Once again the weekend was upon them and Morgianna and Fafnir would set out on another mission that very night. For some reason Felix had been absent since the party, not even asking Morgianna where she would be traveling to as he always did.
As she was in her room packing a couple of outfits as to not appear suspicious she thought back to the party a few days before. She did not know why she had been invited only that it couldn't be good if the capture targets were involved. 'Maybe I should run away.' her thoughts turning to her last resort. She had come to love the family she had here, but she wanted to live.
"Fafnir, I would like you to ready the carriage, I will be ready to leave in the next twenty minutes, and would like to be gone before my brother changes his mind on once again asking to tag along."
Fafnir nodded and turned on his heel to leave, he had noticed a change in his mistress over the last few days but did not want to add to her stress by pressuring her to answer. If she felt the need to tell him, he would listen. He felt bad that such a young girl had to act so maturely.
As she had said within 20 minutes she was in the carriage and they were rolling away leaving the castle behind. She could feel eyes on her as she left and assumed that it was Felix, always the one to see them off even if he was not at the door.
The ride to the guild was silent, as both occupants were deep in thought. Fafnir still worried for his Kingdom, Morgianna had promised her assistance if he waited until her 12th birthday as that gave her time to strengthen her body somewhat. He understood the need to get stronger, he had waited centuries so a few more years should be fine, right? Morgianna however was thinking of ways to avoid meddlesome princes, and if dying her hair and hiding in a temple as a nun would be a viable option.
Morgianna was frustrated that she had to even travel to the guild. She hated seeing the looks that she got while there. Yes, she was still very small, and yes she was a girl, that was not going to change. Usually she would have sent Fafnir to pick a target earlier in the week, but with the party it threw their schedule off track. Not only were those princes messing with her noble life, but they even messed with her hidden one too even if they did not know it.
*Timeskip to arriving at the guild*
"I do not care what target you pick, just grab one so we can be on our way." Morgianna had her hood pulled low, her frown the only thing visible.
Killian watched as she leaned against the wall in a bored manner, over the past two years she had excelled in bringing in targets. There were some who were requested alive, so that they may "answer" for their crimes, but every time they arrived at the guild it seemed they were almost happy to be handed over. Happy to be away from the girl they called The Little Red Demon.
Apparently she was ruthless to her captives, making the hardened criminals even wish for death. Killian had never seen what she looked like under her hood, but surely her features must be twisted to match her personality?
He stepped from behind the counter and made his way over to where she stood, noting the change in her stance as he drew closer. There would be no sneaking up on this girl. He smirked at her reaction, even after 2 years with them she did not trust easily. He wiped all emotion off his face before speaking, knowing that he already had her attention.
"We do not see much of you around here, Red." The smile was not on his lips but instead danced in his eyes.
Morgianna did not want to answer but knew that if Killian had walked over to her himself instead of staying behind his counter than he must have a good reason. "What can I do for you Killian?"
He too leaned against the wall close to where she stood, looking towards where Fafnir stood in front of the mission board searching for their newest guest. "There is a mission that has not been put back on the board yet." He said it as if it was just a normal topic, but Morgianna knew it was anything but. If a mission had to be put back on the board, that means the people who took it failed. Whether they died, or returned empty-handed had yet to be divulged.
Morgianna finally turned to face Killian, her mouth set in a grim line. "Did they die?"
She only asked the one question, but it was loaded with others. If someone died during the mission that would mean that it had either been labeled wrong and someone took on more than they should, or there were other circumstances that made it more difficult.
Killian rubbed his left hand across his chin as if he was in thought as he stared her down. He knew they were not the most normal of members, but he still questioned himself on if he was doing the right thing. Silas and Killian had been watching their progress over the years and saw how they handled their missions. They were quick and clean. "It was a group of four, they were following a gold target, which is the level above you. However, you both are about to become gold."
"Their target found that they were being followed and fled into the surrounding forest. The Agarath Forest, to be exact. Three perished within a day and the last came back barely alive. When we questioned about the target he only said 'he...the beast'. We assumed at first that he meant that the person had also perished, eaten by a beast, only for him to strike again in another town surrounding the forest."
He watched for her to show any reaction to what he had just said and smirked once more secretly when he saw her show no emotion at all. She surely was not normal. "I was wondering if you would like to get a group together and do this mission. It looks bad on the guild if we... fail."
"No need, Fafnir, and I will go alone. Others would just hinder the mission and get in the way." She turned back towards where Fafnir was still looking over the board, his eyes squinted as if he was trying to see something that was not there. She whistled low, knowing that he would hear. They had come up with many whistles that had different meanings. This allowed them to converse when there were others around without ears being too curious.
Fafnir looked up to where he knew she was standing and was not surprised to see Killian standing beside her. He had heard the entire conversation, but continued to look at the board just in case she decided not to take the mission. It did not matter to him, he only followed her. The whistle she had used was to have him join them.
He lumbered over to where they stood eyeing Killian as the large scarred man fiddled with his right pocket.
"Shall we go over the details elsewhere then?" Killian's eyes moved lazily about the room, but any experienced person would see it for what it was. He was making sure they had no audience.
As they made their way back towards the counter, he did something unexpected. Killian walked up to the roped-off stairs and removed the rope, looking back at them expectantly. Fafnir looked to Morgianna waiting for her to move first. She eyed the stairs and then Killian before nodding once and then making her way upstairs. Noting that Killian returned the rope to its rightful place once they had all began their ascent.
Fafnir and Morgianna stopped at the top of the stairs, they had never been in this part of the guild. They knew there were other floors, but they did not see the stairs that led there. All they saw was a long hall with doors running down both sides.
When Killian reached the top shortly after them he did not speak but turned to the right and began walking down the corridor. It was silent except for the occasional voice that floated up from the downstairs. They passed almost two-thirds of the doors before Killian stopped abruptly turning to face a door on their left. It looked like every other door not standing out in the slightest, but Morgianna could feel who was behind it.
Killian used his knuckles to knock twice, the sound booming in the quiet hallway. There was a rustle originating from the room in front of them the aura within drawing near.
The door opened a crack shaggy black hair and one orange eye peering at the trio. It was Silas, The Demon Leader once again. "What do you want?" His voice was gruff as if he had just woken up.
"Sir, they wish to take on THAT mission." Killian pulled a sheet of folded paper from within the pocket he had been fiddling with. It was worn as if it had been unfolded and refolded many times. Morgianna looked at it and knew, this was not the first time this mission had been failed. So why would he approach her?
Silas barely looked at the paper, instead setting his gaze on the red hood that covered her face as if he could see beneath it. He sighed, "Come inside." When he moved away from the door he did not even bother to open it further. Leaving the task to those who would enter.
When Fafnir, Morgianna, and Killian had entered the room they looked to where Silas now sat. A large desk that took almost half of the wall sat to their right. Behind it a seat that looked more like a throne held the large man as he lit a pipe. His legs were crossed at the knees and he was leaning back, his one uncovered eye closed.
"You do know that people have died going on this mission? Tell me, why do you want it?" Morgianna was slightly confused by the question, after all it had been Killian who had mentioned it.
"I did not seek it out, but when it was mentioned to me by Killian I figured why not take it." Her voice childlike and free, something she was not feeling at the moment. "My question is if so many have died, why have you not taken it?"
Killian made a sound in his throat that sounded like he was choking. Silas slowly opened his eye peering at her with no emotion. "I cannot go into the forest, for some reason it repels me if I even get close."
Morgianna had not expected such an honest answer and could only nod her head as she thought through his answer. 'If it repels him, and only him then it could be magic, a spell perhaps or a curse. Whoever does not want him to enter the forest, must know him personally. They must be scared of him'.
Killian feeling like she had just put him on the spot wanted to defend himself. "I suggested to gather a group, you wanted to go alone, which is why we find ourselves where we are now."
Morgianna ignored him as if he had said nothing. "Not being able to enter the forest, is it something new that only occurred when you received the mission, or is it something that has existed for a while?" She never took her eyes off of Silas waiting for his answer so that she could tell if he was lying.
"It happened before the mission. I have not set foot in that forest in almost 100 years." She saw the truth in what he said, but she also saw another emotion flicker in his eye before quickly disappearing.
"Is it possible that the person who is the target knows you cannot venture into the forest and is using it to their advantage? You being the strongest member cannot enter, and the weaker ones that can, perish inside."
Silas who had only thought of her as a young girl who knew nothing was surprised at her question. The target did always run back to the forest, no matter who or how many members were sent. They tried large groups, that were noticed easily, small groups that perished easily and then had settled in the middle hoping that the target would make a mistake.
They had lost too many people, and he was practically powerless to help. The few times he had gone in search of the target he somehow always missed them by an hour at most. As if they knew he was coming but wanted to see how close he could get.
He leaned forward in his chair, uncrossing his legs in the process. "Do you want to take on this mission? It has killed many, and the target is above your current level, even if you are about to reach Gold."
Morgianna looked to Fafnir allowing only him to see her eyes. She held the question in them, wanting to know if he would follow her to such a dangerous place. She knew that if she said yes he would, but she wanted to know what he wanted. After all he was his own being and not a pet.
Fafnir could tell that she wanted him to choose. To decide whether they would risk their lives for a mission or just pick one out below. She would not fault him for either decision. He had seen her strengths and weaknesses just as she had seen his. They were a team, a well-oiled machine.
He nodded his unspoken agreement to take the mission. His eyes telling of his trust in her.
She turned her head back to Silas and Killian, her hood once more covering all but her mouth. "We will take it, just the two of us."