"The village, *pant* *pant* I've got to hurry and get back, shit, my comrades rob and garth. Killed right in front of me. I'm sorry! I'm sorry for running away! pant"
A man is seen running for his life inside a thick forest. He seems scared and out of breath. Running away to whoever or whatever, he is running from.
Man: "Who are those people? Hunters? Assassins maybe? By the looks of it they all got weapons of their own, don't tell me... Vindinor clan?"
He starts sweating, his heartbeat gets faster and then suddenly...
"ARRRGGHH!!"
He gets stabbed right in the chest out of nowhere, it was too dark to see where it came from and what direction.
"Oh maaaaan! I was aiming for the head!" The man screamed in pain, while touching the sharp object stuck in his chest. He was panicking. He knew he was going to die.
Man: "AHHH!!! NO, NO, NO PLEASE! Spare me please I beg of you, I have a family!"
Killer: "Oh yeah? Same as those dudes that you abandoned. They all have families, don't they? The only difference is... You're a coward. AHAHAHA!!"
Suddenly a voice can be heard behind the trees, a man and woman suddenly appeared. The man is very huge, built big and has a scar right below his mouth. The woman, beside him, is very slender. Has long red hair and lips that are red like the color of blood.
Bison: " Stop. That's enough Killer. We want him to live so we can ask some questions. But since you split his chest open, in a matter of seconds he'll die from blood loss."
Ivy: " EEEEW!! KILLER! Look at that mess! Look at all the blood! That's so uncool. Uncool. UNCOOL!! I hate you! Disgusting pig."
Killer: "Will you shut the hell up, bitch! Your voice is annoying. The way you repeat your words, I just want to rip off that mouth of yours."
Bison: "That's enough both of you! Don't forget why we are here. We need to get some intel about the location of the alpha monster."
Man: "Please, please. I'll tell you all I know, just spare me, I don't want to die."
Bison crouches down and looks at the man, he holds his hand above the man's wound and then some kind of crystal formed around the wound, effectively stopping the bleeding.
Bison: "tell me all you know and tell it truthfully. Or else I'll shatter this crystal along with your heart."
Man: "Ok, Ok. The alpha monster. That's the one you're after, am I right? I don't know the exact location of it but there's an elder that might know where it is. He's located inside a village. When you get across the river just follow the forest path and you'll see a clearing. Behind the hill is the village. Go ask him where it is. I told you all I know I swear.
Bison: "A village you say?"
Man: "Yes. Please let me go,"
Bison stands up and gestures to the other two to get going.
Bison: "Thanks for the information. Now rest."
Man: "Thank you! Thank you for this, from now on I'll start a new life and - "
Before the man can finish talking, Bison stretches his arm in front of the man and closes his fist. The crystal immediately shattered, and the man's upper body exploded violently. Bones, skin and blood splattered all over the ground.
Ivy: "OHHH WHAT THE - UHH GROSS!!"
Killer: "Yeaaaah!! That's what I'm talking about Bison!"
Bison: "I had to. We need no loose ends on this mission. Let's get going to the village."
Killer: "By the way Bison, what is up with this alpha monster? What's so special about him from other monsters?
Bison: "Once every 100 years a special monster appears, no one knows how and where it will spawn. Its abilities are the ones that are sought after by many, it can make anyone and anything a monster like itself by absorbing and eating."
Ivy: "So if you make it into a weapon..."
Bison: "The possibilities are endless."
Meanwhile... Inside the village, Crowa is sleeping soundly. His eyes are moving rapidly, and he is grumbling. He is currently dreaming right now, and, in his dreams, he is being chased by a group of men with blank faces. In front of him is his mother and father who is getting distant and distant the more he runs.
Crowa: "Mother! Father! Where are you going? Don't leave me! I'm scared"
Crowa tripped over and as he lifted his head, his mother and father where nowhere to be found. He stood up and when he turned around the face of one of the men is right in front of his.
Crowa: "AHHHH!!"
He woke up. Sweating profusely. He thought it was real.
Crowa: "...It was only a dream."
Ever since he was a small child, Crowa was very close to his father. He was a very active kid. He likes to go on adventures and hikes with his father on the mountains. His father taught him all the necessary things he needs to learn to survive out on the woods. His mother, on the other hand, is always at home. Due to her lingering sickness, she can't go outside for too long. She always gets tired easily and hates being out under the sun for too long.
Noah: "Crowa? What happened? Are you ok?"
Crowa: "Yes father, I had a dream. I was being chased by some men. And then you and mother suddenly vanished."
Noah: "It's fine now. It was only a dream." Crowa: "Father, when I grow up, I want to become like you. A hunter. I'll join the hunter's guild so that I can become strong, and I'll be able to protect you and mother from all kinds of bad guys."
Noah: "That's a very good ambition Crowa, but being a hunter is no easy task. You'll always run into danger and your life is always at risk. But I know you can be a great hunter and you can even surpass me. I know it." Noah smiles.
Crowa: "Thank you father, I'll do my best and become - "
"OHWOOOOO"
"OHWOOOOO"
"OHWOOOOO"
The alarm suddenly rang in the middle of the village. A signal that somethings wrong or an intruder got inside. Crowa was startled. His father ran outside and checked the surroundings. He asked the guard.
Noah: "What's going on? What's the problem?" Village guard: "Three unidentified individuals were seen near the area. They are armed. One has a sickle on his back. We believe they are after the village."
Noah: "Stay on your guard and alert the others."
Noah ran back inside their house.
Crowa: "Father? Is everything alright?"
Noah: "Crowa, stay here with your mother and wake her up. Everything's going to be fine. I'm just going to help the guards. This is your first job as a young hunter. Do your best. I'll get back here once we dealt with the intruders."
Crowa: "Understood sir!" Stay here and protect your mother. That is all he is thinking now. He'd be lying if he said he's not scared even one bit. Crowa woke her mother up.
Eileen: "...Crowa? What are you doing here? Why are you up so early in the morning?"
Crowa: "Mother, father went outside to help. There seems to be bad guys entering here in our village. He said to stay here"
Eileen: "Oh dear... ok. We do as your father says. Come sit with me here."
The alarm continues to sound, it resonates all over the village. It has been a long time since the alarms were raised. The loud voices of the guards can be heard outside the house. Eileen looks at Crowa and notices that his hands are shaking. This is the first time he heard the alarm. In all of his years in the village, no significant thing happened. His life in the village was always smooth sailing, until now.
Eileen: "It's ok son. I'm here, your father is doing his best to drive off those bad people. Be strong. I have something to tell you." She glances at him.
Crowa: "What is it mother?"
Eileen: "You're going to be a big brother soon.
Crowa was surprised and he suddenly stood up because of what he heard. You can see the excitement on his face. I'm going to be a big brother... He thought to himself.
Crowa: "That's great! I can't wait! I'll do my best to be a good brother! Once he's here we'll play and I'll teach him some stuff I learned from father, oh wait. Is he a boy or girl?
Eileen: "Oh we can't know that for sure until the baby is here" Eileen smiles at Crowa.
Then they heard some guards outside their house talking to each other.
"How many intruders are there?
"Only three"
"Three? This is gonna be a piece of cake!"
"Don't let your guard down. They're not just some random thug or mercenary. I heard they are assassins and members of the Vindinor clan."
Eileen gasped. She instantly spaced out. Her eyes got wide, and her lips started to shake. She looks like someone who just saw a ghost.
Eileen: "Vi-....Vindinor?"