Quest academy silvers, p.13
Quest Academy: Silvers, page 13
He didn’t need to use an Appraisal skill to know they were absolutely trash. With no tools or experience, he’d tried to shape the idea he had in his mind. The skill fought against him the entire time, but Sal persisted and tried to Craft something new, rather than follow the steps that the ability prompted him with. The results of that process was not pretty.
Worn leather gloves, with plating around some of the fingers on both sets, were infused with high-quality essence and Hannah’s power signature. Sal just hoped it would be enough for the next part. He let the prompts take over, and they did exactly what he had hoped for. His eyes locked onto the rough design, and he was almost giddy to see that there were upgrade suggestions that brought the item closer to what he intended. Sal flooded the design with his energy and let it do most of the hard work.
It was quicker than Sal thought, but it packed a much heavier punch than he expected, too. If he was to estimate…bringing them from Common to Uncommon had taken about a quarter of his energy reserves. Well, maybe that wasn’t completely accurate because he had been using his power constantly in the prototyping stage. He had around three-quarters of his power left, so risked going a step further and aimed for Rare grade.
The gloves themselves were still glowing, preventing Hannah from getting a proper look at them. A trickle of black gunk seeped out of the construct that looked like it would never come out of the sheets.
Sal grit his teeth as sweat poured from his forehead. He had underestimated how much power it would take to refine and Upgrade the gloves to the Rare grade. He had already cleansed the material impurities, but shaping the metal and reinforcing the leather was proving to be one hell of an exercise.
Something more concerning was sticking in the back of his mind…he needed to add something more to the gloves to truly bring them to Rare grade. The materials and power weren’t enough, and he had clearly overlooked that factor. At this stage, it was just going to be a high-quality Uncommon, and Sal didn’t want to waste all his power for that. He wasn’t a snob when it came to quality but having grown up in an auction house, he knew how much of a gap there was between the two grades…and in their values.
Sal thought of anything he could use and a solution came to mind from the day before. He bit his lip in concentration as he tried to engrave an etching onto the metal. It was faster using his power and more efficient than using a tool, but it siphoned from him at a ridiculous rate. He wanted to close his eyes and go to sleep, to stop what he was doing, but his mind was on fire with anticipation. He was creating something that didn’t exist before, and he was close to finishing it.
Never, in all his life, did he feel such a sense of ownership and pride. He wasn’t taking something from someone else…he was using his own power, that only he possessed. With that thought alone, a surge of power washed through him and into the gauntlet, completing the upgrade.
Sal sighed as he closed his eyes and fell flat onto the bed, not caring that he was lying in a puddle of material sludge. His first creation was complete, and he was happy to watch it cool down.
Hannah pulled at Sal’s arm as she pointed at the gloves. “What the actual fuck, Sal? Are you fucking with me? How did you make this?”
The gloves were black leather, with a silver metal casing for the thumbs and first two fingers. The joints looked to be expertly crafted and the etching engraved into the casing. A faint hint of blue energy darted around the engraving, giving the impression that the gauntlets were breathing with power.
Rolling onto his side, Sal propped his head up and smiled. “Why haven’t you tried them on?” He gave her a look of mock confusion.
Hannah’s face went pale as she looked between Sal and the gloves. “You…didn’t.” Her voice cracked as she looked at them in absolute shock.
Sal’s smile never left his face. “I made the casing to mimic your gesture.” He held up his hand like it was a gun, and Hannah’s eyes widened. “But I needed you to share your power to really make them yours.”
Sal reluctantly sat up and groaned at the pain coursing through his body. He wouldn’t be able to stay awake for much longer, and wondered whether he was ever going to give himself a break and get a good night’s sleep. Glancing back at the stupefied Hannah, he picked up the gloves and threw them at her, which she caught in a panic. His eyes locked onto them in mid-air and his Appraisal flared up.
Name
Barrier Gauntlets
Origin
Crafted
Age
New
Grade
Rare (Lower)
Dimensions
Circumference 6 inches
Materials
Faux Bovine Leather | Iron | [Unknown] Essence
Attributes
Prism: Can create a customizable prism by directing essence with the gloves.
Barrier: Creates a protective shield in front of the wearer.
Repel: Barrier and Prism have a pushback effect and chance to reflect damage.
Abilities
Prism | Barrier | Repel
Power Source
External Essence
Evolution
No
Quality
Good
Condition
100%
Value
Est. $9,500.00 – $15,000.00
“Don’t throw them!”
With shaking hands, Hannah put on the gloves and gasped as they shrank to fit her hands. Her expression was conflicted, as though she wanted to find words that just wouldn’t come. When she opened her mouth to speak, a sudden realization crossed her face and she stared at the gauntlets in shock.
Sal guessed that it was her first time equipping a piece of equipment that had been made specifically for her. He wondered if the essence would blend well with her own and there was only one way to find out. He raised his hand and mimicked her gesture from before.
Tears rolled down her face as she marveled at the gauntlets that were brimming with her power, but she seemed to understand what he wanted her to do.
Hannah laughed happily as she pointed her finger at the wall in front of her. With her fingers outstretched and her thumb cocked, she practically whispered the word. “Bang.”
Sal grinned as the entire room was coated in a protective layer of icy-blue energy. He marveled at the sudden change in her power and couldn’t help but be proud of what he had achieved. He got up from the bed to inspect the barrier, “Not bad for a first tr—”
Sal didn’t have time to finish his sentence as Hannah’s lips found his.
Her gauntlets grasped at his shirt as she pulled him down a few inches to her level, her heels finally resting on the ground as she kissed him passionately. When Hannah broke the kiss, she breathed heavily and looked at the open door that led out to the corridor. With a moment of hesitation, she let go of Sal and walked to the door.
Sal’s heart thundered as she closed the door and turned back to him with a suggestive smile.
“So, let’s set some boundaries first…” Her fingers deactivated the protective shield around the room and placed it around Sal instead.
He tentatively put a hand against the wall and realized that it was solid. He was about to check behind him to see whether it was back there too, but his eyes locked on Hannah as she slipped out of her gray uniform. She was inches away from him as she turned and shimmied the waistband over her impressive curves to fall at her feet below. It was a private show, just for him, and he could look but not touch. His heart thundered in his chest as he watched her throw the covers off the side of the bed.
She sauntered past his temporary prison, swaying her hips as she did so…before getting comfy on his bed. Her skimpy lace underwear strained against her large breasts. Without so much as another word, she snapped her fingers, and the barrier was gone.
Sal practically ripped the uniform off his body, his eyes never once leaving Hannah for fear she’d disappear. Shoes were kicked off in every direction as he climbed the bed to kiss her again. Their lips locked for a moment, and the noise of satisfaction she made sent shivers through Sal’s body.
She took his hand and slid it down her toned stomach. Hannah’s voice turned sultry as she whispered into his ear. “Just so you know…” Her lips pulled at his earlobe as her warm breath washed over his skin. “The gauntlets are staying on.”
Chapter 16:
Workshop
Sal lay in his bed and watched as Hannah got dressed. There was no seductive teasing this time, but she shot him a smile when she caught him looking. When she zipped up her pants, she stretched her back and ran her gauntlet-covered hands through the wild mane of blonde hair. Sal’s eyes were once again drawn to her perfect chest before it was cruelly covered by their horrible uniform.
She laughed at his visible dismay, giving Sal a sidelong glance. “Just so there aren’t any misunderstandings…this was just a bit of fun. Let’s not make it weird, or the next three years are going to be pretty fucking awkward. What do you say?”
Exhaling slowly, Sal finally regained the ability to think with his actual brain. A large part of that recovery was aided by the ugly uniform she now flaunted.
“Absolutely.” Sal smiled dreamily as he sat up properly on the bed. He pulled a sheet over himself to regain a little bit of modesty. “Happy to do whatever you want.” He gestured vaguely, as though it made perfect sense.
Hannah laughed as she picked up her shoes. “Oh, I know you are.” And with a final wink, she was gone.
A few moments after his door closed and when he was sure that she was back in her room, he raised his hands over his head and celebrated silently. He didn’t want to overstep the mark with her and be labeled a creep, so he’d keep everything respectful. Sal would have been happy just to have a friend at the university, but when she brought over materials for him because of the coffee he bought her, he was struck by a sense of gratitude. The gauntlets were something he thought she might like. But for her to lay in bed beside him…and tell him how powerful they made her feel…
Sal took a steadying breath as he pulled the blankets up from the floor and wrapped himself into a blanket burrito. He didn’t want to get his hopes up for something more, but he really hoped that they’d get to spend a few more nights together like that. Turning his head, he could smell her perfume on the pillow beside him. Sal smiled as he finally let exhaustion take him off to sleep.
***
Classes for the day had a much later start than usual, which Sal guessed had to do with the grueling Combat exercise that everyone was subjected to the day before. He wasn’t going to waste the day lying in bed and decided to use the few extra hours to catch up on things.
To say he was in high spirits was an understatement because Sal couldn’t remember a time when he was happier. His whole life, he felt like he was taking skills from others and that nothing was ever truly his. Channeling the power of other people and doing it well was really impressive to some, but it never felt enough for Sal. But now? He had Crafted a Rare-grade artifact on just his first attempt.
Sal had his premium coffee in one hand as he walked to the workshop. He justified the cost because of the effects it gave him, but he resolved to find a way to earn more Q-Credit. The task of the day was to discover how he could sell items in the university. Sal had his Silver token that Villa gave him, and he was curious whether he could start doing Appraisal work immediately.
Another thing he wanted to figure out was the dress code, because a few of the high-ranked students were proudly wearing pieces of armor instead of the ugly uniform. Sal already assumed that there was a grade cap on the items that could be worn because nothing he had seen was beyond the Uncommon rank, and even seeing them was somewhat rare. Thinking back to the days before, when he saw the second and third-years, he tried to remember what they had worn. They had looked like uniforms, but sleeker. Anything was better than the gray garb the first-years received.
When Sal finally arrived at the workshop, he saw a completely different setup from the day before. Rather than having a huge open space for the students to navigate between tables, the workstations were spaced out generously, leaving only narrow paths between them. He hadn’t noticed yesterday, but a series of glass doors led into private booths. There were a few individuals in them already, either studying or doing precision work that needed peace and quiet.
“Mr. Argento!” Forge’s booming voice filled the room, causing more than a few people to glance up from their desks. Not one of them looked annoyed at the interruption, which Sal found odd.
“Upgrade isn’t here yet. She’s more of a night owl than an early bird!” Forge gripped Sal’s hand and gave him a powerful handshake. He gestured at the various workbenches around the room. “Would you like a proper tour this time?”
“I’d like that, thank you…but I was hoping to ask a few questions, if that’s okay?” Sal queried as he followed Forge.
Forge waved his hand. “Of course, that’s the only way to learn. What do you want to know?”
Sal withdrew the Silver token and showed it to Forge. “How can I start using this and earning Q-Credit?”
Forge grinned as he clicked his fingers. “That’s an excellent place to start the tour. Follow me!”
Sal fell into step behind the large, aproned man as they walked past all the benches.
Forge looked over his shoulder as he gestured at the people around them. “Everyone you see here is either a third-year or in the GPP. Sorry, Guild Partnership Program. We’re the only accredited specialist training facility in the city, so if the guilds want to have a licensed Crafter…they can only get that stamp of approval here.”
As if to identify themselves as part of the partnership program, some of them glanced up and offered a friendly wave.
Forge gestured to a row of elevators in the distance. “We’re going up to the Credit floor. Do you want to stop for a refill?” His eyes landed on Sal’s coffee cup and a slight smile tugged at his lips. “It’s not the fancy vendor stuff, though. If you’re looking for something that’ll keep you working through the night, you need to talk to Alex. He’s one of our guys and does Alchemy as a side gig. His coffee will have you doing marathon sprints in this place!”
Sal followed Forge’s gesture to see a grinning man holding a coffee cup aloft in greeting.
The elevator was much wider than any of the ones Sal had entered so far, and Forge once again proved himself to be a trove of knowledge. “We had a custom order for a Naginata blade just the other day, and the casing for it alone is taller than all our other elevators. These ones were custom-built for our larger orders, and you can even go all the way down to the ground floor where there’s easy access to the loading bay. Same up top if you’re getting something air delivered.”
Forge pointed in the different directions as he explained, but for now he tapped a button for a floor only a couple of stops away. When they cleared the first one, Sal could see through the glass doors to an industrial-looking floor filled with machines.
“Ah, we’ll get to that part later.” Forge laughed. “We’ll get the Credit floor sorted first, and then we can take the stairs down to manufacturing.”
Sal was grateful to have a guide and enjoyed the larger man’s company. After a few moments, the elevator pinged, and the transparent doors opened to reveal the trade floor. Unlike the workshop where everyone was curious and friendly, the faces in this location were anything but. The luxurious surroundings filled him with a sudden pang of familiarity, which was only reinforced by the looks of contempt from the well-presented staff members standing around the room. Their uniforms were elegant and refined, and Sal almost snorted.
“Is this an auction house?”
Forge blinked as he turned to Sal. “How did you know?”
“My father took me to public auctions all the time to show me how the competition operated…sorry, my family runs an independent auction house.” Sal realized that Forge likely had no idea who his family was, so he provided context. To his surprise, the larger man nodded with a smile.
“Argento Auction, yes? Petro is one of the good ones. We’ve worked with each other in the past.”
Sal laughed as he looked around at all the vultures staring at him. He could practically read their minds. They would be seeing a first-year in a gray uniform being shown around by one of the “workers” from the workshop floor. Even though Forge was a prominent figure in the Crafting scene, he wouldn’t be making these people any money, so he was useless to them.
Forge gave Sal an apologetic look. “Em, maybe let me do the talking…they can be a bit…”
“Prickly?” Sal nodded in understanding.
Forge grinned.
The man behind the counter had the decency not to sigh at their approach. “Welcome.”
That was all he said, no introduction to services or a follow-up to ask how he could help. He simply acknowledged their existence, and Sal could sense that Forge was keeping himself in check as he spoke.
“I’m giving this kid a tour and showing him around, but while I’m here, I had a question for you.”
“Yes?” This time the sigh was set free as the suited man gave Sal a dubious glance.
Forge ignored the contempt in the man’s voice. “What credit facilities can you offer a token holder?”
Sal was about to reach into his pocket to retrieve it, but Forge signaled him to hold off on. Behind the counter, the man frowned.
“Credit is only granted in exceptional circumstances. If the nature of the work is long and arduous, we offer a basic stipend to cover missed income. There is an overdraft facility if they need to make emergency purchases…or, we can provide discounted rates on material acquisition. They would need to be at least a Bronze token holder for any of that to be a possibility.”
