Chapter 216

Chapter 216



Something from the ripple activated the parameters.

I nearly focused on it before realizing that the last time Id done sofor the conjuration branchit resulted in a sprawling multiple choice that took a considerable amount of time to sift through. With no immediate conflicts and the rest of my team lounging beachside, it was tempting. I put it off, not wanting to rush advancement while I was still off balance. Instead, I fished around in my inventory for the artifact.

And found nothing.

I summoned a health potion to ensure my inventory hadnt failed, then tried to withdraw the ring again.

Nothing.

Panicked, I checked my pockets, the small mostly unused pouches on the anywhere I could have accidentally stuffed it in the heat of the moment and found nothing. I was double-checking everything, a hairs breadth from dumping out the entirety of my inventory onto the elevator when I felt a slight pressure on one of my fingers. Something unfamiliar.

I removed my gauntlet. And swallowed.

There, crowning my third finger, was a simple band of silver metal. There was only one explanation. A ring I was utterly sure Id placed in my inventory, had somehow equipped itself.

Despite that, it pulled free easily. Cradled in the center of my palm, its weight was so light it felt like I wasnt holding anything at all.



The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))





Insidious.

Was that all it took? Desire?

I fought the urge to throw the artifact as far as I could.

If my theory was right, the mere existence of intrusive thoughts made the ring a do-not-fuck-with proposition of the highest order. Sure, in a general sense it let you punch far above your weight class and chuck significantly more fireballs before you needed to rest. But what about later, when there was no threat, and some entitled asshole cut the dinner line in front of you?

Like duct-taping a loaded firearm with a hair-trigger to the hands of someone with no concept of gun safety.

And if a normal mage lost control, started attacking neutral parties and allies, that specific situation would inevitably equalize itself. The guy obviously raining down magic indiscriminately eventually gets clipped. Natural order. But if an Ordinator lost control?

No. I needed to get rid of it.

But

The Crimson Nosferatus harrowing visage appeared in my mind, along with the heart-stopping power it radiated. Id managed getting Miles clear, and even landed a parting shot, but I hadnt been able to do anything to help with the heavy lifting. Not really.

Considering that Ellison had gone through this so many times hed lost count? The casual manner with which hed made preparations, all-the-while bringing me up to speed? The Nosferatu probably didnt even rank all that high on his list of priorities. Things were going to get worse. Like the events that led to the Allfathers mask, it all came down to the same sobering equation. The prisoners dilemma. Any power I left on the table was power someone else would take. Either directlyfinding the ring, putting it onor indirectly, by gaining a similarly powerful artifact while I surrendered mine. And Ellison made sure it had ended up with me, instead of Miles.

I wavered.

There was no point in using it if it crippled me, but there was only one way to get definitive confirmation that it would.

My breath grew shallow as I pulled up the rings description, magnified the text so that overlayed a large swath of my vision, fully prepared to rip it off the second the number decreased.

Nothing happened.

More testing was in order. I went a little deeper into the forest, parallel to the line for the elevator. Not so far that I couldnt make them out, but far enough that theyd have a difficult time spotting me, and dialed the mask up to full power. This test was hardly scientific. Hell, I couldnt even repeat it. If uses remaining decreased, Id look for the closest thing to Mordor. But if it didnt? If I could keep the intrusive thoughts in line through discipline and self-control, and be reasonably sure I could use the ring safely?

The possibilities were limitless.