- Nia -
Okin was right.
Those men truly broke into the shop.
Just good I closed the door before they entered or they'd be aware of my presence.
"Are you sure this is the place, Gildo?"
"Totally! This is where those alchemists are hiding out!" (Gildo)
"Is hiding the right word? I heard they roughed up a lot of people who tried to bother them. Visko was really against bothering them."
"That won't be an issue. I know for a fact that they're not at home tonight. We have all the time we need to check this place out for everything that might be worth taking. So stop fretting for no reason, Hanro" (Gildo)
"They mostly sell to the poor. Do you really think they have riches?"
"They're alchemists, right? And this is a shop, ain't it? So they ought to have something to sell. Just that we'll be the ones doing so. So stop stalling and let's start looking through this place, Derren." (Gildo)
I can hear three people.
Those are still three too many, but there could've been more.
Also, I at least now have names for the different voices.
Coming from their talk, it seems like this doesn’t even have anything to do with Shari’s mission.
Rather, it's simply a heist.
But this doesn't matter.
I need to go down into the cellar before they can see me.
"Creeeaaak"
Ah!
Dumb door!
"Hey, was there something?" (Derren)
"Is someone there?" (Hanro)
"The alchemists?" (Derren)
"Fool! If they'd be here they wouldn't hide, but instantly mess us up." (Gildo)
I hear them entering the backroom I just left.
"Hm, nothing here. Okay boys, let's check out everything. We want everything that can be made into money." (Gildo)
Good, seems like they're not immediately coming in my direction.
Though, I should still hide.
There’s no torch lit at the moment, which doesn’t affect me at all, but I’m sure they brought their own.
If I'd lie literally flat on the ground, at most the distinction in color would give me away.
However, there's still the issue with my core.
I doubt that a big shiny gem is something they'd ignore.
Even if it's covered by my clothes.
While looking for something better, I also try to listen in as well as I can to any noise from above.
At some point, they eventually again draw closer to the cellar.
I need to hide!
But how?
Maybe...
I didn't really experiment with this, but maybe I could fit into this hole where they're keeping all their valuables.
If it's good enough for those, it's good enough for me.
If I can squeeze in there.
Alright, I'll just crawl in there, or rather glide, and all that will be there to see is a pile of dirty clothing on top of the hole.
This should be enough cover.
"Slupsh"
"Creak"
Just in time!
The door above gets opened again.
Let's just hope my plan works.
I don't know what else I could do were they to find me.
I mean, that might to a degree go for their side as well.
It's not like they could beat me to death.
Though, they might still smash this important core thingy.
Also, the idea that word about me could get out through these men is worrying.
"Tap, tap, tap"
From below my cover, I hear their steps as they come further down.
Also, there's a bit of a weird sense of their location.
"Shit. What is this room?" (Gildo)
"Everything is covered in this goo. Boss, this is giving me the creeps." (Derren)
As I thought, they must have a light.
Between dumping useless slime and splashing the walls during my training, a lot of this place is now the same color as I am, of course, mixed with generous amounts of green and a bit of blue.
Perhaps they’ll avoid it?
They're almost at the bottom now.
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"Maybe it's some kind of storage?" (Hanro)
"For what, failed potions? And what could they be storing here? Aside from this mess?" (Gildo)
"Who knows? I'm not an alchemist. But there could still be something here. You know, where no one would look." (Hanro)
"Hey, something's there!" (Derren)
I hide deeper down the hole.
However, the downside is that this deep down I can't hear that well anymore.
"...some rags... clogging... drainage... drenched... worthless!" (Gildo)
For a moment, I think I noticed my clothes got moved, but I can't see that well.
It's just like this weird all-around sense.
Not as good as with my eyes.
Suddenly, there's one more voice.
"Look... found! ...tried ... outside..."
Huh, they found something?
Well, nothing that will get us into trouble if it's lost, hopefully.
"...down here! ...don't wake ... screams." (Gildo)
Uh, what?
I can't hear nearly enough.
Should I crawl a bit higher?
But that might blow my cover.
"...you!"
"Do it!"
Though, now I'm sensing dull impacts.
"Uahhh!"
Huh?
I, I know that voice.
Oh, please not, please not!
Hurriedly, I rush to the surface, but I first need to fiddle through the clothes I find directly over me before I can see anything.
Yet I can hear now.
"Now spit it out! Where is the stuff?" (Gildo)
"I don't know! They didn't tell us!" (Okin)
It's truly him!
They caught him!
But what can I do?
I, I'm so much smaller than them and can barely walk yet.
"Us? So there's someone else here? Maybe that one will be more cooperative than you. Should we ask them?" (Gildo)
"N-no. They're gone." (Okin)
"You lying brat!" (Gildo)
"Whack"
Not my brother!
"Last chance, kiddo. Tell us what we want to know."(Derren)
"No!" (Okin)
"Your decision!" (?)
"Whack"
I need to get out of this hole!
Do something!
"Yeah, teach him a lesson!" (Hanro)
They're beating him up!
All of them together!
Four grown men ganging up on a small boy!
"Hey, shouldn't he still be able to talk? Don't see that happening if you go any further." (?)
"We'll just ask the other one, Felton." (Gildo)
"If you say so." (Felton)
"Whom"
I can't understand this!
Don't!
"No... Not telling." (Okin)
"Oh, you stinking piece of filth!" (Gildo)
"Wham"
"N-Nia..." (Okin)
Stop this!
"Wham"
Stop this!
"Whack"
STOP THIS!!!
"Whack"
RAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!
"Zsch"
Still somewhat covered by the clothes, I rush out of the hole, right at the one closest to me.
Everything around seems to slow down, but I focus completely on my target.
"Wh-what!?" (Derren)
"Where did that one come from!?" (Hanro)
I slip through any gaps I can find, reaching instinctually for his face.
"Zsch"
"Aaaaahhhhhhh!" (Hanro)
His friend comes rushing to his help, yet the moment he touches me, his fingers dissolve.
"Aaargh! What is- Ackh!" (Derren)
Even though he wants to pull away, this contact is enough for me to latch on.
I crawl further in his direction and am right at his face.
"Zsch"
The more I take away, the more exhilarated I feel.
I'm so full of energy!
It feels so pure!
Through the movement, panic, and pain, as well as the ensuing end of his life, we both topple down on the ground.
"Splash"
"Shit! I'm out of here!" (Felton)
"Oh no! You won't leave me behind." (Gildo)
At this point, it seems like the two others don't see a point in fighting and try to run past me.
No, I cannot allow them to escape.
They saw me, and hurt my brother!
Also, I still want more of that energy.
My awareness quickly spreads over the floor.
By mere contact with the residual slime everywhere on the ground, I can spread incredibly fast over it.
So I reach out and latch on to their feet with tendrils before they're out of range.
"Zsch"
"Aargh! Shit! Oh shit!" (Gildo)
"Ackh! I need to get out of here! Away from this monster!" (Felton)
The second one is closer to the stairway, and as I didn't get good enough of a grasp, still uninjured enough to hobble.
So I rush as fast as I can, flinging myself at his back, and start working myself through.
"Ahh! No! No! Get it off from me! Not like this!" (Felton)
You brought him here!
You caused this!
"Zsch"
Yes!
More energy!
Though it feels right to take it more slowly, to savor this!
He falls, and his screams deteriorate eventually into whimpers, and soon enough, cease altogether.
This leaves one.
I took a bit longer with this last one, so the one who took the first role in beating up my brother is trying right now to crawl up the stairs with his ruined feet, a flickering torch in hand.
I turn back into my human form and walk up to him.
He looks back, only to freeze in fright.
"M-monster!" (Gildo)
Me, or you, the one who does such things?!
"Zsch"
I grab his hand and the reaction starts.
"Aaahh! Stay away! Stay away!" (Gildo)
He flails, but can't do a thing against me, and the torch drops into the slime.
“Pssh”
With just one hand left, no light to see by, and both his feet half-dissolved, his attempts to escape are nothing to speak of anymore.
"No! Stop!" (Gildo)
You didn't stop either!
"Zsch"
My knees in his back sink into his flesh, and my hands soon cover all of his body.
I take more and more away.
I need to take more!
More for me!
Yes!
You deserve this!
I deserve this!
"N-Nia..." (Okin)
Huh?
O-Okin!?!
How could I forget about him?
Quickly, I detach from this pile of meat I was sitting on.
My brother!
H-he's covered in bloody bruises, and bleeding from his head and face!
"Okin? Okin?!" (Nia)
He doesn't answer!
Did he lose consciousness?
No!
I...
Immediately, I snap back my hand.
What if I dissolve him?
Just like those people just now?
No, I need to do something.
I need a plan!
But what?
Think logical!
Wh-what can I do?
Time almost comes to a stop, just like... a moment ago when I killed those people...
No!
Wrong!
Focus!
You need to help Okin!
But how?
Potions!
I'm so stupid!
There's a ton of healing potions upstairs!
I'm still topped up on energy, so I need barely a moment to reach the room.
There I take the newest batch of healing potion.
And the salve!
Or... At least I would, but they’re still in the large pots, so how can I carry them if not...
With my body!
No time to lose!
I plunge my hands in there and suck all the stuff inside.
All of both pots!
It feels weird.
The energy is different, but I know this is the good stuff.
As fast as possible, I rush back, more falling and splashing than walking that last set of stairs.
But how to apply it?
He doesn't look good!
I, I need to put it on him.
No other choice.
I try to carefully envelop his body with mine, which currently is at least half healing potion.
I apply it as evenly as possible.
"zsch..."
No!
No, you don't!
Stop it!!!
The reaction ceases.
Great god, thank you!
I, I can help him.
Just stay like this.
Don't die, Okin.
Please, don't die.
.
.
.
