Dylan was dragging the corpse with both hands, glancing back from time to time to avoid tripping. Halfway to the fire set up in the center of the village, he suddenly felt the weight lighten. Looking up, he saw his commander, Maggie, who had just grabbed the creature's feet to help.
Together, they quickly carried the body to the fire, where a young elf girl was sitting, munching on a portion of military rations.
Dylan stepped closer, wiping the dried blood off his face with the back of his hand.
"I can't believe she can eat in a situation like this," he muttered, sitting down on a chopped tree trunk not far from her.
She finished her meal — or rather devoured it — like she hadn't eaten in days. She took a few gulps of water and wiped her hands on her already filthy pants, completely unfazed.
Caught by Dylan's stare, she said:
"You're not harvesting the anima gems?"
Dylan blinked, clearly lost.
"Anima gems? Are those supposed to be edible or something?"
She chuckled as she stood.
"Every creature, except humans, has one in this world. Don't you guys have them where you're from?"
"Back home, creatures like this don't even exist. So those gems of yours? Never heard of them."
Without another word, she took the dagger Maggie had lent her, crouched beside the corpse, and with a precise motion, plunged the blade into the beast's chest. In a few swift moves, she opened the ribcage and reached inside.
She pulled out a gem the size of a grown man's thumb, glowing with a deep green light, almost like an emerald. But Dylan, watching closely, could tell it wasn't.
"That's an anima gem," she said, unfazed by the viscous blood dripping from her hand.
Maggie, who'd stayed silent until now, frowned.
"You mean there's one in every creature?" she asked, crossing her arms.
The elf nodded, quickly wiping the gem on her already grimy pants.
"Not always in the same spot, but yeah. It's like… their magical heart. Every single one has one, even the smallest ones."
Dylan leaned in, intrigued.
"So, what's it for? Just decoration? A creepy souvenir?"
"A souvenir? Pfft, it's way more than that. That thing holds spiritual essence, soul essence… and a good dose of negative energy."
She placed the gem in Dylan's hands. He stared at it, frowning, hypnotized by the pulsing light inside.
"Here, we absorb that spiritual energy to strengthen our body… and our soul."
She looked up at them, but their expressions made her pause. They looked as confused as if she'd just explained how to talk to trees.
"Wait… you guys don't have that?"
A heavy silence fell.
"How do you even get stronger, then?" she asked, genuinely confused.
Dylan shrugged.
"Uh… training? Lifting weights? Heavier weapons?"
And added, a little sarcastically:
"Sometimes a good shot of adrenaline when we're about to die."
Elisa blinked.
"That's… so primitive."
"Oh great. Now I'm getting called primitive by an elf who lives in a monster-infested forest," Dylan muttered, glaring at her.
Maggie narrowed her eyes, curious.
"So, how do you absorb them, exactly? Don't tell me you eat them?"
"No, no, that's what demonic creatures do. We use absorption techniques through meditation. We separate the spiritual essence — the most subtle and volatile part — and direct it toward our spiritual core… which forms when we reach awakening."
A pause. The two soldiers exchanged a glance. They got it… kind of.
"Awakening?" Dylan repeated, brushing the gem with his thumb, still fascinated.
"Hmm… I'd say it's a phenomenon that happens after you've absorbed and purified a lot of spiritual essence. At some point, your spiritual core forms — it's inevitable."
She paused again, searching for the right words.
"It's not physical, not really. But once it forms, it strengthens your body from the inside, boosts your strength, speed, even your perception. The problem is… if your body isn't ready, the spiritual energy can blow you up from the inside. Literally. Veins burst, muscles tear… it's not pretty."
Dylan swallowed hard.
"Lovely."
Maggie raised an eyebrow.
"And you do this… willingly?"
"Of course. You don't want to stay weak in a world like this."
She stood up, arms crossed, her expression more serious.
"And you, you really don't have any of that? No core, no essence, no absorption?"
"Just guns, grenades… and a whole lot of pride," Dylan replied with a crooked grin.
Maggie stayed silent for a moment, arms still crossed, her gaze locked on the elf's.
"There are all these opportunities in this world… and yet, you seem weak."
Elisa slowly stood, a sad smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
"Hah… I was never part of the hunting teams. I was born with a weak body. All I did was pick up the gems others left behind."
She looked up at the sky, eyes distant.
"Sometimes my mother brought me some too. But I wasted them. I kept trying, again and again… I failed every time. Except once. I remember that one perfectly. It was the last. The one she gave me the day she died."
A heavy silence fell. Her gaze swept over the village ruins.
"There were supposed to be fifty hobgoblins here. But only forty… fifteen males, twenty-five females, with their offspring. The warriors spend their time fighting and devouring gems. Their stones are probably more concentrated… so, more profitable."
She turned back to Maggie, meeting her eyes again.
"I'm going to teach you how to extract spiritual essence. We'll use the fifteen warriors' gems for the first try. And if it fails… we've still got the other twenty-five. Plenty to experiment with… without dying."
She smiled, almost cruelly.
"You're strangers in this world. Might as well adapt… or die."