Chapter 575: Reunion (1/2)

Chapter 575 Reunion

“What about the ice one then? He seemed like he understood the danger he was in, even suggested we leave without a fight,” Ilea said.

“It takes experience and wisdom to reach such a conclusion. Perhaps he has made similar experiences before, or he learned from someone older than him. Our expertise in magic is inborn, our bodies powerful from birth. Challenges are met to grow or to perish. Negotiations are barely even a concept and if they ever come up, it’s because a loss is inevitable.

“It took a lot of courage for him to speak out like he did, for him to stop attacking when you asked him to. Something that seems logical to a human that strives most of all to survive is not inherently the logical step for us. Instinctively so even,” Ben explained as they walked through the tunnel.

They soon reached stone, the walls changing from tube like tunnels to a more rectangular setup.

‘ding’ ‘You have entered the Iznacarisa dungeon’

“So you’d rather die than admit defeat or submit to someone?” Ilea asked.

“Yes. More so the younger… or well, inexperienced we are. Instincts can be useful, but they can be a crutch too. We have grown into powerful beings with vast territories we call our own, but there are many creatures and beings in the world that are stronger still. You should know the benefits of persevering, of taking risks that seem unreasonable, but you have the benefit of instincts that pull you in the other direction. At least I assume you do, being human and all,” Ben said with a smile.

“It’s come up, yes,” Ilea said. “I don’t see any shame in retreat if my enemy is obviously stronger than me. My healing has mostly allowed me to persevere where I would’ve died otherwise. Especially with a monster, there’s just no reason to keep going when the only outcome is death.”

“Powerful regeneration is a luxury that many do not have. Though the healing orders I’ve seen humans build might change that in the future. There is much we can learn from your kind, though few of us would ever even consider or admit such,” he said.

“Because you’re obviously stronger,” she said.

“Precisely. Thought there are those of us who think differently and I’d like to believe it’s a larger group than most assume. Given the chance, they too shall understand,” he said.

“Sure, priest elf,” Ilea said.

He smiled, glancing at her as they reached some sort of camp in the darkness. Embers still glowed in the small fire. “It isn’t religion I try to spread, but the process of individual and critical thinking.”

“Bringing the Enlightenment to Elven kind. Not a small goal you’ve set for yourself,” she mused. “Your friends aren’t here.”

“Yes. I too, have eyes. Would you like to wait or find them?” he asked.

“There might be things to hit, what do you think?” she said.

“Do go then, I’ll be right behind,” he said and rolled his eyes.

Ilea didn’t waste any time, flying through the simple corridors with her senses peeled for anything that suggested magic.

Cut apart and half molten machines littered the floors. Doesn’t look like I’m needed here, she thought, displacing a rather large head into her hands. The molten steel had a hint of Praetorian to it.

After a few minutes of quick searching, they entered into a large hall with high ceilings. To each side lay a stacked pile of scrap metal. And in the center was a taleen gate platform.

Around it stood three familiar faces.

“Heyo,” Ilea called out with a wave, landing on the ground as her wings dissolved.

Feyrair turned towards her, immediately changing into a battle stance with extended claws and bursting white flame.

[Warrior – lvl 368]

Daaaamn, not bad kid.

“Hey I can do that too now!” she said and laughed, Flare of Creation bursting out of her armor.

Ben took a step back, his eyes focused on the flames.

“Youuu,” Feyrair hissed, surely with a broad smile behind his scale helmet. His long wild hair changed in color from orange to a deep red.

“Missed you too. Did you forget about leveling? You’re far behind,” she said offhandedly, winking at him.

“You shall get your foretold battle. Though I ask thee to leave this hall intact for the time being. Restrain yourselves,” Isalthar said, glancing at her with his white eyes, his focus quickly returning to the gate and its control mechanism.

[Healer – lvl ??]

Damn, still not… hey wait a minute. I should be able to see everything in the four hundred range. Or not?

She used Veteran to gauge his level, her eyes squinting as she frowned.

Seven hundred? Closer to eight even. But he didn’t strike me as that powerful, or did he just hold back?

“Hey why aren’t you a three mark?” she asked him directly.

The others glanced at her before focusing on Isalthar.

“Oh they didn’t know? Sorry,” she said and laughed.

“I did,” Feyrair said.

“Suspected…,” their Soul mage said.

“It hardly matters,” Ben added, not revealing if he had known or not.

“Very perceptive. Perhaps you have achieved the third tier? Congratulations either way,” Isalthar said in a neutral tone.

“You’ll need a gate key to operate that thing,” she said, pointing at the platform.

“A gate key is not enough when the node has been disconnected from the whole,” Isalthar spoke.

“They can do that?” Ilea asked.

“Yes,” Ben said. “When a gate is deemed a liability. That is our current theory. Additionally it’s a way to trap us in a vastly more dangerous dungeon.”

“Let me guess, you go through anyway,” she asked.

“Of course,” Feyrair supplied before he jumped towards her. “You’ve grown!” he said and hugged her tightly. “Oh, and heavier too.”

Ilea rolled her eyes. “I don’t remember us being this close.”

He ignored the comment but let her go. “Third Class then? Or an evolution?” he asked, touching the pale flames that now clung to his body.

He literally doesn’t care.

“Third Class,” she said and waved the flames away.

“They’re not quite the same but I suspect they’re closely related,” Feyrair commented, sending a ball of his own flame towards her. “You get third Classes so early. You humans really have it easy.”

“Says the guy who started at what? Two hundred? How are you so old and you’re still below my level?” she asked and tried to grasp the flame. His was much hotter. It slowed her regeneration too, she noted. And it damaged her health and mana. He’s even absorbing a part of it. But it lacks something… the staying power?

“What can I say? I’m a perfectionist,” he said and twirled where he stood. “But seriously, it’s quite a challenge to gain levels if you fight Taleen all the time, especially in a group. I can’t take the same risks, not with what we have to achieve.”

“Are you trying to reactivate it or what?” Ilea asked, glancing at the two elves still fiddling with the gate controls.

“Directions,” the soul mage said.

“To find the next one, I see,” Ilea said. “I have a small suggestion then. It’s the reason I’m here actually.”

“I thought you came for me,” Feyrair said and looked away, his hair swinging unnaturally past his shoulders.

“Dream on buddy,” Ilea said. “Niivalyr found a gate inside of a Centurion production facility. It leads to a dungeon where Praetorians are manufactured. That’s the guess at least.”

Isalthar turned away from the gate and floated a little closer. “Praetorians… how far away?”

“In the north. About eight hour with my flight speed. Not sure how fast you guys can manage,” she said. “Elfie wanted to meet you anyway. Maybe you can recruit his group.”

“Too many members are detrimental, in most Taleen ruins,” Feyrair said. “Especially with our power. These two hardly fight anyway.” He gestured to the soul magic user and Ben.

“He thought it necessary. I offered my help too but he deemed it not enough. Special variants were present too. The arcane arrow versions at least, apparently Hunter Praetorians,” she said.

Feyrair glanced at Isalthar. “This could be important. If we could slow their production.”

The ancient elf looked at Ilea with his white eyes, contemplating. “High risks too. Few of us can face higher level Praetorians.”

“I’ll be there too,” Ilea said. “If only to bring you out in case things go wrong.”

“You can teleport others?” Feyrair asked.

“Yes, to a specific location in the southern human plains,” she said, not seeing a reason to keep this fact hidden.

Isalthar floated back to the gate, a wave of air expanding from him as a thousand cuts split the platform apart. “We shall leave immediately,” he said.

Ilea looked at the soul mage approach, his hand brushing past her cheek.

“Beautiful,” he whispered before pointing at himself. “Seithir.”

She smiled. “You are quite beautiful, yes,” she said and smiled at the blush tinging his cheeks.

“That’s his name,” Feyrair said.

“Yeah I got that,” Ilea said.

“Seithir,” Isalthar said, still considering. “Farthorn, Asay.”

Feyrair rolled his eyes and groaned. “Really? Them? Are you sure?”

“We’re talking about a specialized Praetorians. It will be a large facility,” Ben said. “We can use every capable Hunter we can find.”

“They should be close,” Isalthar said. “Do not fret, white flame. A test of patience and wisdom shall do you good.”

Feyrair bowed to the white haired elf, saying a word in elvish.

Seithir’s aura started to glow within her sphere, strands of glistening magic vanishing into nothing. A few seconds later he started floating out of the dungeon.

“We follow?” Ilea asked.

“We follow,” Ben said, touching her shoulder as he walked past.