Nightmare Mythos

Chapter 126: Hunter’s Association

After savoring the fillet that tasted very good on his plate, Arnold grabbed a napkin before wiping his lips. Removing any grain of stain from his mouth, he grabbed the wine on the side and drank it.

Fully satisfied with the food and willing to eat more, he started picking more food from the table before explaining regarding the Association.

"The Hunter's Association was established way, way before the Academy or the Army solidified their position. At that time, the Association was the one handling the matters that exposed them to Nightmares. Remember, this was the time when Nightmare Potion hadn't been invented yet but fully used Techniques.

"Now, you already know that Techniques are only used to fend off these Nightmares. Most of the Techniques known from that time haven't been developed in a way that is very advanced now. Techniques today can be used to kill, at least, some of them can deal damage to us people. It can inflict mild damage to Nightmares but that's just it. "

Arnold contemplated deeply at what knew more about the Association before revealing his sentiment after picking up his food.

"They had it pretty rough you know. Nightmares at that time, even Lesser Nightmares, are considered as a dangerous threat. Today too as well, Lesser Nightmares are dangerous but they can be defeated if one has a proper plan and uses their Facets that can potentially harm a Nightmare.

"The struggle those people felt at that time was immense, a person can just wish to themselves to just die. Thus, what did you think they did when fighting Nightmares was just wishful thinking from that time? "

Being asked a question that he didn't have any answer to, Cesar could only shrug his shoulders and push Arnold to continue explaining without these stupid questions raised up to make their conversation longer.

Eating a mouthful, Cesar respectfully told him, "Sir, just give me the details. Don't raise this kind of questions,"

Arnold blinked in an erratic way before shaking his head with a sigh. After recollecting himself, he then continued after grabbing another bite.

"They formed up a solution that prolonged the lives of humanity while trying to avoid extinction. They decided to defend and hide from them. This is where the Langston Bridge comes in,"

Arnold massaged his chin, slightly tired from all that talking and eating before continuing, "It was called Bridge Project at first which has been suggested by the Langston Family. There are disagreements at first, even fights since making it will not only put lives at stake but also can be wasteful of resources that can be put to different sources. However, this notion continued to change as the threat of the Nightmares signified. Thus, everyone, even the Yarrow and Casanova, had to agree and partake."

Arnold paused, "Do you know what the initial building plan does this impossible thing to make? At first, it was 50 years. But as they continuously worked on this project until the very end of it just to connect it to various parts of the world, it actually took another two centuries to finish it,"

Cesar almost choked the food he was gobbling up before Arnold continued.

"Approximately 250 years happened before it happened. Then, Langston Bridge is formed,"

Arnold paused as he explained further more about this project in a precise and concise manner. Cesar seemed to be lost in time listening to this rich history before the Headmaster himself ended it with the statement:

"That's why Hunter's Association is a highly respected Association. However, there's a reason for their decline that continued to happen until today,"

Cesar couldn't help but frown once he heard before replying, "Decline? The Hunter's Association is declining? What the hell was that supposed to mean?"

"I thought no asking question?" Arnold jested back before revealing the piece of information to Cesar, "It was only a few years after the Langston Bridge was created that this particular event made this powerhouse look like crap in the face of it,"

Arnold took a pause, "And that event was when the world became so unfair to us kind. As if our struggles weren't enough, a true Higher Nightmare Creature had befallen this land. It isn't becoming one or a new Higher Nightmare creature. Instead, it was a real deal."

Cesar awaited for Arnold.

"We didn't know much about this particular Nightmare instead it just brings destruction in its wake. We don't even know its title as well. However, we called it Atrocity," Arnold paused, "Until to this day, this Nightmare remains alive and habited that part of the land, and probably had become a Bounded Nightmare."