Whilst Theodore slumbered away into his chambers, he began to recall the memory from when he first met Lady Fiona. He was just ten years old when he first awakened his magical abilities, accidentally blowing up his grandfather's cottage in a burst of flames and nearly setting the surrounding forest on a raging wildfire.

It was a rarity in itself, as twelve years were the common age when magical energy would awaken among gifted children. Despite the damages, Grandfather took it as a gracious sign that Theodore had inherited his father's extraordinary talents as a magician.

But no matter who Grandfather hired to find, no master would teach him how to properly temper his magic. But why wouldn't they? One look at young Theodore's empty eyes staring deep into them would make them flee in terror, spouting nonsense and curses at him. Things that his grandfather tried to silence with a slap or two.

Then came that fateful day when she walked into the forest and was invited into the cottage by his grandfather. When Theodore asked for her name, he had a furrowed and begrudging expression on his wrinkly face.

"Theodore," he told his grandson. "This is Lady Fiona Beaulfoy, a mistress of great magic. It's okay, she knows who you are. She'll be your teacher in magic, so be nice to her."

That day, Lady Fiona wore a black gown that rustled underneath her violet cloak. Her silver blonde hair nearly matched his own, but her long silky locks were decorated with fragrant black rose petals. When she knelt to meet his crimson eyes with her own, a bright pair of violets, she merely smiled at him.

"You must be Theodore," she said, her voice was half a song and half a whisper. "I just love your eyes. They're so pretty."

Theodore's heart skipped a beat. To him, this was the first time someone had ever admired them quite like her.

"I said you can only teach him magic, not to try and cuddle him. He's not your family anymore. He is simply your student." His grandfather sternly spoke. He never raised his voice even once, but it was as terrible as a lion's. "Remember our deal, Fiona."

"All too well, Viktor," she replied, standing up to face the old man. "You don't need to worry. I won't get too attached to the boy. I'll simply train him in what he needs to learn and I'll be on my way as quickly as I arrive."

Viktor sighed, his snowy-white beard fluttered from his breath. "You better. I shall leave you both for now. I'll see you tonight, Theodore."

He gathered his ax and left the cottage to another hunt. Lady Fiona watched from the window until old Viktor's gone out of sight. Lady Fiona then sat on Viktor's red armchair and stared at Theodore. Her eyes swam all around the cottage, as an assortment of weapons, relics, spoils of war, skulls of slain monsters, and only a few framed pictures occupied the whole shack.

"You don't speak much, do you, child?" She asked.

Theodore simply shook his head, taking a seat in a tiny stool in front of her.

"It's okay," She said. "Just nod or shake your head when I ask you a question. I'd like to know personally..." She stuttered in her words as she spoke, her gaze mellowed and her eyebrows frowned. "Has life been kind to you all these years?"

Theodore looked at himself as if the answer was obvious. He pulled on his long sleeves to shamelessly reveal several bruises and cuts all over his arm. Lady Fiona's eyes widened with shock.

"How did you get those?" She asked as she inspected his arm with such concern.

"From training," Theodore replied, Fiona was visibly surprised that he talked at all. "Grandpa wanted to make sure I could protect myself from the monsters outside of my home. He often lets me join on his hunts once in a while, to know what it's like to be a hunter. I got to kill some myself, and these scars are proof of that."

"That's quite barbaric of him!" She uttered angrily under her breath. "Why would he think of doing that? The nerve of that insolent fool! Why would he force a child to witness and commit such atrocities-"

"Please don't blame Grandpa," the boy told her. "It was my decision to let him train me, and I regret none of it even now."

"But why endanger yourself through such hardships?" Lady Fiona asked. "There's a village down on the road with dozens of children your age. Why not play with them?"

"Because they don't want to play with someone like me," Theodore confessed. "The village would take one look at me, and all they see is a demon. It's a good thing for me to stay with Grandpa. Normally the kids would want to pick a fight with the monster, but it wouldn't be fair to them. Because if I didn't hold back, I might just kill them and make a mess."

Lady Fiona was both intrigued and scared of the little boy, but she pushed the latter aside and kept a straight face. "How long have you known about your curse, Theodore?"

"Since I was six," Theodore answered. "A nasty vampire came into our home and tried to snatch me away with him. I was alone and I didn't know what to do. That's when I heard this voice, it sounded a lot like me but more gloomy. He was calling out to me and offering me help. After that, I don't know what I did exactly. The next thing I knew, the vampire was already dead right in front of me, his head bashed in and his limbs tied to rocks. That was Grandpa gave me a choice; to die or be a Hunter just like him.

"The scar I got from that time is right here. Look!" Theodore rolled up his other sleeve, to reveal the remnants of a terrible claw mark all over his wrist.

A brief silence engulfed the cottage. Theodore kept a calm yet cold stare at Fiona's eyes, who merely sighed as she placed her hand on his wounds and chanted a small prayer. Theodore flinched as he felt his wounds healing until there was not a single bruise on his arm.

"There we go," she told him. "It's been a while since I've ever healed anyone. I will have to consult your grandfather about his... teaching technique."

Theodore looked at her and her hands next with newfound interest. "Could you teach me how to do that, too?"

Lady Fiona mustered a slight grin on her face. "Before we get started, my boy, I want you to know that magic is not a simple subject." Lady Fiona instructed. "It is a delicate art mastered only by the most dedicated of magicians. It's not quite as physically grueling as monster hunting, but to harness magic is to have a strong will and determination to see it to success."

"So I shall ask you this, Theodore, and it is a serious question you must answer. Do you want to be a magician?" She stood up and towered over him.

Theodore's eyes swam all over his sockets. But it wasn't an opportunity he couldn't turn down. And thus, he opened his mouth and spoke out his answer...

⚜️

Theodore took to the College's central courtyard early in the morning with his sword in hand. Two days were enough time to recover from his injuries, now he must get himself into shape, otherwise the swordsmanship skills he spent years trying to hone will rust in a matter of days completely.

Thus, he closed his eyes, planted his feet firmly on the stone path, and tightened his grip around the handle. Reminiscing about his grandfather's training, he acted accordingly.

"Listen carefully, Theo." He recalled his grandfather's voice from memory as if he were there with him. "The rapier, despite its seemingly thin complexion, is far more difficult to brandish in battle. It can't generate power through momentum like an ax, or be sturdy enough to parry anything quite like a longsword.

"It's a weapon that does not require the strength of a warrior, but the sharp precision of a surgeon. The blade is mainly capable of stabbing, but simply thrusting it into a vital organ is enough to end a life in seconds, both human and vampire alike.

"There's promise in you, boy. A potential to be a great hunter. But just because you took a liking to this peculiar weapon doesn't mean you should be discouraged by its stature. Hunters make use of unconventional tools all the time, choosing that which align with their own unique way of killing monsters more efficiently. The bigger question would be this: how would you use such an instrument to your advantage?"

Theodore took a step forward, flourishing his sword as it twisted around his fingers. He imagined himself as being in a dance of death with his sword as his partner, making fast but graceful pirouettes as he waltzed. This made swerving and evading incoming attacks much smoother, and Theodore needed only a fleeting moment of hesitation to launch a fatal strike.

Theodore quickly noticed the familiar scent of white roses and grapes coming from his back. So like a viper, he instinctively lunged at the person behind him.

Fortunately Yvette unsheathed her sword in time and parried it, the clash of their blades sang a tune of ringing steel. She was wearing a plain green tunic, brown pants, and the usual black gloves today.

"Easy with that! You could've killed me with such concentration," she warned him.

"Shame I didn't concentrate hard enough then," Theodore casually replied.

"Very funny." Yvette made half a scoff and half a laugh. "I like your sword. Looks quite like a rapier, but the blade is a little thicker," she observed. "Such craftsmanship... Where did you get this?

"I forged it myself," Theodore responded. "As a rite of passage among hunters, they must forge their own weapon from which their livelihood and survival depends on. I simply built my sword to be light enough to complement my speed, but sturdy enough to cut through anything or block heavy blows."

Yvette smiled, as she touched the flat of the blade. It was as cold as ice and at close inspection, it looked transparent like glass. Engraved upon the steel were runes that Yvette noticed. "This is a protection charm. If you place it on any weapon or armor, it'll become unbreakable, even from magic."

"I see you've been doing your homework on my family's secrets," Theodore said. "Fiona must have grown so callous giving them to you. Don't tell me you came here so early in the morning just to spy on me?"

"Not at all," Yvette replied. "Regular students aren't supposed to be up this early, so this is the only time in a day when I could train alone by myself."

"Are you not a student here? You definitely look like one." Theodore noted. "And by the looks of it last night, you're very close with the Headmaster. Favorite student, perhaps?"

"He's my guardian," Yvette replied. "Lord Martin is a kind man, enough to take in someone like me as his ward. He taught me in the way of the sword, just as Fiona taught me the art of magic."

Theodore nodded. "Now that you said that, I came here to hone my swordsmanship too. I think I've gone a little rusty after two days in solitary confinement."

"Me too," Yvette replied. "I hope you don't mind, Theo, but can I spar with you for a moment? I've been itching to test my skills out on a proper swordsman like yourself."

Theodore tilted his head, wordlessly observing her petite stature and thin physique. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to give you a little beating." Theodore raised his sword. "But be warned, Miss Yvette. I won't hold back, even to a lady."

Yvette merely smiled as she assumed her fighting stance, pointing her sword at him. "Even better."

The tip of their swords met in a heated clash. Theodore and Yvette glared at each other like a pair of feasting hyenas, eager to find their opponent's weak points and exploit it to an easy victory.

Theodore made the first move, he twisted his blade around Yvette's and lunged at her chest. Yvette quickly parried his strike and very soon did she retaliate by throwing a flurry of swipes straight at him.

As they fought, Theodore observed the way she fought. It was clear that Yvette was an accomplished magician, but her skill with the sword came as a surprise for him.

Though she may not be as fast or hard-hitting as Theodore, she made up for it with her slim and flexible complexion. She glided around the courtyard, trying to lunge at him from all angles.

Whenever Theodore got too close and swung his sword at her, Yvette simply ducked into a perfect split and attempted to sweep his legs from under him.

Theodore leapt out of the way, quickly following it with an overhead swing. She tumbled out of the way, immediately somersaulted back to her feet.

Yvette then threw Theodore off by feint an attack which made him instinctively rush her. When Theodore took the bait, she immediately pounced on him, managing to hit his shoulder as a result.

It would seem that Yvette has incorporated certain ballet moves into her form. Theodore was strangely impressed by her managing to hit him, but now that he found a way to bypass her technique after studying her movements, that glory will be short-lived.

He waited for the opportune moment for her to thrust at him from the front. And when she does so, Theodore leaned back to evade the coming blade. He then reversed his grip on the sword and jabbed her in the gut.

Yvette lost her footing, but Theodore grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him. In the span of a second, he flung her sword out of her hand and pointed the sharp end from his own directly at her neck.

None of them moved a muscle or uttered a word, only tired breaths as they gasped for air. Theodore and Yvette stared at each other like a pair of ravenous lions, ready to eat each other up. He eventually loosened his grip around her and swiped the sweat off his brow.

"You're a good swordsman, I must say," Theodore remarked. "It begs the question. Why don't you make use of it more often?"

Yvette collected her sword and her scabbard from the ground. "Lady Fiona said that it's not expected of me as a lady to use such sharp weapons, for she only needs her wits and her charm. And a little bit of magic, of course."

Theodore watched as Yvette sheathed the sword back into the cane and twisted it shut. "Quite an ingenious way to disguise a weapon, I must say. Too bad it's wasted on a magician."

Yvette's face flushed red at his remark. "Wasted, you say?" She gasped in disgust.

Very quickly she tapped the ground with her cane, and a trail of ice materialized from where the tip landed and raced toward Theodore in the blink of an eye. Before he could even dodge it, the ice had formed around Theodore's body and froze it in place. Yvette approached him, with such passionate anger in her glare.

"I may not be as good of a swordsman as you are, Theodore," she told him so sternly. "But I am a damn good magician, and I don't have to use souls for it. In a test of magic, I could have beaten you just as quickly."

"Duly noted, milady," Theodore scowled. "Now will you release me from my frozen bonds, or do I have to break out of it myself?"

Without a word, Yvette tapped her cane again as steam erupted from the tip. It was burning red as she pressed it against the ice. The frozen restraints melted off Theodore, who merely shrugged off the cold.

"Who trained you in sword-fighting, I'm curious?" Yvette asked him.

"My dear old gramps," Theodore replied. "Viktor is a hunter of many talents, the likes of which he obtained from his long life as a hunter. He made sure to pass on all his knowledge to me should there be a time he would just up and die and leave me all alone.

"Sure, he's given me the most brutal training imaginable, but he did so to make sure that my demonic side could find purpose not as a mindless killer, but as a properly-tempered hunter." He winced as he said that.

"It sounds to me that your grandfather loved you a lot, Theo." Yvette smiled. "He used his knowledge of demons to make sure that you wouldn't end up like one."

"I wouldn't know myself. After all, I've never loved him at all," Theodore spoke grimly. "But I respect him as a dignified hunter for his old age. And that's fine enough for me."

Just then, they heard the sound of the bells ringing. "Time for breakfast," Yvette told him. "Do come with us, Theodore. I will not have you leave for your hunt on an empty stomach."

Theodore sighed as he followed Yvette out of the courtyard and into the mess hall. The hall was wide enough to accommodate all of the students in the College, and high up on the ceiling was a giant map of the Known World. 

Fericire sat as the biggest continent in the west, followed by the northernmost continent of Irune on the east while its other half known as Unura, split from the mainland due to the Cataclysm, was broken into a vast archipelago in the Sapphire Sea.

The Headmaster sat on a long table overlooking the rest of the hall separate from the students, and he was joined by his fellow alchemists. Sebastian, that lieutenant from before, was seated amongst them as well, his sword leaning at the side of his chair.

There he stared at Theodore with the same observant glare as their first encounter, but immediately brushed it off when Yvette was near. Theodore could've sworn his face blushed red as he looked away.

Theodore and Yvette took a seat next to the Headmaster, and they were promptly met with plates each filled with a pair of smoked sausages layered with spices, a cut of fresh bread slathered in butter, and a bowl of sliced cheese.

"My friends, may I honor you with our guest Theodore, son of our old friend Henry Barclay," Headmaster Martin introduced him to the table.

The alchemists began to look at each other in shock, and proceeded to give Theodore a group of hands to shake. They gave him little anecdotes of how his father was a good friend and Theodore did not care for any of them. Because he was already famished at the sight of the food, Theodore gave them each a quick shake and rushed to his seat to dine in on his meal.

"Someone's a little hungry," Sebastian noted, whilst sheepishly touching his food with his fork.

"That makes the both of us, Sebastian," Yvette politely replied, taking a bite of the sausage alongside Theodore that the rest of the table look on awkwardly. "What brings you in the College at this hour?"

"I've been looking for the two of you," Sebastian replied. "I have just come from the Cardinal's Keep with word from Commander Montaigne and Lady Fiona. It's important that I share with you and the Headmaster the new developments issued by the Cardinal regarding the city's defense."

"Then, let's hear it then," Theodore swallowed his food in one gulp.

Sebastian cleared his throat before he explained. "Effective immediately, the Cardinal has ordered most of the army stationed all over the Province to fall back to the capitol, leaving only a handful of rangers including myself to thwart the advance of the Shadow's Claw by ourselves."

The Headmaster dropped his spoon in shock. "That's just outrageous! Why would Tremblay even think of sending back the garrison in such short notice? What about the people outside the city? What was he thinking?!"

"The Cardinal is getting a little too worried about his safety, and it had something to do with what happened last night," Sebastian answered. "From what I've heard, he was nearly assassinated."

The people around the table fell silent as the gravity of this news weighed heavily upon their hearts. Yvette nearly spat out her sip of water before she held it in with grace. Theodore quickly grasped the situation before taking another bite of the sausage nonchalantly.

"How? And by whom?" Yvette asked.

"An assassin infiltrated the Keep in the middle of the night," Sebastian told them. "This vagrant managed to sneak inside the Keep and into the Cardinal's personal chambers without anyone noticing. Had it not been for Lady Fiona's intervention, the assassin might've succeeded in slitting the Cardinal's throat in his sleep."

"Spare us the gory details for later, sir," Theodore retorted. "You're ruining a plentiful breakfast here."

"I'm... not going to question the irony there," Sebastian sighed, as his face grimaced in annoyance. "Anyhow, Lady Fiona managed to contain this assassin, but he killed himself by biting off his whole tongue before he could be questioned."

Theodore nodded. "And this assassin? Did you or anyone from the Keep caught a glimpse of what he looked like?"

"I never got a good look at that vagrant myself," Sebastian replied. "But from what I've heard, it was simply a butcher from the Lower District. The man looked so thin and pale you could see the bone in his limbs. And on his skin, they said it was covered with so many scars and bite marks."

"Hmm, that's the work of a vampire, alright." Theodore rubbed his chin. "And not just any vampire. This one is probably sent by Dorottya, considering the target in question."

Yvette immediately slapped his hand. "Don't speak of her name so callously! Remember what Lady Fiona said about maintaining secrecy?" She snapped at him.

The Headmaster was simply listening in on the conversation before he expressed his thoughts. "Interesting theory, but that's beyond preposterous. The high walls around the city are made of pure obsidian, and further fortified with holy magic. A mere vampire can't infiltrate the walls, more or less scale it due to its massive height."

The entire table began to squabble about the merit behind Theodore's theory. Even Sebastian joined in on the heavy conversation. However with all the ruckus around him, Theodore couldn't bring it to enjoy his breakfast in peace.

"Do you still not get it, all of you?" Theodore slammed his utensils against the mahogany. "This whole affair is an inside job. It's obvious that this culprit isn't working alone. Someone with a loose heart for the Cardinal, who knows the inner workings of his council, the city as well as the secrets of his Keep. Whatever the Cardinal is trying to do now, is going according to whatever Dorottya's plan is."

"So there is a mole, a traitor in the Cardinal's council." Sebastian fidgeted the smoked sausage around his fork. "That's quite a bold assumption if I've ever heard one, that itself wouldn't be out of the question considering what has happened. Though it'll be too late to warn the Cardinal by now. He's locked himself up in his own quarters, seeing as though he's more driven by paranoia than reason."

I wonder if Lady Fiona noticed the assassination as well, Theodore thought. She immediately left the College after her conversation with him, only to hear about her preventing the Cardinal's death right after. Suspicious, sure but perhaps there was more to that magician than what she let on.

"And what happens now? What becomes of Theodore's mission?" Yvette asked.

"Nothing much has changed about your mission. The Commander will be keeping a close watch around the city, launching a full search on each district for the real mastermind behind the assassination." Sebastian informed them. "You don't need to worry yourselves about all that. The army is trained to handle vampires, Commander Montaigne made sure of that."

He then turned to Theodore. "As for you. Lady Fiona is pretty adamant about letting you proceed with your mission without any delay, but that won't guarantee your safety against the Shadow's Claw should they resurface again. When I asked her why, she told me she's rather confident in your ability to be creative, so to speak."

"This is getting ridiculous," Theodore replied, confident in the thought that Fiona was sending him to his death. "How are we supposed to approach Dorottya's domain now, if we've got very little support to protect us from the Claw?"

"Commander Montaigne thought of that in advance. As a compromise, only the best of our foot soldiers, cavalry, and support teams will remain all around the province to fend off the Claw. Lady Fiona has sent a few ravens to the Parliament for assistance as well." Sebastian began to smile. "As a matter of fact, I've been tasked by the commander himself to accompany you personally in your mission."

"You'll join us? That's good news, indeed." Yvette was strangely optimistic. "Isn't it, Theo?"

"Not yet," Theodore slumped his face against his palm, carefully observing Sebastian like a depraved hyena. "I need to know if he's capable of not. How do I know for sure if you have what it takes to survive?"

"If you're asking for specifics, I have been personally trained by Commander Montaigne since I was five years old," Sebastian answered. "Does that answer your question, Barclay?"

"I suppose," Theodore munched on the bread. "And how many vampires have you killed in that long amount of time?"

"Three, for now. Vampires in the field are quite hard to come by prior to the Countess's return, but rogue demi-beasts are much larger in number and easier to take down. About thirty."

"That's good enough of a resume, but a rookie by hunter standards," Theodore sharply commented. "Where we're going, there will be a lot more vampires to deal with."

"Good to know," Sebastian sipped on his cup. "I heard  from Yvette that you fought off Lycaon's group like a wild demon in a rut. I'm curious to see that in action when we ride out later."

"Lycaon who?" Theodore looked up, genuinely confused.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow at his ignorance. "Finneas Rafe von Lycaon... You might recognize him as the wolf demi-beast wearing heavy armor."

"Let me recall..." Theodore slowly shook his head before his eyes widened as he finally remembered those amber eyes. "Oh, I do recognize him. Was he the big-looking mutt in that monstrous armor?"

"Yes..." Yvette sighed. "He's the leader and the founder of the Shadow's Claw. He built himself that hideous armor forged from the steel of his enemies' armor and carved out a spear from their spines. He is simply known to the general public as the Howling Doom, because..."

"Because he howls, yes? That's how he signals his commandos for an approaching attack. Tacky but effective title, I must say," Theodore continued. "It won't be long before they regroup and attack. But after our last quarrel with them, the next time we encounter them on the road should be a cake walk."

"Don't be so eager, my boy," the Headmaster butted in after being an observant in this conversation. "If there's one thing that Lycaon is known for, is that he doesn't take kindly towards humans. I've heard gruesome stories of his sadism in how he treats human prisoners from the villages he conquers with such... imagination. Needless to say, I suggest you proceed with caution. That vagrant really holds a grudge too well."

Theodore nonchalantly plucks a slice of cheese from his bowl; his slaughter of his men that night must've landed him on the top spot of Lycaon's list. "That sounds... delectable." He ate the slice the way a lion would gobble up a feeble mouse.

Yvette and Sebastian gave each other uneasy looks over Theodore's reaction. "You're a peculiar man, Barclay," Sebastian remarked. "Now, we best finish this meal quick. It's getting colder by the minute."