'Hmm, the fragments have increased to a sizable amount… should I try that once enchantment now…?'
Forgetting the issue with his name for a moment, and directing his gaze at the fragment counter, Ray noticed the increase in the number, and how it should be enough for his first legacy echo. Hopefully.
He directed his gaze towards the others for a second, and saw how everyone was still getting themselves, and their equipment ready for this last stretch, even though, judging from the distance they would still need to cover, it wouldn't be for two more hours, until they reached a sufficient position.
Kai had laid down, and was already sleeping, something that could've hindered nearly any other member of the cohort, but not their most mobile member. He could get ready, while they were on the move.
Throwing one last look towards the counter, Ray judged it to be high enough to give it a try at least.
Having decided against the extra amount of wariness of doing this in secret somewhere a bit more hidden, due to no one – not even himself – even knowing about what might happen, Ray simply summoned [Puppet] on the ground in front of him.
He had previously placed himself somewhere between the sleeping archer, and the edge of the platform. Effie was nearby, but seemed more interested in stuffing her stomach a bit more, from what it seemed.
When the light of the natural memory and echo weaving diminished, his first, and only echo lay bare in front of him.
It seemed… lackluster.
The body of the echo was of a pale-white color, its texture resembled wood… and flesh, at the same time.
One could describe it with one word:
Blank.
But, ray saw something else; Potential. The descriptions of the enchantments, and even the one from the echo itself had hinted to it being highly adaptable. It simply required memories.
And, due to it having come from the Oblivion Tome, that word most definitely meant actual memories of the mind.
The only question; would imbuing it with memories of a certain body make it take that form permanently, or not?
Without having any answers, Ray just went on with what he had summoned it for, in the first place.
He tried activating the enchantment with his mind, but nothing happened. Thinking for a second, a sudden thought settled in his mind, and he acted upon it.
Placing his hand above the echo's torso, Ray acted as if he was using his dormant ability. Consciously manipulating essence was something no sleeper could do. One needed to become an awakened for that.
That was simply the law of the world – the law of the spell.
In this case, though, there could be use in a small loophole. Technically, his essence was used and transformed, whenever he would act on his dormant ability.
Ray immediately felt a shock run through his body. One accompanied by a jolt of slight pain that seemed to strike his very soul.
Moments later it was already over.
He felt… weaker. Not by much, but still somewhat noticeably.
'I suppose… it worked…?' Ray mused in his mind.
Outwardly, the echo had not changed at all. But... the feeling it gave off had changed.
[Demon fragments: 1344/2000]
Throwing a quick glance at his runes, he saw the changed number of fragments. After that, he called forth the runes for his particular echo, and concentrated on a certain part:
[Echo Class: Beast]
'So, the very first core had required a hundred fragments… going from my own counter, it is highly likely that the next core advancement will be severely more expensive… what a troublesome echo…'
Now, with that taken care of, what else could he do with it?
All of the enchantments were… cryptic, at the very least. While he had already figured out that the word 'memories' should mean actual memories, and not the strange enchanted weapons coming from the spell, it still wasn't very clear how that might work.
While thinking about this, a presence arrived next to him, and seemed to look over his shoulder, at the pale-looking, bland mannequin.
"What you got there? Another memory?" the presence asked, before adding with a playful tone, "Didn't think you were someone that enjoyed playing with dolls…"
"...i don't. This is an echo, I received from my aspect legacy…" Only after those last words, did Ray finally snap out of his thoughts.
How could he just say something like this? Why had he not noticed her, before?
'What is happening to me…?' Ray looked shocked. Shocked at his own incompetence.
Had he sustained any brain damage from the short exchange yesterday, or how else could his carelessness be explained?
'Was the technique really too much, too early…?'
"Eh, seriously? You not only have received an echo before me too, you have also unlocked your Aspect legacy? That is huge. Some never even find clues about them, much less actually unlock them."
The huntress seemed even more enthusiastic about this, than he had been, when it first appeared.
It felt… weird, but not badly so. Maybe there was actual sense in his aunts teaching about friendships, and what not.
Trying to get his mind straight again, Ray needed to come up with a response that wouldn't reveal anything too grand, while also not bringing up any more questions.
"Yeah, but honestly, everything I have gained so far seems extremely cryptic. I've been trying to make sense of it, since unlocking it, but there has been not too much progress, yet.
Even this echo came as a surprise, when I least expected it. It will definitely take time to understand it, even remotely so.
If, no, When we finally make it out of this hell, I will need to invest quite a bit of time, to understand it thoroughly."
Effie seemed to have grown a bit more serious, "I've heard that most aspect legacies tend to be rather weird, or confusing. So, don't beat yourself up, about it.
I'm sure you will get behind it… like you did with other things… or people."
It seemed the attractive amazonian huntress couldn't help herself, and ended her encouragement in a very Effie-like manner.
Even Ray was caught off guard, once more, before shaking his head in mock disbelief, while a small smile appeared on his face.
Both of them continued talking for a bit longer. By the time they were finished, Ray had already dismissed [Puppet] again. There was simply no sense in keeping it out any longer.
When they separated, the mountain chain, which was the hollow mountains, and also their goal, was already in clear sight. Merely an hour from then, they would need to leave the relative safety brought by the stone colossus, and venture into this death zone.
---
The time to get off the giant, moving statue came faster than anyone would've liked.
It wasn't even noon, when the cohort had to get ready.
Ray had woken up Kai, twenty minutes, or so, ago. The charming archer, obviously, was still very sleepy, but had no other choice.
All of them were standing at the edge of the platform, and watched on in bated silence, as their transportation method got closer and closer to the mountains.
By looking at the changing landscape, one was able to immediately notice how they were slowly leaving the forgotten shore behind.
The normally all-present crimson coloring on the ground was growing more scarce by the minute. The giant coral-like walls lay already behind them. Now, there were only the last patches of the red ground.
It seemed, the forgotten shore's crimson labyrinth, was unable to advance any further. Even the statue appeared to encounter a certain resistance, by this point.
The giant builder was trying to move forward for as long as he could, fighting against an invisible pressure, before it eventually stopped entirely.
This was their signal. Their stop, to get off, and go forward, on their own.
Caster, Nephis, Effie, and Ray had no choice, but simply climb down, while Kai, Cassie, as well as Sunny had other means.
Apparently, Cassie and Sunny had received some very interesting memories from the locust swarm that had attacked them, before the storm struck.
Ray felt a twinge of jealousy, as he watched Kai effortlessly fly into the sky, but averted his attention from his charming friend the moment after. He needed to get to the ground, before the giant would continue its endless march across the forgotten shore.
Down, on the ground, Sunny's echo, the Stone Saint was already waiting. Having been sent down first, to scout the location, and make sure it was safe for them to climb down.
In the end, everyone managed to get down, though, it looked like, Sunny wanted to make an extra special entrance, seeing how he was slowly gliding down, with his bug wings, behind his back.
As he looked at those, Ray wasn't really jealous. If he could influence it, he would love the ability to fly, but rather not have any wings. Especially feathery wings, were out of the question.
Just thinking about them, made his blood boil, and his face darken.
Nevertheless, when everyone finally reached the ground, they did not waste any time with pleasantries, and directly continued.
There was still a bit of ground to cover, to actually reach the mountain chain, and they would also need to find a place to stay for the night. Especially to make plans for the next days.
Until now, most things had been somewhat unorganized, as if they weren't even sure, they were going to make it here.