The group continued running, losing the cleaner from their sight, then Nax, with his map, found ways to avoid others while traversing the halls, and they entered door after door, exiting Land after Land.
The group stopped within another Land.
Land - Field of Reeds.
"This place should be good for now, no one can sneak up on us here." -Nax said.
The Land was an open field, as its name suggests, it was filled with reeds all around, no mountains nor rivers, no rocks or trees, for the eye could see.
Larvan is trying to catch his breath, looking down.
Haa..Haa..Haa--
Nax, on the other hand, was fine, unlike Larvan, whom had just finished a fight and then ran from the cleaner, focused on his map, Nax was planning on where to go next.
Larvan looked at the guide as he caught his breath, and she moved closer to Larvan, then sat on her feet, her left arm on her knee, her right arm's elbow on top of the back of her hand, her head resting on her palm, looking up at him.
"Where were we? Ah, yes, rules/regulations and conditions(R/RC), but before that, the cleaner, it is a creature that roams the Ever halls, it is attracted to items no matter where it is in the Ever halls, they devour the items and it's pure will, driven only by instincts, it ignores everything else, that is why it tried to kill you, even if the item vanishes after a Keyholder's death it wont know it, it only know that you have one,onces they devoured enough they slowly gain sentience and a humanoid form." -The guide explained.
When Larvan heard, his thoughts were focused on the cleaners gaining sentience and a humanoid form.
"If they gain sentience and a humanoid form, then isn't it dangerous, wouldn't there be plenty of them around?" -Larvan thought.
"I know what you're thinking, no, it wouldn't be dangerous, and yes they are plenty of them, but not in the Ever halls, since when they gain sentience and a humanoid form they will all, without exceptions be pushed in The Ever Plains, they wont be able to enter the halls again, and at that time, Keyholders can interact with them since, by then, they know about a Keyholder dying and losing all items." -The guide explained, with her finger pointing upwards.
Larvan was slightly relieved, but there were still some questions in his mind that had been bothering him.
"Can they enter the outside world?" -Larvan asked.
"No, they can't, Everbeasts, on the other hand, can, that is one of many reasons why items are being searched upon, since it is an anchor that slows down the progress of the Land being integrated, it also create and maintains a door to the outside world." -The guide explains, smiling playfully.
Larvan stood straight, managing to recover a bit, and he started to slowly get a feel of The Ever Plains, deep in thought.
The guide then stood up as well, facing Larvan, still with her playful smile.
"Now that that's over with, let's move on to the rules/regulations and conditions(R/RC) or a trade off, that can greatly increase or change an item's inherent ability." -The guide said, pointing at Larvan's ring.
Larvan looked at his ring, as the guide pointed, he prepared himself for what she was about to say.
"Items inherently have one ability each one unique, for starters, your ring, if you may explain its ability, please?" -The guide explained, putting her hands behind her back.
Larvan looked at the guide hesitantly, he took a glance at Nax, then back at the guide.
"Alright, my ring is,
//
Item - Ring (Source level 0) -
Ability External senses - Externally project the owner's senses with an arrow sign.
//
" -Larvan explained.
"I see... Now that explains a lot." -The guide exclaimed.
"Looks like your ring projected mostly your sixth sense, and not your other senses, why is that, I wonder?" -The guide asked herself while tilting her head.
"Well. In truth, when I got the information on the item through binding with it, I tested it mostly with my sixth sense, since using it with my other senses would be completely useless, so I made a gamble, and thanks to that decision, I didn't become food for that giant wolf." -Larvan explained embarissingly, while scratching his head with his right hand.
While the two were talking, Nax was half listening, he finally decided on where to go, he made sure that no one was around using his Item - Map, then put it away.
"Wow, so you did all that based on just your intuition.
Huh.
Impressive newbie." -Nax exclaimed with his eyes wide.
Nax slowly moved closer to the two of them, relaxing his tense self.
"Setting your rules/regulations and conditions(R/RC) takes time and consideration, I'll give you an example since I've shown it already." -Nax said.
Nax raises his crossbow and holds it with both his hands.
"With rules/regulations and conditions(R/RC), I gave the item, my crossbow, which has the ability to generate infinite crossbolts in seconds, but by adding a condition to it, with a command, "set, reload time and the time it takes to reload" it's power and speed are greatly increased depending on how long it is set to generate new ammunition, and with it the item rise from level 0 - 1.
Before - //
Item - Crossbow (Source level 0) -
Ability infinite ammo - generate infinite crossbolts
//
After - //
Item - Crossbow (Source level 1) -
Ability infinite ammo - generate infinite crossbolts
Adds -
RRC: When saying the sentence, "set, reload time, and the time it takes to reload" its power and speed are greatly increased depending on how long it is set to generate new ammunition.
//
"-Nax explained in detail.
After hearing Nax's explanation, Larvan was deep in thought.
He was considering what rules/regulations and conditions(R/RC) he would add to his item, but change his thought, because he needed more time and a safe place, he was focused on the word level in the item, he thought that a Source level item would become a Ranked item like the map Nax had, which was a Common rank turned Rarerank thanks to what he added, but now he thinks further.
The guide noticed his deep thought and smiled.
"What seems to be the problem? Come on, you can tell me." -The guide said.
Larvan was awoken from his thoughts and looked at the guide with eyes wide open.
Nax as well, eagerly waiting for him to ask and not contemplate alone.
"Come on, newbie, better to ask than to think all by yourself, besides, we don't have time to be leisure in this place, eventually, another Keyholder or another Cleaner might appear, I much prefer the former rather than the latter since we have a 50 50 chance on meeting someone that kills for fun." -Nax said.
Larvan, looking at them, was still hesitant, he eventually told them his thoughts.
The two were listening intently with a wide smiles and wide eyes, the guide expected it, but she never expected for Larvan to contemplate the Source level and Ranked items, she expected him to only think of what to add to his item.
Same as the guide, Nax was astonished on hearing Larvan, he even forgot for a moment that Larvan was a newbie, since normally, newbies think of such things and only learn about it through other Keyholders, and even then, they might not say the whole truth.
Contrary to what new Keyholders might think, that they could just ask a guide later on if they have a question they want answered, but the truth is quite different.
Since a guide only guides newbies and can only be found if they allow themselves to be, or are called upon by an item, and even then, those items are quite rare.
The guide then closed her eyes with a smile, and she pointed upward, then a hologram like thing appeared.
//
Item Source Level ()
--------------
Item Ranked
//
Larvan and Nax both looked at what the guide just did.
Nax, already knowing this, wasn't quite as interested, but was expecting something from the guide, Larvan, on the other hand was quite eager.
"Ok!" -The guide said.
She opened her eyes and prepared to explain, she then opened her hand, gesturing at the hologram.
"What you see here is the dividing line between a Source level and a Ranked item, they are divided because no matter how much a person adds to a Source level item, it will only increase its level, it won't cross the line of a ranked item,
//
Item Source Level (1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10...)
--------------
Item Ranked
//
" -The guide explained in detail while her eyes were closed.
"Why is that?" -Larvan asked.
"Because Ranked items have something that Source level doesn't." -Nax blurted out.
The guide slowly looked at Nax with a menacing smile.
Nax responded quickly by looking away at her and pretending to check his pockets.
"Ranked items have something that Source level doesn't?" -Larvan repeated questioningly.
"Yes, Ranked items have sentience, compared to Sourcelevel, which is a huge difference, since having a sentient item allows it, to automatically sip some will from their owners for the item's autonomous use if they allow it, the item knows what their owner wants them to do, being connected to them and execute their will, the items even though have sentience they cant think for themselves." -The guide explained.
Larvan heard this mouth a gape and was quite shocked by what he was hearing, he looked down, his right hand scratching his head.
"A sentient item..." -Larvan thought deeply.
Larvan looked at the guide, having thought of a question.
"Can a Source level become a Ranked item? Or do I have to find them?" -Larvan asked.
"Well, yes of course, they can become Ranked items, like I said, their only difference is that the item has sentience.
If a Source level item gains sentience, it becomes a Ranked item, devouring the adds that were set upon it, combining it with its natural ability and optimizing it, easy as that. " -The guide explained with her arms spread.
Now that Larvan knows, another question arose.
"How? How can I make my item gain sentience and become a Ranked item?" -Larvan asked, with a fire of seeking knowledge in his eyes.
"With this." -Nax said, while showing something in his right hand.
Both Larvan and the guide looked at what Nax had in his hand.
Nax was holding on to multiple crystals, it was of different shapes and sizes.
"What is that?" -Larvan asked.
Nax looked at Larvan and then smirked.
"These are Source fragments." -Nax said.
"They are what Keyholders use to enhance their items, and allow it to slowly grow sentience." -The guide explained.
"It is also used by us Keyholders as a means of currency, but normally it is used on Ranked items rather than on Source level, because it takes a 1 mil source fragments to allow a single item to gain sentience." -Nax interjected.
The guide looked at Nax with a menacing smile.
He saw that and avoided her gaze, and then Larvan with another question in his mind.
"Why?" -Lavan asked.
"Because--" -Nax tried to explain.
"Because using a Source fragment on a ranked item allows for it, to remove or integrate an add that was put by the owner of the item, although its cost vary depending on how hard or limited a condition is or how restrictive a rules/regulations are or that it puts the owner of the item at risk, and then when everything is prepared the cost paid the sentient item integrates or removes the add of the owner's choosing and optimizes its ability itself." -The guide interjected and explained in detail.
The guide then looked at Nax with a smile and both met eyes, and Nax shivered.
"Mister Nax, may you show Mister Larvan an example please?" -The guide asked, with a more menacing smile.
"Uh... Y-yes of course.. Haha" -Nax shakenly said.
Nax took out his item - crossbow, and prepared to explain.
"Well, to begin with, lets pretend that my crossbow is a ranked item,
Pretend -//
Item - Crossbow (Ranked - Common ) -
Ability infinite ammo - generate infinite crossbolts
Adds -
RRC: When saying the sentence, "set, reload time, and the time it takes to reload" its power and speed are greatly increased depending on how long it is set to generate new ammunition.
//
If I use a Source fragment on this, to remove or integrate an add which is the only add that it has, it would cost 1000 to remove and 10000 to integrate, since removing is more easily done than integrating, since integrating can combine and optimize the item's ability with the add,
Pretend -1000 add remove//
Item - Crossbow (Ranked - Common ) -
Ability infinite ammo - generate infinite crossbolts
Adds -
//
Pretend -10000 add integrate//
Item - Crossbow (Ranked - Common ) -
Ability infinite ammo - generate infinite crossbolts with the power and speed greatly increased or decreased depending on the owner, the increase is dependent on the owner's will.
Adds -
//
" -Nax explained in detail.
Larvan nodded slowly and thought of another question.
"Then why not use it on Source level items to integrate its adds?" -Larvan asked.
"Another good question." -Nax replied.
"Because, Source level items only devour it automatically to form sentience, that is why Keyholders normally use Source fragments only on ranked items." -The guide interjected.
The guide looked at Larvan, who was deep in thought, looking at his ring with a stern face.
"But, you know, Source level items have an unlimited potential for growth compared to Ranked items." -The guide said.
Larvan's face brightened up, eyes wide, looked at the guide with expectations.
"Because, Source level items are known as a clean slate, tainted by no one, ranked items, on the other hand, already have adds on them, depending on their ranks, starting from the lowest Ranked item - common, it has at least 1 or 2 adds and more from higher Ranked once, since it has sentient it develops its own with it's insticts over time becoming more powerful or reach a limit, if it had gained wisdom like higher ranked items then it would have been a different story, and items can't use Source fragments without an owner." -The guide explained.
"?!" -Larvan's eyes wide open.
He was focused on the sentient items gaining wisdom, and items without owners can't use Source fragments part.
"Anymore questions?" -The guide asked with a smile while leaning sideways.
"Yes, wha-" -Larvan was about to ask.
"Oh! Come on!" -A woman interjected and exclaimed.
When the group heard her voice, their eyes wide open, they looked around trying to find its location, but were surrounded by flames, the flames only contained them, not spreading further and burning the whole Land.
"Can't a woman get some rest! I thought a couple of minutes ago you guys would leave! But no! Question after question! Can't you guys do it somewhere else!?" -The woman shouted.
The woman's voice was on their left, not far nor near them, she was resting on the field of reeds, undetected, concealed by an item, avoiding Nax's item's ability, and having no ill will or desire to do anything to the group, did not trigger Larvan's sixth sense resulting in his item not activating.
If Larvan had not been focusing on externalizing his sixth sense, and used his sense of smell, then he would have found an arrow pointing to where the woman was resting, which would be indicated by a unique color, those with the same smell have the same color arrow.
Continue...