System Alert: Quest Complete!

Title: The Third Path

Objective: Survive.

Rewards:

* Experience Points: +12,000 XP

* Total XP: +12,000

You advance to Circle 4.

The notification hovered in Liam's vision, its translucent glow casting faint reflections on the damp cavern walls. He tapped it away with a flick of his mental cursor, his thoughts swimming with the implications.

“Circle 4,” he murmured, the words tasting foreign on his tongue. His breathing slowed as he scrolled through his updated Character Sheet. Numbers and abilities leapt out at him like old friends.

Character Sheet

Name: Liam Walker

Legacy Title: Heir of Gilgamesh

Class Path: Warden-King

Circle: 4th - Initiate

Primary Stats:

* Body: 15

* Mind: 12

* Spirit: 11

Composite Stats:

* Charisma: 13

Points Available:

* Stat Points: 8

* Skill Points: 16

Abilities Gained:

* Eternal Aegis: Toxic Resilience

* Iron Mind: Bastion of Resolve

Liam leaned against the jagged rock wall, his fingers brushing the cool surface as if grounding himself. His lips curled into a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Not bad for nearly becoming goo food,” he said aloud, his voice echoing faintly in the cavern. “You know, if you squint, this looks like progress.”

The still, glassy pool before him -no, the creature- rippled faintly as if hearing his thoughts. He crouched, studying it with wary fascination.

"So, you’re some kind of Psychic Slime," he muttered, the words hanging in the air like a challenge. “What’s the deal? Illusions? Mind games? Honestly, if you wanted to mess with my head, you could’ve just asked nicely.”

The pool shimmered in response, its surface igniting with an eerie brilliance. Waves of light danced across the cavern, bouncing off the remnants of his battle. Broken, dissolved corpses of Burrowers dotted the ground, their twisted forms a grim reminder of how close he’d come to joining them.

A pulse of light interrupted his thoughts. The pool stirred, its surface undulating as if alive -which, he realized, it very much was. Before his eyes, a grapefruit-sized blob separated itself from the larger mass. The smaller slime quivered, inching forward like a curious puppy.

“Uh, is this a peace offering?” Liam asked, one eyebrow arched. His voice carried a mix of sarcasm and genuine confusion. “Because I don’t think chocolates and flowers are your thing.”

The baby slime wobbled closer, stopping inches from his boots. Its gelatinous body shimmered with the same iridescent glow, and a faint mental nudge brushed against his consciousness. It wasn’t aggressive or invasive -more like a shy knock on a door.

Liam squatted, his hand instinctively reaching out. “Alright, little guy,” he said, his tone softening. “You’re not going to pull any mind tricks, are you?”

A pseudopod extended, brushing against his finger. The moment they touched, a wave of understanding washed over him -an unspoken promise. The baby slime didn’t just want to follow him; it wanted to belong to him, to serve and protect.

“Oh, so you’re adopting me,” Liam quipped, shaking his head. “What are you, a sentient Jell-O cup with attachment issues?”

The slime pulsed, almost like it was laughing. Liam sighed, his humor doing little to hide the flicker of warmth blooming in his chest.

System Alert: Do you wish to bond with the creature?

Y/N?

Liam’s gaze flicked to the prompt, the faint light of his Prismata Orb drawing his attention. For the first time, he reached for it consciously, his fingers brushing against the glowing sphere. It felt solid yet ephemeral, like touching the surface of water that refused to ripple. A flood of knowledge rushed into his mind, fragmented and tantalizing.

The Prismata Orb: a conduit for bonding with creatures, places, and objects to unlock their powers. Each bond filled one of its 100 facets, granting new abilities that grew with time and use.

“Well,” Liam muttered, his lips twitching into a smirk, “when life hands you a sentient slime, you make… slime-ade?”

He tapped Yes.

The cavern filled with a sharp chime, and a cascade of lights swirled around him and the slime. A visual display materialized in his periphery, signaling the bond’s completion. The orb’s surface shimmered as a single facet lit up, etched with the baby slime’s essence.

System Alert: Facet Unlocked!

* Dominance (Level 1): Grants the ability to command bonded creatures, enhancing their strength and loyalty.

New Companion Acquired: Baby Psychic Slime.

A flood of possibilities raced through Liam’s mind. He immediately allocated points, his fingers working in a blur across the mental interface. Ten points to Dominance, raising it to Level 11, pushing it into a higher tier. He spent three points to boost Iron Mind to Level 4 and two more to increase Warden’s Endurance to 7.

System Alert:

* Dominance: Tier 2 achieved. Potency increased.

“That’s more like it,” Liam said, flexing his fingers as if the power coursing through him was something tangible. “Now I’m not just a guy with a sword -I’m a guy with a slime. Which, honestly, feels way cooler.” Thinking about it a moment, he amended “though I would like it if I had a weapon.”

Next he spent his Stat Points, boosting Body to 21, a leap into Tier 3. And two points in his Mind got him to 14, leaving him feeling sharper, more focused -and he hoped, more potent with mental based abilities. A lopsided grin spread across his face.

“I might be a little top-heavy now, but hey, who needs balance when you’ve got brute strength and a psychic pet?”

The baby slime -his slime- wobbled happily at his feet, its color shifting to a contented greenish hue. Liam chuckled, reaching down to pat it. The slime responded by climbing up his arm and perching on his shoulder, its gelatinous body surprisingly light.

“Great. You’re adorable, and now you’re a parrot. I should call you... Polly?” He paused, then smirked. “Nah. How about Umbra? Fits, doesn’t it?”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

The slime pulsed in agreement, its form jiggling like a sentient nod.

“Well, Umbra,” Liam said, rising to his feet and dusting himself off, “looks like it’s you and me against the world. Or at least this godforsaken tunnel system.”

He turned back to the Mother Slime, its massive form rippling with faint gratitude. A sense of closure settled over him, and he raised a hand in a mock salute. “No hard feelings, right? You tried to kill me; I almost killed you and consumed your soul. Call it even.”

The Mother Slime shimmered, sending a mental message of affirmation -peace between them. Liam nodded, then took stock of his surroundings.

“Time to find a way out of here,” he muttered, stepping toward the dark tunnels that loomed ahead. “And I really need to find a weapon.” The slime rubbed itself against his hair, and he chuckled.

“Yeah, except for you buddy. I mean if you were a metal slime or something, maybe you could morph into my weapon. But alas, you’re just an adorable psychic badass, and that’s okay with me.” A warmth of affection was his only response.

The labyrinthine passages stretched endlessly, the dim bioluminescent fungi casting eerie shadows. Umbra chirped -a faint, mental nudge of concern. Liam smirked.

“Relax, buddy,” he said, his voice bouncing off the cavern walls. “We’ve faced worse, haven’t we?”

Another nudge, this one sharper. Liam froze. His hand darted to his non-existent sword as a low growl echoed through the tunnels. He swore in frustration as the air grew heavy, tinged with the metallic scent of danger. His senses sharpened, every nerve on edge.

From the darkness, a hulking figure emerged -chitinous, glistening, and very much hostile. A Burrower Queen.

“Well, aren’t you a beauty,” Liam said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Let me guess: you’re mad about your kids? I didn’t think slimes had such devoted babysitters.”

The creature screeched -a grinding sound of rocks and metal being thrown into a wood chipper-before lunging forward. Liam rolled to the side, his movements fluid despite the narrow space. He raised his hand, his mark glowing with intensity as he concentrated.

“Umbra, think fast!” he shouted, the slime leaping from his shoulder and landing with a splat. It immediately began to glow, tendrils of psychic energy lashing out at the Burrower Queen.

The creature faltered, its movements sluggish under the psychic assault. Liam seized the moment, darting in with a quick motion and swept Umbra up and holding it like a football, he ran.

“You know,” he quipped, as he raced blindly down the corridor, “this would be a great time to have backup. Too bad it’s just me, my slime, and my winning personality,” he puffed.

The air was thick with the stink of danger and the low growl of the pursuing Burrower Queen. Liam’s feet pounded the uneven ground as he raced through the twisting tunnels, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Shadows danced in his periphery, and the bioluminescent fungi along the walls cast eerie, flickering light that made the cavern seem alive.

“Backup would be great right about now!” he shouted, his voice echoing down the tunnel. “Or a weapon! Or, I don’t know, maybe a pamphlet on how to survive this insanity!”

A high-pitched screech echoed from behind him. Liam winced, glancing back to see the monstrous form of the Queen squeezing through the tunnel, her serrated mandibles scraping against the stone.

“Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me,” he muttered. “Why do the ugly ones always want to eat me?”

Ahead, Umbra pulsed from its perch on his shoulder, a gentle nudge of thought pressing against his mind. It wasn’t words exactly -more like an insistent whisper, pulling his attention to the left.

“What, you’ve got an idea?” Liam asked, dodging a jagged outcrop of rock. “Please tell me it doesn’t involve me being bait!”

The slime gave a little jiggle, its translucent form glowing faintly. Another mental nudge. Left. It wanted him to go left.

“Alright, slimy, you’re the boss,” Liam said, skidding to a turn and darting into a narrower passage. The walls pressed closer here, and he swore he could feel the weight of the stone above him.

The Queen roared again, and Liam resisted the urge to look back. He didn’t need to see her to know she was gaining.

Umbra pulsed again, more urgently this time. Forward. A sharp right. Liam followed the mental breadcrumbs, his trust in the slime growing with each step. He could hear the Queen crashing through the tunnels behind him, her bulk splintering the rock. A wave of hot, fetid air blasted him from behind, carrying the scent of decay.

“I didn’t sign up for this!” he yelled, his voice cracking. “Next time, I’m picking a class with a weapon proficiency -like a guy who doesn’t have to run for his life!”

Umbra’s insistent nudges grew faster, urging him down a sloping path. The air changed as they descended -cooler, drier, and tinged with something metallic. Liam stumbled into a wide opening and skidded to a halt, blinking in the dim light.

“Whoa,” he breathed, his voice swallowed by the sheer vastness of the chamber. The cavern stretched beyond what his eyes could see, the ceiling lost in darkness and the walls distant, echoing their enormity. The faint glint of light reflected off countless objects, scattered across the ground in a treasure trove of unimaginable wealth.

Silver, gold, and gems lay in dazzling piles, sparkling like stars spilled across the earth. Strange artifacts gleamed in the faint light, their shapes alien and enticing -spirals of metal, glass spheres, and blades that seemed to hum with latent power.

Liam let out a low whistle. “Now that’s what I call loot.”

Umbra wiggled happily on his shoulder, nudging him forward. Liam stepped carefully, his boots crunching against coins as he moved deeper into the chamber. The treasures seemed endless, a dragon’s hoard come to life.

He paused before a display that caught his eye -a shirt of fine-scaled armor, its surface glinting with a faint, opalescent sheen. Next to it, an ornate dagger lay on a velvet cushion. Its blade was crimson, streaked with black tendrils that curled like smoke up its long length, and the hilt was sculpted to resemble writhing flames.

Liam knelt, picking up the dagger. It felt cool and solid in his grip, lighter than he expected but perfectly balanced. “Well, it’s no sword,” he said, turning it over in his hands. “But it’ll do.”

Umbra pulsed a faint mental shrug, noncommittal. Liam raised an eyebrow. “Don’t suppose this is yours, is it?” he asked, gesturing to the hoard around him. “Maybe some kind of shared memory from your big, slimy mom?”

The slime gave another shrug-like pulse, this time tinged with something akin to apathy. Liam shook his head, muttering, “Yeah, didn’t think so.”

The roar of the Burrower Queen shattered his moment of wonder. He spun, clutching the dagger as the beast barreled into the chamber. Her massive frame knocked over a pile of treasures, sending coins and artifacts clattering in all directions.

“Oh, come on! Can’t a guy enjoy his ill-gotten loot in peace?” Liam growled, raising the dagger.

The Queen lunged, her claws slashing through the air. Liam dove to the side, rolling across the treasure-laden ground. He came up on one knee, the dagger held defensively before him.

Umbra leapt from his shoulder, landing with a splat and immediately glowing with psychic energy. Psychic tendrils lashed out, striking the Queen and slowing her movements with an attack of confusion. Liam grinned, his confidence bolstered by his new companion’s support.

“Good job, Umbra!” he called, darting in to slash at the Queen’s exposed side. The dagger bit deep, its crimson blade flaring with a strange light. The Queen screeched, her massive form rearing back.

Liam barely avoided the swing of her claws, tumbling backward and landing hard on a pile of coins. “I’m starting to think I should’ve picked up the armor, too!” he shouted, scrambling to his feet.

Umbra lashed out again, its psychic tendrils wrapping around the Queen’s head. She thrashed, smashing into the piles of treasure, the impacts causing rocks to tumble from above.

“Hold her, Umbra! Just a little longer!” Liam yelled, charging forward. He plunged the dagger into the creature’s segmented neck just behind its lamprey mouth, twisting the blade as ichor sprayed across the treasure-strewn floor. The Queen roared, her body convulsing violently before collapsing with a thunderous crash.

Liam staggered back, panting as the silence of the chamber returned. He wiped ichor from his face, wincing at the sting. “Well,” he said, his voice shaky, “that wasn’t the worst day I’ve had. Close, though.”

Umbra bounced back to his side, pulsing with a sense of triumph. Liam grinned, patting the slime. “Good work, little buddy. We make a pretty good team.”

Burrower Queen defeated:

XP Gained: 5,000 (for defeating a higher-tiered creature and leveraging strategy with Umbra)

System Alert: Bonding Opportunity Available.

* Burrower Queen Essence Detected. Do you wish to bind this creature to your Prismata Orb?

Liam hesitated for only a moment before selecting Yes. The chamber filled with a brilliant light as the Prismata Orb appeared, floating before him. Another facet lit up, etched with the essence of the Burrower Queen.

* New Facet Acquired: Burrower Queen - 2 out of 100 facets filled.

* Ability Unlocked: Tremor Sense.

That’s it? Well it’s better than nothing, I guess, Liam thought. He knew that by increasing in level and enhancing the aspects he collects, he would eventually be able to unlock new powers. But tremor sense was pretty basic for a starter.

“I guess they can’t all be winners like you, Umbra,” Liam commented, causing Umbra to shift colors in appreciation.

Liam studied the orb, his fingers brushing its smooth surface. Two facets now glowed faintly -Umbra’s and the Queen’s. He tucked the orb away, turning back to the hoard. For a moment, he allowed himself to bask in the wonder of the vast chamber.

His gaze wandered to the dark recesses of the space, where the faint outlines of ancient statues loomed. Draconic forms twisted in the shadows, their shapes both majestic and menacing.

“So,” Liam murmured, a sly grin tugging at his lips. “This is why they call it the Path of Dragons.” His grin turned sour, a frown taking over as he fully realized the implications.

“Wait… Dragons… oh shit.”