Chapter 392 Remnant

Author's note January 11th: See 393 and 394 below. More hopefully on Tuesday :).

Have a nice weekend!

Author's note January 9th: Hello. New chapters up and more probably on Saturday.

Thanks for reading :).

Author's note December 28th: Hey all. New chapters up and more hopefully on Tuesday.

Have a good weekend :).

Chapter 392 Remnant

Guess they’re like nukes here. Ilea thought as another roar rolled through, closer now.

The paralyzing effect only lasted four seconds now.

‘ding’ ‘Veteran reaches lvl 13’

“I have never truly understood the fear of dragons myself,” Lucas started. “However their tales have survived over the millennia, mhm. Unlike other beasts that too destroyed whole cities.”

“It is bad luck. We should not engage a Wyvern, its presence an omen of death,” Ilas murmured from behind Catelyn.

“It’s just a monster. Died and was corrupted even,” Ilea said, touching its partially exposed skull. “You can leave anytime.”

The Dark One was silent for a moment but shook his head. “I shall remain in the shadows. My power… is not sufficient anymore. If you wish me to leave, I shall do so.”

“I don’t care,” Ilea said and tried removing the skull, finding it a challenging endeavor. “Oh hey… Maro, can you raise it?”

The necromancer sighed as he approached. “An omen of death… oh well,” he lifted his hand, a pulse of magic rushing into the creature.

Maro seemed to struggle, more and more mana flowing into it.

Ilea was about to speak when she saw purple wisps come to life within the mangled skull.

Muscles rippled as the beast stood up once more. Two meters tall, it’s wings each easily three meters wide.

Ilea took a step back. She had to lift her head up to stare at its skull. “Hmm,” she mused with a grin. “Any idea what they can do? I asked before but has anyone fought one?”

“I have,” Lucas said, his hesitation apparent. “A long time ago. They… teleport, quickly. Mhm… several times in a row. Their talons easily cut through my armor. Fire was however the most dangerous part. More powerful I think… than even you,” he glanced towards Catelyn with the last mention.

“Sounds pretty straight forward,” Ilea said and cracked her knuckles. “Maybe I can get my Heat Resistance up to level twenty.”

“I will wait with Ilas. Perhaps we can build a small camp here,” Lucas said as he looked around. “Mhm, yes. It is much friendlier than the previous layers. The vegetation too… speaks to me.”

Ilea leaned over, her eyes widening. “Do the plants literally speak?”

Lucas just winked at her with a smile.

“They can fly… and if they’re really as quick and powerful as Lucas suggests… maybe I should wait this one out too… if those we find remain free of corruption,” Maro suggested. “Are you sure you want to face them? Even if they can fight off their own corrupted?” his gaze was on Ilea, the man scratching the back of his helmet.

“You faced Soul Rippers… why stop at this?” Ilea was genuinely confused at that. These were just overgrown Drakes.

He offered no justification.

“My fire will be of little help,” Catelyn mused. “We should move farther down, explore more of the islands. Perhaps we can find out if they remain without corruption.”

What a fucking bummer. Ilea rolled her eyes, glancing at her last hope.

“I shall support you,” Elfie said. “Should you be able to fight them alone, I shall leave you to it.”

Bloody legend. Ilea thought and smiled brightly, blinking over and hugging the elf.

A powerful curse immediately spread within her as barriers snapped to existence between them.

“Please, respect my… personal space,” the elf said.

Ilea nodded. “Apologies,” she did feel a little bad, not getting the expected reaction out of him this time. “I meant well.”

“Noted,” he simply replied.

“Should we check the top of these islands first or move farther down this one? I can see some cracks leading down,” Ilea asked, looking over the group.

“It should be safer… to move above the mists,” Ilas said.

“Agreed,” Catelyn confirmed, waiting a moment for any objections. “Let’s hope they’re not all corrupted.”

Might be easier to fight if they’re frenzied, Ilea thought but she had a feeling the corrupted corpse suggested it wouldn’t exactly be that simple.

The closest islands were smaller than the one they had landed on before. Little to no inner workings compared to the cave with the dead creature.

Ilas and Catelyn checked the space between them and their next target and signaled the group.

All teleporting through the gap quickly, they reached a rather large island. This one even had small palm tree like fauna growing on it. Ferns and grass covered large sections of the nearly hundred meter wide plateau.

“Hide,” Maro whispered, vanishing farther into the ferns.

The rest followed, Ilea lying prone twenty meters further back right after she appeared.

A whooshing sound reached her ears. Familiar red wings were barely visible as they moved past nearly on the same height as the plateau.

[Cliff Wyvern - ???]

A roar resounded, the paralyzing effect passing once more. No sign of the creature remained.

Ilea waited a minute before she blinked closer to the edge, seeing only mist below.

She found the others in her sphere and blinked to Catelyn. “It left. Not corrupted,” she whispered.

“Good,” Catelyn said and sighed. “Do you see a way down?”

Ilea shook her head, her sphere not offering anything. “Let me check the whole area.”

One blink followed the next as she moved over the plateau, remaining prone. The least she would do was make sure the others were somewhat safe before she engaged one of those creatures. Should level Veteran until I can ignore their damn roars as well.

She took a sip of poison and returned to Catelyn. “Found it. This way,” she pointed and subsequently informed the others.

Maro and Ilas were already waiting near the crude stairs leading down into the stone.

“Probably not natural,” Ilea said with a smile. “Oh, Lucas. Before we get into a fight, did you manage to win against the Wyvern you fought?”

The wood creator shook his head. “I have escaped with my life. Barely and not without help. Its level too remained hidden,” he paused and gave her another look. “Even with all I have seen of you. I would suggest you wait… until you get stronger.”

Ilea nodded and turned back towards the descending stairs. Not the way to get stronger, a near manic grin was on her face, hidden below her armor. The fights so far had been challenging but she always had a team behind her.

Even with the Shredders, she could trust Elfie and the others to intervene in case it became too dangerous. Perhaps they were reaching depths now, where them trying to help would only inconvenience her. What they lacked wasn’t spell power or mobility, merely her durability and regeneration.

And if I can’t beat one, I can use Elfie to get his curse. Sounds like an ok compromise. Ilea was brought back from her thoughts with the stench of blood and corruption in the air.

“Another corpse down here,” she said.

“Several dozen,” Maro supplied from behind.

The stairs opened up into a cavern similar in shape to the one they had found within the smaller island.

“There are runes here,” Elfie said. “Deterrents, fear and pain,”

“I don’t feel any of that,” Ilea said as she turned to look at him.

The smell of blood and rot only got stronger as she moved through.

Elfie pointed to one of the cavern walls. “I do not believe these enchantments are meant for creatures of higher intellect. Something is hidden.”

“Wyverns are rather Intelligent,” Lucas said. “Yet I suppose they did not talk.”

“Starting to believe you’re on their side,” Ilea said jokingly, walking to the indicated wall and brushing her ash over it.

“Mighty creatures, born of mana. Shaped to be perfect predators, their movements precise and deadly. They hunt and fight all they find. Mhm…,” Lucas said, smiling ever so slightly as he winked her way.

Ilea rolled her eyes. Even odds then from him. “I should at least get a species sympathy bonus,” she said, tapping the wall. “Anyone able to break the spell? I’d smash it otherwise.”

“If I had taken species into account, they would come out on top,” Lucas said.

“I’ll give it a shot,” Maro replied and stepped up to the wall. “The smell is different by the way, to the Wyvern that is.”

Ilea gave the creature a nod when it stepped up a little. How did he manage to keep that thing hidden from the one flying past?

A pulse of mana came from the wall before the illusion vanished.

Instantly, the smell intensified ten fold. Catelyn gagged and Ilas took several steps back. The rest remained untouched.

Says a lot about you mad fuckers, calling me a murder machine, she specifically glanced at Lucas.

She walked onward, another stairwell leading down. Her sphere had expanded as soon as Maro had broken the illusion.

Metal cages holding dead beasts, some simply sprawled on the ground while others had literally been ripped apart, from within or externally. It was hard to tell at this point.

Some of the beasts had been corrupted it seemed, the orange ooze still dripping from a few of them. Ilea saw some similarities but couldn’t tell if there were even two of the same species.

The space was circular, one more exit leading down, more cave like. A tunnel burrowed into the stone. With the size of the plateau above, Ilea was nearly certain the island expanded as it went further down, or it connected to the wall of the cavern.

Magical light was brimming above, not of the same nature as the technology they had found in the seventh layer.

“Most of them should be the same species. A bear like creature,” Maro supplied and looked up at the lights.

“These are lights similar to what I have seen before,” Elfie said. “They should require a manual mana supply. Be vigilant.”

“Not like the Wyverns are any less dangerous than whatever is in here,” Ilea commented.

Catelyn shook her head as she glanced over the scene.

The lack of tables and other utensils made it seem more like a boxroom instead of anything else.

Lucas closed his eyes and murmured something to himself.

“We will burn all this as soon as we are done,” Catelyn said, a glint of fury visible in her eyes.

Ilea nodded and went down the tunnel.

A couple minutes of walking later, it opened up into a somewhat vast cavern. Too expansive to reasonably be within the island or the pillar leading down.

The smell never really left.

Vegetation was abundant here too, more controlled it seemed, as well as bushes growing weird yellow fruit.

Most notable however were the buildings made of crude stone, rough and barely holding together. A fireplace, a simple forge as well as many other additions were strewn in the area.

Ilea perked up when she heard a hiss, coming from within one of the houses. The rectangular thing had an entrance but was missing a door.

A man appeared in the middle of the camp, glancing around frantically before his eyes met hers.

He wore tattered robes with fading white, red and golden colors. A once surely expensive garment. The robe was torn near his chest, revealing a straight line of pulsing orange, oozing out of the wound.

His hair was a mess, splatters of blood visible both on his robe as well as any revealed part of his skin.

[Corrupted Vampyr Thrall – lvl ???]

Oh, the thought went through her mind when the man vanished into a mist of red smoke, appearing right in front of her.

The familiar sensations of powerful life drain and mind magic immediately hit her, Ilea still sidestepping the swipe of his hand.

His nails had grown out to form claw like protrusions on his otherwise human hands.

Ilea responded with a kick to his knee, a loud dull noise resounded as her armored boot met his skin and bone, destructive mana flowing into him.

Another swipe came, ripping into her ashen armor as she jumped back.

“Any help?” Ilea shouted as she danced backwards, dodging his attacks by a hair’s length. Her ashen limbs spread behind before they lashed out.

The thrall dodged them with comparable speed to her own, twirling in the air as he continued to attack, each swipe coming a little faster as he cut through her limbs, avoiding the rest.

Ilea noted that Elfie, Catelyn and Ilas were frozen in place. Lucas wasn’t there anymore.

Maro was the only one moving, his hand stretched out to the undead Wyvern, the creature’s purple eyes flashing with energy a moment later as it turned and focused on the enemy.

“Their minds can’t take it,” Maro shouted to her. “I will get them out and come back to help you!”

Claws slashed into her throat, stopped barely by her bone armor as she slammed her fists into the man’s head.

Fucker is tougher than steel.

His eyes were unfocused, frenzied. His mind taken over by the corruption.

A powerful pulse of mind magic made her pause for a moment, the claws that came still dodged however. He was slowed down too. Second tier resistances definitely have their merit.

The Wyvern rushed in from behind the man, attacking with its massive claws. The thing could keep up with either of the two.

Ilea kept the thrall busy with her limbs, getting in a couple of punches while he focused on the undead Wyvern.

His claws scratched over the bones, occasional bursts of mind magic freezing the monster.

When he was about to slash through the crature’s spine, Ilea blinked behind him and grabbed one of his arms, twisting her body before she slammed him into the stone floor.

His weight coupled with the momentum cracked the stone.

Ilea landed on top of him, her ashen limbs slashing into his arms and keeping them down as her fists crashed into his skull. She felt the vibrations of her powerful attacks run through her bones, neither of them showing much of a reaction to the physical force.

Destructive mana from all her offensive skills continuously flowed into the corrupted man, little resistance to her abilities apparent.

She finally managed to damage his bone too, a crack resounding when one of her punches caved in the right side of his face, squashing one of his eyes.

A surge of mind magic made her pause for a fraction of a second, the man grabbing onto her and turning before he jumped off the ground and crashed her into a nearby wall. Stone cracked as she was embedded.

He followed up with a flurry of strikes, that slowly ripped away her ash and then her bone armor.

Ilea finally caught his arms, an armored headbutt crashing into his skull.

A surge of mana went through him, the man struggling to get his hands away when another attack followed. Ashen limbs were now cutting into his legs and shoulders, slowly ripping away at his skin and muscles below.

Ilea continued to slam her head against his, her mana recovering through meditation. She noted that his eye was reforming, using an ashen limb to crush it again, trying to get the other one as well.

He moved his head to the side to avoid the strike, instead receiving a cut near his temple.

The Wyvern had recovered by now and slashed into the thrall’s back with its claws, digging nearly as deep as Ilea managed with her ash.

A wave of mind magic made both her and the Wyvern pause, the thrall turning before a powerful swipe ripped off the creature’s head, the purple magic flickering once before it died.

Ilea blinked away as he turned to her, appearing behind the man as a kick sent him staggering back. She saw the cut on his temple was healed already.

Maro appeared in the room once more, quickly glancing at the once more unmoving Wyvern.

“He’s got health drain. What’s your resistance?” Ilea asked as she closed the distance, dodging his claws by ducking and a followed up sidestep. Her right hook slammed into his chin, sending mana into the creature.

Ashen limbs entangled his right arm, a dozen sharp ends slashing into his shoulder as she continued her assault with her fists. She created ash to wrap around his head, cutting into his eyes and clogging his nose and mouth.

Connected to her, the ash was as strong as her limbs, making it hard for the man to shrug it off as he was held in place.

“You’re being drained, Maro! Let me do this, I’ll call for help if I need it!” Ilea said, seeing the magic extend from the thrall to the necromancer.

Maro nodded and vanished.

She felt her grip on the man loosen, a charged Absolute Destruction crashed into his throat, five hundred mana used up in the strike as his windpipe was crushed inwards.

Ashen limbs were ripped away as he freed himself, unbothered by the injuries, his right arm hanging by a mere thread of muscle and flesh.

Ilea released Heart of Cinder at the same time as he used a mind magic blast, both stationary as the magic washed over them.

His arm was ripped off by the surge, his scarred form staggering back a couple steps before he caught himself. His eyes burned with the same savage frenzy they had since the beginning, unhurt by the flames.

Ilea extended five of her limbs and wrapped them around his remaining arm, imitating the shredders as she formed claws and started moving the ash around.

The thrall stepped closer and tried to slash her, caught by the rest of her limbs around his forearm.

Ilea watched his missing arm slowly grow back, a smirk on her face. Not quite enough.

Three fingers extended, she jabbed at his eyes, trying to imitate one of her favorite movies. The result was a bloody mess, the man dodging her attacks, causing skin to be ripped off and one of his eyes being partially squashed.

With his remaining arm in a bind, he focused on mind magic before finally resorting to biting.

Ilea very much welcomed this approach, allowing her to land easy hits on his head with both fists.

At this point she felt like she was back in the gym, slamming her fists into the resilient punching bag as training. Her mana was slowly draining but with each burst of mind magic, some of it returned.

The shredder trick had worked, biting through his skin and muscle before her limbs formed back to the usual design. Not connected anymore, the arm fell to the ground with a wet sound.

Her limbs swiped his legs, bringing him to a fall before she once again landed on top of the corrupted man.

His arms were slowly regrowing as his head was slammed into a pulp.

The fight was over.

Chapter 393 Findings

Ilea just kept on punching, her mana recovering slowly with Meditation. Some of her hits lacked mana intrusion abilities to let her recover a little more.

Her ashen limbs continued to slash and cut at the thrall’s arms that kept on regenerating.

Nothing much remained of his head but his heart was still beating, mana still active in his body. His magic still draining health out of her.

A loud crack resounded when Ilea finally broke his rip cage, the subsequent punches squashing his organs one by one.

She ripped out his mangled heart and squeezed it briefly, blood scattering over her ashen armor and the ground when it exploded. A ding finally resounded in her mind.

‘ding’ ‘Your group has defeated [Corrupted Vampire Thrall – lvl 541] – For defeating an enemy two hundred and twenty or more levels above your own, bonus experience is granted’

Sure, so much help from my group. Ilea brushed off the blood from her ash covered cheek and stood up, looking at the remains of the corrupted man. Seems safe enough here, she thought and revealed her right arm.

Maro appeared in the room before the rest teleported down.

“Are you alright?” he asked as he stepped closer, watching her slowly cut into the top of her arm.

“Yea. Thanks for listening. Would have been a longer fight otherwise,” Ilea said as she crouched and took some of the corruption and blood. Might not be my best idea but I suppose I survived it already.

She covered the wound on her arm and felt the unpleasant feeling spread through her body. The things we do for resistances.

Her healing kicked in, keeping the disgusting and dangerous ooze at bay, Ilea gritting her teeth as she struggled against the effects. It felt worse than her first exposure to Kyrian’s curse.

“That’s dangerous,” Catelyn commented, more concerned than accusatory.

Ilea didn’t even look at her, covering her arm with bone armor and ash once more. “Like being frozen in place by mind magic?” she asked.

Niivalyr chuckled, Catelyn shaking her head before she smiled too.

“I’m learning of the benefits. It seems in my old age, I’ve grown arrogant,” the fox said. “Still, I won’t rub corruption into my wounds. I hope you understand.”

“It’s a niche hobby,” Ilea commented, getting more and more used to the sensation in her arm. Is it taking over?

She quickly checked her messages to confirm.

‘ding’ ‘The Azarinth Sentinel has reached lvl 319 – Five stat points awarded’

“Do I get more experience if the kill was mostly mine?” she asked the group.

“Of course,” Catelyn replied. “A sizable part is distributed amongst anybody else involved however, even if all they did was being frozen in place.”

“Good,” Ilea said. She supposed the available help and them being involved reduced it by quite a bit. Still, she had gotten a level out of it.

‘ding’ ‘Sentinel Core reaches 3rd lvl 9’

‘ding’ ‘True Ash Creation reaches 3rd lvl 12’

‘ding’ ‘Ash and Ember Unity reaches 3rd lvl 11’

‘ding’ ‘Keeper of Ash reaches 3rd lvl 12’

‘ding’ ‘Blood Manipulation resistance reaches lvl 19’

‘ding’ ‘Mental Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 16’

She put her five points into Intelligence when another ding resounded in her mind.

‘ding’ ‘Blood Manipulation resistance reaches lvl 20’

“It’s insane leveling speed for Blood Manipulation resistance,” she said.

The group had already made their way past her, looking through the camp.

Niivalyr joined her and looked at the mess left behind by her battle. “You can heal against it?” he asked, moving back the part of the robe that covered his arm.

A beautifully crafted dagger appeared in his other hand, the elf cutting a one centimeter wound into his skin. He crouched down and took some of the corrupted blood too, looking at it for a long moment before he glanced at her.

An ashen limb extended and started pushing healing mana into him. “Sure. It’s not very pleasant though. Just let me know if it starts to take over, we’ll have to cut off your arm.”

The elf pushed the corruption into the wound and hissed at the instant sensation. “Do… you know… of a place, where one can train against the mind?” he hissed again, perhaps in anger at his inability to resist the thrall.

Ilea moved the corpse with her ashen limbs, searching through it with her sphere. He owned nothing? Expected another storage item from such a high level creature.

“There is a Blue Reaper nest near Hallowfort. They’re pretty fucking though though. This one here used his magic in a much more nuanced way but in sheer force, the reapers are probably more powerful,” Ilea explained.

“The city of Dark Ones above? Do you… plan to visit the nest once more?” he asked, a little shy.

“Yes, definitely,” Ilea replied. “Miststalkers and training more resistances is probably going to fill my time in the coming months. If we survive this delve that is,” she smiled at him, revealing her face as the ash receded and her bone armor was stored.

“I will focus on the Taleen to enhance my strength but perhaps I might train against their drain magic,” he mused. “It seems less dangerous however than the magic of the mind.”

“Yea, mind magic is fucky,” Ilea commented and walked to the crude buildings too.

“Do you think he was corrupted before?” Catelyn asked, glancing back at her as she looked through the fireplace and some of the tools. “Or did he live here?”

“The corruption was deliberate, that much is sure,” Ilea replied, motioning with her hand to imply the cut he had on his chest.

“The ink hasn’t dried out,” Maro said as he stepped out of one of the buildings, holding a small glass container. “He kept a journal. In a language I can’t read.”

“Let me see, there is a chance I have encountered it before,” Elfie said as he stepped forward.

Forgot he’s a languager, Ilea thought and watched him step into the building.

“More experiments in here,” Lucas commented from within another building. “Tinctures, potions and a lot… I mean a lot of blood.”

Ilea stepped closer, getting within range of her sphere. Hmm?

Some of the glass containers were familiar, the same design as the blood vials she had found back in the fourth layer, before she was hanging out with Hana. The ones she still had.

One of the machines was there too. The freaky looking chair with various injection needles, and restraints, half covered in blood.

“Horrific,” Lucas murmured when he saw her enter. “To think someone would warp the creations of magic… mhm,” he shook his head, smelling on some of the herbs and potions.

Ilea nearly gagged at the smell of old and rotten blood and other bodily fluids, leaving the building again without commenting on what Lucas had said. The sight itself wasn’t as disturbing to her anymore.

The implications were worse but Ilea had been dulled towards scenes like this. Perhaps hardened, depending on who one might ask.

Ilas carefully looked over some tools when Niivalyr exited one more, a somewhat worn and torn book in hand.

“It is a language of old, one found within many a ruin in these parts. Closer to Standard than Rhyvor’s language,” he explained, his gaze focused on the pages.

“This one’s name I believe was Malbrunt Krad’il’etar, a priest of the so called Red Church and he was most certainly untainted by corruption mere weeks prior to today,” Elfie added.

The rest of the group joined now, listening to what he had to say.

“Kradiletar? With apostrophes?” Ilea asked.

The elf nodded in response and turned the page, careful not to increase the damage to the book.

Ilea just rolled her eyes but didn’t comment on it further.

“The day of salvation is here. The true blood was released, in its active form. From their slumber they woke. To deliver upon me their promised deliverance,” Elfie looked up and glanced at Ilea. “He wrote in blood by the way… just in case such is relevant.”

He focused on the book once more, moving a finger along the lines. “A frenzy strikes those who are freed, their path enlightened and focused. No more do they stall and stray. Their power unleashed, they seek to spread that which is truth,” he squinted his eyes but then shook his head. “A messy writer. It appears his wits were barely present even before the corruption.”

“Those in our way will be slaughtered. The old gods have spoken, finally, I will be free. Come upon me, thy servant. So long have I waited, so long have I suffered. The mind will open, soon,” Elfie finished.

“That is the last entry. It appears he corrupted himself afterwards,” he said and instead opened the book at the beginning.

“I don’t feel the enlightenment,” Ilea said, looking at her arm. She continued to heal Elfie, preventing a further spread of the corruption in both her own body and his.

“Many years has he wandered, in search of truth. May he find rest now,” Elfie said as he read through the book.

“It appears this one was exiled from the church, removed for his methods that he himself called righteous and necessary. There is note of a tuner he found deep within the ninth layer. An apparatus to apply and extract blood. Change it,” Elfie added.

“Probably the chair thing in there,” Ilea said, pointing to the building where Lucas and herself had been in before.

“He decided to make camp there, cover his tracks and set illusions. The entries become increasingly confused it seems, full of rage and self loathing,” Elfie said, continuing on. “It appears the church came looking for him at one point, several… inquisitors. Slaughtered and their blood extracted.”

“Is there a mention of his power?” Catelyn asked. “A human at level five hundred… seems unlikely.”

“He does appear to have avoided most of the monsters on his way down here, yet there is no mention of his actual level. He did capture Tusk bears only, apparently a beast common on this layer. The Wyverns… he seemed to have held them in high regard. Wait… there was a fight at one point. He was injured heavily and had to retreat. He too speaks with respect of the Shredders and the Reapers we have faced before.”

“What was the level of the corrupted Dark Ones on the first layer?” Ilea asked. “There were some, weren’t there?”

“Indeed,” Catelyn said and contemplated.

“I failed to identify them,” Ilas supplied.

“I didn’t look at each and every message. There were hundreds,” Ilea said. “Maybe the two classes get merged into one of a higher level.”

“It is possible. The dungeon taking control once the corruption kills whatever it has infected,” Catelyn said.

“Man becoming monster,” Maro said. “Hmm.”

“Like your knights?” Ilea asked.

He nodded absentmindedly, looking at the corpse of the priest.

“So it’s not the red church that was responsible?” Ilea asked afterwards.

“He was not part of them anymore. The old gods he spoke of, they may simply be higher ranked members of the church,” Catelyn said.

“Yea, or they were fucking with shit they didn’t understand. Left behind by whoever built that bunker we found,” Ilea said, scratching her cheek.

“Possible. The true blood… in its active form. It seems he had known about the true blood, whatever that may be… and had simply failed to activate it?” Catelyn asked.

“The substance rarely found within the Descent? Retrieved and sold to the highest bidder,” Ilas said, shaking his head lightly. “The corruption may very well be unleashed upon the world already.”

Ilea shook her head. “This guy tried for ages and he failed. Even if it is the same substance, I doubt much will come of it. Plus, someone else might not be as happy to become an infected zombie,” she said.

“Not as happy as you?” Maro asked.

“You better hope it doesn’t take over, old man,” she winked at him, her ashen limbs looming behind her.

“That would indeed pose a problem,” Elfie murmured, still reading through the book. “Also he does speak of finding true blood within this place. As well as the facilities of the old gods, their technology too advanced to understand. It leads me to believe whoever they are, they are not a part of this church.”

“Certainly capable blood magic scholars,” Maro commented.

“Maybe one of these survivors managed to activate the true blood, if that is really what the corruption is,” Ilea suggested. “Is there a mention of the expedition passing through?”

“Nothing so far,” Elfie answered a moment later, turning the page. “Fascinating. It seems this individual infected himself with the blood of a vampire… on purpose. Giving up a high leveled class to become a thrall. In search of understanding.”

“He fought a vampire?” Maro asked, somewhat in disbelief.

“There is no mention of a battle, necromancer. Merely the acquisition of blood,” Elfie replied.

Catelyn sighed and looked at the ceiling. “So there might be a vampire down here too…,”

“Don’t look so defeated. I thought Wyverns were already the worst possible outcome,” Ilea joked.

The fox shook her head and chuckled. “Well… let us at least hope it did not get infected. With the legends pertaining to its blood, one would assume it is a difficult to corrupt creature.”

“Have you seen one? Fought one?” Maro asked, facing her now.

“No,” Catelyn said.

“How do you know of them here? I believed it to be a legend amongst humans alone. Perhaps one attributed to elven kind,” the necromancer said, getting an absentminded hiss from Elfie.

“Man and his arrogance. Do you think a creature of blood is particular in its hunger?” Catelyn asked.

“I thought they only ate virgins,” Ilea said. “So yes.”

“Then you are wrong. They are feared amongst Dark Ones as much as it appears they are amongst humans,” Catelyn said. “Yet it matters little,” she sighed. “The farther we descend, the more dangerous it seems the monsters are becoming.”

“As grows their resilience against the corruption,” Ilas said.

“Do you guys want to make camp here? Maybe scout around a bit, find the way to the next layer?” Ilea asked, her bone helmet appearing once more, ash covering it a moment later.

“You wish to battle the Wyverns,” Elfie said. “I will read through the rest of these records. I will accompany you however, should you request such.”

“We should focus on why we are here. I understand that you want to face them, Ilea. And I won’t stop you. Yet they will still be here, whenever we come back up,” Catelyn said.

“I agree with you, mostly. This fucker here however already knocked out half our team and without me and Maro, you’d probably be dead now,” Ilea said, neither trying to insult nor belittle her.

“What are you trying to say?” Catelyn asked.

“She wants to fight the Wyverns to get stronger,” Maro assumed, tilting his head to the side lightly as he looked at Ilea.

“Marginal increase will make little difference-” Ilas said.

Maro interrupted him. “It will with her. Since we encountered the Shredders, she’s been the one to mainly deal with the monsters. We can survive and flee as a team but I doubt we would have been able to decimate everything the way we did. Not without her insane resilience and recovery. She’s the main tank and healer we have.”

“And we are to wait until she is powerful enough for us to continue the journey?” Catelyn asked. “I admit, you have already saved us many times but as a team, we will be able to progress more safely. And more importantly, faster.”

Ilea sighed. “And then what? We hit a wall we cannot break because whatever creature is down there will be too powerful for anyone here to face.”

“It is doomed then? Our path at an end?” Ilas asked.

Maro shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous. The expedition went through here. Either that or we missed them. We continue on but simply don’t fight every single beast on the way. We find them and get them out, if they’re still alive. If there is a source to the corruption that isn’t a powerful beast, we take care of it too.”

“Every corrupted beast is a source of the blood manipulation,” Catelyn said before she looked at Ilea. “Are you to be the weapon to destroy it?”

“I have a higher chance to take a hit and live,” Ilea said and crossed her arms. “Even more so if I fight and kill a bunch of beasts here. Alone.”

Ilas nodded. “If she is to face them alone, perhaps it may be worth the time loss.”

“We will lack our healer,” Lucas said, glancing at each of them.

“Most of us can heal however,” Catelyn sighed. “Even for me, it would have been difficult to face the Shredders or Tangled Reapers alone, I will admit it. I lack the resistances and sheer resilience. However I won’t leave the Descent while the corruption is still rampart, my people’s fate uncertain.”

“We can go farther down,” Maro said. “Me, you and the elf. We find the expedition or what’s left of them. We find the source, if it exists and destroy it. With your fire and healing, we should at least survive that far. Ilea follows as she progresses.”

He looked at Lucas and Ilas. “You two are a liability by now. I suggest you ascend once more and help defend the first layer.”

Lucas sighed. “Hmm… I have been wondering, when we would have this talk,” he chuckled and smiled. “If nobody objects, I would like to study the trees and plants in the fifth layer. There was something peculiar about them. I will be able to seal more exits, should I encounter them.”

“Ilea… if it is no bother, may I collect some of the vegetation here as well? Now that I am here already,” he asked, smiling at her.

“I don’t mind, as long as you don’t get in the way,” Ilea replied and nodded.

Chapter 394 Break

“I would prefer her to be with us,” Catelyn said as she looked at Ilea.

The healer had summoned the pack for Lucas.

“You’ve known her for a while too,” Maro said. “Her time alone will make a difference. We might very well be stuck in this place for a while. Let her do what she does best.”

“And what is that exactly?” Ilea asked with a smirk.

“Fight monsters others would avoid, even with a whole team backing them up,” the necromancer replied.

Ilas had been silent up to now, contemplating their talk. “I will not retreat. Not now… that I have come so far,” he said.

He held up a hand before Maro could talk. “I do not ask for protection, nor even to accompany you.” he looked towards Ilea. “I will train, as you have. And when you are ready, I will follow. If you would have me.”

Ilea could tell he was anxious, his voice however was steady, unwavering.

“Why?” she asked.

He looked at her. “Because this may be my last chance. To find what I have lost,” he paused. “If I leave now… I will never forgive myself.”

“What are you looking for then?” Ilea asked. “You don’t want to go with them? I’ll need longer to get wherever you need to go.”

The dark one glanced at the others. “A long time ago, me and my team of scavengers… we were reckless, young. With illusions of grandeur, our goal was to go farther than anyone had dared go. Deeper into the Descent than those before.”

“We succeeded, with illusions and powerful items to hide our passing to the creatures below,” he continued.

“So you knew about these layers? And chose not to inform us?” Catelyn asked, showing her teeth.

“No,” Ilas said immediately. “We were wreathed in shadow, an ability of my own, coupled with many spells of those with us. Few beasts came close, none of them I even saw with my own eyes. We were not explorers. Reckless fools, blinded by treasure.”

“I knew you were looking for someone here… to think you were a scavenger yourself,” Catelyn said, fire swirling in her eyes. “Why did you never tell me?”

The Dark One remained silent for a while. Finally, he looked to the ground and spoke, “Because I knew you would offer help.”

“So what’s the problem?” Ilea asked. “You want to go down but not with them?”

“There is a monster. And a gate. That which I have lost remains within, protected by what I cannot challenge,” Ilas added. “I have seen you fight and I have waited, had hoped my suspicions would prove true. You are not here merely to protect the world against corruption, to find and rescue those lost in the deep. You are here to find a challenge.”

“I offer you all I have and ask you, will thou face the challenge?” Ilas asked and went on one knee, holding out both arms and lowering his head.

Well, this is kind of awkward, Ilea thought, glad her face was covered by her armors. “How do I know you’re not using me to get some treasure?”

“It is a beast… a monster of blood and bone. It took that which I love. I am a coward… and I have waited. For someone… that might be able to fell it. I tried… to find the strength, to kill, to find power. Yet I have failed. Time and time again I have failed. I offer you my life, to do with what you please. If only you could rid me of this curse,” Ilas said, less in control of his voice now.

“Stop speaking in this convoluted mess… what do you want?” Ilea asked once more.

Ilas reached for his face, taking off the mask that had covered it for all this time. He revealed the scarred and deformed skin below, only one of his eyes visible, yellow and feline. The right side of his face looked as if molten. Brown scales showed where his skin wasn’t deformed, a remainder of whatever creature he had been before finding sapience.

“I wish to bury her,” he spoke. “Cynthia.”

“And with it the failures of my past. It is all I have left, all I long for. An impossible task. This corruption… your coming…,” he gestured to all of them, “… it must be fate. Destiny, cruel as it is, finally presenting an end.”

“That’s pretty heavy mate,” Ilea said and sighed. “But I’m not one to turn down a good fight. Know… that if you’re deceiving me and you’ve lied about any of this, I will come back from the dead and rip off your head.”

His one eye seemed to light up at that. “I swear, on all that I hold dear, on Cynthia herself… that I have not lied to you.”

Ilea felt bad for the guy, the deformed face telling enough of a story. He seemed sincere, with all she knew about people, the feeling she got from her Sphere. Just can’t help yourself, can you?

She smiled and shook her head. “We will focus on the initial plan first. The expedition and the corruption. You mentioned a shadow skill to shroud your group?”

His one eye opened wide. “Yes… yes, I could help in hiding you.”

“You could help hiding them,” Ilea said and pointed at the others. “And as soon as we’re done with the reasons why we’ve come, I’ll help you with yours.”

Ilas nodded. “If they agree to have me, I will be honored to help.”

“I want to see the skill first,” Maro said, looking at him.

“Of course,” Ilas said and put on his metal mask again.

Catelyn sighed but didn’t say anything.

“You’re ok, going with them?” Ilea asked, looking at Elfie.

“We will find the source. It will be most beneficial for you to face the Wyverns alone, without potential help,” he chuckled, his eyes sparkling. “How very Elvish you are. It amuses me,” he hissed.

Ilea hissed back, trying to imitate the sound as well as she could, a broad grin on her face.

Elfie veered back and tilted his head to the side. “What?”

She laughed and saw a shroud of shadow envelop the rest of them.

They suddenly became blurry in her sphere, her eyes having a hard time focusing on the group.

“Seems pretty effective,” Ilea said, taking a couple steps back to look at them.

“Yes… but it’s the same for us,” Maro said, sounding a little unsure.

Elfie appeared within the area of the spell. “Ah… yes. It appears my magic sight is not affected.”

“Then we take you with us,” Catelyn said. “We lack any other hiding skills. I will try to protect you, Ilas. We are getting into territory now where I will have to protect myself, just be aware of that.”

“Of course. Thank you, Catelyn. I’m sorry that… I have kept this from you,” Ilas said.

Catelyn waved him off. “We should wait here until the elf has read through the whole journal. There might be information in there in regards to the next layers and the beasts within as well as potentially about what caused the corruption. Or the activation of the true blood.”

“I’d like to have a look at the machine… the tuner,” Maro said and nodded to Ilea. “Maybe we can test it on you.”

“I’d rather keep myself to a corrupted arm,” Ilea said. “I’ll have to take care of that too, Elfie,” she glanced his way.

The elf revealed his arm, the corruption pulsing in the small wound. A barrier formed and slashed into his skin, ripping out a sizable chunk. He inspected it and nodded, using his curse to drain some Health from Ilea.

He glared at the wound as it healed. “I will have to consider this. Fighting someone with a high health drain resistance is… problematic.”

“Self healing is always the better option. Or just having an actual healer,” Catelyn said. “We will have to be more careful from now on, with Ilea staying back. My healing is limited and slow.”

“Compared to hers, yes. As a general healer however, you will do fine,” Maro said as he walked to the hut holding the tuner.

“I’ll check in again here. Leave me a note in case you find something detrimental that I should know. Otherwise, good luck,” Ilea said, cracking her neck and fists.

“To you as well,” Catelyn said and bowed lightly. “We shall await your coming.”

“A race then. Who shall first stop the corruption,” Elfie said.

“Don’t die!” Maro shouted from within the hut.

“You too. I shall see you again, sooner rather than later,” Ilea said and gave them a last nod before she blinked up.

One more she blinked, appearing on the plateau overlooking the sea of mists. She knew that if she had remained any longer, she would have decided to stay with them, to protect them on the way down. To die, likely. Or to return without taking care of the corruption.

There was a deadline, depending on how quickly they progressed down the layers. Marginal power increases won’t do? Ilea smiled to herself, taking a deep breath of the surprisingly fresh air considering the location.

Then I guess I’ll have to do more than that, she heard a distant roar and spread her own wings, following the noise.

The search didn’t take particularly long, the Wyverns very much aware of their superiority.

Ilea noted now that they occasionally flew over the mists, their focus however mostly on the plateaus themselves instead of the air above. Not a lot of birds up here.

A positive to their apparent high self esteem was the fact that they hunted alone. I wonder if that was the case with the corrupted corpse we found. And if they would interfere when one of their own was getting killed.

Only one way to find out, Ilea thought and dived down, quickly reaching her full speed.

The Wyvern was flying casually, suddenly turning its head upwards before a small and heavy frame impacted it.

It roared, tumbling down as ashen limbs entangled its wings and body.

Ilea felt the paralyzing effect wane after a mere second. She had still been in touch, the Wyvern unable to teleport.

[Cliff Wyvern – lvl ???]

The two tumbled down and slammed hard into one of the plateaus, neither impaired by the blow.

A low growl came from the creature as it stood up, easily pushing against the limbs trying to hold it down. Its eyes glinted golden, a wild fury apparent.

“Nice to meet you,” Ilea said as she too got up, ashen spears forming around her as she crouched into a defensive stance, looking at the monster towering before her.

She felt the heat rise around her, sudden and instantaneously. Ilea waited with her move, a wide grin on her face as she felt the hairs on her neck and back stand up. An instinctual reaction, not based on her Azarinth Fighting.

This is what you came for, isn’t it? she heard herself think, seeing the glow of fire from within the Wyvern’s mouth.

Its maw opened wide, the massive teeth parting to reveal its throat.

Ashen spears rushed out, aimed at the opening. They were pushed aside, a cone of fire enveloping all that stood before the creature.

Ilea moved her wings in front of her, creating a thin barrier of ash right behind. Her precognition informed her about the damage she would sustain and despite the bells going off in her mind, she couldn’t be happier.

She spread her arms and smiled, seeing the flames wash through her ash as if it was mere sand, standing against the tide. Her armor was next and finally the bone.

The flames settled and Ilea stood, the molten skin on her chest and legs reforming. Her face was burnt, skin hanging down and eyes charred.

All of it was healing, no sign of pain shown as she simply stood, waiting for the Wyvern’s next move.

Heat once more surged and enveloped her, ashen armor only partially reformed, her bone armor reduced to uselessness.

Ilea stored her armor and let the flames wash over her, burn her. She saw her insides getting cooked, only a charred mess remaining. Before her brain was gone, Ilea healed the damage with her third tier reconstruction.

The steam from the vaporized blood and water in her body settled, revealing an undamaged Ilea. Ashen armor formed around her once more.

It seemed like the Wyvern was a little confused, its eyes blinking several times as it took in the sight in front of it.

“Don’t worry, happens to everyone,” Ilea said and released Heart of Cinder, happy to find that some of the heat from the creature’s attacks had actually contributed.

The cone of fire shot out and burned into the stone before it petered out into thin air.

Ilea had seen the Wyvern vanish but it was too late to change the trajectory.

The beast vanished once more and appeared right before her, its maw opened and rushing to slam down on her head.

She ducked out of the way, finding the Wyvern’s extended claws in turn. A blink brought her away, only to find the beast followed.

This time, she couldn’t dodge all the way. Teeth sank into her shoulder.

Ilea got in a punch to the Wyvern’s head as well as several slashes of her limbs before it broke through her ashen armor, digging into her flesh.

Its teeth bit deeper with each passing second as it took her hits in stride.

She slammed her ashen limbs into the Wyvern’s eyes, making it stagger back. A wild movement ripped her arm away at the shoulder, blood spraying to the ground before a new arm took its place.

Ilea spat blood to the ground and stared at the creature who ground her arm in its maw before swallowing the thing whole.

Wish it would retain my toughness, Ilea thought, imagining the thing choking on her bones.

Come on, use your fire.

The beast roared, the sound vibrating through her as she instinctively held up her arms.

‘ding’ ‘You have heard the challenge of the Cliff Wyvern – You are paralyzed for one second’

‘ding’ ‘Veteran reaches lvl 14’

She just watched as the creature once more charged up its fire breath. This time took longer. A cone of flame shot out, more deadly than before.

Ilea had to use her instant recovery three times during the breath, lasting three times as long as the previous attacks.

Her body was reformed once more when she saw the beast appear, a gaping maw staring back at her.

Ilea extended her arm and slammed it into the Wyvern’s throat. Teeth ground into her flesh.

“Try dodging this one,” she said and released her spell right into its mouth.

The Wyvern opened its eyes wide as it thrashed and shook her around, staggering back several steps as its insides were burnt.

Sadly, the creature didn’t explode in a rain of guts and scales as Ilea had hoped for. There did seem to be some damage however.

Before she could use the spell again with a reasonable charge, the beast threw her away.

It snarled and hissed at the air, the unfamiliar feeling of its damaged insides disorienting the creature.

Ilea wasn’t one to ignore an opportunity, blinking on top of the Wyvern and holding on to its neck with both arms.

Her limbs extended and slashed at the strong scales protecting its wings. Two of them formed a shredder like collar on the base of its neck, scraping against it.

In the meantime, destructive healing mana pulsed into the Wyvern. As well as Storm of Cinders from all the limbs lashing into it.

The beast turned and trashed, slamming Ilea into the stone. Cones of fire were released but nothing reached her.

A sudden sphere of fire extended around the Wyvern, burning away Ilea’s ash armor and a chunk of her skin.

She nearly lost her grip due to her muscles getting melted but held on thanks to her third tier recovery. Found your weakspot, fucker.

Its eyes were bloodshot already, all the mana slowly damaging its insides.

The heat wave followed again, several times as it attempted to shake the annoying healer off.

Yet she held steady, an iron grip around the Wyvern’s neck, her mana recovering with every blast of fire. You’re only making yourself die faster.

Ilea’s own heat wave extended, barely doing any damage to its powerful hide. Catelyn seemed to be right. She smirked, feeling the creature panic.

There was nothing it could do however.

Ilea’s physical damage as well as her fire damage was shrugged off easily but mana intrusion was another beast entirely. One the Wyvern apparently had no answer against.

It staggered towards the cliff before jumping off, scraping Ilea on the side of it.

They entered the mist together, Ilea simply holding on. By now they were falling instead of flying.

Several seconds went by, Ilea preparing herself for the impact. Now.

She moved her wings around herself right before the weight of the creature slammed her into the stone.

All the air was pushed out of her lungs, the grip on its neck loosening for a moment.

Ilea grasped at air, seeing the Wyvern appear next to her. She blinked away from the claws slamming into the stone, the beast once more appearing before her.

It snapped down, dodging her extended arm as several ashen limbs slashed into its bloody jaw and tongue.

Teeth scraped against ashen armor before Ilea blinked again.

She felt claws dig into her back, fast and deep. The ground came to her face as she was pushed down.

Destructive mana flowed into the creature still, making it release her a moment later.

Ilea stood up, the fatal wounds on her back closing quickly. Swaths of blood covered the ground and the Wyvern’s claws.

She cracked her knuckles when the beast collapsed.