“Shale! Agh!”

I looked over my shoulder to check on Shale as I awkwardly staggered back to my feet. Ever since Lord Moddity did... whatever he did to her soul, she’s been strangely still for most of the run, but after the jolt, she began to shake again.

“Damnit!”

The brief stop killed my adrenaline rush and I wheezed as I jogged towards the inn that I call home, the stranger in the black coat all but forgotten behind me.

“Hayden! Hayden’s back! Oh, Shale!”

I heard Claire first, but Daimen had already vaulted the gate. My half gaian, half cat beastman best friend agilely landed in front of me, his feline eyes focused on Shale.

“You’re all right?"

I coughed and nodded at him.

“Shale?”

I grimaced.

“Hayden, let go, I got her. Let’s get her upstairs.”

I nodded, heaving breaths. I staggered into the warm inn, supported by Claire, as Daimen carried the twitching Shale upstairs to our room.

“It’s a mixture of Shadestooth leaf and Shuteye, and it’ll keep her under for at least 12 hours.”

The innkeeper, Ms. Lia, spoke as she poured a silvery blue potion into Shale’s mouth and waited for her to swallow. Shale breathed slowly as she laid beneath the soft covers of the bed, at a glance, she seemed perfectly fine.

“Thank you.” Daimen answered for me as I heaved in exhaustion.

Ms. Lia handed Daimen 3 more little glass vials filled with potion.

“I wish I could do more.”

“You’ve done more than we would think of asking you already.”

She patted me on the head, then slipped out of the room, throwing a troubled glance back at Shale.

Daimen looked at me, then tossed me a vial. I caught it and pocketed it.

Claire walked in with two cups of water. I didn’t even notice she had left.

She shoved the cup into my hands.

“Drink.”

I put the cup to my lips... and guzzled the water down till I nearly choked. I was still thirsty when I finished, and before I could ask, Claire took the cup away and shoved the other into my hands as well. I downed it gratefully.

Claire stared at me as I drank.

“What happened to your wrist?”

“...Fiendfire. Lord Moddity’s driver doesn’t like me much.”

“But it’s already almost a scar?”

What? Oh wow, she’s right. I healed really quickly somehow... Weird, it was still hurting when I bumped int- ... oh.

“I may have accidentally bumped into a fae.”

“Oh how rare! Did you say thank you for the healing?”

...No.

“Of course.”

“Wait, did you ask them if they could heal Shale?”

I finally managed to catch my breath, and I sighed.

“No, and it wouldn’t have worked anyways. She can’t be helped by normal means.”

Daimen spoke up. “So you met with Lord Moddity then.”

I nodded. “He wants 600 claws, Daimen.”

Daimen flicked an ear in annoyance. “Is he as powerful as they say he is?”

“Probably.”

“Damn.”

Claire spoke up.

“But he told you what’s wrong with her, right? Now that we know, we could find another docto-”

“Another doctor that knows soul magic? Anyone who knows soul magic, for that matter?”

I shook my head.

“Soul magic...” Daimen frowned. “Hayden, what the hell is happening to Shale?”

“You don’t want to know. You really don’t.”

I already decided there’s no point in telling anyone about the Souleater Wasps. The only one who can prove they even exist is Lord Moddity, and why would he bother? Unless I find someone who can use soul magic, I should just focus on getting the 600 claws.

I looked at them both.

“All you need to know is that she only has 2 days left.”

Daimen’s tail stopped swinging, and Claire’s face went pale. She spoke hesitantly.

“We, we’ll find a way to get the money! There has to be a way, there just has to!”

Daimen and I didn’t speak.

“We’ll start a fund, ask everyone to contribute!”

“Assuming we somehow gained the ability to break into warded buildings, even if we stole the savings of every person living in the east end of Lecliss we wouldn’t have more than 400 gold claws. Asking for donations wouldn’t even get us a quarter of that.” Daimen spoke simply.

“As for people outside the east end, well, they’re more likely to pay to watch her die, just for the novelty.”

Claire went stiff, and sat back down, hurt. Daimen looked at me with a monotone expression, his cat like pupils narrowed to slits. He reached into his pocket, pulled out two golden claws, and set them on the table next to Shale, then looked at me.

I rubbed my forehead as I stared at the coins. I already know what I need to do. And Daimen knows too. Now isn’t the time to hesitate. I looked back at him.

“You remember that peach tree we found in the forest back when we were little?”

Daimen replied instantly.

“Yeah. Last I heard, it was cut down, though.”

“Maybe the rain since then has made a new bloom.”

“You’re right. We should check some time. I know a lot of people who like peaches.”

“I’ll bring a basket so we can carry some home with us.”

“Good idea. I’ll see you around, then.”

“What? What peach tree, I don’t remember that?”

Claire looked confused, and Daimen went to the window and opened it.

Daimen crouched in the window, turned to me, and nodded. I gave a grim nod in reply. Then he leapt out, and vanished into the night.

“Where is he going? Hayden?”

I stood up, took one last look at Shale, took the two golden claws and left the room. I heard Claire chase after me.

“Hayden what’s going on?”

“Claire I need you to stay here and watch Shale.”

I jogged down the stairs and strode to the door.

“Hayden tell me where you’re going!”

“You need to keep her head to the side just in case she vomits in her sleep-”

Claire ran in front of me and pushed me backwards... or at least I let her push me so she didn’t hurt herself.

“You’re going off to do something stupid and dangerous, I just know it!”

“Claire...”

“You and Daimen act like I can’t understand what’s happening when you talk in your stupid codes but I know it’s never anything good, that’s why you can’t just say it, isn’t it?”

She put her hands on my chest and heaved, but I just stood there, not budging.

“I’m gonna be fine Claire, just stay here and watch Sh-”

“You’re going off to die somewhere and you’re telling me to sit and wait here for you to never come back, and just watch Shale die too? Why are you doing this to me? Why!”

“Claire! It’s not about you!”

I stepped forwards. Claire slid back.

“I NEED that money, Claire! SHALE needs that money!”

I took another step. Claire slid back more and stumbled.

“Every word I say to you is another breath I spend not making it!”

I grabbed her by her shoulders before she could fall.

“Do you want Shale to die, huh? Why are you doing this to me? Why!”

I pushed her to the side and threw open the door. Claire ran up behind me and grabbed my hand with both of hers.

“Hayden, Hayden don’t leave, please! Hayden, I have a terrible feeling about this, a terrible, terrible feeling!”

I brushed her off and kept walking.

“Hayden, tell me what I can say to stop you from leaving!”

“Nothing.”

“I won’t say anything then, I’ll be quiet! Please stay!”

I laughed at that, in spite of myself.

“Hah! I bet you 600 claws you can’t stay quiet for a minute!”

“I’ll stay quiet if you stay, Hayden, please!”

“I win. Pay up, Claire.”

“Hayden! Hayden, I love you, please stay!”

“I know that already Claire.”

“Hayden! I hate you! Please stay!”

“That’s a lie, Claire.”

“HAYDEN!”

She screamed, loud, and stomped her foot. I stopped and looked at her.

“As soon as you walk past that gate, everything goes wrong.”

She held her head in her hands, her eyes darting back and forth, before she looked up to meet mine.

“Don-”

I turned and walked past the gate. I looked back and saw Claire kneeling on the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, devastated. I told her.

“Watch Shale.”

Then I sprinted down the street.

I’ve grown up with Claire, I know pretty much everything about her. Unlike me, who was born without a single skill, Claire has a couple powerful ones. I’m not surprised that her [ O M E N ] would activate now. After all, even I’m afraid of what I’m about to do. But it doesn’t matter in the end. She should’ve been prepared to break my legs if she really wanted to stop me. But she’s pretty much incapable of hurting the people she loves. That’s what I like most about her. It’s an admirable quality that I lack. I’d hurt anyone for Shale. No matter how I feel about them.

I slid to a stop. While lost in my thoughts, my legs had carried me to my destination, the Lecliss adventurer’s guild. I pushed open the heavy wooden doors and was met with a rush of hot air, and a blast of sound. The place smelled like a balanced mixture of alcohol, food, sweat, and monster parts. The place was lively as a tavern in full swing, but the clientele was much more diverse.

I saw five copies of the same fiend lady talking to five different men; occasionally one of the copies would vanish in a puff of flame, to the chagrin of one of her potential suitors. In a corner, a huge gaian man arm wrestled an equally huge fiend to a deadlock, surrounded by adventurers of all races that took bets and egged them on. A half gaian half deer beastwoman looked up from oiling an unstrung bow as I walked by, then her eyes went back to her work. I saw a lone, drunk, elv priest nursing a beer in the corner of the room, and it seemed like everyone gave him a wide, wide berth.

Not many took notice of me as I made my way up to the receptionist/ bartender behind the long counter: a burly fiend with huge curled horns and glasses. Deep purple flames rolled slowly within the curls of his horns. He looked down at me and smiled.

“How can I help you?”

“I need a guild card to take quests, right?”

“That’s generally how this works, yes.”

“Get me one.” I tossed Daimen's two gold claws on the counter. The fiend raised an eyebrow.

“What manner of quests are you looking for?”

“Does it matter?”

He shrugged. “I suppose not.”

He tapped a finger on the counter, and a magic circle appeared.

“Put your hand in t-”

I slammed my hand in the circle before he could finish. I felt like I was submerged in ice for an instant, and then the feeling vanished as soon as it came. In the air above the magic circle, a silver card winked into existence. I went to catch it, but the fiend receptionist grabbed it first. He eyed it for a second and smiled.

“Welcome to the guild, Mr. Waltess.”

I swiped at the card, but he just raised it a little higher and read it out loud.

“Hayden Waltess

Level: 1

Race: Gaian

Class: None

HP: 13/13

Str: 12

Int: 17

Agi: 10

Dex: 9

Skills-”

I snatched the card out of his hand.

“None, yeah, thanks for that.”

“One, actually.”

“What?”

I looked down at the silver card. Under the skills section, the expected None was instead replaced by:

[ I N T E R P L A N A R passive ??? ]

“...What the hell? I was told I didn’t have any skills when I was inspected as a kid. Also what’s with the question marks?”

“Your inspector probably didn’t have high enough skill proficiency to identify a skill of that rarity.”

“Is this skill very rare?”

He pointed at my guild card.

“See the glowing orange? That means it’s a unique skill. Only you have it. Rare enough for you?”

“How do I figure out what it does?”

“The question marks on a unique skill will only be replaced once you satisfy the conditions for the skill to activate, if it heals you, for example, you’d have to be injured first.”

I stared at the card for a moment. At any other point in my life, knowing about this would’ve made me happy. But right now, finding out about something that was again dangled just out of my reach was just...

“Frustrating.”

“I don’t make the rules, kid. Hope you figure it out.”

“Yeah. Thanks, uh...”

He smiled.

“Garam. Nice to meet you, Hayden.”

“Yeah, sure. Likewise.”

I shook his hand, and he frowned.

“Whatever it is that you think you have to do here, kid, you should reconsider. I’ve seen kids with that same look in their eye before, a-”

I snatched my hand out of his grasp and walked away.

Out of curiosity, I walked past the normal quest board, looking for any quests with high payouts, but everything had a payout of 15 gold or lower, usually involving fighting and tracking hordes of enemies, which could easily take weeks to accomplish, even with the most prepared of parties. I sighed. I turned my head and looked off past the revelry, towards a quiet corner of the guild hall where a giant quest board with only three posted quests hung beneath an ominous sign with red writing. I walked over and stopped in front of the nearly barren quest board.

I read the sign at the top.

DEATH QUESTS:

ANY QUEST ON THIS BOARD HAS BEEN FAILED OVER 10 TIMES, TO PURSUE THEM IS TO PURSUE DEATH.

I shivered a little. Haha. I wonder if something’s wrong with me. This should be a serious thing, but all I can think about is how ridiculous this all is. I’m level 1. I have no idea how to use any sort of weapon. What kind of omen did Claire see? I’ve never been in a fight that I’ve won. I just found out a couple of minutes ago that I have a skill that I have no idea how to use. Am I even doing this right now? This has to be a dream right?

I pinched myself. Not a dream. Shale is dying. Pick a quest. You’ve got three options.

[ 3000 CLAW KILL QUEST: WEEPING AJAX: BODY OF FEAR ]

The newest piece of parchment on the board, worth the least amount of money, awarded for killing one of the most notorious, terrifying and violent beasts the world has ever seen. A coalition army formed from the combined armies of 4 countries wasn’t enough to kill him, and three of those countries were destroyed by him. The only reason only 30 people have died on this one is because only 30 people were stupid enough to try fighting him. If I remember correctly, the reason this kill quest was created was because Ajax the asshole decided to sit on a power font in our country, and as a result is now also nearly invincible in his new territory, or more invincible than before? That part confuses me, but overall it’s a straightforward quest. Straight to the waiting jaws of death.

[10,000 CLAW SUBJUGATION: THE MANSION AGGREGATE ]

A dungeon that once looked like a beautiful mansion grew out of control to form a titanic, sprawling, deadly palace of opulence. Looks like at least a hundred adventurers died there, and who knows how many others before they decided to turn subjugating it into a death quest. All you need to do is find the dungeon core and destroy it. Problem being: the dungeon is constantly expanding and growing stronger, and no one knows how big it is. Not to mention that no one has even a shred of a clue about what the dungeon’s boss is like. Even if you succeeded, would you be able to make it out alive? Just based on time constraints, I feel like I should eliminate this one, but it might end up being the most reasonable one on the whole board.

[100,000 CLAW FETCH QUEST: THE FORGOTTEN LANTERN OF KRY ]

Find a lantern that the god of the lost lost that we lost again. Irony. Well, there only seem to be a couple hundred powerful adventurers that died on this one, how hard could it be? Ah, no, there’s more names on the back. Probably at least a thousand people have died or gone missing attempting this, probably over the course of years. Promising. The only good news is that the guild already knows generally where it is, so potentially this could be the fastest quest to complete... as long as whatever killed a thousand people somehow manages not to kill me.

The sounds of the guild behind me faded away as I pondered. It’s strange that the choice I’m about to make might decide the fate of everyone in this room, and they don’t even know it.

The three bounties aren’t based on how difficult the quests are, but rather on how many adventurers have died while undertaking them. But I can’t judge difficulty on how many adventurers have died either, because of the effect of time...

Honestly, all of these suck. There is no rationalizing a death quest is there? They’re all mind numbingly difficult, that’s why they’re called fucking DEATH QUESTS. I just have to go with my gut, and figure out how I can convince some strong, probably drunk and/or suicidal adventurers to follow me.

I raised my hand to the board...