In the beginning, before humans built cities or Monari roamed the wildlands of New Altera, the world was shaped by gods.At the center of creation stood Eternum, the Overgod—the first light, the first spark of life. From him came two daughters:Solara, the goddess of the sun, whose radiance brought warmth, fire, and the divine gifts carried by those known simply as the Blessed. Her blessings manifested as abilities such as fire conjuring, magnetism, healing, gravity manipulation, and many other rare powers fueled by her. And Lunara, the goddess of the moon, whose silver glow governed tides, beastly instincts, and the deeper mysteries of nature. Her presence sharpened senses and stirred ancient blood. Opposite Eternum's creation was Unam, the god of destruction—relentless, consuming, inevitable. From him came Naamu, the god of death, silent keeper of balance and the natural passing of living souls.Their divine influences shaped New Altera into a land of beauty, danger, and power.To survive the Monari that ruled the wild, humans created a different path to strength:the path of the Blood Hunter.By undergoing a dangerous transfusion of Monari blood, a human could gain traits, abilities, and instincts beyond mortal limits. Their compatibility determined how much they could handle:
Low-tier percentage (1–25%): minor boosts; often volatile
Mid-tier percentage (26–65%): enhanced bodies, senses, and stable bestial traits
High-tier percentage (66–99%): rare, powerful, capable of rivalling low-star Monari
Between the Blessed, the Blood Hunters, and the untamed creatures shaped by Lunara's moonlight, New Altera became a realm where survival demanded vigilance.It was in one of its most dangerous regions—Beastland Forest—that the Fangs walked that night.Beastland Forest breathed differently than other places.Its silence wasn't emptiness—it was awareness. The trees didn't simply stand; they listened. The shadows didn't merely stretch; they leaned forward. Even seasoned hunters felt watched under the dense canopy.The Fangs moved through it with practiced caution.Sonny walked first, torch in hand, flame flickering across his rugged features. The firelight reflected faint embers beneath his skin—Solara's blessing responding quietly. Sparks danced across his fingertips whenever his grip tightened, but he kept the fire under strict control.Behind him, Lisa stepped lightly, her metal-shard whip coiled at her hip. Small flecks of buried metal tugged subtly toward her as she passed, pulled by her magnetism blessing. Little tremors of force vibrated along her palms—gentle, controlled, familiar.The twins followed in the back:Vince, infused with the blood of a Gold Spine Spider Monkey Monari, carried spring-loaded energy in every step. His mid-tier compatibility made his movements snappy, agile, and unpredictable. His awareness flicked constantly, taking in scents, sounds, and shifting shadows.Vice, infused with Stone Serpent blood, moved slower but more deliberately. His senses could feel vibrations through the soil, detecting density changes and subtle ground tremors. His low-mid compatibility made him patient, grounded, and analytical.Together, they made a formidable unit."Forest feels heavier tonight," Vince muttered."That's because you packed your bag with dried meat," Vice replied."It's protein.""It's too much protein.""You don't even know how much I packed."Lisa smirked. "He knows you, Vince."Sonny didn't look back. "Keep it down. Beastland hears everything.""It always does," Lisa murmured.Something unseen shifted in the distance—quiet but intentional.Still, they pressed deeper.Their mission was supposed to be routine: retrieve saber-jackal parts from a carcass reported by a traveler. Simple coin. Nothing unusual.But Beastland rarely stayed simple.The first sign of trouble came as a smell.Thick. Metallic. Wrong.Lisa raised a hand. "Stop."Vince sniffed the air. "Blood."Vice frowned. "A lot of it."Sonny lifted his torch higher. "Weapons ready."They stepped into a clearing—and froze.Dozens of saber-jackal corpses lay scattered across the dirt. Their white fur was soaked in deep crimson. But none of the wounds were ragged or torn.They were cut.Cleanly.Precisely.Almost surgically.Lisa crouched beside a body. "These aren't claw marks."Vince swallowed. "Then what—"Vice knelt beside her. "Blades? Tools?""Not blades," Lisa said. "These cuts are too fast. Too clean."Sonny scanned the corpses. "This wasn't a hunt. It was execution."Vice pointed toward a trail of blood leading deeper into the forest. "It continued that way."They followed.The deeper they walked, the heavier the silence grew. Even the insects refused to stir.Rune-marked stones appeared underfoot—ancient wards carved by unknown hands.The blood trail led directly to a cave nestled beneath tangled roots.Half-faded sigils lined the entrance, cracked violently outward.Vice touched one gently. "These weren't aged. Something forced its way out."Lisa's expression tightened. "Something with strength. And intent."Sonny stepped forward. "We're checking inside."Vince groaned. "Of course we are."Vice smirked. "Feel free to wait outside.""Hell no!"They entered.Inside, the air turned cold enough to sting their lungs. Their breaths fogged before their faces. Ancient carvings spiraled across the stone walls—symbols older than recorded human history.Lisa's magnetism flickered subtly, pulling at embedded metal flecks in the cave walls.Vice felt tremors beneath the stone—movements from old, dormant energy.Vince muttered, "I hate old places.""No one asked," Vice replied.But even he stiffened when the tunnel opened into a chamber of glowing green dust—Jade Glow, shimmering like drifting embers.At the center:a stone cradle covered in moss.Iridescent eggshell fragments lay scattered around it—scale-like, jade-colored.Something inside the cradle moved beneath a scale-woven blanket.Sonny approached slowly.Lisa whispered, "Careful."He lifted the corner of the blanket.A baby stared up at him.Silver-blue eyes—calm, unblinking, unnervingly aware.Dark curls.Small hands.Silent.Still.The baby reached out and gripped Sonny's thumb with surprising strength.Lisa inhaled sharply. "That blanket… those scales. They're Monari-crafted."Vice nodded slowly. "And not from any common species."Vince took a step back. "So… is the baby…?""No," Lisa said. "He looks human.""Mostly," Vice murmured.Sonny's voice was quiet, but firm. "We're not leaving him."Lisa stared. "Sonny—""Something put him here," Sonny said. "Or hid him here. If it comes back, I'm not letting it find him alone."Vice sighed. "We're bringing a baby out of a cursed cave sealed by ancient wards."Vince raised his hand. "If he grows claws tonight, I blame you."Sonny gently lifted the baby, who nestled silently into his chest.They turned to leave.Outside, the forest wasn't the same.The air froze.The wind stopped mid-breath.Moonlight dimmed.Shadows thickened unnaturally.Lisa's voice lowered. "Something is watching us."Vice felt vibrations through the ground. "Something big."Vince swallowed hard. "Something angry?"Sonny didn't turn around."I know," he said softly.Something shifted through the trees behind them—slow, silent, massive.Not stalking.Not chasing.Just watching.They continued walking.The presence followed at a distance, never close enough to see—only close enough to feel.When they finally crossed the last line of rune-marked trees, the oppressive weight vanished.Vince let out a shaky breath. "Finally."Vice rubbed the back of his neck. "That wasn't a normal beast."Lisa glanced at Sonny. "It was focused on him."Sonny looked down at the baby, who stared back quietly."We're taking him home," Sonny said.Lisa raised an eyebrow. "The Inn?""The Inn," he confirmed."And after that?" Vince asked.Sonny adjusted the baby in his arms. "We raise him."Lisa didn't argue.Vince didn't either.Vice sighed, resigned.The baby curled deeper into Sonny's chest.And the Fangs walked out of Beastland Forest carrying a silent, wide-eyed infant wrapped in jade scales—never knowing how much their lives had already changed.