Year 0003, The Imperium
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The winter snow that has slowly accumulated over the entirety of the winter season would gradually melt away and return to the circle of life and would all be washed away to the world beneath and back to the rivers and its tributaries.
You can now hear the bustling noise of the beasts that are now returning to the surrounding forest; it was a very sweet melody that you could only hear after a few months of dead silence on the forest floor, well, maybe except for the predatory beasts like the Grimfangs, who sometimes did not take their winter hibernation.
Now give it a month or two, and the entire forest floor will return to its lush and vibrant colored hue, where the trees that had shed its previous leaves would then sway in joy, from side to side, as if to celebrate the new life that has been bestowed to them.
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Currently the villagers of Maya Village were busily discussing their plans and thoughts for the upcoming spring season.
As there would be a lot of things that they should be doing, and with the addition of Angeline's father and his group, they would have that much-needed manpower to complete a lot of things around the village.
And hopefully, this year, they can start making progress with the farmland.
But before jumping into another massive and exhausting project, they would have to start first with the much-needed repairs and upgrades for the gatehouse, and the planned wall walkway and additional lookout towers would have to be rebuilt and built first as previously discussed, and the house upgrades would have to continue at a later date, since they could be postponed for now, since it wasn't a priority right now that they should be focusing their energies on; besides, they already had enough rooms that they could occupy for now.
But since there is still a bit of unthawed snow that still hasn't melted yet, they would have to just settle with hunting for fresh meat in the revived forest floor for now as per everyone's request.
Although there was still a bit of winter supply left, everyone had been complaining about the quality of the current food they had been eating and wanted to taste something a bit fresher.
And since we couldn't have it all, as we still needed to prepare the garden fields again, the freshest we could get was the live food that we could actively hunt on the forest floor.
The residents have had enough eating salty preserved meat for the remaining duration of the winter season, as they have long run out of fresh vegetables to cook and add to the meat; now only the spices, some potatoes, and some dried meat were left on reserve.
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So today there would be a grand hunting expedition party that would set off and search the vast forest floors that have now been slowly returning its usual residents that have gone and undergone hibernation during the cold winter season for fresh food, of course.
And that is the current itinerary for today, at least for August, Erik, Uncle Red, and along with his daughter Isabel.
As to why Isabel was also coming with us instead of Bren, well, let us just say that she threatened him that she would go into the forest floor alone and would have a massive tantrum if we were to leave her behind.
So Uncle Red had to make a compromise; she would have to observe us first before she was allowed to join us in the formal hunt.
And if a situation arose where there was a looming threat that even we could not face entirely and deal with it swiftly, then she would have to return to the village and warn the others of the impending danger.
We have now exited the gatehouse and left the safety of the village's perimeter; we are now heading towards the forest floor, where the beasts that have ruled for as long as the forest has existed are currently dwelling.
But first, we have to decide on which beast to hunt since there isn't that much here yet.
But I have hoped to see some 'Cowdaer' or 'Meadow Moooo-se'; it was the official beast name that was recorded in the beast index.
But ever since I was born, it seems like they have migrated to another place, as they can no longer be found near here.
It was such a shame I could only hear about its delicious taste that even rivals the Boarats tasty meat.
My father used to tell me stories about them and how they were of superior taste compared to the current Boarats that are available to us, and even the Rabbiets couldn't compare.
I guess we can only dream of them for now, so since there aren't many options left for us, we'll be hunting Boarats for now, and if there ever comes a time where they would return her and I get to meet those heavenly tasting Cowdaers, I'm going to go and personally hunt them myself instead.
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We have to trek a little bit further from the village since the many beasts have now started to notice the suffocating and threatening aura of Aetherwing that he has been producing.
The reason was to scare off would-be potential predatory invaders that would foolishly enter and invade the village just like what had happened before Aetherwing and his flock came here.
It was a good trade-off since we could use the 10 km buffer zone as a training ground, and it would also serve as a place for us to be safe from the threat and dangers of the forest while scouring for mushrooms, wild vegetables, spices, fruits, and such.
After some time has passed, we have found a herd of boarats that were already up and about doing their respective business.
They are currently grazing on grass that hadn't been withered by the snow and was instead covered by it.
They used their ratty snot to locate those grasses and used it to also move the snow to the side so they could start feasting on the grass.
So when we got near this current herd in front of us, we had to slowly creep up on them on the forest floor where they were located.
I have told the others beforehand to use the cover of the snow to hide our presence from the beasts; it was a perfect camouflage that would naturally blend in with the current surroundings that are dyed with white and dark hues.
and due to the dark tones of the armors and weapons that we are currently wearing, we would be in a near-perfect stealth that would be beneficial for this surprise attack.
I have actually asked my SYSTEM to make a new set of clothing that could be used during the winter season and cold nights that would accompany us, and I was going to give them to the new people that have settled in the village.
Especially the combatants, who will be needing it more than anyone.
Currently the only non-combatant that we have is Aunty Theressa, who has become the true backline support and manager of our group.
As she also knew a lot about healing other people, she was made our de facto leader and member for now of our new medical and logistics support team.
Currently we have two teams that have 5 members each. Team 1 was the main attack force; it consisted of August as de facto leader and the group's separate spear that could penetrate deep on the backlines, Erik, who was the sub-leader and scout if ever August would go on and do what he was good at, and that is assaulting the backlines and stealthily ambushing or attacking the enemy's rear. While the remaining members are Bren, who was a support tank/damage dealer; Betty; and Gel, who were the actual main damage dealers that would support Bren.
Team 2 was the support group that would defend our backline support group. It consists of Uncle Jonathan as de facto leader and main tank, Uncle Red was a semi all-rounder and scout for now who gives vital bird's-eye view information to their team, and he was also the sub-leader, and now for the remaining members: Christopher was also an aspiring support tank himself who would replace Jonathan in the front lines if the need arose, while Isabel is also following in her father's footsteps, and Adam is also another meathead who is an aspiring tank.
While for now only Aunt Theressa is the sole member of her group, later on the logistics support and medical group would dwarf the 2 main forces in the future.
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And currently this is a sort of training for the new members that came with us on this hunt, and while Uncle Red already seems to have an idea of what to do when hunting since he was also a hunter back in their previous village.
But that was from outside the great forest's sphere of influence, and right here, right now, is a new field that is unknown to him.
It was a dangerous business to explore the unknown without at least the basic knowledge of the terrain and threats they have to deal with when hunting, although the practical skills that are needed are already there.
He would now have to only gain a new set of experiences and wisdom and would have to follow a new set of rules that he must learn and apply to his own style of hunting.
It would aid him greatly in this new adventure he would have to tackle.
But I doubt he would need to take too many hunting trips to learn it himself and create his own improved version of hunting, since he was already fast approaching becoming a veteran hunter himself and a pretty good one at that.
The only reason they currently lacked experience in hunting here was that since then, hunters from the frontier village of Pipik had never gone this deep to this side of the forest in fear of the stories they had heard from the foolish people who dared to brave the dangerous forest floor with false bravado that they mistook for their egos courage just for them to be slaughtered and killed by the beast of the great forest with such ease.
Now that the new generation of hunters, who have learned from their seniors mistakes, did not do such a thing and instead hunted in forests that weren't part of the great forest's influence.
Why risk life and limb when you can have an easier prey that you could catch, and you get to keep your life and return to your family? And Red was one of those new generations.
While now only the most expert and aged hunters who have survived for a long time and have gained much-needed wisdom have truly dared to invade the sanctity of the surrounding great forests to hunt down beasts that have wounded their pride and such.
Meanwhile, the new generation of Pipik village hunters would mostly only hunt the Boarats that had wandered off far from the great forest floor.
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Today I, August, the last generation of Maya's village hunter, am going to show the newbies how we have hunted these beasts and how I used the foliage and terrain to my advantage while also dealing with the dangers that lurked on the forest floor while hiding myself from my prey's senses.
Now we only have to wait for the first victims to get near us and launch the ambush that we have planned.
A few moments later, a small herd of [level 1 Boarats] has separated from the main herd and has now entered our range for an effective bow attack.
It was a perfect number for all of us who have gathered here, as there were 6 of them.
On the count of three, we released our racked arrows from the bowstrings that had been pulled; the arrows silently pierced the invisible air and flew towards the unaware prey.
Swoosh! Swoosh! swoosh!
*Puik! Puk! Puk!
Three were hit simultaneously and successfully as the arrows were implanted deep in their skulls, instantly killing the beasts.
Now we only have to follow up and slaughter the other three that have been alerted by the sudden death of their brethren and have started to run in a wild and random direction, trying to escape the danger that was looming over them.
And since the beasts were now alerted by our presence, we lost our element of stealth and surprise.
We will have to now chase after them.
We have tasked Isabel and Erik to lure them into a dead end, while I and Uncle Red would follow them closely and watch their flanks and rear and take care of the unknown variables that may pop up from nowhere, and finally, when we have encircled them to where we want them to be, we would all gladly finish them off and drag them back to the village to feast on.
After a few minutes of intense chase around the forest, we managed to redirect the three Boarats on the same route, and they have now finally been cornered, and very soon they would be slain.
A few moments later, three more arrows would find the body of our prey and hit the vital organs of the Boarats.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The sound of the beast that has stumbled down as it now lies lifeless on the cold forest floor.
All six of the beasts have now been killed and are ready to be processed when we get back to the village.
We'll have to be satisfied with this successful hunt for now, and now it is time for us to start our trek back home.
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Back in the village, the ones currently guarding the lookout tower were Bren, who was on top of the tower, and Adam, who was waiting near the gate.
A yawn had escaped from Bren, still feeling a bit too sleepy due to the still cold weather.
But it was okay; they were still warm enough to stand outside the comfort of the warm house since August had already prepared and gifted them thick leather hides and beast furs that were already premade and ready to wear.
It also fits and sits comfortably with their body sizes, so it was very comfortable to wear as a piece of clothing and armor.
After an hour or two, the group that had left and had gone outside for a hunt has now all returned; with them, they dragged the boarats they had killed, as they can be seen slowly approaching the village walls, and then they approached the village's main entrance.
They waved at him and Adam, and they waved at them back.
In truth, they really don't need to have anyone guard here anymore since both predators and beasts of prey have been afraid to go near their place.
Ever since Aetherwing and his flock have arrived and used this village as their nesting ground, they have started patrolling the skies and intimidating the beasts that have dared to come near the village ever since Aetherwing found out about their conundrum before they arrived in the village.
And since they also do hunt for their own food, we don't have to worry about them starving or ordering us around to hunt for them.
But the main reason why there are still people guarding near the entrance is so that they could gain experience, and if ever there comes a time where the Guardian Beast and his flock would have to leave the area, they could quickly amend their lacking village defenses.
Bren actually took a liking to one of the two chicks that Aetherwing sired.
Right now the chick was now a tad bit taller than him, and it would peck at his head from time to time.
But he still liked the baby chick and would play with it whenever he had free time to spare.
Little did he know that in the future, that Peregrine Eagle chick would become his bonded beast, and they would be amongst the most feared beings in the field of battle.
Just a whisper of their name would bring weak men to tremble violently while the stronger men would be stricken with fear, and they would be paralyzed and would not be able to move as they pleased.
But for now, they were mere children, and as children were pre-programmed to do, they were bound to be playing with each other.
Back to the present, it seems like the group that has just returned had a lot of fresh meat that they caught.
I counted at least six; they will surely have a feast with this new batch of fresh meat later on, and Aunt Theressa would be the one that would be most glad and excited with it!
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Inside the warm and cozy longhouse, Jonathan was resting on the rocking chair.
He had already recovered at least 50% of his original strength, and with the nursing that Gel was giving him, he would be back on his feet in no time!
But for now, he had to enjoy the fun and privilege of just being under his daughter's care while he would spend every waking day being around her, and he would even join her in their daily morning routine.
He was adamant about having a proper bonding time with his daughter ever since he left and missed her growth for a year; she was growing up too fast now, and ever since his near-death experience with the wolves, he had a lot of time to think about life and what was truly meaningful and precious to him.
So he began seeking more time to spend with his daughter; he realized how minuscule and fleeting life truly is.
It could be lost at any moment without any forward warning.
And His daughter was so thoughtful, as she would purposely match his speed and amount of lap sets and reps that he could barely do when he joined them for the morning sessions.
It also served as therapy for him to get back his strength; he now finally understood why August was doing it every waking day.
*Ha!
This is life; if only his lovely wife were still here alive, they would all been enjoying it then, as a sudden melancholia has dawned on him about the past and the good times.
But a moment later he was brought back to his consciousness when the hunting party had finally returned home.
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Meanwhile, Theressa, the mother figure for all the children living in the village, has been teaching all of the girls how to cook and take care of the house while she teaches the boys manners and some chores they would need to do inside the house and around the village.
It was a good thing to have a mother figure around these children so they could be properly guided through life early on.
When her wayward and tomboyish daughter and the others have returned, she wanted to scold her badly when she acted out before they left, but when she saw the fresh catch that they brought, she forgot about it, and they have started to butcher their fresh catch on the butchering spot.
Theressa's eyes were glittering; she couldn't wait to cook this fresh meat that was currently being processed and was slowly laid in front of her.
The food they've been eating for the last few days was starting to get limited, as the fresh vegetables have now long been gone, way back during the first or second month of the winter season.
She could only wish that there were some wheat and a chicken-like beast, along with a cow-like livestock; it would have been heavenly.
She would have to ask them for their opinion of it and if it would have be possible to procure some at a later date along with some other stuff that they would need, as she really wanted to cook them some freshly baked bread and expand their current option of food.
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Meanwhile on another part of the village Christopher was also still recovering from his sustained injuries from the last battle, but he was already 90% healed, and in a few days time he would be back to his original strength.
He noticed that his strength actually had been improving lately, after he joined the kiddies daily training regimen.
He asked Red and Jonathan about their opinions and what they had noticed about it themselves, and they agreed with him completely.
Also, little boss man gave him a new set of shields and weapons along with a new set of armor, the same ones that Jonathan had used before.
But it was still a mystery to him as to where the boy found the time to even build one without the others noticing him.
Even the kids who were with him the longest didn't know the answer to that question; rather, they really don't know how to respond to it, as they also have been wondering about it for a long period of time.
Little Boss Man really is such a mysterious entity, isn't he? Could he be a deity that has graced the world beneath? Could he really be, possibly be a god who descended and is living with us mortals?
Hmm, well, whatever, he doesn't have to think too deeply about August's mysterious powers.
He has to focus on himself first; as he found a new goal and purpose for his meaningless existence, he would need the strength to protect those people who will be behind him, as he would stand strong in the frontlines protecting the backlines.
He felt ashamed to have always been protected by Jonathan, and now even the kids are almost on par with him.
And even August could take all of them down in a one-on-one fight, without much difficulty; it would be like a breeze in the park for him to fight them.
And as of now, August has been practicing with his master, Aetherwing, on how to fight with multiple combatants in mind.
Little Boss Man would become a really scary figure in the future; Christopher could only shudder in thought with this realization as the boys current progress was steadily climbing towards greater heights, and that future is not too far off.
He would very well be damned to make sure that he was not fighting against August at that foreseeable future that was bound to happen sooner or later.
He would make sure that he was on the right path that is to be written in the annals of history.
So right now Christopher would have to train even more intensely and wholeheartedly, more so than before he came here in this village.
His current objective right now was to be able to at least hold off multiple enemies just as long as Jonathan held on to the gates all by himself without saying anything or even calling for help to them.
He doesn't want to be protected by anyone anymore; he wants to be the one providing the protection himself.
Oh, by the way, Red's son Adam was also training along with him or joining him with his secret training from time to time.
It seems like the boy wanted to follow in his and his big boss Jonathan's footsteps instead of his father's.
But I guess Isabel is already on it, by following the footsteps of her old man herself.
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Meanwhile, Betty was also feeling a little bit left out by her peer's growth already; yes, she also had her important role in the village, but was that enough?
No, she must do better than this; that is why she also trains in secret when she has the free time to spare.
Currently she was in her secret hiding place, and you could hear her intense training.
As she stabbed her spear towards a training dummy, the purpose of it was that she wanted to increase her accuracy in hitting the critical and vital spots of the enemies before her.
At first, she just stood there motionless while her eyes were closed.
A moment later she started moving like a well-trained dance practitioner, as she stabbed her spear here and there and evaded attacks that were only known and seen by her.
It may have looked like she was stabbing into nothingness, but in truth, she could see the flow of her attacks connecting through and piercing the invisible enemy right in front of her.
She could also see her invisible enemy's attack pattern and reacted accordingly towards them.
Her sweat was flying around at the intensity of her attacks.
She was intensely shadow-fighting against her imaginary enemy!
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And these are the current events and activities that have occurred in Maya Village, as they have slowly transitioned from the end of the year to the new one!