Hidden from campfires and moonlight I itch my exposed arm. The barnacle and coral mass are hard and sharp to the touch. No sensation passes the thin wall of marine life on my arm, only its maddening response of the thirsting itch.

Burning like the sardonic laughter of Devonport and Nell in their death throes. The Reaver’s punishment of endless suffering will drive me insane, or suicidal. Whichever comes first. My relief lies within the creatures that sleep nearby, the option so enticing.

Yet I steady myself, knowing their nature will soon offer a better target. They’re all scum and opportunists, one will serve a greater purpose in this world today. Removing this miserable torture, before now I must endure.

I try to distract myself with the shifting world, though little happens in the dead of night. The soft padded feet and squeak of old hinges finally offer the salvation I crave. Low to the ground, I move like a hunting Verox, claws out.

My prey mingles around a small caravan on the outskirts of the camping area. A family that arrived late had been forced to pitch up on the edges of the wilds and far from the safety of the road.

“Aaahhhh.” A woman’s cry is quickly muffled.

I see them now, dark shapes ransacking the tiny wagon.

A man’s body lies motionless in the dirt. A squirming woman is being held down and hogtied.

Creeping forward until I’m only a few metres from the bandit, I can smell his unwashed body and filthy soul. My stiletto digs into his neck with ease, puncturing his gurgled cry into silence

A wash of unbelievable ecstasy passes through me and into my arm as I gain his spirit. I feel the coral wilt, the itch subsiding but the thirst still unquenched.

No runes appear in my vision, the curse takes the man’s spirit without giving me a choice.

The tiny caravan shakes as the other bandits ransack it with haste, I see them in the broken doors tearing through the poor families' meagre possessions.

“Are your family in there?” I whisper to the woman.

“No... They’ve taken everything from me.” She replies with a hushed fear.

I see the trickle of her tears in the moonlight, her despair evident.

Slicing my palm, I approach the open entrance to ensure there is no off spray. A small shape leaps out towards me. Their sack of loot rattles as I hit them across the chest with a well aimed swing. My vambraces and the coral curse added some grunty mass to the attack.

With one foot on the downed bandit, I lightly flick my blood inside the caravan.

Enraging mist

The wheels teeter and threaten to tip as a mosh pit unravels within. Animalistic growls escape the wagon as they hack and stab. The shadows writhe as metal and blood flash. The noise and bedlam crescendo as two figures fall with a winding crash by my feet.

A small woman with greasy hair and a missing ear screams atop a beaten man, her crimson pupils burning with insanity as she pushes her thumbs into his eye sockets. Bursting them with a squelch and gush of gore.

I decapitate her with a searing blade before she ends my prey. The man, still overwhelmed by my chaotic will, smashes her headless body away. His hands seek her in his blindness, wishing to destroy and hurt. I stab him through the chest, his ruptured heart spews blood, and his life evaporates on the blade's edge.

The last one stumbles to their feet and tries to run, but is still winded and falls. Riptail swings through the air only to stop an ant's breath from the girl's face. A scrawny child stares back at me with aged eyes, a sapling only in body.

The curse throbs as my sword arm trembles, it would be easier than killing a wingless fly. Though these cretins are more like ticks that feed on the weak and desperate.

Riptail falls slightly, a shallow hiss as she kisses the girl’s dirty cheek. She grimaces in pain but refuses to cry out. I pull my sword away and she scampers off without hesitation, disappearing in a blink.

Thank you Mother, for the strength to hold back.

I refuse to swim in the muk with these monsters and soil my soul. I think to myself as the curse itches for relief.

Before I release the woman from her bindings, I collect the spirit. The first bandits is enough to wither the growth into dust. I remove my vambrace as the dry matter floats off into the wind, it’s a disgustingly wonderful sight. Quenched, the remaining spirits are collected for later use.

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Guile / Fear Spirit collected

Enforcer / Disruptor Spirit collected

I withdrew Honey from under my poncho, her soft glow is always a comfort to me. I’d hoped the terrified woman would feel the same but my companions' light is dull and cold. The slug shivers like disturbed jelly, thick coral chimneys sprout from her marked head.

“My poor darling, I know how you feel.” I whisper to her in hopes it will give comfort.

Maybe there is more I can do?

I focus on the Enforcer spirit within me, removing it as I would for the Reavers and pushing it towards my hand where Honey sits.

The flash of white crumbles the coral and the shivering stops. The area floods with her ecstatic glow, the warmth returning to her colour.

“I promise I’ll always stave your thirst, just as you have always filled my stomach.”

Ensuring the traumatised woman that she is now safe, I cut her bindings. She immediately bolts towards what is most precious to her in this world. She uses the man’s corpse, who I assumed was her partner, to climb into the trashed wagon.

“They’ve wrecked it all! I’m ruined! Nothing! There’s nothing left!” She howls at her financial loss.

Climbing down, she smooshes his head further into the mud, and wheels on me.

“You rutting pleb, you bloody fool! That thief stole everything, and you let them get away.”

“It was only a child.” I defend myself, not realising that the girl still had the sack of loot.

“She was a thief and you let her go. You're one of them, this was all a scheme. A plan to ruin my business and rob me of everything I own!” She screams and smacks my chest, demanding compensation.

I look down at the dead man and the other corpses by our feet as she continues to slap me. She doesn’t care about death, only her valuables. She would happily have let me kill that child and probably still complained about the mess. Her wagon and horse are functional and fine, and her business will survive but she doesn’t see that. The woman slaps and spits, growing more frustrated with each leaf fall. No guards are here at the edge of the camp to enforce her demands.

She snatches Honey from my hand, holding her out and begins to squeeze. My beautiful girl lets out the first noise that I’ve ever heard her make, a high-pitched squeal of pain.

“I want enough money to cover my losses!” She demands.

“Put her down. Now!”

“No! 100 shillings! Drop the sword or I’ll crush this disgusting bug.”

I toss Riptail away, her eyes instinctively following the glowing sword.

I pounce like a Verox, claws out.

The stiletto stabs into her stomach as I grab her wrist, squeezing until she releases Honey. I catch her out of the air without missing a beat, puncturing organs. She tries to scream out until I slash her throat.

Collapsing to her knees, she hits the ground to die amongst the rest.

“No one threatens my flock.” I kick her remains to take her spirit.

Wordsmith / Liar spirit collected

I’ll have to save these until the thirst comes back with a vengeance. Then more hunts in the night for the fiends that deserve this brutal end.

I leave the bloody mess and looted camp, exhaustion catching up with me. My bedroll calls to me, the fatigue of numerous sleepless nights waning on me. Stumbling towards Folkston’s camp, I realise that I’ve barely eaten in the last few days. My appetite diminishes as the mark’s curse intensifies, leaving me light headed after the hunt. The smell of seared meat rekindled that empty pit.

“Sorry girl, I know you’ve been through a lot but I can’t go rummaging through the merchant’s stores in the moonlight.”

Pressing her softly in the stomach, a droplet of shimmering honeydew gloops onto my hand. Its wonderful mercury surface reflects like the elixir of empowerment.

Frightened of the Reaver’s gaze, I gulp it down quickly.

Empowerment:

Blood Shepherd - Ash

Order’s Guile / Wordsmith acquired

Passive ability unlocked: Charming words

Chaos’s Fear / Liar acquired

Ability unlocked: Mark of Fear

Improved abilities:

Tame Lesser Cattle 17/20 (Ash)

Cattle Senses 9/20 (Ash)

Searing Blade 14/20 (Ash)

Enraged Mist 2/20 (Ash)

Mirrored Image 6/10

Attributes increased:

Ordo 13/20 (Ash)

Neuo - 18/20 (Ash)

Chao - 15/20 (Ash)

An intense energy washes through me, draining away the aches and pains. I feel alive as I clench my fists, cracking the dried blood covering them.

It seems impossible that this curse has turned into a boon. My lifetap to the source of power and it's not a poor enslaved dugong creature, but Honey. I start to truly believe I can save the tribe. But first, to get stronger, one spirit empowered droplet at a time.

“You've always been my favourite, Honey. Just don’t tell Cane.” I tell her before tucking her away for the night.

So I have improved my rank to Ash. I should talk to Folkston about that tomorrow, use this walking library while I’ve got him.

I find Cane lazing by the fire, his rough tongue welcomes me and cleans my garments with delight. That’s one way to use an ability I guess, I wonder if his has improved as well. I scratch behind his ear and investigate.

Tamed companion: Cane

Rank: Ash

Abilities: Cattle Carrion 19/20 (Ash)

“Mother’s giant bosoms, you’ve been eating a lot.”

I pat his barrel belly which looks to have grown immensely. He must be gaining mass from the empowerment.

He gruffs with a heavy breath in reply.

“No offence. I should have brought you on my walk. You would have loved it big man, loads of ghouls for you to munch on. Next time, I promise.” I scratch his ears as he finishes cleaning me.

Laying next to him, I curl up with Honey under my poncho. Feeling energised, I don’t need to sleep but want to enjoy the sunrise with my flock. Finally feeling safe and comfortable for the first time since leaving the village. No longer threatened by the monsters we surround ourselves with, I smile with content.

For I am the hunter now, and my thirst is unending.