Zon had been a part of the organization for over a week now, and he had settled into a routine. Every morning, he would wake up early, do his chores, then go train in the forest, and then return to the quarters for lunch.
The afternoons were spent honing his skills, practicing sword techniques, and studying the art of combat. Despite his eagerness to start his mission as a beast slayer, he had yet to receive his first assignment.
Days turned into weeks, and Zion's anticipation grew. He had expected to be thrown into the fray immediately, but it seemed like the organization was taking its time. He tried to be patient, knowing that he still had much to learn, but the wait was starting to get to him.
One morning, as Zion was practicing his sword techniques in the training hall; he didn't venture out to the woods like he always did. He noticed a commotion near the entrance. The seniors were gathered around Elias, one of the leaders of the organization, who was speaking in hushed tones. Zion's curiosity was piqued, and he stopped, and made his way over to listen in.
Elias was a tall, imposing man with a stern expression. He had a reputation for being one of the most skilled beast slayers in the organization, and Zion had heard stories about his bravery in battles.
"...the situation in Ceres is dire," Elias was saying. "The eastern part of that city is under attack by a large group of monsters. We've received reports of widespread destruction and numerous casualties. Our mission is to save as many people as we can while eliminating the monster threat."
The seniors nodded, their faces set in determined expressions. Zion's heart skipped a beat as he listened in. This was it – his chance to finally prove himself.
Elias continued, "We'll be taking the juniors with us on this mission. It's time for them to gain some real-world experience. Nux, I want you to brief them on the situation and make sure they're prepared."
Nux nodded, his eyes scanning the room. "I'll take care of it, Elias."
As the seniors began to disperse, Elias turned to the juniors. "Gather around, everyone. We have a mission briefing to attend to."
Zion's excitement grew as he made his way to the gathering point. He was finally going to get his chance to prove himself, to show the organization that he was more than just a rookie.
Nux cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "Listen up, juniors. Our mission is to head to Ceres and rescue as many civilians as we can. We'll be facing a large group of monsters, so we need to be sharp."
Elias stepped forward, a large map of Ceres spread out before him. "Here's the situation. The monsters have taken over the eastern part of the city, and the civilians are trapped. We'll be entering from the west, trying to sneak past the monster lines and reach the trapped civilians."
The seniors began to discuss the plan, going over the details and assigning roles. Zion listened intently, his mind racing with the possibilities.
As the briefing came to a close, Elias looked around the room. "Alright, everyone. Gear up and meet at the entrance in an hour. We have a long journey ahead of us."
The room erupted into a flurry of activity as the juniors and seniors scrambled to prepare for the mission. Zion felt a surge of excitement and nerves. This was it – his first real mission as a beast slayer. He was ready to face whatever lay ahead.
Zion hurried to his room, his mind racing with excitement and nerves. He had been training for this moment for what felt like an eternity, and he was determined to make a good impression.
As he finished preparing, there was a knock at the door. It was Aria, who nodded in approval at Zion's readiness.
"You look good to go," Aria said. "We must do our best, big brother. This is our first real mission, and we don't know what we're up against."
Zion nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. "I am aware." Remembering something, he said. "I don't know the situation of things there but whatever happens, don't transform. You can't transform yet. Do you understand?"
Aria forced out a smile. "I know you are concerned about me but I can't sit idle and watch something happen to you."
"I don't care if anything happens to me," Zion mumbled. He was so much worried about Aria, that he could not imagine what will happen to her if they find out that she was also a beast. He wasn't strong enough to protect her yet so he wouldn't bother risking it. "If something happens to you, I'll be lost."
Aria was taken aback by his last sentence. She had never seen him being emotional and it struck her big time. She was ready to sacrifice herself if he falls into trouble but with the way he was sounding, she's forced to change her decision. Still yet...
"Big brother, I won't do anything that will make you worry about me but it won't stop me from protecting you," she whispered.
Zion sighed inwardly. He was truly blessed to have Aria by his side. Over the past weeks, she had grew maturely. She no longer clinged to him, complain about any other thing and focused on getting strong herself. She didn't want to rely solely on her beast powers, instead, she trained on how to use swords.
They rarely had time to meet but whenever they did, they used that little time to enjoy each other's warmth.
Zion stopped bothering to go after multiple relationships. Even when Elina tried to meet up with him, he ignored her and focused on training himself. For now, Aria was enough for him and he was going to do everything it takes to get stronger so that protecting her won't be difficult.
"Come here," he whispered and drew her into his arms. The two of them stayed like this for some time before they broke the hug. "Let's go make a name for ourselves," he said and she nodded with a smile.
The two of them left and made their way to the entrance where the rest of the team was gathering. Elias was giving a final briefing, going over the plan one last time.
"...and remember, our priority is to rescue the civilians," Elias said. "We'll take out as many monsters as we can, but we can't risk putting the innocent at risk."
The team nodded, their faces set in determined expressions.
With a final check of their swords, the team set off towards Ceres. The journey was long and arduous, but Zion didn't notice. He was too focused on the task ahead.
As they approached the city, Zion could see the destruction for himself. Buildings were reduced to rubble, and the streets were littered with debris. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and blood.
Elias signaled for the team to halt, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "Alright, this is as far as we go. From here on out, we have to be extremely careful."
The team nodded, fanning out into a defensive formation. Zion found himself beside Allen, who glanced at him before looking away.
Zion did not bother about him because over the past weeks, Allen never said a word to him again after the advice he gave to him that night. At first, he was worried and wondered if he unintentionally did something wrong again but over time, he got pretty used to it and didn't bother himself.
As they moved deeper into the city, Zion could hear the sounds of screams and roars. His heart pounded in his chest, and his hand tightened on the hilt of his sword.
They were getting close.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a woman, her face twisted in fear.
"Please," she begged. "You have to help us. The monsters... they're everywhere."
Elias nodded, his expression grim. "We're here to help. Where are the other civilians?"
The woman pointed down a nearby alleyway. "They're trapped in the buildings. Please, you have to hurry."
With a nod, the team moved out, the seniors taking point. They crept down the alleyway, their senses on high alert.
And then, they saw them. A group of monsters, their eyes glowing in the dark.
Zion's heart skipped a beat. This was it. His first real battle as a beast slayer.
He drew his sword, his eyes locked on the monsters. 'Let's do this.'