The Hunt

Ian stood at the edge of the forest, watching the wagon disappear into the distance. 

The rhythmic clatter of hooves against dirt faded, swallowed by the silence of Blackblood. The trees rose around him, their gnarled branches stretching out like skeletal fingers, their bark slick with moisture from the damp air. 

A heavy scent of decay clung to the earth, thick and cloying, mingling with something more primal, something foul. The rustling of unseen creatures echoed through the underbrush, sending an involuntary shiver down Ian's spine.

He couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

Beside him, Eli stood motionless, his expression blank. 

The golden rings woven into his dark dreadlocks caught the weak light filtering through the canopy, glinting like a crown. Unlike Ian, he seemed unaffected by the unnatural stillness of the forest. 

His golden eyes swept their surroundings, sharp and alert, but his posture remained infuriatingly relaxed.

"How familiar are you with mana beasts?" Eli asked suddenly, his voice cutting through the silence. Without waiting for a response, he turned and strode deeper into the forest, forcing Ian to follow.

"I know nothing about them," Ian admitted, his voice low, wary.

Eli scoffed. 

"That's unusual. Even a slave like you should have heard the stories." He glanced at Ian, amused, then continued. "Mana beasts are creatures born from concentrated mana or corrupted by ancient forces. They range from minor pests to entities capable of reshaping the world."

Ian frowned. "Reshaping the world?"

Eli nodded. "Some beasts are strong enough to raze kingdoms, devour armies, or distort reality even."

Ian's stomach tightened. He had expected danger, but not on this scale. 

"And what exactly are we facing?"

Eli smirked. "Only the weakest of them, if we're lucky."

They walked in silence for a while, the ground soft beneath their boots. The deeper they ventured, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. Shadows moved unnaturally, slithering between trees as if alive. 

Ian swore he could hear breathing that wasn't their own.

"There are seven ranks of mana beasts," Eli continued as they entered a small clearing. 

The dying light of the setting sun barely reached through the thick foliage, casting streaks across the forest floor. "But we will focus on the three lowest: vermin, predators, and hazards."

Ian crossed his arms. "And why just those three?"

"Because anything stronger, and you won't live long enough to learn."

Ian swallowed hard, his throat dry. He had fought men— a killer, the brute, monsters in their own right—but this was different. 

This was unknown.

Eli stopped abruptly and swept his hand through the air. The trunks of several trees nearby split cleanly, toppling over as though cut by an invisible blade. Ian's eyes widened as Eli stacked the wood into a pile and, with a single tap of his finger, ignited it into roaring flames.

The ease with which he manipulated his surroundings unsettled Ian more than he cared to admit.

"Sit," Eli ordered, lowering himself onto a fallen log.

Ian hesitated before obeying, his gaze darting around the darkened woods. 

The fire cast flickering shadows, but beyond its glow, the night was absolute. The forest was alive with distant howls and the occasional snap of a twig. It felt as if the trees themselves were watching.

"The deeper we go, the stronger the beasts become," Eli explained, his tone calm despite the tension in the air. "Right now, we're only in vermin territory."

"The weakest rank," Ian murmured, trying to mask his unease.

Eli nodded. "Compared to other ranks, they're nothing special. But they're still mana beasts, which means they're faster, stronger, and more resilient than an average man. Underestimate them, and you die."

Ian stared into the flames, his mind far from settled. 

This was different—there were no rules here, only the forest. 

Only the hunt.

It excited him.

"So, when do I fight one?" he asked, voice steady.

Eli didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gazed into the fire, his smirk returning. 

"Now."

Ian frowned. "What do you mean, now?"

Eli tilted his head slightly. "Look to your left."

Ian's body tensed as he turned his head. At first, he saw nothing but darkness. Then—

Glowing red eyes.

A creature stepped forward, emerging from the shadows just beyond the fire's reach. It was dog-like in shape but grotesquely wrong. Its matted black fur clung to an emaciated frame, its limbs too long, its spine arched unnaturally. 

Jagged teeth jutted from its maw, saliva dripping from between its fangs as it growled, the sound low and infected. The air around it shimmered faintly, charged with energy that could be mana.

Ian's fingers twitched, his body preparing to react. 

The beast's eyes locked onto him, filled with hunger and primal rage. Every instinct screamed to move, to attack, to defend—but he hesitated.

Eli sighed. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

Ian tore his gaze from the creature and met Eli's golden eyes. There was no concern there, no urgency—only expectation.

"Go kill it."

The beast lunged.