Prologue: The Myth of the Feathered Chaos
Long before the miners cut the first tunnels into the body of Terra Infernum, the goddess of chance, Anarchy, quarreled with the lord of order. In a rage, she tore a feather from her robe and threw it into the fabric of the world. The feather fell into the lake, and from its trembling, a Duck was born. Not an ordinary one - one that quacked in the language of chaos, sowed confusion and rewrote destinies with a single flap of a wing.
"The Great Duck of Destiny," whispered the priests in forgotten temples, "is neither an enemy nor a friend. She is the embodiment of an unanswered question. He who defeats her is doomed to become an instrument of Anarchy."
But the miners from the Stone Strike guild had no time for legends. To them, the Duck was a curse: she stole supplies, overturned minecarts, and once drowned an entire caravan of ale in a puddle. Her 1,000 gold reward sat on the quest board for decades, gathering dust and ridicule. Until now.
Part 1: Morning that started with a stone (and more)
A boulder thrown by Grognard stuck into the wall above my bunk, sparking. It was engraved with the words *"Wake up, sleepyhead! With love, your nightmare."
"GET UP!" the bearded man barked, blocking the door. "TODAY YOU ARE CLEANING YOUR "GNOME STOMACH"!
**[Quest updated: "Cleaning the Stone Idol's Digestive Tract"
Description:
- Scoop out 200 years of dwarven scraps
- Don't worry about sanitary standards
Reward:
- Iron Stomach skill
- Chance to not die from toxicosis]**
I tried to bargain, nodding at the quest board:
- What if I bring a Duck feather?
Grognar snorted, taking a crumpled note out of his pocket:
- Read. The last daredevil, Ronan the Bold, left this before he disappeared.
*"She... is not just a duck. Her wings are the scissors of fate. Her quack... Oh gods, her quack..."* - the rest was crossed out with blood stains.
"He's gone mad," Grognard tore up the note. — As will you, if you go.
But the system has already started blinking:
**[Hidden quest activated: «Trial of Anarchy»
Objective: Defeat the Great Duck of Fate
Reward:
— Title «Herald of Chaos»
— Rewriting one personal trait]**
Part 2: Preparing for the Absurd
The guild supplied me with a "survival kit":
- **Pickaxe "Fateful Scraper"** (damage +5% to birds, chance to make ducks jealous).
- **Potion of "False Courage"** (smells like cherry pie, effect: +10% confidence, -30% coordination).
- **Map** marked "Here is a Duck (possibly)".
On the way to the lake, I stopped by Elvin, a merchant of magical junk. His shop smelled of burnt feathers.
"Oh, Duck Madman!" Elvin held out socks with embroidered ducks. "Lucky socks!" Only 50 gold.
**["Lucky Quack" Socks (Dubious)
Properties:
- +1% Luck
- Attracts Duck Poop]**
- No, thanks.
- Here you go then! - He threw me a mirror. - "Reflector of Fate". Ducks hate their reflection.
**[Received: "Duck's Ego" Artifact
Use: Place a mirror to cause an identity crisis in an enemy.]**
Next is a forest, where masked squirrel robbers demanded a "fee for passage". Had to give up a sandwich with lichen.
**["Negotiate with Fauna" Skill (Lvl. 1)
Effect: Animals see you as a bipedal target... but a cute one.]**
Part 3: Lake of Anarchy
The body of water known as the "Tears of Anarchy" sparkled with oily rainbows. The air trembled with discordant quacking. In the middle of the lake, on a throne of bones and rusty coins, sat a Duck.
**[Great Duck of Doom (Level 50)
Properties:
— "Wings of Chaos" (changes the laws of physics)
— "Quack of Rift" (a sonic attack that tears apart the mind)
— Weakness: mirrors (theoretical)]**
"Well, hello," I muttered, taking out a mirror. "Look how beautiful you are..."
The Duck turned its head 270 degrees. Its eyes, like lava lamps, flared up.
**"MIRROR... DECEPTION..."** Her mental voice creaked like a gear that hadn't been lubricated.
She flapped her wing, and the lake swelled into a wave that turned into a flock of ghost ducks.
**[Activated: "Dance of the Duck Swarm"
Advice: Run or pretend to be bread!]**
Part 4: A Battle That Can't Be Described in Words (But I'll Try)
**Phase 1: Ghost Swarm**
The ghost ducks dove like projectiles. I fought back with my pickaxe, but they passed right through.
"Mirror, you idiot!" Alvin shouted, suddenly appearing on a tree.
I picked up the reflector. The ghosts saw themselves, screeched, and vanished.
**[Damage: -10% Mirror Durability
Achievement: "Ghost Selfie"]**
**Phase 2: Rift Quack**
The duck let out a quack that cracked the rocks. The system froze, displaying:
**[Debbaf: "Broken Mind"
Effects:
- See ducks everywhere
- Chance to attack yourself: 15%]**
I drank the potion. The world floated, but the Duck's attacks began to look like dancing pies.
**[Activated: "Drunken Overture"
Evasion +20%, Logic -50%]**
**Phase 3: Wings of Chaos**
The Duck soared into the sky, drawing runes with its wings. Gravity reversed. I flew towards the clouds, clinging to the roots.
"Hug her!" Elvin yelled from below.
I jumped on the Duck, clinging to its neck. We fell into the lake.
**[Skill "Apocalypse Hug" (lvl 3)
Effect: The enemy loses 1% HP per second from awkwardness.]**
Part 5: The Last Quack
Underwater, the Duck transformed. Her feathers became transparent, revealing galaxies within.
**"WHY?" - sounded in my head. - "YOU ARE A PAWN. I AM AN UNANSWERED QUESTION"**
"And I like puzzles," I wheezed, pulling out Grognard's boulder.
Blow. The mirror cracked, reflecting the Duck's true face - not a bird, but a ball of threads of fate.
**"NO... THIS IS NOT ME..."**
She exploded with light. The lake became ordinary. In my hands I held a feather, pulsating with power.
**[Victory!
Received:
— Feather of Anarchy (legendary)
— Title "Duck Terror" (+50% damage to birds)
— Trait rewrite: "Modesty" → "Reckless Bravado"]**
Part 6: Return of the Hero (whom everyone is embarrassed about)
I was met with silence in the guild. Grognard twirled his pen, his face twitching.
- You... destroyed her.
- Yes. I am a genius.
- Idiot. You unleashed her power. Now Anarchy is looking for a new host.
**[Received quest: "Burden of Chaos"
Objective:
- Learn to control the power of Anarchy
- Or burn like Ronan
Reward:
- Rewrite reality... or become its joke)]**
A new announcement flashed on the quest board: *"Hunt for the Duck-Duck Hero. Reward: 5000 gold"*.
Epilogue: Invitation to Madness
The pen in my hand whispered promises. I saw the walls of the guild trembling, ready to collapse. I saw Grognard with the wings of a raven. I saw myself - either a god or a clown in a world where the rules are written by the Duck.
"What next?" Lyra asked, throwing a fried bug at me.
"Next," I grinned, feeling chaos in my veins, "I will learn to fly.
Or crash. But that's boring.
**[System: Welcome to the Club, Herald.]**
---
**Glossary of Madness (notes in the margins):**
1. **Rule of Anarchy:** If the world is not funny - break the fourth wall.
2. **Secret of the Duck:** Her real name is Quack-dead-end. But that won't help anyone.
3. **Alvin's Advice:** If chaos is inevitable, wear colorful socks.
4. **Prophecy:** "He who defeats Chaos will become its slave. Or breakfast."