Chapter 331: A relaxing Vacation

Maro had cleaned out the whole of the royal’s quarters, constantly whining about all the records he still had to go through. Ilea could see how Elana was the chosen ruler, the king mostly the face and fist of the kingdom. Some of his stories would have been hard to believe had he not been a level three hundred necromancer from a magical world. Her own even more ridiculous adventures certainly helped too. Adding whole groups of adventurers as well as armies and hordes of undead made it sound quite a bit more chaotic though.

“Do you want to go to Goliath soon? It’s been a week I think.” Maro commented that morning, the two sharing a meal while a small fire burned in the cathedral. Tax records that he had skimmed through, good bonfire material apparently.

“I suppose.” Ilea said, looking through all her gains from the past week.

‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Miststalker – lvl 420] – For defeating an enemy one hundred and ten or more levels above your own, bonus experience is granted’

…

‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Miststalker – lvl 428] – For defeating an enemy one hundred and twenty or more levels above your own, bonus experience is granted’

‘ding’ ‘The Azarinth Sentinel has reached lvl 308 – Five stat points awarded’

‘ding’ ‘The Azarinth Sentinel has reached lvl 309 – Five stat points awarded’

‘ding’ ‘The Azarinth Sentinel has reached lvl 310 – Five stat points awarded – Third tier skill point awarded’

‘ding’ ‘The Azarinth Sentinel has reached lvl 311 – Five stat points awarded’

‘ding’ ‘Kin of Ash has reached lvl 307 – Five stat points awarded’

‘ding’ ‘Kin of Ash has reached lvl 308 – Five stat points awarded’

‘ding’ ‘Kin of Ash has reached lvl 309 – Five stat points awarded’

‘ding’ ‘Kin of Ash has reached lvl 310 – Five stat points awarded – Third tier skills point awarded’

The time she needed to reach 311 in Azarinth Sentinel was much longer than the one before, making her a little suspicious about the Miststalker grinding method. She would continue for a while of course but it didn’t seem like a viable option to push past their own levels. Not without a million years of fighting.

Still, compared to the Kingsguard, it was a cakewalk and only possible thanks to her insane defenses and recovery. Especially her health and mana drain resistances really did work. Maro had tried to kill some of them too after a couple days but he had to retreat every time.

The forty points were distributed into Vitality, Wisdom and Intelligence. Twenty into Wisdom and ten into each of the other stats. She looked through the other skill levels before deciding on new third tier abilities.

‘ding’ ‘Absolute Destruction reaches 3rd lvl 15’

‘ding’ ‘Absolute Destruction reaches 3rd lvl 16’

‘ding’ ‘Sentinel Reconstruction reaches 3rd lvl 15’

‘ding’ ‘Sentinel Reconstruction reaches 3rd lvl 16’

‘ding’ ‘Azarinth Awakening reaches 3rd lvl 13’

‘ding’ ‘Blink reaches 3rd lvl 12’

‘ding’ ‘Azarinth Fighting reaches 3rd lvl 12’

‘ding’ ‘Azarinth Reversal reaches 3rd lvl 4’

‘ding’ ‘Azarinth Reversal reaches 3rd lvl 5’

‘ding’ ‘Azarinth Reversal reaches 3rd lvl 6’

‘ding’ ‘Armor of Ash reaches 3rd lvl 14’

‘ding’ ‘Armor of Ash reaches 3rd lvl 15’

‘ding’ ‘Aspect of Ash reaches 3rd lvl 9’

‘ding’ ‘Keeper of Ash reaches 3rd lvl 7’

‘ding’ ‘Arcane Magic Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 12’

...

‘ding’ ‘Arcane Magic Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 16’

‘ding’ ‘Death Magic Resistance reaches lvl 14’

...

‘ding’ ‘Death Magic Resistance reaches lvl 20’

‘ding’ ‘Heat Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 14’

‘ding’ ‘Mist Magic Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 9’

‘ding’ ‘Mist Magic Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 10’

Ilea knew the levels would slow down more and more as she got used to the Miststalkers, her own levels closing in ever so slightly. With the ease of hunting them it nevertheless felt a little like a vacation. Just focusing on training without much danger. The storm training was the most exciting part of her days but with her perception and instant recovery, even the dicey moments were manageable. There weren’t as many as she had expected, the first day remaining the most dangerous throughout the week.

Every point in Wisdom made her mana pool bigger, her recovery a tiny bit higher. Every point in Vitality made the lightning just a little less effective. Every point in Intelligence made her enemies fall just a tiny bit faster. The same was even more true for every skill level of both her class skills as well as her Resistances.

Now, let’s see if we get anything good. She mused, sitting on the beautiful table on her luxurious chair, neither fitting into the dilapidated cathedral of Tremor.

‘3rd tier skill points available [The Azarinth Sentinel]: 1’

‘Skills available for third tier advancement in [The Azarinth Sentinel]:’

- Sentinel Sphere

- Sentinel Core

- Azarinth Perception

3rd tier skill points available [Kin of Ash]: 1

Skills available for third tier advancement in [Kin of Ash]:

- Avatar of Ash

- Heart of Cinder

- Eyes of Ash

More available than last time. She leaned back, thinking about her Azarinth skills. Her Sphere and Perception were still more passive bonuses. While they were incredibly important to her survival, she just couldn’t see them adding anything major to her arsenal. Sentinel Core however, the change it got on its 300 evolution was massive. I think that one is clear for me. She selected Sentinel Core, the corners of her mouth moving out to a massive grin as she read through the notification.

‘ding’ ‘Sentinel Core reaches 3rd lvl 1’

Passive: Sentinel Core – 3rd lvl 1:

Your body was changed by magic. All pain is reduced greatly. Your body is 40.5% [364.5%] more durable. You heal even fatal injuries without help of healing magic. Your natural Health regeneration is improved by 120.5% [1084.5%].

2nd stage: The magic of Azarinth settles inside your body. Your resistance to magical damage is increased by a static 25% [225%] and your bones are three times as heavy and dense.

3rd stage: Your body was battered and forged by magic. You absorb mana from enemy spells that hit you. Efficiency is determined by enemy mana used and your resistance to the type of magic. Mana cost for all skills reduced by a static 25%.

Category: Healing – Body Enhancement

“Twenty five percent… oh god.” She murmured.

Maro looked up from his pile of documents, “What did you get? Oh you reached my level. Congratulations. Third tier skill?”

“Hit me with some magic.” She said, the purple beam slamming into her face as it slowly, ever so slightly decayed her skin. She counter healed the damage and watched her mana, forming ash around her as well as charging up her Absolute Destruction. That’s insane. She grinned and motioned for him to stop, her skin reforming immediately.

“I feel like my magic does less to you by the day. We’re at the same level, it shouldn’t be so different.” He commented.

Ilea grinned, “I’m just amazing, what can I say.” She huffed, “Helps that I have a ton of defensive skills and healing.”

“I have a ton of defensive skills too and I’m easily sixty years older than you, maybe even a hundred. The healing breaks it though and I think your damage has closed in on mine as well.” He murmured.

And you have twenty times my range and a horde of zombies that follow your every command. “Is the kid annoyed that he’s not the biggest and strongest on the playground anymore?” She made a crying motion with her hands, another beam of purple slamming into her face, this time at a much higher intensity.

She just counter healed, finding her mana not dropping at all. “Yes, good. Let the anger flow through you, Maro. Give me your mana.”

He stopped immediately, “No you didn’t… really? You got a mana absorption skill?”

“I did.” She replied, his spell ending immediately.

He murmured something about life being unfair and taking unreasonable risks, all of it sounding more uncertain than he probably would have liked. “You can join me in my storm training if you want to.” She suggested with faked coyness.

He laughed, “Fuck off. Here, take some more.” He smiled and sent more Death magic her way, Ilea thinking on her second third tier advancement as she counter healed.

Wait, with twenty five percent reduction… I can heal myself constantly now, without losing mana. As long as meditation is up at least. The reduction was nice. She tested her Absolute Destruction on an ashen clone of herself she quickly formed, finding that even if she willed one hundred mana into the skill, only seventy five were used. The power remained the same. Neat. While it was a big reduction, she was pretty sure the mana absorption part was much more game changing. If she trained against a monster long enough, she would inevitably get a resistance and level it in the process.

More mana meant more healing as well as more uses of her attacks before she had to retreat or slow down to regenerate. It all stacked too, the reduced cost, the mana she got back as well as her Reversed Destruction that gave back a chunk of mana too with each hit. The time she could fight at her full power just increased by much more than just a fourth. It depended on enemies too of course but she assumed against the Miststalkers, she could basically go non stop now. If she continued her approach of hunting singles or pairs.

Avatar, Eyes or Heart. Avatar has an amazing second tier… but the aoe. She couldn’t stop her curiosity, on the edge of choosing Heart of Cinder already. Ilea was interested in both of them, summoning a coin that immediately decayed and turned to ash by the beam of death magic. “Hey stop for a second.” She said, the necromancer cracking his wrist after he had stopped the attack.

Another coin was summoned and she spun it upwards. She watched it turn and turn, knowing the result before it even landed in her hand. Damn perception skills. The spin made her realize her curiosity had decided already anyway.

‘ding’ ‘Heart of Cinder reaches 3rd lvl 1’

Active: Heart of Cinder – 3rd lvl 1

Increase the heat in your body and release it in a blast around you.

2nd stage: The embers run deep. The heat you may reach is only limited by your very life.

3rd stage: Focus on release to change the blast into a cone of destruction sent out of either arm.

Category: Body Enhancement – Ashen Magic

Ilea immediately started to store heat, holding her hand out towards Maro. He noticed, his documents vanishing before she focused and released. An uncontrolled beam of heat, fire and pure energy extended from her arm, burning through parts of the table before it slammed into the necromancer, unconcerned as the heat singed his hair and skin. The wall behind him exploded outwards, the integrity of the cathedral less given by the day.

“Not as impressive as mana absorption.” He commented, “Still, your second class is higher than mine then. You officially passed my levels.” He added with a smile and mock bowed in his chair, the tops of the steel rest melted and glowing.

“Maybe not, if this has decent range it might be my most powerful spell at a distance.” Ilea said and smiled. She concentrated and scratched her cheek before the man spoke up.

“No, please let’s not stay here for another month. I’m sick of these documents and my drain resistances couldn’t level any less quickly.” He pleaded with her and she laughed in turn.

Of course she agreed, for different reasons. There would be ample time again for leveling. She would suck the Miststalkers dry, until it’d take a month to gain a single level. Her grin sent him the wrong message it seemed, his charisma working hard to convince her. “We’ll leave, let me just get my stuff together. You’re ready to go?”

She stood up as he sighed in relief, “Oh gods, finally. Yea I’m ready.”

“What do you mean finally? You know you’re free to fuck off anytime.” She reminded him, eyebrows raised as she checked her items. Four storage items already. Who could I give one to? She eyed her Armaments of Trials in her necklace, the training in the armor progressing but less quickly as it did in the first couple hours. Her sphere could spot farther with every session, glimpses of the enchantments lining the inner workings of the training gear.

“And what? Look for places to go myself? I don’t have maps and without someone influential, do you really think a necromancer is let into any major city?” He asked seriously.

“Fair enough.” Ilea said, her armor of ash forming around her as she spread her wings. She rushed to her apartment and to the cellar, collecting all the destroyed armors that were still made of Stonehammer steel. Putting it all into a crate, she stored it in her bracelet, the thing not having gotten in the way during her hunts. Of course the chance of her losing her arm was higher than her head, that’s why she’d keep the things less dear to her in there.

The bed had already been stored and other than that there was nothing left in her noble mansion. Should be back within a couple weeks anyway. She thought but shook her head. Likely she’d get caught up in one thing or the other again. When she joined back with Maro, she nodded his way, “Ready to go.”

“Same.” He replied, starting to float before they left. The suns were shining down on them, arcane storms raging over the land and forcing them to stay and move withing the crevices. Ilea was confident to move through them by now but the necromancer obviously didn’t share those capabilities. She didn’t mind, the slower pace with the Miststalkers and now the traveling a nice change of pace. Sitting on a wagon while reading sounds even nicer. She mused, I wonder what Roland is up to, if he’s alive. Back when the western cities were standing and the war hadn’t broken out. She knew of course that the world hadn’t been a better place, that the areas she had been in simply hadn’t been swept up by the fuckery of elf and man. Not as much at least.

The two ignored the beasts on the way, most of them steering clear of the two powerful mages anyway. Two Burrow Dragoons followed them for a little while, not quite able to keep up. Ilea wondered what had driven them, their instincts surely informing them about the difference in power.

Entering the Taleen Dungeon, the two rushed to the production facility and jumped down, landing in the first and uppermost layer. Goliath was found quickly, in the same area as he had been last time. Steam was rising as he worked with Terok nearby, stacks of ingots, pieces of gear as well as enchantments lighting up the machines had been added to the scene. “You return.” The smith said, turning with golden sparkling eyes, “Stronger yet again.”

How did he know? She asked herself. Maybe his identify skill is so high thanks to being thousands of years old? She didn’t know and neither cared enough to ask, his answer likely to be convoluted anyway.

Terok waved but didn’t speak up, breathing hard under his armor as he lugged around massive chunks of machines. He did seem to have developed a substantial resistance to Goliath’s presence. Either that or he sought out Neiphato constantly. “Elves are out hunting.” He said, finally letting go of the massive piece of metal.

“You don’t join them?” Ilea asked, looking around before her eyes fell on something that stood out a lot. A smile bloomed on her face as she took in the set of bone armor sitting on a stand, each piece vigorous and sleek.

Terok followed her gaze and nodded, “Came out pretty well. Seviir put all he had into it,for you. Not that he would ever admit it.” He walked over, Goliath and the others joining, “I only hunt with them every other time, until my new armor is done at least.”

Still two more levels for him. She smiled. The dwarf hadn’t progressed much for decades and now he was already closing in on the mid two hundreds. Hunting in a team of course slowed the whole process down by a lot but it was safer too.

“The armor… has retained its bonus of timelessness. Truly, a marvelous set. The young elf has suggested some additions that I thought appropriate.” Goliath said as he gestured her closer. It looked similar to the armors made from her mold but the horns were a little longer, the eyes a little more vicious. A symbol had been carved into the right cheek, beautifully flowing as if someone had combined runework with calligraphy. “He insisted on the mark, yet has not offered an explanation as to what it means or does. The structural integrity of the helmet is not compromised, in the very least.” Goliath said apologetically.

Terok coughed, “I asked Neiphato earlier. He told me it means what he had called you earlier. Seemed proud of Seviir for putting in on, so I assume it’s flattering instead of the curse I had expected it to be.”

Ilea smiled, The little rascal. Like a teenager not capable to openly compliment someone. She couldn’t fault him really. With the oracles and their vicious culture there was no wonder they lacked social skills. The whole set was thinned down, not full plate anymore but thicker in the more important areas of her body. The helmet at least was closed completely.

“To hold the pieces in place, there are connections made of bone. The young elf and I agreed to form the set a little bit more loose to allow for clothing underneath. It was our understanding that humans do not prefer to expose a lot of their skin. There are buckles for added leather or metal straps should you wish for more stability.” Goliath explained.

Ilea thought it flattering that Goldie had thought of something like that, especially because he had been angry that she had slept with Hera. The addition was nice. While the exposed skin wasn’t ridiculous like in some fanart she had seen of popular fantasy characters online, she would certainly garner attention. Not that clothing below would diminish the literal specter of death look the armor would give her.