Prologue: The Hunt

I toss a Loud Beetle towards the monster luring it towards the pit. The beetle’s noise blares all throughout this lonely forest. My heart raced as the monster jumped out of its hiding spot. I hurried as I jumped out of the bushes, racing hastily towards the pit. The monster squashed the beetle. I shuddered at the sight of its juice—green in color spread in all directions. I overcame the disgust and charge towards the monster.

With the dagger in my hand, I sprint faster but stop midway. The monster picked up my scent right away. He knows that I am within his territory. He knows that I was the one who sent the beetle. He knows that I was sent here to kill him. He roars a deafening roar that echoed all throughout the forest-- a roar louder than that of the Loud Beetle I threw. I shudder at the sound. Flocks of birds flew up in the sky. Black ravens squawked in the pale moonlight.

The monster, furious as ever, charged towards me. Shivering, I sprint for an escape. I attempted to evade it but not too much because of course—I was sent here to kill it, not enrage it and escape it.

I sprint across yards of bushes and trees. I circle around careful not to be caught by the monster and not to be escaped by the monster. I race towards the top of a tree. My heart pounded as I hoped that the monster would not know that I climbed up the tree. Silently, I waited and silently the monster hisses just behind. The rustling of the bushes became more audible. I felt a chill running down my spine. He was close.

I took a deep breath and focused on the sounds. The clouds blocked the pale moonlight—the only possible source of light right now. It was impossible to see anything at the heart of the forest. He was close. The bushes rustled slower but louder. He was careful. He knows I’m closer now and he is aware that one wrong move could be an advantage on my side. I closed my eyes and focused on the rustling.

His steps emerged out of the bushes. For the first time, I can see his shadow. He is about twenty feet tall. He is dark and is protected by skin hard like the crocodile’s. This is challenging. Stabbing him directly will not cause much damage because his scales are directed downward. He is just below the tree I am on. The clouds start disappearing and allowing a peek of moonlight. The monster starts moving forward. He gets past the tree. I hold my breath just for a bit and lunge at full force aiming for its head. Slipping, I only make it to his neck. Swiftly, I stab whatever exposed neck I can to hurt it and not fall.

The monster roars in pain and tosses its head in circles. I held on tightly and used the scales to my advantage. It is nearly impossible to attack him because of the speed he is getting. He loses his stamina and I instantly prepare myself. I clutch into his scales with my left hand. I get a hold of my dagger with my right hand. Swiftly, I swing back and forth and throw myself to the frontal torso. I stab his exposed chest with my dagger because it is the most vulnerable part possible. He has no scales in his front—exactly like an evolved croc. The creature screams with pain. I tear my way down dragging the dagger and slashing his chest as well. Blood oozes and escapes his body.

He cries even louder. He throws me to the bushes. I scream as I hit my head on the rock. A gush of blood trickled down my head. My vision blurs and I fight myself to get up despite the pain telling me otherwise.

The monster starts charging towards me. I scramble on my feet. I head for the nearest tree I can climb on. I managed to reach the top of the tree. The monster pounds endlessly on the tree. I cling to the branch as tightly as I can. I shut my eyes.

The branches start breaking and I know that I have to move this instant or this will be the death of me. I hang on tightly on the branch with my left hand, clench my teeth, and aim my dagger with my right hand. Holding my breath, I launch myself aiming for the head or the neck, wherever my luck will bring me.

To my delight, I landed on his fresh wound. The fresh wound I slashed earlier will be the death of him. Stabbing my dagger, aiming for it I don’t miss and the monster cries out in pain. I don’t hear anything from the most painful cry I hear as I slash my dagger with remarkable speed, slicing through his neck. Slowly the monster weakens and slumps down like a bag of junk.

I shuddered at the sight of blood oozing out of its lifeless body. It is what it is. I killed it, and my mission is complete.