Kane looked at Shakti's wounds, and he could deduce that she had been subjected to some sort of torture. He spoke, "So, how did you get those?"
Shakti sighed and spoke, "You see, I joined Kido's team because I thought I would survive more easily. But one fine day, Andel tried to misbehave."
Kane's eyes widened. "So, that's why you left the castle? Did Kido not support you?"
Shakti spoke with a sadness she tried to hide. "Yeah, she couldn't because Pathfinders are rare. But when Nephis killed Andel, I was freed, and then I almost decided to follow her. But after hearing your point of view, I would have become like this, and I would have gotten justice for myself. So thank you."
Kane, embarrassed, spoke, "Uh… you're welcome." He sighed and spoke, "Still, nobody will understand, so it is no use."
Shakti clenched her fists for a moment. "Why don't we explain this to them?"
Kane spoke, "Any idea?"
Both of them thought for a moment. Shakti spoke, "There was a Nightmare creature nest, one even Gunlaug's Hunters won't touch. What if we hunt it? Then we can distribute it."
Kane spoke in a confusing tone, "But we can't give it away for free, and people won't buy it unless it's free."
Both of them stared at each other. An idea sparked, and Kane spoke, "Still, we need to clear the nest ourselves?"
Shakti nodded solemnly.
After some time, the slums were in a happy mood. Foods were being shared, and Nephis and her cohort were at the lodge having a meeting. Nephis spoke in a cold and determined tone, "We will be hunting tomorrow. Any objections?"
Cassie, Caster, Effie, and Sunny agreed instantly because that was a logical choice. Sunny asked, "Shouldn't we ask Kane too?"
Nephis spoke in a cold tone, "No. I will call him on selective hunts since he doesn't share with others."
Suddenly, Nephis and everyone heard a commotion outside. The cohort members went outside. What they saw was a huge crowd of people in front. Cassie asked, "Neph, what is going on?"
Nephis spoke, "I have no idea. Did Gunlaug cause any commotion?"
Caster spoke, "I don't think so. It's not like Gunlaug's style."
Nephis and the others passed through the people and saw the source. In front of them, there were a large number of Nightmare Creatures lying dead, their skins peeled. In front of them sat Kane and Shakti, drenched in Nightmare blood in such a way that Shakti's light-colored tunic had completely changed color to blood. Both of them were exhausted and looked at each other.
Kane stood up and spoke, "After the hunt, I realized I had restricted some of my share, so here it is."
Everybody was shocked and shouted in joy. Nephis and others frowned at him, staring with confused looks. Kane continued, "Still, it will not be for free. There will be a condition."
The sudden joy vanished. The commotion quieted down to silence. A voice suddenly spoke, "What is the price then?"
Kane spoke, "No price. Instead, I will have a test here. We will spar with no weapons and no Aspect usage. Just hands. The more number of hits I receive, the more pieces of meat you get, with an extra bonus. So, who is up?"
After a moment of silence, a person came forward and looked at him and spoke, "I am going to defeat you."
Kane spoke, "Good. Show me."
After the fight, the person was lying on the floor, beaten thoroughly in hand-to-hand combat. Kane spoke, "Well, you hit me five times, so here is your share, and by the way, extend your hand."
The person stood up and received his meat and extended his hand. Kane gripped his hand and shared a Memory he had received from the hunt. The person's eyes widened and he spoke, "You gave me a Memory."
Kane spoke, "Well, you fought me and hit me five times. So out of the four Memories I received, I gave you one."
Everybody's faces lit up. They had received meat and a Memory. Everybody formed a queue and hustled forward.
After distributing the whole fight via this method, the meat emptied faster. Kane was tired due to the continuous hand-to-hand combat. Shakti was tired of organizing things and collecting soul shards. Kane thought, 'Shakti is versatile, she has capabilities.' Kane observed her fight. Shakti's Aspect revolved around plants that can thrive based on the substance it is given, and she is an archer who can cover long ranges. Kane felt at ease and was able to clear the nest easily.
As Kane was sitting around, Nephis and the others came here. Sunny spoke, "What was this all about?"
Kane looked at Sunny and the others. "Why are you asking me? Ask her."
Then everybody turned their head towards Shakti. She spoke, "Well, the test is his idea, but hunting extra is mine."
Nephis spoke, "You could have gotten free, right?"
Shakti spoke in a firmer tone, "Well, I don't need a freebie. I know what I am capable of." Then she stood and spoke, "By the way, what do we do with the soul shards?"
Kane spoke in an amusing tone, "Don't worry, I know how to deal with it, and you know how to deal with the extra meat I handed over to you, right?"
Shakti came near him and ruffled his hair. "Sure. Just take a rest. Tomorrow, we have a hunt."
Kane nodded. Nephis came forward and spoke, "Why are you doing this?"
Kane spoke, "For my conscience."
After that day, things moved with a speed that left everyone disoriented. Everything was happening so fast that he found it difficult to adjust. It was hard not to fear that, eventually, he would simply be left behind.
After that first hunt where Nephis had chosen to give most of the spoils away, she led them on several more. Not all of those hunts went as smoothly, but they did manage to return victorious, if a little battered. Every time, she paid Effie her share of the meat, took a small amount for them to consume, and gave the rest to the people of the outer settlement free of charge. Of course, except Kane, who didn't pay his share at all. Because of how little their own share was, the group was forced to hunt every other day instead of once or twice a month. Kane spent most of his time with Nephis and Caster, serving in the front lines.
Soon, their flawless and intense track record earned the cohort reputation and renown. They weren't seen as newcomers anymore. Instead, people considered them to be nothing short of the strongest hunters in the slum. Many even believed that Changing Star and her people were in no way inferior to the Hunters of the Bright Castle.
Nephis herself was known to be a fearsome fighter ever since her dramatic duel with Andel. Effie had the reputation as one of the outer settlement's best from a long time ago. Handsome and capable Caster quickly won respect and adoration thanks to his amiable personality, noble bearing, and skill.
The four of them were considered to be the core of the party, with Cassie and Sunny existing somewhere on the periphery. People loved Cassie because Nephis had entrusted her with the responsibility of handing out the free meat… and also because it was nearly impossible not to love this sweet, exquisitely beautiful, and tragic girl. For most of the slum dwellers, she was the welcoming face of the cohort.
Sunny, on the other hand… no one really paid him any attention. With no valiant feats of vanquishing monsters of the Dark City under his belt, most considered him to be a mere support member of the party. Inconsequential at best… a charity case at worst.
Meanwhile, what Kane did was something different. After finishing each hunt, he repeated the same process. He would collect soul shards and some extra meat for Shakti. Kane got the soul shards and went to memory market shopping, thanks to Shakti who had permission to buy in the Memory market. While Shakti took an extra portion of meat to grow plants from it. Based on the plants' style, she would categorize them based on their usage. For example, after a combination of a certain Nightmare creature's meat with some of the dark sea water, it produced a variant of fruit which provides a smoke screen.
After some days, to Kane's surprise, some people came to them to spar, not for a prize, but to improve their skill and learn something. Kane included and taught them via the only option he knew: duels. Soon the size grew considerably. Then all of a sudden a twist came.
Kane received a message from the Bright castle, from one of the Hand Maidens. Kane went alone to a place, Kane was waiting for the sender, only to find it was one of the lieutenants: Seishan. She was wearing a silver colored regal dress. Her skin was a gray color and fully pale. Kane looked at her and spoke, "So, what do you want from me?"
Seishan's eyes frowned and she spoke, "I want to challenge you for a duel."
Kane sized her up for a bit and thought, 'Seriously, one of the lieutenants is here to fight me.' and spoke, "What's in it for me?"
Seishan spoke with her lips curved, "I can accept your request."
Kane who thought for the moment spoke, "Well, here is my request." After that, the deal was made: Seishan and Kane would spar with weapons and their Aspects once every five days. In return, Seishan would teach the people who were willing to learn for free. Kane asked her the reason, and she told him, "Your Aspect is unique, I want to experience it." Then Kane himself remembered about Seishan's Aspect which she used in the spar, which transformed. There was a subtle change to her body that seemed as though she grew taller, her limbs elongating, her spine twisting. Her smooth gray skin became like that of a shark, and her eyes rolled back, revealing a second pair of pupils, these ones vertical and surrounded by a sea of red. Her jaw unhinged, revealing several rows of terrible fangs. Kane thought, 'Another transformation Aspect, like me.' The spars were kept secret, except from Shakti. Meanwhile, Kane and Shakti's bond grew closer, from strangers to elder sister and brother type. The current place where the plants grew was named Linia's Mansion. As for the name, Linia seemed to be the previous owner of the house, who went missing, and the people had no idea about. So Kane felt it would be right to name her like that.
Soon, the slums became much more vibrant, centered around two people. Nephis, who became a saint for the slum dwellers. The second one was Kane who became their guardian who protected them but was harsh enough for them to grow.
But soon, a particular two-day period changed everything.