Hunt 18: An Unexpected Secret

Thanks to Rocks from The Creators, Xross Blades arrived back on the Eastern Continent. "Man that was a long boat ride." Link says while stretching. "So where do we go from here?" Raylin asks. "This way." Zedept said as he starts walking. The others follow him.

Forest: Mid-Day

Everyone is following Zedept as he walks silently. "Hey Zedept, where are we going?" Lyra asks. "Don't you recognize this area?" Zedept asks. Lyra looks around. "I don't recognize this area." Lyra said. "That's ok, we're almost there anyways." Zedept said. Link looks at Raylin. "Don't look at me, I don't have a clue." Raylin says while shrugging. After 15 minutes of walking, Zedept stopped. "Wait here." Zedept said.

Everyone waited while Zedept went up a hill. "Come here and still tell me that you don't recognize this area." Zedept said. Everyone went to where Zedept is at. They see a forest village. "That's." Lyra said. "Our village." Zedept said. "So that is where you 2 are from." Raylin said. "Yep." Lyra said. "Then let's go." Link said. Zedept nods and they head to the village.

Village Entrance

Xross Blades are walking towards the entrance. "Identify yourselves." A village male said. "Hey Gary, I'm back." Lyra said. "Lyra? Is that you?" Gary asks. "Yep." Lyra said. "Welcome back." Gary said. "Hi Gary." Zedept said. "Zedept, good to see that you're doing well." Gary said. Zedept nods. "Are these your friends?" Gary asks. "Yeah, the red head is Raylin and the boy is Link." Zedept said. "Nice to meet you." Raylin said.

"Hello sir." Link said. "Nice to meet both of you." Gary said. "Hey everyone, looks who's back!" Gary yelled into the village. Some of the villagers stopped and looked at Xross Blades. "Hey, it's Lyra." A female villager said.

"And Zedept is with her." A male villager said. The villagers came and welcomed both of them home. "Is elder still around?" Zedept asks. "Yes." A female villager said. "Please take me and Lyra to her." Zedept said. "Of course." The female villager said. "Gary, show Raylin and Link around." Lyra said. "Can do." Gary said. Zedept and Lyra headed to the elder's house.

Village: Elder's House

Zedept and Lyra arrive at the elder's house. "Let's go." Zedept said. Lyra nods. They enter the house and sees an old lady sitting and sipping on something. "Elder." Lyra said. "Welcome home, Lyra and Zedept." Elder says. Zedept and Lyra leans their weapons on a wall and they sit down. "How are you doing Elder?" Lyra asks. "I'm doing well." Elder said. "That's good." Lyra said. "I see that you listened to my words." Elder said to Zedept.

"I was surprised by it." Zedept said. Lyra is confused. "Huh?" Lyra said. "When I came back here to get Master's greatsword, Elder told me to go Verasic, that there was something there that would help me and that's why I went to Verasic and then I ran into you." Zedept explained. "Oh." Lyra said. "What brings you 2 back here?" Elder asks.

"We found out the name of the monster that killed Master." Zedept said. "It's called Alatreon." Lyra said. "I see that your journey has shown progress." Elder said. "Yes and we have some clues on where we can find it but we have to go to Juravante to get another clue." Lyra said.

"And you are just passing through?" Elder asks. "Kind of." Zedept said. "Is it about what tomorrow is?" Elder asks. "Yes." Zedept answers sadly. "What's tomorrow?" Lyra asks. "The 10 year anniversary of Master's death." Zedept said. Lyra eye's widened. "Is it that time already?" Lyra asks. Zedept nods. Lyra looks down. "With everything that's been going on, I forgot that it was coming up." Lyra said.

"So are you staying at your place tonight?" Elder asks. "Yes, we do have 2 friends with us." Zedept said. "Then it's a good thing I had the villagers keeping the place clean." Elder said. "Thank you Elder." Lyra said. Elder looks over at Zedept's greatsword. "I see that you have upgraded his greatsword." Elder said. "It was broken in a hunt and I had it upgraded in Garetaten." Zedept said.

"I see." Elder says and then takes a sip of her drink. "I guess this is a better time as any to tell you this." Elder said. "Tell us what?" Lyra asks. "This is for Zedept but you should here this too Lyra." Elder said. "What is it Elder?" Zedept asks. "Zedept, you wasn't born in this village." Elder said. Zedept and Lyra are shocked. "Karusai brought you here when you was a baby and he also brought the white greatsword with him as well." Elder said.

"Then which continent or island am I from?" Zedept asks. "None of them." Elder said. "What do you mean?" Lyra asks. Elder pulls out an old notebook. "Karusai went on a journey many years ago and wrote about it in this notebook." Elder said and hands it to Zedept. "Go to the page with the red mark." Elder said. Zedept opened the notebook to the page and began reading it. "I arrived at a village." Zedept began reading.

An Unknown Village: 16 Years Ago

Karusai arrives in a village. "Excuse me but are you a hunter?" A male asks. "Yes." Karusai said. "Then can you help us?" The male asks. "Sure, what's the problem?" Karusai asks. "Please follow me." The male said. Karusai follows the male into a house and sees a pregnant female. "Honey, I've found a hunter." The male said. The female looks at Karusai. "Hunter, please take my child home with you." The female said. "Why?" Karusai asks.

"It's tradition that every 4 years that a new born baby be sacrificed." The male explained. "I see now." Karusai said. "Do you have a child?" The male asks. "My wife became pregnant shortly before I started this journey." Karusai said. "So you can understand where we are coming from." The female said.

"I understand." Karusai said. A few days later, Karusai saw a baby male with silver hair and red eyes. "What are you going to name him?" Karusai asks. "Zedept." The female said. "That's a nice name." Karusai said. "It means 'Can always change, nothing can hold it down'." The female said.

The male walks in. "Here is a blanket to carry him in." He said. Karusai takes the blanket. "Listen well Zedept, be a good boy and live your life to your fullest, find a girl and make her happy, take care my sweet little boy." The female said before handing Baby Zedept to Karusai. Karusai wraps Baby Zedept in the blanket. "Hunter, take this greatsword." The male said and hands Karusai Shikaiza.

"When he turns 16, give him this greatsword. It's our family's prized weapon." The male said. "I will." Karusai said and takes the greatsword. Karusai takes a back exit to sneak out of the village. The male and female watches Karusai as he disappears into the nightly forest.

Elder's House: Present Day

Zedept finishes reading the entry. "After I took Zedept, I headed back to my own village and then I found out that my wife gave birth to Lyra around the same time, I hope that the 2 of them get along well." Zedept said. Lyra looks at Zedept. Zedept looks at the notebook entry with sad eyes. "Are you ok Zedept?" Lyra asks. Zedept closes the notebook and hands it back to Elder and leaves the house in silence and without Shikaiza Dragorian. "Will he be ok?" Lyra asks. "He was just hit with something big, let him be for a while." Elder said.

Outside the Village

Zedept is walking through a forest path and arrives at an old hideout looking place. Zedept moves a curtain and walks in and then leans against a wall. "I can't believe it, my mother and father gave me up to Master right after I was born." He said as he stares at the roof. "I always thought that I didn't fit in here but they accepted me anyways." He said as he closes his eyes.

Village: Zedept and Lyra's House

Raylin and Link are waiting for Zedept and Lyra to return. "I wonder what's keeping them?" Link asks. "They're talking to their village elder, it might be a while." Raylin said. Lyra walks in with Zedept's Shikaiza Dragorian. "Where's Zedept?" Raylin asks. "He received some news and needs to be alone for a bit." Lyra said as she places the weapons on a rack. "Lyra." Link said. "What?" Lyra asks as she looks at them.

"We was told about your dad." Raylin said. Lyra looks away. "I see." Lyra said. "To think that tomorrow makes 10 years." Link said. "And Zedept brought us but more importantly you back here for it." Raylin said. "I've figured that much out already." Lyra said. Raylin sighs.

"If this involves the both of you then go to him and help him out in your own way." Raylin said. "But I don't know where he went." Lyra said. "Think about it, the 2 of you grew up here, is there any place that he would go to?" Link said. "That's actually pretty smart thinking there Link." Raylin said. Link blushes. Lyra thinks. "I may now where he is, I'll be right back." Lyra said and leaves.

Outside the Village: Hideout

Zedept is still leaning against a wall with his eyes closed. He hears movement and opens his eyes and sees Lyra walking in. "Figure I would find you here." Lyra says. Zedept looks away while Lyra sits next to him. "Please leave me alone." Zedept said in a down voice. "Sorry, no can do." Lyra said. Zedept gets up and walks over to the other side and sit/leans on the wall. Lyra sighs.

"What are you going to do now?" Lyra asks. "I don't know." Zedept replies. "Are you giving up on hunting Alatreon?" Lyra asks. "Of course not." Zedept said still in a down voice. Lyra stands up and walks over to Zedept. "Then let's go home." Lyra says as she extends her right hand out. Zedept looks at her and sees Lyra smiling. "Raylin and Link are waiting for us." Lyra said. Zedept smiles a little bit and takes her hand and they leave and headed back to the village.

The Next Day

Zedept and Lyra leads Raylin and Link to Karusai's grave. After 5 minutes, they arrive. "Here we are." Zedept said. Raylin and Link looks at the grave. "So this is where he's resting." Raylin said. "Yes." Zedept said. Lyra places a bouquet of flowers on the grave. Zedept, Raylin and Link backs up some.

"Hi dad, I'm back. How are you doing? I'm doing fine. I'm traveling with Zedept now and we've made new friends along the way. I wish that you was here to tell me that I'm doing a great job." Lyra says as she starts to cry. "Dad, I miss you so much. Just know that I love you and I'm always going to make you proud of me." Lyra said. Raylin walks over and helps Lyra out.

Zedept walks over to the grave. "Master, I'm here. I'm still searching for that dragon that killed you. I've found out the name of the dragon, its name is Alatreon and I'm going to hunt it." Zedept said and then looks at the gang. "Along with Lyra and my new friends, we will hunt it." Zedept said and looks back at the grave.

"Master, I know about the day I was born. Elder gave me your notebook and I read the entry about my birth and about Shikaiza." Zedept said as he grabs Shikaiza's handle. "Now I know why you always had me taking care of it." Zedept said. Lyra, Raylin and Link walks up to Zedept.

"We have to go now Master but I promise to be back after we've hunted Alatreon." Zedept said. "And I'll be back as well dad." Lyra said. "Don't worry sir, I've got their backs." Raylin said. "And I'll keep an eye on them as well." Link said. Zedept and Lyra smiles. "Come on everyone, time for us to go." Zedept said. They nod. Zedept looks back at the grave. "Take care Master." Zedept said in his head and then left with everyone and they head towards Juravante.