Chapter 1 Epilogue: The Vanontos

“Hey Captain, why are we tramping through the woods ? There gotta be better things to do at night.” The lackey he brought with him huffed out as he pushed a branch away.

“Stop complaining and just follow me. There’s a certain someone who has some answering to do, and this place is where we can find them. Ouch! Stupid Mosquitoes.”

Captain Muller scratched his neck. Today was not going as well as he had hoped. Right now, he should be collecting his award money then be heading to a bar to get wasted. Instead, now he had to meet with his client with the humiliation that he and his men failed to capture a 15-year-old farmer boy. Though he no longer believed the farmer part anymore. He slapped his neck again as the pesky mosquitoes swarmed around him.

“Get your butt out here, blasted Faileas! I don’t have all night.” Muller roared out.

In an instant a deathly frost covered the air sending the mosquitoes away.

“I see that you have failed me, Captain Muller.” a voice came from behind him.

He turned around to see a shadowy figure creep out the dark woods. He heard his lackey fall on his butt shrieking as a nightmarish image approached. Baby, Muller muttered under his breath.

“So, Captain.” Its voice scratched at his spine. “What excuse do you have for me so that I will not receive the down payment back?”

“You didn’t give me the correct information. A farm boy, my foot.”

The shadow sulked forward into his face.

“I gave the information as it is. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

His dark eyes pierce out of the shadow making Muller take a step back away from it. Muller tried to focus on the creature’s face, but his perception would not allow him to. This was why he hated working with faileas, the creatures of ether. Especially the vanontos. As their name sake means empty existence, against being. They were able to use their ether nature to completely erase their presences. Even as far as being able to erase it from people's memories. Reason why most people would never bother accepting a request from them in the first place. From the fear of them coping out of their pay. But Muller had his pride in being able to do business with anyone if they had money.

"Well you must have gotten the information wrong. His mana control was crazy. I have only seen a few mages who didn’t need to cast their spells from a book or magical device, but instead programmed the runes right there in battle. And never from someone so young."

The Vanontos shot back into his face "Wait, what did you just say. Casting magic? There is no way Aaron would allow himself to perform magic in front of anything sentient." It hissed at him.

Muller scratched his cheek. "Well he didn't do it in front of us. If I have to say, more as we saw it from the shadows. When he fought a huge metal golem."

"So, he didn't use any magic against you?"

Muller blinked. "Well when I think about it. No, he didn’t."

It raised itself high "Then why didn't you capture him?"

Muller darted his eyes away.

"Well there was this dragon." He reluctantly whispered.

The vanontos widened his eyes, well Muller thought it did.

"What dragon? Where were you?"

Muller described his encounter at the lost ruins. The vanontos nodded slowly, processing the tale.

"You fool!” it shrieked out. “It was an illusion. If it was real, you would not be standing here alive."

Muller raised his hands. “Well, Sorry for not being used to ancient magic. It is not like you could have done better.”

“It was not I who failed their mission, Captain. I give you clear instructions on how to corner him and yet you managed to screw it up.”

He had enough of the creature's arrogance.

" If it is so easy, why don't you go capture him?" He roared.

The vanontos started motionless at him.

" Your idiocies dumbfounded me, Captain. No living creator would not fight for its survival. Aaron is only unwilling to use his magic if he or another creature is not in mortal danger. You guys, on the other hand, are so weak in his eyes he would never put up his guard. Unlike for something like me. However, you aren't weak enough not to be unable to defeat him. By the time he would have realized his physical strength was not enough it would have been too late. You would have been able to knock him out before he even had the chance to cast his spells. That's why I specifically hired you. But now, because of your incompetence, he will have his guard up. The plan will no longer work."

Muller huffed “Fine. Then what should we do now?”

The vanontos shadow figure retreated into a smaller form that almost looked like a boy. Muller assumed it saw that there was no more point in trying to intimidate him anymore.

"The damage is already done.” Its voice losing some of its dominance “No use crying over something that can't be changed. There are other ways to go about this.”

It turned to him. “Captain Muller, gathered you men. I will quadruple your pay if you will help me with some jobs. This is not the end. There is still fun to be had." A childish grin appeared through the shadows.

Chapter 1 Epilogue: The Vanontos, end.