"Assassin's?" Ann asks.
She is in Das's room, sitting on the bed, with him placing a heavy and thick cloak of leather over his shoulders nearby. The early morning sun lights up the messy surroundings.
"Seems like it, they found the dead bodies of unknown men dressed in black and leather" He secures the cloak and goes over one of the desks, searching something through the books "I can't believe the Phantom would somehow get a follower of his into Lioth's guards, and try to kill her..."
"What makes you believe the Phantom is to blame for the attempt?" She looks behind her, to the horizon through the window "I'm sure there are countless people that would benefit from her death"
"One of her guards had the amulet he has, I think that's confirmation enough" Das finds the parchment with Edel's message and places it inside a leather bag hanging from his side "Monster only wants to cause as much chaos as possible"
Ann turns around and rests on the window, her black hair falling free and eyes fixated on the city "Monsters are not only big, hairy creatures and evil scary ghosts, Das" She says, lazily looking back at the archmage "Men are as capable of monstrous acts as them"
"But at least men can make a choice, is not in their nature"
"Doesn't that make them worse? Choosing to rape and kill in their own free will rather than inescapable nature?" She lets her words hang on the air for a moment, analyzing Das's stare as he struggles to gather a proper come back "Anyways, this is not important now, where are you going?" Returning her stare to the city, the conversation moves on.
"To Jagerwald, if one of their hunters has been swayed by the Phantom then there is no telling how many or how high up in the hierarchy he has managed to indoctrinate"
"Oh, so that's why you are taking the cozy coat. General's orders I suppose?"
"Yes, but I would've gone there anyway, this is a new clue on the whereabouts of the Phantom so I'm not going to let it go" Das opens the door to leave his tower "You will be staying in here again?"
"Sadly, Edel's goodwill ran out after you came back, and I was starting to enjoy being treated like a frail princess" She dramatically places the back of her hand on her forehead "Poor, deranged me needed to be tucked in bed by one of the handsome servants in the castle" Giggling, she rests again on the window.
"His kindness is as surprising to me as it was to you" He rests his back on the casing of the open door, placing the fur hood on his head.
"Tell me, Das" Her voice is cold, flat. Catching his attention fully "Do you think of him as a monster?" She glances back at him once again, this time her eyes are penetrating, like a cat watching mice for its every move.
It is so much so, that he can't help but feel a little uncomfortable "I thought that topic had passed"
"I'm particularly interested in the answer you will give me. I take it he wasn't the kindest to you, yet you saw that there is indeed kindness within him. What does that make him to you?"
Das thinks very carefully, it was a question he never asked himself. Of course, he despised the General. He was prone to anger, quick to punch, sadistic even. For as long as he knew him, the man's hatred towards him was always palpable.
"I don't know" His reply comes out like a sigh.
"Why don't you figure it out then? While you are out hunting monsters" Seemingly satisfied, she looks away from him.
Her words force thought to appear in his head, an important matter that they need to discuss soon.
"Ann, I want you to tell me about you"
"Me? Shouldn't you bring me flowers and try to make me drunk first?" She asks playfully.
"I will be honest, after what happened last night I can't trust people that are supposed to be incorruptible. Yet, I let you live in here, so close to the princess, who seems to be in a deep sleep" He struggles to get his next words out "To be more clear, I want to use a spell of memory reading on you"
The room falls silent for a moment, Ann keeps looking out, a tiny smile grows on her face that surprises Das. She didn't seem opposed to the idea before, but still, wasn't this something extremely invasive? Why would she have no problem going through it?
"Fine" She replies, turning her head to him again "But on one condition"
"I thought you would do anything to earn my trust"
"You think I would just bend over and take anything you demanded? No, trust is a two-way road. If you-"
"No"
"Let me finish. If you will dig inside my head, I want to dig inside yours too. I don't mean mind reading, I'm a mage no more remember? Even if I wanted I wouldn't be able to do it, so, instead, I want you to tell me" Ann moves and sits in the window, it is barely big enough to not force her to bend.
"Tell you? About me?"
"Yes. After you cut me open and see inside me, I want you to tell me your story Das, the archmage. Who are you? Where did you come from? And where are you going?" She hugs her legs, her smile growing and playfully showing her white row of teeth.
The image in front of him is strikingly similar to that of the Phantom, it brings back with it all the emotions he holds towards that monster. No doubt he was raised by her.
"Did you saw a ghost?" Catching up to even the slightest changes in his posture, she laughs to herself for a brief moment "So, what will it be?"
"Fine. I will answer any question you have, within reason" He clarifies, making sure she understands he won't be answering the most private of things " And I promise to do the same for you, I will refrain from digging too deep where I'm not wanted"
"You would be surprised how deep I want you to be"
Her eyes make him tense up, it's like the first time they met. Back in the village, the way she moved, talked, was seductive and extremely effective in making his blood rush to his face.
However, this was no time to lose focus, he had to go, and like a sudden turn of page, he felt calmer, his shyness gone "Try to not get into trouble alright? Edel has ordered an increase guard and patrol presence in the castle"
"I expected as much, farewell" She waves with her hand, her predatory grin replaced by an almost childish innocence.
Das simply nods and leaves.
The path the main gates of the palace is as usual, except for the guards that now can be seen as early as the corridor connected to his tower's bridge. They walk around in pairs, not a single corner or door left unprotected by the faithful guards.
Once he reaches the stone circle, he makes the spell and departs.
Lighting falls inside the other stone circle, far away, in the farthest corner of the Red Kingdom. Jagerwald. A heavily forested land filled with hills and cold enough to require the heavy cloak on his shoulders.
The prime tress are dark green and it seems like the sun is constantly obscured by clouds. Damp and gloomy. He is at the entrance of a fortress of stone, not the slightest attempt made to make its appearance welcoming or pretty like everywhere else.
The stone is dark and mossy, the walls have large braziers to provide light and Hunters can be seen watching the surrounding forests attentively. A single black banner hangs above the open porticullis in front of Das. The head of an white elk with many horns.
"Archmage"
He turns around, taken by surprise, and sees one of the hunters pointing a crossbow at him.
Hunters all dress similarly, like the princess's guards, except the leather is a dark brown or black, with a mask reseambling the head of a vulture, its peak long and curved down.
It takes him a few seconds to snap out of it, but when he does, Das sticks his hand inside his leather bag and pulls out the parchment, showing off the red seal of the crown.
The Hunter lowers his crossbow and walks up to him, snatching the parchment from his hand and inspecting the wax seal before returning it to him. Then he walks past Das, motioning with his head to be followed.
Inside the walls the road is not less uncomfortable, the path is uneaven since they have to go up a hill before entering the imposing fortress in the middle. There are many young men an women training with scarcely any clothes.
They look underfed, deprived of sleep, there are slashes of whips on their backs, as well as some cuts still bleeding. They practice with the special sword of the Hunters, the foil. Its peculiar shape perfect to destroy creature's weak points, made to penetrate.
Despite the sound of blades clashing, carts transporting goods and the occasional muffled whimper of pain, there is no sound except the rare rustling from the trees and the ever present crack of the braziers. Hunters are silent in everything they do.
Soon they reach the main entrance to the fortress, the doors open, Das enters into the dark and depressing looking headquarter of the Hunters.
A few torches here and there provide meager light, no windows, the place is almost completely pitch black. Yet, he can sometimes see the siluhetes of the Hunters walking around, some seem to be carrying goods, others, clearly new ones, stumble or walk slowly, their hands on the walls.
It reminds him of tales about how Hell looks. A cold, dark place where souls are deprived from any possible warmth, the gift of The Lightbringer. Compared to the Land of Fire, the Sun. The place where the just, strong and faithful followers of the Light go to after death, to be by the side of The Lightbringer, forever basking in his warm and love.
Thankfully, the Hunter guiding him grabs a torch before he trips, and they go up the circular stairs inside of one of the many rooms for what seems like an eternity, until they reach the large, ornate door where the leader of the Hunters must be, a dim flicker of light escapes from beneath the door.
The Hunter walks up to the door and says nothing, or rather, Das hears nothing, but a moment later he turns around and steps aside, opening the door for him.
Das enters and is treated by dozens of skeletal head hanging from chains on the roof, strong monsters that the Headmaster probably hunter in his youth, or recently. The walls are decorated instead with countless parchments nailed to them, some look decades old while others are clearly new.
The room has a more adecuate lighting than the rest of the fortress, so he can see the ornate wooden desk and resting on the chair behind it, the Headmaster of the Hunters.
His mask is adorned with golden and bronze details, his cloak has a weird texture to it, looking almost like scales, with his hands resting on the handles of his chair, body straight and head fixated on him, he almost looked like an statue.
"Come, I understand the King must have sent you here for an important matter" His voice is clear, and sounds almost broken, like if he had an injury that makes it incredibly difficult to speak.
Raising one of his hands he motions Das to walk closer, showing off his skeletal looking steel gauntlet, the fingers sharp and pointy.
The doors close behind Das with a creaking noise, and he steps forward.