Ashborn Primordial

Chapter 201: Imperium Fabricator Ribbon

Vir took his time, spending the next days alternating between charging the orb and taking breaks to cycle prana, sleep, and eat.

Though charging Ashanis core took a toll on his mind, it was the prana cycling that left him exhausted. Hed wanted nothing more than to spend every waking hour he had working to revive the goddess, but he knew from experience that his attention would eventually slip. When it did, the orb would crack.

He was down to two cores. He couldnt afford to make mistakes.

And so he rested, ate, and took breaks regularly.

Just that taking breaks didnt sit right with him. Not when Ashanis life was on the line. So instead, he used those hours to expand his prana capacity beyond the ambient density.

At least the pain took his mind off the guilt. How would he explain that two of her precious wolves were now dead because of him? That hed ignored his promise to her and had delved into the Yakshas lair? Only success would make those sacrifices worth it.

Especially since those sacrifices had brought about personal gains for him.

As hed discovered, a single Prana Current loop running around the perimeter of his body worked far better than Parais reverse Barrier pattern to attract prana. It confirmed his theory that Parais techniques, while both beautiful and complex, were still inferior to Prana Current. His ancestor had been forced to move his blood to move his prana. Vir was no longer bound by that restriction.

In the week since he discovered this ability, hed doubled his bloods prana capacity yet again, bringing it to forty times what it was in the Human Realm.

With Current, he could attract prana with a force so unbelievably strong that hed nearly killed himself while testing it. Prana had coalesced around him in a black vortex, becoming visible to the naked eye. It was like a storm of deadly black magic, with him nestled within the eye.

Unfortunately, as impressive as it was, his blood had burst. Only the pranites had saved him.

Vir had known that the faster the current, the stronger the attraction. He just hadnt anticipated cycling prana across his whole body would create such a strong effect.

If there was a limit to its speed, it was mental; there was only so fast he could will the prana to go. It felt like a soft limit of his mind, rather than anything to do with the prana itself.

Unfortunately, progress on the orb hadnt been nearly as exciting. His pace hadnt improved one bit, though hed learned some tricks to make the process less likely to destroy the cores. As his control over the Prana Current loops grew, so too did his ability to direct the incoming energy as he desired. Vir noticed when the prana inscription rings filled to capacity earlier, reducing the likelihood of overloading them.

Now, he was nearly done. Hed charged the orb as much as he dared. While not completely fullthe risk was too greateven a two-thirds charge would lengthen Ashanis life by years. Possibly even decades.

While hed debated charging them both before waking Ashani, he decided it was wiser to revive her as soon as possible. Not only because of his guilt over having lied to herbut because having Ashani around would help stave off the loneliness. Hed grown fond of her infectious energy lately. If he was honest, he missed her.

Vir walked up the stairs from Janaks lab with heavy steps. His excitement had gotten the better of him as hed filled the core. His breaks became shorter, and he started to break his own role, foregoing sleep. Now, he felt only anxiety.

Sweat greased his hand, and he had to keep wiping the orb on his clothing. While he was fairly confident hed done it right, he couldnt know. Not until he turned her back on.

Vir found Ashani sitting on the edge of her bed where hed left her, her eyes closed as if meditating. While Janaks lab had a station designed to support her when she was down for hibernation or maintenance, she preferred the comfort of her own room, which had once belonged to Siya.

Bracing himself, he carefully inserted the core into her back, then turned it clockwise to slot it in place.

Blue lights flickered on, and the receptacle retracted. Skin materialized over it, hiding any evidence it was there.

A moment went by. Then two. Ashani continued to sit lifelessly, her eyes closed shut.

Virs heart pounded.

Did I mess up? Did I break something without realizing it?

A dozen possibilities played through his head.

Ashani? Can you hear me?

The goddess eyes fluttered open. She looked around, confused.

Vir? Did you her eyes went wide. So much time has passed! Why?

Vir smiled. How do you feel?

Ashani isI mean, I am well.

Ashani stood up abruptly, nearly knocking Vir back.

Core charge Eighty-three percent!? Oh, Vir

The goddess embraced him, lifting him off his feet and twirling him in the air as if he was a toy.

Woah! Uh, Ashani? Maybe calm down?

O-Oh! she said, setting Vir down, her cheeks red. My apologies! I seem to have gotten carried away.

Dont mention it, Vir said. So, youre really alright?

I believe so One moment, she said, frowning. Vir This isnt my core.

Is something wrong? Is it incompatible?

Ashani rubbed her chin, her eyes flickering rapidly, as if she were reading lines of text on an invisible page.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

No. Not incompatible. Tis a military model core. Rated for higher capacity than my own. Its features differ somewhat from my own, however. I shall need to do more testing to know for certain.

Ashani stared at Vir, her hands on her hips. As if expecting him to say something.

Um, yes?

This is from the Yaksha Guardian, is it not?

Vir pursed his lips. I was really hoping you wouldnt know.

Hed deemed it safer to charge the Yakshas core first. If it wasnt compatible, and he accidentally broke Ashanis primary core, shed have died.

You risked your life? For me? Why do something so foolish?

Youd have died if I did nothing.

Vir was expecting more of a reprimand, but Ashanis expression softened, and she placed a hand on his shoulder. Thank you, she said. I was right to trust you.

I dont know if you were. I really cant believe you put your life in my hands so easily.

Ashani smiled coyly. Lets just say I had a good reason to.

Well, at least you have one mostly full core now. And your old primary one. Still need to fill that. The Yaksha had two cores, but I ended up breaking one. Found another one in the Automaton vault, but I, er I broke that one, too, Vir said sheepishly, embarrassed at his failures.

Now that is a story I need to hear. Ashanis voice lacked even a trace of ridicule. How in the world did you defeat that guardian?

Well, Vir grinned. I had some help.

They migrated to the living area, with the moving picture frames on the wall, where Vir spent the next hours narrating his story. Of how hed broken her orb and his moment of panic, followed by his decision to acclimate to the region before venturing to the vault. He narrated his desperate fight with the Yaksha, ultimately concluding with the loss of her wolves.

That was the part Vir had dreaded narrating the most, and it was also what saddened Ashani the most.

I wish I could do something for you, the goddess said. You have blessed me with a new lease on life. There must be something you want?

I didnt do this for a reward, Ashani, Vir said immediately. Knowing youre alive is reward enough for me.

The goddess smiled. But?

Well, if you happened to have some Artifact weapons lying around I certainly wouldnt say no.

Artifacts, is it? Weapons made by my people? Ashani said, wincing. Im afraid I have no way of reproducing the weapons you saw in the simulation. At best, I could give you my rod, though it would be of little use to you. It was designed for automatons.

And leave you defenseless? Vir exclaimed. Even if I could use it, Id never do something like that.

A sudden thought occurred to him. With all the drama of his fight with the Yaksha, hed almost forgotten about the spool of glowing blue ribbon hed found in the vault.

Can you tell me what this does? Vir asked, retrieving it from his belt pouch.

Ashani rushed over, her eyes going wide. May I? she asked, taking the ribbon from Vir.

What a surprising find, she said, turning it over in her hand.

You know what it is?

An Imperium Fabricator Ribbon. Useless on its own, but when slotted in an appropriate device and configured appropriately Ashani beamed at Vir. You said you wanted a weapon? Tell me, what would you like?

Vir stole glances at Ashani as she worked at a station inside Janaks lab, though most of his concentration was on charging her other core. Perhaps because it wasnt a military model like the Yakshas, Vir found it simpler to charge. It lacked as many inscriptions, and they were less temperamental.

Fabricators were among the most versatile of Imperium creations, Ashani said, operating several strange machines with metal arms that swung rapidly back and forth. Sparks flew when they touched the ribbon.

They could augment nearly any Imperium technology in a multitude of ways, limited only by the imagination. They could be fashioned into weapons, armor, decorations, research equipment The list is endless. The only question is, what do you want?

What did he want? Vir didnt know. To even know where to begin, hed need to understand what exactly she meant by her words.

Youre saying this ribbon can create Artifacts? If so, I have some questions. Vir said.

Ask, and I shall answer to the best of my ability.

Can it be used to create more ribbons? Vir asked immediately. If so, he could create not just one, but any number of Artifacts.

Ashani chuckled. It can, but only with enough materials and components for a new ribbon. Needless to say, such materials have been long lost to time.

Of course, it wouldn't be that easy.

What about prana cores? Or could it be used to create something that produces cores?

The uses would be endless. Vir might even be able to create magic orbs that used Ash prana.

Certainly, though, again, the base crystal would be required. Without it, the fabricator would have to create that as well. I'm afraid doing so would consume all of the ribbon.

I see, Vir said, somewhat disappointed. Orb-based magic that was unique to him would've given him a great deal of power, at least until he got some Ultimate Tattoos. What about weapons, then? How many can it make? And can it be reused?

Fabricator ribbons cannot be reused. They forge themselves into the object they create, becoming a permanent part of it. As for how much it can create, that depends entirely on the size and complexity of the construction.

Say, a talwar that could cut through Imperium metal? Vir asked. He was about to ask about katars but realized hed probably want more reach from a devastating Imperium Artifact.

One moment, Ashani said, her hands whirring over a translucent image that sprung up over her table. It displayed numbers, letters, and a diagram of a sword, with lines pointing to its various parts.

Ashani moved her hands, and the sword rotated in midair.

The amount of fabricator ribbon here is sufficient to create one of these weapons, assuming enough metal is provided.

Vir frowned. Imperium metal? he asked. I scoured the city and couldnt find any. The ones that have lost their inscription patterns arent good for anything.

Ashani shook her head. Using Imperium steel would reduce the fabrication cost, but a range of other materials are suitable.

Wait. What if we used something other than steel? Vir asked, thinking of how weapons designed for magical enhancement were sometimes built with wood or other materials. Would it impact the function of the weapon?

Ashani brought up images of several materials Vir had never seen.

The Imperium used a number of prana-fiber composites in their construction. Depending on the weapon enhancements, these weapons could be both lighter and stronger than regular steel. While these materials are unavailable to us, we could have the fabricator create them, at a cost.

Vir immediately thought of Maiyas Enhance Speed orb and what it had done for Virs deadliness. Something told him those advanced Imperium capabilities would be as useful as an Artifact made of Imperium metal.

Some advice, if I may? Ashani asked.

Please.

I understand your fondness for short-range weapons, but I feel I must tell you that the safest weapons are of the ranged variety. The ability to inflict damage upon your opponent while keeping yourself safe is an invaluable advantage in battle.

Thats true, Vir replied. Hed experienced firsthand just how powerful Chakram Barrage was. The only issue with Chakrams was he kept losing them

Ashani? How about a chakram that can return to me? Would we have any ribbon left?

Ashani inputted the details, and an image of a basic steel chakram popped up. It was unadorned and looked identical to his own.

Plenty left, she said. I could fashion multiple such items, though do be aware that the prana consumption would be quite high. Its ability to fly on complex paths is entirely dependent on the amount of ambient Ash prana in the air.

Wait. Complex paths? Vir asked. You mean itll seek out enemies on its own?

He envisioned his chakram wreaking havoc, flying from one enemy to the next, a spinning disk of destruction. Vir very much liked that idea.

We certainly can, for an additional cost.

Vir spent the next hour fine-tuning the details with Ashania task that proved far more difficult than hed anticipated. As it turned out, too much of a good thing was also problematic. From exotic materials to imbuing the chakrams with prana reserves to buzzing razor blades that multiplied their lethality, the endless options made his head spin.

Unfortunately, these fancy customizations were expensive, forcing Vir to forfeit the other abilities he desired. To give the chakrams a battery, as Ashani had called it, hed have to sacrifice the ability to recall the chakram, and vice versa.

Ultimately, his decision had come down to the weapon remaining functional outside the Ash. Exotic materials were all fine and well when he had the prana to power them. The wooden sword might be faster and lighter than a steel one, but without magic, it was little more than a toy.

That wasnt to say that Vir had sacrificed all the options, however. After pooling their minds, he felt theyd come up with something quite interesting in the end.

Lets go with that, then, he said.

Very well, Ashani replied, a trace of excitement in her voice as she looked upon the simulated image of the beautifuland deadlydisk. Even Janak would be proud of such an exquisite piece.