Book 8: Chapter 14: Upgrades

Book 8: Chapter 14: Upgrades

“So,” Victor said as Dar’s coach pulled away, sending his stomach sinking as it lurched into the sky, “Edeya seems happy.”

“She is! Thanks, Victor, for not mentioning the risks of the ritual. I’ll let her warm up to the idea and put a little distance between us and what I did before I give her those details.”

“Yeah, I figured.” Victor smiled and leaned back, enjoying the comfortable ride; like Dar’s other coach, this one had plenty of room for him at his normal stature. “So you need a new hammer?”

“My current favorite requires a good deal more strength than I can muster. Oh! Speaking of equipment, though, I got you something.” She produced a small, flat, circular stone and handed it over. Victor took it, feeling a slight warmth and a tiny tingle of Energy. It felt good.

“What’s this?”

“I met a girl by the path to the lower-level dungeons. She claimed to have a luck affinity and sold these stones for extra money. “Do you think it’s real? I already gave one to Edeya and Darren.”

“There's definitely something in here.” Victor narrowed his eyes. “Luck, huh? Is that a spirit affinity?”

“You’re asking me?” Lam laughed but nodded and added, “She said it was. I liked the way it felt, and I think mine already brought me some luck. I was rubbing it when I asked Dar to help me.”

Victor chuckled. “Well, thanks, Lam. I won’t turn down a bit of luck.” He tucked the little stone into a pocket. “How about I give you a spell to study? From what I’ve been able to figure out, it’s a courage affinity’s version of Berserk. I don’t use it much, so I only have it at the basic level, but I bet it gets better and better as you improve it.”

Lam leaned close and gripped his wrist in her much smaller hands. “That would be amazing!”

Victor smiled and produced a sheet of paper and one of the magical quills he’d picked up while browsing curio shops. “I have this pattern memorized and could probably draw it blindfolded.” As he began to trace the lines, he continued, “It’s called Heroic Heart. The basic level of the spell will give you immunity to fear effects and make it hard for anyone to affect your mind with spells that might confuse or even control you. Your will is important, of course, but the spell gives you a massive boost to any resistance you put up.”

“That sounds incredible!”

“Yeah, this is the basic pattern I used to create most of my most potent spells; I just try it with different affinities as I gain them. My first was Berserk, then I gained my inspiration affinity and learned to weave that with rage to create courage-attuned Energy. That’s how I figured this one out.”

“So, mixing other spirit affinities can create a different one?”

“Yep! It’s not just mixing, though.” Victor finished the pattern with a flourish. He had to admit that his higher dexterity and intelligence were really starting to show in his control of the pen; his lines were straight, his curves perfectly formed, and his artistic flair matched what he imagined in his mind. He’d added shading and contours without even thinking about it. He handed the sheet to Lam. “When you combine different spirit Energies, you have to use the right weave, which takes some guidance to learn the first few times. I’ll help you, but first, we need to find a second affinity for you.”

Lam took the pattern almost reverently, and her eyes widened as she studied it. “This is so different from the other spell patterns I’ve learned. It resonates with me somehow!”

“It’s meant to use the Energy in your Core, which is now a reflection of your spirit. I bet that’s a lot different than learning spells for generic Energy.” Lam only nodded, her eyes glued on the pattern. “I have a few other spells I should teach you before you go getting into fights. When we get back to the house, I’ll write ‘em out for you, okay?”

Lam nodded, blinking her eyes and laughing, looking away from him. “I’ve been so stupidly emotional ever since the ritual. Thank you, Victor.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. If you think you’re emotional now, wait until I show you what cultivating is all about as a Spirit Caster.” Victor chuckled ruefully. “Be thankful your first affinity isn’t rage.” He left it at that, and Lam was too engrossed in the spell pattern to dig further into his meaning, so Victor sat back and enjoyed the rest of the short ride into the city.

Their first stop was the Sojourn Auction Hall, something he’d heard Cam and Sora talking about during their initial, meandering trip through the ruins toward the stairs of the competitive dungeon. When they arrived and the coachman opened the door, Victor looked at him and asked, “Mister Qwor, should we find another ride back to the lake house?”

“No, sir. My latest instructions are to serve as your coachman until Lord Dar instructs me otherwise. I’ll remain in the vicinity. If I’m forced to move the coach while I wait, simply tap your signet ring three times, and I’ll locate you.”

Victor looked down at his ring and frowned. “It can do that?”

“Oh yes. Three taps for your coach, two to summon a servant in the house. It has other functions, but I’m sure Lord Dar has given you those details.”

“Not exactly.” Victor shrugged, adding it to the list of things to write to Dar about that evening. He nodded to the driver, then turned, joining Lam near the steps leading up to the auction house. “Quite a building.” She only nodded, staring up at the massive, blue-crystal rectangular edifice that soared into the sky before them. The crystalline walls were dark blue at the base, in the shadows of the other towers of Sojourn, but grew progressively lighter as they gained altitude and were exposed to more and more light. Near the top, high in the sky, the building blended with the sky to become almost invisible.

“Incredible,” Lam said, finally gathering herself and looking to Victor to lead the way.

“Right. I’m not sure how this place works. Like, I wonder if there’s always an auction going on or if there’s some kind of listing. Let’s go in and check things out.”

Quite a crowd walked by at the street level, and a constant stream of people climbed the steps to and from the building. Victor had also noticed entrances in the clouds on the crystalline walkways of the elite. “Popular place,” he remarked, nodding to Lam and starting up. When they entered the open archways in the crystal walls, the ambient temperature dropped a few degrees, and the lighting reflected the blue of the structure. It wasn’t a deep, off-putting color but a calming tint that fell on the pale gray marble floors.Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com

Beings of gas and light operated hundreds of kiosks in the big, open hall. They were members of the same alien species Victor had seen in other official capacities around the city. He’d heard Dar mention their species name when they’d had to go to the “inquest” after his dungeon run, but Victor had already filed it away somewhere too difficult to retrieve. He picked a kiosk without a queue and approached, smiling toward the floating, pulsing ball of yellow light.

“Greetings, Sojourner. I am V-eleven. Are you here to access the auction listings?” The creature spoke directly into his mind, or so it seemed, but Lam’s body language indicated she’d heard the voice, too.

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Victor enjoyed watching Lam’s reaction walking around downtown, especially when they stepped into the hall where he’d claimed his prize from the dungeon. Her mouth fell agape, and she marveled at Sojourn’s enormous, massively upgraded System Stone. “Imagine the millions of beads they’ve put into that!” Her neck craned back as she sought the highest point of the stone with her eyes.

“More like billions, I’m pretty sure.” The hall was busier than when he’d come there with Dar. Hundreds of people milled about and moved to and fro, and lines of citizens led up to each side of the stone, waiting for their turn. Victor led the way up to the shortest queue on the far side of the stone, and they waited for their opportunity to interact with it.

They made small talk about spirit Cores, Energy weaves, spell patterns, and how Victor had learned what he knew. He found it sort of cathartic to talk about Gorz and Old Mother. He spent half an hour or more talking about the old Shadeni and how she’d reminded Victor of his own grandmother. When he finally got around to mentioning Khul Bach, though, he felt a surge of guilt and hastily changed the subject; he didn’t want to think about how annoyed the sleeping Degh spirit would be when he finally got around to filling him in on everything that had happened in Sojourn.

When it was his turn to approach the stone at last, Lam accompanied him up to the dark surface with its hundreds of drifting golden runes. He navigated a simplified menu offered to the public until he came to a section titled EXCLUSIVE, SYSTEM-GRANTED EQUIPMENT SETS. He selected the option and found five options:

IRON-RANKED, FIVE-PIECE ARMOR SETIRON-RANKED, TWO-PIECE WEAPON AND ARMOR SETIRON-RANKED, THREE-PIECE ARMOR SETIRON-RANKED, THREE-PIECE JEWELRY SETLUSTROUS SET

“Huh,” Victor said, a little surprised that there were several different sets. Only one option said “five-piece,” so he figured that was the one. He selected it, and a prompt appeared:

Please remove the set piece items from storage and place them before the stone.

Victor did as prompted, pulling out the helmet, belt, gauntlet, boots, and pants and setting them on the smooth marble floor next to the stone. Another System message appeared on the weird, floating display that, apparently, only he could see:

This five-piece armor set can be upgraded with Energy-rich materials and enchantments prior to choosing set bonuses. If you wish to do so, place the materials before the stone.

Victor thought about it for a moment, then dug through his rings until he found the “legendary-tier, magma-attunement gem” and the “master-artisan-grade hide of a lava king” he’d won during the conquest of the Untamed Marches. He set the heavy, incredibly dense, red, smoldering gem on the ground beside the thick roll of supple, deep crimson, mottled leather. Another message appeared:

Analyzing.

“Can it use those treasures?” Lam asked, finally unable to maintain her silent observation.

Victor grinned at her. “I’m about to find out.” He watched the word pulse for several seconds, and then another message appeared:

Lava King Hide is of sufficient Energy density and size to imbue all five items as follows:

Helm of Sojourn: Infused with the resilience of the Lava King: Immunity to fire damage, enhanced density, and rapid damage regeneration.

Belt of Sojourn: Infused with the volatile Energy of the Lava King: Once-daily activation to boost the wearer’s agility and dexterity. Partially infused with the resilience of the Lava King: Immunity to fire damage and rapid damage regeneration.

Gauntlet of Sojourn: Infused with the resilience of the Lava King: Immunity to fire damage, enhanced density, and rapid damage regeneration.

Boots of Sojourn: Infused with the swiftness of the Lava King: Permanent movement speed boost to the wearer. Partially infused with the resilience of the Lava King: Immunity to fire damage and rapid damage regeneration.

Greaves of Sojourn: Infused with the stability of the Lava King: Enhanced stability and balance for the wearer, regardless of terrain. Partially infused with the resilience of the Lava King: Immunity to fire damage and rapid damage regeneration.

Magma Attunement Gem is of sufficient Energy density to imbue one of two items. Please make a choice:

Helm of Sojourn: Flame Control – Channel Energy of any type into this helmet to gain the ability to manipulate and control any existing flames.Gauntlet of Sojourn: Magma Lash – Channel Energy of any type into this gauntlet to create a whip of stable magma, usable as a melee weapon capable of extending to strike even distant enemies.

Once you have made your decision, these items will be imbued, and then you may select and purchase the Sojourn set bonuses.

“Holy shit,” Victor laughed. “I’m about to get some massive upgrades, Lam, but let me run some options by you. I could use a second opinion.”