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So he spent even more time touching it up. And when he was finally satisfied with all of his practical concerns, he was left to consider his aesthetic ones. Should he add some embossed flourishes? Some tracing lines around the edges, maybe? A filigree ornamentation for the breastplate?

None of that felt particularly important, and given how goddamn stubborn the material had now become, even a simple flourish would likely take several extra passes in order to get right.

Ultimately, he decided against it. If he wanted to add fancy shit, he could try some other time. And if he couldn't work with it anymore once he got back to the real world, then so be it. He could always just add an extra layer of iron on top for that kind of thing.

So he finally allowed himself to relax. That was certainly tiring.

But he was wearing a full suit of armor now, and it sure was nice. It definitely wasn't vacuum sealed or anything like that, but when he sank to the ground and lay down on his back, Hector just started to feel... better.

Thus far, this place had felt like it was slowly sapping his strength, probably due to the combination of no oxygen and a deteriorating physical body. But now, in this armor, things were different. It would've been a stretch to say that he was recovering, but he at least felt stable. Comfortable.

Protected.

Then again, maybe that was just the afterglow of finishing a difficult project. The feeling of accomplishment sure was pleasant. He wanted to bask in it for a while longer.

He took a long, deep breath as he tried to regather his thoughts. He needed to get back to--

Wait a minute, what?

His eyes opened, but there was nothing to see. Only blackness. He took another breath, now even more confused.

The Scarf of Armordiin. He'd been wearing it the whole time he'd been here, but he'd nearly forgotten about it, since it wasn't giving him any information.

Until now.

He could sense it. A pocket of air enveloped him, a bubble no bigger than a closet. When had that happened? His ears popped, too, intensely though not painfully.

This wasn't the work of his armor, right? That would make no sense. And the bubble went beyond the suit, so--

'Pardon me,' arrived an unfamiliar voice. 'This atmosphere is helpful to you, no? If not, I can take it back.'