The Roach

I gazed upon my latest catch, a tiny slime no bigger than a human hand, I was uncertain the slug-like creature had been a worthwhile catch.

The slime was barely aware at all and it was a runt, being smaller and weaker than all the other slimes, it was also just a gunk slime, a breed far weaker than shade or crimson slimes.

I looked ruefully at the midget mucous, it had been the only slime that I had been able to collar, obviously the other slimes already being well out of the collars designed targets of rodents and insects.

That likely meant I only was able to collar this feeble slime because it was particularly weak and stupid not a great sign.

The puny phlegm ball wobbled and I felt a vague sense of interest from it as it sludged its way toward me.

I'd rather not be coated in viscous goop so I gave the snot clump an order.

"Stop right there!"

The ball of snot stopped in its slimy tracks immediately and completely ceased movement.

Seeing the immediate reaction I decided to give the slime more orders.

"Move to my right."

The slime oozed toward my right side.

"Move to my left"

The slime oozed to the left.

"Stop and wobble vigorously"

I watched mildly amused as the slime jiggled on the spot.

"Hmm," I considered briefly, " obedient, perhaps this creature will have some uses after all"

The slime may have been weak but at least it was easy to control.

Or rather Dewey was easy to control.

Feeling a little more validated in my choice I took a look into the two new familiar stat screens of Dewey and Dwayne.

Dwayne - greater maul bat ( Sumphaeam-dentatis vespertilio (mutant variant))

Level 1

Male

age 17 years and 10 months

MIND 0050 accurate

BODY 0110 accurate

SOUL 0270 estimated

Current traits/abilities perk points remaining 0

- Full night vision (infrared)

- Proud

- Loyal

- Intimidate (baleful glare)

- Echolocation

- Venomous (paralysis)

As expected Dwayne's stats are phenomenal and his perks look decent from what I can see as well.

Dewey's stats, however...

Dewey - gunk slime (quisquiliae gelata)

Level 1

N/A

age 2 weeks and 3 days

MIND- 0005

BODY- 0005

SOUL- 0100

Current traits and abilities, perk points remaining 0

- Stunted

- Silent

- Inquisitive

Dewey had pathetic stats across the board, he was slow, small and stupid, the only thing to do was to raise its level and hope for the best.

Perhaps, in the long run, it would become handy or at least good for something.

Disappointed but not surprised, I closed the menu, glancing at the slowly advancing slime as it struggled its hardest to get to my feet, its whole body rippling with effort.

Yes, I had to strengthen my pets, they would only be dead weights if I didn't, although...

I glanced up at Lescar still passed out on my back, Roulette sitting on top of her nibbling the troll hand.

I couldn't go hunting with Lescar like this, I would have to leave Dwayne or stay behind myself to ensure she didn't end up in somethings stomach.

And that would greatly slow down my grinding schedule I was already mentally setting up.

It was an unacceptable hindrance and I tried thinking of a way around my first servant's torpor.

Nothing, no good plans came forth to the forefront of my mind.

'Irksome' i twitched, irritated.

There was no desirable way to bypass this obstruction I would just have to-

At that moment Lescar stirred eyes blinking head lifting upright with a gasp, Roulette startled, squeaked and jumped onto my back as Lescar sat up.

"Uhhh... what!? where!?" Lescar mumbled eyes still unfocused as she tried to get her bearings

'Well that makes things streamline,' I thought pleasantly.

'It was due time for family introductions'

As Lescar went through a little wake-up routine and had an amusing interaction with Roulette I thought up a perfectly good greeting to the recently enslaved Lescar.

"Good morning little girl," I said cheerfully rapping Lescar on the head with an antenna.

"How was your nap?"

A Dreamer

Red, oceans of red... flashes of purple splitting the angry heavens, she struggled inside a storm, coughing and spluttering as more and more vile red filled her lungs.

Her senses catching the uncomfortably close whispers of insanity every time she sank under the waves, even just a little.

Pain sharp and ringing... laughter, endless manic laughter.

She couldn't keep this up, at some point she would sink.

Struggling vainly, she kept her head above the turbulent waves a little longer, feeling the long slimy tendrils waiting just below the surface.

Waiting for her to fold, to sink and give in.

She would not give in willingly.

Furiously she paddled, striving to stay afloat for what felt like a long time, perhaps she could endure? she thought hopefully.

But unlike her, the madness was no longer prepared to just wait.

A menagerie of veined pulsating strips of flesh burst from the red, tangling around her limbs, immobilizing her and pulling her toward the murky scarlet depths.

She bit and tore at the tendrils frantically but it made little difference, the meaty tentacles merely came back in greater numbers for every tendril that was severed.

She was pulled under the red tide, unable to free herself from the rampant madness.

Her resistance was futile.

Going limp in despair the tendrils dragged her deeper into the pitch like depths, drawing her to her doom.

She would feed the madness with her body and mind.

The manic laughing grew in intensity and volume, beginning to push every coherent thought from her mind, whispering gleefully as she sank yet further into the depths

It would have its prize, grow its strength.

She was fading, being eaten away steadily, mind becoming another's, insane laughter swallowing her whole.

She would be no more.

Her mind nearing extinction enveloped in madness, she heard another voice, a voice like rustling leaves, scuttling legs and the dank drip of water.

"She... is... not yours..."

Very suddenly the laughter turned into screams of rage then shrieks of pain as many tendrils were sliced apart, a razor-sharp segmented limb slashing at the fleshy opposition.

Eyes rolling upward she saw the attacker of her captor.

It was the concept of gnashing teeth and jerking claws, it's many and varied mouths moving in unison as the whole vast thing stretched down to leer at the tendrils.

Pale cold light emanated from the shapeless mass, sharp spindly appendages hanging from its many mouths, each sprouting from an unseen body, contrasting the tentacles from the depths as they instead rose from the darkest reaches.

"Theif ..." the many mouths growled, a harsh light spewing from its many gaping maws.

The blood-red oceans were lit up with a sickly yellow, revealing the enormity of both sides, but what was below was bigger.

She looked down at the visage of her captor and wished she hadn't.

Her mind screamed in protest as she beheld its hateful featureless enormous face composed entirely of writhing tendrils.

She had seen it, and it hurt!

The face of tendrils vibrated and the ocean responded with a deep thrum a mind bursting cackle of irate hate stirring the water into a whirlpool, pulling her and the attacking monster closer to the horrid face.

The multitude of teeth and lips above her grimaced before they grinned, huge spindly spear-like hands erupting from its mouths each reaching toward her.

The many mouths even deep in the scarlet ocean let out a roar that shook everything, the sickly pale light pushing the tendrils back for a moment.

The ghastly howl no sane being should ever hear, sounding familiar to her, yet still skin-crawlingly unpleasant.

SKRREEEEEEEEEEEE!

Thousands of tendrils rose from the depths in response to the creature's vocalization engaging the many mouthed glowing intruder, Scythe-like limbs entangled around pulsating tentacles, as the two abominations clashed.

Mouths chomped, talons scythed and spindly arms tore, the creature of light was pushing the abyss down, driving it further away, deeper into the trench, away from its true goal.

The scarlet liquid darkened further, the torn flesh of hundreds of tentacles polluting the already filthy water further.

Losing ground to the light, the face twisted into a snarl, it would not be denied any longer.

The monster of the abyss screamed, its entire face unraveling, it refused to let this opportunity pass by.

The creature of light moved faster, wasting no time, as the endless wave of tendrils rose to stop it pulling the fleshy threads away from its target.

She felt the tendrils encasing her fall away and a collection of hard and spiny limbs instead wrap around her in their place, the manic laughter gone, only a subtle whispering filling her head.

The tendrils flailed and struck at the many mouths seeking to pull them down, many hundreds wrapping firmly around the creature of light, dimming its sickly light.

The colossal powers struggled against one another, the light being gradually dragged toward the abyss, the tendrils coming to form one huge grasping hooked claw forcing the light to be dragged down, she felt fear and reached out to touch the limbs holding her, praying for salvation

The creature of light slowed and then stopped entirely, now being rapidly dragged toward oblivion carrying a struggling soul.

The face of flesh began to reform and eagerly reel in its catch, its mouth of worms dropping open as it sat in the pitch depths, it was going to swallow them.

She prayed desperately laying her head against the spiny limb securing her.

'Please help' she cried, her words muffled by the fetid waters.

She felt unheard but then, the arm shifted lifting up to caress her head, a pure white light surging through its arm traveling into the main mass.

"Good... girl.." the voice said softly.

The surge of light pure light entered the main body and then it exploded.

The body did not explode into pieces but rather burst into the brilliance of the morning sun, banishing the darkness like unwanted mist.

Full of vigor once more the creature of light spurted elongated claws from every part of its body, turning into a whirling tornado of razor talons and spikes, eviscerating the rasping tendrils, turning them into a puree.

Shrugging the few remaining tendrils off, the creature of light quickly ascended leaving the howling rage of the madness behind as it furiously tried to pull them back down but was repulsed by the light.

Feeling relieved she relaxed, becoming limp in the creature of lights hold.

Even as the light grew brighter, her conscience grew dimmer, she felt tired and oddly safe in the claws of this beast.

She saw the brief light of the moon, it being huge and beautiful above the still, now normal ocean before she closed her eyes.

Lescar

Lescar sat up with a gasp clutching her chest and head, she had, had a terrible dream but now she couldn't remember it, only that it was horrible.

"Uhhh what? where?" she coughed rubbing her eyes and temples, her headache was back.

A foul taste cloying on her tongue, Lescar looked down and wiped some white goop from the edges of her mouth.

"What is this!?" Lescar said feeling her skin get goosebumps "I hope it's not what I think it is."

Lescar shook her head and denied the possibility, she had not been taken by the troll, she was still in one piece and fully clothed, "also it died didn't it?" Lescar said aloud head throbbing painfully again.

She couldn't quite remember, the memory was indistinct.

Shaking her head again she looked about blearily eyes unable to focus, it was pretty dark but Lescar could still see.

She felt disquieted, so she sought out what she always did when seeking reassurance.

Turning about rapidly Lescar searched for the comfort of her most favored possession.

'Where is it where is it' she said under her breath.

Lescar couldn't find her sword it wasn't on her.

She went to stand then almost fell, suddenly realizing what she had been sprawled on "Wait is this a bed?" Lescar thought.

'Had she been rescued?'

Lescar picked at the marsh colored bedding underneath her, it didn't feel like any bed she had ever laid on it was hard unyielding and at the same time covered in a soft felt that took up a scale-like pattern.

It was a nice if strange bed Lescar decided, it also smelt kind of musky.

"Where am I?" Lescar said aloud again, it was very dark so even though she could see, she couldn't see much.

Lescar saw movement, a flash of white, and jumped to her feet balancing precariously upon the uneven bed.

She hoped it was her rescuer and not some horrible monster like that troll or bug, she was unarmed and was far from being a martial artist, she couldn't take on a monster barehanded and win.

"Hello?" Lescar called out uncertainly squinting into her shrouded surroundings

A pair of red eyes appeared in the shadows at the end her of her bed, two glinting lights hovering in the darkness.

Lescar swallowed and took a step forward "Um are you the one who helped me?"

Lescar was sure of nothing, but sometimes Abhumans took refuge in the sewers, perhaps her rescuer was a nocturnal Abhuman that lived in the sewers, they were usually unfriendly to humans but that wasn't always certain.

The pair of red eyes moved up and down, shifting erratically before a voice rang out

"Oh! the stinky thing is awake!"

Lescar thumbed her ears, frowning, she wasn't sure she was hearing things correctly, the voice of the person at the end of her bed was that of a little girl, one with a violin-like voice, a little girl who was also calling her stinky?' what would a girl in the sewers know about good smell.

Discarding the unnecessary thoughts Lescar focused her attention, what was a little girl doing down here, she mused, Lescar didn't consider herself to be a little girl, but anyone younger than her should not be in the sewers, and judging by the tender voice, the girl was definitely younger.

Even a very well developed abhuman girl would be unlikely to survive, especially with things like that troll wandering about.

The young girl spoke up again her scarlet eyes gleaming even as she remained hidden in the darkness.

"Daddy says that you're supposed to be my big sister!" the voice paused before adding a bit more quietly, in a whisper "but... I wanted to be the big sister..."

Hearing this Lescar felt unsure, something sounded off about this 'daddy' he sounded predatory, suspicious, Lescar knew she had no sisters her mother had died only a year after having her, there was no way an abhuman girl in the sewers was related to her.

Something was fishy here...

Still unsure of things Lescar said "who is this... daddy you are talking about."

" Oh! umm daddy is daddy!" the perky girl hiding in the dark said unhelpfully.

Lascars brows twitched at this roundabout answer so she asked something else.

"Ok so... what's your name then," said Lescar trying to make sure her voice was friendly and non-threatening, she didn't want to upset or scare the only potential ally she might get while alone in the sewers.

"Oh yeah I forgot that part, people are supposed to tell each other their names when they meet, even sisters!"

The red reflective eyes disappeared for a moment and Lescar heard the rustling of cloth before the eyes reappeared.

"My name is Roulette"

The pair of red eyes blinked and moved forward revealing the little girl.

Lescar's eyes widened, it wasn't a little girl at all, it was a rat, a large white one almost dire rat-sized but not quite.

It stood, when upright, up to Lescars hips, had brilliant ruby eyes that glimmered curiously and was snow white lacking any pigmentation.

None of these qualities were the ones that worried Lescar, no it was the large coiled tail swaying behind the rat that worried Lescar, it was covered in bony spikes that slowly tapered into a bony blade, Lescar was facing a mutant.

mutants were rare but occurred readily enough, no one knew why they turned up or appeared but one thing tended to be consistent, they were not to be taken lightly.

Lescar tensed and was prepared to leap off the bed when something rapped her on the head and smugly said.

"Good morning little girl! how was your nap?"

Despite being unarmed and in front of a rat large enough to tear her throat out, Lescar slowly turned her head, she'd been hoping some of what had transpired had been nothing but a bad dream, but that sinister voice confirmed all of it as true.

Behind or rather below her was her owner, she had been sleeping on his back.

Lescar was silent as she looked down at the giant talking cockroach, she didn't know how to respond to its out of place question.

So she didn't.

Moving fast, she dove off the cockroach and ran...

Face-first into a wall.

"Ahh!" Lescar groaned rebounding off the wall and falling over almost knocking herself out again.

She heard a low raspy chuckle and a girly giggle behind her and jumped to her feet pressing her back to the wall.

Two separate pairs of glowing eyes regarded Lescar on both sides, the rat's crimson pair and the ghastly yellow of the roaches

"Daddy, she ran face-first into a wall! is she okay!" the girly voice said, still giggling slightly.

"Mmm nothing time won't fix," the menacing voice said casually, reaching forward to prod Lescar in the chest.

Lescar slapped at the reaching limb drawing a sound of disapproval from the cockroach.

"Tsk tsk is that any way you should be treating your partner?"

Daring to speak up while unarmed in front of a horse-sized insect Lescar said haltingly.

"My... partner?" Lescar said, headache throbbing again at that moment.

"Did you forget? you made a promise or at least part of you did."

Hearing these words Lescar's head felt like a split melon, clutching her head Lescar couldn't help but sink to her knees.

The words of the bug in front of her rang true somehow even if she couldn't recall what she had promised herself away for, something she couldn't even remember.

The cockroach looked down at Lescar as she clutched her head on her knees and said.

"Well if you cannot recall I won't force you, it will come in due time, still... now that you are awake..."

The giant bugs head swiveled, turning away to the side.

"Dwayne! return, we have things to discuss and plans to layout."

Lescar heard a roar similar to the grinding of stones and watched in abject astonishment as a creature 7 times her size bounded into the darkened room coming to a screeching halt as it skidded to a stop in front of the still bigger bug.

Lescar starred at the huge freakish bat, another mutant she thought holding her breath, the bat moved to stand beside the roach before bowing its head respectfully.

"My king," the creature rumbled, settling on the roaches right side as the rat settled on its left.

The bat's intense gaze turned to Lescar, its glowing eyes a deep shade of orange, there were now three pairs of glowing eyes staring straight at her now.

The fine hairs on the back of Lescar's neck stood up, as she was watched by three dangerous beasts that could all speak intelligently.

Her heart was beating like a drum and screaming for Lescar run, but a cooler calmer part of herself said if these creatures had wanted to eat her they would have already.

Lescar steadied her breathing, her hand habitually going to her scabbard, only to find it empty.

That's right she still didn't have her sword, Lescars eyes darted about trying to spot her weapon.

As she did this the bug spoke up again, startling Lescar.

"If you are looking for your little dagger it's still here but you don't need it right now."

Lescar relaxed slightly at hearing it was still here but the second half of the monster's statement didn't put her at ease at all.

"Where is it," Lescar said with a touch of desperation.

"As I said it's here but you don't need it right now and... Ahhh were all here now That's good."

Lescar felt something moist nudge past her heel and flinched away from the touch, a small slime was slowly making its way past her, she considered stomping on the gross thing but got a feeling that, that would be a terrible idea.

The cockroach raised itself up, rising to its full and imposing height.

Lescar felt small before the creature's bulk and a sense of apprehension took her as it towered above her.

'What cruelty did it have planned,' Lescar thought, dread making her imagination go wild.

Did it want to torture her, fillet her alive? perhaps she only breathed because it enjoyed toying with its prey before eating, the string of imaginings rushed by even as that whispering voice reassured her again.

The shadows seemed to lengthen and the bugs eyes swallowed up more space its yellow eyes burning bright the roach began his voice low and menacing.

"Hmm yes.. that is everyone... such a shame..."

Just as suddenly as it had appeared the menace dropped from the bug's voice and it said lightly in a rather brisk civil tone that completely broke the heavy atmosphere.

"Oh well, can't always have what you want" the bug looked around briefly then continued simply, "now that everyone is here it is about time for introductions" the bug gestured towards itself before saying "I'm sure all of you have met me so I will pass the torch on."

The insect gestured at the white rat and catching on the rat stepped forward shyly, tail suddenly tieing into a knot.

"Hi... I'm Roulette and um... I..." Roulette the rat seemed to be indecisive on what to say next until her eyes shined and she said animatedly " and I can do backflips!"

Roulette dropped to all fours tensed and threw her self into the air flipping and spinning before landing on her head with a thunk.

Lescar didn't know what to think of seeing this and merely stared.

"Ow!" the rat squeaked rubbing her head before hopping back upright smiling toothily, before animatedly chirping as she looked up "see backflips!"

Moving back a step the white rat vacuated the spot of presentation, whipping her tail about happily.

Shaking his head with a serious expression, the large bat moved forward.

The hulking bat was silent, then he spoke his voice low but full of meaning.

"I am Dwayne, I am his majesties Clenched claw, his iron fist, I shall crush all who dare oppose his greatness, none shall besmirch his majesties name no! I shall-"

The bat waxed on and on about how he would eradicate fools and enemies and how he would pulverize any task laid out before him.

When five minutes passed and the bat was still going strong about how great his master was, the cockroach stepped in to intervene.

"Ahem... thank you Dwanye for your... in-depth introduction."

Dwayne bowed, head lowering.

Before finishing with " I am Dwayne" and sitting back on his haunches.

Dwayne having sat back, the floor was free for a blobular entity.

Lescar watched as the tiny slime made its way into the center very, very slowly...

It took the slime a whole ten seconds to just get to the place of presentation as it motored as fast as its tiny form could carry it.

When it arrived Lescar heard only one-word ripple out of it.

"Dewey," the slime sputtered in a wet chortle, after saying its name the slime began moving strangely.

It wobbled and wibbled, shook and jittered, dropped and bobbed, it was... flexing?

Lescar wasn't sure what it was doing but the whole time it broadcasted something Lescar did not understand.

"!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! ...... ..... ???"

It was a bunch of gibberish, but Lescar saw Roulette squeak and clap her hands together in applause, she was the only one to do this.

The slime after thirty seconds of flexing and broadcasting its unintelligible message bobbed once and slowly left the stage, its little performance over leaving the spot empty.

All eyes and one blob turned to Lescar, and suddenly Lescar felt sweat break out on her brow, the expectation weighing upon her.

She had never been good at on the spot speeches, especially not when it was to a collection of man-eating horrors.

But she suspected she would not be permitted to bypass this little ceremony, the cockroach was looking at her expectantly, she could feel it.

Gulping Lescar stepped forward, she would just keep it simple.

"Uh hello my name is Lescar"

That was it, that was all she said, it was horrible but it was also over.

Lescar hated talking to crowds or doing any sort of presentation, she couldn't imagine doing this sort of thing often.

Roulette clapped at Lescar's single sentence, small claws clicking together.

"That was great, big sis!" Roulette said wholeheartedly "You are good at talking!"

Lescar wasn't sure she should take any pride in the compliments of a rat that flipped as poorly as it did and only replied, still uncertain of her current predicament.

"Uh.. thanks?"

A few awkward moments passed where Lescar did not know what to do, should she run? try to talk her way out? bargain? play patty cake with a rat?

The last option was a definite possibility as Roulette the white rat rushed over hopping up and down lifting up her claws in an invitation.

"Play with me big sis!" the little rat said hopping from foot to foot.

Before Lescar could respond, the roach who had been quiet the entire time stirred, Lescar felt satisfaction travel down her mysterious connection from her master, something had pleased him.

"No time for playing my familiars with our little introduction out of the way, its time to go hunting."

The roach ushered everyone outside, first sliding Lescars sword to her (which he had been sitting on) before handing her Dewey, who was apparently too slow to wait for.

Lescar followed the other familiars out of the glade into the forest outside, she was still in the sewers and she was a familiar to a giant bug carrying a tiny icky slime.

How had things ended up like this?