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"Munch... Munch..."
I tore into the dried meat like a ravenous wolf, the salty flavor exploding on my tongue. "Finally," I sighed, leaning back against the cold cavern wall. "Real food, or at least something close to it." I took a swig from my canteen, the water washing down the jerky and soothing my parched throat.
"God, that's better," I muttered, patting my stomach. It wasn't full by any means, but at least the gnawing hunger had subsided a bit.
Days or was it weeks?—had blurred together in this godforsaken cave. No bed, no proper rest, just endless darkness and the constant threat of something nasty lurking around every damn corner.
My muscles ached, a dull throb that never quite went away. Overusing Exira was taking its toll, but what choice did I have? It was either that or end up as some monster's snack.
"Alright, Lexi," I told myself, wiping my hands on my tattered pants. "Time to see what else El left behind."
I eyed the assortment of items spread out before me, my gaze landing on a set of dark clothing–a cloak, shirt, and pants, all lined with fur on the inside. I picked up the cloak, running my fingers over the supple leather.
"Damn, this is nice," I whispered, impressed by the craftsmanship. The material was high-quality, both sturdy and flexible. The shirt and pants matched perfectly, each piece meticulously made.
"Nice," I whispered, impressed by the craftsmanship. The shirt and pants matched perfectly, each piece meticulously made.
Excitement simmered as I closed my eyes and entered the Pseudo-Attuned State (PAS). The intents started to flow.
"...shielding... Aegis?" No, the intent was too vague, too weak.
I delved deeper, staying in PAS. "Think, Alexis, think," I muttered. Protection, maybe?
"Protego," I whispered, and as soon as I formed the word, the connection snapped into place. A soft hum resonated from the cloak.
But there was more. I could feel it. I went deeper, searching for additional enchantments. Filtering out Protego took effort; this was what made enchanting and appraising with PAS so damn difficult.
"Fuuu," I exhaled, concentrating harder. New intents surfaced. Long time... eternal... no... preserving... close.
"Enduring," I murmured. "Perpetua." That constant, unyielding endurance that harmonized with Protego.
"There are still more enchants," I muttered. "Fuuuu."
Taking a deep breath, I threw myself back into the state.
"Hidden... disappearing..." My brow furrowed. "Umbra? No, that’s shadow-related. Occulta? No, doesn’t quite fit."
I pushed deeper. "...Obscuro..."
The connection intensified. "Yes, Obscuro, but it’s incomplete... more of a layering technique..."
I felt a grin form. "This gear just shot up in value with a superimposing enchant."
"Obscuro... what follows?" I racked my brain. "Me...? No."
The intent felt like a layer of Obscuro... Veilum. As soon as the words formed, they snapped into place.
"Obscurio veilum," I whispered.
"Whuu! That’s exhausting." A headache throbbed behind my eyes.
"Now that the big one’s out of the way, the next intents are clearer," I said to myself. "Restituo... Unbreaking."
"Aegis Protego Obscurio veilum Restituo Unbreaking," I recited, the full enchant rolling off my tongue just as a sharp pain knifed through my head.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Heukk!" I gasped, grabbing my temples as the world tilted.
Splashing water over my face, I let the coldness dull the pain. "Fuuu," I breathed out slowly.
"Damn, Aunt Nora warned me about this. Enchanting complex gear isn’t a joke."
I chuckled weakly. "Guess I got too deep into it." Without realizing it, I’d fully attuned the armor, crossing the line from pseudo-attuning. Risks of the PAS method, I reminded myself.
Channeling Exira into the cloak, I was met with a surprise—the shirt and pants shared a link with the cloak.
"It’s a set item," I realized.
A grin spread across my face. "Jackpot."
I grabbed my journal, jotting down the entry with a note about the risks for future reference:
> Item #8 [ARMOR]: Noctis One-Set [E] (Aegis Protego Obscurio veilum Restituo Unbreaking) [Passive Enchant Type]
"Next up, some weapons," I muttered, rubbing my hands together in anticipation.
The longsword was next. It had a gleam to it even in the low light, a solid weight and a perfectly balanced feel. As I lifted it, I could sense quality. "Alright, let’s see what you’re made of."
Closing my eyes, I entered the Pseudo-Attuned State (PAS) again, letting the enchantment’s intentions flow to me. The first to come through was the essence of steel… no, too basic. Ferro–yes, that was steel in the old tongue.
Ferro...and I think …enduring... Durabilis…yeah.
Next intent is it cut…no…Sharpness…I pushed for more…Acutus and it is unbreaking.
"Ferro Durabilis Acutus Unbreaking," I recited under my breath, savoring the sound.
"Decent for an early build," I smirked, making a mental note of its reliability. I jotted down the details in my journal.
> Item #9: Longsword [E] (Ferro Durabilis Acutus Unbreaking) [Passive Enchant Type]
Setting the sword aside, I picked up the shield…
I entered PAS again, and the intentions surfaced quickly.
Protection… shield…yeah that intent should be…Aegis.
Then…huh…big..larger..no…expansion… Expansio.
"Aegis Expansio," I whispered.
An image took shape in my mind–a shield that could switch between a compact bracer form and a full shield at a moment’s notice. When not in use, it would sit comfortably on my forearm. But by my command, it would rapidly expand to provide full coverage.
"Now that’s nifty," I grinned, strapping it onto my forearm. "Compact, efficient, and practical."
I made a note of it in my journal.
> Item #10: Expanding Shield [E] (Aegis Expansio) [Passive Enchant Type]
"Alright, what’s next?" I muttered as I pulled the spear out..
I picked it up, chuckling. "Let me guess, you expand too?" Entering PAS again, I focused on its intents.
hmmm…Piercing… Penetrans….and…Durable… Durabilis.
And finally..oh its expanding… Expansio.
"Penetrans Durabilis Expansio," I whispered.
In my mind’s eye, I saw the rod transforming into a full-length spear, the tip razor-sharp, built for maximum penetration. When not in use, it would compact back into a smaller, easily portable size.
"Noice" I nodded in appreciation, making the final entry in my notes.
> Item #11: Spear [E] (Penetrans Durabilis Expansio) [Passive Enchant Type]
"Well, that’s a solid arsenal,"
"Sigh."
"Guess I’ll have to be extra careful moving forward." At least now, I was better prepared. I glanced down at the armor pieces, feeling a rush of gratitude and something like determination.
"Alright. Time to suit up."
Slipping into the Noctis armor set felt like sliding into a second skin. The cloak settled snugly around my shoulders, the fur lining adding warmth and comfort. The shirt and pants fit perfectly, like they’d been made just for me.
And no sense walking into the unknown without checking what my new gear could do.
Focusing on the shield, I willed it to expand, watching with a satisfied grin as it unfolded into a full-sized shield, the metal gleaming even in the dim light. Retracting it back to bracer form, I flicked the spear sharply. It extended smoothly, forming into a razor-sharp weapon.
"Alright, what's next?" I muttered, eyeing the remaining items laid out before me. My gaze fell upon an elegantly crafted bow, its wood polished to a deep sheen and adorned with intricate carvings.
"Let's see what you're hiding,muwhhhaa" I said, picking it up. The bow felt balanced, almost eager in my hands. Closing my eyes, I entered the Pseudo-Attuned State (PAS) once more.
"Guide... that's 'Dirige'," I whispered as the first intent surfaced. "Speed up... 'Accelerare'." The energies flowed smoothly. "And strike... 'Percute'."
"Dirige Accelerare Percute," I recited softly. An image formed in my mind of arrows flying truer, faster, hitting harder than ever before.
“Yeah good item, it's just that I don’t think I’m any good with a bow..”
> Item #12: Longbow [E] (Dirige Accelerare Percute) [Passive Enchant Type]
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