211

Chapter 211 : Enigma (1)

For a moment Agni couldn’t think. She simply lay on the ground where she’d fallen back and stared at the spot where Michelle once was. Zura on the other hand was quiet, her eyes burned with an unknown emotion that Agni couldn’t quite place. In the next instant Zura was on her feet and walking towards the girl known as Terra.

“Agni. Are you alright? Do you have any wounds?” Zura asked as she walked by.

“I’m...I’m fine. I’m not hurt.” The vermillion haired succubus answered.

It was then that Agni noticed the sound of screaming, of painful wails as the green haired young woman thrashed on the ground. Agni’s eyes widened as she realized -- the girl’s arm had been injured. Zura knelt near the young woman, inspecting the wound as she did so.

“Angela. Are you still alive?” Zura asked aloud without diverting her attention.

“Y-yes.” A woman’s voice practically squeaked. It was small, mousey even, and Agni then realized it was from the other woman who’d been blown through the air just moments ago.

“Madam Rigart! Is something wro--” The ladies who were sent to guard the alleyway heard the screaming and returned post-haste, still it wasn’t fast enough. Agni gulped hard, her hand beginning to quiver as she finally realized the extent of the women’s injuries. Terra, the green haired woman was missing her arm from just a few centimeters above the elbow joint. Where her limb once was, a black and charred edge now existed. Zura was currently busy pouring her mana into the young woman to comfort her and ease her pain.

The small voiced woman was lucky by comparison, her limbs were intact but she had burns along her chest, forearms and half of her face. Burns that were not healing.

“This is...impossible.” Agni whispered as she got to her feet.

*Don’t the wounds of adventurers automatically heal?* She thought, her mind racing as she eyed Terra’s grievous wound. The other women rushed by, one kneeling next to Zura and the other running towards the other injured woman.

“Terra? Oh no. What happened?”

“This is bad. We need to get her to a healer!”

The remaining women all clamored and crowded as panic set in, yet one command from Zura was enough to stamp out their energy.

“Zilia, Tammy -- help Angela.” Zura ordered.

“Take her home and contact Lady Poison. She will know how to treat the wounds. Bridget, Alexa -- I’ll have you carry Terra. Be careful and gentle with her. I’ve soothed her wounds for now, but she’s still in a great deal of pain.” Zura replied as she got to her feet.

“Go ahead of me, go now and be as discreet as you can.” Zura said, and with that the group of women hurried themselves with fulfilling Zura’s orders. Zura was so decisive that Agni felt useless.

“What can I do?” The succubus asked, finally forcing her spiraling sense of shock downward into the pit of her stomach.

“Their injuries can be considered irregular. It is a cause of the black fire, the fire that burns all to ashes and ends life for people like us. But that was not normal...” Zura said, her voice trailing off as she attempted to suppress her own emotions. Agni could feel her mind abuzz with activity as she considered Zura’s words.

*Black fire that burns all?* Agni glanced upon Angela’s burned body as she was helped to her feet. Third degree burns ravaged the young lady, her face was contorted in pain so intense that Angela could no longer speak. Though the other women wore grim expressions they followed Zura’s commands to the letter. Soon it was just Zura and Agni left alone in the alleyway.

There was no trace that Michelle ever existed, no sign of the tragedy that unfolded just minutes ago.

“Agni.” Zura’s voice reeled in Agni’s consciousness as the raven haired vixen clasped Agni’s hand. This was enough to capture Agni’s gaze, their eyes locking. Zura’s face was different. Unlike her usual expression Agni could only see a mask, one that was difficult to read--deliberately placid in appearance. Agni wasn’t sure how long she’d been zoning out, a victim to her own thoughts-- but apparently it was time to part ways.

“I need you to return now. Tell no one of this, except Vivian Lex. When you explain to her, tell her the story in detail. Everything, from our suspicions to the events that transpired here today.” Zura said.

“Repeat it back to me.” Zura then said as she escorted the succubus to the edge of the alleyway where one of Zura’s girls awaited. She murmured, recalling Zura’s instructions as she tried to shake off the stupor which settled over her.

“Agni. Will you be okay to return?” Zura said, once more pulling Agni’s attention to the forefront. Agni could now only replay the sight of Michelle’s body bursting into flames, it intruded into her thoughts and pushed to the forefront of her mind.

“Yes. Yes I’ll be fine.” Agni managed, only when Zura gently squeezed her hand.

“Good. I’m glad you are unharmed, thank you for your help today.” Zura said, bowing her head slightly as she did so. She then parted ways with Agni, prompting Agni to do the same. She walked towards the end of the first alleyway , her thoughts ablaze with the events that transpired just moments ago.

Although Agni’s mind was scattered and in disarray she felt, for a moment, a sense of overbearing pressure. Agni stopped in her tracks and about faced as fear wormed its way into her heart. There was nothing, no one there, just the direction in which Zura and her attendant departed. It was then that Agni realized. The placid expression worn by Zura was simply a mask to hide the deep torrent of emotions that must be raging in her heart.

*Who would be calm after seeing something like that?* Agni thought inwardly. The ‘pressure’ was the weight of Zura’s feelings on the matter. And how must she be feeling if Agni could sense such feelings from a distance?

Agni moved on auto pilot. She gave very little thought to anything around her as she moved. She was too consumed by her own thoughts. She couldn’t help but think back to Zura’s words.

“Their injuries can be considered irregular. It is a cause of the black fire, the fire that burns all to ashes and ends life for people like us. But that was not normal...”

As Agni thought back to Zura’s words, she also considered the other instances of second death she’d seen. She quickly realized that she’d never personally seen someone die since arriving in Adventia. Such a thing was a luxury that she’d managed even in her past life. The experience was totally virgin to her. Pure and jarring. To struggle against one’s demise, one’s expiration -- Agni couldn’t help but clench her fists as a cold chill creeped along her spine. In the end, she never did shake the uneasiness of the experience before she rejoined her comrades at Grenvale central square.