Chapter 5: Spitting Image and Shadows in the Nursery
Ethan's mastery of "Strategic Drool" progressed rapidly. He experimented with different techniques, learning to control the viscosity, trajectory, and even the temperature of his saliva with surprising precision. He could now create everything from sticky globs of spit that acted like superglue to super-heated droplets that singed the edges of his blankets.
Lady Elara and Sergeant Gruff remained blissfully unaware of the true extent of his drool-based abilities. They simply attributed his increased salivation to teething.
One morning, while Lady Elara was reading him a particularly dull Aethelgardian fairy tale (something about a princess who was cursed to knit sweaters for eternity), Ethan noticed something odd.
A shadow flickered across the nursery wall. Not the normal, daytime shadow cast by the window. This shadow was darker, more… defined. It seemed to writhe and twist, as if it had a life of its own.
Ethan stared at the shadow, his infant brain struggling to comprehend what he was seeing. He glanced at Lady Elara, but she seemed oblivious, her eyes glued to the incomprehensible text of the fairy tale.
He focused his mental energy on the label above Lady Elara's head.
[Lady Elara - Dutiful Mother. Level 30.]
No changes. No indication that she was aware of the ominous shadow.
Then, he noticed something even stranger. The label above Lady Elara's head flickered momentarily, replaced by another label:
[Lady Elara - Possessed Host. Level ??]
The second label vanished as quickly as it appeared. Ethan blinked, wondering if he had imagined it.
But the shadow on the wall was still there, twisting and writhing. And it was getting closer.
He had to do something. He couldn't just sit there and let whatever that was consume Lady Elara.
He focused all his mental energy, channeling his inner saliva samurai. He willed a large, super-heated droplet of drool to form. He aimed it at the writhing shadow.
Then, he launched.
The droplet soared through the air, striking the shadow with a sizzle. The shadow recoiled, shrinking back into the darkness.
Lady Elara gasped, dropping the book. "Did you… did you just spit at the wall, Ethan?"
Ethan, maintaining his innocent, baby-like facade, simply gurgled and smiled.
He focused on Lady Elara's label again. It now read:
[Lady Elara - Dutiful Mother. Level 30.]
The "Possessed Host" label was gone.
He had done it. He had somehow managed to ward off whatever dark force was trying to possess Lady Elara. With Strategic Drool, no less.
Suddenly, the SYSTEM chimed in.
SYSTEM: ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED!
SYSTEM: "SHADOW SLAYER (BABY EDITION)" - SUCCESSFULLY REPELLED A SHADOW CREATURE WITH STRATEGIC APPLICATION OF SALIVA. REWARD: 5 REPUTATION POINTS!
SYSTEM: NEW SKILL AVAILABLE: "PURIFYING SPIT" (20 RP)
Ethan stared at the message. "Purifying Spit"? That sounded… useful. And expensive.
But the fact that shadow creatures were lurking in his nursery was deeply unsettling. He was a baby! He was supposed to be safe and protected. Not fighting off malevolent entities with weaponized saliva.
He glanced at the window. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and everything seemed perfectly normal. But Ethan knew better. He knew that there were shadows lurking just beyond the edges of perception, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
He needed to get stronger. He needed to learn more about this world and the threats it posed. And he needed a whole lot more Reputation Points.
As Lady Elara cooed and wiped his drool-covered face, Ethan made a vow. He would protect her, and everyone else in this bizarre, dangerous world, even if it meant becoming the most powerful, drool-slinging baby in existence.
The system flashed.
SYSTEM: HIDDEN QUEST ACQUIRED!
SYSTEM: "PROTECT THE INNOCENT" - PROTECT LADY ELARA AND SERGEANT GRUFF FROM THE FORCES OF DARKNESS. REWARDS: UNKNOWN.
He'd best get to work.
End Chapter 5