Aridius read over the additions to her screen. A cluster of eight new tabs had appeared and she suspected that she'd need to learn them all. They read:
ATTRIBUTES -- TALENTS -- CLASS -- INVENTORY
ESSENCE -- PSYCHIC -- SPELLS -- TECHNO
She didn't open any of them but considered what they suggested about the world. Spells meant magic, as in the ability to bend the world to your will through a mystical force that defined scientific understanding. Such things didn't exist--they were fantasies like Breatharianism or losing weight with turbocoffee.
She tapped the SPELLS button on her interface. There was only one entry.
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Starlight Illusion
Through virtue of your astral heritage, you can shape starlight into faint and flickering images.
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"I can?" Aridius asked. "How can I do that?"
"I am unable to help you. I cannot cast spells and am not an astral elf. You are and so this is a natural ability of yours."
That didn't make much sense to Aridius, a spell being a natural ability. Spells were unnatural by definition and abilities weren't spells. A fish didn't cast a [swim] spell, it just swam.
"I'll try to cast this once I have some starlight to work with, I guess."
"Your CLASS and ESSENCE sections are currently empty. If you go to the TECHNO section, you'll find powers I can assist you with," NOVA informed her.
She did so. There were quite a few different listings this time:
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Arcane Eye - Send out a small, hovering drone that transmits back images.
Healing Infusion - Release a swarm of nanites that can repair minor injuries.
Scan - Perform a brief scan of a creature or object.
Skeleton Key - Inject a nanite swarm into a basic lock and attempt to pick it.
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"[Healing Infusion]," Aridius said, quickly spotting it. "How do I do that?"
"Hold down the ability and select 'Slot to Hands.' You'll see it pop up at the bottom of your interface. Select it and hold your hand over any injury. You have to focus on the infusion as you do it. If you lose concentration then the healing stops."
Aridius dutifully followed instructions, slotting in the power to her hand. "Is there a limit to slots?"
"Eyes, Hands, Head, Legs, Subdermal, and Torso."
She slotted [Arcane Eye] into her head and then selected [Healing Infusion.] The blue lines on her hand began to glow much as they had when she'd harvested the elemental's remains. She rested her hand a breath above the wound on her leg, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from the swollen flesh.
Shimmering blue motes began to separate from her hand, forming a small cloud that drifted into her skin. At first, it felt like a cool mist settling on her flesh and then it penetrated, the cool sensation going deep and becoming an icy tingling. Aridius jolted at the sensation, breaking the connection.
A gentle prod at her bandages revealed the swelling had receded some and there was less pain. Aridius tried again, pushing through the discomfort of icy pins and needles all through her leg. This time when she finished, she pulled back the bandage to see the wound was gone and all that was left was fresh gray skin.
"And this is considered a minor wound..."
"It was superficial soft tissue damage," commented NOVA. "No broken bones, no internal bleeding, or damaged organs."
There was no way to test the [Skeleton Key] right now. The [Scan] function could slot into either her hand or her eyes. The one she picked would glow blue as she used it. Aridius scanned a few objects in the room but most of what she got back was basic information: this was a wooden chest, that was a clay basin, and this one over here was a mirror.
Lastly, she tried the [Arcane Eye.] It was a small ball of a blue, glassy material that emerged from her forehead. The moment it did so, her vision was wrenched from her eyes and she saw only what the [Arcane Eye] did. It was horribly disorienting, especially as she tried to mentally steer it, sweeping the area, hovering up to the ceiling, and then dipping low and traveling under the bed. Despite the vertigo, Aridius appreciated how clean everything in the room was.
Turning to look at herself was strange especially as it seemed Aridius jerked her body whenever she tried to move the Eye.
Returning to her body, Aridius was hit by a bout of intense disorientation and dizziness. She couldn't stand or walk for a few minutes as she adjusted back to her body. The sensation was mildly familiar; Aridius sometimes took boat tours when planetside and the change in gravity along with the constant motion of the horizon did strange things to her.
The issue passed after a few minutes of lying on the bed, though she had a lingering nauseousness.
"Is that a common side-effect?" she asked NOVA.
"I wouldn't know," replied the AI. "I've never experienced that. I take in multiple streams of information from my drones and cameras all the time without issue."
"Lesser meat brain vs. the cool comfort of chrome brain."
"May I recommend you check your Inventory at this point?"
Aridius did so and several items appeared:
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Inventory (Spacial Ring)--
Eversummer Cloak
Traveller's Garment
Wayward Boots
Five Ring Devouring Scroll
Handbook of Thermaturgical Principles
Manual of Mystic Weaving
Orb of Focus
Earth Essence
Smoky geode monster core
Coin: 12 dram, 8 obol, 7 mora
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"The spacial ring is integrated with your hand markings. If you wish to retrieve an item, you can reach into the holographic list and pull it out. Likewise, you can store an item by placing it within."
Aridius changed into the traveling garments. They were a set of refined but comfortable shirt, overshirt, and pants that fit her new height perfectly. The pants were black and made of a heavier, reinforced fabric while the long-sleeved undershirt felt like it was made of a lighter linen. It had a high collar and elegant spirals of silver ran down the sleeves. Lastly, there was a midnight blue velvet overshirt that ran from her elbows to her mid-thigh. Its bright silver buttons matched the heavy accenting along the chest and sleeves, which reminded Aridius of constellations. All this was tied together with a silver sash of some heavy, silken material.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Studying herself in the mirror, Aridius it occurred to her that these traveling garments were nicer than any of her work or evening clothes back home. The materials, design, and construction were of a higher quality than what she was used to and everything looked fitted and hand-worked.
Next, she pulled out the Eversummer Cloak. As she held it up, a message appeared in her HUD.
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Eversummer Cloak
Once, the hero Oglav asked Niome, the daughter of the sun, for a blessing for his travels. Cutting the golden hairs from her head, she wove for him the first Eversummer Cloak, which protected the traveler as he ventured into the Underworld; Phylogos, the Demon City; and the Netherrealm.
Every Eversummer Cloak is a child of the first, containing a single strand of Niome's hair. It protects against all mortal weather--whether raging storm, deep blizzard, or the desert's killing heat. If torn, it mends itself over time and a lesser form of this restoring magic keeps the wearer and their possessions clean and in good condition.
The cloak's power fades outside of creation or when kept from sunlight for too long and is restored under the light of Helos.
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Aridius pulled on the cloak. It had holes for her arms and settled on her shoulders comfortably. In this way, it was more like a very long and loose jacket. Rather than becoming warmer, Aridius cooled a little.
The Handbook of Thermaturgical Principles and the Manual of Mystic Weaving were both scholarly texts on magic and spellcraft. Flipping through them, the handbook looked to be a sort of introductory work that described in broad principles what magic was, how it worked, the magical elements, and how spellcasting functioned. The manual was shorter and was divided into two parts; the first part described preparations needed for ritual casting while the second was a detailed overview of ten rituals.
Naturally, Aridius skipped the first half and went straight to the rituals.
'The Proper Preparation of the Honored Deceased to Ward Off Rot and Pests.' Quite a mouthful. It looked to be an hour-long ceremony that involved anointing the body with oils, chanting hymns to Nephthys, marking the flesh with holy symbols, packing the mouth with rice or corn, and wrapping it in a cloth soaked in a mixture of wine and resins.
According to the book, if the ritual were performed correctly, the cloth would harden, forming a shell-like cocoon, and the body would be free from all rot, putrification, and any bugs or carrion, for a full month. It also prevented 'the curse of the undead.' Aridius frowned as she read that part, remembering what NOVA had said about the Chief Engineer crawling out of deep freeze and grabbing the doctor. That was a deeply unpleasant thought and she pushed it away now much as she had before.
The other rituals were in the same vein. 'Beseech the Spirits of the Wind and Wilderness to Make a Place of Rest for the Weary Traveler' appeared to be a long ritual to put up a campsite. The ritual involved setting up the campsite and looked to do nothing but double the time prepping such a site would normally take. There was a ritual to increase the richness of soil for farming and another to help the fertility of the people and animals within an area.
One ritual that piqued her interest was 'The Ceremony to Call Upon a Guiding Wisp.' It was a shorter one that summoned a spirit of the land that led you to a specific destination or landmark you specified when you cast it. The ritual components were a silver bell and golden thread, neither of which Aridius had on hand. She wondered if she could get them around town. She hadn't seen anything that looked like a general good store but it wouldn't hurt to ask.
Of course, if she wanted to try, Aridius would need to read the first half of the book. Thumbing the pages, it looked to be about three or four hours worth of reading.
The Five Ring Devouring Scroll was labeled a 'treasure' in her interface. Its description claimed it held other books and scrolls and could display their contents for ease of reference. What she pulled out was a white scroll case with silver caps made out of a cylinder and spindle. She pulled it open to reveal a blank scroll made of something that wasn't paper or parchment.
"So it's just another container?" she asked NOVA as she slid the handbook and manual into the scroll and then snapped it shut.
"That would appear to be the case, abet a specialized one."
Aridius pulled open the case again and this time the scroll displayed 'The Ceremony to Call Upon a Guiding Wisp.' It was backlit, which suggested the scroll itself was a more modern material.
"Always good to have more containers." She deposited it back into her Inventory.
The Orb of Focus was a blue crystal ball that fit easily into her hand. It was an arcane intensifier that helped with spellcasting.
Pulling the earth essence out from her Inventory was oddly difficult. Aridius had to tug a few times to get it out. The essence took the form of a lead ball with a strong earthy scent. Not only was it heavy but as she held it, it felt like a magnetic force was trying to pull it downwards.
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Would you like to absorb earth essence (common, 90% pure, tier II potency)?
[Accept] [Decline]
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Aridius ignored the message for now and focused on the descriptors. "What does common, 90% pure, tier II potency mean?"
"Stronger monsters have stronger essences within them, which is potency. Earth is a common essence. Purity is based on the type of monster it's taken from."
"And what happens if I absorb this?"
"Absorbing and manipulating essences appears to be the most simple and direct way to increase your power in this world. My records show fire essence makes you faster and able to cover your fists in flame but I have nothing on the exact effect of earth essence."
"Given I can't cast spells," said Aridius, "this might help me survive if I encounter another monster. Absorb the earth essence."
The heavy metal ball in her hand melted and then began to crawl up her arms. It sizzled as it pushed into her skin and deeper into her bones. Aridius grit her teeth at the pain and thankfully it was over after about a minute.
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Earth Essence absorbed.
Vigor and Might increased.
You have unlocked the earth ability [Rock Sling]. You have unlocked the earth ability [Sense Minerals].
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Aridius navigated to her Essence panel and looked up her new abilities. They were both simple and self-explanatory. The first fired off a chunk of stone while the other let her feel raw or purified minerals.
Staring at the door, she could sense the iron of the door handle but when she switched focus to her own hands, she couldn't get a sense of the calcium in her bones or the traces of magnesium, sodium, or phosphorous in her blood.
[Rock Fling] didn't sound like a spell that would be safe to use inside so she decided to head out. After slipping on her wayfarer boots, Aridius walked out of her room and down the stairs of the inn. The ratfolk matron poked her head out of the back as Aridius entered the common room and blinked at her in surprise.
"Oh, you're up! I figured you'd rest a spell," she sputtered.
No doubt, Aridius' dramatic change in appearance was the real cause of the woman's shock, but Aridius wasn't sure how to explain that. She was silent for a few moments as she considered what she could say and then settled on saying as little as possible.
"I was able to absorb the essence of the earth elemental and it refreshed me." NOVA had said it was the most 'simple and direct' route to power so presumably lots of people did that. "I thought it'd go for a walk. Be back soon!"
Aridius smiled as best she could and then darted out the door.
The young ratfolk who'd been playing music had departed by now. A few of the houses boasted new doors and wood smoke drifted from the chimneys. It seemed as though things were going back to normal.
Aridius found an out-of-the-way spot near the town's protective palisade, raised her hand, and cast [Rock Sling]. A chunk of earth raised from the ground and slung itself at the wall, splattering in a rain of loose soil. Aridius tried it a few more times. The clod roughly went where her hand pointed but she found she could mentally nudge it a bit in flight.
What she found peculiar was that the earth at her feet was unchanged. There weren't any holes from chucks of dirt being pulled out and even the grass was undisturbed.
Glancing around, Aridius found a good-sized stone and picked it up. This time when she used [Rock Sling], Aridius focused on it, and it went flying. There was a thwack as it hit the wall and Aridius jumped back at the sound. She'd assumed [Rock Sling] had the energy of a regular throw but that was more akin to a fastball or sling.
Stepping closer to the palisade, Aridius brushed away the dirt and examined the wood. The damage wasn't serious but a body would be hurt.
A pumpkin. She needed something like a pumpkin or watermelon to test this on.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a call from the main gate followed by the clattering of hooves over the bridge. A group of five riders trotted up to the inn, at the head was an olive-skinned man with a spear in his hand. Aridius couldn't help but notice that all the riders, men and women, were armed. All carried spears and round shields as well as axes or short swords on their belt.
She drifted closer and the man at the front spotted her. His face hardened as did the grip on his spear.
"I am Naril Valwood of Blood Song company. Are you the elder of this town?" he barked out.
Ratfolk faces were starting to appear at windows and doors. Aridius looked around for Leno but didn't see him yet.
"No, I'm Aridius Vaynshteyn of the Harpsgate," she replied. "Well met." That was what they said in fantasy movies and books. 'Well met.'
His eyes narrowed as though she'd said something suspicious. "We're here to defeat a stoneman plaguing the village. Where is it?"
"It's gone. I killed it."
The riders bristled at her words, the metal and leather of their tack rattling.
"I see," he replied, carefully weighing his words. "We've come to place this village under the protection of the Blood Song. Do you have any objection to that?
"...no." Aridius was beyond bewildered at this point but she maintained a calm exterior.
He leaned back, eyes locked on her. The door to the inn swung open and the human man Aridius had spotted smoking a pipe earlier stepped out.
"Naril, you're here!" he said with a happy grumble. "Come in, come in. Have your men take the horses to the stables out back. You'll find everything is ready..."
The tension drained at the bigger man's presence. Naril dismounted and tossed his reins to another rider before going inside. The riders moved--though several of them favored Aridius with curious or cautious looks, they soon disappeared behind the in.
"How bizarre," Aridius eventually said, her voice low so only NOVA could hear. "What was that all about?"