Hunting [2]

The circle of vampires closed in, their glowing crimson eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Each one exuded a menacing aura, their unique elemental abilities crackling in the still night air. The tension was palpable.

Reaper's sharp voice broke the silence. "Aric, guard the civilian. Don't get yourself killed trying to play hero again."

Aric nodded, kneeling beside the unconscious man he had just treated. His supportive gear flickered faintly as it stabilized the man's vitals. "Understood, Reaper! But be careful—there's ten of them!"

Reaper snorted, drawing his blade. The edges of the black sword shimmered with an eerie green glow as he infused it with wind energy. "Ten? I've fought worse odds while half-asleep. Just keep the cheerleading to a minimum, rookie."

Aric opened his mouth to respond but was cut off when one of the vampires lunged at Reaper. This one wielded earth magic, its arms hardening into jagged stone claws. With a casual flick of his wrist, Reaper sidestepped and sliced clean through its torso, his sword's wind-enhanced blade leaving a faint trail of green light.

"One down," Reaper said smugly. "Next?"

The vampires hissed in unison, their bloodlust intensifying. Two more attacked simultaneously—one wielding fire, the other water. Streams of flame and jets of water spiraled toward Reaper in a coordinated strike.

"Aric, you might want to stop gawking and actually do something," Reaper called, dodging the attacks with ease.

Aric, flustered but determined, summoned his pyrokinesis. Bright flames danced around his hands as he unleashed a fiery barrier to block the water-wielding vampire from advancing toward him and the civilian.

"I've got this one! Focus on the others!" Aric shouted, his voice steadier than before.

Reaper smirked, his blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. He dashed forward, a whirlwind forming at his feet. The wind surged around him, lifting him off the ground for a brief moment before propelling him into the air. He descended like a hurricane, his blade cleaving through the fire-wielding vampire's neck in one fluid motion.

"Two down. Eight to go," Reaper said, landing gracefully. "Honestly, this is almost too easy."

The remaining vampires growled, their bloodlust replaced with a flicker of caution. The tallest of them, a gaunt figure with crackling electricity surging around his hands, stepped forward. His voice was guttural and commanding, issuing an order in a language neither Reaper nor Aric could understand.

"Looks like they're finally taking this seriously," Reaper remarked, twirling his blade. "About time."

Aric, still maintaining the fiery barrier around the civilian, shot Reaper a nervous glance. "Do you have to provoke them like that? We're already outnumbered!"

"Relax, professor," Reaper said with a smirk, casually swatting away a bolt of lightning aimed at him by slicing through it midair. "I thrive under pressure."

The gaunt vampire raised his hand, and the remaining vampires charged. Each of them unleashed their elemental powers in a chaotic, deadly storm—lightning, ice, shadow, and even acidic poison filled the air, creating a dangerous battlefield.

"Stay focused, Aric!" Reaper called as he darted forward, his blade slicing through a wave of shadowy tendrils. He spun, sending a sharp gust of wind outward that knocked back two vampires trying to flank him. "You just keep babysitting!"

Aric gritted his teeth, summoning twin whirlwinds of fire that spiraled around him. The flames roared to life, blocking an incoming attack from an acid-wielding vampire. He turned to the water-wielder and sent a blast of fire toward it, forcing it to retreat. "I'm not just babysitting, you know!"

"Could've fooled me," Reaper muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he parried a lightning-infused strike from the gaunt vampire. The force of the attack sent sparks flying, but Reaper countered with a powerful wind-enhanced slash that sent the vampire staggering back.

The gaunt vampire snarled, his crimson eyes blazing as he summoned a massive bolt of electricity. The other vampires coordinated their attacks, sending waves of ice, shadow, and acid toward Reaper in a synchronized assault.

"Aric, now would be a good time to stop being useless!" Reaper shouted, leaping into the air to avoid the barrage.

"I'm not useless!" Aric retorted, summoning a wall of fire that intercepted the ice and shadow attacks. The flames roared higher, illuminating the battlefield. He channeled his aerokinesis, sending a sharp gust of wind to disperse the acid cloud aimed at Reaper.

Reaper landed gracefully. With a burst of wind energy, he closed the gap between himself and one of the vampires, delivering a devastating slash that severed its arm. He followed up with a spinning strike that took its head clean off. "Three down. Seven to go."

Aric, emboldened by Reaper's offensive, launched a concentrated fireball at the water-wielder. The flames exploded on impact, engulfing the vampire in a fiery inferno. It shrieked in agony before collapsing into ash. "Got one!" Aric called out, a hint of pride in his voice.

"Good job, professor. Only took you half the fight," Reaper said, his tone dripping with mock approval. He spun on his heel, deflecting another lightning strike with a gust of wind before slicing through an ice-wielder trying to blindside him. "Four down. Six left."

The vampires hesitated for a moment, their numbers dwindling and their confidence shaken. The gaunt leader growled, his eyes narrowing as he raised both hands. The ground beneath them began to crackle with electricity, creating a web of deadly energy.

"Stay back!" Aric warned, reinforcing his fiery barrier to shield the civilian.

"I don't need your advice," Reaper snapped, leaping into the air to avoid the electrified ground. He twisted midair, hurling a blade of wind at the leader. The attack forced the vampire to break his concentration, and the electricity dissipated.

Seizing the opportunity, Reaper surged forward, his blade glowing with intensified wind energy. He struck down another vampire with a single, precise slash, then pivoted to deflect an acid spray from another. "Five down. Five left. You keeping up, Aric?"

Aric, surrounded by flames, managed to trap a shadow-wielder in a vortex of fire. The vampire screeched as the flames consumed it. "That's two for me!" he shouted, grinning despite himself.

Reaper rolled his eyes. "You want a medal for that?"

The gaunt vampire growled, his voice echoing ominously. "You're too late… this was never about survival. Our role in this game is done. The bigger play is about to begin."

The gaunt vampire's ominous declaration sent a chill down Aric's spine. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded, his voice shaky but resolute.

Reaper, however, didn't wait for an explanation. "Oh, no you don't, monologue boy," he said, dashing forward. His sword, crackling with wind energy, glowed brighter as he prepared to silence the vampire once and for all. "Your bigger play can wait until I'm done reducing you to ash."