The Hunt: Tunnels

Isabelle stared at the mouth of the cave as the light crept in from outside. Can’t say I’m surprised they sent someone after me. But he caught up quick. A low growl sounded from Isabelle’s stomach. Her eyes fell to her aching gut, “Can’t start a fire and cook us anything with that inquisitor so close.”

A rock clattered down from the cave entrance. Isabelle’s eyes shot to the opening as she raised her hand to reduce whatever unfortunate soul that found her to ashes. Empty, cold air was all she could see. Isabelle lowered her hand. “Naer-fark-medow.” A blue flame illuminated the walls of the cave.

Isabelle’s blood turned to ice in her veins and her skin prickled. “Get away!” She hurled violet flames towards the mouth of the cave. The fire leapt past Markus and out of the mouth of the cave. More violet fire coalesced in Isabelle’s hand.

“For fuck’s sake calm down!”

“I won’t just let you take me.” Isabelle shot to her feet and threw more fire at Markus. His sword met the flames with her mother’s fire. Blue and violet collided and swirled in violent storm, Isabelle’s fire was ejected into the ground. The cave shook from the force, knocking the pair to the ground. Isabelle retreated deeper into the cave as Markus picked himself up. The back of the cave met Isabelle’s back and halted her.

Markus readied his sword, and he made a slow, determined advance. He made several gasps for fresh air. “Isabelle, enough.”

Isabelle stared at her mother’s flames enveloping the blade of Markus’ sword. She scowled. “Do you intend to kill me with my own mother’s fire you bastard?”

Markus, stunned, lowered his guard for a faint moment. “Isabelle, I-”

Isabelle sent angry flames hurtling towards Markus. Again, he brought his blade to meet the assault. Fire chased fire then slammed into the ground between the pair. The floor of the cave under Isabelle buckled and started to give way under the force of the ejected flames. Acting on instinct, she scrambled towards stable ground, towards Markus. She was too slow. With a sudden shudder the grey stone beneath her collapsed. Markus leapt to grab her; his hand clasped around hers. She stared at the man. “Why did you save me?”

“I’ve been trying to tell you I’m not here to kill you. I-”

The ground under Markus gave out and the pair tumbled deeper into the cavernous dark below them. Isabelle slammed into the hard surface below them, the air was forced from her lungs. She took one pained gasp after another. Aches raced through her from all parts of her body as she felt the warm trickle of blood run down her face and drip off her chin to stain the ground. She heard a pained groan escape Markus who fell several feet away from her. Fighting against the pain in her body, Isabelle sat herself upright. She focused herself and lit a fire in the palm of her hand. Violet flames lit the tunnel that they had found themselves in. She glared at Markus who remained on the ground. “You just had to keep come towards me, didn’t you?”

Markus turned his head, his eyes meeting Isabelle’s. His breathing was labored. “Piss off. You didn’t need to keep hurling fire at me. I could have left you to fall, and then my damn ribs wouldn’t have been broken.”

“Well, a lot of good grabbing hold of me did.” She toyed with the thought of throwing more fire at him for a moment but ultimately decided against it. It couldn’t hurt to ask this annoying bastard some questions. She watched the violet light dance on the walls then turned her gaze back to Markus who was still looking at her. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“Well, it must be something if you’re staring at me like that. Go on, spit it out.”

Markus grimaced as he pushed himself up. Isabelle saw that he had landed on a large rock. He found his way to the wall opposite to Isabelle. “I’m just surprised is all.”

“By what?”

“Magic users. You’re all so different from one another. Meanwhile the demons that I have to deal with are all the same, yet they are capable of thinking and feeling like we do. Despite your attitude I find it refreshing.”

Isabelle blinked. “My attitude? Refreshing? That’s an awfully strange way to regard the people who you melt down into those infernal swords of yours.”

Markus gave her a strange look, then barked a quick, pained laugh that caused him to double him over. “You think we kill the people we bring in?”

“If you don’t kill them in some inhuman ritual then what do you do?”

“There is a ritual involved, though I don’t know what it entails. The people that we… watch over, wear bracelets that allow them to live as normal people. The magic needs somewhere to go and our swords serve as the perfect conduit.”

Isabelle’s eyes narrowed. “Do you keep them in cells? Like animals?”

Markus shook his head. “There is a community that we keep secret and protected. They live in peace, away from the world and its troubles. Due to the nature of the bracelets, they can’t leave without everyone in the order being aware.”

“Is my mother there?”

“My blade wouldn’t work if she wasn’t.”

Isabelle weighed the next question on her mind. “Do you intend to bring me in to be shackled and reunited with my mother?”

Markus was silent for a long time. “Is that what you want?”

The question caught her off guard. “Isn’t that why you’ve been chasing me? Setting your sword ablaze and ordering me to come with you?”

“I admit my approach was lacking.”

“So, what did you intend?”

“To take you home where you could continue your life running a tavern alongside Trenton. To tell you that you wouldn’t need to fear of being hunted anymore.”

Isabelle’s head spun. All this drama, the raiders at Mud Wallow, this damn fall. All because of a misunderstanding? “Wait, did you say Trenton? You went to the Thirsty Trout?”

“I did.”

“Is he okay?”

Markus idly scratched his jaw and muttered, “I may have broken his nose for killing Domeric, but besides that he should be fine.”

“You broke his nose over him killing that bastard?”

“He was a bastard. But he was also the man who took me in and raised me.”

Markus’ words backhanded Isabelle. “Domeric raised you? That certainly explains a bit about you, but not everything.”

“Domeric was a hard man, and proud. His way was the only way - the right way. He’d make sure you knew it too, even if it meant punishing you for looking for another way to do anything.” Markus grimaced and clutched at the ribs on his right side. He paused for a moment for the pain to pass. “He and several others saved me from a raiding party that attacked my village - a large group of warriors from Luparrov.”

“Your parents are dead?”

Markus nodded. “My father died protecting my mother and I with a pitchfork, and my mother died when they were finished having their fun with her. The children in the village were to be taken to serve as thralls.”

“I’m - I’m sorry. Your parents didn’t deserve that.”

“There’s little point in fussing over it now.”

“At least your father protected you. When mine found out my mother was a liar and both her and I were freaks he beat her. Then, he riled everyone in town up to kill us.”

“You have my sympathies.” Was all Markus said.

An uncomfortable silence had settled between the two which was only interrupted by Markus’ labored breathing. With her free hand, Isabelle grabbed hold of the cave’s wall and pulled herself to her feet.

“Where are you going?”

Isabelle looked down at Markus. “We need to find a way out. With the way you’re breathing, you’re as good as dead without help.”

“So, you’re going to just wander these tunnels by yourself?”

“It’s better than doing nothing.” Isabelle snapped.

“And when you get lost what then?”

“I’ll be fine. It’s not like I’ll run out of light.”

Markus grabbed his sword and laid it across his lap. “That’s not what I’m worried about. We don’t know what else could be in these tunnels. Just watch your back while you’re gallivanting around.”

Isabelle narrowed her eyes. Gallivanting around? There’s that bit of Domeric inside him coming out. “I’ll be sure to keep an eye out.”

For a brief moment, a small, relieved smile came across Markus’ face. “Good.”

Saying nothing, Isabelle turned and began walking down the passageway that they had fallen into. The air was flat, still. Hers was the only motion in these dark underground corridors, and that put her on edge. She waited for a disturbance in the air that never came. Eventually, the tunnel opened into a massive cavern. Isabelle spied a vague shape just at the edge of her fire’s light. She took a tentative step forward. It was the wall of a building. Or rather, what was left of a stone wall. Curiosity pulled Isabelle forward. She studied the area. Much of what remained appeared to be the foundations of an impressively large structure that was built here.

Who would build something like this in a cavern? Isabelle thought as she walked amongst the stones.

A timeworn mural lay at the center of the ruins. Isabelle’s eyes strained to make out the faint image of a massive being with the body of a human but with numerous animal heads resting above its shoulders as it stood higher than the mountains surrounding it. Suddenly, a stone fell from one of the walls to Isabelle’s left. She spun around to find a creature with the naked body of a man and the head of a rabbit peeking out at her from behind the wall. Isabelle jumped back, raising her hand, ready to blast the creature.

It cowered behind the wall and cried out, “Oh, please don’t hurt me!”

Isabelle, still holding her flames at the ready, cocked an eyebrow. She didn’t know what kind of response to expect from this creature, but cowering was the last. “I’m afraid you startled me.”

“I’m sorry,” the creature said from behind cover.

“Do - do you have a name?”

The creature peeked out from behind the wall. “Snowdrift.” He shot back behind cover. “What’s yours?”

“Isabelle,” she replied, lowering her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Snowdrift crawled out from behind cover, a hand still firmly placed on the wall “It is?”

“That’s how it should be.”

“Oh. It’s nice to meet you.” Snowdrift stood. Isabelle had to turn her head up to look at him. Snowdrift approached and shook her hand with such force he nearly pulled her arm off.

Isabelle flinched.

Snowdrift let go. “Are you hurt?”

“A little. I had a fall earlier.”

“I can fix that!” Snowdrift’s hands shot forward, latching on to Isabelle’s shoulder.

Before she could react, a coolness passed through her. The sharp pains and aches in her body began to subside, though some remained. “I’m impressed Snowdrift.”

Snowdrifts ears twitched. “Always happy to help!”

“Naer-Fark-Medow!” A blue flame erupted in the dark. Snowdrift leapt into the and cowered behind Isabelle. Markus held his blade with his left hand whilst clutching his ribs with his right. He was leaning against a ruined wall for support. “Isabelle, get away from that thing.”

“His name is Snowdrift. He’s no threat to us.”

“It’s a demon, they’ve only ever slaughtered people.”

“He healed my wounds you damned fool!”

There was a soft tug at the back of Isabelle’s shirt. She turned to see Snowdrift looking up at her, tears in his eyes. “Please stop fighting. I can go away if that will make things better.”

“I think helping him would be a better decision. Could you heal his wounds?”

Snowdrift stared at Markus for a moment then turned to Isabelle and nodded.

Isabelle turned to Markus. “Don’t go swinging your sword, it’ll mean your death as well.”

Markus rolled his eyes at her. “Naer-Fark-Teldor.” The blue flames extinguished; he sheathed his blade.

Snowdrift approached Markus and placed his hands on the man’s shoulders. Within several seconds Markus’ breathing improved. He took several deep breaths as Snowdrift retracted his hands. “Better?” Snowdrift asked.

“Still achy, but I can breathe. You have my thanks.” Markus eyed Snowdrift. “You’re very different from the rest of your kind.”

“Maybe you should try being nic-”

Snowdrift’s ears twitched. His hand shot out to cover Isabelle’s mouth. There was fear in his eyes. He raised a finger to his lips. He pulled her and Markus behind a ruined wall. “Stay.”

Isabelle and Markus shared an uneasy glance. Snowdrift leapt to an open area away from the pair and began playing with rocks. Isabelle put out her flame. She peered out into the cavern but saw only darkness. There was only the sound of Snowdrift’s rocks. Then, there was the light sound of footsteps. Two pairs from what Isabelle judged.

Torchlight emerged from a tunnel illuminating a small portion of the cavern. The light fell short of where Isabelle and Markus hid. There was a large beast of a figure with the head of an ape accompanied by the torch bearer - a much smaller feminine figure whose head was that of a snake.

The ape-headed creature spoke with a rough, deep voice, “Snowdrift, you worthless pile of shit, what are you doing?”

“Went for a walk.”

“And found some rocks to play with by the look of it.” The snake-headed creature spoke, its voice was airy.

“Do you want to play too, Slither?”

The snake creature giggled. “No, I think not.”

The ape creature grew annoyed. “Snowdrift, come here.” It pointed to the ground in front of him.

Snowdrift hung his head and approached.

“Did I say you could go anywhere?”

“No.”

The larger creature picked up Snowdrift and slammed him into the ground. “So why did you think you could leave?” the creature’s voice shook the cavern.

Snowdrift could only gasp for air.

The ape creature fell upon Snowdrift and began pummeling him. Each strike sent Snowdrift’s head into the ground with loud, brutal thumps.

Isabelle held out her hand to conjure a ball of flame. Markus grabbed her arm and yanked her back behind cover. She glared at him. Markus shook his head. Isabelle looked down at his sword. The fingers of his sword-hand were wrapped around the hilt. He was fighting with himself to stay. Suddenly the thumps stopped. Isabelle peered out once more.

“Rockfist, he’s had his fill. Let’s go back to sleep,” Slither said.

Grumbling, Rockfist got off of Snowdrift. “Fix yourself up and get back to bed, Snowdrift.”

Rockfist made for the tunnel the pair had entered from. Slither looked down at Snowdrift who had wrapped himself in a tight hug with his hands on his shoulders, then glanced around the room, her gaze holding for just a moment where Isabelle was peeking from, she flicked her forked tongue, then turned to join Rockfist.

The pair waited until they were confident the two creatures had left. They rushed to Snowdrift. The white fur of his head was matted with fresh blood. Isabelle reached out. “Snowdrift?”

“I’m okay.” Snowdrift refused to look either of them in the eye. “Rockfist was nice this time.”

“At least you can fix the damage he does.”

Snowdrift shook his head, “Not all of it. Only most of it.”

“Where’s the way out?” Markus asked.

Snowdrift blinked. “That way.” He pointed to the tunnel Rockfist and Slither had entered.

“Good.” Markus began walking towards the tunnel.

“What are you thinking? Isabelle asked.

“I’m not thinking anything. I’ve already decided those two are going to die.” Markus’ stride didn’t slow. He drew his sword. “Naer-Fark-Medow.”

Isabelle helped Snowdrift to his feet. The two hurried after Markus. “You can’t just decide to execute them.”

“You saw what Rockfist did to Snowdrift and all Slither did was watch. A friend of mine once asked me to try talking to them but these two have shown they can’t be talked to.”

“Then kill Rockfist, you don’t know if Slither deserves to die. She may be just as scared as Snowdrift.”

Markus turned to Snowdrift. “Is it true?”

Snowdrift nodded. “She asked me to take the beatings for her. Slither says she doesn’t want to have her good looks ruined.” Snowdrift shrugged. “I don’t know what that means but I don’t want to see Rockfist beat her. She tells me I deserve them. She’s smart so she must be right.”

Markus turned and continued down the tunnel. Isabelle caught up with him and matched his stride. She didn’t know what to say.

Markus kept his voice low, “Snowdrift can’t defend himself. I don’t know if he would even if he knew how.”

It was hard for Isabelle to admit, but he was right. “So, we’ll defend him. We can’t let them keep abusing him,” Isabelle said.

Markus nodded. The trio walked in silence for a long while. Eventually, they spotted a campfire illuminating a widened part of the tunnel with two figures lying next to it. As they came closer the Slither and Rockfist rose from where they were laying.

“I told you he found prey,” Slither said.

Rockfist growled. “Maybe he isn’t entirely useless.”

“They want to leave,” Snowdrift said.

Rockfist dug his fingers into the stone wall beside him, ripping a chunk rock from it. “Shut your mouth. I’m going to kill these two.”

"We're going, and you're going to stop abusing Snowdrift," Markus said.

Fire snapped to life in Isabelle’s hands.

"I'll do as I please with my things!" Rockfist hurled the chunk of stone at Markus and charged. Markus ducked, the stone hit the wall and bounced into the dark.

As Rockfist attacked Markus, Isabelle hurled violet flames towards Slither. In the blink of an eye the feminine snake woman fell to the ground, her neck elongated, doubling her size. Isabelle threw more flames. Slither moved like lightning. Before Isabelle could ready another blast, Slither was already in striking distance. Fangs and teeth dug deep into Isabelle’s flesh just above her collar bone. Pain ripped through Isabelle. She cried out. Isabelle looked towards Markus who was being pushed deeper and deeper back down the tunnel. Her eyes flicked back Slither. She wrapped her hands around the snake woman’s throat. She conjured her flames once more.

Slither began to scream. “Bitch! Let me go. Take your hands off me!”

Isabelle concentrated and made the fires hotter. She felt flesh melting at her touch. Slither’s screams became gurgles as Isabelle decapitated her. Slither’s lifeless head hung from Isabelle. Isabelle tore the head from her and cauterized the wound. She turned and saw the figures of Markus and Rockfist illuminated by blue light in the tunnel. She raised her hair to attack Rockfist. Something struck Rockfist from behind putting him off balance. Markus drove his sword deep into Rockfist’s chest, killing him. Wait. Where is Snowdrift. Isabelle scanned the tunnel but found no trace of the rabbit man. She looked back into the tunnel; Markus stepped out of the darkness alongside Snowdrift. “What happened?”

Markus sheathed his blade. “Snowdrift hit Rockfist and made an opening for me.”

Isabelle turned to Snowdrift. “I didn’t think you would-”

Snowdrift’s eyes were locked on the ground. “They’re not nice to me. Not like you two. They were going to hurt you both. I want to be with you two, not them.”

“You can come with us.”

“Bad idea,” Markus said. “Even up north, he’s not going to be welcome. I don’t know what means they have of hurting him either.”

“I can stay in the caves.” Snowdrift locked eyes with Isabelle. “I’ll always be close, and out of the way.”

“That could work.” Isabelle turned to Markus. “What’s you’re expert opinion.”

“If he doesn’t mind, then I won’t stop him.”

Snowdrift’s ears twitched. “Oh, let’s go!” he bolted towards the exit, leaving the pair to chase after him.