Mimic Slime Story: Ch14 · 9:14pm Aug 15th, 2020
This is the last chapter of this. If I try to tell more, I'll be sucked into all that worldbuilding and will be at risk of telling my friend's story for them. I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse at their world through the eyes of a monster.
Fear. Fear of being uncovered. Fear of being killed for what I am. Fear of having this empire we were building destroyed. Fear of losing my accomplice. Even fear of fear.
I hated fear. I looked to the paladin sitting in a seat across from me, weariness written large on its face. "You managed to drive it off?"
"For now. We lost more than hundreds of years of minor monster incursions could ever have." The paladin sounded as weary as it looked. "I heard tell that you had your guards out ordering people into their homes as quietly as they could. How did you discover it hunted by sound?"
"Not just sound." The other visitor sat in its own chair, specifically two seats away from the paladin. It had first come in with a heavy cloak over itself—looking ten feet tall—but when that had been cast off to reveal a pair of leathery wings on its back everyone had gasped. Everyone except myself. "Movement. The reason Talon knew was he is a master tactician and watched it—as I did—pick off people that yelled the loudest and had the loudest footfalls." It dipped its head toward me.
Fireborn was its name, and I knew it wasn't a spirit that fed it power. The scarred mage had let me know there was something fueling the female creature, but it had no relation to the nature spirits of the world. But, unlike the scarred mage, the winged creature bore far more than scars to show for its magic.
"Why did you invite her?" the paladin asked, its tone now firming into something more akin to anger.
"Because, like it or not, she is a leader within this city, and she has the city's survival as—at the very least—a minor goal. Correct, Fireborn?" I turned my form's head to look at the creature I'd named.
It flashed a smile filled with teeth that were not meant for eating anything but meat. "More or less. My opinions on the city itself are moot. What I am here for is to aid in your defeat of the beast—and those that follow it."
"What?" I asked. "There will be more?"
"Ask your friend here. Ask her what her ceremony was for." The winged creature's smile looked exactly like that of a big predator that had something right where it wanted it.
Smashing its mailed fist on the table, the paladin stood up and turned to glare at the winged creature. "Blaming this attack on our peaceful ceremony is blaspheme!"
"Please," I said. "Please sit down. It's for priests to argue the merits and sins of words, Dame Brightsteel, we're here to decide how best to protect the city—and that means I need to know what your ceremony did."
"You know your scripture." The paladin visibly calmed and sat down on the chair again. Closing its eyes, a serene smile grew on its lips. "Our prayers helped the World Tree grow anew. The gods themselves brought it with them from another place and set it upon the world. At first, it withered and was poisoned by the monsters of this land—but now it has adapted and taken root at last." They opened their eyes and looked directly at me. "This is the beginning of a new age. An age where the chosen of the gods can walk among them as equals once the tree has borne fruit."
I'd learned a very useful piece of information from all the holy books I'd read—don't trust a religious creature that looks as happy about something as this one did right now. "The land and its monsters poisoned the tree? What was this tree that Nature didn't want it?"
"It bears the spark within its fruit. The gift of immortality and godhood. It will make legends and gods of all who accept its bounty." The paladin stood up and glared at the winged creature. "This meeting is going nowhere, Talon. Visit our temple when you are free of this abomination's presence."
The winged creature and I watched the paladin leave. When the door closed, the winged creature let out a snort of derision. "They brought this upon not just themselves, but all of us. What of you, slime? What are you going to do with this information?"
Panic was my first instinct, then fear. Given the winged creature's namesake and that it was perported to be excellent at fire magic, I wouldn't stand a chance of overpowering it—and it knew me. "The information is troubling. We were planning to eject yourself and your cult from the city, but now—"
"You're a mimic slime. Did you think I was testing you? I can feel your presence even as those god-lovers can't. How have you avoided stepping foot into their blessed temples all this time?"
Its game appeared simple, but I was wary of it for the intelligence it was displaying. "You know what I am. What are you going to do with that information?"
It laughed. "Nothing. Nothing yet. You have been a curious addition to this city. When I first felt your presence here, I hoped for something fun—but you're so much more. How many people have you devoured? How many intelligent beings have you consumed and grown from?"
"Enough. For now." This was not the kind of situation I enjoyed being in. The winged creature had full control of the situation. "I'm thinking about one more."
"I just bet you are. But I would be such a waste. One mind and one body, here and gone in an instant. A deal then. I'll tell you something juicy about myself so you can hold that over me. Let me see…" It reclined a little, tipping its chair back onto two legs. "Well, you know I'm a fire mage. You know I have a cult of very loyal subjects. Do you know the source of my power?
"There were beings on this world before humans and gods arrived. There were lords and creatures of so much unimaginable power that nothing could ever kill them. I'm speaking of Titans. The world itself dreamed them up to be custodians of the land and to create—at least some of them did.
"They made such wonderful things, your kind among them, but they wouldn't let the true lords of the world enjoy their toys. Wars broke out. Wars that lasted for more years than we have numbers to count. My patron showed me so much of that time. My dreams are filled with fighting unlike anything you could imagine, but it was my patron that came up with the plan.
"The Titans couldn't be harmed. They could barely be pushed back. My patron taught the world a trick and then rewrote existence itself to ensure the world would use it. The Titans and most of their offspring slept. They slept so long that the world could barely remember a time when they walked.
"Then the gods came, and with them humans. We spread out. Some of us followed the gods, some of us liked this world more. I found another patron. Tell me, slime, does this word ring any bells…" It trailed off, face curling into a bigger smile than I'd seen it wear before.
"Dragon."
The word tickled at knowledge I'd read, but try as I might I couldn't recall anything but mentions of them as guardians of the underworld. The place creatures went after this place.
"I expect you'll do everything in your power to find out about dragons and myself. I look forward to seeing how you'll act, slime. You are truly a fascinating beast to find in a unique position as the gods have thrown themselves into a war—and dragged every living creature in this world into it too—with forces of Nature that even dragons couldn't halt." It stood up and flexed its wings one at a time before reaching for its cloak. "What will you do first?"
I was still sitting there, trying to work over the knowledge I had while the winged creature pulled on its cloak and left. What could I do when—if it was telling the truth—gods were waging a war with Nature?
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I really like the world and the characters.
I would like to read other stories playing in the world if I could find them.
A shame to bring it to a close here, but I understand not wanting to tread too heavily on a friend's toes. (Or their continuity.) Thank you for a fascinating tale told from a fascinating perspective.
Wait, that's it?
5336502 I know. I'd love to dedicate a few hundred thousand words to this—but that would be stepping all over my friend's world. While they're happy to see me playing in one little corner of the world (tiny sandpit), I don't want to push things and ask to tell the story of their world that is their prerogative. (Also, the pronoun restriction in this was killing me, as stated in previous chapter.)
DAMN IT I just got around to reading this only to learn it ends here!
While I can respect you not wanting to step on toes, why’d ya have to go and tell such a compelling, interesting story, and then go and end it on such a cliffhanger!?
I’d love to read more on this, if links could be provided to your friend’s stories (if any)?
5352408 When they write it, I will definitely link.