I was born in Cauld, this small town by the sea on Vale's western coast. My father used to be a sailor from Mistral who moved in and out of the docks on a regular basis. One day, he grew sweet on my mom, who worked in a flower shop back then. He stayed in Cauld, married her, and started a fishing business. They eventually had my two older brothers, Duncan and Hector, and about 2 years later, I was born.
Cauld wasn't big. It was just a trading dock that drew in shipments from Mistral and Atlas. The town grew out of sailors buying trinkets and toys for loved ones back home, or other necessities for the road ahead. Cauld had the start of a giant forest at its back, which stretched across the continent. Well-trodden paths and roads lead through the wood, leading to the mountains that bordered Vale. Few people strayed from that path. Fewer returned.
I remember a few things from Cauld; I remember the cool sea breeze, the sound of shoes on cobblestone, playing with my brothers on the dock. I remember my mother's laugh, the sea-stories my dad would tell, and the taste of fresh bread from Mr. Grand's bakery. I remember my grandfather winding epic tales of monsters and Huntsmen. I remember seeing Vale getting attacked. I remember those responsible being caught and tried, all thanks to the help of many Huntsmen and soldiers. I remember Mr. Grand closing up his bakery, and the sailors from Astral fighting anyone who said they attacked Vale. I remember Vale rebuilding, reuniting the Kingdom under one flag. I remember my grandfather passing, and the day we held his funeral. But most of all from my time in Cauld, I remember the day I decided to be a Huntsman.
It was a hot Tuesday in spring. I was 12, playing with my brothers in the woods. We hadn't gone too far into the forest, and we were playing a game I couldn't remember. Whatever happened, Raleigh eventually found us. Raleigh was a bully, who picked on anybody for any reason. He had his lackey grab me as he taunted my brothers. He pushed Duncan too far, who tackled Raleigh unexpectedly. I jabbed his friend in the gut as Hector yelled at me to run. So I ran, faster and deeper into that dark, forbidden forest.
I ran and left my brothers behind. I didn't notice the forest getting thicker around me, or the trees rising up and blocking out the sun. I didn't even notice the tears on my face. I just knew I had to run. I eventually slowed to a stop, turning around to see the bullies hadn't followed. I smiled, laughing at my escape. The laughter died fast, as I looked around and realized I was lost, with no way of finding my home. Despair and sadness filled my body. I was exhausted, and I cried again.
I didn't hear it at first, but there was a growling. It caused me to throw my head up, suddenly aware of another presence. It wasn't like any dog I had heard, and I foolishly thought it was a wolf. I stood up, turning around to search for the noise. Nothing. Just darkness. Then I saw it. 2 red eyes.
I ran. Faster than before. A howl went out across the forest, answered a few seconds later. I didn't look back. If I did I would trip, and the thing would catch me. I ran and I ran until my body gave up. I fell at a clearing, one of the few places where the sun shone through the thickets of leaves. A single tree stump lay at the center. I turned onto my back, trying to scramble away from the growl. Then it came into view, and I knew that I faced no wolf.
It crawled on all fours at first, but soon lifted itself onto its hind legs, like some bastardisation of a human. It was black like coal, and seemed to be comprised of smoke, surrounding a physical form. It had sections of bone-like armour covering its limbs and skull. The red eyes gazed at me, affixed with mad hunger. I turned and another appeared, then another, and another, until a pack of the beasts encircled me. The first was larger than the others, and growled hungrily, falling back onto all fours. It stalked towards me, as the others followed suit. I couldn't run. I couldn't hide. I could only stare my death with tear-stained eyes.
Suddenly one stopped, lifting its head. Others did the same, but the largest continued on driven only by its hunger. It only stopped when one fell dead, drifting into ash. Another dropped, it's head cut cleanly from the neck. The alpha stopped, as more and more fell, until only it was left. It stood back up, forgetting me completely. My mind willed me to run, but my body lay frozen in fear. The monster suddenly swiped the air, and a man yelled, a form falling out of the air.
He was huge. Wider than the biggest oak tree and built like a house. He had long, untamed hair, leading into a beard that hadn't seen a razor. He carried two axes, loosely at the end of the handle. He had this strange aura around him, making him look like he wasn't there. Maybe it was my stress, or my tears, but something was off about him.
He stared down the monster, locking eyes with it. They paced, trying to learn each other's weakness. They stopped, and leapt at one another. His axe met the creatures claws over and over again as they traded blows. The monster seemed to have an endless supply of energy, and, while the stranger fought valiantly, he eventually felt the bite of the monster's talons. He was flung across the clearing, dropping one axe, as the other flew from his hands, thudding head first into the ground near me. The monster stalked over to the stranger, ignoring me completely. The stranger sat against the tree he had hit, clutching his side. He could only look at the creature ahead, with a grim face. The creature came close, and he tried to lash out against it, but the monster saw the blow and caught the stranger's wrist, lifting him from the ground.
I looked on in fear, in anger, and then looked to the axe. It was an ornate thing, with a blade inscribed with interlocking circles, and a handle of deep brown wood. I lifted my self, my body numb with fear. I crept over to the axe, gripping the handle with both hands. I pulled hard and the blade came free with a crunch of dirt. The creature's head snapped to the side, to look at me, clumsily holding the axe close to my chest. He threw the stranger back against the tree and turned to me. He growled at me, but I stood still. I wasn't afraid anymore. I stood not in fear, but in defiance.
I raised the axe above my head, and screamed a war cry as I charged. The creature leapt onto all fours and met my charge head on. I stepped up onto the tree trunk and launched myself into the air. As I did, the creature tried to leap up to cut me down, but was stopped by the grip of the stranger, holding its ankle. It thudded back to the ground as I descended. It looked up and had a look in its eyes I had never expected. Fear.
I landed, the axe hitting the creature's skull with a sickening thud and crunch. I fell badly, and twisted my ankle, falling on my side, to see the creature fade into grey smoke. I was dazed. I saw the stranger pick up his axe, placing it in a cover on his back. He then turned to me and walked over, crouching low to speak to me.
"What is your name, child?" He asked. His voice was rich and smooth like honey. I sat up, leaning on my right arm. I looked at the man before me and through choked breath gave my name.
"Chloe. Chloe Forsen."
He smiled, letting out a small chuckle. He reached into a small satchel made of leather and pulled out a glittering string of light.
"Chloe Forsen. For bravery in the face of absolute danger. For having courage when others had been spent. For protecting those in danger before yourself. I award you a Token of Bravery." He placed the string of light into my hand, and I looked at the gift. It was a necklace, made from a single sliver of silver, formed into the shape of a stag's head. I clutched it in my hands and said thank you quietly, before my exhaustion forced me to blackout.
I woke up in my bed at home, with a small glass of water on the bedside table. I sat up, moving my swollen ankle, causing me to yelp out in pain. The yelp caused footsteps to thunder down the hall, and the door to burst open, revealing my older twin brothers, Hector and Duncan.
"Chloe!" They both shouted in joy. I smiled as they ran to my bed and hugged me. They asked me all sorts of questions I couldn't answer, as my memories of the event weren't the best at that time. They told me how they beat Raleigh and his lackey, and how they searched for hours to find me.
They asked if I got into trouble while I was lost. When I asked why, they said a Huntsman had brought me into town. I lit up. A real huntsman? They were my idols! Heroes who protected people from the dangerous Grimm that roamed the landscape! I asked who they were, but he didn't give a name. He just left me at the edge of town before taking off into the woods once without a word.
As they told me about my strange return, my dad entered the room. My brothers took off, rushing out the door, which dad shut behind them. He picked up a chair and walked slowly to the side of the bed. He sat down, elbows resting on his thighs and smiled at me.
"You feeling alright Pumpkin?" He asked. Pumpkin was his nickname for me, after one eventful Hallowed Eve when I was a toddler. I smiled back at him to try to calm his nerves. As relaxed as he looked, I could tell he was tense.
"I'm fine dad. I'm not hurt bad or anything!" I said. He chuckled.
"Really? Because you've been asleep for 2 days." The news hit me like a freight train. He saw my shock and quickly leapt to calm me down. "You're okay now," he said, as he patted my shoulder. "But I need to ask you about what happened in the woods."
I sat up. I knew this was coming. I told him everything but me killing the Grimm myself or the "Token of Bravery". He listened intently, taking in every word. He was silent for what seemed like an age. Eventually, he broke it with a question. "So I guess you're going to go for it? Becoming a Huntsman?" The question hanged in the air as I thought through my answer. I had always wanted to be a Huntsman, to be the hero of the story. But was I ready? I thought about the attack, and my place in it. I thought about the stories I was told by my grandfather as a child about their trials and foes. After an age of thought and comparison I made up my mind.
"Yes. I've never been more sure." I nodded. I tried to gage dad's reaction. His face was a stern wall. I could almost hear the no escape his lips already. He sighed, shaking his head with a half-smile.
"Well. Combat schools don't just take anyone." Dad smiled sadly. I dropped my head, defeated.
"But they'd be stupid not to take you." His smile grew wider as my heart rose in my chest. I leapt out of the bed to hug Dad close. He suddenly leapt out of the chair, like he had forgotten something vitally important. He rushed out of the room before returning with a large dusty case. He laid it on the bed, brushing away the dust to show the shining crest of the family Brazen. A copper shield, with an iron sword behind it.
"If you're going to be a Huntsman..." Dad said as he clicked open the case, "...Dad would want you to have this."
He lifted the case lid, to reveal a wooden T, with complicated pulley systems along the top. The bottom side held space for a large magazine, and a trigger. It was a crossbow, modified with an automated bolt reload system. I picked it up, finding it lighter than I expected. I gripped the weapon, with difficulty, as it was oversized for me. It was ornately carved, with a small switch above the trigger. I pressed it and the weapon shifted and came apart in my hands, shifting to form a pair of brilliant axes. I gave the axes a few test swings, before fitting them back into the crossbow form. I smiled as I put the weapon back in its case.
My father laughed as I turned to him with a big smile. He bent over so he was at my level and held my hand. "You know, being a Huntsman is dangerous, so you have to make a promise to me." He said, with a sad smile. "Make sure you come back each year on Hallowed Eve, so that we can have pumpkin pie together. That okay Pumpkin?" I giggled, and said I promise.
For the next 2 years, I trained to use my weapon effectively. I worked hard, and pushed myself at every step. I saw Duncan go to College and get a degree in chemistry, and Hector get his flying license, and watching him leave for the newly rebuilt Vale to open an air tour business. Then I left for Oakwood, a combat school on the coast about an hours drive away from Cauld. I kept my promise for 2 years and made sure to come home each October. I also kept my token safe, telling no one where I actually got it. Eventually combat trials for the huntsman academies arrived and I threw my lot in for Beacon. I passed, and was given a place at Beacon, and a chance to finally prove myself.