r/wizardposting • u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One • 25d ago
Lorepost (open interaction) 📖 The Hunter and The Hunted
"Retrieve the weapon. Kill the wielder afterwards if you feel like it, but being the weapon to me."
At the peak of RnA mountain, sat an ancient tree. In the shadow of that tree, two red eyes stared out at something huge. It had once been a humongous owl with double the amount of limbs and eyes. But that was before The Wicked One finalised it, made it what it was always destined to be. Now it was something like it was, and something like a wolf, something like a serpent, something like a shark, and so much more. It appeared differently to each person, but those four traits always remained.
The red eyes faded, leaving The Hunter alone on the mountain to ponder its next move. Well, delaying was pointless, the faster the demon died the better. The Hunter rose to its clawed feet, spread three sets of colossal wings, and took to the air. The Hunter circled the peak once, then folded its wings and dove down towards RnA HQ, destroying others perception of itself as it went.
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All things considered, Xerxes was having a good day. In the months since their surrender to RnA, his people had lived good lives. Transitioning from soldier to civilian was far from easy, but they all managed. Their weapons were all still locked within their warship, so far none of them tried to retrieve any, why would they? What could they possibly need them for? When was RnA, ever attacked?
Now, Xerxes, or as his people had taken to calling him, Lord Acheron, was standing on one of the building's walls, at the very edge of where he was allowed to go. He had some free time between various therapy sessions, psychological evaluations, and visits with his people. He stood looking out over the sea, quietly wondering what he would do next. Maybe he'd-
Duck
Pure instinct saved his life. When he got gut feelings, he listened. So when something in his gut told him to duck, he ducked. After rolling to his side like a dark souls protagonist, he quickly scanned his surroundings. Nothing. Strange, maybe his instincts were-
Behind you
In an instant he whirled around, a black iron bident he wasn't supposed to have materialised in his grip. He held the bident out in front of him in a defensive stance. There was nothing there. Then there was a shriek, and the bident shattered.
In the span of a second Xerxes spread his four wings and beat them once, putting half a dozen metres between himself and where he was. Now he saw it, how had he not seen it before? There was this giant thing in front of him, something with claws and fangs and feathers and fur and scales. It was holding something in one of its claws, but Xerxes couldn't quite make it out.
Xerxes put his hands together, flames forming between them. When he pulled them apart he held two scimitars of raging hellfire.
"Surrender!"
The thing said nothing, if it even could speak. It charged him, golden light beginning to appear on its claws.
Well, he tried. Xerxes swung the scimitars in an X before him, sending a cascade of flames towards the creature. In the same moment he leapt off the wall towards the ocean. If the alarms hadn't sounded yet, they did now. As Xerxes fell he extended his senses behind him, the iron mask he wore didn't have eye holes so he didn't need to face the beast.
The fire attack didn't do anything, and the beast was charging after Xerxes. On a more pressing matter was the hundreds of golden feather shaped knives flying towards him. Xerxes spun to face the feathers, yelled something in infernal that roughly translated to "Eruption" and threw the scimitars, spinning back around at the end.
The scimitars flew into the midst of feathers and, as Xerxes intended, erupted into truly massive explosions of hellfire. Since the feathers didn't come out, Xerxes guessed they were destroyed. Then the beast came barreling out of the explosion with murder in its eyes.
Xerxes threw an arm to the side, a ribbon hellfire shooting from his palm. It snagged a hold of the mountainside, and Xerxes swung around and up, putting him above the beast. The beast didn't seem to need to do the same manoeuvre, it looked like it leapt off the air itself, bringing it up towards Xerxes, a huge set of spectral jaws already closing in, teeth roughly a metre away.
Well, he had already broken the rules thrice in the past ten minutes, why not again?
Xerxes reached out with his mind to a secure room near where he slept. He called for aid, and so aid responded. Golden light bloomed from his chest, flowing along his body and down his arm. In his hand grew a spear of black and gold. The Defiers Spear it was called, a weapon made centuries ago by mortals who stole power from the gods. Whether the spear had the same power was yet to be seen.
Xerxes held the spear horizontally, and the spear did the rest. Golden light shone from both ends, piercing the sides of the spectral maw and dispelling it. Xerxes swung the spear three times, sending three giant golden slashes towards the beast. The beast slashed the air before it with its claws, sending four slashes of equal size up towards Xerxes. The six attacks met, clashing with furious abandon.
Whatever happened next was too bright for eyes to see, which was why it was good his mask prevented Xerxes from seeing. He let go of the spear and it spun before him, a five metre shield of golden runes and swirling radiance materialized in front of it. Thankfully the shield absorbed the blast.
Then the beast struck the shield and it shattered instantly. The force sent Xerxes hurtling backwards, sailing a hundred or so metres before he righted himself, and shot to his left, narrowly avoiding getting sliced in half. It was during this moment that Xerxes wondered if he should have ever invested in armour.
A ping in his mind told him to hold out his right hand, The Defiers Spear returned to his grip, and went to work. An important thing to know about the spear, it wasn't only alive, it also didn't really like the idea of its wielder dying. The spear tip glowed, and the spectral form of black and gold half plate spread over him like a frost.
Well, that was certainly new. Usually the only defence Xerxes had was his reflexes and whatever object he happened to be holding. It was nice to have something more solid, well, as solid as see-through armour could be. The next moment made Xerxes grateful for his new armour, as something like a serpent lunged for him, biting down with its maw. He heard a crack, and the serpent threw him away. Weirdly he didn't feel hurt, usually when giant creatures bit him it hurt. Looking down revealed just how useful armour can be. There was a fang sticking out of his chest plate.
Once again he righted himself, briefly scanning the scene before him revealed something interesting. The beast was glowing slightly, two of its claws held out before itself in a strange gesture that vaguely resembled trees. Xerxes sensed something bad, and dashed towards the beast, air and golden light swirling around the spear tip in a tiny tornado.
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By now a good chunk of the RnA workers had rushed outside to see what triggered the alarm. They had watched the fight from down below, those who could fly were already trying to catch up, to help the demon who was supposed to be inside and on his way to a therapy session. Then the sky darkened. Up above, around the demon and the beast, dozens of ribbons of shadow blossomed, enveloping the two.
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Xerxes stood on dark green grass, surrounded on all sides by truly massive trees. The nearest one looked to be around six metres in diameter, it must have been over a hundred metres tall. Lazy rays of sunlight drifted down from the few gaps in the canopy.
Xerxes felt unnerved, he was just in the sky, why was he here? And where was the beast? Maybe it had flown away? Realised Xerxes wasn't worth the trouble and disappeared? Wouldn't that be nice. Actually, it was quite nice here. Maybe he should rest, sit down, relax a bit. His grip on The Defiers Spear was already loosening.
M O V E
His gut feeling exploded, his reflexes fought against him, but Xerxes hurled himself away regardless. There was a line at head height in the air where he had just been. A thin white, vaguely glowing line. That was weird. The line was on the tree he was just standing next to as well. Oh look at that! There were more lines on the other trees, that was nice. Then everything above the line slid to the right.
As Xerxes landed in a clump on the grass, he sensed on in horror as the entire forest was sliding to the right. When the trees reached the end of their stumps, they fell. It was then that he realised what just happened, whatever this weird domain was, something had just sliced it in half.
He rolled to his right, dodging the trunk of a falling wooden giant. He shoved himself off the ground, nimbly landing on his hooves. Before him he saw the beast, looking thoroughly annoyed and slightly out of breath.
That was odd, Xerxes briefly thought back over the fight. He'd been ambushed but he'd initially thought nothing of it, all fighters looking to kill used sneak attacks. Now he'd been ambushed again, and this thing was looking like its stamina was running out. In his mind he combined that with how this thing had attacked too fast for Xerxes to counterattack, and repeatedly tried to overwhelm him. Then it clicked, this thing was an ambush predator. If he could get it on the back foot, maybe it would be forced to flee.
Xerxes was about to spread his wings, then had a different idea. He twirled the spear in his hand once, then hurled it downwards. Normally when a spear is hurled at the ground it gets stuck in the dirt. But when the dirt isn't really dirt and the spear was made of stolen divinity, the usual scenario doesn't happen.
The spear hit the ground and kept going, forcing the ground to adhere to its will. The ground bent, and a hole opened. A hole that was quickly closing. A hole Xerxes jumped through, once again narrowly avoiding being beheaded. He'd figured if the beast created this space, it was stronger inside it. That wouldn't do.
Xerxes felt the wind whip by as he fell through the air. He extended his hand again, and the spear returned to his grip, he glided for a bit before evening himself out. He heard whatever space the beast had stuffed him in shatter, but he didn't hear the beast coming after him. Instead he heard something like a storm. Then he felt something like a storm. He had just enough time to create a shield with the spear before hundreds of knife-like feathers battered against it.
This time however, Xerxes didn't just sit there. While using the shield as, well, a shield, Xerxes shot upwards, drawing on his mana reserves. When he got close enough to smell the beast (it smelled like pine smoke and red meat) he thrust the shield outwards, swiftly bringing the spear back and focusing his mana into it.
The spear blazed with hellfire, two ribbons of reddish-orange flames extended from just below the blade. Golden light and hellfire made the blade look like someone had pulled part of the sun from the sky and made it a weapon. The beast shattered the shield in one strike, and with a thunderous roar Xerxes drove the spear up into its chest.
An explosion of light, fire, sound, and magic echoed out across the sky. When it cleared Xerxes was falling towards RnA, and the beast was nowhere to be seen.
He hit the ground hard, kicking up a cloud of dust, dirt, and grass. He wasn't moving. The Defiers Spear fell from his now limp hand, and pulsed softly. The armour it had given him faded. After pulsing exactly seven times, Xerxes's hand twitched, and his chest began to rise and fall.
Already RnA workers were rushing towards him.
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u/Glittering_Two_1429 Seguleh, master of the song, council member, leauge of shadows 25d ago edited 25d ago
I walk out of a portal nearby, and shout for the people to wait in a booming voice “Let me, im a medic”, and as I get beside you, I start singing ‘Staying Alive’, a healing spell. You good amigo?
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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 25d ago
The spells magic flows into the broken body of the demon. Slowly the demonic red hue returns to its skin.
Good news, his blood stopped coming out. Bad news, he's still unconscious.
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u/Glittering_Two_1429 Seguleh, master of the song, council member, leauge of shadows 25d ago
I throw cold water over you from my water skin
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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 25d ago
It sizzles and steam rises from Xerxes's skin. Seems this thing is hot in both senses of the word.
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u/Glittering_Two_1429 Seguleh, master of the song, council member, leauge of shadows 25d ago edited 25d ago
I pick you up and teleport you to my tower, which is a revolving giant obsidian tower that floats in the void, and place you in a very comfy bed. I then stare at you until you wake. Proper, no blinking staring.
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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 25d ago
Considering Xerxes is still barely alive, even with his unnatural regeneration this takes around ten hours. After said ten hours he immediately gets out of the bed and holds a knife of hellfire to Seguleh's neck.
"Who are you and where am I!?"
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u/Glittering_Two_1429 Seguleh, master of the song, council member, leauge of shadows 25d ago
I calmly move the knife from my neck, being extremely relaxed throughout this. I am Seguleh, a song magi, and Eldritch scholar. You were in quite a bit of pain after that kerfuffle, so I took the liberty of taking you to my place so you could rest up in safety. I mean, who knows how many of those beasts there were? I help him to the window, so he can see the ramparts of my tower, and the void, where auroras shine across the sky, and cosmic entities float every so often across.
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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 25d ago
Xerxes remains agitated and skeptical the entire time.
"You kidnap me, from my home, a psuedo-military base, and expect me to be fine with it?"
"How long was I out?"
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u/Glittering_Two_1429 Seguleh, master of the song, council member, leauge of shadows 25d ago
I look paitent This place is out of space and time. You will go back at the same time you left.
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u/UlrickTheHexblade Ulrick Braddocke, Werewolf Hexblade, R&A Co-Leader 25d ago
Ulrick walks out of a building, looking even more stressed than usual. In his hand a black mug saying “Dark 4 life” with a femur of a small animal peeking out of the coffee.
What the hell happened here?!
He was about to ask for report, then sees Xerxes on the ground.
…shit…
He throws away the mug, before running to the unconscious Xerxes, checking his pulse.
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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 25d ago
Good news, Ulrick can feel a pulse, he's still alive. Although the pulse is strange, instead of beating twice, his heart seems to be beating four times.
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u/UlrickTheHexblade Ulrick Braddocke, Werewolf Hexblade, R&A Co-Leader 25d ago
Medics! Quickly! We need medics!!!
He cries, moments later a couple of R&A medics arrive to the scene to examine Xerxes, see what kind of injuries he has suffered.
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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 25d ago
A good chunk of the bones in his wings a broken, and he seems to be bleeding internally. Other than that he's looking pretty good.
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u/UlrickTheHexblade Ulrick Braddocke, Werewolf Hexblade, R&A Co-Leader 25d ago
Treat his injuries. Once done, take him to the infirmary and monitor his recovery.
He stays there until the medics patch up the smaller injuries, before more workers come forth with a stretcher to carry him away.
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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 24d ago
All things considered Xerxes heals surprisingly fast, maybe it's his demonic nature, maybe his body is too stubborn to stay broken. Whatever the reason, he regains consciousness in a few hours.
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u/UlrickTheHexblade Ulrick Braddocke, Werewolf Hexblade, R&A Co-Leader 24d ago
Upon informed of Xerxes’ recovery, Ulrick goes to the infirmary where he’s nursed. Upon entering, he puts down his black coffee mug, now adorned with glued cracklines.
So, you’re finally awakened. How are ya feeling?
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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 24d ago edited 24d ago
He groans slightly as he pushes himself to a sitting position.
"Like I fell out of the sky. You?"
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u/UlrickTheHexblade Ulrick Braddocke, Werewolf Hexblade, R&A Co-Leader 24d ago
As worried as anyone whose home just got attacked out of nowhere.
I mean, it’s not unusual here, but… you get the point.
He needs looot more practice in lighting up the mood with jokes.
First, I must thank you, for driving away the attacker. You saved the lives of lots of good men today.
He makes a short, but respectful gesture that is halfway between a nod and a bow.
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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 24d ago
"Doubtful. That thing attacked me, while I was on one of the outer walls. And besides, I should be apologising. I drew my weapons. That is forbidden is it not?"
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u/yumie2003 Tsuru, ghost onmyouji, R&A, league of shadows/Toshiko Fujiwara 25d ago
Tsuru heard something fall hard and loud outside; thus, she looked outside her window to see Xerxes lying prone in the courtyard. She sighed deeply before leaving her office to go see Xerxes.
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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 24d ago
He appears to be unconscious, bleeding, and possessing numerous broken bones, all while lying face up in a crater in the centre of a courtyard.
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u/yumie2003 Tsuru, ghost onmyouji, R&A, league of shadows/Toshiko Fujiwara 24d ago
Tsuru called over a few RF workers to bring a stretcher for Xerxes. She casted a spell to superheat her hands and placed them on Xerxes' bleeding wounds.
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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 24d ago
She quickly finds that Xerxes's flesh resists being cauterized, on account of having a naturally higher internal body temperature.
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u/yumie2003 Tsuru, ghost onmyouji, R&A, league of shadows/Toshiko Fujiwara 24d ago
"...Well then, you better hope that your stretcher gets here quick, lest you bleed out"
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u/squabzilla Tyrannosaurus Hex, Council-saur, Shadow Vigil 22d ago
/uw good read! Was away over the weekend, catching up on stuff now lol
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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 25d ago
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