Bagwis' Trial Quest

Bagwis and Alab returned to the reception desk, where the same strict-looking receptionist stood like a stone statue, arms crossed and lips pursed as if she were single-handedly holding the weight of the world—or maybe just a ton of paperwork.

"Hello again," Bagwis chirped, flashing her an innocently youthful smile that was a little too wide, hoping it would soften her stone-carved expression.

She raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Done already?"

"Yup!" Bagwis nodded enthusiastically. "The examiner said I passed with flying colors." he added as he handed the receptionist the paper that the old examiner had given him.

The examiner had actually shouted something more along the lines of 'please leave' but Bagwis decided that wasn't the best detail to add. Best not to let her find out about the shattered remains of the crystal mana assessor.

The receptionist's eyes widened slightly in disbelief as she glanced at the paper in disbelief. "Really? Old Jensen did? That's... rare for him to compliment anyone."

"Well..." Bagwis coughed, rubbing the back of his neck, "it wasn't exactly a compliment. More like a... memorable experience?"

The strict lady squinted at him but shrugged, apparently deciding not to ask any further questions. She leaned under the desk and retrieved a leather-bound book, flipping through it with mechanical precision.

"Alright, since you've completed the assessment, I'll assign you your trial quest. This will determine if you're ready to become an official adventurer." Her eyes glinted with a hint of challenge, as if daring Bagwis to screw up. "The rules are simple. One: you cannot receive help from outsiders. That means anyone not involved in the quest. Two: you must complete the quest within the given time frame, or you'll fail."

Bagwis gave her a thumbs-up, as if he hadn't already mentally checked out after hearing 'simple'. "Seems easy enough to remember."

The receptionist slapped the book shut and handed him a piece of parchment, which Bagwis took eagerly. "Your trial quest," she said, her voice all business, "is to retrieve the Rare Fungal Spores from the Murkwood Caves just beyond the outskirts of the Gillman Mountains just an hour travel from here." 

Bagwis blinked at the parchment when he heard the place, scanning the details. "Fungal spores? From a cave? Isn't that more of a... foraging quest?"

The receptionist's lips curled into the smallest hint of a smile—an evil one. "Oh, these aren't just any spores. The spores are located deep inside the Murkwood Caves, an underground network notorious for its pitch-black tunnels. It used to be a famous training ground for novice adventurers but the past few months numerous strong venomous creatures started to pop up inside the cave which have deterred most from entering it. Some attempted to scavenge the caves again only to end up dead or worse— they end up coming back without their sanity in tact."

Bagwis raised an eyebrow, his sarcastic inner voice roaring to life. Ah, great. So basically, you're sending me into a cave full of fungi and nightmares. Delightful. Who doesn't love a bit of deathly darkness and venom?

Alab, standing beside him, slapped him on the back. "Well, good luck, Bagwis. Im sure if anyone can avoid getting killed by mushrooms, it's you."

If Bagwis hadn't seen Alab's look of sincerity he would've thought he was mocking him. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Alab. You make it sound like I'm a mushroom whisperer."

"Maybe you are. After all you, seem to be hiding your capabilities," Alab added with a shrug.

"Any chance I can persuade you to join me for this thrilling mushroom-picking adventure?" Bagwis asked, raising his eyebrows hopefully.

Alab shook his head. "I can't. Besides, this trial quest is for you alone."

Bagwis sighed, his shoulders slumping in exaggerated defeat. "Fantastic. My first official quest is a spore collection in a dark, probably deadly cave. Truly the life of a hero."

The receptionist ignored his complaints, already turning her attention back to her paperwork. "You've got two days. 48 hours to be exact. Be back before then—or don't bother coming back at all."

Bagwis muttered a quick thank you and turned to leave, muttering under his breath, "Well, at least I won't need to touch any more fancy crystals."

He and Alab went for a quick meal since he had wasted quite the energy from the assessment. As they walked out the bar, Alab reminded after him, "Don't get lost! And remember—if you start seeing giant mushrooms, don't eat them—Or talk to them."

Bagwis raised a hand in a mock salute. "Noted! Though I can't promise you that I won't try negotiating with the fungi if things go south."

Bagwis first visited the city library inorder to research about the Murkwood Cave's before buying multiple food to munch on the way. After all he had to make sure his stomach was full since he was constantly burning energy from keeping his very own mana core safe from the corrupt one.

After the much needed preparation, Bagwis set off toward the Murkwood Caves.

Great, Bagwis thought as he stepped into the dim forest leading toward the caves. First, I blow up a crystal assessor, and now I'm off to befriend mushrooms. What a start to my adventuring career.

As the forest grew denser and the shadows stretched, Bagwis glanced down at the quest parchment again. Rare fungal spores, venomous creatures, and pitch-black caves. Yup. Nothing about this screamed fun.

But as he trudged onward, Bagwis couldn't help but grin to himself. He wasn't worried. Being trained by the Lonewolf Sitan—he'd dealt with worse things than venomous mushrooms.

Little did Bagwis know, this would be the start of something much bigger... and much weirder than just some fungi.