Chapter 651: Balance (1/2)

Chapter 651 Balance

The temple was located outside of the main city walls, nestled between hundreds of buildings squished into the narrow line of land between the massive walls and the lake. Plenty of buildings reached onto the water as well, stone pillars and wooden beams supporting the structures with dozens of piers in between.

The lakeside part of town narrowed further towards the north until water touched the city walls. To the south the space broadened instead, a less impressive wall protecting the packed multilayered town against monster attacks. With how massive Virilya truly was, this portion outside its main walls could’ve been an entire settlement of its own, the walls comparable to those of Riverwatch. And because of the limited space, it seemed the builders had to go vertical instead. There seemed to be a specific height where they hadn’t been allowed to continue however, likely to prevent an easier entry past the city walls.

Ilea watched as a few dozen fishing boats sailed onto the expansive lake, a few hundred in total visible from the stairwell she stood on.

“Have you not visited this part of town before?” Julia asked, waiting a few steps ahead.

“No,” Ilea answered. “I’ve seen it from a distance. I’ve not stayed in the city for longer than a few days at a time.”

“Too busy fighting the enemies of humanity,” Julia mused.

I wonder what excuse she’d come up with for the Elves.

The Temple looked more like a military fort, other houses of stone and wood built against the stone walls of the Order structure jutting out of the bustling fishing area.

“Why build this temple here instead of inside the walls?” Ilea asked.

“For the view, I suppose,” Julia said with a shrug. “No way to see the lake from inside the city.”

How many people sign up for the guard just to stand on those walls then? Ilea thought, turning around and looking up. It still seemed imposing to her, despite her ability to fly and everything she’d seen. A testament to magic itself. And yet a Trakorov could burst through them with a single charge.

Then again there surely were dozens of enchantments placed on the walls, reinforcing them ten fold or even more. Perhaps it really was enough to stop a four mark creature. Ilea would certainly be interested in stress testing the walls of Virilya and Ravenhall, just to see who would do better. She couldn’t see a way for either to stop her Archon Strike coupled with an ashen drill, but there was a chance she’d be surprised. Might ask Claire about that. She might be interested too.

“Wall enchantment stress test? Build test wall if interested,” she sent to the woman, turning back to Julia and gesturing her to walk ahead.

The fort itself had a large wooden gate, currently open with two imperial guards standing out front. A yard of stone opened up within, dozens of people talking to the healers, some negotiating and moving on to others.

“Like a market for medicine,” Ilea said.

Julia glanced back and smiled. “I suppose it is. And a lot of that money goes back into training new healers or building temples in less wealthy towns all over the Empire and bordering countries.”

“You’re present in all of them?” Ilea asked.

“Most, though mainly the Empire. I suppose our influence here prevents rapid expansion elsewhere,” Julia suggested.

“Makes sense,” Ilea said, greeting a few healers who had done the same to her. Most were below level one hundred even, none of them giving her the impression of an experienced fighter.

They went up a few sets of stairs, Julia leading her into the upper part of the fort where more imperial guards now actively stopped them.

“Don’t have your own guards?” she asked, looking at the healer.

“No reason to be a smart ass,” one of the guards said.

Julia glared at the man. “You’re insulting Lilith, watch your mouth.”

He glanced between them.

“Apologize to her,” Julia demanded.

Ilea waved her off. “It’s fine. I was being a smart ass. So why don’t they have their own guards?”

The other man replied. “Order pays ‘lenty o taxes. An healers can’t exactly protect ‘emselves, can ey?”

[Halberd Fighter – lvl 85]

“I guess they can’t,” Ilea said, blinking a few times as she looked at the man. “Good thing they have you to protect them.”

“Aw piss off, go inside then,” he said and spat on the ground. “Nobilihy.”

“I’m not actually noble, but sure. A good day to you two,” Ilea said and displaced their weapons onto the roof.

“Wha… where,” one of them stuttered, looking around before he left his post in search of his weapon.

Julia giggled next to her. “Shall we?”

She looked ready to fight that man with her bare hands, Ilea thought. “I think I can find the way myself now. Thanks for getting me here, Julia.”

“Oh… alright. Well, good luck in that case. I hope to hear more from you… ah… before… do you maybe want to get lunch later? I know a few good restaurants!” the woman asked, her face taking on a shade of red.

Ilea smiled. “That’s sweet, but I’ve got other business to attend to afterwards. Thanks for the invitation, and good luck with your healing.”

The woman nodded, deflating a little before she straightened and smiled. “Goodbye, Lilith. It was an honor to meet you,” she added and bowed.

“Nice to meet you too, Julia,” Ilea answered and entered the temple. Well that was awkward.

She didn’t want to take advantage of the starstruck healer, hoping this wouldn’t become a normal occurrence. Go Sentinels, get stronger quickly.

The halls within were mostly empty, one healer walking past but ignoring her after a confused glance.

Ilea found a woman sitting at a desk within the largest room, windows angled in a way that would let her see the lake beyond. She assumed that was the Minister.

A knock on the door made the woman look up. “Yes.”

Ilea looked in from a half opened door. “Minister Genesis?”

“Indeed,” the woman said and locked eyes with her. “And you must be Lilith. Come in.”

Ilea closed the door behind herself and looked around. A few shelves lined the walls, covered not only in books but trinkets, potions, and items giving off various magical auras. A large brown fur of some kind of bear was laid out to the side of the room, a door leading out to a terrace overlooking the port and lake beyond.

[Barrier Mage – lvl 285]

The woman herself looked to be in her fifties, which only meant she reached a high level at that point in her life. She could’ve been hundreds if not thousands of years old. Gray hair bound in a single bun adorned her head, a slightly armored dark gray robe with silver embroideries covered her body.

Ilea assumed based on the slight armor, higher level, and her body language that the Minister at least had some real battle experience. Her face was schooled but the slight tension in her body suggested at least some awareness of the monster in front of her.

“Lovely office you have here,” Ilea commented, breaking the eye contact to look outside. “And an even better view.”