As Lily twirled before me, testing out her new arm, I matched her happiness as her joy was consequently also mine. I had definitely been nervous about what she'd think of this prosthetic I had been working on for her, and seeing both it work out this well and her being this happy warmed my heart. Although I shouldn't blame myself for what happened, there was still the inevitable faint pang of regret whenever I saw her missing arm.

 

But now, I doubted that'd be a problem any longer - hell, even if I did mope about it, Lily would whoop some sense into me if she saw it. That was just the kind of woman she was.

 

"Okay - okay, careful now," I laughed, as she somersaulted past me, using her new arm to then cartwheel with all her acrobatic graze.

 

As she came to a halt, she beamed at me. "I can feel it all! Other than the texture and color arm itself, it's as if it is back to normal." 

 

"Actually, I think I can sense that it can do something else..." She began to say, falling into a mutter as she inspected her crimson appendage with intense focus. "But how do I- hmm, let's see..?"

 

"Careful now there's more to it than just functioning as a new arm, just make sure you don't-"

 

Just as I was about to warn her not to do anything rash, Lily did exactly what I had been worried about.

 

Suddenly, the arm created by the ingenuity of master craftsmen and the power of my blood shaping shifted. Its parts, almost both mechanical and magical as it clinked and morphed, changed to reveal a wicked blade that extended two feet out from her hand and ran the entire length of her forearm.

 

"Oh... wow..." Lily muttered absentmindedly, lifting the blade to inspect it closer.

 

I walked over to her and held her hand as I lined my fingers against the base of the blade.

 

"It was no simple matter getting it to work," I explained. "But with magic put into the mix, it does make craftsmanship significantly easier and some products more feasible."

 

"Xavier... thank you," She said after a moment, meeting my eyes. "It really means a lot to know you'll go to these lengths for me. I mean, other than my father, I've never had anyone who has valued me or my life to this much."

 

"Of course I do," I chuckled with a slight shake of my head. "You and Mia both are what makes striving so hard to become stronger worth it."

 

Sharing a light kiss with her, I turned to Bob and Mia who had been patiently standing by, watching me and Lily with stupid smiles, and Ursa who still seemed about as uncertain as ever.

 

"Go on - try out yours too," I gestured to the remaining items.

 

Bob didn't waste time as he went over and picked up the massive cleaver from the workbench. He held it in one hand with ease, despite the tremendous weight of it. It was simply another testament to his monstrous strength as I very well knew just how insanely heavy the weapon was.

 

Pulling out his old cleaver that had been strapped to his back, he compared the two, growing from silly to serious in just a few moments as he usually did with matters of fighting. It was quite a sight, seeing the usually airheaded brute inspect his weapon with such finesse and intensity you'd think of him as a genius weapon's master. But then again, that was exactly what he was underneath the goofy and slow personality.

 

"It's perfect," He smiled after a while, making a few lazy swings that even with their slow trajectory made the air whistle and whine.

 

"You also need to take care - I don't rather fancy you ending up destroying my new smithies," I reminded the huge monster, as with his new strength and weapon, that might very well be a possibility with a stray blow.

 

As he stopped, I moved over and laid my hand on the large face of his new blade. Although I heavily doubted the System would once again fuse the item with the body like it had done with Lily, for obvious reasons, I still made sure to ask Bob before I sprung the prompt on him.

 

"You sure you want the Heirloom Fragment too? You don't have to," I asked him.

 

"Of course I want to, Masta - Bob always trust Masta," He said without batting an eye, saying that last part as if it was a matter of fact - and not opinion.

 

It wasn't as if I had expected anything else though, but I was glad to be reminded that I had such a loyal friend and follower.

 

"Then here you go buddy," I sighed.

 

 

-Yes-

 

No flesh merging or giant monsters with cleavers for hands happened. Not much changed actually, only that the weapon was clearly infused with power from the System itself, probably now holding qualities beyond what the blacksmiths and I had forged it with. Other than the engraving looking more like studded linings of a darker material and the overall make of the weapon becoming more refined in an almost ethereal way, nothing else indicated that it had changed.

 

But Bob definitely assured me that it was now much more than just a tool for him like it had been with Lily. He explained that he had an innate connection with it now, as he had with me through the powers of my Sanctioned Lordship.

 

Moving over to Mia, she had already outfitted her fingers with each ring, making the many strands of crimson billow and twirl every which way. She deftly controlled each one, proving the sheer finesse and magical aptitude she possessed as she hadn't even gotten used to this new instrument yet, but still masterfully controlled it. While very similar to her old weapon, it was still quite the step-up from that.

 

I didn't even need to say anything as she held out both hands with a knowing smile when I approached.

 

 

-Yes-

 

Like Bob, little changed, and Mia also became much more in tune with it than would've otherwise been possible with but a tool. I did wonder if making them into Heirloom Fragments meant that the items would grow when both they and I did. Knowing the System, it was highly likely that they actually did, and I could only wonder how powerful they could get. After all, my own Heirloom wasn't even complete, and I'm guessing that it's far from being so despite there only being a single stage left.

 

Lastly, there was Ursa who still stood off by the side, shuffling nervously - seemingly not knowing what to do here without being specifically told so. I walked over to the workbench, took the cuffs in my hands, and presented them to the ursine.

 

"It's alright - take them," I assured her.

 

She slowly reached out and took them, looking them over with both curiosity and reservedness. For a while, she just stood there, looking at them as if she wasn't sure if she should put them on or return them.

 

"Well, if you don't want the gift, I'll just take them ba-"

 

"No! Ursa likes," She blurted out, an edge of panic to it.

 

I just smiled.

 

"Then let me," I said, walking over and taking one of the cylindrical cuffs.

 

She looked on with intrigue as I exerted just a little of my power, making the cuff warp ever so slightly and allowing for it to snugly fit itself around her large forearm and wrist. I also helped her with putting on the rest of them, fitting them to each appendage as she stood still for me. Stepping back, I let her feel them out while also getting a good look at her.

 

She really was outlandishly beautiful, her muscular and sculpted womanly figure that I could only describe as Amazonian, and her Ursine origin making her even more stunning in her own unique way. With now the matching bracers and wristguards, it truly made her look like some Aztec or Amazonian warrior - a brawler fighting with her fists and legs rather than using blades.

 

I didn't even have time to explain what I made the cuffs for before she seemingly had already figured it out as they began glowing with hazy light. Although I barely understood the weird spiritual energy that she used, I had learned quite a bit about it from Orca, the ursine who I met and saved my tattered soul in the Trials. But I had learned most from floating through the spirit realm itself while I used this very energy to reform my spirit.

 

With what knowledge I had, I made the cuffs to be able to channel that energy as I had noticed she wasn't previously able to conjure it directly, without the use of an ability or power. But with these, she should be able to use it at will and also in a much more varied manner.

 

She proved that to be true only a moment later as she launched a punch which was followed up by a swift kick, hurling out archs of spiritual energy to harmlessly dissipate in the air. I hadn't the faintest idea of what would actually happen if someone was struck by that energy, but from the satisfied look on Ursa's face, I was guessing that I had definitely done something right in making the cuffs.

 

"Ursa - I can also grant you an Heirloom Fragment," I said suddenly, breaking her out of her reverie. "But I know you realize what that would mean if you accepted. You would be a follower of me - you would have a home nowhere else but here. With me."

 

A silence ensued as Ursa looked wide-eyed at me, like a deer in headlights. It was funny to see how she was so surprised that I'd offer her one too as if I didn't trust or think highly of her. But as she slowly realized I wasn't making a joke or backing down, that I was actually serious, she gave almost the faintest of nods.

 

I raised a brow, wanting a little more than that.

 

"Y-yes," She croaked.

 

Walking over, I laid my hand on her wrist, holding the cuff and calling for the prompt.

 

 

-Yes-

 

As her cuffs were transformed to that of an Heirloom Fragment she took in a deep breath, the usual trepidation and fretfulness disappearing from the air around her. Seeing this, it was almost as if a completely new person stood before me.

 

"Ursa want cubs."

 

For a long moment, I just stood there.

 

"A-wha?" I fumbled.

 

She pointed to Mia's swollen belly who stood over by the side.

 

"Cubs." She echoed.

 

"I... uh, cubs..."