1.03 – Debate

1.03 – Debate

Natalie stared at The Bestower, at the sleek automaton of silver streaked with cobalt-blue accents. While unlockings weren’t often talked about, as most sacred events weren’t, there was little mystery behind them. Everyone experienced an unlocking, and Natalie’s parents, and Jordan, had told her what to expect.

‘Something else’?

A fourth class choice? There was no such thing. Three options. That was set in stone. Natalie’d never heard of anything different.

“This is an unusual opportunity,” The Bestower said. “And it comes with benefits as well as detriments. Would you like to hear more?”

Natalie glanced at the three pillars—at the three class choices which had been exactly what she’d wanted, expected, but were somehow, regardless, a disappointment.

“More?” Natalie asked carefully. She was still adjusting to the news, bewildered.

“You won’t be committing to anything.”

“Then ... I don’t see why I wouldn’t,” Natalie said, her brow furrowed. “What do you mean, unusual?”

“As I said, it is an opportunity afforded to few.”

“Okay?” The half-answer was unhelpful. Natalie thought it’d been intentionally so. “What is it? The class name.”Reaad the latest stories on novelbin(.)com

“Mm,” the automaton said. “There lies the detriment. You must accept before knowing.”

Natalie stared. A class whose details were revealed after accepting? That was ... besides being unheard-of ... risky. For obvious reasons.

“And the benefits are?”

“Potency.” The Bestower paused. “Uniqueness.”

“Potency?”

Which startled her with the reminder. “Will it at least be a combat class? It needs to be.” She couldn’t risk it otherwise. Even if the class was powerful, Natalie had a path in life she intended to walk, no exceptions. She wouldn’t risk not being able to attend Tenet with Jordan.

The Bestower tilted her head, and Natalie was, oddly, struck by the impression she was conferring with someone. Did gods—or eldritch creatures—have parties? She didn’t see why not, odd as it was to think about.

“It will be a class with ... combat applications,” The Bestower finally said. “That’s the most that will be provided.”

Despite saying earlier Natalie wouldn’t get a hint, the automaton had answered her. Did that mean ... she wanted Natalie to accept? Or that someone did?

And again, Natalie noted The Bestower’s phrasing. Not, ‘I will provide’, but, ‘will be provided’. It implied something ... even if Natalie couldn’t place exactly what.

But the answer had the tension draining from Natalie’s shoulders. A combat class. Or something with combat applications, whatever that meant. Why had the automaton put it that way?

Honestly, the clarification would fit a variety of classes. Mages, to name one. Some mages didn’t become adventurers, instead progressing through study and practice, locking up in collegiums and inventing spell formulae. The Bestower might have phrased it in that way to be specific; the class could be fully combat functional, but with other uses, too.

Either way, it served her purpose for getting into Tenet. Past that, did it matter? An unheard-of chance for a powerful class ... it was something most people couldn’t dream of. How could Natalie turn the offer down? However strange, or ill-fitting, it might be.

And Natalie had always had an adventurous spirit. She didn’t take the road more traveled whenever possible. The opposite. Something as crazy as this? She felt compelled to accept, regardless the risk. Her only hard criteria had been a combat class, so she could follow Jordan to Tenet as had been their dream since they were kids. Beyond that ... did it matter?

But gods, what would it be?

“I have time to think, right?”

“As much as you need.”

That part of her unlocking, then, wasn’t any different. She’d been told many times she would have plenty of time to consider her options. There was no need to rush into anything. Even Natalie, typically reckless, wouldn’t pick her class based on how she was feeling in the moment.

So. Time to think.

“Okay. Just ... give me a second.”

Natalie sat down cross-legged, closed her eyes to focus, and thought.