Somewhere near Marigold’s train station, a young woman was eagerly waiting for someone special to arrive. The newly recruited Paladin was thrilled to be going on her first mission as an official member of Blue Pegasus, and she had excitement written all over her small, freckled face. The recruitment itself had been a surprisingly smooth process; it required little specifics and the guild itself was rather welcoming towards strangers–of course being acquaintanced with an actual member had helped her in this case. On her left arm, in a deep black colour that matched her long hair, Rania now proudly wore the Blue Pegasus insignia, which also served as proof that she was in fact a member of the guild. Now, with her golden Hierophant Staff in hand, she was waiting for a fellow guild member to arrive and pick her up.

Rania had received word that, in order to get to know her new guild mates better, she was sent on a mission through the east, all the way up to the north to take on a few special quests with the subject of defeating and removing dark races from human lands. Not alone of course (that’d be ridiculous!), but at the side of someone she’d never met–someone who was now her official comrade. How exciting! She hadn’t gotten any info on who exactly was going to show up, but knowing the standard that Blue Pegasus held to their members, she was naturally expecting to be a beautiful woman, preferably her age–maybe a model? Or a popstar? As her mind went wild with expectations, Rania’s small hands wrapped themselves tighter and tighter around her staff.

To new beginnings, she thought to herself and smiled brightly. She was moving forward again. And to be honest, Rania was dying to finally have a proper, female friend. Someone to talk to about boy problems, girl problems, someone to take shopping and do all that friendly stuff that friends did with each other. Anytime now, she thought, and her emerald eyes repeatedly searched the area for someone that looked like they could be a Blue Pegasus member. A new train arrived and as the people excited and walked across the train station, Rania moved closer and, with big eyes, looked at every single person – but no one seemed to pay attention to her. Maybe they missed the train? She wondered, when her gaze fell on someone entirely different.

A blue-haired male was approaching on horseback. He was large, as was his ‘horse’ and both were equally terrifying. Taking a step backwards to make room for him to pass by, Rania clenched her staff a little tighter. She knew it was rude to stare, but his features made it impossible for her to take her eyes off him. A white jawbone stuck out on the right side of his face and for some reason the experienced healer could tell that this wasn’t decoration, although it was hard to tell what exactly it was. Somehow she felt as though she’d seen his distinctive face before and threatened by his appearance, she swallowed and took another step backwards. Scary, she thought to herself and finally turned her head away. Luckily Blue Pegasus was full of beautiful and elegant people.

”Hmmph. Is this what normal guilds are like?” Kenzo mumbled to himself as he made his way to the Train Station. It had been just a couple of days since he’d joined Blue Pegasus back in Myras City, and to be completely honest, the whole experience was quite a change of pace for the mercenary. The blue haired male had no idea what he was getting himself into when he joined the southern guild, but things were going to change for Kenzo. Noticing that he still wasn’t entirely sure what to do as a new member, Alisa decided to send the male in a quest with a fellow member. From what the master had told him, he’d partner up with an equally new person to the guild and go in a beast hunt. Even if Kenzo was more of a solo player and preferred avoiding taking quests with someone else, he was still in a good mood over his mission. After all, it’d been a while since he last went beast hunting. It would be nice to have some company too, right?

As these thoughts crossed his mind, the merc trotted through Marigold while riding on Shadow Runner. The Dhuilin was a magnificent beast, if albeit just a tad scary. Horns protruded from his forehead and muzzle, giving him a bit of a menacing look, but other than that, Kenzo couldn’t help but think they made him look cooler. Besides, he could stomp any normie boring horse any time of the day too. In a way, the male unconsciously liked his steed because if he reminded him of himself if that made some sense.

”Time to see what’s up with the Pegasi” Kenzo thought for himself as the Marigold Station came into sight. Alisa had given him a brief description about the girl he was going to be paired with for the mission, stating that he thought they’d have good synergy. Whatever the hell the guild master was referring to, the merc had no idea. After all, from the short time he’d been there Kenzo had learned that the Blue Pegasus people saw the world in… well, under a different light.

As he scouted the area for someone that fit the brief’s description, Kenzo saw a young girl staring at him. The merc knew what kind of look she was giving him; it was one he was all too accustomed to. He normally didn’t mind people looking, but she was just too persistent in her gaze. Besides, those her piercing emerald gaze was someth- ”Ah. So that’s what she meant” Kenzo thought as he came to a realization. Remembering Alisa’s description of his new partner, a specific sentence stood out. ”Nfufu~ She has the cutest green eyes you’ve seen~” As Kenzo looked at the girl back with an incredulous look, he smirked mischievously. ”Well… they’re not half bad”

”Do I have something stuck in my teeth?” The warrior asked abruptly, leaning his body towards her, tracing his finger down the bone teeth of his outer jawbone. If she was going to look so rudely, he might as well get some fun out of it. ”Are you perhaps lost girl? The theater is over that way. Be careful not to drop that prop you’re carrying” He commented pointing at the distance with a dismissive tone. Kenzo was just going to tease her a little bit, get to know the person he’d be hunting monsters with. If she didn’t have any spunk, he might as well leave her in town and go hunt them himself.

When the mercenary rode towards her, a sneaking suspicion was making its way up Rania’s mind–but she ignored it. Although she’d turned her gaze away just in time, his sudden approach startled her anyways and caught off-guard by it, the Paladin was left speechless, if only for a moment. His crude attitude matched his rowdy looks, and his words sobered her up the minute he had spoken them; finally snapping out of it, the woman shook her head in disbelief and all of her initial hesitation faded away.

“This,” she began, and swiftly swung her staff towards him, until the golden orb at its center was within inches of his face. It radiated a golden light that was, in spite of their odd situation, warm and comforting. “Is not a prop, it’s a magic scepter.” A small, sizzling ball of light angrily buzzed against his forehead, showcasing its magical potential, but doing really no harm or good otherwise. To think that he’d accuse her of being a scam was both insulting and frustrating. Rania had thought long and hard about whether she wanted to acquire one of these items to look more ‘magical’, and finding out that some people thought she was pretending was quite upsetting to the young female, but of course she wouldn’t let that show.

“And while I appreciate your concern,” and being the kind soul she was, Rania couldn’t help but genuinely mean those words, “I’m neither lost nor headed to the theatre. If anything, you should be the one going there, since you clearly like to dress up.” Withdrawing the staff and putting her hand against her hip, she felt pretty satisfied with her comeback. And because she was feeling extra cheeky, Rania tilted her head to the side and flashed him a lopsided grin. “Besides, isn’t it a bit early for halloween costumes?” Now, that would surely teach him a lesson. Anyways, with that out of the way her focus returned to her main goal: finding the fellow Blue Pegasus member she was supposed to meet here and take on that terrifying mission.

Her eyes had already drifted off of the blue-haired man and pretending to have found something far more interesting in the distance to look at, she walked away a few steps and turned her back on him. That sneaking suspicion from earlier was still there, and when he made no attempts to leave at all, Rania heaved a sigh and looked over her shoulder.

“You couldn’t possibly be the person I’m looking for?”

As Kenzo waited for the girl’s expression, he wondered what kind of reaction she’d have. From her looks, she seemed to be the kind of person that got scared easily, with an innocent look in her face that was captivating for most men. Truth be told, Kenzo had never understood the allure of a frail woman. What the hell was even attractive of a completely defenseless woman that only knew how to make a pretty face and cry when scared? For him, the last thing he wanted in a relationship was getting a trophy woman. For that reason, the merc didn’t hold his expectations too high over his colleague. Going entirely by looks, she was definitely the part, innocent look, and all. As he saw her hesitate after approaching her, he found himself secretly disappointed. Until…

A spark, seemingly out of nowhere a fire lit up in the emerald eyed girl. To say she caught him off guard would be an understatement. Moving his eyes away from her for a moment to appease Shadow Runner’s restlessness, the warrior found the tip of her golden broo- *ahem* scepter in his face. Speechless, Kenzo’s forehead was bumped by an annoying bit of golden light. Even if it didn’t do any damage, he could still feel the nature of her power. For the following set of remarks, Kenzo couldn’t help but look in awe. He had clearly misjudged the girl, and now he was getting roasted for it. Unconsciously, the end of his lips arched upwards just a cinch, as he felt a rush of excitement flowing through him. Once he heard the Halloween double-down, Kenzo knew this quest was going to be fun. ”Keh!” The merc choked for a sec with his own laughter before bursting into a full on chuckle. ”That was a good one. First time I heard it” His words were filled with his usual carefree and self-confident tone. The male was many things but being someone that couldn’t laugh about himself was not one of them.

After the girl made her cheeky hair flick and walked away from him, he decided it was enough messing around. Before she could turn around, the male spurred the black Dhuilin so he began picking up speed. By the moment, the girl looked over her shoulder, Kenzo was already at her position. As she tossed a question at him, she would find herself tossed to the air by the warrior. Grabbing her as gently as he could by the waist, the swordsman lifted her without stopping and carried her into the “back seat”. Tilting his head slightly over his shoulder, he finally introduced himself with a cheeky half smile. ”The name’s Kenzo. Hope you’re ready for some hunting.” As the seconds went by, Shadow Runner started picking up speed, rapidly accelerating past what any other horse could dream of achieving. ”Hold tight! Shadow is in a good mood here”

To Rania’s surprise, the mercenary broke into gales of laughter. He’d scooped her up the next second, and before she knew it she’d been safely placed into the saddle of his horse. A squeal escaped her lips, but Rania quickly pulled herself together and relaxed her shoulders. This wasn’t at all what she’d expected this trip to be like, but the person sitting in front of her seemed both capable and interesting. From behind him, she was able to look up at his jawbone again, but this time it wasn’t with any judgement. “I’m Rania, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, Kenzo,” she spoke and let her gaze wander as they began their journey to the north. With a horse this fast, it probably wouldn’t be too long of a ride, although she’d have some time to think about the next steps – and to get to know Kenzo better.

“What type of magic do you use, Kenzo?”

It was a simple question, and for someone with as little experience with other sorcerers and guilds overall, it seemed innocent enough. Rania didn’t know that it was perfectly common for non-mages to join guilds that were centered around wizards and witches, and that, albeit their lack of magical potential, they often fit in perfectly regardless. Rania herself was a Paladin, specializing in healing and supporting others. At first glance, Kenzo appeared to be of remarkable physique and if she had to take a guess just by how he looked, she’d assume that they’d been paired due to the fact that he could rush into a fight while she kept him alive from the backlines. If that was to be the case, it would be a perfect combination really. And Rania was happy to finally try out some new spells and techniques she’d recently acquired.

The horse was in excellent condition, but every now and then the woman couldn’t help but send a supporting gush of her light magic into its body, so it could regenerate some of its strength – poor thing had to carry two people now after all. The travel itself went by without further interruptions, and sometime in between Rania took a moment to pull out the paper note she’d received, that held some valuable information regarding the place they were headed to and what awaited them there. “I have never been to the Sieghart Mountains,” she admitted to her guild mate and frowned at the gloomy chain of alps that could already be seen in the distance. “Nor have I ever dealt with werewolves. Can’t say that I’m excited about it either, if I’m being honest.” To say those things out loud was quite sobering, and she tightened her grip around her scepter. If there was anything she genuinely disliked, it were dark races. Something about their existence just felt wrong, and no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t find it in herself to forgive their evil existence. Or to have mercy.

Kenzo smiled with a nod at her introduction. Rania huh? The male had never heard the name in Fiore before, and it didn’t quite sound like a local one. Just like many others, she might have ancestry from other country, or hail from a far-away land herself, so he didn’t find it strange. As they flashed through the southern countryside, the inevitable question came quicker than he’d expected. Kenzo had never given it much though to be honest, but after coming to Fiore it was something that weighted more and more in his mind.

”I wish I remembered” the male murmured. Not noticing he’d sad it out loud. For about a year, he’d have the same dream over and over again. He would find himself as a young boy in Bellum, spending his days away reading books about magic and practicing with his mom. However, no matter how much he tried, he was never able to see the kind of magic he used. It was blurred, and the effects it had were incomprehensible for him. It was the same with his mom’s, as a matter of fact. Yet, he knew the answer was within his reach. His mom had been a prominent mage in Fairy Tail many years ago. Certainly, the current guild master must have known about her, so asking her would be the easiest way to find out. Still, Kenzo had avoided Magnolia for more than a year. Every time the idea came to his head, he pushed it deeper away, not wanting to open the lid of his memory. Perhaps it was finally time he did? Maybe a detour to Fairy Tail would ensue after their matters in Dhalia were resolved. Who knew?

Either way, the male simply brushed all these thoughts aside as well as the original question without a cinch. ”The type that cuts your enemies in two.” The merc flashed a cheeky smile as he answered in a tone full of himself. Well, he wasn’t lying right? One could say that his swordsmanship was magical in a sense. Either way, he didn’t carry any of his equipment with him at the moment, since everything was stored within his ring, so she wouldn’t be able to guess his true style. Without wasting a moment, he returned the question. ”What about yours?” Judging from the constant glow coming out of her and into Shadow, it was definitely of the support type.

As she made her comment about Werewolves and Sieghart, he slightly pursed his lips. ”To be honest, I’ve never been to Sieghart either.” Out of all the places in the country, the northern parts were the ones he knew the least. However, he sure as heck had experience with the latter. A rush of excitement flowed through him as he remembered his fight with Noel. ”As for werewolves… I’ve fought against one before” Kenzo took a pause as he formed a playful grin. ”He beat me senseless.”

Without any further explanations, he spurred Shadow Runner even more before they arrived at their destination. They’d finally made it to the location Alisa had signaled in his briefing. The hunt was starting. Kenzo could hardly wait.

-EXIT-

[1600/560] 30% WC Reduction from Mount

“Hm?” The Paladin perked up when Kenzo said he didn’t remember his own magic, but from the way he’d said it, Rania decided not to inquire any further. His following statement was much more promising and it got a chuckle out of her in return. “That’s good,” she said and glanced down at her golden scepter. Rania wasn’t much of a fighter herself, but she was perfectly capable of outhealing a pack of werewolves – that, and from what she’d gathered dark races weren’t very fond of light anyways. Even better for her! “I use light magic,” she explained after he’d asked and once again showcased her skills by summoning a ball of light that lit up the darkened road ahead of them. The closer they got the the mountains, the gloomier their surroundings became and it was long past 11pm by now. Perhaps a little light was just what they needed.

Shadow Runner sped through the landscape without showing a sign of exhaustion, and Rania found it remarkable in what a good condition the animal was in – perhaps she should even consider getting one of these horses for herself one day? It definitely made the traveling a lot easier and faster. Their conversation continued throughout the journey, and when Kenzo revealed that he had, in fact, already fought a werewolf and lost a cold shiver went down her spine. “Ah, so that must be why they sent me with you then,” she said and chuckled lightly. “I’m specialized in healing magic.” And because of the way her magic worked, Rania was incredibly efficient with it. She gave Kenzo a gentle and supportive pat on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” And while this might have sounded like a tease had it come from any other person, when Rania spoke those words they were genuine and she meant it.

They continued their journey up and through the mountains, and once they’d entered the northern areas, Rania couldn’t shake the unwell feeling that they were being watched the entire time. It was good to be in the company of someone she trusted, or else she wouldn’t have felt so safe. There were talks about dubious guilds, ominous cults and other suspicious events happening here in the north and somehow this part of the country had always felt more isolated from the rest. The landscape was vast, the wilderness almost threatening and Rania wondered what the quest Master Alisa had assigned them to had in store for them.