Chapter 329 - Day MCXLIX, Part I

My usual routine for the day quickly was changed to a full-time job in transportation. I not only had to deliver my friends to the canyon but also help Blue and his men get to the bear territory. They would be camping there for a while, so I only had to do this once for now.

Then I finally traveled with Ki'rai to the ogre cave. It was her first time visiting that place, so she was very interested in the landscape, and especially in the architecture of the strange, underground city.

- Stay here for now. Later you might sneak closer, but be careful. Those creatures are very strong.

She nodded in response. I was confident in her ability to stay hidden, so I left without a worry to launch my attack on the monsters.

Quite sometime later, we finished collecting the crystals with help of my shadows, and I approached the tower, while she was to stay behind for the second time. I came closer to the door and took a deep breath before pushing them inside to reveal the absolute darkness of the interior.

I activated 'Eyes of the Void' and went inside. It was practically empty, except the spiraling staircase climbing its way up glued to the wall. There was no other choice, but to start walking. I had a good tempo, that I could easily upkeep, but it still took some time, to finally arrive at the top.

There were big spikes at the edges, curved from the sides of the tower, aiming at the ceiling. Those surrounded all of the flat surfaces. There was also a simple, obsidian throne in the center, with a blue, bald ogre with two protruding tusks. Tattooed with strange symbols all over his body. Reds, greens, and blacks created a rather pleasant composition.

He had a simple circlet over his head and a big, dark scepter, with a green shard at the top, in his hand. The moment he stood up, the air around changed its temperature. I could feel the cold pinching my skin, but that wasn't all. The frost, starting from the throne, started to cover everything. The floor and even the spikes.

I activated all my skills and covered the blade of my weapon with blazing fire. I was too slow, as the mage extended his hand, sending a blizzard of wind and sharp ice shards my way. I shadow walked in the last second, as the spot I just stood in, turned into a jagged ice-land with spikes of solid crystals as high as two meters.

I reacted immediately sending several fireballs the boss way, all packed with multiple combustions. Explosions shook not only the tower but the cave itself. I had to cover my face with my hand, because of the immense heat, that partially burned my clothes. A few bolts of lightning struck around because of the friction in the air created by sudden changes in the temperature.

Boss emerged from the burning cloud, extending the hand with the scepter. A green flash created a tornado of snow around me. I shadow walked the hell out of there before it managed to freeze me to death.

I landed just behind him, in midswing, and landed a heavy blow, that was stopped by a burst of ice. Flames on my blades vanished. I reacted immediately by using my left hand to create another fireball, which send me flying and pushed the boss backward.

He retailed with more frost magic, which I avoided, closing the distance again, and launching the barrage of consecutive blows. This move managed to block his shield of ice, and finally get him a few nasty cuts all over the arms and torso. He tried to block me with the scepter, but I used 'Telekinesis' to stop his hand.

He eventually forced me back with lances of ice, emerging from the frosted ground. Then he used another blizzard of wind and shards, but I avoided both parts of the nasty combo. Too bad for me, because that was just a prelude to the avalanche of ice blocks, falling from the sky all over the place. Those kept me busy and allowed the ogre to start casting yet another spell.

I couldn't allow that, so while still jumping from spot to spot, I started creating small birds made out of flames, that would fly towards him. Many died in small explosions, but since I was producing hundreds of those, a swarm eventually reached him and created a chain explosion, even stronger than the initial one.

A single crystal remained, and slight smoke, coming from the black, obsidian ground. Almost all the ice evaporated, creating unpleasant humidity in the heavy air. I grabbed the crystal and jumped down, shadow walking just before I hit the ground.

Broken blocks of ice and smaller shards were covering the vicinity of the tower. There was no sign of Ki'rai.

- Did you win? - she asked, coming out of one of the houses around.

- Yeah.

- This one was very strong - she stated. - I had to hide from the ice falling from the sky.

- Sorry for that. I tried to finish it quickly but failed.

- It's ok. I'm fine - she smiled a little. - Let's go back. Oh, and... Uhm... You are naked, Peter.

I looked down.

- Fuck.

We went to the backpacks, gathered on the ground, even further away, and jumped back to the city to sell the score. I nice number of 13 830 000 points got added to my account, just like the possibility of unlocking 'Ice elementalist'. Which I didn't do for the moment.

I used the device to replenish lost mana, and obviously buy myself a new set of clothes. Then we had a small break, which I used to visit Jayadeva to ask him for the compass.

I learned that he was already producing those and gifted me one. I also had a short chat with Rishi about enchanting my clothes, so I wouldn't have to buy a new set every five minutes. He promised to think about it, and I returned to Ki'rai.

Then we traveled to the overgrown forest, to continued the hunt.