Nerys wakes up to the sun shining bright into her room. The tavern is already filled with noise as she gets up. She notices Cadmus is already out, she puts her clothes on and leaves the room as well. She thanks the keeper on her way out amongst the people. As she gets out she breathes in the fresh morning air and for a second gasps and runs back to her room. She remembered her sword that they bought yesterday but it is nowhere to be found, she walks down to the maid.

"Excuse me did you happen to see a sword?"

"A sword? Oh my, it's war time my dear, i can point to several swords just in this tavern alone."

"No.. i mean in my room, a newly made sharp sword."

"I am afraid no, but maybe your roommate took it? After all, those big hands could easily weld two swords." The woman giggles as Nerys looks with a slight disgust and thanks the maid and moves on to find Cadmus.

She walks through the streets trying to find him, he looks in every inn and shop, but finds no trace of him.

"Ugh this is impossible, where did he go? My last guess is the stables, if he's not there i guess he just left me for dead." As she makes her way to the stables she sees the front gates opening and Cadmus walks in while Daisy is still in the stables as they left her last night. As she examines Cadmus more she sees him having some legs tied to his belt.

"Pheew, thanks Hunter, we would have never got that thing down." Says a man walking up to him with a puch full of money, he looks to be someone from the military, and a high ranking one at that.

"Where were you and... what is that?" Nerys points to the leg he gives to the man who's paying him as some sort of a proof.

Good morning early bird, thought you'd never wake up, figured i could keep myself busy until then, now come we have one more job to do." Cadmus greets her and starts walking into the town and grabbing her to come along.

"Okay.. first, where is my sword?"

"Ahh, it's with Daisy, did you miss it?"

"Wait... what, i thought that sword was yours!" Nerys looks back and looks at the sword on Cadmus's back, her sword is indeed on Daisy, but now it has some runes engraved in it that are identical to those on his sword.

"No, i just engraved sealing runes on it, don't think you will need it but i thought i might give it a try, who knows? Might make you stronger!" Cadmus chuckles as Nerys is looking confused.

"But i thought only you Hunters need to seal the power of the monsters, otherwise you would not be able to use the arts!"

"Let's call it an experiment." They get close to one of the inns in town nto far from the tavern they stayed at. Cadmus leans on the counter as the bartender walks up to them.

"Welcome what can i get you two?"

"Heard you might need a little favour."

"We do indeed, i was hoping you'd come here so we tried spreading the word around."

"Well, i will need some pay for this, a Hunter's gotta make a living too."

"Sure, the nearby farm is being picked on by some beasts recently, we get our wine from there too and the customers need their drinks, did not think Shadow Hunters work for money, but i find it reasonable. Just please bring them down."

"You got it." Cadmus turns around and walks out the inn with Nerys next to her.

"So.. what, now we have to pay or we get killed off by monsters? I thought all of you were supposed to protect people not take their bread from the table!" Nerys lashes out at Cadmus.

"Nerys, this monster has not killed anyone yet, it just seems to be demolishing the landscape from what i gathered, and this city has enough inns, i could go on my way and let the beast be as it would move on eventually, but i decide to help, for a price. Plus you have to earn your keep and practice too!" Nerys calms down as he hears the justification of the professional.

"Fair enough."

They get to Daisy and Nerys pulls her sword out from it's sheathe, she observes it and runs her fingers along the runes as she feels a slight pull.

"Not a fan of them?"

"N-No it's not that, i kind of like them actually, it's not as bland as before." Cadmus grins as they make their way to the gate.

"Out for the hunt again already Cadmus?"

"I have to teach the young lady somehow." Nerys rolls her eyes as Cadmus chuckles with the guards.

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"I see you make friends pretty easily."

"Have to in this line of work, but don't get too attached as the place will eventually run out of work!" Nerys smiles subtly as they walk towards the countryside.

"Wait, is that not the princess of the Emperor?" One of the guards whisper to the other.

"I think so, what if she gets killed by the monster? She barely has any armor on, she just looks like a witch from the Citadel!" The other one says in response as the other one looks at him and shrugs.

"Well, there is not much left of the Empire now anyway."

As they get close to the farm and the vineyard Cadmus spots the beast on the hill. He draws his sword and Nerys follows and does as well. As they get closer but still quite some distance away from the monster it turns towards them and screams, it's sound echoing through the hills. It looks like a giant raven, but with wings like a dragon, all that is left from it's teeth are the holes in it's jaw. Seems mostly harmless apart from it's claws.

"Are you sure i can take it down alone? It's like, three times as tall as me!"

"Well you handled the screechers pretty well too, don't worry if there will be a problem i'll hold it. It's docile now, tell me when you're ready and i can call it."

The girl breaths in and holds her sword up with one hand. "Ready!"

"Kahn mar, rhuundal!"

The beast screams once more and launches towards Nerys in the air, it extends it's bottom legs ready to snatch her up like a rabbit. She cuts one of it's legs as she steps out of the way. It's blood soaking the blade ever so slightly as the runes start to glow slightly. Nerys looks at the sword as she feels power surging out from it, there is not a single doubt in her mind.

"It is just like when i learned to use shadows!"

The monster flied towards her again now jumping down from the top ready to crush the girl beneath it. She extends her left arm out towards the beast. The huge beast crashes down on her.

"Nerys!" Cadmus holds his sword firmly in his hand as he notices a dark shield around Nerys, slowly a dark clouds focuses on one point, the beast's legs. It suddenly covers the beast's leg up until it's body and crushes them completely as the dark fog pushes the beast away. It falls down on it's back. It screams out in pain as Nerys runs towards it to finish it off, she jumps on the beast's belly and goes to stab it in it's heart as it hits her with it's wing, launching the girl down on to the ground beating the air out of her lungs.

The monster stands on one of it's wings and swings down on the girl from the sky. She rolls out of the attack just barely dodging it, as she stands up she runs towards the beast and swings her sword around her slashing the beast's side.

"Hm, nice easy move." Cadmus comments as he watches the fight.

As she swings around with her other hand she covers it in fire and as it hits the beast it cuts in it even more making sure it's dead as the fire burns it's inner organs.

"Well- at least she makes sure now." Cadmus smiles in pride and walks towards her.

As she catches her breath Cadmus slightly laughs at the sight of the once elegant and beautiful princess now covered in a beast's blood.

"You look like a true hunter."

"I sure do smell like one now!" They both laugh as she puts her sword away.

"Well, it does not have any claws to bring back though."

"Then you will take it's eye. We need proof." Nerys looks in disgust and sighs and gets her dagger out. She takes out one of the beast's eyes with a digust on her face, she holds it in her hand as they walk back to the city. As they make their way on the trail the beast follows them with it's other eye as it then closes it.

As they walk to the gate, the two guards stand in awe as they see Nerys covered in blood holding the monster's eye.

"By the heavens above, never thought i'd see this." Says one of the guards.

"She has more balls than the two of you combined!" Cadmus makes fun of the guards as Nerys laughs along with him. They walk to the tavern, Nerys walks in as Cadmus leans against the front door. Her face is washed off at least, she makes her way to the counter, the bartender chuckles.

"What? Did the brute get swallowed by the dragon?"

"No, i killed it!" The girl says proudly.

"Oh ho-ho i'm sure, where is it's claw?"

"Sadly there was not much left of it, but here's something better." She outs the eye on the counter as the man covers his eyes and looks away in disgust.

"Ugh- what the- fine!" He puts the pouch filled with coins on the counter.

"Just take that away from here!" The girl laughs as do the few people sitting at the tables. She snatches her pay and the eyeball as Cadmus chuckles from the doorway.

She hands Cadmus the pouch, but he gives it back to her. "It's all yours, you need a horse anyway."

Nerys smiles as she puts her money away and they walk away from the inn.