THE HUNTED HUNTER

Kael sat on the edge of the large building overlooking the landscape. The sun had begun to set, its last golden rays spewing over the ruined city. It wasn’t going to be long before the entire city would be plunged into darkness again. The moon had begun peeping out of the clouds like it always did but Kael knew better. It wouldn’t last. It never did.

Not in the Blood Valley anyways. The fucking place was cursed to always be clothed in darkness.

“Mmm,” Kael mumbled as he bit into the apple he held. The juices ran down his fingers as his eyes travelled across the empty streets. The place, once bustling with life, was now empty. But Kael could not be fooled. He was here. He just needed to be patient. 

A low guttural growl erupted from somewhere down below, echoing across the landscape. 

Kael smiled, his jaws clenching as he bit into the apple again before throwing its core to the void beneath him. Wiping his hands against his trousers, he stood up with a small groan and pulled his hood over his head. The wind blew against him and his cloak rustled in response. He caught some movements behind one of the cracked towers holding the building next to him and his smile grew to a large grin. 

Right on fucking time.

Pulling out his god-blade from its sheath, he leapt from the buildings edge and landed skillfully on a nearby rooftop. He slid down the slanted roof, his boots scraping off the tiles as he picked up speed. Just as he reached the edge, he jumped into the air, his cloak billowing behind him like a shadow. He landed on a dilapidated wall, his weight bringing slowly to the ground with a loud thud, breaking his fall. Without hesitation, he stood up before racing down the alleyway. 

A brown blur raced past the ruined stalls right ahead of him and Kael growled. There he was. Tucking his sword by his side, he slid under a fallen pillar. He made to continue chasing but paused, watching as the beast took a sharp corner behind large building. He had him right where he wanted. 

Gripping the god-blade tightly, he turned down a different route, cutting through a passageway between two crumbling buildings. He zoomed down the tight alley before emerging onto the main street just as the werewolf turned into it. Looking him over, Kael noticed he was bleeding on his side.

The bastard had been moving way too fast for an injured beast. 

“Kael Draven,” the monster said with a low growl as he went down on all fours, keeping a fighting stance. “Sent by the Order, weren’t you?”

“Seems like someone got you before I did, Takor,” Kael said, pointing towards his bleeding side with his sword.

Takor looked down at his side as he snarled. “Another mercenary sent by the Order,” he said as he smiled, brandishing his long fangs. “He came at me like you are right now… and he didn’t survive. You’re next.”

Kael scoffed as he shook his head. This was the fourth time he was hearing those words this week. 

“You’re a cursed, Takor, a plague that roams the earth, killing whatever lives,” Kael said as he lifted his sword and placed on his shoulder. “And the Order has sent me to rid the earth of you.”

Takor let out a low snarl as he shot out his claws and began charging towards Kael. He swiped his massive claw at Kael but he was not fast enough. Kael moved to the side, smiling grimly as he brought his sword down, striking Takor at his exposed flank. The god-blade sank deep into his side, tearing through muscle and bone and drawing blood as it came out the other side. Takor howled in pain as he fell to his knees.

“My name is Kael Draven,” Kael muttered as he pulled out the god-blade from the beasts side and with one swift strike, took out one of the monsters eyes. “I am no ordinary mercenary.”

“Ugh!” Takor groaned as Kael kicked him on the chest, sending him straight through an empty stall, bringing the entire thing down on him.

Kael dropped his hands down, causing his blade to run along the jagged ground, sending burst of sparks infused with dark-magic across the floor. The bloodied werewolf laid on the ground, staring at him with his one trembling eye. 

Kael growled as he knelt beside the dying beast. “They sent me to tell you, wolf…” He lifted his sword and placed it on werewolf’s neck. “… your end has come.”

“No, Ka--” Before the werewolf could complete his words, Kael ran his blade over his neck, slicing his head clean off.

Takor’s head fell off his neck rolling to his feet before settling. Kael grunted as he stared at the terrified expression that was forever etched on his face. His once-defiant eye bulged from its socket, now dull and blank. Blood pooled under the beasts, matting his fur. 

“Rest, cursed,” Kael muttered as he knelt beside Takor, wiping his bloodied sword on his limp body before sheathing it by his side. 

A twig snapped behind Kael as a flicker crossed the ruins behind him. Not bothering to turn, Kael sighed as he stood up and pulled down his hood.

“How long will you keep on hiding, Vampire?” he asked as he grabbed his sword by the hilt. “Show your face.”

Kael could sense the hesitation from the figure in the darkness and he growled. With swift precision, he turned and pulled out the god-blade before racing towards a tree hidden in the shadows. Just as he was about striking the darkness, a voice suddenly spoke up.

“The Order sent me,” the voice said quickly and Kael halted, his god-blade inches from his throat. 

“You should have said spoken up in the beginning,” he muttered, tucking his sword in its sheath. “I could have cut your head clean off.”

A young vampire clothed in red with the insignia of the Order-a single, unblinking eye with a crown of thorns above it-seared onto his neck. He held in his hands a small scroll and in his eyes, terror. He was a courier, not a fighter.

Kael picked up the Takor’s head, the lump from where it had been severed still dripping with blood and threw it at the feet of the messenger. “I’m guessing the Order sent you to see if I went through with the job.” He nodded towards the head. “There’s your proof. Another Cursed down.”

“Oh,” the courier mumbled blinking at it. “That… that wasn’t why I was sent.” He handed the scroll to Kael, his eyes never leaving Takor’s horrified expression. ”They… asked me to give you.”

Kael collected the scroll from Takor, hissing as he broke the seal and opened it. His eyes ran over the content and his brows furrowed. They wanted him on another mission-taking out a former Vampire count, Eldrin Varrick, who was hiding some cursed under his watch, hoping to create some kind of resistance. 

THEY ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY COULD.

“Tell the Order he won’t live to see the next moon."