The Hunt

A dust trail lazily chased the figure of a young man atop his horse trotting down the cracked road. It was the middle of summer and the height of the hot, dry period. The man, who was no older than seventeen, wiped beads of sweat from his sun burnt forehead. He pulled a crumpled paper from his saddle bag and read through the information again. Rumors of possible magical interference to the south. An ancient demon terrorizing the farmers. Should the beast be real you are to terminate the threat before it moves on or worse-attracts a cult to its side.

Sighing he stuffed the paper back in the bag. He could see his destination now; it

was a quaint village, or rather a collection of reed huts, tucked away in the Plains of Erdrin. As he came to the center of town, he caught the attention of many, drawing a crowd. It suited him just fine. He looked to many of the strange olive-skinned faces hoping an elder would step forward. They stared back at him curiously. He found these people to be quite peculiar. The men all had shaved heads while the women kept their hair just long enough to graze their ears. Every one of them were draped in bright orange togas.

“My name is Markus,” he greeted them. They didn’t respond. He must look as exotic to them as they do to him with his mess of tangled dirty-blond hair, reddened skin and leather armor. Markus cleared his throat. “I’m one of the Ard-Firach. I’ve been told your lands are prowled by a demon.”

“Then you’ve been told the truth young warrior.” An old man leaning on a cane was helped forward by one of the younger men of the village. “It stalks our fields and we have been unable to work. When we stopped going out, it came in. Sleeping families never awoke.”

Pleased, Markus dismounted his horse. “If it’s all the same to you, elder, I’d like to get into some shade. Do you have anywhere we could converse?”

The old man nodded. “Right this way. You can hitch your horse outside my home. My attendant here will get the poor beast some water.” He led the inquisitor to his hut. Markus was glad to be out of the sun. The pair took to wooden stools at a worn, dull table. “So, how can I help you rid us of this monster?”

Markus was quick to the point. “What does it look like? What are its habits? And where does it make its home?”

Scratching his chin, the Elder thought a moment. “It’s always taken the form of a lion any time people have seen it.”

The young inquisitor smirked. “Then perhaps it’s just a lion.”

“If it was just a lion then our spears would have been enough to kill it. Its hide is unnaturally thick, and its claws are ebony daggers which it uses to shred my people into pulp.”

“What about it’s teeth?” Markus inquired.

“Doesn’t use them, only the claws.”

“Curious. But what about its lair? I can’t kill it if I don’t know where to look.”

The Elder stroked the grey whiskers on his lip. “A ruined city to the east. That’s where the tracks lead.”

“Anything you can tell me about these ruins?”

“They’re ancient that’s for sure. Certainly not built by any man that’s walked the land.”

Markus rose from his seat. “Well, that’s all the information I’ll need. Consider the demon as good as dead.”

“I’ll consider it dead when I see its corpse, but I trust you to take care of the matter. Before you go however, find my grandson. He should be in the hut across from this one. I want him to go with you.”

“Why?”

“He’s the only one to survive a confrontation with the beast. You’ll see that he’s quite able. For a blind child.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose Markus nodded and left. A blind child. Does he want his Grandson dead? He arrived at a rather small hut whose entrance was a simple tarp. He pushed the heavy white cloth covering aside as he entered. He saw a child, no older than ten sitting on the ground with a simple wooden staff in his hands. He made a series of clicking noises with his tongue taking Markus by surprise. “Hello?”

The child smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, stranger. My name is Kain.”

“Markus. If you don’t mind my asking, what was that little noise you were just making?”

“Oh, this?” Kain clicked, “It helps me see, or rather, tell where things are around me.”

Resourceful. Still a shit hand to be dealt though. Markus thought. “I’m here to kill the demon tormenting your people. Your grandfather wants me to take you along but I-.”

“Don’t see the use of a blind child,” Kain said. “Believe me, I’m more than that. I have a power.”

“Power? As in raw magic? Impossible.” The report said nothing of a magical child being in the area as well. Perhaps I will need to have a word with the Augur.

Kain smiled and clicked several times. He turned to face the Inquisitor directly. “Please excuse what is about to happen.” Before Markus could inquire Kain screeched, causing every bone in the young man’s body to vibrate inside of him. The boy quickly relented, not wishing to harm his guest.

Markus collapsed on the floor, spittle pouring from his mouth. “What the hell was that?” He felt his stomach turn as the pain still reverberated inside of him.

“I told you.”

The Inquisitor nodded. “You did. It’s certainly something, but I’ll probably only be harmed by it, not helped.”

“You won’t feel it as much as you did so long as it isn’t directed at you. But you should plug your ears with something, perhaps scraps of cloth or some wax if you can.” Kain said.

“Sorry to say, but I don’t have anything like that.” Markus thought a moment and looked around the single room. His eyes locked on the cloth covering the doorway. “What about your door covering?”

“That could work.”

Drawing his dagger, Markus approached the draped fabric and cut two strips from its length and rolled them neatly so he could pack them in his ears. The cloth caused the skin in his ears to itch terribly. Markus knocked on the walls to test his plugs. He saw Kain staring in his direction curiously. “Try your trick again. Just not towards me.” The boy nodded and turned away from him. Markus could not hear the shriek, but he could still feel it in his teeth, causing them to ache, even after Kain stopped. Content Markus removed the irritating rolls of fabric. “They work well enough. But still, it won’t be easy hunting something like this without being able to hear.”

“At least you can see it coming.” Kain said.

“Fair point.” He helped the boy up. “Let’s go hunting.” The pair exited the hut and left the village, traveling east.

The two had been riding for an hour with the sun at their backs. “So, you’re one of those ‘hunters’ from the north?” Kain said attempting to pass the time.

“I am,” Markus said.

“Well, what’s it like?”

Markus smiled. “What would you like to know?”

“Anything. I guess.”

“It’s a lot colder than around here, and our villages are much larger and made of stone and thatch, not sticks and cloth.”

“What about your elders?” Kain asked.

“Hmm. Well, we call them kings, and they lord over many villages, large and small. Sometimes they’re good and other times they are not.” Markus said.

“What happens if they’re bad?”

Markus felt a cold wind caress his heart. “Many people die, mothers and fathers trying to protect their children. But they are not killed by claws or teeth.”

“Then by what?” Kain asked.

“Cold, unforgiving steel. But those who wield it are easy enough to cut down.”

“So, your parents are dead too?”

“Yes,” Markus replied. “Your grandfather tells me you survived an attack. Is that when it took your mother and father from you?”

“It crept into our hut and mauled my father as he slept, my mother followed after as she shielded me with her body.” Kain shuddered and began to sob. “I can still hear her cries and what sounded like wet cloth being ripped as it tore her flesh. My screams are what sent it away.”

“Hey,” Markus whispered, trying to change the subject. “Would you like to hear about the group of hunters I belong to?”

Kain sniffled and wiped the tears from his face. “Yes, please.”

“The Ard-Firach. Where to begin? We’re protectors of a sort. We’re meant to deal with demons and magical anomalies that pose a threat to humanity. That means either killing or containing what falls under those categories. Like this lion-demon. Thanks to us nothing like it prowls the north, save the freaks who boast about their magical abilities.”

“What happens to them?”

“Same thing as the demons, kill or containment. Although most go willingly to containment when we get them.”

“Well… What happens in containment?” Kain asked.

“Not much, really. They stay in a controlled environment for their safety and everyone else’s. And they wear silver bands around their wrists that dampen the magic inside them so they can live some sort of normal life.”

“You trap them.”

“Some of them see it that way, but the ones that do make us put them down.”

“So, what about me? I’m magical. Does that make me a freak?” Kain asked him. Markus gnawed at his lip answering the child with silence. The boy’s gaze drifted to the ground.

“I see.”

The ruins crept into sight. “We’re here,” Markus said stirring the horse forward. As they came closer Markus could see what remained of the buildings which once would have been marvels even today, they were now twisted and desolate by the fires of a war long passed. Once they came upon the entrance they dismounted. The sun was only peaking from the horizon. “It’s getting dark.”

“That makes little difference for me, but what about you?” Kain asked.

“Being one of the Ard-Firach has its advantages.” Markus plugged his ears and then drew his sword. He read aloud the runes carved into the guard. “Naer-fark-medow!” The blade gleamed with a pale light and suddenly a blue flame erupted from the blade followed by the stench of sulfur. “I’ll be able see just fine and the demon’s hide shouldn’t pose a problem either, but I’ll be deaf from now on.”

Kain nodded and began his tongue clicking and the pair entered the ruined city as the sun finally set. The moon had hidden away and only the stars glimmered in the night sky. The faint sounds of the wind lazily rolling along were the only noises to be heard aside from the clicks. The sword’s light was not blinding, but it illuminated the dead streets and alleyways impressively. Markus had considered checking the buildings but decided against it. Closed spaces would be too tight to move in. Not to mention a great way to be ambushed. Better to walk around and hope the demon takes the bait. Markus made a habit of trying to look in every direction since deafening himself. As he turned about looking for a beast, he did not notice a shadow passing in front of them. They came upon the underpass of a gray walkway. Markus eyed it suspiciously and stopped Kain from going too far. Kain began clicking in the direction of the walkway then nodded at the inquisitor with a reassuring smile. Markus followed the boy. As they passed under, a pale lion leapt from the path above them, the pair halted and Kain continued to click.

The lion circled them; its eyes locked on Markus’ burning sword. “So, the sheep have cried for protection,” The Lion said. “The best they could send is a blind whelp and a hunter with his magic sword.” As the beast came back around it was no longer a lion. Its form was that of a thin, wasting man covered in pale golden fur with the head of a lioness. Markus did not hear the words that left its mouth and only stared in response.

“Seems the hunter is also an idiot.”

“You will answer for tormenting my people and murdering my parents.” Kain said.

The Demon laughed. “You’re a brave one whelpling, I’ll grant you that. But it was your kind that brought mine to ruin, wallowing in your filth and bringing disease wherever you went. This city was beautiful.” The creature ran a hand along the side of a building lost in the passage of time. “You caused my kin to become rotted and sterile. Then you hunted the rest for sport.” The creature turned back to them and spit. “I’m just returning the favor in the small way that I can.”

“What you do is evil.”

The creature roared. “What I do is justice. And after I kill the both of you, I will snuff out that shit pile you call a home!”

Kain shrieked at the monster, stunning it. Markus felt the pain in his teeth and understood. He charged the being, slashing at it. His strike was swatted away.

The Demon’s black claws grazed the inquisitors face, carving red streaks from his brow down to his chin.

It kicked Markus aside and grabbed Kain’s face, its hand smothered his mouth and muted the child. The Demon held his kicking figure high in the night air. “No more of that pesky screaming. How I wish you could see this.”

Markus wiped blood from his eyes. He could make out the figure of the Demon raise a clawed hand. Markus stabbed at the creature with his blade, piercing its flank. Kain fell from its clawed grip.

“Little bastard!” The Demon ripped the blade from its body and pounced on him stabbing its claws into Markus’ shoulder. Then, another shriek. The pair felt this one deep in their bones.

Markus ripped his way from under his foe who grabbed wildly at him. He held the blade to its flesh, burning it. He rose, his face was now slick with blood. Struggling to keep his balance he struck again and missed.

The Demon rose and clawed at Markus. He swung his blade and cut one of the monster’s hands free from its body.

The beast raged. Kain answered its howls with one of his own. Markus’ stomach unsettled and he vomited, leaving the ground slick with the foamy substance. His foe, clutching one of its bleeding ears collapsed.

Stumbling forward, he drove the sword into the creature’s chest. It cried out and slashed at the inquisitor’s gut leaving five deep claw marks.

Markus twisted the blade and ripped it free. Some of the fire leapt from the blade. The Demon went limp as its body was consumed by the pale blue flame.

Markus freed himself from the cloth in his ears. “It’s done.” He said clutching his stomach. He retrieved the hand and gave it to Kain. “What were you two talking about?”

Kain, holding the trophy, shook his head. “Killing the Demon was a greater mercy to it than to my people.”

The inquisitor gazed at the burning corpse and nodded. “Last of its kind?”

The boy nodded. “Said it was our fault.”

Markus sighed. “Always the same bullshit. They appear where they choose, slaughter innocents and then blame us.”

“How can you be certain? We stand in an ancient city that wasn’t built by any tribe who else could it belong to?” Kain said.

The inquisitor paused, his brow furrowed. “I don’t know.” The words were as bitter as bile on his tongue.

“Maybe your order is wrong.”

“No. It can’t be.”

“Have you ever tried speaking with them Markus?”

“I was never given the chance, seeing as how the ones I’ve encountered thought to kill me as soon as they saw me.” Markus said. “Even if what they say is true, they’re nothing more than vengeful creatures now. I will do my job and protect humanity from them.”

“Then… Are you going to kill me too?” Kain asked, catching Markus off guard.

Markus drew a long breath. He knelt in front of the child and noticed that he was shaking. He put a hand on his shoulder, the boy flinched. “Easy, Kain. You saved my life. I think it’s only right I return the favor. Besides, I came here for a demon, not a blind child tucked away in a remote village who is no threat to humanity. And I’ll keep what you said in mind. Now, let’s get back before I bleed out.” The pair left the dead city behind, returning to the village in the early hours of the morning.

***

The mighty grey walls of Burgenden Castle caressed the cold sky from its nook in the mountainside as Markus rode home in its shadow. He had allowed himself to stay two weeks in the village to recover from the battle. He tried to simply rest but the villagers were keen on celebrating and Kain begged him to join. Speaking with them. The words played through his head. He wondered what kind of madman would try talking to a monster as it’s tearing his throat out. His mind was pulled towards his body, still plagued by aches and pains as he passed through the castle gates.

As Markus trotted into the courtyard, a man, thirty years his senior whose face was decorated with three scars trailing from his left temple to his chin, addressed him. “Welcome home brother. How was your journey into the plains?”

The younger inquisitor eased off his horse and bowed. “I believe interesting would be an adequate description, Master.”

“The folk there are an exquisite sort, despite their simple lifestyle. And what of the hunt?”

“Successful. But there was something odd,” Markus said.

“Oh?” The older man eyed his pupil.

“It made its home in the ruins of a city unlike anything I’ve ever seen. And the locals only knew it was old.”

“What’s your point?”

“The demon said it was its home.” Markus’ eyes narrowed. “Are their stories true, Domeric? Did we bring them to ruin?”

His master shrugged. “It doesn’t matter now does it? They threaten what we’re supposed to protect. It’s simply the way the world is.” Markus frowned at his answer. “In any case, get to the infirmary and get yourself checked.” He handed a sealed paper to his pupil.

“You’ve got another assignment.”