Casimir sighed as he ran his hands through his hair. He was sitting on one of the many docks that made up the port of Seamount, with his feet dangling over the edge. His head was resting on his hands, which were across his chest, and he could hear the sounds of boats docking and people walking through the streets. His heart felt like it was being crushed within his chest, his lungs constricted painfully, and he wanted nothing more than to throw up. He looked up at the sky, hoping to find answers there. As always, he came up empty. His breathing was getting heavy as he closed his eyes. His eyes shot open again, and he stood up quickly, trying to calm himself. As if on cue, a loud crash resounded throughout the port, and a cry was heard as a girl sprinted towards the dock. Casimir's eyes widened as he saw who it was. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words could come out. He could only watch as his beloved raced across the wooden planks towards him, tears streaming down her face. The last thing he heard was another scream, this time closer. Then, everything went quiet.
Casimir woke up panting, his forehead covered in a thin layer of sweat. He sat straight up and wiped his brow with his arm. He let his hand drift towards his chest, where his heart was racing. He breathed heavily, trying to calm his erratic heartbeat.
"What's wrong? Was it a nightmare?" He shook his head. "No, that couldn't be it."
There weren't any nightmares. He'd have them a few times, but not like this. This was definitely an unfortunate event.
Casimir looked down at his lap to see that his hands were shaking uncontrollably, and tears were running down his cheeks silently. He pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around his legs. Tears poured out of his eyes faster than he could wipe them away, and a sob broke free. 'It' wasn't a nightmare... It was real.
"I can't believe I was so blind. Why did I never realize it? Casimir cried
"That day, I asked myself how I did not know? How could I have been so oblivious?"
"This isn't your fault." he muttered to himself, wiping his tears away.
"You had your reasons, but you chose to ignore them. All you can do now is move forward and face whatever happens next. You'll just have to trust yourself." Casimir thought to himself.
"Now, that's a pretty big deal, right?" Casimir frowned.
He turned towards his side and grabbed his pillow, pulling it under his head.
Casimir sighed. "I can't stay here. I must leave and build a better future for myself and take revenge for the pain they caused me."
Casimir said while clenching his fist tightly.
The next morning, Casimir started to pack his stuff into a wagon, but he hesitated and stopped packing. He couldn't shake off all of the good times they spent together and the memories of his mother.
"W-why throw it all away like that?!" yelled Casimir. He punched the wall, nearly breaking his hand.
"Tch, why am I so weak?"
Casimir started to break down in tears again.
"I hate this!" Casimir cried.
"Why does everyone expect so much from me?! I'm supposed to live a happy life without any trouble. Yet I can't even do that; I can't do anything right anymore!"
Casimir continued to punch the wall, feeling completely useless.
"How can anyone look at me and tell me that I'll make it through this?"
"I'm not going to survive if I can't even protect what I care about most."
After letting out his rage, Casimir swore to never let his emotions control him again.
"Casimir?" A woman called out.
"A-are you okay?"
"Your hand, look at your hand." She stammered while trying to hold back tears.
Casimir was shocked to see the person who was basically a second mother to him.
Not wanting her to see him in this state, he turned away to avoid eye contact.
"Casimir, I know what you are going through must be hard, but you are not alone. Everyone in this town supports you."
The woman started to approach Casimir, who was still looking away, grabbed him, and pulled him in for a hug.
"Now let me take care of that hand," she said with a smile on her face.
After she cleaned and bandaged his hand, Casimir finally looked his sitter in the eye.
"Ms. Nina, I plan on leaving the town."
It took Nina a few moments to respond; after all, she was the one to babysit him. Casimir's mother went out to fight monsters to protect the town ever sense it was just a small campsite. This wasn't often, but it was enough time to build a motherly bond.
"I understand," She said with tears in her eyes.
"Nina, please don't cry. I know it'll be hard without me and my mother here, but if I stay here any longer, I'll eventually end up losing it and I'll k--"
"I understand, but don't you dare say that!" interrupted Nina. Wiping her tears away, she looked up and told Casimir...
"If you ever want to make it out there, you should never ever think about that, okay?"
Casimir smiled and hugged his sitter one last time.
Two days later, Casimir is finally ready to leave. Before he left his house, he turned around and looked, and then memories of his once-happy life flashed, giving him a great sense of grief—not only for his mother's death but also for what they killed.
"Goodbye...Mom." Casimir said before shutting the door.
He then got into his wagon. He took one last look at his childhood, and off he went to the exit/entrance of the village, where everyone else gathered to say their goodbyes. After all, his mother and father built this village from the ground up. He saw Nina in the crowd crying, and he wanted nothing more than to jump out and hug her, but he chose to look away to remove those thoughts.
"I am sorry, Nina, but I must do this; goodbye for now." He said in a soft and deep tone of voice.
Casimir is a changed man, and his first destination is the city of Bramola.
Is this what you wanted?! My parents gave your family a better life, and yet you used me, built me up, and tore me down!
"I'm sorry; I didn't know how to tell you."
Maple said as tears started to swell up in her eyes.
I trusted you, and when trust is broken, sorry means nothing. I loved you, and you broke me. Not only that, but I gave you my heart; I didn't expect it back sh--"
"Maple! Maple, wake up! We're under attack!" Pacola said while frantically shaking Maple.
"Wha-what's happening?" said Maple, confused and still half asleep.
"Protect the prince and his bride!" yelled a guard; moments later, a scream called out.
"Ahhhh!".
"I'm going to go outside and help the guards." Pacola said nervously.
No, you can't; it's too dangerous." Said Maple. Scared and grabbing Pacola's arm.
"I have to help the guards or else we'll die or be kidnapped." Pacola said.
With a reluctant face, Maple decided to let go, and Pacola went towards the door, opened it, and stepped out to a horrifying sight; blood was everywhere, and body parts were scattered.
"Young prince, please get back in the wagon; it's not safe for you out here!" a guard said before blocking an attack and striking down a bandit.
"I'm here to help; I have a bit of experience using the sword." Said Pacola before blocking an attack while a guard cuts the bandit down.
As Pacola and two other guards were about to finish killing the last of the lower bandits, the leader appeared.
"It seems you've done a number on my crew."
the leader said, annoyed that his crew couldn't take down a teenager.
"However, I am not surprised since these idiots can't get anything done right, hahaha."
he laughs while prepping his sword.
"Who wants to die first?"
He asked with a mischievous smile on his face while looking at the two guards.
"AHHH DIEEEE!"
Pacola yelled while charging at the leader with a swift attack, but the bandit leader effortlessly dodged the attack and stabbed Pacola in the abdomen and kicked him back.
"I am not fighting you yet!" he stated.
"Pacola!" Maple yelled as she left the wagon.
"Look at me! you will be okay!"
Maple said while putting pressure on the wound. Tears started to stream down her face.
"He's lucky I didn't stab him in a vital area," hestated.
"Who are you, and why are you doing this?" Mapleasked.
"Ha-Hahaha, you actually think I'll tell you who I am. Hahaha, you're a funny girl, but I plan on using you both for ransom."
"Why is it always about money? Why not start a family and live a quiet and peaceful life?"
"Tch, stop talking like you know me and what I've been through." Said the leader feeling angry and annoyed.
"Ma-Maple, run-run, and warn the others." Pacola said as tears started to fill his eyes.
"No! No, I'm not leaving you!" Maple said. Grabbing his other hand.
"Huh? I said I didn't stab him in a vital area; why are you both being so dramatic all of a sudden?" said the leader, after killing both guards.
Before Pacola could protest, Maple closed her eyes and focused her energy into her hands. A blueish green light then shone from her hands, healing Pacola's wound.
"You can do magic, huh? Well, that changes everything."
The leader said as he approaches Maple and grabs her by the arm.
"Let go of me!" Maple screamed.
"Let go of her! Pacola yelled as he got up and tried to attack the leader, but he countered with a swing of the blunt side of his sword, knocking Pacola down and causing blood to drip from the side of his face.
"Since you can do magic, specifically healing magic, I will use you as my personal slave." said the leader. He started to grope Maple.
"Don't touch my breast, you creep!" Maple yelled as she slapped his hand.
"Ouuu, you're a feisty one, I like that but it's time for you to learn your place." said the leader, grabbing Maple by the neck and picking her up with one hand and his sword in the other.
"You shall address me as your mas——"
Before the leader could finish, red lightning struck nearby.
"Huh?" the leader said, confused, and then he looked over to see Pacola standing up with red lightning emitting around his body. His eyes turned to a deep red color, burning with fire.
"I SAID, LET. HER. GO!" Pacola yelled as he shot a devastating lighting attack that could destroy a mountain in an instant from his hand at the leader.
However, before the attack could hit him, a lower bandit sacrificed his life for the leader.
He started to float about 15 feet into the air with red lightning emitting from his body, and then he combusted with lightning and blood splattering all over Pacola and Maple, who were let go by the leader, who escaped due to the sacrifices of his men.
As Pacola finished killing the last of the bandits, he approached Maple, who was on the ground still crying, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in to comfort her. A few moments later, reinforcements arrived and saw blood splattered and body parts scattered everywhere.
"Dear God" One guard said.
"What in the hell happened here?" another said.
"Look!" one guard said, spotting the two still wrapped up in a pool of blood.
It took Casimir 5 days to get to the City of Bramola, but it wasn't an easy task. Casimir had to face many challenges.
Bandits, wolves, and goblins are some of the many challenges he had to face. He also didn't choose the best time to travel. Unfortunately he had to face constant harsh storms, cross flooded roads and so on, but the worst thing that had happened to him by far was losing his favorite picture of him and his mother. The picture had been taken during one of their many adventures. It was a picture taken a long time ago when the family was in happier times. Casimir had fallen asleep, his head resting on his mother's lap as she laughed at something her younger daughter said. It was a lovely sight to behold; Casimir loved seeing his mother laughing and enjoying herself. Casimir's smile slowly disappeared as he gazed at the sky just thinking about it; it was the final image of their happy family.
As Casimir approached the entrance to Bramola, he saw a glimpse of light in a nearby forest, but he instead paid no attention and continued to the city.
As Casimir was riding through the city, he noticed an event taking place and tried to get a closer look by pushing through the crowd.
"Hey, what's happening?" Casimir asked a nearby stranger.
"There is a surprise gathering for the most famous beast tamer, Dilexia. Hey, you must not be from around here, are you?" he said.
"I just arrived" Casimir replied.
"Well, be careful because there is a group of people who lure unsuspecting new people like yourself in by playing tricks."
"I'll be fine" Casimir said bluntly.
"Oh, there she is!"
The stranger said as Dilexia comes up riding a creature called a bloodstalker.
"What is that thing?" said a stranger.
"I don't know, but it looks cool!" said another.
However, as soon as Casimir was about to say something, someone yelled... "Hey! Your stuff is being stolen."
Casimir turned around and saw his stuff being taken and chased after it, but had no luck catching it; all he could do was stare as his beloved horse and his belongings were taken away from him. After all, it was the only thing he had left.
He then turned around, and saw that everyone was looking at him with sympathy in their eyes, but they couldn't do anything to get his stuff back. Fortunately as soon as he began to walk away, Dilexia approached him and said...
"I am so sorry that happened to you. I can help you get your stuff back?"
Casimir declined the offer and just walked away. Dilexia watched as he walked away, wondering what he had been through to make him react that way. She then proceeded to the arena for the battle.
The crowd cheered as the two groups entered the arena, ready to fight against each other. The arena, which can hold 250 thousand people, was completely full. The arena was 10 taks big and had a more modern look due to it being remodeled; there were also a few guards around the perimeter, keeping the audience out of the fight.
Team 1 called themselves Corestalk. Their team consisted of 4 members including Dilexia, who is the leader of the group, she is very strong and also very compassionate young lady. Her weapon of choice is a legendary spear she found exploring a dragon's cave. Dilexia can use water, lightning and summoning magic.
The second member is named Cassie. She is a magic user who excels at using healing and fire magic, but she can also use summoning magic, just not very well. She uses two magic-infused gauntlets just in case things get too close and personal.
The third member Mai, she is a assassin that uses a scythe as her main weapon and dual katar blades as her secondary weapons. Mai can use shadow and earth magic.
Daisuke, a badass warrior who uses a great sword to tear through anything that gets in his way. Unlike his team, Daisuke can't use magic, instead he uses force power and speed to take down his enemies.
Corestalk was able to tame the world's very first blood stalker, a beast no one dared to tame. Not only did they tame one, but they also managed to tame 3 more.
Team 2 is a fierce group called the Wardog Assassins, it consists of 4 'strong' brothers who managed to tame an alpha Wardog, the first in Bramola's history. They also managed to tame 3 others in its pack. The first brother of the Wardogs is Maddox. He is the eldest and most powerful out of all his brothers. He uses a buffed sword given to him by their father. He uses force power.
The second brother is Abaddon. He is the second eldest and the most ruthless out of all his brothers, wanting to cause destruction with every bad encounter he gets into. He uses a buffed axe to cut down his foes. He uses force power.
The third brother is Hugh. He is the fourth eldest and the smartest one out of his brothers. Before he makes an attack, he plans and learns the weaknesses of their opponents. He is also the one who scouts out areas to get a better understanding of their opponents. He uses a enchanted bow and arrow gifted to him by their mother. Hugh can use nature and air magic.
The fourth and final brother is Clemmy. He is the third eldest and is a merciful, soft-hearted, and gentle man. Unlike his brothers, he prefers to take steps to avoid fighting, leading him to be ranked below his younger brother. He uses a shield and healing magic to protect his brothers from harm; he can also use light magic... however not very well.
Each fighter is in their position.
"Let's make some noise for these fighters!"
The crowd erupts into a loud cheer
"Then let the fight BEGIN!" the announcer said enthusiastically.
Before Maddox could give an order, Abaddon zoomed right at Dilexia and went in for a crushing blow. However, Dilexia dodged and countered with a swift kick to the rib cage that sent Abaddon back. Dilexia smirks at him. "Speed and strength alone won't win you this battle."
Casimir is walking along the street, thinking of a way to make quick money so he can afford a place to stay while he's still in the city. As Casimir is walking around, he is approached by a tall man.
"Hey" said the man as he walked up.
Casimir just stared at him with confusion.
"So you're not much of a talker, huh? I heard about what happened to you, so I'm guessing you're looking for work; maybe you'll like to work at my restaurant?" said the man with sympathy in his eyes.
"I won't be here for long, and besides, I'm looking for work that involves fighting." SaidCasimir.
"So, you're into fighting, huh?" said the man.
"I don't have time for small talk; do you have a job for me or not?" Casimir replied impatiently.
"You must be in a rush. I don't have a job that involves hurting anyone or anything, but I can recommend bounty hunting; I heard they get paid pretty well depending on experience or capabilities." said the man.
"So how do I get started?"
"There is this lady; her name is Mari; she may come off as scary, but as soon as you work for her and get to know her, you'll realize she's actually a very good person and will only fight as a last resort or if anyone messes with her recruits, but don't let her scary demeanor or her strong aura deter you."
"You can find her in the shopping center during sunsets, but not all the time, as she is a busy person who travels to different cities. Fortunately for you, I heard she'll be there today." Heexplained.
"I'll check it out." Casimir replied.
"Wait, before you leave, you should visit my shop sometime. I am even open at night to help out unfortunate people. Oh, and my name is Kane; what's yours?" asked Kane, putting out his hand as a friendly gesture.
"My name is Casimir." He replied, reluctant to shake Kane's hand but ultimately choosing to do so.
"Well, I wish you the best of luck on your journey and I hope to see you again, Casimir." said Kane with a comforting smile on his face. Casimir just looked, forced a smile out, and walked towards the shopping center.
As Casimir approached the shopping center, he saw a strange woman looking at him. Casimir just ignored her and proceeded to browse around the shopping center, waiting for Mari to arrive.
Some time has passed, and the sun has already started to set. Casimir has gotten really hungry and thought what Kane told him was a lie, but before Casimir could decide to pay a visit to Kane, he saw a luxurious but mysterious wagon approach the center.
"That must be her." Casimir thought to himself.
As the wagon comes to a halt, Casimir slowly approaches it, feeling a bit anxious but also a sign of relief.
"Just show off your skills and get the job." Casimir repeated in his head.
Casimir approached the wagon to knock.
[clears throat]
Casimir jumped into a defensive stance.
"I wouldn't knock if I were you." said the driver. Leaning on the wagon.
"Who are you and how do I get in contact with Miss Mari?" said Casimir confused.
He chuckles. "Drop the 'miss' boy."
"Tch, you don't look older than me" Casimir thought to himself.
Sensing that Casimir is annoyed, the driver points to the sign on the wagon that seems to be able to light up to show some form of business:
"She'll accept visitors in due time; be patient, young man."
Before Casimir could respond, he heard a soft and sweet yet mature voice: "Muzaki, let that boy in." Mari said in a calm tone.
"Again with the boy" Casimir whispered in annoyance.
Muzaki opens the door, letting Casimir in.
As Casimir steps into the wagon, the door is shut and locked behind him. The first thing Casimir noticed was the sweet aroma that reminded him of his mother.
"Come sit." Mari said. Pointing to a seat across from her.
"Are you okay, young man? I feel a great sense of grief, sadness, and anger." said Mari, feeling sympathetic for Casimir. "I'm fine." said Casimir while staring at the ground.
"I understand that you wouldn't want to share something so deep, especially since we just met. I am Mari; what is your name, young man?" Mari asked.
"My name is Casimir, and a guy who owns a restaurant told me to meet you; I would like to become a bounty hunter." Said Casimir, feeling a little bit more comfortable.
"Was his name Kane?" Mari questioned.
Casimir nodded yes.
"If you want to be a bounty hunter, you need to know how to fight. Do you know how to fight Casimir?" asked Mari. Standing up and walking towards Casimir.
"I was taught by my mother how to fight; she was the protector of a kingdom that has long been forgotten." Casimir said. Trying to keep his nerves under control.
"Was it the Wules Kingdom?" asked Mari.
Putting Casimir in shock.
"How do you know that?" asked Casimir.
"I know many things Casimir, but I would have never thought the son of a well-respected person would want to become a bounty hunter." Stated Mari, with interest and astonishment.
"I've been through a lot over the past week or so; I was betrayed by two of the closest people to me; well, at least they were...".
"Losing my mother and having my stuff stolen soon after I arrived in the city has been the worst I've ever felt in my entire life. Bounty hunting is just a way for me to cope and enhance my skills." Casimir stated, trying to keep his emotions under control and not show any weakness.
"But why do you want to become a bounty hunter? Did someone inspire you? Do you have an obsession with fighting or perhaps killing?" Mari questioned.
"Back at my home, I met a bounty hunter when I was 8; he was one of the nicest people I have ever met. He left a big impression on me; he inspired me to become strong to protect the people I love. He was also very young; he still had a whole lot of life left to live."
"However, him being a bounty hunter only means he was there for one thing only, and that is to claim a bounty." Casimir hesitated to continue.
Memories of that tragic day flood through Casimir's mind, engulfing him.
"Mister, are you okay?" said a young Casimir.
Not realizing the situation he is in, Casimir casually walks over to the dying man.
"Get back!" said the dying man, trying to warn him of the danger.
Before young Casimir could understand the danger he was in, he appeared.
"You should've minded your own business, boy."
A mysterious man appeared right beside Casimir and grabbed him by the hair and punched him in the gut, rendering him unable to move.
"Hello? Young man? You're not dead, are you?" said Mari sarcastically.
Casimir finally came back to his senses and noticed Mari very close to his face.
"What happened to personal space?" Casimir thought to himself. He briefly looked to his side after.
"Are you going to continue?" asked Mari. She stood up straight, waiting for him to continue.
"How old was the bounty hunter?" asked Mari.
"He was 19."
Trying to hold back tears, Mari responded. "What was his name?"
"Clantic... His name was Clantic." He responded. It took Mari a minute to respond. Hearing this information has deeply saddened her.
"Did you also know him?" Casimir asked.
After wiping a few tears away, she responded. "He was my brother."
"I'm sorry for your loss," Casimir responded.
"Enough of this. Let's get back to business." Mari said, as if nothing happened. After questioning Casimir a little bit more, Mari got closer and looked Casimir in the eyes.
Casimir stared back, not backing down, to show he had changed and that he was ready for all the challenges ahead. After a few seconds of staring at each other, Mari stood up, smiled, and went back to her seat.
"So, I assume you know how dangerous bounty hunting can be. Are you sure you're up for the challenges?"
"I have nothing to lose," he said, not giving much reaction to her question. Not surprised by this answer, Mari pulls out a orb.
"What's that for?" Casimir asked.
"It is used to measure potential. It's how I determine where to rank my hunters."
Mari gave Casimir a sheet of paper with a list of tiers on it that seemed to rank different types of creatures.
"There are 5 tiers; Tier 5 is the safest tier, with a death rate of 1–2%. This tier consists of average (mid-level) humans, elves, and low-tier species. Tier 4 consists of high-mid-level humans and elves, such as criminals with less experience and stronger beasts that oppose some threatening feats. Tier 4 has a death rate of 3–5%. This tier also includes more dangerous, low-tier creatures that are too strong for someone in Tier 5 to defeat. Tier 3 is where things get a lot more serious; it has a death rate of 17–21%, which is one of the reasons why I hesitate to put people above this tier. Tier 3 consists of overclass-level humans and elves posing serious danger, mid-tier and high mid-tier creatures, and it also consists of low-tier mythical creatures such as blue or yellow wyverns and even low-tier demons. Tier 2 is where the death rate jumps from 17–21% to 41–45%. It consists of high-class-level humans, elves, and high-tier creatures. It also consists of mid-tier wyverns, low-tier and mid-tier dragons, mid-tier demons, and other equivalent species and mythical creatures. Tier 1: This tier has a death rate of 70–83%. It is by far the most dangerous tier, and only the strongest make it here. Tier 1 consists of the most dangerous humans, elves, dwarves, and other equivalent species; it also has the most dangerous wyverns and dragons; it has the strongest demons, even titans, and possibly gods."
"There are countless other creatures; I just named a few, and besides, the list will tell you most of them." She finished.
"Now, place your hand on the orb, and let's see what's hidden inside you." Said Mari, with a cheeky smile on her face.
Casimir placed his hand on the orb, and it turned black.
"Interesting..." Mari said, her voice trailing off.
"Is this a bad thing or what?" Casimir calmly asked.
"It's not a bad thing; at least I assume it isn't. I've just never seen this color before—interesting." She said.
"But I'm sure it is since the color white means no potential, green means bad potential, yellow means good potential, blue means great potential, and red means exceptional potential. So I'm guessing black means unknown potential." Mari explained.
"I don't know if I should be excited or disappointed," said Casimir.
"Well, it's just a guess; it could possibly mean godly potential or even ungodly potential."
"Whatever it means, I am ready to take on any challenges that get in my way. I want to see what my body is capable of." Casimir said with a bit of excitement.
"Then, in that case, I'll be placing you in Tier 4. If you were stronger and had more fighting experience, I would've placed you in Tier 3 or 2."
"It doesn't matter," Casimir said bluntly.
"I see—well, then when I give you your first job, I want you to start in 5 days; until then, I want to see what you know."
A few moments later, Mari gives Casimir his first job. His very first job is to kill the bandit leader who stole his belongings.
"Yeah, that's cool and all, but I am extremely hungry..." Casimir said, his voice trailing off.