Emrys, a thirteen year old silver-haired boy with striking blue eyes held his adopted mother's hand and gave it a little squeeze.
He gazed up at her with concern, his eyes scanning her pale face.
She lay on the bed, her breathing shallow and labored.
Emrys' heart ached with worry, his small chest tight with fear as he thought about what the doctor had said to him.
Twelve years had passed since she and Kael, his adopted parents, had found him in the forest. They had raised him as their own, teaching him the ways of hunters and how to survive in the little village.
But now, Akira's illness had taken a toll on their small family. Their hunting trips were fewer, and their pantry was almost bare.
"Mother, the doctor said he will start the treatment as soon as we get the money... Do not worry, I am sure father will make some money today." Emrys whispered, his voice cracking with emotion.
Akira's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled weakly.
"I'm sorry, Emrys," she whispered back. "I don't want you to get worried about me. It feels like I'm depriving you of your childhood and I don't like this feeling at all. Go out and play with some of the neighbors kids. Stop worrying about me. My heart condition hasn't worsen and your father will take get some loans. In a few days time, I'll get my proper treatment."
Emrys shook his head, his silver hair falling around his face. "You are not depriving me of my childhood, Mother. We'll get through this together. I promise you that!"
Their situation was horrible, The fire was burning low, and their food stores were almost gone. Kael was out hunting with some D rankers, but a successful hunting mission would only get him twenty golden coins in a day and that wasn't enough to pay for Akira's treatment.
Hunting, as the villagers called it, was about slaying magical beasts and harvesting their gem crystals.
These crystals were categorized according to the beast's level: Basic tier crystal, Intermediate tier crystal, Advanced tier crystal, King tier crystal and more.
The rarer the beast, the more valuable the Gem crystal.
Hunters like his father, Kael, risked their lives to bring down these creatures, selling the crystals to blacksmiths, mages, and other buyers.
The crystals were used to enhance armor, weapons, and magical abilities, making them highly sought after.
"I don't want to see tears on your face mother. It doesn't suit you," Emrys said softly, immediately wiping away Akira's tear stained cheeks.
She nodded her head before turning to the other side of the bed in an attempt to hide her face away from Emrys.
Emrys could only clench his fist in frustration. Kael and Akira were the only humans he had grown to love and he couldn't stand to see them suffer.
They deserved only the good things of life and so Emrys vowed to change their situation from worse to good.
He wanted to join a more powerful hunting group, one that would give him the resources and support to hunt the magical beasts.
But he couldn't tell Akira that. She had forbidden him from hunting, saying that he was young and naive, that it was too dangerous for someone his age.
And yet, Emrys had already been hunting in secret, improving his skills and building his strength.
He knew that his mother wouldn't approve, which was why he hadn't told her.
In fact, the last time he had tried to talk to her about it, she had been adamant. "Emrys, promise me you'll stop hunting," she had said, her eyes filled with worry. "You're not ready for this. You're going to get yourself killed. Please, wait till you are fifteen before you start hunting."
Emrys had promised, but he had no intention of keeping that promise. Hunting was the only way to save his family from starvation and he was willing to risk everything to do it.
So now, as he left the hut, he couldn't bring himself to tell Akira the truth.
Emrys soon arrived at guild hall gate, he walked towards the massive guild building, its grand entrance was a symbol of power and prestige of the hunters who called it home.
As he entered, he was immediately struck by the bustling atmosphere, with hunters of all ranks moving around, preparing for their next mission.
Emrys made his way through the crowd, his eyes fixed on the rank officer's desk. He approached the man in charge, a gruff-looking hunter with a thick beard and a stern expression.
"Rank card, please," the man growled, not looking up.
Emrys handed over his card, which clearly displayed his F-rank status. The man snorted in disgust.
"You're an F-ranker. You can't participate in any missions, today. We need ten people for the next hunt, and it's not suitable for your rank."
"I can see that the E ranked hunters are hunting today. I want to join them on the mission." Emrys said casually as he spotted the notice on the signed board.
The man raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing Emrys from head to toe. "You want to join the E-rank mission? You're not even properly equipped. Where's your gear?"
Emrys hesitated, feeling a surge of embarrassment. He couldn't afford even basic equipment, and the only decent gear he had was his mother's, which he didn't want to risk damaging.
"I...I don't have any equipment with me currently," Emrys admitted, feeling a flush rise to his cheeks.
The man snorted in disgust. "Then what makes you think you can handle an E-rank mission? You need to be an E rank hunter to be among the ten hunters."
Emrys took a deep breath, trying to hide his frustration. "The guild rules state that if there are empty spots left, closer ranked hunters should be permitted to join the mission. I need this money, Sir. I don't care about the rank, I just want to contribute and get my reward."
The man laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "You think you can handle E-rank missions? You're just a young boy who should be playing with sticks. Come back when you've actually accomplished something."
Emrys shot him a death stare. Why was the world so unfair?
He had seen hunters his age and they were always praised and worshipped because they were from rich families who could afford basic equipment to scale up the ranks.
They got good treatments from everyone in the guild and Emrys knew the only reason he was being treated like this was the fact that he was nothing but a weak F ranked hunter.
F-rank hunters, the lowest rank in the guild, were often treated with disdain and disregard. They were frequently assigned to low-paying missions that offered little to no reward.
Higher-ranked hunters would often belittle and mock them, viewing them as inferior.
Guild officers and administrators would frequently overlook their needs and concerns, leaving them to fend for themselves. Even basic resources, such as decent equipment and potions, were scarce for F-rankers.
Emrys clenched his fists, feeling a burning determination.
"I can handle it Sir" He paused, his eyes scanning the mission board behind the man. "There's one spot left. I want to fill that spot."
The man's laughter died on his lips, and he looked down at Emrys with surprise. He had not expected the young boy to be so adamant. "You...you really want to do this?"
Emrys nodded, his jaw set.
The man thought for a while. No one had come to claim the empty spot in days and the E ranked hunters were yet to pay their tax. He sighed and then said, "Okay, fine. Since you want to kill yourself, then so be it. You can fill the last spot. But don't say I didn't warn you."
He handed Emrys a rough map with the mission details. "Be at the meeting point at dawn. And don't be late."
Emrys took the map, his heart racing with excitement.
He walked out of the guild hall with a huge grin on his face.
As he made his way back home, he noticed a commotion on the side of the street. A young boy, around his age, was being beaten and bullied by a group of older kids.
Emrys' face clenched in anger as he watched the scene unfold. He recognized the boy's tattered clothes and worn-out shoes, a reminder of the poverty that plagued their world.
The boy's eyes were welling up with tears, but he refused to cry out, taking the beating in silence.
Emrys' gaze narrowed, his eyes scrutinizing the boy's face. He saw a reflection of himself in that moment, reminding him of the struggles he had faced growing up.
The world was cruel to those who were poor, and Emrys knew that all too well.
With a deep breath, Emrys approached the group, his fists clenched and ready to intervene.
The boys beating the young boy on the floor were a rough-looking bunch, with messy brown hair and tattered clothes. They were much older than Emrys, with cruel grins spreading across their faces as they taunted their victim.
As Emrys approached, they noticed him and snickered. "Oh, look, it's the silver-head boy," one of them jeered. "The cursed child!."
Another boy chimed in, "Yeah, what's with your hair, Silver? Trying to be different or something?"
Emrys' face twisted in anger, his fists clenched at his sides. He wanted to beat them to a pulp, to defend the boy on the floor and teach them a lesson.
But then he remembered Akira's words, echoing in his mind 'Don't fight, Emrys. Don't get into trouble with anyone in this village.'
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. But the boys wouldn't let up. "Hey, Silver, why don't you mind your own business?" one of them sneered. "This doesn't concern you."
Emrys' eyes flashed with anger, but he bit back his retort. Instead, he turned to the boy on the floor and helped him up, brushing off his clothes. "Let's get out of here," he said quietly.
The young boy shook, still trembling with fear, as Emrys helped him up. The boys who had been beating him continued to taunt them, their cruel words and laughter echoing through the street.
"Look at him shake!" one of them jeered, circling around Emrys and the boy.
"Silver's got a new friend, a scared little rat!" another boy chimed in, his eyes gleaming with malice.
Emrys' eyes flashed with warning as the boys closed in. "Stay away from us," he growled, trying to sound braver than he felt.
But the boys just laughed, their eyes flickering with excitement. "Oh, we're shaking in our boots, Silver," one of them sneered, taking a step closer.
Just as it seemed like they were about to attack, a gruff voice intervened. "Hey, that's enough! Leave them alone!"
An old man, with a kind face and a thick white beard, stepped into the circle, his eyes sternly warning the boys to back off.
Emrys took advantage of the distraction to grab the young boy's arm and pull him away from the scene. "Come on, hurry" he muttered, quickening his pace as they put distance between themselves and the taunting boys.
The old man watched them go, his eyes twinkling with a knowing glint.