In the cold. unforgiving wind, there were footsteps. However, unlike all others in this city, they were not quiet. No, they were loud. Just as relentless as the wind through which Rosa walked, perhaps a tad faster than her usual pace, to her destination.

As she slammed each foot in front of the other, she opened her phone. It was a rarity for civilians to possess such a thing, but for soldiers, it was given for free as a necessary tool of communication. It was in times such as these that she was glad they paid that expense. 

She had a few missed calls, as well as some messages. The ones that caught her eye the most were from Lucien, perhaps the only real friend she had left at this point.

The latest one was sent just four hours ago; the furthest, two days.

‘hey rsa, heard what happened to elsie n how ur in the hospstle. really really fucke up. call me when ur abel hope ur okay’

Lucien never was the best at spelling, or language in general. The information he must have only recently received must have only made that worse.

The next came a few hours later.

‘keep thinking about whhat happebed. this all is justt so fuckd up. im so sorry this all happened. hiope you recover soon’

Following that were around eleven messages, sent every three or so hours. He was worried, that was obvious. However, the most recent message caught her eye the most as she continued to walk.

‘call me as soon as ur abel. need to talk to u about something.’

She wasn’t one to decline someone who sounded so desperate. Or, perhaps that’s just how Lucien always came off.

With a single click of a button, the phone began to ring.

For a while, Rosa was alone with her thoughts, the sound of the soon to be call, and the snow crunching under her feet. It was when she was about to cancel the call when it finally went through.

“Rosa? Holy shit– That you? For real?” The oh so loud voice of Lucien broke through, trying to validify the identity of the caller despite it being said directly on the screen.

“… Yeah. It’s me.” She spoke directly, not knowing what to add that would clarify anything. She didn’t even know how to tell him she was leaving. That chances are, they might never see each other face to face.

“Agh–! Fuck… man… er– You kinda caught me at a bad time!” There was some strange noise on the other end, something like a man being hit in the face and a woman yelling at this man to focus on the fight, “This is important–! Give me a second! Sorry, Rosa. You still there?”

She was quiet for a moment as her footsteps slowed, mostly out of pure confusion. “I sort of wish I wasn’t now… but yes, I haven’t hung up… yet.”

“Sweet! Listen, could we talk in person? There’s uh… Oh for fucks sake could you lay off?! I’m talking to my friend–! I don’t care!” It was quiet for a moment as an argument seemed to go on, “Sorry, Rosa! That wasn’t directed at you– Anyways, you coming?”

“I… don’t know where you are, Lucien…” She let out a soft sigh. As, frankly, stupid as he was, it was nice to hear his voice.

“Oh! Right, right… you know where the Hunter Core training facility is? I’m there.”

“… Why and how?”

“Long story! I’ll explain when you get there! Shit– I gotta hang up before my fuckin’ head is cut off!”

“Bye…?”

“Yeah, bye–! COULD YOU LEAVE ME ALONE FOR A DAMN SECOND?!”

With a beep, the call ended.

For a few moments after, Rosa simply stared at her phone. He was certainly… lively. As bad as things had been, he was still the same man he had been since she met him. 

She was glad 

Glad that he wasn't like her. Glad that he was still smiling. Still living his life, that he still had his in the first place.

She was almost jealous. Almost.

Either way, one last time, she'd see her friend's face. 

 

--

 

The backside of a hilt slammed into Lucien's forehead, the woman who'd held it holding her stance and letting out a sigh of frustration as he fell to the ground.

"For the third time, kid, focus! You're supposed to be learning, not spacing out and talking to your friend!"

"Come on! She just got out of the hospital! I was worried, alright?!"

"Doesn't matter! If this was a real fight, you'd be dead! Or, worse, you get bit... Again."

"... Yeah, yeah, I get it, Tanya..." Lucien groaned as he leaned up, though didn't quite get to his feet just yet.

However, the woman, Tanya, placed her open hand in front of his face, "Talk to your friend once they get here, kay? Make sure they're doing alright! But for now, focus on not getting your head cut off."

"Thanks... I will." He took her hand, sighing as he got up, brushing off his pants.

"Heh! No need for thanks, it's my job as your master to keep you in good physical and mental shape!"

It took all Lucien had to stop him from asking how beating him up on the daily was 'keeping him in good physical and mental shape', but he felt that the consequences of that question would be too much for his own tastes. After all, he could feel the bruise forming on his head as they spoke.

So instead, he simply picked up the wooden sword he dropped when he got hit, and assumed the stance he was supposed to have.

"Good boy! Let's make a deal. Hit me once and I'll take you to check out the armoury! See if there's anything there that'll actually fit ya!"

"Oh hell yeah!" A grin appeared on his face, his eyes practically glowing at the idea of holding a weapon of his choice, "But uh... what exactly is gonna happen if I can't hit you?"

"I'll have you wear silver-infused clothes for three days to build up your tolerance!"

"Huh?! How the hell is that f--"

Lucien's complaints were cut off as the flat of Tanya's blade hit him in the stomach.

He grit his teeth as he forced himself into position, clutching the fake weapon in both hands as he focused on guarding the next attack. He was starting to see the pattern in which she would attack him. She would always either start or end her assault with a hit from the butt of her own training blade. After that, it was either a slash to his side, or...

He quickly jumped over her legs as they attempted to bring him to the floor once again. He was tired of falling.

While still in the air, he brought down his weapon, aiming directly for the top of her head.

Unfortunately, that plan failed when his hand was struck, making him completely miss his target. What’s more, she didn't give him the chance to land, immediately turning around and swinging for his shoulder.

The pain in his wrist and the sudden blow were enough to make him drop his weapon, but not enough for him to lose his wit.

Just as the wooden sword came down, he caught it between his wrists.

"Hah! That's what you get!" Lucien laughed in Tanya's face as he landed on his feet.

But his victory was short lived as her leg was sent straight into his gut, slamming him a few meters back into the wall. He could swear he heard something crack... and he hoped that it came from the wall and not his bones.

"That's what you get!" From Lucien's perspective, the grin running across her face belonged to a devil rather than human. Horrifying.

However, despite the pain he was in, he was still standing, his fists raised in front of his face as he stared at her from the other side of the room.

"Not... down yet...!" His grin matched hers.

"Good! Cause it's a bit of a walk to the armoury," She threw her training blade to the side, walking toward the exit.

"... Huh?" He raised an eyebrow, his breathing heavy as he recovered.

"I'm counting you catching my blade as a hit. It was risky, but I like risky!" She looked back at him for a moment, giving a thumbs up, "So come on. We don't have all day!"

"Al... alright!" He nodded, wiping the sweat from his aching forehead as he quickly caught up with her.

This was his chance. To pick the weapon he knew was right for him. His own weapon.

His own style.

... And maybe a little bit of fun.

 

Despite it being only three days ago, it felt like a long time since he was initiated as a Hunter. Since he was bit by that Vampire and consequently saved by Tanya, to the dismay of her Hunter Partner Jasper.

In fact, his whole life since that moment seemed like an eternity, as though his previous life was just a dream and he had just woken up in this new world. Everything he thought he knew was... wrong. Well, a lot of it, at least. 

Aura. The power source of Hunters, as well as Vampires. By taking back all the Aura a Vampire has stolen through the blood of humans, Hunters were able to, basically, gain the strength and sometimes abilities of that Vampire. It was at the cost of partly turning, but they kept all the important bits. They didn't really look like Vampires, apart from their teeth being a tiny bit sharper and their eyes looking a little more animalistic.

It was pretty damn cool, in Lucien's opinion. He gets to stay a Human in all the ways that matter, and gets to kill Vampires and take their powers.

It was certainly better than struggling to survive every day in the Military. Plus, he got all the benefits he had back as a soldier, like housing and healthcare.

And now, his very own weapon.

"So... any preference?" Tanya asked as the two walked into the armoury.

"Uhhh… something cool?"

"Dumbass. Any real preferences?"

"Eh... Something blunt, maybe? I think I'd prefer to just slam stuff than all stabby-stab."

"Blunt, huh? Well, there's a big reason most Hunters use weapons we can stab with. Why don't you use your brain for once and take a guess why?"

"I'm not that dumb, man... To stake their heart. One of two ways to kill a Vampire for sure, blah blah blah. I'll find a way to do that, don't worry."

"My, my student actually did pay attention in school! And what's that other way, huh?"

"Mess with their brain, I guess. Cut off their head or shoot a silver bullet through their skull... or something like that."

"Mhm. At least, that's what works for any True Bloods and Turned."

After their little discussion, they had reached the armoury. It was a surprisingly huge room, with a near endless array of silver weapons. There was practically anything you could think of.

Swords, spears, guns, knives, whips, chains, clubs, flails, bows, axes, maces... Anything and everything.

Like a kid in a candy store, he immediately walked forward with a dumb smile on his face.

"So... How's this thing work? Are there any rules? Can I pick more than one?"

"Yeah, most Hunters keep a dagger or something on them as a backup weapon. A reliable stake!" She smirked, leaning against the back wall.

He looked up at one row, then another. His hand on his chin, he lowered his eyebrows, "And I can take anything here, right? Don't gotta worry about grabbing something I shouldn't?"

"You're in the clear! Or~, at least in this area. We've got some restricted stuff, but nothin' like that here. Just don't go through any doors and you'll be fine."

"Restricted?" He turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow, "Like, top-secret restricted?"

"Yeah. That's where the Unique Weapons are kept. Things the Council doesn't want in the hands of low rank Hunters. Gotta prove yourself, first!" She looked back, nodding knowingly.

"Unique...? Wait, you've been a Hunter for nearly four years, right? That mean you have one of those things?"

"Heh! Yep! Good on you for noticing my supreme skill and reliability!" She puffed out her chest, putting a hand on the sheath kept on her left hip, "This lovely one right here's a Unieque Weapon!"

"Your blade thingy? Huh... it looks pretty normal from here..." He took a step forward, his eyes locked on the sword on her side.

Suddenly, she took it out. The blade unfurled as she thrusted it towards him, a mechanism inside the blade extending it a few meters to nearly pierce his throat.

"Her name's Silver Serpent, and she's an Estoc! A piercing sword that's perfect for thrusting through the hearts of Vamps! Hehe, she can even extend with the simple push of a button on her handle! It always catches the bastards off guard."

"Holy shit--" He jumped back, looking down at the blade with wide eyes.

"I know, right?! Pretty cool!"

"That's an understatement! That thing's awesome!"

She chuckled, taking a step back and folding the blade back up, "Well, I got lucky getting to use her."

"Not really luck, is it? You picked it..."

"Mmm, not really... It was weird. I mean, she's not like, alive or anything, but when I first saw her, it was like she called out to me! I knew then I had to use her."

"Whoa... Really?"

"Nah. I just thought she was pretty, dumbass. Now go pick out something to use! We don't have all day, remember!"

"Oh, shit, yeah!"

And with that, he went right back to his hunt.

He must have looked through hundreds of different weapons, hundreds of different shapes, sizes, weights.

And yet, he couldn't seem to find a single one that clicked.

He wasn't sure what he was looking for, or even if he was looking for anything at all. It was just the same thing over and over and...

Then his eyes caught something. A weapon he wasn't sure how he had missed.

The handle was sturdy, a dark brown leather wrapped around a silver base. It was just to make it more comfortable to use. After all, for Hunters, silver made them feel a tad numb if in contact with skin for too long.

But the chain the handle was attached to was a different story altogether. A pure silver which built up the majority of the hundreds and hundreds of chains. At the end of these chains, however, was a heavy, blunt head, resembling that of a metal club.

When he pulled the chain, the weight at the end moved so effortlessly, he could almost see a trail of light behind it.

"Ah, a good eye!" Tanya clapped her hands together, "A chain whip... Don't see a lot of people use one of those. You've got good taste!"

"Heh..." He chuckled, holding the handle in his left hand and the club-head in his right. "I guess you could say it just called out to me. It feels... right."

He spun it around his head, then quickly shot his arm forward. The club head slammed into the wall, embedding itself into the stone.

"... Oops."

"Yeah, not a lot of people use one for a reason. Hard to learn... but, if it's what you think is right for you, then go for it!"

He smirked, bringing the head back towards him as he folded it and put the chain whip on his side. He clicked onto his belt, the chains rattling satisfyingly.

"Got an idea, though." He quickly ran off to another side of the armoury, grabbing a silver short sword along with its respective sheath. "I'll be taking this as my side-arm! 

"Alright, alright. Let's get going, then."

He nodded, following her out the door. It was in the hallway, however, that they met a familiar face.

"Jasper, my man! How was the hunt?" Tanya wrapped her arm around his shoulder, smirking at the taller man.

"... One, don't touch me. Two, horrible. Three, there's a visitor. For the red head."

"Really?!" Lucien's eyes widened a tad, "Must be Rosa! I'll be back in a bit, Tanya!" 

"Wait, what?! Hold up, kid--!"

However, she didn't have the chance to finish before he was already running towards the entrance.

"... I don't understand that man. Tell me, why did you decide to save him back then?" Jasper took Tanya's hand off of him, frowning.

"Do I need a reason to wanna help someone? Yeah, our duty as Hunters is to kill Vampires, but that doesn't mean we can't save people... And like I said, we always need more hunt--"

"Stop lying to yourself, Tanya." Jasper narrowed his eyes, "You know exactly why you saved him. Why you decided to train him. Why you want him to be strong."

She sighed, not meeting his glance, "... Just... drop it, Jasp."

"I will, when you learn to move on." He took a step forward, his voice low, "Kain is dead, Tanya. Stop acting like this kid is a replacement."

Tanya simply shook her head, a forced smile on her face as she followed him, grabbing his sleeve, "It's nice to see that you care about me, though. You really are a sweet guy under all that angst."

"Tch... Shut up." He looked at her, though didn't quite meet her eyes, "I have to. You don't care about yourself."

"Well, it's still sweet of ya!"

He sighed, shaking his head, "... Whatever."

And they continued down the hall.

 

--

 

After speaking to the receptionist, Rosa moved past the front desk and down the hallway. However, before she could reach the room that was supposedly Lucien's, she felt a presence beside her.

A person. Tall, and rather thin, with black hair. He was dressed in the standard attire of a Hunter. A dark gray coat with a high collar and silver buttons. The inside, however, different from most Hunters, was lined with a dark red cloth.

It was the emblem on his jacket that truly told her who he was.

"You're... A hunter. Jasper Mintz..."

"Correct." He crossed his arms, walking next to her. "And you, Rosa Varano. Daughter of the General, and... friend of that Lucien."

"Right..." She nodded, keeping her pace. It was menacing how perfectly he mimicked her speed. 

"I wanted to speak to you. About your friend. The new recruit."

"Recruit... so he really is becoming a Hunter, then..." She frowned, "If... it's important..."

He increased his speed out of nowhere, taking a step in front of her as he leaned down to stare her in the eyes.

"Lucien Riese is not originally from Sanctuary, or any of the smaller territories in our control. You are aware of this, I assume."

"Yeah... I'm aware... He's told me before." She scowled, her gaze moving away from him, "I don't see how that's relevant to our conversation, though."

"Then let me make it so. After some investigation, I discovered that Lucien was born into one of the largest and most powerful military groups outside of Sanctuary. The Red Lotus. Have you heard of them?

"No," Rosa narrowed her eyes, her fists clenched, "I haven't."

"That's no surprise, since they've been attempting to keep a low profile for quite a few decades now. They are a group of mercenaries that, at the moment, hold no loyalty to either Humans or Vampires."

"And what does that have to do with anything?" She finally looked up at him, a tad bit of anger in her eyes, "Lucien's parents both died when he was too young to remember. He's an orphan, no relation to them..."

"That may be true, but a bloodline is not the only thing that makes a family. There is something else..." He placed his hand on his chin, sing his eyes, "I have discovered that they have, for some time, been searching for him. After all..."

Jasper took a step closer to Rosa, leaning down as he whispered.

"He is the only surviving child of their leader, his Mother, who very much is still alive. The Red Lotus's new target is him."

Rosa's eyes widened, the available information not lining up. 

"You... You're lying. That can't... why would..."

"Why would they go through all that trouble? Because Red Lotus' leader is an Aura user, a woman whose family has long trained in the art for generations. A portion of Lucien's mother's Aura was passed down to him, lying dormant in him until he learned to control it. Because he's undergone Partial Turning, it's only a matter of time until it awakes. Until his Aura tells the Red Lotus exactly where to find him. You may not know as much as a Hunter or Enforcer, but you must realize how dangerous this is. That your friend is not only at risk, but also putting the entirety of Sanctuary in danger by just being here. If a war between the Red Lotus and Sanctuary broke out, it would be worse than the attack three days ago. Not just thousands of deaths. Hundreds of thousands."

Rosa looked down, her breathing growing heavy.

"... Then why tell me? Why tell me any of this... I'm just a soldier. Nothing else..."

"You're his friend, are you not? It's only right for you to be informed."

She was quiet, biting her bottom lip.

"... You don't seem the type to care about others. So then, why are you telling me all this, if it's so dangerous? It seems counter productive..."

"You're a keen one. That’s expected of the General's daughter." He turned away, "It's a warning. A warning to not get in my way, or any of the Hunters as I do what I have to."

"... I..."

"You won't do as I say? As I expected--"

"I won't get in your way, or even bring any of this up with him. Just... don't kill him." She frowned , staring at the man's back.

"... Hm. I didn't expect that. I truly thought you were going to... do something annoying. Are you sure? He is your friend, no?" 

"Yeah, he's my friend. And I... care about him. But It doesn't matter. Not now..." She took a step forward to him, "But I need to ask a favour of you, if I'm just going to stand aside and let you do what you will. Other than keeping him alive."

He turned his head around to stare at the other black-haired person, a slight notion of intrigue in his usual blank expression. "I'm listening."

"I need to get out of Sanctuary safely. I can't tell you why I need to leave, but... it's important. More important than my life."

"The lockdown applies to you soldiers as well. Even if you are the General's daughter, it is out of my hands. You'll have to wait for the lockdown to end and get proper permission to leave with a platoon..."

"You-- you don't understand. I need to get out... as soon as possible. Tomorrow... And I'd need a car, too." She asked a lot of the man, and fully expected to turn her down. But still, she needed to find a way.

"... You're serious. What are you planning on doing, exactly?"

"Nothing illegal or immoral. Just something I need to do."

"Hm. You are an... enigma." He finally turned back around fully, "Fine. Meet me at the east wall tomorrow morning, seven sharp. I'll arrange for you a car, and a map of the territory. And I'll... do what I can for Lucien."

"Thank you... Thank you very much." She bowed her head somewhat.

"You should meet him in his room. I'll tell him to head there... and, I'll meet you tomorrow." He gave a single nod before walking away, disappearing down the hall.

She took a deep breath in. She had a plan... or, Jasper had a plan. One that she prayed he'd keep his word on.

And, now she just had to talk to Lucien here.

...

Rosa's hands were shaking, her nails digging into her palms.

"... Why..."

What was she going to say to him? 'Sorry I'm leaving, bye forever, please don't die.'? Just what would he say? What would he think?

It didn't matter.

Not when Elsie was gone.

She took another breath, forcing her fists to loosen as she approached where she was told Lucien's room was.

However, the door opened before she could reach for the handle, a man with orange hair running out of the room nearly bumped into her.

"Oh, shit-- Sorry, sorry! I was just heading out!"

And without saying another word, he was gone. A... strange thing, but she didn't have time to question it.

With a slight frown, Rosa walked into the room. It was empty, however. He had yet to arrive...

So, she had to wait.

Not for long, though, as only eight minutes later the door opened, and a man she knew well stepped in.

"Rosa! Hey!" Lucien's eyes widened at the sight of his friend, quickly walking up to her and giving her a hug. It was tight. Painfully so.

She was shocked, her arms simply falling limp by her sides, "Ah... hey, Lucien... do you mind... not trying to choke me to death? Would really... prefer not to die by that."

"Shit, right!" He immediately pulled away, scratching the back of his neck, "Sorry! I'm still not used to my new strength... Oh-- right! I forgot to tell you! Er... lots of shit happened and I'm a Hunter now! Pretty crazy, right? I mean, it's pretty fucking awesome!"

She blinked. "I kinda assumed with you living in the Hunter headquarters now... I'm happy for you, though. Congratulations..."

"Thanks! And yeah, it's really cool! I got a weapon n' everything! Though, it's a bit weird not carrying a rifle with me everywhere, heh..."

"Yeah... And it’d be weird not seeing you everyday on missions..." There was a slight solemn tone in her voice, and Lucien did not miss the peculiar word use.

"... What do you mean 'it would'?" He tilted his head at her, taking a seat on his bed.

"I'll... get to that. You said you wanted to talk to me. And... I'm here now." She didn't sit next to him. She didn't want to stay long.

It'd only make things harder.

"Right-- Er..." He took a moment, taking a breath before speaking, "First off, are you okay? Like, I heard you got hurt pretty bad... though you look fine now..."

"The... head doctor at the hospital healed me. He's some sort of Aura healing specialist, he said..."

"Wait, so you know about this Aura shit too? Man, I only got told about it when I joined the Hunter Core! How'd you find out?"

She shrugged, "Blame nepotism."

"Haha, guess I will!" He wore a thoughtless smile for a moment, "What does that word mean?"

"... Nevermind. Second?"

"Er-- right... I just... I don't really know where to start..."

"It's fine. Just start somewhere."

"Alright, alright..."

He went silent again, looking down at the floor as he attempted to put his thoughts into words. Putting it into words was painful, after all.

"I... wanted to say sorry. About Elsie... and... about a lot of other things..."

Rosa's eyes widened slightly, a frown spreading across her lips, "You don't... don't need to apologize. It's not like anything was your fault..."

"No, I do! I... I fucking ran, Rosa. When people started dying... I fucking ran. I just left. Left you guys behind. Left her behind," He gripped the edge of the bed, his head lowering.

"It's fine, Lucien. You panicked... I did too. She helped me get somewhere safe while also trying to do something to save everyone... and... and because of bad luck or... a coincidence or some stupid, stupid desire... she died because of that... to kill a High Blood... and that's part of what I want to talk to you about, Lucien."

His eyes perked up to meet hers, "Yeah...?"

"That vampire she was trying to kill, the one... that killed her... It took her body when she died. Escaped out of Sanctuary to who knows where... Just... gone. Lucien. She's dead... and not in the way that you can just bury and mourn over. I can't even see her face one last time... I..." She took a deep breath, "So I'm leaving. I need to find the vampire that killed her. I need to find... whatever is left of her body. I need to bury her. To mourn her properly."

"I--" He stood up from the bed, stepping towards her, "You're not serious, right? You can't-- it's too fucking dangerous, Rosa! Even if you do survive... you'll never be allowed back in Sanctuary. Ever. You'll be a criminal, and-- and-- and..."

"I have to do this, Lucien." Her eyes met his, "I need to see her body. I need to... I need to do this."

"... Fuck... you really mean it... You're just gonna leave? What about your dad? What about--"

"I'm going, Lucien."

"... You can't. You can't go alone, you'll fucking die. So... so take me with you."

"Don't be stupid... I'm not letting you be dragged into this. When Elsie died, I... I died too. But you didn't lose your life... in fact, you got a whole new one... and a way better one. So stay here. Stay alive."

"Just how do you think I feel?! I've known Elsie as long as you-- and, yeah, we were just friends while you two were more, but... she was still my best friend. I still care about her. About you. I can't... can't lose you too, man."

"Lucien..." She stepped forward, placing her hands on his shoulders, "... I'm not going to die. I... promise. I wouldn't just throw my life away... not when I have so many people who care... So, please, let me go. Let me find her."

She lied to him. Every one of her words were another lie after the other. She was throwing her life away, and she knew, chances are, she was going to die. 

But it was the only way she knew to ease his mind.

"Fuck... fuck, I--" He closed his eyes, clenching his teeth as he held back tears, "Just... promise me one thing. Just one."

Rosa nodded.

"... That when you come back, and I know you will... that you'll let me punch you for being such... such a fucking idiot."

"Promise… I thought you were the dumb one here, though..." She forced a smile to appear on her face. It looked fake.

"Yeah, I did too."

There was a moment of silence, neither of the two knowing what to say.

"... I'll leave at dawn. So..."

"Then... don't let me keep you. You've probably got more people to say bye to. 'N, if you're ever near a connection tower... send a message back here, okay? Just so I know you didn't get offed."

"Mm... yeah. I will." She nodded, turning away, "I'll... I'll see you later, Lucien. Goodbye."

"Yeah... goodbye."

Rosa left the room. She couldn't stay a moment longer. She couldn't stand to see him cry.

And she couldn't let him see her cry.

 

Two people. There were two people left she had to say her goodbye's to. Ramirez knew, and now Lucien knew. She had some other friends, but they were more like acquaintances than anything. Chances are, they wouldn't care much if she were to just... disappear.

But there were two who definitely would. Her parents...

And she knew which one she would talk to first. After all, she had a terrible habit of saving the worst for last.

She knocked on the door, her hands trembling.

It was silent, and then she heard footsteps.

And then, a voice.

"... Who's there? If this is Jonas again, I told you that I didn't take your damn frying pan, so--"

"Dad..."

"... Rosa?" The door quickly opened, the sight of an unkempt, black haired man coming into view, "... You lose the key or something? Er... sorry, I should probably say that I'm... glad to see you safe, kiddo... I was worried, but non-soldiers aren't allowed at the hospital, so..."

He sighed, stepping aside and gesturing for her to enter.

"... Thank you."

"So..." He sat down in his chair, a glass of white wine in his hand, "You heal well? Can barely tell you were even ever injured in the first place..."

"The... head doctor treated me." She answered quickly, sitting down beside him.

"Halt? Yeah, he's good. Back when I was an Enforcer, that bastard healed me up better than any other doctor I've been too. Modern medicine, huh? I mean, it's like, er... magic. But not magic. That's--"

"I know about Aura, dad."

"Ah... alright. Guess that makes sense... you are my daughter, after all..."

She nodded, biting her lip.

"..."

"... I... I wanted to talk to you about something. Something important..."

"Yeah? Hopefully not too important, I mean, it's only Thursday--"

"I'm leaving Sanctuary, Dad. Tomorrow."

"You... you don't mean that, right? You're not the joking type, but this... this is too far, even for you." He shook his head, taking a drink from his wine.

"I am. I... I've gotta do something as soon as possible.  For Elsie."

"What about Elsie? Kid, what're you saying?"

"Elsie was killed three days ago. Taken by a Vampire. I've gotta find her... her body. Bring her home. Burial, mourning, the whole thing."

He was silent, staring down at the pale liquid in his glass, "... Rosa, it's suicide. You can't just go out there and hope for the best. This isn't a game."

"I'm not playing around, Dad. This... this is more important to me than anything else. I have to do this."

"No, you don't. Honestly-- is your friend's body really that important? You can still-"

She stood up, staring down at him, "She wasn't just my 'friend'. She was my girlfriend. We were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together! I wanted... to spend the rest of my life with her... and that was taken away. By a Vampire. So you can't expect me to just sit and wallow and wait for the military that was-- was supposed to stop this from happening to say I still can't leave. I'm sorry, but I'm not."

"She was…? Kiddo, I'm sorry, I didn't... know. But, still..."

"No, I've already decided. I'm going."

"But, I'm not saying I won't let you, Rosa." He placed his glass on the coffee table, standing up to face his daughter, "I get that this is important to you. That you... need to do this. It's just-- if you leave, the only way back is through death. And if you do end up finding her body, how will you get it back to Sanctuary? They'll kill you as a precaution. Not even me or your mom can stop that from happening."

"I'll... I'll find a way. I always do, don't I?" She had to lie through her teeth once more.

"... I must be the worst father ever if I'm really letting you do this..." He sighed,  "If you're really going, and you're really serious... Then take this."

He moved towards a closet, grabbing something from inside before putting it in her hands.

Rosa took it, her eyes widening at the sight. 

"I always thought that one day you'd become a Hunter, like your mom wanted, so... I got you it. Better than some standard rifle, I'd wager."

It was better than what she was used to, that's for sure. It wasn't some mass produced weapon made to get as many people armed as possible, no. It was custom made, fitting in her arms perfectly with a rifle with a scope and silencer attached. A perfect weapon for a human soldier, one who had to keep silent.

It was a beautiful weapon, made out of a lightweight steel painted a clear white, highlighted with gold trims along its sides. On the side of the barrel was a symbol. A rose. 

"... Dad, I... You can't just give this to me. I'm not a Hunter, I'm not even a soldier anymore. I'm just..."

"Well, you could be a Hunter, if you really wanted. You just need to make sure to get back safe... this'll help.  And, if you don't take it, well, no one will. Would rather not let it rot in the closet..."

She shook her head, looking at her father with a smile, "Thank you... for everything, Dad. Thank you..."

"Of course, kiddo." He smiled, though his expression was melancholic, "... You should probably get going, I--"

Without warning, Rosa wrapped her arms around her father, her face buried in his shoulder. If it wasn’t for the fact she cried on the walk here, she wouldn't be able to hold in the tears that threatened to fall once more.

"I love you, dad... And I'm sorry for always causing you trouble..."

"Oh, kiddo..." He chuckled, ruffling her hair, "That's my job as your father. To deal with your trouble, and give you shit for it."

"You're doing a pretty bad job at that latter half, then..."

"I know, I know..."

And after a moment, Rosa let go. She made a smile spread across her face to prevent anything else from seeping out.

"I'll see you later, Dad. Goodbye."

"Yeah, see ya..."

And with that, she walked out the door.

One left.

 

--

 

"Rosa Varano--? Wait, you can't just-- hold on!"

Rosa ignored the pleas of the receptionist, walking through the doors of the military HQ lobby and into the hall.

Her destination was the General's office. A place she had been many times in her life, one she hated.

It wasn't the room itself that was the problem. It was the memories inside. Of scolding. Of yelling. Of disappointment.

Yet she was always drawn back.

It didn't take her long to reach the door, the many different soldiers, officers, and workers not paying her much mind. She was there a lot, after all, and not many people would question her presence.

She knocked on the door, taking a deep breath.

"... Enter."

She pushed the handle down, stepping inside the darkly lit room.

"Ah... R--" She cleared her throat, placing her pen down upon her table, "Private. You don't have an appointment."

She didn't wait for her to say anything else, closing the door behind her as she scoffed. "Really? I get out of the hospital, you don't visit me once-- and that's all you have to say, Mom?"

"It's General. Just how many times do I have to say that to you?" She sighed, "And I don't appreciate your attitude. Sit down."

"I'm not here as a soldier, Mom. I'm here as your daughter." She took a step forward, sitting down on the opposite chair from her.

"... I'll ignore your tone, for now. Make whatever you need quick. I'm quite busy, and have little time to waste. Especially on family visits."

"Mom, just how hard is it for you to, at the very least, pretend to give a fuck about your own daughter? Just how fucking cold hearted can you be?!"

"Watch your language. You are still a soldier, and I am still your General. Or do you need a reminder?"

Rosa took a deep breath, calming herself down.

"No, I don't. Because you've drilled that fact into my head since I was what, fourteen? It doesn't matter. I'm not here as a soldier, because, after today, I'm not a soldier."

"... Excuse me?" As she processed her daughter's words, her eyes narrowed.

"I'm leaving, and I'm not here to ask for your permission. Just to say goodbye."

The General slowly began to stand, staring down at her daughter with a heightening pressure. "Just what do you think you're saying? That's a criminal offense. What's more, you'll surely die… Think for a moment."

"I've thought this through, Mom. I have, and it's the best thing for me to do. I'm leaving."

"You're acting like a child once again. I'll give you one last chance. Stay here, and don't say another word about this."

"And I'm not taking that chance. Goodbye, Mom. It was nice to see you, even if you can't say the same." Rosa stood as well, looking away from her mother.

"Idiot-- Are you insane? Do you think you can survive outside of Sanctuary?! Survive alone without anything? Just who do you think you are?!" She slammed her fist on the table.

"Your daughter, Mom. Just... your daughter."

"No, you are not." Varano walked around the table, approaching Rosa, "I didn't raise this fool. This idiot who would throw her life away for nothing. I raised a strong woman. One who would do what she must for her people! You're not even a fraction of the daughter I raised!"

Rosa was silent.

"Good lord-- Are you going to say anything?! Say something, for once in your life!"

Not a word escaped her mouth.

"Speak, damn it! Or are you going to leave without a word-- just like the child you are?!"

"... Goodbye, Mom."

"Fucking-- Rosa! Stop! You'll be hunted and killed, and I won't be able to do a thing. Every day I have protected you, but if you do this, you will be as good as dead! A fugitive to all of Sanctuary! The Council will leave no other choice, I will have to hunt you down myself! Do you truly wish for me to have to kill my own daughter?!"

"..." She looked back for only a moment, "That was the first time in a while you called me your daughter. Goodbye, General."

"You–! Don't you dare take another step!!" She stepped forward, but was unable to follow after her.

Rosa slammed the heavy door shut.

 

--

 

Rosa didn't even take off her day clothes as she got into bed. Not her bed, no. Elsie's. She was in her apartment, after all, and her bed was much more comfortable.

Not because of any physical quality, not that she could define, at least. It was comforting in a different sense altogether. That wasn't enough to stop the tears and quiet sobs to escape her, however. They stained the pale sheets, her arms wrapped around Elsie's pillow as she wrapped herself around the covers.

She wished the world wasn't like this.

She wished things were simple.

That Vampires didn't exist, that humanity had never fallen, and that Sanctuary had never been built. She wished for a simple life. With a simple future. With her girlfriend by her side.

Perhaps they could get a house in the woods, or perhaps a cottage. They could spend their days quietly. Maybe she would grow a garden. She could learn how to cook, or maybe teach herself to fix things. She liked fixing things, whether it be trinkets, tools, or rifles.

She would have never needed to fix a rifle in that life, however. She wouldn't need to know how to clean one, how to take her weapon apart and put it back together in less than a minute. She wouldn't need to know how to fire a gun, nor to know what it felt like to take a life. She would never have to struggle with taking that shot. Of killing what needed to be killed.

She would just live a quiet, lovable life. One with the woman she loved more than anything, more than her own life. 

And she could smile sincerely once more.

She could smile once more, and she could laugh once more.

She wouldn't have to lie to the people she loved.

And, above all, Elsie would be safe. She would be there with her, holding her close. She would be alive, and well, and happy.

But that would never happen. It was a fantasy. A childish fantasy, and Rosa knew that more sincerely than anyone else. She was the one living in her reality, after all. She was the one hoping for a life where this fantasy wasn't that, where it could be her reality. A reality that seemed to get more painful every moment with Elsie gone.

And tomorrow, Rosa was going to be gone just as she was. She was going to leave her home, the only place she truly knew. She was going to be a fugitive, an enemy of the one thing that was keeping humanity together, and that was something that didn't hurt. That didn't hurt at all.

That didn't hurt compared to Elsie's death. It didn't hurt compared to seeing her lifeless eyes, silver shrapnel implanted in her body with every piece that didn't get stuck having ripped her apart. It didn't hurt compared to the pain of not being able to say goodbye. To not be able to see her smile, to blush, to hear her voice. To laugh at something stupid. To see her happy, or sad, or even angry.

None of it hurt. Not anymore.

Because she would make the Vampire that did this to her hurt. She would make the Vampire that made her life into the hell that she now lived through feel her pain. Feel her rage, her emptiness. Her loss.

Because maybe then, and only then, she would hurt once more. And she would cry as she buried the one she loved.

Then, maybe she could die for her. 

So that she wouldn't be alone.

"Elsie... I'm coming. So... please, wait... please, wait for me..."

With her broken voice, she spoke those near silent words as they drifted her into a quiet, horrible sleep.

 

–

 

"You're early."

Rosa looked over her shoulder, spotting a black-haired man. She turned her gaze back to the sun, which was just now peeking over the horizon, "For whatever reason, I couldn’t sleep.”
She wiped her eyes, holding back a yawn as she leaned against the wall.

"You'll have to get used to that."

Of all the gates hit during the attack three days ago, the Eastern gate was the one that was the most heavily damaged. It was a miracle the wall still stood, and the gate itself had to be closed off completely for repair. It was only a matter of time before it was fixed, but until then, it was the easiest point of exit for one simple reason.

The guards there were gullible.

"Here." He held out a folded piece of paper, "A map. Chances are, you'll be heading to Nosferatu to find that Vampire. I can't say for sure where exactly it is, but there should be some people who do."

He pointed to a particular spot on the map, a few hundred miles away from Sanctuary.

"This spot here is the closest town to the border. You should take a rest there and see what information you can dig up. Wouldn't be surprised if there were a few Vampires in hiding there, so you could question them on where Nosferatu is. Or, if they've seen the one you're looking for."

Rosa took the map, "Thank you. Thank you, Jasper."

"It's not a problem. As for the car, well... It's an older model, a couple decades old now-- But it should work. It's filled with a week's worth of fuel, with some surplus in the back. I couldn't fit too much food and water, so you'll have to ration it."

He handed her a set of keys, which she took with a slight look of surprise on her face.

"You... really went above and beyond. You didn't even have to keep your word, so... why? Why do all this?"

"Because I keep my word. That's all. And, well..." He sighed, "I... had someone close to me, once too. He was killed by a Vampire, some no-name True Blood that I should have killed with ease... But I was young, and stupid, and confident. And because of that, he was killed and whatever was left of him was taken with the Vampire to feed upon. I... never saw his body again. I couldn't bury him. Couldn't mourn him..."

He narrowed his eyes, taking a knee down.

"So, I need to see someone do what I couldn't... what I wouldn't. If I can't save him, or give him a proper burial... Then at the very least, I can help someone do what I couldn't."

Rosa looked down at the man, frowning, "You're a strange man... But you're kind, under all that... stuff."

"... A friend of mine says the same thing about me. Funny... To think it's so easy for people to see through me..." He stood back up, taking a step towards the car. "Get in the back and lie down on the floor. I'll get us past the guards and a few hundred meters away so you can continue."

She nodded, following his instructions as she took a step forward.

Jasper opened the back door, gesturing for Rosa to get inside.

It was a cramped space, the only things around her being the metal walls of the truck and a few crates, likely filled with whatever Jasper could get her. She made herself as small as possible, laying down and covering her body with a nearby tarp as she closed her eyes.

"Now, stay silent and don't move. They may not question me much since I’m a Hunter, but that won’t stop them from investigating if they hear something. Understood?"

"Understood."

He nodded, closing the door behind him as he walked to the driver's seat. Taking a seat, he breathed in, and then out. Slowly, surely, and confidently. That's who he was, after all. Who he told himself he was.

And that's why he didn't wait a moment to turn the key.

The car began to vibrate, and then let out a low hum. It made Rosa feel weird, but she was used to it. Hour long rides in a huge military truck prepared her for a few minutes of laying down in a cramped truck. In fact, compared to that, this was almost luxurious.

So much so that she may fall asleep. Although, that may be more due to her overall exhaustion than anything. The same could be said if she was standing up.

The truck pulled forward, slowly but surely approaching the gate.

"Halt... Hunter Jasper. I heard you got back from your latest hunt just a day ago... Why are you leaving so soon?"

"Got an alert about a group of Vampires fleeing east. Headmaster Fell wants me to deal with it before they can regroup at wherever they're trying to reach. It's urgent."

"Ah, that... We weren't told of that..." The guard's voice lowered slightly, "Look, I trust you 'n all, it's just... General told us to be on even higher security. Apparently, someone is trying to illegally leave, so..."

"Really? Well, then it's a good thing I'm heading out. I'll report back to her if I find anything."

"Er-- I'm not saying you're the one breaking the law or nothing! It's protocol. I'll make a call to Headmaster Fell--"

"No need." Jasper leaned forward out of the window, narrowing his eyes at the guard, "I don't have the time to waste on something like this. The more we talk, the further the Vamps get. If they reach an outer town, they'll start to feed. Then, we've got even more of them to deal with. So, let me through, soldier. Now."

"Y-Yes, Sir! I mean, um-- right away!" The Guard quickly saluted, shuddering a bit as he backed up.

Jasper watched the gate slowly open, his eyes focused on the man as the silver gate parted. 

"Mhm. And, no need to report to anyone about this. I'll log it in my report to save you the time."

"Ah! T-thank you, sir--" The guard spoke once more as Jasper went to lower his foot onto the acceleration, though stopped as the guard spoke once more, "Hey... I know this is, er... bad timing, but I've heard a lot about you. Jasper Mintz-- I mean, they call you things like The Black Hawk, or... the Silver Death! You're a real inspiration, so... Thank you. For all that you've done, and for all you will do!"

The guard smiled, and for a moment, Jasper could have sworn that he saw the man's eyes sparkle. Perhaps he needed to get his eyes checked.

"Yeah. Sure."

The truck's tires squeaked against the rocky road as he drove forward.

Rosa let out a sigh of relief, her arms wrapped around herself as she slowly removed the tarp from over her once they were in the clear.

"Thank you." Rosa leaned up, staring at the back of Jasper.

"No need for that. It's our deal."

"No, I was saying that you should have thanked that man. He complimented you."

"Why would I thank him for something like that? He was wasting time. My job isn't to entertain soldiers, it's to kill Vampires. I don't do what I do for thanks or any kind of reward." He didn't look away from the road for even a moment, "I do it because it needs to be done. Simple as that."

"It's common decency... And, if that's the case, why are you helping me? Why go through the trouble of getting me a truck, a map, supplies? You're not exactly killing any Vampires right now." Rosa didn't wait to point out his hypocrisy, frowning at the man. 

"That's..." He didn't have an answer. At least, not a true one. "Just sit tight, and stay quiet. Once we're far enough away, you can take the car and go on your way. Got it?"

"You're weird..." Rosa got up, sitting down and continuing to stare at the back of his head, "But, fine. In the meantime... could I ask what you packed? Other than the food you mentioned."

"What? Oh..." He sighed, "Well, everything you might need to give yourself the best chances of staying alive. Food, water, ammo, medical essentials, blood bags, clothes, vampire killing essentials--"

"Wait, blood bags...? Why exactly did you pack those, of all things?"

"You're gonna be entering Vampire territory. If you wanna get past any of their toll points, you're gonna need them, along with a good lie on why you're there. There's quite a few human towns in Nosferatu territory, so you could say you're from one of them. Pretend you're just another one of their... 'livestock', as they call them."

"Ah, I... see." She wasn't exactly excited about that. The danger was one thing, but degrading herself like that just felt... disgusting.

"They're on ice, so they should last you a good while. Though, I doubt the ravenous bastards will complain too much about old blood. They'll eat anything."

"Mhm..." She nodded her head slightly, a lump in her throat forming at the thought, "well, you really thought of everything... and you know a lot..."

She looked to the side. She wasn't suspicious, but maybe a bit curious. He was a hunter, after all, a man to be trusted even if he was a tad strange.

"... From a mission a couple years back. I've been close to their border, and heard stories from that... You'll have to hope they were accurate. Not like I could ask around."

"Oh... Okay."

“One more thing, there’s a man I know who lives in the last place you’ll head to before leaving Sanctuary,” Jasper looked back for a moment, handing her an envelope. “A letter. Tell him Jasper sent you and he’ll help you out. I’ve also included some details on a separate note inside for you to read. It’ll lead you there.”

“I’ll… be sure to do that. Thanks.”

"Now, please be quiet. Hard to hear myself think..."

"... Right."

It wasn't much longer until they were far enough and Jasper stopped the car dead in its tracks. The roads were old and not often cared for, this fact made all too clear by how bumpy even this short ride was.

With a breath of air, Jasper put the car into park and opened the door to stand. He walked around the car, opening the door and gesturing for Rosa to step out. She did so, with Jasper staring down at her.

"It's a few hundred kilometers until you reach the nearest town. Should take a day, or less, depending on how fast you drive. Once there, rest and gather what information you can. I wrote down what the best route out of Sanctuary is on the map, so just follow that and you should be good. From there, you'll have to do some thinking."

Rosa nodded, grabbing the map and holding it like some delicate relic. 

"And, one last thing." He leaned forward, narrowing his eyes somewhat, "Don't think for a moment you can trust even one of them. The moment you let your guard down, a Vampire will take advantage of you. You should know that well from your training, but it can't prepare you for an entire society of them. They're monsters, after all. Even if they're grouped together, they'll never be people. Just soulless beasts... so shoot first. Got it?"

Rosa stared at the man, her face showing little reaction to his words. Still, she nodded her head once more, something like a determined glint in her eyes.

"Got it. The moment I'm in danger... I won't hesitate. I promise. Thank you, Jasper."

"Don't... thank me. For the last time..." He huffed, turning his gaze away from her for a moment, "... Just don't die, not before you found and killed the Vampire you're hunting. Because, then, you'd be throwing your life away for nothing."

"... This won't be for nothing. I promised myself that the moment I decided my path... As far as I'm concerned, he's already dead."

"I hope you can back up those words when the time comes," he took a step past her, "but you’ll need more than just skill or confidence with what you’re up against. Your mind is your only real viable weapon, so, please, don’t forget to use it.”
Rosa watched as he began to walk away, saying goodbye though with no response. As his form got smaller and smaller, she got closer and closer to being alone.

And then she was.

Although, she already was alone. This was no different.
So, she got into the driver’s seat, adjusted the chair and the mirrors, and placed her left hand on the wheel and her right on the gearshift. She made one last check that all her cargo was strapped in, then adjusted her glance to straight ahead.
With two quick movements, the car began to move once more.

She’d just have to hope she’d get the hang of this. This was her first time driving, after all.