Chapter 417: Friends with Benefits (1/2)

Ilea saw the facility in the distance, not quite as hidden as those they had found previously. Massive structures of steel partially set into the wall of the layer otherwise covered in sand and stone.

A bunch of scorpions and worms had shown up when she had landed, quickly turned to shreds by her limbs and spears. None of them were above level six hundred and their abilities weren’t very impressive either.

She would have to check the scorpions again, their tails likely laced with venom. The sand magic they had shown was considerably less impressive than the Deep Mirage from the last floor sadly.

“You think they’re in there?” Ilea asked, glancing at the floating Fae.

The creature wasn’t looking at her, instead staring at the sandstorm raging in the distance. It looked to have moved closer.

Ilea was pretty sure she wasn’t imagining things. “Is that a natural thing?” she asked and joined its side.

Elemental

“Another one,” Ilea said with a smile.

The Fae looked at her with interest.

“There was a young lightning elemental back on layer… ten I think,” she said.

Beautiful, the thought reached her.

“Pretty powerful beings it seems, yeah. I don’t think I can fight that one though, not with how I struggled against the lightning one already,” Ilea said.

A sad emotion reached her but she could tell there was more than a simple lack of violence.

She would leave it for now. If the Fae wanted something, it could ask. So far it had warned her whenever there was danger so she assumed it wouldn’t withhold something vital.

“Come on, let’s check on the others,” Ilea said, the tracks now rather recent and clear. She didn’t know how far this facility reached but she couldn’t find a magical trail leading away from it either, making her believe her group was still inside.

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“I know you believe it was just a lack of understanding but it could have just as well been a security measure,” Maro said.

“To trigger the spread of corruption as a defense mechanism?” the elf asked in a skeptical tone.

“I’ve seen traps that made less sense,” the necromancer retorted.

“Why then spread the blood manipulating agent throughout the whole Descent? Would this layer not be enough? Or this facility itself?” Met asked.

Hana smiled at Jonna who was tirelessly healing Maro, the elf as well as the guardian, corruption visible on their arms.

Catelyn already had a defense against it with her flames, little interest in the resistance. She was staring at the sphere, resting her head on her paws.

“What do you think?” Relly asked as he stepped up to Hana.

“We should just bury this whole facility and forget about it,” Hana replied. “Nothing good will come with our tampering.”

“Nothing worse than the corruption should happen, it wouldn’t make any sense,” Maro said.

“We will not activate it, not without further understanding. Neither of us is an expert on runes,” the elf said.

“I know that these runes were the same ones present in the dungeon near Tremor. It summoned creatures previously beyond my comprehension. Trust me, elf. I am aware of the dangers.” the necromancer said. “Rune experts won’t help us here.”

“They will. And you won’t touch that thing,” Catelyn said, her tone final. “If what you said about Rhyvor is true then that just adds to the reasons why this thing should not be tampered with.”

“We should not destroy it however.” the elf said.

“I agree. This is the first set of runes unrelated to blood magic we have found within the Descent,” Relly said. “All the death and suffering should not have been for nothing.”

“You talk like there’s a choice. I doubt we could destroy this thing, it’s layered in defensive enchantments.” Maro said.

“Something is approaching,” Carul suddenly said in a distressed voice.

“Something? Be more precise,” the necromancer complained.

“Two beings… they are powerful, moving fast. Beyond even you,” he said and glanced at Catelyn.

“Maybe we already triggered something,” Maro said and cut out the corruption on his arm.

The others followed suit and prepared.

Catelyn too stood up and grew to her large form.

A couple tense seconds passed before the elf chuckled.

“What?” Maro asked.

A being shrouded in ash appeared near the gate, more than a dozen protrusions behind them moving slightly, interspersed by two wings that looked otherworldly.

Hana felt its presence, gripping her blade before her eyes opened wide at the appearing Spirit of Old. She had only heard stories about them but every dark one knew about the beings.

“Cared to join us at last,” Catelyn said with a grin, her form shrinking once more.

“Too late it seems,” the female said.

Hana recognized the voice, her eyes opening even wider. Are you serious?!

“What’s that floating ball of magic?” Ilea said and pointed at the device.

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“Oh, Hana is that you? Glad you survived!” Ilea said and waved at the lizardwoman.

The expression on her face confused her a little. Maybe she forgot about me.

“You have brought someone with you?” Catelyn asked, bowing to the Fae before she looked back to Ilea.

“Yeah, little guy, my team and some survivors of the expedition it seems,” she said, gesturing to the group.

The Fae appeared on her shoulder and sat down, waving at the people.

Elfie tapped Maro on his arm.

“Yeah, see Catelyn. Told you it would make a difference,” the necromancer said and laughed.

“My expectations were shattered. Finally, some good news,” Catelyn said.

[Mage – lvl 329]

Ilea couldn’t help but smile at that, having surpassed even the fire fox in levels. She still had a couple centuries in experience on her but with the amount of fighting Ilea did, she was sure to catch up in a couple years or decades.

Ilea quickly explained her meeting with the Enavurin, her rescue of the Fae and some of the battles. Specifically, she explained the abilities of the various creatures, finding out that the group had hardly ever fought anything. The Deep Mirage had caused the most problems, having seen through their hiding spells. Both for the expedition as well as her group.

“That one I will be able to distract, pretty sure about that. He’s just lonely and bored,” Ilea said.

Elfie hissed with an amused tone, Maro shaking his head in disbelief. Hana and the expedition people just stared at her.

Ilea felt slight distress coming from them but she decided not to comment. “Oh and the sandstorm outside is probably an Elemental, the Fae informed me,” she added in the end.

Catelyn nodded. “Good. We had assumed something similar. Are you sure we can trust the Enavurin? It could very well have deceived you.”

Friend, the thought came and went, all eyes going to the Fae on Ilea’s shoulder.

“I trust him more than myself on this,” she said with a chuckle. “Though for what it’s worth, he seemed reasonable.”

The fox nodded and quickly informed her of their own findings, the various mechanisms that had spread the corruption and what they had learned from Met, the floating Dark Sprite.

“I can confirm the second tier of Blood Manipulation Resistance,” Ilea said. “I suggest you keep some of the corruption to bring the skill to everyone in Hallowfort. It’s discomforting but if something similar ever spreads, it’s the only way to counter it effectively.”

“That… will be impossible,” Catelyn said. “The pain is rather… excruciating. Most won’t accept the procedure.”

“I shall do this with the Hunters,” Elfie said and nodded.

“It’s perfect really, also good to train Pain Tolerance then. I have the second tier there as well where you can ignore pain entirely. It’s more risky but a great path to more general skills in the area,” Ilea explained.

“Oh, thinking of. Do you have more bottles and containers? I’d love to get some more of the corruption,” she added.

Catelyn didn’t seem particularly happy with that. “I am aware that the dangers turned out to be less extensive as initially expected but we should try and prevent a spread.”

“Don’t tell me you don’t have some stored away too. Do you really trust me so little?” Ilea asked, tilting her head to the side.

The fox sighed, summoning several large glass containers. “For what do you even need it?”

“Just collecting resources,” Ilea said with a smile, moving them with her ashen limbs before she stored it all in her necklace.

“We should question the Enavurin about this device,” Maro said.

“It cannot leave the water,” Ilea said. “And just because it’s an ancient being doesn’t mean it can read the runes.”

Read

“Oh?” Ilea looked at the Fae on her shoulder. “You can?”

It nodded.

She chuckled.

“What did it say?” Catelyn asked.

“It can read the runes. I just doubt a translation will be very detailed,” she said with a smirk.

“We should just let a Fae tamper with this dangerous and ancient device then?” Maro asked, not convinced.

Everyone else looked at him as if he was the weird one to ask.

“Come on, Ilea, you’re human. Don’t you think it’s a bit ridiculous? It can’t even speak in complete sentences, no offense,” he said.

Offense

“Yeah, he can be annoying. He’s good at heart though, I’m like sixty percent sure of that,” Ilea said, ignoring the man.

“Sixty? So low have I fallen,” the necromancer murmured.

“Look, everything here is probably older than you. Except the healer over there, hi by the way,” Ilea said and waved at the woman who winced and took a step back. “I just think there’s a reason these creatures are revered amongst the Dark Ones and I have traveled with it for a couple days now. He’s a little bit deranged and violent but otherwise quite decent.”

Deranged?

“Come on, we played with a Deep Mirage,” Ilea said to the creature.

Deranged.

“A little,” she confirmed, gesturing with two fingers close together.

“You played… what?” Catelyn spoke but then shook her head. “Well right now I doubt anybody would have more knowledge about these runes than the Fae. They are said to be older than most creatures and powerful in many ways. Although it is unknown how exactly.”

“It’s level one hundred. Maybe it’s a child,” Maro suggested.