Slime Evolution

Chapter 402 - Sam and Dan

The rustle of Mythlorien’s leaves beneath Dan’s worn out boots was the only sound besides the electric hum vibrating subtly in his mind.

He and his brother, Sam, had been on the road for weeks.

The journey to Astralis Requiem’s guild base, whose coordinates had been sent by Dylan after their initial contact, with details only being revealed as they passed each stage of the selection process, had been a true test of endurance and patience.

They’d originally been very far from Thalendor and the forest where the guild’s base was located, isolated in a volcanic area of Elysium where the grind was harsh and lonely.

To get there, the brothers had to spend every resource available, alternating between long treks on foot along dangerous paths and expensive rides in NPC merchant caravans, which completely drained the small reserve of silver coins they’d accumulated with so much sweat.

For Dan, every silver coin handed over to the game’s merchants represented a stab of physical pain in his chest.

He knew all too well how valuable those coins were in the real world. They could easily be converted into a few thousand federal credits, an amount that would bring an immense improvement to their lives in the Lower Zone of their planet.

But there they were, spending a huge ticket out of poverty over a promise of joining an elite guild that they didn’t even know for sure was real or just another elaborate scam from the internet.

”I still think we made the biggest mistake of our lives, Sam.” Dan whispered, his voice coming out hoarse and weak from the physical toll constant spellcasting took on his body.

He stopped beneath the shade of a colossal shrub, resting his weight against the black wooden staff that looked ready to snap. ”We threw away all our real money over an invite from a player we’ve never even met in person. If this is a trap or some spoiled Upper Zone heir’s prank, we won’t even be able to afford new air filters for our apartment by the end of the month. As independent players from the Lower Zone, we should know that virtual promises are worth as much as the nutrition of the air we breathe at home.”

Near him, floating like a pale, bluish mist that barely bent the forest’s soft light, Sam manifested his presence. Having the spirit race of Ghost, he didn’t feel the physical fatigue of walking, but the mental exhaustion of staying alert through the whole journey, acting as the pair’s scout, and of watching his brother suffer weighed on his conscience.

”Set the pessimism aside for a second, bro,” Sam replied directly into Dan’s mind, his voice carrying a calm he was trying to force himself to feel.

”We both knew that solo grind at that volcano was slowly killing us. Your body is deteriorating from the corrosive magic, and my spirit is losing its anchor to Elysium’s reality. We needed a change of direction. And being completely honest, the online interviews we did with their recruitment team were extremely professional.”

”Do you remember how detailed Dylan’s questionnaires were? No amateur guild would bother building such a rigorous, respectful selection process. Even the Ark Group looked like a disorganized bunch of amateurs compared to what Astralis showed on Syn. That gave me a huge amount of confidence.” Sam said, trying to reassure his brother.

”I remember,” Dan murmured, wiping a trace of cold sweat off his forehead with the back of his skeletal hand. ”But professionalism online doesn’t guarantee they won’t treat us like trash once they see our faces up close. You know what happened last time we got close to an elite guild... their disgust was very real.”

The memory of the disgust in the eyes of the previous guild’s representative, who kicked them out of the meeting point after seeing Dan’s decrepit face and not even being able to make out Sam’s ethereal form, still burned in their minds like hot iron.

They’d been called freaks, liars, monsters who would scare off the guild’s investors and followers.

Their confidence in their own image was practically nonexistent, an open wound that the constant repairs brought by Elysium’s system power couldn’t heal.

Dan looked at his own hands, seeing the skin peel and the tremors caused by the corrosive Mana saturation in his body, while Sam’s ghostly form flickered with worry beside him.

”Astralis made it clear in their recruitment rules that they don’t judge members based on appearance, only combat potential and character,” Sam insisted, moving closer to Dan so their affinity would steady his brother’s breathing.

”We’re level fifteen, Dan. We’ve climbed this far fighting alone against elite monsters in the volcanic area. Our strength is real, and if they reject us because of how we look, we just go back to our lone wolf routine. But if they’re sincere... we’ll finally have a place to belong. A real group that challenged the biggest corporations in the world. Think about the achievement announcements we saw... even if the recruitment process is strange, the guild is real.”

Dan sighed, knowing his brother held a broader, more optimistic view of the future, but the reality of the Lower Zone had taught him to always expect the worst from people.

He adjusted the hood of his ragged cloak and started walking again, following the trail Dylan’s coordinates traced on the map he’d bought.

They knew the structure of a great elite guild was incomparable for their long term development, and that every solo player wanted the sense of belonging a group as notorious and respected as Astralis Requiem brought to its ranks.

As they moved forward, Mythlorien’s vegetation began to change pattern.

The air, which had already been dozens of times more pleasant than the air he breathed near the volcano, became incredibly pure and sweet, saturated with a natural energy that made Dan’s mana channels vibrate with a feeling of comfort he’d never felt in Elysium.

Suddenly, among the colossal trees, what they assumed to be Astralis Requiem’s guild base revealed itself before them.

The sight was simply spectacular!

The towering white tree with small, glowing newborn leaves rose toward the sky, with living wooden walkways perfectly carved and a beautiful glowing sap that made the sight even more magical.

Exotic flowers bloomed around the giant roots, spreading a glow that bathed the surroundings in an atmosphere of absolute peace and magical sophistication.

However, seeing how beautiful and perfect the decoration of that place was, the brothers’ hearts tightened with even greater force.

Dan and Sam’s insecurity about their own appearance peaked in that second. The aesthetic care of a guild that tended to every single flower seemed to demand the exclusion of any element that clashed with that perfect harmony.

”Look at this place, Sam,” Dan whispered, his tone loaded with a tired, bitter sadness. ”Everything here is flawless, clean, and incredibly beautiful. A guild that goes to the trouble of building a base this artistic and integrated with the elves’ pure nature surely won’t want two monsters ruining their scenery. We’re like grease stains on top of a white silk carpet. I’m sure they’re looking for a beautiful elite to represent their brand to the world...”