"An offer?”

  Whispered Shirin with a raised eyebrow. With hands on her hips she asked. “What kind of offer?”

  Zara: Snapped her finger and pointed at Shirin, “You and that boy. You two seem to be getting along well with Calira, therefore I want you to speak what you know about her.” Finger now pointing at Riven, “By that I mean everything.”

  Dropped her hand, one on her hip as her eyes wander between the two silvers.

  The Time seemed to slow down. Her voice was heard loud and clear, and it was as if everything else went silent due to her demands.

  She continued. “And, in return. I'll do what you ask.”

  Shirin: While Riven was frozen Shrin was the first one to engage, “What exactly do you want to know? And what exactly can you do for us?”

  Jude: After Shirin he was the one to speak, while scratching the back of his head he said, “Trading personal information about a hunter, especially that-hunter, is a dangerous market.”

  Zara tilted her head at their response and further questioning.

  Riven: Took in a deep breath, and a step forward and asked, “What do you mean by everything?”

  The question hung in the air and caught the attention of all three and heads turned.

  Zara: Taps the bone of her jaw, “Mm… tsk, not gonna tell me?”

  The three shared a glance at each other, but Zara spoke. “Fine.” She shrugged and turned her back to them.

  They watched her walk away with widened eyes. Though before Zara completely disappeared she threw a middle finger.

  Jude: Looking at Zara's message he sighed, “Well, that was for—”

  “Hey!!”

  The voice was no longer audible for Zara. Yet Shirin continued.

  “Come back you—”

  Jude: Placed his hand on her shoulder, “Hey, we got other things to discuss.”

  Shirin: Turned to face him with his fist clenched and body stiff, “You can't let her get away after doing that!”

  Riven: “She's already gone.”

  Shirin: With tightly clenched hand she spoke “B–but—”

  Jude: “Leave it. Let's go.”

  —{Jude's Place}—

  11:35AM

  “Really? You encountered her?”

  Asked Sylvia while brewing tea in the kitchen.

  Shirin: “Yessssssss.” Shirin answered, slouched and rested on the table beside Riven. Her arms cover her face with feet constantly tapping on the floor.

  For the moment Jude was nowhere to be seen or heard. As Sylvia poured tea in two cups she asked for clarification.

  Sylvia: “Ah, she's gold right?”

  Shirin: Groaning behind the shade of her arms she answered, “No idea.” Sighs.

  Riven: While Shirin was unaware of what Zara may be, Riven clarified Sylvia's doubt, while nodding he said, “Yes. She's gold.”

  Sylvia: Brought both cups to them on the table. Taking a seat across them she tapped on Shirin’s shoulder, “Hey, are you okay?” She asked with hands on her lap.

  “Yeaaa.” Is what she received.

  Sylvia softly smiled and shook her head, “No, you're not.” Now with her attention to Riven she asked. “And what was the offer she gave?”

  Riven: “So she, augh.” Looking up at the ceiling, “She offered us help for…” Eyes back on Sylvia, “Providing her info about Rustwood.”

  Sylvia: “I see… You agreed…?”

  Riven: Shook his head, “No, we didn't.”

  Sylvia: “Nice call. Any idea why she asked for that?”

  To which Riven shook his head.

  Sylvia's question hangs in the air and the room fell silent. Shirin finally lifts her head up from her arms.

  Shirin: “Who cares what she wants to know? She's a creep and flips off. We have bigger problems. The harpies. The oily ones.” Leaned back on the chair and folded her arms over his chest. “What are you two looking at?”

  They shook their heads and said “Nothing.” In unison.

  Suddenly the door opened and Jude walked in. With an opened bestiary in his arm. “Speaking of…”

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  He placed it on the table and took a seat beside Sylvia. Placed his arm around her shoulder making her giggle.

  Jude: “The Gloomcall harpies I have news.”

  Riven: “What news?”

  Jude: “One bad, one good.”

  Riven: Nudged Shirin whose eyes sharply turned at him, he flinched but asked, “Which to hear first.”

  Shirin: “Augh! Just choose one. Don't bother her.” Smacked his hands off of her. Though her smack wasn't rough.

  Riven: Sighed, looking at Jude he said, “What's the good news?”

  Jude: “For that you'll first need to understand the bad news.”

  Riven: Hearing his words his brows furrowed and jaw clenched. But Jude only smirked at it, and Sylvia chuckled. “What's the bad news?”

  Jude: Crossed his legs before stating the bad news, “Turns out their acid can melt rocks.”

  Learning the bad news both silver bodies stiffened, including Sylvia who looked at Jude with wide eyes.

  Both silvers seemed too shocked to ask the good news so Sylvia took the initiative.

  Sylvia: “A–and what's the good news?”

  Jude: Nodded to himself, “Now, that's interesting. So, this contract of Gloomcall harpies should've been of higher level, but since it's four it means there's no nest right now. They just settled in and their numbers are low.”

  Shirin: Leaned with hands on the table and rear off of her seat, “Really?”

  Jude: Nodded. With a smug face.

  Sylvia: “That's um, good news. I guess.”

  Riven: “They can melt rocks, noted.”

  Sylvia: To the silvers, “So when are you guys leaving?”

  Riven: Scratched the back of his head, “Ah, tomorrow–today… When?” Nodded towards Shirin but she refused to meet his eyes.

  Riven dramatically groans, throwing his hands in the air.

  —{Afternoon}—

  It wasn't long until the bridge stood in their vision. Riven and Shirin now in their hunting gear stood by the road blocks. The guards seeing the badges on them let them pass through.

  Shirin walked in front of Riven and increased her pace with each step while he just followed. A strange gel-like substance of light-yellow colour was hardened in their ear.

  With each step they got closer to the bride and sounds were starting to get clearer and clearer with each step. The wind rushed past them kicking off dust in its path.

  Wet, clucking and clicking sounds. The sound paused.

  Suddenly Riven's eyes widened and he grabbed Shirin's shoulder. He pointed in a direction, her eyes followed and was stunned to see a flow of harpies perched on the arches of the bridge.

  The bird the size of a kid, covered in feathers, and the face of a woman had their eyes on them. Unshaken in the strong flowing wind.

  Both drew their swords out. Stood their motionless locking eyes with the harpies.

  Shirin pushed her shoulder onto his, grabbing his attention she nodded towards the harpies and twirls her finger.

  Riven glanced back towards the harpies, his vision allowed him to see further than normal and saw the number of harpies as 4.

  Back to Shirin he raised four of his fingers. Shirin nodded again.

  She lightly touched her knuckles on his and they started advancing towards the bridge.

  And one of the harpies did something. Riven was the first to notice it. It shifted its body weight and opened its wings, it was wide, twice of its own body length.

  Flapping its wing it flew high and dived towards them. The other three followed right after it.

  “Fuck.” Shirin muttered. She tapped his shoulder again but with greater force. Shirin grabbed his arm and ran in a direction.

  “Hey, what are you trying to do?” He asked while letting himself be dragged by her. But she didn't answer him. And he just followed.

  The advancing harpies let out a high pitched cry like a baby's wail and a hawk's screech stretched in a long note.

  Two of the harpies continue to follow them but the other two split in the other direction.

  Riven, seeing two departing, tapped on Shirin's palm and she slowed her pace and said “This is our chance.”

  They stood their ground with eyes and swords glowing in blue. The harpies let out another high pitched cry, yet it failed to shake the two silvers.

  The moment the harpies got closer one of them opened their mouth wide, teeth which looked human and corroded were stained with saliva. It dived first towards them.

  Shirin took a step forward, slashed her sword sending a wave of water forward but missed the moment the harpy changed its trajectory. Dodging the attack.

  Stumbling back it landed on the ground but launched itself up just a second later. And yet it failed to save itself.

  “There!”

  With just a foot off the ground Riven's sword successfully cut off one leg.

  It cried in pain and stumbled back on the ground again. Seeing this the second harpy dived down towards Riven opening its maw, with the same saliva.

  Gliding through the wind it came into range with Riven, he wasn't fast enough to react and was about to be bitten but Shirin came to safety and her blade glided through the throat.

  Blood splattered over Riven's gear. “Thankfully I saw it coming.” Said Shirin.

  “Shit.” Riven said, looking at the blood.

  The one other injured harpy was still crying and they didn't have time to waste.

  The harpy was trying to launch itself up with one leg and failing to do so. And before it did Riven's blade poked through its chest.

  With the two harpies done they again started advancing towards the bridge. Walking side by side near the canyon's edge Riven took a look at the bride from its side.

  From his perspective there wasn't much going on, no more harpies in his view. No suspicious activity on the bridge itself. And no nest.

  Shirin stood by his side looking around at their surroundings with a tight grip on her sword. Her eyes travelled in every direction except the canyon itself…

  And it happened. Something flew out of the canyon. A harpy. Screeching and running up from the edge with razor sharp claws in its feet.

  It first attacked the close standing to it. Shirin.

  It jumped and the claws dug onto her shoulder from the back. Shirin cried out in pain, and fell to the ground by its weight.

  The harpy, now standing over her, tries to bite her and she rolls over pushing off the harpy.

  Quickly getting off of the ground, grabbing her sword she elbowed Riven. He turned around to see the harpy. Who was now back on its feet.

  Suddenly more started to come. Two more.

  One jumped right in front of Riven and crashed onto him. Knocking him back but was caught by Shirin.

  The other came out flying and was now in the air.

  “Fuck, there's more.”

  “Are there more?”

  The one who'd attacked Shirin earlier targeted her once again. Jumping at her from the back but this time she managed to dodge it. The harpy's talons dug in the dust filled ground making an abrupt stop.

  And got stabbed on the back by Shirin.

  The one to knock back Riven charged at him again. Another headbutt but, here Riven did not flinch and stood his ground.

  The harpy itself stumbled back and Riven rushed forward raising his sword but the other remaining harpy clawed on his face.

  Riven closed his eyes when the talon's sharp tip pierced near his eyes. His jaw clenched and he blindly slashed the harpy in front of him.

  While Shirin attacked the legs of the harpy on top of him. She succeeded.

  Not only did she succeed but the talons did not come off of his face. Nor was he successful in killing the harpy he was going for.

  Both injured harpies stumbled and descended back into the canyons.

  Shirin held him and made him sit on the ground. By careful hands she was able to take off the talons from his face.

  He opened his eyes again and the first thing he saw was her face. Meeting eyes with each other she showed a thumbs up and he copied.

  Riven touched his bruised face and they sat there for a few moments of silence.

  Few seconds later.

  Shirin felt a nudge on her back. She looked at Riven but he wasn't the one doing it.

  Shirin turned around.

  It was a chick. With a girl's face.

  “What the fuck is this!?”

  She didn't hesitate to swat off the chick to the depths of the canyon.

  “Ew. Disgusting.”

  She said, rubbing her hand in the dust. She glanced towards the bridge and her eyes and mouth widened by the scene in front of her.

  Now 7 harpies were watching them from the bridge edge. Plus, the two harpies from earlier were also returning.

  “Riven, Riven!”

  She turned his head.