Estin had no building large enough to hold the thousand or so soldiers and adventurers who had gathered for the hunt. Normally, such a gathering could have been held just outside the town limits—but Estin was by no means a normal town.

Corrin realized this as he attempted to approach the garrison, an impossible task in the streets choked with bodies. While he could see the building ahead over the heads of those present, reaching it was a whole different story, and he didn’t expect it to be any better when he got there.

But streets were a suggestion, not a rule, and one he’d ignored since he was a child.

Corrin kicked off the cobbled street, leaping onto the rooftop beside him to the sounds of surprise from the soldiers below. As his eyes scanned around though, he realized he wasn’t alone. Other adventurers dotted the rooftops, perhaps more willing to use them than the soldiers were, though he spotted some below as well, those too weak to reach.

Even above the streets, the air was thick and heavy, like a weight pressing down on his shoulders. He could feel it all around, could see it in the stance of each soldier. Some—those towards the center, in Taravastian colors, stood more confidently, carrying themselves with pride and purpose. But even they trembled ever so slightly at the battle ahead. There was no one, man, spirit or otherwise foolish enough to view their task as mundane.

Colossus—Slayers of Heroes, Banes of Aeora, The Last Curse of Gilgamesh. Songs were sung of the havoc they’d wreaked, the kingdoms they’d ruined. They were more than monsters, they were a force of nature, too abstract to be feared on a warm, cloudless day. Monsters were used to scare children at night, to keep them in their homes and make them eat their vegetables. No child was threatened with an earthquake or hurricane. But when the ground began to shake, or the wind started to howl, what heart would not tremble in turn?

Yes, some of the soldiers shook, their hearts beating with a growing fear as an impossibility became all too real. Their hands clenched their weapons, palms sweaty. Others felt solemn resignation, or something akin to duty. A colossus could not be allowed to roam freely. They looked left, then right, and knew one of three would not return. Such was the cost that must be paid. They knew this, and stood silently, eyes fixed on the garrison in the middle of town—waiting.

Corrin was not beyond them. His own palms trembled, and his eyes stared across the rooftops towards the garrison. He was uncharacteristically quiet as he stood above the crowd, ashen hair blowing faintly in the breeze.

He held a hand to his chest, a mixture of emotions swirling within. Whether it was fear or excitement he couldn’t say. But if he had to describe how he felt, there was only one word that came to mind.

Anticipation.

Mana, black and white, drifted from his lips along with the fog of his breath. Some filled his mantle, forming a current which coursed across his body, but most was lost to the surrounding air, replaced by more as he breathed back in. Within his channels, it flowed ever so slightly faster, matching his heartbeat. Corrin remained quiet, and he waited.

“Hey, you ready for this?” Wyn’s voice asked from his left.

Corrin jumped. “Damn!” He caught his breath and chuckled. “You scared me there.”

“Nervous?” Wyn raised an eyebrow.

Corrin looked down at his trembling hand. “I can’t tell. But it’s weird—I’ve never had much time to be nervous before. With the tomb, and then the flood, I didn’t have time to think. I just had to fight to survive. And no other battle felt… big. You know?” He clenched his fist, and for just a moment, the trembling stopped. He looked over at his friend. “What about you?”

“Oh hell yeah I’m nervous,” Wyn chuckled. His eyes swept over the assembled men. “This is a real battle, not something like the flood. Look around, there must be almost a thousand soldiers here, and over a hundred adventurers. Do we really need so many to fight this thing? It’s unbelievable…”

Somehow, hearing Wyn was nervous helped Corrin steady himself a bit. He smiled. “We’ll be fine, from what Tor has said, this won’t be worse than anything else we’ve already done. At least we’re prepared this time.”

“Did you figure out a technique then?” Wyn asked.

Corinn clicked his tongue. “Not yet. I still can’t get through that damn wood either. I’ll manage though. How about you? Got your idea figured out?”

“Sort of,” Wyn nodded. “I’m not sure how useful it will actually be here—it’s not as straightforward as mana. I have one idea, but like I said, I’d rather not have to use it.”

“Damn, so neither of us got as far as we wanted? That sucks. Hopefully we can get something out of this.” Corrin’s shoulders slumped.

“Progress is progress. We just have to keep at it. Tor said it himself: we’re starting behind.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Corrin grumbled.

“Ah Corrin! There you are!”

Corrin didn’t jump this time, feeling less on edge as he turned to see The Grass Sentinels on the roof over. Reiss waved briefly before hopping across the gap. His leap had an unnatural arc to it, slowing just before landing, and Corrin noticed leaves and dust swirl beneath his feet. A few more spars had confirmed his suspicions—the older man was stronger than he let on. Not nearly on the level of Tor, but probably stronger than Ayden if he let loose. Of course, Corrin couldn’t prove that, but it was just a hunch. Each time he thought he’d closed the gap between the two of them, it seemed to widen again little by little.

Reiss clapped him on the shoulder. “Are you looking forward to the battle? You’re so tense! Try to loosen up a bit, Tor expects relatively few casualties, and we’re all in the upper echelon of strength here. Besides, if you’ve resigned to fight, then you should do so without reservation. The others don’t seem to understand that either.”

Corrin looked over his shoulder. Reiss was pointing to the rest of the Sentinels, who all seemed quiet as well. Ayden scowled when their eyes met, but that was all before he continued fiddling with his spear, turning it over in his hands. Emryn’s eyes stared distantly towards the garrison, but she was wringing her hands. Even Melanie, usually unflappable, kept glancing up from her book, unable to focus on it for long.

“Ah forgive me,” Reiss chuckled. “I don’t think we’ve ever actually been properly introduced. It’s Wyn right? A shame you never trained with us.”

Wyn bowed politely. “That’s correct. And perhaps I should have. Corrin has spoken highly of your team’s skills. Alas, I attempted to develop my strengths in other ways.”

Reiss looked him over more thoughtfully. “Well, was it the right choice, do you think?”

“I do.”

“That’s good. Then tomorrow, fight to your heart's content, the both of you. Onto business though, have you heard the formations for tomorrow? You two are being organized as adventurers, which means you’ll have a level of independence, but you’ll have to find a strider as well as a captain to join with if you don’t have your own.”

“If we don’t have one, will we be assigned?” Wyn asked.

“Yes, do you not then?”

Wyn shook his head. “Unless Ven is participating.”

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“Ven… the name isn’t familiar, but I’ve hardly memorized them all. Well, I’ve been put in charge of ensuring the proper distribution for adventurers, so I’ll inquire once I finish my rounds and report to Commander Drevish. I’ve got to finish that now, but I’ll be back to inform you of your assignments later.”

With that, he was off again, bounding to the next roof in search of other adventurers.

Corrin watched him go and then turned, leaping gently to the other roof where the Sentinels stood. He wandered over to Emryn.

“He’s in charge of the adventurers?”

She nodded. “He’s a veteran of The Grass Sea. Almost everybody knows him, and he’s strong too.”

“Really?” Corrin watched the faraway figure talking to another group across the crowd. “I didn’t realize he was so well-known.”

“He was a member of Titan’s Reach, and then Sun’s Embrace before he recruited Ayden and I. Both teams were the best in the sea during their times, but they both left for the east. He chose to stay. There’s probably no adventurer left in Veldia with qualifications like his.”

Corrin thought about that, weighing the information against the man he knew. He’d suspected Reiss was holding back, and his past seemed to indicate he could’ve gone further, but it did leave him with a question. “Why’d he stay? Do you know?”

Emryn shook her head. “He always just says he prefers it here, though I don’t know much about his personal life, so I couldn’t say if there was something else there.”

“So if you left, you think he’d stay?”

“Definitely,” she sighed. “Melanie would likely stay as well. If we left, it would be just… well just me and Ayden.” She glanced at the spearman across the roof. He was talking to… Wyn? They were laughing about something.

When did that happen? Corrin blinked twice, shocked at such a betrayal. Before he could go up and give the two of them a piece of his mind though, Emryn spoke up again.

“I just wish I didn’t have to wear my armor.”

Corrin turned back sheepishly. “Wait what?”

“My armor,” Emryn rubbed her muscled arm nervously. “If I wear it, it will affect my techniques. I can’t use them right wrapped in iron. But if I don’t wear it, I’ll have to rely on my mantle, and well…”

“Right, your mantle isn’t reliable yet. What’s the problem then?”

“It’s just—I don’t know. I’m not strong, not like you, Ayden, or even Reiss. I can’t do the things you can do. I don’t want to hold anyone back. The armor helps me pretend to be a real one, but an earth channeler without a mantle is like a swordsman without a sword.”

“I’m pretty effective with just these bad boys,” Corrin grinned, holding up his fists.

“I’m serious…”

“Yeah, so am I.” Corrin threw a few quick jabs into the air for show before turning back to her. “I fought four earth channelers yesterday, Emryn. Some of the ‘strongest’ in Veldia. I’ll admit, each of them had full mantles, but even still, you’re easily stronger than any of them.”

“Maybe still, but—”

“You know, I haven’t figured out the mantling thing yet either. I can’t cut that damn wood no matter what I try. So if you’re a bad earth channeler, that makes me a pretty shitty ash one.” He tapped the sword at his waist. “If I don’t have mantling down by tomorrow, I’m going to use a steel sword. So you should use that armor of yours, and don’t feel bad about it. We don’t have it yet, and that’s fine. To steal Wyn’s favorite phrase for a second, training is the one thing that will never fail you. We’ve put in the work, and we’re going to get stronger, it’s just a matter of when.”

Emryn’s expression lifted, and she took a breath to compose herself. Her lips quirked into a smile, a real one this time. “If you don’t have it down by tomorrow huh?”

Corrin smirked back at her. “I’ve never been good at giving up.”

“I just wish—”

Horns blared once more, cutting her off. Each head was drawn to the garrison as the tension returned. Something began to rise from within the structure, the open section used as a training ground. It was a pillar, a huge, earthen pillar which slowly built itself higher and higher. By the time it stopped, it was a hundred feet in the air, far above the gathered crowd. Atop it, stood a single, lone figure.

Even from hundreds of feet away, the spirit knight commanded respect. Torvin Helric stood almost a full head above most men, with broad shoulders that seemed to stretch from one end of the horizon to the other. His presence meant more than others, and when he spoke impossibly loud, his voice rumbled like the earth, rolling out across the audience and bringing them to silence. He wasted no time on introductions—there was no need. By this time, every man in town knew who he was. If not by name, then by his rank, spoken in hushed, reverent tones even before he had arrived.

Spirit Knight.

“Soldiers, adventurers, captains. All of those who have gathered here to join this expeditionary force:

Tomorrow, we will embark from Estin, advancing into the heart of The Grass Sea. We do so for the purposes of a grand hunt, the scale of which Veldia has not seen in decades. Many of you have traveled hundreds of miles, across the sea and away from your homes for this endeavor, and for that, I and your countrymen thank you. The eyes of Veldia gaze upon us now, watching to see what we shall accomplish. And so for all of those that do not know us, I will state it plainly. Tomorrow, with this assembled battalion—we will be hunting a colossus, and we shall see it slain. We will scatter its hordes, burn its flesh, and feed its corpse to the grasses below.”

There was a brief shout from the gathered soldiers, a cry of agreement, but it died quickly as his voice rang out again.

“Our victory will not come easily. Not one among you is ignorant to the threat of a Colossus. You have heard the tales of fallen kingdoms, you have heard accounts of their devastation. I do not deny these tales. The power of a colossus is immense, and their hordes are innumerable.

But this is not Aleris! And this is not The Colossus of the South! I have fought these monsters before, and I find this one lacking. Our harrying has thinned its hordes, and the Eldian crown has supplied us with the munitions and strength to vanquish such a great beast. Beyond that, the courage of you Veldian men has provided us with a larger force than we could have ever hoped. In every aspect, we have prepared to give ourselves overwhelming advantage.”

Tor held his hand in the air, and the world began to bend. The air grew heavy as he began to shine with a golden light, gathering into his outstretched palm. The light grew, burning like a second sun in the sky, impossibly large as it began to coalesce. For most, it was a display of power appropriate for a spirit knight, but for Corrin and the rest that knew more of channeling, it was even more astounding. The aura and mana gathered above his hand… how could one man command so much?

The light stretched out from his hand and thickened. Forming a stone war hammer the size of a small tree, still glowing with an intense golden light. It was too large, too heavy to ever be considered practical, but Tor held it aloft in one hand, as though it was no heavier than a pebble. When he spoke again, it was a roar, deafening enough to be heard across the whole town.

“Tomorrow, we set forth from Estin! We go not to battle, but to hunt! The colossus is not our enemy. It is our prey! I have every confidence in the force we have gathered—in your courage, and in your skill. We will accept nothing less than an overwhelming victory!

Beat the fear from your hearts, for it has no use in a hunter! And tonight, sleep comfortably in your beds. Tomorrow, the eyes of the kings fall upon us. And tomorrow, we shall earn their blessing!”

There was a moment of silence, only a short second, as the entire plaza took in a breath at once. Then, the shouting began. It didn’t build or crescendo, it exploded out of their chests. A fervor, as the fear and unease were hammered into resolve. Corrin’s heart pounded in his chest, burning with excitement. And in a way it never had, the event to come truly sunk in. They would be slaying a colossus, and he would fight alongside a spirit knight.

He glanced at Wyn, who met his gaze, and they joined in the swelling roar of the crowd as a simple phrase rose up amidst the chaos.

“For the Hunt!”

“For the Hunt!”

“For the Hunt!”

Tor stood atop the pillar, hammer raised, absorbing it all, a smile on his face as he stared down at his soldiers. He waited until the cheering had settled, and then continued.

“Officers, you have been given your orders. Relay them to your men within the hour. Adventurers, you’ll be given your assignments as well. I will accept no partying this night. We set out at fourth watch, and by the time the sun sets we will have crushed our prey.”

The pillar of stone began to sink back into the earth as the cheering began again. But this time Tor paid no heed, descending towards his officers and men below where he would exchange words further. His role had mostly passed though, and the next day, it would begin anew.

The cheering continued for almost ten minutes before it finally began to die, but even without the cheering, the town was abuzz. The blanket of unease that had choked them had been thrown off, and now everyone, from the soldiers to the townsfolk were shaking with energy. And Tor had aimed that energy directly into the sea, towards their target.

Veldia was a nation unheard, oft forgotten in the grand schemes of the world. But its people were not without their own pride. Just as everyone else, they lived, loved, fought, and died. And for once, the story was all about them.

Tomorrow, they would hunt.