Hunting [3]

The gaunt vampire raised his hands, summoning a final surge of electricity that crackled wildly in all directions. The remaining vampires, emboldened by their leader's determination, charged one last time with renewed ferocity.

"Aric, keep that civilian alive, no matter what," Reaper ordered, his voice sharp and commanding.

Aric nodded, his fiery barrier growing even larger to shield the unconscious man. "I've got this! Just don't get yourself killed out there, Reaper!"

Reaper smirked under his mask. "Don't worry about me, professor. Worry about keeping up."

The battlefield descended into chaos as Reaper engaged the gaunt vampire head-on. Lightning clashed against wind as their powers collided in a dazzling display of raw energy. Reaper's movements were a blur, his sword slicing through the air with precision and force. Each strike was met with an equally powerful counterattack from the vampire, their duel pushing the limits of their abilities.

Meanwhile, Aric faced three vampires on his own. One hurled shards of ice, another conjured waves of shadow, and the third spewed a noxious cloud of acid. Aric spun his staff, creating a vortex of fire and wind that repelled their attacks. The flames roared to life, consuming the ice shards and dispersing the acid cloud. With a well-aimed blast of fire, he incinerated the shadow-wielder, leaving only two opponents in his path.

Reaper, still locked in combat with the leader, gritted his teeth. "You're putting up a good fight, but let's see how you handle this!" With a burst of energy, he unleashed a whirlwind slash that tore through the vampire's defenses, sending him stumbling backward.

The gaunt vampire snarled, his crimson eyes blazing with fury. "You think you've won? You're blind to the truth. This is only the beginning."

"Blah, blah, blah," Reaper mocked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You villains really love the sound of your own voices, don't you?" He dashed forward, delivering a devastating strike that severed the vampire's arm. "Next time, save the speeches for someone who cares."

Aric, meanwhile, had managed to overwhelm his remaining opponents. With a combination of fire and wind, he created a blazing inferno that consumed the ice-wielder. The acid-wielder tried to retreat, but Aric's flames caught up, reducing it to ash. Breathing heavily, he turned toward Reaper. "I'm done here! Need any help?"

"Help?" Reaper scoffed, dodging another lightning strike from the gaunt vampire. "I've got this under control. Just keep playing nurse over there."

Aric huffed, but he couldn't deny that Reaper was handling the fight with terrifying efficiency. The gaunt vampire, now missing an arm, staggered backward, his energy fading. Yet he still managed a chilling grin. "You're too late… the sovereigns and archons have already been lured away. Kythera is unguarded. The chaos will spread, and you can do nothing to stop it."

Reaper's eyes narrowed behind his mask. "Guess we'll see about that." With one final, wind-infused slash, he decapitated the gaunt vampire, ending the fight in an instant. The vampire's body crumpled to the ground, and his eerie grin faded as his crimson eyes dimmed.

The battlefield fell silent, save for the crackling of Aric's dying flames. Reaper sheathed his sword, his demeanor calm and collected as he surveyed the scene. "And that's how it's done."

Aric approached cautiously, his face pale. "What did he mean by chaos spreading? Is something bigger going on?"

Reaper shrugged. "Probably. But that's above our pay grade. Let's report this to the higher-ups and let them deal with it."

Aric frowned, his mind racing with questions. "You're not worried at all?"

Reaper tilted his head, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Oh, I'm terrified, professor. Really. Now let's grab this civilian and get out of here before something else shows up."

Aric sighed, shaking his head. "You're impossible."

"Thank you," Reaper replied with a mock bow. "Now move it. I don't get paid to babysit."

"Alright, dude, chill out," Aric said, rolling his eyes as he pulled out his device to report the situation. He detailed the encounter, mentioning the gaunt vampire's cryptic warning about a "big play." His voice was steady, but there was a hint of unease in his tone.

Reaper, meanwhile, stood a few steps away, his gaze fixed on the horizon. The first rays of dawn were beginning to creep over the cityscape, painting the edges of the sky in soft hues of orange and pink. He squinted slightly, his mind racing as he thought, 'I bet Elara's already got the report from Vikar by now'.

Casually scanning the area, he noticed nothing unusual. No hidden traps, no lurking threats. For now, the battlefield was quiet. Too quiet.

"Let's go, Reaper," Aric called out, slipping his device back into his pocket. "The higher-ups said they'll take it from here. Three sovereigns are arriving in the city within the next four hours."

Reaper let out a dramatic sigh, sheathing his blade with a flourish. "Alright, fine. I guess I'll just—"

He froze mid-sentence, his entire body stiffening. His sharp eyes narrowed as he turned toward the east, his instincts screaming. A moment later, he felt it—a presence. A colossal, suffocating wave of energy swept over the city like an unseen tidal force. It wasn't just powerful; it was Malevolent.

Aric's eyes widened in alarm, and his breath hitched. "Do… do you feel that?"

Reaper didn't answer right away. His head tilted slightly, his posture tense, as if listening to something only he could hear. His voice, when he finally spoke, was low and grim. "We're over three kilometers away from whatever that is, and I can still feel it this strongly."

Aric gulped. "That's… that's not normal, right?"

"No," Reaper replied, his tone unusually serious. "This isn't normal. This isn't even close to normal." He clenched his fists, his mind racing. Then, a wry, almost amused grin tugged at his lips. "Hoo… so this is the 'big play' they were talking about."

Aric stared at him, his own panic barely contained. "You can't seriously be joking right now! What even is this?!"

Reaper exhaled slowly, his gaze darkening as he scanned the distant skyline. "It's a fallen creature".

Aric blinked, confused and terrified. "A… fallen creature?"

Reaper glanced at him, his expression unusually sharp. "You've heard the stories, haven't you? Beings from the old wars—ancient things twisted by their own power. Most of them were wiped out centuries ago… but not all of them."

Aric paled, his voice barely a whisper. "And now one of them is here?"

Reaper turned his attention back to the horizon. The sun was climbing higher, but its warmth did nothing to ease the cold chill spreading through the air. His fingers twitched instinctively toward the hilt of his blade.

"Looks like it," he said, his tone laced with equal parts intrigue and irritation. "Well, guess I'm not getting any sleep today."

The oppressive presence hung in the air, heavy and unrelenting, as if daring them to come closer. Somewhere far off, a faint rumble echoed, like the first stirrings of a storm.

"Let's move," Reaper said, his voice cold and commanding. "We're going to need a sovereign for this one."

Aric hesitated but nodded, gripping his staff tightly as he followed Reaper. The battle had ended, but the real fight was just beginning.