The Homeseeker: An Elemental Adventurer LitRPG

Chapter 19 - Levels

"I'm stronger now," Zalan determined as the stats faded from his forearm. "And wiser?"

"Wisdom has nothing to do with your wisdom," Gorb replied.

"Right," Zalan said, confused.

"Correct, you are still a fool!" Fran said, smiling as she looked over the dead Giant Gargoyle with mirth.

"What is it, then?" Zalan asked.

"We will explain on the way home," Gorb said, approaching to the wall of rocks to climb over.

Gorb jumped impossibly high, assisted greatly by a burst of wind he let out as he leapt up. He stumbled on loose stones as climbed the rest of the way up the pile of rocks. He looked back down to Zalan.

"Come on," Gorb called to Zalan and Fran, his arm reaching out.

Zalan walked up to the pile and placed his hands to start climbing, but Gorb shook his head.

"Jump up, I will assist you," Gorb promised.

Zalan looked at Gorb nervously, afraid he would be insulted once they realized how little he could jump, especially with the slight injury to his feet. He hopped a tiny bit, but ascended multiple feet to his surprise. The momentum stopped just shy of Gorb's hand and Zalan had to climb up a few stones to be helped to the top.

"You can make anyone jump as high as you want?" Zalan asked once he was situated at the top of the pile. The idea sounded about as cool to him as flight.

"Excuse me a moment," Gorb said apologetically to Zalan, then turned to his sister. "Fran! We are leaving!"

"Was it not a glorious battle?" Fran called up. She was glowing with pride.

"Yes, very good, now let us go," Gorb said, waving his hand patiently.

Fran turned away from her brother and looked upon the Giant Gargoyle once more, breathing in the air deeply. Zalan gave Gorb a look of concern. Gorb wiped a hand over his face, looking utterly embarrassed.

"Fran," Gorb pleaded.

"Just a moment!" Fran said and hopped up on the dead Giant Gargoyle.

Zalan looked on, disturbed, until he realized that Fran was looking for something. He suddenly remembered that Rep had mentioned that monsters occasionally have Artifacts with them and they should be searched when defeated. He assumed it was just Roaches, but realized it could probably be any monster. He didn't know what kinds of things they ate.

"It is too dark to scavenge. Let us go," Gorb requested.

"Another moment!" Fran said, increasing the size of the flame imbued on her sword to get a better view. "I knew there was something!" She knelt down and picked something up from the open wound of the giant, storing it in her pocket. Then, she continued to search through the chest cavity.

"Two Artifacts, Fran?" Gorb chided. "You know there will not be more than one."

"What about the little ones," Fran hopped off the Giant Gargoyle and began to roll over Sickly Gargoyles with her foot.

"Fran, you yourself said we should move quickly to heal Zalan," Gorb said, growing impatient.

"Fine, fine," Fran turned away from the creature and rushed to the rock pile. With Gorb's assistance, she was at the top in seconds. She took one last look at the scene, raising her firelit sword to ensure she could take it all in while Gorb and Zalan assisted one another on their way down the other side of the rock pile. Once they reached the ground, it became difficult to see in the night and they looked up at Fran who had yet to move.