Orange and yellow colors invaded my vision keeping thousand-pound eyelids locked tighter than the work camps food stores. Laying on my back I could feel my muscles pulsing with overbearing soreness. Sweating profusely with my teeth feeling much dirtier than normal telling me I was neglectful of my hygiene last night. My body protesting against my mind for just a little more rest, yet for some reason rationality whispered I should be panicked. Licking my lips as a classic morning mistake I knew the cold would soon freeze them forcing me awake to make my way to the familiar Arctic Desert along with Agatha trying to motivate me to try harder for a class or she wouldn't keep big sistering me. Five minutes passed... Ten minutes... My lips were still moist, and the sun was burning my face. Bringing my palm up to rub my eyes the skin stung as if hot to the touch. Opening my eyes finally, a vibrant Spring morning sun shone between the slits of my fingers. Large branches prominently displaying full, foot sized leaves, creating a canopy intended to steal the sun from anything underneath its wooden body. Red and purple exploded across the sky like I've never seen this far north. A vibrant green leaf fell gracefully blown by the slightly chilly breeze onto my chest. this must be a dream I thought as I looked for a more comfortable spot to rest in this sleep induced paradise.

  Blood covered the ground with a trail that led into waist height bushes. Following the lines of blood it was clear someone kicked dirt and disturbed the trail hastily, finally reaching the source a body was slump over with long dark hair fanning out. Agatha was laying a meter or so away from me. Blood covered, missing an arm and her leg so frost bitten it was peeling flesh to the bone.

  "AGATHA!" pushing off the ground hurriedly my elbow rebelled openly against me and made me shift weight unevenly forcing me to roll onto the injured side. "Shit..." I said aloud.

  "You're okay!" a light voice exclaimed behind me, startling me. Two dainty caramel tanned arms wrapped themselves around my seated shoulders from behind me. Being embraced felt... Unnatural. After too long had passed I placed a hand onto them, prying them open and turning my head around I saw a 167-centimeter girl with thin lips and flawless skin. Smiling like she heard the best news possible she stared anxiously and unsure as I appraised the situation.

  It didn't help my focus she was also nude. Having never seen a cloth less woman, let alone a stunningly gorgeous stranger who touched me without provocation I said,

  "I.. don't have any money..."

  THWACK.

  Sending the tyrannical birds flying off in all directions from the tree above us she slapped me hard enough to bruise my already sun burnt face.

  "OW, Damnit." rubbing my swelling cheek, "Is this a mugging instead of prostitution now?" As if killing a mosquito, my hand moved from my cheek to forcefully clasp my mouth. I knew it was inevitable... But this soon?.. Undoubtably and unfortunately this. This was it... The day my sarcasm finally killed me.

  Mouth agape, her eyelids spread apart like two positively charged magnets. Irises flittering from one side to the other clearly, she was working out the most elaborate and creative forms of torture possible to inflict a righteous punishment with her as judge, jury and Fiery executioner who loved their job.

  Wait... "DID YOU DO THIS?!" having finally learned the lesson of using my throbbing arm. Keeping my legs under me to get onto my feet while pointing at Agatha murder written in my eyes. "NO. I saved you. What a waste of time that was since your stupid mouth will make me KILL you! Besides if I wanted to why wouldn't I have beat your unsuspecting head with a rock instead of my hand..." Crossing her arms with freshly narrowed, rage induced twitching eyes showed she decided to forgive but not forget my slip of the tongue.

  Checking her hands for weapons brought my eyes below her neckline hovering a bit too long, embarrassed I turned away and got to Agatha's side. It's true that if she had wanted to harm me why wouldn't she have done so immediately? Taking off my bear pelt jacket left me shirtless with the canopy slightly blocking the sun showing just how pale I was. Agatha released a strained cough with blood being spit out with it. Seeing my staff laid next to me I picked it up,

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  [Evolving Artifact] Faith in the Eclipse:

  A metal pole that has complete immunity to all elements compatible with user's abilities. Can only be used by those of the family name "Eclipse"

  Gives compatible wielders-

  [mid tier]

  [high tier]

  (If wielder has the blood or name in the Eclipse bloodline)

  +100 mana

  +150 agility

  +100 endurance

  +150 strength

  [the wielder can freeze moisture in their surroundings to create a focal point for mana or a martial weapon the user is proficient with in the shape and design of their choosing. this weapon can be used to create a limited number of undead servants with harboring complete loyalty no matter if resentful after death, the creatures or humanoids quality upon using or will grow and evolve with the wielder with a limited number of souls brought back at one time. Souls brought back can surpass or regress the potential they had in life dependent on the power of the wielder but all class decisions for souls brought back can only be made by the current wielder.]

  Being able to feel raw stats is much different then natural or trained stats. Raw stats only really make an appearence in combat and can be decieving, for instance a scrawny man can be given 1000 strength from an item or weapon and physically remain small but be able to lift a building. Where as hypothetically if a man were to train to get 1000 strength they would be a mass of pure muscle. However, since the description and name of my staff changed I noticed I was much more defined and had gotten bigger arms and legs but not by as much as that stat of strength should have given. Peculiar... Maybe after a few tests I could see just how much-

  "Cool stick you got there, if any crops come to finish us off they will be in reaaaaaaalll trouble" the ADHD inducing woman said with her hands on her hips admonishing the scythe. "listen..." looking I said stopping to stare at the ground with a face of puzzlement.

  "My name is Zarelessa." she said with a look as if I was supposed to know that from just looking at her.

  "okay Zarlessa, listen. We don't know where we are right?",

  wondering where this was going she responded "righhhht?".

  "And we both are incrdibly weak comprable to the bigger wider world right?"

  humming and looking up momentarily, "right again!"

  "fuck."

  Using the weapon, I cast to make a 2-meter flat square, cutting the base of the wall with the scythe to make perfect block. Ripping apart the bear pelts from my and Agatha's jackets resembling a makeshift bed. Swinging the scythe to cut off a thick branch as well as two thinner longer branches from the tree. Then using to create two wheels with holes in their centers. Pushing the thick branch between the wheels I froze the bed on top of those wheels. Finally, securing the longer branches as hand holds my makeshift causality care cart was complete. Lifting Agatha with the help of the stranger onto the cart we started walking out onto the dirt paved trail.

  A searing headache penetrated deep into my frontal cortex after a couple steps as the dragon incident came back to me all at once. "Okay, so I remember killing the dragon... I remember being in a purple air pocket... Then boom waking up, what happened?" taking me by the hand she led me through the bushes the trail of blood came from as I pulled Agatha in the CCC (Casualty care cart). A 2-meter black circle of ashes expanded from the middle of the road, "My best guess... Aliens." this new clearly deranged girl said with a glean in her eyes as if she cured cancer or walked the moon. "You... What..." Stunned and blinking rapidly I looked at her. One arm laid gracefully across her stomach just on top of her wide hips she placed her other arm to rest and lifted her hand with her four fingers facing her like hydra heads, as she inspected her blood-stained dirt encrusted nails as if wearing royal rings she stated with intention "Being the prettiest, smartest, and most amazing being in existence does get tiring around this peasant drivel". "Oh yeah?.. What does drivel mean?" with maliciousness in my eyes. "Humph." she said looking away. Rocks being crushed under the cartwheels was the only sound for the next few hours.