A loud knocking reached his ears and he slowly began opening his eyes, letting in the light of the still rising sun coming into his room from the large window.

"Master Larc- . . . I mean Zane. Your presence has been requested at today's breakfast and I was told to wake you in time," a feminine voice said.

Zane grunted loudly to signal her that he was awake and then got out of bed.

They said that they want to hunt today . . . better wear my armour then.

He walked over to the table and grabbed his hard leather armour, the aurium gauntlet with the rune on it and his belt with the two satchels, the holsters for his two guns and the sheath for his katana. Then he put on his shirt, and the thin pair of pants he always wore beneath his armour. Afterwards, he walked over to the door and opened it. Outside stood the human servant from yesterday, dressed in the same pale pink dress and the dark red vest. Unlike yesterday he now took a closer look at her, at her orange hair that barely touched her shoulders and covered one of her dark green eyes and at her necklace, a necklace similar to the one Zane had, a dark string with the ring of the Vermillions on it. He smiled when he saw that he wasn't the only one that prefered it that way.

"Is something the matter?" she asked, holding her head slightly at an angle and hiding her hands behind her back all the while leaning forward a bit.

Zane shook his head, still smiling. Then he walked past her and towards the corridor that led to the baths.

"Breakfast is in half an hour, master Larc- I mean Zane," she said, chuckling afterwards.

Zane raised his hand and waved at her with a smile on his face.

She might very well be the best thing about this place.

He entered the corridor, put his clothes and armour into one of the baskets, grabbed a towel and entered the bath. Two people were already inside. Xavier, whose crimson red eyes immediately focused on him as he entered the room, glancing up and down his large body. And Mira, who sat next to him but still held her distance, hiding her body from him.

What a marriage that will be.

Zane sat down in the warm water, facing the two.

"Ah, Zane, you're awake," Mira said with a bright smile on her face.

Zane noticed her posture change from stiff to slightly more relaxed as if she felt safer now.

Does he hit her? If so am I allowed to protect her? Or am I supposed to take his site since he has a higher standing in the family than her? Can't very well ask Holvin if I'm allowed to hit his son . . . I could ask those three, they seem to have more experience with this job than me.

"So, Zane. Are you ready for the hunt? We leave shortly after breakfast, we will eat what we hunt. I always wanted to try such a lifestyle. And with you there we have someone who has plenty experience . . . living like a wild animal," Xavier said.

Really now . . . how nice. And what exactly did Merana mean about him being quiet? All I see is an obnoxious brat.

Zane smiled and nodded slowly, staring into his eyes. Xavier looked away with an awkward look on his face.

"But we shall return in time for dinner," Xaver said, staring at the statues that had been carved into the wall.

Zane looked over to Mira, who had an annoyed and angry look on her face.

"Do you even have any knowledge about the animals that live here?" Mira asked mockingly as she turned her head towards her future husband.

"What? Do you mean me?" he asked, with a shocked look on his face. "Of course I know about the beasts that inhabit our lands. There are the mammoths up in the mountains, those large deer and stags, the sabre-tooths, bears and wolfs. Do you want me to keep going?"

Xavier looked at Mira as if she had just insulted him, his family and everything he stood for. Mira looked back at him with a slight grin on her face. And Zane tried to avoid looking at Xavier as he held in his laughter.

Beats? He's calling mammoths, wolfs, deer and such . . . beasts? Oh, he will be lucky if we only run into those . . .

"What are you doing? If you have something to say then say it . . . bodyguard," Xavier said with an angry look on his face.

Zane shook his head, still avoiding Xavier with his eyes.

"Oh really now? Do you have a problem with the beasts I named? Are you perhaps laughing about my supposed lack of knowledge?" he asked.

"N-No . . . it's just that those aren't really . . . beasts, you know," Zane said.

"Oh, so those aren't beasts? So then what kind of real beasts would we possibly encounter?" Xavier asked, mocking Zane with every word he said.

"Some form of dire beast is likely to appear, there are wyverns in the mountains, some of the caves are home to stalkers if my sources are correct . . . tunnelers live around here as well and there is always the possibility that one of the basilisks travelled here all the way from the canyons. I mean the Boriam Region is right next to us," Zane said with a smug look on his face.

"Oh . . .," Xavier said after swallowing.

"We should probably head down to the dining hall now," Mira said, breaking the silence.

"Right you are my dear," Xavier said, having regained his confidence.

Zane quickly washed his hair and got out of the water, dried himself with the towel and then headed out of the bath where he put on his clothes along with his armour.

"What kind of gauntlet is that?" Xavier asked.

"Aurium," Zane answered.

"What? Aurium? Are you trying to make fun of me? Everyone knows that such metals do not exist!" Xavier said angrily.

Wait till you figure out your future wife has an aurium arm ring. That reminds me, when are they getting married anyway.

Zane, now dressed in his armour stepped out of the room and walked down the corridor, following the angry Xavier and Mira who looked back at him every so often. Together they walked down to the dining hall. As soon as they entered Zane heard a familiar voice.

"Uh, Zane!" Lovana said loudly while waving at him.

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She sat next to a tall woman with very long hair. Zane nodded and smiled at her as he walked over to his chair and sat down next to Mira. Shortly after the door in the back opened and servants came out with plates filled with bread, cheese, meat, fruits and a few sweets. After them came the servants with the cutlery and plates for them. Once they had finished setting the table they disappeared behind the door again.

Everyone started putting food on their plates and began eating. After a while, Zane looked at Mira.

"So, when are you two getting married anyway?" he asked quietly so that only Mira could hear him.

"Oh . . . they plan to hold the ceremony in about two months . . . it's custom for us to get married in the birth month of the man," Mira said, also quiet enough so that only he could hear her.

Born in the month of the moon goddess . . . Vin said that it used to be a sign of good luck.

Zane nodded and went back to eating. It didn't take long for everyone to finish and people began leaving the room. As they were leaving Zane could feel someone poke his side. He looked down and saw Lovana.

"Yo, how are you?" she asked.

"So, so, gotta go hunting with them today," Zane said.

"Oh, that sounds like fun . . . my mistress never does fun things like that so I always just hang out at the training grounds with those two," Lovana said.

"I got a question for you," Zane said as they were walking up the stairs, following after Xavier, Mira and Lovana's mistress.

"What is it?" Lovana asked.

"In case both of the people that I'm supposed to guard fight . . . whose side am I supposed to take?" Zane asked.

Lovana chuckled.

"You really are new to this . . . never had anything like that in a job as a mercenary?" she asked.

Zane shook his head.

"Just help the one Holvin likes more . . . in your case that would be Mira," Lovana said. "He doesn't really like his son since he never became a warrior . . . that's why he wants Mira in the main family, she always showed promise as a fighter so he hopes his grandkids will follow after him, follow after the Golden Fox."

"The Golden Fox?" Zane asked with an amused look on his face.

"Yeah, that was Holvin's nickname back when he was still a soldier for the army of his father. Apparently, he was pretty good as well and earned that name," Lovana said.

Zane chuckled.

"Enough talk, come, Zane, we need to get you a horse," Xavier said.

"See you later," Zane said to Lovana.

She nodded at him and he began following Xavier and Mira out of the mansion and down the stairs. Once they reached the large platform Xavier whistled loudly and shortly after a servant came running towards them, dressed in black clothing with a white shirt.

"You have called master Vermillion," the man said.

"Yes, we must find a suitable horse for our bodyguard," Xavier said, pointing at Zane.

For a few seconds, the servant just looked up and down Zane's huge body with a slightly shocked look on his face.

"Hmm . . . I don't know if we have a horse exactly big enough . . . but maybe we have a few good contenders," the servants said, holding his chin with one hand. "If you would please follow me," he said after a few more seconds of thought, pointing at Zane.

"Bring our usual horses as well," Xavier said to the servant who nodded in response.

Zane followed the servant along the walkways that branched of from the platform until they reached a stable that had been embedded into the mountain itself just like the five mansions, one for each of the Vermillion families. He followed the servant inside and waited for him to bring a horse to him.

The inside was well lit with sorcery crystals that lined the walls. In the middle was a large open space that was surrounded by the horses' compartments, each holding two horses.

The servant walked towards a compartment in the back, inside were two horses much taller than the rest. He came back with one of the large horses. It was completely black and had a long mane.

"Try this one," he said.

Zane noticed some worry on his face. He walked up to the horse which the servant left in the middle of the stable and lifted himself up into the leather saddle. It was slightly uncomfortable at first but he quickly got used to it. He looked down to the servant who had a surprised but satisfied look on his face.

"She usually retaliates when people try to ride her . . . the only one who could before was mistress Helga," the servant said. "Try riding around a bit."

Zane kicked the horse and it started moving. He rode out of the stable and stopped the mare once he was outside. The sight of the city was amazing. The sun had nearly passed the mountaintops entirely and was moving towards the zenith, slowly but surely. Zane looked back into the stable where he saw the servant walking towards him with two horses.

"Well then, master Larcadia, let us return," he said.

Zane nodded and rode back to the platform where Mira and Xavier were waiting. A few guards had gathered there as well, already on their horses.

"Ah, Zane, she liked you," Mira said once she saw him on the black mare.

Zane smiled and nodded at her.

"Well then, I see no reason to stay here any longer than, let us venture into the wilds of the Velva Highland," Xavier said, mostly to the guards and avoiding Zane entirely.

The guards cheered. Mira and Xavier mounted their horses and they began riding down the large ramp that led into the city, surrounded by guards. Zane looked around, glancing at each guard individually.

Good thing they brought cannon fodder.

Together the small group, consisting of Zane, Mira, Xavier and four guards rode along the street, passing many people that stared at them with interested eyes, towards the large gate leading out of the city. Once they reached it the small demi-human opened the gate for them and they left.

It was somehow slightly colder outside of the city than inside.

Must have a massive crystal down there . . .there must be some crazy source of Aura in this city.

For a few hours they followed the road until one of the guards said, "Master Vermillion, this is the place."

"Ah, perfect," Xavier answered as he led his horse into the forest.

A bit into the forest was a small hut with a stable next to it, sitting on the front porch of the small hut was an old man, smoking his pipe and swinging in his rocking chair.

"Ah, the young Vermillion boy," the old man said.

He got up, holding his round straw hat down with one hand.

"Whad can I do for ya?" he asked.

"We would like to keep a few horses here . . ." He turned to the guards, "Which of you is the best rider?" he asked.

One of the guards drove his horse a few steps forwards.

"I am, master Vermillion," she said.

"Good, you will keep your horse with you, the rest of you, bring your horses into the stables," Xavier said.

"I'll look after 'em," the old man said with a smile on his face, showing the few teeth he still had.

Will he even survive until we return?

Zane and the other guards brought their horses into the stable and went back outside. Xavier had gotten a crossbow and a quiver filled with bolts from somewhere, all looking more expensive than most weapons Zane had ever seen.

"Alright, follow me, I shall be the first to slay a bea- animal today," Xavier said.

Must not want me to laugh at him again.

Zane followed after the group, Mira slowing down to walk beside him. She was dressed in the same hard leather armour Zane had first met her in.

"So, what are our chances of running into anything actually dangerous?" she asked.

"I'd say pretty unlikely, most dire beasts won't start hunting for their deep sleep until the tenth, maybe ninth so we should be safe," Zane said. "I doubt a Wyvern will come down from the mountains and a tunneler is unlikely to come out as well, stalkers won't go into the sunlight or moonlight, probably not even shadows so we should be safe . . . and I mean the chances of us actually running into a Basilisk are towards zero, I just said that to scare him a bit."

Mira chuckled and Zane could immediately feel Xavier's crimson red eyes focused on him.

"Mira would yo-" Xavier began but he was interrupted by the sound of cracking branches.

Everyone immediately looked to where the noise came from.

Lucky bastard.

It was a single, large, stag, its antlers were massive and almost looked like trees with branches going in every direction imaginable. They seemed sharp enough to stab through even the thickest of armours.

A lone dire stag . . . how will he deal with this?

Xavier raised one fist, signalling everyone to be silent as he sneaked through the snow, getting closer to the large stag. He hid behind a bush and aimed his crossbow. As he was about to shoot a loud growling coming from the side alarmed the stag.

Oh no . . . oh fuck no.

It was over in an instant. A bear, as large as the small hut the old man lived in, broke through the trees, ramming them to the ground. The beasts ran at the large stag and bit through its neck, letting what was left of its head fall into the snow which immediately turned red.

Its fur was grey and fuzzy, its eyes were dark and its teeth were as long as daggers, and just as sharp. Zane saw the creatures nose twitch and its head slowly turn towards Xavier.

He pissed himself, didn't he?

The dire bear let go of the stag's lifeless body, letting it fall into the snow. It slowly began approaching them.

Xavier's head slowly turned to Zane and he saw his mouth form the words, "Help."

Zane smiled and looked around at the other guards, all of them were frozen in shock, even Mira was shaking. The horse had long since run away, its loud neigh having been drowned out by the dire bears growling just like the screaming of the guard that had fallen of it and was now sitting in the snow.

Guess this is up to me . . .this family will definitely be the death of me.