The city streets grew livelier by the minute as merchants opened their shops and others set up carts along the road. Children’s laughter broke the morning calm, while conversations of all kinds filled the air.

  Veil had resumed his walk toward the southern gate. His thoughts still lingered uneasily, but little by little they faded beneath the vibrant bustle of the city around him.

  At last, he reached the gate, where he presented his papers. The guard carefully checked each line before handing them back and letting him through. Veil had barely taken a step forward when he nearly tripped over a dog sprinting out of the gate, a small puppy tumbling along behind it.

  Great start. If I’m already getting surprised by dogs, the rest of the day’s bound to be fun, he thought with a faint smile.

  An old merchant waiting in line to enter the city witnessed the scene and gave Veil a broad grin.

  “A fresh face on the road, huh? We’re counting on you to make these paths safer, lad. Watch yourself out there,” the man said, nudging his horse forward.

  “Thank you, sir. I’ll do my best. Have a good day,” Veil replied politely.

  The man waved in return, his words giving Veil a boost of motivation.

  He followed the path for several minutes, the trees growing thicker the farther he went. Soon, he veered onto a small trail winding between the trunks, a light breeze tugging at his clothes.

  But nearby, the bushes rustled. Veil’s hand immediately went to his sword.

  What is that? Doesn’t matter. I can’t let myself get distracted. Alynia’s not here to back me up today, he thought, pulse quickening.

  He tightened his grip on the hilt, ready to face whatever might leap out.

  To his surprise, it wasn’t a monster at all. A small, gelatinous blue blob rolled out onto the path, two large eyes staring at him, connected to a strange stone floating inside its body.

  It bounced forward toward him. Startled, Veil’s instincts kicked in—he swung his blade. The edge sliced cleanly through the slime, shattering the core within. The creature collapsed instantly, its gelatinous form melting into a sticky puddle that seeped into the dirt.

  “Seriously? This is what counts as beginner monsters? After wolves—and that damned Hydra—I really don’t have much to worry about,” he muttered, staring down at the remains.

  Finding no loot left behind, Veil sheathed his sword and continued on his mission. He walked another ten minutes or so, the forest gradually thinning until it opened into a vast plain.

  The sight before him was unlike anything he had seen so far. An endless stretch of grass spread out before him, dotted with flowers and bushes, a small stream winding its way through the land. Sunlight bathed the scenery, reflections dancing across the water and flickering along the trees scattered here and there.

  The breeze was refreshing, carrying with it the cool scent of water. The murmur of the stream blended harmoniously with birdsong. In the distance, Veil spotted the dog from earlier, now playing happily with the puppy.

  They darted back and forth, the larger one carrying a stick in its mouth while the smaller chased it with excited yaps. Veil stepped forward, soaking in the view as he drew closer to the two playful animals. A branch snapped beneath his boot, and both dogs froze, ears pricking sharply.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you,” he said gently.

  The puppy suddenly bounded toward him, hopping with delight. It squeezed itself between Veil’s legs, rubbing against him before plopping down, tail wagging furiously.

  Veil crouched and slowly reached out his hand. The little dog rolled onto its side, offering its belly without hesitation. Seeing this, the older dog—who had been hanging back—finally approached as well, moving at a slower, cautious pace. He sat near Veil, dropped the stick from his mouth, and wagged his tail, clearly waiting for it to be thrown.

  Veil picked up the piece of wood and stood. The puppy leapt up with a happy bark. Veil swung his arm and threw the stick as far as he could, both dogs bolting after it at full speed.

  “I could stay here all day… this feels really good,” he murmured, watching the two chase and tussle over the stick.

  For nearly an hour, Veil played fetch with them, throwing the stick and petting the dogs whenever they returned. But just as the older one trotted back with the stick in its mouth, it froze halfway and began to growl. The puppy seized the chance, snatched the stick, and carried it triumphantly to Veil, eagerly waiting for a pat.

  Veil, however, was staring into the distance, scanning for whatever had spooked the other dog. From the tall grass, another small blob of blue jelly rolled into view. At once, the older dog bolted, leaving the puppy behind. The slime fixed its gaze on Veil and began inching toward him.

  The puppy, spotting the blob, bounded over curiously. He sniffed at it, nudging the quivering little creature with his nose.

  “She doesn’t seem dangerous… Maybe I shouldn’t have killed the one I met earlier,” Veil muttered under his breath.

  He sat down in the grass, resting for just a moment longer before resuming his mission.

  Meanwhile, the puppy began to play with the jelly. He nudged it with his nose, rolled onto his back, and batted at it with his paws. The sight drew a smile from Veil. It reminded him that not everything in this world was so terrible after all.

  But as the puppy circled his strange new playmate, the jelly’s body suddenly shifted, quivering unnaturally as it let out guttural, choking noises.

  Its form rippled, waves spreading through its gelatinous body before it swelled. A crude mouth opened wide—and from it spewed a viscous substance that clung to the puppy’s legs, locking them in place.

  The little dog yelped, thrashing wildly, but the slime’s grip held firm. Veil still thought they were playing, smiling faintly, not yet realizing what was happening.

  From the tall grass, four more blue slimes emerged, surrounding the trapped puppy. Their gelatinous bodies trembled as if exchanging some silent, alien message.

  Only then did Veil feel a prickle of dread. Something was wrong—terribly wrong. But when the truth hit him, it froze him in place.

  The slime in front of the puppy suddenly leapt, latching onto his muzzle. Slowly, it oozed upward, covering his snout, then smothering his mouth and nose entirely. The pup writhed in panic, muffled whines slipping out as he thrashed, desperate for air.

  His tiny body twisted, head whipping side to side, but the creature clung tight. His heart hammered faster, lungs screaming, paws clawing at the earth as the gelatinous grip hardened like iron around his joints.

  Seconds dragged on like eternity. The puppy’s struggles weakened. His eyes, once bright, grew dull, as if pleading with Veil to save him.

  And then—silence.

  Only the whisper of wind and the trickle of the stream remained. The small body lay still on the ground, lifeless. His upturned eyes were nothing but blank white.

  The slime clinging to the puppy’s muzzle finally released him and rolled back to its place. All five creatures began to tremble again before slithering toward the limp body. One by one, they climbed onto the puppy.

  Veil immediately turned away as patches of skin were absorbed into the gelatinous forms, dissolving within them. Even without looking, nausea hit him hard—the metallic stench spreading through the air was unmistakable.

  The smell of blood grew so strong it drove him to his knees. He retched, emptying his morning meal into the grass. All he could hear was the sickening, wet squelch of the slimes feeding, the noise drowning out every other thought.

  Minutes crawled by before silence returned. Hesitantly, Veil lifted his head. Nothing of the puppy remained except its scattered bones, brittle and broken from the fall.

  “Wh… Why? What just happened? Why is everything here so twisted? Is there even one thing in this world that isn’t some kind of horror?” Veil stammered, rubbing his eyes as if he might wake from a nightmare.

  But the bones stayed where they were, stark against the grass. The stench of blood slowly faded as the slimes retreated back toward the forest, leaving him alone. Still trembling, Veil stumbled toward the stream.

  He fell to his knees at the water’s edge, plunged his hands into the current, and splashed his face again and again. He rinsed his mouth, desperate to erase the bitter taste, but the metallic tang of blood clung stubbornly to his senses.

  “Will I ever get a quiet day? One without something bizarre trying to eat something else? Or is that too much to ask?” he muttered, water dripping from his face.

  Slowly, he rose and settled beneath the shade of a tree. He laid his sword beside him and pulled out his map along with the mission documents. But his mind wouldn’t let go of the image of the puppy—playing only minutes before, wagging its tail, leaning into his hand for affection.

  He opened the plant guide, scanning for the herbs he was supposed to collect. Two names were written clearly: Lumépha and Riverbell. He flipped through until he found them, small sketches illustrating their shapes with notes on where to locate them.

  Lumépha

  Type: Medicinal plant

  Habitat: Grows at the edges of streams and clear springs, always in the partial shade of rocks or embankments.

  Description:

  A low-growing plant with wide, veined leaves of a pale, translucent green. When brushed, they shimmer faintly, as though storing light. At its center blooms a small, five-petaled silver flower. It gives off no scent but vibrates softly at a touch.

  Riverbell

  Type: Semi-aquatic plant

  Habitat: Found half-submerged along the gentle banks of clear streams, often anchored to stones.

  Description:

  It has a slender, almost invisible stem supporting an inverted, bell-shaped bud of pale blue. Semi-transparent, it rings faintly when swayed by the current. It only grows in clusters, forming light mats that hum softly with the flowing water.

  Veil closed the little book with trembling hands and tucked it back into his satchel. He lingered a while longer in the shade, eyes shut, trying—and failing—to banish the memory of what he’d witnessed.

  The scene was too fresh, the image burned too deep.

  Finally, he lay down on the grass, letting the soft breeze and gentle sway of the blades wash over him.