Finally time came for Sunny to show the Memories he has to present. It didn't came without anticipation. These days Nephis didn't receive many useful Memories. It wouldn't be fair to say there were none, but the number paled in comparison to what she used to obtain when she was a Master. And the carpets of slayed monsters could cover a quarter of Bastion. It was as if the Spell wanted to tell her she shouldn't pursue the power that comes with Memories. Too many too good Memories would make her borrow power instead of growing stronger.
Not that she liked this notion. What's wrong with cutting your enemies with sharp, durable, swords? How bestowing her a decent storage Memory would hamper her growth?
She didn't like the idea of listening to Spell's advice so much.
"Ladies, and gentlemen, Brilliant Emporium presents today exceptional products! Our craftsmen worked relentlessly to feed your eyes, while the sharpest minds of our not so little anymore company, worked days, and nights to design their profound enchantments. They're made of the highest quality materials, and produced with the most profound methods humanity has to offer. All to deliver dependable tools that perhaps even Anvil himself wouldn't be ashamed of using."
Sunless started bragging about his capabilities with annoying confidence. Taken into account he has already shown things that could put some Valor's enchanters to shame, it can have some merit.
But couldn't he be more reserved?
"The first to show will be a storage Memory. Among us only Saint Jet might be familiar enough with its incredible usefulness. Sometimes the best kind of material at first look might seem to be rough, and unworthy, but that shouldn't cloud your judgment. Even a mere boulder can kill it."
Aiko came close to me, and touched my hand. I received a Memory.
"White-Eyed Boulder, it's quite an unusual name. What does it?"
"It's a great storage Memory. It comes in the default shape of a chest made of stone, but it can be customized to your likes. The most important… well, it's a chest. But not just a chest! The capacity of this chest is not only great, but also grows proportional to the capacity of your cores."
Nephis was shocked. It was the thing she dreamt about a moment ago. There was some strange, but pleasant feeling about this. Also the passion of that man was burning surprisingly brightly. So much it outshined even Cassie.
Without hesitation she summoned the chest. As he said it was made of stone. It looked really heavy, and was decorated with a fancy pattern of white crystals.
Inside there was a was space, a space so vast that she could store practically everything there. The only thing she think about this space was that it was overwhelming. She would like to possess a way to carry food with her without bothering about bags, their volume, and weight. But the storage was as big as multiple chambers. She could practically try to make herself a bedroom inside.
"It's satisfying. Very satisfying. I can't overstate how much it will improve Fire Keepers' performance."
"Good, because if we're at this I would like to ask you for something. If you'll come to slay some creature with very unique attributes, please, store its body inside. At least I won't be looking for materials alone."
Nephis nodded.
"I will."
"Now… number two, a gift made for Lady Cassia, and Nephis together."
Aiko summoned a decorative pedestal. The pedestal… there was nothing special about it. Suddenly he placed two pendants on it. They were made of some golden metal.
"The pendants… I insist you shouldn't show it just to anyone, but for you two it should hold exceptional utility. Cassie, and Nephis aspire to improve their sorcery, and both their schools involve invoking names, like True Names. I'm sure you know what it means. To invoke a name, Shaper has to speak it out, but that comes with various problems. It's hard to pronounce. The pendants can speak aloud your thoughts. I'm not sure if it works with your sorcery, but it should have some didactical potential to let you know how the name sounds without having to break your tongue over it. Unfortunately while wearing it you cannot control if it speaks."
He handed the pendants, and revealed another Memory. This one was a set of leather armor. The armor was black, and the leather held a unique aquatic pattern.
"This one… it's made specifically for Saint Jet. I put some thought into it, and came to realization that Jet, while having a great weapon, she lacks proper protection. I've decided to fill in. The leather comes from the hide of a Supreme Beast, which means that even without enchantments this piece should be very durable. But that's not all."
"First of all I know you don't like shiny things so I enchanted it to be black, and not give any shine. There are also two enchantments that can be summarized very shortly: Something to make it light, and something to make it durable. But there's one enchantment that should pick your attention. It's a variation on an old enchantment I know. Basically the armor is a reservoir of essence produced by itself. The reservoir can be accessed by its master in a form of great physical enhancement , but only under one condition. The master has to be at death's door."
Sunny had to know about Jet's flaw. She is basically dead. Not really, but she's dead-like, which means she's a death's door all the time! She doesn't even have to find herself being in a dire situation to benefit from it. The armor is basically perfect for her, and exploits her flaw! Edthought it's entirely supreme. The advantage is it won't consume any of your own essence. Before you ask, yes, I killed some. It's a chore to go through, and I don't recommend this way of living."
Nephis then remembered a Great Beast she killed herself. It wasn't beyond what Saint could achieve, but fighting such an enemy was terrible. Even her, a Transcendent Titan, experienced a significant gap in power. Fighting such a creature felt like gambling against a cheater.
"Beyond that it will add you a few points in style. You won't have to fight in your military uniform anymore. Name? [Unyielding Vanity]."
She heard some whispers between Kai, and Effie. Julius… for him it was just a series of shocks.
"We're going to the next one. Do you remember any time when you saw a Nightmare Creature, and wanted to stick something pointy into its… whatever vital organs it possesses? Now you can!"
He summoned a steel spear. Very simple, except for the head which looked yellow. The temperature in the room rose a bit.
"This spear is enchanted for durability, sharpness, and fire re… it would be more accurate to not call it a resistance, but rather an offensive. It turns heat surrounding the user, and kinetic impact of the spear into a specific kind of power that can be spent either to unleash a destructive wave of fire from its tip, but it could also be turned into gradual augmentation to the spear. If you stick that into a bastard, and unleash… Let's say it'll become a one-time dragon. So a spear, and a dragon in a price of a spear. The best part is that as a Supreme Memory of Third Tier not only extend, and retract, cause it has such enchantments, but has a quality that till now was reserved only for the creations of the Spell. The spear can become larger with the user allowing it to reach the size worthy of a giant. Don't even ask how I obtained so much blessed steel."
It was clear that the weapon was intended to be fuelled with kinetic impacts that Effie would produce during her battle in her transcendent form. That way it would synergize with her Aspect very well.
"As for the name, I went with [Fiery Kiss]. At this point we don't have to mention the Memory was crafted specifically for Effie. Effie, I hope it will help you develop your Battle Arts"
Sunless knew that Effie lacked a spear that could keep up with her transformation ability, which posed a problem, and prevented her from unleashing devastation.
"Can I bake meat with that?it?"
"Much of it could turn into charcoal, or even ashes."
"But is it possible?"
"Yes…"
Sunny put a hand on his forehead, while Effie happily took her expensive cooking gadget with apparent gratitude.
"Words can't express how great it is. I can fight, and at the same time cook meat! It will lessen the burden of feeding me."
Somehow Effie sound entirely sincere despite how wrong it sounds to say such things about a spear. Well, at least it would be put to good use, and the impact would be positive.
"Next… forgive me the lack of creativity, princess, but it's basically the same, in the form of a sword."
A sword? For me? Nephis already had a very powerful sword. She didn't feel like lacking any. Well, she will always accept something comparably good. In the worst case she can always give it to Cassie or some of her followers.
"The sword is able to change its length, turn surrounding heat, contact with fire, and impact into a reservoir of fire energy that can be used either as augmentation, or a fuel for direct destruction. I need to point out that the augmentation applied on the weapon applies to all its enchantments allowing it to absorb more over time, which makes it possible to further the augmentation. The power of the spear can grow in this cycle as long as the user can keep up with growing consumption."
But she guessed it would be a grave sin to leave the sword in the hands of someone else. She can produce very potent flames, and every time she applies it in combat there's a lot of heat around. Now what if all that heat was repurposed? The suggestion was that the sword was forged with the intention to optimize the use of her aspect. And her flames can empower Memories instead of damaging them.
Kinslayer is a great, and very versatile weapon that can copy many damaging factors, allowing her to add poison, acid, soul attack, fire, ice, lightning, whatever she had on that weapon. Unfortunately that weapon was modified by Anvil, and she couldn't refuse that. Therefore now it's a part of Anvil's Domain. When the time comes it has to be dismissed, maybe even destroyed..
However new weapon will be also very limited in it use. It's very important so Anvil can't lay his hand on it. Maybe she could pretend it's not the sword but her Shaping?
"...[Fiery Heft]."
She gladly took it, and performed a few movements to test how it feels in hand. Then he revealed another piece. It was a brown jacket made of some kind of wool. Jacket looked like something she could be wearing during autumn. It couldn't be ordinary wool. Sunless explained some principles of his sorcery, and it requires potent materials. He probably made an order for a good artisan.
"I also have a few different things, also for the princess. I crafted a garment that eases mental fatigue. Technically it's armor, but it's unsuitable to use in a combat situation. Pain is a thing of mind, and therefore the exhaustion that it brings concerns mind. This Memory is potent enough to make Aiko fully rested after an hour of sleep. Not sure if it will help with the pain."
Probably it won't help too much. The pain she feels comes directly from her aspect, which is one of the corners of her being. Removing it is pretty much like removing her aspect. At the beginning she tried some things, but no amount of sedatives, and anesthesia could save her from the excruciating pain. At most she will get over it faster, which isn't bad, yet it still feels hopeless.
"At first, I intended it to repeat the same enchantment seven times. Don't laugh at me, Cassie. It worked nicely! Only recently I've figured out how I can make it more optimal, a whole that is greater than just a sum of its parts. It does nothing else. Only a tool of mental recovery, but it does that one thing exceptionally well."
Nonetheless the gift was probably still one of the best things she could get. She looked at the passion of the young man. It burned brightly. There had to be a mysterious reason for that. She was starting to get curious.
The presentation soon ended. There were some other minor Memories, Sunless wanted to show. For example a fridge, a stove, a cooking pot, yes, a cooking pot. What is this guy thinking?Then everyone left to enjoy their time with Fire Keepers Nephis found Sunny leaving.
"Wait. Stop."
"What's the matter?"
"Now, we're alone I have to ask you something. I've been seeing the passion of many men, but yours is especially strong. What's more strange, it seems to be directed for me."
"Princess, are you sure you want to bring this up? It's not dangerous, and it doesn't involve my past that much, but I'll still be forced to be direct."
"I'm ready. So tell me. Why?"
He sighed, and looked at Nephis disturbingly openly, with a delicate hint of sadness.
"I think it's that I'm in love with you. It's a very strong feeling. Nothing strange, it's flashing brightly."