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Chapter 02 : The Boar

  Vildan awakens the next day, he feels the oil in his skin hasn't go away and is paler than yesterday, he is nervous, Vildan gets up from his bed slowly, his room has very few things, between a book, given by his boss and wood crafted ornaments, crafted by his father.

  He walks out of his house, is cloudy today, the wind is cold, Vildan feels strangely comfortable, he approaches to the biggest house in the village, single floor, but bigger than the rest.

  Vildan opens the door, no asking, like he always has been going there. He works there.

  The mayor in Kermia is always the most successful merchant of the town. In this case the Mayor is Quitol Nomburo, a successful wine merchant.

  Vildan enters the house, there is a long hallway leading to Nomburo office, the drawers near showed different kinds of wines and porcelain figures about beautiful woman, paintings of nature adorned the house.

  Vildan walk through the hallway, he admires the porcelain figures like always. He knocks on the door in the far end of the hallway.

  "Come in" A voice from inside sounds.

  Vildan opens the door, inside there is the office of Quitol, a giant ornamented desk, covered in books, documents, quills and ink, there is an abacus to the side. The floor is sturdy wood, everything inside is clean, there is a single bookshelf filled with books, some of them old, other news. A giant painting behind Quitol rested in the wall, a single window illuminated the room, the glass on the window was green.

  Vildan approach the desk, and sits in the chair in front, a simple wooden chair. "Sir, may I have a minute"

  Quitol, is wearing a brown jacket, his black hair was short, his face showed her age between 49 - 53 years old. He stops writing on the documents to look at Vildan "What's the matter? I'm busy"

  Vildan looks down in shame "Sir... yesterday I fell into a black water and I feel... diferent, I'm getting paler, look" The mayor looks at Vildan hand

  "You always has been very pale... but now that you mention it" Quitol gets close to Vildan face "Your iris color wasn't this color of blue - purple"

  Quitol stands and walk to his book collection "Let me check something" He starts reading the name of his books.

  He pulls out a book, the letters from the cover of the book are blurry. The cover of the book has almost no color. The book smells like something from the past century.

  He starts looking through the pages, and stop "I think this could be... in the black water you fell in it was oily in texture? or plain water?"

  Vildan tries to remember "I don't know, I think it was oily, I cannot remember very good, I was in pain the whole time, but the oily sensation lingered on my body."

  Quitol closes the book with one hand, walk back to his desk, and sits on his comfortable chair. "Then you fell into Primordial Soup. You are lucky to be alive" He throws the book onto his desk "Most people just transform into another animal, lose sentience or simply deform beyond recognition"

  Vildan anxiety spikes "How do I heal myself, do I go to the doctor? I have some savings..."

  Quitol rest on his arm on the chair "You can't, is not a sickness, your body is permanently altered."

  Vildan gets upset "How do you know this? You are just a merchant"

  Quitol put his hand stopping Vildan "I know you are upset Vildan, what you felt in, is a stronger version of a chimera stomach liquid or a Basilisk on. Some merchant chase for this black liquid, that just appear and disappear"

  Quitol leans into Vildan and lower his voice "One single vial of primordial soup can make you rich enough buy a big house on Hontel, or buy a piece of land in the kingdom"

  Vildan back relaxes, he looks at the void, he doesn't know what to think.

  "Where did you fell?" Quitol observes in detail at Vildan.

  Vildan respond not thinking "In a cave, at the forest"

  Quitol looks at Vildan "I will send someone to check the cave, if we find the liquid, we might be able to get some vials and sell them."

  Vildan face reflects sadness "So... I'm staying like this? Forever?"

  Quitol goes back to writing "Yes... now if I find a vial I might share some gains with you. Since you were the one who find it."

  Vildan try to regain his composure "What if the liquid is not there anymore"

  Quitol stops and point Vildan with his plume "Then, you better start taking this job seriously, so no one will ask you about your body or whatever you are transforming again."

  Vildan stands slowly "I understand" he looks down and walk away slowly.

  "Take the day, Come back tomorrow." Quitol writes on his documents.

  Ah year pass by

  Haykel and Simon are talking at the table inside their house, it's early morning. "Haykilia I will teach you, how we hunt."

  Haykel face is motionless, she is wearing a skirt that goes to her knees, under her skirt she is wearing pants "I don't need to know how to hunt dad, since... you bring the food."

  Simon reassures "You need to learn the cycle of life and death, and how hunting works." He checks on his bow and arrows.

  "Dad, I already understand that I'm sure that-" She tries to convince Simon.

  Abigail says from the sofa while knitting "Haykilia"

  Haykel pauses to look at her dad. His face is sad, and looks like he going start crying.

  "Sure dad, I- I will follow you" Haykel comforts her dad.

  Simon stands "Then! Lets go"

  Haykel and Simon walks out of the house, they could heard Abigail screaming "Have fun!"

  The day was clear. Even after a year Haykel hasn't grow much.

  They walk trough the gate. Kailos is there. Haykel look at Kailos "Hi Kailos, are we ready to train?"

  Kailos look at Haykel "You mom already said, when you get to 15, not a moment before"

  Haykel walks away with her dad "Well, it was worth the shot"

  Simon look at Kailos "Have a nice day Kailos"

  Kailos respond "Have nice hunting Simon"

  The forest is the same has always, there is some animal carcasses nearby, the wind move the trees, dry leaves and branches flood the ground.

  Simon and Haykel are crawling through the forest slowly. Haykel whispers "Dad I don't think we need to crawl to hunt an animal"

  Simon whispers "Just follow my lead, the other day saw a boar nearby" Simon and Haykel move all the leaves and branches out of the way while crawling. They are full of dirt.

  Simon stops Haykel from moving "There it is" Simon points at a boar. The sun shining through the forest showed the boar as the price.

  They move slowly behind a shrub, Simon whispers "Now take the shot, into the neck or the head." Simon pass the bow to Haykel.

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  Haykel grabs the bow. Its heavy, made of treated wood, has some engravings. "I can try" She starts pulling the bowstring with the arrow. Its heavy "Ow". She stops "No, I don't think can"

  Simon whispers "Are you sure... you didn't even try"

  "Let me try again" Haykel pulls on the string. "No." She stops. "No, I don't think I can, my fingers hurts"

  "Oh... Okay... Then I will take the shot. If the boar still alive after that, you kill it." Simon grabs the bow.

  "I can do that" Haykel grabs the dagger from her dad.

  Simon stops, and breathes, he focuses on the boar, he pulls the bowstring to the limit, his arm trembles, he holds his breath, and let go the arrow with his respiration.

  The arrow cuts trough the forest and pass the trees.

  The arrow move at high speed inserting directly into the boar neck. The boar falls and squeals in pain, while kicks and move in the ground.

  Simon and Haykel approaches the screaming beast. There is blood coming from the boar nose. Vertebral damage.

  Haykel grabs her dagger strongly and approaches the boar. "Now I need you to stop moving little boar, you making this harder for both us"

  Haykel plunges into the board neck. The boar struggles and move for seconds, and then stop moving. It is dead. Blood flows the floor, her hands are full of blood, she cleans herself with a nearby tree.

  Simon looks at the board "Well done Haykilia. This is the cycle of life, he feeds us so we can live, and then we die, we feed the plants, and he eats the plants."

  Haykel looks at her dad "I- I know that dad, you told me weeks ago about that"

  "It's important to remember! Is knowledge from my father given to me, and now I pass it to you."

  "Uhhh. Okay... Thank you dad." Haykel she finishes to clean her hands with the leaves.

  Haykel stands in silence for a second "I don't think want to do this again dad."

  "Why not? It was a nice kill. Be proud." Simon kneels in front of the boar.

  "I mean you kill it really, I just did the final stab."

  "Don't worry about the details" Simon dismiss with his hand.

  The wind moved the smell at dead creature around, the leaves moved randomly with the wind.

  "What now dad?" The boar was on the ground, it was a giant beast of muscles and bones. It was shorter than Simon, but longer than Haykel, heavy and stinky.

  Simon walks around the dead boar. "I grab the front legs and you push the boar from behind"

  "I don't think I have the strength to push the boar dad" Haykel positions behind the boar anyway.

  "You need spirit! Just PUSH" Simon pulls the legs direction outside the forest.

  They both start pushing on the boar. Simon screams "IS MOVING?" Simon uses all his might. He gets red.

  Haykel gets completely red while she pushes with all her might "I THINK SO". They both stop pushing, They are tired. Simon looks at the ground of the board, It's hasn't move a single centimeter.

  Simon sits on the ground. "Okay" he tries to gains his breath "New plan..."

  The wind moves their hair randomly.

  "I need you to push the boar onto my back, and I will carry I back home."

  Haykel looks the giant beast "Are you sure dad? I don't think..."

  "Don't think what?" He breaths heavily.

  "Nothing... I- I will try to help."

  Simon grab the boar legs and put on his shoulder "PUSH PUSH PUSH" Haykel push with all her might. The boar is on Simon backs.

  The boar rest into Simon back "I- I- I TOLD YOU I COULD DO IT" Simon screams. His legs are trembling, his whole body is trembling.

  Simon take two steps. "OKAY, I NEED TO REST" Simon drops the boar and collapses onto the ground "How much to home from here?"

  "Uhhh." Haykel looks at the horizon pass the woods "Just a bit more dad."

  "Okay okay okay. I can't do it. Go, get your uncle, so he can help us with the boar" Simon is trying to catch his breath.

  "Okay, I- I'm going to seek help." Haykel walks away to the town.

  "I'm just going to wait here, protecting the boar." Simon falls onto the boar trying to regain his breath. The wind move the beast smell everyone, even Simon gets a smell of the bad smelling creature.

  While Haykel is gone, Simon is sitting on top of the boar, waiting.

  The wind and the smell of the creature bring a visitor, single wolf appears.

  Simon take his bow, the wolf moves from left to right "Dammit."

  "Oh no. YOU ARE NOT GONNA TAKE MY BOAR" throws a rock to the wolf. "IT'S MINE, I KILLED THIS BOAR NOT YOU."

  The wolf start to walk around the boar. Simon don't break line of sight.

  "I HAVE A KNIFE YOU KNOW. I CAN KILL YOU" Simon screams and pulls his dagger.

  The wolf tries to take a bite out of the boar legs. Simon screams and move his dagger erratically. The wolf retreats, trying to get an opportunity.

  "Look I know you eat meat, but I also eat meat, We are not so different. " Simon tries to reason with wolf.

  The wolf growls. The wind move his fur.

  "Look if you try to get closer" He points his dagger "I'm going to stab you and my friends are coming"

  The wolfs sits and growl at him.

  "You are making yourself comfortable huh?? Waiting for me to not look the boar??? Well guess what, I'm gonna stay here ALL NIGHT if is necessary."

  Haykel walks into the village, Kailos sees Haykel pass, she approaches a modest house and knocks on the door. The chimney of the house is smoking.

  A man opens the door, he is wearing a wool sweater, brown eyes and hair. Uncle of Haykel

  Haykel looks at his uncle "Hi uncle, my dad-"

  "Haykilia! You have growth! Come here, my wife needs to see you." Her uncle grabs her hand and pulls her inside.

  "But my dad-" She tries to speak.

  The house inside is cozy, there is a nice carpet at the floor.

  "HONEY WE HAVE VISIT" Her uncle screams. His wife opens a door and steps outside.

  "OH, SHE IS SO CUTE." Her aunt screams and grab her cheeks. "She is growing into a beautiful woman"

  "My dad-" Haykel tries to speak.

  "I want you to stay for dinner! We have mashes potatoes today with beef" Her aunt points at the kitchen with her eyes.

  From the kitchen a smell at boiled potato flooded the house.

  Haykel looks at the kitchen "I would like some of that..." She focuses "WAIT. No!"

  Haykel moves away from her aunt. "I appreciate it dear aunt, but my dad need helps."

  "Oh? What happened?" Her uncle ask.

  Simon is waiting on top of the boar, alone. The boar is missing a leg, looks like it was clean cut off with a knife. He looks tired, exhausted.

  From behind, Simon heard someone "BROTHER ARE YOU THERE?!"

  Simon stands and screams "I'M HERE"

  Haykel and her uncle walks with a tiny cart, the cart has 2 wooden wheels, has space in the front for someone to push. They arrive to Simon. "Let's get this baby onto the cart" Simon brother looks at the boar.

  Simon and his brother lift the creature they struggle, Haykel helps to push the creature inside the cart. The boar is inside the cart. It left a blood trail.

  Simon and his brother push the car back to the town, Haykel from behind try to maintain the cart balance. Simon talks about the wolf "You had to be there, I got an encounter with a wolf and started fighting against him, and I won, I proudly stood my ground."

  "Glad you are okay Simon" His brother keeps pushing onto the cart.

  The sun is going down, the wind is calm. The smell at dirt and dead animal can be feel in the cart.

  Haykel looks at the boar missing leg hole "Dad, why the boar is missing a leg?"

  "What do you mean? He lost the leg while we were hunting it" Simon doesn't look at Haykel.

  "Uhh." Haykel thinks a second "Sure dad."

  They arrive to the town, on lookers commented on the boar, Simon and his brother bragged about it.

  They cut, dried and removed the skin of the giant animal. They enjoyed a nice boar dinner. Some other folks in the city also got the chance to taste the boar. It was too much for only two families.

  During the weeks Vildan noticed his skin, now is white, pearl colored, he is 16, his fangs changed, they are bigger, they show under his lips, and his iris are getting purple-red. Slow changes are happening to his body, so slow that no one is noticing.

  Is a cold day, but the sun is up. Vildan is comfortable in the cold.

  He is trying to teach Haykel numbers and basic math. Haykel is looking at Vildan, grabbing her chin.

  Vildan points at his fingers, he lifts one finger. "This is one"

  Haykel looks at Vildan hand "I'm trying to understand, okay, continue"

  Vildan lifts another finger from his other hand "This is also one"

  "Okay, I'm trying to guess where are you going"

  Vildan crashes his hands together and lift two fingers. "This is TWO, one plus one is TWO"

  "I kinda get it" Haykel pauses "So I can only do math to 10?"

  "No, no. You just grab some paper, or use a stick with mud to calculate more"

  "But what about if there is no dirt or mud when I need more numbers. This seems like a really bad system." Haykel complained.

  "No, is not that. It's because you only know the basics."

  "Then teach me the complex Vildan, I'm waiting." Haykel challenges Vildan.

  "I can try to teach you, but we only can do it on dirt, since, paper is too expensive for this"

  Vildan expends at least three hours explaining math to Haykel. He draws with a stick on the dirt, and mud. He points at the chickens as numbers. The people looked at Vildan and Haykel learning, they find them charming.

  Haykel tried to understand all the information. She grabs her head. "With this math I can probably make my own store"

  Vildan looked confused "No you can't. You don't have the money. You don't even know how to write your name even less read."

  Haykel tries to get a comeback "At least I'm trying Vildan, I don't have a boss that just give me stuff, like... like. Like paper"

  Vildan gets annoyed "What do you mean? I Don't get free stuff from the Mayor, I barely get pay in coins and some carrots."

  Silence between them. Haykel think for 5 seconds.

  "Then why you haven't shared your carrots with me? I tough we were friends." Haykel crosses her arms

  "We are friends, but this carrots are mine, I worked for them" Vildan crosses his arms.

  Haykel does a bad face and points "You win this argument. But I will get to taste those carrots some day" She walks away.

  Vildan smiles with a smug "Now that you have say that I will hide them, you would never find them"

  Haykel turns completely surprised and walks towards Vildan "Oh you didn't say that! Now I will find them, I will become your demise" She points Vildan with her finger really close to his face.

  Vildan slaps the finger of Haykel "OH NO, YOU DON'T. I'M THE BEST PERSON HIDING CARROTS IN THIS VILLAGE"

  The wind moves Haykel skirt and Vildan shirt, they are in a stand off. Haykel looks at Vildan face.

  She notices Vildan mouth "Vildan when did you grow fangs? Those look cool"

  Vildan hides with his hand his mouth.

  "Oh, this? They just grew naturally. Might be because I'm getting smarter" He looks to the side.

  "Those look sick, I want a pair too". She grabs Vildan hand and move it out of the way.

  Vildan smiles a bit.

  Haykel boots are full of mud like always. She cleans herself at the entrance of her house.

  She enters her house and goes to the kitchen, she grabs a knife and start peeling and chopping a cucumber. She makes fake cucumbers fangs, She puts them on under her lip.

  Haykel walk out of her house proudly. She walks to the other kids "Look at this babies, I'm half wolf half human now."

  The kid in red shirt replies "Your fangs looks stupid" he pauses "Bet I can make my dad make me ones from rabbit bones far cooler than what you have."

  Other kid say "I will make my owns, they will look far cooler than Haykel ones"

  Haykel cross her arms and looks up "But I was the first wearing fashion, bow to me."

  During the weeks around the town, all the kids started wearing vegetable fangs while mimicking wolves sounds.

  The adults where enlightened from the fun of the kids.

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