"Well looky who we have here..." said the slug man. "I jumped at the chance to come find ya’ll, and now I think it’s time we take care of that unfinished business."
Three men wearing worn leather cuirasses with matching tassets flanked him. Their strides were easy, which belied the fact that they weren’t just ragged people off the streets of Hellholm; this was a hunting party. They moved lightly and quietly, slinking into the shadows outside of Atreo’s peripherals. Atreo kept his eyes on the leader while Kore rotated around to watch his back.
He felt Kore’s back touch his, gently, her presence a reassuring force that filled him with confidence.
They weren’t as weak as they were a couple days ago. Things would be different this time.
“You got him?” Kore asked, anticipation weighing heavy in her voice.
“Yeah,” Atreo replied, as his veins began pulsing with untampered energy.
The smell hit Atreo a moment before the attack did. A pungent odor gave away the fact that something was off, and the flash of steel confirmed his hunch.
He rolled to the side as a dagger appeared out of thin air, aiming for his neck. Atreo crunched hard against the solid ground and moved to regain his feet.
Sensing the pressure on Atreo, Kore stepped to the side, readying her hands to drain the essence out of their new foe.
The assailant, another member of the hunting party that they hadn’t seen, stepped from nothingness. Having been completely invisible, it sent Atreo’s danger senses wild. The man lunged forward, seizing the opportunity at an unnatural speed. A dagger flew from a belt loop at the man’s waist and flew towards Atreo.
With little time to react, Atreo swatted the dagger from the air, sending it careening off into the forest with a dull thud.
Simultaneously, Kore locked onto the man, tearing the life essence from him so quickly his left arm disintegrated instantly, bones clattering to the ground. He screamed in pain, his eyes bulging from their sockets as he stared down at his disintegrating body.
Kore’s attack was cut short as a booted foot slammed into her from the side, sending her sprawling onto the floor.
In that same moment, Atreo was at her side, his arms gleamed a dangerous red, sending waves of heat into the clearing.
Atreo caught the man’s still outstretched leg and slammed his blazing fist down on the exposed kneecap, the force of the blow both amputating the leg and cauterizing it at the same moment.
Blood sprayed into the air but faded to a stream of red as it was sucked into Kore’s outstretched palm.
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Kore
Health X/X
Mana ——
Atreo
Health X/X
Mana ——
The man’s cries of agony joined those of his dying companion, and Atreo watched as Kore’s health ticked slowly upward.
The moment of respite was short-lived, as Atreo felt a sudden, sharp pain sear through his shoulder. He glanced down to see the head of an arrow protruding from his flesh.
His vision blurred momentarily from the shock, but he grit his teeth and forced himself to focus.
The moment Atreo's blood made contact with his searing-hot arm, it hissed and sizzled instantly. The intense heat caused the blood to vaporize on contact, creating a brief cloud of steam and a sharp, acrid smell. Tiny droplets of blood spattered and danced on his skin before they could even begin to clot, evaporating in a heartbeat. The crimson liquid, normally viscous and slow to dry, was reduced to nothing but a thin, dark residue almost immediately upon touching his superheated flesh.
Kore gasped and fell to one knee as she too bled from a dagger deeply lodged into her back.
“Well got damn!” said the slug man, a twisted grin spreading across his slimy face. “Looks like we got ourselves a real barbecue!”
He dashed forward, weaponless, and slammed a quick jab into Atreo’s mouth before Atreo could react.
Blood gushed from Atreo’s mouth, but he had little time to think on it. Another hook was headed straight for his face, and he ducked, barely dodging the blow.
Fuck, he’s quick, thought Atreo.
At the same moment, Kore squared off with the two remaining attackers. One held a bow and the other a twin pair of wickedly curved daggers. They circled Kore as she moved closer to Atreo, closer to the screaming members of the hunting party that lay upon the ground.
Atreo’s vision blurred as another impact rocked him, knocking the wind out of him. The slug man leaned in close, his breath hot and rancid against Atreo’s face.
“You’re not so tough now, are ya?” the slug man taunted, delivering a brutal knee to Atreo's gut. “Where’s all that fight gone? Thought you could handle a little heat?”
Atreo gasped, trying to stay on his feet. He could hear Kore's struggle, the clash of steel and the whistling of arrows, but he couldn't focus.
“Don’t worry, pal,” the slug man sneered, grabbing Atreo by the hair and pulling his head back. “I’ll make this quick. You won’t feel a thing... much.”
He slammed Atreo's head into his knee, stars exploding in Atreo's vision. But through the haze, he caught sight of Kore, still fighting, still moving toward him.
A surge of fury ignited within him, burning hotter than the pain, hotter than his searing-hot arm. A primal roar erupted from his throat as his rage took over, flooding his senses with raw, untamed power.
Atreo's vision cleared, his surroundings sharpening into focus. He tore free from the slug man's grip with a strength that surprised even him. His eyes, now blazing with unrestrained rage, locked onto his tormentor.
The slug man barely had time to react before Atreo's fist connected with his jaw, branding him with his searing knuckles and sending him sprawling. Atreo followed, relentless, a flurry of savage blows raining down on the man, each one fueled by the fury coursing through his veins.
“You want a fight?” Atreo snarled, his voice a guttural growl. “I’ll give you a fight!”
The slug man tried to block, tried to defend himself, but Atreo's onslaught was unstoppable. For every hit the man landed on Atreo, Atreo landed two burning fists, singing the man’s flesh with searing brands.
As they traded blows, Atreo felt nothing; he didn’t even dodge as he dealt out his punishment. With a final blow, blood sprayed from the man's mouth, driving him back, breaking his resolve.
The slug man slumped to the ground, his body battered and broken. He coughed, a weak, bloody chuckle escaping his lips. "Well... got damn," he wheezed, looking up at Atreo with a pained grin. "Guess... you really... brought the heat."
“Fuck you,” said Atreo, and he kicked the man in the face.
With that, his eyes fluttered shut, and his body went limp. Atreo stood over him, chest heaving, the rage slowly ebbing away as he looked down at his fallen foe.
He turned quickly at the sound of a scream. He’d lost track of everything else as he’d pursued his burning hot rage.
Kore stood in a circle of four bodies, blood covering her clothes and arrows jutting from various parts of her body. Her once graceful movements were now labored, each breath a testament to the intense struggle she had just endured. The light of determination still flickered in her eyes, though they were shadowed with pain.
Her skin was pale, almost ghostly, as she stepped back to life drain the last of the four fallen foes, the life force visibly seeping into her. Red veins pulsed momentarily under her skin as the stolen energy infused her, giving her a fleeting respite from her injuries.
Daggers and arrows were lodged in her arms, shoulders, and legs, their shafts protruding at awkward angles. Blood trickled from numerous wounds, staining her once-clean attire a dark crimson. Despite the injuries, she remained standing, her posture defiant.
Her hair, damp with sweat and matted with blood, clung to her face and neck. She wiped a streak of blood from her cheek with a trembling hand, her gaze shifting to Atreo.
Kore's lips curled into a grim smile, a fierce expression of shared triumph and survival. Her clothes, torn and bloodied, clung to her form, revealing the extent of her ordeal. She was a vision of battle-worn resilience, a warrior who had faced death and emerged scarred but unbeaten.