Augmented Aspects: Chapter 56 Cheating and Other Life Hacks (Patreon)

Chapter 56

Cheating and Other Life Hacks

Yes, I was in a Swap’em Holdem tournament, I had no way of knowing what cards I had as my external skills were cut off from me. Similarly, my own personal magic and level derived attributes were also denied to me. Worse, it was implied that this would be standard practice for all card playing tournaments. So, I of course was left with but one option, to cheat.

Or not so much cheat, as find a way to bypass the restrictive nature of these cuffs. Feeling them against my skin, I could see how they worked. Both from a resonance point of view, and from an innate understanding of the input that my Angel’s Sight was still able to provide.

I was of course sitting down in my chair, and focusing on what I could do to win this. I needed to win, or at least place in one of the top fifty or so spots so that the money and experience that Glenn put up for my behalf would be returned. Of course, to get up that high, I had to know what my personal cards were, something that was currently denied to me. I had a cheat, as the bands stopped spells, but not traits. Also, I don’t know if there would be enough room on my arm to block all of my traits, not to brag, but I have been hoarding those for rainy days such as today. I could likely still use Telekinesis, on the charm bracelets but that would be a last resort. The reason that physically altering the bands would be a last resort is that I was told that altering the bands in any way would be grounds for disqualification.

However, there was no wording in place about creating a spell that would allow me to bypass the restrictive nature of these bands. There were a couple of ways that I could do this, but I felt the best way to go about my plan of not being constricted was to create a tunnel that I could use to bypass the protective nature of these charms.

Feeling the charms against my skin gave me greater insight into the nature of their disruption capabilities. All three charms were magical in nature, meaning they all had a magical frequency and resonance that separated them from others. I also still could use all of my internal skills, meaning anything that didn’t require the input from outside of my body would be easily accessible. By this measure, I felt that bypassing the skills bracelet would likely be the easiest one to bypass, as it seemed to be the one with the most area to cover, meaning that it was spread out too wide to truly be effective. Of course, the only way I could create a spell that could disrupt the Skill Inhibiting bracelet would be to first bypass the Spell Inhibiting bracelet.

I still had access to my important skills that would make such a task possible. I had maxed out my Spell Theory and Magic Theory both were at 125. Similarly, I had other needed skills at similarly high levels. Spirit-Magic Spell Creation, my class evolution skill was sitting at 116, a level only possible thanks to my Unbound merit. My Spell Deconstruction skill was at 82, and while it wasn’t as applicable, it was close enough to being applicable for deconstructing the effects that these artifacts were doing to me. I also had my ultimate ace in the hole for magic related skills Energy Resonance Alteration, which was also maxed out at 125. What did all of this mean?

Well for starters, all of that meant that I was likely wasting my potential trying to scam people at a card tournament, but aside from that, I knew that it was only a matter of when, not if, I would be able to break these bands.

You have the small blind and must pay in, even if you do not wish to play this hand.

Small blind fee: 25 Gold, 25 Experience.

Apparently, the system read my thoughts and knew I would sit out until I had figured this out. Of course, there was no reason to even try right now, with my inability to read my own cards, so I of course did what anyone would do. I inwardly sigh and pay my dues, vowing to work harder and faster to not keep losing money.

Pushing forward the minimum needed for the big blind, I push my cards forward indicating that I do not wish to be part of the hand anymore.

From there, I go about focusing on the resonance frequency of the spell inhibiting band and begin to worm my way through the defenses. Basically, the idea is that I will create a tunnel through the bands that will allow me to both maintain a stable connection, while also letting my full consciousness out from behind the band. I think of this like building a tunnel. I could just create a hole long enough to crawl through, but if I wanted to do work, I need to make one large enough to at least stand up comfortably in. From there I could then excavate, search for natural resources, or whatever other reasons people can come up with, as to why they build tunnels.

As for me, the important part is just building the tunnel, which is as simple as recognizing the spiraling nature of the frequency being used by the band to disrupt my spells. Then create a resonance that runs exactly counter to the frequency, while being able to gently slide along the same paths that the bands follow. This is done by…

You have the big blind and must pay in, even if you do not wish to play this hand.

Big blind fee: 50 Gold, 50 Experience.

I nearly vomit at the sight, 75 gold right there, and wasted between the two hands. All I had, well worse, all I had managed to borrow from the Mage’s Guild as an advancement on my future salary. An advancement that came with an interest rate to boot. Seeing that, I shake my head, and then try to think back to where I was, right, the direction of the bracelet traversal spell. Well, first I need to much these cards.

“You win.” The dealer says, pushing back my coins, my experience and the money from the small blind. Apparently, everyone mucked their hands, so they were out.

Well good, now I was back to where I was before these blinds started. With my pot back to its starting size, I go back to my train of thought and try working out this puzzle of a new spell.

Why go with the flow of the band? Simple, I don’t want to break the cuffs, and while I logically could break these bands if I went hard enough, the goal here is to create an opening large enough to be effective, while also not alerting anyone to the fact that I was trying to cheat.

Then after a few seconds of work, I found the correct inverse frequency needed to easily slip past the cuff’s dense outer layer of protection. Then once found, I then channeled more energy into the spell construct to make the tendril of mana I was creating thicker. Finally, once it was a large enough size, I then began slowly weaving it through the spiraling nature of the band, there was a lot of resistance at first, but once I slowly vibrated the other flows of energy away, my channel was open.

My proof that I had been successful was when my Spirit Sight spell that I had been channeling all this time, suddenly flashed back to life. In my case, Spirit Sight allowed me to see what was happening in the real world, and thus I could see the backdrop of similar scenery that was also different from the world we had around us. I like the spell, as I felt it always kept me grounded, letting me know that I was still here in the spirit realm. Also, with the spell only costing 2% of my overall mana, it was nothing to maintain.

With that first spell complete, I took a moment to pause and let out a slight breath of relief.

Hidden Quest Complete: The Escape Artist: You have managed to come up with a means of bypassing the security measures of spell restraining bands, while not fully breaking them. Rewards: Experience, New Spell, variable.

Experience Gained: 500.

New Spell Created: Spirit-Magic Channel Bypass (C): This is a spell made by Cassiopeia Spiritlight to be a means to bypass standard spell inhibitors. Reserve: 10%.

Wow, 500 experience, that was what I got from healing five patients of the blight, or from eight and a third hours of reading. Though I could only get this reward once. Encouraged by that, I then decided to break the Attribute inhibitor next, as that one would unlock my class derived Attributes. While breaking the skill cuffs would be enough to let me compete in the tournament, as I would finally be able to see my cards, I knew I would not focus on sliding past the Attribute inhibiting band if I unlocked the Skill band first. I was too easily distracted and would end up reading what other people were doing to bluff their way through hands and ultimately never focus on the missing attributes. That was why the second band I slid past was the Attribute Inhibiting band. After the first one, this one was slightly easy, As I just created a spell that went out, and began burrowing into and through the restraints of the Attribute Inhibiting band. Now that I knew what I was doing, the whole process was a lot simpler and I managed to do it in seemingly half the time.

I did have to pay into the small and big blinds again, but that was nothing.

Well it was something but I was still even, or at least that was my way of thinking about it since I one my big blind hand by everyone bowing out. This time two others stayed in, so I mucked my hand and went about completing my next step of freedom.

Whoom.

The instant I managed to break through the Attribute Inhibiting band I felt my mind awaken as my increased attributes all came flooding back to me. This time just like last time, I received a system message informing me of my status.

Hidden Quest Complete: The Escape Artist (II): You have managed to come up with a means of bypassing the security measures of Attribute restraining bands, while not fully breaking them. Rewards: Experience, New Spell, variable.

Experience Gained: 500.

New Spell Created: Spirit-Attribute Channel Bypass (C): This is a spell made by Cassiopeia Spiritlight to be a means to bypass standard Attribute inhibitors. Reserve: 10%.

With that I let out another sigh of relief, as that spell just happened. I tried weaving a third spell from my second one, but it seemed that I was at my end, the first bypass was just enough to squeeze my spell past the Attribute Inhibitor bracelet. Now that both were up, I had nothing else to do, but to channel a second exact copy of my Spirit-Magic Channel Bypass spell, that I then used as a tunnel to finally bypass the Skill Inhibiting band.

While the Skill Inhibiting band was the easiest to bypass, again due to just how broad it was in its protections, I still had to sit out another round of hands, where I once again had to muck my big and small blinds, but it was worth it.

Hidden Quest Complete: The Escape Artist (III): You have managed to come up with a means of bypassing the security measures of skill restraining bands, while not fully breaking them. Rewards: Experience, New Spell, variable.

Experience Gained: 500.

New Spell Created: Spirit-Skill Channel Bypass (C): This is a spell made by Cassiopeia Spiritlight to be a means to bypass standard Skill inhibitors. Reserve: 10%.

Instantly, I could begin to see the world around me as I had for years. I could read every card, I could see every word written, and better still, I could comprehend it all.

I was down 40% of my mana due to the four constant spells I had to channel, but that was a small price to pay for having a clear Attribute and Skill advantage over my competition.

When I saw my first two cards come towards me, I nearly cried, despite their being normally terrible cards.

7 of Spades, 9 of Spades

Seeing the hand, I decided to see where it would go. While everyone else had a face card, I had both a straight and a flush draw, seeing that, I decided to call.

“Hmm?” The player to my right reacted to seeing me randomly call a hand.

“What?” I ask.

“Nothing, are you done with your power nap?”

I just turn my head in his direction, then with a coy smile, “yeah, I sat through enough hands. I think I know how this is played.”

“You didn’t know how to play?” A male at the far end of the table asked.

“Don’t let her fool you, that is her chair, as she is a gold card member here. She even had the chief of staff escort her.” A third male states, clear disdain in his voice as he stares at me.

I shrug, not really able to refute the claim, also my plush chair all but screams that I am being treated with a different level of attention than the others who are gathered. Instead, I just knuckle down and begin trying to earn back first the money and experience I lost due to my time coma like state, while I tried to come up with a way to bypass my bands.

I also let out a slight sigh of relief at one momentous thought. On a whole, I back up the 1,500 experience I first wagered to get into this competition thanks to my creation of three new spells and subsequent completion of three hidden quests. I also felt that it might be better to have spells to bypass these types of security cuffs in the future, especially as these are the types that are used by law enforcement against perpetrators of crimes. While I hope to never get caught, it is always nice to know that such restraints would not be much use against me in the future.

I do realize that there is a slight flaw in my current usage of these spells, that is, if I wanted to use another spell, I would need to create a third version of the Spirit-Magic Channel Bypass spell that I would then channel energy through, which meant 50% of my reserves would be used up from just bypassing the bands. Granted I only had a few other spells that I might use after that, most notably my veil traversal spell Planar Shift, and any of my more intensive healing spells like curing the Blight, or Resurrection. Of course, I don’t plan on having to deal with any of those cases here and now, but if I did, that is what I would have to think about.

“Raise.” I say as the flop comes and reveals I am now four fifths of the way to a straight flush, as both the eight and ten of spades drop, along with a queen of hearts.

“I’m out.”

“Out.”

And like that, I win the hand. I am still down one big blind, but I have no doubt that I can make that up.

Though my next hand is nothing to write home about, especially seeing the cards that others have. Even after I switch out both cards, I still end up with worse or matching hands to others. Realizing I have a statistically low chance of success, I decide to sit out, and just take a moment to think about what I accomplished, and how I can use this to prepare for the future.

Then I realize this is likely a perfect opportunity to prepare for the possible worst case scenario. With that in mind, I go ahead and channel a third version of the Spirit-Magic Channel Bypass, this way I have the option to create an external spell if needed. That now makes close to 50% of my mana reserves that are being used constantly. I do have proficiencies that should help, but it is better to think about my overall capabilities at this point. Fortunately my Dual Casting skill, and Multitasking skills make running so many spells all at once easy. Then again, I do have no less than four spells active at any given time, while this is double that, my Attributes are more than capable of keeping this level of effort going indefinitely.

I feel I am getting better, as I have the new spell up and woven through my Spell Inhibitor band before the next hand even gets dealt. It didn’t hurt that the two people that are going at it, have been taking their time trying to do false readings on each other. I can tell based on their expressions that they are not able to read anything and instead are trying to do the math in their heads. Seeing them, I wonder if I am giving too much away with my face. I know I am able to now see and interpret everything they are doing, which is a huge deal when it comes to being successful at poker. I decide to make sure I keep my face bland and neutral, relying on my Actingskills to help me through this endeavor. Then chuckling inwardly to myself I realize I also have my Seduction skill I could call upon to help win an important hand, though that skill would likely give me away as a cheat almost instantly, as it would be a skill that would influence others, and thus an external skill.

Nope, I had better keep that skill hidden and under wraps, for now.

***

Unbeknownst to Cassiopeia Spiritlight, three bosses were all watching Cass from a hidden chamber of the Thieves Guild Manager’s office. This was a special room that overlooked the floor and blended in seamlessly to the background. From a visual cue, no one could see a difference between the one way viewing walls and the regular walls that lined the ceiling.

Cass could see these people, but they had been stationary for so long that she had dismissed them as being unimportant to what was happening in her immediate area. Her entire focus was spent on not only reading the conditions of her table, but trying to see how others played and reacted at other tables around her. This was why she was completely oblivious to the conversation that was happening right now, about her.

“So, she did it?” The cultured voice of Glenn asked, as he held up his lorgnette spectacles to better peer at Cass.

“Yes, I can see five, no six active spells that are able to bypass the restraining cuffs.” Ellia spoke, as her own magical lorgnette were alive and seeming to glow with power.

“Do you think she will be capable of what needs to happen next?” Lenny, the leader of the Thieves Guild asked.

“If you mean, will she be capable of doing so, then yes. As for whether she will be a high enough level, well that entirely depends on her placement here at this tournament, now doesn’t it?” Glenn answered, with a calm demeanor.

“Is there any way we can fix it for her?” Lenny asked.

Chuckle.

“You mean, other than make it so she is the only one who is able to wield their full set of Spells, Attributes, and Skills? While everyone else is set in a bling fugue? Then no.” Ellia answered.

“I still don’t like it, there are a lot of variables that can happen.” Lenny says, as he watches the first player get eliminated from the tournament, followed shortly by two more.

“Speak for yourself, it is not your money or experience that is being wagered with this.” Glenn responded.

“Yeah, I have to ask about that. What made you go in like that for her?”

At that Glenn paused, as he himself didn’t quite know why he did either. He paused trying to understand his motives, but finally just shook his head, “I don’t know.”

At that Lenny just nodded in understanding. “Be careful, you know you can’t get involved with someone like her.”

“I know.” Glen responded, and he did know, but there was just something that caused him to want to be in her strata. This woman, Cassiopeia was a rocket flying high, and while Glenn was currently far too high of a level to have any form of meaningful relationship with her, who was to say that in the future things wouldn’t change.

“Well good. Now we should all get back to our tasks.” Lenny said.

“Right.” Ellia and Glenn both said in unison.

Then like that the impromptu meeting of the Thieves Guild’s senior leadership was over, well almost every member of the leadership, as the lead information broker for Lenny’s whole operation sat on the showroom floor right now, showcasing her current and future potential.

“Come on, let’s see what you’ve got. You and I have a date with destiny.” Lenny said, when he was sure no one else was around to hear him speak to himself.