Gemini

Time to go hunting

How to sum up this year of intense training, bruising and physical and mental deprivation in a few words?

Suffering.

There is no other way to say it.

But hey, at least we achieved our goal.

Or rather, that was what Nate and I believed.

Of course Sebas saw it differently.

Very differently.

«Well» our dear Hermit exclaimed one day. «Now we can start serious training».

Nate and I looked at each other full-eyed, stunned by what we had just heard.

For him, what we had done was not serious training?

I was honestly beginning to fear for our safety.

«Um Sebas» I began to say. «What do you mean "starting serious training"? What we did wasn't serious? To me it already seems like a lot if we survived that!».

Sebas burst out laughing, shaking his head: «No, child, what you have been doing all this year has only been foreplay to real training. From now on we will see what you are really made of» he said as he approached a locker.

«What's in there?» asked Nate evidently intrigued.

«Here's what you will use from now on during training» replied Sebas, tossing us some real swords he had just pulled out.

«Do these also have a name and a backstory?» asked Nate jokingly. «Well, duh. They're called Grow up and Get Busy» he replied testily, taking the provocation in stride. «Ah, interesting» Nate commented, observing his Grow up. 

"If you're done mocking me take them and follow me. We have a long walk ahead of us."

«Where are we going?» I asked, following him out the front door. «Into the woods» he replied briefly.

«Today we are going hunting» he added, looking at me with a devilish smile.

-

We walked for a good hour, getting deeper into the woods than Nate and I had done in our previous explorations. After a while, slightly impatient, I asked the question neither of us had yet dared to ask.

«Exactly what is it that we should be hunting?»

Sebas seemed to ignore me and I was more determined than ever to pull out all my stubbornness if he didn't answer.

After a few minutes, when I was about to ask the question again, I received my answer.

«Those guys» Sebas suddenly said, pointing with his finger at something in a bush about a hundred meters from where we were standing. 

I was seriously tempted to point out that there was nothing where he was pointing, but I waited. After a few moments I saw a green head peeping out of the bush. It was a terrifying sight. Two yellowish horns stood out on its forehead, while two very long fangs sprouted from its mouth, still dripping with blood, probably from the prey that was currently hidden behind the bush. Out of nowhere came others, two, five, ten, many more than I could count on two hands.

«What are those?» asked Nate and I almost simultaneously, smiling at the curious coincidence.

«Those, my children, are ogres. They are rather stupid creatures, who live by hunting animals and weak creatures. They are quite notorious and feared for their frequent raids on small isolated villages. Needless to say, if you know how to handle them, they are not a problem. But this, unfortunately, is a detail that continues to elude most town rulers, who continue to think that by leaving tribute outside the towns they will be spared from attack. Sometimes I seriously wonder whether they or the ogres are more stupid. But never mind, that is not the point.