Beyond Myth Chp.1

    Blue Eyes gazed upon the bounty papers filling up the bulletin board, a large amount of money offered, to kill. Aside from all, there was a list along with pictures of victims that were killed. Most of the victims were women and children. Their cause of death was unknown, bodies gave no evidence or lead as to what had killed them. Going down the list there was a very familiar name. Curiously, he looked at the picture of a woman next to it, his breath instantly hitched and quickly looked away, holding back tears.

    Memories flashed through his mind. A beautiful woman waiting in front of a small cabin near the top of the mountain and a man with a large bag walking up from the path. The woman smiled, running towards the man, giving her lover a sweet embrace and stared into his eyes. The man chuckled, rubbing his nose against hers, looking at her with profound love. Their eyes drifting shut, enjoying the moment of love and peace, he had his world in his hands, so warm and heavenly, then became cold and wet.

    He opens his eyes, widening them in shock and on his knees, the woman of his life dying in his arms, her body nearly split in half, her innards trailing down the path. She shakily held her bloody hand against her love’s cheek, whispering sweet-nothings and smiled warmly as she points over his shoulder. The man slowly looked behind, a trail of blood leading to a demon, with a dark form of a mutated bear, covered in his lover’s blood. The demon laughed mockingly, slowly vanishing, it’s laugh echoed. The man gasps for air, his head was held low, realizing it was just a memory, his face was covered in tears, slightly frozen from the chilling air. He quickly wiped it off and regained his composure, but the pain still remained.

    He continues to look at the rest of the bounties, searching for a suitable one. The man groans, running his hand through his red hair. Tearing down the bounty and walked through the snow-covered village, the paper clutched in his hand. Reaching near the end of the village he entered a small bakery, in soft pink and blue decor and the smell of baked sweets filled the air. The man walked up to the other man who was behind the counter, the man had light-blue hair and gray eyes. Slamming the bounty onto the counter, the blue-haired man looked at the red-haired man, chuckling.

Einarr: “You want to go on another hunt again? We went hunting not too long ago.”

Calder: “The bounties are just going to keep piling up. Either come with me or leave me out there where I can possibly die.”

Einarr: “I know you don’t mind dying. Calder.”

Calder: “Well then Einarr, guess you’ll be living by yourself for the rest of your life.”

Einarr looked at Calder in the eyes and sighed. He could see the marks of tears left on Calder’s face. Einarr’s expression changed for a mere second but kept a grin. He couldn’t ask what had made his dear friend break down and cry, instead, he gave him some comfort with a smile. Having known him since childhood, Calder was afraid of people abandoning him, but ever since meeting Einarr, he had gotten better from his phobia, though it worsened when his lover died. Afraid of losing again, he stopped looking for love. Even with this current improvement of mentality, he still tends to wish things would just end.

Einarr: “Haha, alright alright fine. I’ll go with you.”

Einarr goes into a room just near the counter and returns, with hunting attire and a large Axe fastened on his back. A brunette woman working near the oven looked over her shoulder and approached Einarr and Calder.

Patricia: "You boys best be careful out there. I'm sure you wouldn't want me to clean the blood off the floors of our precious bakery again. So I'll take care of the shop for today, you can head home once you're done with hunting, alright?"

She looked towards Einarr and smiles warmly with a slight blush of red. Einarr returns the smile then nods his head. Calder grins, and they both head off to the forest. Carefully past the whimsical trees, the cracking of twigs echoed throughout the area. Calder took no further steps, placing his hand on Einarr’s chest, motioning him to stop, they listened closely to hear a low growl nearby.

Einarr: “You think you can get this one Calder?”

Calder: “Pfft, I’ll hold it down and you finish it off alright?”

The growl grows louder as Calder steps closer, a decaying beast crawls out of the snow and jumps at Calder. Calder quickly grabs it by the head and throws it up in the air, tearing the head off in the process. Einarr gets ready with his ax and positions himself, just before the body hits the floor, he quickly cuts it in two. Calder laughs and claps at the performance.

Calder: “Haha, good job there, buddy, your aim has gotten better ever since last time!”

Einarr: “Oh shut it, you! ...Well, at least I didn’t touch that horrendous rotting flesh!”

Einarr points at the rotting remains on Calder’s hands. Calder yelps and cleans it off with the snow. Dragging his hands on the cold snow, he quickly took his hands away because of the stinging cold and noticed a book near the corpse. The book was in poor condition and the letters were slightly legible. Calder crawls towards it, pinching his nose from the smell of the corpse and reads the cover.

Calder: "Beyond... Myths. Huh? Written by… Valerio Trostle. Valerio? Trostle?”

Calder gasps and quickly took it in his hands and ran towards Einarr, shoving the book at his face.

Calder: “Einarr! Einarr! Look! This book is by Valerio Trostle! The very man that ended the Great Reign of the Demons! Do you know what this means?!”

Einarr: “W-what does it mean?”

Calder: “It means we have the greatest hunter’s book in the world. Do you know how much this could benefit us during our hunts? And did you forget? This man IS the very idol of our lives! Truth be told that he was creating a book containing his knowledge of all the demons and monsters he has killed! This book could be it!”

Einarr: “WHAT! WELL WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!? LET’S SEE WHAT’S IN IT!!”

Calder carefully opens the book, skimming through the pages. It contained sketches and information of nearly every rumored and known demons and monsters. But nearly half of the book there were a large amount of blank and unfinished pages.

Einarr: “What? How could this be? Was he not able to finish the book? ...Did something happen to him? Calder, do you know?”

Calder: “Hm... It was rumored that Valerio disappeared right after he ended the Great Reign… Though why would the book be here? Of all places?”

Einarr: “I’m not so sure Calder, but we should go back home. You need to take a bath. The smell is REALLY strong on you.”

Calder: “Oh be quiet. I will I will."

Calder slouches and they walked past the village and followed the path leading to the top of the mountains before reaching the very top there was a small cabin. In which they entered. Calder gently places the book on the table near the fireplace and went to take a bath. Einarr puts the Axe on the weapon stand and started the fireplace.

Calder: “Beyond Myths huh?”