“Is this our new loyal citizen, you say?” Patty observed the strange new creature that was lying on the floor of the bamboo hut. It had a big skull and jaw, looking like an ancient human who still didn’t know how to use tools. “Is he okay? He looks yellow.”
“He is yellow, Master. Their species are called Thalls, stemming from their similarity to Neanderthals. Due to their genetics and culture, their skin has a pigment that turns their skin to yellow.”
The Thall’s clothes seemed primitive, like those that he saw in cartoons and television shows. Patty wondered how the man even survived the cold with those kinds of clothes with no insulation. The only thing that gave him warmth was the bear fur on his back.
“By the way, slime,” Patty asked, perking up the slime. “What is that?” Patty pointed his screen to the big brown bear that was sitting in the corner. It was way too big to fit inside this little room, so it took up a lot of space and was immediately noticeable.
“Oh!” The Diplomatic Slime then jumped to the bear’s legs and presented it to Patty. “This is Roar, the Alpha Bear that I saw out in the snow. They’re the only big, strong creatures that can survive the cold of this mountain.”
“Uh-huh.”
Roar..
The bear then put her nose on the slime, confused. It didn’t understand why the slime was speaking to itself. But before the slime could explain to both of them, Achram suddenly woke up from his stupor with a groan. He grasped the air like he was trying to catch something. The Slime immediately noticed that Achram wasn’t feeling good.
“Uh…Marta…” Achram muttered, with his eyes still closed.
The slime hopped directly over to Achram’s forehead to check his temperature. His temperature was spiking up even more from a fever caused by an infection during his journey. He was delirious, hallucinating about his family that he left behind at the bottom of the mountain.
“Wake up…You’re dreaming!” the slime took hold of Achrma’s forehead and shook it left and right.
Slowly, Achram opened his eyes and took in the strange sight once again. He thought he was back in their family hut, with his wife cooking the boar hunted this morning. He dreamed that she was falling further and further away from him, and as he tried to run up and catch her, she slid even further away.
“Where…where am I?”
“You are in the kingdom of our Lord. You are safe here,” the slime said in his diplomatic voice. Patty was surprised to hear the slime sound this solemn.
“Strange blob…have you saved me from the ice?” Achram asked.
“My King has deemed you worthy of being a citizen in his paradise. He has tasked me to save you and drag you from the brink of death,” the Diplomatic Slime answered.
Achram felt silly for thinking that he thought that this green blob tried to eat him. If the slime wanted him dead, then it would have left him in the snow to die before consuming him. He wanted to ask forgiveness from the slime and repay this favor, but unfortunately, he knew that he didn’t have enough time to live.
“My apologies, strange blob–”
“You can address me as slime.”
“I see. Slime, I thank you with all my hairs for saving me. I would dedicate my service to you until all the hair in my body turns white, but unfortunately, I am afraid that your efforts have been in vain.”
He was inflicted with a disease called Lava blood. This was an incurable disease that took the lives of at least ten people this year alone. At first, those inflicted with this death sentence would feel like there was lava in their bodies but also makes them feel chilly and cold with just a simple breeze. Then, the victims would feel the sweat pouring out of their pores, their heads would feel like they were hit by a tree, and their bodies would feel weak like a baby.
Usually, Thalls who had this disease would last for one or two days. After that, they would die in their sleep.
Knowing what was happening in his body, Achram knew that he was going to die soon. Just when he was saved and brought to a haven by the Slime, the invisible curse of Lava Blood would still claim his life. It was a shame that a warrior like him would die, not in battle, but in a bed far away from his family.
“I have…Lava Blood. Slime, I know it is imprudent of me to ask this, but I ask that you grant me this favor before I die. Please bring my dead body to the top of the mountain where I can plead for the God of Icy Rock to save my family.”
The slime continued with his solemn voice. “Do not worry for He is already in your presence!”
Achram’s eyes widened as he heard this fact. “What do you mean?”
“The God of Icy Rock is here watching you at this moment. He has heard your plight and is willing to give you a bit of blessing and save you from certain death!” The slime looked like a devout follower of a religion trying to spread his religion to a new person.
“The God…of Icy Rock…”
“His presence is much too strong for you to see Him in all his glory, but make no mistake, He is as real as the ground you are laying on.”
Achram looked around the bamboo house and realized that this must be one of the sacred places of the God of Icy Rock. Constructing a large and well-built house on this freezing mountain is nothing short of a miracle. He already had trouble summiting the mountain just by himself. He couldn’t think about how people carried bamboo stems up the mountain as well.
This whole haven that was as warm as the sun must have been from the grace of the God of Icy Rock!
“I see.” Achram felt relieved. His journey to this mountain wasn’t in vain after all. He was able to meet God even if he had to sacrifice his life to do it. “Will the God of Icy Rock fulfill my last wish and give His blessing to my family? I would sacrifice my life and soul for the safety of my family,” Achram begged.
The slime then stood tall proudly as he said the words, “The God of Icy Rock has not forsaken you. He will heal you into life!”
Achram couldn’t believe the slime’s words. He thought that Lava Blood was incurable. He saw many of his childhood friends and comrades die in their homes, curled up and shivering. He thought that Lava Blood was a curse that the evil spirit sent down to punish those who it deemed unworthy.
All of his village believed that Gods walked through the world unseen. Everything that happened could be explained by Gods bringing down their justice on creatures that were lowly and unworthy of its presence. If the clouds darkened the sky and the rain fell with furious anger, then the Gods were crying. If a bolt of fire struck down from the skies, then the Gods were angry. If the whole village was suffering from famine and death, then it was because the Gods were unsatisfied with them.
Gods were supposed to bring down punishment on the world. At least, that’s what Thalls believed. That’s why everyone believed that his foolish journey up the mountain was nothing more than suicide. The Gods punish, they don’t help. No matter how much the Thalls prayed, the Gods would punish them all the same.
But now, this slime was telling him that the God of Icy Rock would bring down his blessing and wring him out of death’s grasp. He thought that was impossible. Could the slime be lying? Was it giving him false hope at the end of his life to make sure that he died peacefully?
“You don’t have to believe it, you just have to experience it,” the slime said.
—-----------
Patty watched everything unfold in the comfort of his own home. When he saw the Thall saying his death wish, Patty thought he was joking. After all, he was just suffering from a good ‘ol fever. In the real world, almost no one dies from a fever anymore. Even back when Teqx didn’t exist, humans already concocted a simple medicine that could cure a fever in less than a day.
“Master! Do you have an antibiotic?”
Patty had one, of course. He walked over to the top of the fridge and took out a small basket filled with pills and vitamins that he used whenever he got sick. He took out one antibiotic pill and held it in his hands.
“Yeah. Here.”
—-------------
“The God of Icy Rock has spoken. He will not bestow upon you an elixir that will bring you back to life!”
The Slime then morphed into a rectangular box that was similar to a treasure box made out of wood and decorated with gold designs. The box opened by itself to reveal a single pill that was glowing from the lights installed on the treasure box.
Slime made sure to make the reveal as impressive as possible to make sure that Achram believed that this was a gift only worthy of heaven itself, even if it was just a simple antibiotic pill.
“Is this our new loyal citizen, you say?” Patty observed the strange new creature that was lying on the floor of the bamboo hut. It had a big skull and jaw, looking like an ancient human who still didn’t know how to use tools. “Is he okay? He looks yellow.”
“He is yellow, Master. Their species are called Thalls, stemming from their similarity to Neanderthals. Due to their genetics and culture, their skin has a pigment that turns their skin to yellow.”
The Thall’s clothes seemed primitive, like those that he saw in cartoons and television shows. Patty wondered how the man even survived the cold with those kinds of clothes with no insulation. The only thing that gave him warmth was the bear fur on his back.
“By the way, slime,” Patty asked, perking up the slime. “What is that?” Patty pointed his screen to the big brown bear that was sitting in the corner. It was way too big to fit inside this little room, so it took up a lot of space and was immediately noticeable.
“Oh!” The Diplomatic Slime then jumped to the bear’s legs and presented it to Patty. “This is Roar, the Alpha Bear that I saw out in the snow. They’re the only big, strong creatures that can survive the cold of this mountain.”
“Uh-huh.”
Roar..
The bear then put her nose on the slime, confused. It didn’t understand why the slime was speaking to itself. But before the slime could explain to both of them, Achram suddenly woke up from his stupor with a groan. He grasped the air like he was trying to catch something. The Slime immediately noticed that Achram wasn’t feeling good.
“Uh…Marta…” Achram muttered, with his eyes still closed.
The slime hopped directly over to Achram’s forehead to check his temperature. His temperature was spiking up even more from a fever caused by an infection during his journey. He was delirious, hallucinating about his family that he left behind at the bottom of the mountain.
“Wake up…You’re dreaming!” the slime took hold of Achrma’s forehead and shook it left and right.
Slowly, Achram opened his eyes and took in the strange sight once again. He thought he was back in their family hut, with his wife cooking the boar hunted this morning. He dreamed that she was falling further and further away from him, and as he tried to run up and catch her, she slid even further away.
“Where…where am I?”
“You are in the kingdom of our Lord. You are safe here,” the slime said in his diplomatic voice. Patty was surprised to hear the slime sound this solemn.
“Strange blob…have you saved me from the ice?” Achram asked.
“My King has deemed you worthy of being a citizen in his paradise. He has tasked me to save you and drag you from the brink of death,” the Diplomatic Slime answered.
Achram felt silly for thinking that he thought that this green blob tried to eat him. If the slime wanted him dead, then it would have left him in the snow to die before consuming him. He wanted to ask forgiveness from the slime and repay this favor, but unfortunately, he knew that he didn’t have enough time to live.
“My apologies, strange blob–”
“You can address me as slime.”
“I see. Slime, I thank you with all my hairs for saving me. I would dedicate my service to you until all the hair in my body turns white, but unfortunately, I am afraid that your efforts have been in vain.”
He was inflicted with a disease called Lava blood. This was an incurable disease that took the lives of at least ten people this year alone. At first, those inflicted with this death sentence would feel like there was lava in their bodies but also makes them feel chilly and cold with just a simple breeze. Then, the victims would feel the sweat pouring out of their pores, their heads would feel like they were hit by a tree, and their bodies would feel weak like a baby.
Usually, Thalls who had this disease would last for one or two days. After that, they would die in their sleep.
Knowing what was happening in his body, Achram knew that he was going to die soon. Just when he was saved and brought to a haven by the Slime, the invisible curse of Lava Blood would still claim his life. It was a shame that a warrior like him would die, not in battle, but in a bed far away from his family.
“I have…Lava Blood. Slime, I know it is imprudent of me to ask this, but I ask that you grant me this favor before I die. Please bring my dead body to the top of the mountain where I can plead for the God of Icy Rock to save my family.”
The slime continued with his solemn voice. “Do not worry for He is already in your presence!”
Achram’s eyes widened as he heard this fact. “What do you mean?”
“The God of Icy Rock is here watching you at this moment. He has heard your plight and is willing to give you a bit of blessing and save you from certain death!” The slime looked like a devout follower of a religion trying to spread his religion to a new person.
“The God…of Icy Rock…”
“His presence is much too strong for you to see Him in all his glory, but make no mistake, He is as real as the ground you are laying on.”
Achram looked around the bamboo house and realized that this must be one of the sacred places of the God of Icy Rock. Constructing a large and well-built house on this freezing mountain is nothing short of a miracle. He already had trouble summiting the mountain just by himself. He couldn’t think about how people carried bamboo stems up the mountain as well.
This whole haven that was as warm as the sun must have been from the grace of the God of Icy Rock!
“I see.” Achram felt relieved. His journey to this mountain wasn’t in vain after all. He was able to meet God even if he had to sacrifice his life to do it. “Will the God of Icy Rock fulfill my last wish and give His blessing to my family? I would sacrifice my life and soul for the safety of my family,” Achram begged.
The slime then stood tall proudly as he said the words, “The God of Icy Rock has not forsaken you. He will heal you into life!”
Achram couldn’t believe the slime’s words. He thought that Lava Blood was incurable. He saw many of his childhood friends and comrades die in their homes, curled up and shivering. He thought that Lava Blood was a curse that the evil spirit sent down to punish those who it deemed unworthy.
All of his village believed that Gods walked through the world unseen. Everything that happened could be explained by Gods bringing down their justice on creatures that were lowly and unworthy of its presence. If the clouds darkened the sky and the rain fell with furious anger, then the Gods were crying. If a bolt of fire struck down from the skies, then the Gods were angry. If the whole village was suffering from famine and death, then it was because the Gods were unsatisfied with them.
Gods were supposed to bring down punishment on the world. At least, that’s what Thalls believed. That’s why everyone believed that his foolish journey up the mountain was nothing more than suicide. The Gods punish, they don’t help. No matter how much the Thalls prayed, the Gods would punish them all the same.
But now, this slime was telling him that the God of Icy Rock would bring down his blessing and wring him out of death’s grasp. He thought that was impossible. Could the slime be lying? Was it giving him false hope at the end of his life to make sure that he died peacefully?
“You don’t have to believe it, you just have to experience it,” the slime said.
—-----------
Patty watched everything unfold in the comfort of his own home. When he saw the Thall saying his death wish, Patty thought he was joking. After all, he was just suffering from a good ‘ol fever. In the real world, almost no one dies from a fever anymore. Even back when Teqx didn’t exist, humans already concocted a simple medicine that could cure a fever in less than a day.
“Master! Do you have an antibiotic?”
Patty had one, of course. He walked over to the top of the fridge and took out a small basket filled with pills and vitamins that he used whenever he got sick. He took out one antibiotic pill and held it in his hands.
“Yeah. Here.”
—-------------
“The God of Icy Rock has spoken. He will not bestow upon you an elixir that will bring you back to life!”
The Slime then morphed into a rectangular box that was similar to a treasure box made out of wood and decorated with gold designs. The box opened by itself to reveal a single pill that was glowing from the lights installed on the treasure box.
Slime made sure to make the reveal as impressive as possible to make sure that Achram believed that this was a gift only worthy of heaven itself, even if it was just a simple antibiotic pill.
