The Hunter Academy

~Çhapter Øne~

My eyes snapped open. I was lying on the floor and staring at a dark night sky - not a single star in sight - there was nothing but a full moon high in the sky. My hands pressed against the damp grass as I pushed myself up. I looked around and saw nothing but trees all around.

Suddenly leaves began falling to the ground all around as the trees shook.

The ground began to tremor slightly before becoming stronger and stronger. I grabbed onto a nearby tree trunk to steady myself just as a crack appeared in the floor. I yelped and jumped out the way just as the land began ripping in two.

Five pillars rose out of the floor, each pillar held a different item. They were made of white marble, in a Grecian style, but they weren't really pillars as they were short - table height.

The ground stopped shaking and I swallowed nervously before walking towards the pillars. Pillar one held a belt of knives. Pillar two held a bow and quiver of arrows. Pillar three held two swords. Pillar four held a whip. Pillar five held two guns. I stared at all five of the items.

My hand reached out instinctively and I moved my hand over all five of the objects. I was meant to choose one. I don't know how I knew, I just did.

I don't know why but my eyes kept falling back to the knives. I closed my eyes and reached forward. I opened my eyes to see me holding the knives. I released a shaky breath and pulled on the belt with the knives.

My head whipped up as I heard the howl of a wolf. One howl became two and two howls became four until all I heard was the terrifying symphony of howls. Wolves.

I didn't even need to think. I just ran. I broke into a sprint. I dodged around trees. Branches clawed at my face. Overgrown tree roots tried to trip me over.

I saw a streak of red out of the corner of my eye and, even though I was already sprinting, I managed to run faster. I pushed myself to run faster. I probably couldn't run faster then a wolf but I could try. The adrenaline was flooding through my veins.

Another flash of red entered my vision but this time on both sides...and they were closing in. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. That was my downfall. Literally.

My foot hit a rock and the next thing I knew I was lying on the ground. I picked myself up and went to start running again but I staggered to a halt as the red wolf stood in front of me.

It was bending low on its legs and baring its fangs. It's ready to pounce. I spun round and was about to make a dash for it when the other red wolf jumped out and blocked the path. My head whipped around from one wolf to the other. They were circling me now. I looked around and looked for any possible escape. There was no escape.

While I was distracted the wolves pounced. I didn't think. I didn't even mean to do it. My hands darted down to my belt and pulled out two knives. I plunged the knives into the wolves - without a second thought.

The wolves fell to the floor. Lifeless. I stared at the two wolves. I expected to feel something, guilt maybe, but I didn't feel anything. I just killed those wolves and I felt nothing. I knelt down and pulled out my knives.

I should've been disgusted. Blood. The knives were covered in blood. Their blood. A metallic scent filled the air and I could taste metal on my tongue as I took a deep breath in.

Red. It was everywhere. It gathered at my feet. The blood I'd spilled.

So why didn't I feel anything? No guilt. No regret. No sadness. I turned away and was about to start running again when I heard a cracking sound. I turned back around and my eyes landed on the two wolves...