Chapter 654: Growing Awareness (2/2)

‘ding’ ‘Space Shift reaches 3rd lvl 23’

‘ding’ ‘Body of the Valkyrie reaches 3rd lvl 28’

‘ding’ ‘Space Awareness reaches 3rd lvl 9’

Ilea was sure that the massive jump in her third Class abilities were directly connected to her increasing Space Awareness. Everything felt connected. Well, everything except Body of the Valkyrie, which luckily only had a few levels to go and the creatures that had remained within the Descent were more than capable of pushing her to level thirty. Some with a little help of a disabled resistance and an unwillingness to evade.

She was glad to have achieved her awareness only after befriending the Meadow. With what she could perceive now, she wasn’t sure their relationship had formed quite the way it had back in Erendar. Where she had known intellectually that the creature wielded magic beyond most she had met before, by now she could see a part of the truth. The Meadow had been seen as a god, and Ilea started to see why. Not based on understanding but quite literally her sight.

“And here I thought staring was considered rude,” the being said.

Ilea looked away. “Sorry. I’ll get used to it in time. You’re just… a lot to take in.”

“The burden of being the most beautiful being in existence. Don’t feel guilty, human. It’s only natural to fall for me,” the creature said.

Ilea ignored the suggestions and read through the rest of her notifications. The group from the Krahen isles needed to push themselves a little more and asked for her help. That had been a week ago, and she felt like she was finally ready to risk some Class level ups once more.

To think I would postpone it all to work on my skills. Maybe I really am fighting creatures that are entirely too powerful. But those in my level range are just so very boring.

‘ding’ ‘Ashen limbs reaches lvl 3’

‘ding’ ‘Bulwark of Ash reaches lvl 2’

‘ding’ ‘Dancing reaches lvl 4’

‘ding’ ‘Deviant of Humanity reaches 3rd lvl 13’

‘ding’ ‘Drill reaches lvl 2’

‘ding’ ‘Gourmet reaches lvl 7’

‘ding’ ‘Monstrous reaches lvl 2’

‘ding’ ‘Oxygen Repository reaches 2nd lvl 8’

‘ding’ ‘Sage of Torment reaches 2nd lvl 10’

‘ding’ ‘Soul Perception reaches lvl 10’

‘ding’ ‘Spear of Ash reaches lvl 3’

‘ding’ ‘Teaching reaches lvl 7’

Her derivative skills leveled throughout her training, the level ups making each specialization just a little better. Monstrous gained a level, apparently by simply having people identify her while it was active. Either that or the skill just gradually leveled as long as she hid her three mark status.

Ilea finally accepted that her ability to help the Sentinels train their Pain Tolerance and resistances outweighed her teaching capabilities. She would have to trust the faculty to do a better job there.

‘ding’ ‘Ash Magic Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 3’

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

‘ding’ ‘Bone Magic Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 17’

It hadn’t come as a surprise to her that some of the Sentinels had learned from Orthan, the Alymie instructor being a capable bone magic user.

‘ding’ ‘Divination Magic Resistance reaches lvl 10’

‘ding’ ‘Earth Magic Resistance reaches 3rd lvl 4’

‘ding’ ‘Heat Resistance reaches 3rd lvl 23’

‘ding’ ‘Lava Magic Resistance reaches 3rd lvl 6’

‘ding’ ‘Lightning Resistance reaches 3rd lvl 10’

‘ding’ ‘Petrification Resistance reaches lvl 8’

‘ding’ ‘Wind Resistance reaches 3rd lvl 10’

“You fought the four mark Bluetail before?” she asked.

Kyrian glanced over. “Yes. I just need to know you’re nearby in case I get caught in one of its high level spells. Even with the assistance, it should be enough to get me a few levels, and achievements for my evolution.

[Metal Mage – lvl 441]

Feyrair had apparently caught up a little but neither were incredibly close to their next evolution. Not if they didn’t start fighting four marks soon, and preferably alone.

“I’m surprised you can even take the cutting winds,” Ilea said.

“All depends on the angles. I can deflect them mostly, though it took me many tries to get it right. Training with the lower level ones for all this time helped,” Kyrian explained.

“And Feyrair plans to take on a Wyrm,” she said with a sigh.

“You think that less reasonable than the Bluetail? His resistance to fire and heat is incredible. Especially in his dragon form,” he said. “I’m less sure about his ability to damage the creature. Even you had difficulties getting through. But I suppose it’s worth a shot if he takes on one of the considerably weaker ones. He found a few of them already.”

“Still four marks?” Ilea asked. “I doubt he could survive that sun spell.”

“Not all of them, no. He’s working on his resistances as we speak. And what better way to do that than facing the devastating magic of a four mark monster,” Kyrian said.

“I know I do it all the time. Guess I’m just worried about you guys,” Ilea admitted. She knew all of them could regenerate their injuries. Perhaps not quite as efficiently as she did, but they could survive quite a lot more than most.

Kyrian chuckled to himself. “Well, I told you I’d get to five hundred. After that we’ll see, I suppose, but if my evolutions are anywhere near the ones you got, four marks won’t be quite as frightening anymore. Low level ones that is. The Meadow is still terrifying.”

“You have no idea,” Ilea answered.

“You two know I can hear you?” the being asked.

“Yes, of course,” Kyrian answered.

“Mhm,” Ilea mused.

“Maybe we can try to fight it together,” the metal mage suggested.

“Nope. That won’t change a thing,” Ilea said. “What we need is more levels and high resistances against all of its magic schools. Only then can we force it to use its strongest spells.”

“What about an ambush? Does it not sleep?” Kyrian asked.

Ilea shook her head. “No. The Meadow is all seeing, always awake, its mana damn near limitless.”

The man nodded. “A worthy opponent for you in that case. I wish you luck.”

“And there he goes, abandoning you,” the Meadow said as a giggle rushed over the field of dark grass.

Ilea glanced at Kyrian and smiled. “No, you misunderstand. He just believes in me.”

“The future you. As you are now, there’s no way you could face that monster. Not that you wouldn’t try,” he said.

“I try every day,” Ilea said and bit her lip. “I’m sure I’ll succeed eventually.”

“The score is four thousand eight hundred sixty two to zero,” the Meadow informed.

“You keeping score just means there is a chance for me to win,” Ilea said with a grin. “Now give me the next puzzle. I’m itching to fight some more reasonable four marks again.”

They had yet to receive news from Isalthar, or any new findings from Niivalyr’s group. And yet Ilea felt like they would be ready soon, to both collect the other keys and start pushing into the capital of the Taleen.