A New World, an immersive game experience

Chapter 178: Meeting Itireae

Eldrian and Vivian took their time, in no rush to leave each other. They were both slowly starting to realize just how much they cared for the other. However, they were not yet at the stage where they could voice it, nor pursue it with confidence. Not even certain what their feelings meant.

Simply enjoying each other's company, they listened to the rocking of the carriage. They did not talk much, only staying together until they no longer could. This was around an hour later when Vivian was called to head to the healers. Many of her wounds still not properly treated.

Itireae had not bothered to heal her completely. Only making sure that she would not die. In doing so many of Vivian's wounds had closed due to her regeneration abilities brought by a high constitution and some passive skills she had learned.

This caused the healing done by others to be far less effective. Often needing the natural regeneration to be removed to completely heal the wounds. They could forgo this step, however, it would cause the scars to remain. Along with any incorrect healing, such as bones that regrew wrongly in a broken state, to remain wrongly regrown.

The most critical factor was healing Vivian's eye. They had already healed her ear, it was not too hard to do. The eye was far more difficult, it was a delicate thing and they could not rush in healing it. It needed to be done in one go, which meant it would either take a group of mages; Something unlikely in a military division. Or it would take a Tier 5 or higher healer, which was not something readily available. Itireae had also shown no interest in helping out any further.

There were a few Tier 5 and 6 healers in each division of the army, but they were generally very busy. Only Tier 4 and above healers could resurrect people, Tier 4 only able to do this if the body was hardly damaged.

Hence most of the Tier 5 healers were busy saving lives, they could not spare time to heal a wound that had no rush to be healed. Vivian had been given a month to recover, hence she did not need to be fully healed for a month.

As she left, Eldrian turned his sight to the interface. He saw that he had many prompts, but he did not care. He wanted to first go through the message log to confirm what had happened. It was a long log, with over two hundred confirmed kills.

[4 500 XP gained]

[5 250 XP gained]

[42 000 XP gained]

...

Other than the kill logs there were quite a few strange messages between. Eldrian wondered if he might be able to filter the log, and as he did an option appeared. Filtering it, he removed all kill notification. Leaving only a few shocking messages.

[Player has lost 5 levels [Cause unknown]]

[Player has died]

[Player was not resurrected]

[Player has received full death penalty: -2 levels]

[Player has forcefully revived [Cause unknown]]

[Player has died]

[Battle field resurrection was performed on player]

[Time between death and resurrection was 1 hour, ten minutes, and 33 seconds]

[Player has received full death penalty: -2 levels]

What the hell?Eldrian was flabbergasted as he saw these messages. How could he have died twice, and why did he lose 5 levels?

In the end, even with having killed over two hundred enemies, he only managed to stay at the same level. Eldrian did not mind this though. He only cared about the fact that Vivian was alright and that he had failed to protect the others.

Going through the kill log again he was shocked by the amount of XP he had gained. He was even more astonished and pained when he saw that he had also killed six of the women saved from the goblin caves. Reading these logs certainly caused him to feel like shit, he could not remember this though. Thus he felt that it was an accident caused by when he tried to cast that lighting spell.

You should kill yourself...A voice spoke deep within Eldrian. Naturally, he ignored this nonsensical voice. It certainly hurt to lose people and killing some innocent woman added to this hurt, but why would he kill himself? Eldrian knew that he did his best to save them, he did not wish to beat himself up anymore for failing.

Come now. You failed in protecting those near you. Even when trying your best, you ended up killing those behind you. Why should you live when they do not?

What the hell is this?Eldrian asked himself, wondering if someone or something was trying to manipulate him. If so, he would not fall for it. It might have worked if he only learned about everything now. Luckily he had already learned about it a few hours ago, having also gone through the pain then. It was not overbearing anymore, only aching every time he thought of those lost.

I am certain you know it was your fault. Why don't you just kill yourself? But... Don't do it in this body.

Hearing this freaked Eldrian out. If it was simply trying to convince him to off himself in-game he wouldn't really care. This had gone one step too far though, the voice clearly knew somethings, but not much. Displaying the limitation of NPCs, but it being inside his head greatly bothered Eldrian. He worried that it might learn more and grow to manipulate him without him realizing it.

Rushing out of the carriage, Eldrian looked around hoping to find a mage or priest to inspect him. Instead, he came face to face with a beautiful elf riding a giant eagle next to his carriage.

"A drem demon. Foolish, no High Elf would fall for your tricks."Itireae scoffed as she saw Eldrian coming out of the carriage.

"A what?"Eldrian asked, not even realizing that he was talking another language.

"Oh, you actually know our language." Itireae was surprised by this. It was by no means easy to learn the elven language, even the most basic dialect among the elves generally took years to learn. She was speaking one of the older and more noble dialects, yet this elf easily understood her and communicated back without mistake.

She was surprised not by an elf knowing the language, but because she had come to find that this elf was a Chosen. One of the special beings. For some time it had bothered her that she had managed to revive him after so much time had passed. She had realized that he was a Chosen when no one was surprised by the fact that she had revived him after so much time.

Not that she had talked with others. She had only observed them, especially when they had interviewed Vivian on what had happened. About why only three people had made it back. Vivian had explained everything to those in charge. Itireae had not brought them to her father's division. As such, she did not receive any special treatment, only being healed after they confirmed through magic that she was not lying.

"What?"Eldrian asked in confusion, the voice inside his head panicking.Quick run, she is going to kill you.

Eldrian felt like laughing at the nonsensical voice. Turning to face the elf properly, he asked; "Can you kill this thing. I have no idea what it is nor why it wants me to kill myself."

Itireae giggled hearing Eldrian's words. Finding it really funny that a drem demon would even hope about getting a High Elf to go so far as to kill themselves. The most it should hope for is making a High Elf turn against acquaintances, friends would be a stretch already. Yet it was trying to force him to kill himself.

"Sure." Itireae lifted her one hand and pointed towards Eldrian. The voice panicking before quickly becoming quiet as a shadow fell from Eldrian.

As soon as it died, the emotional pain Eldrian had been feeling lifted some more. Everything becoming slightly brighter. Causing him to wonder if this drem demon had been enhancing the pain he felt for losing someone. I wonder if it could affect me in reality?

"Thank you very much. I am Haru, and you are?" Eldrian smiled as he spoke, surprised that he was managing to talk so smoothly to such a beauty. He felt that the game had truly changed him. This might be something dumb to realize only now, most of the changes Eldrian did not notice. This was the only one that really struck out to him.

"Itireae. This is Mnene." Itireae returned the pleasantries.

"Well thanks again," Eldrian said as he hopped down from the carriage. Wanting to confirm what was going on with the army. Especially how far they were from finally reaching the kingdom of Taurus. The little incident with the voice having caused him to forget to look at the other notifications he had.

Seeing Eldrian about to leave, Itireae climbed down from Mnene and followed. Eldrian did not realize this at first, but as all the soldiers made a large path wherever he passed, he realized something was weird.

Turning around he saw Itireae following behind him leisurely, upon seeing her, all the soldiers would put up their best front and try to appear as busy as possible.

"Why are you following me?"Eldrian asked, truly curious about who she actually was.

"I want to know why you are with humans. More specifically, how you can be a Chosen."She replied, her words causing the soldiers nearby to panic as they feared that the two elves were talking of them.

Seeing their reactions, Eldrian grew even more curious about what Itireae's identity was. Their reactions seemed over the top.

"Can you explain why they are all so afraid of you?" Eldrian asked, his curiosity starting to come back to him.

"I don't know. I have not talked with anyone else. No one knows Audili, nor Qaayat or Easdathi. You are the first to know a language I also do."