Rufus.

Recent happenings keep sriking Tristan pretty heavily even though he is great at hiding his feelings.
He is not happy, he is very fragile and broken, but the only person that seems to have always felt it, seems to be Frerin. In truth, Frerin has always noticed the unfairness towards Tristan, and lately it has started to bother him big time. But of Frerin will be told on another tale.

The day when Absynthia had to return to Malicedom, was one pretty horrible day for Tristan. First because it will be a month before he will see her again and also for the unexpected visits he receive. ((In that day, Jackil and Carlie were away to spend some relaxed time alone, in their house in the East, gifted to them by Sao as a wedding gift.))
As a matter of fact, that morning, Benjamin decided to visit him to have a serious discussion. ((Tristan has always been extremely tied to his grandfather, in a way he even idolized him, dressing in a way very similar to his style and sometimes even acting like him. Plus, his passion for minerals made them even closer, the days when he had to go hunt minerals with him while be gathered ingredients for his potions were his favorite moments))
After the whole "Shadow criminal" thing, when Benjamin and Francis told Jackil the truth and all that mess followed, Tristan really took a huge distance from the grandfather. Benjamin thinks it is because he is angry at him and pouting for it, but in fact the reason is a little more complicated, as always when it comes of Tristan's point of view. To him, it was a clear proof that Benjamin did not care for real about him, he does not care who he is, only what he does. Like everyone else. He is disappointed, but mainly hurt as he thought he could trust Benjamin.
Anyhow, that morning, as soon as Benjamin approached their mansion, Tristan could feel him so he rushed to the bathroom and locked himself in, much before he even reached the door and knocked.
It was Frerin to open and to welcome Benjamin in, even before their butler could.
They had a little talk, then Benjamin asked him about Tristan and Frerin went to call him, finding out he was "taking a bath" he said and reporting to the grandfather he will come soon. After a long while of wait, though, Frerin had to go check again, knocking hard and shouting, though he heard something that left him almost shocked: Tristan was crying inside. He was too discouraged to go out and face whatever discussion Benjamin would want to bring up. So Frerin spoke in his mind to try to find out what was wrong and reassure him a little, but it was of no use. Benjamin would not leave until he spoke with him, so it was pointless to delay even more or try to get away. After some m ore minutes, Tristan finally went out -he even took a long bath for real, full of super perfumed oils so now he is all smelling like a pine- and headed downstairs with bowed head and little to no will.
Though, right then, someone else knocked on the door and the pine scent covered any other smell for Tristan to notice it before, Butler opened and it was...Edward. Typical scene when the Butler is asked about Tristan, he turns around and the boy is right on the stairs in front of the door.
As normal for Edward he simply grabbed Tristan by arm and headed out without a word about why or where he would be taking him.
Benjamin, noticing that rushed after them, but Edward teleported away with Tristan. Needless to say, Benjamin did not give up and started to look for them, and in fact, joined them right in front of the EG's headquarter. He tried to get information from Edward, with no result and all he was given was a "You will take him away when done, wait in my office."
Needless to say, Tristan was so terrified he could barely breath, almost having a true panic crisis, as he thought the uncle found out about the man he murdered by accident and now he is getting his punishment for that. He expected to be tortured no doubt and...it was not quite so, even though quite painful.

**In Nortrig, tattoos and piercings are not like on Earth, just "body decorations". Every single tattoo or piercing has a very deep reason and a function. (Even though it also happens that some get tattoos just for decoration, but that is very rare)
Doctors, mages, alchemists, potionists etc use to have the highest number of tattoos and piercings on their body as said things are not just proof of an important goal they achieved in their profession, but also an improvement to that. Something that will open an even greater power or knowledge or understanding in what they achieved. Tattoos are Arcane, Divine and Mystical Symbols while piercings are just like any empowering ring, amulet of token.
Also, since each tattoo and piercing have a meaning and the achievement that earned them is not the end of the story but the beginning, they also must be applied in specific areas. (Notnin every case though)
I.E. When a young mage manages to pass then exams to join the Academy of Dark Arts or Curses, they are marked with a tattoo that proves they have mastered basic magic they need to learn advanced one. The tattoo is an Arcane Symbol that MUST be applied at the back of the neck.
Or, when an Alchemist manages to create a Bloodstone, he receives a tattoo that is a Mystical Symbol that proves it and improves his skill in Blood processes, and that can be applied anywhere on their body.**

Edward took him straight to the dungeons and forced him to sit on a FAR from reassuring table. There, he stared at the boy creepily for some time and...started to work his own way to actually Pierce Tristan's skin for as long as he needed to do his job. Now, it was still unknown what material Z'Ks are vulnerable to -it will be told by Xilon at the right time- which makes it close to impossible for anybody that is not the Alpha (Jackil) or a Zimox to cause a wound on him. Their body regenerates so fast it is instant, especially if the wound needed is very tiny as that for a piercing.
Only Edward knows how and only Tristan knows how much it could possibly hurt, but he managed to make it. Tristan passed a test at the Academy of Doctors (Due to the emergency situation caused by the huge lack of doctors, the students destined or forced to become doctors are also forced to attend some extra special classes at the Academy in order to prepare them and make their success more sure for when they will finish high school and thus start the Academy as proper students) something rather unique for any doctor: perfect endocrinologic deductions through smell and taste of blood. And considering he will specialize in endocrinology when he will be at the Academy, it is an even more important achievement which indeed earned him a piercing. A black, circle piercing at the left side of his lower lip, made out of obsidian (he really best never kiss a Skinwalker :v). Tristan could not know whether the piercing had to be there or if Edward simply chose it himself, it is the first option though.

Anyhow, what Edward had to do to make it was truly unbearable to Tristan, it may seem absurd that such a little thing could hurt so much, but it did. And it left him just SO upset and messed. (And since he seemed suspicious to him, Edward also read his mind afterwards, finding out of the murdering but having his hands tied there, had to just leave him alone, as it was self-defense and an accident)
When Edward head to Benjamin with Tristan, the boy was still crying so hard that it seemed pointless to even speak to him in that moment. So, Benjamin organized a meeting for the next morning. Let Tristan choose the place, that since he wanted to be just them two, ended up being the Club, and just accompanied him home without saying anything nor adding to his stress.

Once home, Tristan did not even celebrate the thing , even though it would be a big reason to, he did not say anything to anybody and just went to lie down, falling asleep without even having dinner. ((When Frerin got his piercing -he chose to be across the end of his eyebrow, to show off- for his achievement in Battlefield, not just he told it to every living being, he made a whole huge party and received tons of gifts to celebrate it. Earning a tattoo or a piercing is basically like earning a super great trophy a huge victory. Which is also why Frerin tried to use his piercing to impress Mireya))

When Carlie and Jackil return home, they ask the Butler to update them with everything that happened that day, especially what their sons did and the loyal Butler told everything to them. At the very mention of Edward who brought Tristan somewhere, Jackil literally panicked and without even waiting for the Butler to finish, he rushed upstairs to check with him, thinking Edward did something horrible to him.
He finds the boy asleep, rather peacefully -with the piercing covered as he had that part of his face on the pillow, as it slightly soothed the pain- . Jackil didn't feel like to disturb him, so he just pulled the blankets to cover him better, placed his hand on his head, softly, for some moments, checked the window and left the room, closing the door. Then, he went also to Frerin's and Sigurd's room, checking their windows and pulling the blankets on both. He checks the three of them every night when he comes back from his EGs or doctors shifts, he can't go bed if he does not check they are fine and safe.

The next morning, Jackil has to go work very early due to an emergency requiring an urgent surgery and Carlie goes out at the market, it is the morning she meets Cesar, Mireya and Althus there.
Tristan wakes up and prepares to go to meet with Benjamin in Thylum, he did not have the chance to warn his parents since they went out before he woke up.
Since he knows they do not allow him to go on his own, he asks their uncle Bartemius to accompany him to the Club.
When he is about to go out, Frerin asks him many questions and seems strangely rather worried. Like he doesn't want Tristan to go out, but he has no choice.
When Bartemius comes Trist leaves with him and is left right on the door of the Club. Bartemius certainly doesn't think he should stay till Benjamin arrives, thinking it is totally safe.
Tristan enters the Club immediately, even though he is over 15 minutes in advance from the time they established. He sits by a table near the window and orders one of his favorite multicolor and glitter fruit juices. Then just waits.

Some minutes after , a very strange man comes inside the Club. Looks like some countryside Northern Auriold also for the way he is dressed, that is totally unlike the style of the people of Thylum. Tristan notices that the man gives him a long stare as he comes in, too long for his tastes. Then goes to sit by a table behind his, but at some distance. He can somewhat feel he is staring at him and if that was not enough, as soon as that man arrived, he started to smell an horrific stench, deep and nauseating ,but that seems to disturb him only. It is Rhomium, to which Z'Ks are sensitive and vulnerable more than any other race. While for non- monsters it has no smell nor taste nor effect, to him it is dreadful, the stench makes him sick and close to vomit.
After a couple of minutes, he simply can't stand it anymore, so, leaving everything there, his shoulder bag included, he goes outside, trying to look as normal as he can. There, he vomits and pants, breathing deeply for a while in order to recover from the stench. And while standing by the window, he spots something that makes his blood freeze, literally: that strange man who stared at him, approached his table and clearly poured something from a vial inside his juice.
It scares him beyond measure and thinking it is unsafe in there with that man, he decides to get some help.
Mortimer's new home is very close to there, so he starts to walk towards it, feeling much safer to wait for Benjamin there with his uncle than alone at the Club.
Worst idea ever. Because the hunter into the Club did not go alone. Rufus (the one Carlie will set up in the RP that happened with Otto) the worst -in methods and cruelty- of the Southern hunters is together with that one and is outside, ready to follow his target. And his skill is nothing to underestimate. He is crazy, sadistic and cruel, but incredibly good at his job.
Tristan walks fast towards Mort's house, not thinking that he must be in Malicedom right now for work. As a matter of fact, when he reaches it and knocks on the door, nobody comes to open. And there is nobody around, it is too cold for people to wander outside. Just as he turns around to leave, though, a dart flies right past his head, ending up stuck on the door. And it has the same foul stench he smelt in the Club. It makes it clear to him that someone is after him but he can not sense his smell due to the Rhomium, literally making any other scent impossible to sense for him.
Instinctively, he starts to run towards the Royal Palace, thinking it is his best card at the moment due to where he is. -One can not teleport inside cities, they are protected by spells-
He runs in an irregular and zig zag way, seeing the darts that keep being fired at him, but eventually, gets struck a first time. He can't describe the horror he feels as the Rhomium touches and enters his body through the dart. He feels like to faint instantly, the thing that literally saves his life is adrenaline. He is so scared and messed now that his adrenaline reaches super high levels and allows him to keep pushing. He also literally screams for help in Jackil's mind, but not managing to give his father any useful details other than "SOMEONE IS TRYING TO KILL ME!" and that is more than enough to leave his father petrified. He immediately calls for Doctor Strange to replace him for the surgery and rushes off to find Tristan and save him.
While Tristan runs, he gets struck two more times before falling on the ground, unable to stand up.  He tries to crawl desperately while his strength totally abandons him. He is still too far and has seconds left before he will faint. He thinks fast and tries one last, desperate attempt to catch the attention of the King's Guards.
So, he does the MOST illegal and risky thing a person could ever do in Thylum: attack the Royal Palace. He takes his wand and with trembling hand, he casts a strong and fast spell towards the outer walls of the Royal Palace. The spell is immediately blocked by the protective spells and curses all over the place, but it sure is noticed by the Guards of the King, who are not the types who take jokes.
Tristan passes out immediately after, the wand falling off his hand, but just as Rufus started to approach him to take him away, the King's Guards were on him, studying the situation. It does not take Sherlock Holmes to guess what happened.
There is a passed out boy on the ground with some darts all over his back (5 in total as Rufus shot some more to keep him quiet), the wand dropped near him and a totally meaningless spell cast against the palace. Clearly, the boy was in need of help and tried to be noticed by them, successfully.
They take Tristan to the Royal Palace, warning the King and telling him the details. Unfortunately, none of them can provide a description of Rufus.
Anthony summons Christoph immediately to take care of the boy, as the Master of Doctors is also the private doctor of the King by rule. And he also sends two of his personal guards to find Carlie and Jackil and lead them there. Which is what was happening in that RP when the guard came to take Carlie with her.

After a quick word with Frerin who told him where Tristan was heading to, Jackil rushes to the Club to investigate. There, he finds not just Tristan's bag, but also Benjamin who arrived and was totally confused to find Tristan's things but not the boy.
Jackil is too worried to the point he even shouts at the barman to gather some useless information. That is where some old human man, rather poor and drunk, approaches them and tell them what he saw: a man pouring something in the glass of the boy as soon as he went out.
To that, Benjamin takes the glass with the juice and starts to analize it. Being a potionist, he has the knowledge and tools to find out.
He smells the juice, moves it, pours some...but nothing. So he takes out from his pendant -the Fabian one- some particular stripes, looking like made out of paper but with something transparent on top. He places the stripe in the glass and waits. The transparent part turns pink. "Artificial enzyme, transparent, with no smell nor taste, not too consistent" takes him no time to guess what is it. Which makes the situation even more worrying as some hunter is definitely intentioned to kidnap Tristan. The two start to search outside, noticing the dart on Mort's door and starting to put the pieces together. That is when a King's Guard reaches them and tells them about Tristan.
Needless to say, the two rush to the palace like there is no tomorrow. Since Christoph is into the room, dealing with the wounds, only Jackil joins him inside. Benjamin instead goes to speak with Anthony. (Benjamin took Tristan's bag from the Club)

Rhomium truly has a dreadful effect on the Knights of Zivhur, much worse than it does to Werewolves and KoZ. And the fact it was him to create it, makes Christoph feel so horrible right now. The wounds are small, but infected in a unique way he never saw before. Black pus in them but already cicatrized. and Christoph has no way to open them on his own. Which is why he really needs Jackil. Until they will find a material that does to Z'K what silver does to Werewolves, it will be impossible for any other than Jackil to cause Tristan to bleed.
And those wounds need to be opened to clean them from that black infection that seems to be spreading.
Luckily Tristan is passed out, in fact, Christoph induced a coma to him with medicines, but he can't foretell how long it will last, due to Z'K unique immunitary system. He had to do so, as when he awoken Tristan, he started to scream in an insane pain due to the Rhomium and the wounds.
The process Jackil has to do to clean his wounds would be insanely painful if he was awake, especially considering how Rhomium seems to have activated all of his nerves, making them oversensitive.
Of course, the two doctors manage to clean the wounds bringing them back to normal, but they have no way to remove the Rhomium that ended in his body. All they can do for that is to speed up the body with some medicines and the appropriate diet so that it expels the Rhomium on its own.

When Carlie finds out what happened, she goes crazy for some moments. That is when she decides she must do something for the safety of her sons. She must get rid of the dangerous hunters, but without killing them. This she will set them all up to receive a life-sentence and spend the rest of their lives in prison.
Also, she will take Tristan to a safe place and have him replaced by a shifter.