“What? What are you saying?” The question slips out of my mouth unconsciously while my brain scrambles to process the absurd sentence uttered by my father.
The same words, spoken by the lunatic who almost ended me, replay in my mind like a haunting refrain. But it makes no sense! How could that army be punishment sent by God? Wouldn’t that make them angels or something? Those weirdos looked far too mortal for anything of the sort. And no offense to Luci, but I doubt she could kill celestial beings to save me, no matter how you look at it. There has got to be some mistake!
Before I can formulate my doubts into proper questions, I catch sight of a familiar silhouette rushing through the gates at a breakneck pace. Lucienne, still slung over one shoulder, is yelling and kicking wildly, desperately trying to get the high elf to release his hold on her.
As soon as she sees me, though, she stops thrashing, focusing all her energy into staring daggers at me and flashing every sign of disapproval and indignation known to mankind in the process. And after being unceremoniously dumped onto the ground, she only redoubles her efforts to express how utterly awful the entire ordeal was for her. Her theatrics almost manage to force a chuckle out of me despite my current mood, but the serious face of Elder Eirian that greets me as soon as my father releases me from his embrace is more than enough to rein in any thoughts of levity.
Without a word, he throws a familiar wooden mask on the ground before us. A viper’s maw screaming into the void, its fangs stretched into a monstrous grin, laughing maniacally at our misfortune. The heavy rain must have washed away any remains of my assailant, no stains of blood or dirt to be found anywhere on its surface. The terrible acidic smell of bile and decay still lingers around it though, invading my nostrils and clinging to the back of my throat.
Even when I close my eyes, the vivid image of that abhorrent grin remains seared into my mind. He stands above me, his dark robes swaying in the wind like the shadow of death itself came to devour me whole. The viper’s head etched on the mask is laughing madly in anticipation of my demise. Lightning strikes illuminate his features as he lifts the mace high above his head, delighting in the horror painted on my face, reveling in my suffering as terror consumes my body and soul. The thunder booms like drums announcing my judgment day, the heavens themselves roaring their approval of my fate, proclaiming my doom with deafening roars.
The first strike connects with the soft flesh of my thighs, the sharpened spike burying itself deep within me, tearing apart muscles and severing ligaments in its path. My body convulses as agony rips through my nervous system, shattering my sanity like a fragile glass sculpture, reducing me to a shrieking, broken mess. Jagged edges of my bones poke through torn flesh, glimmering white islands amidst a sea of crimson ichor that pours out of the gaping wound.
Thick leather armor does nothing to slow his mace as it smashes my ribs to bits, driving me into the cold, unforgiving ground. My screams die down, replaced by raspy wheezes and gargling sounds as air fails to enter my punctured lungs. My eyes wander skyward, gazing at the furious heavens above, filled with contempt for my existence. The thunder and rain join forces to compose the grand finale of my life’s symphony, drowning out all the noise but the weakening beating of my faltering heart.
The viper is laughing. The man is cackling. My heart is racing. It hurts. Everything hurts. The world is spinning. I want to vomit. He raises his arm, aiming for my skull, the final blow that will end my story for good. It descends with all the fury of the raging storm above as if the Hunt Itself was lending him strength for this ultimate act of judgment. Death comes to claim its prey, arriving on wings of lightning, striking down the unworthy, heralding its arrival with a cacophonous roar.
The scream of terror dies on my lips as firm hands grab hold of me and jostle my body back and forth, forcefully wrenching me back into reality. My limbs flail about, fighting to break free from my captor, swinging in desperate arcs through the empty air as my mind desperately attempts to recover from the vivid nightmare that has been tormenting me ever since I laid my eyes on this damned wooden mask. The sound of a familiar voice slowly breaks through my hysteria, soothing my shattered psyche and anchoring my thoughts firmly into the present.
“Alice, sweetie, listen to my voice.” Fingers comb through my hair in a comforting rhythm, chasing away the lingering images of my tormentor and easing the tension in my body bit by bit. “I’m right here, Alice, with you. You are safe, my darling.”
I wrap my arms around my dad, holding onto him for dear life, unwilling to let go. My body quivers as sobs wrack through me and hot tears stream down my cheeks, my voice cracking as I try to speak, “Sorry... I will stop... Just a moment.”
“Shhh, it is okay, Alice, it is fine.” My father responds in a whisper, keeping his voice low to match mine as if not to scare away a frightened animal. “Cry, my daughter. Let it all out. Take all the time you need.”
“We will discuss this later, Eirian,” he addresses the old man, “I need to say my...” he pauses to take a deep breath and steady himself, “…farewells to my family. See that the departing are ready. Rabbit, follow me.”
“I’m not...” Lucienne tries to object, but before she can finish, the towering figure of my father silences her with a glare. “Yes, sir.”
Without another word, he scoops me into his arms, cradling my trembling body, and carries me home, Luci trailing close behind. Neither speaks, allowing me to sob in peace until I tire myself out and my tears run dry. The silence is comforting, as is his presence, allowing me to recuperate a bit after having my world thrown into turmoil once more.
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“What is going on? Can you stop for a second and explain yourself?” Nael’s annoyed voice welcomes us as we step inside, breaking me out of my trance. “Stop! That’s fragile!”
“Then hurry and pack on your own! Ask your father for explanations. I need to pack our travel bags!” Mom responds without missing a beat, her voice tense and short from the stress as she rushes to put all the essential items into her backpack. “Ah, they are finally here! Alice, only the necessities, quick!”
My attention is instantly drawn to a large pack stuffed to the brim with clothing, equipment, and other supplies, the top secured by sturdy rope. A smaller bundle containing food, waterskins, and various medical items rests on a table nearby. Panic grips me once again as I notice this strange scenario playing out before my eyes, and I barely manage to choke back another breakdown. I’m fighting back the realization of what it means as the last piece of hope in my heart begins to fade, but deep inside I know...
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“By the Hunt, what are you talking about?” Nael steps out of his room with a bunch of stuff in his hands, shaking his head in confusion, looking between us and the bundles. “What is happening? Who’s the bunny? Is it your prey, Alice? Nice!”
He grins broadly, sending a thumbs-up towards me in appreciation of my ‘achievement’, oblivious to the heavy atmosphere in the house. When no response comes from me or anyone else, his enthusiasm drops and a frown spreads across his face, prompting him to raise his voice and repeat his earlier question, “Someone please answer me! What is happening? Why are we packing?”
A heavy silence hangs over us for a moment before my father gives a weak reply. “The tribe is on the chopping block, son. We have failed the Hunt.”
“Failed?” Nael furrows his brows in puzzlement as he parrots the word back, attempting to make sense of it. He points at the bundles lying next to the door before continuing, “So what, we are going somewhere because It judged us unworthy of living in Elziheir?!”
“No, not quite...” My father chuckles bitterly as he takes a seat at the dining table, motioning for the rest of us to do the same, before releasing a long, weary sigh. “Our God isn’t the type to hand out such merciful punishments. No, tonight our tribe will be hunted down, slaughtered without mercy.”
No! No, that cannot be! There must be a mistake! God wouldn’t do such a thing, right? Why would It do that to us? We are loyal subjects! For generations, we have done our duty to the God of Hunt, performing every ritual with utmost devotion and reverence! Is that not enough? What could possibly...
“It’s my fault, isn’t it?” My whisper cuts through the stillness between us as my mind races to understand why everything around me crumbles to ashes since my awakening. Why does everything dear to me seem to slip out of reach every time I grab hold of it?
“What? Don’t be silly, honey,” my dad responds with a strained chuckle while reaching out with a trembling hand to cup my cheek in a comforting gesture, wiping away a stray tear from my face. “Do you think that one elf sneaking out for a hunt against the wishes of her parents is enough to bring down judgment on us all? If anything, your little excursion has actually given us an early warning.”
No. He doesn’t understand. And how could he? Instead of explaining what happened during my awakening ceremony, I ran away at the first chance that presented itself, escaping into the forest as soon as Nael stopped babbling. Because of me, we are now facing imminent disaster. Me and that damned rabbit!
If it didn’t interrupt my awakening, if I didn’t hesitate to pick the class It chose for me, all of this could have been avoided... right? If I killed the damn critter like I was supposed to, none of this would be happening! The system warned me that punishment would come, but wasn’t I already punished enough? Hmm, if I die now, would It spare the tribe? No, stop…
“Then we evacuate the tribe? Scatter in all directions?” The despair is palpable in my brother’s voice, as he attempts to grasp at any straw of hope in front of him. “Or we could ask for help from other tribes!”
Father shakes his head again with a sad smile. “You can’t escape the punishment decreed by God, son.” He averts his gaze for a moment. “We are evacuating a handful of youngsters, you two… three included. Everyone else must remain in Elziheir and hold the attention of the enemies as long as possible. We don’t expect to survive, but if we can buy even a small amount of time for you, it will be worth it.”
“Are they really such a big deal? They weren’t particularly hard to kill?” Lucienne speaks up for the first time, echoing my earlier thoughts as she expresses them aloud. She appears genuinely baffled by our reaction to the whole thing. “Just send out the elites to wipe them out. Problem solved.”
A long moment of silence stretches between us while father ponders how to best phrase it, before responding in a defeated voice, “If we knew about them yesterday... Well, it could have bought us some time. Not much can be done now, unfortunately.”
He stands up and walks over to the window, drawing back the curtains to reveal the gathering gloom outside as the clouds cover the land in their mantle of shadows. “Yesterday, they were just a small ragtag army of bandits, mercenaries, maybe some cultists. Today? Today, they are Its divine tool of retribution — the avatars of Hunt. And we are their prey.”
Mother bursts into the room, throwing one more backpack at the bundle before slumping down on the chair next to father and resting her head against his side. Her eyes glisten with unshed tears while her fingers tap nervously against the wooden tabletop in an erratic rhythm. Even my normally strict and collected mom has fallen prey to despair! How the hell am I supposed to keep myself together!?
I desperately search for an answer, something, anything that can save me from spiraling into complete panic again, but none comes. The talk continues in the background as my mind wanders. None of the words register with me anymore, though, all of them merging into one another, a series of incomprehensible sounds washing over me.
A chill creeps up my spine as a thought enters my awareness — I won’t even have a chance to say goodbye to my friends. This is the end of everything that I’ve known and loved... What am I even supposed to do in these circumstances? Do I have any other choice but to flee into the unknown, like some criminal running from the authorities? Am I truly ready to give up on everyone I have ever known just to save my skin? To leave them all behind?
No! I can stay, join the hunters, and fight alongside them in the defense of Elziheir! This is what I deserve, isn’t it? I brought this upon us, so I should bear the brunt of the consequences too! That’s justice, right? The responsibility for this mess lies squarely on my shoulders, so it’s only fair that I pay the price for it!
But as soon as this idea takes root in my mind, it gets smothered by an overwhelming tide of fear. Images of myself lying helpless on the ground, bleeding out into a pool of my blood while being tormented by the psychopathic viper-face immediately jump to the forefront of my thoughts, banishing any resolve that was building up inside of me. If I stay, then what will become of me? Will I spend my last moments praying for it all to end? But if I run, will I ever forgive myself?
“I want to stay!” My decision comes out more resolute than expected, taking everyone present by surprise and interrupting the ongoing discussion, cutting my brother off mid-sentence as I blurt it out. They all turn their heads in unison, staring at me in stunned silence with disbelieving faces. “I want to defend the tribe!”
My parents exchange a knowing glance before exchanging a wry smile. “Of course sweetie,” dad answers in a quiet voice, reaching out to give my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Of course you want to.”
A herbal aroma wafts through the air, its presence so faint I almost miss it. The scent tickles my nose in an unfamiliar manner, teasing my senses as I breathe it in. It’s unlike anything I have ever smelled before; it’s light yet potent, crisp yet sweet, and it reminds me of night.
He pulls me in closer, bringing me into a tight hug before pressing his lips against my forehead in a gentle kiss. “But I’ll be damned if I let you do that.”
With each inhale, I feel my tense muscles relaxing, my breathing becoming slower and steadier. The world around me is fading into a haze of gray, colors draining from it as everything becomes indistinct and blurred. Sounds and smells melt into the background as a peaceful tranquility fills me to the brim. Only warmth remains. My eyelids grow heavy, fluttering closed while my consciousness drifts away, slipping into warm, comfortable darkness.