The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue over Silvercrest City as a young girl with raven-black hair made her way through the bustling streets. Her steps were swift and purposeful, her body adorned with the telltale signs of a hunter—a sturdy leather jacket, a satchel strapped across her shoulder, and a gleaming dagger hanging from her belt.
"Elara, over here". A woman with blond hair, donning the same attire as the girl, shouted, waving her hands.
The young girl, named Elara, looked towards the source of the voice and then headed towards the woman. They both entered a shop called Hail Tavern. The tavern was filled with all sorts of people, all wearing leather jackets with different engravings, some carrying swords, some spears, and some bows and arrows.
Both of them joined a group of people consisting of four men and three women.
"Our porter is here." The woman who brought Elara said
Elara smiled at everyone, feeling a little nervous. They were all seasoned hunters who went through several expeditions, and here she was, a porter, not even a full hunter.
A sturdy, big man seemed to notice her getting tensed, smiled, and gestured for her to sit.
"Don’t be nervous; you did good. It’s only a matter of time before you become a hunter like us." The sturdy man spoke in a coarse voice before gulping down an entire jug.
"Alas, then we will have to find another porter." The group laughed.
"Alright, alright, now, Big Finn, tell us the profit we made today." The woman who brought Elara asked the big man called Finn.
The group had successfully raided a ruin in the forest surrounding Silvercrest City. They were tasked with wiping out the Ironjaw Boars that were attacking people crossing the forest. Elara was also in the group as a porter. Her job was to carry essential supplies for the group. The group was successful in killing all the Ironjaw Boars and even got their hands on a monster core.
"One monster core sold for 3 gold coins; the rest was sold for 2 gold coins. All in all, we got 5 gold coins. I got 500 silver coins, as it was easier to divide." Finn replied, gulping down another jug.
"Just 500 silver, but there were so many of those pests." The red-haired woman banged on the table.
"Well, they were just bronze-ranked monsters, Violet; what more do you want? Consider it our luck that we could obtain a monster core." A muscled, bare-chested man passed the jug to Violet to calm her down.
"Well, unlike last time, no one got hurt, so at least we saved on medicines; nevermind, just tell me the exact amount; I need to hurry to the weapon association." Violet said.
"50 silvers each, 10 silvers to the porter. 90 silvers will go to our emergency fund. One more successful raid, and we would have saved enough to upgrade all of our weapons."
‘10 silver’. Elara forced a smile. ‘It will barely cover the medicines for mom.’
Elara’s mother, Olivia, started getting sick a year ago. Elara asked the local alchemist to treat her mother, but let alone treat her, they couldn’t even figure out what made her sick in the first place. Olivia’s health started deteriorating with each passing minute until she could barely move for more than 5 minutes.
Finn handed 10 silver coins to Elara. "I hope you will be our porter for the next raid too. Haha".
"I will take my leave now." Elara bade adieu to the group.
With a sense of urgency gnawing at her heart, Elara quickened her pace. Her mother's condition had worsened in recent days, and the alchemists in the city were at a loss, unable to discern the cause of her sickness. Desperation fueled Elara's determination to find a solution and earn enough coin to hire a high-level alchemist who might hold the key to her mother's recovery.
As she approached her modest home, nestled in a quiet corner of the city, Elara's steps faltered. A pang of worry gripped her chest, threatening to suffocate her hopes. She pushed open the weathered door and stepped inside, greeted by the familiar scent of home—a mixture of herbs and warmth.
The room was dimly lit, with the flickering candle casting dancing shadows on the worn wooden furniture. Elara's eyes immediately sought out her mother, lying fragile and pale on the bed. The sight tore at her heart, her own weariness overshadowed by the pain etched on her mother's face.
"Mama," Elara whispered, her voice trembling with both love and concern. She rushed to her mother's side, taking in the sight of her weakened form. "I've brought food and medicine. I hope it will help."
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Her mother managed a feeble smile, her eyes glistening with gratitude. "Thank you, my dear. You work so hard for us."
Elara's gaze hardened with determination. "I'll find a way to heal you, Mama. I promise."
Without a moment's hesitation, Elara retrieved the small bag she had packed earlier—a meagre assortment of provisions, a flask of water, and a set of vials for collecting demon cores. With her mind consumed by thoughts of her mother's well-being, she kissed her mother's forehead and rushed out the door, leaving the comforting presence of home behind.
The night wrapped the city in its embrace, casting a cloak of darkness over the winding streets. Elara navigated through the labyrinth of alleyways, her footsteps purposeful and resolute. She followed the faint whisperings of rumours and legends, rumours of an unknown dungeon tucked away on the outskirts of the city, rumoured to hold secrets and treasures untold.
As Elara neared the outskirts, the city's bustling energy waned, replaced by an eerie stillness. She stepped cautiously into the depths of the forest, guided by the faint glimmer of moonlight filtering through the canopy of trees. The ancient woods seemed to hold their breath, secrets murmuring through the rustling leaves.
Soon, Elara found herself standing before the mouth of the hidden dungeon. Its entrance, covered in moss and overgrown with vines, appeared to have been forgotten by time. But to Elara, it represented a glimmer of hope—a chance to earn the coin needed to save her mother.
With a deep breath, she stepped into the darkness, the dampness of the air enveloping her senses. The walls of the dungeon whispered ancient tales, their echoes blending with her footsteps as she ventured deeper into the labyrinthine corridors.
The dungeon was completely dark. She immediately lit her torch. Slowly and steadily, she hastened her steps, carefully observing her surroundings while holding a dagger in her hand. Only the sounds of her footsteps reached her ears.
Suddenly, her sight fell on a marking on the wall to her right. She carefully observed the mark, only to realise she had never seen such a mark. "There might be some ancient character’. The mark was etched on a rock that was protruding a little bit out of the wall.
‘What if I push? No, don’t it, Elara; you are all alone; if something happens to you, who would take care of mom?’ Her mind said to try pushing the rock, but her heart said otherwise.
‘I have already risked it all coming here alone; I am not even a full-fledged hunter. Why should I be scared of what will happen in the future? I just have to be brave in the present.’ In the end, her mind won. She slowly raised her, taking all the time to gather every bit of courage. Placing her hand on the rock, she took a deep breath and pressed it.
For the second time, nothing happened. Just as she was about to remove her hand, a beam of light emerged out of nowhere and blinded her. She felt her body get lighter. ‘Transportation! What is happening? Am I getting transported to someplace else?’ Elara’s heart sank. Fear was evident on her face.
The flickering light of her torch illuminated the grim scenes that greeted her—scattered bones, remnants of long-dead creatures, and signs of battles fought. The air crackled with the lingering energy of the supernatural, sending a shiver down Elara's spine. She gripped her dagger tighter, her senses heightened in anticipation.
As Elara ventured deeper into the dungeon, her eyes widened at the sight that unfolded before her. Countless bodies of demons lay strewn across the chamber, their lifeless forms a testament to the battles that had taken place within. It was a macabre spectacle, both thrilling and haunting.
She had only seen pictures of demons in books, never once in real life. Seeing their appearances, she realised they were not those ordinary monsters that the hunters fight every day, but those damned demons that have wreaked havoc for hundreds of years.
Her legs were trembling at the thought that she might face a real demon at this place and also meet her demise here.
‘What have I done? What have I done?’ Tears started flowing through her eyes.
Her heart quickened as she spotted something glinting amidst the sea of darkness. Demon cores, pulsating with otherworldly energy, lay scattered around the room. The sight sent a surge of excitement through Elara's veins, her eyes widening with a mix of wonder and determination. This discovery held the potential to change her mother's fate.
She hurriedly wiped her tears and started collecting the cores, her hands trembling with a mix of awe and anticipation. Each one was a small piece of power, a tangible resource that could be traded for God knows how many coins. As she secured them in her bag, a sense of fulfilment washed over her. This was the path she had chosen—a hunter's path, fraught with danger but offering a glimmer of hope.
Having achieved more than she had ever imagined, she did not want to stay at this place any longer. But as she turned to leave to look for an exit, her eyes fell upon a chamber at the far end of the room. Its door stood ajar, revealing a faint glow that beckoned her forward. Curiosity mingled with caution as Elara approached, the light casting an ethereal glow upon her face.
Pushing the door open, Elara stepped into the chamber, her breath catching in her throat. Before her, immersed in a pool of crimson liquid, stood a man. His eyes, filled with both weariness and power, met hers with an intensity that made her blood run cold.
‘A demon? No, he looks human.’
"Who are you?" Elara's voice wavered with a mixture of awe and uncertainty. She never thought she would meet another human in this god-forsaken place.
The man regarded her for a moment, his gaze piercing through her. "Hahahahaha!" The man started laughing maniacally. "Finally! Finally, after all these years, someone has come." The man immediately jumped out of the pool and landed just in front of her.
This sudden action made her fall down in fear. The man gave her his hand and got her up.
Elara had to raise her head to look at him. She herself was taller than an average woman, standing at 5'9, but this man towered over her.
"I… I asked, Who are you? And why are you staring at me like this?" Her voice stuttered. She found an unbearable pressure emanating from him, engulfing her. He was looking at her like she was an exotic and rare item.
"My name? you ask. I can’t remember the last time someone asked me that. Arcanus. My name is Arcanus Arian."
"Arcanus? Where have I heard that name?"
Elara gasped, her heart pounding in her chest. The revelation hit her like a bolt of lightning. Arcanus Arian, the legendary hunter believed to be dead, stood before her, alive and enigmatic, staring right at her.