Reluctant Necromancer

It did in fact fuck up my sleep schedule. Ashley came in and found me like two hours later and that night I struggled to get to sleep. Even my warm, weighted, Ashley blanket didn’t help.

Ashley had taken the [plant] essence and gotten her desired [Dark Ranger] confluence. She now had limited control over plant matter and could use it to entangle. She seemed kind of like a mix between a ranger and a rogue to be honest the way she could deliver devastating damage from the shadows while she controled the environment. And the confluence gave her a limited ability to communicate with non-monster animals. Which she was super excited about.

She’d apparently come rushing upstairs to get me because I was the last one to hear about her conversation with the squirrel in the backyard. From what I gathered in my fatigued state was that they’re like cracked out toddlers with ADHD. He was very eager to talk to Ashley until he got distracted and ran away.

Oliver had absorbed his [light] essence and created the [balmy waters] confluence. He could now cast some kind of light magic. Something that might come into conflict with my [abyssal chains] if we weren’t careful. His confluence also upped his healing abilities. Before he’d been able to just heal injuries basically. Now he had an ability to cure different ailments, from minor diseases to like mild poisoning. The last one was a guess on his part based on what he said he felt when the system activated his confluence. He was super excited and would be able to help with his shifts in the clinic even more.

Speaking of shifts in the clinic, today was his designated day to report to the local doctor’s office and offer his services to the community. Montgomery warned that the local doctor was less than happy about it. He was part of the religious faction that believed our abilities were cursed or from demons or something. So, John went with him to provide protection and support.

The rest of us were free to roam around and treat today as an extra rest day. Not that there was a lot to do in this tiny little town. Especially since Oliver and John took the van. Fortunately when Ashley decided she wanted to go for a run and hit the gym she was not upset when I told her that over my dead body would I be joining her. She laughed at my outburst, planted a quick kiss on my lips and breezed through the door before my brain could reboot.

Meaning it was just me and Mara left at home. The day quickly found us relaxing together on the couch, watching daytime television. Or the Canadian equivalent.

Mara turned down the volume until it was more background noise than active listening levels. She pulled her legs up underneath her and half turned to face me. “Hey, I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing. I know this wasn’t exactly what you wanted, and I kind of forced you into this whole party thing.”

I thought for a moment, really let the question sit with me before answering, “I’m actually doing pretty well.” I surprised myself with that realization. “We all basically get along. John and Oliver are adorable and sweet. I guess I like you. And Ashley…” I trialed off and just sighed.

Mara chuckled. “Yeah, I could tell. I’m glad you two finally hit it off. You’ve both been circling like useless lesbians for years.”

“Rude.”

“How is it actually going though?”

“Pretty well. She wants to take it slow for now. Not jump into anything too...”

“Physical?” Mara wiggled her eyebrows at me.

I laughed, “Something like that. It’s kind of nice. No pressure to perform or be anything. Just getting to know each other.”

“Well, I’m glad.”

“Thanks,” I smiled at her. “But don’t ever pull that shit again.”

“What? Use an apocalyptic event to force two idiots into close proximity until they realize they like each other?”

“Yeah.”

“Promise.” She smirked at me, “I mean, how many times could a situation like that occur anyway?” I gave her the finger.

“How are you holding up?” I asked her. “Have you been able to get ahold of–”

“No,” she interrupted. “Just goes to voicemail. I’m sure they’re fine though. Probably had to get a new phone like we did. They’re tough and focused and they’ll be ok,” she repeated. “Anyway, John wants to hit up the lists that Montgomery and the fuzz have been making of survivors that crossed over into other towns. See if he can get ahold of his parents.”

Her attempts to change the subject were awkward and obvious, but I respected them. She wasn’t ready to talk about her long distance partner. They had lived on the East Coast. Which seemed to have survived the breakup of the landmasses pretty well. The chances of them needing to replace their phone were slim, but I let her have it for now. Eventually she’d have to confront what the rest of us suspected. But I wasn’t going to push her to deal with it now. There was more than enough shit going on in our immediate awareness without adding to it.

“Is anyone else’s parents nearby?” I asked instead. “What about siblings and shit?”

“Oliver doesn’t have contact with his family, and Ashley hasn’t said anything to me. You might want to ask her though. I know she was close with her parents,” Mara rattled off.

“You still no contact?” I asked hesitantly. It was a sensitive subject for Mara, and one I didn’t bring up often if at all.

“Yeah, fuck those evangelical hypocrites,” she muttered.

I nodded my head and looked for a change in subject this time. “We should try and find a system plinth. Spend our tokens we got from the dungeon. I bet you could find some books on magic to work on your mana skill or whatever.”

She shrugged, “We’d probably have to travel pretty far, and who knows what’s out there or how long we’d be gone. No one else can clear that last dungeon but us apparently.”

I flopped back into the couch. “That is such bullshit. How are we the only ones that are all fully suped-up or whatever?” I whined.

“Maybe we got lucky? Or maybe they’re being more picky,” she offered with another shrug. “Maybe we’re just OP. Our tank is basically a barbarian DPS, I’m magical DPS, Ashley is a roguish DPS, a healer, and a kind of crowd control slash off-tank or whatever with you. We kind of hit hard.”

“I guess one or all of those make sense. And honestly if any of us is OP it’s you with that fucking anime blast shit,” I laughed.

“Jealous?”

“Fuck no. I like having my minions.”

“They’ll catch up soon enough,” Mara predicted. “Until then we’re the big dogs in town,” she giggled to herself.

“As long as we get to clear the last dungeon I guess. I kinda want to know what access to the system library looks like,” I sighed.

“Maybe I won’t need to go to a plinth after all if the library has what I need,” Mara noted.

“I still want to know what we can spend our tokens on,” I muttered.