SCENE I: AMATEUR
CHAPTER I: TRYOUTS
"So what's your reason for wanting to join the Hunter's guild?" the Guild representative states without looking at me, stopping her writing to wait patiently with quill in hand for my response. I open my mouth to say something but close it soon after, realizing with a shock that I didn't have an answer to her question. Aw, shit! I didn't think of this! "Uh...um...I...wanted to join to...I guess...I'm not...entirely sure..." I stutter timidly, smiling in embarrassment as the rep looks up from her clipboard. She stares at me with dark green eyes for a moment and I can't tell what she's thinking but she seems to find what she's looking for quickly and nods her head while smiling. "Don't fret. Not every hunter applying knows what their ultimate goal is. I'll write this down as unknown for now," she states calmly, already going back to the clipboard in her hand to write the words down. I breathe a shuddering sigh of relief and put a hand to my chest, leaning back in the wooden chair slightly as she resumes the questioning.
The next few questions are merely my information such as height, weight, and the likes that I answer easily. The final question is what stops me again. "Do know that this profession can be a pleasant life or a painful death. Are you willing to throw down your life for a fellow hunter?" she asks sternly, taking the time to look up at me again with a focused stare that pins me in place. Long seconds pass as I try to form an answer under her gaze but she again answers for me when I fail to respond. "I'll also write that down as unknown and with that, this concludes your interview. Come back tomorrow for the verdict," she states professionally while putting down her quill to offer her hand from across the table, my right hand moving forward gingerly to shake it.
She grimaces when she notices the shaking and the sweating of my hands. "I'll...I'll do that...thank you for...for having me..." I manage to say but am too nervous to release my handshake. "Are you sure you're up to this? You seem rather...uncommitted and very afraid," she comments politely as she uses her other hand to unlatch mine, my hand still shaking in place before I find the will to put it back at my side. "I'm...I'm sure about this...I'm just...I'm not trained for this like other applicants-"
"Not every hunter coming in is trained beforehand. Don't let others and their skills interfere with what you want to accomplish. Do, however, try to find out what you want to accomplish before tomorrow." The words are spoken commandingly and she gestures for me to leave, my body stiffly rising out of the chair as I nod far too readily and far too much. I'm halfway out of the door of the interview room when she says something that makes me afraid. "You lied about your age and your upbringing. I can tell that much. Know that you won't be allowed in at the age I think you are. Make me believe you're the age you are and I might overlook it," she states to my back but I'm too afraid to turn around, nodding my head on the spot as I go out the door. My body is still sweating and shaking when I finally feel the cold air of Astera night touch my arms and legs, my mind inwardly chastising my own weakness.
Damn it! She figured it out! Damn it!
"I can't believe you did something so stupid, Lye. There's no way you can become a hunter at your age," the blond haired woman says next to me before punching me painfully in the right side, my face grimacing at the sudden flare of pain. She snorts and smiles grimly at my pain while taking another drag of her Dragon Ale, gulping down half the bottle followed by a gasp of relief as she slams the bottle on the bar stand. "Look, give it up kid. You aren't even old enough to hunt and quite frankly, you don't have the spine to hunt," she states seriously but only for a moment, her grin returning as she punches the same spot again. This time, I'm forced to hold the spot as it starts to throb painfully. "See? You can't even take a few hits to the side, let alone have something like a Jagras or anything bigger leaping on you. Why don't you just-"
I get tired of hearing her speak and decide to leave, turning around on the bar chair and grunting while holding my side as I walk gingerly to the exit of the canteen. Arms seized my neck from behind as I'm lifted off the ground, a powerful grip nearly strangling me as my own arms struggle to pull the arm away. "Where do you think you're going, huh? Think you can just walk out while I'm talking to you? Oh no, you don't have my permission to leave yet," she says threateningly from behind me, my hands trying to unlatch her armlock but finding her strength indomitable. She doesn't seem to care much eventually because she lets go without a word, allowing me to turn around and look into her scarred, one-eyed face before saying to me angrily, "Fine, leave. I don't need you around here anyway. I can find someone else to spend time with."
She turns around and heads back to the bar stand as I turn towards the door, some of the bar patrons watching me as I exit clutching my side. It was a stupid idea to come here. I need to prepare for tomorrow. My side throbs painfully in response as I head outside, my hand doing nothing to stop the pain as I start to hobble down the empty streets towards home. A pang of sadness follows me as I walk but I ignore it as best I can, not letting it take root too readily and trying to focus instead on the ordeals ahead.
I'm all alone now...but I did that to myself...
That night, I dreamed of monsters but not the ones I'm used to or the ones I'm told about. These monsters bore the faces of men and killed their own kind, slaughtering everything they could find and consuming their meat in an orgy of blood. They notice me watching them at some point and come for me, my body paralyzed as they rush closer and closer. I think it's the end but a figure jumps in front of me, using a Lance and Shield of gold to take the force of their charge. Their voice shouts at me to run and I obey, turning and scrambling away like a coward from the sounds of battle.
When I turn my head back in fright to see if I'm still being chased, the figure that saved me is a monster too.
"Do you have an answer to my questions now?" the Guild attendant demands from across the table, my head nodding as I clear my throat and will myself to calm despite the sweating and shaking coming over me again. "I have nothing left to lose and everything to gain. Everything I gain can benefit my fellow residents of Astera. They don't need someone who can't pull their own weight in their town," I answer calmly and confidently, gulping when the Guild attendant rises from her seat and walks around the table to me. She's half a head taller than me if I was standing up and she eyes me suspiciously before asking her next question. "And the second question?" she asks sternly, my head nodding again with a sigh of relief at having an answer this time. "I won't throw down my life away needlessly but if a sacrifice is required, I will make such a sacrifice."
"Then I'm proud to welcome you to the Hunter's Guild, Initiate Saffron," she states while offering a hand but I'm too stunned to respond, looking straight ahead then slowly looking up at her as if I misheard. After long seconds of incomprehension, I take the hand enthusiastically and shake it vigorously, throwing up my other hand in celebration and cheering to myself in loud whoops. "I did it! I can't believe I did it! Thank you so much!" I shout to her excitedly but she shakes her head no, dampening my enthusiasm significantly as she looks at me with something akin to pity. "Getting into the Guild is the easy part, I'm afraid. There's a long climb to becoming a hunter worth noting-"
Her words are lost on me as my enthusiasm returns, my smile bright beaming as I cheer again. "I don't care about that! I'm finally a hunter! I'll worry about what comes next later!" I shout but after a few moments of personal celebration, I soon stop myself when questions start to form in my mind. Timidly, I turn back to the Guild attendant who looks rather amused at my realization and that I'm still holding her hand. "So uh...what comes next anyway?" I ask timidly, releasing the hand in embarrassment as the Guild attendant giggles. She moves past me and gestures towards the exit with her hands. "First, my name is Lapis Lilac and I'll lead you to the blacksmith to get your initiate level equipment," she commands pleasantly, her form already leaving the room as I rush to catch up.
Cool air greets me as I inhale theatrically, feeling myself lighter and happier but soon remembering to rush after Lapis when she starts to pull ahead. In my haste, I trip on some of the wooden floorboards beneath my feet and land stomach first on the floor with a thud. Although I right myself quickly, Lapis is laughing at my clumsiness from her spot ahead, turning around to find me on the ground rising to my feet. "Wow...are you sure this is the right path in your life. I've seen clumsy hunters before but-"
"No, it's fine. I just lost my footing for a moment. This is all...well, it's unbelievable!" I exclaim with a smile, Lapis nodding with a smile of her own as she leads me on. Faces watch my progress but I pay them no mind since I didn't recognize any of them. Who cares what they think now? I have other things to do! I turn my focus back to the walk as Lapis leads me up the winding ramps to the smithy, my confidence slowly soaring with each step. That confidence doesn't last when we meet the blacksmith, someone I know too well. "Well, if it isn't Lye Saffron! Come to do yet more errands for people who are too damn lazy to get their own crap?"
"We need starting gear for Initiate Saffron, " Lapis says from her spot at the counter, the blacksmith's grin becoming a grimace when he turns to face her. "You wanna say that again? I thought I heard something that I couldn't believe for a second," he states incredulously but when I walk up to the counter and look at Lapis, her face is smiling but with a serious undertone. "You have me on!? This boy was accepted into the Hunter's Guild!? He's not even old enough to hold his own pecker when he's pissen, let alone hold a blade when he needs to fight!"
"That's for the guild to decide, Pilrin. Just fill the order please," she implores with the same smile but Pilrin isn't done and his face slowly becomes angry as he stares me down. I shrink from his gaze but not as much as before. "Boy, you are seven levels of stupid! You know what you done got yourself into!? Hunters have the potential to die out there and those beasts won't just sit back and let you live! You don't have a shred of-"
"Sword and shield, Pilrin," I interrupt, Pilrin stopping his tirade to look at me with part anger and part respect. "So you really thought about this...huh...sword and shield...light, balanced, doesn't hit too hard...kinda like you really," he says before laughing, hurrying back to go get the order. I stand there tensely as he returns with a Hunter's Knife, the most basic sword and shield that every hunter gets from the start. He drops it on the counter unceremoniously and beckons for me to pick it up, my hands shaking slightly as I pick up the weapon and shield. I spend some time turning them over in my hands, marvelling at the craftsmanship before strapping the shield to my right arm and wielding the knife in my left hand. I give the knife and shield a few gentle movements in the air before my head looks up from the weapons into the eyes of Pilrin, his face smiling and nodding in approval. "Dad...I..."
"I don't want to hear it. Your mother's gonna kill me when she finds out I went through with this. Earn that damn blade because if you don't, I will make very sure to exact bloody vengeance on your ass for making an ass outa me," he states seriously but jokingly, my body already moving as I partially ignore the words. I give him an awkward hug from across the counter that he doesn't return, his chest rumbling as he laughs at the gesture. "Still as soft as ever! Go on, get outa here before someone I don't wanna see right now catches word of this!" he commands as he pushes me gently away, my face now in tears as I smile and nod, wiping my face as I turn to Lapis for instructions. She's also in tears from the touching moment, wiping her eyes with a tissue as she sniffles and tries to control herself. "Alright...that's settled...lets... let's go to the board..." she's able to manage as she stiffly walks away with me in tow. Dad says something as I leave and I make sure that I won't forget it.
"Come back, son...don't let this be the last time I see you..."
The job board is back in the canteen, a place I dreaded to go given who'd be there. Sure enough, mother was there at the bar again and becomes immediately angry when she see's who I'm with. "You stupid brat! After all we've done for you and all the warnings we've given you, you go and do what you want anyway!" she shouts as she slams her Dragon Ale on the bar stand, breaking the bottle in the process. She's already rising from her seat and walking briskly towards us or more specifically, towards Lapis. Against my better judgement, I step in front of her and brandish my new weapons, mother halting in her stride to eye the tools. "So your dad was in on this too!? I'll have choice words for him too as soon as I'm done beating the shit outa you!" she threatens but Lapis moves out from behind me and shakes her head no. "You know it's illegal for any hunter to harm another willingly. You'd suffer a suspension of your license if you tried-"
"There's no hunter here! All I see is a boy trying to be something he isn't!" she shouts as she moves closer, my head only coming up to her chest as I'm forced to look up at her. She raises a fist to strike me but holds it, the arm shaking slightly as she becomes unsure. "I'm doing this mom, with or without your approval. It's already done and nothing you can do will undo my choice," I say slowly, her face becoming furious as she pulls back the fist to strike. The blow never comes but she settles on something else. "Fine! Go get yourself killed in the wilderness like every other damn fool! You're no son of mine anymore!" she shouts as she briskly turns around and storms back to the bar stand, yelling at the barkeep for another bottle of Dragon Ale. I release the breath I was holding and look back to Lapis who eyes me suspiciously, nodding her head as she puts her thoughts into words. "Your mother is the Blonde Storm...I see the resemblance now-"
"Let's get on with it..." I say sadly, feeling hurt that it turned out this way but knowing that there was no other way it could turn out. Lapis nods and turns towards the quest board while gesturing for me to follow, both of us arriving at it without further hindrance. She reaches up and grabs a flyer off the board, handing it to me and requesting that I read it. The symbol alone gives me a hint at what it is and I nod to myself when I repeat what's on it. "Gather quest, Gourmet Shroomcaps, easy enough. When do I start?"
"By taking the flyer, you begin immediately but this job has you assigned with another. She's sitting over there," Lapis states as she points behind me, my body turning around to find what she's pointing at. At a wooden table nearby is a small, white-haired girl dressed in similar civilian clothes to mine with a Bone Bludgeon, both the hammer and herself resting on the table. I look back to Lapis for confirmation but she only nods her head and starts to leave the canteen. "The rest is up to you, Initiate Saffron," she states while departing, my mouth spouting incoherent nonsense after her as I find myself suddenly confused and without guidance. I look back at the flyer in my hand and read it as if trying to find something else but find nothing beyond what I already know.
Having no other course of action, I simply shrug and pocket the flyer, heading over to the table and sitting down. The girl doesn't seem to notice and against my better judgement, I shake her right shoulder lightly to wake her up. "Uh...hey...are you on-"
She bolts upright suddenly, eyes flashing open and her right hand grabbing the hammer and swinging it at me. My body ducks instinctively to avoid the horizontal blow, the woosh of air unnerving me as she stands on the table and readies a vertical swing. She stops mid flow when I put my hands up in surrender, the blow drawn back again but held. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! I mean no harm! I'm on the same quest as you!" I stutter, her eyes a dark red that seems to leech my courage from my body. I can't stop myself from shaking bodily as she simply stares, my hands still held up and her weapon still drawn back. It slowly dawns on me that my weapons are still in my hands. "I'm going to put my weapons down, okay? Can I do that?" I ask timidly but she gives me no answer, simply staring at me with her dark red eyes.
I slowly put the knife on the table, unbuckling the shield as well before putting my hands back up. My right-hand goes into my pants pocket and she draws the weapon back further but I quickly pull out the flyer and place it on the table. She twirls it around with her foot and stares down at it but doesn't release her wound-up swing. "See? I don't...know if what Lapis said was right but from what I was-"
The hammer drops lazily from her hands onto the table with a thud as she crouches down and picks up the flyer, reading it for long seconds and looking at me every so often. Finally, she says only one word that nearly panics me. "Name," she asks in a voice that's devoid of warmth, my head jerking back in confusion. "You...you mean my name? Or what...what name?" The hammer she discarded is pulled off the table and I start shaking when she brings it around, only stopping my shaking when she gently taps the hammerhead against my forehead. "Name," she repeats and this time, I understand what she wants. "My name is Lye Saffron, Initiate hunter...I...I guess we're partners on this quest..." I say timidly but she eyes me curiously, tilting her head slightly as she runs her hammer over my head oddly. I'm too afraid to move, trying to remain still as the bone of the hammer rubs my skin and hair.
Her hand launches forward suddenly and pulls a hair from my head, a grunt of surprise escaping me as she holds the hair in front of her. "Mark," she says as she puts the hair into the binding of her hammer, slowly bringing the hammer back to drop it on the table again with a thud. Her movements are extremely fluid, like watching a dancer, when she moves off the table into a seat next to me, my body jumping slightly to the left at her sudden nearness. "Go," she says simply as she pulls my right arm, moving it up and pointing at the exit of the canteen. "Wait, right now!?" I stutter but she's already moving onto the table and seizing her hammer, leaping off the other side and heading towards the exit.
All I can do is be confused as I pick up my equipment and head after her.