FicWad

Cassandra awoke to a sharp headache and the smell of lavender. She slowly opened her eyes, the sudden light making her brain throb. The pain subsided after a while as she opened her eyes more. She first noticed that she was on a bed, but not her own. She then noticed a warm pressure on her hand, and heard a soft whisper coming from her midsection. Her muscles were a bit sore, so she just swiveled her eyes to look down at her hand.

"Hey shorty," Isaac said a bit louder now, Cassandra's hand in his as he leaned against her bed, "you probably can't hear me, but... could you please just wake up already? I must've said sorry about a million times already, but if you're mad at me..."

"I'm not mad, just a little annoyed," Isaac gasped and turned to meet her now open eyes, "Did you really have to call me short?" He wrapped his arms around her and pushed his face into the side of her neck, his unshaven face scratching her bare skin. Her lips curled into a smile as she returned the hug. She noticed his normally unkempt hair was even more messy than usual, and his scent of ash had been tainted with sweat. He must've been here a while, her smile faded slightly. The embrace lasted a while, until Isaac finally pulled away. "How long was I out?" She asked.

He passed a hand over his tired looking face, "About 2, maybe 3 weeks." 3 weeks?! What happened...Aiden! That asshole! "You woke up a few times, but every time you did, you would scream and spasm until they knocked you out again." He let his hands fall to his lap and looked her in the eyes, "What happened after I passed out? Aiden said you were awake after I got attacked."

"Aiden was here? Where is he now?"

She noticed that his face softened slightly, "He was here about a week ago to check on us. Don't know where he is now, but he left you a little gift." He gestured towards her head. She reached up and grabbed the familiar object that was resting on her head. Well, that's where the lavender came from, she thought, observing the white caraveener's cap, "I put it back on you after your last episode," he reached into his pocket and retrieved a piece of parchment, "He also left you a note."

Cassandra opened the sealed note and read it aloud, "My dear Cassandra, It seems that you would like some answers. I would like my hat back. Meet me at this address when you are well again, and bring Isaac. Yours truly, A.W."

"My dear? I thought it was Ms. Everly?" Suddenly, he squished his hands against his face and gasped with a look of mock surprise, leaning back in his chair, "I knew it. You slept with him! You Zinogre you!"

"What the hell, Isaac!" She took a deep breath and grabbed the bridge of her nose, "How can so much stupid fit in one person? How would I even have the time while we were being attacked by a monster?"

He shrugged, "Monster threesome?"

They looked at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. After many snorts from Cassandra and several tear wipes on Isaac's side, his gaze returned to her, his signature grin subsiding slightly. "So, mental image of that aside, what did happen while I was out?"

"With or without the lewd details?"

"Especially with the lewd details." She giggled a little, and then her expression darkened.

"Look, Isaac. What happened then...may be a little hard to believe, but all of it is true, I swear!"

"Now it's starting to sound like you actually had a monster threesome..."

"Isaac this is serious."

"I know, I know. Just...start from the top, I guess, 'kay?"

"Ok. So, after you got knock out..."

After Cassandra finished her story, there was silence in the infirmary room. Cassandra stared at her hands, waiting for a response from Isaac. "Cass." he said, breaking the silence and snapping her out of her reverie.

"Yea?"

"Are you sure...that you saw everything that you just told me? You weren't hallucinating from the poison, and it wasn't a dream? You're totally sure?" His voice was gentle but demanding.

"Isaac, you got to bel..."

"That's not what I asked, Cassy."

She looked him straight in the eyes, "Isaac, I know I saw this. I wouldn't have told you about it if I wasn't 100% sure." Her breath hitched in anticipation. Please, just believe me, Isaac!

It was silent again for a while.

"Ok." he said, his face expressionless as he looked back at her.

"Ok?"

"Ok. I'll go get your doctor, and when you're ready to be discharged, we'll go to Aiden." A familiar grin spread across his face, "I want to know how he did that magic wind thing. Bet it was awesome!"

Cassandra was all too happy to hug him again, tighter than last time. "Not so hard, my ribs still a little tender." He winced a little, but returned the hug all the same, "What, you thought I wouldn't believe you, tiny?"

"No, it's not that," she said, her grin slowly turning into a frown, "It's just...thanks. For staying here...with me. I know how much you hate hospitals."

His breath hitched, and she could feel his heartbeat a little faster than before and his muscles tense against her. She lowered her arms below his ribs and squeezed lightly, pressing her chin against his shoulder. He tilted his head to rest against hers, "Remember that promise we made, before we left Kakar?"

"Mmm-hmm," she hummed, content in his embrace.

"Then don't thank me for staying. You know I don't break promises." They loosened the hug, but still kept close to one another. When one was sad, or hurting, or remembering, the other would be there to make each other alright again. Even before they left their home town of Kakar, our two hunters have been like family. When Isaac's mom grew sick, Cassandra was there, and when Cassandra's family grew rich and payed little to no attention to her, Isaac was jumping over the wall to play. That's how it's worked for as long as they could remember. When they left that life behind, they made a promise. "No matter what, no one's going to be alone." Even when Isaac went to Harth for his lessons, they made sure to keep in touch in any way they could. As long as they had each other, they were never really alone.

"Ok, kiddo, let's get outta here to go see the magical lizard man!" Isaac exclaimed enthusiastically, inciting a giggle from the other hunter. As he stood up, he took a whiff of the air around them, and his nose scrunched up to his face. "First, though," he said, sniffing the air by her head, "you really need a shower."

She sniffed the air too, around herself and then around him. "Aw man, so do you!" she exclaimed, playfully gagging at the scent as they both giggled.

"You're such an idiot, dude." Cassandra said bluntly as they approached the small, mud brick house in the outskirts of Val Habar.

"Just hear me out Cassy. Isaac Mechanos, Grand-master wizard! It really rolls off the tongue."

"Why would anyone teach you magic? The first thing you'd do with it is abuse it!"

"If creating a self-sustaining fire tornado is abuse, then frankly this is not a world I want to live in."

"I really don't think you're taking anything that's happening seriously." She eyed the house a few meters in front of them. It was much more...simple than Cassandra was expecting. It was just bigger than a hunter's apartment, and the outside was unpainted, leaving a small brown dome of a cottage that gave off a very rustic and charming vibe.

"I happen to take magic very seriously, muggle."

"Is...is that...is that like, from something?"

"Don't worry about it." Isaac reached the door first, and grabbed the dragon ring shaped knocker, letting it fall 3 times against the door.

Cassandra heard shuffling behind the door, and what she thought was a weak snort. "You two can come in. The door is unlocked." said a familiar voice.

"How does he know it's us?" She whispered to Isaac as he pushed the door open.

"Maybe he doesn't get many visi...woah!" he exclaimed in surprise as a white blur flew out of the open doorway and tackled him to the ground.

"Isaac! Are you...is that a Poogie?" She asked, looking down at the little, chubby, snow-white mass wriggling and squealing on Isaac's stomach.

"Why does everything always hit me?" he asked, sitting up while the Poogie danced on his lap.

"Here, Blanco!" The Poogie turned it's attention to the door and took off running, snorting excitedly to it's master. "Excited, hm?" Aiden asked, picking the piglet up and into his arms. "Are you alright, Isaac?"

Cassandra grabbed the other hunters hand and pulled him up onto his feet, "You don't hoof to worry about me, man. I'm bacon my feet." he said with a sly grin, pointing two finger pistols at Aiden, who grinned in response.

"...That was terrible, dude." Cassandra looked Aiden up and down. He had his hair tied back into a ponytail, and he wore a flour splattered apron with the words "the other white meat" bordered with two angel wings sewed into the center of it, with Blanco wriggling around in his arms and oinking with delight. Is this really the same guy from that night?, she thought as they entered the house. A wonderful scent was wafting from the kitchen to the left of the entrance, and as Cassandra looked around, she noticed that all the walls were painted with different colors and designs, as were the couch and chairs in the room in front of them.

"Nice place ya got here, White." Isaac said, taking in the scenery, "Very...colorful."

"Thank you, my friend. I enjoy a more...monochromatic view myself, but I let Lucy design the place when we moved in."

"Lucy?" Cassandra asked.

"My little sister. Well, my adopted little sister, but I treat her like my blood. I'd introduce you to her, But I believe that she's asleep right now."

"I didn't know you had a sister." How could we not know? He's the most famous hunter in the world!

"My master and I have done a pretty good job keeping her a secret, so that the media won't confront her while we're out hunting."

"Makes sense."

"Sorry about the mess," Aiden said, gesturing towards the kitchen as he led the two into what appeared to be the living room, "I was making pie and I didn't expect you two so soon."

Isaac let out a little chuckle, "Oh dude, this is nothing! You should see our place most of the time."

"Ah," Aiden said with a knowing look, "so you two live together?"

Cassandra felt her face turn its signature shade of embarrassment scarlet,"I-It's not l-l-like that! And, that's none of your business!"

"Speaking of business, my dear, I believe you have something of mine?" he asked, his look now more serious.

Oh, right. The hat! She started to rummage through her hunter's bag. Where is it?

"I got it, pipsqueak." Isaac pulled the neatly folded hat out of his pouch and handed it to the other hunter, who dusted it off and placed it back on his head with a sincere grin, "So, you gotcha hat back. Now, what's going on, White?"

"Oh, right. I promised you answers, did I not?" he sighed as he set the Poogie down on the floor, "Cassandra." he said, looking her up and down critically.

"Y-yeah?" she felt his silver eyes burn into her, sending a chill up her spine.

"You look like a strong one. Hit me."

"What?!" the two hunters exclaimed, completely taken aback. H-hit you?

"As the old adage goes, "I won't believe it until I see it.", and even though I truly don't care whether or not you believe my story, I think this demonstration will add to the seriousness. Besides, I believe you told me that you were going to, and I quote, "kick my ass". Well, I would call this a golden opportunity."

Isaac got up from the couch the two were sitting on and stood between Aiden and Cassandra, "Look. As much as I'm cool with whatever weird fetishes you may have, I don't think this is neces..."

"I'll do it." she said, pushing past Isaac to stand in front of the white hunter.

"Cassy?" Isaac asked with a look of confusion, while the shorter hunter turned towards him and gave him a look that said "I got this."

"Splendid! Now then, my dear, don't hold off on me. Give me your best shot." he grinned, his eyes full of mirth. It reminded her of the Nargacuga's look, a hunter toying with it's prey, and she felt a familiar rush of hot anger flow through her.

"Don't worry." she spat as she reeled back her arm, feeling her muscles tense and contract, "I will." She sent her fist flying, and it slammed with a loud slap against his cheek. Even Isaac winced at the sound.

...He didn't even budge an inch! She slowly pulled her hand back to her side, revealing a patch of white shiny scales on his cheek where she had struck. "...You're really not human, are you?"

He tilted his head slightly to the side and grinned wide, showing off a set of impossibly sharp looking canines. He chuckled softly, fangs still exposed, chilling the air and sending lightning bolts of fear through both hunters. "Not quite, my dear." His eyes glowed with a light of their own, freezing Cassandra to the spot like a Kelbi in headlights.

His grin lowered slightly, "But you, Cassandra. You are also an odd case, hm?"

"What?" she asked weakly as he took a step towards her.

"Do you really think a normal human could put that much force into a punch?" he put a hand to his jaw and rubbed it slightly, "Any normal person would have at least broken their jaw from that. In fact, that probably would have killed them."

"Well, t-that's..."

"Look at your hand, Cassandra." he darted his hand to her wrist and pulled it up to the light before she could resist his grip, "It did not even bruise the knuckles. Like a living hammer." She ripped her hand away from his grip and took a step back. What the fuck is happening? I've always just been strong...right? She thought back through her life. Scenes, things she had committed to memory but never thought back to, came to her in rapid succession. "Cassandra, ladies don't fight!", "How could you hurt your own mother?!", "I can beat anyone at arm wrestling!", "How can you lift such a big hammer?", "You can't be that strong!", "Wow, you're so strong!", "So strong!", "Strong". Strong. The reality of it all hit her like a punch in the gut.

"Still don't believe it? Then what about the roar you used against the Nargacuga?"

"Huh?" What roar? What's he talking about?

"When that monster was about to pounce, I heard it. A scream with the power to stop death. That your first roar, was it not?"

Before it pounced... She remembered her words, screamed in pure anger and opposition. His grin turned maniacal and his eyes crazy with mirth. "Don't you see? You're as much of a monster as I am!"

Isaac took a step between the two, a stern look on his face. "Aiden, that's eno...". Before he had a chance to retaliate, Aiden grabbed his right hand and held it up like he did Cassandra's.

"How did you get this scar, Isaac?" he asked, gesturing toward the thin neat scar running across Isaacs open palm.

He pulled his hand away with a look of anger, "What the fuck is it to you?"

"Do you not know? Because I do." he turned to look Isaac in the eyes, that wild look returning to his face, "When that Nargacuga shot it's spike at you. You caught it, didn't you?"

Isaac seemed taken aback by this, "What do you mean? That spike must've been going..."

"As fast as a bullet from a rifle. In barely a foot of visibility, you with unaided eyes somehow saw a spike traveling at twice the speed of sound coming at you, and you reacted in that small shred of time, and tried to catch it. You didn't have the strength to stop it, though, so it still struck your chest. That's besides the point, however. Strength is not your power, correct? No, you have eyes like living sniper scopes, and reflexes faster than a bullet."

There was silence throughout the small abode for a moment. "...So, what? Are we not human or something? Is that what you're trying to say?" Cassandra spoke up from her stupor. She was deep in thought, trying to comprehend her lack of normalcy.

"I never said you weren't human, my dear. I'm merely saying that you are not quite human, like me, yet not."

"Cuz none of that is confusing." Isaac said sarcastically, slumping back onto the couch, "Welp, White, this is officially the longest game of "What am I" I have ever played." he chuckled nervously at his joke while running a hand through his hair, "If...If we're not quite human, then there must be some in us that makes us more, right?"

"You wouldn't believe how correct you are, my friend." Aiden turned away from the two hunters and walked over to a drawer, opening it slowly, "Tell me, what do you know of the history of our world?"

"History?" Cassandra asked, confused by the seemingly random question, "W-well, most of the world's history past the creation of Kokoto Village was only recorded through stories. The rest was written down in books that are restricted for civilians to read."

"Have you ever wondered why that is?" he asked, reaching into the drawer and removing a small, black book.

"Let me guess," Isaac said, leaning forward on the couch, "The information is too dangerous for the public? I've always assumed that was the case anyway."

Aidan pulled up a chair and sat in front of the two, holding up the book for them to see. The book looked to be bound in a grey tanned leather, with the guild symbol in crimson emblazoned on the front. "If you wish to speak about dangerous, I can say this without a shred of doubt. This," he gestured at the book, a look of absolute seriousness on his face, "Is the most dangerous book on the planet." Seeing the looks of confusion and wonder on his fellow hunters' faces, he continued, "This book, the God Killer's guide, not only tells the stories of the first era and the god hunters, it also discloses the locations of the last libraries of man. It contains all of the guild's best kept secrets."

"Why show it to us then?" Cassandra asked, trying to take in this flood of information.

"Who could you tell that would believe you, without seeing what I have shown you?"

"Got a point there," Isaac said, "What do you mean by "first era"?"

"The first era was the time of man's downfall, before there were elder dragons, and long before there were monsters."

"Before monsters?"

"Allow me," Aiden started, opening the book in front of him, "to read to you the story of the rise and fall of the first era."

He took a deep breath, and began the tale slowly.

Long ago, when the world was still young, the first being, Nature, came into existence. With no body of it's own, it had to choose a vessel from the trillions of potential planets throughout the universe. After a millennia of searching, Nature came across a planet that caught it's attention. It wasn't too big, it wasn't too small. It was warmed by it's star, yet cooled by shadow. It had water, and air. It had fire and magma, yet there was earth to stand upon. Nature had finally found a vessel it deemed worthy. For the first time in the history of it's existence, it knew happiness. Nature's happiness spread throughout the planet, giving birth to life itself. This happiness lasted for hundreds of thousands of years, though at times this happiness had its lulls, such as during the 5 great extinctions.

Of all of life's creations, Nature loved humans the most. They were the most intelligent and promising creatures, beings Nature could relate to. Nature loved humanity like it was it's children, and humanity, in the beginning, loved Nature like a parent. It took from Nature only what it needed, and gave back more than it took. But eventually, humanity forgot about Nature, and cared only for itself. Humans began to take more than they needed, and give nothing back in return. Like a parent with a spoiled child, Nature allowed humanity to do what it pleased. And humanity took every opportunity to do just that. Humans formed great civilizations and religions, and divide the world amongst themselves, leaving little room for other of life's many forms. They formed the earth to their liking, and twisted the elements of Nature to suit their needs. They bottled lightning to light up the night, they boiled water to make steam to power great machines, they drilled into earth in search for liquid fire. Nature grew to resent humans for their transgressions, yet it's love overpowered it's hate. It bottled it's anger inside, careful not to let it spread into the planet. It's anger at humanity grew and grew, and the humans took more and more, killing and drilling and burning and...

Finally, Nature couldn't keep it's anger bottled any longer. The last killing invention of man, the pure fusion bomb, destroyed the last of Nature's hope for humanity. It let it's unfathomable anger flow into the earth, as it had it's happiness. As it's happiness gave birth to life, it's anger gave birth to the elder dragons. These beings, born of hatred and anger, possessed an intelligence unlike any ever seen before. A hive mind focused on destroying man and it's evil technology. They used the powers of nature to scorch humanity's crops, poison their water, and grind their cities to dust. They took the animals of the world and infused them with their blood, giving birth to the mutant creatures we now call monsters. Man, with all of it's tools for killing, were no match for this new threat. It seemed as though humanity, like other great species before it, would too go extinct.

Nature, having released itself of it's great anger, felt only guilt for putting its favorite children to death. So, Nature came to the last of the humans in the form of a man and revealed to them a way to defeat the monsters. The monsters and the elder dragons, Nature said, were born of me, as all of you were. So, by taking the blood and armor from these creature, you could obtain my divine powers and become the hunters of those who hunt you. So, the last of humanity's scientists came together and, with the help of nature, obtained the dead bodies of several different species of monster. Using the technology they had available, these great minds successfully synthesised a breed of human, born of the blood of gods and cloaked in the scales of devils, that could fight back against the monsters, the monster hunters. With their great powers, they thinned the armies of the elder dragons and paved the way for the second era of man, an era that would never forget the kindness of Nature.

"If all of that is true," Isaac interrupted, causing Aiden to look up from the God Killer's guide, "Then where did the Troverians and Wyverians come from?"

"They were...accidents. From the first hunter experiments. Some of the blood was tainted with venom or other impurities, which caused unwanted mutations in the gene pool. Nature wanted humans to respect all life, no matter where it came from, so early man nurtured these mutants to grow and become what they are today."

"Damn, that story answers a lot, doesn't it?" Isaac asked, trying to find anyway not to believe what he's heard.

"Not everything, though." Cassandra spoke up at last, looking up from her hands, "You said what we are. People with monster blood and all that. What makes you different from us, though?"

"That," Aiden said, turning deeper into the book, "Is another story entirely. Shall I continue?" The other hunters nodded and with a deep breath, he began anew.

The elder dragons, knowing they were no match for the humans now that Nature guided them, came up with a new plan. The only way to get to the humans was through Nature, so they would have to kill Nature itself. They receded far away from the humans, giving them a false sense of security, as they worked on their plan to destroy Nature. They experimented, mutating flesh and bone, blood and bile. They toiled to create the perfect living weapon. Then, finally, two eggs were made, each containing the perfect mix of the 2 sects of elder dragon, white and black. The black egg grew into the great black dragon, the Gore Hai-Han, or Devil King, and the white egg became the great white dragon, the Shagaru Hai-Han, or God King. These dragons were engineered to be virtually indestructible, each with the ability to destroy the entire world, and reshape it as they seem fit. They were unleashed at once, in an event known as the Hallowed Eclipse. The Shagaru Hai-Han covered the sun, and Gore Hai-Han, the moon, and once again humanity had to hide from something more than it could handle.

And again, they had to turn to their creator for guidance. Only blood and scale, Nature decreed, will lead your people to freedom. So, I shall lead you to the blood you seek. But, Nature warned, the children born of the blood of the two kings will bear the burden that power always brings. If they are allowed to abuse their power, it will consume them. They will be no better than the beasts that they were sent to kill. With this warning behind them, the humans, led by Nature, tracked the kings to a cave where they were nesting, and waited. Nature tricked the two into fighting each other, and after the scuffle, the humans were able to obtain a vial of blood and a scale from each dragon. From there, they were able to produce two living embryos containing the blood of the two kings. The embryos were raised as great warriors, with powers greater than anything humanity had ever seen. When they reached manhood, they each received weapons made from the scales of the monsters that birthed them. But, they found that their weapons were incomplete. They simply weren't strong enough to face the kings, let alone handle the powers of their wielders. The weapons must be completed as their fathers were, Nature advised, they must drink the blood that gave the kings their power. So, the two hunters, white and black, set out to defeat the elder dragons, and then the kings.

However, they found that even with their great power, they were no match for the gods alone. They needed help from other hunters. However, normal hunters didn't have the power to help. So, with help from Nature, the humans created the Awakening, a process that can heighten the monster blood content of a normal hunter, creating a new breed of monster hunter. Warriors fit to kill gods. The first to volunteer for the Awakening were friends of the black and white hunters, ready to give up their lives to save humanity and their friends. So, using the swords Godslayer and Devilslayer, and with the help of the God hunters, the black and white hunters quenched the thirst of their blades, gained the great powers of nature, and fought the kings. It was a great battle, but in the end, the hunters defeated the dragons. But, they could not die. Instead, they turned to stone until they regained strength. As for the black and white hunter, only the black hunter survived the fight. Now, the kings sleep, waiting for the time when their powers are ready.

"So then...you must be..." Cassandra started after a long stretch of silence.

"The white hunter, the third one in fact. My master was...is the third black hunter."

"That technique I saw you do with your sword, with the wind. That was a power of Nature, right?"

"Oe Khai. Scale rot. The first power of Godslayer. I received it after hunting the first strain Kushala Daora."

"All you have to do is kill a few elder dragons to get all the powers, right? That doesn't sound too hard, I've hunted a few lesser elder dragons on my own before." Isaac observed, sitting up straighter on the couch.

"The elder dragons that the guild allows normal hunters to fight are just the infants of the ones I need. Their blood isn't pure enough until their parents die, as are the conditions of God hunting. The elder dragons I am searching for are at least several hundred years old."

"That's what first strain means, right?"

"Right. The first strain are the direct descendants of the first elder dragons. Their blood is what will give my weapon it's power."

"Why would the guild want to hide this information? Shouldn't this be important info for hunters to know when they set out?"

"In the past, the guild has tried to reveal this information to the public twice. The first time as during the first years of Dundorma. Do you know what they did with this information?" After both hunters shook their heads, he continued with downcast eyes, "They built a great wall surrounding their city, and then had everyone with monster blood, man woman and child, publically executed."

"What?! Why?" Isaac exclaimed, taken aback.

"They wanted only pure humans in their society, to completely wipe out all traces of monster in the bloodline. The great wall was meant to protect their city from the monsters that remained, but it led to their destruction. Without the presence of a hunter, the monsters were no longer afraid to attack the city at will. That was the first mass killing after the first fall of the kings. It was named the Dundorma massacre."

"What about the second time they revealed the information?"

"That was to an old city similar to Dundorma, named Shirak. With the information found within the guide, they resurrected the healing technology of the first era. They had machines that could find and cure diseases, synthesize vaccines, and help the disabled regain their lost senses. Shirak gained the title "the city of life". The people didn't realize, however, that the monsters, since they were born of a hatred of technology, were attracted to any source of advancing technology. They had no chance of surviving the wave of beasts that came. The town was abandoned, and renamed "the city of death". On its ruins, the village of Kakar was constructed, to hide the secrets of healing from the world."

"Wait, Kakar? We're from there!" Cassandra revealed excitedly, looking over to Isaac. Her excitement died down quickly when she saw the dark look that Isaac had, "Isaac?"

"That blueprint I found...it was real, wasn't it?" he said at almost a whisper, shaking a little at his own words, "I gave up, so easily..."

"What are you talking about, dude?"

"When I was a kid, when your dad put up the wall, Cassy, I was playing by myself near the woods. I was running, and I tripped over something shiny. It was a safe, a weird looking one with a pad and rubbery buttons on the side. I guessed it was old, because when I tried to open the door, it popped open without any effort. Inside, I found a bag with blueprints in it, for a machine called an MRI. That's where the electromagnetic resonator came from, Cass."

"Why'd you want to build one in the first place?"

"The blueprints also came with a booklet. It said that the machine could see inside skulls and diagnose people. If I made one, I thought that the doctors could finally figure out what's wrong with my mom."

"That's not wrong, Isaac." Aiden spoke up, causing the other hunters to turn their gaze to the white hunter, "The first era had many cures and medical machines. If a machine like the MRI were to be made, I'm sure it would be able help someone with a brain problem."

"I-Isaac, I'm so sorry! I had no idea that thing was supposed to help your mom! I wouldn't have had Fang..."

"I told you not to worry about it, didn't I? I built it wrong anyway, it's not supposed to react to iron like that. I just didn't kn..." Suddenly, Isaac's face lit up, and he jumped up from the couch to face Aiden, "Hey, White! Are there any more of those guides out there?"

For the first time since she had met him, Aiden's face took on a look of confusion, "W-Well, yes. The guild has several copies of the God Killers guide. They don't just give it out to anyone, though."

"What do I have to do to get the book?"

"Isaac, what..."

"The guild only issues the guide to hunters that have undergone the Awakening."

Isaac slapped his hands together in excitement and his eyes took on that glint of determination that Cassandra knew well on him. "Great! It's a deal, then!"

"Huh?" Cassandra and Aiden asked in unison, equally confused.

"You're gonna get me awakened." Isaac said matter-of-factly.

"Y-you can't be serious!" Aiden exclaimed, getting up from his own seat, "Do you have any idea what that does to you?"

"Don't care, want the book," he announced with a grin, "Besides, you said that the first white hunter guy had friends to help him, right? If you help me get the book, I'll help you fight those dragons you've been going on about. Simple!"

"You can't be that stupid, Isaac! What if you die, or what if it changes you too much?!" Cassandra asked hysterically.

Yet Isaac's face still held it's determined expression. "Whether I die then or later, if Aiden can't do it alone, we're all dead anyway. If I get that book, I could find those libraries from the first era, right? I could find books on how their machines work. I could save my mom!"

"What if your mother no longer recognizes you when you save her?" Aiden asked with a stern tone.

"My mother sees me now as a five year old boy who's dead dad is working on a treehouse in the backyard. As long as she's healthy, I don't care who she thinks I am."

"And what if I don't need your help?"

"I know for a fact you do." Aiden raised his brow to this, so he continued, "According to the Hunters Herald, you've been inactive for 5 months, right? You said you had to fight that Kushala Daora earlier. I think you've been doing nothing for 5 months because you got hurt from the fight, and couldn't move around too much. Am I right?"

"...Quite perceptive, you are. Yes, I was injured. But, what makes you think I want your help?" Aiden asked with a drop of venom in his words. Before Isaac could answer however, a scream shook the house at it's core, and Aiden's face took on that of horror, "Lucy!"

Before the others could react, he had already sprinted down the corridor into a small room where the origin of the scream resided. Seeing the distress on his face, the two followed Aiden to the room. When they arrived, they saw Aiden sitting on a small bed holding what appeared to be a crying girl. She looked about as tall as Cassandra, but much paler and thinner. She had long, dirty blonde hair that flowed down her back like a sheet, with a few strands plastered on her face from her tears. She wore a white dressing gown stained with dots of dark water spots.

"Lucy, it's ok. I'm right here." Aiden whispered, stroking the back of her head as she sobbed into his chest.

"I-I saw...I saw it again, Aiden! You...you died again!" she cried, choking back her sobs.

"I'm ok, my dear. It's not real, I promise."

"Let them help, Aiden, please let them."

"Let who help?"

She turned away from him, and pointed to Isaac and Cassandra, "Let them help, Aiden."

"You don't even know..."

"I know they're good people Aiden! I don't...you can't do it alone! You can't...you can't die, Aiden!"

"I won't, Lucy. I promise." the sobbing died down, and he slowly lowered the girl back onto her pillow.

"Please don't go alone." she said weakly as he pulled the covers back up to her chin.

"I promise I won't," he bent down and kissed her forehead as her eyes began to waver.

"Please..." she whispered as she drifted back into sleep. Aiden got up and walked to the other hunters, who were standing at the doorway.

"...Fine." Aiden said with a sigh.

"Fine?"

"Yes, yes, fine! I'll get you awakened!"

A burst of happiness spread across Isaac's face as he grabbed Aiden by the shoulders, "You won't regret this, I promise!"

"I had better not," he turned to look back at the sleeping girl, "For her sake..."

Finally, Cassandra, who had been deep in thought for the time, spoke up, "Aiden. If he's going to change, I want to do it too!"

"Cassy?! You don't..."

"Isaac, your mom is basically the only mom I have. I want to help her as much as you do." she said, adamant with her decision. "Besides," she said with a grin, "who's gonna stop you from making self sustaining fire tornadoes if I'm not there?". Isaac grinned in return, and they both turned back to the white hunter.

"A friend of mine is coming within the week to discuss my plans. She will be the one awakening you both," he looked down at a small pad of paper and then back at the two hunters. "In the meantime, I suggest you go see your loved ones before the procedure. Only tell them that you will be going through some changes and nothing else, understood?"

"Right!" the friends said in unison, walking towards the front door.

"Be seeing you," Isaac said as they exited the abode, "Partner!"

What have I gotten myself into? Aiden thought to himself as he took his pie off the windowsill where it was cooling.

Update: Just made a blog on tumblr for this series! blackandwhitehunter on tumblr! If you want to ask me a question about the series, gets some sneak peeks on upcoming chapters, or maybe see and/or show off some fan art of the series, come check it out!