Antonio felt blood running out of his brain. First because he was just a thread apart from death just a moment before. Second because this monstrous resembled a normal human so much it gave him chills. And last but not least, the look in the witch's eye was more than horrific. Not just because she seemed glad to see her slave, more like she greeted it as someone greet an old friend.
Oh and one more thing. That something actually retorted the kind gesture…
" Who's this?"
The rusty voices sounded as it had came from miles below the ground, or from the otherworld. Antonio felt as if his mind was frozen and lost control above himself. Luckily it only lasted a minute.
" Just another lovely voluntary person to entertain us. Don't you think it's kind from the king? Always sending a new toy?" The woman hugged the monster from behind like a snake, caressing its cheeks and arms.
The hunter had two things in mind: to find the weakest monster in the circle and to throw up from the scene. ' This witch is a creep. '
" How strong is he? "
Tim or whatever the witch called him burned his gaze into Antonio's skull. The hunter had a horrible urge to grab his head and hide it somewhere where this monster can't see it. He forced himself though, searching the weak spot.
" I'm not sure… He seems really skillful and his grip is strong as a diamond but other than that… Unfortunately I hadn't have enough time to test him out." Emma smirked into the monster's shoulders. " Do you want to test him?"
Antonio finally saw one goblin like creature which seemed good enough for his plan.
" Would you like it? "
The first time Tim turned his monstrous head towards the woman some terrifyingly grotesque emotion of affection in his long dead eyes, but Antonio thanked this strange gesture.
The hunter somersaulted towards the goblin, catching its legs and pulling it with him, while trying to catch his suitcase or just kick it open. He failed with his second plan though.
Emma snapped her sparkling eyes towards him right after he moved. It seemed like the monsters had horrific good reaction time as and all of them moved all along with him. That's why he captured the goblin.
Now that he got all the attention – again – he swung the goblin and throw him at the other monsters, jumping up, grabbing his suitcase and sprint towards the black forest.
Tim however jumped ahead of him, cutting short his escape rout. Antonio ducked his head kicking towards the monster's leg, missing it then sliding further while Tim jumped up to avoid his attack and Emma started to cast some spell facing them.
When Antonio heard the first three words the witch was chanting, he steadied himself, unsheathing his weapon by some miracle and charged towards the woman. The monster clashed with the hunter, sword against claws and god-knows-what-else while the witch smirked still casting. She had withdrew the other monsters letting her favorite play with the 'new toy' so now it was only the three of them.
The fight was exhausting and bloody. Antonio no matter how hard he tried couldn't reach closer than a meter to the witch, her loyal guard was always in the way. After about five minutes Emma finished the spell that attacked the hunter's heart like a lightning. Antonio collapsed.
" I bet he will survive for at least a week… A week and a half."
" A month. Maybe 4 weeks."
" I'm starting to feel jealous Tim. What do you see in him? I'm supposed to be more interested in him." The feminine voice chuckled playfully.
" He's strong."
" Physically yes, maybe. But the question is how string is he mentally? That's the most important Tim. That and nothing else."
" Hmm…" the monster's voice was more like a pleased moan a dog would let out when its master pets it.
" So what do you say? How long will he bear it?"
" 2 weeks. "
" Much better. " the witch chuckled once more. " Oh look. He's awake."
Antonio tried to sit up and felt ropes around his ankles and wrists. He watched carefully this grotesque horror couple before him: the gorgeous blond witch and her loyal monster. They acted like two human shaped demon. Not even trying to hide their flaws or inhumanity. As he was observing them Tim got to his feet and grabbed him, placing him up in a sitting position so they can have a better look at his face.
" You know, for a monster you act like a human quite well." Antonio couldn't keep quite. Tim looked at his master, they exchanged a look the hunter couldn't see well then he felt as the monster kicked him on his side, but didn't say a word.
" Strange first words after a defeat. " the witch smiled at the prisoner with painfully malicious smile. " I hope you will remain this entertaining the whole time."
" What do you want from me? "
" Tell me something. Did you know Irina? "
The question surprised the hunter so much he couldn't react. He watched the woman with suspicion.
" Is she a witch by any chance? "
" You mean was. " Emma's eye sharpened her gaze piercing his soul. This witch was furious.
" I don't really know. Should I? " Antonio decided to keep this information to himself. He could tell Emma wasn't really good with her tempers, or hiding her true emotions. She was cool and collected if she knew how things would go. But it seemed like this question was a new quest, a new story in her life, something she wasn't familiar with. So she wasn't really in control therefore she was more inflammable. Plus she had no idea whether he really had no guess who she was talking about or just lying. One point to him.
They stared at each other for a time then the witch left him in his cell with an irritated and annoyed smile, Tim after her heels.
She came back with a blow full of tasty soup, placed it on the floor of his cell then leave again without a word or eye contact.
Antonio decided pretty fast that no matter what he would never eat anything made by the witch or her monsters/servants. So he left it untouched and started to meditate – a really helpful rite of the hunters. Cleaning his mind and focusing on his task was always great for the hunt. Except now he's locked up somewhere in a forest far from everyone and no one from the organization had any idea that he was in deep trouble.
He tried to come up with a dozen plan how to inform the others. It wasn't an easy task. But essential for his survival.
Plus he used it as a shield to protect himself from the witch's constant inquisitive questions about Irina and her death.
It took three days to create all of them perfectly, checking for possible mistakes in the idea itself, creating plan B and C and D and a last one in case of real emergency and how to make the weapons and stuff he needed for them, everything. And yet he forgot the most crucial part of every plan: how to escape from his ropes. On the fourth day he realized that the witch used his own rope to tie him up. Huge almost deadly disadvantage. The hunters used a special rope witch could seal down one's magical power if tied properly and un-tear-able for humans.
Antonio was hallucinating from four day starvation and felt himself like a puppet, without willpower and any strength.
On the fifth day when Emma appeared and gave him his deliciously looking food she didn't left right away. She stood there for two minutes then asked with a quite peaceful and mostly harmless voice:
" Do you have any family? "
Antonio slowly looked at her confusion written on his face, but before he could have answered the witch quickly left the prison. After that she had one strange question each time she appeared with the food.
" Did you have a lover?"
" How did she look like?"
" Which was your favorite city?"
" What do you like more? The Sun or the Moon?"
" Do you know how to dance?"
" What's your favorite color?"
" Can you sing?"
" What was your favorite subject in school?"
" Who's your favorite inquisitor?"
The most horrible thing was the witch continued with her interrogation and bombed the hunter with countless question.
After two week Antonio gave up. He was half dead from starvation and despair and confusion and when the witch appeared with the food and asked:
" Do you like to live? "
he just couldn't bear more. This one question brought life back to his eyes, sparks to his brain and strength to his bones. He collected everything he got and whispered a ' yes ' so hollow yet so fierce that the witch was amused.
Emma entered his cell, untied him and slowly, carefully almost caringly fed him, then ordered Tim to take the broken hunter somewhere more comfortable.
She chuckled after Tim closed the door of Antonio's new room.
" I won…"
This is the end of our little time travel and the story of Antonio and Emma (and Tim)
The lady (or witch) in question Irina- Ukraine - will come back later so remember her.
The next chapter we go back to the dusty cells in which our lovely opponents are sitting and talking about... whatever they have in mind.
I hope you still liked it, sorry for the lame fight scene it was my first try, any idea positive negative comment, review is welcomed.
Have a nice day :)