THE HUNTED HUNTER

CHAPTER 8: THE REAPER TREMBLES

Kael looked around, his teeth gritting as he watched the creatures surrounding him and Eldrin, slowly creeping closer. There were three vampires in their beastly form, two Faes with wands soaked in dark-magic, and five massive werewolves growling at him – and that wasn't counting the monsters lurking in the shadows of the trees.

"We can take them... right?" Eldrin said in a low voice as he glanced at Kael, whose eyes were fixed solely on the massive werewolf before him.

He opened his lips to tell the vampire he didn't know -- that the poison's effects, although fading, was still there -- but before he could speak, the beast suddenly let out a thunderous roar. The deafening sound thundered through the silent forest, shattering the peace as trees shattered and fell. 

And then the monsters began to attack.

Kael barely had time to prepare himself when the first werewolf rushed towards him, snapping its jaws inches from his throat. "Dammit," he swore as he swerved in time, its fang missing his face by inches. He twisted, swinging his god-blade and hitting the pommel on the beast's head. The sound of bone shattering reached Kael's ears but the creature merely stumbled backwards and turned around to face him, a small dash on his forehead.

Kael's eyes widened, his breath coming in a rush as he stared at the standing werewolf. His blows usually knocked them out but... this one was still standing -- and with a wide grin on his face. 

Kael was still trying to wrap his head around what was happening when another one came at him from the rear.

"Shit!" Kael blurted as he stepped back just as a pair of large claws whizzed past where his head had just been. He turned around to see a large vampire, its fangs dripping with venomous drool and its wide torn wings fluttering to keep it aloft. 

"You die, Hunter," the vampire hissed as it dove forward, stretching its claws towards Kael. 

Kael's heart thudded against his chest, his hands clammy as he watched the vampire close in. He wanted to move, to defend himself but his body refused to respond.

"YOU'RE DEAD!!!" the vampire roared as it lifted its hand, ready to strike.

Kael's breath caught in his throat as he dropped to one knee, shielding his face with the god-blade. He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the feel of the Vampire's claws tearing through his flesh when he heard a sharp snarl. 

The warm spray of blood splattering across his body jolted him. He lifted his head. 

Standing in front of him was Eldrin--his claws shot out and bloodied, the beast that had attacked Kale now laying in pieces at his feet. "You're slow, Kael," snarled Eldrin, his eyes burning crimson as he glanced at Kael over his shoulder. 

Kael placed his sword to the ground, propping himself up with it. "The poison," Kael muttered as he turned towards Eldrin. "It's--ARRRGH" 

Before Kael could finish speaking, a large werewolf raced towards him, sending him through a tree with a single blow. His body crashed to the ground, raising up dirt and knocking out rocks as he tumbled across the forest floor. 

"YARRGHH!!!" he screamed in pain as he smashed through a boulder before coming to a stop by a tree. His body burned with pain and he could tell by the trickles of warm liquid down his face and arms that he bled all over. 

Kael's gaze dropped to his right hand only to see that it was broken beyond recognition, and the sight of his shattered hand only worsened the pain. It had been a long time since he'd been injured this badly, and the pain caused his vision to blur.

"Oh shit!" he swore, his eyes scanning the carnage around him. Blood splattered everywhere and torn limbs littered the ground, covering the forest floor in a coat of red.  

The entire forest was soaked with chaos. 

Suddenly, a large werewolf landed in front of him with a loud thud, blocking his view. Kael looked up slowly to see that it was the same werewolf that had spoken earlier - the one that had sent him barreling through the trees with one blow. 

"Oh, Kael Draven," the monster growled softly as it grabbed Kael by his head. Its massive hands covered his face as it lifted him effortlessly off the ground. "How the mighty have fallen. You were so strong, so powerful..." he snarled, bringing his face closer to the hunter, "... you had the Order in the palm of your hands, ready at your disposal. But you just have to fuck things up, didn't you?"

"You... and... the Order..." Kael mumbled, his breathing labored. "You... two can...go fuck yourselves." 

Without a warning, Kael stretched out his good hand and the god-blade flew into his grip. With one powerful swing, the blade cut through bone and flesh and the beast let out a pained snarl as its severed hands thudded to the ground.  

Wasting no time, Kael held the god-blade tightly and leapt towards the beast. Growling loudly, he plunged the blade into the eye. The werewolf stilled for a moment, before falling to the ground with a loud thud. 

Kael's jaws clenched as turned, struggling against the weight of the god-blade on his hands. A Fae rushed towards him, mumbling dark spells as it waved its wand at him. He swung at the creature, but his movement was clumsy. The blade merely tore the Fae's clothes before it pointed its wand at him and fired him with a blast of dark energy, knocking him to the ground. 

Kael quickly regained his composure and stood up to his feet before swinging the god-blade at the Fae, beheading him. Exhausted, he fell to his knee, blood pooling from his broken arm onto the grass beneath him. 

Suddenly, another monstrosity fell, crashing to the ground beside Kael with Eldrin clawing at it. "Damn it, Kael!" howled Eldrin, as he decapitated the beast. "You're fucking bleeding! What's wrong with you?"

Kael did not know what to say. He looked down at his good arm, watching as it trembled around the hilt of the god-blade. His strikes were clumsy, and his visions blurred from his pains. 

He could tell Eldrin felt it too -- his fear.

For the first time ever... Kael was afraid.

Before he could speak, a shadow suddenly descended over him. Eldrin rushed to aid Kael but the being smacked him away with one swipe of his hand.

The large werewolf—the one whose eyes Kael had plunged his god-blade into—stood in front of him, smiling. 

The bastard still hadn't died.  

"You thought you could kill me so easily?" it snarled. Its grin widened as it noticed Kael's trembling grip. "The Reaper of the Order, shaking like a child."

Kael tried to raise his sword, but his arm refused to obey.

"I can smell your fear, hunter," it sneered as it closed its eyes and took a big sniff. "I can taste it. Your heart is beating so loudly it's deafening."

"I killed you... " Kael mumbled, disbelief coating his voice. "You... you're dead."

"No... " the beast muttered as its smile faded, "... you're dead, Kael. " 

With a fierce growl, it lifted its enormous clawed hands, its bloodied black nails glinting in the moonlight. But just as it was about bringing it down, a powerful blast of energy came out of nowhere, tearing its torso from its body and splattering its guts all over the field. 

Kael stared at the scattered remains of the werewolf for a few moments before turning his gaze towards the source of the blast. Standing behind the trees was a being clad in what seemed to be a suit of magic-tech armor. 

"No one kills the hunter," the figure said, before suddenly lifting its blaster at him.