Guide Savage yee

Armour: Platinum

Weapon: Platinum Bow (Fire Arrows); Arkhalis

Acc(7/11): Band of Regeneration, Radar, Hermes Boots, Round Shield, Aglet, Rover Drive, Crown Jewel

Health: (350/400)

"Terrarian?... Where… ah?"

"..."

The Guide was exasperated. Exasperated and confused. It was no secret that Terrarian wasn't particularly fond of him. He didn't seem capable of expressing 'fondness' in the traditional sense. He hardly expressed emotions at all, as it was. All that was fine. He could be the coldest, most unpleasant person on the planet and it wouldn't have mattered. The Guide wasn't trying to woo him. Right now, he didn't even need to establish any meaningful friendship. All The Guide needed was to build some sort of loyalty. He just needed some assurance that The Terrarian would take his side during a conflict, and for now, he would be happy.

"Why are you up there?"

The Travelling Merchant's parting words had burrowed into his brain and festered there. The small doubts that itched in the back of his mind grew and swelled until they were all The Guide could think about. Without The Terrarian on his side, The Guide had no security. Without a threat behind him, his words held no weight. The language of this world wasn't money, it was raw, physical power. He mustn't forget that. King Yharim had started destitute, but the gravity of his overwhelming strength drew to him all his heart's desires.

That Damn Travelling Merchant… I won't let you walk all over me…

The Guide had been careless - something exceedingly uncharacteristic of him. Interacting with The Terrarian like pulling teeth and The Guide had been fain to begin forging a meaningful bond with him. It was something he knew he eventually needed to do. After all, he intended to send The Terrarian to kill the Vulture-headed mage sometime in the near future. The almost-man would be risking his life, and one didn't lay their lives down for those they didn't know.

I'm already being challenged… I thought I'd have more time.

The Guide hadn't put a tremendous amount of thought into it. He simply assumed that if he accompanied The Terrarian long enough, they would eventually form some type of camaraderie. It appeared that they were getting along alright after the fistfight in the mines. The Terrarian had been growing more responsive (if only slightly) and his demeanor seemed to be a bit less stiff. When The Guide set his heart on journeying to The Crimson to bury his family, The Terrarian had silently supplied whatever he asked for - but loosed his tongue to demand his eventual return.

If I didn't know better, I'd think he was afraid I'd vanish and leave him alone… but… well, now I have no idea…

Because The Guide did return. He returned early, even. Absolutely shaken, yes, disgusting and depressed, but he had returned and more or less expected to be greeted in one way or another. Contrary to expectations, The Terrarian wouldn't even look at him. It wasn't the 'I'm too busy for you' cold shoulder either, it was active avoidance. Had something happened while The Guide was gone, or had he simply been too generous in attributing emotions to his almost-human companion? In either case, The Guide had been far too haunted by the trauma of seeing his town covered in fleshy crimson to consider it very deeply. Perhaps he should have, because not two hours later, The Travelling Merchant came and challenged The Guide's authority in his own house. If The Guide wanted to uphold any sort of dignity before outsiders- he needed The Terrarian to be loyal.

To me, and only me…

The Guide placed his hands on his hips and craned his neck, squinting into the morning sun. The clouds had since parted overhead and the entire landscape was covered in a slick - almost plasticky film. Water, multicolour slime, and the oily residue of today's fiery inferno still steamed off the now-burnt grass, giving off a smell so pungently sweet it became foul to the senses. The Guide wrinkled his nose as he drew a deep breath and called out to The Terrarian, who was crouched beneath his cloak, watching him like a gargoyle from atop one of the buildings.

"Terrarian, are you alright? Can we talk?"

"..."

No response. An awkward silence permeated the clearing, only broken by the chirping of faraway birds. Sadly, this was rather typical - but The Terrarian wasn't just ignoring him in his usual fashion. He seemed to be looking down on him with… what was that? Contempt? Bitterness? Disgust? It was difficult to gauge his expression with nothing but body language and the intensity of his stare from behind the slatted platinum visor, but it was very clear he was disquieted.

Did… the Travelling Merchant say something to him? I mean, he's never been friendly… but…

The Guide tried again. He needed to deal with this issue now. There was no sense in procrastinating. It was possible that The Travelling Merchant had spoken to The Terrarian - although The Guide couldn't imagine they had very fruitful conversation. Perhaps that predatory businessman had seen how pathetically weak their relationship was from the outset, and decided to exacerbate the situation to his advantage. Had he had planted some seeds of division - just so he could threaten The Guide and get his hands on a Slime Crown?

I'll deal with the slimy merchant later… humph.

Well, whatever the Travelling Merchant did or didn't do was beside the point. Right now, The Guide needed to make amends with The Terrarian, whatever 'amends' happened to entail. He needed to make this man his ally at all costs - at least before others stumbled upon their little settlement and likewise tried to vie for control over him. If, when push came to shove, The Terrarian didn't take his side, then what hope did he have? How would his goal ever come to fruition?

You've got to get through to this guy...

The Guide pursed his lips and approached the side of the building. As he got closer, The Terrarian clearly backed away as if requiring a perimeter. The moment he started speaking, his companion actually turned his back to rummage for something on the flat rooftop.

"Terrarian. What's going on? Are you pissed? Did The Travelling Merchan- (splat) murmph!"

The Guide was too slow to dodge the wad of gel which was hurled at him with frightening speed from the rooftop. It hit him hard in the chest and exploded all over, interrupting his speech in the rudest way possible. Sticky, disgusting goo went everywhere. It got in his hair. It was in his eyes. He coughed and gagged it out of his mouth and nose. His shirt was ruined (again), and he felt his skin stinging beneath from the impact. All the while, his brain reeled, wondering just what this was supposed to mean. Before he could get too carried away, The Terrarian told him outright.

"You reek."

"(Coughing) … What?!"

"You reek. Like foul rot."

The Guide was only halfway listening as he tore off his shirt and snorted slime out of his nostrils. Frankly, although just a moment ago he had resolved to make this man his friend, The Guide found himself terribly annoyed. Why did this guy piss him off so much?! He shelved his grand plans and afforded himself a much needed vent for his stress. He stomped his feet on the grass and snarled up at the man watching him from the rooftops.

"What the heck does throwing slime at me have to do with the smell?! You could have just said it! Y'know, use words?! Are you just jerking me around? Do you think I don't have enough to deal with? First I find my entire village was eaten by the freaking Crimson, then that Travelling Merchant robs me blind and blackmails me, and now you're chucking dead slimes like snowballs. I just really can't catch a single break, huh?!"

Perhaps giving voice to his rage wasn't the best idea, because now that he said it aloud, he felt even worse. He dug his heels into the grass and crossed his arms over his chest as he glared up at The Terrarian - who continued to watch him from the rooftop. After a moment, the almost-man spoke. He wasn't any louder than usual, and he still failed to modulate his voice, but something in his tone was clearly wrathful. It put The Guide right back on the razor's edge.

"The man in blue… has he failed to be useful."

"..."

The atmosphere had changed. A breeze seemed to chill the air. Only now did The Guide realize how comparatively lighthearted their previous interaction had been. Although The Guide was no fighter, he knew a threat when he heard one, and a threat issued by a man who had just single-handedly butchered a King Slime was terribly weighty.

*Thunk*

The Terrarian hopped off the roof and landed with a heavy noise. He stood and stalked toward The Guide, and although The Guide was pretty sure nothing would happen to him, he involuntarily took a half step back. The moment he did, The Terrarian also stopped - opting to conduct their conversation from ten feet's distance.

"...I won't tolerate liabilities."

"..."

"..."

"Uh, yeah… of course."

The Guide felt his nerves once again string out taut as wires. This threat was directed at The Travelling Merchant… but it also pointed a blade at him. What would happen to him when The Terrarian no longer needed crafting knowledge? Would he also face death under that brutally utilitarian regime? How he answered now would determine how he'd be judged in the future. This, he was sure of…

If… if I can get rid of The Travelling Merchant after he delivers his report on the mage… that would be ideal...

However, Even if The Guide might be next on the chopping block, he still clearly saw that The Travelling Merchant was a threat and a liability rolled into one. An information leak, but also the bearer of an important mission. Somebody who could just let slip a word in one of his thousands of gatherings, and suddenly The Terrarian would be whisked away from him - leaving him with his goal unfulfilled.

Am… am I really considering having somebody murdered? Phew…

The Terrarian had grown impatient. He repeated his 'question' which was - once again - stated as a demand.

"Has he been useful."

The Guide exhaled hard, and set his eyes like flint as he raised them to meet The Terrarian's gaze. The Travelling Merchant's life was in his hands. For this short moment, he controlled one man's destiny. Would The Guide let him live, or demand his death. That was the choice The Terrarian had given him the authority to make. Was this what 'power' felt like?

Because it doesn't feel good.

And as he said the words, he felt a little bit of himself break off and die. There was a sting in his heart. Bile swelled in his intestines. This was a turning point. A reckoning. A blessing? A curse? The first step in his rise. The first step in his fall. He would recall this day. The day that he and his Slayer stood in that beautiful grassy field and plotted their very first murder.

RIP merchant bro. lel.

Guide: Btw

Terrarian:...?

G: why did you throw slime at me.

T: oh I thought it'd be funny

G: excuze me wat

^ lol imagine? irl T would prob say something like: 'to motivate you' He has zero sense of humor. Also slime masked the scent. (I also just wanted T to throw some slime lol. Guide is like a pissed off nanny taking care of this weird rich kid.)

Btw, going forward we're gonna have several npcs joining really soon. (I intended one to show up this episode but ehhh I couldn't squeez it) the name 'Terrarian' is pretty much only going to be used between Guide and T, To everyone else (just like the Trav Merch) he'll be introduced as 'The Slayer'. Just keep that in mind when I use the names interchangably. They're the same person. Guide doesn't want everyone to know what T's ""Race(?)"" actually is.