RED

Jaxith was still in trance from the strange visions he was seeing, visions that felt so real, hallucinations or memories? He was confused, The headache began to subside gradually, His breathing began to become regular again, but he was sweating like a pig, he may started feeling better, but still not the perfect condition, the stress from losing Irene led him to that condition, combining that with his state after the fight with the manticore and using the negative abyss as well as that strange demoness, that must have got his mind, even though Jaxith isn't the type that can be rational like that, which somehow was worrying him, he felt something he doesn't want to feel again, something he doesn't want to even remember it, if that demoness was capable of doing that without even revealing herself, then what's her true power is like? What's that kind she's talking about? Even after what happened, Jaxith was still heavily thinking about everything, there must be something he has missed.

After gathering his thoughts while looking at the broken mirror, there was a calm knock on the bathroom's door, Jaxith looked at it for a second then opened it, he found officer Ronald waiting for him.

"I heard the sound of glass breaking while I was waiting for you, anything wrong?", Said officer Ronald, Jaxith looked in his calm manner again, although he wasn't satisfied by his carelessness, he totally dropped his focus, he should have sensed Ronald entering the room easily, but he didn't notice anything, he mustn't let something like that to happen again.

"Nothing, my hand accidently hit the mirror, that's it.", Said Jaxith, officer Ronald eyed him suspiciously, he wasn't believing him.

"I think by your look you must have dealt with that beast, so, if you can excuse me, did something happen that made your condition like that? And by the way, I've heard about what happened since a few, and according to what I know about you, recklessness isn't one of your traits, you could have killed someone out there.", Said officer Ronald, but Jaxith stood silent, he narrowed his eyes without any word, just giving impression that he won't talk, Ronald smiled while looking at him, he understood.

"She wasn't joking when she said you're so discreet, anyway, that's not my business.", Said officer Ronald.

"Exactly, that's not your business officer.", Said Jaxith boldly, officer Ronald was a bit surprised by his aggressive reply.

"Then I think it's time to get back to business, time to meet with the mayor, I think that you need to end this more than me, I will be waiting outside, and she's waiting too.", Said officer Ronald before he turned around and walked towards the room's door, opening it and going out while leaving the door still open.

Jaxith took a deep breath before he started walking out of the room to find Irene standing by the wall and crossing her arms, without even looking at him.

"This way, we're going to meet the mayor upstairs this time, he's waiting in his private room for you.", Said officer Ronald while turning back and moving towards the stairs on the left.

Irene moved and started following officer Ronald without looking at Jaxith again, like he wasn't even there, Jaxith looked at her as she walked away then sighed and started walking behind them.

He looked at the window by his right side, watching the sky, the sun was setting, the day seemed to pass quickly, he looked back to Irene as they started going up the stairs.

"Hey, listen.", Said Jaxith trying to attract Irene's attention.

"Save it, Jaxith, no need for any talk.", Said Irene without looking at Jaxith while still walking after officer Ronald.

"You don't understand what happened there.", Said Jaxith calmly.

"On the contrary, I understand everything, it was for my safety, right?", Said Irene while turning back to Jaxith and looking at him in an annoyed manner.

"Of course it was, but not in the way you think.", Said Jaxith while stopping too.

"Then what.", Said Irene.

"You won't understand.", Said Jaxith.

"See, that's the problem, you don't even want to explain what happened there, you ruined one of the safest moments for me in the last couple days, but here we are again at the same point, and you should know something, I'm not apologizing about what I said in the garden, because the way you're acting you'll die without anyone caring.", Said Irene angrily, Jaxith looked surprised from her reply, looks like he's losing his grip on her, he needs to get her trust back soon or things will get harder, he thought about a solution for a moment.

"You know what, it's my fault standing her and talking about the same thing again.", Said Irene angrily before turning and leaving Jaxith, Jaxith moved immediately after her and grabbed her shoulder, turning her to him to suddenly find her turning her head to him, it was the same bloody face he saw before!

"LEAVE ME YOU MURDERER.", Screamed Irene making Jaxith put his hand immediately on the hilt of his sword while pushing her back.

"What're you doing now?", Said Irene in fear as she stepped back, she was completely normal and they were still in the place where she told him that she isn't apologizing, like nothing from leaving him and walking away has happened, she was afraid, he pushed her back after she told him about him dying and was going to draw his sword, he looked worried, these hallucinations are getting the best of him and he can't distinguish them from the reality.

"Irene, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that, it's jus-.", Said Jaxith before Irene interrupted him.

"I didn't know that a simple word would make you angry to even kill me.", Said Irene while looking in fear, she wasn't understanding Jaxith at all.

"No, that's not what happened.", Said Jaxith.

"It's done, Jaxith, just do your thing and take me home, but keep your distance away from me, as it looks like trusting you may be the greatest mistake I've done.", Said Irene in worry while moving back towards the door that officer Ronald is now standing beside it, he too was looking strangely at Jaxith who in turn started losing the touch between reality and illusions.

Jaxith shocked his head, trying to get a better grip on himself.

"It has been a very long time since I faced this living nightmares, what brought it back suddenly?", Thought Jaxith in worry, he needed to calm down, for now, he must get the job with the mayor done then get the things solved between him and Irene.

Jaxith stepped forward where both of them were standing and opened the door of the room before entering it, Irene followed him then officer Ronald, there was eight soldiers in the room surrounding the mayor who was sitting on a chair in front of a small table, there were other two chairs on the other side of the table for Jaxith and Irene.

Jaxith walked calmly first, followed by Irene after him, they reached the chairs and sat.

"I suppose you don't have the head to prove that you've slayed it.", Said the mayor.

"I burnt the corpse just after I killed the manticore, there was something off with it, an illness or something like that, so burning the corpse was the best option.", Said Jaxith calmly.

"Well, you're lucky that we've a proof you killed it, unless, I wouldn't have believed your talk, you know the rules batter than me, hunter.", Said the mayor.

"And what is that proof?", Asked Jaxith.

"One of our trusted mages made a quick scan over the forest an hour ago and he detected that the same aura present before killing it completely disappeared, which means that it's gone, and by your words you must've killed it, by the way he also said that his aura was strange and strong, I remember you saying that the liquid in the bottle before was odd, and now you say that it was ill, that's why you burnt it after all, so should that be something to worry about?", Said the mayor.

"No, I don't think that's something to worry about, it was different, maybe strange to be found here, but it's still safe.", Said Jaxith confidently, he was lying of course, what happened there no one should know about for now at least, he must know what's the relation of that demoness with Irene first, he doesn't want another suspicious matter around her, her safety comes first, that's why he came here after all.

"I see, then good job, you deserve it for sure, that thing would have caused us a lot of troubles, it's enough that he would have stopped the trade, and that's lethal for a town in Vidin, specially an important one like Orstone.", Said the mayor proudly, it's easily noticeable how proud he is with his town.

Jaxith nodded his head in reply to his talk, he looked at Irene who was sitting quietly crossing her arms and looking to her right side, she wasn't looking at neither of them.

"Then I think it's time for your payment, that's what we've agreed upon from the beginning.", Said the mayor, before he fetched a sack of coins from a bag by his left side and throw it in front of Jaxith making the coins clink together in the sack.

Jaxith left the sack and lightly throw it several times in his hands weighing it, he noticed that it's much lighter than it should be, those can't be fifty Plistura coins, he hold it firmly while looking strangely at the mayor.

"What? You can't blame me, I'm paying you from the town's treasury, fifty Plistura coins is an expensive price, thirty is good.", Said the mayor, Jaxith looked at him in bold look, the mayor started getting on his nerves again.

"Your silence means your approval hunter, that's wise, especially after what you've done since a few, you should know that I don't tolerate any misbehavior with my mansion staff or my personal guards, the towns guards precisely, however you should be grateful that I haven't punished you by the law in my hand, so be fine with it.", Said the mayor before a sly smile drew on his face, he was getting the upper hand again by taking advantage of the mistake Jaxith has made, Jaxith on the other hand was getting annoyed with mayor, he think that he's smart but in the fact he's not, the only thing that kept Jaxith from replying to the mayor was his condition now, and that's not the impact of the negative abyss, it's the strange things he's seeing, he nearly killed an innocent dog and two maids, he was going to draw his sword against Irene, so he needs to keep calm until the day passes and regain control, or else he may hurt someone with a blind rage, so he calmly put the sack in his pocket while looking at the mayor in way of disgust, clearly sending a message that although he has accepted what the mayor said, he wasn't satisfied nor afraid from him.

"That's good, you're smart one to always know the right choice to take, and that's what you have done now, so we finally can say your mission is done, hunter, you can leave now.", Said the mayor, Irene looked at the mayor for a moment then at Jaxith, she was surprised from Jaxith's calmness, although he's a very calm type, that silent person that never takes about himself, but he was acting weird, he doesn't let anyone talk to him like that, like today in the morning, he didn't leave the mayor talk to him like that, but she kept quiet, it's not her business, and she was super pissed from him too, so she looked away again.

Jaxith leaned back in his chair, getting ready to leave, he stood up and Irene did the same, the mayor too stood up.

"By the way, take care of your coin sack, you're helping a thief, it's hard to trust a demon after all, even a hybrid one, but a hybrid and a thief, that's insane, man, hahaha.", Said the mayor while laughing loud, even some of the soldiers were smiling, but Ronald was quiet, he was the one that talked to Jaxith downstairs, not the mayor, he wasn't sure that mocking him or the girl was the right choice, Irene clinched her fists while looking directly at the laughing mayor, he started exceeding the line again, but she decided to not escalate things, so she controlled herself not to get things complicated, at least that's what Jaxith would have done, so she took a quick look at Jaxith, completely confident that he will remain silent, maintaining the same negative attitude, but what happened wasn't expected, it was a completely random behavior for someone like Jaxith.

Jaxith immediately after the mayor laughed shoved the table between them to the right side, hitting one of the soldiers in its way to the wall, Jaxith ran furiously at the now shocked mayor and slammed him on the wall like a brute! He was pressing his forearm on the mayor's neck in fury, the mayor now become terrified from Jaxith, his men started drawing their swords but they didn't dare to attack, that man killed the manticore they weren't able to kill, but some of them did have the courage to approach him.

"SOLDIERS, SHEATHE YOUR WEAPONS BACK NOW, THAT'S AN ORDER ", Shouted officer Ronald to his men who approached Jaxith from behind him, Irene was shocked from Jaxith's action.

"What happened to him suddenly? He wasn't like that the past two days, even this morning, something happened to him in the forest and he's still affected by it, I'm sure of that.", Thought Irene while looking pale from the tension around her.

"Didn't I tell before not to miss with me, Holstone, I've endured your silliness for too much, but that was the last time you will ever insult her.", Said Jaxith angrily while increasing the pressure on the mayor's neck who in turn started to breathe heavily while looking at Jaxith's scary eyes.

"Put him down Jaxith, I stopped my men, I don't want to lose anyone of them while engaging you because I know the result will be bloody, but believe me you can't take everyone in the mansion alone, in a minute every soldier will be in this room and outside it, better not harm the mayor if you value your life.", Said officer Ronald intensely, Irene started looking around her, trying to find a way to save the situation, it was like Jaxith wasn't even hearing them.

"You maniac, you'll kill me like that.", Said the mayor as he started choking, his face was getting blue from the pressure, things were getting out of control, Jaxith was grinding his teeth, looking at the mayor with a terrifying look, but Jaxith was seeing things a bit different, he was seeing everything in red color, and the only sound in his head was a strange resonance, completely making him couldn't hear anything, suddenly Jaxith heard a familiar voice.

"Jaxith, what're you doing?", A soft female voice called for him, Jaxith in panic jumped back and left the mayor who fell on the ground, hands on his neck and gasping for air while leaning on wall that he was cornered in, Jaxith now was seeing a strange female in her mid-thirties, black eyes and long black hair, she was wearing a long blue dress and was looking strangely at Jaxith.

"We thought you were a good boy, Jax, why? You destroyed everything, you're a murderer, Jaxith, you know that.", Said the woman in blue dress in a quiet chilling tone.

"You're not real.", Said Jaxith while looking shocked and his eyes wide opened, everyone was looking at Jaxith in surprised manner, he was talking to the wall! Officer Ronald grabbed a crossbow from a nearby soldier, he aimed at Jaxith, Irene saw Ronald and felt that something bad may happen but he was away from her as well as Jaxith, she looked to her left side and noticed a big vase.

"Jaxith, come on, just get back and we can all forget what happened, I don't want to hurt someone like you, whatever happened to you in that forest won't change the fact that you're a good person, don't ruin everything now and think clearly.", Said officer Ronald while still aiming at Jaxith, it was like he was ready to shoot in case Jaxith tried to attack the mayor again, the mayor slowly started standing up as his legs were shaking in that corner.

"Of course I'm not real for you, you just don't want to admit that you're a monster, all you need is to admit it, release the monster caged inside you, you're the beast himself.", Said the fine looking female.

"No, I know your games.", Said Jaxith while starting to look angrily.

"You do, then what about that?", Said the female before suddenly she became the bloody form of Irene, that horrifying face from Jaxith's nightmare.

"MURDERER!", Shouted Irene in his face.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD.", ShoutedJaxith furiously before he drew his sword, the mayor stared in a terrified way, Jaxith was looking furiously at him while drawing his sword, officer Ronald didn't waste any time and immediately shot a bolt but at once a vase was broken over Jaxith's head that made him stagger a bit and by that the bolt missed him and hit the wall behind him!

Jaxith shacked his head, waking from the trance he fell into again, he looked to the bolt and noticed that he was going to get shot then he looked at the side from where the vase hit him, and there was Irene, her hands grasping the neck of the vase while shacking from fear but she was looking confidently at Jaxith's eyes, she's afraid but that doesn't mean she's coward, she was braver than all of them, she was the only one that dared to approach Jaxith in that state, she felt some sort of fear to lose Jaxith even though she was angry with him, but when she saw officer Ronald aiming at Jaxith she couldn't stop herself from helping him.

"You can take whatever you want, the double or even thrice the price we agreed upon, just spare my life, I'm sorry for insulting her, oh gods what've I done to deserve this?", Said the mayor in panic, he was about to cry from fear, Jaxith's face reaction combined with his scarlet red eyes is just terrifying, Jaxith looked to the sword in his right hand, he was shocked from the level of hallucinations he reached into, but Irene, she helped him, he looked back to her, he took a step towards her but instantly she stepped back, he understood her fear from him, so he sheathed his sword back while stretching his left hand for her in a calming sign with his hand palm to reassure her that he's fine.

"I'm fine now.", Said Jaxith in a very calm tone.

"How do I know that you're saying the truth? You're always lying to me.", Said Irene in a bit of fear, the mayor took advantage of Jaxith being busy and crawled towards the soldiers away from Jaxith.

"Well, I'm not that fine, but for now I'm good, and to make things up for you, I think you deserve the truth at least.", Said Jaxith calmly, the crowd was still worried from what happened, officer Ronald himself was worried but also relieved that his bolt didn't hit Jaxith, he didn't want to kill him but he wasn't giving him much of a choice.

"Really? So you admit that you aren't well.", Said Irene in a relief.

"Yes I do, but after we get out of her I will tell you what happened, after all you just saved my life, young girl.", Said Jaxith with a warm smile, he needed to get her trust back whatever was the cost, even if that meant acting in a strange way from usual, being a bit of soft person, not the usual bold one.

Irene smiled in a relief, she finally did it and helped him, she also succeeded in making him finally admit that he isn't feeling well, Jaxith on the other hand was somehow amazed by Irene, she just gave a lesson to everyone in here that this hybrid is a way more braver and kindhearted than all of them, he somehow felt proud by how she acted, she maybe hotheaded, maybe stupid and careless, but for the second time she proved that she's brave and kind, even when she's afraid she will help, that's a very good improvement in her personality comparing to what happened with the assassin, maybe that shock helped her somehow.