Before going to the Beast Hunting exploration the team had to get use to working together, so first they were placed into parties of five. These were in turn controlled be a party leader which worked and gave out orders to them. The party leader in turn followed orders from a unit leader who controlled a total of five parties.
These unit leaders were controlled by unit Captains who had to control of a total of eight units consisting of two hundred people. The Captains were in turn controls by the Emperor Commander who controlled the entire group of close to 1000 people. Any break down could result in deaths from few to the many.
Parties were assigned first consisting of two warriors, two spearman and a mage/ healer, from these groups one would be designated party leader. Probably because of quilt the prince somehow managed to get Eric and I into the same group. In addition we would be near the emperor guards which would increase our chances to live.
Our party asked Eric to be party leader unconditionally, due to his strength and high scores in combat tactics. All felt that he would help them survive and kill beast during our trip. Eric explained my ranking in the mage guild was second only to the Prince, so it added to their confidence.
We went into the nearby forest areas and took on the strongest animals there. From foxes, wolves, cougar to the fiercest grizzly bears we learned to coordinate attacks as well as guard one another backs. My usage of the gems powers were quick and concise with out any waste of its powers.
Secretly I had connected a devise which absorbed innate surrounding energies to be absorbed back into it. Each animal that was killed become a food source with all of us processing it for skins, food and weapons. We use the specialized gloves and tools so no one would be contaminated by the beast when we process them.
In addition anyone that got blood or cuts would be re-evaluated for this coming hunt so every one was extra cautious during these exercises. One whole group was disqualified as well as a few individuals who just could not do what was expected.
Our group not only did the missions given but Eric made us do a struck routine to condition our bodies for the extreme conditions to come. Many groups after the first week started to follow his example. For me this was very grueling work because I was use to more academic routine and just the general exercise classes.
Eric had no pity for me in front of the group but runes my muscles and provided me with medical baths each night. This treatment barely allowed me to keep up by the end of the month we were all close to or at tip top physical shape. I was even amazed at how much my endurance and stamina had increased
I still felt bad about blasting innocent animals and sent a prayer to thank them for their sacrifice. None of their bodies went to waste there is always hungry mouths to feed. Yes even in the capital some had to struggle to live, it even seemed to me that it had more. I usually gave the left over to the orphanages and churches.
Often me and Eric would even ask other parties to donate as well but a few refused including Melissa's party throwing it to the dogs instead. I felt sorry for her party because she had very little control over her powers and wasted a lot of its energy. She got in because there were very few who choice to learn in this field.
For the next month we came together as a group being ordered by the top to the bottom in this way the Imperial Commander could get use to using flag signals and trumpet alerts. In this way we learned to go forward and replace front line with new troops. When to shift right or left, and finally the call to retreat.
After a weeks practice we started to fight against a elite empires group of 200 to represent a beast attack. It was grueling and brutal resulting in many injuries and even one death by accident. By the second week both our parties and the commanding officers were much better.
Finally the last week we were able to surround and force the group to surrender after over half of them were incapacitated. It was a great day and signal to the capital that we were finally ready for the beast hunt. That night there was a great feast in which our whole group partied, laughed and drunk.
No matter what kingdom they held from we had finally become a strong fighting force, a single unit ready for battle. We hoped for multiple victories and few losses and in the way of the young we felt inversible. Even Eric and I had a few drinks and fell asleep in each other's arms happy to be together and strong.
When we awoke the next morning the sky was overcast and threatening rain. We pack our pack as we were trained to only bring the most vital of things. Clothes, weapons, dry emergency foods, my section of the tent (basically a piece of canvas big enough to roll oneself in that when attached to the whole could become a large tent).
In addition we carried rope and our special gloves and knifes for processing beast. I also carried a pouch with additional gems and of coarse my staff of power. Each Mage was given only ten smell gems for the hunt, most had already used one or two up during trading.
I had only used about half a gems power due to my ability to estimate and use its power conservatively. In addition my devise was constantly absorbing energy to replenish my gem. I would defiantly share this devise if it keep doing what it was designed for. In addition I was still altering it so it could be more powerful without exploding itself and the gem it was connected to.
Melissa had been creeping around eyeing my staff and things lately and it was making me paranoid. I started sleeping on top of my things and as close as possible to Eric as I could get. Eric was had greater awareness of our surrounding so I felt safer and protected by his presence. We would leave within the hour finally on to the real hunt.