In the middle of the slightly interesting forest known as the Creeping Hollow, a pair of hunters were facing off against a mutant monster in the middle of its den in front of all its kin. It was not often done but if ever there was an instance of calling a monster out on their own turf, in front of their squad after capping their homies this was undoubtedly one of the most egregious to ever take place in the Gentile Kingdom. Whitebone stared down at the hunter still dripping in his kins blood and the other one that was clearly wearing a burnt-up version of their pelts. In the Alpha’s entire life it had never known hatred, it had known anger, fury, a splash of irritation but never hatred, until now that is. These two humans were invading its territory, killing its subjects and flaunting themselves around like they owned the place. Whitebone may have actually thanked the two under different circumstances as it found a purpose in life. It would not simply expand and reproduce as its instincts demanded, well it would, but it would also hunt down and devour every last human it could get its claws upon, starting with these two morsels.
Howling a rage filled cry, the great wolf surged forth, its jaw opening wide and aiming to clamp down on the pair. Valerie immediately pushed Samantha out of harms way, sending the girl flying, as she ducked out of the monster’s path while swinging her knife in a wide arc at the beast’s lower jaw. Her blow connected but unlike the young monster it did not break through the tough fur. It did however still carry the full force of Valerie’s enhanced strength which pushed the monster off balance. Samantha, who had tripped and toppled over, got back to her feet and shot out a shadow chain beneath the stumbling beast for Valerie to latch onto. Catching the chain, she was forcibly dragged beneath Whitebone where she stopped just under its stomach. With her back against the ground, Valerie bent her knees and kicked up landing a devastating blow on the creature’s stomach causing it to rise a few feet off the ground. She was dragged once again escaping just before the Alpha crash landed. Disorientated, knocked off balance and then gut punched, Whitebone was filling with a fury it had never known before.
The Alpha tried to open its jaws for another howl at the girls but was shut up when a pair of chains looped around the wolf’s snout and then yanked the creatures head down to smack against the ground. The ‘Cold Snap’ manoeuvre, as Samantha liked to call it, might have been able to dislocate or shatter the beasts lower jaw if it was not an Alpha but breaking the beast wasn’t the shadow user’s job. Following up the slam, Valerie rushed forth aiming her blade for another much harder to reach weak point. Catching the wolf as it tried to rise from yet another smack against the ground, the huntress stamped down on the monsters captured muzzle. She locked eyes with the beast long enough to show it a sadistic smile and then shoved her knife into one eye. Roaring out in pain, Whitebone broke free from its binding which forced Valerie to back off and leave her blade in the monster’s profusely bleeding eye socket. She felt her strength begin to sap returning to normal and tried to call forth another shot of stored up Duvolf power but realized she couldn’t with her weapon not in hand.
“Samantha! Hammer Toss!”
Understanding the code word, Samantha produced a chain from her own shadow directly connected to her person and threw the other end to Valerie across the battlefield. Catching the chain, the huntress twisted on her heels and pulled, yanking both it and Samantha in a spiral that forced the much lighter girl to become the human flail she was always meant to be. Valerie spun once again and prepared to launch Samantha in an Olympic hammer throw. Eying her target, she released her grip and sent the human morning star hurtling towards the rage filled Alpha as it tried in vain to claw out the foreign object lodged in its eye. If anyone had taken a snapshot of the moment they would have seen the manic grin on Valerie’s face, the confused expression on all spectating Duvolfs and the friendly wave a completely horizontal Samantha gave Whitebone as she passed by its blinded side.
Positioning her feet forward to land onto Tiger’s Will, Samantha ripped the knife from the damaged ocular organ as she sailed by, sending Whitebone into new bouts of pain fuelled anger which it focused solely on the huntress before it. Howling, Whitebone charged, razor sharp teeth and foaming maw at the ready to tear flesh from bone. What it failed to see, as had all raged filled beasts in its position, was the black chain that rose up around its ankles. Tripping under its own weight, the alpha skidded along the earth, its face in the dirt while its rear was in the air. Using the furry ramp, Valerie climbed atop the Alpha and called for Samantha.
“To me!”
Samantha responded wrapping her chains around the knife and whipping it around towards her friend.
“To you!”
The chain collided with Valerie’s arm and coiled around the exposed appendage until Tiger’s Will smacked into her open palm. Before the Alpha had a chance to recover, the huntress set both hands upon her weapon and aimed directly for the top of the beast’s head. She summoned not just the power of one Duvolf but consumed all the stored-up power she could causing her blade to glow a blinding red as her muscles bulged to the point of bursting. She roared and with one downward thrust plunged the knife into Whitebone’s brain, the force of the impact not just killing the monster but detonating its head. The Alpha’s brain matter flew all around and a mini crater formed from the shock wave that threw the huntress back. The sudden and enormous burst of energy resulted in Valerie briefly blacking out, luckily Samantha rushed forward to catch her. Catch being a kind way to say became a crash matt for the far heavier huntress. After landing and regaining her senses, Valerie rolled off her crushed compatriot and stared wide eyed at the dead creature before them.
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“We… we did it?”
She recalled how so many at the guild warned them of the dangers of Alpha’s and how lethal they were. Despite these claims, they had taken on an Alpha by themselves and without receiving a single scratch, bar the self-made explosion and the blunt force trauma Samantha was still recovering from. Admittedly this was a very young Alpha from a generally unimpressive monster type who was also suffering from mild starvation but still a flawless kill was still flawless.
“We did…”
Samantha confirmed in the midst of her own shock or possible brain damage cushioning her friends fall. They looked at one another and Valerie raised her hand in a high five which Samantha quickly met, the two grasping hands as they had done for their first hunt all those months ago. This wasn’t just victory; this was complete and utter domination. They faced a supposedly advanced and dangerous foe emerging the uncontested victors. It also reaffirmed exactly what Joanne was trying to tell the oblivious pair and brought new light to how James had taught them. Apart, they were formidable. Together, they were unbeatable. The elation they felt was contagious for everyone but their onlookers. A low growl filled the area as the surrounding Duvolf all looked towards their leader’s assassins. Valerie met the hateful gaze with a bored expression, who cared for the small fry after they just killed this behemoth?
“Samantha if you would be so kind. Expand and Encircle.”
Valerie asked of her friend using a familiar code word that was almost nostalgic to the duo. Samantha grinned from ear to ear and stepped forth, she liked the name but preferred her own, non-copyright infringing, code word. Clapping her hands, she spoke aloud with her voice dropping an octave and chilling the soul.
“Domain Expansion.”
Suddenly, the surrounding area was engulfed with her creepy aura. Normally this would spark a fight or flight response from the weak critters, however Samantha wasn’t going to give them the chance. The trees surrounding the den had chains erupt from their shadows and encircle the hoard of monsters. Even the cave mouth sealed up with a net of chains preventing anything from escaping into it. The remaining Duvolf were left petrified and unable to move as they had no means of escape nor resisting the all-encompassing fear that rocked their souls. In reality they did have one out which would be to distract or interrupt Samantha however none knew this or could act upon it with their leader’s killer looming over them. The surviving Duvolf were no better than fish in a barrel and Valerie was the loaded gun ready to pop off. Licking her lips, the huntress felt somewhat guilty, not for the wholesale slaughter that was about to commence, that she held no qualms about. No, she felt bad because she was indulging in her reckless tendencies once again, but that could be forgiven surely, addicts always struggled with relapses after all.
An hour later, Valerie and Samantha were trapsing through the Creeping Hollow to head back home and report of the Alpha and his packs defeat. A gentle and all together incorrect way to describe the massacre that served no purpose but to fill up Tiger’s Will and grant Valerie even more power to draw from. She would need to figure out the mechanics of her class but was already beginning to get a sense for it. The fundamentals were, she had a time limit and set number of monsters she could use to empower herself. Whether that could be improved in any way she would need to find out over time. Samantha meanwhile made no improvements or head way in her class despite the environment being perfect for her to test herself. Oh well, thought the shadow user, thems the brakes can’t get upset over spilled milk and other metaphors to say she wasn’t bothered. She wasn’t, okay?
“Unfair…”
She mumbled under her breath clearly bothered.
“Hmmm? What’d you say Samantha?”
Valerie enquired too lost in her own feelings of success and progress to notice her friend was upset.
“It’s unfair, you got to figure your class out and I’m still no better than before.”
She said surprising the huntress. Valerie had no idea her friend would or even could worry about this which only served to make her feel terrible for not noticing sooner. Perhaps that ‘no fear’ and ‘no worry’ part of Samantha wasn’t as surefire as she liked to believe.
“I’m sorry Samantha, I wish there was more I could do to help. If it’s worrying you that much maybe when we get back we could talk to Albert or even Smitty and find out if they have any updates on your power?”
Samantha’s eyebrow rose in confusion.
“Worried? I’m not worried. I just want to do cool stuff too!”
Valerie stopped.
“…what?”
Samantha kept walking while making exaggerated hand motions as she spoke.
“Yeah, you got to be so cool back there and I was just the same me I’ve been for ages. I wanna do something awesome or get a cool new power like zoom, zap, zabow, zip zoopity bop. Y’know?”
Valerie shook her head feeling stupid for ever worrying about her friends… worries. That girl was a wonder.
“This is exactly why I’m not going to marry you.”
Valerie said catching up to her friend who feigned offense at the audacity and disrespect she had just been shown.
“How dare! I would make a great wife! You on the other foot would be at best an adequate Mrs Trapper.”
The two continued to banter and fake argue as they made their way out of the Creeping Hollow. The numerous rotting corpses left behind already out of mind and forgotten for the pair of adventurers.