After a short journey, they reached the city limits, heading towards the closest point indicated by Baitu. It was mid-afternoon, and they couldn't afford to waste much time, or it would soon be too dark to wander through the forest. The northern limit was somewhat different from the point where they entered Silvi. There was a long clearing, intersected by a narrow stream, separating the forest from the city. They followed a paved road after a small bridge, discussing and strategizing on how to defeat their first enemy: a furious serpent. This Creature was agile and could spit venom from a distance. Orkan would be responsible for attacking, while Aestus would stay on the defensive, drawing the opponent's attention.

A sign indicating different directions served as the reference point for them to change course and enter the forest. Soon, they heard the typical hissing sound of the Creature, materializing their weapons and preparing for battle. Aestus positioned his sword in front of his body like a shield, holding the hilt upwards with the blade diagonally downwards. Orkan distanced himself, silently maneuvering to flank the opponent. Noticing a subtle movement to his left, the Knight adjusted his position, being attacked by the serpent but repelling it without any harm.

The serpent was green, with a body as thick as a young tree and a head larger than that of a cow. When it opened its mouth, two huge fangs could be seen jutting forward, dripping purple venom. Its body had several large spikes concentrated on the upper part, gathering near its tail, resembling the end of a mace.

Quick as the wind, Orkan lunged towards the Creature with his daggers in front, striking its lower portion. The serpent spat a large amount of venom in his direction, but missed grossly. Aestus noticed the opening and also launched an attack, landing a quick but weak blow near the serpent's head. Orkan also attacked almost simultaneously, striking his blow on the opposite side of Aestus' sword, severing the Creature's head, which then disintegrated, releasing its crystals.

The battle was extremely easy, leaving Aestus satisfied and Orkan disappointed. They had different conceptions of how hunts should be, but they worked very well as a team. After collecting the loot and checking the map, they headed towards the next hunt. They had to climb a relatively large hill, but it was supposedly an easy ascent, according to Baitu. Their target now was a giant zombie vulture. It seemed scary and dangerous by its name, but since it was an undead Creature, they just needed to use the technique taught by Spes, and it would be a quick battle.

The journey to the top of the hill was indeed easier than expected, but there were many random Creatures along the way. None of the battles were particularly difficult, but the Hunters sustained a few injuries that had to be treated with some of the potions they carried. As they approached the marked point on the map, Orkan immediately caught a familiar smell, similar to that of the necrobear. The stench was strong, impossible to forget.

The two young Hunters approached silently, finding their opponent limping around. It emitted a loud, mournful caw. It was truly a terrifying sight. Even with its wings folded, the Creature was wider than both hunters combined. Its black feathers hung from its carcass in an unnatural manner. Its massive and broken beak resembled an irregular jaw. Its legs had enormous black claws, each the size of a forearm. It would have been a formidable opponent for the two novices if it weren't easily defeated by the liquid contained in the vials they carried.

Orkan and Aestus whispered as they discussed how many potions they should use. The Rogue wanted to throw all the vials for safety, while the Knight believed it would be better to save some for the return journey. They couldn't know if they would encounter powerful opponents on the way back. Eventually, they decided to keep four potions and throw the rest. They approached, preparing for the attack.

The vials were thrown with force, shattering upon impact and spilling their contents onto the vulture. The Creature let out a deep and loud sound before dissolving, in a rather anticlimactic spectacle. It was like pouring a bucket of water over a handful of sugar. Even Aestus expected some kind of resistance, perhaps having to engage in combat. Orkan swiftly collected all the crystals left behind, showing little emotion. They decided to sit nearby, eat something, and enjoy the view.

"Today was pretty easy, huh?" Orkan asked, sitting on a flat rock.

"Yeah, indeed. We did encounter some relatively strong Creatures along the way, but the hunt targets themselves were quite easy," Aestus replied, sitting cross-legged on the ground with his arms resting behind him, gazing up at the sky. His skin was illuminated and glowing in the light of the sunset. "I think we could take on even stronger ones if we had a Light Mage with us, you know? No need to worry about conserving potions, attacking with such caution."

Orkan looked at his friend, who avoided eye contact. Although he thought it would be a hassle to deal with Spes every day, his assistance would indeed be helpful and welcome. Moreover, he felt that the Lagomorph's presence was natural, as if it was something they needed to continue. Orkan couldn't explain his aversion to the Mage while simultaneously feeling a desire, even a necessity, to have him in the team. As he tried to make sense of this inconsistency, he felt something warm in his chest.

Orkan reached into his garments and retrieved a necklace he had been wearing since childhood, one he had stolen from his mother. It was a simple black leather cord with a small green crystal. The crystal was dull, lifeless, without any useful energy, but it was beautiful. His mother had never missed it or asked about the necklace. But even if she did ask, he would deny knowing anything about it. It was his first theft, done even before he discovered his Class. He used it as a hidden trophy, kept secret from everyone. Only Aestus had seen the necklace before, but he had never bothered to inquire about its origin precisely because it was such an inconspicuous crystal.

The Rogue stood up, tucking away his necklace, and agreed with Aestus, who displayed a restrained smile. Orkan fixed his hair, tousled by the constant wind, and stretched, gazing northward. He could see the distant frozen mountains, their peaks covered in snow. The sun was setting, casting a sideways glow on the vast plain that separated the Silvi Forest from the mountains. However, something caught Orkan's attention. Beyond the vegetation and small villages in the distance he could see a group moving south, in the direction of the hill where they were situated. He called Aestus's name, trying to decipher what he was seeing.

The Knight stood up, alarmed by his friend's tone of voice. He, too, became perplexed as he witnessed a small army continuously advancing. It seemed to be a group of different Creatures heading in the same direction, as if it were a migratory movement of destruction. He had never seen or heard of anything like it. The Creatures did not attack each other; that much was well-known and proven through experiments. However, an organized horde was not something taught in school. Orkan nudged Aestus's arm, pointing ahead of the group of Creatures and saying:

"Is that a person there?!"

That was a rhetorical question. It was clearly a person walking at the forefront of all the Creatures, as if leading a highly diverse herd. The person looked in the direction of the two hunters, sending a chill down Orkan's spine. Aestus felt the same, gripping his friend's arm and saying:

"We need to go back to Silvi! I think they're heading there!"

Orkan didn't need to say anything, sensing the urgency of the situation. They grabbed their belongings and immediately set off in a hurry. If only they had a communicator, everything would be easier, but it was a recently released and expensive piece of equipment. Not many people had it. The message would have to be delivered in person. The two youths sprinted down the hill, reaching the base in no time. The rest of the journey was spent running without pause, dodging any Creature they encountered along the way.

They reached the city with the sun almost set, the path illuminated by energized fire crystals on lampposts. The city was much quieter with less activity. Most of its residents were already at home, having returned from work. There was no time to appreciate the beauty of Silvi at night, resembling an enchanted forest with scattered light displays, creating a beautiful and magical ambiance. The transport trunks were still operational but with very few passengers. The boys hopped onto one in motion, heading towards the city center.

They took the opportunity to sit down and catch their breath. Orkan was sweating profusely, dripping onto the floor. He felt the sweat trickling down his torso beneath his shirt. Aestus wasn't much different, sitting with his eyes closed and his elbows resting on his knees. They had decided to go straight to the city hall to deliver the message to someone in charge. The transport trunk didn't even come to a full stop before the two jumped off, running towards the grand tree.

At the center of the trunk was the main entrance, devoid of any guards or protection. Silvi was a peaceful city with no history of attacks on its authorities. Aestus barged through the doors with his shoulders, bursting into a large hall, followed by Orkan. They stopped, looking around and panting. It was a beautiful and spacious hall, with a grand reception area to the right and a coat check to the left. In the center of the hall stood an immense sculpture of five individuals holding a large globe in the middle. Each person represented a Kairos race, as if they all lived in harmony, caring for the planet. The artwork was beautiful, but far from reality.

The floor of the hall was clean and shining, made of polished light-colored stone. It was a simple material but appeared refined due to meticulous care. The ceiling was domed, with a significant part formed by the trunk of the massive tree. Near the sculpture, farther ahead, a group of people was gathered. Fortunately, the mayor was among them, engaged in conversation with Baruc. Spotting the authority figure, the two young men ran towards her. As they approached, they were interrupted by city guards and Baruc's staff, who materialized their weapons and aimed them at the youths. Orkan and Aestus froze in place, raising their hands, while the guards shouted orders in an indistinguishable cacophony.