“You sure that was a good idea?” Andy asked as the pair returned to their original route, “I mean, giving a wannabe Thief a gold coin is basically asking to be robbed again.”
“It’s fine,” Jake hummed, absentmindedly patting Eta on the head, “She looked like she needed it, anyway.”
“What, so you’re going to go around handing out gold to every poor sap that crosses your path?” Andy chuckled, “Even with all your riches, you’ll end up poor if you keep doing that, Jakey.”
“I won’t,” Jake shook his head, “It just felt…right in the moment, I guess? Anyway, we’re here. I’m going to go take the pill in my room.”
“Good luck, man,” Andy nodded as they entered the tavern, “Tell me about it once you’re done.”
“Will do,” Jake smiled as he headed upstairs, his friend calling for a plate of food and an ale as he headed towards their regular table.
Once in his room, Jake sat on the bed, taking out one of the pills and checking its description again. It hadn’t changed, but he still felt a little worried about taking it. Lying down, he slipped the pill into his mouth and swallowed, feeling the small ball slide down into his stomach. A moment passed. Then another. Jake wondered if the pill hadn’t worked, before a wave of electricity passed through him, burning through his veins in seconds as he gasped. It was done in an instant, making him feel strangely relaxed, the sensation nothing like when he’d eaten the Manawort Mushroom the first time, a new screen appearing in front of him.
You have enhanced your Magic with a powerful Magic Pill.
Due to using the same types of ingredients as your Awakening, the effects are enhanced.
“Oh, okay,” Jake nodded as he sat back up, shaking out his limbs as he looked over at Eta, the wolf watching him in interest, “I think that was it, boy. Let’s go back downstairs and join Andy.”
Jake and Eta quickly headed back downstairs, walking across the room to their table.
“That was fast,” the Defender hummed as Jake joined him, “The way you described it before, I was expecting you to be gone for at least twenty minutes, not two.”
“It was far less unpleasant this time around,” Jake shrugged, waving down one of the tavern waitresses and ordering his own food and drink.
“So, I guess we have lunch and then head out to the forest and get you that Skill, then?” Andy asked, Jake nodding, “Great! Can’t level up on an empty stomach, now, can we?”
------
It didn’t take long for Jake to gain the Skill, the tracks of the Starved Wolves easy to follow in the dirt of the forest floor. He checked his notifications just to be sure, smiling at what he saw.
Learned Skill [Tracking]
“Right, got it,” he said, Andy just nodding beside him, “Now to level it up.”
“Shouldn’t be hard for you,” Andy chuckled, “Considering you’re already past the first threshold.”
“First threshold?” Jake asked.
“Level ten,” Andy explained, “Something the librarian was telling me about. Apparently, basic Skills, so the ones you haven’t Ascended yet, level up faster when you’re over level ten. The second threshold is at level twenty-five, and no one knows when the third threshold is, but folks believe it to be level fifty.”
“I see,” Jake nodded, “Well, that should help out here. Let’s keep going.”
“Right behind you, man!” Andy grinned as Jake looked down at the tracks they’d been following, continuing after them.
------
Jennifer Watson, currently known by her in game name of Quick Fingers, scowled as she tapped out the coded knock on the large iron bound door. The eye slit slid open a moment later, a familiar pair of eyes glaring out at her.
“You got my money, brat?” the voice from the other side growled.
“Depends,” she shot back, “You got change for a Head, Terry?”
“Don’t kid yourself, brat,” the man replied, “There’s no way you made that much in the hour since you were last here.”
“Oh really?” Quick hummed, flashing the gold coin as the man’s eyes went wide, “Believe me now?”
“Get in,” the door guard growled as the door swung open, Quick darting in just before it was all but slammed behind her, “Alberto will want to see that.”
“Already on my way,” Quick spat, walking as tall as her short frame would allow her.
She looked around the Thieves’ Guild for Dusk Keep as she moved through it, taking note of the NPCs as they watched her closely. She tightened her grip on the coin in her hand, making sure not to make eye contact or bump into anyone, knowing full well that they were a lot more skilled than her, and that her way in could be snatched at any moment. Somehow, she made it to the back of the cistern that housed the Guild without trouble, walking up to the large table covered in papers and plans.
“Quick,” the man standing behind it said, “You’re back fast.”
“Got a lucky Mark,” She shrugged, tossing the coin though the air to the man, who caught it with ease.
“A whole Head?” the man mused, flipping the coin between his fingers, “You know what this means, right?”
“That my entry fee is paid?” Quick couldn’t help the nervous fidgeting that took her, watching Alberto as he slipped the coin into his pocket, producing a large purse a moment later and tossing it back to her. Putting it in her inventory, Quick blinked at the amount, “Ninety-five silver and fifty copper? I though the guild tax for non-members was fifty percent?”
“It is,” Albert grinned, “But member rates are ten percent, and we don’t stiff our own. That means you’re in, kid.”
“I’m twenty-three,” Jennifer huffed, somewhat used to the comments on her height and appearance, but still finding them annoying.
“Sure you are, kid,” Alberto nodded, a smirk on his lips, “Now, go get something better than those rags from Harriet, you look like an urchin, not a proper Thief.”
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
“On it,” Quick nodded, walking back across the cistern to the closest thing the Guild had to a Quartermaster, the old woman glancing up at Quick as she approached, the young woman tossing the purse onto the small table between them, “Give me the best you got.”
Harriet picked up the bag slowly, weighing it in her hand, before just nodding. A moment later, a set of dark leather armour, looking brand new, and a pair of sharp iron daggers were dropped in front of Quick. A non-descript brown cloak was added as well, followed by a much smaller purse. Grabbing all of it, Quick put it in her inventory and equipped the armour, immediately combining the full set and smiling as she saw the bonuses for the Uncommon gear.
“No complaints?” Harriet grumbled as Quick threw the cloak around her shoulders, grabbing the purse last, “That was a lot of Swords you just spent.”
“Worth every copper Wreath,” Quick grinned back, “Especially this cloak.”
“You wanted the best I got, that’s the best thing I got,” the old woman shrugged, “Don’t go wasting it just cause you hit a high.”
“Course not,” Quick shook her head, “Now, I got an appointment with a certain person I gotta keep.”
“Oh? Alberto given you a job already?” Harriet hummed.
“Nope,” Quick smirked, “But I got a feeling this person is worth more than a few jobs in this town.”
------
Skill [Tracking] has levelled up.
Jake nodded as he checked the notification, opening his Character Screen to see how far he’d come in the last two hours.
Character Profile
Name
Jake Grey
Class
Champion
Level
14
Reputation
Known
Health Points
280
Mana Points
260
Stamina Points
340
Fate Points
4
Power
22 {+7}
Intellect
22 {+4}
Agility
28 {+6}
Wit
22 {+1}
Vitality
22 {+6}
Charisma
22 {+2}
Skills (17/20)
Titles
Combat
Evasion [6]
Hunting Bows [5]
Medium Armour [6]
Short Swords [5]
Utility
Aim [5]
Free Movement [8]
Inspect [8]
Observe [8]
Silent Movement [8]
Tracking [7]
Creation
Alchemy [5]
Cooking [3]
Crafting [7]
Dissection [2]
Gathering [8]
Magic
Nature Magic [2]
Shadow Magic [2]
Lord of the Dark Woods
Frontrunner
Giant Slayer V
Pioneer
World Breaker
Touched by Corruption
Champion of the Wilds
Persistent
Executioner I
“Level seven,” he hummed as Andy and Eta followed behind him.
They had tracked three separate packs so far, eventually catching up to and killing the wolves, before setting off in search of the next. It had been a productive afternoon, but Jake was starting to feel like his new Skill wasn’t going to progress any further just following the obvious tracks of the Starved Wolves. He had also managed to get a level in [Dissection] by harvesting the wolves they’d killed, but that was beside the point.
“Think that’s enough for now?” Andy asked, swinging his mace through the air casually.
“Yeah, let’s head back,” Jake nodded, the trio turning back and heading in the direction of the town.
The journey back was uneventful, even with Eta running through the fields and hunting a few of the rabbit-like creatures that proliferated the area. They arrived back at the Basket quickly, Jake immediately pausing as he felt his ring vibrate against his finger, looking around the room in confusion. He was somewhat used to the occasional glance by now but had never been so obviously stared at as by the figure sitting at their table. The young woman immediately waved them over, scowling when they didn’t move.
“Isn’t that the chick that stole from you earlier?” Andy muttered to Jake as they stood in the doorway of the tavern, “What’s she after now?”
“I don’t know,” Jake shrugged, “Shall we go find out?”
The two men headed over to the table, Eta following close behind as the Rogue gave a relieved sigh.
“Right, good, you’re finally here,” she said as she ran a hand through her short, curly brown hair, “And about bloody time too.”
“What are you after?” Andy immediately asked, the Rogue ignoring him as she stared at Jake, “Hey, I’m talking to you.”
“You’re easy to find, y’know?” the woman hummed, nodding to Jake, “Painfully easy. Didn’t even need to grease any palms to figure out where you had a room.”
“What do you want?” Jake asked as he sat opposite her, the Rogue just grinning as she held out a hand, Jake noticing that her previously ragged armour had been replaced with matt black leathers in far better condition.
“Quick Fingers,” she introduced herself, “And you did me a hell of a favour earlier, so I’m here to return it.”
“And how are you going to do that?” Andy growled, the woman still ignoring him.
“I noticed that I can’t use [Observe] on you, like, at all,” Quick said, “Would be a mighty useful thing for someone in my profession. But we aren’t here to talk about me.”
“So, you’re really a Thief?” Jake asked, the woman shrugging.
“Not officially, gotta hit at least level ten before you can upgrade your Class,” she explained, “But that hardly seems like a problem for you. Most folks around here aren’t much above five yet, but I noticed your friend there is at level eight already.”
“He is,” Jake nodded, quickly using [Observe] on the Rogue.
Quick Fingers
Human Rogue
Level: 4
“You’re only level four?” Jake blinked at the information, the woman scowling at him.
“Yeah, not much I can do about that alone,” she growled, “Which is exactly why I’m offering you my services.”
“Your services?” Andy laughed, “What could we need a wannabe Thief for?”
“Not much now,” Quick shrugged, replying to him for the first time, “But you help me out, and I’ll make it worth your while in the long run. Thieves’ honour.”
“Not very convincing,” Andy scowled, “What’s to say you don’t just betray us later?”
“Nothing,” Quick said flatly, “Just my word. And that’s the best I can give. Now, are you in, or not? You say no, I’m gone. You say yes, you’ll have made an ally in the dark places of society.”
“So, what? You want help levelling up?” Jake asked, Quick nodding, “Okay.”
“Jakey,” Andy muttered, pulling his friend away as he whispered, “Are you sure about this? I’m getting bad vibes from this chick, like she’s only using us, or more specifically, you.”
“It’s fine,” Jake shrugged, turning back to the Rogue, “We’ll go night hunting tonight, after that, you should gain at least a few levels.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Quick nodded, suddenly looking a little nervous, “Though, uhm…gotta ask, what are we gonna be hunting?”
Jake smiled as he looked at her.
“Wolves. A lot of wolves.”