Chapter 146 : Recoup
“No! I’m gonna die!” Agni shouted as she jolted upwards, her hands outstretched in a desperate plea for survival.

“Huh?” She muttered just seconds later as she came to the realization that she was no longer in peril, but instead in an unfamiliar place.

“I’m gunna dieeeeeeeeeee. Ha ha.” Shula mocked, followed by an extremely sappy chuckle. Agni looked down only to discover the imp cuddled up to her and looking rather comfortable. That wasn’t all. The gentle weight of a second arm lay draped across Agni’s chest, Katrin was fast asleep -- also with her face nuzzled close to Agni.

“Be more quiet. People are trying to sleep.” Shula said, flicking open one eye before wrapping her arms even more tightly around Agni’s abdomen. The situation made absolutely no sense. A strange bed, a strange room and a pair of eyes gazing in curiously from the nearby doorway.

“Ah. You’re finally awake.” Vivian Lex said as she walked into the room, prompting the two small children hanging just outside the doorway to scatter.

“Where are we? What’s going on?” Agni asked. She wanted to stand, yet with two bodies practically draped around her that would be impossible.

*S-Shula. Can you...get up ?* Agni transmitted her thoughts, to which Shula’s reply was, “No.” Rather than getting up, Shula embraced her even more tightly. For a moment a faint sense of lingering aggravation came over Agni, but as she thought back to the last moments she could remember that sensation turned into alarm.

“What happened with that Grimlock?” She directed her full attention to Vivian as a dire expression took root over her features. She, Katrin and Shula were the only people present in the room aside from Vivian. That didn’t account for half of the members of the expedition.

“Relax. My Gods, you look like a lost puppy.” It was Oliver Pagnal. He made his way into the room, revealing the true extent of his injuries. The left side of his head was wrapped, extending down to his eye as well. He seemed wobbling on his feet, but able to move nonetheless. His face seemed, somehow, haggard -- weary. It lacked it’s usual color, as if he was under the weather.

“I’ll explain once everyone wakes up and can move again. Needless to say, we’re all okay. This is Gardenia.” Vivian remarked as she pointed towards the nearby window which streamed in the afternoon sunlight. Sure enough, Agni remembered the houses of Gardenia which she’d passed along the way to the shard.

Suddenly a sharp pain pierced Agni’s head. It began along her brow and traveled diagonally across the length of her face. It was unique, unlike anything she’d ever felt before. The next moment vivid imagery flashed through her mind -- the sight of being knocked down by a monstrous foe. Bracha landed haphazardly upon the ground along with her and all of them pinned down.

Then creeping darkness. Agni’s body shivered as it instinctively remembered the sensation of countless black tendrils digging into her flesh. In the end they even protruded down her throat--

Agni grimaced as she struggled to shake away the remnants of her own traumatic memories. Finally after several deep breaths she pushed her left leg out of bed with Shula clinging fiercely to her the whole time. Moments later Agni gently left Katrin to sleep while Shula gripped her hip like a monkey.

“Can I see everyone else?” She asked.

Vivian nodded , Oliver shrugged and the four left her room to go to where the others were.

“S-Shula. Can you...let go?” Agni asked as she struggled to move with a permanently attached Imp at her hip. Shula completely ignored her requests, forcing Agni to sigh. She resigned herself to Shula’s selfishness -- partially because she understood the true intention. Agni smiled as she continued following Vivian down the hallway.

*Brat.* She thought.

The house seemed like a simple wooden construct, humble in nature and design. Though there were many rooms, the house couldn’t house more than six inhabitants. In a room just a few meters down the hallway was everyone else. The first thing Agni noticed was Bracha. She had the bed all to herself and seemed to be in deep sleep. Agni noticed the rhythmic rise and fall of her breath as she slept, her body was bandaged in several places.

Next to the bed were both Gigi and Gates. As usual Gigi was pestering Gates, despite having only one arm to do it. The other was in a cast.

“Oh! Agni! You’re up!” Gigi said, her eyes lighting up as she noticed the succubus.

“Yea!” Agni offered as she mustered a smile. Gigi quickly got to her feet and hugged Agni, almost jumping onto her. The combined weight of both Gigi and Shula was beginning to weigh heavily upon her, so much so that her eyes bulged as Agni struggled to stay upright. Gates offered a warm, boyish smile upon seeing Agni up and on her feet.

In the midst of a one armed hug and monkey vice clenching, Agni's gaze found its way to Dealla. The Mahogany haired Dragon-kin was off in the corner by herself. Unlike the rest of the people in the room she seemed distant, withdrawn.

“Dealla?” Agni said as she called to her.

The young woman moved, as if she’d been ripped from a world of her own imagination, lifting her head and pushing back the hood which covered it.

“Hey. I’m glad you’re up and about.” Dealla said. These were the words which left her lips, yet her eyes held a bittersweet impresion behind them that was hard to miss. Agni felt compelled to approach and comfort the young woman, yet her current situation made it impossible. With so many people packed into the small room, there was scarcely room to move around-- let along navigate between bodies.

In the end Agni nodded slightly, as if to acknowledge the hurt she saw in Dealla’s eyes, before patting Gigi on the back and requesting a breather.

“O-Okay. Hee hee.” Agni couldn’t help but smile at all of the affection she was being shown. It was clear to her that she and the others had somehow barely managed to survive their ordeal. The question was how? Agni’s mind was filled with so many questions.

Why did her body feel so heavy? It was as if her regeneration failed to kick in. She hadn’t felt this way since…
*The first day I arrived in Adventia.*

She’d almost forgotten the sensation of being human, the body of an adventurer was a truly wondrous thing. It could heal from almost any injury. Pierced organs, lost limbs, poisons -- if given enough time. Even those it could not recover from were only an inconvenience after being respawned.

Agni was sure that she wasn’t suffering from First Death status, and none of the others seemed to be either.

*So what happened? How did we get here? What happened after the explosion?* Agni tried her best to remember but the harder she recalled moments near to the blast, the more hazy her recollection became. One image flashed in her mind though, a cloaked man tilting his head to and fro -- as if he was caught up in intense deliberation.

Unfortunately for Agni the thoughts assaulting her brain would have to wait, for the day was proving to be truly action packed. The sound of a discommotion filled the air, the force from it was so severe that everyone within the wooden house felt the structure creak. The glass windows shook, verberating wildly before the air settled.

“What was that?” Bracha asked. At some point during their revelry she’d awoken, furthermore despite all her bruises she seemed no worse for wear.

“Are we in Gardenia? Why?” Bracha asked as she stretched her body and looked to Vivian for answers.

Just then the last person of the alliance, Ryo, appeared in the doorway.

“Vivian. You should come take a look at this.” He said, his eyes drifting towards Agni as he spoke. Unlike Bracha , whose body was loosely bandaged in several places , Ryo’s entire left side of his body was wrapped. Some of the bandages even held blood spots, no doubt from moving prior to healing properly.

Agni felt a strange sensation as she looked upon his shirtless form. She wasn’t entirely sure what she felt about Ryo (yet), but her body was beginning to react in one particular way. His body was chiseled, much more so than the average person.

*Eight!? Do they even make them with that many?* Agni thought as her eyes trailed down to Ryo’s abdomen and the statuesque features there. His chest and arms were no exception to the rule of extremely-fucking-fit. Forearms, biceps, shoulders all well sculpted. Her gaze followed along with each part of his body that she chose to inspect -- a sculpted chest, not overly large or muscular. Leading upwards to piercing eyes which spoke of an imposing and unchained energy which swirled behind his gaze.

She quickly turned her head to the side, averting her gaze.

*No, no no no no. Literally anybody but him!* She thought, forcing herself to seal away the devilish sensation tap dancing on her clit.

“Everyone, stay here and get some rest. Oliver, we’ll be right back.” Vivian said as she and Ryo made their way out of the house.

“Stuck babysitting again. Ugh.” Oliver said as he sank slowly into a nearby chair. Agni on the other hand was left to deal with Shula who was still latched onto her hip. The Imp was now making a curiously smug face as she gazed up at the Succubus.

“W-What? Stop it...weirdo..” Agni murmured as she inhaled deeply and wished she could disappear.

*Ugh. Why did I have to pick this moment to have a grade school reaction to some abs…*