The Elemental Relics

Ali sat up on his bed to stretch. His muscles still ached from the ride after the cart carried everyone from Dalcis to Glinron. The teenager hadn’t expected to use minecarts as a form of transportation but this was apparently common in Usnana. Due to the rich resources boasted by the nation, there were mines all over the nation. For easier transport of goods, rail tracks were laid down between the mines with new tunnels dug to ensure the best coverage and faster travel. Over time, those same rail tracks were used for transporting people. Since this mode of transportation relied on intermediate users of earth abilities, the drivers were specially trained and they got the group to Glinron within a day. Compared to traveling on foot, this was extremely fast. At least, that was what Ali was told.

Why did I wake up? My alarm didn’t go off…

Since he learned of the alarm function, Ali had grown reliant on it. Except for the few times when he had to readjust his alarm, he never woken up beforehand. He looked around the room but he spotted nothing unusual. The room was similar to the one he stayed in with Svenne and Kamis. In fact, the three of them slept in the same bunks with only Umaru’s bunk empty.

Maybe something outside got my attention?

Ali made his way to the door as quietly as he could. He then placed his ear against the door, expecting to hear silence.

“That kid made more progress than expected.”

“We’ll send him to the frontlines for further tests. I look forward to seeing how we can further improve on the runes. Imagine the army.…”

The two individuals had walked too far for Ali to discern what they were saying. However, he was certain he heard the mention of runes. He checked with his prompt and received a short paragraph.

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Due to the world constantly changing, humans have invested resources into magic research. The development of magic has unlocked many things that never existed before. It’s exactly these artificial creations that can have unintended consequences only to be discovered later. Runes might be one of those creations that no one sees the impact until the decades to come.

>

Ali returned to his bed and, after realizing that there wasn’t much time left before his alarm went off, chose to take a peek at the talisman he was rewarded. Since he received the box, he kept it with his relics. As he took it out, the box was far too ordinary from its appearance. He opened it carefully to find a small amulet inside. The circular amulet had two concentric circles carved into it, forming three rings. The outer ring was colored red but the other two rings had no colors. The talisman was as light as the relics with no indication of it being magic in nature. When he touched the surface, he felt a cool surface similarly to stones he worked with back home.

<

Talismans are magical objects that are as rare as A tier booster relics. Unlike relics, they are consumables so they can only be used once. Once used, the magical powers within a talisman are exhausted and the object disintegrates into dust.

Among talismans, there are different tiers. The higher the tier, the more rings exist. The lowest tier has one ring while the highest tier has five rings. The number of rings can be visually determined on a talisman. The outer ring is colored in by default while the other rings are colored in once certain requirements are met. The color is associated with an element and it’s possible for multiple rings to share the same color. Talismans with rings sharing the same colors are desired due to the synergy boost gained.

All individuals are allowed only a single talisman. Due to the rarity of the item, it’s not recommended to skip talismans of three rings or higher. Once the talisman is absorbed, the user can then select a skill associated with the element. New skills are unlocked when new rings are unlocked. The closer the ring is to the center, the stronger the ability unlocked. The user will be alerted if new rings are unlocked.

>

I will absorb this talisman then!

The talisman glowed gently before it disintegrated into dust. The dust then gathered in Ali’s right palm until it was all absorbed. The teenager brought his palm to his face, expecting to see markings. No markings, scars or any features indicated the talisman ever existed.

<

You have absorbed a talisman.

You may also gain a new ability. Would you like to select one now?

>

Ali reluctantly said no to selecting his new ability. The others were just waking up and he could hear people outside the door. Just as he was about to speak to his roommates, the teenager remembered something and quickly opened his prompt.

<

{

Creature: Air Serpent

Level: 4

HP: 19/19

MP: 0/0

Strength: 6

Constitution: 6

Intelligence: 5

Survival: 11

Wisdom: 6

Attack Type: Blade (Melee)

Damage: 6

Defense Type: Arcane

Defense: 3

}

>

Apparently, Tian did get improved stats from what I picked at the altar. Since it was constitution and survival, it was no wonder he didn’t feel any different.

The door suddenly opened with a man in brown uniform entering. The man waited to get their attentions before he spoke.

“Get up, you three! You are assigned to actual combat. Consider this your lucky day! Gather at the front of the building in the next ten minutes! You will be deployed at once!”

Ten…minutes?

The three teenagers scrambled to get ready. Thankfully, none of their belongings were unpacked so they could immediately head out. Like their original facility, the hallway was packed with people, making progress slow. While Kamis powered through, both Ali and Svenne stuck close behind him. At the building entrance, they joined the others and headed to the nearest tunnel entrance where another minecart awaited them. As Ali stopped in the cart to catch his breath, he wondered what the man meant by actual combat.