Before another protest could be uttered, the ground shook with a violent tremor, all the advisors in their stuffy robes falling flat to the ground while most the Hunters remained standing only due to years of training. There was a heavy moment of silence as most looked around confused, Alois’s gaze landing on Yulian briefly before several things happened at once.

The men furthest on the outskirts began calling out in alarm, before they were sent flying through the air as a tremendous roar rocked through the field of warriors. A hulking form smashed forward, ramming several unfortunate men and women to the ground as it rampaged to the center of the gathering. Shouts could be heard barely beneath the beast’s roars as the Hunters scrambled to gather their weapons only to be swept away. The creature had a giant body that arched up with a curved spine that tilted towards the ground, powerful limbs thick with muscle that far surpassed any natural creature, each one pulsing as it moved forward. Large lethal tusk curved from it’s upper jaw and pointed skyward, stained in fresh blood as it’s head shook side to side, sweeping the Humans as if they weren’t even there. Several wounds already littered the creature’s body, and the boiling blood sizzled on the ground behind it, mixed with the more water like blood of the Humans it had surely slaughtered.

The golden eyes that could be seen among the shaggy fur were crazed, but seemed fixed on the King who stood tall, meeting the beast’s gaze with his own steady one.

Without uttering a word, Engel and Nai shot forward to take positions in front of the cowering advisors, while Alois and Alexander were immediately in front of Yulian, weapons drawn. Several other men jumped up, joining the squad in forming a defensive barrier around the higher ranked nobles. Their bodies thrummed with tension, but each held their positions as the enormous Icchorian drew closer. The sound was almost unbearable, drowning out the frantic cries of the nobles who were pushing themselves back on the ground to put some distance between them and the beast.

Alois and Alexander exchanged a glance, and suddenly moved forward, flanking the creature with their weapons of choice drawn. Wordlessly their attacks were synchronized, slashing at the front legs of the beast, cutting into the soft tissue and dodging out of the way as the bloodied tusks swerved at them. As they spun back, two other Hunters surged towards it, heavy oversized mallets made of stone being hefted up as they brought them thundering down on each tusk, hearing the thick bone crunch, but not break. Enraged, the beast roared, slamming them back with sickening thuds as they landed several yards away. The gathered Hunters let their alarm show then, cracking through the training as the beast continued to surge onward towards its intended goal. It was crazed, out of it’s mind and even more dangerous than the average Icchorian with no sense of self preservation. Even as his men began to lose their calm, Yulian stood defiantly still, looking down on the charging beast.

The tense atmosphere was broken as a sharp cry rang out over the roars, a blur of blue and white shooting up over the creatures back. Alois scrambled up the rigid spine, using the broken weapons that jutted out as leverage to scale the massive body.

“Protect the King!” His voice was firm and commanding, and spurred the men into action. Nai and Alexander were already on the move, having maneuvered a heavy coil of twined rope that was so thick it took several of the Hunters to quickly move it in place and hold it taunt in front of the stampeding creature. It took no notice of their actions, not even of Alois scaling it’s body as he made his way to crouch between it’s hefty shoulder blades. On each end of the coil several of the Hunters braced themselves, grimly waiting for the force of the beast to crash into the trap.

Alois was tense as the seconds passed, grip firm as he braced for impact. With a thunderous cry it’s legs crashed into the coil, causing it to stumble and break its momentum. It’s eyes rolled with it’s confusion, making the ground shake once more as it slid forward. During its fall, Alois jumped forward, twin daggers made of the sharpest metal in the ranks held high above his head before he slammed them down at the base of the skull, causing a piercing screech to leave the beast. The force of its collision with the ground made it rebound into the blades, and with Alois pressing down they sank deeper until they were firmly planted. As the creature continued to slide forward across the ground towards the seemingly unconcerned King, Alois stood. He held a hand up to catch the thick spear that Alexander tossed up to him and with a graceful jump landed in front of the thick snout between the two fractured tusks, moving with steady steps to stay in front of the beast. Once far enough ahead of it, he pivoted around, holding the spear out straight in front of his body and lowering himself down to take the impact. With a surprisingly quiet sound the spear sank deeply in between the two now bulging eyes and Alois dug his feet in as the other Hunters pulled the coil that was now tangled in it’s legs tight to slow it down. The beast’s blood shot out with force briefly, landing on the ground and poised Hunter, who didn’t even flinch as he maintained his grip on the weapon that remained wedged into the hulking mass. The armor he wore took the brunt of the blood’s burning force, and not even the drop that landed on his cheek and searing his skin made him drop his concentration. The blood flow slowed, spurting as the creature took it’s last stuttering breaths, then sagged down, its weight bringing it to the ground heavily, the force shaking the advisors back to the ground where they had been trying to stand. Alois panted as he held the spear steady, not moving as the blood boiled on the ground around him, and the other Hunters stood up from where they had been thrown with the force of holding the coil steady. Murmurs passed through them, relief evident as they came to surround the carcass that now billowed smoke.

Yulian’s expression changed slightly to one that was pleased, stepping forward and resting his gloved hands on the very tips of the tusks to balance himself as he leaned forward to peer at the now dead beast over Alois’s shoulder. He tilted his head, mouth parted in a slight smile as the blood soon stopped flowing and smoke rose up from where the grass was burned through, and the pieces of Alois’s own armor where there were now holes to mark the spots it had landed on him. When he spoke, it was in a low whisper so that only Alois could hear him.

“Well done. As expected of my best Hunter. I am very pleased Alois.” He brought up one hand to gently caress the younger boy’s face, thumb swiping away the blood that rested on his cheek. The King straightened, his smile melting away to his normal mask of indifference. He addressed the gathered men. “That was well done. A bit slow in response, but drills will take care of that. Attend to the wounded, and get this thing out of here. And Alois, you are still expected at the Capitol for your confinement. I have not forgotten.”

With that Yulian turned away, quickly leaving the stunned gathering behind, his advisors shakily following him after regaining their balance. The young Captain could only stare as his hands fell from the spear, the sinking feeling that had become so common with Yulian returning full force. Alexander exchanged glances with the rest of the squad who had come to stand before the beast, and closed in on Alois once Yulian had departed.

“Alois…..” He could think of nothing to say. If Alois openly disobeyed Yulian and did not go to the capitol, he would become a deserter of the Hunters and would become hunted himself. He would have to chose between captivity or a banishment that would end in his own death.

Their captain was silent for a long time, eyes trained before him on the Icchorian. The sight drug up faded memories of his childhood. Brief flashes of a thundering roar and stiff bloodied carcass flitted just on the corner of his mind. Finally he straightened, turning to look at Alexander, a smile not quite reaching his eyes on his lips. “Congratulations. You will make a fine commander Alex.” He turned to Engel. “And you will support him of course. I would imagine that you will take a promotion as well.”

Alois trailed off, voice failing him. Nai spoke up. “You will not do well with your wings clipped Captain.”

“If I don’t go, he may punish you to get to me. I cannot allow that. I… I can write to you.”

Muto watched silently, head tilted to the side as if following the conversation. He had stayed back during the commotion, only laughing at the advisors but not doing anything to stop the attack. Now though, he seemed rather serious, eyes trained on Alois.

“We can handle ourselves Alois. We’re strong, and if we are that far away from the capitol, there isn’t much he will be able to do to us.”

Alois shook his head. “I can’t risk it. I will go. I’m sure in time...I might come to even enjoy my life there.” The squad members frowned, knowing he was lying to himself.

Alexander was always the calm and levelled headed one, but now he seemed agitated as he watch Alois’s shoulders slump in defeat. “You’re lying to yourself and you know it. How can talent such as yours-” He swept his arm at the carcass. “Be allowed to go to waste in the safest place in this world? You want more than that Alois. You are destined for more than that!” Alexander had been the one to know Alois the longest out of the squad. They had met during Alois’s first sparring practice many years ago, when he was still considered a child. Seeing how Alexander was from a prominent family, he had been in the same classes as Alois, and even became a sort of mentor to the boy after watching him swing his practice sword around wildly. After his initial laughter at the sight had settled, he had approached the King’s protege and offered to be his sparring partner, and thus the two had a close and fierce friendship ever since.

Alois flinched at his words, absently picking at a piece of stray leather that stuck out from his glove as Alexander spoke. He kept his gaze averted from his friends for a moment before slowly looking up to timidly meet Alexander’s.

Before anything else could be shared between them, two armed soldiers that were decked in the uniform of the Capitol approached them, causing a frown to seem to permanently etch itself onto Alois’s face.

“I don’t need an escort.” He snapped. One of the soldiers shrugged slightly, familiar with Alois.

“I’m sorry Captain. Orders from His Majesty.” This was met with a growl as Alois turned once more to his former squad.

“Take care of each other up there. I’ll see if I can visit. Write to me as soon as you arrive and are settled, ok?”

Alexander nodded although the frown remained on his features, clasping their hands together once more. “And you take care of yourself. Don’t let him break you.” He murmured so the guards couldn’t hear. “We will always stand by you. You have allies in us. The day you are stuck in the capitol is the day I retire, and that won’t be anytime soon.”

Alois nodded, ruby gaze roaming over each of his squad once more before turning to the two waiting men. “Let’s get this over with.” He pushed past the guards, not looking back to see if they followed as he made his way to the stable where the horses were kept. Not a word passed between the three as they rode hard, wanting to be at the capitol before the sun fully set. Even inside of Leben Festung’s territory there was always the smallest of fears of what lay in the dark. Although in recent years Icchorian activity seemed to have all but disappeared in this territory, many of the soldiers had served time in areas that were not so lucky. There was a disturbing trend in Icchorians that would appear to have no clan or allegiance- rouges that proved to be more violent than their ‘civilized’ counterparts. Ones similar to the monster that just attacked them in their own training field. It was disturbing one got so close, and he knew that patrols would be sent out to determine where it came from. There were none similar to Elder Mukesh had every made an appearance since that night, not since word about Yulian’s slaying of him had spread well beyond the walls of the wondrous capitol city.

As the city walls came into view, Alois let his mind consider the Icchorian activity and the new assignment of his men. The area they were being assigned to wasn’t known for violent activity, but it was largely unexplored and as such the manpower assigned there had been on the lower end. This could be a sign that Yulian had plans to expand soon.

His thoughts were interrupted when he found himself dismounting in the stables near the city center. With a sigh he passed his horse off, unsure when he would even get to see her again. He was led without much help to the underground portion at the back of the large building that served as the Headquarters of Hunters within Leben Festung. It was down here that a cell-like room could be found that Alois had become all too familiar with. It was lightly furnished, a simple desk and bed were against the back wall and a small rectangle window sat high up near the ceiling. Two candles were held in place on the wall, providing a bit of light in the fading sun. He could see the change of clothing he had left from his last stay still folded neatly on the chair at the desk and he couldn’t help but smile a bit at that. It did seem he was the only one who ever needed ‘solitary confinement’ within the fortress. Neither Christofer or Itri had even been sent here, both more than willing to listen to every word from their King.

The two soldiers left him alone, shutting and locking the door with brief words about dinner in an hour. Alois flopped back against the bed, sighing heavily as his gaze found the little bit of sky he could see through the window. It briefly crossed his mind that he should find a way to land himself in solitary permanently. Yulian seemed to think it a befitting punishment for him, and as long as the Ruler never found out that Alois enjoyed the time alone, he’d be set.