At the Elven District.
The district was roughly the size of an average town, filled with a ninety percent population of elves. The lesser ten percent were people, humans and the likes, that didn't have a home.
It was a town heavily concentrated with mana, thanks to the Elves' high affinity toward it. This caused the plants and flowers to flourish all year round. The atmosphere was great, likewise the weather.
The district was always lively and the inhabitants were very hospitable.
James hopped down the carriage that brought him there, carrying his backpack from within afterwards. He dipped his hand into his right pocket and took out two bronze coins. Ostaria's insignia was etched on one side of the coin, while the Dunes' insignia was inscribed on the other side. It was the lowest currency of Ostaria, a bronze Detcher. The silver and gold Detchers were of higher worth.
He placed the coins on the driver's waiting palm and gave a terse nod. He quickly turned on his heels and sprinted across the town, whilst putting on a pair of black leather gloves.
He reached a fancy duplex with greenish paint. It was situated at the edge of the district. He climbed the short flight of stairs that led to the porch, exhaled briefly, and clicked on the doorbell.
The doorbell rang for two seconds or so, and silence followed. He clicked on it a few more times, but silence was all that came after.
He let out a disgruntled sigh, "Ugh, they left already?"
He raised his left wrist and took a glance at it, as though he had a wrist watch. Then he turned and lifted his gaze. The rays from two golden suns poked at his eyes like fiery fingers. He quickly shut his eyes and turned the other way.
He gradually opened his eyes, "It's still noon. Wasn't the hunt supposed to start by evening?"
He stood there for over a minute, contemplating on what to do. Was he to go home, eat, freshen up, and then go to the Blood Forest to meet the elves? Or should he just go straight to the Blood Forest now?
'Or maybe the black Meelo had began attacking already?' he pondered internally, half-turning to check out the district. Nothing looked amiss, everyone was smiling as usual.
He rubbed his forehead and came to a conclusion, muttering under his breath, "This better be worth it."
He adjusted the backpack's weight on his shoulders as he rushed down the porch and headed for the Blood Forest.
He arrived at the entrance to the forest in less than two minutes, thanks to his enhanced physiology as a Berserker. So far he ran at a decent pace, he wouldn't expend any mana.
At the Blood Forest's entrance, he saw a large group of elves. There were twenty of them, divided into four squads, with five members each. The lady-elves were very slender looking with fine tapered waists. And though James could tell that some of them were over a decade older than him, they still had the facial features of someone in their early twenties.
The men were no different when it came to physique and facial features. They were only taller with broad chests. Both gender were clad in half armour. Breastplates, shoulder patches, shin guards, and other light armour.
James spotted Hazel with the first squad to the right and he approached her.
Her long elven ears twitched as he got in proximity, forcing her to halt her conversation with her squad members and turn in James's direction.
Normally, James would be startled by her precise sensory abilities, but he had no choice than to get used to it. As soon as she turned, he raised his shoulders, "What's going on, Hazel? It's like three in the afternoon. Wasn't the hunt supposed to start by evening?"
"Yes, that was the plan," Hazel nodded. She threw a thumb over her shoulder, "But my mother sensed the black Meelo inching closer to the entrance of the forest. It was going to enter the district before evening. We had to rally everyone here, at least everyone available."
James simply nodded and looked over her shoulder. He could see her squad members. Her parents and two of her annoying female cousins. Just like Hazel, they always found a way to tease him.
He dropped his brows and retracted his gaze back to his classmate, "Please tell me I'm not going in with your squad."
Hazel smiled, "Of course you are. We'll be leading the other squads, and we need you to keep Tusk away."
He rolled his eyes, "Ugh, just tell Aziel and Powder to stay away from me."
Hazel chuckled softly, shrugging casually, "Come on, James. You know I can't promise that."
"But of course. You're their ringleader after all," he said sarcastically, nudging his chin at her.
Still holding up her teasing smile, she threw her hand over his shoulder and pulled him toward her squad.
Noticing the mischievous smirks on Aziel and Powder's faces, James's eyes drifted towards the sky as he muttered in melancholy, "I wish Richard had tagged along."