Where the road meets the abyss, the monsters lie in their lair. Us, men in command of the King, must clean the forest of their filth.

Marcus rode on his horse towards the infamous Chinus Cliff, where the battle of the Lost Ones had occurred almost ten years ago.

The road was covered by a misty shroud, thick enough to completely obscure any nearby objects. The trees surrounding the area cast eerie shadows in the fog, creating a hazy silhouette that constantly shifted and danced like phantoms. The air was damp and still, and the only sound to disturb the silence of the forest was the occasional drip of moisture. The road itself was made of hard, packed soil, and it stretched off into the distance, disappearing into the fog. As it curved, it ascended gently, leading up to a high cliff that was barely visible through the haze.

Yet he didn't stop. He had a job to do, ordered by the King himself. He could not fail. His family was in dire need of aid and money. This was the only job that could've guaranteed their future with safe shelter and warm food.

Marcus only had to do one thing, like all the other hunters: capture an Aether. A beautiful creature with strong horns, crystal scales, big, strong wings, and eyes that could make a man go mad. Terrifying yet stunning spawns of hell, as the King and every other soldier in the battle of the Lost Ones had described.

The King had become a collector ever since he lost his only son in the battle against Aethers. He had his hunters kill those creatures so that he could hang their horns and crystal scales around his palace—a sick display of power and supremacy.

Marcus knew very well that hunting an Aether was a hard task, but he was willing to die trying if it meant his family didn't have to live off scraps anymore.

He got off his horse, tying its reins to a nearby tree. He looked around cautiously as he walked the rest of the way to the cliff—the home of Aethers. The place where the heir to the throne had been ruthlessly killed and torn to shreds. Where it all began.

Marcus gripped his sword tightly. His first hunt. He could not fail.

Suddenly, he heard something behind him. He turned around sharply, squinting his eyes as if that could make him see through the thick fog.

"Show yourself, creature!" Marcus shouted, making sure the Aether heard him. He held his sword high to block any attacks that could come his way.

"Hiding will only make it more painful. Surrender, and by the King's name, I will make your death quick," he said.