"Adam was approachable. Charismatic. He listened. He remembered names, stories, small details people never expected a Hunter to care about. When tempers flared, he defused them with words. When despair took hold, he offered reassurance. People trusted him almost instinctively."
Caster's tone cooled when he spoke the next name.
"Sasrir, on the other hand, inspired something closer to fear. He was taciturn, sharp-edged, and carried himself like a drawn blade. Few sought his company for conversation—but in battle, there was no one the Hunters preferred to have watching their back. He never hesitated, never retreated, and never failed to finish what he started."
Cassie's fingers tightened slightly around the hem of her sleeve.
"For weeks—perhaps months—nothing changed," Caster said. "They hunted, they obeyed orders, and they kept their heads down. Then they crossed paths with Athena."
Sunny felt a flicker of anticipation. Even spoken in passing, that name carried weight.
"I should clarify," Caster added, "that Athena is unofficially blacklisted by Gunlaug. She refused to bend the knee when he consolidated power, and the Bright Lord made an example of her defiance. No formal decree exists, but everyone understands the rule: associate with her, and you invite punishment."
Caster inclined his head slightly.
"Whether Adam knew this or not, he invited her into the Castle. Shared a meal with her in plain sight."
Nephis' expression did not change, but Sunny noticed the subtle tightening of her jaw.
"Gunlaug learned of it within hours," Caster went on. "Adam and Sasrir were summoned, dragged before the Bright Lord, and given a public warning. No blood was shed, no punishment issued—but it was the first recorded clash between them and Gunlaug. From that moment on, they were watched."
The room remained silent as Caster allowed the implication to sink in.
"Things appeared to settle after that," he said eventually. "Adam resumed his duties, and Sasrir continued to hunt. But Adam had begun… expanding his activities."
Caster's gaze flicked toward Sunny, then Cassie.
"He started delivering food, supplies, and medical aid to the Outer Settlement. Not officially—on his own initiative. A few unsavory types tried to extort or threaten him early on. Sasrir broke their bones. Word spread quickly. No one interfered after that."
Sunny could picture it vividly.
"By then, Adam had earned a reputation among the settlers," Caster continued. "People sought him out for help, mediation, even advice. Around that same time, he began recruiting the first members of his small circle. You have likely seen them already—those who wear wooden crosses."
Nephis gave a slow nod.
"The turning point," Caster said, his voice lowering, "came shortly after. Adam and Sasrir discovered a woman who had been brutally beaten and abused—left barely alive—by two Castle Guards. They saved her, tended to her wounds, and then demanded justice."
Caster let out a quiet, humorless breath.
"They took the matter directly to Gunlaug."
Sunny grimaced. That alone bordered on suicide.
"As expected," Caster continued, "the Bright Lord refused. Guards were valuable. Discipline could be… flexible. Adam and Sasrir rejected that verdict and invoked trial by combat."
The air in the room seemed to grow heavier.
"At the time, the Head of the Guards was a man named Tessai. A brute. Universally despised, even among his own. Tradition demanded that the Head stand as champion for his subordinates—and Gunlaug ensured that he did."
Caster's eyes narrowed slightly.
"The prevailing theory is that Gunlaug wanted Sasrir and Tessai to maim or kill one another. Sasrir's reputation as a killer had grown too large by then, and Tessai was… expendable."
Nephis spoke quietly. "And the outcome?"
"Sasrir killed him," Caster replied without hesitation. "Decisively. Justice was granted. The two Guards responsible were executed shortly thereafter."
He paused, then added, "Sasrir was promoted on the spot, replacing Tessai as Head of the Guards."
Sunny frowned. "And Adam?"
Caster's expression hardened.
"Taken," he said simply. "Not in chains—but not free either. Gunlaug retained him within the Castle under the pretense of 'honor and trust.' In truth, Adam became leverage. A living guarantee of Sasrir's loyalty."
He inclined his head.
"And so it remains. Sasrir commands the Guards. Adam resides within the Bright Lord's grasp. Whatever bond they share is now a weapon Gunlaug keeps close at hand."
Caster seemed to release a long, restrained breath after finishing his account, as though recounting the tangled history had demanded more composure than he cared to admit. Some of the stiffness drained from his shoulders, and his posture relaxed marginally.
"Now," he said, tone turning measured once more, "everything I have just told you is secondhand. Rumors, testimonies, things overheard in corridors or whispered after too much cheap liquor. Of the absolute truth, I am afraid I am no more informed than you are."
He inclined his head slightly, acknowledging the limitation.
"And even then, that was only a recounting of their deeds, not their inner nature. On a personal level, I can offer little certainty. Adam presents himself as the very image of a saint—patient, gentle, sincere. Sasrir is… dangerous, certainly, but not irrational. By all available accounts, both possess an exceptionally low tolerance for cruelty and injustice. For what it is worth, I believe they are worth cooperating with."
Nephis considered that for a moment before speaking.
"Do you know their Aspects?" she asked.
Caster nodded slowly. "Somewhat."
His eyes flicked toward Sunny as he answered. "Sasrir possesses extensive control over shadows."
Sunny stiffened instantly.
Nephis and Cassie both turned to look at him at the same time, their gazes lingering just long enough to make his skin crawl. He shifted in his chair, irritation flaring instinctively.
"Hey," Sunny said defensively, "shadow users might be rare, but it's not like I'm the only one."
Cassie coughed into her hand, clearly suppressing a laugh, while Nephis looked away with deliberate calm. Still, Sunny could have sworn he caught the faintest trace of color rising along her neck.