by a sudden silence from above, as the sound of branching snapping finally stopped. His eyes opened, and he looked up. The bird was slowly looking around, a confused look on its face.
Certainly he'd done something, but he had no idea what it was. Slowly he looked around, trying to figure it out. When he realized he had to stop himself from gasping and giving himself away.
He was invisible. Completely transparent. He had successfully managed to think like a black ooze monster after all.
Fighting the urge to laugh, he slowly backed away from the giant bird head. He had barely gotten ten feet away when it suddenly descended and started stabbing the ground where he had been. The huge sharp beak missed him by inches, and he turned and ran, too afraid to care if he was heard or not.
Somehow the surrounding area was remarkably clear of monsters. However, the shadow of the giant bird cloaked everything for miles, so it wasn't easy to tell what might be hiding. Eric just kept running and tried not to think about it.
"Ah. There you are. You're running the wrong way."
Eric didn't answer, afraid that the sound of his voice would alert the bird, and kept running.
"You don't have to speak out loud for me to understand you. I'm inside your mind. Hadn't you figured that out yet?"
"No." He thought fiercely at the little man. It was amazing how the condescension was so irritating that it trumped even mortal terror.
"This is a projection of my physical self. As long as the mistress lives I must do her bidding. Only this part of my mind is free, and only for a short time." Sadness briefly filled the little man's eyes, then was gone. The irritating gleam of superiority returned and he said, "Now stop running in the wrong direction and follow me. Try to avoid being killed."
"I am trying!"
"Well try harder!"
The little man laughed and turned right. After a moment, Eric turned and followed him.
"How much further?" Eric thought. Oddly he felt no physical discomfort for running so long at such a fast speed. Still the increasing frequency of near death experiences made him want to leave as soon as possible.
Certainly he'd done something, but he had no idea what it was. Slowly he looked around, trying to figure it out. When he realized he had to stop himself from gasping and giving himself away.
He was invisible. Completely transparent. He had successfully managed to think like a black ooze monster after all.
Fighting the urge to laugh, he slowly backed away from the giant bird head. He had barely gotten ten feet away when it suddenly descended and started stabbing the ground where he had been. The huge sharp beak missed him by inches, and he turned and ran, too afraid to care if he was heard or not.
Somehow the surrounding area was remarkably clear of monsters. However, the shadow of the giant bird cloaked everything for miles, so it wasn't easy to tell what might be hiding. Eric just kept running and tried not to think about it.
"Ah. There you are. You're running the wrong way."
Eric didn't answer, afraid that the sound of his voice would alert the bird, and kept running.
"You don't have to speak out loud for me to understand you. I'm inside your mind. Hadn't you figured that out yet?"
"No." He thought fiercely at the little man. It was amazing how the condescension was so irritating that it trumped even mortal terror.
"This is a projection of my physical self. As long as the mistress lives I must do her bidding. Only this part of my mind is free, and only for a short time." Sadness briefly filled the little man's eyes, then was gone. The irritating gleam of superiority returned and he said, "Now stop running in the wrong direction and follow me. Try to avoid being killed."
"I am trying!"
"Well try harder!"
The little man laughed and turned right. After a moment, Eric turned and followed him.
"How much further?" Eric thought. Oddly he felt no physical discomfort for running so long at such a fast speed. Still the increasing frequency of near death experiences made him want to leave as soon as possible.
