123:
A month passed by them as Tom, Aleph and Zirel tore through the Sacred Forest. Contrary to its grandiose name, the beasts they encountered within the forest were on the fairly normal side.
A mix of canine and feline beasts with the occasional heavy-set porcine creature that had given Tom’s party rations for weeks, if not months. Something told Tom there was a reason why he didn’t see too many of the gray-furred Ferocious Tuskers, the slabs of meat stored in his inventory a good deal of the reason why.
If anything made the forest sacred, it had to be proximity to the tower.
Tom knew where the Shadow Guild’s headquarters were and he had wisely chosen to wage his war against the beasts in the opposing direction, as far away as they could get without actually leaving the shelter provided by the forest’s canopy.
“I think this is about as far as killing common carded beasts will take me,” Aleph said as she sat within an open-mouthed tent, a drumstick of cooked meat in her hand.
“The only reason I managed to reach level seven is because you both let me finish off the assassins. Common carded beasts can only give so much experience to a rare,” Zirel said.
“You’re right, I really shouldn’t be complaining,” Aleph shook her head. “That gives me fifteen SP to work with. Subtract two from my uncommon and that’s thirteen. But when you consider that Recall only needs 3 SP to bring me back from certain death, it’s a steal. I’ll have enough SP to fight even after coming back from the dead.”
“So?” Tom asked. “Level five should’ve gotten you your second ability, unless your card works differently from Zirel and mine.”
Aleph nodded, though her expression was uncertain.
“It’s odd,” She said. “Your mirror card got a direct buff, a nasty one. Zirel’s card made him an even deadlier assassin, even though the ability doesn’t seem particularly strong on his own. Mine though, it seems to do an entirely different thing.”
Aleph’s description of Mirror World was pretty accurate. The second ability he’d received from the Rare card was way better than anything he’d been expecting after he unlocked it.
[Card Name: Mirror World
Rank: Rare
Level: 6
Skill Upgrade Point(s): 0
Ability:
1. Mirror Dimension, Level 5: Summon at will a 40x56 inch gateway to the mirror dimension that can be manipulated at will. Absorbs any three continuous, non-organic means of attack as long as it does not exceed the damage tolerance of the Mirror Dimension.
Mirror Dimension permanently stores the continuous, non-organic means of attack and can reproduce 100% of its efficacy perfectly for three attacks. It is able to counter with no delay at the wielder’s will.
SP Cost is variable
2. Greater Reflection, Level 2: Any continuous, non-organic means of attack can be amplified to 120% of it’s original strength. SP cost is proportional to amplification.]
Zirel’s card was probably still better overall, especially since he could now make any one item in contact with his body meld into his cloaking.
Whether he wanted his blade of necrosis to disappear during his battle or take out enemies from the comfort of his cloaking, Zirel was increasingly becoming a very tricky opponent to fight.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“Go on,” Zirel encouraged.
“Well, it lets me repair artifacts to their original state as long as more than 50% of the artifact’s integrity has been preserved,” Aleph revealed.
“Huh,” Tom muttered. “What’s that got to do with coming back from the dead.”
“Beats me,” Aleph replied.
“It makes sense, actually,” Zirel chimed in. “If you’re going to be pressed to fatal damage, there’s a high chance your armor won’t be very useful afterwards. “I remember Aleph saying that her card’s name was total recall. It adds up, because it would only be total if you don’t come back to life with all your equipment shattered, just to die again.”
“Oh shit,” A curse slipped Tom’s lips as he remembered an important tidbit of information. He reached forward and the void was sundered, before Tom stuck his hands inside his inventory.
He pulled out a chainmail forged from white scales lined with a blood red, one that had a large, glaive sized gash in them. The platelegs were made out of the same material, splotches of dried blood marring their surface.
[Shattered Blood Wyrm Chainmail, Uncommon
Requirements: None.
Description: An armor forged from the scales of an elusive Blood Wyrm, the armor once possessed regenerative properties. Now, it is a shattered husk of what once was, possessing no armor skills.]
[Blood Wyrm Platelegs, Uncommon
Requirements: 14 Physical, 4 Mental.
Description: As platelegs forged from the scales of the Blood Wyrm, this artifact has absorbed a portion of the natural healing factor of the serpentine creature. Due to the natural hardness and heaviness of Blood Wyrm scales, the platelegs are very resistant to slashing and ranged attacks.
Armor Skill:
1. Bloodless: While wearing the Blood Wyrm Platelegs, any open wounds have their bleeding staunched. Minor wounds are quickly healed and medium-sized wounds are slowly healed.]
“Fourteen Physical,” Aleph winced as she read a part of the description her analyze had offered her. “
While Aleph might’ve been able to wear the platelegs when her soul card was a high levelled uncommon, likely near max, the same could not be said of her current situation. At level 5 on her Rare, she had 20 free points to work with and Tom knew that her build focused more on Proprioception and Mental to aid in using the large amount of crystals she employed on the battlefield.
That meant that the Gatekeeper, who could have had a maximum of forty free points to work with if he had maxed, had likely heavily specced into strength.
Not that Tom needed confirmation on that matter.
“Would you have wanted this armor even if you could equip it?” Tom asked, to make sure that he hadn’t miscalculated Aleph’s fighting style.
“No,” Aleph admitted. “I’ve been fighting without my light armor because I lost the requirements needed to wield them, but I’ve just about recovered it. The chestguard and greaves are uncommon ranked and grant me boosts to mobility and movement speed. It just feels bad to see powerful armor that you can't use.”
“Same for me,” Zirel jumped into the conversation. “The chainmail is probably going to have a slightly higher strength requirement, that’s usually how it works. A good thing to keep in mind is that just because you meet the requirements of an armor doesn’t necessarily mean that they suit you”.
Tom nodded, not having known that particular aspect of armor theory. It made sense—- just because you could fight while wearing something didn’t necessarily mean that you could do well in it.
“Honestly, I’m not too enthused about this armor considering what happened to it’s previous wielder,” Tom sheepishly admitted. “But it beats this starter common armor I’ve got on. The Divine System seems to be messing with my drops, but when I think about it, I’ve pretty much gotten powerful cards instead of an assortment of artifacts.”
“That’s because you almost always do the most damage,” Zirel replied. “But yeah, I agree. That armor should go to you, well, if Aleph can…,” He trailed off, as he turned his gaze to Aleph.
“Let me see,” She said, a hint of eagerness audible in her tone as she pressed her palm against the armor’s crumpled scales.
She wanted to see what Total Recall could do.
She closed her eyes, her brows scrunching up as she focused.
“I can do it, but it will cost me ten SP. You’ve eviscerated 37% of the armor. We’re going to have to wait a day before we head out anywhere.”
“That’s fine,” Tom confirmed.
Tom and Zirel watched as strings of faint blue energy bloomed outwards from her palm, before snaking off towards the large gash in the rear of the chainmail.
They watched as a mesh of the blue strings knit the wound plaguing the chainmail and marveled when the blue energy faded in favor of textured scales. The same process was repeated for the front of the armor, before Aleph pulled away her hand, her motions hurried as she released the breath she had been holding onto.
Sweat streaked down her chin as she marveled at her own work.
[Blood Wyrm Chainmail, Uncommon
Requirements: 17 Physical, 6 Mental.
Description: As chainmail forged from the scales of the Blood Wyrm, this artifact has absorbed a portion of the natural healing factor of the serpentine creature. Due to the natural hardness and heaviness of Blood Wyrm scales, the chainmail is very resistant to slashing and ranged attacks and resistant to stabbing attacks.
Armor Skill:
1. Bloodless: While wearing the Blood Wyrm Chainmail, any open wounds have their bleeding staunched. Minor wounds are quickly healed and medium-sized wounds are slowly healed.]