7 Chapter 7

As they travelled down the roads towards Stonebeak, Kyle couldn't help but notice Hunters stiff expression. As they approached the coastal paths, bordering the Grand Dale kingdom. Kyle leaned into Hunters' ear. "So, what's the plan when we reach Stonebeak?"

Hunter pulled the bike over, lifting his goggles. "We just ask 'nicely' around then where we kill the person." Shifting his weight around. "That's how it usually would be, but...," His voice hesitant. "We need to keep a low profile for this one."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"

Hunter got off the bike. "He might turn tail and, well, run and hide if they catch wind they are being hunted." His expression stiffened more.

"True, especially if he here's a look-alike is causing him trouble." He looked over to Kyle. "Hitting the nail in the coffin, aren't I?"

Hunter scoffed at him, looked over at sea. He noticed there was a storm on its way in the distance. "Let's find a place to make camp." He walked over to the supplies, getting ready for a long night.

Kyle looked over to him. "Why? We still have half a day of light left. Besides, we are only a day and a half away from Stonebeak. So, why camp here?" Kyle puzzled by Hunter's willingness to set camp early.

Hunter looked over at Kyle. "Look over the waters. A huge storm is approaching, and if we continued, we'd be caught in its wrath on the road and be goners." Lifting the camping gear off the bike.

Kyle turned his attention over to the sea; his eye's widened. "Oh yeah, its storm season here." Hopping off the bike. "I forgot that." Helping Hunter with carrying the load of gear.

"Set the camp up, and I'll go look for some firewood. Plus, with the possibility of some forest food." Hunters face concerned about something. Kyle went to ask him what's bothering him so much but was too late; he was gone. He then turned his attention back to fixing camp up for the night.

A few hours later, Hunter returned with firewood and two rabbits in hand. Kyle Finished covering the bike to weather the storm. Dropping his load, Hunter began to set up the fire. Kyle looked over to him, walked over to him. Standing just out of view. "What's got you worried, Hunter?" Kyle concerned about his friend's unusual behaviour.

"Igneous, Flareous!" Hunter lit the fire; his attention then turns to Kyle's question. "It this 'Lovell,' the fact that he looks an awful lot like me in his appearance. It makes me uncomfortable." Sitting back while he stoked the fire.

Kyle turned his head over to the approaching storm, now only kilometres away. "Well, it does limit your actions." Kyle turned back to Hunter. "He would be more of a hassle if he was like Fang." Readying the rabbits to roast as he sat by the fire. "But I can see your more concerned if you tipped him off, and he disappears before you can reach him." Staking the meat by the fire. "Or is the fact that you might be related make you unsettled?"

Hunter stared at the fire. "Both and I have no idea why it makes me concerned. I'm a clone of the Lord's dead grandson." Shaking his head. "Ark's wife died long ago with their son. But the possibility of him being his grandson. Does make me concerned as well."

Kyle turned the roasting rabbits. "If he is his Grandson, you will try and convince him to join? Won't you?" Looking up at Hunter.

"If that's even possible." Grabbing one of the rabbits. "besides from our sources say a woman called Marie Keya raised him. A human. Where Azoth's wife was a beastman." Tearing a chunk off. "besides, he shows no beastman traits."

Kyle grabbing his share. "true but is said that theyan, beastman crossbreeds don't show their beastman heritage out in public.'" Taking a bite. "Besides, if it was him. He would only be quarter beastfolk." Kyle lowered the cooked rabbit. "Azoth is only half theyan, half-human after all. So, he would be half theyan, quarter human, quarter beastman."

Hunter scowled at the thought. "Let's finish eating. The storm is almost upon us." Kyle nodded as they finished their meal.

Dawn came with the storm passing by only moments after they woke. Kyle restarted the fire, then prepared some warm food with some coffee. Hunter dragged himself out at the smell of food. Kyle then handed him some coffee.

"So, glad the storm left. It was worse than Fredric's lectures." Kyle commented as Hunter slowly came back to the world. "You slept well?"

Hunter took a sip of his coffee. "Like a log. It was so soothing that sound of thunder overhead." He pulled out the holographic map. Taking another sip. "if we cut through the forest, we should reach Stonebeak by lunch."

Kyle expressed his displeasure on the thought. "What is there a landslide on the road?"

Closing the map., "Yes, at the junction."

Kyle glared at the thought of going through the forest. Sighing, "Fine, but no stunts where our lives are at risk." Getting up, Kyle started to pack up the things. Hunter finished his coffee to help, insured Kyle, that would not happen with the condition of the ground.

Packed up the two, the readied themselves for the rough ride ahead. Hunter began revving the engine, Kyle preparing himself on the back as they took off. Upon arrival, Kyle glanced around the old mining town, had seen better days.

"Let's head to the pub." Kyle suggests as they got off the bike. "they might have more info for you, Hunter, than the locals."

Hunter agreeing, locked up the hoverbike. They headed to the pub. The bartender was looking over as he was still fixing some damage. "May I help you, men?"

Hunter walked over. "Yes, but first, what happened in here." Acting as if he cared.

Kyle found a seat; the bartender wiped his hands. "About a month ago, a daemon picked a fight with a young man. Ending up being killed by the young man. Though –"

Hunter cutting him off, "Who was this young man?" now interested.

The bartender was grabbing his chin in thought. "If I remember right, I think it was Lovell?" Hunters' eye lit up, Kyle turning to Hunter. "Yes, it was Lovell! Though some soldiers took him from Grand Dale." Hunter enraged from finding out that his quarry was in Grand Dale. "Why do you ask?"

Kyle answered his question, "We were looking for into some rumours about someone named Lovell." Smiling at him. "It piqued our curiosity, that's all." Kyle was covering up the fact that they were Faremin soldiers. Hunter kept silent.

"I see well that's all I know of him. Since I hid away for most of the disaster." The bartender was looking at the damage.

Kyle was smiling as he coaxed Hunter out. Once outside, Kyle looked at Hunter. "Let us head to Mourn Fortress."

Hunter agitated, "Why?"

Kyle cleaned his glasses, "We need a new approach to finding him now that he's been in Grand Dale." Placing his glasses back on. Hunter stared at him. "He might not even be there anymore, and the men of the fortress might have heard of something. Like where he went from Grand Dale." Looking into Hunter's glare. "It seems to me he's not going to stay put or has moved on in the search for our prized quarry." Hunter remembering that they had to let him find Luna.

Before they headed back to the bike, Kyle dragged Hunter down the alley. He was covering Hunters' mouth. Hunter was trying to remove his hand till seeing a dark-haired man with brown skin walk past the alleyway they were hiding. Hunter was shaken by what he saw looked at Kyle.

"That was Fang, wasn't it?" Hunter quietly asked as Kyle removed his hand.

"Yes," Kyle softly spoke, going into thought. "but why is he here?" Hunter, just as puzzled, shrugged his shoulders. Looking out to see if he was gone noticed that he was not alone. "Who is that he's with." Hunter peering around the corner, saw the person. It was a young woman with pale skin and silver hair.

"I don't know, but he looks like he's guarding her or something?" Then noticed Fang bowing at the woman. Her stance stern as she seemed to hide concern for something.

"Luna, we must be heading out. The champion you seek is no longer here." Fang's voice echoed. Hunter and Kyle overheard the name. Froze, they realized that the same Luna they where seeking was with Fang.

"We will find him." Her voice reached their ears. They continued to eavesdrop as they were stuck until they left. "Even if I don't know his name. I will find him with your help mister Krisnik."

"Luna, please call me Fang. It makes me uneasy when others hear that last name." Their voices were fading away. Kyle looked around the corner again.

Letting out a sigh of relief. "they've left." Looking at Hunter. "Now we know that Luna is with Fang; this is not going to be easy."

Hunter was glancing over. "yeah, this mission just got hard." Smiling, "and I like it."