novelzi [350] 4.71 Final Flight II
[350] 4.71 Final Flight II
Before we arrived in this massive forest which spans hundreds of miles in every direction, I figured that we would have been brought to hell to fight a sinister demon lord. That might still be true, but if so, it really does suggest that hell is a very different place than the fire and brimstone typically associated with the place. That’s not to say that we’re not there; at least some renditions of hell depict it as a frozen lake that never thaws. But it is at least a slight bit of circumstantial evidence that we’re not not there.The next thing I notice is that, like in that dungeon a couple weeks back, our flight abilities seem to be temporarily disabled. I guess it would be a little too easy to make our way straight to the Giant Tree and avoid all the absolutely wonderful greenery and hidden traps and creatures which are going to harry us on the way there.
The landscape is lush and verdant, trees evenly spaced out to allow a small amount of light to penetrate to the forest floor. They’re not too tightly packed, ensuring that the vibrancy makes its way down to the surface. There’s not much breeze on account of all the trees blocking the way, but the overall environment is pleasant, lacking the heat and oppressive mugginess that would be archetypal of a tropical rainforest.
We continue undisturbed for the better part of an hour, making good time toward the giant tree. I can sense creatures lurking in the forest, some trying to cameoflage themselves, others unaware that I can see every one of them. None of them makes a move against us, and though I suspect an ambush, it’s not like I have any option besides springing whatever pernicious trap the System has waiting for us. That, or eradicating every scrap of life in this forest with some sort of [Mass Conflagration] spell. But that would be a bit on the evil side of the spectrum, and I think Chloe would be most disappointed if I resorted to such drastic measures.
“What do you think about all this?” I ask Chloe. “The creatures aren’t attacking. Do you think they are simply wary of us, or do you think this is indicative of some sort of higher power pulling the strings?”
“It’s the Tower. There’s always something pulling the strings. But that doesn’t mean that these creatures aren’t also wary of us. But there’s something else that’s troubling me.”
“What’s that?” I ask.
“That giant tree in the distance. A tree that large would undoubtedly have a massive amount of life force. But I can’t detect any.”
“You can detect life force?” I ask, puzzled. “I didn’t know that.”
“A Skill I got a few days ago. It’s a variant of the [Ethersight] Skill that you used to have before it evolved… however many times it has since then, except mine is focused on identifying life signatures, to better heal my patients.
“In any case,” she continues, “There’s something very wrong with the giant tree.”
“You think it’s dead?”
“No. If it were merely dead,there’d be at least a residual amount of life force for a couple of days as the creature’s internals slowly shut down, followed by a period of rot. A very long period of rot, at that, with creatures of similar strength vying for all those nutrients. Besides that, if the tree were rotting, we’d see signs of that, but I detect none, and I doubt you do either. No, I think this tree was never alive to begin with.”
“So, someone built a giant tower or monument or… something, and then later on built it to look like a tree? From a functional perspective, that seems like a lot of extra work to go through for no real benefit. Maybe if they were trying to disguise what they were doing, but a massive tree hardly stands out any less than a giant mechanical tower.”
“Could be a facet of the materials used. Maybe they needed a certain type of bark or… Really, it could be anything. We should be careful.”
I nod. I draw my swordstaff, though Chloe leaves her swords sheathed at her hips. I take the lead, my head tilting side to side, looking for anything anomalous that might suggest treasure, or perhaps a clue as to what in the world is going on here. But nothing, yet again. Just small and not-so-small woodland animals, deer and rodents and a few snakes and lizards scurrying about. Where are the wolves or bears or gorillas or tigers or whatever other creature might serve as the apex predator?
We walk for a bit longer before spotting the second thing that looks otherworldly: a small clear to blue sphere of something just idly floating about. Chloe’s [Life Sense], as it’s called, suggests that the creature is, in fact, alive. Probably a slime monster, all things considered. Since it hasn’t made a move against us, we leave it alone; I don’t see a potential reward worth the risk of getting one of our pieces of armor or worse, a weapon devoured into its ravenous ooze.
As long as the creatures continue scurrying and the sky above is filled with the sound of the wind and the birds— which very much still can fly despite the fact Chloe and I can’t, not salty about that in the slightest— we continue knowing that we’re likely as safe as possible considering our actual location.
“Now that’s strange,” I say as I stare off into the distance. I point to a hulking creature standing on a small hill at the edge of the grove we’re in. “Does that creature register with your Skill?” I ask.
“Let me take a—” Chloe furrows her brows. “No, it doesn’t.”
“It doesn’t look undead to me, and if it were, I think you would be clued into that as well. So we’re looking at some sort of construct. Possibly robotic in nature.”
“Avoid it or fight it?” Chloe asks.
I want to fight it. We need the Experience, and maybe I can get some other piece of machinery to assimilate into my body. But I don’t want to wear us both down long before we get to our destination. Not while our supply of restoratives is… less than I would have liked. I still have a couple of [Superior Ether Canisters] from the operation with Clara, and a couple of foul-tasting [Health]-restoratives that I was able to purchase in and around town from a local [Alchemist]. But I’d rather wait and use those when we get into a fight we can’t avoid.
“Evade it. We go around the field.”
Chloe smiles and we begin charting a path around the left side of the small patch of grassland. We have a couple of close scares as the creature’s large red eye in the center of its head scans right around where we are. Fortunately, we’re able to use the trees as cover, and my [Valkyrion’s Perception] allows me to keep tabs on the robotic beast without needing to pop my head out to look and risk exposing myself. It’s slow-going, taking the better part of twenty minutes before we are finally out of the creature’s watchful gaze. But we make it. Alive and only lingering fear response worse for wear.
The next portion of the forest is just as uneventful as the first, although the density of Ether has increased and the creatures have grown larger. A few of these, in contrast to the ones from before, prove aggressive, and a few gray wolves learn firsthand that they no longer claim the mantle of apex predator in these lands. It’s hardly a fight, simply a means to an end. A few slashes make quick work of six of the nine wolves before the last three make a wise retreat.
[You have slain six Lesser Dire Wolves (Levels from 60 to 63). You have gained a boosted 7,500 Experience.]
[Level: 77; Experience: 9,604,569; To Next: 403,526]
[Current Stats: [Health]: 15,906 / 17,034; [Ether]: 11,182 / 12,536]
The Experience for the battle is low, but it’s actually not nothing. I guess the point at which first ascension creatures, even in these numbers, will pose any meaningful threat to the two of us is fast approaching zero. It bodes poorly for the direction of society going forward, but I purge that thought with a deep breath and a moment to concentrate on my [Ether] flow. The small ping in my mind also helps me snap out of those more far-reaching thoughts.
[Your [Intermediate Ether Manipulation (Rank XXI)] has upgraded to [Intermediate Ether Manipulation (Rank XXII)].]
Well, I’ll be. Been a while since the last time I’ve gotten a level in that. I guess I really have been neglecting my [Ether] manipulation exercises. The small increase in my ability to control my [Ether] flow provides an impetus for me to continue doing so every few minutes as we break to survey the area and maintain our bearings in the vast expanse.
“Strange, isn’t it?” I say about ninety minutes after fighting the wolves.
“What is?”
“From what I could tell, the distance to the giant tree shouldn’t be this far.”
I climb up a nearby tree to scout the area and confirm my findings. Sure enough, we’ve made only minimal progress, with our destination still being dozens of miles away.
“Don’t tell me that you think there’s some spatial shenanigans at play.”
“I’m not saying that there are. Just that it’s a possibility to consider.”
“Hmm. Let’s keep an open mind to the possibility, but not rush to judgement just yet.”
“Agreed.”
Another three hours passes and I notice another interesting phenomenon. The sun is completely fixed in the sky, or so close to the same that I can’t tell the difference. I suppose it makes some degree of sense, given we’re in some pocket dimension, but it’s worth noting that we probably won’t have to worry about days and nights while we’re here.
And Chloe notices something more sinister, and probably more important for the task at hand. The closer we get to the tree, the weaker the life force of the surrounding foliage. Possibly coincidence, and maybe her new Skill being wonky, but I trust her judgement on this. That giant tree is likely sapping the environment, for a purpose I dare not guess but know cannot be good.
We increase our pace. Another fight, this time with a bunch of giant hedgehogs, because why not? Again, the battle is over before it can really get off the ground. The two of us prove to be nearly a perfect counter. I’m able to stab through their pincushion defenses by combining the length of my arm with that of my swordstaff, while Chloe’s [Mirage Swords] cut through the spines and avoid the venomous barbs with ease.
Meanwhile, thanks to Chloe’s [Antidote] spell, any attacks I do suffer are swiftly healed before the toxins can set in and cause any real damage. There’s a little scare toward the end of the fight as one of them starts firing the barbs off like some sort of needlestorm. I’m guessing a last-resort defense mechanism due to the time and energy it would take to regrow them.
It might’ve worked too, considering how close the thing was to death’s door before it started to fire the spines off. However, I’ve learned well enough not to take as given the kill until I’ve seen the confirmation in my mind’s eye.
Dodging the last-ditch effort proves a trivial matter with my speed and reflexes amplified as they are, and the one that scores a grazing hit is absorbed thanks to the magic of [Saintess’s Cloister]. Definitely the third-most useful ability in our combined arsenal, after our respective buffing spells and the all powerful [Angelic Bond] that supercharges both of them into the stratosphere and beyond.
One final piercing blow slices through its skull and cuts through its brain, bringing it to a swift and hopefully not too painful end. Before its body dissolves, I take an opportunity to extract a vial of its toxin for analysis. I learned from my visit to the alchemist this past week that they pay good money for novel toxins, extracts— anything that could be used to make a better potion, for healing or for harm.
[You have slain four Toxicihogs (Level 62, 62, 63, 63). You have gained a boosted 11,600 Experience.]
[Level: 77; Experience: 9,616,169; To Next: 391,926]
[Current Stats: [Health]: 13,831 / 17,034; [Ether]: 10,214 / 12,536]
Nothing more to say or do here. I don’t know when the next shoe will drop, but I’d rather get to our destination sooner rather than later. And Chloe shares my sentiment.