The Hunt Begins

Evryn made his way to the center of town, glancing around. No sign of Garran—no sign of anyone, really.

You gotta be kidding me. Where else could they possibly be?

"Hey, Evryn!"

He turned his head to the left and spotted Garran, standing with a few others, all dressed in gear.

Damn it.

He had been hoping they'd leave without him. That way, he could just relax—but luck clearly wasn't on his side.

"Do you not have any weapons?" Garran called out.

Did you not see me without any weapons when you first met me? This guy's an idiot.

Dragged me into a random 'hunt' and now they expect me to be prepared? Right…

"Nope." Evryn said, throwing up his hands. "I don't really have anything."

"That's fine, I have a weapon you can use!" Garran grinned.

"Oh?"

Before he could respond, Garran was already closing the distance between them.

Now that they were closer, Evryn got a better look at everyone.

There were four men, not counting Garran. They all wore different-colored tunics—one black, another brown, and two in dark blue. Their outfits were reinforced leather with plating on the shoulders, knees, elbows, and chest. Some even had fur lining their armor.

Their weapons were just as varied. The man in the black tunic carried a massive war hammer, while the one in brown wielded a longsword nearly as tall as he was. The two men in dark blue had ranged weapons—one with a giant crossbow and the other with an equally oversized bow and arrow. And of course, Garran had his signature giant sword.

What the hell do they need these giant weapons for?? Evryn stared in disbelief.

"Here you go!" Garran grinned, holding out a weapon for him.

Oh, bo— Evryn glanced down at Garran's hand and froze. A small dagger—barely the size of his palm—rested in his outstretched hand.

You gotta be kidding me…

Forcing a smile, Evryn took the knife and nodded.

"Thank you." he said. Not.

Evryn glanced down at his outfit, then at theirs.

Compared to them, he felt completely out of place—like a black sheep in the group. He didn't like it one bit, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"So, where are we going?" he asked.

"East." Garran replied, pointing toward the towering treetops in the distance.

Evryn looked past the village walls, his eyes tracing the dense, sprawling forest beyond. Massive trees stretched high into the sky, their thick, twisted branches interlocking to form a canopy so dense that only slivers of sunlight broke through, casting eerie patches of light onto the forest floor. Vines, as thick as his arms, draped from the limbs like nature's own hanging bridges, swaying gently in the breeze.

The undergrowth was alive with movement—small creatures darted between the roots of ancient trees, their eyes glowing in the dim light. Strange, luminescent fungi clung to tree trunks and rocks, emitting a faint, bluish glow, while massive ferns swayed under their own weight. 

Somewhere in the distance, a deep, guttural roar echoed through the woods, followed by the sharp cry of something much smaller. The sounds of the wild clashed, creating an unsettling reminder that this was no ordinary forest—it was alive, untamed, and full of dangers lurking just out of sight.

And I have to go in there to hunt some creature… You've got to be kidding me.

"Well, let's get moving!" Garran said, stepping forward with the five men following behind.

Evryn stood there for a few seconds, letting out a quiet sigh before reluctantly trailing after them.

***

They were deep in the forest, surrounded by towering trees and dense vegetation.

Moss and mushrooms clung to the ground, while massive tree roots twisted through the earth, some wrapped in glowing fungi. The air was damp, thick with the rich scent of soil, decaying leaves, and the faint aroma of something unfamiliar.

Ahead of them, a fallen branch—large enough to be mistaken for a tree trunk—lay across their path, covered in a layer of moss and bioluminescent fungi. A break in the canopy allowed sunlight to stream through, illuminating the branch in a golden glow, untouched by shadow.

As they approached, a small creature, no larger than a rabbit, peeked over the mossy bark. Its fur shimmered faintly under the dim light, blending with the greenery around it. Large, curious eyes locked onto the group, ears twitching as if deciding whether to flee or observe a little longer. Then, in a blink, it darted away, disappearing into the undergrowth.

"What was that?"

Garran turned, glancing back slightly at Evryn.

"That was a Slyvitt, harmless little critters."

"Oh…" Evryn paused for a moment, then realized he had never asked the most important question.

What exactly are we hunting…?

"Garran."

"Yes?"

"What exactly are we hunting?"

"The Behemoth Wolf."

Evryn blinked, trying to process what he had just heard.

"And what does this thing look like, or do?"

"You'll know when you see it. It's really fast and has a powerful bite that could probably tear a piece off that tree."

You're bringing me, someone you just met, out on a hunt for a giant creature…? What the hell did you get me into, Cyrus?

"A few people said they saw it lurking around near our village, which is not good one bit. So, we're out here to either chase it off or, hopefully, kill it."

"I see." Evryn looked down at the knife, gripping it tightly as they kept moving.

Everyone stopped.

Evryn froze, trying to assess the situation—trying to figure out what was going on.

"We're getting close."

Then Evryn saw it.

Giant claw marks were etched into the tree.

Evryn's heart raced, a mix of fear and excitement. He thought he was afraid, but seeing those claw marks made him feel more excited for some reason. He wasn't sure why.

One of the men stepped forward.

The man in the dark blue tunic, with the large bow and arrow, began sniffing the air.

"It's not far."

"Alright!" Garran grinned, pulling out his sword.

Everyone else did the same, readying their weapons.

The hunt was about to begin.