Mark of the First Hunt
In a world where monsters are not myths but consequences, hunters are trained—not born—and few survive long enough to be remembered.
When the Hunter Registry opens its doors for the first time in years, four strangers answer the call, each for reasons they barely admit to themselves. Kael Thorn, a quiet tracker from the frontier, seeks control over a life ruled by chance. Elyra Vane studies forbidden spirit magic, knowing each spell costs her something she may never recover. Borin Stonefall carries the strength of the earth itself—and its pain. Nyx Ashara moves through shadow, desperate to choose her own fate before it disappears.
Together, they enter the brutal world of hunter training: weapon mastery under scarred veterans, moral trials with no right answers, and lessons written in blood. Their early hunts are small—wolves twisted by magic, beasts preying on forgotten villages—but even minor contracts demand sacrifice. Survival is never guaranteed, and victory rarely feels clean.
As bonds form through hardship, Kael begins to experience something no hunter should: a mark that reacts to certain creatures, burning with recognition rather than fear. Older hunters notice. Some grow uneasy. Others grow afraid.
Because the mark is not a blessing.
It is a legacy.
And long ago, a hunt like this failed—leaving behind a world still paying the price.
Slow-burn, atmospheric, and grounded in consequence, The Mark of the First Hunt is a dark fantasy tale about earning power, the cost of survival, and the moment when becoming a hunter means realizing the world is far older—and far more dangerous—than you were ever prepared for.
