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hhaah…
I watched as the flames consumed El's remains, the fire crackling softly in the oppressive silence of the cavern.
The heat licked at my face, but I barely felt it. "Damn it all." I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms until the pain grounded me back to reality.
No time for wallowing, Lexi. Get your shit together.
I slipped the ring El had given me onto my right index finger, its unfamiliar weight a constant reminder of his final moments.
Exira surged through me as I channeled it into the ring, and to my surprise, an inventory of its contents flashed in my mind.
Convenient enchant I thought, arching a brow. A spatial storage ring. Finally, something that’ll make carrying all this crap a little easier.
Thank you, El for this…
Time to see what I’ve got, I thought, rubbing my palms together as a messy list of items appeared in my mind.
RING
Dried strips of meat x 25 and Bread x 10
Raw meat chunks x 5 ~ 3 kg each
Water canteen x 2 [E] ~10L each
Spices (assortment)
Bundles box
Diary
Insignia
Map I
Pair-card
Photos
Spare Clothes
Leather Armour
keys
Energy Crystals x5
Spyglass
Bow
Arrowsx240 quiver loaded
Ropes
Sewing kit
Cloaks
Longsword
Light Shield
Spear
Rings x3
Pendants x2
With this new supply, I’d have food and essentials covered. Finally, I could stop rationing those damn juicy jerky strips. Plus, with a ring like this, I’d be able to move faster and more freely, leaving more room for anything else I might pick up along the way.
Settling into a cross-legged position, I took out the journal I’d grabbed from the previous elf, setting it on my lap. Grabbing the attached pen, I flicked it open and allowed Exira to flow through the ring again, bringing up the list once more to make notes as I inspected each item.
First up, food supplies.
* Dried meat strips x 25. Thank gods, more jerky.
* Bread x 10. Actual bread. A small luxury I didn’t know I’d ever miss.
* Raw meat chunks x 5 (~3 kg each). Bigger portions for cooking if I ever find a good time.
* Water canteen x 2 (10L each, currently empty). Already a massive step up from my last canteen.
* Spice bundles.
“Spices!” I couldn’t help a grin, and it felt strange to realize how much excitement that word sparked. Even after everything, the thought of elevating my food beyond dried meat was honestly thrilling.
No more bland rations, just something with actual taste. At least I had that much to look forward to.
Setting the food entries aside, I opened the journal, scanning the entries for anything else useful. I flipped through the pages, skimming for anything that stood out, any illustrations or maps that might reveal more about this damn cave or where it led. The writing was all in a language I couldn’t read, which made it feel frustratingly alien, but that didn’t stop me from hoping something useful was buried in here.
Flip, flip, flip.
My fingers brushed across the smooth pages until I hit a section that caught my attention–a map. My heart skipped, and I leaned closer. There were mountains drawn to the west and a sea alongside. The layout of the land seemed far larger than anything I’d recalled seeing before, and I studied every mark, every line.
There were notes scribbled around the edges of the sea. Dammit, I thought, narrowing my eyes. If only I could read this, but then I saw something that nearly made me laugh. A cave. Circled, under the sea.
I sat back, shaking my head in a mix of disbelief and exasperation. “So this cave really is underwater, like El said,” I muttered aloud, grimacing. Well, damn. This map could’ve saved me a lot of guesswork if only I’d gotten my hands on it earlier.
Still, I kept going, fingers flipping through the pages quickly, looking for any other drawings or maps, anything that didn’t require me to read an entire language to decipher. Unfortunately, the further I got, the less helpful it seemed.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
Flip, flip, flip.
I reached the end, and my heart sank. No other illustrations, no more maps. Just alien writing taunting me from the pages. I shut the journal with a sharp exhale, rubbing my temples to ease the tension building there.
“Well, guess that’s that,” I muttered, the journal resting on my lap as I collected my thoughts. At least I’d gleaned something useful–a layout of the cave system, a confirmation that I was, in fact, somewhere under the sea, and a faint hope that with this new supply, I’d last a little longer.
Setting the journal aside, I flexed my fingers and closed my eyes for a moment, letting Exira flow around me, a soft, steady hum that helped keep my nerves at bay.
"Huh," I muttered, picking up the insignia that caught my eye. It was another one of those emblems–this one depicting a castle silhouetted against a sun or moon. "Probably some sort of badge or medal from whatever organization these elves belonged to."
Curiosity piqued, I focused Exira on the badge, letting the energy flow through me to sense any hidden enchantments.
"Wasn't expecting this to be enchanted," I mused. "Let's see what secrets you're hiding."
Sweeping Exira more thoroughly over the insignia, I tried to derive the meanings of the enchantments. Intentions and fragments of words floated in my mind.
"Ego... identity–Identitas," I thought aloud. "So the first enchant is probably proof of their identity."
I concentrated harder. "There's another... hmm, something about opening... reveal... no, to open: Aperio."
"I see," I said, turning the insignia over in my hand. The formation of runes became clearer under Exira's influence. "Aperio Identitas. Acts as identity proof and possibly opens locks or doors for entry."
I grabbed my journal and jotted down the details.
> Item #1: Insignia [E] (Aperio Identitas) [Passive Enchant Type]
"Could come in handy," I noted, slipping the insignia into my pouch. Next were three dark blue rings, each adorned with a different-colored gem—white, red, and blue.
"Alright, let's see what you guys do."
Ring #1 (White):
I picked up the white-gemmed ring and closed my eyes, focusing. Taking deep breaths, I channeled Exira to enter pseudo-attuned state.
"Huu..."
As I delved deeper, the intentions of the enchantments flashed by in fragments: breathe... denial... none.
"Wait, Respiratio for breathing and Nullus for none," I realized. "And there's another enchant... Arca–store energy."
"So this ring allows me to not need to breathe as long as it has energy stored," I concluded, a smirk forming on my lips. "Would have been awesome if not for my mask, still a pretty solid find"
I paused, considering. "But it's a concentration-type enchant, meaning any other flow of energy could negate or weaken the effect. “
I scribbled down the details.
> Item #2: Breathless Ring [E] (Respiratio Nullus Arca) [Concentration Enchant Type]
Ring #2 (Red):
Repeating the process, I picked up the red-gemmed ring and entered the attuned state again. Intentions flowed: fire... hot... no, warmth... yes, warmth.
"Ignis? No, that's fire," I thought. "Foveo–that's it. Warmth."
"This ring keeps the user warm and probably offers protection against cold sources," I mused. "hmmm"
I jotted it down.
> Item #3: Warmth Ring [E] (Foveo) [Passive Enchant Type]
Ring #3 (Blue):
One more to go. I held the blue-gemmed ring, letting Exira reveal its secrets. Intentions surfaced: purify... no, weaker... cleanse... Mundo.
"Ah, so this ring cleanses," I realized. "Should be able to purify water for drinking, cleanse wounds "
I added the entry.
> Item #4: Cleanse Ring [E] (Mundo) [Concentration Enchant Type]
"Phew," I exhaled, leaning back. "Nice collection of rings El had…"
But a nagging thought wouldn't leave me alone. "El’s party were fully prepared for this cave," I pondered. "So what happened..."
I paused, memories flashing back. "The elf, when he was drawing or telling me about the Lord-class monster, he was shaking. I dismissed it at the time, but now it seems they clashed with the big bad of this place, and that led to their downfall."
A heavy sigh escaped me. "Great. So there's a bloody boss monster lurking somewhere down here."
I shook my head, trying to push away the creeping dread. "No use freaking out now."
I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the fatigue creeping into my bones.
"Alright, what's next?" I muttered next up was a pendant made of silver-like metal. There were no gems, just a simple silver half-moon attached to a delicate chain.
"Interesting," I mused, turning it over in my hand. The craftsmanship was minimalist but elegant. "Probably not just for show."
Channelling Exira, I focused on the pendant, letting the energy flow through me to read its enchantments. Fragments of intent surfaced in my mind: coolness... light... divine...
"Wait, that's the moon," I realized. "Luna."
I dug deeper: gift... boon... blessings... "Benedictionis," I recalled from Aunt Nora's lessons. "Luna Benedictionis."
"Moon's Blessings Pendant," I whispered. "Must be a buff-type enchantment. Enhances some aspect of the user." Healing? Regeneration? Enhanced reflexes or strength? "Maybe it boosts stealth," I pondered.
"But if that were the case, they'd have used 'Noctis' for the night."
Grabbing my journal, I jotted down the details.
> Item #5: Moon's Blessings Pendant [E] (Luna Benedictionis) [Passive Enchant Type]
"Scribble, scribble," I muttered, the sound of pen on paper oddly comforting.
Setting the pendant aside, I rummaged through the pouch again. Next up was a dark-rimmed monocle with a short chain and a nosepiece. The glass was a thin crystal.
"Hmm," I examined it closely. "The design is minimalist but feels... classy. I love it, though it's neither comfortable nor practical."
I held it up to my eye. "Not for combat, that's for sure," I chuckled. "But I bet it's got some tricks."
"Probably meant to reveal things–tracks, clues, traps," I guessed.
Fumbling with the monocle, I closed my eyes and entered the Pseudo-Attuned State (PAS), letting the intents flow through me.
"...truth... VERITAS? No, too strong. More like reveal... appear... 'Apparere'... yes."
Another intent surfaced: tracks... no, hidden... "Occulta."
"Hu!" I exhaled sharply, exiting the PAS.
"Just as I thought," I said aloud. "This enchantment allows the user to see hidden mundane aspects–locate tracks, find traps"
"Well, that's kinda useless for me," I admitted. "Exira lets me do the same stuff, but maybe this could help me see things from a different perspective."
I noted the entry.
Item #6: Revealing Monocle [E] (Apparere Occulta) [Concentration Enchant Type]
"Damn, only six items in and I already feel drained," I grumbled. "Come on, Lexi, these items are simple. Lowest combinations of enchantments."
I could almost hear Aunt Nora's teasing voice. "She'd sulk hearing I got tired just from this," I muttered with a smirk.
"Hahh," I sighed, wiping away the moisture gathering in my eyes. "No time for that."
Focusing back on the task, I pulled out the next item—a small cylinder. With a light jerk, it elongated to about 30 centimeters.
"A spyglass," I realized.
Peering through the lens—again made of thin crystal—I saw... well, nothing. It was dark, and there was nothing in the cave to zoom in on.
"Huh," I shrugged. "Figures."
I concentrated, sensing enchantments. "Let's see... yeah, this feeling is familiar." The intent surfaced: unbreaking.
"Unbreaking enchant, though it's the lowest tier," I noted. "Well, that's underwhelming."
Spinning the spyglass in my palm, I wondered aloud, "It's the most lackluster enchanted item so far. But it'll be useful once I get out of this godforsaken den and start exploring."
I jotted down the details.
Item #7: Trusty Spyglass [E] (Unbreaking I) [Passive Enchant Type]
"Let's keep going," I encouraged myself.
Next up was another pendant. This one was simpler, made of the same silver-like metal, but without any symbols or gems. Just a plain, smooth surface.
"What's your deal?" I whispered, channeling Exira once more.
Intentions floated up: protection... barrier... shield... "Defendo," I recognized. "But what's the context?"
I concentrated harder. "Defensive enchantment, probably wards off minor attacks or curses."
"Scribble~" I added the new entry.
> Item #8: Protective Pendant [E] (Defendo) [Passive Enchant Type]
"Not bad," I nodded. "Could come in handy."
I leaned back, stretching my sore muscles. "This is taking longer than I thought," I admitted.
I picked up the Warmth Ring and slipped it onto my finger. A comforting warmth spread through my hand.
"That's better," I smiled faintly.
Glancing at the monocle, I decided to tuck it safely into a pocket. "Might as well keep it handy."
“Still a decent amount of gear remaining to appraise…fuuu”
I glanced back once, the fading glow of El's makeshift pyre barely visible.
"Rest easy, El," I whispered. "I'll make sure your sacrifice wasn't in vain."
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