Mission done

Arja walked all night. She spotted the temple, Hagalaz and she were hiding in one of the side alleys. She decided to not attack tonight. The temple may have been guarded and now, everyone knew an intruder came to attack them. She wanted to play smart on this move to be sure to succeed.

She went into the forest to hunt with Hagalaz and take forces. She found an abandoned den large enough for both of them. After killing a wild boar and eating his meat she turned her head to Hagalaz. She spoke to him as she caressed him with a lot of affection.

"We are very far from your home. I am glad to have you with me. You help me to not be insane with all these new emotions and sensations..."

The wolf was peaceful next to her. She was smiling at him with love. He became her pillar, as she was watching him she was thinking of her brother and his children. The mountains where she met Hagalaz were a completely foreign world for her and she was sincerely happy to have been a witness of this life.

She watched the sky and the Little Star as she asked with a trembling voice to the wolf without expecting any answer.

"Do you think Typhon is in the Golden City waiting for me? Do you believe that the day I will die I will meet him and have the rest I always wanted?"

In the silence of the night, she cuddled Hagalaz and rested on his fur. She was dead and still, she felt warm. She decided a long time ago that she wanted to die, and this thought was reassuring her. Now she only had to secure Altraya's survival and then she would wait for her death in peace with the satisfaction of having done something good for her friend.

The sun raised slowly and Arja went to the village to observe the movements around the temple. As Typhon could have taught her in the past, she took the time to analyze every move of her target.

She came back to the forest and decided on an action plan. She watched Hagalaz, then dropped a kiss on his head.

"My friend... I will attack alone. I will slaughter them in their sleep, they don't seem to have any special defenses. When the night falls, I want you to stay in the forest and don't come with me."

The wolf looked like he understood that he had to wait for her return. The night fell and she left alone, he didn't move. She slid in the shadows and nobody would notice her presence.

Like a ghost, she approached the building and entered without any noise. Her new condition helped her to hide her presence. She used the wind under her feet to hide the noise of her footsteps, and some light breeze to hide her scent.

She didn't need a long time to find a dormitory. This was a calm place, there was no security there. She quickly wanted to accomplish the mission and come back to Altraya. Once she reached the first person, she sliced her throat with her silver claws. She enjoyed it so much that she started to smile. She killed everybody in the room, in silence.

A young man was in the corridor, he had a glass of water in his hand. It was not hard to understand that he went into the kitchen at night and this saved his life. As he came back and saw Arja, the glass fell down from his hand. He started to run in the corridors. Arja tracked him. It was a labyrinth and she was slowed down but she had no pain to find him.

The young man pressed something on the wall, a secret passage opened and he ran as fast as he could. Arja had no problems catching him before he went too far and killed him. He never could escape, she knew it. She had a bit of pity for him.

She came back to the main room and closed her eyes, she focused on the sensations, searching for more of them. She could confirm that everybody with Jäwell's shadows on them were now dead. Her mission was accomplished but this tunnel caught her curiosity.

It was large for a person to pass easily, it was well-maintained and didn't have any dust. Moreover, some torches were on the path ready to be lit. This tunnel was regularly used.

She decided to follow it and discover what was on the other side. After a long moment of walking, always straight ahead, she found a ladder. She climbed with prudence and opened the trapdoor on the top.

Of course, as she was expecting it, she stepped into Jäwell's tomb.

The man who should never know she existed was in a deep sleep just in front of her. They were in his old castle in the mountains. Arja saw a door and went to it ignoring the coffin.

She had the idea to kill him right now, it was an intense and burning desire, but she remembered what happened when she tried to punch Miroïr in his coffin and she didn't want to risk anything.

She decided to explore the castle. It was in perfect condition, some places were dusty but in general, everything was in very good shape. She found many places very interesting, the armory was full of incredible weapons. She had never seen such quality creations before. The metal used to forge them was unknown to her even if she thought she was an expert on the subject. She took a dagger in her hand and decided to take it. A rose was engraved on it. She said loudly with a burst of laughter.

"After all, I am your newborn. I could have a birthday gift."

She placed it on her belt and continued to explore. She found the most curious place in the castle.

Behind a large wooden door was a giant laboratory. It turned out that it was a full tower on the edge of the castle. She entered the tower before she realized that some water was boiling in a pot.

Immediately, she raised her new dagger ready for the assault. A woman appeared with books in her hands. She was young. She seemed to be a scholar and her body was not made to fight. She screamed after seeing Arja and ran away as fast as possible.

Arja decided to run away too in the other direction. Before she had the time to leave the tower the shadows were everywhere. She was ready to fight. A mature and feminine voice rose in the darkness.

"Who are you? How did you find this place?"

Arja was tense. This person appeared delicate in her voice. She judged the situation, and even if the woman was powerful Arja thought she still could have her chances.

"Show yourself if you want to talk." she shouted into the void

The shadows caught her legs, Arja tried to take them out and realized her claws could touch them and get rid of them. After this, they all disappeared and the woman walked in front of her. She was surprised by Arja and asked again.

"Who are you?"

It was a very tall lady, she was thin, dressed in an elegant black dress. Her long dark hair was falling on her hips. Her face was also very sophisticated. She was wearing black makeup on her lips, and her eyeballs were all black but the tone of her skin was like snow. Arja never saw a woman of this kind before. She also never saw such kind of clothes. This dress was made in a fabric that she never saw. Arja didn't know what to answer so she kept to the answer she gave previously to the vampire leader she met.

"I am Zuline."

The woman had very long fingers. She raised her hand in the direction of Arja and showed her a room with her index. She entered first to show the path and Arja followed her. Arja noticed that the woman had an amused grin.