A figure walked through a dimly lit ground, in a dark green cloak. Towards the direction he was facing there were roars of cheers going on. Lanterns and campfires lit the area in the cold night. The place was also surrounded by walls. A crowd was formed around something. From an elevated platform someone called out loud.

  “A clean shot to the jaw!”

  Two individuals, with a black cloth over their body fought each other. Two holes were cut on the face cloth letting them see through it. The cloth was soaked, and their bodies trembled. Their legs were shaking and loud breathing could be heard.

  One of them lands a shaky punch to the other's face, and both stumble back. Roars of cheers again rushed at the punch.

  “He's still standing!” Said the one on the platform.

  The figure from earlier watched from the campfire, it was Finn. He watched from the sides. From his perspective the fight wasn't clear. Though he had his fist clenched.

  He walked around the place, circling the crowd who had their focus on the match. Then a sudden eruption of cheers pulled his attention towards the match. Followed by:

  “AND HE FELL TO THE GROUND!!”

  “Winner; JuuuFath!”

  More cheers erupted. And Finn saw some of it, he saw two arms in black cloth raised. He turned around and started walking back to the dark.

  Turning around a corner he saw more people seated around campfires. Talking to themselves in groups. With glass bottles next to them. Along with swords and daggers.

  Group 1: Three people.

  Man1: “Tch, the count daughter escaped.” One said throwing an empty glass bottle at the campfire, but hits the rock in front of it.

  Man2: The bottle rolled back to the first man. A second spoke, “You're talking like you'd get a chance with her.”

  Man1: “I wouldn't have! But seeing her is enough!” Said with a high voice.

  Man3: The third one laughed and smacked the first's back, “You'd rather watch then take a chance?”

  Man1: “Shut up you—” He grabbed the empty bottle, his grip tightening around it… but didn't act to the other.

  Man2: “Don't even try. Go take a hold of the servants before it's too late.” shook his hand at him.

  Man1: “Tch.” He dropped the bottle and walked away.

  Man3: “Have fun.” said, followed by laughter.

  The first guy walked past Finn, and his nose caught a scent. Finn glanced at the man walking away but he went near another group.

  Group 2: Two people

  They'd just come to sit by the campfire and one of them was setting up the fire. The other one opened a bottle cap.

  Man1: The one to open the cap, “Told you, my pawn would win.” a grin playing on his face. With a dagger on his belt.

  Man2: The one trying to light the fire. His jaw clenched yet he said nothing.

  Man1: His grin grew. “Having trouble?” Leaned back and patted his own chest, “Tomorrow. The women's match. Bet on the one I do. And.” He leaned forward, “We win.”

  The fire lit up, and illuminated both their faces. “Understood?” Got no response.

  Finn was about to move to another group but he heard a woman's scream behind him. He paused. Stood there in silence as laughter and conversation filled the air.

  Group 3: Three people

  Thud

  Their eyes heavy, head tilted, face red, two of them were bleeding, one more than the other one of them had a broken glass bottle in hand. One cloth in front of him had coins in it.

  Man1: the one with the coins, “5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Still conscious. Take it and hit him!”

  Man2: The one to bleed the most, and with empty hands and few cuts on it. He grabbed a bottle, and hit on the person's head.

  Man1: Right after the hit, “5, 4, 3—” He paused. And fall. The third person fell.

  Man1: Seeing the one to fall he bursts out laughing. “Fucking bitch!”

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  Man3: The one to fall. His head bled rapidly. His eyes were open but dull. He lay motionless on the patch of grass.

  Man2: His body stiffened and he clutched his bleeding forehead, “Fuck! Get me a healer shit!”

  Man1: Laughter only increased as he threw most of the coins to him, kept some to himself and left.

  Finn was no longer where he was before. He'd moved again. In the dim hallway he followed the sounds. Of a woman.

  “What the hell is going on here?” Whispered to himself. His footsteps made noise against the stone floor. Jaw and hand clenched. His eyes wide with burning rage in them.

  Slap

  The sound cut through the air. Finn was just inches away from turning a corner when he heard a voice. “Comply you bitch.”

  Another slap. And a woman's gasp. Finn moved in closer and saw it. A man (the one from group 1). Held a woman tightly by her wrist. Her feet and arms were bruised. Most of her face was covered by her hair except the red cheeks.

  Her clothing was simple, dirty and too big for her. And there seemed to be a torn part on the back and armpit.

  She nodded letting out a low, “I will.”

  When she said that the man started dragging her and she stumbled but followed him regardless.

  Until. Water surrounded his face and rushed in through his mouth, nose, ear, and eyes.

  He fell to his knees, hands flew to his face but fell at the end.

  The woman's eyes widened, she took a step back and heard a low, “Shhh.” He turned around to see Finn, “Don't make a sound.” He said. She almost slipped but Finn caught her by the shoulder.

  “Y–you did that?” She asked, shaking under his hands and breathing heavily. And pointing at the man's lifeless body. Then back to Finn's face.

  Finn nodded, “But don't make any noise. Do you know any safe rooms?” Raised his eyebrow.

  Her gaze roamed over his face for a moment. “Y–ye–yes.” She points to a door just next to the lifeless body. “He was trying to take me there s–so, it's probably empty right now…”

  Hearing that Finn gently gripped her arm and took her inside. After she enters, Finn also takes the dead body inside. And he locked the door. “Take a seat.”

  She looked around the room, gulped and sat on the bed. Her eyes again roamed over his face “I… I think I've seen you somewhere before…” Her body still trembled even inside the closed space.

  Finn approached her, “I assume you did. You're one of the servants?” With a closer look Finn noticed the dark circles and the visible collar bone.

  “Yes I am.”

  “Well. I'm a hunter.” Hand on his chest, “You can trust me.” He didn't sit beside her but stood there in front of her.

  “Can you tell me what's happening here?”

  She nodded frantically. “T–they're mercenaries who infiltrated the castles days ago. A–and they've captured most of us. Some escaped saying they'll bring help.” Her eyes started to water. “A–are y–you, here to help?” She coughed.

  Finn's hand clenched to a fist, he glanced back at the lifeless body on the floor, “I am. Tell me more about the infiltration.”

  “It's been a few days… I… I can't remember how long it has been. But they attacked at night time when the count and his knights were away.”

  “Was there no knight present here?”

  Shook her head, “There were a few. But they couldn't stop it. Now they're being treated as entertainment… So am I.”

  She continued, “I–I also heard they'll be leaving the castle tomorrow. T–taking us females with them.” hearing that his arms started to shake.

  “And the mages?”

  “There were none at the time.”

  Moments of silence passed and nor did the woman or Finn spoke out a word, she sniffed and rubbed her eyes. Finn's eyes went to the window. From what he saw, it seemed like a lock on it.

  “Is the count safe?” Her sudden question grabbed Finn's attention.

  He weakly nodded, “He is.”

  “And his daughter?” He asked without missing a beat.

  Finn averts his eyes, “I don't know.”

  Her gaze fell onto the floor the moment she heard his answer. With her hands on the lap the first drop of tear fell. On her lap.

  Finn noticed it yet said nothing. He turned his back to her.

  “Will I survive?”

  Finn with his back turned, “Yes.” He nodded, “Yes you will.”

  After saying that he started walking through the locked window. His fist clenched to the point of bleeding and jaw shaking.

  “Don't open the door. No matter what, unless it's me.”

  His palm hardened by a layer of substance, grabbed the lock and broke it by grip strength. Both the lock and glass shattered. He climbed out. Raised his finger towards the sky and shot a projectile above. Of rock that blasted and flickered.

  From almost a mile away.

  In the shade of the moon and trees stood Zara and Silas. Zara was the first one to notice it. So did Silas right after.

  A grin formed on her face, “Seems like Finn saw something ugly.” Cracked her knuckles, “Plan B I guess.”

  Silas already started walking ahead with his claymore. “Hm.”

  She followed behind with daggers on her hips. Lines of blue electricity started to surge around her finger tips and feet. Followed by a gust of wind around Silas.

  Her butterfly tattoo and her eyes started to glow in a blue electric. “Let's go.” While Silas' eyes glow with a lustrous glint.

  Back at the castle.

  Finn, now on the ground. The blast turned the mercenaries' gaze towards the direction. They saw Finn's figure shadowy in the dark.

  They all stood up, holding their weapons in one. One grabbed a bonfire stick and raised it to Finn's direction. “Who's there?”

  Slash

  A rotating disc of water sliced through the air and the man's body. His lifeless body dropped onto the ground. One of them fired a piston upwards and soon a loud bell rang. They shout, and raise their weapons at Finn.

  More mercenaries started entering the scene. When Jude noticed more entering the scene he snapped his finger and the ground beneath elevated and became a wall of stone to the entrance and exit.

  Many of them were still outside while the ones inside knocked on the now blocked pathway. “What's this?” One of them asked.

  “No one is leaving this place.” Said Finn, he again snapped his finger and water started rising from the ground beneath. Finn leaped over the tall walls.

  Finn looked back at the scene as water flooded the area inside the stone walls and started drowning the mercenaries present inside.

  He looked ahead and just by inches dodged an attack. A fire ball. Finn noticed a figure on top of the roof with a fire ball on his hand. “A mage?” Finn whispered to himself.

  And somewhere over the other walls. Zara climbed the walls and sat on it. Looking over the chaos that had just begun. Her eyes went to a person with a lantern in hand who was running towards a large wooden door. She grabbed her daggers and a surge of electricity started to form.

  A fast gust of wind came and Silas appeared on the ground on the other side of the castle. Between mercenaries, he swung his claymore and cut through several in a moment. Then a force stopped him.

  In front of him a man appeared with a staff on his hand pointed at him. It looked like a mage.

  His claymore hits the ground, still holding on it Silas glares at the mage.