Hunter sat on a boulder in front of a pond with nothing but his thoughts and the sound of chirping crickets. The sprite felt a sudden gush of wind.
"Thought I'd find you here," a voice said from behind. The source moves to a boulder next to his before sitting on it. "Thought you'd be at the Northland by now," Hunter said.
The two remain silent without saying anything for quite some time but the spell is broken by the northlander, "I grew up in an orphanage, always setting things on fire," she laughed wryly. "The orphanage kept reporting my behavior to the police. The third time it happened, the HSS came in and took me as they suspected I was a witch. I was only four," she added.
"I don't even remember my real name ... And I've been called different names over the years but I think I prefer René." A cold wind breezes through and the Northlander takes off her choker, revealing her neck to Hunter for the first time. There were five digits tattooed on her neck, 00765.
"00765, that was what I was called. There were others too, we all went through harsh training to become whatever the government needed us to be: spies, assassins, whatever they needed to protect the interest of The Northland around the globe," she stated.
"You were right the other day ... I do want to run away," she said. "... But I can't," she added.
"Afraid of letting others down?" Hunter asked. The witch shakes her head. "Afraid I won't be able to live with myself if I do," she stated.
"This world is cruel ... but also beautiful. Sure, there are some evil people but there are also some good people in it," she paused. "I do not want to leave this world the way I found it, I want to make it better," she stated.
"I get that," Hunter said with a small smile.
"So let's run away together after we have made this world a better place even if it's only by a needle's length," she said turning to face the dark-haired boy. "What do you say?"
"Agreed."
***
"So?" Alexander asked excitedly.
"Isn't the whole thing like two months away?" Hunter frowned.
"Yes, but it's better to prepare for it as soon as possible. Yui is also coming too by the way," he added.
"That's ... Why did you mention that?" Hunter raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you should know," Alex shrugged.
"But why though?"
"I don't know. Look, bro, I just need you to say yes, I'm pretty sure all the other sprites would agree to come if they hear you're coming," Alex explained. "It would be like the inter-order competition but better, like much, much better," he added.
Hunter sighs, "fine," he agreed.
"Really? Yes! I'll see you in two months," he said before turning and going the other way. "No, you'll see me tomorrow, we have class tomorrow!" Hunter said but grade C sprite only shrugs as he walks down the hallway away from the teal green-eyed boy.
The dark-haired boy inserts his key into his room's keyhole, unlocking the door. He walked into the room, his eyes scanning it from one end to the other.
He swiftly turns around to see Circe in front of him. "What are you doing here?" He asked.
"Hello Hunter," Circe said walking past him and sitting on the bed. "I could ask you the same thing you know," she said. "I'm pretty sure I got you a house here in the Met and yet, here you are, in the dorms ..." She added.
"Oh yeah, I --"
"I also heard that your name was on a hit list and you were spied on by some agents of the H. S. S." She stated. "You'll never guess where I heard that from," she continued. Hunter stayed silent prompting the light red-haired woman to speak again. "No, go ahead, guess," she said.
"Err ... Jade?" Circe shakes her head, "no," she stated.
"Leah?" He guessed again but meets the same response as the first.
"Olivia?" The sprite tried again. "It was Libby," she revealed.
"Who the hell is that?!" Hunter asked confused.
"Exactly! I get my information about you from someone you don't even know," she stated. "Which leads us to your question which was 'what am I doing here?' ... I came to ask you a question, Hunter," she said rising from the bed and walking up to the sprite. The two looked to be the same height but the sprite was at least an inch taller than the yellow-eyed woman.
"Are you only grateful I saved your life or do you trust me, Hunter?" She asked staring into his teal green eyes as if searching for her answers within them.
The sprite looked into the woman's eyes before giving his answer, he could see multiple red rings within her yellow eyes. "I trust you, Circe," he stated.
She lets out a sigh of relief before moving past the tan-skinned boy and heading for the door. "I'll see to it that your name's off that list," she said.
"Is that going to be easy to do?" He asked.
"I'll probably just have to pay more than twice the amount of the bounty," she stated.
"What's to stop them from paying it again?" Hunter asked.
"Two hundred million is a hefty sum. If they try moving that amount again, they won't stay anonymous," she stated before walking out the door.
"What do you think Waleed?" Hunter asks, the demon appearing in front of him.
[I like Circe, she's very reliable]
"I'm waiting for the 'but'," said Hunter.
[But --] the demon stopped, his eyes widening, an expression Hunter rarely sees on the demon, if ever.
"What is it?" Hunter asked.
Waleed doesn't say anything. Instead, he turns toward the door which swings open. Hunter looked on, eager to see who or what had caused such a reaction from the mostly indifferent demon.
A lady walks through and Hunter is even more stunned to see her. "Hi," she said, a smile plastered on her face.
"Chelsea?"
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