“Hunting…” I returned distantly, I had hunted before many times. This would be no different. “Alright then, what are we hunting?” I questioned, eager to return to something I was used to, something I was good at.

“There are many beasts, and normally I might have suggested something small that you can practice targeting with small power, but I am certain you have no issues with targeting. We want you to be able to control your power, so we’ll go with something a little bit bigger. A Wilde Dere.” The Fae supplied, the name rousing my curiosity.

I began walking, not in any particular direction, but just acclimating myself to the environment. Something I felt I needed in this strange new world.

“Wilde Dere, they are often domesticated, hence the reason we are hunting a Wilde one, they are generally untamed. They aren’t nearly as dangerous as an emperor, but they are the most powerful of the Dere species.” It was curious, the slight difference in name despite the obvious resemblance. Would the creature look like a deer? Or perhaps I had mistaken it for something else, after all Deer aren’t often domesticated on earth. I thought. Perhaps I was mistaken?

“Why are the Wilde Dere more dangerous than the normal Deer?” I asked, trying to ground myself to where I was now. The past mattered not. Not anymore.

“Wilde or more dangerous and less Docile than their counterparts, and more importantly have the inherent ability to use magic.” Sullivan began, his long endless tangents unavoidable it seemed. “All beasts have an inherent ability to use magic of course, to strengthen themselves or enhance their bodies. But Wilde can call upon it like you.” Sullivan finished.

“Where do we begin?” I said, ready and eager to find something to kill… I did not often enjoy the hunt, but animals are different. There had always been an underlying thrill to a hunt, from my first hunt with my dad… to my final shot with my Heart.

“You have already begun walking the path, if you go a little left from here you will find the Fyne Forest’s entrance.” The Fae said, as helpful as ever. Perhaps it would be best if I had him with me, even just for now. But in future, I would need to do something about him, rid myself of him. I work alone.

“Thank you,” I said, doing my best to keep my face straight, and my thoughts hidden. It was also best that he did not know of my future intentions.

The line of thought trailed off as I stepped over a dark gnarled root, large and lumpy stretching across the ground, before many more became visible and the blackened oak trees towered over me, the canopy filtering the light to become a dark brooding green, the entire forest bathed in an eerie and haunting light, leaving no grass in sight.

“The forest is thick, why are the trees so dark?” I whispered as I stepped over the fiftieth twig since moments of entering, the forest ground was littered with them but my footfalls remained as silent as I could make them.

“The Fyne forest has stood untouched by the elves for centuries, only the humans would dare touch it. Many consider it sacred, others dangerous, but we all treat it with respect. It has been home to many hunts. For many years.” The Fae seemed quite knowledgeable about the elves, and he looked much like one too. Save for the pointy ears.

I crouched through the forest in silence, searching the ground for tracks and signs of passage, glancing at the trees and leaves and brush for any sign of disturbance, my ears constantly listening for a sound of any kind. This was not my first hunt, and it would not be my last.

“Were you always a Fae, Sullivan?” I asked, a little less quietly now. The forest was silent, and there had been no sights for a while now. I needed something to break the silence and the question had been weighing down on my mind. But Sullivan was silent.

“Sullivan?” I pressed, despite knowing more than well that it was rather rude to do so. But he should know that I would not be the one to do as asked, rather I would be the one asking. I am in control. That’s what I wanted, control.

Just as Sullivan was about to respond, however I paused, completely still. I had heard movement, a light crack of a branch, a small rustle and a shake of the body. Turning to the source of the sound I crept slowly closer, only my mind the source of anything other than calm as I brought my attention within me, focusing my energy and calling upon Cordis. My revolver.

Strangely the deer-like creature pulled its head up at that, sniffing the air slowly and carefully. Remaining completely still I lowered myself further, flatter to the ground than anyone had any right to be in a crouched stance. I sat poised, my left hand to the ground in an attempt to further balance myself, but I did not raise my weapon. Instead I say as silent and as still as a dead log, waiting for the moment to pass.

I examine the creature as it sniffs the air, and it bears a truly striking resemblance to a deer, an earthen dear. Yet, its eyes glow a faint green in the light and its antlers are more pronounced, it holds its head almost regally, and in addition has the overall size to match. It would be a shame to kill it, but at the same time I knew it was dangerous. There was something about the way it stood that made me all too aware, that the greatest thing that set this deer apart from any earthen deer was its ability to kill. Rather, more than being able to kill, this Wilde Dere was willing to kill.

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Slowly it lowered its snout, and as it did so I made my move. I raised the revolver in a long practiced motion, the weapon practically snapping into place as I aimed for its midsection. Just before firing I felt the energy flow within me, and I sharpened my intent, slowing the flow before squeezing the trigger in an instant.

Click

BANG

The sound cracked throughout the forest, as though there were many more men who had fired close beside me. This would be my only kill in the forest now, I knew, but that was fine. This time I was able to get a good look, and there was no muzzle flash, rather it was as though a beam had shot for an instant through the air, almost ripping at the air around it before running clean through my target. The beam was a little larger than the cartridge I had imagined in the magazine, but it was appropriate. Or so I had thought.

Before my eyes the stoic creature had only staggered at the blow, though it was a large one. The beast quickly recovered, and its intense bleeding slowed to a crawl in an instant, its entire body glowing with green and the wound closing in real time. Magic can do a lot I suppose.

“This is why I insisted you fight a Wilde Dere, and why you practice your skills. All animals, especially those with more advanced magic will be dangerous and tenacious. Do not take a foe lightly, but it is good to see you have improved your control in comparison to last time. Now quickly, finish it off, this beast is not going to be an easy kill as you might suspect.” Sullivan rapidly fired the information to me, his words soaking into my mind all at once and I winced in pain, not something easy to do.

The Wilde Dere noticed my sudden movements and made its way toward me with a speed I never would have thought possible from anything besides perhaps a car from earth, and the strength with which it rammed me was no less. Immediately breathless I found myself against a tree, my ribs more than cracked and I could not hope to imagine what my spine must look like.

Regaining my focus I lifted my arm once more, this time letting more power flow through into my weapon as my legs weakly struggled to lift myself off the floor, a futile attempt. Regardless my aim was true and once more a beam rushed through the air, but this time the Wilde Dere was ready. A transparent green wall rose in front of it, and the power from my weapon met it in a powerful clash, the surrounding leaves and bushes shaking at the force of the collision.

I smirked as I watched the Dere’s eyes widen, and the wall that had risen shattered just as quickly. Unfortunately the wall had done its job, and despite losing its jaw and a good portion of its front chest it staggered toward me still, as slow as it might have been.

“It is weak, do not fail now. You must strike again, but first take care of your wounds. Focus, envision the bone in its right place and will it do so.” Sullivan said quickly. Used to the sudden explosion of information I suppressed a low growl and did as he asked, feeling the flow of mana from the air and through my lungs, willing it into my bones and pushing with all of my strength.

Suddenly I understood why Sullivan suggested I practice my control over flow and power, the amount of mana I had pushed in did its job just fine. But it did it far too fast. Letting out a strangled cry of pain my ribs ripped through my inner flesh, snapping into their position in an instant and bringing flesh with them, and the pain of a first landing on the inside of my flesh flared with pain. Thankfully, my spine had not broken, only cracked. Still marginally painful however.

The Dere was even closer now, just meters away and it too had been healing, and although it may have been healing slower than I was in an attempt to bypass the pain, it was certainly not healing slowly.

“Quickly!” Sullivan urged, not caring for the immense pain that had racked my body just moments earlier. Slowly, I raised myself and pointed my weapon once more at the Dere. This time it did not raise a shield, nor did it stop healing. Instead it looked me in the eyes, and stood still.

I would have shot, but the look in the Dere’s eyes was not resignation, it was defiance. I knew at that moment that if I shot, it would not have been the Dere’s death, but mine. So I aimed, but that was all, and I did no more. “Why are you not shooting?” Sullivan asked as I and the Dere stared each other down, our wounds closing in the process.

I did not answer, nor did I intend to. The Dere began walking backwards, very slowly at first, but slowly it picked up speed and ran away. I lowered Cordis, my revolver, and slumped against the tree, bringing myself to a small relaxation. “Why did you let him get away?” Sullivan said as he floated out of my chest, the small Fae slowly enlarging from his small wisp to his male form. I looked at Sullivan and chuckled.

“We both knew if I had taken that shot, we both would have died. So I did not take the shot.” I explained briefly, before closing my eyes and letting out a sigh. “This would not be the first time such a thing has happened.” I whispered, mostly to the wind around me. Sullivan shook his head before looking at me.

“You are right. It would have. You made the right decision,” Sullivan said in agreement. I looked at him curiously, “Then why did you ask me to shoot?” Sullivan smiled a sad smile, one of the saddest I had ever seen. “Because this is when most fail. This is the first of many tests, one that I felt you would pass like no others have.” Sullivan explained.

“Surely others were more powerful than I.” I said, more as a fact than as a question. Sullivan just nodded. “They faced more powerful creatures. Most relied on risk, others ran. Few have stared their foe down and let them pass, as they have done also.”

I nodded slowly, it made sense. You would not let your enemy live, but your enemy would let you live, all possible decisions that might lead to such outcomes are hard to predict, but if it ever came to a moment such as I experienced just now, then it would be your own choice that decided the outcome. Sullivan believed I had chosen right. I was not so sure, after all, the battlefield had been very different.