Realm of Opportunity

20: Trickster

^^ Chibi Dorian cause reasons ^^

--- Dorian's POV ---

I turned away from Riviera's mildly offended look, and then touched the Dragon Bones and Scales, then the pure carbon ingots I'd bought from a vendor in the Hephaestus Familia for relatively cheap.

Then I breathed deeply, and spoke my incantation for Cinder Ella, a short stanza from a much longer poem.

"little girl,
do not sharpen your soft curves.
do not allow the world to harden you,
do not allow it to morph your kindness
into a gun,
nor your sweet smile into a knife.

Cinder Ella."

The metal and bones didn't move for a moment, but I growled, and reached out mentally, grabbing them, and accepting them as a part of myself, and my Bones.

Immediately, they seemed to liquify, and follow my commands. I focused on the smallest of details, building my armor from the skin outwards. Within minutes, I stood, fully armored, and kitted for war.

I shook myself, bouncing on my toes, then testing my full range of motion. The muscles responded well, almost like regular muscles. The spell actively pulled magic to fuel the transformation from the air in my lungs, just like I'd designed it to.

Riviera spoke up. "That... is rather interesting. I wasn't aware you could use shapeshifting magic to create armor..."

I chuckled softly. "It's more of a biological augmentation, but so be it."

She hummed. "I'm not sure I see the difference, but I don't see the point in arguing."

"Wonderful." I nodded, and started working on contracting the armor, creating the vest I'd designed.

It obeyed my commanded silently, and liquified, sliding under my clothes, which had just barely survived all of this.

I changed my clothes quickly, dressing in the nicest clothes I could find, and then armed myself. "Alright... then let's go test out my new armor." I grinned.

Then I remembered Johnny, and sighed, looking at him. "Oh. Right. The old man. Johnny! Wake up!" I snapped.

He popped up, and groaned, cracking his back slowly. "Coffee... or Whiskey..." I tossed the bottle I'd gotten from the bar at him, and he snatched it out of the air nimbly, even with his eyes closed. "T'anks..."

"Get up and armed, old man, time to go kick some ass. I've got a plan, to make sure no Lvl 2's show up." I smirked.

He grumbled, but yawned, and stood up, drinking the whiskey with one hand while he dressed. Riviera hummed. "And... this plan? May I hear it?"

"I'm going to spread around Orario that there's an Herb on Floor 6 that can help you Level Up immediately, but only if you're Lvl 1, and I am in possession of it." I smirked.

"There's no such herb. That's ridiculous." Riviera sighed.

"So is attacking someone in the same alley twice. I never accused the Freya Familia of being smart, only pretty and strong. I like this idea." Loki appeared swiftly, grinning.

"Then, I'm going to let some Lvl 1 Freya Familia members know that I am located at the end of the Tunnel on the south End. I'll be waiting at the end of that tunnel. The smart ones will never show, but the dumb (and therefore weak,) Adventurers will challenge me. And I'll defeat them. Simple." I shrugged.

"Not simple at all... but I suppose for your twisted mind, it might appear so." Riviera hummed softly.

"I knew I liked you, Dorian." Loki winked, and pranced out of the room. "Rumors to spread, la-la-laaaa~~~!!!"