Chapter 203: Hunters and Prey (1/2)

Ilea thought about her skills and the short lived but very intense fights she had just been in. Zoy seemed to have a very similar skillset to her own and it definitely showed. Between the two of them there was nothing other than their fighting skills going against each other. Her ash didn’t make a difference and neither did her ability to teleport. It would’ve likely come down to one of them making a severe mistake or simply a battle of attrition.

Perhaps her healing ability would give her the edge but who knew if the woman didn’t have such a skill as well. Maybe shoving ash down her throat would be an idea…, Ilea thought, generally choosing a more direct approach. Her control over both ash and ember would be cut off immediately upon entering an enemy’s body but it would certainly be an annoying distraction. She doubted that with her current ash control, someone at the power of Zoy would be inconvenienced at all but it would be worth a shot in the next encounter.

Her wings and Veil would also be skills she should utilize more to attack but again, they were somewhat bound to what her ashen skills could do. Perhaps getting Ash Creation to the third tier will change that. Ilea questioned but right now she was at least confident in facing enemies unable to deal with her speed and maneuverability combined with her high defense and stamina.

The plains and ocean below rushed by in the afternoon light, the rare animal or monster looking up at the low flying passerby close to the coast. None of them chose to pursue the fast potential prey. Most would’ve likely found it not to be worth the trouble.

Several hours passed with Ilea flying at her highest possible speed, having to slow down from time to time to recover her mana and health a little. Finally seeing the island group in the distance, she slowed down to a complete stop and observed, her Meditation skill working quick to recover her lost mana and in turn health as her Hunter Recovery took care of the sacrificed life force. No big fire or spells could be seen in the distance as she slowly moved closer, her health and mana reaching acceptable levels to join a fight again.

The busted wall of the castle showed the big hall they had initially fought in, a couple people standing near one of the walls. People she knew.

Ilea sped up again and landed casually next to the seemingly injured Edwin, the man leaning on the wall behind him, a rather large pool of his own blood converging under the man as he enthusiastically bit into a pastry.

“Maurice, didn’t think I’d see you again so soon.” Ilea said to the man in his black feathery armor. “Hey Popi.” She added to the baker who handed more pastries to Edwin. Maria was around as well she noticed, breathing hard but nearly invisible standing close to Edwin.

“Ilea…,” Edwin said, gulping down his food as he focused on her, trying to get up but wincing as a wound on his stomach opened again.

“So that’s your name.” Maurice said and chuckled. “He’s probably trying to say that the windy chick that followed Arthur out is in danger. Went that way.” He added and pointed towards the mainland.

“Windy chick. Felicia?” Ilea asked and blinked out, not waiting for a response as she sacrificed health again to speed up. The girl hadn’t listened to her brother after all. She was proud and worried at the same time. The woman wasn’t on the same level as Edwin and Maria. She reached the mainland less than a minute of flying later, looking around only to find much of the vegetation destroyed and dead.

Following the destruction and upturned earth, she finally saw them and landed close to the two.

“Felicia.” She said simply, taking a couple steps towards the two women. The burnt corpse lying on the ground before them told enough of the story for her to grasp the situation.

“You did it.” Ilea added, coming up next to them when Felicia turned to her, brushing away tears on her face before she nodded. Ilea hugged her immediately, patting her back as the woman sobbed into her shoulder. Aliana nodded to her before she sat down on the ground.

“Are you injured?” Ilea asked, healing the bruises and broken shoulder Felicia had suffered in their fight.

“Nothing serious.” Aliana said as she looked at the corpse of Arthur Redleaf, his remains much less imposing than he had been when he was still alive.

“Is Kyrian still here?” Ilea asked, knowing that the man was likely trapped in whatever Taleen dungeon he had wound up in. Hopefully the man hadn’t been transported to Iz as well.

“I don’t know. We didn’t see him when we arrived.” Aliana answered her when Felicia let go of her, brushing away the last tears as she breathed in harshly.

With Arthur dead, she didn’t know if anybody could give her the necessary answers to Kyrian’s location or the teleportation gate used but perhaps there was still something left in the castle. She was glad at least that Felicia and Aliana were alright and that they had gotten their revenge after all. “Come on, let’s get you to the others and heal up everybody.” Ilea said, checking on Aliana when Felicia spoke, pointing towards a spot in the distance.

“Someone is coming, quickly.” She said and Ilea checked out the approaching people.

“Two of them, what is that?” She asked and grabbed both Aliana and Felicia in the meantime. “Let’s regroup, if they’re hostile we’ll have a better chance if the others help as well.” She added before flying off, letting go of Felicia a moment later as the woman flew on her own, carried by the winds around her.

They reached the others and Ilea immediately went to Maria, checking her injuries and healing them as quickly as she could, focusing on the most severe ones and completely ignoring the small stuff. “We’ve got incoming. One flying woman and a massive beast with teeth as long as my arms.” Ilea said. “Know anything about them?” She asked, finishing up with Maria who was breathing much lighter and moved on the Edwin.

Surprising her, the man stood up on his own, his wounds mostly mended as she touched him and finished healing the cracked bones in his chest. “You two got fucked up pretty badly.”

“Where’s Arthur… Felicia, I told you to…,” Edwin said and walked towards the woman when she pushed him back with a gust of wind.

“He is gone. Dead. You started it and we finished it.” Felicia said and looked him in the eye, shocking the man to a standstill.

“The two you mentioned, Kyle and Tiana. Hunters in the employ of Arthur. They won’t like it when they find his corpse.” Maria said, cracking her neck as she turned visible.

“She’s a pretty one too eh?” Maurice asked and pointed towards Maria who stared at the man with focused hatred. “Maybe give her some time to warm up. Popi see, told you we should work with them instead.” He added and smiled at his friend.

“Yes, and they all like my baking.” Popi said and summoned a piece of cake, handing it to Ilea who started eating it immediately.

“Mediate your mana and health. Would be good if we killed those two before they can inform anybody.” Ilea suggested with a mouth full of delicious cake.

“We could also leave.” Maurice suggested but she shook her head.

“I need whatever I can find in this castle, maybe there’s some gold for you left as well. If you help I’m sure Edwin here will pay you handsomely.” She said, punching the man’s shoulder who apparently woke up again just then.