Omniscient POV
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Nearly a month after the Fall of Beacon
At the crack of dawn, the waking sun stretched its stiff rays over the horizon, sharing its warm gaze with the continent of Anima like any other early morning, and went dead cold as soon as it came across a certain rural village in the Kingdom of Mistral.
The rising residents of the village did their usual routines to prepare for another normal day, and it should have been, until they left their homes and found a concerning sight by the farmer's shack between the main village and the cornfield.
Wearing a leather jacket and a bronze beanie with a golden handkerchief tied around his neck, Alexander occupied a squeaky rocking chair, fatigued beyond its many years, and handled the freshly harvested corn from yesterday.
The shrinking bins of green corn ears were shucked and added to the overflowing bins of bright, yellow cobs while another lifeless husk was discarded to the mountain behind the chair.
Teddy, the bear cub, yawned and munched on the corn Alexander purposely dropped for a quick snack.
People looked on and whispered to each other as Alexander continued to work, no different from a robot going through the motions.
The married owners of the local inn opened their doors and took notice of their most recent guest.
"How long has he been there?" said the wife to her husband.
"I remember seeing him leave the inn yesterday morning." The husband frowned. "But I don't remember seeing him in the inn last night."
A few hours later, Alexander tossed aside the last piece of corn and reclined in his chair, forcing out a laboured breath.
"That was absolutely marvellous, Mister Huntsman," said the mayor. He approached Alexander and enthusiastically shook his hand. "When you offered to help our farmers for the day, I don't believe any of us expected you to take care of our entire corn yield almost all by yourself. Incredible."
Alexander blinked, slow yet often, and rubbed the darkened bags under his eyes.
"You must be hungry and parched, my good sir." The mayor offered a bottle of water and a basket full of muffins. "Hope you like bran. It's our treat."
He stared, face twitching.
"And you also deserve a reward." He reached into his robes. "It isn't much, but I hope this is enough—"
Alexander stopped him with a motion of his hand. "Keep it. . . The muffins, too."
The mayor stood there dumbfounded, and everyone else was left speechless.
An armoured SUV rolled into the village and came to a stop next to the cornfield.
Laurence stuck his head out the window. "Looks like you've been busy!"
"Are those for you?" Yonah exited with her eyes firmly set on the muffins. "I hope you're not planning on eating all those by yourself."
"Looks like we're having muffins today." Reynold patted his stomach. "Remember to save some for Roxy when she wakes."
A roar popped the fun-filled moment like a needle to a balloon.
The residents shrieked and rushed into the nearest building, slamming the doors shut behind them.
"Find a place to hide," Alexander said to the mayor. He cracked his bones and shook out his legs. "I'll take care of this."
The mayor immediately did as told.
"Alexander, wait." Reynold hopped out of the SUV alongside Yonah and Laurence. "Let us handle this. You don't appear to be in the best shape right now."
Alexander grunted and marched towards the commotion at the end of the main path.
Grimm.
A single Ursa Major barrelled into the village, roaring so loud that the crows took flight from the cornfield.
Drawing his sword, Tharros, Alexander charged the monstrous bear, but his legs seized and went sprawling into the dirt.
Team RRYL gasped.
The Ursa Major rushed in on Alexander, maw wide open for the free kill, and all it managed to eat was a couple bullets from Reynold's smoking guns.
Just like that, the bear gagged and retreated.
Laurence gave chase to finish it off, hollering all the way, while Reynold and Yonah checked on Alexander.
"Are you alright?" Yonah chewed her lip and looked around. "Do you need anything?"
"That thing you had to do." Alexander waved them off and struggled to get up. "Is it done?"
"It is." The space between Reynold's eyebrows squeezed together. "We'll be leaving for Mistral tonight."
"Not tonight." He readied his sword. "We're going right after we kill that thing."
"Laurence has it handled." Yonah moved in front of him and glared. "Get some rest. That's an order."
"Listen to her, Alexander." Reynold stood beside his teammate. "Leaving in your condition would only be detrimental to yourself and the mission."
Alexander scowled and sheathed his sword.
Reynold and Yonah relaxed.
"I'm going on ahead." Alexander went to this truck parked outside the inn. "Meet me in Mistral."
They paled and turned to each other in a loss for words.
Calling Teddy over and getting him in the truck, Alexander cranked the engine to life and gunned it out of there.