Chapter 23

While most of Dundorma still slumbered, a select group of people was awake. These were the hunters, chosen by the Guild to embark on a secret mission that could decide the very fate of the Guild. They had to leave early in order to keep the secrecy of the mission and so before they left, preparations had to be done and some final vows and prayers as well.

…

In the Beraja twins' room…

"Hey, brother?"

"Yeah?" Rowan responded, equipping his bracers.

"If we don't come back alive, do you think our mother would be proud for all we've done?"

Sensing the fear in his brother's voice, Rowan stopped what he was doing and pulled Romero into a reassuring hug. Though they were twins, it was he who often acted as the older brother and he was aware that Romero had always been the more sensitive one. "Don't say that. We'll come back; we'll make sure we come back. Besides, I don't think mother would be happy to see us come to her still fresh and young."

"This isn't some regular hunt we're talking about."

"And I can reassure you that we will come back. How many times have we both escaped death hmm? And how many times has it been the result of us watching each other's backs?" He pulled back and they pressed their foreheads together. "As long as we keep our wits about and watch over each other like we always do, we'll be victorious. I know we will."

Romero smiled. "Thanks. You always know what to say."

"Of course. Hey, I love you alright? Don't forget that."

"I love you too brother. Now let's go and show those bastards what the Beraja brothers are made of!"

In Eris' mansion…

"Make sure to bring whetstones."

"Yeah, yeah…"

"Don't forget the potions too!"

"Yes, yes!" Siegfried grumbled as he continued to pack things into his pouch. What are you, my wife? Strangely, he didn't object to that idea… His cheeks flushed as red as his hair and he banished those thoughts from his head. Slinging his pouch over his shoulder, Siegfried unsheathed the broadsword on his hip, making sure it was sharp enough. The hunter despised not being able to use his beloved Greatsword and armor (they were still confiscated by the Guild), so he had settled for one of the swords within the Havencroft armory and a simple thick gambeson similar to what hunters sometimes wore in place of chainmail underneath their armor. Siegfried sensed a presence behind him, and he turned to see the now fully armored Eris walking to him.

"I brought us these," Eris said, taking his hand and placing something on it. He looked down and saw what looked like several strips of meat on his hand. From the smell, he could immediately tell what it was.

"Jerky?"

"Correct," Eris said as she began to tie her hair into her signature ponytail. "They'll boost your energy for a while. I eat these before every hunt, and it does wonders to keep you from being exhausted quickly."

"Right, thank you." He pocketed them and began to stretch briefly.

"Have you packed everything?"

"Yes, I did honey…" Siegfried muttered sarcastically, earning a glare and a punch to the shoulder from the huntress.

They met at their assigned gathering spot by the town center. Since it was very early in the morning, none of the shops or stalls were open. The only people there were the poor, baggy-eyed guards assigned to early morning duty.

Luca waved at Hilda and Hanzo. "We're over here!" Beside him, Pip leaned against the edge of the fountain, clearly asleep. Luca ended up kicking him awake.

"Looks like we're the first ones here," Hilda noted, looking around the area. Excluding the guards, they were the only hunters here.

"Not even commander lady is here…" Hanzo said, stretching his muscles.

Hilda shrugged. "Oh well."

Next to them, Pip whined. "I don't like early morning missions…"

"Nobody does," Hilda said with a shake of her head. "But this is a very important mission Pip."

The Palico yawned again. "I know…"

Feeling sorry for their team Palico, Hilda reached into her pouch and handed Pip one of her energy drinks. The Palico perked up and chugged down the entire thing before tossing the container into the fountain behind. A resounding plop was heard as the container sunk into the bottom of the shallow fountain and joined the dozens of unfortunate coins left to rust on the bottom.

"Pip what the fu-"

"Much better! I feel a lot more energized now!"

Hilda facepalmed.

Jason and his sister were on their way to the meeting spot when they bumped into a familiar red-head and his white-haired companion.

"Oh, hey man."

Siegfried nodded curtly. "Jason."

Sensing the tension between the two, Amber piped up. "Good morning Siegfried and Eris!"

"Morning to you too," Eris responded politely to her, though not without sneaking a fierce glare at her blonde-haired brother. Amber sighed and slapped her brother's back.

"Jason, I think you owe Ms. Havencroft here an apology."

"Apology? I didn't do shit- Ow!" Amber continued to pull his ear. "Alright, alright! Eris, I'm sorry that I- Quit it! You'll rip my ear off you- Okay, okay I'm sorry that I forced you on that hunt without helping! See I did it are you happy- Ouch, stop pulling jeez!"

"Do you admit that you've been a complete ass to both of them?"

"Yes, yes and I'm sorry and please let of my ear!"

I thought he was the older sibling, Eris whispered to Siegfried.

He is, the hunter replied, laughing.

After several moments, she let go of her brother's ear as he slinked off dejectedly and to nurse his reddening ear. "Apologies for my brother's behavior…He's been this way ever since you left."

Siegfried waved her off. "I've dealt with far worse."

Amber nodded, smiling. Her eyes then briefly narrowed at Eris before she broke into a cheeky grin. "Judging from what I'm seeing…I'm assuming you've both did the deed?"

"Deed?" Eris asked.

"Sex of course!"

Eris turned bright red. "S-So what if we did?"

"Nothing," Amber said innocently. "Well, at least now I know you did it. But that aside, I just can tell by the glow you're emitting."

"Glow?" Now it was Siegfried's turn to be curious.

"It's a woman thing, but I can tell when a woman had good sex based on the 'glow' they emit. Call it…woman's intuition."

"…Women are weird," Siegfried said with a deadpan expression.

"Tell me about it…" Jason muttered, still rubbing his ear.

With every member of the strike force gathered, they could finally begin the preparations for departure. The knights and crewmates helped bring the supplies over to the airship while Catherine barked orders and checked to make sure all the items were accounted for. She then turned her attention to the hunters.

"We'll be splitting into two groups. Siegfried and I will lead the knights to eradicate the cultists. The rest of you – the hunters – you will be dealing with the monster."

The aforementioned hunter didn't miss the way Catherine spoke his name and he couldn't help but glare at her. Of course, the woman noticed.

"Is something the matter?"

"No."

"I beg to differ. Spit it out, traitor."

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Sure, you do. Don't think I didn't catch you glaring at me before."

Siegfried's temper flared up. "What the hell is your problem?"

Before things could escalate, Eris and Rowan stepped in between the two. "Alright that's enough you two," Rowan said, giving Catherine a warning look. Catherine clicked her tongue before turning back to walk towards the airship.

"She's being especially grumpy today…" Eris commented.

Siegfried snorted. "Please, when is ever not grumpy?"

Of course, Romero being Romero, couldn't help but say something stupid. "She on her period or something?" Romero was met with an elbow to his ribs, courtesy of Amber. He glared at her and she glared at him back before they jerked away from each other with a huff.

When a knight passed by, Rowan stopped him briefly. "Excuse me, but do you know what's wrong with the Commander. She seems to be in a bad mood."

The knight chewed his lip and quickly glanced around the area before speaking in a low voice enough for the hunters to hear. "Don't take my word for it but I heard that the Commander lost someone important to her. Apparently, he died when the Guild sent him on a mission to exterminate the Revenants and she has been this way ever since."

Siegfried groaned in irritation as Rowan thanked the knight. "Is that why she's been so pissy towards me? Fantastic. As if I didn't have enough people hating me already just because I used to be one of them."

"Don't think about it too much" Rowan reassured him. "Knowing you, this shouldn't be too much of an issue."

"Still, I can't help but sympathize with her a bit," Eris growled. "Ughh, can't wait to get my hands on one of those bastards!"

Sometime later, the preparations nearly reached completion. All that's left was some final checking of equipment before they could depart. As the hunters prepared to board the ship, a familiar voice called out to Siegfried.

"Hey!"

The hunter turned around…and stiffened upon seeing who it was. He recognized that auburn hair, red dress, and the sultry sway of her hips. "Carla…" he muttered, averting his eyes away from Eris.

"Who is she?" the huntress asked him, growing suspicious.

"Umm…" Shit, how am I supposed to explain this to her?

The woman in question casually walked up to the hunter, swaying her hips (on purpose) as most of the male hunters in the group stopped and stared, and one thought came to their minds.

Holy shit she's beautiful!

The huntresses all shook their heads, with Hilda stomping hard on Rowan's foot.

"I need to talk to you," Carla told Siegfried, seemingly ignoring the looks Eris gave her.

The hunter tried to avoid her look, sensing the dark aura emanating from Eris. He scratched the back of his neck. "S-Sure I guess…"

Carla frowned. "Why do you look so embarrassed?"

It was getting increasingly awkward. "Well, you see…"

"Excuse me, I don't appreciate being ignored," Eris interjected, stepping in front of Siegfried with hands on her hips. The huntress stared down at the shorter woman, who looked at with confusion until her eyes lit up as if a sudden realization came in. A cheeky grin formed on her face.

"And who might this be Siegfried darling?"

Eris extended her hand out with gritted teeth. "Eris, a pleasure to meet to meet you, miss…?" Did you just call him 'darling'?

"Carla," the woman responded without missing a beat, shaking her hand as well. The huntress wondered what would have happened if she were to squeeze just a little bit harder.

"What do you want?" Eris inquired in a challenging tone.

Carla laughed. "No need to worry my dear, I'm not here to steal him away from you, though I wouldn't mind that by the slightest…" Carla teased, batting her eyelashes at Siegfried who looked away uncomfortably. "Relax, I'm simply requesting a favor," she said, hoping to calm the huntress down.

The woman could see Eris visibly relax and she stifled the urge to laugh again. How cute. She wanted to continue teasing her, but she didn't approach them for that. "I need you to do something for me."

"Yeah, what is it?"

The normally laid-back and sultry look disappeared, replaced with one of visible sadness. "I…I want you to bring her home to me. And please tell her that her big sis misses her and that she will always welcome her back with open arms…"

For a few seconds, the hunter blinked quizzically before he quickly remembered. Right, I forgot that woman was her sister. He nodded solemnly. "I will."

"If she doesn't listen to you then…" Carla trembled and bit her lip. "Kill her if you must. Just…make it as painless as possible okay? She's still young, she doesn't deserve all this."

Siegfried stepped forward and held her shoulders, rubbing them reassuringly. "I will try my best to avoid that outcome. You have my word."

Carla flashed him a genuine smile and tip-toed upwards to plant a quick kiss to his lips, much to the annoyance of the huntress standing nearby. "Thank you so much," she said to the now wide-eyed hunter. She turned to Eris. "Apologies for that. I just didn't know how else to express my gratitude."

"It's fine…" Eris said through gritted teeth.

Carla giggled and reached up to pinch the taller woman's cheeks. "You're rather cute. If I had swung that way, I would have taken you for myself."

"Quit it," the huntress responded, pulling her hand away.

Another laugh and the auburn-haired woman backed away. "You're no fun." Just then her eyes spotted a familiar lock of blond hair on the ship's deck. She waved and shouted at the man.

"Good luck out there!"

Jason stiffened and pretended not to notice her. Next to him, Amber shook her head.

"…You slept with him too?" Siegfried asked her incredulously.

"I take a variety of clients. As long as they pay a good amount, I'll service them as well. Besides, the poor handsome man has had a rough week, so how could I say no?"

"And you didn't blackmail him as you do to most of your clients?"

Carla gasped in mock offense, "You wound me, darling. What kind of woman do you think I am?"

A trifling hussy that's what, Eris thought.

"Anyway, I better head back. Thanks again Siegfried for obliging to my selfish request. It really means a lot to me. As always, if you need me, my doors are always open to you. Good luck you two." She blew a kiss to the hunter and walked off into the darkness.

Phew, am I glad she's gone now- "Oof!" He nearly doubled over, clutching his stomach. "Woman what's your-"

"Starting today, I'm revoking your brothel visitation rights. So, unless you want to keep that thing between your legs intact, I suggest you do as I say. Is that clear?"

"That's not even a real-"

"Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am."

It was a few hours after the ship departed. With the airship already on the air, all of its passengers had been given the freedom to do whatever they want. However, a certain hunter was in a state of shock. He and Eris had only wanted to get some fresh air from the ship's deck when they stumbled upon an alarming sight. Siegfried damn near wanted to jump off the airship the second he saw who was on it as well. Curse me and my shitty luck…

"Y-You, what are you doing here?"

The person in question merely raised an eyebrow. "I'm working? Duh, this is my job dumbass."

Siegfried dug his face into his palm. "Ughh, of course, it is…"

Beside him, Eris frowned. "Don't tell me the Guild sent you to watch over Siegfried?"

Becky shook her head, swaying her long braided red hair. "I came on my own volition. With the offer to finally end those bastards once and for all? How could I say no?"

"Then who's guarding Kokoto?"

"Doris is taking care of it. She may not look like it, but she's quite a formidable fighter and an excellent leader."

The huntress narrowed her eyes at the woman before shaking her head and ushering Siegfried to follow her. "C'mon. Let's just go back inside.

As the two walked towards the inner deck, Becky called out from behind them. "Just don't cause any trouble alright! Otherwise…" She tapped the large hammer strapped to her back as Siegfried gave her a hesitant thumbs-up.

"What's with you and every woman you meet?" Eris asked him as they opened the door to the deck.

Siegfried followed her inside. "No clue."

On the through the ship's corridors, however, they – quite literally – bumped into Hilda and Rowan, who had just exited what appeared to be their shared room. All four hunter's eyes widened but the moment Siegfried noticed the ruffled shirt Rowan was wearing, the suspicious way they both pulled at their collars, and Hilda's disheveled hair, the hunter let out a groan. Before Hilda and Rowan could open their mouths to explain, he stopped them.

"Stop. We don't need to know."

The two hunters breathed a sigh of relief. But no sooner than that, the moment Hilda's eyes locked to Eris, tensions immediately rose. Siegfried and Rowan could sense the hostility emanating from the two women and despite knowing that a fight may break out again between the two, they both knew a proper talk was long overdue.

Siegfried rubbed Eris's shoulders reassuringly while Rowan gave Hilda's hand a squeeze. The two men flashed a knowing smile to their lovers and walked away, hoping that this senseless feud would end today.

Surprisingly, it was Eris who spoke first. "Front deck. Now." Hilda glared at her but obliged silently as they walked there in silence. Along the way, they passed a few crewmembers who willingly gave them a wide berth, noting the hostile aura coming from both women. Once they arrived at the front deck (which was thankfully empty), Eris settled into leaning against the mast while Hilda rested her hands on the ship's railings, staring out into the clouds. For several moments, it was pure silence save for the rumbling of the ship and the distant chatter of the crewmembers.

"So, what do you want?" Hilda asked curtly, finally speaking up.

Eris nearly flinched at the tone of her voice but swiftly composed herself. "I…I know how you feel about me, Hilda."

"And? Does that warrant anything?"

"…No, it doesn't. You are right to hate me for…whatever it was I did to you. I also want to say that I…am truly sorry for doing just that."

"Apologizing won't do jack shit! You can't even remember what you did, and you expect me to accept your shallow apology and act as if nothing had ever happened? Ridiculous."

Eris felt her anger flare up, but she suppressed it, knowing that getting angry won't solve anything. Still, she couldn't help but let the frustration in her words seep out. "I would if you would just fucking tell me what I did."

"You want to fucking know? Fine!" Hilda's hands gripped the railings so hard they broke. She cursed briefly, feeling blood drip from the splinters on her hands before turning to face Eris. "You…" she spat out with as much venom as she could. "You hurt me Eris. Badly. You broke my heart as if it were nothing!"

As expected, the huntress had no idea what she was talking about. "I…I don't understand…"

Hilda laughed bitterly. "Well of course you don't. Cause it's such an insignificant matter for someone like you right?"

"Hilda can we please just…talk like normal fucking adults for once?" Eris pleaded. "I just want us both to solve our problem rationally. I'm done trying to hate you. All I want is for us to move on."

The aforementioned huntress sighed. She was still angry – very much so – but after that talk with Rowan, she realized that holding a grudge won't solve anything. Guess that man's right after all. She briefly glanced at Eris, noting how her eyes seemed genuinely confused and concerned. Eris looked like she really did want to make amends. I guess I was the real bitch here, not giving her a chance to explain herself.

"…Alright I just…I'm just so angry. At you…and at myself for holding this grudge for so long," Hilda said tiredly as she began to pick off the pieces of wood stuck to her palm. Then in a shaky voice, she spoke, "We were friends once Eris. Do you remember that?"

"No…"

Hilda chuckled sadly, recalling the bittersweet memories. "We were practically inseparable. Can you believe that?"

Eris was quiet, but Hilda continued. "One day you changed completely. You were no longer the same Eris I knew. You looked like you were in pain. I tried to reach out to you to help – constantly – but every time you treated me like I was some kind of pest. Do you want to know why I hate you Eris? I'll tell you! It's because you forgot about me. Forgot about our bond. You acted as if you didn't know me, as if all those years we spent helping each other throughout the Hunter's Course didn't mean a thing. You told me that you'll crush me if I were to ever get in your way." Hilda finished her side of the story, stifling the urge to cry. "I…I can't be angry at you anymore. I'm just…sad at what could have been."

Meanwhile, Eris was currently attempting to process this new information. Hilda was my friend…and I tossed her out like she was trash? Am I really capable of such a vile act? Upon further introspection, the huntress concluded that Hilda could be right. She recalled that before meeting Siegfried, she was practically unapproachable. She remembered how no hunter was willing to work with her due to her high demands and her tendency to criticize everything. Though she was respected for her skills, she knew a lot of people probably hated her. It wouldn't be farfetched to say that perhaps she had done the same thing to Hilda back at the Academy, even if she couldn't remember. But she didn't care about what others thought of her…until Siegfried. Whether she asked for it or not, her time spent with Siegfried had changed her, even if by a small amount. The feeling of interacting with another person and sharing your secrets and problems with…she missed that.

"You lost someone right Eris? That's why you acted that way."

At her words, Eris grew angry. "You know nothing!"

Hilda shook her head. "Everyone has probably lost something Eris, especially in our line of work," Hilda said, putting a hand on her chest. "I lost people too. My mother…my father. Worst of all, I thought I lost the man I loved." Hilda smiled fondly, recalling her time spent with allies and Rowan. "But you know what has kept me from breaking? I talk to others, and they are willing to listen. I know I sound somewhat hypocritical when I say this but it's true. Having others to talk to about your problems really makes a difference. Believe me, I know what it feels like to bottle up your feelings for years."

Eris was once again silent. Then, to Hilda's surprise, Eris began to shake as the traumatic memories she didn't want to recall resurfaced. "My mother…she was killed during a hunt, all while I watched and hid behind a rock like a coward. My father he…he couldn't take it anymore and got himself into an accident that crippled him permanently." She leaned back against the mass, gripping her arms tightly. "If I only I had been stronger and braver then maybe…"

Hilda wanted to say something, but Eris beat her to it. "Hilda I…no number of apologies can excuse me for the way I treated you. I should have never let my grief corrupt me for so long and I never should have let it define the kind of person I became. This is all my fault…"

Rowan's words echoed into Hilda's mind. "I believe in second chances". She noted how his influence was clearly rubbing off on her. She sighed. She wanted to forgive her so badly and become friends again but a part of her couldn't. There was no salvaging their friendship but maybe…

Eris looked up to find Hilda extending her hand out to her. "What are you doing?"

"Starting over. If we can't repair our friendship, then how about resetting it?"

"You…forgive me?"

She shook her head. "No. I don't, not yet." Eris's expression fell but Hilda merely smiled. "But I want to try. So, let's start over. My name is Hilda. Nice to meet you. What's yours?"

Eris blinked twice before returning the smile and shaking her hand firmly. "Eris. It's nice to meet you too."

It wasn't much, but it was a start.

…

When the two women walked back through the corridor, they saw their respective beaus waiting for them by their initial spots. The two men appeared to be in a conversation.

"As I was saying about breasts, they- Oh hey, you two are back." Rowan waved at them. He moved towards Hilda and placed a hand on her shoulder. "So…you two good now or…?"

Hilda glanced at Eris, who gave her a small smile. "You could say that."

As they prepared to head back towards their rooms, both women noticed the marks that suspiciously looked like bruises on both men. Rowan had a slightly swollen cheek while Siegfried had what appeared to be a fading black eye.

Hilda frowned, inspecting Rowan's face. "What the hell? Did you two get into a fight or something?"

"Nah, it was more of a disagreement."

"And besides, we solved it. Man-to-man, right Siegfried?"

"Precisely Rowan."

At the same time, one thought came to both women's minds and they let out an exasperated sigh.

Men.

In Catherine's room…

Catherine couldn't sleep. No matter how hard she tried or how much she needed this, she was unable to properly close her eyes. Unlike the hunters, despite her abnormal strength, she lacked the stamina and metabolism of fully-fledged hunters, so she needed more periods of rest. This disadvantage often made her missions more difficult than they already were and it was these moments that made her wish she had fully completed the Hunter's Course.

Lying on her bed and unable to sleep a wink, she groaned and sat up. I need a walk. She dressed in a simple shirt and pants and walked out of her room. She could sense the vibrations under her foot, which meant that the ship was still in the air. Wonder how much longer till we arrive…

She walked through the corridors, intent on exhausting herself. She noted that upon passing a few rooms, she heard the unmistakable noise of grunting and moaning. She shook her head. Animals…Though I suppose I can't blame them. At the thought of this, a brief image flashed into her head, one of a certain black-haired man. She felt herself sadden and she shook her head to ward off those negative thoughts. Soon, she found herself on the front deck. Outside it was rather bright and sunny, indicating that it was now morning. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she made her over to the edge of the ship and leaned on the railing, absorbing the wind and allowing the sun to kiss her skin. She closed her eyes.

"Oh, Commander didn't expect to see you here."

She abruptly turned around and found herself facing one of the hunters. "Hunter!"

He raised his hands defensively. "Woah, didn't mean to startle you there."

Catherine uttered out a 'tch' and went back to staring at the clouds.

"What's with you? You've been acting awfully grumpy since yesterday."

At this, Catherine turned and glared at the hunter. "None of your damn business hunter."

The hunter sighed. "You could at least use my name…"

"Does it matter? Once we finish this mission, we're done. No need to get involved with each other again."

"Nothing wrong with attempting at being civil while we're at it."

"Well aren't you a ray of sunshine," Catherine replied dryly.

He chuckled. "I've been told that I was the more positive and obnoxious one compared to others so you're not wrong there."

"Tch. Why are we having this conversation anyway?"

"Because we're both here and we're both bored, lonely adults unable to sleep so might as well make the most of it anyway. And if we're going to cooperate, there's no harm in getting to know my teammates."

"Why should you? You're not even in the same squad as I am. Besides, there's no point in 'bonding' when we're going to die anyway."

"You're being awfully pessimistic, aren't you?"

"Fuck you. Just leave me alone."

"No can do. I'd rather not sleep in my room knowing those two are going at it right next to me."

Catherine groaned. "Ughh, they're animals."

He shrugged. "You can't blame them though. We're about to head into quite possibly the greatest battle of our lives so they needed that comfort and reassurance."

"You sound as if you're an expert on relationships."

"I wouldn't call expert, but I've also been told that I am rather perceptive despite my appearance." He shrugged. "And this expert believes that the reason you're being incredibly pissy is because you lost someone…did you?"

The moment he said that Catherine surged towards him and seized him by the collar, lifting him up into the air despite his superior strength. Shit, she's strong!

"You. Shut the hell up."

"I don't know what really happened but being angry all the time isn't going to bring that person back."

Catherine slammed him against the mast. "What the hell do you know?"

"Hey, I thought violence against members of the Guild isn't allowed?"

At his response, Catherine shifted and pressed her elbow against his throat. "I may not be a hunter but that doesn't mean I'm not weak. I can crush your neck right here right now."

"And risk being court-martialed for assault against an innocent man?"

Her temper flared even more. "You son of a-"

"If you need someone to talk to, I can be that someone."

Catherine stopped as Rowan felt her grip weaken. Bingo. "I don't need anyone," she said defiantly.

"Sure, you do. Everyone does. I mean, did you see Siegfried and Eris? When I first met them, they acted as if they didn't need anyone else in their lives, but now? Look at them. They're nearly inseparable."

Catherine released him and he slid down onto the floor, coughing and rubbing his neck. "Why are you trying to befriend me? We barely know each other and to top it all off, you're a hunter and I'm a soldier. We're different."

"Different? I think we're rather similar. We both work for the guild and we both work to save lives. We both have inhuman strength and we fight dangerous foes, with you fighting against criminals and me against monsters. Besides, there's nothing wrong with forming friendships." He smirked. "Plus, we're both good looking too wouldn't you agree?"

Catherine rolled her eyes but extended her hand to him to help him up. "What's your name hunter?"

Rowan took her hand and stood up. "Romero. I hope we get along."

In Eris and Siegfried's shared room…

"What happened-"

She squeezed her legs around him harder. "Shut up."

Siegfried acquiesced and rested his chin on her shoulder, rubbing his hands on her back in hopes of easing her worries. After returning to their room, the huntress had suddenly begun pushing him backward until he fell onto the bed. Before he could protest, she straddled him and began to strip and well, things naturally escalated from there. Of course, he wasn't complaining in the slightest after that. But during the deed, he could sense that the huntress was frustrated.

"You want to talk about it?"

When she didn't respond, Siegfried tried again. "Hey, let's talk about it. I thought we got over this Eris."

After a few seconds, the huntress sighed and leaned back, linking her hands behind his neck for support so she wouldn't fall. "Apologies, I was just…thinking."

"Does this have something to do with your talk with Hilda?"

Still, on his lap, Eris lightly scratched the back of his neck. "Damn you and your intuition. But yes, I guess you could say that."

"Hmm, thought so." He leaned back down onto the bed and pulled Eris down until she laid her body on top of him. He pulled the covers over them for modesty's sake. "Well, spit it out."

Eris hesitated for a moment, folding her arms on his chest and resting her chin on it. I suppose I have no choice. "I think…I think it was my fault that Hilda hated me. She told me that I used to be her friend and that I had treated her like trash after what happened to my parents. The worst part is, I completely believe her."

"You were in grief Eris and I understand your actions but at the same time, I can't support them. Misfortune isn't a free pass to be a jerk but again, you weren't entirely in the wrong here."

"Still, I didn't know I was capable of being such a bitch."

"Well, if I'm being honest, you were being a bitch the first time we met."

She glared at him, but Eris knew that he was right. "Same goes for you. Can't believe you used to be such an asshole to others."

"You know my reasons for that."

"Hmm."

For several moments, the two were silent, just basking in each other's presence and under the warm covers. By now, their stamina would have returned so they were no longer exhausted, but they chose to stay this way for now. Then to Eris' surprise, Siegfried suddenly chuckled.

"I just realized how similar our situations are. We both suffered traumatic events when we were younger. We lashed out against the world in our guilt and grief, pushing away others, which left us alone and bitter. We ruined friendships and broken other people's trust all because we both refused to talk. And now? When the world abandoned us, we found each other."

Eris nearly snorted. "So, you're saying we're fated to be together? Didn't think you'd be such a romantic."

"Sometimes, you just gotta embrace the clichés that happen in this world."

She smacked him lightly on the chest. "Idiot."

It was a few hours later when the hunters received the announcement that they arrived at the destination. Once they equipped their armor and weapons, they headed towards the meeting room where Catherine would explain the plan.

"Alright!" Catherine laid out a large map onto the table. "This is just a rough drawing of the base's layout according to the intel we've received. As such, be prepared for anything."

"What's this big area here?" Luca pointed out the large circular space in the middle of the map.

"That…is apparently where the beast resides. So, while we're on the topic of areas, here is how the attack will go." She pointed at a spot at the bottom of the map. "Our ship will land here, far enough to avoid being shot down but not far enough to not be spotted. This means the enemy would most likely know we're coming so be ready. The path here leading to the base is through this old sewer system." Her fingers pointed to near the middle of the map. "Here, we split up. My team and I would take the right path, which will lead us to the enemy. You hunters, on the other hand, take the left path which leads straight to the big area here where the monster is located. Later, if my team and I successfully kill all the Revenants, we will come down there to assist you. Is this all clear?"

The hunters and knights nodded. Catherine then turned to face Siegfried. "You. Since you were one of them, surely you can tell us about the way they fight, what weapons they used…"

"Well things have may have changed over this past decade but assuming that isn't the case…" He held his chin in thought. "For starters, a common weapon of choice was a broadsword, so your armor may not hold up for too long. They also tend to neglect heavy armor so they shouldn't be too hard to cut down. Also, what they lack in individual skill, they make up for numbers and well-planned attacks. These guys aren't idiots, they know how to plan an attack."

"Anything else?"

"Knowing these guys…just prepare for any unexpected tricks up their sleeves. They're not afraid to fight dirty if it means they would win."

"Hmm. Make sure to carve this information into your heads, everyone. Ready yourselves. We'll land in moment's time."

…

It was several minutes later when the ship finally arrived at the destination. The ship lowered down to the large opening on the roof. The hunters and knights then jumped down and through the hole, landing effortlessly on their feet as the ship securely planted itself on the roof. The crew then lowered a ladder down as they began to load the camp supplies.

"You three, stay here and guard the campsite," Catherine ordered to some of the knights. "The rest of you, let's go."

Swiftly, they made their way through the now dried up and sand-filled sewer system, passing by numerous skeletons resting along the path. A faint rumbling could be heard in the distance, but the hunters and knights paid no heed to it. Soon, they found themselves behind a metal drainage gate that appeared to lead to a large hallway located just above it.

"We need to get this out," Catherine said, hand under her chin.

"On it," answered three people who happened to be the physically strongest ones in the group.

"Don't screw this up," Hanzo told Siegfried.

"Fuck off," he replied.

Becky groaned as she rolled her sleeves back. "Guys, stop it, and let's just pull this damn thing off!"

Together, the three of them grunted loudly as they began to pull the metal gate off its hinges. A loud pop was heard and soon, the gate was off.

"My hero," Eris batted her eyelashes sarcastically as Siegfried sent a fierce glare her way.

"Shut it."

Not long after, the group found themselves standing in the large hallway from earlier. Sand fell from the cracks through the crumbling walls, blocking sunlight and the place seemed to constantly rumble and shake as if it were to collapse at any moment.

"No time for sightseeing. We split up now. Knights follow me." She looked back briefly. "You too Montague."

Siegfried merely groaned and wordlessly followed Catherine and her knights down the right path. Just before they disappeared behind the corner, Siegfried looked back one final time as he mouthed out a 'good luck'.

"Good luck to you as well…" Eris muttered, steeling her resolve. "C'mon, let's go!"

There was no turning back.

Somewhere in the same place…

The man raised an eyebrow before grinning. "They're here? Excellent. We shall proceed with the plan at once."

"Certainly." The acolyte turned back to his colleagues. "It's time to wake the beast up."

As the acolyte and his colleagues ran off, the armored woman standing beside the man spoke, "And I'll intercept those knights?"

"Yes. Don't screw this up again. We've already lost one informant, and our other one nearly got herself caught."

"I promise I won't. Besides, I heard there is a certain someone in that group whom I've been itching to get my hands on."

The man scoffed. "You do your thing Medea. I'll be taking my leave now to inform the Master of our plans. Don't disappoint me again."

"No problems here. You can leave now. Shoo, shoo!"

He huffed. "Hmmph!"

When the man left, Medea ushered her two best men to her side. She handed them two vials, each filled with a green-colored liquid. "Once the knights arrive, drink these."

"Uhh, what are they for?" asked the shorter man of the duo.

She giggled. "You'll see."

…

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