Chapter 5: The Monster Hunt
“FELZEN, I’m cold.”
We’d been granted a short break after finishing the morning’s roll call. The knight commander would arrive shortly, edict in hand. I inserted my hands under Felzen’s armpits.
Felzen’s body temperature was noticeably high, unsurprising given his magical affinity for fire. I, aligned with ice, was the opposite. Warming myself against Felzen’s body had become something of a tradition.
“Ugh, fine,” Felzen said, squeezing his arms to his sides.
“Aaaah.” I sighed euphorically. “You’re the best, Felzen.”
Stern let out an exasperated laugh beside us.
“Salute!”
I hastily did as ordered. The knight commander had taken the stage.
He read aloud a proclamation concerning a large-scale monster hunt. The excitement after such announcements was always palpable.
Hunting drills were conducted each month in a nearby forest, mere training exercises that lasted no longer than a day. Within the forest was a miasma-infested cave, purposefully left unsealed. By periodically clearing it out we developed survival instincts and honed our abilities. Our frequent purges ensured that powerful monsters never spawned there, but even weak ones made for good practice.
Actual monster hunts were a different matter and bona fide missions that enabled us to gain real combat experience as soldiers. Not everyone got to participate, however. Third years, yes, but only a select few were chosen from the lower years.
After he named the third-year students who’d be stationed at headquarters, those of us also going were split into teams: “Second year. Sternchen, Felzen, Bernstein. Right wing!”
“Roger!”
We made our way to the designated spot, where the first years had already gathered. Only the best of the best got into the military academy, and though young, the assembled first years carried themselves with an air of confidence, their physiques remarkable. The teams were assigned to preexisting squadrons, ready to set off to the hunting grounds.
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THE knights, clad in caped ceremonial uniforms and atop their most cherished steeds, paraded through the royal capital in a procession out of the city.
The capes varied by rank. Cadets’ capes were black, knight initiates’ white. Accent colors further differentiated the wearer’s rank and school year. The field marshal sported a red cloak, its black inner lining embroidered with a gold emblem seen on both sides of the material.
Stern rode a white horse. He flourished his white cape, smiling, and all the city girls swooned. To his side was Felzen, mounted on a sorrel. He waved with a grin, exposing his white teeth. Shrill screams followed. It was our first time marching together in the same unit, and I felt overwhelmed.
Whoa. This is…amazing…and kinda scary.
Suddenly I looked away, my face deadpan, pretending not to have noticed the blue fans. You saw nothing. You know nothing.
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“Putting on airs again, I see,” muttered the underclassman riding beside me. He had silky, green hair cut in a bob and equally green eyes. His name was Kraut. He was a first year of medium build with a no-nonsense appearance. Unlike me, Kraut was easy to read, his emotions lying bare on his face. He was top of his class and considered a prodigy by many. A devout Stern adherent, he despised seeing me by the prince’s side.
It wasn’t the first snide remark he’d hurled at me either. He could always find something to criticize about me. He’d also challenged me to bouts on various occasions. I won every time, naturally, although not by a landslide, and he looked down on me for it.
Of course he’d think I wasn’t good enough for Stern. Father was a recluse, and my only real talent was horseback riding. Compared to Felzen’s bulky six feet and two inches or Stern’s muscular, five-foot-eleven frame, I was just some five-foot-seven nobody. I agreed that I didn’t measure up but had no intention of ending my friendship with Stern over it.
I shrugged off his disparaging comment. I was used to it. Fanatical Sternites and Felzenites frequently pestered me. Once in a while, I’d get angry stares too, as some of them were convinced that Stern or Felzen and I were in a relationship or something. Over time I’d learned that ignoring them was for the best.
Like it or not, I’ll have to put up with Kraut till the very end. People like him are everywhere, and handling them is part of your job. I held back a sigh, maintaining my neutral expression.
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THE sky was painted orange when we reached the encampment and began our preparations.
The site was located in the forest separating Eisberk and the royal capital. Monster spawn rates in said woods, which happened to be my backyard, were surprisingly high. Felzen could make the journey by himself easily enough, but that was only because of his physical prowess; most travelers had to bring an escort. And Eisberk, rural and isolated, wasn’t all that important. Only merchants regularly passed through.
On the other hand, one could say that Eisberk’s true purpose was to keep the forest under control. We were allowed to maintain a separate knights order, the Cavalry Brigade, for that reason.
The military academy team ranked lowest in the squadron and was consequently tasked with setting up tents and gathering firewood. We were divided into two groups. Due to my familiarity with the area, I was appointed to wood supply.
“Then I’ll come with.” Stern stepped forward.
Felzen raised his hand. “I’m familiar with the forest too.”
The two stared each other down.
The team leader sighed. “Can’t take only second years. Felzen, you stay. I need a first year. Anyone?”
“I’ll go!” Kraut, the snide boy from earlier, volunteered.
Whyyyy. Why would he volunteer if he hates my guts? Maybe his love for Stern exceeds his hatred for me. I held back a sigh. I’ll let Stern deal with him.
“Then it’s settled.”
Felzen didn’t look happy. “Keep your eyes peeled.”
“You too,” I replied.
I entered the forest, leading the charge. It felt a lot more ominous than usual, which was perhaps to be expected. A pair of red, beastly eyes glowed from deeper within the trees. The animal seemed…irritated, under the miasma’s influence.
We made our way along a tiny stream that originated in Lake Eisberk, its waters pure, resistant to the miasma. I’d always used it to orient myself. I knew the forest like the back of my hand, and after walking for a while, we came upon a glade.
“We’ll collect firewood here,” I announced.
Kraut glared at me. “Who put you in charge?”
“He knows the place best. Why wouldn’t he be in charge?” answered Stern before I could. Kraut begrudgingly held his tongue.
“Don’t venture too deep and stay within eyeshot. Something’s wrong with the animals,” I warned.
“Understood,” Stern replied, jumping straight to work.
I gathered several armfuls of nearby grass, dipped my hands in the stream, and began braiding the sheaves together.
“Playing with grass while His Highness collects firewood, I see,” said Kraut scornfully.
I sighed. “Observe.” I tied a rock to the end of my makeshift rope, before lassoing the contraption up a tree. The rope tangled around a perched bird’s feet, yanking it to the ground. I picked it up and restrained it. “Do you not want meat for dinner?”
“What the?” Kraut started to tremble, his face reddening. It appeared as though I angered him no matter what I did.
Stern burst out laughing.
“N-No faith in your bowmanship, I see,” Kraut sneered. “Resorting to such crude methods, how country of you.
“Bows are tools of war. It would be a waste.”
“Some self-sufficiency goes a long a way. Resources are finite, after all.” Stern’s comment only added fuel to the fire.
“Well, I’ll hunt down something bigger than a lousy bird!” exclaimed Kraut, dashing off, sword in hand.
“Kraut!”
“After him!”
We chased him into the undergrowth.