The fox girl looked completely shocked as he held a dagger to to the pointy-eared-girl's throat. He could feel dampness form on his featherless skin, this must be what the humans called "sweating." He assumed that the fox girl wanted her pray alive, and he could exploit that. He had done the same thing with a priceless porcelain plate before, when a human lady threatened to hit him with a bat. The girl in his arms wiggled chaotically, clearly she didn't know he was her aid. The fox girl frowned and fanned herself faster than before. Though initially shocked, she seemed more annoyed that anything else.
"Oh my, another outlaw looking for easy money? I'd scram if I were you honey! My adorable golems will make quick work of you if you dare hurt that precious elf! Though I must say, your confidence is beyond admirable. Not anyone would dare challenge a level eighty geisha! Especially somebody who is a mere level one in his birthday suit! Muhahahaha! I bet you are high on something right dear?" The goose realized this was a big mistake. She didn't look phased at all, and this new world was so alien to him he didn't know what kind of openings to look for. He took a peek at the human-shaped rocks, they all looked like stone statues...until one looked at him with two flashing yellow eye holes. He had also no way of telling the girl, who the foxy lady called an "elf", that he was friend and not foe.
He could fight one on one with no schemes, but something told him that was a bad idea since he was only a "level one"...whatever that meant. However there was a big difference between that and level eighty. His bare toes shifted in the soft dirt...wait...HE HAD AN IDEA! He just hoped his educated guess was right, however this situation required some gambling. He took one last deep breath...."HAWNK!" The fox lady simply laughed.
"I think somebody has had way too my ale! Honestly it's a shame you are loon, you're actually so adorable. I just want to kidnap you and teach you some manners! However, I am a strong independent vixen that doesn't need some buffoon slowing her down! What a shame!" The woman pressed a clawed finger against her stained, red lips and let out another playful, "teehee!" The goose readied the dagger in his hand and hoped his aim wasn't off. He only had seconds to do this right.
He readied the muscles in that lanky human arm and threw his dagger at the lady's head. Thoughts about his goose form filled his mind as he did so. In the split second she was dodging the dagger, he was back to being a feathery fiend. He was hidden behind the elf girl, and the last place the fox lady should think to look after being attacked was down. Those golem things ignored the hapless-looking animal as he snuck behind their master. Then he thought about his human form as he readied his wings and took off from behind her. In a flash he was back to being a human. "Where in the world did that Buffon go?" The lady growled like a vicious canine. She got her answer soon enough when she was knocked to the ground with a THUD! The goose had her pinned down and his dagger within arm's reach. He grabbed the blade and brought it to the lady's throat before she had time to react.
"HAAAAWWNNKK!"
The elf's eyes lit up as he motioned her to run with his free hand. She nodded, jaw agape, and slid around the trunk before taking off into the thicket. Now it was just the goose, who was being surrounded by the stone soldiers. He had their leader though, and if they attacked him it would be her funeral too. That was if he could keep his grip on her. "I must say well played, if it weren't for the dagger I would have suspected you a Ninja class adventurer dear! I think I might have use for you!" She winked, and the fan in her hand began to radiate an aura. With the flip of her palm, she was absorbed by the glow and vanished into thin air. The goose felt his neck muscles tighten, this was unfair! How could he be a good thief in a world full of this dumb magic nonsense? The feeling of the wind flapping though the thin, hair-like feathers on his scalp suddenly intensified. Before he could figure what was going on the breeze knocked him off his feet and he ended up face planted into the rich soil.
"Now, now, don't worry your pretty little head my angel! We'll play just nice, won't we my adorable pebbles?" The stone people approached him, and each one grabbed him by a limb. The lady's vulpine eyes peered over the fan across her face. She seemed to be studying his body to an unhealthy degree. For some reason he felt very violated. "A bit too thin for my liking, but a bit more exercise and my wonderful cooking should fatten you up in just the right way." She licked her lips and he worried that she might eat him. Foxes were known for their love of poultry. "You are going to make an excellent minion...after I brainwash you!" She fanned herself until her hair began to fly upwards. She grinned wickedly to show off her mouthful of fangs. She marched forward confidently, swaying side-to-side very subtly. He readied himself to be a goner as she placed her hand on his chin. He was forced to look up and they made eye contact. Her eyes began to burn like a wildfire, and he couldn't bring himself to look away. Her gaze was the flame to his moth. He was being sucked in and...
Falla dashed through the woods, making sure she didn't loose her footing and trip for a second time. That crazy man, what was he thinking? She couldn't believe she was finally saved by a handsome guy and it some naked weirdo that was probably drunk. He was pretty cute though, especially since he had fluffy little feathers for hair. She felt bad that she bailed on him so quickly. She kept pushing forward, wondering what to do. Go back? No then she would make his sacrifice be in vain...
Then it hit her, she would go tell Bulka! After all, maybe she summoned the hero that could save them! Where exactly was the orc though? Well they have were looking for a wrecked airship. A big one too. That was a good start. Every few sprints she stopped, and looked around until a fleck of light caught her attention... "Ahah!"
The light beam turned out to be coming from the glittering surface of the bronze-ish aircraft within a reachable distance. Not that it mattered much since she could hear the monstrous breathing of her favorite orc in the world as she crushed her way through the thicket. "Bulkaaaa!" The elf clapped her hands joyfully together. The orc was too busy trying to keep her lungs from pounding out of her chest to notice right away. After a moment of wheezing, the muscular girl looked towards her partner but was still too hoarse to speak.
"Bulka! You would not believe this, but I got cornered by a vixen demibeast! A level eighty geisha! Don't know what it means but I am like super scared! She had these people sized golems who are level forty! She could be around the corner at any moment and I am so scared!" Bulka's panting slowed and she began to stand straight up.
"Are ya' saying a level forty golem that was the size of a normal PERSON? The wild golems in this area twice the size of me and they aren't even level ten. They are a docile variety and don't attack unless provoked...Unless these were custom golems, but even then why make them small unless they had some sort of special abilities?" Falla tried her best to follow as Bulka prattled on. Falla stopped to think for a moment and shook her head.
"Nah, they looked like piles of rocks that were person sized. No special markings, not weird abilities, just rocks that were a bit taller than me."
Bulka thought for a moment and nodded. "Nah, that sounds like a level one golem if I heard o' one. Ya' could have killed one of those rock babies if ya poked it too hard with your pinky! What ya' are dealing with is a con-lady. A bloody terrible one too. She's probably a few levels higher than the golems, but I think she's probably using psychic mana to screw with your perception if I had to take a guess. Somebody tried a trick like that on Dad back in his heyday! It's a really simple ability that can be achieved by hitting someone with a psychic blow. When ya went investigating and saw the level forty rock, which was probably a golem, ya' probably got hit with an attack so weak that it merely altered the way you perceived the levels. In fact the easiest spell can be used by most psychic mana users as early as level one, it'll just multiply stats by the desired number and-"
Falla thought for a moment. "Wait if the golems are level one, but appear to be forty...does that mean the fox lady is actually LEVEL TWO? Ugh, now I feel so bad for level one the nudist who saved me...he doesn't know that his opponent is just one level above him! He must be so scared and it's all my fault for being a stupid little damsel in distress!" Falla stomped her foot as her cheeks turned crimson from fury.
Bulka winced in confusion, "you were saved by a...nudist?"
Falla nodded, "yeah, he was weird don't get me wrong. Though he was like strangely handsome. He had these intense red eyes, pretty skin, and his hair was made of feathers...also all he said was 'honk' in this adorable accent..." Bulka froze, that sounded familiar.
"And the nudist, he was human?"
"Well pretty close, I would say he's not crossbred enough to be classified as human yet. Probably about as human as Kobra...but handsomer!" Bulka realized that she might've made a big mistake on how she handled the thief.
"Last question, did he have a dagger?"
"Well considering my neck got a little too familiar with it, yes, yes he did! Don't worry, it was all an act so I could run to safety!" Falla worried that Bulka was mad at her savior for his unusual tactics as the orc paced around with her hands gripping her temples. "Bulka...?"
"Shoot, shoot, and bloody hecking shoot!"
"Bluka?" The orc said nothing, and then turned to make dramatic eye contact with her quest partner.
In the most serious, stern voice imaginable she said: "Falla, the nudist is my goose!"