{T-2/L-10— Trirax}
{T-2/L-7— Trirax}
It has been some time since Lavinia inspected a demon, in fact, her Perk [Inspect] has revealed more of its potential for information gathering since then and what it reveals to her now is much more than just Ulx and Jonn’s Crystal Essence tier and level.
Though Ulx remains at the tier and level he’s been since she first met him as his prisoner, there’s an almost unbridgeable gap of power between he and Jonn that has nothing to do with Crystal Essence and everything to do with the mana flowing and mixing with the Pathways that light up along his body.
I thought…it doesn’t matter; I was clearly wrong. Lavinia takes her theory on the workings of demons and her world shattering like a glass bowl well. For the longest time she’s assumed demons incapable of wielding mana and that the best one can look forward to is an enchanted outfit. Of recent, her views of the world are challenged to breaking point over and over again, she barely understands herself and now this.
Despite the swelling temptation to interrogate Ulx about what she feels is a massive discovery, she resists as the Lord Crimson continues to prattle about events past and current.
Jonn’s growth can’t be denied though, whereas she wields command over a larger pool of Essence at full strength, his abilities, sharp mind and tenacity place him closer to her level than ever before.
Which is why she’s concerned. If Ulx as a Crimson wields mana as well as Essence, then he’s leagues beyond her ability to measure even though she’s a Crimson herself. Manipulating two natural forces simply makes that much of a difference. And so between himself, the goblins staking their lives as fodder, the many trained Caldri demons and Jonn, the Kimpe ought to be dead by now.
It’s the human.
Lavinia bites her lip at the thought. A human walking about in Reais wreaking all sort of havoc and denying her a good hunt. Ulx’s lengthy retelling of the Prime Kimpe’s back room dealings with humans and other exotic monsters leads Lavinia to the understanding that there’s something at stake for the human in all of this.
Personally, Lavinia’s relationship with humans is complicated enough that she loathes them enough not to give the benefit of the doubt. There isn’t one human she’s come across yet that has nothing to do with Henry Vanavil and though Hera is an exception in that she seeks the same goal as Lavinia, she can not say the same about this human Ulx calls Promethus.
There’s also the issue that this human exists outside the dungeons. Another theory of reality shatters there and then, but it is good, better to discover now that humans can cross into Reais as she crosses into their Dungeons than to do so later. Henry’s threat to come for her has hung with no true avenue for how or when but this human, Promethus, may well be a suitable person to learn from.
But first, she has to determine where their allegiances lie. Just because they’re attacking Corym doesn’t mean they’re working for Henry, no, being a human grants that suspicion already. Another reason to answer this question is the matter of her GroveStaff, she hates it, but after what Hera put her Curse Marked controlled body through, facing another human is a dreadful affair she will like to avoid where possible.
Until I’m sure I can eat them.
“Lavinia!” Ulx bellows, slamming a four fingered palm on the desk and levelling her with a mean three-eyed glare, “Are you listening at all? We have to get you ready for the front.”
She groans at that, “Will the human be there?”
“I thought you wanted your GroveStaff back.” He snorts.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Ulx, Jonn and she descended the Stelc’s back to congregate underneath it with all of Ulx’s maps, Crystals and weapons splayed across the oval table she and Jonn are seated at. Her eyes flicker to the Crystals, tempted to absorb anyone of the numerous Pinks and precious few Crimsons. She shows restraint only because of Seraph and her special condition, if Jonn’s keeping her safe in that belt of his then it’s likely the crystals scattered around the table are allies of the Trirax waiting to be reborn.
“I do. But I’m not in the best state.” Lavinia says, glancing at Jonn at her side and narrowing her eyes, “Why aren’t you both fighting? Two is better than one and Jonn is strong now.”
Jonn’s little smile at her words drops instantly as Ulx proclaims, “Not strong enough, not nearly enough to set foot at the front.”
“But goblins are?”
Ulx levels Lavinia with a three-eyed gaze that relished in his next words, “You’ve experienced the lowest level goblins first hand, haven’t you? They may serve the front as fodder but they’re sturdy fodder and can easily be replaced. Jonn is otherwise.”
“I’m stationed here to watch over the camp and its good I am because the Kimpe aren’t our only enemies.” Jonn says, taking the opportunity to report to Ulx, “The Noble General is on the move again. Two Trirax and one Caldri have fallen victim.”
Ulx hisses and inhales the news, he finds a seat opposite Jonn at the table and braces his back into it as he clenches the armrests, “How long ago was this?”
“Five days.”
Five days? Then that means… “Jonn, were the demons that attacked with lizard monsters?”
Jonn looks surprised but answers promptly, “If by lizard monsters you mean the Drakes then yes, they did arrive on their backs. A Shade demon and a common [Swak]. They were…evasive.”
“Lavinia, did you meet them as well? Did you devour them?” Ulx asks, leaning out of his seat with hope dangling in his eyes.
“Yes, I met them on the way here but fortunately neither of us seemed ready for another fight. Which means you did a number on them, Jonn, thanks for that.”
Ulx inhales again and releases the broken armrest from his grip as he channels mana through his pathways and into one of the four rings adorning his fingers. As though expecting it, Jonn swipes the table and its occupants of crystals, weapons and maps to one side just as Ulx points his glowing blue ring at the table. A small horde of Pink and Crimson Soul Crystals vomit from the ring onto the table, startling Lavinia with the wealth of Essence gushing out.
Exhaling, Ulx shares a look with Jonn who nods with understanding before facing Lavinia, “There, Simak and Kimpe alike, absorb their souls and be full of Essence, Vampire. We need you and you need us. There’s no getting your staff otherwise so don’t even think about being stubborn!”
Lavinia can’t withhold her grin at the stack. It’s exactly as she thought, Corym will provide and it has and it will. She picks one of the Crimson Soul Crystals and admires it like the precious resource she now appreciates it for. But before she absorbs any there are still some things left to iron out.
“This was meant for Jonn, wasn’t it? Can’t we share?” she asks, genuine in her offer. There’s no point being strong if those she enters battle with are lacking.
Jonn shakes his head, “I am past my Crux. The Essence I absorb becomes less the more I grow until it requires a pile like this and more to even rise another level.”
Lavinia raises a brow at this, “Crux?”
Ulx explains, “Not all demons are born equal, Vampire. The Crux is a point in every demon’s progression that determines how much effort they have to put in to rise the heights of legendary and often forgotten power. A Trirax meets their Crux at the Crimson Tier, you may likely meet yours at another. It is a gradual decline of reaped rewards that makes it all pointless to bother risking immortality to rise another level, unless you’re a power hungry fanatic like Jelvun, of course.
“The Crux for each demon specie may begin at a different tier but the symptoms, a greater lust for Essence, meagre reward when absorbing Soul Crystals and difficulty ascending to the next tier are the one thing that’s certain. But I’m sure even at your Crimson tier you enjoy a bounty of ESQ and EP, aren’t I right, Vampire?”
While Lavinia wouldn’t call what she receives a bounty, she understands how it would look from their perspective if theirs is that much less than hers. It makes sense now why Ulx was so adamant about Trirax not being fighting demons. Still she wonders, “You’re meant to ascend to the next tier, Ulx, is the Crux the only reason you can’t?”
He narrows at her, lip curling into a distasteful sneer, “My ascension is none of your business, Lavinia. Absorb the Crystals, help us fend off the Kimpe and retrieve your GroveStaff from Promethus. If you want a guide to demonic ascension that will have to come after I have secured my library, my offer to learn about the layer and even your curse still stands.”
Smirking to herself, Lavinia nods at Jonn and Ulx as the Crimson Crystal shatters in her hand, greedily absorbed into her Essence-starved Soul Crystal.
9 ESQ Absorbed!
2 Essence Points Absorbed!
“Alright then, I’ll help.”