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[Skill-Eater] Chapter 125: Sendoff
🕑 Added 2024-10-16 17:01:01 +0000 UTCThe crew walked beside the wagon as they left the hunters’ district, heading for the north gate of town. Edge let his mind wander, listening to the rattle of the wheels rolling along the cobblestones, the creak of Blue’s harness, and the footsteps of the people walking beside him.
He found himself growing more excited by the footfall, savoring the anticipation of the trial to come. With any luck, he would secure a place on the team, eat some awesome new skills, and pick up a ton of cycles along the way.
Best of all, didn’t have to head into the field alone. This time, he would have other people to share the danger and watch his back. People he was coming to trust, although he hadn’t known them for long. While Edge had his secrets, it felt good to have a place to belong—or at least the chance to earn one. He intended to do everything he could to make sure that he passed this test and earned the crew’s respect.
As they crossed the districts, it soon became apparent that word of their mission had spread throughout the settlement. When they drew near the north gate, he was shocked to see that hundreds of people were waiting to see the crew off—waving and offering words of encouragement. Wishing them luck and a successful hunt.
Among them were some familiar faces. Edge saw Ann and Lilly standing beside the gate, along with Rita, Izzio, Sam, and Bee. He even saw the girl who had given him the apple watching from a nearby rooftop. When she saw him, she winked, waved, and then disappeared. I wonder, could that be Sakura?
The crew stopped for a few minutes to engage with the well-wishers, accepting small gifts of food and supplies to aid them on their trip. They must know that we’re leaving to take down a beast that is threatening the town’s future.
Edge shared a few words with everyone he knew. Then he bid them farewell, glad to have made some friends on this strange new world. The last person to greet them was Mel, who was standing guard beside the gate. She said hello to Trapper, then pulled him in for a bear hug that creaked his ribs. “Knock them dead, Edge. Use what I taught you and I’m sure that you’ll manage to pull this off. Smash that lizard to smithereens, and I’ll buy you a round when you get back.”
“Thanks, Mel. I’ll take you up on that offer. I wouldn’t have made it this far without you.”
The crowd cheered as the crew stepped through the gate—a roaring tide of emotion that warmed his heart to hear. He wasn’t used to people knowing who he was, let alone relying on him and believing in him. It was something that he’d been missing all his life without ever knowing it, and he wiped away tears from the corners of his eyes.
A few steps later, everyone was beyond the barrier and out on the Ivory Plains. They made their way down the northern trade road—the first wagon to roll along it in days. Before long, the warded walls of Puppet Town were nothing but a memory.
Edge cast his gaze into the distance, examining the route they would follow for the next several hours. It was a good day to begin a long journey. The sky was overcast, lowering the summer heat to a comfortable temperature. The wind was crisp, and the breeze was blowing, sending the surface of the grass heaving like waves on the sea.
Wildflowers were in bloom all around him, painting bright colors across the ivory canvas of the grasslands. As they put the miles beneath their boots, the hunters practiced the various formations they would use throughout their trip.
This part of the plains was patrolled daily by the deputies, so they weren’t expecting to run into anything too dangerous just yet. But the crew wasn’t taking that for granted. They had already learned the hard way that new threats were spreading across the biome, a little further every day.
Edge was caught up in the moment, ready to enjoy his first true adventure instead of being forced to survive one catastrophe after the next. It felt completely different heading out into the wilderness on a hunt, instead of being hunted himself. It was reassuring to have Trapper, Sasha, and Riller watching out for trouble. If something like the padamas or shadowreavers appeared, this time, Edge and his team would be ready.
Despite their abundance of caution, the first few hours were uneventful, and they made good time crossing the prairie. Riller ranged out a few miles ahead of the wagon, occasionally circling back to let them know that the way was clear. Everyone kept their eyes busy scanning their surroundings, while discussing which tactics they would use across a wide range of situations.
For his part, Edge just listened while asking an occasional question. He paid close attention to Trapper’s crew, trying to absorb everything that he could by watching them in action. In part because he wanted to pass his exam, but mostly because it was a fantastic opportunity to learn from people who had been surviving here for years.
Working with an experienced team was a night and day difference from exploring the plains solo. There was a clear competency in every decision the crew made—choices built on trust and hard-won knowledge. The hunters operated like a well-oiled machine. Each person played their role to form a whole that was greater than the sum of its parts.
Edge knew that he didn’t really fit into it, at least not yet. But the more he watched, the more certain he became that he wanted to, at least some of the time. He would always prefer to hunt solo on occasion, so that he could cycle-up fast and steal skills without being caught. But he was picking things up working with the crew that he never would have figured out alone, or not nearly as fast at any rate.
More than that, it was nice to have someone to talk to. To share the wonder of traversing an alien planet. Not to mention people he could trust to stand guard while he was sleeping. Sasha had only been part of the crew for a little over a month, but they already treated her like family. With any luck, by the time they got back, he would be one step closer to joining her.
They crossed a quarter of the distance during that first day, miles passing beneath the gentle clatter of the wagon’s wheels. Blue kept right on trudging along, never once showing signs of fatigue. Edge kept his eyes open but let his mind wander, taking in the sights and sounds of a world so different from the planet of his birth. The fierce beauty of the plains, and the breathtaking magic of Ord.
That first day proved to be blessedly uneventful. The handful of predators they encountered wanted nothing to do with a party of that size. They saw buffalo in the distance on three separate occasions, but the herds were far enough away that the crew didn’t need to change their course to go around.
They camped for the night on the top of a rocky hill, where they had an unobstructed view of the grasslands for miles around. Trapper set traps to guard their position, adding another layer of protection to the lookouts’ sharp senses. Meanwhile, the rest of the team dug a deep pit for their campfire, then banked it with a ring of rocks so that the light wouldn’t give their position away.
While they had to be on guard against predatory beasts and monsters, they didn’t have to worry about the padamas just yet. Although the predator they were hunting had a powerful camouflage ability, Trapper had told them that it couldn’t hide the grass it flattened in passing. They were safe from ambush until they crossed into a different sub-biome, even if the lizard happened to range back in their direction.
Once the fire was lit, they spent an hour sharing stories and enjoying each other’s company. Violet cooked dinner, making stew with some fresh vegetables and the sausage Sam had gifted them. It was savory and delicious, and Edge fell asleep with a full belly.
He didn’t have a watch shift until tomorrow night, so he took the opportunity to get a full night’s sleep. He let out a sigh when his head hit the pillow, enjoying having a sleeping bag under him instead of lying on the bare earth for a change. A man could get used to living like this.
