3 Goodbye Forest

In the city of Venice, Italy.

"Did you hear? There's a new member on the force who took out the A-Class Monster Gilgamesh all on his own." (Third-Class Sorcerer, Squad Mato, Robert Mending)

"Damn. Who's unit is he in? Is he joining ours?" (Third-Class Sorcerer, Squad Mato, Jillian Walts)

The two Third-Class Sorcerers walked across the thin streets of Venice, with their black-suited uniforms and blue flower pins, hanging on the thin strip between shadow and light.

They walked under the tall overhanging roofs and past the bustling roads filled with shops, stores, and people squished into tight corridors.

They stood off to the side watching the crowds brazenly walk in mushed up piles.

"The new guy. I think he was found by Red, so she's probably gaining priority over him." (Robert)

"That sucks. Hey, but we work with the other European Division, so maybe I'll be able to see him." (Jillian)

Robert looked up at Jillian with a sigh.

"Yeah yeah. You always say that. Every time a new strong guy gets put on the force all you want to do is see them. But once they're ugly you run in the opposite direction." (Robert)

Jillian leaned forward looking up at the handsome Robert next to her.

"Well I'm still working with you." (Jillian)

He blushed while glancing at her face.

Her short banged brown hair, and small eyes covered by big glasses. He blushed looking off in the other direction, trying to regather his serious side.

"Yeah you can flatter me all you want, but lives are at stake here, so... So just do your thing." (Robert)

"Ok but you're taking me out to lunch afterward." (Jillian)

"Sure sure." (Robert)

Jillian squatted to the soft clean streets of Venice. She took off her black gloves and handed them to Robert.

"The tracker says the monster is around this vicinity. If we don't catch it in time, or if they notice your magic. It will go on a rampage. So don't fuck up." (Robert)

Jillian pouted.

"Thanks for the confidence." (Jillian)

"Your welcome." (Robert)

She quickly turned back to a smile, flipping her palms to the sky, and crossing her fingers in a grid-like-pattern.

A pink glow started to congregate above the crowds.

"Pink Perfume!" (Jillian)

Quickly Robert stepped forward with his serious handsome face.

"Where is it?!" (Robert)

She closed her eyes and felt the movements. She felt the presence of the hidden monster in the crowds of bystanders.

The pink aroma slowly floated to a single person in the pushing masses. This single person-

"The yellow hat! Five meters- It's- It's looking at us!" (Jillian)

Robert lunged into the crowd, he grabbed the man in the yellow bucket hat, lifting him up by his collar.

"Shit! It's gone!" (Robert)

Robert searched across the man's neck, but the monster was gone, it was no longer inside the human. All that was left were black marks and deep cuts that caved into his skin.

Robert slowly lifted the yellow bucket hat man away from the crowd and back to Jillian.

"It escaped." (Robert)

He dropped the dead man on the ground.

"And they got one." (Robert0

"Shit! We're gonna have to call for-" (Jillian)

Robert looked up to the thin roofs of Venice. The thin line between shadow and light.

"No need to call." (Robert)

He looked up to see a small trail of green slime leading onto the rooftops.

"I think I know where it's going." (Robert)

---

The small town of Grand Marais, Minnesota.

Hours after the Red's full mission report, the body of the dead monster Gilgamesh was cremated into ash and disposed of by the Cleaners Division. Also unofficially, the town's folks' memories were wiped clean of Jack's existence. This was done as a top-secret measure to make sure his magic power was to not be leaked to any unauthorized persons who might harm the Magic Force.

And as of Jack's request, a Fourth-Class Sorcerer was put in charge of overlooking the town, just until Jack's full acceptance into the Magic Force was completed.

---

Hours after leaving the small town of Grand Marais. Jack, Red, and Marsh flew across the United States in a military-grade helicopter.

They just about reached New York State about to travel into the Atlantic Ocean.

Jack, after his long tireless day, was finally able to get some sleep on the Helicopter. Meanwhile, Marsh, the Third-Class Sorcerer, next to him, complained the whole ride. Red on the other hand sat in the back of the helicopter aggressively arguing with the higherups of the Magic Force, trying to get Jack into her squad or division.

Marsh looked out the small window, staring off into the vast land of trees and farms as they flew high above the cold winter wonderland of Upstate New York. He then turned to Jack, who laidback in his uncomfortable chair, sleeping to his heart's content.

"Jack-Jack, I have a question?! Why were you living in a forest all alone?!" (Marsh)

Jack opened his sleeping eyes. He turned to the yelling Marsh.

"Huh?!" (Jack)

Marsh watched as Jack lazily rubbed the sand from his eyelids.

"What was your question?" (Jack)

"Why did you live all alone in a forest for so long, killing monsters?" (Marsh)

"Oh... Well I had nowhere else to go." (Jack)

"That's what I'm asking?! Why did you have nowhere else to go?" (Marsh)

"Um. I guess after my mother died I was stuck wandering across America. Then somehow I landed in that town, found a home, and the next thing I knew every day became killing monsters-" (Jack)

Red tapped Jack on the shoulder interrupting his sentence.

"We've got a problem." (Red)

She looked straight out over the vast countryside of Upstate New York.

"We've got a change of plans. We're landing at Main HQ." (Red)

Marsh's eyes shot up.

"Main...! HQ...! The Main HQ, really! Were actually going to the Main HQ?!" (Marsh)

Jack turned to the excited Marsh.

"HQ? Is that special?" (Jack)

"Yeah duhhhhh. It's mega important! I'm a Third-Class Sorcerer who works in the United States Division, in my sister's squad. I'm not all that important to the higher-ups. Plus we got three different headquarters of our own across the US so theirs no need to go to Main HQ. Just to go there. Oh my god! I'm lucky... But now! I'm mega lucky! You either gotta be rich, gotta be up in the ranks, or you gotta have family connections to go there. And I'm going-" (Marsh)

Red forcefully slapped a parachute onto Marsh's back.

He looked up with enthusiasm and excitement.

He looked down at the parachute that she was forcefully strapping onto him.

He looked back up.

"Red...? Are we going skydiving to the HQ?" (Marsh)

She looked at him with a smirk.

"Don't get your hopes up, kid. We're over the New York HQ right now. This is your stop." (Red)

"Wha..." (Marsh)

He looked at Red's face. He looked out the door.

"But what about the Main H-" (Marsh)

She grabbed him by the collar and tossed him out of the helicopter.

She watched as he slowly descended into the foggy winter breeze.

"Tell your sister that I don't owe her anymore favors!" (Red)

Jack leaned back, resting his head on the uncomfortable chair.

"That was kinda rude. He looked really excited to go. He even made me excited to go." (Jack)

Red scrummaged through the back of the helicopter. She pulled out a scuba mask and flippers.

"Well, you shouldn't be excited. It's not a place you want to be. It's not a place I want you to be at." (Red)

"Why?" (Jack)

"Cause every time someone is brought to the Main HQ, it's always for some ulterior motives by the higher-ups. It means they think you have potential, or you're a threat. And I don't want you in any special squads or whatever." (Red)

She tossed the scuba mask and flippers to Jack.

"Now get ready! It's gonna be a long way down." (Red)

Jack looked at the scuba gear.

"Long way down?" (Jack)

---

Two hours later.

Jack fell back asleep, as the helicopter glided across the open Atlantic Sea.

The pilot signaled for Red as they hovered in the middle of nowhere.

"Are we over it?" (Red)

"Yup!" (Pilot)

Red turned to the sleeping Jack.

"Jack, you ready?" (Red)

He was fast asleep.

"Jack..." (Red)

She slapped him across the head.

"I said! Jack are you ready!?" (Red)

He looked up with tired spinning eyes and buzzing ears.

"Huh what did you-" (Jack)

She slapped the rebreathing scuba mask onto his face.

"You- What are you-! Wha-!" (Jack)

She tossed him out of the helicopter.

---

Drip drip drip.

"Come at me!" (Robert)

Blood dripping.

"Robert call for backup-" (Jillian)

Her voice disappeared in the darkness.

"Jill... Jill..." (Robert)

He stood still. His hand on the emergency call button.

The monster hid in the shadows. Blood spilling in the shadows.

He pressed the button.

---

Threat: [Unknown]

Type: [Parasytic]

Status: [Unknown]

Name: [Dolos]