Chapter 54: Cards and poison (1/2)
Chapter 54 Cards and poison
The remaining debris clattered to the ground slowly as Ilea blinked to Agor and checked his injuries. ‘Not too bad...’ she thought as her healing mana flowed into him. Just half a minute later he was completely fine again.
“Thanks, although it would’ve healed in a couple minutes more on its own. You have to touch people to heal them?” he asked to which she nodded.
‘Quite a bit less experience compared to when I fought alone...’ she thought. ‘...although still not bad and it was much faster.’
“Well that sucks, you’re more a heal after battle type then. Or I guess we could’ve retreated to take care of our injuries.” he said as he made his sword vanish. “Pretty good experience, although it would’ve been better if I killed it alone.” he said.
“My thoughts exactly...” she said and moved to the crater in the cave’s wall.
“Anything?” he asked but she just shook her head after looking in the area.
“I don’t think they drop anything...” she said as Agor removed his helmet. The man below was smiling, his light skin was accompanied by a cleanly shaved rough face with two noticeable scars crossing through. Bright red hair that looked wild but was kept short accompanied his blue eyes that matched hers. He looked to be around his thirties, not very handsome but Ilea liked his smile.
“Maybe not, no. Haven’t heard of anyone finding something from the guardians either...” he said and looked at the teleportation gate. “...what’s that?” he asked and walked up to it to touch the luckily undamaged contraption.
“I have no idea...” she said as she walked by him to get her helmet that still lay on the ground.
He chuckled and looked at her. “For someone so beautiful, you’re a terrible liar Ilea. Keep them to one word replies or half truths...I didn’t question the false name you gave before. Just a tip.” he said, still smiling as he put on his helmet again.
The two horny adventurers looked at each other for a second before she nodded and walked towards the door. Horny, not horny mind you. Though horny they may have been.
“You said there were six of them one of the other ways?” Agor asked after a moment of silence.
“Mhm.” she answered “I don’t think we can take them though...let alone two at the same time.”
“Two or three would be manageable but I agree. By the way, you forgot this.” he handed her the dagger she had left behind. “I’m Lorcan Agor.” his hand was kept extended after she took the dagger.
“Thanks, Ilea Spears.” she shook his hand and let go again.
The two reached the squid room where they found Jasper looking at the dead monster. “Found something?” she asked the man who shook his head.
“I’m a little confused to its presence here but otherwise no. You destroyed the centurion then? Agor it’s been a while since I saw you this battered. Congratulations on the two levels though.” he said and continued “I assume the way is clear then, no more traps or enemies this way?”
Ilea nodded. “Good, then I’ll have the scouts map out this part as well. Let’s go back then. We have a dungeon to explore.” he said and jumped upwards. Ilea followed with her wings and Lorcan with his sword. The three reached the campsite in the great hall ten minutes later.
“I think we can trust her Jasper.” Agor said as the two man walked to join Inström.
“How’d she do?” Jasper asked only received a nod in response. That seemed to be quite enough though as he nodded back slightly. Ilea wondered at the intricacies of the nods.
‘Like two mute monks, an understanding transcending time and reality...’ she thought and walked to the cooks. “Hey guys, guess who’s back.” she waved at them, not realizing that her dagger was looking quite fearsome combined with the now battered armor. A massive hole was in her chest area, covered only by some tattered cloth. Additionally a piece of her leg armor was missing where her leg had been cut off.
“Maybe you should visit the smiths first to fix you up Lilith.” Jeremy said as he sat down on the table she had chosen to eat at. A bard was playing light music nearby next to a small campfire that broke through the monotone green color the lights gave off. The smell of food filled the room nearly completely now, only hours after the expedition had arrived.
A couple of guards had been posted at each entrance to the room, the people switching out positions after a couple hours. Some of the people chose to sleep in individual or bigger tents that were built up in the space they had. The hall was quite big, easily accommodating the sixty or so people inside it.
“Maybe I should, I’m getting free service anyway. What’d you do in the past hours?” she asked the man as she slurped the last of her minestrone soup down. The girl that had stood on the table when they had last talked was there again, standing a little further away.
“Hey! Hey you! Reddie. Why not sit down with us?” Ilea shouted and waved. Some of the people around them looked at her and chuckled at Rin’s expression. The woman sat down, her face matching her red hair ever so slightly. “What’s your name? You’re with Jeremy here?” Ilea asked and motioned for one of the cooks to bring some more soup. The cook returned her look with a ferocious stare.
“I’m a friend miss Lilith. I’m Rin.” the woman said. Ilea received her bowl of soup and started eating again.
“Well nice to meet you Rin. So how’s the expedition doing?” Ilea asked as a message popped up in her mind.
‘ding’ ‘You have been poisoned by dark potion, -50 HP/s for 2 Minutes.’
‘Wow, that cook has balls. I’ll go talk to him later...’ she thought as Reconstruction started canceling out the poison while she simply continued to eat. ‘The flavor is actually better like this...’
“Scouts have been sent into all four smaller entrances, although twice as many into the one you haven’t mentioned. They haven’t returned yet so it’s kind of a waiting game at this point. Some mages are still building a safer way down to the armory while others are dismantling the traps there.” Jeremy said “I helped there as well until half an hour ago.”
Ilea finished her soup and motioned to the cook for more. He looked back frowning at her and nodded.
“Do you guys have cards or something? Anyone brought ale?” she asked but neither of them had any of the requested things. ‘I really have to go back to the city and make some use of my necklace. There’s so much I can take with me everywhere now…’ she smiled at the thought as more soup arrived.
‘ding’ ‘You have been poisoned by midnight dream, -93 HP/s for 4 Minutes.’
Reconstruction worked hard to keep the poison at bay this time and her mana would’ve reached quite a low point were it not for her Meditation skill that she had activated as well. The slowed movement wasn’t noticeable while simply eating. Her poison resistance apparently helped a lot as well as her HP didn’t at all sink as fast as implied by the message in her head, even without using Reconstruction.
“I can ask some of the others if they have cards. I’m sure I saw some before...” Rin said and got up. Ilea got up as well and took the bowl of soup that still had some left in it with her.
‘ding’ ‘Poison Resistance reaches lvl 17’
Walking up to the cook she locked eyes with him and held the soup out to him. “This is good soup.”
“Yes of course it is. And you’re eating more than your share lady. We’re gonna run out of stock if you continue like that.” the man replied.
“And it’s poisoned.” she said and held the bowl out to the man.
“Bullshit.” he said and took some of it, his face blanching immediately.
“That was stupid.” he said and sagged down to one knee.
“Oh yes, yes it was.” Ilea said, shaking her head and started healing the man. Seeing the poison being much more effective than it had been on her and seeing that the man was only level 42 left her with little choice but to ask for help. “HEALER!!” she shouted as her spell barely managed to keep the man from dying.
His life was slipping when a sudden dark green light enveloped the two and quickly focused on the man, leaving her with a slight pleasant tingle. ‘Magic perception sure is nice...’ she looked over to see a robed woman with a cloaked head, blond hair reaching out a little. Her hands were outstretched, holding onto a wooden staff with intricate runes carved into it.