for dear life to leather reins it had somehow put on the dark wolf. The kobold gave off odd sounds and for a moment Alan had this thought that it was… giggling?

It all ended too soon as an arrow found the kobold’s throat and ended its fun. At least it had died happy. The wolf was confused for a few seconds, then threw its dead master on the ground, gave the group a look that could be interpreted by those who REALLY loved animals as grateful, and ran into the forest.

“Huh,” Ashlyn exclaimed.

There was a wave of rustling as two more wolf riders came out of the forest. Alan did as was told and drew the bowstring after placing one of the kobold arrows on the bow. He aimed, making sure the pointy end aligned with the kobold’s head, and let loose. The arrow did a magnificent arc, which in itself was an accomplishment, and fell about five meters away from its target. Thankfully, the kobold toppled over a second later as another arrow stuck it in the chest, courtesy of Florence.

She can shoot a bow now too? The world was unfair.

Alan grimaced, and tried again, aiming the second wolf-riding kobold, which was looking around stunned. This time his arrow didn’t even go flying and just limply fell.

“God fucking damn it.”

Davis wasn’t doing any better. Alan’s ego wouldn’t have been able to take it if Davis too knew how to shoot a bow. The man grunted and put the weapon down, taking out the bundle of short spears from his back.

Florence was completely focused on the kobolds, having forgotten her bow for the moment. Whether she was sucking the happiness out of them or storing what they felt during the moments of their death, he didn’t want to know.

There was rustling as another ten or so kobolds finally caught up to their wolf-raiding leaders only to watch as another one of Ashlyn’s arrows felled the last one. None of the wolves seemed to want to stick around.

There was a moment of confusion but one of the bigger kobolds let out a loud roar and shook its staff. Alan’s eyes grew wide as Ashlyn's next arrow hit a transparent brown-tinted barrier that shattered like glass but managed to stop the arrow.

Do kobolds have magic? And it's fucking better than mine!

The day delivered blow after blow on his already fragile confidence.

There was a yelp as another arrow grazed one of the smaller kobolds. Florence said something under her breath that sounded very close to a curse.

Alan hadn’t done anything useful so far, but he didn’t mind getting carried by the women in the group. Sure, he was missing on levels, but was he really ready to die… to this? Had he asked them to leave him when it was so easy?

I am not thinking clearly. What am I doing… what even are my goals? I came to level and I got us into this mess. Fuck. I’m unraveling at the seams and I am taking others with me too.

Another arrow and another shattered barrier. The big kobold was visibly trembling and Alan was sure if it had pores it would be sweating. Instead, there were bits of foam forming around the corners of its mouth as it started taking careful steps backward while barking orders to the other kobolds who by now were taking cover behind trees and rocks, afraid to come closer to the center of the ruins.

If I survive this, I need to figure my shit out. Fix my skills. Davis developed his, why can’t I? I am not lazy. Am I stupid? God, Ash won’t let me live it down if I turn out to be stupid after all this time.

A kobold peeked with a loaded bow of its own and an arrow stuck it in the eye. No peeking. Alan knew the feeling almost intimately after endless nights of video games with Ash.

The kobolds seemed to be unsure of what to do as they rushed between covers, yelled, few tried to shoot their bows blindly which did absolutely nothing other than alleviate some more of the pressure the group felt.

I will figure it out later. Survive first.

Alan was thankful the monsters didn’t simply storm the ruins. Their group was only a few meters above ground, which still gave them an excellent advantage, but he was tired and he had recovered only enough mana for one or two [Mind Jab] casts before he went down like the first time.

“This seems a bit too easy,” Davis said. One of his short spears had nailed an unfortunate kobold to the ground.

“Yeah, nice hogging all the experience Ash,” Alan grumbled with a smile. He didn’t mind at all.

“Want me to help you get down there so you can get some experience of your own, Mr. Leave me behind?”

“Uh… nah, I will let you have your moment.”

“Figures.”

“Guys,” Florence joined, “Don’t jinx it.”

There was a loud hissing sound that seemed to come all around them as if tens of snakes had suddenly come alive. Alan knew what that signified and so did the rest of them.

And the kobolds did too as they collectively lost their shit, some even threw their weapons and bundled together next to the big staff-wielding kobold.

Alan felt a cold sweat on his forehead. There was still some daylight left, but it was going fast. Then again, they had only just assumed the light was keeping the monster away and had no proof.

Why the fuck nothing ever makes sense.

The horror walked out of the darker part of the forest, to the right of the kobold party. It moved silently, managing to weave between the trees and shrubbery with no effort. They could finally see its full terrifying appearance.

It had a thick and short snake’s body that rose upward as it neared the head, almost mimicking a torso. Two tough clawed limbs at the front dragged the massive thing forward with ease, grabbing the trees and somehow making sure it rarely touched the forest ground. Its long tail slithered behind it, coiling and uncoiling around trunks and branches with a dexterity that made it look almost unreal.

Instead of a snake’s head it ended into a misshapen mockery of a human face, cracked and seemingly frozen into a grimace. From the back of the face, like locks of hair grew long, dark, worm or tentacle-like protrusions that ended in jagged mouths. They elongated and shrunk, grabbing branches and biting at falling leaves that got too close.

The thing was fast. It was upon the kobolds in seconds, the only sound it made was the soft hissing coming from the jagged mouths of its tentacles. The kobolds simply threw themselves on the ground in prostration.

Only the big kobold remained kneeling, holding its staff diagonally, head lowered. Then they as one started chanting. It sounded like a mimicry of the hissing sounds the horror made, following strange tonal patterns. it was rough and broken, but it seemed to work as the monster just stood in front of them, tentacles drifting in a non-existent wind.

The world was still.

Suddenly, one of the tentacles shot like an arrow and grabbed a kobold, one sporting a pretty nasty wound that seemed at least a few days old. It screamed and thrashed, but its brethren made no move to help it, nor reacted apart from chanting harder.

The screaming kobold was torn apart slowly piece by piece. The mouths seemed to suck on its blood and throw away the useless pieces. A dissection and a feast that sent chills down the spines of all present.

Alan felt like he was in a nightmare. He could hear his heart beating in his chest. It had all happened too fast and all four of them stood frozen in terror.

We can’t win. Fuck.

“Florence,” his own voice sounded distant and rough to him, “Florence,” he repeated.

The woman looked at him and opened her mouth to answer but no sound came out. Alan made a few unsteady steps, getting closer to her. Then whispered in her ear.

“Take Ash and Davis, and run if things go sour, I can’t keep up,” he used his good hand to grab her. “Hear me? Make them run if you have to.”

Florence looked at him, wide-eyed. “I-I can feel what it feels, Alan, I—,” she stammered, her eyes filling with tears.

“Listen to me Flo, make them run. Ok? Make sure Ash escapes.”

She stared at him some more, then nodded. Good girl. She wouldn’t hesitate to leave him if it meant saving her own hide. That was a good quality. Alan didn’t much care about Davis, despite liking the guy, but Ash was different. Ash had been his stone, his anchor, his best and often only friend when he had gotten sick. She had gotten him a job, she had taken him out of the hole, and she had made him feel human again. He would be damned if she died because he was too slow.

There was another bout of hissing as the horror’s limb reached for the big kobold while simultaneously turning towards their group in a strange disjointed series of movements. It was listening to them. Looking at them.

“We need to run! Jump down!” Alan yelled. Ashlyn moved to help him but he pushed her away and down, catching the girl off-balance.

It was a big drop but he knew she would be fine as she adapted fast with her new attributes and had a safe landing. Davis did the same. Florence had a bit of a rough time but she seemed fine.

Alan hesitated to jump. There was loud hissing behind him and he turned to see the big kobold shiver while holding something in its palm. The horror’s tentacles had stopped a short distance from the creature and were slowly pulling back.

It was a small woven ball full of trapped glowing bugs.

The fuck…?

There was no time to consider what he had seen as the monster raged much like when the moonlight had landed upon it and turned towards them, sending a few of the other kobolds flying with its tail. It moved fast, climbing over ruins and rocks as if it were made for it.

Alan jumped and landed on his bleeding arm. There was a sharp pain in his shoulder and he could feel something was very, very wrong. His stats were shit. His body was shit.

Davis and Ashlyn took him by the armpits and helped him stand. As soon as he was on his feet, he pushed them away and reached for the spear he had thrown down before jumping. The small cage of bugs he had hung on it was still there, giving off a faint blue glow.

“I will be fine, Ash. Go!”

“Fuck off, I’m not leaving you.”

“Please! Florence!” he yelled. Something was above them. He turned and raised his spear eliciting a loud hiss he interpreted as agony and anger from the horror. It was on the side of the ruins they had stood on, the face frozen in horror seemingly looking at Alan with its hollowed-out eyes.

The tentacles rushing forward barely swerved to avoid the light of the bugs. Some of them started smoking as they got far too close. Still, they hit the ground between the group with surprising strength, making a cloud of dust rise, before pulling back in a flash.

Alan looked back and saw the others run. Ashlyn was visibly struggling but Florence and Davis pulled her away. He met Florence’s eyes and saw the tears in her eyes.

Ashlyn turned around a few times, her eyes were glazed, her expression confused. Whatever Florence had done it had worked.

And I thought I was going to be a villain. Ha!

He stood panting from adrenaline and exhaustion, holding the spear towards the creature. He was sticky with blood and his stabbed arm hung useless. The creature slithered down and watched him with its eyeless gaze.

“Yeah, you like that you fucker?” Alan taunted. He took a shaky step towards it, its tentacles hissed, again. That seemed to be the only sound it made. “Fuck off, will ya? Just FUCK OFF!”

It didn’t.

He started walking, never letting the monster out of his sight. It circled until he was walking back into the ruins, forcing him to retreat further from the group. If the kobolds wanted to kill him now, he was as good as dead. Better them than this.

He had wanted to try and follow the rest, maybe the bugs would keep the thing away long enough. He was tired, though, his body was giving up, and the creature had other plans. He had lost blood, stats, and his fucking patience.

Alan walked backward, careful not to trip. No blow came from his back. He didn’t know if it was a mercy or not.

The monster seemed calm now. It followed him, silently slithering and watching. Was it waiting for something? Were the bugs going to tire out and die? How long could they glow?

Alan was almost near his target when there was a sudden feeling of danger. He risked a glance and saw another horror, smaller, with a smiling mask for a face instead of the terrified screaming one the one leading him to a death trap bore.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

The new monster joined in the circling forcing him to alter his course yet again. They were playing him like a sheep. He obliged and went deeper into the ruins, cursing internally the whole way.

Almost there. One last shot at life.

He saw it from the corner of his eye, one of the cracks they had seen earlier. Just big enough for him to slide in, but not big enough for the horrors to follow. It took him only a few steps to reach it and he paused. The bigger horror was uncomfortably close and Alan decided to leave a going away present.

He thought of something witty to say. There was a chance these would be his last words and the creatures would simply drag him out and toy with his shattered corpse. Could they even understand him?

“Fuck you!”

Good job! Great last words!

He suddenly squatted and pushed his legs in with a grunt. He held the spear with the dangling ball of bugs like a shield and cast [Mind Jab]. The skill felt sluggish but it went off and he could feel it connect to something that didn’t even budge. There was a loud cacophony of hissing and he felt the ruin above him shake and saw the shadow of the creature go on top. Tentacles reached in after him but gave up as the light of the strange bugs once again made them retreat.

Alan laughed in relief and madness, then felt the ground around him sink as if it was quicksand. No. Way faster, as if he was in a giant sink and the drain stoppage had been unplugged and he tried to scream as the earth swallowed him.

INFORMATION:

Name:

Alan Morgan

Race:

Human

Class:

Adult

Level:

13

Titles:

Pioneer

ATTRIBUTES:

Strength

15

Dexterity

15

Vitality

5

Will

35(+2)

Mind

24

Magic

10

TRAITS:

Severe Weakness; Tongues of the four corners; Limited Vitality; Strong-willed

SKILLS:

Efficient Basic Movement; Mind Jab