The sun rose up to the sky, shadows grew thinner and the darkness illuminated progressively with the light of the sun. Eventually, it reached the residence of the Ares Family.
Inside a bedroom was a young boy sleeping peacefully before the sun’s light enters the window. The light was spreading around the room with the last part being illuminated was the boy’s bed. The light reached his sleeping eyes which made him wince and shift around the bed.
“Alex!” A young woman’s voice called out from downstairs. “Aleeeex! You better be awake or I’m coming up there!”
Alex groaned in response to being called. It was silent for a good minute before the noise of a window shattering, causing him to suddenly open his eyes and sit up in reaction to whatever came crashing into his room.
“What the hell!?” He exclaimed in surprise as whatever crashed into his room suddenly threw something at him which narrowly struck his head. It was a round shield, which was thrown like a throwing knife as it missed his face by an inch as it stayed stuck on the headboard. What came crashing into the room was his friend Sal.
“I told you that I’m coming up here if you aren’t awake yet. By the way, good morning, Sharky.”
She remarked as she stood up, her other hand holding out a short sword that was pointing at him. She looked at Alex with a cheery, toothy grin.
“Sal what the hell!? You could’ve ki—Woah!” Alex narrowly escaped death once more by immediately summoning a translucent orange round shield almost similar to Sal’s, using the shield to block a sudden leaping strike from his friend.
“Well, you wouldn’t wake up unless your life was in danger, so I thought me trying to kill you should do the trick!”
“You crashing into my room is enough for me to wake up!” He retorted as any sign of drowsiness was all but gone thanks to her.
She reached over to yank out the shield she threw at him as she got out of the bed, sheathing her sword at the side of her hip and strapping the shield behind her back.
“Either way, now that you’re up, get ready for today. Me and Lea will be waiting for ya.”
As if what she did to him was a regular occurrence she walked out of his room, leaving behind a huge mess with shards of glass and a broken floor.
Alex looked at his room ruined and sighed, rubbing his forehead as he got out of his bed, minding the glass as he made it to the bathroom to freshen himself up.
After a quick shower, wearing only but a towel he looked at himself in the mirror and gave his reflection a sharp, angular shark-toothed smile, simple brown eyes looking back at himself. He brushed his teeth while retaining the smile.
Alex’s appearance at first glance, upon meeting him for the first time you would mistake him to be a young woman even when he starts talking almost androgynous but hinting to a masculine voice. His body lithe but showing a hint of muscle, his long black raven hair a mess like always.
After cleaning up the mess Sal made he got dressed in his casual attire, a mixture of modern clothing which was a blue jacket, a white undershirt, black fingerless gloves. and denim pants with a slight medieval fusion like iron elbow pads, greaves, and boots.
He’s dressed and almost ready to go, one last thing to do…was breakfast. He went down and headed to the kitchen, realizing the only people in the kitchen were not his parents but a rough and middle-aged man drinking a large mug of coffee and holding an open newspaper at the other. Beside his seat is an inhumanely large minigun that looks like it’s meant to be carried by a man 3 sizes larger than his own uncle.
“Morning Uncle Michel.” Alex spoke with the best “I am happy to see you, you asshole of an uncle” Voice, attempting to smile his way at him.
“Mhh.” The man grunted, flipping a page from the newspaper
Alex tried to start a conversation with his uncle but the only reply he got was a simple grunt from him while taking a sip from his coffee. He opened the fridge to get an orange. Peeling it and plucking it into pieces to eat. He popped an orange slice into his mouth.
“So Uncle. How’s it feel to take a good break now and then?” He spoke while munching. No response. Only a sip and a flick of a page. He eventually gave up trying to strike a conversation with his uncle. “…Alright, good talking with you.” He popped another piece as he’s about to leave the kitchen.
“It sucks.” He lowered his mug as he looked at Alex with his trademark glare. An annoyed gaze with his ember orange eyes seeing through his nephew like a window. “If there were any new missions that only I can do, I’m either stuck doing paperwork or I’m stuck here babysitting you and my brat of a brother.” A ding is heard as a toaster popped out tarts which Michel stood up from his seat to take them out. “But I’ll gladly be stuck here with free food and not being near the other Officials.”
There he goes again, complaining about work and his co-workers. “If you don’t like doing the boring parts of being an Official then why be one in the first place?” He asked with curiosity, a repeated question from him and his brother since he’s been one for years now.
With a crunch from his teeth biting a tart, he returned to his seat. “It’s because no one can be the Head Demonslayer. At least no one competent can be yet.” Michel Ares. An Official in one of the branching roles in the Hunter’s Guild. A guild that’s seen as the Central Hub for Adventurers, Hunters, Monster and Demonslayers. He’s the Official of the Slayers Division and the role of this division was the last mentioned.
He’s a middle-aged man, tall and rugged with a muscular build hidden under dried blood-stained rags held by straps of belts and a bandolier of ammunition on his chest. that also doubled as pockets for survival knives, tools and even what seemed to be potions. Essentially he had the looks like the typical Monster Hunter most would imagine in video games. With messy Black hair with some streaks of gray at the sides and a stubble.
He returned to his seat and started pushing his seat to stand on only its two legs as he rests his feet by the table. “If you have anything else to ask, make it quick. Your friends are waiting for you.” He didn’t bother to go upstairs to check on him if he was even alive when someone crashed into his room and attempted to kill him.
“Well, it wouldn’t hurt to at least wear something casual than wearing your work clothes…actually, when was the last time you wore something that aren’t those things?”
“My outfit is my casual. If you have been a Hunter for a long time like me you are always prepared to have everything you need within reach. Now get out.” He returned to reading his newspaper.
He didn’t answer his question on how long he’s been wearing them. That covers saying good morning to his uncle so he walked out of his house to meet his two friends waiting for him.
“Took you long enough. Even after waking you up you still kept us waiting.” Sal walked to him with a cheery grin as the other person walked beside her. A girl with a pale complexion with lightly curled black hair complimented with eyes matching the color of her hair.
She wore a crooked but pointed cap made of linen dyed purple and accompanied what appeared to be a garb with an elegant design and a similar color of her cap but lighter, contrasted with a white short skirt and finishing with smooth white stockings and white boots. Her name was Lea, a Battlemage.
“I told Sal not to wake you up like that because I worry both of you will get hurt.” The girl said while she held a long oak staff with a large crystal ball on her right hand.
“Morning Lea! Ah, don’t worry about me getting hurt. You know how rough me and Sal get sometime—Ow!” Alex smiled at her before it quickly faded when he was cut off with a sudden bop on the head.
“Oi. I woke you up first, how come I’m not getting one?” She said with a playful scowl before placing her hands on her hips. Sal was on a darker complexion compared to Lea with her skin tanned and her hair a bit shorter to almost boyish with the same color as Lea’s with her eyes too. The girl wore a proper set of light armor mixed with some metal padding almost similar to Alex’s way of wearing armor but dropping the casual to be fully prepared for adventuring. her sword attached at the side of her hip and her shield was attached on her back. Her name was Sal, a Fighter.
“Ow…well, I would… But you tried to kill me again. So no.” With that being said Sal merely shrugged in response to not having a proper greeting.
“Fine, whatever, be like that. This isn’t the first time I’ve tried to kill you as a joke.” She flashed a smile as she went back to Lea and she rested her arm on her shoulder.
“Saying that doesn’t make it better!” He retorted before quickly letting it go and change the subject. “So you guys are ready to go to the market?”
“You know it.” Sal gestured him with a wink and finger gunning him.
“Yep!” The two said almost in unison as the three walked out to the path leading to the town’s market.
The three of them walked on a long clear path that showed a beautiful grassy land with the morning wind blowing against them. The town the three lived in was a small one, but nearby to the biggest kingdoms in the world known simply as “The Capital”. The First Kingdom to be built in the world of Gaea. The town the three are in and lived was named Huis. The town was titled for its simplicity.
The three made it to the market as the lively chatter of the townsfolk flooded their ears. People selling their wares and items. Eventually, some certain vendors and sellers took notice of the three and both of them greeted the three with familiarity like “Morning you three!”, “Lea! I got some necklaces that’ll enhance your powers with your name on it! Only two silvers just for you!” and “Sal! Want another sword? It’s only for three silvers! Two swords are better than one after all!”
The two both denied the offers kindly with Alex looking back at the sellers and back at them. “C’mon you two were almost there.” The reason they are in the market was to not shop, but head to a restaurant that Alex’s Parents own. “Here we are!” He declared as the three stopped by a tavern styled restaurant. “The Dragon’s Belly. A really dumb name no matter how many times I say it.”
“It is dumb but it fits since you’re quite dumb yourself.” Sal chimed before playfully punching Alex’s shoulder as Sal entered ahead of them.
“You sure you want to do this?” Lea looked at Alex who was rubbing his shoulder from Sal’s hard punch.
“Ow…” he winced. “I mean, well I do want to do it. We’ve been prepared since we were thirteen for this. that was five years ago…by now you guys probably would be high ranked adventurers if you two didn’t do something like not joining the guild without me.”
“We won’t join if you’re not there because we promised both of us will be joining the guild together.” Lea retorted along with a gentle pat on the back. “You can’t be our party leader if you’re ranks below us.”
Alex simply smiled at her joke that he nodded. “Yeah. That’ll be pretty weird. C’mon, let’s go before Sal starts a brawl for no reason.”
Upon entering the tavern revealed to be as lively as the market’s streets with people chatting about adventures and quests they have done. The place was well known for being a place of eating and celebration for adventurers and explorers. As dumb as the restaurant’s name was, it attracted the best paying customers. Adventurers.
There at the counter of the restaurant sits a large, muscular, bald yet bearded man who by first impression, was the immediate sign that no one should mess around in his presence yet ironically has the presence of comfort and security that felt everyone should be at ease as he ate a steak with a knife and fork that are dwarfed compared to his massive frame which makes the scene comical as if he was eating steak with a tiny knife and fork.
“MHHHH! This steak…” The muscle-bound man said with enthusiasm and passion. “THIS STEAK IS RICH WITH FLAVOR! The moment I cut it with my knife it oozed a rich sauce which is as delicious as the meat. Such passion into making it has rumbled my core…” The man gently placed his silverware and stood up from his seat and promptly… “NGHHH!” He grunted out to flex his muscles that literally tore apart his clothes to reveal a fine muscular body, harder than rock as he performed a side chest.
“Your steak is one of the best steaks I ever had! Better than Aza’s!” he claimed as he looked down on a young-looking woman with long raven black hair with streaks of silver at the side of her hair diagonally. She wore a white apron accompanied with a toque and a white shirt and denim pants behind the apron. The woman had a bead of sweat on the side of her face while she remained smiling gently with her eyes closed. It’s Alex’s Mom. Amanda Ares.
“Th-Thank you Mister Gormin…I’m surprised you came here…you’re here for Michel right?…” Amanda tried to change the subject about her cooking to what he was here for, mostly because the customers are looking at his display of muscular flaunting.
“What the hell am I looking at?…” Alex thought to himself as he had a face of immediate natural disgust and disbelief something like this was happening. His eyes roamed away from the Man named Gormin to look around for Sal, to see that she’s actually sitting beside Gormin who stopped eating halfway from looking at the muscle man’s flexing.
“Indeed! I came here to look for my associate Michel as he and among other officials need to be gathered for the annual meeting. this is his second absence from the meeting which in truth…HNGH!” He flexed to change the posture of his flexing. “are one of the many absences we decided to count as his other absences were excused as him performing raids and missions.”
“I see…oh, Alex!” Amanda spoke up as she didn’t realize her son entered the restaurant. “Morning dear it looks like you seem okay this morning.” She almost forgot how energetic and…loud Gormin was.
Gormin was an Official like Michel. This got him a bit curious as he only gets vague info about the other Officials from his Uncle if he does feel like sharing. “Morning Mom. So uhm—Mister Gormin? You said you were looking fo-“
“Ahhh! So this is Young Alex!” Gormin picked up the young man as he placed him on the table of the counter as if he lifted a doll, gentle but also not putting much effort in lifting. “Tell me, young girl!”
“I’m a boy.”
“Tell me, young man! Are you prepared to become a Hunter like your dear sister and parents?” He asked with a finally calm and somewhat quiet voice…as quiet as he can be in his own way.
Well, at least the question was related to what he’s going to ask his mother. “Actually I was about to tell my Mom someth—Wait…you know my Sister?” He was immediately intrigued as Sal and Lea’s head leaned to hear more.
“Of course! I know very well about young Lessandria! She is the youngest Hunter that broke through the ranks the moment she joined much like your parents! She is strong, passionate, brimming with YOUTH!” He exclaimed and flexed the word youth with his biceps. “She is eccentric and unique that she brings morale for simply what she does best. To fight for what’s right!”
Alex smiled with childish enthusiasm as his friends smiled with him as the two got used to his exaggerated gestures.
“Sounds like the Lexa Sharky here has always been talking about.” Sal returned to eating her own food. Being friends with someone’s parents means that they know what you want and already made it beforehand for them on the house. Hence how she managed to get food at such a short time the two were just outside.
“Yeah…Mom.” He turned to his mother. “I want to become a Hunter.” he said bluntly as he got off the counter and faced her. “Okay?”
“Ha! So blunt! So straightforward! You clearly have the traits of your sister when she declared that she’ll defeat a Demon that required a whole party to defeat by herself and she brought back it’s head as proof!”
“Alex…” Amanda said with her tone crestfallen and her smile faltering. “I’m sorry but…no. You can’t”
Alex paused as his mother’s words stiffened him. “W-What?…” He said in disbelief as Lea and Sal had similar reactions.
“You can’t be a Hunter.” Amanda repeated as she looked at her son with an immediate stern tone. “We’ll talk about this later with your father.”
