As Max laid in his bed, his breathing labored in his advanced age, a nurse walked into his room to check on him. "How are you feeling today Mr. Quintus? Any pain, would you like me to put on the TV for you?" She asked.

 

Max nodded his head. "I am fine Ms. and if you would, Thank You." 

"Alright then, let me just check your vitals and I'll get that turned on for you." she replied with a practiced smile. His vitals had been getting weaker by the day of late and he did not have much time left.

 

Nodding his head with a smile while the nurse did her job Max thought back to his family. He had been the youngest which unfortunately ment he had to see everyone off before him. Having never been married himself so he had no one by his side in his final moments.

Once the nurse finished with her checks she turned and pressed the power on the wall mounted television. "If you need anything else just hit the call button and someone will be here to try and help you."

 

With that said she made her way back down the hall toward her next patient leaving Max with his thoughts. As the sounds from the television filled the room with a gentle hum of background noise Max was lost in thoughts about his family remembering all the good times they had when they were still alive.

 

He let out a chuckle that turned into a cough remembering how they all used to play games and watch movies together. How his friend had turned them into anime and manga in his middle years. Though he had been too busy with work at the time to fully enjoy it he still made time every once and a while to sit down and read some more.

 

Nerds and Geeks to the very end his dysfunctional family would get together to watch the newest shows and argue over Sci-fi science as if they were experts on real world science. But slowly one by one they all passed and had now left him alone. If the priest down the hall was to be believed, then they were all waiting for him on the other side.

 

Though Max did not think so. No, Max did not want them to wait for him because he felt that would be selfish on his part. Why hold them back when they could be off having their own grand adventures.

 

Thinking up to here he started thinking about his own end that was due any day now. What would it be like and where would he go if he could go anywhere. Max slipped into his dreams thinking about what adventures he would go on and what powers he would want given the chance.

 

Down the hall at the station a small light flicked on with a buzz alerting the on-call nurses of Max's sudden decline in health. They rushed into his room and found Max who looked like he was asleep with a smile on his face. Only the constant tone of the machines beside him to alert them that he had passed on.

Max found himself floating in what looked to be a void with millions of pin pricks of light the only thing around him. Just in front of Max a single light got closer and grew bigger until it took up almost all of the space in front of him. As he watched the light began to take on colors that soon resolved themselves into images. Images of Max's life began playout in front of him in reverse and as they did so Max felt as if something was lost.

 

As the lights in front of him played out scenes from his life Max noticed that lights kept leaving his body and entered that sea of stars. Feeling relaxed like he was being lifted of a burden he did not even know he was carrying. Max watched as the last images played towards their end and showed the scenes of his early years before the light in front of him winked out.

 

After the lights in front of him faded leaving him relaxed and content though he could no longer remember who he was. Max himself felt that was natural, like this is the way it is meant to be. Indeed every soul went through this when they passed from the world of the living.

 

Free of memories and the burdens they carried with them Max drifted in that sea of star-like light for an untold amount of time. What Max did not know was, while he was going through the process of having his memories removed a small multicolored light merged into his being without him noticing.

 

Warmth envelopes him as he begins to be pulled in a particular direction. Instead of the darkness he was expecting to greet him Max found himself facing five colored lights slightly larger than a golf ball floating around him. 

 

Watching as the green, yellow, red, blue, and purple lights spun around him faster and faster as they moved closer and closer until they were touching. A flash of heat spread throughout his being painfully hot but before he could cry out it was gone and a cool sensation took hold of him.

 

Looking around the lights were gone and Max could only assume they had merged with him somehow. Unable to voice out his confusion inside the void Max pondered what had just happened when a pain started building behind his eyes. Knowledge of the lights and their purpose hammered its way into his skull.

 

As this was happening Max felt himself falling faster and faster towards some unknown destination. Growing closer towards the end of his impossibly long yet simultaneously incredibly short journey. Just as darkness was about to take hold once more Max had a grin split his face as a screen with the words 'Welcome to the Materia System' flashed before his eyes.

 

"Did you hear that dear?" Asked a elderly woman. "Sounds like something is outside." Standing up from his armchair and an equally elderly man made his way to the front door. "Sit tight, I'll see what it is." He said to placate his wife.

 

Opening the door just a sliver to peek out and look around, but when nothing entered his sight at first he stepped back and opened the door fully and looked out into the night. Not seeing what could have made the noise he was about to close the door when the sound came again. Looking down he was surprised to find a basket on his front step with a bundle all wrapped up in blankets.

 

"What is it dear?" His wife was standing just around the corner watching as he bent down to pick up something out of her sight. Turning around with the basket in hand. "Looks like we got ourselves a visiter." He said, closing the door and bringing the bundle into the house out of cold night air. 

 

Seeing what her husband was holding she gasped. "Oh, that's terrible, who could just leave a baby out in the cold like that." Moving into the room and setting the basket on the table so his wife could see inside the basket as well.

 

She reached in and moved the blankets aside revealing the baby boy sound sleeping fitfully within. Reaching into the basket to pick him up and gently rocking him while whispering "It's ok, it's ok, you're alright now I've got you."

 

While his wife was holding the child in her arms the old man smiled to himself. Looking into the basket that was now free of the baby, he saw a letter sitting in the bottom. Picking it up he opened it up to read what it said. Seeing what he had in his hand. "what does it say?" Asked his wife, still gently swaying in place to calm the baby down.

 

"It's from an old friend in Orario, it says his name is Maxamillion Quintus.” Pausing as he read farther down the letter. “His parents were killed in the dungeon by a rival familia and their God has been forced to return to Heaven after they lost a War game.” Looking up to see his wife holding young Max in her arms with tears threatening to spill out of the corners of her eyes.” It asks that we take him and raise him as our own.” Finished with the letter the old man wraps his arm around his wife's shoulder.

 

“Does it say what Familia is responsible for?” she asked. “It doesn’t, it says they don’t want to paint a target on his back by letting him go look for them.” Nodding to the answer that came, it made sense who would want to put their baby at risk when they are not there to look after them.

 

“It says that they know we have always wanted children of our own and that maybe little Max can fill that space for us.” Finished with the letter he sets it down on the table turning his attention to his wife and the sleeping Max in her arms. Placing a kiss on her forehead he says. “We may be too old to be parents anymore, but I’ll be his Grandfather and raise him to the best of my ability.”

 

“What do you mean we are too old, I’m still young I’ll have you know.” The old woman scoffs. Chuckling at her joke. “Come on Martha, let's get to bed, it's getting late and I’ll need to make the rounds around the village tomorrow to grab the things we will need to take care of him.” 

 

Nodding her head in agreement. “First thing in the morning we need to go and see if we can get some goat's milk for little Max.” She said, “Jonathan, didn’t the old man Patterson down the road just have a foal.” Thinking for a moment. “I believe so, we’ll head over there in the morning and ask, if not I’ll see if the merchant can get some.” Nodding her head at his reply they made their way to the bedroom to turn in for the night. Tomorrow will be a busy day for everyone.

 

Four years later a young boy with dark brown hair and bright amber eyes that almost seemed to glow from within could be seen playing near where a group of town folk were gathered. Swinging a stick around like it was a sword and he was fighting off monsters while his grandparents talked about the goings ons around the village.

 

“He is quite energetic isn’t he?” Asked one of the village women. “That he is.” Answered Martha with a laugh. “Still you surprised us all when you started walking around the village with a small baby all of a sudden.” Another person said. “Surprised us too, but now I couldn’t imagine living without that little bundle of energy anymore.” Jonathan said.

 

“It must be difficult for you two sometimes taking care of a little kid with your age, if either of you needs anything y'all let us know ok.” Someone else said. “Thanks but we are alright really, he is easy to raise and smart, so it’s no trouble at all.” said Martha, “I just worry about him staying cooped up with us all the time. He needs to get out more but there are no kids his age in the village and I don’t want him going too far by himself in case a monster wanders too close.”

 

“Why not let me come with me when I go hunting some time. I’ll keep him safe from any monsters and teach him some survival skills while I’m at it.” Bane the village hunter chimed in. “Thanks, but isn’t it a little too early to teach him how to hunt?” Asked Martha worriedly. “Nonsense he’s the perfect age to start learning, and besides didn’t you just say you wanted him to get out more.” Bane said, causing Martha to stop and think about it for a second. 

 

“Alright, but be very careful if anything happens to him you better not make it back.” Martha said, but Bane just laughed off her worry, though Jonathan had a sweat drop thinking just how serious she actually was.

 

“I’ll let him know what you said when we get home and ask if he wants to go with you, I’ll send him over in the morning if it’s alright with you?” Asks Jonathan. “Sure no problem, I leave early so just make sure he gets there at sunrise.” Bane said before waving to everybody and making his way home to get prepared for the hunt tomorrow.

 

After he left everyone started saying their own goodbyes and making their way home. “Come on Max, we're leaving.” Martha called. “Ok” Max said, “I heard y’all talking about me, what’s up?” “Well Max, how do you feel about learning to hunt with your uncle Bane?” Asked Jonathan. “Really! Can I?!” Max asked excitedly. “Yes, of course, go visit him tomorrow morning at sunrise. He has agreed to teach you survival skills as well as how to hunt, so listen to everything he tells you and don’t go wandering off on your own.”

The old couple started walking home with Max in between them while he hummed a song that while catchy they did know where he had heard it before. If asked Max would say he didn’t know what it was just that it made him happy for some reason.

 

This was just one of the oddities about their beloved grandchild along with talking to himself when he thought nobody was looking. They just chalked it up to the fact that there were no other kids his age for him to play with. Though he stopped doing so as he got older, and when asked about it he just said he was talking to himself and that he finally realized that he can just think those thoughts and still hear them. This made Jonathan laugh for quite a while before Martha told him off.

 

The following morning, just before the sun crested the treetops, Max made his way to Banes house on the edge of the village for his first hunting lesson. Bane was a short and stocky man in his middle to late forties wearing a fur lined vest and pants with sturdy leather boots on his feet. Looking up from a backpack he had in front of him seeing Max walking towards him with an ever present smile on his face.

 

“Good you’re here on time, punctuality is important in everything you do in life.” Band said, “Now come here and take this pack. It has everything you’re going to need going forward.” Looking into the pack Max sees a knife, some spools of wire, a bag of bait and several other odds and ends.

 

“As your grandparents no doubt told you I’m gonna be teaching you to hunt and other survival skills, including tracking, trapping, and skinning to name a few.”  Taking a breath to make sure Max was paying attention. “Now, let's get started while it’s still early.” Saying so Bane turned and started walking into the forest a little way from the edge of the village.

 

The stumps of the tree that had been cut down to leave room between the village and the forest so that monsters couldn’t sneak up on them, cast low shadows in the early morning fog. As Max followed along while looking around to see if he could catch a glimpse of anything between the trees. After walking a little further into the forest Bane knelt down and waved Max to come closer, pointing to several places in the foliage at their feet that had been disturbed.

 

“See these imprints?” Bane said while pointing them out on the ground in front of them. Taking a moment to look closer until the spots became visible, when they did Max became aware of other small tracks that looked similar at several other spots nearby. “Yeah, I do now.” Max said following one track to the next. Seeing he caught on quickly Bane nodded before continuing. “They are small, prolly rabbits, a good target for your first hunt. Think you can follow them? If not, don't worry I’ll make sure you don’t get lost.” Bane said.

 

Max started moving forward while keeping low so as to not lose sight of the track and even stopping every few steps to look around to make sure he didn’t miss anything. Bane nodded at his performance, “Good, remember out in the wild anything could happen so be ready at all times and take your time to be prepared to react at a moment's notice.”

After following the trail for three quarters of an hour, it would have been faster but Max was scared to make noise that might alert their prey. They got sight of the small rabbit in the clearing in front of them. Crouching down beside Max, Bane in a voice barely above a whisper. “Good job, now take this bow and very carefully draw the arrow back to your cheek.” Saying so he hands Max a wood bow that looked to have been carved recently and still had a little sap on it.

 

Taking the bow and hooking the arrow to the string he pulls it back with a little difficulty, it had been made with his small size in mind and wasn’t good for much larger than a rabbit, but it would do the job just fine. While holding the arrow to his cheek and doing his best to line the tip up with the target, Bane leans in and whispers, so as to not spoke the rabbit, “Steady slow breaths, and remember when you release your arrow don’t jerk or twist the bow it will make it fly off course. Whenever you’re ready, let loose.” 

 

Max took slow breaths like he was told and felt his nerves relax slowly, steadying his aim. With one final deep breath in he held his breath and slowly relaxed his grip on the bowstring releasing the arrow with a soft thrum. The rabbit as if sensing something stood straight with its ears twitching listening for anything out of the ordinary, just as it made to jump away the arrow buried itself into the side of the rabbit penning it to the ground.

 

“Not bad for your first try.” Bane said, putting his hand on the young boy’s shoulder to congratulate him as well as to prevent him from running forward. Too many new and learning hunters get themselves hurt by rushing to finish off downed prey, only for said prey to fight back unexpectedly at the last second in an attempt to take the hunter with them. Walking over to the downed rabbit carefully circling to its back they knelt down beside it and could see its quick and erratic breathing.

 

“Now get your knife out and get ready to put the poor thing out of its misery.” Bane said, “Always remember to be grateful to the forest and all the animals within. They provide food, clothing, shelter to not only us but to everybody in our little town.” 

 

With a serious look on his young face he took his new knife in his small hands, moving closer to the down rabbit that had stopped struggling and was just laying there waiting for its end. Max brought the knife down and put an end to it. Feeling slightly nauseous Max froze for a second after he took the life of the rabbit until he felt the hand of the old hunter on his back. “First time is always the hardest, but it does get easier. Just promise me you will always remember this feeling and never take it for granted.” He said. 

 

Taking a steading breath Max nodded his head, that he understood. Seeing this Bane Smiled. “Good, now let me show you how to gut and skin this one so that the meat doesn’t spoil. Watch carefully you will have to do the next one, the day is still young and we’re not leaving until we get a few more. Maybe we’ll get lucky and get some bigger game today.”

Putting his smile back in place Max gave an “Ok” and moved aside to let Bane get a grip on the rabbit and watched as he started skinning it. While feeling sick at first, it passed quickly as he listened to Banes explanations. As he was soaking up every word Bane was saying in the back of his mind Max was also reading a notification he got after the rabbit had been killed. 

 

*Congratulation host killed a rabbit gained 1 AP, host gained 3 Gil*

 

Seeing his message he smiled to himself, he was finally going to get to use his system after all these years of just being able to look at the screen and ask a few non-consequential questions. Remembering back to the day his grandfather had caught him talking to himself, he blew air from his nose to stop from laughing. Bane, hearing the noise, looked to him, “You Ok, we can take a break if you need, this your first day.” He asked. “Yes, I’m fine, just remembering something my grandpa told me before I came out here is all.” Max said to dissuade him from inquiring further.

 

“Well knowing him it probably got him in trouble with Martha.” Bane said, “Come here, see how this area has lots of tracks of all different sizes?” After waiting for Max to nod and show he saw it. “Good, now let me show you how to set traps. Traps are good because once set we can leave this area and keep hunting elsewhere, we will just come back to this area before we go home for the day and see if we catch anything. If not, don't be too discouraged, we will try again tomorrow.”

 

With that said Bane began showing Max how to set all kinds of useful traps from trip wires to snares, even some that just made a lot of noise to alert you if something entered a certain area. After setting a few traps they continued to look for prey in other areas of the forest close to town. Bane, teaching about what to look for and what to watchout for so Max could know what to avoid in the future. They managed to hunt down three more rabbits, and even managed to get two plump birds in their traps. All in all it was a very productive day. Max’s only regret is he didn’t have any Materia yet to soak up the AP that went to waste otherwise.

 

*Congratulation host killed 3 rabbits gained 3 AP, host gained 9 Gil*

*Congratulation host killed 2 birds gained 4 AP, host gained 6 Gil*