//------------------------------//
// 12 - Quest Turnin 
// Story: Bind on Pickup 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

They stood assembled in the guild. The representative, the same elderly female that had summoned the dragons to start, was holding the crown appraisingly. "It seems… unharmed, but something is off."

Garble glared sidelong at Spike. "Did you do something stupid with it? Anyway, here it is. Now you can send us back, right? You're the one that dragged us here."

She shook her head. "Ah, here's the problem!" She touched her guildchain to the crown and squinted at what appeared. "It seems someone began a class test, but didn't register it."

"Wait, that's a thing?" Spike rubbed behind his head softly. "I mean, I think I did that?"

"Did you?" She reached out and casually touched the crown to his chain.




CLASSES

VITAMANCER
????????




"There we are. Now I can take this off your hands." She turned to set it on a small platform that withdrew into the wall without prompting, clicking with finality as some lock deployed without prompting. "Good job. You've made exceptional progress. Sandra, you must be beside yourself with joy."

Smolder rolled a hand even as her eyes followed the motion. "Are you just going to pretend you didn't hear my brother?"

"I see you…" Her voice trailed off as it seemed to dawn on her that she was just dealing with a guildchain. "You are not a summon at all. This is the first time I've ever seen a demi-human answer the call."

Garble slapped a hand against his face. "Look, I have important things to do. Either send us home or buzz off."

Sandra laughed with obvious anxiety. "They've been great adventuring partners. They want to get to the top of the tower, you see, to use the wish and--"

"Oh, well, you've just taken half a step forward towards that." She gestured at Spike's guildchain. "Only a party that has unlocked at least one advanced class per member is allowed to attempt climbing the tower. We don't want to needlessly risk your lives before you're ready." In a lower voice, she whispered to herself, "Summoning sapients? This is most unorthodox…"

Garble grunted, smoke trailing from his nostrils. "I figured you weren't sending us back. Whatever. We get paid for that crown, right?"

“Yes, of course.” The woman gestured back through the door they had come through, her distraction fading away. "The secretary at the front will see to that. You are all quite talented, for demi-humans. Perhaps you'll beat the record."

Smolder leaned in a bit, her brows going up together and her hands clasping in front of her. "What's the highest anyone's gotten?"

"Well, a human team made it almost to the top before they were forced to turn back down. No other group has apparently made it to the top, as any other group who could feasibly reach said top did not return." A sad expression shaded her face as she reminisced on it. "A battle for the ages, but they just weren't prepared, and couldn't get away… Now, as for demi-humans." She lifted her shoulders, her mood seeming to rise with them. "About halfway at best."

Sandra hiked a thumb at herself. "First of all, they have me. Second, they're amazing! Stop talking about them like they aren't good, because they are… Way better than I was when I had that much experience." She shuffled awkwardly in place. "Say you're sorry."

"I am only stating the facts.” She looked over the dragons quietly. “If it makes you feel better, far fewer demi-humans seriously challenge the tower, so naturally the best would not be of the same quality. Did you have any other questions or are we done for today?"

Spike looked over where the crown had vanished into the wall. “What do you use it for, anyway? Did someone ask to get the class I’m trying to get?”

The woman shook her head. “It might have the magic left in it to give the class to another, but we cannot guarantee that, and your party has first rights to the class. No, naturally formed class attuners are very valuable for crafters. They are often used to make powerful weapons or armor, or other attuners themselves. The cavern you were asked to go to was a known source.”

Garble huffed, smoke escaping as he turned to face the others. "Whatever. I got my own plan, and I'm already doing it." His tone was haughty, as if rubbing it in how well he was doing. "We're getting to the top of that thing and going home. Got it?"

Smolder rammed an elbow into his midsection and grabbed his shoulders when he doubled over. "Hey, glad to see you're perking up, now spill the beans. What are you up to?"

"None of your business," he roared, swatting one of her hands away as he stood up. "I'm taking care of it. You just worry about yourself. The crazy one said we all need one, and right now, you and Sandra are tied for last." A wicked smirk spread across his face. "Or are you alright with that?"

"That seems like a fine invitation for me to go." Without further word, the guild elder quietly walked from the room, leaving the party to discuss without her.

Smolder smirked back. “Oh, so you think just because you and Spike got some hot stuff going on I can’t? Oh I’m gonna find an awesome class, and it won’t matter that I got the thing later, I’ll unlock it first.” She flapped up and stared defiantly at Garble. “How’s that?”

“We’ll see,” Garble said. “The class I’m looking at is so awesome it won’t matter when I get it.”

“What’s this?” A female voice came from the guild hall. “Sandra is playing at moving her little party of forced friends forward?”

"I'll be back," practically hissed Smolder, taking flight with a wicked scowl.

Sandra cringed, but Smolder was already flying away and would be of no help. "Let's not start anything."

Garble shoved past her. "Sounds like someone else is already starting somethin'! I recognize that voice."

Spike hurried past, only to be grabbed just as he was about to clear Garble. "Hey!"

"Come here, you." Garble carried him under one arm as he stomped into the hallway. "You!"

"I have a name," she snorted, scowling at Garble, her armor shining in the light, shield on her back. It was the warrior lady they had seen before with the other party of adventurers. "And I will be addressed properly. I am Tabitha, summon, remember that."

Spike wriggled in his grasp, but the grip was true. "Uh, hi, Tabitha. I'm Spike. This is Garble." He gestured towards the large form that was holding him. "How's it goin'?"

"And this little punk--" He suddenly set down Spike ahead of himself. "Is already getting his next class with just one week of work. How long did it take you?"

Tabithia made a little hmph sound. “It’s already unmasked?”

“I… whuh?” Spike was taken by surprise.

Tabitha rolled her eyes. “Can you switch to it yet?”

“Oh, uh… no.”

“Then you haven’t unmasked it yet.” Tabitha folded her arms. “You have to prove yourself worthy to wield a class like that--” she looked directly at Sandra. “--And some people just aren’t up to the task.”

Sandra shrank away.

“In fact--” Tabitha sneered. “--with the loadstone here--” She pointed at Sandra. “--it won’t matter if you get your class in two days. She isn’t good at the class she wants to do, she won’t change for anything. Heck! She isn’t even good at adventuring. You have to lead her by the nose! She always wants to leave!”

She had raised her voice by the end of that, and people were looking at her, and she coughed, composing herself. She looked back at Sandra’s party. “She doesn’t have the talent of an adventurer, she doesn’t have the attitude of an adventurer. There’s no reason why she should have some dumb lucky mega summon party.”

Garble's chest heaved, glaring daggers at Tabitha, his hands flexing dangerously. Sandra didn't say anything, looking anywhere but at Tabitha. "You take that back!" barked Spike, breaking the brief silence. "She's already shown she's not like that at all. Even on the first day we were fighting something way overclassed and she--"

"--Failed?" cut in Tabitha acidicly. "You didn't die though, good job."

Garble suddenly grabbed at Tabitha, but she danced back, only for his other hand to swipe in, catching her armor at the collar. "You listen here, you stuck up son of a--"

Electricity coursed through him and he fell back, jerking and twitching. A guild guard stood there with a two-handed prod at the ready. "Attacking fellow members is strictly forbidden. Cease immediately. If you cannot control your base instincts, you are not welcome here."

Tabitha dusted herself off as if nothing of note had happened. "Whatever. Enjoy your moment, Sandra. I expect to read about how it all goes downhill from here."

Spike thrust a finger at Tabitha. "She started it!"

"I'm ending it." The guard twitched the pole held in both hands closer. "Is this over?"

"Don't hurt him!" Sandra suddenly came to life, yanking Spike back behind herself. "He's innocent."

Spike clenched his teeth. Sandra was weaker than him by most measures. Even as 'the healer' he should be in front right then. "I've taken bigger hits than that," he reasoned to himself in a conspiratorial whisper.

Despite his jarring injury, Garble managed a soft pained chuckle at the babying treatment Spike was getting. "Whatever. Go on and cry somewhere else if you won't face me."

Tabitha scowled at Garble, but it faded quickly as she turned. "I will not demean myself with this a moment longer." She strode away with firm steps, her suit clanking faintly as she proceeded through the guild. "The nerve of some creatures," drifting back from her.

The guard nodded at Garble. "I trust we'll have no more problems then?" The upper part of the stick slapped against a hand, the tip crackling just faintly.

"Yeah, we're cool. But if you touch me with that thing one more time."

"You'll what?" asked the guard cooly, stun stick at the ready. "I am authorized to subdue any lawbreaker in this guild, and you were one. You're fortunate she doesn't seem interested in seeing judgment cast and that you didn't get a chance to hurt her."

Spike peeked out from around Sandra, only to swap places with her, slipping around her to be in the front. "She was shouting and yelling at us. Is that alright? I don't see anycreature else here doing that." He had no weapon in hand, but his fingers flexed, taking up a defensive position in front of Sandra despite being outmatched by the guard.

"Speaking in elevated tones is only restricted in sensitive areas, such as the library." The guard lowered the stun baton, held easily at his side. "She broke no rules having a conversation with you, even if you didn't agree with her. Keep your snouts clean, demi-humans."

Garble ground his teeth the entire way out of the guild. “Can you believe this?!"

Spike heaved a little sigh. "Unfortunately, yes. Alright, look, let's focus on what we need to get done."

"Pound that Tabitha 'I'm so perfect' jerk in the face? Preferably out of sight where the guards won't try to get in the way?" Garble punched one fist into the other, giving Spike a meaningful glare.