Guild Hall four weeks since the start of the monster hunt200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaSN7WsZBF
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She drew a deep, slow breath from her pipe. She was cutting back since finding happiness with her kids and had nearly stopped using it altogether.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtxfbl31ex
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And blew out slowly, trying to calm her mind once more, since no one is listening…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvirlhdorn
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She regretted playing coy and relaxing till now, when she first heard about the beast. These last few days since she learn more about the beast, she made more of an effort to push them, but it seemed in vain.
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She watched as the mayor, who was normally happy and ate cookies full of mirth, left a full plate yet still watched it with annoyance, as if it was not a favorite request he had longed for all along.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmB7DXnIZF7
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He looked my way as if just remembering I exist and scowled more, amusing me as if I was the source of all his problems and not trying to solve them now that I took it more seriously.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmEfBp4vlr
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The mayor grunted his disapproval to Tanya. “Well, go ahead. You’ve been telling me last few days why we’re wrong. Tell me again how I’m not listening…” The stare never ended as he was barking accusingly at her,200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPkKYBas4p
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Drawing more from the herb in my pipe to calm me, I sought the right words…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewWvvFinQQ
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“Vic,” I started saying sweetly, but saw his scowl, not liking the nickname, which I did not forget, yet I wanted his attention…. “Victor," I clarified to appease him, which deepened his scowl and my amusement even in these tense times.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcV4weM8NE
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“We hunted together for years in the past. You trusted my judgment then, so why do you doubt me now?” That final got him to relent, showing more of a calm understanding, and maybe now he would really listen.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEpFtR4SLs
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It was Coby's dad, the leader of the hunter guild, who startled us both by speaking first.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVe5ZaB2f6n
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“We don’t doubt your wisdom, yet weeks passed with you saying nothing and now you say we do nothing.” The firm look on his face did not escape my notice; he was the one who opposed me the most and made it harder to make others listen when I tried to change, as he went on.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75uaNegy41
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“You're assuming we have not done everything we could to track and kill this beast for weeks… It's why my men have been getting hurt cornering it….”
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“I do not doubt you think you are trying, but we should use our best to track and hunt this beast, not corner it.” She countered coldly.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXnzpzMYC0
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This wasn't the first time we had this redundant speech, and each day the tension has been building as I mostly tried to keep my peace, hoping to spur them into action.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtHihpN8V6
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Yet it seems I overestimated my influence and underestimated their stubborn ignorance in ignoring this threat…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOodpKb6py
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So I tried a different tactic, seeing Justin, who oversees merchant affairs, also a friend and former hunter, and the father of the children who run the alchemy shop, and knew they had fought this beast before.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecDmAkJ42v
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He was mostly neutral, as he felt the hunter guild leader was doing his best, yet even he saw how the leader's son Coby, was no longer allowed to attend these meetings, which meant things were not fine, as he was training him to one day lead.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCrYZ5vLNJ
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“Justin, your kids hunted this—”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHjvOGtvZ2
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“Allegedly,” a hunter scoffed, who usually just gives the report, it seem everyone wished to test me today…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzIj8d0INB
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I watched him coolly, not liking them overstepping their station, but tension was high enough without adding more personal tension, so I conceded, “Allegedly.”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rQ136dcBc
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“Yet, regardless if true or not, the kids think it is hunting them… and plan to hunt it.”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUoeDJ6hz4
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Justin and the mayor looked at each other in surprise, as if it had never been a possibility. The mayor spoke first: “You don’t know that, and that’s not even a possibility!”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHQQjNJkMQ
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She saw him looking flustered, and with a bit of panic entering his eyes, he was finally taking it seriously. The same with Justin; he knew his daughter trained hard to fight, and this would be perfect for her playing hero, and not only that, she would drag her son into it…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxN0ke7SHf
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The guild hunter leader's voice spoke calmly from the side, breaking what little progress I had made with this idiocy. “We have three teams of hunters minimum at all times guarding the dungeon and rotating in hunting…”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsfwBlrwT9
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“Yes, the beast…” He hesitated, looking for the best way to downplay it… “Yes, it has been hurting my men, but it is not killing us, so it is afraid and not a threat to us.” He never looked at me, only stared straight ahead as he made that moving speech.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudQiQtBohX
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I laughed.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7ov74LIU7
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“Do you really think it holds back out of fear? It knows if it escalates, we will retaliate in turn. It's hunting specific prey, and it's our children….”My free hand clenched under the table while shadows dance around my edges. As I waved my pipe near my head.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjTdk9xEYC
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“So we never let the kids in; we will win in the end?” The mayor asked, confused and conflicted, not sure how to feel or act… Justin was also unsure what to say…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYEsPwgWkM
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“It won’t keep waiting,“ I said calmly, drawing more smoke to calm me to a mix of indifference and scowls, as they watched me blow smoke out with as much care as they showed me.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn97iFGr2Ix
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I tried once more to explain what I understood about magic for monsters; hopefully, this time they would listen…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0Rib40fd9
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“I said before, the reason beasts are mindless and their power is usually set is that mana in the air of dungeons never changes… So what happens when a monster breaks that rule and gets more mana?”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5Pca2Uglh
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They started waiting for more, not following, so I went on…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bN4sHoOSr
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Outside the dungeon, the mana is much weaker It's why those monsters grow and change, they chase areas with higher mana density…”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLjcTS0TX2
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“they also can and do kill each other for mana. Some get smarter and seek peace… yet others?”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4f1AptBzVh
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“We get it's why we hunt them. You've got a point.” The hunter lost patience with the talks. Everyone glared at them as a warning, and they lost a bit of their edge and listened…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeouPdy9cf
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I merely smoke my pipe, waiting for all to follow me once more… I need their attention now, as I refuse to wait anymore…. When they focused, I went on.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyG4crfyJxq
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“As they said, yes, you hunt wild monsters, and as they learn and grow, you know how dangerous they are if ignored…”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1I2O3zXes
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“Yet now we have a new monster in the dungeons who manages to gain power and grow as other monsters do outside dungeons, and we ignore it as if nothing major is taking place…”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT12Bibyvsq
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Despite their faces showing understanding, they all just glance away, surprising me even now. Nobody saw it as the threat it was…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKn2D44rwEk
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“Tanya,” the hunter leader spoke calmly once more… this time looking at me with a wary firmness, causing me to pause.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdvzJVLOpm
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“You’re gifted, no doubt. We heard about your past and your right to be feared…”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfiVRtmoFv
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“But I hunted for years. I wandered these lands long after you stopped and sat in these halls…”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ007XlGetaR
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“I personally trained these teams searching for this ONE, beast; we got this.” And as he said that, he looked away and all visibly calmed as if his words solved everything.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8OUKPHloo
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And with that, it was over….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOLpjvxGzw
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They will never listen, and I can no longer wait. So the talks were over, and the meeting ended as well. it seemed I learned too late to take this threat seriously, and now they cared too little to change...200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGnQoG7MJX
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Later that night, home in the guild hall200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhL1OMWvMf
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Annoyed, tired, and unfulfilled, I ignore the few adventures, wrapping up the day's business as Rosa and my daughter handle them.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAROjVl2uU
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There were not many coming here these last few weeks, as the fear of the monster drove many away; even the bravest kept to level two, even as the beast stayed deeper…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zV0290trt
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I checked on my son since his door was open. I noticed he was covered more in shadows. It seemed he was brooding even now… “Is all well?” He flinched at the voice, then calmed.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvRwIaIJCs
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“You could have knocked…” he glared yet looked away.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBvdXZAp40
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“The door was open.” I gently replied200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTp0bbIsldo
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“Then speak up before you enter…” smiling at his mood, happy to see he still had life I hesitated searching for the right words,200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0I7cxTH4Tf
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“Son, despite whatever cruelty I ever showed you, you do know I love you, right?”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uMPEgOJMz
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That got a concerned look as he stared. He always was a sharp boy…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FWYFZeddA
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“Whatever happens, these days to come watch over your sister; she will need you…” I tried to show a confident smile to ease his mind.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbggq6DSduy
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“What are you going to do…” The intense stare was a nice change. The man I knew could be something even darkness would fear… Maybe even me.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYHUbdAghp
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“Nothing, child; you know me well. I always sit and watch. When have I not?” It was a lie, and he saw through me, yet I saw the fear in his eyes as he knew… and he wasn't brave enough to stop me.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTgCCjTES8
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I move closer from the door near his bed and brush his hair. “Have faith in your mother. I did not train you for years just to fade off into shadows.”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ozkGQGvI6
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We left it at that; he wasn't sure what to say to stop his mother, and I wasn't sure what to say to let him know I would be back.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHMmUv4GU5
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I left and went to my desk in my room to write the king a letter, a fail-safe if I fall to the unknown threat, and if I lied to my kids, and it is my last words, which I did mildly regret…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuskuWRdou
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I wish I had better words to give them, but I wasn't a better mother for that… “Mom?” a voice familiar yet unsure from my adopted daughter.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHP3Sxsevg
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I did not turn to her instead focused getting the paper ready to write. "Arlin says you're going to do something stupid and doesn't know how to stop you?”
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“ So he asked me to try…”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxeRvO5hBs
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I laughed at my son trying to play hero even as he hides… It was clever. I suppose he wasn't sure how close I was to my daughter, so he gambled I would hesitate for her…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡythXpMkoV8
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Yet it just reinforced my choice. I couldn’t let them face that beast even if I’m old…. They're too young….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbNs1tch4t
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"Your brother fears shadows, daughter. I merely wished him to care for you, nothing more…” as I wrote the letter with amusement, but nothing more.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDRrYWEaQw
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“So you’re not going after the beast?” That caused my hand to stop mid-writing of the letter. Gods, both my children had such insight. Any other time, I have nothing but pride….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5POOIiwIv
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Yet now? It added an unknown risk. I couldn’t have them chase after me in a hunt…. So I faced my daughter and saw her concerns I ignored in favor of knowing what was best,200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hbG8iyRxu
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“Assuming, child, such an event transpired, do you see me so weak I could not handle it?” watching her smiling to sway her of her fear as being unwarranted, but still I saw the fear of the unknown… the same fear I felt for them…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1T7bGYIbv
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“I promise I’ll use care; that is why I write this letter for help, and if I go, it will be with the hunters, ok?” A white lie, the prettiest I could give, letting them know enough not to fear but not enough to rush into danger.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvITcA2cNu
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Her ear went flat. She looked slightly down, not wanting to face me, knowing she could not sway me. “Ok, Mom,” and with that, I left a cruelty I did not wish to inflict on either of them…. A doubt.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYUQFVCizF
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Yet it was all the more reason I must do this. Lest those fears turn to darker things, I will prevent…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrN2xWSJqEG
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Hello, Donald.
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I know we agreed to go different ways: you a king and me a nobody who drifted away.
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Yet, as I told you, if you ever needed me, even after I retired from being your secret blade, I hoped you would return the favor.
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I just never had a reason or belief it would be needed, for if a threat existed I could not face, you would already have dealt with it, and I would never be needed.
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So it is a fail-safe. I write this for my kids' and the town's safety. I know you have two weapons that could easily surpass me and handle an unknown beast. I know you wish to keep things private, and I ask this not lightly.
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If I fail, please send your son, whom you made public, or the other, whom I will not speak of out of respect, but I know of them.
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The threat is a beast that not only has learned to think like us but also does not fear being hunted. That alone is meaningless. my fear is that it doesn't mindlessly kill; it chooses to spare those it hurts and still hides within reach, baiting, and I fear it's hunting my son.
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To add a deeper layer, if that wasn't enough, it has a rare, unknown gift to travel between the doors of the dungeons, making it more unpredictable from there.
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You know the child who helped cure the rare sickness? This is the fallout of that, though not by their choice but poor luck, so you do owe us something. If you wish to be bitter about how I phrase this, I accept whatever judgment you wish to place.
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By the time this letter reaches you, I will either have won or lost. Either way, the matter must be settled. I know your son has never known defeat, even solo in dungeons beyond level seven. I doubt this creature could challenge him, but what about us nobodies in this town? I fear it is too much.
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The last thing you said to me as I left, if I remember right, was that you saw me as family even when I wanted none. You even wanted me to help train your son when he needed to be pushed. Yes, I did refuse. I hope you don’t hold that against me even now.
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I wish you well, Donald. Thank you for all the freedom you have given me. It was nice being your hidden blade.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLL0MvK4IE
I never regret the adventure we shared in the shadows, even when you lived in the light.
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Your friend Tanya200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmNvS2Gzdt
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She was tired. She reached into her blouse and pulled out her pipe, and with it lit her mind, calm once more…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCaSrp8r3j
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She had tighter leather clothes vs. her silk robes she would wear for the hunt; she wouldn’t risk the beast grabbing loose fabric even if she could be shadow mist… She never needed a weapon; she always was the weapon, even now….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kERFOelf3
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She had one rare potion…. She debated leaving it for her son or taking it with her… She decided to leave it as a parting gift. If she ends up a failure, at least that will be left to keep them safe. Hopefully, it will be enough.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJX2cs3H74
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She shifted to mist and floated downstairs, hopeful and glad she caught Rosa before she left for the night. She was finishing some paperwork… unaware I was feet away.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCYt5g8fDg
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“Rosa, dear, I need a favor.”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gBDLKHlbI
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“EEK!” The poor girl was startled.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9CGXh2HGP
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“Sorry, you never come back down after you leave for the night?” Rosa said, fanning her face, she finally calmed a bit to take in the situation and ponder more, “Is everything alright?”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8v1TPdCTg
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Smiling, I assured her everything was fine. I just need a letter sent with a runner at first light. I told her it was to be expressed to the other guild hall, it had a seal they would know was meant for the king, and take it from there.
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but I left that part out, telling her Just the guild part was all she needed.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHylQirZAb
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I saw the concern on her face, but she knew I was known for being vague and liking to drop random tasks on others… So she left it at that as we both prepared for what was to come tomorrow…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKYAEXdej6
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The hunters gathered near the entrance to the dungeon before the breaking of the morning light. This had been a standard routine for a while. They were surprised the hunter guild leader was meeting them for the team shift from the overnight crew… He was usually with his son Coby, overseeing meetings and training in the morning. Did he not sleep?200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyskC0Nbns
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Yet he was here with few of his old team returning from what seemed to be a failed hunt… a somber look on all their faces telling it was not a good hunt.
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“We tracked it a few times; it seems to like the plains realm when it thinks it has lost us, yet when it really wants to hide, it chooses a night forest realm easier to hide its big frame… “ the hunter leader expressed with annoyance they all felt the same, yet he kept looking back into the cave….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIKPtCVE31
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The leader calmly watched the cave before speaking once more, breaking that moment of silence…“Don’t underestimate it,”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0Ii6y0i3L
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I was going to retort we never did, yet the seriousness in his look when he did face me made me bite my tongue. Maybe we were getting complacent if I wanted to argue…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRVCQ0GiVR
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“I understand, sir. Is there anything we should be aware of?” Focusing, I listened carefully to see what he would say, so I did not underestimate the threat.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvM4gtWUHMG
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He turned once more and kept watching the cave, but spoke clearly, chilling me.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCZ3TxKIJ6
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“We were warned repeatedly by someone I trust at meetings… We ignored them, and I regret it.”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYxOXkuwme
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“I don’t want to wait for anyone to get hurt, so we do need to stop it before it’s too late…” I agree with his words, but I wondered what he heard that gave him such thoughts?
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How dangerous is this beast… we keep hunting a shadow, it seems. I knew the reports and had seen the other hunter hurt, but never to the point they could not recover easily within a week….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyc1owooqPy
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So I steeled my resolve, saluted him, and moved my team in for the hunt since my unasked questions did not need answers; we needed results.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90ps0AJeWR
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Level One200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2j4Q4Vnh5Y
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Simple, nothing to see. We keep guards on lookout always in case, but luckily it's been mundane and unneeded. The same cave as before, yet now it felt like it was leading to death, not adventure, when we had to go deeper…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0P9hxB1rB
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Level Two200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdp44BUs6cH
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A dessert realm, which is a dud… Even just walking in here, we knew no tracking was needed, though we still did it to be safe, as different monsters could exist, just very rare, but the beast seemed to show a great aversion to the heat.
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We kept a fire blessed person with all teams after that observation as a potential counter to the beast not liking fire, but it also just seemed to be smart enough to not want to sweat.
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Level three200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEpU2848kp
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A winter realm full of cold—we did track it here before in this type of realm, so we did scout carefully, but besides a few random beasts, not the one we needed, it was a dud also….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7oTEKMaqd
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We left to exit the dungeon to reset the realms to redo the loop. If we tried going deeper into level four to hunt the beast, it was deep enough that we risked a deadlier monster hunting us or helping it in an ambush…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIIl7Djghw
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So instead we repeated the loop…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2knNW7nzJZ
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endless looping the realms from one, two and three for hours200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oyVgt7yEl
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They felt like they got close to the beast a couple of times in a few random hunts into the endless loops they scouted. It was in the shadow forest, level two, that they almost had it. It felt like it was letting its guard down and slipping.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6obzNoNwiN
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Yet when we hunted it and thought we were getting close to cornering it seemed to weave between the trees, expecting their moves.
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Even when they finally did corner it, their only reward was another door leading deeper as it escaped to the next level realm, and when we followed…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMcvawPwez
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Level three200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhErJfgW6O
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Plains, but the beast was not here… it went deeper still to a level four. So we made a camp.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGdGEv4kox
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After so many loops and failures in about 7 hours of time that had passed, even with careful tracking, that beast eluded them, besides that one close call that went nowhere they where getting tired and know knew why the guild leader looks so tired even with a failed hunt...200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNbmmIsH3f
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Add to it the random fights in those loops in unknown realms which were wearing the team down even more; we needed to stop soon for the day and head back. The beast has gotten smarter, it seems, and is avoiding their trackers and fights… Whatever he thought, tomorrow is another shot.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡug9mwChmfK
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He was thankful it was a safe run overall. Their guild leader's ominous warning made him fear the worst, but so far the gods blessed them…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEFSSd7VZc
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On a more positive note, they got a few mana gems and herbs for their few fights and gathering, so it was overall a win, even with the turmoil and failed hunt.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoyAqsISOV
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They broke camp no closer to the beast and were secretly thankful it was a loss, as they would repeat it tomorrow. It was an odd feeling hunting a prey that never could be caught, and weirder still to think what would happen when they did.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmUxJLLyDm
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***200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSueBcFmU2x
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She watched them head for the door to exit the realm. This time, she would not follow. She was constantly blending herself into their shadows and holding herself away from their eyes, even in the brightest light. Many would be surprised by her gift—the ability to hide in plain sight—but they were not hunting her but a random beast.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtdahofSIP
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So it made it easier when they did not watch their shadows extend or move without them doing so….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTsZXwatcE
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She was depressed. This was supposed to be a final fight, her confronting an impossible beast, yet this felt more like a pointless chase. She felt bad now, seeing firsthand what they dealt with… They were trying, and she was doing no better, worse even…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALh0PRzzuy
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She felt a little better knowing it was not simple or easy for her son to get himself in trouble. If trackers had these issues, it would be just as hard for the beast just to stumble onto the kids if they ran here after it…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPVUBADeMn
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Maybe that was why it preferred the plains and kept trying to meet them here… It never went deeper into the dungeon or tried to escape… Maybe it could not?200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1AVd0sZsM
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A small blessing from the gods, if it's true that it could not escape, but this was still a dangerous new precedent being set with this beast.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BBdiTd1Oz
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She sighed, removing her pipe to smoke and relieve some stress she would leave soon.... when the impossible walk passed her, scouting the camp….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6yJagAi6P
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A giant, lumbering ogre carefully scouted the ashes of the fire pit, seeing if they left anything behind. She was in a state of utter shock; it seemed to appear from nothing. How easy would it have been for it to strike her if she were not blessed with shadows…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMT2AtQhvz7
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There was a chance it came from a door nearby, as she remembered the hunters turning back from one going deeper before, yet how quickly did it move? It just appeared here before her eyes before she even knew it was coming.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQxxdzT1Rv
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Maybe she was just distracted, and like the beast, they just focused single-mindedly on their own task….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgXqPJ0UAz
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As she recovered and stood, the beast stopped scouting and turned, knowing she was there, and she smiled. It seemed they might talk beforehand….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYkCsy6Wzv
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*****200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyAxV69gdc
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Again, he thought they were getting close; he sensed them in the wind and pulled the wind to find him…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWYjRTow2h
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He had been practicing masking his presence with the wind, hiding the feeling of him among the wind. It worked to a point; he learned to circle the area with the wind, and then it did not matter—they could not sense him; they could sense something among the wind…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflYkrDc41l
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It's why they got close but not close enough. They moved quickly to surround him, but he was not a fool…. He had long since learned to pay attention and knew where the doors to the realms were. They could follow him beyond and keep chasing, but he noticed an odd pattern, and they never followed deeper for some doors…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeWQQ1spnx
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He wasn't sure what made them fear going to certain doors vs. him, but he felt a difference when they kept avoiding places, so it was enough for him…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXX2RWluT9U
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He went back to his favorite waiting spot and could smell the remnants of a camp. It reminded him of the goblin camp, and it was interesting how humans and monsters could do the same thing, yet they were the beasts…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0Y6m5WdlZ
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Looking around for anything interesting was a disappointment… He wasn't sure what he expected—something? Anything?200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEvPByc0ao
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Nothing…. He smelled an odd new smell, a scent he had never known.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQD0wsFNmxl
Then he felt something to his side, but all there was were shadows…. Yet among those shadows stood a monster.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJd65s29FhN
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An odd fairy-human thing?200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZiwXWO4aP
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Long white hair with red eyes, smoking a pipe? He wasn't sure how to take this creature….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgS8ETR9WAi
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She was dressed in tight black leather. Besides her form being mixed with shadows, she held a pipe, blowing white smoke…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlRGfL8gvk
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The smile on her face confused him, yet her words added even more to the unknown of what was happening…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9IgDiqAev
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“ It seems you're willing to talk, or at least not a mindless beast like we thought.” She drew slowly from her pipe, never stopping watching him… and blew out slowly, confirming the new odd smell was that pipe…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUYOZPxBB6
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She wasn't a monster?200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7eVW1JTWH
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She was hunting him…. His face grew darker as he flexed his arm, an unspoken threat letting the little thing know how close to death she was… Yet still she casually smiled, unbothered by the threat… and he wasn't sure how to respond, she wasn't mindless, but neither was he…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQANvIxF6Cb
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He thought over her words… Willing to talk? Madness, he tried that before, and even then others hunted him… Plus, where could talks go? Would he give up his quest just because she asked…?200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKDFR4RZBb
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He growled, not liking the feeling that a game was being played. Were there more like her? Was this the next step they took to stop him as a threat? A trap had been laid while they talked…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcYaB9n339
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Could he kill her? Or could she kill him ….200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeO2vKtulY
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He wasn't sure what to think or feel as she stared at him, waiting for him to react…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMYqIJSPk8
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Yet it was her next words that cut to the heart of what they both felt and ended any doubt where they both stood.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsQb8uAqXW
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“We…”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ao8INlyP1
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“I think you are hunting my son and other kids… from a past event.” She looked to the side for the first time, not watching him, surprising him. She even let that moment slide, knowing he was a threat…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwU9xqSBQVf
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Yet she quickly looked back once more with sharp eyes… he grinned, knowing he was a threat.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNZ7eMkCsy
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“Even if you were not hunting my family, you are hunting someone…”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwEk90uWDA
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“So I ask, will you leave instead?"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7H8sOcLUF
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"Let it end here.”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhFaEkEYVS
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He was surprised how genuine she sounded here; he almost felt wrong…200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXxfOagQ58
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Almost.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4CbhHT4kW
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“No.”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBaoqzXXX7
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She smiled sadly at that “ok.”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJ19esbBTJ
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“Then whatever happens from here, the gods know I tried to befriend the beast who chose darkness instead.”200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAi9Ra3nyN
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What odd, stupid words, he thought, watching her as a shadow swirled. She was the darkness, not him, and what did he care about a light when all he needed was his revenge? This was just another step toward that end.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JKVEpMIoH
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So as the wind blew to his command, shifting her hair, he knew one way or another this would be the end, and what did he have to fear from only one little woman at that… he could sense no others with the winds; she was a fool alone.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzX8SRNfH6L
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She drew on her pipe one last time and exhaled steadily, letting her shadows curl around her fingers. Watching the ogre as it gaze back with a scowl, the brute massive hands flexing, posing to strike.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhvxxthinr
and then Add to home screen.