Kael was already halfway through his breakfast when Merra approached his table, her expression caught between curiosity and concern. The morning crowd at the Sleeping Drake was lighter than usual—just a few early risers nursing cups of tea or coffee before heading out on their day's business.
"You seem excited this morning," Merra observed, refilling his water cup. "Big plans for the day?"
"Meeting my new teammate," Kael said around a mouthful of eggs. He swallowed and continued, "We're taking our first job together. Heading into the western forest to catch some mythbeasts for the bonding program."
"New teammate?" Merra's eyebrows rose. "Anyone I'd know?"
"Lyssa Thornwood."
Merra's expression shifted immediately—not quite horror, but definitely alarm mixed with disbelief. "Lyssa Thornwood? The Lyssa Thornwood? You actually teamed up with her?"
"That's the one," Kael confirmed, taking another bite of his breakfast. "Is there a problem?"
"I—" Merra paused, clearly trying to choose her words carefully. "Look, Lyssa is a good person. Really good, actually. She's helped my father with heavy lifting before, never asks for payment, and is always polite. But teaming up with her for actual guild work? That's... that might not be the best idea."
"Because of the bad luck thing?" Kael asked.
"Because of the very real, very documented bad luck thing," Merra corrected. "I've heard stories, Kael. Equipment failures, freak accidents, monster attacks that shouldn't happen. Her last three teammates quit, and one of them I know personally—he swore he'd never work with her again after a simple escort job turned into a three-day survival ordeal."
Kael appreciated the warning; he really did. But he'd already made his choice. "I'll be careful. And honestly, I have a good feeling about this."
Merra looked at him like he'd just announced his intention to juggle live fireballs while blindfolded. "A good feeling. About working with someone literally known as 'the Unlucky One.'"
"I contain multitudes," Kael said with a grin, echoing his words from the previous day.
Elara emerged from the kitchen at that moment, a wrapped bundle in her hands. She'd clearly been eavesdropping—the kitchen was close enough to hear most conversations in the common room—and her weathered face wore an expression of maternal concern.
"Here," she said, pressing the bundle into Kael's hands. "Lunch. On the house. You're going to need your strength if you're working with that poor girl."
"I can pay—" Kael started, but Elara waved him off.
"No charge. Consider it insurance. Someone needs to look out for you if you're determined to do something this reckless." Her expression softened. "But I mean it—good luck today. You'll need it."
"Thank you," Kael said sincerely, touched by the gesture even if it came wrapped in concern about his life choices. "I really appreciate this."
"Just come back in one piece," Elara said. "Both of you. That girl's been through enough without adding another failed partnership to her record."
Kael promised he would, finished his breakfast quickly, and headed out into the early morning streets. Vera padded beside him, her crystalline patterns catching the dawn light, while Ember perched on his shoulder, her flames bright with anticipation.
The town square was easy to find—it sat near the center of Thornhaven, a large open space that served as a meeting point, marketplace, and general gathering area. Even this early, a few merchants were setting up stalls, and a handful of people crossed through on their way to various destinations.
Kael spotted Lyssa immediately. She stood near the edge of the square, and beside her was—
"Holy shit," Kael breathed, stopping in his tracks.
The creature was massive. Easily ten feet long and seven feet tall at the shoulder, it dwarfed every other mythbeast Kael had seen so far. Its body was built like an ox—powerful, sturdy, designed for incredible strength—but that's where the similarities to a normal ox ended.
Crystals grew across its hide in strategic locations—thick formations protecting its shoulders, chest, and head like natural armor. The crystals were a beautiful pale blue that caught the light and threw prismatic reflections across the cobblestones. Despite being crystalline, they looked incredibly tough, dense, and solid rather than fragile. The ox's eyes were gentle brown, watching the world with patient calm.
A cart was hitched to the creature's harness—large, well-constructed, with high sides and a comfortable layer of hay spread across the bed. Perfect for transporting small mythbeasts without injury.
As Kael approached, Lyssa noticed him and offered a small nod of greeting. "Morning. Glad you actually showed up."
"Did you think I wouldn't?" Kael asked.
"Honestly? A little bit, yes. Most people have second thoughts overnight when they remember exactly who they agreed to work with." She gestured to her massive companion. "This is my partner. His name is Granite."
"Nice to meet you, Granite," Kael said, looking up at the enormous crystal ox. The creature lowered his head slightly in what might have been a nod, his breath coming out in warm puffs that smelled like fresh hay.
Vera approached cautiously, her natural wariness of large creatures evident in her careful movements. But Granite made no aggressive moves, simply standing still and allowing her to investigate. After a moment of mutual sniffing and assessment, Vera seemed to relax. Through their bond, Kael felt her approval—this was a gentle creature, not a threat.
Ember was less cautious, flying right up to Granite's face and chiming a greeting. The massive ox went slightly cross-eyed trying to focus on the tiny fire fairy, then made a low, rumbling sound that might have been amusement.
"He's beautiful," Kael said honestly. "And huge. I wasn't expecting something this big."
"Granite's a gentle giant," Lyssa said, and there was genuine affection in her voice as she stroked the ox's crystalline shoulder. "He hates fighting. Absolutely despises it. He'll defend himself if he has to, but he's much happier pulling carts and helping with heavy lifting."
"That's why you put up the porter ad," Kael realized. "Not because you wanted to run a porter service, but because you needed a role that fit what your partner could do comfortably."
"Exactly." Lyssa's expression softened as she looked at Granite. "Most tamers would consider a combat-averse mythbeast a failure, something to be ashamed of. But he's my companion first, my tool never. If he doesn't want to fight, then we find another way."
Kael's respect for her increased significantly. She'd adapted her entire career around her partner's preferences rather than forcing him to be something he wasn't. That showed real character.
"Well, for today's job, his size and gentle nature are perfect," Kael said. "We need to catch mythbeasts without hurting them. Having someone strong and calm will help."
"That's what I thought," Lyssa agreed. She checked the cart one more time, ensuring everything was secure. "I've brought securing cages, food, water, and basic medical supplies. The western forest is our best bet—it's known for having smaller, less aggressive mythbeasts. More peaceful than the other forests around here."
"Western forest it is," Kael confirmed. "Lead the way."
They set off through Thornhaven's morning streets, Granite's massive form drawing plenty of stares but also causing people to give them a wide berth. The cart rumbled along behind the crystal ox, and Kael noticed how smoothly Granite pulled it despite its weight. Pure strength combined with careful control.
As they walked, Kael began to notice things. Small things. Odd things.
A man carrying a basket of bread tripped over absolutely nothing, scattering loaves across the street. A woman's bag broke, spilling groceries everywhere. A street vendor's awning suddenly collapsed, though there was no wind and the structure had looked fine moments before.
All of these incidents happened within about thirty feet of their group.
Kael's eyes narrowed. This couldn't be a coincidence. This was Lyssa's bad luck in action, affecting their surroundings in small but noticeable ways.
"Does it always do this?" he asked quietly.
Lyssa didn't need to ask what he meant. "Yes. Small mishaps, usually. Things breaking, people stumbling, minor inconveniences. It gets worse when there's actual danger involved—that's when equipment failures and freak accidents tend to happen."
They were about halfway to the western gate when Kael heard it—a shout of "Watch out!" from above.
His combat instincts kicked in immediately. He looked up and saw a clay pot falling from a second-story window, tumbling end over end, directly toward where his head had been a moment before. Without conscious thought, he sidestepped, and the pot shattered on the cobblestones exactly where he'd been standing.
His heart hammered in his chest. If he hadn't been paying attention, if he hadn't heard that warning, that pot could have seriously injured him.
Lyssa's face had gone pale. "Are you... Are you still sure about this? We haven't even left the city yet, and you almost got brained by falling pottery."
Kael took a breath, steadying himself. His mind was racing, but he forced calm into his voice. "No worries. Nothing bad happened—I dodged it. We're good."
But internally, he was recalculating. This bad luck thing wasn't just a reputation or exaggeration. It was real, active, and potentially lethal. If a pot could fall on him in a crowded city street, what might happen in the wilderness where there were actual dangerous creatures?
They continued walking, Lyssa watching him with an expression that suggested she was waiting for him to change his mind and bail. But Kael kept moving forward, his thoughts churning.
Divine Restoration. The healing ability he'd been given by the god's remnant. He'd used it to heal physical injuries—wounds, broken bones, burns. But what if it could do more? What if it could heal conditions, curses, whatever was causing Lyssa's bad luck?
It was worth trying. Hell, it might be necessary for their survival.
But how to bring it up? "Hey, I have this magical healing power I've been hiding. Let me try to fix you," sounded insane. And revealing Divine Restoration to someone he'd known for less than a day was a risk. If word got out that he could heal injuries instantly...
But if he didn't try, and Lyssa's bad luck got one of them killed...
They passed through the western gate without incident, though Kael noticed one of the guards tripped while they were nearby. The forest beckoned ahead—a wall of green that looked peaceful and inviting in the morning light.
Kael made his decision.
"Lyssa," he said, working to keep his voice casual. "Can I try something? It's about your bad luck."
She stopped walking, turning to look at him with an expression caught between hope and cynicism. "Try something? Like what?"
"I..." Kael paused, choosing his words carefully. "I have an ability. Something I was born with. It's related to good luck, positive energy, that sort of thing. I want to see if it might help with your situation."
"You have a good luck ability?" Lyssa's skepticism was evident. "And you think it might counteract whatever curse or condition I have?"
"I don't know," Kael admitted honestly. "But I'd like to try. The worst that happens is nothing changes. The best that happens is it actually helps."
"What would you need to do?" Lyssa asked, her guard clearly up.
"Just put my hand on your shoulder. There'll be a slight light effect—golden-white, kind of warm. That's it. It won't hurt, and if it doesn't work, we'll know pretty quickly."
Lyssa studied him for a long moment, her eyes searching his face for... something. Signs of deception? Genuine belief? Kael tried to project confidence he didn't entirely feel.
"You actually think this might work," she said finally. It wasn't a question.
"I hope it might work," Kael corrected. "There's a difference."
"And if it doesn't? You're not going to decide I'm too cursed to work with and bail?"
"No," Kael said firmly. "I made a commitment. I keep my commitments."
Another long pause. Then Lyssa's shoulders sagged slightly, and Kael saw exhaustion in her expression—the weariness of someone who'd tried everything and been disappointed every time.
"Okay," she said. "Go ahead. Try your good luck ability or whatever it is. I've been to priests, scholars, and a very expensive hedge witch who told me I have an unusual destiny. One more attempt can't hurt."
"Thank you for trusting me," Kael said.
He stepped closer, and Lyssa stood still, her posture tense despite her agreement. Granite watched with gentle eyes, and through their bonds, Kael felt Vera's curiosity and Ember's hopeful encouragement.
Kael raised his hand and placed it on Lyssa's shoulder, just above where her collarbone would be. He could feel her tension, the wariness of someone who'd been let down too many times.
Please work, he thought desperately. Please let Divine Restoration be able to heal whatever's causing this. Please let me be able to help her.
He activated the ability, and golden-white light bloomed from his palm.
And prayed to whatever gods were listening that this would actually work.