Waiting during the hunt was always tedious. It could take hours before a deer stopped at the river to get water. But today I was lucky. Carefully, I tightened the string of my makeshift bow, which I had fashioned from branches I had broken off trees and tied together with taut forest vines. I loaded an arrow I had made from a stick and a sharpened stone and aimed at the creature's neck. Thanks to my years of hunting experience, I aimed the shot perfectly, and the deer cried out in pain as my arrow struck it, leaving it bleeding on the ground. I quickly took out my old and trusted knife to finish off the animal. The first time I killed something, I couldn't stop shaking, but now it felt natural.

That should last for a few days. I should go back before Sister Mary gets too worried.

I closed my eyes and focused on the warm feeling in my chest, directing the warmth to my arms, then my back, and finally my legs. It took me a few minutes to do this, because I still wasn't used to moving mana. Clary had found the book about it only two weeks ago.

Fortunately, it was easier to carry the stag back because the mana strengthened my muscles. With the deer on my shoulders, I made my way back. Night would soon. Normally, I'd enjoy my walk back to the orphanage. The forest is beautiful with its large trees and lush grasslands, and the song of birds echoes through the canopy of green giants.

It's a shame there are so many monsters here. This time of year the goblins get really nasty.

"Eldrian Care House" was written on the crooked sign in front of the orphanage. As I walked up to the old building, I became sad to see how old and run down it looked. The paint was peeling and the roof had many holes. The windows were cracked and dirty. It was clear that the building hadn't been repaired for a long time.

Home sweet home, huh?

As I entered through the back door that led to the kitchen of the run-down building, I saw a very familiar figure. "Shit," I muttered at the sight of Sister Angela. The old hag loved to complain about every little thing I did, even when I was the one putting food on her table.

"Kala, can you tell me what you were doing outside at this hour! Oh no, let me guess, were you trying to hunt goblins again to 'prove' yourself to the adventurers? You know very well that they'll never take you."

This witch could clearly see the deer I was carrying, but making fun of me seemed more important to her. Maybe one day she'd actually care about the others who were starving.

"Of course not, sister. We're too delicate to endure the hard life on the road, aren't we? Sleeping in the dirt and fending for ourselves? Forget it! Who needs adventure and excitement when you can cozy up in your cozy little bed with a cup of tea and a good book? Surely the world will wait patiently for your return and let you spend your days in peaceful oblivion."

Before she could reprimand me for my "disrespect," a voice rang out, making us both look toward the door that led to the common room.

"Kala! You're back! Are you okay!!! Did you hurt yourself anywhere?" said Sister Mary as she looked for bruises or anything else on my body.

"I'm fine, just a little sore from sitting in a tree too long waiting for prey."

"Sister Mary, shouldn't you reprimand the bra...child for going out again without warning or asking permission?! That's the third time this week!" Scolded the old witch, her voice dripping with contempt.

But the reality was that Angela needed me to go hunting for her survival. The children barely survived on what little they could find in the forest, and my skills were their only hope for a decent meal.

"I caught a deer this time! That should be enough to feed everyone for a few days," I announced, trying to ignore the old woman's disdain.

Hunger was a constant companion, but I had found a way to use my mana to ease the pain. I couldn't understand why the other children found it so difficult. Maybe it was because they had given up too quickly, or maybe it was because they weren't as desperate as I was.

As I walked up the stairs to the girls' rooms, Batron blocked my way, a chubby boy who seemed to enjoy tormenting me.

"Hey, rat. Why do you still want to come back? Is dying in the middle of the woods too hard for you?" he taunted.

I scoffed at him, knowing he was only here because his noble family had sent him away. But Batron's hatred for me was inexplicable. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I had once put worms in his clothes for fun. But I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction because I had gotten under his skin.

When I entered my room, I noticed how dilapidated it was. The walls were crumbling, the paint was peeling, and the only piece of fabric that served as a bed was old and worn. But what broke my heart was the sight of Clary, a beautiful girl with striking red hair and the most beautiful green eyes.

Despite her beauty, Clary lived in misery, and I couldn't help but wonder what had brought her to this place. My heart swelled with love for the girl, and I hugged her tightly.

"Look! Look!" Clary exclaimed, and I watched in amazement as little blue points of light appeared above her hand.

"You did it! I told you that you could manage to move your mana!" I exclaimed, my eyes glittering with pride.

Clary's enthusiasm was contagious, and I felt a surge of hope. Maybe there was a way out of this horrible place. Maybe they could find a way to harness their mana and build a better life.

As I lay down to rest, I felt a sense of exhaustion come over me. But that was a small price to pay for the chance to survive and thrive. And with Clary by my side, I knew anything was possible.

----------------------------------------

Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

Blood gushed from my now useless arm, staining everything in sight with its thick, red liquid. The huge beast moved with frightening speed, leaping from tree to tree with such ferocity that it was impossible for me to keep up with its movements. My blood boiled from the venom now coursing through my veins, and I knew there was no hope for me.

Death was the only thing that awaited me in this dark, eerie forest. Suddenly I heard something calling out to me, a voice that seemed to be beckoning me. I couldn't see anything, but I knew someone, or something, was there. "Who are you?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear. And then, in an instant, everything went black.

I was swallowed up by the void, surrounded by a never-ending sea of nothingness. But then, just as suddenly as it had disappeared, the voice was back. "FOUND YOU," it whispered, sending a shiver down my spine.

----------------------------------------

"AAAAHH!" I jolted awake, my screams breaking the silence of the night. Clary, who was sleeping next to me, jumped up, startled by my sudden outburst. Before I realised it, we were both screaming.

"BY THE ASCENDED, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!" Clary yelled at me, her voice dripping with frustration. But when she saw the tears streaming down my face, her expression softened and became concerned. "Kala, are you okay? What happened?!" She asked, her face full of concern.

"I'm sorry, I just had a... bad dream," I mumbled, still shaking from the horrors that had plagued my sleep.

"Again? Was it the one with the three-headed dragon?" Clary asked, and her voice soothed me with its familiarity.

"No... it wasn't important. Just another one about the world being made of cheese," I said with a hint of bitterness in my voice.

"I still don't understand your hatred of cheese," Clary said, shaking her head with a small smile.

But before we could say anything else, Sister Mary's booming voice interrupted us. "DINNER IS READY, EVERYONE TO THE REFECTORY!!!" she shouted, and her voice echoed through the halls.

Clary stood up and made her way to the door, but not before she turned and looked at me. "Get up already. If we wait too long, the others will eat everything," she said, urging me to hurry.

As I sat there trying to shake off the remnants of the nightmare that had shaken me to the core, I couldn't help but wonder what it meant. The feeling of a dark presence hovering over me was still there, sending shivers down my spine.

But I couldn't dwell on it too long. I had to get up and join the others. Maybe a good meal and some company would help me forget the horrors that lurked in my dreams. Too much hunting might be messing up my head, but I couldn't let it get me down. Not now, not ever.

Coming down from the stairs, I saw Sister Mary setting the table. The smell of food filled my nose and made my stomach growl with hunger. "Kala, dear, could you help me with this?" Sister Mary asked me. I gladly offered my help and began to set the table with wooden plates, forks and knives.

Clary, who was busy bringing the steak, asked, "Where are the others? Surely they could at least help set the table. While Kala is out hunting and I'm helping around the house, they're doing nothing but playing with the swords Mister Keith gave them."

Batron arrogantly retorted with his "I'm superior" look: "Chores should be left to those who have nothing really important to do. Cray and I are training to join the ranks of the Knights."

I couldn't hold back my frustration any longer and retorted, "When you two can actually use the sword techniques you're training to help us with something, and only then, can you say that you two aren't completely useless here. But until then, you keep your mouths shut."

Cray, with his short blond hair and green eyes, stepped behind Batron and apologized, "Sorry, you know I'm a disaster when it comes to housekeeping. I'd only cause problems." Which was true. Last time, he broke a freakin' wood panel in half. I still have no idea how.

We sat down to eat, and Sister Mary reminded us not to waste anything, as I had a hard time grabbing the food. The food was delicious, and the conversation was very pleasant. It felt good to be surrounded by people and to have a warm meal in my belly.

After dinner, I wished everyone a good night and went to my room. I was already feeling better and had forgotten about the nightmare I had earlier.

----------------------------------------

The busy streets of Eldria were always teeming with people, and no wonder, for it was a thriving commercial city nestled right in the center of the kingdom. This meant that hundreds of stores were open at any given time.

My destination was Keith's general store, which was on the main commercial street. I was on my way to sell the parts of the deer that we hadn't consumed - the hide, the hooves, and the antlers. I doubted that the price would be favorable, because deer were plentiful in this region, so prices for their resources were falling.

However, something was better than nothing.

"Ding-ding!"

"Hello, Mr. Keith, how are you today?"

"Ah, if it isn't my favorite hunter! I'm doing great! And how about you, Kala? It's been a while since I've seen you."

"My luck has been terrible lately. I've only caught a couple of rabbits this week, until yesterday anyway," I replied, placing the sack containing the deer parts on his table. "How much can you offer me for these?"

Mr. Keith picked up each piece individually and surveyed the quality. "The cut isn't quite clean... Did Sister Mary prepare this?" he asked.

"Yes, I was exhausted after the hunt, and everyone was hungry. So Sister Mary prepared it for us," I said, realizing that at some point I'd have to teach her how to do it better.

"So, how much can you give me?"

"Thirty coppers is the best I can do. There has been a glut of deer products on the market lately, and the conditions haven't helped, I'm sorry," he said, filling a bag with the coins.

"Damn. At least it's enough for a few weeks," I muttered as I took the bag Mr. Keith handed me and tucked it into my shirt. "Thanks for everything."

"No problem, girly. I'm sorry I couldn't offer more," he replied apologetically. I couldn't be mad at him for the prices - he had done so much for us. The clothes I wore, the wooden cutlery we used, and even the swords the boys wielded - he had given us all of that. When I asked him how I could repay him, he just told me not to bother. What a noble soul.

“Well, time to go hunt again.” I said as I made my way towards the edge of town. There have been a few rumors of goblins in the south area of the forest, and since goblins are with more than deer, It was time to make money.

It wasn't my first rodeo with these foul goblins. I've begged and pleaded with numerous adventuring groups to let me tag along on their quests. I mean, who wouldn't want to make some easy coin while taking down these wretched creatures? But alas, they all turned me down and dismissed me like an inexperienced amateur.

However, I wasn't discouraged. Every time I went into the wilderness, I killed as many goblins as I could find, enjoying the sweet satisfaction of victory. And with each kill, I earned a tidy sum of nearly 10 copper. It was a fitting reward for the risk and effort each hunt entailed.

But then Sister Mary had to come and ruin everything. She found out what I was up to and almost crucified me for it. This time I couldn't let her uncover my plans, not if I wanted to keep my head on my neck.

And so, with a determined heart, I set out again to hunt down those goblins. Their tracks were easy to follow, and I followed them eagerly, my fingers itching to strike at last.

Something inexplicable happened and made the once lively forest eerily silent. The rustling of the wind died away, as did the chirping of the birds. The atmosphere itself seemed to weigh heavily on me, foreboding an eerie presence. Suddenly all my hair stood on end and a shiver ran down my spine. A cracking twig sounded from somewhere behind me, and I turned around, startled. There I saw It, a colossal spider with threemetre long legs, each of which ended in razor-sharp claws that could cut through flesh with ease. Its numerous, hideous eyes stared at me, and deadly venom dripped from its razor-sharp jaws. And in a split second, without warning or hesitation, it pounced on me.