Chapter 5: First hunt.

Today begins the first day for hunting Gums. Like all nagas from the age of six, I can join the hunt group, it is also part of my training.

Obviously, I received a previous training on how to hunt Gums: first the animal is blinded and its legs are weakened with arrows or rocks, and once it’s on the ground, the skull is broken with a mace.

That said, although only one naga can do it on his own, as I am only a beginner, my job will be to assist dad and others with the attack with arrows; The bow I carry is a little big and the rope is hard to pull, even with my strength.

And speaking of my strength… It is amazing!

Magic exists in this world, just as in fiction stories. There is a flow of energy known as "Hetros", which is present in everything that exists, whether it’s a living being or not.

The Hetros is a neutral energy and through manipulation, one can create a "phenomenon", like balls of fire, thunder or water, among others. However, getting the hang of it is not an easy task, only 1 in 10 people can do it.

A unique case (and the reason the Naga are so famous), is that, unlike the other races, the Naga can not use magic at all. Instead, thanks to the blessing of spirit Nagur, the Naga are able to make the Hetros flow through their bodies, giving them total control of a superhuman strength, endurance and abilities.

Thanks to that, Naga can lift objects 250 times their own weight and resisting falls of more than 600 meters without being injured, and at the same time, being able to hold objects like ceramic vessels, or "caress" their partners even if they’re from other races.

When I first started to use my abilities, I was in so high spirits that I was literally up in the clouds. If I had to define how Hetros feels, I will say that it’s similar to goosebumps through all the body.

And yet, my strength is not fully developed. I’m already at the level of a superhero..

However, even with my strength, it’s difficult to completely pull the bow thread. Certainly it must have an immense attack power... the arrows are a few inches thick and they’re made of lead coated with bronze.

Certainly, the Gums must be very strong monsters to require the use of such weapons.

The hunting area to which dad takes me is in a deeper area where mom usually picks up herbs and other products. As we enter the forest, the trees separate and become taller, yet there is not enough light passing through the treetops… Well, not that it matters, Naga have very good eyes that they can see even in dim places.

After five hours of walking, the terrain changes and turns flat, the trees also let in a little more light. There is a group of seven people camping and preparing for the hunt, five adult children and two children. Among the children, I’m the youngest.

“Tovs, you’re early. We will not leave until dusk... Are you nervous because it's Aruh's first hunt?" (Hunter)

"No, Mr. Flounds, Aruh has a great dexterity and he’s very mature for his age." (Tovs)

"That’s right. Aruh has been very smart since always and learns quickly." (Flounds)

"I'm the proud son of my great parents after all." (Aruh)

"Well said. Hey, Jupero, you could be like Aruh and respect me more as a father." (Flounds)

"When you stop being so smug, old man." (Jupero)

Serpero Flouns is the chief hunter and Jupero is his son, a boy of fourteen years of rebellious attitude yet responsible character.

The rest of the team consists of Goto Vipen, Komo Jat, Tarj and Bobo Levra, and the youngest member after me, Kober Jat, eldest son of Komo.

All of them are experienced hunters, including Kober, who is only nine years old.

Preparations for hunting are important: maintaining weapons and tools to dismember prey, tgo to the bathroom without forgetting to spray a chemical that eliminates the aroma, cover oneself with the same chemical to also hide the body scent, prepare hiding places and secure positions, etc.

There are many steps, but I managed to learn them all.

"... tie the ends of the branches well and... ready!" (Aruh)

"Well done, it's your first try yet you built an excellent hideout, I'm afraid the one who will inherit the post of chief hunter is not me." (Jupero)

"My plans are to become a blacksmith as dad, so you do not have to fear" (Aruh)

"Why a blacksmith? With the dwarves in Tulser, I do not see why the Naga have learn to be blacksmiths." (Jupero)

"But there are not many dwarves in the village." (Kober)

"Dwarves do not usually live at high altitudes and most prefer to live in cities below ground, one of the few exceptions is Mr. Fas Nesel, and it is only temporary. In twenty years he will return with his people." (Aruh)

"Oooh, I see!... I still think that you would be better as a hunter. But being so smart, I doubt you’ll have problems learning to be a blacksmith. When you do, I want you to make me a weapon to hunt." (Jupero)

"Good thing he did not come between you and your father, right?" (Kober)

"Shut up!, I want to be the chief hunter because it's an important position for the village." (Jupero)

Although he tried to deny it, Jupero's red face betrayed him. Kober and I laughed.

***

We finished the preparations shortly before nightfall and everyone went to take their positions.

Dad was next to me, he would give me instructions after finding a prey, after that I will continue hiding while he finished the job.

"Do not yet pull the string, just regulate your breathing. (Tovs)

In the distance, I could see several silhouettes moving in our direction. The light of the moon filtered from the treetops, more than enough to give me a good vision of the preys.

The creatures that were approaching were enormous bears with ten feet of height, covered in black fur and with a row of thorns on their backs.

Are those the Gums?

Now that I think about it, I have never seen a whole prey, the hunters dismantle them to the degree of leaving them unrecognizable, even the parts offered to Nagur.

The Gums are quite intimidating, with their muscular body and movements as a herd, they must be very dangerous creatures.

"They are Impalator Bears, shoot to the three that are backwards. Kill them with a single shot, Aruh" (Tovs)

Apparently they are not Gums but a monster called Impalator Bear.

Following dad's instructions, I fired three arrows and each hit a bear's head. Other arrows fired by the rest of the hunters kill the rest of the bears. Only one survived and ran away to where he came from while grunting in fear.

Wow, they're more timid than I thought, or maybe they're smart creatures. With the rest of its comrades dead, it would be very silly for it to try to fight alone.

"Gums are coming. Get ready." (Tovs)

Dad points to where the bear fled, who is then suddenly dragged away into the darkness.

The screams of the bear become stronger, as if they were shrieking… Then silence, and then came the sound of something chewing.

I feel a chill for a moment, the scene was scary. But what came after was worse.

From the darkness, hidden behind the trees, the Gums appeared.

Ten-meter-tall creatures that moved on four hairy legs, numerous tentacles growing from their backs and two huge elephant-like tusks growing from their huge jaws.

They looked as if a huge octopus had mounted on an elephant to move ashore.

There were ten in total, who came up to the bears’ corpses and began to devour them without worry.

I could describe it as an atrocious sight: the gums tearing the bears with their tentacles. Entrails and blood covered the floor around the Gums, and the sound of bones breaking when chewed was the only thing that could be heard.

Two of the Gums began to fight over one of the bodies, causing the bear's head to fly away close to where I was.

Dad gave the signal. I aimed calmly and shot the two yellow eyes of the appointed Gum, and remembering the next step, I fired the spot under it’s knees, causing the monster to collapse.

The other hunters did the same.

In less than twenty minutes, all the gums were laying on the ground, and the adults (along with Jupero and Kober) came out of their hiding places carrying huge maces.

"The hunt was better than expected ... I suppose it would not hurt to let you help to take the lives of the Gums." (Tovs)

"S-sure" (Aruh)

Although my part ended with the attack with arrows, dad thought it would be a good idea to help finish the job and gave me a long knife to dismember the bodies and also a mace.

But just as we came out of the hiding place, I felt a presence behind us and something dragged me into the darkness.

"ARUUUUUHHH!" (Tovs)

I saw the landscape pass quickly in my surroundings. Due to the force when first pulled, my hands dropped the mace involuntarily.

This was the same thing that happened with the bear. Apparently, a gum remained hidden and survived the attack, if this continues, I will become it’s food.

Luckily I still have the knife. Before reaching the jaws of the monster, I drew my weapon and cut off the tentacle that held me and managed to avoid my death.

The Gum continued its attack and threw several of its tentacles against me.

I am surprised by the calmness with which I am reacting, I evaded each one of the attacks while counterattacking by cutting its tentacles ..

Dad and the others will soon come, but it will not hurt to get some merits.

This time I wait for one of his attacks and instead of cutting it, I grabbed the tentacle and pulled the monster with all my strength. Back then, my standing was not ideal, but with the power I have, the Gum was not the big thing and so managed to get it out of balance.

The tentacle ends up breaking but I got my goal of having the gum off balance, so I ran to one of it sides and gave it a big cut... which barely manage to perforate its thick skin, but with a second cut I managed to go across the fat and muscle, reaching its organs.

This knife has a very good sharpness...

There are several branches scattered on the ground, so I took a large one and inserted it through the wound. The gum collapsed from the pain.

Finally, I killed it by burying the knife all the way down at the base of his neck the place I was told its brain was, but the reach of the knife is not enough so I kicked it hard... Sinking it completely into the Gum’s body.

The beast writhes for a moment but ended up succumbing. Immediately afterwards, dad and the others arrive to find me in front of the monster's body.

It must have been a surprising act, for they were astonished watching me from a distance, or rather, since I am covered with the blood of the Gum, I must look quite frightening.

Dad just stands still for a second and throws himself into me and hugged me.

"A-Aruh ... Aruh ..." (Tovs)

It's the first time I've seen dad crying, so I hugged him back to comfort him.

Once things calmed down, we resumed collecting the Gum’s materials but dad remained alert all the time.

Everyone present, especially Jupero and Kober, praised the fact that I killed the Gum on my own under such conditions. Some children use to die during their first hunting.

I was said that when we get to the village, there will be a party in my honor.