It took a good few moments spent next to the bodies for me to finally come to terms with this new reality I found myself in. As if the sword through the chest hadn't been enough of a reminder.
My hands are idly rubbing the Abyss Flower sigil attached to my left glove when suddenly the world begins to shake sightly, tremors in the ground causing a small bit of shaking back and forth.
Right. Not safe. With no small sense of urgency I make my way to the upturned carriage and lift it up, checking for any supplies that may have been left behind.
Evidently, whoever owned this fine wagon either left in a hurry or was robbed of damn near everything they've got. The thing was completely empty. Oh well, it was worth a shot at least.
Given the tremors, moving out could mean I run smack bang into whatever caused them, and if it isn't friendly then I'll die a second time. I'm damned if I move, and damned if I stay.
Begrudgingly, I accept the situation and start gathering splints of wood to make a fire. Humiliating as it is, I'm in no position to go out challenging whoever I come across, lest I wind up a stain on the floor.
[This would be the perfect time to use the Gacha, User!]
Fuck it, I suppose I've got nothing else to do. Focusing mentally on the pull, I barely notice when the soft paper ticket appears in my hand.
The terms of use are quite simple. Rip the ticket, and you could be granted anything, be it a pet rock or a blade that could slay Gods. Huh, no pain that time. I guess He was kind enough to make that distinction.
[I pray for your good luck, User!]
The ticket rips apart like it was made of leaves, little to no resistance as it fades into the wind, turning to dust instantly. A small pop-up on my right tells me my prize.
You have rolled the Gacha, and earned a Lighter! Congrats!
Huh. That was surprisingly useful. Maybe this Gacha is actually helpful, perhaps I'd been too judgemental. With a rudimentary campfire now lit, I return to the holy gamble, putting all my faith in my LUK stat.
You have earned 3 Used Bullets! Congrats!
...Why 3? No matter. I suppose the first pull was nothing more than a bait, to entice me into doing it further. That's enough Gacha for now.
[That was so cool, User! I love gambling!]
Why the fuck is my system a Gacha addict.
[Now that you've tried that, you should open my Gift Box! My Starter Pack! My Present!]
Alright, fine, I get it. With a small amount of apprehension, I focus on Anya's Gift, watching as it forms in my palm, nothing more than a shiny stone.
[This is a Skill Token! Crush it, and you will be granted one random Skill!]
One random Skill? As in, any possible ability, any power that can be categorised as a skill, sitting in the palm of my hand?
[Yes, User! Simply crush the stone, and roll the dice!]
Of course, more gambling. How fun. Unlike the Gacha though, this is where it matters. I could get so much from this. Teleportation, Kaioken, anything under the sun. The possibilities are endless.
New Skill Learned:
Sodium Knowledge (User is instantly able to differentiate between Salt and Sugar)
I don't know why I even bothered.
[You're welcome, User! I'm always here if you need me!]
...Thanks, Anya.
Anyways, since the artificial sun seems to be getting low, there should only be a few more hours before I can start moving forward. It won't be any less safe, but I'd rather have the cover of night at the very least.
I know for a fact I won't be getting any sleep. To sleep is to leave myself exposed, and to do that would be suicide. Nothing to sleep on anyway.
I'm half expecting more soldiers of the Satans to show up. Two men in a regiment, wandering around on their own, it feels unlikely. I'd wager they weren't there by accident. Chances are that was a scouting force.
Granted, I'm making a great many assumptions with this, but it's the only thing that makes sense. Either that, or the Satan's have terrible military discipline. Either way, I'll need to be ready for whatever may come soon, be it haven, or hellfire.
------------------------------------
Agony inducing pain throws me out of my slumber like a jackhamer, my body jolting up, unable to move any further due to restraints on my wrists and hands.
Fuck. I'd fallen asleep like a bloody idiot, let myself be caught off guard. I thought I wouldn't need sleep, but I suppose being resurrected causes a small deal of mental exhaustion. Haven or hellfire my ass.
There's a blindfold covering my eyes, I can't make out anything around me, but the air still smells like smoke. They haven't moved me far from the camp, hell given how the sun is still visible somewhat they likely haven't been here long.
"AGH!" Another brief pulsing of indescribable pain. I find myself quickly gritting my teeth, the pain lingering even when no hands are placed on me.
"I'm sure you know by now what's going to happen to you." The voice is gruff, masculine, and most importantly, behind me. There's multiple of them, at least 3 from the footsteps I can hear.
"You have two options. You can tell us everything you know, and we grant you a quick death. Or, you remain tight lipped, and we pay you back for how you treated my men." I was right. They were a scouting force.
Perhaps this carriage was a rendezvous point. Had I sabotaged myself from the start? Another pulse of liquid suffering poured across my body. The scream that escapes my dry lips echoes across the plains.
"You should know, that my Clan Trait amplifies sensations. Most effectively the sensation of pain." Fuck.
"We could scratch you, and it'd feel like you'd been skinned alive. So, if you wish to end it quick, I recommend you start talking." His hand on my shoulder feels like the weight of the world on Atlas' own back, but I need to start spinning a yarn.
"I have no idea what you are talking about. My name is Luocha, I'm a wandering surgeon. I passed through here searching for wounded and found those men like this."
Can't claim I'm a merchant, I've got nothing on me. They can't prove I killed them either, with Caduceus gone and no magical wounds on them.
"Is that so?" He leans in closer to my ear, his grip on my shoulder tightening, feeling as though it had been crushed by a hammer.
"Well, Luocha, I think you're lying to me. And I don't appreciate being deceived."
Even if I try Circle of Life, I'm still restrained. Caduceus is too big to try and cut my restraints without him noticing. I've got no options right now but to hope. If anything, I've got one card to play, but it would hurt like a bitch.
Just as he is about to make a move, I feel a sudden chill, flakes of ice forming across my legs as a notification pops up.
Companion Quest Initiated: I found them like this.
In the blink of an eye, the world around me is silent, save for the light patter of footsteps across a field of ice. The pain I had braced myself for never came, the Abyss Flower Icon in my palm feeling quite useless.
Suddenly, I hear a sickeningly sweet voice saunter up behind me, placing hands on my restraints.
"Luocha, was it? I couldn't help but overhear that you just so happen to be a doctor." She practically sings her words as my restraints are shattered in an instant.
Just as I move to take off my blindfold off, cold hands place themselves around my own. Despite how small and slender they are, I can't move mine an inch.
"Ah-ah-ah. Not yet. I have a few questions for you." Her hands tighten around my own, painfully so, and once more I realise I'm being interrogated.
"Why did you kill those men, Luocha?" Once again, the sweetness of her voice is offset by how tense my body is. Every instinct is screaming that I'm in danger.
"I assure you, I found them like that." Her lips move in next to my head, her breath against my ear, her voice soft and slow.
"I saw you do it, Luocha." I do my best to fight the tremor that rocked through my body. I was not going to let myself be toyed with again. I will not.
"Then you surely saw that they attacked first? That I was merely defending myself." Her voice moves away, her grip relaxing slightly. I ready myself to summon Caduceus and make a guess for where her head would be.
"Don't be so scared, little Luocha. I'm quite pleased with your actions."
I realise now that she quite likes this situation. The power she holds over me. She has me exposed entirely, yet I know nothing of who she is.
"Now then, I believe it's time for the most important question." In an instant, her demeanour shifts once more, flakes of ice forming on every surface around me. The temperature plunges drastically, just like the tone of her voice.
As if granting me some small mercy, she lifts the blindfold, and I'm met with the visage of a beautiful woman, shimmering blue eyes contrasting with the deep black of her hair, tied up in two pigtails. The only thing she's missing is the distinct magical girl outfit it seems.
"What are you doing in Sitri Territory, wanderer?"
Just my luck, that I would run into Serafall Sitri like this. I suppress the shiver running through my body at the sheer cold around me, and look her in the eyes.
"I am looking for work."
Her smile sends a shiver down my spine. "Lucky me."