Chapter 21: Gearing Up

The others seemed genuinely excited to see what Maurifus had made for us. I was too, but I took a few seconds to stop at the stream outside of Slowbend, to wash off the filth of the Bane-lands, and most importantly, to clean out the new scratches I’d gotten. It wasn’t worth bothering Hild with, but I also didn’t want them to fester and get infected.

After I’d cleaned up, I hid my homemade siphon safely in my kit bag. As far as I knew, there were no rules about regular men-at-arms owning siphons, but it was better safe than sorry. I didn’t need to draw unnecessary attention.

At least, no more than I already was. I was going to start improving quickly, and there would be questions. People would want to know where I’d gotten the Presences and why my own Presence had increased. I was working on some solutions, though.

But for the time being, I was ready to check out my new equipment.

When we arrived at Maurifus’ shop, he took one look at us and grinned, then said, “Over here, lads. I’ve been working on something special for you.”

I hadn’t thought any of my requests were all that special, but it made me all the more curious. I stepped up to the counter and asked, “Something special?”

“You brought me some wonderful ingredients,” Maurifus said. “It is a shame to see such beautiful metals in the clutches of orcs, and though I’m no liberator myself, I can’t help but appreciate the efforts of those who do rescue them.”

He pulled a rough burlap sheet off a table, revealing a folded up vest of scale mail, a helmet, and a pauldron. “For the boy.”

First, he retrieved the helmet. “We will start with my lesser accomplishments. This helm, sadly, will resonate with Perception instead of the requested Focus. It was a coin toss. But I hope it is suitable for now.”

It was a polished steel helmet, and though there was nothing extraordinary about it, I far preferred it to just wearing a hood of chainmail. If I remembered right, we would’ve called it a spangenhelm back on Earth. It had a cowl of metal that ran down the back and protected my neck and an eye guard, but it left my mouth exposed.

There was padding inside it and a socket at the top for a horsetail plume—but no tail in it.

“That plume is for you to figure out on your own,” Maurifus said. “Though I advise against putting something in it until you make sergeant. Technically, it’s not against regulations, but it’s not good form, either.”

I winced. “I’m not sure if I’m ever going to—”

“Yes, yes, whatever you say.”

The other four Dupes chuckled.

I glanced at them. “What?”

“With how well you’ve been doing, there’s no way you don’t make sergeant,” Romance said. “It’s only a question of when.”

“Try it on, try it on,” Maurifus said.

I nodded, then picked the helmet up and pulled it onto my head. It fit snugly, but wasn’t uncomfortable, and the eye holes were at the exact right height. But really, the boost in Perception was what helped. Something about the metal seemed to ripple and shimmer. It caught the light in a slightly different way, and if I looked at it correctly, it was almost iridescent.

But when it slotted onto my head, Maurifus was right. It was like I’d just put on a pair of reading glasses. My eyesight focused immediately, and I could make out the writing on Maurifus’ parchment sheet on the opposite wall.

“How is your hearing?” Elf said.

“Considering I’ve got a helmet blocking my ears, I’d say it’s pretty good,” I replied. It didn’t feel like anything had changed—like my head was completely open to the air. The enhanced Perception countered the effects of the helmet.

Then Ticks tapped the back of my helmet with his fist, making it ring. I winced, staggering forward. The ringing wasn’t louder than normal, but it was far more grating to my ears, and I picked up more depth in the sound than I otherwise would’ve.

“Hey, hey, I polished that,” Maurifus scolded. “Don’t scratch it up too soon.” He shook his head, then grabbed the pauldron. “Next: a simple pauldron. No enchantments, but it will serve you well.”

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I picked it up, and unlike the helmet, it seemed to be made of normal steel. It was a proper weight, that much was certain. I strapped it onto my shoulder, letting the engraved raven sigil point outward.

For once, I felt like a proper soldier of Gate, with a crest and everything. And considering how often I was taking hits to the shoulder, I’d need it.

“And finally, your scale mail,” Maurifus said. “It will grant you a bonus two points of Agility.” He picked it up off the table and let it unfold, then shook it out. It seemed to be made of the same material as the helmet. Each scale was plain, but it was sturdier than just chainmail while retaining its flexibility.

“Two Agility?” I raised my eyebrows, though no one would see with my helmet on.

“Two,” Maurifus confirmed.

“You’re a miracle worker.”

“That’s wonderful to hear,” Maurifus said. He handed me the vest of scale mail. “Take care of it.”

I pulled it on over my helmet and chainmail hauberk, letting the scales settle. “It fits perfectly.”