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“Chaz, we have work to do! Hurry up and get ready!” yelled Alys, even though her voice carried easily across the house. Chaz tightened the grip on his boots one last time, then stood up and stretched his back. The tension from the night before drifted slowly away as the memories of the sun’s warmth eased the ache within his muscles. An expulsion of air from his chest opened his eyes to the moonlit landscape outside his window. The house’s of nearby residents, patches of dirt that lay between the walkways, and the stone walls which guarded the perimeter of the city, had all been painted a luminescent purple with the light of the risen moon. It was beautiful. Chaz promised himself that he would remember this day.
A sword leaned against the wall, sheathed and waiting. It was a light sword of medium length, well suited for a beginner. Chaz walked over to his weapon, bent over and picked it up. The sword felt different today. “It feels lighter”, he said muttering to himself. Nonetheless, he slung it over his shoulder and it latched together fitting snuggly, but not tight. After giving the room one last look over, he walked under the archway and into the living room. Alys came from her room and met him at the front doorway. She straightened her collar, locked eyes with Chaz, then began, “This is your first job since you joined the Hunter’s Guild. You’d better put your heart into it!” Chaz took in a deep breath and said, “So… I’m not a trainee anymore.” Aly’s eyes turned soft and she placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled. “From this day on, you are a full-fledged partner!” She then took back her hand and seriousness filled her eyes again. She quickly spun around and pushed the door open with an outstretched hand. “Now come on! Let’s go!”
As Chaz closed the door behind them, he turned and asked, “Where are we off to this time?” Alys sighed. Chaz was still young and asked too many questions. “It’s a bit far. We’re going to Motavia Academy in the town of Piata.” Upon hearing this, Chaz’s eyes lit up. “Wow! So we’re going to the Town of Learning!” “I wonder what’s happened there.” Alys lips stiffened with frustration. “Who knows? The message said ‘Just Come’. Then with a touch of experience, she added. “We’ll get the details once we’re there.”
They began towards the gates of the city. Chaz looked down at the pathway remembering a time several years ago when he ran atop the cobble stones bounding from stone to stone, trying to stay out of reach of the man who’s pocket he had just picked. Smirking, Chaz remembered how easy it was to steal from people. Only that this last time, he had been given away by the innocent greeting from a child, and was forced to make haste to avoid being caught. The man had followed Chaz for awhile, but a turn down an alleyway threw him off the trail. Happy that he had escaped and even more so since he had something to show for it, Chaz gleefully skipped along like a child with their new toy, sparing but one last look backwards down the alleyway from where he had come from. Satisfied that he was alone, Chaz began to turn around, but before he did, a blow to his head knocked him to the ground. Dazed and confused, he laid on the ground. His hands grabbed and pushed at the ground trying to lift himself up, but to no avail. Deciding that it would be best to stay where he was for the moment, he instead lifted his head up and tried to figure out what hit him. A few meters away, a towering figure stood in front of him casting a shadow over him that covered his body in an oily sheet of black. As his vision cleared, Chaz looked upwards at the figure, whose shape had become quite feminine in stature. The woman acted completely ignorant to Chaz’s attempt to recover himself, and calmly flipped back her hair with the tips of her fingers on one hand. The other hand lifted towards the sky and caught a boomerang as it went whirling by.
Chaz’s memories were shaken as they had long since walked past the gates of the city and were standing at the edge of a cliff overlooking the plains. As he saw the academy, a tiny dot far in the distance, it began to drift back into his thoughts. Talking out loud, he declared, “Since we’re going to be there anyway, I’d sure like to tour the Academy.” Alys cocked her head and glared at him. “Is that all you can think about?” She began walking away and forcefully said, “Get moving or I’ll leave you behind!”
AW 2284
Monster attacks have swelled the ranks of those who call themselves ‘Hunters’. But as the attacks become ever more frequent and powerful, an elite few begin to wonder what is behind this outbreak… and when and how will it all end?
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