Quest Academy: Silvers, page 1
Quest Academy:
Silvers
Book 1
Brian J. Nordon
Copyright © 2023 by The Legion Publishers Ltd
Editing by Michelle Dunbar
Editing by Faith Williams
Cover by Rashed Alakroka
Typography by May Dawney Designs
Formatting and additional editing by Emily Godhand
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author/publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction, all characters, places, spells, realities, and secrets of the Upper and Lower Realms are entirely my own work, and if they offend you, it’s not intentional. Probably.
This is a work of fiction, all characters, places, abilities, and choices are my own unhinged creations. Yes, even those ones that you’re thinking about right now. Mine!
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: First Class
Chapter 2: Quest Academy
Chapter 3: First Assignment
Chapter 4: Token of Intent
Chapter 5: Sage Advice
Chapter 6: Morning After
Chapter 7: Colorful Cohorts
Chapter 8: White Eyes
Chapter 9: Purple Punch
Chapter 10: Perfect Skill
Chapter 11: Restoration
Chapter 12: Registration
Chapter 13: Consequences
Chapter 14: Visitor
Chapter 15: First Time
Chapter 16: Workshop
Chapter 17: Contracts
Chapter 18: Reality
Chapter 19: Ambitions
Chapter 20: Practicalities
Chapter 21: Veritas
Chapter 22: Limitations
Chapter 23: Accusation
Chapter 24: Divinity
Chapter 25: Healing
Chapter 26: Calamity
Chapter 27: Overwhelm
Chapter 28: Perspective
Chapter 29: Adrenaline
Chapter 30: Respite
Chapter 31: Drive
Chapter 32: Appraisal
Chapter 33: Blueprint
Chapter 34: Late
Chapter 35: Party
Chapter 36: Friends
Chapter 37: Priorities
Chapter 38: Upgrade
Chapter 39: Legendary
Chapter 40: Crafting
Chapter 41: Organic
Chapter 42: Outings
Chapter 43: Appraisal
Chapter 44: Hypotheticals
Chapter 45: Earnings
Chapter 46: Caution
Chapter 47: Introspection
Chapter 48: Society
Chapter 49: Caution
Chapter 50: Aspirations
Chapter 51: Categories
Chapter 52: Control
Chapter 53: Manipulation
Chapter 54: Stakes
Chapter 55: Team Combat
Chapter 56: Reveal
Chapter 57: Verdict
Chapter 58: Setback
Chapter 59: Selection
Chapter 60: Formation
Chapter 61: Secrets
Chapter 62: Competence
Chapter 63: Practicality
Chapter 64: Routine
Chapter 65: Overcharge
Chapter 66: Wildcard
Chapter 67: Omens
Chapter 68: Enlistment
Chapter 69: Confrontation
Chapter 70: Countermeasure
Chapter 71: Strike Team
Chapter 72: Heroes
Chapter 73: Debrief
Chapter 74: Relief
Chapter 75: Brackets
Chapter 76: Strategy
Chapter 77: Tournament
Chapter 78: Streak
Chapter 79: Showtime
Chapter 80: Revelations
Chapter 81: Surprise
Chapter 82: Results
Chapter 83: Rewards
Chapter 84: Rankings
Chapter 85: Respite
Chapter 86: Analysis
Salvatore’s Character Sheet
Authors Note:
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Chapter 1:
First Class
Sal smiled at the uniformed attendant who had lifted the velvet rope on their arrival. His parents walked in front of him, stopping at the door of the luxury carriage while they waited for the guests ahead of them to go inside and find their compartment.
Turning on his heels, Sal glanced down the platform at the vast crowds of people packing onto the train. There were no velvet ropes or attendants in those sections, but rather a host of security professionals who weren’t afraid to shove passengers back if there was a moment of uncertainty.
Sal examined the mounted turrets atop the train carriages. Each of them was primed and ready, rotating in intervals to ensure full coverage and protection. A quick glance forward caused Sal to meet his father’s gaze, who looked at him expectantly.
“You waiting for an invitation there, Sal?” He made a sweeping gesture at the area outside the train carriage. “It’ll still be here when you graduate, don’t worry.” With a nod toward the carriage interior, Petro started forward, but paused abruptly. “Soph, can you bring that small case? Yes! That’s the one!”
Sal stepped onto the carriage, following his parents along the narrow corridor. His mother stopped abruptly in front of him, her shoulders tense. “What is it now? You’d swear these people have never been on a train before.” Her sentence finished with gritted teeth.
Petro turned around, a weary grin on his face. “This might actually be their first time. Be nice. Sal might end up becoming friends with their kid.”
Sophia gave her son a pointed look, as if to say, Don’t you dare.
Chuckling to himself, Sal leaned against the wall and looked out of the window opposite, showcasing the bustling metro station.
There was only one track, and it operated a single service. The train consisted of over thirty carriages and with mounted turrets adorning each one, it was by far the safest mode of transport between reclaimed zones. Sal leaned closer to the window and looked to his left, wanting to see the crackling red barrier in the distance.
Their train was going to pierce through it after gaining speed and blitz through to the next safe zone, before the demons would have a chance to react. Any that were unlucky enough to be in proximity to the train would find out just how powerful the turrets were.
To prepare for departure, a shimmering reflective shield slid down the exterior of the train, covering Sal’s view. He barely had time to turn away from his reflection before the headache began.
His father gave him a reassuring smile from farther ahead as he looked back at Sal. “You shouldn’t avoid it. It’s good training for them.” He pointed at his own silver irises that brimmed with magical energy.
Sal’s eyes were practically identical to those of his father, but only in appearance. Their capabilities were miles apart.
Attention, passengers.
We will shortly depart Silver Sanctuary.
Please secure yourselves appropriately. We estimate a Red Zone time of just under five minutes, so please do not move from your assigned areas until we’ve safely entered the next safe zone. This service will stop at the Sage Community Hospital, Memorial Square, Cemetery Gardens, Guild Towers Upper, Mercantile Quarter, Guild Towers Lower, Quest Academy…
Sal perked up at the announcement of his destination. Both his parents looked at him, but their emotions were wildly different. Petro’s face was a mask of pride, while Sophia’s was filled with barely concealed apprehension. A huge sigh of relief brought Sal out of his reverie as Sophia finally moved forward with Petro’s small case still in hand.
The offending family who held them up was nowhere to be seen and Sal knew they were lucky to have escaped his mother’s wrath.
The luxury private cabin was very much worth the wait, with a plush interior and its own private bar. Without so much as missing a beat, Petro practically shouted his order to the waiting bar attendant as he turned on the television. He manually changed the channel from a nearby interface, looking for something on the list of channels. “Ah, Hunter Network!”
Before Sophia or Sal had even sat down, the sound of breaking news filled the cabin. Sal sighed inwardly. Everything was breaking news these days, and people from his father’s generation were addicted to listening to it.
Initial outbreak on Fifth Street. Grade 2 Demons sighted. Leecher and Prowler. Response team dispatched from the reclamation guild, Paradox. Residents are advised to stay in their homes until evacuation teams arrive. Our in-house analysts have determined that if this outbreak escalates and we lose Fifth Street, our quarterly territory loss will be four percent higher than last reported.
Reports of classist bullying on the refugee cruise liner, Darwin, have resulted in calls for reform. Over sixty percent of surveyed refugees have stated that they’d prefer to take their chances on the mainland rather than suffer within the guaranteed protection of the mobile, floating fortresses. We have yet to receive a comment from government officials regarding the report.
Quest Academy is about to welcome a new cohort of cadets this week. Th
Without a word, Petro spun in his chair and pointed at Sal, grinning. He turned his head and craned it closer to the television as though he were trying to hear it more clearly. “My son, off to join the academy!”
His lighthearted banter was rewarded with a small gasp from across their room. All three of the Argento family turned to glance at the girl who was serving drinks. Her eyes were wide as she looked at Sal, as though seeing him for the first time. A half second later, she gave him a wide smile before getting back to the drink preparation.
Sal laughed at that, raising an eyebrow as he met his father’s gaze. “If it wasn’t a mandatory enrollment, I’d have guessed you were trying to get rid of me…”
Petro’s smile didn’t leave his face as he waved his hand in the air, as though suggesting that there might be some truth to the statement. His eyes didn’t leave the screen as he listened to the ongoing news report.
A recent artifact expedition returned with great results! It marks the eighth consecutive delving mission, with specialist guild, the Delvers, breaching the demonic portals and recovering high-value weaponry and equipment.
We’ve been informed that the Argento Auction has yet to reveal details of these new artifact acquisitions, but a statement has been made by the Guildmaster of the Delvers Guild, Shade. “We’re confident that it’s our best haul yet.” When asked for details regarding casualties suffered during the expedition, Shade refused to comment.
There has been a rising negative sentiment toward the Delvers Guild, with the public criticizing the reckless endangerment of Heroes, as well as the guild’s continued refusal to push the front lines with the Reclamation Guilds.
Petro’s smile faded into a grimace as he got to his feet and took the small case from Sophia. “Can’t even take a day off to see Sal enter the academy? We’re charging them extra for this.” He looked at Sophia, who gave him a humoring nod. Just as he was about to open the case, he glanced up at the attendant, who was slowly making their drinks and smiling at Sal.
“Best haul yet, my ass,” Petro spat. A few clicks later, it was open for Sal and Sophia to see. “What do you see, son?” Petro turned the case around to face Sal.
Without thinking, Sal activated his ability. His silver irises glowed as they started the Appraisal process, picking apart every detail of the item.
Name
[Unknown] Glove
Origin
Portal Artifact
Age
[Unknown]
Grade
Uncommon (Upper)
Dimensions
Circumference 8.5 inches
Materials
Prowler Hide | [Unknown] | Dreadcloth
Attributes
[Unknown]
Abilities
Phase Shift | Steal
Power Source
External Essence
Evolution
No
Quality
Terrible
Condition
8%
Value
Est. $14,000.00 – $35,000.00
“Let’s see…it’s a torn piece of cloth armor? Probably in the last few uses before being completely destroyed. I can see runes, and they seem powerful…but they’re incomplete because of the damage. My best guess would be that it was a Rare or Epic piece, but now it’s barely at the rank of an Uncommon piece. Can you Restore it, Mom?”
Sal turned to his mother, who looked at it apprehensively.
Before she could say a word, Petro closed the case. “Great analysis, but we shouldn’t waste your mother’s essence on this. If it really is at Rare grade or above, we’d be picking her up off the floor. It’ll take someone with a higher version of the Restore ability to bring it back to perfect condition. Shade has only paid me for an Appraisal, and that’s all we’re going to give him.”
He put the case to one side and accepted the offered drink from the attendant with a smile.
Attention, passengers.
We are now entering the Red Zone.
Please adhere to all safety precautions until the next announcement. Any signs of passengers disregarding these procedures will be dealt with. Any anti-social behavior will not be tolerated on this service. Your safety is our primary concern.
Sal could sense the urgency in the announcement and wondered what constituted anti-social behavior. The entire carriage lurched violently to one side as a series of loud screeching noises were heard from outside. Sal gripped the chair armrests and looked over at his father wordlessly as they heard a rhythmic interval of mechanical thumps. They both looked at the ceiling of the carriage at the same time. “Are the turrets firing?”
Petro nodded and gestured for Sal to put on his seat belt. Both he and Sophia did the same as the attendant secured herself in a seat by the bar. Even with all the shields and attempts at soundproofing, Sal could hear the inhuman screams from outside.
Closing his eyes, he calmed his breathing and tried to focus on the repeated blasts from the turrets above. Rattling glass from the bar area broke his concentration and Sal opened his eyes and turned around to meet the very calm gaze of the attendant. It was reassuring to see her so composed and when she smiled in his direction, Sal felt himself calming down. If the employee wasn’t worried about their current situation, then maybe he didn’t need to worry either.
A whirring noise from above echoed down into their compartment and Sal felt the vibrations coming from his seat. When the next volley of attacks sounded out, Sal could hear the change of direction to the other side of the train. A few minutes of consecutive blasts continued, until the turrets fell silent.
Sal hoped that it was because all the demons had been defeated. He didn’t even know if the turrets were a deterrent or devices designed to kill them. Was their technology evolving as quickly as the demons? Was this a normal event for people that used the train regularly?
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of applause and cheering that echoed out from the surrounding carriages. Everyone was celebrating their survival and it was a stark contrast to the sheltered life he had lived until now.
Petro took off his seat belt before the sign gave him permission and suffered a glare from Sophia.
Attention, passengers.
We have cleared the Red Zone.
Thank you for your patience. Our next stop will be Sage Community Hospital.
Sal’s breath caught in his throat as the shields moved away from the windows. They were now in a safe territory, guarded by the barriers. Sal jumped out of his seat and pressed his face to the window, looking back at the Red Zone, hoping to see something of note.
He was rewarded with the sight of the following carriages covered in green blood. The wall of the barrier that kept the Red Zone at bay shimmered constantly at different points, indicating demons repeatedly trying to break through.
Petro stood beside Sal and tapped the glass window. He followed Sal’s line of sight to the barrier before he sighed. “It’s nice to know that our insanely high tax bracket actually goes to some use.” He smiled at Sal before gripping his shoulder. “Are you nervous?”
Sal looked away from the carriages and met his father’s eyes. “A little. It kinda feels like I’m running away from reality.” He looked back out to where the barrier was getting smaller and smaller in the distance.
Petro sighed as his grip tightened slightly on Sal’s shoulder. “It’s only for a few months. You go in, keep your head down, flunk out after the first semester…and then you can come home and work with us.”
Sophia appeared on the other side of her son and gave her thoughts on the conversation they’d been having for years. “Worst-case scenario, you stop hating your power and you pass the first semester? Maybe get into a cool class, make some friends…Who knows?”
