New skill acquired:
Navigation (wilderness) Novice- Lvl 1
Skill synergy detected.
Navigation (urban) and Navigation (wilderness) have been combined.
New skill acquired:
Navigation Apprentice- Lvl 5
Otter’s wrisplay buzzed and flashed, alerting him of the new notifications.
“Nice,” he said.
“What?” asked Erin. “What does it say?”
“I just leveled my Navigation skills. Something about synergy. I dunno. But I’m now an Apprentice navigator.”
“Excellent. I just got 100 XP for finishing top 3 in that little race.”
“Really? How much do you have total now?”
Erin checked her own wrisplay. “175. Still a long way to go to level 2.”
“At least you’re getting experience.”
“And you’re getting skill points. Remember, once you have a Class, you only get those on level up.”
“True,” Otter admitted. “I guess it’s not too bad, all things considered.”
“What’s next for you?”
“Adventuring Fundamentals. You?”
“Herbology.”
“See you later?”
“You bet.”
Adventuring Fundamentals was in a big auditorium style lecture hall. When Otter walked in, he was shocked to see how many people were there. It seemed like most of the first years were in attendance. Not everyone, of course. Erin wasn’t there, and he didn't see Milo or Torrin.
A knot of people had formed around someone Otter hadn’t met yet. He could just barely see the object of their attention
Curiosity pulled Otter closer.
A young man with tousled black hair stood in the midst of the onlookers holding some sort of puzzle box. He was short but radiated an infectious energy that was impossible to ignore. Every word he spoke dripped with enthusiasm, and laughter rippled through the crowd like a wave. Otter edged closer, straining to catch snippets of his charming banter.
“...so the trick is to twist this left ‘til you hear it click, and voilà! You’ve got yourself a treasure map!” The boy demonstrated with flair, twisting the puzzle box in a dazzling display while the crowd oohed and aahed.
“Who is that?” Otter whispered to a girl next to him who was practically bouncing on her toes.
“That’s Levi,” she replied breathlessly, eyes shining. “He’s a Dungeoneer! He can solve puzzles faster than anyone.”
“Dungeoneer, huh?” Otter mused, his interest piquing again.
Just then, a tall woman with an owl-like expression slipped through the group to stand behind Levi. “That’s quite the toy you have there,” she said, plucking it from his grasp and inspecting it carefully.
“It’s not a toy, ma’am. It’s a puzzle box, designed to keep would-be thieves flustered.” His words were still full of enthusiasm as he explained, not the whiny tone Otter might have expected.
“I see,” the woman said, then handed the disassembled box back to him. “Well, I hope your mind is as nimble with the complex topics you’ll be learning in this course.” She turned to the rest of the students. “Find a seat so we may begin!”
Intrigued by this fellow, Levi, Otter made sure to claim a seat next to him, though he did so to the jealous glare of several female students hoping to do the same.
“I am Instructor Windemere,” the older woman said as she climbed several small steps to the stage. “Welcome to Adventuring Fundamentals.”
As the instructor launched into a review of the course syllabus, Otter’s mind drifted to other topics. While he’d told Erin that advancing his skills was just as good as earning XP, he didn't believe it. There were so many advantages to having a Class that outweighed the advancement he was likely to make without one.
Otter tuned back in to listen to Windemere go over the basics of each Adventuring Class. He had heard most of this information before, but when she got to the description of the Spell Lord Class, his interest was piqued once again.
The variety and power that came with being a Spell Lord was unmatched. They were able to manipulate and control all forms of magic, making them formidable opponents in any battle. Not to mention the utility spells. Some Spell Lords preferred to stay away from the front lines, researching new magics for the betterment of all people. Otter couldn't help but imagine himself as a powerful Spell Lord, casting spells with ease and mastering all types of magic.
But then Windemere moved on to the Dungeoneer Class and Otter found himself leaning forward in his seat, eager for more information. He didn't know anyone with that Class, which made it all the more mysterious and intriguing.
Windemere described how Dungeoneers were experts in solving puzzles and navigating through dangerous dungeons. They were also skilled in deciphering ancient texts and finding hidden treasures. Otter's mind raced with possibilities as he imagined himself as a clever Dungeoneer. It seemed like he already had a relevant skill set.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
He couldn't decide which Class he wanted more - the power of a Spell Lord or the agility of a Dungeoneer. But one thing was for sure, he was determined to earn an Adventuring Class.
He glanced over at Levi and realized he was drawing some intricate pattern on a piece of paper.
“What’s that?” Otter whispered.
Levi shrugged. “Just a maze. I started out solving them. Now I like to draw them.”
Otter looked at the twisting lines with renewed interest. It took a couple of moments, but eventually his Navigation skill kicked in and the solution revealed itself—the correct path glowing a faint blue in his vision.
“Cool,” he said.
“You like mazes, too?” asked Levi.
Otter nodded.
“You ever draw any? I can’t find any that challenge me anymore.”
Otter considered. He hadn't ever tried. He liked drawing his maps. They were something real and concrete. A tool he could use. A maze wouldn’t be much different, except it would use his imagination. “No. But I could try. I’ll see if I can come up with something before the next session.”
“Cool,” said Levi.
The last thing Instructor Windemere talked about before dismissing the session was their primary assignment for the quarter. They were to choose a Class, other than their own, to write a paper about. That meant Otter could write about anything.
As everyone began packing up and leaving, Otter turned to Levi. “Dungeoneer seems like a pretty fascinating Class. I think I might write my paper on that.”
Levi’s eyes lit up. “It’s the best Class! I’d be happy to talk you through some things if you want. Not that I’m an expert, but I don’t think enough people are that interested.”
“Definitely,” said Otter.
“Cool. I’ll see you later…”
“Otter.”
Levi smiled. “Cool name. I’m Levi. I gotta run. See you around.”
***
Archivist Dane had sent Otter to find a scribe named Piper.
“She’ll be your direct supervisor from here on out. I don’t have time to babysit.”
Otter didn't feel like he needed babysitting, but if this Piper was less intense than Dane, answering to her was fine by him.
As he rounded a corner, he nearly collided with someone balancing a precarious stack of books.
“Whoa!” Otter reached out to steady the pile. “Sorry about that.”
The girl peered around the books, her ink-stained fingers clutching them tightly. Her curly brown hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and her glasses perched precariously on her nose. She offered a shy smile.
“No harm done,” she said softly. “New here?”
Otter nodded. “Yeah. Library duty.”
“Ah. Lucky you.” She set the books down on a nearby table and extended her hand. “I’m Piper Ward.”
“Otter Bennett.” He shook her hand, noting the ink smudges on her fingertips. “I was actually looking for you. Archivist Dane said you’d be my direct supervisor during my shifts.”
Piper nodded, pushing her glasses up her nose. “Excellent. My job primarily deals with cataloging and book restoration. Mostly, I chase down missing volumes and try to make sense of this place.”
Otter glanced around at the towering shelves. “Looks like a full-time job.”
“It is,” Piper said with a laugh. “But I love it. There’s something magical about old books, don’t you think? They hold stories—and secrets.”
Otter couldn’t argue with that. He followed her as she picked up the stack of books and began walking through the aisles.
He watched as she meticulously organized the books each time she shelved one, often reordering those around it.
Piper glanced at him, a hint of a smile playing at her lips. “Don’t worry. I won’t hold you to the same standards I have for myself. Putting things in order is a bit of an obsession for me. I enjoy it. Sometimes, I think the other scribes move things around just so I can put them back. Come on, I’ll show you where the returns are and tell you the most efficient way to deal with shelving them.”
She made her way back to the front desk and pointed out a large bin underneath. “Mundane titles and textbooks get put in there. In addition to the more specialized items in the Library, we also carry plenty of light reading—novels and such. We’ll start with those.”
They worked in companionable silence for a while before Piper spoke again, her voice quieter, more hesitant.
“Have you… noticed anything strange while you’ve been here?”
Otter raised an eyebrow. “Strange how?”
Piper glanced around, as if making sure they were alone. “Books moving on their own. Shelves rearranging themselves overnight. And sometimes… whispers.”
“Whispers?” Otter repeated, skeptical. “You’re serious?”
Piper nodded. “It’s always in the West Wing, near the Restricted Section. The other Scribes avoid that area. They say it’s haunted.”
Otter chuckled, shaking his head. “Haunted bookshelves? Sounds like a campfire story.”
“I thought so too,” Piper said, her voice lowering to a near whisper. “But I’ve heard them. And the books—they don’t just move randomly. It’s like they’re looking for something.”
Otter’s skepticism wavered as he saw the earnest look in her eyes. “And no one’s investigated?”
Piper shrugged. “Archivist Dane says it’s nonsense. Just tricks of the mind. But I know what I’ve seen.”
As they reached a quiet corner of the Library, Otter bent down to place a spicy romance novel in its designated slot when his wrisplay buzzed unexpectedly.
He glanced down to see static flickering across the screen, followed by a brief, cryptic message:
Luck’s Whisper: Active
“What the—?” Otter muttered, tapping the screen. The message disappeared, replaced by the usual display of his stats and skills.
Piper noticed his reaction. “What’s wrong?”
Otter straightened. “Nothing. My wrisplay just glitched.”
Piper’s eyes narrowed. “Mine’s never done that, but like I said, there’s something strange about this place.”
“Maybe.” Otter rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Piper tapped her fingers against her stack of books, her expression thoughtful. “Or maybe it’s not a glitch. Maybe it’s a message.”
Otter frowned. “From who?”
“Or what,” Piper added, her voice dropping to a whisper. “What if the Library itself is trying to tell you something?”
The idea sounded absurd, but Otter couldn’t shake the feeling that she might be right. In a way, the Library felt alive, humming with unseen energy. And that Luck’s Whisper message was just as mysterious. But he’d seen that outside the Library. So maybe the message wasn’t from the Library. Maybe the System was trying to tell him something.
Piper’s gaze met his, her brown eyes gleaming with curiosity. “We should investigate.”
“Now?” Otter asked, glancing around.
Piper shook her head. “You have closing shift tonight, right?”
Otter nodded.
“After dinner, we can explore the West Wing without anyone interrupting.”
“You mean, go in the Restricted Section?”
“No, no. That’s off limits, of course. But there’s lots of other areas we can investigate.”
Otter hesitated, torn between excitement and apprehension. The idea felt a little reckless, but his curiosity burned brighter than his caution.
“Alright,” he said finally. “Let’s do it.”
Piper grinned, her ink-stained fingers clutching the edges of her books. “Great.”
As Otter left the Library to get some dinner, his thoughts swirled with anticipation and unease. He glanced back at the towering shelves, their shadows stretching long in the dim light.
Secrets were hidden in those shelves—he was sure of it.
And he intended to find them.