A Guide to Surviving Against Monsters

Personally, I think lunch is a decent time of day. I get a break, and I can eat alone if I want to.

Today, I had planned on eating alone and preparing for the job we had later.

That didn't happen.

Why?

Because a certain top student was following me around like a puppy.

"Which days do you think are the best? Can we work more than twice a week if you're not busy? Do you know any runes you can teach me? What weapons can we learn? How long will you be my mentor for?"

I nearly stabbed him with my fork. I had set up outside, my lunch resting on my lap. Malekai had followed me all the way out here, sitting across from me with an excited look on his face.

"Malekai... I'm going to kill you before the mutants can if you're not careful."

He pouted. "Oh come on, Foxit! We need to plan these things at the very least."

I sighed, glaring at him. We locked eyes, his unwavering grin eventually wearing away at my withering stare. I rolled my eyes, leaning into the tree behind me.

"We can work after school whenever it's convenient. Sure, more than two days can be arranged, depending on my mood. I'm certified in all types of weaponry, but I'll have to refresh my memory of some of the more nitty-gritty techniques. And yes, of course I know runes. And banishing rituals."

"You skipped one of my questions."

I hesitated, clenching my hand around my fork. My hair fell over both eyes, hiding my guilty look from Malekai.

I don't want to promise to teach you for a long time when you might be dead soon.

"Foxit? How long will you be here to teach me?"

"At maximum, until the end of my job with the Academy," I told him. "Once you guys graduate and we're dismissed from being your supervisors, then... I'll have to pick up my next job."

"But what if I came with you?!"

My eyes widened, my breath catching as Malekai grabbed my freehand, his face scrunched up. My hair fell back, revealing my green and blue eyes. His own were blue, matching one of mine and clashing with the other.

"What if you took me on your next job? Let me learn from you, please Emmalyn. You're the only one who can push me to be a great hunter while also ensuring my safety."

I scanned his face for any sign of fear or lying. I found neither -- Malekai believed wholeheartedly that I was the only one who could be his teacher.

I'll admit; part of me wanted to promise to be his mentor and protector.

But that wasn't my style, nor was it me.

"I can't Malekai. You'll graduate soon, and we'll be going on a few missions together... But after that, I'll leave again," I told him, pulling my hand away from his. His face fell, his hopeful eyes turning to those of despair. Unable to hold his gaze, I began packing up my lunch, forcing myself to my feet.

I have to kill Sasora before I can leave this city. Between that, this mission, and everyone trying to peek into my life... I don't have time for an apprentice.

I don't even have the heart for one.

Someone else is better for you, Malekai.

"Emmalyn!"

I froze, my hand hovering over the handle of the front doors of the Academy. Swallowing, I hesitantly looked back to see Malekai on his feet, his hands in fists.

"I won't stop asking!" He yelled, pointing a finger at me. "I'll prove that I can be a good apprentice, you hear me?!"

Just let it go, kid.

And despite that thought hanging in my head...

I found myself smiling, even if it was a small one.

"Good luck with that, Malekai," I whispered to the open air.

He didn't hear me, but he wasn't meant to anyway. The student simply watched as I disappeared inside the school, heading for one particular room.

The weapons room.

"Where is she? Their classes ended half an hour ago, and even the students are already here!"

"Did she forget?"

"Emmalyn would never forget about a mission."

"Oh, yeah? Then where the heck did she go?!"

"I'm right here, dumbasses."

So maybe I was a bit late. Getting all the right weapons fitted for me was time consuming, and the runes I'd created afterward were a bit tricky too.

At least I looked great, so I could be late in style.

Other than my trench coat, I had changed my entire outfit for this particular mission. I wore a bodysuit of reinforced leather and steel toed boots, both provided by the academy. I'd also picked out some of my weapons from their arsenal. For today's mission, I carried more than usual. A baldric was slung over one shoulder, hanging across my back, carrying a long sword and a shuriken. My belt, which hung low around my hips, had a whip and a chokuto, both of them not actually belonging to me. Then, I had twin sai knives, which were literally hidden up my sleeves, if I was ever in need of a good trick. My black hair was brushed over my eye, hiding the green iris from the world.

"Where have you been?" Wendy demanded. "We were supposed to leave the second their classes were finished."

I hummed, waving off her frustration. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out seven sheets of paper. On them were identical symbols; runes infused with a simple spell.

"I needed these," I told her, turning to the seven students. Malekai hadn't said a word to me since lunch, but his eyes hadn't lost their look of determination. "They're runes. Press them to your skin, they'll take hold as if I drew them on you. If you get struck by something fatal, they'll alert me to your location. Then, I might be able to come save you."

I handed them out, watching as the younger hunters pressed the paper onto their hands or arms like they were temporary tattoos. Each one flashed purple before the paper burned away, leaving the swirling circular pattern on their skin.

My eyes swept over the seven students. Beth, the brunette with a model's body and a genius' brain, was second in the class. Malekai was first, still, and looked like your typical jock. He clearly had more going for him than you'd first expect. The rest were all normal, except they had one thing in common.

The top students didn't shake with fear or tremble like the others. They simply stood there, armed to the teeth, waiting for our instructions. They were ready to fight.

I pursed my lips, looking past them and out one of the many windows in the front hall of the school. A black mini bus was waiting to take us to the barrier, and then beyond that.

Today, one of these kids may die. Hell, one of my fellow supervisors may die.

And tomorrow, I would have to tell my story to those very supervisors. The ones that would probably look at me like a monster afterward.

I lifted my eyes to look up at the sky outside the window. It was gray, stuck forever in the shade of an obsolete winter day's usual weather.

Completely unremarkable.

Which was funny, because today could mean a lot of things. Important things.

"Emmalyn?"

I tore my eyes away, looking back at the people around me.

Seven hunters. Seven hunters to-be.

How many would we have left?

"Let's go."