End of Winter

Looks like spring coming early." Those were the thoughts that ran through the First Hunter as he turned outside, his attention focused on the life that was being breathed into the Keep today. Hunters young and old were wandering about the grounds, getting ready to leave the Keep and embark on the Path; taking to the roads so they might continue - or in some cases begin - their lives as Hunters.

The First hunter was, shamed to admit that it brought a small frown to his face when he knew that this was, in fact, part of their ways. All hunters - not just their own - had to leave home at some point. They couldn't stay home if they wanted to walk the Hunter's path. They needed to go out into the world, needed to experience its beauty and horror firsthand. The Keep had done its duty, sheltering them as they learned what they needed to learn in order to survive.

Walking down the halls of the Keep, First Hunter Gilham, took a breath as he took in the sights his home had to offer. Seeing the excitement that traced itself across the faces of the young hunters did warm his heart, but at the same time there was a sadness that creeped in. "It's going to be quiet without the children." He mused as he closed his eyes and just pressed on.

"Hey Gramps." Hearing that old nickname Gilham looked ahead his attention turned to see a young Hunter walking through the halls and waved.

"Gales." He greeted the feral-eyed youth with a nod. In fourteen years the youth had certainly grown up. Standing at six feet he certainly didn't look like your average 14 year old, the layer of refined muscle certainly didn't help either. His now mostly black hair was brought about by the dye he and Ashe had created from the local plants and fruits. His hair had grown rather long over the years and he had tied it down to frame his face while the rest was put up in a messy ponytail. "I see you're well." Gilham stated the young man over for a moment. "Just returning for you walk I take it."

"Yeah, just needed some air and I got it." Gales stated as he put his hands at his side. "'I can't believe its time." Gales said in a whisper.

"Indeed." Gilham paused. "Are you ready?"

"I have no idea." Gales admitted in a happy tone. "But we're gonna find out right?"

"Indeed." Gilham repeated as he started walking off. "Till then, you should get ready, the time to depart is closing in upon you."

"Yes sir."

Little Later

Gales headed towards Caer's wall, settling down as he stared outward.

There used to be an ocean beneath Caer Eldenwyrm, but long ago, as time eroded it that ocean gave way to a valley forest rich in certain mineral and fossilized sea creatures embedded in old the stones. What remains of the ocean seems to just be small rivers that cut through it, which the locals creatures tend to drink from.

It's peaceful, most of the time. Sometimes he'd hear the beasts howling at night, sometimes he'd see the wingdrake and birds scatter across the skies. Sometimes there'd be trouble down below, the place being in an uproar of sorts. Anyone with two cents knew that meant the balance that ran the place had been disturbed. Something had moved in and was carving out territory. Left alone the delicate balance that ran this place would no doubt fall apart due to a rogue predator prowling about with the intent to integrate itself into the area and eventually take over.

Today it was very quiet though, he liked it when it was quiet.

"Thought I'd find you here." Raising his head Gales turned to see Ashe walking up to him, her hands crossed as she smiled. "Gazing out into the world again?"

"Yeah." Gales smiled as his foster mother leaned against the wall. "How many times have I seen this view?" He asked.

"Hard to say really." Ashe muttered. "You've seen it since you were a baby." She admitted with her own little smile.

"That long huh?" Gales made a noise. "Hard to believe it." He said whimsically. "I always loved this sight ya know."

"There's better ones out there." Ashe shrugged. "You think this view is nice, just wait till you see it from atop a Larinoth's head."

"I'll have to try that." Gales chuckled as he looked at Ashe before falling silent. "Still, I can't believe I'm actually going to leave this place." He muttered.

"Are you against it?"

"No, just…" Gales fell silent as he brushed some of his hair back. "Nervous I guess." He shrugged. "I mean, I've been here since I was just a baby. I don't know anything about the world outside."

"Neither do baby birds until they leave their nest." Ashe countered. "Everyone - be they human or beast - are scared to leave home for the first time; to leave behind what they know and explore what rests beyond." She told him as she took a seat next to him. "Though I admit, it does make me nervous to see you all go."

"Really?"

"All parents are nervous to see their children go off into the real world." Ashe stated. "At the same time it's something we look forward to; you'll leave home, but you'll be able to go out into the world and carve your own way, your own story into the world." Ashe stated before patting Gales' head. "I'm proud to know I get to see the day that you set out on your journey so such a thing may happen."

"Really?" Gales received a nod. He smiled. "Thanks mom." He whispered as he looked away bashfully. Ashe ade to remove her hand and Gales promptly grabbed it and put it back on his head. Ashe just shook her head as she continued patting his head. "I'm gonna miss you." Gales muttered after a while. "I'm gonna miss all of you." He admitted.

"And we will miss you." Ashe stated. "But we will meet again." She stated. "The road you travel may head off in a different direction than the others, but all roads intersect at one point or another." Ashe stated. "We will run into each other again down the road." She admitted. "And when we do, expect some stories." Gales just grinned. "So do make some good ones."

"Promise." Ashe nodded her head as she seemed to think for a moment.

"Speaking of promises." She admitted as she stopped patting his head and just rested her hand on his head. "I want you to promise me one thing." She began. "You will not use… those 'gifts' of yours, unless you absolutely have to." Ashe looked at her feral eyed child. "Understand those gifts are common among beasts, but not men. You must be careful with who you choose to reveal them to." Gales fell silent before slowly nodding his head. "Promise me you will not use them so nonchalantly in front of people."

"Yes mom." Gales whispered as Ashe just stared at her youth and nodded her head. She knew he wasn't lying to her. He was a terrible liar to begin with after.

Finally pulling her hand from his head Ashe seemed to fall silent for a moment as she stared outward. "Will you be forming a party with some of the others?"

"I'm allowed to form a party with the others?" Ashe simply shook her head.

"Yes Gales, remember we trained you to work as a hunting pack." Ashe reminded him. "We work better in teams, al though if you wish to go solo I do understand." Ashe was met with silence. "Of course if you want you can wait to form a Hunting party with those you meet beyond the walls." More silence. "Gales, are you listening?" She turned her head, only to find an empty space greeting her. "And he's gone. Course he is."

Gym

"371… 372… 373… 374…" Erza struggled as she continued doing a set of squats, as she held a few 2000 pounds of weight on her back. "375…" She muttered as she felt her legs ache. Muscles were burning, but in a good way, showed that this bit of exercise was paying off. "376…" She forced out before starting up another one. "377…" She breathed. "378…379…" She stopped for a moment as she took a breath. "One more." She told herself. "Just one more." She stated as she took another breath before forcing herself up. "380." She dropped the weights like a sack of stones, stretched her back out and took a minute to wipe her brow. Everything seemed to be hurting. Especially her thighs.

"Nothing, a bit of rest won't clear up." She muttered as she dropped onto the floor, grabbed her personal canteen and chugged the water that was inside it. Erza muttered as she saw the gym door open up.

"So this is where you were." Irene muttered as she stepped into the gym and looked at her daughter. "Working hard I see." She stated as she walked up to her daughter and looked her over. Her little girl certainly had grown, sure, it was a little frightening to see how much she looked like her now. Long scarlet hued hair and brown eyes were reflected back at her, but still only one of them was covered by a eyepatch. Erza didn't seem to inherit a damn thing from her late father Rung. The young Hunter was dressed in her shorts and her crop top. "Are you done or is there more to do?"

"I'm done." Erza stated as she wiped her brow again. "Have to get ready for the last Trial and then…"

"And then your off." Irene finished with a fond smile. "You'll be fine Erza. We've taught you well."

"I know." Erza stated as she gave her mother a smile. "I'm still a little nervous though."

"Well, you're not wearing your armor." Irene pointed out. "You always feel nervous without your armor." Irene stated.

"I don't think I'll ever feel comfortable without that." Erza stated. Cool and reserved Erza, had never felt good in her own skin. She only felt 'safe' when she wore her armor, evern the practice armor was enough to make her feel safe. She never really understood why that was the case though.

"You'll learn to manage without it." Irene stated. "Some day." Erza nodded her head as she looked at her mother and smiled. "Till then, your new armor should be ready." She stated as Erza's eyes brightened before she tried composing herself.

"Thank you for letting me know, I'll go pick it up right -

ERZA!" The 14 year old jumped as the gym door all but flew of its handle and slammed into the wall. Irene calmly turned to the door as she saw a young man just looking left and right for a moment before spotting the girl he was looking for. "There you are!" He cheered as her ran up to the young woman and grabbed her hands with a twinkle in her eyes. "Erza, lets go hunting together!" Erza just looked at him in confusion as Irene made a humored noise. "Come on, form a party with me! That way we can stick together and go on a lot of hunts!" Erza stayed silent as she seemed to process what the youth before her was saying.

"Eh?"

"What do you mean eh? You don't want to group up?"

"You want to form a party with me?"

"Yep!" Erza just stared at him.

"Why?"

"Because your my best female friend!" Gales declared as Erza just stared at him. "We've been through a lot together, so there's no point in having it end right here." He stated as Irene just crossed her arms with a smile.

"Very well." Erza smiled. "Let's go on a lot of adventures together."

"Yes!" Gales jumped as he hugged Erza. "This is gonna be great, Vermillion and Ashe, hunting together and making a name for themselves!" He stopped as he turned around while still hugging Erza. "Oh hey Irene."

"Good morning, Gales." Irene said simply as she addressed the two young hunters. "I think you two would form a good partnership, just remember to keep each other safe."

"Yes mother."

"Yes Irene." Irene nodded in approval.

"And do remember to not run off before the last trial." The two looked at each other in surprise before returning to stare at Irene.

"We have another trial?" Gales groaned as Erza made a noise.

"Well, if you could really call it a trial." Irene stated. "It's no test or final exam, it's a simple drink we must share with you."

"A drink?" Irene nodded her head.

"Yes, all future members of the Old Hunters must share a drink from a goblet."

"That's it?" Erza asked as she got a nod. "We just need to share a drink?" She got another nod. "What… kind of drink?"

"Wyvern's blood." Irene stated. That got the two to stare in surprise.

"We're gonna drink wyvern's blood?" Gales asked. "Is that… safe?"

"Yes." Irene chuckled slightly. The wyverns blood do anything to you. It is more a symbolic ritual, showing that we all share the same blood in our body. Showing that we are family not just by words." Irene explained. "Once it is done, you have truly graduated from our school and are to be released into the world."

"Oh~" The two young hunters stared at their seniors.

"So we're not going to turn into wyverns or discard our humanity or anything, right?" Irene chuckled slightly.

"Not at all." She stated. "Perhaps if it were Elder Blood, maybe, but not wyvern." She joked as she turned away and headed towards the door. "Anyway, come, no doubt you have things to do before your final hour here is up."

The future hunters had all day to get ready, as their final test would begin at night. In the meantime they spent their days relaxing. Enjoying each other's company as they reminisce about old times. They would argue, get a few last minutes of practice in and gather what they felt they would need on their journeys. And when night came, they gathered in the Grand hall one final time so they might undergo the ritual of the Old Hunters to become one of them.

Ordermaster Gilham took a breath as he stared out from behind his podium. A fond smile on his face as he looked at the young ones resting before him. Food was spread out, more than they probably had in a good while. But it was nice to spurg after so long. Besides, today was a momentous occasion. They would drink, and they would feast like kings and queens.

Even if it was for one night, no doubt they had earned it.

"I…" Gilham paused as he stared at his acolytes, his grandchildren in all but blood."I am not good with these kinds of words." He admitted. "For 8 years you have been in keep, you have wandered all halls and learned what we were to teach." He stated. "I know it wasn't easy for any of you. We've pushed you hard, perhaps even harder than necessary." He mused. "But still you made it through, through blood and sweat and tears, you made it to tonight where you will undergo your right of passage into our ranks." Gilham stated as he stared at the other teachers who just nodded their heads. "I… am proud of you," He admitted as he looked back at the young ones. "I am proud to see this day has come, when a new line of hunters will take the stage and embark on the path." He admitted. "Thank you for that."

A moment of silence filled the room.

"Now we move on to the Rite. When I call your name, you will come forth and drink of wyverns blood, just as the first Old Hunters did before us, and as we did before you. This is our right of passage, so you may embark upon your path." He stated calmly. "Shion, Step forward."

The young acolyte did just that and stepped forward. Taking from the goblet as Gilham nodded his head. "It is finished. Welcome, Hunter." She stepped back as Gilham called out another name. Then another. Then another. Then another.

"So this is it." Gales muttered as he felt his heart race a bit. This was it, the last act to be done in becoming a hunter. Becoming like Ashe and Alan. "I'm nervous." Erza grabbed his hand and gave it a little reassuring squeeze. He looked at her and smiled, nodding his head as he did so.

"Gales, step forward." Gales did just that, walking up to his adoptive grandfather as he got a nod. He took hold of the refilled goblet and stared down for a moment breathing. "Bottoms up." He took his drink and closed his eyes for a brief moment and he could have sworn something was looking back at him.

Dismissing it on an instinctive level he returned the goblet to Gilham as he took a breath. "It is done." Gales could have sworn Gilham was repressing a smile. "Welcome, Hunter."

The banquet was fantastic. Gales couldn't remember when he last saw everyone smile so much. They'd done, they'd become Hunters. No more grueling training, no more long lessons. They were going to go out into the world, carve their stories into the world itself. They were leaving home.

They'd be back of course.

Some day, but for now this was to be their last night in the old Keep. They would enjoy it till their fullest.

They'd rest with stomachs and dreams of the future. Though in those dreams… Gales found himself eventually coming face to face with a black dragon who shared his eyes…

Act 1: Children of Caer Eldenwyrm - End