Day ~75~

Rea was worried this morning, she'd forgotten that Sereda must have seen her disappear. Waking up alone without a distracting perverted snake fondling her chest had quickly made her think of Sereda. Rea started her day while hoping that the bronze woman didn't think she was dead, or worse, decided to charge off into the wilds to find her. As Rea was finishing her preparations and packing away a few dry iron pots she was approached by two elves. Rea quickly recognized them, readying herself for combat she spoke, "I didn't expect you to follow me."

The elven pair bowed, "We have loved one another for two hundred years, but it wasn't until meeting you that our feelings became known to one another... thank you."

A gentle, refreshing breeze washed over them as Rea lowered her spear. She was glad they hadn't come to kill her, Rea had doubted she'd survive. "Glad to be of service?"

*Ahahaha* "A gift, and some advice. People don't cross the mountains anymore for good reason," Rea had heard from Corn about how nearly a fourth of the dwarven race had suddenly disappeared under the mountains nearly five decades ago, "without dwarven forge fire below, peaks became icy and vents that the dwarves had built all over the place became covered. It was one thing to cross the mountain while dealing with monsters and terrain. It's another trying not to fall in one of those ventilation ducts. I can't promise you that the tribe would allow you to stay, but with our word you may be allowed to visit. Would you come back with us?"

Rea looked towards the mountain, "I have to return, I was sent here with magic. Someone tried to kill me and I fear that they will go after the few people I've grown fond of... The spell that sent me here may not have even been meant for me. Someone I care for is in danger, so I have to go."

"Then be wary traveler, there are many dangerous beasts that lurk the mountain range."

Rea cringed, "Why do you think the dwarves disappeared?"

The elven woman smirked at her, "Maybe you'll find out? I think it was a dragon."

"I think it was a plague," the man interjected, "regardless we've not had any contact with dwarves on this side of the mountain range, I would assume they may eventually uncover the answers themselves. It was their home city after all." Rea took a moment to think of how Corn had taught her about the expansive underground network that used to lie underneath the mountains. She then pondered the fate of the dwarves, Rea didn't like the sound of either elf's guess...

Rea has obtained [Accessory-Ring] Mir'thanas.

Mir'thanasClassificationHeirloom AccessoryRankUniqueEffects-

-[Mana Recovery Speed+]

-[Stamina Recovery Speed+]Description-

An elven ring crafted from ancient mirian vines. This ring was passed down through many generations of an elven household and gained special properties through the harrowing trials faced by its bearers.

Rea thanked them both profusely for the very useful ring before putting it on, as they said their goodbyes the elven woman called out, "...umm, I don't suppose you could?"

Rea grinned at the blushing pair, nobody ever told them that playing with fire is bad, "Hold out your hands, just a little bit okay? My [Poison] is potent after all."

This time Rea did stay for the show... of course she didn't let them know she had watched.

Ability [Major Stealth] learned.

A few minutes later Rea walked away slightly off balance. She was thinking on what they had warned her about, Rea wasn't quite sure where she was but she knew that avoiding the highest peaks would likely be for the best.

Rea spent the better part of her day avoiding goats... yes, goats of all things. When she had first thought to attack one it bellowed out and summoned a small crowd of six goats, each with easily gore-worthy horns. Barely escaping had been a close call and she didn't repeat that mistake again. The terrain so far had been relatively easy to navigate, but the farther and higher she climbed, every path she took became more steep, jagged, and narrow. Rea was wishing that the tsuchinoko had given her access to earth magic instead, at least then she could widen these narrow cliffs. The reason Rea wasn't using the lowest, least dangerous terrain was because she could see some rather high level and dangerous monsters from very far away... they were rather large. Especially the ones pretending to be trees and rocks. Rea wasn't happy with it but her first night was spent in a crevice on the side of a mountain. Well, the crevice opened up into a larger area, wide enough for at least a dozen people to sit around comfortably. Dropping a few bunny furs she absently gazed at the light streaming in and drifted off to sleep while sniffling at the cold breeze seeping in.

Day ~76~

When Rea first awoke it took her a moment to remember where she was, it took another moment for her to realize that the goats... were friendly as long as you don't provoke them. Rea had nearly started firing off spells when she awoke mixed in with a pile of goats, if it wasn't for the pair humping five feet in front of her she really would have attacked. Seeing as they were comfortable enough to do that in her presence, and hadn't tried to eat her in her sleep, Rea let them off. The goat riding bareback did huff at Rea when she made a rather disgusted face and looked away from his equipment. When Rea silently apologized to the goat... that goat proceeded to fall off his mate sideways. What the!?

Rea gaped at the goat, You can hear me!?

You use telepathy like the mountain lord, tsuchinoko!

Rea absently rubbed her head, best to not mention she devoured the mountain lord. Sorry for interrupting your... survival exercise.

She wasn't sure what to think when the goat raised his head cackling. As the goat resumed his survival exercise it responded. I haven't seen a human in forever, and never up *ooohohhhoh* here.

Rea realized something capable of understanding her, this level X [Goat Lord], was a near sentient being. She also noticed that it meant all the monsters around her had the potential to become just as intelligent. Turning away so she doesn't have to see two animals going at it, Rea responded again, I was sent to somewhere dangerous by a mage, I'm just trying to get home now.

Uhn uh uhn uh, where's home?"

Rea felt that him thinking those grunting noises was entirely unnecessary, Vestlei, care to give me a ride.

The goat cackled again, I usually do the riding. Rea burst out laughing, causing the sleeping goats to stir. But I'll make an exception for the unique human.

Rea now marched to the crevice opening to wait for the goat lord. Once he arrived and crouched down on his haunches Rea got on and grasped his horns. Hi, ho, Silverish away!

The lord ignored whatever the heck that was, Don't fall off, I won't come back for you.

Gee, thanks.

Rea giggled when he first bounded out into the now cold air. It was one thing watching the goats jump around and expertly navigate mountainous slopes, it was another to ride a goat as he does it. The goat lord stopped and glanced at his passenger when she first used [Thermoregulation] to fight off the cold. He really hadn't expected his rider to heat up unnaturally like that. Rea asked him a few times why they kept going higher, all she got was that it's quicker this way. Nearly two hours later they came across an unnaturally flat patch of ground, Rea was bucked off and hit the ground painfully.

When she looked up at him confusedly the goat lord raised one hoof high and claimed, YOU ATE THE MOUNTAIN LORD!

In hindsight eating mister tsuchinoko may not have been wise, with a resounding crack his hoof sunk into the ground causing a massive shock wave. Knocked off balance by the tremor Rea could only watch the goat lord bound away as everything began to fall... Still in slight disbelief she was happy the lord decided to punish her with death instead of riding her. Far too much ice was descending with her, Rea was sure that at this rate she'd go splat. In an effort to survive she aimed both arms skywards, tons of snow was falling in behind of her, Rea decided now was the time to see what she could do. Enforcing her will while exuding as much mana as she could at once, a massive pillar of flames erupted, as she looked on the snow became water and steam. Rea held out both arms and used conjure water to give herself some more air resistance. Now in total darkness, as her fall began to slow ever so slightly, Rea could feel torrents of water rushing past her. The resounding echoes and freezing water tortured her, wincing in pain she tried to keep herself flat.

*BOOM!* *RUMBLE RUMBLE*

Sounds of Ice hitting the bottom of this ventilation shaft made her cringe, knowing it was now or never Rea let go of her spell and twisted her body to fall feet first. With her arms folded across her chest Rea closed her eyes.

*Splash*

Rea was surprised when she hit the water, instead of beginning to float back up she was sucked in deeper. Thanking the stars for lung capacity training she surrendered herself to the flow, in seconds she was swept into an underground chamber with water pouring in all around her. Hitting the floor and rolling across the ground Rea quickly took in the fact that she was laying in a quickly filling deathtrap. Lighting up flames with both hands and throwing fireballs in every direction she noticed a large metal door. Rea, waist deep in freezing water, slid forward on her right leg while thrusting a fist forwards. In a single resounding boom the doors were hit by a massive spire of ice and flung open. As dim light poured in she lost her balance and slid with the water rushing out beneath her. Looking down Rea knew she was about to know how it feels to go over a waterfall, in a near panic she dug her hands into the ground with ice spikes. Coming to a stop just short of the ledge Rea let out an audible sigh.

Ability [Inferno Lv. 1] learned.

Ability [Proprioception] learned.

Ability [Fireball Rank Up].

Ability [Frigor Lv. 1] learned.

[Job-Mage] Level 50!

Ability [Job-High Mage] learned.

Ability [Mana Capacity Lv. 1] learned.

Ability [Elemental Power Rank Up].

Ability [Elemental Power Rank Up].

It was a little odd suddenly being much more aware of her senses thanks to [Proprioception]. Rea let out another sigh of relief as she checked for broken bones. Looking up she could see that this was a massive plaza area, the crevice she had almost fallen in struck through the entire center of this place. Stone bridges connected opposing sides here and there, all around her Rea was seeing the remnants of dwarven civilization. Pulling out her bow for the minor nightvision Rea noticed massive statues and decrepit passages leading in every direction. As Rea crawled out of the water's path she cursed under her breath. Letting [Thermoregulation] and some fire magic do its job she was regaining body heat, but it still wasn't pleasant. Rea was feeling like a sack of bricks so this next part really sucked.

Now pouring out of one massive decrepit hallway behind of her were tons of [Devolved Lukar]. Creepy bastards running on all fours in her direction, they had barely any meat on their bones and glowing yellow eyes. Rea didn't wait to get a closer look and took off, with a single leap she cleared the running water and made a mad dash away. Seriously feeling the after effects of hitting her limit with mana, Rea was ready to pass out at any moment so she ran down the nearest corridor. As she passed door after sealed metal door she turned three corners. Rea didn't want to stop and try a door, she wanted an open door. Luck shined on her as she turned the last corner, all the way at the end was a pair of massive engraved metal doors, rushing into the chamber she quickly slid to a stop and turned. Making an inward gesture with both hands pillars of ice shot up from the ground forcing both massive doors shut. She wasn't sure if that would stop them so Rea quickly took stock of her dimly lit surroundings, for the next twenty minutes Rea pushed crates and flung barrels at the door in a pile.

*Bang bang bang* *Bang bang bang* *Bang bang bang*

As the door began to crack open she hit it with everything she had, both arms extended Rea poured ice onto the door. Even as she began to lose consciousness Rea continued to desperately drain every ounce of mana she had. The last thing she saw was an entire wall, along with her hasty barricade, completely frozen in ice.

Ability [Freezing Rank Up].

Ability [Freezing Lv. X] altered, [Glaciate Lv. 1] learned.

[Job-High Mage] Level 6!

Ability [Mana Capacity Lv. 2] learned.

Rea wasn't sure how much time had passed before she woke up, the freezing cold puddle she was laying in had stirred her. She was thankful for that though, grabbing her bow she could make out the door and barricade. Now half melted she decided that the first thing to do was freeze it over again.

Ability [Glaciate Rank Up].

Rea absently thanked Melody for teaching her cold resistance while ignoring the numerous rank ups she had gotten. Feeling like hell, and probably looking like a drowned rat, she quickly set about getting her bearings. [Psychometry] was picking up pockets of fire spirit stones with some sort of enchanted coal at regular intervals nearly six feet off the ground. Thinking it may be some sort of light device she launched a fireball at one...

*Boom* *Splash*

Rea had been knocked on her lovely rump by the explosion, fire spirit stones with random pieces of soaked coal were strewn about the ground. Not very happy with the results she decided to let the fire spirit stones do their job this time. Walking up to another wall fixture she pumped some mana into the stones, within seconds there were some light blue flames. It had been a large torch as she thought. The torch lit up her chamber in a dim light, more than enough for someone who had already adjusted to the dark. It became pretty clear with a single glance that Rea had locked herself in some barracks, nearly forty bunks lined both walls and her barricade had been barrels and crates of equipment and cloths. *achoo* Thinking that the persistent cold she'd been exposed to since arriving was beating her [Thermoregulation] Rea lit a small orb of fire and had it follow her around.

Ability [Lantern Lv. 1] learned.

She was a little surprised that a spell had come out of making the little flare. After looking at the dirt floor Rea pulled out her shovel and... At first she had been happy that she could dig, as soon as it dawned on her that the [Devolved Lukar] could as well Rea ran to the frozen wall and began to dig. After hastily digging about four feet down she sighed with relief, her shoveled had hit stone, as Rea pulled herself out and buried the hole she pondered the reason for dirt floors. Thinking it had to be because of some sort of preference... or training, she shrugged it off and went back to what she had first thought to do. While gnawing on some roasted bunny Rea dug another hole in a corner of the barracks opposite of her ice wall, she then conjured water. Absently tossing in all of her fifty something fire spirit stones, Rea slowly removed her clothes and lowered herself in.

"Ahhhhhh..."

Looking back at her soaking heirloom armor Rea frowned. Getting out of the bath she quickly removed both mattresses from the nearest bunk and threw it aside. After hanging all of her armor on the top bunk's supports she conjured fire beneath it. Rea didn't relax as much in her bath as she'd have liked for the next hour while she focused on drying her armor without burning it. Once she was out of the bath Rea got up, dried herself off with some sheets from a bunk, put her armor back on, and let out a content sigh. As she walked back towards the ice wall Rea used conjure water to lift all the puddles she had made and push them onto the frozen wall. Using more glaciate she repaired it to full capacity.

Ability [Glaciate Rank Up].

Rea took a closer look at her dimly lit barracks, trapped in a single room that was nearly the size of a double wide trailer. Monsters right outside that wanna eat her... Shaking off the horror movie feeling she closely looked around, a few shelves, bookcases, equipment stands, tons of bunk beds. Rea was at least thankful that the smell of this place was just... stuffy, not some disgusting odor. Her internal clock was telling her that it was time to get some sleep so Rea took off her armor, and laid back down where she had first fallen asleep here. If her wall was melting she wanted it to wake her up, no matter how unpleasant that feeling was.

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