QuestWright BK2 C41: A Month in a Blink (II) (Patreon)

Author update:

Well, if you can't tell, I hit a wall this week. Pretty hard too.

Work, blah blah. The stress has been unbelievable. To the point that, I actually applied for a transfer to a different school. Writing full-time is going to be a while in coming, so I need to stack the deck in my favor as much as possible. Working somewhere that just pushes and pushes until you burnout isn't going to work.

To note, I went from almost no gray hairs at the start of the school year, to unmistakably salt and pepper. It's not writing. Writing is the joy in my life aside from my family. But man have things been rough.

Single chapter this weekend. I pushed and pushed, but it's like squeezing a tube of toothpaste that you know is empty. I got this chapter out, and I'm happy with it, but there'll be a delay. I need to make up to you later. Sorry folks, the end of the school year is always like this.

Anyways, ReaderQuest, then on to the show. This is the final of the 2-parter, though we'll have a major timeskip coming up.

Quest ID: JDM-0001-H-EA

[Tier 1 Hunt Quest]

Assignment: Hunt the Drainers

These people…you know who I’m talking about.

Your Task

Open one social platform you use regularly and go through it a bit.

Your objective is to identify accounts that consistently cause a negative reaction.

It isn’t about the people who post negatively once, but those whom you see consistently being a downer. You know, Drainers.

They feed off of “look at me(s)” and “Oh, hun, your life’s so hard.”

Examples
You feel drained after seeing them
You compare yourself and lose
You get irritated for no reason
You linger longer than you should

Once identified, take action. Get rid of them. Free your digital presence.

I promise it’s liberating.

Rules

No “I’ll decide later.”
No checking their content again before acting.

You are not judging them.
You are managing your intake.

Completion Condition

Three sources identified and removed.

Timeframe: One week

Reward: 9xp and some extra self-worth

What you consume shapes what you become.

—
J D Mullenary Sr
The Original QuestWright

Chapter 41: A Month in a Blink (II)

The pair put their new ability to use, and the two of them went out of their way to complete the mark as quickly as possible. Adya took the lead as Alan was too busy to train her, and Cass was too busy experience farming Quests for the both of them. They continued to meet up just outside of the tower, hands held to Bella’s side as they all gained both enhanced taste and smell.

Then, the final requirement came in. Reach Level 18.

The events filling his time over the last few weeks had been an odd blend of excitement mixed with utter drudgery. While progress in the dungeon was moving ahead as the Guardian tried and failed to entrap them, he hadn’t made any progress in figuring out conditional Quests with the Quill. However, he had made another step on Stalwart and two more in Tempered, unlocking additional dailies for both. 

With a sharpened focus, Cass began training with his axe and shield in his mornings, as those were the nodes he’d aimed for. The System didn’t provide any form of a guide, but he was able to parse the information and understand what it wanted purely from context clues and testing. The blended Tactician node was just outside of his current reach, but by his math, he should get there soon as long as he focused on only copying his Tempered Quests.

And so it was, after their 3rd dungeon run, that a big day awaited him. In the time since his first, he’d grown a lot in experience, experiences, marks, and tokens. With the completion of their last run, the amount of Slipfangs and looted bags of experience had pushed them both over 18. Before heading back to the Guildtower, Cass and Adya met up with Bella at Caligula’s End.

There was a play occurring nearby, and he endeavored to ignore it while scrolling past the monster kills and collected experience.

[QUESTWRIGHT CALLING: CONTRACT FULFILLED]

QuestWright Cassio Vale of Liora.

Through cooperation and hard work, you have completed your System-bound contract and reached ten levels beyond your starting point. 

With Scout Adya and your bonded, Bella the draft horse, you have advanced your marks just as they have advanced their nodes, reaching full completion.

As such, you have a choice to make.

Will you continue the contract, upgrading The Path of the Index into something greater? Or, will you end the contract and move onto a separate road from your partners? 

Make your choice.

Two options appeared, the first stating that the Contract would end, but that all parties would retain the ability and unlocks they’d already achieved. The second would extend the contract for fifteen more levels, allow them to modify it, and empower their combined Path while opening something new.

After reading everything over, he looked at the Scout, “Well?”

She smiled, a tilt of the lips that seemed to say many things, “Do you have to ask?”

Cass smiled in kind, “I guess not. You know, if I’m perfectly honest with you, I wasn’t too sure when we first decided to do this. I had my doubts that I’d want to continue things, especially when Bella started messing with the Contract.”

She snorted, “That was something I didn’t see coming either.”

Bella neighed and stomped, causing Cass to shake his head, “I didn’t mean to leave you out of it, and yes, I agree, it all worked out in the end. But that doesn’t mean you should make unilateral decisions for everyone involved. Besides, you hated Adya at the start.”

“I wouldn’t say hate-” Adya stopped speaking when Bella stomped again.

“No, it’s hate.” Cass corrected her, then immediately added as Bella started speaking again, “But she doesn’t now.”

Adya ran a hand over the horse’s side, “I’m glad.”

Cass looked at them both, “So, we’re agreed? We’ll extend the contract until level…33.”

“Of course.” Adya nodded, and Bella added her agreement. They spoke a little more to see about any modifications they wanted to make, and surprisingly, there was just one.

Cass gave them both a smile as they all selected the same option, though there was a wait until Bella confirmed. 

Experience Gating will now be optional.

The prompt faded and the experience screen rose. Zooming to the left, the marks they’d unlocked began to glow, then melt. In a stream of radiance, they flowed toward the empty and largest mark at the top, entering and filling specific portions of it. 

When it was done, the single mark, filled with the remnants of the others, lifted itself up and placed itself down beside Logistics in the center of his screen. With a flash of radiance, it settled, then a new prompt appeared.

Path of the Index: Complete

All active marks have been consolidated.

Your Profile ability has evolved to Integrated Profile.

Integrated Profile: 

Passive ability: The Path of the Index no longer gathers information in fragments. This evolved ability allows the Register Administrator to perceive and organize all sensed contextual data. Valid targets within sight are passively identified using the Register, enabling immediate recognition and reference while adding additional information.

System Trait unlocked: Register Administrator

QuestWright Cassio Vale, Close-Quarters Scout Adya Korring, and Bella the Draft-horse are recognized as establishing Administrators of the newly offered Profile ability, now open to all system-enhanced members. As such, they hold a higher status within the Profile echelon and cannot be viewed with that ability.

System note: Profile can now be unlocked for any Calling. 

Experience requirement for addition: Very High

Path addition unlock: Difficult

Identifier Calling adjustments required…

[SYSTEM NOTICE- TITLES UNLOCKED]

[Title Unlocked: System Trait]

Unlocked through the discovery, testing, and successful integration of new System functionality.

Effect: System Trust increased.

The System recognizes the user as a reliable point of interaction. Future interactions between QuestWright Cassio Vale and the System will carry more weight.

Upgradeable

[Title Unlocked: Register Administrator]

Unlocked for creating the Profile ability. Profile cannot be applied to Register Administrators.

Profile is open to everybody! He mentally screamed. That isn’t what I wanted. The System just swooped in and took it for itself. Well, it came from our combined paths, but nothing ever said it would be available to everyone else. The fact that it’s “very hard” and “difficult” to get is only passingly fair. What would a world filled with people who can just look at you and see your life story be like?

And those poor Identifiers…This is basically their Calling all wrapped up in a single ability, kind of. There’s more legwork to Profile, and it’s a little hard to gather information, but all the same. 

What’s going to happen to them? It was fine when it was just us, but now that it’s out there in the world…well. I just have to hope the System sticks to what it’s saying and makes Profile a rare ability.

The two titles glared at him as they glowed in his vision. Profile not working on us is great if people start finding ways to unlock it. Though the fact that they can’t use it on us will be trouble on its own. As for System Trust and System Traits, which I’ve never heard of before…I have no idea.

Cass wanted to close the screens and have a look at what might have changed with the ability, but once the System sensed he was done reading everything over, it changed.

[SYSTEM NOTICE]

The contract between QuestWright Cassio Vale, Close-Quarters Scout Adya Korring, and Bella the Draft-horse has been extended to level 33.

With the extension of the Contract comes new benefits.

Each Linked member of the Contract may designate one of their abilities to be shared with another Linked member. Shared abilities will adapt to fit the receiver's Calling, then begin in a restricted state. 

These abilities will become more effective through continued use, levels, and alignment with the Contract.

Available compatible options:

…Battlefield Memory (Active)

Command Center (Active)

Copy (Active)...

When you come down to it, I don’t have that many abilities. I’ve only unlocked a few Paths, all told, because I’m always worried about mixing with Survivor wrong. If I had any other Calling and with how much experience I have, I’d probably have a dozen abilities. Instead, I have passive enhancements like Constitution and Regeneration.

As for choices here, it’s probably better to just ask.

He eyed the list and tried to exit the screen to ask her opinion, but it wouldn’t let him. So, he did the next best thing.

“What are you thinking, Addy?”

“Addy?” She seemed to taste the nickname. “I don’t like that. As for what I’m thinking…mmm, I’m more interested in your opinion.”

No Addy, got it.

They spoke for a while, going over the pros and cons of different options. The fact that the System said it would adapt the abilities to better fit the Calling was a big tell. That meant things like Cass’s Outliner might go in a completely different direction. Maybe something like a Task manager or a to-do list. 

They spent a little time hypothesizing what might happen before deciding it came down to what was best for their roles. Adya wanted something that would help her as a Guardian, keeping him and the others, including Bella, protected. Cass, on the other hand, wanted something that he thought might morph into a key ability. Something that would improve his work. 

It was all supposition and question marks, but in the end, they made their decisions.

“All set?” He asked her, still unseeing as they’d been at this for almost an hour.

“Yep. Let’s do it.”

[PROCESSING SELECTION…]

Selected ability: Anchor

Receiver: Close-Quarters Scout Adya Korring

Abnormal selection detected…

System Trust (I) bypass acknowledged.

Selected ability: Predictive Thrust

Receiver: QuestWright Cassio Vale

Abnormal selection detected…

System Trust (I) bypass acknowledged.

Analyzing compatibility…

Compatibility failed.

Modifications required…

Cass felt like a drop of sweat rolled down his back. If, for some reason, the System couldn’t make the alterations they were asking for, it wouldn’t shock him to receive something far lesser. 

The next update took away that worry.

Modifying shared abilities…

Modifications complete.

Original function of Anchor: Attaches Quests to created locations on a System Map.

New ability: Target Mark

Target Mark (Level 1, Restricted): 

Active ability: The Scout may designate a single valid target within range. Once marked, that target becomes easier to track, even in crowded or chaotic conditions.

Restricted: Only one target may be marked at a time. Should the target leave the prescribed range or line of sight for too long, the mark will fade.

Original function of Predictive Thrust: Predicts the most effective point of impact for a thrusting attack.

New ability: Convergence

Convergence (Tier 1, Restricted): 

Active ability: The QuestWright may activate this ability to locate convergence points across their map. Convergence points are Quests that interact with one another for completion.

Restricted: Convergence may only be used once per day.

Upgradeable

[CONTRACTED ABILITIES GRANTED]

“Convergence,” Cass said slowly, tasting the word.

“I feel like I got the better end of the stick on this one,” Adya laughed. “It’s basically an improvement over the path I sacrificed for our Contract. Tagging was fine, but I could tell things would get a little confusing the further down I went. Give me something nice and simple, and I’m happy.”

“And yet, look who you’re dating,” Cass grumped. 

In a test, he finally opened his eyes and looked at the ground. One quick activation of Convergence showed it was as he thought, nothing special. All of his ongoing Quests barely touched or intersected.

“What a letdown,” He grumped a second time, suddenly wondering if the modifications hadn’t gone through, would he have gotten something better?

Adya patted his back softly, his feelings too easy to recognize. “Remember, it’s only the beginning. Both of our abilities will get stronger over time. Who knows, you could really need it one day.”

“Yeah, you’re right. The System always has a reason for everything it does. Come on, I’ve been out long enough that Ana is probably already waiting with a ladle tapping her arm.”

“She scary when she’s angry?”

“I’ll tell you when I actually see it.”

They hopped back onto Bella, who had a faraway feeling coming from her. She started toward the gate before suddenly turning and beelining straight for the play happening nearby. Each actor had a funny way of speaking, where you could understand them, but not at the same time.

Cass leaned forward to ask, “Did you catch the name of this?”

“Something Lear.”

“Huh,” Cass said, just as a man in a fancy getup came out onto the pile of wood acting as a stage. He looked around at the audience before speaking.

“If any man of quality or degree with the lists of the army will maintain upon Edmund, supposed Earl of Gloucester, that he is a manifold traitor, let him appear by the third sound of the trumpet. He is bold in his defense.”

“What does that even mean?” Cass said with his eyes shut, a headache coming on.

“You’re an idiot, Vale,” Alan replied sternly, appearing beside them as if by magic. “That man is playing the Herald from King Lear, one of the greatest plays ever written, even if he was an Englishman.” He spat to the side. “Small role there, but an important one. Heralds a very old job, if my memory serves me right.”

“What do they do?”

“Deliveries, proclamations, things like that. But in the oldest stories, a Herald could be a dark omen. War and destruction often follow their arrival. Change, wanted or unwanted alike.”

Bella shook her head and stamped the ground, causing both of her riders to shift.

“Calm down, Bella,” Cass said with a hiss as he almost fell off.

Alan threw a knowing eye at first, the horse, then Cass himself. He smiled, and Cass didn’t know what to make of it.

Once everyone realized how depressing and terrifying the play was becoming, they left to get Cass back to the tower on time. It turned out Ana had left dinner and a note saying not to expect her till late morning. He didn’t begrudge her for her happiness.

Another week passed in a blink, with Cass failing to find any value in the ability. Occasionally, he had dinner with Ana, went for a quick ride with Bell and Adya. Each time, he continued to transfer his experience to her until they evened out. There was a distinct difference between being forced by the contract and choosing to. 

She was his partner; anything he could do to help, he would.  

A second week passed, and several events struck at the same time. First, his and Adya’s levels were quickly approaching the second gate.

Second, he thought he had Conditional Questing figured out. It was all trial and testing as the System refused to help in any way. 

And third, tomorrow, he’d finally have enough tokens for Tempered Tactician. But there was something he was curious about, and he had enough experience to do it.

I’ve saved up my experience for so long now. Ten thousand isn’t a small amount in any which way. Heck, I could’ve unlocked Expansion, Resolution, or Enterprise weeks ago and been fine. Maybe unlocked all of them, at that.

But I need to know. Why is this so expensive, and what, exactly, does it do?

He took one last look at his status before it all went away.

Calling: Junior QuestWright: Cassio Vale

Level: 19

Experience Accrued: 14800.72

Experience Required for Next Level: 399.28

Unspent Experience: 10850.74

Available System Reputation: 1849

Available Quests: 98/190

Total Stalwart/Tempered/Survivor Tokens: 210/11/302

“Here goes nothing.”

Cass mentally clicked on Path of the Versatile, then accepted the cost.

All at once, his paths disappeared.