Chapter 163: Embers

"Bring it!" Merri the Minotaur shouted as she brandished her large shield. Her Tower Guard adventurer's class was designed to assume a defender's role -- yet she seemed to master being aggressive all the same. Her posture sank low as she thrust her shield forward, knocking the nearby Fulger Stag back in the process.

She then swung her shield, catching the creature in the sternum. The monster seemed stunned and it was at this moment that Sypha chose to act. He clasped his hands together, resembling a prayer posture with interlaced fingers. Several strands of light flowed forth from his body and coiled around the creature's neck, antlers and legs. With it's balance thrown off the creature could do little else but fall to its knees.

As the Fulger Stag struggled to break the binding light magic, Shula stepped forward and lifted her right arm, her fingers outstretched. A translucent blue vapor began to roll outwards, like a contained stream of thunderclouds. The Fulger Stag struggled as best it could, but it was to no avail. The moment the sleep magic settled around the creature's face, it's movements slowed and a sleep induced stupor began to settle in.

This was also the exact moment that Agni struck. The hefty blade of her halberd lashed out, completely cleaving the Stag's horns off with the first blow. She allowed the weight of the weapon to carry her momentum into a second, more powerful spinning strike. This blow beheaded the creature completely. It's body turned black and ashy as black mist consumed the Fulger Stag and it floated away into nothingness.

Only the Stag's antlers remained, winning an exclamation from Sypha.

"Yes! This is great." Sypha said as she stepped forth to grab the fallen prize.

"Oh-- so it really is true." Agni said as she squatted down to inspect the now glowing antler.

"Yes. There are key parts on just about all Grimlock that, if harvested correctly, will remain after battle. Of course, this doesn't always work and the most reliable way is to get the Monster Drops ability. " The bronze skinned, white haired Lightweaver said as he lifted up the Stag drop and further inspected it.

The group of four had been inside the shard for nearly an hour at this point, and it was safe to say nothing within could touch them. Granted, their only enemies were Fulger Stag, but Merri made sure to use her abilities as a Tower Guard to the fullest. Along with Shula's ability to sleep and Sypha's binding light beams, hunting Fulger Stag was exceedingly easy.

Seeing this Sypha suggested that they also collect Fulger drops while doing so, and he was surprised to learn that Agni knew very little on the subject.

"So by comparison, how effective is this Monster Drops ability?" Agni asked.

"Hmm. Well, I will put it this way. Monster Drops gives you a 100% chance to get a drop. However, you may not always obtain an item. It's kind of difficult to explain but, basically you always have a chance to get something -- and those chances increase based on your ability to harvest correctly, rarity and luck." Sypha further explained as Shula and Merri gathered around as well.

"For example, have you ever gotten a Fulger Stag Core?"

Each of the ladies shook their heads in response, causing Sypha to continue his explanation.

"A Fulger Stag core is a rare drop. In fact, all cores from Grimlock can be considered rare drops. I don't know the exact probability -- but if you have Monster Drops you could consider it maybe a 0.5% chance of success. That means roughly 1 of every 200 Fulger Stag might drop a core--but ONLY if you're using Monster Drops and ONLY if you're lucky. The chances without that skill are abysmal."

Indeed, Sypha's words were true. Now that Agni thought back on it, the most she'd ever gotten from fighting hundreds of Fulger Stag were occasional drops which apparently were really common items like fur or antler pieces. At the time she was simply happy to make a few extra Gols, but according to Sypha there was real money to be had in acquiring monster drops.

So much so that it was the Lightweaver's main source of income, aside from occasionally taking chapel quests. The group continued on in this way for quite some time. Due to the territorial nature of their foes, each battle was one on one and over within seconds. Even then oppressive miasma floating around within the shard was not enough to dampen their spirits.

Hours later, they stepped outside of the shard at the appointed time with over twenty different assorted drop items. They'd managed to collect drops from every two or three Grimlock they encountered, yet Sypha insisted the haul was quite lame in comparison to a party with Monster Drops.

"Here you go. It's only fair that you all get some of the spoils." Sypha said as the group huddled in a circle just outside the shard's entrance. He swiped his hand and seemed to be pressing an imaginary display, this was an action that Agni had become well accustomed to seeing. It meant that Sypha was accessing his Systema menus for some reason or another.

"There you go." He said as he looked around. Alerts began to roll in for each member of the party.

[Got 3 Fulger Antlers. 2 Stag Coats]

"What's this?" Shula asked as she read the details of the exchange. "Leader's Lotto."

"Leader's Lotto is a skill provided by the Systema to leaders of a party. It basically distributes items or resources in a randomized way."

"Resources? Like what kind?" Merri asked.

"Gols. Experience. Items. It's pretty useful." Sypha responded.

"You can randomly distribute experience points?" Shula asked.

"Yea. Oh-- you two probably haven't experienced it but under certain circumstances you can gain bonus experience within the party. This experience can then be distributed by the leader, or maybe it's more accurate to say the party settings."

"How come you never used this?" Shula asked as she cast a doubtful eye in Agni's direction.

"I didn't know it existed." She said as she folded her arms.

"Defective."

"Shorty." Agni responded--almost automatically.

"So what can I do with these items? I mean besides selling them?" Merri asked as she materialized an antler drop. She lifted it so that she could inspect it further, the item still pulsed with faint charges of lightning mana.

"Oh, tons of things. Potions, O.T.U.'s, Katrin could use these items to make enchanted ink, you can use cores to modify your gear or weapons. It's endless, really." Sypha listed off a variety of things off the top of his head.

"O.T.U.'s?" Merri seemed puzzled.

"One Time Use items. They tend to be very powerful, but as the name suggests they have limited use. Although, there are some items that have multiple charges and some that can regenerate mana to be used infinitely with a cooldown period…"

Sypha continued to blow their minds with every word, there was so much more to the adventurer's lifestyle that Agni had yet to be exposed to. As she listened to the man speak, Agni couldn't help but curse Bracha in her forehead.

*Damn witch. She made me fight non-stop for weeks on end! I knew there was more to life than farming XP.*

Agni could almost imagine Bracha gleefully finishing off a bottle of spirits as she laughed drunkenly. The thought caused the succubus to grit her teeth.

It wasn't long before the other party, comprised of Gates, Gigi, Katrin and Ariadna returned. Having completed their final day of their "training camp", all eight returned to the campsite. There they gathered around the roaring campfire and enjoyed each other's company. It was a sight that Agni simply had to take in. She looked from face to face as they went about their own tasks or shared conversations. This sort of experience was one that she never got to participate in, during her past life anyway.

Agni recalled how, back then, she'd been bullied to a point of being anti-social. She never once thought her mentality could have been considered trauma back then. Due to the actions of a few misguided fools, she allowed herself to become isolated and detached from everyone else. This mentality formed a life long complex that saw her past life dominated by stoic loneliness. And eventually a solitary death-- all alone, and full of regret.

Yet, at this campfire, watching the entrancing embers rise into the darkened sky --- for the first time in a long while Agni felt accepted.

As if these feelings were pouring out for all to see, Shula sat next to the succubus. She said nothing, which was quite rare, instead the imp hugged her knees and leaned her head onto Agni's shoulder.

Yet again Agni was forced to realize just how distant she usually was with people. She could count on one hand the number of times she actually touched a person during a given day. Other than the odd, lust driven encounter -- there were rarely none at all. The sensation of Shula's warmth against her was foreign, yet in many ways welcome. And yet, within that comfort there was also fear. A deeply rooted anxiety that welled up within the pit of her stomach. A hidden mass that caused an equal and opposite reaction -- one that practically screamed "get away".

*This is the hidden monster that lurks within.* Agni thought as she tried to steady her emotions. She soon realized it wouldn't be so simple. Being repulsed by normal touch, by simple intimacies -- it would require moment by moment reflection to conquer. Diligence to 'live through the uncomfortable times'.

This was the answer formed by Agni's intuition. It was apparently also the same answer Zura came to as well. Agni simply smiled as she gazed upwards into the clear night sky. She forced herself to confront that monster, closing her eyes momentarily as she allowed Shula's small effort to infiltrate her tightly guarded interior.

In her mind's eye, Agni felt a pin sized stream of light piercing the darkness and for a moment it caused her to quiver. She clenched her fists and continued to focus on the sensation until she could no longer be still. Her body was literally fighting against her mind, in a well trained, well practiced nuance that was deeply rooted in trauma. She could feel her shoulders quivering and tears beginning to well up from her tear ducts.

In that instant she was surprised at the depths of her own trauma. Who would have thought that years of living as a repressed human being would elicit such a strong response? And yet, she also sensed the solution within as a tiny crack managed to break, softening the dark within.

"It's as simple as touching someone hmm?" She whispered, as she thought that perhaps Zura was right after all about her treatment methods.