Chapter One
Prey To The Jungle
A strange, two-headed creature stood at the edge of a riverbank, one head resembling a deer with long bony antlers, the other bearing boar-like features with a single horn. Both drank from the life-giving water, their contrasting forms—peaceful and feral—somehow coexisting.
Yet despite this, the song of the forest was all that could be heard, drowning out the creature, as the flowing motions of rippling water were assimilated by the sounds of chirping bird-like creatures, which flew overhead, while singing insects completed the orchestra of nature’s ensemble.
For the air was hot as the crimson glow of the scarlet sun warmed the trees and illuminated the dirt-covered ground, which led to the base of the stream. It was a forest of noise as the melodies of life surrounded the two-headed creature, masking its presence. For such a commotion was common in the jungles of Edaylon, yet it never distracted from its natural beauty.
Suddenly, a bush began to rustle in an unnatural pattern, spooking the beast as it slowly raised one of its heads; suspicious of its movements. The Boardegar’s eyes then began to narrow, as it carefully scanned the shrub’s leafy branches; oblivious to the shadow, darting across the tree limbs directly overhead. But the noise proved a success, distracting the beast as the figure altered his vantage point. Until soon, all was normal once again, as the alien creature returned to its afternoon beverage; unaware of the events that were already in motion.
“I’m in position,” a man said through the motioning of his hands. He looked to an adjacent tree and was met by the sight of an older man crawling against the leaning branches. On his back, rested a wooden spear with a stone-made tip, which served as his weapon of choice.
“Ready the bait,” his hand motions replied.
A woman then peered out from behind a neighboring tree before quickly retreating back to the safety of the darkness. Her hand reached into a fur-covered satchel as the smell of freshly cut meat escaped its bloody interior.
The Boardegar quickly raised both of its heads in response as the smell invaded its nostrils. Immediately, looking around in various directions, hoping to discover the source of its next potential meal. The head that resembled a boar now began to snort as saliva dripped from its mouth, while its second more deer-like head simply surveyed its surroundings with a loud sniffle.
The woman quickly searched for a clear space to throw the bait before releasing the meat with a strong toss that caused it to fly through the air, rolling across the ground only a mere couple of feet away from the creature. The alien Boardegar now saw the bait, tilting its heads with a look of sheer confusion in response. They could tell it was contemplating the safety of such a meal as it hesitantly made its way over to the slice of meat that was harmlessly resting against the dirt.
“It’s taking the bait!” she signaled. The older man raised his spear, his grip steady, eyes fixed on the approaching creature. The younger man quickly did the same as the two looming men watched their prey from the safety of the shadows. The other man who sat hidden in the bush also removed his weapon as he prepared to strike in the event the others missed their target. So, now it was just a waiting game as the beast approached the bait and leaned down to take its first bites.
“Remember, you take the left head, while the savage’s head belongs to me,” the older man motioned. The younger man nodded in agreement as he tightly gripped his spear and waited for the creature to fall into position.
The Boardegar raised one of its heads once again as it sensed the looming threat of the encroaching men. Its eyes scanned through the treetops as the younger man tossed his spear and watched as it soared through the air.
The stone tip pierced its snout right between the eyes as it stumbled backward. An emerald blood ran down its face, dripping onto the dirt as the boar-like head roared out in pain. Its body continued to stumble backward as it tried to mount some kind of final resistance. However, the older man took aim, launching his spear straight down into the creature’s skull; piercing it as the sharpened stone ran downwards and lodged itself into the dirt. More of the creature’s blood dripped onto the ground as it moaned one final sound of agony before it accepted its fate and succumbed to its injuries. Its knees shook before buckling as it fell to the ground, lying motionless at their feet. All the life had now left its eyes as it sat waiting for the hunters to reveal themselves, so that they may finally claim their prize.
The Hunt Master clapped Zeldon on the shoulder as he leapt down. “Not bad for a youngster. You might just live long enough to become one of us yet.”
“Thank you,” he answered, leaping down from the tree, rolling across the ground. He slowly stood to his feet as he used his spear to help him regain his footing. The man who hid within the bush sheathed his dagger before emerging from its leafy interior. He possessed a large toothy smile, which decorated his face as the woman stepped out from behind the tree. She then brushed her hair to the side as she sealed the meat-carrying bag. They then turned towards the fallen beast, cheering at the triumph of their actions. For it had been a long day, but now their hunt was nearing its inevitable conclusion.
“Ig-Na, take Jaydall and skin the beast. Take the fur for clothing and the meat for the celebration,” the Hunt Master said as he approached the tall Amazonian-like huntress. He then motioned for Jaydall to bring the dagger as he rushed over to rejoin the elder’s side. “Zeldon and I will light the signal fire to alert the others of our return.”
“Very well,” Ig-Na answered before she walked off dragging Jaydall by the shoulder. Her rough demeanor as she grabbed the man’s fur-covered tunic, yanking him forward was enough to bring the older man a laugh as he watched Jaydall struggle to escape her grip. His futile attempts at freedom, earning him an arrogant smile as his body went stiff. For she had smiled so little, that now, it was a sight that terrified him as she tossed him against the soil towards the now deceased Boardegar.
And as he slowly returned to his feet, he couldn’t help but notice that she now stood there, waiting for him to remove his dagger with nothing more than her arm outstretched. He then brushed himself off, shooting her a playful look before he unstrapped the weapon, tossing it towards her. A grin now formed across her face as she caught the blade before bending down to peel open the first layer of the creature’s flesh. Finally, the older man looked over towards Zeldon.
“Zeldon, I need you to collect the wood for the signal, but remember, these woods are dangerous, so never venture beyond the light. For there are great evils, which lie in the dark. So, never escape the light’s embrace.” He then turned his gaze towards the mass of looming trees, which rested peacefully behind them. A comforting hand was soon extended to the young hunter’s shoulder as he added, “Obey my wishes, Zeldon, or else grave things may befall you and this entire party. Do you understand?”
“I do,” he responded with a nod. The Hunt Master smiled as he lowered his hand back down to his side.
He then looked over to the trees as beams of crimson light illuminated the beautiful ecosystem around them. A breeze had been swept in from the east as he looked up towards the sky. The sun was low on the horizon, but he knew that there was still time to complete their mission. So, he sighed before motioning for the young man to leave. His eyes now moved towards Ig-Na and Jaydall, who continued to bicker as blood stained their hands and clothes. However, all of that seemed to leave them unphased as they continued to argue about Ig-Na’s rude demeanor.
He then tapped his spear against the ground as he turned to look back toward Zeldon, but he soon realized that he’d already disappeared into the growing bushes and humongous trees, which had grown to decorate their world. Yet the boy’s sudden departure was enough to cause the elder some semblance of concern as he muttered a silent prayer. For he’d lost warriors to these jungles, and now he prayed that he’d never lose one to them ever again. For dangerous things sat hidden in the darkness, yet now, he hoped that Zeldon was wise enough to heed his warnings or else he too would become lost to the Jungles of Roartagor.
“I should’ve brought my knife,” Zeldon said frustrated as he struggled to slice through a tree branch with his spear’s stone-tipped blade. The sharpened tip was enough to cut through the bark, but the wood itself was cracking the stone. He finally dropped the spear as he reached out to grab the branch. With his teeth gritted he took a firm grasp of the limb, pulling with all his strength. He could hear the wood cracking as the branch bent downwards. Finally, it snapped as he fell to the ground; splinters of wood covered his chest as the severed limb stabbed into the dirt.
He began to rub his head before standing back to his feet, brushing off his chest. The fur of his tunic was warm and soft as his hands rubbed back and forth over the top of it. His head shook left and right as he muttered several things from beneath his breath. He looked over towards the broken tree branch as he walked over and yanked it out of the dirt. His eyes gave it a quick inspection before he tossed it into the pile with all the others. The young man then looked around for new and easier branches to break, but each one was just as thick as the one he had just collected until his eyes spotted a dark patch of forest a mere fifty feet ahead of him.
The words of his Hunt Master, repeating within his mind as he looked into the heart of the darkness. Edaylon’s crimson sun did not light this section of the forest as he looked towards the sky and wondered, “Why? What made this section so dangerous that even the light of the sun failed to reach it?”
For the darkness, which cloaked it in shadow, granted this part of the forest a certain sense of intrigue as he stared deep into its sinister treeline. A cold breeze only briefly escaped its void, as it struck the young man, sending shivers all throughout his body. It was a chill, which rocked his very core as he took a step backward from the gray fog, which now leaked from its shadowy interior. The silent fear that began to well up from within the young man was enough to make him turn away. His thoughts towards the shadows; were now buried by the thoughts of a much larger mission. One, which was necessary for the celebrations of his people.
His eyes then turned towards the dirt as he tried to ignore the calls of his mind’s wandering curiosity. Soon, finding himself, looking back towards the small pile of sticks and twigs, which lay against the ground. He took a slow breath as he bent down to count the pile of wood with the hopes that he’d somehow collected enough, but deep down in his heart of hearts he knew that the answer was a saddening “no.” He knew that he’d need more, but he sadly didn’t have the tools to continue. None of them did. So, he sat down in the dirt and sighed a worried groan.
“Why can’t any of this be easy,” he muttered to himself. His hand began to stroke his lower face as he pondered what to do next. He could venture deeper into the woods further from his friends or he could enter the darkness and risk the adventure of what lies hidden beneath the shadows.
For his eyes followed the gaps in the trees as he tried to work out a clear path into the thicker areas of the jungle, but without the proper weapons, he worried that he too might prove ineffective against the larger wildlife, which lived beyond the trees. And then there was his other alternative, the great unknown that his trusted master warned him never to enter. It was closer to his friends and calling to him like a beautiful siren shrouded in the veil of darkness that even the sun couldn’t light.
“Zeldon,” a voice whispered to him from behind the shadows of the trees. He immediately jumped to his feet in response, as the voice began to sing his name. His head darted back and forth as he looked for the source of the siren’s song.
A mist had started to pour out from the darkness as he stumbled backward to escape its strange vapor, tripping over the wood before falling back down onto the ground. His hand reached out for a stick as he tried to knock the mist away. Yet the woman’s song only grew louder as he begged it to stop. However, the mist soon did, as it began to swirl around him. The voice was now growing louder as he struggled to cover his ears. Yet the tune of her song remained calm, as its melody sought to comfort him.
Slowly, he couldn’t help but lower his hands back down against the dirt; his will rapidly diminishing. Until soon, he found the song so intoxicating, that he hung on its every note and verse; with a smile so big that he couldn’t help but rise to his feet.
“Heed my words, Zeldon. And bid me welcome,” the voice cooed, velvet soft yet dripping with menace. He froze, torn between curiosity and fear, as a hand emerged from the shadows, pale and clawed. The figure that followed was almost human—almost—but something in her feline eyes promised ruin.
He then reached out his hand to her in response as the mist spiraled around him, wrapping it's comforting touch against his body as it gently pulled him towards the darkened section of the forest. At first, he tried to fight, but as the song progressed he found himself walking of his own volition. As the hand grew closer he found himself moving even faster towards it. He wanted to take it and embrace the darkness, but he couldn’t understand why.
However, as he entered the void of darkened trees and icy breezes; he found himself wondering if it had already been too late, as he turned back and realized that the entrance to the darkness had already become sealed off by an excess of trees and brush. He wanted to be afraid, but he found no purpose in it, as he turned to confront his “singing siren”. However, the song had ended, and with it came the disappearance of its mysterious singer.
“That was strange,” he said, holding his head.
“And yet thy fate rests solely in my hands now, young one,” a voice whispered from inside his ear, as he spun around to find that the sound belonged to nothing, but the air itself.
The Hunt Master emerged from the slight opening in the treeline, pushing back branches of leaves and vines all the while struggling to carry his large stack of firewood. He stumbled, but quickly regained his balance as he pulled himself free of the branches, which had snagged onto his fur-covered clothes. He muttered something under his breath as he approached an open area of dirt before dropping his stack of wood into a poorly put-together pile of sticks and logs. He sighed from his weakening strength, which had dwindled with the years. His hand wiped the sweat from his brow as he looked over towards Ig-Na and Jaydall.
“So, how’s the skinnin,” he asked.
“It’s about as fun as it can be,” Jaydall jokingly responded.
“Remember Jaydall, everything killed today serves as food for tonight’s festivities. Besides, a little sweat on your brow’s good for a youngster like you.”
“You best listen to him, Jaydall,” Ig-Na said with a grin as she punched his shoulder. He then groaned with an irritating pain as she pulled the last of the beast’s body from its bones. And with it, their task was finally complete as the Hunt Master walked over to inspect their work.
“Hmmm,” he said, placing a hand on his bearded lips. “It appears you two only get better with time,” he added as he admired their work. His eyes then surveyed the area as he pondered where Zeldon had wandered off to.
“Thank you, Hunt Master,” Ig-Na answered before turning to match his gaze. Like him, she saw nothing as their eyes moved from tree to tree. She was confused by his sudden concern as she turned her focus back towards him directly.
“Is everything alright, Hunt Master,” Jaydall asked as he began to wonder about the source of his master’s distress.
“Nothing per se, it’s just that I’d expected Zeldon to return at roughly the same time as I; yet still he remains out there in the Jungles of Roartagor.” He began to stroke his beard before he added, “I worry he might need our help.”
“Zeldon is young, but he ain’t stupid, Hunt Master,” Ig-Na said as she stood to defend the younger man’s decisions. However, the Hunt Master turned to examine her eyes. For they were serious and full of confidence; never doubting her partner’s skills. So, he raised his hand, apologizing before pulling over one of the logs he’d just collected and took a seat. He then motioned for the two warriors to sit and after an awkward exchange of puzzled looks; they complied, joining the man as they sat down beside him.
“Ig-Na, your exterior may prove strong and unbreakable, but there is a much softer; more loving interior, one which you’ve hidden deep beneath a much tougher facade,” the Hunt Master replied. She began to blush against her reddish skin before she quickly looked away to hide herself. Jaydall immediately let loose a laugh as the Hunt Master chuckled just slightly.
“But these jungles house a dark secret. One which has already claimed the lives of many of our greatest hunters.” He sighed before closing his eyes to think. “I simply don’t want that fate to befall our youngest member.”
“But what even makes these jungles so deadly,” Jaydall asked. “Sure, we’ve all heard the stories, but we’ve never actually seen the beasts that supposedly inhabit them.”
“Aye, and you best pray every day that that remains true, Jaydall,” he said as he locked eyes with the doubtful hunter. The face of the Hunt Master was undoubtedly serious as his eyes echoed the tale of a man who’d seen the monsters he’d spoken of just seconds earlier. It made Jaydall uncomfortable as Ig-Na stood to place her hand against the older man’s shoulder. He looked up at her before lowering his eyes and releasing a sigh.
“I don’t like to talk about what I’ve seen in these jungles…” He began to stroke his beard as he ran a finger to his side. A weak groan escaped his lips as the pain of a scar graced his fingertips. “Yet, I fear it best that you know the truth.” He looked back towards the trees and prayed for Zeldon’s safety.
“Hunt Master?”
“It is said that a dangerous spirit roams these jungles. A spirit of untold wickedness that was so cruel in life that she was bound in death to remain here; a demon who must feast on the essence of others to sustain herself or may she suffer her own final death.” His eyes looked at the scars, which ran along his side. “I once saw her kill an entire hunting party when I was but a man no older than you are now. She left me with these scars as proof of our encounter.”
“But why,” Jaydall asked.
“Her hunger had been satisfied, so she let me go. So, I ran all the way back to the village like some kind of coward.”
“Could such a demon even have a name,” Ig-Na asked.
“Her true name is hard to know. Yet she bore the appearance of some kind of demented vampiric bride. So, we took to calling her: Vambridal: Mistress of the Night,” the Hunt Master weakly replied as he slowly met her gaze. The color had now drained from his face as if he were a man who’d just seen a ghost. For such an expression had come to fill Ig-Na with a fear unlike any that she’d ever known as Jaydall’s eyes widened with terror.
“Who’s there,” Zeldon cried out.
In response, there was only laughter, which filled the treetops, surrounding him with its sinister sounds. For her voice couldn’t help but curse him with paranoia as he tightened his grip on the spear, leaping backward as he struck an offensive stance. Zeldon then gritted his teeth as he prepared himself for an immediate attack. And yet, for his maneuver to succeed he knew that he’d need patience, so he stood there, silent, as he waited for the woman to reveal herself.
“Oh Zeldon,” the voice began to sing once again. “Obey the music of the shadows and take hold of me.” Her voice was growing louder as he looked around, searching for the source of her demented music.
For she was growing closer to him, but he simply couldn’t see her. So, he closed his eyes and listened. Not for her song, but rather her movements. As he heard the sounds of brushing grass, and the quick breeze, which swept through the leaves, rustling their smooth exterior. He then listened for the sounds of the animals, which chirped as they darted up the trees and into the skies above.
Until finally, he found her movements, which were slow, and sinister as he stood there tracking her movements. For she was about five feet away when his eyes jerked open.
“There you are,” he finally yelled out, tossing his spear into the shadows of the mist. As it flew, the breeze of the weapon immediately dispersed her coverage, revealing a woman who now stood cloaked in the darkness of the jungle. The feline glow of her eyes, narrowing with frustration as she locked eyes with the panicked hunter.
Slowly, she emerged into better lighting as the shadows began to lessen. For she was small in stature when compared to the hunter; yet somehow, her height never failed to intimidate others. A feat, which was mostly likely aided by her overall appearance, for she had strong yet pronounced cheekbones, with skin as gray as ash, rotting against her body. When she smiled, her crimson lips revealed a pair of dagger-like fangs. Her black armor appeared to be one with the shadows around them, as she brushed her crimson hair and amethyst veil back behind her pointed ears.
The villainous vampire then looked towards the spear, flashing a half-hearted smile towards the weapon before shattering it within her grasp. Her eyes now followed the pieces as she released the broken wood, watching as it fell to the ground like dust in the wind. Zeldon took a step backward before bumping into a tree. He turned to look back towards the entrance in which he’d entered, but found it no longer exists. For there was nowhere left for him to run, as he turned back to face the approaching woman.
“If my life is what you seek, then you best go ahead and claim your prize you vile witch! But know this, devil, I’ll die before I doom the others; got it?!?” Zeldon defiantly said as he looked towards her and gritted his teeth. She tilted her head and smiled.
“Oh, but it’s not wisdom in which I seek, little hunter,” she said, raising her clawed hand. A different colored ring decorated each finger as she placed it against the wooden bark of the tree, leaning towards him with a smile. “For instead, it’s the blood within your veins that I require.”
“Jaydall, you’ll come with me into the forest. Once we pierce the darkness then we’ll have to act quickly,” the Hunt Master said motioning towards Jaydall as he gripped his dagger tightly against his fingers. He then looked over towards Ig-Na and tapped his spear against the dirt. “Once inside it’ll be up to you Ig-Na to discover his whereabouts, so we can grab him and escape its shadows. Got it?”
“How would I do this,” she asked.
“The treetops,” he said, pointing to a nearby tree. “Seek the tallest one and reach its apex. You’ll be our eyes and ears once we pierce the veil of shadows.”
She then nodded her head before grabbing her own weapon, striking a pose. The Hunt Master smiled after seeing her technique, but soon followed up his grin with a serious scowl. He knew that this was a matter that needed to be taken with the utmost seriousness, because Zeldon’s time was running thin. His experience as a Hunt Master had taught him that the creatures who lived beyond the touch of the light were never to be trifled with. So, they needed to be ready for any scenario that might present itself. If they hesitated for even a moment, then one of them would most certainly perish. Something he swore would never happen again.
“Ready,” the Hunt Master asked. The two then looked towards one another before turning back towards the older man. Both of them nodded in agreement before the Hunt Master shook his head as approval filled his eyes. For he was proud of his two students in a way that only a teacher could, as he raised his spear, cheering his hunters onward.
Suddenly, the Hunt Master turned his eyes to the sound of a controlled explosion, which echoed out in the distance. Jaydall and Ig-Na quickly lunged out of the way as the Hunt Master jumped upwards; the shockwaves of the explosion, knocking him towards the side as the blast sent them all flying backward. All around them the trees could be seen burning as they collapsed from their ruined foundations. Beneath them, were darkened scorch marks, which decorated the earth. Yet it was Ig-Na, who was the first to regain her composure, as she slowly looked up; still weak from the attack.
At first, her vision was blurry, but as the figure approached them; she realized that it was an eight foot tall man made of solid Edayloian metal. His eyes were a bright crimson as he lowered his large orange blaster, which was mounted to his arm. Dried droplets of blood decorated the man’s body as its gray metallic figure mechanically approached the half conscious girl. She quickly looked around for her spear, but before she could reach it the man had blasted it with his cannon; vaporizing it.
“Such actions will prove unnecessary,” he said, yanking her hair as he lifted her up. Her hands desperately clenched onto his massive arm as she kicked her bare feet against his chest, struggling to break free.
“Unhand me,” she yelled out, but the machine’s grip remained absolute as he stood there amused by her efforts.
While the Hunt Master and Jaydall slowly moved, recovering their respective weapons as they stood to their feet; ready for war. Both men now crept towards their target, assuming their attack formation. But the metal man simply chuckled with his deep robotic voice as he turned his head towards them. His immovable face, which lacked all forms of emotion, staring into their eyes as the wounded men approached him.
“What is that thing,” Jaydall asked without breaking eye contact with the metal monster. Yet the Hunt Master remained silent, gripping his spear’s handle just a little bit tighter. “Hunt Master?”
“I don’t know,” he suddenly answered.
“Then what’re we supposed to do?”
“We stay smart and we fight.”
Their metallic foe then punched Ig-Na in the stomach, knocking the breath from her lungs before he tossed her into the dirt below. Once she was defeated, he turned his attention towards the two hunters, raising his arm cannon up towards the Hunt Master. The barrel of the cannon, heating up as the chamber filled with crimson energy.
“No bodily destruction,” he said, before the energy dissipated as he lowered his cannon back down towards his side. His mechanical vision immediately began analyzing their bodies along with their fighting stances. Within moments he had discovered which of the two was the bigger threat to him, as he turned his attention over towards the Hunt Master.
“My orders prevent me from destroying you, but that doesn’t mean I can’t still harm you,” he said, now moving to approach him. Jaydall then jumped in between the two, halting the machine’s movements, prompting the metallic man to joke, “your loyalty is admirable, but annoying. However, he loves the loyal ones.”
The massive robot raised his more human sized arm to signal the arrival of the gigantic Artilla-Beast. Who jumped down from the trees and released a mighty roar so loud that the forest shook, forcing the bird-like animals to flee into the skies above. Jaydall and the Hunt Master then spun around as the scarlet furred monster stood up revealing its true height of fifteen feet. His eyes glowed a bright blue as four white tentacle-like machines emerged from his back. Each one, possessing a different type of weapon as he released a feral roar.
“What the…”
Suddenly, two of the tentacles surged forward, wrapping around the younger hunter as he groaned in pain. The Hunt Master’s eyes widened with fear as Jaydall screamed out in agony from their tightening grip. A bladed tentacle then began to rise with pinpoint accuracy as the creature began to smile with a sadistic grin.
“Negative, our orders require their bodies to remain intact. So, sheath your weapon now you foul creature, or face his wrath,” the mechanized warrior demanded, before watching as the monster obeyed his wishes, releasing the hunter as he tossed him through a nearby tree. Its massive body snapping in half as it fell backwards, while Jaydall’s body collided with a neighboring tree, collapsing to the ground as he laid in the dirt groaning with an unbearable pain.
“Jaydall,” the Hunt Master cried out before the hulking beast leapt into the air, smashing his massive feet against the wounded hunter’s chest, as he began to choke up an emerald blood. His head then lurched backwards as he fell limp beneath the creature’s weight. The Hunt Master now raced towards the monster; desperate to save his comrade, but the cold grip of a metal hand stopped him.
“Such efforts would have proven insufficient prior to his cybernetic enhancements. So, one could only assume that such actions now would prove equally insufficient,” the machine taunted. The Hunt Master pulled his arm free and swung his spear towards the mechanized Edayloian, but he immediately caught it and snapped it in two. His eyes widened before he took the broken handle and swung it like a bo staff.
The machine was immediately impressed by his resourcefulness, but one slap was enough to send the older man flying three feet through the air, which knocked him away breathless. His body rolled across the dirt as he coughed up emerald blood of his own. The robotic man approached his wounded body and loomed over him.
Jaydall’s mauled corpse then flew through the air and landed right in front of the Hunt Master as he struggled to move. He gasped with an immediate horror as the man he’d led into dozens of hunts before this one, now lay dead before him. The Hunt Master closed his eyes and prayed for forgiveness as the machine lifted Ig-Na back off the ground and stabbed her with a concealed arm blade. She screamed out only for a moment before he tossed her body on top of Jaydall’s.
Artilla-Beast, on all sixes, approached the weakened Hunt Master as he looked towards the battle-scarred monster.
“Who are you,” the Hunt Master struggled to ask.
“Just a highly advanced lunatic and a brain dead monster, nothing more,” the machine joked. “But I suppose your simple minds would look upon an ascended weapon of mass destruction such as myself, and provide me with a name such as Maxle-Gun, which means you’d probably name this artillery wielding brute, standing beside me, something like Artilla-Beast.” At the mention of his name the creature roared out a sign of satisfaction.
“We’ll have our vengeance,” the Hunt Master proudly declared.
Suddenly, Zeldon’s lifeless body fell down onto the pile as the Hunt Master looked towards the shadows in which it had come from. His eyes were wide with fear as he saw the shadowy figure of Vambridal looking on from the darkness with her golden cat-like eyes. Emerald blood ran down the side of her mouth as she smiled a blood stained grin.
“No,” the Hunter Master muttered, before Artilla-Beast’s maw closed around him, cutting off his scream.
When the creature stepped back, only silence remained, leaving the blood-stained ground as their only witness. For any strength that the older man might’ve retained had finally abandoned him, as the Hunt Master’s body fell limp.
Vambridal then emerged; her golden eyes glinting with satisfaction. “Your kind is always so... fragile,” she murmured, brushing blood from her lips. The jungle was now silent, save for the faint rustle of shadows closing in on the lifeless camp.
To Be Continued In: The Light of Edaylon: Chapter Two The Prince of Exadon.....
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