Chapter 553: Degrees of Monstrosity (2/2)

Creatures nearby tried to avoids the area.

“It’s the biggest axe I’ve ever seen,” Ilea said with a wink.

“Would you like me to hit you with it?” Doravin said in a quiet but obviously excited voice.

“Sure, but not here. We can fight in Tremor,” she said.

He laughed, the axe nearly slamming into a nearby building as he extended his arms. “Wonderful! This day is truly blessed.”

The others joined too.

“Are we to leave Hallowfort without its council?” Haiden asked.

“I shall stay,” No said. “My answer is final.”

“Everyone else with me then,” Ilea said and spread her wings.

The group moved through the crevices near Hallowfort, all moving at a reasonably fast pace until they reached the area near Tremor.

Ilea brought them the rest of the way with Displacement when no storms were around, glad she could even move the bulky warrior with her spell.

“Here we are,” she said, appearing in the decrepit cathedral.

“Where is the creature,” Doravin asked, looking around the large hall.

“Here,” Catelyn said, her voice composed but her ears pressing down onto her head.

Elana went a little closer to the fox.

“There is no need to be afraid,” Meadow said from its position on the chair.

Haiden recoiled, holding his head the same way Varahan did.

“Is it the presence?” Ilea asked, blinking to the two and healing them through her ash.

“Their mental fortitude is not enough to comprehend my lacking telepathy,” Meadow said. “I greet you, council of Hallowfort.”

Catelyn looked at Ilea before she took a deep breath.

Doravin walked to the chair and casually went to grab Meadow. “Are you the one talking in my head?”

“Indeed,” the Meadow said, blocking the warrior’s hand with a distorted field of space.

Subdued but still enough for this guy?

Ilea smirked.

“Greetings, Meadow,” Catelyn said.

“I shall refrain from talking to those two. Shall I create writing?” Meadow asked, stone forming from thin air before an apology in Standard appeared.

Haiden and Varahan had calmed down, their minds not damaged much.

Elana’s eyes were fixated on the ball of stone, not a word leaving her mouth. Her lips quivered slightly.

“That would be appreciated, yes,” Catelyn said. “There is much to discuss. You can understand spoken language?”

“I do, if you are this close,” Meadow answered.

Doravin still tried to grasp the creature, taking a step back when it failed. “Can I try to smash you?”

“If that will alleviate your curiosity, be my guest,” Meadow answered.

“Doravin,” Catelyn said.

“It allowed it. Just one try,” he said.

Ilea giggled.

He ignored them, several auras activating as he lifted his hammer with impressive speed and more importantly, grace.

The thing came down in a perfect arc, stopped dead by a thin barrier.

A small shock wave expanded before Doravin removed his axe.

“Hmm. As expected. Impressive. I welcome you to Hallowfort, Meadow,” he said and bowed.

“It is appreciated, Doravin,” Meadow said.

“You want to stay here and listen to the talks? Or go have some fun? I haven’t been in this dungeon yet,” the large warrior said, looking towards Ilea.

I feel like I’ve had this conversation before.

“Sure. Catelyn, call for me if you need anything,” Ilea said.

The fox kept her gaze on the Meadow, standing in front of the other two council members. “I shall.”

Ilea blinked, teleporting a few times until she reached a large square. There were still cracks from her last battle here.

Been a while, she thought with a smile.

Doravin landed a dozen meters away, crouching in a way that minimized his impact.

“Ashen healer. You have taken a spot in the minds and hearts of people I respect. I’d like to see why,” he said.

Ilea smiled. “Come at me then, you’re already boring.”

The warrior vanished.

Ilea spread her ash, using her limbs to stabilize herself as her auras flared up.

The axe hit her light a freight train an instant later.

She didn’t budge.

“Good,” the Dark one said, jumping back. “No need to hold back.”

He advanced again, shrouded in wisps of dark magic that licked the air and ground as he moved.

Ilea watched him vanish, a slow line moving through space and to her side.

A slowed teleport?

His axe appeared mid swing, Ilea already crouched to let it pass by above.

An aura of darkness exploded outwards from the being, his hand outstretched towards her.

It was obviously meant to create distance but Ilea simply remained where she stood, grabbing onto his armor as she activated her reverse healing.

“Who will lose first?” she asked with a smile.

He ripped himself away and jumped, only to find himself right in front of her again.

“Already back?” she asked.

He growled, punching away her arm before he vanished.

Ilea looked at him and focused on the frameworks around him. Hmm.

This time the being didn’t vanish.

“Pretty heavy, I’ll give you that,” she said, inspecting the ludicrously massive weapon no longer in his arms.

“Stop with the tricks,” he said, walking towards her slowly.

“Oh?” Ilea asked, dropping the weapon.

It was still in the air when she reached him, her fists lashing out, neither Destruction nor Storm of Cinders activating upon impact.

His magic was still active as he tried to punch back, twisting his armor and body as spikes formed on his gauntlets.

Ilea’s precognition coupled with her healing, buffs, and massively higher speed made the fight trivial.

She dented his armor a few times, going for his right leg with a kick before she disengaged to dodge a strike.

Ilea saw the axe fly through the air towards him.

Instead, she displaced it into her hands, twirling in the air and slamming it into his chest with both her strength and its momentum.

It broke through his plate, digging deep into the being.

Doravin staggered back, chuckling to himself with a deep sound.

“Beaten with my own weapon,” he murmured, ripping out the axe. “I stand not defeated, but entirely outclassed.”

“You’re not the first,” Ilea said with a smile.

“You have earned your titles, ashen savior. Please forgive my arrogance,” the being said and bowed deeply.

“No reason not to have a quick bout,” Ilea said, watching his armor reform. Only darkness had been below, no blood visible on the steel blade of his axe.

Guess I expected more from a level three hundred.

“I’ll be off then,” she said.

“A successful hunt to you,” Doravin said, sounding almost gleeful.

Ilea displaced herself into the darker part of Tremor, her sphere and teleportation speed allowing her to find a single Soul Ripper almost immediately.

The creature stood out in the street, unmoving. Its long arms held up the near skeletal purple body, the flower like head closed like a tulip before its bloom.

Around six hundred again. Shouldn’t be a problem at all by now. Let’s see.

Ilea started charging Heart of Cinder, just standing there until the heat within her started to eat away at her health. She activated phaseshift and started sacrificing health for both Flare and Awakening.

The heat should remain until I get out.

A few seconds later, her skill deactivated.

White flames ignited on the near black ashen armor.

The Soul Ripper turned towards her slightly but didn’t jump yet.

Ilea took the chance instead. She displaced herself next to the creature, setting it alight with burning ash. Her hand extended, she released the stored up heat in a single beam.

The energy and light subsided with a sizzling sound, leaving behind the smoldering remains of a dead Soul Ripper.

‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Soul Ripper – lvl 620]’

“Hmm. Well if that isn’t anticlimactic. Not even a level for Faen,” Ilea murmured to herself.

Do I outclass them so much already? I mean I did grow quite a bit since last time. My damage just wasn’t quite there yet.

She cracked her neck, reminding herself that she had just used one of her most powerful abilities with charged up auras.

Soooo, just do the same while flying above the buggers, dropping down and use a sphere attack?

Ilea charged her spell again, flapping her wings as she flew towards the open fields outside of the city walls.

They didn’t react it seems. Not the most perceptive creatures.

What if they don’t even get what’s going on if I don’t show myself?

She formed a cloud of ash, slowly letting it all float down towards the hordes of Soul Rippers.

Burn.

The cavern lit up with white fire, engulfing the many creatures in deadly flames.

They ran around, looking for the culprit.

Ilea spread her arms and let herself fall, a grin on her face as she landed in the largest cluster of the dangerous monsters. A glint of joy lit up in her eyes, perhaps just a reflection of the fiery energies exploding outwards.