The shrill cries echoed throughout the forest. Youngjae, only 10, cowered behind tall grass as an unknown creature screamed in agony. All he wanted to do was pick strawberries for his mother, so she could make her delicious strawberry shortcake. Little did he know, he would be attacked by a Hybrid along the way.

  The first thing he heard was its low growl before it pounced on him. It was about the size of a man, but with attributes of a wolf. Its ears twitched as its mouth opened wide to reveal sharp teeth. It's breath stench of rotten meat and saliva. The claws dug into his chest, preventing Youngjae to move.

  He thought he was going to die. He really did as he couldn't scream out for help due to his fear. And being only 10, he wasn't strong either.

  But he didn't want to die.

  Suddenly, the creature cried out and the weight was lifted off him. Youngjae took this chance and crawled his way to hide behind tall grass. His legs were still too weak to make a full run, but he prayed that he wouldn't get caught.

  Through the open spaces, he could see the events unfold. There, stood a boy about 16, holding what Youngjae could make out as a bloodied dagger. His hair was dark and curly, covering his eyes, but it was clear that he was analyzing the whole situation. Youngjae couldn't even process any more when the boy became a blur and attacked the creature. With each cut and stab, the creature would scream and lash out at him. This boy was certainly skilled. He managed to evade most of its attacks and only get minor wounds. A slash at the creature’s neck and it was all over. It laid limp on the ground, blood staining the grass.

  The boy turned towards Youngjae’s direction and strode up to him with slow steps. The dagger was still in his hands, dripping with that red liquid.

  Youngjae fell and backed up. More fear engulfed him. Was this boy going to kill him, too? He scrambled to get up, but his knees gave in and he crashed at a fallen stump. Too afraid to move, he stayed there, awaiting his fate and shutting his eyes tightly.

  Strong hands grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling him up to his feet. Tears streamed down Youngjae’s eyes. This certainly was not a proud moment for him, but he didn't want to die. He was too young! No words escaped his mouth except for sobs, and snot dripped down his nose.

  The boy turned him around to look at him. Through blurry vision, this boy was frightening to Youngjae. His dark eyes pierced into his and he had such an expressionless gaze. “What is your name, boy?” Even his voice was deep.

  Youngjae couldn't get any words out and choked on his own spit. He coughed a few times before being able to muster, “Y-Yoo Youngjae.” There were a few more coughs and sobs. All he wanted to do now was go home and cry in his room, not here with someone watching and hearing him.

  “Youngjae. Well, Youngjae, today is your lucky day. If I hadn't been walking around, you would’ve been killed by that Hybrid. Where’s your home? Let me take you back.”

  Youngjae sniffled and wiped his tears. Now that his vision cleared, he took a good look at him. Yes, this boy was around 16 or 17. His curly hair was tousled about. His dark eyes weren't as scary as he imagined them to be. His skin was slightly tanned from probably being outside most of his life. Youngjae could clearly see muscles underneath his black clothing, but what caught his attention the most was the emblem sewn across the chest area. It was an emblem of a Hunter: an outline of a dragon with its wings spread out. Dragons don’t exist in this world, but with people’s imagination, they created an imaginary creature as it's symbol.

  “You're a Hunter?” Youngjae asked in between sniffs. He had always admired Hunters and wanted to be one. They travelled through distant lands while protecting people from the Hybrids.

  These Hybrids were a mixture of human and animal. They roamed this world for centuries. How they came to be, no one knew, but they, too, resided in their own world in another dimension. Occasionally, they would traverse between the two worlds, attacking the humans. Many believe it’s because they’re searching for their other human half, filling up a void in their heart. Being half animal and half human made them forget what it’s like to feel certain emotions.

  The boy nodded his head. “My name is Bang Yongguk. I have two siblings, and no parents. They were killed by a Hybrid six years ago. Ever since then, I attended the Academy to become a Hunter.”

  Youngjae grew more curious. “Then, does that mean the dagger is your Reaper?” Each Hunter carried their own weapon called Reapers. These were no normal weapons. Reapers were considered to have it’s own soul, choosing its master rather than a master choosing it. Another thing that made these weapons so powerful is once wielded, the owner received powers pertaining to their strengths and personalities.

  Yongguk shook his head. He wiped the dagger on his pants and sheathed it. “No. It’s a normal dagger. Most Hunters don’t get their Reaper until they passed the Academy. I have two more years left. Now, can I ask why are you out here alone in a place like this?”

  Youngjae looked around, searching for his basket, but it was crushed from the creature stepping on it when he tried running. “I was picking strawberries,” he muttered shyly. This was the first time he encountered a Hunter up close and didn’t know how to act.

  “I see. Let’s get you home. Someone will come by and take care of the rest,” Yongguk explained, indicating the corpse.

  The younger boy slowly nodded and stared at the Hybrid. Now that it lay there, he could see the human side of this creature. Despite its long fingernails, its hands were about the size of a full grown man. The body build was slightly bigger than normal, but his appendages were mostly the same. If it weren’t for the tail and ears, Youngjae would mistaken him for a man.

  Yongguk took Youngjae out of the forest based on the younger’s directions. As they met a clearing, the sunlight struck Youngjae’s eyes, causing him to be blind for a moment. When his eyes adjusted, he found Yongguk standing in front with his back facing him. Yongguk’s head turned as he looked over his shoulder, and he smirked at the younger boy.

  That was when it hit him.

  Youngjae wanted to get stronger. He wanted to be like Yongguk and all the rest of the Hunters and protect people from those horrid Hybrids. One day, he would no longer be seeing people’s back, but either stand beside them or stand in front. He vowed that once he turned 12, he would attend the Academy just like Yongguk and train to be like him, or maybe even stronger if he could.

  “One day, I’ll be just like you,” Youngjae commented as they entered his village.

  Yongguk smiled, showing a softer side. He flashed pearly white teeth. “I’ll be rooting for you, kid. Maybe I will even become your mentor. Who knows? How old are you?”

  Youngjae blushed. His heart skipped a beat. He had never felt this way before, but one could say it was admiration or possibly something else. Being only ten, he didn’t know much about plenty of his emotions. “Ten.”

  “Two more years until you can apply. Yeah, you may become my mentee. I’ll make sure to look out for you when you pass the exams and enter the Academy. I have faith in you.” He ruffled the shorter’s hair and laughed.

  Normally, Youngjae would hate whoever touched his hair, but Yongguk was different. All Youngjae did was raise his shoulders and felt a sudden embarrassment. Then, he gazed up at him with determination. “I will definitely become someone worthy to be your mentee.”

  Yongguk continued to laugh, making Youngjae’s heart beat faster than normal. “Alright, kid. Now, run along home, I’m sure your parents are waiting for you.” He lightly shoved him.

  Youngjae gave one last glimpse at Yongguk. He would never forget the day that Bang Yongguk saved him from a Hybrid. Surely, the next time they meet, they would be two different persons as Youngjae has yet to hit puberty and Yongguk was still a growing boy. The only thing Youngjae hoped was to show how much he’s changed. He no longer wanted to run away and be the coward he was today. The next time a Hybrid appeared on this world, he vowed to protect Yongguk after what he did for him.

  Everyday, ever since Youngjae’s encounter with Yongguk, he begged his parents to buy books to prepare himself for the Academy. At first, his parents refused as they knew Youngjae wasn’t the most fit boy in the village and didn’t seem suitable for any kind of training. They wanted him to work the farm for the rest of his life and avoid anything dealing with Hunters and Hybrids and Reapers. However, Youngjae was persistent and wouldn’t let his parents sleep at night without having him give out a speech. The only thing they wanted was for him to promise that if he really couldn’t handle it, he would return home immediately.

  The books were quite expensive, but they managed to buy them one-by-one every month. Sometimes Youngjae would reread them, making sure he would know the material. The books consisted of the history behind Hunters, Hybrids, and Reapers and all the possible reasons for how they came to be. According to the books, Hybrids appeared in this world for nearly a thousand years. The first official Hunter entered the Hybrids’ world, Tenebris, when he pursued one, curious about their lifestyle. Instead of gaining information, he came across a Reaper and found out these weapons were strong enough to kill them when the Hybrids entered their full form.

  Everything was crucial in each book, so Youngjae made sure he memorized the information from cover to cover.

  There was also a physical exam for each applicant. Since Youngjae wasn’t the most athletic boy there was, he made sure to get up early in the morning for a light jog. Then, in the afternoon, he would help his parents at the farm, carrying things and chopping up logs - anything to make his body stronger. Occasionally, he would ask a few of his friends to be sparring partners despite knowing little about combat. It didn’t matter because they would end up fighting in some way.

  He did this for two years until the application to enter the Academy was sent out to young twelve-year-old boys and girls. Youngjae knew he was ready. Throughout all the training, he constantly thought about Yongguk and how he saved him from that Hybrid. “One day, I’ll be the one saving you,” he reminded himself and signed the papers.

  The exam portion took about five hours, which Youngjae passed. The physical portion consisted of timed laps and other obstacles. There was also a combat portion, but the graders paid more attention to techniques rather than wins. This was where Youngjae lacked, but they told him they could see the potential and accepted him into the Academy.

  Upon receiving the letter, Youngjae ran to his parents and told them the good news. They were still worried about Youngjae’s well-being, but they were happy that he got into his dream school. That also meant he would be leaving to live in the dorms the next week.

  Throughout his last week home, Youngjae thought about what Yongguk would think when he saw him. Would he be shocked? Would he be proud? He even wondered what he looked like. Maybe he’s tall? More buff? Youngjae didn’t know, but he did know that glint in Yongguk’s eyes and that smile would never change.

  The day the wagon came to pick up Youngjae gave him a mixture of excitement and heartache. Once he entered the Academy, he wouldn’t be able to contact his parents often, as he would always be busy, but he would try to sneak a few letters or so when he could. He gave them a hug and a kiss goodbye before climbing into the wagon where other twelve-year-old boys and girls from his village were accepted. He recognized their faces, but were never really friends with them as they either lived on the other side of the village or were friends with other children.

  The ride was long, long enough for Youngjae to sleep, but he couldn’t. He was too excited, and so were the other children. Many spoke to each other, and his neighbors sitting next to him made small conversations. Most of these children were like him - they trained both their brains and brawns because compared to other villages, they didn’t have the equipment for proper training. Yet, here they were, sitting here and heading to the Academy.

  The moment the wagon stopped and announced their arrival, Youngjae grabbed his things and jumped down behind all the other boys and girls. He was struck with awe upon seeing the Academy. It was gated with marble stones. Hunters of all ages roamed the area with their Reaper sheathed. Some of the older students greeted them while others rushed to attend their classes.

  There were other groups of children from other villages. Some were already walking into the building while others waited for their mentor.

  Youngjae’s eyes roamed around, hoping to see the one person he wanted to meet the most, but to his dismay, he was not around. That was until he heard that familiar, deep voice, “Alright you kids. Get in a line.”

  Youngjae turned around and saw Yongguk standing behind the group with his hands on his hips and that gummy smile on his lips. Despite his harsh voice and tough demeanor, everyone knew he had a soft spot, yet they all stood in line anyways.

  Youngjae was quite giddy the moment he saw him. His heart just wouldn’t stop pounding in his chest and he had the urge to tell him that he made it. However, he contained himself and stood side-by-side to the other children with his chest out.

  Yongguk was definitely different. His hair grew out a little more and his arms had more scars than before. There was also a scar that ran across his cheek bone down to his ear. His clothing consisted of the usual Hunter uniform with the black sleeveless shirt, black pants and shoes, the emblem on their chest and their Reaper sheathed. He paced in front of them and announced, “My name is Bang Yongguk of the 4th Division. You have been assigned to be my students while you are here. I will be training you in combat and survival while you attend your other classes.” He paused and glanced at Youngjae. A slight smile came across his lips. “Being a Hunter requires discipline and perseverance. Here, we will push you to your limits and make you understand that becoming one of us is not an easy job. You must understand that once you become a Hunter, you are not only out there to protect yourself from the Hybrids, but also your comrades and the people of the villages you are assigned to. Today, I will show you what my Reaper and I can do. I’m sure all of you know the origins of Reapers and how powerful they can be.”

  Everyone nodded.

  “Good.” He unsheathed his Reaper.

  Youngjae’s eyes grew wide upon seeing the beautiful weapon. The blade was thin and black with red accents. The hilt was in a shape of bat wings, also black and red.

  Yongguk ran his fingers on the flat side of the blade and closed his eyes. It was so enchanting to Youngjae that he couldn’t help but admire him even more. When he opened his eyes, they directly landed on Youngjae. “This sword is named Shishimato.”

  A kid next to Youngjae snickered.

  Yongguk ignored it. “Once you’ve received your Reaper, it is important to develop a bond between you two, and to do so, it’s only considerate to at least introduce each other by name.” He swung the sword, causing everyone to flinch. “After such greetings, you must understand what kind if souls were connected with your Reaper from the past. Mine were strong leaders and protected their comrades more than protecting himself or herself. The closer you are to your Reaper, the easier it is to unleash their power.”

  Flames burst from his sword, causing the students in front of him to step back. He chuckled and extinguished the flames. “This is my Reaper’s power. I hope this will make everyone excited about their own once you’ve graduated. Now, let’s go inside. I’ll guide you through the Academy.”

  The group followed Yongguk inside. Youngjae tried his best to approach him, but at the same time, he was too shy to speak to him with all the other children around. Instead, he stayed in the middle and listened to everything he said about each classroom and what they would be learning. Yongguk then lead them to the courtyard where they would be practicing their combat. At that point, that was the end of their tour and were taken to their dorms.

  Before Youngjae could enter the dorm, he was stopped by Yongguk’s voice, “So you made it, kid.”

  Youngjae gripped his bag tightly and bowed his head. He’s been wanting to talk to Yongguk for so long, and now that he could, he didn’t know what to say. He nodded his head. “Yeah, I did it.”

  Yongguk ruffled his hair. “You definitely grew. To be honest, I saw your name on the list and requested to be the mentor for your group.”

  Again, Youngjae was lost for words.

  “I’ll let you get settled. I hope your time here will be worth it. I have faith in your abilities. Your determination was obvious when you told me you wanted to become a Hunter. However, just because we’ve met each other before, doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on you.”

  Another nod.

  Yongguk smiled. “Bye, Youngjae. I’ll see you tomorrow at the courtyard.”

  “Bye, Yongguk, Sir.”

  He laughed. “Just call me Yongguk. I hate formalities.”

  “Yes.” Youngjae had his head bowed this whole time, but he finally got the courage to raise his eyes. His cheeks flared as Yongguk’s dark eyes gazed upon him, sparkling with happiness.

  Yongguk ruffled his hair one last time before leaving the premises.

  Youngjae couldn’t help but smile and run his hand through his hair. Finally. He was finally here. He was finally worthy to train to become a Hunter. But most of all, he finally met Yongguk again.

  When he entered his room, he was greeted with a roommate who was sitting on his bed and meditating. Youngjae hesitated to enter and even stepped back until he heard him say, “It’s alright. Come in.” The boy didn’t even open his eyes.

  Cautiously, Youngjae walked inside and placed his bag on top of the other bed. Based on what he could see, the boy seemed a little bit shorter than him. He had light brown hair and a tattoo with weird shapes on his left forearm. He didn’t know how long he was staring until the boy’s eyes flew open.

  The boy jumped down from his bed and held out his hand. “My name is Moon Jongup.”

  He took his hand and shook it. “Yoo Youngjae.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Jongup returned to his bed and sat, cross-legged. “Looks like we’ll be roommates while we’re here.”

  “Yeah.”

  They were silent.

  Youngjae didn’t know what to do and just stood there.

  Jongup threw his arms up. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to be this boring. I may consider switching roommates.”

  “Hey!”

  He chuckled. “Just kidding. I was wondering if you’ll ever show any other emotion other than embarrassment. Anyways, I’m going to sleep. Peace.” Jongup plopped on his bed and wrapped himself in his blanket before closing his eyes.

  This whole time Youngjae was utterly confused, but didn’t question him. He shrugged his shoulders, began unpacking his things, and placed the few clothing he brought inside the drawers. A few times, he would check to see if Jongup was actually sleeping in the middle of the day, and surely, he was. “Well, this will be interesting,” he muttered to himself and smiled as he remembered Yongguk.

Author's Note:

  I'm changing my writing style for this one. Typically, I write in 1st Person POV, but I wanted to try something different. Hopefully, this isn't too bad! Thank you for reading! :D

With Love,

 LokiCraze123