The Battle by D. Rus

right to delay payment because the service had not yet been fully rendered.
    I took the bag of goodies, saluted my warriors with a fist, and activated the transportation scroll.
    So, Tavor, where is your lair?!

 
    Chapter Six
     
    T he Gateway’s soft wings gently lowered me to the ground at the bind point. The magic’s glow had barely subsided, and already my sense of smell was pointing me to the sleeping god’s crypt. I recognized the range of scents, except for the carrion and... ahem... human feces?
    I blinked, staring hard at the darkness in the corners and squinting at the burning torches. My field of vision rippled like a broken TV screen. My pupils dilated, shifting into night vision mode, then shrank right back, having caught the flame lights. I wrinkled my nose and tossed my head. At last, the darkness receded. My elven vision caught the scarce photons and pulled the brightness up to a reasonable level.
    The pedestal with the sleeping god was still in place. But time had mercilessly swallowed up his warriors. Their reeking bones and shreds of skin were piled up beneath the walls.
    What a horrid lair! And where’s my precious Hummungus? I’d gotten worried about him since yesterday. He did not respond to the artifact’s call, nor had he come back with that mercenary in his jaws either. Years had passed in the underground over the last twenty-four hours...
    I recalled putting a lot of effort into the delay command. And forcefully making that mercenary go perma just a second earlier. Or had the command I'd given in rage received the highest priority and outweighed the pet’s preset limits?
    Teddy, where are you, dearest?
    One of the foul-smelling piles suddenly moved. Swollen eyes shot open. Pus leaked out of the numerous wounds. The creature gave a deep moan, then rose to its full and rather large height.
    Feeling for my weapons, I looked closely at the monster and gasped. Before me stood Hummungus, disheveled and swaying on his feet. He had grown a few feet, lost all his gear, and had gotten noticeably thinner and more gray-haired. Countless wounds protruded in hideous lumps from underneath the tangled fur. His back paws were bending; the once massive muscles had been partially torn out.
    Seeing the ancient enemy before him, the bear growled wearily, bared his chipped fangs and moved forward.
    I quickly put out my hand. "Hummungus, it’s me, Max! I’m just in someone else’s body. It’s a disguise, see? Come on, my furry friend, look into my soul! Version I'll Rip Your Head Off, remember?"
    The bear halted, tilting its massive head to the side, then inhaled deeply with its dry, chapped nose. It let out a sob of disbelief and a childish yelp, then started avidly licking my face with its rough tongue.
    "There, there....It’s gonna be all right! Sorry for leaving you in this tomb," I said as I wiped the huge tears off the bear’s muzzle and let my own fall on it too. "How long’ve you been here? Twenty years?!"
    "Twenty-nine..." someone’s hoarse voice came from behind.
    I turned my head sharply only to get a mighty whack on my right cheek. It was as if a pellet had exploded in my head. My facial bones cracked nastily.
     
    Crit! You received 1.356 damage points in hand-to-hand combat!
    Slight injury! Right facial muscles paralyzed. Duration: 15 minutes.
     
    Recoiling, I breathed in through my broken nose, whipped out a butcher’s hook, and went for the swift stranger.
    The skinny, bearded hermit with insane eyes wore a bear hide loincloth barely covering his privates. He moved like a legendary ninja, lazily dodging my mighty blows, a spiteful grin upon his lips. I slashed with all the power and agility of a 340-level warrior. The mithril blade brushed against the air molecules, making them grow hot. But I could not even touch the bastard!
    Dammit! It’s the mercenary! The same one I had forced into the AlterWorld! Still a pitiful level 12. But how?!!
    Finally, I got the good side of the randomizer.