User blog:AloofComputer/The man who walked alone: Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Hunter and hunted

Veronica landed out of her house, after executing Druella’s orders. Her heart was a mess, her thoughts jumbled. Every monster instinct told her this was wrong, this couldn’t be. Alatar had turned into an incubus, but it was more like the incubi of old, vengeful destructive beings full of hate. How could this man, who was moaning and fucking her like there was no tomorrow in the forest, become something like this? Her mana was within him; she knew it. Why had he acted like nothing happened? What was going on?

She saw a young couple strolling by, returning to their home for curfew. The man was holding his holstaur wife by the waist, as she clung to him. Her jealousy flared. She turned around and took off to the skies.

“I’ll find you.” she whispered to her self. “I’ll make you mine. All of you.”

---

Druella landed on the clearing of the forest yet to be restored. The charred trees had already been cleared, but the smell of burnt wood still lingered, and the sudden opening stood out among the thick canopy of the forest. This was the place where the human had first utilized monster mana. She had come herself after the incident; she couldn’t believe that Alatar had used that kind of mana for destructive purposes. This was absolute heresy under her mother’s rule. This kind of power was meant to be used for happiness and love. However, when she had reached the site, she felt that this time was different; the putrid stench of hate and anger had saturated the area, with a few notes of despair and regret.

She pushed those thoughts aside; this wasn’t the time for this. The trap was set, she’d have to wait until they caught the rogue incubus. Her tail wagged in impatience; she was not the patient type. One squad of werewolves and one of dullahan waited in ambush. It wouldn’t be long now. It was just a matter of time-

An explosion broke the midday calm, shaking the surrounding trees gently. It came from the city. ''He didn’t take the bait! '' Druella was furious. She turned to the trees.

“Get to the city! He’s there somewhere! Search everyone!”

“Understood, Lady! Move out!”

 Druella was fuming. The impudent upstart was mocking them! How could he enter the city on high alert? A chill ran through her spine. He didn’t.

“Hold your positions! It’s a diver-” her order was cut from a chain of small magical explosions. They didn’t seem the kind of powerful explosives he typically used, more like firecrackers. But the unmistakable smell of oil and alcohol revealed his intentions. A series of sparks burst through, and fire raced around her. Incendiary traps! He was trying to trap her and set the woods on fire!

“Damn fool, underestimating me!” with a flap of her wings, she rose over the burning forest. She concentrated her mana.

“Oh water, come forth, cover in-” the screech of an arrow interrupted her, hitting her left arm. Another followed closely behind, aiming for her torso. She broke her incantation and moved aside. Did he really think he could hit her when she wasn’t distracted?

A third arrow flied slowly towards her. She noted its origin and moved to fly past it and right into its shooter…

...when she noticed the arrow had no arrowhead, but a small explosive attached. The explosion knocked her from the sky and right into the clearing, now crowned in flames.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">She pulled the arrow from her arm. The process was slow and very painful; when she finally took it out with a cry, she saw why.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Serrated arrowheads and poison...” Koyoi’s words resounded in her head. It was straight out of a book about the demons of old; those weapons were designed to inflict pain, incapacitate the victim and kill slowly, both with poison and with the slow healing and the increased chance of infection of the wounds it inflicted. That means he either wanted to torture her, or weaken her before going for the kill.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Wilmaria! Primera! Mimil! To me!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">The three leaders burst through the flames, and rushed to her. She would need cover.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“You two, cover Mimil as she is casting. Mimil, dowse the flames.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“What about you, Lady?”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“I’ll heal myself. This scoundrel is tricky, but he underestimates me, when I am angry. And I am VERY angry.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Mimil concentrated. “Oh water, come forth, cover in comfort, heal, obey!” A large cloud of mana shot from Mimil’s hands and covered the burning forest, before turning into heavy rain. The charred trees hissed; steam along with smoke covered the clearing.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“AAAAAAAGHH!” the pained cry of a werewolf shot through the white barrier.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“He is here! Search around! In groups of three! Go!” The squads’ leaders started issuing orders. Wilmaria and Primera tightened their grips on their weapons. The sounds of battle were intense, but short, beginning and ending abruptly.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“He’s taking the teams out one by one. Damn it!” Primera growled.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Not for long!” Druella hissed. The wound in her hand was closed, and she had extracted all the poison. However, the wicked weapon still showed its malice; a dark scar blemished her perfect skin.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Oh wind, come forth, rage in torrent, obey!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">A blast of wind came from the lilim’s hands, spinning faster and faster, to the point of a small tornado. Her bodyguards covered their eyes. When it was finished, the smoke and steam had cleared. A lone figure stood at the edge of the clearing.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“No more hiding, incubus.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“It seems so.” Alatar’s cold voice resounded in the quiet clearing.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Druella’s instincts tingled. This was her first time hearing his voice, yet everything about it was wrong. No cold determination, no seething hatred, no self-righteous indignation… just a hollow voice, like an automaton’s. Something was seriously wrong about this man.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">His serrated blade was drawn and stained with blood. The pained groans and whimpers around the clearing accompanied his every step he took towards them. Druella saw Primera growl in frustration, and letting an arrow fly. Alatar sidestepped quickly, letting the arrow fly by him.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Hold it, Primera.” Druella pushed her bodyguards aside, as she walked towards the approaching man.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Lady...” Wilmaria’s warning call was interrupted by the lilim’s raised hand. “It’s OK, dear.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">The two stopped a few feet from each other. Druella carefully took note of every little detail of her adversary. His leather boots made no noise whatsoever, despite stepping on charred leaves. His black linen cloak, emitting a faint magic aura. The black mask on his face, also magical, covered all but his eyes… his violet eyes that kept her locked on, with an empty soulless look. It seemed so out of place, like a fully clothed Order high priest preaching abstinence amid a full-blown Fallen God orgy. His bow, which was made from a strange string and layers of wood and steel, was flung across his torso. A leather quiver also hang from his back, its deadly load protruding menacingly. Those arrows seemed to have been made with harpy feathers. And, of course, his sword, grabbed by a gloved hand. The blade was stained with the blood of the two squads. The pained cries of her soldiers still echoed in her ears. It seems there were less fatalities than the amount of blood indicated.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Well, you wanted to find me. Here I am.” Alatar spoke first.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“I can see that. I am impressed. Truly. And that is not a compliment I give lightly. You gave us no small amount of trouble these past months.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Save your compliments for one of your whores. You got my message. Pull back your troops. Before I start taking lives.” His insults had a strange feeling, profanity spoken with such an empty voice. Even Druella, who was most fond of her creations, or children as she liked to call them, found it hard to be angry at that retort.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“You act like you are not in a pinch, incubus. Even if you neutralized two squads, you have to face me and three of my lieutenants. I will make my final offer: surrender. I won’t show mercy next time. If there is a next time.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“You truly are the Queen of idiots. I expected my work would make it clear, that I am dead serious.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Heavy silence fell after his statement. The two of them kept sizing up each other. Then, with absolute coordination, they lunged at each other, a black blade appearing in Druella’s hand. The clash gave the signal for her escorts to dash to her aid.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Mimil! Heal the injured!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Yes, Lady!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Druella pushed her sword, crossed with Alatar’s serrated blade, and inched her face closed. “You are going to be one of my sweetest conquests ♥” she cooed, her eyes flaring red.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Alatar broke the sword cross with a side pull, rolling his body around Druella’s, until their backs collided. He parried a careful slash of Wilmaria and dashed sideways, parrying a low blow of Druella aimed at his leg.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Oh fire, circle within, scald unto white, obey!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">The blood on his sword started sizzling; the blade glowed a dull red. Dodging an arrow of Primera, he ducked under Wilmaria’s middle sword slash, slashing at her feet. Wilmaria jumped to avoid the seething blade, but that left her with an opening, something Alatar couldn’t miss. Spinning on the spot, he planted a roundhouse kick from his crouching position right at her abdomen. While his stance prevented him from delivering full power behind his blow, it was enough to drive the air from her lungs and launch her backwards.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Ooff!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Alatar dashed forward; Druella’s blade was already coming on him, whistling in the wind. With a side step he placed himself so that Druella was between him and Primera. That would stop those annoying werewolf’s arrows. He heard a low growl; Primera was likely to join in melee, as her bestial nature loved action over patience.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Focusing his mana, he started murmuring an incantation, activating his mask to not let his voice through; that was a handy trick, allowing him to quietly hurl spells.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Oh wind, circle within, embrace my body, move me as you, rage, torrent, obey!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">The wind rider spell was a handy spell that concentrated a set amount of wind mana around ones feet, pushing him forward for each step, until the mana was depleted. This variation, however, moved his entire body, but the tradeoff was that it required to be constantly fed with mana. Alatar’s proficiency at spells was high enough for the spell not to chip away at his concentration, but his mana reserves, even magnified by his transformation, were not infinite. The flaming blade spell was already dying out. He would have to inflict damage and flee quickly. Druella seemed like a decent fighter, even if she clearly disliked it. Wilmaria was rusty after two years of inactivity as a fighter, but Primera worried him the most, as her nature and way of life sharpened her traits and monster skills. Speaking of the devil…

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">His heightened reflexes pulled him out of harm’s way from Primera’s sweeping claws, right into crossing swords with Wilmaria. Druella took the opening and struck; Alatar deftly let his sword go, pushing the hilt. The blade spun around, as Wilmaria’s sword continued its slash… right into Druella’s sword. Alatar grabbed the hilt of his blade, now facing downwards, and slashed as fast as he could at Druella’s head.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Her cry told him he had cut something, but not something vital. As the momentum of his slash spun him around, he felt Primera’s claws on his shoulders before seeing her face. The werewolf had found the chance she needed, and lunged at him at full force. Her momentum took both of them tumbling down and away from the lilim.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">''Think fast, hit hard… the solar plexus! God bless the commander.''

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"> Taking advantage of a momentary separation of their bodies due to bouncing as they rolled on the ground, Alatar delivered a strong knee strike right where the werewolf’s solar plexus met her abdomen. This area was typically protected by elven armor, but Primera had forgone it for the werewolf attire… Too bad, I guess.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">The shock of the blow drove Primera’s breath out of her, and her grip slackened a lot, allowing Alatar to push her aside. He tumbled a bit further before stopping and gaining his balance. Primera would be out for a while, but finishing her off wouldn’t be possible. He felt his hair stand, and magic circling around the lilim.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Druella’s face was a mask of rage, and the dark red scar on her cheek only exclaimed that. Darkness was gathering at her hands. It seemed that the lilim intended to take him out in one shot. Stabbing his blade to the ground, Alatar concentrated all the mana he could into a counter spell.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Oh earth, come forth, join the darkness, fury of the demons, pierce, kill, obey!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">“Oh air, come forth, join the light, wrath of the gods, smite the evil, obey!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"> Dark spears hit full-on white-blue lightning. Opposing elements struck, creating shockwaves of magic that rattled the charred trees. The standoff lasted a few long seconds, before the accumulated energy went off with a blast, raising a giant cloud of dust and ash. Druella tried to calm her erratic breath. She motioned at Wilmaria to cover her as she cast another wind spell…

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">...yet Alatar was nowhere to be seen.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">---

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">P.S. Chapter 14 is out. Criticism welcome