A Touch Of Lightning (COMPLETED!)

Chapter 58 The Hunt 2

Chapter 58 The Hunt 2

Callin abruptly spun and ran, running from the room, running from the faces of those within that only served to remind him of betrayal. The faces of those that were tied to this new, dark rage burning deep inside. Outside, his pounding footsteps carried him across the still ravaged front lawn, past the spot where he had watched the only girl he had ever loved die. Past the burned spot on the ground where Davin had stood, using Jace's alpha power like a weapon of pure light against Mirage.

Past the tree line, great splinters of wood still stabbing up into the dark sky, the devastation of a single surge of that power of the Void, wielded by the Torn, used to kill hundreds of Flayers all at once. That line of shredded trees and grass, still covered in old blood, was too much like the shredded pieces of his own heart, images he couldn't bear to see. He lowered his head and ran on, moving deeper into the heart of the wild woods, moving away from the memories, pulling his thoughts down under the cold, purely rational demands of his animal instincts.

He ran through the morning, through the day, not stopping for food or drink or rest. He didn't know where he was going, and he didn't care. He was moving away from where his pain had only seemed to grow, to twist, to find new ways past his walls and his defenses to hurt him like the Labs never could.

These consuming thoughts distracted him from his senses. Distracted him from listening to the forest around him as he sped on. And although he could ignore his ears and his nose, so lost in thought, his eyes still were fully capable of letting him know of danger. And as he stepped into a small, rocky clearing, his eyes caught movement. And he understood the danger he was in.

Two baby bear cubs were tumbling around on the bare ground in front of a massive cave, their tiny growls rising up to the forest canopy as they tussled. And lying in the opening to the cave, warily watching over her cubs, was their mother. Callin gauged she was close to a thousand pounds, a living bulldozer of raw power and thick fur. She had spotted him, rising to her feet in a deceptively smooth, dangerous motion, her lips curling back in a terrible snarl, her yellow fangs seemingly as long as his hands.

Callin had went totally still the moment he had spotted the cubs. Now, he began to crouch and back away as the mother bear stepped out of the cave and rumbled low in her chest, a sound full of the promise of death, echoing off the rocks and sending bolts of adrenaline through him instantly. His mind was screaming at him, reminders that he didn't have his claws, his bone armor, his healing power, or really even a link to his power. And he was exhausted from running all day.

And yet, facing this new threat, his instincts had him baring his fangs and snarling back. He felt like any logical thought was slipping away amidst the fiery heat of that hurt rage inside as it welled up now, as if this creature was somehow responsible for all that had happened to him. It overtook his thoughts, and he stopped backing up, instead stalking directly forward with a sound ripping out of his chest so savage, so lethal, that it made the cubs scream and run and the mother bear pause for a moment.

Then she charged, her roar shaking the forest about them, her huge frame crossing the short distance between them in a stunning burst of speed. And Callin had screamed back, and sprinted forward to meet her, eyes blazing with insane rage and his fangs bared so far that blood trickled out from his gums and painted his chin with crimson war paint. The bear hadn't expected him to sprint forward, had severely underestimated his speed, and was completely unprepared for Callin's flying jump kick.

His foot lashed outwards, driven forward by his rage, weighted by his entire 160 pounds. And the bears forward momentum combined with Callin's momentum amplified the power of the kick. The center of his foot smashed directly into her nose, crushing cartilage and sensitive tissue, rupturing blood vessels from the sheer impact.