Looking through the glass, hunting a miracle

The beast creeped closer to the edge, baring it's teeth at the young hunters. Terrence gripped onto Ender's arms as he watched in fear, and the red head almost thought his arm was going to fall off. Nevertheless, he too stared at the cryptien as it raised it's enormous claw, ready to slash them to pieces and let their bodies fall down to the distant forest, before rotting away.

He shut his eyes and quietly prayed that this would end quickly, that he wouldn't die in pain, that he would just be killed in seconds. After all, a painless death is a good death, right? He froze when he heard laughter in the distance, and the sound of a motorcycle. Who was that again? They sounded familiar to him.

The beast stopped and turned around to see what it was, and it made both the hunters curious to know as well. It wasn't long though, after they heard an ear-splitting roar as the cryptien was pushed off the cliff and fell down to the trees below, a large snapping noise echoing through the forest, and forcing all the birds to fly from there.

"There you are, you two!" A voice yelled from above. Terrence looked up and sighed, smiling at the older hunter. "Looks like you could use a hand to get out of there," The raven- haired man chuckled and crouched.

Ender looked up as well and frowned. "Feris, enough with the ridiculous jokes. Just get us out of here." He would have preferred to be killed by the beast than have to deal with Feris' teasing.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know. Let me get the rope." The bulky man stood up and grabbed a thick rope, dropping one end in between them.

Ender didn't bother to argue with the brunet as they began to quickly up back onto the cliff. After the rope was finally still he began to climb up as well. He clung onto his comrades back as they drove off back to the city, lost in thought once more. After all, he survived an attack from a cryptien after suffering a near- death experience.

But not even that could help him stand tall against the lieutenant- general awaiting them within the association.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

The young redhead could hear Shozu's yelling in the distance as they sped through the streets and towards the hunter training grounds. It wasn't hard to hear the anger laced in their tone as it got louder. Terrence shuddered at the thought of meeting their leader once they got off, and it was no surprise.

When they finally reached their destination, Ender along with the other two were confused as to why the major- general was screaming at a poor warrant officer. Perhaps the white-haired soldier was just that mad.

"I-I'm sorry-" The old warrant officer pleaded.

"Like hell you are! Your job was to send out advanced- level soldiers! Advanced- level! And what kind of battalion do you send? A battalion full of rookies!" Shozu grabbed the officer's collar and glared daggers at him. Terrence flinched at those eyes alone and hid behind Ender.

"I-I-I was told they were ready for such a mission! H-Honest I swear!"

"If that was the case," The white-haired boy seethed, releasing a terrifying aura that surrounded the grounds. "Then why did you continue to send them out when Kiranti warned you things would go wrong? Why did you let them handle it on their own when they begged for backup? Why did you let each and every one of those soldiers die a terrible death? Why, when you could have rejected the option to use a team that had never been in battle!"

So the soldiers they found in the forest were just privates. Ender noticed Farhan looking at all the bodies before splitting them up in different groups. He didn't question it, seeing it was often after a group of bodies was found in the woods.

The redhead felt someone nudge him, a small girl. Well, not small compared to Ender but she wasn't as tall as most soldiers. Aito, if the ginger remembered well. What was she doing here again? "Psst. Ender," She whispered.

"Yes, Aito? Is something wrong?" He looked at her blankly. He saw no reason to talk so quietly when someone was already screaming. "You do understand the situation right now, yes?"

"Yeah, I know, which is why I want to know what's going on." The rose pink haired girl pointed her thumb to the two people at the center of the training grounds. "How long have they been at it?"

"Which one?" Terrence mumbled. "The one screaming or the one crying and wetting his pants like a kid?"

Feris sighed and glanced at Aito. "I thought you were helping other doctors in the infirmity department, and it's always busy there. So what are you doing here?"

"Nurses and doctors get breaks too, you know," She glanced at him before looking at the major- general as they yelled curse words at the officer. "Besides, I was asked to collect the bodies found by you guys. Seeing the piles from here, I'll deal with it later." Feris chuckled, but said nothing.

"Fair enough."

"Now now, Shozu. That's enough." A voice piped up from the crowd. The major- general stopped yelling and stared at another white- haired boy as he stood beside them and stared at the warrant officer. Everyone began to whisper and speak in hushed tones as they stared at the three people. It didn't surprise Ender, though. He heard rumors, and it wasn't his first time seeing a general standing amongst the hunters, but it was indeed a rare occasion.

"Who's he again?" Terrence mumbled.

"He is Oriko, one of the two generals in all the hunters." Feris responded without looking at him. Oriko, yes he was famous here. The only hunter to never age after 12 years. It was a strange way to be popular, but Ender could have cared less.

The young general smiled softly at the warrant officer. "What's your name, sir?"

"M-Mr. Houston?" He quietly mumbled.

"Well, Mr. Houston, as you heard from my friend here, what you did was wrong. Very wrong, indeed." Mr. Houston began shaking. "Do you promise not to make that mistake again?"

"Y-yes sir!"

Oriko chuckled and turned around. "Good to know!" He began walking. How did he earn the general role again-? "But, just to be sure, I'll have to ask you to pack, Mr. Houston. I'm dismissing you."

A few gasps were heard, and more mumbling. So even he, too, could not take this situation lightly either. At least he did not burst and scream like the redhead's leader, so he could see why the other was given the title general.

"Dismissed?" The officer mumbled.

"Yes, dismissed. We'll all miss you terribly, but I can't have a warrant officer go and kill our soldiers simply because he was told to. Good day, Mr. Houston!"

Ender felt someone tap his shoulder and he turned to see Terrence shake beside him. "What's wrong? He wasn't dismissing you."

"That's not it," The brunet whispered. "After this is done, Shozu's coming this way."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Remember what happened in the forest?"

The forest? Well, they had found the bodies, then the cryptien which the lieutenant killed with ease. Then the brunet and redhead had to check the rest of the area together, but they split up. They split up . . .

". . . dear god we're in trouble."