20: Veken Hunters

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 20: 𝕱𝖎𝖗𝖘𝖙 𝖒𝖎𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖕𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘𝖙

After a while of running, Anthony reached a golden glowing arched gate and a long fence of Fakani trees ranging as far as his eyes could see.

"Tsk." Anthony grunted having aches everywhere. It had been a difficult and stressful night. He had been attacked by several demons on his way, but none was as powerful as Nick. Luckily for him he didn't have to fight them for long, he mostly would draw them to stand in the Fakani's glow which burned them to dust.

Anthony decreases in pace walking past the gate having a sense of warmth. As he passed the gate, the warm rays of the sun bore down on him. Anthony's eyes quickly adjusted in the light. Feeling anxious, he turned his view back to the forest, as he suspected, it was still as pitch black as night. Just like the other forest, light could not breach into it for some reason.

He turned away stepping into a low grazed field. Sitting a few feet away was Vindacurve in a green coat on a stool, Habatha and Crevin standing behind.

On another stool beside Vindacurve was another man wearing a blue coat with the Eastern symbol on it, there were also two others behind him a young woman stuffing her face with food and the other serious looking, standing tall and bright.

Then a Nouthern wearing a yellow coat and finally a Southern wearing a grey coat both not having any accompanies.

He tilted his head around seeing dozens Eastern recruits including Brandton all standing in a large square blue patch of grass.

A yellow patch of grass bearing several Nouthern recruits. Then a silver patch with dozens of Southern recruits.

Finally Anthony's eyes locked on to the green patch where dozens of Western recruits stayed. They were far more than all other recruits. In the patch stood Tyler, Barry, Chase, James, Artlery, Fiona,

Marona, Kraken, Scales, Neldon and some others he had never met before. He hurried to them a smile beaming across his face.

Anthony reached the patch to be embraced by Tyler, Barry and Chase. "You are all alive!" He exclaimed.

"And so are you," Tyler said equally as happy to see Anthony.

"We all did it!" Chase acknowledged.

"But, Anthony you came so late, why?" Barry asked.

Anthony ran his hand through his hair and smiled widely, "I might have gotten lost a few time," he gestured with his hands. "I kept on going round and round, all the trees looked exactly the same."

"Hehehehe," Barry chuckled softly. "I also got lost but came far earlier than you. That means I am more manly and stronger than you are."

"Oh sorry gramps, shouldn't you be above this level of training," Chase joked.

Barry turned to him giving a loathing look, "oh, I see you are trying to get attention again, aren't you?"

Chase gigled softly, "the ladies would love a bad boy like me, got to keep up my reputation."

"You annoying crate of rotten poop!" Barry raised both arms stretching it to Chase's face.

Vindacurve rose from his seat silenting all the recruits by the wave of his hand, "I am Vindacurve of the Western Kingdom, trainer and retired demon hunter."

"We welcome you into our ranks, from now on you will be Vekens, and must bear the Kingdom symbol's with great respect and honour. You live to serve, must die while saving people from demons, must never run from a fight even if it's far greater than you."

"Never forget, every hunter is your brother and sister don't think them of any less," Vindacurve sat down after announcing.

Anthony stared at Vindacurve, he was glad to have chosen him as his trainer.

"I am Crenicus of the Eastern Kingdom," the Eastern man stood from his seat and said, he was dark in complexion, face filled with scars and an unwelcoming look on his face that showed resentment.

Dozens of red hawks flew from above and landed in front of every recruit, "those hawks would pass messages from your superiors to you through note..."

"Ahhhhhh!" Barry screamed interrupting Crenicus. He placed both hands on his head and jerked it back to face the sun and screamed again, "I can't read! Damn! I am so dead! Shit! Please I hate words! Ahhhhhhhhh!"

"Shut the hell up!" Chase landed a hard slap on Barry's face. "Hey you are embarrassing me... A cute dude can't be seen with a..."

"Enough!" Crenicus yelled at the peak of his voice silenting them, he reddened in rage wanting by every atom in him to thrust his sword deep into Barry's heart. "For those would don't know how to read the hawks can speak." He sat angrily glaring at Barry enraged, next time we meet boy I'll surely kill you!.

"I am Thelo of the Southern Kingdom," the one in a silver coat spoke standing on his feet. "Be fearless. That's all." He said sitting back, he never believed in speechless, at least this was the best he could offer.

The final was young, short yellow hair and white in complexion. "Banto of the Nouthern Kingdom. A damned hundred recruits have died during this exam, the damned Western kingdom have the highest number of Vekens but the damned Nouthern has the lowest." He said as if holding a grudge against Vindacurve.

"All damn Vekens should move out to their damn training center, go back to your damn dorms and when your damn missions are ready you will head damn on to your damned deaths. Enjoy your damned last moments of your damned stay in your damned Kingdoms, fuck you all!" He completed Walking angrily from the feild.

All the trainers followed afterwards leaving the recruits to jubilate their succession.

Chase instantly broke up from their patch and towards the Eastern recruit, "ladies! Your darling courageous Prince has arrived!" He exclaimed.

Anthony and the others shook their head in unison. "Pervy freak."

"Yeah," Tyler gestured.

"Anthony! Anthony!"

Anthony turned his gaze to see Neldon and Kraken walking right for him. Neldon face held an excited grin while Kraken as usual grimaced.

"Neldon! Kraken!" Anthony yelled back at them with a joyous voice.

Kraken grumbled turning to glare at Anthony. He grinded his teeth and kicked into ignition pacing angrily for Anthony.

Anthony waved to him then froze after sensing something was wrong.

As Kraken got closer he pushes Anthony forcefully on the chest knocking him down.

Anthony crashes on his bottom sprawling on the field. "Tsk?" He groaned in pain.

Kraken stormed past leaving Anthony dumbfounded, "blind dumbskull, how dare you stand in the way of your superior."

Anthony stared still frozen in shock. Neldon passes by following behind Kraken, "sorry Anthony brother."

He meant it kindly but it sounded insulting. Anthony shook his head distinctively, "what a pain in the ass."

"Why are you sitting on the floor," he turned around to see Scales behind him. "You are really weird Anthony." Scales stretched out his left to Anthony who grabs on instantly. Scales pulled him to his feet.

"Thank you," Anthony said.

"Your heart is beating fast, why?" Scales asked expressionless. He doesn't wait for a reply," you seem agitated to see me."

Anthony gulped, he was bereft of words.

"Is it because of what I said when we first met?"

Anthony opened his mouth to speak but his words wouldn't come out, "huh... I... Well," he stammered.

"Why do you hesitate to answer Anthony?" Scales continued to pour out questions.

"Ugghh?" Anthony's mind ran on what to say, what questions to answer, he needed to avoid this bothering conversation, but how? "Whoa," Anthony's gaze shot up to the sky, "what a wonderful dawn, the sun is beautiful today."

Scales turned to the sun, he could see what Anthony meant. "It truly is," he stared at the sun for a short moment admiring it's wonderful golden streaks of light and blue skies. "So Anth..." He turned around to find Anthony gone from the spot.

He turned back to the sun not bothering to go after him. "What a disturbed kid."

Anthony his among the small crowd of Western recruits, avoiding further intrusions with any bothering figure.

"Hey Anthony." Another person called out his name, but this time from beside him. He turned to see Scales staring ominously at the sun.

"Huhh?" Anthony stared in utter silence hard to believe he was standing there. "How'd?"

Scales turned and gave a smile, "I can always find a good heart no matter where it is hidden."

Anthony froze, Scales stare, his heart rate, his heart warming smile, they all dictated one thing... Friendship.

"We are about to go on the most dangerous part of our lives. Vekens, we are a strong foundation of hope, the other ranks Meku, Mohomi and Salihuna only go on large missions they don't frequent in places and are hard to find. But we Vekens save village to village, giving people hope that we can still win against demons. I know we all joined for Vengeance, but, never forget you are a symbol, a successor to great hope... Anthony Veken."

"Why are you telling me this?" Anthony asked.

Scales turned back to the heavens, "I told you before, you will give us all hope when the time will come."

Anthony narrowed his eyes in confusion, it wasn't just adding up, "how do you know that?"

Scales answers with a lifeless voice, "my family can perceive the future through visions, and I have been having visions of you for over two years now. Since when Undomno killed your family, you and Fiona, Kiraya, the Plague 5 ... I have also seen your future, failures and wars. I know preety much everyone that will die when the war starts. It's all a burden"

This was more than too much for Anthony now, he had many questions to ask. "Why don't you try to stop the war?"

"That's why it is a burden, I have so many visions of you but any twig I try to break in this war would only make it happen earlier and worse. I already tried to do so twice and it became worse." Scales turned to Anthony with a face filled with emptiness, "like it or not our destinies are tied and bonded." Now he sounded scary and hostile, "Look around Anthony they might be jubilating now, but in a few years they will be in tears... All of them."

Anthony turned around, he felt a chill up his spine and his heart palpitated, the smiles, the celebration and joy in their faces, would soon encounter disheartening sorrow. He gulped at the thought of it, everyone here... Eastern... Western... Nouthern... Southern...were to suffer a inescapable fate.

I will protect everyone from demons no matter what happens, I must save everyone from this coming demise. I swear I will do it I will protect everyone, my comrades, my friends, humans and all living beings that need protecting. Yes! He needed to protect them all, or they might all... Die

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