2200 B.C
Inside a rudimentary hut, the screams of a woman could be heard while several people, mostly dressed in old and worn animal skins, watched from outside the hut. The screams grew louder until they abruptly stopped, and then the cries of a younger person were heard, as life came into the world, the price to pay came in the same measure.
19 years later
When I open my eyes, I hear my father's voice calling me.
- Kael, it's time to go hunting, the people of the village won't wait.(Kael's Father)
I get up and approach a wooden basin of water to wash my face and maybe help wake up, and as I look into the water, I see the reflection of the boy who killed his mother at birth, shoulder-length hair, dirty white turning to gray, blue eyes, and a lean, fair face, something unusual in the constitution of the villagers.
People say that im a cursed child, and that because of me my mother died, that I should have been abandoned in the wilderness so that the natural course could have taken its way, yet my father never saw me as something that brings bad luck, and over time the village forgot and I was accepted, even though I still feel people's inquisitive stares.
-I'm going, Dad. (Kael)
I grab the rudimentary bow and follow my father out the door; the light is still faint, a sign that the day is yet to begin.
We arrived where people gather, and I see people arround my age and even some children. The older ones usually don't live many years, whether because of unknown diseases, animal attacks, or attacks by bandits, so we learn from an early age to be self-sufficient.
My father can be considered one of the oldest in the village, already with 34 winters to his name. Old John, being the oldest at 41 winters, is the most skilled and also the chief of the village.
-Finally, they've arrived. (Says the village chief while focusing his gaze on Kael's white hair)
-It's time for us to leave before the day fully shows itself on the horizon. (Village Chief)
We headed to the forest, leaving behind the comfort and the little light the village offers while the sun was still hiding.
As we made our way to the hunting area, the sun's rays began to reach us and the shadows of the trees grew, showing that quite some time had passed since we left the village.
We finally reached our destination and began setting up camp, while the village chief talks to the elders about the hunting plan. Groups are made so that we can cover more ground and hunt more efficiently, and I was clearly placed in my father's group. As we head into the forest, we follow the small river; it's normal for animals to come close to drink water, making it more likely to find food for the village while the other groups go in opposite directions.
Quite some time has passed and the sun is high in the sky, yet we haven't found any prey. The place is very quiet, something clearly strange for such a fertile area, but we continue forward until we spot a wild boar emerging in the bushes. My father gently touches my arm without making a sound, indicating that the prey is mine. The others seem to disagree, looking at me with disapproving eyes, but my father ignores them as he encourages me with his gaze.
I lift the bow slightly, trying to make as little noise as possible, and aim at the boar. My arm shakes as I draw the bow, but my father holds my arm to help stabilize it, and then I release. The arrow hits the boar, which starts to run. The whole group gets up and chases the prey. As soon as we catch up, the boar stops and prepares to attack. The group subtly and calmly surrounds it so as not to pressure the beast, and then one of them thrusts a spear into the boar's blind spot. It was a male boar, my father happily hands me the stone knife, and I make a small cut under the testicles and pull them out.
The hunt is over and the sun is already setting on the opposite horizon, so we headed back to the camp to see how the other groups fared.
When we reached the camp, the village chief's group was already there, with a bear that was already being skinned.
My father approaches the village chief.
-It seems like it was a fruitful day, I still admire your skill, I wish I were there to see the beast fall. (Kael's father)
-It was a team effort, and Elias got injured. I also see that your day was good, that's a good amount of meat for us to take back. (Village Chief)
-The little Kael who killed, I'm very proud, who knows, he might become the best hunter in the future ahahahah. (Kael's father)
The sun has set and the third group still hasn't arrived; due to the lack of light, they must have camped nearby. Everyone starts to gather around the fireplace while two people keep watch because of wild animals and unexpected visitors.
Late night
I hear a small noise and open my eyes, smell a pungent smell in the air and start to get up when my father puts his hand on me and makes the gesture of silence.
I look around and see some people on alert when I hear some footsteps, a figure starts to approach, a man, with white skin and red eyes. I look straight up and get lost in the beauty I never thought a human would ever have when the figure disappears and then 2 heads of the closest people are torn off.
Everyone gets up and grabs whatever is in their hand in panic, myself included, when something grabs me and pulls me, I feel something bite my neck as I am violently thrown against a tree, I see my father running towards me and then I lose consciousness.
Some time later
Finally I open my eyes and i feel a pain all over my body as if I had covered it in lava. My father who is nearby catches up with concern when I with blood-red eyes get up and grab him sharply, ripping off an arm in the process I put my fangs on my father's body until the body stops fighting, my reason comes back and I look at my hands soaked in blood and my father's body on the ground in a pool of blood, I look at the blood and in it I see the reflection of a cursed man.