The Primal Hunter

Chapter 100

The family sat gathered around the table, enjoying their breakfast. The rays of sunlight hit the table, highlighting the vast selection to choose from. Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, bread, whatever one wanted. Caleb had even convinced their dad to make pancakes that morning. Mom had objected, but Caleb had gotten his will. It was only his birthday once a year, after all.

Jake was enjoying one of the aforementioned pancakes, with perhaps a bit too much honey on. Which, of course, resulted in an admonishing gaze from his mom across the table. One he tried to ignore as he sheepishly put the fork into his mouth, the honey dripping down on the plate.

It was three weeks before the system arrived. Jake had gone back to visit his parents and brother to celebrate his brother’s 27th birthday.

Also at the table were his parents as well as Maja, Caleb’s wife. They had gotten married at what many considered a young age, but Caleb felt it was the right thing to do after she got pregnant. A pregnancy she was currently seven months into. Also... it made the loan on their new house a lot cheaper.

Maja sat at the table, her stomach clearly showing, as she spoke to his mother, Debra. Debra gave all the tips about having a first child, along with embarrassing anecdotes about Jake and Caleb.

“Jake used to be very quiet, while Caleb kept us up all night every night,” she said, as she jokingly added. “Caleb was quite lucky we had Jake first, or we wouldn’t have mustered up the courage to have another.”

“Mom, come on, I can’t have been that bad,” Caleb protested, getting only a giggle from Maja.

“He still keeps me up all night even now,” Maja said without thinking.

The rest of the family all looked at her awkwardly for a moment with Jake’s dad, Robert, nearly choking on his coffee.

Maja seemed to realize the meaning of what she said as she turned red, and frantically tried to explain.

“Snoring! He snores!” she protested loudly, earning only a chuckle.

In an attempt to help his wife, Caleb swiftly changed the subject as he turned to Jake.

“So, how is work these days? Heard your company is quite busy after going public last month.”

Jake, getting the hint, helped dispel the awkward atmosphere and gladly answered.

“Yeah, management is all up in our asses about putting out the, and I quote, ‘biggest numbers to date.’ I am not even sure management knows what half of those numbers mean.”

“Can’t be all bad, don’t you get along with that Jacob fellow?” Deborah asked.

“He can only lift up the average intelligence of the management that much,” Jake joked.

“I agree; they can’t be all that bright,” Caleb said, nodding. “They were dumb enough to hire you after all.”

“Cal, be nice!” Maja said as she poked him in the arm with her elbow.

“Birthday boy using up his leeway fast,” Jake said, pointing his still honey-covered fork at his brother. “Going to have to take back presents if you don’t behave soon, young man.”

“I apologize, oh bringer of the big numbers,” he answered, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

It was the last time Jake had met his family. After that, he had been busy, and the trip back to his hometown was pretty long.

sized, having around 40.000 inhabitants. Caleb

forever. She grew up next door and was over almost every day. Jake had been the older brother, with Caleb and Maja being

of them had started hanging out alone. Things developed as they do, and the two ended up going out, getting married, and

He was always in the weird paradox that going to see them seemed like

being around them. They were the only people in his life he was truly close to. The only ones he could openly joke and have fun around. He didn’t feel like he had to put up any walls or to filter himself. He could just

and loving kind, who had never put him down for any decisions he had made but helped push

engineer. They had neither been rich nor poor, growing up solidly in the upper-middle

were the most important

Caleb asked

the airport before 5,” Jake answered as he

plans

have already prepared everything for that stupid conference,

Caleb said as he put

day was spent walking around carrying heavy furniture. The two newlyweds had gotten a bigger house a month or so earlier, and they had waited for Jake to get home to provide his free moving service. At least he paid him back by making his brother offer a free taxi-ride later

to the airport, he gave his mom a hug, his dad a slap on the shoulder, followed by also

as promised. With only his carry-on bag, he didn’t need to be there much in advance, but he was still kind of in a hurry. Not too much in

his brother a hug. The manly

brother said, “Any progress on the Caroline

“None at all.”

get your shit

never will turn to anything,” Jake answered, quite assuredly. “Take

we will. I am not one to croak that easily,” Caleb answered, as

of them off. He started walking onwards, but instead of a gate, he saw a portal leading into a

you are right, Cal,” he said to himself as he walked through the portal, the dream dissolving around

his eyes, coupled with his handsome features, made it look rather picturesque. At least Inera

at the behest of the higher-ups arranged for several ancient and expensive tomes

yet he gave off an aura and feeling that made one unable to ignore him. Inera had been with the church since birth, yet she had never felt

had only ever read of in old scriptures but never actually

another interesting one - the one called Bertram. Another mystery to her, as he too was a type of entity she had never

karma, conviction, and personal belief - his class reforged upon becoming a guardian, now possessing one just as mysterious as the Augur himself. And while the Augur himself could not fight, his guardian was

tremendous growth from the teachings her father had given him. He was even praised by the Grand Master, acknowledged for his foundation and ability to grow. His semi-immortality from his connection to the Augur was only

a summoned familiar. But even that was wrong, as such entities very rarely reached the level of sapience, and they all were

of them. They were very different from anyone she had ever

was close to non-existent. They asked questions even small children knew, and her father gladly explained everything to them. She had a hard time wrapping her head around anyone living in a world without the

uttered without a care in the world. They questioned the pantheon’s goals openly, questioned their methods, and the very root

didn’t react to it once. Almost as if he expected it. Inera also knew that her station was not one to question the Augur either. His level of recognition from the gods was far above her own,

father held the title of Grand Master of the Templars of Morning Bright. One of the many orders of templars under the church. As a man solidly in the B-rank,

blessing of one of the subordinate gods in charge

the blessing, and it did nothing more than open up new paths. She was a priestess in the order and had recently been transferred to this area to help train new acolytes. What she hadn’t known was that the only ones she was meant to help train would be Jacob and Bertram. And that her father would do most of the

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