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Chapter 346 The Necromancer
🕑 Added 2019-11-05 15:34:08 +0000 UTCAuthor's note November 16th: Hey all :). New chapters are up. Let me know what you think of them. More hopefully again on Tuesday.
Until then, enjoy reading and have a nice rest of your weekend.
Cheers!
Author's note November 5th: Hello all! New chapters up and more hopefully coming on Thursday :).
I hope you had a good start to your week and not too much stress and annoyance.
Cheers.
Chapter 346 The Necromancer
Ilea was led into the complex, a balcony overlooking five floors lit in various colors, both torches and magical light present. On the ground floor a red hue was prominent, the smells of smoke, sex and blood were prevalent. Puke and alcohol too. Lovely.
The guard next to her grunted, Lovely that we have to fix the door. Again. He shook his head and walked off, Joe! Get your ass out here, the door is busted again!
Ilea heard a distant cursing. She chuckled at that. Maybe if Fuck off wasnt the first thing they said to people trying to get in, it would make these circumstances a little less numerous. She spotted Maro instantly, the man standing near a roulette table with a following. His armor stood out amongst the scantily clothed bystanders.
She jumped over the railing and fell down, blinking right before she landed to soften the fall. Few even noticed her, most of them in a daze or focused on the dancers moving around the various platforms and stages. Ilea admitted she stole more than a glance too, yet still making her way to the gambling necromancer.
Black, black, black, black. She heard him as well as the crowd murmur, the little marble finally coming to a stop.
People parted for her and a moment later, she was standing next to Maro. Shame. She said, Should have bet on red.
The man laughed, welcoming her with a tight hug, My friend! It is no shame, winning and losing is part of the game! And black is the color of death, there was no choice.
She smiled, Been enjoying yourself? She asked, I hear you organized an orgy and lost a ton of gold.
He moved his hand around her back, Ah, that small party? The man laughed, I might need to borrow some gold from you if you have anything left.
Ilea rolled her eyes, Not for gambling. I can get you food and something to drink though if you like.
What about some escorts? We could enjoy them together? He suggested.
Ilea thought about it. If I hire one, then without you.
He acted hurt and smirked, Am I so hideous? It pains me to hear that. This city is wonderful.
It surely is. Do you feel like getting some fresh air? Ill visit an enchanter friend tomorrow morning. Or do you want to stay here? She asked.
Someone grabbed at her ass, getting confused at the ashen armor in their way.
She rolled her eyes and pushed the man away, gently but firm. He stumbled and caught himself on a nearby sofa, sliding onto it and closing his eyes.
Now? Sure. I dont have anymore gold to play. Can we go hunting? Maro asked, his wings spreading in her sphere.
If you feel like it, sure. Ilea said, spreading her own before they flew up and away, hands grasping at the both of them. Were those undead? She asked jokingly as she looked down.
Maro landed on the uppermost railing and smiled, Close enough, really.
Why there? Ilea asked, the two of them exiting the city in the afternoon light.
He glanced her way, You mean the gambling hole?
She nodded, descending a couple hundred meters away and landing in the snow. Going out of the city was nice either way but coming from that sex and fume hole was a level of freedom she hadnt felt in a while.
Maro landed gracefully next to her, Well. I believe mostly because drunk and high people dont fear me.
She looked his way and smiled, Thats pretty honest.
He laughed, I do like gambling too, as well as sex. In places like that, most of the time, people are equal. Their social standing, forgotten, their inhibitions, clouded. Free, as they should be. He grinned and stretched.
I feel the same way about fighting monsters, flying through the wilderness. Doesnt really apply to groups though, just to me personally. She replied.
Maro nodded, I can see that. A little too solitary for me. Im usually the strongest around too, which can cause problems on its own.
I wont hold you back if you want to return. Ilea said.
No, no its alright. Its good to get some fresh air finally.
She summoned some ash, You stink by the way. Can I clean up with some ash?
The man smiled and spread his arms, Sure, armored first.
Ilea engulfed him in ash, adding enough density to make it coarse as she moved it over his armor. Most of the dirt was gone when his gear suddenly vanished, the clothes below too. She rolled her eyes but simply moved her ash over his body too. She made it disappear when she was done.
Clothes and armor appeared again as he winked at her, Very intimate.
Hardly. She replied.
I didnt expect you to be so gentle. He teased.
I wouldnt want to hurt an old tortured soul. Ilea replied, walking further through the valley they had landed in.
Maro followed, You just did. Where are we going?
She shrugged, No idea. Theres bound to be something amidst these mountains. We can also check out Morhill, its not too far from here. The demons killed most of the population and we cleared it out a year ago. We can also visit Keyla, you wanted to try her meals.
Did already and have enough with me to last a week. He gave her a thumbs up. An abandoned city? Im up for that. He smiled, Not wearing your bone armor?
The enchantress well visit has it right now. Speaking of which, do you have any Taleen machines with you?
He glanced her way, the two approaching the deepest part of the valley, Yea, Guardians. Both sword and ranged variants. Thought Id try some necromancy spells on them but I wasnt successful so far. They werent really living in the first place, I suppose.
No Centurions? Ilea asked, a little disappointed. Might not be the best idea with an explosive core anyway.
No. The ones that didnt explode were too damaged to even consider. He laughed. Why do you ask?
Aki, the talking dagger? The enchantress modified his body and now he looks like a face hugger. Ilea informed him.
A face hugger? Maro gestured with his hands in front of his face, You mean like a parasite laying eggs into your lungs?
Ilea nearly stumbled, They exist?
Maro shrugged, One dungeon had monsters like that. Stupid of them to impregnate our tank. His chest was too hard to get through once the monster hatched so the fire mage basically cooked it.
While inside the mans chest? Ilea asked with a chuckle.
Yes. That party was well. Unique problem solving skills were abundant at least. He chuckled.
Did the face huggers have corrosive blood? Ilea asked. The implications would be rather horrific.
He shook his head lightly, No, after landing on ones face, it pumped down the eggs and then let go. They were disgusting more than anything else. Normal blood as far as I remember. So the dagger is now ready to lay dagger eggs?
Ilea laughed. Thats good to hear. No but maybe he can control something like a Guardian.
Interesting. He shrugged. Well, its worth a shot for sure. Want to go there now?
Shes not done with the work. Tomorrow morning.
He rolled his eyes, Come on. The dagger is done, right? Id love to see that. A conscious dagger controlling a Taleen war machine? Please?
His eyes literally sparkled as he asked.
Still no resistance to that. Alright, we can go. The smith isnt friendly and please dont start anything in that village. I want to stay on friendly terms. Also, dont charm the girl.
Start something with the girl, charm the smith and corrupt the village. Got it. He gave her a thumbs up.
She shook her head and smiled, You fucking idiot. Alright, lets go. First to Morhill though, I want to check it out quickly.
The man nodded. Lead the way, lady of ash.
Sloppy. Ilea thought. Metal plates, knifes and even a sword still remained in the abandoned imperial camp. The flag, she assumed, was left on purpose.
Left in a hurry. Maro commented. Demons killed everyone here? He looked around and shouted, HELLO!
Nobody replied.
Ilea used her skills to sense the surroundings, focusing on the smells and magical residue, Yes. The rest fled I guess. The imperials staying here probably went back north because of the war.
And why did you want to check it out? Does the Shadows Foot want to take over the city? The houses and walls are pretty undamaged. I dont even sense any monsters around. He commented.
Something along those lines, yes. Ravenhall wants to become independent. Morhill could be a part of whatever this new government would be. She explained. Speaking of that, your kingship could surely lend some counsel.
He snorted, Im sure there are enough capable leaders in that city. With how smoothly everything is running. That Sulivhaan guy seemed competent enough. He chuckled, If you ask me, Ill help but I prefer to stay away from government.
I wont ask anything of you. Still, Im interested. Do you think becoming independent is actually possible? Im sure you learned some things about the political situation, if you wanted to or not. She asked with a smirk on her face.
Maro rolled his eyes, I did notice some things, yes. The presence of empire troops is nearly nonexistent, the defenses are incredible. Better than what I had planned for Tremor. The population is of a comparatively high level and the crafts reflect that. Laws are free enough to allow for fast growth and competition while the presence of this mercenary order of yours keeps people honest. A promising combination. He explained.
As to the independence, with the war going on, I think its good timing in the very least. If the empress is smart, she will agree to the terms Ravenhall presents. At least as long as the leadership asks for reasonable ones. The geography is in your favor as well. Especially if this city is rebuilt and repopulated as a sort of buffer. He finished, grabbing the left behind sword and holding it out towards her.
Makes sense. Very optimistic. I guess we will see. Ilea replied, Thanks.
He twirled and moved the sword around. Of course. I owe you my life, Ilea. Now come, to death. He pointed the weapon at her once again.
I dont have a sword. Ilea said and chuckled.
Make one out of ash. This flimsy thing wont hold up anyway. He grinned.
She chuckled and formed a sword in the same shape as his, making it as dense as possible before grabbing it with her right hand. To the death. She said, the leather armor Trian had provided appearing over her clothes.
Maro moved quickly, his blade slashing at her horizontally.
She stepped back, avoiding the weapon before attacking herself. The tip of her ashen sword rushed over his hair as he ducked.
Neither teleported, using only their stats to control the blades. A nightmarish display for any master of the blade but likely terrifying for different reasons to any lower leveled person. Each of them easily cut stone, the two of them jumping through the abandoned houses. Stone and glass broke in their wake, the speed and strength of their blows increasing in power with each minute.
Finally, their blades met and Maros steel blade was cleanly cut through by her ash. I win. She exclaimed.
He held the halved sword up and looked at it, It appears so. He said and bowed, The monster wins against the king. A tragedy the bards will sing about in many centuries to come.
She rolled her eyes and dissolved her blade, smirking as she watched him rush forward.
Maro slammed the remaining part of the blade into her neck, pressing hard. A thin line of blood flowed down, His last attempt, all honor gone, all pretense. Yet the monster stands unmoving. The man continued.
Ilea grasped the blade with her hand and squeezed, the steel shattering when she increased the strength in her grip. The light cuts on her fingers and neck closed again before the pieces hit the snowy ground.
The king stumbled back, Monster! He exclaimed. And now you kill me.
She rolled her eyes and kicked him, the man sent flying before he crashed through the walls of a house and coming to a stop beyond, rolling on the floor. Ilea blinked and appeared next to him, holding out a hand to the defeated necromancer.
We should show this play in a theater. People would love it. He said, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. He jumped up, That would solve my gold problems.
You dont have gold problems, Maro. You gambled it away. Ilea said, You could also kill some monsters as you had suggested.
True. He admitted, First, I want to see a talking Taleen Guardian. The man grinned and held his stomach, Holy shit, what a kick. You dont hold back, do you?
Ilea made big eyes and smiled as warmly as she could, Not for you, my dear.
Lovely. Maro murmured, patting at the dust on his armor.
Youre already back? Im not quite done with your armor. The material is difficult to work. Iana said, wide eyed and obviously distressed. She glanced at the necromancer going through the things on the nearby workbench.
Ilea touched her shoulder gently, Take your time. He just couldnt wait to see Aki. Youre done with the hammer then? She asked, in an excited tone.
The enchantress nodded, Yes. Ill have to bind the enchantment to your mana signature and then it should work.
Perfect. Ilea grinned.
A loud jangle resounded, Maro having summoned a Guardian onto the floor. Which one is the talking dagger?
I am. Aki replied.
Maro moved out his hand and grabbed the dagger, holding it high above the Guardian.
Wait! Thats not how it works! Iana exclaimed and walked to his side, her eyes glancing into his for a moment, You you have to ,
He lowered the dagger and handed it to her.
Iana was still looking at his face.
Ilea stepped between them and took the dagger, giving it to Iana, I said no charming the girl. She said, glancing at Maro.
Balduur had walked over in the meantime, his big hands clasping the necromancers shoulders from behind, If you touch my girl. I will rip you apart. No matter your level, no matter where you hide.
You have a lovely daughter, master smith. Maro said and turned, easily escaping his grip, I have agreed not to corrupt her.
Ilea, what kind of people do you bring into my smithy? Balduur asked in a defeated tone, looking at her with a sad expression.
She rolled her eyes, snapping her finger before Ianas face, If she reacts that way, then maybe she really should get out of here sometimes, before she meets someone worse. Maro, put on a helmet.
The man obliged, his helmet appearing as he held out his hand towards the smith, Maro Invalar, former king of Rhyvor, necromancer and admirer of your work. The voice flowed well. Confident and warm.
Balduur grasped his hand with a frown on his face, Balduur Birch. I only tolerate you in here because she brought you. And dont flatter me with lies, I have never worked for you, former king.
Ilea looked at Iana who turned around the guardian, studying it from each side, Hes talking about her. She commented, helping the girl with the machine. A crunching sound of bones grinding against each other resounded behind her but she ignored it. Let me know if you need a healer. She said offhandedly.
Here. Iana said, touching the part of the Guardian Ilea would define as its neck. Its where the runes flow together, I can see it.
Maro stepped closer, You have rune sight? He exclaimed, Thats incredible. How did you achieve it?
Iana looked up and smiled, radiant blue eyes sparkling. My secret. She said in a teasing voice.
The former king turned towards Ilea, Im the one with a charm stat?
Ilea shrugged, Shes cute alright. Keep it in your pants necroking, you heard the smith.
The enchantress was certainly flustered, glancing between Ilea and Maro but she focused on the task at hand. Here , she whispered before trying to push the dagger into the machine. Can you? She looked up at Ilea.
Sure. She said, crouching down and holding on to the dagger. Ilea looked at the girl and when she saw her nod, she slammed down the dagger.
Oof. Aki exclaimed.
Magic spread suddenly, outwards from the dagger and through the Taleen machine.
Its dark in here. Aki said in the same voice.
Didnt work. Maro said and sighed.
Wait give it a moment. Iana said, a smile slowly spreading on her lips.
Ilea watched through her sphere as the mana flowed into the Guardian, slowly but surely spreading out.
When the mana reached throughout the whole machine, green eyes suddenly flashed.
Aki? Ilea asked. She felt the attack coming before it happened, stepping over to Iana before the blades flashed out, slamming into her back and leg as well as the table and the necromancer.
The attack calmed down, Balduur stepping over with a hammer that had suddenly appeared, Destroy it!
Maro stepped between the smith and the Guardian, blades scratching against his armor, Wait.
Ilea just stood over Iana, seeing the girl looking at her with fear in her eyes, watching the blades slash into Ileas ash. Dont worry about it. Aki, are you alright in there?
A sudden, deep scream resounded, What what is happening what is this , haha hahahaha. It was clearly the dagger speaking, his voice a little lower than usual, I have legs! The machine sprung up suddenly and slammed into the nearby wall. Oof.. again.
Iana, come on. Ilea said and got her up, moving the girl over to the smith.
The man was watching on with concern in his eyes, taking the girl and hugging her, Youre safe. Dont be so reckless , He said, no blame in his voice.
Thanks. She said, looking at Ilea.
No worries. Ilea said and turned to the machine, blinking closer and holding it down, Aki, move slowly, there are a whole lot of new limbs you just got. I know the feeling, trust me.
Comments
IWannaBeATiger
I agree with the others. Medic Sentinel Corps sounds awkward. Sentinel Medic Corps sounds better but I'd say The Sentinel Medics or The Sentinel Corps sounds better imo.
Findell
Why hasn't she abused the "charge" mechanic of destruction or the "targeting" feature of the Reversal healing against enemies?
Rip Woodham
If they could find a way to include wings in the class, that would be pretty cool. Otherwise it's too sad. ;-)
Yshua
What about “Healing Wings”? Connotations of both Ravenhall and Lilith, but identifying with neither.
Kapelteta
I think it's more the added corpse at the end that makes it too much of mouthful for me... I get the pun but the mouthful of name isnt worth the punniness in my op. Medic Sentinels would be fine on its own if little bland. If you really want to play on the corps pun i could see name that has it ias an acronym. Something like Combat Oriented Reverse Pain Specialist aka CORPS for short
I don't usually comment but I don't see why all the dislike for the name. Sentinel corps is incredibly self explanatory for those who are in the know. Ilea is the sentinel, and its her corp. It's a sort of insider definition and yet it's also easy to know what the group does - a group of potential combatants. Medics I presume isn't a known term but it derives from the word medicine. The name is immediately obvious in what it does yet distances itself away from healing orders. It has the same ring as combat medics in war. Just my thought.
sharkattack
I'd like to see what would happen if they stab Aki inside an active Taleen machine.
Rip Woodham
Yeah, wish you'd change the name to something else lol. And is that the name of the order AND the class? Because your class being Medic Sentinel Corps..... ack. If just Medic Sentinel for the class I can kind of see what you were going for, though that still seems like an odd mouthful. I think Medic is out of place and Corps is out of place and.... dumb. Sorry. >_< At least like that. Maybe Battle Healer Corps? I think that sounds alright, and a class called Battle Healer would be cool. Or maybe Sentinel Healer? I get wanting to include that. But medic.... just think what sounds cooler, Battle Medic or Battle Healer? More than anything I wish she'd have founded a new chapter for the Azarinth Order instead of some hodgepodge, but I guess you have plans for the Azarinth Order, and maybe it won't really be a hodgepodge. The name doesn't help toward that hope though. ;-) And maybe you intend for Ilea to get a third class out of it? I used to hope Alice would give rise to the Azarinth Order but after her last chapter I hope not. She turned into something of a hardened scheming bitch, apparently. Oh, if you want something more geared toward magic than melee maybe use Arcane Mender, but then that has no tie to Ilea, and heck you may as well just say Azarinth Healer lol. Of course, maybe that'd be good? If you're trying to create a more magic oriented version. It's just a name; silly thing to raise a fuss over. It's a small thing but unlike evolutions it won't get a different name later, and it's her legacy. So just being a little fussy! :-p And yeah I've never been one for puns, so maybe it isn't as bad as I'm making it out to be.
Chopper
Well, we don't really know half of what she's invested in. Claire listed a handful of things 'and many others'.
Chopper
Oooh not bad!
Manamaw
im suprised she havent invested into other schools and learning facilities then what she has, with the hand providing a natrual gathering point of knowledge.
Tony Gilbert King
Thanx for the chapters
Christopher Ozouf
I'd opt more for The Order of Lilith or something similar.
PatronTurtle
But with long real names you get fun acronyms and deferred naming. Medic Sentinel Corps becomes MSC. Which can become My Southern Complication (for the North). Which can become calling all of them Complications if Ilea founds out. Long names are annoying if you're formal, but don't usually stop people.
agentjongon
Oof
Chilling_Monk
I have to agree on the healer name, it doesn’t sound too good. Medic Sentinel Corps is just too long and doesn’t mash very well imo. Medic Sentinels or Sentinel Medics both sound better, or just Medic Corps/Sentinel Corps. I think less is more in this Case. You could also reference Ravenhall, along the lines of Raven Sentinel, Raven Corps, Raven Medics. Since they plan for Independence and about half of the city is hers anyway why not plan for two Mainpowers in the Hand and the healers, there’s really no point in trying to play political and powergames against each other since they would only be shooting themselves in the foot in the long run. A reference to the local base would (kinda) legitimize the healer orders influence in ravenhall.
Corwin Amber
thanks for the chapters
Ardenn Eriksen
Could Aki gain Class Levels now or is it dependent on the body he's possessing?
honestly you need to change the name of the order lol
Songy
Yeah, creating Maro was definitly a good idea.
Arnon Parenti
The Taleen are doomed, an Ilea infested immortal weapon need their machines to get stronger, nothing will stop the ultimate Emperor class mecha
PloofDoodle
Can only be something good.
I kinda wonder as what the Aki/guardian amalgamation would identify.
Alexander Dupree
Thanks.
Adamus Papa
Perfect timing.
