Surprising everyone with her self-control, Filnon didn’t try anything during the shower or after the massage. She was really trying to keep her end up, which was lovely to see. Didn’t hurt that the massage kind of sucked though. Manual dexterity aside, Es just lacked the skill to do it properly, and so ultimately just ended up rubbing her back some. Though that was nice regardless, and they had a good night’s sleep together. The morning brought even more delight as well, as it seemed that people got up early to sort out their trek towards Har Garath. The Neutral Druchii that didn’t get involved in either side of the fight, and the valued slaves who had a life worth living here, were gathering supplies and preparing carts to head through the tundra.

For her part, Estaria ran a pair of C-ranks - not so strong yet that B-ranks were perfunctory - and pushed the last little slivers of exp into the new level. This whole bloody exp trait had to be when she was at 4 traits a level, huh? Though Filnon was enjoying herself, at level 54, she’d already gotten her three traits that helped Estaria level properly. Though the grind to 100 had never seemed so real.

Breakfast was had, Filnon went to go talk to people about the specifics, and Estaria dressed modestly for the first time in weeks, helping out the porters and slaves getting the caravan ready. The cage wagon was used as a storage wagon, to help fit everything in, and because nobody was going to be running away from the convoy in the middle of the tundra. Even Estaria doubted she could manage that, however much she tried to convince Filnon that she absolutely could do that if she wanted to. 

Mid-day came and went before Filnon arrived, to a mostly packed wagon and slaves milling around doing final prep work. Nothing like your impending horrible death to bring Druchii and human together. 

“So we are heading out tomorrow, because there is a snowstorm rolling in and we don’t wanna get caught in that. We’ve got the day to ourselves, so wanna run a dungeon? We could kick an A-rank and see where that gets us” Filnon suggested. The idea of some good exp was appealing. Money was not really any good to her anymore, as she had recently checked and a player could only buy a single orange item from the shop. But the rest of the enticement was nice.

Getting dressed in her fighting garb and then talking Filnon’s hand, they would port into the A-rank, which was the city in about the same state. Though the people milling about were different. Their name colouration put them a level about Estaria, so Filnon would have little issue fighting them off, but who they were was more interesting than their power level.

“They look like them Ulthuan Elves” Estaria commented, nodding softly. She always wanted to fight one of them. Though they weren’t in a talking mood, and she had to quickly dodge an arrow shot at her. Filnon replied with a pair of daggers, and they were off to the fight. Es rushed in with wild speed, deflected the first spear thrust and then drove a fist into the man’s chestplate. Double Slice got a second one in right on the first and crunched his armour, allowing a wild spinning heel kick to delete his head.

Filnon was keeping his friend off her while she was having her little spar, which gave Es an opportunity.

“I supported you last time, so I get to fight the boss this time~” Es exclaimed, cackling madly at Filnon’s playful glare, and then heading on in. The sound of battle attracted the attention of the Elves, but Filnon and Estaria were not opponents that would be slowed by the likes of them. Their teamwork was not great, but they each knew how to at least keep out of each other’s way. And Estaria was really enjoying her new Queen’s Step, flipping onto the enemy’s spear and then flipping again, driving an axe-kick into the enemy’s helmet.These guys were well disciplined but it seemed not so prepared for wacky wahoo acrobatics. Especially when the breach Es made left an opening for Filnon to come in and help out.

They were strong buggers, and fighting them alone would definitely have gone back for Es, but with Filnon here and the support she was giving, Estaria was able to focus better on her singular targets and demolish them. Filnon it seemed excelled in mass combat, a beautiful dance that showcased what one could truly do with Witch Dance, rather than Estaria’s mimicry of it. Filnon was good at a 1v1, as Estaria could manage herself in a group, but watching her deal with the quickly scattering infantry was where she was sublime. Objectively faster than Estaria, that must have been the Druchii racial trait on show. Filnon was wildly precise in the most minute of situations. Blades taking advantage of the thinnest windows to spill blood. Something Estaria could manage with a gun, but not quite something she had managed with a sword.

The poor bastards were routed and pushed back until they got to what was the Master’s Mansion. Estaria and Filnon killed everyone and everything, right up to the limit to farm the most exp from this place, and then went for the boss when there were no more fights. Took a minute to rest from the fatigue though, and regenerate their luck. ‘Easy’ though it seemed, they were still pretty pressed as they got into it.

There, at the Master’s Mansion, stood a man with a glorious greatsword and gear far more than his peers. A light red colouration marked him as ‘Swordsmaster of Hoeth’

“Druchii and an enslaved warrior. A strange mix” the Swordsmaster would comment, raising his sword in front of him.

“Ahh, don’t get so high and mighty you shit, you have slaves just the same as they do” Estaria exclaimed, walking up to him.

“The servants come willingly for the wisdom of-” the Swordsmaster when then shift suddenly, blocking Estaria’s punch with his sword.

“Cut the shit and just get to fighting” Es ordered, kicking his leg in with a Quicksilver Viper and then rolling a punch to his head that he managed to avoid by counterbalancing himself with the greatsword.

Wheeling backwards, he would then strike out, initially out of range but with a radical shift of footwork, cut Estaria’s Luck in half, and still managed to recover the blade enough to bash her with the hilt when she tried to close the gap. She had thought it impossible to wield a Greatsword with such finesse that it was almost a whip, but here he was proving her wrong on that front. The hilt strike drove her away, and then he recovered his blade in an instant and swung it again.

Estaria was ready for it this time, and bent backwards, lashing her foot up at a precise moment to hit the blade and knock it up into the air, flipping backwards from her bending and getting on all fours, she rocked herself towards the man, tackling him to the ground as the blade came for another strike. Glorious though he was on two feet, he didn’t seem to have as good of a ground game, and with a contest of strength, Es wrestled the blade away from him and then broke his arm with a satisfying crunch. 

Not one to just give in, he would pull a knife and stick it in Estaria’s side, doing a considerable amount of damage despite her armour. Reaching back to grab his hand and force it still so he couldn’t pull out and stab her again, she’d lash punches into his face, burning all her Cool to release a one-handed barrage against him. Eventually, there was no more face, and no more Swordsmaster, which was just fine for her. 

“Now that was a sword guy” Filnon commented, giving a gentle clap in appreciation.

“Right? Fuckin’ how? That sword is like seven pounds and he swung it like it was a strand of grass” Estaria commented, shaking her head and pulling the knife out of her side. She didn’t need to worry about bleeding to death or anything, dungeon wounds healed. And besides, she got something real nice for her troubles.

Total Obliteration 30000+10000 gold earned. Ice earned. 

You have levelled up

You have levelled up

Two levels, a shit ton of money, and something called Ice. Back in town, she’d buy the third of three traits and feel a weight lifted, freedom to once again purchase her own traits. Next she opened the inventory and saw ‘Ice’. This was the greatsword that the guy had just kicked her ass with, and she was half tempted to just use it as a weapon. But, they weren’t her thing, so she’d just select it to sell it. However, a new option ‘Dismantle’ showed up as well. Curious and getting rid of the thing anyway, she would hit that and get some weapon components and reagents. 

That must have been where you got the stuff you needed for the Workshop. It even gave her an orange item called ‘Potent Magical Essence’ which was one of the two things needed to craft an Orange Weapon or Armour. No doubt the other part would be a God-specific item like the heart she gave to Fukuri. Well, no better place to get something like that than the city that worshipped Khaine the most.

Still, they weren’t there yet, and so she would help with food cooking, calm some nerves and ease some tension of people gathered, get her own hiking gear, and then tomorrow they would be off. She was a little nervous herself despite what she showed, going to such a huge well known city. What would they be like? Would they look down on her Witches, rustic and backwards by comparison? Would they look down on her? Those, were the questions.