Azarinth Healer Chapter 498: Water

Her reversed healing continued and she added Storm of Cinders to the mix.

Mana intrusion and destructive healing. No wonder you could destroy an army with such ease! he exclaid, locking eyes with her. Dont worry. Your secrets are safe with . Not that many could benefit much from knowing what kind of weapons you possess.

How is it not affecting you? Ilea asked after a few more seconds, the water slowly cutting through her as she healed against it. And how are my limbs not moving?

As if to demonstrate, the pirate stopped his attack, the water instead flowing free and around her.

Ilea tried to blink but found herself unable to use the spell as soon as his water touched her. Displacent didnt work either.

Her wounds healed near instantly as she looked at him. She wasnt worried about drowning, instead charging her Heart of Cinder for her eventual escape.

The water had closed around her fully and she imdiately realized why her ash hadnt been able to move. The pressure she felt was imnse.

She found it impossible to even speak. Is this how it feels kiloters deep under water?

Ilea couldnt help but be impressed that he had managed to immobilize her this easily. Not even the Ascended had managed such and back then she was quite a bit weaker too.

The pressure increased, threatening to pop her eyes before her ash covered them too.

She first used her reversed healing but stopped after a while, realizing that her magic just seed to dissipate.

The pirate whistled. Holy mother of the deep. You are tough!

Force and Displacent proved entirely too weak to do anything against the water.

Ilea finally released her spell, Heart of Cinder spreading out with the help of two thousand sacrificed health. It evaporated a large chunk of the water, allowing her to blink out.

How did you withstand that pressure? Im intrigued, the man said as he montarily stopped his assault.

Ilea quietly flew in a circle around him. The water is part of your body, isnt it? she asked. Thats why I couldnt teleport.

He smiled. Its not uncommon for creators to have such an ability. Your ash is the sa I presu?

It is. How did you stop the reversed healing and intrusion spells? she asked.

I didnt. Not all of it. The sphere around can absorb so of the mana from enemy spells. Healing is a bitch to deal with. I would have had to let you go in another twenty seconds or so but you stopped it yourself, he said.

Interesting. I have a similar ability, Ilea admitted.

It heals too, otherwise it would have been a problem nearly imdiately, he explained.

Youre quite open about your spells, Ilea said.

He grinned. Im confident in them. Just as you are. And I think the secrecy around these things is entirely misplaced. If the clowns of the Lily really wanted to bring humanity ahead, theyd share every secret the had found.

Youre not terribly fond of them, Ilea said.

He just grunted.

Your fire spell is quite sothing too you need to charge it? Or do you pay a price? he asked.

I form heat within myself, Ilea said.

And release it. Horny bitch, he said.

What? Ilea asked.

Heat. Horny. Its a play on words, he said.

Ilea blinked her eyes before she laughed. Thats fucking stupid, she said. This man was so much easier to deal with than Helena.

I cant believe you dont have a third Class though. Youre easily powerful enough to destroy so shit tier seven fifties. And with all the waves you created in the last year, Id doubt youve never faced any four marks, he said.

Ilea activated Flare of Creation and smiled at him.

He clapped his hands and laughed. There you go! Is that oho, interesting. I did believe I felt Space Magic before but it was fleeting at best.

Its quite new. I thought I could use this assignnt for so skill training. Are they limited in so way? she asked.

Thats a smart decision. I dont think well face anything particularly interesting for a while. Though it is always fun to deal with Lily associates. Theyre so easily irritated, he said and laughed.

As to your question, no. They seem to behave the sa as normal Class skills do. The third tier needs to be unlocked with Core skill points and theyre supposedly subdued but I had a hard ti testing that. They seem really strong anyway, he added.

Interesting. I an we have the bonuses from our main Classes and theyre unique so it makes sense for the skills to be strong, Ilea said.

I dont suppose you found a good use for the Core skill points? The options seem boring at best, he said.

Ilea shook her head. Stat and skill level boosts. Third tier skill upgrade, thats it.

I thought so. Maybe once we hit four hundred, he said.

Maybe, she agreed.

How can you even create so much pressure? Ilea asked.

He seed proud of himself as he answered the question. Its part of my main Class actually. Plus there isnt a direct resistance to it, just like there isnt anything against healing. We have that much in common.

I assu you have a dozen other resistances and skills that make your body more resilient though. Otherwise you would have popped like an overripe waterlon, he said and smiled.

I have so things, yes. Can you use the pressurized water beams again? If its enough to get a third tier resistance, she said.

It should be, he comnted. Do attack with that white fla there are so few space magic beings out there, my resistance is still in the first tier.

Ilea grinned and approached him, spreading her ash around his sphere of water before it all ignited with the fla of creation.

The fire worked through his water with surprising speed.

It lowers regeneration too, he noted before a beam of water punched out of the ashen prison.

Ilea noted that the man was gone, her gaze following the thin stream of water before it reford into a sphere again, the man forming as if he was born of the water itself.

He would be so annoying to kill, she thought. It made sense of course. He was a human like herself.

He gave her a long look. Level those skills. Theyre already powerful, he said.

Whats your third Class anyway? Ilea asked and glanced towards the ruins, noticing a few new faces.

Youll find out soon enough. Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lilith of Ravenhall, he said with a bright smile, the water vanishing as if it had never existed, the small lake that had ford below did the sa. Only the wave he stood on remained.

Sa. Do you have a real na by the way? she asked as the two lazily returned.

Of course. I wasnt birthed the Destroyer. But I doubt your na is Lilith either, almost comical, he said.

Ilea laughed. Ridiculous, coming from the Destroyer.

We agree to disagree, he said.

Ilea noticed two new people in the group, each quite distinctive compared to the shrouded warriors.

One was a man who looked to be in his thirties. He looked rather ordinary if it werent for his gear. Brown hair and brown eyes glanced at her before he seed to lose interest. He was clad in heavy golden armor that seed to move or flow slightly.

Ilea wasnt sure it if was an illusion or one of his skills.

[Mage lvl 275]

Not quite as impressive as the pirate.

Hey, she said.

He looked at her and nodded in a polite manner, choosing not to speak or unable to do so.

What the fuck are you doing here? the Destroyer asked as he landed next to Ilea, water dripping to the ground.

Greetings, Destroyer. I have co upon the request of the Assassin, the man said and repeated his polite nod.

The pirate rolled his eyes and ignored him, instead spreading his arms as he approached the other new face in the group.

A woman with piercing black eyes, her long hair as dark as the night. She wore a beautiful skin tight dark blue dress, its color bordering on black and heavily contrasting her white porcelain skin. She should have looked entirely out of place in the ruin but sohow the woman fit right in.

[Mage lvl 318]

Elisora, its almost as surprising to see you here as it is to see Michael, the pirate said with a grin. What honor it is, for your eyes to find mine, oh glorious Leya of Lys.

Elisora seed to ignore him but Ilea could tell by the incredibly slight twitch of her lip that the woman didnt succeed entirely.

The Destroyer must have noticed too, laughing out loud as he sat down on a nearby stone.

Its a pleasure to et you, Lilith of Ravenhall, Elisora instead said. As our dear ally has already revealed, Im Elisora Acantha. Ive not co to personally take part in your endeavors but to both make your acquaintance and more importantly, to make sure this wont end in a bloodbath, she said and smiled a perfect and friendly smile.

Ilea nearly shuddered at the feeling she got.

It seems that my ploy to claim you was already foiled before I even arrived, she continued, giving Ilea a look.

Is she disappointed, annoyed? I cant tell.

Sothing brushed against her mind.

Impressive defenses too, Elisora said. How do I fare compared to the beings you faced before?

Ilea could tell the magic had co from her. Quite powerful too and a mind mage far surpassing Eve. However compared to the Enavurin or the Goliath Veramath, she didnt compare.

Youre the most powerful human mind mage Ive encountered, she said honestly.

I see. Thank you, Elisora said. I do hope you will join. Im sure trade between Lys and Ravenhall could be smoothed out far more quickly with our insistence.

Ilea didnt comnt.

We can have that bloodbath now, if you want to, the pirate said and winked her way.

Not amongst us, mind you, Elisora said. The rituals the Order of Truth has initiated are not to be taken lightly, she said and glanced towards the man in golden armor, Michael.

I do presu its the reason he ca, she said and focused back on Ilea.

It seems however that Helena did not take this lightly either, she said and glanced westwards. I will see you around. Do visit in Virilya if youre ever in the area, she added, looking towards Ilea before she vanished.

The Destroyer shuddered and made a few hand gestures. Not a cross but Ilea assud a religious background.

Dont go. Even if it might be a good ti. Shes a snake if Ive ever t one, he said.

I guessed as much, Ilea said. What do you an by good ti?

He smiled. Elisora isnt just an insanely powerful mind mage, shes also one of the best alchemists in the human plains. She succeeded in making drugs that have an effect even on . Though the effects might not be enough for you, after that short bout. You should still try them soti. Its quite fun.

Youre contradicting yourself, Ilea said and summoned so wood to build a fire.

I didnt say you should visit her. Just trade her for it. Ask for the hardest stuff. Its the only reason I havent murdered her already, he said.

Ilea assud there were other reasons but didnt comnt on it.

The man summoned so wood too, neither of them getting wood from the surrounding forest.

A fire would give away our position, one of the armored people said.

Whats the point of coming here if we cant fend off whatever shows up? Ilea asked. Who are you anyway?

The man seed a little frustrated. We are the Dawn Company.

Ilea didnt know what that was.

Theyre an elite group from Asila, the pirate supplied. Under direct orders from Skorn.

Ilea nodded. You can hide if soone shows up. Or is that a problem too?

The man considered for a mont before shaking his head. No. If you dont expect us to participate in whatever battle might ensue.

I dont, Ilea said and that was that.

She summoned her fire sphere and set light to the wood before she ford and ashen chair.

The pirate summoned an armchair and relaxed.

Who else is coming again? she asked after a few minutes of silence.

Velamyr Ryse. A General of the Lys army and a mber of the Golden Lily. I assu hes the main reason this actually ca to be. Hes a military man, the Destroyer said.

Alright, she said, thinking about having another bout with the man.

_____________

Felicia stood close to General Ryse. The war council wasnt exactly going like planned. She had expected as much.

The country is defeated. Surrounded on three fronts and hiding within their cities. The rituals are horrendous but we cannot stop here, one of the Generals said.

Murmurs went through the large tent.

Our victory is secured. Though we cannot ignore the cursed. Or the monsters that have sprung to life. I suggest we continue our approach and burn down everything these fanatics have summoned before moving on, another high ranking officer said.

I believe there is more to this. The interrogated mbers of the Order have confird as much. If we wait and stall, there wont be anything left of this country to conquer. And if their plans succeed, we might not want to march any further, General Ryse said.

His words caused another round of discussions and talks.

The interrogations were uncertain. We have nothing to prove their ramblings other than the efficiency of the rituals, one of them said.

Isnt that enough? Coupled with the tens of thousands that died? one of the Majors said.

We lost few soldiers. The loss of life is regrettable but they are citizens of Baralia. We were prepared for savagery when we got here. Let us not give up on military discipline because our enemies are willing to commit genocide, the first General said.

I simply suggest we form strike teams of high level soldiers and Shadows, let them scour the lands and cities, fight the creatures in the cursed areas. We must call for more elite individuals from the Empire, Ryse said.

Shadows, one of them scoffed. They will refuse to participate in an open war.

Not if the enemy are monsters and cursed, another one said.

You may risk your own troops, Ryse but I wont do the sa with mine. You are free to include this request in the report that will be sent today, another General said.

In the end, quite a few of them supported the strike team option. The rest would continue their thodical approach. It wouldnt be entirely ineffective but not the decisiveness that Ryse had hoped for.

Felicia followed him back to his own command tent, with a sizable group of officers.

Send letters to the Empress directly. We need to hire every high level rcenary and adventurer we can get our hands on. Otherwise there wont be a country left to conquer, the General said as soon as they were inside, enchantnts making sure nobody could easily listen in.

A few people nodded and left.

We already have eighteen teams ready, sir. They mostly consist of Imperial Scouts led by minor nobles, one of the Majors said.

Braak, Ill leave the coordination to you, Ryse said and looked around. I will be part of a separate group infiltrating the enemy. We have to clean out those cities and prevent more of these rituals to take place.

Shadows? Felicia asked. Most of the high ranking officers were nobles or simply quite rich. It wasnt unheard of that they hired or used personal rcenaries during wars. So didnt even use Imperial guards to protect their positions.

Lys was quite wealthy in itself, and a lot of that went into its military might. Nobles could rely on the army in most situations but the circumstances had changed.

This endeavor had beco as much a monster subjugation quest as it was a war. The lines and priorities were blurred but General Ryse deed the forr far more important.

Felicia agreed after what they had seen in Odiah.

Possibly. I called in so favors, he said. We wont let our troops die, nor will we let them destroy their whole country and people for illusions and arrogance.

They discussed the next steps for a while before most of them excused themselves to brief their troops.

I can lead a strike force too, Felicia offered. She had already garnered enough trust to be amongst the Generals close Majors. This war was full of opportunities after all.

If she had his word, her status as the head of House Redleaf was all but unquestioned. Velamyr Ryse was well respected, despite his often controversial suggestions and decisions. The results spoke for themselves. He was a patriot ready to sacrifice everything for the Empire. It was even said that he had quite a bit of pull with the Empress.

The Generals thinking his concerns invalid may very well just disagree for the fact that he was amongst those who brought it up. They knew that Alyris would likely approve the requested resources and Shadow contracts but by delaying it all, they strike directly at him and the success that would be attributed to the man.

Ryse wasnt unaware of it all, maneuvering himself into a place where he could question their rank and ability to lead after the war.

Felicia wasnt well versed in military politics but she understood so of the maneuvers and plans. The mistake many of them made was thinking that the war was already over. That Baralia was no longer a threat.

She wondered how much of this thinking was responsible for the year long siege. They could have likely broken out after a week or maybe a month.

Felicia listened to the winds, calming down as she thought of the thousands of people who had lost their lives, children, and loved ones. She made sure to rember everyone responsible for the sluggishness of the Imperial army. Ryse did the sa, she knew, but perhaps for different reasons.