Ascension Of The Archmage

The rabbit's soft furs were brushing against his neck, leaving a tickling sensation that he wished he could erase. The rabbit was on his shoulder, balancing there gently as they walked under the beating sun. It had almost been an hour since they had walked out of Dale, and he couldn't quite get his head in order—not after he had been made to go broke. He could feel the sword she bought for him, strapped down on his hip as it dangled—making it uncomfortable to walk with. He couldn't believe he had wasted ten more coins for the sword, not after he had just purchased the map—leaving him to ignore the potion he so badly wanted.

Now, he was holding the map a little tighter—staring at the small drawings that made up Dale, with it's small walls liked up neatly. As he studied the map, he saw that the winding woods of Silverleaf Forest stretched out before them, dotted with tiny symbols indicating hidden clearings like the Silvermist Glades. Small towers, barely visible among the tree lines, marked the presence of abandoned settlements like Valha and Whitestone. The map revealed the gentle curves of the river Celestina, which flowed smoothly into the horizon, punctuated by the occasional waterfall, like the majestic Falls of Windmark. The delicate lines of the map seemed to shimmer in the sunlight.

"Now, what are we supposed to do with this map? Cause I clearly don't see anywhere written, Woodhalla." Karl said.

"You don't suppose you'll find it written on a map?" The rabbit asked, daring to stare at the map. "And besides, it'd be quite the journey for us to reach Woodhalla."

He clicked his tongue, annoyed. "What are you talking about? Tell me... where's your goddamn safe haven?"

"Let's just say, it's not somewhere you can expect to find on a map," the rabbit said with a sly smile. "Otherwise, humans will be doing as they please... hunting down our kind."

Karl raised an eyebrow. "So, you're telling me that Woodhalla is some kind of secret rabbit paradise?"

"Very funny," the rabbit chuckled. "Something like that. But getting there is... complicated."

His eyes narrowed. "Complicated? What do you mean?"

The rabbit's grin grew wider. "Well, you see, we'll have to go through a Rift."

His expression turned skeptical. "A Rift? You mean like a portal or something?"

The rabbit nodded. "Exactly. And not just any portal, mind you. This one will take us out of this world... and into a completely different one."

His eyes rolled heavenward. "Of course, because that's exactly what I wanted to hear. A magical portal to a different world. Just what I needed to make my day complete."

The rabbit laughed, a gentle tinkling sound. "I knew you'd be excited."

His sarcasm was palpable. "Excited? Are you kidding me? How do you expect me to find this place? Miraculously appear out of thin air?"

The rabbit's laughter grew louder, and she wiped tears from her eyes. "Oh, Karl. You're so dramatic. Before we go to Woodhalla, there are other things I want us to deal with. Like getting you some actual training, for starters."

His expression turned incredulous. "Training? You think I need training? I've been surviving just fine on my own, thank you very much."

The rabbit's smile returned, mischievous and playful. "Oh, I'm shaking with fear. But trust me, Karl. You're nothing compared to what I want you to become."

"What do you want me to become?" He asked.

"Because I want you to help me take back something, something very precious to me." She said. "And it might even cost you your life, if you're not strong enough."

He felt a chill race down his spine. "If only I had an option..."

"Let's change course," the rabbit said, nodding towards the woods. "We'll head into the forest for a bit."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why are we going into the woods?"

The rabbit smiled mischievously. "Training purposes, of course."

He rolled his eyes. "I can't believe I'm being trained by a fucking rabbit."

The rabbit's expression turned stern. "Don't call me that. And besides, I'm only in this form for temporary reasons."

He shrugged, and they veered off the dusty road, entering the woods. He could feel his insides tightening with hesitation as he walked past the shrubs, feeling their small branches and leaves brush against him. The raw scent of decay, and dead leaves met his nostrils—staining him with the scent of the woods.

"What's with all the tiny clearings on the map?" Karl asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Those are sacred sites," the rabbit replied. "Places of ancient power. We'll be visiting some of them during your training."

Karl snorted. "My training. I still can't believe this."

The rabbit chuckled. "You'll come to appreciate my teaching methods, Karl. Just be patient."

Karl raised an eyebrow. "Patient? You're the one who's been dragging me all over the place, buying me swords and maps, wasting my money... What's the endgame here?"

The rabbit's smile grew wider. "All in good time, Karl. All in good time."

*

As they walked, the woods consumed them in a soothing silence. Tall trees stretched towards the sky, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. The underbrush was thick, with ferns and wildflowers sprouting from the ground. The rabbit's soft furs continued to brush against his neck, causing a tickling sensation.

The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the raw scent of damp soils. A faint mist hovered near the ground, making the woods appear more creepy than welcoming.

As the rounded a bend in the path, his eyes widened the moment he saw something. The rabbit, still perched on his shoulder, seemed to also sense this tension.

His attention was fixed on something strange, an amoeba-like form that was moving slowly through the underbrush. It was translucent and gelatinous, with small tentacles of gooey substance stretching out from its body. As it moved, it left a trail of dissolved vegetation in its path, as it its very presence was corrosive.

"What is that?" His voice was barely above a whisper, as he stared at that. For a moment he thought it was a living jelly.

The rabbit's reply was matter-off-act. "That's a slime."

His eyes widened in alarm as he absorbed the slime's strange appearance. For a moment, he was frozen in shock. Then, his hand instinctively went to the sword strapped at his hip, drawing it out with a soft rasp of steel.

"Is it deadly?" he asked.

"It's poisonous." The rabbit said. "It can disintegrate anything it comes into contact with."

"I can tell..." He mumbled, staring at its trail. "I think we should just get out of here."

"Or you can just kill it, and get a little experience." The rabbit said. "After all, I did bring you here for training purposes."

"You never mentioned anything about acid secreting creatures..." He said.

The rabbit rolled its eyes. "The same way I didn't mention that you'd be trained by a rabbit? Look, you're under me now...and it's wise if you complied and made yourself more useful!"

"I am useful," he said. "Just not to someone with furs!"

"You said you came to Dale because you wanted to learn more about magic, right?"

He replied, "Yes."

"Why?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Is that a question?"

"Just answer the question, little elf!" The rabbit said.

He was silent for a while. "I've always had a dream, to become an Archmage."

"An Archmage you say..." There was a little chuckle. "...well, that's something new."

"I know right? And most people think it's a crazy dream." He said bitterly.

"It is crazy," the rabbit said. "...but if you comply, I can make it happen."

"How? You're just a bunny, with furs and cute eyes..." He mumbled.

The rabbit cocked a brow. "Wait, you think I'm cute?"

His eyes widened in surprise, and he took a step back, his sword still at the ready. "Uh, no, I didn't mean it like that," he stuttered, trying to clarify.

The rabbit's expression turned playful, and she batted her eyelashes. "Oh, come on, Karl. Don't be shy. You think I'm cute, don't you?" She teased, her voice dripping with amusement.

His face turned bright red as he struggled to compose himself. "No, no, no! I didn't mean it like that! You're just... uh... a formidable opponent, okay?" He tried to salvage the situation, but it only seemed to get worse.

The rabbit giggled, a high-pitched sound that made Karl's embarrassment deepen. "Oh, little elf. You're so adorable when you're flustered." She said, still chuckling.

His eyes darted around, searching for an escape from the awkward situation. His eyes landed on the slime, which was still making its way through the underbrush, oblivious to the exchange. "Uh, I think we should focus on the slime, don't you?" He suggested, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

The rabbit's grin faltered, and she nodded, her expression turning serious once more. "Yes, of course. Let's get back to your training, shall we? But don't forget to think about me whilst you're at it!"

As the rabbit finished speaking, his eyes darted back to the slime, and in his distraction, the map slipped from his fingers, fluttering to the ground. The rabbit's eyes widened in alarm. "Don't ruin that map!" she exclaimed, hopping off his shoulder and landing lightly on the ground.

She scurried over to the map, snatching it up and brushing off the dirt. As she did, he muttered something under his breath, his eyes fixed on the slime.

"Tightening my grip on reality," he whispered, his gaze drifting to the blunt edge of his sword. It was the cheapest they could afford.

The rabbit looked up at him, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Why don't you throw your bag down? It's quite the load."

His expression turned wary. "No! Can't have you sleeping inside my bag! Do you know how smelly rabbit pee is?"

The rabbit rolled her eyes. "I'm not a rabbit! I'm just stuck as one, but that doesn't mean that's what I am!"

He smirked, but before he could respond, he took a deep breath, his grip on the sword tightening. "Time to focus," he muttered, his eyes locked on the slime.

*

"Here I come!" He shouted, running towards the slime with a fierce cry that alarmed the slime. He could still feel faint pangs of pain from his wounds, but he fought to ignore the pain—tightening his grip on the sword before he swung it with all his might, aiming to slice through the gelatinous beast. But as the blade connected, its simply glided through the slime as if it was made of water, leaving now scar or wound, something that terrified him for a moment.

"Seriously?" He cursed under his breath, taking several leaps backwards. Without warning, the slime unleashed its tentacles, whipping them around like whips. They lashed out, one wrapping around his arm before he could even dodge, the cool, slippery texture sending a shiver down his spine. But that shiver quickly turned to a burning sensation, like acid was sizzling against his skin. He quickly fought to remove his hand, but something else stopped him. He noticed that the gooey tentacles had hardened enough to form a firm grip, which somehow lowered the burns it gave.

"Get off me!" He grunted, struggling against the tentacle. He felt the gooe begin to slip into his skin, a strange warmth creeping up his arm. He gritted his teeth, mustering enough strength to drive the blade through the tentacle. Like before, the blade managed to slice through its limb—making it land on the ground like a smashed potato.

The slime, sensing his rebellion, flared another set of tentacles in a frenzy, thrashing them wildly towards him. He quickly ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding a strike that could have sent him sprawling. He quickly regained his footing, his eyes looking for an opening. There was something unique about fighting the slime, something that he couldn't quite understand in words. It was almost like fighting against something that could solidify and liquidify in the blink of an eye, choosing to become invincible if it wanted to.

Again, he lunged towards the slime again, aiming not to slice but to pierce. He loosened his other hand from the blade, and he felt his magic burn through his veins, rushing towards his fingers. In the blink of an eye, flames flickered to life, dancing vividly in his hand and when he was close enough, he unleashed the flames—letting them bolt towards slime. However, it was faster than he had anticipated. Its tentacles moved in the way of the flames, disrupting his spell with a miniature explosion, creating a cloud of smoke that lingered in the air.

As he moved through the smoke, he felt it, just beneath his boots—the splattering gooey that was all over the ground. Wait, was it caused by the explosion? He wasn't sure...but it wasn't going to slow him down. Quickly, he lunged towards the slime which seemed to be moving backwards, as if creating a distance between them. It for some reason, he noticed that it was a little smaller than before, as if it had shrinked from loosing all that gooey. Still staring at it, he noticed something else—something that shimmered inside it, something like a small orb.

It didn't take long for him to understand what that was. It had to be the core. Quickly, as the distance dissolved, he thrust the blade downwards, targeting that small core, if only it was. This time, he felt resistance the moment his blade touched the slime—an unexpected solidity amidst the goo.

With a grunt, he drove the blade deeper, and to his surprise, the slime let out a shriek as it began to dissolve around the blade. He pushed a little further, feeling his blade sink more and more, until it phased through this small core.

The slime exploded, goo splattering everywhere, splashing against the ground and onto his clothes. He twisted the blade, creating a wider opening, and the creature writhed violently, tentacles flailing in desperation.

"Come on!" He shouted, adrenaline coursing through him. With one final push, he yanked the blade free, and the remaining mass of slime collapsed in on itself, bubbling and fizzing before it finally came to a halt. Panting, he stood there, covered in glistening droplets of the defeated slime. The burning sensation ok his skin faded, replaced by the rush of victory. He wiped his brown looking down at the mess he made. "Next time, I'll make sure to bring a mop!"

He joked, his chest still heaving hungrily for air. He had just done it, defeated his very first slime within a manner of minutes. He turned around, staring at the rabbit, whose attention was busy fixed on the map. She seemed oblivious to the fact that he had just defeated the slime.

He cleared his throat, trying to sound nonchalant. "And that's how you hunt a slime."

The rabbit looked up, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "You know, you could have just killed it if you had attacked it with fire right from the start."

His eyes narrowed in mock annoyance. "Why didn't you tell me that in the first place? I could have saved myself all that trouble!"

The rabbit chuckled, her eyes sparkling with sarcasm. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, I wanted to see how you'd handle it on your own."

He shook his head, a wry smile spreading across his face. "You're a sadistic little rabbit, aren't you?"

The rabbit giggled, her ears twitching with amusement. "Maybe just a little."

Karl sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Well, I hope the next lesson is a bit more straightforward. I don't think my ego can take much more of this."

The rabbit grinned, her whiskers twitching with mischief. "Oh, don't worry, little elf. The next lesson will be a real challenge. But for now, let's just focus on getting out of here before more slimes show up."

"You mean, there are more of these?" He asked.

"Obviously..." The rabbit said. "..but if you're still feeling hyped up for another spar, I guess we can wait for them to show up."

He looked at his hand, staring at his blade for a moment. He could tell the blunt blade needed a little sharpening, the same way his skills were eager to be honed. "Let's wait.... I'm a little fired up, you know."

A faint rustling sound rang through the trees, followed by the chirping of birds. His head snapped towards the noise, his eyes scanning the canopy above. A flock of birds took flight, their wings beating rapidly as they vanished into the distance.

His gaze lingered on the spot where the birds had disappeared, and that's when he saw it. A gigantic slime, its gelatinous body undulating as it moved slowly past the trees. The slime was enough, at least three times as his height, and it was accompanied by a few smaller slimes that darted around its edges.

His grip on the sword tightened, his heart racing with excitement. The rabbit's voice was laced with concern. "Now that's a big one.... there's still time for us to get away, y'know!"

His grin was reckless. "You've just hooked me up to one of them most interesting things I've ever done, and you already want me to quit?" He took a deep breath, feeling his magic burn through his veins. He adjusted his stance, crossing his sword over his other shoulder, the blade pointing backwards. The wind rustled his hair, as he stood there, his eyes fixed on the approaching slime. "And besides," he muttered, "how can I be an Archmage if I can't defeat a simple slime?"

The rabbit's eyes widened, a hint of alarm in her expression. "Karl, I don't think you understand the situation here..."

But he wasn't listening. He was already charging towards the slime, his sword at the ready.