Summer in the Village

The journey back from the city was uneventful, and we made it back safely, protected by the Beast hunters.

During the summer, I spent most of my days hunting in the forest, honing my tracking skills through the thick underbrush.

Occasionally, I would venture into the village to spend time with Myra; together, we would run and play, exploring every nook and cranny of the village.

As the summer drew to a close, the harvest season was upon us, and the fields surrounding the village were bursting with ripe crops. It was the best time for hunting, as the rabbits and other animals ventured out of the forest to feast on the bountiful harvest.

Old Sven and I ventured out into the woods every day, our eyes sharp and our senses honed to detect the slightest movement.

Throughout the summer, I managed to catch twelve rabbits, a feat that left my mother wondering where all the meat was coming from. My father would simply wave his hand and claim it was a gift from a hunter, but I knew the truth. I was the hunter who braved the dangers of the Forest to provide for my family.

One day at the end of the summer, as we walked through the forest, the tranquility of the Forest was suddenly shattered by a loud bustling in the underbrush behind us.

We quickly turned around, our senses focused, ready to fight or flee. To our surprise, it was a Beast Hunter, emerging from the bushes.

Relief flooded through me as I realized it wasn't a monster, but the relief was short-lived as I saw the state of the hunter. Bruised and battered, his clothes in tatters, and a large, bleeding claw mark on his chest.

"Pl...please, help us," he gasped, his voice strained with effort.

Old Sven and I exchanged a quick glance before moving swiftly to help the hunter. "Wot happened? Where are the others?" Old Sven asked concern etched across his face.

"They...stayed behind. There is a swarm of monsters. Please, you have to save them," he wheezed, before collapsing to the ground.

This is probably the moment where I should shout, 'I'm going to go save them!' and run to their rescue... If I were a hero, that is.

But, too bad for them... I'm not going to play hero, so they are on their own. I'm not even sure if I could defeat a whole swarm of monsters.

So I did the best thing I could think of right now.

"I'm going to warn the Vogt!" I shouted as I turned to run back to the village.

My mind was racing with all possible scenarios, but I knew that warning the Vogt was the best course of action.

As I started running in the direction of the village, I could hear faint howls of monsters in the distance coming from the depths of the forest. I increased my speed until I was running as fast as I could.

I sprinted across the fields right into the village center, where was Vogt's house.

Out of breath, I asked one of the servants where can I find the Vogt. He pointed inside the house, and I continued on my way.

I burst into the Vogt's office without any formalities, my voice was frantic as I relayed the urgent news. "Sir, there is trouble in the Forest. A swarm of monsters was spotted there, and there is an injured Beast hunter!"

The Vogt raised a hand—a gesture for me to slow down and start from the beginning. I took a deep breath and recounted the events that had unfolded in the forest just moments ago, my heart pounding in my chest.

Without a moment's hesitation, the Vogt commanded, "Take me to the Beast hunter." His authoritative tone left no room for objections, and I knew I had no choice but to follow his orders. I led him towards the forest, the urgency of the situation driving us forward.

As we approached the forest's edge, we spotted Old Sven supporting the injured Beast hunter as they made their way across the fields toward the village. The Vogt wasted no time in questioning them, his gaze sharp as he assessed the situation.

"Is everything that Darian said true?" "About the monsters?" he asked, his eyes fixed on Old Sven.

The old man nodded, his expression grim. "I ne'er saw them meself, but I could hear their howls in the distance. And this lad seems pretty beat up, so no simple animal could have done it."

The Vogt's face grew serious as he mulled over the information. "How long do you think we have?" he asked, his voice low.

"I'm not sure," Old Sven replied, his voice heavy with uncertainty.

"It all depends on whether the rest of the Beast hunters managed tae lure them away from the village or not."

*ROOOARRR!*

Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed through the forest, sending shivers down our spines.

"This is bad," the Vogt muttered, his face turning pale. "We must warn the garrison in the city."

He quickly ordered us to take the injured hunter to his house for treatment, while he hurried back to the village to compose a message. For the first time, I could sense a slight fear in him.

I helped Old Sven carry his bow and traps while he helped the Beast hunter back to the village, my legs aching from the earlier sprint.

When we reached the Vogt's house, the injured Beast hunter was taken inside and attended to by one of the villagers.

I went to the kitchen to ask for a cup of water since I was totally parched from all the running; luckily, I was a healthy boy, and running was not a problem for me.

As I left the house with my cup of water, I spotted the Vogt handing a message tablet to one of his servants. "Deliver this to the city as fast as you can," he ordered before the servant hopped onto a horse and galloped away in the direction of the city.

Hmm, even if he runs at full speed the whole time, which is unlikely since the horse would never make it, he will still take at least a few hours, and then it will take at least another half a day before any soldiers come to the village. I thought.

If the monsters attack the village, there isn't anything that could stop them.

*ROOOARRR!*

I then heard another roar that could be heard all the way in the center of the village, which means it was coming closer. This time everyone heard it, and I could see their frightened faces.

The monsters were coming!