Chapter 3

Faolan walked along what seemed to be a hunting trail. Birds chirped and he could hear the buzz of some bugs nearby. As time passed by though the less sounds he heard around him. Then to his horror he heard it. *Ping*

D20 rolling… D20 result is 3… You are being hunted now by 2 Puca.

Faolan looked around and saw them. They stood about three feet tall, humanoids covered in pitch black fur, eyes entirely crimson, and their heads were similar to baboons. They slowly split apart to pincer Faolan. Low growls in their throats. Faolan held his half-pike firmly, and shifted his feet. Then one of the Puca lunged forward changing into a black Horse, with serrated teeth lining its open mouth going for him.

He quickly dodged to the side and thrust his half-pike into its flank. It released a deep howl like noise and turned to bite at him. Faolan jumped back and found himself in the swiping distance of the other puca. He couldn’t dodge mid air. After all he wasn’t some superhuman or a video game character. Pain seared the left side of his back. The puca didn’t stop there and put an arm around his throat.

Pain burned over his body and he could see the other puca turn its horse body and start its approach. He released his claws in his left hand and like a spear thrust his hand over his right shoulder towards the face that was breathing on his neck. Call it dumb luck or a blessing, his hand found the pucas right eye. It released him and tumbled back holding its face. Faolan saw the horse puca increase its speed. On instinct he dropped to one knee and thrust the half-pike forward into it. Its scream filled the air as it impaled itself and collapsed to the ground in its death throes.

A growl behind Faolan reminded him he wasn't done. He got up quickly to see that the other puca hadn’t moved closer. It threw its head back and released a otherworldly series of bleats.

“BYE!”

Faolan ran away and didn’t look back. He could hear movements in the trees and a brush. The sounds of bleats, chatter, and something like a laugh filled the air. As he ran he could see the woods start to thin, and in the distance a lake. Faolan could now hear hoofs behind him, and knew some of the puca were now in some animal form chasing him.

“Come on! Go back!” Faolan shouted over his shoulder.

An angry roar of a bleat responded to him and its owner sounded like it was picking up pace. Faolan as he reached the end of the woods was sent flying. Pain coarse from his butt to his lower back, and once he hit the ground and started to roll it got only worse. Faolan felt his arm limply flop into the lake. The water was cold, and he saw his half-pike laying far out of reach.

He saw the three approaching puca. One was dog-like, another horse, and the biggest goat with only one eye he had ever seen. The three of them approached cautiously which surprised him. He wondered why they were not tearing him apart. A loud quack surprised him and made him shift away in pain. Looking back into the lake he saw a big white and black duck.

The pucas’ froze at the sight of the duck. It released another loud quack, and they trembled. It flew out of the water and opened its beak and released a stream of white flames that consumed the pucas. They thrashed and screamed till all that was left was ashes and blackened ground. The duck turned and looked at Faolan. Fear shot through Faolan as he was reminded of the saying out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Faolan thought of the dice and struggled with his dry hand to pull one out. He tossed it and watched as it came to a stop. Waiting to hear and waiting to know if it worked. *Ping*

D6 rolled a 1… The Duck of White Flame Loch has decided it owns you.

Faolan stared at the approaching duck and could feel himself losing consciousness. “How many times in one go will I pass out…”

The Duck bit down on his shredded clothes and dragged him off. It dropped him in its nest and over the next day nursed him. Faolan awoke to his body in pain, but could move a little. He was alive and it made him happy, but now he found himself stuck with a four foot tall duck that went pyro on the puca. The next few days of survival with the duck were the same. It brought him water, white flowers that were warm to touch he didn’t know, and to his disgust bugs. The Duck had forced him to eat the bugs only one time, and after that he willingly ate them in fear.

“You know what I’m tired of thinking of you as the duck, I’ll call you Firequacker”

“QUACK”

“Yeah, it's sooo fitting.”

“Quack quack hissss”

“Nope, Firequacker is now who you are.”

Firequacker hissed at him one more time and waddled off. Faolan smiled at his new companion and shook his head.

“I gotta get out of here soon. I want real food, and I'll take anything that's cooked.” He murmured as he shivered and rolled over to get some more rest.