Sworded Affair

Chapter 49: Don't Look Up

[Choose one of the following four options:

1) Weapon Enhancement - The Core: Embodying the concept of the sword, this blade is unbreakable.

2) Weapon Enhancement - The Fringe: Leaves novices dead and masters deadly. Summon cost reduced to 25% of current Anima. Can summon and maintain a second blade.

3) Weapon Enhancement - The Extreme: This blade can cut through anything, but a single blow in return will destroy it entirely.

4) Ability - The Extinction (Cost: 99% current Anima): Call down a meteorite to impact a location within line of sight. The user selects the size of the meteorite, up to a diameter in meters equal to the user's current Level. This ability has a 1 month cooldown.]

“Oh, I get it now,” Emma remarked after staring at the display for a solid minute. “A meteorite caused the ice age. I didn’t see any dinosaurs bones yet so I’ll give it an 8 out of 10 for thematic approach. Still, isn't this ability a bit much for Level 9?"

[Probably, but high risk for high reward is practically the System motto by now. Also, it's funny.]

"Fair enough," Emma snorted. "The sword enhancements are all good in their own niche, but that bonus ability is basically an 'I Win' button on a really long cooldown. Given none are needed right away, I might as well sit on them for a bit, unless I need one. The choice isn't going to disappear if I leave it for later, right?"

[No, though the choices themselves can change in special circumstances, like if you changed your class to something that makes them irrelevant. You'll always get to choose something though; the System is fair.]

"Good enough," She decided, turning away from both her status page and the pillar of fire keeping the chill at bay.

With neither inclement weather nor enemies nearby, Emma felt comfortable enough to call Sir Bearington back out, continuing her journey the same way it started; riding someone with claws that didn't slip on the ice unlike herself. Padding along the frozen ground at a comfortable thirty miles an hour, ride and mount descended ever deeper down the ravine, the scenery unchanging as minutes then hours passed them by. Eventually, the light began to dim, fading from bright and clear to a bloody orange, and from there to an eerie blue glow that sent a shiver up Emma's non-existent spine.

[Removed condition: Don't stop moving.

Added condition: Don't look up.]

Bringing Sir Bearington to a halt, Emma took the warning seriously as she dismounted, keeping her head firmly down despite the burgeoning curiosity as to the phenomenon in play. There was no need to take risks herself, after all, not when she had ample test subjects at hand.

"Look up," Emma commanded Sir Bearington, her own eyes never leaving his back.

Sir Bearington duly obeyed, unaware and unafraid of the System's warning; he promptly whimpered, a low piercing note, then fell over very dead, not a single mark visible anywhere upon his body.

[Sir Bearington defeated!]

"Well that's worrying," Emma muttered. "Back underground maybe? No, if there's more Sulphur I'll be stuck between some rocks and a hard place."

Resolving simply to be careful, Emma continued her journey on foot; stabbing Epitaph into the ground every few steps so she had at least one solid handhold to rely on. It was very slow going, but still better than setting up camp and sleeping for the night, which Emma was fairly sure was the suggestion given the removal of the freeze effect for not moving.

"What could have that sort of effect anyway?" She wondered aloud.

[There's a few possibilities in the real world. Soul magic or curses designed to the effect that 'anyone looking dies', the focused intent of a cultivator at the peak of Spirit Severing, relics or creatures imbued with sufficient amounts of divinity, or certain digital cognitohazards that won't be created for another eighty years at least. I don't advise trying to figure this one out; you have other things to worry about anyway.

-20 Anima]

Now far enough from the pillar of flame for temperatures to lower, the hail started again, and Emma was lucky enough to take one right to the head.

"Build a shelter," Emma changed tack immediately, as her newest and strongest summon emerged at her call.

Four walls and a ceiling enveloping her in short order; the Earthbound Immortal turning what had once been a crushing attack aimed at her into a sanctuary big enough to fit them both. It had been one thing to continue on in darkness, but trying to defend against projectiles from above without looking up was a futile task, one Emma had no interest in attempting.

"For a magical Empire that prizes strength above all, they sure are serious at enforcing mandatory rest breaks," Emma sighed, seeing no option going forward except to wait out the storm.

[Oh yes; proper provision for nutrition, rest and mental health are key considerations of Empire policy. It's an entirely rational policy; because even if you couldn't care less about the health and happiness of your subjects from an emotional or moral perspective, think about how much damage any sufficiently unstable practitioner could cause. The deadliest mass shooting in peacetime killed sixty people; a motivated magus could kill a hundred times that, far more quickly. Sure, they'd be hunted down not long after, but it's best that it doesn't happen at all.

Also, as far as this trial is concerned, you’re allowed to stay still again but the snowfall following us is still moving. You’ve built enough of a lead that it’s not an issue, but people slower than us may well be forced to keep going through the hail and the night, when the alternative is certain death.]

"What a wonderful thought to take to bed," Emma deadpanned, resigning herself to a night on the frozen floor which no longer sounded like the worst thing in the world.