The Shrubland Past the Gashed Mountain

Hours had passed by. It was a silent journey through the black darkness that shrouded the caverns, where only a mote of organic light provided safe passage. The trek was long, yet it went on quietly. There was only the deafening silence of gently flapping wings of a phosphor slime and the sliding of three terrestrial slimes that made muted echos in the cave's halls. A library could never be as taciturn as this cavern. Perhaps a dead one, but even abandoned books told stories in their pages. This cave? The stone walls, rocks, and even the air itself once held a long conversation that went undisturbed for centuries. The intruders into the cave's innards stopped the conversation, which transformed into an awkward silence.

Brent, though trailing behind three slimes, found himself wanting for better company. Someone to talk to. Someone to laugh with. Share his feelings. His fears. His secrets. Anything to pass the time. Maybe make a joke or two. Those green giants would probably be better conversationalists compared to these dumb and mindless slimes. Sure, they might have talked in a strange form of cockney accent, but Brent would have preferred that over what might be described as literally nothing.

Brent could just imagine the conversation in his head...

'Well dis iz a right quiet place. Needs more music 'n ere.'

'Yeah, I fink I kould have brought a guitar or electric piano or whateva musical instruments our race plays.'

'Betta someth'n dan noth'n. Oi! I got a brilliant idea!'

'Out wit' it den. Let's hear it.'

'We kould make up a song!'

'Yeah! A proppa an green giant wun!

'Ooooohhhhhh, 'oo live's 'n a pineapple unda da sea~?'

Brent nearly chuckled aloud. He didn't. He wouldn't dare break the quiet camaraderie he developed with the slimes he was following.

However, he doubted they were even aware of him. But could he be faulted? The slimes back at the Far, Far Range were aggressive, hostile, and dangerous! He feared that if he began to talk, then the slimes might scatter into the darkness. Or worse, they would go after him and swallow him whole. Although, considering his current... predicament, Brent was unsure on how the three slimes would react to him. Or realized he could even talk at all. Or realized if he was once a human, the very same species they rebelled against six months ago.

Although, Brent had no real reference when it came to the current date and time. He didn't have his holophone with him to tell the time or date. And where would he store his holophone? In his pocket? Oh wait. Slimes had no pockets, and he was now a slime on a world he was fairly sure wasn't the Far, Far Range.

Brent quietly cursed, damning his lack of pockets.

When will this pandering travel through the ebony shadows of the underworld ever stop?

Brent feared that he might suffer from starvation before long. And if that happened... What would happen if he found nothing to eat?

The phosphor slimes stopped in the air for a few seconds. As those few seconds finally passed, it then flew forward with renewed vigor, the rock slime and tabby slime following in tow. Brent followed after them, barely recognizing the change in behavior. However, as they rounded a corner, Brent was able to see something up ahead. It was a different source of light. Was it daylight? The cave felt a tiny bit warmer. The air felt fresher. The cent of grass was smelled.

Brent felt a slight pang of hope well inside of him.

"That looks like light up ahead." The tabby slime said. "I wonder what's on the other side?"

"WAIT, YOU CAN TALK?!" Brent practically yelled, startled by the tabby slime's observation, surprised by her ability to communicate, angry that he didn't know about this sooner, and mortified that it was at this very moment that the group of slimes finally became aware of his presence.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH~!" Screamed the phosphor slime.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH~!" Screamed the tabby slime.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH~!" Screamed the rock slime.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH~!" Screamed Brent.

An awkward silence filled the air seconds after everyone stopped screaming.

The silence in the cave seemed much more peaceful and less awkward.

This silence near the exit of the cave seemed much more awkward and less peaceful.

Brent wanted to go back into the cave.

The rock slime slowly approached Brent. "... You're... a pink slime."

Brent was silent for a few seconds. "... Apparently."

"Hmm... I think I got an idea." The rock slime blinked its eyes a few times, apparently thinking about something. "... Tell me something only Brent would know.'

Brent's eyes widened. "What?! How do you know my name?"

The rock slime turned to the phosphor and tabby slimes. "Welp, he's Brent."

The phosphor slime rushed into Brent, squishing him into the wall. "OH-MAH-GAWSH-I-DIDN'T-KNOW-YOU-WERE-OKAY-WE-THOUGHT-YOU-WERE-DEAD-AND-WE-LEFT-YOU-THERE-AND-WE-DIDN'T-KNOW-WE-ARE-SO-SORRY!"

Brent tried to struggle under the slime that smothered his face, but he could not move or get away. He was too overwhelmed by the slime practically squishing him and by the fact that this was happening.

The tabby slime looked at the rock slime with amusement. "Really? That was your big idea?"

The rock slime seemed to make a shrug. "He answered honestly. No actor that mastered the art of lying could pull off a response like that. And believe me, I can tell if someone is lying."

"Then how can you tell if a slime is lying?" Asked the tabby slime.

"You think a slime has the knowledge or talent to make up lies? Or talk? Or respond to us like a human being? I'm telling you, this pink slime is Brent."

The tabby slime sighed and shook its head, turning to the phosphor slime. "Tiff, you're going to kill him doing that."

The phosphor slime, named Tiff apparently, immediately released Brent. "OH-MAH-GAWSH-I'M-SORRY-I'M-SORRY-I'M-SORRY-I'M-SORRY-I'M-SORRY-I'M-SORRY!"

Brent shook his face. "What the hell is going on?! How do you guys know my name?!"

The tabby slime went up to Brent with a level, yet calm expression. "Brent. It's us. Remember? The two scientists and bodyguard you traveled with? We were investigating a disappearance on the Far, Far Range? Samantha Samarin? Tiffany Glasstalon? Robert Rodrick? Do you know those names?"

Brent stared the tabby slime dead in her eyes. He was speechless. "What?"

The phosphor slime, apparently named 'Tiffany Glasstalon', looked at Brent with worry. "Did I break him?"

Brent, after a herculean effort to will the pieces of his shattered and blown mind together, looked at the three slimes. "... How... How did you turn into slimes?! How did I turn into a slime?! HOW IN ALL THAT IS GOOD IN THE UNIVERSE DID WE GET HERE?!"

Samantha took a turn to squish into Brent, but did it for the purposes of shutting him up. "Shut up! We don't need any more yelling!" She turned to the rock slime. "Robert? Can you check if there are orks outside of this cave?" Robert nodded and slipped up the cave tunnel. Samantha looked back at Brent. "Okay. I'm going to get off of your face. If you yell again, then I'm jumping right back on it again. You understand?"

Brent responded with a rapid nod.

Samantha slid off of Brent slowly.

An awkward pause corrupted the air in the cave again.

Robert slid back through the tunnel he exited from and met up with Brent, Tiffany, and Samantha. "Looks clear. I see no orks, gretchins, snotlings or their red buildings."

"Mind telling me how this all began? Why were you traveling through the caves?" Brent asked Tiffany, Samantha and Robert.

"We were no longer safe, so we decided to chance going through the caverns. Tiffany's glowing butt really helped, but we constantly got lost." Samantha answered. Tiffany puffed her cheeks angrily, but Samantha continued with a question of her own. "How long were you following us?"

Brent tried to think. "Uh... Several hours, I guess? ... Wait. Orks?"

Robert nodded. "Yes. Orks. That's what they call themselves. Listen. Maybe we should sit down and take this from the top?"

Brent sighed. "... Good idea. Before I ask why these green giants call themselves by the name of a fantasy race of a dice-rolling role playing board game, allow me to ask the million newbuck question. How did we end up in this place as slimes?"

Tiffany, Samantha, and Robert looked at each other before sighing. They prepared themselves to tell their stories.

Prelude 7

Four humans lay slumped on the ground. One, a bodyguard. Two were scientists of different fields of research that the bodyguard protected. And lastly was an investigator, whom was recently transferred to the Far, Far Range only a day ago. And now, this team of investigators narrowly escaped a fate that would have been unpleasant had they been caught in the saber largos' ambush. At least to Brent it felt like it was an ambush. However, they were no longer in the Ancient Ruins. They were now somewhere else.

Robert arched his back as he got off of the ground, looking up and around. "... Those damn saber largos almost pancaked and ate us."

Tiffany was gasping, somewhat still in shock of what nearly happened to her. "At... At least we fell through the teleporter in time."

Samantha hissed as she glared at the duplicate warp station that its sister was connected to. "Looks like they're not following us in."

Brent propped himself up with unsteady legs, as his adrenaline was finally receding. "Yeah, but where in the Far, Far Range did the teleporter take us?"

The four humans got up from the ground to look around. They seemed to be in the same building as before. However, it was... different. Brent tasted the air and noted it was somehow dry and hot. There were piles of sand that was strewn on the floor and on the sides of the room. And the roof of the ceiling had openings to the outside. And the distortion of warp that was emitted by the ancient teleporter didn't exist on this side.

When Brent and his team reached the exit of this building, they saw that they were in a completely different area entirely.

It was a desert, with giant glass structures in the shape of fire dotting all around their immediate landscape. They saw that the sands beyond the horizon shifted with an unusual grace, as though it moved like water. Brent has never seen something so beautiful in his life.

Samantha was also awestruck with what her eyes were able to perceive. When she was done processing what she saw, she voiced her observation. "No way... The ancient warp station's teleporter led us to the Glass Desert!"

Brent turned to Samantha, somewhat surprised by her expression of stunned surprise. "Is that good or bad for us?"

"Not just bad, but bad AND worse for us. With the teleporter on our end turned off, there's no way we can get back. That's bad." Samantha said.

Robert grimaced. "We'd survive for three days without water, and that's not counting the water we have stored in our Vacpacks."

Tiffany sighed. "Good thing we brought that portable water tap with us."

Brent looked at the warp station behind themselves for several seconds. A thought had occurred. "Hang on. I think I might know how Beatrix went missing."

Tiffany, Samantha, and Robert all looked at Brent.

Brent pointed at the warp station behind them. "Isn't it obvious? The malfunction in the teleporter network must have started here. And if it started here, then therefore, the Glass Desert is where we will find Beatrix."

Tiffany's eyes brightened. "Oh! That makes a whole bunch of sense actually! But... Whatever happened to her Vacpack? Didn't the reports say that her Vacpack activated its distress beacon at the Ancient Ruins?"

"I think I know what happened to it." Samantha said, pointing at a golden colored object at the ground.

Brent went to the object and picked it up. It looked like a piece to some broken equipment, but it was mangled and damaged. After looking at it from different angles, he could see what it is. A piece of hardware from a Vacpack, now reduced to a piece of junk. It was definitely a clue. A big clue that pointed Brent in the right way.

Robert walked up to Brent to inspect his finding. "Hmm... Goldleaf color scheme. I did hear that Beatrix was a valued member of the 7Zee rewards club. This is definitely hers."

Samantha walked up to Brent next. "But why does it look like it was torn away by a heavy set of claws? Did a slime do this?"

Tiffany shook her head. "The bite strength of slimes are capable of crushing chicken bones. This Vacpack has been built using Blue Metal, a type of alloy that uses rock plorts in its construction, which is stronger than titanium and lighter than plastic. I doubt slimes could do this sort of damage."

Brent nodded. "So this tech is hard as brass balls to damage... If I were a gambling man... I'd probably bet there was some foul play afoot." Brent then turned to his investigation team. "Ms. Beatrix Lebeau is somewhere in this area. I need everyone to be careful here. Whatever damaged Beatrix's Vacpack could damage our Vacpacks too, so be cautious and travel in pairs. I don't know what to expect in this environment, so be on your guard."

Samantha nodded as he nonchalantly pulled on Brent's arm. "The same thing also goes for you. Please step inside."

Brent looked at Samantha with a puzzled expression. "Why?"

She pointed at the sky. Brent looked up and saw the strangest thing ever. Pillars of fire began to form, which threw flaming boulders, manifested glints, and spawned fire slimes. The destruction they wrought was terrifying to witness, but such force also forced Brent to stare in awe. "Solar anomalies." Samantha explained. "Researchers believe that the glass in the Glass Desert absorbs energies produced by the Far, Far Ranges' sun, which is suddenly released after reaching a certain threshold. It gets so hot that it'll burn you to cinders. It's dangerous to walk out there when it hits."

Brent paused for a long time before turning to Samantha. "How long do they last?"

"Roughly an hour." Samantha estimated.

Brent nodded. "Then we better set down that portable water tap now. When the storm settles, we'll search for clues, and for food. We'll take turns sleeping so we won't get caught surprised."

Robert nodded back at Brent. "I'll take first watch."

Tiffany blinked a few times. "And I'll... um... I'll guard the water tap?" She said, sounding uncertain.

Samantha huffed. "It's not going to be easy getting back in contact with civilization. We might be stuck out here, unless we decided to jump in the sand and got the Automated Rancher Recovery Robots to help us out."

Brent looked up at the solar anomaly, a stern and focused expression plastered onto his face. Something didn't set right with him. It was a terrible gut feeling. Brent didn't like whatever indigestion was causing him to feel this subtle queasiness, but Brent had learned to trust his gut when the going gets tough.

Brent felt like he was about to see something horrible, and soon.

Three days had gone by as Brent continued his investigation.

Tiffany was giddy with excitement as she discovered there were slimes in the Glass Desert region. But much to her chagrin, she couldn't find the reason or cause that made the slimes so hostile to humans. She eventually concluded that the slimes in this area had became incredibly livid, surpassing even the slimes that spawn and live in the Ancient Ruins. The slimes within this area posed their own hazards as well. The tangle slimes could use their vines to grip onto the legs of their victims, temporarily rooting them to a spot, though this rooted the tangle slimes too. Brent and his team learned to be very careful when a tangle largo was teamed up with one or more largos. Dervish slimes were a whirlwind of chaos that kicked up dust, sand, and whatever other objects that could be carried up by strong winds. Despite the cyclones they created, they were capable of launching non-dervish slimes high into the air capable of a seriously dangerous buttstomp pounce! The mosaic slimes had their own dangers as well, capable of producing 'glints' in the air that would explode into flame upon touching the ground. They could be doused by water easily, but a group of mosaic slimes could make certain areas hard to navigate through.

However, the Glass Desert contained its own set of ruins. It was more scorched and sand-worn compared to the Ancient Ruins surrounded by the Slime Sea, yet the two sets of ruins were mysteriously tied together. The ruins in the Glass Desert had its own sea that consisted of flowing, golden sand. What's more she found out that there were statues that activated a specialized kind of fountain that seemed to fill the Vacpack's water tank with unusually charged water. The water's power would vanish after a time, but it proved useful when eliminating the Tarr that popped up on occasion. More surprising was when Samantha accidentally splashed some on a large dry bud. It instantly blossomed before everyone's eyes and began to sprout life all around it! Even spawning slimes! Brent had thought Samantha was over the moon upon discovering the ancient water fountains, but discovering that the wilted oasis plants could bloom when given ancient water hat put a great deal of happiness in her sails.

Fairing the Glass Desert proved to be a challenge. Brent and his investigation team wasn't expecting to take a trip to a hotter climate. However, their adventure had forced them to come closer to the team's more important goal: Finding Beatrix. There were trials, but also respites that put Brent's team at ease. The oasis plants provided an effective method to rid any Tarr that dared pursue Brent or his teammates. But the oasis plants also provided areas in which slimes could spawn, and they did so in the close proximity of their food sources. Largos became commonplace, which often made Brent and his Team retreat to safer locations. To Brent's relief, they seemed to stay away from the temple that he and his team decided to make into their temporary headquarters. It might be far away from the comforts provided by the Dry Reef Ranch, but it was sanctuary. Though sand could be pushed around to form beds that supported the spine, the sand itself still got everywhere. Though the sand were beautiful granules of gold, it quickly became horribly uncomfortable when the sand crept into crevices, including human crevices.

The food they found in the Glass Desert was... interesting. Somehow, carrots, heartbeats, pogofruit and cuberries grew there, with the addition of two other plants that Samantha quickly coveted, but instantly regretted eating. The prickle pear was a fruit that had a thorny defense around itself, and Samantha spent much of her time using a rock to rub off the fruit's pointy barbs. Though the fruit was quite delicious, Samantha whined that it was too much work to safely eat. The silver parsnips were also another food she relented to eat, since its metallic aftertaste, however slight, made her think of the horror stories she heard of as a child. Some of those stories involved radiation poisoning. Tiffany would never forget Samantha's face when she saw a painted hen hen for the first time. Neither would Brent. Robert didn't care, though he did smirk when Samantha wasn't looking. Cooking the chickens had been a difficult hurdle to accomplish, until Tiffany thought of putting a group of fire slimes underneath a thin slab of rock. Robert had to cut up the cooked chickens using a survival knife.

But as for Brent's investigation, he traveled and inspected many places for any more clues pertaining to Beatrix's location, with limited results. Brent would mostly get caught in dead ends, but had no problem backtracking to find other clues in other areas. By the end of the third day, the only ruins that was left unchecked was the northern-most ruined temple structure.

And Brent would instantly regret what he would find there.

A/N: How ridiculous would it be if slimes could actually talk? :D