15 Chapter 12: The Fields of Beginning (1/2)

Wanting to thank Amaris and Aqua for bringing me to the Church of Healing when in need. Not to forget that they stayed by my side through it all...

I reached for my money pouch. Hoping to treat them to a something nice for along the way I reached and reached, but couldn't find it... Confused I looked around me and felt all around my body.

”No... No... No... No!! My money pouch... it's gone!! All my money was still in there...”

As I wept about my missing money looking in all the possible corners of my pouch Amaris smiled.

”Don't worry Michael, I would gladly help you when you're in need. Just treat me to something when you can, okay?”

Disappointed I nodded while continuing to search my pouch. I noticed a folded piece of paper inside. Reacing in and grabbing the piece of paper from my pouch.

I opened the folded piece of paper noticing it was the quest I had taken a look at on my first look thoughout the quest board.

”The Slime quest!! I am saved!! Whooohooo!!”

I happily jumped in the air. Let the girls know I had to do something important and went on my way towards the Fields of Beginning. At least now I had a chance to make money.

Other than the money and the basic clothes we wore, the Guildhall did not provide us with basic equipment.

As the budget we all got should have covered all of that. Still... I should be able to battle a few slimes, right?

On my way there I fantasised about different beast roaming the plains. Slimes, cats maybe even wild boars or goblins?

Entering the Fields of Beginning I sat down against a nearby tree grabbing the quest paper and reading the request.

Slime Mucus Wanted:

Please, I am not strong enought to battle slimes,

but I hear their slime does wonders to the skin.

Please get me as much mucus as possible.

I'll pay you handsomely ofcourse.

Reward:

At least 10 copper for each crystalized slime drop.

As I confirmed the value of the reward,

while putting the paper back in my bag.

I noticed a small group of slimes in the distance. Three Green, a Blue and a bigger Red one, each of them was different.

One of them still had bones in it's slimelike body. I pitied the victim as it slowly got dissolved from within, noting not wanting to turn into slime soup.

Seeing as it was a small group I needed to seperate them from each other. Thinking of a solution being at a tight spot as I didn't have any combat equipment yet... I stayed in a place out of sight, trying to come up with a plan. After carefully considering my options for a while it dawned on me; Magic! I still had the crystal Ivy gave me!

Now that I collected my attack options I started gathering my energy. Slowly closing in I dropped a fireball in the middle of the five slimes.

Inflicting a burn on most of the group, the impact startled them separating them from each other.

As most wiggled away trying to extinguish the fire. One of the slimes closed in making it's way towards the bushes that I was hiding behind,

it jumped up a bit as it slided its slime like body left and right towards me.

Seeing it wiggle like a gelatine made me laugh.

Luckily the others didn't follow it, so now it was all alone. I let it close in a bit more before taking hold of the crystal on my belt, taking it off, putting it in my left glove's gem compartiment while channeling more energy through it.

As I was readying the one spell I learned at The Mages Ember, the slime stopped moving all together.

”Oh Magic come to me, ignite the air around me and gather in my palm to burn my foes... with presistence and tenacity!”

It still wiggled but it stayed in place slightly becoming a bit taller. Just then it threw it's body back like a whip moving towards me.

Anxious for the possibility of getting hit I jumped back observing it a bit longer, trying to catch its weakness. Noticing its movement and combat readiness, I found a habit that was exploidable.

Giving me enough time to react after each of its attack. Especially now that I had finished preparing the spell.

Being as this spell was the lowest grade most people shouted out its name. ”FIREBALL” After trying this for a few times during my sparring match I noticed this gave them a weakness... as they needed to announce the spell which at the same time wad the incantation for starting the process. Still... with no other way I shouted full of pride. ”FIREBALL!!”

As I thought the process through after attacking and shouting,during that time i came to a

conclusion.

A conclusion that would save me from a lot of hassle in the future. If its such a low-grade spell, why do we say out the incarnation out loud?

Why don't I collect the words in my head focusing on what happens around me. ”Wordless Chanting”.

Is an amazing feet like that even possible?

Thinking about the possibility while observing the slime I noticed it moved in a few fixed patterns as I taunted it to attack me once again.

At that moment it felt like my body moved naturally as it closed in towards me slower than before. Dodging its attack in place I held the fireball above my hand moving it towards the slime. At the moment of contact an edged crystal revealed itself.

The core that the slime carefully had hidden in its body bubbled up to the surface as if it was taking a look at me. The fireball ignited above the crystal burning its slime like body. The burning continued to spread and damage it severely.

As it's body slowly began melting it desperately froliced and spasmed about preparing a final last ditch attack. Knowing the slime was done for I kept my distance.

Throwing another fireball, which proof to be fatal as the slime exploded from inside out.

The mucus flew around like someone had dropped a big rock in a puddle, splashing on bushes, animals... and even me!

”Yuck... No wonder no one likes to battle them...

look at me... I'm drenched in goo... Well, you can never be to carefull.”

As the slime was defeated it dropped its core and something that seemed like crystallized slime.

Next to the slime there seemed to be something else laying on the ground. I could not really see what it looked like as it glowed brightly...

Reaching out towards it, it flickered slightly before I felt a warm energy flow within me. The wound I deliberately allowed to be inflicted on me... Was gone... And I felt energized as if I just woke up... Was I healed?

I picked up  all remaining items and tucked them away in my pouch. There was even some copper which could always come in handy.

The first was down, now the other four should be easy enough. As I approuched the other four I made sure to stick to my sure fire strategy hiding behind the bushes close to them. Observing them it became clear they had come together again. Which is why I needed to separate them one for one, once again... Thinking of a plan I picked up a small rock and threw it close to the blue one. The slime noticed the rock and approuched it leaving the red one behind.

As it passed over the rock I could see the color wasn't the only difference. The rock had sparks all around it right before desolving inside the body of the slime.

I had to be carefull... a strategically aprouch would be best it seemed.

I only had my fireball which couldn't be used to many times as it took a toll on my body.

So I could only attack from afar.

Knowing this I thought of a plan, seeing as it liked to desolve the pebbles along the way. I gave it more to eat. Thinking it was kind of cute.

As it closed in I snapped put of it quickly and carefully hid myself walking around it. I should be able to attack from behind melting chunks away until I would be able to reach its core.

After desolving a few rock I finally managed to sneak behind it. Preparing my spell I decided it was best to go for a few smaller fireballs, having them attack in succession from the shadows while I keep hidden at a distance. The smaller ones where meant to distract it creating the opportunity to slowly prepare a bigger one to hit the slime.

It was a challenge knowing I did not have a knife. The same for the fact that I didn't have any special gear, instead I raised my hand for the fireball and threw it towards the core as hard as I could. But... it wasn't enough, it did melt away a lot of mucus around the core. But the slime seemed to have anticipated what I would do. Maybe it was a bit more fire resistsnt tha  the others. Then its resistance would be indicated by the color of the slime.

Knowing the same attack wouldn't work on it again I needed to rush as the core was now exposed, acting fast I did something dangerous and radical, coated my hands with the fire spell.

Trying to improvise I ran towards the slime readying my enchanted arms. Thrusting them right through its body trying to reach the core. It electrocuted me, feeling the sparks I flinched, not giviving up I continued.

I closed in on the core burning straight through the core. Again the Slime exploded leaving behind some things.

My arm was all shiny, probably because all of the mucus. Picking up the crystallized slime, the core and copper. As I bowed down picking up the copper I noticed something else was dropped.

A sparking little orb. Wondering what it was I picked it up. ”Could this be a low-grade magic gem? I have to ask when I'm back... so... I'll hold on that for now.”

The other slimes seemingly notiched their comrade got attacked by an intruder. Seeing as they all wiggled towards me.

I had enough time to prepare an attack on all of them, but si had to be carefull as my mana would be depleted afterwards. Still... I had to do this. Chanting out loud I held my hands together.

”Oh Essence from within, grand me the strength to overcome my obstacles... obstacles that you may melt with your heat. Gather from within... around me and the living in front of us all... Incinerate, Fireball!!”

Holding up both arms three medium sized fire bolts formed above my head. Putting in as much energy  as I could muster they combined into one. I threw them the huge fireball towards the group of slimes. All three got severely burned, melting away the two green ones. The big red one was still goind strong, but at least it inflicted a burn.

”That must have damaged it.”

Again I tried coating my arms with fire, It felt like my energy got drained out of me as I tried to create the enhancement once again.

”Don't give in... if you lose consciousness now the slime will sure kill me... I have to defeat it before that happens.”

As the heat around my arms was getting to me I knew I had to act fast. Rushing towards the slime I summoned a few small fire bolts meant to distract it so I could move in for the kill.

Some even hit the slime burning away even more mucus. An opportunity presented itself as the last hit revieled its core. Bigger than the other the core looked like a crystallized eye.

It stared straight at me as if it knew what was coming. Closing in I reached out with both hands trying to grab its core, all but to fail during the attempt. The slime jumped making me unable to reach it.

Landing on the ground a high pitched screeching noice resonated from inside it.

*screech*

As if taking liquid form the slime began rippling in waves of water as all kinds of slimes gathered around it.

Blue, green... even yellow ones.

They all gathered around the big red one as they slowly combined their bodies with one another.

Nasty sucktion noises where clearly hearable as if something was pulling out all the air around them.

The high pitched noises kept going for a while as the big red slime slowly grew bigger... the color changed with it becoming dark and mercy.

Now as the process was getting to an end I looked at this dreaded creature of mucus in front of me, being taller than the trees surrounding the fields I knew this would be one hell of a challenge.

As luck would have it when the screeching stopped I stayed still for a little while, allowing me to quickly drink one of the potions. Preparing for what to come I clenched my fists and started gathering energy around me.

Then it struck me, the sparking orb... could that be a magic gem? Curious of this I pulled it out of the pouch. As it lay in my hand a similar feeling to the fire gem resonated from within me...

But this time it was... Lightning?