Sworded Affair

Chapter 39: Hard to Bear

[Select one of the three choices below:

1) Trait - One with Everything: Damage reducing Anima to 0 stops at 1 instead. This effect cannot activate more than once an hour.

2) Trait - One with Nothing: 1% chance for your first blow on each enemy to apply the Status effect: Instant Death.

3) Item - One of a Kind: Obtain a random item that belonged to an aspirant who died challenging Scholomance.]

“Okay, these level ups are definitely turning weirder over time,” Emma shook her head, before pausing as a thought crossed her mind. “When you say aspirant, does that only include deaths in the first ten floors, or across the whole tower?”

[Everyone across all 30 floors of Scholomance is referred to as an aspirant whilst undergoing a trial. Keep in mind though, that even if every item ever lost is theoretically possible to obtain, you’re still much more likely to get something from the first 10 floors; looking across history, the number of aspirants for the first trial dwarfs the subsequent two, many times over.]

“Makes sense,” Emma agreed, smiling ruefully. “Amal mentioned that there were plenty of practitioners back in the day, so these trials probably only cover the basics. I'm sure earning the title of Magus or Master was likely far more difficult. With that in mind..."

Whilst the idea of rolling the dice remained very tempting, Emma ultimately ruled out the third option; despite having the highest ceiling by far, the sheer number of items involved meant she was far more likely to get an aspirant’s glasses or hat, than she was an artifact of ancient power. The second option had a similar problem with its close relationship to random chance; the activation couldn't be controlled nor was there an option to switch it off. Emma could already see it activating the one time she wanted to bring down a target alive. All things considered, she decided to opt for what was perhaps the weakest, but by far the most reliable choice on the list.

[Trait - One with Everything selected!]

“Now that that’s settled, how do I get to the next floor?” Emma wondered, feeling no different after the upgrade as she looked around for the path forward.

With the floor's challenge concluded, the plains were already regenerating with remarkable alacrity; floodwater, ashes, rubble and more all vanishing, the battlefield reverting back to the idyllic paradise of before as though the events of the trial had been merely a dream. Perhaps responding to Emma’s prompting, a familiar passageway opened up on the floor in front of her, the first steps of a staircase heading back below.

Sir Bearington, take the stairs, Emma ordered, wary of another trick being played on her after recent events.

Sir Bearington came bounding over from the hill hosting the Air pillar; now part of her Broadcast function, there was no further need for convoluted, pre-planned signals to enable long-distance communication between them. Of course, being smarter than the average bear didn’t make him any smaller than one; making what was an easy walk for Emma prove rather challenging for a being of his bulk. Sir Bearington faced quite the squeeze as he attempted to navigate the spiral staircase; he seemed to make it work however, even managing to take a few steps down before being halted by a prismatic barrier that sprung up in front of him.

[No animals allowed in the library!]

“This could be a problem,” Emma frowned, reading the familiar message, as she placed her hand on Sir Bearington’s back.

[Inventory error: Insufficient Anima synchronization.]

Sure enough, she had no more luck storing a living creature in her inventory than she did before, leaving her stuck.

“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to seal him again?” Emma asked aloud. “Either that, or explaining how Anima synchronization works?”

Silence greeted her questions, and as a minute passed it became clear the overseer wasn’t going to give her any freebies. A few fruit trees sprouted from the ground however, apples, plums and pears the size of her head hanging from the branches, perfect for a wild animal to snack on.

“So, this is a problem,” Emma acknowledged, rubbing the bear’s side. “Since I have no idea what it would take to fit you in my inventory, I figure we have two choices here. One option is we leave you here, in your own artificial paradise with plenty of food to live off of, while I continue the rest of the trial I’ll try and come back for you once I have a way to get you out, though I've no promises how long that might take.”

Sir Bearington shook his head rapidly, raising two front paws to wrap Emma in a hug.

“Okay, okay, clearly not a fan of that option then,” Emma laughed. “The alternative is that I fully integrate you into my System. That way, I can bring you wherever I want; but if I do it, you’re stuck with me for life; there’ll be no going back to how it was before, ever. So what do you think? Last chance to let go if you’d rather stay here.”

Sir Bearington didn't reply except by hugging her even tighter, making his opinion on the matter clear. Even so, Emma gave him plenty of time; a full minute counted down slowly in her head, during which his grip didn’t slacken in the slightest. At last, Emma nodded once, touched by her companion’s loyalty and resolve, before raising Epitaph in a two-handed reverse grip and burying it in his eye. A pulse of Death magic instantly followed, withering his brain away to nothing in the most painless death Emma could manage with her current capabilities; his body fading away into nothing as the System took effect.

[Sir Bearington - Level 4 slain.

5 EXP gained.

Weapon Enhancement - No Pal of Mine updated!

Capture the soul of the slain, creating a simulacrum identical in strength and fully obedient. Maximum 1 active per 10 levels, rounding up.

The Leech King - Level 8 (ACTIVE)

Sir Bearington - Level 4]

“Good, it worked,” Emma breathed a sigh of relief, as she dismissed The Leech King as well for good measure. “I was fairly sure it would, given he had a Level according to the System, but I couldn't be sure until now.”

The deed done, Emma stared at her blade for a while, contemplating the first time she was forced to slay someone she’d rather have spared but for the circumstances.

“I’m not a big fan of this feeling,” Emma decided at last, as she summoned Sir Bearington back to her side; slightly paler but otherwise identical as he ambled up beside her. “But I guess it’s fine, all things considered. You’re still here with me, after all, and now we’ll never be apart again.”