It was a long journey to Snakewell, but it didn't feel too long. All the days blended together in an amalgamated tapestry of time. Blurring the lines of how long the journey was.
Still, Vesa was right, it took a little under two weeks for them to arrive. Even after Karve helped quicken their pace, rain and mud helped slow them down.
But what did that matter now? They made it to Snakewell and the month wasn't over... as far as Lukas was aware. He didn't keep track of the days very well, so he never knew what day it was. But Karve did, so Lukas frequently asked him along their journey.
And speaking of the rumoured Snakewell, it didn't leave a great first impression. It looked half-dead and abandoned. Like a ghost town.
Though, Vesa was standing by a gate waiting for them. Waving and yelling for them.
"It's good to see you, Karve. Were you summoned as well?"
"Indeed."
Vesa then turned her attention to Oak and Lukas.
"I see you found the Mystic kids as well."
Karve shook his head.
"No, rather, we ran into them. But why weren't they with you in the first place?"
She chuckled.
"I couldn't be bothered to take them, I had something else more important."
Karve sighed.
"Well, why don't we get going, isn't the master waiting?"
Vesa nodded and led the group to an abandoned-looking building. Inside it looked well-built and maintained. As if it was constructed yesterday.
Oak was as surprised as Lukas about the difference between the two appearances. Axel however didn't show much surprise, like he had been here before, or did not care for the building.
Inside several people were lined up and sitting in rows. Although there weren't as many people as Lukas had expected to see.
He expected at least a dozen or so of these "hunters" to be present. Yet instead, there were about 5 others, including Bene!
The group sat down, and Lukas was now next to Vesa and Karve. Lukas looked around at all of the new faces, wondering who they were.
"Well now boy, are you curious about something?"
Lukas was a little startled by Karve but didn't let it show.
"Uh... yeah. Who are all of these people? Besides Bene."
"Well, there are a few I am not close with. However, at least among the hunters, I can help point them out. Firstly, just next to Bene is Skyla."
Lukas looked over to who Karve was pointing at. There sat a tough, young woman. Her face had plenty of small scratches and scars. Yet her hair was pristine and flowed like beams of sunlight.
Her uniform was not too dissimilar to Bene's; made of flat black cloth, adorned with the character of "light" across her back.
She looked over at the two of them, Karve and Lukas. Her eyes were a bright white, akin to that of Bene's hair. When she looked at them, she seemed confused about something. Eventually, she turned over to her right and spoke with Bene about something that Lukas could not hear.
"On her left is Kai. He's a little quiet and distant, but everyone can tell he's kind at heart."
As Lukas saw who Karve was pointing to, there sat a striking young kid. He appeared younger than Lukas, perhaps no older than 14, yet was no less powerful or competent.
He sat with respect and had a calm look of determination. Yet, his eyes were dull and emotionless. The hairs on Lukas' neck stood up the longer he stared at the young hunter.
"Other than those two and Bene, of course, I do not know them too closely. The man sitting behind Bene I know is like a second in command to him. But I do not know his name, we've only spoken on brief occasions. I believe one of the others is a special asset like you, but I know nothing about her. Lastly, there is the man over there in the corner."
Lukas glanced over and indeed saw a man quietly sitting in the corner, observing the room with a silent stare. Like a hawk.
"He works directly with the master, never spoke with him though."
Suddenly, the sound of a bell rang out and the entire room went silent, and all of the hunters turned to face the stage.
Lukas too followed suit, turning his eyes to the stage. He watched as a small, thin, and frail man walked onto the stage. He didn't look old, but he certainly looked like he had lived through a lot. He walked with a cane and had a crow resting on both his shoulders.
His eyes were closed, but Lukas had a strange feeling when looking directly at them. As if there was nothing behind his eyelids.
The man calmly lowered himself to the floor with the help of his cane and sat cross-legged facing the hunters.
Before Lukas, sat the master of the special division.