Hunt Race

For the first time in several days, Kael had nowhere to be.

He sat alone at a small table in the guild dining hall, staring at a plate of food that had been placed in front of him.

Kael picked up his fork.

He took one bite.

Then another.

He stopped.

The food was actually good.

Kael looked at the plate again.

“Not bad.”

A voice came from the table beside him.

“You look surprised.”

Kael glanced over.

A young hunter was watching him with an amused expression.

“Am I supposed to be?”

“You've been staring at that food for almost a minute.”

Kael looked down.

“I was thinking.”

“About food?”

“Apparently.”

The hunter laughed.

Kael continued eating.

The guild dining hall was unusually busy that morning. Hunters came and went constantly, some discussing missions while others complained about injuries, equipment, or their latest pay.

For once, Kael wasn't involved in any of it.

He simply ate.

A few minutes later, someone dropped heavily into the seat across from him.

Kael looked up.

The pale Hunter from the abandoned camp sat there.

“You're supposed to be resting.”

“So are you.”

Kael continued eating.

The Hunter smiled.

“I was getting bored.”

“That sounds like your problem.”

The Hunter laughed.

“You really are like this all the time?”

“Like what?”

“Annoying.”

Kael shrugged.

“I've heard worse.”

The Hunter leaned back.

“How long have you been a hunter?”

Kael thought for a moment.

“Not that long.”

“Yet you fight like that.”

Kael stopped eating.

“Like what?”

The Hunter hesitated.

“Like you're trying to make every fight look easy.”

Kael stared at him.

Then continued eating.

“I don't think I do.”

“You do.”

Kael ignored him.

The Hunter smiled.

“You know, when I first saw you, I thought you were going to die.”

Kael raised an eyebrow.

“That makes two of us.”

The Hunter laughed again.

For a while, they simply ate.

Eventually, the pale Hunter stood.

“I should get back.”

Kael nodded.

“Don't fall over.”

“I won't.”

The Hunter took two steps.

He stumbled.

Kael looked at him.

The Hunter steadied himself against the table.

“I'm fine.”

Kael's mouth curved slightly.

“Of course.”

The Hunter shook his head and walked away.

Kael finished his meal.

After leaving the dining hall, he wandered through the guild without any particular destination.

He stopped at the equipment shop and looked through several weapons before deciding he didn't need anything.

Then he visited the training hall.

It was almost empty.

Kael stepped inside.

A few wooden training dummies stood along the far wall.

He looked at them.

Then at his sword.

He wasn't here to train.

Not today.

Kael turned around and left.

Outside, the guild courtyard was filled with sunlight.

A few younger hunters were practicing nearby while an older hunter shouted instructions at them.

“Again!”

One of the younger hunters swung too early.

The older hunter immediately smacked the back of his head.

“You're watching the weapon instead of the person!”

Kael slowed.

His eyes moved toward them.

The older hunter continued.

“Don't wait for the attack! Watch the body!”

Kael stood there for another moment.

Then he continued walking.

The words stayed in his mind.

Not because they were new.

Because of the Blood Drinker.

Kael remembered the creature's movements.

The slight shift of its shoulder.

The change in its balance.

The way its claws moved before the actual attack.

He hadn't always noticed those things.

During the fight, he had simply reacted.

Kael stopped walking.

He looked back toward the training yard.

The younger hunter attacked again.

This time, the older hunter stepped aside before the wooden sword even reached him.

Kael watched carefully.

The older man's eyes never left the attacker's body.

Kael remained there for several seconds.

Then he smiled faintly.

“Interesting.”

He turned away.

But this time, his steps were slower.

His mind was already somewhere else.

Kael returned to his room before noon.

He opened the window and let the breeze enter.

Then he sat on the edge of the bed.

For once, there was nothing demanding his attention.

Kael leaned back.

His eyes closed.

The guild was noisy outside.

People laughed.

Someone shouted.

A door slammed.

Normal sounds.

Kael listened to them quietly.

After everything that had happened recently, the ordinary noise felt strangely peaceful.

He opened his eyes.

Tomorrow, he would decide what to do next.

Today, he simply rested.

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