-29-

The hunter sitting up on the bed grunted in discomfort as the bandaged was wrapped too tightly around his upper torso. He was half naked; his bloodied tights apparently took away from him. A fresh, clean tights lay by the end of his bed, and some sustenance was placed on the table immediately beside his bed.

Pay Skysight looked at his surroundings, trying to confirm his assumptions that he was at home. But that proved wrong however, when he saw a rows of bed in the room. He certainly did not remember cultivating an interest in furniture, nor did he remember keeping so many beds at home. That left him with his second assumption that he was sent to the infirmary following the battle against Moonlight Flower's minions.

He looked of the window and beyond the Payon woods outside. The sun shone fiercely in the clear, cloudless sky, giving him the notion that he slept way past dawn. Gosh, he did not remember being so tired before in his life…

Falcons and other birds fluttered about in the woods, their chirps and caws creating some sort of musical piece. As usual, novices and novice archers ventured out far beyond the woods to hunt down tougher monsters, the aspiring hunters eager for a fast promotion. However, this morning there were lesser adventurers outside. Much lesser as far as he presumed.

He wondered what was the occasion, or even what new dangers swarmed the recently overran town. His worries were put away as quickly as it came, for there would be a din or sounds of battle raging outside if there was indeed another trial round of attack by the cave demons. The room he was admitted to was rather quiet; Pay was the sole person in it. A rumbling in his stomach suddenly reminded him that he had not eaten a proper meal since yesterday's parting with his guild. Pay reminisced about the good times he experienced with the Avenger ever since he was recruited, while he buttered a slice of bread.

He did not realize how hungry he was, when he found himself reaching his hands to the basket where the loaf of bread was placed after each fast consumed slice. The constriction brought about by the tight bandage posed little hindrance to his swallowing as his hunger made him forgot about it. When the basket was emptied, he sighed in content as he raised the bottle of water to his lips. 'Time to work on this damn bandage,' he thought.

Pay arched his arm backwards, and grunted out in pain. Apparently a night's rest had not healed the wound completely. As if on cue, some help came…

"Morning, mama's kid."

The hunger-satisfied hunter turned his head to his first visitor for the morning. It was Elemire. The smug huntress walked down the row of beds and stopped at the last, where Pay sat. He had a displeased look on his face after her comment was made.

"What do you want? I'm in no mood to entertain you, Elemire," Pay almost snapped in irritation, but kept his calm nonetheless.

Elemire began scanning his rather well-built body for a twenty year old, the huntress's eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief.

"Did any girl ever tell you that your body makes her drool? Or will I be the first…?"

Pay remained silent, taking another mouthful of water to clear his parched throat.

"Anyway," Elemire continued. "Are you needing help with those bandage? I won't mind though."

Pay looked Elemire in the eye. After a while he wanted to extract his gaze off her, but there was a sudden difficulty doing so. She suddenly looked quite beautiful to him; the way she tied her hair, and the way she flashes him the impish grin. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was tied in a single pony tail, letting a stray fringe to hang down her forehead. Colour began rising to her cheeks.

"Err… excuse me? Is there something on my face or what?" she stuttered.

"Oh, sorry, and no. I'll handle those bandages on my own. What brings you here?" Pay asked while battling his embarrassment.

"Visit this heroic hunter, what else?"

Pay sighed.

"Fine. Then you may leave."

"Actually, most of the townsmen are attending Sir Rockfist Senior's funeral this morning. He passed away in his house yesterday, burnt to death."

A look of both realization and shock marred Pay's face. So that explains the few number of people headed for the wilderness…

"Sir Rockfist Senior? He passed away!?"

"Yes… why the overreaction?"

"Where is his son right now?"

Elemire frowned at the question.

"Tien is hosting the funeral now. Why do you ask? What's going on?"

"Huh? I was talking about Sir Rockfist Senior's son, not your guild leader."

The huntress almost laughed out in amusement following Pay's question.

"Aren't they the same person, silly?"

"What!? Tien is a Rockfist? How can that be…?"

"Why not?"

"The Skysights and Rockfists… both Houses are as close as family!"

It was Elemire's turn to be astounded after she assimilated this slowly.

"You did not know that Tien's last name was Rockfist? Since you say so, then that means the two of you aren't suppose to be opposed against each other!"

Pay recalled the times when he was a teenager. He remembered a very close friend he had, who was a few years his senior. He was not a friend; he was more of a saviour. Because he was frequently plagued with illness, other kids adopted a habit of picking on him, since he was vulnerable then. The Rockfists lived close to the Skysight, and so that 'brother' would come to his aid unconditionally, driving them off. It happened for many occasions, and he would always be the one who came to his help. Pay never quite got to know his name; he only knew that he was a Rockfist.

"To think that he became like this…" the hunter trailed off.

The constriction in his chest was gone suddenly, and his breathing became easier. He looked behind him and saw Elemire kneeling on the bed, adjusting the bandage while the nostalgic hunter dwelled on past memories.

"Feeling better now?" a sweet voice spoke.

He muttered a thanks, then draped his new tights over his naked body. He started out of the room, then Elemire's hand held his shoulder.

"Where are you headed?"

"You don't have to dog my steps."

Removing her hands from his shoulder, he stalked off to his destination: the funeral.

-

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Hundreds of townsmen gathered at a funeral off to the east of Payon. Tien stood at the fore of the unorderly crowd, his head bowed low in respect for the passed away Sir Rockfist Senior. Tien's father had been an influential man in the Elite Hunter forces, in fact the origin of this force went way back to Tien's grandfather. People respected his wisdom for he aided in numerous occasions by providing what rich knowledge he had for the forces. He was the main drive behind them.

"Tien!"

The monk did not move, nor did he turn his head to answer. Pay ran past the sullen crowd, confronting Tien.

"Forgive my disrespect, but –"

"Do away with the formality, hunter. If you want, then mock with all your might," Tien spoke in a low tone.

Slightly irritated at his distrust and misunderstanding of his intensions, Pay spilled out whatever he recalled about this saviour during his childhood period. At first Tien continued bowing with his head low, then he lifted it up slowly. The crowd began to discuss the hunter's interruption, a few claiming that this was the right moment where Avenger mocks at the Overlord's downfall.

Pay saw the monk's eyes glittered with tears. Somehow he felt that it was not shed for the death of his father, it was because of his rather emotional speech. Tien looked at the hunter with a new recognition, then placed a comforting hand on him.

"It's been a whole damn decade, hunter. Why didn't you disclose yourself as a Skysight earlier…?"

"It doesn't matter now, Tien. Our first priorities are to pay respects to Sir Rockfist Senior, and to ensure an eternal peace for Payon. The cave had to be sealed now that Moonlight is defeated, all thanks to you. To think I used to underestimate you, despise you."

Tien fought back his tears even though he felt a surge of emotion. He only patted the hunter on the shoulders, and led him off to a tavern for a long talk, but not before excusing himself in front of the crowd who was staying to pray for his father's soul to bless the town, watch over the town. From afar, Elemire smiled to herself as she felt that the wide gap between the Avenger and the Overlords began to close up by the day…