ALL NOVEL 66: Rings of the Abyssal Lurker
[Rings of the Abyssal Lurker, Uncommon Set-Artifact (3/3)
Ring of the Phantom Strider: Passively influences all sentient lifeforms in a twenty five meter radius, misdirecting all attention directed towards the wearer. The strength of the misdirection is dependent upon the wielder’s Mental and Proprioception Stat compared to the target’s.
Ring of Twisted Blood: Automatically coats any weapon in physical contact with the wielder with a thin layer of blood toxin that saps away at the target's stamina and endurance upon making contact with the enemy’s flesh.
May not work on all Phantasmal Archetypes and/or entities that surpass the wearer’s Physical Stat.
Ring of Stoneform: Allows the wearer to bring forth the Aura of Stoneform once a day, granting them greatly reduced damage from blunt force attacks and moderately reduced damage from piercing attacks for five minutes.
Set effect when all three rings are worn together: Boosts the effects of uncommon ranked cards by 15% and common ranked cards by 35%]
“Well?” Aleph directed the question towards Tom, the amusement in her voice palpable. “Regretting your magnanimity now, Sir Synrak?”
“No,” Tom replied, his tone steady as he took the false name he had given Aleph in stride. “Though Aleph, that’s really quite….,” he found himself at a loss for words, still processing the Artifact’s specifications.
“It’s not an Uncommon Card,” Aleph began. “It’s not, but it may as well be the next best thing. I haven’t felt this… powerful in a while,” She admitted with a soft wistfulness, as the three rings, each inlaid with a different colored gem, glinted on her left hand’s fingers.
Tom sensed the heaviness in the air, allowing himself a deep exhalation as his gaze flickered towards the exit that had opened up at the end of the third auditorium.
“Well, since we got what we came here for, let’s get out of this hell pit,” Tom finally allowed his exhaustion to influence his psyche. He was tired, caked in Abyss Demon blood and in that moment, wanted nothing more than a warm bath and a clean bed.
“Yeah. It’s been a long day.”
“So,” Aleph began, her voice leisurely as she lay on the solitary cot that was tucked away in the north-eastern corner of their cozy little hideout. “You want to sneak into the Noble District,” she stated matter-of-factly, as if his exaggerated request was merely a task on a list to accomplish.
“Yes,” Tom replied simply.
“Let me reiterate. You want to go back to the place you stole from, knowing full well that they’ll be on guard for you? There are as many cards in circulation as there are stars in the night sky and the Noble Families of Renovia certainly have enough Deck Cards that can pierce through illusions, even without counting their extravagant wealth in artifacts and elixirs.”
“I do,” Tom answered calmly, the facade of composure he was maintaining on the surface doing well to belie the churning anxiety he felt welling up in his gut.
“Why?” Aleph threw her hands up in the air in mock exasperation. “If you get caught, they’ll interrogate you until they find out wherever it is that you came from. I’ll be as exposed as you are if that happens, you do know that right?”
“I know, Aleph. But I-,” Tom tried to explain.
“Surely,” Aleph cut him off as she sat up, giving him an odd look. “Surely you’re not smitten enough with me that you’re willing to sacrifice your life, are you?”
Tom’s cheeks flushed hot at the unexpected retort.
“No,” Tom finally regained his composure with a dry cough. “Well, I don’t dislike you but that’s not the reason why I would voluntarily step behind enemy lines and risk being tortured until they wring out every last shred of valuable information they can get out of me, Aleph,” He matched the jest for a jest, though his expression gradually turned serious.
“I need to make preparations,” Tom finally admitted. “Tonight, I’ll slip out of the hideout and… I can’t have you following me.”
Aleph raised an eyebrow in challenge at those words.
“I’ll know, Aleph. You may be exceptionally skilled and powerful, but you’re not built for stealth,” Tom’s tone was soft but firm, already having decided on the matter.
“And why should I comply?” Aleph met his demand with an almost icy tone.
“For both your safety and mine,” He answered. “I don’t intend to get caught, but if I do… the less you know about me the safer it is for you. And I swear, to the Divine System if need be, that those words are not a lie.”
Those words seemed to placate the fiery Fallen Noble, if only a little. The system didn’t punish those who swore falsehoods in its name, though Artezian culture seemed to consider it a supremely bad omen to do so.
“It is not for me to stop you,” Aleph’s voice was slow and dignified, tinged with what Tom could only glimpse as a hint of melancholy. “Though I will not aid you in a mission that is likely to end in your death or….worse.”
“Tomorrow,” Tom replied, his voice echoing a steely confidence that his past self back on Earth would be astonished at.
“Tomorrow, I shall give you reason enough to trust me. Enough to believe that I’ll be able to pull this off,” Tom declared, the certainty he heard in his own tone somehow lessening the anxiety he felt.
“Just one day?” Aleph asked, her gaze conveying her astonishment. “You just need one day to prepare for a heist in the Noble District?”
Tom’s lips slowly curled into a cheeky smile at her exclamation.
“Yep,” He nodded. “Just a day. So…. will you trust me?”
“You are Renovia’s one and only master thief. I see no reason to deny you a chance— if you truly prove your methods to me tomorrow, as you have promised to, then yes— I have a way into the Noble District.”