"So, here we are now, Grim."
Marko shrugged his shoulders.
"Have you ever seen my parents before?"
The elven boy asked.
"No. Not a chance. In the tenure that I have been in charge to welcome the Luna Wolves whenever they are seeking refuge, never have I seen your parents. And I have met nearly all of the members already. I am guessing it could be attributed to the fact that they are keener on secrecy."
Marko said back to Grim.
Meanwhile Dart was chowing down even more than he could handle, he was coughing up. Grim had to rush to get a cup of water to him.
"Can't you eat like a normal person?"
Grim said.
"But…I'm a dragon…"
"Hm. Fair enough."
Grim couldn't even be mad at his answer.
"This is the least I could ever do for your grandfather's memory, Grim. Eat up."
Marko left the kitchen to go help in the bar.
After dinner, the duo of Grim and Dart said goodnight to Marko and his assistant bartender.
Morning could not come any sooner.
As soon as the blinds were illuminated by the rays of the sun, Grim saw something or someone in his peripheral vision.
He heard Dart who was just snoring beside him.
Grim turned around and saw a familiar person.
It was the Sunstrider.
The elf boy jerked up out of his bed and was on guard.
"Y-You! What the heck are you doing here?!"
The Sunstrider did not respond, instead, his eyes were fixated on Dart.
Grim remembered the fact that the Sunstrider himself told Grim that he was a Chimera Hunter.
The thirteen year old elven boy leaped towards the Sunstrider armed with a vase he took from the table nearby.
"Don't you dare lay a finger on Dart!"
Grim shouted out as Dart was enjoying his nap. The baby dragon was snoring clueless, not a single idea what was happening around him. Which was very typical of Dart.
The Sunstrider just dodged Grim's assault with no emotions on his face at all.
"Calm down."
He said.
"Calm down!? I bet you're here to kill Dart!"
"That is really not why I am here."
Marko walked in on the situation that was unfolding before his very eyes.
"Woah. What is going on here?"
The bartender asked with a puzzled expression.
"Hello, Marko."
The Sunstrider greeted the bartender and bowed as a way of paying respect.
"Hey, man. By the way, this is the kid I told you about. I should be introducing you two! He's Grim Fenris and this is Dart-"
"No need, I know this child and his little pet. I've seen them already."
Grim was surprised.
"What a creep, y-you were spying on us?!"
The Sunstrider's eyes stared at Grim's. His aura was intense.
"I already told you, I am a Chimera Hunter. I was looking for that dragon's mother and the other hatchlings."
He said.
"If you had found them, what would you have done?"
Grim wanted to know.
"Kill them, of course."
Marko butted in the middle of their conversation.
"The fact that you have a tamed chimera does not change the fact that chimeras themselves are dangerous, Grim." The bartender argued. "Dart might be an exception as you have had your soul bound with him, but you cannot ignore that all of the other untamed chimeras will rip you in half without a second thought."
Grim sighed.
"I was told I would be meeting the Luna Wolves' Commander, right? Where is he?"
The elf boy looked around.
Marko scratched the back of his head nervously.
"Err. Well. You just attacked him a few seconds ago…"
"Wait, that guy's the Commander?"
A sour look was etched on Grim Fenris' face.
"Hello."
The Sunstrider waved at Grim with the same bored expression he has had ever since he got here.
"You guys talk it over, I have a lot of customers today!"
Marko said frantically as he ran back downstairs.
A faint absence of sound filled the room afterwards.
"Wake your chimera up and meet me outside."
The Sunstrider said to Grim.
"Tch. Why? Do you even remember hitting me so hard in the stomach I had to cough up blood?"
Grim clicked his tongue.
"Yes. I will be waiting downstairs. Make it quick."
He was certainly one who only ever said what was needed in a conversation.
Grim woke Dart up and both of them washed their faces in the bathroom afterwards.
"What's up, Grim? You totally cut my dream short, man! If you could believe it, I dreamt that I was eating on a table which had every single food in all of Vanheim!"
Dart said enthusiastically.
"I do believe it. Keep on dreaming, Dart. Anyway, let us head downstairs, we are about to meet that jackass there."
"Jack-what?"
"Never mind. Just hop on the backpack."
Grim waved Marko farewell as he stepped outside the door.
Midgard was still as active as ever.
Merchants roamed the streets while the citizens were trying to haggle prices with them, you could see all kinds of stores left and right.
Vanheim's crown city was busy, alright.
The Sunstrider leaned against the outside walls of the Six Symphonies tavern.
He spotted Grim's sour face and he knew Dart was the one riding on his backpack.
"Hey. It's a bit too crowded here, follow me."
He said.
They made their way into the huge gates outside.
"W-Where are you taking me?"
All kinds of thoughts were intruding inside Grim's brain.
"Was he trying to find the perfect spot to finish what he had started back at the town? Was he finally going to 'end' me?!"
Grim thought to himself.
When they arrived at the forest, the Sunstrider sat down underneath a tree for shade.
"I suppose you would like to know why chimeras started appearing, right?"
He asked.
Grim nodded hesitantly.
"Relax, I mean no harm to you. Ease up."
Dart jumped out from Grim's backpack.
"Sorry, Grim, it gets too boring inside that sometimes!"
The baby dragon said.
"The Night Elves have opened the portals. That is where the chimeras have come from…"
"N-Night Elves?"
This was the first time Grim had heard of them, but this was not going to be the last of it.