by Grey Arney
His hit points continued to drop from the glancing blows, but he was outside of the canteen, in the open air of the marketplace—and in the firing range of the archers on the rooftops, as he quickly discovered. He never found out what became of the other Dire Bear.
You have been shot by an enemy arrow! You receive 54 damage.
You have been shot by an enemy arrow! You receive 19 damage.
The notifications kept coming, but he still had a lot of hit points. His only hope was to get clear of the goblins for just a moment, and to use his wolf form to flee to safety.
“Stop!” screamed Badger, who now stood on the top of a roof facing the north. The sun’s rays glowed behind him, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Hearing their leader, the meaning was clear. The goblins stopped and even backed away a few paces from him.
Badger barked orders to his lieutenants, and then addressed Arcturus once more. “I’m assuming you wouldn’t be here unless you had some kind of major quest assigned to you, and I need to know more about it,” Badger stated.
Arcturus lowered his head. He couldn’t speak in bear form. But giving up the bear shape would leave him with few options.
Sensing that he still may be able to reason his way out of this, he transformed back into a human. The goblins nearby started, jumping back another step.
“There is a quest to stop the Mudluck goblins from harming their neighbors,” he began.
“Who is the quest-giver?” demanded Badger.
“That I cannot say, as I do not know them by name.”
“You will tell me!” Badger lifted his hand into the sky and closed it into a fist. Upon seeing this gesture, the goblins nearest to Arcturus stepped even further back.
Arcturus was hit by a sudden wave of dizziness. The world began spinning, and he fell to his knees. He heard screaming, he felt his clothes being torn, and his limbs being manipulated, contorted into unnatural shapes. He felt the pressure of ropes binding him as he struggled to breathe. Then he shifted into wolf form, which was smaller and more agile than his human form. The ropes loosened as his body got smaller, and he struggled to twist his way out of the knotted mess. But blows came hammering down upon him, and more restraints, too. Ropes, a large cloth sheet, or a net. He didn’t know what. Thoroughly wrapped in the cocoon, he was tied up tight. If he switched shapes now, the change in size might strangle him as his flesh pressed against the restraints. All he could do was accept his fate and wait to see what happened next.
CHAPTER 10
The goblins dragged the captive wolf through the streets, causing minor hit point damage and major indignation. They must have entered a building now, as the cacophony of their voices swelled while more goblins crammed themselves indoors. Then they were dragging him down some stairs, as evidenced by the many similar notifications.
You have bumped your head on the staircase! You receive 1 damage.
This continued for what must have been at least two flights. Arcturus looked at his minimap and saw that they were somewhere near the altar in the center of the square.
Finally, there was the familiar clanking sound of iron bars. A prison of some sort. He was tossed into a cell, and nobody bothered to unwrap him, either. The door clicked shut and the sound of goblins faded as they ascended the stairs.
Considering that Badger was probably planning on interrogating him, it didn’t seem likely that he had much time. Arcturus rolled around in the bundle, knocking over a pail in the back of the cell. He rolled until he found himself up against the wall, and then wiggled his way backwards until he was in a corner. Now, using his hind legs on the floor for support, he was able to twist himself into a position that allowed him to get his teeth under one of the ropes binding him. He chewed at it with his powerful jaws, kicking his legs, repeating until the bindings came undone, and he was able to crawl out of the wrappings. He switched back to human shape and checked his surroundings. He still had all of his items—for now—because they couldn’t be removed from him while he was in wolf form.
He was in a dark place, and even with his Nightvision skill, he struggled to see. There was a lamp on a table outside of his cell. At the table sat a single goblin, who appeared completely uninterested in Arcturus. And in the cell opposite to him was a familiar figure gripping the bars.
“Is that you, Boss?” asked Fish. “Why did you come back? I was just about to get out of here and come find you,” he said.
Arcturus noticed that Fish did not look very good. He was bruised and squinting through one eye. His face was scratched and on it he wore a few drops of dried blood.
“I can’t imagine how you were planning on doing that,” he said.
“I was working on it!” said the goblin.
“Why don’t you leave it to me for now? I have a way to get us out of here, but I’m going to need your help. Can the guard understand us?”
“No, he’s not a player. And he’s very dumb. I’ve learned that much.”
Before he could begin working on his escape plan, Arcturus heard someone coming down the stairs. He quickly moved underneath the bindings and shifted back into his wolf form to protect his items.
Badger appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He spoke calmly.
“The first one who tells me what I want to know can leave,” Badger said.
Fish jumped up and down. “I will tell you! I’ll tell you what you want to know, just let me out!”
Badger opened the cell door and stared down at the smaller goblin. Arcturus felt the weight of the ballast of betrayal sinking in his chest.
“Well? Who is the quest-giver sending people to my doorstep?”
“Your mother is! It’s your mother, you cock-eyed half-breed!”
Arcturus winced as Badger raised his arm and delivered a powerful slap to Fish. The goblin was knocked backwards and the cell door shut. Turning to the jail-keeper, Badger barked some commands in goblin-speak, and stormed up the stairs.
Fish sat up in his cell, rubbing his swelling cheek. “This is not good. He told the guard he’d be right back. Maybe he went to go get something. I don’t want to be here when he comes back. Do you have any ideas?” Fish asked anxiously.
The thought of submitting to endless rounds of torture didn’t suit Arcturus, so he set his plan into motion. He switched back to human form and crouched to the ground, where he began calling the mana from the earth up into him.
In about five minutes, he had become a supercharged battery of Earth mana. He felt around in the earth, looking for its composition. Dirt, clay and rock. He imagined pushing pieces of it and visualized what the outcome would be. He estimated a 60% chance of causing a cave-in, but pushed forward. It was better than a 100% chance of being tortured to death.
Arcturus probed around with his mind, and finally found what he was looking for. A large rock underneath the stairwell, with loose sand underneath it. He moved the rock, pushing it through the earth. A low rumbling sound reverberated through the jail and the jail-keeper stood up, seemingly agitated.
Paying the construct no mind, Arcturus continued to slowly move rocks out from underneath the stairwell, creating a cavity there that was about the size of a garden shed. So far he had expended only a small portion of the mana he had prepared.
When he was sure his strike would deliver its payload, he unleashed all of his mana at once directly underneath the stairwell. The earth shook and rumbled, pieces of stone broke free from the masonry in the stairs, and dirt and debris shook loose. A crack formed in the mortar, but nothing happened. The guard was standing up and shouting, and there was more shouting coming from the stairwell.
Preparing his Earth Magic one more time, Arcturus sucked up as much mana as he could, and this time it was enough to make him feel as if he might explode. He heard footsteps running down the stairs. This would be his last chance. Probing deeper into the earth, he found an oblong stone far underneath the stairs. He turned it so that it was pointed upwards, and with all of his might he fired the needle
as if it were a torpedo, compressing all of the mana into it at once and sending it upwards. As it entered into the hollow area underneath the stairs it rapidly accelerated, flying upwards and punching through the masonry. Bricks fell loose and the stairs partially collapsed. They were now blocked by stone, although one could see through to the other side.
The guard was now fully panicked, and he had drawn his weapon and begun to approach Arcturus. He fumbled with his key and opened the cell door, pointing at Arcturus to get down to the ground and raising his sword menacingly. Arcturus feigned a bit of meekness but then blasted the guard with Burning Touch, immolating him and killing him instantly.
You cast Burning Touch on the Green Goblin, dealing 161 damage.
The Green Goblin has died. You earn 150 experience points.
Now free, he took the keys from the guard and went to release Fish.
The stairwell had filled up with goblins, all of whom were shouting. It was unpleasant to listen to their screaming echo throughout the jail chamber. But they could not get in. They began digging and clearing rubble, coordinating an excavation. There was no time to lose.
Arcturus entered Fish’s cell and locked the door—nobody would be able to bother them without a key. Then he blasted a hole in the wall with his Earth Magic, revealing wet earth and clay behind it. He put both of his hands deep into the clay, and it started to shift, pouring out of the hole.
Soon the jail floor was full of muddy clay, a thick layer of it that rose up to ankle height. Arcturus kept digging.
The goblins were making progress clearing the blast site. They coordinated to remove one of the largest stones left by the cave-in. As they focused their force on it in steady heaves, it rocked back and forth like a child’s first loosened tooth.
“Boss, they’re almost in. Whatever you’re doing, hurry!”
Arcturus would not hurry. This was a delicate job, and a small mistake could cause a huge disaster. Mud poured out from the hole and a tunnel began to form. He beckoned Fish to step inside.
But unfortunately, the goblins had freed the stone that they were lifting, which left just enough room for them to crawl into the jail, one by one, slithering across the slick layer of mud on their bellies before standing up to full height. The first of them had already made it to Fish’s jail cell, and was holding onto the bars of the door, shaking them vigorously. It made one hell of a clamor. Thankfully, Arcturus had locked himself in with the key. But surely they’d have another set nearby.
Another goblin had made it through, and then a third, and a fourth, and this last produced a key. He inserted it into the iron lock, and it made a robust click sound, followed by the hoarse whistle of the rusty door swinging open. All four goblins entered the cell at once. And if they had come just a moment earlier, they would have had their hands around the prisoner’s necks. But it was too late. Arcturus had found what he was looking for.
“We’re probably going to drown. Hold onto something,” he said. He was surprised to see the goblin’s lips curl into a relieved smile.
Releasing all of the mana that he could, Arcturus probed deep in the tunnel towards the source of water he had found. A crashing thunder rocked the chamber as water began pouring through, sluicing into the cells behind. Its current pushed hard on Arcturus, who was shoved back through the tunnel, stopped only by the outer stone wall of the cell. He grasped Fish by the hand, preventing him from being washed back into the jail, pulling him forward. The structure behind them filled with water, and the goblins were discussing what to do next. At least one of them had sufficient intelligence to recognize the risk of drowning because he turned around and evacuated the chamber. The others, unsure of what to do, followed him.
Arcturus sat against the outer wall of the jail cell while the area behind him filled with water. He had no idea what he had tapped into, or how much flooding he could expect. From the looks of it, it would be completely full in two or three minutes—and then they would have no air to breathe.
“Look, we’re going to have to swim up, but I don’t think there’s much chance we’ll survive. I don’t know any shapes that can swim or breathe underwater. And I don’t know how far we’ll have to swim. Maybe there’s not even a way to the surface up there.”
Now the goblin had a happy grin on his face. “Boss, do you know why they call me 'Fish’?” he asked.
With no time to explain, Fish clawed his way up the tunnel towards the gushing water. It was extremely slippery, and the force of the current pushed him back. When he had reached towards hole that was gushing water, he dove into it, swimming inside with powerful strokes, disappearing into the hole in the tunnel wall.
Arcturus was left alone with his thoughts. He wondered where Fish had gone, and started thinking about all of the shapes he had absorbed and wondered if any of them could breathe underwater. The Fletcher Snake would probably be able to survive for a long time without breathing. He watched the chamber fill up with water, which was now up to his chest, and decided that if Fish didn’t come back when it reached his chin, he’d transform into the snake and risk it.
But Fish did come back, surging forth like a triumphant surfer. He stood up and slipped forward on his heels in an awkward dance, as he held out a cupped palm, in which flopped a tiny little fish. In the dim lighting, Arcturus couldn’t see it very well, but it was a translucent pink color. He carefully grabbed the fish and absorbed its shape.
Do you wish to learn the shape of the Pink Cavefish (Level 10)?
You may learn unlimited shapes. The creature will not be harmed. (Yes/No)
“I’ll transform you first,” Arcturus said to Fish.
“Boss, there’s no need—” Fish began.
“We don’t have any time,” continued Arcturus.
“Exactly. I’ll see you on the other side. I’ll explain later.”
As if to prove his point, the goblin worked his way back towards the source of the water and swam inside.
Without wasting another moment, Arcturus began the transformation to the cavefish. His body shrank down into a tiny, translucent blob the size of a man’s smallest finger. His eyes were covered with flesh and disappeared entirely. A flood of new sensations hit him, as did the loss of many others. Most significantly, the fish was totally blind!
Arcturus started to panic, rebelling against his new form. He almost lost control and transformed back to a human, but reminding himself that he would certainly drown if he did that, he searched for another way to check his bearings.
He found that he was highly sensitive to water pressure, temperature, and current. He sensed the direction of the water flow, and he swam towards it. He was amazed by the strength of the little fish. He had gone as far as he could, and he struggled there against the water current, unable to move further, like a human on a treadmill. He didn’t know it, but he was only halfway through the tunnel at this point. The hole that was gushing water was still further ahead, but he couldn’t reach it due to the current.
But after a few moments, the current stopped. That meant that the chamber behind was now completely filled with water. But the air that the water displaced had gone up, somewhere, and he was determined to find out where.
Arcturus found that he could sense objects, including the dirt and rock around him. He could “feel” how far away each was. Although blind, he was able to visualize his surroundings based on this information alone. The eerie feeling could give anybody claustrophobia.
As he worked his way up, the water pressure decreased by a tiny amount, and the temperature also got cooler by no more than a hundredth of a degree. Still, he could tell that he was going the right way, so he carefully swam up, easily finding his way into the hole in the wall that he had made with his Earth Magic, and entering a much larger chamber of water. He continued his way up, towards the cooler water and the lower pressure, for what may have been five or ten minutes.
Finally, he experienced a familiar but terrible feeling. His mouth poked out into a pocket of air and
he could taste it. It was foul. His cavefish brain shared with him the urge to dive back down to the safety below.
He paused there for a long time, trying to decide if he should risk transforming back into a human now. If the air pocket was too small, he may not live long enough to return to fish form. Finally, he reasoned that this location was as good as any other; his chances of success would not improve by simply moving to another random place.
As Arcturus shifted back into human shape, he found himself prone, floating in a vast underwater basin. He reached his hand up into the air above, and was relieved to find that there was plenty of air. He reoriented his legs underneath the water, his head surfacing for the first time, and breathed in the air. It felt good.
The first thing he noticed was that he could see. He looked around, and the air almost left his lungs once more as he paused to consider this wonder.
He was floating in a massive underwater basin that was full of water. Above him, glowing like an entire galaxy of stars, sparkling in opalescent glory, were many tiny blue-green lights that seemed to throb in the dark. At first, he thought he had surfaced in a lake, and he was looking at the stars above. But something wasn’t right. Soon he noticed the curvature spelled out by the dots of light, which indicated that he was inside a cavern. But he still didn’t understand where the light was coming from.
That’s when he spotted a nearby stalactite that jutted down to meet him. Squinting his eyes and looking up, he saw what looked like a tiny jellyfish-shaped mushroom clinging to the rock surface, with white, fibrous tendrils stretching out around it. The mushroom was glowing a blue-green hue, pulsing softly in the dark.
He shouted out for his companion, unprepared for the oppressive reverberation throughout the chamber. “Fish!” he called, once. The echo was astounding! His words came back to him, clear and distinct, four or five times.
