The Monster's Apprentice: Chapter 94 - Before This War Is Over | Part 1

Jun 22, 2026

“No hunter walks this path alone, though some may try. The road is long, and the weight of survival is lighter when shared with allies who will stand beside you when the darkness closes in.”

— Abraham Grimveil, “Facing the Darkness: A Hunter’s Manual,” page 151

Mina stood stiffly by the sink, dragging a brush through her damp, snow-white hair, taking the opportunity to get one final look at it. Her hair had always been like this, a color she had come to associate with herself, her heritage, and the idea of changing it felt wrong and strange.

Behind her, Emily was hunched over a wide basin, using a spoon to stir a thick, black sludge that looked more like tar than anything that belonged near someone’s head. That was supposed to be dye? It looked more like the excrement of some enormous beast, only it didn’t smell.

But as Mina stared, her focus gradually shifted from the mixture to Emily’s arms. The fractures had healed, but they were now more striking than ever. Before, they were faint, only a subtle change in skin tone. Now, they shimmered with a vibrant gold, like veins of ore running just beneath the surface of her skin. A jagged, shimmering river that bloomed from her palms, twisting around her fingers and climbing up to her elbows. It was the same pattern on her legs, from the soles of her feet to her knees; the gold fractured her skin.

They hadn’t been able to figure out why the change happened, or how, but it had happened, and thankfully, it hadn’t affected Emily in any noticeable way. The gold wasn’t rough or raised; it moved with her skin, smooth and flexible like a tattoo. Still, Mina knew those fractures would eventually open again, and they would spread further. For now, her goal was to prevent that from happening.

“You ready?” Emily asked, pulling Mina away from her thoughts.

“I’m not sure about this,” she replied after a beat, staring back at the basin.

“It’ll be fine, trust me.” Emily waved her hand dismissively. “Black will look good on you. It’s already the only color you wear, so I don’t think it’ll look out of place.”

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Ye of little faith. I know what I’m doing. But if it makes you feel better, Violet gave me some pointers earlier when I went to get the base for this.”

Mina took a long, slow breath and lowered herself into the chair Emily had propped against the basin. She leaned back awkwardly, letting her hair fall over the back of the chair. She knew she could trust Emily, and yet still her heart pounded against her chest.

“When I’m done, you’re gonna have to let it sit for a bit,” Emily explained. “Give yourself just enough time for the dye to settle in. Then you’ll rinse it out.”

Mina tensed as Emily’s fingers brushed the back of her neck, then massaged her scalp as she smeared the thick black dye. Mina hadn’t felt anyone’s touch like this in years, but as Emily worked, humming softly to herself, she began to relax. The tension in her shoulders eased, and her breathing slowed.

“What color was your hair?” Mina asked quietly, “When did you dye it?”

Emily paused for a moment. “Red. It was a darker shade, so it blended more with my natural hair. I liked it, but I kept forgetting to touch it up. That, and…” she trailed off. “Well… I ran out of stuff for it. Couldn’t afford to get more.” Emily resumed her work, this time with a bit more force. She kneaded the dye into Mina’s scalp with a little too much enthusiasm.

Mina grimaced but stayed quiet, letting Emily do her thing. She tried to settle in as the dye sloshed between Emily’s fingers. She leaned back a little further, making it easier for her. To Mina’s surprise, the sensation became oddly comforting and far less invasive than she had expected. She closed her eyes, focusing on the soft squelch of the dye and Emily’s humming. She hadn’t realized how much she had missed this feeling, of someone being close, of letting her guard down, even if only for a few minutes.

“Aaaand, done!”

Mina blinked her eyes open. The dim light of the bathroom felt unfamiliar after having them closed for what seemed like only a moment. Had she fallen asleep? She straightened slowly, but found that her head was oddly heavy. The clumps stuck to her hair like flies tangled in a spider’s web.

“Just let it dry for maybe… thirty-ish minutes,” Emily instructed, wrapping a towel around Mina’s neck to catch any drippings. “And while you wait, I’m gonna take my bath.”

“Right,” Mina muttered quietly. She left the washroom and waited at the kitchen table. The house had never felt this empty. She had grown so used to having Arthur and Clara as company that now, in the silence, everything felt strange. While Emily was spending her time with them, Mina kept her distance, giving them space. It was deserved, especially after all that had happened. Mina was content watching from the sidelines, seeing the way Emily’s face lit up when she was with them. That smile; Mina had seen Emily smile plenty of times, but never like that.

When Emily was finished and headed upstairs to change, Mina took her turn. She knelt by the tub and washed the dye from her hair. It took longer than she expected. The dye was sticky and stubbornly clinging to each strand of her hair. But finally, after what felt like an eternity, the water ran clear. She took another bath, just to be safe, and when she finished, she cleared a patch of fog from her mirror.

Her hair was… different. It wasn’t just black, but the darkest, purest black, like the void of a moonless night. It was a color so stark that it almost didn’t feel real. She turned her head to the side, studying it. She didn’t know whether to love it or hate it. Was it done well? Did it suit her? It almost made her pale skin stand out a little too much.

For a long time, she had avoided looking at herself too closely. But where once she would have grimaced at the sight of her naked body, she now looked on with curiosity and intrigue. It wasn’t the same. It hadn’t been for almost a month, and yet each time she looked at it, it was like seeing it for the first time. The deep, jagged scars that once crisscrossed her skin like the fractures of a broken landscape were mostly gone. All the blades that had bitten deep into her flesh, the spears, the arrows, the whips, all polished with the sting of holy water; there was hardly any sign of them. The scars were still there, but they were subtle, nothing more than faint thin lines that no one would notice from a distance. Where once she had run her fingers across rough, gnarled skin, now she felt smoothness. Her skin was unnervingly soft. It was the skin of an elf.

She traced her fingers along the lines of her stomach, where before the scars had twisted like spiderwebs. She felt her breasts, and they were soft, gentle, and smooth, not misshapen or rough and gnarled like tree bark. The cutaway pieces of her thighs and pelvis had grown back, and the brands on the soles of her feet had faded. For once, she didn’t have to feel water running over her skin without pooling in the deep trenches of her scars. She had lived with them for so long. They had been a part of her. And now, standing here, looking at herself, she didn’t know what to make of it.

For the first time in a long, long time, she truly saw her face, and it made her cry.

All it had taken was a single sip of Emily’s blood to erase all the years of pain and torment from her body. The moral part of her recoiled at the idea of drinking human blood. Emily’s blood. She had avoided it for so long and resisted temptation through even the hardest of times. And now, the first time she had truly had it, it was against her will. But at the same time, it had given her the strength she needed to put an end to a chapter in her life. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t craving it now. The taste had lingered on her tongue for days after the battle. It was sweet and intoxicating, almost addictive. As the taste faded, she found herself longing for it again, despite every part of her screaming that it was wrong. She could almost feel the heat of Emily’s blood in her mouth, the way it coursed through her body, and heightened her nerves.

But no.

She clenched her fists.

She wasn’t going to drink it again.

Never again.

There was a knock at the door.

“You finished?” Emily asked.

“Yes…” Mina said quietly, wiping away her tears.

“Can I… come in? You’re not naked or anything, right?”

Mina paused and tied a towel around her body. “You can come in.”

The door creaked open, and Emily peeked her head in. She had changed into another one of The Tailor’s dresses. It was simple, as red as rubies with orange lace along the necklines and sleeves. The fabric glittered in the light of the oil lamp above the tub, making it look like she was wearing fire itself.

As soon as Emily saw Mina’s hair, her face lit up. “It worked!”

Mina glided her fingers through the dark waves. “It did…”

Emily stood there, admiring it for a moment. “Well… what do you think?”

“I… don’t know.”

Her smile faltered a little. “I think it looks pretty,” she said quietly.

Heat rose to Mina’s face, and her stomach twisted. Did she say the right thing? No, she hadn’t. She had never been good at this. What was she supposed to say? “It looks… nice,” she decided. “Thank you.”

Emily’s face lit up again. “You’re very welcome!” She reached for her hairbrush and hurried out. “Alright, I’m gonna finish getting ready!”

The door clicked shut, and Mina was alone.

She still couldn’t see it as anything but surreal. In many ways, her body had been a roadmap of her life. There were stories carved into her skin, horrific reminders of things she wished she could forget. But they had shaped her. Without them there, it was almost like she had a fresh start. A second chance.

Her fingers lingered in her hair, gently pulling at the strands. Despite all her swirling confusion and uncertainty, she smiled.

Emily was right.

It did feel nice.

Mina knocked on Karaline’s door, her heart pounding for a different reason this time.

She had faced giant arachnids, slain vampires, hunted ghosts, goblins, and all manner of monsters, yet in this moment her stomach churned with a dread no battle had given her.

The door swung open.

“About time ya showed—whoa.” Karaline stood there, her mouth hanging half open, and her eyes wide.

Mina’s cheeks flushed as she averted her eyes, staring down at the cobblestone path beneath her feet. She couldn’t believe Emily had talked her into any of this. Here she was with no sword strapped to her back, no guns hanging from her belt, and no knives tucked into her boots. Instead, all she had on her was a sleeveless dress as black as her hair. The neckline exposed more of her than she would have liked, and the tight fabric accentuated her elven physique in a way she had never experienced before. She felt naked, vulnerable, as if the dress was laying bare more than just her body.

Karaline’s stare swept from Mina’s flushed face to the hem of her dress and back again. For a moment, she was uncharacteristically silent. And then; “Damn,” she said with an exhale. “Bold choice. That dress is doin’ work, lass.”

“Isn’t it?” Emily said, moving out from behind Mina. “She doesn’t like it, but I think she looks good in it.”

“Damn right she does,” Karaline said with a chuckle. “Love what ya did with the hair too.”

Mina mumbled a faint “Thanks,” and glanced up at Karaline, who had clearly made an effort herself.

“Well, come on in! Food’s waitin’, and it ain’t gonna eat itself.”

The table was already set, and Karaline got to work serving the roasted lamb and red wine she had prepared. The kitchen was clean, for once, no longer a storage room for Violet’s dolls. Where she had put them, Mina didn’t know, nor did she care too much. It was nice to have a meal without dozens of lost souls watching you with envy.

Violet was sitting at the table, wearing a purple dress with her skull mask. Without her usual hood, more of her features were exposed than normal, like the soft tips of her elven ears, and the first hint of brown roots creeping into her vibrant purple hair.

Henrik sat beside her, giving Mina a faint nod as she entered. He was dressed as impeccably as he could with his left arm cradled in a sling. One look at his dark green outfit, though, and Mina immediately knew it was The Tailor’s handiwork. It seemed they had all gone to him for this evening’s occasion.

Mina slid into a chair beside Emily and sat patiently as Karaline piled roasted vegetables onto everyone’s plates.

“See?” Emily said to Mina. “This is how you cook.”

She shot her a look, but Emily’s grin only widened in response. She didn’t back down, didn’t even flinch. She just kept that smug look plastered across her face. Mina tried to maintain her stern demeanor, but a small grin seeped through. “Keep talking, and I’ll have you taste testing a few new recipes.”

Karaline snorted as she slid a plate in front of Mina. “Aye, lass, don’t threaten the poor girl with that. She’s been through enough already.”

Mina rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress the warmth spreading in her chest.

Violet helped pour the red wine with a hum of telekinesis. Emily tried tempting her to give her some, but Violet wiggled her finger disapprovingly, making Emily chuckle.

Karaline plopped into her chair. “Right, enough faffing about. Dig in, ye lot, or I’ll eat it all meself.”

Even if Mina was apprehensive at first about dinner, she couldn’t deny that it was nice to have a moment away from everything. She was able to catch up with Karaline and hear some of the gossip happening in Cresthill, how Lord Dainford had announced the completion of the new lodging built around Star Lake, and how The Tailor had received an influx of orders for a grand ball being held in Peccatum on New Year’s Eve.

“Wait… so, it’s like this?” Emily asked, grabbing Mina’s attention.

The witch was fumbling through a sign, making Violet giggle and reach out to correct Emily’s hands.

“That’s what I just did!” Emily exclaimed, laughing.

Mina couldn’t help but smile as she watched the two of them. Seeing them together, though, dug up another worry. For as well as things were going, they could always turn south in an instant. Violet’s secret was out there, and if it ever got out, Mina didn’t know what would happen. She didn’t want to see the betrayal shatter Violet, but she had a feeling it would. Mina tried pushing thoughts like that aside, though. There was already too much to worry about as it was. It was better to cling to the moment. This was what they fought for: not just vengeance against the purebloods, but nights like this, where laughter drowned out the threat of boots kicking down the door.

Henrik cleared his throat. “My compliments, Karaline. The meal is exquisite, as is the company.”

Karaline laughed. “Appreciate it, but ye sound like ye’re toasting the bloody queen. Loosen up.”

“Forgive me,” he chuckled. “Old habits die hard.”

“Speaking of hard,” Mina said, “how’s the recovery, Henrik? You’re looking better.”

“I would be remiss to claim it has been an easy path. The body heals slowly when pierced by a blade. Yet I am fortunate. Draven’s strike was wild, frenzied. The blade missed my vital organs by mere inches. Had he been more precise, I would not be here, sharing this meal with you. And for that, I am grateful.”

“Yer one tough bastard, Henrik. Takes more than a wee stab to put ye down.”

Henrik chuckled. “Resilience, perhaps. It is not my first brush with death, though I confess, as I lay there, bleeding on that cold stone floor, I felt my life ebbing. But I heard her. Kasia. She came to me. She sang as she always did, and it anchored me, gave me strength to endure, even as the building collapsed around us. I knew she was watching over me. And now, knowing Draven is gone, that one less monster stalks this world… it brings me peace.”

“About that,” Mina said. “You asked Draven about Kasia’s assassination. He said her father ordered it?”

“Indeed. I suppose you are owed an explanation for my outburst. It was a personal matter, but before Serenity Gardens, I was a knight for the Orsella Family.”

“Orsella?” Emily said, the conversation grabbing her attention. “Like the freight company?”

“Precisely. The family is quite traditional, and I was honored to be awarded a knighthood with them, and their daughter Kasia was my charge. Over time, our bond grew beyond duty. We loved one another, but her father, Lord Orsella, forbade it. He had plans for her, a marriage to cement his alliances. So we fled to Brozegräd, hiding in its sprawl. The city was vast enough to shield us, and for a time, we were happy. We lived with Kordwyn Vorrimstone, a blacksmith, who was Karaline’s master. It was a good life, however brief. But Kordwyn fell in love with an elf, and they had Violet. Her family did not approve. They came for Kordwyn and his beloved, and… they did not survive.”

“Yeah…” Emily said awkwardly. “I’ve heard this bit.”

“Right. I’m sorry. After Kordwyn’s death, Karaline took Violet under her care. We fled Brozegräd with a few others, eventually finding refuge in the caverns of Serenity Gardens. But if Draven spoke true, Kasia’s father learned she still lived and struck a deal with the purebloods to have her killed. To think he would rather see her dead than free…” His voice trailed off, thick with disgust.

“Really?” Emily’s brow furrowed. “Just because she didn’t follow his stupid plan?”

“It also means the Orsella family has ties to Queen Lockhart,” Mina said. “If they’re working with the purebloods, they’re a bigger problem than we thought.”

“I didn’t think them a problem in the first place,” Karaline added. “Damn. Sounds like a right nest o’ vipers. Ye’d best keep yer eyes peeled, Mina.”

Henrik nodded. “I concur. If you pursue Queen Lockhart, the Orsella family may prove a formidable obstacle. Tread carefully.”

“Noted,” Mina said. “But let’s not worry about it now.”

“Aye,” Karaline said, raising her glass of red wine. “I say we toast. We won after all.”

Everyone else joined in holding up their glasses.

“To stickin’ it to those bastards!”

“And to those we love,” Henrik added.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED TODAY’S CHAPTER!

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