Hunter: Gods & Monsters

Chapter 18

I knew loss.

I knew pain.

This wasn't either of those things. It was power and darkness, a feeling of being completely in control while having none. I wanted to hear Deimos say what I feared, that way it would make it real. If it was real, there was a chance to stop it. Fight it.

My lip quivered, I couldn't hide my emotions. Artemis returned as Paytah caught up to us, the pair standing near each other yet neither approached me. My sword felt too heavy in my hand, its pulse and need to fight overwhelming as I had never felt more determined or defeated.

"Where are they?" I scream, the tears falling now and I drop my arm as it becomes too much.

"I'm not sure. There wasn't any snow there, just a cliff or something like it. Maybe a valley?" Deimos hesitantly answered. "I'm sorry. I saw them fall."

"But you didn't see them die."

"I'm not sure how humans could survive that. One was burned, badly." He cringed.

"Elise, you should-" Artemis came closer, her unease obvious.

"Yeah," I agreed.

I moved before I realised I actually was, spinning to turn back to the sobbing power who still wasn't recovered from whatever Deimos had done. He wouldn't get the chance to either as I gave my blade what it wanted. The sobs changed to a gurgling gasp as the sword cut deep just before his throat. Red eyes opened in time to look into mine, and his hand reached out to grab onto my leg. I felt the heat in his grip, yet easily kicked free. The redness left his skin as I removed my sword, a thin wisp of smoke leaving the wound I left behind.

"Take me there." I demanded, turning back to Deimos.

"As you wish." He held out his hand and I took it, ignoring the protests from Paytah and Artemis. "This is it."

Sure enough, we were at the top of a cliff. He didn't mention the huntresses that had already been killed. Looking at a couple, bullet wounds told the story of their demise, much like the large cuts and stab wounds on others. Magic was weak here. They were not powered like their former leader, the only had their training and what magic they borrowed like witches, called upon from another source.

"What did you see?" I ask, surprisingly calm as I headed to the edge.

"He pushed them. His arms were like flames, they either burned, as one of them did, or they were pushed back. Looks like they were winning up until then." He nudges a corpse with his foot. "I can sense fear, terror. It leaves a smell, makes everything look dusty to me. There isn't much here from them. Just the one who got hit with the flames, he was already hurt when that happened."

"Zane is the bravest." I assure him, not dwelling on the details.

"I can tell." Deimos agreed softly.

They had been greatly outnumbered. The mission had brought them here under the pretense of a dragon sighting, but they were not dragons at all and a small army awaited them. The team had really turned up at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The earth was black and scorched beside me; it was as Deimos had said. Two lines reached out from a starting point. I saw a handgun just to the left, and bullets littered the ground that had never been fired. A few other small weapons could be found if you look hard enough yet I didn't care about any of this. They weren't Zane's usual go to and none of what I saw had his tell tale Z mark on them.

"I don't think we can climb down." I finally give up attempting to. "See you down there?"

Deimos nods and we're just as quickly looking up at the cliff with Artemis joining us.