November 14, 1409

Two months had passed when Eda had summoned her mark, she was getting better at it, but she needed more help. Something Charles couldn’t help with. The two of them were in the middle of a sparring match, with Charles watching them, when someone interrupted them.

“Hello there!” The stranger said.

Eda, and Ray were both startled, and landed on the ground, they got in a stance ready for a fight before Charles calmed them down.

“It’s alright you two, he’s one of you.” Charles said Ray noticed he seemed uncomfortable.

“Yes! We are just measly hybrids compared to our great elders. Oh, how I admired them so.” The man said dreamily. He was a short man, wearing a black coat, with black clothing underneath. He was wearing a mask, which was white in color, with three black lines going horizontal over the eye holes of the mask. He spreaded both of his hands, as if he was receiving a hug.

The three of them looked at him confused, he still held his stance, Ray wondered if someone should hugged him. Charles stepped forward, shocking Ray, but all he did was loudly clear his throat.

“Sorry, I lost myself there. I am Drogo, it’s an honor to finally meet my two young masters. I am one of the messengers for the leads, and most importantly the elders. I have a message for the young… I mean the hybrid Eda, from the great…” Drogo faked a cough, before continuing. “Dammit, sorry about that, I almost let that slip. Well here's your letter from Miss Senya.” Drogo took out a scroll from his bag, and bowed towards Eda, as if he was giving her a precious item.

Eda looked at Ray, and Charles, Charles nodded his head, Eda walked towards Drogo, and grabbed the scroll from his hand.

“Well this is all I needed to do, I must go back, and deliver other things, it was nice to finally meet you two, I’ll be sure to report back, goodbye.”

“Wait!” Ray wanted to ask a question, but Drogo simply turned around, and vanished before their eyes.

They all stood silently until Ray spoke out. “What was that about?” Ray said he was confused about what just happened.

“I don’t even want to know.” Eda said quietly, as she rolled open the scroll and started reading it.

“What does it say?” Ray asked.

“Wait, I’ll be over here. I rather not know the details.” Charles stated

Eda waited until Charles left before reading the letter out loud. “Eda, good job on getting your mark, I didn’t expect it to come this soon, but well done. You’ll head northeast until you reach the village of Caister, I recommend finding a map to help you locate it. In the village there should be a blessed knight who can control the first stage of his blessing, the red line. He is going to that village soon. Your first mission is to kill him. Someone will meet you there to watch you, you’ll be able to find him in the exit of the village, just look around the top of the trees. Do not go inside the village, the villagers or the knights that are there might question you, the first thing you must do is find the person. He will also make sure you are ready, let him know if you need help with your mark. You need to leave as soon as you receive this letter. I’ll await your success.” Eda took a breath, and closed the scroll, motioning Charles to come back.

“A knight with red lines, that is the first color right?” Ray asked.

“Yes, a knight who can fully control their blessing without struggle is more dangerous than someone who can barely control it.” Charles warned

“Do you think you’ll be able to do it?” Ray asked, he sounded worried.

“I have to Ray, for us.”

“Ok,” Ray said, turning his attention towards the ground.

“Well the letter said I should leave as soon as possible, I’ll start packing, I think I’ll head tomorrow.” Eda announced.

“Wait! Isn’t that a little too sudden!?” Ray frantically said.

“No Ray, she should head out as soon as possible. Remembered Ray, you two came here to train. Eda will head out tomorrow, you need to continue your training so your mark can appear.” Charles told him.

“He’s right Ray, just focus on your training. I’m sure you’ll get your mark.” Eda encouragly said.

Ray had no choice but to nod his head. “Wait, Charles, how did you know him?”

“Oh, he was the one who gave me the message about you two, I remembered him complaining about a carrier pigeon? He said that a damn pigeon was doing his job for him, I think?” Charles tried to remember.

“Oh, he also mentioned the leads, and the elders, what is that?” Eda asked.

“I’m not sure, I remembered it being mentioned in my youth, but the memory escapes me.” Charles said. “Should we go home then?” Charles said, changing the subject.

Eda and Ray nodded their heads.

“Hey, since you leave tomorrow morning, how about we prepare a big feast?” Charles asked.

“Sounds great, hey Ray, how about one last race to the cottage, let’s see who can get there first?” Eda asked.

“Sure.” Ray agreed.

“Sounds like fun, I think I’ll join the both of you.” Charles said, suprising the both of them.

“Alright, this is where the fun begins.” Eda said, with a smile on her face.

They all stood at the edge of the clearing. Charles counted down to three, before they started running down the mountain. Eda was in the lead, with Ray and Charles closed behind her. Suddenly Eda called to Ray.

“Ray! Look at this!” She said out loud pointing towards something on the left.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Ray looked at where she was pointing, forgetting where he was. “What do you want me-” Ray hit a tree at full speed. He could hear their laughter as they got farther. Ray regained himself and started running again towards the cottage.

When he got to the cottage, Eda and Charles were already there. Charles was sitting on the log, he seemed to be taking deep breaths, while Eda had her hands behind her head, she was smiling at Ray. “That’s cheating, you distracted me.” Ray told her.

“Hey, you never said anything about that.” Eda remarked, as she started laughing.

“Come on you two, Go wash, I’ll start hunting for food.” Charles told them.

After they were done with showering, setting the table, and getting everything ready. Charles got their food ready, Charles decided to go all out on the food, since Eda was leaving. He didn’t know when they could have a meal like this again.

{The both of them sure have grown, in the short time they have been here. Since I don’t know when the three of us will be able to celebrate like this again, I'll be sure to memorize it.} Charles thought to himself, with a smile on his face.

After they were done eating, Ray and Eda put away the plates until they were done. Ray was about to head off to bed, before Eda stopped him.

“Ray, can we talk?” Eda asked him.

“Oh! Um sure.”

Eda headed out the door, with Ray following behind her. Ray was already dreading the talk, but he knew it was for the best. He followed her until they were both sitting on the log, outside the cottage.

Eda took a long breath before she started talking to Ray, preparing herself for their discussion, “Ray, I don’t know what;s going to happen, I don’t know if the both of us are going to make it. I will try with all my strength to see it to the end. I’ll get stronger so that I can protect you.” She put her hand on his head. “I don’t want to lose you Ray, I’ll gladly give up my life so you can live.”

“I’ll do the same.” Ray said.

Eda smiled while turning to look at the stars. “No Ray. After all, I'm your big sister. I promised dad, and mom I will protect you, plus what kind of big sister would I be, if you kept saving me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.” Ray tried to say.

Eda laughed. “You wouldn’t understand Ray.” She looked back at the stars. “I need you to understand, if the worst comes to pass, I want yo-” she put up her hand, so Ray wouldn’t interrupt her. “Listen to me, if the worst does happen, I need you to know I’ll gladly do it again. The choice I made with Miss Senya is mine alone.”

“You only made that deal because of me!” Ray told her.

“And you made that deal with Miss Senya because of me Ray.” Eda told him. Ray wanted to argue, but deep down he knew she was right. “Like Charles always told us, we are responsible for our actions. You can’t blame yourself for my decision forever.” Eda said.

“I, I don’t know what I will do if I lose you, or Charles.” Ray said.

She laughed again. “Well I think it’ll be obvious, you’ll turn into a monster.”

“....” Ray didn’t know what to say to that.

“If we manage to make it out alive, how about we come live here with Charles. I’m sure he won’t mind. By the time we do whatever Miss Senya wants us to do, we should be much stronger that anybody will think twice about taking the both of us on. How about it? Deal?” Eda said.

“Deal.” Ray answered.

“Then the deal is made.” They looked at each other before bursting into laughter. Being reminded of Senya. They continued looking at the stars before they finally headed back inside to sleep.

***

November 15, 1409

Ray and Charles waited outside the cottage, while Eda gathered her things for her mission. When she headed out the door, she was wearing a blue cloak, with a gray shirt, with green long sleeves. She had a pack strap over her shoulder. She walked until she was in front of Ray, and Charles.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye.” Eda said, with a smile on her face.

Ray hugged his sister. “Please, please be careful.”

She hugged him back. “I will.” She looked towards Charles. “Thanks again, for everything you did for us.”

“I just repaid a favor I owed, no need to thank me.” Charles told her, while extending his hand towards her, wanting to shake it.

Eda passed his extended hand, and hugged him instead. “Be sure to take care of yourself.”

Charles was surprised by the hug, but hugged her back. “Be sure to come back.” After hugging her, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a necklace and handing it to Eda. Eda checked her hand. It was made with a red chain, and it had a metal emblem of a black fire attached to it. It seems similar to the symbol of Sez.

“Here, I made this for your journey, as a way to be reminded of us.” Charles said.

Eda smiled, “Ray, do you think you can help me put it on?”

“Yeah, sure.” He put the necklace around her neck, while she moved her hair out of the way.

“How does it feel?” Charles asked.

Eda grabbed the emblem, rubbing it with her finger, “I like it, does the emblem mean anything?”

“It used to be my family crest, but it has been disbanded ever since I left, since I was the last one of my family. I only kept it to remind myself of my past family, now I want you to have it.”

Eda closed her hand around the emblem. “Thank you, I’ll take care of it.”

“Ok then this is where we part ways for now.” Charles said.

She nodded her head, Ray fought the urge to let out a whimper, or a tear, they watched her go, until she could no longer be seen through the trees.

“Hey Charles?”

“Don’t worry, she will be ok, as well I’ll make you the same necklace before you start on your journey.” Charles reassured him.

“Thanks.” Ray said.

“Well Ray, what should we do now?” Charles asked, looking at him.

“I will keep on training, I have to make my mark appear.” Ray stated.

“Work hard.” Charles told him.

“I will.”

***

January 24, 1410

Two months had passed, when they finally heard news about Eda. Ray was busy hunting deer in the mountains, when he was interrupted by someone behind him.

“Hello.” Said the man.

“What the-” Ray turned around swinging his arm in response, trying to hit the person that startled him. The man jumped back before he was hit.

“Easy there, as they say don’t kill the messenger, though I would never dream of dying before I finished my servitude to the leads, and the elders.” He said dreamily.

He was the same man that delivered the letter to Eda. “I know you! You’re-”

“Drogo! In the flesh,” he said, while spreading his arms. “A measly tool for our elders to use as they please.”

“Ah, yes? I guess” Ray said confusion was written on his face.

They both stared at each other in silence.

“So.” Ray said slowly.

“Ah right! I bring you two things, a letter, and a newspaper, young master… I mean Ray” Drogo handed Ray the items. “Well then before I am off, I shall offer you some advice. I would have told you two before when you two were here but I was in a rush.

“That’s really ok, I-”

“Be sure to remember your position, you may not know it now, but you will soon, after all you, and your sister are expected to perform better than the other regular hybrids.” Drogo revealed.