RhaegarRRL
patreon
Chapter 498 Water
🕑 Added 2020-06-13 08:31:09 +0000 UTCAuthor's note: Hello there :). New chapters up and more hopefully on Tuesday.
Author's note: Hey everybody :). New chapters up and more hopefully next week Tuesday.
Do let me know what you think!
PDF/EPUB: https://www.patreon.com/posts/32241245
Chapter Index: https://www.patreon.com/posts/37813894
Chapter 498 Water
Her reversed healing continued and she added Storm of Cinders to the mix.
Mana intrusion and destructive healing. No wonder you could destroy an army with such ease! he exclaimed, locking eyes with her. Dont worry. Your secrets are safe with me. Not that many could benefit much from knowing what kind of weapons you possess.
How is it not affecting you? Ilea asked after a few more seconds, the water slowly cutting through her as she healed against it. And how are my limbs not moving?
As if to demonstrate, the pirate stopped his attack, the water instead flowing free and around her.
Ilea tried to blink but found herself unable to use the spell as soon as his water touched her. Displacement didnt work either.
Her wounds healed near instantly as she looked at him. She wasnt worried about drowning, instead charging her Heart of Cinder for her eventual escape.
The water had closed around her fully and she immediately realized why her ash hadnt been able to move. The pressure she felt was immense.
She found it impossible to even speak. Is this how it feels kilometers deep under water?
Ilea couldnt help but be impressed that he had managed to immobilize her this easily. Not even the Ascended had managed such and back then she was quite a bit weaker too.
The pressure increased, threatening to pop her eyes before her ash covered them too.
She first used her reversed healing but stopped after a while, realizing that her magic just seemed to dissipate.
The pirate whistled. Holy mother of the deep. You are tough!
Force and Displacement proved entirely too weak to do anything against the water.
Ilea finally released her spell, Heart of Cinder spreading out with the help of two thousand sacrificed health. It evaporated a large chunk of the water, allowing her to blink out.
How did you withstand that pressure? Im intrigued, the man said as he momentarily stopped his assault.
Ilea quietly flew in a circle around him. The water is part of your body, isnt it? she asked. Thats why I couldnt teleport.
He smiled. Its not uncommon for creators to have such an ability. Your ash is the same I presume?
It is. How did you stop the reversed healing and intrusion spells? she asked.
I didnt. Not all of it. The sphere around me can absorb some of the mana from enemy spells. Healing is a bitch to deal with. I would have had to let you go in another twenty seconds or so but you stopped it yourself, he said.
Interesting. I have a similar ability, Ilea admitted.
It heals me too, otherwise it would have been a problem nearly immediately, he explained.
Youre quite open about your spells, Ilea said.
He grinned. Im confident in them. Just as you are. And I think the secrecy around these things is entirely misplaced. If the clowns of the Lily really wanted to bring humanity ahead, theyd share every secret the had found.
Youre not terribly fond of them, Ilea said.
He just grunted.
Your fire spell is quite something too you need to charge it? Or do you pay a price? he asked.
I form heat within myself, Ilea said.
And release it. Horny bitch, he said.
What? Ilea asked.
Heat. Horny. Its a play on words, he said.
Ilea blinked her eyes before she laughed. Thats fucking stupid, she said. This man was so much easier to deal with than Helena.
I cant believe you dont have a third Class though. Youre easily powerful enough to destroy some shit tier seven fifties. And with all the waves you created in the last year, Id doubt youve never faced any four marks, he said.
Ilea activated Flare of Creation and smiled at him.
He clapped his hands and laughed. There you go! Is that oho, interesting. I did believe I felt Space Magic before but it was fleeting at best.
Its quite new. I thought I could use this assignment for some skill training. Are they limited in some way? she asked.
Thats a smart decision. I dont think well face anything particularly interesting for a while. Though it is always fun to deal with Lily associates. Theyre so easily irritated, he said and laughed.
As to your question, no. They seem to behave the same as normal Class skills do. The third tier needs to be unlocked with Core skill points and theyre supposedly subdued but I had a hard time testing that. They seem really strong anyway, he added.
Interesting. I mean we have the bonuses from our main Classes and theyre unique so it makes sense for the skills to be strong, Ilea said.
I dont suppose you found a good use for the Core skill points? The options seem boring at best, he said.
Ilea shook her head. Stat and skill level boosts. Third tier skill upgrade, thats it.
I thought so. Maybe once we hit four hundred, he said.
Maybe, she agreed.
How can you even create so much pressure? Ilea asked.
He seemed proud of himself as he answered the question. Its part of my main Class actually. Plus there isnt a direct resistance to it, just like there isnt anything against healing. We have that much in common.
I assume you have a dozen other resistances and skills that make your body more resilient though. Otherwise you would have popped like an overripe watermelon, he said and smiled.
I have some things, yes. Can you use the pressurized water beams again? If its enough to get a third tier resistance, she said.
It should be, he commented. Do attack me with that white flame there are so few space magic beings out there, my resistance is still in the first tier.
Ilea grinned and approached him, spreading her ash around his sphere of water before it all ignited with the flame of creation.
The fire worked through his water with surprising speed.
It lowers regeneration too , he noted before a beam of water punched out of the ashen prison.
Ilea noted that the man was gone, her gaze following the thin stream of water before it reformed into a sphere again, the man forming as if he was born of the water itself.
He would be so annoying to kill, she thought. It made sense of course. He was a human like herself.
He gave her a long look. Level those skills. Theyre already powerful, he said.
Whats your third Class anyway? Ilea asked and glanced towards the ruins, noticing a few new faces.
Youll find out soon enough. Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lilith of Ravenhall, he said with a bright smile, the water vanishing as if it had never existed, the small lake that had formed below did the same. Only the wave he stood on remained.
Same. Do you have a real name by the way? she asked as the two lazily returned.
Of course. I wasnt birthed the Destroyer. But I doubt your name is Lilith either, almost comical, he said.
Ilea laughed. Ridiculous, coming from the Destroyer.
We agree to disagree, he said.
Ilea noticed two new people in the group, each quite distinctive compared to the shrouded warriors.
One was a man who looked to be in his thirties. He looked rather ordinary if it werent for his gear. Brown hair and brown eyes glanced at her before he seemed to lose interest. He was clad in heavy golden armor that seemed to move or flow slightly.
Ilea wasnt sure it if was an illusion or one of his skills.
[Mage lvl 275]
Not quite as impressive as the pirate.
Hey, she said.
He looked at her and nodded in a polite manner, choosing not to speak or unable to do so.
What the fuck are you doing here? the Destroyer asked as he landed next to Ilea, water dripping to the ground.
Greetings, Destroyer. I have come upon the request of the Assassin, the man said and repeated his polite nod.
The pirate rolled his eyes and ignored him, instead spreading his arms as he approached the other new face in the group.
A woman with piercing black eyes, her long hair as dark as the night. She wore a beautiful skin tight dark blue dress, its color bordering on black and heavily contrasting her white porcelain skin. She should have looked entirely out of place in the ruin but somehow the woman fit right in.
[Mage lvl 318]
Elisora, its almost as surprising to see you here as it is to see Michael, the pirate said with a grin. What honor it is, for your eyes to find mine, oh glorious Leya of Lys.
Elisora seemed to ignore him but Ilea could tell by the incredibly slight twitch of her lip that the woman didnt succeed entirely.
The Destroyer must have noticed too, laughing out loud as he sat down on a nearby stone.
Its a pleasure to meet you, Lilith of Ravenhall, Elisora instead said. As our dear ally has already revealed, Im Elisora Acantha. Ive not come to personally take part in your endeavors but to both make your acquaintance and more importantly, to make sure this wont end in a bloodbath, she said and smiled a perfect and friendly smile.
Ilea nearly shuddered at the feeling she got.
It seems that my ploy to claim you was already foiled before I even arrived, she continued, giving Ilea a look.
Is she disappointed, annoyed? I cant tell.
Something brushed against her mind.
Impressive defenses too, Elisora said. How do I fare compared to the beings you faced before?
Ilea could tell the magic had come from her. Quite powerful too and a mind mage far surpassing Eve. However compared to the Enavurin or the Goliath Veramath, she didnt compare.
Youre the most powerful human mind mage Ive encountered, she said honestly.
I see. Thank you, Elisora said. I do hope you will join. Im sure trade between Lys and Ravenhall could be smoothed out far more quickly with our insistence.
Ilea didnt comment.
We can have that bloodbath now, if you want to, the pirate said and winked her way.
Not amongst us, mind you, Elisora said. The rituals the Order of Truth has initiated are not to be taken lightly, she said and glanced towards the man in golden armor, Michael.
I do presume its the reason he came, she said and focused back on Ilea.
It seems however that Helena did not take this lightly either, she said and glanced westwards. I will see you around. Do visit me in Virilya if youre ever in the area, she added, looking towards Ilea before she vanished.
The Destroyer shuddered and made a few hand gestures. Not a cross but Ilea assumed a religious background.
Dont go. Even if it might be a good time. Shes a snake if Ive ever met one, he said.
I guessed as much, Ilea said. What do you mean by good time?
He smiled. Elisora isnt just an insanely powerful mind mage, shes also one of the best alchemists in the human plains. She succeeded in making drugs that have an effect even on me. Though the effects might not be enough for you, after that short bout. You should still try them sometime. Its quite fun.
Youre contradicting yourself, Ilea said and summoned some wood to build a fire.
I didnt say you should visit her. Just trade her for it. Ask for the hardest stuff. Its the only reason I havent murdered her already, he said.
Ilea assumed there were other reasons but didnt comment on it.
The man summoned some wood too, neither of them getting wood from the surrounding forest.
A fire would give away our position, one of the armored people said.
Whats the point of coming here if we cant fend off whatever shows up? Ilea asked. Who are you anyway?
The man seemed a little frustrated. We are the Dawn Company.
Ilea didnt know what that was.
Theyre an elite group from Asila, the pirate supplied. Under direct orders from Skorn.
Ilea nodded. You can hide if someone shows up. Or is that a problem too?
The man considered for a moment before shaking his head. No. If you dont expect us to participate in whatever battle might ensue.
I dont, Ilea said and that was that.
She summoned her fire sphere and set light to the wood before she formed and ashen chair.
The pirate summoned an armchair and relaxed.
Who else is coming again? she asked after a few minutes of silence.
Velamyr Ryse. A General of the Lys army and a member of the Golden Lily. I assume hes the main reason this actually came to be. Hes a military man, the Destroyer said.
Alright, she said, thinking about having another bout with the man.
_____________________
Felicia stood close to General Ryse. The war council wasnt exactly going like planned. She had expected as much.
The country is defeated. Surrounded on three fronts and hiding within their cities. The rituals are horrendous but we cannot stop here, one of the Generals said.
Murmurs went through the large tent.
Our victory is secured. Though we cannot ignore the cursed. Or the monsters that have sprung to life. I suggest we continue our approach and burn down everything these fanatics have summoned before moving on, another high ranking officer said.
I believe there is more to this. The interrogated members of the Order have confirmed as much. If we wait and stall, there wont be anything left of this country to conquer. And if their plans succeed, we might not want to march any further, General Ryse said.
His words caused another round of discussions and talks.
The interrogations were uncertain. We have nothing to prove their ramblings other than the efficiency of the rituals, one of them said.
Isnt that enough? Coupled with the tens of thousands that died? one of the Majors said.
We lost few soldiers. The loss of life is regrettable but they are citizens of Baralia. We were prepared for savagery when we got here. Let us not give up on military discipline because our enemies are willing to commit genocide, the first General said.
I simply suggest we form strike teams of high level soldiers and Shadows, let them scour the lands and cities, fight the creatures in the cursed areas. We must call for more elite individuals from the Empire, Ryse said.
Shadows, one of them scoffed. They will refuse to participate in an open war.
Not if the enemy are monsters and cursed, another one said.
You may risk your own troops, Ryse but I wont do the same with mine. You are free to include this request in the report that will be sent today, another General said.
In the end, quite a few of them supported the strike team option. The rest would continue their methodical approach. It wouldnt be entirely ineffective but not the decisiveness that Ryse had hoped for.
Felicia followed him back to his own command tent, with a sizable group of officers.
Send letters to the Empress directly. We need to hire every high level mercenary and adventurer we can get our hands on. Otherwise there wont be a country left to conquer, the General said as soon as they were inside, enchantments making sure nobody could easily listen in.
A few people nodded and left.
We already have eighteen teams ready, sir. They mostly consist of Imperial Scouts led by minor nobles, one of the Majors said.
Braak, Ill leave the coordination to you, Ryse said and looked around. I will be part of a separate group infiltrating the enemy. We have to clean out those cities and prevent more of these rituals to take place.
Shadows? Felicia asked. Most of the high ranking officers were nobles or simply quite rich. It wasnt unheard of that they hired or used personal mercenaries during wars. Some didnt even use Imperial guards to protect their positions.
Lys was quite wealthy in itself, and a lot of that went into its military might. Nobles could rely on the army in most situations but the circumstances had changed.
This endeavor had become as much a monster subjugation quest as it was a war. The lines and priorities were blurred but General Ryse deemed the former far more important.
Felicia agreed after what they had seen in Odiah.
Possibly. I called in some favors, he said. We wont let our troops die, nor will we let them destroy their whole country and people for illusions and arrogance.
They discussed the next steps for a while before most of them excused themselves to brief their troops.
I can lead a strike force too, Felicia offered. She had already garnered enough trust to be amongst the Generals close Majors. This war was full of opportunities after all.
If she had his word, her status as the head of House Redleaf was all but unquestioned. Velamyr Ryse was well respected, despite his often controversial suggestions and decisions. The results spoke for themselves. He was a patriot ready to sacrifice everything for the Empire. It was even said that he had quite a bit of pull with the Empress.
The Generals thinking his concerns invalid may very well just disagree for the fact that he was amongst those who brought it up. They knew that Alyris would likely approve the requested resources and Shadow contracts but by delaying it all, they strike directly at him and the success that would be attributed to the man.
Ryse wasnt unaware of it all, maneuvering himself into a place where he could question their rank and ability to lead after the war.
Felicia wasnt well versed in military politics but she understood some of the maneuvers and plans. The mistake many of them made was thinking that the war was already over. That Baralia was no longer a threat.
She wondered how much of this thinking was responsible for the year long siege. They could have likely broken out after a week or maybe a month.
Felicia listened to the winds, calming down as she thought of the thousands of people who had lost their lives, children, and loved ones. She made sure to remember everyone responsible for the sluggishness of the Imperial army. Ryse did the same, she knew, but perhaps for different reasons.
Comments
Aapjuh
before she formed >and< ashen chair. > an
Osprey36
Raphia seemed a bit more airheaded to me, like she doesn't want to think deep thoughts either due to possible darker paths it could go or she's just more simple-minded
ClapTrapCL4TP
Just skimmed back through the Raphia side chapters, is it just me or does it seem like she and Ilea are similar in personality.
Dominic French
Why is Lilith a weird name in this world? Do the mythological implications also exist here?
L Pedersen
I don't know, you have to get pretty close to someone to bash their head in.
Venalitor
Elisora. . . Another boring, insidious git. Her speech makes my skin crawl in disgust and the smile litteraly vanished off my face upon her introduction. Definitely not someone to associate with on any other than the most distant of bases.
lenkite
That fight was truly, truly epic. Clash of Titans!
ClapTrapCL4TP
Drug Resistance?
Atlas Dwarf
Thanks for the chapters.
SamHawke
wind resistance prevents that it seems
Jac Onue
The water bubble Ilea was trapped in applies high pressure, almost like a gravity sphere. Apparently the pressure was so high she couldn't get out of it (the pressure pushed her toward the center) although, she didn't try to charge her wings, and it seems like using Flare of Creation flame would eat through the water pretty fast.
Michael scott
It will be interesting to see what level the general Rhys is at. Is he gonna be like the pirate and be a powerhouse, or in the low 300 like the assassin or the mind mage. One thing I would like to see Ilea do is use her speed as a weapon. If she is going as fast as the speed of sound. She can just do a low fly over of some of these low level cursed and use the air pressure of her flight to cause destruction.
Han Pol
But I guess it's only half true you need to jump some corners to get such an irresistible effect. I guess pure brute force physical attacks from a boxer would count as well, and the pressure the water mage can build is also a physical effect, but it gets still reduced by other things. and pure lighting is likely more damaging if somebody has no resistance to it and weaponized healing has likely the same problem, a lighting blast with 3000 mana will likely do more damage then destruction if one has only first tier resistance. so someone with a really rare school of magic astral, soul, diamond, something stranger, might be better in most situations. Could actually think that the healer + wood creator can be absolutely broken, when the synergies are good.
L Pedersen
wait what? Did I miss something?
Atlas Dwarf
Na Elisora is a mind mage and noble. That combination and her comment just reeks manipulator. Also the Pirate already duped Ilea on his side while farming information from her.
M. Gunnarsson
Pirate Guy got the Lilith reference. Huh.
Solarlancer
im stating to notice that the true power that separates good and elite high lvl people is their ability to find ways to circumvent the Elemental resistance. it makes them so much stronger since their dmg doesn't get reduced.
Ziggy
Considering how dangerous the ocean is, it makes sense one of the only humans she meets above 350 is a pirate that sails it. Plus with how reckless you'd have to be to willingly seek out that danger, his personality definitely works.
Corwin Amber
'secret the had found' the -> they
fbt
Ty for the chapters, and I hope you manage to avoid the bug ofc
fbt
anyone else find Elisora's comment about "claiming" Ilea as odd, even given that it was at least ostensibly a joke?
Silk Soda
I like the destroyer :D she should go on a journey with him at some point instead of the north
Han Pol
the Assassin sounds like Helena, i wonder if Ilea is the healer then or the Lilith or if the woman who was a sure veto would be the healer.
Grond (James)
I'm starting to think that each member of the Golden Lily has a nickname. The pirate, whatever his real name is, is the Destroyer. Then the Assassin sent Michael here (I thought he was the leader of the Golden Lily? Didn't it mention that when it gave him a cutscene way back when?) Could that be Helena?
Jonathan
She should really share the story of the Corrupted Sand Elemental fight with Destroyer-san. (Hah!) I think even he might be impressed by the lineup on her side of the fight, and the fact that it was almost 1500. A Firefox dark one, an elf, a recently-revived thousands-year-old necromancer (using Cliff Wyverns she had killed for him) a giant lava-spewing dinosaur, and the Fae.
Jonathan
He at least knew the requirements for it, and given the way that information is (not) shared in Elos... On the other hand, he apparently actually went looking for the proper 750 and 1000 plus creatures, so he knew the requirements beforehand (or didn't if he is bluffing.)
Seb
Yeah, he's way too weak to do anything though. Not even lvl 300, what a weakling
Brad
Arthur red leafs daughter and Edwins sister. She is a Wind mage. Ilea met her in the first Taleen dungeon.
Arkeus
It's always a pleasure to see level 300s who are actually badass and that Ilea isn't the only one who was able to get strong.
Acquiles Vitorino de Melo Graça
You too?!?
Acquiles Vitorino de Melo Graça
She's an empress, there's no need to insult herself by asking stupid questions. She's clearly not a direct combatant either, much more similar to Clair than others. Her influence and networking are clearly on planetary levels though.
sharkattack
At least he has infinite money
Johannes Sauer
Micheal is so fucked. Not even 300
foldedcorners
And so Felicia and Ilea are destined to meet once more. Next week's chapters should be an interesting series of events. I also liked The Destroyer a lot more than I thought I would, though I'm sure he's had his fair share of atrocities
Itsurmom
Who was Felicia again?
Straven
Loving the new chapters and the new characters, nicely done and thank you again.
Todd Kloos
Felicia already figured out that Ilea is Lilith.
Felicia and Ryse a ship? Also the reunion of Felicia and Illea, can't wait to read her reaction when she connects the name Lilith and Illea together.
Connor Bruha
Thanks for the chapters!
Lomie0
5k+ pages, it's already nearing 11 THICC books lol
Michael scott
Thanks for the chapters. Good stuff. Interesting that the Pirate, despite his clownish name, is anything but. I would hate to have to fight that guy on the ocean. Fighting him in his own element would be rather difficult. The rest while powerful, are not up to his or Ilea's standard. Though the mind mage was powerful, Ilea would've torn her head off. Haven't seen the dickhead Michael do anything yet.
PloofDoodle
A reunion is in order.
Detrox
Just two thoughts. I am missing some remark about how off was Helen's guess of her strength. I think some remark from the pirate would fit well. Would show he is good friend with Helena and also fit the story in my humble opinion. Second is It feels like the mind mage should have taken the bait about most powerful "human" mind mage instead of ignoring it.
Detrox
Wait who is Michael? I thought he was new
Andrew
Thank you!
Amelgar
So Ilea meets Michael...
Michael C
Still great as always...but seems rushed
Michael C
The sudden switch to redleaf seemed rushed. I would have wanted more with Ilea and the lily group. Web serials tend to rush too fast. I want this to be a 10 book series someday...lol
Vegetables
Nice to see a confrontation between more of an equal after all this time ;) Now get out of my head Johnny Depp.
agentjongon
Yo same. Pretty intense chapters aswell
Woke me up at 3 am with the notification. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been at 3 am
T.Tandstad
Thx
Albedo's Ahoge
Thank you
