What looked like a hunter setting pelts and furs outside to sell, was actually nothing of the sort.

“Sorry, we ain’t selling for a while now. Got a big order to fill out, so ya might run short for the winter.” The ginger man said as he saw Rai and Sin walk closer to the huts.

“Oh, we weren’t looking to buy. We’re students from Aether Academy here on an assignment. The librarian from further in the city recommended checking your huts to learn a bit more about the clan.” Rai said.

“Hmm...” The hunter paused for a moment. He put down the rabbit pelt that he was currently processing in hand, and turned fully to Rai and Sin. “Then, you’ll wanna speak with the matron. She takes care of us all, while the chief sorts out the nitty gritty. C’mon, she’s in the big hut towards the middle. I’ll take you there.”

“Great! I appreciate that.”

After placing the rabbit’s pelt back down on the table just beside him, the man tapped the hut he was stood outside.

“Krill, take care of the stall will you?” He said.

The sound of a bird squawking within the hut leaked out.

“He’s real temperamental this time of day. Come, we’ll see if the matron is free right now. If she is, I’m sure she’ll talk to you.”

“Thanks!” Rai said.

He started walking in towards the centre of the encampment.

Rai and Sin followed.

The huts surrounding them were all varied and had their own unique adornments and trophies displayed on the outsides.

Clearly, the hunters here prided themselves on their hunts and victories over their prey.

Sin began noting down some of the noteworthy things about the huts and, particularly, the people around the huts.

Rai was very impressed by a certain hut that seemed to have tens upon tens of bear skulls lining its outer walls. It was somewhat morbid, but also projected a very impressive image of the hunter within. As they walked, a little girl came running out of that hut.

Rai was amazed, wondering how that little girl was able to kill that many bears.

She was then picked up by a huge man who seemed to be her father chasing after her.

Rai nodded to himself, as if all now made sense with the world.

“I noticed you were handling a rabbit’s pelt earlier... what would you use that for?” Sin asked the man, breaking the silence.

“Oh, we use those for the children. Making gloves, hats, and cloaks for them ain’t the easiest with massive beast furs, so we use pelts from smaller creatures like killer rabbits and arcano deer for that.”

“But... that little girl had a spotted printed cloak on her...” Rai mentioned.

“Ah. That’s Torva’s daughter. He’s... one of the better hunters of us all, so his daughter gets all of his best spoils. That spotted cloak was from a flametongued leopard that he spent 3 days hunting down.”

“Woah...”

“Right, we’re here.”

Rai and Sin stopped beside the man, and looked at the surprisingly large hut before them.

Unlike the others, this building felt a lot more like a house than a hut simply because of how much bigger it was.

The ginger man walked in through the curtained doors.

“Matron, you have some visitors.”

No reply came.

The man came back out after a few seconds.

“You can go in, you two.”

Rai and Sin looked at each other.

“Thanks for the help.” Rai said.

Sin echoed his sentiment.

They walked past the man, in through the curtains.

As they entered, the smell of burning incense met their nostrils.

The scent itself was that of rosemary, Rai thought.

“Got a pair of young’ins in then. Do tell, what would a pair of dashing students want with me?”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Rai. Uh, we’re here to learn about the Life clan, but in a more in-depth way than a textbook can teach us.”

“Kakakaka! Then ye’ve come tae the right place! Come, take a seat.” She said as she gestured to a bunch of empty stools with her inhumanly long arms. “Me name’s Marva. As the matron of the hunters’ lodge, I teach our children ‘bout our clan and its legacy. Would ye like a rundown?”

“We’d love one.” Sin said.

Rai took in the matron’s appearance. Upon first look, she came across like a hag or a witch with long limbs, but that was because of all of the different adornments on her dress. After his eyes got used to the dimmer lighting, Rai realised that she was a Nagatenaga. A race of nature-focused humanoid creatures that often mixed in with some smaller mortal groups... but none headed groups as large as this within any of the clans as far as he knew.

“Then listen up. Our clan is very simple, y’see. The great mother of all life, whether it be an ant makin’ his way down the waterin’ hole, or a mighty kraken slumberin’ beneath the depths... it’s all under our mother’s guise.

Well...

That’s how it started a’ least... we were known as Lifekeepers under the first Warden.”

Sin took out a parchment pad and quill, and started noting down what the matron was saying.

“But, since the mother... we ain’t had much to hold us by. All the clans got some kind of nature to ‘em. Justice ones’re all about servin’ out justice and all that, while the clan of Hunts all love livin’ free in the wild.

But us...

We ain’t got jack!

What is our purpose?

Kakakak!

I tell my little ones, for all it’s worth, that we work to keep life as sacred as is. But there ain’t much of that sacredness ‘round these days, ‘specially with them Aspects buggerin’ off and killin’ like life ain’t nothin’.

It’s a mad dream of an old crone, but I know our clan is more than what we’ve become!

More than what we’ve fallen to becoming!

Life is sacred, and that’s the end of it!”

Sin rushed to finish writing what the matron said, while Rai was in a bit of a stupor.

“You... how do you know about the first Warden? I haven’t found anything about her in any of the books I searched...” He said.

“AKKAKakakakaka!” She cackled.

Rai and Sin jumped in their seats.

“BOOKS?! Ye gave me a good chuckle young man! Ohoho, what a good laugh.”

“Eh? Why was that funny?”

“Ye ain’t gonna find jack in them books! Ain’t ye know how information works? Over time, Aspects ‘ave been slowly hidin’ away their knowledge and history, and now there’s none’o’dat for the common man! Ye ain’t gonna find it there!

For us... our hunters passed our knowledge down through the generations. So, course it ain’t the most perfect, but it’s the closest ye’ll get to the truth.

... Maybe if ye could read Ancient, then ye’d have a better shot learnin’ bout our lovely Zenith goin’ searchin’ ruins. But who can do that these days?! KAkakakaka!”

Rai and Sin glanced at each other knowingly.

Sin signalled to Rai that this was enough from here.

“... I see.” Rai said. “Thank you for your time, matron. This was well worth doing, and I’m glad we talked to you!”

Rai stood up and bowed towards her.

Sin did the same.

“Thank you.” She said.

“Oh please, it was my pleasure! Make sure ye visit every now and then, should ye get the time, aye?”

“Of course.” Rai replied with a smile.

After their goodbyes, Rai and Sin left the matron’s hut.

The ginger man from before was nowhere to be seen. Rai figured that he’d gone back to his hut to continue processing his furs.

“What a find! That was so much good info from the matron, Rai!”

“Yeah. She also gave me a clue about where to search next for what I’m looking for.”

“You mean what she said about ruins? I thought the same, really. I’m so curious about what’s so special about these writings in Ancient that I’m really excited for our first expedition when we go back to the Academy.”

“Mhmm... I think that’s what my dad meant when he said that I had to learn the ‘truth of the world’ to find him. Hopefully I’ll be able to figure it out.”

“I’m sure you will. Now, let’s go to the next place on that map. Bring it out.”

“Sure.”

Rai pulled the map out from his cloak and unfolded it.

“So, we’re here at the bottom of the city around the hunters’ huts. We should head slightly north-west to find that chapel.”

“It’s pretty close... only a little bit of a walk I think. Alright, let’s go!”

Rai and Sin made their way following the main roads until they arrived at the area that was supposed to be where the chapel was.

Since it was so close to the hunters’ huts, it was still in the part of Draconis that seemed to be stricken by poverty. But the chapel itself wasn’t half-bad. Which... wasn’t really saying much, since it was still pretty poorly made and could probably fall apart to a gust of wind.

As Rai and Sin pushed open the large front door, they noticed rows upon rows of benches that lined the main floor all the way up until the front of the big hall. Inside, the chapel looked better than outside.

“Haven’t been in a chapel before... what are these even used for again?” Sin asked.

“They’re like meeting places for communities to gather and discuss things. Some also have little events and things that help people out in times of need. This one looks-”

“May I help you?” Came a voice from their right side.

Rai and Sin jumped, again. They’d been spooked 2 times in 1 day. Which was, of course, 2 times too many.

The old greying man instantly raised his hands in surrender.

“I don’t normally get this kind of reception, with a sword to my throat. Or a dagger to my chest.” He said.

Rai and Sin had drawn their weapons on reaction, and responded instinctively. Ghost and Sin’s daggers were craving blood... but it wouldn’t come.

But... the man eyed Ghost suspiciously. Still, he gave nothing away. At least, Rai didn’t notice anything about his reaction to seeing the sword since it lasted only a split second.

After a second, Rai and Sin withdrew their weapons.

“... Maybe you shouldn’t sneak up on people like that!” Rai said.

“What he said!” Sin followed.

“Of course, of course. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll have to go change my undergarments. When I’m back, I’ll be happy to talk to you about whatever it is you came here for.”

He left through a door to the side of the hall, leaving Rai and Sin alone there in the chapel’s main hall.

“... That was entirely his own fault.” Sin said, convincing herself.

Rai nodded in agreement.