Seeing a scene unravel before me....

I look around in my quite empty room, big enough to fit more than ten people. Stretching out with a small path on the left leading to the door outside. I wake up from on my bed, the window on the right closed by the curtains lighting up the room with the gleams of the sun slipping from the gaps. Infront of it is a wide table made of wood with an empty lantern on top, accompanied by a wooden chair all simple in design, along with a clothing rack beside my bed. Rubbing my eyes, I decided to lay down once more on my bed. When the door gets knocked.

When I heard that I thought to my self who could it be this early? Removing my blanket and decided to get off the bed, folding it and tidying up before I prepare for the day. Walking to the corner and entering my restroom, naturally lit by the small round blurred window, going to the faucet with a mirror on top. Opening it washing my hands and splashing my face with ice cold water. Looking at myself in the mirror...

Pearl white skin, natural pink lips, sharp round like brown eyes, Short straight blonde hair that kinda shines accompanied by a black headband with my name on it making some parts of my hair to spurt up... Probably bed hair. I think to my self are guys suppose to look like this? Well, aunt said that I look very much like mother so it's okay... Clapping my face a few times before smiling to say:

"Alright, guess I'm ready for the day... After I brush my teeth," as I said that. The door gets knocked again making me say, "Ah, right please wait for a moment"

Deciding to open the door first, I proceed through the path that leads to the door outside. I unlock the chains that are keeping the door locked. As I open it, the sun shines at my face, making me cover my eyes with my right hand. Hearing sounds of loud hongkings, loud hammer smites and the busy streets from afar. Lowering my hand, to show a kinda tan boy at the same height as me.

His in teens, around the age of 15, having freckles on his face, short curly orange hair with a few red lines and round blue eyes that is contrast with his hair while giving the impression of a small animal. Wearing a loose white robe covering his whole body with sleeves long enough to cover and wrap around his arm, a weird symbol that looks like multiple arrows pointing all 4 sides, and some round sharp arrows pointing everywhere that didn't point where the 4 arrows are... That symbol is the Theocracy's symbol of freedom and faith. Seeing him holding a meter long box wrapped with a yellow ribbon, with his hands that's covered by the sleeves making it look like his just lifting it.

"Sova! Good afternoon," he said, in a very happy voice.

"Oh, Nicole what are you doing here?" I ask in surprise... Wait its afternoon?

"I got you something as a congratulation gift for finishing your training. Hahaha," He giggles softly before handing me the meter long box.

As I took it and turning it around, to see everything about the box, realizing it needs to be open by lifting its lid.

"Sova hurry and open it up, I can't wait to see your surprise face," he says sounding exited while shaking his hands up and down.

"Okay, but first why not come inside Nicole, I can't just let you stand there."

"Eh, uuum... Okay," he says that kinda hesitantly while facing away from me.

As I open the door wider to let him in... He is Nicole Vulcan, the second friend I made one year after I was adopted by my aunt... Maybe I should ask aunt Palka why my family name is different... He's from the West Liberum Theocracy, I found him lost crying in the corner alone with no one around, I was by my self at the time, when I found him crying, I hesitated not knowing what to do. Before remembering what aunt told me, "To help someone in need." (I guess I never knew about the discrimination back then before that happen).

So I approach him bracing my self and ask him what's wrong, realizing his lost. I took him to aunt Palka, he was shocked and scared seeing her and cried more, taking us some time to calm him down. When his parents were found through the Gate Guards that was patrolling, we contacted them and they will take at least a day to arrive thanks to the size of the city. Me, Nicole and May spend the night sleeping together in one room, befriending him as we learned his name.

As Nicole enters, he looks at my bed and jumps on it, landing while bouncing a little, before laying still. Looking happy as he rubs his face on my pillow and rolls around on my bed messing it all up looking at me with an embarrassed face then looks away only to face me again, with a face full of anticipation.

I just fix the bed I thought, feeling sad. Taking a deep sigh, I sit down putting the box on the ground. Pulling the ribbon unbinding it, and finally lifting the lid showing a sharp pointy stick. a meter long, simple in design and kinda shines when given some light. Taking it up, now holding it in my hands

"So what is this suppose to be? A metal rod?" I ask.

"No, it's a retractable spear," he said sounding excited. Before jumping off the bed and walk closer to me, "You can retract it or extend it by giving it some twist and pull, while also in a worst-case scenario, you can open the dull end behind to find a button that forcefully extends it or the one in the middle to retract it... Maybe I should make the button near each other..." He says as he moves his hand around, before mumbling in the end.

"Wait you made this?" I ask, standing up.

"Why of course if it's for you, I'll make anything," he says making a big smile sounding very happy, "(anything)" he mumbles softly.

I immediately hold his arms, forcefully pulling him closer to me, he tried to back away only to be pulled even closer this time making him look away from me. As I lift his hand and lower his sleeves, showing his slim yet quite toned hands, covered with bandages, full of scars, scratches, and burn marks, I look at him still looking away from me. I let go of his hands and holds his cheeks, making him face closer to mine. Now looking at him eye to eye.

"So you hurt yourself again huh?" I ask him, staring at his face.

"Well I did make a few mistakes, but it's fine," he said sounding panic while his face is red, trying to push me away.

Taking a deep breath, and letting it out, I smiled and say, "Thank you, Nicole," I said sounded happy. Letting him go and backing off, seeing him holding his cheeks.

After all, he did this all for me I thought to my self... And continue saying, "Still from the first gift, the breastplate with uneven shoulders, now this. I really don't know what to say, or even repay you someday," I said sounding worried.

"Y-you don't need to, it's all for you," he replies

sounding happy while still covering his face.

"Well at least tell me why are you helping me so much?" I ask him.

"You know when you said you want to be a hunter, I want you to be in the best gear, since you're a descendants from the Empire I can't really just give you magic weapons, so I had to make one regular weapon my self, besides this is what's friends do... (And what I would love to be)" his reply become softer before he then says," (Not that I want you to only wear something made only by me)," he speaks softly, before continuing, "Besides you never even tell me why you want to be a Hunter? I mean you just blurt it out suddenly when I was in the Workshop"

"Okay, that's true... Still, if you are trying to hide your wounds, why not just heal it? I mean the Theocracy is not the place with the most advanced magic for nothing, they could even revive the dead!?" I ask sarcastically.

"This scar is more of a reminiscent... Either way, what about you? You haven't answered my question yet you know," he retorted it back with another question.

I begin to sit on the bed and pat beside me, gesturing him to sit there. He hesitated before sitting down in a noble manner close enough for our shoulders touch. So I give him space by moving a little to the left, only for him to get closer again. Until there is no place to go, I lay down on the bed only for him to lay down beside me and hug my pillow. I look at him only for him to look away... His very clingy today... I sigh and just continue.

"I don't actually want to be Hunter, in fact, I'm more of the line of a traveler but with no money, hearing stories of heroes of the past and present, reading tomes and scriptures of legends, while exploring the old ancient caves, ruins and unknown places around the world, maybe like the job May told me the A-something logist. But without remembering to much detail," I say to be replied with:

"The Northern people of Divisus will really feel insulted and punish you when you say that," he says sounding disappointed while looking at me before looking away again.

"I don't want my life to be repugnant as killing monster everyday. But aunt Palka told me, that if I want to know what happened to my parents then I better be ready for anything, and oh what better way to be mentally and physically ready than a Hunter who risks and fights for his/her life everyday," I said to him sounding sarcastic and annoyed, "Besides with a Hunters card it's like a passport that can bring you everywhere so that's a bonus."

"Eh? And here I thought you want to follow your sister's footsteps with how much you adore her," as he said that, he stood up and took out a transparent cup with some grey like stuff inside from his sleeves. So he keeps his items there huh, I thought to my self. Handing it to me as he gestures me to take it.

As I take it he told me, "That is a salve use by the people of the Empire to heal, since potions and magic don't work very well or at all on them. Don't worry it's cheap and a gesture of goodwill," he said that happily.

"Hmmm, thank you, Nicole. This will help me a lot in my travel if you need anything tell me. If it's in my capability," I say in a joyful manner and a feeling of doubt for some reason struck me when he said goodwill... Maybe I just don't trust that word.

"Sure I do want something later..." he conceals his mouth as he blushes before saying, "But I must leave for now. Just like you, I too need to proceed to my training as a Templar of Iltwan according to my rites. So I must leave," he says sorrowfully.

"Is that so, good luck to you then," I say in a sad tone.

"Please do not worry I'll be back, so in exchange, you better fulfill one of my wishes when I return okay!" he said that as he grabs my shoulders. Before letting it go, he quickly standing up and say, "Well Sova, if you don't mind..." his blue sky eyes gazes deeply into the gates of my soul.

"Is there something in my face?" I ask being confused.

His face gets more red as he gets closer to mine. He moves closer as he held me until our lips almost touch.

I tried backing away asking, "Uh, Nicole?" when his eyes widened. His face becomes brighter than an olanum and pushes me away in such a force I fling a few feet above and fell down on the bed... How strong is Nicole? I thought as I lay down.

He takes some steps back, crouching down in the corner saying, "Wa-wa-what was I thinking?!" He stands back up looking at me saying, "Ah-I-I'm so sorry!" he starts to pull me back up easily and continue saying, "I-I must leave now, mind showing me the way out Sova?" he says in a weird tone.

Confused I say, "Oh, yea sure," as I guide him outside my house.

He waves at me saying "G-good bye," and I wave back and say, "Yea, see you later," when I see him cover his face as he ascends the stairs above. I went back inside and lock the door again. I grab hold of the spear and try observing it in my arms before pressing the button at the middle. Only to be knocked out by the force of the hit from the back of the spear and collapse.

**************************************************

I opened my heavy eyes to see an unfamiliar ceiling, I tried to get up only to feel endless pain struck my body at once. I tried to scream but I couldn't As my body won't let me. Trying my best to look around, I see I'm now in a prison cell made of concrete and some sunlight going through a 1 x 1 meter long window, barred by some metal bars making it almost inescapable, well it's not like I'm capable to escape or want to. The door is on my south made of pure metal, while I'm now lying down on a pile of straw... Wait, I look at my self to see I'm only wearing my t-shirt and pants again... Why I thought to my self... On the side is some small faucet with a cracked mirror on top of it.

I tried standing up with the help of my arms. I Manage to stand, with my arms and legs shaking uncontrollably, before falling down, I manage to grab hold of the faucet. Shaking as I was barely standing only to look in the mirror. Seeing my crack self in the mirror but this time I've gained a new scar that looks like a scratch on my left cheek, seeing my headband gone. I panic and start to hold my head to feel nothing. The faucet break and I fall to the concrete floor. Making a large sound thanks to the faucet.

When suddenly some rectangular part of the door gets open to reveal some human eyes staring down at me then says:

"Well look at here, someone's awake from her daydream," and closes the rectangular part. Then he continues to scream, "Hey the intruders awake!"

As I hear the sound of metal getting unlocked and twist. The door finally slides open to reveal a tanned man in his twenties with a quite a handsome man face, a warrior figure, unkempt chestnut messy short hair, while wearing an armour that looks like multiple claws are grabbing as to form some protection. In his hands is a helmet with the same design as his armor, on his waist is a short sword sheath in his scabbard all with the same design as his armor... This guy has a weird taste and is probably a High ranking hunter.

As I thought to my self he then says, "Girl we're going to the interrogation room," In a relaxed tone.

I tried to speak and retort back saying I'm a guy but I couldn't.