Anna was just beginning to realize that Jeffery didn't care much about his family as she expected him to. There was no getting to the man through his sons. In fact she wouldn't even attempt harming anything that had the name 'Bruce' attached to it.
Jeffery might not care much about his sons, but he didn't joke with their wellbeing. What had happened today only taught her how foolish she had been with trying to cut corners to get to Jeffery. If she wanted to get Jeffery Bruce, then she had to face him head on.
The only way she was going to take Jeffery Bruce down, was if she went for her prey directly. She could tell that even the Jeffery's first son would be as formidable as he was, so going after him was probably suicidal also. These Bruce's were almost untouchable and it pained her.
There was no way she was getting to Daniel without going through Angus and Richard. Richard was obviously stronger than she was, taking him on with Angus would be overkill.
Anna had heard about the Brothers of Stigma, and she knew how dangerous they could be. She could tell Angus was as already as dangerous and powerful as any skilled sorcerer, and possibly even stronger. Which meant that he would be Richard's level or stronger.
Anna was already aware that Angus was the one who had saved her back then. She hadn't seen much of it, but whatever he used was powerful.
If she ever planned on getting to Jeffery Bruce, then she was going to need all the help she could get. It was high time she paid her Baxist friend a visit.
She excused herself from the boys and before they could ask her any questions, she vanished leaving them in suspense. There was absolutely no time to waste. Today had shown her how weak she was compared to Jeffrey. And unless she improved, there was no way she was getting revenge for her mother.
Anna's sudden disappearance was weird, but again it was Anna. She had already been weird from the beginning and it didn't surprise them that much. She had been acting strange since today. She had started by talking to them- something she never did. And even went as far as aiding them in a battle that would have landed her in trouble. It was obvious she had a plan and wanted something. But what she wanted was what they didn't know.
Angus had already decided against them pointing fingers at her without any reason, but Richard wasn't really going along with that decision. Angus didn't know Anna, or Daniel as much as he did, and this happening all of a sudden was definitely more than weird and suspicious to him.
Richard didn't want to disrespect his friends opinion , so he kept his thoughts and suspicions to himself. Airing any negativity towards someone who had helped them moments ago would just earn him an hour of preaching from Angus. And he honestly didn't want to listen to that.
Daniel didn't really care about Anna's disappearance. To him she had probably had enough of playing nice, and had returned to wherever she dropped her real character to pick it up. He didn't expect her to stick by their side for so long, it was definitely odd. But he didn't pay attention to it. She came when they needed help, and her assistance was definitely something that was unexpected.
He had his suspicions about Anna, but he didn't really bother himself too much with it.
He had more things to worry about that what Anna did with her life, so he wasn't fazed by her sudden leave.
The duo reunited with Angus outside the school, and explained their ordeal to him before they left the school. They hadn't planned on returning to school tomorrow, but now they had to because of the trouble Carlos had caused for them. Daniel felt like lodging a spear into the man's chest, but that could only happen in his fantasies.
*
*
Stephen sat beside an open fire and attended to a glowing red metal that laid in front of him. The hammer he weilded struck with so much force the building threatened to collapse if any force beyond the current one was applied.
He wasn't only a Baxist, he was also a talented blacksmith. He created his own weapons before they would be imbued with magic. His mastery over all the weapons he created made him one of the strongest and deadliest Baxist of the Infernal Judgement.
Stephen made up the difference between him and other magic users with his strength and skills. Not only was being a blacksmith making him more physically powerful, it also gave him the opportunity to gain mastery over every weapon he had ever forged. His talent in martial arts, coupled with his versatility in the art of weaponry made it almost impossible for him to lose when it came to hand to hand combat.
He allowed the metal in front of him to settle for a moment before continuing to strike it. He didn't deliver any weapon that was less than perfect, and this blade wouldn't be the one to ruin his reputation. He stopped abruptly and in the same instant hurled the hammer in his hand towards the only entrance that lead to the smithy.
Anna immediately sidestepped to successfully avoid the deadly weapon that came her way. The man's reaction speed was definitely topnotch. He wasn't aware it was her yet, so it made perfect sense for him to attack an unfamiliar energy walking into his working space.
She had used the blood Vail that he left for her to track him down to this place, and had immediately teleported here the instant she pinpointed his location. The environment she met was not her expectations, but she had decided to go into the only visible building in sight. And after successfully saving herself from his defensive instincts, she couldn't take her eyes off him anymore.
She gazed at his bare upper body, her eyes never for once leaving the alluring throbbing muscles that decorated him. Trickles of perspiration dotted every inch of his skin, and the clear liquid didn't aid her condition at all. They reflected off the light that came from the furnace beside him, giving him a red fearsome, yet attractive appearance.
She finally broke out of her trance the instant the figure in front of her stood. She controlled herself from getting lost in the sight before her. His physique was even more elaborate now he was standing. She hadn't gotten a chance to see him the night they first met, but now that she had her eyes on him, she felt like never taking them off.
"I didn't expect you'd visit me so soon" His voice finally awakened her from her impure thoughts. She was disappointed by his next action, but it helped her concentrate a little better on the job that she had come for. He had thrown his shirt over his body and covered most of the good part, leaving only a fraction of his bulky chest for her to gaze at.
His face was not as she had expected. It looked rather feminine, in contrast with his body structure. Being close to fire most times had given him a slight tan color which accentuated his looks even more. He was definitely gorgeous, and one would easily fall for his looks while ignoring the poisonous tail behind him.
"I needed time to think about my choices" Anna replied while doing her best to keep her eyes focused on his.
"So? Have you made your choice now?" Stephen asked with an arched eyebrow. The girl didn't look ready to him. He felt like she had been pushed to meet him because of something that was temporary. He didn't need a partner who would back away from their goal mid way, he needed someone who was ready to the core. An ally who possessed the same strong will and hatred like he did for the Bruce family.
He might be a blacksmith, but that didn't mean he lacked intellectual capabilities. He had taken his time to study about Anna Jones before he approached her. His cousin Richard had made things a lot easier for him. Richard would never shut up about his hatred for her, and the resonating affection Anna showered him and his friend too.
After much digging, he had been able to get Information out of some low level nature sorcerers. And he immediately knew that she was the perfect candidate for the job. But looking at her now, he felt disappointed. It was as if something had changed in her, and it wasn't to his advantage.
Anna gave her next answer a thorough screening. She knew that if she joined this contract, then there was no backing down. This was business, and in the business world the weak were stepped upon.
"I'm ready now. I accept your offer"