Ch13 Hunters
Song recommendation: Ken Ashcorp-Hunter
There was a winged devil in their eyes and hell's inferno at their backs. The heavens matched hell's fire, clouds painted in reds and oranges floated in a darkening blue sky. Monsters stood still while growling and snapping their jaws. The four stood in terror, petrified. Barb and Theodore reloaded while they had the chance. Fenrir looked down at the chasm at his feet. His hands shook holding his swords, tears ran down his face. It took every ounce of will to hold back the hordes, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could last.
"Why aren't they attacking?" Theodore kept his fists raised, as he took a moment to catch his breath.
"You're seriously asking why they aren't using our skulls for mugs right now?" Barbara kept her pistols aimed, scanning over the howling Grimm.
"Either way, we have a chance to think. I say we make a break for it west. You two fire from the center, while Fenrir and I cover your flank. Fenrir, did you hear that? Fenrir?"
"I can't take it." Richard looked at him, his blades rattled in his grasp.
"My mind's a wreck. Every night, I dream I die, just like this. I wake up and my heart beats the same beats. Get up, get food, not die, sleep, repeat, constantly. It goes so fast sometimes, that I'm just numb to it. There's so much death all around us, no matter where you are, hunting us. It's a struggle just to survive." The dragon laughed at him, smog and cinder pouring from its jaws.
"I'm sick of surviving! I want to live! One more day if I can make it! I want to be the hunter, not the hunted." Fenrir pulled an explosive arrow from his quiver and held it in his teeth. He snapped his swords to become his bow. He notched the arrow and continued his scream.
"I want to be the killer! Not the prey!" He shot at the dragon's face, the expanse from the explosion grazed its eye. It roared and flew into the air, circling above. The demons that lay in the blaze began their ambush, hundreds of Grimm running towards them.
"And like that, we need a new plan." Barbara groaned.
"New plan. We ride the dragon. Theo, you shoot the distance and smack anything that gets close. Barb, back him up. Rich, you and I will support them. Keep us shielded when you can. I'll get its attention."
"That's your plan? That's suicide!" Richard held his sword forward.
"It's either a chance at suicide or certain death." Fenrir began shooting at the hordes, Richard just sighed.
"If this is to end in fire, then we shall all burn together. It's been an honor to fight with you all." He smiled and let out a war cry. Barb and Theo shot down everything that approached. An Alpha Beowolf flanked his left. Theo ducked under its swing, stabbing its ribs in a six-jab combo, before throwing a left hook, staggering the creature. Barb slide under it, knocking it in the air; she shot her left gun to right herself up. pivoting on one foot, she shot with her right to accelerate her kick. The Beowolf flew into a rushing pack. The two continued to rain fire at the coming swarm.
"Shield! To me!" Richard shouted as the dragon revved fire in its throat. Barb kicked Theo to Richard, leaping along side him. They slid to Richard's side, Theo rolling along the ground. Fenrir flipped in from the air. The four stood at one another's back. The dragon exhaled hell down on them as Richard formed his shield. The flames danced off the dome, though they could all feel the heat.
As the fire subsided, Richard dropped the shield and slashed at a Beowolf, before bringing down his sword; he jumped with his swing, the blades tip sunken into the ground as he stood on his hand on the pommel. The sword transformed to axe, and he flipped, bringing the axe down upon a small scuttling Deathstalker. Fenrir rushed from his left flank and cut away at the legs of Wolves. An Ursa stood to maw Theo. He shot upwards at the thing, Barb came to his side and shot at its head. The beast splattered in a vivisection of bullets.
The dragon continued to watch the scene below. They held back the hordes, with drum beating hearts. It laughed at their torment. The smell of their anguish like the scent of carrion to a vulture. Fenrir watched through the eyes of every Grimm he killed. He felt the pain from his slain foes, yet he pushed on. All this suffering was too much for the winged monstrosity. It dived toward its cornered prey. It crashed down where the bridge was destroyed, spreading it wings and letting out a roar of smoke. The Grimm halted their assault at the presence of the stronger beast. The four stared at it in terror, as its shadow engulfed them.
"Now's our chance! Give him everything you got!" Fenrir jumped to float above it, shooting explosive arrows at its horns. Richard cleaved his axe into its neck, the monster thrashed, sending him up to thrust his sword down at the base of its skull. The dragon prepared to rain fire on Barb and Theo. Richard enclosed his shield around the creature's head, his only connection to it being the palm of his left hand. It took a lot of concentration to move away from his shield and this was all he had managed. The monster breathed out, flames wrapping around it, howling in pain. Richard's aura shield broke and he held onto the pieced sword for dear life.
Theodore blasted it with his shotguns, jumping as it turned around to swing its tail. He landed on the tip, driving his claws into its flesh. Barb jumped between its legs, pushing its right arm to the ground. She leaped up and swung her chains around a wing. The dragon began to flap, rising to the air, with the three stow aways hooked onto it. It soared into the sky, gaining distance on Fenrir. He pulled all the air around under him and he launched himself skyward behind the creature.
In the distance, as the afternoon set on Beacon, five birds flew towards the sun, spelling a name long lost and dearly remembered, 90 feet high.
Author's notes: It feels so good to put that fight down on paper after so long. I was stumped on it for a while, but I think I'm satisfied by what I put down. I always wanted to use the song for an opening animation, the one I think of in my head. Tried to incorporate as much as I could from that scenario in here. I was thinking of writing a chapter in that kind of style, but I think it would just break the flow. I also wanted to put in a tribute to Monty. This story is really a little love letter to a hero of mine. The somber guitar strums at the end of Hunter are beautiful and I think fit well here. Thank you, Monty Oum. For being an inspiration to so many people.
