The avian stank of blood and burning ozone, and at first he thought it was because of him. Residue of his own lightning spell. But no. It was a signature stain that he'd recognize anywhere, perfect recall or not.
Vellus.
Felix's Affinity trembled, and half-seen strings, threads of connection between living beings spun outward into the Foglands. Unreasonable fear had overwhelmed these creatures. They were running from something.
From above, Pit squawked in warning, but Felix leaped into its way. It was like a prehistorically sized cassowary and just as terrifying, were it not so weak. Felix held out a single hand and tried something new.
Stop. You are in no danger. Wielding his Intent like a scalpel, he severed the connections that drove the avian. It stumbled, as if he'd cut something vital, but the charge did not stop. It was too far gone. Stop!
It screeched at him in challenge, and Felix's mouth thinned.
Wild Threnody!
His Blade of the Fang leaped to his hand as unattributed Mana poured into it. The off-white tooth turned a luminous white, and Felix made a single, powerful downward slash.
You Have Killed A Razorstork!
XP Earned!
The Razorstork was severed in half by the glowing Fang, and it fell into two wet piles to either side of him. The smell of cooked chicken and boiled offal assaulted his Perception; only Felix's powerful Endurance let him withstand it without gagging.
Eugh. No. Not Vellus. Not directly. That connection was too weak to be her...but it tastes like it, only without the bite. As if someone had channeled the mad god's power near these creatures, and they fled it. Smart bird. He looked at the corpse again. Sorta.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you looked at it, the list for culprits was short. Felix was pretty certain who had terrified an entire forest of monsters away from the Foglands. It was the only creature that had previously utilized the Goddess of Blood, Storm, and Tide's power before.
"Goddamn it."
Congratulations!
You Have Tempered Your Spirit!
You Have Formed: the Ashen Reach Spirit!
+10 INT
+30 WIL
+20 DEX
+10 PER
+5 VIT
"Burnin' finally," Evie hissed. Her voice was a raspy croak from all of the screaming, but it was a small price to pay for finally achieving Journeyman Tier. Everything about her ached as a result of her strained Aspects, and she felt wrung out like a dirty dishcloth.
With a flicker of Will, she brought up her new Formation.
Body: Boreal Gyves
Mind: Unshaken Thrawn
Spirit: Ashen Reach
With Cal and Aenea behind her, Evie had been able to get her hands on some good Essence Draughts for her Tempering. Her Spirit and Mind were Rare, with her Body being a touch better than the rest at Epic rarity. Distilling a chain Essence had been a find and a half, and not for the first time Evie resolved to kiss that Alchemist when she had the chance.
Evie stood up, her muscles as wobbly as a newborn chick, and she tentatively felt at her core. Tiering up didn't necessarily advance one's core stage, but she'd been working on both all this time. The chains around her icy core had spread out, pushed into a complex web of convoluted links. Mana thrummed through it all, the same as freezing rain and and inexorable chill. There was more work to be done before touching on the Ring Stage, but she was close.
A knock interrupted her musing.
"Yeah?" Evie rasped. What do you want?"
A muffled voice sounded from beyond the wooden door. "Ma'am, the supplies you requested have arrived."
"Yeah yeah yeah," she snapped. You're gonna call me 'ma'am'?! She hobbled to the door and threw it open. A young boy stood there with three other porters. Several lumpy packages sat against the ground, each one wrapped in oilcloth to protect them from the elements. "All here?"
"We visited every storefront you asked, ma'am," the boy said again. Evie opened her mouth in annoyance, but then another voice interrupted her.
"That's a lot of stuff, Evie," the voice said. She turned to see Atar walking swiftly down the hall, his thin metal stave in hand. "You carrying that all yourself, ma'am?"
"It's for all of us, Sparky," Evie said, narrowing her eyes at the mage. She gave the porters a couple silver swords from her purse. "Thanks lads."
The porters palmed the money and scurried down the corridor, gone so fast she was half certain they'd Tempered their Bodies.
"You look a wreck," Atar said, coming to stop near her door. "Didn't you get any sleep?"
"Not a wink. Been pushing into Journeyman all night," Evie groaned. "Just made it."
"About time. You'll need it too if the Foglands keep spitting out monsters," Atar said. "City just pushed back another horde."
"What? I missed the fighting?" Evie growled. "Noctis' tits."
"We'll all get our chance for more, you can be sure of that."
"You heard somethin'?" Evie asked, hopeful.
"No," Atar shook his head. "I just know our fearless leader. I'm fairly certain Felix can't get through the day without facing a horde or two."
"It's been quiet the past while, though," Evie pointed out.
"Exactly what I'm worried about," Atar grimaced. "Come. Coldfire sent me to get you and Vess for a final fitting. They've got some new armor for us all."
"Right, Elle's been working on somethin' for me." Evie closed her door and followed after Atar. The packages could sit for a bit. "We goin' to get Vess now?"
"Already tried her. She's not in her rooms," Atar shrugged. "Haven't seen her since the meeting."
"Oh, well, hopefully she'll already be there."