23 – Cal’s bad day

(Three days earlier.)

Cal’Eer walked through the elven village, taking in the sights. He was surveying the place, talking to the locals in search of a quest he could do while Julian did his things. It was as easy as just approaching somebody, and everyone would give him something to do. They were mostly mundane tasks, like helping till an orchard, fetching water or delivering mail.

The closer he got to the central tree the more interesting the quests became. A shop owner asked him to fetch Lithium Crystals from a cave on the other side of the asteroid, where huge pipes were leaking precious minerals into a river that flowed back into the underground. A guard told him about a migration happening in the forest that threatened to spill over to the village, asking for hands to help cull the population of the monsters before they became a threat.

It was right at the base of the central tree, a marvelous monumental plant with branches that extended all the way up to where the sky was black, that he found what he was looking for. Similar to a tavern in looks and feel, more rugged than the usual Elven buildings, pressed against the stony bark of the tree was the adventurer’s guild.

He entered, scanning the place before approaching the counter and asking for a drink. He was going to take it slow, enjoy the atmosphere and the adventure, a rest from the hectic pace he was subjected to with Julian. In fact, despite his week-long rest at Mesa Village, he was feeling exhausted. Why was there any need to rush like this? There were no pressing concerns, no deadlines or worlds to save. They were just exploring, having fun and gaining power along the way. By the time they reached the top of the tower, the infamous tenth floor, most people would have either left the tower or died in it. They could take all the time they needed, and then leave once they cleared the last floor.

Then, he would be free to go wherever he wanted. Perhaps with Julian, in fact he hoped that he could convince his friend to take his adventures trough the multiverse somewhere that was as far away from Tharlax as possible, so that he could join him. If not, well, that was something he was going to think about when the time comes, and certainly not now.

He sipped his drink, savoring its sweet and inebriating taste. As the alcohol slowly made its way to his head, he looked around the room, feeling the atmosphere. He was feeling very relaxed for once.

He sat at a table after having lazily read through the requests hanging at the board, deciding to have a quick meal before trying to have a conversation with the barman and see what quests he could offer him.

A trio of Tharlaxians, together with a human and a Torian female were chatting at a nearby table. He couldn’t help but listen in, especially with how loudly they were talking with all the alcohol they had consumed. That’s when he heard mention of something that immediately sparked his interest, and all the lightheadedness of the alcohol, his carefree attitude and his desire to take this slow and easy evaporated instantly.

A Renegade Core.

He tried to gain more information from the context of the conversation. They were talking about a quest they took, and this was supposed to be the reward at the end of it, and even though it was open to all they were convinced they could get there first.

Renegade. Isn’t that the word that popped up in the console after Julian was spotted by the system? If the renegade core acts the same way as a cultivation core… he said he doesn’t have system quests, didn’t he? Then he’s going to need it to level up past 100. I need to get that core, whatever the cost.

>NEW WORLD QUEST
>Renegade Core. Your friend needs your help if he ever wants to break through the first barrier in acquiring power.
>Task: gather information about the relevant Contractor Quest or Adventurer’s Guild Quest.
>Reward: Skill: Augmented Mana Pool lv.1

Cal’s eyes widened. A whole new skill just for this? The system was really interested in pushing this quest onto him, and he was happy to comply. Despite Julian’s mistrust of the thing, he knew that all the system really wanted was for all life under its protection to prosper. Before long he had the information, and his Quests tab updated with a new Adventurer’s Guild Quest for the core. A new World quest also popped up.

>NEW ADVENTURER’S GUILD QUEST
>Magical Influences. Garland says he has heard worrying tales from beyond the Noctilucent River. According to the local farmers, the land has become increasingly tainted by an obscure evil energy, and monsters now roam the forest and threaten their Treefields. He has a hunch about what sort of energy that might be, all but confirmed by his Leyline Scrying: a Renegade Core has formed deep in the mountains of the Ring, and its energies are spilling over. It will continue to grow until it has converted the whole asteroid, unless someone stops it.  
>Task: Remove the Renegade Core and dispose of it.
>Reward: 15000 Runes, 150 Guild Reputation.

>NEW WORLD QUEST
>Renegade Core II. Garland has given you invaluable information about the whereabouts of the Renegade Core.
>Task: Retrieve the Core before anyone else.
>Reward: Minor Class Upgrade: Air Mage -> Air Sorcerer. +0.3 VIG +0.3 MIND +0.5 INT per level -> +0.4 VIG +0.3 MIND +0.6 INT per level. Access to new Class Quest options

Cal set off immediately, paying for his now cold plate of stew and leaving for the forest in record time. He walked, going considerably fast thanks to his stature, for hours before he met the first signs of trouble. Hearing some voices in the distance, he approached to check them out, and was taken aback when he saw the same people that were sitting beside him at the Guild making camp.

They must have some means to travel faster than me. He thought, and was about to leave when he was spotted and forced to come out of hiding. They invited him to sit with them, even thought it was more forceful than he liked, and questioned him.

“Yeah, we have the same quest alright.” Said their leader, a Tharlaxian with long golden horns on his head, signifying his older age.

He must have been among the oldest of the batch sent to Earth for their rite of Passage.

Cal knew what the Tharlaxian was thinking, and decided to lie.

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“Why don’t we go together? I am not interested in the Core, after all. We can help each other.” He said.

All five people looked at him with suspicion, but he argued that he couldn’t take it from them even if he wanted. He noticed that the fellow Tharlaxians were staring a bit longer than the others, but they eventually accepted the deal. Even then, however, his gut was telling him that something was wrong. The Tharlaxians were staring too much. They were talking among each other. They were plotting something.

It all escalated during a later conversation.

“I heard a Gunslinger is in town. Shot a whole bunch of guards on the way in.” Said the leader, whose name Cal didn’t know.

“I wouldn’t call him that if I were you.” He blurted out almost against his will.

“What’s he gonna do?” The leader laughed. “Shoot me? I wonder where he even pillaged those primitive guns.”

Cal’Eer felt his blood boil. “That’s exactly what he’s gonna do, yes.” He growled.

The leader stared at him square in the eye. Then, with the exaggerated expression of someone who was only pretending, he pointed at him.

“Wait a minute.” He said dramatically. “I knew your face looked familiar. And that attitude. You’re that scumbag heir of Dras’Eer.”

Cal’s heart raced. He ran and ran and ran. His memory of his escape was confused, and nebulous at best, but he eventually found himself back in the safety of the village. As soon as he felt that his life was not in danger anymore he sat down, and cried.

***

“Who is Dras’Eer?” Asked Julian.

“My father,” said Cal with a voice on the verge of crying.

“Why do they hate him?”

“He… isn’t a very good person. And neither was I, back there.”

Julian’s eyes narrowed. “Let me guess… your carefree attitude, your laziness and your repressed sense of inadequacy did not blend well with you being the son of a powerful individual, did they?”

Cal shook his head. “I’m sorry I kept this from you.”

“Yeah, you did.”

“I understand if you want me to leave.”

Julian burst out laughing. “My man!” he said, then composed himself and patted Cal on the back. “I don’t give a fuck who you were before. Besides, I haven’t told you about my past either. How could I ever be so hypocrite as to ask you to leave for not telling me yours?”

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