The Hunter (Part Two)

by Consecrator

The second part to the Hunter Chronicles.

The second part to the Hunter please read number one if you are new to the book.

Different Ways

Every Horseman had a different way of preparing for something, but this time it was all training and investigation.

War had busied himself with going to the White City with the rest of the Horsemen and was currently using an enchanted weight that would set itself to the required limit to test their strength and become light as air as soon as danger was presented. War had removed most of his armour and his whole cloak to reveal his incredible muscles, only his lower half was clothed. He had already broken the record set by one of the strongest Angels to do this, he was sweating and straining his body to its limits. Angels and simple spectators stood around him cheering him on and making bets with the person next to them.

Strife was at the firing ranges being presented with illusionary targets, in the centre of a stone pit he shot all manner of imaginary beasts and when he saw them he twisted at unnatural angles to blow many holes in them, he had been going for six hours straight and was refusing to allow himself to rest, Angels of the guard watched the Horseman train and tried to learn from him as he shot, some were succeeding in figuring out his methods of finding the targets through senses rather than sight but didn't know how he bent his body like rubber to twist at the most unnatural of angles possible.

Fury was getting an amount of fun out of her training in running as there was no shortage of Angels who wanted to test themselves against her in the running, they removed much of their heavy armours and lined up in the eight rows, she was always in the middle and was always first, Fury wouldn't stop though in the massive three mile oval and sprinted every lap, thinking that her speed and stamina could help outmanoeuvre Argent the hunter, she was determined to do this.

But Death did not train. Instead he studied the powers he'd seen and used Samaels defeat as a good pinpoint, or beginning at least, of what the hunter could do. He and Azrael had spent many uncomfortable hours together racking their brains for how to beat him and still bring him in to the Council alive. Azrael was working on a few ideas and thinking of things that might distract such a hunter, but it was likely that he would smell a trap. But Death was sure he could find a way or a reference or something to the hunter, the White City had to have noticed him before at least once with his track record for work and killing! He'd even enlisted the help of a few of the Angelic librarians who milled about and they had sent a few to Azrael's personal one to find references. But for three days, he had found nothing whatsoever relating to the hunter. Until one of the Councils many informants found a few snippets of information about him. Not much but a few people he'd worked for in the past for whatever reason.

A family of some small repute among the social ranks in their world had employed him as a personal guard for a while for their daughter though he'd spent more of his time at the docks when she went down there and he helped out the workers bringing barrels of wine from other places across the worlds seas, apparently the daughter had eventually fallen madly in love with him when he had asked a different job of her father he had been assigned as a dockworker tying up boats and moving heavy equipment. He had left their employ after fifteen years of service and his other employer dying, a woman by the name of Tryll. That was his last known location of employment for sure. There were plenty of scratchy details of other u sanctioned employment and movement. He wasn't wanted for doing anything illegal, it seemed he'd stay on the right side of the law.

Just.

"Well, I think I should go speak to that family, play investigator a little more." Death had left the very evening of hearing it.

Argent had been watching all the Horsemen after managing to sneak in and seeing they were getting stronger, but he couldn't get close to the library without being seen and abandoned it after his fourth attempt to go in unnoticed.

He quickly left the city realising that all of the Horsemen were trying to up their game to beat him, he had to stay two steps ahead for as long as possible, and he knew exactly where to go where his activity would be unrecorded by anyone.

The Dirge Family.

The Dirges were a low repute family who had hired him at one point in his life, their daughter had fallen in love with him and he'd quickly tried to not let her get attached to him so that when he left she wouldn't be heartbroken. It wasn't his thing, breaking people's hearts even though the amount of people he'd killed had no doubt had some effect on others.

Argent snuck out of the city and found Ivory as soon as he was able to and opened a portal to just outside the city of Lament. Not at all an attractive name but it housed some of the best warriors around, Argent had found himself relatively comfortable within its walls but would never have raised his children here under almost any circumstance.

When he got to the gate one of the guards shouted out to him, he was well known here, well respected. And what made him feel best here was that news and rumours in this place, far more often than not only came in, and didn't leave.

Argent rode up through the muddy streets and had many greetings, he'd entered from the north side where the ground and forest stared back at it whereas on the south side there was clear blue sea for miles and miles on end. He'd worked with the people who worked the docks and helped move barrels of wine along.

The castle inner walls didn't look imposing, not like Samaels, they were a shabby granite and totally solid, men in polished silver armour with pikes and longswords patrolled in threes, helmets gleamed in the sun and he rode slowly through the gates and up to the large double doors and he dismounted Ivory. The guard at the door grinned as he spoke to Argent. "Well well well, welcome back sir. Been a while. She's been waiting a long time, few thousand years in fact-"

"Be silent Wimpen. I'm here to speak to her and her alone." Wimpen snickered as he opened the doors with the other guard and Argent entered without another word.

The first thing he saw when he entered was a woman, she seemed to be waiting for him. A warm smile beamed from her face and he was suddenly enveloped into a bear hug, well, if you could call it a bear hug, she was at least two feet shorter than him. "Arge! You're back, I've been waiting for you for three thousand years for you, though it was worth the wait!" He gave her a light hug back as her head lay against his chest and quickly unwrapped her from him. "Alice. I-"

"You're on a hunt. And you want a place to train, to stay for a while. I'll let you stay. But you can't run off like that again. Deal?" He held her at arms length. "Deal." She was concentrating and he was wondering how she was figuring out his thoughts. Ah... A telepath. It seems she had become powerful at it. "Come!" She suddenly said. "I haven't gotten rid of any of your old stuff, you've still got your old room and everything, I'll show you!" She dragged him upstairs and he was shown to his old room where he used to stay. Her parents - at her request to his preferences - had given him the entire southern tower where he'd let the plant life grow rampant.

Everything was exactly as he'd left it, albeit the vegetation had gotten out of control, a stone slab for a bed sat in the centre of the room with only a single blanket over the top. A chest that contained rich clothing she'd brought him as gifts that he'd never worn and a small armoury that contained many weapons he'd used for practice to find what he'd felt was his style. The axe had been weighty enough for him to feel its connections well, but the only reason he hadn't picked the halberd before was because it was large. It had weight, it had sharpness, it had versatility, but it had too much length for it to be effective in the forests he stalked.

"I'll let you settle back in, come down when you're ready." Alice's smile was easy and she felt happy now that he was back. She left down stairs and he walked out onto the balcony. Blue seas stretched as far as the eye could see and he remembered looking out on these when he was trying to focus.

Argent looked out and saw a dark cloud brewing close by and he wanted to go for a run in the military grounds soon.

Perfect. He thought.

Alice and the rest of her subjects sat at the dining table waiting for Argent as they had been for an hour. Ever since her parents had died Alice had taken over and quickly turned the small castle into a stronghold and had managed to make everything about the place better. She was smart, she had her mothers incredible brains and her fathers unbreakable willpower, though some said she was foolish for holding hope out for marrying Argent who she had in fact had a crush on since she'd first seen him.

He was almost everything she wanted rolled into one ancient package.

Deadly, wilful, wild, intelligent, patient, and so much more.

Suddenly a door slammed shut and Argent strode out, bare chested and wearing only his pants and heavy boots.

"You'll begin without me. There is a bad storm brewing outside and I intend to catch its brunt," his voice was sure and almost excited. Alice raised an eyebrow. "Should I have anything moved?"

"Yes. There is bound to be large pieces of hail, you should move the livestock undercover and use this opportunity to harden your recruits!" She nodded as he left and had a scribe carry the message out.

The storm had come thick and fast, soon hail the size of golfballs fell from the sky and Argent sprinted around a four hundred meter course where the recruits would train often as hail smacked into him.

He didn't feel much of the hail, though most others did, but he knew that it was only going to make him stronger.

He remembered seeing Fury running the course which is why he was doing this, he had to be fitter than her, or he might give out faster.

After going around it exactly two hundred times and making sure that he was more focused on the quality of his running than the quantity. It was always better to be sure you spent less time doing better than more time doing worse and you could build onto it later which he would.

Next Argent moved not to do the weights that War had done but a boxing bag which he hit rapidly, in this he was training slightly like Strife, though his senses weren't working so hard but hitting it was making him think about his mark, while yes he was already accurate he didn't believe you could be too careful he also didn't believe you could be careful enough.

Once he'd finished with that he found himself slightly stumped as to Deaths activity. As he slowly thought about it it made him more and more annoyed because he couldn't figure it out as he paced in the rain back and forth.

Until he saw it. Death had been researching, after all, the Pale Horseman didn't simply turn up to his last recorded place of employment riding upon Despair. He found it slightly amusing that it hadn't taken him longer.

But Argent knew the Horseman still wasn't a match for him, so he decided he'd wait out the Horseman, and maybe have a friendly chat when he got him isolated.

When Death had been sourly welcomed into the castle and received an obviously forced smile he knew that Argent had already been here, if not passed by quickly. But why?

"Where is he?" Death demanded of Alice the telepath who ran the castle and the lands around it. She had continued eating while giving him a questioning look. "You mean Argent? Well I'm sure that when and if you find him you'll answer your own question. Surely you're smart enough?" He slammed his fists down on the table next to her, he wasn't in the mood for games, his stomach was still hurting and he was angry that Argent was alive. He'd hoped he'd never see any of the Ravaiim again so he'd never have to say sorry to them and could move on a little easier with his life's service to the Council. "You are going to tell me where he is or I'm going to gut you!" The doors shut and Death turned, astonished to see Argent walking through them clothed only in his pants and boots, he walked through the room and grabbed a bottle of wine from the table and poured it into a glass. "Drink for you Horseman?" Death drew himself to his full height even though he was still shorter than Argent. "I'm guessing you're not going to come quietly?"

Argent swung his arms back and forth and rolled his shoulders as he walked, Death was forced to watch his muscles ripple under his flesh and Alice watched it with a smile touching her lips. "Take a guess."

Argent walked around the table and stopped in front of Death. "So, what are you here for? Advice on my habits? What I used to do when I worked here?" Death eyed the hunter in front of him and sized up his chances of beating him while Argent was unarmed. He took his chances thinking they were in his favour for now.

Harvester whipped out and would have stabbed clean through his heart had the hunter not suddenly disappeared and a fist crashed into the side of his face breaking his cheekbone and some of his skull. Another punch to his stomach sent him to his knees gasping. "You're pathetic, not worthy of the title 'prey', I hunt for a challenge. And you're no challenge. Get out of here, before I kill you for your bones." Death decided he wasn't strong enough yet to beat the hunter quickly retreated. Now he knew where to find him though, he wouldn't leave, no, he'd face them on the open plains where he'd have an advantage.

Death left immediately to speak to the Council. In this simple defeat he had learnt something from his defeat: they were playing a game of hunting the greatest hunter there was. They couldn't beat him with hunters, they needed something better.

Divide and Conquer

Six months.

They had trained for six months while the Charred Council came up with a way to beat Argent, they were looking for something that they wouldn't even tell the Horsemen but that day War had persuaded the Council that they were enough to bring him in now. They had grudgingly given consent against Deaths protests and had rode out to find him.

War had been working out tactics all week to outmanoeuvre him and thought that he'd finally come up with one!

They waited until nightfall, where Death had said that he roamed the forests, stalking bigger prey. Strife took to the trees and the only way of knowing he was leaping through the branches was the dull glow of his yellow eyes.

Fury hid around the huger roots of the big trees that grew, War offered himself as bait and Death waited as backup.

They moved through the forest like shadows and watched ever silent. The greenery never seemed to end but they could feel the cold watchful gaze of Argent, the hunter who was waiting so patiently for them to make a mistake.

Day came. And brought the animals with it, they came to a small fire that was barely embers now, the blood of what must have once been one of the edible beasts that roamed the place. Fury judged it to be barely three hours old and they pushed on even harder, moving quickly to find their way to him, now that it was daylight they revealed themselves and walked in a group.

When night fell again they were assailed by the dying screams of animals and found carcass after carcass of dead animal. It looked like they had been killed for meat but nothing had been taken from the body. The screams went on all night and blood was smeared across the trees, howls of the hunting animals sounded the moment it was midnight and they feasted on whatever they could.

Day came again and they found bootprints, War followed them eagerly only to find they led back to what was the carcasses of the dead animals, once again they had disappeared only smears were left.

The Horsemen after a few hours began to doubt Wars plan and began to bicker, at one point when Death had tried to break up what was turning into a fight and they had made him back out by reminding him that it was his fault Argent was still alive. The animals who had feasted upon the animals were resting easily after eating so well.

Night cast and enveloped the world in its shadow and this night it was silent, unnaturally so. There were no howls, no scuffling from animals, no deaths, only silent sleep. The Horsemen grumbled as they slinked through the forest like thieves and spoke to themselves angrily with the plan that was supposed to draw him to them. It was a failing plan and as soon as daylight struck, Strife and Fury split, deciding that they could lure him in using themselves as bait and then bringing him to the others so they could best him as a group.

It was at the time, a seemingly good idea.

"I think that War didn't think his plan through very well," Strife commented when they were out of earshot, Fury flicked him a deadly glare and he quietened. "Wars plan hasn't worked thus far, but we'll divide and conquer, he can only track one group at a time, so if he's tracking us, then that gives War and Death a chance to sneak up on him." Strife nodded, and they struck out feeling they now had the advantage.

"They've been in there for a few days now, you've only returned last night. How do the Horsemen fair?"

Alice was brushing her pitch black hair as Argent sharpened one of his many knives, he did in fact hide four in each boot, and every one had a specific purpose. This one was for gutting animals.

"Let them go on, they've fallen to division and will soon give up, one by one. I'm not sure who will be the last to leave, but they aren't going to enjoy our next meeting. When they are divided by their bickering, like rats they'll scurry through the foggy maze for their cheese, and the hawk will sweep down to take his prize." Alice came and sat next to him on his stone bed. "Why do you endure only hardship? We both know that you would never betray your wife's trust but she is gone," Argent knew where this was going, but for some odd reason he was considering and allowed her to continue.

"If you became lord of the castle you won't need to do any of the things that father had to undergo. We've become a very private landowner, the Charred Council doesn't interfere with our daily lives and you'd still get to hunt creation for your prizes." Argent stopped sharpening his knife suddenly. "How did they die?" She knew who he meant, but even she didn't know. "I don't know. I'm sorry." Alice seemed hesitant to ask her next question. "What was your family like? Their names, traits, no one knows anything about the Ravaiim anymore." Argents mind was assailed by memories that he'd shut out for so long, so that he could just focus on the hatred, just let it keep him going.

"Lupo was my wife, she was as headstrong as me. The best crafter in the village, in fact, she was just like me in so many ways. My eldest boy, Vigil, lived up to his name. The only reason we knew that the Nephilim were on our doorstep was because he'd kept his watch. He wasn't a very skilled crafter with his flesh but he had amazing senses, he knew they were hostile. But we didn't listen. My only girl, Eve, was gifted with the plant life, she was a, well, a gardener, and kept the livestock fed and watered. Too smart for her own good though, and then my youngest. His name was Sentinel, though the others in the village would call him Vulture, he had carved a mask out of bone when he was little and wore it proudly. He was obsessed with catching and taming these birds of prey, that soured through the sky and would try and make off with the livestock. Until the Nephilim got there..." Argents voice darkened and went low to naught but what a dragon might grumble if awakened. "Death came up, all friendly, then called his brothers and sisters to battle when our backs were turned and they slaughtered us. I'll speak no more of it." Argent slid the blade back into his boot and pulled out a hunting knife and started sharpening that one.

"Will you consider my offer Argent at least? Please." Argent sighed. "Yes. I'll consider your offer." She thanked him and left out the door.

Argent slid the knife back into his boot when he was done and walked over to the balcony which faced forest and watched for signs of movement. None.

Once more Argent walked down the stairs to go train himself, and that night he was assailed by his hellish memories.

Genocide

A soft lullaby was hummed by the woman as she sat on a rocking chair, slowly going back and forth. In her fingers was a dress that she was knitting together slowly for her daughter Eve. The young teen sat cross legged on the deck do their house with nothing but the green grass in front of them, a forest just over the hill. Eve was making something, as she liked to do when she had the chance, it was a small tube with holes carved into it and elaborate carvings all over it. "Did Argent teach you to do that dear?" Lupo asked, her midnight blue hair waved in front of her face and she tied it up quickly. "Yes, he said that once I know how to make it properly then I can put in all the intricate designs in, but it's really easy." Lupo chuckled. "You always did know ahead of time." Eve finished the flute and placed it to her lips and blew. A beautiful sound came out and her fingers slowly moved across the wood. "That's a nice sound love." They turned and saw a huge man, ten feet tall and rather nicely dressed, and he sat in the chair next to Lupo. Argents black hair was starting to rapidly grey which was uncommon for their people. "How long did that take you?" He asked Eve who stood and cleaned off the wood shavings. "A few hours, hollowed out branches make good wood." Argent chuckled to himself, then it disappeared as Vigil came running up the stairs to stand hands on knees in front of Argent puffing.

"Over the hill! Nephilim!" Argents insides went cold, the Nephilim would be here to kill them, they were a warlike people who had no doubt come to use the planets natural resources. "Go inside, you too Lupo, Eve, go warn, your brother." Eve nodded and left quickly, fear etched onto her face as Argent stood and grabbed a spear from inside, he strode over the hill where he saw fire catching onto the forest, a growl escaped his lips and he saw a man walking towards him. A pair of scythes rested in his hips as he walked slowly, taking his time and admiring the grassy plains.

The man stopped before Argent and examined him for a moment, this man had pale skin with burning orange red eyes, his face was neither ugly nor handsome but his body rippled with muscle. "Get out of my way old man, and maybe you'll serve the Nephilim instead of death." Argents hand tightened on his spear as he slowly raised it into a defensive position. The man smiled and suddenly his scythes flowed into one and it whizzed about, Argent twirled his spear and jabbed, trying to imagine how to best this obviously more experienced warrior.

Suddenly the world seemed to dissolve into ashes and he jabbed again, striking something. When he could see through the ashes that floated through the air he saw he'd managed to kill one of the Nephilim, though not the one he'd first engaged. Roaring and screams cried out all around him and Argent raced through broken and burning houses to where it was origninating. A woman was being kicked on the ground with her partner watching, powerless to stop them as they held him back while he struggled.

Argent roared as he charged in and struck the first through the throat, he made a gurgling noise as he fell to the ground, dead, and the second turned to receive his spear through his heart.

The woman tried to stand and her partner rushed to her side.

"Get her out of here!" Argents voice had never been so desperate and the man nodded, he gave a thanks as he lifted his wife into his arms and carried her off to get away.

Argent suddenly realised he'd forgotten something.

His own family.

Argent rushed to his house that was for some reason untouched, or at least outside. The insides were smashed and filled with broken glass, a struggle had taken place. He saw a scythe flash and Lupo ducked it, coming up with a kitchen knife he'd told her to keep close in case something like this happened. She was suddenly tackled and a rock slammed onto her head, silencing her and her eyes rolled uncontrollably. The pale man walked out and looked at Argent. "Your wife put up a good fight, she's as good as you, and some of the men too." He chuckled malevolently.

Argent sprung forwards and nearly caught him in the lung but was dodged and suddenly more Nephilim jumped from hidden corners to grab and subdue him, they bent his arms backwards up his back and forced him to his knees as more came out with his children. They struggled and kicked and bit and were forced to kneel beside him and look at their mother as the pale man lifted her head up and produced one of his scythes, he placed it gently on her throat and said. "Pray she'll haunt me old man. I dare you to." And he dragged the sharp blade across. Argent looked away and Eve hid her head in his chest, Argents arms were let go and he enveloped her so she didn't have to see. Tears rolled down Argents eyes and the eyes of his children, the pale man pointed to his eldest. "Bring the boy," he said, "I'll make an example of him." They nodded and were dragged outside where the rest of his village had been assembled, on their knees. A chopping block lay upon a large piece of stone where an anvil had been torn out. The pale man walked next to a giant of a man, with blue skin and huge muscles bristling all about him, a massive axe was clutched in his right arm and a grin was plastered on his face. Argents eldest was sat on the chopping block and the pale man stood beside him, a brick hidden behind his back. "My name is Death!" He called out, a few of the Nephilim whooped and cheered.

"And beside me is my brother Absalom, the men and woman who have subdued you are all my brothers and sisters! We are the Firstborn Nephilim! And we are your executors!" This last bit sent them into a frenzy of yelling whooping and cheering, but every Ravaiim held themselves with pride even as they kneeled, their backs ramrod straight and defiance plastered upon their faces, the cheering stopped when Death suddenly launched into a frenzy in smashing Argents eldest sons head with the brick, when it was bloodied and broken, much like his sons head, he dropped it and pointed to his youngest. The boy struggled as he was brought forwards and managed a knee to Deaths gut. Death grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against Argents house wall and his powerful hands crushed the life out of him. When his youngest was as lifeless as his eldest Death finally called for Eve. "Bring the girl!" He roared, a smile of triumph etched onto his pale face. 'I'll be damned if you hurt her' Argent thought and stood up, a roar emerging from his lips as he started to wrestle with the Nephilim around him who tried to beat him back into submission, only when one struck his head with a steel club did he fall back down. To his knees, the rest of the Ravaiim around him looked enraged, tears rolled freely from some's eyes and others tried to suppress their anger, how could they kill a little girl? Or anyone in cold blood like this?

Eve was hauled roughly to Death almost gently turned her and made her look upon the faces of her friends and neighbours. He felt across her chin and murmured to Argent. "What a lovely thing you've made here Ravaiim."

His hands snapped one way and a sickly crunch filled the air, it seemed like the life of the world had suddenly disappeared and Argent dropped his head in defeat.

A noise filled the air, a low voice that sung a song. The song was ancient, older than even them, older than the Makers and the worlds. They didn't know where it came from but it was often used as a dirge, it came from a Ravaiim in the middle and soon the air was filled with the lyrics, they weren't in a language understandable anymore but it was passed down through the ages and every Ravaiim knew them.

The tears of Argent stopped rolling, as did everyone else's, the air became thick with anger, thick with rage, thick with hatred. One by one the Ravaiim stood, the men who cut lumber first, followed by their family's, then every guard and every Ravaiim stood in a single unison, the lyrics growing in volume, some of the Nephilim started to look around and raised their weapons, thinking they were invoking some power to strike them down. Death, no longer grinning but his face twisted in annoyance went to sit one back down.

And that's when all hell broke loose.

Every Ravaiim launched into a frenzying attack, the Nephilim were taken by surprise but their numbers gave them the advantage and soon they started to cut down the Ravaiim horde. Argent was preparing to charge in but was stopped by a hand on his chest. "No! Go! It's your job to avenge us now, we'll keep them down as long as we can!"

Argent tried to push past him. "You're farmers! Craftsmen! Knitters for the creators sake! Not soldiers!"

"And this is our final request of you Argent! We'll keep them busy! You've done so much for us Argent, now let us repay you in full. Take your family and get out of here now!" Argent was fuming but nodded and retrieved the discarded corpses of his family. He ran away from the fighting and in where the first frosts were taking place, and from that day on he never forgot what Death did. And he never forgave them."

Other Sides

Argent had woken at midnight sweating and his muscles bulging, his nightmares had returned, and with them, his fears.

Alice had felt Argents distress more than she had sensed them, she raced from her room to find him pacing back and forth in his room. The stone slab on which he slept was broken in two, one half lay thrown against the wall and the other had knife marks dragged across it, or what she thought to be knife marks...

He was huffing and puffing like a wolf and his eyes were wild, they couldn't focus, he was like an animal who was cornered with no idea what to do. This was the first time she'd seen him distressed, and not simply this distressed but she had literally never seen him distressed, neither had anyone else for that matter. He'd buried his emotions into his work and never let them really surface, but now she saw the side that was hidden by his animalistic nature.

A scared, mentally wounded animal. He was barely a man, no she couldn't read him like any other one she'd met, his thoughts were too erratic, to him they were ordered but to everyone else they were a jumbled mess.

"Argent," Alive said softly, he turned his wild grey eyed gaze on her but shook his head and continued pacing back and forth. "Argent," she said, still softly, but a little more forcefully. He didn't look at her this time, instead he snorted like a beast and shook his head slowly while muttering to himself about 'wringing necks' and 'making knots for the noose-mans hoop' what it meant she had no idea but when she took another step closer, he glared at her. His gaze turned her insides to jelly and she knew he'd made a deadly link to her physical body with his left eye, it was an uncommon power, but he could have turned you into a bony crimson paint or made your body disappear bit by bit. She took another tentative step, while his more feral, less calculating side was in control he'd become as close to an animal as you could get. A scared wolf, that was what he reminded her of, if you made the wrong move they would try and rip you apart.

Her next step made him twitch a little and she felt her spinal column vibrate ever so slightly. Another step and she slowly reached out, Argent growled and pulled his head back a little, baring his teeth, one more step and she lay a hand ever so gently on his arm. He stopped growling but her spine had stopped vibrating. As she got closer she brought her other arm up and slowly embraced him in a hug. Suddenly the link was broken and he suddenly fell against the side of the stone slab he'd thrown into the wall, she slowly followed him down and wrapped her arms around him, grabbing the blankets he'd discarded and brung them up, she lay her head on his now easily breathing chest and his left arm gently wrapped around her protectively. "What happened Argent?" She asked ever so gently, he didn't look at her, his eyes were fixed on the balcony that looked out upon the sea. The vines and plant life that grew there blowed gently in a breeze that made her shiver. He noticed this and pulled her closer to his own body, heat seemed to roll off of him in waves. "I saw them again. My family. I saw them die, my friends and neighbours fighting so I could escape, they deserved escape more than me, I should have made them go, and held the Nephilim at bay. Maybe there would be more of us then..." The breeze had picked up and he shakily stood, she followed and he abandoned the single cold blanket. Something in his manner changed suddenly and a growl emerged from his mouth, the animal side had taken a hold again.

She gently pulled his arm and led him - somewhat shakily - down the towers stairs, he fell against the wall a few times and she had to speak softly into his ear to get him to get back up and move, each time he would look at her like she was some odd dream he was having and he was leaving reality behind. His grey eyes were wild still, when she eventually got him downstairs and through the passageways that led to her room after half an hour of trying to keep him steady she tried to make him sit on her bed where she could ask him all her questions and try to calm him. But he refused and began to walk around her room and sat in her fathers old chair, it creaked beneath his weight as he looked out into the moon from the window and she stood by his side, gently running her hand through his white and grey hair and tugging his arm.

Argent eventually stood and went to the bed but he sat on the floor, some other side still holding his rational mind in a cage. She dragged most of the sheets off and wrapped them in them, he tugged them closer and her too. His eyes never left the moon. He truly did look like a wild animal to her, his face while cast in the moonlight was harsh and his face was curtained by his hair.

"Tell me about it. Tell me everything." Argent didn't reply for a full five minutes of silence, but he did eventually start to slowly speak. And he spent the rest of the night telling her in detail everything from the day the Nephilim came to his village to the day he'd escaped from his blackened world.

The very next morning Alice had left the sleeping giant wrapped in the blankets and gone for breakfast, she had the cooks make something simple for her and the servants she often let dine with her in the morning. She didn't really have important subjects to speak of.

Argent walked from the room, feeling his same old self, but he now felt he had more than revenge to live for.

Argent walked up behind Alice and bent down to wrap his arms around her protectively and when she turned to look at him he gave her a small kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back soon love," his voice was the softest she'd ever heard and she placed a hand on his big arm and leaned a cheek against his huge forearm. "Sure, do want you must." He unwrapped himself from her and - picking up his halberd from where it rested - strode purposefully out the door.

"No more games," he said to himself, "it ends here."

The Second Engagement

Strife had split up from Fury in anger as she walked too slowly for him during the day, he wanted some target practice.

A scream from his right. It sounded like an animal, a sigh deep inside himself. "This better be real." Strife started to bounce around through the trees and soon looked upon where the corpse of what looked like a deer hung from a tree, it looked like it had been gutted. Strife jumped down. "Come out you... I'll find you I swear it..." He growled, suddenly out of a bush he saw two grey eyes, Strife stepped back and pulled out his pistols only to step on a wire and something to snap, a wooden branch with a sharpened tip sprung out and impaled him onto a tree, Strife had dropped both guns when he had been impaled and so tried to get the wooden spear out of him, he looked up and tried even harder when he saw Argent emerge from the trees and Argent walked slowly towards him and stopped when he was at the tip of the other end of the spear. "Stay out of my way, it ends here."

Strife struggled as Argent left to get the wooden spear out of himself.

Fury was fuming when she saw the trail of bootprints. "This again? Better not be War, I'll turn him inside out."

Fury followed the trail until she came to a waterfall with sharp rocks at the bottom, then footsteps behind her, she turned and Argent tackled her off the waterfall and grabbed onto the ledge at the last moment, Fury fell and smashed into the rocks with a sickening crunch! "Two down, two to go..." Argent turned around once he'd climbed back up only to see War barreling into him, the giant smashed into him and they flew off of the ledge and only just missed the rocks which Fury was healing from hitting, her broken body laying upon them. While War and Argent were underwater he lost his halberd and was forced to go hand to hand with War who could almost give as good as he got. War gave Argent a punch which sent him hurtling out of the water and crashing into the sharp slippery rocks that his clothes thankfully saved him from. War followed, his footing a little less sure but a twisted grin on his face. Wars glowing blue eyes latched onto Argent who went to meet him and they swung fists, Wars massive left fist met his left and Argents hand literally exploded in a shower of bones and blood, what was left was a stump that was healing quickly, Argent dodged the next blow and delivered one to Wars gut that made him double over and then received a boot to the knee cap which nearly broke it had it not been for the fact that Fury's whip wrapped about his throat and flung him back. Argent wanted his halberd back so he made a decision and made a huge leap over them and dived into the water, War followed and Fury stayed as backup to him. The hunter was easily a better swimmer but Wars weight made him drop like a stone, they met at the bottom and Argent searched for his halberd between the rock crevices, he saw a glint of steel and reached for it but was hit by War who sent him hurtling with enough force underwater to cause major water displacement. War walked into the place where the water had displaced and was caught unknowingly in the surge of its return, Argent used the distraction to swim back and found his halberd which he pulled free and swum topside again, this time his arm was caught by the whip and he was pulled to his knees, "kneel before the Horsemen criminal!" She roared at him.

Kneel... The word made his bones tingle with hate, he rose slowly. "I kneel before no one!" His voice carried to her and just as she was about to crack her whip he threw his halberd, it flew until it hit where boulders had blocked up a larger stream and he made an impossible leapt to it.

He landed only just catching the handle and began to pry the boulders free, water leaked out as War and Fury rushed to stop him, he gave a single final tug and leapt upwards when the entire thing burst free and he lodged his halberd blade into the rock wall, and waited for a moment to see if the Horsemen came up.

None. He'd buried them under the rocks.

Argent had hauled himself up and was thankful his hand had grown back and he started to prepare for the final Horseman of the Apocalypse.

Traps were laid, bait was readied, and Argents plan seemed to be going according exactly to plan.

Argent sat in wait in the centre of it. He was the bait.

He didn't have to wait long for the Horseman to show his face.

Death walked into the circle of trees and looked at where Argent sat, his eyes snapped open and Death said before the battle began. "I am truly sorry for what happened that day, if I could take it all back I would." Argent replied in a simple voice as he readied his halberd. "You don't know the meaning of sorry."

Death swung Harvester and hoped to take the hunter in a single blow but was stopped by the halberd which blocked his path, they fought fiercely for a while, Argent quickly gaining the upper hand, his halberd training was paying off, and then Death stepped on a wire which released a series of dart that hit him from all directions, Death stumbled and felt the poison work its way into his system and his system started to slow, the but of the halberd smacked him it the chin, snapping his head back and making him fall backwards onto a protruding root. Argent picked him up while Death was weakened and threw him against one of the larger trees. Argent raised his halberd, and drove it through Deaths skull which cracked under the pressure and Death, finally lay still. Argent turned around and didn't expect what he saw:

A giant boulder flying straight for him.

Argent was caught by the boulder and flew with it, he smacked and crashed through the forest until he was crushed beneath the boulder. Still though, he wasn't particularly perturbed by the hit, he'd gotten what he wanted.

Under normal circumstances Argent might have been happy for his hunting days to be over there and then, but he couldn't rest just yet.

He still had Alice to live for.

Argent shifter the massive boulder off of him and hauled his broken body to his feet, suddenly dropping to his knees.

The boulder had broken his leg. Sighing he let himself drop and once more the roots came up from the earth to dig into his flesh, but this time he'd need to hide, so even more roots came from the ground and slowly wrapped him in their loving embrace and dragged him under where he would heal.

"Death!" Fury cried as she ran/limped to her broken brother, the halberd still splitting his skull, she quickly pulled out the darts while War limped slowly forwards and Strife stumbled about, the hole through his chest still closing up. Fury ripped out the halberd and discarded it. "We have to get him to the White City! Azrael of one of the other Angels with know how to heal him!" War picked up his brother, he could feel life still clinging to him. Suddenly he remembered that Death gained strength from death, just as War did chaos. "Find animals and bring them here, I'll slaughter them. Quickly, he don't have much time!" Fury ran off quickly and Strife jumped about like a madman.

They managed to round up a small herd of animals which War made sure Death was close and then they began to kill them on the spot, the life that was seeping from them, the Horsemen were praying would bring back their eldest brother.

Nothing seemed to work. Until the fissure in his head started to heal. Death coughed up phlegm and spat it on the ground and trie to stand, only to fall and War caught him.

"I'm sorry for that," he murmured weakly. "He had to believe I was dead... Or you three would never be safe..."

Death fell unconscious and War carried him home. They all went home.

Argent only spent one day underground healing this time. He wasn't nearly as wounded as he had been and got up slowly, feeling refreshed.

Argent spent the next few hours searching for his halberd and found it near where he'd killed Death, but something didn't feel right... He couldn't feel Deaths essence and decay leeching into the ground, it hadn't taken any of him in fact!

A small growl escaped his lips, his animal side starting to take over. Argent snatched up his halberd and began to swing it about in anger when he saw the dead animals. "Wasted life!" He roared at the sky, frightening the birds as he stomped back and forthp, every time he saw where Deaths body should have been absorbed into the earth it acted to make his rage come out more, every time he saw the lifeless animals they had slaughtered to keep him alive, it acted to bring the less humane side out. His conscience had all but slipped away by nightfall, nothing but a hellish animal of a man remained and the night was filled with his lamenting cries as he stalked for the bigger animals that lived far deeper within. He'd kill the numerous giants who lived within, eventually in a clearing he found a massive creature that, when standing on its hind legs, towered over him and tried to make him seem small.

But Argent was no small hunter.

Argent was the greatest in creation, not even the Charred Councils enforcers the fabled Four Horsemen could bring him to his knees, and no enforcer could make him bow now. No king could make him kneel, no Demon could force his submission and no Angel could decide his fate. Argent was the animal who stalked the darkest pits you could go, he would stare into Oblivion and scoff, and he would dive to the most bone crushing depth to hunt the most massive of prey which made him seem ant like in stature. But he would never stop hunting, Argent would be creations greatest hunter until the day he died. And none would ever take his place as the greatest, why?

They lacked the conviction to succeed him.

The beast took a swipe with its giant paw and received his halberds tip through it, it screeched as it drew back and tried to engage him, but when it looked into his eyes it stopped and its bones began to rattle, they vibrated as did its muscles and flesh until everything burst in a shower of crimson and bones, Argent looked for another monster to hunt.

After three days and three nights of moving ever deeper into the forest Argent turned his attention to the waterholes which were renowned to connect to underground tunnels, he swum down and used nothing but the vibrations to know his paths. Eventually he was literally swallowed whole by some giant black mass and he slashed his way out, leaving the water muddied and bloodied. He searched for his next prey item.

Three more days and nights with the animal in control, it was a first in his life to let it surface and it felt monstrous.

He swum to the top and standing upon a hill, roared into the sky, his voice sounding more like the monsters he hunted than himself. But that night he climbed his way home where the guards at the gate barely recognised him, his white hair was plastered to his face but it was completely white now, there was no more grey, it appeared as though he'd grown more beast-like in appearance too, they commented that the way his face looked reminded them of the Howlhenges within the forest, just another of the monsters he'd killed over all that time.

They escorted him in fear of him endangering Alice, not that they thought they could actually stop him, to them he was a tower who had newly made clothing, thick pelts had been stitched together and even new full finger gloves were made. His body was barely tired despite its nonstop activity.

They got to the large double doors and within there was no one to be seen.

"Maybe we should wait... Hey come back!" Argent had shouldered his way past them and through the passageways that led to where he could get a scalding bath.

He found a few of the maids still up and they quickly made what he desired, his face - to him at least - was placid, but to them it was horrifying. He couldn't understand what feature of him made him so terrifying (and he was rather terrifying anyway) until he looked into the water of the bathtub. It was coated thickly with dry crimson as were the tips of his hair, thick hair was somehow growing all over his body and his animal side retracted suddenly, his grey eyes stared back at him and he removed his clothes and got in, the water, despite its incredible heat, soothed his body which seemed as tense as steel. His pores opened up and he relaxed in the water.

Eventually he scrubbed himself down and got out, drying himself and looked at the clothes he'd made from the mixes of pelts and found his old ones in a pouch, they were both dirty and needed cleaning. One pair was soaked in blood and the other was covered in mud, dirt and an assortment of other things.

Argent wrapped a towel about himself and snuck through the shadows to his tower room where he retrieved some of the nice clothes that Alice had brought him and slipped them on quietly.

When he went back downstairs to put his clothes in the laundry he found Alice waiting for him when he'd came back from putting them with the rest. She slowly walked forwards, unsure if the animal side was in control or the hunter who normally was. He took her hand and then suddenly the hair that had somehow grown over him retracted inside his body. The animal side retracted too, all the way back inside of him, his washed face no longer looked more beast than man and he pulled her into a bear hug. "Did you do it?" She asked hopefully.

"No," he replied sadly, "the hunt is still on."

Death used Harvester as a staff to stand before the Charred Council, his brothers and sister looked worried for him still, the most worried they'd been in years. "Horseman, you have been bested by this hunter at every turn!" The leftmost visage grumbled. "Who knows if the hunter, this, last living Ravaiim thinks you are dead. Your involvement and that of the other Horsemen is endangering the Balance, Heaven and Hell teeter on the brink of all out war for they think that if a single man can-" "He is no man! Argent is more monster than man now, I'm not even sure what he qualifies as anymore but it is certainly not a man!" Death made the Council stop and the flames in their eyes dampened as a sign they were conferring.

They burst back to life a few moments later.

"We are removing the Horsemen from the case and sending a team of strategists which we should have sent in the first place!" Death sagged against Harvester, he was too tired to protest so he turned and left, War Fury and Strife following slowly.

Death managed to make it to Wars home, his being the closest before he sank to his knees. War quickly went to pick him up but Death whispered in his ear.

"They're making a great mistake. I can feel it."

READ TNE HUNTER PART THREE. IT IS ALL GOING TO END. REMEMBER TO GIVE FEEDBACK.