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If you see any mistakes please point them out! Question of the day: If you were transported into a fantasy world with your video game character's body, what class would you want them to be?
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Benson and I brought a few of Kelding’s adventurer’s down the new road to show them where we built the makeshift warehouse. The three of them seemed rather perplexed at the freshly built path.
“Ah, Miss, when was this highway built?” Asked one of the men, a shorter fellow with black hair. The nametag on his chest read: Byron.
“My mage built it yesterday,” I replied in a flippant tone.
The three adventurers mumbled among themselves in amazement. ‘A single day!’ one of them exclaimed, trying to keep his voice down.
‘How powerful is this noblewoman? The guildmaster is terrified of her and she bullies Mr. Kelding easily.’
‘You idiot, shut up. She might hear you!’
I smiled at their banter. My mind completely filtered out the strange accent now. The people sounded normal.
After a short walk we arrived at the makeshift storage location. Rough cut wood and splinters jutted out at odd angles from the structure’s base. Bark, left unstripped, could be seen peeling off outside walls. Several branching cracks split the center of the building; they looked like lightning bolts.
Basically, it was an abomination. I had never seen such an ugly shed before. Even Benson had a pensive look on his face.
“This is where you will be delivering the White Lodestone,” I said, astounded that my voice even worked right.
“Yes Ma’am,” replied the leader of the three.
“When you go back tell Kelding to hurry the shipments along,” I said with a wave of my hand as I started walking towards Journey’s End. Benson followed.
The three men, seemingly confused, didn’t move. “Should I send them away, Mistress?” Asked Benson as he looked over his shoulder.
“They’ll snap out of it soon enough. I think the warehouse is a little too close to my wards, so they’re bound to be a bit disoriented.” I replied.
I didn’t waste any time when we reached Journey’s End. I immediately stored the Lodestone in my [Inventory] and moved to the workshop. I needed to make several [Gates] and their corresponding [Keys].
The first shipment held enough Lodestone to complete a [Gate] but not quite enough to make the three [Keys] with it. I considered making a dead man’s switch for Tenia and Benson’s [Keys]. It would be difficult to do, though. I concluded that a simple failsafe was necessary. A matrix of [Gates] and [Keys] could give any high-tiered enchanter the ability to track my movements or, worse, hunt me down. I needed a way to protect myself if Tenia or Benson ever betrayed me or their [Keys] simply fell into the wrong hands.
I detailed out several enchantment setups on sketch paper. The other day I completed the first [Gate] quickly because I didn’t need to plan out a unique design. These new [Gates] needed to be better. I couldn’t risk someone using them against me.
I burned through several concepts before deciding on a rotating lock design. The idea was simple. Each [Key] would have a preset passcode. Each door would have an algorithm that decoded the passcode. In each [Gate], however, I would hide a rotary system. This rotary system would be connected to a switch in my possession. With the flip of a button, all the [Gates] would change their algorithms and previously issued [Keys] would no longer work.
This meant I needed several copies of [Keys] for specific [Gates], though. Thankfully, the massive source of White Lodestone fixed this problem.
I spent an hour drawing designs for my rotating lock. Eventually, after burning through an entire sketchbook worth of paper, I figured out a way to do it. The magic runes would normally be filled with fluid at all times, but if I added a circulatory system and placed a cutoff valve along a chokepoint then I could create two effects with a single device. The valve would act as a switch, choosing which of the two algorithms the [Gate] would use.
I drew a full set of blueprints and immediately began working on the first [Gate]. I made certain to store all my drawings in my [Inventory] where no prying eyes could get at them.
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Time passed quickly while I worked. I was close to completing the first [Rotating Gate] when Tenia’s voice snapped me out of my trance.
“Mistress, dinner will be ready soon.” She said as she peeked her head in the doorway. My workbench, at that time, was covered with damning evidence of my mistrust. Thankfully, Tenia had almost no knowledge on runic formations. Preparing for the meal, I stored my tools and washed my ash-black hands.
Dinner was uneventful. I surprised Tenia by agreeing to find an etiquette teacher. She seemed happy with my decision. Oddly, I couldn’t read Benson’s expression. His face looked pensive, as if some great mystery were torturing him.
After dinner I found myself back in the workshop. I enjoyed working with my hands. Crafting in Xternity and in this world felt good. It seemed right. The tools fit my hands like gloves. The stone and metals bowed to my will. I viewed my creations in much the same way a parent viewed their own child. Each bend, rivet, and fold was unique, and every creation had its own personality. Tenia’s new staff looked wild and snappy, as if it were a thunderhead ready to take on the world. The [Gate] in my hands, however, looked much like a wise and tall tree.
As I added the finishing touches to the [Gate], Benson entered the room.
“Mistress,” he said in a gentle tone.
“What is it, Benson?” I asked.
“It’s getting late.” He replied as he pointed towards the window. The darkness on the other side of the glass was thick, like jelly. “Tenia thinks it’s going to rain tomorrow.”
His face was masked with concern. He seemed to be avoiding the subject he really wanted to talk about.
“She’s probably right,” I said as I moved to the window, my voice laced with lament. “I can’t see the stars.”
We both stood still, awash in the silence of the night.
“Why did you agree to an etiquette teacher?” Benson’s question broke the quiet atmosphere.
“I think there’s merit in it,” I replied, turning around to show him my smile.
“I do not like this concept you call etiquette. Why does it matter what hand you hold your fork with? Why must one bow a certain way? These ‘rules’ seem pointless.“
“Yes,” I said with a laugh in my voice, “They are pointless. But, to some people, such meaningless things matter a great deal. Not knowing this world’s etiquette would be the same as fighting with a broken sword.”
“Fine then. But you know Tenia’s reason for suggesting it differs from your own, Mistress,” replied Benson as he turned to leave the room, his voice filled with dejection.
“Benson, wait!” I called out, worry leaking through my voice. He stopped moving but didn’t turn to face me. “Tenia’s reason differs from mine? Then why has she been teaching me all these things?”
Benson shook his head. “She has told you herself, Mistress,” he said with a sigh.
“She has?”
“When you first made your decision to find a way back, she told you then…” Benson paused for a moment, as if he were struggling with what to say next. “I have already said too much. It is not my place.”
As if running away, Benson jumped through the doorway into the main house and vanished up the stairs. I was left with more questions than answers. I tried to think of the night I told Tenia and Benson of my desire to go home, but I couldn’t remember what Tenia had said. I only remembered her and Benson endorsing my decision and offering support…
“Fuck,” I mumbled aloud as I turned to stare out the window into the darkness again. Benson’s visit reinforced my original thoughts; Tenia might betray me one day. If the reasons for her ‘lessons’ weren’t to help me gather information from social situations, then what were they? Why was she so dead-set on me learning how to be a proper woman? For what purpose of hers could it serve?
The darkness outside the window mirrored my blank thoughts, and I went to bed filled with frustrations.