The sun dipped low behind the trees as we trudged through the dense forest, casting a warm orange glow on the vegetation around us. Gex and Titan had been searching for hours, and I was mostly tagging along because I had no idea where I was and at least they hadn’t tried to mug me. But the bandit camp they were searching for remained elusive. My feet were sore, my tail dragged along the ground, and the gradually cooling air didn't help my mood or energy level at all, even with Gex's cloak for some warmth.

  "Does anyone else feel like we're walking in circles?" I sighed, examining yet another suspicious-looking tree trunk. "How do people even find these camps?"

  "Probably by following well-worn paths," Titan rumbled as he scanned the area with piercing black eyes. "But we haven't seen any of those either. If we'd hired a nature warden like a druid or a ranger, we'd have found them easily. But then we'd have to split what little loot we would get with them."

  Gex grunted in agreement, her yellow eyes narrowing in frustration. "We've been searching for hours. If we don't find them soon, we'll have to set up camp for the night." She rubbed her hand along her scalp; her yellow eyes seemed very bright in the forest twilight.

  "Great," I muttered, scratching at one of my red scales absentmindedly. "I don't want to spend the night sleeping on the ground, huddled around a tiny campfire while trying not to freeze my newly scaled butt off." Maybe it was because I was pretty much naked and it felt like it was late fall, or perhaps it was because of the scaly body, but the cold was feeling like a more pressing threat to me than any brigands in the woods.

  Titan offered me an empathetic smile, his shaggy brown fur rustling slightly in the evening breeze. "We'll find them eventually, Angel. Don't worry. And if need be, you can use Gex as a furnace."

  "Easy for you to say, Mr. Giant Furry Furnace," I grumbled, though his reassurance did make me feel a little better. I would have preferred to sleep next to him. If he was one of those Scottish cows like he looked like, I bet his fur would be a great way to warm him and me.

  "Hey, what's that smell?" Gex suddenly asked, sniffing the air curiously. Her nostrils flared as she caught a whiff of something, and her eyes lit up excitedly. "Campfire! I can smell campfire smoke!"

  "Really? Where?" Titan asked, perking up with renewed interest. He pulled his Warhammer out of its sheath and looked around. Trying to get a scent of whatever the Orc warrior had just caught. I looked around trying to smell the wood fire that Gex had obviously just caught wind of. I couldn't smell anything, not really. I flicked my tongue out, catching a wide array of tastes and there was just a hint of something burning. Like a bit of that wood taste, you would get when you grilled outdoors on a wood pellet grill.

  "Follow me!" Gex barked, taking off through the underbrush at a brisk pace. Despite my previous complaints, I couldn't help but feel a surge of energy as we raced after her, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Maybe we'd finally find those thieves because that would mean tents and fires! The one advantage of being smaller than Titan and Gex was that I ended up trailing behind the big man as he broke branches and shoved underbrush aside with his massive hooved feet, making it easier to follow in his wake.

  As we pushed past ferns and low-hanging branches, the scent of wood smoke grew stronger, accompanied by the faint sound of voices and laughter. My heart pounded as the vague outline of tents came into view through the trees. We had found them! Finally! Gex had stopped well back from the camp and slowly approached to not give away her presence. This meant that Titan had slowed to a literal crawl as he carefully picked his way through the tangle of underbrush so as to not crack them under his weight. This allowed me to catch up and follow the two of them as they crept forward to the raider camp.

  "Looks like we finally got lucky," I whispered, crouching beside Gex and Titan as we surveyed the camp safely. Seeing their quarry sent a thrill down my spine, and I could practically taste victory already. But more importantly, they would have clothing, and I could finally stop wandering around in the forest naked!

  "Let's plan our next move carefully," Titan advised, his voice barely more than a rumble. "We don't want to alert them before we're ready."

  "Let me handle this!" I said, shifting my weight to get more comfortable on my haunches. Both Gex and Titan looked at me. “What? I’m a team player. Besides, you two are huge, how are you going to slink around in the shadows at your size?”

  The two others stared at one another for a moment before Gex nodded, Titan’s face was hard to read but I could sense this wasn’t something he fully agreed with.

  "Time for some good old-fashioned sneaking." Even if I was new to the world, sneaking was pretty much ingrained in any teenager who wanted to break curfew. Plus, it would be a way to pay back for the cloak I was currently using. It wasn't like I was going to go in there swinging.

  Both Gex and Titan looked down at me, seeming to ponder that. "She's definitely the smallest and lightest," Titan said thoughtfully. "I say we let her explore the surroundings and see if they have any backup."

  Gex took a moment longer to think about it. She grabbed me by one of my horns, pulling my head in her direction. "You see any problem, you run. You're not wearing armor or any weapons. You're just a little monster. You're not equipped to handle bandits."

  "You don't have to tell me twice," I agreed. I slowly moved away from the duo and began to encircle the camp. My goal was to see if they had any backups or patrols. Still, it was weird the note of worry that was in Gex's tone. I'd basically just met the two of them a few hours ago and here she was worrying about me. Maybe, despite the fact she only gave me her cloak, she was a good creature.

  The camp wasn't large, contained to just a single clearing in the forest. I took my time feeling my way around them, letting the darkness help conceal my small body. I'd wrapped Gex's wolf skin cloak around me to help hide my red scales and for warmth. No one seemed to be out here, not even guards. My recon done, I slinked back to the two of them, touching Titan on the hip and causing the big man to twitch, shifting his weight and almost striking me with his weapon.

  "Don't do that!" He hissed. "We're about to sneak into a camp of bandits. I could have struck you."

  I was frozen, staring at the giant weapon that was scant inches from my face. "Uh, yeah… sorry," I retorted. I took a deep breath and moved a step back. "Ok, yeah," I began, taking enough time to recover from the fright at almost dying by the Minotaur's hand. "They have about twelve guys in the camp. I couldn't see or hear anyone outside the camp, so I don't think they have anyone on patrol. It looks like they're getting ready to head out, though, so they've probably exploited this area enough."

  I glanced at Gex, who was practically vibrating with anticipation. Titan raised his hands, one holding a symbol while the other was raised towards Gex, praying to cast what I guessed were a series of spells on Gex. Her muscles bulged even more than usual, veins popping out across her green skin. Her eyes flashed brightly as each spell took hold.

  "Alright, that should do it," Titan said, stepping back from Gex. "Remember, try not to kill them if you can help it. We need some of them alive to answer our questions."

  "Got it," Gex growled, barely containing her excitement. She looked like she was about to explode from the sheer anticipation of battle. I wondered if that was a good thing, but she seemed confident in her abilities.

  As we charged into the raider camp, chaos erupted around us. Gex's sword shimmered in the fading light as she expertly dispatched one bandit after another, her movements fluid and deadly, and when the sword was busy, she would skillfully swing her shield, parrying or disarming a brigand with it. The clash of metal on metal filled the air, punctuated by grunts of exertion and pain. Titan's Warhammer swung with precision, each strike sending shockwaves through the people it hit, which cascaded into others. I stayed on the outskirts of the fight; I had tried to injure one of the thieves with my clawed strike but it didn't go very well since my claws didn't seem to penetrate the leather armor he was wearing. I was saved by a swift shield blow from Titan.

  "Swift strikes, Gex!" Titan's deep voice boomed over the din of battle, his massive form a steadfast presence in the chaos. Gex responded with a fierce battle cry, her sword a whirlwind of steel that seemed to dance with a mind of its own.

  With Gex and Titan tearing through the bandits, most of them seemed to ignore me. I guess a naked Kobold wasn't exactly threatening. One of them got close though, his eyes looking me over in a way that made my scales crawl.

  "Hey Orc!" he called out, not even bothering to raise his knife at me. "If you want your pleasure slave kept safe, you might want to—"

  His arm was close. The knife was closer.

  Control the knife. Control the fight. The instructor’s voice echoed in my head, but it wasn't Taekwondo that kicked in. It was the self-defense stuff. The ugly stuff.

  I grabbed his wrist, pivoted, and threw him over my hip. He hit the ground hard and I followed up with a kick to his temple before he could recover.

  Stay down. Stay down. Stay...

  He got back up.

  "The fuck?" I breathed, scrambling backward. That kick should have rattled his brain. But he just shook his head, growled something rude, and came at me again. That leather armor, and the helmet, was a lot better than the padding in the dojang.

  Fine. Again.

  He swung the knife in a wide arc. Sloppy. I ducked under it, grabbed his arm, and used his momentum to send him sprawling into the dirt again. This time I didn't wait for him to get up. I dropped my knee onto his back, pinning him.

  He bucked and thrashed, stronger than I expected. My claws scrambled at his helmet, trying to find purchase. There! A strap. I yanked it loose and ripped the helmet off his head, tossing it aside.

  He threw me off before I could follow up, rolling to his feet with murder in his eyes. No more underestimating the Kobold.

  "Alright, asshole," I muttered, settling into a stance. "It’s beddy bye time."

  He charged. I sidestepped, caught his arm, and threw him one more time. But this time, with no helmet, my follow-up kick to his temple connected the way it was supposed to.

  He went down. He didn't get back up.

  I stood there, chest heaving, staring at the unconscious man. My hands were shaking. I'd never... I'd sparred plenty of times. I'd even gotten into a few scraps in high school. But I'd never put someone down like that. Not for real.

  Was he breathing? I couldn't tell. I didn't want to get close enough to check.

  "Nicely done, Scaley Butt!" Gex's voice cut through the noise, her approval a welcome validation in the heat of battle.

  I nodded in acknowledgment, grateful for the camaraderie amidst the danger. Most of my fights were much more structured martial arts where it was one on one. This was a new experience, a melee where danger could come from any side. It was thrilling.

  I licked my lips as I'd done millions of times in the past, and as I did, the scent of sweat and blood mingled in the air, but unlike the dojang, desperation to not be killed and adrenaline was now as pronounced as the clanging of weapons. An energy all to itself. Dust swirled around us, kicked up by our movements as we fought for our lives.

  The leader emerged from the ranks, his gaze cold and calculating as he assessed our small but determined group. "You're outnumbered," he sneered, his voice full of bravado. "Surrender now, and maybe we'll spare your lives."

  Gex's laughter echoed defiantly across the camp, her eyes blazing with defiance. "Outnumbered? Ha! You're about thirty guys light." With a swift motion, she lunged forward, her blade slicing through the air like it was just one more thing for her to dispatch.

  The leader of the camp scrambled to defend himself, parrying her blows with a skill born of desperation. Their swords clashed in a symphony of steel and sparks, their movements a deadly dance that threatened to tip the balance of power.

  "Feel that fear creeping in?" Gex taunted between strikes; her words laced with raw determination. "You may have numbers, but what good is that without training?"

  The raider leader gritted his teeth in frustration, his resolve faltering under her relentless assault. He called for reinforcements, but it was clear that panic was beginning to seep into their ranks.

  As we continued to press our advantage, driving back the brigands with unwavering resolve, I could sense victory within reach. The moment of triumph was tantalizingly close, urging us forward with renewed vigor and determination.

  But when it seemed we might emerge victorious, a new threat emerged from the shadows beyond the camp's perimeter. Another group of highwaymen emerged from the darkness, their numbers bolstering those already engaged in battle.

  "I thought you said you didn't see backup!" Gex called.

  "I didn’t!" I shot back, turning to look at the new bandits rushing towards us.

  "You're a Kobold!" Gex bellowed back. "Seeing in the dark is what Kobolds do!"

  "I told you!" I shouted, "I'm not a Kobold!" I picked up some rocks and hurled them at a running bandit. "Not my fault you think I am."

  "We've got trouble," Titan growled under his breath as he squared off against the fresh wave of enemies. Gex nodded grimly beside him; her expression resolute despite the odds stacked against us.

  With a fierce battle cry reverberating through the forest like thunder, we braced ourselves for the onslaught about to come. The fight was far from over, it was only just beginning. Titan and I switched to the wave of newcomers while we left the leader in Gex's capable hands.

  "Get behind me, Angel," Titan said.

  I nodded and moved behind the Minotaur.

  "Goddess of Protection," he began. "Smite those who would do us harm." He swung his Warhammer overhand, slamming it into the ground. "Meteor Strike!" He bellowed. The ground in that direction disintegrated as if hit by a huge weight from the heavens.

  I blinked in disbelief as ten men vanished from that strike. "Holy shit!" I exclaimed. "What the hell did you just do?"

  "Meteor Strike," Titan said simply. "A Warhammer skill, I know."

  I turned to check on Gex's progress with the camp’s leader. She was already knee-deep in the battle, dismembering the fallen enemy with swift, brutal strikes. "Uh, Titan?" I called out uncertainly.

  "Ah, she's gone berserk," Titan grumbled. "Don't startle her, Angel. She'll attack anything that moves." Titan beside me had lowered his weapon and despite his immense size seemed to be trying to appear non-threatening. It was an impressive trick for someone who was probably a thousand pounds of bovine fury waiting to be unleashed.

  Before I could process his warning, Gex's attention shifted to us. She let out a fierce cry in a foreign tongue, charging towards us with unbridled fury. "The fight's not over," I muttered, assuming a defensive stance as the formidable warrior closed on us.

  "Calm down, Gex," Titan attempted to reason with her. "We're on your side."

  Gex growled something unintelligible, launching a powerful two-handed strike toward Titan, who narrowly dodged it. She then turned her aggression towards me with another swing that I managed to evade just in time.

  "Enough is enough," I declared, preparing myself for what was coming next. As Gex brushed past me in pursuit of Titan, I intervened with a swift kick to redirect her focus. She swiftly turned to face me, her movements fluid and precise.

  "Phase one complete," I mumbled under my breath as I braced for the next step, taking down the towering woman without getting myself killed.

  I had seen she had been swift when fighting the bandits, but up close it was hard to process and because she had a sword her range was much longer, and this could turn deadly for me. Dodging her sword aimed at my head, I maneuvered around her, aiming for a quick attack towards her midsection. Her shield intercepted my strike effortlessly, urging me to up my game. I winced as I pulled back my first. "So much for a reverse punch doing more than annoying you."

  Gex's speed and reach was a serious danger as I ducked and weaved around her, getting within her range. I utilized my martial arts expertise to keep parrying her sword away from me and kept turning trying to always stay out of range of her shield so I could land punches against her armored torso. The Orc swung wide, her stance shifting and moving her balance, and I quickly rolled down, putting my weight into colliding with her knee. It wasn't an elegant move by any stretch of the imagination, I was simply trying to trip her up. It worked and she rolled over my body to crash onto her front. Gex tumbled to the ground; I took the moment to kick her sword away from her. She lay there momentarily stunned yet unharmed, oscillating between anger and bewilderment.

  As Gex lay on the ground, her fierce gaze locked onto me, assessing my every move. I stood over her, catching my breath as I waited for her next move. Titan approached cautiously from behind, ready to intervene if needed. I could probably only keep Gex falling to the ground, at my size I was at a disadvantage to keep her there. And I doubted a joint lock, not my specialty anyway, would work on someone as strong as Gex.

  Gex suddenly sprang to her feet with a swiftness that belied her size, her sword back in hand. Before I could react, she lunged towards me with a series of rapid strikes that I barely managed to parry. Her strength was astonishing, each blow reverberating through my arms as I fought to keep her at bay. I could still feel the sharp edges of her sword, it was apparent my scales were not a substitute for real armor. I was being nicked to death by the savage warrior.

  I could see the fire in her eyes, a wild determination that refused to be quenched. This was no ordinary opponent, a warrior fueled by something primal and untamed. But I refused to back down. With every swing of her sword, I twisted or batted away the weapon.

  My mind raced through options. Gex was too strong to grapple, too protected by that chain mail to hurt with punches. But everyone had vulnerable points. Knees. Throat. Eyes.

  End the threat. The thought came cold and clear, cutting through the panic. Not Kojanim's voice this time, someone older, more cunning. In exchange for the relaxed curfew and more freedom to go running alone, I had to take a serious style. Krav Maga. The old guy had drilled it into us like we were his fresh cadets to his personal torture camp. His words echoed in my skull: There are no rules in survival. Preempt the strike. Aggression and offense are your defense.

  Gex lunged again and I saw my opening, her knee, unprotected below the mail. One solid kick and she'd never walk right again.

  I braced, slipping into a fighting stance. Front Kick? Round Kick? Stop thinking! My body knew exactly what to do.

  But this wasn't some stranger in an alley. This was Gex. My... whatever she was this wasn’t her. She wasn't in control of herself. I hesitated.

  The moment passed. Gex's shield clipped my shoulder and sent me spinning. Gex’s weight and strength sent me reeling, and only years of training kept the blow from taking my head off. I’d seen it at the last possible second, rolling and letting my shoulder take a blow that would have sent me to the proverbial mat.

  I kipped up, assuming my stance. “Right, no more Ms. Nice Angel,” I spat. I noticed a slight hesitation in Gex's movements. Was she tired? Questioning my abilities? I seized the opportunity and darted for a wild strike, aiming for her unguarded side. But just as I thought I had the upper hand, she spun around, caught my hand, and shoved me violently away, sending me head over heels. She'd baited me!

  Seeing my failed attempt, Titan stepped forward and said, "Gex, it's alright. We're on the same side. You don't have to fight us any longer." Gex didn't seem to hear Titan, sliding by the large man. It gave the Minotaur a chance to strike her, his large hand coming up and smacking her on the back of the head, sending her head over heels to lie beside me. "Calm down!" he roared.

  His blow had caused Gex to nosedive into the ground, she caught most of the momentum with her hands as she landed. Her eyes, still ablaze with fury, softened as she heard Titan's words. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as if to center herself. She rolled over so she was now facing the big man, shaking her head, before rubbing the back of her head with her shield hand. "You big lug, I thought we agreed on love taps."

  "Tell that to Angel," Titan rumbled, he crossed his arms across his chest. "If she wasn't so skilled at whatever she was doing you'd have killed her."

  I was on my feet already, ready for more fight if Gex was willing to press the issue. I cautiously approached Gex, keeping a safe distance as I spoke softly, "You could warn someone before going crazy like that."

  Gex opened her eyes, her gaze meeting mine, and mixed emotions flickered across her face, confusion, anger, and something else I couldn't quite decipher. After a moment of tense silence, she finally spoke in a voice roughened by the intensity of the battle: "I... I couldn't... control myself. It was like a haze over my mind, driving me to attack." She looked me up and down, noticing the marks her sword had made and looked genuinely sad for the injuries she'd caused to me.

  I nodded sympathetically, understanding the feeling of being at the mercy of external forces. "Well, we're not hurt," I reassured the woman, wincing as I brought a hand up to my arm. "Too much. I can't say anything for those guys, though."

  What few raiders that we hadn't killed had long since fled. Leaving their camp for us.

  "So, uh, victory?" I asked the duo.

  "Victory," Titan agreed, wearily sitting down on the ground. He motioned me over. I moved to the big man who put a free hand on my head. "What you did was dumb and incredibly brave, Angel." He muttered some words while displaying a holy symbol. Gradually the ache and cuts faded, closing and I looked as good as new.

  I stared into Titan's black eyes, grinned and then pushed his hand off my head. "Cut it out, you gotta ask before you touch my horns." I turned away from the smiling healer. I surveyed the camp. "Alright, let's clean up this mess and get some answers," I said, shaking off the lingering adrenaline from our brief scuffle. "What questions did you want to ask?"

  "We wanted to know if they were part of a larger group," Titan said. "Not that we have anyone to ask." I nodded, looking over the carnage we'd caused. "Oh well, we still get paid."

  The sun had long set by now, leaving the warming reds and yellows of the sun to fade into cool blues, blacks and purples in the sky. Outside of the camp it was the black of night, Titan and Gex began to sift through the remains of the bandit camp. I watched them from a safe distance, my heart still pounding from our recent skirmish. It was hard to believe that we'd managed to take down an entire camp of outlaws. Gex threw me an overly large tunic; I slipped it on and then put her cloak back on. While it didn't completely ward off the chill, it helped.

  "Check out these weapons," Gex called out, hefting a wicked-looking axe with a grin. "Think we can sell these for a pretty copper?"

  The two had pulled several small pieces of balled up fabric that had a bit of twine tied around the top. When the string was removed, and the fabric was laid down they would speak a word, and the fabric would grow into a blanket which Gex was throwing weapons onto it. When one was sufficiently filled, they'd tie up the now blanket sized item, say another word and it would shrink back down to the same small bundle before they retied it with string. It was fascinating to watch and only served to remind me that I wasn't in New York anymore.

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  "Definitely," Titan agreed, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder. "And look at all these skill crystals! We hit the jackpot!"

  I couldn't help but smile as they excitedly divided up the loot. Their earlier tension was forgotten. There was something oddly endearing about seeing two tough warriors geeking out over shiny objects. I flexed my hands, feeling something shift in them. My fingers looked more normal now. I tried flexing my hand watching as the black claws extended a bit from the fingers. So, they could retract? I cocked my head to the side flexing and unflexing them a few times. Just more oddness I was going to have to get used to. But still, the more I did it the easier it got to feel them subtly sliding forward and covering the fingertip. They didn't retract completely, just a tiny tip like a fingernail poking out. A vain part of me wondered if I could paint them like fingernails. I turned to go join Gex and Titan when a blinding flash of lightning suddenly streaked across the sky, followed by a deafening roar of thunder. My scales tingled with static electricity as the air shifted around me. Before I knew it, a naked Elf materialized in the clearing. Where she stood, a spot had formed like a lightning strike.

  "Uh, guys?" I called out, unable to tear my eyes away from the newcomer.

  That had to be an Elf! Tall and slender, easily six feet, with long blonde hair that cascaded down their back like a waterfall of spun gold. And those pointed ears? She was completely naked, but that wasn't what held my attention. It was their face, angular features that seemed both familiar and foreign, pointed ears, blue eyes wide with confusion. Something about them sparked recognition in the back of my mind.

  "Whoa!" Gex exclaimed, immediately dropping her share of the loot and reaching for her weapon. "Where did you come from?!"

  "Stand back, Angel," Titan warned, positioning himself protectively before me. "We don't know if they're friend or foe."

  But as I continued to stare at the naked Elf, trying to place those features, my heart started to race. The shape of their face, the way they held themselves despite the obvious confusion and fear, it reminded me of someone. "Wait," I said slowly, my voice catching. "We don't know if she's dangerous." Could it be?

  "Angel?" the Elf gasped, her eyes widening in shock as she frantically looked around the clearing. "I'll find you soon." She turned in a circle, her gaze landing on me, then shifting to Gex and Titan. Taking a step back, her expression changed from confusion to deep concern.

  My heart skipped a beat. That voice. I knew that voice.

  "Bel?" I whispered, hardly daring to believe it.

  Ignoring Titan's attempts to hold me back, I moved forward. "Bel!" Brushing away his hand, I rushed to stand in front of the Elf, craning my neck to look up at her. "Bel?" I said again, searching her face for confirmation. It was her, the same expressions, the same way her eyes moved when she was trying to figure something out. Just... in a very different body. "It's really you, isn't it?"

  The Elf nodded quietly, fear and apprehension showing on her face. "How do you know my name?" she asked, her voice trembling as she searched my eyes for any sign of recognition. "Who... what are you?"

  "Bel!" I exclaimed, feeling joy and relief surge through me as I embraced her tightly, my arms wrapping around her slender elven form. She was here. My girlfriend was here. We were both here, both changed, both confused, but together.

  She hesitated at first, her body stiff with uncertainty, but then she returned the hug tentatively, her arms coming around me.

  In a bittersweet moment of reunion, Bel held me tight, her chin resting on top of my head. "Angel, is that really you?" Her voice cracked with emotion as she pulled back slightly, bending down so her misty eyes could search my changed face. "What happened to you? You're..." Her voice trailed off as she took in my red scales, my horns, my tail. She pulled me closer again, and I buried my face against her stomach, anchoring myself in the present. "You're so different now."

  With a sigh of understanding, I nodded against her, feeling the weight of our altered forms settle upon us. "Yeah, I know, Love," I said, trying to keep my voice light despite the gravity of it all. Our eyes met as I couldn’t help but notice how she now towered over me, I had to crane my neck just to look at her face properly. "Looks like you had a growth spurt. Were you jealous? And your hair!" I breathed, reaching up to touch a long golden strand. “It’s blonde now!”

  "Not at all," she chuckled softly, though tears were forming in her eyes. Her laughter was shaky but genuine, mingling with the unspoken questions hanging between us. "What happened to you?" Her fingers traced my scaled cheek with tenderness, as if making sure I was real. “I guess you’re not the only one who changed,” she said, pulling the strand in front of her eyes to examine it.

  "I saved you and ended up here transformed into this," I explained, my own voice thick with emotion. "The truck… I pushed you out of the way and then..." I gestured at myself helplessly. "This."

  "A Kobold," Gex piped up from behind us, breaking the intimate moment.

  Suppressing annoyance at Gex's interruption, I corrected her firmly, not taking my eyes off Bel. "Not a Kobold."

  Amidst swirling emotions within me, I turned back to Bel seeking comfort in familiar eyes reflecting confusion and regret. "I'm sorry Bel," I whispered softly, weighed down by impulsive actions taken.

  Bel hesitated for only a moment before playfully remarking "I could get used to having you shorter than me. My pocket-sized martial artist." Her touch brought me closer as she teasingly mentioned how easy it was to kiss my forehead, a gesture brimming with promises of unwavering devotion.

  "I'm not that small," I protested, craning my neck to look up at her.

  Curious eyes fell upon our new companions, the Orc warrior and powerful Minotaur, silent witnesses to our knotted fates. With introductions and gestures made, our different worlds collided in this strange realm where love and loyalty transcended all boundaries.

  "And you're… Bel?" Titan asked. "I believe I heard Angel say that."

  "Yeah, I'm her girlfriend."

  Gex and Titan shared a look, but they didn't say anything about this declaration. "Well, why don't we let you two get reacquainted while we finish what we were doing?" Titan asked. "Come on, Gex."

  "I was so worried about you, Angel," Bel said, squeezing me against her slight frame. "You stepped out in front of that truck, throwing me backwards and onto the sidewalk."

  "I was trying to save you," I said, regrettably pushing against my now taller girlfriend. "Why did end up here?" Every ounce of my body wanted to go back to pressing against her warm body.

  "I don't know, when you threw me backwards, I think I hit my head." She was quiet for several moments. "I think we died, Angel."

  "Don't say that," I muttered, pushing away from her frame and turning. "We just got--"

  "What?" Bel asked, her tone tense. "We just got transported? Angel, I saw that truck turn you into roadkill. There was no way you were getting up from that."

  "Then that means you're dead too," I said rounding on the taller girl. "And I can't accept that I didn't save you. I can't-" I fought back tears. "I can't accept that I killed you."

  The elven woman who was my girlfriend smiled gently and pulled me into an embrace. "Let's just think of it as we're getting a redo. No more algebra tests, no more annoying teachers."

  I sniffled but smiled at her attempt to see the bright side of this. "Bel, I love you. But you're an idiot."

  "So what?" she asked stubbornly. "We're together that's all that matters."

  While Bel and I were reuniting, Gex and Titan went about setting up the camp for the night. Gex gathered firewood and stoked the flames. The two had clearly done this before, and it was easy for them to get set up for the night. Meanwhile, Titan chanted something walking around the outside of the perimeter of the camp they'd set up creating a barrier and ensuring our safety from potential threats.

  "Hey, Gex," Titan called out as he worked. "Do you think we should set up our tents, or are we good with what's left from the bandits?"

  "Let's just use what's here," Gex replied, glancing over at the tents the thieves had left behind. "No sense in wasting time unpacking everything, right?"

  "True," Titan agreed, nodding his shaggy blue head. As if seeming to realize something was amiss he looked up at Bel. "Here," Titan said, throwing what looked like the only blood free clothes at Bel. "No reason for you to be walking around nude, Madam Elf."

  "Oh thank god!" Bel breathed, quickly putting on the clothing. Due to her now tall sprite-like form the arms and legs ended inches before where they should have while the rest was baggy on her, making it look like she was playing dress-up. But there were only a few options out here for both of us, at least that clothing was more comparable to our size than the other two.

  “Hey, what about me?” I asked looking at my potential kidnappers.

  “What about you, Kobold?” Gex asked looking up from the pile of stuff she was gathering.

  “I don’t want to be in just your cloak and a shirt.”

  Gex pointed at the pile of clothing. “If you want to be in blood soaked clothing. Knock yourself out. We only had enough cleaning powder for that set.” She gave Bel an appraising look. “Though to be honest at your height maybe you should be wearing some good Orcish clothes. But I don’t want to disrespect the royals by dressing you in animal skins.”

  Bel and I looked at each other, a look passing between us. Neither of us knew what to make of the statement. Why was it ok for me to wear animal skins but not for her? This world was strange.

  The moon glowed gently over our borrowed camp as Bel and I slipped into one of the tents, leaving Gex and Titan to tend to their affairs. It was a decent sized tent that could have fit two normal sized Humans. A person of Gex's height would have had to duck but for both of us it was spacious. The air inside was warm and inviting, with the faint scent of pine needles lingering from the forest outside. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I couldn't help but admire Bel's elven form, her long, blonde hair, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

  "Angel," she whispered, her voice barely audible even in the quiet of the tent. "I'm glad you're ok. Relatively speaking."

  "Me too," I replied, feeling my heart swell with emotion. My tail swayed back and forth, betraying my excitement. We embraced; our arms wrapping around each other tightly as if trying to make up for all the time we'd been apart.

  As we hugged, I felt a sudden surge of desire coursing through me. I had always liked Bel, so we started dating half a year ago. Once we both realized that dating men wasn't really our cup of tea. We'd known each other for so long, so it only felt natural to want to be together. I knew I should have been more cautious, but the yearning was overwhelming. At that moment, nothing else mattered except being with Bel.

  I pulled away from our embrace, my fingers gently tracing the curve of her cheek, and I stood on tiptoe for a passionate kiss. Bel seemed to enjoy staying out of my reach for a few seconds before leaning down so our lips could meet, sending sparks of electricity through my entire body.

  "Angel," Bel gasped as we broke to catch our breath, her cheeks flushed. "What... what are you doing?"

  "I can't help it," I confessed, trembling. "Ever since I saw you, I've wanted to be closer. And now that you're here, looking so beautiful... I just can't resist."

  "Is that so?" she murmured, a playful smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Well then... let's make the most of this night, shall we?"

  As our lips met again, the world around us began to fade away. The gentle rustling of pine needles outside the tent grew distant, and even the moonlight seemed to dim, leaving us in our own private world where nothing existed except each other and the love we shared.

  Later, as we lay there in peaceful silence, our hearts still beating in sync, I felt a profound sense of contentment wash over me. The tent was quiet except for our soft breathing and the occasional whisper of fabric as we shifted closer together.

  "Bel," I whispered, my voice full of emotion. "That was... unlike anything I've ever felt before. I... I think I'm in love with you."

  Bel smiled gently, her eyes filled with warmth. "I think I'm in love with you too, Angel. And I think we both know that this is just the beginning of an incredible journey together."

  We held each other close as sleep began to overtake us, the night wrapping around us like a warm blanket. "Sleep now, Angel," Bel whispered, her voice barely audible in the shelter's tranquility. I nodded, closing my eyes and allowing the exhaustion to take over, feeling more complete than I ever had before.

  In the dim light of dawn, I lay sprawled across the makeshift bed Bel, and I had cobbled together from stolen blankets; I shivered and rolled closer, seeking a warm body. Bel fought free of my death grip as she rooted for her clothing.

  "Angel?" Her voice was soft, almost impossible to hear, as she gently shook me by the shoulder. "Angel, please wake up."

  But I remained still; I could sense and hear her, but it wasn't enough to call me to action. Her fear escalated into raw panic as she darted out of our tent to seek help from Gex and Titan. Her urgency cut through the camp's stillness as she cried out, "Guys! Something's wrong with Angel, she won't wake up!"

  "Yeah, we heard you screaming all night," Gex laughed.

  "No! This is serious! I can't wake her!" Bel shouted at the adventurers.

  I could feel the tent flap opening up, wafting more cold air into the already chilly tent. Titan knelt beside me, his large hand carefully searching for any flicker of life. "Her breath is steady," Titan's deep voice rumbled, brows furrowed in concentration. "Her heartbeat is slow but steady."

  Gex pondered aloud; her sharp gaze fixed on me. "Could this be linked to her race? You know all monsters have some drawback, and from the smells of the tent, I bet she has more than a Kobold's heat defect."

  Bel's hands clasped together in a desperate dance of unease. "Wait… heat?" The scientist asked. "God, I'm an idiot!"

  Titan's reassuring touch landed on Bel's trembling shoulder. "What's up?"

  "She's part reptile, right?" The elven woman said. "I bet she's gone into a kind of stasis to, you know, wait until she's got enough energy to let her blood start circulating again."

  Titan nodded in understanding. "It makes sense. She might be conserving energy, like a lizard in hibernation. We must warm her up slowly and help her body kick-start its functions again."

  Gex sprang into action, picking up my inert form and carrying me outside next to the fire from the previous night. It was little more than embers, but she rectified that by kindling it back into a proper campfire. Titan and Bel had fetched blankets to help, Titan carefully picked me up while Bel wrapped me in layers of cloth to trap the heat close to my body. Done with their task they set me down, Bel watching with bated breath, her eyes filled with fear and hope.

  As the minutes passed, I could feel the warmth seeping into my limbs, coaxing me back from the depths of my near unconsciousness. Gradually, the world around me started to come back into focus, the voices of my companions sounding clearer with each passing moment.

  Finally, with a gasp, I jolted back to awareness, blinking rapidly as I took in the concerned faces hovering over me. Bel let out a sob of relief, throwing her arms around me in a tight embrace.

  "Her body temperature was too low," Titan said, his voice a mixture of anger and relief. "Kobolds usually live underground where it's always warm. We should have realized she probably can't regulate her body heat so well when she lays down for the night."

  "Good to have you back, Scaly Butt," Gex grinned, patting me firmly on the back. "We were starting to get worried."

  "Thank you," I whispered, my voice weak. "I'm sorry. I could hear you guys, but I just couldn't do anything."

  With their help, I managed to get back on my feet, my muscles ached as if they'd never been used before. This was certainly going to complicate things going forward if every day was like being reborn.

  "You could hear us?" Bel asked. The scientist in her wanted to know more about this, and I wasn't sure I could provide it.

  "Yeah," I nodded, draping a blanket around my shoulders. "It was weird. Like not hearing, really. Sensing? I don't know if I can describe it. I swear I could feel individual movements when you three got within a certain range."

  Gex and Titan looked at one another. "That sounds more like dragon senses than anything, doesn't it, Gex?"

  The Orc woman nodded. "Do Kobolds have those types of senses?"

  "I don't think so," Titan said. "I know Kobolds lair with dragons, but I didn't think they would benefit from having a dragon near them. It's not like a large number of them come to the surface. And even if they did, they're monsters so no one really studies them."

  Bel's eyes widened with fascination at the mention of dragon senses, her mind spinning with theories and questions. "Could it be a dormant trait passed down through Angel's bloodline?" she mused aloud, the scientist in her eagerness to delve into this newfound mystery.

  Gex scratched her head, contemplating the implications. "Well, it would explain much about our little Kobold friend here. Maybe there's more to her lineage than meets the eye."

  I shifted uncomfortably under their curious gazes, feeling a mix of apprehension and curiosity. The idea of having dragon blood running through my veins was both exhilarating and unnerving. Dragons were supposed to be big and powerful creatures that no one messed with because of the fear they would retaliate. I doubt that I inspired much fear.

  Titan clapped a hand on my shoulder, offering a reassuring smile. "Whatever the case, maybe we'll figure it out together."

  As we broke camp, I could feel their eyes on me, full of concern and curiosity. The morning was still young, the air crisp with the promise of a new day. We fell into step, our footfalls muffled by the dewy grass beneath our boots. The conversation had shifted from my possible draconic lineage to our immediate task at hand, reaching the city to turn in the bandit suppression quest.

  "Hey, Angel," Bel said softly as we walked side by side. "Just so you know, I'll always find you, no matter where you are or what happens. But maybe, don't change your body too much if this happens again. Ok?"

  "I make no promises," I replied, squeezing her hand. "I didn't want to be shifted from a Human anyway."

  Gex had stopped a bit ahead of us, looking over her shoulder. "Hurry up, Scales," Gex called. "Or I'll make Shaggy carry you."

  "Yeah, yeah," I said, quickening my step. I knew I didn't want to be introduced to people being swaddled like some scaly baby in Titan's shaggy arms. Still, they could slow down since they all had so much longer legs than me.

  As we started to approach the edge of the woods Gex looked back at us, her expression serious for once. The woman came to a halt, pausing before she turned around to stare at us. Her expression was stern. “We need to have a talk before we get any closer to the town.” She turned to look at us.

  “Gex,” Titan began before the Orc woman signaled him off.

  “I don’t,” I started before she cut me off.

  “You two aren’t from around here.” She pointed at Bel. “Because of her. She’s not a real Elf.”

  My girlfriend looked at me confused then back to the other two. “I don’t understand,” she mumbled.

  “Elves don’t treat monsters, or former monsters, as chummy,” the warrior said. “We don’t care where you’re from, but you need to understand. Wherever you were from, the stuff in the tent.” She shook her head. “Not going to fly around real elves.” She moved to stand in front of Bel. “Now, show me your sheet.”

  My girlfriend blinked at her in confusion. “My what?” I was in the same headspace as she was. What did the green-skinned woman mean by sheet?

  As if to explain herself, both Gex and Titan held out their hands to us. Palm side up and made a gentle twisting motion with their hands. Where nothing had been before a dull parchment like paper appeared hovering over their hands. I stared in wonder at the sheet they seemed to have pulled from thin air. Because Gex was so much closer, I scrutinized that. Seeing her first and last name on the sheet, her class, height, weight, what I assumed were physical stats. So many scribbles I had no idea what they meant.

  “Go on,” Gex urged.

  Bel and I looked at each other wondering how they had managed to make this thing appear above their palm. Bel was the first to go, lifting her left hand to the sky, palm up. She frowned as if trying to read something above her skill level in a different language. After a moment she made the same twisting movement as our two companions had done. There above Bel’s hand was a single sheet of paper made to look like an ancient scroll of parchment. I blinked, moving to see her sheet. “This isn’t something we did where we’re from.”

  “What type of place doesn’t have sheets?” Titan asked curiously.

  “A place that doesn’t have elves,” Bel said. “I was a Human until I got here. So was Angel.” She looked at me staring at her sheet. “New York never had anything like this.”

  “Elf, level one, Belladonna Pizzo. Job Class: Blank. Rank F. Height: 6’ Weight: 135. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Scholar Skill Rank A, Alchemist Skill Rank A and Engineering Rank D” The only thing I recognized on that sheet was my girlfriend’s name. I knew what, in theory, the names of the skills implied. But as to their actual use and function. That was a mystery. I had no idea what levels or ranks or even the job class was. I looked at her as she continued to look between Gex and Titan for clues as to what we should be doing in this case.

  Both Gex and Titan turned to look at me. “Alright little Kobold,” Gex said. “Show us your sheet.”

  I bristled at being referred to as little and Kobold, glowering at Gex. “Yeah, yeah,” I huffed. I did as Bel had done, lifting my left-hand palm up towards the sky. I didn’t expect anything to happen, and I was right when nothing did. I smirked at Gex. “You gotta think about your sheet,” Bel said. “It’s hard to explain but imagine that you have a sheet like I do.”

  “For you,” I said with a shrug. I felt silly doing this but pictured a sheet of paper floating in my hand. I blinked as something appeared floating above my palm. It wasn’t a scroll though; it was a computer screen that listed information about me. “Uh, did it look like a com—” Bel pushed her fingers to my snout to silence me. I nodded understanding, at least partially, what she wanted. Her character sheet, whatever that was, had looked like a computer screen to her as well when she’d looked at it on her side.

  I glanced over the sheet for a second before moving it around for the others to see. Though looking at it I wasn’t sure what really any of this meant.

  “Dragon-Kin, level one, Angel Cohen. Job Class: Blank. Rank F. Height: 4’ Weight: 125, blue eyes. Martial Arts S+ Skill, Draconic Descent, Human Descent”

  Both of my impromptu traveling companions leaned closer looking at the sheet that floated over my hand. “What the hell is a Dragon-kin?” Gex asked. She looked at Titan, who had an equally perplexed look on his shaggy face.

  “Not a Kobold,” I said, smugly. “Told you.” I gave Bel a small shrug hoping to imply I knew just as much as she did. It didn’t seem fair that she got so many different skills and all I got was a martial arts skill. But at least S+ had to be good, right?

  “This just makes more problems for us, big guy,” Gex said with a sigh.