After hours of fruitless searching, I decided it was time to put my latest purchase to the test. If this thing worked the way I hoped, I could store my mana-constructed gear into preset "kits" an armory on demand.
"Alright, first up... CQC kit," I muttered.
I closed my eyes, visualizing the weight and the steel. Magic surged. In a blur of light, twin 1911s weighed down my hands while a series of tactical knives snapped into place across my chest rig.
I held up the storage artifact. "Neat. Now let's see if you're hungry."
The item pulsed. A sudden, violent vacuum of mana pulled the gear from my body, sucking the pistols and blades into its core. I waited a beat, then reactivated it. Snap. The gear materialized back onto my person instantly.
"Nice. It actually works."
I spent the next hour cycling through the sets, refining the data. The Ranger Kit felt elegant the Lee-Enfield's bolt-action was smooth as silk, a marksman's dream. The Juggernaut Kit, however, was a different story.
"Too... heavy..." I wheezed.
My knees buckled under the weight of magical tungsten. The Minigun materialized in my grip, but the mana density was staggering. It wasn't just physical weight the sheer pressure of the spell felt like trying to hold up a falling skyscraper. With a final, shimmering flicker, the Juggernaut gear destabilized and vanished.
I slumped back, gasping for air. "Okay... note to self. The Full Armored kit is viable because the exo-frame helps with the weight. But the Juggernaut? That's just raw armor and enough ammo to make an American blush. I need to find a way to make it more efficient."
I ticked them off on my fingers. "CQC, Ranger, Full Armor, and Medic. Those are the stable ones."
I collapsed onto my bed, the mattress feeling like a cloud after the strain of the armor. "So comfy..."
"Tired?" a voice asked from the shadows.
An Offer I Should Have Refused
I didn't even open my eyes. "What do you want?"
"I have a mission for you," Mini said, her tone suspiciously light. "You can decline, of course. It's just a simple scout-and-report."
"Nope. No way. Not happening," I said, crossing my arms over my chest.
"It's not like the last time! Plus, completing missions earns you shop credits and discounts," she added, dangling the carrot.
I cracked one eye open. "Where's the location?"
She leaned over, tapping a screen. "North Side Park."
I stared at the device in her hand. "Where did you even get a tablet?"
"Mhm... just check it out, right?" I asked, sitting up. "Nothing is going to jump out and try to eat me?"
"Nope! Just a quick look-see and report back," she chirped.
I narrowed my eyes. "Wait a minute. If it's just a walk in the park, why is this even classified as a mission?"
Mini didn't answer. Instead, she began to back away, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Oh, I almost forgot no take-backsies!" She let out a peal of laughter and vanished.
"What did I get myself into..." I groaned, burying my face in my hands.
The night air whistled past as I guided my broom toward the northern district. The city lights began to thin out, replaced by the dense, dark canopy of the park.
"I'm going to regret this. I'm definitely going to regret this," I muttered, leaning forward to increase my speed.
I touched down near the park entrance, the grass damp with evening dew. "It's already late. I half expect to find some weirdo streaking through the bushes or something."
I hopped off the broom, dismissing it into particles of light. The silence was immediate. It wasn't the peaceful silence of nature it was the heavy, suffocating silence of a place that was holding its breath.
"Too quiet," I whispered. "Way too quiet."
I wasn't taking chances. I activated my power, and the two Kingslayer Revolvers materialized in my hands, their weight a cold comfort.
"Hey, miss? Can you help me?"
The voice came from directly behind me.
"Shit."