Chapter 12- Hunt (2)

Previously~

Vincent returned his smile.

BAM! BAM!

They stomped the ground in unison, sending a pulse through the earth. For a brief moment, the fog cleared.

Raphael instantly understood. He unsheathed his spear with a sharp metallic hiss.

A horde of Whisperwights surged from the mists.

Realizing what was happening a second too late, Leon groaned and yanked his hair.

“Why?!” he shrieked, eyes wide with betrayal—only to see Vincent and Henry already perched on a tree branch, munching salted popcorn.

Leon exchanged a glance with Raphael and steadied his breath. Then, without hesitation, he drew his gladius.

VRAAAHSH!

WHRRR-BLAAZE!

“Haah!”

The boys charged forward—blades wreathed in flame—cutting through the fog.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SLICE!

Leon’s blade cleaved through the Whisperwight. It screeched, splitting in two as its body faded into the mist.

He flickered his blazing gladius. “This is easy!”

Raphael rushed forward, slicing any Whisperwight he could with his blazing spear. Slowly, the forest fell into a tense silence. Now, only the fog moved on.

Wiping the sweat off his face, Leon looked at Raphael, excitement and thrill of battle clearly visible.

“It’s getting boring!” Vincent complained.

“Is that so? Son of mine.” Henry tossed another kernel of salted popcorn in his mouth.

“Hmm…” Vincent brooded over something- “Father of mine, aren’t you missing mom?”

Henry looked at Vincent with both surprise and expectation.

Henry nodded.

“How about you go see mom.” Vincent tilted his head, giving him a smile.

“Will you babysit them?”

“Yes, father.” Vincent replied.

FWOOSH!

Henry vanished into thin fog, the branch shook lightly.

THUD!

Vincent descended the tree, hands folded. He looked at the surroundings. The misty air, the sight of Whisperwights gliding everywhere.

Then, with a smile that did not suit his face, he glanced at Leon and Raphael.

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“Hey! Come here.” Vincent called out.

Clenching their blades, the boys followed. Leon’s jaw clenched. His eyes flicked to Vincent’s smile — too calm.

“Do you know whose blood flows in your veins?” Vincent questioned with an all knowing smile.

“Leonhart and Duskrane.” Leon replied curtly,

“Tigranclaw and Duskrane.” Raphael said, running a hand through his hair.

“Good,-” he looked at them, curiosity blazing in their eyes - “Do you know the blood of the dukes and Count Duskrane is special?” His index finger stretched out, touching his forehead.

“WHAT?!” The boys closed in, barely holding their curiosity.

“Yes, they grant special talents to their bloodline.” Vincent continued, barely able to hold his snicker.

“Wow, what are they?” The boys asked innocently.

“Ahem”- Vincent loosened his shirt- “ The Leonhart blood grants exceptional sword talents and the Tigranclaw blood gives one spear talent!”

“Wow!” Leon glanced at his palms, as if reading his destiny.

“And Duskrane?” Raphael asked, looking at Vincent.

“Hha, the Duskrane is a special one.” Vincent smiled, teasing the boys.

“Come on! Tell us brother Vincent.” Leon protested.

“Ok, let me tell you.”- Vincent closed in - “Duskrane grants insanity to all the men and few women of its bloodline.”

“Whoa—wait, what?”

Their cheers deflated instantly, replaced by looks of betrayal.

“Insanity?” Raphael blinked. “Was that supposed to be a blessing?”

Vincent looked at them with a hooked smile. The boys felt fear, as if a hawk were watching its prey.

“I mean, that isn’t so bad!” Raphael exclaimed

“Yeah, it works!”- Leon chimed in- “As we can see a few lunatics.” he whispered the last part.

Vincent chuckled, “Do you want to awaken your talents?”

“Yeah!” The boys shouted in unison.

“Ok, here’s how- Vincent leaned in, his voice hushed to a silent whisker, and told them a path through the foggy Evergloam Thicket.

Location- Duskmirror Lake, Duskrane County

Henry’s boots pressed into the dew-slicked blades, a muffled rustle rising with every move. Clearing the grass, he sat comfortably.

CRUNCH!

He tossed a piece of popcorn in his mouth.

‘Let’s see what Orianne is doing!’

Olivia, Sophie and Amelia were busy fighting monsters. The lake reflected the sky, its view breathtaking…. its creatures, life threatening.

The ladies were surrounded by a swarm of Virelings, their bioluminescent eyes emanating bloodthirst.

Gloomhatcher’s stuck to their clothes. Exploding and biting at the most inconvenient timings. Murkebellies trying to catch them with their outstretched tongues.

SLICE!

Orianne cut through a group of Gloomhatchers.

WHOOSH!

A green circle appeared on her palm, sending their purple blood towards the Virelings. The eels writhed aways as soon as they came in contact with the poison.

A group of Murkebellies launched their tongues towards Olivia.

CROAK!

A vine jabbed with a wet pop, followed with a gurgled hiss of pain.

Olivia turned to see Sophie, a magic square pulsating around her gloves.

Suddenly, a whole horde of Murkebellies jumped on the group. A large field of purple haze spread throughout the area.

The monsters were slowed down, even a child could escape them at that speed. But the people in front of them were not the prey- they were the- predator.

With a nod, Amelia produced a large shard of ice in the air.

BREAK!

The shard broke into thousands of pieces.

PIERCE!

Ice rained on the monsters, their screams echoing throughout the area. Suddenly a batch of Gloomhatchers exploded, Olivia clenched her fist. Droplets of blood came together to form a large ball of poison.

SHLUNK!

Vines shot from Sophie’s feet, taking captive dozens of Murkebellies.

“Mother!”

The ball burst in a green blaze—Murkebellies spasmed and dropped, their croaks silenced mid-screech

GHRROOOOOAARRRGHHHH!

A growl blanketed the lake, monsters which lay dormant, asleep rushed out of the lake in a flurry.

Then- The Pale Maw stirred.

It rose without warning, a monstrous shape outlined in ghostly white, its scales dull like drowned bone. No eyes, only a wide, fleshless grin—its mouth a chasm of twitching tendrils and abyssal hunger. It didn’t roar. It didn’t thrash.

It simply opened—and the lake obeyed, tilting toward its gullet like the world remembered who ruled beneath.

Henry tossed another kernel. ‘Will they need help?’

The women remained unfazed. Olivia sighed sharply. “Finally, some fun.”

Olivia glanced at Orianne who nodded in response.

A deep, resonant hum built from silence, layered with crackling arcane static- like thunder restrained within glass. Symbols ignited with soft chimes and metallic rings.Whispers echo from nowhere, unintelligible but rhythmic—growing louder as the circle completes, until the air itself vibrates, trembling under the weight of ancient spellwork.

A huge magic circle pulsated with purple energy. Then-

BREAK!

The circle’s shards blew everywhere. Obsidian chains flew from the broken shards, holding the maw captive. In response the Maw roared, no change.

Ice shards flew towards the monster, piercing the slimy skin at its chest. Vines gripped the monster from everywhere. Small flowers bloomed on them, their pollen putting the beast to sleep.

With a faint whistle, high-pitched and distant—like a blade being unsheathed. The air shifted. Winds twisted inward, spiraling with a shrieking howl, growing sharper, tighter, until it screams like razorwire slicing through silk. The pressure crackled—branches creaked, stones rattled, and then—SHHKTT!—the Wind Cutter launched with a slicing burst, leaving a ringing silence in its wake.

The beast’s head rolled on the floor, blood bursting like a fountain. The world paused—windless, wordless—as if unsure it had just witnessed victory.

Henry leaned back. “Should have brought a drink with the popcorn. The real show is just beginning.”