Chapter 21 - Test Subject

Mia was moving around slowly, looking frustrated. “Damn, this steelwood is really hard to move in,” she said slowly, needing time to pronounce every word.

Lilly thought Mia looked funny, but she was slightly worried for her heart. “You need to tell me if you feel sick. It should be fine, but you’re not the usual target for these sorts of enchantments. Others might handle it better.”

Mia’s face slowly twisted into a scoffing expression, but then it changed to one of frustration. “I should have waited for Elly to come back; this isn’t fun. I feel very tough, though.”

Lilly knocked her knuckles on Mia’s shoulder, feeling the intense toughness of steel bouncing her back. “I can’t imagine anything less than a cannon can hurt you right now, and even that might only feel like a light punch.”

Mia smiled stiffly, which Lilly assumed was due to the enchantment. Now that her vision had returned completely, she looked down at her clothes and sighed. “I guess I’ll have to wait to change until I’m done with the rest. I need to make some new fireproof clothes, as well.”

She walked back to the enchanting table, looking at the sea emperor heart that would be used next. It was huge, giving her a vague idea of the size of the actual creature. Something like that would need to have extraordinary strength in each of its eight limbs.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the end result. I hope the strengthening will work as we intended, making up for the rigidness of the steelwood,” she said, looking back at Mia still standing stiffly.

Only a few moments later, the door opened again, showing Eolande bringing a fresh set of clothes. “Here comes the savior! I brought a violet crystal, as well as some blue ones in case those are enough.”

“Ahh, you’re the best, Elly! I’ll wait to put them on until I’m finished, just in case, but thank you! Now, can we start testing the protection?”

Eolande looked at Mia, who was standing completely still, and started considering her approach. “Looking a bit wooden there, Mia. I’m not sure how hard I dare to attack you, even if the protection is supposed to be amazing…”

“Just get on with it, please,” Mia replied slowly. “I can be healed with the staff if you cut me, so don’t worry.”

Eolande looked hesitant. “I know, but I still feel pretty bad about this. Where would you want me to do it?”

“Left hand.”

Eolande took her trusty dagger out of her belt and juggled it a bit before catching it with the blade pointing downward. “I’ll just start slowly poking you. Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Mia only looked slightly nervous, but whether that was due to the paralyzed face or her bravery, Lilly didn’t know. Or, she had an idea, but it was best not to ask.

Eolande started jabbing the dagger lightly into Mia’s hand, and the sounds of metal hitting metal rang out in the room. “Feel nothing,” Mia said, looking surprised down at her hand.

Eolande started jabbing it harder, focusing on only increasing the force slightly every time. Soon enough, it started making loud noises, and sparks flew on every jab. “Still nothing?” she asked, looking surprised.

Mia shook her head. “Keep going.”

Eolande kept jabbing the dagger for a bit longer, but soon she started breathing heavily. “Phew, I, uhm. I need to change my strategy a bit. I’m not very strong compared to a lot of warriors, so I’ll have to use my speed for this.”

She backed a few steps away from Mia, looking prepared to strike. “Elly, should I try instead then? I’ve got more strength than I know what to do with, so it might be easier. Maybe I can try using my carving tool as well?”

Eolande looked at her, and the hesitation was clear in her eyes. “You’re right… But I really want to see if I can get past this defense now. I’ve never tested such a strong one before, and it’s taunting me! As a rogue, I pride myself on attacking weak points and not having to rely on strength. But this is…”

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Lilly felt surprised by her stubbornness, but she could understand it. “So you won’t be able to get past this one like you did with the protective necklaces? When you slapped my butt while we got the staff?”

Eolande shook her head. “Only basic protections can be passed easily. This one isn’t just skin-deep; it’s covering every part of her body… You’ll let me try some more?”

“Sure, go ahead. Is it safe to say she’s safe from assassins if you can’t penetrate it?”

“Well, they might have powerful enchanted daggers that could get through most things… I’m actually starting to regret saying I didn’t care for one. But no one in our clan would be able to, since we don’t feel the need for enchanted daggers. And that’s probably the case for most assassins.”

Lilly nodded thoughtfully. “Then that’s a relief. It’s no problem making a simple sharpness enchantment for a dagger if it could improve it so much. Just say the word. What is that dagger made of, by the way?”

Eolande held her dagger up in the light, showing the silvery sheen clearly. “It is palladium, actually. Everyone in the clan got one when they graduated. And it’s very sharp.”

“Looks good,” Mia commented shortly as she stood there, waiting. “Please attack.”

Eolande smiled as she got into position, and before Lillyl could react, she was right next to Mia. Another clang rang out, this time stronger than all the previous ones. “Okay, that was about 30% of my max speed. Did you feel anything, Mia?”

“I felt it, but no pain.”

“Ahh, this is an incredible enchantment. Let me try 50%”

She went a bit further back this time before suddenly appearing next to Mia again. “How’s that?”

“No pain.”

Even further back, leaning against the wall this time, Eolande looked serious. “80% should at least make a cut…” Once again, she was gone and reappeared next to Mia.

“Oow!” Mia exhaled, making a sound of pain. “You cut this time, good job.”

Eolande looked down at the wound, regret evident on her face. “I’m sorry, Mia. I should have tried 70% first. It’s not deep, though. The protection continues all the way down, so I could only cut a centimeter or so.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry. Now, please help me get this thing off me.”

Mia was squirming, trying to use her slow movements to get the cuirass over her head again. It wasn’t easy to get out of, being a solid piece covering both the back and the front. She had to take it off like a stiff shirt.

Eolande helped her get out of it, eventually getting it over her head again and freeing her from the rigid movements.

“Ahhh, that feels good!” Mia said as she waved her arms around. She touched her mouth and seemed to appreciate how easy it was to speak again. “Please do the strengthening part now, Lilly. You might as well do both the next ones before we need to test it again.”

Lilly took the cuirass and put it back on the table. “Yeah, I can do that. But let me fix your wound first.”

She took hold of the staff, pushing Beak from the shaft to the enchanting table. He squawked unhappily at being moved from his spot, but quickly quieted down again.

Lilly took hold of Mia’s hand and started the healing, sending the light toward the wound. Mia started fidgeting slightly as soon as the process started. “Damn, it really tickles a lot when it’s an open wound. It’s not so bad when you’re healing me after purifying me.”

“Ah, I know! It really feels uncomfortable, but it’s a lot better than having to wait for it to heal,” Eolande responded.

The blood stopped flowing soon after the healing started, and Lilly suspected it was finished already. She wasn’t sure if it would be as fast as with Eolande, but Mia’s body was decently pure at the moment, which should make it faster.

“Could you try washing the blood off? I’d like to see how far I’ve gotten.”

Mia walked over to the quenching water next to the anvil and put some on her hand, revealing perfectly healed skin. “Ah, it’s done already. Thanks, Lilly!”

“It’s important to take care of our test subject, so don’t worry about it. Here, Beak, you can get back up now,” Lilly said, putting the staff back in position, floating in the air. Beak leaped right onto it, using his underdeveloped wings to lift himself off the table.

Lilly returned to focusing on the enchanting, looking at the sea emperor's heart and the wind elemental core in turn. She took another deep breath and started transmuting the giant heart through the table, needing some extra focus for the gelatinous and plentiful material.

“Uhm, should I try adding the socket now, Lilly? Will I be able to with the protection?” Mia asked, nervous about disturbing Lilly in the middle of her process.

“You can try, but I might have to supply the heat. It will be more resistant to it now, so I don’t think the forge will be accurate or hot enough to do the job. Just let me finish this transmutation, and I’ll help you out.”

Mia nodded and started preparing the socket she had forged in preparation for this moment. She put the cuirass on the anvil and placed the socket in the middle of the chest, making it the centerpiece.

Lilly felt her focus wavering slightly at the number of enchantments remaining, but she managed to finish the hardest transmutation without any issues. ‘Okay, let’s keep going! Breaks are for amateurs!”