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Chapter 594 Beaming
🕑 Added 2020-11-07 12:27:41 +0000 UTCAuthor's note: Hey all. New chapters up and more hopefully on Saturday. Let me know what you think.
Author's note: Hey there. New chapters up and more hopefully on Tuesday :). Let me know what you think.
Some people mentioned Ilea felt very out of character in 591 (discussion with all the Elves - her wish to destroy the machines / fight the Monarch). Would like some additional feedback on that. Did it feel like that to you as well or was it reasonable?
PDF/EPUB: https://www.patreon.com/posts/32241245
Chapter Index: https://www.patreon.com/posts/37813894
Chapter 594 Beaming
Ilea took a deep breath, feeling the magic flow through her. The new sensation from her Deviant upgrade didn’t last long, her perception quickly adapting to what the Meadow had called an increased harmony.
She blinked around in the staircase, activating various spells before she punched into the walls a few times. Heat gathered in her core before the energy was released in a small beam that burned into the stone.
Everything felt… smoother. Practically speaking, her spells activated faster, the mana flowed through both her body and out of her limbs with what she felt like was less resistance. She couldn’t perceive a direct change in her physical body but the results were the same.
Her cooldowns remained the same and most of her abilities were quickly usable anyway, but it felt good nonetheless. Ilea tried her ash next, moving around her limbs and forming a few floating spears. Okay that’s a change for sure.
With the increased control, Ilea felt confident to create eighteen limbs instead of the sixteen she had been using for a long time. Her ability to move her conjured projectiles around had improved noticeably too and something about her armor made her investigate further.
She raised her arm and looked at the thick defensive layer. Instead of making it recede, she cut into it with a limb, revealing the flesh below. Oh boy, she thought, checking her thigh instead. It was the same there. The ash had partially fused with her body. Just a tiny bit but enough to make her a little uneasy.
Am I turning into an ash monster?
Ilea giggled to herself. Ah who am I kidding. I’ve long been one.
“Hey Meadow, how do I prevent myself turning into some purely magical creature?” she asked nonetheless.
“You’ve had choices before, right? Don’t choose the ones that may evolve you in such a manner. Though I do have to ask. What is wrong with turning into a purely magical creature?” it said.
“Probably can’t enjoy food anymore,” Ilea said, a worried expression on her face.
“Ah I see. Food. Of course. Well do carry on, I’m sure your intuition will guide you,” Meadow said, cutting the connection once more.
I suppose it’s right. I’ve not been fucked over by my evolutions and choices so far.
She cracked her neck, finding the maneuver still working despite the change. “Time for some payback.”
Ilea teleported down and into the large open space of the eighteenth layer of the Descent. A desert. She didn’t care about concealing herself, instead fanning out her wings and flying over the sands as she felt the magic in the air, the power coursing through her veins. It all felt vibrant. Available.
A group of three sprites welcomed her half a minute later, the creatures retaining their strangeness. Long root like bodies with thin dried out wings on their backs. Their bodies moved quickly in the air, not corresponding to the movement of their wings. Their faded bone like color remained the same, dice like heads propped up on the thin bodies.
This time they didn’t communicate at all, instead charging up their light magic spells.
“Suits me,” Ilea thought as she felt the heat within her gather. Now let’s see how far I’ve come since last time. Do make sure to show me what you have. I’ll need all the resistance I can get against the Sanvaruun.
A broad smile spread on her lips as she spread her arms in anticipation. She watched as three bright beams of light fused into one, the energy reaching her near immediately. Hmm, she mused, looking at her hands as the magic burned past her, leaving little damage on her armor.
Did it get stronger too? Or would this have happened anyway?
[Elder Sun Sprite – lvl ???]
Close to seven hundred. At least I’ll get some experience out of this, if not much, if this is what they’ll manage, Ilea thought and deactivated her resistance to Light Magic. The third tier really made a difference, the beams working their way through her defense as soon as the resistance was gone.
Ilea didn’t mind spending some time here. It was a good opportunity for some training, and for testing the new harmony she had gained from her Deviant advancement. She formed a few dozen small spheres of ash, condensing them as far as she could in a short amount of time before she sent them flying at the three sprites ahead of her.
The group moved, avoiding some of the projectiles while using their beams to deflect the rest. The few hits that landed made the creatures wobble in the air, the blunt force enough to disorient a level six hundred and fifty Sprite.
Really not something to write home about, Ilea thought, a little disappointed in the monsters’ performance. For now that was, she already saw a few dozen more of the beings descend from the higher reaches of this layer. Together they might even be able to match the Monarch’s output. Compared to the elf however, she would have little issues with escaping, should that become necessary.
The other sprites arrived in the next few minutes, joining in with their brethren to destroy the pesky ashen creature that had invaded their home. Beams joined together and concentrated in brilliant heat and energy where the being hung in the air, black wings lazily moving on her back. Ash was burned away and reformed, bone armor and human skin exposed from time to time, reforming again with each moment when the barrage couldn’t be sustained.
Ilea just laughed, twirling in the air as she exposed herself to the somewhat extreme sun bathing experience. As the creatures gathered, their beams came to overwhelm her healing from time to time but her growing resilience against their attacks through Body of the Valkyrie prevented her from actually having to retreat.
‘ding’ ‘Light Magic Resistance reaches 3rd lvl 2’
Ilea closed her eyes and enjoyed the heat. Feeling the growing power within her chest, she reached out to one of the Sprites and used Displacement to move it in front of her. Her hand closed around it’s thin root like neck. The right side of her face lay exposed, her cheek missing as a bright beam of light burned away at her tough skin. Her eye glazed over and popped, blood trailing down before it evaporated. And yet she held on to the struggling creature without a care in the world.
“It’s only fitting, to have my eyes explode again in this place,” she mused and raised her other hand in front of the creature’s head. The heat within her released in an instant, a beam of fiery energy flashing out from her palm, quite literally removing the monster’s head from existence.
Flakes of ash flowed from its neck as a ding resounded in her mind. Ilea grinned when she saw that her attack had partially disintegrated four more of them who happened to be in the path, only one clinging on to life.
‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Elder Sun Sprite – lvl 700]’
‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Elder Sun Sprite – lvl 684]’
‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Elder Sun Sprite – lvl 658]’
“I told you I’d be back,” she said, her face regenerating as the creatures moved into clusters, focusing their spells together for a more powerful result. Ilea knew it wouldn’t be enough to stop her. These creatures were simple minded monsters wielding overwhelming magic to defeat their foes. Beings who never had the need nor will to advance past their limiting instincts. And it so happens that they had once tried to kill a dear friend of hers.
If they had been Sapient, perhaps it would have led to a different end, but their spells weren’t the only limited thing about them. I can be patient too, despite evidence to the contrary, she thought and continued forming heat within her. A display of such destructive magic would’ve forced most enemies to flee, sapient or not. But it seemed the Elder Sun Sprites had an ingrained arrogance not much unlike that of the Elves. Or perhaps they simply couldn’t comprehend that a living thing existed that could fight them.
We will never learn, Ilea thought and displaced another creature to herself. Her ashen limbs spread and entrapped the being, resisting the continuous light magic. She floated a little closer and punched the monster in its dice like head, the impact vibrating through her arm, leaving a dent in the hard material. She punched from the left next, speeding up as her magically enhanced body brimmed with power. Ilea started mixing in her mana intrusion, quickly overwhelming whatever lousy defense and health the being had.
‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Elder Sun Sprite – lvl 685]’
She turned around, letting the body fall towards the partially glassed desert below.
‘ding’ ‘Light Magic Resistance reaches 3rd lvl 3’
You Are pretty effective with that combined effort, Ilea mused. The impact however was lessening, the enemy spells dealing more than ten percent reduced damage with each passing minute of their continued battle.
Ilea started being a little more active, using her quick teleportation to close the distance between the various flying creatures, her intrusion overwhelming each and everyone of them in a matter of seconds.
She appeared within the largest cluster, using Heart of Cinder in a sphere around her to disintegrate the group of Elder Sprites. Violence, she thought, using the remaining ash to form spears she sent at the few creatures that were left.
Ilea was almost disappointed when the last of them fell to her attacks, the area quieting down as she floated in midair. That was what a hundred? Two?
The fight hadn’t taken long either but after the hordes she had faced in Erendar, she supposed the experience couldn’t be anything but underwhelming.
“You don’t suppose you could let me know about large clusters of high level monsters nearby?” she mused, looking upwards as she checked her messages.
‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Elder Sun Sprite – lvl 658]’
…
‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Elder Sun Sprite – lvl 700]’
‘ding’ ‘The Azarinth Sentinel has reached lvl 472 – Five stat points awarded’
‘ding’ ‘Kin of Ash has reached lvl 466 – Five stat points awarded’
‘ding’ ‘The Faen Valkyrie has reached lvl 418 – One stat point awarded’
And no more skill levels. Oh well, not like there was a lot of skill involved in this battle.
“Even if I would agree with your way of life, there is nothing here that could satiate your endless lust for blood and death,” Meadow replied.
“Are you sure? A good punch to the head might help some beings awaken, who knows,” Ilea said. “Alright then, beam me up Scotty.”
“I understand the humor, however you would be surprised with how effective that method really is. Especially with hard skulled creatures like yourself. Are you referencing a fictional work I’m not familiar with?” Meadow asked.
Ilea deactivated her space magic resistance when she noticed the pull, appearing in Meadow’s domain a moment later.
“Why does that not surprise me. And yes. It’s an older reference, but it still checks out,” Ilea said with a smile.
“Maybe some day, I will understand your otherworldly references. I hope the planned alliance between Raenhall and Hallowfort will lead to a lot of literature trade at least,” Meadow said.
“Well I’m sure you can teleport or mine valuable things from the vicinity to buy things yourself,” Ilea said. “But I don’t know if a TV or computer would actually work the same way in this realm. Who knows. There was some good stuff out there though.”
“I feel envy, to have such a short life and yet be entertained so thoroughly. Meadows like me had to entertain ourselves with the study of magical theory,” it said.
Ilea rolled her eyes. “Yes yes old one. But now you’re powerful as fuck, and humanity would rather fuck around behind their walls. Even I am just a fringe case because of my battle obsession,” she said.
“Are you suggesting I did well?” Meadow teased.
“Of course. You’re the best, strongest, and funniest Meadow I know,” Ilea said and winked.
“And how many Meadows do you know exactly?” it asked, sending a vision of a thousand squinting eyes.
“You’d be surprised,” Ilea said, smirking at the continued attempts by Feyrair. She glanced over to Neiphato who sat meditating with wooden shapes floating around him. Definitely a contrast.
“No, I wouldn’t,” Meadow said. “You asked earlier in regards to your skill change.”
“Yeah anything you’re noticing now?” Ilea asked.
“I’m sure you noticed already. How your ash and arcane mana have integrated more with your body. I believe it will be a great boon,” Meadow spoke. “However it isn’t the dramatic change you feared. Not yet at least. However any further evolution options should be quite interesting. Be sure to consider them carefully when the time comes.”
Ilea nodded. “Will do. Thanks.”
“Hey Fey, want to go back to the Praetorian facility for some time? Until our friends here make some progress with the gates and locating device?” she said.
The elf just roared, trying to dodge a bunch of barriers forming around him, his wings clipped a moment later before his limbs were removed, his body slapping to the ground as he uselessly spewed his fires.
“Maybe some levels would help you fight the Meadow too. I’m sure you’ll win!” Ilea said.
The dragonling rolled his eyes and returned to his Elven form.
“You’re not suggesting this creature could ever overwhelm me?” Meadow asked in a dry tone.
“Yeah no, I just want him with me. Can’t kill Executioners alone yet,” Ilea sent back, giving a thumbs up to Feyrair whose mood didn’t seem particularly stable.
“Yes. I don’t think staying here is a good idea,” he said with a hiss and sigh, somehow at the same time.
“Neiphato?” Ilea asked.
He glanced towards them. “I will continue my training here for now.”
“Alright. Then enjoy yourselves. Let’s say we’re back in a week?” Ilea suggested.
“I suggest you give those two a little more time. Three or four weeks at least,” Meadow said.
Ilea rolled her shoulders. “Ah, well. I had hoped to start the search a little earlier. But I suppose getting into the ancient network takes some time. Just dissolve your mark in case I’m needed or if you’ve had a breakthrough.”
Iana smiled. “Will do. With Meadow here, I’m sure it’ll be manageable. Worst case you’ll have your locator at least.”
“Sure, good luck then. And remember to eat and sleep,” she said.
“I will make sure they do,” Meadow informed her.
“Thanks. And for your help in general. Don’t know what we’d do without you,” Ilea said.
“I help those I consider friends. Without me, well you’d be stumbling in the dark for another few millennia. But lucky for you, I already did that part and have come to show you fire,” Meadow remarked.
“Just don’t show us how to build nukes,” Ilea said.
“What are nukes?” Meadow asked.
Ilea waved towards the tree, stepping onto the teleportation platform. “Weapons of mass destruction. Spells destructive enough to flatten whole cities with a single blast. That kind of stuff.”
“I’d like to see such a nuke used against my shields,” the tree suggested.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” Ilea said when Feyrair joined her. “See you.”
Ilea and Feyrair had an easy time finding their way into the Praetorian facility. Elfie’s mark led them through the desert and into the manufacturing plant without issues or Monarch interruptions.
“Let’s continue to fuck this place up then,” Ilea said as her ash fanned out.
Feyrair glanced at her and smirked. “More limbs. Did something change?”
“Deviant of Humanity to the third tier,” she said.
He hissed. “I see. Perhaps you’re closer to an elf now than to a human.”
She twirled and looked at him. “Would that make me an Oracle?”
“Well, if that were the case, you’d be the Oracle whose Domain I’d join,” Fey said and winked.
“Alright, eyes on the prize, dragon. We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Ilea said.
The two continued in Izta where they had left off, mapping out the massive facility while they fought the various Praetorian variants. Time passed quickly and for every hall they destroyed, they discovered another three.
Ilea informed Elfie about their progress on the first day and that he should call for her whenever they encountered an Executioner. The machines were rare but still forced Elfie’s group back whenever they did encounter one. For Ilea and Feyrair, they were the best source for skill experience. Class level wise, the Hunters were a far better choice because either of them could fight that variant alone.
Three weeks passed before Ilea was called by one of her marks. However contrary to her expectations, it wasn’t Iana or Meadow. It was Trian.
Meet? was the intent sent with the disappearing mark.
“Might have an emergency with a friend. Want to join or stay here? Probably doesn’t have anything to do with your war,” Ilea said as soon as she received the message, destroying the last Praetorian in the vicinity.
Feyrair turned towards her in his dragon form before he turned back to his Elven self. “I’ll join you of course. More interesting than these endless halls anyway,” he remarked.
Ilea smiled and activated her third tier blink. A few minutes passed before they both appeared within her home near Ravenhall. Trian had been in the city, his mark slowly fading as Ilea focused on his location.
“Cover your elfishness,” Ilea said and displaced them out and towards the city.
“As you wish, ash princess,” Feyrair said, his new nickname sticking. Only because it sometimes visibly irked her when he said it.
If anything, she was a Queen.
Comments
I recall them being described as pariahs of both species, and of course crazy rare to unheard of
Enkelados
Are there half elves? Was it ever discussed?
DNAjester
What was the 3rd tier advancement of light resistance definition?
Melting Sky
It was quit some time ago, but I also recall llea speculating and worrying at one point about the fact that once the Taleen wipe out the Elves there really is no way to know what the haywire murder bots will prioritize next.
Lommel
Yeah, but what if that AI thing gets bored after defeating the elves and chooses a random target to attack next? Because attacking is all it knows how to do and creating new weapons it all it ever researched. Now if it was a bakery AI that creates new kinds of bread, but it's a killing AI.... will it just commit suicide when it's original purpose is fulfilled? Do you trust an alien AI? Better kill them first before they decide to kill us! That's the human way to do things properly.
Matthias
remind me, when did Ilea say anything about thinking that the taleen might attack humanity once the elves were annihilated? I don't remembering anything like that ever being said, and with what we know of the taleen, it doesn't really make sense, either. All evidence points towards the taleen robots working on the directive of destroying the elves, and the only sentient remnant we've seen of the taleen called Ilea an 'Ally', barring the fact she was working with the 'enemy'.
Alan McBrayer
I think you did omit one of the reasons she fights the taleen, namely the fear that they will come after humanity once they beat the elves. Maybe add in the fact that all it would take is a nonelf with three keys to turn the Taleen's attacks to humanity, the dark ones, the dwarves, etc.
Alan McBrayer
She already rejected Empress of Ash, or something to that effect, at 300. I'm thinking Lilith the progenitor of Ash for how many she has taught how to use the rare magic type.
McVerisimilitude
Post Day Complaint time! Hello everyone. I should be more worried about a hurricane getting ready to hit my home but.... I think instead of two chapters on Tuesday and two on Saturday it should be one chapter every day except for Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Leaves can publish on Thursday as it's a once a week post anyway. I'm beginning to like Leaves a lot, perhaps an additional post on Sunday for Leaves in addition to the current Thursday post. I think five chapters a week is a lot for an author to do and I respect that so I suppose I'm just being selfish here.... Thanks, love the two stories.
foldedcorners
The lv. 500 evolution tease is getting extreme. Stop blue-balling the readers! GRIND ILLEA GRIND DAMMIT
Melting Sky
I think in general the problem of llea feeling a bit out of character here had very little to do with her actual actions and motivations and more to do with people mistaking the zealous tone of the elves for being llea's own. A big part of that tone issue I think stemmed from the part where Elfie turned to her at the end and explained why he wasn't onboard with the plan. This was a bit off since it wasn't her plan to begin with, she isn't the one asking him to support the plan, and llea hasn't even agreed to help the elves with said plan at this point in the conversation. I think it made a lot of readers feel like this was llea's plan rather than the elves' and that she was the one chomping at the bit to wipe out the Taleen when in reality she was just going along for the ride and agreeing to help some friends out as she grinds exp by killing the non sentient murder bots she has a bit of a grudge against .
reeen
thanks for the chapter. I really do miss the time i had 400 or so chapters to binge read, those were good times
Joe ?
Ash Queen Lilith unique class?
Nate
I'll take a look at that chapter when I get off work but I fully expect you to have 100 comments about it by then haha.
Michael C
To be fair...There is nonreference ofnthe machines attack humans outside of the dungeons. Although if it recognizes Ilea as a human and an enemy.. I can see them floodibg up and out. She realmy should be destroying ALL the gates near humans. Its obviously she doesnt need them anymore.
Michael C
First. Wow. You keep delivering the goods. Week after week. Second. Yea. Ilea is too elf focused. 99.99999% of elves would murder every human and 2 of the elves she trusted betrayed her and tried to kill the smith. Additionally she doesn't really trust the most powerful elf and the Asay guy is weird as fuck. That said...her actions are fine and consistent, but the reasons behind them are the issue for me. She seems allied with the elves cause. Her personality should be the same as when she is in a group of humans. She forms intense individual connections. She seeks personal power..but she is not out there clearing forests of dangerous beasts that attack human villages. She grows. She helps if it happens in front of her. She always helps friends.
Kind of reminds me He Who Fights With Monsters... as the people in that world rank up, they start transforming from being of flesh into beings of pure mana
Chad Hagner
How is this story still so gooooooood! These chapters had humor and friends that was very enjoyable and action done right! (Sigh) need more chapters >.<
Will mILLER
Fey missed a chance for a great line when he didn’t respond to “Eyes on the prize” with “they already are.”
fennek
These two chapter self sooo good. She advances herself and her small empire, Ehm I mean, group of friends!
Max Scherer
Ahhh i am soo looking forward to that level 500 advancement. So close! Man its getting really interesting again with the Taleen and with the elves. And I just love her ionteraction with other beings. Meadow is best tree!
L Pedersen
"Cover your elfishness" may have been the best line I've read in a while XD
fbt
Ty for the chapters!
tibbish
Yeah it appears to be a minor to moderate bump in efficiency + control. Numbers aren't given for mana use but that she can use 18 tentacles to tickle peeps instead of the 16 she had before is the tip off for better control.
Connor Bruha
Thanks for the chapter!
David
It looks like the 3rd-tier of Deviant of Humanity mostly helps Ilea's ash creation and manipulation. Which is good to see. She needed to improve her ash creation, since her abilities there seemed somewhat lacking compared to other creators like Hector. I wonder if it will also reduce the mana costs of some of her skills. It seems like it improves the efficiency, which should be equivalent to reducing costs.
Martin
The worst Feyrair could do at the moment is bribing some bards to spread a song about Ash Princess of Ravenhall. It must be true, imagine an elf has commissioned me to do it!
I think it's more that she usually don't care about wars or other people's trouble to a larger extent, seemingly more content with her own growth and perhaps the occasional philanthropic urges. While it doesn't seem completely out of character her thought process might have been a little too helpful? That's just my thought.
Martin
Perhaps to point out a big breakout after she starts hunting Executioners alone
I'm personally really happy things seem to speed up a little again, the last few chapters before this update felt a little stagnant. Thanks for the chapters!
Martin
Trian is requesting help with setting up his own cats tracking network :-)
Acquiles Vitorino de Melo Graça
The decision on how to help the elves made plenty of sense to me, do know why people thought it out of character for Ilea to be a bit more serious. She was clearly not at her most stable because of the influence she could have, but I think she made the same she would have done if given time to ponder and meditate through the opinions of her more experienced friends.
tibbish
Yeah she was impatient there. She doesn't have any other options for T3 Light Res training at all and she just killed off all her chances for it in a vaguely reasonable time frame.
Very surprised she killed the sun sprites so quickly instead of using them for light resistance training.
Andrew
Thank you!
The Path
Thanks for the chap. In the case of your question I didn't think she deviated from her usual self in my opinion. I mean she generally likes helping the ones she is close to and to be honest it is just a house. if need be she could build another one and her friends lives are more important I'd imagine. She tends to hold a grudge against things in her past that has "defeated" her so it falls in line that she would be interested in taking on IZ. Just wanted to explain my perception of it.
David
Faen Valkyrie is behind the others in levels, so she can evolve the others and still have time to get the Faen skills up before she evolves Faen. But you are right that she should be concentrating on the Faen skills now, particularly Space Awareness since that one is slow to level and has a long way to go. Ilea should ask Meadow for help to improve that one.
Kemizle
Wonder if illea should fight with only her 3rd class to push those skills up. Would be nice if she had all skills maxed for the next evolution for once
Svensonsen
Would make sense
David
Three weeks of fighting higher level machines, Ilea should have gained a few levels from that I would expect. Are the level up messages being withheld for some reason?
自由
I think Illea during the last few chapters was fine. Seeing again how op Meadow is, it really seems like Illea should try to train some resistances to the max of third grade with it.
seth dauer
I think that she hated the machines for two reasons. They made her afraid and they murder for no reason. Not food, territory, protect young. Elves are not monolithic, they can make choices to see humans as more. It would not surprise me at all to find the dwarves paranoia lead to their eventual destruction/imprisonment (protection) from the crazy AI/machine intelligence Ilea met. Especially considering their factions, internal strife, fight over the keys. Why not have the machines wipe out your rivals, only to discover there is no way to differentiate factions.
tibbish
Didn't Cless have a cellphone that worked or am I misremembering?
Bockus
I'm of the same mind mostly. Ilea is a bit too eager to wipe out the taleen machines with what she knows of elven society. The chance of humans getting severely affected is too high for her to be that Gung ho. It kinda feels like she cares more for the elves future than the humans whne she thinks like that.
Zarik0
Man i didnt think of this, nice one Or maybe Aki was a prototype or the descendant of this technologie the taleen researched (techno ascended, who later permet taleen to created the key) Man the plot line of Aki can get connected her and continued and i love to see him meet meadow and see the discussion, he his a sentient construct of rune as far as we know so meadow with bit knowledge rune can have a great meetting Speechless meadown, why awakened specie when she can create sapience specie with her rune work (golem?), ah take this dumb tree you miss 10k years on this shit xD
Zarik0
True and she has already avenged her party on this taleen dungeon, so for me its a closed affair Its a logical conclusion than she was going to fight them But the emotivity she have sudenly is off, no particular reason for this, i was expected the same attitude she has as before vs hight level and problem of this magnitude (i guess the problem is how you have formulated/write this particular aspect, a little out of character in the choice of word and attitude maybe
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
Luciaron
Thanks for the chapters! Excited to see what Trians up to
Zarik0
You made me die :)
Ilea hit 300 by chapter 300 so as 500 approached I hoped for that to repeat . . . And now my wait is being drawn out to the realm of agony. But I keep reading anyway, naturally. Must persist!
Her issue with the Taleen is out of character I'd say. Or rather, justifying it by what happened to her expedition. Her expedition essentially entered the Taleen's home and started fucking the place up so the Praetorians put the intruders down. The personal grudge against the Praetorians(Drake version __) is fine, but suddenly motivated to end the entire race(of machines?) and fight in their war because of it? Doesn't add up. Especially because she doesn't know the whole story with why the Taleen are attacking the elves. Her point about what the elves will do if they beat the Taleen is the best example; how sure is she that the only reasons humans can live on the plains isn't due to the suppression of the elves? She even references that the elven young occasionally venture out and destroy a city or two on a whim, what would it look like to have all those elves no longer focused on the unending machine race? Ultimately Ilea feels out of character insofar as something happened to her, a discussion or relevation to change her motivations a bit, offscreen. She changed a bit but we didn't get to see it happen, she suddenly holds beliefs that we haven't heard about until they suddenly appeared in 591. Or maybe I'm just off about things myself. Either way, great story and keep up the good work!
Redbeard
Ilea acted somewhat oddly in 391 but I didn't find it jarring. If anything, I'd just say her motivations seemed to be portrayed in a too superficial manner. Ilea is a battle maniac who seeks new experiences first and foremost; the rest is just a bonus.
I feel your pain! I do that too.
Redbeard
Kyrian I believe.
BrawlingBard
I keep meaning to let this story build up for a while so I can spend a nice afternoon binging it, then the new chapters come out and I can't help myself but read them.
Svensonsen
The one that got lost through a taleen gate.
Svensonsen
When will we see the metal dude, what was his name?
Jonathan Walker
Bruh this wait for the Evolutions is KILLING ME!!! UGHHHH still great chapters though but damn
MountainFox
I would really laugh if Ilea activated the key tracker for the first time, follows the invisible thread, ends up in Ravenhall confused and finally notice that the tracker leads right to Aki.
Brian P.
I felt her vehemence regarding destroying the Taleen was a bit sudden and didn't really make sense. Sure they killed her party but she's had other parties get killed and been okay with their murderers, such as the Golden Lily or the elves. Maybe the Taleen being machines makes it different? Or she really wants to take out the monarch? But if so I don't feel that was properly expressed in the story.
Keifru
Excuse you, its Empress Ash von Murder McFistyPunch O'Splosion
agentjongon
I hope the sentinels meet Feyrair
Taliesin
I don't think that it's unexpected that she might want to end the machine war. The issue with the monarch seems to be a continuation of the theme that has a run through her journey; there is ALWAYS another drake. If the characters grow in power there is a necessary need for them to face enemies with increased levels of power. This is the regular power creep that happens to all stories. It is not unanticipated that the Monarchs of the elves might hold enough power to give even Ilea pause at her currents levels. It is more intriguing as to what levels of power the Oracles might hold that they can sway such as even the Monarchs of the Domains. We haven't even seen the elders of the Golden Lily, that supposedly should even give Lilith a run. Although yes great heights have been achieved, Ilea has farther to go to compare to what has been hinted at.
