Decide

The Hunter's Circle gained a new life after the embarrassing event with Harry and the tremendous standoff between the Warrior and Hunter Rohan. The Warrior had most of the attention because of their successful defiance over Hunter Rohan, also since they had their face hidden with their helmet. Arex guided the Warrior to a specific location where they could speak. Arex took the Warrior to a place within Hunter's Circle where there was an empty bench seating; it was less exquisite than the earlier parts of the Hunter's Circle.

Arex leaned his shoulder against the wall. He still felt the gut-wrenching fist Hunter Rohan inflicted. He also didn't get to use his ofuda tear since he had given his only one to the Warrior. The Warrior stood idly observing Arex, catching his breath.

"Pardon me, but do you happen to be one of the Forgiven as well?" He whispered, ensuring that the others in the Circle did not hear.

The Warrior continued to look silently at Arex. He held his chin and attempted to make a presumption.

"Hmm, it seems so then," he presumed.

The Warrior tilted their head slightly to the point Arex could notice.

"Oh," he widened his eyes.

"As you may have noticed, there's a reason there's a no helm rule within this place," Arex looked at the crowd around, then at himself. He pointed to the scar extending from his eyebrow, to his cheek. There is a soft residual golden glow within it.

"This mark here apparently is proof that one of us is a Forgiven One," Arex stated with a frown in his eyes.

The Warrior observed the frown that Arex made.

"Good news for you, though, is that you somehow impressed Hunter Rohan with that display of strength," he added.

The Warrior stared idly at Arex.

"Do you not know of the Hunter's Circle?" he questioned.

The Warrior did not reply but slightly tilted their helm. Arex took notice of the slight movement and made the presumption that they didn't.

"You must be someone who has 'Arisen' recently," Arex wiped his head. "We happen to be those who have 'Arisen' as a last stand for the Eternal Reign, that is, what I've been told though. Apparently, we have been 'Forgiven' and given the title as thus," he frowns again.

"It has not been a title worth having in these parts," he adds.

The Warrior still stood idly staring at Arex. Arex chuckles slightly.

"Anyhow, the Hunter's Circle exists to destroy the 'Calamity'," he looks to the crowd again.

The Warrior tilted their helm once again.

"From the stories heard, the 'Calamity' is more like the Calamity of Adama's Core. The Hunters here say that there's a massive fort entranced in chaos. They say that the Warrior King of the fort and of Adama's Core has been poisoned by some darkness. The Eternal Reign had gifted this King. However, something.. Happened. I just don't know what. Nobody knows," Arex crossed his arms.

The Warrior silently processed the information given to them. The words of Esmeralda reciprocated in their mind. "This world's champions have fallen and have left the lives of Kindred to suffer." Could this be one of the champions she mentioned?

"I did come to Adama's Core to help the situation here, but… as you can see," Arex rocked his head.

The Warrior silently stared at Arex.

"The Hunter's Circle does good, at least for the City of River. There are dark forces constantly coming from the fort, and these warriors, adventurers, are the last line of defense. They're mostly here to get paid in 'Schackels,' but something is better than nothing; the people deserve more," Arex slowly shrugs with his arms still crossed.

"The more you kill, the more notoriety you gain, but what is gained for the city at all?" Arex added.

The Warrior silently looked at the crowd in the Hunter's Circle. They were drinking and eating. One wouldn't know of the darkness that exists outside of this place, but if one were to look closely, its pressure blooms in the brightest amount of light. The world permeates itself within the Warrior, a quiet, no, loud buzzing, radiating itself. The feelings, it grows, and it grows. Something more. Is it something more? More… More.. More… More… Everything is flashing, lights, laughter, the beat of a heart, buzzing, and more buzzing. A massive beat, enormous beat, entrancing itself.

"Pardon?" Arex calls out to the Warrior. The Warrior shook entirely, yet it was slight, it was the most movement Arex could notice the Warrior make.

"Let's step out of this place." Arex added.

The Warrior followed Arex out of the Hunter's Circle. The other high-ranking members standing at the front notice and further discuss the Warrior and Hunter Rohan's interaction. Arex took the Warrior further away from the Hunter's Circle. It seemed to have changed the Warrior, Arex noticed. They heard something whimpering nearby, the sound of a dog begging for a meal. The Warrior stood idly as Arex reached for something he had in his back pouch and handed it to the animal. The Warrior saw, and it was good.

"Well, there goes the last of that," Arex chuckled.

The afternoon sun burned down on the already droughted City of River. Arex then pointed in the direction of what seemed to be the fort's location.

"In that distance, further North West lies the fort of the 'Warrior King's Reach', if you happen to believe that you can go ahead, just like the others, and help pave a way for this land, you may," Arex crosses his arms.

The Warrior again stood idly, hearing what Arex had to say.

"Well, I'm glad to have helped you on your journey. We are to assist the Kindred, aren't we?" Arex recrosses his arms.

The Warrior stood idly again, observing the fort in the far distance. Could this location provide the answers they need to further their journey and purpose? Of Esmeralda, she did mention they'd meet again. The dry sun created a bright glint that made Arex cover his view of the Warrior. The Warrior felt the burning dryness of the air yet stood firmly, wavering in their place.

The Warrior raised their arm and pointed.

Arex noticed the Warrior make a new movement but couldn't see clearly due to the glint that their armor was flashing. He looked closer at what the Warrior was doing and soon saw that they were pointing at him.

"Wait? You're pointing at me?" Arex asked, pointing at himself and trying to resist the burning glint.

The Warrior then pointed towards the Warrior King's Reach and back at Arex. He studied her movements while being burned by the glowing light.

"You want me to go to the Warrior King's Reach?" Arex asked.

The Warrior slightly tilted their helm. Arex's eyes widened. He was a bit surprised.

"I surely haven't journeyed to the Warrior King's Fort. It is perilous, the closer you are to it. I'm afraid I don't have the power to do so," Arex looked away.

The Warrior kept pointing.

"Why do you still point?" Arex asked.

The Warrior stood silently, pointing at him.

"It'd be better if you team up with some of the mercenaries to bring you closer. Compared to me, their experience and power is greater. Pardon my refusal. It's just things are better off without me," his eyes appeared sorrowful.

The Warrior stayed pointing at Arex. Keeping their arm firm for him.

He looked again, his eyes still sorrowful yet appreciative. Arex smiles.

"I'm not sure why you want me to, but there's something about you that's hard to deny," Arex gathers his sorrowful eyes.

The Warrior finishes pointing, silently looking at Arex. A warmth gleamed from within him. It was a pleasing feeling.

"Can we move out of here? Because the light of your helm makes it hard for me to look at you straight," he chuckled while looking away.

____________________________________

The two continued moving along to a place where the burning sun did not glint across the helm of the Warrior and blinded Arex. More families appeared outdoors, with their children playing near destroyed architecture. Different adventurers and warriors constantly moved from the Hunter's Circle and out of the City.

A thin man sprinted from the Hunter's Circle. He was moved insanely, looking for someone.

"HEH HUH HEHUH HEHUH GOTTAA HEH HUH HEHUH HEHUH FIND."

The bleaching sun made the man drenched as he panted across town. He then spotted a glowing helm strolling alongside another fellow.

"YOUUUU!" the thin man screams. He alerts all the surrounding Kindred and adventurers.

He pounces towards the two, and the one with the helm quickly turns alongside the fellow.

" I DINN HAVE A MESSAGE FROM HUNTER ROHAN," Dinn pants vigorously. He then notices Arex.

"WRETCHED WARRIOR," he spits, then looks at the Warrior.

"Brave Warrior," he bows slightly by extending his left leg.

"It is Rohan's personal messenger," Arex states to the Warrior.

"TRAP IT, WRETCHED ONE." Dinn snaps.

"Ahem, Ahem, Hunter Rohan gladly presents you a badge of the Hunter. He deems you worthy based on his sponsorship to you." Dinn bows further, presenting the Hunter's Badge.

The Warrior stares idly.

"Will you not accept this sponsorship?" Dinn asks in extreme worry.

The Warrior stares idly. Arex looks to the Warrior in confusion.

"You should take it. You'll benefit from it and be respected by the others around here," he states with a confused chuckle.

The Warrior then turns and begins to walk away from Dinn. Arex quickly follows in worry.

"Look, you should take it. It would be a grand help on our journey!" Arex states.

"I SHALL INFORM HUNTER ROHAN, this brave Warrior declined!" Dinn nearly shed a tear as he sprinted back to the Hunter's Circle.

Dinn hurriedly scurried back to the Hunter's Circle, he attempted to blaze through the other adventurers, but he was in fear to do so in case he obtains any particular injury.

___________________________________

The Warrior and Arex continued, as Arex himself was concerned about why the Warrior declined. 'I wonder how Hunter Rohan will react to this news.' Arex thought. They continued to the closest exit from Adama's Core and the Warrior King's Reach. Arex sighs silently as he looks upon the poorly rebuilt structures the Kindred have made and then at the Warrior. Eventually, more adventurers and warriors were meeting up on the same path as the two to exit the city, perhaps for the same goal of reaching the Warrior King's Reach.

Suddenly, a massive sensation could be felt as everyone looked to see where the source of this sensation was coming from. Then what is seen is the Warrior being dragged across the dirt earth. Hunter Rohan had clasped his entire palm on the Warrior's helm, pushing past other adventurers standing in his way. Arex was also launched into poorly crafted barrels splattered from his impact onto them.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA," Hunter Rohan laughed as he slammed the Warrior's head into the ground.

Arex was dazed, but he forced himself to his feet. He could see the silhouette of Rohan slamming the Warrior's head into the ground. He gritted his teeth,

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!" he screamed.

"You, Wretched One. Quiet. You're no warrior." Hunter Rohan continues to pummel the Warrior's head into the dirt.

A profound emanating aura invisibly was caught by Arex as he gasped at the Warrior. Rohan stopped pummeling the Warrior because he eventually saw the same feeling Arex had.

"Ehh what's this load?" Hunter Rohan smiled with one side of his face.

Everyone looked at the Warrior, still clasped between the massive palm of Hunter Rohan. The sun burnt behind their backs, as there was a sensation, unfelt. The Warrior suddenly grasped Hunter Rohan's forearm, and their grip tightened around his flesh and veins. There was enough force to pop the blood vessels as they held with ferocity. The Warrior lifted themselves and smashed their helm into Hunter Rohan's face. The crushing speed spewed blood and skin from his lips, forehead, and nose.

Everyone witnessed this raw display of power. Arex watched as Hunter Rohan was rocked back from a powerful strike and was in awe of the blood being glinted by the sun.