Kaelith emerged from her room and scanned the house for Jarrik. She found him down the corridor, sipping a cup of stale tea, his eyes widening slightly as she approached."I need you to erase everything about me when I'm gone," she said with quiet but firm voice.Jarrik raised an eyebrow, setting down his cup with a muted clink. "Ready to strike already?" he asked, sounding half-surprised."Yes," she replied simply.He nodded, not pressing further. "Good luck, then. Make it quick, and kill him in the worst way possible."His voice carried an edge of weariness like he'd seen too many would-be hunters go after Arthuros and never return. But even as he bid her farewell, Kaelith caught the glimmer of something in his eyes—a faint, if jaded, flicker of hope.Kaelith turned toward the front door without another word, her boots silent against the worn floorboards. Behind her, Jarrik let out a sigh, the sound heavy with resignation.In his heart, he doubted anyone would be able to take down Arthuros. Many had tried and failed before. But if, by some small chance, these two succeeded, the city might finally be free from Arthuros's shadow. Or at least Jarrik's revenge would finally be satisfied.When Kaelith reached the front entrance, Lux was already waiting. He stood there with his wide-brimmed hat casting shadows over his expressionless face.She paused, glancing at him. "What's your religion?" she asked.He looked at her blankly, then said. "I don't have a religion."Her brow furrowed slightly. "What? So you're not going to pray and ask for protection?""No," he said flatly. He paused, then added, "I haven't prayed since... since forever. I don't rely on those gods.""Why?" she asked, curiosity tempered by disbelief. "You know they're real, don't you?""Oh, they're real," he replied, voice laced with something dark, "but they don't really care, do they?"She fell silent at that, his words cutting a little too close to a truth she couldn't deny. The gods and goddesses worked in ways too convoluted and mysterious for human understanding. Its beyond their understanding — or at least, that's what Kaelith believed.Lux didn't seem to mind her silence. He simply waited, watching her with that flat, unreadable expression.She sighed, then raised her hands, crossing her palms over her face in a brief prayer to the Goddess of the Veiled Moon, her lips moving in silent reverence.Lux watched without comment, his eyes unfazed. Although he had no faith in the gods, he wouldn't deny her this moment.After a few seconds, Kaelith finished her prayer and turned toward him, giving a curt nod.They both stepped out onto the cobbled street, the early morning mist clinging to the ground. Without another word, they started walking, making their way through the quiet streets toward a parked carriage.Lux and Kaelith then stepped into the carriage. Kaelith leaned forward, speaking softly to the coachman."Take us to the northern district, please." she said. She'd mapped the route in her mind a dozen times over, and Lux let her to lead.Once they settled in, Kaelith raised a single finger to her lips, telling him to stay silence. Lux nodded, understanding that even in this confined space Arthuros's eyes and ears could be anywhere.They sat in wordless anticipation, watching as the early morning shadows stretched along the cobbled streets outside. Thirty minutes passed in silence, broken only by the soft creaks of the carriage as it rattled over the rough streets.Finally, they arrived in the secluded place in the northern district, where fewer people dared to tread, especially at dawn. Kaelith paid the coachman and they stepped out, their breath becam mist in the chill air. The street was quiet and even looked desolate, with just the faint rustling of wind through the abandoned buildings.Lux glanced around before leaning closer to Kaelith. "Where's the place?"Kaelith nodded toward a dilapidated house beside them, its shutters hanging off rusted hinges."There's an underground door inside. It leads to Varin's place," she explained.They moved into the house, their footsteps muffled by years of dust and decay. Soon enough, they spotted a door half-hidden beneath a pile of old crates in the back corner.Kaelith pulled the crates aside and with a quick glance at Lux, she gripped the edge of the door, pulling it open. The stale air of the hidden passage rose up to meet them, thick with the scent of earth and damp stone."Let's go," she murmured, stepping into the darkness, with Lux close behind.They descended into the narrow dark tunnel. Lux gestured for Kaelith to go ahead, and she let out a quiet sigh, glancing over her shoulder."Do you still not trust me?" she asked, her voice light.Lux's answer was immediate and unflinching. "No."Rolling her eyes, she struck a small flame to light a slender torch, its flickering glow casting shadows across her face. Without another word, she started forward, the flame illuminating the damp stone walls and revealing spiderwebs clinging to the edges.As they walked, Kaelith's voice broke the silence. "I know you don't trust me, and I don't trust you either. We've only just met, after all."Lux said nothing, keeping his gaze fixed on her back, his silence heavy."And I know you want to act as fast as possible as well so we are on the same page. The sooner we kill that Vampire bastard, the better," she continued, her tone hard. "Before more trouble starts brewing in this city."Lux frowned at her words. Because he felt a subtle darkness hanging over Ashenvile that went beyond even Arthuros. It was an unsettling sensation, different from the usual predatory danger of the Supernatural that he used to feel. It felt... apocalyptic. And he couldn't shake the thought that somehow that feeling was linked to his power."What do you mean by trouble?" he asked, his voice a low murmur. Kaelith maybe know more.Kaelith cast him a sidelong glance, then shrugged. "This city's corrupt to its core. Arthuros demands regular sacrifices to feed his insatiable hunger, and the people here won't last under that forever. The trouble will only keep growing until this city is reduced to ash."Lux's gaze sharpened. "And what else do you know?"She looked at him, her face half-hidden in shadows. "Nothing you don't already suspect. Just that I've seen the signs."They continued in silence, Lux's icy stare unyielding as he watched her. His cold, intense gaze sent a shiver down her spine that she tried to ignore, averting her eyes to avoid its piercing chill."You're a disciple of the Church of the Veiled Moon Goddess," he pressed, his voice neutral but pointed. "It's rumored your church has an organization dedicated to... shadow work. Is that true?"Kaelith's jaw tightened, but she quickly relaxed, her gaze steely as she looked back at him. "Just rumors. I'm a Hunter, here for revenge, and I worship the Goddess, yes. But that's as far as it goes."Lux held her gaze a moment longer, then gave a curt nod. "Alright. Let's just get this done."Kaelith nodded and held her composure. She had anticipated this moment when suspicions would surface, and she'd prepared herself for how to respond.But his gaze unsettled her. Looking into his eyes, she felt as though she was staring into something that wasn't fully human — as if he was a Supernatural. Maybe he is indeed the right person her Master tell her.She steadied herself, reminding herself that this partnership, no matter how uneasy, was necessary.With a breath, she turned back to the tunnel and began leading them deeper into the darkness. After few minutes through the circling tunned they finally see another door on the far side."That's our way out. Get ready." Kaelith take out her gun.Lux behind her also take out his own gun.---