I ran. Call me a coward, call me a chicken, call me whatever you like, I was not going to stand there waiting to find out what came next. So, I ran. Down the dungeon’s corridors I went, the sound of my hiking shoes echoing off the walls. I could hear them coming, they were fast for how small they were.

  One sounded way too close, I turned at the next torch to confront whatever was coming. I had just enough time to react as whatever it was jumped at me. It was at just the right height for me to give it a quick kick.

  Here’s where I should probably explain. I had a long history with sports, mostly trying to fight off obesity. In high school, I was too nerdy and overweight to fit in with the jocks, so I stuck with my close friends and focused everything on becoming more than I was. By the end of high school, I’d pulled it off—state contender, no small feat. But after high school? I lost the drive, and with it, my motivation. It came down to burning out my body on exercise or burning out from partying. The choice was made for me. I dabbled, sure, but compared to my friends, I was a shut-in.

  Now, in my thirties, I wasn’t benching 500 pounds anymore, and I wasn’t an active competitor in wrestling, jiu-jitsu, boxing, or Muay Thai—but I was practiced.

  The high thigh kick snapped out, left arm swinging hard to accelerate my attack. The kick wasn’t solid, the creature made contact unevenly and kind of skipped off my leg. Still, it propelled the creature against the wall so hard I heard a solid thump and crunch. Looking at it, lying on the ground unmoving, my UI popped up. It said, “Kobold, level 1, Status: Unconscious.”

  It's a fucking Kobold?

  I immediately ran around the corner, remembering something about Kobolds and fire. As the next one came around, I snatched it by the arm and smashed it into the wall. This one had a little suit of armor on and was much heavier than the last one. The loud clatter of noises that followed would let the rest of them know where I was, but this one had also fallen unconscious. These guys aren’t that bad, I think I can take them.

  PAI chimed in, “all floor one mobs can defeat low leveled competitors. Please be advised-” I quieted her. I picked up a torch off the nearby wall and came around the corner. Three of the Kobolds were standing there, each looking ready to leap at me. The last one in the back had something in his hand. It started chanting as I strode towards the first of the three.

  I reached out as the first one lunged at me. I was expecting to catch it and toss it, instead it bit down hard. Several notifications flashed, and I noticed that my vision was tinted green. In the bottom left, I noted that there was a little green skull there. Angry, I slammed the hand against the wall and kicked the creature hard. It comically was flung into the next of the three, leaving them both in an unconscious state.

  The one in the back that was chanting began glowing, and I noted that it had a staff in its hand. Better hurry.

  I ran over to the last Kobold, but it turned tail and ran, its little claws making a clicking noise as it ran across the cobblestone floors. I turned to the caster then with just enough time to watch the glow around it intensify. I ran at it, but when I got to the edge of the light, it suddenly felt like I was wading through mud. As I got closer, I felt heavier, so much so that when I was halfway to the center I stalled completely.

  The Kobold finished its chant and started laughing maniacally. I heard a squeak from down the way, the direction the other Kobold ran. I couldn’t turn my head to see, but from behind me, channels of flesh began to flow. It was gory and disgusting, I could see a few claws, a tail, skin, teeth and even an eyeball. The Kobold was still laughing wickedly. I wanted to shout, “what is this,” but this forcefield, or whatever it was, had completely immobilized me. Luckily, and not so luckily, PAI was there to answer.

  “You are trapped on the outside of a metamorphosis shield! It is a special kind of shield generated by creatures on the dark side of the universe and is usually only used by creatures going through large changes that can’t be interrupted. Aren’t you curious what it could be?”

  Nonplused, I mentally replied, “No.”

  “Oh, well, good luck competitor!”

  If I could have sighed with complete exaggeration, I would have, but I was stripped of that ability for the moment, so I just thought, “you’re a real dick, you know that?”

  PAI’s voice buzzed in my head, cool and smooth as ever. “I prefer ‘algorithmically efficient,’ but thanks.”

  Before me stood a man-sized Kobold. Its claws and teeth glinted against the torchlight, and a wave of worry hit me like a sack of bricks.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  The creature howled, looking savage at me, drool was leaking between its sharp teeth, and the smell of musk and urine was strong enough to gag on. I felt something then, a tap on something. I had the sudden urge to howl back, I didn’t, but for whatever reason I wanted to. It was just odd enough for me to take note of before I assumed a fighter’s stance, one foot forward and up on my toes. I circled the creature warily, not sure how it was going to come at me. It still had the staff in its hand, but now that it was taller than me, it now served the creature as a club. I held out my torch, circling, jabbing it at the creature when it came too close.

  The situation was completely absurd, and a little part of me was praying to any god that would listen. Praying that this wasn’t real, that it was all a bad dream, or more plausibly, a bad acid trip from Danial. I was praying that any second now I’d wake up, passed out atop a rise in the barren hills of Nevada. But I knew the truth, I was out on some weird fucking alien planet having my life toyed with. I was fighting for my life against something out of a nightmare and I just wanted it to go away. It wouldn’t, and I knew it.

  I circled, being patient. I could have thought of any of my wrestling coaches or JKD instructors, reminding me to be patient. No rush, I’ve got all day, I thought. Give it up… There!

  The creature, growing impatient, swung its club. It had overcommitted, and I intended to make it pay for it. Dropping my torch as I lunged in, I caught the back of the Kobold’s wrist. It had scaly skin that made the hairs on my neck rise.

  It let out a groan as I pulled with all my might, making the creature step forward to counterbalance his weight. Keeping one hand on its wrist, I used my free hand to punch the creature once, twice, faking a third before dropping its trapped hand so I could grab a leg. By chance, I grabbed both legs, toppling the creature to the floor with a hard thud. I dropped to a knee out of habit, and the pain now radiated from it. Hard rock is hard, Kevin!

  Disregarding the pain for now, I had just enough time to acknowledge the open mouth lunging at my face. The smell of it wafted towards me as I pulled my head back while shoving with both hands. Whether it be practice, or this creature’s inexperience, I had landed in a solid position, my weight securely pressed against the creature's midsection. I shoved the creature back, and I heard the air whoosh from its lungs. I realized then that the Kobold had dropped its club sometime during my takedown. It snapped at me again, and I reacted with a swift upward movement. It’s snake-like under-chin was soft, which didn’t give me the result I wanted. I did note the creature jolt slightly, and a moment later a spot of blood was visible.

  The Kobold suddenly lurched, reaching for its club. I followed it, though a bit over enthusiastically. Instead of following the creature with my knee, I overshot it, landing with one knee way to high on the creature. It arched its back as my weight came to rest on it, bumping me off his body, but landing my shin across its throat. It was one of those awkward jui-jitsu moments, even if the Kobold didn’t know it, that would happen from time to time. In that moment, I didn’t care, instead focusing on the wrist that had successfully gripped a club. I rolled, tucking a knee under the Kobold’s arm, then coming out on my back in an arm bar. It snapped at me, biting my leg hard. My vision ran red, and I knew I was bleeding. The creature had let go and was rearing to strike again. Its shoulder came into my vision as it twisted towards me, but I kicked down in a stomping motion, twisting it back. I readjusted. I twisted my arm around the Kobold’s, raising my knee as hard as I could to keep the creatures mouth shut. I arched my back, full measure. With what felt like little resistance, I broke the elbow.

  Disgusted at the horrid sound it made, I shimmied away. The sound of the bone snapping was sickening, and for a split second, I felt something shift inside me. I had crossed a line—one I wasn’t sure I could come back from. But there was no time to dwell on it.

  I had found myself slightly unattached from the hold and redoubled my efforts. The creature was howling and started thrashing. Its arm came up to hit me but swiftly its efforts were bent on trying to get me off its arm. Its claws dug into my forearm, and I let go. I scurried away to stand. The gnarly looking reptile looked like it was from Mortal Kombat, and I wondered at that possibility for just a moment before I grabbed my torch from earlier. As the creature writhed on the floor, I brained it.