Mel stepped up to the altar and peered into the basin. The water still reflected the stars above without showing her face, but now she could see two items submerged in the clear water.

Reaching out was awkward since the water didn’t reflect her hand. A hand that disappeared as soon as she plunged it beneath the surface.

It took her a few attempts to grab the two items. She wondered why her hand disappeared, but the items hadn’t. The first item was an opulent flask of silver and mythril. The second was a kindling branch that burned fiercely as soon as she removed it from the water.

Mel examined the flask first, mostly because she’d never seen anything so sinister and beautiful all in one. Tiny rubies in the serpent’s eyes glittered like freshly spilled blood.

[Fanged Flask]

(Copper Rank, Relic)

(Legendary)

An intricately worked flask of silverglass adorned with mythril serpentine ornamentation. Branded with the Anchor Rune of the World Serpent, the contents of this flask are poisonous to those outside Her aegis. The World Serpent is said to girdle reality itself, keeping the Shardrunes from ever straying. A personal gift from the World Serpent, this relic serves as fangs for the Fangless Champion. Contained within is a strain of ashfang venom unique to Askara’s Champion, Mel Harper.

Imprint(Binding): Drink to have blood ministered, binding the flask to you permanently.

Imprint(Drink): Consume venom, imbuing self with [Fanged One].

[Fanged One]: Cleanses and renders immunity to lesser poisons. Physical contact applies stacks of damage-over-time poison. Enhances Sense attribute.

Imprint(Stain): Coat armament with venom, imbuing the weapon with [Twinfang Sting].

[Twinfang Sting]: Applies stacking damage-over-time poison. Hitting a target already afflicted with poison applies an additional stacking damage-over-time burn affliction.

Imprint(Copper Rank): Flask’s effects can be augmented, advanced, and altered by the inclusion of alchemical reagents, monster parts, catalysts, and mana. Requires [Initiate Alchemy Knowledge (F-Tier)].

Mel wasted no time flipping the mythril snake head back to expose the mouth of the flask. She put the flask to her lips and tipped it back.

“Ouch!” She jerked the bottle away. Twin dots of blood glistened on the end of the snake’s fangs.

What the hell?

Mel licked the blood from her lips and stared as the droplets on the flask were absorbed into it. The tiny ruby eyes of the snake flashed and then went dark.

“You bite me again and I’m breaking your damn bottle,” Mel warned.

She took another sip, this time without being bitten.

Worse than my first time trying whiskey, Mel thought with a shudder. A burning fire raged through her body, sweat broke out on her forehead.

It vanished a moment later as a cooling breeze swept across her brow and filled her with a bracing sense of purpose.

The tingling sensation in her fingertips told her that the flask was like her weapon. She dismissed it, a flurry of silver-green ash accompanying the action.

She summoned her twinblade and dismissed it, noticing that her silver ash now had a few green tinged ashes mixed in.

Mel looked up at the stars. “You’ve got a sick sense of humor, lady.”

[Kindling Branch of Conjuration (Violet)]

(Aspect Skill Item)

(Legendary)

A charred branch from the Eternal Tree. Violet embers flicker in and out of existence from its smoldering remains. Constrained within geometric patterns, harsh angular sigils pulse with a lurid light, beckoning to be freed.

Imprint: Use to unlock a Conjuration type aspect skill of the Violet variety.

Mel found that curious. The World Serpent considered a kindling branch important enough to offer as a gift. She wasn’t sure how that would tip the balance very much.

As Mel dwelled on it, she begrudgingly accepted that it might. Every aspect skill had been instrumental in her ongoing survival, from [Hidden Mist] to [Sanguine Coat], and all the way to [Bane of Tartarus]. The things she achieved wouldn’t have been possible without every one of them.

It suddenly meant a lot more that Gwen was willing to offer her next kindling branch to Mel.

Mel had yet to encounter a Violet variety. She wasn’t sure what sort of skill it might awaken, but she was eager to find out.

The branch blossomed into a ball of violet fire as Mel used it. She knew just what aspect she wanted to awaken and immediately selected it.

You awaken the [Avatar of Askara] Serpent aspect skill.

[Avatar of Askara]

(Serpent Aspect)

(Copper, Violet/Special)

(Grade 1 [0%])

Cost: Considerable Mana, Stamina, and Health

Cooldown: Very Long

Summon an Ashfang serpent familiar to heed your commands and grow in power alongside you. Ashfangs were once the loyal subjects of the first serpent queen, Askara. Their tales and fabled power now lost to time. Each additional summoning will reduce both cost and cooldown. First summoning must be performed as a ritual.

Imprint(Copper Rank): Impart a portion of your mana, stamina, and health to give form to an Ashfang familiar that will obey your verbal commands. Recalling your familiar will restore unused mana, stamina, and health. If your familiar’s health is depleted, it will immediately vanish and must be re-summoned. All infused mana, stamina, and health will be lost if your familiar falls.

[Ashfang Familiar (Unnamed)](Copper Rank): A mythical snake with scales of ash, the ashfang deals dual damage types of Fire and Poison. Possesses the following skills: [Ashwall] and [Binds of Fire].

[Ashwall]: The ashfang creates an obfuscating wall of ash that resists perception abilities up to Iron Rank.

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[Binds of Fire]: Coiling around their target, the ashfang crushes and burns, simultaneously binding them in place and applying a damage-over-time burn affliction.

Mel studied the aspect skill thoroughly. “Huh, I now have a familiar. I wonder if it’ll talk?”

Then she wondered if it would be like Komachi. The pobul was technically a familiar, wasn’t she?

I don’t know if I could deal with that.

It was a bit tricky. She now had two aspect skills that relied upon heavy resource expenditure. Fortunately, it didn’t require concentration, so she could continue to use [Tempest Heart] freely.

Furthermore, [Avatar of Askara] seemed to persist, making it more akin to [Sanguine Coat]. A heavy upfront cost, followed by zero-cost use throughout the day.

It made sense. You couldn’t create something from nothing. Even a Shardrune had to obey certain rules.

Giving up her vital resources allowed the ashfang to come to life, literally giving it the resources it would need to survive on the prime material plane.

In a twisted sort of way, she could fuel [Avatar of Askara] with the doubled health bar of [Sanguine Coat].

At least, that was her hope. It was entirely possible that aspect-enhanced resources couldn’t be used for other aspect skills.

She had a lot to think about as she made her way back. Guided by her [Gaze of the Serpent], Mel found the return blissful and comforting.

In her mind’s eye, she saw Askara descend from godhood to return to a life of simplicity and love. No pain, no heavy burdens. She gave up the greatness she had attained in order to live with her fellow people in blissful happiness.

It was a nice thought, even if it wasn’t true. A beautiful lie that Mel told herself on behalf of Askara.

When Mel reached the initial room, she found her friends just as they had been: fast asleep. She immediately went to Gwen’s side and looked for the wounds that had been poisoned.

They were gone.

Looking closer at Thomas, she saw the small rips in his opulent green Magi clothes. Now that she knew what she was looking for, Mel wondered how he could have carried Gwen, knowing he was suffering from the same poison.

There was still the matter of their imprisonment.

Mel turned to the third altar, unsurprised to find two stone squares sitting on top of the altar. Sigils that would fit into the missing blocks on Gwen and Thomas’ altars.

Placing them into their slots, Mel silently prayed to Askara.

Not out of piety, you understand. Just thanking you for following through on your word. I still don’t believe in you. Y’know, as a deity worthy of worship.

Mel had the distinct impression that Askara was laughing, though she, of course, couldn’t hear her. Wherever Askara existed was on an altogether different plane of existence.

Judging by the murals, this temple aligned with the stars that made up Askara’s Anchor Rune once every 10,000 years. What were the odds that she managed to get there just in time for the alignment?

Next to impossible, I’d guess. Unless gods are involved, then pretty damn likely.

Once the barriers vanished over her friends, they woke up in short order. Both of them, in true Magi fashion, kicked off their altars and drew weapons, looking for a threat.

Mel sat on her own altar, kicking her legs off the side and watching the show. “It’s all good,” she told them. “We’re set.”

There was a third item that Mel had found on top of her altar. A small hourglass filled with obsidian granules. She’d seen one like this on Aldim and knew what to do with it when the time was right. “Ready to go?”

“What about the loot?” Gwen asked.

Mel waved her hand to dismiss the notion. “There’s nothing here but ghosts and memories.”

Thomas watched her curiously, his hand subtly going to his side. He looked at Gwen. “Your wound...”

She looked down at herself in surprise.

“ Both of your wounds are gone,” Mel said. She leveled a look at Thomas. “You’re welcome.”

The shock of Thomas’ affliction was evident on Gwen’s face. Her brow crumpled, and she frowned, as if she could stifle her emotions. Gwen looked away guiltily. “I tried to protect you, Thomas.” She went over to him, pulling him into a tight embrace.

“What’d you do?” Gwen asked, looking over her shoulder at Mel.

Mel shrugged. “Talked to a god, became her champion–against my express wishes , I want the record to show–learned that the gods are plotting against us, got said goddess who is also apparently an Anchor Rune, to heal you both, and found out that the Convocation is some big move to jockey for power among gods and we’re all just pawns, y’know, the usual .”

A grin blossomed on Gwen’s lips. “You never cease to amaze.”

“Yeah,” Mel said, sliding off the altar. “Tell me something I don’t know.” She raised the hourglass and slammed it onto the floor. It shattered and formed a swirling portal at their feet, sucking them in.

They appeared at the collapsed exit to the tomb a fraction of a second later.

Unfortunately, the tomb also attracted the attention of others who were probing around the wreckage, trying to find a way in.

Mel, Gwen, and Thomas were immediately surrounded by five or six people wielding weapons.

“Where the hell did you come from?!” a man with a sword asked.

“I should ask you the same thing,” Mel said, folding her arms. “This was our tomb.”

“Put away your weapons unless you want a fight,” Gwen said, her tone different from anything she used with Mel before. “And trust me, I want a fight.”

The hunger in her voice had half of the people there putting their weapons away before they realized what they were doing.

The speaker suddenly found himself without much support. He swallowed and sheathed his blade. “We were searching for a tomb or a dungeon. Y’know, for loot.”

“Three people suddenly appearing out of thin air in front of a collapsed tomb?” a woman to the side asked. “Yeah, I’m not having any of that. You either already got the loot or you’ve got some wicked aspects. Either way, we’ve got no beef with you.”

“Too bad,” Gwen said with obvious disappointment.

Thomas tilted his head to the side, looking at Gwen out of the corner of his eye. “You still want your fight?”

The people around them inched back, hands moving toward their weapons.

“Nah,” Mel said. “We’re just passing through. Have fun, by the way. It’s a cool tomb.”

“I don’t think we’re getting in,” said a burly man, shifting aside a large block of stone. He looked Mel up and down curiously. “Unless there’s another way in?”

Mel shook her head and started walking away.

Behind them, the group started talking about other dungeons that, when cleared, their entrances collapsed to prevent people searching them when they had nothing.

“That means they have the loot from the tomb then, right?” somebody asked.

“You want to challenge them for it?” the woman said. “You go right ahead. I’ll stay here with my head firmly attached to my body, thanks. I saw a guy wearing something similar to that blonde dude, and he took out half a dozen bandits without blinking an eye. He turned them into blood rain . Listen, Ewan: blood rain . I’ve survived this long by knowing when to pick my battles. This ain’t it.”

Gwen’s shoulders sagged.

Thomas patted her on the back. “It’s okay, Gwen. We’ll find some people who want to rob us soon. You can kill them and bathe in their blood.”

She looked up at him with puppy dog eyes. “Promise?”

Mel smiled to herself. They’re psychopaths, but they’re my psychopaths.