Chapter 112: The World Shifts

The female Ursine with her burly speaks in a soft unassuming tone. She is a frighteningly tall standing on at an impressive two and a half meters. Ripped in muscles and scars, ” Defiler return the seed of beast God. We, are her humble servants protect this place from those unnatural undying.” 

Styx seeing the rest of her slinking out from behind her. Flexing his weapons Styx says, ” Then what?” Styx has heard of the Undying before, but it was a throwaway reference. From his first week in the river. He struggles to remember the exact phrase about the Undying. 

The Ursine says, ” Do you not your masters. Those send you to our paradise to picked from the first chosen?” Her eyes are darting over each of them looking for a hint of deceit.

SKY Ocean Hunter says, ” We have no masters we were requested to gain a single Glitter and return it to the village. 

Strange wild hisses and growls escape from the Ursine and her party. All of them are disgusted at the fruit being called a Glitter. 

The Ursine says, ” And yet you speak their words. The Kilkan is scared it grows from the tears of the God herself. She weeps for us as we have forsaken her gifts and let them be corrupted. “

Tyr says, ” Corrupted that could be anyone, hell for all we know you are lying to us…” The whole party of monstrous people grumbles in dissatisfaction, the unsettling of weapons filling the environment. 

The Ursine says, ” Be that as it may, I will not mince words with you defiler. I have no reason to validate my honour to you. Return what you have stolen or die.” Now they hover weapons out, it’s three against three. 

SKY Ocean Hunter says, ” Let me return the favour. Leave us be or we will unleash upon a slaughter so thorough the only thing remaining will be the glitter of your lives.” SKY Ocean Hunter doesn’t care it doesn’t make sense his voice is threatened enough the words are of little consequence. She eyes him again letting out a roar that rattles against the walls of the cave. 

The cave hums with excitement blades and spells all primed and at the ready. The Averion with its wings and steel-tipped claws can’t take to the skies so uses its human-like form. Launching out first with wings widespread to provide cover for the others.

Meanwhile, somewhere a father and son are locked in a heated debate.

“Papa I said this is what I am doing with the rest of life.” Monate is throwing in his clothes and essentials any fifteen-year-old needs into a rack sack. His only silk shirt ripped in his hand when his father Mitch had it snatched from him before he can put it into the brown leather rack sack.

“Why you? thou can’t you just stay and study something normal,” Mitch pleads as much as he is also commanding his son to listen. His beard greying is even more pronounced.

“I can’t, I won’t. It has to be me,” says Monate who lets go of his rucksack. Starts to put on his jacket.

“Son please, it’s not safe out there with sickness and Merlins fiends. Do you want to end up like your uncle?” Mitch is desperate to save his son but also is reluctant to force him to stay. The resentment he has for his father who stifled his dreams is still with him many years after the man’s death. Mitch wants so much to make his son understand the error of his way. ‘there has to be a way.’ he thinks to himself his knuckles white with tension.

“You always bring up uncle Dick when things aren’t going your way. Just like when I started going out with Yen you somehow blamed uncle Dick.” Monate looking at the time rushing to get his boots on.

“Son listen to me, I don’t want to…” Mitch is about to say the same thing his father said to him. Then he grabs Monate by the shoulders.

“Son, I’m afraid. I know better than most what potential you have. But this is not the way they will make you a murderer and worst of all you will be killing your own people.” Mitch gazed into his son’s eyes, hoping against all creation that the boy would listen.

“No! You said I can be anything, and what I want to be is a Witchhunter. One who helps people not just kills… Why can’t you believe in me like you did mom.” The words left his mouth too late to back off, both father and son standing at diverging paths.

“Son, hear me… This path you have chosen is not what it seems, your mother…” Mitch’s mouth is filled with Ashes of anguish…” She never wanted this for you kids, she hoped at the end you could.” Monate pulls away from his father it is clear to him that the man will not see reason.

“Dad, I’m going.” Mitch’s arm slumps, he lets go of the rucksack. Tears welling up in his eyes.

“Monroe Nathan Jones, if you walk out that door, make sure you never come.” The pitch of voice his is dread perfect. Every word is a lashing shearing at the soul. Mitch stands an immovable ultimatum.

Opposite him his son, Monate an unrelenting force. Stubborn each the mirror of the other both set in the course of action being taken is the correct one.

Mitch who has allowed himself to be overrun by his past has done the very thing he has promised himself he would not do to any of his children. Monate full of youth and new found hard headedness an ample fuel.

Monate grabs the rucksack stuffing in, the items that tried to stay behind. He flings it over his shoulder. His father looks to him like a man possessed.

Indeed Mitch is possessed by his past failings and the unbearable truth that his son is going to become a Witchhunter. Monate gripped by arrogance and spirit. Walks past his father possibly for the last time. Mitch realizing what he has said falls onto his sons’ bed an old man. His face aged by painful experience and regret. Today he had one more regret to add, his son the Witchhunter.

The road from the house to the Slinger was not very long. Monate had grown up in the village and its centre was less than five kilometres. It would take him forty minutes if he walks at a leisurely pace. He is also not rushing even though he is set on leaving. Now that he is out the door. The wind of reality is chilling. He has not a single person in the world anymore. His father has just cut him off. Monate walks slowly playing back the events that just occurred the turmoil of emotion raging.

“Ah, Mr Jones, heading into town are we.” A wiery looking farmer, and his carriage being pulled by a Waterbuffalo. Monate turns to Mr El Green who owns a farm not too far from his school.

“Yes sir, I am,” says Monate looking at the farmer who gives him another once over.

“Respectful as always, you really are your fathers’ son. Hop on I want to get into town. Did you hear The hunter academy brought a recruiter here to our village.” the farmer says, already directing his Waterbuffalo to start moving even before Monate has climbed on.

Monate composes himself, the comparison between him and his father has been there as long as he could remember however today was the first time it stung so bad. They have always been close especially after his mother was executed by the association for crimes against humanity, a punishment dealt out to the worst of the worst. It is also partially why he wants to become a hunter so that he can join the association and clear his mother’s name.

The carriage hobbles along at a leisurely pace, the villages who are not gifted like him have to wear cumbersome light stones to prevent the sickness. The farmer had fallen silent being on the lookout for fiends driven mad by sickness. Even on a short route, they could be attacked.

Soon enough the village centre came upon them. It’s dark stone obelisk is the symbol of all Shanti villages. The obelisk is like a meter it grows with the level of development of the village. A relic of a bygone era. Just like the Slingers.

Monate sees the guy. A man, tall and dark-skinned. He’s built like an angel a muscular angel. A radiance surrounds the man both because of the way he carries himself and also a glow caused by a leak. Monate thinks he must be close to the master level. The glow caused by the leak is something he read about in a Witchcaster. Is a civilian tool for basic magic practice and information distribution. The small black band on his arm is such a device.

There are already several people from the village in line. Even Tucci, a friend and also a gifted. It’s why they are friends since they are stronger than normal people. Walk into the recruiters’ tent never to return…

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