Chapter 761: Myths (1/2)
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Ilea first summoned the Taleen Key. “Make sure to check this stuff for trackers too. I guess this thing has one anyway.” A variety of barriers had already formed all around, the Meadow protecting them from interested eyes and ears in its domain. She assumed at least one copy of Michael to be around as well. “And let me know if an Ascended shows up anywhere. Big metal guy, nearly three meters, four white eyes, metal, soul, blood, and space magic, maybe more.”
“I am. Watching.” the tree replied.
She grinned at that. Right. That you are.
[The Gold Key – Ancient Quality]
“It seems to be the real thing,” the Meadow said.
“Agreed,” Ilea replied, feeling Violence land on her shoulder.
The creature touched her cheek.
Help?
“With something, yes,” Ilea said and stored the key. Just one to go then. Though I suppose the location is a tiny bit of an issue. “I got a few more items from that vault, one being this.”
She summoned the black heart, the thing much larger than that of a human. It pulsed with energy, the fabric around it distorted a little.
[Heart of Verivyen – Faen Quality]
Ilea glanced at the little Fae. “Faen quality? Any clue what it is?”
Violence shrugged.
Heart
“Yeah. I mean yes. But what is it? Who does it belong to? What does the quality mean?” she asked.
The Fae shrugged again.
“Likely a gift given from a Fae to someone. Violence let me know that he wouldn’t necessarily know about gifts given by others. It can be a rather personal affair. As to the effects of this item, I have an inkling, at least partially. There is a lot of magic stored inside that artifact, including wood and life. It could serve as a way to grow things, though none other than the recipients would be able to use it efficiently,” the Meadow explained.
“No recipient address listed I assume?” Ilea joked.
Owl raised an ethereal hand. “Hmm… there… is, something like that. I think. Cute brown tails, it says.”
“That doesn’t exactly narrow it down,” Ilea said and stored the strange heart again. “Violence, can you maybe ask around in your cluster? If it was a gift from a Fae to someone else, it’d be nice to return it.”
The Baron gave her a thumbs up with no thumbs.
Next came the spear, broken into seven pieces. Ilea expected the bits to fall apart once summoned but they hovered close to each other, wind magic keeping them connected.
[Splintered Spear of the Black Leaf – Mythic Quality]
“Mythic, damn,” Ilea mused.
“A powerful artifact indeed. Wielded by an impressive figure. It would take someone at least as impressive to rejoin the pieces,” the Meadow said.
“Goliath?” Ilea asked.
“A wielder of the spear is required in this case, not the hammer of a smith,” it spoke.
An impressive weapon I guess, for someone else. “Let me know if someone comes up.”
She stored the splinters as one and summoned the strange black sphere.
[Crystal of the Veiled Ithom – Ancient Quality]
Owl and Violence moved closer the moment she summoned the thing, making an effort not to touch it with anything but her ash. Even Ilea could now perceive the essence, her perception still limited to very close sources. A strange whisper resounded from the near head sized sphere, the darkness near void like.
“A powerful soul has been trapped within this… terrible creation,” Owl said and shook her head.
Monarch
“What?” Ilea said, turning to the Fae.
Violence pointed at the sphere.
“A king? Like within Twin?” Ilea asked.
No
Monarch
Nelras
Ithom
Angry
Very
Violent
Ilea glanced at Owl.
The lich shook her head. “I cannot communicate with the soul within. I have no idea how the Baron is managing that. Very impressive, Violence!” she said and patted the giggling creature.
“Can we get it out somehow? Would be interesting at the very least. Maybe they can tell us something about the Ascended,” Ilea suggested.
“The device found within the Soul Forge should be more than capable. However I’m unsure if you would wish to move an unknown… apparently angry soul into a war machine or anything of the like,” Meadow said.
“Monarch. Wait, you mean an elven Monarch?” Ilea asked, her eyes going wide as she looked at the giggling Fae.
It nodded.
Monarch.
“Shit,” Ilea murmured, looking at the sphere. “Don’t suppose we have a toaster with a speech module or something?”
“What is a toaster? If you’re looking for a device capable of speech but with no combat effectiveness, I’m afraid not. However based on the Soul Wardens I’m sure Goliath, Owl, and me can figure something out. Something safe. To communicate and find out more about the Soul stored within. Violence can only perceive surface information, or so he claims,” Meadow spoke.
“Nelras Ithom you said,” Ilea said and wrote it down. She added a section of things she remembered the Ascended saying, including his name. “We’ll figure something out,” she said and sent as well, aimed towards the sphere before she stored it. “This is some absolutely insane stuff.”
“Who exactly did that vault belong to again?” the Meadow asked.
“Ker Velor,” Ilea said.
None of them reacted in any way.
“Yeah. I’ve got no clue either. I’ll look into it though,” she said. “Last item, this one has to do with the Azarinth somehow.”
The necklace appeared in her hands, the yellow crystal flowing with magic. She felt strange touching the thing, a connection similar to the heart, but different at the same time. It’s my aura.
[The Azarinth Star – Mythic Quality]
“What do you think of that?” she asked.
A giggle moved through the black grass. “Not a spear. You should try to infuse it with your healing magic, Azarinth Healer.”
“Sure it’s safe?” Ilea asked.
“Yes. Absolutely,” the Meadow answered. “Not only used by someone with similar magic to your own, but I can feel a familiar school in this one too. It should prove useful for you too, granted you study and learn.”
She sighed. Even more shit to figure out. Reconstruction flowed into it, the necklace floating out of her hand and moving around her neck. It remained a few centimeters away from her body, Ilea looking at the tree, the Fae, and Owl.
Iana and Christopher arrived now too, as did Goliath. “What’s happening?” the woman asked, whistling when she saw the floating necklace. “Holy, is that a mythic item?”
“How do all of you know about that stuff?” Ilea asked, instinctively letting the necklace move around her neck and close. It settled on her skin, a surge of magic flowing into her.