As we disembarked the nearly destroyed boat and walked to the towering wall in front of us sunny asked "So we go around until we find an entrance or climb?" I simply shrugged and answered "I can just fly up so I don't really care", at this nephis turned to me "I have a rope that can extend you could fly up and tie it to something" I just nodded and put out my hand gesturing for her to give it once she did I slowly flew up as my mastery of flight was low,as I landed on the walls I looked at the ruined city but quickly ignored it and searched something to tie the rope to unluckily there wasn't anything to tie it to so I just decided to tie it on my waist and hold it dropping the rope Cassie was the first to star climbing 'damn she is quite slow' once she ascended the wall next was Nephis who looked at me strangely noticing that I was holding the rope and finally sunny climbed up as well giving the rope back to Nephis who nodded we turned to the dark city as the others admired the view I head something eating in the tower to our right 'Wait I think it's human' as I pondered what kind of human would like they were a starving creature I told the others that there was someone in the tower and we went to check it out.
As we opened the heavy doors of the tower and slowly decended the stairs we could finally see a campfire and a person eating like they haven't in weeks, stepping forward Nephis cleared her throat and said "Hello could you answer a couple of our questions we just arrived here?".
As the giant of a woman lifted her head from her early dinner and noticed us, she placed down her food cleaned her mouth with the back of her hand and stood up "Sure what do you want"
"Is there is a gateway here" She went straight to the point the woman only barked a laugh that wasn't filled with amusement.
As we walked to the bright castle I went off a little and asked them to wait for me.
Quickly darting through the dark city's alleys I searched for a few nightmare creatures I could Quickly kill to gain access to the bright castle,
He wasn't stupid the way effie explained the situation it sounded like a dictatorship and that would mean there was an economy here.
As I met up with the others now eith 10 awakened shards and explaining where I went,
Not far from the bright castle I stopped and said "this is where we split" the others turned to me and Nephis asked "why?" I simply glanced at her "I'd prefer working alone right now" as I said this I gave them 6 of the shards I collected and walked off.
Nearing the bright castle's entrance two guards stopped me and asked if I had enough to pay, confirming my suspicion of an economy,
Once I asked what the payment was they replied "1 awakened shard" I simply nodded at them and showed one of the shards I had they nodded back and opened the door soon I was registered and paid one Shard to get a room for a week as the person led me to the room I decided to get some information, "so is there any jobs here like hunting or anything of the sort?" The boy glanced at me confused but nonetheless explained the hierarchy of the bright castle and how it functioned.
Soon I was lead to my room and I decided I needed a proper washing as that was done I went to sleep.
As i woke got dressed in casual wear and went to the gathering hall for breakfast I looked at the mixture of water fruits and monster meat that barely looked like a soup as I was half down with my meal sudden commotion broke out as the bright lord Gunlaug entered followed by his 5 lieutenants whitch were Seishan leader of the handmaidens, gemma leader of the hunters and pathfinders, Kido leader of the artisans, Harus the executioner and Tessai lead of the castle guard.
As all of the entered the hall everyone went silent and all of the tables were pushed to the sides to make space as Gunlaug sat down on his throne flanked by his lieutenants his voiced boomed across the hall "Ah what a nice day it is a beautiful day for justice, wouldn't you agree my wards ? Today I've heard terrible news, the news of a criminal in our midst, however I am fairly am I not?"
As the so called justice spectacle ended, I couldn't help but bite on my tongue to stop myself from shouting for blood, even with my flaw I could almost taste the hate of the crowd the smugness of the m bright lord, it was wrong everything here was wrong.
As I entered the lieutenant Gemma's office and sat down he looked at me for a whole examining me,
"You wish to join the hunters and pathfinders?"
I simply nodded confirming it,
"And what do you bring of benefit ?"
"I can be a great offensive, supportive or a good parhfinder"
"And your abilities are ?"
"I can fly and I can hear nightmare creatures up to a 1km away"
At this Gemma's frown turned into a small smile
"That would indeed be useful are there any memories you would require within reason of course" as I thought about the question a sudden idea appeared "could I perhaps get a memory like multiple daggers that even if one is destroyed it comes back?"
Gemma frowned thinking about it "we might have something in the "armory" or the market but why use daggers wouldn't a bow be more useful for your role?" He asked As his eyes slightly narrowed
"I just prefer daggers as long and short ranged weapon" I answered back without much fuss.
As I entered Gemma's office once more he indeed have a memory for me clasping our hands together in a handshake I was transferred a memory.
[You have received a memory: [Blood Daggers]
Checking its runes it read.
Memory name: [blood daggers
Memory Rank: Awakened.
Memory Tier: I.
Memory Type: Weapon.
Memory Description: [A debt of blood must be paid in blood.]
Memory Enchantments:[Restitution].
Enchantment: [Restitution]
Enchantment Description: [If the dagger finds its mark, it will drink the blood of the prey and restore that which had been taken from the assassin, If it misses, the assassin's blood will be lost forever.]
'This will be useful'
Giving Gemma a nod I asked " So what's my first job?" Gemma gave me a smile "we will going as a duo so I can't test your abilities, we will be hunting an awakened monster and you will try to scout out any nightmare creatures around for the other hunts" I nodded as we went to grab lunch we ate the same soup as always and quickly left the bright castle for the dark city.
As I and Gemma walked through the dark city I started listening to every noise I could hear "I can hear about twenty nightmare creatures on the ground and atleast 2 in the sky" I silently said Gemma threw me a look of er jis shoulder "how close?" "Only one in 200 meters others are further out" "direction? "Straight and abit to the right" Gemma let out a hum like noise clearly thinking "that might be our target then we're hunting a blood fiend today" I nodded not that he could see as we were already moving "by the way kid just incase you didint know nightmare creatures can sense if you are looking at them so don't unless we are fight" I gave another nod 'huh I actually didint know that'.
Arriving behind a half collapsed building Gemma checked around a corner and confirmed that it's the target " you want me to take it on myself?" I asked wanting to know the plan Gemma threw a look my way "you confident?" "I am" I confirmed
He pondered for a bit then gave me a nod, as I peeked around the same corner as Gemma just had to look for the creature weaknesses I saw it a skeletal, hunched figure at least two meters tall, dressed in a torn shroud, the creature had long arms that ended with vicious claws and a deformed head with a wide mouth full of razor-sharp fangs.
As I looked at for a bit too long It turned its deformed head to me and lunged its viscous claws outstretched Summoning my new [blood daggers]
I went into the sky and threw one of them directly at its face, unsuprisingly it managed to dodge but that gave me time to land and rush in while augmenting myself eith wind quickly appearing before the creature I swung one of the daggers in a long arch decapitating the creature.
[You have slain an awakened monster, Blood Fiend]
[ You wind grows stronger]
As Gemma approached while I searching for the soul shards he gave a slammed appreciative smile
"Well you weren't lying about your skills"
And that's how the days went soon I started hunting in groups of three, going on numerous hunts and collecting information for later hunts.
today was different Gemma wanted to take 5 of his best men and take on something stronger, a fallen monster to be precise a spire messenger.