Chapter 1331 (1/2)
Over the next hour, Randidly grew much more accustomed to the usage and costs of the Dreamcatcher of the Long Night through repeated exposure. Perhaps more importantly for his present purposes, he discovered that no matter what combination of knowledge that he attempted to reveal to the version of Illym from within the Dreamcatcher, no matter what Randidly said, she would attack him and kill him within ten seconds of his appearing there.
Hard to know if that’s due to the fact that it is a moment caught somehow in the Dreamcatcher or not, Randidly thought rather morosely. But I suppose if this truly was the most vulnerable moment exactly before Illym was going to kill herself, it makes a certain amount of sense to react very poorly to a stranger abruptly intruding...
In addition, Randidly realized that the mental ‘cost’ associated with the Dreamcatcher was fixed to the time that Randidly spent within the conjured world. So even though Randidly used the Dreamcatcher perhaps thirty times in the hour as he was gathering information, he was nowhere near as tired as he had been after visiting that moment Yystrix isolated him.
Primarily because Illym kept killing him with an annoying amount of efficiency.
It was discouraging for Randidly to encounter this figure, who although clearly being very powerful in her day, could very quickly wipe the floor with any of Randidly’s three images in a direct confrontation. Perhaps if he had some more space to maneuver he could last longer…
Or if he could fucking utilize Nether…
Honestly, losing to Illym wasn’t nearly as depressing as the attempt to use Nether while fighting within the Dreamcatcher of the Long Night. No sooner had Randidly allowed Nether to manifest in the air around his body than three sharp senses of Perception locked onto his position. All had a vicious sort of determination to kill him.
Two he recognized as Illym’s parents, but the third…
The third wiped me out of existence as soon as it found me, Randidly thought sourly. He flexed his fingers in frustration and winced as he examined the situation in his inner world. In addition, whoever that individual was inflicted actual damage to my Nether that stayed with me out to the real world… I suppose it makes sense that if this item is based on the concepts of Nether, that its influence might taint my actual Nether…
Safer to avoid using Nether in the future… in this case, it's a good thing that the moment resets every time.
Ultimately, the damage he sustained slowed the development of his Nether nebula, but luckily it seemed that Nether would rapidly recovered to its complete point once he was back in the real world, standing in the silvery mist of his island. After fifteen minutes, Randidly released a relieved sigh and prepared to try again.
Although the current situation was something that he hadn’t expected or completely understood, Randidly rapidly developed a plan to utilize this strange moment, likely as the Dreamcatcher of the Long Night encouraged him to do. In order to not develop any sort of bad mental habits in regards to dying, he was very careful to now categorize it as a form of extreme training in his mind.
After all, what had started this situation was his desire to improve Ignition Essence, correct? So he would respond to Illym’s image solely with Ignition Essence. By repeated exposure and clashes between the two images, Randidly believed he could slowly absorb a portion of the horrifying heat that Illym used, quite like he did in that temple dedicated to ancient Styles on Tellus. The chill he had received there had been very useful in making the 7 Kata of the Ashen Spear.
So the next time Randidly conjured himself into that awkward moment that Illym held the point of her sword to her breastbone, he didn’t hesitate; he raised his hand and launched a Phoenix Slaying Bolt directly at her head.
Congratulations! Your Skill Phoenix Slaying Bolt (Ru) has grown to Level 195!
Congratulations! Your Skill Ignition of the Emerald Essence (L) has grown to Level 225!
Due to her extensive martial background, Illym’s sword blurred upward and deflected the Phoenix Slaying Bolt harmlessly to the side. Then she surged forward with the weapon raised and a billowing, battering ram of an image smashed painfully into Randidly’s chest. Grunting, he did his best to resist his skin melting and his bones catching fire.
Congratulations! Your Skill Stigma of the Lifeless Phoenix (L) has grown to Level 236!
With his effort split between observing the offending image and defending himself, Randidly was only able to last a few seconds. The heat relentlessly smoldered at his defense until they gave way. Then he was floating again in the chiming interior of the Dreamcatcher of the Long Night. He checked Absolute Timing and discovered that five seconds had passed. With a sigh, Randidly returned his perspective to his body and meditated for a short amount of time.
The action was partially to recover his focus, but also to so he could begin adjusting Ignition Essence. Compared to the domineering heat that Illym released, Ignition Essence truly was a mild flame. Hot, sure, but it possessed none of the almost glassy-eyed fatalism that Randidly could sense in Illym’s flame.
Illym’s flame was willing to destroy itself to accomplish its goal… which, paradoxically, was destroying itself. Randidly supposed that moment right before Illym’s death might be the high watermark of her image’s potency. Which was both a blessing and a curse.
When he had finished tuning up Ignition Essence’s image, Randidly fought with Illym again. As soon as he arrived he unleashed a blistering barrage of emerald flame. In response, He experienced her image one more time.
And then again.