"Wild Hunts?"
"It's kind of a sport," the Princess explained. "You heard that horn before, right?"
Ren nodded.
And Elena explained further, "As soon as foreign creatures appear on this land, the hunt begins. After the hunting horn sounded, the Feys had twelve hours to complete their task. While that may not seem like much, I assure you, dear Ren, that is an eternity when pursued by these maniacal Feys."
"You don't say," Ren replied with a flat tone.
"Thankfully, most wild hunts are performed by lesser members of their order, so we don't have to worry about it."
"You said twelve hours, right?" Ren repeated and looked at the time. "Good thing that we only have to fight these hordes for another hour."
It was already night when they pushed through the next hour in the Fey Realm. The more they went deeper, the more they encountered strong wild Feys.
Currently, they were facing a Houndmaster. Grim and dirty workers of cantankerous disposition. Houndmasters keep the aggressive and dangerous beasts of the wild hunt in line, ensuring the prey was sufficiently panicked and the fey nobility kept safe.
Each Houndmaster they encountered, very few of them actually, was like a satyr that lost its battle with its monstrous body. Their bodies were covered in fur, with torsos sprouting a dozen gnarled, muscular arms. Their heads were always hidden beneath the skull of a deer, with only their luminous green eyes betraying the shape of their ugly heads.
The prodigious strength of a Houndmaster was necessary for this fey to keep a tight leash on their many unruly beasts. Their backs were always hunched beneath the weight of wilderness supplies, forcing them to lean on sturdy walking sticks for support.
Houndmaster managed the beasts of the wild hunt. These could be nearly anything, but the most feared were the dreaded Lantern Hounds. The Houndmaster was no slouch in combat, its many arms proving quite useful for collaring unruly creatures before bludgeoning them to death with an oaken staff.
Still, no matter how powerful and fast they were and no matter how numerous they were, they were still no match with the Princess and her mount.
The only regret Ren had was the fact that he couldn't do anything about the Houndmasters' treasures. The most valuable possession in a Houndmaster's care was its pets. Such creatures were exceptionally well trained and were well conditioned to respond to commands.
If only he was a Beast Tamer or Hunter. This place was actually a utopia for this class, for it was full of strange and strong creatures to hunt.
"Should we rest?" The Princess asked when the twelve hours passed and the blow of the horn receded. She was looking sharper and fresher, like the first sign of spring, while Ren was all disheveled from the nonstop fight.
"Let's take a quick breather. I need to replenish my HP and MP," replied Ren and got off from Tiki. He almost stumbled when his legs went numb from sitting on the lizard's back for more than twelve long hours. If not for the Princess's quick save of him, he might have suffered more than a wounded pride.
"Thanks." Ren pulled away from Elena's hand and cleared his throat before he changed the topic to save whatever was left of his face.
"Are they going to hunt tomorrow too?" Ren parched on a large root of an old oak tree and kept himself busy by starting a fire to roast some meat they got from the beasts as a reward.
The Princess seemed to not mind Ren's fall and wordlessly sat on the root a few meters from him.
"Depends on the high Feys whims. There might be another hunt, or maybe not." Her equipment appeared and the Princess carefully placed them in rows over a thick white quilt and Ren swallowed hard at the sight.
There was a set of throwing knives crafted from the finest mithril, their blades as sharp as a razor's edge. Each knife was beautifully engraved with delicate Elvish runes, which glowed with an ethereal light when unsheathed. Though small in size, these knives were well-balanced and could be wielded with incredible speed and accuracy.
There was also a short and longbow as well as x-bows and ballista. They were all works of art, crafted from the finest yew wood and inlaid with silver and gems. Its string was made from spider silk, ensuring a swift and silent release with every shot. The bow was powerful and lightweight, designed to be used on a mount or on foot. The arrows were similarly crafted, tipped with obsidian for maximum piercing power. With this bow in the Princess's hands, she was a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
There was also the whip she carried like an ordinary rope on her side. It was made from braided dragonhide, a material that was both strong and flexible. Its handle was adorned with gold and precious stones, and its tip was fashioned into a small but deadly blade.
Ren saw the Princess used that weapon often. With a flick of her wrist, she could strike multiple targets at once or disarm an opponent with ease. The whip was a versatile weapon that allowed her to keep her enemies at bay while staying out of their reach.
There was also other rare equipment when Ren used [Probe].
There was the [Sylphic Short Bow], a compact bow that was crafted from the wood of the Sylphic tree, which was found only in the deepest, most enchanted forests of the elven realm. The bowstring was made of spider silk, and the arrows were feathered with the down of a phoenix. When fired, the arrows left a trail of sparkling green light, and their piercing power was unmatched by any mortal weapon.
Her prized [Twin Moonstone Daggers]. These daggers were crafted from rare moonstones, a material that was imbued with the mystical power of the moon. They were lightweight and perfectly balanced, allowing Elena to move with incredible speed and agility in combat. When wielded together, the daggers could be used to block and parry attacks as well as deliver swift and deadly strikes.
The Princess also had a [Crystal Staff] in her collection. This beautiful staff was made of pure crystal and was adorned with silver and sapphire accents. It was a potent magical weapon that allowed Elena to channel and amplified her spells, making her a formidable force on the battlefield. The staff could also be used as a melee weapon in close combat, its sharp crystal tip able to slice through armor and flesh with ease.
And last in her impressive collection was the [Azure Chakram]. These circular throwing weapons were made of a rare alloy that was both lightweight and durable.
Ren saw the Princess hurled them with incredible accuracy, and they could be used to strike multiple targets in a single throw.
The chakrams were also versatile weapons that could be used for both ranged and melee combat, as they could be caught and wielded like a dagger in close-quarters fighting.
