After leaving the Adventurers Guild, we made our way to some nearby stores to load up on supplies. The trek towards the mountains could take a while, so we needed to make sure we had everything we’d need. Dave insisted on picking up cheese, and lots of it. Four different kinds, to be exact. Apparently, each was for a different mood, or so he claimed.


    There was a strong blue cheese to wake him up in the morning, a creamy one for crackers, a light, healthy cheese with holes (for watching his weight), and finally, a fruity cheese for dessert.


    I couldn’t help but shake my head. “Cheese, really?”


    Dave nodded solemnly. “It’s the perfect survival food, Liam. Trust me.”


    I couldn’t argue.


    As for me, I had to be more creative. After a few moments of awkwardly staring at the racks of gear, I settled on a metal, all-round chastity belt. For protection. Mostly from Elaine. No way was I going to risk becoming her personal toy any time soon.


    Elaine, of course, went for something a little more practical: a new club for hitting things. She tested it a few times on me, just to make sure it had the desired effect. Fortunately, I was quick enough to avoid having my bones smashed into pieces.


    “Puny human,” she grunted as she swung the club in the air. “I make real Orc man out of you. Why you run?”


    I wisely chose not to answer. My life was more important than entertaining her strange desires.


    The rest of our supplies were more basic: field rations, water, dried meat, fruit, biscuits, and a few rolls of bedding. Being 8 feet tall, Elaine offered to carry the bulk of the load. Dave being Dave, naturally, he offered to take care of everything... and I just laughed.


    “Ha! You’re five centimeters tall. Six on a good day. How are you going to carry all this?” I pointed at the pile.


    That didn’t go over too well. Elaine knocked me on the head with her fist, and before I could even say “ouch,” Dave fired a burning ember straight into my ear. I was lucky it didn’t reach my eardrum.


    “I have an inventory, genius!” Dave shot back with a glare.


    “Oh right, sorry,” I muttered, rubbing my head and poking a finger around the inside of my ear hoping that there was no lasting damage.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    After stashing our stuff in Dave’s inventory, we were finally ready to go—well, almost.


    “Puny human, Puny Mouse, wait two minutes. I visit the lady’s room,” Elaine said, leading us toward a nearby store.


    Dave and I waited outside. Not much to do, really, except stare at the sky. And count the number of people with cat ears or tails. It was a weird world.


    “How’s life?” Dave asked, attempting small talk.


    I snorted. “You know, trying to survive one day at a time. Trying not to get killed by demons, or turned into mush by an orc who thinks that she’s my girlfriend. You?”


    “Not bad, you know, the usual.”


    “I don''t know, enlighten me,” I replied, eyeing him.


    “Okay, yes… if you must know, it’s amazing, you ginormous ape brain. I’m a mouse. I’m less than half a foot tall. I constantly look up at you most of the day, giving me neck strain. I scurry trying to keep up, getting blisters. And don’t even get me started on my... issues.” He paused to sniff around his scrotum. “This is the tenth time today. by the way, in case you haven''t noticed, I’m a mouse, my instincts keep telling me to sniff my scrotum and lick myself.”


    “Sorry, no need to get testy. You asked me first,” I pouted. Also, raising an eyebrow, I continued, “I know we’re friends but that was too much information, even for me…”


    “I—um?” he hadn’t expected that reply. For a moment, he was lost for words.


    Fortunately, Elaine’s return interrupted the awkward silence. She stepped out of the building, looking satisfied, and headed over to us. I sighed in relief. The Orc’s presence was the perfect distraction from the weird conversation.


    Finally, we were on our way. We left the town and headed towards the mountain range, following the outer wall of the city. The scenery was lush and green, with the mountains growing ever larger as we approached. The air grew cooler, and the path became less paved, more rugged.


    “We close,” Elaine said, pointing ahead. We saw the entrance to a cave glistening in the distance, its mouth surrounded by a strange, shimmering barrier.


    “That’s it,” I murmured, excitement building. We were close now.


    As we neared the barrier, I felt the oddest sensation, like electricity in the air. A weird, glowing shimmer danced before us.


    “Now what, Puny man?” Elaine asked, raising an eyebrow. “We enter or not? Elaine not want to wait.”


    Dave didn’t have much to say. As usual, I was the one to take the lead. “Let’s go.”


    I reached out and pushed my hand through the barrier.


    “Ahhh! My hand! My hand!” I screamed, immediately pulling it back as if I’d been burned. I cradled my hand dramatically.


    Dave looked panicked, and Elaine’s face twisted in concern.


    “What happened?” Elaine demanded, her voice deepening with worry.


    Dave’s voice shrieked in my head. “I think you might be dead.”


    But when I held up both hands, they were perfectly fine. No burns. No damage. Just my usual melodramatic self.


    “I got you!” I chuckled, holding up my hands triumphantly. “Fooled you both.”


    Elaine and Dave weren’t impressed. The orc glared at me with the rage in her eyes and slapped me on the back. The force sent me flying through the barrier.


    “I show you ‘fool,’” she muttered, following me through with a grin.