FIORA: DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN

VOL 2 - Chapter 24 - The Thrill of the Hunt

Zerou, with the grace and agility of a seasoned acrobat, leapt from one rooftop to another, her eyes keenly scanning the streets below for any sign of Antrodos. As she reached a shadowy corner of a rooftop, she lifted her mask just enough to reveal her nose, taking care not to expose the rest of her face.

With her senses now fully unobstructed, Zerou inhaled deeply, her heightened olfactory abilities as a fox shifter allowing her to pick up on the subtlest of scents. As she sifted through the myriad smells of the bustling town, she finally detected a whiff of an unfamiliar scent – one that she knew belonged to an outsider.

Following the faint trail, Zerou continued her rooftop pursuit, her heart pounding with excitement and anticipation. She knew that her quarry was close, and she couldn't afford to let him slip through her fingers. The thrill of the hunt coursed through her veins, driving her onwards with a fierce determination.

As she moved swiftly across the rooftops, her black, shiny form-fitting bodysuit creaked softly with each stride, the material stretching and flexing as she navigated the urban landscape with ease. Zerou's mind wandered back to the hefty bag of gold coins she had already received as payment for her mission. The fortune that now belonged to her only fueled her excitement for the chase.

For Zerou, the thrill of hunting and the lure of gold coins were what drove her forward. She had no doubts or misgivings about her task, as the exhilaration of the hunt and the promise of riches were all that mattered to her.

With renewed vigour, Zerou continued her pursuit of Antrodos, her body a blur of motion as she moved ever closer to her target. And, as the night deepened, she knew that it would not be long before she would finally catch up to him.

In the dimly lit streets of Tarvernia, Zerou watched from her rooftop vantage point as a man and a succubus made their way through the narrow alleys. Both appeared injured and weary, the man's left arm missing, and the succubus leaning heavily on him for support. Zerou's ears pricked up as she listened to their hushed conversation, her suspicions confirmed – the man was indeed Antrodos, her target.

The succubus, on the other hand, was Elara, a name Zerou had heard whispered in the shadows of the city. Elara had been an employee at one of Tarvernia's brothels but had recently gone missing. Rumour had it that she was also a skilled artificer, a fact that intrigued Zerou.

As she observed them from the shadows, Zerou couldn't help but feel a twinge of surprise that Lucianna's words had been true. Antrodos had indeed been spotted at a brothel, though the circumstances were far from ordinary. The two figures below were clearly fleeing from a bloody encounter, leaving Zerou to wonder what had transpired.

Despite the curiosity burning within her, Zerou knew that her task was to eliminate Antrodos, not to unravel the mysteries that surrounded him. With steely determination, she followed the pair from above, her shiny black bodysuit creaking softly as she moved silently from one rooftop to the next.

As Antrodos and Elara continued their escape, Zerou plotted her attack, knowing that she had to strike swiftly and decisively. She whispered a proverb under her breath: "Opportunity, like an elusive hare, must be seized at once." Waiting for the perfect moment, Zerou prepared to make her move, her heart pounding with anticipation for the final confrontation that loomed before her.

Elara, seeing Antrodos collapse to the ground, quickly scavenged for anything she could use to tend to his wounds. She managed to find some scraps of cloth and a few discarded bottles of what appeared to be healing potions. She hastily applied the makeshift bandages and administered the potions, hoping that they would be enough to keep Antrodos alive.

"You must stay strong, Antrodos," Elara whispered to him, her voice filled with concern. "We've come too far to give up now."

As the pair focused on each other, Zerou saw her chance. Her heart raced with excitement as she crouched low, preparing to strike. The night air was cool against her skin, and her black bodysuit, tight and shiny, creaked softly as she moved.