Zalia woke up to the sight of two large eyes staring down at her,
"Uhhhh, g- off mm," Zalia slurred.
"Yes, yes, very alive," Glemp said before nodding and moving away.
Zalia sat up groggily looking at the messages sitting in front of her.
Congratulations! Poison resistance has gained four levels reaching Tin 5.
"Wow, that was some really efficient levelling… hmmm," she thought.
Starting to quickly feel better due to her passive healing, yet still sitting on the floor, she spoke to Glemp,
"Hey Glemp, those things that attacked your city.. is that normal?" She asked.
"Hmm, yes, no. Some young ones saw you leave without violence and also did. Soon they came back with these, yes," Glemp replied.
"Are those the elements of ice you spoke of before? Ice elementals?" Zalia asked.
"Yes, yes, never used to attack but now always, always such violence," Glemp responded, scowling.
"I can't think of why they wouldn't attack me when they always attack the goblins though. It's not like there's much difference between us, except for their mag…"Zalia thought, coming to a realisation.
"Hey Glemp, maybe the ice elementals attack you because of your lava magic," she said
"Yes, no. Some have thought this but for many seasons this magic has been ours and only many passings of the sun have they attacked, yes," Glemp replied.
"How many.. passings of the sun have they attacked for?" She asked
"Mm, yes, maybe fifty?" Glemp said.
"So like, almost two months.. Do they use months here? Doesn't seem like it," Zalia thought, "maybe it isn't their magic then, hmm."
"No idea then, how are you coming with that silver rank herb I left you. Any discoveries?" She asked instead.
"No, no. Must be very careful, very slow, very precise. Yes, a while it will take me," Glemp said, looking pointedly at where she had poisoned herself.
"I'll concede that point," Zalia grumbled, "well what about that creature you wanted me to hunt, think I'm ready yet?"
"No," Glemp said, giving her an almost criminal amount of side eye.
"So rude," Zalia muttered.
Looking down at her arm, she took out an arrow again,
"Probably want to rid myself of this weakness as soon as possible so someone doesn't kill me with my own poison," she thought.
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She put the arrow to her arm and cut in again, taking out some more Frozen Heart and chewing it. Once more, as the poison reached her heart and spread across her whole body she passed out.
Zalia spent the rest of the day slowly bringing up her poison resistance until it eventually reached Iron rank,
Congratulations! Poison resistance has gained fifteen levels reaching Tin 20.
Congratulations! Poison resistance has reached Iron 1.
Poison resistance - passive
Tin - take reduced damage from poisons and poison based magics.
Iron - gain immunity to poisons of one rank below this passive. Some incredibly potent poisons may still affect you minorly.
This skill will not rank further until all your classes reach Iron 1.
"Damn, that was painful. Definitely worth it though.. I think. I guess I'll find out if anyone ever stabs me with my own weapons," she thought.
She had only passed out that second time, each further time being able to handle a bit more and at the least, remain conscious. While painful, she had lived out in the wilds for a good time now and knew to take every advantage she could get.
When Zalia cut herself now, the poison remained only for a few moments before fading away again. Glemp had glanced at her a few times as she twitched on the floor in pain but didn't comment, likely assuming she had some reason for her behaviour. While she definitely had a reason, it might not have been an entirely sane one.
"Hey Glemp, do you know the direction the other humans live in?" She asked, after testing out her new resistance.
"Yes, yes, if the sun rises in this direction and passes in this direction, then they are this direction, yes," Glemp explained.
"We call those east, west and south," Zalia said.
"Well, at least I know I'm still in the north. That's good news, maybe my home isn't so far away. Hmm," Zalia thought.
"Do you know much about other humans?" She asked.
"No, no, only they do not like Those Born of Heat and Stone," Glemp replied, still very focused on whatever they were doing "you did not come from human lands, yes?"
"Well, yes I did but I have not been there for.. many, many seasons," she replied, "I think I'll go there soon, for a few weeks maybe. I've lived in the north for half of my life."
"Many seasons, no, no. You cannot be more than a few, yes, at such a rank?" Glemp asked.
"I only got my magic these past.. 12 passings of the sun, we call those days by the way," Zalia responded.
"Yes, no, no, how many.. days old are you then, Zalia of the snow?" Glemp asked, focused now.
"Well that's a bit of a rude question," Zalia retorted.
Glemp just stared at her in confusion.
"It's.. nevermind. I am about ahh, hold on let me do the maths. Three would be like a thousand, so thirty would be the thousand plus another two thousand.. or so. About twelve or thirteen thousand days?" Zalia said, "or well, thirty six years and there's three hundred and sixty five days in a year.. most years."
"No, no no no. You are an age half of mine, you should have received your magic many.. years? Ago, yes. Iron rank you should be, at least," Glemp said, quite thoroughly confused.
"Always have been different," Zalia said with a brilliant smile, "besides, I plan to be much higher than bronze rank by your.. wait you're seventy?
"Yes, yes, by your years Those Born of Heat and Stone live for maybe one hundred and fifty? Just about, yes," Glemp said.
"Damn, not what I expected," Zalia thought.
"Thank you Glemp, for your kindness and help. I appreciate your ability to see past our differences," Zalia said smiling at the little alchemist.
"Yes, it is not a strong suit of Those Born of Heat and Stone. I appreciate the.. difference in pace you bring me, Zalia of the snow," Glemp said.
"That's my specialty," Zalia said proudly.
"No, it is?" Glemp asked.
"It is now, do you have somewhere I can sleep?" Zalia asked.
Glemp rolled their eyes before pointing to the door on the other side of the large workshop. Zalia went in to find a small room padded with various hides, laid down and promptly passed out again.