'Chirri? Chirri! I like it.'
"Stop it, Tibi! Back up! I'm fragile." I feel ridiculous saying that—but his tail is a club able to turn me into a pile of bones.
Once the chaos settles, I lean against the altar.
'Don't!' Chirri yelps, scarring me. I almost topple.
"What?"
She giggles, 'Nothing.'
"Don't scare me. Now talk. What did I agree to?"
Chirri's tone becomes heavier. 'To help the invaris. To free them and take revenge, of course.'
"Me?" I look down at bones. "This?"
'That will change. Don't worry.'
I perk up despite myself. "Really? When? How?"
'In time.' Saying no more.
"Fine. What do I do?"
'You must conquer the dungeons and claim their cores. With each dungeon, you'll grow. When all the cores reunite, the invaris can return.'
"Hilarious. Now be serious."
'I am.'
"I could barely kill a goblin. You want me to clear entire dungeons? With stronger monsters? Are you insane?" My voice ends in a scream.
'With our help, you can. The dungeon core chose you.'
"Wait—why does that sound like you didn't choose me?"
'Because I didn't. I told you—we're one.'
"What does that even mean?!" My voice cracks.
'Every dungeon core is autonomous, not sentient. The one core to find the chosen gains sentience and a personality fit for them—'
"No. Explain how you're my 'best fit' when you're so… childlike."
'I am what you were denied. I'm part of you as much as you are part of me. But I am also more.'
Not elaborating further, the silence stretches while I think.
'Besides, would you rather get some old, wise, know-it-all? With me you won't get bored. Right, Tibi?'
"Woof!"
I jump, "Don't… do that."
'See? Fun already.'
I give in. No point arguing. I want answers. I want my body back. "Okay. Fine. Explain everything. Why me? And are you a 'she' or what?"
Chirri changes her voice to neutral. 'Do you remember how you died? How that human killed you? The core sees everything. You had no potential for magic and died at human hands, your dislike for humans was palpable—those were the reasons for your 'resurrection'. The judgment came when you touched the core—you were found worthy. You agreed. Now we're here.' Then in her previous, cheery voice, 'I'm Chirri. Think of me as a… woman. The former dungeon core.'
"So you're inside me… What happens to the dungeon now?"
'Nothing.'
"Nothing? Can I exit the dungeon now?"
'I'll leave a dummy core as a substitute—'
"Tibi! Leave my toes alone! And you—stop giggling and do something!"
'He's yours. You handle him.'
"Tibi, stop. Sit." He sits. To my surprise. "Don't look at me like that. I don't want your drool— Hey! What's happening?"
Light engulfs me and Tibi.
'It's time to leave,' Chirri says.
A blink later, we're in a forest.
"Where are we? How—"
'I thought you were done asking questions and wanted to leave.' She clears her throat, 'The all-powerful Chirri placed you at the next dungeon's entrance. Go forth, conquer it!'
"If you're so powerful, save the invaris yourself. I'll go find a grave to rest my bones in." I turn away, "Come, Tibi."
'Noo, don't be like that. I can give you magic stones. The real ones, not dungeon knockoffs.'
I stop. "Really?"
'You're just like the rest.'
"Don't say that. If you want my help… I can't do anything like this."
Two magic stones appear—much larger than the goblin scraps from before. 'These are real goblin magic stones. Take them. Feed them to your own magic stone.'
I reach for them, then freeze. "My what?"
'Your magic stone. How else do you think you're alive? Your bones don't move by will alone. You're no longer human. You're invaris… ish. Incomplete, but still…'
"You can't just drop that like it's nothing."
'Oh? But you don't like humans.'
"That's not the point. That's important."
'But it isn't.'
"It is to me." Tibi flattens his ears when I raise my voice. I don't notice until after.
I calm myself. "Anything else you 'forgot' to mention, Chirri?"
'Not really.'
"At least tell me what I am."
The innocent voice says, 'I… don't know. When we get this dungeon's core, you'll become whole and find out.' Softer, unintelligible, 'I used the energy for your transformation to make Tibi.'
"What was that?"
'Nothing. Eat the stones already. Eat them. They'll make you better. Stronger.'
"Don't rush me." I still do it—drop them into my chest.
The light intensifies—much brighter than before. I hope no one saw.
'Tell me about this dungeon. What monsters are there? And why don't I feel stronger? Are the stones just for show?'
'Kick the tree next to you,' she says mischievously.
"You want me to scatter? And then Tibi—"
'Do it, do it,' she insists.
"Fine. Quiet." I kick. The place explodes into splinters. A chunk goes missing.
'See? See? Trust Chirri.'
I stare, stunned.
'Because you're mr. skeleton, you can't use magic yet,' then she adds. 'But you gained the strength of two real goblins. Not dungeon ones. The real thing.'
I turn my head to Tibi, "Could you remove my leg like before?"
He tilts his head, tail starting to wag, anticipating another game.
"Never mind. I don't need to know." He droops his head.
"What about the monsters, Chirri? What can I expect?"
'Go inside. Find out. It's more fun this way.'
"Risking my life is fun?… You don't know, do you?"
Chirri quietly says, 'Our.'
"What?"
Now louder, 'Our. Our life, not yours. If you die, I die.'
I'm stunned. I didn't expect this.
"What can you do? Besides annoying me. Can you give me more magic stones?"
'I'm helping!' she says, offended. 'And no. I can't'
"Why?"
'For the two stones you got, two goblins had to die. I don't want to take more lives.'
"I didn't know. Are the goblins inside you? You are inside me…"
'No—but I am connected to them.'
"I see. So, what can you do?"
'I will… cheer you on with my superb commentary!'
Perfect. So she can't do anything.
I open my mouth, but she interrupts, 'I'll have your back. Nothing will ambush you. Also, I know everything about invaris, so I know everything about dungeon monsters.'
"Now we're talking. Good."
'Stop rattling your bones and hurry in the dungeon. Chop, chop.'