“Has anything come up regarding The First?”

“No,” The Twelfth replied, “There has been no odd activity from the First. However, I have reason to believe he is suspicious of me. Ever since the Thirteenth left, I am constantly sent on patrol and given missions outside of the city.”

“That impudent man… If he will not let his guard down then perhaps another person inside his circle will. Report back to me once you are done. Also, how goes the search for traces of the Thirteenth?”

He shook his head, “Not well, Sir. I have nothing on him. He is as much a mystery to the other members of the Twelve as he is to us. The inns I checked seem to have no clue either. The trail has gone cold.”

“That is unfortunate. However, it seems it may not be necessary in the end. I received a report earlier informing me of an encounter a couple of knights had with him in the Green City. It's interesting that the Thirteenth decided to appear in another city,” Seven said. “Only to disappear the next day...”

Amon agreed. The disappearance of the Thirteenth wasn’t something he knew of until a couple of days after and by then it was too late. The Thirteenth had left the city and no one knew where he went. For him to exchange blows with knights in the Green City left Amon perplexed. His and Seven’s conclusion was that the First had ordered the Thirteenth to leave the city because of his growing suspicions. Perhaps the First was afraid of increased investigation due to the successful attack on the academy.

“Amon, continue gaining the trust of the Twelve and collecting information on the Thirteenth. Also, I doubt it is likely but as ordered from my dunce of a commander, speak to the city watch and ask about a girl with red hair, Aisha Yurfray,” Seven said.

“Yes, Sir… Is that all, Sir?”

“Did you have something you wish to ask of me?” Seven inquired.

Amon bit his lip. His superior had a rather large collection of rare… things. Women and men, people in general, were not excluded from his collection. Amon was a testament to that. However, when it came to collecting, his superior seemed rather keen on taking on the challenge all by his lonesome. Was it possible that this girl was a catch that would hurt his superior’s reputation and standing if he was seen collecting her, like an elf?

“May I ask why I am looking for this girl?” Amon choked out. When it came to his superior’s collection, Amon knew better than to poke around too much. The last person who did so saw something they shouldn’t have. That person was found a week later floating down the river.

“She was a victim of a kidnapping and now a suspect of collusion to kill Frederick and Juliana Yurfray, her grandparents.” his superior answered.

“Why would the Empire believe her to be in collusion?”

“Follow your orders without question, Twelfth. But, I will humor you. Following the attack on the convoy carrying members of Krestfall, the two Yurfray who were being transported along with them were also attacked.”

“Crossfire?” Amon asked. It was the most logical conclusion. They were simply unlucky and had gotten caught in the battle.

“No, they were attacked after the members of Krestfall were rescued and most guards were incapacitated. Now, with that out of the way, do your job properly. I will contact you in three days time. May the grace of the Emperor bring us all prosperity.”

“May the grace of the Emperor bring us all prosperity.”

The portal fizzled away and Amon closed the scroll. He would have difficulty presenting results in the next message. The three tasks presented to him required time, something which he lacked. The first task had already proven hard and the second one led to nowhere. Perhaps he would have more luck with the third.

Amon left with the intention of questioning the city watch but remembered his duties halfway there. He ducked into an alleyway and headed toward the hideout. Once there, he met with Allan, Anne, Francis, and Adrian. He looked for the First but could not find him.

“Carlyle’s busy today,” Allan, the large, second in command told him. “You three are on patrol today. Francis will be here with me as usual. Prepare yourselves.”

The three of them lined up as Francis linked them with his ability. Adrian was chosen as the receiver and therefore, was the one who monitored the area near the warehouse. If trouble occurred, then he would inform the other two and come and provide assistance. Amon sighed in relief. He’d be able to ask the city guards about the red haired girl after all.

“Let’s split up,” Amon suggested.

Anne shot him down, “It’s safer if we’re together. Besides, members of the Twelve should get to know each other better.”

Amon twisted his lips into a smile, “Yes, I agree. Everyone has been quite distant since the Thirteenth left. If I recall correctly, you’re the only I haven’t spoken with yet.” If he was going to be stuck with her, then he might as well be working on some of the other tasks.

Anne shrugged. She took a seat on the top of the building that overlooked the streets. A few people still roamed around down there. Amon sat next to her as she began, “He’s a real mystery,” she said. “He appeared out of nowhere one day and was a friendly person. However, the only person he ever really got close with was Henry…”

Amon nodded, pretending to believe her lie. It was impossible that no one in the Twelve seemed to know who he was. From accounts he heard, the Thirteenth went to rescue Anne instead of the member, Henry. Her location from the warehouse was further away than Henry’s was as well.

“I see. Sorry for bringing up uncomfortable topics.”

“No worries,” Anne replied.

“May I ask about our missing member?” Amon went on. “This Garret?”

“Garret? He’s out visiting some family in the Green City.”

Interesting. Although Amon knew the member, Garret, was visiting family, he hadn’t known where. With the recent monster attacks plaguing those of the upper west side of the empire, it would explain why Garret had not yet returned. Perhaps it also acted as a cover for his involvement in helping the Thirteenth. With this information, Amon could easily dig up something for his superior to use to capture one of the First’s dogs.

“Enough about us,” Anne said, “How about you, Twelfth. Why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself? Like maybe your name?”

Amon chuckled, “I’d prefer to keep that to myself if you don’t mind.” Anne nodded. “There isn’t much to say about me. I was orphaned at age ten and adopted one year later. Someone in the empire took an interest in me and had me signed over to him. I was trained and set out into the academy to become an officer. However, I chose to join the Twelve,” he said. “I was then assigned here two years later.”

He watched as Anne accepted his horrendously short summary of his life. He hoped she would ask no further questions but she betrayed those hopes.

“How did your parents die?”

Amon, though relieved, felt a tinge of pain and anger well up within him. “They were murdered. The perpetrator was caught and sentenced to death.” He let Anne process it a moment before he said, “If you don’t mind, I will need to pay a visit to the city watch.”

“Oh, I’ll come with,” She stood up and held her hand out for him.

Her words weren’t an offer but rather a statement, “I’d be glad to have your company.”

At the front door of the barracks, Anne pulled up her mask and Amon readied the seal of the Twelve. He knocked on the door and asked the man who answered it for the captain. Once he arrived, Amon asked him about a red haired girl. The captain lost himself in thought and even asked others in the barracks.

“Red hair? Oh, I remember someone like that. She was a real beauty, save for some burn marks.”

Anne stiffened.

“When did she come to this city?” Amon asked, keeping on eye on Anne.

“Around four to five weeks ago, I’d say. If you’re looking for her she left around the time the academy closed. I’d wager she was trying to see if she could enroll halfway through the year. It’s happened a couple of times.”

“Or,” Amon said, “She was visiting someone.”

“A friend, perhaps? Dondan was around that time,” Anne replied.

Amon smiled and thanked the guards for their time. Something about Anne was off but he got what he wanted. He didn’t know how many students were left in the city but he knew teachers and administrative staff were around, save for the Headmaster who was in the capital. In the morning he’d go and ask one of them.

“Sir,” one young guard barged into the barracks, pushing Amon and Anne out of the way. “The patrol in the waterways has been found unconscious! We managed to wake one person up. The only thing he could tell us was that the man was crazed and rambling.”

“Where?” Anne asked. “Were they by the one under the destroyed barracks?”

“Yes, how did you know?” the young guard questioned.

Anne barged out the room before he finished his sentence. Amon looked to the captain, “Send a detachment of men there immediately!” he tried his best to keep up with Anne but she took off on a winged beast.

“Adrian,” Amon used the link, “Something’s come up. Anne took off! She’s headed to the barracks that was destroyed during the assault on the academy. Guards were found unconscious there. Grab the others and come quickly!”

Amon pushed passed the people on the street, keeping his eye on Anne’s beast as it flew. Though he was gone on the night that the Twelve discussed the man in the waterways, his superior, Seven, informed him of the incident afterward. A man dressed in a green cloak and appeared and killed two of Krestfall’s members and saved one of the Twelve’s life.

Amon had no doubt now that the person saved was Anne. Her reaction to the mention of a redheaded girl and answer about the Thirteenth was odd as well. Amon wasted his time with all the other members of the Twelve when he should have been focused her. If she went and died on him now, then he’d be back at square one.

He arrived at the barracks and panicked. There was no sign of Anne or her beast anywhere. He entered the building and sent a wisp ahead for light. Tables, chairs, and cups laid strewn across the floor. Each step he took made an eerie creak and only served to unsettle him more. Underground, he sent the wisp ahead while he stayed by the steps. He increased the light and shouted Anne’s name. No response.

“Anne?!” He shouted again.

“I’m over here,” she carried one guard while the others were thrown over her summon. “Help me get these men upstairs. Some are fine but other’s might have some serious head injuries.”

She was right. As Amon lightened the load on the flying beast, the large dent in the man’s helmet made him wonder if he was carrying a corpse. Finished with bringing the patrolmen upstairs, they scoured the city for the attacker. Amon sent a message back to Adrian that he was on the loose in the city.

As he and Anne neared the Academy dorms, he asked her the question that had been bugging him for a while, “Anne, do you know anything about the redheaded girl?”

She opened her mouth and sighed, “No.” she responded.

Just as Amon was about to push for the truth, he was struck by lightning, no, a lightning bolt. He fell to his hands and knees in shock from the pain. Anne cast a barrier around them and the winged beast moved in front of Amon. A man dropped down from the roof of the boy’s Academy dorm and walked towards them.

“Is it you?” Anne asked, “Were you the person who saved my life?”

The man didn’t answer. He cast a lightning bolt which was easily absorbed by the barrier. He charged in, shattering it in a single punch. The beast lunged at him. He stepped out of the way and the beast turned around, showing off its missing front leg. Anne cast magic arrows at the man. He dodged all of them and rushed her.

The beast was too tired to help her and Amon too dazed to react. Anne, however, moved with unparalleled speed and summoned two wolves. They halted his rush. Anne pulled out a black scroll and conjured two shadows. As her minions held the man back, she helped Amon to his feet.

“Are you alright, Twelfth?”

He nodded, catching his breath. The man was extremely dangerous. Although he was being attacked by four summons at once, he dodged, deflected, and parried all of their attacks. He killed the wolves in seconds. The shadows bought some time as they put themselves back together but he soon found out their weaknesses and blew them away with fire.

“Can you fight?” Anne asked.

Amon nodded. He’d have to if he wanted to live. He stood up and faced off against the man with Anne. They exchanged spells both equal in power, however, with two people against one, the man was pushed back. He quit competing in spells altogether and blocked the attacks with barriers.

“Back them up!” someone shouted. Guards from the city watch charged in, six in all. Amon and Anne stopped casting spells, fearful of accidentally hitting one of the guards. The man dispatched two guards instantly, pushing them away with inhuman strength. Amon cast a spell and pulled a sword to himself. Anne used this time to prepare more summons.

Amon activated the enchantments in his gear. Though they did not compare to some enchantments granted to the knights of the empire, they would still be useful in gaining the upper hand in an even fight. With renewed strength, Amon faced off against the man who had lain waste to the guards.

Both used borrowed swords. The clash was brief and there was no winner, however, Amon backed away. The exchange was enough for Amon to understand that close combat would be a losing game. While they both blocked and parried each other’s attacks, the man’s attacks were a bit faster, heavier, and more precise.

The man gave him no chance to rest. He thrust the sword at Amon who pushed it to the side and swung. He had the upper hand now… or so he thought. A force knocked him off his feet and he tumbled backward. His instincts screamed for him to move but he couldn’t. Instead, he surrounded himself with a barrier, somehow in time to shield him from another lightning bolt.

“Are you finished yet?” Amon asked, rising to his feet.

“Just about,” Anne said.

The ground under Amon shook, in a matter of seconds he stood as high as a building. A large mass of rock flew at him. He jumped off the pillar and was met with another mass. He cast another barrier, negating most of the attack. Most.

A smaller chunk survived the impact and as he tried to move out of the way the man said, “Shatter.”

Bits and pieces of the rocks now lodged themselves inside of Amon, in his legs, his arms, and his torso. One shard cut his brow. Blood leaked from the wound, temporarily blinding him in his right eye. Anne’s summon completed seconds before he was about to be finished off.

It was unlike any of the ones Anne had summoned before.

Its lanky limbs were nearly as long as the man was tall. It towered over him, around four feet taller, and was humanoid in its overall shape. However, it had four fingers with razor sharp claws and two bones sticking out from its abdomen like tusks. Its face was grotesque. It had no nose nor any ears, and the skin was pulled so tight it was as if it was a decaying corpse. What kind of monster did she summon?

“Attack him!” Anne commanded.

The monster roared and covered itself in bones before running to meet the man head on. He dodged the slow moving spirit and swung at its legs. The sword shattered upon impact. The man rolled away as the spirit tried to grab him.

He launched earth spell after earth spell at the summon that eventually cracked its bone armor. The spirit reeled from the attacks and he prepared one more to break through. Anne broke from the backline and cast a series of magic arrows at him. They did little to stop him and the spell blasted a hole through the monster.

It fell over, seemingly dead. Despite that, the man did not move.

“So you noticed?” Anne grit her teeth.

The monster evaporated and Amon was left in disbelief. The monster had gone down so easily. Was the summon not that powerful or was the man that strong? No, there was more to it than just that monster. Amon watched their reactions carefully. The man made no move to take Anne down.

The summoning scroll shook. Amon could barely make out the shape of the summon as it crawled out. It was transparent like glass. Without warning, it shot out two fireballs. The man sidestepped them and countered with a lightning bolt.

The summon’s hands appeared and caught the bolt. Lightning sparked between its hands and it fired it back. He rolled out of the way and picked up an unconscious guard. He held a sword to his throat and said, “Get rid of that spirit and I won’t kill all these men.”

It was the first time he spoke. Anne’s confidence faltered. “Don’t do it,” Amon shouted. “If you send that summon away, there won’t be anything to stop him from doing what he wants. Who’s to say he won’t kill those guards anyway?” He hoped his words would reach her.

Anne clenched her fists and pulled out another scroll. Amon’s words were a success… except they weren’t. The spirit’s hands turned transparent once again and the scroll it emerged from burned away. The summon faded and no matter how hard Amon looked, he couldn’t find a trace of it.

“Good,” he dropped the guard and rushed Anne.

He led with a punch. She caught it and threw him over her shoulder. She trained an ice bolt at his chest. “Why did you save me back then?” She questioned. “Who are you?”

Amon couldn’t see it but he felt a smile from the man.

“My name is Yeran,” he said.

The name sent a jolt through Anne. Her lips quivered and her hands started to shake. “He-He’s dead! Don’t mess with me. One more lie and I will put a hole through your chest. What’s your name?!” She tried to steady the spell with both hands.

“... It’s Yeran.” He claimed again. “Don’t you remember how we used to play in your house? You’d draw summoning circles in the attic and your mom would always come and yell at us. You were so happy when you summoned Bes. I couldn’t save him. I’m sorry, Anne.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks and the spell she had ready faded away. She took a step back. “The only people who know about that now are…”

“Don’t listen to him!” Amon screamed. “I see it now. He must be the man who attacked the knights in the Green City. He might have done something to that friend of yours over there.”

Anne seemed to regain her composure but before she could react, the man knocked her out with a spell. He caught her as she fell and gently laid her down. “I’m sorry,” he whispered as he ran his thumb over her lips. He leaned in closer his mouth beneath his mask just inches away from hers but he pulled up at the last second, placing the kiss on her forehead. “I knew it would hurt you.”

He stood and turned his gaze on Amon. He shook as he now realized he was completely at the mercy of the masked man. He was dragged to his feet and pinned by his neck against the wall. Most of his wounds were now healed but his strength was insufficient to fight back.

“You,” the masked man said, “What’s your name?”

“Twelfth,” Amon spat, “Let go of me.”

He ignored his command, “That girl you mentioned, the one with red hair. What do you know about her? Why isn’t she at the academy?” Amon looked away, a mistake he’d soon regret. The man squeezed and despite it being only one hand, he couldn’t breathe. “Tell me what you know or I’ll choke the life out of you.”

“She’s… She was spotted in the Green City.” the man let go and Amon fell to his knees coughing.

Amon lost his breath again when the man kicked him over. “I was just in the city,” he growled. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not,” Amon croaked. “She was spotted trying to leave in a carriage through the east gates. There was a roluk and a couple of other children with her.”

The man froze for a moment and then took out the sword he had at his hip. He stabbed Amon through the stomach.

“Twelfth!” the Second came from nowhere and knocked the masked man away. Adrian and Francis came too.

The man sheathed his sword and took off. Adrian attempted to pursue but Allan stopped him. “Focus on getting the wounded out of here. Are you alright, Twelfth?”

Amon nodded, having Allan help him sit up. “I’m quite skilled in healing, see?” he moved his hand away from the stomach wound and most of it had already closed up. “Rather than me, help Anne. He cast some sort of spell on her.”

Allan and the others went to her side while Amon watched. Anne knew something about the Yurfray girl and had some sort of connection to the knight killer... He'd have to investigate her after he investigated the academy, specifically, the west wing of the boy's dorm.

What a glorious night.