title: Baptism by Slime
800 Words
Elias' vision swam in and out, flashes of pain punctuated by an unsettling rocking motion. His last memory was the searing agony of the frog-lizard's bite, followed by a plunge into suffocating darkness. A
guttural croaking filled his ears, sending shivers down his spine.
He forced his eyes open, greeted by the grotesque sight of the frog-lizard's underbelly. His world was a nauseating blur
of pink flesh and glistening slime. His body was a symphony of pain, each ragged breath sending fresh waves of agony through him. Panic clawed at his throat, but Elias quickly forced it down. Panic wouldn't help him here.
Suddenly, a new sensation arose – a tingling warmth spreading through his body. Confused, he looked down to see a faint blue glow emanating from his injuries. The pain began to recede, replaced by adull throb. Within moments, he felt almost…whole?
Fueled by a surge of adrenaline,
Elias
slammed his fist against the slick flesh above him. A surge of magic pulsed through his hand, a raw, untamed power he'd never felt before. The world seemed to
distort around him, condensing into a single point of focus – the frog-lizard's throat. With a desperate snarl, he unleashed the burgeoning magic.
A blinding light erupted from his hand, filling the creature's cavernous maw. A deafening roar echoed through the narrow space, followed by a sickening squelch.
Silence descended, broken only by Elias' ragged gasps for breath.
Slowly, the light faded. The stench of burnt flesh filled his nostrils. Disbelief turned to elation as he realized the monstrous amphibian lay motionless beside him, its immense form cooked from the inside out.
Dazed but exhilarated, Elias scanned his surroundings. He lay in a pool of the creature's now-molten innards, a testament to his newfound power. A primal surge of magic coursed through his veins, a power he barely understood but instinctively knew he could control.
With a newfound sense of purpose, Elias willed his magic to flow around him. A shimmering barrier materialized, deflecting the remaining acidic slime. Carefully, he
pushed himself out of the fetid pool, wincing at the lingering pain. He wasn't completely healed, but he was functional.
Glancing down at the smoldering carcass, a wicked grin split his face. He'd not only slain the monstrous frog-lizard, but in the process, unlocked a power far more potent than he ever imagined. This wasn't just
magic – it was something entirely new, something… Black.
He severed a giant claw from the creature with a surge of his magic, the barrier deflecting the spray of gore. This would be his trophy, his proof. With a final surge of magic, Elias teleported himself back to the
Guild, his body still tingling with the aftereffects of his baptism by slime.Elias reappeared in the familiar hustle and bustle of the Guild. The air was thick with the smells of sweat, leather, and polishing oil. He stumbled slightly, the aftereffects of his ordeal still clinging to him. Heads turned as the battered young man materialized in the center of the training hall.
A hush fell over the room as gasps rippled through the crowd. Elias stood tall, ignoring the stares, his gaze fixed on the imposing figure of Master Aegis at the far end. The giant dwarf lowered his weapon, his bushy eyebrows furrowed in surprise.
"Elias?" Aegis boomed, his voice echoing through the hall. "By the beard of Baran, what happened to you?"
Elias held aloft the severed claw, the burnt flesh reeking of acrid fumes. "I bring proof," he rasped, his voice raw. "The rumors were true. The Swamplands hold a creature of nightmare."
Aegis's gaze narrowed as he inspected the gruesome trophy. The other Guild members crowded closer, their faces etched with a mixture of fear and morbid curiosity.
"You faced the Gulgoth alone?" Aegis questioned, disbelief laced in his voice.
, his newfound power thrumming beneath his skin. "I did," he
declared, his voice ringing with newfound confidence. "And I lived."
A tense silence hung in the air. Aegis studied Elias for a long moment, his weathered face unreadable. Then, a slow smile spread across the dwarf's beard."Welcome back, Elias," Aegis rumbled. "You've earned yourself a new
title: Gulgoth Slayer."
A cheer erupted from the crowd. Elias raised his chin, a surge of pride washing over him. He had faced death and emerged stronger, forever marked by his baptism by slime. But this was just the beginning. The whispers of a darker power echoed in his
mind, a power he barely understood but craved to control. His journey into the unknown had just begun.And Rose came to Elias and gave her money, 10000 gold
Elias said You can just put it on my card because it's heavy and it's noisy in my pocket. I'll go to my room and rest
- Writer
