I spawned my PAC, preparing to send a message to the Lich and Nightkin. Before I used my awkward reptilian digits to misspell a simple message, I glanced at my status screen:

Name: Bruno Jenkins Level:2. (1 point available)

Race: Beastkin(Dragon type) Class: Tank. HP:170/170 ST:120/120 MP:130/130.

Age: 22. Height:6ft. Weight: 215 lbs.

Stealth:5, Strength:8, Agility:5, Speed:5, Charisma:7, Mercantile:6, Vitality:10, Endurance:9, Intelligence:7 Wisdom:6.

Skills: Dragon Scales(Racial/passive). Appraise (General/active)

(novice10%), Basic firebreath (Racial/active) (novice14%) Guard(Combat/active)(novice09%)

Active effects: +5% stamina regen(racial), +2% health regen. (racial), +10% elemental resistance(racial).

Armor base: 15 Damage base: 08

Other than the notification of an available point for my attributes, not much had changed. I smiled at the thought of becoming stronger on the long journey ahead. I hoped I could contribute well to the party. The role of tank wasn't a glorious one like DPS hero's who one hit monster's. Damn, they were cool. Honestly that was no longer my style. My style changed to a balance of damage and durability, because the thought of my friends taking damage made me want to protect them. In the end, the tank is more like the drummer in a band. You work just as hard, but you don't sign as many autographs. I shook my self from distractions, and focused on the task at hand. After I clumsily typed something close to ' on way to guild' I looked over to Randy, who was still scrubbing his arms and face. Just out of curiosity, I pulled up his stats:

Name: Randy Jenkins Level:2 (1 point available)

Race: Dwarf Class: White Mage. HP:140/140 ST:150/150 MP:130/130

Age:25 Height 3ft 11in Weight 158lbs.

Stealth:8, Strength:5, Agility:9, Speed:6, Charisma:5, Mercantile:5

Vitality:7, Endurance:8, Intelligence:8. Wisdom:6

Skills: Hearty constitution (racial/passive) Minor heal (magic/active) (novice12%) Bribe(General/active)(Novice05%)

Active effects: +5% crafting quality (racial) +5% magic resist (racial) +1 Int (accessory)

Armor base: 07 Damage base: 00

"Oh, you haven't spent your point either." I noted.

"Yeah ..I might go wit' strength, so I can punch stuff harder... I don't know." He confessed.

"I know I'm not gonna focus on charisma and mercantile, since we'll be so self sufficient. So I'm thinking of putting my endurance up to 10, then work on others." I predicted.

"Ok. I'm ready when you are. Lets hit 'da market so I can replace that bow the Harpy used as a toothpick." Randy frowned, "Damn, I miss that sweet-ass bow."

My brother and I stopped by the market, on our way to the Guild hall. Randy purchased a very nice cherrywood bow, he said was the only one that 'Felt right.' The bow and his new standard arrows, raised his Damage base: to 12. I purchased a sharpening stone, and bundled it with my Coyadae oil in my inventory. We then followed the cobblestone road, to the Adventurer's Guild. Finding Ned was fairly easy, he sat at a side table sipping a small mug of what I assumed was coffee. Casey on the other hand took several minutes to find, leaning against a wall.

"Its about time, I've seen sloths move faster." She patronized.

"I'm a tank not a ferrari. So... about those Slimes?" I asked casually.

"Yes about them, follow me." She directed.

She lead us to the Novice quests office, and went to an open desk.

"Can I have that quest we talked about before?" Casey requested, "My party finally showed up."

"I'll need your badges, please." The lady requested.

After what looked like stamping our badges on the request document, she returned our badges and wished us luck.

"Turns out.. What we were gonna do for free, was posted as a quest." She stated, "This is officially a job now, so lets watch each others backs."

"Word, that's more like it." Randy sneered, standing close behind the Nightkin clad in tight leather.

The tall and thin Nightkin ignored the short and stocky Dwarf, who's shoulders were about the same height as her hips.

"Uh,Should we...?" Ned trailed off at the end.

"Something tells me, she can handle it." I chuckled.

-----

Not far from the clearing where we defeated the Harpy, we followed the river to a patch of wood's close to the northern forest. Shortly after our arrival we encountered a slurping blob, wobbling along the river bank. It was about 20 inches in diameter and about 14 inches tall. It truly looked like a giant pink booger. It was then that I noticed the booger was creeping towards a disabled, or possibly deceased Bullhare. It flurped and flarped it's way right up along side the rabbit-like creature, then quickly enveloped the creature in its gelatinous mass. The booger dissolved the creature, right down to its bones in just under 90 seconds. The disturbing thing about what I just saw, was that after it's meal was digested the blob retained the Bullhares shape for several minutes. I used my AVA to scan the creature:

Monster: Slime Level 3 HP: 50/50

A creature made of congealed acid, infused with mana. Commonly found all across PLSR-08(Methuselah), in a variety of colors. Although it's body contains mana, It does not use magic.

"Congealed acid, shaped like a bunny. Best. Easter. Bunny. Ever." I chortled.

"So... How do we kill it?" Randy asked, "I have poor arrows left-over from before, I don't mind letting them melt."

"Aim for the digestive gland, floating inside it." Casey ordered, as she pulled out a long sharpened bone I almost mistook for a sword. "It cant dissolve bone or glass. Oh yeah, the acidic goo they leave behind makes great poison. I brought lots of glass vials."

She passed out several glass vials to each party member, myself included.

"Watch for drop's, these things eat anything, so occasionally they have descent stuff." She continued.

I watched as Randy, Ned and Casey, all chose a pink booger and began to slowly approach it. Stalking their prey like a pack of tigers, silent and steady. Casey was the first to reach her goal, efficiently stalking, killing and harvesting the monster. As expected of the Slime hunting veteran. Following her example, Ned advanced on his target. With his arms stretched out, thumb's and index's together, forming a diamond shaped space between his hands. With one eye open Ned took aim as best he could. He cast his Windshot skill, no more than nine or ten feet away from the Slime. The compressed stream of air ripped through the pink blob, and a smile came across Neds pale face. In a fit of slurping and slooshing noises the two pieces folded into each other and became whole again. Ned had missed the vital gland, and the Slime was rushing towards him faster than anyone expected a booger to move. Ned's confident smile became a look of panic, as he cast a second and third spell. Finally the third spell hit the blob's weak spot, and it bubbled and stirred like large pot boiling over. Ned summoned his PAC and pressed the screen. After a disappointed look, he began to carefully bottle the Slimes remains. Randy had a bit more luck, as he shot an arrow into the unsuspecting monster, and back pedaling while firing a second shot. This shot was the finisher. Then he bottled the goo, corralling it into the vial with a nearby stick.

Seeing Randy harvest his Slime, gave me an Idea. I stood up from our vantage point, and walked over to a nearby tree. Browsing for a moment I selected two thin branches and ripped them free. After pruning the excess off, I spawned my throwing knives. Retrieving one from the pouch, I then sharpened one end of each branch. I walked over to Ned and handed him a make-shift spear. Casey gave us both approving looks and returned to her prey. Randy was doing well with the bow, so he didn't show any interest in switching. After piercing a monster, Ned and I had to break off the end of the spear and then resharpen it. But it was better than running out of MP or losing equipment. When the weapon shortened too much, we chose new branches and started again. We killed Slimes for over an hour, until we were suddenly outside of a small dark cave.

"Does the quest say anything about ominous and terrifying caves?" Ned asked nervously.

"It says 'Remove all Slimes from the North eastern river bank' and other 'official' stuff." Casey read from the notice with her best administrative voice, "So I guess we atleast have to check for Slimes."

Just then all of our PAC's lit up and chimed, a familiar sounding tone.

"Did someone just lose s0nic's rings?" I joked.

We investigated the PAC to find we all received the following message:

Project Ego Trip, will be shutting down in 10 minute's for maintenance.

"Well looks like we should start heading back. I don't want to be out here when we log out." Ned suggested

"That means walking back here to check the cave when we log back in." I pointed out.

"Fuck that, lets just stick our head in. If there's goober's, we kill 'em and run back, if not atleast we'll know." Randy added.

"I hate to admit it, but the Dwarf has a point." Casey said reluctantly, "I have my Cloak skill, I can be in and out."

"That's a skill that lets you turn invisible, in shade or darkness right? Yeah that's handy." Ned asked.

"Sounds unanimous. Lets do it. Just be careful, lets not get sloppy." I rallied.

Casey entered the mouth of the cave and engaged her Nightkin racial skill. The three of us remaining outside stayed alert and stared into the void of the cave. Just over a minute later Casey returned.

"There are 5 Slimes picking at a bear carcass. The cave looks shallow enough." Casey reported.

"Fuck, that's all. Let's knock this out." Randy nocked an arrow.

"Dibs on the carcass!" I called out.

Ned made a soured face and said,"But it's surely ruined."

"I just wanna salvage the pelt." I admitted.

We entered the cave swiftly, partially rushed by a time limit and partially overconfident from the monster slaying earlier. We should have entered the cave more quietly. Once Into the cave and able to see the slimes with the AVA's vision enhancement, the Slimes retaliated. Instead of rushing in our direction, all five Slime's converged on the bear carcass, dissolving it in record time. The blob's now combined to make one big, pissed off booger bear.

"Well. I did not see that coming!" I shouted.

The booger bear charged In my direction.

Instinctively I backed away from the others and focused on my Firebreath skill.

"Heads up!" Ned shouted.

Casey stopped flanking the bear and gave it some distance, at Neds warning.

While concentrating on targeting the bear, I unintentionally scanned it:

Monster: Condensed Slime Level 6 HP:50/50

A temporary fusion of multiple Slimes into one Stronger and faster Slime. Able to relocate it's vulnerable point. Cannot use magic.

I dismissed the semi transparent Information window, just in time to remove my head from the reach of a 'paw' swipe.

"Holy shit that was close, I've never seen you move so fast!" Randy poorly timed a compliment.

I released my Firebreath as the 'bear' turned it's head, I liquefied Its left shoulder and front leg. After a moment the ooze resolidified back in it's original form.

"Fuck It recongeals it's body. We gotta destroy that gland!" I exclaimed.

Randy loosed an arrow, after a brief moment he yelled, "Shit that wasn't it!"

"I'm backing up!" I shouted, and slowly backed towards the light.

I began pounding my pointy stick against my heater shield, making enough noise to keep the bears attention. Suddenly:

Skill learned! Taunt (Combat/active)(Novice)

Good timing. No time to look for it's duration now, I thought.

I activated the skill while shouting, "Your momma got 1 tooth in her mouth and 2 in her back pocket!"

My companion's gawked in shock, while the booger bear lost control and charged forward. I back pedaled faster and soon, we were all out of the cave.

Ned buried his spear in the 'bears' back leg and pried upward, to rip as much goo as he could, slowing the monster. Randy ceased firing arrows until his AVA adjusted to the sun light. Casey worked the opposite back leg than Ned with her bone weapon.

Following suit, I buried my pointy stick into it's neck and pushed down. My weapon broke with a loud Crack!

"Randy! run back in the cave and grab me a bear femur!" I commanded.

" What's a femur again?" Randy looked stunned and puzzled.

"Thigh bone!" I shouted, nearly sidestepping the monsters charge.

Randy dashed back inside. I tried to watch the 'bears' movements, and search for the gland. But no such luck. Ned had no weapon now, so he fired a spell into the 'bears' side.

My Taunt must have worn off, because Ned captured the 'bears' attention, It turned to the Lich and corroded part of his cloak, as he barely dodged a swipe.

"Hey, asshole. Eye's on me!" I Roared, as I reactivated Taunt. Immediately I used the last of my MP to release a Firebreath to slow it down again.

As it turned I noticed deep in it's molded blob face, it's digestive gland floating into it's head. It was too deep for my axe to reach. While I was distracted the beast managed to tear the armor off my right leg, melting through scale and meat too.

"Holy mother of FUCK! FUCKING shit. SSSshaaah, that hurts!" I wailed.

Randy came tearing out of the cave.

"Yo!" he shouted, hurling the bone above the Slime.

"10 Seconds!" Ned warned.

Fighting through the most intense, white-hot pain I've ever felt in my life. I lifted my mangled body up on my toes, reached out and caught that Femur bone. I brought all the weight of my body down in one fluid stabbing motion. I buried the leg bone ...and my entire forearm into that "bears" head. I shrieked in pain, and the monsters 'body' became a whirling torrent of boiling goo. I fell onto my back, and shortly after...the bear collapsed on top of me. The screen read:

You have reached level 3!

Your HP/ST/MP have increased. Gained one stat point.

You have died.