Chapter 358: Selia and Ryun

Chapter 358: Selia and Ryun

Great Work

The shrine was emanating Essence constantly, and the air around them was cold. Of course, that cold was not actually the Essence it created, it was just the effect it had on their surrounding. The Absolute Cold sought to bring everything to a state of no movement, absence of heat or motion. It cooled the air around them, but the cold never really bothered Selia anyway.

They got ready to start, Ryun pulled out his anvil and hammer, and Selia focused on her domain. She didnt bring it into reality fully, only halfway. Just enough that she could project their design over the anvil, give Ryun a visible blueprint to work off.

He placed a wooden table nearby, then pulled out their materials. A bar of Hallirentom ore, then bottles of refined Essence, Soul, Death, Life, Cold. She still marveled at the fact that Zenker had so much of everything. She had heard that drakes liked to hoard, but she never really imagined something like that.

He looked over at her.

You ready?

Selia nodded. Holding the domain was a strain, but she knew that helping him shape Essence and try to put in their intent into it would be far harder.

Ryun took the small bar of ore, separated it in two, then placed one part of it on the anvil that had stars shining within it. Within moments the metal started to heat up as the Anvil of Stars exerted its influence. Then he slammed the hammer on top of it. The light winked out for a moment, and the stars on the anvil and hammer flashed with light. The bar of metal changed, shaping itself into a circle. Each strike made it thinner, until it was about the size of her open hand. A small round disk, slightly bent, a talisman.

They had thought about a lot of things, armor, weapons, but as they talked about what they wanted it to do they settled on a simple talisman. Well, not simple at all with everything they wanted it to do. With every strike, he tried to prepare the metal, add to it his intent, lay the groundwork for the effects that they wanted. She saw complete concentration in him, unlike any time they had done this before.

She felt it in herself too. They were in tune. A soft thrum was passing through her head, through their bond, she felt his heartbeat as if it was her own, beating as one. Their thoughts narrowed into a singular purpose, and through their bond she knew exactly what he wanted, and he knew exactly what she did. There were no secrets between them, no barriers, they acted as two halves of a single being. Their perks activated, not of their own volition, yet it was a completely natural thing.

Their auras mixed and narrowed down to just the shrine and their grand work.

She reached out to the refined Essence on the table, first Soul. She pulled it out of its container, then brought it over to the anvil, placing it over the talisman as Ryun brought his hammer down. She poured all her intent into it, the desire for the item to bond with a soul, the ideas that they wanted it to embody, the things that they wanted it to do. He hit it again, doing the same thing, she could almost feel his thoughts, flowing from him the same way they were from her, completely in sync, feeding the Essence in front of them. Intent and thought, their care and will, their spirit combined spirit.

Ryun raised his hammer, and in the same breath Selia moved, their mind as one. She used her inscription tools and carved a simple formation into the Soul Essence enrichened metal. As she finished the hammer came down. It was almost as if they were in a dream, dancing, moving as one being. Something deep inside of her stirred, almost like memories of something from long ago, but then their combined will carried them forward.

She saw them on the floor, and her eyes widened and her mouth opened in an oh shape.

She is tired, Ryun said, and nearly stumbled over his words. He was far worse off than he initially thought.

Erdanias expression turned soft, and she walked over to them, kneeling next to them. She reached over and moved an errant lock of Selias hair from her face to behind her ear with a gentle smile on her face. Then, she sat down, leaning against both of them.

Did you do it? She whispered.

Ryun grabbed the talisman from his other side and then offered it to her. She took it and looked at it for a long minute. Then, finally, she offered it back.

Thats impressive, and it is beautiful too. I can see her touches, Erdania whispered as he took it from her. What are you going to name it? she added.

Ryun looked at for a long moment. Perhaps Selia shouldve had some input into it, but Ryun felt like she would probably leave it to him. The talisman was in a way an inheritance from the smith whose memories Ryun had experienced. It was still not what the smith wanted, an item that could grow, but it was a step. After a few minutes of thinking he made a decision.

Spiritual Tool Inheritance of Deaths Embrace

Requirements: Cultivator; Immortal Realm; Absolute Cold Aspect; Glimpse of Aspect;

Trait: Soulbound; Bodybound;

Stats: +10 to all base stats; +200 to all stats

Effects: The Talisman will activate when the one bound with it is near death, keeping them alive at deaths door and preventing their soul from leaving the body for 30 seconds. After the time runs out the Talisman will rapidly heal the bound to full. The Talisman can be used as a focus for Absolute Cold Essence, increasing its effectiveness by 20%. The Talisman can be activated manually to bring the user from full health to near death instantly.

Cost: Soul strain when used. Cooldown until the soul and Life Essence reserves are restored to full.

Yes, that fit with it nicely. He hoped that Kri was going to like it. And that Anrosh doesnt kill him when he gives it to her.