The Hunters

Yun Ziao's POV

"Why did I have to be dragged here with you?" Gusion asks as he sits down on the ground.

"I did remember your father telling the General to keep you safe." I replied, biting off a piece of the cooked meat the chef had made. "At least until after they've dealt with the Witch they just captured."

"Who cares?" He tells me. "I don't want to be stuck in a confined space with people... especially you."

I finished the cooked meat and wiped off my mouth with a cloth I found nearby. "Well, it seems like you'll just have to deal with it."

Gusion shakes his head while walking over towards the other side of the room, playing with his knife. I wonder why his family lets him keep knives like that... it was beautiful. However they had a reputation in harnessing the pure energy of magic. The Paxley Clan was known for their extreme magic powers and sothey shun other fighting techniques, even the use of common weapons like pitchforks, swords or even that simple knife. Most of the priests who serve the temple of Light goes through their academy, the Holy Temple Academy, to train... and boy was every one of their graduating students successful. Even mages from other Kingdoms came over and introduced themselves to Gusion's father. However Gusion doesn't seem to be proud with his family... although I don't know why, but I can assume that it's got to do something with that knife.

I never had a family, but I would always know how they must worry about Gusion a lot because of the support of General Tigreal. He was like a father/brother to me when I was young. He took care of me, provided my education... everything. Even when I was the infamous Dragonborne, he took me in as his own brother... and I would like to share the joy of being loved as well.

I took a piece of meat and head over to Gusion. Extending my arm, I gave the cooked meat to Gusion, who responded by a nod in the head.

"Thanks." He says, grabbing the meat and chewing on it slowly. I smile, then head over towards the table again to grab my third refill. Well, if Gusion wasn't up to eating tonight... I guess I will just eat all of these myself!

After all, Gusion is still working on his techniques.

____________________________________________

Somewhere in the Valencian Region...

Silence covers the dark forest as two wanderers travels through it, staff in hand. It was night time in this region... and so everything but the light of the woman's staff was engulfed with darkness. Every creature in the forest knew that woman, and stayed at some distance while she walks slowly but surely (with the help of her aid up high) towards what is known to be the Dark Castle, situated at the top of the Alden Mountains. And they have heard quite enough of the man beside her, wielding his blade sharp and strong.

The two who have come to slay the Blood Queen, Alice the Witch.

...

Alucard Bloodfallen stops and points over towards the Castle, smiling. "It looks like we're here."

Pharsa Askati nods, gesturing for her fiance, Verri (who was a mere bird because of his own spell) to scout ahead. Alucard follows her lead, using his other senses to scan their surroundings. He knew for certain what this woman had gone through, and that speaking was not her fiasco right now... and that was fine with him. He liked the silence she had displayed, and he only saw her as an acquaintance who somehow has both the same goal and the same destination as he is.

"No traps await us in the Castle.." Pharsa says, letting Verri perch in her shoulders.

"That's strange..." Alucard tells her. "The Witch must've known by now that we're approaching her because of her enhanced demonic senses... it's as if-"

"-she knows that she is going to die no matter what." Pharsa cuts him off.

Alucard pauses for a brief moment before sighing. "I was about to say, 'Like she was toying with us', but that works the same as well."

Pharsa nods in agreement as they reached the foot of the mountain, which for some reason had stone steps going up to the castle. It was peaceful... a little too peaceful. They were expecting a fight to come up soon, but it seems like it hasn't arrived yet. Was Alice confident in her abilities to stop the two of them alone? Was she preparing an ambush up there? Or does she really know that she's about to lose?"

Pharsa goes in first, followed by Alucard. Verri flies once more and goes ahead of us to see if any beast was waiting for us up there. Pharsa extends her arm towards Alucard, and gets him to lead her up the steps.

"She's as blind as a bat without her fiance.." Alucard thinks to himself. "I wonder what she'd do without him?"

But no matter how many times Alucard thinks he's better than the Crow Princess, he knows that her power is unlike anything that he has ever seen before. She had destroyed an entire army led by Alice in her hometown... and he had saw it with his own eyes. It was the very definition of chaos and destruction.

They reach the top of the stairs, to which Verri lands on her shoulders once more. Alucard waits for Pharsa to tell him what was up. But she just quietly stood there.

"What is it?" Alucard asks, getting ready to unsheathe his unholy sword.

Pharsa stands there, shaking angrily. He could tell because she was biting her lip furiously, causing it to bleed. Her hair was floating up, and Verri got away from her as soon as he noticed the signs as well.

"H-hey-" Alucard tries to say, however was interrupted by a blast of red powerful magic which he barely manages to evades. "What the hell?!"

"Who does she think she is?!!" Pharsa angrily says, walking over towards the castle doors. "That Witch thinks she's powerful enough to escape from me this time?!"

"I'll kill her!!" She says, blasting the two iron doors with her abnormal magic, stepping inside ready to blast everything to pieces. "Alice! Where are you, you pathetic whore? Show yourself!!"

Alucard looks around before stepping inside as well. This wasn't good. He'd planned about trying to get in through stealth tactics, but seeing as Pharsa made enough noise that would wake even the hibernating bears nearby, he knew that there was no chance in hell that his plan is going to work.

Silence greeted them inside. Alucard wasn't able to sense anything, and so he concluded that Alice must've escaped before the two of them got there.

He was about to be mistaken, however... for a cruel giggle awaited them in the far end of what seems to be the throne room. The torches situated in every wall began to flicker, and mysteriously lights up everything in the room, revealing Alice to be sitting at a chair meant for the King of the castle to sit. She was holding a skull on her hands, as if talking to it.

"Where there is light... there is also..." She begins to say, opening and closing the skull's mouth with her fingers. The lights then suddenly goes off. "Great Darkness..."

Pharsa grits her teeth, creating an orb that lights up almost everything once again.

"I managed to destroy a family once..." Alice smiles, placing a crown on the skull's head. "A royal family that is... and that broke the poor old queen, who's beauty, unlike mine... was withering away..."

"What is your point?" Pharsa shouts at her.

Alice giggles again before standing up, crushing the skull with the same hand. "Well, if I can destroy entire nations who believe in the light themselves... how does two non-believers such as yourselves intend to stop me?"

"We don't intend to stop you." Alucard says, unsheathing his sword. "We intend to be rid of you once and for all."

"So sayeth the one who lost to his demons?" Alice taunts him. "Tell me, Alucard, did your parents ever managed to kiss you goodbye for the last time before they died?"

Alucard grips his sword tightly. "This is why I have a loathing for demons like you."

Alice lets out a chuckle like somebody managed to say the greatest joke ever. "You two seem convinced in killing me."

She then steps down the throne room, her back sprouting vicious wings that reached the beginning of the stairs to the end of it. She then extends her arm, gesturing for them to get her. Pharsa readies her magic for battle, letting huge waves of energy flow through her fingertips. Alucard boosts himself with everything that he's got, ready to do some damage. This woman wasn't the only demon that he has faced his entire life, but this may be his greatest challenge yet.

"Well? Don't keep me waiting..." Alice says, smiling from ear to ear.

"Hm hm hm..."