I am now lvl 40 (just hit it) and asmadeo is 47 - highest lvl difference so far has been 11 levels between asmadeo and me.
I use him exclusively now, with one forest fairy that gets resurrected near the end of the fight for no loss. Oh and for chests of course
poor draco is only level 26 :/
Now I need to remember which cave took me to grand canal (I think it was the Kef Azisa caves - I will check) . I am trying to get to as many islands I can without maps so I can get wanderer scrolls (I have been REALLY unlucky with ancient knowledge ones so far).