047~The Merchant’s Quest (4)

The hand stretched towards the sky, and fell into the ground, grabbing a fist full of dirt and dragging itself out from the hole it was buried into.

[Yvlena Cast Carrot Strike (10)]

She acted preemptively, trying to slay the creature before it could fully emerge out of its hole in the ground. If she could damage it now, the upper hand would be hers.

The headless zombie crawled out of its shallow grave, dragging itself out of the hole with persistent fervor. The ground shifted around it, forming a small mound of dirt and soil as the zombie continued to emerge.

"Ah! It's coming for us," Yvlena screamed trying to cut off one of the bony hands with her sword, she succeeded. One hand fell limply to the floor before scurrying away and grabbing her foot!

"Eek!" She squealed, trying to shake the skeletal hand off her leg, the zombie hand held onto her plain dress as she jumped around trying to dislodge it.

Sprite and Rabbit Knight attacked the Zombie corpse that had just about pulled itself out of the ground and lurched forward with a start.

It shook the dirt off its emaciated frame and stood tall, then stumbled forward, hoping to grab a hold of something. The zombie's hand came to its neck stump, touching and feeling for its missing head, it turned away from them, already with a destination in mind.

The zombie ignored them only occasionally swatting in the general direction it felt Sprite to be and, moving towards the wooden table where Yvlena had placed the skull she had found as well as the remains of William Brackett.

The zombie, with his only hand, reached for the broken skull on the table. using its hand and stump to affix the skull back unto its neck joint.

It groaned, sad and dying just as William's had been. The zombie turned to face the party, a battle club suddenly in hand.

"For Bloom Haven," the creature rasped in a final death cry. It lifted an old spiked wooden club and charged at them.

[Sprite Cast Sting (01MP)]

"It burns!" The zombie cried, lifting its hand and stump to shield itself from the fairy's magic.

Yvlena with one final kick, shook the bug like hand off her leg and stomped on it until the hand disappeared into flakes of light.

The zombie flinched, the feeling of losing its hand made it pause momentarily.

"Nasty!"

[Yvlena Cast Carrot Strike (10)]

She joined her summons in battle, swinging her sword to match the ferocity of the club.

The creature roared, almost managing to scare Yvlena with an up close view of its missing teeth and worm infested gums.

"You don't scare me!" Yvlena yelled back with a roar of her own. Her eyes descended towards the details of his uniform where she was able to make out the name on the tattered uniform.

'O'Leary'

Yvlena gasped, the second person who had stayed behind by choice. Lieutenant O'Leary, stood before her a zombie rotting away with the old Outpost.

She imagined he must have been a brave and noble man before he was reduced to this. Now he was only a ghoulish mimicry of the Town Guard he had been before.

His flesh had long been eaten away by the elements, exposing a network of fried tissue and sinew that pulsed with each step he took. He struggled to lift his own club, allowing Yvlena to parry it.

A single eye stared at her from what was once a pair of empty sockets. It seemed the Miasma had given life to the body now attacking her.

"The War of the gods creates undeath?" Yvlena said, trying to prompt the details of the world story quest.

[War of the Gods 2.5% completion]

Yvlena sighed, grunting with effort she knocked the club away but the zombie came back a heavy hitter. O'Leary swung the weapon like a bat, catching Yvlena in the arm and dealing damage to her HP.

"Ack! He's so strong, as expected of the Town Guard," Yvlena said clutching her arm.

[Sprite cast Cure (05 MP)]

The fairy flew over her shoulder, healing her instantly, it wasn't necessary though. Yvlena was quite the sponge, even with the heavy amounts of damage she took from fights.

She did wonder what would happen to her summons if they reached 0 HP though.

Yvlena leaped into the fray again, raising her sword and bringing it down for a magically charged attack.

[Yvlena Cast Carrot Beam (20MP)]

"I'm not going to let you win," Yvlena said forcing the club backwards. The zombie tripped, allowing Yvlena to swing her sword and cast again.

[Yvlena Cast Carrot Beam (20MP)]

The orange ray shot off the zombie's other hand before it could think to pick up and reattach, Sprite Blasted it with fairy magic.

[Sprite Cast Sting (01MP)]

Yvlena leaped, bringing her sword down to lob the head off the zombie for an instant kill.

The prone body fell to it's knees,

"Who knew movie logic would apply," She said with a shrug.

"Thank...you," the fallen head said. The zombie's body dissolved in flakes of light, the battle was over, Yvlena had won.

[Yvlena Acquired

EXP: 800/1046

***

Shadow Essence x2

Memento x1

***

Moon Point x250]

O'Leary's memento wasn't a letter to someone he knew but, a small, rusty pocket watch. Yvlena held it in her hand, it was as big as her palm, Yvlena ran her thumb over it curiously. She clicked the lock, but rust jammed the mechanism shut.

"I guess I'll have to find some sort of tinkerer or a craftsman. I guess I could try to fix it myself, I have the alchemy and crafting skill,"

She examined the watch's exterior, it was made of some kind of metal and had a faded insignia on the back, probably initials. The rust would have to come off before she would be able to read it.

She stored it into her inventory, now she only had to worry about finding Commander Addison.

Yvlena sighed, relieved to be done with the battle, it was a hard one but she was better at fighting now.

"When my summons get stronger I won't need to fight so hard, sometimes those hits really hurt," she said rubbing her arm where the club had impacted it. The area didn't hurt thanks to Sprite's Cure, but that didn't mean the sensation was pleasant.

----------

Aya took the Revista off her head and exhaled. Looking out the window, she peeked through the window and noticed It was night when she decided to stop playing.

"I spend so long in game, but it's so fun!" she said. Aya rested her head back on her pillow before deciding it was time to eat dinner. She really hoped Mars stopped by again.

A harsh knocking came from her door, already knowing who it was, Aya groaned and dragged her feet to open it. She had to keep confusing Lydia with her schedule so the older woman wouldn't know when she finally found her missing relative.

"Yeah?" Aya asked opening the door. Lydia's crone face nearly poked through the door but Aya kept it just wide enough to see the woman clearly.

"Rent is due on the first!" Lydia barked.

"Do you think after living here for close to three years I don't know how to pay rent?" Aya deadpanned. "Go bother the smokers on the roof,"

Aya pushed the door, intending to shut it when Lydia's arm stopped it.

"You've gotten too big for your britches girl," Lydia growled. Aya looked down at her through her nose. Lydia continued. "You've forgotten whose generosity allowed you to stay here,"

"You mean my grandmother? Your mom?" Aya asked incredulously. Lydia's nostrils flared, by now the woman was openly fuming. Aya only glared back and pushed the door closed without another word from Lydia.

"If she wants to evict me she still has to give me a notice. I can come up with 500 Lue by then to get a new place," Aya said resting her back against the door. Her shoulders felt lighter, she exhaled in relief.

She had wanted to say those words to Lydia for a long time, to remind her that it was her grandmother's sacrifice, not Lydia's. The woman had barely given her a place to stay and even then Aya knew she was paying through the nost for terrible accomodation.

"When I get out of here, she won't know what to report to whoever she's talking to," Aya said. "I just need to be patient first,"

She made dinner for herself, the only thing available being more bread and sandwich meat.

"I need to go out and get some groceries tomorrow, I must have used up more for the Omurice than I thought," Aya sighed. She picked up her phone and checked the Moon Valley companion app to see if anyone had bought her Low Grade Grass Stone.

"It usually doesn't take long," she said, opening the app and clicking the transactions tab.

She exhaled again, the stone had sold for 27 gold.

"Phew, with what Mars gave me for the Ever Bloom I'll be out of here in no time," she said stretching her hands over her head. Aya yawned as drowsiness overtook her.

After the day she had, she was positively wiped.

Aya cleaned up her kitchen and tucked the box with the Revista away before she began settling into bed to get some rest. She flopped unto her bed, burying her face in her pillow and relaxing deeply into her bed

"I'm so glad I don't have to go to work tomorrow,"