Chapter 119: Bone dog (1/2)
“I might have some info on that but won’t give that to you just like that. We came here to find someone, they entered right before we did.” Ilea said.
“And they came here on their own? A realm traveler then… Perhaps they can bring us away from here then. It is decided, non spawn human. You will serve me on this purpose to find the realm traveler.” the demon said.
‘It’s interpreting quite a bit but nothing too far from the truth...’ Ilea thought, looking at Aki. “What do you think?”
“Well this way you’ll get help from the thing and whatever group its part of. Just make sure it doesn’t realize you have nothing to offer in regards of realm traveling as it calls it.” the dagger said and Ilea nodded.
“Sure, we can work together. I’m not gonna be following your orders but we’ll find the thing faster if we work together...” Ilea said, thinking about the thing that had entered the portal. If it went into another direction and this plane was as vast as Elos, they had very little chance of finding it.
“Do you have any idea where to start? Are there cities around here or places of power or something?” Ilea asked, not sure she would follow the being in there should it suggest such a thing. Right now she assumed it wanted out of this place as much as her considering the demon actually agreed to work with her. Of course it would betray Ilea and Trian the first chance it got but at the moment she felt reasonably safe. Should escape be needed, it would be trivial to flee from the slow moving mind mage.
“Beings wander the salt. There are some places I can think of but it would be dangerous to go there. I saw you fight so you distract whatever being there is and I check what’s inside.” the demon said.
“We switch up the distractions, then I’m fine with it. As you’ve attacked me before you will distract the first thing we find.” Ilea stated. “And you stop using your magic on my friend here, otherwise this partnership ends now and I kill all of you.” Ilea finished, smiling below her horned helmet.
“You threaten me? Aaaah...alright, I agree to your terms.” the being said after a while, the prospect of leaving this place likely more compelling than throwing away such an opportunity. Perhaps it was fear that drove it as well, seeing the woman unharmed by its magic.
Ilea checked through her messages when Trian finally woke up a couple minutes later, the two following the mind weaver through the flat environment, only clouds and nearly white ground visible in the distance.
‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Ptulin – Breaker lvl 184 – demon]
‘ding’ ‘You have defeated….’
She skipped through the names and levels of the demons, noting that some of them were more than twenty levels above her own, making her proud of the fight. Though she didn’t want to think of demons armed with armor and specialized weapons and magical gear. Perhaps the result would have been different in that case. Her armor and gauntlets certainly helped her stay efficient against the different enemies she had fought. Checking the more interesting notifications, she found quite a bit of level ups.
‘ding’ ‘Azarinth First Hunter has reached lvl 209: 5 Stat points awarded’
‘ding’ ‘Azarinth First Hunter has reached lvl 210: 5 Stat points awarded’
‘ding’ ‘ Inheritor of Eternal Ash has reached lvl 204: 5 Stat points awarded’
‘ding’ ‘ Inheritor of Eternal Ash has reached lvl 205: 5 Stat points awarded’
‘ding’ ‘Hunter’s Sight reaches lvl 20’
‘ding’ ‘Azarinth Perception reaches 2nd lvl 17’
‘ding’ ‘Azarinth Reversal reaches 2nd lvl 5’
‘ding’ ‘Veil of Ash reaches 2nd lvl 12’
‘ding’ ‘Form of Ash and Ember reaches 2nd lvl 15’
‘ding’ ‘Ash Creation reaches 2nd lvl 6’
‘ding’ ‘Ashen Wings reaches 2nd lvl 6’
‘ding’ ‘Eyes of Ash reaches 2nd lvl 15’
‘ding’ ‘Ashen Warrior reaches 2nd lvl 7’
Ilea’s Mental Resistance didn’t level even after the strong assault which actually made her even more confident at working with the demon, at least if it was only one of them. The staff wielder they had seen before wasn’t anywhere to be found so she wasn’t quite certain the demons worked together. There was of course the possibility that the one that vanished couldn’t take another sentient demon with him or it did something completely different, like blowing itself up with a new spell it tried out.
Ilea chuckled at the idea and looked down to Trian, having finished checking her messages. “Awake sleeping princess?”
He rubbed his eyes as her healing mana continued to flow into his head specifically. ‘Can’t cure a retard but it’s worth a try.’ she thought when he answered.
“I’m not a princess, what happ….” his wings came to life as Ilea let go of the man and lightning formed around him.
“Chill out, we’re working with them!” Ilea shouted, blinking between the group of demons moving in front of them and Trian.
“What?” the man simply stated.
“She struck a deal with the thing, it wants to get out of here as well it seems. I theorize what we saw the staff wielder do was just that… getting out. And the other demons wanted a piece of that.” Aki explained quickly before Ilea started talking.
“Basically that, yea. Don’t worry I know it will tear us to pieces as soon as it gets the chance but right now we should try and work with it. It knows the place and its inhabitants.” Ilea supplied as well.
Trian just floated in the air and looked at them a little confused before he sighed. “What the hell have I gotten myself into...” he thought and looked around. “Well I agree it’s the best way for us to find a way out but honestly, this is bloody ridiculous.” he commented.
“Well you’re the one without a third tier teleportation spell...” Ilea mumbled as she watched the man fly closer to the group in front of them before she followed behind.
“You don’t know if your blink works from here you know?” Aki said and Ilea had to agree but something told her the skill would manage just fine. If a horny necromancer could summon a demon then her third tier suicide moss cult skill would do the trick.
“Demon!” Trian called out, making the being stop and with it the group of horrors around it, their bodies of flesh and bone slushing to a stop on the salt ground.
“What is it other human?” the voice resounded through the surroundings but Ilea had to wonder how the sound moved, it felt different than normal noise, magical in nature.
“I understand we are to work together to get back to our plane.” Trian said “I would like to understand some things about you and your kind first before we continue. Answer my questions and ask yours should you have any. If you don’t this arrangement ends.” he finished.
The demon looked towards them with its dark abyss like eyes before it started speaking a full minute later. “You are aware of our plight but do not think yourself superior or in control human. Should you overstep yourself I won’t hesitate to end you with all the power I can muster.”
Trian looked towards Ilea who just shrugged. “Ask your questions...” it said with a hiss.
“You are sentient. Your goal is to reach another plane, why?” Trian said. “We hear legends of demon summonings and appearances all over our continent with promised contracts and control assured.”
The demon made a noise Ilea couldn’t quite interpret. Perhaps an ethereal chuckle would be the closest thing. “Look around you human.” it said and gestured, the beings around it sloshing a little further away. “There is nothing but blood and salt in this place. The flesh we eat is of our own. There is nothing but pain and struggle here… that is reason enough to seek another realm, something all the sentients learn of early on. Some manage to leave but we do not know where to. It may be better or worse but having lived in this place for two hundred years I want nothing more than to see something different, to feel something else. The gift of sentience and mind magic is but a curse to bear… but also an opportunity. You are not meant to have this knowledge but I have lived to long to care. I want. To get. Away.” it finished, turning away and continuing to move towards their destination.