Primordial Slime: I Devour The World

North of the Great Verdant Forest beyond the thick lines of trees that separated it from the southern kingdoms was Velmoran. The small kingdom was comprised of a series of farming villages and small towns with a modest capital on the other side of a wide river. The people of the region placed a higher value on their harvests, trade and secured roads rather than expanding their borders and had managed to survive by staying out of the conflicts of bigger powers. Everything had changed when the old king and queen were murdered. The coup that had occurred sent their son, Aeron Varn, to the throne before he had even been properly prepared to rule. And there was one other thing. Aeron was a hero. That is, until he came to the throne. The young king was not interested in conquering other kingdoms, not at all interested in battles and certainly not in wars. He only wanted Velmoran to remain in peace. Unfortunately for Aeron, the world did not always provide peace for those who wanted it.

The reports that had come several months ago concerning the kingdom of Eldoris troubled the young king greatly. A monster nation had appeared inside the Great Verdant Forest. The country was ruled over by an A-Rank Monster King and was populated with numerous races. Such a thing should not have even been possible for a small kingdom like Velmoran to exist so close to their borders. And so it would have remained, had Syrathen not opened up relations with the monster nation. And not just any relations, but an alliance. Perhaps, Aeron reasoned, the monster kingdom was not as Velmoran had been led to believe. Perhaps they weren’t the enemies Velmoran had thought them to be. Perhaps they were worthy of trust.

Aeron Varn read the letter yet again. He had read it twice before and each time he felt a growing sense of dread. "Their forces have not attacked anyone," he murmured. His adviser nodded. "They have not." "They have allowed visitors inside their kingdom." "Yes, they have." "And Syrathen has trusted them enough to form an alliance." Aeron let out a shaky breath and folded the letter. "Perhaps it would be best if we weren’t as afraid of them." The adviser said nothing. Aeron looked out the window. "I said perhaps," the young king said. The adviser almost smiled. Aeron exhaled. "Seris is there." "She will take care of it," the adviser said. The young king hesitated. "Your Majesty, Princess Seris has made it clear that she intends to examine the situation herself," the adviser said. Aeron released a tired sigh. "Of course she would." He looked out the window towards the north. "I only hope that everything will turn out well."

Tanaka had watched Seris Varn for two days. At first he hadn’t thought anything of it. The princess carried herself well as did the rest of her people, though few spoke beyond the occasional question or answer. Seris was composed and poised as though she had spent her life talking to important people rather than making any of them listen to her. It was easy to mistake such poise for arrogance. But there was no arrogance in Seris Varn. Tanaka had sensed something unusual about the young woman.

It was difficult to describe. It was something in the way she carried herself that reminded him of Nira. Seris had the bearing of someone who had been born into a royal family. When he saw Seris walking the streets of Eldoris alone later that afternoon, Tanaka bounced towards her. "Seris," he said. The princess turned to face him. "Lord Tanaka," she said. "Walk with me," Tanaka said. Seris frowned. "Where are we going?" Tanaka ignored the question. "You’ve been here for two days," Tanaka said. Seris nodded. "Yes." "You’ve asked questions," Tanaka said. "I’ve answered most of them." Seris smiled slightly. "I appreciate that." Tanaka bounced past her. "But there is something you haven’t told me." Seris followed him. "You could just ask." "That’s what I’m doing," Tanaka said. They left the busy streets of the diplomatic district and walked the road leading to one of Eldoris’s residential streets. For a long while, neither said anything.

Finally Seris asked the question that had been bothering her. "Why did you ask me to come?" Tanaka stopped. "Because you’re strange." Seris’s gaze hardened. "That’s an interesting thing for a slime to say." Tanaka bounced. "I’m not insulting you." "I know," Seris said. Tanaka turned to face her. "There’s something different about you." Seris said nothing. "You aren’t what I expected." Seris’s eyes narrowed. "How did you come to that conclusion?" Tanaka smiled slightly. "I can sense things." "Magic?" Seris asked. "Among other things," Tanaka said. Seris studied him carefully.

"Your presence reminds me of someone I know." Tanaka bounced. "Who are you?" Seris inhaled slowly. "I am Seris Varn, Princess of Velmoran." Tanaka became still. Tanaka had expected that answer. Perhaps he had been expecting something very similar. "A princess," Tanaka said. "Yes." "So why is the princess of Velmoran traveling as part of a diplomatic delegation?" Tanaka asked. Seris looked at him. "Because my brother is the king," Seris said. Tanaka tilted his head.

"And you’re protecting him?" Seris’s expression darkened. "Careful." Tanaka stopped. Seris’s voice was cool, but there was no warmth in it. "My family was nearly destroyed in a coup. My parents were murdered. My brother inherited the throne while he was still young. He is the king of Velmoran now. I am his sister. If he makes a mistake, it will not only cost him his life." She looked past Tanaka towards the road ahead. "It will cost us all." Tanaka’s expression softened slightly. "That’s why you came." "Partly," Seris said. Tanaka bounced. "What’s the other reason?"

Seris turned to face him. "My brother hates war." Tanaka said nothing. "Not dislikes it. Hates it." Seris folded her arms. "He doesn’t want to invade anyone. He doesn’t want to send his soldiers to die in foreign lands. He doesn’t want to turn Velmoran into another Syrathen." Tanaka bounced slowly. "Yet you came to a monster kingdom." "My brother is afraid of Eldoris." Tanaka stopped. Seris continued. "He knows what you’re capable of. He knows what kind of a man you are. He knows about the races that dwell within these lands. He knows about the dungeon." Tanaka smiled slightly. "But Syrathen accepted us." Seris nodded. "So Velmoran decided to take the risk." "That’s a dangerous gamble." "I know." Tanaka turned to face her. "And if I was what your brother feared?" Seris hesitated only briefly before stepping closer.

"Then I wouldn’t have come here alone." Tanaka paused. She had just said the most threatening thing she had said so far. It wasn’t because she was strong. It was because she had chosen her words carefully. Tanaka smiled. "I like you." Seris stared at him. "I don’t know whether that’s a compliment." "It is," Tanaka said. Seris sighed. "My brother would probably be terrified right now." Tanaka laughed. "What kind of man is he?" Seris looked past Tanaka and towards the wall surrounding Eldoris.

"A good one." "That’s not enough." "I know," Seris said. She paused for a moment. "He is kind. He worries too much. He questions everything. He thinks the worst will happen even when everything is going well." Tanaka listened carefully. "But he cares about Velmoran," Seris said. Seris’s voice softened. "He became king because he had no choice. He continues to be king because he refuses to accept that the people of Velmoran deserve no better ruler than him." Tanaka looked at her. "So he’s afraid, but he keeps on fighting." Seris nodded. "Yes." Tanaka smiled. "Then he’s probably stronger than you think." Seris looked at him. "You sound as if you already like him." "I haven’t met him." "Exactly," Tanaka said. Tanaka bounced forward. So he would have to meet him someday. Seris smiled faintly. "That may take some convincing." "I can wait."

Neither of them noticed the Mana Bird circling above the road. One of Zephyr’s scouts had spotted the fifty-two Varkesh warriors trekking towards the north border of Eldoris. The bird had flown above the trees for several minutes before spotting the fifty-two Varkesh warriors trekking towards the north border of Eldoris. Since news had come that Varkesh had sent a company of warriors towards the north, Zephyr had sent out several of his Mana Birds to keep watch on the surrounding woods.

They could fly faster than the wolves and would spot large groups before they reached the gates of Eldoris. This bird in particular had been watching the north road for several minutes. It spotted the fifty-two Varkesh warriors, including the human mages that had been enslaved, along with Raizen’s wolves preparing to intercept them. The bird at once turned away from the trees and returned to Eldoris. It had seen enough. Its job was not to fight, only to return with word of what it had seen. Far below, Tanaka walked with Seris, unaware that the situation in the north had just changed for the worse. The moment the Mana Bird returned to the city, Tanaka would know where the Varkesh warriors were and the peaceful conversation he was having with the princess of Velmoran would be over.

The forest had changed. The fifty-two Varkesh warriors arranged themselves in a rough formation inside the trees, weapons drawn but held low. They were at the edge of Eldoris, but not within its borders. The mages that had been enslaved stood behind them, their feet dragging along the ground as if they expected something to be there. The wolves emerged from the trees. There were dozens of them. They tensed as they spotted the Varkesh warriors and slowly the unevolved Star Wolves that had been at the back of the pack revealed the rows of crimson fangs.

Following closely behind them came Raizen. The Star Wolf King halted between the two groups of warriors. "You’re far from Varkesh." The Varkesh commander stepped forward. "We are searching the forest." "You’re at the edge of Eldoris." "We haven’t crossed it." Raizen’s gaze darkened. "Then don’t." The Varkesh commander’s grip tightened on his weapon. "We have no intention of fighting." "Good," Raizen said. He turned his gaze to the mages that had been chained up. "You explain that." The commander opened his mouth, but Raizen’s eyes had already narrowed. "Why are human mages being dragged through our forest?"

A single mage turned his head. "We’re searching for something." The Varkesh commander turned sharply. "Silence!" The mage lowered his head. Raizen could hear the fear in his voice. "What are you searching for?" The mages glanced at each other before one of them whispered, "We’re close." The Varkesh commander turned to face him. "Are you certain?" The mage nodded. "Yes." Raizen took a step forward. "Close to what?" The commander raised his weapon, but only enough to show that he was ready to kill if the conversation wasn’t ceased.

"That’s none of your concern." The Star Wolves growled and the unevolved ones at the back raised their crimson snouts, revealing the fangs that had been hidden inside their mouths. A number of the Varkesh warriors dropped into a defensive stance. The tension in the forest was stretched thin. Raizen said nothing. Neither did the Varkesh commander. Between them was the northern border of Eldoris and beyond it, whatever it was that the Varkesh were searching for, awaited its prey.