Chapter Sixty Three - 063The wind blew hard across the desolate city, though it barely moved the heavy fog that clung its streets. The sun had risen an hour ago, filling the sky with jeweled tones and providing much needed light for his warriors. Grimmar stared once more into the sink hole, the entrance to the Holy Depths less than a mile below.
So close, but...
"Lord Champion," a youthful voice said from behind him. Grimmar turned and beheld a youngling, kin barely grown into his beard but wearing the armor of a Warrior proudly. The youngling flinched when he noticed Grimmar's regard.
"Does something trouble you, warrior?" Grimmar said through his teeth. He knew exactly why the youngling flinched, why most of his warriors no longer would meet their cheiftain's eyes. They are in awe of the gift She has given. In awe of ME.
"No, Lord Champion. I have come to tell you that we have found traces of the escaped prisoners," he all but quivered with relief as he finished. Grimmar burst into a delighted laugh, which only grew stronger when he noticed the youngling cower.
"Excellent! And the Angry One?"
"Her body was not found. All signs point to her being with them."
Grimmar clapped his hands, a rush of powerful wind expelled by the motion. "Then we begin. Send half our warriors and all of the Circle to find the prisoners. If they cannot be returned, kill them all. The rest shall come with me."
"W-with you, my lord?" The youngling's voice cracked, and Grimmar decided to give him an encouraging smile.
"Into the Labyrinth. We seek the center. No matter the cost."
Grimmar turned away, already contemplating the descent. He did not see the youngling's face pale at his smile, but he could smell the fear in his blood.
It smelled delicious.
As they ran, Felix kept toggling his notifications.
Your Companion Pit Has Gained A Level!
+2 VIT! +2 PER! +4 AGL! +4 DEX! +3 WIL! +1 END! +2 INT!
Pit's Bite is level 18!
Pit's Rake is level 20!
Pit's Skulk is level 25!
Pit's Skulk Has Reached Apprentice Tier!
Your Companion Gains:
+5 PER
+5 AGL
+5 DEX
Energy swelled within his Companion's form as power from the System poured into him. This close, Felix felt the vibrations of a song blare out before fading to silence, like triumphant horns. Fascinated, Felix focused on the sensation, both with his eyes and the unique pact sense buried in his chest. Pit relaxed in his arms as the energy soothed away his remaining hurts, the stat bumps fuel to the fires of his regeneration. Felix had always healed a touch faster after leveling, so it was the same with his friend.
Companion Pact is level 18!
That wing is gonna be a problem, though. It hadn't healed much, though it didn't appear to be bleeding anymore. Felix imagined they should set it or something, but he didn't have the foggiest idea on how to do field medicine. He decided to keep an eye out for herb or something that might help, though he felt that was a long shot.
Focusing on Pit was a good distraction for Felix, because Magda pushed them at a punishing pace, intending to put as much distance between them and the giants as possible. It had been at least an hour so far and he kept up easily enough, but that wasn't the issue. A storm of energy still raged in his belly, flaring around his core and traveling in uncomfortable flashes to each of his limbs at random. When he had stumbled for the third time, she had explained.
"You're feelin' the after-effects of Tempering your Body," she said as they navigated a path densely coated with half burned inscriptions. They were traps, his Analyze said, and those he could see were all discharged. Magda continued. "You get decent gains dependin' on the type of Body you Form, but it's almost always an upgrade. So what your feelin' is your new Body beginning to work for the first time. Your like a...really strong baby."
Felix huffed a laugh, easily done through the low level pain. He'd experienced worse only a half hour ago. "Big Strong Baby Body, that's an image."
Magda flashed him a grin through her heavy breathing. "Honestly...I'm kinda jealous at what sorta boost you got from those Rare Essence Draughts."
"They're better than Iron, yeah?" Felix asked.
"Definitely better. But not in the way you might think. It's more about...particulars. The Essences offered...by the higher rarity daughts are obscure, arcane, and specific. Iron Draughts woulda gotten you something like Hard or Unforged, both of which mon enough to metal Essences, if broad and general."
"Hey," Felix said, hoisting Pit farther up his shoulder. He was getting big. "Unforged was one of my options for the Orichalcum draught."
"Sure. It's a metal. They all got things in common. But the difference between iron and somethin' like orichalcum is great, so you'd still have gotten a better boost." She paused, her torn armor creaking as she shift her weight and hopped off a small stone ledge. It was a five foot drop and the path continued onward. Another trap, already set off. "If ya...don't mind me askin'...did you pick that one?"
"Nah. Picked Mountain." Felix half shrugged, careful not to disturb his sleeping Companion as he also hopped down. "Unforged sounded bad."
Magda coughed and held up a hand for a break. They stopped, leaning against a wall covered in withered plant-life. Ten seconds later she looked back up and nodded. They started up again. "Unforged isn't bad. It's about potential. Iron can be made into passable weapons and armor, perhaps great if a powerful Smith was involved. Orichalcum is used to build city walls and magical weapons. They're not in the same league."
Felix considered that as they kept moving. It made sense, as a higher rarity generally meant an increase in value, at least in the games on Earth. Interesting that there could be the same Essences for different draughts. The quality of materials affected the result apparently, orichalcum over iron for instance. How did alchemy get involved? He itched to find out more about that particular skill set, the idea of mixing potions and powers a strong draw, but he shook off the impulse. That was for another time. If they survived.
"Felix," Magda said as she slowed her pace to a fast walk. She turned to look at him, as he walked slight behind and to her left. "Don't push yourself too hard. You're gonna feel some...backlash from using those Rare Essences."
"Backlash?" Felix asked, sending his senses inward. Other than the intermittent pulses of pain from his core, what she had termed the resolution of his Body Formation, he felt nothing was amiss. Interestingly enough, his hunger had faded as well, having become nothing more than a faint ache in his gut ever since he'd completed his Temper. Why is that? What exactly is this hunger?
"Rare Essences take more of a toll on a body than Common or Uncommon Essences. Somethin' about higher concentrations of Mana." Magda shrugged but sent a concerned glance his way. "You might feel more than twinges soon."
Felix frowned at that, but kept moving. "I'll deal with it."
They ran onward.
After a half hour of traveling he couldn't really determine if they were any closer to getting out. Since they couldn't go back up the scaffolding, the two of them were forced deeper into the Labyrinth. However, Felix had expected more danger and resistance than what they had experienced. The Labyrinth was desolate, picked clean as far as he could tell. The dark was nearly complete, his Manasight not nearly as useful as it was on the surface, and the only light was from glowing lichen and an odd glow from the fog itself. They hadn't heard the sound of pursuit, but even now the giants could be barreling toward them and Felix wouldn't know until they were on top of them.
If this is what everyone had to deal with all the time on the surface, no wonder they were so jumpy. His nerves felt frayed with anxiety, but the quivers and pangs of his newly Formed Body weren't helping. Admittedly, Felix was thrilled with his new Body, the name alone had the ring of something extraordinary. Moving Mountain Body, he mused as he climbed atop a series of standing stones, following Magda's lead. Vessilia wasn't messing around with those Rare Essence Draughts. I feel so much stronger than before...sturdier too. His body hadn't seemed to have changed physically, Felix still felt he looked the same, it was just the power within his muscles had increased dramatically. Those stat boosts from Forming this new Body were wild. What will happen when my Mind and Spirit Form?
Despite the danger they were in, he was excited to find out.
Running is level 21!
After another two hours, they came to a circular room, as Felix came to think of these places. There were long passages and discrete rooms in this maze, and it honestly matched his idea of what a labyrinth would be: high stone walls, twisty turns, even a few dead ends. This circular room was an interruption in the path, with one entrance and three exits in various directions. Magda chose to lean against the far wall, near the exit opposite where they entered, and slowly slid to the ground. The fog flowed through the room, filling it with a slight glow that made it both easier and harder to see.
"Rest up. Ten minutes," she half muttered, her eyes closing almost immediately.
Felix was surprised. The shield warrior was usually more tireless than this, though she had been pushing them hard. The pain of his Tempering had faded to almost nothing, just the occasional twinge in his calf or forearm, and Felix felt bursting with energy. His Stamina regeneration had jumped up, and with the Running Skill hitting level 21 his Stamina usage had declined dramatically when this was all they were doing. Attempting to make use of the break, he did a round of stretches that Harn had taught him, bending his legs, arms, and hips. His new Body might be strong, but he had no idea what to expect until they actually got into a fight, and a pulled muscle could spell doom for him and Pit. Magda too, probably.
She seems hurt. Weakened, somehow. Felix looked up, back toward the way they came. What happened to her up there?