(This Chapter is for @fkhng, thank you for all the support.)

"Right," she replied in a monotonous tone. Aldridge could sense the uneasiness, she wasn’t acting like herself. It wasn’t like her to accept his decisions without objections. Where was her fighting spirit? And he wondered what Xiran must have said to her.

"So what did you name the little fellow?" Yurian wanted to pull her out of this dazed state.

"Rony," she replied with a small smile.

"Well, Rony is going to be the star of everyone’s eyes," Yurian smiled back.

"Yeah," she glanced at her dog who was soundly sleeping, and then went back to staring outside.

They reached the airport and boarded their private plane. Warise and Carios watched them till their plane left the runway and flew away back to their destination. Carios called Xiran and informed him of their safe departure.

Yurian sat beside Aselia at the back of the plane, away from Aldridge, Silver Wolf and Agent 93. They were discussing some strategies on how to set up their offices in Druhias and which agents and hunters to position there.

Aselia sat with her head on Yurian’s shoulder. She hadn’t spoken a word for a long time and this was spiking Yurian’s anxiety. He hated seeing her stressed especially when he couldn’t do something to help her. It brought back his traumas and he would always end up losing control.

Aselia remembered the tablet. "Yuri, I asked Xiran to bring me something for you. I couldn’t go out because of the situation, so here. I hope you like it," she handed him the tablet.

"Oh! You didn’t have to partner, thank you," his face brightened as he accepted the silver box from her and opened it. The latest tablet from the most expensive gadget brand in the world lay in the box.

"Woah! Partner, how did you get this? It’s like the tablet of my dreams. They haven’t even launched it yet," Yurian exclaimed unable to contain his excitement.

"He got it. He has a friend in the company I guess,"

Aselia replied with a sigh.

"Thank you so much," he placed his arm around Aselia to hug her and show his gratitude. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"No worries, you are one person who is constant in my life, who is always there for me, and who has never hurt me in the last five years I have known you. I can’t even express to tell you how much you mean to me, Yuri."

Aselia’s words carried so much affection for him that he couldn’t help but blush a bit, warmth filled him as he turned a bit and responded:

"And I will always look after you and it’s a promise that I will never hurt you."

"I know Yuri, I know," she placed her head on his shoulder again and closed her eyes. He let her be and didn’t press her to talk, understanding how much she must be hurting.

Yurian turned on the tablet and began checking its features when Agent 93 approached them and sat opposite Yurian and asked with astounded curiosity:

"Is that what I think it is?"

"Yeah, and it’s dope man, just see how smooth the touch is and the new features they have added are mind-blowing," Yurian explained and handed the tablet to the other boy. They began to discuss it at length and were lost in their world for a while.

Then Agent 93’s eyes fell on Aselia who was resting quietly on Yurian’s shoulder. "Is White Falcon alright?" he asked a bit concerned.

"Yes, just tired," Yurian replied still checking his tablet Aselia opened her eyes to peek at Agent 93, and he awkwardly smiled at her.

"I just wanted to say that no matter what others say I believe that you shouldn’t be constricted by anyone. If you want I can share all the information I have acquired from my mission and I will be ready to assist you in any future mission related to Phantom," he stated, keeping his voice low making both Yurian and Aselia startle a bit. She sat up straight before answering:

"That’s kind of you Agent 93 but I can’t pursue that man any longer or gather information from anyone in my organisation, it will jeopardize the treaty and I can’t be the cause," the hidden sadness in her voice didn’t go unnoticed by him but he nodded.

"I wish his death will come at my hands and I will make sure to make it count. I hope he will suffer as much as he made me go through it," the young vampire clenched his teeth and softness disappeared from his eyes.

"May I ask what he did?" Aselia queried with concern. Yurian had stopped playing with his tablet and concentrated on what Agent 93 was saying.

"He took my fiancee, she was an elf like you are. So I understand what it feels like to lose someone at his hands," his expression hardened as he said those words and Aselia stiffened as he continued to speak:

"We met during our academic years in Druhias. I decided to complete my Bachelor’s degree from Druhias as it has some of the best institutes.

At first, she was a bit afraid and apprehensive of me but gradually we became close and our love blossomed. I proposed to her after we completed our degrees and she said yes," he paused, there was this forlorn look in his eyes as if reminiscing that moment. Aselia and Yurian intently listened.

"It was the happiest day of my life but our happiness was short-lived. We had decided to settle down in Druhias for a while and one day our home was ransacked. He came with his men, wearing a mask and took her away. I knew there was only one man who hunted elves. I tried fighting them but they were too many and his power left me half-dead. I could only watch them take her away with helplessness."

The tears he was trying to hold back spilled down his face. Aselia felt her heart receive a jolt and Yurian shook his head in disgust. She reached out and took his hand and patted it as he spoke again:

"I don’t even know if he killed her or if she is still alive. But that was the day I decided to join the hunters and get trained, so I wouldn’t be left so helpless. That day I decided he needed to die."

"I am so sorry to hear this, and I understand what you feel," Aselia tried to calm him down.