In the transparent forest, daylight filtered through the crystalline parts of the trees, but missing the color blue. A bright, golden light bathed the forest, the trees, and all the creatures within.
Among those creatures was a large one with slightly long, slender legs, grayish-green fur, a not-too-long neck, antlers resembling tangled branches, and four blue eyes. It was peacefully grazing on the shrubs. Then...
Ssssslaaaash!
A long arrow with a head of obsidian with lapis lazuli veins pierced the creature's neck. It struggled briefly, even managing to run a short distance, but its slender legs soon gave out. It collapsed to the ground, convulsing violently before finally falling still. Lapis-colored blood seeped from beneath it, staining the damp, green forest floor.
[Fragments Obtained]
"He finally went down..."
Whoosh!
A figure emerged from the shrubs, his hair a stark mix of white and black tied back. He carried an ornate longbow and wore light clothing of leather and fur, with two daggers hanging at his waist his quiver of arrows hung from his waist at the back.
"Damn it... this disgusting feeling again... It grows deeper and heavier with every fragment I collect..."
Craaack!
The sound of snapping branches... Soli's attention snapped towards it. In less than a second, he drew an arrow from the quiver strapped to his lower back, nocked it, and aimed his bow in the direction of the noise, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
Whooosh!
Finally, the source of the sound emerged slowly, hands raised high in surrender.
"Ah... So it's the cold hunter..."
Soli lowered his bow and returned the arrow to his quiver. The fierce light in his eyes faded, replaced once more by a look of weariness. He crouched down next to his kill, examining it.
"My archery has improved... There's a big difference from just a few months ago."
The hunter approached Soli, gave his shoulder a pat, and crouched beside him. He looked at the arrow buried deep in the thick neck of the dead creature, a satisfied smile on his face. Perhaps he wanted to say something, but the language barrier prevented it. So, he simply smiled and chuckled quietly for him.
The hunter was incredibly proud of him. After all, he was the one responsible for teaching Soli the ways and techniques of the hunt. He'd taken a liking to him when he first saw him trying to hunt that lizard alone.
Soli finally pulled his arrow from the creature's neck, wiped it clean, and returned it to his quiver. He drew one of the daggers from his belt, cut a generous portion of meat, and hung it on a nearby tree branch.
"Now, to let it dry a bit before I roast it... In the meantime, let's check our progress..."
Shards of black glass materialized out of thin air, coalescing into the familiar dark screen.
[Core: 227/500]
"Hardly any progress these past months... but... one shard is better than none. I never thought other creatures would grant me shards... Does the distribution have to do with the food chain...?"
A grave, weary look settled on his face. He leaned back, resting against the trunk of the tree behind him.
"And if that's true... if it really works that way... just how many shards could I get from the Night Folks...?"
The hunter interrupted Soli's thoughts by tossing him a parcel of meat wrapped in leaves. Soli turned to find the man smiling at him, not saying a word.
Soli looked back, his expression unchanged.
"Maybe I'll leave that thought for when its time comes."
He took the meat, unwrapped it, and took a large bite. His features turned calm and gloomy
"It's good...salting the meat and letting it dry for a long time before roasting gave it such a distinct flavor. If a method like this existed on Earth, it would have been famous."
After finishing his meal, and while waiting for his hanging piece of meat to cure, Soli skinned the carcass and gutted it, removing the entrails and organs without batting an eye. Meanwhile, the hunter started a fire.
Once Soli was done, he bundled everything up and placed it by a nearby tree. He then took his slab of meat and began roasting it over the fire.
"They have many traditions and customs... A trainee must eat a piece of meat from his kill before the rest of the tribe does."
After finishing their roast and resting briefly, the two gathered their quarry and began the journey back to the tribe's camp. Both had made good hunts, and now it was time for rest and for the main meal.
Hunters and their apprentices were different from the guards and other trades within the tribe. They set out at the crack of dawn without breakfast, taking only parcels of salted, dried meat wrapped in leaves with them, and went straight to the hunt.
The hunters would return to their tents for a bit of rest, their work done for the day. That's when the women, responsible for cleaning and preparing the meat, would take over. The tribal elders would then come to divide the meat among the tents. As for the young apprentices, they would head off to their other duties—some, like Soli, were guards, while others were responsible for wood, water, and other trades.
Soli entered his tent and changed into his guard's attire, weighted with scales and reinforced with hard plates.
He stepped out, walking through the camp among the tents. He passed by a group of young men who were excitedly admiring new hunting gear and ornately decorated weapons.
"The hunting trial is approaching... I've gathered a fair number of shards... but it won't be enough to face those creatures head-on..."
As Soli walked between the tents, he passed the boulder carved with the image of the four-horned, small-winged creature.
"The elders and some tribespeople sometimes gather around this stone, but not consistently... That's strange. Shouldn't a person be consistent in what they worship?"
Soli continued on his path between the tents, where he observed a sight that no longer surprised him. He saw it all the time.
"There he is, sitting alone, watching the other boys his age..."
gray was sitting on a tree stump, observing the other boys his age playing and running around.
"This is better for him... What good would staying with the others do him? Nothing but pain."
Soli headed towards gray. But before he could reach him, gray looked up and spotted him approaching. His expression instantly shifted from gloom and sullenness to joy and happiness.
He opened his mouth in a wide grin and ran towards Soli for a hug, but Soli intercepted him, placing a hand in front of him. gray stopped, looking at the hand blocking his path, then raised his gaze to Soli. He gave a slight smile, his eyebrows lowered slightly, and they continued on their way together.
The two of them walked alone towards the edge of the camp to begin Soli's guard duty shift.