As the two ran toward the nearest guild hall Alica explained to Glenn in no uncertain terms that dragons were bad. Glenn seemed to take being yelled at well enough. Apparently he was just bad at keeping secrets leading to him avoiding talking so he didn’t give too much away. Sure he was in shock who wouldn't be. His biggest fear, however, was because of something called a probe. He asked her not to ask so she did not.
Upon reaching the road though, the mood fell as it turned out that the fire had driven more and more people onto the road ahead of fleeing monsters. Monster waves did happen often enough that there were procedures for them. In prevention the adventurer guilds were set up to surround large cities. They would send out parties to thin the numbers near the smaller villages. As well as paying adventurers to just be in the villages. When a wave came those adventurers would help escort the people to the town. Stronger teams would be sent to push back the wave.
“Alica I am sorry, I didn’t know. This is so many people. Hundreds driven out. I didn’t know.” His face was grim.
“Shut up. Wait you didn’t bring the dragons with you did you.” She replied. “Then how is this your fault?”
“I started the fire.” He replied.
“Lost camper starts a fire in a fire dragon den. Yeah that wasn’t going to happen.” She retorted. “Monster waves happen. Someone’s always the cause but we don’t blame them. I mean unless you brought the dragons then yeah it’s on you. You never know with you out worlder’s. It could happen."
Glenn was surprised to not feel tired he felt fine jogging all night. He blamed himself still a bit but Alica had a good point. Fire dragon it's right there in the name.
Alica and Glenn took a break near a well still a few hours travel from the Guild hall. The morning light just cresting the horizon. With the extra time they had saved they both agreed that the best use of that time was to get Glenn cleaned up. Alica did as well but if not for Glenn they would have pushed on. “Glenn did you check to see if you have any quests?” He shook his head. “How do I do that. He thought hoping that maybe there would be a reward or maybe another [Skill Book] he could get his hands on that might let him do proper magic. As he thought about it a quest screen opened.
Quest be Extraordinary (progress -2/100)
Be Extraordinary. Excel at your chosen vocation or craft.
Discover the Truth. Discover the Truth of your arrival on Valdova.
Reward determined based on results.
“Yeah I have Be Extraordinary.” He replied. “Does everyone get one?”
Alica nodded and said “That is the race advancement quest do you have any others?
“Yes I have the quest Discover the Truth.” Alicia interested leaned in “I don’t know that one. mind telling me the description?”
“Oh sure It says Discover the truth of your arrival on Valdova.”
Humphing exhaustedly Alica said “Why do your quests have to be broody too.”
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
That got a laugh out of Glenn. "Do you know that one?"
"No but I get the feeling its your class advancement quest. It just had to be strange and mysterious too. Unless you have any more." Seeing that Glenn shook his head she continued "Class advancement quests are unique since the path everyone walks is unique. Yours just happens to be strange New Arrival unique. You'll figure it out. The system will point you where you need to be if you want to be there. If you don't well that's up to you."
"Why are you being all cryptic now." Glenn replied "Before you were way more straight forward."
"See you are wrong. I am being perfectly straight forward. You just don't know the context." She replied lightly. "If you want to advance you will. Simple as that. Class quests aren't tied to levels if you start working on it you actually want to keep your level low. The Class quest should be done before you unlock your first class ability for best results. The fact that you want to be working on your quest and then are putting in effort on anything will start giving you clues to your class quest. One day you could be knitting a sweater and you'll notice the knots look like some words or something. You will just know and that's all that matters. The more effort you put in the faster it will complete."
"The more effort I put into knitting the faster it will complete my class quest?" He asked?
"That it correct." Alica replied dryly.
"Why would knitting increase my class quest?" Glenn asked understanding he was walking into a trap he didn't understand.
"Because you will unlock some weird knot making scout class." She replied.
"And what does knitting have to do with discovering the truth or whatever." Glenn was getting a bit short.
"That is the reward. The strange words that will show up in your knitting, that only you understand, will answer that question." Alica replied.
"Did you call me a boy scout?" Glenn replied.
"What's that." Alica looked truly innocent.
"Never mind something from my world I guess." He replied gruffly. "Anyway why would it work that way. Why not make it connected to actually doing things connected to your class."
"What if you don't like your class? You would have to go a whole what say till the first ability doing something you aren't suited for to get a chance to hopefully not have to do that anymore? That would get you killed if it were a combat class. Who would want that?"
"Why would it matter what people want?" Glenn asked?
"The system is people. the collective mind of magic is shaped by our wills. So the system changes over time. It is the source of faith magic as well. That is the extent of my knowledge on this though. I am a [Knight] but I don't have any real magic abilities. Enhancement abilities use inner power so its different. That's enough of a break though we really need to keep going." Alica said while lifting her pack. "We should make it to the guild hall in just a few more hours."
Back on the road they set a good pace. Apparently a short break was all it took to recover most of your Stamina. The last portion on the bar seemed to refill more slowly though Glenn noted to himself. Maybe they are more of a Graphic display not an additional power. I can ask later, Alica finally gave me some peace and quiet and I am going to enjoy it.
They ran on in amiable silence for several more hours before finally reaching the Glass Cannon Guildhall.
The adventurer’s guild was a massive stone building a hundred foot tall and connected to a set of walls on either side. The only way in a pair of massive banded wooden doors. With a crimson banner on one side and a blue banner on the other. The building rose a feeling of awe in Glenn’s chest. The fortess clearly wasn’t just for show with crenulated bastions around the front to provide a field of fire at the gate and out into the planes. It had machicolations on the gate house as well allowing a defender to shoot or fire straight down. It was the perfect image of form and function. At the peak of the highest tower a large blue crystal hovered overhead casting an eerie blue hue on everything below it. The Illumination bleached the other colors out of the surroundings. Glenn, with effort stopped staring at the building in front of him and picked his jaw up. The Bastions and Ramparts didn't reach the ground the wall if you could call it that was thin far too thin to support the structures above. Yet they stood rock solid. With the battlements able to overhang far more then should be able with a stone wall. Approaching the wall would be near impossible. He could see with his [Eagle Eye], still hundreds of yards out, that portions of the floor had wooden covers likely to be removed and allow for shooting through at those below. "Yep Magic."
