Orion fell to his knees, gasping for air as the Strange man, moved toward him.
"Who are you?" Orion managed to croak.
"A friend," The Stranger said with a small smile. "Or at least, I am someone who knows the weight of what you carry."
Orion looked up at the man, confused. "You saved me. Why?"
"Because there are forces in this world that cannot be defeated by rage alone. I've been watching you, Orion. You have the strength to face Spirits , but not yet the wisdom to kill them." The Stranger stepped forward and placed a hand on Orion's shoulder. "The hunt is not over
The forest stood still once the Scissa Est had vanished, leaving only the echo of its final, tortured scream. Orion remained on his knees, his breath ragged as his fingers trembled against the cool earth. The sudden surge of energy had knocked the wind from his lungs, and the grip of fear still lingered in his chest. He knew he had failed. The Scissa Est was still out there, still hunting. Still free.
The Strange man stood quietly beside him, the shadows of the forest clinging to his dark olive cloak. His face, obscured by a mask which resembles that which the spirits wear, he was unreadable, but there was a certain calm in the way he moved. A kind of quiet power, like a storm held just beneath the surface.
"You are lucky I was here," said The Strange man, his voice smooth but edged with something sharper. "The Scissa Est is not a creature you can kill with brute force alone."
Orion wiped his mouth, his hands still shaking. trying to make sense of the strange turn of events. "But who are you? And why did you help me?"
The Strangers lips curled into a faint smile, but it was a sad one. "My name is Arthur," he said, pausing before adding, "and I belong to an organization known as the Venatoris."
At the name, Orion's heart skipped a beat. The Venatoris. He had heard legends about them from his father when he was young—whispers in the dark corners of the village about a secret order, hunters who tracked the creatures that preyed on the living, those that were too dangerous for any ordinary man to face.
"You mean… you're a monster hunter?" Orion asked, his voice a mix of awe and disbelief.
"Not just any monster hunter," Arthur replied, his gaze drifting toward the moonlit trees. "The Venatoris are bound by a purpose greater than personal vengeance. We seek balance. We keep the creatures of the night at bay, those like the Scissa Est who prey on the innocent. We fight to protect those who do not understand the dangers lurking in the shadows."
Orion slowly began to stand, his legs still unsteady. "And you… want me to join you?"
Arthur glanced at him, his eyes intense but not unkind. "I saw the rage in you, Orion. And the loss. That is a fire we all carry—whether we are born to it or drawn to it by circumstance. But rage alone will not keep you alive in this world. The Scissa Est is not the only thing out there. The Venatoris could teach you how to survive, how to truly hunt. How to protect what you love."
Orion was silent for a long moment. The weight of Hulda's loss was still fresh, like an open wound in his heart. His sister had been taken from him, and he had thought that vengeance was the only way to make it right. He had fought the Scissa Est with the fury of a man who had lost everything, but now, in the quiet aftermath, he realized that fury alone wouldn't be enough to bring his sister back. He had nearly died, and in the end, it had been Arthur who had saved him.
"I don't know anything about hunting monsters," Orion said, his voice hoarse. "I don't even know how to begin."
Arthur's eyes softened slightly, a glimmer of understanding in them. "That's why we exist. To teach those who are willing to learn those with gifts like you. The Venatoris is a brotherhood, Orion. We train those with the heart and the courage to fight the things that go bump in the night. You are already on the path—fuelled by loss and the need to protect. All you need now is to learn how to wield that fire. It's not enough to seek vengeance. You need purpose. Control."
Orion's fists clenched. "And if I don't want to join you? If I want to find my sister on my own?"
Arthur's expression hardened for the first time. "Then you will continue on this path alone. You will keep fighting, but you will not know what you're truly up against. And eventually, the hunt will consume you. The creatures of the night aren't the most dangerous thing in these woods, Orion. It's the darkness inside you it can turn you into something worse than the things you hunt."
Orion felt the weight of his words sink in. For the first time, he allowed himself to truly consider what it meant to fight in a world of monsters. He had always thought of it as simple, kill or be killed. But now, with Arthur standing before him, offering a way out, the truth of the hunt began to take shape in his mind. It was more than vengeance. It was a fight to protect the balance, to learn how to live with the darkness without becoming consumed by it.
"I'll join you," Orion said, finally making his decision. "But on one condition."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "And what might that be?"
"I want to find the Scissa Est," Orion said, his voice firm. "I want to kill it. It took Hulda. It took my family. I need to make it right. I need to finish this I need to find her."
Arthur studied him for a moment, then nodded slowly. "The Scissa Est is a creature of the spirit world, a being tied to the changing of the seasons, to the veil between life and death. It is not something that can be killed easily. But I understand your need for closure. We will help you track it, but know this: hunting the Scissa Est will not be the end. There will be others, worse things, creatures you can't even imagine. That is why we exist—to protect the world from them."
Orion looked at him, a fire igniting in his chest. "I'm ready."
Arthur nodded, his expression shifting to one of resolve. "Good. The Venatoris is not a place to take lightly. We will begin your training immediately. But first, we need to take you to the hidden temple, where the Venatoris gather. From there, you will meet the others—hunters who have fought longer than I have. Together, we'll prepare you for the hunt ahead."
The Hidden Temple of the Venatoris. The Umbral Ruins
Deep in the heart of the mountains, hidden from prying eyes, lay the temple of the Venatoris—an ancient stronghold, centuries old, where the greatest hunters of the world gathered to train and share knowledge. Arthur led Orion there through the winding paths of the forest, away from the familiar roads, into a place untouched by the outside world.
The temple was carved into the rock itself, its walls lined with strange symbols and weapons that seemed older than time. There was an eerie calm to the place, and yet it hummed with an energy that felt both ancient and alive. As they entered the main hall, Orion felt an overwhelming sense of being in the presence of something much bigger than himself.
In the centre of the hall stood a massive stone altar, and surrounding it were several figures, all clad in dark hunting attire, their faces shadowed beneath hoods. They were the Venatoris, each one a seasoned hunter, each one carrying a history of battles fought and monsters slain. Arthur led Orion to the altar and spoke to the assembly.
"This is Orion," Arthur said. "He has chosen to join us in our cause. He seeks to find his lost sister, taken by the Scissa Est. We will train him, as we do all who join our ranks. But we must also make him understand that vengeance is not the only path. The hunt is dangerous, and there is no going back once you start down this road."
A tall woman clad in red stepped forward, her dark eyes gleaming like the blade of a sword. "Vengeance is a powerful motivator," she said, her voice like flames. "But it will blind you if you let it. The Venatoris teaches balance. We do not fight because we want to, but because we must. The creatures we face are not always what they seem."
Orion swallowed hard but nodded. "I understand. I want to learn."
"You don't have to go scaring the kid Bál, " joked Arthur
The woman nodded. "Then welcome to the Venatoris, Orion. Your training begins now."