Okay, so… let's look at the facts. Fact. We're fucked. There's only two ranged attackers in our whole group, both of us magic casters. One of us in the third tier, the other only in the first. Unless we can pull a win out of our asses, we'll probably have to run. That's if this thing will even let-
Crash!
… us. We all turn around to see that a giant boulder had slammed down behind us, and I looked up at this thing. Fuck, if it can use psionics… it read my mind, didn't it? A swirl of stones were weaving and pulsing around the tyrant slime in its cradle, almost as if to gloat its prowess with a crown of stone.
{N0t1ceczz; tHeR3 iz n-weyr 2 raaaahn}
Those bold letters popped up in a fizzing red font on a static-coated pop up, and I have to admit if I didn't already take my morning crap I would have vacated my bowls. Slimes began pouring out from all kinds of alcoves, and suddenly the reduced number of slimes in the halls made sense. It was preparing for a trap.
"It's using psionics, manipulating a mass number of mobs with its mind, and it's in a high position we can't easily strike. Worse yet, we're trapped. I hate to say it guys, but this is an uphill battle"
"Uphill? This just became our tomb, we're now the lunch of these… things," One of the lizardmen muttered, his knees shaking and spear clattering down. The slimes came to us far slower than expected, and if I had to guess it was because that thing up top was playing with us. No… I'm not gonna let it fucking win.
"Pussy"
"... What?"
"You heard me. Are we gonna die? Likely. While I can't speak for you, I'm not going down like a bitch. Where the hell's your pride as a lizardman, I thought you guys were all about that warrior culture stuff? So what, a signed death warrant suddenly erased all that? Pick that fucking spear up, we got slimes to give indigestion"
He started shaking full-bodied at that, but I could see it wasn't from fear. Anger. Raw, indignant rage. He picked his spear up and screamed wordlessly, likely at the big eyed slime, and charged through the small slimes on the ground weaving and slicing through their number. The sight seemed to inspire the others, and even Todone couldn't help but shake his head at the brief wash of mortality he was likely feeling.
"We're the denizens of Tob, damn it! No sack of mucus ought to take that pride away from us!" He shouted, following suit behind the first lizardman to charge.
Well shit, I guess we're doing this then. Hack and slash time baby. Even Yulg charged forward with a roar, swinging his mace with surprising deftness for a blunt instrument. I charged at the first slime I came across and sliced clean through it, using the momentum to spin and slash at another attempting to leap at me. The albino, though the least experienced of us in martial combat as it became obvious, still held his own with his staff. Thankfully, some of the other lizardmen were accompanying him to keep his six watched.
Another slime, another kill. I peered around and considered my options. There was no way this thing was completely invulnerable, I just had to think. I dodge under another slime and plunge my hand inside to rip out its core, crushing it and moving on. I arm bash another one with my plated forearm, splattering it against its brothers.
A lot of the stuff from Yggdrasil and this world operated to some degree on game logic despite the absolute lack of logic in that. So maybe… I can rely on some game logic of my own here. It's stupid, but it just might work. I charge my way through the slimes, hacking and slashing through the bumbling oozeballs. The ruler seemed to detect my intent, and doubled slime efforts on me.
"{Spike Growth}!" I shouted, pointing at the path ahead of me that slowly swelled with them. They all popped, and I should have considered using that earlier. Hindsight's a bitch I guess, but I can't exactly aim with this one like I could with {Frostbite} or {Dust Devil}.
I hop onto one of the spikes and leap over, landing on another slime and almost slipping to the ground. Man, it would have been curtains if I didn't stick that. I slice again, and finally make it to my target. With a cutting motion, I slit the pulsing vein, getting rewarded with a splash of raw bioluminescent ooze all over my face. Wooph, that feels… funny. Still, we have a job to do.
It did the ticket, and the oozing horror let loose another psychic screech, though this one sounded just as painful for itself as it did for us. The majority of the oozes on the floor started re-clustering, forming a living shell around the remaining veins.
"We can salvage this, guys! Those veins are… oh shit… they're mana ducts!"
That was what that funny feeling was. Getting coated in that shit just boosted my mana regeneration. We have got to figure out how it's making this shit, because I know for a fact that mana potions aren't a thing here.
God, even in a life or death situation I'm piecing together ways to build my shit up.
Though there were still slimes on the main floor, especially being supported by a slow flood of slimes coming in through various crevices, it was now just barely manageable enough that we could effectively fight back. I looked around the room and made a count. Five more ducts… we can win this.
"Regroup everyone! We can actually win this if we focus!" I shouted. "Escort formation!"
Before we could fully re-group however, I noticed the stone crown shift in its shape. My eyes widened in realization. "Shields up!"
The group with the albino held their shields up, the rest holding their own up as they ran. Just in time too, as a hailstorm of pebbles and rocks shotgunned from the crown around the room. As I lacked a shield and was on my own, I took cover behind my spike growth and prayed it held. Splinters flew, but I was still in one piece. I got back up and we all ran up to one another, regrouping and reorganizing. Now together, we formed a modified version of the pinwheel formation, the key difference being this was designed more for mobility. The only downside was we needed to be quick on the callouts to act as one.
"Let's march to the closest one and work our way across the room! The sooner we wrap this up the sooner we can go home and watch the fireflies!"
"Oorah!" They shouted in unison, and we marched across the cavern floor.
Yulg was a force of nature despite his stature, easily plowing through and acting as the unexpected spearhead for our movement. Let it never be said that he defied all odds as a goblin and makes for one hell of a tank. Even more impressive, considering I remember his level being only slightly over most of these slimes.
We made it to the second vein, and I utilized my ice magic to help in cracking this nut.
"{Frostbite}!" I cast, and I realized a flaw in my plan. Frostbite only targets one foe. "Uhhhh"
"Nolan you idiot, cast a better spell!"
"Um, gimme a sec! Cover me y'all, I need to think!"
"Are you joking human?!" The albino shouted.
No, unfortunately, I wasn't. Alright system, how the hell do I enhance my magic?
{Ostrzeżenie: nie da się uciec}
I… what the fuck does that even say? I can't fucking read that. I got the feeling that our beast was responsible for messing with my skull. I wasn't talking to you anyways, you fucking slime brain. Bubbles popped up in my vision, hazy and static filled. Despite the situation and consideration of them asking questions, I still physically swiped at the windows and tried to sift through for answers manually.
Prefixes? What are those?
{refixespay: ayay erbalvay additiveyay omponentcay inyay ellspay astingcay , usedyay otay addyay additionalyay adjustmentyay arameterspay otay ayay esignatedday ellspay}
Ha! Joke's on you asshole, I can eadray pig latin! I open the prefix tab and sift through my options.
"Let's see… twin… heighten… widen…?" I muttered to myself, unheard over the clattering and shouts of my comrades in arms. "Fuck it, let's try this… {Widen Magic: Frostbite!}"
A large sheen of frost encases the entirety of the slime armor around the mana vein. Though it sucked my mana down incredibly, it did the trick. With a glorious crash, Yulg shatters the armor with his mace, revealing the vein. I make short work, slicing it open and spilling out more of the raw mana and letting it pour on myself. Yet another screech, and the beast above trembled with pain and rage. I could have sworn I even saw a flicker in the light that held them up.
Of course, that was overshadowed by the sight of the burbling slime queens.
"What the…" I couldn't help but murmur, and then the sight suddenly made sense as I saw what was pouring out across the ceiling. Slimes. Incredible amounts of them. They grouped up around locations above us and- oh god oh fuck.
"Backpedal, shields up!" I shouted, running out and letting the group follow suit. If there's one thing that having veins of flowing mana gives us, it's that I'm already beginning to feel my expense of mana return to me. Still, this is definitely gonna be a close cut.
One splashed from the ceiling, then a torrent of them came crashing down in areas around us like suicidal water balloons. One of them got a lizardman near the rear, sending him crashing to the ground as I had to wince my eyes from the splash. A larger slime almost approached, but I pierced it with an {Ice Knife}. I reach down and pick the lizardman up by his arm, planting my palm on his head as I issued orders.
"Keep running, head to the next vein! {Cure Wounds}!" I shouted, curing what was likely a concussion the poor bastard just experienced.
It took us a couple slashes and stabs at nearby slimes, but we'd managed to catch up with the rest of the group.
"{Widen Magic: Frostbite}!"
The same shell, the same dance. Yulg makes his way up and shatters the frozen slimes up, and more psionic agony pierces our brains before I can reach out to cut the vein. My footing slips, and a larger slime grabs onto my arm with a yank from out of nowhere. Before I can react, the same lizardman that I'd saved earlier came to my assistance, as the others were busied with a sudden surprise attack from all sides. I nodded shakily, without words, as I stepped up and slit the vein like the others.
There was a rumble, and the sound of shattering glass from above. We looked up to see that one of the magical barriers holding up a queen had shattered, and she now fell to the floor of the chamber. A thick, syrupy wave washed out from her crash site, engulfing the other slimes in the area. Though we got coated in mucus, it wasn't enough to knock us off of our feet. That wasn't the issue, however…
"Oh no…" I heard one of the lizardmen mutter, and rightfully so.
All of the slimes in the vicinity that didn't have their cores destroyed by the immediate force of the splash were now consuming the slime on the floor, growing in size. What was once a room of small slimes with the occasional large slime to support was now a room full of nothing but large ones.
"Whelp, this is gonna suck. Uh, I need to save my mana for the frost magic, so…"
No words needed to share, as both Yulg, the albino, and Todone stepped up to the plate to fight. Todone was one of the only ones here actually fast enough to weave like it was nothing around most of the slimes, but he still needed to be careful about getting ganged up. The albino had his {Vine Whip} spell carrying him, though I could see he was starting to build up some fatigue from this fight, and Yulg was…
"Gnnnraaahh!" He shouted out, bodying a larger slime and completely splitting the membrane open with his mace.
You go little man, you go.
We continued our passage through the tide of large slimes, and it's immediately become obvious that the larger slimes are providing enough resistance that our efforts have been slowed immediately. Which isn't good, because I can see more slimes pooling on the ceiling above us.
"Everyone around me, now! {Spike Growth}!"
Everyone wrapped themselves around me, placing myself in the center, just in time as more slimes dropped down, splashing onto the spikes. Not enough came down, however, as the hivemind seemed to realize what I was doing. Instead, it shuddered its crown of stone again.
"Shields up!" I shouted, adjusting the spikes to better weather the incoming barrage.
A barrage that never came.
"Fuck, it's learning… that's not good…" I muttered.
"What's the plan, human?" The albino puffed in exhaustion.
"We uh… this is the part where we improvise!" I shouted, "Make no plans whatsoever aside from our main goal, act purely on instinct as we fight for the next one! Now move it!"
Despite the barrage of complaints about it, I was banking on this being our best bet. After all, if I didn't know what they were doing then neither did that thing. Of course, that was the hope. Truthfully, we were boned no matter what if this thing was causing issues, so the least we could do was maybe force it to widen its spread of psionics and muddle the damn thing. And luckily, it seemed to be somewhat working if the scream of psionic frustration was anything to go off of.
"Empty the mind…" I heard Todone mutter under the noise of squelching slimes and heavy breathing.
He swiped forward as the first to charge, heading towards one of the veins on his lonesome. Sensing an opportunity it seems, the horror on the ceiling begins to fling stone bullets at him, but he ducks and weaves through the storm. Seemingly inspired, some of the others join in, dancing to and fro, stabbing at the large slimes given the opportunity. I, meanwhile, was brewing a plan of my own.
I began sprinting to one of the other veins, ducking and weaving between larger slimes, delivering a rare slash when possible. Overall though, most of these guys weren't my goal though. I was instead seeking to take advantage of their movements, and letting the overslime accidentally kill some of its own kin with stone bullets. The Experience would be nice, but I'm honestly more focused on staying alive at this junction. I reached the main vein, and it paused in it's acts to launch bullets, instead sending slimes forward to attack.
"{Entangle}!" I shouted, springing forth tendrils of slimy mildew and fungus from the cavern floor. Though it barely holds against an amorphous flood, it's just enough for me to feel comfortable doing this next part.
"{Widen Magic: Frostbite}!" I yelled, casting another sheen of frost upon the slime wall. Then comes the next part. "{Guidance}!"
With a wide slash from the back of my brush-hook, my vein's shield shatters, and I make the slash. Just in time, as I turn around to cast {Dust Devil} point blank, narrowly avoiding a stretching pseudopod that attempted to grab me before it got sucked up. I wave it back and forth despite the gusting dust whipping at me and threatening me to close my eyes, but I was backed into a corner with mana fluid flowing down my back, so who cares?
I wasn't able to watch it, but the sounds of psionic panic breaching my mind was certainly a telltale sign that this thing was getting desperate now. I whip the tornado full of slimes outward, and slice away at these damnable slimes. Hopefully, they can finish the job, because it seems I've backed myself into a corner. I can barely see them over the tide of slimes. Man, I've really pissed this thing off huh?
"Hnrg!" Yulg grunted in effort, swinging his mace and pushing forward.
Though Todone had stumbled off with a group of the more agile of lizardmen, Yulg had to stay behind with the slower of the group and help protect their spellcaster. It was a basic thought drilled into everyone's heads, and it was that no one can operate on their own and succeed for long. The human seems to be an exception to that rule it seems, as he trains in both martial and magical arts, but for everyone else it boils down to the three main groups. In a fashion Nolan refers to as being similar to 'Rock, Paper, Scissors', there are Warriors, Mages, and Rogues. The term 'Rogue' seems to carry more weight to it whenever the human says it, but he generally uses it to refer to those who fight from afar or use the shadows.
Another splattered slime, and Yulg felt that same surge of power he felt earlier. It had something to do with the human, he carried with him a great air of… mysticism. There was more to him, always more, as though he were an instrument of some higher power. Of this… Apex, that he refers to.
Despite the situation, Yulg couldn't help but contemplate what this All truly was as he splattered another slime. A God, one that the human fully states does not take any one form because it is in everything. It made the universe and every race, even the other Gods themselves if the human's words were to be believed. A god that looked after every single thing in its existence as its own children, its own masterworks. A deity that would have even been responsible for creating Yulg. That thought, the idea that he was created for some other purpose… it filled the goblin with hope. And as a pair of larger slimes attempted to attack him from both sides, he felt the starlight of the Aether flow through him.
"{Blessed Strike}!" He shouted with all of his lungs, feeling the words come naturally to mind as he swung the mace in his hands, glowing and sending a sharp blast of light through the area in front of him.
With this revelation, this understanding that he could now work to help others… he would provide a second chance for others, as he had been given. Purpose, understanding, peace. The means to serve the true Alpha, and to help the weak by using your own strength. He would do what it takes to protect and serve the… Messenger. That word mulled around in Yulg's mind, and it made enough sense, for that is what the human was, truly.
And thus, the goblin continued to swipe and charge, some of the lizardmen at his side still reeling at the sight of a goblin casting holy magic that was originally thought to have only ever been used by the human religions.
Todone huffed, briefly ducking as one of the other lizardmen in his group leapt over him in a coordinated attack. The toadman thrusted his spear directly through a slime's core on the left, while the lizardman pierced one on the right. The both of them continued their push through the slimes. As they did so, the other two leapt over them, and received a push from under to swing them forward at the slime shield. Over the sea of slimes, they went to work whittling away at the shield.
As Todone worked towards them with his 'partner', he couldn't help but laugh at the situation. If it weren't for the human, he'd probably never have had the opportunity to fight and die beside these… comrades. Brothers in arms. They were fighting and bleeding side by side, sewn together by the threads of fate. By Nolan.
The toadman wouldn't admit it, but… he envied the human. His ability to not necessarily brush anger and pain directed at him off, but rather redirect its flow into something productive, and willingness to prove himself… it was something that Todone never really considered before. He was willing to prove himself, and constantly trained, but the fact of the matter was that Todone simply never had the opportunity to develop and understand wisdom. He didn't think it was necessary. Before the human came along, he believed that might was all that was needed to make things right.
Piercing through yet another slime, they finally make their way through the crowd. Now it was just a matter of piercing through the slimes faster than they could replace. Though the human still lagged behind the other tribals in terms of physical strength, he more than made up for it with endurance and wisdom. By the ancestors his endurance. Todone still hasn't been able to fully piece together what happened to the human, but his capacity to shrug off bruised ribs and dislocated joints in fights made even himself wince.
Todone grunted, growing annoyed. They were speeding up, the thing on the ceiling no doubt piecing this situation together. At least the stone bullets stopped, it seems that strength was now starting to wane from the creature as it focused more to maintain the barriers that held it and the remaining queen slime up. Still, even if they had killed many of these lesser slimes, many more would take their place.
And then it happened. That burst of strength. The toadman wasn't sure where it came from, but he knew one thing. It was thanks to the constant slaying of these slimes, and he needed to… direct his thoughts. He needed speed and precision, he needed to wipe out countless slimes rapidly without winding himself.
And almost like instincts, the words breached his lips. A new martial art, seemingly innate from deep within his chest.
"{Rapid Blows}!" He shouted, and with the speed of a striking snake a thousand times over, the slimes were all popped by the force and accuracy of his blows.
With a final thrust, he pierced the vein, spurting it's contents over the cavern floor and himself. And with that familiar itching screech in the back of his skull, the second slime queen falls to the ground with a sickening splash. The slimes in the room reel back, almost as if dazed and confused. The mental itch was… fearful now. Full of dread, almost as if pleading for its life. Pathetic, in Todone's opinion. It should accept death after all that it had attempted to do, and would likely have done to the surroundings of the forest.
Without words, they all moved to the final vein, striking at confused slimes with relative ease.
Whatever those beautiful bastards did, I love it. The slime queen's crash seemed to act almost like a gong for these lesser jellies, putting them into disarray and distress. I was now making my way to the final vein. It seems that the others had the right idea as we all came up to it, almost in tandem. The slime wall was… pitiful now. It was weak, and wobbly. I couldn't help but follow the vein up and stare at the creature above. It… fuck, was it messing with my head, or was it genuine?
I shake my head. The others seemed to be looking at me with varying degrees of sympathy. It seems I wasn't the only one. But after all the damage it caused… I mean, it was just a stupid, wild creature.
Brief flashes, pain and agony, desperately seeking to please some hidden master, and then it came to me. Fuck, this thing… no they didn't want this. Each and every single core in that large slime was one entity. One mind. Forced, no… crammed into one body, like sardines. They were primitive, animalistic, but just intelligent enough that emotions and memories poured through.
After everything it went through… killing it would be mercy.
There was confusion, and it felt like something was rooting through my skull. Surprise, then… peace. An option it hadn't considered, too desperate to claw and gnash at everything around itself in confusion and primal instinct, not once had it considered denying its tormentor what they wanted and getting a final rest for itself.
Agreement. The slimes, though wobbly, pulled away to reveal the final vein, barely holding its shield together. We all looked together, painfully. Even Yulg seemed to be unsure. He raised his mace, but I touched his shoulder and shook my head. As cliche as it fucking sounds… if anyone should do this, it should be me. I make the cut, and the shield gives way.
Gratitude.
It splashed across the cavern, and the slimes in the room quivered, before finally ceasing their confused and aggressive stance. They seemed almost passive, without a mind to direct them, mindlessly prodding and poking at the floor and fellow slimes around themselves. I couldn't help but swallow what felt like a rock in my throat, fighting back the emptiness I… didn't like.
"C'mon guys…" I half-heartedly muttered. "Let's… clean up and go home…"
Nolan Potts, Human (Karma: 70 [Neutral]) [19/24 Spell slots used]
Classes: Brawler (5), Ranger (3), Druid (5), Clothier (3), Translucer (1), Unused Levels (1). Total Level (17).
Spells (Druid): Frostbite, Entangle, Create or Destroy Water, Guidance, Jump, Cure Wounds, Dust Devil, Protect from Poison, Hold Person, Spike Growth, Lesser Restoration, Water Breathing, Darkvision, Sleetstorm, Ice Knife
Spells (Ranger): Animal Friendship, Speak to Animals, Ensnaring Strike, Conjure Animals
Items of Note: {Humble Beginnings}
Party Members are as follows…
Member One: Todone, Son of Kodrotti, Toadman (Karma: -10 [Neutral])
Classes: Toadman Warrior (9), Brawler (9), Martial Artist (1), Total Level (19).
Member Two: Yulg (Karma: 50 [Neutral])
Classes: Goblin Marauder (1), Brawler (8), Warrior (4), Cleric (1), Total Level (13)
AN: Lmao, I love the names you folks came up with for the 'Croclites'. I actually wanted to originally just call them the 'Knights of Tob', but I felt like maybe they needed a different flair than that. Hope y'all enjoy, maybe things will settle down a little for our protag... for a month at least...