The forest hunt had taken nearly two days. When they finally emerged from the treeline, the Eternal Wanderers looked less like hunters and more like survivors pulled from a battlefield. Their armor was dull with soot and blood, weapons chipped and heat-scarred.
The sun had already begun to sink behind the western ridges, painting the grasslands in amber light as they walked toward Korvan Village. The air was quiet, only the sound of boots dragging through the dirt and the faint creak of leather straps breaking the stillness.
Kael was in front, shoulders heavy, bowgun hanging loosely across his back. Behind him walked Seren, her lance and shield tucked close, her pace steady despite the limp that had formed during the fight. Alder followed next, one hand resting on his great sword, his other pressed against his side where bruises had started to darken beneath the armor. Hunnt brought up the rear, silent as always, the faint shimmer of black on his gauntlets dulled by ash.
When they reached the edge of Korvan, a few villagers working near the well looked up. Recognition crossed their faces — followed by something deeper, quieter. Relief.
No celebration followed. No cheers. Just quiet nods and murmured words of thanks as the hunters passed.
At the far end of the main path, Maerin, the village chief, waited for them with her arms crossed. Her face, lined by years of battle and worry, softened slightly when she saw them.
"Back in one piece," she said, though her tone carried a cautious edge. "The smoke cleared in the west. I'll take it that means the threat's gone?"
Kael stopped before her and gave a small nod. "Ravina Seraph won't trouble anyone again."
Maerin's gaze flicked to their weapons, then back to their faces. "And the nest?"
"We left it," Hunnt said simply. "Two eggs. Unbroken. Not worth killing what might still balance the land."
For a long moment, Maerin said nothing. Then she nodded once. "That's the right choice."
Alder leaned against a post, exhaling deeply. "Right choice or not, that thing nearly cooked me alive."
Seren chuckled faintly. "You were the one who ran straight into her flames."
"Had to keep her still somehow," Alder said.
Kael smirked. "You're lucky she didn't eat you instead."
Hunnt unstrapped his gauntlets and set them on a nearby crate, sitting down with a weary grunt. "Save the arguments for after we report."
Maerin motioned for them to follow. "Come. You can rest in the longhouse while we handle the formalities."
---
The longhouse was dim, lit by a few lanterns that swayed gently from the ceiling. The air smelled of parchment, smoke, and oil. On the table at the center was a worn map of the surrounding territories. Maerin unrolled it, pressing her palm flat against the parchment.
"Show me," she said.
Kael stepped forward and circled a point on the southern fields with charcoal. "She nested here. We tracked her flight pattern before dawn and found signs of territory marking — burnt soil, carcasses, and claw marks along the riverbank."
Maerin's eyes narrowed. "So close to the farms?"
"Too close," Hunnt replied. "If we'd waited another week, she'd have claimed the outer field completely. Her flames spread faster than we expected."
Alder crossed his arms. "Her hide was tougher than Ignivar's too. Fire resistance or not, every strike felt like hitting stone."
Seren added quietly, "But her patterns were predictable. She guarded her left flank too much. Kael used that to land the shots that slowed her down."
Kael shrugged. "Luck and timing. We finished it because she tired first."
Maerin's expression softened slightly. "Luck or not, you brought her down. The farms will be safe for now. The Guild won't care who did it — only that it's done."
Hunnt leaned back in his chair, his tone flat. "Then they don't need names. Just the result."
Kael met Maerin's eyes. "Keep the report clean. Say four hunters cleared the field, no specifics. The Guild doesn't need to know about Eternal matters."
Maerin studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Understood."
She looked to Seren. "And you? How's your armor holding up?"
Seren flexed her arm slightly, wincing. "Bent, but still usable. My shield took most of the hits."
"Good," Maerin said. "Keep it that way. You'll need it for the next one."
---
That night, the four sat near the forge, their armor piled beside them in rough stacks. The steady hum of the bellows filled the silence. No one spoke for a while. They simply watched the sparks rise into the dark.
Alder was the first to break it. "Two monsters down. The village safe again. Think we'll ever get used to this?"
Kael tilted his head, watching the flames flicker. "No. And maybe that's for the best."
Seren leaned forward, arms resting on her knees. "We fight, we bleed, then we rest. It's not glory. It's survival."
Hunnt didn't look up. He was polishing his gauntlets, quiet and deliberate. "Survival is what keeps people alive. Not the Guild, not ranks — just those willing to stand between monsters and the innocent."
Kael smirked faintly. "That almost sounded like a motto."
Hunnt glanced up, eyes reflecting the forge light. "It is."
Silence followed again, heavier this time — but not empty.
Outside, the night wind blew softly over Korvan, carrying the scent of burned scales and rain-soaked earth. The village slept, unaware of how close destruction had been.
Tomorrow, there would be another hunt. Another threat. Another mission they'd face together.
For now, the Eternal Wanderers rested beneath the dim glow of the forge — quiet, battered, but unbroken.
Hunnt looked into the dying embers and whispered,
"One monster less. A world still worth saving."