“Louie? Come here, buddy,” I said as quietly as I could manage, not wanting to disturb the tiger.
Louie, however, wasn’t in a hurry to leave this place. In fact, he didn’t seem interested in leaving at all. As much as I hated the idea of getting closer to the creature, there was only one thing I could do. I stood up straight and puffed out my chest as much as possible. My body was muscular enough to put most of the Instagram gym-bros to shame. Likes and comments just can’t motivate you to lift weights for three hours every day the way that venting does. I had no doubt that the beast before me would rip me to shreds if it felt it could take me down. And I wasn’t going to leave Louie here. I took one small step after another, synchronizing them so that I would reach my dog when the tiger was the furthest away from me on its circle.
Walking forward with my chest puffed out didn’t provoke any reaction from the giant cat, but as soon as I knelt to pick Louie up, I suddenly became acquainted with the biggest fangs I had ever seen.
“I am not leaving without him,” I said calmly, and the tiger simply licked its whiskers in response, taking a step forward.
Before I had time to react, the tiger had swiped its huge claws down my forearm. Three deep scratches immediately started to pour blood and I was forced to set down the completely unharmed Louie on the ground again.
“That’s enough, you stupid cat,” I said and brought my swords up in front of me.
I tried to push Louie back with the side of my foot while maintaining my stance. He didn’t offer any resistance but neither did he pay me any heed. There was something about this tiger that made Louie act as if he’d been hypnotized. Well, if Louie wouldn’t follow me, and the tiger wouldn’t let me take him away, then I could only see one way out of this. Cutting down the leader of the pack.
I took a step forward and unleashed Mighty Slash on the tiger, which was alert but not fast enough to avoid it. My right sword left a red stripe down the tiger’s body, almost parallel to the purple ones on its fur. The beast growled and jumped back, bearing its teeth and slowing bending its knees. A few of the yandirs jumped forward to flank me but their leader roared, forcing them back. This was a duel.
The tiger waved its tail from one side to the other while slowly walking in circles, trying to catch me on the wrong footing. I kept my distance and matched its steps in order to counter-attack if it decided to leap forward. I had a bad feeling about this. All of the monsters so far had been capable predators but this one looked me straight in the eyes. Almost as if it was about to talk to me.
The massive beast jumped toward me but not close enough for my swords to hit it. Its objective, I realized, wasn’t to attack me but to cut me off from Louie, who was now directly behind it. It backtracked a few steps, pushing him back as he let out a soft whimper.
“You let him go!” I shouted, anger boiling inside me, and I charged forward.
The tiger leaped toward me and our blood was mixed in midair as both of my swords sliced into its belly and its left claws sank into my ribs. So strong was its swipe, that when its sharp claws got caught on my leather vest, it spun me around fast enough to make me turn twice before I landed on my back. The blow was accompanied by a spray of bright-red blood. I heard Louie bark at the tiger, which was already moving again.
How dare this… beast come between me and Louie? Does it really think I’ll let it take him into its pack?
I only had enough time to take in one deep breath before the tiger landed on top of me, forcing it out again. It licked its whiskers as its paws held my arms down, its nails digging deep into my muscles. It opened its mouth, revealing its sharp white teeth.
It’s playing with me!
My vision took on a red tint again as I couldn’t contain my anger anymore.
I will fucking show you not to play with me!
The tiger definitely didn’t see this one coming. I crashed my head into its mouth as hard as I could. I was sure I heard two different cracking sounds, one of them reverberating through my head, but I couldn’t feel it. I couldn’t feel anything but rage at the audacity of someone trying to take Louie away.
My headbutt was enough to throw my aggressor off balance long enough for me to reach one of my swords with my left hand and dig it into its side. Still confused by the first attack, the tiger jumped away and shot me a feral look, thick red saliva running down its fangs. I jumped up and saw my health steadily falling as the Active Affects icon flashed.
Name: Bleed
Type: Condition
Level: 1
Effect: Lose 25 HP every second for the duration of the condition or until the bleeding is treated
Time Left: 19 seconds
The tiger had wounded me more seriously than I thought. I only had a few seconds before I bled to death. I quickly uncorked the small vial I had stashed in one of my pockets and downed it in one gulp. My HP bar started to jump back and forth as the two effects battled against each other. I had no idea how much the potion would restore over its 15-second duration, but it seemed to stop my HP from declining too much. This was all the reassurance I needed before I sprinted toward the great forest tiger again, triggering my Mighty Slash as it stood up on its two hind legs.
The moment my swords connected with its body, the blood from its wounds floated upward as if taking a gaseous form. I didn’t care what tricks the beast had hidden under its claws—I just kept attacking even as its body started moving at impossible angles and changing into…something else.
“You. Took. Louie!” I shouted as I thrust my swords at what was now the body of a woman in brown rags, with a crown of flowers on her head.
“You did well, child,” she said in a melodic voice. “Your love for your companion proved stronger than your fears.”
The sound of her words, however, was mangled by the loud thumping of rage in my head. I moved a step back to catch my footing and sprinted forward to strike at her again. I wouldn’t stop until I saw her bleeding on the ground.
Just as I was about to strike, Louie moved in front of the woman, meaning I would have to push him away if I were to attack her. Why was he acting like this? Nevertheless, I felt my anger subside as he wagged his tail. I kept my swords up, ready, and the woman’s smile was replaced by an expression of worry.
She dropped down onto her knees and stroked Louie’s hind. He raised his face up and licked her chin. Seeing him being friendly with her, my vision finally lost its red tint and I was able to focus fully on her.
Name: Alieria, Messenger of the Faery Queen
Type: Magic Creature - Raid Boss
Level: 50
Disposition : Friendly
HP : 213098/213145
Physical Attack: 1183
Magic Attack: 274
Speed: 155
Attack Range: Melee
XP : 3551193
Description : Alieria is one of the three messengers of the Fairy Queen herself. She has devoted her life to forging stronger relationships between people and their bestial companions. She rarely leaves her realm and is nigh invisible inside her forest.
The moment my brain absorbed the information, I understood this had been some kind of test—a part of my quest. More proof of this came when all of the yandirs around her disappeared into thin air. As I looked at her more closely, I saw that her skin was glistening under the low light provided by the fungi and four semi-translucent glittering wings spread out from her back. She was a powerful being. I was lucky Louie had stopped me when he did.
“There is so much anger in you, Alexander,” she said in a beautiful high-pitched voice.
“Who are you?”
“Who I am matters not, though you have no doubt seen the answer already. What matters is that you are hurting. But rejoice, Alexander, for you have a friend that loves you unconditionally. A friend that would follow you to the bottom of the nine hells.”
“Louie,” I whispered.
“Yes, Louie is his name. And it is time you take
the first step in remedying the wounds inside you.”
With that, she reached into her own extra-dimensional pouch for the source of the strong odor that had attracted Louie here. The juicy thick slice of bacon had my mouth watering now. She held it out and waited until I picked it up in my own hands. The moment I touched it, I saw another notification flash up.
You have successfully completed “A Man’s Best Friend I”. You have been awarded 2000 XP and Bacon of Communion.
Congratulations. You have advanced to level 4.
You have 3 skills ready for upgrade.
Name: Mighty Shot
Level: 2
Type: Active
HP Consumed: 0
MP Consumed: 18
Power: 71
Range: 60 feet
Precondition: Only usable with a bow
Description : A powerful long-distance attack. The arrow is imbued with mana before being fired, making it easier to pierce through flesh and armor.
Name: Mighty Slash
Level: 2
Type: Active
HP Consumed: 0
MP Consumed: 9
Power: 32
Range: Melee
Precondition: Only usable with swords, blunt weapons, or spears.
Description : A powerful melee attack. The weapon is enveloped in a thin layer of mana, making it easier to slice through flesh and armor.
Name: Mortal Stab
Level: 2
Type: Active
HP Consumed: 0
MP Consumed: 8
Power: 80
Range: Melee
Precondition: Only usable daggers and knives
Description : A rudimentary assassinating attack. The weapon is coated in a thin layer of mana. Once the weapon strikes, the mana is released into the victim’s vital organs. This skill’s power, stacks on top of the user’s Physical Attack.
Instantly absorbing the information proved to be somewhat disorienting as I tried to process all of the new data the quest’s reward had brought me. But I was mostly interested in the reward I was holding.
Name: Bacon of Communion
Type: Quest Item
Durability : 1/1
Rarity: B Grade
Weight: 2st.
Description : A delicious piece of meat, provided by the messenger of the fairy queen, Alieria, to those who have proved their love and devotion to their companions.
“What am I supposed to do with this gift?” I asked humbly, but also slightly impatiently as I didn’t appreciate the cryptic description provided.
The answer came from below. Louie’s paws landed below my knees as he reached up for the piece of meat. The fairy smiled again as she stood up. For someone who never trusted anyone, it was extremely odd and uncomfortable how much confidence and trust the magical being exuded. I smiled back politely and let the slice of bacon fall. Louie, well-trained in this exercise, made a small jump and grabbed the slice in midair.
It took him only seconds to chew and gulp it down hungrily. A few seconds later, he was enveloped in a blue aura and his eyes flashed white before returning to normal.
“What did you do to him?” I shouted at her and fell on my knees to pick him up, cursing the moment I’d trusted such a magical being. “Are you okay, buddy?”
Louie was looking me straight in the eye.
“Alex?” I heard a voice say. A voice originating from Louie’s mouth.
7
I wanna be your dog
“Is this some kind of trick?” I asked, not knowing what to think. Had I not been kneeling, I would have stumbled backward.
It was still him. My Louie. But he was different somehow. Something about his eyes. Something I couldn’t put my finger on. It was as if a person was looking at me through him. And the voice… it sounded so clear and familiar. Exactly how I had always imagined Louie’s voice to be.
“It’s no trick, Alex,” the voice said again, the movement of Louie’s mouth in sync with what he was saying.
Get a hold of yourself, Alex! Don’t you see how ridiculous this is? Your dog is moving its lips in sync with what he’s saying?
On any other day, I would have immediately lain down on the ground, waiting for what seemed like a bad trip to end. But now this wasn’t the strangest thing I’d experienced in the past week. Hell, not even the strangest thing today. Not after seeing a gargoyle delivery person and a key opening a door on a concrete wall into an open field. I held myself back from backtracking even more, giving this whole situation the benefit of the doubt.
“This is no trick, child,” the fairy replied, and again her voice filled me with certainty. There was something magical about how she talked and carried herself. She exuded this air of honesty. She seemed to me to be incapable of lying. Filled with confidence and having had put my worries put at rest, I opened my arms.
“Come here, boy,” I said and smiled at him.
Louie started wagging his fluffy hind uncontrollably as he ran to my lap, turning and swirling, touching his wet nose to my chin and then diving in my lap again.
“I thought I was going to lose you, buddy,” I said and patted his back softly.
“I’m fine,” he said, and I barely managed to not recoil at hearing his voice again. This would take a while to get used to. “I’m great actually. Better than ever, Alex. I can see so much more now. Not with my eyes. Things that didn’t make sense before. I can now understand them. I can…”
He suddenly stopped wagging his tail and sat down in front of me.
“I understand now,” he said in a lower tone. “All these years I’ve been sleeping in front of the door… waiting. She’s not coming back.”
I nodded. I felt a knot rising up my throat and couldn’t find the words.
Instinctively, we both leaned forward into a hug that was three years overdue. Tears ran freely down my cheeks onto Louie’s fur and I heard him whimper as his breathing became shorter. The fairy queen messenger walked a few steps back, giving us some privacy before flying up to the top of a thick tree, taking a small notebook out of her pocket, and reading it.
This moment right here was a moment I’d longed for for so long. As heartbreaking as it had been watching Hachiko on “A Dog’s Tale”, it was nothing compared to the gut-wrenching feeling of watching Louie stare under the door in case she returned. Every night. For three years.
“I’m sorry, Alex,” he said, still underneath my arm. “I’m so sorry I did this to you. I’ll be better.”
“What are you talking about?” I said, surprised, and pulled him in front of me. “You did nothing wrong.”
“But I did,” he continued. “It’s my fault.”
“Louie! Don’t be stupid,” I said, reverting back to the verbal commands that used to work so well when he was being stubborn. “You weren’t even there. You couldn’t have saved her, even if you were with her.”
“Not her, Alex,” he said and turned his head downward, putting his short tail between his legs. “I should have saved you. I was selfish.”
“Save me?” I said, confused. “If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve…”
Louie jumped up on my knee and pulled at my wrist with his jaw as if to try and stop me from thinking about it.
“I’m so happy I can talk to you,” he continued as soon as he released my hand. “We have so much to talk about.”
“We do,” I said and stood up. “But first, let’s get out of here.”
The fairy, upon seeing this, let herself fall from the tree and floated toward us, though her long glittering wings didn’t move one bit.
“You have taken the first step in strengthening a bond that can’t be compared to anything,” she said. “You, Louie, are blessed with the gifts of complex reasoning, consciousness, complex language, and introspection. You are your own individual, yet you are one with Alex.”
“Thank you,” Louie responded and barked, which took me by surprise. Ultimately, I just ad
ded it to the list of things I’d have to get used to.
“You do not need to thank me, for this was not of my doing,” she continued. “Now tell me, Louie, as a dog of your own with intellect and all that this entails, what do you want to do with your life?”
Without even thinking about it, Louie barked and gave his answer.
“I want to save Alex. I want to be with him at all times and help him through all of his difficulties.”
“Then let it be known,” the fairy said, raising her hands to the sky, the fungi suddenly increasing in brightness tenfold, “during this day of Louie’s birth and baptism in Dark Energy, he has decreed his path in life.”
As soon as the words escaped her lips, the light around us started traveling upward like strings of smoke and converged on the little corgi in the midst of it all. For a second, I was worried, but his tail-wagging quickly put my worries to rest.
Once he’d absorbed the last of the light wisps, his outline briefly flashed purple, a telltale sign of magic if there was ever any. I focused my eyes on him, thinking that he’d been given some kind of blessing. What the text prompt revealed, however, had my jaw drop open.
Name: Louie
Race: Dog (Corgi)
Class: Mage
Level: 1
HP : 98/98
MP: 59/59
XP : 0.00%
STR: 22
DEX: 21
Berserker: A LitRPG Urban Fantasy Adventure (Apocosmos Book 1) Page 9