Author's Note: Well, that took a lot longer than I intended to get the second chapter posted! I'll put it down to real life, laziness, and procrastination. But now that I've actually started fixing some parts of the story, the chapters should hopefully come faster!

I'd appreciate any comments about what you like or don't like about the descriptions… Is it too much, just right, or not enough? I do like to describe things, but I don't want to go overboard. Comments about the portrayal of the characters would be welcome, too… I don't want anyone to turn into a Mary Sue, though since this is an original story, I'm not sure that applies here. But if you see anything I could improve, please let me know! Thanks.

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Part I

Chapter One

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"Isn't this great?" Kaze's traveling companion cheerfully declared with a smile in his voice. "How much you wanna bet it'll snow later today?"

"Nothing, Izaak. Your luck's too good for me to ever win against you."

Izaak Leofwine, Kaze's friend and fellow demon-hunter, roughly slung an arm around her shoulders. "Aww, don't be like that. You've got plenty of luck too! How else would you explain having the honor of my friendship?" And he promptly ruffled Kaze's hair.

Growling, Kaze shoved Izaak forcefully to the side. "You're so full of yourself." She strode forward so he couldn't see her failing attempt to smother a grin.

The two demon-hunters had started the day early. It was just after dawn, mist still lingering, and a heavy frost coated the ground and trees. The brilliant golden sunlight shone low through the branches of the pines, reflecting off of the fog and frost and dazzling their eyes. Kaze sucked in a deep breath. The cold, crisp morning air was truly refreshing.

They had gotten a report about a day and a half ago about some type of monster threatening one of the smaller villages up the mountainside. Since they were in the area anyway, just finishing up another quest, they decided to check it out. After all, a demon-hunter in this part of the world couldn't be too picky if he wanted to make a living. And, although chances were they wouldn't acquire any good loot on this assignment, it always paid to take a look. Literally. Their prices were quite fair, too, in Kaze's opinion.

All in all, she couldn't complain much at all about her current state of affairs. At age 18, she was halfway through her fourth year as a demon-hunter. After that mess that had landed her here in the first place (although, together, they had managed to piece together most of what had happened, she still actually remembered only fragments), the only thing to do was to train. And she had. Day in and out. Until she possessed enough skill to put to use (which didn't take long, actually, since she had gotten a very good start with her combat skills back in the States). Then Izaak had taken her on her first mission, and she'd only improved since.

In short, Kaze and Izaak made the best team of demon-hunters this side of the Great Wall. The locals said their speed rivaled that of the demons they fought, and they had more tricks up their sleeves than a sorcerer had spells. But they pretty much had to be that good, if they wanted to survive in their chosen trade. They were the only two students their master had taught in ages, since the old ways were getting scarce and less popular. You really had to make a name for yourself, if you expected to get paid. They had reached the point where they worked almost flawlessly together, and business was only getting better.

But talk about the fun! Of course, there was always the thrill of battle and outwitting their more devious opponents, but they got to travel, too! And that was something that Kaze absolutely loved, second only to puzzling out the location and path to a rare piece of treasure, and escaping alive with it in hand. Which they also took plenty of time out to do. In fact, those quests were probably the source of their more dangerous exploits. Indeed, just last year, Kaze had been able to put her extensive lock-picking and thievery skills to the test in the ruins of ancient Egypt, where they had spent quite an action-packed year…

Ah, but she was daydreaming again. Kaze gave her head a quick shake. Back to their current purpose. After getting that report, Izaak and Kaze had immediately set out the following morning, and traveled the backcountry on foot throughout the day. You couldn't really take a vehicle out here, after all, and Izaak had left his motorcycle back home. And the clients from their last job hadn't been grateful enough to lend them a horse either. Kaze sighed. They'd have to work on that. Not that she really minded, though. They'd probably walked…or ran…most of the way around the globe, anyway, and the village in question was only a short distance away. They should arrive by early evening at the latest.

At least they'd remembered to pack warm clothing this time! Kaze glanced out of the corner of her eye at her merry traveling companion. He had lined his usual black dragon-scale vest, boots, and gloves with fur of some kind, either rabbit or fox, and had opted for the thicker, but still slightly loose, off-white long-sleeve shirt and black pants. His broadsword was strapped to his left side, while a massive handgun, appropriately named Divine Retribution(1), hung on the right. Kaze knew that two smaller pistols were concealed under his vest. Finally, a long, heavy, gray-furred cloak completed the attire. Kaze didn't know what animal that had come from, but, if her suspicions were correct, she didn't even want to know how Izaak had managed to get that fur cleaned and tanned properly.

Kaze's garb consisted of the same furred dragon-scale attire (that was one dragon whose demise the two had been plotting for a while). The gloves, however, were fingerless, and a set of sturdy, black bracers were worn snugly on top. She normally wouldn't have bothered with gloves, not feeling the need to keep her hands covered. However, a certain mark on the back of her left hand was rather conspicuous…and she preferred to keep it safely hidden from prying eyes. She also wore black long-sleeved shirt and pants, with her two lightweight, double-edged swords belted in a cross on her back. Various knives were also secured in several places, ready for easy access if she ever found herself without the swords. A reddish-brown cloak was thrown over everything.

Izaak himself stood nearly a full head taller than Kaze's five foot-four inch height. His dark, royal blue eyes never seemed to be without a smile, and his slightly long, unruly black hair seemed to echo his energetic and lively demeanor. A tanned face and ready grin completed the picture of Kaze's best friend and partner in crime.

Kaze was the slightly more cautious and serious of the two, at least upon first glance. But she was much more prone to mischief when it came to stealing priceless artifacts. She also had tanned skin, along with wavy, dark brown, shoulder-length hair, which tended to curl at the ends. A strong, lithe body combined with a pair of calculating, but inquisitive, golden eyes, with just a hint of an oriental slant, gave her a rather striking appearance. She usually wore a set of dark sunglasses to hide the glow of her eyes, but today they were safely stowed away.

Together they made quite a pair: Kaze's seriousness against Izaak's cheerfully optimistic attitude, and her occasional bouts of recklessness balanced by Izaak's experience and unexpectedly strategic mind. And on this mission, they might very well need to put all of that to use. Kaze had a strange sense of foreboding, an expectation of impeding change, and felt that all she could do was sit back and wait for it to happen.

"Hey, kiddo. What did ya think about the description of that monster? Think they were givin' us everything?" Izaak's serious tone seemed to confirm Kaze's doubts.

She shook her head. "I don't know. The details were a little vague. I mean, other than some apparent mischief, which could have been caused by the local pranksters, and two people gone missing in the span of a couple weeks, it doesn't sound like anything really out of the ordinary. They just seem paranoid to me. Did they really put in the effort to investigate?"

Izaak nodded thoughtfully. "I know what you mean. But usually these mountain folk are pretty levelheaded. They'd have to be to live out here in the middle of nowhere without any real emergency services. So why would they panic and send a guy two days out to fetch help? Doesn't make any sense."

"Well if there's more to their story, they certainly didn't feel like sharing. And that doesn't make sense either." Kaze kicked a loose stone as they strode along the path. "The more we know, the better prepared we'll be, and the faster we can get this job done."

"Hmmm."

Kaze glanced back at her friend and slowed down to walk beside him. "You know, you've been awfully quiet lately. One could get the feeling you suspect more than you let on."

"Hmmm. I don't know." He sighed and raised his eyes to stare absently into the distance. "It almost sounds like something that happened a long time ago…" Izaak suddenly looked down at Kaze and threw on a cheerful grin, tossing an arm around her shoulders. "But don't worry! With what little we know, it could be just about anything! And I know we can handle that."

"…Only you could be happy about knowing nothing about something," Kaze grumbled.

"Hey, you know what they say. Ignorance is bliss!"

"Moron."

And so the two demon-hunters continued. They'd stop only once for lunch around noon, by which time the frost and mist would have surely disappeared. Until then, though, they'd enjoy their scenic, early morning stroll up the mountainside.

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The pair reached the outskirts of the town with a much more somber and watchful attitude. They hadn't yet encountered any apparent reason for the reports they had gotten, and this led them both to be a bit edgy. It wasn't unheard of to have a completely uneventful journey, but with the activity that was supposed to be in this region, and especially with the tendency of minor demons to gravitate toward Kaze in particular, this was extremely unusual.

"Sense anything yet?" asked Izaak, unknowingly speaking in a whisper.

Kaze shook her head a fraction and donned her shades. "No."

Together they strolled at a leisurely pace into town, along the one existing main street, keeping a sharp eye and ear out for anything out of the ordinary. The town, nestled snuggly in a clearing of firs, was located a fair distance up the mountain, and also quite far from any major centers of civilization. In fact, the town itself seemed a little on the backward side: there were few vehicles, all of which had signs of wear and rust. The buildings, too, appeared to have been in use for generations. The light dusting of snow helped to disguise the worst of the flaws, though, and at least they had seen fit to gravel the road rather than leave it a mud trap.

Aside from that, however, the place seemed to be a cozy and peaceful spot to call home. As the sun slowly sunk down the sky and the shadows grew longer, warm, cheery lights were turned on, casting bright golden squares onto the rough, snowy ground. Lively sounds of conversation and laughter came from several of the buildings, especially one in particular, which the hunters took to be the local bar. Several people were hurrying home after a day's work, bundled up against the evening's chill. Not one of them stopped for a chat, but they all cast curious glances at the two visitors.

"Wish that guy'd given us a place to check in. This might end up a bit awkward."

"Yeah," Kaze agreed. "Let's check out the bar first. Someone's bound to know something."

Izaak grinned and rolled his eyes. "No kiddin'. Isn't that, like, Rule #1 of How to be a Detective? Wait a sec, I think I have a copy here in my pocket. Lemme check." He stopped and proceeded to pat down the front pockets of his vest.

"Izaak," Kaze whispered harshly, and elbowed him in the ribs.

"Sounds like a B-rated movie to me," He chuckled.

"No, Izaak, someone's coming."

"Huh?" He looked up. "Oh, right." He grinned sheepishly as a stranger approached. The man sported sandy-brown hair and beard cropped short, and was dressed in an overcoat, which Kaze judged to be a tad too warm for the season. Izaak stepped forward to greet him. "Hey. Nice to meet 'cha."

The man kept his expression carefully guarded, but smiled and extended a hand, which Izaak shook. "Welcome! I presume that you are the help that was sent for…?"

Kaze nodded. "Yes. Demon-hunters, Kaze and Izaak Leofwine," here she inclined her head at her partner, "at your service."

The man heaved a sigh of relief. "Wonderful! It is an honor to meet you." He enthusiastically shook Kaze's hand. "You may call me Nathan. I am the…head of the town – the mayor – I suppose you could say. At least I speak for everyone here." He turned and gestured for them to follow. "Come, Mr. and Mrs. Leofwine! You must be tired from your trip. Allow me to show you where you can get some food and lodging for the duration of your stay."

Kaze blinked. "Wait, what!?" she sputtered. "W-we're not married!"

Nathan seemed rather taken aback. "Oh? Excuse me, I had no idea… It's just, from the way you introduced yourself…"

"No. No! He's Izaak Leofwine, and I'm Kaze. Just Kaze and nothing else!" She felt her face turning red from embarrassment, and glanced to the side, only to see Izaak's shoulders shaking as he turned away, trying to stifle his laughter.

The mayor glanced between the two of them. "I see… My apologies." He inclined his head. "Please follow me."

Kaze shot Izaak a glare, which only made him laugh harder, and turned away. "Honestly," she huffed.

The three made their way to the tavern after all; as it turned out, the building housed both that and the local inn. The weathered wooden doors groaned loudly as they entered, evidence of more use than care, and the town head guided the demon-hunters to a sturdy round table in a corner on their immediate right. With a few parting words, he left them to situate themselves, and headed for the counter to order food and drink.

As they took their seats, Kaze covering the interior of the bar from the corner and Izaak to her right covering the door, Kaze carefully surveyed the room. It was rather large for a town as small as this, and rectangular in shape with the door squarely in the center of one of the two wider walls. The bar was directly opposite the door, obviously well stocked, with a pyramid of shot glasses against the wall, and several patrons occupying the stools in the front. A set of swinging doors, backlit by bright yellowish light, just to the right of the counter led to what Kaze surmised was the kitchen.

On the side of the room opposite theirs, a gigantic stone fireplace and a great roaring fire provided much of the heat and light for the room, a welcome change from the bite in the outside air. Soot blackened the smooth hearthstone on the floor in front of the blaze, while a small metal dust pan and brush lay propped up against the rough stonework on the left, and various pokers rested in a wrought iron stand on the right. Even as she watched, the wood in the fire shifted, collapsing a little and throwing sparks, and a man sitting near rose to toss in another log from a pile in the left corner, and stir it up with a rod.

The dancing radiance provided plenty of light for the room up to about the halfway point, giving the varnished wooden tables, chairs, and floor a soft glow. It gradually tapered off, leaving Kaze's side of the room in a comfortable darkness. Old, iron lanterns, bolted onto the walls, were spaced so as to provide just enough firelight to keep the shadows at bay.

Dark red curtains framed large, arched windows on either side of the door. The many panes were made of a thick, textured glass that obscured the view outside and reflected diffused light from the flames. A banistered staircase to the right of the fireplace led upwards, Kaze presumed, to the inn's rooms.

A somewhat pleasant din provided the background noise as voices, thumping chairs, clinking glasses, and clattering silverware blended together. Kaze stared into the fire and let her eyes grow unfocused. It was cozy and warm here, and two straight days of hiking did nothing to avert the oncoming drowsiness.

A figure suddenly intruded into her field of view, startling Kaze from her reverie. It was their guide, flourishing a tray of steaming food and full mugs. He placed everything on the table before taking a seat for himself across from the two. Kaze, roused by the aroma of spiced meat and potatoes, immediately dug in, leaving Izaak to – more politely – question the man while she listened.

Nathan opened up the conversation as they started to eat. "So, what have you heard?"

Izaak shared a glance with Kaze. "About your problem here? Not much of anything, really. Just that you were in need of our help." Let's see what he explains in his own words.

"Ah." He looked briefly down at his plate before raising his eyes to stare directly into Izaak's. "What I say here, and what happens here must remain confidential. Do you understand? We can't risk word getting out to the other towns in this area."

"…Ookay… Why is that, exactly?"

"We have a certain…reputation to keep, you see. We live in such closed communities but the towns trade with one another and rely on each other for aid in difficult times. If they knew what was going on…that we weren't able to take care of it ourselves or that it happened in the first place…it might…" he paused, searching for the right words, "sabotage the delicate working relationship we have built. We could lose our status as one of the primary towns in this area."

"…Worried about causing a panic?"

Nathan sighed. "That too."

"I see. Well, we'll do our best." And here Izaak pointed his fork across the table at the man. "But you've got to tell us everything you know about the situation here. We don't like bein' kept in the dark like this. We could have come prepared, guns blazin', if you know what I mean."

"…Aren't you demon-hunters always supposed to be prepared?"

Izaak was silent for a moment. Then he waved a hand. "Ya, but that's beside the point." He resumed eating. "What I'm gettin' at is that you hindered our operations here, yet you still expect us to eliminate whatever your problem is, plus all this hush-hush nonsense? That's gonna cost you extra."

The mayor nodded and pushed his plate to the side, finished for now. "I expected as much. And I'm fully prepared to give you all the town can spare." He made a vague gesture at the food and building. "Room and board included, of course."

Kaze, finished eating by this point, leaned casually back in the chair while Izaak raised his mug for a drink. "So. What's the problem, then?"

Their host leaned forward. He raised his hands slightly and opened his mouth to say something, but then apparently thought better of it. Lacing his fingers together atop the table, he decided to take the direct approach. "Werewolves."

Kaze's friend choked on his drink and set it down with a clunk, coughing. "Excuse me?"

"Werewolves. We've had an outbreak of the disease; we don't know where it's coming from or what started it, but it needs to be stopped. Two people have gone missing. One – the first one – we aren't sure but we think…that is, there may be evidence that…that he was killed." Nathan swallowed. "Violently." He raised his hands as Kaze started to comment. "Yes, yes, I know. It could have been a wolf or a bear or…something. But the signs were kind of strange…but it was hard to tell too, because the tracks were mangled beyond identification."

Izaak nodded solemnly. "Go on. And the second person?"

"The second person…just disappeared. Signs of a struggle near the barn, but other than that, not much." He shuddered. "I am afraid…I am afraid, more, of what may have happened to him."

There was a pause in the conversation as everyone considered Nathan's story. Then Izaak spoke up. "Ya know, I understand your concern, completely, but that's really not much evidence to go on. Surely you can see my point? There's no reason why you all should've jumped to this conclusion and summoned us here…" Izaak scooted his chair back and stood up, Kaze likewise. "We'll just charge you the standard fee for travelin', so ya won't be out much," he continued. "We'll stay the night and head out tomorrow morning."

"No, wait! There have also been other things…things – animals – disappearing…sightings, too, of what several villagers say is a large wolf-like creature… We're quite positive. Don't…don't leave, please! Please, can't you just take a look around?" he pleaded, with growing panic.

Izaak sighed and looked at Kaze for confirmation. She shrugged. Why not?

"Alright. Investigation does count as a complete mission, though, so we are charging you full price. Plus the fees we discussed before…"

"Of course, of course…"

"And," here Izaak reached into his pack, bringing out some documents. "We reserve the right to claim any and all items found during this assignment, including anything that may have been previously owned by any known person or entity, living or otherwise…" Izaak placed the papers on the table and smoothed them out. "As stated in this contract. Please read it through and sign here."

Nathan glanced through the contract. Kaze had nearly the entire thing memorized, after all, she and Izaak had written it. Clauses such as: "…not responsible for any damage, collateral or otherwise, that may occur to land, property, or living (or otherwise) entities within the area of operations (or the surrounding area, the extent of which depends upon the exact nature of enemies faced, to be determined at the conclusion of the mission)…"and "…we reserve the right to commandeer any and all items of our choosing belonging to the person, community, or entity hiring us, to be used in a manner such as we see fit, in the pursuance of the goal of this mission (which may change, at our discretion, depending on the nature of the enemies faced and difficulty of the mission)…" were dotted throughout the document. It gave most employers pause; no one ever expected a contract of this sort when hiring demon-hunters. But experience and tales related by some of their peers made it a necessity these days. And since unexpected things often happened, it made sense to cover all the bases. Their reputation was such, too, that most employers knew them to be trustworthy and didn't question the contract. Much.

Kaze sat, tracing idle patterns with a finger in the dark, prominent grain of the walnut table, as she and Izaak waited for the man to finish. Finally, he straightened up from his position over the paper and announced it signed and dated. The two hunters then signed it themselves, and Izaak cast a quick spell of permanency on it. "Always pays to be careful. We've had some problems in the past…" he explained with an apologetic grin.

Nathan waved him off after a moment of surprise at the magic. "…I quite understand. Now, if that is all, please allow me to show you to your room." He called for a serving boy to clean off the table and fetch some extra blankets, then gestured for them to follow. They crossed the room to the opposite corner and climbed the staircase.

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to be continued…

1. Divine Retribution – A name suggested to me by friend and fellow author, Ikiyouyou, to whom I dedicate this footnote of recognition. Let it never be said that I don't give credit where credit is due! XD