Morning light crept over the city walls as I stepped into the courtyard, the air cool with dawn mist. Guildmaster Mirena stood by the fountain, fingers wrapped around her reins. Behind her, two veteran escorts mounted sturdy ponies—one was Garrick, a scarred ex-soldier (Race: Human), the other Elowen, a lithe archer (Race: Wood-Elf) whose arrows never missed their mark.
"I trust you slept well," Mirena said, adjusting the straps on her leather jerkin. Smoke from a distant forge curled around her silhouette.
I swallowed the last of my spiced cider. "Ready as I'll ever be."
System: Quest "Bandit Patrol" — briefing: escort silk convoy;
survive any hostile contact._
She nodded. "We leave at first light. Ride east along the Vale Road. Bandits struck twice this week. We'll split into two units—Garrick and Elowen on the front, you and me on the rear guard."
I swung onto my mount, a skittish mare named Willow. Her flanks were slick with sweat, and she stamped the cobblestones nervously. I patted her neck. "Easy, girl."
The Vale Road unfurled through rolling vineyards and hedgerows, sunlight gilding grape leaves. Cartwheels clacked over worn stones, the convoy's wagons laden with rolls of silk. I peered at the first crate—its stencil read Raven's Feather Weave. Even from here, I could see the fabric's shimmer.
Appraisal:
Subject — Silk Crate (Construct: Human-made)
Contents — Raven's Feather Weave (Quality: Fine)
Weight — Standard load
No surprises. I relaxed against the saddle, fingers brushing the hilt of my dagger.
"Keep your eyes peeled," Mirena warned, scanning the tree line. Garrick rode ahead in silence, Elowen's bow never far from hand.
An hour passed in tense quiet. Willow jerked her head; I followed her gaze. Shadows flickered between oaks. Before I could shout, horns blared—two dozen bandits sprang from cover, swords raised, eyes hungry for loot.
Mirena kicked her heels. Her sword spun in a graceful arc, cutting the nearest bandit's scarf in half. Garrick charged, steel ringing against steel. Elowen loosed arrow after arrow; quivers emptied like rain.
System: Combat Mode — threats detected: 24;
recommended skill: Thread Affinity._
"Cover our flank!" Mirena shouted. I slid from my saddle, landing on the road. Horse hooves thundered past as she and Garrick engaged the front line.
I reached for a discarded silk ribbon trailing from a tipped wagon. Pressing my palm to the loose end, I whispered, "Thread Affinity."
The ribbon quivered, then shot forward like a living whip, entangling a bandit's sword arm. He yelped as the ribbon tightened, binding him to a wagon wheel.
Thread Affinity use +1/15
Another bandit lunged; I sidestepped and flicked the ribbon—it wrapped around his ankle. He crashed face-first into the dust.
Elowen released her final arrow into the air. "Nicely done!" she called.
I ducked under a slash from a snarling brigand. The blade nicked my forearm, stinging. I bit back a curse and summoned Minor Alchemy.
A jagged shard of flint lay nearby. Concentrating, I transmuted it into a sliver of steel, slender but sharp. I caught it by reflex and plunged it into the bandit's thigh. He collapsed, howling.
Minor Alchemy use +1/20
Mirena wiped blood from her blade. "You're not half bad," she said, eyes gleaming with approval.
The skirmish raged for another five breaths. Finally, Garrick's warhammer slammed into the last foe's helm—a clean knock-out. The bandits lay groaning, disarmed and defeated.
The caravan guards emerged, faces pale but grateful. One lifted a crate of silk. "Thanks, stranger. Paymasters will hear of this."
I mounted Willow, brushing sweat from my brow.
System: Combat Debrief — XP +15;
Thread Affinity +2 use points;
Minor Alchemy +1 use point;
Negligible Telekinesis unchanged._
Mirena rode up beside me. Her hair tangled in the morning breeze, cheeks flushed. "Second flag earned."
My chest tightened. "Second?"
She smirked. "First was crate sorting. Second was dye. Third is proving you can survive a fight without getting killed."
System: Quest "Impress Mirena" — 3/3 flags completed.
Reward: Tease Gauge +1; New Technique Unlocked: Thread Shield._
As the convoy resumed, I tested my steel sliver—light as a feather, but it hummed with potential. The road stretched onward, vines and hedgerows receding. Somewhere ahead lay the next town, its open market stalls and gossiping merchants.
Elowen reined her horse beside me. "You'll fit right in at the festival. Just don't tell them how close you came to being lunch."
I laughed, rubbing the healed nick on my forearm. "Noted."
The sun climbed higher, warming my shoulders. I felt the gentle buzz of the System in my mind—an ally reminding me there was progress, growth, and more "masterplans" to engineer.
Tomorrow, I'd need every scrap of cunning and every thread at my command. Because in a world that laughed at my "useless" powers, I intended to show them just how dangerous a whisper of silk could be.
And maybe—just maybe—earn a smile from Guildmaster Mirena that wasn't tied to a life-or-death lesson.