Chapter 273: Regeneration (1/2)

For the first time Ilea shared one of Keyla’s meals. She had thoroughly enjoyed the hours of battle against Hana, the lizard warrior working for Krentin. Carefully opening one of the two barrels of ale she still had from Walter, she poured two cups and handed one to the lizard. “So you met him a couple years ago?”

The lizard took the cup with her good arm, the other one broken and bleeding. She had refused healing from Ilea, her berserker skills keeping her injuries in check right until she ran out of mana. They had paused a couple times to meditate. Often they did not rush at each other immediately again and again, leaving ample time for recovery even during their bout. Ilea had only used her strength and physical attacks, neither Wave of Ember nor Destruction delivered through her blows.

“Six… seven years ago. Something like that. He asked for me to show him my power. So I attacked him and we fought.” Hana explained, “We were below two hundred then, the both of us.”

“I can’t see him winning it.”

“Well I didn’t have a healing skill then and trust me, he’s stronger outside and at long distances. You caught him at an advantage.” Hana said.

Ilea grinned and put away her helmet, taking a sip of Walter’s ale. She savored the taste for a moment before speaking, “You think I couldn’t have won without?”

Hana took a sip as well and looked first at the cup and then at Ilea, “This is fantastic… not from Hallowfort, that’s for sure.” She took another sip, “It’d be a fight to see but with your healing and defenses… no I think you would win nine out of ten.”

“That’s not good enough.” Ilea grumbled. Of course Hana didn’t know about all her abilities but neither did Ilea know about all of Krentin’s abilities. She knew that at least the lizard warrior was outmatched by her, mostly due to her versatile ash. Without her added limbs and mana intrusion abilities, it would be more even. She had forty levels on the lizard but that meant little if she couldn’t get in any hits.

Hana chuckled, the sound having an added hiss that Ilea just attributed to her biology, “You will stay here then? Train against the blood monsters?”

Ilea thought about it. She had plenty of poison now to work with and some people to train resistances, “While I’m here. I don’t think I’ll stay for a long time at least. Do you think Krentin will stay true to his word?”

Hana thought, finishing her food and ale before she spoke, “He is crafty. Smart and he can be deceptive. All reasons I decided to work for him. The way he looked at you. I believe he has taken a liking. Perhaps you will find him trying to woo you instead of sending assassins or coming to kill you himself.” She laughed, Ilea smiling in response before she put on her helmet again.

“Well, the dungeon is dangerous enough. No need for fighting among the conscious. At least not with the intent to kill.”

Hana grabbed her massive curved sword, the blade reflecting some of the light coming from the magic lamps above on its cool steel. “I have been fighting with the intent to kill.” She said with a smirk.

“Oh I know.” Ilea answered with a smirk, closing the barrel and storing it in her necklace.

Hana twirled her sword and went into a stance, “Perhaps I should explore on my own too, otherwise I’ll never be able to smack that smirk off your face.”

“How did you know I was smirking?” Ilea asked, activating her buffs and preparing to fight.

Hana just shook her head, “And you can heal yourself too. Lucky find, your class.”

Ilea shrugged in response, “I suppose it was.”

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Walking through the corridors as quietly as possible, Hana listened carefully for any monsters that might creep up on her. The exit was rather distant and she was glad the thing led back to the second layer directly. She winced at the pain, rubbing on the dent in her armored arm. A smile was on her face, her scales shimmering a dark green in the light of the magic devices built into the ceiling throughout the Heroes’ Descent. I will have to have it repaired again. Her scales would normally not show as much, the dents and splinters the warrior had caused making them visible. It would cost at least two gold coins, the smiths in Hallowfort charging ridiculous prices for mundane work.

In her tribe this would be done free of charge, to protect a life of their own. Ilea had offered to heal her wounds, the pain of her failed battles weighing heavy on her shoulders. Hana reminded herself that the woman was human, their sense of pride and honor not quite like her own. The healer Krentin had gotten a year ago constantly offered to heal her too, sometimes doing so without asking. The only reason she didn’t crush her so far was Krentin asking her to accept it. She knew it was logical, to be ready to fight always and to not die in battle for no reason.

Wincing again as her broken leg came down in a bad angle, she listened around the corner. Her mana was full again but she didn’t think it safe enough to meditate her and take care of her wounds. Getting back to the first layer would be the safest bet, meeting back up with Krentin and the others. What a glorious warrior. The pain was bad but not a new feeling for her.

‘ding’ ‘Pain Tolerance reaches lvl 17’

Krentin had offered to torture her to get the second stage but Hana had little interest in deactivating her sense of pain. It was necessary, to learn, to grow. To ignore one’s own failures was to lie and stagnate. Finding the path clear, she limped towards the exit. It was another three or four corridors, she was sure of it. Pretending to be healthy cost her but she wanted to fight until she couldn’t anymore, wanted to test that woman with all her power. I couldn’t even scratch her…, Damaging her armor didn’t count, at least that’s how Hana thought.

The ashen defenses were strong, as powerful as some of the monsters found in the Descent. Together with Ilea’s mobility, quick teleport and ashen limbs, Hana considered her at least as dangerous as an Old Blooded. Maybe more so because of her healing. She knew the woman had held back some offensive skills, the first clash when Krentin had ordered her knocked out or dead had proven as much. It had felt like fire invading her every cell, as well as something else, something she had never experienced. As if corruption spread through her body, changing what was normal. Ilea was strong but not stronger than her. When the red glow showed from the cracks of her armor it was close.

Hearing the familiar noise of a Pure Blooded, Hana stopped in her tracks and waited. The thing didn’t come her way. A couple minutes later, it left. Sighing at her inability to fight, she swore to train harder. Maybe using the healer to train more efficiently as Krentin had suggested would be necessary. Ilea can heal herself… maybe I should take advantage. She questioned it immediately. Sometimes Hana wished she had been born in a different place. Training her health steal ability would be the way to go. Through your own power you shall prevail. It was a stretch already to work in a group. Maybe I should listen to my practical side a little more. Even Hogath says so and he’s just a rookie. The mind mage had joined them a couple months ago.