Luther's Adventure Log

All Tuckered Out

"What'd you do with the ring?" Zarianna asked, looking up from Monica's unconscious form.

"Left it with my buddy Mountbank. I'll pick it up tomorrow. Any change?"

"She's all tuckered out, Luther. She pushed herself yesterday. It happens. She got cocky, used more power than her body can handle just yet."

"Shit. How's that happen?"

"Well, Pawns can become human through some really weird metaphysical bullshit. To put it simple, we spend so much time in our human bodies that we just... you know, get used to them. We become the mask, so to speak."

"Alright."

"Monica's spent too much time in hers. She's starting to become human."

"What? But she just... tentacles!"

"She's getting stronger, Luther. She can put more of herself into this body now. It won't be long now until her entire self can fit inside."

"How's that happening, though? She's like you now. All creepy and giggly and blurry. How is that even remotely human?"

"How are you human? You move faster than any man alive, you can rip trees out of the ground by their roots, you can take hits from monsters way bigger than you, and you can run across this entire country without getting tired."

"...I don't think I like what you're saying."

"You and Monica are linked. Like every Arisen and their Pawn. She becomes more human, you become... less so. Eventually, you'll be the same thing, more or less. Something in-between. Sort of."

"I definitely don't like what you're saying."

"You're not turning into a Pawn, if that's what you're worried about."

"So what am I turning into?"

"Unfortunately, it remains to be seen. You stopped being a human or an elf or whatever you used to be about a hundred levels ago. I mean, your eyes didn't glow before, now, did they? Let me put it this way; you're finally tapping into your true power as the Arisen."

"How!?" In response, Zarianna tapped the scar on my chest.

"Dragon magic is some crazy shit, my friend."

"Fuck. Will it stop if I get my heart back?"

"Maybe. Depends on the person."

"Whatever. I'll worry about that later. Monica's going to be alright, isn't she?"

"More or less."

"Not good enough, Zee."

"Ask her yourself when she wakes up. I've got business I need to attend to."

"You're not leaving again?"

"Nah. I wouldn't ditch you guys when things are getting interesting like this. I just have to check in with the Pawn Guild, or Barnaby will chew me out again."

As Zarianna walked out of the inn, I looked down at Monica's face. With such a cute sleeping face like this, you'd never guess she was an eldritch horror that just ripped a guy apart from the inside with her tentacles.

I'd fallen asleep at some point. I didn't remember when. But I woke when somebody touched my head ever so softly, and did so with a bit of a start. Embarrassingly, I'd been sleeping bent over in the chair, with my face in Monica's lap. I pushed my hair back out of my face and sat up, only to groan in pain. I had one hell of a back ache from sleeping in such a weird position.