Opening song: "Until The World Goes Cold" by: Trivium

"Beautiful. Isn't it?" Asuka says as we stare out the window of the hotel room and watch the sunrise together. My arms are wrapped around her, and our hands are locked together and placed on her stomach.

"It sure is."

I personally wanted to sleep since I haven't got to sleep in a real bed, or in the same bed as Asuka for nearly a year. Especially with what happened earlier, but I didn't question it when she woke me up for this moment.

Asuka motions for me to let her go so she can move. I release my hands and roll over to my side of the bed. I put my street clothes back on and cinch my leather armor up. Asuka puts her black shoes on and throws her blue jacket over her shoulders.

"I'm going to do some Christmas shopping today." Asuka says as she puts her tie around my neck and starts lacing it in an oriental knot. She takes it off and puts it back on herself.

"You be careful. There's a lot of shinobi and hunters out and about." I say.

"I will Alan. What are you going to do after you see Jonathan?"

"Probably patrol around the city. See what trouble I can cause."

"Just promise me you will be careful." Asuka states as she pokes the tip of my nose as I help her tie a white lace in her hazel hair.

"I'll see you at Hanzo Academy tonight."

"Don't stay out too late."

"I promise to be back in your bed before nine."

"Well at least I know you're going to actually keep that promise." Asuka giggles as we give each other a quick kiss before heading to the elevator. I press the button and hold the doors open as she gets in.

"Be sure to let me know how the appointment went." Asuka says as we ride the elevator down.

I turn the room keys in and walk outside with Asuka. A chilly wind occasionally blows through the atmosphere.

"Bye Alan."

"Bye Asuka."

I head towards the hospital while Asuka walks in the opposite direction. After I see Jonathan, I have to go see Miss Oliveria. If she's here, then that means Hebijo is too. Including my sister which is rather unfortunate. Hopefully they will leave Asuka, and the Hanzo girls alone long enough for me to see what Oliveria wants.

Astoreth is sitting on a bench at the entrance only surgeons can use. She's dressed in her trauma unit uniform and is putting on some makeup to help cover up the pale color of her skin. She could use a spell, but it might give her away to pesky shinobi and hunters.

"Alan!" Astoreth yells as she throws her makeup down and hugs me.

"Astoreth. Sorry I didn't say anything when I got back. I saw that you and Daigon were having a moment."

"Well as much as I wanted to see you, Asuka wanted to see you more, and I didn't want to impose on her reunion."

I pick up the little sponge filled with makeup and finish the small patch of untouched skin underneath her left eye.

"You like your job here?"

"I do! I'm grateful Jonathan allowed me to work here!" Astoreth replies as she puts her makeup away and checks a pocket mirror to make sure everything is properly covered. "Did Daigon tell you all about his adventures in Sparta?"

"He sure did, and he knows how to give one hell of a speech on the eve of battle."

"That's all Daigon talked about yesterday was how you and him helped secure victory and how it reminded him of all his battles during the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars. He was very grateful he got to fight by your side."

"Well Daigon certainly left an impression on those young men, and I was very grateful he came with me."

Astoreth and I ride the elevator up to the seventh floor. Jonathan's office is back where all the head surgeons are, and only certain people like Jonathan are allowed back there. That's where him and several other doctors secretly treat shinobi and hunters. Unless it's an urgent matter that requires surgery or intensive care.

"Jonathan, Alan is here for his checkup!" Astoreth knocks on the door.

"Come in!"

Astoreth opens the door, and the both of us walk in. Jonathan is sitting at his desk and filling out paperwork. He's dressed in his lab coat and his son Octavian is sitting in the corner of room, fully dressed in his armor and flipping a dagger up into the air. Judging by the look on his face, it looks like he's upset about something.

"Alan, how have you been?" Jonathan asks as I sit down on the examination table.

"Good. How about you?"

"I'm doing fine."

"How are you Octavian?" I ask.

"Fine, I guess…" Octavian mutters as he stares at the wall across the room.

Astoreth puts a blood pressure cuff around my left arm and activates the machine. The band begins to tighten as Astoreth runs a thermometer around my forehead. Both the thermometer and blood pressure machine beep, "98.1 (36.7 C) degrees Fahrenheit, blood pressure is 110 systolic, 75 diastolic."

Jonathan writes down the results on his medical chart and prepares a blood draw kit while Astoreth listens to my heartbeat. Since I haven't been here in a long time, I take a second to look around the office. Things have changed the last time I was here.

There is a shelf that has Roger's ashes on it. Inside a glass case rests his broken sword on a piece of satin fabric. I guess while I was gone, Jonathan dug up Roger's urn so maybe one day, we can actually give him a proper send off. As sad as it really is, I can't help but think about the times Roger would intentionally let me believe I was winning.

The scars he gave me softly pulse all over my body. Especially the giant one where he stabbed completely through me, and the barrier during our fight at Hebijo Academy. After I came back to Hanzo academy, the nightmares still haunted me. I wanted to resort back to my alcoholism, but I made Asuka a promise. No matter how much it would hurt.

When it became more than I could handle at night, I would curl up and whimper in my sleep. Asuka would wake up, place her hand on the scar and gently rub it while she lulled me back to sleep. Asuka knew what was causing my grief, and she did everything she could to soothe or make it go away.

Astoreth cinches up some medical tubing around my arm to draw out the veins. I clench my fists a couple times and ball up my hand. Jonathan puts on some disposable gloves and feels around on my forearm.

"Here." He marks a place around the biggest vein in my arm.

Astoreth rubs some gel on the area while Jonathan preps the kit. Octavian walks over and intently watches as the needle tears into the vein and sucks the dark colored blood into several vials.

Jonathan disconnects the vials from the kit and sticks them in a modified centrifuge while Astoreth wraps my arm up. The machine prints out some kind of result and Jonathan looks it over.

"Well Alan, the good news is you are in the upper tier of GG rank based on the amount of power in this small blood sample." He keeps looking it over and shakes his head in satisfaction. "I think you might only have to take one shot a week. However, if you start stressing out, you need to stick with your routine shot every three days."

Astoreth cheers under her breath while I breathe a sigh of relief. Only one shot a week? I like the sound of that. Asuka, Mr. K and the Hanzo girls are going to be pleased with this. Astoreth walks over to the phone and starts to dial a number. She's probably calling everyone to let them know the good news.

"Just to safe though, I want you to use this." Jonathan holds out something that looks like a platinum pocket watch.

On the side are the standard controls. Adjust the minute and hour hand but on the opposite side, there is a small latch that can be flipped. The clock face folds up and underneath sits some kind of electrical device.

A green line occasionally pulses from one end of the watch to the other. It appears to be some kind of heartbeat monitor. Underneath that is a series of tiny bars measured by thousands. Right now, it's resting between two thousand and three thousand. The final notch is fifteen thousand.

"I was working on this while you were gone. It will help you keep track of how much darkness your soul is generating. When it reaches anywhere between thirteen thousand and fifteen thousand, that's when you need to take a shot." Jonathan says as he writes down the current number on the watch. "Since your last shot, you've generated about two thousand and five hundred units of power."

If that's the case, then I will only have to take a shot every six days. The time has nearly doubled. That's if it stays consistent. Which I hope it does.

"So, what are you doing here Octavian?" I ask as I put the pocket watch away in my satchel.

"Gessen is starting to become dangerous for me, so father insisted that I leave and come here."

Why is Gessen Academy becoming dangerous for a hunter? It's one of the few academies that was a sanctuary. Much like Hanzo academy now. Of course, I'm the first and only hunter that's been there. Before Hanzo Academy, Gessen was the place to go if you were a good hunter because Jonathan and Kurokage were best friends.

"I've already spoken with old man Hanzo and Kiriya about my son. As of tomorrow, he will be a student of Hanzo Academy." Jonathan says.

"Sounds good to me. I think he'll like it."

I personally have no problem with Octavian coming to Hanzo Academy. I think it will be pretty cool to train with Roger's little brother because I'd like to see what he's capable of. Not only that, I would like to see what Gessen is teaching their students.

Jonathan walks over to the shelf that has Roger's sword and takes it down. The brass clamps sealing the glass case pop with a vigorous thud and the lid flips off. The magic seal breaks in half, and a thin wave of black mist steams off the blade. Even though the weapon hasn't been used in nearly a year, it has silently been gaining power.

"Before I pass this sword down to you, Alan and I need to do something first." Jonathan says as he places his hand on the blood groove.

He closes his eyes, and an etching burns itself into the charred demon steel. It's our clan marking, and I'm guessing he is sealing it to prevent Octavian from trying to use the sword to its full potential. With Octavian being so young, the sword at its strongest could overwhelm and consume him.

Jonathan brings the case over to me and sits it in my lap. A rush of different emotions come over me as I pull the blade out of the case. I'm not the one for history, but I take a few moments and reflect before I place my seal.

A weapon that only a pure ancestry chosen by Kagura herself can use, and I'm finally getting the chance to hold it. Despite being a blade caked in muddled corruption, I can still see my reflection within the blade.

The cold sword touches my forehead as I close my eyes and form the seal within my soul. Smoke erupts from my fingertips as I carve my seal right below Jonathan's. The letter A burns itself into the H to symbolize my initials.

I hand it back to Jonathan, and he kneels down to eye level with Octavian, "This sword has been in our family for thousands of years. It's the very weapon that freed humanity from the shackles of Lord Shen. Forged by none other than Kagura herself, it is this sword that cures the wickedness plaguing the world."

Octavian takes the sword and holds it up to where the light reflects off of it. For a moment, he feels enraptured by the alluring aura of the weapon, "So I'm a hunter now?"

"Yes, but you are still a boy. Alan will train you in our ways." Jonathan replies.

"I would be honored." I say.

"Thank you, Alan."

Astoreth is talking to Asuka about my check up and informing her that I might not have to take shots but every six days now. Although I can't here the other end of the line, Astoreth's facial expression say that both her and Asuka are overjoyed about this.

Jonathan hands me some more syringes and holy water before dismissing me. I give Astoreth a hug and head out of the room. Octavian sheathes his brother's sword and follows me down to the street. "have you got your clan mark yet?" I ask as I put the syringes and holy water in my side satchel.

"I sure did." Octavian replies as he pulls his gauntlet off and shows me the fresh scar on the palm of his hand.

"Nice. Here's mine." I reply as I pull my leather gauntlet off and show him the aged scar within the palm of my hand.

"How did you do yours Alan?"

"I carved into my hand with a divine stake first, and then branded it with a brazed iron. How about you?"

"I traced with a knife and burned it in. So, what are we going to do today?"

"I have an important meeting with someone." I answer as I head in the general direction of the place I was talking about last night. The only reason that one thing didn't attack me or Asuka was because Oliveria told it no. If it were out on its own free will, it would have been one hell of a fight because that thing was top tier GGG rank.

"Who is this someone?" Octavian replies.

"Her name is Oliveria."

"Isn't that the dictator from Ursania?"

"She prefers the title Liberator."

"What the hell is she doing here?"

"I guess I'm about to find out."

"Wonderful…" Octavian mutters.

The place I asked Oliviera to meet me at is a fancy bakery that also serves as a casual restaurant in the back. I reckon since it's her, she probably has the wine cellar reserved for our meeting. It's the most secluded room in the building, and the most expensive. Octavian and I walk into the bakery and immediately head to where the cellar is.

The stench of yeast reacting with sugar, bread baking in the brick ovens and wine fermenting in wooden, oak barrels fill the air with a lovely aroma. There is even the smell of yoma flesh soaked in corrupted blood radiating from below. Oliveria is definitely here. She's got company too.

Octavian and I make our way to the back of bakery and head through an iron gateway. Since this is an older part of the building, oil torches light the dark corridors. Occasional flickers of gold form a small visible dome that causes the tiny speckles of water on the walls to sparkle like glass.

My boot finally touches the stone floor of the wine cellar. Several tables are placed beside each other and form one huge table. On the other side sits Oliveria and her group, Soji, Ryona, Ryobi, Imu, Murasaki, my sister, Miyabi as well as the woman from last night.

The Hebijo girls are dressed their winter uniforms. The woman from last night is still in that white dress while Oliveria is wearing a black shotgun coat made of yoma scale that covers her white undershirt. Her black pinstriped slacks are free of wrinkles and her tie has been pressed.

She's still got that black top hat with the blue band that runs around the base. Not much has changed since I seen her almost a year ago. She still has the violet streaks in her flowing white hair. In her hand rests some kind of unique looking cane. A horned yoma skull that's been dipped in solid chrome acts as the grip.

"Alan! Quid agis (How are you)?"

"Bonum. Quid agis(How are you)?" I reply as I remain standing.

"Bonum! Lam ut vos es huc (Good! Now that you are here)!"

Miyabi and I lock eyes and stare into each other's soul, "Little brother." She says with a hint of anger on the tip of her tongue.

"Big sis." I mutually reply.

Personally, I'm glad Miyabi is okay. Even though she's not happy with me, and my decision to become a good shinobi. We came from a clan of evil shinobi, and she sees me as a disgrace and a traitor to our family because I rejected my birthright and became the thing my family's sworn to destroy. In more ways than one.

Oliveria looks over at Octavian, "Aren't you Roger's little brother?"

"Yes ma'am."

"So polite and respectful. I'd expect nothing less of Roger's younger brother. Please, have a seat. Both of you." Oliveria says as she points to the chairs on the other side, "Any person that's a member of Jonathan's clan is always welcome at my table." Imu passes Octavian a bowl of soup and some fresh bread baked minutes ago.

I sit down in the chair that has a piece of yoma flesh soaked in some kind of marinade. As disgusting as it appears to Octavian and the Hebijo girls, it's making my mouth water. I haven't had real yoma in a while.

There's also come kind of milk colored drink in a goblet sitting next to the plate. On top of the liquid is a thin layer of cream skin with a huge red funnel right in the middle. I'm guessing this must be desert because I can smell aged blood and sugar in it.

"Miss Ryona took the liberty and decided she wanted to thank you for saving her, and everyone else back in Ursania. So she made you a special drink." Oliveria says.

"Well miss Ryona has my gratitude."

For God's sake, I really hope it is just milk and sugar.

The girls from Hebijo are all eating soup and bread while Oliveria slices through the yoma with a butter knife. She stirs the piece of black meat in the blood before popping it in her mouth. I stick my fork into the small piece of yoma and eat the slab of meat in one big bite.

Veins and arteries collapse pop within my mouth. The sudden rush of blood causes my eyes nearly change color from all the flavor. I grab hold of my goblet and chug it all down at once. Warm milk that's been steamed, cream, sugar and aged blood mixes with the sweet blend of cinnamon, vanilla, and freshly ground nutmeg. It does nothing to quell this feeling deep inside but only intensifies it.

"Filet mingnon yoma and Ryona's crème da la crème. Medium rare is best savored slowly." Oliveria states.

Well I wish she would have told me that before I started eating. The piece of meat wasn't the size of a hamburger slider. However, that was quite possibly the best thing I've eaten in a long time.

Which is probably why I was on the verge of licking the plate spotless. My human side finally overcomes my yoma urge and everything returns to normal. Yoma is best eaten raw, but Ryona knows what she is doing.

"Miss Ryona, I have to say that mingnon, and your crème da la crème was spectacular. When you make something that brings a hunter to the edge of his senses, you know you did a fine job."

"Thank you Alan. I'm glad you liked it."

I regain my posture and sit back up straight. "So why are you here Oliveria?"

Oliveria wipes her mouth with a red napkin and places her fork down. Soji hands Oliveria a black briefcase filled with documents. She pulls out an orange envelope and slides it to my side of the table.

I open it up and pull out several papers regarding some artifacts that have recently been stolen from Ursania. Hunter weapons dating back centuries ago are missing as well as something called the talilbasha.

The object is shaped like a dark red gemstone, but it has some deformity at the bottom. It almost looks like something was trying to drip out of it but was stopped before it could completely escape. I flip the document over and read more:

Everyone experiences tragedy in some form. Even deities. Deep within Kagura's heart, a stone took form and attempted to replace the loss of someone she loved.

"Allow me to explain the significance of this situation. Two days ago, someone stole something of great importance along with some other items from my collection. I personally don't care about the weapons. Blunderbusses, threaded canes, axes, all mediocre scores in my opinion. If any shinobi is capable of leaving my city in anything other than a casket, I'm not going to make a fuss about it, but that stone, the talilbasha is a no no." Oliveria says.

"The talilbasha is an object of unimaginable destruction, and an object that only affects shinobi, both good and evil. It has the ability to amplify the strength of the person in possession of it sevenfold if their opponent transforms in combat, which grants the user infinite power that surpasses Kagura herself. Do you see what's at stake here?" She asks.

"I do. So why are you here?"

"I'm glad you asked. I want you to tell your bride to give it back."

The last statement catches me off guard and Octavian nearly chokes on glassful of wine. He pounds on his chest and attempts to get his breathing under control. A feeling of unease climbs all the way up my spine to the back of my neck. Does she seriously believe Asuka is capable of stealing this? Mr. K would never send her back to a place where her identity was compromised.

Not only that, I don't think Asuka has the experience or the skill to steal something like this from Oliveria and get away alive. None of the Hanzo or Gessen girls for that matter. Oliveria had to have this thing locked up in a place only she knew about.

"What exactly are you insinuating?" I ask as I place the paper on the table.

"Well your little lover Asuka has stolen from me before. Who's to say she didn't steal this?"

"Lady Oliveria, with all due respect, I don't think Asuka is going to steal from you twice. She barely made it out the first time, and that was with my help."

Oliveria lets out a small chuckle and takes a drink of her blood and wine cocktail, "Have you met Alice yet?"

"Is it the woman that gave me the letter last night?"

"Yes, that is my Alice. I found her nearly a year ago in a catacomb deep below Ursania. She's the big sister of Hebijo. So when Miyabi and I asked Alice if she could help us track the thief, she brought us here. The very city Asuka Hanzo lives in. Coincidence?"

"Well this must be the halfway stop because Asuka didn't steal the stone." I say in a firm voice.

Octavian lets out a small sigh of dread as he tries to hide his face back in his wine glass. Oliveira's grip around her wine glass starts to tighten to the point it is softly crackling. Silent rage fills her eyes and transforms the elegant smile she had to a sadistic looking grin of anger.

"Oh dear…" Ryobi softly mutters as she shoves her face into a wine goblet.

"Ohhh… I love it when Lady Oliveria gets angry." Ryona whispers as she places both of her hands on her red face and lets out a sigh of excitement. I honestly wasn't expecting that response but okay.

"You know Alan, the good shinobi have always had the reputation of hiding behind someone stronger than themselves when they do something wrong." Oliveria mentions something about the good shinobi followed by a bunch of obscene words in French. The glass within Oliveria's hand explodes under the pressure of her grip.

A combination of wine and blood splatters all over the table as well as Ryobi and Miyabi since they are sitting beside her. Shards of glass dot the palms over Oliveria's hand as well as her fingers.

"Girls, let's go talk to the Hanzo kitten ourselves!"

"Don't be stupid Oliveria!" I yell as I stand up and aim the barrel of my handgun at her. Octavian pulls both his break over revolvers up. All of the Hebijo girls except Murasaki stand up and draw their weapons as well. I put my arm out and push Octavian behind me. He places his arms over my shoulders. Octavian is aiming on gun at Murasaki and one at Ryobi, so I slowly press the barrel of his weapon away from Murasaki and direct it at Alice.

"Miss Oliveria!"

"No Murasaki! I'm getting that stone back right now!"

"Lady Oliveria! Please! You promised me no one would get hurt! If you are sold that the stone is here, at least give Alan a chance to speak or prove it wasn't Asuka! Please!" Murasaki begs as she places her hands together in a pleading manner.

Oliveria takes a deep breath and calms herself down. The Hebijo girls lower the weapons, but Octavian and I keep ours up. Imu and Miyabi put on a pair of medical gloves and fold Oliveria's hand out to where they can pick the glass out while Soji and Ryobi wrap it up with some bandages.

Oliveria could simply push the glass out and regenerate instantly, but the Hebijo girls care deeply about Oliveria, and they want to feel like they are contributing to helping her heal. Ryona gets another glass while Murasaki pours her some more wine.

"Thank you, girls. Now Alan, where were we before I blacked out there for a second?"

"Murasaki proposed that if we aren't going to be civil about this, let me prove Asuka didn't steal the stone."

Oliveria takes a sip of wine and considers what Murasaki and I just said. She places her hand on her chin and shakes her head yes.

"Alight. If it were anyone else, Asuka would be dead by now, but because I like you, because we got history, I'm going to let you handle this. Should be a simple task for someone of your stature."

As much as I want to state Asuka wasn't the one that stole the stone, I keep my mouth shut because there is no point in arguing with Oliveria. Her mind is set on Asuka being the thief and there is no telling her. The only thing I can do is find it and prove Asuka's innocence.

"Okay." I say as I spin my pistol around my finger and stick it back in its holster. Octavian flips his revolvers and sticks them back in his cross-draw hip holsters.

"Girls, Alice, as of right now, you are not to lay a finger on Alan, Octavian, Asuka or anyone from Hanzo Academy until I give the order." Oliveria pulls out a jewel incrusted pocket watch with Hebijo's insignia, "At exactly 11:45, you have ninety-six hours to find that stone. That gives you ten minutes to get to the surface before your time actually starts. In four days, we will be paying Hanzo Academy a social call."

Octavian and I push up our chairs and begin to leave.

"Before you go, you may need this." Oliveria says as she hands me the document regarding the stone she wants.

"Thank you Oliveria."

The both of us walk upstairs and head out the back door into the alleyway. I didn't mean to get Octavian tangled up in this. Personally, I knew Oliveria was here for a good reason, but I didn't know she was going to be so unreasonable and stubborn about it. Ninety-six hours. How the fuck am I going to track down a stone in ninety-six hours?

"This is bad Alan!" Octavian states.

"I know."

"If we don't find that stone, she's going to try and kill everyone at Hanzo Academy!"

"I know."

"What are we going to do!?"

"I don't know yet." I reply as I pull the document out continue reading about it.

Oliveria was absolutely no help because she is sold that Asuka took the stone, and she isn't going to tell me if there are any other potential suspects. Right now, I've already hit a dead end, and the clock hasn't even started yet.

The only thing I can come up with is that the thief had to know where Oliviera was keeping the stone, and that they came here to try and throw her off. Which they did a hell of a job doing so. Oliveria said the theft happened about two days ago. The fastest train route from here to Ursania is about a two-day trip, so the thief has to still be in this town.

"Octavian, did you happen to see anything suspicious when you came in from Gessen?"

He scratches his head and thinks for a moment, "Well, when I was walking to the hospital with dad this morning, I saw Lawrence and Shiyro in front of a grocery store. We talked for a couple minutes and Lawrence's guardian Shiyro said something about seeing a nice private three car train coming from the Ursania track."

"She said the people on board were going to have to wait until tomorrow morning to leave because of all the people coming back from war. Shiyro said she had never seen a train as nice as that one, so that's why it stood out to her."

"Well I don't have anything better. Let's go have a talk with Lawrence and his group." I state.

"They should still be there because Lawrence, and the girls are working part time jobs."

"Good. Maybe I can get some kind of lead." I say as I follow Octavian…

Ending Song: "Sleeping Dogs" by: Zack Wylde ft. Corey Taylor