Twilight Of The Echo Bearer

Lux followed the tavern owner into the back room. It turned out to be a small and dimly lit space with a table and two chairs. The flickering light from a single lamp cast shadows across the rough stone walls.

The tavern owner gestured to one of the chairs, and Lux sat down without a word, his eyes never leaving the man. The owner shifted uneasily, then sat across from him, rubbing his hands together nervously.

"So... uh," the owner began, his voice low. "Why do you wanna know about that name? Arthuros, I mean."

He chuckled awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood, but Lux's cold, unwavering gaze shut him down immediately.

Lux said nothing, simply staring at the man with sharp eyes. The silence between them stretched uncomfortably. The tavern owner swallowed and glancing around the room like he was hoping for an escape awkwardly.

After a moment, the owner cleared his throat, realizing he'd made a mistake by asking too many questions. He coughed awkwardly again.

"Alright... no need to answer. You don't strike me as the talking type." He glanced at the fortune Lux had revealed earlier. "Let's just finish this business quickly, huh?"

The man leaned in a little, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"Arthuros... yeah, I've heard of him. People call him The Blood Lord around here. He's the leader of one of the most dangerous gangs in Ashenveil that controls a lot of the underworld in this city."

The owner paused, glancing nervously at the door as if expecting someone to burst in at any moment. "But it's not just that. He's rumored to be... something more. Something not human. But I don't know for sure about that."

Lux's expression didn't change, but internally, pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. That would explain the fear he instilled in everyone.

The tavern owner continued quickly, wanting to be done with it.

"Look, that's all I know. I don't ask too many questions around here, keeps me alive, you understand? But if you're looking for him, I've got something that might help."

He reached into a drawer behind him, pulling out a worn, creased map and sliding it across the table toward Lux.

"That's his headquarters. It's well hidden, but this will get you there." The man tapped a spot on the map with a trembling finger. "It's an old manor on the outskirts of the city. Not many people go there and come back, so... just be careful."

Lux glanced at the map, committing the location to memory, then slowly folded it and slipped it into his coat. He stood, his chair scraping against the floor as he pushed it back.

The tavern owner stood too, wringing his hands nervously. "Anything else you need? More information? I... I can try—"

"No," Lux said coldly, cutting him off. He picked up his purse and tossed a few more coins onto the table as payment

Without another word, Lux turned and made his way out of the room, leaving the tavern owner to exhale in relief behind him.

Then he stepped out of the tavern into the cold midnight air and his thoughts focused on the next step.

Arthuros, or rather The Blood Lord, was the target. He now knew where to find him. Lux begin his steps toward the location.

---

Inside the tavern, the man who had been watching Lux closely since his arrival rose from his seat the moment Lux disappeared into the night. He kept his movements casual but as soon as he stepped outside, he quickened his pace and heading for a dark alley that wound through the city streets.

Once out of sight, he broke into a sprint. The man jumping over low walls, darting across rooftops, and swinging from railings with ease. The city's dark environment — cramped alleyways, rusted pipes, and old chimneys — was his playground. He navigated it like someone who had lived in Ashenveil's underbelly for years.

After a few minutes, he reached his destination, a run-down section of the city where abandoned buildings and debris filled the streets.

He landed in a small courtyard where three men sat around a makeshift fire. Their faces were hardened and their eyes stay alert. These weren't ordinary men; they were Hunters, like him.

The man from the tavern approached the fire, and the three others looked up as he arrived, sensing that he wanted to say something urgent.

"What's the rush?" one of them asked, his voice gruff as he threw another piece of wood onto the flames.

"There's a Hunter from outside in the city," the man from the tavern said.

The three exchanged glances.

"An outside Hunter?" one of them asked, sitting up straighter. "What's he doing in Ashenveil?"

The man from the tavern shrugged. "Could be after someone. But if I had to guess... he's looking for The Blood Lord."

At this, one of the men chuckled darkly. "The Blood Lord? He's just asking to get himself killed. No one takes on Arthuros and lives to tell the tale."

"Maybe," the man from the tavern said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But there's something about him... I don't know. He's different. I could feel it. He's not like the others."

The three men stared at him, frowning. As seasoned Supernatural Hunters like them had developed a keen instinct over time, a sense for the strength of their enemies and fellow Hunters alike. It was something they relied on in this dangerous line of work, and more often than not, it was accurate.

One of the men leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "You think this Hunter is strong?"

The man from the tavern nodded. "Yeah. I don't know why, but I got a bad vibe from him. He's not just strong but also filled with something darker. Though, maybe we all are but he is... different. I don't know."

The first man let out a long breath, standing up and dusting off his coat. "In that case, we'd better talk to him."

The others nodded in agreement then they standing up one by one. They all exchanged looks, knowing that if this outsider was as powerful as their instincts suggested, it could change the balance of power in Ashenveil.

Without another word, the four Hunters set off into the night. Whatever the newcomer wanted, they would find him and decide the next course of action for him.

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