Aubrey tensed, unsure of how to react. Her first instinct was to run, but she knew that would only draw more suspicion.

Fuck! Did they already know who—or rather, what—she was? Did the girl have the same kind of bracelet as the herb shop crone?

As she stood frozen in place, trying to decide on a course of action, the air thickened with an unnatural chill, raising goosebumps on her skin. An oppressive, ominous silence descended upon them as the world grew eerily still. Even the wind died down, leaving only the flickering of gas lamps and the creaking of aging signboards.

The auburn-haired girl's crossbow was pointed at her in an instant, loaded with a glowing bolt that seemed to hum with arcane power. Her companion, Levy, gripped his cane tightly, shifting into a defensive stance.

"Get down!" Seraphine commanded commanded, her gaze fixed not on Aubrey but somewhere behind her.

Aubrey turned her head just in time to see the air behind her ripple and twist. Out of the gathering fog materialized a spectral leviathan. Its immense body resembled a baleen whale, though its fins were oddly elongated and twisted, its hide covered in iridescent rules that swirled and shifted, and its eyes shone with an unearthly glow.

As it emerged fully, the street lamps' light flickered and waned, as if the creature's presence drew energy from them.

With a deep, resonating sound that vibrated through the air like the whispers of the damned, the creature opened its maw, revealing an abyssal void that seemed to swallow all light.

What the f—

She barely had time to react before Seraphine grabbed her and pulled her out of the way. The creature's body slammed into the ground where Aubrey had stood mere seconds before, cracking the cobblestones and sending a tremor through the street.

The creature's void-like maw snapped shut, just missing Aubrey by a hair's breadth. The wind generated by its movement nearly knocked her off her feet.

Seraphine released her grip on Aubrey and fired her crossbow at the entity. Her bolt struck true, embedding itself deep into the creature's side.

Aubrey watched in awe as the creature recoiled, its ethereal form rippling and pulsing. It let out a sound that made her teeth ache, like the shrill whine of feedback amplified a thousand times.

"That thing's dangerous! Get out of here!" Seraphine warned as she reloaded her crossbow. "We'll handle it."

Before Aubrey could reply, the creature surged forward, its massive bulk barreling towards her. She threw herself to the side, barely dodging out of the way. As she scrambled back to her feet, she saw Levy hurl a handful of what looked like thin strips of paper at the creature, each one exploding in a burst of bright light and crackling energy.

The creature writhed in pain, its distorted body rippling and pulsing with every blast.

Meanwhile, Seraphine took aim once more and fired another bolt, this time striking the creature directly in its void-like mouth. The air around the bolt shimmered and warped as it pierced through the entity's spectral form, leaving a trail of twisted space in its wake.

Levy continued to bombard the creature with a flurry of talismanic papers, each one detonating in a brilliant explosion of light and energy. Seraphine unleashed a barrage of bolts from her crossbow, the arcane bolts slicing through the creature's translucent hide.

Aubrey took cover in a nearby alley, watching the battle unfold.

Holy shit!

These two clearly knew what they were doing. Were they part of the Cogsworn Order? Perhaps some other guild or organization tasked with dealing with this sort of thing? She wasn't sure.

Maybe she should stick around for a bit... Just to make sure they were going to win this fight. Plus, it was good to see what she was up against if they ever had to face each other.

"Levy! Incoming!" Seraphine shouted as the creature's maw opened wide once more.

This time, a vortex of dark energy erupted from its gullet, blasting out in all directions like an eldritch hurricane. Levy barely managed to shield himself with a hastily-thrown barrier of talismanic papers before the shockwave hit him.

The force of the blast sent him flying through the air, his body tumbling end over end until he crashed into a wall and crumpled to the ground in a heap.

Meanwhile, Seraphine remained undaunted, nimbly evading the vortex with fluid, dancer-like steps. As she weaved around the eldritch gale, she fired another volley of bolts into the creature's side. Her attacks left ripples in the air that expanded outward in concentric rings, disrupting the vortex's chaotic pattern.

Seeing her companion fall, she called out, "Levy! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" Levy yelled back as he struggled to his feet. "Just keep it busy!"

Seraphine nodded, then turned her attention back to the creature.

Aubrey watched as the young woman danced around the entity's attacks, dodging and weaving with a grace and skill that rivaled any stage performance Aubrey had ever seen.

The way Seraphine moved—every step, every twirl—was like watching a choreographed dance, yet her movements never faltered or slowed. It was almost hypnotic to watch. Aubrey couldn't help but admire her fighting style, despite the danger.

A tap on her shoulder made her nearly jump out of her skin.

She whirled around and braced herself, expecting another foe. Instead, she found herself facing Cedric, whose usual stony countenance looked a bit more perturbed than usual.

"You're late for our band practice, Milady," he stated flatly.

Band practice? Oh shit! She had forgotten all about it! She thought it was supposed to be tomorrow.

"I...uh..." She fumbled for words. "Got sidetracked sightseeing. Then there's this thing..."

Cedric nodded towards the battle going on behind her. "Indeed, I can see that."

Aubrey turned back towards the fight just in time to see Seraphine leap into the air, somersaulting gracefully before landing atop the creature's back. She clambered up its side, clinging to its irregular, pulsating form with one hand while unsheathing an ornate dagger with the other.

She plunged the blade into the creature's hide, carving a deep gash that emitted a shower of sparks and wisps of dark energy.

The entity thrashed and writhed in the air, bucking like a wild stallion as it tried to dislodge her. She held on tenaciously, her blade carving another gash, then another.

"Hey, Cedric... do you know what that big thing is?" Aubrey asked quietly.

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Cedric rubbed his chin in thought, peering at the spectral leviathan. "Hmmm... Looks like a Murmuros to me."

"A Murmuros? What's that?" Aubrey wasn't familiar with that term, despite her extensive knowledge of monsters from her gaming days.

"A spiritual whale that inhabits the between-worlds of the murky astral realm," Cedric explained, continuing to study the entity with keen interest. "They're said to be ancient beings, remnants of forgotten worlds that ended long before the coming of humanity. Their appearance usually indicates the opening of a rift into the astral realm, or possibly even an incursion from beyond our reality."

"Is that... bad?" Aubrey asked hesitantly, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

Cedric shrugged. "That depends on how well those two Hunters can handle it. One Murmuros isn't too dangerous, but if a whole pod gets through, it could cause quite a bit of trouble."

"A pod?" Aubrey didn't like the sound of that.

"A group of them, yes," Cedric confirmed. "I'm not sensing any more nearby, so this one must be alone. That's good news, at least. If there's only one, destroying it should seal the rift it came through."

"Does it eat humans?" Aubrey asked.

"Murmuros aren't physical beings, so they can't actually eat anything," Cedric replied. "They feed on the sanity of their victims, driving them to madness with their whispers. I suppose you could say they're akin to psychic vampires—such as yourself."

She had something in common with this eldritch monstrosity? Well, if they were both classified as Unhallowed, she guessed it made sense... But still!

"Back to why I came to find you, our rehearsal awaits, Milady," Cedric reminded her.

Right. The band practice. But this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness two Hunters in action. Not that she couldn't take these two out easily herself, but... Well, at least that's what she'd thought before seeing them fight. Now, she wasn't so sure.

"Postpone it for me? I think I'll stick around and see how this plays out," Aubrey said, her gaze still fixed on the battle.

Cedric nodded. "As you wish, Milady. I'll stick by your side, just in case. No matter which side wins this fight, the aftermath might not be something you want to face alone."

Aubrey gave him a sideways glance. "Do you know who these people are?"

"No, but they seem quite skilled at what they do," Cedric replied. "Thaddeus would know more, but I recall that he mentioned several guilds and organizations in Mordenstradt that handle these sorts of problems. The Arcane Collegium, Inter Astra Requiem, and The Order of the Viridian Cross, to name a few."

"Well, those names aren't telling me much," Aubrey grumbled.

"Would you like me to ask Thaddeus about them later?" Cedric offered.

Aubrey nodded. "Yes, please do that. It could be useful."

The battle between the two Hunters and the Murmuros raged on, neither side giving ground.

Seraphine leapt nimbly from its back, rolling to her feet as she landed. She sheathed her dagger and reloaded her crossbow in one smooth motion.

"Levy! There's a weak point in its mouth! We need to pierce it!" Seraphine called out.

"I'll try to create an opening for you!" Levy had recovered his footing and resumed hurling talismanic papers at the entity, each explosion disrupting its shimmering hide.

Seraphine gave him a nod and took aim, waiting for her chance to strike.

The Murmuros thrashed in the air, lashing out with its fins and tail, each strike leaving a trail of dark energy in its wake. It slammed into the side of a building, shattering brick and mortar.

"Come on! You can do it!" Aubrey cheered them on silently.

The runes on the Murmuros' body glowed brighter—a sign it was about to retaliate.

Seraphine didn't hesitate; she rolled to the side as a wave of dark energy blasted through where she had stood moments earlier. Levy followed suit, evading the attack with a nimble leap.

Levy's next volley of talismanic papers found their mark, attaching themselves to the entity's body. With a whispered incantation, he activated the spell embedded within.

A beam of light erupted from the talismans, linking each one to form a brilliant latticework of energy that enveloped the Murmuros. The creature writhed and thrashed in the air, but the beams held it in place, restraining its movements.

"Now!" Levy shouted.

From her new vantage point, Seraphine rummaged through her belt, her fingers finding a vial filled with a phosphorescent liquid. With a quick motion, she pulled the cork out with her teeth, spat it aside, and poured the contents down her crossbow's firing mechanism.

The luminous liquid coated the bolt, causing it to glow brightly as she raised her weapon. Taking careful aim, she squeezed the trigger. The bolt arced through the air, its trail leaving a glowing streak in its wake. It struck the creature's maw dead-center, sinking into the void-like space between its jaws.

As soon as the bolt made contact, an explosion of light and energy erupted from within the Murmuros, its translucent form erupting in a shower of sparks and shimmering motes of light.

The entity let out one final, ear-splitting shriek before dissolving into nothingness, leaving behind only an echo that reverberated through the night air.

Seraphine collapsed to her knees, panting heavily as she struggled to catch her breath. Levy slumped against the wall of a nearby building, looking equally exhausted.

Aubrey was impressed. These two really knew their stuff! Maybe she could learn a thing or two from them. Not that she'd ever need it, of course... She had her voice, and her powers should suffice for any threat that arose.

Still, it never hurt to have more options, right?

She debated whether to approach them. As she was trying to decide, Cedric put a hand on her shoulder. "Shall I eliminate them while they're fatigued? I could do so without a struggle."

"What? No!" Aubrey hissed, swatting his hand away. "They just fought a freaking ghost whale! Let's give them a break before you start anything. Besides, they're the good guys. They were hunting that thing, not me."

Cedric raised a stony brow. "Are you sure?"

Aubrey thought about it for a moment.

If a Hunter's goal was to eliminate Unhallowed beings like herself, would these two hesitate to kill her on sight? Maybe... Maybe not. She had no idea how common Banshees were in this world.

Perhaps they hunted all Unhallowed. Perhaps just the most dangerous ones. Or perhaps they had different priorities and killed only those who harmed people or posed a threat to the city.

There was no way to know for sure, but she didn't want to find out the hard way. At least not yet. Not while she still had a chance to learn more about them.

"I'm sure," Aubrey said. "And I'd rather we avoid confrontation for now. I don't want to give them a reason to start hunting me. That would complicate things."

Cedric frowned, clearly unhappy with her decision. "Very well, Milady. It's your call. However, if they threaten you in any way, I will not hesitate to defend you."

Aubrey looked back to where the two Hunters stood. They seemed to be regaining their strength, straightening up and resuming their conversation. "I'll keep that in mind, Cedric. Thanks."

"Shall we make our exit then?" Cedric suggested.

Aubrey considered it.

If they left now, there was a chance the Hunters wouldn't even notice her presence. They could sneak away, and no one would be the wiser. It would probably be safer that way. Safer for both sides...

On the other hand, she'd gotten to witness a truly epic fight! Two monster hunters taking on an eldritch horror... How cool was that?

"We'll wait a little longer," Aubrey decided. "Just until they leave."

The two Hunters conversed amongst themselves, discussing the outcome of their battle. From what Aubrey could make out, they seemed pleased with the results, and their conversation eventually turned to what they should do next.

"I think we've done enough for one night," Levy said, glancing around at the destruction caused by the battle. "There's bound to be some paperwork involved with this mess, too. Let's head back to our respective guild and report our findings."

Seraphine sighed, giving the remnants of their battleground a weary look. "Yeah, I suppose so. Hmm... I don't see that woman who was here earlier, though. Do you think she made it out okay?"

Levy scanned the area, then shrugged. "I'm sure she's fine. She probably left while we were occupied with the Murmuros. People tend to do that when they see us fighting."

"Well, if you say so..." Seraphine replied, still sounding unconvinced.

Aubrey caught herself before she gave a light chuckle.

Damn, this woman sounded like such a good person! Worried about the safety of a stranger? That was adorable.

Seraphine brushed a stray lock of chestnut hair from her face and turned to leave. "Let's get going then. I'm exhausted."

As the two Hunters headed off, Aubrey watched them go, wondering if she'd ever have a chance to talk to them. Would they get along? Would they become friends? Or would they end up as enemies?

Enemies... She hoped it wouldn't come to that...

The only ones she wanted as enemies were those who had wronged her. She didn't want to add any more names to that list unless she absolutely had to.

But for now, she'd wait and see how things played out. She had plenty of time to figure out what kind of people they really were—and what they might mean for her future.

"If we're done here, I'll take you to the Cathedral so we can rehearse for our performance," Cedric said.

Aubrey glanced at him, then nodded. "Sure. I've seen enough for now. Let's go."