Hunter Academy

Chapter 30: Ravage

Right above me, emerged the savage beasts, the evil spirits, the awful shapeshifters, the Wendigo.

The Wendigo was gaunt to the point of emaciation, its thin skin pulled tautly over its bones. It's bones were pushing out against its skin, the color of ash. It's burning, fiery yellow eyes were pushed deep into its sockets. It looked like a skeleton recently risen from its grave, dirt covering skin and open wounds, giving it this awful odor of decay, of death and corruption.

Its body was well over 10 feet tall, it was extremely skinny, showing off all bones and had the hooves of a deer and claws of a monster. It's face was that of a deer skull, with enormous fangs, a disgustingly long tongue, and lipless mouth. A permanent snarl on its face from eating its lips.
Its breath was a strange hiss. Growing and covering the spine of the Wendigo was tree roots it seemed, but was probably antlers. Its paws had razorlike talons, though the talons seemed to be made of icicles.

This was the creature that consumed any child, woman, or man. If you were lucky it would possess you instead, making you a Wendigo, chasing after those he loved and eating their flesh. Lore stated that people who ate human flesh became Wendigos, overcome by an insatiable hunger to feast on human flesh, even if there was an abundance of other meat around.

No matter the risk or possibility of injury.

Yes, it truly was a Wendigo.

And Celia was almost caught by one.

That made me very angry, how dare those disgusting creatures even come near her? Her pure soul, even grazed by that corruption and death would ruin her. I pulled out a small knife and checked to see if Celia was okay.

She just nodded and already had Lucifer in her hand. Thank God. No pun intended.

"We'll have to scare it away." Celia said.

"We are too close to the town anyways." I said, trying to calm my form.

Celia looked at me with concern "Are you okay? Your eyes are...changing."

She was coming closer to me, trying to touch me. I backed away, and put my hand over my eyes. This creature was so evil and corrupt it was even affecting me.

"I'm fine. It's hard to control myself when I'm near a creature that literally sucks the energy out of you and steals memories. I can feel the pain of the people it's consumed before."

"Memories?" Celia said, a bit shocked.

"Ah. Yes. If you hold your breath it's harder for them to steal your memories, so the legends say." I said as I threw the knife to the Wendigo.

It stuck in its antlers. So this was more of a permanent apparition. I wonder how many people it had to eat to become solid.

"I thought they were supposed to be spirits. You know, no physical form." Celia backed away even further from the spirit.

"The more flesh it consumes, the more solid it becomes." I said.

Celia looked about ready to charge, but I couldn't let that happen, I couldn't let her memories be taken.

Not to her.

"Wait, Celia. Don't let it touch you. Do not let its skin even graze you. Do you understand?" I grabbed her arm.

She froze and her breathing changed, it quickened. Was she excited to fight? I have to keep her soul untouched. I may have had an ulterior motive, but it was to keep her safe, and her soul as clean as possible.

"And if it touches me?" She teased.

"I'll be extremely mad." I said as I let go of her arm.

She turned around and grabbed my hands, it seemed she wasn't done with me just yet.