Mellan was happy. He was practically jumping with joy. Today, just earlier, he had gotten a letter. It was attached to his door, and he hadn't noticed until he was coming home with his groceries. How long had it been there? After trying for at least a couple of minutes to grab the note without dropping his bags, he decided to leave some on the ground so he could read the note while he walked in. He had left his door unlocked, so kicking it open while his hands were full was easy. He looked at the note.
Hunting Party Assignment
Mellan,
The prevernal season approaches and with it the Culling. As is unofficial custom in our village the Elders are preparing the pre-culling Hunting Party. It is tradition to hunt the island's most dangerous prey in the furthest reaches from the village. Hunters in the village will each be assigned a team, and each team will be assigned a location in which to hunt. Participation is not mandatory and anyone is invited to partake in the post-hunt festivities. Plan ahead as this will be a challenge to veteran and rookie alike, and it's only going to get worse in the culling! Get to know your team, and happy hunting!
Adorabella
Lorelei
Nero
Jackal
Mellan
Those names, Mellan thought to himself, I know those names. But from where? Maybe I've hunted with them before? Mellan stood in consternation outside of the gates to his home. As minutes passed and the young man wracked his mind, a penguin waddled over and began to poke around in the groceries which he had left outside. He scratched at the chin of his helmet.
"Where have I heard those names..." Mellan pondered.
---
Jackal
The man with the dog head stared down angrily at Mellan. He had picked him up a day or two ago, saying something about "impressive strength", and muttering about "annoying antics". Mellan didn't pay it any mind, of course; he was just happy that someone had wanted to hunt with him. It was the first time someone else approached him, and not the other way around. Jackal had wanted to hunt a Cerberus, which Mellan told him was ironic, but he didn't laugh or anything. He recalled what Jackal had said...
"Alright, there are some tracks here. I'm going to set up a base camp, and we can get ready to attack in the morning. You follow the tracks and make sure we don't lose it before then. Come back here when the sun starts to rise."
Oh, right. Mellan had tracked the Cerberus, not a difficult job considering how big the dog was, but then he had accidently scared it off by accidently dispersing a little bit of lightning around it. It was an honest mistake. And then, afterwards, he may have gotten a little bit... lost, on the way back.
Mellan looked up at the massive dog-man, wondering if he was about to get eaten.
Jackal simply snorted angrily and began to walk away.
Nero
"So, you're a dragon slayer? With that bow?"
"Yes, as I've said repeatedly, Vritra is my dragonslaying greatbow."
"Well, I just don't see how you could take down a dragon with it. You need more P-O-W-E-R!"
"Why are you posing? Stop that."
"I was simply illustrating my ~POWER~!" Mellan struck a pose.
"I said stop. Dragon hunting is serious business, Mellan. If you were to be caught unawares because of your ridiculous mannerisms, you could die."
"I think you're just jealous. Of my POW-"
"Silence." Nero hissed, slapping Mellan on the back of his head. He pointed towards the horizon.
A dragon was swooping down towards the ground, straight toward a herd of bison. If the wind was right... yes, just right. Nero began to line up a shot with his greatbow, straining to pull the string back. He took a steadying breath as he focused on the distant dragon. The smell of ozone began to fill the air.
Just as he released, Mellan, who had been tensing with potential energy since the dragon had appeared, struck a pose, placing one hand splayed in front of his helmet as the other shot outwards.
"Liiiiight-niiiing!" he sang, dragging out the word.
The arrow was disintegrated by the bolt of lightning as it flew through the air, and the dragon pulled up from it's dive suddenly, alerted by the sound. The lightning bolt narrowly missed.
The dragon turned it's attention to the two puny things which had just attacked it.
Nero deeply regretted his choices.
Lorelei
Lorelei was in dire straits. She had decided to help some two young hunters who had decided to tackle a pack of giant wolves which had been harrying caravans. It wasn't a particularly difficult hunt, but she knew the wolves could quickly overwhelm inexperienced hunters. Still, that wasn't the reason she had decided to help. The real reason was the third member of their party. Something about letting two newbies go off with him alone had felt wrong to her.
She had heard the horror stories from other hunters about Mellan, but she'd never actually worked with him. Now she understood. Goddess, could she understand.
The entire trip had been filled with complaints about his own comfort. It had rained and the man had squealed like some sort of schoolgirl, crying about his coat getting wet. Then, it was about mud on his boots.
All of that would have been excusable if he had actually been useful during the hunt.
Lorelei was struck by another lightning bolt, the explosion leaving a small, faint ringing in her ears.
"Mellan!" She grunted as a wolf clamped it's jaws onto her arm, pulling it awkwardly. It wouldn't leave any lasting damage, of course. "If you hit me again, I swear I'll rip your-"
She was silenced by another strike of lightning, this one at least also vaporizing the bottom half of the wolf clamped down on her arm. She looked over, beside Mellan, and saw the other two young hunters on the ground. When they had been ambushed, Mellan had released a burst of electricity from his body, damaging the wolves some but frying the poor rookies. They were still alive, thankfully.
Mellan suddenly shot forwards, propelled by lightning, and grabbed a wolf which had lunged at her from behind.
"Ten Billion Volts! Die one thousand deaths!" Mellan shouted, pumping so much electricity into the wolf that the smell of burnt fur filled the air as it's body charred in seconds.
All right, maybe he was a little useful. But it didn't excuse his negligent use of power.
As he finished frying the wolf, Mellan turned and gave Lorelei a thumbs up, putting one hand on his hip.
She couldn't even get a shout out as another wolf burst forwards, practically swallowing Mellan up to his stomach.
After that, the hunt went rather smoothly. Mellan fried the wolf that had tried to eat him, and Lorelei quickly dispatched the others now that she wasn't being constantly hit by lightning bolts that left her bones shaking and her ears ringing.
Mellan sat on the ground, dramatically slumped while running his hands over a now slobber-covered coat.
Lorelei privately hoped she never had to work with him again. Just had to bring the rookies back and get them properly healed, and get him to apologize.
Adorabella
"Hello! You can call me Mellan, or Mellan the Powerful, or Mellan the Magnificent, or Mellan the Magical, whatever you prefer. I've seen you training around here recently at the same times I have, and I just thought that it must be some sort of sign from fate! A fate greater than us, something tying us together in a grand scheme! We must hunt together! Please, would you do me the honors of joining me?"
Adorabella muttered something about being busy and walked away. Oh well. There was always tomorrow!
---
Mellan stopped thinking. He knew he had met these people at some point but... oh well. He hoped he had made a good impression. Leaving his door unlocked and his fresh groceries unattended, Mellan patted the penguin, which was now gobbling down some of the fish Mellan had bought, and headed into the village. It was time to ask around so he could meet his new teammates!