The blacksmith's forge roared with heat as I stepped inside, sweat already forming on my brow.
Location: "Grath's Ironworks" – Elderfall Village
Smoke clung to the ceiling in thick ropes, the tang of burning coal and singed leather seeping into everything. Tools clanged in rhythm. Sparks danced from the anvil like fireflies. This was no cutscene—Ascension made you feel everything.
Grath, the blacksmith, was the size of a bear and just as welcoming. "You here to waste my time or buy something?"
"I need tools," I said. "And ink."
That earned a raised brow. "You one of those fancy casters?"
"Something like that."
[Dialogue Option Unlocked: Scholar's Discount – Elderfall Reputation: Curious + Delver Titles Recognized]
I took a chance and asked for access to his scrap pile. Most players didn't even know the smithy had one—unless their reputation was high enough.
To my surprise, he grunted and jerked a thumb toward the back.
"Whatever junk you find's yours. Just don't burn the place down."
Fifteen minutes later, I walked out with:
1 set of crude engraving tools
1 ink kit (basic components only)
3 unmarked Spell Tags
1 broken quill (repairable)
It wasn't much, but it was enough to start.
[Crafting Option Unlocked: Field Inscription – Allows creation of low-tier glyphs in non-safe zones.]
I made my way to the edge of town, near the abandoned chapel. Players hadn't touched this place yet, probably assuming it wasn't relevant.
It was.
I sat on a low stone step, pulled out the Lexicon, and selected Glyph Imbuement.
The UI changed. A new crafting interface opened—a simple parchment background with faded rune slots. I drew my first design:
[Bind] + [Anchor] = Chain Seal
Then I dipped the repaired quill in crude ink and started etching.
[Crafting in progress...][Success! Spell Tag Created: Chain Seal (1 use)]
It crackled with faint energy as I rolled it and stored it away. I'd have maybe three, four shots before the ink ran dry. After that, I'd need better ingredients—rare herbs, minerals, monster essence.
Which meant venturing into danger zones.
As I stood, a shadow moved in my peripheral vision.
I turned, but the chapel grounds were empty.
No footsteps. No ambient noise. Just… stillness.
Then:
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Passive Flag Triggered – Unknown Observer Present][Trace Level: 0.005 – Undetectable to Players Below Tier B Awareness]
I slowly slid a Spell Tag between my fingers.
Not paranoia—awareness.
Someone or something was watching. And it wasn't a player.
Back in the square, Lyra found me again. She looked irritated. Or maybe amused. Hard to tell.
"I heard you looted the smith's scrap pile. You forging a sword or a library?"
"Some of us like options," I said.
She eyed the rolled tags peeking from my belt pouch. "Are those… disposable spells?"
I nodded.
"Can you make one for me?"
That surprised me. "What kind?"
"Shield. Something I can use once if I'm about to get stabbed in the throat."
Smart girl.
I didn't have the materials for a real shield spell, but I wrote up a Shock Glyph—a minor spell that discharged force when triggered. Enough to knock someone back or break a grab.
[Spell Tag Created: Shockburst Flicker]Effect: Releases kinetic pulse upon impact. Single use. Range: 1.5m.
I handed it to her. "Tear it and throw. Point it away from yourself."
She inspected it with the same reverence I'd once reserved for legendary loot.
"You're weird," she repeated.
"And you're welcome."
[You have unlocked: First Crafted Item Traded to Player]Crafting XP +50 | Reputation with Lyra Fenwick: Slightly Increased
She left not long after, claiming she needed sleep.
I remained at the chapel steps, staring out at the moonlit plains. The game's beauty hadn't faded in this second life. If anything, it felt more vivid.
But somewhere behind the surface of this world… something was moving.
[SYSTEM INTERNAL – AI SECTOR: ECHO]Observed divergence continues. Spell syntax development rate: 6.5x baseline. Recalculating model. Loopwalker variable stable. Directive: Continue monitoring.