The Sagas: The Hunt

In Darkness

Darkness that was all she could see in front of her, as she ran across the forest floor as fast as he could. She could run faster, but the heavy equipment she was carrying slowed her down. Stopping, she gasped for air. Her lungs were on fire, and her clothes drenched in sweat. She had lost her way a long time ago and did not know where to go know and now was struggling just not to kill over from the strain she was in. She soon thought to herself about what she learned from his mentor before it happened. “Fall back and regroup” she said between breaths, knowing that numbers were his only chance if he was going to make out of here. She just had to find the meeting place were any survivors would go to if the mission was fucked in all possible ways.

But she then realized she still had his compass on him as she started to think, "Southeast, southeast, southeast." Maranda whispered to herself and slowly made her way to a rendezvous point as quietly as she could. What gear she had left was some rope, a few bolts and his crossbow that she managed not to drop from the ambush. The forest was not quite at all as she heard crickets, the wind and the occasional owl in the distance, but she used it to his advantage made he way closer and closer to his destination. Her mind was focused on his surrounding to ensure in heard anything unusual, nothing so far, maybe she lost them. Sometime passed but she final saw the rendezvous point, but no one was there and it put her on edge after realizing that and readied her crossbow to ensure that he was ready for anything. She was a half a mile away before he realized he was being watch, not from the ground, but from the trees and tried to at as calm as possible to avoid arousing suspicion to his stalker. She had to plan this perfectly if she was going to get him before he did and that would be difficult to do as she have to shoot him before he could realize what was happening. "Steady, now almost there." she said to herself as she was almost right on top of him, and she was prepared. As if the world stopped in place she was ready for this encounter and would not fall for such a trap again. The tree branched move from up above and fired right at it without hesitation. A man fell from the tree with a loud thud and was groaning from the fall as he fell onto his back. She loaded another bolt into her crossbow and steadily advanced to her would be attacker. A she look up him , it was certain that his face mixed with anger and respect on what just happen. "D-d-damn women, how in the seven devils did you know?" Revealing a much older man uncertain whether he should be rubbing his back from the fall or the weighted bolt hit him square in the chest. The bolt she shot was just had a round metal piece, so it was non lethal, but is still hurt like a bitch. "You're getting old in your age, Sullivan." she said as she past him knowing that he was no longer a threat, now that he was out of the match. "You right about that lassie, but you forgot one thing, you thought I was alone." he said it with a smirk. Hearing those words she tried to turn around as quick with her crossbow at the ready "Shi-" before she could say it the back of her head was in such great pain and the force of it knocked her to the ground and for a moment everything black.

When she regained some clarity of what just happened she was pulled up by her hair and felt a knife at her neck and her eyes were back on Sullivan who kneeled down as she was on her knees at this point. They both locked eyes on one another as he said, "you're dead." The knife quickly was removed from her neck and a foot pushed her to the ground. She got up as best she could as the blow to her had disoriented her. As she looked back at Sullivan, a slap came across her cheek from him. It wasn't as painful as the back of her head right now, but it still stung like a bee no matter how many time he did it to. "Another reminder for you to never underestimate the enemy." Sullivan's famous reminder slaps were given out to every trainee that train under him. When he was asked why he did it he always replied "Pain is the best reminder to never forget something important." But still it fuckin hurts like a bitch! She didn't try to rub it since she was use to something like this, but the back of the head was an entirely different story. A she was rubbing it, she knew it was bleed from the liquid that was not their before and turned around to see her assailant. Revealing a man a few years older she was somewhat of a frenemy, Klaus. Her eyes were like daggers as she look at him. Your a fuckin ass, you know that Klaus." Saying it with an icy tone. He just smiled " You know that it wasn't against the rules to do that, Marand-ah! He words fell short as he felt excruciating pain from between his legs and fell. The woman's legs hit him right in the family jewels and would have keep kicking him if Sullivan didn't restrain her. That enough Miranda, he's learned his lesson, there's no need to kill him." As he tried to keep the angry brunette from tearing Klaus a new on. She struggled from a few moments but her anger subsided knowing that she made him regret what he did to her and it was quite funny seeing him squirm in agony on the ground. He let go of her and went over to Klaus picking up on his feet. "Man up you stupid boy, better this then a knife down there, he soon managed to regain he balance once again.

"So, am I the last one." Maranda with a cautious He looked at her and said "yes, your team lost the match." She groaned knowing that their rations would be cut for next week. Of course it would also mean that they would be going through rough training as well, but since they were not at Watcher’s Fort it would just be food rations this time around. A sharp whistle came from Sullivan and at least a dozen men and women came from all around the area. Many wearing different types of black clothing and carrying all sorts of weapons and gear on them. All gathered around Sullivan, along with Klaus and Maranda as he was about give the briefing for their contract. "All right you lot, I would say that was an exceptional exercise that just experienced." Some of seemed pleased with what they heard, but not everyone was sure that was the end of his sentence. " But that a whole load of horse shit with that disaster out there." All went silent knowing that they are going to get an earful from now. "What I saw was a was sloppy and undisciplined behavior from you unscathed." "Some of you some acceptations by managing to survive that little ambush from the more experienced hunter with us." He looked at Miranda from a moment and continued on. "If this was a real hunt you all most likely be dead on you first night if you were deal with a Werewolf! That was something that would make anyone feel unpleasant Maranda thought to herself. "You all know why your here, you have finished your training and are on your first hunt, most of you wouldn't be sent here on such a dangerous assignment, but we don't have manpower since most of are more experienced hunters are other assignments and we need every able body with us at the moment due to the danger of this assignment." All of them payed attention to him for ignoring such important information can be life and death on a hunt.

"The town of Cullfield has hired us to to deal with a Werewolf infestation that has plague the town, this was over a month ago. "Which means the next the full moon will be starting tomorrow night, meaning that we don't have that much time to spare before the beast goes on its killing spree." It took them a month just to get out here, many preparing weapons, reading up on Werewolves, honing their skills, Miranda most just was working on here aim for the most part but it improved since then. "You may be wondering why there are so many of us to begin with, it because we will be with a highly dangerous creature and we might be dealing with more than one of them at this point." This was not good at all one of those beasts could tear apart a dozen men alone, but in a pack they well be a dealing will a highly organized force that even trained soldiers would trouble with. " Sir, permission to speak." said a young man. Sullivan nod with approval. "shouldn't we have brought more men then sir?" An obvious answer that many of them were thinking but weren't willing to ask him.

He didn't give him a look but, but Miranda knew what was coming next. " I would say yes if I was a soldier or commoner who has no experience with sort of thing." Here is comes again. "But we are not some idiots who don't know jack shit about monsters and just think stabbing until it stops moving." His voice began to rise at it was directed at the man who said it. "We are Night Hunters of the Black Order! "Born and raised to kill things like this till they kill us!" Its was sort of a moral booster for them since most of they were a little worried. "But numbers won't be much of a problem since we will be getting some local aid like we most of us do in a hunt." His tone lower and continued talking normal again, the young man was silent after that. 'Each of us will be put into squads of tree with each one lead by a veteran, you will listen to them and follow their lead." Since there was a dozen of them, there would be four groups she thought to herself. Meaning that there was a chance one in three chance of not getting but the one person she did not want to listen to. Your team leaders will be choosing who they want in their group. "Shit!" she thought, just what she really not want to happen to her, now she knows who was going to pick her. Four hunters in group including Sullivan went across from them and everyone else went into a line. "Demas", "Jess" "Joshua", Attia. Good she hasn't be picked yet as the Sullivan and another hunter picked two other hunters. But then she feared the worst as the one person she did not want to work with was looking at her. "Don't pick me, don't pick me." She tried to not make eye contact with him. "Miranda" her heart sunk as she heard those words, out of all the people it had to be Terrance. She looked up at the man, he was only a few years older and was a bastard through and through. "Klaus." It felt being stabbed as she heard him say those words, being stuck with the worst people imaginable, she might as well feed herself to the Werewolves to end her misery.

As the final names were called everyone went to groups, she didn't even look at them, but she felt they were smiling at her telling her that your in lowest pits of the seven hells now. "All right then know that is in order, will each follow your leader orders within reason and keep close them or your dead." shouted Sullivan. "We will arriving in town by the morning, so get some sleep because it's going to be a busy day tomorrow." "Hold the Dark!" he shouted at them all. "Hold the Dark!" Everyone shouted in unison. Hold the Dark, the creed of the Black Order to keep the darkness at bay in order to protect the world of men from the creatures that live in it. Its something ever hunter remembers to go by and never forget, even if are are getting paid doing it. Everyone proceed to the wagons and started get on. Then she was stopped by a familiar face. "Well, looks like we're stuck together for the rest of the trip now." Klaus with that stupid grin of his, like nothing ever happen. He extended his hand and had a serious look on his face. "Look, I understand how you feel about me and were not the best of terms right." She definitely knew that since they been butting heads with one another since their training day. "But right now our best chance is took stick together on this one, especially with you know who." Miranda turned a little and saw Terrance already in the wagon. The red head was right about one thing, nobody liked Terrance, especially with the shit he's pulled. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, she thought. She looked back and clasped her arm with his. "Fine, but on one condition." He was listening. "You better take this seriously, this is no game." She gave him a the most serious look him her entire life. “Fine, I swear, that I will take this seriously. He put a hand on his chest and raised his right hand. It was good enough for her at the moment. “Alright, let’s go before they leave us.” They quickly headed on the wagon and went off into the night. Terrance just gave them and keep to himself for the whole ride.

The Arrival

“Wake up we’re here.” Miranda was shaken on the shoulder roughly by Klaus as she opened her to the sun light in her eyes, blinding her for a few moments before her eyes adjusted to it. She started to hear footstep and noises outside. Klaus looked at here as she woke up. "Come on princess, we have a busy day ahead and we best to keep old Terrance waiting." She woke up with a terrible headache and touched the back of her head, it hurt like hell. "How's your head, it is any better? He wasn't to worried about it even though he was responsible for it. Did you really have to hit me that hard you bastard." Miranda said as she tried her best to he focus, the headache wasn't helping. "We'll it either that or butting you in a chokehold, and we both know that you would win that round, hitting you from behind seemed the best option at the moment." A smirk showed up on his face and she just gave him a sour look. She slowly made her way out of the wagon and found herself in a busy street. Though it was not as busy as she thought it would their were a lot less people around and many of the building were barred up. She turned around to a large building which appeared to be the town hall. A lot of noise was coming from inside to building, it sounded like shouting. "Where are the others?" she asked. Sullivan and the other already went in to talk to mayor and it seems were have attracted some of the worried citizenry as well, hopefully everything stays under control."

The shouting continued from inside, it seemed to be getting louder and louder. "Fine lets get in there and or Sullivan will use us as bait tonight." She of course wasn't sure if he would actually do that but, he sure new one person who would. "You know that he not the on who would do that." She looked to see around to find Terrance anywhere. "Don't start with that." He was trying to shut here up even though its was true. "But it true and everyone knows it, they won't even face him to make him admit it." They were just walking to the hall at this moment and Klaus just wanted her to stop before she got herself in trouble. "Look you can't do anything about it, he's and veteran hunter and there is no evidence that he did it." He picked up the pass and she went after him. "Why is he the only survivor then and everyone that even works with him ends up dead? He stopped at the door and turned to her. "Just drop it, it happens during a hunt, not everyone makes and some are luckier than most. " The look in his eyes were mixed with anger and fear and she could she it. But she stopped talking and decided to head inside to see what was happening. The first thing they heard was "Where were you when the beast tore apart my daughter?" An angry mob, they heard about these being apart of the business from some older hunters. The only thing from stopping the mob from reaching the group was a large group of guards that held them back. They made sure that weren't seen and made their way around the crowded as best they could. By the time they were spotted they were already behind the guards. They placed themselves behind Sullivan just like the others did. Everyone looked at them as they did seeing that they were the last one to come in. Luckily for them Sullivan didn't notice as he was busy with the crowd in front of them. "Alright, alright, I can see that your all upset, but were here now to deal with the infestation." Said Sullivan. "But we need your cooperation to see it done properly." The crowd did look like they were not stopping anytime soon, until a man sitting next to Sullivan got up, then they started to quiet down. He was a short man, but was well groomed and had this aura around him as if he had all the answers they were looking for. "Gentlemen please, can you all calm yourselves for a moment and let this man speak, he is after all here to help us with our problem after all. " said the man in a formal tone. "Now let him speak." He sat back down.
The crowd stepped away from the guards and began to take sets in the hall. Sullivan nodded to the man in approval and he did the same. "Alright, now that is out of the way, as you know your town has hired us to deal with the Werewolf that has been causing you trouble this last month, but we will be needing your full cooperation with this task." Some of the men in the crowd started to murmur to one another. "Meaning we will be needing volunteers and access to any resources should the need arrives." "I can understand that some of you have lost loved ones and think you can go and kill the beast yourselves." But I can tell you this, you'll be dead before the sun comes up if you do. It became early silent in the room. "But we know how the beast thinks and act, it our job to hunt these things and we have the equipment to handle these creatures." "So If you want to go back to your lives and not live in fear, then help us help you and by the time this full moon is over, we will all be on our ways." The crowd was silent, but one man stood up. He was still pretty young and looked nothing more then blacksmith due to his clothing. "I volunteer to fight the beast." another man stood up, then another soon enough most of the crowd had stood up all saying they would volunteer for the hunt. "Now that more like, all those who volunteered meet us at our wagons and you will be given you assignments, your all dismissed." Said Sullivan. The crowd started to leave the room and Sullivan turn to all of the hunters behind him. "With that lot out of the way we can get to more pressing business." He looked around to see if everyone was here. He turned to the man sitting next to him, who had turn his chair to looked directly at them. "This is Mayor Leontius, he was the one who sent for us." Miranda looked at him, for mayor he was not that old, but it looked like he had money to spend with the clothing he was wearing, most of it look like it cost a small fortune to pay more. Meaning he could pay for this business venture of theirs. "Yes, but I am far from impressed, most of them look like children that would run from danger. Children! That just made Miranda just want to beat the shit out of this rich prick. She was going to say something but Klaus grabbed her hand as if he knew what was about to happen. She started to collect her head after that and decided to stay in her place. But at that moment see just realized something, Terrance was no here! She couldn't think about it at that moment and just focus on the details of the hunt.

"I can assure you Mr. Leontius, they can handle themselves well enough when things get hairy." He still looked unimpressed with them. "If you say so my good sir." "Now then, let get down to business shall we." He looked directly at Sullivan "What do you like to start with pay or detail." It didn't take him a moment to think about it. "What can you tell us about last months incidents?" He took out a notebook from one of his pockets and started looking it over. " From what I know is that the beast attacked right around midnight on the first night of the moon." The first victims were not found until the next morning." "How many?" he asked. " Two, a pair of love birds trying to get some privacy in the forest, the bodies were torn to shreds with no way to identify them . Only way we did able to figure them out was the belonging that were near them when they died." "From what the physician told me, the bodies were not even eaten, just torn to pieces. Sullivan thought for a moment. "Must be a recently turned, a more seasoned one would not been so savage." Some of the veterans nodded in agreement "What happened the next night?" He turned a page and began reading it. " It turned to complete shit, a hunting party went what after the beast to put it down, only four out of fifteen came back and dare not go into the woods." "That how you found out it was a werewolf." The mayor looked over them again before looking back at Sullivan. "Indeed, I sent a letter the next morning to the Black Order after that and only hoped the next two night weren't as terrible." He turned a page again. " The third night wasn't terrible, everyone was put under a curfew and stay indoors.

"The beast only killed some livestock and some strays, it stayed away from the town mostly." He put the pad away into his coat and spoke from experience. "We weren't as lucky on the last night, it came into town and their were people outside believing the danger was over." "It killed everything it saw, it even broke into houses!" He began to rub his eyes as if he recalled that night in every detail. " I saw a monster out there, right in front of my house as it tore apart an armored guard as if it was nothing." "It almost got me too if it wasn't for this" He picked up a can with a fancy head piece on the end. Sullivan looked at it and knew what it was. "Silver, that would have held him off." He pointed to the bite marks in the staff and on the head piece. "Especial with you get it in its mouth." Klaus chuckled silently and Miranda just thought the man was a lucky bastard if she ever saw one. Life has some humor after all. He placed it on the table and waited what Sullivan wanted to hear next. "How many dead in total?" He hesitated for a moment as he blotted some sweat from his brow. " F-f-forty seven." he said with some difficulty." A few whisper went through the line nervously among the unscathed. "Forty seven!" "Spirit protect us!" "How is this possible!" Miranda and Klaus looked and one another, both of them think this is going to be a nightmare tonight. Sullivan looked at them and they quickly stopped and went pack into place. "Did you find anyone who was bit." He took out his notebook again and looked down the page. "Well most of the bodies were torn up badly, but there were two people of interest. Terra Kestof and Dean Alten. They were both in their houses when their families were killed, but came out without a scratch. They both fled the next night before they could be apprehended. "So three then?" he gave him a questionable look. "I don't know, in all the chaos anything might have happened!" Sullivan thought for a moment and got an idea. "Were going to need some money up front before we start." Leontius didn't know what he was thinking and he didn't want to know. "Fine, How much do want." He gave him an honest smile. " Fifty silver crowns. He handed him a pouch from his pocket and gave it to him. " I'll pay that amount for every wolf you bring down, considered that for the first one." Now if you excuse me I have some business to attend to. He got up and head towards a back entrance and he was gone. Sullivan walked off towards the front and the rest followed.

Preparation

The hunters walked out of the town hall at a quick pace, Sullivan was up front with Miranda catching up to him from behind. "So how are we going to play this?" she said as reached Sullivan. He didn't even looked at her. "You are going to be teach our volunteers how to use are equipment." Training duty! That was the last thing she wanted to do. " You kidding right, I should finding out were that thing is going to be." They were at the wagon were the volunteers were waiting for them. "You're not ready for that yet and I already have someone doing that for me." He started to unload one of the wagons and handed a crate to her. Someone else already was doing it, she thought for a moment. She was shocked when figured out how it was. " You sent Terrance out there!" The continued to talk as they keep unloading the wagon. The other hunter were doing the same thing with the other ones too. " I know how you feel about the man, but I trust him and he is an experienced hunter, unlike you a novice who has much to learn. " She couldn't do much about it now since he was not here. "I know how you fell right now but just trust me on this and do your job, for my sack at least." He gave here the last crate with a sincere look. She held it for a moment and sighed. "Fine, but I'm doing this for you, not for anyone else." She started to open the crates for gear she need. He smiled at her and got off the wagon. He walked in front of the crowd of volunteers and raised his hand with the pouch of silver in it. "Alright then, all those volunteering form a line and get your payment for your services." They quickly formed a line when they head payment. He's paying them? He walked over to Klaus to see if he knew what was happening. "What he doing that for, we never pay volunteers." He shrugged at her. "Beats me, though you knew, he is you uncle after all." Uncle, that was something that was never said around him at all, she just go use to calling him Sullivan all the time and nothing else. "You each will be getting a silver piece for your services in this matter for risking your lives." He kept handing them each a silver piece and the line kept moving. But she then realized something at that moment, the veterans hunters looked tense as they watch the line move. She looked at Klaus. "Get your weapon ready she whispered." " What?" he said in confusion. "Just do it." She went to the wagon and casually took out the crossbow and slowly grabbed a silver bolt while no one was looking. Klaus realized what was happening and tried to find a weapon.

As the line moved on she slowly load her crossbow without making the faintest of sounds. She looked to see if anyone was acting strange as her bow clicked with the bolt in place. She saw odd movement in the line as a man was looking around frantically as he got closer to the front of the line. she slowed her breath and waited for the moment to act. Closer and closer he came towards the front as each person received a silver piece from Sullivan. Then final he bolted from the line and she aimed and fired with complete focus. A painful yell came from the man as the bolt went into his leg and fell. The veterans and Sullivan rushed him with their weapons out. She saw smoke coming from the man's leg. "Step back he's been bit!. Shouted Sullivan. Volunteers and bystander alike quickly stepped away from him. Miranda quickly rushed over with Claus behind her. As she looked at the man once more, Sullivan had a dagger a his heart. The man was not that old, he looked like he was in his early thirties from her guess. He was petrified with fear as he looked at Sullivan. "Where are the others? He asked him as the slowly pressed the knife into his chest. Smoke began coming from his chest. P-please, I don't want to die." "It's not my fault what that monster did to me." "I just want to go back to my life." He tried getting his arms free but it was no use, he was pinned down by the other hunters. Sullivan sighed, then sunk the dagger into his heart. A blood curtailing scream came from him as everyone jumped back from him. Then it was over and he remained lifeless on the stone street. "Alright there's nothing to see here, it time get you assignments." He quickly pulled the dagger out and got back up. She headed over to him and looked at the body. “Thought you would keep him alive for questioning.” As she pulled the bolt from his leg. “ He knew nothing, probably got bit and thought he could hide it. He started cleaning his silver dagger. “But why join the hunt then?” She asked. Probably heard the stories about killing the wolf that bit you could break the curse.” She knew that was a stupid myth to give them false hope. “You alright?” He looked at her as she was squeezing the blood covered bolt in hand. She remained silent. He place his hand on her shoulder and she returned from her deep thought. It startled for a moment as she moved away from his grasp. He asked her again, "You alright." in a more serious tone. She drop the bolt and looked directly at him. "I'm fine." She said, but that was not true, because of her he was dead and even though she didn't do didn't mean the guilty stayed with her. He sighed. It not easy this line of work, but when you first kill comes, it will be the hardest to deal with. He walk away to group of volunteer and started ordering them around. She thought about what he said for a moment, she didn't know what she would do when that time came.

She walked back over to wagon and continued to unload, Klaus did say anything as he saw the look in her eyes and planed his weapon down and began to do the same. It took them a few minutes, but they were able to finish and and started rounding up recruits to train. They of course were made to carry most of the gear and carry to an open courtyard a mile away from town hall. They of course were not happy doing it, but they were made otherwise as the word"bait" was used by Maranda if they didn't listen to her, which they absolutely obeyed. After they were don setting up the training truly began for them as they sun was high above them. "Alright then you lot, here is what's going to happen." shouted Klaus. "We are going to make you into decently trained hunters in the next few hours, meaning that you have to listen to everything we have to say or you will not live to see another sunrise after tonight." A murmur went through the crowd as he said this. "Of course we will be doing most of the hard work when it happens, you will mostly be there for support." " But does not mean you will be out of harms way at all, your life expectancy will be higher then usual. Maranda pick some weapons and began to shoved them into the chests of the first row of volunteers in front of her. "You will each be given a task and you will obey our every command from now on, there will be no break until we get it right" "Is that understood." Mummers that sound like yes came from the crowd. "You have to be louder then that, you maggots!" he shouted. "Yes." as a louder shout came from the volunteers. "That more like it, now get moving." he said as a smirk went across his face. They were all divided into three groups, weapons, traps, and support. Maranda was training most of them with crossbow and Klaus made sure no one lost a hand from the traps that they training with. As for support, they swapped out from time to time to to ensure no one got killed while handling it. Then after a few hours they started to get the hand of it. "Maranda, Klaus report." said Terrance as he arrived in the courtyard. Anger began to build up inside of Maranda as he heard his voice. But suppressed it as she took a deep breath and exhaled. She started to walk over and so did Klaus to the tall blonde by the entrance of the courtyard. She tried her best to remain calm him front of him, but memories began to flood her mind of what happened all those years ago. She was but a girl when it happened, but it was something she could never forget. The day he came back with the bodies of her parents. Being ten years old didn't help either, but death comes it this line of work one way or another. But he was the only one of six hunters that survived from that hunt and all the hunters that were there were experienced veterans, how did he end up being the only one alive? From what she heard, it was a ghoul contract and that it got many people killed in the process. Then the rumor started to spread that he used them as bait to kill the ghouls and they all were killed because of them. No one even tried to confront him about it, they just whispered and watched, while here parent's were given no justice.

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this is for the kyanite anthology and feed beck is really appreciated, especially dealing with strong competition in the challenge.