Part 7: The search for Raenef

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Author's note: Delayed, I know. Sorry to keep you guys waiting---but well, It's been stressful as hell since I arrived back home ; It nearly killed my inspiration for fandom. But I'm back, so yay---rejoice. A little too short—but I'm getting there  If its too long, it would be boring, consider this a little xmas gift for you guys 

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Chivalry is not all that dead.

Seeing that she puts up a nice fight and have some knowledge of how their guild works, the thieves took great fear of her and obeyed her hastily. Anna curiously wants to know if they have been closely associated with Raenef, and she will go through anything to confirm that fact.

It took them less than half an hour to reach their 'hang out' place, a small dimly lit bar by the corner of the bustling city. She was pretty surprised how many unfamiliar faces there have been. Kunio might have made a career out of it by getting a lot of new recruits.

She was directed to one of the leaders, a man with a bandana and a scar. When the man demanded her to state her business, she countered. "You are not who I expected you to be."

"Woman," irked, the man gave her a hard glare. "We are thieves; we are not exactly the pretty boys you might be expecting."

"I mean, I don't expect you as the leader of this group." Anna stated, "I want to meet the founder of this guild, Kunio."

The name itself sent a wave of hushed whispers floating in the air.

"No one from the outside knows of him---"

"I'm not from the outside, I am his friend and I am there when he formed the guild. I entrusted Raenef to his care when we are children."

It was frank and simple, and she made her purpose very clear, but each word is a shocking revelation. All the men inside the bar think she is mad.

"Are you talking about our Raenef?" one man exclaimed, "Because if he knows you, he should have remembered!"

Then came throes of voices agreeing in unison, and all are displeased of her presence. Anna knew that with their number, these thugs know they could take down a single strange woman like her. Her docile like appearance is one deceiving façade that one can easily mistake of. As much as possible she wants to avoid the fighting---

"This is a very complicated matter---" she paused, turning to the youth from awhile ago. "You said you know Raenef? He is still alive? How is he?"

"He is long gone to some place else, far away." The youth replied roughly. "Why does it concern you?"

It is getting irritating, "I told you, I know Raenef as a child."

The young man proved to be very stubborn. He looked no less around eighteen. "Lies, I have been with Raenef ever since we were kids. You are lying." There is a despicable look in his eyes. "Are the clerics that desperate they sent some woman to seduce us for some information?"

Anna finally lost it. Her mind is already full of complex dilemmas and she is exhausted from the long travel---to be bothered, and harassed by this rogues. Although she has considerably learned to control her own abilities and have a wealthy amount of patience---she won't like the notion of getting mad.

Mumbling an incantation, the youth was suddenly encased into a block of ice.

There were strained and confused shouts, as most of the men tried to move out. Their leader stared in bewilderment. Another young man, who happens to sit near the victim, gasped.

"Raven haired---strange colored eyes. Oh my god! She just looked like the demon who took him!!"

A demon?!

"I'm not a demon!" Anna snapped, "You all have tested my patience, I---"

"That's enough. All of you."

It was that commanding yet calm voice matured by time, that Anna has been long waiting for. Silence swept the whole room, as a young long silver-haired man moved to the demon slayer's direction. He walked soundlessly as he appeared.

Except for the scar on his right cheek, Kunio have looks that could make a woman's head turn twice. He has retained the soft features he had when he is younger. Except for a thin rim of spectacles, his serious penetrating gaze never changed. He replaced the rags he use to wore as a child with dark layered clothes—adding a high collared coat and a cape wrapped around his shoulders. Anna guessed it is designed that way to keep his face from being too prominently exposed, but in anyway, it made him look mysterious and elegant.

"Leader---"

"She is a long time friend of mine, and she is no demon." He stated. "Ralph, I left you in charge in most of my affairs, and yet you turn this guild to a pack of ignorant fools. We are thieves, but we aren't uneducated couths ganging up on a young lady. "

Ralph grunted, "The men's personal reactions are out of my control, sir."

"Then don't let it happen again next time."

The group's 'leader' bowed his head in apology, and scowled on everyone to do the same thing. Kunio really haven't changed at all--- he is still calm and he commands respect from everyone. If he isn't an orphan that grew in the streets, he could have something else better…

"Long time no see, Anna." He smiled, much to the men's awe for they never seen the elusive Guild's founder ever smile. "You have grown to be such a young lady, just like I imagined."

"I'm sorry we have to meet up like this, Kunio." She whispered, completely ignoring her old friend's greeting. "It's just---those memories, the dreams I'm having---."

"Raenef, I know." He replied, as if reading her worried gaze. He then approach the frozen statue of a man to whom Anna casts her Ice spell. Without any incantation, and only by briefly touching the tip of the ice--- Kunio made the glacier-like layer disappear like it was never been there. This even astounded the thieves even more.

"Basic Magic." He just simply explained, for Kunio was a man of few words. He has always kept himself a certain distance to everyone, so no one else knew how he did it and where he learned it. But never the less, he was the driving force that kept the guild alive, and whatever secrets he kept, the men couldn't care less for he is the reason of their survival. Anna knew better that the dispel charm he used are of the few precious gems of knowledge they've learned as 'survivors' of Rue. La Ville De Martin.

The unfrozen youth staggered and clumsily made his apologies and his thanks at the same time in the presence of Kunio. He scampered away when he noticed that Anna is with him. "That kid happens to be one of Raenef's close friends. That's why he was very defensive with his replies. With this kind of living, it's natural to distrust outsiders."

"A friend of Raenef?" she gasped, "Raenef is really alive? Where is he?"

There is a wary look in Kunio's rather calm disposition. "I'm afraid the situation could be a little more complicated---or let's say, it's a little too late."

--- End of PART Seven ---

Nothing much I know T3T but this happens to be the 'hanging' part of the story. More will be added later, and when I mean later…pretty soon ;; I'm out of hiatus now.