Six weeks and three days since Roach arrival- The Roach

Sitting in my den I observed the majesty of nature, a gross slug-like majesty but majesty none the less.

The slimes were breeding.

The other creatures living in my garden had become rather scarce for now too, probably a wise decision considering how aggressive the slimes are at the moment, some of them had even tried to attack me.

'Those ones died and netted me a pretty measly amount of exp too'

Still, it was an interesting process to watch and it looked like slimes had more than one way of doing it.

Some slimes grouped up in tight-knit groups exchanging bodily fluids and changing hues in the process, often from a dull green to a deeper red or even purple, clearly a genetic exchange of sorts also known as sexual reproduction, although presumably, slimes much like snails were hermaphrodites.

Other lone slimes often significantly larger than the others but a lighter green remained alone shaking for minutes at a time before splitting into two smaller slimes, this process was obviously a form of asexual reproduction, much like how cells split.

It fascinated me that these creatures could reproduce in multiple ways, clearly a method meant to ensure the survival of the species as a whole, truly a remarkable adaption.

Although, the slimes that had mated in groups, most of them red or purple now, did something curious.

Maybe the slimes realized to some extent that there were too many slimes in this area to sustainably feed, or more likely the slimes were simply being territorial, but it soon became apparent that the grouped slimes didn't want the green loners around.

I watched as the red and purple slimes began to chase the green slimes around in a very slow and deadly game of tag, slimes didn't hop or bounce, after all, they oozed.

When a red slime caught up to a green one the red slime would expand and encase the visibly larger slime traping it inside before the green slime dissolved, on the other hand, the purple slimes didn't swallow the greens at all, but instead punctured their membranes with a small tendril after which the green slime would quiver turn pale then sag into a puddle.

The red and purple slimes were clearly superior.

Soon the only slimes left in my garden were of the red and purple variety the vast majority of green ones being chased from my garden.

Obviously, my garden was an oasis the red and purple slimes didn't intend to share with the greens, how sad.

Amused I chewed idly on the corpse of a dire rat I had dragged home earlier, stolen from another careless predator, that likely was still wondering what happened to its meal.

Letting my mind wander, I let loose an absent thought.

'I wonder where all those homeless slimes will go...'

 

That same day- Lescar

"Hi-yahh!"

Lescar's blade whistled through the air before sinking into a shuddering jello, slicing it clean in two.

In halves, the quivering jelly deflated, its vital fluids spreading in a vile puddle as it collapsed pooling at Lescar's feet.

"Eww!" Lescar said shaking her booted heel in disgust, even though she was used to grime she still found slime unbearable.

Face set in a grimace Lescar made to survey her surroundings and saw more gelatinous blobs moving towards them at a crawl, the slimes were innumerable, and as far as she could see more squirmed and bobbed.

This really wasn't doing any favors for her mood or that of her companions.

Slimes as a species were little more than an icky nuisance, they were so trivial and low value, that the guild wouldn't pay for the components that they sometimes dropped, making any job involving slimes about controlling their population levels rather than a traditional gathering request.

Alongside the fact that slimes smelt terrible and didn't wash out easily, this meant that adventurers avoided the creatures not out of fear but convenience and preservation of hygiene.

Lescar had stopped counting how many slimes she had killed once it reached the triple digits and was becoming quite impatient.

Ever since they came to the western sewers they had found nothing but slimes, useless creatures that roamed all filthy places, Lescar was frankly getting frustrated with the constant splatting and smell, and her companions obviously felt the same.

"Bah worthless slimes, annoying!"

"Where are all the rats? what's with all these slimes?" 

Sereth and Tiaahn complained bitterly, obviously displeased at having to deal with slimes and this time Lescar wasn't far behind them. 

"Woah! Woah calm comrades, calm we have already killed enough rats."

In contradiction to everyone else's mood, Joel seemed cheerful.

"We just have to kill a couple of bugs now and wrangle a few more rats that's not too much now is it?" 

Sereth grumbled but said nothing more whereas Tiaahn immediately perked up after hearing Joel words.

"Ahh yes you are right Joel but this sewer is particularly foul! I just can't wait to be rid of this stench," Tiaahn's earnest expression wrinkled as she said that, her nose taking offense at the strong stench.

"Don't worry Tiaahn, there will be plenty of time for baths later and I am positive some more rats and bugs are not too far away eh! then we can return to the surface." 

Joel's words seemed to console Tiaahn even after she received a sliming to the thigh when a particularly volatile slime burst, this made Lescar blink, 'how devoted to Joel was Tiaahn really?'

Obviously to the point of infatuation, but how far? Lescar didn't know and she did not want to know.

Shifting her bag uncomfortably, Lescar wiped a large glob of slime off her leg, the bag rattling audibly in the process, inside her bag Lescar was carrying all the beast binding collars and all the rat tails they had gathered so far for verification.

She had been nominated as the team pack mule on account of that the most capable fighters needed to be mobile and that she was tall and therefore could carry more.

Lescar thought that the first point was reasonable, but the second was rubbish, Lescar while tall for a girl was only about as tall as Sereth and Joel towered over both of them.

It didn't make sense considering both Joel and Sereth were likely bigger and stronger than her but the consideration had been proposed by Sereth so it made sense that the result would be skewed against her.

Lescar sighed inwardly and looked down for a moment and as she did it was then that she spotted it.

A tuft of hair and a big round footprint.

Lescar paused to examine the print and hair, recalling some of the tricks her brother had taught her, the hair was too thick and coarse to be a normal rat's and it ended in sharp bristles meaning it clearly wasn't dire rats either.

The print was not made by anything Lescar had ever seen in the sewers before, and it couldn't be an impression from even the rare hopping slime, as it wasn't uniformly round having obvious protrusions carved into the sewer dirt that resembled stubby toes,

This was no slime imprint, it was something much bigger and much more dangerous.

And judging by its crispness amongst all these moving slimes it was very freshly made.

A rising sense of alarm sprang into Lescar's heart, she had a hunch of what made this print and she didn't want to meet the maker.

Lescar immediately called out to her teammates who had wandered further up the tunnel, a bit of fear causing her words to tremble but she didn't care, they had to leave now!

"Joel! Tiaahn! Sereth! we need to get out of here right now!"

 The first to turn was Sereth and his eyes were full of wrath, 

Sereth snorted, anger at being directly addressed evident, upon his face.

"You dare speak my name peasant! what is it! it better be important!"

"Yes, I-" Lescar began but was stopped as Sereth growled.

"What is it, weakling? scared of slimes?"

Crushing her anger down Lescar tried to speak, "No we-"

Sereth interrupted callously "Afraid you'll be left behind?

Again anger bubbling, Lescar tried to speak out "No its-"

"No its what! peasant! what is it? can't stand the dark!"

Resentment was clearly and openly rolling off Sereth, his ire at having to bow his head to Joel finally erupting out towards someone he could actually harm freely without fearing repercussions in the noble court.

Sereth was angrily clenching his fists but behind that anger, Lescar recognized something she had seen in the eyes of killers who often walked the slums, sadistic pleasure.

Lescar narrowed her eyes recognizing Sereth for what he truly was, knowing there was nothing she could do about Sereth's attitude, she decided not to deal with it at all and instead turned directly to Joel.

"Joel we need to leave, I spotted a bad sign just now, something very big from the dungeon floors below might be up here."

Lescar kept her voice even and steady this time as she directed her eyes at Joel, meeting his gaze directly while Sereth ground his teeth furiously, having been ignored.

She wouldn't die because of the pride of some spoilt rich brat, brother had taught her that early in life when he had knifed a local lord's son for touching her.

She sort of wished she had the same conviction to do that to a certain noble brat right now.

 

A new perspective- Joel

Joel watched calmly as the dirty auburn-haired girl before him glanced briefly back at the fuming Sereth not failing to notice her stroking the hilt of her sword as she did so, it was clear that she really didn't like Sereth and Joel didn't blame her, he too didn't like Sereth but he knew it would be for the benefit of his noble house if he made friends with him, the problem was Sereth also seemed to dislike Joel, which meant diplomatic alliances between their houses were likely to go nowhere productive fast.

Joel frowned internally and decided that Sereth was a lost cause, he might even have to be eliminated at some future point, being far too hostile and rash.

Joel had at least achieved part of his true aim for the expedition, having already ascertained the good graces of Tiaahns household would have to do, his father would understand.

Letting his cheery facade fall for a time Joel looked hard at Lescar, the girl he had scooped off the bottom of the guild barrel for her passable skills and disposable nature.

Joel squinted, focusing his attention on the fine details of Lescar's expression. then he asked.

"what is it you saw Lescar that makes you think so?"

Under Joel's now hardened gaze Lescar looked uncomfortable her eyes shifting back and forth somewhat restlessly.

"I found a large round footprint and a tuft of hair clearly from something larger than a rat."

In Lescar's eyes there were no lies that Joel could detect, only fear, anxiety, contained anger and a touch of defiance. she was telling the truth or she thought she was.

"Show me."

Wordlessly Lescar turned and pointed to a patch of dirt behind her.

Ignoring Tiaahns confused and jealous expressions directed at Lescar, Joel stepped over without saying anything, examing the markings for himself.

Joel wasn't a specialist but he knew the markings of a troll when he saw one, and this was a very big troll probably an adult, something he and his team would be hard-pressed to defeat.

Joel was no fool and he had no desire to tangle with creatures of the dungeon when he wasn't good and ready, so he decided to trust Lescar's words.

No trace of prior cheerfulness in sight, Joel became serious his eyes gaining a hard steely caliber.

"Tiaahn Sereth we are returning to the guild post haste."

No sooner than he had said that a roar echoed around the long passageway and a huge hairy figure stepped out from the end of the sewer walkway behind them.

Joel gritted his teeth and reached for his maul, his party members around him also gripping their weapons, sweat evident upon even Sereth's normally confident brow.

The troll had blocked their way back to the exit, sandwiched in between a horde of slimes and an angry troll, things were looking dire.

"Shit!" he heard Lescar curse.

'Shit, indeed' Joel thought, bringing his maul up to bear.

This was going to be rough.