Zalia looked up at the pillar stretching far up to the ceiling above.
“We’re going to have to climb that,” she said
“This is… acceptable,” Delphi replied.
“Just think of it as a new memory to collect,” Zalia comforted.
There was no reply for a few seconds.
“Continue,” Delphi said.
So she did, using the Structure creation ritual to create a stairway leading up and around the pillar ever upwards. This time however, she was much less focused on her footing and more so on the surroundings. She was comfortable enough in her ability to climb without stumbling and wanted to keep an eye out in case she saw the demonic creature coming back this way.
They made it to the ceiling with ease, beginning the journey across the gap after a short rest in the little cubby she had made at the top. She even had the opportunity to test out her earth manipulation and made the cubby much bigger and more comfortable over the course of a few minutes. It wasn't anything super special or powerful but the utility would definitely make her life a lot easier.
The trip across the gap was a lot shorter with her path already set out with the marks she had made on the stone with her sword. She was starting to wonder if it were possible to make permanent effects with her rituals. It might be something she would get access to with a higher ranked ability. Either way, for now she still had to resign herself to using the short lived vine-like structures she could make.
“Enjoying the experience so far?” Zalia asked Delphi.
“Not falling has been pleasant,” Delphi replied.
“Are you sure? I could drop you off if you would like,” Zalia teased.
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“I would not like to lose the memories I have gathered just yet. Maybe after I have transferred these to the collective I could experience this memory too,” Delphi replied.
“I wasn’t being serious,” Zalia said.
“... I see,” Delphi responded, sounding a little confused.
“Do you have jokes or sarcasm in the collective?” Zalia asked.
“I do not understand these words,” Delphi said.
“I… nevermind. You and your little collective can figure it out once we go back,” Zalia replied, rolling her eyes.
“This aura may be the reason none have ever returned from the surface,” Delphi said.
“It might be, I have to constantly heal us all to keep it from overcoming us,” Zalia explained.
“Ah, that is what the other strange experience is. This explains why the sight sees no danger coming to the surface with you when every other time it has,” Delphi pondered.
The crow was flying back and forth between Zalia and the pillar they were heading towards, keeping an eye out across the land below.
“Do you know how that crow has survived out here?” Zalia asked Delphi telepathically.
“I do not. They are a curious specimen, I cannot see any rank. I would love to see the memories this one holds,” Delphi replied.
Boreal was in the middle of jumping back and forth, batting at the disintegrating edge of their bridge.
“Be careful back there,” Zalia called.
Boreal stopped and came to walk up alongside Zalia, still looking extremely bored.
“We can clear out some of the undead once we get down there, if you’re really that bored,” Zalia said.
She seemed to perk up at that, excited at the prospect of a hunt. Hopefully if they stayed to the edges of the city they would only face some of the weaker ones.
They finally reached the opposite pillar and Zalia made a similar cubby there that was bigger and deeper. She had considered making a bridge spanning the gap using her earth and stone manipulation powers but didn’t want to make a direct path back to her island just yet. She would need a good protected footing on this island before she thought about linking them up like that.
“Do you have any combat oriented skills?” Zalia asked Delphi.
“Some, though I would not measure up to the likes of either of you outside of the collective,” Delphi replied.
“So you wouldn’t really have any memories of combat then?” Zalia asked.
“No, some from the ancient ones but none from recent times. Will you be taking part in combat?” Delphi asked.
“I think I will. Boreal is itching for a fight and I must say I’m feeling the same,” Zalia replied.
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“I would like to observe this,” Delphi said.
“That’s fine with me,” Zalia said.
She began the descent, not so worried this time about being seen. They were closer to the edge of the island and the ruins beneath would hold less undead Bathar of lower ranks than there would be closer to the centre. Sure, making sound would draw some others closer but she could probably hold out for a while. Besides, she had an anti-death measure now and despite not particularly wanting to test it out, wouldn't mind seeing how exactly it worked.
She felt bad for the undead below. From what she could tell they had once been normal people, twisted and forced into undying bodies. While she didn't enjoy the idea of massacring an entire people, releasing them from their torment would be a mercy. As she reached the ground, she quietly moved through the city with allies in tow until she found a somewhat clear area. It was a small square with three entries and plenty of shadowy areas for Boreal to take advantage of.
Zalia got to work setting up traps that she materialised with her new Trapper passive ability. She created poisoned tripwires, spring activated wall spikes, poisoned caltrops and even managed to make some spring loaded bear traps. Each trap was magically hidden and enhanced by her passive. The tripwires would magnet towards whoever tripped them, wrapping around and digging into flesh. The wall spikes were already enhanced by their nature, the spring activation a magical enhancement. The poisoned caltrops would extend their spikes when stepped on, digging into flesh and stone, holding whatever triggered them still. The bear traps would clamp onto the offending limb and then release an acid that would eat through it with ease. All of this did take some time to set up but would greatly increase her survivability for what she was about to do next.
“What are you doing?” Delphi asked.
“Preparing some traps for our enemy,” Zalia replied mentally.
“How do you know they will come this way?” Delphi asked.
“Because I am going to draw them into the traps as we fight,” Zalia explained.
“Interesting, this is not how I would expect combat to happen,” Delphi said curiously.
“Usually it wouldn't happen like this but I don't do things normally,” Zalia said.
While she had been at work, Boreal had actually managed to find a use for Zalia’s shared Trapper passive as well. She had created icy replicas of herself hiding in the shadows that crouched down with a grinding sound before sitting still. It was a simple concept and Zalia had a feeling they would pounce on enemies that walked near. She was surprised that Boreal was able to make use of the passive at all yet an ambush was as much a trap as anything else so, why not?
Satisfied with her work, Zalia memorised where she had laid each trap so that she could use them to her advantage in the combat to come.
“All ready?” Zalia asked Boreal.
Boreal replied by slinking into a shadow and hiding. Zalia counted through her rituals, using a Dodge-vine ritual on all her allies to begin with. That would protect them from attacks by minorly redirecting them away. She also applied the Frost armour ritual to Boreal and herself, knowing that it could come in handy. That would give her two layers of armour for a minimal reduction in mobility. Not wanting to use too many of her limited herb supply for this battle, she held back on pre-preparing any rituals. Most of them she could cast in the moment if needed.
With all that set up, she quickly ran off to find some of the undead Bathar. Before she brought their attention, she thought about what she was doing. When she had gained her Druid class it had said she would protect the balance of life and death by her own methods or something along those lines. She hadn’t really known exactly what that meant but seeing the undead roaming around these streets she knew it was wrong. Something like this simply shouldn’t exist.
So, as she ran across two Bathar, she shot one in the head with her bow, killing it instantly. The other let out the screech that she knew would attract more so she ran back towards her trapped area, turning momentarily to let off another arrow, killing the other Tin ranked Bathar.
As she ran, she turned every now and then to kill off or cripple another undead, letting them catch up a little before continuing on the chase. It wasn’t long before she reached her little square and she set up in the centre, letting off arrow after arrow.
Many of the Tin ranked undead fell in the opening volleys, some of the arrows having enough force to punch straight through one's head before changing course slightly in the air to punch through another's. For the moment they were only coming from the one direction and she made quick work using Hunter’s mark and Kill shot where necessary to take down the quickly appearing Iron ranked undead.
Despite her incredibly fast shooting, the undead coming through the entrances started increasing dramatically in number. Soon, Boreal had to get into the fray, appearing from a shadow and freezing an enemy's legs to the ground or bowling them off their feet with astounding force before vanishing into another shadow. She made good use of her short distance shadow teleport, appearing and disappearing, always where she needed to be. Despite that, the undead started reaching Zalia’s traps when the first Bronze rank arrived.
The undead ran ahead, catching two arrows to the chest, a spring-loaded spike to the arm before running over a bear trap that clamped over and dissolved half its leg. The undead crawled towards Zalia before catching a Kill shot enhanced arrow through the head and ending its life. It hadn’t lasted nearly as long as Juniper had, maybe due to its extended time in the corrupting and corroding aura or maybe due to the traps. Either way, it still managed to make room for its allies who began sprinting through the traps as a horde.
Dozens fell to arrows, tripwires, bear traps, wall spikes and caltrops as they approached. Soon though, Zalia had to switch to her sword as the first few broke through. She quickly dispatched the half dead Iron ranked undead with quick strikes, following through to the next coming through. A few undead were now making their way down one of the other paths setting off traps of their own.
Zalia realised she was in trouble when two Bronze ranked undead broke through to the front lines. She quickly activated Nature’s wrath, tying down all of the nearby undead and summoning two elementals. Two large stone elementals ripped free of the wall and floor nearby and began pummeling all the undead coming from the first path as Zalia began dealing with the two in front of her. She applied Hunter’s mark to both and began dueling them. They were easy enough to put off, quick moves and efficient swordsmanship sending one stumbling as she made three quick strikes at the other.
Each sword strike left glowing gashes in their bodies but they kept coming with a mindless fury. She didn't stop to think about how much their fighting style reminded her of the mindless soldiers back in Endaria and kept up her assault. She was forced to use Fight of Flight as the first undead came back at her, using the increased perception to perfect her dodges she ducked backwards under a swing and brought her sword about in a circular motion, half severing one's neck and continuing the motion into a deep cut through the others torso.
The half decapitated undead stumbled backwards and Zalia used the advantage to push the assault on the other. Three quick moves had its arm hanging by a thread and one leg entirely gone. She turned the momentum on the somehow still alive half decapitated one by turning her spin into a strong Kill shot enhanced cut downwards that split it in two. One of the undead dealt with she turned back and finished off the other with a sword point impaled straight through its head.
She was about to turn around but felt a heavy impact hit her from behind, sending her sprawling across the square. She sat up dazed from the hit to see Boreal launch from the shadow to grab the offending undead by the neck and drag it down to the floor where an icy replica jumped from the nearby shadow and crushed its head into mush. Boreal swung her head side to side like a dog, ripping part of its spine out and throwing it away as she jumped back to the shadows.
Zalia stood up and got back to work shooting the undead making their way through the second path, some having apparently made their way through the traps.