"ENOUGH!" Alex interjected. "Let's get over with your defeat!"

"Geez, aren't we the impatient one?" Roxanne muttered in reply. "Fine then, I'm going to make you regret accusing magical creatures so wrongly. DRAGON UP!"

Now, two dragons were in front of the Huntsboy. He immediately took a stance.

Roxanne flew up. "Let's go" she said to her twin.

Slight pause.

"Jas?"

The red dragon, scarlet as she already was, blushed. "Uh… yeah. About that… I kinda have a tiny insignificant little question. Exactly… oh, I don't know, how am I supposed to fly?"

The other two blinked.

Alex POV

Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Damn it, don't you dare laugh. I don't believe this. What the heck was that all about? What is with these two? They're dragons, for goodness sakes! I'm supposed to be slaying them right about now. But on the other hand, I'm standing here like an idiot gawking at them.

What is wrong with me?

This was not supposed to happen. None of this was. I've never laugh, let alone smile ever since that night five years ago…

Flashback

"Mom? Dad?" a young 8-year-old boy was climbing down the stairs. His hair was a mess and his eyes were teary. It was clear he had been asleep but was awakened rather unexpectedly. "Where are- AAAHH!" he screamed because the next thing he knew, something had gone in front of him and it was huge! His eyes widened as he crawled away from it. At first, he thought it was a person but then, it couldn't be; it had a horse's body. Its front legs reared. Alex jumped back instinctively. It charged. He evaded it. He avoided the next attacks the best he could. However, he accidentally tripped on something. It, whatever it was, drew nearer. Alex closed his eyes, terrified for his life.

However, nothing came. Gradually, he opened them to see the… thing lying on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding its body. He looked up. A man was standing above it, holding a sword that stained with scarlet. He was like no man Alex has ever seen. He was wearing some kind of green uniform with a skull on his head. The man stared at the boy.

"I won't hurt you. I saved you from this monster." He gestured at dead creature. "But I'm afraid I was too late for your parents"

Alex froze. "Wha… what…?" He stood up and turned his head. And there they were, lying on the floor, motionless. Beside their bodies were also corpses of creatures maybe not similar to the horse-man but those not called human beings either.

"Other magical creatures whom I have slayed" the man informed him. "They were the ones responsible for the murder of your parents"

By this time, Alex was shaking with fury. "Are there… are they any more of them?"

The man raised his eyebrows. "Why, yes. Yes, there are. Quite a lot, in fact. But why? Are you interested in them?"

"Not in them. But in slaying them"

End of Flashback

Ever since then, I've been training with Dylan to get rid of magical creatures and that includes dragons. Nothing has ever stood in the way of that goal.

But now…

Those dragons… Why do I feel differently about them? Is it because they're part human? Why would that matter? Why should that matter? They're still magical creatures.

That memory is clear in my mind; it remains in there to remind me of why I joined the Huntsclan. Yet, I don't feel like what I did was right anymore. Why?

I clenched my hands. I am not going to give in to them like this!

Normal POV

Roxanne was now bending over in laughter.

"Oh, haha, very funny. Can we move on now?" Jasmine said irritably, blushing beet red. "It's not my fault!"

"I… didn't… say… it… was… your… fault…" her twin replied through fits of mirth.

Jasmine twitched. "Get down here and I'll show you-"

BOOM!

The two were thrown backwards as smoke from the bomb surrounded the area.

Roxanne coughed. 'Damn that guy…' she thought.

"Found you!"

She stepped aside to avoid the Huntsboy's staff.

"Do you have to be so rude?" she said crossly.

"Yes." He changed his staff into a bow and fired.

Roxanne flew up to avoid it. Alex continued firing.

"Man, your aim sucks" she remarked.

Alex shot another and hit Roxanne square on her chest. She changed back to human form when she hit the ground.

Huntsboy came near and pointed his staff at her. "You were saying?" His staff glowed then suddenly, red fire erupted between them.

Jasmine grabbed her sister and landed a few feet away from him.

"And here I thought you didn't know how to use your powers" Roxanne said.

"I learn fast" Jasmine replied.

Roxanne grinned and retransformed into a dragon. "Thanks"

"You're welcome"

"Shall we?"

"Let's"

They both nodded and attacked the Huntsboy. They sent him backwards. Little did they know, that they were nearing the fight between the twins' parents and the Huntsmaster.

---

"AIYA!"

The Huntsmaster evaded Rose's kick and jumped away only to meet with Jake's flame. He moved sideways, took out his staff and fired.

The dragon dodged and landed beside his wife.

"He's pretty good" he said to her.

"He's been training since he was four"

"Obsessed, much?"

"You have no idea"

The couple separated to avoid a blast. Jake went up while Rose did a somersault.

"Not too bad, am I, little sister?" Dylan leered. "If you were more serious about the Huntsclan, you could have been by my side right now"

"Is that so? And what about your apprentice?"

He smirked. "I'm glad you asked. He's good, I can tell you that. He's quite talented for a boy without much training"

"Who is he?" Rose asked, curious despite herself. "Where did you find him? Is he really part of the Huntsclan?"

"I suppose you may know. It's not like you two are going to live through this. Yes, he is. He has the mark. Actually, I'm surprised he wasn't recruited when he was an infant. Somehow, he must have escaped the Huntsclan's clutches but that was not for long. You could say it was fate that brought us together. Our paths crossed during one of the many hunts of the Huntsclan. The magical creatures we let loose in a forest had reached a certain house where a man and a woman were residing. I arrived and tried to attack. But the couple was obstinate, they defended the filthy creatures. A bold move, but most foolish…"

Rose's eyes widened. "You didn't…"

He grinned, though it couldn't be seen due to his mask but it was obvious he was. "I killed them and slayed most of pests. That was when, Alex, still at a young age then, came down. The remaining creature, about to make his escape, found him. The boy thought it was trying to hurt him. I was quite impressed of his skills when he tried to fend off the centaur. But he was still young; soon, it got the better of him. I killed it instantly. He saw the corpses of his parents and well, I suppose you can guess what I told him next"

Rose glared at him. Jake narrowed his eyes.

"How could you do that to a kid, Dylan?!" the blond demanded.

"Angry? What for? You don't even know him"

"That's not the point" Jake replied. "It was wrong"

The Huntsmaster laughed. "And you're surprised?"

Rose and Jake, both disgusted, attacked him once again.

---

Alex blinked. 'What… what did he just say…?'

I killed them… I killed them… That his voice. 'Dylan's voice…'

'So… everything… everything in the last five years… was nothing more than a lie? He lied to me?'

He looked down and dropped his staff.

Roxanne and Jasmine gazed at him, unsure of what to do. They had just heard what they adults had talked about and what the Huntsmaster had admitted. The adults didn't even notice them but that didn't matter, not to Alex it didn't.

"Come on, this is over" Roxanne told the other blond.

"What? What do you mean over? He might attack!"

"Jas, are you blind? Look at him! He just realized that everything he believed in was nothing but a fake! He thought his parents were killed by magical creatures which is why he works so hard to… to eliminate us and then, just like that, he realizes it's all a lie!"

"So what? It's his fault for not being-"

"Can't you be compassionate for once?"

"Me? Uncompassionate? Who's the one who simply refused to accept her mother?" Jasmine demanded then shook her head. "Forget I said that. Look, I want to, really, but I'm also trying to be realistic here! He's still our enemy!"

"Well, I don't think so!"

"Well, I do!"

"Fine!

"Fine!"

The twins glared at each other. Roxanne landed and changed back to human.

"What do you think you're doing? Get back up here!" Jasmine ordered.

"No"

"You're insane"

"If I'm insane then so are you, we're twins, remember?"

"Stop acting on your own guts! Think a little, won't you?"

"I am thinking! And I think we should-"

"Stop it" Alex cut in.

The blonds stared at him. Hesitantly, Jasmine decided landed beside her sister but refused to change back.

Roxanne took a step towards him. "What are you planning to do now?"

There were a few minutes of silence before he answered. "All this time, I hated magical creatures because I thought they killed my parents. I thought they were violent, horrible creatures, monsters even. But now, I realized that the real monster was just beside me all along." He clenched his hands into fists. "I hate myself for believing him right away and for being so blind"

This time, Roxanne stood in front of him. "You know, it's not too late" she pointed out. "There's always time for change"

Alex gazed up to her, meeting his eyes with hers. "Why are you saying that to me? I insulted you and the creatures you love to protect so much. I tried to kill both them and you"

The blond shrugged. "Well, you had a good reason to think we were evil, I guess. The only reason you wanted to take us out was to make the world a better place, right?"

"I can't believe you're trying to befriend me. Your twin doesn't seem to think it's a good idea"

Roxanne turned to Jasmine who sighed and turned back into human. She approached them. "I must be crazy to do this. But look, if you really want to change, we'll accept. Everyone deserves a second chance"

Alex stared from one girl to the other. "You trust me?"

"If you want us to" Roxanne answered.

"Though we'll still be vigilant" Jasmine added.

Roxanne glared at her. "Did you have to put that in?"

"Duh. You're way to trusting for your own good"

"And you're too narrow-minded for your own good"

"Then we're even"

"Fine"

Alex stared and shook his head. "You two are really something…"

"Thanks" they both replied.

"Here's something that you can do to show that we can trust you" Jasmine said. "Show us your face. You've seen who we are; can we see who you're hiding behind that mask?"