QuestWright: Bk 1: Chapters 7-10

As promised, here we go! I'm wondering if it would be easier to put straight links in here, or if you guys still prefer the text laid down like normal.

Chapter 7: Homebound

Two days. 

It had been two days since he’d left his home and received his Calling, but already it felt like a different world. Cass rolled out of bed, swapped his sleeping robe for his about-town clothes, and set his priorities for the day as he left on his way to breakfast. 

For the low-tiered and service workers, Sundays weren’t official duty days. That meant all he found upon arrival was roughage, soft fruits, and simple drinks set out in organized rows. He ate quickly, nodding at a few people he’d met in his short time with the Guild, had a single, sad thought, no porridge, then he was off to the open sky with a smile.

Walking across the quiet, open grounds, Cass considered everything he’d experienced yesterday. Martin Martin had been thrilled to learn he was a QuestWright, that is, until he’d learned he was only Level 1. That told him something important: The Martin Metalworks didn’t need basic delivery quests. They needed a quest type that Cass hadn’t unlocked yet.

The Commons, though? That was different. They didn’t need anything special, just quests in general. Experience. A better way forward. He made a mental note to return next week, check on Rina’s progress, and get a better idea of their needs. The more he knew about them, the better he could help.

But that was all for next week’s Cass.

Today, he wasn’t working with the Annex or studying the city. Today, he was going home.

Seeing Jim lazily wave from his booth, he realized he’d reached the Entrance Hall before he knew it. “You’re a busy little bee.” He looked him up and down, “Wait…you’re not quitting, are you?”

The thought had crossed my mind initially, Cass thought as he said aloud, “No. I’m just checking in on a few people who I haven’t seen since the ceremony.”

“Ah,” He nodded sagely, “Family, then.”

“Exactly.” He walked past the portly fellow and nearly skipped through lively downtown before he began to see the green and gold coloring that was home.

Gary’s working right now, and he’ll be busy till sundown, but Dad should be home. Waving at a few people and stopping once to ask a GoldenCrown Officer about the location of his mother and sister, he got there with the sun still low in the sky.

Their house was the standard shape and design of a mid-level Company officer. Two stories, a pinch of flair, and thick, defensible walls should they ever come under attack. The GoldenCrowns were considered paranoid by many in Liora. Its members and their families consistently followed a rigorous set of monthly drills. One for monsters, one for people.

Turning the knob, Cass entered the quiet front room of his childhood home. As always, the scent of the place hit him first. It was a mix of dry air, wood polish, and fried eggs. The smell of his old life. 

By contrast, his Guildhall room smelled like nothing. As if it were sterilized every day by an unseen attendant.

Hearing the unmistakable clatter of pots and pans downstairs, he quickly made his way over and found his father hard at work. He stood at a marble counter, sleeves rolled up, with a large bowl of dough balanced in the crook of an arm and flour dusting his body and apron.

“Smells like cinnamon,” Cass said, as he stopped and leaned against the framed entryway. “You want some help?”

“Hey kiddo!” His dad said with a broad smile. He dropped the bowl on the counter and rushed over to hug him, unintentionally spreading flour across Cass’s clothing. It wasn’t the first time this had happened. “Sorry about that. Hey, how’s the Guild treating you? I wanna hear all about it.”

Cass brushed the most egregious stains off his clothing. “The Guild has been fairly nice, no real complaints from me. Although…”

“Although…” His dad said, a smile freezing in place.

“They have me doing an exercise class. I’m a QuestWright, that doesn’t seem like the kind of thing that should occupy my time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, it’s just weird that it’s scheduled in.”

“Ah,” His father said with a nod, already moving back to his work, “It’s called Foundational Training, even in the GoldenCrowns.” He slapped the dough into a large pan with a bang. “I’m surprised you didn’t get a System quest for it.”

That was news to him. “There’s quests for training like that?”

“That’s right, kiddo,” A roller came out, evening out the dough in seconds when it would’ve taken Cass far longer for its size. “I was unaffiliated for years, preferring to work on my skills in your grandmother’s house, not that she minded. I had a knack for my Calling from the beginning. Most of us do.” Taking the pan, he flipped the dough into another one of the same size, then started again. “I didn’t start as a Chef, you know. Took more than a few years and even more burnt pastries than I care to admit. You’ve got to grow into it and unlock your path.”

Cass shook his head, “You know, you could’ve told me all of this before.”

“No, actually, I couldn’t.” Opening the oversized oven, he placed the tray in and shut it with a click. “System doesn’t like for us to talk about evolutions, quests, and all that with Uncalled. Your mother read a paper on it a long time ago. Said it messes with what Callings are given out. Now, there’s a blanket rule for everyone. No talking about titles, paths, evolutions, the whole thing. Even using abilities in town is banned now by order of the Council. Been that way going on fifteen years.’ Stepping back, he turned around and met Cass’s eyes. “But you’re not Uncalled anymore, so ask away.”

Cass pulled up a worn stool, the same one he’d perched on through most of his childhood, then asked, “What was your original Calling?”

His dad pulled up his own so they sat across from one another, “Baker, like your friend Gary. But that wasn’t enough for me, you know? I need more. So I worked hard and found a path that was more suited to me.”

That fascinated Cass. He’d had no idea you could change your Calling like that. “How’d you do it?”

“Slowly. The System tracks what you do, not what you say you’re going to do. Every time I woke up and received my daily quest, I pushed the envelope of what it allowed. Bit by bit, I experimented, and the System noticed. It rewards hard work.” He smiled faintly, “Then, I got a Quest Chain to upgrade it.”

“A Quest Chain?” Cass asked, leaning forward without meaning to.

“A real one. Your mother did this too,” His father confirmed. He stood up, grabbed a sharp-edged knife, and pulled out several tomatoes, slicing them with a speedy, methodical precision. “It didn’t say path unlock or anything like that. It started small. Refine this, prepare that. But I noticed they weren’t the same old quests I’d always gotten in the past. I didn’t even know I was qualifying until one morning, the option appeared. Chef.” He gave a glorious laugh, the kind he only ever heard his father belt out. “Then, I did it again, pushing harder. Experimenting more broadly. Though I will say the second chain was much more difficult.”

Cass had watched his father’s face the whole time. He hadn’t even noticed that a dozen tomatoes had been perfectly sliced in moments. His eyes narrowed as a thought occurred,  “I thought you said you couldn’t use abilities in town?”

“Hah! What do you think I did every time you left the room?” His dad said with a grin, “Don’t worry about it, what they don’t know won’t hurt them.” He squinted at Cass as if expecting him to tell, then smiled and brushed a few tomato seeds off his hands. “You’ll do good, kid. Just don’t expect shortcuts. The System’s not looking for magic; It’s looking for proof. Provide that, and everything’s cream cheese after.”

With a quick step, he walked over, lifted the tray out of the oven, and then placed it on the counter. A perfectly crispy piece of flatbread sat there, waiting for the next step. “Your Calling is like this piece of bread right now. It’s simple, unadorned, basic. But with the right ingredients, it can be perfect. You just have to figure out what it takes to get those ingredients and what kind of dish you’re trying to make.”

Cass stared at the bread as his father’s words sank in. It looked plain, ordinary. But in someone like his father’s hands, even flour and water could become something more.

What kind of Calling do I want? If his father was right, and every Calling had a path to upgrading, how did he find his? Was it related to the people he helped or the types of quests he made? 

When he looked up, everything was clean and orderly again. Even the dashes of flour everywhere had been removed, including the ones on Cass’s clothes. In a long, carrying tray sat his father’s patented savory-sweet flatbread, often delivered to the Company to mark a momentous occasion.

“I’ve gotta take this over to HQ, a place you are no longer allowed, Kiddo.” He said the last part with a smile, softening the blow. Cass’s brow furrowed, prompting his dad to add, “You’re a part of the Guild. Can’t just wander into Company territory, even if your family’s inside ‘em.”

Cass blinked. He hadn’t thought of that. He truly belonged somewhere else now.

Stepping towards the stairs, his father gave him one final remark, “You have a Calling now. Can you believe it?”

“Yes…Yes, I can.”

After his father left, Cass didn’t linger long in the empty house. He knew his sister was out on a quest, probably for a long time, and given the ceremonial flatbread, something was happening at GoldenCrown HQ. Closing the door behind him felt metaphorical in numerous ways. He stared at it as the frame’s seal kicked in with a click, then intently turned his back on it. It was time to visit the one person who’d always made things simple. 

Gary.

The Golden Crust was a small, well-loved bakery near the edge of Company grounds. It was nestled where Liora met Golden Crown territory; its mouth-watering smells and cheerful staff making it a favorite for both sides. That Gary had landed there, even as an apprentice, had been a big cause of celebration last year. Every Calling who entered the Golden Crust came out as a more than solid Baker when their time of service was done.

He found his oldest friend on his lunch break, sitting in the sun at a small table for public use. Based on the lines under his eyes, he could tell Gary was tired.

Since he hadn’t yet been seen, Cass decided to continue a little game they’d been playing with one another for years. Sneaking up on light steps, and just as a sandwich was about to enter Gary’s mouth, a hand darted out and touched his elbow.

“Weenus!”

Leaning back in surprise, Gary began to choke on his food. It took him a moment to find Cass, who was still standing behind him with a big grin on his face as he said, “That’s forty-three to twelve.”

“Yeah, yeah. I thought we said no more Weenus games when we’re eating. I almost died!”

“You did not almost die.”

“I did. I almost died right there, Cass.” The big man pantomimed a tear dropping, “My poor mother would’ve never forgiven you.”

“What? She likes me more than you.” Cass stuck out his tongue. “Anyways, what's on your docket for the rest of today? Hauling flour? Moving flour? Transporting flour?”

“Nope,” He leaned down conspiratorily, whispering, so the people walking by couldn’t hear, “My quest changed.”

“Whoa, look at this guy.” Cass chucked his shoulder, then paused. “Wait, changed how?”

“Cass, you’re a QuestWright. How do you not know what that means?”

He held up his hands, “Hey, I’ve officially only been a QuestWright and had a Calling for two days. Cut me some slack.”

Gary grinned, “You’re too easy.” Leaning close again, he said, “My daily quest focuses on mixing flour and water now. I’m already at Mixing!”

Cass had no clue, “Is that fast to get to that level?”

“Yep!” He leaned back, “I’m already level five in a year. Plus, I already got a title!” He added, his face veritably glowing.

What the hell is a title?

Gary rolled his eyes at Cass’s confused expression. “When’s your Foundational training?”

“Wait, how did you know about that?” 

“Everyone has to do it, man. They’ll explain a bunch, and it’s just a few weeks to get your feet on the ground.” He gave another big smile, “But can you believe it? Level five and a title!”

“Yeah, man, that’s huge,” Cass said with a smile, but internally, he knew it wasn’t. Kara was probably only a year or two older than him, but from what he knew of tiers, she was already pushing into the teens, and he’d barely made it past the starting line.

But then again, Gary wasn’t the only one who needed to level. Maybe this QuestWright thing has a lot more benefits than I first thought. Cass looked from Gary’s smiling face at hitting level five, then back at the Guildhall, and thought about all of the pinned papers on the boards.

He’d spent an hour with Gary, as the apprentice Baker showed him how efficiently he could stir a bowl of flour and water. Cass had to admit, it was unglamorous work, but the man seemed to truly enjoy it. Helping around the Golden Crust earned him a few sweet treats to take back to Jim at the gate, then he was off, more and more thoughts in his head.

As he walked back toward the Guildhall, a small, thin basket of chocolate-wrapped buns in his hand, Cass let his thoughts sweep over his consciousness.

Gary had a Calling, a daily quest, and a path. It didn’t matter that his job was simple; it mattered that he loved it. But who was to say he wouldn’t love it more when experience was bleeding from his ears? Kara hadn’t told him who he had to give quests to yet, and he’d bet everything he owned that they wouldn’t stop him from making a few that didn’t have anything to do directly with the Guild.

But he needed a few rules if he wanted to help out Gary, Holt, Rina, and the folks at the Commons. 

Rule one: He’d never sell quests for money. Yes, having some credits would go a long way to make a few things in his life easier, but the Guild already took care of all that. Turning his Calling into a for-profit service would rot him from the inside out.

Rule two: Quests need to be real and have an impact. Given the choice, he’d never hand them out to people with bad intentions or design a quest purely for the sake of experience. The System rewarded honest work, and he intended to embody that.

Rule three: Quests should build momentum. For the Questor. For the QuestWright. And for Liora itself. If a quest didn’t help all three move forward, then it wasn’t worth making.

As he continued his walk, he repeated those three rules back to himself, over and over again, cementing them in his mind and forming a bedrock for all future arguments that might occur. If he was going to be a QuestWright, this was how he wanted to do it.

Handing off the chocolate basket of sweets to an ecstatic Jim, he made his way to his room, his map, and time to himself. Tomorrow, the classes came, and with them, a deeper understanding of his commitments. 

Tonight, he’d just focus on Liora. 

Chapter 8: Group LIA-G-0701

The day started with Cass leaping out of bed and changing into clothing that could get dirty without upsetting anyone. The kind of shorts and shoes that had long outgrown their value and were now simply placeholders of times when he wasn’t quite as old as he was now.

According to his schedule, he needed to be at the Yard in ten minutes, followed by breakfast and his first class, System Mechanics with Archivist Marell. Starting at a light jog, a decision he immediately regretted as his stomach jostled with each heavy step, Cass made it with a few minutes to spare.

The Yard was a long, orderly field with two sets of low metal barriers on either side. In the distance, near the brown Guildhall wall, were several concentric circles marked with dots at their centers. He knew from his sister’s complaints that those were targets, meaning the other set of barriers was likely where people stood to fire whatever ranged weapons they were practicing.

Three others had arrived, each standing apart with the stiff awkwardness of people new to a place and not knowing anybody. In the distance, more people trickled in, red faces accompanying the few who were embarrassed about their tardiness.

Of course, Kara Tullis was already there, arms crossed, coppery stare seeming to inspect the late arrivals just as sharply as the punctual. A moment passed before another woman stepped forward, clapping her hands once to get everyone’s attention.

“Good morning, and welcome to the first class for Training Group Liora Guildhall Seven-One.” She nodded at Kara, then his overlay pinged softly with a bell sound.

[SYSTEM NOTICE – PERSONAL QUEST ADDED]

Group: LIA-G-0701
Objective: Complete Guild Foundational Training
Duration: 24 Days
Requirements:
• Attend all listed modules
• Actively participate in scheduled exercises and discussions
• Pass mid-cycle evaluation (Mentor: Kara Tullis)

System Tracking Enabled
Assessment will be conducted via System metrics and instructor reports.

Reward:
• XP (Performance-Scaled)
• Reputation Review (Eligible)
• Title Unlock Eligibility

Note:
Quest cannot be declined. Failure results in progression lock and retraining protocol.

“My first quest…” Cass said, looking at the text as if it were a savior dragging him out of a fire. The others around him murmured similar things, some in awe, others in confusion, but a second clap from the Instructor forced him to close the screen.

“Yes, yes, that’s your first quest. I understand it can be quite the enlightening experience, especially for those of you with system-leaned Callings. But we’re not here for that right now, you’ll learn more about it in your class following breakfast.” 

She gave a broad grin that felt just a little bloodthirsty, “What we’re going to do right now is a physical test to see what level you all are at.” She gestured at Cass’s Guild Trainer, “This is Kara Tullis for those of you who haven’t heard of her. She’s a Tier 2 Guild Trainer, and one of the finest administrators the guild has.” Touching her chest, the woman continued, “My name is Dev Rinn, but you can call me Dev. I’m a Scout for the Council of Liora, with a personal contract assigned directly to Guildmaster Hollis himself.”

Pausing, she walked up and down the line of now-nervous people, “Every morning, except on Sundays, we’re going to meet in a different location and work on what you know, and most definitely, what you don’t know about your bodies. We’re going to push you to heights you didn’t know you could achieve, because that’s our job.”

Kara opened her folder, then pointed at one woman and two men, “You three have combat Callings, stand aside so we can test you last.”

The three nodded and stepped aside as a name was called out.

“Pellin Cray, Calling: System Engineer. Step forward.” A young man with long, tangled hair jittered forward as he muttered under his breath. Kara told him to stand in front of her, then called out another name.

“Thava Jorn, Calling: Identifier.”

One by one, they continued down the list, lining up in front of the two women who stood straight and tall as the roll call continued.

“Orla Marrowind, Calling: Merchant.” A young girl, probably no older than sixteen, sauntered up to the line and stood at precise attention, hands clasped neatly behind her back. There was only one name left.

“Cassio Vale, Calling: QuestWright.”

Cass took a few steps forward and stood beside the rest, settling quietly at the end.

Dev walked up and down the line twice, looking everyone over with a hawk-like gaze. She even paused once to poke Pellin’s stomach, making a tsking sound at what she found. Finally, she pointed at the targets in the distance. “Run there and back. The two slowest among you will have an extra tutoring session tonight.”

The ominous sound of that was powerful enough that Cass took off like a bullet. A slow bullet, but still as fast as he could move. All around him, people exploded into motion, quickly leaving him and the long-haired guy behind. By the time they both touched the targets, half of the group were already standing back in front of the instructors.

Cass’s breathing felt like a bellow from Martin’s Metalworks that had a kink in it. Dev gave him a smile as he and Pellin arrived last, winded and awkwardly spaced at opposite ends of the formation. 

“And we have our two most in need of tutoring. Congratulations!”

Kara made a note, then pointed at the three standing nearby, “You’re up. Adya Korring, Calling: Scout. Arturo Dent, Calling: Bowman. John Fillory, Calling: Blademaster. Stand in a line.”

As soon as they were set, Dev shouted, “Go!” with great enthusiasm. The three took off in distinctly different ways. Adya stepped first. Low to the ground and light on her feet, her strides looked efficient and economical, as if every foot placement had to be perfect.

“Scouts have such a wonderful pacing, don’t they?” Dev said loudly to Kara. The Guild Trainer just smiled.

Arturo and John had decidedly different styles. The Bowman had a lot of fluidity, his long legs stretching easily as he ate up the ground, while the Blademaster was all power, his arms slicing through the air as his steps devoured the distance with each strike.

When they returned, Adya being far faster than the other two, Kara nodded and jotted something in her folder, “No extra sessions necessary.”

Dev paced the line again, the grin on her face turning sharp, “And that’s the first test. Well done, everyone. Next up, pushups.”

And so it went. Push-ups came first in a 'don’t stop till you drop' format, followed by sit-ups, pull-ups, and, of all things, jumping jacks.

Though he hadn’t done them since middle school, and Cass was pretty sure his legs were going to try to run away from his body in protest, the jumping jacks were the easiest. It wasn’t until they finished the fourth set that they were told to stop, as their instructor singled out one person.

“Breathe, Cray!” Dev yelled in the poor man’s face as he gasped from the ground. “If we ever have a local incursion,  you’ll be the first to go! Staying in physical shape isn’t an option, it’s a necessity!”

It could be worse; at least I’m not last. Cass thought. The look on the poor man’s face reminded him so much of a fish puckering that he couldn’t stop the slight giggle building up in the back of his throat. That turned out to be a mistake.

“Vale!” Dev barked, “If you have time to laugh at your fellow trainees, then you have time to push the ground! Give me ten.”

Cass hit the dirt without a word. He knew better than to grumble. But that wasn’t good enough as Dev dropped beneath him, so every time he went down, her face was in his grimacing way. “Spread your arms more…more! Good, that’s one. No, never mind, that wasn’t good enough, that’s one. No! One!” It took five tries before it was good enough for her, then nine more sweaty moments, and he was done.

Rather than collapse on his trainer, he rolled aside, resisting the urge to fall on her face.

“At least you’re smart enough to do that.” She said, standing up. “We have your basic profile now, you’ll get your review from the system at the end of the day. Go hit the shower and eat breakfast, Archivist Marell is much softer than I am.”

Without looking at them, she jogged away in the same style of running that he’d seen from Adya earlier, only with far greater speed and grace. She was gone before he caught his breath as a bell sound struck his mind.

[Metric Update - Physical Baseline Logged]

The screen faded after he acknowledged it, then he let out a long breath as the rest of his body trembled. Not as bad as I’d thought, but still something I could do without.

Orla, the merchant girl, walked over and examined him. 

“Are you going to survive?”

“I’m going to try,” Cass said, giving her a weak thumbs up. “Name’s Cass.”

“Orla, don’t call me or, it gets confusing.” She gave him a weird look, “I heard her name your Calling. What the heck is a QuestWright?”

“A designer of quests,” Pellin said from the ground with his eyes still closed, “They’re in charge of the Quest Registry.” 

“In charge?” Cass said as Orla replied, “A quest designer? Like, for experience?”

“Yes to both.” He tried to sit up, but his body wouldn’t let him. Cass hadn’t noticed, but they were the only three still remaining in the Yard. Moving to both sides of his figure, they worked together to lift him up. 

“Thanks,” He said with a blank expression as sweat dribbled into his eyes. “I’m Pellin, Pell’s fine. System Engineer.”

“Yeah, we heard,” Orla said, looking across at Cass. “What does a System Engineer do?”

“We, or rather I,” Pellin said, pausing to wipe sweat from his brow, “don’t really do anything exciting yet.” He fidgeted with a loose thread on his sleeve. “System Engineers don’t get a lot of access at the start, just a small peek under the hood.”

“And here I thought my Calling was exciting,” Orla said sarcastically, then finally noticed everyone else was gone. “Shoot, we don’t have a lot of time. Hey, I’m going to shower real quick. You guys want to meet up for breakfast?”

“Yeah,” Cass said, enjoying the idea of not eating alone for every meal.

Pellin sighed, “Sure.”

“Great, see you both there!” Then she ran, far faster than either of them could. Cass looked at Pellin, who looked back at him. Both sighed, then started to jog in two different directions.

Cass blitzed through his shower fast enough that he was sure there were nooks and crannies left unscrubbed, then threw on his Guild robe and got to the cafeteria. Surprisingly, he was the last to arrive.

Orla immediately zeroed in on his clothes without saying anything. It was his meal that became the target, “Porridge, what the hell, Cass? Do you hate yourself?”

“It’s not as good as my dad’s, but I still love it.” He took a big spoonful, swallowing it down with a gritty smile. Orla shuddered. “I don’t think you have enough meat there.” He said, pointing at a plate full of sausage, bacon, and anything else that was carved from an animal.

She shrugged, “Muscle needs fuel.”

“So do brains,” Pellin said lightly, head down as he quietly arranged his utensils, moving his cup several times until he found a resting place he was comfortable with.

Orla raised an eyebrow, “You saying I’m dumb?”

“No,” Pellin said, then looked up with a slip of a smile, “Just calorically underprepared.”

That pulled a laugh from both, and they dug into their food quickly as time wound down. Before they knew it, a new alert struck all their screens simultaneously.

[SYSTEM NOTICE – CLASS ALERT]

Course: System Mechanics

Instructor: Archivist Marell

Location: Classroom A

Start Time: 08:00 – Arrival Required in 5 minutes

Pellin almost leaped out of his seat, tray clattering as he nearly knocked over his cup. “Come on, we don’t want to be late.”

Orla and Cass joined him calmly as the merchant asked, “What’s got you so riled up?”

“It’s System Mechanics,” Pellin said, already halfway to the tray return. “Everything starts from there.”

Cass didn’t know enough to agree or disagree, but Orla snorted loudly. “Nerd,” then fell into place beside Cass as they both speed-walked to keep up with him.

The walk to Classroom A was short, causing Cass and his thighs to thank the gods. When they got inside, the Instructor was already standing at the front, and a few new people they hadn’t seen before were arranged around the room.

They paused at the entrance as Cass said, “Seems like our group just got bigger.”

“Mmm,” Orla said, not looking impressed, “They’re affiliated. Probably paid to be here for just this one class.”

The classroom was designed like a mini-auditorium, with high ceilings and reflective windows, filigree cut into every frame. Every desk was different than what he’d experienced growing up. Each held an embedded interface glowing faintly blue, a stylus resting in a recessed groove beside it. Finding three open seats near the front, they sat down, just as the Instructor cleared her throat.

“Welcome to System Mechanics. For the next four weeks, we’ll meet at this time to discuss material such as overlay modification, system structuring, standard Calling knowledge, quests, permissions, and, near the end, upgrades. You’re all expected to take notes, and I’m going to teach you how to do that now.”

She tapped twice near the edge of her desk, then a pulse of light rippled out, filling the area in front of her with a screen.

Pelling looked across at Cass, a big-eyed expression on his face, “Isn’t this exciting?”

Orla snorted, “Nerd.”

Chapter 9: The Woman is Good

Cass’s stylus flowed across the in-desk interface, his face an image of concentration. The first thing Archivist Marell had taught them all was how to customize and modify their overlays. Pellin kept insisting they were personal interface screens, but nobody had cared except one.

“Nerd,” Orla had said for the third time that day without looking up.

But the Overlay was more than just interesting; it was almost alive now. 

Since the time of the Reshaping, everyone had an overlay growing up. For the Uncalled, it barely ever said anything other than system alerts: attack warnings, notices, Calling announcements. Most people learned to ignore them after a while.

But that all changed the moment you got your Calling. It evolved, becoming interactive with each person. Cass hadn’t explored much yet, but the deeper they went, the more intrigued he became. Pellin, on the other hand, was almost slavering at the mouth.

“I never knew that!” He yelled out in a burst. “You can change the colors?”

“Wow! Identifiers can do all of that? They’re so lucky.”

“Why do only combat-oriented Callings get that ability?”

It was after his third outburst and the sudden silence that followed that Cass grew a little concerned. Seeing the man sit there, staring straight at space with a goofy look on his face, he leaned over, “Pell, you alright? What happened?”

Pellin blinked, then turned in his chair, eyes wide, “I leveled up…”

“What? How?”

His shoulders trembled as he tried to hold in a laugh. “I just had a few thoughts about the interface structure, tested it out, and got a huge amount of experience for it.”

Orla snapped her head toward them. “How is that fair? Do you know how much shit I have to sell to get level two? My quota’s brutal.”

A smug grin spread across Pellin’s face, “Looks like the nerd is in first place now, does-”

“Mr. Cray,” Archivist Marell’s voice cut in, sharp as a knife. “Do you have something to add to the class?”

“No, Archivist.” He said with a shake of his head, then paused and thought for a moment. Before she could move on, he swallowed and raised his hand. “Actually, Archivist, I think I might.”

Marell gestured at him, “Proceed.”

“I was looking through the customization options and tested out interconnecting layers with one of my abilities.” He’d started calmly, but the more he spoke, the more excited his voice became. “Specifically, I connected my passive diagnostic scan to the notes addition you showed me, creating a map of internal data patterns, and then…Bam!” He struck the desk loudly, “Level two.” Scratching his chin, he noticed all the looks coming his way and deflated in his chair as he squeaked out, “I think I triggered a micro-achievement or something.”

“That,” Marell said, pointing at Pellin, “is the kind of thinking that gets you noticed by the system.” She gave a brief smile, “Congratulations, Mr. Cray. It’s not unheard of for new Callings to go through sudden and explosive gains in experience. I know, when Guildmaster Hollis was first starting, he had several sudden leaps in levels.”

As the instructor moved back to teaching them about re-labeling things in their overlays, Cass leaned over and fist-bumped a glowing Pellin. “Congratulations, man. That’s great!” And he meant it…mostly. Pride for his friend warred with Cass’s jealousy deep within; it’d likely take him forever to hit level two.

With Marell droning on in the background, Cass silently made a mental note. His plans for leveling so far mostly had to do with creating quests and building them into routine patterns. By doing so, he could grind out experience at a fast rate by passively allowing it to come in. But with Pellin’s sudden explosion in leveling, he now knew there were other paths he could take. 

Like his father had pointed out, the system liked it when you pushed things.

Class wrapped up with a promise to dive into Callings tomorrow, and a new alert lit up their overlays. The next stop was Institutional Overview, and as the trio filtered into the corridor, they passed multiple blocks of trainees heading to different rooms. Cass couldn’t help but wonder just how many classes were running all at once.

The next room didn’t have interactive desks. Instead, it was a series of tables where a man dressed to the hilt in Silver with a sharp goatee pointed right at Orla.

“You, what’s your Calling?”

“Merch-” She didn’t have time to finish.

“Consortium related, sit at table 2.” He pointed at Pellin next, who barely got out the first part before he was told to sit at table five. For Cass, he didn’t even get the question as he was also told to sit at table five, where a young man was already waiting for them with a cheery wave.

“Hi, name’s Brendan Caner.”

Brendan was a short young man with close-cropped hair. Like Cass, he too was wearing a Guild robe. After they got seated and introduced themselves, he looked them both over. “Why do you think we’re assigned to these tables?’

Since Pellin was staring into space again, Cass decided to answer. Pointing at the first two tables, where he recognized three people from the morning's activities were seated, he said, “Combat Callings, so probably Company-related.” He pointed at tables three and four, where an uncomfortable Orla had her ear bent by a man in an expensive robe, “Merchants and probably tradesmen.” Then he pointed at himself and the other two, “Guild and Administrative.”

Brendan was taken aback, “Wow, you figured all of that out fast? You must be really smart!”

Cass shook his head with a smile, “No, just observant. Pell’s the smart one.” Pellin stopped staring and sat up a bit straighter, giving Cass a grin.

Brendan seemed to vibrate in his seat before asking another question, “What do you do for the Guild?’

“I’m a QuestWright. You?”

“I’m a Clerk.” Brendan said, a big smile on his face as the sound of his foot tapping echoed across the room, “They’re already talking about putting me in the Petition Chamber. I can’t wait!”

Any further conversation was cut off as the man in Silver snapped his fingers twice, “Pay attention and listen up. My name is Thalen Vex, and I have the pleasure of being an Officer in the Valiants, the best Company in Liora.”

“Second best.” Someone muttered in the front. 

Thalen’s head snapped to the sound, “What was that?” 

When no one answered, he took a deep breath and continued, “In this class, you’ll be learning about Consortia, Companies, Guild procedures, and how both the Liora and World Councils work. Now, let’s get started and don’t doze off, what I’m about to say could save you a lot of anxiety in the future.”

To Cass’s surprise, the instruction was actually interesting. None of them ever had a chance to speak or ask questions, as all raised hands were promptly ignored, but Thalen was entertaining to watch as he gave a rapid-fire rundown of Liora’s inner workings. When only fifteen minutes had passed, he had everyone stand up and call out if they were affiliated or not. 

For those with a Consortium or Company backing, Thalen had them explain what they did and why they mattered, causing a few stuttering replies as they were forced to think about it. On Cass’s turn, he’d gained a lot of interest as soon as he explained how his Calling worked. Brendan’s turn had the opposite effect, as people barely looked at him after he explained his role in the Guild.

When it was over and the next update came in, Cass felt like he’d gained a lot of knowledge in a very short period of time.

Orla breathed a sigh of relief when she was rejoined by the other two, “Well,” She said as they filed out into the hall. “Remind me to never apply to the Valiants. Vex looked like he could crush a watermelon between his buttcheeks.”

“It wasn’t that bad,” Cass said with a reproving tone, “Learning about things like that helps all of us.”

“Not me,” Orla replied with a snort, “I counted three errors in what he taught.”

“Okay all-knowing Orla, what were the three?”

She held up her fingers while counting down, “First, he said the World Council oversees all Team licensing, which is just wrong. Regional Guilds manage that. Second, he claimed that the Plumber’s Consortium has the most power in all the trades, when really, it’s the Merchants. And Third, he mispronounced my name twice. It’s ohr-la, not ur-la.”

Cass snorted, “Sure.” When it looked like she was going to object to his brushing away her complaints, he turned toward Pellin, “What do you have next? I’ve gotta meet up with Kara for something called Practical Systems Lab.” 

“Same,” Pellin grabbed his head, “Only I’m not meeting up with anyone. There are no System Engineers in Liora to help me through all this. Instead, I get to run off to a console somewhere near the Atrium to see if I can fix one of the Guild’s machines. It’s good experience, and will help out my Calling, but I don’t like being assigned tasks. I’d rather they let me do things at my own pace.”

Orla poked Cass in the ribs, “He doesn’t like being assigned tasks.” The way she said the word seemed to imply it meant something else. “I wonder what it would be like to have to assign tasks to everyone.”

Cass batted her hand away. “What about you?”

“Pricing and indexing, the Marrowind way.” She gave them both a wink, then, without saying anything else, started to walk away, her stride already stretching out to cover longer distances. Cass said a quick goodbye to Pellin, then headed to the Annex, where the update indicated that Kara would meet him.

He found her harranguing the Clerk girl from two days ago.

“Chancey, I don’t care what the chart said. The Quest Guide is not all-knowing. After all, it was written by Clerks!” She threw her arms in the air, and that’s when she noticed Cass at the entrance. “Finally! Come on, let’s get me out of here.”

Cass had another light jog that jiggled his burning thighs while he followed the Guild Trainer towards the Annex. He looked back at Chancey once as he caught up, “She’s going to cry.”

“She’ll recover,” Kara said, not slowing in the slightest, “cradling stupidity is an easy way to continue letting it grow. My role in the Guild is to make sure everyone is on task and doing what they’re supposed to. That girl is a mental menace that’s going to get someone killed one day.”

They arrived at the threadbare chair and extra-wide desk right on time. Kara pointed a finger at it without speaking, and as soon as everything turned on, she began speaking. 

“You and I have three time-blocks in each day, there’s a reason for that. The first block is simple: ability progression. The second and third are combined, following your logistics class after lunch. I don’t like the back and forth of your schedule any more than you do, but it’s good to break up the monotony.” Pointing at the screen, she said, “Today, you’re going to create your first quest.”

Cass blinked, excitement burning in his chest. “Seriously?”

Kara gave him a level stare, “Don’t get ahead of yourself. It won’t be issued, at least not yet. This is a design test. I want to see how your brain structures objectives and communication. And.” She tapped a control on the Annex, causing a pre-formatted quest to appear. “I’m curious about what your drafting will look like.”

Quest ID: GH-2387-M-LIA

Objective: Bring the sealed letter from Quest Registry (Main Hall, Desk A) to Kara Tullis at the Guild Atrium.

Assigned Candidate: Public: QuestBoard: Blue

Status: Active

Questor Reward: +5 XP

QuestWright Reward: +0.5 XP

“When you say drafting, are you talking about my active ability?” Cass asked as he pulled it up. 

Kara nodded. “Exactly. Open up the drawer below and remove a blank vellum.” 

Cass did so and found the large drawer to be filled to the brim with blank pages. Lifting one out, he noticed the material was exceedingly tough. There was a thickness to it that was hard to describe. Scratching at its surface with a nail, he didn’t make a mark.

“How am I supposed to write on this?”

Kara gave a quick, bark-like laugh, “You’ll see. Now, put it down in front of you, then focus on the quest. Think about what you want it to say, not word for word, but as if people were talking to you. Your emotions, your mental state, and your vocabulary all cross over when the quest is drafted. What do you want to tell people, Cassio Vale? To the people who take up your quests, what do you want them to feel when they read it?”

Cass swallowed. Nothing he’d heard about being a QuestWright had mentioned this. He thought it would be neat and tidy. Sit in a room, stare at a map, fix problems as they come.

Nothing to do but try.

Following Kara’s instructions, Cass centered his mind on the quest, then, while touching the vellum, activated his Quest Draft ability.

The change was both over and underwhelming. The moment Cass hit the ability, he felt his whole body seize up as if he were grabbed by a giant and locked in place. Eyes fixed on the vellum spread across the desk, he got to watch it unfold live as the words sporadically formed themselves from nothing at all. As soon as it finished, a silver glow sparked across the page, then it settled and winked out.

It worked. Cass thought with a sense of relief that was no small thing. It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought it would, only, there was still some small part of him that doubted if he really was a QuestWright. It had just never been a part of any of his plans.

Kara stretched her body across him, examining the page without touching it. “Not terrible for a first draft, but there’s definite room for improvement.”

Cass looked down and read it out.

[TIER 1 DELIVERY QUEST] 

To those who would take on this quest, send thyselves to the Liora Quest Registry and find a crying girl named Chancey. With most haste, and most carefully, obtain a letter to one Kara Tullis, then bring said letter to her within the Guild heart. 

Be not afraid of her glares and waspishness, the woman is good.

Cassio Vale

Liora Guildhall 

QuestWright

“Wait…I wasn’t thinking any of that.”

That was when the unexpected happened.

Kara couldn’t hold herself back anymore as she roared with laughter. It went on for several seconds, until she finally wiped away a single tear drifting down her face, saying, “The woman is good.” That only set her off again as Cass felt the mortification settle in, along with something else.

[System Notice]

Bonus experience granted for first quest draft:

5xp

Achievement progress: 

1/10

Chapter 10: Fieldwork

Cass’s second attempt wasn’t much better than the first, nor was his third, as apparent when the silver glow settled.

[TIER 1 DELIVERY QUEST] 

Please grab the sealed letter from Desk A at the Quest Registry.

Cute girl Chancey has it. Don’t make her upset. 

Bring the letter to Kara Tullis, usually but not always in the Guild Atrium.

Don’t mess it up, she’ll know if you do.

Thanks.

Cassio Vale

Liora Guildhall

QuestWright in Training (I’m trying)

The thud of his forehead hitting the desk was louder than Kara’s snort. He felt a hand roughly patting his back.

“Think of it this way, you can only get better. Now, try again.”

“Why? Wait…” He lifted his head, the vellum sticking to it and blocking his vision, “Would Chancey see the quest?”

Kara laughed, “Of course, she’s a Registry Clerk.”

Cass groaned, slamming his forehead back down on the desk. He’d underestimated the padding provided by the thick piece of stuck paper. “Ow.”

“This isn’t very becoming of a Guild Official.”

“That’s because I’m trying to become a Guild Official, don’t tell me you were Tier 2 Guild Trainer Kara Vullis on the first day.”

She snorted, “Of course not, but we all have standards we must meet. Now, try again.”

Pulling the “official” quest off his face, Cass grabbed another and really focused down. Pushing himself to encapsulate the system information as best as he could, he blinked once, then clicked the draft button.

[SYSTEM ALERT]

You have reached your maximum daily quest limit for the day.

0/3 remaining

Advance your reputation or gain new titles to increase your daily allotment.

“You saw the alert?” Kara asked as he melted into the chair. “Good. While none of the three quests you created count towards your weekly quota, I’m certain we’ll complete them with time to spare. Now, we have a few minutes before your next class, so what questions do you have for me right now?”

Cass looked over at her as air escaped from him in a gust, “How do I get titles?”

Kara sat on the edge of the desk, leaning against the system map as she crossed her legs. “Good question. Usually, that would be answered by your System Mechanics instructor, but I don’t mind. Remember the paths you found the other day?” At Cass’s nod, she continued, “Each path unlock leads to new abilities you can gain, as well as titles that suddenly become available. The higher your level, the more paths you discover, the more abilities and titles you can gain. There are a few I know of that you can get au natural, but for your Calling specifically, it’s related to your path first.”

“And reputation? I saw it unlocked when I first accepted the Calling, and the quest we received this morning said I was eligible, but I don’t really know what it is.”

Kara stared at her screen for a moment, then said, “I’ll be quick, since we’re almost out of time. Think of each Calling as its own, individual world, if you will. All of them are different, and each is somewhat customized for the individual. What are the first two paths you can gain?”

Cass had to pull it up, “The Path of Inspection and the Path of Logistics.”

Kara snapped her fingers, “See, and in my notes, it states that the most likely path that a new QuestWright would have access to is the Path of Structure. But each Calling is unique to the individual. Reputation comes down to trust. The trust you earn with both the System and the Questors. If experience gives you abilities, then Reputation gives you new quests, because you’re now trusted to handle them.” She looked distracted for a moment before Cass received an update, saying he had five minutes to get to Classroom F. 

Uncrossing her legs, she hopped off the desk and gave him a light smile. “You did excellent work for this block, QuestWright Vale. I’m sure tomorrow will go much better. Now, you have class with Diplomat Haim in just a few minutes, I suggest you get a move on.”

Cass stood up and looked at the System Map, which disappeared the moment he disengaged from the Annex. Brushing off an imaginary crease in his robe as Kara turned to leave, he couldn’t help but reflect on what she’d called him.

QuestWright Vale. The more he heard it, the less strange it sounded. 

He had three fake quests done, zero experience, had met a few people, and his reputation was likely in a dumpster somewhere downtown. But still, somehow, he was building something. 

Momentum, maybe? 

He shook off the thought. Right, I have Interpersonal Dynamics and Negotiation. Considering his walkabout in Liora, this class also seemed well-suited for a QuestWright, putting an extra pep in his step.

Arriving at Classroom F, he found an already seated Orla near the back. The classroom was split in half with two large tables dominating the space. Moving around a few people and apologizing to one person whose heel got stepped on, Cass got in place before the instructor began. 

Orla looked at him with a raised brow. “Did you have a good lab?”

Images of failure after failure flashed through his mind, Kara’s laughter echoing across the space while he audibly groaned in the background. Out loud, he said, “Yep, it went great. How about you?”

She looked away, eyes tracking the Instructor as they walked in, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Diplomat Abner Haim was a short, pudgy fellow with a perfectly smooth baby face that didn’t seem to match the gray at his temples. The entire class block was devoted to Haim’s breakdown of conversational styles, methods of de-escalation, and body language based on perceived power imbalances.

While Cass was lost, Orla looked positively ecstatic. In a fair play of turnabout, he poked her in the ribs, “Hey, why are you so excited?”

“Diplomat Haim rarely teaches at the Guild. This is a huge opportunity for me.”

The class mercifully ended quickly, and everyone took a break for lunch. A dejected Pellin sitting alone brightened noticeably when he found Orla and Cass coming to his table. 

“Hey guys!”

“Hey, nerd.” Orla greeted, dropping her tray with a thud.

“Hey, Pell,” Cass said, sliding into the seat across from him. “You get that machine fixed?”

“Nope,” Pell said, a big grin on his face, “But I racked up a ton of experience trying.”

The sound of Orla’s fork striking the table in disgust was loud enough to turn heads. “Ugh, I hate your Calling.”

Lunch passed quickly after that, more an inhaling of food than conversation. Cass stacked his tray and then went to his next class alone as Pellin and Orla did the same. Looking at the update again, he grew a little excited. Resources and Logistics with Myla Jen, Council Supply Coordinator. 

Unlike the previous classes, this one ran on interaction. Myla posed real-world scenarios, such as incomplete requisitions, mixed inventories, or failed delivery chains, then presented them to the class like puzzles. Everyone had to contribute, and Cass found himself fully sucked into the joy of problem solving.

When it was over, he actually found that he’d miss it, as he and the people he’d met had struck a bond in the problems they’d worked to combat. Next up was the second Kara block of the day, although this one was twice as long as the previous. The update sent him to the Entrance Hall, where Kara stood talking to Jim, who was already standing outside his booth.

She looked him over, “You ready? Today’s focus is fieldwork.”

They passed by a smiling Jim and entered Liora proper, though this time, Cass was doing it officially for the first time as a Guild Administrator. They moved in and out of Downtown at Kara’s usual quick clip, winding up in northern Liora.

When they slowed down, it was because a cart carrying a heavy load of raw ore was stalled in the middle of the street. Two horses leashed to the front lazily looked at them while one chewed on some hay sticking out of its mouth. 

“Welcome to the receiving district.” She gestured at what, to Cass, looked like pure chaos. People sprinted all over the area in barely-controlled patterns as they dodged moving carts, shouted orders, or occasionally dropped whatever it was they held. The street was littered with pieces of paper and small bits of raw materials. 

“The northern gate leads directly to most of Liora’s mines, fields, and anything else that takes up a lot of space. Just like central Liora formed around the Guild, northern Liora formed around processing materials.”

She paused as Cass watched a shouting match erupt between two men. It only ended after a passing man in oversized armor stepped up, breaking them apart before continuing on his merry way. He never looked back. 

Chaos indeed.

Kara took a deep breath of the tangy air, then smiled, “This is where I was raised. There’s nothing quite like the Depot.” She gestured again and strode toward a large building with words scrawled across the top.

Tolliver’s Intake- Yard 3

Cass followed Kara toward the large building, dodging a line of offloaded barrels that hadn’t made it past the threshold. The building itself was broad and low, built more for speed than elegance. Inside, the air thickened as dust and aerated sweat seemed to dive into the back of his throat.

Moving past several men and women who stopped to speak to her, Kara led Cass deeper into the building until she found a large man wearing an apron at a desk. The moment he saw her, his face seemed to light up.

“Kara Tullis, what brings you down here, girl?”

She cleared her throat, inclining her head toward Cass. “Hey, Olek. I’m taking the Guild’s newest QuestWright here on a field exercise. I thought he should see Tolliver’s third-best yard in action.”

“Third?” The big man huffed, “That’s slander, numbers don’t mean everything. A girl from the Depot should know that.” He looked at Cass with a nod. “What kind of exercise?”

Kara answered for him, “I thought I’d take him over to Central Intake so he can get a sense of what the steps are for every resource that gets into Liora.”

“A QuestWright needs to know all that?” 

“He may not see it now, but it will help him out a lot as he gets some levels. You mind?”

“Nah, not at all, girl. You got free run of the place, have at it.”

“Thanks, Olek. Give my best to Joanne.”

“That I will, Kara.” The big man walked off, already yelling at someone as Kara began striding away while speaking in a low voice, “He’s a good man. My first job was at Tolliver number three, moving crates with that big monster as my supervisor.” She laughed as they passed through several smaller corridors, exiting into one large, open-air sorting bay. “You’d be surprised by how heavy those damn things can get, especially for an Uncalled.” 

Kara paused at the edge of the slightly more organized chaos, watching as a pair of workers maneuvered a crate from a flat-edged cart to a marked zone on the floor. Every spot in the bay was marked similarly, with more carts and workers moving around the area in a steady flow of busyness.

She turned to Cass, already slipping back into her instructor voice, “Alright,” she cracked her knuckles, and looked around. “We’ve got an hour before we need to head back for your last class of the day. Go. Talk to people, learn about their jobs, and try to get a sense of how everything works.”

Cass nodded, then moved down a set of steps and began to mingle. The air wasn’t quite as bad as it was in Olek’s area. It smelled of dry grain and sun-warmed rope. The occasional sound of cursing still happened, but the sounds of dragged, wooden crates and the occasional dropped tools offset it.

Seeing a woman with a clipboard, he approached her first. She didn’t look up as she said, “Can I help you with something?”

Remembering his interpersonal class with Diplomat Haim, he replied, “Hey, I’m Cass. Olek said I can ask around.” He paused, looking at the dozens of crates behind her, “I’m just trying to understand how the intake works.”

She looked up with a raised eyebrow, then handed him the clipboard.“You want to understand how intake works? Fine. That’s the icon for stone. We just received ten crates' worth from the Western Quarry. It’s s’posed to be granite, but someone filed it under mixed material.”

Cass looked at the notes. “Why would they do that?”

“Who knows?” She shrugged, “Maybe they just wanted to fulfill a daily.” 

“A daily?”

She looked at him as if he were dumb, “A quest.”

It took him a second to realize she meant a low-tier System Quest, like Gary’s used to be with hauling flour. Cass spoke with the woman, who he learned was an Intake supervisor, then spent more time talking with several workers in the area. 

After he did so with those assigned to Stone, he followed the same procedure with the workers from Iron ore, then Wheat, and ran out of time halfway through speaking with the people at Textiles. Kara gathered him up, then they said a friendly goodbye to Olek and began the long walk to the Guild.

“So, what’d you learn?” Kara asked as they left the chaos of the Depot behind them.

“The System Map doesn’t show all of that,” Cass said, reflecting on what he’d learned. “It’s a lot more complicated than I expected. I saw crates getting delayed because the labels were wrong, or they didn’t match the count in the delivery sheets. Nothing really flows unless every step happens the right way, but even then, that’s wrong. Things aren’t linear; they’re layered, and there’s about eight steps before it heads out to the buyers.”

“Good, and that’s a taste of things. We’re going to do this a few times with all of the Cardinal districts. North for receiving, south for Companies, which I believe you have some experience with.”

Cass snorted, “Some.”

“West for production,” Kara continued, “Crafting, refining, the basic conversion of raw goods. A big spot for a QuestWright with the Logistics path, perhaps?”

He didn’t answer as they waited for a school line of kids to move past them, their stressed teacher trying to keep them together.

“And the East?”

Kara gave a smile, “The East is distribution. Where it all leaves after everything is complete. Public trade, Auctions, Liora Councilworks. Finished goods, basically.” The Guildhall came into sight as she spoke, its brown walls once seeming closed off to him, but now, slowly starting to feel like home.

“By the time we’re done, you’ll see the whole of Liora. Every moving cog. Not just how it’s supposed to work, but the reality of the people who make it work. That’s what makes a good QuestWright. The ability to see deeper.” 

Kara didn’t say anything else as they passed through the Entrance Hall, just gave him a nod and headed towards the Atrium.

Cass made his way toward his final class of the day, his feet dragging just a little slower.

He’d barely written a real quest, hadn’t completed anything of value, and yet… for the first time, it felt like he understood something the System hadn’t told him.

Not everything needed a silver glow to matter.