"You are to go into the woods and find me an Alpha Deer by midnight two days from now."
The words hung in the air. They were an absolute command, and the tone at which they were said implied negative consequences if not met.
Of course, the person who was told these words was none other than Lucius. Only six months remained until the trial would began, and because of that, his training had been exceptionally arduous. He was still struggling to run his thirty miles per day, but he could at least finish it without vomiting.
He also managed to land at least one hit on his father over the last several months, something that felt like a larger-than-life accomplishment. Lucius was not stupid enough to assume he was able to do so without his father holding back so much, but still, the fact that he did it made him happy.
"Dear…surely you don't mean that…" Rubellia muttered. "He's still so…"
"Rubellia," Wayne interjected. "He turns nine in six months; the trial begins a few days after. He is to head into the woods outside of Pelith, perform his task, and return home. Alone."
Lucius gulped. The creature he was tasked with hunting down was an F-Ranked monster, which is the weakest of monsters, however Novice Rank fighters were supposed to be about equal if not a little weaker than their F-Rank monster counterparts…and his father wanted him to hunt one down?!
"Yes…father…" Lucius muttered. He was terrified but had no choice. If he could not survive this, he had no hope of surviving the trial.
Rubellia hugged him tightly and kissed all over his face as if terrified this was the last time she would see her son. Considering the factors, it may well be…
Lucius shook the sour thoughts from his head. A fierceness settled into his gaze as he looked at the woods. Survive. That was his goal, to survive and make it through this. Then he could get through the trial, and after that…well, time would tell.
Lucius' options had begun to open up for him. A few months ago, announcements were made all over the domain. The Five Kings Union had unanimously agreed to open up pathways to futures other than just military service for Marked Ones.
Before, Lucius had no future other than living with his parents until he came of age for conscription. Others like him would have to suffer on the streets until conscription came, and they were carted away to join the military. However, now he could train and become an adventurer… A hero who fights monsters and conquers dungeons for the sake of the world.
These dreams were never a possibility before, but now…now it could be something he could actually pursue.
Lucius quickly hugged his mother back and separated from her embrace. He also hugged his father before he finally exited his humble cottage home and headed out into the woods.
It was extremely early in the morning—so much so, that the sun had yet to rise. The moon was partially covered by clouds, so the meadows and farmland between his home and the tree line ahead were dim and hard to navigate.
At least they would be if Lucius was not half beastman. He learned his heritage in that respect shortly after an incident when he was four and saw his dad sparring. Thanks to his heritage, he had a few advantages. Most importantly at the moment, he could see quite well in the dark.
In total darkness, he could still see better than the average human but would still struggle to spot the finer details. In dim light such as this, it might as well have been daytime. Using his exceptional sight and speed from all of his training, Lucius bolted for the woods without caution.
A trip that had taken almost an hour with his father now took only twenty minutes at the speed he was moving. Once at the tree line, he leaned against the side of a particularly large trunk to recover the energy he just expended.
Though he could continue if he wanted, it was better for him to enter the area with all of his energy and wits about him. Lucius stood and meditated for a few minutes, regaining his energy and clearing his mind.
He focused his ears and nose on the sounds and smells around him. Alpha Deer were not typically very deep into the woods, but they were not very close to the edge either. From what he could remember, they were usually in the part of the woods that was about as deep in as the Dire Wolf, his father and him had found a long time ago.
Lucius checked his equipment. He had a sword strapped to his hip, a small hunting bow on his back, and a quiver of arrows. He also had a dagger strapped to his thigh for emergencies.
"All set, I think… Well, let's get this over with, I guess."
Lucius focused his ears and eyes on his surroundings and stepped into the woods. There were plenty of tracks on the ground; it was just a matter of time before he found the ones he was looking for.
Alpha Deer were really common monsters. They were not all that different from a normal deer, with the exception that they were nearly twice as large both in body and the size of their antlers. Alpha Deer meat was also highly valued for its flavorful taste. That, plus their size, meant a single kill could feed a family of four for a few weeks. If not, a month!
Lucius continued deeper and deeper into the woods, paying careful attention to his surroundings. Suddenly, his ears twitched. The sound of rushing feet arose from his front right side. Acting quickly, Lucius ran to a tree with lower branches that allowed him to climb.
He flew up the side of the tree, using each branch like the rung of a ladder until he was almost twenty feet off the ground. Once he found a solid place among the leaves, he sat very still.
Occasionally, he would shiver, thanks to the air still being rather cold. Other than that, though, he remained completely still. The steps grew closer and closer before he was finally able to see the source.
It was a group of three men. Their breathing was ragged, and their armor was dented and scuffed. A few cuts and bruises peppered their arms and faces.
"Dammit all…" One said.
"I know! We lost to a fucking deer…"
The third one, who hadn't spoken yet, finally recovered enough of his breath to say, "Well, if you had listened to me and stopped moving so close to it before we were ready, then maybe we would have been able to ambush it! Instead, your blundering almost got you, and then all of us killed!"
The three continued to argue but moved on towards the forest's exit. Once they were well out of sight and sound, Lucius finally moved. He figured he was actually quite lucky since they failed to kill the animal, and that he still had a shot.
Also, even though they got their asses handed to them by a low ranking monster, then maybe they left it with a few injuries that would make this job easier for him.
He quickly and quietly moved the direction they had come from, keeping his senses peeled for any clues to the creature's whereabouts. That was when he saw it.
It was absolutely majestic. Other creatures up to this point could not hold a candle to this one. As expected, it was about twice as large as a normal deer, but this one had perfectly white fur and deep black eyes. Its antlers were wider than any that Lucius had ever seen decorating the walls of the Lord's manor. However, the most beautiful thing about it, had to have been the fur. Despite its beauty, it was also a bit of a warning. It seemed it had fought off those three men and received nary a scratch…
"Fuck."