A rush of cool air washed over Reed as he opened the heavy metal door leading outside of the station’s battery room. Taking his phone out of the tool bag hung over his shoulder, he stepped into the automated buggy waiting for him outside and punched in his destination. As he brought the phone to his ear, he heard the deeply asinine voice of his boss.

“Are you done?”

“Yes, sir,” he answered shifting in the buggy’s back seat to glance at the power station growing smaller in the distance. “But I really think that you should just let me—”

“I’m not paying you to think, Conroy. You’re lucky that I even managed to get you this job after your last debacle.”

“Yes, sir…” he sighed, his knuckles turning white as he clenched the buggy’s door. “Thank you.”

“Alright. I’ll send you the schedule and the expected results for the rest of this week’s inspections. I trust that I won’t have to deal with another one of your bouts of ethics, right?”

“No, sir,” he said, his voice perfectly monotonous as his superior hung up without another word. “Fucking pompous prick…”

A week ago, he never could have imagined that his life would take such a sudden turn. In hindsight, however, it really was naïve of him to believe that the ministry would actually tolerate someone like him that just wanted to do his job and not get roped into their political mud-flinging matches. As such, him refusing to turn a blind eye towards several irregularities on the site of one of the city’s power plants had ended up with him losing his job overnight. A job that he had worked almost a decade to obtain.

He spent the rest of the thirty-minute drive in silence, keeping his eyes closed so as to shield them from the harsh light of the morning sun. And as he finally arrived home to his ‘recently obtained’ one room studio apartment, he dropped his tool bag and made himself a quick meal, all while relishing the cool air coming from the ceiling mounted diffusers.

Reed frowned as he took another bite of his scrambled eggs while looking at the air shimmering above the concrete jungle down below. Having finished, he switched the blinders on and sighed. Even with the AC running almost continuously, he still found the air stifling during this time of the year.

Resting on the small table next to his extended recliner, the pearl-white Visor awaited him. He sketched a weak smile and sat himself down, closing his eyes as the world around him faded in a swirling storm of colors. Beyond the lobby’s wooden room and past the blue bonfire stood the shimmering portal to Enoa. And as he approached it, a system notification appeared in front of him.

As a result of dying within the game, you cannot advance beyond Prism’s lobby for a total of 8 hours or 24 in-game hours.

Respawn timer: 00h 00m 07s

Currently Selected Spawn Point: Conclave HQ (Bord)

A smile stretched over his avatar’s scarred face as he stepped through the portal, appearing inside the cluttered room he had designated as his respawn point. He stepped over the rows of broken pews and headed towards the empty doorframe beyond which he could see a flickering light.

Entering a long corridor, he turned left, passing underneath several broken Manastone lamps hung from the dilapidated ceiling. Ahead of him, a slender man wearing a white robe stood guard in front of a door that was at least a foot shorter than him.

“Ah, Correy,” the man said, moving aside to make room for the scarred axeman and opening the door behind him. “Go ahead. Alderman Morris was asking for you.”

He nodded and ducked as he first saw the head priest’s polished leather boots underneath the large, hand carved wooden table, illuminated by the dancing flames of a nearby fireplace.

“Close that damned door already!” the alderman yelled as he shot up from his chair, an exasperated sigh worming its way out of him. “It’s cold enough as is without you letting out every last bit of warmth!”

Correy watched as the door hurriedly slammed shut behind him, beads of sweat beginning to form on his forehead. “You wanted to see me?”

As Morris stopped in front of the crackling fireplace, he started mumbling as if completely oblivious to Correy’s presence. “Damned fools… how long do we have to keep up appearances while holed up in these crippled, old shacks? We can only go so far with things like… piety and modesty,” he groaned, spitting into the open flames in front of him. “And where have you been?” he asked, finally acknowledging the other’s presence.

“We ran into a bit of trouble with that last job. Ended up having to wait a day before returning here.”

“I see,” said the man, sitting back down at his desk. “Well, it doesn’t matter. You got the job done, so I want you to do another job for me.”

‘Whether here or in real life, you just can’t get away from these condescending pricks…' He grit his teeth and drew in a deep breath, smothering an exasperated sigh. “What’s the job?”

“I need you and the others to head over to a mining town located to the west of Bord. It’s a place called Harkon. And I want you to… tie up some loose ends that, if left unchecked, might tangle with the rest of our affairs.”

“Loose ends?” Correy asked, barely managing to suppress the urge to roll his eyes. ‘What sort of corny, mobster-obsessed dumbass programmed this old fart?’

“We’ve had some dealings with a foreman working there, but it’s recently come to our attention that he might have been compromised. Once you’re there, you’re to meet up with a woman named Paula. She’ll fill you in on the details.”

One Good Turn Deserves Another

Alderman Morris has asked that you take care of a potential threat to the Conclave’s operations within the mining town of Harkon.

Assemble a group from the Strangers working for Morris, make your way to the mining Town, and get into contact with Paula, one of the local Conclave members.

Quest Difficulty: C+

YESNO

Accepting the new quest, Correy lifted his gaze, only to be met by the alderman’s cold, emotionless eyes. Immediately, Morris looked away as he then gestured towards the door. “Alright, best be on your way.”

“I will in just a moment. But there’s still the matter of my reward for taking care of that dwarf and his shipment.”

“Ah, yes…” said the alderman, a clear look of annoyance on his face. “Go talk to Fred.”

Road to Nowhere – (Completed)

Despite some unforeseen circumstances, you have managed to ambush and to kill Horr Durenar, the dwarven merchant, stopping him and the shipment of Manastones from reaching their destination.

Morris has asked you to talk to Fred about your reward.

Quest Difficulty: C+

Experience Gained2550

You have reached level 8!

Nodding, he knocked on the stubby door. Once the man on the other side had opened it, he ducked out of the room and turned left into an old, dusty stairwell. He made his way down to the basement where a sturdy looking, dark-haired man was sitting on an old chair, his nose buried in a scuffed ledger.

“Hello, Fred,” he said, greeting the Conclave’s quartermaster.

“Oh, Correy. Glad to have you back.”

“I kind of expected a bigger reaction after coming back from the dead,” he grinned, leaning against the wall next to Fred.

“You know you’re not the first one, right?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he sighed, glancing around the room lined with shelves, each packed to the brim with various books, items, and gear. Anyway, Morris sent me down here to talk to you about my reward for that last job we pulled.”

“Oh? Well then, we might as well get you something nice! Got any particular preference in mind?”

Stopping in front of one of the largest bookshelves, Correy’s eyes darted over the various titles embossed onto the old leather spines. “I was thinking of something a bit more… intangible.”

Fred raised his eyebrow before bursting into a wide grin as he picked up one of the old tomes tucked away inside the bookshelf.

“In that case, why don’t you give this little number a try? I’m actually curious if it’ll even work.”

Correy took the book and opened it, skimming through the first few pages, when a small notification window appeared before him. And as he read the prompt, his lips curled into a mischievous smile.

Class Change requirements fulfilled. Do you wish to raise hell, keep your enemies on their toes and become a Hellion?

YESNO

****

“Hey Arthur, any update from that guy?”

Bane’s ears perked at the sound of the purple-haired woman’s question. She had showed up half an hour earlier at the head of a levitating wagon, similar to the ones they had seen travelling to and from Alissey.

Fiddling with the glowing Link Sphere in his hand, Arthur sighed. “Patience, Kim. He’ll be here any minute now.”

“Y’know,” said the purple-haired woman as she jumped down from the front of the caravan, “whether or not we make it on time isn’t really a problem for me. I’m getting paid either way. But if we don’t get there before sundown, the guard shift’s going to change and I won’t be able to actually get them inside of Harkon for another two weeks.”

To this, the grizzled mage said nothing as he simply glanced at the entrance of the Guild’s courtyard.

“So,” chimed Vala, grabbing a seat next to Bane on the bench near the gem-encrusted obelisk, “think he’ll make it in time?”

“Drake said he’s close. But honestly? If that manor really is as far as Arthur said it was, I don’t really see how he could get here in just six hours.”

“Alright,” said Arthur, pocketing his Link Sphere and heading towards the courtyard’s entrance, underneath everyone’s puzzled gaze. He then stopped in front of the metal gate and waved it open just as Drake stumbled through, tumbling face-first into the dewy grass. Stepping next to the heaving pile of exhaustion that was his friend, the grizzled mage reached out to help Drake get back on his feet.

****

“Good job getting here on time,” said Arthur as he hoisted him up.

“Yeah,” Drake sighed, still struggling to catch his breath. “I wasn’t that keen on having the master chew me out for being late…”

Barely stifling a chuckle, Arthur handed Drake a small, leatherbound tome along with what looked to be a thin, silver ring. “Luckily for you, master Roy is currently attending to some guild matters. As such, he has asked me to give these to you,” he said, smiling gently as he then gently grabbed the young man by both of his shoulders. “And he also asked me to tell you, and I quote: I’m glad I let Arthur talk me into picking you as my apprentice, and thanks for putting up with me… runt.”

Trial by Fire - (Completed)

You have managed to finish all of Roy Darkeye’s initial tests, and while each one presented its own unique challenge, the solutions employed by you have helped shape you into a budding Spiritualist.

As a gesture of goodwill, the master has also seen fit to leave you a set of basic rune patterns to help you practice, along with a ring that has been personally inscribed by him.

Quest Difficulty: C+

Experience Gained4000

You have reached level 11!

Basic Runes – Overview (Unique)

Handwritten by Roy Darkeye, this book covers the basics of being a Rune Scribe. It also provides detailed explanations of how one should go about inscribing simple runes onto normal and enchanted items.

Durability:10/10

You have obtained the necessary tools and knowledge to start your journey as an Apprentice Rune Scribe. Do you wish to pursue this profession?

YESNO

Mark of the Stranger (Unique)

Traditionally handed down to the disciple of a Xelian mage upon their graduation, this carefully crafted ring aids its wearer in the harnessing and shaping of mana.

In addition, Roy Darkeye has also inscribed the ring with the ability to mask the wearer’s identity. This ability can be toggled on and off by channeling a small portion of your mana into it.

Mana Regeneration: +10%

Basic Cast Time: -10%

Stranger’s Guise (Active): -5% Mana Regeneration

Equipment Slot:Ring – AccessoryEncumbrance:0.05

Durability:35/35

Drake’s eyes widened as he brought the ring closer, inspecting the incredibly delicate runes inscribed all around the ring's miniscule Manastones. “The master actually wants me to have this?”

As Arthur nodded, he turned his attention towards the slightly yellowed pages of the book he had gotten. But before he could open it, the old mage stopped him by gently placing his hand on top of his.

“You should read that later. We’ll talk more once you’re on your way” he smiled, nudging both him and Bane towards the caravan where Mia and Vala awaited them.

“Come on!” yelled the purple haired woman sitting in wagon’s front. “We’re already behind schedule. Hold on tight! And mind the spare Levistones!”

With all of them on board, the faint hum coming from the gray crystals mounted on the wagon’s sides grew stronger. And a moment later, they were all whipped towards the back as the floating vehicle zipped forward, rushing past the courtyard’s gate.

Holding tightly onto his seat’s wooden handles, Drake turned around to see Arthur’s waving figure getting smaller. They then suddenly veered right, gunning down Bord’s still empty streets as the wagon finally settled down to what he could only assume was its top speed. He sighed and leaned back, the tension in his body slowly dissipating as Bane scooched over next to him.

The lycan then placed an arm around his shoulder. “Dude, how’d you manage to get here on time?”

“I had a bit of help,” Drake answered, grabbing Bane’s hand and placing it next to his friend. His gaze then began to scan the interior of the cloth-covered wagon, stopping first on the pile of gray crystals in the back and then on the two women staring right at him.

“I guess this is as good a time as any,” he said, averting his eyes towards the wagon’s wooden floor. “We didn’t really get the chance to introduce ourselves properly before. I’m Drake… and this little bundle of energy,” he said, bringing up the palm of his hand as a small, luminous wisp appeared right above it, “is my spirit familiar, Zeph.”

And as everyone leaned in close to get a better look at the tiny orb of light, a mellow voice rang out from it. “Uhm… hi. I’m Zephyr… Zeph for short.”

“It talked…” whispered the young blonde.

“Hey!” glowed the luminous orb in protest. “I’m a he, not an it!”

“Oh,” she gasped, bringing her hand up to her mouth. “I’m sorry, Zeph. I didn’t mean to offend you. My name’s Mia.”

“I’m Vala,” said the tall, black-haired taur. “And the dumbfounded guy next to you that hasn’t quite figured out how his jaw works is Bane.”

“Wow,” said Zeph as he floated up and around his master’s head. “Brutal and unnecessary. I like her!”

“Zeph, behave,” Drake chuckled, glancing towards his friend whose expression had already shifted from amazement to indignation. “It’s not nice to kick a dog when he’s down.”

“You too, Brutus?!” Bane sighed, crossing his hands in an exaggerated manner.

“Sorry. Couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” he smiled. Patting the lycan’s shoulder, he then turned his attention back towards the glowing wisp floating next to his face. “Also, I didn’t know that spirits could just talk to others like that directly, Zeph.”

“Normally they can’t. I’m just using mana to project my voice by shifting the air around me. Anyway… it’s been nice talking to you all, but after that trip… I really need to rest,” said the wisp as the light around him grew dimmer and then disappeared entirely.

As Drake nodded, Bane turned to him, his brow raised questioningly as his hands gestured every one of his words. “You. Here. How?”

“Well,” he said, raising the palm in which his spirit had previously materialized as a small gust of air pulsed away from it. “Zeph’s a wind spirit, so he helped me channel a spell that sped me up a bit by pushing me along. It also reduced the air resistance around me to almost nothing. Honestly, we would’ve arrived sooner if we hadn’t gotten lost a couple of times.” He took the map and the compass that Roy had given him out of his inventory and handed them over to Vala. “Here, Bane tells me you’re pretty handy with these.”

“Keep them,” the taur grinned. “I already have a set, so you might as well keep those as backups. And Bane should also give you your share of the supplies we got with the money that Arthur gave us.”

“Oh, right!” said the lycan as a large, cloth backpack appeared in his hands. “You’ve got some rations in there and a couple of health potions. There’s even a huge package inside that Arthur said was from that freaky master of yours.”

Drake took the backpack and found the package in question. Neatly wrapped in waxed paper and tied with a bit of twine, he opened it.

“What’s in it?” asked Bane, moving closer to get a better look.

“They’re… cooking supplies!” he laughed, taking out the cast iron pot filled to the brim with various things, all of them wrapped carefully in towels and crumpled paper. “Soup stock, salt, some spice blends… jerky. Heh, there’s even a small prep knife and a pair of tweezers!”

“So, I take it you can cook,” said Vala, eyeing the slim jars filled to the brim with warm, colorful powders.

“Oh, you have no idea!” the lycan exclaimed. “If the food in-game tastes even remotely as good as the real deal, we’re in for a treat!”

Closing her eyes for a second and sighing, the taur woman took a satchel out of her inventory. “The first thing I’m doing once we get to Harkon,” she said, pouring a mix of nuts and seeds into her palm, “is hitting the town inn to order something to eat!”

“I’m also really curious what sort of desserts they have over here,” said Mia, wetting her lips.

As the others began discussing and debating the merits of various types of meals and sweets, Drake tried his best to tune them out. He had placed everything back into his backpack, storing it inside of his inventory when he stumbled over the slim tome that Roy had left him. Opening it, his gaze fell upon the lines scribbled on the first page, just underneath the weathered leather cover. He sighed and smiled weakly at the first few lines. But passed that point, the more he read, the more his expression shifted towards one of silent confusion and shock.