Chapter 149 - The Untold Story

Alastor stopped laughing. His eyes met the strict expression of Timber.

“All right. I’m gonna stop. By the way, you said before that they’re still experimenting. Would you mind telling me why are they so obsessed?”

“It all started with the idea of his father, Jonathan. He was not a madman at that time, just a curious scientist who wanted to further the study about us the Tribunal Hunters. His body, on the other hand, gave up before he can fully realize his research. His son, Hannibal, and his former colleague Jett took over his research, and later they developed how to use the power of the mark to prolong the ties between a Tribunal Hunter and a monster.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? If you can fully control a monster then you’d have the advantage over a battle. It’s an opportunity that I wouldn’t want to miss.”

“Are you even listening to me? We, Tribunal Hunters exist to make sure that man, nature, and the monsters coexist. Enslaving the monsters would upset the balance of nature, something that we are trying to avoid. We don’t fuck with the balance and the balance won’t fuck with us. Simple as that.” Timber continued. “Hannibal and Jett didn’t read his intentions right. They wanted to enslave monsters and mobilize it as troops.”

“For what purpose?”

“Chaos. They wanted to profit the monsters as a private army. Jonathan wanted to unravel the truth and further the knowledge of us Tribunal Hunters, but it ended the other side of the railway.”

“I can see where you’re coming from. But why didn’t you kill them?”

Timber paused for a while and sighed. “I couldn’t bring myself to end them. Even I wanted to, it would be a disgrace to his late father.”

Alastor raised a brow. “Disgrace? You’re only doing what you think is right. Frankly, now that I know what he’s capable of, I would gladly take him down.”

“You think you can take him down?”

“Well…”

It was wishful thinking, but Alastor knew himself that it would take a tremendous effort to clash against him. Hannibal has stronger features that would be used to his advantage.

“You’re not sure of yourself?”

Alastor didn’t reply.

“I guess that makes us even. I can’t kill and you don’t have the means to defeat him.”

“Hey, I’m not the one who let that runt ran amok.”

Timber waves his hand on the air dismissing his words on his thoughts.

“Enough of that. I’m going to teach you the innate talents that every Hunters has.”

“And that would be?”

“The eyes that can see the marks.”

“Please, do elaborate.”

“Every hunter can see the other part of our world. It is without a doubt a convenient skill, but the ability varies because of the blood we possessed.” Timber points at his eyes. “Your eyes could hold a unique skill as well. With proper training, you’d be able to use and apply it to your battle.”

“Yes, yes. Let just say I believe you, but what about my heritage? How can I start my training without knowing what kind of Hunter I am?”

“You don’t have to worry about that for now. As I said, we’re going to focus on how you’re going to identify the mark of a hunter. It’s a basic one, so don’t let it go over your head. This is a stepping stone to know what you really are.”

Alastor asked. “Why? Why are you helping me? Is there anything you can gain from this generosity?”

Timber smirked before turning around and replied. “I’m a keeper of balance, it’s my job to know what there is in existence.”

“Hm. Then what about those kids back in Vesoga Plain?”

Timber coughed. “Well… I wasn’t planning to sell them on black markets. Our objective at that time is to infiltrate the network of Theo through the influence of Hoarder. I became his henchman for a while but it did not last long…” He paused.

“Because of me.”

“Yes.” Timber nodded. “It was an inch on getting his trust and you blew it up. But it wasn’t all bad. You see, if we ever come to the Kayon City we would have been detained or else get killed.”

“Then I assume you heard the news elsewhere?”

“Yes. As soon as my men told me about the uprising, I didn’t hesitate to take them down.”

“That’s awfully cold for someone who claims who doesn’t want to upset the balance.”

“Hey, killing bad guys is keeping the balance on tight. I never once claim that killing is out of the options. Of course, we Tribunal Hunters has some lines to cross if we want to maintain the balance. Anyway, let us start.”

“How does this work again? Do I have to chant a spell?”

“It’s kind of complicated. The incantation is hard to visualize since this isn’t like any other elemental magic.”

“Then how would I be able to conjure it if I can’t visualize it?”

“We are going to take a shortcut. Hold still.”

Timber covered Alastor's eyes with his right palm. Alastor felt the heat rising from his palm. It’s gentle and calm.

“Repeat after me. Benedicite, superi, nos ac permitte invocare oculos, qui ultra videre possunt.”

Alastor repeated. “Benedicite, superi, nos ac permitte invocare oculos, qui ultra videre possunt.”

In a matter of seconds, Alastor’s eyes felt stinging pain, his thoughts scattered, his thoughts amiss from the reality as Timber uncovered his eyes. Alastor endured and it didn’t last ten seconds when he regains his vision.

He looks around and saw the world in black and white.

Alastor saw energies with different colors swirling around. And there’s a pause. He looked at his own body and noticed the pulsating light coming from his chest.

“Wait. What the hell is this?”

Timber did not reply.

Alastor looked over with an unamused expression.

Timber is in his utmost humble countenance. The green light has a certain shape pulsating hard on his chest. Alastor’s eyes squinted along the wincing of his face.

“I can see it now,” Alastor mumbled.

“But not clear. You need some time to control that visual kinetic ability.”

Alastor sat down and closed his eyes. His mind fluctuated, breathing the cold night air. He raised his head slowly.

“What did you do to me? How did it happen?”

Timber kneeled. “I bestowed you an ability.”

“Means?”

“It means I passed unto you my ability to detect magic.”

“I never heard that anyone can pass an ability to another person.”

“It doesn’t mean it did not exist. You just haven’t heard of it.”

Alastor understand what he meant.. He sighed and waited for his eyes and mind from throbbing to recedes.