Ikrei P.O.V

“I am tired of living like this. But what can I do?” I grumbled as I kept looking out the window from my bed expectantly.

“Hope he comes soon.” I thought inwardly.

Living in a rundown cottage that my parents left me isn’t the best condition for someone poor like me. The only reason officers, adults or royals don’t reclaim this place with any sort of excuse is because it is stationed near the Beast forest.

Who would live near a mana filled bestiary of creatures? Hunters, that’s who. Crazy hunters for that matter. My parents were crazy for prey but I loved them.

As I was lost in my thoughts I heard the voice of my friend Teng coming up the stairs.

“I got it! I got it!” he said joyfully with a booming voice.

“Did you get it? Did you get it?” I mimicked in return.

Soon Teng placed a booklet in my hands. It was worn down but still readable.

It as a copy of the Argon Teng had obtained using most of our combined savings from the past six years. Thirty Ucra, a fortune for a kid peddling money from hunter related services.

The most important thing is that it was the real thing. I recognized several of the sigils and symbols my father had taught me when I was a child.

“I know how hard it is to get this, thank you Teng.” I said smiling at him.

“No need to mention it brother” he answered back approvingly.

The Argon of the Sages, the worn down pages in my hands are a rare commodity, very hard to find for those living in the Eternal Moon Kingdom, specially the unprivileged.

There are many hunters in Malgrunian territory but very few of other faiths.

It’s heresy.

“We will train together as promised, just keep helping me with the pelts and the other kids, specially Luc.” I told Teng.

Teng nodded silently.

The cottage had become refuge for other orphan kids who came and went mostly without trouble. Except for Luc and his cronies who constantly tried to hinder our small business of pelt and meat treatment besides hunting and reselling small pray like wofer rabbits and the occasional shadow wolf.

Competition among hunter families is fierce. Thankfully, an old friend of my mother, old hunter Olga helped us to keep things in check.

I was excited to read The Argon. The book of scripture of the other faiths in the Western Continent. The heresy punishable by flagging of the soul.

“Let’s begin, yesterday is already too late.” I said happily.

Teng agreed and brought some snacks out of his pouch and prepared to study with me.

He closed the room door and we started reading the contents of the Argon from that morning until dawn. We were in a somewhat frenzied state of mind. Too excited to think about any other things. This was and is our only ticket out of this wretched life.

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Our chance to be reborn anew, to awaken.

Tired, the night came and we felt sleep on the bed.

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The following days came and went with us hunting wofer rabbits at the edge of Andara Forest for food and commissioned pelting from other hunters and merchants. We always had good business since we were slightly cheaper than other hunters but being teenagers also delayed our output of permeated pelts and skins.

We meditated and studied the Argon scriptures at dawn. Guess those extra mana tears or orgon mini crystals we get paid with became extremely useful as a night light.

Bright blue light will do that for you.

“So, how are you feeling, the sigils and meditation working for you Teng?” I asked him as we pelted a bearskin we had to deliver a week later.

“I feel a strong pull from the Zurian God. I want to be a hero brother. I think of following the Zurian way.” He answered “How about you man?” He continued.

“I don’t know my friend, Malgrun is out of the question, don’t know about being a saint and all that stuff. So that leaves me two choices according to the booklet.” I replied as we pelted.

“Void of Consciousness and the Will of all wills. Yeah confusing terms for us plebs. You just got to keep reading and making money.” He told me.

“Awakening is helped by sigils and energy fields” I expanded.

“We are going to have to risk it and head to the mountain nearby but also get a few true orgon crystals to forcefully awaken if needed be.” Teng said.

I knew what he was saying but the idea was extremely risky for two fifteen-year-old boys.

As we were pondering other ideas and sources of money a heavy shout was heard from outside the cottage.

“Come out you bastard vermin, time to pay your dues!”

Shit! Luc and his bullies were here.

Before we could do much, Luc and his two ruffians barged through our make shift main door and hurriedly pinned us down. It was quite cumbersome for them since we were behind a wooden counter.

CRASH!

With a high kick to the gut I flew back tumbling over a table behind me. Teng didn’t fare much better. We were pinned in no time, head first against the wooden floor.

Neither of us made a sound. We were always nervous the bastard would kill us in a fit of rage even if Olga checked him later.

So doing as we always did, we just took it.

Regrettably, the sons and daughters of awakened hunters hit harder than a bull.

If I wasn’t my mother’s son, I would have broken all ribs from the attack.

I hate it.

“To Gorun with this shit!” I yelled.

I hate being so weak that I cannot fight back.

“Where is it? Where is the money?!" Luc shouted

Teng silently pointed to the drawer under the counter. The bastard went and took the money in there.

The three of them scourged us for more. We were beaten hard enough to hurt but not hard enough for a healer.

“On the wolf pelt to your left, right behind you.” I said while groaning.

Luc went ahead and took the mana tears that were hidden inside. He left after that with his fellows but not before kicking us in the head for good measure.

I was knocked out cold.

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Teng was tending to me when I woke up.

“Why did you let him have the crystals brother?” He asked.

Grabbing my head from the pain I answered “It is better to feed the beast properly so it doesn’t kill you. We still have the other pouches of Ucra.”

“They are not enough for what we need now, you know.” He countered.

“We will always have problems. You are from the Eastern continent and I am from the Central Plains on the other side of the sea.”

“Sons of outsiders never have it easy”. Teng agreed.

“So how about we go planning on hunting the musky thingy deep in the forest? I inquired

“You mean the musky bear? Are you serious? Teng asked in disbelief.

“We don’t need to kill it, just need a few of those crystals he is guarding.” I said.

“You are serious aren’t you?” Teng asked looking straight into my eyes.

“As serious as a broken rib, Teng. Due to Luc and his father we have little time.” I said looking back.

“You mean that the other hunters will figure out where the bear is making his den.” Teng said.

“Not only that. If one of us shows signs of awakening and we are caught, then what? Unless you want to serve as the dog of the Eternal Moon, we must go to the mountains.”

“If we don’t succeed we could starve inside that forest at best, be devoured and ripped apart at worst.” Said Teng.

“We need to gather enough money, about 15 Ucra for supplies and ask Olga for that favor he owes my father”. I replied.

“Thankfully we are in the Turgan continent, awakening one of the ancient faiths anywhere else would be suicide for us.” Teng said.

“Let’s hope it is true that they will find us as it is written in the Argon. You ready?” I inquired.

“Yeah, I am done being a carpet for these whorecomers.”

Preparations were in order. Teng and I shook hands and went off to do what needed to be done.