Looming throughout the void of brush under the towering trees, a solitary spirit stalks its prey.

Steadily readying an arrow onto her bow, the lone hunter took her aim as the rustling of the bushes became louder and louder before an enormous boar has entered her sight. The beast was unusually large and almost as round as a ball, its bristly, grizzled fur looks to be impenetrable to her arrows. The wild beast turned its head in every direction as its instinct keeps sensing danger everywhere it looks before giving out a frightful cry to call out to its predator as it showed no fear.

Although they aren't normally this aggressive, they're still dangerous. They possess sharp tusks that look as if they could be used to impale a full-grown man to the ground and because of their great strength, speed, and ferocity, they have been one of the favourite beasts of the chase.

The cry of the creature continues to sound before hearing the crack of the bowstring the boar fell silent. The creature's head was oozing out with blood as an arrow had accurately penetrated the skull of the boar. Its blood fell down the head like a river and created a pool on the dirt floor.

Emerging from the tall bushes with her old, raggedy clothing, a solitary hunter walked up to her prey. The wind then started to blow heavier toward the east, throwing her honey blonde hair from side to side. Her pale blue eyes glade the dead beast with dispassion hoping the be animal could put a bit more of a challenge but at the end of the day, the Beast was secure.

By looking at the size of the carcass, The elven hunter knows by experience that the fat on such a beast would be a valuable fuel source through the harsh winter and she could make a nice coat out of its fur.

So many options filled her mind as she continues to stare at the Animal but it was there she remembered that she needs to bring this boar in to receive her prize.

The Huntress gave a loud whistle and immediately a familiar sound could be heard responding to her voice. The sounds of galloping could be heard coming towards her and from the bushes, a chestnut brown horse, (to which she named Chestnut), arrives next to the huntress. She took out a thick rope from the satchel from her horse and precisely wrapped the boar's leg together before stowing the beast onto her horse.

The hunter gave her horse a soft stroke. "Let's go pay our debt boy," she said as she hopped onto her horse's back then gently slam the rein.

Quickly, the horse started moving fast out of this isolated region which was filled with vicious monsters that roam both day and night. Many are much, much worse than the boar that she's slain earlier.

The hunting ground she usually hunted on for many years is by far the most popular, but not in a good way. Many people feared this place so much to the point that many would always refer to this place as 'The Forest of Hell '. Only the ones that dares to enter must be crazy or experienced, that's why so many merchants would hire several experienced adventurers to guard them on their journey.

If they could survive those, then they need to survive an endless hoard of blood-thirsty Bandits -notably the infamous 'Baron Brothers'.

She'd run into those freaks many times before and time and time again she manages to fend them off. She may be an old elf living in solitary but she sure knows how to kill a man, like her days as an adventurer, she'd shown no mercy.

Like over the years she had met some good, sometimes bad people on her journey, but that's a life of an adventurer. This Elven hunter was originally from the Kingdom of Albion, an island nation in the continent of Aleville. Her name is Melody Westwood, an ex-adventurer who now settle in the kingdom of Felivar, a small but yet powerful nation bordering the coast of Aleville.

As Melody travelled further north, the forest was seemingly started to disappear and at the exit, she sees a field of grasslands. At least tens of miles of land that used to be packed with trees have been cleared off by the hands of man. It's sad to remember the time she'd used to hang around these parts in the past, but this is the proof of a new era.

And further miles of travel her eyes then laid upon the City of Ruhal. The skies are tainted by the billowing black clouds oozing out of these new megacities was becoming a common sight to be seen.

The thought of these changes made the Elven hunter sick. Ever since the creation of the famous steam engine, thirty years ago, by an inventor from the Kingdom of Albion, the world soon became a different place. Sometimes, she'd hoped this was a dream and would chuckle at the idea of machines replacing living people.

But gradually as she witnessed the changing world. As an Adventurer, she saw the transition from villages turned into towns and towns became cities. Like Ruhal, the black clouds that pollute the city's sky as factories began to become commonplace.

As the country starts to change so did the laws. Some of them restrict the entry of certain dungeons that many adventurers venture into to search for riches and adventure. Only archaeologist groups could enter with some exceptions made for some adventurers and taking loot from the dungeon is now considered a crime.

There were more factors such as new inventions that are starting to replace adventurers and many guilds are beginning to shut down. Like the others, Melody left the country and headed straight to Feliver.

Many people welcomed the Adventurers with open arms, human adventurers to be exact. Unfortunately, the Felivarin people weren't fond of mixed-raced such as herself.

Melody is a half-elf, her father was a Cavalryman for the Albion army and her mother was an Elf living in northern Albion. She loved them dearly and took massive offence to the people that hated her because of her blood.

Eventually, Melody retired from being an Adventurer. She instead became a hunter then got herself a loan and assemble her home from her bare hands on the lands she'd purchased. It was tedious, tiring, and complex work, it took her many days and nights to finish it, but eventually, she did it...

Melody created a place where she could settle in peace. But all is left is to pay back her loan.

Melody slowed down the horse to a steady trot as she gazes her eyes upon a small village in the far distance. Near the entrance of the village there was a sign, It says, 'Welcome to Eastin'.

Located not too far from Ruhal, Eastin is a small agricultural village bordering the Swazi Forest and the River May. The river creates a natural defence from the creatures from the forest and this is why the settlement has lasted for a good long while.

The people who inhabit the village are possibly the friendliest people she has come across. There was no judgment of her race or nationality, they just welcomed her with open arms. On one occasion, she saw a group of children that were playing next to a farmhouse and came over to her and asked for the elven hunter to join in.

She never thought people like this could ever exist, People who judge based on individuality than race or colour. No wonder this village is inhabited by a mix of humans, Demi-humans, and elves. It would be amazing if more people like these are out there.

Riding around the village Melody heard a familiar voice, "Melody Westwood?!" An old man with a grizzled long beard cried out shockingly. Melody warmly smiled at him as the old man limped out of his home, the man just only had one leg but the other was a wooden one. "My lord it's you!"

"Captain Naples." Melody replies waving, "Long time no seen.

"Good heavens me! I've already told you to stop calling me that, just call me William for once." The bearded man chuckled, "It has been two years since I last saw you."

The captain caught up to the elven hunter and walk at her pace. "Two years are just days for me, William." Ever since he retired from the Feliverian Royal Navy, William has been settling down in the village for a long while. Melody could remember the time when he still had two legs before enlisting into the navy at the age of 15.

From the letter Melody has read from him, she could tell that his career was an illustrious one, from the coast of the 'New World' to the Eastern reaches of the world, William Naples was there. It sounded exciting whenever she read his letter.

"How's the family? And how's the leg?" Melody asked.

"Very fine, thank you. I see you been busy quite recently." William chuckles as he saw the boar on the elven shoulder, "I see old habit die hard, Melody. I thought you've retired already."

"Just paying off some debt." she calmly reassures. "I built myself a home in the forest. It is nice and peaceful out there."

"You're living by yourself in the forest?", the veteran captain was rigid with surprise. "Why not just settle down here?" he curiously asked the elf as she stopped in front of the Trapper's shop. She turns around to face the old veteran and place down the carcass.

"William, you know me by now," the half-elf said half-heartedly, giving the veteran a cold stare. William sigh in defeat, knowing he'll never get his answers if he kept asking. "Well, then I'll be going now. Stay well Melody."

"You too Captain Naples." she watches as the old veteran limp away into the village. Melody didn't mean to be too antagonistic towards the Captain. She has a lot of respect for the old man.

But living alone in the forest in solitary was possibly the only freedom she's going to get before the growing might of industry could catch up to the village in a few years.

Melody already saw it happen to her old home in Albion. A small peaceful village turned into a hectic city covered in the dark husk of smoke from the factory.

Very soon the Elven hunter would meet up with the Trapper. His shop wasn't much of a shop, it was more transitory than permanent. All of was just a table under a pair of blankets which was supported by two pairs of makeshift support. Behind the Trapper were a carriage and a skin that stretched out by a pair of ropes and was exposed to the hot sun. He was seen by his carriage reading a novel that Melody deducted that was recently published. His outfit was raggy and his brown shirt, hands and face were covered in blood.

"Mr Evans." The elven hunter called out.

The Trapper put down his book and locked his eyes towards the voice. "Melody?" the Trapper came up to his blood-stained table where he lay eyes on the elven hunter and her recent catch. He was dumbfounded by the size of the carcass. "My lord... I see you brought back that tyrant with you. Dethroned by the Queen herself."

"Flattering, Jordon." Melody puts the boar on the table. Melody swore she saw the four fragile legs of the table bends as she placed it down. "So how much will I get?"

"Well..." the trapper started to curiously assess the creature. "Thick fur, good meat, and plenty of fat. A perfect catch. I say I'll give you around 60 rubles."

The Hunter slowly widen her eyes at the Trapper, "Sorry?" Melody stared into the Trapper's eyes with immense disapproval. "You can't be serious right? The fur!? The meat!? You can't find anything else like this!"

"I'm sorry Miss Westwood. It pains me to say but... We all need money, and that's the best I could do right now."

Angrily, the elven hunter picked up the Trapper by his collar. She lifted him over the table and fully placed him on top of the table. "Are you holding out on me, Jordon?" The Trapper could see the fire in the elven hunter's eyes, the flames of rage were spreading and he was about to be burned. "You know what I do to the people who cheated the price from me. Don't you? You'll be lucky if your not a shoe by tomorrow."

Shaking in fear, the Trapper furiously nodded his head. "OK! O-Ok!" He stuttered. "75 rubles. Please, Melody, I'm also in a heavy debt."

Seeing the Trapper half-crying, Melody sigh and let go of the Trapper from her gorilla-like grip, "80 rubble, that's my final offer." she said with venom.

"Ok... OK..." Jordon when back to his carriage and took out a stash of paper money to which the Elven Hunter gladly accepted.

"I hope this is enough. Because anymore that this, then I'm a dead man"

Melody huffed in annoyance. "Then you better get a move on before that day is due. Good day, Mr Evans."

Melody counted the notes carefully as she walked away from the trapper's shop. The Banknote, (or simply a note), is the means of currency in Feliver. Originally, money was based on precious metals such as gold or silver and was seen as Promissory notes for debt that was primarily used by miners.

But ever since the loss of territory from the hands of the Holy Lutetain empire in the Able mountains during the Feliverin-Lutetain war and the increased price for gold from foreign trade, the Felivarin have adopted the banknote as a new currency. Printed notes could range from 20 to 1,000 rubles.

It was referred to as miner's currency by the many aristocrats who were reluctant and prideful to exchange their gold and valuables to be 'put on the same class as the low lives'. And with the removal of precious metals from the monetary system, banknotes began to evolve into pure fiat money.

Melody is very fond of the new currency compare to the gold, silver, and copper, that she used to own several years ago. She found the notes more flexible to store and secure. It is better than carrying bags of paper than gold which is three-quarters of the weight.

The Elven hunter loudly whistled and quickly her chestnut horse came. She quickly rode out of the village from the west entrance and rod into the forest. The Swazi forest looked empty but noise could be heard from every direction, from the chipping of the birds to the sound of the trees blowing it seems peaceful. This forest is oddly beautiful despite its reputation as the 'Forest of hell'.

After starting at a flock of birds flying past through the open sky. The Elven hunter spotted a blue flicker on the corner of her eyes, she hastily halted her horse at that moment and jerk her head around to locate the source of the light.

'What was that?' Melody thought.

Again, a blue flicker flashes in front of her eyes. Briefly blinded by the glow of a mysterious light, she quickly dismounts from her horse and slowly crept closer to investigate. Melody armed herself with her bow and arrow ready in her hands in case of an unpredictable threat.

Passing through the bush and trees, the light slowly got brighter and brighter as she got closer. It is almost like the sun has descended upon the Earth.

"What the hell?" Melody muttered loudly. Her eyes were rigid with shock as her blue eyes lay upon a floating person.

He was orbited by four rings as if he was a planet in the middle of a small crater. Melody has seen some fair share of magic in her life but what she's seeing unfolding before her eyes is nothing like she'd seen before. Judging from what she could observe, the man looks to be from the eastern continent and looks to be in his late teens. He was dressed in unusual but high-quality clothing. His eyes were shut but he doesn't look to be concentrating, it's almost like he's asleep or possibly unconscious.

Slowly, the man descends to the dirt floor of the crater and a few seconds later the rings shatter into sparkles of dust which start to merge in the man's left hand, creating a Crystal-like item that was embedded in his hand.

Slowly and carefully, Melody crept towards the unconscious man with her bow half-drawn as she slide down the slope of the crater. With caution, Melody carefully analysed the man, he was fully unarmed and unprotected. Was he stupid or crazy just to wander into the Swazi forest without a single weapon?!

Suddenly, a cold hand wrapped the elven hunter's left hand, the strength of the grip was comparable to a monster. It happened so fast, the melody didn't have any time to act.

Filled with panic, Melody's heart was racing and her instinct was telling her to reach for her knife. But fortunately, the hunter has enough sense to look before she acts as a panicked man looked deeply into her eyes with fear.

"Help me. Please!" he pleaded brokenly. "The voice! The symbols! It consumes me!" the man suddenly blacked out from shock.

Both confused and alarmed at the current situation, Melody carried the young man out of the crater and immediately whistled for her horse. Without fail the horse dash to her location and hastily the elven hunter stows the man on the back of her horse and with haste she rides as fast as she could to the village.