[PROMPT BEGIN] (long exposition)
Soma shuddered slightly, feeling like cornered prey as Valerith stalked circles around her, eyes piercing, with an intense gaze that betrayed only the slightest hint of lust.
Mira handed Soma her Guild card, which displayed her Rank of E. Soma made a show of placing it in a pocket, but once it was concealed she sent it to Inventory, afraid to lose it, as the replacement fee would essentially bankrupt her meager purse of 50 gold that was also floating in her Inventory.
The original Soma had fiercely wanted to become an Adventurer through her own effort, and Soma's normally overprotective mothers actually agreed. They knew that if an Adventurer was overly hand-held through the process, a seasoned, confident Adventurer would not emerge at the end; Soma would essentially become everything that Valerith was calling her, a pampered nepotism baby that could not take care of herself.
Her mothers had already given her the enchanted Aether-Silk Lingerie, which would be basically a priceless item on Earth, being able to shift into basically any women's clothing that Soma could think of, though she didn't really have much control over the Lingerie; it seemed to have a bit of a mind of its own and just shifted on instinct to fit her situation.
Skittering out of the cold, calculating gaze of Valerith, Soma made her way over to the quest board.
Soma had no combat skills to speak of at the moment; only her Mana pool channeling skills, and a list of System skills that pretty much only related to sex. Even the cheapest spell books and skills could cost upwards of 100 gold. Taking on even a lowly quest like slaying 10 Giant Rats would only be suicide, unless she found a party.
But the only parties that would take in a newbie like her were ones that would essentially force her to become a camp follower: lugging around their gear, cooking their meals, setting up camp, and offering....relief once camp was set up; that would be all any party that would currently take her would use her for.
Soma wasn't scared at the prospect of sex—Valeria had cleared up any hesitation—but the idea of being used in that particular way and not being respected at all was not pleasant. She could certainly lug all the gear in the world around with her Inventory, but she felt that revealing such an earth-shattering ability would only bring her more trouble, it was like a tickling in the back of her mind, some unknown thing out in the darkness, sniffing for her scent; Soma let loose a small shudder unbidden.
Not all quests were combat quests though; Soma scanned through the layered postings with fervent eyes until she caught sight of one that was frayed enough to have been sitting for a long time, ready to be replaced with a fresh sheet. Her breath caught slightly, as the embarrassing moment of a Mana Crystal tumbling across stone to land in grass and be forgotten, glimmering in the green strands, up-welled within her mind, and her face betrayed a slight blush.
Soma looked at the posting and read it out internally:
'Attention! Open Posting: Seeking Mana catalyst for Mana Crystal refinement! Must be able to produce at least Low-grade Mana Crystals! Sustenance provided. Reward: 25 Adventurer's Guild Reputation, 3 Spell Books. Quest Rank: E.'
It was a posting from a Magic Shop not far from here that seemed to always remain open, though few took it on. Magic Shops always needed Mana Crystals in great supply, and when they could not buy them outright on the open market they would hire catalysts from the Guild to increase their back stock. Catalyzing mana crystals was a laborious task and few people with Mana took it on; but for Soma, the Reward was perfect. She could advance her Guild reputation and get badly needed combat abilities, all in one go.
Some of the gathered Adventurers idly gazing at the board chuckled and gave her a knowing look when Soma's trembling hand reached up to claim the posting; they were all aware of that open quest.
[END PROMPT]
The parchment is dry and brittle, nearly crumbling under your fingertips as you pluck it from the board. A few of the surrounding adventurers—hardened women with scarred armor and cynical eyes—exchange smirks. To them, this quest is a joke; a tedious, soul-draining chore that offers prestige but no glory. To you, it is a lifeline.
As you step back from the board, clutching the slip of paper to your chest, you feel the oppressive weight of Valerith's gaze shifting from curiosity to genuine amusement. She leans against a nearby pillar, crossing her arms over her chest, the silver silk of her sleeves shimmering like moonlight.
Valerith: "A catalyst? How quaint. You've chosen the path of the battery, little lamb. Most girls your age dream of slaying dragons or uncovering lost empires, yet you'd rather spend your afternoon dripping sweat into a crucible for a few dusty books."
She lets out a soft, melodic laugh that doesn't quite reach her eyes.
Mira Vane looks up from her desk, her tail giving a sympathetic flick. She watches you with a softened expression, sensing the determination beneath your nervousness.
Mira Vane: "Don't mind the high-and-mighty talk, Soma. The shop is just down the cobblestone way, three doors past the fountain. It's called 'The Glimmering Vault.' Ask for Master Thorne—no relation to you, obviously—and tell her Mira sent you so she doesn't overcharge you for the 'sustenance' part of the contract."
You offer a small, grateful nod to the cat-kin woman and begin to make your way toward the exit of the guild hall. The transition from the dim, incense-heavy air of the hall to the bright midday sun of the city is jarring. The streets are alive with the sounds of carriage wheels on stone and the distant calls of street vendors.
As you walk, the "tickle" at the back of your mind returns—a sudden, cold shiver that makes the fine hairs on your arms stand up. It feels like a predatory eye opening somewhere far away, focusing on the singular, unique scent of your soul. You wrap your arms around yourself, glancing over your shoulder, but there is nothing there but the bustling crowd and the distant chime of a clock tower.
The Glimmering Vault is a narrow, leaning building that looks as though it is held up only by the sheer volume of magical artifacts crammed inside its windows. As you push open the heavy oak door, a bell tinkles overhead, and you are immediately enveloped by the smell of ozone, old parchment, and something that smells faintly of burnt cinnamon.
Behind a counter piled high with glowing vials and floating prisms stands a woman with thick, round glasses and hair that looks like it has been subjected to several small explosions.
Master Thorne: "Yes, yes! If you're here for the shipment of powdered dragon-scale, it's delayed! If you're here to complain about the volatility of the last batch of mana-salts, take it up with the supplier!"
She looks up, blinking through her lenses as she spots you standing there with the frayed quest slip. Her expression shifts instantly from irritation to a sharp, hungry curiosity.
Master Thorne: "A catalyst? From the Guild? I haven't had a fresh one in months. Come, come! Into the back. Don't just stand there letting the mana leak out of the room!"
She practically shoves you toward a heavy velvet curtain that leads into the workshop, her movements frantic and energized.
Master Thorne Avatar, Eccentric owner/proprietor of The Glimmering Vault
Spoiler
[collapse]
Soma being quickly ushered to the back room
Spoiler
[collapse]
[PROMPT BEGIN] (long exposition)
"Y-yes, I'm from the Guild, I'm a new Rank E Adventurer..M-Mira sent me-," Soma was saying as she was being led unerringly past the velvet curtain before she could even get her Guild card out, but her breath suddenly caught in her throat as she viewed Master Thorne's workshop.
Her new ability to sense mana nearly made her have a seizure as the room was completely saturated with an entire rainbow of softly glowing colors.
"Ack!" Soma turned off her mana sense and blinked away a couple of tears as the colors in the room normalized. The effect of the Mana saturation within the room affected her outfit, though, making it twist and reshape erratically, until finally it seemed to release an internal sigh in her mind, and shifted back to its original design of an iridescent translucent silk matching pair of bra and panties.
Master Thorn's breath caught, and she ceased her shoving, guiding motions in at instant. This girl had Aether-Silk Lingerie? Master Thorne couldn't even believe her luck! Who in the world that could afford Aether-Silk would grace her doorstep for a simple Mana Crystal refinement quest?
Master Thorne considered this for a second, and asked to see the girl's Guild card, it read: 'Soma Thorne. Age: 18. Adventurer Rank: E. Guild Reputation: 0.'
The name 'Thorne' made her freeze. Master Thorne was a Thorne, it was a very common name in this world, but a particular pair of Thornes that lived in this town flashed across the surface of Master Thorne's mind. A strong, imposing master of armed combat, and sharply intelligent healer: Valeria Thorne and Elara Thorne; the S-Ranked power-couple Adventurers, whom had been amongst those to last repel an invasion from the far North from the Demon Queen.
The battles had been hard-fought, and Valeria and Elara were among those select few that led the charge; eventually, at great cost, sending the Demon Queen retreating back to her Blasted Lands to lick her wounds and fuck her concubines. The power-couple had retired from Adventuring to raise a family afterwards, and so the world had been at peace for nearly 20 years to the day.
Master Thorne knew they had a daughter, intimately so in fact, as Elara had come to visit her not less than a week ago, searching for some forbidden alchemical ingredients that were greatly restricted in the 'legal' markets of this world. Master Thorne had rebutted her tersely, insisting she ran a Magic Shop, not a damned Apothecary. Master Thorne had potions, yes, but the kind that were mass produced and made with Mana Crystals and simple ingredients.
Master Thorne tried to send Elara away, but Elara was insistent. Elara had come to her with dark circles and raw red eyes, as a means of last resort. It turned out Elara's daughter had had Mana Wasting Sickness, a disease for which there was no cure. When Soma had come of Adventuring age, her Mana had failed to awaken, and it began to eat away at her soul from the inside, unable to release.
Master Thorne had rubbed her forehead as she had felt a headache coming on, and in a bid to get the erratic woman out of her shop, she handed Elara a list of a few, shall we say, less-than-reputable associates of hers who had done a favor or two for her in the past. Master Thorne had zero hopes that Elara would be able to save her daughter, yet here Soma was, standing before Master Thorne clad in magical gear that the Master could likely never afford even if she sold her entire store! And it flowed so smoothly on her when it transformed!
Master Thorne had known a few people who owned the expensive garment in the past, and though they could change its shape, it took considerable effort. They would have to sit and channel their mana for hours to get the damn thing to finally shift form, but Soma's moved around her body like flowing water.
So, Elara had succeeded with a miracle cure, had she? Master Thorne would have to confront Elara later about it, asking why Elara did not come back to her with the good news; although the prospect of also having to confront that imposing presence of Valeria, who was rarely seen away from Elara's side, intimidated her. Valeria was so sexy...so tall...so strong... ahem Master Thorne figuratively slapped herself in the face and turned her thoughts back to the 'present', in both meanings of the word; for she literally had a freshly-wrapped gift right in front of her!
[END PROMPT]
The air in the workshop is thick, tasting of static and old magic. As the Aether-Silk settles into its most intimate form, the iridescent fabric clings to your curves with a sudden, possessive tightness, leaving very little to the imagination. You stand there, blinking, feeling the cool air of the room hit your exposed skin, while Master Thorne’s gaze travels from the sheer fabric of your bra down to the narrow line of your hips and back up again.
The silence stretches, broken only by the rhythmic humming of a floating amethyst prism nearby. Master Thorne doesn't just look at you; she dissects you with her eyes, her mind racing through the impossibility of your existence.
Master Thorne: "Rank E... a complete novice... and yet you're wearing Aether-Silk that behaves like a living thing. Either you're the luckiest girl in the city, or your parents are practically deities in disguise."
She lets out a sharp, jagged laugh, her excitement bubbling over. She reaches out to grab your wrist, her touch clinical but hurried, pulling you toward a heavy stone plinth in the center of the room. Atop the plinth sits a dull, grey crystal the size of a pomegranate, its surface pitted and lifeless.
Master Thorne: "Forget the formalities! If you can actually produce crystals, we don't need to waste time with 'lessons.' I need you to act as the bridge. You'll channel your mana into this dormant core, filtering the impurities out of the ambient residue. It's tedious work for most, but for someone with your... flexibility... it should be a breeze."
She gestures toward the crystal, her eyes gleaming with a predatory professional interest.
Master Thorne: "Place your hands on the surface. Close your eyes. Feel the void inside the stone and fill it. Do not—and I mean do not—let your mana spike, or you'll blow the windows out of my shop."
As you reach toward the stone, the "tickle" at the back of your mind returns, sharper now. It isn't just a shiver this time; it's a pulse, timed perfectly with the thrumming of the crystals around you. For a fleeting second, you feel as if someone—or something—is watching you through the very mana you are about to channel.
Soma, preparing to channel her mana, Aether-Silks having reverted to base form
Spoiler
[collapse]
[PROMPT BEGIN]
An unseen, pale white hand extracts invisibly from the clouds above, blocking the seeking eyes, then trembling slightly as it retracts, the eyes gone.
Higher above the clouds, a voice no one can hear chuckles slightly, and a head nods.
[Continued Next Chapter...]