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“ I’ll make sure to use them to their full potential ”
As the words left my mouth, Exira surged with odd calm as another memory came.
.
.
The memory flickered to life like an old, cherished film.
I was sixteen I think, seated on the floor of Aunt Nora’s study, surrounded by a jumble of scrolls and strange artifacts. The air was thick with the scent of ink and something spicy that lingered in the corners.
Aunt Nora was there, her crimson hair cascading like a waterfall around her shoulders, framing her striking features. She was known to the world as the White Saintess, a title that carried weight and reverence, but at home, she was playful, full of mischief. And god how much I miss her teasing.
“Lexi,” she said, a wise glint in her eye, “let your Exira flow towards the sword. Let it encompass the item with the intention of reading its origin. Focus your will, and the enchants will reveal themselves to you. C'mon, try it.”
I nodded, a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling within me. “Yes, Aunt Nora.”
fuu
I took deep breaths, centering myself. As I closed my eyes, I let the familiar feeling of Exira surge through me, weaving its way toward the sword placed before me. It was an ordinary-looking blade, but I was determined to finally read its enchants so Aunt Nora may start teaching me how to actually enchant the items.
As my Exira connected with the metal, I felt a shift in my perception. The shape morphed in my mind, threads swirling like smoke around the sword, forming a spiral that beckoned me closer.
“Yes, very good, Lexi,” Aunt Nora encouraged, her voice a gentle nudge. “Stay in that state and will your mind to see its origin, its memories.”
I concentrated harder, grappling with the intent. The threads flickered, and I struggled to grasp the meaning hidden within them.
There was a moment where I felt a sensation–a sharp feeling, like something piercing through. It was so vivid, so real, yet I couldn’t fully comprehend it.
“It clicked,” I thought, the connection snapping into place. “Stabbing... or was it piercing?” The clarity was fleeting, like smoke slipping through my fingers. I opened my eyes to find Aunt Nora smiling at me, her expression filled with pride.
“So, how was the experience?” she asked, her tone encouraging.
I hesitated, trying to find the right words. “It was... not really clear, Aunt Nora. But I felt a stabbing or piercing sensation or intent from it.”
Nodding, Aunt Nora’s smile widened. “Good! That’s one of the enchants. Now, what’s the word for that feeling? Not in English...”
“Ferro … no that’s the sword right?, I think,” I replied, recalling the old term. “Penetrans”
“Good! Very good, Lexi,” she beamed. “Next, we will go through what you’ve learned and then finally, some enchanting.”
As I sat there, the memory intertwined with the present, and I regained a piece of my own.
.
.
Why didn't my memories come when I fought something? But why, I hadn’t battled anything. All I did was pay my respects to the elf… unless Exira is the one actually restoring my memories while the earring suppresses any chaos that may result from it…no chaos from my emotion, my desire and my will.
Everytime I fought it was near death, desperate to survive as after every fight I accepted something about me and forged my will to move.
My will is all that matters
With the sudden revelation, I felt calm. I sat there for some time just sitting and doing nothing, thinking nothing as I basked in the calmness.
With newfound clarity, I glanced down at the leather armor and gear I had collected from the elf’s lifeless body. The smooth texture of the leather beneath my fingers was reassuring, a tangible connection to the skills Aunt Nora had imparted. Could I use Exira to feel the history of these items? The thought excited me, igniting a spark of determination.
With a deep breath, I let my Exira flow once more, guiding it towards the leather, the sound of water oddly satisfying and calming. This time, I focused on reading its origin, I closed my eyes, allowing the energy to envelop me, the flow becoming smoother as I practiced.
“Restituo…Durabilis…yes that’s it mild self-repair and durable along with protection very faint not enough for intent but there”
Opening my eyes, I exhaled slowly, the memories lingering in my thoughts.
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“Thanks for this, It’ll come along nicely” I whispered, feeling an odd connection to the fallen elf.
Now that I got some of my memories back the armor was, okay not that strong. I ran my fingers over the engravings on the metal plating and leather surface, channeling Exira to inspect the enchantment further. It was basic. Efficient enough, sure, but without much finesse.
“Decent materials,” I muttered, my voice echoing slightly.
“What’s with enchants? the quality of leather and raw material this armor is made of is top notch yet the enchanter botched it…either the owner made these enchants himself or the level of enchanter is low” I sighed. I couldn’t shake the feeling that it should’ve been more, that this piece could have held greater potential with the right enhancements.
“But since I don’t have the memories of enchanting anything, just the feeling I can’t tell if it should be doable easy or difficult to do”
I stared at it for a long moment, trying to piece together fragments of what I knew. It wasn’t much, but some things were clearer now, especially around enchanting and crafting, skills Aunt Nora had painstakingly taught me.
The memory drifted back, sharp and clear: she’d shown me how enchantments could work together, layering their effects to create a synergy that was more powerful than any individual spell.
I smiled wryly, remembering something about the concept of set effects. Enchantments that didn’t just do a job but complemented each other in such a way that the whole was greater than the sum of its parts.
This armor had the quality for that but no such enchant, maybe some financial problems or the others can’t be nitpicking too much the armor as it is, is a boon to me.
“Hmm, considering its current enchants it would be a mortal 2 ★ ranked gear “
The ranking systems she’d explained flickered in my memory. I muttered them under my breath, feeling the familiar cadence of her teachings. “Mundane, Mortal, Overmortal, Immortal, Divine…” Each tier marked not just strength, but also the range and potential of what the enchanted gear could achieve.
The words brought a grin to my face as another fragment of memory surfaced – Aunt Nora scoffing as she described how House Zhao, of all people, had formalized these rankings. I could almost hear her voice: “Those Zhao bastards and their endless obsession with nirvana, with enlightenment through ranks and power.” She’d laughed then, a sound that had always seemed so odd coming from someone the world called the White Saintess. And here she was, almost mocking those lofty ideals.
With a soft chuckle and shaking my head, I hefted the armor. “Guess the mortal tier is all we get today.”
Though I was quite happy at least it had some enchants on it and very practical at that. I folded it carefully, laying it alongside the other stuff I’d taken. Despite its limitations, it was still leagues better than the ragged clothes I’d been wearing since the moment I woke up in this nightmare.
I pulled at the torn shirt clinging to me. Discarding the rags felt like shedding a layer of the past few agonizing days.
I laughed as I realized my underwear had survived most of it unscathed. “One small victory,” I murmured to myself.
I crouched down by the edge of the water, forming a ball using exira and dipping the remaining cloth and scrubbing it as best I could. Seeing the water ball change as it became dirty and ughh , I flinged the water at the far end of the cave, not bothering to think of it.
Exira had really become much smoother to control with the more memories I unlocked. However, it still puts a stain on my mind using Exira for any fine work.
Scooping water in my hands, I poured it over my face, relishing the coolness against my skin.
Seeing the wet underwear which I was sure in hell not wearing without drying, I had an idea seeing my newfound fluidity in controlling Exira. I tried to conjure just the warmth of the flames without any flames
I remembered Aunt Nora showing me how to focus my will, reminding me to respect Exira, not force it. “Think of it like a stream, Lexi,” she’d said. “You guide it, not command it.”.
Then I tried with steam, the water in my hands grew slightly warmer as I practiced, and a surge of satisfaction washed over me. I leaned back, watching the steam rise gently from my hands, and chuckled.
"I guess all those lectures are paying off," I muttered to myself, a small smile tugging at my lips. Even here, in this desolate cave, her teachings felt close, Aunt Nora’s steady voice guiding me through each step, each process. The thought brought a sense of grounding I hadn’t realized I’d needed.
A shiver ran through me, but this time, it wasn’t from the cold. Wearing clean clothes–well, at least my underwear–was a small but gratifying victory. It was a strange comfort, but one that reminded me of home and normalcy.
“Now I’m ready to tackle the world,” I chuckled, knowing how ridiculous I probably sounded. The laugh slipped out without permission, something that felt almost… childlike. Hadn’t felt that way in ages, and yet, here I was.
After a moment, I turned my attention to the armor laid out on the rocks, taking in the dark leather sheen of it. Now that I could examine it up close, it looked cool, the way it caught the faint light filtering in from the cave’s opening above. I picked up the chest piece, feeling its surprising sturdiness despite the natural give of the leather.
No matter how I examined it, the armor was high quality, plain but undeniably functional. “Whoever made this, sure had taste,” I murmured, turning the piece over in my hands. Just tough, practical leather with reinforced plating where it mattered.
Slipping the armor on was more awkward than I’d expected. The size difference between me and the elf was noticeable; he had been taller, and broader, a fact that left the armor sitting a little loose around my shoulders. Not loose enough to throw me off balance, thankfully. I tightened the straps, trying to get it as snug as possible.
“Not bad,” I mumbled, giving an experimental roll off my shoulders and stretching out my arms. A little big, but it wasn’t cumbersome. No rattling, no sliding. I shifted around, threw a few punches, and swung my arm with an imagined blade. Satisfied, I strapped on the leg armor, adjusting the buckles until they felt secure.
The cloak was the last piece, heavy and dark with enough length to drape across my shoulders and fall well past my knees. The fabric was surprisingly soft against my skin, a strange relief after everything I’d been through. Adjusting the cloak, I pulled the hood up over my head, testing its weight and coverage.
“Not bad at all,” I said, almost proud of how I looked now. From looking like a beggar and a hobo, I now looked somewhat decent. The cloak hung well, long enough to cover me but not so long it’d trip me up in a fight. I drew the bone blade from its makeshift scabbard at my side, giving it a few test swings. Even with the new armor on, my range of motion felt decent. Nothing snagged, nothing shifted out of place.
Satisfied, I took a long, final drink from the pond, filling myself with the water’s coolness and grounding calm. Then, I returned to my spot by the edge, laying out everything else I’d gathered. Now came the real task of sorting through the elf’s belongings, piecing together anything useful from the haul I’d stumbled upon.
“Let’s see what is in the booty I gained ”
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