I set my rifle down next to the fire, feeling the warmth radiate against my cold skin as I took a moment to look around at the people gathered here.

First, my gaze landed on a woman with short blonde hair, her armor gleaming even in the dim light. 

A sword hung at her side, the blade engraved with the words 

"May the dead find peace." 

She radiated the essence of offense, a warrior ready to charge into battle without hesitation.

Next, I noticed a man with short dark hair standing beside a tall figure with long dark hair.

 The shorter man held a staff next to him, clearly the guide of this group, and they appeared to be deep in conversation. 

The one with the map spread out on a table gestured animatedly, pointing to various locations while the other listened intently, absorbing the information. He had to be the guide.

Finally, my eyes fell on a massive figure in the back. 

He was abnormally large, easily standing at least 6 feet 8 inches, with a massive shield strapped to his back. 

His presence screamed defense, a protector who could absorb the blows meant for others.

 I recognized the roles each member played.

offense, defense, mage, guide, and strategist.

[That means this guy Nicholas is the strategist…]

I took a deep breath and bowed slightly. 

“I’m Yvette Auclair.”

Nicolas stepped forward, his expression measured. 

“Nicolas Forton.” 

he said, before gesturing toward the others. 

[Huh what a fancy name…]

“And here’s the rest of the team.”

He nodded toward the woman with the sword, who was in the middle of taking a drink from a canteen. 

“Élise. She’s our swordswoman—offense.”

Élise glanced at me, giving a small nod as she wiped her mouth and recorked the canteen. 

Nicolas then motioned toward two men off to the side, deep in conversation. 

“Gabriel, our mage,” 

he said, indicating the quieter of the two, 

“and Alban, our guide.”

Gabriel glanced up briefly, his eyes flicking to me before he turned back to Alban, who was discussing something with him.

“And that’s Cédric.” 

Nicolas continued, pointing to a sturdy figure nearby with a shield strapped to his arm. 

“He’s defense.”

Cédric nodded in my direction.

Nicolas glanced at the group, then at me. 

“Anyone hungry?”

Before I could stop myself, I practically blurted out, 

“Yes, please.” 

The thought of food made my stomach growl, and I could feel my mouth watering.

The man I had been traveling with shrugged. 

“Sure.”

Nicolas smiled faintly at our responses. 

“I’ll get something ready.”

As he moved to prepare the meal, I glanced around for a place to sit, my gaze landing on the fire where the remains of the velkhorn’s body still lay nearby. 

The warmth of the flames was inviting in the cold air.

I made my way over and took a seat beside the fire. 

The heat soothed the lingering chill in my bones, and I exhaled slowly, grateful for the momentary comfort as we waited for the food.

I sat there in silence for a moment, the crackling of the fire filling the space between us.

I glanced at him, his face illuminated by the flickering flames. 

“I never got your name.” 

I said softly, breaking the quiet.

He looked at me for a moment, his expression unreadable, then replied in a low, even voice, 

“Ryu Akakage.”

I blinked, processing the unexpected name. 

[Wow, and here I thought Nicolas was going for the 'most dramatic name' award.]

After a pause, I asked, 

“Why are you heading to Valenor?”

He didn’t hesitate to respond back. 

“I was commissioned to take down a Velkhorn and bring its hide back.”

 “The one I was tracking roamed off and crossed paths with you. Figured I’d kill it before it killed you.”

I stared at him, torn between gratitude and indignation. 

"Well, aren't you just my hero in shining... whatever the hell that coat is made of…"

He glanced at me then, his eyes still unreadable.

“And you? What’s your reason?”

I hesitated, unsure if my answer would even compare to hunting a Velkhorn. 

“I’m heading to Valenor for emberstone.” 

I finally said. 

“We ran out a few hours ago, and it’s been freezing out here on the outskirts. I need to get some from one of my father’s friends.”

His gaze lingered, but I pressed on, the cold biting at my skin. 

“We’ve been struggling with emberstone since the shortage a few years back. It’s been… difficult.”

Just then, Nicholas approached, carrying a wooden plate piled high with Furrot meat and some fresh berries. 

He passed us each a plate before going back inside the tent.

Elise wandered over, plopping down next to me. 

“Hey, do you want a drink?”

I nodded, grateful for the distraction. 

“Sure.” 

I took a swig from my canteen, but as the liquid burned its way down my throat, I coughed it up. 

“Damn, that’s strong…”

Elise burst into laughter.

“Yeah, no one here can handle their liquor! You’ll get used to it... eventually.”

“Why is the syndicate all the way out here in the outskirts?” 

I asked, curious.

“There have been a lot of people going missing from their homes out here. It’s rumored to be a rank 3 beast, so we’re investigating it.”

“Rank 3?”

I furrowed my brow, unsure. 

“I’ve never heard of this ranking system.”

Elise took a breath. 

“It’s a system the syndicate set up years ago to classify the types of beasts we might encounter. They’re ranked by speed, strength, size, and how dangerous they are to the public.”

“Rank 5 is the least dangerous, while rank 1 is the most lethal.”

 she explained. 

“So, rank 3 means it’s a significant threat.”

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. 

“So it’s a real danger out here?”

“Exactly.”

[I hope Aime and Ives are safe at home…]

“That’s… terrifying.” 

I quickly finished my plate, the Furrot meat and berries disappearing in record time, fueled by both hunger and nerves. 

Ryu, having already finished his meal, set his empty plate beside him, a quiet presence at my side.

Elise leaned in, her eyes flickering to the rifle slung across my back. 

“What’s that you have?”

I hesitated, then replied. 

“It’s a gift my father got from a friend a long time ago. He wasn’t a good shot with it, and neither was my brother, so they left the hunting up to me with it.”

Elise raised an eyebrow, impressed. 

“You must be quite the shot then.”

I shrugged, trying to downplay it, but a hint of pride crept in.

 “I’ve had my moments.”

Just then, Nicholas called out, “Hey, everyone! You might want to take a look at this!”

Curiosity piqued, we all stood and followed him out of the tent. 

As we stepped into the cool air, the atmosphere shifted.

 To the left side of the camp, we saw the treeline disappearing, the trees toppling over one another as if something enormous was pushing through.

Suddenly, a deafening roar erupted from the depths of the forest, sending a shiver down my spine. 

The sound was primal and raw, echoing through the air and igniting a surge of adrenaline in my veins.

“What the hell was that?” 

I whispered, my heart racing.

Cédric, who had been silent until now, spoke up, his voice steady but low. 

“That roar... it’s a Kaldrith…”

Nivosa’s Notes
—
Kaldrith (pronounced: Kal-drithe)

Rank: 3 Beast

Description: Unknown.

Origin: Unknown.

Class: Apex Predator