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LOCATION: UNKNOWN
CITY: UNKNOWN
DATE: ??? | MORNING
Mallory’s destination lay far along the northern road, and she was the last to branch off—leaving only Darian to continue on alone. She followed the prompts on her interface map, and when she reached the foot of a mountain, she was dismayed to see the path winding steeply up the slope.
“Well,” she muttered, “I guess it’s time to test this new endurance we have.”
She began the climb, curving around the massive mountainside, until she reached a point roughly two-thirds of the way up. There, she spotted a recess carved into the stone face—and a single doorway waiting inside.
No sign. No inscription. No hint of what to expect.
She opened it and stepped inside.
The hallway beyond was lit by torches (because of course it was—apparently torch-lit tunnels were standard Tutorial décor; Ronan’s team might owe her an explanation for that later). The flames sparked to life one by one as she crossed the threshold.
She moved forward cautiously, eyes alert—until she spotted something strange.
A door to her left.
Not just any door.
It was the door to Elliot Voss’s office on the twentieth floor of Voss Tower.
She turned toward it, heart pounding, and the double glass doors slid open with the soft pneumatic hiss she’d heard a thousand times over the years.
Inside, Elliot Voss sat at his desk, looking exactly as he always had. Alive. Calm. Present. As if nothing in the world had changed.
Mallory rushed forward, and Voss stood to meet her. They embraced tightly.
He grinned as she pulled back. “Ah, my dear. I was going for the whole stoic-sitting-in-my-office thing, and you had to go and ruin it with a hug.”
She laughed, tears welling in her eyes.
He gestured to the familiar chair across the desk. She sat—just as she had so many times before.
Voss studied her for a long moment, and then finally spoke.
“Our time here is short, I’m afraid. But how are you holding up? I know my… departure wasn’t easy for you. I hope you’ll come to understand it, in time.”
She sniffed and wiped her eyes.
“It hasn’t been easy,” she admitted. “But there’s so much to do. Focusing on the next task has been the best way for me to cope with losing you. But—how are you here? Is it really you?”
Voss smiled gently. “No, not really. We programmed this encounter into the Tutorial. But I fed it with my own thoughts and intentions. So… close enough.”
He leaned forward.
“Now. Let’s talk about your role in what’s coming. You’ve seen a lot by now. You understand the scope of it. So tell me—what class did you select back in the village?”
Mallory hesitated. “Well, that’s the thing. The System said that based on my stats, I’d normally be recommended for Mage. But then… it recalculated and assigned me Fighter.”
Voss nodded, unsurprised. “And what weapon did you imagine when you accepted it?”
She blinked. “Wait—how did you know I—?”
“A spear,” he said with delight. “Of course. It’s perfect.”
He stood suddenly, beaming. “We’ve got more to discuss, but first, I want you to close your eyes and focus on your STATUS.”
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Mallory leaned back and closed her eyes.
Like the others before her, she slipped into unconsciousness.
When she awoke, a system message awaited.
---
System Message
Critical path alignment detected for:
Mallory McInnis
Class upgrade in progress…
…
…
Base Class: [Fighter]
New Class: [Spearmaiden] (Rare)
The Spearmaiden walks the line between Justice and Judgment. A discerning guardian and relentless executioner, she protects the innocent and strikes down the unworthy with unflinching resolve. Her presence alone is a warning—and a promise.
Stats per level:
+3 STR
+3 END
+2 VIT
+2 CHA
+5 Free Points
New skills unlocked:
Aura of Judgment (Passive):
- Allows the Spearmaiden to sense the karmic inclinations of those around her.
- Note: This is a secret function of the system and must not be divulged to anyone.
Brand the Corrupt (Active):
- Sear a divine brand into the soul of the corrupt.
- Deals damage over time equal to 5% of the target’s total health, stamina and mana every second for 10 seconds.
- Target must possess a sizeable negative karmic balance.
Protect the Innocent (Active):
- Cast a radiant barrier around a worthy soul, shielding them from all sources of damage for 3 seconds.
- Target must possess a positive karmic balance.
---
Mallory opened her eyes in stunned silence. “Did you know about this?”
Voss chuckled. “Yes, Spearmaiden. I did. And I couldn’t be more thrilled to see you claim your true purpose. You’ve always been a steward of justice—this just gives you sharper tools. You were made for this class.”
She didn’t reply immediately. Voss let the silence linger.
Eventually, she said, “The day you called me into your office back in June, it all felt like too much. But when you told me I’d have a leadership role in the rollout… it felt right. Somehow I was ready.”
She looked him in the eye.
“I do feel like I have the drive—and the ability—to help lead this team. Not just the Round Table, but maybe… all of humanity. With help, of course.”
Voss smiled, eyes shining.
“And so it shall be. You are ready.”
He glanced at something behind her.
“My time here is nearly up. Originally, the plan was to make you climb the rest of the mountain to retrieve your gear in some Iliad-style rite of passage—but I pulled a few strings.”
He stepped to a table she hadn’t noticed before.
With a wave of his hand, a gleaming set of armor shimmered into existence beside a long metal spear—the very one she had envisioned when she’d first selected her class.
“These are yours now. The System will guide you further, but they’ll function fully inside the Tutorial. When you return to the real world, you’ll need to forge them yourself.”
He paused, then turned back to her.
“We had so much fun designing all this. I kept you out of it intentionally. I wanted you to experience it organically—so that no one could ever question your place at the table. You’ll earn every step forward. And you’ll deserve every victory. I’ve always believed in you.”
He stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“I give you the greatest responsibility of all: to help shepherd humanity into the future. Only you—and the team we’ve assembled—can make it happen.”
And with that, Elliot Voss disappeared.
Like he’d never been there at all.
Mallory stared at the spot where he’d stood, fresh tears streaking down her face. Then she looked at the table.
The armor gleamed—matte bronze with yellow accents. Light, flexible, reinforced with segmented plates to allow movement without sacrificing protection.
She picked it up and put it on, piece by piece. As she did, she felt power settle around her like a mantle.
She reached for the spear—and felt something stir deep within her soul. Something that recognized this weapon.
A new message appeared.
---
System Message
Congratulations. You have bound “Fatepiercer” and “Vigil’s Raiment.”
These items are yours. They cannot be disarmed or stolen.
You will always know their location.
These are echo weapons—functional within the Tutorial.
To wield them in the real world, you must forge them.
A quest will appear after your return.
The journey will be long—but rewarding.
Good luck, Spearmaiden.
---
Mallory decided to check her status before heading back down the mountain and back to town. She couldn’t wait to talk to the others.
---
System Interface
Character Status
Name: Mallory McInnis
Age: 36 years
Level: 1
Race: Homo Sapiens—Augmented
Class: Spearmaiden (Rare)
Profession: N/A
Titles:
The Steward
Core Attributes:
Strength: 28
Ddexterity: 36
Endurance: 25
Vitality: 28
Intelligence: 40
Wisdom: 26
Charisma: 45
Perception: 30
Free Points: 5
Health: 420 / 420
Stamina: 250 / 250
Mana: 312 / 312
---
She studied the numbers for a moment, then quietly assigned two points into Vitality, and the remaining three into Perception—sharpening both her resilience and her awareness.
With a breath of purpose steadying her steps, Mallory closed the interface and turned back down the path—descending the mountain, spear in hand, toward whatever came next.