Epilogue

The sun was high in the sky, casting a warm, inviting glow. A sweet scent filled the air after a night of rain, and the leaves on the trees still held dew on them, sparkling like tiny diamonds. Bird songs fluttered about, adding to the serene atmosphere. A Slimensal poked its head out of its hole, its eyes lighting up at the sight of the sun-drenched world. It took a few cautious steps out into the light of the day and made its way over to its favorite sunning rock. The rock's surface was warm and inviting, perfect for a nap. The Slimensal tried to make itself comfortable, turning in circles a few times to find the ideal position. A few moments passed, and the Slimensal got comfortable and laid down, its eyes closing in bliss as it basked in the sun's warmth.

Soon, the Slimensal was pleasantly lost to its daydreams. Its body relaxed under the sun's warmth. However, an hour later, a sudden zing of a warning shot up the creature's spine, jolting it from its pleasant slumber. The Slimensal's eyes shot open, its body instantly moving into a defensive stance. Its eyes darted every which way, scanning for the threat that had woken it. But as the creature looked around, it saw nothing that could be considered an obvious threat. The Slimensal eyed the world, its body tense and ready for action. Its gut was screaming danger, but where was the threat? The suspense was palpable as the Slimensal continued to search for the unseen danger.

The Slimensal was a creature known for its wariness. Its long nose and sharp fangs were a testament to its readiness for danger. Its body, reminiscent of a muscular honey badger, was poised to strike at the first sign of danger. As the Slimensal looked around, it still felt the prickling sensation of danger, but nothing showed itself. Curiosity piqued, the creature began to search the immediate area. To its surprise, it stumbled upon a small black orb that was the source of the unsettling feeling. The orb was an enigma devoid of any smell. The Slimensal pawed at it, and as soon as it made contact, a voice filled its head, adding to the mystery of the orb.

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“Take the power,” The orb whispered. The Slimensal, startled, took a few steps away from the orb and looked around, now in a defensive stance. After nothing happened, no attack, no creature appearing from the bushes, the Slimensal looked down at the orb. The orb was shiny and held a power that even the Slimensal could feel. It was a power that could control minds, bend reality, and even bring about destruction. As it stared at the orb, it seemed to draw the creature in till all that was important was the orb and having it for its own. The Slimensal reached down with its mouth, scooping the orb up. As it held the orb, a voice filled its thoughts, and this time, the Slimensal knew it was the orb talking to them.

“ You are a lucky one today, my friend. Today is the day that you learn what true power is. I am The Master, a being of immense power and ambition. Soon, we will be one, and our power will grow, and soon, no one in this world will live without our permission. They will bow to us and the power we wield. Prepare yourself, creature, because from now on, we will be power, we will be death, we shall be… Hey, what are you doing? You can’t eat me, stop that. I said stop that! No, Hey motherfucker what are you doing? Not there. No, no, I'm The Master, I am power, I am everything. Listen to me!” The Master didn’t know what was wrong with this creature. It wasn’t listening to a word it said. The Slimensal had taken the orb, dug a hole, and promptly buried it.

If the Master had known anything about Slimensal, it would have known that they are one of the single laziest and pettiest creatures in the galaxy. They didn’t like to do too much, just sleep in the sun and eat. They also liked shiny things. A Slimensal will find a shiny object and bury it. It's not to save for later like you might think. They like to have things and keep them from others. The idea that something belongs to them and no one else gives them great satisfaction. So when the Slimensal found The Master’s orb, it simply did what it did with all its favorite things. It dug a hole, put the orb inside, and covered it back up.

As dirt covered the orb and sunlight left its sleek surface, The Master screamed.

“You hear that, Janet,” Travis said.

“No, I didn’t hear anything. What was it?” Janet inquired.

“I don’t know. It sounded like someone or something screaming in rage at the loss of all hope. Oh well, it’s probably just my imagination. Anyways, let’s keep moving.” I told Janet, and we got on our way.