Chapter 2

  Hard Work, Love, and A Feeling

  The pair made their way out from the little shack Fay called home and set off down the forested path for their day's work at the guild.

  While Ridley was an A ranked Beast Hunter that all the women wanted to marry and all the men envied, Fay’s job was less revered.

  Fay worked as the guild’s courier. His job entailed making deliveries, helping pay out the Beast Hunters their bounties, but he was mostly relegated to butchering the beast carcasses the Beast Hunters brought in for their magic cores.

  As the two approached the guild, the parties of Beast Hunters were already gathered around the ironclad gates of the labyrinth, strategizing for the day's hunt. After King Daedulu’s original campaign against the beasts, they retreated into the deep labyrinths they build for themselves beneath the ground to survive. Below, the beasts initiate the newly created into their war games through combat and train them for battle with the humans. Most beasts were mindless, and were quickly cast from the deeper levels by the intelligent beasts, their ignorance a mark of their weakness.

  Even among the S ranked Beast Hunter, few had ever ever ventured into the lower levels of a beast labyrinth. Due to this, and its danger level at Catbug, the small labyrinth just outside the farms of East River did not attract the strongest of the Beast Hunters and was largely unexplored. As Fay looked upon the parties restlessly waiting for the gates to open for the day, most of them looked to be C or D ranked Hunters. Many of them had little if any armour at all, and the ones that did had rusty and damaged articles bought off of higher ranked hunters who no longer had use for it.

  “A little lesson for my little courier” Ridley chided as they walked pointing at the labyrinth.

  “What determines a Hunters rank, and a Labyrinth’s difficulty?”

  Fay rolled his eyes, but answered anyway for fear of accidentally occurring the lionape’s full strength once more.

  “All hunters have a piece, and their piece gives them a varying level of physical ability. Beast Hunters are ranked F-S class.

  F ranked Beast Hunters are Beast Hunters that have a piece that is not combat focused and have average human abilities. D and C ranked Beast Hunters are Beast Hunters with combat focused pieces that resemble weapons, and are gifted with physical abilities of that above a human. A and B ranked Beast Hunters not only have a combat focused piece, but are able to utilize the mana in the air to produce magic through their piece, as well as being physically gifted. It is said that B ranks can hold their own against n intelligent beasts, and A ranks can take on more than one. S ranked Beast Hunters can do all of the above, but are strong enough to rival the armies of a nation. In other words, they are blessed with god-like abilities.” Fay said, annoyed that he was forced to give Ridley a lecture on information they both already knew so early in the morning.

  “Very good. Now the labyrinth rankings?” Ridley said in a singsong manner. Annoyed, Fay pick up a smooth rock on the path at his feet and slung it at Ridley.

  “ Like Beast Hunters, Labyrinths also receive a ranking based on the danger and strength of the beasts inside. Catbug labyrinths are the weakest and normally only unintelligent beasts, they are no problem for F-D ranked Beast Hunters. Beartiger labyrinths may have a handful of intelligent beasts, and should only be ventured into by D-C ranks. Lionape labyrinths contain only intelligent beast and should only be ventured into by B-A ranks.

  Lastly, Leviathan labyrinths will have intelligent beasts and mana erosion, only A-S ranks are permitted to dive into them, although they almost never are, and to do so requires approval from the Sun Empress herself.” Fay said, intermittently pausing to continue his rock barrage aimed at Ridley.

  “Ow ow ow. Ok I get it I just wanted to make sure you were taking your studies seriously…SUN ABOVE STOP IT YOU LITTLE SHIT!” Ridley yelled, returning a rock just left of Fay’s head.

  The rock ripped past Fay’s face with enough force that the wind alone made him brace. The tree behind Fay that it connected with was not so lucky. Numbers of small catbugs, with their shimmering wings and little ears and whiskers, fled for safety as the rock sent the thin splinters of what had once been a mighty oak tree in every direction.

  “Well now you’ve gone and done it. That tree was nearly 50 feet tall and it's nothing but a stump now. I’ll be picking wood shavings out of the crack of my ass for a week” Fay grumbled, as he dusted himself off.

  “Should have listened then.” Ridley retorted with a bite of anger on his words.

  Fay looked at where the tree had once stood and felt a twinge of jealousy spring up in his chest. Ridley was an A ranked hunter, and was considered one of the stronger ones among them.

  Fay had never seen his piece, and Ridley didn’t like to show it, but from stories the other Beast Hunter’s told at the guild tavern, it was truly a sight to behold, A rare piece even among Beast Hunters, A great shield of fire. Ridley could also use mana and magic due to his A ranking, but Fay had heard he was so strong no one has ever seen him have to use them.

  Despite all of their antics, the pair reached the guild right on time, and the two parted ways to go to their respective stations of duty. For Fay this meant the slaughter house.

  As he approached the changing room to pull his apron and gloves on, he could already smell the stench from the slaughter room. Because a beast's magic core is essentially its soul, the second it is removed from the body, the carcass begins to rot at a rapid pace, decomposing completely within an hour.

  With a deep breath, Fay pushed open the door to the room and was blinded by the putrid fumes attempting to escape from their incarceration in the small blood covered room. Fay knelt down with his hand over his nose, the grotesque smells burning his nostrils and stabbing at his eyes.

  “For the sake of the radiant Sun close the damned door before you stink up the whole fuckin guild hall” Fay lifted his head and met the gaze of his sailor-mouthed boss, Dorian.

  “Sorry Dorian, no matter how much time I spend in here the first waft is enough to put me down”

  Fay arose from his spot on the floor to his feet and closed the heavy door behind him, the seal suctioning shut to keep the stench contained to the room.

  “You don’t have to tell me, If it wasn't for this worthless damned piece I would have been a hell of a beast hunter” Dorian said as he hacked away at the seven armed beast on the table with his cleaver piece.

  Dorian at one point had been an average D ranked Beast Hunter possessing the strength of two men. After a drunken night with a guild tavern maid however, he needed a steadier income for his new wife and daughter. Here he found himself in the slaughterhouse four years later, hacking away at the dead instead of the living.

  “I think the issue was less with your piece and more with your armor if you know what I mean. Besides, there isn’t anything stopping you from labyrinth diving again” Fay chided as he picked up his knife and set to work carving the smaller beasts hung from the ceiling.

  Dorian slammed his cleaver down with enough force to cut the beast he was carving in two, sending blood and viscera to every corner of the room. Dorian looked at Fay with steam practically coming from his ears.

  “You might be right you little shit, but how the fuck am I going to spoil my little girl and beautiful wife if I’m broke or six feet under?” He said, wiping his blood covered face clean with his massive apron. The garment was more akin to a tablecloth than a garment made for a human.

  Fay loved to tease Dorian, because despite his massive appearance and foul mouth, he was a happy man, and he did not mind his job in the slightest.

  Upon hearing that his supposed to be one night lover was with child, He cried tears of joy and proposed to her on the spot right in the packed tavern, much to the surprise and laughter of the other Beast Hunters. Instead of living for the thrill of the hunt, Dorian now lived for the quiet days he spent with his wife and daughter.

  “You really wear your heart on your sleeve don’t you Dorian” Fay continued to prod, hacking beasts carcasses and pulling their magic cores.

  Dorian let out a guttural laugh as he continued to hack away at the carcasses like a man possessed.

  “How I ever let Ridely convince me to let your button pushing ass in here is beyond me, but I won’t pretend I don’t enjoy the noise. Now hurry the hell up and lets get this done so we can eat”

  They continued their work for some time as the day passed, the sound of metal hacking through flesh and bone being broken up by Fay's occasional prodding.

  “Alright you little shit, I think we have gotten enough done to deserve some lunch” Dorian said as he removed his innard covered gloves and apron and placed them on the table.

  With a flick of his wrist, he spun the giant orange unbloodied clever in his hand and it disappeared.

  Must be nice to be able to do that

  Fay thought as he set to cleaning and sharpening his knives before following Dorian into the changing room.

  Fay stepped into the changing room and inhaled the sweet untainted air into his nostrils with his eyes closed, savoring the clearness of it. When he opened his eyes, Dorian’s massive naked figure laid bare and wounded the poor boy's eyes.

  “Sun above Dorian. Can’t you at least pretend to have some shame” Fay said as he covered his eyes with his hands.

  “Not like I’m trying to impress you or anything, this body is taken. Besides, you think we can go eat stinkin like shit?” Dorian retorted as he turned the magic device in the shower.

  As he turned the device, warm water began to pour from its attachment on the ceiling, and Dorian set about cleaning the grime from his large, scar covered body.

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  Magic Devices. They are the reason that the beast's cores must be extracted and why they were such valuable items. While only the most gifted and strongest of the Beast Hunters could utilize the stagnant mana in the air through their piece to produce magic, scholars are able to harness the already active mana found in the beast's mana cores to make magical instruments that can be used by anyone.

  The cores contine to draw mana from the air even after extraction, so once a device is made, it will always work unless the core it uses is damaged or destroyed.

  Fay had always been fascinated with the idea of creating magic items. Sadly, his mind was almost as useless as his piece, and he had to forgo a formal education for work to keep him and Tima fed.

  “Those are some scars you got there Dorian, is being a Beast Hunter really worth the risk of getting cut up like that” Fay said as he stepped into the shower stall next to Dorian.

  Fay let the warm water run over his head, a welcome contrast to the cool stone under his feet. After a moment of silence, he turned to look at Dorian who seemed lost in thought over his question.

  “Aye it is. I was a different man then, but I can tell you that the the smell of beast blood, the feeling of cleaving through living flesh, the empowerment that comes with dominating a being and removing them from the natural order, it is more intoxicating than the clearest spirits the world has to offer” Dorian muttered as he finished his shower.

  “How eloquently said for a butcher” Fay retorted, taken aback by Dorian’s poetics.

  The pair exited the showers and pulled on their guild garments as they headed for the exit. They exited the room and entered the large guildhall.

  The splendor building looked out of place in East River, its wooden walls carved with ornate and intricate pieces of art. It’s steeped ceiling was plated in all kinds of metals in a mural depicting First King Daedalus' campaign against the beasts. A reminder to the Beast Hunters who enter its halls what the hunt was for.

  As they made their way into the hall, they passed the bounty board and reward desk. Behind the desk, Fay spotted the three receptionists Ran, Aliza, and Alia Whiterock. The three of them were triplets, and had the unusual habit of talking in unison.

  “ Hi Fay” the trio said in unison, much to Fay’s discomfort.

  “In sync as ever I see, how are the three of you doing today?” Fay responded.

  “It's been slow, there hasn’t been a single Beast Hunter come in today” Ran said.

  “It's probably because all the beasts are scared of Ridley, I know I would be if I were them. Won’t you put in a good word for me already. Fay, a woman needs a strong husband” Aliza and Alia said in swooning unison.

  Realizing they were again in sync, the sisters turned and began arguing who would be the one to marry Ridley. Completely forgotten, Fay chuckled as he shook his head and waved goodbye to Ran.

  He turned to follow Dorian, who was making like a mad-man for the tavern located at the back of the guild hall.

  “Corinaaaaaaaa” Dorian yelled, busting through the wooden saloon doors of the tavern.

  He blew through them with such force they nearly came off from their hinges affixing them to the frame, and they continued to swing back and forth as Fay pushed his way through into the tavern.

  “Sun above, different day, same routine” Fay sighed.

  When Fay entered the Tavern, Dorian already had his wife Corina lifted from her feet in a bear hug, spinning her around with the grace of a ballerina.

  “Dorian dear I’m glad you fancy me so, but this mustn’t become a daily routine. Let me go, I can barely breathe.” Corina said through fits of giggles.

  Fay had always thought Dorain’s luck was too good to be true. Dorian, with his uneducated mind, foul mouth, tree trunk sized appendages, and permanent scowl engraved into his face, most wouldn’t imagine him as anything but a Beast Hunter. Corina was the opposite. Her long brown hair, matching garment eyes, and ladylike manner of speech made her seem like a princess from a story book. Anyone would be shocked to learn that she worked as a drink fetching tavern maid.

  Truth be told , she only found herself here because her family had abandoned her after a harsh winter in a nearby town. After she grew too old to stay at the orphanage, she had no choice but to find a job to feed herself.

  “Dadddddddddddyyyyyyyyyyyyy!”

  Dorian had turned just too late to brace himself for the child size missile that connected with his lower half, and he fell like a toppling tree. When he made contact with the floor after what felt like minutes in the air, his large body made enough of an impact to make the silverware and cups on every table jump.

  “Sun above Sammy you nearly killed your old man, what have I told you about doing that” Dorian said from the floor with the small child, a mess of brown hair, sitting on his chest.

  Picking up the child from his chest and spinning to his feet in a motion too fluid for a man his size, he looked around the tavern for a place to sit. After the family was settled, Corina set to bringing out lunch.

  “Fay won’t you accompany us?” Corina called as she brought the last of the bowls out from behind the tavern bar.

  “If you're the one inviting Corina, how could I say no?” Fay responded as he slid a chair from the table.

  As he went to take his seat, Dorain kicked the chair out from under him and his tailbone hit the solid stone of the floor, sending a jolt of pain up his spine.

  “Now what the hell was that for?” Fay said, rubbing his lower back as he picked himself up.

  “Just reminding you not to get all flirty with my wife, and don't swear in front of my little girl” Dorian said, inhaling the meat soup from the bowl Corina had given everyone.

  “Rich coming from you, guess you really are a Bon-A-Fied family man after all. Is that tough guy persona just an act?” Fay said, half joking, half still mad from his stinging ass.

  “That's right, you’ll understand when you get what I have.” Dorain chucked, spooning the soup onto his mouth.

  “Mommy and Daddy loved each other too much the first time they met, and that's why I'm here!” Sammy said from Dorian’s lap as she was picking apart a piece of bread.

  Dorian nearly choked on his soup upon hearing the girl's words, and Corina turned a shade of red so deep she looked like a human tomato.

  “Now where did you hear something like that?” Dorian said with a smile alongside a vein visible on his forehead.

  “Some of the Beast Hunter uncles that daddy and mommy’s are friends with told me that.” the girl responded, confusion painted on her face as to why her dad was angry.

  Corina, sensing what was about to take place, laughed and took the girl from Dorian.

  “It's time to play the quiet game!” Corina said as she covered the girl's ears.

  Dorian was already up from his seat making for the doorway.

  “Those sons of bitches, I’ll shove my foot so far up their fuckin…..”

  Dorian continued his explicit tirade that would make even the saltiest of sailors cringe, as he blew through the doors of the tavern, once again nearly taking them off the hinges.

  After confirming Dorian was out of earshot, Corina’s uncupped the girl's ears as she played with Corina’s hair.

  “I pray he does not befall harm upon anyone.” Corina laughed.

  “Even with the circumstances” Fay said looking down at Sammy, who was paying their conversation no mind,

  “I can’t believe you agreed to marry that Beartiger in human clothes".

  “That’s exactly the reason I decided to marry him. Everyone sees and hears his antics, and while I do agree they are a bit much, not many get to see his poetic side, the side of him that people don't think exist.You should have heard his proposal Fay, it was enough to put all the poets in the Sol Empire to shame.” Corina mused, a gleam in her eyes as she gingerly ran her fingers through her daughter's hair.

  “One day you will get what I mean. What it really means to love someone.”

  Their conversation was short lived.

  The Whiterock trio ran into the room. Something had happened in the labyrinth. The Beast Hunters were trapped inside. They had fallen though to a low floor, and their survival was unconfirmed.

  Fay’s blood turned to ice, the hair on his body standing at attention.

  “Where is Dorian?” Corina squeaked, her face sickly and pale. She tightened her grip on the little girl in her lap.

  “I’m sorry….we couldn’t stop him.” Ran sheepishly said.

  Sammy began to cry, sensing something was wrong.

  “Mommy…. Is daddy going to be ok?”

  Fay was irate with himself. With his useless piece. His own inadequacies. There was nothing he could do.

  If no one had come back, then that means Ridley was with them. Ridley was strong. Why hadn’t they come back yet? Fay thought, his mind filled with self-explanations and questions.

  This is just like when dad died.

  Why hasn't anyone come back yet?

  Why can’t I do anything?

  Why am I so useless?

  These thoughts screamed over one another in Fay’s mind, his own inner thoughts incomprehensible to him. Maybe it was the pressure of the circumstances, but Fay felt the weight of the chains on his wrists he often encountered in his dreams pulling on him to stay sedentary.

  Sammy was a mess of tears, and Corina was not much better, trying her best to console the wailing child.

  Fay was sick. Why was he weak? Why couldn’t he do anything? Why was he cursed by the natural order, by the sun, by God?

  Sammy’s screams grew louder. The three Whiterock siblings attempted to help console Sammy as Corina quietly cried into Aliza and Alias arms.

  “By the natural order, I bet you they will be fine. Your daddy is a strong man, and Ridley is the strongest” Ran said to the crying girl as he hugged her.

  “By natural order, may the sun be with them.” Corina and the two Whiterock sisters silently prayed with their eyes closed and their hands in a ring at their hearts.

  The natural order. The natural order. The natural order. The natural order. The natural order.

  Fay was so sick of hearing about the natural order. It had cursed him. Made him weak. It was taunting him now, laughing at him.

  His father had lost his life because he was weak. Ridley and now Dorian might lose their lives too, and he could do nothing but watch.

  Fuck the natural order Fay thought.

  Fay did not think himself brave, but seeing the crying family of a man he respected, a man who charged into death unwavering, Fay felt his soul on fire. It screamed to be let out.

  “Don't worry you two, I’ll go get them”

  Fay did not know where the words came from. He did not mean to speak to them. It was as if he was a man possessed by the inferno in his heart.

  Corina grabbed his leg as he turned to leave.

  “Fay you can’t, your piece won’t be able to help you! If something happened to you, Dorian would never be able to live with himself!” Corina cried as she held onto the boy for dear life.

  Again the words arose from his chest.

  “Corina, I will save him. I will save all of them, you just watch. I don’t take you for a gambling woman, but bet on me.”

  Fay pulled his leg from Corina’s grasp, and made his way to the door.

  “Blease helb my babby” Sammy yelled through her tears.

  “Your wish is my command little lady. We’ll all be back before you know it. You better make something good for dinner tonight Corina, I bet everyone will be hungry after this whole ordeal.”

  Fay slammed open the doors to the tavern and exited. The creak of the swinging doors and the cries of the family of the man he had just promised to save were the only sounds that remained in the little tavern.

  Fay still felt the weight on his wrist pulling at him. Perhaps because of the burning in his chest, they felt lighter. Fay dismissed it as nothing more than a trick of the mind from fear.

  What the actual hell is the matter with me?

  Fay thought to himself as he made his way to the entrance of the labyrinth.

  If I can’t save them, I better die, because there is no way I can face everyone otherwise.

  Fay stood at the entrance of the labyrinth, the black jagged iron gates more like an enemy stronghold meant to keep him out, rather than to keep the monsters in.

  Sun above, what am I doing? I am really going to die if I go in.

  The fire that had carried Fay this far was starting to wane. He was scared. He was shaking. He could not take the final step in. He was a coward.

  To hell with this.

  Fay commanded his leg to move, and it obeyed. As he stepped through the mouth and into the labyrinth, the burning in his soul was swallowed by the darkness of the labyrinth.

  Hope I didn't write a check my ass can’t cash.