I am now… Matt thought as the tingle of specialization began to build in his body. It was stronger than when he leveled. The pressure was almost unbearable. Then pinpricks burst out from his core and he began to glow. …Awesome!

Matt turned over his palm, grinning at the deep blue light of Protection. The radiance flowed, building an inch-high nimbus around his body. He wiggled his fingers. Up close it almost fizzed, like the surface of pop, shooting off tiny particles of energy.

Then, all of a sudden, the light sucked into his skin and was gone.

Matt stood up straighter. Cool air blew gently on his face from somewhere deep in the mountains. He didn’t feel different. Did he? Was he different?

Valkyrie, Kurtis, and Fallyn all had that far-off menu-reading look.

Matt eagerly opened his own menus. His Aspects Menu now said ‘Knight’ at the top, and the fourth gem he’d chosen was slotted.

Skills Menu, Matt thought, ready to find out more than skill names. Please tell me I chose right.

The black window, hovering a few feet in front of Matt’s face, still had three tabs, each marked by a different Aspect gem. He’d been expecting a new tab but, after a moment’s hesitation, he guessed at the blue one. Sure enough, it now listed five additional skills beneath Bulwark and Rapid Regeneration. Matt had one free Skill Point to spend and five shiny new options.

He read the first skill. It said, ‘Shield Slam (spend Skill Point to activate). Slam your shield into a single target for a moderate attack. Requires shield. Low stamina cost.’

Well, that’s out. Where am I going to get a shield?

Next on the list was ‘Deflect (spend Skill Point to activate). Divert the next incoming physical or magical attack within 3 seconds. High mana cost.’ He thought that could be useful. It felt similar to Bulwark, except very short term and it wouldn’t freeze him out of everything while it was active.

Below that, ‘Basic Heal’ was described as ‘A weak heal. Cast on yourself for medium mana.’ Matt wondered how weak ‘weak’ meant, but liked the idea of a heal that was instant instead of the slow speed of his sparks.

The next skill, ‘Defensive Posture,’ granted straight-up stats. It was simply described as ‘Physical resistance +1000.’

Matt paused when he noticed that the final skill had a different note beside its name. It said, ‘Basic Taunt (complete class quest to unlock). Call an enemy to focus on you for 30 seconds. Your attacks hit for 50% less damage while active. Low stamina cost.’

What the heck is a class quest?

“Hey,” Matt asked, “anyone else get this ‘complete class quest’ note on their skills?”

“On one, yeah,” Kurtis confirmed.

Then Val chimed in with a cheery, “Mmhm!”

Of course, they can’t just make it easy. Matt sighed and returned to contemplating his available Skill Point.

The choice was really between Deflect, Basic Heal, and Defensive Posture. He could pick up Shield Slam when he got a shield. He wanted something immediately actionable. He really wanted the damn taunt. If he had that, he wouldn’t need a ranged attack; he could make the monsters come to him. If he had that and kept going like he was with his health and resistances, then he could really protect his group.

Damn, stupid class quest. He didn’t know what it was, and he was already annoyed with it.

Matt put his point in Basic Heal. He did like the idea of faster healing.

“So, what did everyone get?” Matt asked, closing his menu. “Who chose what?” He raised both eyebrows, directing the second question at Fallyn.

“I selected wizard, Kurtis cleric,” Fallyn said. Then she narrowed her eyes at Kurtis. “You glowed green, right?”

“Yes,” the cat-man said defensively. “Super-super-pale green, but it was green. I swear. Don’t look at me like that.” He swished forward his tail and held it in an oven-mitted hand.

“Hunter,” said Val. Then the words spilled from her mouth. “I get a pet! It’s gonna be the cutest. It’s gonna fight for me, and be our mascot! It’s gonna be THE BEST!” She beamed.

“I got tank stuff with knight like Kurtis thought I would,” Matt offered.

“You got a taunt, right?” Kurtis asked.

“Locked behind the class quest.” Matt frowned.

“Oh, that sucks. I feel your pain, man.” Kurtis shrugged. “Cleric has this Restoring Spirit skill that would let me use any of my heals or shields on your guys, but it’s stuck behind a quest too. Looks like I get another heal, a shield, a cleanse, and an attack though. Hey, I wonder if that can cleanse gravemist…”

“Wait, you got a shield?” Matt asked. “Like a weapon? I need one of those.”

“Uh, no. A spell that acts as a magical barrier. Haven’t spent a point on it yet.”

“I’m guessing no to the gravemist cleanse question,” Fallyn weighed in, speaking slowly. “Otherwise all these quests we’ve been sent on would be pointless.”

“Yeah.” Kurtis frowned.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Isn’t all of this pointless?” Matt quipped. There was something in her comment; the euphoria of specialization had disappeared. Memories from the grayscale place threatened to surface, his hatred for FRC...

Fallyn shot Matt a flat look.

“Sorry, I’m just dealing with a lot.” Matt sighed. “I know we all are. I’m just… I’m feeling it. Sorry.”

Val walked up and wordlessly wrapped her arms around him, a little pink sparkly hug. “Ow,” she said, after a moment. “Stupid trashcan lid.” She backed up and smiled.

“Thanks, Val.” Matt returned the smile. “I’ll be okay.” Then he added, half-heartedly, “Yay, we’re Level 10.” He took a deep breath. “So, class quests?”

“Mine wants me to go to Central Park,” Val said.

“Like, Central Park Central Park?” Kurtis asked.

“That’s what it says!” Val shrugged. “I need it to keep our new mascot alive.”

“What?” blurted Matt.

“My pet! When I get him. The skill says ‘Protect Beast (complete class quest to unlock). Your tamed beast has its Physical Resistance and Magical Resistance increased by 50% of your corresponding stats. Your buffs extend to your tamed beast (scaling and exceptions may apply). Your healing spells may now be cast on your tamed beast.’ I got the skill to tame him, I just need to use it. We can’t let our mascot die…”

Mascot?

“I have to read a hundred books,” Fallyn said. “The map hasn’t marked a location for me. The Log indicates that they could be anywhere. It actually says ‘anywhere.’” She frowned. “Is yours the same, Kurtis?”

“Nnnnnope,” the cat-man said. “Have to go to an abbey and get blessed. Better not be a conversion thing. Or a cult. I’ll have to tell them I’m a Pastafarian.”

Matt opened his Quest Log to check his own details. The quest was called ‘A Knight-Errant’s Airy Error Errand.’ The title sounded like gobbley-goop, but Matt continued reading: ‘Once upon a time, in a tower leaning, there was a princess who experimented in her lab.’

“The abbey looks like it’s west-ish,” Kurtis said.

Matt’s quest text continued: ‘Jealous of her sister, who had the most beautiful singing voice in the land, Rapunzel sought to find an elixir to grant her superior song. She toiled day and night, creating potions to affect all manner of breath and sound.’

“Mine’s kinda west too,” Val said.

Matt kept reading: ‘Legend has it, she has yet to succeed. However, one of her failures is just what you need. Find the Air of Taunting and consume it.’

“I have to find a potion in a tower,” Matt relayed.

“Oh, this is rich.” Kurtis huffed. “Check your Earth skills. Apology.”

Matt opened his Skills Menu, flipped to the yellow-gem tab, and read a new skill, which must have just been revealed. It said, ‘Apology (spend Skill Point to activate). Sorry we blew up your planet. Primary Stats +500.’

Those fucks.

After a lot of guesswork and wishing that they could show each other their maps, the group formed a general picture of where they needed to go. Their individual class quest destinations were all in undiscovered areas, which didn’t help things either. And then Fallyn’s quest didn’t even give her a map marker, so there was that. But for Val, Kurtis, and himself they had a plan that seemed moderately clear.

They struck out north, initially, from where Apprentice Hazel had stood. They needed to be on the opposite side of the mountain ridge from where they’d quested with Leroy. Matt kept expecting the woman to reappear in a puff of smoke, and then yell at them impatiently and give them a quest. He glanced back a few times, as they walked away, but the mountain hilltop remained empty as it shrunk into the distance.

Their best guess put Central Park, for Val, and the abbey, for Kurtis, at about the same distance southwest. Central Park was a bit farther north than the abbey, and Matt’s tower should be a few hours past the abbey. The group succumbed to Val’s pleading and agreed to do her quest first. Fallyn also pointed out that the route would prevent backtracking.

They soon reached the bluegrass sea and Matt was sure that something was off. The thick brush hid his feet and shins but was easy enough to walk through. The sun shone brightly above. The white lace flowers gently bobbed in the wind.

Matt couldn’t put his finger on what was wrong. It was like a word he couldn’t recall. Then, a few minutes later it hit him: the field was too empty. Matt pulled his swords from his inventory.

Fallyn shot him a glance and her staff materialized.

“The manny beetles,” Matt said in a hushed tone. “Where are they?”

“You think someone’s been through here?” Kurtis whispered.

“Maybe,” Matt replied.

Wordlessly, the party adopted a familiar formation. Matt watched their left flank. They walked quietly, weapons out. After half an hour on high alert, the blue grasses faded to gray. The flowers withered.

Fallyn stopped and parted the dead plants in front of her. “Look. It might not be people.”

Matt peered over and spied neon green gas spilling over the dirt.

As if on cue, a giant manny beetle rose from the grass. Its coloring had grayed and it was missing part of one wing. It didn’t look like it should be able to fly.

“Ah.” Matt jumped back, surprised, pain burning across his cheek. Then he Blood Slashed awkwardly at the flitting dinner plate.

“Don’t kill it!” Val yelled.

“What?” said Matt.

The insect turned and started flying towards Kurtis.

“Kurtis stop attacking!” Val said.

“Uh…” Kurtis replied.

“I’m gonna tame it,” Val said.

“You want a bug as your pet?” Kurtis accused.

“Skill says I can switch it out.”

Kurtis held up his arms to protect his face. “Just do it quickly.”

Val scampered over to Kurtis and raised her right hand. The beetle knocked against the cat-man’s forearms. Val moved her hand, left and right, as if dangling a pendulum. Dark green strands of light formed beneath her swing. They collected in an arc and then she pushed them at the beetle. Val stood there, hands raised, fingers splayed, waiting.

“It doesn’t work!” she called. “Matt, try the former caliper thingy!”

“Can we kill it now?” Kurtis pleaded.

“What do you mean, try it?” Matt said.

“I think it won’t work ‘cause the gravemist,” Val explained.

“Okay, but, how?” Mat asked.

“I dunno…” Val waggled a hand in the air in demonstration.

Matt opened his inventory and scrolled for the device. He had half a forest and a hotel gift shop in there. The items were in alphabetical order. It wasn’t under the Cs, so he searched under F.

Where the heck is this thing?

“Guys?” Kurtis pleaded.

Matt re-scrolled the Cs and Fs in the list. Murl had given it to him. He had watched it zoom off to his inventory. He had never taken it out. Where was that darn teardrop-shaped metal mystery? He spotted it under E, labeled ‘Ex-Caliper.’

Well, shit. Matt chuckled as the pieces finally clicked. You sure would be easier to figure out if you were a sword.

He looked at the thumbnail and somehow knew he couldn’t equip it. He could just feel that it wasn’t a weapon or a piece of armor.

Is that new with this knight thing? he wondered. Had he been able to sense that before?

Matt grabbed Ex-Caliper and shoved it in Val’s direction. “Here.”

She seized the glinting teardrop and waved it in the air. Then she bonked the giant bug with it. “Doesn’t work!” she exclaimed.

No shit.

Kurtis gestured upward and a white fire materialized from the air above the insect. Flames flowed across its carapace continuing to burn. Then Kurtis launched a familiar purple bolt at the beast. Fallyn added hers too, and the manny beetle fell onto the crunchy dead grass.

“Well, that was disappointing,” Val said then tried to hand back Ex-Caliper.

Matt popped his swords into his inventory and held up both hands. “Yours now.” He shook his head.

“Okay…” said Val. “So, I think I need to tame a non-zombie beast.”

Matt looted the corpse and waited for the others to do the same. Val was finished looting too. She stood behind Kurtis. As he bent to tap the insect, she held up her right hand and began to swing.

Kurtis snapped around and gave her a dark stare.

“Just checking,” Val said innocently. She grinned.