In the throne room, a large table had been brought out and all the important members of the capital were present. The King and Queen, the Fang and Claw commanders, the leaders of the military, public representatives and members of the various 'factions' that were trying to sort things out.

Though there was no peace reached yet, there was a strange calm in the tension only for the world in that room to creak and scream as the very fabric of space there bent and an elderly mouse, who looked as if he was ready to rip someones soul out, appeared.

Every living being in the room felt primal terror at the sudden invasion of this being and their bodies gave out, crumbling to the floor and onto the table as whoever this being was shifted through the space of the room and stopped in front of the nearly-crushed King. The King's body was physically lifted into the air by an unseen force, their eyes met and the King's bladder quickly gave out.

"Speak only when spoken to. Answer plain and true. I will flatten this country and erase it from history if you do anything else." the ancient mouse spoke with a venom-laced tone, causing the King to nod weakly.

"Your Black Slime, where is it stored?"

"...the treasury, in a secret… secret vault at the back of it."

The pressure in the room vanished as did the ancient mouse, as well as the king, but no one got up. Not for quite a while would anyone be able to move.

–

In the treasury, the King and Mouse shifted into existence and the entire treasury rippled and was destroyed in an instant, exposing the vault at the back. Brick by brick it separated as if it was some kind of puzzle before the Rabbit was thrown and forced to land on his feet.

"Bring me the box." Creation stated simply.

Forcing himself to move step by step, the Rabbit King went to where it should have been only to discover it wasn't there. "It's… it's gone, Creation, I…" before the King could even explain he found himself once more in front of Creation, the mortal body that Creation was using staring him in the eyes like a shark looking at a minnow. "Who knew it existed besides you."

"My… my wife, the… commanders of the Fang and Claws… my Chancellor. And… the now-dead General and the living one. Unless they to-t-told others, no one else!"

–

One by one, Creation went to each, the King unable to try and defend any of them even if he knew his wife and the commanders were innocent. But after Creation finally reached the Chancellor and came upon the scene of the elder feline who was standing in the cell impassively as he looked down at the victim of his plotting, fury and hell broke loose in the cell.

"ROU?!"

–

A thundering explosion was heard that day, echoing from the castle, through the capital and nearly through the entire nation. It came to be believed that the Gods had expressed their displeasure at the treatment of the Sage of Fluff. What the populace at large didn't know, however… was it was slightly different.

Creation's fury blew over instantly, but given his focus was on Rou, punishment would wait. The King, only by pure luck, was spared a deadly fate as Creation grabbed Rou and vanished.

–

The mortal body of Creation went from the castle of the capital where Rou was previously, into an ancient subterranean cave. The resident within shook itself awake at the sudden intrusion, causing the very earth itself to rumble and shake, stalactites crashing to the ground as a voice, Creation's voice, commanded aloud, "Scour him with your fire."

A deep, terrifying noise echoed as the dragon within the cave, so large it blocked all vision simply trying to turn and face the mouse, began to retort only to realize who was there.

"NOW, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!" the mouse yelled angrily, causing the dragon to bow its head and open it's mouth, coughing out a blob of congealed dragonsfire that landed atop Rou's body and began to burn him wholly. The congealed gel-like fire was aided as the dragon shook again, the cheeks and jowls increasing in glow and heat until the entire cave was baking before covering the fellow who was laying on the ground in concentrated golden-white flames.

Even if the words were not spoken clearly, the Gods asked dragons to burn one thing, and one thing only. It was common knowledge amongst dragons. If you are asked to burn something by a God, you do it without question.

–

Poor Affection had to be locked up in confinement by Aether.

"LET ME OUT, I WILL KILL YOU ALL, LET ME GET TO HIM!"

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

But Affection… was not capable of fighting against Aether. Of all the gods, most knew what Black Slime was. Affection hadn't. Otherwise she could have prevented what took place. As she was the youngest, and newest, she came after the Gods had put safeties in place to avoid it ever being used again without reason.

Each Kingdom of the mortal world had been given a single box, a single supply of Black Slime. It was meant to be used only against the most heinous, evil, vile beings in existence as the ultimate punishment even beyond execution. To be used only with the permission directly from the Gods. Each King, in succession, and his trusted staff might be allowed to know of its existence.

But no one, in centuries, had even asked to use it, let alone gotten permission.

And Affection had never come across it as Creation exclusively dealt with that. Sure, the other gods knew, but why would it even be brought up? And Affection was the only one watching Rou when it took place. Everything happened so fast, that Affection… actually abandoned her fox body and tried to brute force her way through the confined space with her high-dimensional form that had not been seen by anyone in an eternity.

It was then that Aether's conscience got the best of her and she went inside the confinement space too, wrapping around Affection's form and trying to offer some kind of support, the slumped, soulless fox body that Rou knew so well on the floor as she struggled in vain.

–

Due to the high-dimensional predator, the gods were unable to use high-dimensional energy in the lower domain. At best they could use the systems put in place to throw their weight around but even then it was limited.

Thus, they couldn't manipulate aether while in the lower realm. Couldn't use magic. They'd have to use high-dimensional energy to force aether to do what they wanted. And there was no aether in the high-dimensional realm. They could do a great many things with high-dimensional energy. But some things they could not. And transporting mortals alive between realms was simply not possible in either direction.

That was something Rou had uniquely figured out how to accomplish.

Thus, Creation watched as the dragon essentially cooked the poor fellow, Rou alive only by miracle of his inheritance. It pained Creation beyond reason that this took place. Had he educated Affection better she'd have noticed. Perhaps Rou could have benefitted from an education of the same fashion. But now, all he could do for the unconscious, convulsing red panda, was hope he got to him in time to save him.

"Stop." his voice commanded and the dragon stopped, a sickening smell of burnt fur and flesh in the cave. Soon enough Creation vanished along with Rou, reappearing in front of the Head Priest of the church in the capital they were in not long before, who started to prostrate only to see Rou and scream in terror, never having seen injuries quite that bad. The priest outright ran and hid! The smell alone turned the Head Priests stomach, nearly wretching at the sight alone, let alone everything else. It was a miracle Rou was even alive at this point.

"Heal him, call every other priest who is nearby to aid you."

"Yes!" The Head Priest knew exactly who the mouse was and didn't even tither over the details, pouring out everything in his body to try and save the Sage.

The ancient mouse seemed tired suddenly and said softly to the Head Priest, "Continue until I give you permission otherwise, no one shall know he is here."

And once again Creation went as soon as he came.

Returning to the underground cell where he found Rou, he came upon The King and his Chancellor. The man who once loved Rou's grandmother so dearly became but a puddle of blood and flesh splattered on the wall as Creation remembered he was still alive, only to look towards the King.

"Be grateful to your offspring that Rou is gentle to her. I think he would be upset if I left you like I did that fellow. Do not mention my involvement in this. Think up an appropriate explanation to what happened."

And then Creation was gone again, to offer thanks to the dragon and a simple apology for his curtness. Creation promised to address this to the dragon at a later point, and then was gone as soon as he came, leaving the dragon to stare off at a nearby wall as if he was able to see through it, looking into the distance curiously.

–

Affection's fury knew no end and she actually tried to kill Aether. That fury terrified Aether, that her sweet, innocent little Affection was treating her as if she was a monster. Being unable to calm her down, it was actually scaring Aether until Creation's high-dimensional form appeared and showed an image to Affection of Rou being treated with light magic.

"I am doing what I can to save the boy. You cannot go to him. You cannot help him. And I cannot bring him here. You would risk killing everything, us, the lower realm, and even every living being in this part of existence by doing so. Please, for Rou's sake, do not hurt yourself to get to him. How much would he suffer if he somehow survived only to find you broken?"

Affection's energy form flickered and vibrated in impotence before she finally jumped back into her 'body' that had been on the floor and screamed angrily, kneeling on the ground and covering her head with her arms and sobbing in desperation. She wanted to be there with him. Wanted to hug him and keep him safe. But with Rou unconscious she couldn't get to him.

For the first time in a gods age, Creation's mouse body appeared in this higher-dimensional space and his formless self entered it, reaching down to gently grasp Affection and hug her. Despite his willingness to punish her at times when she acted out, or acted impulsively, she was like a daughter to him. The first, and latest, high-dimensional being that came into existence since the predator had appeared and they had sealed themselves away. Given high-dimensional beings couldn't reproduce like lower dimensionals could… this was as close as he had to one. Her pain did hurt him too, especially as he did have a soft spot for Rou.

He had hopes for Rou. Hopes that on some miracle one in a billion chance, Rou could actually deliver on his desire to save them all.

And now there was likely no chance Rou would even have the opportunity.

In all of the history of the world, no one had truly survived Black Slime unscathed.

"What… what happened to him? What is that stuff!"

Affection begged to know from the two there, as they began to explain to her gently the history surrounding their world and Slimes.