14 hours ago…

The fire crackled softly in the corner of the room, its warmth barely reaching me as I sat at the edge of the bed, holding the worn envelope in my hands. 

I hesitated before unfolding the letter, my breath catching in my throat. 

With trembling fingers, I began to read.

Yvette, my daughter,

I hope this letter finds you in better circumstances. 

But knowing our luck, you’re probably fighting off the cold just like we are.

Ives has been holding up alright, but I can see it in his eyes—the way he looks at the sky as if he's expecting something worse. 

And little Aime... maybe I should have sent her with you. 

Maybe she wouldn’t be freezing here beside Ives and me, struggling to find enough to keep warm. 

Perhaps if I’d made different choices, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.

Maybe it's my fault this is all happening.

You know, I think about your mother a lot these days. 

She would’ve handled this better. 

She always knew how to keep things together when everything felt like it was falling apart.

 I can’t help but wish she was here now.

 She’d have known what to do. She’d have known how to protect all of you... 

better than I ever could.

I’ve made mistakes, Yvette. I know that now. 

I made promises I couldn’t keep—to your mother, to all of you. 

I thought I could handle everything, that I could protect our family, but look at where we are now.

But despite all that... despite everything that’s gone wrong, there’s something I need to say, something I’ve held back for far too long.

I believe in you.

You’re strong, stronger than I ever was. 

I see it in your eyes every time you set out into the snow. 

You have something I lost a long time ago—a fire, a purpose.

You remind me of myself when I was younger, back when I still had hope. 

Back when I thought I could rid the world of these beasts that plague us all. I wanted to be the one to protect everyone, to stop the monsters from taking away what we loved.

But I failed. I couldn’t finish what I started.

I don’t know if it’s fair to ask this of you, but…

 I hope, with everything in me, that you succeed where I couldn’t.

 That you find a way to rid this world of the beasts, once and for all. 

I know it’s a heavy burden, but if anyone can do it, it’s you.

Your mother would’ve wanted that, too. And I know... if I were half the man I used to be, I’d be right there beside you, fighting until my last breath.

Stay strong, my daughter. Stay true to who you are.

Don't ever lose your humanity.

I set the letter down carefully on the table beside me.

Glancing down, my eyes fell on the small, carved toy that had been resting in my lap. 

I was going to give it to her when I returned home.

But I never had the chance.

I traced my fingers over the rough edges of the toy, feeling every line and curve.

It was small, fragile even, just like she had been.

The tears came before I could stop them.

I clutched the toy tightly against my chest, my breath hitching as the weight of it all crashed down around me. 

Everything I had lost, everything I had fought for—it was all so distant now.

A sob escaped my lips.

I curled up, holding the Kaldrith toy to my chest like it could somehow bring Aime back. 

Like it could fill the hollow space that had been left behind when she was taken from me. 

My eyes squeezed shut, the dampness of my tears staining the pillow beneath me as the weight of it all pressed down.

I was tired. So tired.

“I’ll make sure no one else…will suffer like we did…Aime…Ives…Father.”

The memory faded as the present came rushing back in. 

The cold, biting wind of Esperia’s outskirts, the smell of blood in the air, and the soft crunch of snow beneath our feet.

 I blinked away the lingering tears, focusing on Ryu as he knelt beside the lifeless body of the Ferin.

Without hesitation, he took out his sickle. 

The blade glinted under the dull gray light as he brought it down, sawing through the creature’s head with mechanical precision. 

His movements were calm, methodical, and I stood there watching as he worked in silence. 

The only sound was the soft rasp of the blade cutting through flesh and bone.

Once the head was severed, Ryu wiped the sickle clean then put it in the bag he was carrying on his back.

He slipped the bloody head into it, tying it off with a practiced knot, and rose to his feet.

We started walking again, the quiet snow-covered landscape enveloping us as we made our way back. 

The weight of what I had confessed earlier still hung in the air between us, but neither of us spoke for a while. 

The silence wasn’t uncomfortable—it was just... heavy, like everything had been recently.

Finally, Ryu’s voice broke through the quiet.

"If you want to do it... if you really want to wipe out these beasts..." 

He paused, his breath misting in the cold air. 

"Then I’ll help you."

I glanced at him, surprised by the calm certainty in his tone. 

He wasn’t mocking me or trying to dissuade me this time. 

He sounded... serious.

"But it’s suicide." 

he continued, his eyes forward. 

"You know that. No one’s ever come close to doing what you’re thinking about. But... maybe it’s possible."

The words hung in the air for a moment, carried by the wind.

"First things first." 

Ryu added, his voice more practical now, grounded.

 "If you’re serious, we need resources.”

“We need allies.”

“And the best way to start is by officially joining the Huntsman Syndicate.”

“They’ve killed hundreds of thousands of beasts over the years. It’s the best way to even get close to what you’re talking about."

 Joining the Syndicate would mean facing more danger than we’d ever imagined, but it also meant we’d be in a position to make real progress. 

We couldn’t just dive in recklessly though—we needed to be prepared.

“There’s a debrief in three weeks.

” I said, glancing over at him. 

“We’re supposed to be there, so until then... 

“Why don’t we train?”

“Sharpen our skills, get stronger.” 

“That way, when we join, we can rise up the ranks quickly. Get noticed.”

Ryu’s brow furrowed as he considered it, but I could tell he was already on board.

 He knew, just as I did, that we needed every advantage we could get if we were going to survive this.

“And if we do that.” 

I continued.

 “we’ll get more than just status. We’ll have the resources of the Syndicate... maybe even direct support from the King’s Roundtable themselves. They’ll want to invest in us once they see what we’re capable of.”

Ryu gave a small, approving nod.

 “So, we make the most of these three weeks.”

As we walked through the thick snow, the wind bit at our skin, the forest around us eerily quiet save for the crunch of our boots.

“So,” he began, his voice low but cutting through the cold air like a blade, “how do you plan to train better?”

I looked ahead, focusing on the path but letting the question settle in my mind. 

“I’ve been thinking about that a lot.”

 I admitted after a moment. 

“My Arcane flux capabilities... they’re not where they need to be.” 

I paused, feeling the weight of my own words. 

“Right now, I can barely sustain enough output for more than a few minutes in a real fight. I need to fix that. I’m going to push myself to increase the amount of flux I can pull off in a short burst—get more power, faster.”

Ryu gave a slow nod, his expression serious.

 “That’ll help. The more control you have, the more you can keep up when things get chaotic. And if we’re going to do this... you’ll need it.”

“Exactly.”

 I sighed, feeling the familiar frustration rise.

“I can’t just rely on a couple of shots and hope they’re enough. I need to sustain attacks, hit harder, and recover quicker. Right now, I can’t do any of that without wearing myself out.”

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. 

“And your rifle?”

I tightened my grip on the strap slung over my shoulder, glancing down at the weapon I’d been carrying for so long. 

“It’s been good to me.” 

I said, my voice softer. 

“but I know it can be better. I’ve been thinking about tweaking a few parts—adjusting the mechanism to increase the range. Maybe modify the barrel so the shards can be propelled faster. If I can do that... I won’t have to get as close. I can take down more of them from a safer distance.”

“Back already?” 

Eloise asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. 

“How did the commission go?”

I placed the bag containing the remains of the beasts on the counter with a sense of accomplishment. 

“We finished it. Here’s the evidence.” 

I watched as she inspected the contents, her expression shifting to one of approval.

“Good work.” 

she said, pulling out a pouch of coins. 

“This should be a decent payout.”

After a moment’s pause, she leaned forward slightly, her tone becoming more inquisitive. 

“So, are you planning to officially join the Syndicate?”

I nodded, my resolve firm. 

“In three weeks after the debrief.”

Eloise’s expression brightened even more. 

“That’s exciting! I heard from Nicholas recently that you’re an amazing mage.”

“I’d like to be your personal receptionist when you join.” 

she said, her enthusiasm infectious. 

“I can help you navigate through everything. It’s a big change, but I think you’ll do great things here.”

“Plus it gives me more of a reputation boost among the other receptionists if one of my own girls is a top class huntsman.”

She grinned.

“Just remember, when you’re famous for slaying beasts and protecting the realm, don’t forget your humble beginnings.” 

I nodded, appreciating the sentiment.

“Oh, and Eloise?” 

I called, my voice light. 

“Tell Nicholas I said hello.”