The three gold accessories were laid out in front of Mia on the wooden floor ,she had previously saved, and was set on finding out which one does what. She hoped for something that was useful for her but given the last two… her expectations were low.
She started with the necklace, since the last necklace was a positive without any curses, maybe this one would prove more useful to her?
[I will say, this is a horrible idea.]
“How come?” Mia asked, hovering the necklace above her head.
[The previous owner for these tools was an assassin, the slave collars and the ring obviously were used to capture people.]
“Where they? The necklace gave ice resistance.” They couldn’t be all bad, especially if he was wearing some of them.
[If you get something that seals your time powers, or worse, makes you unable to use them, you can get stuck for an undetermined amount of time.]
“But then after I can just load again.” She didn’t get what the problem was, if something was blocking her power she just had to kill herself to force a load.
[…are you familiar with the saying “A fate worse than death”?]
“But I can just die.” She still didn’t get it, eventually she would die, and then be back here. It’s not like she is facing another monster that can remember saves or anything.
[Ok. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.]
“Whatever.” She put on the necklace and channeled magic into it. Checking her status.
- Golem Necklace: Provides a modest boost to controlled golems
“Useless.” She huffed “So the guy used golems?” she took off the necklace, tossing it a random direction “Ok, necklace not cursed, first ring.” She slipped the ring on.
[Mia, reconsider.]
“Already on my finger.” She then channeled magic into it, not feeling any different “----?!” she tried to speak, but found she was unable to, she checked her status to see the ring causing this.
- Silenced Ring, Curse of Silenced: Forced status {Silence}, wearer is unable to speak, cast spells, or make any sound.
“…” she raised her hand, trying to summon ice but nothing happened, she tried to manipulate her mist and the same issue ‘Cool…’
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[Told you.]
‘this is hardly a fate worse than death.’ Mia shook her head, loading to get the damned thing off her.
“Didn’t even stop me from loading.” She mocked “So, 1 good one, another cursed.” She picked up the one remaining ring and slipped it on, then, nothing. She sat there, motionless.
[Mia?]
“…” she did not answer, not even in her thoughts.
[Well, you are breathing at least.]
No response.
[Let’s see if this is even remotely recoverable. Testing to see if you can hear and or respond…Mia blink twice if you can hear me.]
Mia blinked twice in rapid succession.
[Ok, one blink is no, two is yes, do you understand?]
Mia blinked twice.
[Ok…the big one… are you in there? Are you thinking?]
One blink.
[Fuck.] there was a pause as Ami thought [Can you open your status?]
Two blinks, and Mia opened her status, displaying it for Ami to see.
[Yeah, that will do it.]
- Ring of the puppet, Curse of the controlled: Turns the wearer into a mindless puppet who will follow any commands they hear.
[Well, good job Mia, if you are conscious somewhere under all of that. A fate worse than death, give yourself an applause.]
Mia started clapping, following the command.
[Alright, let’s fix this. Load slot 3 Mia.]
Ami waited, but nothing happened.
[Mia, Load slot 3.]
Again, nothing happened.
[Great, can’t use your skills. I would do it myself, but I don’t want to risk that thing affecting me through your body. That would be bad.]
[Well, sorry Mia, no other choice, least painful way…screw it, nothing in here to make this easy. Mia, bite off your finger with the ring on it.]
Mia wordlessly obliged, chomping down on her finger and going to work, seemingly unaffected by the pain shooting through her body.
[It was either this or jumping off the ship. The crew would stop you the other way…and using anything in here won’t have enough power to finish you off. At least this way you’ll learn not to-]
Mia spat out her own finger, her mind flickering to life and then immediately being flooded with pain. She shakingly looked down, her finger gushing out a steady stream of blood “I-i-i-i-i-“ she screamed, clenching through the pain, she loaded.
She gripped her hand, now not missing any fingers “W-what the fuck Ami…”
[I didn’t think you’d get to the deck to jump off, or if you did, someone would save you. And you are not a fan of drowning.]
She spat onto the floor, still tasting some blood in her mouth “Do you have any idea how much that hurts!” she could still feel that entire process, and the shock from when everything all came back.
[So you were vaguely aware?]
“Yes! Jerk!” she flopped onto her back, breathing heavily “It was like being in the void, but, not…with the void there is, well, void….but there it was nothing…”
[So, what have we learned today?]
“…” She groaned “Don’t put on magic items that belonged to an assassin.”
[No, don’t put on magic items that have not been identified yet.]
“…”
[MIA!]
“…I mean…”
[No risking it!]
“It was kind of fun finding out.” Mia considered; she’d had worse experiences.
[I am not bailing you out next time.]
“Ok.” She was sure it would have worked out, eventually. Besides, it was a strange rush not knowing if she was going to get cursed or not.
[…should have made her suffer a bit more…]
“Hrm? Say something?”
[No.]
Mia shrugged, picking up the rings, noting which was which, and shoving them into her pocket, maybe she could find some use for them, but for now she brought her attention to the next most important thing.
The bundle of sandwiches.