An encounter...

I waited for the beating to stop before slowly approaching the door to open. I opened it at once and stepped back. No body. I took a hold of my weapon and walked outside. There was no one, I looked in every direction but it was in vain. By this time I was really tired of getting targeted in such a pitiful manner.

"Why don't you show yourself? If I am already marked by you what's the delay for? I am alone right now, you might never get this chance again. Show Yourself." I shouted.

Still no one. I was about to get inside when I saw a shadow from the corner of my eyes. On the far side of the shore, by the huge rocks there was something sitting and looking at me. I was sure it was looking at me, I could sense menace in its gaze. I really wanted to head it's way but I wasn't prepared to fight something I knew nothing about. I walked in and locked the door, strengthened the protection around my walls.

Did it intently show itself after I said that I was alone? That could be it, why else would it wait until now to unveil itself. I sat for some time wondering about every possibility, but it felt meaningless. I cannot get answers by just sitting here, it would be better if I started looking into the matter without wasting any time waiting for a companion. It had to be now.

I picked my knife and hid it inside my knee high boots, the twin daggers under my arms, I rechecked my gear and headed out wishing the shadow was still there. But it wasn't. I looked around and it was nowhere. I regretted taking so much time to make up my mind, I lost an important lead. I decided to trace if I could find it again and with this I started towards the direction where I'd seen it last.

I was pacing up when a hand on my shoulder stopped me, I slightly turned my head to see who it could be and it was no surprise that he's here at last.

"Where are headed to at this time of the night?"

"Is it not clear? To kill you, obviously." I said furiously. Why now of all times had him to be here. Had not he been here I would've tracked down that creature but now I cannot. I hated how he was always on time but never at right time.

"Hah! You know better than that, Serpent! Tell me what's got you all geared up, who wants his death so much?" He asked me. His words and face did not compliment each other at all. He wasn't at all amused and neither was I. I told him about the shadow I saw. I also confessed that I could have been following it had he not intervened. He was relieved he did.

"Do not do that." He held my arm and took me back inside my house. "Do not follow a shadow, at least not in the dark. You cannot defeat one without light and that, very obviously, is severely lacking right now, don't you think?"

I said that I'm aware but waiting for light would lose us an important lead. I really was going to look for it and he wasn't going to stop me, not this time. I said I'd go regardless. He agreed, surprisingly.

"You. You agreed? That's unusual. You never give in and so easily too. What is your intention?" I gave him a side-eyed look and he smirked.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, I just agree that by morning it'll be too late. And of course I wouldn't let you go alone and knowing you, you wouldn't sit here and wait. So this is the only possible solution. Let's go at once."

We left the house together and I led him to the rocks at the farther end of the shore. These rocks were spread in a large area that led into the uplands of the town. We looked all around but found nothing.

"It wouldn't be here." I said at last. I remembered how it appeared only because I was alone. That means it cannot take two of us together so it seeks me alone, and having him beside me means I might not find him. So I had to do something about Orion.

Orion looked at me. He wanted to know how I knew it wouldn't be here but telling him would not help. So I advised that we should separately look as that will increase the chances finding it. He looked at me suspiciously. "You know something I don't?"

"No," I said and turned around. "I just thought it to be reasonable that way."

We agreed and split. I said I'd look around the western part of the town and that he'd look in the eastern.

I used the concealing spell so that I could look around without arising suspicions. I rarely used magic inside of the town as my suppressed aura will become detectable by others of our kind. We only used magic inside our homes and made sure to lay low. But now it was no time to think of all these. Finding that shadow took priority. And it was easier this way since it'll know where I am.

I looked all around, the town was asleep and the road was only slightly visible with the crescent moon. I looked up for a while.

I had chill down my spine, it was that feeling again- it had to somewhere near. I looked around, it could definitely see me if it is around me. I finally landed my eyes on the open grounds that led to the Woods. There it stood, without movements and as I approached I felt as if I could almost grab it. I ran towards it with full speed and it started moving into the forest.

I was not supposed to enter the woods at night, but I did. Because the shadow is vanishing inside and I had no time to think. I ran inside, the woods were pitch dark and I could almost see nothing. The silence was deafening and there was no sign of anything. I broke the spell and slowly headed deeper into the woods until I reached the birches. These beautiful trees looked like ghosts shining in the dark and I was relieved to find something visible.

I held onto my weapons but did not draw any, I wanted to be careful. When no movements were sensed in any direction I stood still and took a deep breath. I had to remain calm to sharpen my senses. I focused on hearing more than seeing.

"So you have calmed down already, eh."