My Succubus System

Chapter 213: 213

Chapter 213 : Enigma (3)

Agni ran so fast that for the first time in a long time, she felt as if her heart might burst. Perhaps it was her current mood. Her heart was beating fiercely and she felt as if a torrent of emotion would erupt from within. Perhaps it was the helpless feeling one gets from watching a pitiful death, or the desire to do something -- anything other than feel.

Nevertheless when she caught up with the man it was in a side alleyway, much like Zura's previous meeting place.

"Stop running. I just want... to talk." She said, although appearances would have said otherwise. Her chest was heaving and there was a wild look in her eye. She was clearly upset, but it wasn't directed at her target. Not entirely.

The man turned to face her, revealing his face once again to the succubus.

"I knew it. It was you." She said, subconsciously clenching her fist upon seeing the man's face. It was Glint, the Fighter who attempted to 'snatch' Agni and Katrin so many weeks ago. The man's appearance was different from before. His hair was longer, braided in rows and he sported a beard -- but it was unmistakably him.

"You want to speak to me? Why -- if I may ask." This was all Glint said. He kept his distance and made no sudden movements, yet his eyes were locked on her. His expression was difficult to read in stark contrast to Agni's. It was obvious she was dealing with a surplus of emotion which threatened to burst forth.

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"Being targeted? What do you mean? And who are you? Explain." Although Katrin was already on guard her senses sharpened the moment she heard the lycanthrope's declaration.

"My name is Rena." The blue-haired lycanthrope responded. "I want to show you something. Is that okay?" She awaited Katrin's nod, so as not to spook her. In response the young woman moved slowly as she pulled aside her cloak, revealing her chest.

"He is a mad-man." Rena said, and almost immediately her face contorted in pain. The pain was severe enough that the woman called Rena sank down to one knee. While the woman knelt on the ground a purplish energy began to circulate and form a symbol unfamiliar to Katrin. The Scribe recognized it as a magical seal, one that most likely represented a chapel. But even to her untrained eyes something seemed off.

"Have you ever seen this before?" The woman asked, motioning towards a skull shaped magical seal, one with a snake coiling in and out of the skull's hollow sockets.

"No. Who's a mad man?" This was all Katrin offered. She thought it best to keep her answers short and concise.

*It's always better to get information and avoid giving any--if I can help it.* This was also a rule which governed her past life, partially due to her line of work. Katrin watched as a creeping sensation of concern overcame her. She could tell the young woman was in pain, enough to render her temporarily immobilized. After an uncomfortable amount of time she finally managed to ask, "A-are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm sorry-- just give me a minute.." Rena said, holding her hand upwards as if to ask for a brief reprieve. A few seconds later the lycanthrope managed to get to her feet, taking several deep breaths as she did so.

"I needed to show you." Rena then said.

"Show me what?" Katrin asked, a bit puzzled at the young woman's words. Rena then waved her hand, causing the butterfly to flutter downwards, lingering near her chest. The mark there had slowly begun to disappear, concealing itself.

It took a moment for Katrin to understand, but it seemed as if the butterfly was a second means of communication for the person standing some meters away. At the same time, the young lady seemed to be searching for the right words to speak.

"My words are limited for a certain reason. Due to this there are many things I cannot say or discuss..." Rena's voice trailed off.

"However, I can answer yes or no questions." She added, alluding to the fact that she hoped Katrin would simply ask. Katrin realized this much, but this caused more confusion than enlightenment.

*What does she want me to ask? I don't even understand what's going on.*

As such she decided to start with something simple.

"You wanted to speak to me, personally?" Katrin asked.

The young woman nodded her head in response.

"You said me and my friends are being targeted. By who? Can you answer that?"

Rena seemed to think things over before replying.

"My time is limited. It may be easier to..have someone else explain." Rena said, before adding -- "Don't be alarmed. My friend simply wishes to talk." Once more Rena awaited Katrin's consent to proceed before she acted. The butterfly floated away from Rena, drifting to the nearby wall of the alleyway. From there a hidden person appeared, stepping into the light.

"So, we meet again." He said, removing the hood which concealed his identity. Almost immediately Katrin reacted, calling forth several stored spells from her Grimoire. In an instant a large shard of rock appeared, hovering nearby as it awaited commands.

"I guess that's the appropriate reaction, to someone who tried to kidnap you." The bald, gruff looking man said. It was Fargo, the same man who Katrin fought to the death nearly two months ago.

"But I assure you.." He added, "I'm just here to talk. That's why I bought my friend here, to make contact with you first. I seriously don't want any trouble." He said, displaying both hands with his palms facing upwards.

"What could you possibly have to talk about with me?" She asked, the amount of venom in her words surprised even the Scribe.

"You've been marked." Fargo replied.

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"Why did you try to kidnap us?" Agni asked. It was the first question which came to mind despite the fact that she had many.

"Straight to the point then? That works for me. My time is limited." Glint replied. He lifted his hand and with this motion a faint glow of light appeared. This small orb quickly took shape before morphing into something else entirely. A single word, created from a magical construct.

"Forced." Agni said aloud as she read the magical script.

"Are you saying that you were forced to try and kidnap us?"

"Nothing personal." Glint replied this time, offering a shrug.

*That still doesn't make me feel any better.* Agni thought, somewhat angrily at that.

"And does that hold true for the other men who attacked us?"

*Yes* The magical construct shifted in order to form this response.

"And who forced you to do these things?" Agni asked.

"I can't say." Glint replied.

"Why not?" Agni then asked.

"Because I don't want to die a painful death." came the response.

"So you're being forced to kidnap other adventurers, by someone but you can't tell me who? Sounds like bullshit to me." She replied... and yet, in the back of her head Agni knew he was most likely telling the truth. She just didn't like it.

"I am many things. A liar I am not." Glint replied, he seemed unperturbed by Agni's clear aggression towards him. This further served to aggravate the succubus.

*I killed you, you know. At least be upset.* She thought, but she reigned in that thought and decided to continue her line of questioning.

"So what happened to the rest of your buddies? You're not trying to finish the job now, are you?" Agni asked as her eyes darted around.

*Dead.*

*Enslaved.*

These were the two words which formed at Glint's command. For a second Agni didn't know what to think of it. Then a third word appeared.

*Ash.*

Agni couldn't help but think back to the hellish scene of Michelle's death a little less than an hour ago. She could recall the black flames which consumed her body, turning the woman into ash and then nothingness.