Chapter 83: Trials and Tribulation

The group had sat down at the bench, the girl covering her face from embarrassment of being seen.

Nathan: “You shouldn’t be so embarrassed, I for one thought you made a marvelous choice very mature, OW.”

Anais and Iris simultaneity pinched Nathan’s arms, as the girl blushed still a deeper red.

Nathan: “Sorry, sorry, sometimes I just can’t help it.”

Young lady: “It’s fine, I understand it was amusing, you may laugh if you wish.”

Nathan: “Oh, I won’t, I’ll wait until your out of sight then I’ll laugh, OW.”

Iris and Anais pinched Nathan once again.

Knight: “Ahem, anyway, thank you for meeting us here, we would have met at the estate, however we thought it would be a more pleasant affair, but I seemed to have made a spectacle of my master.”

Nathan: “Don’t worry, I enjoyed the show, OW.”

Anais: “Could you stop?”

Nathan rubbed his sore arms, stepping away from the two; threatening to do it again.

Melanie: “Let’s began again, greetings to you my name is Melanie Rselaia and the gentleman standing here is my guard Audrey.”

Audrey: “A pleasure.”

Melanie: “Miss Anais, I wanted to thank you in person, for the return of my family emblem.”

Anais: “Ah, no need, it was all his doing, he returned it.”

Melanie: “He?”

Melanie turned her attention to Nathan, as did Audrey.

Nathan: “Contrary to my looks, I am indeed a man.”

Melanie: “O-oh, I see, so a man, my apologies.”

Nathan: “Don’t worry, everyone gets confused over it, some more than others, no matter how many times I say it.”

Audrey: “It sounds rather tiring.”

Nathan: “Yeah, I bet you could relate.”

Audrey made a shocked expression, Nathan just smiled wryly.

Melanie: “Either way, thank you for returning it, when those bandits robbed our transport, I didn’t know what we would do.”

Nathan: “It’s really that important?”

Melanie: “Yes.”

Melanie hugged the emblem to her chest, as if to keep it from running away. Anais made small talk with them as Nathan pondered about the two. He still didn’t understand why they had that black mass around them. The mass was gone, but it was replaced with a truly unpleasant smell. Repulsive, but strangely familiar smell. They were some suspicious aspect about them, but nothing seemed so bad. He ran through his memories, trying to place the smell, until he finally could. However, what he remembered about the smell, the girls didn’t fit it at all, Nathan decided to take a little peek.

Nathan: “(Pry)”

*Bzzzt*

Nathan: “(What?)”

Anais: “You just got it back, is that safe carrying around?”

Melanie: “I rather it never leaves my side again and since I come to this park every day, so shall it.”

Anais: “Everyday?”

Melanie: “Yes, it such a wonderful to watch the children play, also many people make their way through here, going about their day, it’s refreshing to watch.“

Anais: “I see.”

Melanie: “Ah, you must think I’m weird, watching people all day?”

Anais: “No not at all, don’t you think so too, Nathan?”

Nathan: “……………………. You’re sick.”

Melanie: “Geh!”

Nathan words hit Melanie like an arrow to the head, jumping right past weird. to mentally ill.

*Smack*

Anais smacked Nathan on his back.

Anais: “You didn’t have to go that far, it’s only a little weird.”

Anais followed up with a second arrow, aiming at Nathan, but unintentionally striking Melanie.

Audrey: “Milady!?”

Anais: “Sorry, he didn’t mean it, he careless at times.”

Nathan: “What, no, I didn’t mean her hobbies.”

Nathan took a few steps toward Melanie, sniffing the air around her. Melanie surprised by Nathan looked at him puzzled as ever.

Nathan: “I mean you’re really sick………. terminal?”

Audrey and Melanie both went wide eyed for a moment.

Melanie: “How could you-”

Audrey: “Milady, I think it’s time for us to take our leave.”

Melanie: “Ah, but-”

Audrey began to hurriedly, push Melanie along.

Audrey: “Sorry for taking up so much of your time, thank you for coming.”

Anais: “N-no problem.”

Audrey then made a hefty retreat, giving Nathan a sideways glance as they walked off and disappeared around a corner. Once out of sight Audrey’s paced slowed. She looked back to make sure they weren’t being followed. Melanie clutched her hand to her chest, trembling from shock.

Melanie: “Audrey.”

Audrey: “I know my lady, I’ll look into it immediately.”

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Iris: “Master, you were rude, to even tell her to her face, her hobbies were weird.”

Nathan: “Anais was the one who said that.”

Anais: “Only by mistake, master she’s sick in the head.”

Nathan: “No, that part I wasn’t making fun of her, she was really sick, both of them in fact.”

Anais: “Sure and you just happen to say it with such precision.”

Nathan: “Exactly.”

Anais and Iris stared dubiously at Nathan, who simply gave up afterwards. To be honest, he couldn’t keep his mind off those two. After peaking at their stats, he notices two things, first-off is that they’re both sick, but not by natural means. Both are being poisoned, it’s slow, but will surely kill them. Melanie was closer to death, then Audrey, but they will both be dead soon enough.

Nathan checked through his list of poisons, the poisons they were infected with was called, ‘Hush Vapor’, it circulates in the air a short distance from the source. The poison was particularly strong from what Nathan could see and works slowly, it could take years for the poison to take a life, but perfect for an assassination. The second thing he noticed, they were both really strong, their levels were crazy high. Melanie’s current level was one-hundred and eight, while Audrey’s was one-hundred and twelve. This proved to Nathan that the level cap wasn’t ninety-nine, if it wasn’t for their poison, he wouldn’t be a match for the two of them. In fact he thought he wouldn’t be a match for them even while poisoned.

Nathan decided he wasn’t going to meet them again if possible, if someone wants them dead and had reverted to underhanded methods to accomplish it. Best not get involved, or he becomes a target, even though poison wouldn’t work on him, it would be a hassle to get involved with them.

While thinking about this, Nathan and company arrived back at the guild and like always when he entered, they were greeted with a smile.

Belle: “Welcome back, you arrived just in time. Master Matthew’s meeting has just ended and is waiting for you.”

Nathan: “Have Ena or Ash arrived yet?”

Belle: “No, but I will send them right up when they arrive.”

Nathan: “That’s great, you look busy right now, we’ll let ourselves up.”

Belle: “Please do.”

Nathan walked passed the desk and then climbed the stairs, Anais and Iris right behind him. As they made their way down the hallway, a door suddenly opened and out step a girl. She stretched her arms up into air and yawned out. With a dazed look, she absentmindedly scratch at her head, ruffling her hair.

???????: “Ah, naps after a long journey are always the best, hmm?”

The tanned-skin beauty of a girl turns to Nathan and company with a tired face. She wore the same outfit as Belle, but the aura she gave off while wearing was different.

Tan-skinned girl: “You people lost or something?”

Nathan: “Uh, no we have a meeting with Matthew?”

Tan skinned Girl: “Oh last door, on your left.”

The girl said nothing more and passed by them, heading down the stairs while still yawning and stretching her arms out. Nathan and company stared at her back until she was gone.

Anais: “Who was that?”

Nathan: “I have no idea, let’s go.”

Nathan made it to the end of the hall and knocked on the door to Matthew’s office. Getting the okay, they all entered. When they entered Iris dropping her camouflage, allowing herself to be seen. Matthew trembled a bit seeing her due to after their last encounter, but he was a man of composure.

Matthew: “Welcome back, I hear you’ve been working hard.”

Nathan: “Yup, just a few more things and I’ll be ready.”

Matthew: “Ah good, good.”

Nathan: “Oh we just pass somebody in the hall, some girl who wore a uniform like Belle, you hired some help?”

Matthew: “No, that was either Lily or Charis, I had them run an errand. They just now returned.”

Nathan: “Hah, and here I thought you had Belle, doing everything by herself.”

Matthew: “I wouldn’t do that, what do you take me for, a slave driver.”

Nathan: “Your words not mine.”

Matthew: “Please sit down.”

Nathan did as he was asked and sat down across from Matthew, snickering over Matthews irritation.

Mathew: “Sorry about the accommodation, I figure you wouldn’t mind skipping the tea.”

Nathan: “You figured right, so what the trial?”

Matthew: “Ah right to it then, it’s simple really, I want you to retrieve a goblin accessory.”

_

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Aria stretch her hands high into the air, as she rose from her bed. She looked around the candle-lit room, not recognizing it but only for a moment.

Aria: “Oh right, this where were staying for the day.”

Aria turned to the side and rose out of bed, giving her body a much more through stretch, before dis-robing and heading to the bathroom to shower. Opening her door, she was greeted by a man holding a candle. The man, seeing Aria, quickly bowed before her.

Man: “G-Greetings madam, was your sleep a pleasant one?”

The man tremble uncontrollably, causing the candle to dance about in its holder, which made Aria giggle.

Aria: “Why yes, I’m off to take a shower, has the water been prepared?”

Man: “Y-Yes, it’s ready anytime you wish.”

Aria: “Thank you very much.”

The man continued to tremble, as Aria left him behind. It had been several months since the vampire’s siblings came to this house and commandeered it along with the family and servants. There was a small act of rebellion from the household, but was quickly silenced, seeing as how Aria had made a show of the draining the lord of the house’s body of every last drop of blood. Some people tried to escape but were immediately seized by her servant Jackal and torn to shreds.

With just the duchess, her daughter and the few servants that remained they realized quickly that there was no escape and soon came to treat the siblings as if they were the master of the house. The Duchess of the house decided to seclude herself within her bed chambers, a mental breakdown from watching her husband die, leaving her daughter to the whims of the siblings.

Aria finished her shower and got dressed, heading own stairs to find her brother. Coming into the dining room, she found her brother having a drink, via the houses only daughter, Mary. Ever since he arrived, he found that her blood was particularly tantalizing and would gorge himself whenever he wasn’t working, careful not to let her die by drinking too much.

Aria: “Morning Alle.”

Alexander bit down harder on heiresses’ neck, hearing his hated nickname his sister refuse to stop calling. The heiress let out a groan of agony, as the fangs of the vampire drove deeper into her flesh.

Alexander: “How many times have I told you not to call me that?”

Mary’s face slowly returned to normal, no longer held by Alexander’s vice-like grip and teeth no longer embedded in her neck. Mary lost her footing, hardly able to stand after being drained. Alexander having lost his appetite, called for some servants to escort Mary to her room to rest, until he called for her again.

Aria: “Did you find anything yet?”

Ignoring her brother’s frustration, she got right to the main topic; Alexander sighing for the umpteenth time, began his report.

Alexander: “No, the Hero has yet to re-emerge, since his last occurrence. The humans have begun a mad dash to find him, but alas, nothing has come of their search.”

Aria: “Brother, my patience grows ever thinner, how long must I wait to have my revenge?”

Alexander: “Nothing for it, until we get some real information, traveling this land would prove problematic.

Far to the north where snow falls year around, the siblings enjoyed a blissful life where they could travel the lands without worry. Though such an activity proved impossible on the central continent, an adversary of incalculable strength and fortitude, hindered their movement on a daily basis, this being namely the sun. Upon realizing that direct sunlight was a sure way to end their eternal lives, the siblings thus felt it needing to take refuge. The home they were currently occupying, the windows had been boarded and closed tight; preventing even a slither of the sun’s harmful rays. Some of the inhabitants had took a chance to try escape at sunrise, however, a vampire’s familiars had no such weakness to the sun and were more than capable of pursuing and ending anyone foolish enough to run.

Alexander: “Not to mention, I have yet to recover from the boat ride, which I remind you wouldn’t have been needed if you hadn’t destroyed our teleportation rune, with your silly tantrums.”

The original means of travel was rendered useless, after Aria’s Latest Tantrum over the death of hear familiar. With no other means to travel, Aria acquired a boat for them to travel on, much to Alexander’s dismay. Running water and vampires don’t mix, so even though they can cross with a boat, it leave them in a weakened state.

Aria: “B-But I want to avenge Spikey now.”

Aria eyes began to water, indicating she was about lose herself.

Alexander: “Before you shriek and turn this building and all its occupants, into a crater, let me finish speaking.”

Aria: “*Sniff*What?”

Alexander: “Though I couldn’t find anything on the Hero, I did find something interesting. Apparently not long after the Hero’s making himself known, a dark-skinned Lycanian, appeared.”

Aria: “What?...you’re supposed to be searching for the Hero, yet your looking up some baseless rumor, you know as well as I know that such a thing could not possibly be true.”

Alexander: “Exactly, so what exactly are these reports I been receiving?”

Aria: “Who cares, tell your familiars to focus on the mission. They don’t need to listen to stupid human rumors. So dumb, to report such nonsense.”

Alexander became angry, over his sister’s spiteful words.

Alexander: “Well, at least mine are still alive.”

Aria: “Ah, how could you say such a thing so hurtful, but I love you, so I’ll forgive you.”

Aria flopped down on the chair, she thought about her poor dead familiar, but she couldn’t say she wasn’t curious about what her brother had just said.

Aria: “Jackal.”

With his name said, the black furred wolf-beast appeared out of the shadows.

Aria: “Brother here says that there is a dark-skinned Lycanian running about.”

Visible surprise could be seen in Jackals eyes, but with a low growl slowly it morphed into anger. The anger in his eyes made Aria smile sadistically, the sheer mention of such a rumor to Jackal, was reminiscent of a dagger to the heart.

Aria: “You and I know full well that this can’t be true, but for the sake of my brother’s piece of mind, could you be a dear and check?”

Jackal nodded with confirmation, then began to merge back into the shadows.

Aria: “Oh and you have permission to speak, at least until the mission is done, okay?”

Jackal: “As you command Lady Aria.”

Jackal then disappeared again into the shadows from which he came. Aria puffed out her cheeks upon hearing Jackal speak

Aria: “Ah, yes that’s why I forbid him from speaking, that tone of his is un-becoming of a servant, don’t you think?”

Alexander: “What do you expect, your forcing him to do something so audaciously cruel.”

Aria: “I wouldn’t have to if you would focus on finding that familiar killer. At least now you can focus.”

Aria then leaped up from the couch and rubbed at her stomach. A warm feeling rose from within.

Aria: “Besides, it may turn out to be true and he could run into a relative.”

Alexander looked to his sister as she left the room with a sour face.

Aria: “Absolutely wicked.”