"Ares. Don't you think you're overreacting?"

"Overrea...did you not listen to a single thing I said, Eos?!"

"Of course I did. It's just I think you're blowing this out of proportion. It's just one woman."

"One woman who has no qualms about killing Mamono, shed no tears as she slaughtered their children, resisted the wailing of a Banshee, and tried to shoot me in the face!"

"But weren't you in your Mana form? Wouldn't anything she did just pass through you?"

"Yeah, that's what makes it so bad! If we let her be, all the progress we've made will mean nothing. She'll return us to a time when the war was nothing but bloodshed, death, and tears. And this time, we won't be able to do anything about it!"

"And that's where I disagree, honey. I sincerely doubt she'll cause that much trouble. But, because I love you and don't like seeing you stressed, I sent a cupid down to handle it."

"You...sent a cupid?"

"Deep in their heart of hearts, all mortals wish to love and be loved. No matter how distant, cold, or frigid they are, no one can resist its siren call. Those who say they can are lying to themselves and the arrows my cupids use shall show them the error of their ways. I'm sure this strange woman will be no different."

"...Did you not hear what I said about her not having Mana? And being able to destroy any Mana that enters her body?"

"Mana can be used to lead people to love, but it is not the ultimate cause of it. Love is something that transcends even the Energy that powers our world."

"...Alright then. You try your way. I'll see about contacting Hel. If your way doesn't work, don't be afraid to come crying to us for help."

----------------------------------------

"And you are certain of this?"

Akuri's eyes were focused on the floor as she knelt in the presence of her Mistress. She let a few seconds of silence pass before she answered, "Yes, Mistress."

Her Mistress was silent for a few minutes before replying, "Do you know what the stranger did with Teresa after she dragged her into the manor?"

"I'm afraid not, Mistress," the Kunoichi's hand curled into a fist in shame, "I...I retreated from the area before I could confirm it. I am deeply ashamed." She braces for the coming berating, her heart beating faster as she imagined her punishment.

"I see," Akuri's heart skipped a beat. The sound of her Mistress' footsteps heading to one of the windows confirmed her suspicions. She was not going to be punished.

She didn't know whether to feel relieved or worried.

"What can you tell me about the stranger? Do you have any thoughts on how they managed to defeat Teresa?"

Regaining her composure, the Kunoichi answered, "Very little, Mistress. She is a skilled combatant and wields a strange double blade that can be split apart at will into a sword and dagger. She also carries what appears to be a cylindrical weapon that can launch small projectiles."

"Hmm. Anything particularly interesting?"

The battle replayed over and over again in Akuri's mind as she attempted to find any important detail she may have missed, "Three things, my Mistress. First, the opponent has no Mana. I know how that must sound, but please believe me. During the entire battle, I sensed no Spiritual Energy coming from her at all. Second, the Dhampir managed to hit the stranger with a point-blank Lust Spell. It did not hamper her opponent in the slightest. If anything, the stranger fought harder after being hit by it."

Akuri swallowed audibly, mentally preparing herself to deliver the last piece of information, "Finally...the stranger...my Mistress...she isn't a Hero. She's a ruthless murderer. The entire battle she was fighting to kill. I'm sure the fact that Teresa survived is either due to sheer luck, or the stranger purposely let her live. She knows nothing of our whereabouts, but I have no doubt that she is the most dangerous person in that village."

Akuri bent lower until her head touched the polished floor below, "At the risk of sounding insolent, I ask that you allow me to deal with this person. I shall ensure she does not become a threat to us."

Her Mistress didn't reply. Akuri felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She could hear her heart hammering away in her chest as the silence stretched on between them.

At last, her Lady replied, "There is no need to do that."

"But my-"

"Akuri," the Kunoichi went silent at the sound of her name, "Wasn't your original mission to ensure the Dhampir never discovered our whereabouts? I do not see what antagonizing this 'stranger' has to do with your objective. If anything, they have done your job for you by ensuring the Dhampir will be too preoccupied with her latest defeat to track us down. Am I wrong?"

Akuri prepared to argue until she remembered who she was speaking to. Chiding herself for allowing her emotions to rule her like that, she lifted her head from the floor and spoke, "No, my Mistress. It is as you say."

A minute of silence went by before her Lady spoke again, "However...I am interested in this stranger you speak of. Perhaps it would be...wise for you to observe them instead. For the sake of learning about a potential danger, of course!"

Akuri felt her spirits lift while a grin came across her face, "Of course, Mistress."

"And, if you do happen to defeat this stranger in pitched combat, you can bring her to me so that we may learn of the Dhampir's current location...so that we can keep track of her, you understand!"

"Of course, Mistress. Should I go alone?"

"Take Kogero and Corelia with you. You will require their assistance if this stranger is as powerful as you say."

Akuri brought both her arms in front of her chest and bowed, "By your will, Mistress."

Within a moment, the Kunoichi vanished from her Mistress' Throne room. She reappeared in front of a door under a dark stone archway. She pushed the door open without breaking her stride.

Kogero lifted her head and smiled as the Kunoichi stepped into the room. The Ochimusha stood up from her kneeling position, katana sheathed at her side. Her black ponytail swished in the air as she bowed too deeply to Akuri, "Akuri-sama. I trust you gave your report to Lady Scarlet?"

Akuri returned the undead's bow, "Indeed, Kogero-sama. Do you know where Corelia is by any chance?"

The undead's smile turned to an annoyed frown as she pointed to her right. Akuri followed her finger to a sight that made her sigh in frustration.

A woman, her clothes haphazardly thrown onto the ground, was straddling a man being held down by magical black chains. There was a thick layer of musk in the air that Akuri only now became aware of. She tried to keep her mind off her own increasing passion long enough to cough into her hands to get the woman's attention.

When the pale-skinned woman didn't respond, Akuri said aloud, "Corelia-san."

Corelia didn't stop her riding, throwing her head back to look at Akuri. She smiled through the thrashing of her long dark hair, speaking in between grunts of pleasure from both her and her captive mate, "Oh, hello Akuri. I didn't hear you come in. Did you want to join?"

Akuri was silent for a few seconds, before shaking her head to clear it before she answering the Dark Mage, "Not now, Corelia-san. I was actually looking for both you and Kogero. The Mistress has given us a mission, and we are to see it through post-haste."

Kogero's eyes widened in excitement at the thought of serving her Lady. Her grip on her sword's guard tightened while Corelia rolled her eyes, "Really? Can't it wait for a few minutes? I think I'm close to creating a spell that will increase a man's stamina by 150%! I just need a bit more time to test it."

"Corelia-san," Kogero frowned at the Dark Mage, "Our Lady's orders go above all else. The way you dismiss them without a single thought sickens me."

"Really?" Corelia smiled mischievously, "And how is your search for a 'Lord' going again? Or did you think none of us noticed the times you sneak out of the castle to gazing longingly at the village nearby? If it bothers you that much, I can brew you a simple Love Potion to help you catch a man. Though, you'll have to promise to share~."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Kagero went rigid for a moment with her grip tightening on her sword, prompting Akuri to interject before she did something rash, "Now, now you two. We don't have time for this. You can finish up later, Corelia, right now we need to go."

"Oh, fine," the Dark Mage pouted while slamming her hips down one last time. The man cried out in a mixture of pleasure and pain as he struggled against his bonds. Corelia got to her feet once he had shot his last and with a snap of her fingers, her body was fully clothed. She pushed her black wide-brimmed hat up before turning to Akuri with a sultry smile, "So, which of my talents does Lady Scarlet require?"

Akuri nodded and began to debrief her two friends on their target. They'd go after the stranger the moment night fell. Once they were all in agreement on the plan, they split up to make preparations.

----------------------------------------

"Now, why did you do that Horace?" the Huntress asked as the boy stood stock still with his arms held out to his sides. A woman in a red dress kept running a rope from his chest to the tip of his fingers, nodding, then moving on to another part of his body.

The boy averted his eyes from his mother's judging gaze, "I...I want to be able to protect Gloria when you're not around."

The Huntress' eyebrow raised as her gaze went to the boy's sister sitting at her side. The girl was too enraptured with the various multi-colored dresses that lined the walls of the tailor shop they were in. She sighed while shaking her head. Of course that was the reason, "While your heart is in the right place, you are much too young to learn swordsmanship."

"But what else can I do?" Horace grit his teeth in anger, "Stay weak and not be able to help her when she needs me again?!"

The Huntress frowned, her eyes going to Gloria's back. They were covered by her clothing, but the Huntress had seen them when she took them to the river to bathe. Scars, likely made by taut leather whips, ran the length of Gloria's back. They were raw and the flesh around them hadn't healed correctly, indicating mistreatment of the wound. She had tried to get Gloria to tell her about them, but the girl went into a crying fit that she wouldn't be out of for quite a while whenever she tried.

"No," the Huntress chose her words carefully to not upset the child, "but if you throw yourself into learning swordsmanship with no prior preparation, all you will accomplish is injuring yourself. Then who will defend Gloria?"

"But...but...," Horace went silent, frustration evident on his face as the reality of his situation set in.

The Huntress counted to ten before she continued, "Which is why you should focus on building your physique instead." The boy's head swiveled to her with hope starting to shine in his eyes. She smiled behind her bandana and pointed towards the boy, "There's plenty a developing young man can do to prepare his body before training with real weapons. Cutting firewood, carrying heavy objects, running, and so on."

Horace shot Cynthia a puzzled look, "But aren't those just chores?"

The Huntress nodded as the woman stepped away from Horace, waving to let him know he could relax. The boy sighed in relief as he let his arms fall, hopping around to get his blood flowing. The Huntress looked towards the tailor, "Thank you again for this, Nelia. I'm not sure I can ever find a way to repay you."

Nelia waved the Huntress off, her blonde hair bobbing over her pudgy face and wide smile, "Oh, it's no trouble at all! Who wouldn't lend a helping hand to children who need it? Now, I think I have just the thing for the young gentleman here. Just a moment!"

She skipped off into the rest of the shop, multi-colored dress flowing behind her. The Huntress stood up as Horace walked over to her. She stared down at him and said, "Five years. Hone your body in this way for five years, and then you will be prepared to learn to wield a blade."

"But that'll take too long!" Horace exclaimed as his sister hopped off her seat and headed towards one of the dresses in the shop, "I need to get stronger now! You're strong, Ms. Cynthia. Can't you teach me?"

A black-gloved hand came down on the boy's head, gently tussling his black hair as she replied, "There are no shortcuts in life, Horace. And those that are there are illusions meant to mislead you." At the young man's dejected stare she added, "Do not worry, you won't be alone in this endeavor. I will be there to assist you."

Horace's spirits lift when she says that. He looked up at her with a determined smile and gave her a short nod. She returns it as Gloria came back, a light green dress held in her hands. She mouths the words "Can I?" to which the Huntress' yes sends the girl into a happy jumping fit as she held the dress tight to her chest.

Nelia reappeared with an article of clothing in each hand. A clean, solid red shirt swung in her right hand, while black trousers were held in her right. The smile on her face made Horace tense up as she placed the clothes against his body, "Aha! Just his size!"

Horace glanced between the bubbly woman and the Huntress unsure of what to do. Cynthia looked at the shop owner, "How much will it cost to purchase this and that?"

She tilted her head at Gloria who eagerly ran up to the woman and lifted the dress for her to see. Nelia giggled and replied, "Oh, sixty gold should do. Consider it a special discount for such lovely children!"

The Huntress thanked the young woman, paid for the new clothes, and stepped outside to wait for the children to finish getting dressed. She leaned against the gray stone walls of the shop, taking out her coin purse and shifting through it with two fingers. The sun was setting in the distance casting an orange hue over the buildings. Many citizens had gone home for the day leaving the streets relatively empty.

The Huntress frowned as she placed the bag of two hundred, forty coins back into a pocket. Her funds had depleted quite a bit, but she had enough to keep the children fed for a time. However, she would have to start looking for a way to bring in a steady stream of money. Until then, she could look for Jet and see if there's an opening in their team. Or perhaps Captain Felix would be open to letting her deal with a few outstanding mounter sighting?

"Lady Cynthia!"

The Huntress looked up from her musings, spotting Nick walking towards her from her left. She turned to greet the man and spotted a young woman tugging on his arm as he got closer. While he wore a casual slightly open white shirt, she had on a clean light green dress that went down to her ankles.

The Huntress waved to the young man, "Nick. It is good to see you well. How have you been?"

"Better than ever after your generosity," Nick admits with a sly smile, "Not sure how I'll be able to pay you back for that.."

The Huntress shook her head, "No need to worry. I simply rewarded you for a job well done. Might I ask, who is the young lady with you? I feel I have seen her before."

"That you have," Nick grabs the girl by the arm and moves her to his side. He ignores her frightened yelp, placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her from running away, "This here's my sister, Maggie. I believe you bought a few of her handmade statues a few days ago?"

The Huntress' eyes went wide as the girl's face registered in her memory. A weak laugh comes from the young woman's lips, as she shoots her brother a death glare that he ignores. Cynthia could tell why the girl was uneasy and bowed her head in an attempt to calm her down, "Good afternoon, young lady. It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. I apologize if our previous meeting upset you."

Maggie blinked twice before quickly bowing herself while speaking in a rushed tone, "No, no, no! It is I who should apologize, Lady Cynthia! I am the one who overreacted to you."

"Which was a direct result of how I carried myself that day," the Huntress straightened her posture, "As such, the fault lies with me."

Seeing where this was going, Nick jumped into the conversation, "So, what's a noble such as yourself doing out here with the common folk?"

The Huntress raised an eyebrow underneath her hat. Her response was stopped when the door to the tailor swung open and her children came rushing out. Horace and Gloria, wearing their new clothes, ran to their guardian's side and spotted the two new arrivals.

"Nick!" the older man knelt to be level with Horace as the young boy ran to him. Gloria shyly stood behind the Huntress' leg, trying to avoid Maggie's gaze. The Huntress looked down at the young girl and gestured for her to say hello to the young woman. The girl shook her head and hid further behind the Huntress. Cynthia sighed before shrugging at Maggie who waved the rejection off.

The Mercer brother ran a hand through the young boy's hair with a laugh, "Hey scamp. You been protecting your sister like I told you?"

The boy nodded enthusiastically, "Uh-huh! Ms. Cynthia says she's going to teach me how to use a sword!"

"Really?" Nick smiled up at the Huntress, "Taking students, huh? Could I get a few lessons?"

"I'm afraid there will be no formal teaching. I will merely be helping him prepare his body to wield a blade. It is better than handing him a slab of metal he can barely lift, then having him swing it until his arm flies out of its socket," the Huntress explains while shaking her head.

"Sure you couldn't just give him a stick and have him wail at a stump?" Nick chuckled, standing up with a smile, "Though that does remind me, do you need any more work done? I know some good places to go, and my sis is good with kids. I'm sure she can show you some pointers on how to raise 'em."

Maggie shot her brother another glare before chuckling nervously, "Oh, not really. I just take care of our younger brother a lot. He's about the same age as your kids. Could you tell us their names, if you don't mind?"

"Certainly. This excitable young man is Horace," the Huntress gently pulled the young boy back to her side, placing her other hand on Gloria's head, "and this shy little girl is Gloria. They're siblings. And actually, I-"

The Huntress stopped mid-sentence, her ears pricking up at a familiar sound whistling through the air. Instinctively, she pushed her children towards the older siblings and turned to place her body between the four and where the sound was coming from.

She felt the familiar sting of something piercing her heart.

She closed her eyes, preparing for the embrace of death...but it didn't come.

Her eyes narrowed as she opened them, looked down, and beheld a hard black arrow piercing her chest. She could feel its tip piercing straight through her, yet felt no pain from the wound. Maggie gasped from behind her as she grabbed the shaft of the arrow sticking out of her chest. With a quick grunt, she snapped the arrow in half, then yanked the remains out of her back. She held both halves of the arrow up to her face taking note of the heart-shaped tip that had penetrated her body.

With a frown she looked up, her eyes roaming the orange sky for the culprit. She spotted a white and pink streak out of the corner of her eye heading westward. Throwing the broken arrow on the ground the Huntress prepared to rush after the archer but felt something tug at her.

She turned around to see Gloria's tiny hands grabbing the hem of her coat. The little girl had tears in her eyes and was repeatedly yelling, "Don't go! Please, don't leave us again!"

The Huntress felt her heart wrench as her eyes shifted between the retreating archer and the tears of her child. Indecision warred within her mind until she latched onto what Gloria had said.

She quickly moved to draw her children close, reaching inside her coat as she said, "Don't worry. I'll be back. Here take these."

She brought out two of the statues, pressing the wooden items into their hands, "These statues are special. As long as you have them, I will always come back to you. No matter where you go, no matter how far, no matter what. I will find you. I promise. So until I come back, you have to promise to be good kids for Nick and Maggie, alright?"

The children ran their hands up and down the statues before slowly nodding. The Huntress wiped the tears from Gloria's eyes, turning her gaze to Nick and Maggie, "Take the kids home. It's west of here on the edge of town. There's a key underneath a rock by the door. Keep them safe while I'm gone."

Nick gave her a thumbs up while Maggie's eyes were darting between the two of them, completely confused. The Huntress dashed away before she could ask any questions, disappearing into the deeper part of the town.

The Huntress ran into an alleyway, eyes glued on the sky as she searched for her assailant.