A few hours later, I laid sprawled out on the floor of the bedroom I used to sleep in when I visited Uncle Galloway with Mom and Dad. I could have laid on the [Cloud Carpet], but some part of me wanted to lay on the uncomfortable floor, like it was somehow keeping me anchored to the present as my mind raced through everything Uncle Galloway had dropped on me in his lab. Mom had reached out half an hour before, but I declined the connection, wanting to come to grips with what I’d learned before opening myself up to even more revelations from her and Dad.

  One good thing, though I’d have to be hard pressed to admit it as such, was that I wasn’t alone in the room. Ylsa, Volta, and Raiju had all insisted on joining me, while Gabby spoke with Uncle Galloway about his orchards. Her wide eyed optimism and excitement was too much for even his usually grumpy demeanor to deny her and they’d been out there for a couple hours already.

  The ladies who’d joined me were both resting on some bedrolls Ylsa’d produced from her spatial bag, but I knew they weren’t really resting. They were watching me, I could feel their gazes and I’d caught them each staring at least once when they thought I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t blame them, I’d just finished fighting the champion of Devourer and we hadn’t had time to discuss it before everything else got in the way.

  Regardless, I finally didn’t have anything pressing to do, so I pulled up my silenced notifications and took a look through them. There were more than a dozen warnings about the void Mana Krark had wielded and how dangerous it was, but even more were from back in the battle with the [Soul King] back in the Tower. Until then, I hadn’t known exactly how close I’d come to dying, but the notifications painted me a pretty clear picture.

  A single attack from the [Wraith King] would have ended me, even if he hadn’t built up such a huge amount of soul energy. When the Tower interface said we were going in on Nightmare difficulty, I kind of brushed it off, but I really shouldn’t have. We should have all died, and I would have if Raiju hadn’t taken that hit.

  Looking over at Raiju in her new Primal Elf body, I couldn’t help but feel bad.

  It’s my fault. I’m the reason she’s stuck like that. I’m the reason she lost the body Dominus rebuilt for her.

  ‘Don’t forget, this is what she’s been dreaming of.’ A faint voice rang out in the back of my mind. ‘Don’t discount her wishes as you beat yourself up for no apparent reason. Bad things happen, but this ended up far better than it should have. Take the win.’

  But still, I–

  Dominus cut me off mid thought. ‘I’ll be brief, as you’re not quite ready to level yet. I was going to have you find her a way to get a new body in the next few months anyway, even if she hadn’t been mortally wounded. She’s asked me and the System for a way to get one every time she’s leveled since meeting you and I’ve been listening.’ She huffed. ‘Now go through your notifications and your loot from the Tower, I got to pick some of it and I think you’ll find at least a couple pieces for Raiju, if you want an apology gift for some reason.’

  Feeling chastened, I went through the rest of my notifications and found what I thought Dominus had been talking about in my notifications.

  [Magic Missile is ready to Evolve. Please choose one of the following for it to evolve into:

  Skills

  Greater Magic Missile

  Soul Dart

  Unique Skills

  Wallbreaker

  Force Missile Swarm]

  [Soul Dart] is right out, I don’t care how good it might be, I’m not willing to deal damage directly to someone’s soul just to win a fight. [Greater Magic Missile] is basic, but it does the job. A bit more damage, similar Mana cost, and the casting motion just needs an extra finger pinch, so it would be easy to get used to.

  I stared at those options before allowing myself to look at the Unique Skills on offer. My eyes darted down to [Magic Missile Swarm] a few times, but they locked onto the other option the rest of the time.

  It almost feels wrong to get access to his Unique Skill, you know? I chuckled to myself. I guess I’m just thinking to myself, but it’s still kind of funny that I’m doing it. Either way, [Wallbreaker] was Jaegan’s Signature Spell, and I think it would be wrong to take that from him. Plus, as long as I have [Staff of the Wallbreaker], I can use it, so there… As for [Force Missile Swarm], I’ve never heard of it.

  With a thought, the description popped up and I couldn’t help but grin. Yeah, that’s more like it.

  [Force Missile Swarm - Unique Skill - A powerful evolution of Magic Missile, Force Missile Swarm allows the caster to summon and store multiple force missiles within a concentrated area. As the caster channels more energy into the swarm, the missiles grow in number and potency. When unleashed, the swarm erupts in a devastating barrage of force energy, striking multiple targets with precision or a single target with overwhelming force.]

  Something to pour my Mana into before a fight? Check. Force damage? Check. Multiple targets? Check. It’s like this thing was made for me.

  I mentally selected [Force Missile Swarm] and shivered as a cold wave of energy swept through me as the Unique Skill became a part of me. It never ceased to amaze me how good it felt to learn a new Skill, it was kind of addictive and I’d been given the easiest way to get a fix for that feeling in the world in [Skill Dominance].

  With that settled, I pulled up the Party Loot function of the Party Interface and my jaw dropped when I saw everything we had sitting there. It was all subdivided into categories by location gathered, but I had it collate the coinage and gems into their own section, and had it give me more specifics on the gems, outside the norm before reviewing it further.

  [Party Loot:

  Coins:

  409 pp

  34078 gp

  71506 sp

  6416847 cp

  Gems:

  Diamond (flawless): 2000 gp

  Emerald (flawless): 1200 gp

  Ruby (flawless): 1000 gp

  Sapphire (flawless): 800 gp

  Jade (imperial jade, large): 800 gp

  Tanzanite (large, deep blue): 600 gp

  Opal (fire opal, large): 500 gp

  Topaz (golden, flawless): 400 gp

  Tourmaline (bi-color, large): 400 gp

  Peridot (large, vibrant green): 350 gp

  Spinel (pink, large): 350 gp

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  Zircon (blue, flawless): 300 gp

  Amethyst (large, deep purple): 300 gp

  Aquamarine (large, clear): 200 gp

  Garnet (large, deep red): 250 gp

  Citrine (large, deep yellow): 250 gp

  Opal (common, small): 50 gp

  Amethyst (small, light purple): 50 gp

  Citrine (small, pale yellow): 25 gp

  Garnet (small, light red): 25 gp]

  “Dominus save me!” I clutched at my chest as I heaved myself to a seated position. “That’s almost eighty-seven thousand gold!”

  Everyone in the room turned to look at me, but it was Ylsa’s gaze that told me I had something good coming. Her eyes were lit up like bright grey diamonds. “Dominus has truly blessed us!”

  She made to get up and bow, but I waved her down. “How much did your people need to fix up their valley again?”

  She started to hesitate, but my glare got her talking. “Ten thousand, nine hundred, and sixty-three gold, in addition to what I’ve already gathered.”

  With a gesture, I allotted fifteen thousand gold to Ylsa in the interface and her eyes began to moisten.

  “There you go, now we can deal on equal terms when I go and visit them for the first time.” I shrugged. “I love coin as much as the next dwarfkin, but I’d rather help your people than hoard it all to myself.”

  Before I could get any other crazy ideas, I pushed the rest of the coinage, minus fifty platinum pieces for my personal hoard, as I am still part dwarf, over to the treasury for The Dominion and set it to alert Gabby.

  The [Mountain Tempest] looked at me with pure appreciation and more than a little bit of wonder. “My people would have served you for nothing. This is–”

  “Less than you’ve earned.” I cut her off. “Now, let’s look at the items we’ve been ignoring before Gabby sprints in here with her panties in a knot about the sudden influx of cash.”

  [Magic Items:

  Tower of Trials - Chalcedony Floor 1:

  Crimson Sash - Uncommon

  Durability - 248/250

  Description - A crimson sash, imbued with the fiery essence of a volcano. While it offers no direct combat benefits, it grants the wearer increased stamina and resistance to fire damage. Additionally, the sash subtly enhances the wearer’s Charm, making them more persuasive and charming.]

  Pulling the sash from my ring, it felt warm in my hands, almost like it was alive. I hesitated a moment before wrapping it around my waist like a belt.

  “I’m going to need all the [Charm] I can get in Sunhome.” I grimaced. “Those old monsters are damn near vicious if the people they’re talking to don’t meet their ‘standard of beauty’ and this should help me hit that threshold.”

  Raiju padded over, surprising me with how agile she already was with her new body, and sat next to me with her head on my shoulder. “More. I want something pretty to wear with my skirt.”

  “Let’s hope there’s something in here that’ll fit you.”

  [Tower of Trials - Chalcedony Floor 2:

  Yeti Leather Armor - Uncommon

  Durability - 467/500

  Description - A strangely light set of white leather armor crafted from the leather beneath the thick fur of a Yeti. It offers exceptional protection against physical and cold damage.

  Tempest’s Fury - Rare

  Durability - 789/1000

  Description - A matched pair of light hammers forged from the heart of a storm. When wielded together, they allow the user to summon a blizzard to aid them in battle. If thrown, they will return to the thrower.]

  “I want that.” Raiju jabbed a finger at the [Yeti Leather Armor] and it appeared in her lap. She pulled it against her and sighed contentedly. “With this and [Raiju’s Fur Coat], I should be nearly as warm as I used to be. How do two-legs deal with being so cold all the time?” She started trying to get it on before sighing. “I need help.”

  “We wear more clothes.” Ylsa covered a smile I knew was there with her hand. “Of course, Storm-Blessed, I’ll happily assist you with your armor, but we should finish going through the loot first.”

  Taking that as permission to continue, I mentally allotted the pair of hammers making up [Tempest’s Fury] to Ylsa in the interface. “Unless we meet someone better suited, you could use a pair of smaller weapons in case you’re low on Mana or need something to hit a flying target.”

  “Good.” She nodded, obviously pleased. “I like it when you’re decisive.”

  Part of me wanted to talk to her about what she meant, but my common sense screamed I didn’t want to have that argument right now, so I pulled up the next floor’s loot instead.

  [Tower of Trials - Chalcedony Floor 3:

  Amulet of Motherly Love - Legendary

  Charges per day - 1/1

  Description - This legendary amulet, forged from the heart of a grieving Ogress Warboss, pulses with a gentle, protective energy. It grants a female wearer a powerful aura that shields them from harm and heals their wounds. Once per day, the wearer can activate a potent healing ability able to revive recently fallen allies or restore a significant amount of health to themselves. This jade amulet, imbued with the Ogress’ love and sorrow, serves as a beacon of hope and resilience.]

  Pulling the silver amulet shaped like a stylized heart made up of a pair of woman’s hands from the window, I immediately hung it from Raiju’s neck. My whole body relaxed the moment it settled against her chest and I was suddenly aware I’d been subconsciously shielding her ever since she’d left the pod for the first time.

  Running my fingers through my platinum blonde hair, I noticed it was getting a bit long, I breathed out a deep sigh. “With that around your neck, along with the [Yeti Leather Armor], I think I can finally…” Ylsa’s glare caused me to trail off slowly as she nodded.

  “I agree, Raiju is the perfect wearer of the [Amulet of Motherly Love], as she’s the only woman personally touched by the all-mother, Dominus.” Her gaze flipped over to a smile when Raiju glanced up at her, but the moment the wolf-turned-elf looked away, her disapproving stare returned. “Keep going, it looks like we’ve only got a couple of items to go.”

  Once I made sure Raiju hadn’t shucked off the amulet, I did as Ylsa advised and moved on.

  [Tower of Trials - Chalcedony Floor 4: Demons

  Nightfiend’s Lash - Legendary (Damaged)

  Durability - 75/1,500

  Description - A relic of a bygone era, this whip, once wielded by a fearsome Nightfiend, is a testament to its former owner’s power. Though horribly damaged and weakened, it still retains a deadly edge. The whip’s leather, infused with dark magic, can siphon life energy from its victims, weakening them and empowering the wielder. However, the whip requires constant repair and maintenance, as its power wanes with each use. If left unchecked, it risks falling into ruin, losing its potency forever.]

  “Part of me says we leave this in storage, but the other part…” I hesitated. “I kind of want to learn to use it after fixing it up. What do you guys think?”

  While Ylsa stood there, pensive, Raiju had no such hang ups to speak of. “If it’ll keep you safe, why not use it?”

  Before I could try and explain how evil the whip was, Ylsa chimed in. “Despite initial misgivings, I agree. Even if the description makes it seem evil, a dastardly weapon in the hands of a good person can be a powerful tool for good.”

  Eyes wide, I stared at the pair of them. “Are you both serious? This thing has probably ripped the life force from hundreds, if not tens of thousands, of innocent beings! Why are you both OK with me using it?”

  Raiju shrugged innocently. “You’re not like that. You won’t use it on anyone who doesn’t deserve it. Destroying it would be wasteful.”

  “Storm-Runner speaks wisdom.” Ylsa nodded along. “Tools, no matter their origin, are just that. Tools. Tools merely enhance their users, so let this tool do that for you if you want to.”

  With a flick, I allocated [Nightfiend’s Lash] to myself and pulled up the last item, even if I already had a sneaking suspicion as to what it might be. I wasn’t disappointed, even if I didn’t want to even look at the thing.

  [Tower of Trials - Chalcedony Floor 5:

  Soulreaper, the Dracolich’s Scourge - Unique

  Description - Forged from the spine of a slain White Dracolich, the Soulreaper is a weapon of immense power and sinister beauty. Its bone-white blade, imbued with the Dracolich’s essence, can pierce any armor, physical or magical. It strikes not at the flesh, but directly at the soul, draining life force and weakening the spirit. The scythe’s form is malleable, adapting to its wielder, ensuring a perfect fit for any being, no matter their size or shape. A relic of a bygone era, the Soulreaper remains a potent weapon, capable of reaping souls and shattering bonds.]

  “Nope. No way.” I shivered at the thought of wielding the weapon. “This thing–”

  “It’s amazing!” Raiju leapt to her feet and started dancing around the room, miming fighting with a scythe quite poorly, despite her considerable [Agility]. “If I don’t have teeth worth fighting with, I want that!” She did a flip and mimed slamming something down afterward. “Plus, it’s going to be cold if it’s from a [White Dracolich] spine, so I’m the natural pick.”

  I stood up and walked over to put a hand on her shoulder. “You know this is likely a version of the weapon that severed your soul from your original body, right?” My concern for her well-being forced me to be direct at that moment.

  She shrugged. “I got what I wanted early, I’m not mad. Plus, it’s Unique, like I am!” Her grin reminded me of her old wolfish smiles and I couldn’t help but join her.

  “If you’re sure…by the way, would you mind letting me see your Status?” Most people would have called me rude for it, but I needed to know what we were working with. I scratched my hairless chin. “By the way, is our bond…”

  She dashed over and pulled me into a tight embrace. “It was gone when I woke up in this new body, but Dominus put it back when I asked her to.”

  Color spread over my cheeks. “Oh, OK.” I looked away and spotted Ylsa practically bursting with laughter, though she had the good sense to cover her mouth. We both knew how much Raiju hated to be laughed at. Volta merely stood in the corner, smiling at the interaction.

  I hesitated to allot the scythe to Raiju, holding her at arms’ length. “Once we get you some scythe training, I’ll give you the scythe, but until then it stays in my ring. It’s just too dangerous to have in anyone but an experienced wielder’s hands. Deal?”

  “Yeah, thank you so much, Artie!” She squealed. “Can we look at my Status together? I can finally see it and I have questions.”

  “Of course.”