QuestWright Bk2 C20: Temper, Temper (Patreon)

Author note:

Never got the chance for any of my betareaders to weigh in, which is a shame. Hopefully I didn't poop something up. Double-chapter, so, enjoy!

Chapter 20: Temper, Temper

The Auditor and her guard probably wouldn’t arrive in the Scriptorium for another hour, and Ana was cleaning the apartment, so Cass busied himself by looking over the Tempered Way. After he’d unlocked the second node, much of what had been hidden came to the fore.

The next one that followed was a little different. Shaped as a needle, it was the odd phrasing in the description that threw him off.

[Manual Precision]

-Function Unlock-

Unlocks Quests focused on sleight of hand, micro-movement, and precision.

Cost to Unlock: 12 Tempered Tokens

Sleight of hand…where do I know that from? He took a beat to parse through his childhood memories, then it clicked. Wait, old man Marshall used to do magic tricks when I was a kid. He said it was sleight of hand. How do you even train for that?

It didn’t matter how long he thought about it; nothing came forward to present itself. Cass moved on. 

I’ll figure it out when I get there.

After the third node, the Tempered Way branched out into a three-tined fork. Each of the locations was far closer together than he’d seen with his first Way, and the number of them was higher, too.

“Stalwart had a main line built into it, but Tempered has three…No,” Cass laughed and shook his head, “There’s no chance the next Way has even more options. Hah. Haha…okay maybe. But I’m not going to complain about options. From what my classes had said, some Callings are straight lines most of the way through. No, I’ll never complain about options.”

On the left tine, the first node implied his training would have to move away from the Guildtower. He wasn’t against it, but it would make him even more reliant on Maggie to get him out.

[Speed Running]

-Training Expansion-

You can now pick one of several speed-based routines each day.

Cost to Unlock: 8 Tempered Tokens

Note: Node influenced by developing relationship with Bella, the draft horse.

The next node was in the same vein as the first.

[Dynamic Movement]

-Training Expansion-

Unlocks Daily quests that emphasize flexibility, bodily control, and momentum redirection.

Cost to Unlock: 16 Tempered Tokens

Note: Node influenced by developing relationship with Bella, the draft horse.

Pellin would hate that, Cass thought with a grin, the words he’d heard so often tumbling out of his mouth at the thought of potentially seeing his friend today. 

“Cray, Vale, that’s tutoring for you two tonight!”

Shaking his head at the simpler times he’d once lived in, Cass looked at the center. Again, it was a bit unusual.

[Melee Weapon Familiarity]

-Training Expansion-

Complete designated training routines with various melee weapon types to build baseline proficiency.

Cost to Unlock: 20 Tempered Tokens

Note: Node influenced by developing relationship with Adya Korring.

[Shield Discipline]

-Training Expansion-

Unlocks Daily quests involving bracing, blocking, and impact absorption.

Cost to Unlock: 20 Tempered Tokens

Note: Node influenced by developing relationship with Adya Korring.

As for the final tine on the right, the symbol was nothing more than a shoe. Curiously, this one did not hold an additional note.

[Silent Motion]

-Training Expansion-

Unlocks Daily quests centered on sound-reduction through step control, joint placement, and quiet breathing.

Cost to Unlock: 12 Tempered Tokens

“So..one path for speed, another for fighting with weapons, and a third without notes. That makes me think, if I didn’t have the Bond with Bella and the Link with Adya, I’d probably just have the one path. Does everything with the System have to be so complicated?”

He thought on that, then shrugged, that’s the world I live in.

If it keeps up like this, I’ll have All The Skills eventually. Stalwart made me get in shape, but it looks like Tempered wants me to learn how to manage my body in different ways.

Ways, heh.

And that kind of makes sense…Right? Maybe the key is in the wording. When I looked up the definition of Stalwart in one of Hollis’s dictionaries, it said a bunch of stuff that sounded like reliable. But Tempered had multiple definitions.

I think the one that fits best here is improving hardness and elasticity. So, it’s designed to make me flexible and hard? Wait, that doesn’t make sense. How can you be both? I thought they were mutually exclusive.

Cass stared at the back of his eyes as he considered the term Tempered, but he wasn’t a blacksmith. He wanted to ask Holt, but then remembered that the surly man was still back in Liora. Not quite sadly, nothing had changed in his Profile.

After looking at each and forming a basic idea of what they did, he began a barebones plan of his route. It didn’t take long.

Unless Maggie stuck to her word, he wouldn’t be leaving the Tower anytime soon. But, if, after unlocking the third node, he needed to start sneaking around to get out of the tower? Then what better node than Silent Motion?

Pulling a robe out and putting it on, Ana promised to bring him something special for lunch after handing him his drink for the day, then he was off. The walk to the Scriptorium had him whistling, of all things. The day felt lighter, almost pleasant. It was as he realized that he was, in fact, happy, that something strange happened.

Battlefield Memory turned off for the first time since he’d gotten there. He took three more steps before he understood what was wrong.

Pausing in the middle of the hallway just outside of the elevator, Cass moved to the wall so he wouldn’t be near anyone, then tried psyching himself up. Or was it down?

This place is evil! The people are evil…well, not the people, but the Guild! Yes! They kidnapped you! Well, the Sovereign did, but they’re dicks! They made powerless Callings and kept people from growing, and locked me up in a tower like some fairy princess bullshit and…

That did it. Cass breathed a sigh of relief as the ability kicked back on. He kept the internal monologue going as the fire restarted in his chest after happy thoughts had caused it to putter out. 

“It’s amazing what you can get used to,” he said to himself as he started to walk the halls again. Cass waved to Sebastian, a smiling Jessica, and Clerk number three, who never seemed to say anything.

So it’s all about perspective…that means the ability is emotionally controlled, just like drafting and using the Quill. How many of my abilities are going to be tied to how I’m feeling at any given moment?

He didn’t have an answer for that.

Cass got to his Annex with a little time to spare. Looking over his notes for a few minutes, Maggie and Noah walked in, and the Auditor gave him a wink when she saw him.

Alright, then.

They left him alone as he went over the map, making his best guess about what the day might bring. The hour of the morning meeting hit him before he knew it, and he stepped out and into his usual place near the back of the wall. He was considering heading over to talk to Colin when Senior QuestWright Mirelle walked in.

Looking over the group as if she were counting in her head, the older woman sighed, then pointed a thin finger Cass’s way. 

“QuestWright Vale. It has come to my attention that you may feel as if the Guild is acting against you in some manner. To rectify this, from now on, you will only be required to complete one hundred Quests per day, and I’ve arranged for you to have an evening pass into the city. On behalf of the Liberty Guildtower, I apologize if you’ve felt mistreated in any way.”

Cass raised a hand, “Thank you, Senior QuestWright.”

“Yes, well,” Her eyes drifted to the side, where a satisfied-looking Maggie stood smiling at her, then reached into her robe pocket, “Here.”

She quickly threw something at Cass, who snatched it out of the air with speed as she continued, “That’ll get you through each gate, but no guests! That’s a paid privilege.”

Cass looked at the badge in his hand. It was connected to a thick piece of string with the words, Guild Administrator brandished upon it.

He lifted his head up just as Mirelle said, “Now, listen up.” 

She looked around the room again. “You all know today is the day of the Lottery. That means we won’t be creating any Quests, as what you built yesterday will apply tomorrow. So, enjoy the day, spend time with your families, and I expect to see all of you tomorrow morning,” she looked at an older man in the corner, “without the smell of alcohol on your breath. Dismissed.”

The man virtually ran away as they broke up. Most of the other QuestWrights moved together and began speaking quietly. Meanwhile, Cass walked over to a grinning Colin.

“Lottery Day?”

“Yeah, man. What are- oh, you have no idea. Funny, we talk about it a lot in here. Then again, you’re stuck in-” He seemed to realize something and stopped speaking as Cass simply looked at him.

Clearing his throat to get past the awkward moment, Colin shrugged, “Uh, Lottery Day is when the whole city comes out to the 5th ring, and we draw names to see who gets an upgraded Calling. It’s a monthly event, but everyone in the city treats it like it’s the biggest thing in the world.”

“How do people’s names get added?”

“Normally, by the Guild for doing good in our jobs, but I know some people who’ve paid to have their names added. Bear in mind, they’re only added for a chance at being chosen. It’s a completely fair system.”

A thought flitted by, and he couldn’t stop his mouth before saying, “Is that how you became a QuestWright?”

“What?” He asked in genuine confusion, “No, not at all. I’m a Schwartz, remember?”

Two dots connected in Cass’s mind; There was a Schwartz compound in the first ring. With so many buildings out and about in Liberty, he’d barely glanced at it. Cass pointed at a girl with dark hair who was laughing at something her companion said.

“And her?”

“Yeah, that’s Glore Esmore.  1st ring all the way. Her family owns a collection of jewelery shops. Plus, they sponsor a few notable families that are on the up and up. It’s natural that she’d be chosen as a QuestWright since she has such a sparkling lineage.”

“Chosen…” Cass mumbled to himself.

So 1st ringers are picked for the choicest jobs. That makes more than a little sense with how things work here. 

But the real question is, aren’t I the same? I was chosen by Gerald ‘Cassio’ Hollis. I come from a renowned Lioran family. Does that make me any different than the people in here?

That thought bothered him enough that, as he was reflecting on it, Colin had already grabbed his things and left. It was still bothering him when someone snuck up behind him and whispered hotly in his ear.

“Flappy...Flapppyyy-”

Cass’s reflexes kicked in as he backhanded the man’s arm away from his shoulder. 

“Sheet, kid. That’s my shootin arm.”

“Hey, all set?” Maggie asked as she entered the room. When Cass looked at her blankly, she smiled, “We’re heading out to see the Lottery. I thought you could accompany us, since we have a cart and all. That is, unless you feel like running through every single ring on the way there.”

Cass’s previous thoughts still had a hold on his head as he shook it in denial, I’m not like them. Or at least, I won’t allow myself to be.

“Well, your loss,” she said as the smile slipped away and she started walking with Noah beside her, the man glaring daggers at him.

“Wait, sorry, wait!” Cass yelled. He leaped forward a few steps and fell in beside them, “I would love a ride, and also, thank you, Maggie. You came through on your promise.”

“Naturally, Cass. I don’t make promises without seeing them through. Now, hurry up, or we’ll miss the Lottery!”

They walked quickly through the halls, and Cass could barely believe what was about to happen. For a week, or close to, he’d been trapped in the Guildtower. So once they started getting near the entrance, Cass’s anxiety spiked when the guards glanced their way. 

But, miracle of miracles, nobody stopped him as they moved past. A breath he didn’t know he’d been holding rushed its way out of his mouth.

“Why so stressed, kid?” Noah asked. “They don’t keep anyone in on Lottery days. It’s something the whole city gathers for.”

Cass laughed to himself, “So I could’ve left no matter what today?”

“Of course.”

Is that fate, or something else?

The daylight wasn’t quite blinding as they stepped out into the open air, but Cass shielded his eyes all the same. As they came upon the cart that had taken him away from his home, for a long moment, Cass thought about just bolting for Liora right then and there. 

But something was psychologically holding him back. As he settled into the back of the cart with Maggie, he let his thoughts ruminate.

Am I worried about leaving Ana? No…She got along fine before me. Probably not Quirrel and definitely not Colin, though he’s been nicer lately. So, why am I not sprinting like hell to get out of this place?

The horses started moving, and that got Cass thinking about his own. He sent out a ping, and that’s when he felt her. She wasn’t all that far away, just beyond the gates. Pulling up his map on the side of the cart, Cass pushed his finger right against the spot he knew her to be.

He couldn’t help himself as a few tears dribbled out of the corners of his eyes. From now on, he wouldn’t be alone in a strange place anymore. Maggie noticed.

“You alright there, Cass?”

“What’s his fookin problem this time?”

“I’m fine, thank you, Maggie. Say, how hard is it to get into Liberty if you’re not from here?”

“Mmm, we were a special case on account of our mission from the Central Guild. Most people have to pay to get in, and what’s more, if they’re not a part of the Guild, they need to leave their weapons at the gate. Liberty is a weapon-free city.”

That’s not going to go over well.

Rather than fret at being back in the cart, Cass enjoyed the ride as he continually pinged his favorite horse in the world. Ding. Ding. Ding. Every time he did it, he was closer to them, and they were closer to him.

Eventually, Noah slowed the horses down, and Cass opened the back of the cart. Hopping out, he was almost relieved to see dirt and dust across the flagstones in front of him. He helped Maggie down, then gave her a smile of relief.

Bella had just about gotten to the front gate.

“What’re you so happy about now? I swear, Cass, your emotions are all over the place.”

“Trade secret,” He said, thumbing his nose at her. “Hey, what do you think would happen if I didn’t go back to the Guildtower tonight?”

“Wouldn’t be good. This is where the Guild assigned you, and Liberty is pretty pushy about people not showing up where they’re supposed to be.”

“Pfft,” Noah said as he came around the cart as a handler took it away, “They’d hunt yah down with some levelers and bring you back. Ain’t gonna be no pass that time, neither. No matter what me or Maggie say.”

“You should know, he was very vocal in freeing you from the tower,” Maggie added. She put a hand on the man’s shoulder, who shrugged it off with a scowl, “Noah’s a big softie.”

“Yah know what ain’t never soft?”

“You never stop!”

“That’s what she said!”

“You know what !? I agree with what Cass said yesterday, I hope you die!”

So if I run, they’ll find me. And even if I get away from them and get back to Liora, the Sovereign might just decide to grab me and bring me here again. Or something worse. So, somehow, I need to get them to reassign me back to Liora.

How I’m going to do that…I have no idea.

Cass agreed to meet them at sundown, then headed directly to Bella. He never once had to pause to look at his map. It’s not that he perfectly knew where everything was, but when a city is built in a series of concentric circles, it becomes quite easy to navigate if you know the direction you need to head.

While he traveled, still happily dinging away to keep tabs on his horse, his eyes drank in the city. Some people looked happy, smiling, even carefree. But many did not. In fact, many people were walking around in threadbare clothing, with unpatched holes peering out into the sunlight. From what he guessed, they didn’t seem to care, either.

Quite a few were also noticeably drunk, as both the smell and their walking pattern indicated. It wasn’t a good look for his first real viewing of Liberty, and even as he passed a few seedier-looking locations, he found either bawdy laughter, yelling, or, every so often, a fight occurring.  

Adjusting his bag to hang across his body, he placed a hand atop the fold as he continued to move. Maybe he was being overly cautious, but he didn’t think so. The fifth ring was a rough-and-tumble place. He needed to be ready for that.

After close to an hour, his feet finally brought him to the southern gate. The Lottery was taking place in the West, and it took him that long just to walk a quarter of the ring's circumference. Maggie had been right, he’d have had to run to get here.

Another nice thing she’s done for me. Strange for a kidnapper.

Cass took a drink as he looked things over. The gate itself was large, requiring no signs to mark its location. Built of gray stone, it stretched to the large, thick wall surrounding the city. Even the detailed view of Command Center failed to tell him how impregnable it all seemed.

“How do Monster Trains even get over here? Are they just stupid?”

“Monster Trains?” an old man sitting in the middle of the path asked. Cass hadn’t even noticed him until he spoke up, and oddly, everyone moved around him. “Who are you to be talkin bout Monster Trains, boy?”

The man had a thin, whip-like body covered in the barest of clothing. Atop his head was a smooth, liver-spotted baldness surrounded by a fringe of thin white hair long enough to touch his shoulders. While the man’s figure spoke of someone with enduring strength, even for its almost emaciated appearance, it was the deep stare that told Cass to be careful and not judge him by appearance alone.

Cass rubbed the back of his head, “Did I say Monster Trains? It’s nothing to worry about, sir.”

“Sir? Pschh, nobody calls me that anymore. Name's Alan.”

“Then nice to meet you, Alan.”

“Same here, Cassio Vale of Liora.” The old man replied as he stood up in a blur. Even though he’d completed the action in an instant, his thin hair was still falling as he said, “Why don’t you drop by Caligula’s End one day. I bet you and I will have a fun conversation.”

Cass took a small step back in alarm, warning bells ringing in his mind, “How do you know my name?”

“I know many things, QuestWright Vale. I’m like you, something of a Survivor. Toodaloo!”

Then, he disappeared as if he’d never been there.

This fucking place! Cass yelled in his mind. No, no, Bella’s here. I’m not getting distracted. Focus.

Ding.

They’re at the gate!

Cass sprinted straight for the southern gate. He bobbed and weaved around figures, leaped over refuse, and shoved a drunk out of the way in his haste. He wasn’t going to be stopped now. His friends, his partner, and his bonded were all within feet of him.

It was when he got close that he heard a voice he could never mistake.

“Those pigs charged us way too much!”

Cass dove around an ox pulling a large cart, then had to wait as a large group crossed in front of him. Over the din, he zeroed in with his improved hearing.

“Five Crests a head, plus two for each horse? I’ll go broke at these rates.”

“Calm down, Orla! You too, Bella! She’s getting rowdy. He must be near, because I don’t think I can hold her back much longer.”

That could only be…

“Gary!”

“Wait, did you…”

Cass moved through a large group of people, and there they were. Their clothes had holes in them, and they were all as dirty as can be, but finally, he wasn’t alone. It was a selfish feeling, but he didn’t care.

Bella broke away from Gary with a powerful heave. Hooving toward him across the short distance, the draft horse had to slow down before she trampled him into the dirt.

Cass reached up and stroked her cheek, “Oh, Bella girl. I’ve missed you so much.”

Whuff.

“Really?”

She neighed and stomped the ground hard, quickly followed be rolling her eyes.

“Jeez. Well, I’m sorry you had to let Orla and Pellin ride you. I promise, girl, that’s all-”

Gary snuck up behind him as Cass was lifted high into the air. Unfortunately, he was also squeezing the air right out of him, “Cass, you’re alive! Kind of.”

Orla pointed up at his face from the ground, ‘Where’s the rest of you?”

“Guys, be kind. Cass lost an eye,” Pellin said in his usual calm voice, but the wetness on his face betrayed his real emotions. “Don’t worry, man. I’m sure there’s a way to get that fixed with the System.”

“Shut up about the System already! I’ve been hearing it for FAR TOO LONG! God I need to find people who appreciate money and not metaphysics.”

“Where…is…Adya?”

“What?”

“Air,” Cass said, pantomiming breathing with his hands.

“Oh.”

Gary put him down, and Bella gave him a light kick for his troubles. Cass took a deep breath before saying, “Where’s Adya?”

“She’s fighting the guards because they won’t let her bring her spear in. Well, not really fighting, more of speaking angrily. Hold on, there she is. Adya!” Gary called out with a friendly wave high in the air.

At least he can see over the crowds.

Cass followed the man’s eyeline until she broke through the cover of people, then he saw her. She was as dirty as the rest of them, and a scowl was on her face, but when she saw him, that all faded away. Running in her casually graceful way, she zipped around several figures, and before he knew it, they were kissing.

Long.

Really long.

Really, really long.

Long enough that even Orla had to say, “Enough! You’re disgusting!”

Cass pulled back in a daze, a smile lighting up his face from end to end. He put his hands on her shoulders, “I missed you so, so much.”

She smiled at him, stepped back, and punched him in the face.