The Hunter: Chapter 8
Chapter 8
"If I was told to kill a broken monster by a grinning man flowing with wealth, I'd find it to distinguish between both"
- Ezekial of the Founding church
In one shift motion the hunter's sword sliced across the elder's neck and splattered his blood across his dark mask. His eyes glowed an unusual blue. Helianthus and Ivan were both held stunned, No matter how many scenes of bloodshed Ivan had seen It couldn't have prepared him for the sight he had just seen. Helianthus couldn't believe his eyes. Such brutality could be seen only in two places, the wild and his stories but it never prepared him for the real thing. In one swift flick the hunter sheathed his rapier back into his sheath and stared at the still writhing headless body of the elder. As a headless snake wriggling on pain. Yet his face was lifeless and cold, stripped of all emotions it just lay there beckoning with a faint yet grim aura. Tybur saw the headless elder and couldn't feel anything but joy. Years of cruelty now repaid in full. A single tear flowed through his eye and it wasn't of sadness.
Out of the blue the trio heard what sounded like the opening creaking doors of the village and the villagers weren't happy, not one bit! As the campfire died the sun nearly made its way across the horizon yet it was still dark. The Forest beckoned to the hunter yet he stood still for he now recognised his true enemy, the monster he had set out to kill. He turned to the party , "I want you to hide somewhere where these people wont find you, I'll make sure that they don't harm you GO!" he ordered. The Trio ran across the campfire until they weren't in sight. The denizens could now be seen clearly. They knew that to protect the secret of this village they needed to silence this bothersome fool once and for all. The hunter stepped forward with his rapier in hand. "I shall make sure that as the sun rises and breathes new life into this village your foul presence wont pollute it!"
They stepped forth with their pitchforks but the hunter was more agile. A bearded man laid the first blow by thrusting his pitchfork but the Hunter took his weight into advantage and swiftly parried the blow and sliced the man across his face blinding him and leaving him bleed to death. At the same time two more stepped forward and another one threw her torch from behind but the hunter caught the torch and set them ablaze and taking the confusion regarding the burning victims scream to his side he struck the remaining two with his sword. The poor villagers were no match for the hunters raw strength and speed. "Blimey he's faster than the devil himself!" In the blink of an eye the hunter dispatched more farmers one by one. Everywhere the villagers saw was blood and heads.
Suddenly an arrow blew past the hunter barely missing him. He looked across the bodies of his victims and saw what appeared to be a man dressed in a brown cuirass. He wore a brown hood and was donned with padded clothes and an iron helmet. He had an emblem on him. The emblem of the village, the rising sun. In his hand he had a bow crafted out of oak wood and iron tipped arrows. "You must be the village soldier. If we met under different circumstances I'd show you a thing or two about dressing for the occasion so to speak" jested the hunter. The archer let loose another arrow and the hunter dodged it by springing to his left. He charged towards the archer but failed to notice the spring trap in his path. As he nearly landed in the trap his instincts kicked in and he sprung back but took an arrow to the chest. He coughed up blood and fell to his knees. His vision darkened. The archer took out a knife and made his way towards the hunter. "Silly hunter, No matter how talented you are in the ways of the hunt you can always die without caution." The Hunter looked up and instead of pain let a faint laugh. The archer was confused. As he raised his knife to strike he was stunned by a sharp pain. The Hunter gestured down at the hunter's abdomen and noticed a poison knife sticking out. "How...and...when did you?" asked the archer in shaky breaths. The hunter guffawed as he stood up totally fine and fit. "Would you look at that, an archer falling into his own traps, that bard would've loved this sick joke!" the archer collapsed on his feet and passed out.
Only two people left now, The Shaman Shahadi and Jack Bear Skin. He made his way towards the Shamans hut. A mystical aura crept across the hut and he still saw its burnt marks left from the encounter with Tina. He took out a potion from his chest belt and took two sips. Immense pain took over his body but soon it died out. His sword felt lighter and his armour felt less heavy. His steps felt more quick and agile. As he entered her hut he felt a grasp over his body like someone held him in their fist. He saw the shaman Shahadi sitting on her chair with vegetation growing across the hut. She was a stout woman and her grey hair flowed through her visage covering her face. Her chair was covered with what appeared to be roots. "You should have just left hunter. This matter doesn't concern you" She got up from her chair and grabbed the crow behind her and in a moment of shock and horror she gobbled the whole thing up. The hunter took a step back as she suddenly grew in size and screamed horribly.
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