Chapter 856 Carnage

Chapter 856 Carnage

Ilea clenched her fists. Arcane energies rushed through her as she took in a deep breath. Sentinel Core absorbed much of the energies around her as more heat was stored within her, all of her auras burning with power, her health starting to trickle down as her Fourth Tier came to life, runes lighting up above her mantle of ash.

Let’s get this started.

She moved her wings, raising her arms as she rushed forward. Her ash followed. A sea of white flame pushing away the fires and shrapnel spreading from the heavy artillery impacts. Golden shields came to life, deflecting the four axes of the first warrior. Ilea slammed her fist into its stone chest, Embered Heart releasing in a chaotic burst of energies, blasting through the four mark golem, its entire back exploding outwards in a shower of stone and metal.

She kept punching, her enhanced intrusion abilities converted into pure physical power. Her body pushed by the fourth tier, every punch reverberated through the vicinity before she teleported, a dozen more of the golems closing in from every side. Several seconds passes as she teleported between them, every punch sending shock waves through the growing inferno, white flame and ash mingling with metal and stone shrapnel. Spears of burning ash slammed down into the beings of stone as earthen spikes shattered against her shields and mantle. Her limbs of ash dug into the large constructs as more heavy projectiles exploded in the chaotic battle.

There was no visibility due to the constant explosions and debris, neither Ilea nor the four marks bothered as they continued their battle. She teleported and used her shields to deflect the enemy strikes while her fourth tier was up, using every moment she had with the spell active to obliterate as much of the enemies as she could.

A last punch took out the right leg of one of the creatures before she teleported up, the arcane energies draining as she slapped away a projectile coming her way. She turned her head to the side when the sphere exploded with stone and fire. Her rapid third tier healing recovered her health, her slightly damaged mantle recovering in turn as a spherical shield of golden light came to life around her.

Looking down, Ilea could see the golems summon platforms of stone below them, runes engraved into the earth before bursts of magic flashed up and out, small earth quakes expanding through the fountain square as the large constructs were flung up and towards her.

Fun, she thought and stretched out her arm, summoning Silent Memory. Silver threads moved around her arm. She saw the red gem in the head of the hammer glow for a moment and felt a pulse of magic flow past. Different from the explosions and magic around her. Spiraling down, she avoided the approaching golems while spreading her flames. In her dominion, she could see the large warriors use summoned stone circles in mid air to propel themselves towards her after she had avoided them.

It still remained far easier to dodge them in the air compared to the ground. Despite their many arms and enormous size, Ilea’s maneuverability with her wings was miles ahead. Coupled with her precognition and mid range ashen limbs, she continued to deliver blows, cuts, and fire through the aerial combat. Most of the projectiles flying her way, she simply dodged, many of them exploding on the fountain square below or striking the stone golems propelling themselves through the air to catch her. Though they seemed to ignore the explosions, she still felt they were taking more damage from the ranged attacks than she did.

But then I’ve faced creatures far beyond this assortment of constructs.

Her fourth tier came to life again after her blows and fire had damaged most of the following warriors. Trying to teleport those within her dominion closer to her failed, likely due to their size. Still, she simply let them come to her before a sphere of fire and heat rushed out with her at the center. She let go of Silent memory.

“Enjoy yourself,” she sent, her wings thrumming with arcane power before she rushed down, impacting the first golem, her momentum and weight propelling the larger being down before it slammed into the next. A third one followed before they all crashed down into the stone ground below, a shock wave of air and debris spreading out with a deafening boom.

Burning ash spread out, dispersed again by the continuous magical artillery. Ilea slammed down her fists onto the downed golem, pulverizing stone and burning the remains. She didn’t let up, axes slamming into shields and projectiles impacting the ground. A ding resounded and she moved on to the next. She saw a golem caught in silver threads crash into the ground twenty meters away, Ilea punching her next target, teleporting to avoid the continuous onslaught of axes.

She noticed there were fewer explosions around her, seeing the distant golems charge towards the scorched ground near the center of the square.

Her fist crashed into the next enemy, but she felt more resistance this time, the sound metallic instead of dull. She didn’t care, her other fist coming down with another reverberating sound against the metal covered golem, enchanted runes glowing on its pristine armor now sporting two dents. Axes rushed out but she vanished in turn, her fourth tier deactivating once more as she flew up and identified the metal covered being.

It looked much the same as the other golems, just not quite as deteriorated. Its armor was whole, no rust visible, its head covered in a steel like metal helmet.

[Paarah Warrior – lvl ????] - [Enchanted]

Based on its movements and what she could gauge from Veteran, this was simply the intended version of the warriors she was fighting. So far she hadn’t seen it use any abilities beyond what the others did, nor was its level higher. Guess I’ll just have to rip off the armor first, she thought as her fires spread out and her third tier healing recovered the lost health.

She kept on the offensive, having destroyed a good number of the warriors already. Though she found that their behavior had changed in turn. Formations to keep me at bay, or to catch me between a set of them. Pincer moves with propelling flight, and they’re trying to obscure my vision with their explosive projectiles.

None of it mattered. Her teleportation and precognition prevented most of their plans, and the few times they did manage to get a hit in, Ilea was simply sent careening through the air for a few meters before she caught herself once more. Her enemies had no way to prevent her teleportation, and they couldn’t reduce her healing or pressure her enough when she had to recover. By now, Ilea was sure of her victory. Even without her fourth tier.

Arcane energies flooded through her entire form as she clenched her fists. She grinned, looking down at the axe wielding golems taken by the dungeon of Paarah. But this makes it so much faster, and so much more fun.

Rushing down, she crashed into one of the pristine ones, denting its armor before her ashen limbs found purchase. Bit by bit, she ripped away the enchanted metal, her fists slamming into the creature as she teleported and summoned shields to protect herself. Some of the hits she simply took, the damage absorbed by her mana as she continued her unrelenting onslaught.

Ilea landed on the burnt and destroyed ground of the large square. Fires orange red and white burned all over, the once smooth stone lay shattered and soot covered, bits and pieces of pulverized stone scattered throughout. Ilea cracked her neck and took in a deep breath. She looked at the two armed golem before her, most of its armor stripped away, white flames flickering on its left shoulder, the arms on that side ripped away in the previous exchange.

It was the last one standing. The last at least of those who had followed the call of Monster Hunter.

“That was fun,” she murmured, holding out her hand to catch the fast approaching silver hammer. It slammed into her hand, a single thread of barbed silver circling around her arm, slightly digging into the mantle of ash. The red gem was glowing bright.

The last golem charged and was stopped by a wall of space magic, right before a beam of white light and heat cut into its chest.

Ilea walked closer while she twirled her hammer, the silver threads rushing out to catch the crumbling warrior. She charged her fists and brought them down into the construct’s knees. Breaking through, she watched it fall and raised her left arm. Ilea caught the massive creature and let her ash finish the job, chunks of rock ripped away with wild strikes until a noise resounded in her mind.

How long was that fight? She’d had way too much fun to keep track, but it must’ve been at least an hour, perhaps more. She hadn’t used the hammer to transform, the additional size and claws instead of fists more a detriment than any help against the large golems.

Thing can certainly take care of itself, she thought while giving the hammer a glance. She felt another pulse of magic, this one coming from somewhere in the city. Strange.

“Are you doing this somehow?” she asked the divine artifact in her hand but the hammer didn’t respond, nor was there another pulse or a change in the red glow of the embedded gem.

Weird.

She checked through her messages while keeping an eye on her surroundings.

‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Paarah Warrior – lvl 1021]

‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Paarah Warrior – lvl 1028]

…

‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Paarah Warrior – lvl 1058]

‘ding’ ‘The Arcane Eternal has reached lvl 807 – Five stat points awarded’

…

‘ding’ ‘The Arcane Eternal has reached lvl 810 – Five stat points awarded – One Core skill point awarded’

‘ding’ ‘The Ashen Titan has reached lvl 802 – Five stat points awarded’

…

‘ding’ ‘The Ashen Titan has reached lvl 805 – Five stat points awarded’

‘ding’ ‘The Primordial Arbiter has reached lvl 801 – One stat point awarded’

…

‘ding’ ‘The Primordial Arbiter has reached lvl 804 – One stat point awarded’

Four levels for that. Not bad. She looked at the buildings in the distance. Should be worth clearing out the entire city. Probably enough for another few levels.

And up to eighty three core points.

The forty four stat points went into Vitality, bringing her total health to just over a hundred and ten thousand. A tiny bit longer for her Fourth Tier.

‘ding’ ‘Ashen Limbs reaches 3rd lvl 4’

‘ding’ ‘Ashen Limbs reaches 3rd lvl 5’

‘ding’ ‘Azarinth Barrier [Mythic] reaches 3rd lvl 28’

‘ding’ ‘Bulwark of Ash reaches 3rd lvl 12’

‘ding’ ‘Spear of Ash reaches 3rd lvl 8’

‘ding’ ‘Blast Resistance reaches 3rd lvl 25’

Nothing too surprising there.

Ilea didn’t exactly feel like taking a break already, but neither did she want to fight more of the same golems. She would take her time to clear them out, that much was sure, but she was itching for an actual challenge. Let’s just hope this place has anything to offer. But I mean this can’t have been the challenge the Druned talked about.

Ilea stood there for a moment and glanced up. “Hmm. Or am I just that powerful already?”

She thought of the Wind of Aveer and took in a deep breath. Am I going to end up sitting on a mountain top, waiting for challengers to hunt me down? I fucking hope not.

No. Don’t think about it. There are so many things out there that I haven’t seen.

Ilea ascended with her wings, the battlefield below her still smoldering with flame. Another magical pulse came and went. This time she whipped her head to the side and noted the direction. Flying higher, she summoned the map she had found.

Who would’ve thought.

The center.

“Well then, let’s see what this is about,” she murmured. I’m so easily lured.

The flight was short, Ilea already spotting the central palace from a few kilometers away. A dome like monument of red stone, dozens of spires extending upwards from the central structure. Large gardens that had once adorned the palace now lay overgrown by wild grasses, trees, and ivy, though she couldn’t see a single animal or monster. High reaching stained glass windows were set into the enormous walls, better preserved than most of the other glass Ilea had seen in the city.

Either it’s this place or the pulse came from farther back.

She avoided the golems standing guard at the main doors and instead used the overgrown garden to camouflage herself. A few seconds later, she teleported past one of the windows and appeared inside a long hallway. Art decorated the walls and a deep red carpet covered the floor. The main thing she noticed however, was the familiar feel of curse magic.

She felt the hammer in her hand thrum and looked at it. “So it was you somehow?”

Did it feel the curse here?

Ilea watched the hammer and her surroundings in the fabric but found no indication that the artifact was interacting with anything. The curse she felt wasn’t particularly strong, but of course her resistance and experience with the magic was extensive. It felt subtle in a way. Perhaps an aura, but not a direct attempt to harm her.

At least I can tell where the source is.

Ilea navigated the well decorated hallways, finding no golems in the vicinity as she made her way through the dark palace. She soon reached an engraved set of high reaching maroon double doors, beyond she saw flat and open ground within her dominion.

Throne room, I suppose.

She felt the curse aura coming from the same direction. Walking up to the heavy double doors, Ilea pushed one side open, the enchanted hinges still working well.

Ilea expected a cursed queen or king, a golem or more, but instead she simply found an empty hall. Black marble was inlaid into the ground and at the center stood a large round table.

Of course. Not a single ruler. A council.

Her steps resounded in the hall as she made her way over to the large stone table. The door she left open, in case of any anti space magic enchantments suddenly springing to life. The curse she felt from farther back, and down.

There were no documents or books present, and all of the chairs were neatly set in place.

This is so fucking weird. No corpses in here either, Ilea noted, continuing past the large desk and into the hallway beyond. She noticed the air getting more stuffy before she came up on a broad spiral stairwell leading down. Faint blue light illuminated the dark marble steps. She looked down the center and saw the ground, spreading her wings before she let herself fall.

Ilea stopped in the air.

So this is where the corpses were.

The underground hallway ahead was dimly lit, skeletons overgrown with fungus and mold scattered throughout. Some were cut apart, most entirely smashed. Bits and pieces stuck out from the stone walls, scrapes, dents, and small craters visible both on the ground, walls, and ceiling. Ahead she saw another set of double doors, these dark like obsidian, and slightly ajar.

She felt a pulse of magic come from within. A curse. She could feel it, see it in her dominion, but she could tell the spell didn’t affect her. Once more, her hammer thrummed.

Should I keep it out? Probably a risk, she thought and stored the weapon for now, just in case it would do something stupid.

Walking ahead, Ilea came up on the double doors and stopped. Her dominion revealed what lay beyond.

A broad circular hall with a dome like ceiling. Much like the hallway now behind her, the space was littered in bones, dented and cut armor, scattered weapons of all kinds. Signs of an intense battle marred the space and left the entire hall uneven, walls cracked and chunks of stone lying throughout. At the center of it all stood a single golem, unmoving, its heavy armor covered in dents and scratches. Parts of its helmet were gone. Its two lower arms held weapons, the two atop did not. Digging into the metal and stone of its head was a crown.

The source of the curse.

Seems to be the one, Ilea thought as she watched the being, herself quiet and unmoving. She assumed the thing was responsible for killing everyone she saw around her. Hmm.

Doesn’t seem to notice me. I could clear out the rest.

Or.

She pushed open the door, instantly regretting the decision when the foul smell hit her. Good thing I’m used to this shit by now.

Bones and armor skidded along the ground as she fully opened the entrance.

“Still alive? I don’t suppose we can find a diplomatic agreement?” Ilea asked.

She watched the being come to life, its head twitching slightly before it spread out its arms, brandishing its weapons as a pulse of powerful magic emanated from its form.

[First Warrior of Paarah – lvl ????]

“Didn’t think so,” she said and opened the other door with a powerful push, her own magic flaring to life. About one five. Let’s see what it can do.

Ilea watched as the being aimed one of its upper arms her way, silver metal flowing out from the crown and covering the large limb. She looked at a massive barrel while barbed silver threads flowed out of the crown atop the warrior’s stone head.

Would you look at that, she thought as the first of the threads rushed her way, ashen limbs lashing out to intercept the familiar cords.