"Gods, I'm finally back," I groaned, collapsing face-first onto my bed.
The mattress felt like heaven — soft, clean, and, most importantly, chain-free.
Getting here had been its own battle. After Father left me shackled to that ridiculous iron block, I'd had to drag the thing halfway across the training field just to reach the equipment shed. Then I spent half an hour smashing the lock open with a hammer until my arms went numb.
But I'd done it.
I was alive.
And, miraculously, no one had seen me.
I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling, still catching my breath.
My room was grand, befitting the heir of House Gravitas — polished marble floors, tall windows veiled in violet drapes, and faint silver inlays that shimmered along the walls. White and purple patterns curled across the plaster like constellations, while portraits of ancestors watched me from gilded frames.
A longbow rested on a mounted rack beside my dresser, its wood dark and smooth, engraved with faint gravity runes. Beneath it hung a finely crafted sword — a gift from my last birthday, its steel so clean it caught every ray of sunlight.
Everything about the room whispered nobility, elegance, and expectation.
And still, the best part of it was the bed.
I sighed, forcing myself up. No time to nap — Father's "little hunt" wouldn't wait.
I crossed the room and lifted the bow from its rack, testing the string. Perfect tension. The quiver felt light on my shoulder, and the sword sat comfortably at my hip once I fastened the belt.
Then came the hardest part — clothes.
After digging through ceremonial coats and embroidered tunics that screamed look, I'm rich, I found what I needed: a simple hunting set — black riding trousers, a white undershirt, and a sleeveless violet coat reinforced with leather along the shoulders and ribs.
Practical, but refined enough to pass inspection. Dark boots and fingerless gloves completed the look.
With everything laid out on the bed, the outfit almost looked too pristine to wear.
I turned toward the mirror and caught my reflection.
Dark-violet hair — still damp with sweat.
Amethyst eyes — tired but stubborn.
Soft features — the curse of youth.
"Above average," I muttered, tilting my head.
"Just not when I look like I crawled out of a mine."
Dirt streaked my neck, and my hair looked like it had declared war on gravity — which, for a Gravitas, was ironic.
"I should probably shower," I sighed.
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Steam still clung to my skin by the time I left the bath. Clean, dressed, and feeling halfway human again, I strapped on my gear and stepped into the corridor.
The manor's halls opened before me — vast, echoing, impossibly ornate. White stone gleamed beneath my boots, while pillars veined with violet crystal supported high arched ceilings.
Chandeliers floated midair, their lights suspended by shimmering gravity sigils. Servants moved quietly through the corridors, bowing as I passed, their voices hushed, their eyes polite.
For all its cold formality, it was still home.
I broke into a jog.
Which, apparently, was a mistake.
Crash!
I rounded a corner too fast and collided with someone smaller — and much softer — than expected.
"Ow!" a familiar voice yelped.
We both hit the floor. I blinked, then winced.
"Bella?"
Sitting before me, rubbing her head, was my younger sister — Bella Funtin Gravitas.
Petite, with flawless skin and dark-violet hair that shimmered under the chandeliers, she was a smaller, sharper-tongued version of me. Her amethyst eyes — the same as mine — blazed with irritation.
She wore a white dress trimmed with purple lace, the kind of "simple" garment that probably cost a servant's yearly wage.
"Argh, dammit!" she hissed.
"It better not be you running in the halls again, Astri —" Her eyes narrowed as recognition dawned.
"Astri! You're about to be eighteen, and you're still sprinting around like a child! You're going to embarrass our name at the Academy!"
I offered a sheepish grin, still kneeling. "Nice to see you too, Bella."
Standing, I ruffled her hair and started jogging again.
"Astri!" she shrieked as I disappeared down the hall. "We're talking about this at dinner tonight!"
Her voice echoed behind me, growing faint as I sprinted through another corridor lined with servants who pretended not to notice.
After a few turns and a flight of stairs, I finally emerged outside. The sunlight greeted me with warmth, the scent of damp earth and distant pine carried on the wind.
I passed the training field — and there it was, my old nemesis: that damned iron block still glinting smugly in the sun. I gave it a dirty look as I jogged by.
Beyond the field stood the outer gate. Past that gate stretched the Gravitas forest — our family's hunting grounds.
And waiting at the entrance, as punctual as ever, was Father.
"You're late," Aaron Gravitas said, checking his pocket watch. His tone was cool, the faintest ghost of amusement hidden under steel.
"Looks like I'll need more speed drills," he added dryly.
I approached, adjusting my bow and quiver, the sword at my hip shifting with each step.
"Blame my sister," I said with a straight face.
"She loves me too much. Wouldn't stop clinging to me and begging I spend more time with her."
Aaron stared at me, unimpressed.
"Mm-hmm," he said, slipping the watch back into his coat.
Then his expression hardened. "Astri… take today seriously. We're hunting an Initial-Awakened beast."
My grin faded.
I froze.
An Awakened beast.
I'd fought wolves, deer, and even a wild drake once — all ordinary. But never anything touched by mana's will.
Awakened beasts were different. Smarter. Stronger. More alive.
My chest tightened, a flicker of nerves curling in my gut. Still, I nodded. "Understood."
Aaron gave a single approving nod, then turned toward the forest. "Good. Let's move."
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The forest swallowed us whole.
It was lush and radiant — a kingdom of color and motion. Winged rabbits darted between bushes, glowing ladybugs drifted through shafts of sunlight, and small creatures floated lazily as though gravity had forgotten them entirely.
This was a Magic Forest, a land steeped in mana. The air shimmered faintly with power, bending light and life alike. Trees grew tall and rich, their bark humming with faint runes, their fruit pulsing with stored energy.
Father moved like a shadow, quiet and precise. I followed in step, every sense sharpened.
"Father," I whispered, my voice low. "What's the purpose of this hunt?"
He didn't answer right away. His eyes stayed fixed ahead, scanning the brush.
"You'll find out when the hunt succeeds," he said finally.
After a pause, he added, "Every lesson, every hunt you've done so far — it's all been to prepare you for this one."
I nodded, swallowing the tightness in my throat. Whatever this was, it wasn't another practice run.
Minutes passed in silence until we reached a clearing bathed in golden light.
There — a massive brown bear stood beneath a radiant tree whose leaves gleamed like hammered gold. The fruits glowed faintly, each one humming with stored mana.
The bear was enormous — easily seven feet tall, muscle rippling beneath thin fur traced with intricate white lines that converged at its belly.
It stared at the fruits for a long moment. Then the lines along its body pulsed, glowing purple.
A translucent pillar formed around several fruits — and gravity thickened.
The air itself seemed to press downward. The fruits trembled, then tore free from their branches, pulled into the bear's waiting claws.
It caught them effortlessly and devoured them whole.
I swallowed hard.
So this… was an Awakened beast.
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Authors Note: I think im emphasizing gravity too much but whatever.