The sun has fully set and Seren is halfway to Gwahin’s grove when her phone rings.

“Hey Yuki.”

“Oi, are you still in one piece?”

“Uh, yeah? I have the mother of all hangovers though.”

“Damn, famous for a day and already a party girl.”

“Famous? What do you mean?”

“Hontou? You do not know? You’re on Youtube!”

“Oh, that. Wait. Nobody knows it’s me, right? Besides you?”

“You wish. Some guy from the fencing club recognized you on the spot. When the first video got taken down he reuploaded it with your little stunt. ”

“You don’t mean…”

“Yeah, fifteen seconds of you beating the ever-loving shit out of Liam. Your skill and modest cleavage displayed in their full glories. I’m looking at a hundred thousand views, and if that prick monetized it, you’re rich baby. There’s even your name in the description.”

“Fuck. Well, I’ve got something to take care of first, then we’ll see about all that. I can definitely use the money at least.”

“… So that thing. It’s real then?”

“Yeah…. But don’t worry I got it.”

“I am not going out at night ever again. Well, good luck. Oh, last thing, you should not go back to that dump you rent unless you’re ready for your first interview. I drove by on my sweet new motorcycle…”

“What? You did it? You bought it?”

“Yeeeeessss!”

“Please tell me you wore all leather and had a katana strapped to your back!”

“Life is not an anime Seren-chan!”

“Oh.”

“It was a sword. I don’t have a katana lying around. What do you take me for? You should have seen the look on that journalist.”

They make short talk for a while and as she hangs up, a gap in the trees opens the way to her destination.

Nathan’s description of the grove does not do it justice. His focus was on the incredible feeling of the forest’s beating heart and it is not something she can perceive as intimately as he does. The rest, he sold short.

The clearing is a sea of lush grass undulating under the caress of a soft wind. Islands of flower patches and small trees dot the land and attract clouds of fluttering lights. As she walks forward, she realizes that those are not firebugs but Sylvans, all a fraction of the size of toothy. The islands do not look grown so much as sculpted, each bud and each twig arranged with a sense of zen perfection, and in the center of it all stands Gwahin’s tree.

The cherry tree is absolutely massive. Its branches reach the entirety of the grove and their edge plays with Seren’s perception, making her feel dizzy. Redwood trees would be bigger, she bets, but nowhere near as imposing.

Seren walks forward. Gwahin is clearly expecting her and has set up a low table, two bowls and a bottle of something she prays is mana tea.

She stops a few feet from the Yol woman, unsure as to how to proceed. The strange creature graces her with a sly smile and an invitation to sit. She suspects she has been read like a book, that’s never good for negotiations.”

“Good evening Gwahin.” She says, as the Yold serves them both. The light is provided by a court of Sylvans. The greatest of all is produced by Toothy who leads his brethren in a hypnotizing dance.

“And a good evening to you too Seren. Do not mind the first born, he is welcoming this year’s brood to his domain.”

“Isn’t that your domain though?”

“A forest has… Layers. Wolves do not compete with chestnuts, nor with spiders. We both have our role although I will admit that it is fortunate that he would align with me. But you are not here to talk about him, are you? You are here for yourself. Now. Drink, drink, and then ask.”

Seren blushes. Gwahin completely saw through her, as expected.

“Ah, do not be like this young one. It is normal for humans to be selfish, especially when survival is at stake. We Yol are rather similar. I was expecting you sooner or not at all, to be honest.”

“So you know I would come to you for help?”

“I did not know, I expected. But! Enough of this. Formulate your request properly, so that the forms may be observed.”

“Right. So. We trained with you so you know what I can do. I don’t really need help with the paths, I’m still making a lot of progress by myself.”

“That is good, because I could not help you. What you do is exceedingly rare.”

“It is?”

“Yes. I do not believe there have been more than ten oracles alive at the same time at any point of this planet’s history. And that includes the previous Age.”

“You think I’m an oracle? Like, I can see the future?”

Seren almost slaps herself for being this stupid. Of course she can “see” the future. What are the paths, except potential futures?

“I understand your meaning. You think of oracles as being who offer prophecies. You may be able to do that, eventually. Ah, but we are getting sidetracked and I am to blame. Please, carry on.”

Seren gulps down on the infusion to calm her nerves. Right. Here goes nothing.

“I need help for normal magic.” She blurts. “I mean, more than just the paths. I’m already reaching my limits just defending against that monster, and I don’t think I could handle two Varog at once. I need more… Means at my disposal. The paths will always show me the way to victory if I can provide the tools.”

“Ah yes. There is something that I could teach you, in an amount of time short enough to matter. We can use the weave to reinforce ourselves momentarily. Make us faster and stronger. I believe that you would be very good at it.”

“Really? Have you been teaching Nathan?”

“Not that, specifically. It requires knowing one’s body and its limits, and Nathan is not a peak athlete. I will show him in time; in the meanwhile I had him focus on his strange misdirection.”

“I don’t know, that sounds too incredibly useful to pass up.”

“You have faced him in spars so you know what his power feels like. You are left reeling and lost. If you did not have the paths to protect you and if he were serious, what would be your chances?”

“I guess I see your point. We don’t have the time or the focus to learn everything at once.”

“No, you do not. All three of you fighters are already doing incredibly well considering the short time you had to prepare, and that is in part due to proper prioritization. I will train you. I will also give you valuable experience fighting an opponent that is not human. That is something you desperately need. I require payment of course.”

Ah, Here it is. Gwahin leans forward and shows just a hint of teeth. Between those and her eyes of molten gold she has never looked so alien. Like a mask painted on a nightmare.

“I require a favor. At some point in the future, I will ask you to accompany me on a dangerous hunt. You will drop everything else and fight by my side.”

She moves back and picks up her discarded cup.

“If it is any comfort, we will not be hunting humans.”

“That’s… Kind of cryptic.”

Gwahin brushes her root like hair before nudging one of her two earrings. She seems lost in thoughts.

“Sometimes we make deals out of necessity. We take a future risk in exchange for a short term advantage. I promise you that I do not intend to trap you. I will just need a capable fighter by my side. Consider it an investment on both our parts.”

“Is it just me, or will Nathan join us?”

Gwahin considers the human before her for a moment before reaching a decision.

“I will not involve him. He would try to negotiate and that would endanger us all. We will be fighting Yol.”

“What?”

“As you know, I am Gwahin of the Leaves. This is not a name, but a title. And now you know enough. Out of everyone in your little group, there are only three true hunters. Out of them, you are the deadliest. Survival later requires training now. Decide.”

“This is a fair deal. I accept.”

“Very well, then we shall start immediately. Finish your drink.”

“I must admit, I wasn’t expecting this.”

Jin relaxes in his leather seat and smiles. The speakeasy’s smooth jazz music is not relaxing enough to let him ignore Katagrias. The deep space monster is currently eating peanuts and sipping white wine while her cold aura and Jin’s fiery one crash into Nathan and set his teeth on edge. He takes a sip from his cocktail, a home creation with a curious minty flavor. It does not help.

Jin offered to help him retrieve the catalyst securely for a thousand bucks. Agrias left with John a moment ago and Nathan now has about an hour to talk to Jin. This is what he really is paying for, and his instincts told him to accept. Besides the favor, he believes that Jin wants something.

“Are you referring to my offer? Or the meeting place?”

“No, the OT. It’s late after all.”

Jin chuckles.

“That’s what I like about you. You don’t take this and yourself too seriously. You have not asked, but you probably wonder why I wanted to talk to you alone.”

“Yes.”

“Would you believe me if I said I want more than a professional relationship? That I want a friend?”

Nathan imagines spending every working day, and apparently many working nights, in the sole company of the creepy twins and that prickly admin.

“Yes, I would. It’s just…”

“It goes against your culture to mix business and pleasure. This country has strict rules against the kind of corruption, insider tradings etc… That such a friendship would entail?”

“No, it’s not that. I mean, me and Sarah, hum, nevermind that. Let’s just say it’s something else because I definitely made some friends in the workplace. No, it’s something else. How should I put it?

You made it clear that you are bound by some sort of code and you can’t just hand things over. What happens if one day I need something to save a loved one and I can’t afford it? If I come to you for help and you have to refuse?”

“It may never come to that.”

“It could, and that possibility is enough for me. We can be friendly but I’ll just keep a distance.”

Jin shifts posture but if he feels disappointed, it does not show.

“I understand. And yes, my code of conduct is dictated by my associate Z. There are things I cannot do for you, just as there are rules that I have bent in your favor.”

“Ah?”

“It’s not important right now. I understand that you are going after Kohr?”

“Yes. You?”

“We already collected our pound of flesh, so to speak. With interest. We will not pursue him further. We will just let nature run its course.”

“Hm.”

“You must be feeling excited.”

“How so?”

“You have been dragged in this world because of those disgusting eaters and Kohr is the lynchpin of the whole operation. His death should bring some closure, don’t you think?”

“I guess…”

“Curious. I was expecting you to look forward to it.”

“Oh believe me I am looking forward to it, but you make it sound like it’s going to be a cakewalk. Last time Kohr jumped on us with little preparation but next time it’s going to be different. He will be ready for us.”

“It is true that preparation and knowledge are vital for hunters.”

“Yeah… And here you are with plenty of both, two monsters as bodyguards and whatever powers you yourself have.”

Nathan looks pointedly at Katagrias who returns a smile, his gaze then shifts to Jin’s artistic horns.

“You overestimate me…”

“No, I don’t think I do. You’re roughly on the same power level as Gwahin, and she is terrifying.”

Jin winces.

“Or do you deny it?”

“It is not that simple...”

“It is. You really are powerful enough to make a difference, but you choose not to according to some rules that you occasionally skirt.”

“None of this affects you.”

“Didn’t you give Gwahin her earrings?”

Jin flinches like a cat caught with his paw on the fish. Katagrias scoffs.

“I told you…”

“Silence.”

“And so we have it Jin, one more deceit, one more piece of information that concerns me directly and that you are not sharing. I want to believe that you only have my best interest at heart, but I can’t count on it.”

The table falls into an awkward silence. Some of the bar’s patrons turn to them with curiosity as the tension is obvious. Jin is obviously upset. His spotless mien cracks to reveal a raw pain that surprises Nathan by its intensity. Despite a rising sympathy, Nathan realizes he cannot back down because he meant everything he said. The least he can do is to be honest.

“Well, that didn’t quite go as well as I hoped…”

Jin’s smile is brittle.

“I can tell you…”

“Careful.” Interrupts Katagrias

Nathan recoils when Jin turns on her with unbridled rage. He must be masking himself or the entire bar would be running for the exits right about now. Overheated metal and amber smash into Nathan’s mind with the strength of a tidal wave as the air around Jin starts to shimmer. Karagrias remains completely unfazed and Nathan realizes the full extent of his mistake. Jin is not the boss, and the twins are not guarding for him. They are guarding him. Sympathy surges in his heart and his aura answers. Obsidian merges with metal and amber with wood smoke.

Kinship.

This is what Nathan feels at this instant. Not through empty promises and polite dialogue but through a deep resonance and the recognition of who Jin is at his core. A good person. A being of fire restrained by others and by the rules he set himself. Quite possibly, a friend.

On Katagrias’ alien features is displayed something new: apprehension. When he turns to Jin, he can see the same feeling of kinship reflected in the man’s eyes.

Then the moment stops and the weave lazily relaxes, letting the puny mortals sort their feelings themselves.

Both men relax in their seat.

“There is little time before the others come back. I would just advise you to keep your phone and my contact information with you when you go after your quarry. Call it a hunch.”

“I will, now there is one last thing I want to talk about. Is there any way I can rent the tattoo tool for a day?”

“Yes? Hello? ”

“… Give me back what’s mine and I promise I’ll leave you and your disgusting clique alone.”

“…”

“…”

“ Why don’t you come to my place and I’ll be happy to give all you can take and more?”

“You think I’m stupid? I know you’re colluding with unnatural beings, probably fucking them too!”

“Says the corpse-eater stooge. Is there any limit to your hypocrisy?”

“IT’S NOT THE SAME THING! You… You wouldn’t understand. All of you are children. You have no idea what’s coming. I have a responsibility to protect myself and my own interest. I am too valuable to fall.”

“Your only value is to yourself. Your first positive contribution to the planet will be when I use your rotting corpse as fertilizer.”

“You imbecile, you think you’re better than me, well, we’ll see. I’ll crush you like the insect you are.”

“That so? By the way, how’s the foot?”

“...Don’t think your luck will hold. A new world is coming, and I will get my rightful place while you animals and degenerates will submit, or die.”

“All I hear are the pathetic yappings of a loser. You’re the remnant of a bygone era, Kohr, and no amount of enslaved mongrels will save you when I come for you.”

“Enough! You… I should not have expected you to be reasonable. The only thing people like you understand is force.”

“What force Kohr? Your eater friends are dead, that eye creature is not enough to protect you. You’re alone and hunted. You’re weak.”

“I AM NOT WEAK! You think you got me trapped and alone huh? I’ll show you true strength. I’ll have you watch while your friends are eaten limb by limb.”

Click.

Nathan pockets his phone. John is paying extra attention to the road as if he expects them to be rammed by a rental van at any moment.

“Mmmh. He has more of them.”

“More Varogs?”

“Yes, I don’t thik he was bluffing. That makes it tricky. We can’t have separate squads move around or they could get ambushed and massacred before us three can get to them. Especially if he has an alpha.”

“We’re still doing it.”

Nathan remembers a pool of blood on concrete. There will not be another one.

‘Yes, we are.”