Thick, murderous tendrils struck out from every shadow across the battlefield, obeying the relentless commands of their master. They slithered and coiled through the air with unnerving sentience, each one determined to fulfil the necromancer's desire and finally put the hunter down. However, Louie was determined to make it an impossible task.
The Wraith maintained a constant distance between his attacker, drawing the mage forward as he became a blur flying across the depot, with such superhuman agility the necromancer's power struggled to track him. To Louie's satisfaction it was becoming evident, as the shadow strikes grew increasingly vicious and desperate, of the necromancer's growing frustration at its constant failure. And this irritation only festered with the verbal and gestured taunts the Wraith enjoyed randomly throwing out during their clash.
To a spectator's gaze, their bout would seem like a choreographed dance. Louie bounded and twisted out the path of any incoming attacks without missing a step and his sword would abruptly burst into arcs of sliver, grinding up sparks into the night as it deflected and shredded any attacks he judged unworthy of dodging.
Shadows flew past their mark and were left to wreak havoc on the environment, either that or they were purged instantly by enchanted steel. Warehouses were shredded to rubble as if they were made of soaked paper. Gravel was crushed down to dust, and shallow ditches were carved into the ground. After only minutes of their battle, the entire depot was a poorly illuminated and rugged landscape of cloudy air and debris.
Orus stormed forward without apprehension, its fingers curling and arms splayed out as it channelled more power from the Abyss. Louie flipped back as a shadow tried to disembowel him and then instantly spun his sword shredding a flanking pack of tendrils, attempting to catch him off guard while he was in the air. He landed firmly on a high pile of rubble at a calculated distance, safe from any imminent danger.
The gashes on his face, he'd received earlier, had already clotted and began to heal and he'd received no further injuries since. However despite this, he had not delivered any effective blows to the necromancer. And that was not the only issue he was faced with. Orus showed no signs of slowing down, in fact it almost seemed like the mage was still warming up. As if it was slowly remembering how to unleash it true power after decades, no, maybe even centuries, of keeping it dormant. Louie knew it wouldn't be killed while it remained linked with its magic and to the Abyss. To add to his long list of difficulties, the same bottomless stamina could not be said for the Black Wraith, while he showed or felt no indication of exhausting any time soon, he was still mortal and consequently held back by the laws of life. If it came to battle of attrition, combined with his inferior power he reluctantly had to admit the odds weren't stacked in his favour.
Clearing his thoughts, the Black Wraith stood tall and unwavering, his sword rested across his back glistening under the moonlight, a beacon of resistance against the surrounding darkness. His experienced eyes overcame primal instincts and looked beyond the incoming threats. His gaze scanned the entire battlefield analysing every detail and formatting his next actions in a split second.
He only had one shot at this, if Orus managed to realise his plan before he could act, defeat was guaranteed. He had no reinforcements coming or any other strategies of negating the necromancer's magic. It would be left to a long, drawn-out battle where, once exhausted, death's cold embrace would finally claim him. The Wraith had never feared death, it had not even fazed him since being a child, but what would follow did. It sent him beyond terrified and stoked a relentless rage. It struck him like a rusted, jagged blade through the heart. If he failed, Orus would claim Rosa, the hunters would be slaughtered, and dire consequences would follow creating a future the Wraith couldn't allow to pass. It didn't matter if God itself willed it, failure could not happen.
Suddenly, Louie felt a tingle prick at his skin as the air shifted. He instantly dipped forward, avoiding a shadow blade attempting to pierce open the back of his skull. It darted on past. But then without losing an iota of speed, it abruptly curved back finding its target once again. It shot forward, like a bullet, towards the centre of his face hoping to bisect his skull, but Louie's sword was already in motion. Enchanted steel shredded the darkness to nothing, erasing the cursed magic from existence upon contact.
His attention locked back onto Orus who was still calmly approaching without care, gathering even more shadows to his aid.
"Something wrong? You were speaking with such conviction before Wraith. But now look at you. Here you are, helpless like every hunter before you, only able to scurry round like a rodent trying to avoid a cat. Better than most before you, I'll admit, yet a rat none the less," Orus stated, completely monotone.
Louie didn't respond to the insult. He showed no reaction at all, acting as if the necromancer hadn't even spoke. He hunched down building power in his legs, his sword was held backwards in his right hand, the handle facing the necromancer, and his whip was drawn in his left hand. Despite his clear preparations to go on the offensive the mage didn't slow down or hesitate for a moment.
The Black Wraith burst forth, with such velocity the air trembled and the pile of rubble he'd leapt off was crushed to dust.
The camaz pounced the moment Valdosk declared his command. Instantly, the hunters launched into action. Blades were brandished, firearms erupted, and incantations were unleashed, as the hunters met the sea of camaz headstrong. Swords, hatchets, daggers as well as other chosen melee tore and shredded the flesh and fur of beasts. The scent of gunpowder burnt thick in the air as gunshots bore holes into limbs and torsos. The hunters held off the onslaught with unrelenting will and unwavering tenacity, even as every camaz they slaughtered was replaced by the seemingly infinite reinforcements that kept emerging from the darkness.
Rosa didn't think the hunters had held back in their earlier assault but their performance now, dwarfed their previous display, in every possible aspect. They'd entered a state of overdrive, a primal trance of pure adrenaline. Every strike, motion and action was brutal and flawless. The synchrony between each hunter was impeccable.
Emma hacked and slashed with expert technique and skill, sending limbs, flesh and blood flying through the air, all while casting powerful, nigh invisible mystical forces that crushed, crippled and pushed monsters back. From the middle of the kill circle, Sam laid down support fire with a matt black pistol, she'd received from her sister. Audrey and the commander fought with such power and skill, Rosa could only think to describe them as monstrous. Despite being in a close ranged melee, the marksman showed no signs of hinderance against the camaz as her rifle spun around the kill circle unleashing what sounded like an arsenal of fireworks as it ruptured camaz like gruesome water ballons. The commander bared no weapons and chose instead to brawl with the monsters, using his fists and magic alone. He struck the camaz with such power they were sent reeling back with a skin crawling crunch, all while unleashing more ferocious and intense blasts and streams of fire than any hunter Rosa had seen yet. They roared through the air from his hands, like starving predators, engulfing camaz and turning them from screaming beasts to scorched corpses in moments.
Rosa, felt the searing heat glow upon her skin as she, remained paralyzed on the ground, staring speechless as her sister and the hunters fought against impossible odds. Despite the hunters holding their own and butchering dozens of camaz in mere minutes, the dread and fear which clung and crippled Rosa's bones and muscles never left her. She knew, they couldn't keep this up for long. Even now the camaz began to steadily advance further in their assault with each reinforcement and many of the hunters had begun to slow down with each swing of their blade or casted spell. And then there was Valdosk.
The vampire lord was still yet to make a move. He stood motionless, his thick arms resting formally behind a broad back as he watched the vampiric armada descend on the hunters. He was turned away from Rosa, completely vulnerable, his focus upon the deadliest hunters. Desperation and newfound ambition began to slowly restore warmth and sensation to Rosa's body. She had to help, the hunters couldn't last much longer. If she sat here doing nothing they'd be butchered. Sam would die. Emma would die. Instinctively Rosa reached for her dagger but found the sheath empty, her eyes tracked it to Sam's hand. Rosa cursed beneath her breath.
Rosa desperately ran a hand along her body hoping a weapon had magically spawned upon her person but of course she found nothing. She was completely helpless. She needed that power. Rosa didn't have a single idea of what it was, nor how it worked, or even how to activate it. But she knew, one thing, it was powerful. Her mind flashed back to the school attack where she managed to snap the camaz's arm with nothing but a scream. But how did you access a power you never knew you had?
Rosa's eyes snapped shut as she attempted to enter her subconscious like she did when returning to a vision. She hoped that if there was a powerful latent potential hidden within that she'd find it there. Rosa hadn't noticed anything when revisiting past nightmares but then again she hadn't been searching for it. If any secrets hid within her then they had to be there. She embraced the darkness her eyelids brought and attempted to block out her environment and sink deep into her soul. As she traversed further inside herself on pure instinct alone, not truly understanding the process herself, it felt as if she'd entered a maze of infinite possibilities all while being blind in the pitch black. How the hell was she ever meant to navigate something like this? She attempted to advance forward pushing the dark abyss and the fog filling her mind aside.
Suddenly a feral snarl and a stabbing pain snapped her back to reality. Rosa yelped as pain radiated up from her leg. Her head shot back to see the gigantic paw of a camaz pressing down on her leg with such pressure she was scared it'd be crushed.
"Don't move," Valdosk growled.
Rosa turned to see the vampire's lords crimson eyes glaring down upon her. Fear ran down her spine under the predatory gaze. Unable to match his stare, her head dropped to the ground trembling, only to find out she'd accidentally shuffled forward in her trance like state.
"I was told to take you alive," Valdosk stated. "Nothing was mentioned about unharmed. Sit still or I shall have no issuing delivering you as a cripple." It shot her cold, fanged smile that made her entire body shudder, "And perhaps without some blood. Discover what is so special about you girl." As the vampire spoke, the camaz pushed down further, emphasising the severity of the vampire's words. Rosa forced herself to hold in a cry as tears began to brim in her eyes.
"Get away from her!" Emma roared, wrath singed into every word.
Seeing the vampire lord standing above her trembling sister, her rage boiled over and composure shattered. Her eyes, filled with nothing but hate and desperation, were locked onto them even as she slaughtered another monster. She entered a tunnel vision like trance, uncaring of her surroundings nor her position and role in the defensive formation. Tossing the camaz corpse aside, Emma attempted to push forwards but was instantly blocked off by the army of camaz. The powerful grip of the commander ragged the back of her coat. Emma cursed as her sister grew further away.
"Keep your head straight sergeant," commander Ruthor ordered.
A camaz pounced upon him. He claimed one of its fangs in his grip holding it up before it could take him to the ground. His fist ignited into flames, and he struck the camaz, plunging his fiery fist deep into its chest. Bones cracked and the flames burst across its hairy body, soon reducing it to ash. The commander's thick overcoat had become singed from his extensive use of fiery incantations, dozens of holes being burnt into its material and its ends frayed. He exhaled a misty and charred breath as he prepared for the next incoming attack. These camaz truly did feel endless, everywhere Emma glanced more crimson eyes appeared. They wouldn't be able to hold out for much longer. Many of her hunter allies where slowly exhausting and if they fell the defence would breakdown rapidly and they'd be overrun in an instant.
"Where in the fucking seven hells is Louie," the commander growled.
"He went after Orus," Emma informed. "That's the thing that killed my parents."
With their how dire their situation was, she no longer cared about maintaining the secret. The commander stuttered for a moment, stunned, and it almost cost him his life, but he quickly snapped back to reality and at the last second sent the camaz flying with a fiery eruption.
"He went after the last necromancer alone. If we get out of this remind me to kill him," the commander barked. "And that's if he even survives. How did this even happen? Why wasn't I informed?"
"Well I didn't really have much of a choice did I? It's fucking Louie, you try and control him," Emma snapped, uncaring about her tone or attitude. When faced with death, rank and privilege went out the window.
"That idiot hasn't changed a bit," Audrey chuckled, it was mixture of disbelief and humour. "As much as a pain in the ass he is, John we need to worry about ourselves. It won't matter if Louie kills it if he comes back and finds us all dead and the Rosa gone," Audrey called back to them before butchering another camaz using the last bullet of her magazine. A second one came in an instant. Audrey stepped forward to meet it slamming the stock of her rifle into its skull, sending it stumbling off balance. She then reloaded the firearm in efficient, swift movements, before the camaz could even recover its bearings and then spun the rifle's barrel upon it. The gun roared and tore apart its entire upper torso.
"He's facing a monster that's put knights in the ground," the commander said. "It survived the fucking purge. The council would deploy every knight they could if they knew it was here."
"And just how many times have both Louie and Zack turned down the Knights of Praedator? John we've both seen what he is capable of. He may not be the strongest nor able to use magic but he's the best fucking hunter we know, I'd even go as far to say the world. If anyone can kill that abomination it's the Black Wraith," Audrey responded.
The commander remained silent as he slaughtered an incoming assault. "I pray you're right," he said, his voice low and gruff. "As I fear if either one of us loses tonight, it won't just be the end for the division, it'll endanger the entire organisation."
"Speaking of us, what is the status on reinforcements?" questioned Emma.
"Negative," the commander admitted, gravely. "We lost contact we Zack after the mission failed and the HQ doesn't have enough hunters to send reinforcements without leaving it unguarded. So unless they decide to break the code we're on our own," the Commander informed.
"Reinforcements or not we need to act. If we keep trying to maintain this wall we'll be overrun in minutes," Audrey stated replacing her magazine once again.
Emma glanced down at her ammo sling, the sniper was down to her last one.
"We need to recover Rosa," Emma said. The three of them as well as the other hunters were pushed closer together as their formation was forced to tighten under the relentless pressure of their attackers. "If she is taken it won't even matter if we manage to survive this," Emma continued now brushing shoulders with the commander.
The commander grunted frustrated with the situation, but still in agreement.
"Sam! if we open a path do you think you can grab Rosa and make a run for the HQ?" Audrey questioned her sister.
"Yes I -"
"Reckless suicides will get us nowhere" barked the commander.
"Then what do you propose?" snapped Audrey, as she fired off three more bullets and widdled down her remaining, precious ammo even further.
Before he could respond a pained cry called out from the defence formation. A camaz had managed seize hold of a hunter's leg. Its claws ripped into flesh, muscle and bone tearing the limb to ribbons. The monster attempted to pull the hunter away into the kill pit but the hunter beside him severed the camaz's hand at the wrist and threw the injured man back, into the centre of the formation besides Sam, who instantly began applying first aid. Without a moment of hesitation, the formation tightened filling in the vacant gap and the injured hunter began unloading his firearm and providing support fire, alongside Sam.
Despite their instant reactions and flawless execution the camaz were still able to advance upon them at a terrifying pace. Their numbers were just too great for the hunter pack to handle.
"Remember when I said we'll last minutes," Audrey said. "Scrap that."
"Commander!" many of the formation's hunter's called out, concern lacing their words.
"Fuck sake," the commander growled. "Everyone! Down!"
Without question every single hunter dropped to their knees and Audrey ragged her sister to the earth.
Instantly commander Ruthor's overcoat began to smoke and burn. Scorched patches spread across the fabric and soon it began to dissolve into small ember flares. As his overcoat floated away in the air the commander's muscular and powerful arms where revealed, the lower part of his sleeves had burnt away, unveiling identical, intricate black ink tattoos that travelled up and across his forearms. Commander Ruthor took in a deep and calm breath, unfazed as the armada of camaz charged. Suddenly the black ink on his arms began to glow orange like a budding flame, the light grew brighter and brighter, illuminating the night. Suddenly the amber light erupted setting the commander's arms ablaze. He lashed out in every direction, sending blasts, streams and balls of scorching fire across the battlefield. Valdosk leapt back and ordered the camaz to pull Rosa back with him, so they weren't caught in the crossfire. The flames travelled according to their master's will curving through the night air and striking each camaz head on. In an instant the entire battlefield was lit up by an array of screaming ablaze monsters that extinguished almost as fast as they'd ignited. After only moments, darkness returned as piles of ashes and scorched corpses littered the ground. The remaining camaz reinforcements hesitantly held back in the shadows.
"Why didn't he do that earlier," Emma heard Sam whisper to her sister.
Honestly, if you hadn't witnessed the spell before it was a valid question. It's destruction and ferocity was some of the best that pyromancy could produce however, that power didn't come without consequence.
The commander's clothes had become scorched ribbons and patches of fabric, his tattoos had returned to black ink and every muscle in his body painfully twitched and trembled. Heavy and exhausted breaths escaped and entered the commander's mouth, small embers danced within each one. His body would feel like it was burning from the inside out and he wouldn't be able to utilise any magic for a while, this only thing that was keeping him alive and functioning was the Noctrm coursing through his veins. Despite the pain Emma knew he was in commander Ruthor managed to stand tall and straighten what was left of his tie.
"Officer Lelan prepare to recover Rosa and retreat to HQ," he spoke calmly, through gritted teeth. "Captain Lelan and Sergeant Elacti with me. Hunters keep the camaz under control."
Without even waiting for a response, the commander turned to face Valdosk. The Vampire lord stepped forward away from Rosa to meet his opponent, an amused expression upon his face. Valdosk unfurled his arms from behind his back and tightened fists descended to his sides. Suddenly his crimson eyes gleamed, like a pair of blood moons, and he burst forward at a speed Emma couldn't hope to anticipate.