In a Cell

"What are you insinuating?" Avery raised his eyebrows at Thorn.

"You know this cannot be a coincidence right? You calling us all the way to the forest for a competition, the cultist conducting a sacrificial ritual right now, near from where we are camped."

"They knew that we were camping here. Why else would they try to do a sacrificial ritual right now? It wouldn't serve any purpose without sacrifices!" Thorn snapped.

"Are you accusing me of colluding with the cultists!?" Avery barked back.

"Of course not, a church's commander couldn't be so stupid to work with the cultists, right?" Thorn replied in a sarcastic tone.

"Haah." Avery sighed. "I know it can't be a coincidence Thorn, I do. But I didn't have anything to do with this."

The brows of Thorn's face tightened, his eyes still glaring at Avery.

Shaking his head, he began explaining. "Phew. Some time ago, a friend of mine from Rivenport, a boat-maker, came to me and asked if I could clear the forest of beasts. He said he wanted to make the forest safer for woodcutters. I had no ill intentions calling your cadets here. It was just for some friendly competition and efficient hunting."

"The information must've leaked from somewhere in the town. I'll get to the bottom of this Thorn, don't worry."

"I'll also be joining the investigation." Thorn stated.

"Hahaha.." Avery laughed nervously, "There's no need for that. This is Storm's area, we'll handle it."

"No, this matter now involves us too. Then I'll see you tomorrow." He was firm.

Turning his back to Avery, he headed out the tent, leaving Avery alone. Avery's gaze lingered towards Thorn's direction for a bit, then he sighed. 'He has some good intuition, like always. What a headache.'

---

"Splendid 084, you did quite good. Those rich bastards really liked your show." The golden-toothed doctor smiled at 084, who was sitting opposite to him on a wooden chair.

A teenage 084 was staring at the doctor, his arms sheathed in the closed sleeves of the straitjacket he was wearing.

He gave the doctor a grin with his teeth clattering, "You bastard. You're not a doctor. You're a dog of those rich fuckers. Holding death matches between us for their entertainment!"

"A doctor!? Cure me then! You fucker! You're inhumane!" 084 spat.

"You're right.. I'm not a doctor. More like...a researcher! Yes! That's what I am." The doctor took a syringe from the tray beside him and stood up.

He moved towards 084, "You see, I believe there is some greater force, influencing our little lives here on Earth. There's no need for me to cure you because I don't think you're insane, 084. You're just lucky. You get to listen to these forces." He smiled.

"Don't! Fuck off!" while 084 struggled, a nurse standing on the door ran up to him and held him still.

"Ah!" The doctor exclaimed before inserting the syringe in 084's arm. "Maybe you're unlucky after all. And what's wrong with using some unlucky people to make more money?" He grinned from ear to ear and inserted the syringe.

---

"UGH" Zane jerked up from his nightmare in cold sweat.

'Oh... A memory from the past again...' He tried to use his hand to wipe the sweat on his forehead. But he found out he couldn't move his hands.

His whole body was bandaged, from head to toe, which made his appearance like that of a mummy.

He was basically the same from his dream, unable to move his body.

After a moment of this, he felt the rush of all the pain in his body. "MMMPH" He made a muffled sound through the layers of bandages.

"Oh! You're awake!" A child's voice came from beside him. Reacting to the voice, he turned his head to see who it was.

It was a small kid with big round eyes and a small nose. The color of his eyes were green like apples, which matched with the slimy hair he had. He was wearing a simple tunic and trousers, which were already full of dirt.

"Hehe it worked! You're fine!" He spoke cheerfully in his sweet voice.

"Mmph! Mmph!" Zane tried to speak.

"Oh right!" The kid moved towards him and undid the bandages.

"Haah." Zane took a long puff of fresh air before talking in a grating voice.

"Where am I?" He asked the kid.

"We're in the tempool bass. That's what they say. This is my room!" The kid smiled happily, pulling the hanging snot inside his nose again.

"Room..." Zane looked around the kid's "room". It was made with grimy bricks, dark with the violet moonlight coming through a small gap on the top, which was closed with bars. Looking ahead, he could see the door of the room, an iron door with small bar gap on top and a small locked opening on the bottom.

"This is your room?" Zane confirmed with the kid in a flat voice.

"Yup!" The kid smiled.

A vein popped on Zane's forehead and he chopped the kid on his head. "This is a cell you idiot!"

The kid held his head, his round eyes full of tears. "Ow! I'm not healing you anymore!" He pouted and turned his head away.

"Huh?" Only then Zane realized, his body was in a great condition, at least better than how it should've been.

He widened his eyes, 'Impossible! I remember getting burned pretty bad!'. Turning his head towards the kid, who was still sulking, he asked. "Did you do this?"

"Hmph!" The kid crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

"Hehe.. I'm sorry. Are you the one who did this amazing thing?" Zane gave a playful smile and ruffled his slimy green hair.

The kid immediately turned to Zane, his round eyes sparkling. "Yes hehe. I'm pretty good right!?"

"Yes yes. Who are you anyway?" Zane smiled.

"I'm Slem! That's what they call me." He perked his chin up.

"Oh.. Slem..." Zane repeated, finding the name weird.

"Yup!" Slem nodded his head energetically. "What about you brother, What's your name?"

"I'm Zane." He smiled. " So how'd you do it Slem?"

"Oh, it's really easy! I just did this!" His arms instantly turned into green slime and covered Zane's body.

"AAH!" Zane cried in fear. "W-What's this!?" He asked nervously.

"...It's my arms. Don't move." The kid replied.

After a while of this, the kid removed his slime arms from Zane's body, which returned to normal.

"Whoo.." He wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I'm pretty tired now, I'll rest for a bit!" He jumped on the bed and curled up, going to sleep instantly.

Zane watched the kid sleeping with a bubble forming from his nose in amusement, then he turned his attention to his body.

"What!?" He widened his eyes in shock. The wounds that were left before were healing rapidly, blood-clots already forming on them.