It took a moment, but Oilstone T-One was able to find the area it had last been searching again. Now, it was time to properly resume the search.

The multi-eyed gaze of the valkhound scanned the area with alert interest. This was important, so very important.

A strong magical item could lend towards being a stronger assistant for Overseer Tectus. And that was its essential reason for being.

It felt closer, and that thrilled it. Yet, it decided to take one more break. Its magic was not yet fully recovered, and if there was more than there seemed to this mission, as it had thought about earlier, then it was essential that it be in best condition, not merely optimal for functioning.

So Oilstone T-One took another moment of rest, drawing its excitement close and relaxing instead. Rest was part of being in best condition, always.

Oilstone T-One understood this.

Now that it was fully recovered and prepared for quite anything, at least in its own opinion, it resumed the search wholeheartedly.

It felt so close to its goal, and it was more than merely content. It was genuinely excited to see what would happen, what it might find.

Yet, emotion could be a blocking force. It felt itself stall in progress, and it hated the stall. It took a moment to breathe, to calm down. Emotions could distract.

It would not let itself be distracted from its goal. Not by outside forces or internal ones.

Nothing would stop it from succeeding. It would be good for Overseer Tectus.

Except, apparently, it was stopped from success. It felt frustration, but it was more than that. It felt furious. Oilstone T-One was fire, and fire could not be halted so easily as this.

It burned, and it thought, and using the clues it had found, it begun its search once more.

Yet, it was stuck.

It was only natural to be frustrated and angry, the valkhound acknowledged. But it could not let its emotions control it.

A wildfire that burned out of control was useless to Overseer Tectus. Control was everything. So, it yet again set out to find the clue, the last clue that would lead it towards success.

While it was a struggle to stay calm, to stay in control, it indeed did find the final clue it needed.

A chain awaited.

White gold, sparkling in the desert light, a Clearstone gleaming its strangely fractalline shine from the center of one link. It was jewelry, by looks. Something that would drape neatly around Oilstone T-One's neck.

And if the Shapers were asked? They had no idea how this had gotten there.

There was no sense of ominous Order magic from it. It lay within, yes--waiting to be tapped--but it didn't require a Hive creature to operate.

A gift, abandoned... or was it?

Perhaps it had been left here just for it.

The question was... what did it do?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Chain of Order A chain formed of a white platinum alloy. One link has a stone set within: a translucent white, streaked with a webbed appearance. Discovered in Cycle 111. ELEMENT: MAGIC LEVEL: 100 DURABILITY: 90 SPECIAL: Enchanted. Once per day/thread (whichever is longer), the wearer can reroll any roll. However, the result will stabilized through Order: Critical Fails will instead become regular Fails, while a Critical Success will only count as a Success. In addition, this item is linked to the Chain of Chaos and the Chain of Control: any critical success or failure will open a one-way magical link (lasting only a few seconds) that sends vague images and sounds of the wearer of this item to the wearers of the other two. MATERIAL: Platinum Alloy, Clearstone ATTACK: N/A ADDED: This items' magic will not affect Gembounds, for example inflicting Order influence or Corrupted points. DEFENSE: N/A WEIGHT: 3 EQUIP: Jewelry Chain - limb, neck Currently owned by: Oilstone T-One

@Oilstone T-One

The item found it found in the end was jewelry, but Oilstone T-One was certain this had a purpose beyond simply looks, even as the valkhound draped the chains over its neck.

It did not recognize the clearstone as Order, and it had not yet even learned what Order was. So the gift was taken pridefully in stride. Yet, Oilstone T-One paused, unsure of the purpose of this item.

Perhaps it enhanced magic, it wondered? That would make sense, for a magical item.

So Oilstone T-One reached for its magic.

Yet... everything felt normal, as it spat fiery bile. Perhaps it would have to do further tests.

It would be no good to return to Overseer Tectus without ascertaining the items purpose.

[Exit Oilstone T-One]