"And that's how this here powerful monster got born." The old man concluded. The child, little older than five years, frowned. "Grandpa, that don't mean none."
The old man smiled a toothless smile and winked at the quiet man standing by the doorframe. "See how them youth 's all smart-mouthed an all. Well, I tell you what," he moved to place some more hot water into the soaking dishes. "This here cerepin princess been even more beautiful than the sun gone down at night."
"But" he concluded as a mater-of-fact "she'd be mighty powerful too. Oh Lord, she was. Protectin her baby, fresh 'n still smellin like birth, this girl gone and wrapped it up. Put it in the river, floatin around in a basket." He pointed to the child with a wooden spoon. "She'd been protectin her child from her big daddy. Used magic 'n her own life to halt them cerepin warriors from findin her baby."
At this the child turned to the stoic figure at the door. "I think my granddaddy's makin it all up. You ever seen any one of them monsters, mister?"
Cobalt eyes glanced through thick strands of dark brown hair. "Some"
"Woah, yah mean they're real!" The child was excited. "If you'd ever find one of them monsters, you's gonna bring 'em here?"
At this the man pushed himself off of the doorframe and moved as though he was leaving. He paused and turned his head to the side to allow the boy and his grandfather to see his profile. "If I ever find this monster, I will kill her."
He ignored the gasp emitted from the child and walked towards the main corridor. As head of a special force of soldiers, Heero Yuy recently received news that gave him one more reason to hate these magical creatures.
One of his best warriors, Quatre Reberba Winner, had disappeared without a trace. The soldier had been sent on a simple errant to guide one of the palace advisors to the neighboring city. With each voyage, a monster hunter is sent along with the regular security in the event that there was an attack by magical creatures. No one had expected an attack with this trip. Undoubtedly, Quatre was not prepared to deal with the forces that had advanced him on his journey.
Now, their remained only two monster hunters to protect the Sank kingdom. Being a monster hunter was not something that one could choose to become. Only via a special calling could such a warrior be selected. The training was geared to battle magic and demonic powers. Therefore, it was a great loss when such a soldier was killed. But more than a soldier, Quatre had been Heero's best friend.
He swore on his own life that he would avenge his friend's death and slay this monster. He hated monsters. After his parent's were both killed by their kind, he had received the calling to become a monster hunter. Gifted with supernatural reflexes and the inhuman ability to manipulate his weapons, Heero soon became known as the ultimate hunter.
Later that night, Heero had begun packing to begin the desperate search for the remains of his friend. He strapped the rope around his bag tighter as he assessed that he had gotten all he would need for his trip. He paused as he felt the familiar aura of the third hunter behind him. "I still don't think you should do this by yourself, Yuy." The Chinese warrior concluded, "If this monster brought Winner down, you cannot expect to take him on your own."
The stoic man straightened his posture but did not turn around to face his friend. "I think Winner underestimated the monster. He always does. I don't have his empathetic abilities to cloud my mind. I will slay this monster alone. You are needed here to protect the royal prince and his sister."
That said, the hunter grabbed his bag and opened the window of his room. He paused and turned to finally face the other man standing by the door. "I leave quietly. Do not tell anyone I have left until morning." That said, he jumped out without hesitation. The Chinese man snorted and smiled to himself. "Always the perfect soldier." He moved to the window and glanced down at the forest that was quite a distance below from where he stood. "May the gods be with you, my friend."
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