Chapter 450: Steady Climb (2/2)

Ilea questioned their capabilities as adventurers or whatever else they considered themselves to be. There were many ways to increase one’s monetary funds, especially if one could hunt and kill monsters.

There were reasons of course, that Shadows were considered the best of the best. Most everyone else would prefer a safe environment to earn gold, pushed to their adventuring ways by lacking opportunities or a youthful spirit that has waned a long time ago.

If only they had more healers to go with them.

She did note that there were few participants younger than herself or even close to her age.

Ilea checked through her messages as she strolled through the city, towards the headquarters of the Sentinels.

‘ding’ ‘Blood Magic Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 16’

‘ding’ ‘Crystal Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 2’

‘ding’ ‘Crystal Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 3’

‘ding’ ‘Dark Magic Resistance reaches lvl 16’

‘ding’ ‘Dark Magic Resistance reaches lvl 17’

‘ding’ ‘Earth Magic Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 6’

‘ding’ ‘Heat Resistance reaches 3rd lvl 5’

‘ding’ ‘Mist Magic Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 11’

‘ding’ ‘Pain Tolerance reaches 3rd lvl 3’

‘ding’ ‘Water Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 6’

None of her class skills leveled but at least she found Pain Tolerance to be manageable here compared to the blight dungeon.

She didn’t turn it off, nor removed the resistance altogether but instead let it help her focus. It was still a painful experience but it let her see the spells move within her sphere, let her try and trace the magic. To understand how it formed, how the projectiles impacted her and how her body regenerated.

Her face had been covered by ash but as soon as the attacks started, it was hardly a necessary precaution. The various explosions of elements both prevented her face from being seen, nor from it actually being present most of the time. The combined effort of around seventy mages of various levels proved enough to at least injure her with her resistances and armor deactivated.

So far it kind of came as a surprise that none of them had any new magic to show her. Ilea hoped the increasing rewards for special abilities would be fruitful. She doubted her current skill set already protected her from every adventurer out there.

She reached the headquarters and opened the door, feeling the magic of several enchantments dissipate as soon as she channeled her mana into the entrance. It fell back into place behind her, the defensive magic activating once more.

Fascinating, she thought, once more joyous to have employed the smith’s daughter into her organization. Her potential would have been wasted most everywhere else.

Swords and armor when she can work on teleportation and defensive structures, she thought and smirked.

Ilea waved at Aki who sped out from one of the entrances, checking on the commotion he had either felt or had been informed of by one of the enchantments.

Greetings, she sent through the mind magic she had gotten from her third tier resistance.

“What? How did you do that?!” the dagger turned Taleen machine asked in confusion.

Secret, she sent.

“You defy logic, Ilea. Welcome back. You are early,” he said as his eyes glowed a bright green.

Ilea smiled, thinking of the Praetorians and the danger they had posed. By now she was eager to fight some of them alone. Not that it would prove to be lucrative for her but after the Ascended, she was definitely interested in smashing her old nemesis. Just to feel a little better… a little more in control perhaps.

“Says the sentient dagger controlling a Taleen war machine. I am neither early nor am I late. Lilith always arrives on time… or something like that,” she said and remembered her light staff too late. Not that Aki would get the reference anyway.

“Still clinging to your otherworldly references, I see. It is good to know that at least your mind has not changed too much,” Aki said and turned back to the stairwells.

“What’s the point of life if you are not having fun?” she asked and followed the machine. “I’m here to see Orthan and Iana. Do you know where I can find the former?”

Aki nearly glided down the stairs with lethal precision, his six legs in perfect control. “He is teaching a class at the moment. I shall take over if you wish.”

“You have improved considerably, even though your level remains the same. I hope my display didn’t dishearten you too much,” she said.

The machine turned its head to look at her. “I appreciate that you worry about me but remember, I have been a dagger for millennia. It still fills me with joy to finally have a body to move around in, especially one so powerful. My debt to you is immense and while it is disappointing to see that the gap between us has increased instead of lessened, if anything it makes me proud. To have been owned by you. And to serve you now, in this new form I have taken.”

Ilea tilted her head to the side. “Feels like you changed your tone as well. Where’s the snark?” she laughed.

The machine laughed as well, the sound unnerving and unnatural. “This body provides me with ambient mana… I have found my mind is more stable than before… less inclined to shift to better suit my wielder. I appreciate the sarcasm you have bestowed on me but find it rarely useful when teaching inexperienced students,” he said.

“I see. It’s good to know you’re finding yourself. Maybe you could write a biography about your life at some point. Coming of age of a Taleen war machine. Bet it would sell. Also yes to your earlier question, I’d appreciate talking to Orthan now,” she said.

“My sword arms aren’t particularly suitable for writing. Perhaps I could find a large rock to carve my story into?” he asked in a dry tone, confirming that the Aki she knew was still somewhere in there.

He led her to the fourth floor down where several training halls were located.

She stopped him before he entered. “Aki, just to make sure. You don’t have to serve me and just because you have this body now, I don’t think of it as a debt. Just a favor for a friend. If you wish to pursue your own adventures or endeavors, you are free to do so.”

His eyes glowed a little brighter. “As always. Too kind for your own good. As I said, I like it here. Very much so. Should I ever wish for something else, I shall talk to Trian about it. I consider myself a Sentinel as much as everybody else here. Do not mistake my devotion for obligation. I have seen and judged you with my own mind. I choose to serve you, Ilea.”

She sighed and nodded.

The machine laughed again. “Still that uncomfortable with praise and loyalty? You should get used to it. The way your students think of you will soon be revealed, when their fear and respect is overcome with sheer reverence.”

“Oh god, please no,” she whispered and watched him enter the hall.

“There is no god,” he whispered back in a menacing voice.

Orthan joined her a minute later, closing the large wooden double doors behind him.

She could see some of the students trying to glance out.

More rumors to the pile, she thought, unsure if Maro would remain the only one to form a cult in Ravenhall. Too much familiarity and I will be expected to stay… too much mystery and I will become a myth.

“You seem in turmoil. Greetings, Ilea. Or should I say Lilith?” the old man said. His age didn’t show in his movements or the way he held himself. A dangerous senior for sure.

“Whatever you prefer, Orthan. I have been thinking but that is a battle for myself alone,” she said with a chuckle and walked back to the stairwells, sitting down on them.

The man surprisingly followed suit, sitting down next to her with a sigh. “What can I do for you then?”

She felt the distress slowly grow within him through her sphere and wasn’t exactly sure where it came from.

“I can feel your fear,” she said in a voice as deep as she could manage before she laughed. “Sorry, that was weird. Seriously, there’s no reason to be distressed.”

His eyes opened wide as his heart rate accelerated. He calmed down again in a few seconds. “You can peer into the mind? Or have my abilities to hide my emotions truly deteriorated that much?”

“I can perceive a general feeling of distress. This concerns your abilities and a few suggestions and requests I have,” she replied.

He nodded. “I had feared you wished me removed from the Sentinels,” he said and smiled.

“Trian trusts you and I have no reason to doubt him,” Ilea said.

“I see. He is a good man. I truly enjoy being a teacher, especially in an organization as prominent as this one. I assure you that my experience is worth your while,” he said. “So what is it that I can help you with?”

Ilea nodded and leaned back. “I’m sure you’re doing a great job. There are two main things… you’re a bone mage, right?”

He nodded. “Bone and blood magic are my main tools, yes.”

“That’s good. I thought about potentially supplying the students with bone armor. Maybe mixed with metal but I’m not entirely sure yet. Can you shape bone?” she asked.

His eyebrows quirked up as he considered. “It is unusual. Bone is rather sturdy… just not easy to come by. Its various uses in alchemy and other sectors often make it less profitable to sell to the few armorers that are interested.”

“I doubt my capabilities are enough to produce full fledged armor but perhaps if I work together with a smith or leatherworker, we could figure something out. Metal is easier to come by however, especially if you are looking for a uniform design,” he explained.

“I see,” Ilea nodded. “I can regrow my bones so I thought mine might be suitable. They lose a lot of resilience once removed from my body but I suppose they’re still much stronger than much of the nearby wildlife could provide.”

The man looked at her before he started cackling, turning into a cough before he calmed himself. “To think I challenged you on our first meeting… I thank you for your mercy. It may be possible. With enough bone we could outfit everyone,” he said and nodded.