“Don’t fuck up,” Gunthos said.
The Toretti’s quickly vanished into the distance and Gunthos took up a guard stance where they had been. He stood with his crossbow raised, his eyes surveying the surrounding area.
“How bad is it? What’s happened?” Abner asked.
“My fucking leg,” Tavion said. “It’s broken! I heard the snap.”
“His horse is dead,” Lois said. “We’re falling apart even before we’ve begun this mission.”
“Can you ride?” Abner asked.
Tavion looked up at him and let out a grunt. “Pick me up and put me in a saddle. I can ride.”
“Are you sure, brother?” Tarl asked. His face wore a grim expression. “I will take you back to the Huntrey if you need it.”
“I’m fine, little brother. Get me up,” Tavion said. A look of annoyance was beginning to creep onto his face. “Now would be good. I’m sick of the dirt.”
“Yaron, give me a hand,” Tarl said reaching down to hoist Tavion onto his remaining good leg. “Why did you send the twins away?”
“Someone had to track down the Ghost,” Abner said. “You weren’t up to the task.”
Yaron lifted his brother up onto his shoulder, doing what he could to support the dead weight. Tavion slid his good leg over his brother’s horse while his injured leg hung limp to the side. He grimaced and shuffled on the saddle to get comfortable. “Let’s get on with it then.”
The town was quiet when the Hunters circled the outskirts. No blacksmith could be heard working and no guards stood watch over any entrances. Trees grew up around it, concealing most of the buildings in a thick layer of leaves behind what appeared to be a wall of vines.
“Ah, I’ve been here once before,” Gareth said. He ran his hands along the vines, as the Hunters rode to the entrance. “The locals called it Hidden Valley. We’ll be going in blind, Abner. I couldn’t tell you what’s behind those walls.”
“We have Seekers, Gareth. We won’t be going in blind,” Abner said.
“Of course, I’m so accustomed to having Mandel by my side. Can you sense anything Lois?” Gareth asked.
Lois lifted her head from the ground, her eyes red, filled with blood for Seeking. She sniffed the air like a primal Vampire and turned to the rest of the party. “No movement has passed through these gates for the last three days. Either everybody is locked up inside or they’ve all been killed by something from more than a week ago.”
Abner frowned and quickly assessed the walls, looking up and down at them. “Gunner, Yaron, take up a position on the vines, Lois and Gareth will come with me. The rest of you hold out here. If you can find another entrance into the town, take it.”
“Are you sure, Abner? If there’s been a disturbance here, wouldn’t it be better to go forward with our full force?” Gareth asked.
Gunthos laughed softly as he began to climb the vines. “You’re a fucking idiot, boy.”
Abner rolled his eyes and turned to face Gareth. “Stop questioning my authority. You’ve been out on your own for a long time. Now it’s time to fall in line or see yourself out. What’s it going to be?”
“I’m not going back to the Huntrey. I’m coming with you,” Gareth said.
“Good, then get your crossbow out. You’re probably going to need it,” Abner said.
The three Hunters rode into the town in silence; the only sounds they made were the gentle sounds of the horses hooves as they crashed down into the dirt. A damp aroma filtered through the nostrils of the Hunters, growing more constant as they approached the center of the town. The horses neighed and shook their heads in protest. Abner gave the signal to dismount.
“Come out where we can see you!” Abner said.
“Don’t shoot, I’m not here to harm you!” a voice said from inside one of the simple stone buildings.
“You’ve got five seconds before we come in after you. Hurry it up,” Lois said.
“Alright, alright, here I am!” An old graying man stumbled out from a building behind them with his hands raised and his head lowered. “Please don’t shoot me.”
“We have no reason to,” Abner said. “What’s happened here?”
The old man didn’t reply to the Hunter’s question. His eyes darted from Abner to Lois and then to Gareth, before dropping back to the ground.
“Answer him, old man,” Gareth said. “What happened here?”
“Death came, descending from the forest,” the man said. “And it now comes for you!”
A howl came from outside the vine walls and Abner heard the shout of alarm from the Hunters on the outside. There was the sound of a crossbow firing and the old man groaned, falling to his knees.
“Abner, take cover!” Gunthos called down from the wall. His crossbow sung out again and again, the howls of the wolves coming closer and closer. “Get the fuck out of here, Tarl! Take him and go!”
Lois grabbed both Gareth and Abner by the arms and dragged them into the building the old man had emerged from. Dust filled air welcomed them, a thin coat covering the plates and cutlery set out on the main table.
“Nobody’s been in here for a while,” Gareth said.
“They all left in a hurry,” Abner said. “Upstairs, now.”
Lois bound up the stairs first with her crossbow drawn. Gareth went next, copying her movements, while Abner lingered on the first floor for a moment longer. When he entered the next room he found Lois and Gareth with their crossbows trained across the clearing at the entrance to the vines.
“The others have taken off!” Gunthos said. “Here comes a Ghost!”
Seconds later the white fur of the hurled into the town, a savage howl escaping its jaws as it looked up at Gunthos. The dark Hunter unloaded with his crossbow, a second later the rest of the Hunters buried the Ghost under a storm of bolts. The wolf tried to run, but the unrelenting hail of fire upon it, brought the beast down within a matter of seconds.
“Is it dead?” Gareth asked. He shot one more bolt into its eye for good measure.
“Looks like it,” Abner said. “Where are the rest of them?”
“Gone, followed the other Hunters by the look of it. A couple took off towards the north, however,” Gunthos said.
“Fuck why would they do that?” Lois asked. “Even with two groups following the others back to the Huntrey, they won’t be able to catch them. Nothing but more rough terrain lies between here and the Bulldrag.”
“Maybe they’re not hunting,” Aber said.
“What do you mean?” Gareth asked.
“They’re going home,” Gunthos said. “We’ve got our lair. What’s to say they don’t have theirs?”
A smile lit up on Gareth’s face. “We could trap them there, kill them.”
“Are you volunteering to go on such a dangerous journey, boy?” Gunthos asked.
“I would like to scout them and find where they make their home. I would just prefer it if I wasn’t to go alone,” Gareth said.
“I’ll go with you,” Lois said. “You’ll need a Seeker to track them down.”
“No objections, Ab?” Gunthos asked.
Abner shook his head. “Lois can hold her own. I have faith. We need to report our findings to the Huntrey immediately and find who’s still alive after that attack. Does anyone care to do the honors of removing its head?”
“Gladly,” Gareth said. A small smile passed over his face as he drew his sword.
11
Chasing Nightmares
Abner and Gunthos left Hidden Valley in a pile of dust behind them and soon it was nothing more than a memory. They followed the tracks of both the Ghost and the Hunter’s horses in the grass, tracking southwest, back towards the Huntrey. The Ghosts had vanished once more and their silence kept Abner on edge.
Another kilometer passed by underneath the rapid thundering of their horse’s hoof beats, and there was finally a sign of battle. The Ghost had turned dirt up with its paws, suddenly changing trajectory as it attacked a Hunter. Whoever�
�s horse the beast had taken down had gotten back up, but the Hunter who rode it had not.
Blood covered the grass in a thick coating of bright red, the wolf tearing its prey to shreds in seconds. A severed limb lay stretched over several meters, chunks of it poking out from the grass like a defect in the otherwise perfect landscape.
“They’re out of sight,” Gunthos said. “And the trail ends here. How do you propose we catch them?”
“We can’t, but we should at least be able to track them,” Abner said.
“Our Seekers have run off lad. Again, how do you propose we do that?” Gunthos asked.
Abner smirked. “Vampire remember.”
Gunthos rolled his eyes. “Of course, how could I forget?”
Abner turned his focus inward, drawing on the blood he could feel running in his veins. He closed his eyes and began rocking, summoning the energy he needed to see the blood trails left behind. Instantly, he reopened his eyes, the world now colored in a haze of red. He saw the paths left behind by the Hunters and the wolves, side by side.
One wolf had fallen to the ground, while another charged the fleeing Hunters. The fallen Ghost turned its head back towards the Hidden Valley before calling for the second to join. Both creatures had travelled to the north, their tails stretched out behind them, slinking from side to side.
“Abner, what do your Vampire eyes see? Do we still follow them?” Gunthos asked as he watched Abner survey the surrounding area.
“Two Ghosts ran to the north after we killed their brother. I dare say we use this as an attempt to find their lair,” Abner said.
“Don’t lead us into any ambushes this time,” Gunthos said.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Abner said.
By the time the sun was beginning to set, Abner had continued to follow the Ghosts north. They hadn’t deviated from their path, and the Hunters encountered no other living creature for the entirety of the journey. Abner continued to search through the red haze looking for any sign that another sentient being had passed through the area. At last he’d found something.
“Gunthos, we need to get underground. I’ve found a Vampire,” Abner said.
“Just one?” Gunthos asked. “It’s unusual that one would be out here in the middle of nowhere, alone.”
“It’s all I can see, Gunner. Want to kill it?” Abner asked.
“Fuckin’ course I do,” Gunthos said. He unsheathed his crossbow. “How do we get down there?”
“Follow me,” Abner said as he dismounted.
They descended into the depths of the underground, the entrance to a small cave tucked away in a clutch of small trees. Water dripped down over the entrance, remnants from a passing shower, only hours before. Abner continued to follow the Vampire’s trial until it opened out into a much larger cavern, decorated with nothing but human skulls, no doubt taken from the monster’s victims.
“I see you have come to kill me, Hunters,” the Vampire said from somewhere in front of them. The red haze of his blood trail stopped behind another enormous pile of skulls.
“Come out so we can end you, coward,” Abner said.
“You’re not here for me,” the Vampire said. “Leave me be.”
“What are we here for then?” Gunthos asked.
“I know the ones you hunt. You call them Ghosts because they seem to vanish before your very eyes. The Erdia Arrzara are what you seek. The half-breeds are more intelligent than you would could imagine, Hunters,” the Vampire said.
“We’ve been well acquainted,” Abner said. “What is your name monster?”
“That is no concern of yours, Hunter. If it is the Erdia Arrzara you seek, I will share what I know of them with you and you will leave me in peace.”
“A Vampire that doesn’t want to tell us your name? Either you have a large bounty on your head or you wish to become a Lotu,” Gunthos said.
“Both,” the Vampire said. “I am proud of what I have done in my life, yet I wish to repent and join your cause.”
“What do we do with this one?” Abner asked. “Get him to talk then kill it?”
“Sounds like the reasonable option,” Gunthos said. “Come out Vampire, and we will talk.”
The creature stuck its head into view, watching the Hunters sheathe their crossbows, before it stepped out into the open. It wore nothing but a torn loincloth around its waist, the true form of the Vampire on display.
“You two would make fine additions to my collection,” it said.
“Take another three steps and we’ll put a bolt in you,” Abner said.
“Your crossbows are on your backs, Hunters. I’d close this distance before you could take a shot.”
Abner raised his eyebrow. “Don’t test us.”
The Vampire closed its mouth, saliva dripping off its jaw. “Very well, what do you want to know of the Erdia Arrzara, Hunters?”
“What are they, why have they been plaguing Taagras for the last eight years and where can we find them?”
“I can’t tell you why they are here and what their purpose is, but I can tell you what they are. The Erdia Arrzara are monsters created from our own blood and set to wonder this world,” the Vampire said.
Gunthos had taken to pace around the cavern, examining the skulls before moving onto the next pile. He picked up one and held it to his face, lost in thought.
“You’re the one they all call the Butcher.”
“A name I wish to shed. I go by Dravian now. You would do well to res- “
Gunthos stormed over to Dravian and slammed his fist into the Vampire’s throat. “You slaughtered my family! I will end you!”
“Hmm an Islander, I haven’t tasted your kind for many years. It would be a pleasure to fall by your friend’s hand if I got to take you with me,” Dravian said.
“Tell us where the Ghosts are or I’ll crush your throat,” Gunthos said.
“I can’t tell you where they are. They’re next to untraceable once they’re near their home. I will take you to their den,” Dravian said.
“You slaughtered my family and I won’t forget that,” Gunthos said. “You’ll take us to the Ghost’s lair and I’ll consider giving you the life you want.”
“When two Hunters entered my home, I expected nothing less,” Dravian smiled. “Please gentlemen, follow me. We are nearby.”
12
True Intentions
Lois and Gareth travelled in silence, the kilometers passing underneath their horses hooves as the day dragged on. Her eyes were red, having drunk Vampire blood in order to track the Hunters that had been separated from them in the Ghost attack. So far none had come into their path and their trails ran dry. After a while Gareth began to become suspicious.
“We’re not going south, are we?”
“What?” Lois asked. She didn’t lift her head from its downward position. She continued to push forward, ignoring him.
“You and I, we’re not going back to the Huntrey,” Gareth said.
“What took you so long to figure that out?” Lois asked.
“The sun, and the change in the wind. We’re starting to head north again.”
“You’re right,” Lois said. She brought Mirabel to a stop and looked at her companion. “We’re not going back to the Huntrey. Abner’s run off being the noble idiot he always is trying to fix the world’s problems. I’m not letting him take them on by himself. We’ll still find the Ghosts this way.”
“Then why not stay with them? Find another Hunter and send them back to the Huntrey instead?” Gareth asked.
“I wanted to speak with you alone,” Lois said. “Away from Abner and Gunthos.”
“Why?” Gareth asked.
“Truth is, I’ve become bored with Abner. He’s changed from the man that I used to love. I hardly recognize him and the situation we find ourselves in is making him hard to deal with,” Lois said.
“So you want to try your luck with me?” Gareth asked. “I’m not a pushover.”
Lois laughed. She smil
ed at Gareth and licked her lips. “I don’t need to try anything, Gareth. Abner told me what form that Desire took back in the inn. It was me. As soon as I want something from you, you’ll give it to me whether you want to or not.”
“And you have that power do you?” Gareth asked.
“I know you met with Tal’davin whilst we were in Alilletia,” Lois said.
The colour drained from Gareth’s face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“What did he tell you?”
“Tal’davin is dead,” Gareth said. “You might have lost most of the amulets when the West Anacore Huntrey fell but there’s no way he’s coming back.”
Lois laughed and patted Mirabel as she slid down from the saddle. She walked over to where Gareth sat in his saddle. She grabbed his leg and wrenched, pulling him down over her shoulder. He hit the grass with a thud.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
Lois’ hand snapped up to his throat, closing around his windpipe. “What did Tal’davin say to you boy? Don’t fucking lie to me!”
“Alright, fuck!” Gareth struggled to get free. His words came out, but barely a whisper due to the force being applied on his throat. “What do you want to know?”
“Told you you’d give it to me,” Lois said. “What did Tal’davin say to you?”
“Can you let me go?” Gareth asked.
“No,” Lois said. She kept the pressure on his throat. “Speak or I’ll crush you. There’s nobody out here and there’ll be nobody but me to hear you scream. Tell me!”
“He didn’t tell me much. A man called Unul told me most of what I needed to know. He told me that I was vital to Alilletia’s future. Tal’davin told me that he was alive and he intends to rule Taagras under an iron fist,” Gareth said.
Lois raised her eyebrows. “Did he now? What else did he tell you? And why would he entrust this to a pathetic little boy that so happens to be in a body too big for him?”
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