I sat there, unable even to move—I could only watch. But I could feel my strength gradually returning.

  Something massive, wrapped in coarse fabric, dropped from the phoenix's talons, and in that same instant, the bird dissolved into embers. Mira walked over and unfurled the bundle.

  "Alright, Zen, here are your favorite toys. You could never settle on just one," she smirked.

  She pulled out a hammer.

  "Oh, this hammer... so it really is your weapon—of course. Even here, you couldn't make something simple. It couldn't just be an ordinary hammer, not if you were the one who forged it."

  She began to manipulate it. Every part of it was mechanical and fluid. She swung it once—the handle lengthened. She swung it again—it retracted. The striking head of the hammer expanded, then contracted, before returning to its standard form.

  Mira infused it with mana, and blue lines began to race across its surface. Energy began to pool at the tip of the hammer’s fluke, taking the shape of a sphere. She aimed it at the sky.

  BOOM.

  After that, she began to comment on the potential of each weapon. "What magnificent mana conductors. They can also easily shift the state of mana into the elements."

  All four were perfect converters: you want fire—pour in the mana, and there it is. She struck the ground—a spark, a KA-BOOM, and all the grass around us was incinerated. She willed it—and the grass returned. She willed it again—and there was water. Everything was limited only by the imagination and power of the wielder.

  Then the hammer opened up, and a round orb appeared in the center. She began to hurl it back and forth, and it sliced through everything in its path. Remarkable craftsmanship.

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  "And this is your sword. You seemed to play around with this one the most."

  Yes, I remembered that combination. A sword in one hand, the hammer in the other, and a shield strapped either to the back or the arm. It seemed like an incompatible mess, yet it worked.

  With the sword, everything functioned the same way. It obeyed the will completely: the blade changed shape—becoming straight or curved, longer or shorter—and it featured the same elemental control. Pour in mana, and it ignited. At one point, Mira allowed it to shatter into independent fragments; they hovered in the air, moving as a single unit before reassembling into a solid blade.

  She pulled out a spear—it possessed all the same properties.

  Then came the shield.

  "Oh, the shield," she said. "This is probably the most unique one. Absorption and energy accumulation. Actually, all your weapons have that, but the shield... The way it dampens impacts and energy—you don't even feel them. And if a hit is truly powerful, it just absorbs it so beautifully."

  She sighed.

  "To be honest, little brother, I’m sorry... I lost everything else. You hid them too well and never told anyone where. The bow is gone, too. And it was a good one—it shot at such distances, such a massive payload. The arrows were infinite, made of pure energy. You could enchant them on the fly: from power amplification to energy siphoning."

  "The mace is gone somewhere as well. And the battle-axe. And the trident you made just for fun because you lost your sword once. But even these remnants..." She paused thoughtfully. "And I have no idea where your armor is. I have some guesses, but we don't have time for that now. You never wore it anyway."

  I tried to stand up—and nearly collapsed.

  "What the hell?.."

  Mira immediately walked over and looked at me.

  "Ah... right. I forgot. How could I forget to feed you?"

  She took the hammer and struck the ground lightly. From the point of impact, bright red, pulsating patterns rippled across the soil. A minute later, I heard an approaching thud of paws and low growling. From all directions, forest predators were rushing toward the cave, lured by the scent of "easy" mana.

  As soon as the first beast leaped from the bushes, Mira made a fluid motion. The sword in her hand took off on its own, turning into a silver bolt of lightning. It whipped between the trees, slicing the attackers into perfect pieces in a matter of seconds.

  Then, with a short flick of her hand, she seared the carcasses. "Alas, no salt or spices, and time is tight. But your snack is ready."

  She placed a piece of steaming meat before me, smelling of blood and char. Without thinking, I began to shove it into my mouth.

  "Eat, Zen," Mira sat beside me, smoothing her hair. "We move out soon."