“I didn’t do anything!” I answered back, barely able to tilt my head over to the visibly upset middle-aged man. Gaining better control over my body, I was able to sit up on the cot, though still a fair bit woozy. I didn’t trust my legs to hold me up.

Len’s flames died down, the guards immediately backing down and saluting him; abject terror on their faces. They must have recognized him. I always forget how famous he is.

“Sir! We were only trying to keep the peace.” The marginally less terrified one answered, his legs wobbling so much I thought they might just fail him. His silent coworker couldn’t even work up the courage to face Len. His head hung low while his hand stayed attached to his shoulder in the Kniyan salute.

But I couldn’t blame them, I was used to Len’s flames. Been around them long enough to grow numb to the threat. To a newcomer, it looked as if you were about to be swallowed by an inferno.

Yet it didn’t seem to bother Tawny. Golden arcs of electricity still danced around her arms. A fierce snarl grew on her face as she glared at the guard that picked her up. I held her back with my good arm, whispering into her ear.

“That’s enough, Len can handle it.”

She turned and looked at me, the snarl still very much alive. I gave her a grin. “Thanks for protecting me. I knew I could count on you.” I nodded up at Len without looking away from her. “Don’t worry, I’ll take the heat.”

Her face softened into a smirk. “That was a stupid pun.” She released the energy from her arms, her face devolving back into the scowl. It was aimed at the guard once again. Ehh, at least she isn’t gonna fry the dude now. I’ll take the win.

“Waiting for an answer, Liam,” said the heat I so valiantly declared to take.

I turned back to Len, his arms were crossed, a finger thumping audibly on his bicep. He looked pissed. Regretting the false bravado, I sighed and answered him.

“All I’m guilty of is getting crushed by a giant bear and being harassed by doctors.”

The doctor in question did not like that answer. He rose from the ground, his fox ears bristling while he held the arm I spit on. Why did I spit on it? Better yet, why did it melt?

“Lies! This, this…cretin nearly dissolved my arm! I’m the chief officer of this Medical Tent. He deserves lashings and an immediate expulsion from this Raid and Laurelhaven. Let the cold judge this beast!”

Len’s cold gaze traveled across the man, then to me. His eyes scanned my body, landing on my injured arm. He squinted at it, and then an eyebrow went up.

I reflexively scratched it, but I didn’t feel any skin. It was crusty but also moist? Like if fresh crafts glue was poured over rough tree bark. It felt disgusting but in that irresistible kind of way. I finally gained the courage to observe this new phenomenon.

My arm was completely covered in a strange grayish cast that looked similar to dried epoxy. All over the surface was a strange grayish orange goop. I moved the strange liquid between my fingers. What is it? Some sort of healing poultice. Is that the right word?

I tried to move my arm that sat underneath it, but it couldn’t move. It was completely immobile under the layers of what I assumed was dried goop. On the Brightside, it didn’t hurt at all.

I turned over to the irate medic. “What is this stuff? What did you put on me?”

His face went agape. “What did I?! I did nothing but attempt to administer aid, your body generated that cast sometime before you spit ACID on my assistant’s face! Truly despicable. Commander Ainsworth, I demand you reprimand your subordinate this very instant!”

The two nearly self-pissed guards jumped in unison at the mention of Len’s official title as if the fact that they were, in fact, not in a nightmare and that this was all really happening.

Len took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Before opening them back up, he addressed the guards and the medic. “Everyone that is not a part of Squad L7. Leave now and return to your duties.” The guards shot out of the tent without a single word. The medic’s face twitched in disbelief.

“Commander! You must punish this—”

Len’s eyes shot open, filling with literal fire as he looked down at the fox-eared medic. “Please think about the first word of your last sentence. Carefully.” The man froze up. Len continued. “Let me help. It was Commander. Correct?”

The medic gulped and nodded once.

“Then the only thing anyone here must do is listen to my orders. Understand?”

The man’s ears drooped low. “Yes Sir…”

“Then why are you still in my sight?”

He looked over at me, then back to Len. Then once more to me, with a scowl this time before turning away and tromping off, mumbling something about how he couldn’t be treated this way. Tawny stuck her tongue out at the man as he walked past. I nudged her. He may have been an ass, but he was trying to heal me. I just stopped him from doing his job. And nearly melted his arm off.

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

I looked down at the pile of melted leather and metal that once was the straps he hit Tawny with. Nah never mind he deserved it. And since when did base form have acid spitting powers? That’s not a really mimic thing to do.

Len kept up his fiery gaze until the medic was finally out of sight. Len’s hard expression relaxed as the flames died out from his eyes. He returned his attention to me, giving me another once over, even touching my face at one point. I shoved him off.

His fingers were coated in the same goop that my arm cast had on it. I felt my face only to find that it was just as wet and slimy.

Len sighed. “Liam, if you are going to test a new form out, please for the love of the First Ones, don’t experiment on the medics. We need them. No matter how distasteful they can be.”

“New form? What are you talking about?”

Instead of answering, Len grabbed my jaw and forced my mouth open. “If you even think of spitting on me, I will torch your innards.”

“Hgot hit,” I replied the best as I could, trying my damnedest to ignore how awkward this was.

Len tilted his head around a few times, looking into my mouth from a few different angles.

Hait must have joined us at some point because I heard him talk with Tawny.

“What did I miss?”

“Not much, Liam and his powers being weird. Almost melted a guy's face off with his spit.”

“What?” He the male twin asked incredulously.

“I know. It was awesome.”

“You two hush,” Len ordered.

As he continued to poke around my mouth, I felt more and more saliva pool up, gathering in my cheeks, along with the instinct from earlier. The one telling me to launch the loogie right at the source of my discomfort. Even though I knew Len’s earlier threat was more of a joke, I really didn’t want to test the theory.

As if he sensed my urge, he let my face go and I slammed my mouth shut. I swallowed the spit down, twinging in pain. It burned as it went down my throat, the same kind of burn as when you throw up. Maybe a tad worse actually.

“Yep, that’s a new one. Salamandra I bet.” Len said as he examined the spit and goop that sat on his fingers. Flames flared over his hand, scorching any remnants of the bile from his skin.

I grabbed my throat. “Water,” I said horsley. I needed something to fight off the burning sensation. Hait conjured a small ball of water in mid air, placing it in my hands. I slurped it up, ignoring how weird it may be to drink water made from a monster gene. Or is it pulled from the air? I never actually asked him. I really hoped it was the latter.

But the questionably-sourced water did the trick, either way, fully relieving the burn from my throat. I gasped, then turned to Hait. “Thanks.”

He nodded.

“You really shouldn’t do that,” Len said.

“What?”

“Drink the spit. Just let it out on the ground next time. Most splicers with acidic spit can’t handle actually swallowing it. Your stomach will probably be quite upset with you later.”

It grumbled, verifying his words.

“But, belch, oh sorry about that. I don’t remember mimicking anything.”

Tutor chimed in. “You did. While they were dragging away your broken and useless body.”

Hurtful.

I held my head with the free arm, making an act of remembering something. “Wait, no maybe I did? When they carried me here, I think.” I lied, trusting in Tutor’s words. Then a small memory of a barely alive salamander crossed my mind, no longer making me a liar.

Len nodded, sitting down on a stool I didn’t realize was there. The twins just looked on, their faces sharing the same inquisitiveness, but neither asked any questions.

“What’s my trope then?” I asked.

Len pointed at my face. “The slime.”

“What? Really? That’s the trope. Perpetually moist skin?” I asked while I felt my face and the rest of my body. He seemed to be right, my size didn’t change and no new appendages, scales, or fur to speak of. The only difference between this form and base was the fact that slightly orange slime constantly oozed out of my skin. But only the skin that was uncovered. Thankfully, it wasn't slimy under my clothing. Something to test later.

I didn’t even really feel the goop on my skin like you would with sweat. Like it was just supposed to be there. Still gross but not physically uncomfortable. Len’s voice pulled me away from my self-examination.

“I stand by what I said. You really need to pick better times to try the new powers out. You could have really injured the medics. If not some of the other patients here.”

When he mentioned the other patients, I took the time to actually look around my surroundings. It was one of the medical tents, not the one we helped put up but just like it. People wearing armbands scurried around, bringing in others on stretchers and taking others away. Moans and groans—of both pain and relief—filled the air. There were at least ten medics running to and fro, with double that many soldiers lying in beds, each in varying states of injury. Next to our cot sat an elven woman with a scaled face clinging to her arm. It was completely covered in bandages.

To our other side sat a dwarven man, most of his face covered in bloody bandages, his right foot missing.

I cringed at the gruesomeness surrounding me. My stomach dropped as I looked around, only to find others in much the same state. So many injured. Was the Raid that bad? It didn’t feel that bad. Well, I guess I can’t say that being as I was one of the ones brought in.

“Tough raid?” I asked Len.

He surprisingly shook his head. “No, pretty tame from the looks of it. We should have a large force for the Boss. But before we talk about that you need to focus on healing.”

“Why?” I asked, scratching the cast on my arm.

“Because I need you back in fighting form. You’re gonna help me with the Boss.”