ALEXiThymiA: Chapter 110 Stage VIII

Chapter 110

Stage VIII

The minute Alexa entered the new dungeon, she couldn’t help but feel out placed by the sheer size and scope of the dungeon she was in. The dungeon was massive, as it seemed to have no end in sight. Just as it was nighttime from where she left, it was also nighttime here. However, the nighttime had an unsettling effect on the dungeon. At first it was hard to describe why there was an issue but soon there was a deep cold rain, one that seemed to permeate the earth and chill you to your very core.

Of course, Alexa began moving almost immediately, though she was fairly certain her entrance was somewhere different than normal.

“Hello dungeon.” Alexa said, in the Precursor tongue. Her words seeming to catch the dungeon by surprise, as the rain paused around her for a moment, only to pick up once again.

It was that one hiccup that seemed to bring attention to the sector she was in, as suddenly everyone looked towards the section of the giant dungeon that just suddenly stopped raining the terribly cold rain.

If Alexa didn’t know any better, she would swear that she startled the dungeon, getting it to jump or flinch from her sudden speech. Seeing that she had the attention of the dungeon, Alexa continued to speak.

“I have many enemies here dungeon. Can you show me where the other entities partaking in this trial are?”

There was a slight pause.

For a second Alexa wondered if she would have to rephrase her question, but just as she was getting ready to ask, the dungeon began lighting up different portions of the dungeon. The dungeon even went so far as to seemingly provide different colorings, and shadings. Immediately around her were a number of green lights that all seemed to be moving in a flanking maneuver. Then there were a number of blue lights that were stationed further away, staying in a far more fortified garrison. The green too had a garrison, but their forces were far more spread out.

Seeing the different colors and the layout of the dungeon, Alexa immediately assumed the green lights that were seemingly camped out in the cold miserable rain were elves, elves that were specifically waiting for her. How she knew this, she didn’t not really, but given all the options this was the only set of circumstances that made sense. Of the two groups, the elves were the only one with a vested interest in finding her. They were also the only ones who might be forced to camp out in the middle of the pouring rain at the dungeon entrance, waiting for her to appear. Given everything that she knew, she had to at the very least assume it was the elves that were after her.

“Thank you, dungeon.” Alexa said, as she immediately began running.

Splash, slosh.

The minute she began running, her shoes began to make squishing sounds as she charged through the rain soaked ground. There was something odd about the rain, as it was Alexa could feel that the rain, or rather the mystery of the rain had something to do with solving this dungeon. Part of the reason why she thought this was due to the fact that the rain itself was only meant to imitate an effect. What that effect was, other than being cold and miserable, Alexa didn’t quite know yet, but she was ready to find out.

As she ran, she saw one lone glowing green form on the ground. Just looking at the spot it was clear that this spot was not moving. Meaning either they were setting up a trap, lying in wait, or could they have possibly? Alexa looked at the prone form, only to realize they were all sleeping. Well sleeping in a rune protected nest. The runes they had carved into the tree they were under clearly causing the rain to go around them. Seeing the runes, Alexa realized two things; first, she realized that the green were the elven forces as they were the only ones who would also have the knowledge of rune crafting from Stage VII, second she realized that the elf that was under those very runes, was in fact sleeping.

Realizing that she needed a diversion, also wishing to test out her new Rune Channeling power. Focusing on the effects of the runes before her, she mentally reached out to the runes and turned them off. At least that is what she imagined happening with the power that was carved into the runes. She imagined the power being drained from them and allowed to flow back into the ground beneath her feet.

Instantly the cold rain water that had been flowing down and away from the slumbering elf stopped, causing a deluge of rain water to fall down all at once, right onto the sleeping elf.

“What? Gah!” An exasperated male voice cried out. While it was odd to find elven males, especially inside dungeons, she didn’t let the thought of the sleeping elf being a male surprise her enough to stop. Instead, she just made a mental note of it, as she continued on her path.

Realizing that all of the runes for the area were gone, even the alerting runes that would warn of her passing by, Alexa chose to continue her path right next to sputtering and stuttering elf that was only now coming awake.

By now Alexa had enough time to get used to running in the rain soaked fields, while her steps were by no means silent, they were less noisy than her first few steps she took while getting used to running in these odd fields.

“You.” The male voice called out, clearly having recognized Alexa.

She mentally shook her head, as she knew that elves and orcs alike both had the same Night Sight that she had.

As she ran, she began envisioning the path she wanted to run. Her mind all but showing her the route, that she wanted to take. While this would be nothing like the large scale version she had to produce in the minotaur maze of Stage VII of her Trials of Ascension, this would be large enough to get her point across. Also, she realized now that with her psychic power Rune Channeling, she would need to make the three loops. Instead, she would just have to make one loop that would require her to pump out a massive stream of energy. Focusing on keeping the parts of the path intact, she ran, circling around the tree that the boy was sleeping under, then zagging left for a step, then back right.

In her mind she intended this to be her test ground, this small group of elves that were no doubt lying in wait for her, these were the elves that she would begin her test. In her mind the all powerful level 200+ elven princess would not deign to sleep out in the rain. This meant that everyone out here with her now was likely of a lower level, meaning they were perfect for her to test out her new theory on how to survive this dungeon.

Dealing with the elves had been part of the reason why she came here. First she wanted to see what she could gain by entering an old and powerful dungeon like this one. Second, she truly felt she had a way to get rid of these elves.

During her time off since Tuesday, Alexa had time to sit and ponder about what she was seeing in dungeons. She was able to understand that part of what she had learned in her last dungeon run was like a cheat for defeating most dungeon spawned monsters. What that was? Well every monster was a Summoned Aspect, meaning they were just a part of an actual monster that bore the initial characteristics of the creature that was pulled into the dungeon. This was why killing the monsters here would not be an ethical problem, as you weren’t actually killing the real creature, instead you were just killing a magical simulacrum of them. Thinking on it, Alexa posited that this was likely why dungeon monsters spawned crystals, not because the crystals were part of elven or orcish DNA, but rather that was the residual energy that was left behind after the monster was destroyed. This of course followed that whole premise that energy cannot be created, nor destroyed, only converted, well in this case the conversion is primarily into augmentation crystals.

Realizing that these Summoned Aspects were largely similar to the Minotaur she banished, she had to try something. Either this would be something incredibly foolish and she would have to fight her way out of this stage of the trials, or she would be able to deal a decisive blow to the creatures here, while also giving her more options for possible future runs.

Of course, Alexa knew that it wouldn’t be as simple as using the same Banishment Ritual, as the one used on the minotaur. Instead, she would have to craft something specific to the elves, though her current class gave her the perfect cover for that, as she knew the elves’ power set inside and out. She knew what their racial abilities were, she knew what they coveted most. She knew they were about grace, speed, and beauty above all else. Conjuring her mental image of elves in her mind, she continued running her modified route, the smaller size meaning that she had to make a few shuffle steps, a quick loop around a tree, two switchbacks, then finally she had to once again end right where she began.

Thwoop.

Arrows sailed past her as she made her run, but the arrows seemed to all but glow to her senses as they were coated in magical properties. Rather than the magic making the arrows harder to adjust to, they had the exact opposite effect, as they all but glowed to her class’s Energy Sight, making it so they pulsed and thrummed in the darkness of night. This glow, gave her time to adjust and move out of the way of such attacks.

When her path was complete, she began making her way to the center of her formation, a formation that all but glowed in her mind. A formation that only she could see.

“We’ve got her surrounded. Capture her alive.” The commander of the group of elves shouts, as they come at her from all angles. Now she would have to either fight her way free or be taken in as a prisoner. She tries to keep the malicious smile from her face, but its tough. The thrill of battle is pulsing deep within her, even just having magically imbued arrows whiz past her was now enough for her body to begin absorbing the ambient energy, causing her mind to awaken. As her mind awakens, it goes instantly into preservation modes, fight or flight, and as usual her mind chooses to fight.

“She’s smiling?” One elf from in front of Alexa shouts out.

“This one is dangerous, be wary.” The same leader calls out.

Whoosh!

A gentle breeze begins to blow all around. As it blows, it brings the stinging cold rain of night with it.

Splash, splash.

The sleeping male elf runs over, joining the formation of encircling elves.

With the last elf in place, Alexa nods to herself as she begins channeling a weaving spell of both Wind and Water magic. Focusing her mind, she uses the already falling rain, forcing them into crystals and then twists the freezing crystals about violently through the twirling wind.

Instantly, the elves all sink in, using their hands and arms to cover their faces.

“Wind magic.” One elf cries out.

There is an attempt to take control of her spell, but it is too complex, too intricate, as they don’t quite seem to know the true purpose for the spell. They focus on the wind portion almost immediately, and Alexa lets that part of her spell fade away, as the first portion of her spell has already done its job.

Wind lacerations from tiny ice shards have sliced into the soft supple elven skin, causing tiny cuts and scratches. Scratches that are even now producing tiny beads of blood, blood that Alexa needs for her next part of her spell.

The minute the winds stop, a few elves charge forward, trying to tackle Alexa.

Alexa of course uses this time to focus on the energy infused blood particles. All awakened life has energy, the flow of mana in it, this energy glows to Alexa’s enhanced senses letting her know where that her enemies are bleeding, that they all have minor wounds. While these are nothing more than tiny scratches, blemishes that will be forgotten in an instant, they still are more than enough for Alexa to enact her next stage of her plan.

An elf charges forward, only to be struck immediately with a quick roundhouse kick to the face. The movement so fast and violent that everyone pauses for a moment. She had just been using magic a second ago, magic that was at such a high level of competency that the other wind mages could not take over the spell, but rather were forced to have the spell turn off. Still Alexa was not done, as she followed through with the strike, rotating her hips and driving the elf to the ground. This was the time when her not taking the lighter bones from the vampires paid off. It was moments like these that she had been expecting her weight to help her, and in this case it paid off, as she was able to use her mass, weight, and applied force to drive the elf to the ground. As the elf fell, Alexa was sure to shift her weight over, turning her foot flat against the elves’ cheek, then using that new surface to drive the elf’s face to the ground.

Thud.

There was a slight pause, as Alexa stood up on the face of the elf, all but forcing her full weight onto the skull of the being. This last part wasn’t to hurt or kill the elf, if she wanted to kill the elf she could have easily done so with her wind attack. Instead this was a proof of concept, an attack that she would use on these cannon fodder elves, and that is what they were cannon fodder. These elves were likely seen as a waste of resources to keep in an over crowded garrison, thus their being forced to camp out near the spawning sight of the dungeon. Still, this only meant good things for Alexa as she had a chance to try out and test her means for survival.

Pulsing.

“Ahh, AHHH!!!” The elf began to scream, as a white hot burst of light erupted from the ground, pulsing into and through the elf, then caused her to burst like an overfull balloon. Of course, in this case, the overfilling of the balloon came from being filled with too much blinding light energy, but burst she did.

After the explosion of light occurred, Alexa’s foot touched the ground, revealing her still smiling devilishly.

If the elves were unnerved by her smile before, they were especially worried about the near manic gleam that all but filled her eyes.

There was a moment of panic, as the others who had been charging forward, stood still a few paces away from Alexa’s still form. Even now, they could feel the heat that was generated by such an attack. She had electrocuted the elf so much that she burst into a cloud of ash and smoke.

What they didn’t know, or at least were unable to realize, that this had all been a trap. While Alexa let the elves think that they were herding her, forcing her to change direction and circle back on herself, they were wrong. This had all been an elaborate trap, one that the elves fell into hook line and sinker. Even with the magical attack, Alexa had held back, as she just needed to draw blood from the elves. Blood that would then be delivered to the runes as a sacrifice, forcefully banishing the summoned elf from this dungeon, permanently.

That was what the others saw, they saw the runes force the Summoned Aspect explode in a wave of force.

As that wave erupted, each and every summoned elf felt it, a wave of energy that was wrong. Feeling that pulse, their survival instincts kicked in, telling them to flee the area, to get away. Of course, these were feelings that ran counter to what their true minds and consciouses would do, which was why they all stood there frozen in shock, as the two different sets of instincts warred with each other.

Ultimately, this warring of survival instincts is what allowed Alexa to engage her next phase of her plan. Mentally she reached out to the energy infused droplets of blood that covered different exposed areas of skin that the elves had. Grabbing that blood with her Water magic, she pulled those drops and all water in the immediate area to the ground as quickly as possible.

This time, just as with the minotaur, just as with the summoned elf’s face, a connection was made. By the blood being infused into the circle, a connection of sympathetic magic was made.

Pop.

Whoosh.

Burst.

One by one the elven Summoned Aspects began bursting like disappearing popcorn kernels, they would fill up with energy, balloon out and then be banished from this realm of existence completely.

Alexa found herself nodding along at the fact that her strategy had been a surprising success. From her point of view, this was a long shot. While she had spent the better part of a week going over the different runic variables, she didn’t know that what she had come up with would in fact work. She knew a lot of the success had to deal with the fact that her Rune Channeling psychic power just meant she had to be close.

Of course, her plan wasn’t perfect, there were flaws in both her runic design, that much she was aware of, her next time she would try to make a better rune that was more exacting. This should help with banishing the different elves faster.

Then there was of course the last and final issue, one of the elves didn’t disappear as they were supposed to.

“You’re still here?”