The morning felt like any other. I expected to wake up feeling like I’d evolved or something, or reached some higher plane of existence, but I was still just Ray Remory. If anything I was a little underwhelmed at the experience.
Sure I was excited about going out finally, I’d waited my whole life for this, but it just wasn't what I imagined.
Thinking that maybe the life changing stuff came later, I walked out the door. No need to give goodbyes to my parents yet, as everyone who wanted to see me off would be waiting at the gate a few hours before noon.
I rapped on Uncle Chris’ door while also checking behind me every few seconds, you never know where this crafty old man may show up. I check a bush, the roof, the window and as I stand at the door and check behind me once more, before the door finally opens.
“Where are you lookin’ you damned idiot!” Uncle Chris held his stomach laughing uncontrollably at my admittedly ridiculous display.
“Shut up, you’re the one that likes to appear from the weirdest places”
“True enough Laddie, that vigilance may save you one day!”
Was that a compliment? I couldn’t tell.
Regardless, I went inside and the Old Man checked me over, checked my bags with the money my parents gave me to start off, my weapons and my clothes. After approving everything, he seemed to approve.
“We’ll buy you some more durable clothes in the town we’re going to stop in, since it’s closer to the source of the corrupted materials, it’ll be cheaper to buy there.”
Life outside the walls would be a breeze if I could get by on something like a gold coin a week. I thought.
After the Old Man suited up we started to head out. For our journey, he shaved the long grayish-brown beard he once had and donned a black and red facemask with a mouth design on it and long tusk-like teeth. A gray cloak was draped over his shoulders and a hood pulled over his head. Under that cloak was his sheathed sword, a pair of shiny black boots, and a satchel hung on the opposite side of his sword. A look truly befitting a Deep-hardened veteran Diver.
Next to me, who just looked like a villager who found a big sword and bow and decided to take them along, I felt a little self conscious in my appearance, but I shrugged it off and headed to the gate where everyone waited for me.
At the gate stood my parents, Steven, and Mr and Mrs Lithil. Mrs Lithil was rarely in the shop, instead staying at home with Steven’s younger twin brother and sister, so I didn't see her nearly as much, but her and my mother are very good friends, so I’m rather close to her as well.
Next to Steven, what looks to be a long, thin, cone shaped wagon with dark black wheels is sat.
“Another crazy invention of yours you wanted to show off before I leave?”
“Yes and no” he replies, “remember that project me and my father were working on for you? Here it is, a ‘buggy’ we’re calling it”
“Buggy?”
“Yup, go ahead and hop in.”
I sit down in the strange contraption, its seats are comfortable, they’re likely made of some corrupted beasts leather, and next to me, is an odd metal stick. What the hell could this thing be?
When I put my hand on the stick I feel magic getting sucked out of me. The cart jolts forward at an incredible speed and slams into the city wall. I quickly jump at and shout accusations at Steven.
“What was that?! Are you trying to cripple me so I can’t become a Diver?”
“No you idiot, that’s a transportation device powered by magic, you just put your whole hand on it and gave it too much power.”
I immediately turn around and look at the ‘buggy’, it did ram that wall incredibly fast, and it seemed unscathed, it was well made if nothing else
Pushing the buggy back to where it was, Steven explains to me “If you put less of your hand on the buggy it should go slower since less magic can flow through, think of it as levels 1-6, 1-5 for every finger, six is your whole hand.”
It’s got six speeds huh? A six speed? Seems like it’ll be tough to get the hang of.
“Give it another shot” Steven suggests
As I sit back down in the buggy, I’m more careful in inspecting it. There are two pedals that seem to be for steering left and right respectively. Everyone backs away from me, worried that I may ram them this time, as I lower a single finger onto the Slissite knob.
I feel a slight jerk as it starts moving at a speed a little slower than a nice jog, I use the pedals and start doing circles around the square with everyone watching in awe. Damnit Steven, stealing the glory on my big day. Feeling more confident, I go all the way up to 3 fingers, which is already faster than I can run.
“This is crazy Steven.”
“I know, it should make your travels that much easier, make a journey that may take a month on foot in just a few days so long as the roads permit it. Of course since it runs on your magic, you’ll need to be careful not to pass out using it.”
Magic was like a life force, much like air we needed it to live and if you run too low on magic, your body will shut down till it recovers.
Usually, the bigger and more intelligent the species the more magic it usually had, bunnies, being small and stupid, had little magic, bears, being big and stupid, had reasonable magic, and Fire Dragons, being big and intelligent, had massive pools of magic, the only being that rivaled them was humans, while not particularly big, we are vastly more intelligent, and therefore trump them out.
It seemed I’d probably fall asleep before this machine could suck all my magic out of me, but if I used it after a big fight giving magic to my sword, it might just drain me.
Everyone was coming over and inspecting the work Steven and his father had done on the vehicle, of course, the massive Lithil insignia on the rounded back end of the cart made sure everyone knew who created such a marvel of magical engineering.
“I forged and created most of the parts, but Steven was the brains behind all this, I can’t even really tell you how this machine works if I’m to be honest” Mr. Lithil said, he seems to be conflicted between being proud of his son, and embarrassed that he was outdone by him.
“Shucks Dad, I couldn't have made most of these parts so precisely, this project needed both of us to work” Steven comforted his father who pulled Steven to his side and gave us a big smile and a goofy thumbs up, they really are father and son.
After everyone got over the amazement of seeing Steven’s newest contraption, the goodbyes were said and the tears starting flowing, my mother sobbed, while telling me over and over to be careful, my dad choked back tears, probably determined not to cry in front of my mom, even Steven and his dad got pretty emotional.
Everyone gave their parting gifts, Steven already gave me the compass, and his dad worked on the buggy together with him, my mother gave me a bag covered in pockets and pouches, which would likely come in very handy, but the most surprising gift of all was my father lending me his old cloak he used as an adventurer.
The cloak was black with lines of deep red running all over it like a bloody spider web, I’d heard it was made from the skin of a corrupted sand snake.The snakes lived in the most arid areas on the continent, and were a dragon subspecies, though not nearly as strong as your usual Fire Dragons, it boasted an extraordinarily tough hide.
When I put the cloak on, I felt really cool, and almost made up some embarrassing nicknames for myself to shout at my opponents before every battle.
“Finally looking like a proper adventurer aren't ya Laddie?” The Old Man bellowed.
“You look almost as good as I did in it!” My father comments.
“You look handsome, Ray” My mother gave a comment one would expect from their mother, but when you thought about it coming from a woman with the power to take on most of this city by herself, it felt a little weirder.
Steven slaps me on the back “Bring home some Diver chicks for me too, lady killer.”
“If I find someone crazy enough to take you, I’ll bring her right over” I teased back.
Finally Uncle Chris speaks up, “From today forth Ray will be embarking on his journey as a Diver, we know not when he may return, if at all, what stories he’ll have to tell us, nor the companions that will stand at his side. Although there is so much uncertainty, one thing I think we can all agree on is we are proud of Ray, for his hard work towards his goal, and his bravery and nobility in pursuing this passion.”
At Uncle Chris’ words, a cheer was raised and I went around giving my final goodbyes to everyone. Looking back at the only people in this world I could rely on, and realizing I’d be on my own might be scary to most, but the thrill of the challenge brought me such great excitement I couldn’t bear it.
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