Chapter 790: Dinner (1/2)

The suns were already rather low on the horizon, Riverwatch basking in the late summer evening light. Sentinels and Shadows still flew above the city, some of the local guard squads doing the same.

“How long do you think the meeting will take? We could get dinner together at Walter’s place,” she sent to Trian and Claire.

“At least a few more hours. I’ll contact you,” Claire sent back near instantly.

“Would be nice. No idea how long. The Taleen want detailed plans,” Trian sent.

“Detailed plans,” Ilea sighed.

“It’s good that you’re not the administrator, or Headmaster for that matter,” Kyrian said as he looked over the city. He wore a black long sleeved shirt and black pants.

“Yeah, I’ve been told similar things in the past few days. But you know, we wouldn’t be here without me surviving a sunlit corridor,” she said, leaning against a tree. This one was far thicker than the one that buckled.

“Not getting enough validation? Oh great Lilith?” he asked with a smirk.

She smiled. “Fuck off. You look good. I like the casual look. Got over your constant protection or what is it?”

“It’s been… I’m better. Yes. I can also store plenty of metal in some kind of space domain, or the Meadow says its one. Connected to my essence apparently, so yeah… easier to be like this when my armor is right there. The storage rings just weren’t the same,” he said.

“Right. I have something similar. But I can store everything,” she said.

“Of course yours is better,” he said with a laugh.

“My armor is a skill so I guess it’s different in the first place. Kind of strange that you can’t make your own metal yet,” she said. “We can fly a bit and then walk by the way. The others might join later.”

“Fair, let’s go then,” he said and followed, the two flying for a few seconds through the forest before coming to a stop, landing and continuing on foot. “I had choices for metal creator classes,” he said. “But they just didn’t seem as powerful as my main one. Infusing and empowering the metal I choose limits the amount I can control, yes, but at the same time it’s far stronger than anything I could create. At least it seemed that way from the descriptions.”

“Your metal is insanely powerful, yes,” Ilea said. “On par with what the Ascended threw at me.”

“Oh really?” he asked.

Ilea smiled. “Yeah. I think you’re a much better fighter than the ones I’ve faced. But I suppose they’re not exactly warriors.”

“I train with really good ones too,” he said and winked.

“Smooth. Now you can train with a bunch of Executioners. I still wonder if we can test ourselves against the Sphere Guardians. Not a priority for Aki right now, but yeah,” she said.

The forest got darker as the trees became more dense. They were already close to the mountain and the Calys mine.

“I’m more interested in facing all those elves, honestly. Far more natural fighters and they’ve been at it for centuries, maybe even longer. Their magic intrigues me as well. How do you even defend against something like sound,” he mused.

“You just let it hit you. Until the resistance is high enough,” Ilea suggested.

He laughed. “Sure. That’s your approach. Because you can just heal everything. Not everyone has that level of regeneration.”

“You’re pretty durable yourself,” she said.

“Yeah. But a level eight hundred elf?” he asked. “I don’t know about that. I’ll find out though, if they really come to the Descent.”

“Right. I’m happy to train with them too. Don’t see why they would refuse to come either. I bet Isalthar likes the chance to have the Hunters gathered in a central place, even though the Descent is pretty large,” she said as they reached the slope of the mountain, the trees more scarce here. She quickly spotted the hidden entrance, smiling at the lack of concealment. With all her perception skills and enhanced sight, it may as well have been a door. Walter needs to upgrade his shit. Maybe that lady from that estate can help.

“Just hope the Accords talk to them in time, but I suppose Aki is with them,” Kyrian said.

“Took two days to prepare. I’m sure there were some talks,” Ilea said.

“You don’t actually know anything?” Kyrian asked.

She shrugged. “I actually was in Io, you know? Preparing things.”

“For two entire days?” he asked, raising his brows.

Ilea teleported them into the cavern. “I also visited Felicia, alright?”

“Right. I might’ve been in the capital too.”

“So that’s why there was no fucking food in the Redleaf mansion,” Ilea complained.

“You have entire restaurants inside of your storage domain or whatever it is,” Kyrian murmured, looking away.

“Denying Lilith her food. You have some nerve,” Ilea said, knocking on the hidden entrance to the Vultures Den. This one at least was enchanted.

“Might get an evolution achievement for that. Or one of those titles you talked about,” he said and pointed at her. “You’re still a Wanderer. Did you get something new in the meantime?”

Ilea shrugged. “I forgot to check.”

“You just like the Wanderer one, don’t you,” he said. “And I see we’re seeing the Vultures.”

“Maybe. I might be able to switch it now, it’s been over a week since I got it I think. But I can do that at any point in time. If I really need it,” she said and checked the list. There were three new ones since last time.

- Sun Defier [You think you're tougher than the sun. Maybe you are. You take less damage from the heat of stars]

Great. Well sure, if I walk into another sun corridor, I’ll fucking know what to equip.

“I got a few new ones. But nothing really better than what I already have. I’ll leave it for now until I need to do something else,” she said. “Or maybe…” she glanced at Gourmet and Deviant. Hey maybe that would help with my astral stuff.

“Deviant? Really?” Kyrian asked when he saw the change.

“Leave me alone. It might help me train things,” she said and read the description again.

- Deviant [You may learn to understand previously incompatible magics]

“A deviant. Wanderer sounded nicer,” he said when the door opened.

The ruby eyes of grandpa bones looked at them, his skull head glancing between Kyrian and Ilea. “Who is this one? Another three mark? Youth,” he spat. “Don’t tell me you’re married.”

“We’re not. I don’t see why that would be an issue though,” Ilea said. “You’ve even met him before. He’s Kyrian. Initially from my Shadow team, long time friend.”

“I don’t like married people,” the skeleton explained. “Good to meet you, Kyrian. How’s your digging?”

Kyrian shook his bone hand and smiled. “Can’t complain. Just recently dug into the capital of the Taleen.” He ignored the fact that grandpa ones seemed to have forgotten him.

The skeleton whistled. Somehow. “Now that’s some impressive digging. Come on in, Ethi… I mean Walter told us about your coming. He’s preparing food. Even have some of that fish the demon likes so much.”

Ilea smiled. Right. Forgot how crazy this little coven was. Den? Necromancer cult? Whatever.

“Vultures Brohterhood,” Ilea said to her companion.

“It’s beinghood now,” Granpa bones said as they walked down the stairs, Ilea shutting the door with a push of space magic. “It was personhood for a time but then Weavy isn’t really a person, is he?”

Ilea looked at him, raising her brows. You’re not exactly a person either. She chose not to bring it up.

“Beinghood. I don’t think that’s a word,” Kyrian whispered to her.

“You’re allowed to make up new words, you know?” she said as they walked through the damp and unsanitary corridors. She spotted several kinds of fungi growing on the uneven walls, unsure if they were meant for food or simply existed due to gross neglect.

Compared to the enchanted mansion they had come from or the domain of the Meadow, the place was certainly a downgrade. “The beds here are fucking shit too, if you needed to know.”

“I didn’t,” Kyrian answered.

“At least the common room is nice,” she said as they passed a few patrolling undead. The corpses wore battered leather armor, spears in their hands.

[Undead Warrior – lvl 95] – [Dead]

Nice.

“So, how are things down here?” she asked, glancing at the black cape around the skeleton’s back.

He looked back with slightly glowing ruby eyes. “Too loud.”

“I see,” she said. Not one for conversation.

They entered the common room, the smells and atmosphere changing instantly. From damp and dark dungeon like stone corridor to what one might find inside of an inn. The large hearth burned with wood, flickering flames and warmth welcoming any traveler that might find the underground den. Oil lamps added warm light to the hall, stuffed deer, bear, and monster heads adorning the stone walls. Wooden support beams intersected the assortment of tables and chairs. Stairs led down into the somewhat cramped but homely hall, the counter to the left extending near all the way to the back of the room.

Behind the counter, several shelves reached up and nearly to the high ceiling, filled with bottles and jars. Walter’s collection, far more extensive now it seemed. The brewery he set up in Riverwatch must’ve born fruit. Ilea saw the barrels stored in the kitchen, a cellar added below with more. She smiled at the discovery, very much inclined to buy the entire stock.

Walter stood in the kitchen, hugging Lucia as they prepared dinner for everyone.

Harthome showed off a steel hammer glinting with magic, the large man sitting opposite the three initiates. Celene and Weavy sat at another table, the woman listening to the demon talk about a rune he had etched into the table with his claws. She moved a finger around the top of a glass of wine, seemingly lost in thought as the demon talked.

Eyn sat next to Harthome, one hand rubbing his temple as he flicked through the tome of runes. He was the first to notice them, looking up to glance at Ilea. Indra it seemed, wasn’t around.