" I still think there are better ways.. faster ones .. "
" Hush and continue to channel. "
" Ughh .. yes, yes .. "
We were split into groups of two, scouting the area using our magic to search for the beast signature reflection.
As soon as we get a read, we can message the others and converge, share the danger and the spoils.
The problem was that our methods were excruciatingly slow of a process that relied on scanning huge terrains randomly, searching for the beast's signature.
That was all well until it wasn't.
If not you and your team who found the signature, it was over.
Most people decided to take the kill for themselves and their muppet looking buddies, leaving everyone else out of it, even though they themselves come out to participate and deserve to get paid for their efforts!
It should be an equal share!!
It was a ridiculous and unfair rule that the Captain refused to abolish.
He said adversities raise a man or whatever..
My partner tonight was a stickler called Fulem, very by the numbers kind of guy and most likely to succeed Captain Roche once he had enough and retired.
He kept making disgusting looks at my hand as if I'm strangling a baby bunny and using its corpse to search and not my empty palms.
Traditionalists simpleton. Some people looked at the condition I born with as some sort of disease they can catch themselves.
" Fulem, Ferith cheking in. Sector 5 was empty, and we changed direction towards Section 6 and 7, we expanded our search. "
He suddenly spoke up, and for a second, I thought he was talking to me but then saw him waving his wand over a spelt piece of paper, letting out a flying message for the captain.
Once the message took flight, he actually turned and talked to me.
" Ferith, we should split up ..
" Yes, I heard.. I'll take 7 .. you scream if you find it. " I turned around and walked the opposite direction.
I anticipated this, so I might as well jump at chance.
" I won't be screaming, I'll send a message, idiot. "
He wished me good luck from what I heard, and soon enough, his presence was gone.
I took my time and enjoyed the cool breeze,
the night was beautiful, every star visible the field was washed by the twin moons light ...
( TINK )
I let my hand slowly fall .. my magic covered a pretty big area in front of me, I got a signature!
Couldn't believe my luck, and for a second, I almost let greed overtake my mind and went after it alone.
But I imagined myself getting torn apart and slowly eaten by a monster with the face of a beautiful woman .. and reached for the spelt papers in my back pocket.
Hovered my hand over 2 of them.
" Ferit here. I found the signature inside Sector 7.. converge at my location. "
After the first 2 flew away, I was in the middle of repeating it, but I stopped because now that I think about it .. I had no idea that it was the actual signature of the monster.
After jamming the papers into my packet, put my left hand to the ground and left my own signature, then extended the right towards the area where the signature was coming from and slowly walked towards it.
( TINK )
There it was again ..
Someone, something was hiding behind that treeline.
Gave me the creeps looking into the dark unknown, I let a multitude of shields cover me from head to toe, then reached out with my left.
" Feny! "
The light coming out of my hand illuminated everything in front me, for a second, I actually blinded myself a little, but it was a success.
After some rustling, I saw a shadow move further inside the tree line.
As I spelt myself and took off running..
I was sure it wasn't the Alkonost. That's a human running ahead of me.
Given that I had increased agility, I catched up in just a few seconds.
The speed I came in and my relative size, plus weight, I managed to slam into the creep like a freight train crushing the runner into the dirt. He hit himself enough to cry out.
Expect the voice that came out was very feminine ..
I stopped for a second but quickly recovered and knelt down, winding up a fire ball as I turned the night marauder around.
The light from the fire rapidly spinning in my palm revelled.. a definite female face.
She looked quite frightened, and her face contorted in pain.
Suddenly, I was very aware of my own hands, pushing her down my palm on her chest and the fact I was almost sitting on top of her. A relatively petite girl ..
Shifted my weight a little but kept my eye peeled as I patted her with my free hand until I found what I was looking for .. her wand.
I jammed it inside my pants and pushed her back down.
" Who the hell are you? " I asked in a low tone.
She took a nervous look at the fire ball spinning just a few inches from her face .. than around us, which made me think she might not be alone.
Quickly let my magic covere the surroundings .. but not even a single animal was near us.
This time, I let go of silly worries and pushed the fire closer to her face and let the heat speak for me.
" S-stop .. I beg you, I-I don't mean harm to you. "
" Yeah, no shit .. " I shook her a little. " Like most people after they got caught! Who are you!!? "
" I was the one who sent you the letter! " She squealed.
I coiled back a little .. but not from the revelation, no, no .. girls have high-pitched screams!
With her wand with me and .. the bad hit she took earlier, she posed no danger whether she was lying or not.
I let the fire die down and got up from her completely, letting her do as well.
Patting myself, I noticed she had difficulty moving .. felt bad ..
I let my magic envelope her body, which surprised her, but didn't struggle against it, and soon enough, she was back to an acceptable condition.
" .. That still doesn't tell me who you are or why you are here? " I continued.
I was genuinely confused as to what the hell was happening here.
Instead of answering, she just stared at me again, making fearful glances at my hand.
" Can I have my wand back? " She asked.
I started to get irritated.
" Listen .. you little psycho .. I'm had enough of your creepy game. Tell me who you are now .. or get incinerated. "
She had the balls to make faces.
" You would kill a girl .. an unarmed girl? "
I will not ask for the same question for the 10th or so time. Let's just take her in and let the Captain deal with it.
" I'm arresting you for .. illegal .. disruption of a government sponsored hunt for .. a dangerous bloody monster! Turn around. "
I started to walk closer until she made a move.
" Wait! .. " She put her hand up. " Alright .. you weirdo .. Fuehh.. Call me Alice. "
" I suppose that's not your real name, but go on .. what's up with that letter? What business do you have with my family? "
Alice dropped her hand and relaxed a little. She even tilted her head to the side.
" I told you not to believe a word he told you, and yet you agreed to attend the school? " She smiled.
I turned serious hearing those words .. she knows a little too much for her being some random girl, no?
I flicked my wrist, and ropes appeared around her legs and upper body, catching her off guard, her body landing with a loud thud.
" Hey! ..why did you..
" How would you possibly know what he told me? Or when we would meet? Why did you come here? .. WHO ARE YOU!? "
Her frightened expression turned into the creepiest smile I've ever seen. It made me unconsciously take a few steps back.
" Should've expected from his nephew .. nice trick .. the ropes .. " The ropes fallen off of her, and she stood up. " .. the fire spell, too. You really can use magic without a wand. Pfft .. HAHAHA."
She started laughing like a maniac.
I took a few more steps back as she monologued, trying to decide if fleeing was an option.
" Calm yourself .. I'm not here to fight. "
She put her hands up, walking closer.
" Why did you let me catch you? I have a feeling it would've been easy to avoid .. for someone like you. "
I did my best to play for time. They must've got my messages by now.
" I was curious, to be honest, I still am. You are an interesting one. "
I could tell .. she was a powerful one.
I was also certain that I didn't miss it before. She just hid it very well. Maybe the others arriving was not the best idea.
But I had another ..
Since she seemed talkative, I figured I might as well play on that. While I let my mental tether expand as far and wide as, I could possibly push it.
" Tell me .. who are you really? " I spoked slowly.
Alice thought about it before answering.
" .. an old family friend .. I'm a friend! " She opened her arms as if to embrace me.
Yeah .. her smile really creeped me out.
" Why send that silly letter? .. or maybe that wasn't even you? "
She just shrugged, keeping the same smile on, I couldn't tell whether she was lying or not. Maybe it was her .. obviously .. or she knows I'm going to think that?
Stop confusing yourself, Ferith!
I felt my link ..
" Oh .. " She looked up the sky, and I knew I was caught. " .. very clever. Calling your pet over with a mental link. But you don't need to be scared. "
She used the rocks embedded in the ground as jumping stones .. clearly didn't see me as an opponent.
Suddenly, she stopped moving and started listening to the night .. from this angle, she looked incredibly hot .. but of course, she was some crazy, mysterious shadow assassin.
" I'm afraid our time is up .. " She said, showing a sad expression. " This was lovely Ferith .. next time, no more games .."
She walked close.. closer .. before I knew it,
I felt her fingers on my face.
" We be fast friends .. you'll see. "
Looking into her eyes this close.. I can practically see the crazy spilling over from her retinas.
Her fingertips were burning my face .. and suddenly the feeling was gone .. and so was her.
As in disappeared like smoke.
I even reached out into the empty air to see if she didn't just turn invisible, but no .. her magic signature was gone. I reached back .. and her wand was gone as well.
I let out a nervous breath I've been holding since she started walking closer ..
This was .. getting weirder.
Was she the girl from the letter?.. her voice resembled, and knew the contents of the letter so she must be .. yet I had an unexplained doubt about that as well.
Why was she here? Who was she? Alice ..
I felt a few familiar signatures coming in fast.
They got my messages.. I erased my signature completely and released the tether, hoping Big Leonard won't attract attention to himself by landing here.
We were not supposed to .. try and tame them, you see.
Took a look at myself if everything was in order and made my way toward the others.