Meera stood up straight when the wall of mist hit her. She expected to be thrown off her feet, but all she felt was damp. She had just begun taking in her surroundings when Tamas screamed, making her wince and jam a finger in her ears. Thanks to Gem of Echoes, they felt like they would burst.
He stumbled to his feet and ran away from the mists, but he didn't get far as the mists were faster. But he still tried to run, and soon, the mists obscured him from Meera's vision.
She had to let him go as she had problems of her own. She had to watch out for herself. As harsh as that sounded and felt, she had no other option, as the Mistblades could materialize from anywhere.
I need to get above this.
She shot a chakram upwards, Stepped to it, threw it higher, caught it again, and finally, she was above the foliage. All she saw above and all around for miles was mist. There was no end in sight. The world had turned into a gray mist with no end.
She used Mirror Step to land on the ground safely by making well-timed jumps. If this is now the border of Azeria, then…
She quickly reached into her Hoard Belt and pulled out Kalrina's compass. As soon as the compass left the safety of the Belt, the needle shattered, signaling she truly was in Azeria.
She tossed the compass aside. The glass broke with a resounding crunch. With no direction, she headed forward in the direction of her camp. It didn't take her long to find it. Leha's body still lay there, covered with her blanket.
She felt sorry for the poor woman. Her life couldn't have been easy, and her death was even worse. Meera didn't know what words to say, but she remembered the benediction Silas had said before lighting his brother's pyre.
"May Virelia take you to the light. May Lorendor show you the path. May Mirithia walk you home."
Meera no longer had a fire skill, and she didn't think it was a good idea to light a fire in this mist. It would serve only as a beacon for the enemy. She collected her leftover food, which wasn't much, and made off in the direction she was going in before.
This better be west…
She walked slowly, eyes watching everything, ears listening and registering even the slight rustling of leaves. There were no Mistblades, at least none that she could make out.
Meera didn't bring Onyx out to conserve her Mana. She must have walked for half an hour when the adrenaline finally left her and the tiredness set on her. Her eyes became droopy again. She rubbed them and kept walking until a spot under this one tree looked exceptionally comfortable.
She shook her head and quickly checked her stats.
Stats
[Health: 834/1010]
[Stamina: 513/1040]
[Mana: 527/1170]
Okay, maybe I do need to take a break.
But she wasn't going to make the mistake of sleeping on the ground. She Stepped up to one of the thicker branches and got comfortable. She rested her head against the rough trunk. Even pulling up her hood didn't do much. She was about to drift off but decided to bring up her notifications before going to sleep.
*ding!*
[You have killed 3 Warriors of Whispers – Level 153 – Level 157. For killing an enemy 20 levels higher than your own, you have gained bonus experience.]
*ding!*
[Congratulation. Mirror Image Hunter has gained 7 levels and has reached Level 135. You have been awarded 21 stat points]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Chakram of Echoes effect activated. Upon reaching Level 130 in your main class, you have earned one more chakram.]
Like always, another chakram appeared on her arm, bringing her total back to eleven. She was so thankful that this effect still worked.
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Mirror's Affinity has gained 6 levels and reached Level 100. All of your mirror-based attacks will get a 103% boost.]
*ding!*
[Effect Upgraded. Mirror Affinity will provide a boost of 3% for every level.]
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Meera smiled at that. More damage was always better, and she had a feeling she would need it for the coming fights.
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Armor of Mirrors has gained 6 levels and reached Level 30]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Ambush Tactics has gained 7 levels and reached Level 43]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Shroud of Shadows has gained 6 levels and reached Level 36]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Shadow Affinity has gained 4 levels and reached Level 22. All of your shadow-based attacks will get a 24% boost.]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Mirror Step has gained 3 levels and reached Level 70]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Mirror Eagle's Perceptivity has gained 6 levels and reached Level 59]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Mirror Shield has gained 3 levels and reached Level 35]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Mirror Blast has reached Level 62]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Mirror Shard Barrage has gained 4 levels and reached Level 19]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Vitalize has gained 4 levels and reached Level 54]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Mirror Wing has gained 10 levels and reached Level 11]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Vampiric Chains has gained 8 levels and reached Level 9]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Alpha Aura has gained 2 levels and reached Level 15]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Tactician's Gaze has gained 3 levels and reached Level 40]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Spectral Resistance has gained 6 levels and reached Level 32]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Prismatic Distortion has gained 2 levels and reached Level 11]
*ding!*
[Congratulations. Absorption has gained 4 levels and reached Level 24]
*ding!*
[Class Ability Activated. You have stolen the skill Mistwalk. Mistwalk – Type: Active. You can teleport short distances by dispersing into mists and resembling at your destination. Would you like to acquire this skill?]
*ding!*
[Class Ability Activated. You have stolen the skill Mist Strike. Mist Strike – Type: Active. You can channel your connection to the mist element and direct it into your weapon, making it intangible to physical defenses and allowing it to phase through shields and other protective barriers. Would you like to acquire this skill?]
Right away, Meera knew she wanted the Mist Strike skill. The Mistblades had used it to bypass her Mirror shield and strike at her with their throwing weapons. But the only problem was that she didn't have a connection to the mist element. In all probability, it meant that she needed Mist Affinity or something like that.
But since she didn't have Mist Affinity or a connection to the Mist element, she took Mistwalk. It was another way of teleporting, and she could find some use of it.
*ding!*
[You have acquired the skill Mistwalk – Level 1]
*ding!*
[Class Ability Activated. You have stolen the general skill Mist Telepathy. You can communicate silently with others through mists, allowing for covert strategizing. Would you like to acquire this skill?]
The second skill was Mist Strike again. It was almost like the system was tempting her to take the skill. She had a strong feeling she would be wasting this chance, but in the end, her curiosity won out, as Mist Telepathy was useless to her.
[ERROR! You do not have the skill Mist Affinity, nor are you made of mists. You cannot earn this skill.]
Thanks, Midiea, for making me waste this chance. You better give me Mist Affinity next.
*ding!*
[Class Ability Activated. You have stolen the skill Nimbus. Nimbus – Type: Passive. You can step onto the air and walk upon it as if it were a solid surface. You cannot fly or take to the skies but walk above ground-based obstacles or access otherwise inaccessible locations. The air itself will become your pathways, offering a unique form of aerial mobility. Would you like to acquire this skill?]
*ding!*
[Class Ability Activated. You have stolen the skill of Whispering Mists. Whispering Mists – Type: Passive. You can meld with the surrounding mist, becoming nearly invisible. The mists wrap around you, obscuring your presence and making you difficult to detect. Would you like to acquire this skill?]
Meera was stumped. She wanted them both. Whispering Mists had immediate merits as she was stuck in a wall of mists for who knew how long. Not to mention, she was in Mistblades' domain. But she couldn't discount Nimbus either. That skill could come in handy in so many situations. For one, she wouldn't have to worry about falling anymore.
She chose Nimbus as it had its uses even after she left this mist wall.
*ding!*
[You have acquired the skill Nimbus – Level 1]
Meera looked around, which was pointless as it was impossible to discern the Mistblades from the mists, and these mists seemed even thicker than the ones they produced. I hope I can get my hands on that skill. That can have its uses.
She allocated her stat points into Perception, Dexterity, and Focus. She needed all three to survive the oncoming fights, especially Perception.
After giving another look, she decided to get some rest. Not to sleep but to rest her limbs and recover some Mana and Stamina, but this was not her night. She heard a scream. Meera practically jumped to her feet.
She listened for the sounds of swirling mists but heard nothing. Then, another scream. This one sounded familiar. She couldn't be sure, but it sounded like Urvan, who was dead.
Did he survive somehow?
The problem was that Meera didn't stay long enough to confirm. She saw the mists and ran for it. He could very well be alive. Meera cursed herself and readied to jump down, but an idea popped into her head.
Meera activated Nimbus, walked off the branch into thin air, and did not fall. She waited like a cartoon character for a delayed fall, but no, she stayed there. She wasn't floating in the air. She felt like she was standing on the ground. She took a tentative step down an imaginary staircase, and it worked.
She had to stop herself from jumping up and down in joy. It was unreal. She was literally standing in the air. She overcame her excitement, descended the invisible staircase, and landed on the ground. She expected to be attacked right away, but another scream cut through the night.
This one came from Tamas, the cook. The only escaped prisoner who was still alive. She ran for him and had not gone a few meters when a hand snapped out from the side of the tree.
Her chakram was in her hand in a flash, and she was about to cut it off when Tamas showed himself.
"How—"
He placed a finger on his lips. "Shh…" He asked her to follow her through hand gestures. She heard Tamas' scream again, but he was right before her.
"Tamas—" She reached for him, only for her hand to go through him.
Tamas' smoky form morphed as the illusion wore off, and in its place stood a Warrior of Whispers with a sword in its hand.