Manhunter Revelations

by H. F. Daniels

  A Seer must give the weapon to whoever she felt was the warrior fit to wield it.

  No one except the one chosen by the Seer would be able to approach and seize the weapon.

  The weapon has been forged for use against all beings not of Muraiin or human origins.

  So for these past thousands of years the weapon has been confined to it’s chamber”

  After she finished, she stopped, looking at me as if she knew I had questions.

  “So I am the one you choose to wield the weapon. Wield it against who, the creature”

  “Perhaps. I do not know and cannot say. The creature appears to not be of human origins and definitely not Muraiin. So perhaps it would be effective against the creature. Merlinus died before he could give Bonnia more information.

  “Why choose me. I got the distinct impression Dolart was not happy with your selection”

  “Dolart is without a doubt the greatest warrior we have had against The Xantu in generations. He naturally figured he was the one Merlinus was speaking of to receive the weapon. Unfortunately I did not see it revealed to me as thus. I took him to the weapon to see if he could claim it. He could not, as many have tried, get through the door. So his pride has been seriously hurt with the fact that a human is the one chosen to receive the weapon”

  “What does it do?

  “All I know is that if it is used against a Muraiin or human, it will be as if it was nothing more then a club. Used against any being of any other origins it will be a whole lot more. What I simply do not know, except this. You must not under any circumstances let it out of your possession. I know I haven’t given you much in the way of information, but this is all that has been passed down for generations to us Seers”

  We discussed a few more points, but nothing that shed any further light on this weapon I had received. So after a while, we felt it was time to get back to Woodspirit and deal with the creature. After Tessia spoke to the Elders for a while she came back to us and we were ported back to Woodspirit. It was nighttime when we got back so after a brief discussion with Hennings and his staff we decided to execute our plan in the morning.

  All of the woman that were in transit to USPF HQ had been returned to Woodspirit and it was explained there were lodging difficulties at HQ, hence their return to Woodspirit. Then they and the ones waiting transport was informed that that transport would continue tomorrow. On my way back to my cottage, Sessa asked if she could join me. Naturally I said yes. As we walked to my cottage I spotted Carol looking out a window on the second floor of the convention hall. She waved, then got up and left the window. I do not know why but I had a hollow and dread feeling inside me upon seeing her. Luckily for me all Sessa wanted to do was sleep with me, nothing strenuous.

  Chapter Eleven: The Hunt, The Battle

  We all met early in the morning to finalize our plans, which turned out to be quite simple. Sessa and I would hunt down the creature and Sessa would kill it with a selective use of the earth energies, which they were all convinced would stop the creature, preventing it from regenerating any injuries Sessa did to it and finally killing it. It was also surmised that once Sessa had hit it with her selective beam nullifying it’s regenerative powers, I could also kill it with my guns. Nothing was discussed about me using the mace. In fact Tessia had made it clear I shouldn’t discuss the weapon with anyone at all for now. She didn’t say why other than she felt it was best. That was fine with me as I did not relish the idea of going up against the creature with just a club in my hand, no matter how special it was susposed to be. The other ladies would wait in the village. They were convinced the other being that was connected to the creature would react very badly to its death. They would then be able to hopefully stop her. Hennings and his mens job was to just protect the women. There was a lot of argument over that point, but Serona had already contacted Hennings superior, and he received a comm instructing him to follow Serona or Tessia orders to the letter. Hennings and his men weren’t happy. They wanted in on the battle killing the creature, but they were soldiers and would comply. We were finished with the final briefing and everyone knew their assignments. Sessa and I prepared to leave for our hunt. She was dressed in what looked to be some type of dark brown leather pants with a matching short sleeve top. On her feet was an unusual pair of boots that looked to have a very thin sole. I had asked her about them and she told me they were composed of a unique material from Muraii that allowed them to walk quietly and gave very good protection to the feet. They looked too weak to me but she was adamant about her choice. She also informed me that her outfit was composed of a unique leather material specially treated to make it lightweight but extremely strong and durable. She demostrated how durable by trying to plunge a combat knife through the material, but could not no matter how hard she stabbed it. She also carried a matching leather bag draped over her shoulder with items she said she needed. Looking at the other ladies I could see they were all similarily dressed in the leather looking material, albeit in different colors and design. I had donned my black nano jeans and t-shirt. On top of the shirt I had my nano vest with multiple pockets, which I loaded up with mini grenades that were the size of golf balls but packed quite a punch. I strapped on my .44C and .40C even though I knew they would be useless except to maybe temporarily stop the creature unless Sessa modulated beam worked. Yet that temporary stop might help us in the end so I brought them. Hennings had procured for me some Armored Hi-Explosive rounds, which was designed to take down reinforced doors and walls. Hopefully they would make a painful distraction on the creature until Sessa could hit him with her beams. Now that she knew what the creature is, she can harness the type of energies needed to badly hurt and hopefully kill the creature, preventing it from regenerating. She and the other Ladies were confident about that. Me and Hennings, not so confident hence the new rounds. Tessia had been very insistent to me that I not allow the mace out of my possession, so I had it strapped to the side on my pack. We hope to have this hunt over today, but I carried in a black backpack supplies for a three days stay as well as extra ammo. Before we left, Hennings took me off to the side.

  “Conrad I am not happy with this plan, but my hands have been tied by Command. There is however something I need you to do while you are out on your hunt”

  With that he handed me what looked to be a dime size shaped object and another box shaped object about four times the size of the smaller one.

  “This is a Spectrum Cam and Storer. It is a highly secretive device we use for field combat operations. I need you to wear this on your hunt so that I can get tactical vid information of your operation afterwards. I know you trust Tessia and the Ladies, but my instincts is in high gear and to be honest I don’t fully trust all they have told us. I do believe they may be holding something back”

  “I understand your feelings. I hope they have told us everything we need to know, but human nature, or in their case just plain nature being what it is, well who knows. How do I operate this”

  “Stick the small cam on your chest a little bit above where your heart is located right before you leave the village. It is the Cam. It has a one hundred and eighty degree field of view and it sees better than we do, even at night or murky conditions which would blind us. As soon as you place it upon yourself, it will start recording right away. The larger box is the Storer, both receiver and recorder. Secure it anywhere on your person where you feel it will be safe. The small cam once attached will start transmitting everything it sees over a highly secure wavelength to the storer. It has an amazing six day recording capability”

  “Got it”

  “Tracker. Be careful out there. We hope this plan will work, but be prepared for anything. Keep us informed of your search and let us know if possible when you will engage the creature”

  “I will and thanks. Make sure everyone here are ready for their part”

  “Don’t worry, we will, and good hunting”

  I took the small camera and placed it where he instructe
d. As I did, it seemed to sink a little bit down into my vest. Rejoining Sessa we got into a two occupant MATV and drove out of the village to start our hunt. Two hours later we left the MATV and started our hunt on foot. Sessa had an orange green stone she took out of her pack, which she said had been tuned by the mages back in Muraii to the energies being used by the creature. They were confident it could lead us to the creature. I had my doubts, but she felt assured of its reliability. She said as we got closer to it she would feel a feedback from he stone which would get stronger the closer we got to it. It acts like a homing beacon to tell her which direction to go. Which was why we were now on foot heading up into some dense forest in our search. We were keeping our talking to a bare minimum as we had no idea how good this creature could hear. We had been following the stone for over an hour now when I started to notice the changes in the landscape. Stepping up I tapped Sessa on a shoulder getting her attention. Signaling a halt and quiet, we both stooped down and scanned to area in opposite directions looking for the creature. After a few minutes with no sign of it, Sessa asked quietly,

  “Did you see something?”

  “Look around you. Do you notice anything out of the ordinary?”

  She only looked around for a few seconds and then a look of shock crossed her face.

  “The trees and plant life is sick. I was concentrating on the stone so much I didn’t see the changes”

  “I encountered these same conditions on my search for the creature on my first hunt in the woods. That was just before it attacked”

  “So we are close”

  “Yes, so let’s proceed with caution”

  Checking the stone Sessa started out again and moved forward. We had been heading eastward for around a couple of hundred yards before she stopped. She appeared to be somewhat confused but I waited giving her time while I watched the area around us. She then turned around facing northwestward. Looking at me she indicated the new direction. Signaling her to proceed we took off in the new direction. This time we had traveled a couple of miles before she stopped again. This time the confusion on her face was more intense. After a few seconds she pointed southward. Signaling for her to get close we again stoopped down.

  “Either the creature is traveling around in a circle or it is circling us. I think it knows we are on its trail”

  “How could it know. We are nowhere near it. The stone would let me know if we were”

  “I don’t know, but I underestimated this creature’s ability once. We all have. We have to assume that somehow it knows we are hunting it”

  “What do we do?”

  “We continue but very slowly. I am betting the creature is now hunting us and we will meet it soon, more likely on it’s terms, which I don’t like. Will that stone let you know if the creature gets close to us?”

  “Yes. The closer it gets to us the stronger the feedback”

  “Will you be able to tell if it is very close, say around a hundred yards from us?

  “Yes. That close the feedback should be tremendous”

  “Okay. We will head eastward and see if the creature continues moving circular to us or if he changes direction towards or away from us”

  So I led us eastward quietly, slowly but very alertly. I was taking no chances on this creature sneaking up on us. Our advantage of sneaking up on it I now felt was gone. It was now just a matter of who would find whom first. I then had a thought.

  “Sessa, just as you feel the feedback from the stone is it possible the creature could also feel a feedback?

  At first it appeared she was going to say no, but hesitated as she thought it out. Looking at me I could see the answer on her face.

  “The stone is probably giving away our position to the creature. I think we can use it to bring it to us. To engage it on our terms in a location of our choosing”

  Looking at the new Geo-Map supplied by Hennings I located the spot I was looking for.

  ‘There is a clearing about four miles northward. That is where we will engage it”

  It was now early afternoon and we had been traveling north towards the clearing for a short time when Sessa stopped completely. She then called to me quickly.

  “It’s gone”

  “What. Gone where?”

  “Just gone. The stone is no longer detecting its energy”

  “Okay, what does that mean?

  “I have no idea. The only way the stone could not detect the creature’s energy is if it died or was at least six hundred miles away”

  “How about if it went underground”

  “Bad idea. Its energy would probably be more detectable if it did. Remember the energy it is using comes from the Power, which is within the earth. Going underground is the last thing it should do if it wants to hide.”

  “How about if it was up in the air?

  “It would have to be very high. At least half a mile up to reduce it’s amount of detectable energy. But how would it get that high. Please don’t tell me you think it can fly”

  “I don’t know what to think. Each time I think we have this beast figured out, it throws a curve at us”

  “You think we should call off the hunt and report this to everyone”

  “Somehow I think it’s too late for that. I have a very sneaky suspicion we are already in a trap. Let me notify Hennings we may soon be in conflict with the creature.”

  After informing Henning of our situation, we were getting ready to move out again when Sessa tapped me and said,

  “Conrad, the trees!”

  Looking at the trees around us we could see them getting more unhealthy looking by the minute. Damn it the creature was here!

  “Sessa, get read...”

  Moving fast I grabbed Sessa and threw us both half a dozen feet to the right. We landed hard but we both rolled and came up on our feet ready. Or at least we thought we were ready. Where we had just been standing a log at least seven feet in length weighing a few hundred pounds slammed down in that spot. I had spotted it at the last moment. What I hadn’t seen was the other two logs coming directly at us. Dodging to both sides the logs slammed down where we were just standing, and more were coming. The creature was tearing up small trees, boulders, anything it could find and tossing them at us. Trees and debris was raining down just missing us. Each piece was being tossed from in the woods where we couldn’t see it. The debris kept us dodging here and there to avoid them but we couldn’t let this attack go on. Out of desperation Sessa stopped and sent a blast from her hands directly where the last debris was coming from. This was the first time I saw here use her powers and to be blunt it both surprised and impressed me. The twin beams blasted away a ten-foot section of forest into kindling. The debris coming at us stopped.

  “Conrad I am getting tired dodging this stuff. We have to flush him out where I can hit him directly”

  “I know but stay ready. Just because the attack has stopped, he isn’t gone. He’s still out there”

  We gathered together back to back scanning the woods around us for signs of the creature, but everything had gone quiet. As before I was starting to get that dread feeling I had got the last time I engaged this creature in the woods.

  “It’s coming. I can feel it”

  “Me too”

  “We’re too confined here. If it attacks us here our ability to maneuver will be limited. We need to make a run for the clearing and reach it before it attacks. We have about a mile to go. Can you make it?

  “No problem. What’s to stop it attacking us before we get there?

  I will cover the right, you the left. Throw light blasts to the front and left side of us as we run. I will do the same but on the right and behind us. Don’t stop. We have to reach that clearing. In here we are at a serious disadvantage. Ready?

  She gathered herself and nodded.

  “Go!”

  We ran in the direction of the clearing. I told her light blasts. She literally blew a passage way for us both in front while throwing lighter blasts to th
e left. I fired my .44C emptying the gun on the right. As we ran I counted to three and then lobbed a mini grenade behind us. Unless the creature stepped out and the grenade hit him on the head and blew, they wasn’t going to do much damage. They did however cause a great deal of noise and smoke to help cover our trail. Since I already knew my ammo would not stop or kill the creature, I was liberal with firing ammo on the run every now and then hoping to throw the creature off if it planned on attacking us on the run. On the hike out here I didn’t have to call many rest stops and Sessa had kept up with no problem. So running through the woods, over and under obstacles, I was worried about her ability to keep up. I didn’t need to. The woman ran like a gazelle, leaping over logs and branches, dodging obstacles with a ease that was amazing. Once there was a large tree branch that had broken off the main tree and was blocking our way a little under four feet off the ground. I was expecting her to jump it. Instead she went into a slide down on her knees, bent herself backwards and continued her slide right under the branch. Once she cleared it she popped right back up on her feet and kept moving with what looked to be no reduction in her speed. In fact she was outpacing me being already a dozen feet in front of me. Hell I had to worry about keeping up with her. That became abundantly clear in the next few minutes. After a few more minutes I could see the clearing a little off to our right.