[Guns are… effective,] Selene hedged. [And are generally only employed by the MSDs, the Magical Soldiers who are outfitted with Zenith technology from Magical Guardians. There are only six other Magical Guardians who use firearms as their signature weapons.]

I shrugged. “So?”

[Guns are generally… bad for optics. MGs are supposed to be bringers of hope and peace, to make people feel safe. Swords and magic are of fantastical symbology, the imagery of heroes that gives people something to believe in. Guns conjure more realistic and sober feelings, ones of war and conflict.]

“I know, but I don’t know how to use a sword or anything like that. Besides, without stat bonuses, would I really be able to effectively use them?”

Selene seemed to think about it for a moment.

[I see your point. My only issue is that I have some… concerns about certain things I am not telling you, and the addition of guns will almost certainly make some of those issues worse. Knowing this, are you sure this is the path you want to choose? I know the idea of branding is the least of your concerns right now, but I assure you, I wouldn’t recommend a path if I didn’t believe it was possible. Stat bonuses or not, the melee weapons you have available will most certainly be capable of getting you to the shelter safely.]

I chewed on my lip as I thought about it. If I saw a Magical Girl running around with a magic staff or sword, It definitely wouldn’t look out of place. But a gun? It wouldn’t look natural, sure, but I don’t think it would scare me either. In fact, something about the juxtaposition of a frilly dress and a gun made it seem less militant and more supernatural.

“If it’s just the image you’re worried about,” I said. “I don’t think the image of a Magical Girl running around in a dress and gun would be that bad.”

[No, in fact there is a fairly distinct market for the asymmetrical imagery of cuteness combined with guns. Moreover, the “girls with guns” genre is quite popular in itself. In fact, I believe the general population would look favorably upon the imagery alone, but it will still cause complications that involve things I am keeping from you.]

I let out a frustrated sigh. It was getting to the point where I just wanted to make Selene tell me everything now, consequences be damned. Still, she was the advisor. Ignoring her decision to keep secrets after seeing how uncomfortable it made her would be incredibly stupid. Whatever it was, it would have to wait, and I’d just have to take her word for the possible effects it was having.

“Okay,” I finally said. “That’s... frustrating, but okay. I guess my question is why can’t I just use guns for now and then decide on something else later? I can’t transform, so it’s not like I’m committing anything to my image anyway.”

[That is certainly an option. Just be aware you would be spending a significant amount of points to unlock the Vault and purchase any weapons plus ammunition.]

“How much are we talking about?”

[Unlocking the Kinetic Handguns (Common) Vault would cost 100 points. Then, depending on the weapon and ammunition choice, it varies]

“What would be the cheapest option?”

[For two points, you can get a five-shot revolver loaded with normal ammunition.]

“Only two points?” I recoiled. “Shouldn’t a gun cost more?”

[No. Keep in mind this is an unattuned and unaligned firearm, a mundane item you could purchase in the real world for a relatively low cost. Beyond the lowest level Anathema, it would hardly make a dent.]

“Unattuned and unaligned?” I asked.

[Unattuned items mean they can not be enchanted, they are utterly mundane and capable of being produced by humanity without Zenith technology. Any item that is not Magitech is most likely unattuned. Unaligned means it would not benefit from your stats. Most Vault weapons are aligned by default, meaning as you grow stronger, they will as well depending what stats they are aligned with. For example, buying a strength-aligned sword would make it grow sharper, sturdier, and heavier to offset your strength bonus. It would essentially always feel the same weight to you, but in reality, it would be heavier and therefore more potent as you swung it at opponents.]

“How would that work for guns?”

[Same as for a bow and arrow. Faster and stronger projectiles with more kinetic power. The weapon itself would also gain some benefits to durability, but this is a digression.]

“Right,” I shook my head. “What kind of gun would you recommend?”

[Before finalizing your weapon choice, could we take a look at your Unique Augment? Depending on its effects, you may reconsider your decision.]

I sighed. It was obvious Selene really felt uncomfortable in handing me a gun and was trying to get me to choose anything else. I wanted to respect her opinions, but I also wasn’t keen on fighting a supernatural monster up close and personal again. She had a point, though, that depending on what special bonus the System decided I should have, it could change things.

“Alright. What exactly does my Unique Augment do?”

[I don’t know.]

I stared at Selene. Her tails swished back and forth innocently.

“What do you mean you don’t know?” I squinted.

[I mean that due to some of your starting bonuses, you get an entirely unique augment. Unique, as in, specific only to you. Unique items, Skills, Vaults, Grimoires, and spells are highly coveted. Your special circumstances have netted you both a unique Augment and Grimoire. The only problem with that “uniqueness” is the description provided by the System is… well, see for yourself.]

A second later, a text box appeared in my vision.

[Cursed Eye of the Sable Waif]

[Oh, ye whom hath suffered, be at ease. Forsaken, spurned, ostracized… thy trials hast not been in vain. In thy heart, the Sloth Sin trills the song of slumber, eternal and sacrosanct. Yet, thou hast persevered and carried on through reproach and barb, through worry and woe. O Waif of Sable, awaken now the power that hath whispered truth and lie. Sing now thy song of sorrow, thy haunting melody. Open thy forbidden eye, the accursed source of scorn and enmity and SEE. Become in part the demon thou hast been painted, and find wretched aspect turned to peerless power.]

I squinted, then reread the description.

Then I read it again.

And again.

“Selene, I don't even...”

[Yes,] Selene sighed. [More or less my thoughts as well. This would appear to be one of those oddities I mentioned the Arcane System having before. Due to the unique aspect of the Augment, it seems to have taken liberties in its description.]

“Liberties? Selene, it doesn’t even say what it does. Also, what’s with the bold text? What does it mean by ‘Sloth Sin’ and ‘Waif of Sable?’”

[Sloth Sin could pertain to a number of things, but is most likely referencing something you have done or experienced. Contextually, it would appear to be something unfortunate and major that you have suffered but “persevered” through.]

I thought about it for a second, and then realization hit me. A sudden, cold shiver went down my spine. I found myself grabbing my left forearm reflexively even as my mouth went dry.

[Regardless,] Selene continued, seeming not to notice. [Waif of Sable is, of course, something I won’t explain right now, but it will make more sense in time. As for the Augment itself, it seems to pertain to your red-colored eye. Even not knowing what exactly it does, I would recommend accepting it.]

“Wait, what?” I recoiled. “It’s called ‘cursed’ and says to ‘become in part the demon.’ What part of that sounds like a good idea?”

[It is colorful language but is nothing to be worried about. No augment has ever been detrimental to its user. I believe the proper term for its description would be “flavor text.”]

“Still…” I trailed off. Looking over the description again, I was uncomfortable with how much it knew about me. Sure, it was the Arcane System that knew these things and not a person, but it still felt wrong, like it had pried into my life and secrets without asking. I also didn’t like that it was centered on my eye, the stupid thing that had made me stick out in the first place and caused me so much… oh. Oh, that description was eerily accurate.

[The Unique Augment is one of your starting bonuses,] Selene interrupted my thoughts. [Less than 5% of Magical Guardians receive this particular boon, putting you in a rare and enviable position in this regard. There is no merit in declining the Augment, even if the description is unusual. In time, I expect the description will even make more sense as more information is made available to you. Besides, once you have taken the Augment, I will have full access to its actual capabilities and can explain them to you.]

I sighed. She was right, as usual. If it was a tool specifically tailored to me, then there was no reason to shy away from it.

“Alright. How do I accept it?”

[Think about accepting it with some measure of will. Be warned the transition might be difficult as it seems the Augment is magically modifying your eye. The sensation may be uncomfortable. I would also remove your eyepatch, as it may only work while using your right eye.]

I nodded, and took a deep breath, removing my eyepatch.

Accept? I thought.

The box detailing the Augment disappeared. I waited, but when nothing happened I turned to Selene to ask what was going on.

Then I began to feel it. It started as a heat behind my eye and slowly started to grow. Then the heat became jagged and sharp, turning into pain as my vision flashed white. There was the sudden sensation of something engraving a pattern into my eye, and I choked down a scream as the pain increased to agony. My hands clutched at my eye even as I squeezed both shut in reflex. My fingers felt something warm and wet overflowing, trickling down my face even as the tortuous sensation reached a crescendo.

And suddenly it disappeared, gone as fast as it came. I gasped for air, sweat trickling down my face even as my head pounded with a dull ache.

[Are you alright?] Selene asked, her voice holding a measure of panic. [I apologize, I did not expect it to be that… painful.]

“Yeah,” I gasped. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just give me a minute.”

Even without the pain, the phantom sensation it left behind made me shudder. It was a good minute or two before I opened my eyes, and when I did, I found a text box waiting for me.

Cursed Eye of the Sable Waif

Level: MAX

Original Sin: Sloth

Displays health, mana, Astral Shift duration, Dress durability, status effects, map data, overlays, and visual assist elements when activated. No restrictions. No mana cost. Keyword: Lullaby.

[LOCKED]

[LOCKED]

[LOCKED]

[LOCKED]

[LOCKED]

[LOCKED]

[Oh.] Selene said in surprise. [This… this is unexpected.]

“What do you mean?” I asked.

[Before continuing, you should clean up your face. Do not be alarmed, you are quite fine, but some blood has leaked from your right eye.]

I touched a hand to my cheek, and my fingers came away red. My throat felt suddenly tight, but I tried to listen to Selene and ignore the fact I had just cried blood. Looking around for a moment, I realized there wasn’t really anything I could use to clean my face besides my uniform. With a sigh, I used my sleeve to rub at my face vigorously.

“Better?”

[A small smear of red left, but it will do. Now, for your Augment. I suggest you try it out by saying the keyword in your mind or aloud. It will be easier to explain from there]

I rubbed at my face a little more even as I thought “Lullaby.”

Instantly, semi-transparent things appeared in the corners of my vision. I tried to flick my eyes to them only for the objects to follow my line of sight. Thankfully, when my eyes reached the corners, they stopped moving and I was able to look at them.

In the bottom left of my vision was the outline of a body. The entire thing had a slight off-green, yellowish color to it except for the stomach which had a small spot of black. Over the center of the body was 75% written in the same yellow-green. Next to the body outline was a blue horizontal bar filled almost two thirds of the way, 193/300 displayed on it. Meanwhile, in the top right of my vision was a circular portion, displaying some sort of map. There was a blue arrow in the center of it, and after squinting a little, I realized it was displaying the map of the mall’s third floor.

“Wait, isn’t this a… what do you call it, a heads-up display?”

[A HUD, yes. Now that it is unlocked, I can see its full capabilities. It not only will display your status in real time, but also a variety of other functions. For instance, the mini-map in the top right. If you have looked at a map of a location, it can accurately depict it as well as update it in real time based on your location and the direction you are facing. With map data, you can also place a waypoint on it, and directional arrows will appear in your vision guiding you to your target, much like how the arrows appeared for the shelter. The body silhouette in the bottom left shows your health and any injured areas, and the blue bar is an accurate representation of your current mana. There are a variety of other functions your HUD seems to have, but all in all, this is an enormous gift.]

I looked at Selene for a minute, my heart falling as I took in her words.

“What do you mean?” I asked, trying to fight down the frustration in my voice. “This doesn’t help me fight at all! All it does is show me a couple of things that I could see anyway if I just opened my status menu or pulled out a map. I thought this was supposed to be some sort of special augment made specifically for me, but what part of this is custom made or even all that rare?”

[Well, for one thing, it already predicted your affinity for firearms.]

I blinked.

“Huh?”

[The Arcane System seems to have recognized that you had an inclination towards guns and has manifested your Unique Augment in a way that reflects this. Instead of spoiling the surprise, I will simply say things will become more clear once you have one. Needless to say, I am 100% behind the decision now that you have this Augment.]

I looked at Selene, trying to understand what she could be talking about but nothing came to mind. Yet, she had done a complete turnaround on her opinion.

“I really don’t understand,” I shook my head, squeezing the bridge of my nose to relieve some of the building pressure in my head. “This seems just like a utility passive, and honestly, not all that great of one.”

[Let me help put it into perspective. An Augment like this is normally only available at the tier two or three levels, meaning Rare or Legendary. That means simply unlocking the vault would prove a challenge, and purchasing it would require an estimated 3,000 points at minimum. Even then, it would only have a small portion of the functions. Meanwhile, purchasing a cybernetic eye and the corresponding brain augmentation for it would cost around 5,000 points if you went for the cheapest option.]

My eyes widened. If killing one of those Fomorian Hounds was only 10 points…

[And all of that is practically nothing in the long term. While the point cost is certainly a big milestone and out of reach for you, many MGs could afford it without too much effort. One of the biggest things is what it says at the end. It has no requirements and no mana cost. Requirements refers to class and stat requirements. Sure, all MGs could theoretically afford the Augment, but it only would get offered if they met the minimum stat and/or class requirements. The cybernetic one, meanwhile, would mean they are physically altering their body and brain with technology, something that has many potential benefits but also risks both real and imagined.]

A shudder went through me. Now that Selene mentioned it, the idea of actually removing pieces of my body and replacing them with technology made me a little squeamish.

[So not only do you get an Augment that has more capabilities than any other Augment of similar nature, but there’s more. It has no mana cost. Zero. ALL Augments are supposed to take away a certain amount of your mana regeneration to function, remember? For there to be one that doesn’t require any is almost unheard of. You can use this with literally no downside. But wait, there’s more. Those [LOCKED] boxes in the description? Normally, a MG’s Aspect gives them additional bonuses at certain levels. Your Aspect is what gave you this unique Augment, however, meaning that like other MGs, at levels 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, and 500 you will unlock even more functions. This entire HUD is only the first level, and you don’t even realize half of its purpose yet. I assure you, this is just about the best combat upgrade you could have asked for.]

“Okay, okay” I said, raising my hands in surrender. “I guess it is really good. I just don’t understand how this is supposed to help me in combat.”

[Don’t worry, you will see.]

I squinted at Selene. Was that pun on purpose or…?

“Okay. So guns then?”

[Guns,] Selene nodded sagely. [If I’m not mistaken, your only real experience is what you have seen in movies and the video games you’ve played.]

“Yeah, though I’ve only played a few shooting type games at Lily’s house…”

Thinking of her brought another wave of worry and a sense of betrayal. It wasn’t realistic or even fair to feel like she had done anything wrong, not when in all likelihood she had tried to stop whoever activated the emergency shield. Still, I couldn’t get her words out of my head promising to keep anyone from using it. We’d all heard the horror stories of survivors locked out, dying because somebody had gotten scared for no good reason. It was practically the stuff of nightmares.

And now I was living in one.

I shivered, and forced myself to reorient on Selene.

[According to Zenith records, you may have played relatively few, but you did spend a fairly prolonged period of time focusing on just first-person shooter games online and even tried a few on your phone. During that period, you even had a fairly extensive search history on guns. May I ask what prompted your interest?]

“Um…” I started, feeling a blush come to my face. “I guess it started when Lily showed me a movie series. This guy loses his dog and… I don’t know, it was just the first time I had really seen a movie like that. I remember thinking how cool it was that he could just pick up any gun and be… powerful, maybe? I haven’t really seen movies or shows beyond what Lily’s shown me, and that was my first real experience seeing guns in action. It was just… cool. I don’t know, it sounds stupid when I say it out loud.”

[Nonsense,] Selene’s tails bristled. [Do you think other Magical Guardians don’t choose their weapons and clothing based on what they feel is “cool?” Is not all fashion, all trends and societal standards simply what people perceive to be “cool?” If you like something, you should own it. Nobody has the right to dictate whether you can enjoy something.]

I nodded. “Mm… they really aren’t all that girly, though. I hope that doesn’t completely ruin the whole Magical Girl image.”

[Well,] Selene began dryly, [I guess we can always color them pink.]

A huff of laughter escaped me, and Selene seemed to perk up more.

[Now then. Guns. Do you have any preferences for your first firearm?]

“Not pink,” I smiled. “But otherwise, no not really. I don’t think I know enough, so I’ll trust whatever you think would be best.”

[Very well. For 100 points, you can unlock the Kinetic Handguns (Common) Vault. I would then suggest the “Umbra” P30 Model A. It holds fifteen 9mm rounds, offering a high capacity with little to no recoil. Capable of being enchanted and already Dexterity aligned, it is capable of handling a variety of ammunition types. I would recommend the silverbane bullets for now, costing one point per 15-round magazine.]

“Silverbane?” I frowned. “What do they do?”

[Silverbane bullets are made of special alloys that are complete poison to Anathema. Simply put, Anathema form their bodies of corrupted mana, pulling it into a framework. Silverbane ammunition specifically resonates in a way that rips apart this framework, destroying them at a base level. Even if the bullet does not hit any “vital” areas, the creature is still destabilized significantly. In other words, with these bullets, almost every hit will still do significant amounts of damage.]

“That sounds really powerful,” my eyes bulged. “Why would I use anything else?”

[As Anathema get stronger, their core framework increases in sturdiness as well. Think of it as a video game. Even though you are dealing a flat amount of damage, they begin to get defensive values that either reduce or completely negate the damage done. Silverbane rounds need to penetrate inside the Anathema to be effective, so significantly armored targets can prove problematic. This is where different types of silverbane bullets like the armor-piercing variant or enchanted rounds would be used. Some Anathema have different types that are also significantly weaker to metals besides the silverite that makes up silverbane ammunition.]

“Oh. So what other types do I have access to?”

[Currently, very few. Most enchanted or enhanced rounds are locked behind Vaults. The only reason silverbane rounds are offered at all is because they are considered the “standard” for Magitech guns when used for killing Anathema. You could purchase normal 9mm ammunition, but it would be much less effective. The cost would be cheaper, however, at one point for two 15-round magazines. I would still recommend against this as there are very good reasons why silverbane bullets come as the standardized ammunition type and are offered without needing to unlock an additional Vault.]

“Yeah, that makes sense,” I nodded. “So how much is this gun going to cost?”

[Ten points, and it will come custom-modified for your hand size and physical strength. With your remaining twenty points, I would recommend purchasing an enchantment for the Umbra. For fifteen points, you can get it enchanted with a lesser rune of sound suppression. Finally, I would recommend five more magazines of ammunition. This would give you a total of ninety bullets to take out Anathema counting the magazine the Umbra comes with.]

I forced myself to think it over for a moment, but didn’t find any flaws in her reasoning. Granted, I didn’t really know much about guns besides what I’d read online and managed to retain, but everything still seemed to make sense.

“Okay. Let’s do it then.”

[Kinetic Handguns (Common) Unlocked!]

[-100 Points

[Purchased: “Umbra” P30 Model A - Enchanted]

[-25 Points]

[Purchased: 9mm Silverbane Magazine x5]

[-5 Points]

[Remaining Points: 0]

[WARNING: Zero points remaining. Contact nearest Magical Guardian for assistance, code phrase: EMPTY NIGHT.]

A heptagram of violet light bloomed into existence at my feet. In its center, more light condensed into a vaguely box-like shape, and then with a flash, turned into a solid briefcase of carbon fiber, banishing the heptagram into disintegrating motes. I looked at the case as I dismissed the pop-up messages.

“What was with that warning?” I asked as I got up from my chair and crouched down to the gun case.

[Ignore it,] Selene said with an annoyed tone. [It is just some meddling put in at the request of the human nations. They believe Magical Guardians who reach zero points are in an unusually desperate situation and should seek help. The code phrase triggers a quest to incentivize other Magical Guardians to assist.]

“That doesn’t sound too bad,” I shrugged. “I mean, I am kind of in a desperate situation, aren’t I?”

[Yes, but with most forms of communication being down when within a Usurpation Zone, it is sort of a useless message. That, and usually the message is a suggestion, not a command. Just ignore it for now.]

I frowned, wondering what she meant about it “usually being a suggestion,” but I continued with opening the box. Inside was a matte black pistol and six magazines, all set into dark foam indentations. The pistol looked… well, it looked pretty much like other guns I had seen. Sleek, metal, and if I was being honest with myself, cool. Something about its heavy but streamlined design did give it a more advanced look than some of the other guns I’d seen, however. The only other thing I noticed was “Umbra” embossed along the slide in silver along with a crescent moon symbol between the grip and the gun’s slide.

[And now to reveal the other half of your Augment’s power. Please pick up the gun and point it at the wall. It is unloaded with the safety on, but please handle it carefully.]

I reached down and gingerly lifted the gun. It was… heavy wasn’t necessarily the right word, but maybe weighty? I could feel how solid the gun was, how dense and compact it was built. More than just the physical weight, something about holding the pistol made me nervous. In the back of my mind, something seemed to click that what I was holding was a dangerous weapon, something that could take a life with just the pull of a trigger. Click, boom, and then death. That simple.

I forced my grip tighter, willing my hands not to shake as I pointed the gun at the wall, being hyper aware of where the muzzle was aimed. I couldn’t completely suppress the small tremors as I held a gun for my very first time. Following Selene’s instructions, I aimed at the wall.

New images popped up in my vision, on my HUD, and I blinked in surprise as I took them in. Slowly, my heart began to beat faster in excitement as I realized what I was looking at. In the bottom right of my vision, an outline of my pistol appeared along with the numbers “0/15.” That, however, was secondary to what took up the middle of my vision. There was a small circle with a dot in the middle, sort of like a minimalistic bullseye, and I stared in shocked recognition as I moved the gun slightly. The image followed along wherever I pointed the pistol, separate from where I looked with my eyes.

“I have a targeting reticle?” I exclaimed, blinking.

[Indeed!] Selene replied cheerfully. [As I said, your Augment predicted your affinity for firearms. While the real-time status functions are nice, the targeting reticle is invaluable. With it, it will matter much less that you have no experience in actually using firearms. Your accuracy will be drastically increased, and target acquisition will be trivialized. As the reticle is directly linked to your stats and weapon, it will even change in size to give a prediction where your bullet has potential to hit.]

I stared, waving the gun a few times and watching as the outer circle of the bullseye-style reticle expanded with my quick movements and shrunk when I held the gun steady. It was literally like I was in a shooting game now. I almost felt stupid that I hadn’t realized it before, that HUDs in video games always had crosshairs or targeting reticles to use even when not aiming down the gun’s sights.

[To say this has optimized your combat potential would be an understatement. While it won’t automatically make you a perfect marksman, it will allow you to effectively use guns with supernatural proficiency.]

“I kind of feel like I’m cheating,” I said, my voice quivering in hesitant awe.

[Exactly!] Selene’s tails swished back and forth. [This Augment is part of your special starting bonus, one less than 5% of MGs gain. While other Augments can provide similar targeting functions, none have the full functionality that yours has or are as accurate. I would also like to remind you that the Arcane System decided this was your most optimal and completely unique choice, a manifestation of your very self brought out. It wasn’t the Zenith that chose this for you, it is what the System recognized in your personality, magic, and your very sense of self. Trust me when I say there is nothing to be ashamed of. This is part of what makes you unique, and in time, you will understand just how special of a Magical Girl you really are.]

My cheeks flushed at her words, and I lowered the gun. Something rose in my chest, warm and powerful, and my throat tightened slightly. This Augment… it offered such small and simple bonuses, but that was what also made it so powerful. Instead of having to spend years of practice learning to use a gun, drilling for countless hours just to accurately hit a target, I could just point and shoot. I didn’t even have to look down the sights to see where I was going to hit!

And all of that was mine. My power, my strength. It was part of my soul made manifest by magic.

The warm feeling in my chest bloomed stronger, and, for the first time in a long time, I felt something very much like hope.

[Now then,] Selene said. [Let’s get you familiar with handling a gun, and then we can begin to make our way to the next shelter.]

I nodded firmly, and focused all my attention on my Familiar. She let out a small cough as if clearing her throat.

[Very well, let’s start with the basics. First of all: guns are not toys…]