Chapter 752: Twenty Eight (1/2)

Ilea left the cleanup of the bodies to the Sentinels. She glanced at the corpse of the large demon that had been summoned. Don’t think I’ve seen one of those before. Was that once a Navuun as well? Or something different? Like an animal or monster that lived in Kohr?

Nothing remained of the cultist woman her copy had killed. And she won’t be missed. An insignificant blip on her radar, a group of rogues trying to cause harm to her people. She was done playing games with groups like that, or consider the deep moral issues. At this point she had killed for less, and she didn’t exactly regret it. If even with her insane reputation, and the organizations currently present in Ravenhall, a group like that would still show up sacrificing people and summoning demons, her resulting answer would be the same.

She spread her wings and teleported up, glancing at the group of Sentinels handing out new clothing, food, and water to the scared and exhausted survivors. Hostages. Ilea grit her teeth. She decided not to clean off the mist of blood still sticking to herself. Let them add to my reputation. Let them know what I will do to my enemies.

The flight back was quick, the guards still on alert when she slowly flew past above. No demon would reach the city. And if more were summoned, they would be killed all the same. She landed at the entrance of the terrace, the guards avoiding eye contact as they stepped aside. She could feel their fear, even without a skill. Stepping inside, she returned to her part of the railings, ignoring the short glances or attempts to hide interest by the many present influential people. Many of them had seen her fight, more so had heard stories. Few had seen her in a serious capacity.

Michael and Velamyr mostly. And her allies of course. Ilea didn’t exactly count the show she presented back in Kroll. Way too easy to summon fucking demons.

Two Sentinels were helping Pierce reattach mangled arms to her body down on the fighting grounds, the woman complaining about the small space the arena provided and the annoying barrier.

Kyrian had won. Unsurprisingly. She had seen them both fight. The man wasn’t the tame Shadow Ilea had met in Ravenhall anymore. Can’t wait for him to reach five hundred, she thought with a grin below her bloodied mantle.

“You might want to eat something,” Catelyn said as she approached. “And get rid of all that grime. It stinks.”

Ilea glanced at her, locking eyes with the fearless fox. They glared at each other for a few seconds. “Maybe you’re right.”

“May I?” Catelyn asked.

Ilea affirmed, orange flames flowing over her a moment later. She could’ve dealt with it herself but if Catelyn wanted to make some sort of statement, she didn’t mind. “Letting them know you have me under control?” Ilea asked.

The fox’s eyes sparkled with flame as she jumped up to relax on the railings next to her. “Letting them know they’re not getting murdered in the next two minutes. But I suppose it underlines our alliance. What happened?”

“Cult, summoning demons. Sacrificing people to do so,” Ilea answered.

“It is the way of things. It sends a message that you took care of it personally. To those fighting for you. While many of the present nobility will prefer to rule, you lead,” Catelyn said.

“You know I don’t want to do either,” Ilea said.

“Do you think I wanted to become a council member?” the fox asked and glanced at her. “I wanted to do this.”

“Watch tournaments and bother your grumpy friends?” Ilea asked.

“No. Lie down. Enjoy the suns,” the fox said.

Ilea raised her brows. “The suns. With arcane storms raging?”

“I had my ways,” Catelyn said in a self satisfied tone.

The fox followed Ilea’s gaze to the sand covered grounds, mages still repairing the damage done by the previous battle. “The second finalist.”

“Yeah,” Ilea said.

“You don’t like that the Destroyer won against your Sentinel,” Catelyn said.

“I don’t like Bob. Period. He had more than a hundred levels on Niram, It’s incredible that he got this far in the first place,” Ilea sent back.

“A testament to their power. But knowing you, it wasn’t a surprise to me. Many of these participants would do well to live in Hallowfort for a time, to survive the harsh landscape instead of being coddled by your luxuries and safety in the Plains,” Catelyn mused.

“The Sentinels will be happy to explore the northern lands as soon as the gates are opened to everyone. I would imagine plenty of others will try their luck as well,” Ilea said. She didn’t disagree. Comparing either warriors from Hallowfort or the Pit to human fighters just wasn’t exactly fair. The dwarves had in the end accepted their lack of tournament participation, but not without a lot of arguing. With their experience and downright home turf in the barrier covered arena, most adventurers would’ve been absolutely destroyed by even a mid level war machine.

They had agreed in the end due to the potential political damage, and due to future winnings once people started visiting the Pit. If everyone got crushed now, they wouldn’t ever consider going into the Forged Dome.

“We will be happy to accommodate them. Though you do have that cube already, and the Meadow will surely add buildings for them as well,” Catelyn said.

“Bold of you to assume a Sentinel needs a place to stay,” Ilea said, smiling to herself. She had spent plenty of nights in trees or caverns. Though the weak wooden branches would likely no longer be able to keep her up there. Another great loss due to her overwhelming power. Well. Not that great. I do have fantastic beds now, any my ash is probably more comfortable anyway. Wait. When’s the last time I’ve even slept?

She tried to remember but was interrupted by the announcer.

“What a brilliant fight! I’m still out of breath at that incredible display of magical power. An Elder of the Shadow’s Hand, beaten by a Shadow of her own order. Later today we will be seeing the finals play out. The Cursed against the Destroyer. And now everyone, we’re getting to the finals of the team competition. Please welcome the two groups that have made it this far.” The announcer got louder with the last few sentences as the crowd started cheering. The ground opened up as the groups were raised onto the level of the arena with the enchanted elevator.

“Semi-finals for the main tournament, winning the pre two hundred tournament. And finals in the group competition. I thought the idea was that the Sentinels don’t get quite this far,” Catelyn said.

Ilea couldn’t help but grin. “Everyone else is just weak.”

The fox rolled her eyes.

“Hard to win against a healer in a competition where killing isn’t exactly allowed. They have a massive advantage. I suppose it will show the importance of healers. Plus most of the powerful people in the various human countries are either having meetings in the city, in Hallowfort, or they’re on this very terrace. Not exactly smart for a kingsguard or General to participate in a tournament and show off all their abilities to a group of potential enemies,” Ilea said.

“And yet they still do. Not all of course. I understand what you mean. Most of the participants are adventurers and Shadows,” Catelyn said.

“It would be more interesting, admittedly. To see how well Ryse would do. Or what the deal is with Cecila Veyer,” Ilea mused.

“You felt it too. Indeed. I don’t think she’s human at all. Or not anymore,” Catelyn said.

“Think she can take me?” Ilea asked, watching the participants greet each other. She was familiar with both groups.

The Sentinel group was comprised of three Hunters, one of the few teams made up of less than four members. The first ones to take the Hunter exams as well. Some people assumed the group was chosen because of them being only three, as a way to either show off or give others a chance, depending on who one asked. Ilea knew they just played a few rounds of cards between the teams that wanted to represent the Medic Sentinel Corps in the group tournament. Vienna’s team happened to win. That of course caused a few friendlybouts and discussions as to cards deciding instead of actual fights.

Even if the group was just comprised of three people, they had proven to be incredibly well coordinated and very deadly. A few of the fights they had against high level adventurers were decided in under fifteen seconds.

Vienna was their de facto leader, clad in a misty ashen armor. Her Ashen Sentinel Class had evolved into an Ashen Warden variant, both focused on healing herself but with various additions specifically aiming to improve her teamwork with others. Instead of choosing a Sentinel Class to replace her second Class, she had worked on it with the goal of a related evolution.

With her Ranger Class reaching the two hundreds, she became the first Huntress of the Corps, not to be confused with the rank of Huntress upon passing the exam. She held up her hand where her signature ashen bow formed from thin air.

Next to her stood a somewhat small but muscly woman with long brown and braided hair. She waved at the cheering crowd with a bright smile on her face before she glanced at one of her foes, her neck straining as she tried to meet his eyes. She wore the usual bone and stonehammer Sentinel armor but her set looked more battered than most, and there seemed to be more bone added to it. Her broad arms were partially uncovered as well.

Chana disliked wearing helmets, claiming that her skull was harder than any other material. She did usually cover it with stone during battles, if only to satisfy her team leader. The girl’s main Class was called Bulwark of the Sentinels, mostly working with resistances, shock absorption, strength, and high regeneration. Her second one was related to earth magic and enchantments, similar to what Ilea thought Brolin’s Class was.

Chana wasn’t close to meeting the size of a war machine, but if there had been any participants in the tournament that could be compared to the dwarven creations, both of them were now standing on the battlegrounds. Ilea heard some of the dwarven enchanters and guards had already invited her to fight in the Forged Dome.

Last in the team was Elias, the young man floating a little to the side, covered by both ash and air armor, his eyes taking in the opposing team. He was the first Medic Pursuer, his second Class being Wind Executioner. High self regeneration, wind magic with intrusion properties, and an uncanny ability to adapt to enemy abilities and tactics. The man could’ve been the team leader of any other squad, both Shadow or Sentinel, but with Vienna in the group, they had decided she should take the lead.

Ilea had only seen them fight a few times and never in a particularly serious manner. The tournament however had made it clear why they had advanced to the finals. Their levels hovered at around two sixty. Impressive, but lower than some of the teams they had taken apart.