Overpowered Wizard

With a wave of her hand, Ruvaria summoned five objects that floated around her. “These are cursed items of great power. With these five, you will either succumb to their curse and suffer horrible fates that will bring your adventures together to an end. Or you all will become far greater, far deadlier, far scarier. Woe be unto your enemies.”

“Amen,” Gilbert said, taking his cowboy hat down from his head and pressing it to his chest.

The first cursed item was an ominous goblet made of crimson and black roots. The second cursed item was a big, thick, and tarnished golden book with nefarious energy surrounding it.

The third cursed item was a small, intricately carved black and bronze box covered in highly advanced, runic symbols and numerous parts that clicked and shifted rapidly. The fourth cursed item was a hand-sized mirror made of polished steel that reflected no light or any image.

Then there was the fifth cursed item, a thorny crown that snapped out with aura tendrils that were even hungrier than Para’s.

Ruvaria delivered them one by one to each Floridian. Once they had them all in hand, Ruvaria spoke about the power and lore behind the cursed gifts.

For Gilbert, Ruvaria said, “This is the Bloodroot Chalice, Mythical Quality. Notice how a mere touch is painful and cold. It is always hungry for vitality, specifically the part that helps your wounds heal.

“After it takes your vital health, it will also go after your vital stamina. After it takes your vital stamina, it will start draining your life energy. Once it drains all of your life, the Bloodroot Chalice would hunger for more. Nothing could satisfy it. Thus, it would attack those nearby without them having to touch it.

“This used to belong to one of my aunts from a long time ago, Ravoxia the Breaker. It was a trophy she’d taken off the corpse of one of her long-time rivals of an ancient race that used to live on this world before they, too, met their end by the powers of my family.

“Unlike most elves, Ravoxia trained to be a warrior-first. She was a wrathful one, a berserker of grand Strength and Mysticism. She is long gone now, so please have a toast to her memory with the Bloodroot Chalice, for Ravoxia was one who took on two Tier 4 regressors by herself. She was already dead by the time she beat them bloody and defended her favorite drinking tavern in a small corner of the world.”

Gilbert looked wide-eyed at the evil, mythical goblet in his hand. “Whoa, uh, thanks. Like, God almighty, thank you. I’ll drink deep in Ravoxia the Breaker’s memory and send a prayer in her direction.”

“Yes, pray to your Christian God for Ravoxia and yourself, because the Bloodroot Chalice is relentless. Have fun.” Ruvaria nodded as Gilbert fought off the power of the vitality-hungry goblet. She turned to the next down the list.

For Bianca, Ruvaria said, “The Tarnished Tome of Maledictions, Mythical Quality. You can already feel it, can’t you, from merely touching it. The book has a corruptive power of pure evil. Though it doesn’t match up to Shadowfell’s power, it still aims to darken and taint and apply evil to all of those who are close, especially the one in contact with the tarnished tome.

“To open its pages and look upon the horrors written in that book is vastly more gruesome for the spirit, for it has records of the many evil acts that were done in the Absolute Era. To read it without the proper endurance or power of your alignment will destroy your mind and drive you to lunacy.

“The book used to belong to my grandmother, the one you know as Good Goddess Purehome. When others have failed to overcome the evil of the book, when others had their minds ravaged by the text on its pages, their souls twisted to where they were forever debuffed, Purehome withstood the book. She used it to grow her goodness to such a degree it was the bedrock of her rise as one of the greater goddesses at the top.

“This is my gift to you, Bianca, my cheerful child. Test your free good +5 against this book, withstand its evil, and perhaps your sub-alignment will grow to such heights that even I will be in awe of your goodness.”

Bianca held the tarnished golden book shakily in front of her. Her eyes trembled. Her breath came out rushed. Then she crushed the book against her metallic breastplate with a tight hug as she smiled tearfully up at Ruvaria.

“Gracias, abuela!” Bianca cheered.

Ruvaria nodded. She turned to the next.

For Hannah, Ruvaria explained, “The Labyrinthine Box, Mythical Quality. I know what you’re trying to do, Hannah, and I applaud you for the effort. But this cursed artifact is unsolvable up to a great extent.

“I wasn’t able to solve it until I was well beyond Level 100 and was five thousand years old. But you may give it your best attempt.

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“You must use some rudimentary aura control to shift its pieces while tracking the runic sequences, which it will scramble constantly at speeds that will make you dizzy. With every attempt to solve it, even when trying to move its pieces into their proper place, it will attack your mind with torturous pain and rip out the knowledge you’ve gained from solving its demented puzzle.

“My great grandfather, the father of Purehome, created the Labyrinthine Box. He was the most genius inventor of the Forgotten Era, a time before the Absolute Era. I cannot tell you what happened in the Forgotten Era. It is mostly forgotten.”

“What era?” Gilbert grunted, strained by the Bloodroot Chalice.

“I forgot,” Bianca said, with a shaky breath, tears streaming from her eyes as she hugged the Tarnished Tome of Malediction.

“Forgotten Era,” Naomi said.

“Yes, I still have it in my head, the Forgotten Era,” Hannah said.

“I’m guessing the Forgotten Era has an automatic universal effect that wipes memories about it unless you have the right mental abilities,” Zarian said, finding that fascinating. ʀα

What happened in the Forgotten Era that made the Infinita Star System use an ongoing memory wipe?

“What era?” Gilbert asked again.

“Maybe the gibberish era,” Bianca added.

Ruvaria nodded slowly. “Yes, that is the point. The Forgotten Era is to be forgotten. However, it was from that era the Absolute Era was born. This was when certain powerful factions that still exist to this day first cemented themselves on one of two sides.

“Grand creations from many thousands of years ago came to bear with results that were nearly world shattering. We are missing entire continents because of weapons from that time.

“The knowledge of those old world-rocking weapons and many other highly sophisticated secret works are in the Labyrinthine Box and can make the most determined inventor the most dangerous across the Lesser Worlds and perhaps some world above in the Greater World. I wouldn’t know.”

“Why?” Hannah asked sharply between gritted teeth, suffering some painful effects from holding the Labyrinthine Box.

Ruvaria shrugged nonchalantly. “Once I’ve solved the Labyrinthine Box, I forwent the knowledge. It was too destructive for me to have, and I’ve already done enough damage. Perhaps it would suit you better, for you have a hunger and determination that is like my great grandfather.”

Hannah used rudimentary aura control to make the box hover in front of her. She was already straining as the item of stone and bronze shifted in countless miniscule ways while its symbols flashed with ruddy brown light. Looking away from the mythical treasure, Hannah met Ruvaria’s eyes.

“I will solve it before Level 100,” Hannah promised.

Ruvaria smiled. “I knew you would say that. You have vast potential ready to burst free and rearrange the cosmos to your liking. That is what I find commendable about you and the young woman who’s devoting herself as your assistant.”

“Oh, Rhea, you mean?” Hannah said, surprised. “Hm, I should probably help her level up when I get back to the village. She would make for a better assistant that way…”

Hannah trailed off as she became absorbed with her gift. Tears streamed down her cheeks as the box tore at her mind and made it a struggle to solve and gain its world-shaking secrets.

Ruvaria nodded before turning to the next.

For Naomi, Ruvaria explained, “The Echoing Mirror of Self Destruction, Mythical Quality. For one hour, it will be a complete doppelganger. It would even copy Aura Ignition and other great traits to an extent. It will try to kill you.

“My children, children’s children, and children’s children’s children who went down the magic warrior path have all fought this thing. It was a trophy of mine that I’ve taken from some particular creatures who like to stay hidden.”

“Gnomes!” Zarian blurted out.

“Yes, gnomes. They would prefer it if you didn’t know about them. I know where they are, though,” Ruvaria said.

“I’ll find them on my own,” Zarian said.

“Wait, we’re looking for gnomes now?” Gilbert grunted, still wrestling with the vitality-eating Bloodroot Chalice.

“Search the lawns. Find their homes. AND DESTROY THEM ALL! DEATH TO THE GNOMES!” Bianca screamed, before shutting the Tarnished Tome of Maledictions and shaking her head. “Ah, no, no, let’s not do that to the gnomes. We will not destroy them. We won’t. Maybe they can give me very nice shoes. I’ll even give them pictures of my footsies as payment.”

Pause.

“Pero que coño, Bianca?!” Gilbert shouted.

“It wasn’t me! It was the book that made me say that! And what if the gnomes say yes and I get the shoes just like that? Then I’d look smart!”

Gilbert gawked at her. “We literally have so much money back home we don’t even know what to do with most of it!”

“Dale! Leave me alone! I’m not weird! It’s the book’s fault! And I have pretty feet that are worth more than all the gold coins! Just saying!”

To Bianca’s chagrin, Gilbert shook his head in shame at her.

“Mm, yeah, sure,” Hannah mumbled, veins bulging on her forehead as she glared at the Labyrinthine Box that floated across from her face.

“Yo, what the hell?! I didn’t interrupt you all when you guys had a badass explanation about your gift!” Naomi grouched, waving around the hand sized and unreflective mirror. “Let me have my moment!”

“That’s all I have to say about it,” Ruvaria said. “Activate it and beat yourself up with yourself. Maybe you’ll gain some new insight. Try not to let it kill you, then it will exist for longer than an hour and aim to kill everyone you care about until it’s destroyed.”

“Understood,” Naomi grunted.

Ruvaria let out a small sigh before smiling down at the final receiver of her gifts. Zarian smiled back as he held the thorny circlet in his hands.

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