The Day The Music Died

Chapter 1

--- I just want to start this by saying this is my first story I've ever uploaded anywhere so I'm sorry if it sucks. Also, because of this, there will be a very inconsistent update/upload schedule. Anyways, hope you all enjoy! ---

The busy bustle of the street. Glass shattering. Children crying. Mothers trying to subdue said children. It all pounded in Ivon's ears as he followed his hunting party. They were headed to the Western edge of the village and with all the heavy armour and weapons they were carrying, mixed with the crowded streets, it was a very slow and painful process. Street performers danced and sung on the edge of the overcrowded paths, only adding to the clutter.
"Ack! Why is it so damn crowded?" Zephyr hissed next to Ivon. "You'd think we'd take the easier route but no! Let's just walk through the busiest street in all of Shvatar! Great going captain!"
"Watch your tongue, Zephyr. We shouldn't be badmouthing the captain, especially when he's seven feet in front of us." Ivon snapped back.
"Yeah, yeah, I know but don't you think we could've done this a bit more efficiently? I mean, this is said to be the most populated part of the kingdom." Zephyr sighed as he rolled his eyes.
"This is it lads!" The captain called from up ahead. "This is where we exit the kingdom's walls! This is where we start our hunt. from here on out, I need you on high alert. You never know what's lurking in these woods."
"OoOooO," Zephyr whispered, "When he said the last part his voice dropped really low" He turned to Ivon and smiled. The captain stopped and spun around to face the rest of the party.
"Don't you boys at the back think I can't hear you! And if I can hear you, then so can the creatures that hide in the shadows of the trees. I mean what I said when I told you to be on high alert. You can't let your guard down for even a second.
The beasts will take any chance they can get to snap that puny little neck of yours. But if you heed my advice, you might just make it out with your life." His voice was low and rough, almost like the growl of a feral animal. "Before we enter, do any of you pretty princesses need reminding on what we're hunting? They're not regular animals. They're far more intelligent. Magical creatures are no child's play. If you wish to leave, now is your last chance." The captain questioned as he spun back around to face the front. The silence that filled the air was so loud Ivon swore the entire village could hear it. "Good. Let's go."

As the group trudged through the dense forest, the humid air filled Ivon's lungs, making his breath shorten and his hands began to get clammy. Every so often, an animal would shriek in the distance, causing Ivon to jump out of his skin.
"Why are you being so jumpy?" Asked Ellisar, one of the more experienced hunters. As far as Ivon knew, Ellisar had been hunting magical beasts for more than ten years. Which is a long time considering Ellisar is only twenty-five.
"I'm not sure," Ivon replied sheepishly,
"I get it, it's your first hunt outside the training grounds and menagerie. It's always scary the first couple of times, but after that you start to realise that you're the one hunting out here, and the only thing the beasts can do is run." Ellisar explained.
"All they can do is run..." Ivon murmured softly, he kept repeating the phrase for Goddess knows how long. After a while the hunting party stopped in a large clearing and the captain spun around to announce something.
"Alright lads! This is where we camp! Set up your tents and come out for dinner in an hour!" At his word, all the hunters scattered across the clearing, and a sigh of relief washed over the newly declared camp as everyone dropped their heavy bags and armour.
"Ahh, it feels so good to finally put all this stuff down!" Zephyr exhaled, plunking all of his bags on the ground as everyone else had done.
"Y'know, no amount of training can actually prepare you for the amount of weight you have to carry," Ivon groaned, as the sudden clanging of metal on metal sprang up in different locations around the camp as men started setting up tents. The equipment was lighter than Ivon remembered but he figured with it being their first time setting one up outside of the kingdom walls, a whole heap of adrenaline must have been coursing through their veins.

By the time Ivon and Zephyr had finished setting up theirs, it was already nightfall. The other hunters had finished theirs and were sitting around a bonfire that someone had built.
"Come and sit boys!" Ellisar called "Time for initiation!" Cheers erupted from the others as Zephyr whispered to Ivon.
"Initiation? They didn't tell us anything about this in school."
"I think it's something each group does to welcome new members. I don't know what it is but let's hope it's not too bad." They slowly made their way over, cautious of any traps the others may have set for the so-called initiation. Ivon and Zephyr eventually sat down and turned to Ellisar.
"So! Initiation!" He clapped his hands together. "You'll need to down a cup of some random shit we mix up. Sound good?"
"It's easier said than done," Kyzar, one of the other hunters muttered under his breath.
"What kind of stuff?" Zephyr questioned warily, not quite wanting the answer. "Stuff as in food and drink or random things that you find on the forest floor?"
Ellisar's face twisted into an evil, toothy grin.
"Both."

He stared down at the cup in front of him. Not wanting to know just what had gone into it. A vile scent wafted up into his nose and Zephyr jerked back in disgust.
"Oh Goddess what have we done?" Zephyr whimpered looking back at his own mug. Ivon clenched the rough, wooden handle, his fingers turning white as the blood drew away from them.
"You ready?" Ivon turned to Zephyr, lifting his mug up to tap it against his friend's "Bottoms up I guess" He lifted the mug up to his lips and immediately had to suppress a gag. It was vile, absolutely disgusting, the smell alone made his head spin as if someone had punched him. Unfortunately for the two friends, it tasted worse than it smelled. A revolting mixture of sweet and savoury slammed Ivon's tastebuds and he hesitated for a heartbeat. After a moment's consideration he realised that the longer it was in his mouth the longer he had to taste it for. He steeled his nerves and swallowed the horrid drink; if you could even call it that.
"What in the name of the Goddess did you put in that thing?!" Zephyr cried in disgust, voicing Ivon's thoughts.
"I'm afraid that's a secret." Chuckled one of the senior hunters.

After some campfire songs and toasted marshmallows to celebrate the new season, the hunters dipped off to bed one by one. Ivon and Zephyr were two of the last few awake until they finally decide they'd had enough and tiptoed into their tent. They slipped into their night clothes and under their blankets. Ivon lay on his back, staring up at the tent roof, unable to sleep. He could still taste the abhorrent taste of the initiation drink lingering in his mouth like a phantom. As he and his childhood friend were lying in silence, too afraid to speak, in fear of waking up the others.
"Why did our tent have to be right next to The Captain's?" Ivon muttered. "It's not like we're gonna make that much noise-" He trailed off, his ears had picked up something. Something beautiful. He was entranced. Very faintly, in the distance, there was a lovely voice as sweet as honey, yet at the same time sharp as a blade. It was entrancing. Ivon's eyes immediately felt droopy, and he saw the black closing in around the edges. He felt a painful jab in his arm as Zephyr pinched him.

"Stay awake." His voice was grave and bleak, nothing like the Zephyr Ivon knew. "We can't fall asleep."
"What? Why?" Ivon questioned, rubbing the spot on his arm his friend had pinched. "That hurt by the way."
"I read about them somewhere in a book. They hunt and kill humans all the time and some say that their voice alone can kill you. They prefer to use weapons like bows and stuff, but they have feathery wings as big as those on a Pegasus. Despite that, they make no noise, they fly silently and swoop down to finish the job."
"So what if they eat some people? So does literally everything else in the Silvae Exitum." Ivon retorted harshly.
"Ivon. You don't understand. They don't kill humans for food. They kill them for fun."