Paleblood

Paleblood Chapter 3: Make A Hunter Out Of You

"Neul! The guy!"

As soon as the two caught their breath and let their adrenaline subside,Josh's and Neul's attention turned swiftly to what was once a fleeing young man,now remained a motionless body on the cold,dusty pavement. Neul was quick to act,reaching the young man in what Josh perceived to be two gargantuan steps. Resting the Hacksaw atop his shoulder,the Church Hunter joined the Drundarian and the young man with heavy,yet quick strides. Neul turned the young man,cradling his close as he swept his long,tar black bangs off his face,thin strands of hair sticking to his hand,sticky with blood. Somehow,after the scuffle with the large deer-like beast,the youth managed to get away with a laceration to hid forehead,no more no less. He was still alive...for now.

"Neul...let him be...we weren't quick enough..."

Josh gave a defeated sigh,for he knew there was nothing they could have done now. Even if they had medical supplies,it wouldn't have been enough to stop the bleeding. No matter what they did,the young man would expire,sooner or later. Seemingly ignoring Josh altogether,Neul rose the young man's head,using his knee for support and his free hand as cushioning for his head,before laying the other atop the laceration.

"Neul,what are you-"

"Quiet."

Stunned by the sudden command,Josh watched in awe as the blood atop the young man's forehead began to seemingly,against all odds,trickle in reverse,running its way up and across the ridge of his nose before seemingly accumulating back into the wound,below Neul's palm,with the outer edges of the laceration slowly shriking,his skin forcing its way back together. By the time,the laceration could no longer be seen,and as the Drundarian removed his palm,Josh was awestruck to see the wound gone. Not simply sealed with a leftover scar,but sealed rightly,leaving no evidence of the injury ever occuring. However,the awe suddenly turned to shock as Josh darted back with a start,upon withnessing a crimson waterfall startling to ooze down from Neul's forehead.

"What the fuck is wrong with your face!?"

"Quiet now! You'll attract unwanted attention."

This was strange. Despite inexcplicably bearing the young man's wound on himself,Neul kept a calm mind before reaching into his satchel,picking out what seemed to be a medical,decorative syringe,dull and metallic in color. If he had to guess,Josh would say it was either bronze or brass. It was brass,more likely,as it was sturdier than bronze at the very least,its shiny carapace vertically cut,allowing a peak inside its contents. It was an odd,auburn liquid,a hint of both red and yellow inside,though Josh did not get a long observation on as suddenly Neul drove its rather long needle savagely into his thigh,his thumb forcing the contents in,all in one go. Giving Josh further shock,Neul's face contorted into a pained snarl,his eye flashing a sudden,piercing red as his head wound sealed itself promptly,leaving the trail of blood as the only evidence of the wound existing as his eyes returned to their usual,diamond blue color. Josh was beside himself.

"Okay...can you please explain...the fuck!? What was that maple syrup looking medicine!? And what was that wierd-ass voodoo magical horseshit?!"

"One after the other." Neul gave a relieved sigh,wiping the remaining blood off his face,before laying the unconscious youth back on the concrete below.

"That "voodoo horseshit" you speak of,is something every Hunter should be capable of...a Gift."

"A Gift? I mean,yeah I have one as well,but...why is it all magical and stuff for you?"

"That's because every Gift is different for every person. Or every Hunter,I should say. There is a very slim chance and two Hunters would have the same kind of Gift."

Josh sighed,shifting his gaze to the unconscious young man.

"Gift,huh? Is that what helped him?"

"Yes. Selbst Opfer."

"That sounds swell!" Josh flashed his fellow Hunter a toothy grin,his eyes brilliant despite the fight they just went through minutes ago. "You are essentially my White Mage!"