1 The Hunt Begins

Growing up with the bow by your side meant that you were familiar with it.

For Venator, being familiar with a bow meant that you were good with it.

Venator practically grew up with a bow in his hand, and he'd bet that his first word was 'bow' as well.

...

"Let the hunt begin."

The words resounded throughout a room housing 4 young men and an elder, each of them having distinct features.

Venator, standing on left, smiled.

It was time for his favorite activity; hunting. He wondered what animals would be his prey today, hopefully a-

His thoughts were interrupted by a groan.

"Is there even any point doing this competition? We all know that Venator would win in the end."

The words came out of the mouth of a teenager standing opposite to Venator, his red hair swaying along with the light breeze that entered the room.

"He's got a point. I'd much rather tend to my garden rather than participating in a competition I know I wouldn't win."

Another voice echoed, this time streaming from the couch.

On that couch, a man who looked to be in his early twenties, sporting a bored look, while fiddling with his chosen equipment - a cross bow. His raven-black hair was as sharp as spikes, yet as long as a horse's mane.

"I understand your lack of enthusiasm," an aged voice sounded out at the middle of the room, "but, it is tradition."

The man who said those words had hair that was greying, identifying his old age, yet his muscular frame said the opposite of that.

The wrinkles on his face were pronounced as he spoke his next words, "For this hunt, the prey will be the beast that our ancestors had failed to slay throughout centuries; the Snake of Mercury. I trust you all know what it looks like."

Everyone in the room knew the beast's appearance.

The teenager who was the topic of discussion in the room spoke out after his minutes of silent, speaking with carefully selected words.

"Pardon my crude language, but are you out of your mind, father?"

"I am perfectly sane right now, Venator."

"Then why? Our ancestors have failed to hunt this beast and became its meal. Why should we head to our deaths?", a voice butted into the father and son duo's conversation, his youthful, frightened voice echoed across the room.

"It is tradition, Erobus."

The same 3 words were repeated, no matter what was asked of the eldest in the room.

"This is madness! You are insane!"

The red haired teenager voiced his objections, and stood up to leave the room, along with his black haired brother.

"Quintus, Dacetha, the moment you leave this room without agreeing to the hunt, you are banished from the family."

That stopped them in their tracks, but it was only for a moment.

"I'd rather take my chances in the wild rather than ride to my death like this. Goodbye, fath- Lerintha."

After voicing his opinion, the red haired teenager left the room, followed by his sibling.

The 5 men became 3.

Erobus, the youngest sibling in the family of formerly 5, had a frightened look on his face as he turned to his older sibling for comfort.

"Venator, what do we do?"

Even the greatest in the family of hunter was speechless.

"I... I don't know..."

It was the first time that Venator was hesitating to hunt a 'prey'. After all, no one would willingly hunt something that could very easily kill them.

"Venator, Erobus. Whoever completes the hunt, I will have a reward for you. A reward from our ancestor."

That grabbed both of the teenagers' attention, specifically Erobus.

"What are the rewards?", Venator asked his father.

"The bow passed down from our ancestor, Sova, and... something that you'll recognize when you see it."

At the mention of the bow, Erobus and Venator both had greedy glints in their eyes, but it faded just as quickly as it came.

It was understandable because after all, Sova was a, no, THE legend among hunters.

And Venator's family was descended from him, an honor that others would kill to receive.

Perhaps that was why Venator and his siblings were so attuned to hunting, even if they disliked it.

"I'll join the hunt." Erobus voiced out to his father before leaving to prepare.

Lerintha turned to Venator.

"As will I." Venator confirmed his participation as he left the room, the wind blowing his blond ponytail into the air.

...

Venator moved his hair out of his face as he leaned forward to clean his bow.

It was a simple wooden bow with little to no decorations, except for the few added in by Venator's late mother, the matriarch of the Sova family.

The decorations were, in contrast to the bow, as fancy and elegant as it could get when you were in the middle of nowhere.

There were red and green vines streaking along the limbs of the bow. On the riser, there were a few leaves patterned, giving the impression that the bow was made somewhere in the forest.

Venator wiped down his bow and tested it to make sure it functioned at maximum capacity, before moving to sharpen his arrows and prepare his gears.

As he sharpened the arrow, he noted down the reasons behind his ancestors' failures.

1. The arrowheads were not sharp enough.

2. The traps failed to capture the beast.

3. They were surprised about its ability to, despite its humongous size, move throughout the forest undetected.

4...5...6...7....8...9....

"I give up."

Despite how calmly the word came out, Venator's face told a different story.

'There must be... at least 80 factors behind their failures...'

This hunt was doomed before it even began.

"Erobus, Venator, come meet me in the living room in 5 minutes."

Grunts of confirmation sounded out from Venator and Erobus' rooms.

...

5 minutes flew by in a flash.

Venator and Erobus stepped out of their rooms, heading to the living room together.

"Brother... this may very well be the last time I see you."

"I know. Are you afraid?"

"I am. Sometimes, I feel like I want to run away, just like Quintus and Dacetha."

Venator stopped at that statement, and Erobus did too.

Venator turned to Erobus and looked him in the eye, placing his hands on Erobus' shoulders, and reassuring him. "Do not fret. If anyone dies first, it would most likely be Father, then I, and finally, you will be last."

Erobus gave a weak smile, "That's not very reassuring, brother."

The smile was returned, "I'm aware, but that is the best I can give you."

Then, they entered the living room, where their father was waiting.

Lerintha took a deep breath before speaking, "Are you two ready?"

The question was met with both confident and timid nods.

"Then, let the hunt begin."