Free Web NovelChapter 224: Fellow Hunters
Trawerr felt the weight of the twin swords in his hands, as if they were an extension of his own body. Each blade seemed to vibrate with an almost living energy, pulsing in sync with the rapid beating of his heart.
In front of him, the black-furred boar moved from side to side, digging into the ground with its powerful paws, lifting clumps of earth while its red eyes glowed with a primal fury.
Wanda was at her side, steady and focused. The warrior’s breathing was controlled, her eyes fixed on the monster that challenged her.
The evening light tinted the clearing with a golden hue, and the shadows of the surrounding trees lengthened, creating an almost dreamlike scene. The magical glow that still surrounded Wanda’s blade gave off a faint glow that contrasted with the growing darkness of the forest. The tension in the air was palpable, every muscle preparing for the battle ahead.
"Let’s get this over with quickly, Wanda," Trawerr murmured, his voice low but full of determination.
She nodded, not looking away from the boar. "That monster won’t know what hit him."
The boar, sensing the determined energy of the two warriors, lowered its head one last time before launching into a furious charge. Its tusks sliced through the air, ready to impale anything in its path. The earth shook with the monster’s weight, each step shaking the ground beneath Trawerr and Wanda’s feet.
With astonishing speed, Trawerr moved to the side, his twin swords drawing glittering arcs in the air. He aimed for the boar’s front legs, cutting deep into the muscular flesh with a double strike. The animal let out a deafening scream, its charge stopped abruptly as it tried to keep its balance on its wounded legs.
Wanda wasted no time. With an agile leap, she positioned herself beside the boar and, using the opening created by Trawerr, delivered a sharp blow to its side. The enchanted blade sliced through the monster’s thick fur, penetrating deep into its flesh. The boar tried to turn to counterattack, but its movements were already impaired. Blood gushed from its wounds, staining the ground red as the beast let out desperate grunts.
With one last effort, the boar tried to charge Trawerr again, but its strength was quickly running out. With surgical precision, Trawerr spun around the animal and slashed at its hind legs in one fluid motion. The blades sliced through the tendons with ease, and the monster fell heavily to the ground, unable to continue its charge. Wanda, taking advantage, delivered the final blow, plunging her sword into the back of the boar’s head, ending the fight once and for all.
The boar’s body shuddered for a moment before falling silent. Silence fell over the clearing, broken only by the panting of the two warriors.
Trawerr and Wanda remained in position for a few seconds, ready to react to any sudden movement, but it soon became clear that the monster was dead.
With a sigh of relief, Wanda removed her sword from the boar’s body, wiping the blood from the blade with a cloth before sheathing it. Trawerr did the same, his hands now steady and controlled, without the tremor of adrenaline he had felt moments before.
"It was a good fight," Trawerr said, relaxing at last. "That boar was a formidable opponent."
Wanda laughed, a short, satisfied sound. "Formidable, yes, but not to us." She crouched next to the boar’s body and examined its carcass. "Its meat will bring us a good price at the Hunters’ Association. Especially this thigh here," she added, pointing to the animal’s hind leg. "I’ll take that as payment."
Trawerr smiled as Wanda pulled out a hunting knife and began to cut into the boar’s thigh. She worked with precision, separating the meat from the bone with deft movements. Soon the thigh was free and Wanda attached it to the boar’s back and tied it with a strong rope. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
"Done," she said, standing up and looking at the rest of the group of men who had surrounded her. The few remaining men watched the scene in silence, some still wounded but now completely intimidated. They backed away slowly, preferring the humiliation of defeat to the risk of facing the two warriors again.
"Let’s go," Trawerr said, nodding toward the road. "We’ve wasted enough time here. Night is coming, and I’d like to get to the Association before it gets dark."
Wanda nodded, and the two of them began walking along the path back to the city. The boar’s thigh swayed gently against Wanda’s back with each step, but her gait remained firm and determined.
The way back was quiet, the rhythmic sound of footsteps on the gravel path being the only interruption to the serene atmosphere. The air was filled with a gentle, cool breeze, carrying the scent of blooming flowers from the nearby fields. The setting sun cast a warm, golden glow on the landscape, casting long shadows that danced playfully along the path. The fading light created a serene ambiance, as if nature itself was whispering its final lullaby before nightfall.
The city soon appeared ahead, its lights coming on as night approached. The Hunters’ Association was a large building of wood and stone in the center of the city. Hunters from all over came there to sell the fruits of their hunts, to negotiate contracts, and, of course to relax in the adjoining tavern after a long day’s work.
As they approached the entrance to the Association, Trawerr and Wanda were greeted with curious and respectful looks from the other hunters already there.
Trawerr reputation as a skilled and ruthless warrior was well known, and the fact that they were carrying a monstrous boar’s leg only added to that reputation.
"Hey, Trawerr!" A familiar voice greeted him as the two entered the tavern. "You finally decided to show up!"
Trawerr turned to see a group of hunters sitting at one of the tables in the back. They were his old hunting buddies: Gregor, a tall man with a thick beard; Kira, an archer with piercing eyes and a stern expression; and Nara, a stocky warrior who always carried a double-bladed axe almost as big as she was.
Gregor stood up, walked over to Trawerr and gave him a big hug. "We were worried! It’s not every day you disappear for so long."
"I’d say I’ve had a busy day," Trawerr replied with a smile. "We just dealt with a bigger boar than usual. My sister made sure it was a good trophy," he said, indicating the thigh she was carrying.
"Wait a minute," said Gregor, the tall, bushy-bearded man who had just embraced Trawerr, his voice filled with incredulity. "Did you say ’sister’?" He repeated the word as if it were something strange and out of place.
Kira, the archer, leaned forward, her piercing gaze now fixed on Trawerr as if trying to decipher him. "When did you get a sister, Trawerr? You never mentioned it before." His voice was soft, but the urgency in his question was clear.
Nara, the axe-wielding warrior, crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "And why have we never known about this? Aren’t we like family to you? Why hide something like this?"
"Yes, I said ’sister,’" Trawerr confirmed, his voice firm, if a little lower than usual. Then he shook his head slowly, as if trying to organize his thoughts before continuing. "And the reason I never mentioned her is simple: I didn’t even know it existed until last night."
The shock was immediate and visible on the faces of his companions. Gregor took a step back, as if physically hit by the revelation, while Kira squeezed her eyes shut, clearly skeptical. Nara couldn’t hold back an exclamation of surprise that made some of the other hunters in the tavern look in her direction.
"You’re not serious," Gregor said, his voice almost a whisper now.
Trawerr looked him straight in the eye, making it clear that he was indeed serious. "I didn’t believe it myself at first," he admitted, and there was a hint of weariness in his voice, something the others didn’t usually hear from him. "But things changed quickly. I met my father yesterday, after years of not seeing him. And it was he who told me about Wanda. About our family."
The mention of Trawerr’s father only seemed to add an extra layer of tension to the air. No one there knew much about Trawerr’s personal history; he had always been a man of few words when it came to his life before joining the Hunters. That made this new information like a sudden thunderclap in a clear sky.
Kira was the first to pull herself together. She looked at Wanda, who was standing next to Trawerr, her expression as calm and controlled as before, as if she was patiently waiting for a reaction. "Are you really Trawerr’s sister?" Kira asked directly, her sharp eyes searching for any sign of hesitation.
Wanda simply nodded, a slight smile curving her lips. "Yes," she replied, her voice firm and sure. "I am Wanda. And, believe it or not, I didn’t even know I had a brother until last night."
