Hatchling

by Lupine King

Of all the beasts they had hunted today, it was unquestionably the most dangerous. The crane was a simple daemon and the antelope could be called one as well if you stretched the definition but for this hunt, his grandmother had chosen a Daemon Lord. A hog that was surely five times more powerful than the previous two combined. Despite knowing that Pan was a Dire Daemon and certainly stronger, he could not help but worry.

  The large ape was oblivious to his thoughts though and simply strolled up to the pig before letting loose a loud roar in challenge. The hog spun around angrily wondering who would dare challenge him only to spot Pan walking over aggressively. It immediately adopted a ready posture and let loose a bellow as well hoping to scare him off or convince him that a fight was not worth it.

  Pan ignored it and began to knock on the ground with its knuckles, growling aggressively. It was clear that he had not come for the food but to fight. Surprisingly, the hog was not as worried as it should be. In fact, it was actually interested in the competition. That was the true reason why long-tusked hogs were so feared. They were fierce and overly aggressive. Even in the face of a daemon like a mountain devil ape, it did not back down.

  At least that was what it looked like on the surface. Truthfully, the hog would never have stayed to fight if it knew Pan's true power. A Daemon Lord fighting a Dire Daemon, it might as well commit suicide. But it stayed. The reason for this was because it actually thought Pan was a Daemon Lord as well and was confident in being able to fight beasts of the same tier.

  Pan was suppressing his aura and power to the Daemon Lord tier. Ordinarily, that would never happen as both daemons and cultivators were incredibly proud of their power. But his grandmother had ordered it. The ape was supposed to demonstrate how a confrontation was to go and he could not do that well if all the beasts around turned tail and run at the sight of him.

  Challenge accepted, the two jumped straight into battle. Valerian did not even see the first strike. He only noticed the hog's tusks glow brightly and then loud crash resounded through the area. Safely ensconced in his grandmother's shield spell and warded from sight, hearing and smell Valerian was fortunate to not be buffeted by the shockwave. The leaves on the trees and some of the branches and their tenants were not so lucky.

  The two giants churned the earth beneath their feet, ruining the grass and creating furrows in the dirt with their struggle. Even the trees, hardy and strong though they were from absorbing world essence were affected by the battle. Each clash produced waves that shorn off leaves and shook their tenants loose. But soon the two blurs stopped.

  Valerian was happy at this because he was beginning to wonder what the point was in having him watch when he could barely make them out. Thankfully, the two beasts had now halted. Valerian's eyes opened so wide the eyeballs nearly fell out.

  The hog was caught. His snout was held securely in Pan's armpit such that his overly large tusks were away from his body. Then, the ape raised his other fist and began to rain a barrage of punches on his opponent's flank. The poor pig could not resist. He was trapped in the hold and he was not strong enough or skilled enough to break free. He could only struggle impotently as he was beaten to death by Pan and his cask-like fists.

  Fight over with, Pan picked his massive victim and slung it over his left shoulder before making his way back to them. Valerian just stared mutely. His dazed state was interrupted when his grandmother called out from beside him.

  “I hope you now see what happens when you foolishly charge in without measuring yourself against your opponent”.

  Valerian's face coloured but he could not say anything. She was right. He had been asking for a beating at the very least and death at worst.

  THE LAST HUNT WAS DONE by Fuooh. It was the first time Valerian saw Fuooh do anything except eat, sleep and sit on or around his grandmother so he watched carefully. Properly hidden by spells they followed closely behind the gecko as she cornered a large hare in a crevice of some sort. It was a partition in the rocks that was narrower at the top than it was inside or at the bottom.

  The poor hare was tired and trapped. The only exit was blocked by Fuooh and unknown to it by Valerian and his grandmother. With no way out, it could only brace itself as Fuooh closed in on it. It fought valiantly though. A term Valerian did not use lightly due to its connection with his father but in this case, he had to concede the point.

  The hare did everything it could; clawing, scratching, kicking, biting, and pretty much all it was capable off but the dark green lizard just stood impassively and took it all without batting any of its none existent eyelids. It just waited for the hare to tire and then snapped it up.

  Valerian looked on and sighed. That hare was so brave alas the weak were not long for this world once they met someone more powerful. Just watching how it used every trick it had only to have them brushed off must have hurt it mentally. He put it out of his mind after a moment of consideration. That was how the world worked. He had to make sure he did not end up the same.

  TWENTY-ONE

  Innocence Lost

  VICTIMS EITHER EATEN or stored away, the contracted daemons lazily loafed around in a small glade. Valerian sat in front of his grandmother, who was the only one standing.

  “Besides some basic hunting lore, I've shown to you four basic hunting methods. Outmanoeuvring, ambushing, confronting and cornering. Can you tell me what you've learnt?”

  Knowing something like that was coming from the start, Valerian was already prepared. It was not hard to predict. His grandmother liked to teach by example and then buttress her points. Plus, she kept mentioning that she was teaching him this or that this was a demonstration.

  “The objective of the first was to keep the target off balanced and direct it into a situation not only favourable for you but also let you hold the supreme advantage. The objective of the second was to attack an unwary target and get away before any counterattack can be mounted. The third required subduing the target with power or strength and the last had you making sure that there was no escape”, he listed out.

  “Good but there is a lot you are missing”, his grandmother said calmly. “Outmanoeuvring requires planning and forethought. You need to consider yourself, your opponent and your environment, taking into account the factors present and your objectives. You not only have to place your target in a position favourable for you but also ensure that it is helpless to do anything about it. Did you not notice the similarities between the first and last examples? They were exactly the same only the second could fight back. That should not happen if you have truly outmanoeuvred your opponent. Cornering only occurs if you do not properly outmanoeuvre. In fact, cornering an enemy is never really a desirable outcome. Can you guess why?”

  Valerian thought about it carefully. Drawing a blank, he tossed out a weak attempt, “Is it because they fight back?”

  His grandmother merely looked him over. “Well, you are not wrong. It is because they fight back but the issue is how they fight back. Cornered prey fight back with everything they have. Many would not hesitate to ignite their life essence and or use life-threatening moves just to either get away or take you down with them. Even the most timid of animals will attempt to fight if that remains the only avenue available. Though of course there are also those who would put that effort into escaping and then you will have nothing to show for your work.

  “There is only one scenario where you should actually consider cornering an opponent on purpose", she told him. "That is if you intend not to confront your target but instead provoke a reaction. The things people will do when their lives are at stake can tell you a lot.”

  Valerian looked at his grandmother, suspicion clear on his face. “This is about more than just hunting isn't it?” he asked. She smiled in response telling him that he guessed correctly.

  “The principles of hunting work against any adversary and in many situations. It is a guide on how to handle or tackle issues”, she admitted.

  “For instance, that day in the courtyard, you
attacked the first soldier before he was truly aware of what you were doing. You blindsided him, preventing him from mounting a proper defence or calling for help. That, right there was an ambush. With an ambush, you need to attack swiftly and decisively. Do not reveal your intent beforehand, do not let your opponent defend, choose your spot carefully and wisely to give you both an attack advantage and an avenue of escape.

  “The right thing to have done after that was give up the attack and retreat, either to a safe spot or into concealment to prevent your enemy and his allies from pursuing you", she added. "You did not do that. That was a bad call. Even performing an ambush like you did when you were surrounded by multiple opponents who were stronger than you was unwise. You had no cover, no backup plan and no true means of escape. Lucky for you, you had allies in the vicinity. That could have turned out badly especially when you stalled and missed multiple opportunities to get out of there”.

  Valerian's head hung down when he was reminded yet again of that event and his bad choices. He was just about slipping into melancholy when his grandmother knelt in front of him and caressed his head.

  “Don't be sad Valerian! I'm not doing this to berate you. To be honest, you did remarkably well for a young man with little training and no combat experience. I'm only trying to help by showing you things you can improve on. I want it to be that the next time you find yourself in a similar situation you will know how to react and that you will subdue all your opponents. Standing tall and proud without even a speck of dust landing on your robes”, she said soothingly.

  It must be said that Valerian's grandmother was probably the one who understood him best. She knew just what to say or do to motivate him, to calm him, to infuriate and to bring him down or up as she pleased.

  She played on his pride calling him ‘young man' avoiding the terms 'little' or 'boy'. She did not speak down to him or treat him like you would a child and she planted an image in his head. An image she knew would resonate with his will and ambition. She was right.

  Valerian could already picture himself standing there, tall, elegant and nonchalant as foes fell before him with little effort. He did not know it but being praised always for his intellect and feats had made him develop a complex. He was something of a perfectionist. He could not fathom failure on his part. He could not picture not being excellent at something. Not when he succeeded at nearly everything he did. It was a mindset that made him try harder than one would think.

  He could not perform below his own standard. If there was something he did not understand he would work to master it. It fuelled his determination and made him work harder than most would, all so he could maintain that simple disinterested gaze that made it seem like nothing was beyond him. However, it also opened him to mental demons. As a matter of fact, he already had one. Valerian, He-Who-Failed-at-nothing had failed consistently and consecutively at qi cultivation.

  No one but he knew how hard he had tried. How many hours he had spent in his room doing all he could and coming up with nothing. Unable to accept his failure, he had nearly killed himself by forcefully moving his qi. This proved that his pride not only helped him but hindered him as well.

  Upon failing for the umpteenth time and having it broadcast that he was hopeless and crippled, Valerian had developed a shadow in his mind and heart. He had begun to doubt himself. That was partly the reason why he had gotten so angry that day instead of ignoring the insults with his usual indifferent air.

  All this, his grandmother had guessed and though she had no way of determining its severity, she could still find ways to remind him of his potential. She could get him focused on his triumphs, both future and present instead of letting him focus on his failures. That's what she did. Valerian was already thinking of what it would be like to be an unstoppable cultivator and so long as that seed she planted in his mind remained there as a focus she would have nothing to worry about.

  “Come on. Don't be a baby. Let's get back to what I was saying” she said teasing. As expected, Valerian looked embarrassed and quickly straightened himself up.

  “A confrontation only works in your favour if you are more powerful than your opponent or possess some sort of factor that gives you a distinct advantage over your target", she stated. "It might be a skill. It might be your expertise. It might be some innate ability that your opponent cannot account for, defend or attack you through. This is important to note. Earlier, Pan won his battle because his opponent was unable to tell his true strength and because he completely held the advantage in combat skill and experience. You must also remember that the other forms of hunting are either inapplicable in some situations or engender disdain when used. For example, you cannot ambush your opponent when you are supposed to duel and there is no way to truly outmanoeuvre a target you know nothing about.

  “It is also the reason why all cultivators put emphasis on personal combat skills because you never know when you will be in a situation that calls for self-defence or for you to make a decisive attack or display of power", she added. "It is what we all fall back on. As someone who wishes to stand tall with unquestioned might, you must take this one into serious consideration and focus on it. Nevertheless, you must practice the others well and be able to employ them in any circumstance. The reason for this is because all combat possesses some connecting similarities. You can apply the principles of one mode of hunting in another."

  "For example, Sal's aim was to outmanoeuvre her prey and yet she lay in wait, stealthily for a perfect opportunity like she was planning an ambush. She had her power to fall back on in case it resulted in a confrontation", his grandmother illustrated.

  “Sela planned an ambush but had to make sure to position both herself and her prey and take numerous factors into consideration as well as employ a great deal of power, skill and speed. Pan confronted his but kept certain skills hidden to surprise his opponent and put him a situation where there was nothing he could do but wait for death. Fuooh factored her and her opponent's strengths, the environment and ended up in a confrontation that she knew she would win."

  “When hunting or fighting or doing anything for that matter, do not restrict yourself to one way of doing things. To remain stale is to spoil and die. You must learn to adapt trying new and different things for every situation you encounter”, she finished.

  Valerian sat there trying to come to grips with what he was learning but there was just so much. His mind had actually been opened to new possibilities and a new way of viewing things. It began to whir and spin as it churned up ideas based on what he had just learnt. Raising his right hand to stroke his chin, he began to fall into deep contemplation and he tried to digest this new information. Thankfully, he was stopped before he went in too deep.

  “You can ruminate on this when we go home but first we have something to do”, she said laughing. She found it funny that he had lost himself in thought in front of her.

  Valerian looked around sharply his mind stirring. He saw his grandmother's amused gaze and grinned bashfully before recalling what she had just said.

  “What else is left grandmother?” he enquired.

  “This!” she said, pointing behind him.

  He spun around and came face to face with Gulsalma. His heart leapt a bit. Not because he feared that she would do something to him but because he had not noticed her leave, nor had he noticed her return with her current burden.

  In her mouth, she carried an antelope. It was a young female but of a different kind from the one, they killed earlier. This one was much smaller and reddish-brown coat. The thing was asleep and unharmed. It just lay in her jaws unconscious.

  “I am going to teach you how to slaughter and dress an animal”, his grandmother explained.

  Valerian glanced in her direction once before sighing. He had suspected that today he would be forced to make a kill. He just relaxed because he had thought it over with the morning's events. He resigned himself to his fate. How could he be a hunter or a warrior if he was afraid of killing?
So he watched impassively as the young deer was laid at his feet.

  He looked at his grandmother asking what to do. She came closer and said to him.

  “Place the hind legs together and place a foot over them. Then, do the same for the forelegs”.

  He did as asked and looked up for more instructions. It was only now that he realised that he had become the centre of attraction. All of his grandmother's beasts had gotten up and surrounded him, eyes trained on what was to come.

  “Grab the horn like I said and do what must be done”, the old lady stated simply.

  Valerian did so not noticing his grandmother making a hand sign beside him. Immediately, the antelope was revived. It jerked awake to find itself surrounded and in the middle of a bunch of fierce predators. Screaming and struggling fitfully, it tried to get away. The whole thing was so unexpected that Valerian nearly let it slip loose.

  He quickly came to his senses and kept a good hold on it. Then, reaching over to the small of his back he grabbed the bone handle of the knife slung across there. He pulled it from the sheath in a swift, smooth motion and held it over the neck in the same way his grandmother had done to the antelope they caught earlier.

  Then, he hesitated.

  The reason why Valerian had dreaded this moment was because he had read a lot of books about killing and making your first kill, and the descriptions bothered him. Was it really as bad as they said?

  That was why he hesitated. He was stopping to evaluate his own condition. He looked at the antelope's fear-filled eyes, listened to its frightened bleats and felt it struggle beneath him. There was no spell restraining this one's voice or movement.

  He looked at it. Really, looked at it whilst waiting for the feeling described in the books. Was he just going to kill an innocent animal who had done nothing to him just for food? The thought of food made him think of venison. He had eaten a lot of it in his eight years of life. He liked it. The eyes looking at the antelope changed in a way that was not necessarily noticeable but to the predators gathered there, it was as clear as day.