I woke up with an ache running throughout my whole body but was mostly situated in my chest. There was a warm weight lying up against my side and wrapped around me. I must have woken up before Sylvia again, I thought as I opened my eyes. My eyes immediately adjusted to the darkness of the room and I looked towards the weight only to see black hair instead of brown.

It confused me for a second before everything came back to me. I gritted my teeth together at the sudden urge to cry, but I fought back against it. I've cried enough already.

Something dry and heavy made me suddenly conscious of my hands. I looked down to see them covered in blood. My heart beat quickened at the sight while my throat started to sting and burn from bile that was threatening to rise up it.

Quickly I slid out from under Athena and rushed into the bathroom connected to my room. I went to the porcelain sink to thrust my hands under a burning stream of hot water. I rubbed at my hands but the blood was still there. Dry and heavy it started to assault my nose with the scent of Sylvia.

Murderer...

Get off!

Killer...

The blood wouldn't leave my hands...

Monster...

Why wouldn't it wash away no matter how hard I scratched at it?

"Vaden? Are you okay?" A sleepy voice asked shocking me out of my frantic scrubbing. I froze and looked over my shoulder at the tired looking girl standing in the doorway my mind quieting at the sight of her.

I swallowed my nerves and quickly looked down at my hands only to find them shaking and pink, but totally clean. I didn't realise I was panting until I felt how dry my mouth was. I swallowed what little saliva there was in my mouth and tried to calm my breathing. What was happening to me?

"Yeah... yeah I'm okay." I sighed finally controlling myself. I turned the water to cold before splashing some onto my face. I looked at myself in the mirror only to see images of me impaling the masked Hunter with my knife and then revealing Sylvia's pale face.

I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw begging the scene to stop playing. I jumped slightly when thin arms wrapped around my stomach. "I've already forgiven you." Athena whispered as her forehead leant against my back.

I clenched the sink in desperation as my chest just continued to worsen with the amount of pain growing inside it. "Why?" I couldn't help but ask, my voice sounding choked and strained.

"I've already told you. You're different. You're not a monster and my sister wanted you to be the one to do it." She stated while squeezing me tightly.

"Which is ridiculous! Why would she allow me to do that? Why couldn't she just come back with us and you and her could be together again?" I asked in a desperate tone.

"Because she hates Nightwalkers. Though she loved you, she would have been surrounded by the beings that ripped us apart and hurt us." Athena answered.

"Then why are you here? Do you want to leave? You're surrounded by Nightwalkers here as well." I felt her shake her head again my back.

"Because you're here and I know that you'd never allow anything to happen to me." She said with such confidence it made me feel both amazing and terrible.

What if I couldn't protect her? What if I'm the one that ends up hurting her? I already know I am the monster she keeps telling me I'm not. I felt it at the castle. I felt it while fighting Sylvia and I felt it when I was basically playing with Adelle's life like she wasn't a living breathing thing.

"You're still healing Vaden, please go back to the bed and rest. Please." Athena begged pulling away from me.

My body was hurting and I knew the wounds made by the black metal will not take just a single night to heal like any normal wound would. I didn't fight when Athena grabbed my hand pulling me out of the bathroom and back to the bed. I sat on the edge of the mattress, which made me come to eye level with Athena.

I saw sadness in her eyes and I knew I was the cause of it, whether if the sadness was from me or for me, I wasn't sure. Though it didn't matter because it still made me angry with myself even more either way. I don't like seeing the girl upset.

"I'm sorry." I whispered softly, guiltily.

"Then stop blaming yourself." She basically begged while her hands came up and cupped both my cheeks between them.

I sighed and closed my eyes. "Easier said than done."

"I know, but please, you have to try." I looked into her beautiful grey eyes that were asking me to at least try to not make the pain I was feeling worse.

"I'll try." I agreed, though I don't know how well I'll go with it.

"Thank you, now please go back to sleep and rest." I nodded my head in agreement before we crawled back under the covers and Athena curled up into me. I wrapped my arms around her protectively and waited till she was fast asleep before I closed my eyes and made myself sleep.

***

I woke up again with Athena still curled up around me and I couldn't help the warm smile that flittered across my face as I looked down at her slack face. She was a beautiful girl and will become stunning when the hollowness of her cheeks fill out just as the thinness of her arms will gain muscle that'll give the girl an all-round healthier figure.

I kissed the top of her head feeling protectiveness fill me as I pulled her smaller body into me more. "I'll protect you Athena, even at the risk of my life. I promise. I promise both you and Sylvia." I whispered into her hair.

A soft knock, barely perceptive to human's ears, which meant that Athena wouldn't wake up from the sound, came from the door. I turned my head and breathed in scenting and feeling for who could possibly be behind the door. The mana was familiar but there was also something I didn't recognise about it, which threw me off knowing who was behind the door. Curious and suspicious I slid out of the bed, much to my sore body's displeasure, and walked to the door to open it and reveal the mystery.

I was surprised I didn't recognise the mana signature when I saw who it was. "Good morning Purple." Mercy grinned at me. "Oh I mean Vaden, sorry."

"It's okay Mercy, you can continue calling me Purple if you want to." I smiled at her softly, weakly.

Mercy's smile brightened and it made me feel happy for her. She seems to have taken a real liking to being a Nightwalker. "How are you feeling?" She asked with her voice going a tiny bit softer because of her concern.

"Sore but that's okay, I've had deal with tons of pain before thanks to my time growing up on the streets. I'll be a bit stiff for a while but nothing more will hinder me in any way." I assured her with a slight smile.

"Are you up to going to the dining hall with me to have breakfast? Or would you like to have it here?" Mercy asked still with slight concern.

"Yes, I'll come with you to the dining hall. Here let me wake Athena and we'll all go for some breakfast." I told her before turning around and going back to the bed where Athena was curled up on her side under the blankets in a little ball. I think it was natural for her to curl up to keep warm because I know the slaves at the castle weren't given anything to fight back against the cold of the night while sleeping on the ground.

I sat on the edge of the bed and affectionately moved her long black hair out of her face. "Athena... Athena, it's time for breakfast would you like to come with me to get some food?" I asked her softly yet loud enough to rouse her at the same time as I ran my thump over the soft skin of her cheek.

"Mmm..." Athena grumbled curling up further into herself before she opened her beautiful grey eyes. She looked up at me and a slow, bright smile came to her face. "I like waking up like this. It feels like I'm finally home."

My heart pulled at her words as she closed her eyes and placed a hand over my own still on her cheek squeezing it lightly. "You are home now Athena." I told her seriously as her smile stayed on her face. "Come on pup, let's go get something to eat and then we have a few things to tell our new family about this trip we've been on."

I smiled down at her as her eyes snapped opened in shock at the word 'family' that I used. "Okay." She agreed happily before sitting up and we let our hands slide off her cheek but she wouldn't let go of my hand.

"You know, you two are absolutely adorable right?" Mercy asked with her bright smile still on her face. "You guys are either like mother and daughter or really close sisters."

I smiled at the thought of being Athena's real family but my heart hurt at knowing that I was the one that took her real sister away. "Come on, let's go." I decided to say instead of anything about the comment.

I quickly got changed into my usual training clothes needing a bit of help from Athena when my wounds started to ache or even let out a little blood since they weren't still fully healed. Mercy appeared in the doorway of my wardrobe with a pile of clothing in her hand which she explained was from that servant girl named Sian. After Athena was changed we walked to the dining hall where I was surprised to see everyone already sitting at the large table. Lady Aviva was sitting at the head of the table, as usual, but this time Georgia was seated beside her looking a tiny bit awkward. A spare seat was empty on her left and Lady Beatrice took up the seat on her sister's right.

Another spare seat was empty on lady Beatrice's right and the next seat was filled by Galen and then Hawk. On Georgia's left after my empty seat was a female I've never met before. She had dark brown hair that was completely straight and stopped in between her shoulder blades, when she looked up I was able to see that her eyes were a nice earth brown.

On her left was then Anon, which surprised me because I wouldn't think he would give up the seat beside mine, let alone be awake and walking around because of his injuries, and then it was Lucas and then Ashwini.

"Good morning all." Mercy greeted happily as she led the way into the hall and went straight to her seat beside lady Beatrice.

"Good morning." I greeted everyone with a slight bow, which made me wince slightly as the wounds on my back stretched.

I looked down at Athena when I felt her grip on my hand tighten, I then felt her slightly move her body behind mine. "G-Good morning." She stuttered shyly while looking at the ground and her free hand played with the hem of her shirt.

"Good morning Athena, Vaden." Lady Aviva greeted us with an easy smile.

A servant suddenly walked in with an extra chair. It was placed on the right side of my chair closest to Georgia and I realised that it was a seat for Athena to stay beside me. I thanked lady Aviva silently for her thoughtfulness.

"Please, come have a seat you two." Lady Aviva motioned to the two spare chairs.

"I can sit beside her if you don't wish to." I suggested in a whisper to the young girl as we walked towards the chairs.

"I'd rather sit between people I know." She whispered back. We passed Anon and I couldn't hold back the urge to brush my hand over his head and through his hair. We smiled at each other with his being teasing and mine being questioning.

Who is she? I asked through our bond.

Truthfully, I have no idea. She was already sitting in that seat when I got here. He replied with a short shrug.

And you let her stay sitting there? I asked in surprise while sitting in my normal seat beside the stranger and Athena sat between me and lady Aviva.

I was curious as to what was going to happen because lady Aviva was sitting as well and she had this look in her eyes telling me to shut my trap.

Sure she did. I chuckled to myself.

"How are you feeling this morning after our little adventure, Vaden?" Lady Aviva asked not starting off with explaining who the stranger I was sitting beside.

"Sore, my lady, but healing... I..." I stopped slightly and looked at Athena. "I'm happy to be back but... I don't think I'll be able to get over what I've done any time soon."

Lady Aviva nodded her head slowly in understanding. "It's okay Vaden, but you have to understand it wasn't your fault for what happened."

I gritted my teeth together and looked down at the table. "I know, I've been told that multiple times... but I was the one that killed her in the end. I didn't stop even when I saw her give up."

"Can someone please explain what has happened?" Lady Beatrice asked in confusion.

"During our travels home," I started just as Athena slipped her thin hand into my own. "We were attacked by a group of Hunters. One of the Hunters were... one of the Hunters that I fought turned out to be... turned out to be Sylvia."

Three gasped echoed through the room coming from lady Beatrice, Mercy and Ashwini. "No way! Sylvia-what? What happened?" Mercy asked in disbelief.

I swallowed thickly as each beat of my heart hurt significantly. "I didn't know it was her. She was so strong, so skilled that even Galen had trouble fighting her... it didn't help that she was also masked and it muffled her voice, though she didn't speak much. I managed to beat her to the ground and then I... and then I killed her."

It was silent for a moment before I broke it once again. "She was Athena's sister and she told me why she hates Nightwalker's and joined the Hunters... but yet she still told me she loved me even when my knife was in her stomach."

"Bloody hell..." I heard Mercy breathe, stunned.

"And I've told you a hundred times already, I forgive you." Athena stated and I could feel her gaze burning into the side of my head while her hand clenched down on mine like a vice.

I sighed softly and shook my head suddenly feeling exhausted. I pulled my hand from her grip making a flash of hurt slip over her face until I wrapped my arm over her shoulder and pulled her into me. "And I'll thank you every time you say it." I whispered into her hair as I placed a kiss to the top of her head. "Thank you."

"But that's not all we learnt during this weekend." Lady Aviva stated as she sipped at a glass of, from what I could smell, some kind of fruit juice.

"No, it's not." I sighed pulling away from Athena but keeping my arm around her. "I remembered... I remembered everything of how I ended up on the streets, who killed my parents, who my parents were. Who I was before everything, and also how old I am. Lord Enrique," I scowled with anger at his name, "Was the one that killed my parents and nearly killed me. Somehow I survived and ended up living on the streets of the closest village. I couldn't believe what I found out next though... turns out I'm over four hundred years old and didn't even realise it."

"What?" Lady Beatrice exclaimed in complete shock.

"I don't know how I survived so long as a human without aging properly or how I never realised the changes in the village I lived in." I shook my head still ashamed with myself for not noticing. "I ended up basically going into shock and passed out. After I woke up I went to see if the cabin I lived in before was still standing. It was basically rubble but I found the remains of my parent and buried them. We also buried Sylvia in that clearing."

It was once again silent. A disbelieving silence that spoke of how stunned everyone was of finally finding out everything.

I expelled a great sigh at speaking everything out loud and slumped back in my chair. "It's such a mess." I grumbled.

"You've done well, Vaden. Not many people would be able to live with knowing what you've just found out, and I'm still proud of you for walking away from Enrique instead of trying to kill him."

"Trust me, next time we meet I might not be so controlled." I muttered glaring at the table.

Lady Aviva chuckled at me making me scowl at her. "Well hopefully we won't be in his presence any time soon."

"We shall hope." Lady Beatrice agreed and I looked over to her to see she had her hands in a white knuckled grip.

Our eyes met and my heart warmed at the angry sympathy that swirled in her beautiful silver eyes. Servants quietly walked and started placing plates of food and drink down in front of us all before leaving us to our breakfast.

"Vaden, did you end up killing that other hunter? That red head with the annoying voice?" Lady Aviva asked as servants cane in and placed plates full of food down in front of everyone.

I frowned at the thought Adelle and what happened. "I was about to. I had her unconscious on the ground after she fainted and was about to end it. But then this guy appeared out of no where. Anon and I had seen him before on how way to Enrique's castle but I thought he was a Nightwalker by how fast he could move. I didn't know a Hunter could move that fast that I couldn't even see him move."

Lady Aviva's eyes darkened at my words as she placed down the wine glass she was holding to her lips. "What did he look like?" She questioned softly but with a seriousness that halted the quiet conversations that were happening at the table after the servants left.

"Black hair, grey eyes. He had a smooth voice, almost like he didn't belong in this realm." I answered wondering about what she must be thinking.

Her jaw clenched and a dark look clouded her golden eyes. "Zehava." She muttered causing both Georgia and lady Beatrice to gasp.

"Who is he my lady?" I asked both curious and worried.

"He's the first ever Hunter." She answered surprising me.

"But it's been years since the Hunters have existed." Anon stated in confusion.

"I know, but at the start of humanity and the born of all creatures there were three incredibly gifted and powerful creatures. The Human, the Lord and the Master. The Human, Zehava, became the first Hunter, while the Lord is the first Celestial and became what humans call nowadays, God. And then there's the Master who is the first Nightwalker. He can control dark creatures called demons and humans believe he's the 'Devil' in that human religion." Lady Aviva explained.

"But Zehava hasn't been seen for millennia, since he managed to seal the Lord to the upper realm and the Master to the under realm while he stayed here in the mortal realm." Lady Beatrice continued the explanation.

"And at his appearance... I have a few things I need to do now." Lady Aviva spoke seriously as she rose from her seat. "You all can rest for the remaining of the day. I shall see you all at dinner."

At that lady Aviva left the dining hall with Georgia looking worried behind her. I was highly confused as well as worried at her sudden departure.

"Is everything alright, my lady?" Mercy asked Beatrice worriedly.

Lady Beatrice nodded her head slowly with a thoughtful look on her face. "Yes, everything will be fine... Aviva just needs to get more information about this topic and tell other's about Zehava's sighting."

"Well with that all sorted out and everything's out in the open." Anon drawled making everyone look at him. "Seriously, why am I the one who's going to ask this? Who is this lady?" He asked sticking a thumb at the only human at the table who was sitting beside him. Unless you want to count Ashwini who is basically human just with an amazing connection to mana and other magic's.

The woman blushed at his crass call out and she seemed to shrink down into her seat as everyone started looking at her.