Chapter 4: Decision

In the end, she couldn’t turn the offer down. But coming to that conclusion took a while of just sitting there, running her brain in circles. The Bestower, at least, waited patiently. She didn’t speak a word as the minutes ticked by. Natalie supposed it made sense a deity—or pseudo-deity, or whatever the automaton was—would be endlessly patient.

And honestly, Natalie didn’t think she spent more time deliberating than most, so it wasn’t like The Bestower had to be overly long-suffering. Natalie would never call herself a meticulous person. It was only because of the monumental circumstances—her unlocking—that she gave the decision the consideration it deserved. Most situations, she’d go with her gut. Jump in with much less forethought than appropriate. The Architect knew Jordan had complained about Natalie’s brashness more than once, through their adolescent adventures across the Entwining Forest.

Natalie sighed, then stood.

“Okay,” she said. “I accept.”

An unsurprised nod. Had she known Natalie would agree before even she had? Though, the lack of surprise might just be from a stoic nature. Or disinterest. Natalie might be reading into things.

Certainly, the decision Natalie had made wouldn’t be a given for all people. Despite the class being guaranteed to be powerful, not everyone would take it. Not knowing the class you were picking ... there was serious risk, there. Even three choices weren’t enough options to make people comfortable.

The plinths holding Natalie’s classes sank into the glass-like water. Natalie’s heart jumped, seeing her potential future vanish, for everything to become so suddenly unknown. She vibrated with nerves.

“So,” Natalie said. “What is it?”

“Goodbye, Natalie,” The Bestower said, turning away.

Natalie blinked, not expecting the response. She opened her mouth to call out—

And her eyes shot open.

The empty, moonlit church greeted her.

For a moment, she sat there in silence, perched atop the cushion Elder Britt had placed down for her.

Her unlocking had ended, and she didn’t even know what class she’d received?

She scrambled to her feet. Adrenaline doused her, and she tried to fight through the panic and shock, to wrestle some sort of clear-mindedness back. It took effort. Natalie had never had great control over her emotions. At least the dead-silent church provided no distractions.

Okay.

So.

The Bestower hadn’t told her what class she’d got, but there was a way to determine one’s class and skills. Obviously. Unlockings were a one time event. How would people know their level and skills as they progressed, without something of the sort?

Looking inward, Natalie quested out. It was something she’d never done before, but everyone with a class—so, everyone over the age of eighteen—was given a basic skill, [Inspect].

Natalie / Level 1

Paladin of Lust

Stats

Furor: F

Tenacity: F+

Prowess: F-

Gear

Weapon Slot 1: <Unused>

Weapon Slot 2: <Unused>

Equipment Slot 1: <Unused>

Equipment Slot 2: <Unused>

Equipment Slot 3: <Unused>

Equipment Slot 4: <Unused>

Natalie’s brain locked up.

‘Paladin of Lust’?

Huh?

That was her class name?

The oddity of having the information placed in her head—at experiencing the [Inspect] skill for the first time—went ignored over the much more shocking item of interest.

Paladin of Lust?

What in the world?

What kind of class was that?

‘Paladin’. That was the easier part to digest. Paladins were, to Natalie’s knowledge, rare, but not unheard-of. They held to a specific god, which their powers were derived from. Or, ‘held’ in a loose sense. Natalie didn’t know if it required actual worship. But paladins revolved around an aspect—a theme—which were tied to a specific god or goddess.