Dinner was a blast. Serenity told them just how gullible the humans in the dungeon trial were, and everyone had a good laugh. Apparently their approaches had been totally different - the first hunter the others ran into attacked Doyle - and missed - so the group dealt with him, but after that everyone was immediately hostile.

They hadn’t seen a shaman. The final boss of their dungeon was a “warchief” who taunted them and attacked along with four other humans. It was the first time the group actually saw an enemy healer, and he’d caused quite a bit of trouble before they realized what was happening.

Serenity was still marveling at how different the quest made the Trial when he arrived in the breakroom to find Sillon and Kerr waiting for him.

“Hey! I heard you did the last Trial the hard way. Well, the way that seems hard. Did you get a good reward?” Kerr handed Serenity a plate with a frosted pastry. “It’s spike-pear, I heard you like those.”

Serenity took a bite and realized someone with a really good Cooking path must have made it. The pastry itself was light and buttery and nearly melted in his mouth, while adding just a hint of sweetness to the still crisp spike-pear filling.

“This is wonderful. As for the reward, I’m not sure. I don’t know what it is.” Serenity pulled out the crystal the shaman had given him. He had a good guess what the second bonus quest reward was, but this was a mystery.

Kerr took a good look at the crystal. “Huh. Identify just says it’s a crystal seed. Doesn’t say what it will grow into though. Interesting, though - here.” Kerr flipped what she was seeing so Serenity could see it.

Crystal Seed

This crystal belongs to nascent-Lord Serenity. It is still immature and not ready to be planted.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“Nascent-Lord? What’s that?” Serenity thought he’d seen the various titles, but that one was new.

“First step in being recognized as a Lord, at least when you’re building a new community. Odd to see it this early, it usually takes either a recognized town or someone going through the steps to swear fealty to a wandering Lord. The town’s the more common on new worlds, the oath’s pretty common for descendants if someone’s trying to pass on a lordship.” Sillon answered. “You going to share or should I guess?”

Serenity waved the screen over so Sillon could see it as well. “I guess that’s it then. Moira.”

“Eh?”

“Moira. She swore fealty. I guess that's what it’s counting.” Serenity wasn’t sure how he felt about that. A Lordship might be useful in organizing people, but it could also make it difficult to deal with people who weren’t under his command. It was probably good, but it meant he might have to conquer the planet to save it. That hadn’t been his plan. On second thought, maybe it was a better plan? If he could bring the entire planet under his wing as Lord, that had some advantages over being a local power. Less freedom in his actions, but it would force people to have to deal with him where a local power might be avoidable.

Kerr wrinkled her nose at Serenity. “You’re both missing the important part. Identify says the crystal belongs to Serenity.”

Both Serenity and Sillon looked at her blankly. Sillon realized what she was getting at first. “Order-recognized ownership. That’s what you mean.”

“Yep.” Kerr watched Serenity. “You have no idea what that means, do you?”

“I guess not…” Serenity couldn’t remember getting anything worthwhile without fighting for it.

“It means you can’t lose it. It also ... “ Kerr shook her head before continuing. “We think it also means the item’s connected to a possible Path for you. One the Voice is interested in. Getting information’s always hard so … no one’s sure. But that’s what we think.”

“We?”

“Tutorial instructors … you know. Those of us who have done this before.” Kerr indicated Sillon. “The two of us have been in three - four? Yeah, four previous Tutorials together before. Tutorials pay well, and sometimes they lead to chances that aren’t available outside. Both Sillon and I have reasons. They’re not the same, but - reasons.” Kerr looked bleak for a moment.

Serenity took another bite of his spike-pear pastry. It was still just as good as the first bite. “No being down! We’re here to celebrate! Eat your pastry!”

Kerr laughed and the moment passed.