LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 53 - Just a Slime
Caeileera woke up lying on the grass under a blue sky. The air was fragrant with the smell of blooming flowers. A feeling of peace and contentment filled her.
Am I dead? she wondered.
‘No,’ A warm male voice said. ‘Not yet. And based on the Terran’s actions… I doubt this is quite the time yet.’
She recognised it. It was Akh'ret.
‘My lord!’ she said and sat up.
She looked around and saw she was in a garden, by a patch of blue flowers by her and a well-man wearing blue trousers that had an apron and braces, a red chequered shirt and a straw hat. His tanned face was wide and fatherly, with dark hair and stubble, and warm brown eyes with wrinkles under them. The man was doing something in the flower patch. He ripped out some plants that did not match the flowers and put them into a plastic bucket next to him.
‘No need for that “my lord” business, my daughter. You can help me with the flowers though, if you want.’
He offered her a trowel. She took it and started to help him expand the flower patch. This was the first time she had ever done it, but the god patiently explained everything to her.
‘Why have you brought me here, my Lord?’ Caei asked eventually.
‘Because we need to talk, my daughter,’ Akh’ret sighed sadly.
‘Talk?’
‘Yes. About what's coming.’
‘The Great Game?’
‘So, the Terran told you. Good.’
‘Why are you calling Lilyth this?’
‘Because that is what she is in the grand scheme of things, Caeileera. Lilyth is an outsider here. Never forget that. And that is causing problems both for her and for you. She, and by extension you and Aki, are starting to gain notoriety among the powers. The latest stunt that she pulled…One does not get to rip power directly from gods and escape attention.’
‘Lilyth did WHAT?’
‘You know how she survived the fall?’
‘Yes. Ter’ius allowed Lily to channel her power.’
‘Well… Lilyth somehow managed to do that on her own. Both my sister and Ter’ius were surprised, to say the least.’
‘Oh no… is Lily in…’
‘Trouble? No. Not with them. She would have died if she hadn’t done it. And I can't be mad given how it was used to save you, my daughter… but… there is a price to be paid. Her body took a lot of damage in the process, and her ability to use magic has been permanently… impaired.’
‘Oh no… she did that for me?’
‘Yes. Lilyth might try to hide it from you so as not to make you feel bad about it…’
Caei smiled sadly and sighed:
‘She’s like that. Yes. Why tell me about it though?’
‘To make you understand that she will need your and Aki’s help to heal. Despite what she may claim otherwise.’
‘I will do my best,’ Caei said.
‘That’s all I can count on, my daughter. Now off you go. The Terran is back.’
When Caeileera disappeared, Akh’ret returned to his flowers. Still… he was hoping he was doing the right thing.
When I regained consciousness I felt something moist falling on my face. I opened my eyes and saw Caei and Aki leaning over me, tears in their eyes.
‘You’re… fine,’ I said, seeing the Sanguine up and about. ‘That’s a relief.’
Caei shook me and shouted.
‘Don’t “you’re fine” me, you fucking idiot! You could have died. Have you seen the shape you are in?’
‘A small price…’
It was Aki’s turn to get mad at me.
‘A small price? You barely look human… elven… you know!’
I checked the statuses I got.
Status: Magic Burnout
Effects:
Unable to use magic
Unable to use mana-based abilities
Unable to use magical effects of items
Note 1: This status cannot be removed through any means
Note 2: This status will expire in 59 days, 23 hours and 2 minutes
Status: Elemental Contamination - Air
Level: 4 - Critical
Effects:
Irreversible changes to body structure have occurred
Increased effectiveness of Air Arcana-based spells, abilities and traits
Unable to use elemental-based Arcanas
Note 1: Level of contamination will revert to 3 - Severe in 42 days, 12 hours and 15 minutes
Note 2: Further exposure to Air elemental energy may be fatal
Status: Elemental Contamination - Umbral
Level: 3 - Severe
Effects:
Increased effectiveness of Umbral Arcana-based spells, abilities and traits
Decreased effectiveness of Life Arcana-based spells, abilities and traits
Unable to use Light Arcana-based spells, abilities and traits
Note: The level of contamination will revert to 2 - Moderate in 21 days, 11 hours and 24 minutes.
Interesting. The Umbral Arcana one is less severe. Is it due to me being what I am?
I checked my traits. There was, as I suspected, no Umbral infusion, but the Air one jumped by two levels and there was a new side effect there as well.
Trait: Elemental Infusion - Air
Type: Magical - Elemental
Level: 4/10
Effects:
Faster progression of Air Arcana-related spells, traits and abilities
Slower progression of all other elemental Arcana-related spells, traits and abilities
Unable to use Earth Arcana-related spells, traits and abilities
Physical Signs of Elemental Contamination have become more prominent and take longer to revert
Small chance of failure of all other Elemental Arcana-related spells and abilities (can be mitigated by a high level of proficiency in that spell or ability)
Description: Your desperate use of Air Arcana past the physical capabilities of your body and having the Air Goddess inside of you (and not in the fun way) have permanently altered your body. You have become elementally infused with Air energy.
Notice: This trait progresses each time you reach level 3 or 4 of Elemental Contamination. The progression of this trait cannot be reversed.
Trait: Arcane Connector Scarring
Type: Magical - Malus
Level: N/A
Effects:
Unable to use Arcanas other than Umbral and Air
Slower progression of magical skills, abilities and spells
Increased difficulty of learning new spells
Increased perk point cost of learning spells from runes
Small chance of failure whenever you cast a spell
Description: You have burned out your connections to other Arcane sources. Only your direct connection with Ereshkigal and Nyx saved your ability to use magic at all. You are no longer capable of learning or using spells, abilities and traits tied to Arcanas other than Umbral and Air.
Notice: This trait cannot be removed.
That sucks. Still… I spent my entire life without access to magic, eh? It will be just back to the old me for a while.
‘I’ll be fine in no time!’ I lied. ‘Don't worry.’
‘Stop bullshitting us, Lilyth!’ Caei shouted. ‘I spoke with Akh’ret. He told me. Show us.’
I winced at that.
‘No need to worry…’
‘Show. Us,’ Caei insisted. ‘We’re in a fucking dungeon, I remind you.’
‘Very well…’
Both Aki and Caeileera’s expressions were horrified upon seeing the results of my misadventures.
‘What… What happened?’ the Sanguine asked.
So I told them. Everything.
‘After the… magic stuff I went to the room the big bastard was in,’ I finished. ‘It was mostly a military depot, but there were some potions there. I could only grab the one because my backpack wouldn't respond to the summoning. I guess I now know why. That's also where I found the shotgun. I spent the four perk points I had on learning it. And that's that.’
Caei sighed.
‘I guess, I can't be too mad at you for going to these lengths to save me, but for fuck’s sake Lilyth, start finally thinking about your own needs and safety too!’
‘I will try…’ I said weakly.
It was clear neither Aki nor Caei bought it, but such was life.
‘Be sure you try hard,’ the Sanguine stressed, and then, to my surprise, kissed me. ‘And this is for saving me.’
Our first priority was getting more supplies. We went to retrieve my backpack from where I left it on the ground floor and headed to the nurses station/armoury. The room was a bit more spacious than those in the Main Wing, but not by much. The only remnant of the original purpose of the room was a small cabinet that contained potions under the wall opposite the entrance. To the left of the entrance was a desk with another broken radio station - I wasn’t sure what people here had against the radio, and some papers I still had to review. Under the wall opposite the desk, there was a pile of wooden crates with weapons and ammo. This is where I found my shotgun - a long-barrelled weapon with a wooden stock and fore-end and a leather carry strap.
Item: Vandarian Royal Arms Model 9
Class: Weapon - Pump-action Shotgun
Rarity: Mass Produced - Thought Lost
Durability: 49/50
Ammo: 4/6
Ammunition: 12 Gauge
I had to stock up on ammo though. There were plenty of boxes of it, along with ammo for Caei’s rifle, submachine guns, pistols and, I kid you not, two more light machine guns. Those had long barrels, bipods, side-mounted pan magazines and, as most weapons I’ve seen here, wooden stocks. As Caei and Aki were looking around, I simply loaded a couple of twenty-five shell boxes for my shotgun into my backpack. I initially chose it over the pistols and other weapons because I felt I needed something with decent enough stopping power. I did now pick up a pistol, a nice little nine millimetre with diamond pattern anti-slip surface on the grip and grooves on the slide to facilitate easier chambering, and a few extra clips and hundred-bullet boxes. My backpack was almost full then. I also saw a nice bandoleer so I could have ready access to ammo for the shotgun. While Caei and Aki were busy restocking potions and ammo, I leaned back against the desk and checked my notifications.
New Skill Acquired: Pump-action Shotguns - Current Level: 1 (0% total progress to level 2)
You have spent 2 Perk Points (Current Number of Perk Points: 2)
Your Pump-action Shotguns skill has increased to level 3 (0% total progress to level 4)
You have spent 2 Perk Points (Current Number of Perk Points: 0)
Level 14 Rotting Thrall has been slain.
You have received 1400 experience points (4782/5500 total experience points progress to level 11)
The following skills have progressed:
Dexterity: + 73% (110% total progress to level 15)
Your Dexterity attribute has increased to level 15 (5% total progress to level 16)
Agility: +64% (100% total progress to level 12)
Your Agility attribute has increased to level 12 (0% total progress to level 13)
Note: You have reached the natural limit your body can reach on its own. Further increases of Agility will require the use of perk points or dedicated training regimen.
Endurance: +84% (156% total progress to level 13)
Your Endurance attribute has increased to level 13 (28% total progress to level 14)
Your total health has increased
Your total stamina has increased
Vitality: +54% (121% total progress to level 14)
Your Vitality attribute has increased to level 14 (10% total progress to level 15)
Your total health has increased
Your total stamina has increased
Intelligence: +16% (105% total progress to level 17)
Your Intelligence attribute has increased to level 17 (2% total progress to level 18)
Your total mana has increased
Wisdom: +5% (5% total progress to level 13)
Willpower: +67% (115% total progress to level 16)
Your Willpower attribute has increased to level 16 (7% total progress to level 17)
Your total mana has increased
Cunning: +17% (46% total progress to level 9)
Resilience: +15% (36% total progress to level 8)
New Skill Acquired: Woodsmanship - Current Level: 1 (15% total progress to level 2)
New Skill Acquired: Dwynveian History- Current Level: 1 (47% total progress to level 2)
The following skills have progressed:
Combat Knife: +75% (75% total progress to level 4)
Pump-action Shotguns (20% total progress to level 4)
Air Arcana: +81% (83% total progress to level 5)
Umbral Arcana: +30% (30% total progress to level 4)
Sanguine Arcana: +15% (63% total progress to level 2)
The following spells have progressed:
Shadow Bolt: +60% (60% total progress to level 2)
Gust of Wind: +30% (51% total progress to level 4)
Fist of Wind: +114% (87% total progress to level 3)
The following abilities have progressed:
The Swiftness of the Wind: +159% (169% total progress to level 2)
Your Swiftness of the Wind ability has increased to level 2 (34% total progress to level 3)
‘How are you feeling?’ Caei asked me, while I watched Aki play around with the light machine gun.
The girl really loved these kinds of novelties, so when she saw the treasure trove of “artefacts” in the room she immediately started rummaging through it. I did not mind, the girl deserved to have some fun, though I was wondering whether this one was more than she could chew, as between the gun and ammo the whole thing must have weighed some like twelve or thirteen kilograms based on what I knew about these things on Earth from Wikipedia.
‘I should be the one asking you this,’ I responded, playing absentmindedly with the strap of the bandoleer.
The look Caei gave told me everything.
‘I’m fine… I guess,’ I quickly corrected myself. ‘At least no different.’
She nodded.
‘You probably can’t feel it, but there is a lot of ambient magic in the air. What you did… it wasn't smart you know…’
‘I do, and… I understand why you were mad at me too. Hell… I would be furious at someone who did cowboy bullshit like this.’
‘Don’t think I don’t appreciate that you did it for me… just… I am worried about you. Aki is too.’
‘I know and I hate myself for it. It’s just that.. that… I… have no idea what I’m doing. What should I do to prevent you two from getting hurt. If I make a mistake and one of you dies…
‘It’s not your fault I got shot, you know. It was just pure bad luck.’
‘Perhaps. But if I chose the other room first…’
‘You are just a woman. You had no way of knowing. You can’t carry the burden of everything. You can share it.’
‘I don’t… I don’t know how,’ I said and hung my head in shame.
Caei took my hand in hers.
‘We’ll figure it out,’ she said firmly. ‘Together.’