Ex entered a dark room. He could sense a presence of one other person. A very familiar presence.
"Hello, brother" chuckled Ex.
"Brother, it's very nice to see you back" said a voice among the dark. "Have you done as master has asked?"
Ex started laughing. "I almost killed a white haired boy, but if that happened, there was a girl there I could have told the message to"
"I don't need details Ex, as long as you got the message to Lady Shino" said ???.
A long pause where a battle of energy between the brothers broke out. Not a single fist was thrown but the battle soon seemed to end. Ex surrendered.
"Never try to cross me brother," said ???. "You next assignment is..."
---
Ex's next assignment found him in the ice fields of Vales. A blizzard made visibility almost zero. Sight was not needed for this mission though.
Soon he found who he was looking for, a figure wrapped in a robe. It was feasting on a carcass of some animal. Blood stained the feeding ground.
Ex shouted above the storm, "are you the Beast of Ice?"
The figure stood up to face Ex. It nodded in reply.
"Prove it" provoked Ex.
The figure raised his hand to Ex. Ex's hand turned into an ice cube. Tissue could be seen rapidly dying inside the clear ice.
Ex clenched a fist to break the ice. His hand rapidly regained it's color. Ex started laughing. "You are a troublesome beasty to find. On behalf of our master, I bring word of your next target."
Yuri was alone in the impending pressure of darkness of the chamber. It has been two long years, alone. The results were satisfying, though.
She opened her eyes and looked around. Hidden in the darkness were thirteen shadows. They took human form in black robes. She summoned them using the knowledge she obtained from the books.
She reached out her hand. The darkness drew in to form a long bow, and in her back arrows.
She watched for the slightest movement in the abyss. The shadows would attack her at their full strength. A great solo training method.
Yuri fired off three arrows at once. Each hit something in the darkness. Three shadows went up in smoke. A fourth arrow went towards some clearing smoke to destroy a shadow that was hiding behind the first.
Three shadows ran up behind Yuri to attack her from the back. Yuri turned at the last second and vanquished all three.
Yuri fell forward. A shadow had managed to make contact to the back of her head. She went to jump to her feet but she was surrounded by all six shadows.
Damn it!! thought Yuri. The only was out was the flame. She had concluded it was borderline cheating, but shadows aim to kill.
The flame ignited in Yuri. She jumped up into the air. Quickly she sent off six arrows, one missed. As she landed the last shadow was in mid-strike. She dropped her bow, grabbed the shadows fist, then punched it in the face sending it into smoke.
The flame died instantly after the battle ended. Once again Yuri stood alone in the chamber. Again! Yuri thought, summoning thirteen more shadows.
Two months had passed since Coma's hospitalization. No one had bothered to visit him. So, he had to find ways to pass the time.
Paper airplanes and origami swans littered the room. The poor nurse would have to clean up the mess, but in Coma's eyes he would rather work than be stuck in bed.
A knock came at the door. Coma invited them in. He expected a nurse, but it was someone much worse. Captain J. Gambit, his old senpai.*
"Senpai!" yelled Coma, "Why are you here!"
"I came to check up on my useless pupil" snapped Gambit.
"I mean what are you doing in HQ," Coma snapped back, "you retired from White Fang."
Gambit gave Coma an evil smile. Coma knew from his time with Gambit, he was about to be in a lot of pain.
"Shino made a special exception, so that I could continue your training!" said Gambit, like it was a good thing.
-Pause!-
Coma: "Just a small FYI about my senpai."
Name: Captain J. Gambit
Age: 40
Rank: A-Ranked, Blades Master
Gambit joined White Fang as a E-Rank, age 10. He was considered to be the next prodigy since King, a current member of White Fang.
He trained under his senpai for 3 years, most spent in the chamber of flames. On the 4th year B-Ranked Gambit, and A-Ranked Senpai were sent after a A-Ranked Bount.
During the mission Gambit's senpai was murdered. Gambit brought home his senpai's body and the head of the bount.
One years time after the event. Gambit became the youngest A-Ranked Hunter, ever.
In his time he has 147 confirmed bount kills. 23 A-Ranked, 36 B-Ranked. A truly skilled master.
-Un-Pause-
Coma wiggled under his covers. Closed his eyes. And, started wishing this was all a nightmare.
A force caught his blanket though forcing it off his bed. Gambit waited for Coma to get up. "Let's go, boy."
Cocone entered Emain. He was on his way to Tara when he noticed a high-leveled power source. It wasn't owned to a Hunter or a Bount. What was in Emain?
Normally locating a power source was easy. But, this one engulfed the whole town. It could hide anywhere.*
The town was normally warm, but not today. It was freezing. Frost collected on windows. Black ice gathered on the roads.
As Cocone approached town square his heart froze over. Everyone in town was frozen solid! Their skin as black as coal. They were all dead.
It was a monstrous scene. Cocone thought he would feel more sorrow, but he only saw opportunity.
He left town to summon an owl. He would bring hunters to him. It would only make his job easier.
---
In White Fangs Public HQ. A snowy white owl flys through a designed hole in the wall to deliver mail. It landed on the main desk of the small office.
The secretary took the letter from the owl, and it flew away. The secretary opened the letter and read:
"Emain Macha is under attack! Hundreds dead. Unknown attacker!"
The secretary gasped. He got up to send it to Lady Shino using a special owl. Someone walked into the door halting him.
It was King. Famous A-Ranked Hunter. The secretary couldn't have asked for anyone better!
"Sir King!" said the Desk Man, "I just received an urgent letter about Emain! It's under attack!"
King looked at the man. "How much gold did they send for the request?"
"None, Sir. You have to help them anyway!"
King sighed. "Send that letter and a letter of my dispatch to Lady Shino. I'll be traviling by Eagle, I'll be back in 3 days."
Captain J. Gambit and Coma were outside Tara. Gambit had decided on a field for training. Use of the Chamber of Flames was restricted for WF members only.
Coma was doing handstands, on his senpai's request. His arm was throbbing with pain. The exercise was meant to cleanse the energy flow in the body.
"Start walking!" ordered Gambit.
Coma started walking on his hands. His injured arm throbbing worse with every step. The pain didn't slow Coma though, he has worked through pain before.
"Okay! Stand!" ordered Gambit.
Coma stood. It was relieving to be off his arm.
"Spar with me!" ordered Gambit, pulling his sword from it's scabbard.*
Coma sighed and pulled out his sword too. In this condition he would be sliced up. It was hard enough to fight his senpai in prime conditions.
Gambit attacked Coma. Coma blocked but the swing of his senpai's caliber sent him flying back fifteen feet. Before he could recover Gambit was in his face slinging again.
Coma blocked again, pushing agains the earth in a jump to avoid the knock back. He brought his sword up and on the decent aimed for Gambits skull.
Gambit blocked the attack, grabbed Comas sword arm in a disarming twist. Comas sword fell to the ground, but before his feet reached the ground again, Gambit's fist impacted his chest.
Coma was sent flying twenty-five yard before grinding another seven feet on the ground. His body was already battered after three minutes, his arm felt like it was going to explode!
"Get up! Boy!" yelled Gambit, throwing Coma's sword back at him.
Coma whipped himself to his feet and caught the sword. "Senpai! My arm was injured with magic! It has only begun to heal. If we fight anymore it's going to break open!"
"Don't lecture me on magical injuries! Why do you think I came here, boy?" asked Gambit. "This training will rehabilitate your arm. Now come at me!"
King entered the frozen depths of Emain. The aura of the town was dense. Finding the source would take time.
BOOM!
Or not... An explosion came from the west. King raced over toward it. Citizens were frozen solid along the whole path.
After arriving at the source, King hid to access the power of the two. Also, to ensure which one was his ally.
The first guy, in a Gothic Rider Set, charged the second guy with a dagger. The second guy, in a thick robe, side stepped each attack.
It seemed like the second guy was only on the defense. Was he the ally. King just had to wait for the one with the ability of ice to show.
It finally came! The second guy raised his arm. The first guy threw his dagger to block the attack. The dagger came down frozen.
King charged at the robed guy and swung his mace at him. It easily avoided the attack.
"Kid, what is your name!" yelled King, charging the guy again.
"Cocone" replied Cocone, "Good thing you showed up, I was about to become ice!"
King kept charging and attacking the strange guy. Benches, trashcans, and lamps being destroyed in his path. It seemed the stranger needed to raise his hand to attack. All he had to do was keep swinging to stop the attack.
Suddenly King felt a sharp pain in his foot. It was freezing rapidly. How could he get hit?
"Who are you stranger?" asked King.
"He doesn't talk" replied Cocone.
"It is such a shame to kill such a powerful enemy without knowing there name" sneered King.
In a blink. King's eyes turned red. His flame ignited shattering the ice on his leg. In a flash he attacked the stranger.
King's mace made contact sending *the robed stranger into the wall. His hood fell back to reveal a black fleshed beast. His teeth shown past his frost bit lips.
"Your a monster" uttered King.
The guy raised his arms. King charged him to stop the attack. As soon as his mace hit the guy it shattered like ice.
"Is it dead?" asked Cocone.
"I think it just retreated. There is still a thick aura in the town" replied King.
"Bravo!" said a voice, a stranger entered the small park with Cocone and King.
"Identify yourself!" said King, as Cocone ran to hide behind King.
"I am the Puppeteer," he replied, "and it looks like you frightened my pet~"
"You are on the White Fangs most wanted list, surrender or die" said King.*
"How about you hold that idea," said the puppet bount, "Give a message to Shino and Yuri..."
King charged the puppeteer with all his strength. The puppeteer didn't flinch. At the last second the mace stopped 1 cm from his face.
"The message for Shino is: Emain Macha is now home of the bounts. Sending hunters here is suicide.
And, Yuri: Sid misses her. But, he has lost all hope ever seeing her again."*
The puppeteer then walked away, King stuck in his spot. After he was gone the spell dropped. King looked at Cocone.
"You have heard to much, you need to come with me" said King.
After five years, Yuri's training was complete. She ruffled through her robe and pulled out her White Fang badge.
She opened the fine leather casing to show the White Fang emblem. The badge was the same, but the letter above it changed. It now shown a C. She had jumped two ranks thanks to her new knowledge.
Opening the badge enabled the enchant to reveal the exit door. Yuri opened the door and walked through.
Back in the hallway the darkness cleared. Yuri's robe cleared of darkness to reveal new colors. The robe were now white, with yellow.
Yuri started walking back towards Coma's recovery room. The hallways to Coma's room twisted and winded. The walls were adorned with old pictures. It was a wonderful change in scene.
Yuri arrived at the room. She knocked on the door and entered. Coma was kneeling on the opposite wall.
"Hey," said Coma, "Welcome back Yuri."
Yuri smiled. "Long time no see."
Coma laughed, "it has been only six months for me."
"Oh, yea" laughed Yuri.
A pause was held between the two. The tension raised until Yuri couldn't take it. Yuri ran at and hugged Coma.
Coma moaned in pain. Yuri backed away blushing. "Sorry" she apologized.
"No! It's not you. I was training my body back into shape while waiting for you" said Coma. "I'm just a little sore."
"Okay" Yuri was still blushing.
"Uhm," started Coma, "I actually got us a paying mission while you were out."
"Really?" asked Yuri, letting the moment pass.
"It's a D-Class Mission. A request came in from Zardine. They request three people to come to help ship fossils."
"Three?" asked Yuri.
"A new D-Classed member came in the past few months. He needs field training. He is our third."
Coma and Yuri enter the great hall. At the other end of the hall, a figure stood near the door. He wore a Red, with Black muffler robe.
Coma yelled out to him, "Cocone, ready to go?"
Cocone didn't answer until Coma and Yuri walked within talking distance if him, "Yea."
"Yuri," said Coma, "this is our third, Cocone."
"Nice to meet you" smiled Yuri.
"Hi" said Cocone.
"We can get to know each other while traveling," started Coma, "Let's go."
---
"Why are we going north? Wouldn't going through Emain be easier?" asked Yuri.
"Didn't you hear?" asked Coma.
"Emain was taken over by bounts, better yet no one will go near it" said Cocone.
"Oh... That must be alot of bounts" said Yuri.
Coma sighed, "It's rumored to have over 12 B+Ranked bounts in city limits," Coma bit his lip, "it's also rumored the reason for the gathering is to resurrect 'The White Ravin Bount."
"What bount is that?" asked Yuri.
Cocone looked at Coma, curiously, too.
"The bount was rumored to exist 1000 years ago. It destroyed everything in its path. Its power was Devine Enchants.
But, a hero raised up. He, with all his power, could only scatter its power. The power settled in items, buildings, and people.
Those touched by the power were remarkably powerful, building touched by the power never fall, and items touched became relics of power.
We guess that the bounts have collected enough of the relics to revive the power, from there it will restore itself.
Lady Shino is making plans to stop the tragedy from ever coming. But, until then we might as well do our normal job. Just have faith in Lady Shino!"
Yuri and Cocone looked at Coma in equal awe. To suggest a being that powerful existed is insane. To suggest it was coming back was beyond insanity.
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