"This isn't exactly my specialty," a woman's voice muttered in irritation somewhere above me.
I kept my eyes shut—not out of fear, but because I was lying on the ground, bruised and aching. Her soul was intriguing—sharp and jagged at the top, yet fluid and shifting like foam below. Fascinating to sense.
"Then make it your specialty—and fast," Remus growled, the bastard who nearly beat me to death. "You're our last line of defense now. You need to be good at this."
"I never said I wasn't." She grumbled, kneeling beside me.
"Just stop arguing and heal her," he snapped. "She's the first line of defense now. Do your job."
"Hmph. This runt?" she muttered under her breath—but placed her hands on me regardless.
The familiar tingle of healing magic flowed into me. I didn't resist. I used to reject foreign magic instinctively, but Rowan had trained me to suppress that. My willpower resisted most spells by default, but I had learned to lower my defenses when necessary. No need to complicate her work.
"...Remus, are you sure about this? She's too weak."
That bitch … I opened my eyes, glared at her, and reactivated my resistance. Her spell fizzled instantly, halting all progress.
"You're not very good at keeping your mouth shut, are you?" I asked dryly.
She flushed with embarrassment, anger flashing across her face. Just as I suspected—I wouldn't like her. Her golden curls were meticulously styled, each ringlet perfect and fashionable. Her clothes were expensive, though beneath them lay decent armor. A waste. And that round, unblemished face—she probably had never known hunger. Not that there was anything wrong with that… still, it unsettled me. Beautiful, wealthy, comfortable—everything I wasn't. And her soul was even larger than mine.
...Which meant I shouldn't provoke her.
"I thought you were unconscious," she snapped. "Why didn't you flinch?"
"Lying down felt fine," I replied simply, lowering my resistance so she could continue.
"Vita, meet Penelope," Remus said. "She'll be part of your new squad—a biomancer. Penelope, Vita is our scout."
Damn. I needed to suppress my dislike. Linn told me twenty times not to piss off people who held my life in their hands.
"Thanks for healing me," I murmured, giving her a thumbs-up. How did people make friends again? Asking questions, right? "Uh, if this isn't your specialty, what is?"
She scoffed, continuing her magic over my shirt.
"Treating necrotic diseases and cellular decay," she muttered. "It means I can kill you faster than putting you back together. Seems more efficient. If the monster dies, it can't hurt you."
I knew that was flawed logic—but correcting her now seemed unwise.
"Well, thanks anyway," I said. Next step: complimenting. "Your hair—was it enhanced with biomancy or natural?"
She blinked, slightly taken aback.
"I was born a biomancer, so…" she trailed off.
So that's how she did it. Hmph.
"And making your hair pretty is worth your time and effort too?" I blurted before I could stop myself.
"Oh, can you just shut up while I'm working?" she snapped. "You almost died. How could you lose so badly? You're way too young for this."
"I'm sixteen—"
"Yeah, right. Bet you haven't even started your cycle yet."
I clenched my jaw. Don't hate the biomancer. Don't hate her. At least she healed me. Five minutes later, I was ravenous but pain-free. Better than standard treatment!
"Done," she declared, rising to leave.
Fine by me. As I sat up, Remus looked down at me.
"You'll stay here during training. Anyone you need to say goodbye to?"
I nodded. He returned the gesture.
"We'll get you food. Then return within two hours—or don't return at all."
I obeyed, following him outside. He tossed me an entire loaf of bread. I ran back to the Shack, tearing off half to share with the kids, hugging each tightly before descending to the cellar.
Rowan and Linn waited below.
"Vita?" Linn asked as I jumped down. "How did it go?"
"Hunters are all bastards," I complained.
"Most people are," Rowan said slowly. "But…?"
"I got beaten and insulted from start to finish."
Linn gave a fragile smile.
"You don't look beaten!" she pointed out.
"The insults came from their biomancer," I admitted. "She's some arrogant rich girl."
I kicked the floor, scowling. Concern flickered across both their faces. But I couldn't hold it in any longer—the joy spilled over, stretching across my face in a wide grin.
"But I made it. I passed."
Their expressions shifted from despair to shock—then erupted into cheers. They rushed forward, wrapping me in a massive group hug.
"You did it! Really did it?" Linn laughed.
I nodded furiously, hugging them back. Stronger now, I could finally hold on tight.
"You little troublemaker!" Rowan teased, nuzzling me playfully. "Don't scare us like that again—you do enough of it already!"
I laughed, letting them carry me around like a child without protest.
"I love you both. I promise I'll keep my word. They want me to live there—so I won't be another mouth to feed anymore. When they pay me, I'll give it all back. More than what I owe. So stay safe, okay?"
"Stay safe? You tell us to stay safe?" Linn chuckled. "If you die out there, I'll become a necromancer myself just to drag you back and kick your ass again!"
"I won't die," I promised. "No matter what it takes, I'll survive."
"Good," she said. "That's what I wanted to hear."
But I noticed Rowan's smile dim slightly.
"Be careful, Vita," he warned. "Please. Don't push too hard."
"I'll try," I said—careful not to promise more than I could deliver.
Eventually, the celebration ended. We went upstairs, explaining to the children that I'd joined the Hunters. Cheers followed, and I hugged them all one last time. Carefully, I tucked Roscoe into my pocket. As expected, my family smiled indulgently—as if I hadn't changed much at all.
"Hey, Rowan," I asked, "what does 'necrotic disease and cellular degradation' mean? That's what she called her specialty."
He blinked.
"It sounds like she uses magical diseases to break down bodies," he explained. "Vita, you might have met someone as unsettling as yourself."
I frowned, punching his arm lightly. He laughed.
"Don't be so harsh! I guess I need to understand her better since we're on the same team. Anyway, I've got to go. I don't have much time left."
"Farewell, Vita," Linn saluted. "Go show them what you've got, kid."
"I'm not a kid," I grinned. "But I'll stick to the plan."
I stepped out, taking a deep breath, ready to return. I hadn't seen much of the Guild yet—just the courtyard where I nearly died and the corridor between. In truth, the building was grander than I imagined—two stories tall, large enough to rival noble estates. The secretary pointed me toward my assigned room. I climbed eagerly.
As expected, two others already occupied it—but the first thing that caught my eye wasn't them.
The room itself .
Three beds—actual beds, with frames and mattresses! Furniture! Desks, nightstands, chairs, real pillows—
"You going to stand there staring like an idiot?" Penelope interrupted.
One of the occupants. My room! Shared with only two others, and all of us slept on beds!
"Is… Is one of those mine?" I squeaked, pointing.
"What? Oh, for Mistwatcher's sake, yes!" she rolled her eyes. "Yours. Mine. Hers." She gestured at the figure lounging on the third bed.
"Hi," the girl said lazily, waving. She was tall—at least two feet taller than me. Her dark skin contrasted with the white cotton shirt stretched over her muscular frame. Her soul radiated warmth like Linn's, yet moved like water—fluid, yet unbreakable. Penelope's soul was larger, but both far surpassed mine.
"You must be Vita," she said, pulling me from my observations. "I'm Nora. Nice to meet you."
"Same," I replied shyly, moving to my bed—my bed! —and setting my few belongings down.
Not sure what else to say, I pulled Roscoe from my pocket and carefully tucked him beneath the blanket. A silly, warm smile spread across my face. Are you comfortable, Roscoe? I bet you are.
"See that, Nora?" Penelope sneered. "I told you she was ten."
My face burned with rage as I turned to her.
"I'm not! I'm sixteen!"
"You're holding a stuffed toy. You're a child. You don't belong here."
My hand flew to my spear.
"Don't talk about Roscoe!"
"Woah, woah, woah!" Nora leapt from her bed. Wow, she was tall . "Both of you calm down. You'll have to work together, whether you like it or not. Let's try getting along."
"She'll get us killed, Nora. She's just a brat."
"I'm not!"
"I'm a biomancer," she shot back. "And judging by your undeveloped body, you started maturing less than a week ago. You're barely five feet. Your lies are ridiculous."
"At least I didn't grow big soft breasts instead of muscles like yours," I snapped. "I was busy surviving, you privileged wench. I couldn't control when my body developed!"
"You weren't starving," she scoffed. "You're sturdy enough for your size."
"I said shut up!" Nora barked. We clamped our mouths shut. "Penelope, just trust Vita for now. Vita, just… calm down. Not every tease is a personal attack."
I nearly snapped at her too—but inhaled sharply. Right. Right. Can't piss off teammates. Especially not a biomancer.
"Fine. Sorry, Nora. Sorry, Penelope."
Penelope snorted but said nothing.
"Come on, Pen," Nora nudged. "Aren't you at least a little sorry?"
"If I had reason to apologize, I would," she retorted. "Stop trying to command me."
With that, she returned to her desk, scribbling in old books filled with symbols I couldn't read. Her space overflowed with books, inkwells, a worn feather pen—and a cage holding four unusually healthy-looking rats.
Maybe I should change the subject?
"Uh… why do you keep rats?" I asked cautiously behind her chair.
She turned, glaring.
"I like them. Got a problem?"
"I like them too," I replied—technically true.
Her lips curled into something cold.
"Oh? Good for you. I find them useful. Easy to replace. Biologically similar enough to humans to be convenient test subjects."
"Ah. That's nice."
Three of those souls pulsed nervously inside their cages. Their tiny fragments strained against death, desperate to remain whole. Poor things.
"What kind of experiments are you running? Are they really that similar to us?"
Her frown eased slightly as she returned to writing. Disappointed? Did she expect to frighten me?
"Research," she muttered. "Contributing to the foundation of human knowledge. Now stop asking stupid questions and let me work."
"Okay. Sorry."
I flopped onto my new bed. Soft. So soft. Even Linn and Rowan didn't have this luxury. Guilt crept in—how much had they sacrificed for this?
"Met the boys yet, Vita?" Nora asked.
"Boys?"
"The other two members of our team. They're next door." She pointed at the wall. "Want me to introduce you?"
Instantly, I reached beyond the wall, sensing the two souls within. One burned red and fierce, spinning endlessly. The other was small—smaller than mine—cool and deep blue, like still water.
"They're two people," I confirmed. "One energetic. One quiet?"
Nora blinked.
"Wow. Yeah, that's them. You already know them?"
I shook my head, smiling faintly. Partially guessing—but clearly, souls carried meaning beyond sight.
"I am the scout," I declared proudly. "I feel them through walls. I may not be as strong as you two, but I guarantee no one sneaks up on us."
"Huh," Nora mused. "Useful. Never heard of someone sensing personality before."
Oh no. Was that too revealing?
"I'm not sure I… fully understand it either," I admitted. "Each soul just feels different."
Nora shrugged.
"Gifts are weird like that. Come on."
Thankfully, she led me out quickly. I raised an eyebrow as she walked barefoot.
"Aren't you going to put on pants?" I asked bluntly.
"Why?" She smirked. "This counts as full gear. Besides, I like watching men squirm with jealousy."
She struck a pose, flexing. I giggled despite myself. Maybe that was a valid outlook. Before, I was a half-starved, shirtless waif—unimpressive and pitiable. But maybe that would change soon.
We knocked on the boys' door.
"Put on pants. Meet the last member!" Nora shouted.
Apparently, dress code didn't apply to men. After a brief shuffle, a wiry, dark-skinned youth with silver-white hair answered.
"How do you know we weren't—" He stopped mid-sentence, staring at Nora's legs. "Yeah. Sure. Come in."
Nora strolled in. He opened the door wider. But I focused on the second soul—eagerly searching until a broad-shouldered man scooped me into a bear hug.
"HA-HA! You must be Vita!" He spun me around.
"Pl-please put me down!" I yelped, my body tensing in fight-or-flight panic. Was this normal?
"Sorry, sorry!" He set me down gently, patting my head. Patting. "You're just so tiny! I couldn't help it!"
My face flushed red. I glared up at him—but his cheerful grin disarmed me.
"I'm Bentley!" He announced proudly. "That's Orville."
Bentley stood tall and broad, though not quite reaching Nora's height. His short golden beard matched his ever-present smile—his muscles rivaling hers.
"Glad to meet you both," he continued, happy to fill the conversation alone. "I handle melee. Orville's ranged support. That's a spear? Are you also melee?"
"I manage well enough," I said. "But mainly, I'm the scout. I can detect enemies from far away."
"OH! Perfect!" He slapped my back—hurting me slightly. "I'll count on you watching my back then, Vita!"
"Er… sure. Count on me to watch the front, too."
"Haha! You won't regret it! Me and Nora got you covered!"
"Sure, whatever," Nora winked. "She's tougher than I was at your age."
"Speak for yourself," Orville muttered from his desk, nose buried in a book. "You two go ahead and brawl. Just not in the dormitory."
"So… what roles do you all have? Any special abilities or magic? I know Penelope is a biomancer, but what about the rest of you?"
Bentley grinned.
"I've got courage, determination, and a big axe. So far, that's been enough."
That sounded odd. I sensed something deeper—but he didn't seem to realize it himself. Like Linn's passive gift. Maybe he didn't know what he truly was.
"I use aeromancy," Orville answered without looking up. "Enhance archery, mostly. Still learning. I'm no expert—but apparently, Remus thinks I'm good enough."
I nodded.
"That's cool. Someone important to me learned naturally, too. What kind of magic?"
He glanced up, studying me more closely.
"Wind magic. Boosts my arrows and such. I'm not a master, but close enough."
I nodded again, turning to Nora.
"Try stabbing me," she said suddenly.
"What?"
"With your spear. Stab me with all your strength."
Frowning, I obeyed. The tip struck her cotton shirt with a dull clang—as if hitting stone.
"Seems I don't need armor, huh?" She grinned.
"Or a warning label," I muttered.
"Not bad, huh?" Bentley chuckled.
I nodded, dazed.
"She's stronger than everyone else here."
"Hear that, Bents? " Nora teased. "Even the runt gets it. "
"Only fair, " Bentley shrugged. "You did knock me around pretty hard. "
"She knocks me around too, " Orville added quietly.
"True, " Nora agreed. "She doesn't respect anyone. "
"Understandable, " I frowned. "She's far stronger than the rest of you. "
"Hey! That's a blow to my ego!" Bentley protested.
I shrugged. Truth was truth.
"Bentley, you're second strongest after her. Though Penelope seems closer to Remus than you."
"What—hey! Nora gasped. You think Bentley's second best? "
"You did just say she beats you constantly, " I reminded her.
"He's got a point, " Bentley laughed. "Nora's basically invincible in full armor. But yeah, I think she has a weakness. "
"Penelope, " Nora finished. "No armor stops biomancy. She sees through flesh like glass. Who dares defy someone who can rot your eyes in their sockets at a glance? "
I wished I could inspire that kind of fear.
"...Thanks, guys."
"No problem, Vit," Nora patted my shoulder. "First-day fights with Pene aren't rare. We've got your back."
I smiled, nodding.
"When do we start hunting? Have you gone after monsters before?"
"Eh, not yet," Nora said. "Most of our training was Remus beating us senseless. Except Penelope."
Wait, not even Remus could touch her? That's unfair!
"Not so bad," Bentley shrugged. "I'm stronger now than before. Remus is a great trainer."
I considered.
"He didn't break my bones. Must've held back."
Bentley laughed. Confusingly.
"Guess our team's complete now," Orville noted. "Just needed someone with unique skills like Vita."
Huh. For once, luck was on my side. No wonder Remus accepted me—he needed the final piece.
I couldn't think of more questions. Didn't know what else to say. Not tired. Not hungry. Couldn't help Rowan…
Wait. Wait, I was hungry. Just not desperately so. Needed time to adjust.
"...Got any food around here?" I asked.
"Of course!" Bentley beamed. "Tastes great. Want me to show you the mess hall?"
I nodded eagerly. Bentley led me downstairs. Our new friends awaited.
The scent hit me immediately—stew, fresh bread, vegetables, fruit. Real food.
"Here we are, Vita!" Bentley said. "Eat as much as you want!"
I froze. Did he just say…
"What?"
"Eat as much as you want," he repeated. "Just don't stuff yourself. Gotta stay ready in case Remus decides to test us."
I swallowed hard. Half-expecting a trick.
"...Really? I can eat as much as I want?"
"Yep!" He grinned. "And yeah, you can take some back to your room. Probably no rule against it."
"Or… to other places?"
"Should be fine, I guess?"
I didn't answer. I bolted from the hall, arms full of food.
I had debts to repay.