Chapter 453: Adventuring (1/2)

“So, what brings a lone healer up to the Caverns of Rot?” Sean asked as he filled a bowl with broth, handing it to her with a spoon.

The man was wearing light armor, mostly leather, steel plate protecting some of his vitals. He had short brown hair and a short beard, neither particularly kept in check. She assumed he cut it himself. The ranger wasn’t particularly handsome but he seemed kind enough, his demeanor professional and experienced above all.

Ilea thought he was likely in his early thirties, perhaps a little younger. She assumed the bow and quiver resting near one of the boulders was his.

“I’m looking to pick up some general skills, mostly. Resistances and whatever else I can learn,” she said with a smile, thanking the man as she received the food.

Sean glanced at her and nodded. “For your next evolution I presume? Or just to become more durable?” he said and chuckled.

“I approve,” the warrior said in a deep tone, his name as of yet unknown. He was twice as beefy as the rest of them, his long blond beard braided. Coupled with his unkempt blond hair, the man looked more like a viking than most. Not that the two handed battle axe was any indication already.

“For evolutions, yes. It’s reasonably simple to get resistances as a healer. No permanent damage,” she said and started eating. A hearty stew with carrots and some other vegetables, potatoes, and meat. Rabbit, judging by the bones that she saw near the fireplace.

“Except for the pain,” Sean said. “I have entertained the thought of getting a healer class but at this point it’s just too risky. With all the work I already invested.”

“Are you part of an order?” Edgar asked, an unreadable expression on his face.

“No,” Ilea said simply.

“Are you lying?” the man asked in the same tone.

“No,” she said again and smiled, chewing on some meat.

“I like her,” the viking man said. “My name is Colt. Are you up for fucking?”

Edgar threw a spoon at the man. They stared at each other for a moment before both started laughing.

“Nice to meet you Colt. I prefer someone with a little less meat in their head,” Ilea said and casually continued eating. She heard a chuckle from atop a nearby boulder.

“Can you fight at least?” Colt asked as he filled his bowl.

“I dabble,” Ilea replied.

“Colt, leave her alone. Just because she’s a higher level doesn’t mean you should just challenge her,” Sean said.

“Don’t worry about it,” Ilea said. “If any of you have interesting magic I could get a resistance to, I’d love to have some bouts,” she said and winked at the warrior.

“I use earth magic,” Edgar said.

Ilea shook her head. “Earth and Ice I already have.”

“Oh?” Colt said.

Ilea looked at him but didn’t say anything else.

“Just between the two of us, what level are you at?” the man asked as he leaned a little forward, whispering the words.

She smirked and leaned closer as well. “Three forty,” she whispered sheepishly and slurped up the rest of her soup.

Sean chuckled and Edgar smiled.

“Really?” Colt asked with wide eyes.

“No you damn idiot,” the ice mage said from atop the boulder.

Good ears the lot of them, Ilea thought. Instincts, maybe not as much. Cooking, pretty nice.

“What? Because you don’t think it’s possible? You fight, you get stronger, you kill, you get stronger. It’s simple. You get injured, you die. You’re a healer, you survive,” Colt explained as if it was the most logical thing in the world.

Edgar laughed and the others joined in.

Ilea chuckled, mostly because of his deadpan delivery. She couldn’t agree more.

“You should think about getting some healing skills then,” she said to the man.

He nodded. “Yes. Can you teach me?”

“I’m not sure if I can. I didn’t exactly learn it in a formal way. Try to ask some healers in town later. I’m sure some are willing to give you a few pointers,” she suggested.

“You overestimate the generosity of the orders. They would rather let you die than have more people capable of healing,” Edgar said.

Ilea chuckled. ”Well, you could also try one of the guards. They should have a couple healers too.”

”That would be a more sensible option, yes,” Sean said. ”They don't have unlimited personnel either.”

”Just pay them,” Edgar suggested.

”I will simply grab one of them. Healers are weak,” Colt said with a wide grin.

”Well protected too, most of the time,” Ilea said and nodded.

”Not now,” he said and pointed his spoon at her.

Ilea smiled back. ”I assure you. I am.”

”She's right, Colt. I will personally freeze your dick off if you touch her,” Sophia said as she jumped down from the boulder.

Ilea wondered if the woman didn't have a teleportation spell or if she simply chose not to use it.

She had medium length brown hair, bound into a single braid and vanishing under the padded robe she was wearing. It didn't look like the fancy robes Ilea had seen on some high level mages, instead made out of treated hide and in a light brown color. Visible repairs and patched up parts showed that the woman either really liked the duster or simply didn't have enough gold to buy an upgrade.

Sophia looked pleasant enough, easy to smile it seemed and certainly easy to joke. Her dark brown eyes moved between the party and their surroundings with trained ease, catching everything that would be out of the ordinary. A short blade sheathed on her hip made it clear that she wasn't relying solely on her magic.

”You never allow any fun,” the warrior said but his smile remained.

”I'm not the boss. You are free to try,” Sophia said as the air around her grew cooler.

Ilea could see the magic form within her sphere and smirked. She noted that Edgar had kept his gaze on her. Not one to trust a healer, hmm?

”Table it for later, you two. Everyone ate and Edgar's leg is fine again. Let's leave before night is upon us,” Sean said and grabbed his bow and quiver, shouldering his pack as well.

Ah, I forgot about that. Not that a lone healer wouldn't already be suspicious enough.

None of them actually mentioned it but she could tell that Edgar continued to glance her way from time to time.

”You are quite brave,” Sophia said as she joined her, carrying her pack now too. ”Even with your level. I wouldn't travel alone. Not even if I was at two hundred.”

”I enjoy traveling into the unknown,” Ilea said. ”Makes it easier to be desired in a group due to my abilities… and if I get hurt, I just have to escape somehow.”

The woman nodded. ”Your second class is more combat oriented then?”

”Magic actually, but yes,” Ilea said and formed an ashen lance that looked considerably less deadly than her usual creations, made in the same time it would take her to create twenty full power ones.

”Hmm, Ash, isn't it? I would say it doesn't look particularly impressive but you are a creator… that changes things.” Sophia said.

”Yes. It's quite useful. Especially to create a diversion and escape,” Ilea said with a smile. It wasn't technically a lie.

”I can imagine that. Ice is a little less useful when it comes to that. Quite deadly on the other hand,” Sophia said and winked.

Does she think I will try to make an escape?

They shared some stories as they trekked up the mountain, reaching the supposed dungeon entrance a little under an hour later. The suns had mostly set by now, leaving them in near complete darkness.

Ilea didn't comment on it, assuming that either Sean or one of the others had a way to see well in the dark, maybe even all of them.

A number of torches placed atop a two meter stone wall flickered in the cool wind, illuminating the guard patrolling on top.

”Adventurer team coming up,” Sean spoke loudly, making sure the guard heard him.

”Level?” the question came back.

”Ruby,” Sean said and approached the wooden gate set into the stone.

”Ruby,” the guard muttered before he turned away. ”Open the gates.”

Ilea looked on as the gate was opened, not by an enchantment or mechanism but by the sheer strength of a single guard, a level one hundred and five warrior.

He grunted and watched them, his eyes shifting between them, opening wide when they found Ilea.