The moment Ian saw Amy, something parental in him seemed to take over. Tanya hadn't seen it coming. There was barely a decade or two between them in age, but Ian placed a hand on her shoulder and she sank into it, suddenly looking like a lost child. She let him lead her into the kitchen, and Tanya could hear the subtle hum of conversation through the wall as Ian cooked her beans and toast.

Tanya was relieved he'd taken over so quickly; she knew what to do, but in her exhaustion, she was struggling to be the person she knew Amy needed now.

Instead, Tanya flopped on the sofa across from Mrs Eceer.

"A new ally?" Mrs Eceer asked, with kindness beneath the business nature, in a way only she could pull off.

"I gave her the tattoo before," Tanya started.

Mrs Eceer's expression changed, and Tanya realised she'd said all that she needed to.

"What is it?" Mrs Eceer asked.

"A tiger. Chinese calendar."

Mrs Eceer nodded slowly. "And it…?"

"Attacked her? No, but she couldn't control it."

"Poor girl," Mrs Eceer whispered. She cleared her throat, then tilted her head towards the kitchen.

Tanya heard the clink of cutlery and a small giggle.

Mrs Eceer seemed satisfied. "Did you decide your level up?"

Tanya nodded. "I went with Clientele. Check it out. It isn't the most obvious choice."

Mrs Eceer's eyes flickered from side to side as she read through Tanya's Interface.

"Hm," Mrs Eceer started. "I would have expected you to pick Harmonised Summons. Why didn't you?"

Mrs Eceer's head was tilted, her lips pursed, and her expression inquisitive; genuine. Warmth spread through Tanya's chest. A previous version of Mrs Eceer would have scowled at her for the choice and asked with a scoff. She couldn't word how this change in expression made her feel, but it made her feel bigger—more competent.

"I'm thinkin' long game," Tanya said, moving to sit beside Mrs Eceer. They couldn't see the same version of the Interface, but this almost gave an illusion that they could in a way Tanya liked. "Go onto me main page. See the Major Ability Crossroad decisions I've had so far?"

"A Blink of an Eye, Passing the Mark, Clientele?" Mrs Eceer recited. With the speed she said them, Tanya couldn't tell if it was her reading speed or if she had them memorised.

"Exactly. I was thinkin' of what they could become as Subclasses—"

Mrs Eceer's face lit up as she realised. "I see. The first would likely be a write-off from your move away from combat, and the second may broaden your scope of ability but not your scope of impact."

Tanya laughed and nodded. As usual, Mrs Eceer realised almost immediately and could communicate it more succinctly.

"Why are you laughing?" Mrs Eceer asked, looking bewildered.

It made Tanya laugh harder in that tired, delirious state. "Just you being you, ya know?"

"No, I don't?"

"Heh. Nevermind then."

Mrs Eceer read through the Interface again, seeming to jump between different pages as her eyes flicked around. It was so fast now that Tanya barely believed she was processing it at all.

"So, what d'ya think?" Tanya said. "You know more about Subclasses than any of us now. Did I make the right call?"

Mrs Eceer thought about it for a moment. "Yes, I think so. I wouldn't have thought of it, but I like the thought process."

The craving for more knowledge became an itch. "Do you think there's anythin' you could tell me about your Subclass or Subclasses generally?"

"Nothing that you couldn't deduce," Mrs Eceer said with a cocked eyebrow.

Tanya rolled her eyes and opened Mrs Eceer's Interface.

• • •

Information

Name: Petunia Eceer

Number: 576,876

Class: Bunker Wizard

Subclass: [REDACTED]

Level: 10

Attributes

Strength: 13/16

Dexterity: 11/15

Vitality: 9/12

Concentration: 26/45

Will: 20/33

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Abilities

Barriers Level 7 You gain the ability to create magical barriers. The strength and nature of these barriers depend on your Vitality, and your Intent at the time of creation. Stronger barriers will require channeling time, deep understanding, or rare catalysts.

Barrier Geometry Level 10 Mathematics is the true magic behind all fortifications. You instinctively calculate angles of pressure, load-bearing weaknesses, and optimal reinforcement points. Your barriers, traps, and constructs gain structural bonuses based on geometric efficiency. This can be done to some success in real time. Your Barrier Codex is fused with your general vision.

Traps Level 15 Unlocked from Achievement: Bunkering Down You can imbue objects or systems of objects with latent triggers, causing them to activate when specific conditions are met. Traps can be physical, magical, or hybrid in nature. The potential of those traps is limited only by your resources. Your Trapwork Ledger is fused with your general vision.

Insight Level 5 Previously Find Breach (4) and Trapping Insight (3) With a glance, you see not what things are, but what they could become. All potential foreseen uses, actions, and weak points are flagged and annotated. Your Tactical Overlay is fused with your general vision.

Force Translation Level 1 Unlocked from Achievement: Kinetic Reflection Any kinetic, magical, or emotional force that touches you can be partially translated into another form: motion, light, sound, or heat. Precision improves with practice; overuse may cause destabilisation.

System Correspondent Level 1 Unlocked from Achievement: System Theorist Your insights have drawn The System's attention. A transactional channel has opened between you. When you uncover new information, phenomena, or data the System deems valuable, you may submit a Report. Verified Reports grant you Restricted Questions, each allowing a single direct inquiry into System functions, mechanics, or classifications.

Abuse of this privilege, or submission of false data, may result in sanctions or observation.

Achievements

Worthy You were deemed worthy of The System's care. You have been given a class and access to The Interface.

Unique Circumstances

The circumstances that showed you as Worthy were Unique. You have been given a Unique Class.

Bunkering Down You were supposed to break. You didn't. When the world turned to chaos outside, you built your own fortress within. Achievement Boon: Temporary defense boosts last 10% longer when under siege or surrounded.

Walls Have Teeth

A barrier is meant to hold the world at bay — but you taught it to bite back. Creating barriers inside your enemies, you turned shields into the stocks for execution. Achievement Boon: Whilst in an enemy, your barriers will be charged using their Vitality rather than your own.

The Enemy of My Enemy

They were your enemy—kind of—but in the heat of the moment, you risked your life to save them anyway. Now, like it or not, your powers just seem to work better together.

Achievement Boon: Whilst allies, your powers have a 25% Synergy Bonus whilst directly helping the other.

Architect of Entrapment You built wards not merely to repel, but to invite the enemy in. Your traps don't just react—they predict. Achievement Boon: Traps and wards now adapt once triggered, adjusting to target behavior. First activation grants +15% effectiveness for 10 seconds.

Kinetic Reflection Why block force when you can return it? You've refined your barriers into mirrors of aggression. Achievement Boon: The first impact against any fresh barrier reflects a portion of the incoming force as pure kinetic backlash. (Scales with Will.)

Circuit Mage Magic and machinery are the same language written in different alphabets. You're just the first to translate between them. Achievement Boon: You can fuse physical components (like wires, crystal conduits, or etchings) into barrier constructs, adding secondary effects such as pulse damage or timed surges.

Cartographer of Control Knowledge is territory, and you mapped it inch by inch. Every landmark, every inhabitor, every ruin has been accounted for in your vicinity. Achievement Boon: Gain passive bonuses to detection and environmental awareness. The Tactical Overlay now includes minor terrain advantages and hidden path suggestions.

The Silent Siege You realized that fortification isn't about hiding—it's about control. When they entered your territory, the battle was already over. Achievement Boon: Enemies within overlapping barriers or wards suffer gradual erosion of Vitality and morale. Effects intensify the longer they remain contained.

System Theorist You didn't just follow the Interface — you studied it. And somewhere between numbers and intuition, you began to see the underlying logic. Achievement Boon: Gain occasional "Precursor Insights," brief glimpses of possible future skill evolutions or hidden mechanics. Accuracy improves with Concentration.

• • •

It had changed a lot since Tanya last looked at it and she couldn't help but let her eyes get wider and wider the more of it she read.

"Since when have you been able to change all energy between forms?" Tanya started. "Fucking hell, you can earn Restricted Questions!?"

Mrs Eceer blinked at her. "Yes?" Tanya must have looked sheepish because Mrs Eceer continued. "You have so much powerful data at your fingertips, and you're telling me you don't keep up to date with it?"

Tanya scratched the back of her neck. "Anyway, uh, Traps, Force translation, an' System Correspondence. That's the three Abilities that'll have inspired your Subclass." Tanya leant back in the chair, head tilted toward the ceiling. "Man, what would a System Correspondence Subclass look like?"

She looked over at Mrs Eceer, who had the same poker face on as ever. "Nothing at all?" Tanya pleaded.

Mrs Eceer responded with a tiny smirk.

Just as Tanya was about to begin a new onslaught of questioning, Ian walked back through. "She nodded off on the tattoo chair. I hope that's alright," Ian said.

"Of course. Hold on—" Tanya pointed at Ian. "You'll answer me questions." Tanya threw one more jokey stink eye at Mrs Eceer. She turned back to Ian. "What did you end up gettin' and choosin' from?"

He smiled. "You can check them out yourself."

Tanya slammed her feet against the boards. "Fuck I forgot!"

She scrolled down his logs for the options, intentionally not reading the reveal on his Interface.

• • •

Errand Sense Level 1 Unlocked from Achievement: Worthy While undertaking an Errand, you gain an instinctive awareness of the most direct path forward. This does not reveal dangers, only orientation. The sense fades if you abandon or fail an Errand.

Errand Overclock Level 1 Unlocked from Achievement: Extensive Multileveller II When you begin an Errand, you may choose to "overclock" its rewards. Doing so doubles all Experience gained from the Errand but introduces a penalty for its incompleteness.

Errand Reforger Level 1 Unlocked from Achievement: Class Modder You may rewrite the parameters of an Errand once it has begun—extending it, narrowing it, or shifting its objective slightly. Rewards will be impacted depending on the circumstances of the Errand change.

• • •

"Interestin'. Errand sense is pretty busted. That could get you to your daughter. I don't think you'd take Errand Reforger 'cause there's no penalty for stoppin' them. Overclock is the wildcard." Tanya studied Ian's face. "In theory, you know where your daughter is. You considered Errand Sense heavily, but went with Errand Overclock because the time to level is your biggest concern. Final guess."

Ian looked between Tanya and Mrs Eceer. "It's like there are two of them."

It was only a few months ago that Tanya would have taken that as a huge insult, but now, it was the kind of compliment that would stay with her.

Mrs Eceer coughed, failing to hide her very pleased smile.

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