.Eyes Of Void.

-35-

"Fourth trial is upon us, competitor." Mage Leo announced this one. "We've tested your agility, teamwork, and observation skills with a few others in the previous trials. This one will be accuracy with archery! Those that cannot shoot a bow are instantly disqualified as of now. There will be targets set up, and you will participate in groups of four. The one with the least amount of points gets disqualified. Each group will shoot three times five arrows at one hundred and fifty meter, at two hundred and a moving target at one hundred and fifty, all bows have been tested to shoot further then those distances in experienced hands so faulty equipment cannot be at fault of your failure. After each round of five arrows you will be able to change bows and finally, if any visible tricks to cheat are caught you are out. You have all been given a necklace with a crystal pendant with a number engraved in it, head to the shooting rage with the same number."

I watched Mystery's group, human woman, orc man, skin-taker person and Lazar man... She's got this.

Tho Skin-taker and Lazar still worry me.

She grabbed a bow that was light brown with a light blue leather strip, it was a bow I had once trained with to learn archery but it was not my cup of tea... Tho now I feel there is something up with the bow with how she is looking at it.

She refused her practice arrows.

I was amazed at how she shot the arrows, hitting right next to the previous one each time but all bullseye.

"Why?" I didn't get why she'd change her bow if she found one that would help her win.

The next one was one from birch with the ends chard black, a light green grip of thin cotton, the string was just right on this one and it had marks of use, the owner's fingers having left slight dent though the years where the fabric was. It was me that chose to add this bow to the list of bows they could use because it was the one bow I was a bit successful shooting with.

She yet again refused the practice arrows and did the same as before.

"Wow, even my mage isn't that skilled." Eleric said, now watching her shoot with me.

"Tell me about it." I muttered back.

"But why does she keep changing bows?"

"I wouldn't know." I shook my head. "Maybe she can shoot with them but she didn't yet find the perfect one?"

"Probably, mages can afford to be picky as we all know how they have been trained, no way they fail this trial."

"Shit." I hissed when I saw her grab the old leather grip of the dark wooded bow.

The mage was right, each bow could shoot further then the assigned distance for the trial but some were bad, like this bow, cutting the archer each time they shot with it, it was a trap to fail those that couldn't recognize a faulty bow.

But that look on her face... She still chose to use that bow.

"What is she doing?" Eleric breathed out as this time she told of the boy offering her practice arrows with visible bite, annoying or angry for some reason.

A moving target with a faulty bow, what are you trying to do?

They barely waved the start of the round before she shot, I saw a small drop of red splatter on her face when she let go of the string.

"What?!" Eleric exclaimed making me look from Mystery at the target... Bullseye.

She was shooting her arrows fast, not taking her time between them but each hit bullseye, shattering the previous arrow in its place, but also cutting more through her fingers each time she pulled the string back.

I gasped and covered my mouth as as she shot the last arrow the wood of the bow snapped and slashed her face open tho she didn't seem to feel it, still standing with her arms up before slowly lowering the bow and gently setting it down.

She treated it with so much care... Just what soul was in the wood for her to risk it?

She didn't wait to hear her results, she just walked away.

-----------------------------

I had caught Emersme and asked him if he knew where Mystery was, he said she'd go to the healers but I didn't see her there so I went to the one place I knew off, to the castle.

I went to my room, she'd come find me anyway, she looked like she wanted some time alone.

I looked around the gifts I got before the trial, I was surprised just a little bit that Mystery had not given anything to me but it's not like she needs to, I like her anyway.

"I have a door you know." I said with a scolding tone when I heard the plants outside my window move, I smiled anyway.

"I prefer this way, a little touch of originality." I was leaning against the window sill so I stepped away as she hopped inside "And how you doing with the gifts?"

She looked at the pile of gifts.

"Well some are actually useful." I saw seeing her look, holding up the candle holder that could hold three at the same time. "And some are... Just look at this..." I held up a huge orc club with some difficulty making her laugh brightly at my struggle.

"Yeah you can't really use that can you?" She said, shoving it off my bed after I had dropped it on it, freeing up the space again.

"Not at all, I didn't find anything from you."

"Do I really need a gift to be favored?"

"No you don't, just made on observation, you do follow tradition usually."

"I already won so what good would it do? Plus if you know me it would have been another flower most likely."

"True in all aspects." I said, continuing the inspect all I got while Mystery leaned back against the window "And I find it amusing the pair you and Ethan formed." I said while looking at the intricate fountain pen I got.

"Don't remind me of that, that was the worst dance of my life, I call fights dances but this dance was a fight itself."

"I could see that, it was humorous to watch and spectacular at the same time with all the slight missteps just off enough to bother the other."

"Ah you noticed?"

"I've spied on my mage for a long time of course I would notice a shift in your behavior."

"What can I sa--DON'T!!" She yelled as she jumped towards me when I opened a small jewelry box, a blob like dark form rose from it only to be blasted against the wall and fade into it.

"What was that?" I said.

"A dybbuk box made with a jewelry box."

"A dy-what?"

"The dybbuk box is usually a wine box which is said to be haunted by a dybbuk. A dybbuk is a restless, usually malicious, spirit believed to be able to haunt and even possess the living and you set it free, to fully free itself it needs to kill the one to open their box." She grabbed the small wooden box examining it, she didn't look happy with whatever she found. "Someone intentionally didn't finish the seal... Another murder attempt."

"What do we do now?"

"The only one thing can be done."

"And what's that?"

"A spirit hunt."

"And we kill it after we find it?"

"No we can't."

"Then what?"

"We seal it ourselves."