Chapter 1.

Don't praise those who do nothing.

It is better to chant prayers to demons,

here are those who are really trying.

- Hiro, why don't you give it a rest? You won't find her, and I'm sure you're just dreaming or your imagination is playing tricks on you. You're a little out of your depth, aren't you?

- I was in my right mind that day. It couldn't have been a figment of my imagination. I'm going to find her and-" He frowned and stopped talking. From behind the trees, a girl with her eyes blindfolded by a tight band appeared.

- We urgently need to return to the palace. - Though her voice was calm, goosebumps ran through Hiro's body. Without saying a word, the trio ran through the forest.

It was dark and the moon was obscured by thick clouds, but they moved as quickly and confidently as if they knew the forest inside and out. They ran out of the forest, skirting trees and jumping over tangled roots. The cold wind enveloped their bodies, trying to slow their movements. Had it been this windy and overcast when they left? Heero remembered exactly that the sky was filled with a scattering of stars, the soft glow of the moon lighting their way. It wasn't long before he and his friends left, the weather changing too abruptly and unnaturally.

It was only in the courtyard of the palace that they were able to stop. Placing his hand on the hilt of the sword hanging on his belt, Hiro approached the company of knights. Even in the night, their overly pale faces could be seen. The shortest of them noticed the approaching lad and immediately ran up to him himself.

- Hunter, trouble! - The voice was trembling and his eyes were wide open, making the knight look mad. - An assassination attempt was just made on the first princess. We managed to save her, but... it was a distraction, they kidnapped His Majesty's advisor.

- What did you just say? - Erdge, who was standing behind Hiro's back, growled angrily. - Are you so insignificant that you can't do the only thing that is required of you? All you can do is cause trouble.

- Er, don't waste your strength on such people, let's go, we need to talk to the master. - Eastcryl spoke, walking past the confused knights. Although they knew the bad character of Hiro's comrades, but it did not save them from the unpleasant residue in their souls after every meeting with them.

- Thank you for the information, work harder. - Ignoring the cries of acceptance of the admonition, Hiro followed Erg and Eastcryl, who always walked hand in hand.

When they entered the Master's office, Erdge immediately sat down in the guest chair, planting his foot on his leg. Sighing heavily, he closed his eyes. His appearance had always made ordinary people fearful. Long white hair braided into a high ponytail, tanned skin due to frequent training in the sun, but it was the light gray, almost white, eyes that gave the image the very horror. Empty, as if there was no life in them. It was immediately obvious that he was an unusual man, a half-breed with the blood of a human and a mythical creature: the wind moth. Isa, on the other hand, simply sat down on the carpet in a meditation pose and lowered her head. Her long, dark brown hair fell over her face, though it was mussed by the wind, the ribbon still tied perfectly at the back of her head.

Heero walked over to the mirror and tried to tidy up his already unruly hair after running in this wind. Compared to his buddies, he looked rather dull. Short, dark-blond hair that fell over his face before reaching his light brown eyes, straight eyebrows. There was a mole in the middle under his right eye.

The door creaked open and a middle-aged man entered the office, his dark hair already beginning to be covered with gray. After frowning at each guest, the magister locked the door. Sitting down at his desk, the man spread out the papers he had been holding in his hands. He looked up again at the senior hunters.

- Let's not waste time and get straight to the point. I want each of you to take at least ten or twenty newly arrived hunters as apprentices and...

- Excuse me, Master, but are you out of your mind? - Eastcryl interrupted him, raising her head at the man. - We are not teachers, our duty is to protect the kingdom from creatures, not to teach some insects who should have learned everything at the academy.

- I completely agree with Isa, you know that even our own comrades in arms are afraid of us, and the newcomers will faint when they see us. - Erg supported his friend, still sitting with his eyes closed. Heero only grimaced at the thought of his students.

- I knew you'd be against it, but there's no other choice," the Master leaned back in his chair. - These are hard times. The enemy is stronger and more cunning than we are, and we need more men to protect everyone. Your trio is one of the best in the business. - A weary gaze settled on the girl with the bound eyes, who was still sitting in a meditation pose. - Istkril - you are a master of espionage, you can skip anywhere, move silently even on a carpet of dry leaves. -After his gaze fell on the young man in the chair. - Erdge is brilliant in agility and graceful in combat, a master of cunning, deception, and guile. - Shifting his gaze to the young man standing absentmindedly by the mirror, the Master continued. - You, Hiro, have unrivaled strength and fortitude. The three of you always complement each other. I want to create teams to be like you.

- Two of us are half-bloods, and one of us has a magic artifact. Jorn, are you sure you can create others like us? - Er opened his eyes and looked at the master.

- ''I don't need copies. They must take some of your qualities necessary to fulfill your duty. The nobles need our protection - that is the king's order. And today's trouble has shown that we are failing. While defending the noble houses and patrolling the city with the forest, attacked the weakened palace, gave a crack only for half an hour and this is what happened. - Taking one of the stacks of papers with his free hand, the Magister held it out to whoever stood closest. Heero silently walked over and took them. - This is the list of new arrivals, study it and choose the ones that suit you. The main thing is to have the same number so we can make up teams later. We don't have much time, so take this very seriously.