Chapter 703: Ripples in Space (1/2)

Chapter 703 Ripples in Space

The dwarf Kerron agreed to lead them to his vault after considerable whining and complaints. He would receive compensation for the artifact from the Pit itself but it remained apparent that he didn’t want to part with the key.

“Why do you want it anyway?” he asked when he returned from the vault, Ilea and Helwart waiting in the large entrance hall of the dark blue steel mansion.

“I like collecting shiny things,” Ilea said and received the piece.

[The Iron Key – Ancient Quality]

Seven down and I still haven’t been to Iz, she thought with a smile.

“Taleen that one, one of me ancestors passed it down. Only thing she said was to never give it away,” Kerron said.

Ilea looked at him and made the artifact vanish. “Pretty easily convinced then,” she mused.

He waved her off. “You beat Helwart, hardly anywhere with whom it would be safer. Just hope you know what yer doin.”

“Mostly,” Ilea reassured him.

Helwart laughed and turned to leave. “Aye, gotta go make sure there’s no civil war in your name. See ya around,” he added with a wave of his armored hand.

“Let me know if I can help,” Ilea said. “I’ll be off then too, thanks Kerron.”

“I’m open to discu-”

She vanished, not particularly interested in whatever machinations he had in store for her. Whelp, now pretty much everyone here knows how I look like. Even if they didn’t make the connection between me and the flying fire being, they’d still be annoying anyway.

“I’ll be down near the Soul Forge,” she sent to Verena through her mark as she found a dark alley between highly enchanted buildings. She activated her third tier transfer and vanished, appearing a moment later in front of the massive cube.

Aki reacted instantly, taking aim with an arm cannon before he realized it was her. Owl didn’t notice her at all, the Lich floating through a section of heated luminescent water with glowing purple eyes.

“Tournament concluded already?” Iana asked when she noticed her.

“Yeah. The Champion challenged me after my fight. And I won the key,” Ilea answered as she spread her wings, the feeling incredibly freeing after hiding them away for a few hours. She dissolved her ash copies and floated down to join Owl. “Let me know if I can help with anything, otherwise don’t let me bother you. Take as much time as you need.”

She activated her mantle and stored the leather armor, her ash much more comfortable than most of her clothes. The water felt nice but not quite hot enough for her tastes. “Mind if I heat it up a little more?”

The Lich looked at her, the purple line where her mouth would be moving into a smile. “Ilea. Welcome back. This sensation is… strange,” she said and moved her hand through the water. There was some resistance but not quite as much as a human body produced. “I do not mind heat.”

“Good,” Ilea mused and started forming lava below her. She added some ice to make sure the natural pool wouldn’t fully evaporate. “How does the water feel for you?” she asked, her mantle remaining only as a bathing suit.

Owl cupped her hands together and raised them up, the water flowing through her ethereal form before it fell back to the pool. “Exciting,” she said and sat down a few meters away.

It took a moment for Ilea to differentiate the frameworks, both Owl’s form and the water itself flowing into each other to an extent. It was easier to see the difference with her magic perception than with her space awareness. “Still got a lot to figure out about your new form.”

The Lich giggled. “Yes! Though I think it’s not that different from my last one but the others never really offered to teach me anything. Pain tried a few times but he didn’t know much himself either.”

Ilea checked the few messages from the Dome escapades as she leaned back and enjoyed the building heat, the red glow of lava mixing in with the luminescent blue water, steam rising from their pool.

Not a single Class skill level. Ah well, not like I was in any danger during those fights.

‘ding’ ‘Minor Lava Manipulation reaches lvl 2’

‘ding’ ‘Monstrous reaches lvl 8’

‘ding’ ‘Telepathy reaches lvl 3’

Hmm, at least some general skill levels I suppose.

She turned her head slightly and opened one eye towards the massive undead being. “How did you handle it? Being in the city of glass for what, thousands of years?”

“Hmm,” Owl mused, raising a finger to her mouth, water slowly flowing out of her arm. “You know… more has happened in the past days than in the last few centuries. I think… without… without sleep, food, some kind of routine, time quickly loses its meaning. I meditated a lot or just… floated around, tried to teach monsters to get through my section of the dungeon.”

“Meditation must’ve helped,” Ilea said. “I guess my healing would keep me sane too, if I got stuck somewhere for a few centuries.”

“I didn’t even get lonely. It just… didn’t matter? I know… humans have needs, expectations, dreams. But me? I’m just… undead. It’s nice to have more things to do though, and to learn. Like there’s more of a purpose than to simply exist,” she said with a smile.

“Aw. Kinda want to give you a hug now,” Ilea said.

The color of the ethereal lich turned a little darker, her eyes glimmering. “I… uhm. Sure, if. If you want to do that.”

Ilea looked at the fidgeting hands of the four mark being and sat back up, her eyes open. “Are you… wait. I thought you didn’t have any needs anymore?”

The Lich looked away. “Rude,” she murmured and sunk a little deeper into the water. “I know. You’re right… it just… felt… I don’t know.”

“Sorry, didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. Always up for that hug whenever you want one,” Ilea said.

“Thanks,” the Lich replied.

The two of them relaxed in the pool for nearly an hour, Ilea suggesting some resistance training afterwards.

Bralin and the Elders joined them a few hours later, the dwarf anxious to get away from the Pit for a little while due to the insane winnings from his betting. The fact that he could hide in the domain of the Meadow provided additional joy as none of the assassins sent to get him would manage to get even close. And by the time he would return, the whole thing should’ve been blown over. Or so he claimed.

Ilea received her share of the winnings. Not quite the seven thousand gold coins she would’ve won but three instead. In addition to a whole stack of ancient documents now stating that she was the owner of one or the other establishment or piece of land in the Pit. More things for Claire to go through, and another economic outpost established in a faraway settlement.

The enchanters finished their preparations after another eight hours, faster than expected due to the help of Twin, the Fae more focused on actual support than on making eyes explode.

“Ilea, Owl, we would be ready,” Iana said finally.

“Sure? You can take your time if you have to,” Ilea mused, flying in the air with Aki and Owl nearby.

“We went over everything seven times. If it still fails, it fails,” she answered.

“Optimistic,” Ilea said. “Chance of everything exploding?”

The enchantress smiled. “Always.”

“Wonderful,” Ilea replied and covered both Iana and Chris with a layer of her mantle, just in case. “Maybe some distance then. You said I just have to push mana into it?”

“Yes, with a punch of space magic,” Iana replied. “Owl and Aki will be providing the major part of the magic, and Twin offered to channel it so that we don’t have to explain the details to the three of you.”

“Nice of her,” Ilea mused, looking at the Fae that appeared on her left shoulder. “Thanks for the help.”

Enjoyable

Project

The being seemed pleased, albeit slightly exhausted.

“Sure you’re up for the channeling job? Worst pain I’ve ever experienced was related to something like that,” Ilea said, shuddering lightly when she remembered the deep layer in the Descent. She used her healing on the Fae.

Appreciate, she sent, drooping down a little on the shoulder as a small bed of ash formed.

“Take your time,” Ilea replied.

The Fae was ready a few minutes later, taking its position at an extension of the massive magic circle built around the Soul Forge.

The three high level beings followed the enchanters’ instructions and started channeling their mana into the prepared sections on the ground, all flowing past where the Fae floated.