As the days passed, Hunter watched the river bed, keeping his senses alert to all that was going on around him, both close and far. He kept his eyes roaming between the dark blue river, the vibrant green forest, and the grey mountains off in the distance. Stephanie spent the time teaching Sparticus level one and two storm spells while she herself also got familiar with Thunder Shaker. Orion and Ian spent the time cleaning their weapons as they talked with Alexi and the other party leaders. After four days the boat finally arrived at the village of Tutan.
"Damn the ice melt caused the current to pick up. We could've reached here in three days when everyone was still in the village, but now everyone has gone to Adenville for shelter; leaving us without a place to stay." Alexi grumbled as they looked around the deserted village.
"Not necessarily, since they left, that means no one is here. We could take shelter wherever we please." The tall skinny archer mischievously said as he looked at the all the empty huts.
"If you loot any valuables from the villagers then I'll kill you right here and now." Alexi growled as he looked at archer. The archer and his party grumbled and became down trodden, causing Hunter to cast a turn of his head towards them.
"What are you looking at brat?" The archer angrily stated as he glared at Hunter. Hunter shook his head before nodding to Spartacus and taking off, running into the woods. The adventurers not expecting his speed became dumb founded as they realized that he was already long gone in a few split seconds.
"Jeez if that boy used that speed in the fight, we might not have to worry about the Feniri breaking through. He could just run up and stab them all in the eyes." The large bearded adventurer said as he glanced at the other three boys. "Let me guess you three are fast as well."
They smirked and nodded before heading towards the center of the village. Stephanie, Alexi and his friends followed after them as they entered the empty tavern. Spartacus went behind the counter and started opening the kegs of beer while filling mugs for everyone.
"How long till you think Hunter comes back with information?" Orion glanced around as he grabbed his mug and took a drink.
"I say he'll be back in a few hours. Maybe less since he doesn't really need to get close to them." Ian stated as he leaned back against the wall. "What do you think we should do in the mean time while we wait for him?"
"He mentioned a gut feeling yesterday at the meeting. Since the villagers are gone, I think we should set up traps in the village so we have a fall back point incase of an emergency. Besides as much as I would love to agree with the idea of using our speed to overpower the Feniri, you know how much we end up having to eat after using so much energy." Spartacus leaned on the counter as he began contemplating about what could cause Hunter to feel uneasy. His eyes widened as he thought of a couple of terrible outcomes and quickly got up from the counter. "We need to move quickly now! Set traps in the outer village and find a building here in the center where we can fortify! We don't have much time, Hunter maybe able to out run them but they will surely follow him here."
Upon hearing this everyone's eyes widened when they realized that Hunter, going only to scout, was now in grave danger, as to what or why they still couldn't figure it out. Ian got up, "I'll head to the Northern fields of the village and wait for him there. We'll buy you guys as much time as possible to build as many traps as you can. Make sure to build far more than for thirty wolves."
Alexi looked at Spartacus and Ian discussing. "Why do we need so many more traps then necessary?" He asked with a bout of confusion adamant on his face.
"On our way here, Hunter was scowling most of the time. The fact that he showed any emotion other than excitement to a fight indicates that there's a threat that we might not be able to handle. The only way the Feniri can be a real threat to us is if there are far more than what we were expecting." Orion stated harshly as he grabbed his bow and ran outside; scaling the buildings until he got to the tallest point and was able to watch over the entire village.
"But Feniri never live in packs bigger than fifty some. How can fifty be a threat to you guys if thirty isn't?" Stephanie began to worry as she thought about what this could mean and if Hunter would be able to survive long enough to make it back to them.
The adventurers scattered as they began planning out traps all throughout the village. They built pitfalls and freeze formations, also setting up explosive formations inside buildings to cause rubble falls when need be. The sunset as they worked, but still there was no word from Hunter. The worry in their hearts began to build as the moon rose and fell, bringing forth the next day.
By noon there was still no sign of Hunter. The adventurers had spent all night setting traps in the village and a few of them began setting alarms in the fields and the edge of the woods, allowing for them all to be alerted should Hunter or the Feniri come.
Ian moved his post to the outskirts of the village on the northern side; while Orion perched in the tallest tower, watching and waiting for Hunter to return.
Stephanie began pacing in the two story building that they had set up as their fortress. Alexi watched her, shaking his head as worry crossed his mind.
Spartacus walked up to Ian and looked northwards, towards the distant domineering peaks of mountains that seemed blacker than night itself. "Why do you think he isn't back yet?"
Ian turned and glanced at Spartacus before facing the woods again, standing straight and staying vigilant. "I don't think he's severely injured. I do think that he might be acting more cautious so he can gain as much knowledge as possible."
The two stood like that all day, waiting for Hunter's return. Orion stayed in the tower trying to see if he could catch an earlier view than the others, but still unable to find him. Stephanie and Alexi both came to check up on them every few hours, making sure they had food and water. As the sun set again Orion finally spotted movement amongst the trees. "Somethings coming! North side!" He called out as he drew his bow and watched, hoping it was Hunter but steeling himself incase it was the Feniri.
The others rushed out and went to where Spartacus and Ian were standing, waiting to see what was emerging from the woods. As they strained their eyes trying to see in the dusk glow, they saw a small black humanoid limping towards them.
Spartacus and Ian looked at each other before they rushed forward, nearing Hunter and grabbing him as he fell. Carrying him back to the fortified building, everyone saw that not only were there multiple injuries on his body, but he was missing his entire left arm from the shoulder joint. From this wound blood flowed like a river, soaking the floor red. Shock crossed the adventurers faces as they looked at each other. Stephanie withheld a sob as she dropped to the floor, tears pouring from her eyes. [They said he had regenerative properties, why is he so injured?! Am I going to lose another person I care about?]
Orion rushed forward, grabbing an empty mug, some wine, a couple of vegetables, and a piece of dried meat, which he grounded all of into a liquidy paste in the mug. Once it was no longer solid, he opened Hunter's mouth before pouring the contents of the mug down his throat.
"What are you doing?! The boy needs medicine not food!" Alexi tried rushing forward to begin bandaging Hunter's shoulder; however he was blocked by Ian who shook his head and pushed him back.
"Hunter has regenerative abilities, all we need to do is apply fuel for his body to do such abilities and then he'll be fine." Spartacus stated crisply as he watched Hunter with a worried look.
Everyone became quite as they watched Hunter, waiting for a sign to show that he was alive. As the minutes ticked by, hope began to drain from everyone's eyes and many of the adventurers began leaving, heading to the outskirts of the village to watch for the Feniri.
Stephanie crawled forward to Hunter's head. Sitting on her knees, she picked up his head and layed it in her lap, stroking his jaw as her tears fell onto his face. Alexi clenched his fists as he looked at the boy and turned around before walking out the door, followed by the rest of his party.
"Can't any of the priests try healing him? We might be able to save him if they all do it." Stephanie whispered softly as her voice quivered with a mix of hope and despair.
Spartacus shook his head as he leaned against a chair. "Firstly the priests think he's dead, that's why they left. Secondly even if we got them to do it, it would only hurt him more."
Stephanie looked up at the three boys who sat there without a single bit of worry in their eyes. "Is it because of what you all are? Are you demons or something? Is that why priests can't heal you?"
The boys looked at each other before Ian got up and went to the door, making sure no one was around. Spartacus looked at Stephanie, deeply gazing into her eyes. "And what if he's a demon. Does the blood that flows in a person's veins make them evil, or is it the decisions they make and the actions they take that makes them evil. Little girl, it would be wise to not go assuming things before you actually get to know a person." He spoke softly, yet with a sense of sternness that shocked Stephanie to her core.
She looked at the boys before looking back down at Hunter. She recalled the children's faces, how happy they were to be in the presence of these four boys and she thought to herself [If he really is a demon, than what kind of demon is he that he would be willing to live with other creatures instead of slaughtering them?] She thought back to how human Hunter seemed, when he would laugh and tease her. Even though it had been a few days, she realized that the time she spent with him would be some of the most dearest memories held in her heart.
She sadly smiled as more tears cascaded down from her eyes as she leaned forward and gently layed a light kiss on Hunter's lips. She than cradled his head even more as she cried. As she cried she heard Orion begin having an uncontrollable laughing fit, causing her to stop crying and look up. As she looked up she saw Orion fall over as he laughed while Spartacus and Ian both had smiles on their faces as they looked at her.
*Cough*Cough* In a strong fit of hacking, Hunter stirred, coughing up globules of blood as he groaned and rolled onto his right side. As Stephanie watched, with her eyes wide in shock, Hunter's light injuries began sealing quickly, leaving no scars behind.
Using his right hand, Hunter reached up and grabbed some more dried meat off the nearby table, stuffing it into his mouth quickly and chewing only a few times before he swallowed it. Stephanie's eyes became even wider as she watched his shoulder wound stop bleeding and then bone began to quickly grow out, taking the shape of an arm in under a minute. From the bone, muscle and tendons began to sprout, connecting everything together before a layer of skin, nail, and hair grew, completing his arm and making it look as if nothing had happened. The only evidence was his torn outfit.
Hunter looked around and then looked at his outfit, and grumbled to himself. Ian went outside and called out informing everyone that Hunter was awake and alive. The adventurers rushed back, excited to hear that Hunter had miraculously survived and also curious as to what had happened. Hunter looked around at the crowd that quickly gathered and noticed Stephanie, with tear tracks down her face, beside his head and with an obvious blush on her face.
As he looked at her, she glanced at his lips before her blush deepened and she looked away. Hunter quickly realized what happened and gently touched his lips as his cheeks began to redden as well. He smirked and then looked at the adventurers who had finally gathered in the room.
"So what happened boy?" Alexi sat down as he looked at Hunter lying on the floor. As Hunter began to sit up to talk, Stephanie rushed forward and pulled back, forcing his head into her lap. "You were just injured, so you need to rest so you can regain your energy!" She blushed as she glared around at all the adventurers who began smiling and laughing as they looked at the two.
"Brother, why the hell where you so beat?" Spartacus said as looked around the room at all the people.
"We were overly wrong about the Feniri pack. There was at least a hundred Feniri, and in their den they had twenty sum pups. I snuck into their den and killed all the pups, causing them to become enraged and I was forced to fight my way out. I was able to kill twenty, but ended up being nearly killed as you all saw." The crowd gasped as they heard this news. Not only the fact that he killed twenty fully grown Feniri, but also survived being attacked by a hundred of them. And that was the scarier fact, that the Feniri had broken their norm and had made a pack with over a hundred Feniri.
"How is this possible? All the Feniri before hand only ever stayed in packs no larger than fifty." The large bearded adventurer said as he looked around at everyone with fear in his eyes. Everyone else shivered as they too thought about the fact that they were facing a pack of Feniri that could easily still have a hundred fully grown Feniri left to fight.
"They had an alpha that smelled stronger than the rest. If I had to guess it's either a level seven or level eight feral beast. They'll be here in two days." Hunter said quietly, however everyone was able to hear him clearly and they took in even more gasps as they heard about the alpha.
"What the hell are you talking about?! No monster has ever been able to get stronger than what the level it's race restriction is, and they can't be born stronger than their max level. Feniri have a max level of six so they can be born between level one and level six. Should they be born level one they can get stronger till they reach level six, but they can't surpass it. So there is no way that they can get stronger than level six." The skinny archer said as he looked at Hunter as if he was an idiot.
Hunter and his brothers smirked as they looked at each other, shaking their heads as they began laughing. Everyone else looked at each other confusedly as the brothers laughed. Hunter stopped laughing and turned and looked at everyone. "The lands that my brothers and I come from has a thing called evolution. Evolution is defined as the gradual development of something from a simpler to a more complex form. This process takes many years and is almost not noticeable during a human life span. It is however, noticeable through multiple human life spans. All living creatures are constantly going through evolution, which allows for the stronger and more adapted of a species to survive and reproduce. This causes a stronger generation to come forth and the cycle continues. If I had to guess we are dealing with an evolved Feniri, however I could not tell if it was through natural evolution or synthetic evolution."
Everyone looked dumbfounded at Hunter, trying to comprehend what he had said. Hunter sighed before turning and looking at them. "Each generation born after the previous one will be stronger, healthier, and more likely to survive and break the chains that held back the previous generation. Feniri are not the only monsters that can break through their set backs. If I had to guess other monsters are also becoming stronger than what they should be."
Stephanie's eyes widened as she fully comprehended what this thing called evolution meant. She shivered as she looked at Hunter. "Doesn't that mean there will come a time when the monsters are too strong for us to resist?"
Hunter looked at her and shook his head. "No because if the monsters cause a threat this will cause us humans to evolve as well so we have a chance of surviving."
Alexi nodded his head as he heard this, happily liking the idea that humans wouldn't be forced into extinction by an age of stronger monsters. "By the way boy, what's natural evolution and synthetic evolution?"
"Natural evolution means the evolution occurs in nature. The environment and the other creatures around it force it to evolve a certain way that helps it survive. Synthetic evolution is evolution that a race forces another to evolve. These evolutions can be for survival of the species, but usually is more for looks or food for other species. For instance in our land, cattle farmers bred cattle until they had a species that had extreme muscle growth which allowed for the cattle to have more meat on them in a year compared to the original breed."
Hunter finished talking and saw shock on the adventurers faces. Stephanie contemplated for a little while before worry appeared in her eyes. "So if these monsters are being synthetically evolved, than someone is evolving them to be stronger so they can kill everyone. What monster would want something like this!"
Everyone looked at each other as fear flashed across their eyes. The brothers looked at each other with stern faces as they began thinking about what could be behind this.