Seraphim Online: Afterlife

“Seraaa… hurry up, will ya!?”

“Heh, just let me go in peace, damn dragon! Need to focus here.”

Way ahead of us, far as the eye can see is a brown wasteland, devoid of life with the only thing in sight is a brown grass that has a slightly metallic smell to it. A place devoid of life, me and Lena could be the only two souls for miles around.

The intention is to get to Sanctuary as fast as possible so we’re going in a straight line and even missing the town on the way here. The problem is, traveller’s food and an elven stomach that craves vegetables isn’t a perfect recipe for a well-maintained diet. I did try to put the emphasis on brown.

Even in spite of my struggles, Lena continues to natter on while I’m over here hiding in the long grass. With the wind humming in one ear and her voice going through the other, it’s pretty distracting.

“You know… I used to hunt around here when I was a wee pup. My parents would find hares for me to hunt and I’d chase the stupid things for hours!”

“Their way of teaching you how to hunt?”

“Something like that, Sera. Might’ve been an excuse so we’d all get out of the stuffy cave for a day.”

Thankfully, my troubles appear to be over so we can get a move on. A bit of soap with a splash from my waterskin, cleanliness is next to godliness after all, a pair of hands suddenly cover my eyes. While I’m finishing my business, it looks like Lena wants to be a pain in the backside.

“I know we’re still a distance away… should I know anything before we get there? Like for example… your father having an unnecessary hatred of illegal aliens or wyverns?”

I still know next to nothing about her parents so if I’m about to enter a lair where elven or mortal hatred is on the agenda, then it might be better for me to wait outside.

“Erm… oh right! There is that. When you meet my parents, they can be a little much, Sera. You should be safe… just don’t make any sudden movements to be sure.”

“Alright, be sure to start dancing the tango as a first greeting. Got it.”

Giggling still with her hands wrapped around my eyes, eventually I grow tiresome of my blindness and decide now is the time for something slightly unorthodox.

In a flash, I turn and twist, grabbing a hold of Lena’s wrists and putting her hands in a place more suitable. That being wrapped around my backside of course.

A small fright that returns to a giggle, a slight fluster and a brief kiss later, Lena reluctantly returns to what we were just discussing.

“Hehe… the s-second thing is about my n-name, Sera. The thing is… I’m not actually called Lena. If my parents call me Lenore, then you’ll know why.”

Looking away as if she’s ashamed or something, my hands instinctively head to her shoulders like I’m about to lecture her or something. I’m not exactly sure why, if anything I’m trying to be consoling.

“I’ll be honest with you, Lenore, I already knew. I can see more than you’d think, starting from your name to even age and stamina if required.”

“You already knew!? Then why didn’t you say anything?”

Now pouting at me, I’d rather this any day of the week than Lena be feeling distressed. Hey, pouting is a happy kind of distress, I think.

“Heh, thought you were maybe hiding from something, or Lena is just short for Lenore. I’m not sure why you’d shorten it though, think the name is beautiful.”

Lenore… it just has simplistic yet sweet sound to it. Maybe it’s a little unchaotic considering how Lena is, still think it’s lovely though.

Irrelevant if it suits my partner of not, Lena tries her hardest at hiding the blush on her face to terrible effect.

“It’s beautiful!?! A-Ahem… it’s a little d-dated though, like I’m a d-dragon named after some ancient vampire or something. Thanks Sera… I still don’t like my name though.”

“Eh, well I like it, no wonder why if it’s vampiric in nature. That reminds me… be careful using that V word around me.”

“Hehe, why Sera?”

“It’s my biggest weakness. Every time that subject is brought up… a repressed part of me tries to fight its way to the surface. Even just hearing that word gives me goosebumps.”

Lena may giggle at my confession, even going as far to try and tease by kissing and nibbling my neck, I’m being deadly serious though! This peculiar backstory is going to get me in some real trouble if we ever come across a vampire aiming for my throat.

‘Great, I’ve learnt something new about myself. This is officially a turn on…’

__________

Several hours later…

“Sera… think we’ll have to stop. There’s something amiss in the distance.”

‘Fair enough, wonder what’s caught her eye.’

Having got into a decent flight schedule, Lena notices something concerning across the endless horizon that immediately forces us to stop and investigate. Hopefully, if this stop ends similar to how the previous one did, I’ll happily accept another hickey as price for a slower journey.

Unfortunately, it looks like we may have to get serious. Quickly landing, Lena switching to a less conspicuous form and walking into a small clearing, it’s clear why she might seem a little concerned with this way out here.

‘A corpse, lovely. Really sets the tone for this place.’

“Like looking at a bad omen… Lena. Don’t say anything.”

“Hehe, say what, Sera? Worried you’ll wake up with your head in the gutter? Don’t worry about it, you’ll lose your head! Maybe it’s time to… head off?”

“Heh, meant jinxing things rather than any silly puns.”

Out in the wastes of The Farlands, a decapitated corpse stares at us.

Like myself, I can see a stark resemblance… excluding the fact his body is in two. Redheads are rare enough so spotting another body like this, way out in the middle of nowhere and headless is slightly unsettling. The fact this isn’t the first time we’ve come across a headless redhead doesn’t help my mood either.

Thankfully, Lena is always here to help a little by making stupid but a necessary joke. Best just move on and ignore the fact I’m getting desensitized to all this.

“Who’s there!?”

But wait! Before the either of us can leave, a scurrying sound comes from the long grass!

Instinctively drawing our weapons, the cause of the rustling pops up and practically jumps out of the grass.

“Those needn’t be concerned by this one, that lonesome soul departed this realm long ago. One happened to be scrounging for herbs and came across this grizzly sight.”

‘Huh, this is like two random encounters combined into one. The RNG gods must be favouring us today.’

A beastkin with an odd manner of speaking addresses us. Similar to how a cat might sound, every word seems to linger and be backed up with that whisper of a purr. Honestly, I’m just happy her words are somewhat intelligible. The whole nya thing really isn’t that cute.

“Hmm… this one wishes you well, but doesn’t understand why you are here. Looking for wisdom or knowledge? This one doesn’t like to share what she knows.”

…

Even as she continues to mumble on, the both of us aren’t exactly sure what to say or do.

‘Do all feline type beastkin refer to themselves as one? Or is this woman just special?’

Eventually, Lena lowers her voice and gives me a quick nudge before we get to giving a response.

“Sera… this woman reeks of magic. We should be careful.”

“Yeah, even I can sense something isn’t right. Might have to peek underneath the veil so to speak.”

Gazing towards the small indicator above her head, the second her status opens, my head feels like being crushed by an elephant!

‘Argh! What the hell is this, Guide!?’

[This guide does not know, Sera. The target ahead appears to have some resistance to status scans.]

‘You think!?’

Having to close that up as quickly as possible, just one gaze towards the now annoyed woman ahead of us shows I probably shouldn’t have done that.

“That all but confirms this one’s suspicions… this traveller ahead clearly hasn’t been taught basic etiquette.”

With a strong gust of wind and a stretching of her arm, a ball of fire shoots from her arm, right into my chest!

[HP: 125/185] [-60] ‘Ooaf! Did I really deserve that? My boobs hurt now.’

“How fucking dare you do that to Sera!”

Being knocked to the floor, Lena’s anger erupts and she essentially explodes into a dark mist. When the smoke settles, hell is unleased upon The Farlands.

“This one always wanted to meet a dragon. Unfortunately, wish it could be on better terms.”

Lena snaps at the woman, yet somehow she manages to evade her jaw and dodge to the side, right in the nick of time.

‘Huh, at least this will be a good chance to try out akimbo.’

Finally recovering myself, I hurriedly join in to assist my partner and swing both weapons downwards to try and ambush the mage.

Yet, from within her cloak, the beastkin reveals a metal spear of all things! Being held sideways, both my weapons clatter against her weapon.

‘Damn… good thing that didn’t hit my neck. That would’ve knocked out most of my health.’

Forced to back up and retreat, my shoulder is jabbed and my confidence is shattered. The combination this woman has makes for an extremely frustrating opponent, her strong hand wielding a weapon to keep enemies at bay and the other capable of firing magic. I can’t back off or try to get in close without being hit either way.

Thankfully, a terrifying creature is right behind her to snap. Yet, once again, the mage dodges by rolling against Lena’s bite!

“She’s a dual-caster, Sera! She uses wind and fire magic!”

With a flick of the wrist, the mage activates something new, then suddenly moves at an uncomprehensible speed!

Moving at a speed comparable, no, faster than Lena, she’s just about able to swipe in and out, dodge side to side from Lena’s ungodly wrath. That spear and fireball combination ends up hitting her multiple times.

“I can’t catch this slippery bitch, Sera! Do something!”

“If you can’t catch her, what am I to do!?”

“I don’t know, just shoot this rat or something!”

“This one is offended… one is part feline rather than vermin.”

Listening to Lena, I switch to my bow and ready an arrow, already knowing this is a terrible idea.

Bow readied and aimed, I wait for the perfect moment to fire at our attacker. Luckily, the wait isn’t that long.

Getting clipped by Lena’s wing, the woman briefly staggers and the speed she carries all but falters for a single moment…

‘You fucking idiot, Sera! You really couldn’t hold your breath for a second longer!?’

[In addition to Sera’s 10% bonus damage to dragons, it appears dragons have a base 25% resistance to all physical damage.]

‘Guide, pick the right moment to tell me this stuff! Wait… a projectile like an arrow counts as physical damage?’

[Physical refers to all damage inflicted with a weapon, Sera. There are three types of number-based damage in this world. Physical, magical and unarmed. Armour only protects against physical.]

Mundane bit of status knowledge out of the way, Lena still continues to fight her heart out, yet hasn’t brought up what I just did. Landing somewhere round and plump, I can only hope she didn’t notice it.

All of a sudden, the mage’s speed seems to drastically slower, giving Lena another chance to close the distance.

“Drats. Magic has always been a cruel and fickle mistress which relies too heavily upon luck.”

With another flick of the wrist, the mage tries to repeat her spell, yet it must’ve misfired! We’ve finally got a chance now!

Speed stuck to normal, the both of us leave nothing to chance and practically kamikaze attack towards the mage.

Lena takes a fireball straight to the face in the process, but manages to finally get a real grip on her.

Jaw grasped onto her waist; the mage tries to stab her way free with the spear. However, before she can hurt Lena any more, guess which wannabee vampire elf has just tossed away her bow?

With a charge and leap from a rock, I glide through the air and plunge both my weapons straight into the woman’s back!

	[Double Slash]		[HP: $"#/%*£] [-160]
		[x2 damage] [single hit]

“*Gasp*!”

A gasp and pure shock follow, the air completely abandons her lungs. She’s so badly staggered in fact; she hasn’t got the slightest of chances to react to what’s coming next.

Both my sword and dagger combo are ripped out of her back, then I pound both weapons into her neck! [HP: @!^/#€»] [-120]

The follow up attack appears to do just enough damage to completely make the woman drop the spear. As my blades leave the beastkin and Lena’s jaw still crushes her waist, her aura weakens, yet her voice let’s out the faintest of whispers.

“This one… will speak with you two again someday.”

“Yeah yeah, we’ve heard that shit before.”

And just like that, the life leaves her eyes. Like how we started this day, me and Lena are the only living souls in this region of the wastes.

Tensions now starting to ease, it appears there is more system stuff to be done.

[That fight was the most amount of EXP obtained in a single encounter thus far, Sera. Humanoid enemies have a cap of 110 EXP based on how high current level is. Yet, that mage produced 150 EXP.]

‘Huh, guess I got credited with that kill. Presumably, that levelled me up then?’

[Sera isn’t understanding how peculiar of a situation this is. Level 12 has been obtained and presumably, HP is the choice again, correct?]

‘Yup, HP again, Guide. Not sure what you want me to say… maybe that beastkin was part tiger as well?’

[A tiger would give 200 EXP, Sera. This mystery will have to remain as such… status has been adjusted accordingly.]

Now gotten that brief encounter out of the way, my eyes return to Lena who still is on edge despite the fact that woman now lies breathless. For whatever reason, she seems fixated on staring at the mage’s corpse.

“Lena… heh. What in the bloody hell was that?”

“Don’t look at me, Sera! Look there! That cat’s body is now doing something else!”

As Lena says, the women’s body seems to disintegrate in front of our eyes with the only items unaffected are the spear she held, a pair of boots and a small coin purse. In just under half a minute, she’s completely gone.

‘Welp… something tells me this isn’t the last we’ll see of that cat. The second coming of this one is right around the corner.’

“Should we loot what she left, then get a move on, Lena?”

“Sure. Before we do that though, Sera… think you owe me some help.”

With a scrunched-up face and performing a little spin, it’s only just now I realize Lena still has an intruder sticking out of her bottom. She has no right looking this cute when grumpy.

“Heh, don’t expect me to apologize for that. You told me to shoot so I did.”

“Don’t you play this down, Sera, you shot me! I’m starting to think you like hurting me or something, you did something similar back in the kingdom! The least you can do is kiss it better.”

Clearly joking trying her best to hide a giggle, I still can’t help but feel bad. Her backside looks like a unicorn’s horn right now with that shoddy arrow sticking out of it.

“Lena… you know I’d normally never turn down that request. You do see the problem, right?”

“Erm… oh, that. That c-can easily be fixed though...”

Breasts and bottoms, you can never go wrong with them… until you realize a dragon is lacking on both. Lena may be cute whether in human or dragon, but there are CLEAR lines we’re not passing. The most I’m willing to give her like this is a head nuzzle or a peck on the nose. Anything further, that’s not happening, comprende?

Thankfully, lowkey bestiality aside, the both of us are smothered by a cloud of smoke. Then, my silly partner emerges from the smoke.

‘Heh, guess we’re really doing this then. We’re never going to meet her parents at this rate…’

[Steel spear (Average) obtained.]

[Leather boots (Average) obtained.]

[Coin purse (32c) obtained.]

[This One’s Journal obtained.]

‘What the holy name of Christ did I just read…’