Jin turned and eased his eyes away from the Age of Old. Those events were certainly a lot to take in a single sitting.

Though the bewildering description of the Alanothian Empire had spun the room in its place , he couldn't help but notice the many names of great warriors from ages past.; especially the remaining four whom were added to House Bahaeryon at the end, it made his imagination reach its peak.

Among the figures chosen by Azazel, one of them stood out for its name that brought a strange feeling of familiarity. Perhaps because the crimson-eyed ascendant seemed to touch upon this subject. The dreams were flimsy. Could his memory be deceiving his instinct?

Isabella… could it be?

The vastness of the continent was something he'd never stopped to think about, especially since he didn't think he'd be able to visit it all; Barcana, Lantaria and the perilous ruins of Alanoth among all else. Kaban Village was all he knew, and he didn't think the opportunity would arise any sooner. However, after that reading he felt a sense of curiosity steadily growing within. A passion for the truths shrouded in ambiguity of ages. A reason for search beyond its undiscoverable domains.

“I found it!” Suddenly uttered the orange-eyed woman, jumping from her chair in happiness.

Concentration lost. Vendrick had their reading completely ruined and turned his annoyance toward her. A mixture of relief and surprise adorning her looks. With her shoulders hunched, she smiled serenely. Keeping it closed to her chest, a book that seemed to weigh more than her. On the dusted cover, he could barely make out "Diary of Martha Nyhann.”

"Here, take a look at this," she said as the book was thrown open at the table. Flipping through the pages quickly, Jin noticed that this book had a totally different feel to the one he had been reading. Not only was the vocabulary different, but it seemed to have an entire first-person narrative, functioning much like a day to day report and going into in-depth details of each bounty accepted. A career worthy of them.

Alaeria's hands handled the book so cautiously that Jin even felt that her respect for the author had some family ties involved. However, he couldn't rule out the fact that maybe he was the odd one. Was there an etiquette to abide by? He wasn't sure nor would he feel comfortable asking.

After all, this was his first time in Sanctum's Library. In any library, for that matter.

“Here, chapter seven. It describes a humanoid figure that has similar claws on a mission in the Sacred Empire of Asteko.”

"Asteko? This makes no sense." said Jin.

He was not alone in this. Shortly after, Vendrick frowned in denial, “It can't be, a vampire would not be able to enter Sanctum undetected even if they were a thousand years old. The protection runes and elemental techniques that guard the three outer doors have been proven their effectivity against abominations. After Nyntharas—a Herald devoted to a certain Ascendant of Decay— found his forces repelled through faith and arms, even his apostles tremble beneath the Nine Sages protection."

“I stand with you on this view Vendrick, Sanctum has always had mankind's protection, ever since its foundation."

"Aye, The Golden Prince's will.”

Alaeria smiled at Vendrick's statement, as if she had found her soul mate right then and there,

"However, the relations between the various Demihuman races and Humans were far different from what it is now. We stand divided." said Alaeria.

"What do you mean?" said Jin.

“In chapter seven of this book, Martha comes across a very unique species,” pointed out Alaeria, “She describes a humanoid over ten feet tall, with furry skin like an animal. Two horns protrude from its iron-hard forehead, and despite having paws like a bull's, it has a posture almost identical to that of humans. In the case of a cloaked figure, we would never be able to properly identify the horns.”

Now that Jin had heard Alaeria's theory, things were starting to make sense. Given they hold true; If Sanctum had been built with the protection of humans in mind, then clearly the wards and symbols inscribed on the walls and gates would not have been adapted to current days. Several non-human nations such as Asteko are currently in amiability to Sanctum, unlike the days of Nyntharas. However, Vendrick still found himself unconvinced.

Pulling the book open on the table next to him, he began flipping through the chapter, still undecided, he flicked through his grey hair and declared, “No, that doesn’t make sense either. The Nine Keepers have always been in charge of Sanctum, there would be absolutely no chance for them to leave such a hole in our main defenses.”

“They may be Sages, but they are still open to diplomacy. The days have changed."

“No…I don’t think they would. These are the sharpest minds of the elemental warriors, they have spent hundreds of years cultivating knowledge and honoring their wits for the good of mankind.”

“You put too much trust into people, Vendrick. I pity you.”

While Alaeria and Vendrick discussed theories, Jin seized the moment. Sincerely analyzing the book and the last pages, he noticed a detail that definitely could not be ignored.

"Guys..."

“Pity me? Look the one who is talking. Lord Fenathus must be fuming at the sight of their eldest daughter risking her life without a heir.”

"Excuse me?"

"Guys!" Jin called once more, impatiently pulling them closer.

"What?" They both approached in unison.

Jin started flipping through the pages as Vendrick and Alaeria had originally done, but this time he did it more slowly and all the way. Until...the end could be known.

After flipping through chapter seven further, Jin noticed that the later pages were blank. In fact, there was no chapter eight. And then he realized; now analyzing it calmly, even chapter seven was incomplete.

That reality made the hairs on all three in the room stand with no end. It was a fact that they couldn't run away even if they wished. The truth stood in their faces, whether they desired to stare into its eyes or not. Every warrior in Sanctum who accepted contracts risked their life. There was no such guarantee that they would see their loved ones again. And that fact brought forth the uneasiness shared between the three of them.

Perhaps a little paranoid, Jin was starting to look around. Desperately looking at every face that were on the neighboring tables. He calmly watched the groups of people, other Elemental Warriors and Disciples who were running out of time and reading books for different purposes. Yet they all encompassed the risk. He started to panic more and more, sweating profusely.

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They were on the third floor, so it was fair to assume; some of the people who were in this room were just as strong in power as Vendrick. Sentinel in body and mind, those around the table except him. If he was optimistic, he'd feel protected. So why then—as reality set in did he feel worse and worse?

Because when he looked around, he saw dozens of strong warriors, warriors armed with items that his mind couldn't even comprehend. Weapons imbued in pure elemental flow, stronger than most metals which made the armory of regular men-at-arms.

Certainly, It didn't matter the magnitude of power and strength these people carried with them in their shields and holy symbols. Because when he ignored all these details, Jin realized that beneath all the elemental power, behind the robes blessed by the elemental gods themselves...they were all strangely young.

That realization pierced his skull with a throbbing knife.

It made him feel sick, for an absurd nausea had quickly spread through his body and taken hold of his stomach. The mere thought that they were all young could be interpreted in many ways, however Jin had soon jumped to the more pessimistic, more realistic observation of the situation.

They were all young, because nobody lasted long in Sanctum. Because of all the thousands of mighty warriors they encountered along the way, all this time they had no time to grow a beard, or have families. None of them except the Nine Keepers in Sanctum seemed to have had a long life.

And that thought...it haunted him.

"The last page doesn't specify what happened to the last contract, but by the description given here, it could have been the last one of their kind."

"Now that you mention , it does remind me of a Minotaur..." Vendrick said, "Thought It could have also been a vampire with very sharp nails, but the height by itself should rule that out."

"Could that mean the Nine Keepers assumed the Minotaur was killed by Martha?" Jin doubtfully suggested.

“Therefore a protection for their extinct kind would no longer be of need!” Vendrick figured at last, “That might be it!”

The three of them looked at each other and smiles were shared. The theory was solid. Sanctum theoretically could very well have hidden the truth about what happened to Martha; that way they could have had the space to fabricate the truth. However, this monster still seemed to be on the loose. And today, they would hunt this creature for the last time for the good of the kingdom.

"If we assume that the creature is truly this Minotaur in question, is there any way for you to track it?"

“You two are speaking with the best tracker on the third floor and under. There absolutely is a way to track it, just give me the nail, or whatever that is.”

Jin quickly handed the claw to Alaeria and she placed it on the table. Then she opened several books around, with the topic of tracking, and started to work. Watching each symbol for a few seconds, she was able to inscribe almost instinctively every detail and risk that made them unique. The drawings were reproduced on the table specifically for the race in question they were hunting. And then finally she asked Jin to deliver the final item for the technique to work. Suddenly, she started working the elemental energy within the symbol, and from what Vendrick had told him, she was practically asking her Elemental God to help her find it.

She had never mentioned out loud, but she loved it when she got those looks. The same gaze the two boys in front of her were showing now, they oozed appreciation and curiosity. Impressing boys made her feel more powerful than anything else, and she had honestly missed it after such a long time. But Alaeria couldn't assume they were drooling over her craftsmanship. After all, she was aware that her specialty was not well known to many, but for Alaeria tracking monsters was much more than a mere investigative activity, it had been part of her forever. Most of all, she belonged to House Fenathus.

Alaeria Fenathus was a Sentinel of Sanctum, and the elemental god she followed was the most unlike god of all; his name spoken aloud made even the bravest knight tremble at their core for Necros—the God of Death— would soon go claim each of his creations. Similarly in a way, there was no man or woman who could escape the clutches of house Fenathus, recognized for their innate ability to be dragon slayers. But now they were nothing but the shadow of her past. After the dragons were extinguished, they had never had the same reputation again. Alaeria tried to seek a renaissance for her family with the art of hunting.

For her, the attempt on her colleague Vendrick's life had been practically the opportunity her family had been waiting for for decades. If they were able to kill the last living member of the Minotaurs, her name would forever be remembered in the books. And statues would be erected in her name and Elba's nobility would certainly be forced to please her as best they could, giving her the best chance to humiliate her ex-boyfriend, Ringo with her heroic acts shadowing any kind of gossip or lie he could make up about her.

By channeling all the elemental energy she could distribute to the object in her current form, she couldn't help but feel she would move on to High Sixth Sense stage if she achieved success in this quest. The stage many elemental warriors were locked in was where she was, right now. And if she did it in front of the yellow-eyed Sentinel, the handsome Vendrick, it would be even better.

Spouting words that Vendrick practically ignored because he knew they were prayers not aimed toward him, but by Nekros himself. Suddenly, streams of yellow light rose from the inscriptions like sharpened sparks, beautiful and bright,yet dark and unwelcome to the touch.

His younger brother Jin certainly couldn't see the same thing he was watching. That's because he'd reached the Sentinel elemental stage, and was already at the Middle Sixth Sense stage, which wasn't yet a full skill on its own but it was a good start. Once High Sixth Sense was reached, it would allow Vendrick to see what kind of elemental energy was being channeled, and to what part of the body it was being focused at all times, yet even now, if he focused hard enough, he could see how closely Alaeria was embracing Nekros. Harvesting the energy around her, she was only interested in the darkest, foggiest nature to breath it into her nucleus. As was expected from a menacing Sentinel of the Elemental.

This meant that virtually all Sentinels like him were capable of observing what she was doing, however they wouldn’t immediately get the grasp of the symbols around her. Those required extensive training in ancient runes and sigils since birth; a very desired asset to have on their side.

Sixth Sense was more than the three stages required to advance to Guardian, in fact Vendrick had realized the biggest advantage that they had over Disciples once they awakened it. Even at the Minor stage, information went a long way. Above all, it's about knowing what kind of elemental energy each person mastered, as long as they had one. And there was no armor or defense that could defend them from such an ability, for it was not a technique associated with the physical world, but the world of elemental energies, one that humans knew little about how to defend themselves from. The only exception Vendrick had found so far were two types of people. And they couldn't be more different.

One of them were the nine Keepers in Sanctum; guardians of the last floor of their holy fortress, they were all guardians and would rarely be seen outside the outer walls. Preferring to spend their time with scholastics, their centuries of studying had allowed them to learn techniques many men would not deem possible such as sharing the view of birds and insects. Few claimed they were they could talk to birds and even fight side by side with packs of wolves and tigers.

The utter respect he had was not for their own personalities or how they treated him personally, but for having harvested so much elemental energy over the years, they were then able to refine it to a purity no other ranks could equal in their nucleus. Even now, so close to reaching the Guardian rank; such a degree of purity was unknown to Sentinels, so it was an area that Vendrick did not fully understand yet. Perhaps the Keepers did have a way to protect their nucleus and prevent it from being read by Sentinels, a much lower rank in the elemental cultivation hierarchy.

Placing the darkened object in her palm, Alaeria clenched her fist and held it in the air. A crackle of shattering bones was heard, followed by her harsh tone.

『Nekros - Reveal Locus』

The claw they had collected was gone. Now turned to ashes, it was inhaled by the girl's nostrils. Instead of opening a silly face as was usually the case with addicts to medicinal herbs who acted similarly, Alaeria made a face of disgust. Her eyes moved slightly in all directions. Her dilated pupil was quivering as if the lava in her eyes was desperately looking for a way to escape from inside her.

Just as Vendrick started to get worried, the girl waved her wrist in the air calmly. After uncomfortable seconds that had felt like minutes, her eyes finally rested. Noticing the brotherly duo in front of her, she cried out, "I found him."

Jin swallowed hard, the time for battle was approaching. Unlike previous times, he would not hesitate. All the weakness and fear he'd had on his journey had stayed in Ferris, and he wanted none of it.

Besides, this time he would have a name to call forth.

Isabella Bahaeryon.