Under the moonlight is a girl sitting on top a stone in the middle of a swamp
Fireflies glowing around them two. Aren and the mysterious creature girl finally meet each other
Aren: "Who are you...?"
Aren knows that this girl is very dangerous despite her looks so he slowly prepared his bow and arrow.
"Please don't hurt me... Even though I'm a Dragon I can't flew away... My left wing is broken"
*Aren hesitated and lowered his bow*
Aren: "Your... A DRAGON!! Umm... Sorry I thought your gonna hurt me so... I want to protect myself.... What's your name?"
"Drinia, a swamp dragon"
*Aren stood up from being stumbled earlier*
Aren: "Where are your family and friends?"
Drinia: "I left my kingdom nine years ago and never get back... Spirit Kingdom that's where I came from"
Aren walk closely to her reassuring her appearance once more
Aren: "Spirit Kingdom? That was in the other side of this continent..."
Drinia: "Don't go near me!! Or my vines will kill you!!"
Aren:What!?
As aren walks slowly towards to moonlight in the swamp above her was full of trees with vines and lots of dead monsters. This swamp was Drinia's nest.
*Aren look above him and immediately stopped his movement*
Aren: "So... Your the one who killed the monsters that chased me?"
Drinia: "Yes... I barely see hunters in this area of the forest so I went to save you"
Aren: "Thank you very much! I will never forget your kindness"
*Aren shows his gratitude to Drinia as the saviour of his life*
Drinia: "You want to go home right?"
Aren: "Y-yes"
Drinia: "Follow these fireflies they will lead your way out of this forest"
Aren: "I really thank you! Lady Dragon of the Swamp"
Aren turns back and saw the fireflies moving creating a path for him to follow
Drinia: "Don't come near the forest ever again... This place is very dangerous"
Aren: "Then you should go home too."
Drinia jump off the stone and runs toward Aren
Aren: "What are you doing!?"
Drinia: "I'll show you why I can't go home"
Drinia smiled at him and hold his hand dragging aren along the path of the fireflies out of the forest
Aren was speechless, stunned, amazed as they run throughout the forest with all the glowing fireflies surrounding them. The sensation of her hand was cold as an ice but his feeling right now was warm as the sun.
Drinia had a small gray horn, greenish scale around her body, a small portion of her wings in the back and a waving, glittering blue hair.
Despite of being the swamp dragon for Aren she still looks like a normal girl looking for a companion
After a few minutes Aren finally saw the fields outside of the forest. He runs pass through Drinia, wanting to leave the place as soon as possible. Their holding hands separated.
Aren: "FINALLY!!! I'M HOME!! THANKS DRINIA!!"
Aren look back on the forest. He saw her standing on the edge of the trees she didn't even took a single step outside the forest
He's mind was fill with confusion as he look at her.
Aren: "Drinia? Don't be afraid this place is-
Drinia: "Dangerous!! For me..."
Drinia's face were looking down showing the sign of fear and hatred
Drinia: "This forest is where I belong..."
*Aren's father saw him at the distance shouting for his name*
Father: "AREN!! YOUR ALIVE!!"
Aren suddenly heard a familiar voice the moment he look behind him. Drinia was nowhere to be found.
Aren: "W-wait! Where did she go!?"
Father: "Huh? Did you say something?"
Aren: "Uhhh no... nothing"
Father: "Anyways, I'm glad your still alive son! You really do have my blood running through your veins. Haha!"
Aren: "Yeah... For now I just want to go home I'm really exhausted..."
The moment they entered the house Aren's mother hugs him tightly
Mother: "I thought you were gone forever! Don't ever ever come back to that forest again!!"
Aren: "I'm hungry! Let's eat!"
While eating dinner together. He told everything he saw on that terrifying forest without spouting a single word about her.
Aren had a dream again while he was asleep in his room.
Back to where he was starting to train as a knight
{Isolated Castle}
-{Hallway}
Narsin: "Hey Aren! Where are you going?"
Aren: "I'm going to the library I'll return these books I borrowed"
Narsin: "Man! Your such a lame one! You should have fun with us. Were always pranking Sir Huru every single day. He was so funny!!"
Aren: "If that's what makes you happy then that's good I guess...?"
Narsin stopped walking beside him looking down because of disappoinment
Then he put a devilish grin on his face
The moment Aren opens the door of the library he saw once again the Knight's Room full of skeletons slaughtering his fellow trainees.
This scene kept hunting him every time he sleeps because Aren's feels so useless for not gaining his magic ability.
Narsin: "If only that day you managed to gain your magic ability just like everyone else you coud've help them and save them."
"You don't have your friends anymore. Your dreams had been shattered a long time ago."
"There is nothing left for you to do"
And tomorrow has come and the sun has woken up. A new refreshing day.
Aren heard his parents having a conversation in the living room
Mother: "Pa! You should've find a more decent job than hunting!"
Father: "All right, all right. As your wish, Master!"
Aren: (Feels like this is gonna be a boring day... That girl... I wonder what's Drinia is doing right now)
Aren imagines drinia just sitting and sleeping on the stone the whole day.
*Aren Chuckles*
Mother: Hmm? What are you smiling at son?
Aren: "Mom!! Can you please knock the door!
{Dime Kingdom}
-{Marketplace}
"Fresh fish! Right this way!"
"How much for the meat?"
"Twelve pieces of turio for one piece of gold!"
Aren was assigned to buy ingredients for his mother. He stopped in front of a store after seeing a fruit that had the same color as Drinia. An elderly woman talked to him.
Elderly: "You want some swamp fruit boy? It tastes like mango"
*Grins*
Aren: "But why do you only had one of these? I don't even know these kind of fruit exist."
Elderly: "Earth is a mysterious place young boy... You'll never know what's lurking out there."
Aren: "Hmm... I'll take that one"
Elderly: "Wise choice"
After buying all the ingredients needed Aren went home. He finally decided that he really wants to go back into the forest so he brought a piece of bread with him.
Mother: "Aren! Where are you going?"
Aren: "I'm going to find a friend!"
Without a proper explanation Aren went out of the house as soon as he arrived. He rush back into the forest.
Aren: (With this piece of bread I can track down my way home... I can finally meet her again... I want to know more things about her.)
While running toward the forest these are the only words that aren is thinking.
Aren: (I can't stand a girl like her wanting to be alone for the rest of her life)
As soon as he arrived inside the forest. Aren continuosly pinch a tiny piece of the bread with every five steps he take.
After walking for minutes he finally saw the swamp were he met Drinia
Aren: (This is it!! Its the same swamp!)
"DRINIA!! WHERE ARE YOU!! I CAME BACK!!"
Aren shouted her name repeatedly while walking near the swamp.
Then suddenly Drinia came from inside the swamp after hearing his voice. Half of hear body is still in the swamp.
Drinia:OH! Its you again! I've already said that this place is dangerous for you!
Aren: Are you swimming on the swamp right now?
Drinia: "Why not? This is where I live."
"Just go back to your place theres nothing interesting here..."
Aren: "Why... do you keep pushing me away? Do you hate me?"
*While they were having a conversation Drinia is swimming on the swamp*
Drinia: "Why do you keep talking to me... I'm a monster I can easily kill you anytime."
Aren: "But your protecting me"
Drinia: "You're name is Aren right?"
Aren: "Yeah... How did you know?"
Drinia: "I heard your father yesterday...*
(I miss my family)
Aren: "Can I be your friend?".
Drinia stopped her movement and look at Aren after hearing those words...
Drinia: "After nine years of being alone, without a single person to talk. Your the one and only human who didn't hurt me."
"So.. I'll be your friend"
On that day Drinia smiled once again.
Meanwhile, Another group of hunters entered the forest.
Hunters are basically skilled fighters who makes a living by selling their hunted monsters to the capital of any kingdom. However, you'll never see a single monster inside of Hilenia continent. So they need get outside, into the forest to have a good hunt.
The more unique and rare a creature is the more gold they will received.
Juroo, Tofrinn and Pyten who decided to hunt monsters on the hidden area of the forest. The Swamp.
Boss Juroo, the veteran hunter. Dark skin tone with a buff body and dark green hair. The one who hunts monsters with brute strength. With his golden knuckled gloves he can release a destructive punch.
Tofrinn, the wielder of enhanced bow and arrow. His weapon was imbued with mana forge by the Varinian citizens. It can pierced any monsters in one single shot.He had black short hair and eyes with an average human body.
Pyten, the smallest one in the group. The one who wields a very sharp knife made from a dragon's horn. He's the quickest one of them all and especialized for cutting through the monster.He had a red hair with a middle aged look and light skin tone.
Tofrinn: "Boss, are you sure about this one? We don't have any information about this area of the forest."
Juroo: "Shut up coward! We have no choice but to venture this place!"
Pyten: "We'll gonna starve to death if we don't make money on this hunt."
As they walk throughout the forest, Pyten noticed something on the ground.
Pyten: "Boss! There's something on the ground!"
They rush to found out what it is
Juroo: "A trail of bread? It's leading us to somewhere"
Tofrinn: "I have a good feeling about this!"
Juroo: "Get ready! we'll follow this trail!"
Both: "OK! Boss!"
Along their way they fought dozens of different monsters
*Pyten slashing the head of a dark huge spider*
Pyten: "Wraaaa! Common spider!"
*Juroo crushing the head of a snake*
Juroo: "Tsk! Cheap Monsters!'
"Tofrinn shooting the head of a giant lizard"
Tofrinn: "These are not a good hunt at all!"
They still choose to follow the trail of bread until they've reached the end of it.
Pyten: "Boss! Theres a swamp nearby!"
Tofrinn: "Let's look over there"
As they go near the swamp the heard two persons having a conversation
Juroo commanded them on a whispering voice
Juroo: "Quick hide!"
They crouch and walk slowly towards where the voice is coming from.
What they saw was Drinia swimming on the swamp and Aren talking to her.
They had a conversation while keeping their voices down
Juroo: "Jackpot! This is what we've been looking for! Hunt her down!"
*Grins*
Tofrinn: "I've got this boss... That dragon is worth millions of gems!"
Tofrinn aims his bow towards Drinia's head the mana started to activate. It will make the arrow swirl and pierce right through her.
In a blink of an eye the arrow flies like a bullet
While Drinia is busy talking to Aren her vines can eliminate any threat to her as if they were moving on their own.
Her vines caught the speeding arrow and the two noticed it.
Aren: "Huh? What's that!"
Drinia: "Someone is hunting me again!"
Pyten dashes through Drinia without a hesitation holding his knife.
Pyten: "Your dead!"
The vines stopped his movement then Drinia unleashes her Dragon Breath the swamp gas.
Making Pyten slowly losing his consciousness
Another arrows were shot at her
Drinia: Their targeting me! Get out of here Aren!
Aren: No!! I won't leave you let's escape together!
Drinia and Aren started out run them
Juroo and Trofinn chased them while carrying pyten.
Trofinn: "Your useless pyten! Get a hold of yourself!"
Juroo punched pyten straight into his face waking him up.
Juroo: "Let's get moving!!"
Pyten woke up from the shock
Pyten: "Understood!"
Aren: Where are we going!?
Drinia: "We can't out run them! Their just too fast!"
They stopped running and faced them directly
Juroo: "Well! well! What do we have a love birds here!"
Both: "WERE NOT LOVERS!"
Pyten: "You'll gonna regret for making me asleep!"
The moment trofinn unleashes his arrow Juroo and Pyten dashes through them
Juroo: "I'll take the boy! You'll go for the girl!
Pyten: "Alright!"
A fierce fight between pyten and drinia as she was dodging his knife and trofinn's swirling arrows.
Aren and Juroo faced each other
Juroo: "Weak!"
He unleashes a fast strong punch but Aren was fast enough to make an upper cut. Everyone was shocked about his strength including Drinia.
*Grunt*
Juroo: (What did just happen!?)
Trofinn: "You... Your a former knight of Vari Kingdom!"
Aren: "Don't underestimate me... No matter how huge you are I can fight you head on!"
With Drinia's flexible body she climbed up in the tree to save herself. In order to survive in any circumstances a swamp dragon like her adapt the environment he lived un for years.
Juroo: "This is what I'm talking about! I'm going to crush your bones!"
Juroo dashes through aren but he evaded the punch again. The tree who received the impact where crush and cutted in half.
Aren: (This guy is undeniably strong! I need to take this seriously!)
Pyten changed hir target he went for Aren while trofinn is targeting Drinia on the tree.
Drinia: "Aren! Watch out!"
Pyten almost decapitated him but thanks to Drinia's warning he survived
Without a moment to think Juroo finally damaged him straight on his stomach. He flew away and vomitted a lot of blood.
Drinia: AREN!!
Trofinn releases three arrows consecutively aiming for the branch of the tree where Drinia is standing.
She lost her focus after Aren took the strong punch. She evaded two of the arrows but the third one broked the branch.
She fell off the tree. Since her vines where only available on her nest in the swamp. Before he lands on the ground. Pyten's net caught her defenseless.
The hunters successfully caught her. While sruggling on the her stress and anxiety Drinia transform her as a swamp dragon and screams calling for the attention of the nearby monsters.
"GROOOWLL!!!!!"
The hunter's net are made for weakening monsters like her. She went back to his human form and fell asleep.
Juroo: "We need to get out of here!!"
Both: "Yes boss!"
Pyten was about to drag the net as Aren wokes up.
Aren: "LEAVE HER ALONE!!"
Aren stand back on his feet. He then dashes right through Juroo aiming to take him down first but pyten was already there blocking his way at the same time Trofinn's unleashes his arrow.
Aren caught the arrow bare handen then throws it at Pyten.
Trofinn: (WHAT!?)
Even thought it damaged his hand severely Aren doesn't even care. The only thing she wants is to help the Drinia.
Pyten blocked the arrow with his knife but Aren's grabbed his head as Juroo was about to punch him. The one who received the impact was pyten's body.
Juroo: "You piece of shit!"
Aren punched Juroo in the guts and made him blocked the incoming arrow.
Aren: "As a knight who trains for past nine years don't ever underestimate my strength."
The arrow didn't pierce the back of Juroo because it was only designed for piercing monsters.
He then kicks Juroo flying toward trofinn's
The only reason why Aren was afraid of monsters is because he doesn't know how to face them but as for humans... His combat strength doesn't match his body.
Trofinn's body is very vulnerable he lost his consciousness the moment he took the impact of Juroo's body.
Juroo: "Your pretty damn good... but this is not enough to take me down, brat!"
Aren: "Come! I'll crush you!"
Their round two had begun a head to head deathmatch.
As monsters started to appear one by one.Pyten,Trifonn and Drinia were all knocked out.
Exchanging bloody punch were made as the two clashed each other.
One who makes living in this world by hunting with his comrades
One who wants to protect someone precious to him
Juroo: (Unbelievable! This brat strength is truly unexpected!)
With their bleeding faces no one wants to give up
With all the monsters surrounding them no one interrupts
Aren took a step back to take a little rest
{Aren's House}
Her mother is cooking their lunch waiting for Aren to go home as soon as possible.
Mother: (It's been an hour since he left...)
"Hmmm.... Did he bought all the ingredients i nee-"
Aren's mother saw the swamp fruit on the basket.
"I don't remember asking him to buy this one. What is this?"
Without a second thought Aren's mother took a bite from the strange fruit
"Hmmm!! Its delicious!!!"
{Forest}
Juroo: "What's wrong kid? Your done already?"
Aren: "Shut up! I'm thinking of how to get out of this mess."
Juroo: "Tell me... Why do you want to protect her so badly? She's a swamp dragon! A monster!"
Aren: "I WANT TO BRING HER BACK TO WHERE SHE BELONGS!!"
"SHE WAS AFRAID LEAVING THIS BULLSHIT FOREST BECAUSE OF HUMANS LIKE YOU!"
Juroo: .....
Aren: "So get out of my way! You freak!"
*Juroo laughed*
*Haha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!*
Juroo: Young boy! I'll help you!
Aren: What!?
Juroo: "I was amazed by your strength and unselfish desire!! We'll help you...
bring her home!"