Chapter 19: The Valley Void?

With the void Burasu defeated the party continue towards the center of the void where they believe the alpha void wolf’s den will be located, as they move through the void, they encounter fewer and few monsters as they all avoid the party because of their success against the void Burasu and their proximity to the den of the alpha void wolf. However, even without the presence of monsters one of the party members is struggling as Lexa experiences the effects of the void energy accelerating the rate of void corruption within her, she tries her best to hide the effects but after using a void spell and having a large amount of her mana drained Lexa is feeling the effects of the corruption rate more than she remembers feeling it in the previous void. Ilev notices that Lexa is slowing down every once in a while, and that she’s paler and breathing harder than usual.

“Lexa, you ok? You seem to be struggling with something.”
“Oh I’m fine, probably just mana deprivation if anything. That void spell is rather mana heavy after all.”
“You’re sure it’s just that, and not anything to do with the void energy accelerating the corruption rate?”
“I’m sure, you don’t have to worry about that. I’ve just used a load of mana is all.”
“If that’s what you say I have to believe you. As I have no way of knowing if you’re lying after all.”

While Lexa has taken the immediate pressure of her party off of her, she won’t be able to hide the effects that the void is having on her forever and then the questions from her party will start again. But for now, she’s able to cope with the energy that’s flowing from to void into her and keep its effects to a minimum. But with the party’s satisfaction about Lexa’s condition being perfectly fine their attention turned to Isla.

“Isla why did you leave before we finished up in the forest? Surely you would have been better of having us with you, and if we hadn’t found you when we did you probably wouldn’t have survived the encounter with the void Burasu.”
“I left before meeting back up with all of you because the alpha void wolf appeared again, and knowing that it had taken your friend I couldn’t let the chance to follow it back to its home slip by. Because if I did then there would be no guarantee that any of us would ever see it again, so I decided to follow it to this void, once I knew it lived here, I went back to leave the note you found before coming back here to begin clearing monsters out of the void. You do have a point about the void Burasu, but I’ve fought monsters that had more resistance than that thing however thinking about it that’s the first time something has been so resistant to attacks and yet possess such offensive capability.”
“I guess that’s a good enough reason to have gone off alone, you did it to help us find our friend. So, thank you for doing that. But I have a few more questions, if you don’t mind me asking.”
“I did it to help you but also for the fact that I had a reason to hunt down the alpha, as before I’d just been hoping to encounter it and fight it if I ever came across it. And ask away, there’s nothing much else to do during this walk is there Arano. And if anyone else has questions ask away now.”
“Well, why did you become a void hunter. And when did you get that new void element sword?”
“I became a void hunter because like you I found that forest with the Owlins living within and they were being terrorised by the void beasts constantly so I decided that I would help out by becoming someone who would only go around eliminating the void monsters that were in that forest so that the Owlins didn’t have to worry about those monsters anymore. That and I thought I might be able to get my memories back if I were to do that, but unfortunately that hasn’t happened, but I’ve been doing it for so long now that I can’t exactly stop. And the sword, I’ve had it for the longest time, but I’ve just never had a need to use it one of the merchants in the guild I told you about is a blacksmith and I had them make it for me ages ago just in case I ever needed it.”
“Huh, so you don’t remember where you came from before you were in the forest?”
“No, I don’t remember a thing. I just woke up one day near the edge of the forest and started walking and before long I found the Owlin village. Why do you ask Ilev?”
“Oh just curious is all, there are a few things about this world that I want to look into when I have the chance to.”
“Well I hope you find that chance as up to this point it seems like your experience is similar to mine with constant fighting and no real time to rest.”
“That is certainly one way of putting it.”

During their conversation the group had covered a fair amount of ground and soon found themselves looking at a far-off cave entrance, after exchanging looks and a few words the group determine that the cave that is before them is the place that the alpha’s den is located. With Lexa still looking rather unwell and everyone else exhausted after the long walk after a hard battle, they decide to set up camp and take time to rest before going attempting to rescue Suieol. Once they set up the camp, Lexa crawled into one of the tents and went to sleep before anyone could ask her any questions, which only raised concern about Lexa’s condition while even though she says that she’s fine the group all know that she’s going to be suffering some way because of the void energy that’s no doubt affecting her. Ilev catches Isla alone and asks her about if there is any way to limit the effects of the void energy, to which Isla shakes her head and just mentions that not enough research has been done on the voids or void energy for there to be any way to reverse the effects of the void or limit the effects it has on natural material. Isla just tells Ilev to trust Lexa that she’ll tell them if it gets too much or she must have some way to reduce the effects after the fact else she wouldn’t still be here with the rest of them.