Chapter 17: A Blessing And A Slime
"Are you absolutely certain you have everything you need?" Rav asked for what felt like the hundredth time, his weathered hands adjusting the leather straps of Lev's shield for the third time in as many minutes.
Lev stood in the center of their small apartment, dressed in his practical traveling clothesâa sturdy brown tunic, dark trousers, and a leather vest that Rav had insisted on purchasing from the quarter's best craftsman. His shield was strapped securely to his left arm, the metal polished to a bright shine that caught the morning light filtering through their window. A simple utility knife rested at his hip, its edge freshly honed and oiled.
"Rav, we've double-checked everything," Lev said, his voice carrying a mixture of embarrassment and fond exasperation. "Food, clothes, weapons, equipmentâeverything is accounted for. You even made me eat a full breakfast before we started packing."
Rav's blue eyes, so similar to Lev's own, held the kind of worry that only came from genuine love. He stepped back and surveyed his charge with the critical eye of someone who had raised a child from infancy. "The shield is properly secured," he muttered to himself, "the knife is sharp, your pack has three days of rations, your waterskin is full, and you've got extra clothing in case of accidents."
"Accidents?" Lev raised an eyebrow.
"Slime acid, monster blood, general wilderness filth," Rav said matter-of-factly. "You're going into the wild for the first time, Lev. Things get messy out there."
The weight of what he was about to do settled on Lev's shoulders like a physical burden. This wasn't just his first mission as an adventurerâit was his first time leaving the safety of Equinox's walls for anything more than a day trip. The closest he'd ever come to real danger was his confrontation with Caleb, and that had been in the familiar streets of the Gate.
"Stop worrying," Lev said, though his voice carried more warmth than irritation. "I have Zelem, I have my abilities, and I've chosen a mission that's perfect for my skills. I'll be fine."
Rav's expression softened, but the worry remained. "I know you will be. But that doesn't stop me from wanting to make sure you're as prepared as possible." He paused, then added quietly, "Your parents would be so proud of you, Lev. Taking on your first real adventure."
The mention of his parents, who had died when he was too young to remember them clearly, brought a familiar ache to Lev's chest. Rav had been more than a guardianâhe'd been the closest thing to a father Lev had ever known. The way he fussed over equipment and safety, the way his eyes held that particular mixture of pride and concernâit was the behavior of someone who loved unconditionally.
"All right," Rav said, stepping back and clapping his hands together. "One last thing before you go."
"What now?" Lev asked, though he was smiling despite himself.
Rav moved to the small shelf where he kept his prayer book and other sacred texts. He selected a thin volume bound in dark blue leather, its pages worn from years of use. "Let me send you with a blessing."
Lev felt his throat tighten with emotion.
Rav opened the book and began to read, his voice settling into the formal cadence he used during their weekly services at the shoul. "May Magic's eyes keep watch on your path," he intoned, "sharp as dawn and steady as starlight. May your sight be clear when the world blurs, and your steps sure when the road breaks. In shadow, remember those who walked before you; in light, remember those who walk beside you. Let your hands do no needless harm, and let your heart refuse needless fear. May danger pass you like a cloud on the wind, and may every turning bring you back to us in peace. Magic guard your going out and your coming in, now and until you return."
He looked up from the text, his eyes meeting Lev's directly. "Each of you who maintains our traditions, who raises children with pride in their heritage, who shows kindness to neighbors regardless of their backgroundâyou are the true strength of our people and our connection to Magic."
The words settled over Lev like a warm embrace, carrying with them the weight of generations of Sapphire people who had faced adversity with dignity and determination. He felt connected to something larger than himself, to the community that had raised him and the traditions that had shaped his understanding of what it meant to be Sapphire.
"May Magic guide your steps and protect you from harm," Rav continued, his voice growing softer but no less powerful. "May you find strength in the bonds you've formed, wisdom in the challenges you face, and courage in the knowledge that you carry the hopes of your people with you."
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He closed the book and stepped forward, placing his hands on Lev's shoulders. "Go with our blessing, Lev. Show the world what a Sapphire person can accomplish when given the chance."
Lev felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, but he blinked them away. "Thank you, Rav. For everything. For raising me, for believing in me, for..." He trailed off, unable to find words adequate to express what this man meant to him.
Rav pulled him into a tight embrace, and for a moment, Lev was a child again, safe in the arms of the only father he'd ever known. "You don't need to thank me," Rav said quietly. "Just come back to us safely. That's all I ask."
When they finally separated, Lev shouldered his pack and made his way to the door. He paused at the threshold, looking back at the small apartment that had been his home for as long as he could remember. The familiar sightsâRav's reading chair by the window, the small table where they shared meals, the narrow staircase leading to his sleeping loftâall seemed to hold new significance now that he was leaving them behind.
"Be careful out there," Rav called after him.
"I will," Lev promised, and then he was gone, stepping out into the morning light and the beginning of his first real adventure.
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Lev felt both excited and terrified as he made his way through the Gate's narrow streets toward the city proper. The excitement came from the knowledge that he was finally living the stories he'd grown up hearingâtales of heroes and adventurers who left the safety of their homes to face danger and accomplish great deeds. The Seven Tower Kingdoms were filled with such legends, stories of card wielders who had ventured into dungeons, fought monsters, and returned with treasures and glory.
But the terror was equally real. He was about to leave the safety of Equinox's walls for the first time in his life, venturing into a world where monsters roamed freely and danger lurked behind every tree. He would be completely alone, responsible for his own survival, forced to figure out everything on his own.
Actually, not really on his own. Zelem would be with him every step of the way, his faithful and powerful summon ready to face whatever challenges they encountered together. And the mission he'd chosen was perfect for his abilitiesâa task that would allow him to use his Summoner's Eye to its fullest potential while staying within the relative safety of a "common zone."
The mission had come to him through the Adventurer's Guild, posted by a wealthy merchant whose son had awakened his core ability only to discover that it didn't allow him to process mana correctly. The condition had left the young man sick, feverish, and unable to perform even basic magical tasks. The healers and magical experts knew the theoretical remedyâa card bearing Flow Harmonization, a slime-derived skillâbut none had been able to procure the card, leaving the family without a practical solution.
The young man suffered from a rare condition known as Stillflow Feverâa congenital mana occlusion in which the core failed to circulate and refine incoming mana, triggering fever, tremors, and collapse whenever he attempted even minor channeling. Flow Harmonization, an common slime ability found in a small subset of forest slimes that metabolize and stabilize ambient mana, would buffer and guide mana safelyâand, in time, make him more attuned than he had been before his awakening.
The challenge was that these slimes were found in the Whispering Woods, a forested area outside Equinox that was classified as a "common zone"âmeaning that the monsters there were generally no stronger than uncommon rank, with most being common creatures that posed minimal threat to experienced adventurers. But finding slimes with the specific skill required was notoriously difficult, and the drop rate for the skill cards was abysmally low.
The merchant had been forced to post the mission with the Adventurer's Guild because no card merchant in the city had the specific skill available for purchase. The mission paid seventy silvers totalâsixty for the card itself and ten for the mission feeâwhich was exceptionally generous for a copper-rank mission. Most copper missions paid only a few silvers, and even some bronze missions offered less compensation.
For someone without Lev's abilities, this would have been an extremely difficult and time-consuming mission. But with his Summoner's Eye, he could instantly identify which slimes possessed the required skill, eliminating the need to kill dozens of creatures in the hope of finding the right one. It was the perfect opportunity to prove his worth while earning the money he needed for his continued training.
Meeting the merchant had been a challenge on its own. Lev had grown accustomed to the stares and whispers that followed him through the city, but the merchant's reaction had been particularly unpleasant. The man's butler had initially refused to allow Lev entry to the estate, and it had taken the merchant himself coming to the door to resolve the situation.
The merchant had looked both disgusted and desperate as he'd ushered Lev inside. He'd explained the situation with his son, the various treatments they'd tried, and the urgency of finding a solution. The young man's condition was worsening, and time was running out.
His fingers curled into a fist until his knuckles blanched; his jaw tightened, shoulders drawing in as his posture closed. He swallowed the words, smoothed his expression into something like a polite smile, and kept his voice even instead, answering the man's questions and staying on task.
As Lev had left the estate, he'd overheard the merchant speaking to his butler in a voice that carried clearly through the open window. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. He's the only one in a week who's accepted this mission. We can't be picky about it, even though I know he's one of those greedy people. I'm sure he'll try to con me somehow."
The words had stung, but they'd also strengthened Lev's determination. He would show everyone what a Sapphire person could accomplish when given the chance. He would complete this mission successfully, earn his payment fairly, and prove that his people were worthy of respect and trust.
Now, as he made his way through the city streets toward the eastern gate, Lev felt the weight of that determination settling on his shoulders like armor. The path ahead was uncertain and dangerous, but it was also filled with opportunity. For the first time in his life, he was stepping out into the wider world, ready to face whatever challenges it might bring.