I slumped against the cave wall, sweat dripping from my brow and mixing with the grime on my skin. My arms felt like lead, and my breaths came in ragged gasps. The fight had drained me – not just physically, but mentally. I had no idea how my powers actually worked, and no clear path to prepare or progress. I was just reacting, stumbling forward with nothing but a knack for figuring things out on the fly. And I hated it.

  I hate not knowing.

  Clenching my fists, I forced myself to take a deep breath. Inhale… exhale… Slowly, I let the tension bleed out of me, the familiar rhythm of meditation calming my frayed nerves. As I sank deeper into myself, the sensation came again—subtle, like a whisper just out of earshot. A memory calling to me, faint but persistent.

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  I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help grinning. “Alright, alright. First, we make the mold. That’s the blueprint–the shape and form of whatever we’re crafting.”

  “Good, go on.” Aunt Nora nodded, her eyes glinting with approval.

  “Then we move to the forging part, actually crafting the item into that desired shape. That’s where it gets tricky depending on the material.”

  She leaned closer, mockingly serious. “And after that?”

  I raised a brow, pausing for dramatic effect. “Activating the material so it can be receptive to the enchantments. You coat it with an energy-conductive layer.”

  Aunt Nora chuckled. “Not bad, keep going.”

  “And finally, you lay down the enchantments we want on the artifact.” I gave her a look, half-relieved I’d remembered everything.

  She gave me a small flick on the arm, smiling. “Well done, Lexi. Looks like there’s still some hope for you after all.”

  Aunt Nora tapped her chin thoughtfully, eyeing the materials we’d gathered. “So, Lexi, what exactly do you plan to use these artifacts for? What’s the purpose behind them?” She glanced at me, her curiosity genuine.

  I leaned over the workbench, thinking for a moment before answering. “I’m aiming for something defense-based, like shields at their core, but with a little extra. I want them to have healing properties, maybe some mind-calming or relaxing enchantments too.” I shrugged, feeling a bit unsure. “You know, something that could keep the people I care about safe and in good shape. They’re workaholics and outright refuse any extravagant help–one of the reasons the materials are only of decent quality.”

  Aunt Nora smiled, nodding approvingly. “A thoughtful approach. Some people have their own pride, and their lives are entirely different from yours. Give them time, Lexi. Not like you accepting gifts from random strangers with criminal vibes.”

  I could feel my eye twitch. She is not going to let this go…

  “Shields with healing and mental protection, huh? That’s a nice combination. Sounds like you’re looking out for them in more ways than one.”

  “Exactly,” I replied. “Edward and Alice… they’re going to need something like that. And Aunt Mel works too hard at her diner. I don’t want to just protect them from physical harm, but also from, you know… stress, mental strain.”

  “Wise choice.” Aunt Nora’s eyes twinkled with approval. “Alright, so what shape are you thinking? A bracelet? A ring? What?”

  I glanced at the materials I’d picked up earlier from the bazaar, recalling their qualities. “I was actually thinking of making them into necklace-like pendants. Magical silk for the activation base – it’s got excellent energy conductivity, right?”

  She raised an eyebrow and quickly appraised the silk. “Hmm, you’re right. This stuff has good conductive properties. It’ll serve nicely as a base for the activation layer. What about the metals?”

  I pointed to the pile. “Mitir, Sallowstone, and Oretheon. They are all good conductors, and they’re durable too. For the enchantments, I’ll use two rubies and an emerald as the cores. They should bind everything together pretty well.”

  Aunt Nora’s eyes lit up, impressed. “Looks like you’ve put some thought into this. Good choices all around. Let’s get to work on that necklace pendant, then.”

  We got to work as the forge blazed to life, its intense heat filling the room until the air itself seemed to ripple and distort. The light from the molten flames cast dancing shadows across the walls, creating a warm, almost hypnotic atmosphere. Aunt Nora, ever the professional, handed me a sturdy pair of gloves, their thick leather worn with use. I slid them on and grabbed the pieces of Mitir, feeling the weight of the metal even through the gloves.

  “Alright, let’s get this right,” I muttered, placing the Mitir in the crucible and watching it slowly liquefy under the heat. The once-solid, silvery metal glistened as it began to melt, pooling at the bottom like quicksilver, every ripple of molten material mesmerizing to watch.

  “Steady now, Lexi,” Aunt Nora’s voice pulled me back to focus—a calm but firm reminder. “When you pour the metal into the mold, keep it even. You don’t want uneven links, or else someone’s gonna walk around with a lopsided necklace. That’d be tragic.”

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  She shot me a teasing grin, but there was real craftsmanship behind her words.

  I smirked back, steadying my grip as I poured the shimmering liquid into the mold. Using EXIRA helped maintain tabs on things.

  The chain links began to take form as the Mitir flowed into place, the metallic surface gleaming under the flickering light of the forge. “Can’t have Alice walking around with a crooked piece of junk, right?”

  “Exactly,” Aunt Nora chuckled, her voice rich with amusement. “And poor Edward… you know he’d never hear the end of it if his sister’s jewelry looked like something a toddler slapped together. No pressure though.”

  I laughed but focused on the task at hand. As the Mitir cooled, it hardened into solid chain links, each one smooth and flawless.

  The metal had a slight iridescent quality to it, catching the light and reflecting soft hues of blue and silver. Satisfied with the result, we moved on to the Sallowstone and Oretheon, both of which had slightly different textures and densities.

  We heated them carefully, melting them down to form the sockets that would eventually hold the rubies and emeralds—the heart of the enchantments.

  The Sallowstone in particular had a faint glow to it, even before being enchanted. Its natural energy resonated with something deep within me, as if it were alive, pulsing in rhythm with the forge’s flames. Aunt Nora noticed it too and smiled knowingly. “Always love working with Sallowstone,” she commented. “Feels like it’s got its own heartbeat, doesn’t it?”

  “Yeah,” I nodded, watching as the Oretheon and Sallowstone melded together in the socket mold. “Almost makes me feel like we’re forging something more than just an artifact. Like it’s alive, or something.”

  “Well,” Aunt Nora said thoughtfully, “in a way, you’re right. These materials have their own essence, their own life force. That’s what makes them perfect for enchanting.”

  With the physical crafting finished, we moved on to processing the magical silk. It was delicate work. We ground the silk into a fine, shimmering powder, its pale strands catching the forge’s light like dust caught in a sunbeam. I took my time coating the chain and socket with the powder, carefully layering it until both pieces shimmered with a subtle glow.

  “This stuff is amazing,” I muttered, more to myself than to Aunt Nora.

  The silk clung to the metal in a way that seemed almost supernatural, fusing with it as if becoming one entity.

  “You’d think something like this light would just blow away, but it sticks like glue.”

  Aunt Nora gave a small, approving nod, inspecting the coated pieces with a practiced eye. “That’s the beauty of magical silk. Once processed, it’s not just for show—it’s highly attuned to energy flow. Perfect for enchantments. Now that it’s bonded to the metal, this thing’s going to conduct energy like a dream.”

  The hardest part was done. We’d shaped the raw materials into the base of something powerful, something meaningful. The satisfaction of creation filled me as the forge’s warmth faded and the pieces solidified.

  Aunt Nora stretched, rubbing her arms as she eyed the work with an approving smile. “Not bad, Lexi. Now, while these beauties cool down and settle, let’s talk about the next step: enchantments. Got any brilliant ideas?”

  I leaned back, thinking about the possibilities. The excitement of what came next was palpable, but I kept it cool. “Yeah, I’ve got a few ideas, but let me think for a moment.”

  "So, I’m thinking the core enchantment will be protection, like a shield that can auto-detect threats and manifest when needed. I want it to be strong, with some mild healing and a calming effect for the mind as a bonus."

  "Hmm, not bad," Aunt Nora mused, nodding thoughtfully. "That could definitely work. Now, tell me the specific enchantments. I’ll apply them since you’re not quite there yet with your skills. But pay attention when I’m enchanting, use Exira to get a feel for the feedback."

  I took a deep breath, closing my eyes as I focused. I let my mind sink into the knowledge, recalling the lessons Aunt Nora had drilled into me over time. I could feel the threads of power slowly coming together, weaving themselves into a larger picture in my head.

  After a moment, I heard Aunt Nora’s expectant voice break through the quiet. "So, Lexi, what have you come up with?"

  Huu…

  I took a deep breath, calling upon Exira, focusing the energy to infuse my words with intent as I spoke. “Protego... no, that’s not quite right... Aegis... Yes, Aegis Sentientia.”

  “Aegis Sentientia for the core, and Sana…”

  “Very good, Lexi!” Aunt Nora’s voice rang with approval, slipping easily into her teacher mode.

  “It seems all those lessons and books weren’t for nothing. Aegis Sentientia will form an auto-shield, but remember, it's not just Sana, Lexi.”

  I smiled slightly, appreciating her praise as she continued, “Considering recent events and the fact that these are for your friends, I’ll let you off easy this time. Watch closely, I'll finish them for you.”

  With that, I felt her Exira surge, filling the entire room with its powerful presence. The strength was unmistakable, but unlike Mom’s raw dominance, Aunt Nora’s Exira commanded a sense of reverence, as if it demanded respect rather than fear.

  “Lexi! Focus!” Her sharp voice jolted me back, and I quickly directed my Exira towards observing, letting my awareness slip into a deeper focus. Everything around us seemed to fade away, leaving only her and the items she was about to enchant.

  Aunt Nora’s soft voice echoed through the air as the energy around us converged, flowing towards the three pendants in front of her.

  I watched closely, sensing the intent behind each word, each gesture, as she molded the enchantments with flawless precision, weaving them into the fabric of the items. I understood what she was doing, and felt the power behind it, but putting it into words was impossible. The glow around the items faded, leaving behind three pendants, radiating with immense power and purpose.

  Damn... even with subpar materials, she managed to turn these into an overmortal tier gear.

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