Chapter 85: Alone in the woods

Diana Hemperyngs had a youthful and athletic build, with toned muscles developed from years of training as a warrior.

Diana was blessed with striking features, with a heart-shaped face, defined cheekbones, and a strong jawline. Her skin was tanned from spending much of her time outdoors, and she wore a few scars on her arms and legs from battle. She rocked long, wavy, and silvery-white hair that frames her face and flowed down her back in loose curls.

Diana's eyes were a deep, bright blue, with a piercing gaze that seems to penetrate through anyone she looked at. She had a confident and determined expression, and her lips were full and slightly curved into a smile that hinted at her mischievous side.

Overall, Diana would be a striking and beautiful young woman, radiating strength, grace, and confidence. And anyone else would be fooled, but not her companion.

The boy had only spent two hours with her, but he knew her stone-cold persona was nothing but an act. She was a goofball at heart, and despite their unusual circumstances, the two got along just fine.

She introduced herself as a Rank Four Ranger, with no less than one year of experience. Just like Ciaran, she was a student from the Academy, but she studied in the Main Branch, which was located in the capital.

"What do you mean you are a Moonlight Apprentice? What the hell is a Moon element anyway?" Ciaran asked, baffled by what she told him.

First, being a Rank Four before she even turned twenty was monstrous even by the standards Ciaran was used to, and second, both her body and soul were of an element the boy had never heard of.

She eyed him and sighed.

"You didn't study when you were in the Academy, did you? Most forget about their studies after Year Four, but that's when they begin explaining aspects. You should focus on learning too you know, not just on missions." She said, not so much annoyed as tired. It seems she was used to dealing with people who refused to grasp the opportunity for knowledge.

Ciaran looked at her, then fell on one knee and played with the snow a bit. After about ten seconds he rose up and in front of him was a mirror.

With his hectic schedule, he didn't have time to check out his new appearance after the break trough. And besides, every day his body grew, his Rank wasn't satisfied with his immature body. Even now the furs he wore were going to need replacing in a week at most.

He had grown to a meter and sixty centimeters (5 feet and 2 inches). His face had matured and his features had become sharper. There were some muscles to his body as well, but he still had no abs and a bit of a belly. He might have been training hard, but the foodie in him was often the one who held the reigns.

Even so, he looked at least thirteen and the mature attitude he had displayed in front of Diana didn't help.

"I have a bit of bad news for you, your royal majestic Ranger-ness. My punishment has been implemented last week, and by then I was only in my first month of Year Three, so I am afraid I have no idea what you are talking about. Please explain it to me." He said, hinting at her lineage.

If there was one thing that he had noticed, it was that she disliked her status. She was very dodgy about the subject, and as such it had become a prime source of entertainment for the boy the kick her in her weak point.

"Yeah right, they sent a nine-year-old to do one of the most dangerous tasks in the whole Empire. Even the Counsel isn't that mad Ciaran." She said as she rolled her eyes at him.

"No, but the punishment came from the block of silver. He was very unhappy with my Master after he beat up the Emperor and killed two of the members of his posy." The boy said matter-of-factly.

Diana stopped in her tracks and looked at him.

The boy had gotten stronger, and he looked more mature, but there was one thing that could prove if he was lying.

She touched her head to his and for a moment two pairs of eyes glowed, hers in pale silver, and his in light blue.

She then fell on her ass and cursed out the old man. Then she cursed at every member of the counsel by name, saving her nastiest remarks for her father.

"Hey don't be like that, I swear I will be useful. I am overqualified for my age anyway." He said as he extended his hand to help her up.

She took it and stood up reluctantly.

"You don't get it, I made the old bastard and his son swear to me they wouldn't send any more incompetent people from my year. When I saw you I guessed they aimed younger, but this is ridiculous. As far as I can tell you don't even know what your actual mission here is, do you?" She said as annoyance overtook her.

The boy could feel she was annoyed for him, and not because of him, which put a smile on his face. He expected a shrewd and manipulative royal to try and boss him around. So far the girl was absolutely the opposite.

She was no Ray, but she too spoke her mind openly. She was no Clara either, but she was a compassionate person, that much he could tell.

"I will just follow your lead, Miss Hemperyngs. Whatever the dementia-rotten soon-to-be corpses want from us, I don't really care. We will just finish the missions, and be done with it. But that being the case, please do tell me what our first assignment is." He said as he flashed her a smile.

She rolled her eyes. Diana was also able to grasp the hooligan's nature by now. At first, she thought he was sucking up to her by pointing out her royal blood on every occasion, but she soon understood the true meaning behind it. He was just an ass, and irritating her was amusing to him.

"Fine, but first let's make a deal, as long as we are here, we are just Diana and Ciaran, not that you even bothered to tell me your last name, anyway, we are just two people on a mission. No more mentioning my deepest shame, and in return, I will tutor you on what you will miss out on." She offered, thinking he would jump at the chance for a more personal relationship.

The way he looked down on her at her proposal was, putting it mildly pissing her off.

"Why would I want an education from a flunky? There is no way, you were sent here of your own free will. What, did you need extra credit or something? Couldn't pass on your own?" He said as he stood on a block of ice of his own making.

She could see he was not going to stop messing with her… and that was strangely refreshing. It pissed her off she was made fun of by a brat, but it beat the kiss-asses who came before him.

"Right, I needed the credit. But I was a star student, it was just that my credit was drained, and I was sent here as an extra punishment, because I caused a mess back home, after my first trip as a Ranger." She said, her tone dry and cold, leaving no room for questions.

Ciaran was good at reading the mood, so he didn't press. He just extended his hand, as a means to accept her deal. She snorted, and her anger melted away with the memory that had surfaced in her mind.

"No more titles and last names then, but I reserve my right to mess with you whenever the situation allows it."He said, as he held her hand, and continued the shake.

She sighed at his childishness. She was going to chastise him for it, but then she remembered that he was an actual child.

'This is going to be a long mission isn't it?' She thought to herself.

"Not if you don't want it to be." He answered her out loud.

The girl took her hand back and jumped away. That had creeped her out.

"My Sis taught me how to read minds before we came here. I need to touch the person, and they can't be on guard, but I believe it will come in handy. I am telling you now because I know how uncomfortable it is to know someone can read your mind, believe me, I lived with people who didn't believe in mental privacy." He said as he raised his hands, to show he meant no harm.

She cursed out her grandfather for sticking her with someone so troublesome, and come next to the boy again.

"Grab my hand and think about why you are here, I want to see if I can reverse it." She ordered, and he obeyed."

He tried to read her thoughts again, but this time she was ready for it. All he could hear was the sound of her breathing.

"Seriously, no one even died, why did they stick you here? Once again I apologize, it seems you can blame my family and their games for your current situation." She said as she demonstrated the fact that Ciaran should be careful who he tries to read. Pick a target that is too strong and he might get probed instead.