The assassins descended through the busy streets of the city towards the suburbs. Cerberus and Jane were on one horse, Wolf and Noir on another. The horses' hooves sank into the freshly fallen snow, as did the feet of the citizens. Despite the weather, every person the assassins came across was in a hurry to move personal belongings. It was incomprehensible, as the winter season was the worst time to migrate.
Moving through the crowds was difficult, but eventually they left the large marketplace. The team encountered several wagons loaded with people when they arrived at the vast city gates. They were not pilgrims, but slaves. Noir reacted with indignation, but the others immediately understood what was going on. Wolf and the team stepped aside and let the wagons pass. The slaves peeked through the bars and held out their hands to the people. Their eyes pleaded for help.
"I've never seen so many slaves... and they were all children. Why? What crime have they committed to deserve that?" Noir wanted answers to such injustice. Wolf sighed and looked away, ashamed.
"They have committed no crime. It's happened twice in the last seven years. Two men we killed were feudal lords of two large territories, just like Regin. Both provided their people with food and shelter to maintain their power over them, yet we killed them for their crimes. The peasants were forced to sell their children to survive. It's almost a habit now, and it seems this time has been no different."
"That's right... Every action has a consequence. Even the innocent pay for the crimes of their fathers or lords. It's something you have to accept to do what we do." Jane added.
Noir turned his eyes back to the wagons. "And where will they end up?"
"They will be sold on the market for different purposes. Some become servants, others fighters. Needless to say, most of them end up in the underground levels of the city. It's really frustrating..." Cerberus clenched his fist as he finished speaking. Then he looked intently at Noir. "We'll put an end to that, eventually."
"What's going on in the underground levels?" Cerberus didn't want to answer that question. Instead, Jane spoke up.
"You still don't know anything about this city, newbie. In the underground levels..." Wolf turned quickly and shook his head. Jane nodded and merely responded with what she could say. "You don't want to know. And you shouldn't. It's none of your business."
Such secrecy only made Noir's curiosity rise. But he knew it was best not to ask any more questions. They rode on past the city and crossed the first agricultural fields. Since the territory over which Trinity had jurisdiction was vast, it would be a few hours before they arrived. Jane whistled a tune while the others watched the sun's rays rise after the first snowfall of the season.
"The winds of your land are bringing the cold before its time, Cerberus. Perhaps you should perform one of your rituals to turn them eastward." Said the leader of the group.
Cerberus drew his horse close to Wolf's and put an arm around his neck, then whispered in his ear. "I come from the same land as you, smartass. Just because we look different doesn't mean I'm different. How about you do one of those rituals? A collection of empty bottles is very much a thing for... enlightened people."
"I prefer the word genius, but that works for me too. To tell you the truth, a ritual is beyond your capabilities." They both laughed with their peculiar sense of humour, which to outsiders like Noir was rather creepy. Besides, he could not understand how they could joke after seeing the consequences of their actions. Unlike him, who inside was still thinking about those children, they had forgotten all about it. He wondered to himself if this was how he would end up too. A frivolous, careless man.
Jane stopped the men, aware of the guilt Noir felt. "Have a little heart, you insensitive fools! Noir has just seen the consequences of killing that man. The least you can do is keep quiet. These are not happy times, nor can we afford to joke while others are suffering."
Wolf looked at Jane, then at Cerberus. Her words gave him pause, and he felt ashamed again. "You're right, Jane. It's good to have someone like you to remind us of the right path. Sometimes it's hard for me to remember that we live in a shitty world. I don't like to remember it, rather. I'm sorry, Noir."
"I'm sorry too. We'd better keep moving. We'll probably get there before dark, but just in case let's camp in the glade over there." Cerberus said.
Although it was only a few miles to the contractor's farm, the team decided to camp in the nearest forest. Noir and Jane built the campfire and spread all the coats on the ground to accommodate the camp. They made a tent out of some branches and a tunic to prevent the gear from getting wet. The horses remained tied to two nearby trees. Wolf and Cerberus went hunting around the surrounding area, armed only with a knife and a bow. They were to reserve the best equipment for the mission. When they returned, the fire was ready to cook the hares they had hunted. After finishing all the meat, the team extinguished the fire to avoid attracting unwanted visitors and prepared to rest. Tomorrow would be a hard day.
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The next day, on the way to the farm.
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"I have a confession to make. That hare was the best thing I have eaten in a long time. It's no coincidence that Jane's skilled hands cooked it. Have you ever thought of opening a tavern?" The wolf-masked mercenary asked. Cerberus tried not to laugh, but he couldn't help himself.
"Lust has changed even your sense of taste. This idiot doesn't know how to properly declare himself, Jane! It's like he gets a lump in his throat every time he tries to be the slightest bit direct with a woman!" Jane smiled a little and looked at the leader in surprise. He was blushing slightly.
"You see, Cerberus... You can't express such intimate feelings as those lightly. Besides, I appreciate the beauty and virtues of all women, it is in my nature. The time has not yet come to settle down for this gallant, old friend." Wolf looked back at Jane, but avoided looking her directly in the eye. Perhaps there wasn't so much truth in his words after all. "You have made Jane uncomfortable, my friend. You are no gentleman."
"Yeah... I don't think uncomfortable is the word." The horses stopped short. At the bottom of the long hill was finally the farmhouse, in which barn a roaring fire was rising. "That's the contractor's farm, isn't it? Why is the barn on fire?" Jane asked Cerberus, peering over his shoulder.
"I think he tried to take the law into his own hands. What an idiot." Wolf and Cerberus hurried to reach the barn and get the contractor out of the fire. Halfway there, a humanoid figure kicked down the barn doors and ran out into the meadow. Behind it appeared a burly man holding a sickle and a torch.
"Come back here, you damned beast! I'm not finished with you yet!" The heat of the fire made his whole body break out in sweat. On top of that, the effort had exhausted him completely. He could only sit on the ground and rest. "He has escaped again... And my barn... Shit!"
The team arrived on the scene and quickly dismounted to extinguish the fire, which had already moved on to the haylofts and paddocks. Fortunately, there were no animals to be injured. Cerberus ventured into the barn to put out the fire. The pyromancer stretched out his arms and the flames were slowly drawn into his palms. Wolf helped the farmer to his feet and handed him a canteen filled with fresh water.
"Looks like your plan didn't go so well. What the hell were you thinking?" Wolf asked.
"I wanted to kill that beast! Isn't it obvious?! I was told that some adventurers from Trinity would be here in a day to finish the job I put on half a year ago. But you're late! Do you know that!?" Wolf nodded, but he had no intention of listening to the old man's complaints any longer. At the same time as Cerberus emerged from the barn victorious, they went to gather the necessary equipment for the hunt.
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"The fire is gone now. The damage is still there, of course. It'll cost you a few gold coins to repair all that mess, but it's no big deal. Be thankful you're still alive." Wolf tossed him a crossbow. Cerberus caught it in mid-air and slung it over his shoulder. All the mercenaries gathered around the farmer. "Let's get down to business. Can you give us some information about the target? How long has it been causing you trouble? What kind of monster is it?"
"Well, um... It's very human-like. It's about the same height as the young man behind you, but it's stockier. I haven't been able to see its face, it's always covered by a hood. But I could see its arms and legs. They are black as night and hairy as a bear. Can you think of any such beast?"
Cerberus rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. "I think it's a Lycanthrope, a man turned into a beast by some kind of curse. If that were the case, we would have to ask a mage for help to undo said curse." The contractor looked up angrily. Cerberus realised the man's intentions, and smiled. "You don't want us to save that monster... Fine by me. How should we proceed?"
"Let's start by following its trail. If it attacks frequently it means it's hiding somewhere nearby. It's normal for werewolves to be frightened by their new condition and hide after feeding." Wolf pulled out some special bolts for Cerberus from his travel bag. "Lycanthropes are stronger and faster than a normal human being. If we want to fight on equal terms, you'll have to shoot it with one of these poisonous bolts. It won't kill it, but it will leave it quite vulnerable."
"Incendiary bolts would have been a better idea. We trap it in its hole and burn the place down with that thing inside." Everyone was stunned by Cerberus' idea. "It was a joke! Don't you guys have a sense of humour?"
"Well, but... Why didn't we go after that monster when we saw it escape? It would have been quicker and easier. Now we'll have to look all over the countryside for it. It's a nuisance." Noir complained about Wolf's method outspokenly. That didn't sit well with the guild leader, who approached him in complete silence.
"Have you ever tried to kill something completely unknown to you? It's like going in blind, hoping that luck is on your side and that the thing you're chasing isn't braver than you. But what if it decides to fight? What if its skin is tougher than steel and its claws can shred your bones like paper? Do you think you'd be able to kill something like that without a plan? We need to know the enemy in order to have an advantage over it. Throwing ourselves headlong into the unknown is certain death." The mercenary wrapped a single arm around the boy, and at the same time pressed a finger to his heart. "You are strong, but you know nothing. I am weak, but I know a lot. And that matters more than anything in this business. So don't contradict me again, or you'll be in real trouble. Got that?"
The boy gulped. Despite having the power to wipe out everyone present, he knew he was no match for the experience and mastery of the assassins. Therefore, he preferred to keep quiet and accept his mistake. "I understand. I'm sorry for being so arrogant. I want to learn from you and become a better warrior, Wolf. Let me fix my mistake and help you on this mission. What should I do?"
Beneath his mask, Wolf grinned from ear to ear. "Well, you'll have to go ahead of us and find the target. You're faster and more agile, which will help us in case that thing tries to escape somewhere. If it decides to take you on, hold out long enough for Cerberus to weaken it with the bolt. And remember, don't overdo it with those weird powers. We don't want unnecessary damage to the contractor's property."
"Understood. No unnecessary damage. You want me to go ahead and pick up its trail?" Wolf lifted his shoulders. "Yeah, of course... I'll leave some stones on the ground so you can follow me! So far!" The boy left the scene following the trail of ash and hair the monster had left behind.
"While Noir searches for the bastard we will prepare for war. Old man, you go prepare our juicy bounty." Jane handed him a bow and quiver, plus a knife for emergencies. Wolf drew the bowstring a couple of times. Deep down he was excited to have some fight. "Well... Let the hunt begin."
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Minutes later, in the middle of the meadow.
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"Why didn't I think before I acted... If I fail to activate my powers I won't be able to face such a beast." Noir stopped halfway and took a seat among the grass and flowers. "I need to know what caused my powers to appear that time. I seem to remember Wolf saying something on purpose to get me to react. Maybe... he tried to stress me out? It would make sense, I told him that might work myself. But how am I going to do that on my own?"
Two faces flashed through his mind at once. That of his real father, which was fuzzy and inaccurate, and that of Castiel, which was a perfect reflection of what he once was. The boy, rather than stressing, only saddened. "Damn it... That doesn't help at all. I don't want Castiel to see me like this. I'm sorry..."
The young man looked up. He saw that the trail of ash ended a few yards ahead. He had already gotten too far away from his companions, and if he kept going they wouldn't be able to find him. But turning back and failing the team was not an option for him either. He wanted to prove himself, but going alone was not a good idea. So he decided to get up and go back the way he had come. But he stopped in his tracks. He stopped and turned his head as fast as he could.
"That thing I just heard... Is that what I think it is?" Noir heard something in the distance again, something no further away than the mountains. Screams of agony, but they didn't sound like they belonged to a beast. More like a human being attacked by one. The boy ran when he heard the second scream. It mattered more to him to save this person than to follow Wolf's procedure. "I need to transform before I get there... Because if I don't..."
After five minutes of non-stop running, the boy began to gasp. His legs shook from exhaustion. His eyesight was blurred by a flood of tears. His clothes became soaked with sweat, and his will was broken by the feeling of failure. He could not contain these emotions and was defeated by his own insecurity.
"I can't fail... I have to live up to it... Where is that beast!?" The boy thought he had gotten the key to transform his body, but he was only filled with anger. Still, he was able to continue for a little longer. His only guide, the screams of a woman, ceased when he was quite close. He had to continue with his intuition, trying to guess from which direction the last scream came from. "This whole area is completely open. If they were around here they would have to be in an enclosed place, like a cave or a hut. Or maybe it could have come from the forest up ahead? I don't know..."
The boy just walked on from that point. He tried to look for a house nearby, but nothing. He didn't see anything in the nearest mountains either, even though they usually contain caves inside. All seemed lost, until he heard a faint cry coming from a few bushes. Noir did not understand how someone hiding behind some bushes could have gone unnoticed, but that was no longer relevant.
He advanced slowly with one of his swords drawn and ready for combat. He peered over the bushes, but found no one. What he did find was the entrance to an underground cave, more like a burrow, from which came more cries. Nervous, he continued his way downhill and reached the cave, which to his surprise was illuminated. He did not have the courage to go any further than the entrance, he felt that what was there could end his life in an instant.
"I'm going to regret this. The woman is no longer screaming. That means there's nothing left to save. It's him against me." Thanks to the light of a campfire lit in the cave Noir was able to lean the blade of his sword out a little to see what was reflected in it. He could make out three blurry figures amidst all the fire. "That's more than I expected. What am I going to do against three werewolves? Maybe I should..."
"Sweetheart... I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. You fought to the end for our children and I... I couldn't do anything. Why does this have to happen to us...?"
"Mom, it's not your fault... Dad wouldn't want to see you like this. We have to go after that human together and avenge him!"
"Leave Mother alone, Nina. This is no time to think about that. That old man, as much as I hate to admit it, is not to blame for anything. We have trespassed on his land and fed on his animals. He has every right to turn away undesirable exiles like us."
"We are not undesirables, let alone exiles! We will return to Gelesar sooner or later! Take back what you just said, Orus!" The sister shouted.
"No matter how much you deny it, reality is not going to change. Come on, help me move Father's body. It doesn't feel good for Mother to see all this." The children lifted their father's corpse and placed it on a kind of altar made of branches and leaves. The eldest of them took a robe and covered the body with it. "We will give him a proper funeral when night comes. Burning his body in here is a bad idea."
Noir, behind his hiding place, was pensive. He didn't understand why there was a woman and two children in the beast's lair. "This doesn't make sense... Until a moment ago they were screaming and crying. There was supposed to be some ferocious beast murdering an innocent woman. I don't understand anything." An idea popped into his head. The boy looked out and saw the individuals again. They wore black garments and the woman covered her head with a hood. "No doubt about it. But they are not beasts... And one of them has died recently. His body was quite malnourished and full of wounds. It is unlikely that it was the same one that attacked the barn a few minutes ago. Who are they?"
The eldest son's ears twitched as he detected something outside the cave. He turned his head slowly and reached for a knife resting near the campfire. His eyes lit with a familiar black fire. "Mother, Nina, there's someone out there. Could it be one of them?"
Noir heard the boy's suspicions, and immediately came out of hiding. He sheathed his weapon, but the family went on the defensive as soon as they saw him. "Don't worry, I'm not here to harm you. I'm looking for a Lycan who escaped into this area recently. Have you seen or heard anything?"
"A Lycan..." The woman uncovered her face and showed her blackened eyes. "He is one of them. One of the mercenaries who have come to kill us. Nina, Orus, behind me."
"No, Mother! I will fight too!" The boy melted his skin and turned it a black fur like night, just as the contractor described the beast. The woman did the same, but something else happened. Black magic erupted from the bowels of the ground and the surrounding area was filled with hellish flames. Noir was astonished and instantly recognised such powers.
"Black flames and black magic... You are not werewolves. You are like me..." A black limb struck Noir brutally before he could finish speaking. The blow lifted him into the sky and dropped him dozens of feet away. Stunned, the boy raised his head only to see his broken body and the trail the impact had left in the ground. He had never felt a blow as powerful as that one. "What... was that...?"
Orus stepped out of the cave to face the mercenary alone. The limb that destroyed Noir's body vanished, but six smaller ones appeared on his left arm. Dayfall tried to move to avoid the attacks, but he was completely incapacitated. "This is for Father!" The boy tore off his black limbs and threw them into the air. They took the form of spears and arrows, and fell upon the helpless mercenary. Some missed, but others pierced Noir's flesh to the point of rupturing tendons and ligaments.
"Noir!" A poisonous bolt impacted Orus' neck. Wolf, Cerberus and Jane appeared down the stones' path. The boy defended himself by raising a barrier of black fire around him. The poison did not affect him, and he pulled off the bolt with no trouble. His wound regenerated within seconds. "What kind of monster is that? It's definitely not a Lycan. Jane, Cerberus, we have to help Noir!"
"Why are you humans all the same? You reject what is unknown to you. You kill what is unfamiliar. You make no effort to understand us... To you, we are little more than wild animals. Then I will treat you as you treated my family!" Orus' black magic took the form of a sword. The boy, with his foot planted on Noir's chest, prepared to pierce his heart. But Noir grabbed his leg firmly before that could happen.
"No... I'm not like you... I'm not like you!"
"He will lose control again... If only he could hear me."