Training as a Slime (43)

Cori could not helped but be captivated by the intricate carvings of the temple. "This 5 metre tall temple was carved from a single tusk of a primordial being. At least that was what the legend said." Marvyn recounted. "Please, do come in." Marvyn invited. The slightly golden ball of slime snapped on his backpack and bounced into the temple. A mysterious white flash zoomed past him. His skin immediately crawled. "Don't mind it. That's our resident cleaner." Marvyn explained and tapped the ground. A metre long albino bug paused in its track, as if waiting for command. "Your resident cleaner is a cockroach!" Cori exclaimed in astonishment. "Over in this world, we call it resident cleaner. It is a bug that keeps the place clean and sanitised. Just be careful to not step on them, they quite squishy and crushable." Marvyn replied.

Cori found himself captivated by the intricate carvings adorning the temple, each detail bearing a scripture. "This 5-meter-tall marvel," Marvyn began, his voice calming and with reverence, "was meticulously carved from a single tusk of a primordial being—at least, that's what the legend proclaims." As if sensing the return of the high priest, the doors opened by itself, Marvyn stepped in and invited, "Please, do come in."

Cori snapped itself onto his backpack, and bounced with enthusiasm into the temple. A mysterious white flash whizzed past him, causing an unexpected shiver down his spineless back. Marvyn, sensing Cori's reaction, reassured him, "Don't mind it. That's our resident cleaner." With a tap of his staff, a meter-long albino bug paused in its tracks, as if awaiting a cue. "Your resident cleaner is a giant cockroach!" Cori exclaimed in astonishment.

"In this world, we affectionately call it a resident cleaner," Marvyn chuckled in response. "It's a bug with the deposition of keeping the place clean and sanitized. Just be cautious not to step on them; they're rather squishy and crushable." Absorbing Marvyn's words, Cori kept his eyes diligently fixed on the ground, mindful to avoid stepping on the resident cleaner. As he did so, he discovered the intricate blue mosaic tiles that paved the floors beneath his bottom, each artwork seemed to weave a tale of origins.

"Don't mind the tiles, they are just fairy tales. Nothing more." chimed the high fae, his voice carried a hint of annoyance, as if the tales were merely a fabricated smere of historical facts. Navigating through the aligned rows of pew chairs, Cori and the priest made their way toward the altar with solemn reverence. Before the dimly lit altar, Cori stood, a perplexed witness of an otherworldly ritual. The seniors dressed in ceremonial gowns moved with a ritualistic grace, their reverence directed towards four enigmatic humanoid baby space suits suspended in a delicate dance above the ornate altar.

The High Priest, with an air of solemnity, unfolded the mystical tale of the naturally formed stone husks to Cori. "These ethereal stone husks," he declared, gesturing toward the enigmatic relics suspended in the hallowed air, "are all that remains of the creators. Unified in essence, yet each carrying the weight of a unique responsibility."

As Cori absorbed the gravity of these words, the High Priest, choosing his moments carefully, continued the revelation after his apprentices had discreetly departed. "In truth," he confessed, his voice a measured cadence, "they were all distinct entities. The elaborate machinery of religion, the sacred rituals, merely served as tools to bestow holy ordinances for political endeavors by earthly beings. The deities, once revered with earnest devotion, merely participated for jest."

The echo of these revelations lingered, casting a new light on the sacred narratives that had shaped the beliefs of this world.