Max frowned and his jaw dropped in surprise before he closed his mouth with a click.

"It's really this easy, huh?" he muttered. Max stared at the mana vault in his hand and used his third eye to see its information again. Now it read:

[Mana Vault of WD Arand]

Once charged, the mana vault can be triggered to release its stored mana. Release can be adjusted for flow.

Capable of functioning while magically hidden or even in most storage arrays. Once its owner is chosen, it will find its way back to its owner as long as they are alive.

Current owner: Max Cunningham, Champion of The Morrigan

Extra effect 1: Faster mana charging speed with owner effort

Extra effect 2: Focused mana retrieval

Extra effect 3: Hidden

Now Max could focus on the stone and draw power out of it in the same way that he had pushed mana into it. Except when the mana vault released the mana, it went directly into the palm of his hand, making it much easier to process. Now even less of it would be wasted than what Max had managed before with his excellent mana control. Maybe after he practiced a bit more, none of it would be wasted.

That was almost mythical levels of efficiency.

Max stared at the artifact in his hand with shock. For a Blade Sorcerer, especially a Blade Sorcerer of Max's experience, this artifact was an absolute game changer. Unfortunately, he didn't have a way to tell how much mana was stored in the device. He could only reason that even after just a bit less than two full days on mana-rich Earth, it was a substantial amount.

"There has to be more to it than this. In fact…I have a hunch this is going to work," he said out loud to one side.

Lavinia and Slick both had appeared a while ago and were squatting as they watched him tinker. Both of them nodded at his declaration but neither was giving off vibes of really being convinced.

Max produced several mana units from his money pouch and crushed one of them. As the mana dissipated, nothing happened. Disappointing, he thought. He stared at where the mana had just been. One mana unit wasn’t going to make or break him at this point, but all of that power vanishing, being wasted, was still annoying.

Am I missing something? He wondered.

That’s it! He smacked a fist in an open palm after remembering how he’d been able to activate the first hidden ability of the Mana Vault–encouraging the artifact to draw the mana in by manually pushing it into the device.

Max crushed another mana unit after generating the now-familiar thin, prosthetic hands from his own limbs. He had less to work with, but tried using the same process. A few seconds later he grinned. It worked perfectly.

He stood and did a dance. Slick got up and started dancing with him, doing rings around his feet. “”Yes!” he hissed.

When he calmed a bit, he sat back down and regarded the mana vault.

What he’d just discovered meant that Max would be able to use his mana units to improve his mana body much more efficiently than before. The mana vault was truly a priceless and precious artifact. But the fact it was so powerful could actually be an issue. The problem now was security.

Max rubbed his chin and stared at the artifact. To one side, Lavinia said, "You're thinking about how your mana vault can be stolen, right?"

"Yeah. The obvious, huh?”

The ghost nodded sagely. "That was one of the first things I thought of after you got it from the goddess."

Max tapped the stony ground he was sitting on with a finger as he thought about the problem. There actually was a way for students of the Quartets to keep items safe and even bring them back to their original world, a technique tied to the soul…but it was expensive and required an inspection first. Most students never even made enough money to make this route possible. Even though Max could afford it, he wanted to avoid that route. He also didn’t trust anyone in the Quartet to even see the mana vault, much less inspect it.

So that meant he had to hide it with his own power. He didn’t know enough about Summoner powers. Maybe a spirit could do it, but the odds of meeting one–even if they existed–was slim. Blade Sorcerer powers didn’t include anything that might help. After all, Blade Sorcerers were powerful and arrogant. As a rule, they didn’t do a lot of hiding much of anything.

That left Bead Sorcerer abilities. Max actually knew of a few different solutions that he could pursue as a Bead Sorcerer, but easy enchantment, or imprint, was extremely mana-intensive. At least he was pretty sure. Either way, even if he had the mana reserves, each option would be too complex for him right now. Skill could be learned, but this dungeon had no mana.

"Lavinia," he said.

"That's my name, don't wear it out."

"Ha ha," Max said without humor. "So this dungeon will last pretty much forever, right?”

“As long as you don't die. Please don’t die."

Max ignored the sarcasm as his face was slowly transformed by a smile. "You know what? I have an idea.”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Are you going to tell me?" asked Lavinia.

"I think I will.” Max idly scratched the back of his as he thought out loud. “No amount of time can help me become a stronger Blade Sorcerer in this dungeon because ultimately I need a stronger mana body…and that can only be accomplished with more mana and time. Time is not a problem. But I have a finite amount of mana available. My guess is that since I could have maybe barely achieved a two-star mana body before going to earth, and making three stars requires even more resources, I probably don’t have enough to make three stars in this dungeon. The amount I collected in the mana vault would have to be a really staggering amount to make it but I wasn’t there long.

“Another issue is that right now I have items that I really don't want to lose or have stolen. But I'm different than I used to be too. Now I also have Bead Sorcerer knowledge. It just so happens that Bead Sorcerers can hide things or create a pocket dimension using several different methods. And it also just so happens that I have an absolute crap ton of beads on me to practice with.

“The only thing stopping me from creating personal pocket spaces for myself is the complexity and mana usage required. But maybe I can play around with that requirement…or maybe I'll have enough left after hitting a two-star mana body. I don't know how long it'll take me but I'd definitely rather waste two years in here than shutting myself in a room for several years in the Quartet."

"It sounds like a plan to me," said Lavinia. "Once you practice more, you can make all sorts of pretty beaded jewelry." She gave him a toothy smile and said, "Are you ready to accessorize, Max Cunningham?"

Max smiled back and he was amused but under the joke he could still sense an edge of…something. It was obvious at this point that Lavinia had been affected by their trip to Earth. But Max was going to be stuck in this dungeon for some time and he was planning to let her tell him what was on her mind whenever she felt ready.

Max settled in with the Mana Vault on his lap and began working on achieving a two-star mana body.

Time passed, but Max paid it no mind. The stronger he got, the easier it was to control his mind, directing it away from any discomfort or thoughts that might disrupt his work. He still had time to think, and he spent most of it going through the vast amounts of knowledge he’d received on Bead Sorcery.

When he finally reached the next level, it felt like he could breath again, like he’d been holding his breath for an hour. Maybe he had been.

“Two stars again.” Max stood in amazement and gripped one hand using his newfound power. Then he checked his screen. Reaching this next level had taken him about five days. He did some quick math, adding together his total time reaching his current level. "This has got to be a record or something," he muttered.

Lavinia appeared. "You feel different," she said. "Did you do it?"

"Sure did," said Max. He jumped up as far as he could, hands up in case he’d misjudged, and was pleased to find he could barely touch the ceiling of the huge cavern he was in now. With Slick’s help, he’d be able to jump even higher. On the way down, he used his internal mana control to slow his fall. The more refined mana control a Blade Sorcerer had, the more they could absolutely stretch their abilities at each level of mana body. And Max had some of the best control that Albion. So even as a two-star mana body Blade Sorcerer, Max was exponentially more dangerous. Unfortunately, he was still vulnerable, though. He wouldn’t truly achieve the durability that Blade Sorcerers were famous and feared for until three stars.

Max began to stretch. He said, "After using the Mana Vault for so long, I can definitely sense how much it's got left. Based on what it took me to get to a two star mana body there's definitely not enough left to make it three stars.” He sighed. “Too bad. But I think I'm going to stop here and rest. Then it’s faun fawn hunting time." He showed his teeth. “I have been in here, in the dark too long. And even now, those things are dangerous. I don’t want fauns stabbing me in the ass when I start trying to kill giants.”

Lavinia nodded and gave him a small, but fragile looking smile.

This must be it. Well, maybe, Max thought. Lavinia’s strange mood had also been on his mind while he was working on his mana body. Maybe she was finally going to tell him what had been on her mind.

The spirit began talking twice before she finally got out. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, go ahead," said Max.

She shook her head angrily and said to herself, "No, not ask you something, just… Damn. Get it together.” She sighed. "When we went to Earth, I think for the first time in a very, very long time, I was reminded of what life is really like.

“I was in the Quartet for seven years before I died and got stuck there. When I first came to the Quartet, I wasn’t exactly old, either. Then I was suddenly part of... everything, you know? When I was on Earth, even though your world was under attack and probably had seen better days, it made me feel like–" her voice trailed off. "Like I'd missed out on a lot. And I'm really glad that I formed a contract with you.

“This has definitely been the most interesting part of my life, afterlife, whatever. I guess I feel my priorities changing. When I met you, I wanted revenge. I wanted some sort of validation, but now I feel like…maybe I just want to see new things too. So," she said, then paused,seeming to search for the words. "Can you promise me something? Actually two things.”

“Go ahead.”

“I don't–I don't have a right to ask you this officially, but," her voice trailed off. "We're friends, right?"

"Oh, we're definitely friends," said Max. "You have saved my ass and I saved you from wandering around haunting people for another few hundred years."

Lavinia gave a genuine chuckle in response to that, and continued, "Well, both for your sake and mine, promise me that after all of this short-term stuff is don–-and of course, if you survive– that you give yourself some time to relax. Spend time with friends. Don't just be Max the three Paths Challenger, reincarnation of Chasa di Milo, Hero of Albion. Spend some time, smell the roses, maybe eat some good food with loved ones. Because take it from me, I know you've died once already, but I've spent much more time being dead than I ever was alive. And seeing your world in the middle of fighting for its life just…affected me. Witnessing you spend time with your friends there also affected me but in a different way.

“I think that you are living at least part of life that I never did. And I like to see it. And even if I'm not talking to people, and even if I'm a bit shy to be seen, it makes me…happy. I still want closure, but now maybe I want something more, too."

Suddenly she blushed and made a face. "Listen to me go on and on like this. Maybe despite my best efforts I'm getting a little bit wiser, huh?"

"Maybe that's part of it," said Max. "I think that like you said, you never really got to experience a whole lot before you started haunting innocent, handsome men in bathrooms. You spent so much time developing your mind that you might have neglected the social side."

"First, stfu about the bathroom. Also, are you saying I was anti-social?" said Lavinia.

"Yes," said Max without hesitation.

"Asshole," said the ghost. She stuck out her tongue.

Max shrugged. "Anyway, you don't have to worry about it. I always plan to take downtime, and you're always going to be along for the ride, whether I like it or not."

"You bet your three-Path ass I will.” To one side, Slick reacted to the serious conversation by doing cartwheels and flips. Lavinia noticed the antics and rolled her eyes at the gyrating spirit.

"Slick's a character, huh?" said Max.

"You don't know the half of it. You just really don't. I’m a spirit too so there are…levels."

Max laughed. "Alright, well I'm going to take a nap and then I think it's time to do some serious faun killing."

"Sounds like a plan. I would tell you to be careful, but I know you won’t listen. Just promise you’ll have a plan. A good one."

"Always," said Max.