Hunters

8. Christmas elves

"So, what exactly is it that you want us to do?"

Erens calm voice betrayed nothing but Kora knew him.
The next few minutes would decide if Eren would reject the offer or simply decapitate the poor fellow.

"I would like you to capture an elf for me."

Heavy silence enveloped the room.
Stefan nervously glanced at Kora, but she just shrugged. She had no intention of interfering.

Eren slowly leaned back into his seat. For everyone who didn't know him, he appeared to be perfectly calm and collected.

"And for what purpose do you wish to a acquire such a creature, Mr Karov?", he asked.

"Well, my daughter got it into her head to have one. Children these days.
I was told you were the best in this kind of business. I never go for anything less than the best.
So, what's your price?"

The hunter ignored the question and turned to Stefan instead. The latter visibly flinched the hunter's attention landed on him.

"Pray tell, why did the guild contact us for this particular job?"
Stefan avoided Erens gaze and stared at the curtains behind him as he spoke. "The guild master thought it to be the appropriate decision to solve the matter this way."

"Solve what exactly?", Eren inquired.
Stefan shifted uncomfortably in his chair and kept looking anywhere but towards the hunter before him.

Eren watched him squirm for a few seconds and he frowned slightly.
Then he turned back to their potential client.

"No"
"Pardon?", Mr Karov asked.
"I said no."
"What?"
"I decline. We will not be accepting your request. No matter how much money you offer."

Mr Karov stared at him before abruptly standing up.
"You could have told me that you couldn't do it. You waisted quite a bit of my time in wich I could have look for someone else do get the job done."

Eren stayed quiet and watched as the merchant turned to leave.
Just as he was about to open the door did he speak again.

"You seem to have fallen victim to quite a misconception, Mr Karov."
Karov turned around impatiently. "And what would that be?", he asked acidly.

Eren let his gaze wander, unimpressed by the others displeasure, before turning his attention back to the older man.

"There are things in this world that cannot be bought with money.", he said, and a faint smile appeared on his lips as Mr Karov broke into a laughing fit.
"Good one!", the merchant applauded. "I did not think you had it in you.", he finished sarcastically.

Erens face became impassive as a gold coin appeared between his fingers.
"It seems as if you do not quite know what exactly you are searching for, Mr Karov.
There is a reason for why we do not 'hunt' certain creatures without good cause.", he started to explain, effortlessly moving the coin between his fingers.

"There are things in this world that are beyond even your imagination. Some we hunt down, some we kill and some we leave in peace. Not all supernatural creatures harm humans. Not all are peaceful.
Neither are all of them stupid enough to rely solely on their own powers for survival.

It's never wise to wake a sleeping lion."

He tossed the coin into the air, skillfully catching it before it hit the table in front of him, his eyes not leaving Karov's for even a second.
"So I would advise you to let this one go.", he finished and straightened up.

The merchant just shook his head. "You will regret this.", he said evenly, gave the room one last look and left. The door closed behind him.

There was a sudden puff of smoke beside Eren. A child like figure emerged from the white-green cloud.

"I almost thought you had forgotten about me! Or that you lost the coin.
I'm a craftsman not a prophet."

"And neither am I a gnome, thank you very much." The latter part was directed towards Stefan.

"My apologies.", he hurriedly replied. "I have just never met an elf in its true form before."
"Just because your kind thinks that we run around with weird pointy shoes, bells, pointed ears and red hats, clad in red and green. Doesn't mean we have to actually look like that.
You humans should really learn to keep your thoughts to yourself!"

The being humphed in annoyance, completely forgetting Stefans existence just a split second later.

It excitedly turned back to Eren.
"So did you see them?
Did you see them?"

"Yes.", Eren replied calmly. "They are where you thought they were. The barrier will be deactivated for the rest of the day."

The creature jumped up and down in excitement."
"Brilliantly! Truly brilliant!"

It's snapped his fingers and poach full of coins landed in front of Eren.
"As promised.", it beamed.

"Is there anything else we could do for you?", Eren asked.

The elf shook its head.
"No, no. We are all done with that, all done."
It happily performed a small pirouette.

"Do you need anything?", it then asked the siblings, now jumping up and down again. "We are rather good at making things and a few measly gold coins cannot really compare to what you gave to us."

Both hunters shook their heads and Kora smiled. "Not really but thank you anyway. You have paid us enough."

The creature came to a sudden hold, seemingly falling into deep thought before it abruptly came back to life.

"I have it! I have it! You keep my coin!
And if you shall ever need something, you will call for us.
Yes, yes. That will do!", it exclaimed excitedly.

"Well, thank you.", Eren said. "We will."

"Perfect!", the elf beamed.
"Have a merry Christmas!!" It bowed and disappeared just as it had come.

A brief silence enveloped the room, just disrupted by a silent sigh from Eren.

"May I ask you a question?", Stefan hesitantly asked just as the siblings, in turn, started to get up and leave.
Eren gestured him to speak.

"Would you have accepted the request if it hadn't been for the other commission?
I'm aware that it is against regulations to make a client a target."

"No and neither would I have accepted any other quest from Mr Karov. I'm sure you know why he truly came to us.
I suggest the guild master gets rid of him himself... or posts a quest.."
And with that the twins left.

Stefan leaned back. "So it's true.", he mumbled to himself, staring at the now closed door.
"Another client lost."

He eventually got up and stepped towards the window, watching as the two hunters crossed the busy street, avoiding horses, people and mountains of snow alike.

The Christmas decorations glittered in the light of the setting sun and the sound of bells permeated the air.

And another year almost gone, Stefan thought and a sigh, most similar to Erens, passed his lips.

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A Late Merry Christmas 🎄

Christmas elves:
- Most likely originating in Celtic, Norse and other Scandinavian mythologies
- First associated with Santa Clause in the 19th century