Chapter 224: The Daily Grind (2/2)

“Why not, the job seems to fit you. I also have two more people that would fit well into the team. An ice mage at level one forty and a healer working for the imperial guard at the moment. I think they’d make a wonderful mercenary team together.” Ilea suggested.

“I mean why think about me even? All I did was riddle you with ice and drown you.”

Ilea thought about it for a while and then smiled. “I have this unhealthy notion that makes me care about people who hurt me.” She said. “Maybe it’s stockholm syndrome.”

“I read about something like that, the name was different I think.”

“It’s a fine line between caring and wanting to rip off their heads.” Ilea said seriously, the man turning towards her before he started laughing.

“You truly are one of a kind. Warn me before you go for my head but you certainly deserve it more than others. I’ll take the team and I’ll… think about training some guards. I heard a group of imperials were wiped out by a mind mage just yesterday. Embarrassing I tell you.”

Ilea grunted in response. “So you’re leaving then? Done with your resistances and drowning?”

“Not quite. Hopefully soon. Maybe you can help with ice and water. They’re both sitting close to the second stage. Maybe while these two try to give me their respective resistances too.” Ilea suggested.

“We might as well start then. You two.” He said and walked over. “Ilea asked me to train you. Objections?”

“Anybody’s better than her.” Cornelius said with a grin while Raphia looked at the ice mage and then Ilea.

“What about you girl?” William asked in a harsh tone.

“I… if she thinks it’s a good id… idea.” Raphia said and looked at Ilea, the woman nodding once.

Better than me? You will learn pain my boy. Ilea thought and grinned.

“That’s settled then. We will start now, get up and run laps. Dodge my attacks in the process.” He said, Ilea watching the two confusedly stare at him.

Bad move. She thought when the first spikes of ice hit them, digging into their flesh just enough to hurt. Raphia was the first to react, getting up quickly and starting to run in a random direction. Cornelius opened his mouth but was hit with a chunk of ice in his teeth. Gotta hurt. And then he ran as well.

“Slow learners those. No wonder after you trained them.” William said and turned to her.

“I’m immune to your banter William, come on. Let’s get me those resistances.” Ilea said and pointed at her belly while the air around them cooled, a lance of ice forming before the mage. She could tell he was happy.

‘ding’ ‘Water Resistance reaches lvl 19’

‘ding’ ‘Ice Resistance reaches lvl 20’

The two final notifications of the night made Ilea smile. Getting her body destroyed by attacks was much simpler than drowning. His sadism or in his words rigorous methods had been directed at the two new students after he realized Ilea wasn’t much bothered by whatever attack he produced.

Cornelius lay knocked out on the ground, bleeding form his head and dozens of small cuts on his body that William assured her were nothing to be taken seriously. She had checked of course but found his words to be right. Raphia was crying quietly as she hugged her knees.

“Are you up for this girl?” Ilea asked when she sat down next to her.

“Up for this… yes. Yes. I gained a point in Dexterity and two in Endurance. Ice Resistance as well. It’s… good.” Raphia said. “I’ll miss you.”

“You can stop at any moment but I think he’s good at what he does, albeit a little extreme. You’ll look back on it with hate and despair, those emotions fueling whatever destructive spells you will bring down on your enemies.” Ilea said and patted her head, a sob leaving the girl. “If that is what you want.”

“I want to… bring destruction down on my enemies.” The girl said, sobbing between words with snot coming out of her nose and tears in her eyes.

“That’s my girl.” Ilea said.

“Don’t worry. I won’t torture them like this everyday. Just wanted to see what they’re made of.” William said as they walked out of Viscera, the two trainees sleeping in the apartment Ilea still had in the town of the Hand.

“What do you think?”

“I’ll work with them.”

“That’s the highest praise anybody will ever get from you, damn perfectionist.” Ilea said and chuckled. “Hungry?”

“The world is filled with untapped potential. If you didn’t sit around in restaurants all the time maybe you’d actually get somewhere.”

“Careful old man, we don’t want to produce property damage with your limp body. You’d have to pay me more than you own.” Ilea replied. “I wanted to check out a new place.”

“If it’s an invitation.” The man said.

“Not making enough at the Hand? Could talk to Claire about that.” She suggested as they walked through the city, the suns rising but still hidden behind the mountain chain separating the city from the plains.

“Don’t talk to her about me. I make enough.” The man said abruptly, even lifting his hand to metaphorically stop her.

“You like her? Or are you scared of her?” Ilea asked with a smile when they passed some nature mages growing trees on a patch of earth between the cobble stone. One could see the sapling grow. Magic being awesome.

“I don’t know Ilea.” William answered when they rounded a corner to the next street.

“Bit of both maybe.” She suggested and saw the building she was looking for in the distance.

“Maybe.” He said as they came up on the Golden Drake, the sign broken in places and many of the windows destroyed, one wall outright missing.

“Golden Drake is it?” He asked. “Looks like it’s owned by the empire.”

“It was.” Ilea said and entered, the door wide open but her nose didn’t lie. She led him into the kitchen where she saw a group of people watching a lone Breed work.

“We’re closed.” Keyla shouted when Ilea opened the door.

“I knew you couldn’t resist.” Ilea said and smiled as she walked towards the pot. “What’s that.”

“Ah it’s… that’s Lilith. She’s the owner and he is?” Keyla asked, the cooks standing around the room nodding or bowing respectfully.

“William. We’d like breakfast. How about that?”

“It’s a northern seafood dish, very savory and not my suggestion for breakfast.” Keyla explained while Ilea took a spoon to taste.

“We’ll have it. How’s the top floor?”

“Most of the tables and chairs smashed to pieces and parts of the walls are missing.”

“Towards the suns?” Ilea asked, getting two plates and handing one to William.

“Where are the suns?” Keyla asked, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Northwest.” One of the cooks supplied.

“Yes, probably.”

“Good.” Ilea said and smiled, filling her plate before William did the same, bowing to the cook after he was done. The stairs were broken but Ilea simply blinked up, her plate still in hand. The man behind her concentrated before ice started forming before him, effectively rebuilding the stairwell.

“That’s gonna be water damage William.” Ilea sighed and grabbed one of the tables, dragging it towards the opening in the wall. The man got two chairs and handed one to her. “What a gentleman.” She said and smiled.

“You’re the owner, what other choice do I have.”