The pit in the middle of the floor slowly becomes more shallow as the platform rises. With the rising platform comes two dozen humanoid forms. Among them a significantly taller one the Queen recognizes instantly.
“So you did find the naga.” she says anticipating retaliation.
“Oh yes, I sent thirty hunters into that snake pit with specific orders to capture a large number including a minimum one leader. The bloodthirsty idiots capture a single gorgon and less than fifty peons while slaughtering the rest. I really had hoped to learn more from them, like the limb regrowth thing. Do you see the one with only one eye? We cut off her tail, an arm at the forearm and an eye, I guess that is the only thing she couldn’t regrow. Apparently these things also have some kind of poison gland but it does not survive removal for study even from a live donor. Real shame to not master that mutation. Good news though, with that Gorgon, their species will die out and humanity will be one step closer to safety.” The First hunter brags.
“This whole genocide thing is so last century dad.” Taylor interjects after the disturbing revelation.
The First Hunter silently leans forward and drives his fist hard into her ribs causing her to keel over and groan. “Every time you call me that I am going to hit her like that. If I can’t strangle the life from you I am going to take it out on her.”
“So you expect me to plead with him to stop? Not likely. Do as you will.” she retorts weakly. A smile crosses her face as she glances back at the First Hunter.
“I expect you to watch the might of technology in the hands of hunters. I expect you to watch these mutants die. I expect you to pay for your crimes against me.” The last spoken in a yell. “Begin the demonstration” he bellows.
Three armed hunters step into the arena. Dressed in a flowing robe with slits for limbs, the hunters bore two handed blades that glow like the First Hunters spear. At their waist hangs several rods about a foot long.
“I fully expect for you to ’make me pay’ Michael. What I didn’t expect was for that dreamer in your head to be so successful.” The queen taunts without taking her eyes off the hunter who steps forward first. The naga stare in terror as the man raises his hand and points a palm held device at the floor releasing small seeds to the ground.
The First Hunters eyes alight like fire hearing the queens taunt but he does not move. Instead he turns his gaze to Taylor and says nothing. The kind of stare a lion gives when it has its prey figured out and is ready for the kill.
The ground shakes beneath them and dozens of vines protrude from below the hunters feet where he stands unmoving with his hand still outstretched. With amazing speed the vines spread out across the arena towards the terrified Naga.
A vine grows out and makes contact with the tail of the nearest Naga. It reflexively twists and wraps around the tail before pulling back and hauling the terrified girl into the air held firmly by the vines.
Startled into action the Naga girls scatter trying to escape the press of vines. Each in their panic fails to be cautious and is caught in turn. Some scream, some cry, one faints.
The gorgon stays alert and cautious as her offspring are captured. Her senses heighten and she dodges each attempt to grasp her with ease until the hunter finally lose patience with the exercise.
The Hunter with the device controlling the vines lowers his hand. Drawing his glowing sword he begins his approach on the entangled girls.
The second Hunter leaps through the tangled vines rushing to take on the Gorgon. In his hand he has two of the rods from his waist. With a final jump he lands in the small remainder of the arena. Standing at the ready he faces off with the large snake like creature more than half his size again.
The snakes in her hair hiss in anger at her attacker while she stares him down. The hunter matches her stare looking for the right chance to strike.
Without warning the gorgon leaps at the hunter with her claws bared. Her speed closes the distance quickly. The Hunter reacts just as quickly and points a rod at the snake haired creature and unleashes its potential. A streak of lightning arcs between them knocking down the gorgon mid charge.
The Hunter drops the rod he just used and carefully approaches the prone snake with the other. Slowly he checks on the snake to see if he had been successful. She remains completely motionless. He relaxes believing he has slain his target and the queen slumps a little in her seat.
Without warning the Gorgon leaps to her feet and slashes the Hunter across the face cutting deep into his skull instantly killing the man. The second Hunter stops in his tracks seeing what this dangerous girl has done and draws two rods for himself this time both together in the same hand while still wielding his sword.
The gorgon sees this and immediately begins weaving through the vines towards her remaining foe. The Hunter stands ready to battle with his sword forward and on guard with the rods in his off hand.
Almost faster than the eye can see the gorgon strikes from below severing the arm with the sword and tackling the man bodily with her mass. She rears up to strike him down for good. The hunter retaliates with the rods in his off hand blasting a fireball into her face. Stunned the woman retreats in an attempt to regroup.
“I have seen enough, the rods are disappointing at best. Torch the arena and scrap the program to harness the Kitsune powers. From now on we have a zero capture policy on Kitsune.”
The operator pushes a few buttons on his screen and moments later the arena is engulfed with flames. The queen begins to cry for the loss of Naga and the only Gorgon alive. No one seems to even notice the hunter caught in the fire.
“It is time I get some rest.” He turns and sees the queen with tears down her cheek. “You will cry for that ugly beast, but not a single tear for me? You really must have hated me. Doesn’t matter I suppose. Tomorrow I will end your existence and with you every other sub.”
Suddenly the queen starts laughing. “You just don’t get it do you? When I die, so to will you and all your Hunters. Even then, if you somehow survive, how are you going to kill every sub alive when most of them are Dreamers that don’t know they are dreamers!”
Grabbing her by the throat he throws her to the ground in rage. “What do you mean they don’t know their dreamers?”
Still laughing at his ignorance she props herself up on her elbows. “A few years after your execution I found a migrant group of dreamers in search of the town where their people had settled. Knowing that you might come back as my cursed and want revenge on me I convinced them to disperse and hide who they are. There was more than ten thousand then, by now most of the planet has a little dreamer in them.”
“If I have to kill every man, woman, and child on this planet I will destroy the dreamers once and for all. You! Throw this one into some rat infested hole until I summon her!”
