Aira and Lila didn't reach the mysterious ancient facility on the first day. It was a much longer walk that should take at least half a week. So, Lila was quite motivated to move as fast as possible despite Aira mentioning that she hadn't sensed any pursuit yet.

However, understanding the unease of her companion, Aira didn't have anything against that plan, even though she wanted to experiment with her new abilities a bit more.

Nothing prevented her from doing that during the march, though. Especially as they were walking through a dense forest with plenty of energy sources around them. Maybe it was a bit different type of activity compared to meditation and her standard physical training routine. But tapping into them was a new habit she needed to create for herself anyway.

And, oh my, it was challenging to keep it working in the background. Simultaneously, Aira had to focus on their surroundings, arcane power sources, and Lila's movement and control the redistribution of the abundant energy that filled the forest.

Every few hours, Aira sent probing strands of magical energy toward Mountain View, trying to decipher what was happening in the town they left so hastily. They were constantly moving away, but she yet had to discover the limitations of her skill. And it seemed she was far from reaching it.

While figuring out the exact state of affairs in Mountain View was hard, she was pretty sure there was no pursuit. There were a few energy signatures outside the town walls, but they didn't venture too far from the safety of the fortifications. Either humans didn't want to look for them, or they were still distracted by the chaos that reigned in the settlement during the previous days, thanks to Garrick and Aira.

There were some complications there for her, though. These newly obtained powers allowed Aira to read multiple energy signatures of the humans even at this ever-increasing distance. But as soon as she tried to focus on them, she quickly became overwhelmed. Her magical reserves were draining swiftly when Aira had to interact with more than a couple of targets.

What made it even trickier was that it was getting increasingly hard to focus on human signatures specifically. All energy patterns mashed together, making the town glow like a pyre.

This metaphor... it may not have been the best one, considering Aira's recent experience. But at the same time, it reflected the energy storm that roared within her almost perfectly.

Each time after these probes, she had to tap deeper and deeper into the arcane power of the trees surrounding them than she considered safe. What kind of energy was that? Would there be any consequences for draining a tree and transmitting its power to a human... or, at her current state, an undead?

She wasn't a human anymore, even if sometimes she continued to think about herself this way. Still, she didn't hurry to experiment with an actual human she had on hand. After the effects her powers had on Garrick, Korin, and others, she wasn't sure there wouldn't be any unsavory consequences if she tried to influence Lila in any way.

And she didn't think Lila would agree to be her lab rat. Not that soon after they left Mountain View.

That left only one person to try her new powers on. Herself.

Aira checked her base stats once again.

========== Character Status and Skill Overview ==========

Name: Aira

Race: Undead

Class: Necrokinetic Enforcer

Level: 100

Strength: ??? [(Base Stat + Level) 1.5]

Agility: ??? [(Base Stat + Level) / 3]

Intelligence: ??? [(Base Stat + Level) / 2]

Endurance: ??? [(Base Stat + Level) 1.5]

That was so unnerving that she couldn't see the numbers. Still, she couldn't complain. This limited access to the System interface was so much better than not having it at all. Not knowing it existed in the world.

After a day of fast walking, Aira estimated that her agility stat should be comparable to Lila's. If one could even talk about the base stats of someone who had never experienced magic. Maybe she was a tad slower.

What made the march easier for Aira was that she obviously had much higher endurance. To measure it, she could at least use the multiplier shown through the System interface. Even if she had zero base stat, which was impossible, her total endurance should stay at least 150 due to her current level.

Not to mention that she constantly boosted her energy reserves from the environment. She felt like she could walk this way day and night without stopping if needed. She didn't have to rest. She didn't need to eat. She could probably...

Aira seized that thought and tried to redistribute the ambient energy a bit differently. Instead of focusing on her Energy Manipulation skill or inner reserves, she targeted her base stats this time.

Gradually, she poured more and more energy into her agility stat. But the effect was almost instantaneous—at least, its representation through the System. But then, Aira felt it in her body as well. Her legs became empowered, prompting her to move faster. To run.

She checked the System menu once again.

Agility: ??? + 0.66 [(Base Stat + Level) / 3]

[...]

Agility: ??? + 1.67 [(Base Stat + Level) / 3]

[...]

Agility: ??? + 3.33 [(Base Stat + Level) / 3]

[...]

Aira continued her experiment for a few more minutes, fully absorbed by it, until she noticed that she had changed her pace from walking to running and overtook Lila by a few hundred meters. By this moment, the ranger stopped and looked at the fast-moving undead with amusement and concern. Aira slowed her pace and let Lila catch up with her.

"By the Elders' breath! Look at you darting off like a shadowfoot!" Lila asked. "What, you think I'm dead weight now?" She was teasing, but there was a flicker of worry in her eyes.

Aira shook her head and gestured with her hands for Lila to move forward.

"Alrighty," Lila groaned. "Next time, give me a holler before you go fox-tailin' off! And it's getting late anyway. Time to find a place to camp. There won't be any cabins anywhere near this spot. Will have to set up a tent."

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

They needed the stop for at least two reasons. First, Aira still wasn't able to renew her reserves perpetually. Well, she could probably do that, but they expired faster than she filled them. That aspect has to be the focus of her training and meditation in the upcoming weeks and maybe even months. But more importantly, Lila was a human and wouldn't get far without regular rest and food.

And that's what they had. Even Aira enjoyed some of the stew.

Before going to sleep, Lila tried in vain to distribute the night watch shifts. But Aira was adamant. Even if she hadn't fully recovered after the long hike, she could rest without sleep. So, against all Lila's protests, Aira insisted on being the only person to keep the lookout during the night.

Not that they needed anyone at all, as Aira would have sensed the approach of a human or any other creature from far away, thanks to her magical abilities. Still, it was an excellent opportunity for her to consolidate the day's gains, expand her experiments with the new powers, and meditate.

Marching in that manner day after day, they settled into a monotonous routine of walking, meditating, experimenting with Aira's abilities, eating, and sleeping. Even if the latter two were mostly for Lila's benefit and the magical stuff was available only to Aira.

Initially, it may have seemed that every day went as previous, so subtle were the changes around them. But soon, Aira started noticing the landscape shifting. Luckily, she could keep up better and better thanks to her constant training and better understanding of her new powers. Nightly meditations helped her immensely, and by the end of the third day, she could keep pace with Lila without any delays or additional stops.

The scenery changes were subtle initially, but soon, the once dense forest-covered flatland gave way to rolling low hills. And then, the first rugged cliffs emerged from the earth. They were approaching their destination—the towering mountains looming ahead.

***

Lila was getting more and more agitated with each passing day. She talked about her past during their walk, about being a ranger. She couldn't stop telling her story to Aira as if trying to silence the demons' voices inside her head.

Striking an alliance with an undead. Attacking fellow rangers. All of that was unthinkable.

For sure, the town's rangers have already found these two dead bodies at her house. They were Garrick's cronies killed by Aira on the central square. But who would even take a moment to consider that?

No, they'll blame it all on her.

So, she told stories. There was a strange cadence to this dialogue, as Aira could only answer by growling and gesturing with her hands. That didn't stop Lila. She described how humanity has found a fragile balance after the Fall. Most people lived in small towns like Mountain View, still frightened by the undead attacks and not venturing too far. The consequence of the decades of wars after the old civilization crumbled. However, these wars were legendary events of the times long gone.

In many ways, the fragile security of human settlements relied on Old World tech and machinery. No one could explain how it survived all these centuries. But Lila knew where it came from. Facilities like the one they were heading to were the primary source of the ancient gadgets.

Not that she expected to find anything at their destination. That place was discovered many decades ago and has since been pillaged thoroughly.

"Soon, we'll get to this beautiful valley," said Lila. "But the thing is... I've been there only once."

Aira looked questioningly at her.

"Yeah, you are right... I'm lost in the lichen," Lila said. "I don't remember the exact route. It has been a while. And we don't go that far from the town during our patrols. The place was cleared ages ago. I think it was my grandfather who found it. He brought me there as a child once, to show me the miracles of the old civilization."

She looked around, trying to figure out which direction to go next. "As I said, the building is in a valley. If I could even call it a building so huge it is. It would be hard to miss after we get to that ridge."

Lila cautiously monitored Aira's activities. She traveled with the undead, but it would be wrong to say she made the final decision. Aira mentioned that she has been doing 'training' and 'meditation.' But it was hard to see what it was in reality. Most of it was intangible, related to these supposed bizarre powers of the undead. Or maybe not only to the undead, if she believed the stories about other worlds where even humans could cast spells.

Preposterous!

Still, as the landscape gradually changed around them, differences in Aira's capabilities were as subtle yet as undeniable. Lila was spooked when she first noticed how much more agile Aira was after she got one of the gadgets in her hands. For several weeks, she could barely write a few words on that skateboard. And then, momentarily, she was scribbling long passages in a journal.

In the same way, everything else about Lila's unlikely companion was changing in the days of their hike. Sometimes, she sped up or paused for a few minutes near a large tree, caressing its bark as if sensing something within. At other moments, it seemed she was sleepwalking, not noticing anything around her, following Lila only thanks to her arcane abilities. And the most bizarre were the nights. Not once did Aira allow Lila to keep the watch. Still, she was surprisingly calm during her sleep, and in the mornings, she felt better than when she slept in bed.

On the fourth day of their journey, something strange happened. Suddenly, Aira approached Lila and gave away all of the gadgets she collected from Garrick. She didn't explain, but the change was instantaneous. Her movements became sluggish, and she couldn't keep up anymore, even when Lila slowed her pace and started to walk slower. It was like a device was switched off.

"Elders' breath... Is that for real?" Lila asked incredulously. "These gadgets truly improve your state that much? You aren't messing with me right now?"

Aira gestured to her, asking to return the wristband. As soon as it was fastened to her forearm, agility returned to the undead woman. She grabbed her journal and scribbled a message: "Yes, but it shouldn't surprise you, right? You expected me to be quite slow when you carried me back to Mountain View on my first day here."

"Solid as oak, I'm with you," Lila answered. "But it's one thing to know it and a different thing to see it. Especially when you change so much right in front of my eyes."

She took the measure of Aira. "Are you feeling good?" she asked softly. "Does it affect you? Are there any consequences?"

Aira made a noncommittal gesture with her hands and wrote another note. "My health stat has just dropped to the maximum I seem to have without magic. Now it's 205 instead of 555. But looks like that's the only consequence. As soon as I have one of these gadgets back in my hands, it starts to improve."

Lila grinned. "Bones and bark! That's intense, Aira. If you're not some stray dream from last night, that's the wildest thing that ever happened to me!"

She took a moment to take in everything Aira wrote. "Does that mean you can't lose these gadgets? Will you be able to charge their batteries?"

Aira looked at her as if she did not understand the question.

"All of the gadgets use power stored inside," Lila explained. "Back in town, we had power generators that allowed us to charge our devices and larger machines. But here in the wild... We don't have anything like that. And in the old facility, most likely nothing remains there."

"Ah, so, that's what I felt inside of them," wrote Aira. "It seemed there's some power hidden inside. Well, that's not the only thing I sensed, but I know what you mean. I think I charged them in background, using my skill. But I'll make a point of exploring it a bit more in the future."

"Good!" said Lila, visibly more relaxed. "I finally start to believe we might actually stand a chance, you and me, as wild as it sounds."

That's how they came to the edge of the forested area and found themselves at the top of the ridge. As they gazed down, the enormity of the ancient building presented itself before them in all its glory. Both Aira and Lila were awed. For the human, it was a sight that reminded her of her childhood. The time she spent here with her grandfather. The legends of the olden times he recited to her.

But the structure that dominated the valley surprised Aira as well. In her world filled with magic, only the most powerful wielders of arcane powers and the wealthiest kings could allow themselves to build something like that. It demanded a lot of intricate spells not only to erect something similar but also to keep it from crumbling. Especially as it was supposedly centuries old and not looked after during these years.

As night approached, they decided to camp right there, on the hilltop, taking in the breathtaking view as they set up their tents and prepared for the evening. Leaving the exploration of the facility until morning, when they will be able to properly assess its safety and check for potential danger and traps.