Ly started to wake up when he smelled an unusual substance under his nose. He awoke suddenly to the sight of Master Zoe holding a strange vial under his nostrils containing a strange white silvery substance that made him wake up in an instant. He would have swatted her arm away, if his companion Ar wasn’t holding him back.

“He’s awake, praise the Kings.” Zoe rolled her eyes with a smile.

“What’s going on?” Ly was confused. “What is she doing? Why are you here?”

“Relax Lycurgus, she was helping revive you?”

“R-revive me?”

“You were knocked pretty hard by that ice and dirt, luckily I had my smelling salts with me.” She looked at the vial in her possession. “It’s amazing what you can make with a little silver deer horn.”

“Why are you helping me?”

“After the Earth Dragon left, me and your pal Argus had little discussion.” Master Zoe said, putting away her vial in her dress pocket. “Imagine my surprise when I found out you guys are privatized hunters and working for the Menanders nonetheless.”

Lycurgus looked to Argus as if some major taboo had been broken, but he nodded in assurance there was no cause for alarm.

“You were unconscious, she offered assistance, in exchange I explained why we attacked first without provocation.” Argus bowed his head in apology.

“For what it’s worth, I’ve been to war myself and I know a thing or two about classified missions.” Master Zoe said. “Although, in my day we usually asked more questions before going straight to panic and fire.”

“My apologies, we thought you might be after our quarry.” Lycurgus got up from his back. “We’ve got reports of smugglers and unauthorized hunters in the area, I thought you might have been there to kill it yourself.”

“Funny, we thought you wanted to do the same.” Zoe laughed. “I guess we weren’t very good at first impressions either.” It was then that Zoe heard the sound of footsteps coming out of the forest.

She turned around to see Anthony and the newly acquainted Zena Febronia walking out together in arms.

“Zee, you’re back!” Argus rushed over to her side. “Where’s Elliot?”

“El’s back taking care of the quarry, he’s already signaled the retrieval team to contain the creature soon.” Zena responded.

“What the Kings happened here, Zee?” Argus said in frustration. “You were supposed to draw the quarry to your location and spring the star gem circle, but it practically ran wild out of the woods causing you to chase it?”

“I can’t explain it myself, but apparently it has something to do with this man.” Zena introduced Anthony to her companions.

“You?!” Argus nearly fell back when he saw Anthony again.

“Do not be alarmed, Ms. Febronia explained the situation to me earlier.” He lowered his head to apologize. “I was unaware that all of you were in a private Grade A Hunters outfit on special orders from the state.”

“It’s not something we really brag about.” Argus regained his composure. “Especially when this type of quarry is involved.”

“I’d have heard rumors of demon activity making it to the Duchy, but I thought it was merely rumor and speculation.” Anthony lamented.

“I’m guessing it's a need to know basis and the common person doesn’t need to know unless it’s absolutely necessary.” Master Zoe looked toward Zoe with a stern eye.

“Our plan was to lure the quarry into the star gem circle using ourselves as bait, but we had not expected it to diverge from its path so we had to improvise.” Zena explained. “Although I’m still not aware of why this demon was more attracted to Anthony instead of a high powered Fire Mage.”

“I’ll tell you what I know during the debriefing, but right now we best secure the quarry for transport.” Argus walked to Zena’s side. “One thing I wanna ask before that, how is it that two civilians like yourself happened to know there was demon activity in the area, let alone chase it down yourself?”

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“Depends, do you want to explain why the Menander Bank has its own team of Grade A hunters on retainer?”

Argus was speechless, but Zena simply chuckled slightly at a sudden realization.

“I thought you looked familiar.” Zena examined Zoe’s wrinkled face and body. “You’re the woman from the bank interview. Forgive me, I didn’t recognize your bodyguard without his coat.”

“Oh..well..that.” Anthony remembered the coat and shirt had been consumed by the two materials earlier causing a slight embarrassment. “It’s hard to explain at this current time.”

“If I recall correctly Mr. Menander’s appointments included a personal interview with a certain Pharmacist from the Low States, who happens to also be a skill mage retired professor from the Empire.”

“You seem well informed for just being a retained hunter.” Master Zoe looked at her back with admiration.

“Most of the time, I’m just his secretary.” She corrected me. “It’s not uncommon for hunters to get a second job during their off time, not many can live as a full time hunter unless they’re quite exceptional...seeing as you are professor from the Empire and veteran of the mainland, I assume you have some experience with tracking demons.”

“...Yes, I suppose you could say it’s a sixth sense of sorts.” Zoe turned to Anthony.

As if speaking with her eyes she informed him not to reveal the true source of their arrival and he nodded back in agreement.

“I can forgive the interference of a war veteran considering you were unaware of our mission and may have acted as a concerned citizen of the Empire.”

“A misunderstanding, on my part.” Master Zoe waved off. “In hindsight I realized that all your assaults were a bit excessive, but considering but it’s a state matter I can understand the concept of keeping the common masses out of such affairs?”

“We are trained to assume the worst when dealing with demons.” Argus mentioned. “Everyone knows that demon skins, parts, and gemstones are extremely valuable, but most don't understand the real dangers that demons pose after death.”

“You don’t have to tell me. A demon body is a toxic bile poisonous death. It could scourch the the land in this continent like it did in the mainland. That’s why the Empire’s used fire forces to dispose of the bodies after harvesting.”

“What will you do with the demon now that it’s captured?” Anthony asked Zena.

“The Menander Bank has a special off site facility in the Free States for processing demons.” Zena nodded her head. “Rest assured the proper preparations will be made to transport it safely before harvesting.”

“Do us a favor, and leave our names out of this.” Master Zoe said. “Whatever your organization has planned, I have my own affairs to manage.”

“Very well Ms. Gaia.” Zena bowed. “I’ll be sure to leave you and your companion’s involvement in the strictest of confidence.”

Bzzt! A small ringing came to Anthony’s ear like the sound dog whistle that pierced his brain and earlobes. It was hard to make out, but it sounded like a voice speaking directly into his head.

The extraction team is closing in, reporting back to secure the quarry and debriefing, the voice said.

“If you’ll excuse us, I believe our operation is just about to wrap up.” Zena waved at her companions to accompany her back into the woods. “If you’re as wise as I hope, you’ll remember to forget what you saw here tonight as well.”

Master Zoe quietly nodded as the team departed swiftly. Right before they left, Argus turned his head and looked Anthony right in the face with a smile.

“Your name’s Bios?” Argus recalled Master Zoe called him. “I’ll have to remember that in the future.” Then they were all gone as quickly as they had arrived.

Anthony started rubbing his ears viciously as Master Zoe had done before, bringing her to ask.

“Did you get dirt in there too?”

“No Master Zoe, for a moment I thought I heard a voice ringing in my ear. I think it might have been Ultra Frequency?”

“You can pick up Ultra Frequencies with those ears of yours?”

“Kind of...” He rubbed his ears again. “Did you notice how Ms. Febronia had Silver Gem earring on around her right ear?”

“I wasn’t looking for one, but now that you mention it I found a similar gem on my patient’s ear when I gave him an examination.”

“Silver Gems contain Mythril, a Wind element. In certain refinements, it can also be used for communication using Ultra Frequency.”

“You’re very observant, Bios...” She looked over her shoulder behind her back. “...I think the horse might have gotten spoked during all the commotion? You think you can track it down, I don’t want to have to pay the carriage driver for losing it.”

“Maybe...” He turned his head to acquire the time of night. “...before dawn perhaps?”

“Well in the meantime, why don’t you tell me how you know so much about elemental gems and wind mages?”

“Actually, it was my sister Vera who taught me.” He walked escorting Master Zoe down the scorched and tattered land. “She had a lot of interesting theories about elemental gems properties, it’s how she got into The Nomiki Institute...”

They talked and walked as they searched for the horse all night. They managed to find it quickly due to Anthony’s skills. By the time they managed to take it back to the Inn, dawn was already approaching and there was much to explain with their friend. Selene had barely gotten any sleep during the whole night waiting for everyone to return. By dawn's early light they had discussion regarding what events had transpired that night in the woods.