Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

"You need to weave your aspects through the sapphire and into the dagger. Right now, you only have one aspect; that is why you are failing."

I shake my head, clenching my fists and sucking in an annoyed breath. Frustration builds within me like pressure in a sealed vessel. We have been at this for hours, and I feel no closer to success than when we started.

"I need my hands! You are telling me I have to be holding the dagger and the sapphire. I cannot weave and do that."

Fred shakes his massive head, his polished tusks catching the lamplight as they sway with the motion.

"How did you get that notion? You do not need your hands; all you need is your willpower."

I scowl, but try again. I take hold of the weaves and begin to thread them through the sapphire and then into the dagger. Except as soon as I begin, the weaves fall from my grasp. It is as if I am trying to pick up a thread with just my lips and sew that way. It does not help that the blasted gem heats up in my hands, and the air begins to smell like burnt hair. Frederick sighs, seeing my trouble.

"I am no mage, lad, but you are too focused on this idea of needing your hands. You keep focusing on this idea, and you are going to continue to have problems. Let go of that notion and just focus on what you want the weaves to do."

I try to take Fred's advice and let go of the idea that I need my hands. It does not work, as I get the message.

You have failed to enchant Apprentice Iron Dagger.

The crimson river in my Domain churns with my frustration, the liquid becoming turbulent and agitated. I squash the urge to throw up my hands or hurl the dagger across the tent.

"Why can I not use my hands? Can you tell me that?" My voice comes out sharper than intended.

Fred actually chuckles a bit, which makes me a little more annoyed than I already am. The orc finds my predicament amusing!

"Because the dagger and the gem need to be as close to your Domain as possible, which means touching you. In addition, all of your focus needs to be on the weaves and what you want them to do. What you are doing right now is trying to split your focus; it is fine for weaving a spell, but enchanting is not the same."

I growl, clenching my hands around the objects. The sapphire feels cool against my palm, while the iron dagger's hilt is worn smooth from handling. Sighing, I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm the turbulence in my Domain.

Then I ask my second question, "If I put points in mind, would that make it easier?"

Fred shakes his head, his blue eyes patient despite my frustration.

"That is not how attributes work. Putting points in mind does not make you any more intelligent or focused in that regard; it simply serves as a way to balance power in the ways we talked about before. I am afraid there are no shortcuts, lad."

I sigh, resigning myself to it. This is going to take time, whether I like it or not.

---

I am unable to enchant a dagger for more than a day and a half. I sleep on a pallet with soft blankets and pillows that Fred put in his tent for me. The comfort is welcome, but I cannot fully enjoy it. I feel like I am falling behind, having gained no other levels or made much progress at all in that day and a half.

During a break, I check my attributes, curious about the points I have accumulated.

You have two attribute points available for use. Which attributes would you like to increase, and by how much?

I consider my options carefully. Will has been helpful so far, allowing me to create and maintain weaves. Mind seems important for what I am trying to accomplish with enchanting. I give my answer to the Judge and get the following prompt:

You have increased your will from 15 to 16. You have increased your mind from 11 to 12.

I am not sure if that has been the best choice to make, but it seems like a good decision to me. Now I am still trying to enchant this dagger, and it is proving difficult. I keep failing, and each failure seems to make it even harder. I know I am expecting to fail, and that is affecting me. It is not until I decide to expect to succeed that something changes.

As I sit cross-legged on the floor of Fred's tent, the dagger and sapphire in my hands, I realize I am looking at this wrong.

I am trying to grab my Domain aspects, and that thought of grabbing sets me to wanting to use my hands. This starts me off poorly for what I am trying to do. Furthermore, the process tires me out. At one point, I receive the prompt:

Your mana is critically low.

Mana? What is that? I ask Fred about it.

"What mana actually is is complicated and studied by scholars. I am but a simple smith, as I have said, lad." Fred strokes his tusk thoughtfully. "However, if you were to say that mana is the energy that comes from your Domain and makes up your weaves, not many would disagree with you. There are mana potions that will restore your mana, though I recommend simply resting, and it will restore in time on its own."

I nod at his answer. I have to think about this differently.

The next morning, feeling refreshed, I try a new approach. Instead of thinking about grabbing the mana, I immerse myself in it like one might immerse themselves in a hot bath. I let that river of crimson liquid I think of as blood run over me while I sink my mind into that nothingness of destruction. I allow all of it to encompass me, surrounding me completely.

A memory flickers—a woman's voice speaking softly: "Let it come to you, Jackson. Don't force it." The context is gone, but the advice remains.

I direct the aspects, imagining them doing what I want. The weaves respond, flowing through the sapphire and into the dagger, just as I intend. The gem glows with an inner light, and the dagger's blade takes on a subtle crimson sheen.

I finally get the message I have been waiting for. I whoop and pump my fist, which is holding the dagger in the air.

You have successfully enchanted the Apprentice Iron Dagger! It is now an Apprentice Iron Dagger of Lifestealing. Congratulations! Your Enchanting Skill (Apprentice Level 1) has increased to (Apprentice Level 2)!

Lifestealing? I wonder what that means. I analyze the dagger.

This is an apprentice Iron Dagger of Lifestealing. The life-stealing enchantment gives you a small portion of any slain target's health. The target must be slain by the dagger.

Fred pokes his head in and grins, his tusks gleaming in the lamplight. "Well now, lad, I take it you finally succeeded?"

I smile widely and flourish the dagger, presenting it to him. Fred looks at it, and his mouth falls open and his eyes widen. His voice is a little hushed.

"Lad... Your Domain has a blood aspect."

I nod, not understanding his reaction. "Why? Is that a big deal too?"

Fred nods mutely. Then he shakes his head to clear it and closes his mouth before clearing his throat and speaking.

"Blood is an exceptionally rare aspect indeed, lad. How many do you think have it?"

I shrug; I have not given any of it a whole lot of thought. The river of crimson liquid in my Domain pulses as if in response to being discussed.

"Probably not many," I reply.

Fred chuckles, but there is a strange note to his laughter. "Probably not many is right. When you are enchanting something, the item you enchant always takes on an enchantment that is related in some way to your Domain aspects. It pretty much has to, given that you are, in a way, literally weaving who you are into the item."

My mouth twitches as a question occurs to me. "So I do not get to choose the enchantment?"

Fred shrugs his massive shoulders and holds up his palms, raising one after the other, as if weighing two things.

"Yes and no. If you do not give the weaves some idea of what you want to do, then the enchantment will be somewhat random but always related to your aspects. If you do try and direct the weaves a certain way, it could fail if it is too powerful an enchantment or not related to your aspects closely enough, or the weaves are not right for it."

I tilt my head, considering. The crimson liquid in my Domain stirs with interest as new possibilities unfold in my mind.

"Does the item matter, Fred? If I enchant another dagger, will it always be combat-related? Could I enchant a dagger to be a kind of trap, for example? Or a sphere, or a vial of some sort?"

Fred thinks about his response for a moment before answering me, and when he does, his voice is thoughtful.

"The dagger itself plays a part, but there is a good bit of wiggle room too. Enchanting is all about your imagination, picturing what you want it to do. Most magic works that way, as far as I know. Skill with the weave, the quality of the gem you use—that all matters, of course. You would not want to make it explode; that would not be in the dagger's nature, you see? But you could surely make it nasty for whoever wields it wrong. It is all in the way you weave it, lad, your intent, and what you see in your mind's eye."

I think for a bit, an idea forming. I recall my encounter with the goblin encampment, how I was forced to retreat because there were too many. If I had a way to thin their numbers quickly...

"Do you have any kinds of spheres? Like glass ones?" I ask.

Fred considers and then goes over to some boxes at the far side of his tent, the area he uses for storage primarily. He glances through them and then moves some stuff around before taking out a separate box. He walks back over to me and opens the box. Inside are many multicolored glass ornaments, delicate and perfectly formed.

"I have these. They were supposed to be decorative, but I brought them as surplus items. I thought maybe I could trade them to another merchant for something more useful. What are you thinking, lad?"

I pick up a clear one. It has a string attached, and I cut it off with the dagger and then set the dagger to the side along with the string. I look at the ornament, consider it, and then nod. The shape is perfect for what I have in mind.

"Do you have any more gems?" I ask Fred.

Fred nods but adds, "I do not have unlimited gems, though. I have three sapphires left, a ruby, and a diamond. I really recommend you save the ruby and diamond; those will be needed if you want to make a truly powerful enchantment."

I nod and then ask another question. "Can I only do one enchantment at a time?"

Fred nods, "That is correct."

I blow out a breath, a little disappointed at the answer. I was hoping to make this go a lot farther. I select three more clear ornaments and put them on the counter, then I ask Fred for the three sapphires, which he fetches for me. Fred seems to sense that I have some idea I am exploring, and it is clear from the way his eyes regard me that he is curious. Once I have the sapphires, I hold one in my hand and the ornament in the other.

I take a breath, really hoping this will work, as I still my mind and immerse myself in my Domain, its aspects running over and through me like a stream of water unbarred by my body. The crimson liquid flows eagerly, almost excitedly, as if it understands what I am trying to create.

Then I fix my attention on what I want, firmly keeping what I imagine in mind. I visualize not just the outcome, but the mechanism—how it should work, what should trigger it, and most importantly, what it should do when activated.

The weaves begin to pack themselves into the ornamental sphere after running through the sapphire, of course. The weaves layer themselves, bundling up tightly near the bottom and twisting to form another layer, as if I am creating a complex knot. Each time I do this, I tighten them and keep in mind what I want to happen should the weaves snap.

Every so often, I twist the weaves in another direction, layering them in a different way. Around all of the blood weaves, I weave a dome of destruction, the catalyst in my imagination, that, when the sphere is smashed, would set the whole thing off. The process is intricate, demanding, but also strangely satisfying. There is something about creation that feels right to me.

After some time, the Judge acknowledges my efforts.

Your enchanting skill has increased. Congratulations, Jackson! You have created a Blood Shard Bomb (Apprentice)! When thrown on the ground and smashed, or simply squeezed, these little bombs will explode, unleashing an impressive amount of blood shards that will severely harm everyone in the blast radius except for Jackson Grey.

I grin in satisfaction, examining the glass sphere with new appreciation. The clear glass now has a faint crimson tint, and tiny swirls of darkness move within it like smoke. I almost cannot believe it worked! Weaves truly do respond to imagination.

Fred eyes the bomb and grunts, though his eyes glitter in appreciation.

"I cannot say I would have thought to make something like this, but it is impressive all the same, lad. Why did you make this?"

I tap my head, a plan already forming for my return journey. "I think I am going to need them a little later."

Fred chuckles and shakes his head. "Fine then, lad. Keep your secrets. Listen, I think I can get some more sapphires from a merchant. More people have been showing up the last few days, so there has been a lot more activity as of late. If I can get them, do you think you could produce more of those daggers there?" Fred nods to the dagger on the counter.

I shrug, "Sure, why? Would it not be better to experiment? Produce other enchantments?"

Fred shakes his head from side to side. Not in the negative, but in a yes-or-no kind of way.

"It would probably help your skill level a tiny bit to experiment with your enchanting, but it would not help the wallet. That dagger has a powerful enchantment. Killing things and getting your health out of the deal could save your life. Enchantments like that are always valuable. I bet I could sell that dagger for a thousand EC or more."

My mouth falls open. I am not sure how good that is, but Fred makes it sound like that is a considerable sum for a dagger.

"Really, that much?" I ask.

Fred grins, his tusks gleaming. "Did you not hear me, lad? I said it could save your life. Healing of any kind in Eden is prized. Now, I will be back. I am going to go see how many sapphires I can get you."

As Fred leaves, I hold up the Blood Shard Bomb, watching the swirling patterns within the glass. My Domain pulses in response, the crimson river flowing with anticipation. I have a feeling that these bombs will be my ticket back to the first floor—and eventually to that strange quest in Lazarus's tomb.

For the first time since waking in this place, I feel a sense of control over my destiny. I may not know who I was, but I am beginning to understand who I am becoming.