“So how about we go to the little thing I set up in the woods?” Justin said.

“Oh, sure lead the way.”

Justin started heading into the woods, Ray took another look at him, he had a bigger build than Ray. Soon Justin started jumping through the trees, Ray started following him.

{He seems really outgoing, I wonder why he became a hybrid in the first place?}

They travel for about twenty minutes before finally stopping on top of some trees. Ray saw what seemed to be a swing made out of leaves, and some rope. Justin jumped into the swing and laid on his back. The swing easily supporting his weight, Ray saw hanging on top of the swing was a black backpack.

“What is that?” Ray asked.

“Oh, it's called a hammock, I used to make them whenever I left my old village.” Justin said.

“Wow, how long did it take you to build this?” Ray asked.

“About an hour or two, honestly getting the supplies was the hard part.” Justin admitted.

“You didn’t have to do this for me, you know?”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it, I didn’t know when we would head into the village so I thought this would be comfy until them, now go on, get on it. Let me know what you think.” Justin reassured Ray.

Ray jumped to the tree branch, setting down his backpack against the tree trunk, he carefully walked towards the hammock, putting his hands on it, the hammock going further, making Ray bend over, he tried to keep his balance, as he ignored the laughing. He pushed himself back, adjusting the hammock, until it was in its usual place.

“Just jump in, I promised it won’t break.” Justin told him.

Ray put one foot over the hammock, and jumped into it, the hammock swinging back, and forth. Ray grabbed the sides of the hammock, until the hammock finally stopped moving, Ray put his hand on his side, while looking on top of the trees.

“So what do you think?”

“I like it, but I keep thinking I am going to fall over.” Ray admitted.

“Like I said, you should be fine, just don’t make any unnecessary movements, the hammock can easily support the both of us, if we sat side by side.”

“I see.”

“Now it is already nighttime, is there something you want to eat, I can go hunt it?” Justin asked.

“No, I am fine, I still have food left from when I left the other village.”

“Alright, if you don’t mind I am going to get some rabbits.” Justin said, as he got back up from the hammock, and started jumping back down until he landed on the ground.

Ray put his hands over his head, looking at the tree branches, while going over so far with Justin.

{To think he would go this far just for me, I really hope we do get along, if I am going to do this, it would help if I can befriend some of the hybrids that look to be my age, I don’t think I would get along with any of the stronger hybrids beside Viola, if they are like VIncent I rather avoid them if I have too.}

Ray got up, and struggled to get out of the hammock, almost falling down to the ground. As he caught himself, he went over to his bag, and opened it. Grabbing the last of his food, which was a banana, after eating it, he grabbed the mask he used, inspecting it.

{Does Justin have a mask like this one? I should ask him when he comes back, Vincent did mention the newly hybrids have to hide their faces until they can change their appearances. Otherwise they will be spotted easier.}

As Ray was pontering on he heard noises coming from below the trees, he slowly looked down, making sure not to make any noise. He saw Justin starting a fire. Ray sighed, and slowly made his way down.

“You are not worried the knights are going to see the smoke, and come investigate?” Ray asked.

“Nah, it’s fine I've been doing this ever since I got here, and no knights have ever come up this way.” Justin said, as he started skinning the rabbits he found.

Ray looked around and saw a bow and arrows near a tree trunk. They were another two rabbits on his lease. Ray sat down next to Justin.

“You hunted three rabbits?” Ray asked.

“Yeah, that’s more than enough.”

“Need any help?” Ray offered.

“Thanks.” Justin handed Ray a rabbit, and a knife, and Ray started skinning it, the only noise that can be hard were the skinning of the rabbits and the crackle of the fire.

“So Justin, you know about my past mission, how about yours?” Ray asked.

“Oh, well actually this is my second mission, my first one was kinda like this one, working with other hybrids to kill an even stronger knight.”

“Oh, really, how many hybrids did you work with?”

“Two, they are some great people. We got along great, managed to complete our mission fast and easy without having to kill another knight in the process.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Oh.”

“I am hoping I could do the same here actually.” Justin admitted.

“...Me too.”

“Are you sure you aren’t hungry? I have enough to share?” Justin offered.

“No, I am ok. I’ll probably get some rest.”

“Ok, if you want we can do some training tomorrow?”

“Sounds great, thanks.”

“No problem.” Justin went back to cooking his meal.

Ray eventually got on the hammock, and finally relaxed his body, before drifting to sleep.

***

May 20, 1410

When Ray opened his eyes, sunlight was piercing through the tree leaves getting on his eyes. Ray tried to stand, but forgot where he was, and fell off the hammock. Ray instinctively started screaming, his mind not being caught up with what was happening.

While he was in midair, almost near the ground, Justin jumped and managed to grab him, as he landed on the ground on his feet Justin put down Ray.

“Man that happens almost all the time, good thing I was in the ground already to catch you huh.” Justin said.

Ray blinked a couple of times, and calmed himself down, before standing up and looking at Justin.

“You really couldn’t stand near me when I woke up, so you could steady me?” Ray suggested.

“Nah, this is more fun, plus you are more awake now right.”

Ray wanted to argue, but he realized Justin had a point, so he decided to climb back on top of the tree to get his supplies. Justin doing the same.

“So what do you know about Temes?” Ray asked.

“Well the village was made around fifty years ago, after a failed attack from a certain hybrid. I believe in a way to mock the hybrid the church decided to send even more supplies so they can rebuild even bigger, and apparently it has. This village used to resemble a regular outskirt village, but now double the size, every building made out of stone for lasting even longer. Also I heard they are going to throw a big party soon, that everyone in the village literally attends.” Justin revealed.

“Do you know anything about that black stone pillar behind the church?” Ray asked.

“Nope, no clue.”

“What about the party, do you know what they are celebrating?” Ray asked.

“Sorry, no clue.”

“Ok, what about the church?”

“It is a simple church from what I heard, I don’t know anything about the inside of it, or how many knights are living in the village.” Justin admitted.

Ray took a moment to think about what he just learned, trying his best to come up with a plan for the mission.

{If that party lands at the end of the week we could maybe use it as some sort of distraction, no maybe not, if everyone is going to be there, then all the knights too. So we are going to have to worry about that. It's best if we just attack on a regular day.}

“So what do you think we should do?” Justin asked.

“Well the last week of the month has four days, so I'd rather do it around the middle of it, it seems best to me.” Ray answered.

“I don’t know, I think we should hold on until the last week, we should stay here until the middle of next month, and spend the first two weeks of June training, the last week we will head to Temes and plan on the mission.” Justin said.

“Won’t the knights be suspicious if they see two random strangers trying to enter the village, what is going to be our story?” Ray asked.

“Oh don’t worry about that because of the past incidents regarding the hybrids, more people are leaving the outskirts and heading towards one of the holy cities, so Temes has been recently getting a lot of visitors, that they can’t keep track of them all, so when we do eventually decide to enter the village, we should do so with a group.” Justin told him.

Ray took a moment to think about the plan, asking himself if there was anything wrong with it, eventually he decided to go with it. “Alright do you know anything about the knights that guard the entrance or are they just normal knights?” Ray asked.

“I think they are just regular knights, I think I saw different ones when I was here, sorry I wasn’t really paying attention to that.” Justin apologized.

“Oh no, I’m sorry I shouldn’t be asking all these questions like you already know, everything you told me is already a great help, so thank you for that.” Ray reassured him.

“Thanks.”

“No problem, it's just that in my last mission, I basically had all the information given to me, by Vin-” Ray started faking a cough, he didn’t know if he was supposed to mention Vincent or Viola. “Oh sorry didn’t mean to say that?”

“Say what?” Justin asked.

“Ah sorry, I just meant in my last mission most of the information I needed was given to me.” Ray said.

“Right, you only did the mission on Alton, and the massacre of the twenty was in the other village, right?”

“Yes.” Ray answered.

“So what do you know about the council of hybrids?” Justin asked.

Ray went over what he knew, what Vincent had told him. He chose his words carefully before he spoke them. “The council huh, well I don’t know much, only the strong ones are giving specific details, I was only taught what the church knows, it is run by three elders, under them is the strongest of the hybrids, and under him are the ten leads.”

“I didn’t know about the strongest hybrid part.” Juti admitted.

{It should be fine, the church knows about it.}

“Oh, well yeah that is everything I know about the council, after all the people who train me wouldn’t tell me much.”

“You were training with more than one person?” Justin asked.

{I’m an idiot, whatever. I can't go back to it now.}

“Ah, yeah but only for a little bit, she couldn’t stay in the village for long, she had her own mission to carry out.”

“Right, well I was told that once we get stronger we will finally be able to meet a lead, I still wonder what is the end game of the council?” Justin wondered out loud.

“Who knows, but it has to be something big if they need more hybrids to be stronger, so far I only know of my sister, you, and those other two you mention.” Ray said.

“Wait, you have a sister who is also a hybrid?” Justin blurted out.

{What is wrong with me? I need to keep my mouth shut.}

“Uh yes, but sorry I rather not talk about her.”

“Oh, it’s ok, I know the feeling I… I also have a little sibling but luckily he isn’t a hybrid like us.” Justin stated.

{Little sibling, huh, I remembered wanting a little brother, but he’s lucky, I wish Eda never took that deal with the master. Wait, does that mean… he’s like me?}

“You… if you don’t mind me asking why did you become a hybrid if you have someone to look out for?” Ray asked.

Justin turned his head, his left hand rubbing his right shoulder, he seemed unsure of something. Justin took a deep breath, and turned to look at Ray and answered him.

“...Because I didn’t have a choice.”