Lani did not start swimming, or try to ride the wave. She quickly jumped to the side and out of the way of the rushing wave. The wave wasn’t that wide, but its speed was definitely concerning.

Just as Lani recovered from her leap, another wave was almost to her position. Lani spun out of the way of that one and kept leaping and spinning out of the way of each consecutive attack. Each dodge was in the nick of time, but she managed to slowly move closer to one of the protruding slime pools each time.

Once she was perpendicular to the slime pool, she turned expecting another wave, and was relieved to get a slight reprieve. Since the smaller slime pool was in the way, the larger slime didn’t send a wave to attack her. But the respite only lasted a second because as soon as she had that thought, the slime attacked again.

Instead of one larger wave, it sent two smaller waves at her that split down the middle. Lani didn’t have time to do anything but huddle down in a crouch as the split waves started to converge after they passed the smaller slime pool. The simultaneous slime waves missed her, but as they crashed upon the wall, she was splashed with some of it. The parts of her neck and hands that were exposed burned as they were splattered with the slime.

She had been repeatedly struck by the burning slime attacks since being in the Monolith, so Lani didn’t let the pain distract her. The slime had already sent another dual wave at her. Before the waves could pass the small slime pool to try and converge on her position, she rushed to the protruding slime pool. The depth of the large slime pool wasn’t as bad as she feared, but as she stepped down, it still covered her shoes. Her feet began to burn in pain as the goop seeped in the openings, but she doesn’t stop.

Once Lani reached the protrusion, she slammed her club down into the smaller slime pool where her power told her the core was at. She didn’t waste any time getting out of her position. She sloshed back through the slime and back up on the ledge.

Lani gritted her teeth as her feet felt as if they were burning away. She turned to continue with her plan, but as the first slime pool disintegrated, the larger slime rumbled all over. It caused the slime's body to churn and splash itself all over the place. She didn’t even have a second to try and dodge the small splashes of slime before another wave was sent her way at an even faster rate of speed.

With her injured feet, Lani couldn’t move as quickly and she was barely able to get out of the way of the wave. Unfortunately, her dodge was in the wrong direction. Lani wanted to head toward the next small slime pool, but the speed and position of the wave sent her dodging in the opposite direction. One after another, Lani was forced to backtrack as the waves kept coming and they continued pushing her back to the cavern’s opening.

Once she reached the opening an even larger and faster wave rushed toward her. Lani jumped back inside the passageway. She tripped and fell as the wave moved toward her, but she used her momentum and rolled out of the way of the attack. Lani prepared for another wave, but it seemed that the slime did not send another volley.

With the help of her sleeves covering her hands, Lani quickly took off her flimsy shoes as the pain of her burning feet returned since she was no longer in danger. After her shoes were off, she tried to wipe her feet to get the residual slime off. She didn’t know why, but there was no slime on them. It appeared to her that the larger slime did not have that capability, or at least it decided not to do it for whatever reason. They still were tender to the touch and she had to slam her hand on the ground a few times until the pain subsided.

Once the pain was bearable, Lani tried to get up, but she winced from her burning foot. She was still able to stand and move slowly but she was afraid that she would not be able to take another one of the smaller pools out.

Even if I take another slime out, if the same thing happens as the last time, then I will be caught up in the aftermath of the big slime’s retribution. Getting to the slime is going to be difficult, surviving after that will be impossible. I need another plan. The larger slime doesn’t stick to me, but it is much faster. I will be able to take out the other slimes at my leisure it that one is gone.

Lani thought for a few more minutes and then came up with a plan. It might not be good, but it was the only one she could make. She proceeded to take off her shirt and her pants, stripping down to her underwear. Lani, then sat down on the ground. She wrapped her pants around one foot and her shirt around the other.

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Lani stood and took a moment to get used to her new foot wrappings. She moved toward the edge of the cavern and position herself so she could see the light of the large slime’s core. She took one more deep breath.

This is it. Do or die. Not turning back.

Lani rushed in.

The slime sent a wave directly at her right as she entered its aggro range.

She dodged to the left without slowing.

Another wave was almost to her, but she dodged again.

She continued to move forward as she dodged two more waves. Just as she was almost in range and she raised her club, another wave sprung up.

She had no time to dodge.

Lani covered her face as best she could and pushed through. She led with her club so she didn’t get stuck. The slime may not have stuck to her feet, but she had no idea if that would change.

As the slime covered her body, a searing pain rippled across her skin from where the roots of her hair met skin, to the bottom of her legs. With her eyes closed the position of the larger slime’s core flared up like a sun in her mind.

Her positioning had been off a little from her mad dash to the center of the slime pool. She made her adjustments and slammed the club down with all the force she could muster from her burning muscles.

Lani could tell she hit her mark as the sound of crumbling glass echoed through the area. She bent over and screamed in triumph and in an attempt to shove the intense pain she was feeling away. She felt like she had run through a burning forest and without caring if the slime was still there, she fell to her knees.

Just as she dropped down, the slime started to turn to ash from the epicenter of the core in a widening circumference. As the smaller slimes had done, the ashes of her defeated enemy turned into motes of light that disappeared. If she hadn’t been in so much pain from jumping through the slime and tired from her whole ordeal, she would have marveled at the light show all around her.

The sheer amount of defeated slime that was turning to lights, which reflected off the red glowing walls created a fiery kaleidoscope to rival the brightest star. Instead of enjoying the scene, Lani merely dropped to her hands and knees to prepare for what was next.

She still had six slimes, which weren’t as big as the last one, but they were still at least twice as large as all the others. Lani could hear the sloshing of their bodies in the pools, and as she dealt with her pain and fatigue, she could sense them all moving toward her position.

With a final breath, she stood up and started to unwrap her pants and shirt off of her feet. With the disintegration of the slime, there were no more remnants of it anywhere, so her clothes were actually dry. She didn’t know how the next six fights would go, so she wanted to have all the protection she could have. Every inch of her skin was raw and she feared any more abuse would cause it to split open. She didn’t worry too much about being attacked while she was changing, the slimes were clearly faster than the small ones in the cavern but they were slow enough that she had time to prepare.

Lani picked up her club and moved to the closest slime. Moved is actually a generous word to describe how she slowly limped over to it. The color of the slime in the red light was a light purple, so if she was correct, that meant that it was on the ice affinity.

I wonder if its attack will numb the burning sensation all over?

She didn’t have time to ponder the question as she could see the body of the slime started to swell in attack. While the slime was moving toward her, its core was as far back as it could be. A whip of slime came toward her and even with her slowed body, she was easily able to dodge. Slimes weren’t really known for their speed.

Regardless, Lani picked up the pace and move around the slime while continuing to dodge the attacks. It could sense where she was moving and it tried to keep moving the core away from her. While the slimes could move the core quicker than they could attack, Lani was still quicker.

After about five or six dodges and her circling almost all the way around the puddle of goop, she entered the range of the core and slammed her club down. While she was so close, she tried to get a look at the core with her normal sight, but she still couldn’t see anything. She had to use her ability to sense the core and to pinpoint it with her eyes closed.

Lani took care of the rest of the slimes in the same manner, without the protection of the larger slime, the others could not stand against her. She almost felt silly that she was ever so afraid of them. However, she still knew that a wrong encounter with them could quickly turn deadly.

As she finally destroyed the final slime and its body turned to dust then motes of light. She heard the sliding of stone screech throughout the cavern. Lani stumbled in a circle looking for the direction of the next threat. She paused as she saw a dark opening in the far wall that wasn’t there before.

The opening was a rectangle about ten feet high and four feet wide. It was a door if Lani had ever seen one. She waited, her club held high for anything that might come out of it to attack her. After a few minutes, she decided that nothing was going to come through and she could relax.

Lani moved closer.

She walked in a circuitous route to try and peer into the door, but no matter what angle she looked at, she could only see darkness. The pervasive red light that she had been bathed in since coming into the Monolith did nothing to pierce the darkness so she could see to the other side.

With trepidation, Lani stuck her hand in and out really quick. Nothing happened. She felt hopeful that this was the final room and that her adventure within the Monolith was over. But just in case, Lani lifted the club overhead and walked in, ready for battle.