"WHAT?!" Yusef's voice cracked like a whip as he stared at the two guards he'd sent out earlier.
"Did I hear that right? There's another one with the two boys?"
One of the guards stepped forward, his posture rigid. "Yes, sir. That is correct."
Yusef's eyes narrowed. "Then that explains our men's disappearance yesterday."
His tone dripped with irritation. "Tsk… that Danica. It was her job to keep a close watch on the situation."
"What's the plan now, boss?" another guard asked, hesitant.
"We can't return to Lord Ivance empty-handed," Yusef growled, teeth gritted. "Our only option… is to fight back."
He stepped forward sharply. "With me!"
The guards crossed their arms over their chests in unison. "Yes, sir!"
Back with Kyro, Tharic, and Rena…
"This way!" Rena called, darting through the undergrowth, the three of them following fresh footprints in the forest floor.
She glanced over her shoulder. "Be on your guard. We don't know what, or who, is waiting for us."
"Got it!" Kyro replied, while Tharic gave a silent nod.
Kyro's gut coiled tighter with every step, a cold weight settling in his chest. The air in the forest was thick with damp earth and the faint tang of moss, but it did nothing to steady him.
"I've acted brave in front of them, pretending this is nothing… but the truth is, the last few battles have shaken me. What dangers lie ahead? And without any aether… will I even survive?"
Hunter's voice surfaced in his mind, sharp and unyielding:
"But when the training got tough, you're now running away. So what will happen when the same adversity confronts you in the outside world?"
The memory bit deep, but it couldn't drown out the hollow pit of powerlessness gnawing at him. His eyes slid to Tharic, walking just ahead—steady, shoulders squared, the weight of his axe resting as if it were an extension of him. Not a hint of fear showed on his face.
"Hey, Tharic," Kyro called, his voice quieter than he meant. "Aren't you afraid of what's coming?"
Tharic glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "What are you saying? Weren't you the one who wanted this?"
"Yeah, but…" Kyro hesitated, his throat dry. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. Yesterday's fight with the aether hunters, and that bear today—I barely made it through either. If it weren't for you, I'd already be dead."
Tharic exhaled slowly, his breath fogging in the cool air. "Listen, hero. If fear's already eating you alive, maybe you need to ask yourself if this path is really for you."
He stopped just long enough for Kyro to catch up, his eyes locking onto him. The words that followed were sharper, deliberate. "Because things will not get easier from here on out."
"Stop!" Rena suddenly barked, coming to a halt. Her hand gripped the hilt of her katana.
She spun on her heel, drawing the blade in one fluid motion and pointing it toward the trees. "You there! I know you're hiding—come out!"
"Has she lost her mind?" Tharic thought. "There's nothing there."
A rustle in the bushes proved him wrong. Moments later, the woman they'd met outside Ashcrest stumbled out, collapsing to her knees and gasping for breath.
Kyro's eyes widened. "You…"
Rena stepped in front of the boys. "Stand back."
"Wait," Tharic interjected. "We know her—she's the one who told us about her missing husband."
Rena's gaze narrowed. "Is that true?"
The woman nodded. "Yes. That's right."
"And how," Rena asked, "did you find us all the way out here?"
"I… felt bad about sending the boys off while I stayed behind. I thought I might follow to help in any way I could."
Rena's stance softened slightly. "I see. Forgive my rudeness."
The woman smiled faintly. "No need. I understand completely."
But Tharic's suspicion flared. "Hold on a second, miss," he said.
She turned toward him. "Hmm?"
"You said you and your husband were ambushed by aether hunters." His tone sharpened. "Kyro and I ran into two on the way here before Rena helped us. Yet you look completely unharmed. Did you not encounter any?"
The woman shook her head nervously. "I… did. I just managed to escape."
"And you took them down by yourself?" Kyro asked, scratching his chin. "Didn't you say before that you were too weak to help your husband fight?"
Even Kyro could see the cracks forming. Tharic's eyes narrowed.
"He's catching on… something's not right."
The woman began to sweat. "Well, you see…"
Rena tightened her grip on her blade. "If that's true, then tell us—who are you really?"
Behind them, a faint, unsettling buzz prickled Kyro's senses—too familiar, too ominous. His gut twisted tight with unease, a silent warning screaming in his bones as if it was telling him he was powerless to stop the ominous scent.
"This dread won't win. I can't let it."
"If I'm going to be any use at all, now's the time to prove it. Please… let me be enough."
He spun around just in time to see a kunai streaking through the air, aimed straight at Tharic. Without hesitation, Kyro threw himself forward, body acting on pure instinct.
The blade sank into his chest.
Blood sprayed from his mouth as his body crumpled to the forest floor, the black tie coming out of his pocket.
Tharic spun around, horror in his eyes. "No… not this again."
His fists shook. "I was supposed to protect him, yet he protected me…"
***
"Tharic, run!" his mother cried out, rushing toward him.
But Tharic stood frozen, his grip loose on his spear, fear rooting him in place as the aether hunter's spear advanced.
KHESHH!
His mother threw herself between them just in time, catching the hunter's spear midair. A brief, relieved smile crossed her lips—Tharic was safe. Then, her strength gave out, and she collapsed to the ground.
"Mother no…I supposed to protect you! This can't be!" Tharic thought as he stared in distraught.
***
"Tharic, wake up. Now is not the time to space out," said Rena, holding onto the hilt of her katana.
Two guards emerged from the shadows, smirking. "That was easy," one said.
The woman's demeanor changed instantly. Her lips curled into a sly smile as she stepped beside them. "Looks like everything went to plan after all."
"Plan?" Rena's voice was low and dangerous.
Yusef emerged with four more guards, surrounding them.
"Correct. Ever since they foolishly accepted the black tie, we've tracked their every move. They may have escaped once, but they won't shame us, the First Order, a second time."
"With me!" Yusef roared.
"Yes, sir!" the guards replied.
Tharic's grip on his spear tightened, his gaze fixed on the woman.
"I'll kill her… if it's the last thing I do."
Meanwhile, back at the Wolf's Inn…
Hunter moved between tables, serving drinks and tidying up. A few guests had stayed longer than usual, chatting idly.
Despite the memories that had haunted him earlier—memories of the disaster years ago—his face betrayed no sign of it. Wolf's Inn had always been his way of offering safety and comfort to others, even if he could no longer fight on the battlefield.
One customer, already a few drinks in, grinned at him. "Been a joy staying here. I might have to come back more often."
Hunter chuckled. "Glad you're enjoying yourself."
"What's your name?"
"Hunter, sir."
The man froze, staring at him.
"Oh no… has he had too much?"
Hunter thought. "Uh, excuse me—"
"Hunter," the man repeated, his tone sobering. "Were you the famous adventurer who traveled the country back in the day?"
Hunter's eyes widened, and his gaze dropped to the floor. "Yeah… that was me."
The man's face lit up. "I heard you and your friends saved Sylmora from a massacre nearly a decade ago! Without you, who knows if this place would still be standing?"
"That's not—" Hunter began.
"Sure, we still struggle today," the man said, "but without you, many of us wouldn't be here at all."
Hunter looked back up, a faint smile on his lips. "…I suppose you're right."
The man raised his mug. "You saved us all, Hunter. Big time."
Hunter smiled a bit before excusing himself to turn around to behind the bar.
"I didn't do anything," Hunter murmured. "Wolf… Ohrena… they were the ones who saved everyone. They sacrificed themselves so I could finish that man."
He opened his right hand and stared at the calloused palm, then slowly curled it into a fist.
"I've done nothing to deserve recognition. All my life, my friends carried me through the fires of war. I couldn't fight as well… couldn't protect others… couldn't get anything right."
His fist slammed against the bar with a dull thud.
"And yet, I had one simple duty, to die alongside that hellish human so he could never walk this earth again. As simple as it was… I still failed!"
"Now my friends are dead, and I'm still here. Why couldn't I have died? Or better yet… why was I spared? What does fate have planned for me?"
Hunter's left hand pressed against his chest, fingers trembling.
"Tell me… someone tell me, what is my purpose?"
A voice answered, low and unnervingly familiar. "Your purpose?"
Hunter's head lifted slightly, but the room around him had changed—no longer the warm glow of the inn, but an endless, pitch-black void. His heart pounded. The middle of his forehead throbbed, warm and wet with blood, his palm slick with sweat.
"What's… going on?"
The voice spoke again, this time behind him. "You wanted to know your purpose, didn't you?"
He turned sharply and froze.
The masked man. The same one he had fought all those years ago and trapped in his body.
"You… it can't be…"
The man's deep, distorted voice seeped into the void. "Your only purpose is to serve as my vessel. For eternity."
He took a slow step forward. "And you'll do it well… something even your little friends would be proud of."
Hunter's hands shook violently. He blinked—
—And the world snapped back to normal. The inn was warm again. His forehead was dry. His palm, steady.
"Mister?"
A woman's voice broke through his daze. She stood at the bar, eyes filled with polite concern.
"Are you alright? You seem… troubled."
Hunter forced his shoulders to relax. "It's nothing. I'm fine."
The woman smiled gently. "That's good to hear. In that case… may I have one of your best drinks?"
"Of course," Hunter said, masking the unease in his voice with a practiced smile.
As he turned to prepare it, his thoughts churned.
"It can't be… how is he conscious inside me? The technique I used should have kept him dormant when I absorbed him… yet after all these years…"
He slid the drink toward her. "Here you go. One of my personal favorites, I hope it suits your taste."
Her smile brightened. "Then it must be good. Thank you!"
Hunter nodded, but as his gaze swept over the inn, his expression betrayed the weight in his mind—an unease he could no longer shake.
Meanwhile, at the battle with Rena and Tharic…
The guards surged forward, a tide of steel and fury, their weapons flashing in the fractured sunlight—spears, swords, and jagged axes cutting through the air.
"Even if we don't capture all three," Yusef thought, eyes fixed on the unconscious boy, "just that one on the ground will be enough. As long as we don't leave empty-handed…"
"Danica!" Yusef barked, his voice slicing across the clearing.
The woman from Ashcrest turned her head, a dark smile tugging at her lips.
"Get that boy. At any cost."
She gave a sharp nod, her grin widening. "Understood."
Rena's breath came slow and controlled, each exhale fogging faintly in the cool forest air. Her grip tightened on the katana until the leather-wrapped hilt creaked. Aether flared around her, thickening rapidly, the atmosphere itself seeming to hum in response.
Tharic felt the shift immediately. The weight of her power pressed against his skin like a sudden change in air pressure.
"What… is this?" he murmured.
Before he could fully process it, Rena vanished. Her movement so fast it blurred, the air around her rippling. She wasn't just using aether for techniques; she was bending its output to amplify her entire body, her steps leaving subtle bursts of displaced wind in her wake.
Yusef's eyes narrowed. "Who is this woman?"
Danica watched too, her smirk fading. "So she's the one…"
In a single heartbeat, Rena dismantled two guards who were unprepared for her speed and power—steel rang, bone cracked, and their bodies were flung into thick tree trunks with a thud that sent bark and leaves scattering. The remaining guards quickly gathered themselves, stood more prepared, ready to swarm and bring her down.
Tharic stood frozen for a moment, awe prickling along his spine. "She's… leagues beyond me."
But there was no time to marvel. He shifted his focus to Danica on the sidelines.
"I can't slack off either. In that case…"
"Wind Technique: Gale Step!"
Wind coiled at his feet, launching him forward in a blur. He ricocheted off two trees and lunged at Danica, only for her to sidestep with fluid ease.
His eyes widened. "But—how?"
He tried again, faster, more forceful. She avoided him without even seeming to move, her dagger still casually at her side.
"My, your technique is crude," she said with a mocking tilt of her head. "And far too slow."
"Slow?!"
He closed the distance once more, but she caught his wrist mid-strike and slammed him into the ground. Pain flared up his spine.
"Her aether spiked just before she threw me… She's been toying with me this whole time."
Danica turned sharply and started toward Kyro.
From across the battlefield, Rena saw the movement. Her gaze sharpened. She tore herself from the last two guards who were still against her and sprinted in, katana meeting Danica's dagger with a harsh metallic ring.
The fight split the forest air with every clash, the guards now lying scattered and groaning in the undergrowth.
"Tharic, are you all right?" Rena called without breaking her rhythm.
"Y-yeah…" he replied, pushing himself up.
With a powerful shove, Rena knocked Danica back a few paces, buying herself a breath.
"Ugh!" said Danica.
"Tharic," she said flatly, "stop burning through your aether with reckless technique spam."
"But—"
"Watch closely."
Her aether flared, not just brighter but heavier, spilling off her in waves until the very air seemed to vibrate. Blue energy crawled along her katana, humming like a living thing.
"Techniques will drain you fast. Control your aether, and you can fight far longer."
Danica lunged in again, dagger flashing, but Rena's blade overpowered it in a single, brutal sweep. Danica staggered, then crashed to the ground.
"Danica! What are you doing?!" Yusef's voice rang from above, where he stood on a thick branch.
"A little help wouldn't hurt!" she snapped back.
Rena glanced toward Tharic. "Two guards left for you. Think you can handle it?"
He nodded, spear ready, though his brow furrowed.
"Control aether? How—?"
He closed his eyes, feeling the pulse of energy in every limb. But the guards didn't give him time to think, steel met steel as they came at him relentlessly.
While Tharic fought, Yusef moved. His hands came together in a sharp clap, and the earth split. Steel chains erupted upward like serpents, whipping toward Kyro's limp form.
"We will not leave here defeated!" he roared.
Rena caught the movement instantly, but Danica's blade came for her again.
"Eyes on me," Danica taunted.
"Tch."
Rena's attacks grew fiercer, her strikes hammering against Danica's guard until—
Aether surged into her leg, and with a single kick to the stomach, she sent Danica flying through the trees. In the same motion, she sliced through Yusef's chains before they could reach Kyro. Though impressive, it did take a lot out of her as she could be seen gasping for air and trying to get a breather in.
"This woman…" Yusef muttered darkly. "She's going to be trouble."
He dropped from the branch, cloak billowing. "Why so protective of the boy? You barely know him. Hand him over, and I promise we won't harm him."
"Promises from an Aether Hunter?" Rena's voice was cold. "Spare me. You're only here to cause trouble for a dying country."
Yusef's smile was razor-thin. "You misunderstand. We protect the people—sacrificing our present for a greater future."
"And that 'future' requires stealing aether from everyone you can?"
"Exactly." His eyes gleamed with fanatic light. "Once we gather enough, Sylmora will rise stronger than any nation in history. Then you'll see the foresight of our plan."
"Foresight?" Rena scoffed. "All I see is foolishness."
"Then show me just how 'foolish' we are. Because I am Yusef, Second to Lord Ivance of the First Order. The ones who will save Sylmora!"
He thrust a hand to the ground. "Steel Chain Technique: Chains of Domination!"
The earth split again, vomiting chains in every direction. They lunged at Rena with unrelenting pursuit, forcing her to weave, roll, and slash in a deadly dance.
"My chains will hunt you until you are bound," Yusef called. "You can cut them down forever, they'll just keep coming."
"He is definitely not as weak compared to the other guards. Second in command for a reason I suppose…" Rena thought.
Rena's eyes then darted to Tharic—slower now, fatigue heavy in his movements.
"But if this drags on, Kyro and Tharic will both be taken."
"Tharic!" she shouted. "Take Kyro and run. I'll hold them off."
Tharic didn't hesitate hearing those words, scooping Kyro up. But Yusef's fist clenched, and several chains snaked toward them.
"Not so fast," he hissed, eyes narrowing with menace.
Rena's irritation sparked like a flame.
"He can't be allowed to control those chains unchecked."
She clenched her grip tighter. "It's time to unleash a technique or two."
She drew in a deep breath, katana poised.
"Water Technique: Flowing Current!"
Her movements became a liquid blur, slicing apart every chain reaching for Tharic.
He stared, wide-eyed. She moves like the ocean itself…
Yusef's snarl split the air. "Don't let him escape!"
The remaining guards rushed in, but Rena met them first—her blade a flash of silver that sent them tumbling into the forest shadows.
"That should give him enough time to escape!"
"Go Tharic, go!" she yelled.
Without hesitation, Tharic heaved Kyro onto his back, the boy's limp weight pressing against the haft of his axe. His legs nearly buckled under the burden.
"Heavy… too heavy…" His breath came in short bursts, then his eyes sparked with a desperate thought. "But I have an idea…"
Wind Technique: Gale Step!
A sudden rush of air burst from beneath his boots, scattering leaves in a wild spiral. Tharic launched forward, the ground blurring beneath him as he tore through the undergrowth, every stride driven by the last dregs of his strength.
"Useless, all of them!" Yusef's voice cracked across the clearing, laced with fury.
"This is bad…Lord Ivance will definitely get mad if we don't at least get one!"
With a snarl, Yusef thrust out his hand. Steel chains erupted from the ground like striking serpents, their cold, gleaming links rattling as they shot toward Tharic—
—but a silver arc flashed through the air.
Rena's katana sang as it cut, the chains shattering into fragments that clattered lifelessly to the dirt. "I will not let you have them," she said, her voice as sharp as the blade she held.
Yusef's jaw clenched, rage distorting his features. "Ugh, why you—!"
Meanwhile, Tharic tore deeper into the forest, the Gale Step hammering wind into his ears and burning through his lungs. Branches whipped against his arms and face, but he didn't slow.
His only thought: Farther. Faster.
The darkness began to thin. A pale glow shimmered ahead, a break in the suffocating woods.
He risked a glance over his shoulder, Kyro's head lolled against him, chest rising and falling in shallow, fragile breaths.
"Don't die on me… please…" Tharic's voice cracked, swallowed by the wind rushing past.