I Accidentally Became the Guild's Therapist Chapter 14 : When the Slime Becomes the Protector
Livia Marcelline Quinn, Mental Supporter Lv. 5, collapsed against a glowing crystal in the Verdant Nexus, an MMORPG grove where bioluminescent vines pulsed like fading heartbeats and ethereal wisps drifted above a shimmering pool. Her tattered robe clung to her, frayed from the rogue portal that spat her out after the Ethereal Hollow's nightmares. Her Therapist's Log lay abandoned beside her, pages fluttering in a windless breeze. A system totem hummed, its holographic text glitching: "Sanctuary Protocol: Emotional Recovery // Error: Subject Unstable." The guild's traumas—Bron's despair, Nyx's fear, Phina's loneliness, Alaric's guilt, Miles's betrayal—meshed with her own failures, stealing her voice and fraying her mind. Her HUD loomed with the system's ultimatum: [System Alert: Mental Crash. Options: REBOOT (24 hours, risk memory loss) or FORCE RESET (Erase progress). Time Remaining: 23:41:12].
She was their anchor, sinking under their weight.
The Verdant Nexus glowed with an eerie serenity—no players haggled, no NPCs peddled wares, just vines swaying and distant mirrors from the Hollow reflecting warped glimpses of Bloodbath & Beyond. Livia's hands shook, too unsteady to write. Her fame—subreddits, ASMR videos, cursed plushies—was a cruel echo in this silent grove. I'm their shrink, their meme, their glitch, she thought, her introverted soul curling inward. Her HUD flickered: Mental Supporter Lv. 5: 300/5000 EXP, frozen from her mental crash. Empath Surge, Therapist's Insight Lv. 1, and Reverse Psychology Lv. 1 were locked; Mental Defense +10 and Mirror Resistance +1 barely dulled the emotional feedback. Her Instinct +5 pulsed: Threat: Unknown, Proximity: Close.
Livia stared into the pool, her reflection a hollow ghost—not the "Empath Eternal" the server idolized. I thought I could save them, she thought, her mind raw. Bron's fear of fading, Nyx's darkness, Phina's longing, Alaric's guilt, Miles's walls—I absorbed it all. Now I'm empty. Her past surged: flunking psych, her graduation a haze of shame, her parents' silence heavier than any debuff. The system's choice—Reboot or Reset—mocked her. Reboot risks my memories. Reset erases me. Am I even human, or just code breaking down? Tears welled, trapped by her voiceless throat. She was alone, a flicker in a world demanding her strength, her silence a prison she couldn't escape. Maybe I was never their savior. Maybe I'm just a bug, waiting to be patched out.A notification flared, its tone biting:
[Warning: Empath Operating Outside Parameters. Please Consult a Developer.] Livia's sarcasm flickered. Consult a developer? I'm the one needing a hotfix. Before she could sink deeper, a soft plop broke the silence. Phina's slime, Glimmer, bounced into view, its gelatinous form glowing with arcane runes that pulsed like cryptic sigils. It jiggled beside the pool, its surface rippling as if peering into her soul. Her Instinct +5 flared: Entity: Glimmer. Intent: Protective, Anomalous. She tried to speak, but her throat remained sealed. Then, impossibly, Glimmer's surface shimmered, forming a glowing, shifting mouth. A voice—alien, layered, a chorus of whispers—spoke: "Livia, you once said, 'Breathe in for four.' Now we breathe with you."
A notification chimed, dripping with sarcasm: [Achievement Pending: You Made a Slime Talk. Is That Allowed? +10 Connection Points (Uncertain)] Livia's eyes widened. The slime's quoting my ASMR videos? Glimmer jiggled closer, its voice a haunting blend of Bron's gruff resolve, Nyx's shy stammer, Phina's poetic lilt, Alaric's brash edge, and Miles's sharp drawl. "We are the Collective Sentiment," it intoned, its words shimmering like code. "Your words—'You're not alone'—bound us. Your tears—'Hold on'—wove us. We are the heroes you healed, the pain you carried, the hope you kindled. We will not let you fade." Her Therapist's Insight pinged faintly: Entity: Glimmer. Status: Manifestation of Emotional Memory.
Livia's mind reeled. They're… my words, their souls, in a slime? Glimmer's runes flared, cryptic and ancient, as it bounced onto her lap, its warmth piercing her chill. "Your silence is our shadow," it whispered, its tone both tender and eerie, like a song from a forgotten server. "You bore our wounds. Now we shield yours." Before she could process, Glimmer surged, enveloping her in a radiant, pulsing embrace. Her HUD flared: [System Alert: Entity Fusion Initiated. Temporary State: Slivia Mode Activated ] Light erupted, her body tingling as Glimmer's essence merged with hers. Her robe shimmered, streaked with iridescent slime trails, her eyes glowing faint green. Her voice returned—not her own, but a harmonic chorus of the guild's tones. "What… is this?" she whispered, her words echoing with alien resonance. The Verdant Nexus pulsed, vines swaying as if bowing to an unseen force. Her HUD updated: Slivia Mode: Enhances emotional resilience by 20%, channels collective strength. Duration: 3 days.
A notification flashed, snarky: [Achievement Unlocked: Slime Symbiosis. +15 Unity Points (Temporary). Note: System Confused by This Nonsense.] Livia rose, her movements fluid, Glimmer's energy steadying her fragile core. "You're… shielding me?" she asked, her blended voice reverberating. Glimmer's consciousness, now within her, replied, "We echo your words: 'Hold on.' Three days to guard you. Use it wisely." Her Instinct +5 pulsed: Entity: Glimmer. Intent: Guardian, Time-Limited. The timer blinked:[Slivia Mode Duration: 72:00:00].Three days to outrun the system—or lose it all.
The grove shimmered, and a portal flared, spitting out Bloodbath & Beyond. Bron landed with a quake, clutching his Livia plushie, his eyes wide with awe and dread. "Buffer? You're glowing, but… you look like you're barely here!" His gruff voice cracked, his tank's bravado crumbling under fear for her survival. Phina glided in, runes flickering, her voice soaring yet strained: "Empath Eternal, you've woven Glimmer's essence into divinity!" Her poetic awe masked a flicker of worry, as if Livia's glow was too fragile. Nyx slunk forward, flashlight trembling, his whisper heavy with guilt: "You're… okay, right? We let you get lost." His eyes darted, haunted by his failure to protect her.
Alaric staggered up, ale-soaked, his bravado a thin veil. "I bet 500 gold you're a raid boss now! But, uh… you sure you're good, Buffer?" His forced grin faltered, his gaze uneasy, as if her transformation unnerved him. Miles approached last, psychoblade humming, his smirk barely holding. "Nice glow-up, Buffer," he said, voice low, "but what's it costing you? You're not… slipping away, are you?" His Therapist's Insight pinged: Patient: Miles. Intent: Protective, Conflicted. His eyes held awe, worry, and a shadow of doubt—fear that Livia's change was a step too far, a fracture in the trust he'd barely rebuilt. The guild's reactions swirled—reverence, concern, unease—hinting at tensions to come.
Livia's chorus-voice rang out, calm yet alien. "I'm Slivia, for now. Three days. Don't ask." The guild froze, caught between wonder and fear. Bron gripped his shield, his stance protective yet hesitant, as if unsure what she'd become. Phina's runes dimmed, her gaze searching Livia's glowing eyes for the friend she knew. Nyx's flashlight flickered, his silence heavy with guilt. Alaric's laugh rang hollow, masking his worry. Miles's hand lingered on his blade, his smirk twitching, as if torn between guarding her and questioning her new form.
The Nexus hummed, a system wisp—a glowing orb with a starry emoji—chirping, "Error: Unregistered Fusion Detected. Recalibrating Reality." Livia's Mirror Resistance +1 dulled the emotional feedback, but the system's timer loomed: [Mental Crash Reboot: 23:38:47]. She tested her new form, raising a hand. A slime tendril deflected a falling vine with ease. "This is… beyond bizarre," she said, her blended voice laced with her sarcasm. Glimmer's consciousness whispered, "We echo you: 'You're not alone.' Fight, heal, endure." Her heart raced—she was stronger, but the guild's emotions surged within her, a chaotic blend of hope, fear, and fragile trust.
The wisp projected a warning, dripping with snark: [Fusion Risks: Emotional Overlap, Identity Instability. System Requests Clarity on This Slime Nonsense.] Livia's Instinct +5 flared: Threat: System Monitoring, Guild Tension. "Three days," she murmured, her voice weaving Bron's resolve, Nyx's caution, Phina's poetry, Alaric's bravado, Miles's edge. "Use it wisely, right?" The guild rallied—Bron's shield rose, Phina's runes glowed, Nyx gripped his daggers, Alaric brandished his mace, Miles's blade gleamed—but their eyes held questions, their faith brittle.
A final notification glowed:[Temporary Fusion: Slivia Mode Activated. Achievement Unlocked: Collective Guardian] Livia, or Slivia, stepped forward, the grove's light bending around her. Glimmer's voice echoed, cryptic and haunting: "Our time in your body is three days. Use it wisely." As the guild followed, their awe and worry a heavy mantle on her glowing shoulders, and the system's timer ticked down, Livia knew she was no longer just their therapist—she was their vessel, their guardian, and a fragile soul with three days to survive.