My Mission Cultivates
It's been a set number of hours since we left the village. I'm not sure how far out we are but it might not be far enough for what's come. The strain on this temporary ceasefire of ours is stretching thin. It's only a matter of time before they follow their instincts and attack us.
I looked out the wagon's back to the sun. The sun is falling and night is coming fast.
I'm sure when night comes they'll make their move and then run the rest of the way from their hunter. I'm not in the mood to hunt today. As long as these things don't antagonize me I'll do the same. This unspoken agreement didn't include staring, I suppose. The large one could barely keep his eyes off my little girl. The woman has persisted with staring at me ever since I climbed on back of this wagon. It's obvious who they're targeting.
The other one is shivering like a fiend right now. It's as if it was addicted to some drug it hasn't had lately.
We've long since gotten a safe enough distance away from the monster known as Claymore or Silver-eyed witch in the town from before. I've listened to them talk as if they're normal and they've attempted to speak to me a couple times only for me to dismiss them politely. I've no desire to converse with beasts. They're truly fortunate we didn't meet outside of Miata's town. There'd be three less monster to worry about. I'm not sure about the woman though. This thing is strange.
Arsenal stuck close to Miata and she's long fallen asleep from the stress. She knows these things aren't human and actually false people. She knew and couldn't hide her fear away from them other than within my coat where I held her close to me. She's fallen asleep and held me tightly. The female one has yet to fully take her eyes off of me still. I've learned to be cautious of the female beasts more than the males. The males are straight forward and don't care much for subtleties. The same can't be said about the females for they play tricks and use disassociating tactics to make you vulnerable.
"So handsome where you headed?" Dahlia, that's the name I've heard from the other two, smiled at me when she asked me this for maybe the fifth time. I sighed at the monster's persistent attempts and just shook my head. "You've been ignoring me this entire time," the monster pouted very humanly. "What, am I ugly to you or something or are you not into women?"
I turned my eyes towards the woman and frowned at her. The meat suit that this wendigo made herself to look like is very beautiful. A sort of caramel beauty with chocolate brown eyes, long black hair, and a summer dress that was equally frilly as it is modest except at the chest area. I felt my eyes drop down to her chest and stared for it bit. While I don't like monsters all that much I will admit this monster made herself appealing to the eye.
Dahlia hugged the area under her breasts and pulled up making her breast pronounced. "Ah, you like these huh?" I looked away and Dahlia giggled. "Aww, you're the shy, silent type," she teased playfully.
"Leave me alone, please." I spoke involuntary and bit my lip at the slip. I just acknowledged its existence and gave it the foot hold it needed. I looked back and noticed a triumphant smile on her lips.
"But how can I?" The monster leaned in with a slightly wider smile on her lips. "You've made it so hard not to. It's rude to ignore a girl when she's interested after all." Interested in killing me and eating my flesh maybe. That doesn't sound too attractive if you ask me.
"Listen," I said sharply. If this was any other time I would've settled this hours ago, but with Miata with me I've relented the Jäger spirit from talking precedence over the rational mind. I don't wish to make a mistake and get her involved in the hunt. She's been through enough already and I don't wish to add any more pain and strife to her existence any more than I have. "It's my amnesty day today and I'd rather not get involved physically with anything if I can help it. Pick at one of your compatriots and not me because I'm not interested."
"Sorry handsome but you smell just too~ good," she moaned as she rose her nose to sniff the air like a dog after a treat. "So much so that I can't help but pick at you." She dropped her chin and adopted a devilish smile before leaning forward once more and lifting her breast up to make them more pronounced. "You can touch them if you want, I wager that would interest you." I honestly thought on it for a bit. Her skin shined in the low light of the sunset with a small layer of maybe lotion causing it to glow. I shook my head though and went back to my ignoring of her. "Come on handsome," She cooed while reaching for my hand. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity."
I pulled my hand out of her reach and glared at her. "Why are you calling me that? You can't even see my face right now." I have my hood up as well as my face mask after all to shield my mouth and nose from contaminated blood.
The woman licked her lips in a non-sexual way, I hope that is, and grinned. "You smell better than most so you must be handsome under that hood. I have a nose for such things."
I scoffed and leaned back in my seat. "If your offering to let me touch you then what do I have to give in return? Nothing in life is free."
"A nice and peaceful ride with no physical conflict," she responded evenly. So she doesn't wish to fight or get a conflict with me. I'm not surprised. Anyone and their blind mother can see that I'm armed to the teeth and willing enough to use the tools available to me to settle any conflict. The Black Blade vs Maybe they can sense the aura surrounding it or maybe they can pick up the Od contained with me, I'm not sure. What I do know is that she has no wish to fight me much like I have no wish to fight her.
"That's agreeable with me. If we can keep this as civil as possible I'll give you and your… company similar respect." The woman nodded in agreement with me.
"So~" she sang while crossing her left leg over the right. "What of you wish to talk about now that I got you chatting? These three aren't much for conversation so I try to get what I can when I can?"
"Act first and talk later?"
"Exactly," she sighed softly. "I never get to…"
"Dahlia you shouldn't flirt with your…" The black haired man stopped but I could guess what he wanted to say.
"Food." I finished bringing three sets of eyes on me with an uncontrolled amount of hunger in each. I looked past them at the path. It's clear with trees running along the sides but with mostly open prairie past the small bit of trees. I reached into my coat and pulled it back revealing a small bit of my arsenal and I don't mean the wolf dog I have. I reached for the bundle of black sheets I was given by Maria. I've longed to see this weapon again. I've dreamed of using the weapon wielded by the Eraser of the North. Maybe I'll get the chance this time around to use her version of Love and Hate. Though I believe this set is called Life and Longing. I remember her style well. My master while I was a Tyro led me up north to meet her. The woman scared and few beings in this world could do that. She was one. My master was over her as the Hunter of All but I wonder some days if my master should've been the eraser and this "Mary" as the Hunter of All.
"Now why would I eat you handsome? We're talking after all."
I pulled the bundles open a bit to the reaper's scythe and the second weapon to match it. The last is an sword of ancient Japanese make. An uchigatana. One she received while an Eraser in the East before she took over the North instead. A scythe (a common farmer's tool) and an uchigatana (a family's sword). Such a strange mixture. Thought the fact I have Love which could be classified as a Nimcha and Hate is something special being a Saw Sword. One of the first forged in the Northeast and the last. Both of the forged when pure emotion and intent. My arms don't compliment either one and yet wield them together.
I slid my hand across the metal of the scythe that's retracted downward and felt it respond to my touch. "Why indeed." They're nothing but man-eating monster on the run to escape a Hunter they know they cannot kill. While I'm talking to them though maybe I can learn some substantial information. The woman is still glancing at me so most likely she will be the most talkative.
"Your name is Dahlia?" I questioned to get her attention.
Dahlia smiled at me and nodded. "For the moment handsome but what about you? Can I get a name?"
"Hunter," I said. 'Your hunter.' I declared internally.
"Oh, that's a new one," the woman smirked and crossed her arms. "Where did you all come from anyway if you don't mind me asking?"
"A place where I hunt down beast. Normally through the use of nets, spears, swords, and bows. It's very…riveting." I almost smiled at the look of senseless anger that came from the black haired one. "I'm a good Hunter. I've killed many things throughout the years. Not too long ago a village was taken over by these humanoid monsters I walked into to resupply. I hunted them all for a good five hours to the last disgusting beast. It was fun," I snarled to the beasts before me and focused on the three wendigo in disguise the most.
"And what manner of monster was this?" The inhuman woman mused.
"Where I come from they're called the wendigo. They're sometimes they're seen as humans possessed by a demonic spirit to consume flesh of humans. Sometimes say they were once men trapped and scared long enough to turn to cannibalism. Regardless of their origins the human transform into a monster with razor sharp claws, fangs like daggers, and have near cat like animalistic eyes. They're hunters of humans, able to mimic human voices, and at times even wear the same flesh as the human they devour. From my experience though this is truly rare and not very often you see this happen."
"That sounds dangerous." The woman spoke in shock and fact fear with her fingers over her lips. "If they're hunters of humans then why do you hunt them? Aren't you weak against them?"
"While the wendigo are powerful within their own right they're nothing but monsters. Once you find their weakness, learn their pattern, and cut off their supply of food you can find ways to hunt anything. I learned to hunt and kill wendigo with ease much like my fellow Jäger, but that's only one monster out of many I've hunted."
"You make it sound as if you came from a very far off place," the woman noted.
"You could say that. The wendigo I'm accustomed to die easier over the ones I hunt now. Instead of tearing out the heart, breaking their necks, or cutting them repeatedly it turns out that they've an impressive healing factor which I had to account for. The first Yoma I faced I stabbed them in the back, slit their throat, and left them for dead."
"And let me guess," the woman said bemusedly. "It got back up."
I nodded. " I was forced to cut its head open and only then did it die. I was attacked by many more Yoma in the house I was in. It got to the point that I had to blow up the house and set it on fire with at least a dozen of them trapped inside."
The three men looked at me like I was crazy and even the woman rose an eyebrow.
"You, a normal human, fought and killed Yoma?" The man with black hair huffed.
"I'm a hunter that knows no predator. Just because it's a monster doesn't mean it's not an animal and all animals are predictable."
"Where are you from that they make people like you," another one of the men questioned.
"I could ask you the same thing… monster." I returned as we got past into an area with more trees.
The man's eyes widened and the large man looked ready to spring. The woman rose her hand though and called them off with a look. "That was quite rude," she stated with a frown marring her beautiful face.
"Of course. My apologies to you and your company. You just feel like monsters to me," I admitted.
"And why is that? Do we look like monsters?" the woman bemused.
I reached down for my medallion at my neck and rose it up in front of them. The small cross shivered on its chain with a small sapphire in the center glowing softly before the beasts. "This medallion was blessed by our goddess of the hunt to assist with picking out any inhuman beings in my immediate vicinity. It shivers for the four of you." They glared at my medallion in shock and watched as it shivered. To be perfectly honest it's only doing this because the markings in my arm is making the spirit metal react to the Od it releases when monsters are near. It's not a lie for the medallion does shiver because of them but not because the medallion is attuned to monster's presence.
"That sounds useful," the woman said nervously. "But I assure you that we're no monsters so your necklace must be wrong about us."
"Hmm," I lifted my chin to the woman. "Can your companions say the same as you? I don't think the one in the middle can," I looked straight at it. "I'm sure the big tough stupid one there's eager to show his true visage."
"Shut the fuck up!" The black haired one roared at me.
"Many of the wendigo I've hunted act cocky and higher on the food chain than me. Before long they're on their knees before me and would always result to begging." I taunted openly. "Begging me not to kill them like true cowards before an even greater predator. It's a trend I like to see, especially in new prey." I goaded the stupid one on continuously and by the expression of rage I'm seeing he's just about ready to snap.
The black hair man just about activated his monster energy. I could feel it, but the woman rose her hand up and forced the black haired on down on his seat. I let a small smile curse my lips and closed my coat and buttoned the center button.
Delia rolled her eyes at her foul mouthed companion. "Sorry, Grave here is a little cranky without his Linner." Linner? My guess is that it's like brunch only a mixture of lunch and dinner. That's weird but some people are just that strange I suppose.
"It's fine," I shrugged. "Sometimes it's hard to control the monster that's inside." I used to have a problem with this but after getting used to them and talking to them many of the souls retained in my body helped me more than anything. That doesn't include her though. Very rarely do I go to her for help but when I do by the end of it I was better off staying silent.
"You talk too much," Grave growled at me only for me to wave at him to come at me. I goad him with signs instead of words seeing that I talk too much.
"So you hunt just monsters then?" Dahlia asked with her elbows on her knees and chin on her hands.
"I'm the Hunter. Monsters are just the common prey, but I hunt humans, animals, and an abnormal as well."
The woman looked at me in confusion. "And you can tell the difference between monsters and people?" This question turned every eye towards me and I nodded.
"I can with ease."
I noticed a flash of yellow from the man across of Grave and gripped the scythe with a small tug.
"Through that necklace and that's it?" Dahlia asked genuinely interested in the topic. I guess she wants to know so she can better hide next time not that there will be a next time.
"Now why would I tell something like you that?" I returned.
Dahlia frowned at me and let her hands fall and leaned back up. I know what she is and know they all know. That frown or Dahlia's turned into an unnatural smile and said, "Why indeed." The woman giggled a bit at me as she began to drop the pretense. "You're not afraid of us are you?" The woman asked finally dropping the act and I followed suit. I leaned back in my seat with my hands to my sides and shook my head with a "No."
One of the men snort. "He's afraid I can smell it." I looked over to Miata that was hugging me for dear life and pat her head bringing her closer. Even asleep she's still sensitive to the people around me and what they say or do.
"Ignore him," the woman sighed. "Now why not exactly?"
"Because I've killed ones like you much in the same way a certain silver eyed witch would've."
The man next closest to me roared and swiped at me. I caught his wrist in a death grip and twisted to the edge of snapping it. The man's eyes turned gold and I reached for Hate.
"Hirsch calm down!" Grave yelled though I think it was too late. The skin turned grey and I snapped the wrist earning a roar in pain. I rose Hate up and slashed the beast's chest forcing it back. I jumped out from the wagon with Miata still in my right arm and Arsenal in my hand. Miata woke up with a start as I landed outside the wagon and rushed to the nearest tree.
"Papa?" She yawned.
I kneeled down and placed her down on the opposite side of the tree out of the line of sight for the wagon and placed Arsenal on her lap. "Miata, stay right here and don't move an…"
"What in blasted aahhhh!" I saw a stream of blood fly and the horse went crazy in seconds.
I pushed away from the tree and walked into the center of the path. A grey skinned yoma came from around the front of the wagon and glared angrily at me. I drew Hate in my right hand and took Love's hilt in the other hand but still didn't draw her. It's four of them against me and not the dozens I hunted in Miata's town. This shouldn't take too long or stress my soul in the manner that I need Love. I don't think I'll need my Cave either to morph my eyes into their reddish glare either. Disappointedly, I shot out of the wagon before I could take Life and Longing with me so they're both laying down into the wagon. Such a shame but they'll be more chances for me to reap and misfortunate souls of the damned like my senior did.
The wendigo rushed toward me with a roar, and I took a stance ready for its attack. I felt a presence coming at me and moved accordingly to the sound of a clawed limb flowing towards me. I leaned down from a surprise attack from the right from a second wendigo. I took notice of the third coming from above and placed my free hand down and took hold of the ground and kicked up connecting with the beast's chin shooting it back away from me. I balanced on my hand upside down and took a breath. This might be a bit fun if I stay in my basic form. None of my enhanced skills will be necessary. My strength will stay at bare human limits. My speed will be without augmentation.
One wendigo rushed towards me. I pushed back up to my feet and positioned Hate up in preparation for it's coming attack. I past underneath one swiped aimed for my torso with the intent to rip me half and jumped up in a roll over a second from the opposite side. I'm not an expert at close combat and fighting hordes. I've the reflexes and flexibly born and nurtured from my constant hunts against monsters to defy human limits with ease. I feel this isn't what they expected despite my talk from earlier. They'll learn what happens when you try to hunt the Hunter.
When I touched the ground again it brought its other claw back around for a third attempt, but this was a diagonal slash this time. I dropped down and twirled around and brought my right foot out with the momentum. I swung out my right foot and landed a heel axe kick across flesh. I was on my left side but quickly traded places to the right while swinging my left leg out across the same spot as before. An axe heel kick followed along with a regular sweeping kid to ones' ankle with added Ki from my short burst breaths will stop a chimera cold if I hit it right. The crunch of bones cracking, the sight of bone blasting out past skin with blood following behind it, and the roar of pain that resounded in the clearing I heard was amazing to the senses.
I didn't stop there.
I rolled around once more from the ground and came around and swept the feet of the wendigo to my right. The one I kicked in the chin before tried to blind side me a moment ago thinking I couldn't hear or sense him. I let out a breath as my feet shot across his ankles forcing him to his back. I finished in my full revolution in a single-handed push up position and stood up to my feet fully. I leaned forward again and rose my hand back and caught a wrist above me. The wendigo behind me came up with the force of his charge and my throw over my shoulder and on top of the wendigo I kicked down before without the bleeding ankle.
I leaped back away from the prey before me a bit disappointed. No teamwork or sense of tactics. Their coordination is atrocious at best and with their limited numbers and "out for myself" mentality this hunt isn't that interesting. I should probably relent from the usage of Ki as well if this is how the hunt will play out. I'm all for slaughtering heathenous inhuman monsters but the sport of hunting needs to be preserved. Right now, though I was beginning to lose interest in these three, so I waited. I waited for the three wendigo to stand up from the dust and ground and come back at me one last time so I can finish this.
The wendigo all stood with anger filled eyes and bared their fangs. I looked to the front one and rushed it surprising the monster with my speed. It started to move to counter me until I threw Hate hitting him in the chest where its heart is and the edge of the saw pointing upwards. I went for the grapple with a single arm around its waist. I pushed it back while digging Hate further into the monster's heart step by step. Being the one I shoulder threw before I'm sure it's eager to get revenge for that embarrassment. If I was a high and mighty human killer that was thrown away like a fly I'd be a bit upset as well. Too bad it won't live long enough to regret its choice to engage me.
With enough power and use of my balance, I forced the beast back off balance until it was about to trip over its own feet. I jumped up grabbed hold of the crown of its head and shot upward delivering a successful knee to the beast in the chin. I stomped my foot down on it's stomach prepped with a sharp tug. I leaned back to fall to the ground taking the beast with me. We hit the ground and rolled back leaving me on top of the beast in a mounted position. The roll forced Hate to bend down at an angle and cut from the chest down into the stomach between the ribs. That must've hurt, and I can tell with the look in its eye that it feels it but realized nothing it does can save it.
I love that look as well. The bone clattering pain and hopelessness swimming beneath the rage and shame. I need more.
"Gahhhhhh!" It roared and continued to when gripped Hates grip and stood up. It's cry turned guttural gasp all the while moving Hate across its lungs and finally silenced it when I walked past its head. I basked in the looks of shock from the other two as the wendigo below me was split down the middle from his stomach up to the head. This is what I'd call a quick death. It could have been much worse and lasted much longer but I've realized that with Miata around best I don't draw this out, but ensure that they understand the weight of their situation. And the weight of the shadow of a man they're standing in.
The other two looked over to me with more hate but warier of me than before now. "What are you human?" One that was grayish brown roared at me. I could pick up the ghastly breath of the prey from where I was standing and turned my head away a moment. That scent of rancid chunks and decayed flesh is truly annoying to pick up being why I kill man-eaters quickly to save myself the fate of having to pick up this scent with my sensitive nose
"You killed Bronco you bastard!" The other roared next. I didn't realize that they had actual names to differentiate themselves from each other. I assumed that the names they used are the names the people they shapeshifter into. They name themselves, these pathetic wastes of spaces and resources? This trash tries to act the part of being human by establishing an individual self for themselves? It would've been almost laughable if I found it amusing in anyway. It made me more inquisitive about these wendigo that evolved unlike its kin in England and Ireland. Maybe I should check into their mental fortitude later to see just how smart these things can really become.
With this in mind I thought back to the question they asked. "The Hunter," I answered shortly for the time for small talk has long past. I sped toward the green skinned trash that literally tried to get the jump on me before. The prey stepped back away from me with the other one coming at me with its claws out in a wild series of slashes with its claws and bites. I stepped to the left and right while leaning a bit to evade its slashes and elbowed it in the jaw every time it tried to bite me being only three times before it learned that wouldn't work. I stepped into one slash instead of stepping back like I was doing before with my arm flashed against the back of Hate with my elbow point up to the tip. I pulled down with my hand on the grip of my sword and pushed down with my left arm on the false edge of my sword causing Hate's edge to sail inside the meaty portion of his upper arm at the bicep. The toothy edge of Hate sawed into its arm as I furthered pushed and pulled downward until the razor sharp blade cleaved and sawed clear through its arm.
"Ahhh gek!" I slashed upward into that jaw it used to scream in my ear with, splitting it and the tongue in half deafening that scream to acceptable levels. It used its good arm and reached for me. I slash downward and cut down into its arm firing it back then stepped in further and wrapped my arm around it now useless one. I kicked it in the back of the leg and rolled that arm forcing its chest up and head back with Hate poised down with the tip pointing down at its chest. I stabbed him three times. Once in the neck, then the sternum, and then the heart. The wendigo gasped coughing up purple blood. This won't kill it because I need to take its head like I've long learned, but this was for the old man they killed just as much as it is to appease the monsters within me.
I saw the other one notice Miata and rush her instead of me with a mad grin on its lips. I threw Hate and got his leg and drew my black dirk from my back and sent it sailing into the back of its neck once it fell down to a knee. The wendigo I had in a hand started to recover from the cut starting with the jaw that mended back together to the point it could talk again. They heal quite fast for monsters so I reversed back with taking the arm with me to his back.
"N-no please," the monster begged. "D-don't kill me pl-ease." The plea went to deaf ears as I jumped up and took its head in my arms as I leaned in front of it from behind the monster. With a quick alligator style death roll to the left I snapped the neck of the trash in a single motion making the light in its eyes fade. I didn't think that would work and still felt a bit of energy residing within the body. For good measure I drew a dagger and stabbed it in the head just in case.
The other third wendigo yanked the blade from his body and roared, "What the hell are you!" I rushed forward during the roar in a fighter's stance and upper cut its jaw then kicked his right leg at the knee twice to hear a satisfying crack. I easily evaded a poor attempt to cut me down and caught its arm by the wrist. I pulled him down while twisting its arm until its body followed down to the ground. I dropped with his arm resting on top my knee with my elbow rose up aimed down ready to drop. With my elbow falling down and my knee raising up breaking it's arm was easy. As I listened to its roars I climbed up to my feet and wiped down my trousers of dirt and grass. Some hunts force me to get dirty or ruin my clothes which I don't want. I don't have many clothes left and they erode easily when channeling Od.
The trash fell back looking up to me with fear. I stopped for a moment and sniffed the air. "You smell that?" I asked stoically. "That smell is fear. You reek of it." The paled colored wendigo if possible paled even more.
"N-no human, monster, whatever you are I was only…" I stomped the trash head in and slammed my foot down to the ground and watched purple blood splatter around me. I claimed my dirk and Hate from the ground and sheath them. It choked and reached up in a weak attempt to stop me. I rose my foot once more and stomped down on it's head again. Still after than it shiver weakly hanging onto dear life. I stomped down again and again and again and again until it's skull was paste mixed with bone beneath my boot heel.
"Trash," I cursed this monster. They killed that old man, but I didn't brutalize this thing because of that. He was gunning for Miata and that doesn't go unpunished. A slow death was just what it deserved.
I rose my foot out of it's remains and wiped my leather boots off with a scrap of clothes from it's body. I will have to wash these later once I get a chance.
"Nice job handsome." I looked over to the voice and saw the woman from before still in human form, but Miata was in front of her with that things hands on her shoulders close to her neck. I turned toward the woman and her hand came up closer to Miata's neck.
"P-papa," Miata cried for me and reached out desperately for me.
"Shhhh, be quiet little one. The adults are talking," the monster cooed in my little girl's ear.
"Let Miata go, and I'll let you walk away." The woman chuckled and kneeled down using Miata as a human shield against my range attacks.
Clever girl.
"After seeing that," she looked around the path to the mutilated bodies of the wendigo. "How could I believe you?" The woman questioned. "What's stopping you from putting a sword through my leg or knife through my neck? What's stopping you from breaking my neck or stomping my skull in?" Currently it's Miata but I didn't voice this. "What do I have is this adorable little morsel in my hands staying your hand." She pat Miata on top her head almost motherly and the girl cried with her breath quickening. "How do I know you won't just kill me once I do?"
"You don't but this is your last chance woman. Let my little girl go."
The woman chuckled. "How about this," she said with a suggestive tone. "You throw those pretty blades of yours away and then we will talk." I growled, and the woman's hand came closer to Miata's neck.
"Papa." She begged afraid to what might happen. I promised that nothing would happen to Miata and I can't fall back on this. How could I not notice her though? I stared hard at the monster and saw that it has little to no presence compared to the three I've killed already. When they shed their skin their aura's grew to the point that I'm sure anyone could have sensed them from across the country. I don't feel this from her though. What makes this woman different than that of the wendigo I've killed already? I've a feeling there's more to this woman than meets the eye.
"Now handsome," the woman sneered. I tossed Love and Hate away from me into a tree each at least twenty yards away like she asked. My dirk followed as well and opened my palms to her. "Your other thing on your chest as well." I took my colt in hand and tossed it way as well landing on top of Loves hilt. "The big sword on your back," she reminded me, and I took a hard breath. I reached for the Black Blade and threw it away to another tree. "There, that was easy right?"
"Let her go," I warned it and then to my surprise the woman released my daughter from her hold. The woman grinned at me with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders. Miata remained frozen in place and looked back at the woman.
The woman waved of Miata and said, "Get going darling. Go back to papa."
With little hesitation Miata barreled towards me. "Papa!" I quickly dropped to my knees. Miata didn't even look behind her to the dead bodies or the woman that released her and focused on me. She ran toward me and I caught the girl in my arms and hugged her to my chest. I rubbed her back in a comforting fashion as she cried in my chest. I laid my chin on top of her head and sighed in relief. I'm actually shocked the monster let her go like that and has yet to attack me like I assumed she would. I was ready to result to using Cave to move fast enough to intercept her, but I might've read this woman wrong.
"P-papa… I.. Miata was s-scared," she stuttered to which I rubbed the back of her head to my shoulder.
"I agreed that nothing would ever hurt you didn't I."
"U...uhhh!" She looped her arms around my back as far as she could reach tightly almost squeezing me to death. By my vampiric ancestors this girl is strong for her age. What is with that? Did she get some of my blood in her while I wasn't looking? I put that to the back of my mind for now and stood up in the air with Miata still on the ground.
I drew my eyes back to the woman. "What are you?" I questioned this thing. I don't know what it is and why it's so… unruffled. I just single-handedly killed three of its fellows and yet it still acts as if it's in control of the situation. It doesn't seem to realize that when I'm unarmed I'm at my most treacherous. Without Love and Hate to balance out my arcana I've a habit of turning towards the unconventional when I'm without them. This thing might learn the hard way what happens when the wolf no longer has its collar.
"I could as that same to you. You're not like any human I've come across… and you're not a part to his little group of misfits."
'His little group of misfits'? What does she mean by that?
"You don't seem to be one of the family as well. My old family that is." Now I'm even more confused on what she's talking about. These monsters cannot procreate as far as I can see. Not the wendigo for they don't have glands emitting pheromones to attract. This isn't a wendigo that's for sure. I feel that this thing as the ability to procreate if it wished to or maybe I'm not examining her body correctly. The functions are more of monster than human.
"So handsome, are you human or are you family?"
"I have no family and have to affiliation with anything whether human or otherwise. Whatever you're assuming you're wrong."
"You're confident of this fact," she stated losing that smile of hers. "You said you're from a land with more like you in it. Where?"
"That's no business of yours."
"You're not from this land are you?"
"Again, that's no business of yours where I come from."
"Not only are you not from this land but you seem to thrive on death and carnage. The way you kill is savage, near murderous. More than any sister or brother against any yoma I've seen." I glared at the woman. "You enjoy it and revel in it. You may be human but you're not fully human, are you?" I didn't respond. I might have to kill this thing now. It might take me a moment, but I'll have to kill her if she keeps going.
"Miata, get behind me and don't move from that spot. Do you understand me?"
"Y-Yes papa." I pat her over the head and stepped up to the monster slowly and calmly.
She should've allowed me to keep my weapons. She should've left the moment I gave her the chance. She should've kept her mouth shut and now I'm going to have to close it once and for all. I felt my markings on my arm shiver and my right hand warm up. I know nothing about this thing, but I do know that the energy they use is an unstable mixture of both Ki and Od. With the proper pulse at the right wave length I can disrupt the flow of that energy thus leaving it utterly and completely useless. I don't usually result to this. I find the hunt much more worthwhile whenever I use my swords. I'm less ruthless when I'm using my swords. When I use my hands it become…personal.
"Stop right there," the woman sang playfully, but I didn't listen. I continued to walk towards her with Ki flowing back and forth from my stomach to the tips of my toes. The Od then began to flood my muscles so to sustain short term bursts of speed past that of human limits. It's not too difficult once I let the first couple limiters on my body go. I just need it to start using that power it holds and then I'll act. If she stays still it'll only make this easier.
"W-What the…" My hands began to warm up. I can feel it, but my gloves restrict Od from escaping in small amounts. The Jäger spirit is coming alive once more and my mind becoming blank. Slowly I'm beginning to enter a Contact. This ability is used against foes that rely too much on exhibiting raw energy from the core instead of brute strength alone. The Wendigo do not result to core energy, but this woman will. Her presence is low, but I can see the potential awaiting release at this moment.
"I said stop!" The woman rose her hands but by this point I was in range to do a burst. Closer won't hurt. "What are you?" She sounded afraid now for some reason, but I couldn't guess why. I stopped when I reached a spot only a meter away from me with my hands open ready to take her. She looked up to me fearfully. "H-How," she demanded. "How can you have that power? You're human and you have her ability."
"I don't know what you're talking about." I dismissed her fear and her worry as she kept her hand pointed at my chest. "I don't care to know but I gave you the chance. Run, but I'll catch you the moment you turn your back." I'm going to kill her. There's no way around this and she's going to die by my hand today no matter what she does.
"Please wait, don't seal me away." She knows about my power? She recognizes it. How does she recognize this though? Only Jäger can do this. Does that mean that she knows another that can use Jaeger abilities? One that can "seal" others away like myself and my prior brothers and sisters could. So there might be more Hunters in this country than I first thought but how many could've reached this place? Without gods and without demons to enrich the blood. The Eraser of the North is out here somewhere and same with one exposed to these beasts here.
"And why not," I pressured to get answers.
"Because you've questions and I've answers. I can't answer them without yoki." I can understand that. The more massive the power I disrupt the further the damage and the effects become. With power like hers I'm sure she'd have a seizure and go into shock. If that happens she won't be coherent enough for me to question.
I closed my hands into fists and crossed my arms. The woman suddenly smiled at me again but it was different from the sensual smiles I saw before. This one isn't meant to entice me. "She did that as well. Before we would speak before a hunt and she'd take the same stance as you now."
"Who're talking about?" I asked quickly and the woman rose her other hand up and stepped back. I narrowed my eyes at her and she stopped at half step. "What sister are you talking about?"
"It's what some of us called each other."
"Us," I repeated. "You mean beings like you?"
The woman shook her head. "No, I mean the hunters of Yoma you seem somewhat knowledgeable on. The claymore as some people called them or silver eyed witches you mentioned."
"How are you affiliated with them or their group other than as hunter and prey?"
"Because I was one." My eyes widened at this. "Like a… Fallout," she brought up as well which brought me to a pause. Whenever a Jäger loses their soul to the darkness they die either via implosion or explosion. It's in our blood for us to die once we lose control over ourselves and the entities who reside within us that give us our bridge through the veil. On the rare case that doesn't happen a shadow remains in its place. A revenant. One of which whose sole desire is to spread misfortune with every step. One reason I'm The Hunter and not a hunter is because I specialized in killing these Revenants whenever they arise. Some men's blood is so powerful that they can evolve past this. Adopt more animalistic features and become monsters that no longer resemble humans. Are the yoma hunters here the same as us in that regard? Use inhuman power to kill monsters?
"Explain please."
"You have to promise to let me go so…"
"No," I said quickly before she could take advantage of the code. If she knows a hunter that became her sister then she knows how we operate. I won't let her trap me in any deal and whether or not she accepts it matters not to me. "You will explain this to me or we will finish this."
"What about after? You plan to kill me, I can see it."
"Only if you prove to be more beneficial if left alive. Please explain what you mean and who else might have the same knowledge as you."
"O-okay. You see, I was once what the humans called a claymore. We call each other family but only to a point. Not everyone feels the same as I did. Once a claymore loses control they become what I am now…"
"I wish to know about your sister with the power to Seal. Not about you." I've plenty of time to find this out from an actual silver sister and not some female that was one but lost herself to emotion or power and becoming the very thing she hunted. That's the worst fate of a hunter; to become the prey.
"I didn't know her origins, but she was one of the oldest to become a warrior for the organization." So it's true that these silver eyed women are fabricated like I first assumed. Fabricated forcibly I'd assume or collected at a young age to better adjust to the modifications. Collecting orphans for experimentation is common, more than some people believe. I was in fact one, but I chose this willingly same with every hunter before and after me. We don't hunt for people to become hunters. Those with special abilities find us and we train them. The body changes as time goes by with training not because it's forced on us. It's natural to become what we are for we become one with it all.
"She was known as Huntress." That sounds about right for a female hunter. If she became an inhuman being and yet never forsake your vow she'd be classified as a huntress instead of a Jäger. "She'd never talk about where she came from but described her kind she was training to become. What she described is much like you."
"Is she dead. Was her body burnt?"
"Yes, she died but no, her body wasn't burnt. It was buried underneath rubble." That doesn't bode well. I need to find this body.
"Does anyone else know where she died?"
The woman blinked. "No, they don't. Only I do." I glared into the woman's eyes… she wasn't lying. I have to find that body and finish it.
"Why didn't you burn the body?"
"Because like me she awakened." Awakened? Fallout?
Interesting. That's an interesting word for it that's for sure. I need to probe her mind for the information and to do that I need to seal her. Then I can kill her without worry.
"How long was this ago?"
"I'm not sure," this awakened being shook her head. "100 or so years. Maybe more." I bit my lips at this and sighed. The body has long since faded into oblivion then. I wonder about her weapon though. It's old an this woman was a Hunter long before I. I have a list of every hunter connected by our blood and back to a hundred years I know maybe seven or eight woman that reach a rank that high to travel. Or maybe a man with a Tyro that happened to be a female. Overall I've two known female hunters in this country. One from a hundred years back that awakened to become a monster and died apparently and finally the last that's out her somewhere. Maybe hunting but she left her weapon though. Normally you'd only do this when you know your death is ensured.
I stepped up to her and my hand open but stopped when I felt something nearby. Something entering the range of my senses. I let my hand fall a bit but stopped at chest level for her. It seems this meeting will have to be cut short. I drew my eyes back to the woman and took her by the shoulder. Her power began to shift. I can tell that she's struggling to keep it down. She doesn't wish to be sealed and sadly I don't have the time to break into her mind as of yet. I'm going to have to let this one go, but first I need blood. I grabbed her wrist and bite into her. I felt her blood pour into my mouth and fought the urge to gag. What foul, disgusting blood but I still need it.
The woman took her hand back swiftly with her eyes morphed into that of a gold wendigo. I swallowed the blood and felt my body shiver and quake as the blood began to integrate with my own. I winced and dropped down to my knee as the shock of this blood shook me to the core.
"Y-you did that to trace me!?" She yelled horrified at this.
I coughed and climbed up to my feet. I gulped the rest of the blood down in my mouth and took a long breath. Her scent grew more potent in my nose and in my eyes I could see her shine like the sun. Now I can find her and any piece of her presence anywhere and at any time. Her blood is quite foul but my blood is much more powerful than hers. I've had much worse. I'm shocked that the huntress actual used her Tracker before in front of anyone in a way that they can figure out what she did.
"Leave," I turned my head to the right gesturing it was her time to go. The woman gripped her wrist and stepped back away from me.
"Why did you do that?"
"Leave," I said one more time and the woman bit her lip. She nodded and turned away from me. Her power came alive and in a moment she was gone from the range of my awareness. I could still see her and follow her scent though. I'll find her again. In time I'll find her again.
"Papa!" Miata called me but like I told her didn't move from that spot. She looked to be in a panic about something. I walked up to her and she gripped my coat. "Arsenal Papa! Arsenal!"
"What wrong? Our wolf dog? Where is she?" I looked around for her but didn't see her.
"Papa, follow!" Miata took my hand and dragged me to the tree line and around a tree.
"Oh no," I grit my teeth and dropped down to the ground. "That bitch," I cursed and clenched my fist. I shook my head and removed my left handed glove. Arsenal was beaten into the ground. That monster stomped into her body and left her with her organs literally ruptured and ribs broken.
"Arsenal!" Miata dropped down to reach for the wolf dog.
"Miata," I caught her before she could attempt to "help" Arsenal and actually more than likely make it worse. "Let me take care of her," I cupped her cheeks and forced her to look into my eyes. Tears poured down her eyes and she shivered and gripped my wrists desperately.
"Papa," she cried. "Is Arsenal… gonna follow mama?"
"No," I shook my head. "You trust me right?" Miata looked into my eyes and slowly but surely she began to calm down. She shook her head up and down but that wasn't good enough. "Yes or no." Miata blinked and sobbed softly but it grew less and less.
"Yes papa." I nodded and placed a kiss on her forehead.
I let her cheeks go and placed my left hand on Arsenal and took a breath. "Spirit of the sun heed my call. Spirit of nature and growth lend me your power. Spirit of water wash away the pain of this tattered soul," I prayed with my eyes closed. I felt my matrix on my left arm turn cold as Od penetrated its pores and finally flowed out through my fingers. I've never been that good at healing magic. I left that to my partner or just enhanced my own natural healing process. I've enough knowledge to save this animal though. I placed my hand on the depressed portion of her body and felt the bones and organs reform. "God of time who hold sovereign over the cosmos… Reverse." I opened my eyes and made the final push.
"Papa, prwtty…" I smiled at her mystified spawned words. Healing magic is quite beautiful when the spirits actual heed your call. So far only water and nature did. I won't be capable of rejuvenation until that point but this will save her though. I took a breath and the light began to die out as the seconds passed until it completely faded away. I sighed and let my hand fall down.
I waited with my knee down on the ground for Arsenal to stand. "Arsenal," Miata snort and dropped to her knees. Miata reached for the wolf until the wolf suddenly stood climbed up as if nothing ever happened. "Arsenal!" Miata pat the wolf's head and cried again. The wolf dog shook off it fur and then faced me. It jumped at me and licked my face. I smiled and pat the wolf as well on the head before standing up. "Papa, you did it!" Miata hugged my leg with Arsenal on my other leg. I leaned over and ruffled both of their heads.
"Come on you two. Let's go." I walked to the path with the two behind me and placed my glove back on over my hand. That was quite eventful. I haven't had to beg the spirits in a long time for they usually ask for something in return, but I did this without thinking it through. It was on impulse. Miata was crying and I acted. Irrational thoughts and actions like this aren't good. I'm changing in ways.
"Rrrrrr." I heard behind me. Arsenal was growling at something, or someone. I forgot about that.
Slowly I turned back to the tree line that Arsenal was glaring at and gently pushed Miata off of me. "Miata go get Love and Hate for me." The girl snort the snot from her nose as her eyes dropped to the wolf we had and then to me. Instantly she let me go and ran over to the tree I threw my weapons too. If whatever I'm feeling right now is as strong as I assume then I will require both blades to fight it.
"How long are you going to stand behind that tree?" I sounded out to the being in the distance. For a moment there wasn't anything until I heard the sound of clapping.
"Ara ara it seems I have been discovered hehehehe." My spine almost shivered at the light toned chuckle I heard in front of me.
"Papa!" I opened my left hand and felt the familiar feeling of Hate in my hands filling my mind with dark thoughts. The devils juice is quite sweet. I sighed with an evil smile threatening to come to my lips without my medium. The dark feeling in my mind started to disappear as Love's hilt touched my right hand. I had both in my hands and in good timing as well. The clapping was closer than before. Arsenal's growls grew as a silhouette of a humanoid came into view. I quickly switched swords with Hate back on my right and Love on my left and sheath them in their scabbards on my hip.
"Miata," I reached down without looking and pat Miata on her hair. "Take Arsenal to The Black Blade and wait for me."
"B-but."
"Now." I said in a gentle but firm tone. The girl still didn't move clenching my pants hard. I sighed and pat her head giving her an easy smile. "Don't worry. I'm not leaving and there's nothing to be afraid of."
Suddenly the presence I felt in front of me faded away. It didn't disappear but moved so fast that I lost track for a moment. Where did it go?
"Are you sure?" I tensed as the voice now instead of being in front of me it was somewhere else. It was now behind me. "Because it not every day," I felt a pair of soft but strong arms wrap around my body. but it was slow. Like two snakes slithering along my body with the power to strangle the life out of me but deciding not to. These arms are ones of curiosity not aggression but still this action made me freeze in place. "I see a human dominate not one or two but three yoma. You even spook that other one you let go. I must admit I've never seen one like you before." I could this woman's hands journey my unarmored chest with ease. Her hands are soft, so very soft, but the tips are sharp. Like the fangs of a viper scrapping against me.
"P-papa."
I couldn't look at the girl by my side. I couldn't even move at all at the moment. "Such a nice smell and body. Are you human?" I felt something rub against my shoulder and trail downward. Then those fingers bit into my chest but I made no move or gasped in anyway as her fingers broke skin and journeyed into my body. The woman pulled her fingers out from under my shirt and held them up out to the sun for us to see. Red human blood stained her pale hands with its crimson glow. She brought her hand down and tasted my blood which is something I really wouldn't have done if I was her.
"Still a human just… different." I felt a weight on my shoulder now and saw something in my peripherals. A face with alabaster colored skin so smooth and beautiful that it couldn't belong to a regular woman's. I couldn't even see a single flaw from the top of her silver blonde hair to her angular chin. Next thing I saw was the eyes. The silver eyes with a black sclera. A claymore. The thing that caught my eye was that this is a different Claymore from before with a nearing insane smile on her lips. That same smile that spelled more madness and obsession than I thought possible in a woman. No, scratch that, I meant a human woman, but this woman wasn't human.
I took a deep breath as the woman's hands took my chest in hand and stopped at one of few scars I have that I couldn't heal through completely. "Ara ara what's this?" I didn't answer her for that isn't any of her business. In my silence the claymore's clawed hands then switched to my heart then stopped at my neck.
"I'm not sure what you mean." I looked over to the woman straight into her eyes. "Thank you for the kind words but could you release me?" I said before raising my hands up and pressing them against the tops of her hands. I was thankful for the gloves I wore for I couldn't take it if I had to touch those hands skin to skin. I'm thankfull for her lack of chest area I'm usually used to. Kuu, Bethany, my master, Amano were all well endowed and could easily use their wiles to freeze me in place much like how this woman is trying to do I suppose. It won't work now that I have my comparisons straight.
I took her hands in my own and pried them off of my body, but it seems that she doesn't want to let me go. "Now, now just wait another minute. I've never smelled a human like you before."
"Well," I let my body relax and fell through her grasp with my right arm faintly glowing not that the woman could see. In a split second I was behind her with my arms around her torso much like she did to me. I basked in the surprise I felt as my arms fastened her own down with my gloved hands on her navel just not roaming like hers did. "How about we change places," I suggested. I pressed my hand on her navel and stopped this sort of rough slit along the middle. The claymore attempted to move but my grip was solid the same with my strength as well. I can pick up a house if necessary and my strength can go farther than that.
"How did you do that?"
"I haven't met a Claymore before in such a manner. I assumed your kind was all business." Even though this still doesn't constitute as face to face more like face to back. My hand wandered up with the same amount of wonder as this woman had for me a minute ago and she actually allowed me with a smile on her face.
"Really, if you wanted to touch me all you had to do was ask."
"The same could be said about you," I deadpanned.
"Hmm," she looked up lost in thought. "You might be right." She was taking this lightly.
"What is this?" I rubbed my finger along the natural center line of the woman's body but found a sort of slit and what feels like stitching.
"Hmm," she looked up again faintly shivering when my fingers trailed along the mark on her body. "Would you like to see?" I blinked a couple time before what she said caught up with me. I touched her stomach some more to try and figure out the shape. The scenario going through my mind right now is at some time on some day not too long ago this woman got into a fight with an extremely powerful foe that cut her from the neck down nearly killing her. She was forced to get stitches to close the wound and most likely keep it closed as well. I was sort of curious to see the wound and see it its one I can alter or heal maybe. I could use the practice of healing others at least seeing that I can't heal myself that well.
My arms fell from the woman's body and I took several steps back from her. "No thank you, not today."
The claymore looked back with a sort of coy smile. "Too bad, I don't just show this to anyone."
I ignored her teasing the best I could and visually examined her body. Certainly not perfect but is well-shaped like a woman should be. Her frame is petite but full at certain places like the rear for one. Her body's shape is quiet interesting with how unnaturally built it wasn't. There was nothing to show for with all the strength she has. My eyes wandered up her shapely legs up her tight body suit to her neck line. Her hair was in a braid which she threw over her shoulder with an "hmm" grunt or something.
"I must say not many humans ogle a warrior much like you do." I frowned and crossed my arms as the woman finally faced me.
"Warrior?"
She woman huffed and walked toward me. "You humans call us claymores." I looked at the large claymore she wore and nodding in understanding.
"I could see why. You're armed with an impressive weapon."
"Oh," the warrior reached for her claymore's hilt. "You mean this old thing?" I narrowed my eyes but still didn't feel aggressive intent from this woman. I nodded and walked over to The Black Blade. I could feel the aura releasing from the blade from here and with my being too far from it for too long won't end well.
The Black Blade was still in the tree I threw it in and noticed already the tree was dying with orange red leaves already starting to fall from the stem. I took The Black Blade in hand and yanked it out of the base of the tree with ease. Too much ease because in the end my pull slid the blade clean through and cut the tree down along the bark in a razor clean cut. The tree fell down into the one right of it. I sheath the Black Blade with my pistol in hand. I threw it up and caught it in a twirl before doing the same.
I turned back to the warrior, or claymore as humans call them, to her with her arms crossed and a piercing look in her eye. I got a good look at her and came to the conclusion that she was pretty, but not my sort of beautiful. She was still conflicted about something which is holding back something in her mind. I cleared that from my mind and prepared myself for a bout. If I fought this woman it could take from one second to an hour to kill her. She was gauging me and the strange way I armed myself. She in truth looked, as I noted before, petite with her standing maybe a head shorter than myself, but I can see the power radiating off of her. That beast I let go would've been killed for sure by her. I pray this woman wasn't hunting that awakened woman and lost her because of me.
I pulled my mask down and let a small smile curse my lips. "Well is there a reason your still here because as you saw the yoma are dead? That other one that I approached ran away allowing me to live and walk away. I see no reason for you to be here."
The claymore shrugged her shoulders with her arms still crossed. "You made me lose my catch," she said in an uncaring fashion but I can tell she's annoyed by this fact. I know I would be.
"And I'm just curious of a human like you."
"And where is this curiosity going to go?"
"Maybe the same place your hands and eyes did."
I irked. That was a good I will admit and unexpected. The deadliest blow is always the one you least expect. "I see you're not use to a man like myself looking at you like as such."
"Nope." She announced a little to chipper than I thought should be normal. "After all." I watched the woman step from her spot to on behind me though I stayed in place with my eyes slowing turning a shade a blue to better see the yoki in her body. "It's not every day I meet a man that can kill a yoma." She moved to my right side closer to me than she was before but not touching me. "Isn't afraid of us. You call us claymore and even look at us without fear." She moved to my left at arm's length. "And is strong enough to hold me down at 5 percent." The woman was now in front of me nearly face to face. "Maybe you're an awakened being in human skin."
"Awakened being?" I shook my head in amusement.
"Oh, you don't know what that is? They usually hide in human form traveling with human children to cover their scent much like you're doing. They've also a tendency to collaborate with others and run away to save their own skin."
"Really?"
"And one thing that sets them apart are the…" I caught the claymore's wrist in my right hand. Usually I wouldn't react to someone grabbing me if it is done outside of an aggressive nature but my hood on the other hand is off limits to a select few. She reached for my hood to force it back, but I stopped her when she was a couple inches from my face.
"The eyes." I answered. That must be the reason she reached out for me like that, and I might've just fell into a trap. The speed at which she moved was beyond human levels and because of my talent I saw every step. I've seen faster Wyverns than this woman if that's her true speed and her strength its nothing compared to some of the monsters I've faced. The woman's smiled turned feral but mine turned cruel. It would've made a dragon shiver. That smile was all it took for me to begin formulating plan disable this woman. It wouldn't take too much and with my talents I'd just need to get my Od inside of her. The hard part is forcing my blood into her body but she took care of that for me. Warfare through blood is the role of a BlutJäger, which I was before I became The Hunter. I can see my blood already beginning to take hold of her nerves within her hands and spine and she none the wiser of this.
She pulled her wrist which wouldn't budge in my grip.
"I don't know or truly understand what an "awakened being' is, but if you'd like to know one thing about me." I clenched her wrist tightly in my grip. "I like hand to hand combat." I pulled the woman toward me and sent an elbow to her neck. She caught it with ease with an almost cocky smile on her lip. That is until her claymore came into my hands. I pulled it out with the hand that had her wrist and tossed the sword back without any care of where it landed. I separated with my hands up, feet spread apart, and my knees slightly bent. A simple stance meant for reaction and counters more than anything. The woman's eyes turned sharp, but she stayed in the same position not even moving. She looked back to her sword, but I shook my head. "Go for it and turn your back on me. I dare you."
The woman smirked and moved for it. She was fast but that didn't stop me from reaching out and using my blood to break her functions and slow her down enough for me to step into her path. I took her shoulder in hand then threw her up and over into the dirt. Before she could comprehend what just happened I mounted her back with hands on the front of her neck and a sharp knife at her spine in the same neck.
"I-imposs… What did you do to me!? You really aren't human."
"Use your powers and you'll regret it," I said ignoring her prattle. I pressed to edge to her neck drawing blood. "Trust me, I can tell. I've had to deal with things like before so I can tell if you use any."
"What are you?" She spat in a growl.
"The Hunter and that's it." I looked up from the woman to my little girl. "Miata," the girl looked up to me and gestured for the girl to walk to me. "Can you go get my things and take Arsenal with you?"
The claymore chuckled suddenly. "You know, the moment I can move I'll cut your head off."
"Oh," I drew Hate and stabbed him into the ground near her face and positioned my knife where her spine is. I felt her yoki spark for a moment. Shearing heat radiated from my right arm the brand glowed red and white. "Warned you." I slammed her head into the dirt forcing my own power to overwhelm and pacify her own with succession.
I sealed her.
The aura around her faded away slowly as it regressed into the pits of her stomach and mind where it originated. My blood that rested in her body acted as a catalyst for this ability of mine to shut down her system entirely. That and my blood is poisonous and tends to have a paralyzing effect at the very least and death at the very most. Death is nearly insured for mortals, but this woman is alive and unable to move. I'd say she's very much lucky she's not fully human.
Her yoki was locked away for at least a day giving me plenty of time to make a getaway after I kill her. My burst of power in my arm was covered by my coat just in case anyone was near to see. I hate people that can't mind their own business except myself.
"W-what did you do to me?"
"The energies of the human body and that of the in-human body are different but similar. I've long mastered the ability to manipulate my own energies in the stunt you saw and even longer to manipulate it within others. The more you release without control the easier it is for me to take the reins of the runaway wagon." I stood up and took out my blade from her back and spine. "I'm sure in a day's time once you get your powers back you can…" I blinked as I met the woman's eyes. "Probably move again." Her eyes aren't silver anymore. They're both light brown now but still full of anger at her helplessness right now. I looked her over and found this interesting.
"So," she grunted. "That makes you a good yoma killer. You can just... seal yoki away from them and us. Even I'm helpless now." I looked her over again to her body and down. "Like what you see?" I met her human eyes again and shrugged.
"I thought you were pretty when I first saw you honestly."
"Papa!" Miata ran up to me with my knapsack in hand and showed it to me. My gods the thing is at least 32 kilos. How is she carrying that? I took the bag and felt the weight on it and is was the same as before.
Strong girl.
I slung it over my shoulder and looked to woman over again. I pat the little girls head. "Miata," I said with a straight tone. "That woman," I looked over to the claymore. "What should be do with her?"
"You're leaving my fate in the hands of a child?"
"Yes," I put simply and looked back to my sister. "Think I should kill her, leave her, or take her with us?" The claymore blinked at that choice and looked at the girl again that returned it. Green jaded eyes met mountain brown colored ones. What was a claymore that had a sadistic streak and smile to match was now left helpless and humbled by a human. She's on the ground looking to a little girl for her future to which I couldn't care either way.
"We..." I listened in to the choice and chuckled lightly.
"Very well." I took to the path. "Stay here and watch over her. I'll be back with that wagon."
"What," the claymore yelled. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing." I said before continuing up the path to the cart in the distance. I was happy it ran only like a good 34 meters away.
I walked around to the front where the horses are and to the bleeding body of the driver.
Poor bastard.
I pulled the corpse off and laid it down to the side on the path of rocks and dirt. I gathered the parts of him scattered around the area and placed them together in with the torso and single leg attached to it. I rose my hand and waved it before the body and watched as it took to fire. For a mass burial like in Miata's town I was holding back most of my power to keep myself balanced. I've released enough today to no longer care. I've used it to hurt, heal, and now I needed a happy medium to balance it all out. The body was gone leaving only ashes in under a minute. I checked and saw that the Eraser's arms are still in the back where I left them and so picked them up. I climbed up to the top of the seat for his wagon and sat down after wiping some of the blood off. I placed her weaponry below under the seat for later before reaching for the reins. The reins are covered in blood, but I can deal with this easy. I felt my left arm warm up and a light cover the wagon. The blood on it all faded away to nothingness making it clean.
"HiYah!" I pulled back to spark the horses and whipped them forward. They started in a gallop to the path. I pulled back some, "woo hoo." The horses slowed into a trot all the way to the two girls. I stopped them when I passed the two and jumped down.
"Well," I reacted when picked up the claymore and marveled at the weight behind it. This sword is quite heavy. Much too heavy for normal human hands that's for sure. I could wield a blade like this but that would go against my core style and stance. I'm built more for speed over power but that doesn't mean I haven't ripped an oversized hammer out the hands of a golem and smashed its head in with said hammer before.
"Miata said we can't leave you and she doesn't want you to die without reason." I laid the claymore in the back and returned to the woman. "So until you can move again you stay with us." I bent over and picked the limp woman up into my arms in bridal carry.
"Tssk." I placed the woman softly by her claymore and removed my knapsack so she could use it as a pillow.
"What a gentleman taken care of me like this," she said sarcastically but with a nonchalant tone.
I narrowed my eyes. "You remind of someone I knew."
"Oh," the claymore smiled coyly at me. "Your woman or something like that?"
"Something like that," I repeated before jumping out of the back of the wagon. I looked down to Miata and picked her up. "Watch her for me." I kissed the top of the girl's forehead killing all hesitation in the back of her head.
"Okay!" I smiled and placed to girl in the back.
"Arsenal." I kneed down and pat the wolf's head. "You're with me up front." BARK! I nodded and picked up the wolf and took to the front.
"So where are we going you stupid man?"
"She's calling me that to," I said solemnly with a sigh. Goddess help me.
My role though has shifted though. I've lost interest in building another organization here like I was trained to. My senior didn't for obvious reasons and my ancestor from a hundred years ago fell to destruction because of it. She became involved, was morphed into these silver eyed inhuman beasts, and then suffered the Fallout in the regards of that of these women. I need to find her weapon and I need to fine Mary. I need to lay them to rest and find a way to leave this country. If our fate is to be transformed into beasts for another organization or go into hiding to fade into nothingness then there's no reason for us to remain. We have no place here where the spirits are silent and the gods are nonexistent. Leaving after studying this world would be a shame though. I'll finish my mission and finally abandon this world to live without us forever. I'll seal this world forever.
That's my mission.
Made a couple changes and what not for the future. Gonna work on the Dragon Ball story for right now though. That one's going to be fun to write.
For old readers please review on your thoughts of the changes. New ones please do the same.