Blake and Harry carefully unloaded a portion of the rock crab meat. The sheer amount of it made their efforts seem worthwhile, and they couldn’t help but feel proud of their accomplishment. They had plenty of it to share with the farmers, and heaps to bring back to New Meridia.
Tom the farmer approached them, gratitude in his eyes. He looked at the generous amount of crab meat they had brought back and chuckled. “You boys sure know how to hunt. We’ll be eating well for a while, thanks to you.”
“No worries, my friend!” Harry said and slapped Tom on the arm. “Say, can I help cook this? I love seafood.”
“Be my guest,” Tom said, and motioned toward the massive firepit filled with burning coals just in front of the farmhouse. “Marlene will start it up over the fire soon.”
Harry headed into the farmhouse, while Blake stayed outside to strike up a conversation with Tom. “So what’s it really like out here in the wilds?”
Tom leaned against the fence, his gaze drifting over his fields. “It’s not easy, I’ll tell you that much. Farming was already a tough job before all this happened, but now it’s a constant struggle. With monsters roaming the land and all sorts of disasters caused by these cards, you never know what you’re going to face each day. But some of us have some cards ourselves, which levels the playing field a bit.”
“The Pyrestalker changed things, though?” Blake asked.
“It’s too powerful. It’s smart, too. You know I think I know which mountain lion it was before it got all strong and fiery. There was this one old queen that used to prowl around my farm, way before all these power cards started showing up. It was smart, cunning, and more ready to pick a fight with people than any other mountain lion I’d ever seen.”
Blake listened intently as Tom relaxed into the comfort of a story that he’d told hundreds of times before.
“This mountain lion, I called it Church after that evil cat in that old Stephen King novel, had a unique hunting strategy. It wouldn’t just stalk its prey; it would study them, learning their habits and routines. It was like it knew the best time to strike. One day, I was out in the fields, mending a broken fence. I felt like I was being watched, and when I turned around, there it was, crouching in the tall grass, its yellow eyes fixed on me. It was calculating, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.”
The old man paused for effect, and Blake found himself waiting to take a breath as well. Tom has a way with words that built the tension as he spoke.
“Church had been terrorizing the farm for months, taking down livestock and even attacking the dogs we had for protection. We tried everything to scare it off, from setting traps to using guard dogs, but it was always one step ahead of us. I knew I had to do something, so I came up with a plan. I started studying Church’s movements, observing it from a distance as it stalked the farm. I discovered it had a den up in the hills, hidden away in a small cave.”
Blake nodded and thought that Tom might have just dropped a clue to the Pyrestalker’s location.
If it had a den, then it might return there to rest between hunts. If it didn’t show up at the windmill later, then they could always go on a hunting mission.
Tom continued, “One night, I hiked up to the cave, armed with nothing but a flashlight and my rifle. It was a risky move, but I was desperate. I needed to take back control of my farm and protect my family and animals. As I reached the cave, I could hear the mountain lion’s low growl echoing through the darkness. My heart was pounding, but I knew I couldn’t back down. I entered the cave, shining my flashlight around until I found Church, crouched and ready to strike.
“I raised the rifle and fired, aiming for the mountain lion’s head. I heard an almighty yowl that sounded like a monster from a horror movie. The beast ran toward me and clipped me on the way out of its den. I must have hit it though, because it left a splatter of blood on my shirt as it ran past. After that night, Church never returned to the farm. I guess it decided that there were easier targets out there.”
“But now that it’s empowered, you think it’s come back for revenge?”
“I know he has. He still has an eye missing from where I blasted him,” Tom said with a smile.
“We’ll finish what you started,” Blake said. “Both Harry and I are Rank 3 Challengers, so we should have no problem.”
Tom smiled with a knowing look in his eyes. “I sure hope so, kid.”
Blake watched as Harry started to clean and portion the crab meat.
He expertly removed any pieces of shells that remained and carefully extracted the succulent white flesh from the claws and legs, placing the meat into large bowls. He then washed his hands and gathered some herbs and spices from the nearby garden.
“I’ve had to adapt,” Tom continued, watching Harry work. “I use some of the cards to help protect my farm and boost my crops, but it’s a delicate balance. Can’t rely on them too much though. If you use all your anima and don’t leave enough to defend against an attack in the night, then things can go very badly.”
Meanwhile, Marlene showed Harry how to mix the freshly picked herbs and spices into a marinade, combining olive oil, crushed garlic, chopped parsley, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
He carefully coated each piece of crab meat with the mixture, making sure they were well-seasoned and ready to be skewered over the fire.
Tom gestured toward Harry with a smile. “But it’s not all bad. Folks like you and Harry, helping out where you can, make it a little easier to get by.”
As the fire crackled, Harry placed the marinated crab meat on it. The aroma of the herbs and spices mingled with the scent of the cooking crab. The meat sizzled and charred in all the right places, and it wasn’t long before the white chunks of crab gained a mouthwatering golden brown crust.
Blake nodded, understanding the farmer’s perspective. “It’s a strange world we live in now, but I guess we all have to do our best and stick together.”
They watched as Harry carefully flipped each piece of crab meat, the heat from the fire lending a warm glow to the scene. The smell of the cooking crab wafted through the air. Blake was glad that there were some pleasures no apocalypse could take away.
“I’d like to know what you and the others think of New Meridia,” Blake said.
Tom laughed derisively. “I have mixed feelings about it, if I’m being honest. On the one hand, they buy everything we grow here, and they send people out to help us with problems we can’t solve ourselves. But on the other hand, they gave us an offer we couldn’t refuse.”
Blake furrowed his eyebrows. “Did they threaten you?”
“Oh yes,” Tom chuckled. “I believe the words that the City Lord’s men used were ‘we’ll burn your farm to the ground unless you agree to our terms’ or something along those lines.”
“Seriously?”
“Dead serious. But the deal wasn’t too bad, so I accepted. They said it wasn’t going to be long before New Meridia and the other six hub cities of the new human empire will bring peace back to the world, but that just sounds like another bunch of assholes in charge.” Tom sighed. “Too late now, I guess. New Meridia integrated the farmhouse into their city mission system, which is why the mission to kill the Pyrestalker went out as a work order. As long as they don’t interfere too much with us, I don’t really care about New Meridia. I’m a traditionalist at heart, and I like the simplicity and close-knit community of my country life. We’ll help the city out if they keep the city away from us.”
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
“We’ll take the Pyrestalker down for you, and then we’ll be out of your hair.”
“You two seem like upstanding young men. If you ever want to try another life out here, we always have work going,” Tom said with a note of hope in his voice.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Blake said.
Harry announced that dinner was served.
The scent of the succulent, seasoned meat gathered everyone around the fire. The feast wasn’t just crab meat, there were also slabs of slow-cooked beef and large trays filled with pulled pork from empowered wild boar to sample from.
Camp tables were set up, adorned with checkered tablecloths and flickering candles that cast a soft light on the faces of the farmers and workers.
Alongside the meats were generous servings of hearty side dishes: creamy mashed potatoes, buttered corn on the cob, and freshly baked bread, still warm from the oven.
“These vegetables are all from the farm,” Tom enthused as Blake piled his plate with food.
The people seated around the camp tables included not just the farmers and workers, but also their families and friends. There were weathered, sun-kissed faces of the old-timers who had worked the land for decades, and the eager, bright-eyed young ones eager to learn from their elders.
They shared stories and laughter. The atmosphere buzzed with camaraderie and a sense of togetherness that could only be found in such tight-knit communities.
As everyone dug in, the conversation flowed naturally, ranging from the latest news and gossip to tales of farming triumphs and tribulations. Blake learned a lot about how free the people lived out here, and just how oppressive it was in New Meridia.
Chatter turned into a lively mix of banter and heartfelt storytelling, accompanied by the clinking of glasses and the scraping of forks on plates. Chuckles and good-natured teasing filled the air, punctuated by the occasional appreciative sigh or contented groan as someone tasted the mouthwatering rock crab meat for the first time.
In the background, a few of the farmhands had brought out guitars and harmonicas, strumming and playing old country tunes. Couples danced and swayed to the music, their smiles radiant in the flickering firelight, while children chased each other around the tables, their laughter ringing out across the farm.
The country feast continued late into the night, the stars twinkling overhead as the flames of the fire danced and crackled.
It was a celebration of the simple joys of life: good food, good company, and a connection to the land that ran deep in their hearts.
Even though the world had gone to hell and the system controlled everything, these people were still happy. That was one reason to keep fighting, Blake thought.
He figured his mother and father would love it out here, and perhaps once he rescued them from Clay Atlas’s dungeons he could find a way to sneak them out of the city.
As the feast petered out, and people started heading to their tents and cabins, a flickering glow appeared in the darkness to the north-west of the farm.
Tom’s eyes narrowed. “There it is. There’s Church, your Pyrestalker.”
Blake put down the mug of root beer he was drinking from and motioned for Harry to join him. The whole reason for their trip out here was about to descend.
“Everybody, return to your homes!” Tom called out.
All eyes snapped to the glow in the distance, and the last dregs of conversation died. Frightened people abandoned their drinks and their plates and scattered to the nearest protected place.
Blake and Harry headed in the direction of the old windmill at the edge of the farm. At first, the glowing presence disappeared, but Blake noticed light dancing off the trees surrounding the back side of the windmill.
Was Church the Pyrestalker waiting for them to rush in unprepared?
Blake wasn’t heading in without a bodyguard. He had three anima left to use before the clock struck midnight, and he could have easily summoned his Meteor Colossus and ended this quickly.
But if he did, his Slasher Golem and Berserker Wolf would miss out on the chance to earn some decent experience. So he summoned his Slasher Golem to begin with, which crawled out of the ground beside him.
With a single nod from Blake, Harry activated Gargoyle’s Fury and transformed. His wings carried him up to the top of the windmill, where he surveyed the scene below.
“It’s waiting for you!” Harry shouted down to Blake, his voice echoing through the night. “Let me lure it out!”
The Pyrestalker seemed to sense that it had been discovered. A low, menacing growl emanated from the base of the windmill.
The massive, flaming mountain lion burst through the wooden walls of the windmill, leaping toward Blake and his Slasher Golem with terrifying speed. The creature’s face was framed by a thick mane of fire, and its roar reverberated across the rolling farmland.
Blake and his Slasher Golem stood their ground as the Pyrestalker lunged at them. The golem, moving with surprising agility for a creature made of stone, blocked the Pyrestalker’s initial attack, its rocky swords clashing with the fiery claws of the beast.
Harry dove into the fray from atop the windmill, diving for the Pyrestalker’s exposed flank. The creature snarled and swiped at Harry, but the gargoyle was too fast, evading the fiery claws and striking back with razor-sharp talons.
The Pyrestalker exploded with a wreath of flame that hit the Slasher Golem and Harry. Blake was only spared because he took cover behind his golem.
Blake’s Slasher Golem and Harry in his gargoyle form attacked the Pyrestalker in any openings the monster gave them, but those were few and far between.
The beast didn’t seem to have any super powerful attacks that threatened to turn the tides in its favor, so Blake decided against summoning his Meteor Colossus. Instead, he played Berserker Wolf.
The wolf appeared with a howl, took up the summoned battle axe and ran straight toward the massive glowing mountain lion.
The Pyrestalker was relentless, its flames growing more intense with the battle. The wolf and Harry were not as resistant to flame attacks as the Slasher Golem, and both of them had to withdraw from the battle occasionally to put out flames which had caught on them.
They couldn’t resist succumbing to the flames.
With the clock ticking and their options dwindling, Blake decided to use the environment card he’d gotten way back at the quarry: Fissure. It only needed a single anima to use, and Blake figured it might turn things around.
The moment Blake played this card, a massive crack opened up in the earth right beneath the feet of the Pyrestalker. It tried to leap out of the way of the widening crack, but it widened too fast and swallowed the beast entirely.
Blake thought he saw something down there at the bottom of the fissure, but it was very dark down there. Something was snuffing out the light of the Pyrestalker’s mane!
Harry, still transformed into his powerful gargoyle form, took to the sky once more. As he soared above the ever-widening fissure, which now threatened not only the farmland but also the windmill, he readied himself for a final, decisive strike.
“I see you’ve got a new trick up your sleeve!” Harry called out as he flew overhead, observing the Fissure. “I’ve got something I want to try out as well!”
With a determined grin, Harry pulled a card from his deck and activated the Avalanche he’d obtained from their earlier adventure at the quarry.
Rocks materialized out of thin air, summoned by the magic of the card. With a swift motion, Harry directed the rocks to rain down upon the fissure as the Pyrestalker tried to climb up to the wall of the chasm.
The impact sent the fiery beast sliding back down into the darkness from whence it came. With a final, anguished roar, the Pyrestalker met its demise. The flames that once enveloped its body extinguished as life left its form.
As if responding to the creature’s demise, the fissure began to close. The earth shifted, entombing the Pyrestalker’s body.
Harry descended gracefully, landing on the ground with his wings outstretched, a triumphant smile on his face.
“Look at that, another power card!” he exclaimed, pointing to a shimmering card that appeared at the site of the Pyrestalker’s death.
The two friends exchanged a glance.
“You should take it,” said Blake.
“Nah, it’s all yours man,” Harry said and motioned for Blake to take the card. “They want you to fight in the arena, so you’ll need all the help you can get. You take it!”
Blake reached out and took this new card: Flame Claws.
For a normal Challenger, the Flame Claws power card unleashes the fierce, blazing power of a fire beast, imbuing the Challenger with searing, razor-sharp claws made of pure flames. When activated, this power card grants the user the ability to easily cut through most defenses, burning opponents and potentially setting them ablaze, causing damage over time. They also had an armor penetration effect, which ignored a percentage of the opponent’s armor upon a successful attack.
Card: Flame Claws
Level: 3
Rarity: Common
Element: Fire
Type: Sustained Ability
Cost: 1 Anima
Duration: 36 minutes
Effects: The user’s fingernails turn into flaming claws, which cause damage over time effects to anyone who is set on fire by them. This card increases the agility and critical hit chance of the user while it is active. These claws burn so hot that they also ignore 12% of an enemy’s armor rating when an attack lands.
Source: Church the Pyrestalker
Blake had a feeling that when he used this card, the Pyrestalker would appear under his control. It had been a formidable opponent and would make a fine addition to his team.
They returned to the farm to deliver the good news to Tom and Marlene.