Adalstan shivered as he listened to the forest's sounds. It felt so right to be among these trees, yet so foreign. He had lived so long with the humans that his own senses sere becoming numb to nature, to its warnings and its secrets; something humans long ago forgot about.

A burst of light bright yellow light lit up the surrounding forest fora brief moment. Adalstan assumed it was the fire as the logs crumpled together. Every so often it'd repeat itself; the soothing, almost hypnotic, rhythm was enough to make his eyelids heavy with exhaustion.  It'd didn't help that the rest of the camp had been silent for nearly an hour now. He blinked furiously, trying to stay the sleepiness.

The bursts continued at the same pace they had even after a half-hour of letting the fire burn itself down. Adalstan stood and intertwined his fingers as he stretched. He thought it was odd that the bursts hadn't died down with the now burnt out fire, it's red-hot coals the only remaining part, and when he though about it – the bursts seemed to ebb and flow like a great ocean's waves.

With out turning to look at the fire, or camp, he went into the forest as nature called to him.

— — —

Hunter was breathing hard under the weight of an unconscious Achmetha slung over his back. After that black energy had hit Achmetha, and destroying the kid's eardrums, Hunter had noticed a small tree branch had lodged itself into the right side of Achmetha's chest.

He wasn't sure how the kid wasn't hacking up blood.

He then noticed how the skin surrounding the injury was swelling and becoming black like it was rotting. He pulled the branch out.Surprisingly no blood came gushing out, but even more surprising was how the skin began to cave-in around the hole.

Not sure what else to do, he prayed for the twisted little, psychopathic, assassin. "Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy upon this sinner's sole. May you grant him peace, and a chance to still live in this world.  In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, amen."

Then very carefully he slung the would be assassin over his back and began carrying him commando-style, leading up to this point. Hunter wasn't just moving blind. No, if anything he was walking to Ryden's camp like it was a lit highway leading to it. He hoped they might be able to help the kid.

Hunter could tell he was getting close by how the surrounding forest was full of unnatural energy. Energy produced by his gear he left with Maya and that Prince's group. He was glad that they had brought it with them; even if they didn't know what it contained.

"Halt, and go no further, or suffer the consequences!" Someone shouted,their voice rich and demanding attention with the sharpness a drill Sargon had.

"Yeah like that's going to happen." Hunter sent a lightning bolt towards the voice's direction.

There was a loud thunder clap that shook the trees around them as the lightning connected with what Hunter hoped was the owner of the voice.

"Warned you." The voice said.

Hunter turned around around just in time to see a elf wearing the king's armor driving his sword towards his torso. The sword never met its intended mark. Instead it was hilt deep in a tree several yards away from Hunter.

Hunter laid Achmetha down on a semi-flat log that looked to have once been a majestic tree. "Look I don't want to fight, my prisoner is dying and needs medical attention immediately, but if I have to I won't hold back."

"Then you should've turned around when you had the chance." The guard replied.

Before Hunter had time to move, the elf sucker punched him in the jaw. The metal knuckles of the gauntlets shredded his skin like it was paper.His head snapping back from the force of the attack.

The guard then sent a left hook into Hunter's gut, causing him to double over in pain. He then sent a right jab into Hunter's side –breaking a few ribs – followed by him clenching both fists together as he drove them into Hunter's head; slamming him into the dirt with the obvious sound of bones cracking. It was enough force that no normal man could even survive, yet, Hunter had survived; and was laughing.

Hunter looked half dead as he stood. His entire face was muddy with blood from several cuts streaming down his face. His chin was oozing with bloody mud and looked like it stung pretty bad. His shirt was ripped where the guard broke his ribs. The skin over the ribs was stretched out where several ribs threatened to puncture through.

However, as the guard looked into Hunter's eyes, he saw no fear. Instead he saw the steeled look of a soldier who'd seen countless deaths in battle. A look that meant that he wouldn't bow to anyone for anything.

"You're pretty good, I'll give you that." Hunter wiped at his face only managing to smear the mud around a little. "But now you'll die tonight."

Hunter's body began glowing as his eyes turned silver sending the guard into a defensive stance. They both knew it wouldn't help him though. Every predator knew when their time was up.

"Stop!"Maya shouted as she ran between them. "Adalstan, Hunter, you both need to stop this instant."

Hunter immediately stopped glowing. Adalstan continued to stare warily at Hunter. Hunter too, watched the other cautiously.

"Now you both have some explaining to do, but not here." Maya said.

Hunter cleared his throat. "Actually Maya I have a injured prisoner with a seriously awful looking wound. He needs medical treatment."

"Adalstan and I may be able to help."

Hunter nodded then motioned them over to the spot he had laid Achmetha.

Adalstan's eyes went wide as he saw the young man's wound that Hunter had mentioned. It was pitch black, and sunken in, around a hole no larger than his thumb. Blackish-purple spiderweb veins spread their way all the way up to his neckline.

"What happened to him?" Adalstan could hear the fear in his own voice.

Hunter replied, "He was struck by a black mist escaping from a ghastly demonic creature."

Adalstan nodded as he swore silently. This boy should've been dead by now, yet he seemed to be fighting with death itself. No living creature could survive a phantom's energy going through them. Yet here stood two who not only survived but, at least in Hunter's case, were still standing.

"There's nothing I can do. His wound is a certain death; him being alive this long just shows how stubborn he is." Adalstan looked Hunter in his eyes. "The fact you're standing here unharmed is a even greater feat than what this boy has managed."

"There's nothing we can do?" Hunter's voice was oddly monotone for the words he spoke.

"Adalstan,we both know that no living being has even survived this long.Meaning he is either already dead, or he is fighting with death itself. I think the latter is more pleasurable in this case." Maya looked at Hunter. "The question I want answered right now though is this, why weren't you affected?"

Hunter grimaced. "Because I have nasty habit of escaping death's clutches. It can get annoying."  He thought, instead he said,"None of the mist touched me."

"You must be blessed by the gods!" Adalstan said.

Hunter sighed. "More like I'm cursed."

"The Creator certainly has plans for you two." Maya looked at directly into Hunter's eyes. "Or maybe in your case, your too stubborn to die."

— — —

When Maya and Adalstan returned with Hunter – and another person who seemed half dead – Ryden nearly lost it. Claiming that it wasn't a misunderstanding but that he truly intended to kill Adalstan and then the rest of them. To which Maya replied it could've been beneficial to have told Adalstan about Hunter before hand.

Ryden glared at Hunter and his prisoner. "Whatever, just don't cry about it when we're all killed in the middle of our sleep."

Drake looked at Hunter. "I'm curious how did you get outside the city?"

Hunter nodded to Achmetha. "It was actually thanks to this psychopath. I was looking at a brick that was glowing and touched it. Next thing I knew I was being tortured by him in a forgotten tunnel. He apparently hates Draden and all of his goons. He thought I was Imperial sc–"

"I wonder why." Ryden sarcastically mumbled.

"–um.However I overpowered him, and took him prisoner. Figured he was too dangerous to be let loose so I brought him with me. And then we had a run in with a demonic spirit. Hence why Achmetha here is now half dead."

"And you thought it was smart to bring him with you..." Ryden said.

Hunter shrugged. "Safer to have him with us then him hunting us or innocents who just seem to be loyalist to the king."

"And yet were in no danger of him killing us?" Ryden glared at Hunter."I'd rather have him loose then him endangering my comrades."

"Is that how a future king is supposed to think? Let innocents die as long as your safe? Now I'm certain that your the king's son."Hunter tapped his almost fully healed chin. "Oh wait, even he protects his citizens."

Hunter knew he had crossed a line. The tension in the area was unbearable.Hunter sensed if he didn't do something that it might continue to escalate. So he did the only thing he could think of.

"Sorry, that was uncalled for. I'm just really tired. How about we get what little sleep we can, and then at dawn we go find Dragcous so that way we find this F- Fir-" Hunter said.

"Fisavel."Both Miya and Ryden mumbled in perfect unison.

"Yeah that, and then we decide what to do with my prisoner Achmetha."Hunter finished.

The fire crackled as a large log fell apart. In the silence that followed Hunter wondered what they would say. He knew in times of war that what he was asking was unreasonable, yet he also knew that Achmetha might not survive because of him. So in a sense he felt like he had to take care of him at least until Achmetha was healthier.

"I think that we lose the dead weight, after all it'll just slow us down."

The way Ryden referred to another person as an 'it' sent shivers down Hunter's spine.

"I'd have to agree with the Prince." Adalstan said before quickly adding, "Don't get me wrong, I honestly don't like just leaving him here, if we weren't in such a hurry I'd even dig him a grave."

"He's not dead yet." Hunter said.

Maya shook her head. "As long as we ditch him at Dragcous' then I'm fine with it."

Drake rubbed his beard. "You said that he thought you were Imperial scum correct?"

"Yes, why?" Asked Hunter.

"Then I say that we bring him to Dragcous'–"

Ryden jumped off the log he was sitting on. "Master Drake how coul–"

Ignoring Ryden, Drake continued on. "too. Perhaps we would be able to convince him that we aren't Imperial scum, and show him that our goals align. After all the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Everyone looked to Hunter.

"We all know where I stand." Hunter said. "How about we put it to a vote?"

"All against raise your hands" Hunter saw Ryden and Adalstan's go up."All in favor?" Drake, Maya, and Hunter's all went up.

"Three for, and two against. Looks like the majority is in favor of taking him." Drake said.

Ryden mumbled under his breath, "No surprise there, and besides who put him in charge?" Loud enough for everyone else to hear he said,"Well, I guess we're taking him with us until Dragcous'."

A/N

Hey all here's the chapter 8 I promised a few months ago... Had to rewrite and summer along with anime kinda has been snatching my attention more than it should have. Anyways I hope you enjoyed it.

Also, the image attached is the new cover given to me by one of you readers because you got bored. I won't mention who unless they say I can later on (wanderholic). Either way it's one reason I got this out (because one, it was totally awesome and gave me renewed inspiration, and two because I told myself I wouldn't update the cover until I got this chapter done; I really wanted to update the cover). So, thank you!

Now for the questions. First off, what'd you think of the quality of the chapter compared to others in this book? Do you think they'll find Dragcous? What do you think of the new cover? What should this chapter's title be?

That's all for now, have a awesome week!