The smile had been well and truly wiped off Beth’s face. Her early employment success had emboldened her to enter other places of work and enquire if they had any jobs available. Well it turned out the answer was a resounding no. At least for somebody as low level as she was. They were almost all requiring higher levels than she had a minimum of level 5 in even the most generous locations. Something Beth wasn’t close enough to in anything relevant.

There it loomed, the last shop on the last side street. Her final chance, the only possibility that stood between her and a life of destitution and possible slavery. Not that there was any pressure or anything.

She’d left the main line of shops a while ago, other than the post office they all had standards she couldn’t even consider reaching. In hindsight the post office had in itself been a miracle that they accepted so many people for piece meal work.

Looking through the window of the shop she almost didn’t even bother going in. It was a jewellery shop, and some of the display pieces rivalled anything that Beth had ever seen before. They sparkled in a way Beth couldn’t even understand like they each contained the twinkle of a miniature star. Beth couldn’t imagine the time and effort they would require to produce. But she had gone into every shop so far regardless of how much aptitude she imagined she would have for the role. It was this or, well Beth wasn’t even sure what the alternative would be at this point. Maybe begging?

She opened the door, and got her first view inside the shop. It was dark, almost dingy really, the display cases covered in dust to the point where Beth couldn’t even tell if they contained more jewellery or if they had been cleared out. She took a step towards the displays her eyes still adjusting to the light. Squinting into the display cases, she was shocked by what she found inside.

For one the was numerous spiders webs, spanning the full internals of the case. Not to say there weren’t spiders too. Big bushy ones that would easily match the size of a toddler’s fist. They stared back at her. All 8 eyes unblinking but following her head movement with precision that crept Beth out.

Below the area that the spiders had claimed as their own, almost entirely hidden away was the jewellery. This jewellery was something else, and not in a good way. Honestly Beth wasn’t surprised to find it so hidden away as even in her untrained and unfashionable opinion it was clumsy, messy work miles away from the work on display in the window. Metal shaped almost as though scrunched between hands, a gem pressed in with enough force to encase it within the band, but off centre and with none of the reflective properties of the other display jewellery. For all intents and purposes it was as though this jewellery had been made by somebody completely different. Somebody Beth imagined could only have been let into the workshop as an accident or cruel joke gone wrong. If this was the level of expectations in the shop she might actually stand a chance of being hired, she thought somewhat optimistically.

Somebody cleared their throat not far behind Bethany causing her to jump slightly. She turned at the noise and sure enough she wasn’t actually alone. In the back of the shop, at the opposite end to the door she had come through, encased in shadow, sat an elderly man who was now somewhat glaring at her.

The man, [Stellar Twister Domad Thruner, 34] had a pointed nose that took up the majority of his face. His eyebrows, so bushy that even with their blonde colour they were clearly visible drooped over his eye sockets making his eyes all but invisible. He did however have a full set of teeth, making up for his liver spots and complete lack of hairs other than the eyebrows. He kept his hands flat on the table but even in the dark Beth could see their slight tremor, his six fingers calloused from a lifetime of hard work.

“I’m sorry sir,” Beth started immediately ready to give her hard working spiel. “I was just so taken in by your incredible creations and was wondering if you needed anybody to help around the place. Maybe to do some cleaning and to act as a sales person. I don’t have any skills yet but I’m willing to work hard and to dedicate my next two Trials to whatever you request if you are willing to hire me.”

This was an offer Beth would rather not make but she’d picked up general practises from some of her many many unsuccessful job applications so far. At the end of the day she needed this job more than those Trials were worth to her.

After all being sold into slavery wasn’t exactly a great way to fuel her future development. The man showed no sign of having heard or acknowledged anything Beth had said. Instead his head remained unmoving in her directly. She assumed he was staring at her and taking her in but it was unnerving.

Thirty seconds passed in silence, then another thirty, Beth remained silent not wanting to interrupt whatever consideration the elderly man was going through. However he remained staunchly still, so still Beth was no longer certain it even had been him who spoke. If not for the label floating above his head she would consider the fact he might be some statue or work of art rather than a living breathing being.

As another minute passed Beth started to wander if this was a test and if it was how did she pass? For better or worse she had nowhere to be and as such was willing to spend all the time needed to at the very least see this thing through to it’s conclusion.

As such she stood herself, unmoving, and barely blinking as 5 minutes went by which turned into ten and there was no change. She’d adjusted fully to the light now but resisted the urge to dart her eyes around taking in the rest of the shop. Instead she kept them training on the man’s bushy eyebrows and the eyes she presumed were below. Eyes she was pretty sure were open.

What if they weren’t though? What if this man had fallen asleep and Beth was just staring at him. She could picture it now, he woke up to some strange woman staring at him having an instant heart attack and dying.

Beth, unable to explain herself would be carted off to jail in an alien world without chance of appeal or escape. Would her skills translate to prison? Could she become some kind of butter source for her cell, translating her skills into making contraband. Would that even be a thing they wanted? She was pulled from her frantic musings by a chuckle coming from the man.

She let out a small sigh of relief that he was still alive and waited expectantly, the fact he spoke meant that he was clearly conscious she was there and hopefully if this was a test it meant she had just passed whatever it was. Sure enough the man spoke again.

“So you have no relevant skills, and have a generally low level anyway, you can’t walk well and I’m pretty sure will be expecting to be paid for your internship? Do I have all that correct?”

Beth had to admit that sounded pretty much right, expect for that fact she would only be planning to stick around for six months before moving on to find Pete. But she was sure she would be worthwhile to him none-the-less. After all how long can learning to make jewellery take?

The man snorted again. “Let me see your hands.” He demanded reaching out to grab them from Beth before she could respond either way.

Beth allowed him to take them, channelling all her effort into holding them as steady as possible in the vain hope that was what he was looking for. He ran his fingers over his palms feeling all the callouses Beth herself had developed from butter churning and wielding her half-staff. His hands felt like sand paper but Beth didn’t risk flinching. This was very much her last chance. Having thoroughly investigated Beth’s hands the man gave an almost imperceivable nod that made Beth’s heart soar.

“I’m willing to take you on as my apprentice but I have conditions.”

Beth’s breath caught in her throat, she hadn’t really had much hope that she was going to get a job here let alone something as concrete as an apprenticeship. What could that entail?

“First one, you will be here from sun-up to sun down every day.” He paused considering, “Six days a week. One day off for your work at the post office.” He paused again. “You can also request other days off to work on your skills.” He looked at Beth pointedly at that. Extremely pointedly. “But I don’t expect that to be abused and you should prioritise your jewellery skills wherever possible.”

Beth had just been considering how she would squeeze in her extra Trials in that time but seemingly this man knew a lot more than it seemed. There had been a couple of coincidences already in the brief conversation they had had but she didn’t focus on it. She didn’t want to look this gift horse in the mouth.

“You will also do a further year of work with me within the next five years starting after you are fully healed, even if you leave at any point in the next year.”

Beth had to consider that, a year was a long time, a really long time, time she’d have to be away from home. Plus that would be another Credit investment. She glanced up at the man to see if he would offer a compromise again but no such luck. Eventually she nodded, it wasn’t exactly like she had a choice after all. This was her only option. The old man smiled, his gums peeling back from his meticulously maintained teeth. Then Beth was surprised to see a box flash up.

Title Offered: Dom’s Apprentice (ultra rare)

One of extremely few people to have been accepted as an apprentice to Dom. This title lets everybody know about this change.

Conditions: Have to work until fully healed from sun-up to sun down 6 days a week then do a further years work within 5 years from that end point. Days off will be granted for further Trials as required.

This title comes with the ability to take specific Trials outside of the regular Trial cycle at the decision of your master. Criteria for this have been provided to the Master and will be disclosed at his discretion.

Beth quickly got over her shock and reread the terms. They didn’t differ from what was agreed but the title was nice. Then she looked at the title again, it was very nice, she didn’t know such an ability was possible but she assumed it was due to Dom’s high level. After all she hadn’t met anybody close to that level before.

She wandered if this was something she would be able to share with anybody after all you couldn’t discuss high level abilities when around somebody of a lower level which in this case was her. Then again, she thought dejectedly, it wasn’t exactly like she had anybody she could talk to about it with anyway. At least not at the moment. Beth turned to leave, happy to have secured her future for the next couple of months even if it wasn’t exactly what she had planned.

She felt something smack her head, it was a broom. She glanced at the man but he didn’t appear to have moved. Regardless though Beth could take a hint and turned away from the door towards the corner of the shop. Ready to begin cleaning and returning the building to something approaching presentable.