Hunter Hunter

The cultists were easier to find than I expected. The map showed them in a forest to the south.

It was a place the locals had come to callt he deadwood as it was filled with Ent's, Wraiths, and some kind of shadow pixie. Quite a literal place of death and Despair.

Yet it's appearance was something else entirely.

There was no miasma. No willow wisps or ghostly wails. There wasn't even a sign saying what it was.

It was just a forest. Green and Lush branches and shrubs. I even saw a deer bounding through it. The leaves were broad and the smell of pine was strong.

I heard a rustle and a rabbit bounded out of the nearby bush as a wolf chased it to it's den. Which much to my amusement the wolf's head got stuck in.

And from what I could sense through my connection. The Rabbit had backed up close enough and started stomping on the things nose.

Chuckling I strode into the woods. The smell of the wood with the crackle of leaves and branches underfoot gave me a nostalgic feeling. All those years ago I was sent to a forest just like this one. And sometimes I missed it.

As I wandered throught the green I suddenly felt the sensation of being watched.

"Perhaps the good sir requires a guide." A groaning voice asked. It's chords spoke of age and dryness of a person on heir deathbed.

I didn't reply on my eyes as I extended my senses. Finding only trees, grass, and animals. Not even spirits. But I felt something strange about it all. The trees seemed woven together with the grass. Like one enormous plant system.

"Before I take any guidance I seek to know those I recieved it from." I replied.

I felt the earth rumble slightly as one of the trees closest to me changed. It's bark shifted and cracked till it formed a face. The wood contoured and rounded for cheeks and having eyes but no pupils. It's face was solid and didn't move as I heard the voice again.

"We are the Tene. The very ground you walk is our bones, the trees our flesh, and the animals our blood. Speak child of eternity. What seek ye here? If it be reasonable we shall help where we can."

I felt the words vibrate through the surroundings in response. Everything here was alive. There was no seperation between the trees, ground, and creatures. Some animals even approached through the woods staring at me with expectation.

I thought for a moment before speaking.

"I come seeking Acolytes of The Dark Mother. They are a sickness on the world and need removing. And they have something very precious to someone I hold dear. Will you help me find them?"

The woods fell into an eerie hush from my words. Not even a leaf rattled across the ground.

Then I heard it. A small low-tone hum. It started small and began to grow in volume. Like a large giant singing a low note. The ground began to rumble as the trees shook mightily.

Then began the change. Trees shifted away. Their roots moving like legs as they uprooted themselves and moved to form a path. The animals bounded away from me as the shifting unfolded. The grounds where the trees moved flattened and filled where their holes had once been. And all at once the sounds and movements stopped.

"We have made way for you. Remove the rot of our woodlands. As we have not been able to. And luck be with you child." The voice rumbled as the trees bark returned to normal again. The face was gone and the woods returned to the stillness.

"Thank you elder." I said with a small bow before going forward.

The path was wide and the ground even as I proceeded. The trees allowed light through which made it feel more like a mild hike than a hunt. But I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Soon I felt a change in the air. The trees seemed to become more enclosed on the path and less light filtered through the canopy above.

As I grew closer I heard small whispers like shadows moving through the woods. Like flickering figures on the edge of my vision, but when one looks they are gone.

I heard the Tene's voice again. Much quieter and almost like a breezing whisper. "Not much farther now child. We cannot go further as their strange magic bars the way. Pray be careful. We know she walks with you. She who is filled with starlight. Make her whole. And destroy the madness."

I couldn't help but grin a little. "Seems I've been seen through." I stretched a little as the path cut off entirely and dark most filled the woods before me.

/Host. The Shard before you is more powerful than others. It would seem a little exercise will help shake off the rust of you long slumber./ Sin chimed.

I smiled. It was nice to hear it's voice after so long. "I was expecting you to chime in when I was eating earlier. But it's good to have you back Sin." I hummed. I could feel a warmth come through. /It's good to be back./

A broad smile stretched across my face as I suddenly felt a rush of memories flood my being. Every fight and bloody battle I had where I grew. Every tantalizing meal with Sam. I would get my step back. And just as my woman had told me to. I would Hunt.

I planted a foot in the ground and rocketed forward. The ground cracked in my wake as I bolted between the trees. The air screaming past my face as I swerved and danced through the woodwork. I could try to use my godly powers to hunt these bastards down. But that wouldn't be much of a hunt now would it?

I wanted to feel the heat of adrenaline as I charged. See the fear and cold sweat appear on my preys faces as I struck them. No. As I devoured them. I am a god of balance. But to them I would be a god of death. A demon of destruction. I would become the word Demise.

I finally found a quarry after a while. It's put was dug deep into the ground with a broad span of pale ground leading down into its skyward facing jaws.

I looked from the treeline and saw a person in dark robes peek out of a tunnel opening to view the surroundings. It was like a mouse looking for the cat.

I changed my form into something far smaller for a moment. A gravel snake fed it's way down the rocks toward the tunnel I had just seen the man peek out of. The tongue flickering as it slid into the dark.

Deeper and farther down I went. The sounds of people walking through the halls as their feet tapped the ground. Some spoke about the weather and others about research. One man though caught my interest. He was taller and smelled like tar. Smoke came from under his hood like it was a chimney. And when he turned noone could see his face through the smoke.

"The mother has had peace all these years when the dragon slumbered. Yet we are no further able to kill him let alone penetrate that damn barrier around where he sleeps! Tell me. How is mother supposed to have peace of mind when he still exists? When will he wake to slaughter us all again. And for what?! All because we want our one true goddess returned to her throne instead of pretenders!"

He growled as I looked on. "Dragon? Slumber? Barrier? Are they talking about me?" I thought as I slithered past them all toward the darkest part of the tunnels I could find.

A chill settled into the air making me change into a more fur covered mole. The change was a little taxing as it was smaller and harder to concentrate. But I pushed on.

I soon made it to a stone doorway. Dark energies surged from behind it's heavy frame. "Found you." I whispered as I expanded to my normal form. It was dark enough here that noone could possibly see me.

I placed my hands on the handles and pulled. The doors groaned heavily echoing through the tunnel as they opened. But before any could come check I slid inside and closed the doors quickly.

"And who is it that dares enter my chambers?" A woman's purr echoed through the room. Torches of blue fire lit themselves along the walls leaving only the doorway dark. The room was large and circular. It spanned 40 feet in width and length. I would almost say the same for height except for a chandelier hanging from the ceiling made it seem smaller.

At the opposite end of the chamber was a bed surrounded by drapes. And on it sat a woman. Her skin was pale and the upper part of her face was veiled but the lower half revealed a coquettish smile. Dark hair fell down her body like a waterfall as her shadow filled robes hung about her body revealing a fair amount of skin as a type of allure. And she had the figure to support it.

I felt the disgust from my shadow. Nox didn't approve of this. And it's not like I couldn't understand why. It was like seeing a person steal from a bank using your face. It was just wrong.

I stepped into the light and I saw the woman's slightly alluring smile fade. A look of confusion taking its place.

"You? No. You should be sleeping beneath the castle of Melra right now. Is this a trick?" She wondered aloud as I continued forward. As I walked the flames in the room changed. The blue fires changed to a visibly brighter yellow filling the room with more light.

My scales reflected the light perfectly like a walking treasure trove. My jewels and horns shined as I walked making the woman realize exactly who I was.

"No. That's not possible! Apollo promised you would be sleeping at least another hundred years!" She cried as I approached.

I smiled. "I'll deal with Apollo after I'm finished with you. Or perhaps I should let you deal with yourself?" I said as Nox stepped from my shadow. Her being made the surrounding darkness shake and quiver as she moved.

The Shard stared in horror as she realized who the woman beside me was. "No! I will not be destroyed by that lesser creature!" She shouted as she threw a bolt of corrupted red shadows at us.

It was quickly blocked and destroyed by Nox. Her brazier blazed with cold light burning the attack to nothing but mist. She looked at me as though asking for permission.

"Go on. It's your turn. Just let me filter it before you try absorbing the fragment."

She smiled. "Yes father." She said as she turned to her trembling enemy. Her burning brazier seeming to shine brighter than usual.