Ashlyn nimbly dodged a low-hanging branch, her forehead gleaming with sweat, only to leap over a knee-high bush moments later. She had incorporated these natural obstacles into her morning jog, a modest attempt to maintain some semblance of the rigorous training regimen her father had instilled in her. Admittedly, her current routine paled in comparison to those days, but mastering the rings consumed most of her time. Balancing this with the essential tasks of gathering food and hunting was a challenge in itself. Her current destination was the stream a few kilometers south of her cave, chosen in pursuit of a varied diet.

Having feasted on hare and mushrooms the day before, and opting for a vegetarian selection the day prior, Ashlyn had decided on fish for today's meal. Despite consuming fewer calories lately, she hadn't noticed a decrease in her weight, attributing this to her reduced energy expenditure – a delicate balance that provided yet another reason to moderate her physical training.

Upon sighting the stream, Ashlyn increased her pace to a sprint, pushing her endurance to the limit, especially her lung capacity. She stopped well before reaching the water’s edge to catch her breath, mindful not to frighten the fish with her heavy breathing.

Once she regained her stealth, Ashlyn's anticipation grew at the thought of a successful catch. Reaching for her bow, she instead found a small, pointy stick – a reminder of her decision to diversify her weapon skills. The initial discomfort of venturing out without her familiar bow had been akin to feeling exposed, but adapting to different weapons was a valuable skill, as her father had always said.

With the stick in her left hand, Ashlyn's right hand began the familiar motion of summoning the rotating golden rings. Three rings formed in a few seconds, a demonstration of her growing proficiency with the smaller constructs. With a hint of hesitation, she pushed the stick through the rings, transforming it into a grey, spear-like object. For now, this basic manipulation of the second ring was the extent of her success in this more advanced magic.

In a moment of revelation amidst weeks of struggle, Ashlyn had shifted her approach to the second ring. Rather than trying to impose specific parameters of the 'Shape' concept on the transformed material, she decided to focus on maintaining the object's overall original form. This epiphany, borne from repeated failures to conceptualize 'Shape', led her to a simpler and more effective strategy. After a few more days of persistent effort, she finally achieved a breakthrough. It was a modest triumph in the grand scheme of things, but for Ashlyn, it was a significant step forward.

Her subsequent training sessions with the second ring were prolific, resulting in a collection of small spears and pebbles fashioned from the unique material she could summon. Taking inspiration from the naming conventions of the Hold, she named it 'QS', short for Quinn Structure. While she expected the name to remain obscure for the foreseeable future, giving her creation an identity was oddly satisfying.

With one of her newly formed spear-like objects in hand, Ashlyn approached the water, her eyes keenly scanning for any sign of fish. The QS material, though unusual in appearance, had proven to be remarkably resilient against her attempts to break it, making it a suitable weapon. Despite her intense search, the water revealed no swimming prey, even after she had walked along the stream for a good ten minutes.

Puzzled, Ashlyn stopped to consider why her routine approach had been fruitless today. Had her exercise been too loud, or was there something else at play? It was then that she remembered, her nose instinctively sniffing for the telltale acidic scent as she glanced upwards.

"Stupid! Stupid girl!" she chastised herself, recalling her father's often-repeated admonition: ‘You’re always forgetting something, Ash. You just need to realize what that is.’ True, she often overlooked some detail or another, but she was only human, after all. This time, she had failed to notice the reddish hue of the sky and the subtle but distinctive odor that announced acid rain. The absence of animals and insects along her path suddenly made sense.

Without a moment's hesitation, Ashlyn turned and sprinted back towards her cave, hoping to reach shelter before the rain began. Her heart pounded in her chest, not just from the physical exertion, but from the realization of her oversight and the urgency of beating the impending storm. As she raced against the gathering clouds, Ashlyn understood why her father always insisted on training her awareness.

With a surge of desperate energy, Ashlyn pushed her aching legs and lungs to their limits. Every step was a battle against fatigue, her muscles screaming in protest. Her path was abruptly interrupted by a treacherous stone, causing her to stumble, but she quickly regained her footing and continued her frantic dash. In her mind, she silently begged her ancestors for strength and speed, determined to reach the safety of her cave.

The cave finally came into view, a sight that would have elicited a cry of joy if she had the breath to spare. But then, the first drops of the dreaded acid rain began to fall. Heavy, greenish droplets descended from the sky, each one a potential agent of pain. One drop seared her covered shoulder, another found her exposed hand, causing her to hiss in pain and hastily cover the burning mark. With renewed urgency, she sprinted, struggling to shield her exposed skin from the caustic rain. Another drop landed painfully on her ear, and then her ankle.

Leaping into the cave's mouth, Ashlyn collapsed onto the ground, rolling several meters before coming to a stop. Her belongings, including the grey spear, ended up scattered around her. She cried out in agony as she felt the sting of multiple impacts and the burn of the acid.

Lying there, exhausted and in pain but alive, Ashlyn focused solely on catching her breath, allowing her body a moment to acknowledge the pain. She counted four burns, none deep enough to bleed, but they would sting for days. The worst, on her arm, might even leave a scar.

The acid rain, a rare but devastating occurrence, was a grim reminder of humanity's sins, as her parents had taught her. It was a relic of the Doom of Humanity, capable of killing millions and devastating the planet's life in the one or two times it poured through the year. This balance, however fragile, allowed nature to recover just enough between the rains.

Gathering her strength, Ashlyn sat up and leaned against the cave wall, her gaze fixed on the relentless downpour outside. She watched as the vibrant green of the plants dulled under the rain's assault, and the tough bark of trees was etched with painful patterns. Though she had witnessed this destructive spectacle before, experiencing its painful effects firsthand was a stark reminder of the harshness of the world. It was a wonder that life continued to endure under such conditions.

In the eerie silence of the rain's onslaught, she observed the transformation of the once-lush landscape into a scene of desolation. Most plants succumbed, their leaves wilted and fallen, leaving behind a world where survival hung by a thread. Yet, amidst this destruction, she knew that nature would persevere. The greenery would re-emerge, slowly but resiliently. Trees and smaller plants would adapt, finding refuge beneath the charred, sturdy branches, while animals would seek safer havens, bracing themselves for the next deadly downpour.

For Ashlyn, the aftermath of the rain posed a significant challenge. Her immediate concern was finding uncontaminated water and food, which had become scarce. Thankfully, she had heeded her parents' teachings well and maintained an emergency stash, enough to last a few days, including water. By rationing her supplies and reducing her physical activities to minimal stretching exercises, she could stretch her reserves to last a week.

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Navigating through the scarred terrain, Ashlyn dodged puddles of residual acid water. She moved with cautious agility, pausing occasionally to inspect hollows and crevices that might have sheltered life from the lethal rain. The satchel at her side held the meager fruits of her foraging – a couple of mushrooms and a small, unidentified bird. It was hardly a feast, but it was better than nothing.

With a frustrated grunt, she sidestepped another pool of the toxic liquid, altering her path with a sharp turn. Her objective was the stream, which she had hoped to reach much earlier, had it not been for the lingering acidic ponds that marred the earth. She held onto the hope that the flowing waters of the stream would have purged the harmful remnants of the rain, which had ceased three days prior.

Lost in her thoughts, Ashlyn’s attention faltered, and she stumbled into a thorny vine, adding another tear to her already battered shirt. She muttered a curse under her breath, quickly checking for any new injuries. Her clothes were in a deplorable state, worn from months of constant use and further damaged by the acid rain. While she lacked her mother's fastidiousness, Ashlyn still yearned for a semblance of presentability. The absence of onlookers did little to diminish her desire for this small dignity. It wasn’t about being seen; it just didn’t feel right to let herself go completely, even in these harsh and lonely conditions.

“Finally!” Ashlyn exclaimed, her voice echoing with a mixture of relief and fatigue as the stream came into view. She mustered a forced smile, hoping to lift her spirits.

The acid rain had been another obstacle in her already challenging journey, particularly in her efforts to master the second ring. A part of her couldn't help but wonder if it was too much to ask for a stroke of good fortune in these trying times.

As she approached the stream, Ashlyn abandoned her usual caution. The fish in the stream would be unsafe for consumption for a while, contaminated by the acid rain. Her current priority was replenishing her water supply. She dipped her fingers into the stream, testing for any lingering acidity. To her relief, the water felt pure and untainted. Still, she planned to boil it back in the cave as an extra precaution.

The task of finding uncontaminated twigs for her fire loomed in her mind, but that was a problem for another time. She had some dry leftovers to use for now. She knew the trees that had withstood the rain would eventually neutralize the acid, but it could take months to completely eliminate the toxicity.

A spark of curiosity ignited in Ashlyn, prompting her to ask the Neuroenhancer about the possibility of a 'magical' solution for purifying plants and game.

[Techniques from the schools of Alignment and Disruption can eliminate toxins and harmful substances. However, these require at least the manipulation of the fourth ring.]

The response was both amusing and frustrating. Her stagnated progress with the rings had dampened her initial enthusiasm, a disappointment compounded by her unrealistic expectations set by early rapid advancements. She was accustomed to gradual improvement and rigorous training, but the enticing possibilities of the higher rings kept her hopes alive. It was no surprise that the Hold sought control over every resonant, given the vast potential of their abilities.

As she walked back from the stream, Ashlyn cradled the filled flask in her hands, pondering over the logistics of water storage. Her morning routine of drinking, refilling, and cleansing had quickly revealed the inadequacy of relying on a single flask. Although grateful for the basic survival gear her parents had left her, she knew she couldn't always depend on having a water source close at hand. An idea sparked in her mind – could she use her rings to overcome this challenge?

With a renewed purpose, Ashlyn retraced her steps to the stream, her earlier frustrations forgotten in the wake of this exciting prospect.

Scanning the area, she searched for something to aid her in this endeavor. With only the second ring at her disposal, the solution seemed clear. Her gaze settled on the muddy soil bordering the stream, and she mentally blamed herself for not considering it sooner.

Kneeling by the water's edge, Ashlyn began to gather mud, molding it into a crude but functional bowl-like structure. She didn't mind the mess; her focus was solely on crafting a solid, leak-proof vessel. Once satisfied with her creation, she stepped back to appraise her handiwork, ensuring there were no visible flaws.

While cleaning her hands on her already soiled clothes, Ashlyn chuckled, realizing her rings didn’t require clean hands to function. "Damn! Anyway… I can clean it in the stream later," she mused, her laughter tinged with a hint of sadness as she recalled her mother's admonitions about keeping clean.

Closing her eyes, Ashlyn summoned the familiar golden light between her hands. The zero ring materialized instantly, its featureless form soon joined by the first ring adorned with intricate symbols. Finally, with a barely noticeable delay, the second ring encircled the others, completing the magical array.

As Ashlyn manipulated the last ring, its simplicity was evident in the geometric triangular arrays that adorned its circumference. She sensed the concept of Shape within those patterns, a complexity that would have been impossible to replicate without the Neuroenhancer's guidance.

With careful precision, she guided her mud creation through the rings. Pushing the rings as low as she could, Ashlyn finally dismissed the rings when her hands met the ground. Holding her breath in anticipation, she lifted the newly transformed grey bowl, now composed of her resilient QS material. The bowl had thin walls, roughly a centimeter thick, with a slightly more robust base. She inspected it for any imperfections, finding none.

“Hahaha…” Ashlyn's triumphant laughter echoed along the stream, a manic cheer celebrating her ingenuity, despite the obvious limitations.

The bowl was small, barely accommodating her hand, but it served as a perfect prototype. Eagerly, she filled it with water from the stream for the ultimate test. The bowl held the water flawlessly. However, as she brought it to her lips, realization struck, and she frantically spilled the water. In her excitement, she forgot about the possibility of lingering toxins.

Feeling only embarrassment and no signs of poisoning, Ashlyn was momentarily grateful for being alone. Lying back, she allowed herself a few minutes of relaxation, letting the incident fade into a forgotten memory.

This successful experiment with mud opened up new possibilities. She could craft a variety of tools, perhaps even a pan suitable for boiling, though she was unsure if the QS material would conduct heat effectively. If she made it thin enough, it might work. However, her current limitations with the second ring meant the material could only mimic the form of the original object, which could be restrictive for certain applications.

Ashlyn dedicated the next few hours to meticulously crafting a variety of containers from mud. She fashioned a small cup, then a very thin pan, which required a painstaking half-hour of shaping, and reshaping, and finally, a knee-high pot complete with a matching lid. Surprisingly, the pot consumed most of her time, as molding the mud taller proved to be a challenging task.

After ensuring her newly created utensils were leak-proof, Ashlyn took a well-deserved break to recuperate and clean herself. The mental exertion of summoning the rings had become less taxing over time, thanks to her rigorous training. Initially, she struggled to summon even a few first rings without succumbing to a headache. Now, she could conjure up to three or four second rings, depending on their size, before needing to rest.

Feeling rejuvenated, Ashlyn turned her attention to crafting makeshift spoons of varying sizes. With her array of mud-crafted utensils complete, she gathered them up, filled the large pot with as much water as she could carry, and made her way back to the shelter.

Two hours and several rest stops later, Ashlyn skillfully assembled a pile of twigs to start a fire. With practiced efficiency, the fire came to life in no time. She then placed the thin 'pan' over the flames, supported by two stones transformed by her QS material. Curiously, she kept a hand on the base of the pan, monitoring the heat. After a few minutes, the material grew hot enough to burn her hand.

“Nailed it!” she exclaimed triumphantly, pleased with her successful experiment.

Next, she boiled enough water to refill her flask, eagerly anticipating a refreshing drink. The temptation to drink the hot water was strong due to her thirst, but she managed to wait for it to cool down. The water tasted no different from normal, though she was aware of the lingering risk.

Before the fire dwindled, Ashlyn also braised the bird and mushrooms. She carefully portioned the meal into three servings, even though the total amount was barely enough for one proper meal. She hoped that once the effects of the acid rain subsided, she could return to a more regular diet. For now, it was a matter of rationing and appreciating the luxury of having a cooked meal again.

Despite the challenges, Ashlyn found a sense of gratitude for her survival and the small improvements she had made to her living conditions. Alone in the wilderness, she was far from helpless, armed with skills and an unyielding spirit that refused to succumb to despair.