Chapter 280: New Arm
Arwin held the wooden prosthetic aloft in the still-sweltering smithy, watching red letters trail through the air as the Mesh finally revealed the results of his efforts over the past few hours.
The Ashen Armament [Cursed]
[Parasitic Limb]: This item holds the hunger for power and life of a Cursed Ashleaf Tree within it. When attached to a suitable host, it will take the place of their right arm. The Ashen Armament will take a portion of all energy its host earns and grow along with them.
[The Solitary Forest]: Ashleaf Trees are solitary monsters that consume the life energy of all things that draw near. Each tree possesses an enormous root network around it that will strangle out any other foliage that attempts to grow within their domain. This power has been trapped within the Ashen Armament. Sending power into this item unleashes the living roots within it — as well as the immense amount of emotion constrained within the Ashen Armament. The roots will obey this item’s wielder so long as their resolve remains firm. If their will breaks, the Ashen Armament will attempt to wrest control over its wielder’s body.
Arwin swallowed as he lowered the arm and set it back on the anvil, staring at it in silence even as the words blinked out and the smithy plunged back into darkness.
It was no different than how the Wyrm’s Revenge worked. That reinforced his theory even further. Cursed items were all gambles. They gave enormous opportunity at the cost of a very significant risk, and this was no different.
He could return Olive’s arm to her, but at the cost of her potentially losing control of the rest of her body the moment she utilized its full strength. Arwin doubted that effect would last forever, but even a few seconds of being controlled could result in immense damage.
Arwin could feel the emotion churning within the arm. Hunger and desire mixed in the Cursed item. It hadn’t forgotten Arwin’s promise. More than anything else, it wanted to be used. The item wanted a body back.
Before any more thoughts could pass through his head with regard to the item, the air before Arwin shimmered as golden letters suddenly bloomed before him.