Edwins swords slashed through the wall as he tried to attack Ilea who had blinked away, dodging his blood magic coating the blades.
What the hell is going on!? they could hear more and more shouts from inside and outside the mansion. Both Ilea and Edwin had focused more on speed than anything else but considering the man had already taken several of her punches directly, he was at least more tough than she had expected.
Your armor is good. Care to share the smiths na? Edwin asked before he teleported into a new room, surprising a couple in the process of intercourse.
I think not. Ilea said as she rushed at him, dodging the flurry of attacks, so of the blood magic getting through her defenses, even managing to singe her flesh beneath her armor. Nothing a little bit of healing couldnt easily take care of. She found the small injuries much harder to heal than more severe wounds in the past. Blood magic, she thought and smiled. Her arms rushed out, hitting the mans hands and pushing away the swords before she delivered a headbutt to his chest.
The hit landed and Edwin was ramd through the rooms wall before he vanished again. Ilea quickly followed him through the use of her Sphere and Blink skills, not giving him pause as she continued to push further and further, activating more of her skills as they went on. At first she hadnt used her Destruction and Wave of Ember but now she delivered them with each blow.
Ilea didnt plan to kill the man but she did want to know if she could. Perhaps he felt the sa, his attacks getting stronger and faster to match her. Of course their goal was simple, to cause a distraction in the estate for the others to carry out their parts. So far, they were doing rather well.
Ilea delivered three punches in quick succession, hearing a slight crack from the third one as Edwin stumbled backwards. Waiting for a mont for him to react, two people, a man and a woman appeared in the room, armored and with spells ready to go.
Who are you!? Leave this place, take your squabble sowhere else. the woman shouted. Edwin spat out blood before red flas gathered around him and Ilea saw as his chest moved a little, indicating that the broken bone had been nded.
His blades appeared before her, too fast for her to dodge as she blinked behind him, moving her hand just in ti to hit his sword upwards as it threatened to smash into her helt. Her hand was on fire imdiately, her flesh burning below her armor with a pain distracting even to her. Turning off the perception of it, she simply used her healing spell against the red flas enveloping her hand. The fire didnt expand, stopped by her Hunter Recovery but neither could she remove it.
Blinking upwards right when the next blade rushed towards her, Ilea ripped off her gauntlet, summoned one of her remaining Taleen swords and hoped that the blade was strong enough to do the trick. With all her strength, she slashed at her wrist. The bone was severed halfway but a second hit did the trick. Healing again, Ilea found the wound now completely normal and she put on her gauntlet again when Edwin appeared in the room, looking at her as she regrew her bone and flesh below her armor.
Nice flas. she said, honestly impressed at the destructive potential.
Let know if youre close to death. the man said with a very slight grin.
The sa goes to you. Ilea said and activated State of Azarinths third stage before she ran towards him, now focusing on his limbs instead of the blades. Not able to touch the tal made the fight more even. She found that while the flas around his body did injure her, they were much less dangerous than the ones enveloping his curved short swords.
Dodging backwards, Ilea moved her body left and right, appearing and disappearing, trying to get into range for her fists while the man tried hard to keep her at his blades distance. His weapon rushed past her right side as she delivered a punch to his gut, the full force of Destruction and Wave of Ember entering him before she appeared behind him. The man teleported away but she followed but a mont later.
They stared at each other, Ilea waiting to give him ti should the attack have been a little much. Edwin was panting, sweat on his brow reflecting the candle light in the small hallway as maids stumbled and ran away to avoid the two maniacs who intruded their workplace.
The man raised his blades again and Ilea nodded, appearing before him. His right blade flickered as Ilea turned her body to push her back against his chest as she grabbed both of his arms, pumping destructive mana into his body as he struggled to get away. A sudden heat could be felt in her right shoulder before it literally exploded, making her stumble. Thanks to Azarinth Reversals second stage she could continue to attack the man while she nded the nasty wound on her shoulder.
Stop. he suddenly said. Im getting dangerously low, he added with a whisper as Ilea disengaged, feeling her shoulder reconstruct under her armor. The way he just ignored the tal made her understand Ianas lecture about how many people wanted enchantnts that protected against mana intrusion. Well she didnt really have a choice.
Stepping towards the man, she started healing him as the flas left his form, his blades held limply in both hands as he panted and leaned against a wall. Ilea was quite aware that he couldve targeted her heart or head with that attack, which couldve lead to a different result entirely. She could certainly recover but not having tested actually losing her head, she didnt know how exactly that would pan out.
ding You have learned the general skill Blood Magic Resistance lvl 1
The arts of blood manipulation can be deceptive and dangerous to both ally and foe. You have stood against the old magic and lived. Next ti your chance of survival will be even higher.
ding Blood Magic Resistance reaches lvl 2
ding Blood Magic Resistance reaches lvl 3
That will co in handy. she thought and continued healing as she heard people move towards them.
You think that was enough ti? she asked the man who answered by teleporting away. Ilea followed when the first people ca into the hallway. Edwin was still not at full strength when she reached him outside.
Barely but we cant stay longer, the city guard will join shortly. he said while looking upwards.
Lets get out of here then. she said and watched him vanish. She followed suit and blinked away as well. Again the escape was sowhat easy, mostly because of her blink spell, still one of the main reasons she hadnt died yet. In a battle of attrition she was sure to have beaten Edwin. The surprise attack was a risk on her part. Perhaps she should only use her reverse healing when she knew the enemy couldnt pull sothing like that. Or perhaps there was a magic intrusion resistance as well. Shed ask him to test it with her later on. For now, they had to et up again with the others. This ti in a hideout Edwin still had in the city.
She followed the man through cellars and houses, Ilea questioning the city guards ability to hunt down criminals with abilities like Ileas. It wasnt uncommon to be able to teleport short distances after all. Then again she didnt know how common cri actually was in Virilya.
Reaching their destination down in the sewers, Edwin vanished through a wall behind which Ileas Sphere didnt let her see. Blinking inside, she found her team mates there. There must have been a rune placed sowhere to open the door as Kyrian was inside as well. They found themselves in a rather large room with stone walls, dilapidated and moist. In the middle of it there was a man, strung up by tal cuffs and with a sack over his head.
Maria appeared a little later, holding her arm where she had been cut. Ilea blinked to her side and started healing without any questions. The woman was injured worse than it looked. According to the mana Ilea used, the injury wasnt just a clean cut. She couldnt tell if it was poison or sothing else.
What the hell were you doing? Maria asked as she walked towards Edwin, slapping him. You were supposed to distract them, not just fight each other like a bunch of fucking beasts!
Calm down, it served the sa purpose didnt it? Edwin asked, looking towards Ilea who just shrugged.
We got a little carried away. she said. Did they manage to follow you? Ilea asked but Maria shook her head.
Once were done here were going to go back out and you two can fight until youre damn near dead. Just dont do that while were working. Fucking idiots. she said, dropped a bunch of paper into Trians hands and left the room again.
Well shes not wrong. Kyrian said. Thats rather unlike you, even with your love for fighting. he added, looking at Ilea.
Just felt right in the mont. Ilea said and looked towards Trian. Wont happen again.
We got what we wanted and nobodys dead. Lets worry about the sentintalities later. Trian said as he approached the man in the middle of the room.
Now, youre here to answer so questions. he said as lightning crackled around him.
Ilea left half a minute later, blinking out of the room and puking on the ground. Seeing torture wasnt exactly on her list of things to experience in a magical land far from ho. Fuck this. she said and left, the screams not audible anymore through the thick stone wall. They had agreed on eting back in Trians hideout outside of the city. She didnt want to know what they did to that man, nor did she want to know who he was.
If this was required to get revenge then perhaps shed have to find another way. A more direct one perhaps.
Going back into the streets, she found so guards running around the area but they were easily avoided as she sneaked through the houses until she reached the city wall. It was night and Ilea wore completely black armor. She crouched down and blinked outside and into the grass. The color of the tal didnt reflect much light, allowing her to simply crawl the distance to the tree line a hundred or two ters away.
Blinking turned out to be the even simpler way as she simply used the spell a couple tis in a row to reach the trees. Looking behind, she saw an arrow cast in flas near where she had been lying three blinks earlier. There were so capable guards up there after all, she thought and started running through the forest.
Soon after she felt far enough away to spread her wings and rushed upwards into the clouds.
Ilea appeared in the hideout, just to be t with a wind blade to her chest. The impact resounded through the room with a bang and she stumbled back a step as she looked towards Felicia whose expression was already changing to a combination of apology and shock.
Ilea Im so sorry! I realized too late it was you, are you alright? she asked as she rushed towards her, checking her armor.
Of course you are. Damn indestructible barbarian. she said and punched Ileas helt. Aliana has prepared food, co. I rember you loved to eat, didnt you. she added and walked into the room Edwins group had resided in.
The sll of sizzling at was in the air and Ilea heard her stomach rumble as she entered. Slls good. she said and Felicia went to grab a couple pieces and handed them to Ilea on a plate, sitting down next to her on the big table.
Thanks.
Its wolf I hunted earlier. Felicia said.
You went outside? Ilea asked, starting to eat after taking off her helt.
Of course, as much as Ed wants to protect us Im above level two hundred and if were just staying behind all the ti we wont exactly get stronger either, will we? she asked, poking Ileas shoulder and smiling. Seeing her so happy made Ilea smile too as she continued to eat.
You went through so bad things huh? Felicia asked suddenly, the chewing of at the only sound remaining after the question. Aliana wasnt around which made Ilea more inclined to actually answer.
I did. Fought a lot and saw a lot of death. Now Trians family was murdered and Eve too. she said, continuing to eat. Aliana really knew how to prepare at.
Yea. You remind more of my brother now. Just dont forget to smile, I liked you a lot when we found you in that dungeon. A bit naive perhaps, she said and laughed. I think Ed didnt kill you because of that actually. You cheered him up for a little while afterwards you know?
Thank you for that. Felicia said. And sorry for just leaving you there. He can be very cold. Felicia added. The woman was rather talkative when she was alone.
Dont worry, my humors still there. Just even darker now. And right now it just sucks. Ilea said and smiled.
Theres a smile. Felicia said and pinched her cheek. A gesture Ilea would not allow to be left unpunished if done by anybody else.
They sat there for a while, Ilea finishing her plate in silence when Felicia talked again.
Its scary. she started. To know that your loved ones could die, at any mont. Ed is out there right now, fighting to get his revenge.
His? What about you? Ilea asked and looked at the woman. Felicia just stared at the wall.
? I survived, he saved , saved us, she said, taking a deep breath. I wish we could just leave, go sowhere quiet, built a farm or take an abandoned castle and just. Live, you know?
Why not suggest that, maybe for you hell forget his revenge. Ilea said, quite aware of the similarities to her own wish for vengeance.
He would. I know he would but I cant take that away from him. Its what he fought for, his whole life. Ill be there if he succeeds, or if he fails or gives up. But this is his path. And its not mine to take away. Felicia said and looked at Ilea again, a smile and tears on her face. Getting up, Ilea grabbed the womans arm and lifted her up before she embraced her in a hug.
Ill try to protect him ok? Ilea said after a while, letting go of the woman who nodded weakly.
You dont have to do anything. Hes not a good man and you have all the right to refuse to help. I dont know how many tis youve already saved his life. That dungeon was one of the most dangerous parts of our journey. Felicia said but Ilea just stroked her hair lightly.
Im not doing that for him you know. I consider you a friend. Ilea said.
Really? After all weve done to you? Felicia asked and then laughed. Im glad youre still so naive Ilea. Ok, lets be friends! she said and held up her hand, making a weird sign with her fingers.
Whats that supposed to be? Ilea asked but Felicia just laughed.
Its sothing we used to do as kids. It ans love and respect. she said and smiled.
God youre fucking cheesy. How old are you again? Ilea asked and mimicked the gesture, their hands touching a mont later.
Im not exactly the weird one here. Plus, were both above level two hundred, we have to be weird. she said and smiled. How the hell did you reach it that fast anyway? Tell about it. Felicia said.
Ilea summoned a piece of paper and wrote down that the two of them would be nearby. Co, its depressing inside this stuffy chamber. I feel like seeing the stars. Ilea said and got up. Felicia followed without complaint as they left the hideout and flew a couple hundred ters to find a clearing in the forest.
The first spring flowers were already blooming and Ilea jumped, switching to a more comfortable leather set in the air before she landed in the grass. Felicia sat down next to her as Ilea summoned so more food and ad.
Youre an insatiable beast. Felicia said. You and Aliana should have a competition at so point. Now tell . And you got a storage item? Does Ed know?
He doesnt, at least I think so. Ilea said, gesturing to the necklace that lightly reflected the moons light.
Uuuuh, a necklace? Thats beautiful! Rings are so last decade. Felicia said and reached out. Can I?
Sure, dont remove it though, Ive grown rather attached. Ilea said and smiled.
Felicia carefully touched the necklace and looked at it.
I got it in the sa Taleen dungeon. Belonged to a dwarven corpse I found. They had a treasure hall and everything. she said.
Its pretty nice. Felicia said and let go, sitting back again. Ed said the traps probably wouldnt be worth it. Howd you fare?
Nearly burned to a crisp. Ilea said and smiled, rembering the green flas enveloping her. I lost my favorite cloak there. Got the necklace in turn though so its alright.
She continued to tell Felicia about the encounter with the Taleen Praetorians and her escape from the dungeon, her way to Salia and encounter with the elves.
Never heard of Praetorians, youre planning to go back there? Felicia asked with a smirk. Maybe we can co and help.
Not anyti soon, they were ridiculously strong. I feel like even the Basilisk or the demons Ive faced dont have a chance against them. Even with a likely lower level. Ilea said and got a nod in response.
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