"Maria, I don't have time to play around... When can I perform the ritual?" Zalarys asked, turning his sword around and driving the blade towards her heart.
"You're not ready yet." Maria smiled, raising her sword and blocking the strike, her movements graceful as she dashed forward and sent a vicious slash.
But it was a feint, and as Zalarys turned the blade around to block it, she let the weapon fall and closed the distance, her fist clenched as she delivered a crashing blow to his face.
His head snapped back, blood dripping from his lips, but before she could leap back, he grabbed her arm and pulled her in, releasing his weapon and hugging her, holding her tightly as he dashed forward, slamming her onto the wall and then yanking his body back, smashing her against the stone.
Maria blinked in bewilderment, her vision growing blurry as she felt disoriented, lack of air making her mind fuzzy, but she quickly composed herself, stabilizing her breathing and rolling in order to get on top of him, her legs encircling his body as she grabbed his hair and punched him, blood leaking down from his nose.
Zalarys gritted his teeth, trying to find a more suitable position to turn the situation around or escape, but before he could do so, Maria rolled right, grabbed his arm and pulled it towards her with all her strength, her legs wrapped around his neck.
Zalarys's face slowly turned red, lack of oxygen draining his strength while he tried to grab his trapped arm. He could feel that if he didn't escape somehow from this position, his arm would break.
But luckily, this was just training, so Maria let him go, rolling backwards and leaping to her feet, cracking her sore neck.
"This is my 47th victory." She smirked, crossing her arms under her breasts.
"Yes, yes. I can count too, woman." Zalarys rolled his eyes and dragged his body up to sit, breathing heavily, but then she flicked his forehead with a disapproving look.
"That's not how you talk to a lady, little prince."
"My apologies, every time I tried to have a delightful conversation with women, I found myself either poisoned or traumatized, so respectfully, I decline."
Maria hummed, licking her lips and squatted, staring at his pale face. "Listen, even if that's the case, that doesn't mean everyone is like that. You shouldn't boil everyone in the same pot."
"You're one to talk." He scoffed with righteous indignation.
"Well, I was testing you."
"Maria... That doesn't make sense. You did all of that just to satisfy your curiosity?"
"Yes."
"Huuuh? You're even admitting it."
"Because, unlike you, I am strong. Let's be honest now, why did you want to become a hunter?"
Zalarys looked down, thinking about his answer. Truth be told, he just wanted to. Like one wants to become rich, why not? Like one wants fame, why not? Like one wants to become a knight, why not?
But was it that simple? He wasn't sure, really.
"Well... Why did you?"
"I already gave you the answer. I have the power to force my will upon the world. I can kill anyone, and I can become everyone. I have every face."
She flicked his forehead repeatedly. "That's why I don't need to make excuses. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want without anyone even knowing it was me. That's why I don't care if you blame me for what happened, well it was my fault, but so what? What can you do about it? Be true to your own self... You know there is nothing you can do. Because you're weak and insignificant, like every other victim of mine."
"So think long and think hard about your answer... Why are you here and why do you want to become a hunter?"
Zalarys was staring at her for some time, a bit amused by her words, and shook his head with a faint smile.
"I will tell you when the time comes."
Maria blinked, bewilderment flashing in her eyes until she understood that was what she was telling him every time to avoid answering.
Letting out a soft laugh, she took a seat too and called Shadow to come here as well, who was demolishing a few beginners like him as if it was nothing.
Zalarys too decided to rest. This place wasn't really an organization, there were few rules, and it was, well, a temple. There was no necessity to stay here forever.
The teachings of Mother Death never sought obedience but for one to know their truest self, to live free, liberated from every chain and return to her arms with no regrets.
All the other rules were made by hunters themselves, one example of that being to keep balance and destroy everything that goes against the law of their Venerable Mother.
Sitting together, the three of them were about to begin eating, but before doing so, Maria grabbed both of their hands and bowed, speaking humbly. As surprising as it was, she had a huge ego, and now Zalarys thought about it, every hunter was the same.
The only thing that all of them acknowledged was that in front of Death, everyone was the same.
"Thank you for providing us food, my Mother, beloved and dearest. One who sent us into this world and is waiting for us to return to your peaceful embrace. One who gives life meaning, and the one who stands above all."
After a short prayer, the three of them began eating. Shadow couldn't speak, but he began learning how to write, so that's how he was communicating with them.
Taking a bite from fruit, Zalarys glanced at Maria and hesitated for a moment, not sure if he should ask her this, but he was growing impatient.
"Maria... I want to perform the ritual and become a hunter as soon as possible so I can leave and continue my journey."
"And I told you that-"
"I know... But from what I learned, there's no law that restricts me from doing it. I want to see Master Hihkran as well... So tell me what I need to do. I do understand you wish good for me. But this sense of stagnation is rotting the temple of my heart."
Maria locked her eyes with his, then glanced at Shadow, who nodded with determination burning in the depth of his onyx eyes.
"You two..." She let out a sigh. "I'm not really against it, so don't think I'm preventing your rebirth."
"Then I can go, right?"
"Yes, you can... You know only about the Hunt of Dawn, correct?"
"Yes. I have no information other than that."
"Fine... Listen well, then." Maria spoke, and both Shadow and Zalarys leaned forward curiously. "The Hunt of Dawn is necessary for the ritual. It is a great hunt which marks the beginning of your journey as a hunter. You need to kill a beast vastly more powerful than you for that, to prove yourself. There's nothing more pathetic than butchering weaklings. After doing so, you need to bring proof of your hunt. Be it bone, blood, flesh or fang, anything works... But that isn't enough. You also need the blood of the one you love, and lastly... offer your heart."
Shadow glanced at Zalarys, writing on the dust-filled floor.
"I... don't understand a thing."
"Same, brother. But I don't understand only the last part."
Maria smiled, crossing her arms. "No need to understand it now. Everything will become clear when the time comes."
Then, leaning forward with an intrigued expression, with her eyes clear and wide, she asked. "So what do you think? What are you two going to hunt?"
Shadow shrugged nonchalantly, his posture unbothered, not caring what he had to face.
As for Zalarys, he began drawing an awkward form of a lizard on the floor, which strangely resembled a dragon.
"I'm going to kill the thing whose blood is flowing in my veins..." Looking up, with his cheek resting on his fist, he grinned. "I'm going to murder a dragon..."
Maria's cheerful face turned sober, her expression darkening in displeasure as she spoke with an emotionless voice. "I hope you're joking. Even with all our might, it's still dangerous. Besides, I'm talking about a young dragon, which can be killed if we use the environment to our advantage and other tools. But I doubt you want to kill your family's dragon... In other words..."
She paused and snatched his stick away, drawing a map, with the Summer Sea, Free Cities, Volantis and the destroyed peninsula too...
"Valyria... That's your destination."
"Exactly." Zalarys nodded in confirmation, biting his nail as he thought about his plan. "It's impossible to reach it by any normal means, and that is why you seem against it. But I have Murghagon, in other words, we can travel there. There's another factor at play, we don't need to hunt a dragon alone, we can challenge fire with fire. And that means, with Murghagon by our side, we are capable of emerging victorious. Sure there are risks, but so what? When have the sons and daughters of our Martyred Lady begun fearing the solace of destined death?"
"I'm not afraid of death." Maria spoke coldly and leaned back with a huff. "And what do you mean us? There's no us, just you two fools."
"No, it's us." Shadow nodded as well, touching her shoulder gently with wide eyes while Zalarys smiled pleasantly. "After all, there's no way you would decline the chance to fight an avian abomination that dominates the air."
Complicated emotions flashed in Maria's eyes as she contemplated. It was true. When would she even get a chance to witness the death of a dragon? This was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
While she was not afraid of her Mother's embrace, what gave her pause was the thought of pushing children into their final rest before they had a chance to truly bloom.
"Fine then... For the glory found in death." She raised her fist with a stern expression.
Shadow raised his fist too and lastly Zalarys, hitting their fists with his own as he nodded.
"No better way to face the end than doing what we love, eh?"