The Demon Hunter of Cariah

The Infernal Hunt

Picture the scene. It's dark in the forest, but not gloomy. The moons silvery light is filtered out by the leaves of the tall dark trees that stand all around Barion, like eerily watchful sentinels. It’s cold but freshly so. The scent of dew on the grass and the damp, earth rise to the hunter’s senses. There's a chill in the air that almost stings when he breathes deeply. The world around him is truly alive.‏

Away to the south, there is fear and there is mourning. Barion is not a callous man, he is not unmoved by the loss of the young boy who has become the sad victim in this horrible affair. However he has come to accept that to get on the trail there must first be a reason, a victim. Now, he hunts and he does it with a passion and a will to protect.

Barion swung the flaming brand low across the ground, searching for a sign of his quarry. In his mind the hunt beat its war drum in time with his heart pumping in his chest as he ran. He paused to run his hand through the grass, searching for tracks.

The soft soil had given way to the tread of a cloven hoofed foot. The grass around the print had withered and died. He had found the trail! He ran on, keen eyes searching the grass, the trees and the bushes looking for a sign. A slow slight smile spread across his handsome face. He was drawn to a tree on his path. The trunk was pock marked with decay. Where the rot had set in the bark flaked off and rotting pulp oozed like pus from a wound.                    

His prey had been here, brushing against the wood. Blood rushed in his ears and sang its lust in his veins. He was retribution, he was justice he was the infamous hunter of Cariah.                    

Barion saw that the tracks slowed. His quarry had moved slower, more cautious. In his mind, the hunter saw the beast turn and look back along the way it came, calculating Waiting. Crashing through the foliage, he threw his torch to the ground and drew his swords. The blade's silken song was accompanied with a blazon blue light that arced across the path they travelled. Breathing heavily Barion took a defensive stance.                    

The demon waited, letting its majesty and its raw power to set in. Centuries of chaos, arrogance and terror swept out imperiously from it. It wanted him to fear it. To be awed by it. It would be disappointed.                    

Barion smiled insolently and goaded it, beckoning to the creature with his blades. It bellowed in outrage and charged for him, lancing out with razor tipped talons. It would not be spurned, insulted by the lesser race.

Barion spun. He felt the flat of his left hand blade glance those deadly claws away and then the sword in his right cut deep into the demons leg, severing muscles and tendons and chipping bone.                    

The creature howled its fury, pain, frustration and disbelief, staggering on its wounded leg. Barion leapt to the attack, cutting into the underside of its outstretched arm and stabbing ruthlessly into its remaining leg. It collapsed bodily the ground, searing the living earth with its tainted blood. Wounded and trapped, the demon spat at the hunters feet.                    

"Do you know what this is?" the Barion asked calmly as he flourished a vial of red liquid. "They call it the blood of the innocent.” He smiled again, “It's nothing so grotesque though." the demon watched as he unscrewed the top and dipped a crossbow bolt into the mixture. "It’s a chemical compound, fast burning oils and holy water," he withdrew a small hand held crossbow and loaded the bolt, "it’s been blessed by the priests of the temple of Ashra. Trust me. It’ll burn the body and the soul."

The demon snarled defiance, lashing out in its unholy tongue, guttural and malicious. "Forget your false gods! No man is innocent. You will be mine to toy with one day and I will make you suffer!"                    

"I hope you learn some better tricks by then," said Barion "escaping from you will be far too easy otherwise." He fired the crossbow into the demons chest and it erupted into flames. The agonised howling rent the air and the creature thrashed and wailed in agony.                   

Barion watched until it was over and all was still. Then he began the walk back to the village.