PHOENIX RISING (Book One In The Phoenix Hunter Series)

★CHAPTER 31★

   The steam from the hot shower swirled around me, blurring the edges of the cramped bathroom.  I leaned against the tiled wall, letting the hot water cascade over my body, a comforting warmth that soothed my muscles.

My reflection in the cracked mirror was a far cry from the skinny, awkward kid I'd been just days ago.  The dungeon had changed me.  My body, once gangly and uncoordinated, was now toned, lean, and strong.  My shoulders had broadened, my arms were thick with muscle, and my chest, though still thin, held a newfound strength.  My face was still youthful, but my eyes had a sharp, alert edge.  The days in the dungeon had hardened me.

The water ran down my body, washing away the dust and grime of the dungeon, leaving me feeling clean, renewed.  I reached for the bar of soap, the familiar scent of lavender filling the air.  I scrubbed my body, the hot water washing away the grime, leaving my skin feeling smooth and refreshed.

When I finished showering, I stepped out, feeling a surge of energy.  I pulled on a simple, faded blue shirt, its fabric comfortable.  I slipped on a pair of black jeans, the material strong and durable.

I tied my hair back in a messy bun, the strands falling around my face, framing the sharp angles of my face.  After I died my hair also became longer. The water droplets on my skin glistened, reflecting the light from the flickering bulb above me.

The warm air of my room greeted me as I stepped out of the bathroom.  I went to the desk and turned on the lamp, its dim light casting long shadows across the room.  I pulled a chair up to the desk and sat down, weariness settling into my muscles after the day's adventures but I still had the loots to sort out. It was very exciting due to so many factors.
...

It had already been an hour, and I hadn't finished sorting out everything.  Well, sorting and reading the information of all this loot wasn't an easy task at all.

I looked back at the list of loots from the two monsters and the two Quests;

From the Goblins

- 5 Steel Swords
- 5 wooden shields
- 5 Minor Healing Potion
- 5 Leather Armor
- 70,000 Copper pieces
- 30 Gold Bar
- 430 Mana Crystals

Loot Acquired from the Harpy's Nest

- 5000 Harpy Feathers
- 80 Harpy Talons
- 2800 Harpy Scales
- 500 Harpy Tail Fragments
- 7000 mana crystals
- 50 Gold Bars
- 10 Platinum Bars
- 100 Silver Bars
- 41,000 Copper Coins
- 15 Steel swords
- 12 Wooden bows
- 14 Quarterstaffs
- 10 Wooden shields

From the Quest Reward:
- 50 Gold bars
- 15 Platinum Bars
- 1 Unique Soul Weapon: Chains of Damnation (unbound)

From the Gold Chest:
- 5 Healing Elixir'
- 5 Mana Restorer
- 5  Strength Tonic
- 5 Vitality Increase
- 5 Defense Enhancer
- 5 Stealth Tonic
- 5 Perception Enhancer
- 5 Elemental Resistance
- 1 Celestial Compass
- 1 Crystal of Clarity
- 1 Amulet of the Wild
- 5 Time ruin keys.
- 1 Echoing Horn
- 1 Whispering Dagger
- 1 Soul Weapon: Eternal Blade (unbound)
- 1 Unique Armor Set: Eternity's Bulwark
- 100 Mana Crystals
- 100 Gold Bars
- 50 Platinum Bars

It wasn't as much as I was used to but it was still a lot and  I needed to sort through it all, to understand the value of each item.

I set to work, my fingers flying across the keypad as I inputted each item into the Identifier, cataloging my spoils. The items were diverse, ranging from simple weapons and armor to rare potions, magical artifacts, and even a few valuable currency bars.

Items:

Tail of the Harpy: A glittering, glass-like tail imbued with magical energy, capable of enhancing weapons with its potent essence.