Seer Viggo was the village’s wizened ancient and mysterious guide; the man was more rumor than fact for most of the villagers. This stemmed from the fact that, for whatever reason, he had chosen to live in a treehouse thirty meters above ground level in the forest near the village. He also rarely bothered to descend and interact with people, spending most of his time seeking visions of the future or whatever. Thus, David had no idea what to expect from the man.

  He had certainly not expected to find out that he was, in fact, a slime in human shape.

  “I know, I know, you expected something else. I would have too. Alas, I am a Fate Slime, no matter how much I may wish elsewise.” The slime said as its surface bubbled and began to warp, returning to a human form. “We slimes are one of the many forms of elemental manifestation, one far more “Bound” than others. The most common of us are, unfortunately, the Decay slimes often found in sewers and dumping sites. Some, however, are intelligent.”

  “We fate slimes are just such a type of intelligent slime. We are extremely rare, spawned only from places where fate mana is extremely abundant, or from other fate slimes. We possess, among other gifts, the innate ability to sense the future or past in some way, shape, or form. I was gifted with limited prescience, which was later enhanced by my skills. Nowadays, I can see visions of important future events,”

  “I am also an accomplished spellcaster and spell instructor.” The slime concluded.

  “Why exactly do you want to teach me?” David asked.

  “You mean aside from the fact that you are the only youth in the village capable of magic?” The slime questioned. “Well, I can tell you could be very powerful in the future, and that means you will be very attractive prey to certain creatures. Creatures that may hurt the villagers. I have grown very fond of the villagers. The stronger you are, the less of these creatures will show up, as you will be far more dangerous prey.”

  “Creatures like what?” David asked.

  “Fexxakin Mage-Eaters, to name just one. Artificial lifeforms created by Fexxakin Biomancers specifically to hunt down enemy mages. Some of them were set loose during the first war for this region, seventy years ago, and never recaptured. Now, they have reproduced and spread out, consuming novice mages and young mana-beasts wherever they can be found.”

  “Now, for your first theory lesson, we will talk about my favorite magical affinity, Fate.” The slime began. “What do you know about fate?”

  David shifted nervously in his seat; he had not expected to be quizzed on magic. “Fate magic allows one to see, and affect the future? I don’t know much more than that.”

  “You are partially correct. Fate is the past, present, and future of any given thing. But there is no single given fate, fate is a branching, twisting, turning, tangled mess with even the smallest change possibly resulting in a different future. Fate magic is more than just knowing what will happen, it is making new things happen, creating new possibilities. Fate magic’s greatest strength is how it allows one to twist probability.”

  “A skilled wielder of fate can change the outcome of anything simply by understanding probability.” Said the slime, picking up a glass cup from beside him and suspending it in the air before him. “For example, what is the chance of this cup bouncing instead of shattering? Very low, I assure you. But with a simple twist of fate, I can ensure that my desired future comes to pass. Observe.” He let the cup fall.

  The cup fell, impacting the wooden floor at just the right angle to cause it to bounce slightly and land on its bottom, cracked but not shattered. “The ability to twist probability towards your preferred future will not cause reality to suddenly violate its own rules to give you a perfect future.” said his instructor.

  “Now, what is your affinity, If I might ask?” Queried the slime.

  “Life, fire, and Space.” Samuel stated.

  “Fire will be the more immediately useful, so let’s talk fire.” The slime said. “Fire is a simple thing, it can be used to create and destroy, it may bring death or life or desolation in equal parts. This is fire. It is one of the most common magical affinities, matched with earth, wind, and water, many spells use these. As I understand it, your first spell is one such spell, a bolt of fire. I will teach you the spells I know, few as they are.”

  He motioned for David to follow, and they descended the tree via a rope elevator, trekking through the forest until they arrived at an abandoned quarry. There, it would be safe to practice with fire magic. “Let us begin with the first spell any fire mage is taught; fireball.” Said the human-shaped slime. Fireball was an easy spell to learn, and easier still to cast, David managed to cast it successfully on his third try.

  The next was not so simple. Summon Lesser Elemental – Fire, was a far more difficult spell, requiring a gesture, a verbal component, and a temporary magical contract. The summoned elemental would be a fire sprite, a living ball of fire, and would have to be fed mana through the contract or it would disappear. Summon Minor Elemental would summon a flame spirit, which would be a more humanoid and intelligent being. Summon Elemental would summon a Sylph, Greater Elemental a Fairy, and Mythical Elemental, an extremely rare spell, an Avatar.

  The spell could, of course, be modified into other spells to summon other elemental lifeforms, like slimes. A similarly difficult spell was Magebane Flare, a spell that could devour other spells, or the mana within them. The spell’s five matrixes were by far the most complicated he had seen. He only managed to learn fireball during the training session, which lasted until his mana ran out, leaving him far more tired than was normal, at least according to his instructor, and they returned to theory for the rest of the morning.

  “Let us talk about life magic. Life magic, as you no doubt know, is the form of magic wielded by most healers, clerics excluded, druids, tamers, and some Enhancers. Life magic is more than just healing or encouraging life to grow, it is also strengthening, weakening, and changing.” Said the slime, whose human form had now grown a long white beard more in following with the appearance of the stereotypical elder mage.

  “No practitioner of magic is ever helpless, especially not the healers. This is because-” David already knew what he would say, his instincts had been quite well aware of it, in fact, so he interrupted.

  “Because you are not the only living thing within your body. Your cells are all living things, and there are countless living organisms so small as to be invisible to the naked eye on (and in) all parts of your body. These beings cause illness and may be weaponized when enhanced with life magic. Your cells too may be turned against you by speeding up degradation or causing the creation of a malignancy.” Said David.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “Very good! You must have had Tala teach you some healing!” The seer exclaimed. “I myself know little of healing, but I will have those books I possess about life magic transported to your home along with those on Space and fire magic. I know you will study them in your free time. Alas, I believe it is midday already, and our lessons must end for the day.”

  “Thank you for instructing me, Seer Viggo, I shall return next month for further training.” Said David, bowing respectfully.

  “There is no need to thank me, I am doing it for, partly, my own self-interest.” The Seer declared. “Oh! I’d nearly forgotten. The H?xa of Ford Vilgen should be visiting the village today, she is a mighty enchantress and may deem fit to seek you out when she learns that you have begun to learn magic. In fact, knowing her, she’s likely to be waiting for you at home. She is an exceptional wielder of life and stone, take any opportunity to learn from her, you might never get another chance like that.”

  “Oh. Right. Before I forget-” Viggo began. “Again- You will soon reach the limits of what you can do with mana. You’re incompatible with it and will soon reach the limits of what you can do with it. The path laid out before you calls for a different form of magic, which you will someday discover. It is a path of balance, consumption and creation, and it is incomparable to the path of the mage.”

  _____________________________________________________________________

  He soon found out that, indeed, the Witch of Ford Vilgen was waiting at his home, drinking mead with his aunt. They were apparently old friends.

  “Ah! There you are, David! I was just telling Gertrude about you and your magic!” His Aunt had exclaimed as soon as he’d opened the door to his house. “Gertrude here is the Witch of Ford Vilgen and used to be a Frostgale city enchantress. We fought together before she nearly died and became a witch.”

  “Gertrude?” David asked. “With how much fear everyone has for the H?xa, I was honestly expecting a more intimidating name. No matter, it is a pleasure to meet you, Gertrude.”

  The witch fixed her eyes on him, looking him up and down. “This bairn expects a more intimidating name? You’d have bin shivering oot o’ yer boots if it were no’ fer my aura being suppressed!” She said, and David felt it then, an all-encompassing magical presence, a mountain of magic to his bright little spark. He forced himself into maintaining a neutral expression.

  “Brave little shite Isn't he?” Said his aunt with a mirthful smile. “Could you believe his first battle was yesterday? He scored himself a few nice trophies with his pair of kills.”

  “I ken, auld pa’ Oak told me in oor chat.” The witch said, not taking her eyes off him. “What are yer affinities, boy?”

  “Fire, Life, and Space.” he stated as he drew up a chair.

  “Wha’ aboot fate? Have ye tested that one?” Said the Witch who did not look like a witch, most witches were described as old, she was young, mid-twenties at most.

  “No, I do not know how.” David said.

  “Well, how aboot this, ye answer a few simple questions and I’ll tell ye if ye have an affinity fer fate magics?” The witch stated. “Have ye ever foreseen something, an attack maybe? Or mayhap ye’ve dreamt something that later came to pass? Or better yet, ye’ve seen something of a person’s soul, thought, or future when you looked intae their eyes? This seeing doesny have to be a thing ye see with yer eyes, it can be an odd feeling or a thought.”

  “I felt something warning me about incoming attacks during the battle against the Fexxakin, a twinge in my very awareness, telling me exactly where an attack was coming from, but I can’t recall any times my dreams have been prescient.” Said David. “As for odd feelings, I’ve had a few of those before, but it's hard to know what’s normal and what’s not, they’re just feelings.”

  He neglected to mention whatever it is he’d felt while staring into the rescued one’s eyes that had set him off so severely, not sure if he should trust a witch. They had a reputation, and it was likely well-earned. He did not want to test it.

  “Ye can probably add Fate to yer list, laddie. Ye have an affinity fer it, or a divine or Fae patron guiding you, but ye’ve no fae mark on yer soul, just the dragon-mark.” Said the witch.

  “Dragon mark?” asked David.

  “Called such because only dragons an’ their god ken what it means.” The witch answered.

  “You’re likely to encounter and befriend those who share you share a mark with.” His aunt offered, speaking from her place at the table.

  “Another term fer it is soul-sign, an’ those whom ye share it with are called soulmates.” The witch explained. “Dragons can supposedly see the threads that bind us tae each other, and they all lead tae the soul-sign. It is these threads, they say, that draw people tae each other.”

  “How does one know when they’ve found a soulmate?” David asked, already wondering if any of those he’d met so far shared his dragon-mark. Perhaps that was the resonance? But no, his instincts told him, it isn’t that simple. He felt them straining, like if his gift were constrained, or reaching the limits of its power.

  “Tae be honest laddie, I have no farking clue, ye’d have to ask the divines themselves for an actual answer.” Said the witch. “Now, what do ye ken about biomancy?”

  “Biomancy is the manipulation of biology through the usage of life magics. A skilled biomancer can reverse aging, enhance biological functions and physical capabilities, modify living beings, and heal wounds. Though they are less effective at the last than a skilled healer.” David listed off.

  “Indeed! I assume ye got that definition from Viggo the fate slime? How many biomancy spells did he teach ye?” The witch queried mirthfully. “Such a rigid definition, just like Viggo would have given back during his training.”

  “He has not yet taught me any life magic spells, just flame. I am currently out of mana.” Said he.

  “‘At’s fine, I’ll just leave ye a tome of spells to study after- Oh!” She cut off and her eyes turned pure, shining white. “Yer cute Lycan lassie is heading this way, ye’ll want to meet her by the smithy afore three minutes if ye want tae make a good impression. I cannae spoil yer future any further. Go on then.” Said the witch, who’d by now lifted him off his chair and was bodily pushing him towards the door. He wanted to say something, to ask what future she saw, but rapidly decided to just go along with it.

  He hurried his way to the smithy, where his father was working, and was beckoned inside. The inside of the smithy was, as always, sweltering, and the forge’s fire crackled with additional fervor today, it’d likely been augmented with elemental flame powder. His father handed him a pommel and hilt and drew from the forge’s fire a resplendent blade of moon-pale metal. He slammed a cross guard of burnished black metal onto the blade’s base and in seconds they slipped the hilt of odd metallic bark after it and attached the black-steel pommel onto the hilt’s end.

  But before they could hammer it into place, David spotted pale fur beyond the smithy’s door, heading towards their home, and his father noticed too. He gestured outside and nodded at David, ushering him out. And out David went, just in time to be noticed by Runa. She hurried to his side, Tala followed closely.

  “Apologies, she wanted to see the village, and I proposed that we’d ask you to guide her-” Tala said.

  “It’s fine.” David said. He began to seek guidance, and his instincts answered. Or was it the possible fate affinity? Either way, he suddenly had a feeling like he knew exactly what to do, but to what end? And why did he want to be around the cause of his previous distress? He took a brief moment to consider this, disguised as brushing his clothes off, before deciding to just go with the flow.

  He'd figure it out someday, he swore, but he couldn’t just stand there. He sighed. “Come on, Runa, I’ll show you the market.”

  They spent the rest of the day touring the village, exploring the surrounding woods, and running from his siblings, it was wonderful. But his gift told him it wouldn’t last.

  A year passed; David learned. He learned the basics of biomancy, pyromancy, and divination magic. He became... acceptably skilled with the shield and hammer, now moving on to other weapons. He built friendships he cherished like the blood in his veins.

  Fergus, who he so often brawled with for fun. Runa, who always left him conflicted, and she remained the cause of his greatest conundrums. Arren, the builder’s son, who he often collaborated with to avoid interaction with their siblings. Deagan, his sworn brother, who tested out the weapons he crafted. These were friendships that ensured he would never be bored, or lonely. Gods know the lot of them would never let him have a moment of contemplative loneliness unless he was lying in bed.

  His life was picking up steam, and his questions would be forgotten, lost in the increasing storm of activity.