Chapter 765: Golden Eyes (1/2)

Ilea walked back to the others. “We are working to get to the capital, but it will take more time, and we have to be prepared. There are four mark guardians protecting the core. And an entire army controlled by the One without Form.”

“We have fought Taleen armies long before you have heard of their existence,” Veratin said, the elf hissing at her.

“Good. That’s good,” Ilea said and gave him a thumbs up, the visible confusion on his face bringing her more than a bit of joy. “So none of you have an easy way to get the key in the ice domain?”

The Elves remained silent.

“You should leave the keys with someone else before you go,” Maratas said.

“I will,” Ilea said. She didn’t plan to die but she understood his concern. If a level eight hundred elf wouldn’t offer to invade the Still Valley, maybe Ben’s fears weren’t quite unfounded. Not that she assumed as much in the first place. “And I’ll let you know once I have all the keys.”

“Once you do, we will be ready,” Isalthar said. “And we will move to delve into Karth ourselves.”

“I can just teleport you there,” Ilea said.

He raised his brows before he bowed lightly. “That would indeed save time.”

The gray haired elf chuckled to himself.

“I wanted to ask something else. Fey didn’t know about it. Nelras Ithom, do you know the name?” she asked, looking around.

The chuckling elf choked before he started coughing.

Isalthar hissed. “A monarch. Of the sunlight wastes. He lived before my time but I know their domain fell into centuries of chaos after his demise. Hundreds of Elves lost their lives in the wake of his death. How have you heard of his name?”

“Stumbled upon an artifact that had to do with him,” she said.

“May I see it?” the gray haired elf said.

Ilea glanced his way. “No.”

He hissed, hand closing into a fist. “Very well,” he said and leaned back, his interest gone already.

Guess if you’re that old you don’t hold onto things for very long. She watched him for a moment before returning her attention to the others. Before even Isalthar’s time. Was anyone here even there in the war? I suppose they would’ve had little need to be Cerithil Hunters before the Taleen started to send out their machines. Their cities wouldn’t have been dungeons in the first place.

“Secrets kept from Elves, by a human of all things,” Veratin mused.

Ilea was about to hiss when he continued.

“I like that,” he said. “Yes. Perhaps you were right to bring them here,” he said, glancing at Isalthar before he stepped back to his brooding spot in the moss covered ruin somewhere deep within the Navali forest.

“What was your name again, child?” the gray haired elf asked.

“Why don’t you give me your name first, grandpa?” she replied.

Some of the elves hissed.

He just smirked, the expression a little disturbing with his obvious age but youthful face. “I am Carthaan Oris, at your service, young human.”

“I’m Lilith, nice to meet you, Carthaan,” she spoke with a smile. “Can’t wait to fight you.”

He laughed, a fit of coughs wracking through him a moment later. “It will be nice to fight by your side, Lilith.”

“Long has it been since I have fought alongside an Azarinth Healer,” his voice reverberated in her mind.

Ilea cut the connection before establishing a new one with her own skill. “You’re a funny one, old elf.”

He huffed.

“I’m not of the Azarinth however, even though I use their magic,” she said.

“I’m not blind. Those lunatics are gone. Good riddance. Know that Nelras Ithom has fallen to the Ascended, brought into their realm like the idiot he was. He had a good heart, and who knows… perhaps he would’ve been by our side today, had he survived.” he said.

“Did you know him personally?” Ilea asked.

“I fought him a few times. I think… who knows… time and memory, is fickle,” he spoke, his eyes dimming for a moment before the strange blue depth returned. “Those… shields you formed. Have you found that mythical item?”

“The Azarinth Star,” Ilea said. “Yes. I found it recently. What do you know of it?”

He nodded to himself. “Bothersome. Very bothersome. It’s good that you have it, and not one of their Elders.”

“Didn’t you just say they’re gone?” she asked.

“Gone?” he looked at her with confusion. “Yes…” He nodded to himself. “The Azarinth? Your magic feels familiar, indeed.”

Isalthar gently touched her shoulder, giving her a look with his white eyes.

“What’s with him?” she asked.

“He is old. Older than most, and his mind has taken… much. If it’s agreeable, I would ask you to let him rest,” he said.

Ilea nodded. “Carthaan. Would you mind if I healed your mind?”

He glanced up. “An arcane healer. Long has it been. Indeed, I would not deny such an attempt.”

You can’t anyway. Healing magic, hah. She focused on his mind and activated her spell, seeing relief in his eyes before he closed them.

Guess I’m a caretaker for old elfs now.

Isalthar watched the scene before he gave her a nod. “Is there anything else you came to discuss?”

“Zoy, if you’re looking for some human interaction, let me know. Or if you want to meet someone else besides Elves. I can bring you back again too,” she sent to the woman.

Zoy turned her head towards Ilea and gave her a light nod.

Guess that’s a maybe? She shrugged and turned back to Isalthar. “I’ll just return for resistance training. With some others here too, if that works for you.”

“Most of the messages have been sent, though some of us seek Hunters still. Those who are here will be of service to you, should you be able to convince them,” he said.

“You can start then, if you’re around for a little while,” she said.

“Of course,” Isalthar spoke. “Let us descend deeper, lest we alert the young ones who hunt in these forests.”

“They can’t enter anyway, no?” Ilea asked, spreading her wings to follow the wind mage and healer.

“They would not enter, however magic may still destroy this place from outside. We do no longer adhere to the rules of the Oracles, though there is sanctity in the Nar el Ceroth, the place of creation, or dungeons as you call them,” he said as they descended.

“Sure,” Ilea said with a smile, another location added to her training roster.

Days turned to weeks, another two months passing in a flash as Ilea prepared for her visit to the Still Valley. The Hunters gathered around Isalthar provided powerful magic for her resistance training, Ilea switching between locations to optimize her routine.

The light was dim, distant chatter and the sound of squeaky wagon wheels signaling the early morning hours in the capital of Lys. Ilea kissed the tired yellow eyed woman lying next to her.

A hand brushed against her hair. “Leaving again?” Felicia asked.

“You know the drill,” Ilea said with a smile.

“How can you keep up with it all? I’m still tired from this week and I’ve worked half as much as you did,” Felicia said. “When did you even sleep last?”

“I’ll sleep when I’ve dealt with the keys. That ice valley is taunting me, I tell you,” Ilea said, touching her lip. “As is Kohr to be honest.”

“You’ve gotten so much stronger. I’m sure there’s no horror out there capable of defeating you,” Felicia said, grabbing Ilea’s arm before she pulled her down. She moved close to her ear and continued in a whisper. “Except for me of course.”

“Except for you,” Ilea said and kissed her.

She left an hour later, behind on her schedule but more than ready for the day ahead.

“The preparations are done,” the Meadow sent into her mind just as she was about to cast her third tier transfer to join Ben for their early morning ice magic session.

“Can’t make it right now, Ben. Might be there later. I’ll let you know,” she sent to the elf. The enhancement to Eternal Huntress increased the message limit from ten to twenty words, in addition to the teleportation benefits.

“I’ll see you in a few days,” she said to the wind make with a smile, teleporting out of the estate and falling into an appearing gate. She landed on the other side, now within the domain of the Meadow.

“Welcome,” it spoke into her mind. “The others are ready.”

“Let’s get started then,” she sent and teleported past the enchanted buildings now crowding around the outer parts of the domain. Just far enough away for the mana not to be troublesome for the researchers and visitors. Most of the people the Meadow had mentioned were interested in magical theory and not the divinity or nature of its existence.