Blood Hunters

‘Why in hell’s bells did I get stuck with the bookworm?’ I thought as I sat up upon a rooftop looking down into the city square. One was out at the late hour and the moon was bright and full. The sky was clear of clouds as well so the place was well lit for the job. It was also a nice quiet night as well.

“I’m just saying that if you didn’t bring so many bottles, you could of brought more daggers, or weapons, or anything than something to drink.” well, kinda quiet.

I looked back at the person behind me, she was a young looking priest girl with messy brown hair and cute green eyes and freckles around her button nose. She’s, as I mentioned before, a priest of the church of Sarenrae, a sun goddess who came along on this mission to deal with a Balverine.

I gritted my teeth a bit, Balverines are a race of werewolves, yeah I know more than one type of werewolf, it unlike normal werewolves Balverines are super fast and tough as hell. I also hated fighting them.

“Mouse, can you please drop the subject, I stopped listening to you an hour ago

” I whispered to her.

“I’m just saying that you could of brought something else then three bottles of… whatever. Like traps, weapons… a holy symbol to Sarenr-”

“Mouse, I told you a thousand-”

“Actually, it been three hundred and fifty two times. Counting this one,” she corrected. I simply groaned at this.

“Like I said, I told you many times I have a lot of items that I used and I’m not changing them, so stop tell me!” I snapped at her as I pulled a communicator out of my bag. It was a little odd since it was a skull.

I turned it on and set it to a channel. “Hey, everyone can hear me?”

‘Loud and clear boss,’

‘Hm.’

‘Of course my lady, and I do have to say what a lovely voice you have, it’s like the rays of sunlight in this darkened-’

“Yeah, shut up Bordan,” I said cutting him off, not wanting to hear him talk for an hour straight. “Nakin, do you have the trap set up?”

‘Yes.’ he said bluntly.

“Good, Bordan, how’s your side of things?” I ask him.

‘Beautifully, when I go I’ll make the sky bright again, just so I could simply light up your face with artificial light of the sun!’ Borden said in a dramatic tone which made me roll my eyes.

“Right… Sam, got your eyes on the beast?” I asked her.

‘Ai, the beast is North North East and a hundred and fifty meters of your position, eating a midnight snack.’ she reported. I nodded as I took a breath.

“Alright, Sam take the shot, everyone else send it this way, we’re getting it,” I ordered as I put the skull to side and looked at Mouse. “Mouse, start your spell.”

“Y-yeah,” she stuttered as she fumbled with her holy symbol and started praying. I felt the holy energy coming off her as the air was filled with a loud booming sound of a rifle and a blood curdling howl.

‘Balverine is on the move, heading your way big guy.’ Sam said over the skull.

‘Hm.’ Nakin said. Soon a large curved wall erupted up some ways away to my right as I figured that was Nakin doing. With another roar, much closer than before, the beast soon headed into the clearing in front of me. The darken shape was shown in the light of the full moon as it looked around.

“Hello ugly.” I whispered as it darted to the other end of the square. “Bordan, it’s heading your way!”

‘Why of course! I’ll light it up with the grace of my flames!’ he said over the skull. In a moment a wall of fire burst up from where the creature was heading, stopping it in it’s tracks. I chuckled at this, even through his bad flirting and egotistical ramblings, he knows what he’s doing.

I stood up and cracked my neck. “Mouse, hope you got your spell ready.”

All I heard from her was her chanting. I nodded as I step off the edge and fell down to the square below.

My descent and landing drew the attention of the beast as it turned towards me. Its piercing yellow eyes glared at me as it turned towards me. I pulled out my short sword and took a few steps forward.

“Shall we, ugly.” I said as my sword shined silver with the wall of fire lighting up the square. The beast roared as it leapt at me that any normal being would been killed by it.

Funny thing, I’m no normal being. I moved out of the way as it sailed over my head, my sword flashing as I clipped it’s leg. The beast roared in pain as it crashed into some crates. I got up from where I was and watched it crawled out of the crates and roared, charging at me. It swipe at me which I ducked out of the way. It continued to swipe at me, going wild until I kicked it in its head. It took a few steps back as I charged at it before it leapt into the air.

I quickly turned around as it landed behind me and swiped at me, tearing into my back.

“You bugger!” I yelled, swinging wide and missing it by a foot. I looked back and saw the claw marks. “This is my favorite jacket, you’re dead.”

It did a short roar before going from standing there to leaping at me in a second. I panicked and put my sword up to block before getting knocked down by the Balverine, my sword skittering away on the cobblestone. I groaned as I got up just to see it charging at me. Pushing myself to the left, I rolled out of the way of the Balverine charge, more away from my sword.

“Come on mouse, get that spell ready…” I whispered as I pulled out my silver daggers. The beast growled at me as I charged at it. It leapt at me as I ducked out of the way, turning around and leaped on it’s back and stabbed my daggers into it. It roared in pain as it started to thrash around. I held on for dear life as it changed at a wall. I grip down on the handles as the beast slammed me into the wall. I gasped but held on, been on more dangerous quest than this one.

As it thrashed around I saw a light coming from above us. I waited just for the right moment before kicking off it. It turn just in time as a beam of fire and light blast down and slammed into the Balverine. I pushed myself up and walked towards the pillar of light and fire, pulling out my hand cannon. When the pillar dissipated the Balverine groaned as it tried to push itself up again. I stomp on it’s back as I aimed my gun at it.

“Nighty night~.” I singed as I fired a silver round into the head of the beast. My gun smoked as the Balverine groaned before falling dead. The wall of fire subsided as a tall man with red hair ran up to me. His robes were, in a word, bright and colourful. They flowed down to the ground and billow out when he ran. The staff he carried was a redwood staff with a dragon carved on top.

“Viri! My dear! Are you all rig- oh your jacket!” he yelled, taking a bit of my clawed up jacket in his hand. “It’s ruin! Oh the horror! Oh the sadness! Oh the-”

“Yeah yeah, shut up Bordan.” I cut him off, smacking his hand. “It’s just a jacket, my favorite one, so it can get repaired.”

“Oh Viri! Even with your harshness, I can’t stop seeing the beauty that you emit! The full moon lights your face with it’s ever softness, you just-” and I stop listening to his long speech. I soon saw the others coming towards us as well.

Nakin was, in a word, big. He stood about seven or eight feet tall and balky as hell. His hand alone could have crushed the Balverines head easily. He wore dark leather armor with a large battle hammer and shield on his back with his gloves being fingerless. His square jaw was clenched as he looked at the corpse of the Balverine, out of everyone he hated Balverines the most.

Next was same. She was a bit smaller than me, about five foot five and also wearing leather armor but in a design of a ranger. Her hood covered her head as she shouldered Whisper, her custom sniper rifle. Everything about her was dark colours other than her eyes, which were a bright icy blue.

Lastly Was Mouse, who ran up panting. She wore some simple priest clothes, which had some whites, blues and a bit of red in places.

“Did we… get it?” she asked, looking at the Balverine as Nakin picked it up.

“Yeah, we did. Nice work on the spell by the way.” I told her. She smiled at me as she rubbed her arm. I took out the skull and called in a teleport. A bright light surrounded us as we all were teleported back home. I saw a familiar face waiting for us there.

“Hey ya’ll, how the hunting?” Liz asked with a wave. She had some simple clothes on that are stained with grease and oil from building and tinkering with machines and weapons. Nakin grunted as he showed her the beast. “Oooo, that’s nice, not a White Balverine but still nice.”

“Yeah, the handcannon is nice as well.” I told her, showing her it. I yawned after handing it to her. “Ugh, I’m tired, I’m going to go hit the hay.”

“You, sleep? You’re a Vamp, I thought you don’t sleep?” Mouse asked me.

“It also said that I burst into flames in sunlight yet that hasn’t happened yet.” I said as I pulled out one of my bottles and pop the cork off and took a swig. “Well, later everyone.”

“Good night oh stunning princess of the night, your presence will be missed for the next few hours!” Bordan proclaim as everyone groaned. I shook my head as I headed to my room.

My room was simple, a bed, a table, some bookshelves, and a bathroom. I sighed as I began to take everything off. Soon I was wearing a tank top and some underwear as I crawled into bed. I looked out of my window to see the moon as I felt my eyes grow heavy. Soon I fell asleep, drifting to dreamland.

I didn’t know where I was. All I remember was going to a convention and buying something from a strange man. Now I’m all alone, small, and scared. I heard yelling, people calling me a monster, a being of darkness.

Why? What have I done to them? I haven’t done anything, have I? I simply stayed where I was, a chest that I closed so I could curl up and cry as the yelling continued.

It went on for a few hours maybe longer before the yelling stopped abruptly. I didn’t hear anyone speak as I laid there. I sniffled as I heard heavy foot falls became louder as they got closer to where I was. I shivered in fear as the footsteps stopped near me and the lid slowly opened. I looked up to see a crowlike mask looking down at me.

“Don’t be scared, I came to get you little one.” the man said softly. I sniffled a bit as I sat up, putting my arms up. He picked me up and carried me out of the building. I saw beings in armor round us with chainsaw like swords and guns. “What is your name little one?”

“V-V-Viri…” I told him. He chuckled as we walked out of the building.

“Well Viri, you may call me The Father and I’m going to take care of you.”

“ Viri! Get up!” A voice yelled which jolt me awake. I groaned as the voice continued to talk through the skull near my bed. With a groan, I reached over and picked it up.

“What do you want?” I asked groggily.

“ The boss wants to talk to you, all of you.” the voice told me. I groaned a bit before telling him that I’m on the way. Getting up I put some pants on and headed to the meeting room. When I got there I saw that everyone was here, groggy but awake.

“Good, you’re here.” a voice said. In a large chair was the Boss. Simon was a businessman that took it upon himself to run the place as smoothly as possible and so far it was working. He was about sixty years old with brown hair with a little bits of gray. He tapped his finger on the desk as he looked at me. “Now then I’ll get to the point, you’re all going to be moving to a new place to work.”

“What!” Bordan yelled, making me groan from it. “What do you mean we’re moving?!”

“What I just said, you’re getting transferred to a new land, hell a new world to do what you do best. You’ll be taking orders from someone else for now on and you all plus Liz and her team will come as well, Rose too I might add.”

“But… all our stuff…” Bordan whined as Nakin put his hand on his shoulder as Mouse rubbed her eye a bit. Sam was… well she didn’t react to any of this like normal as she leaned on the wall.

“So that’s it, we pack up and leave on your order?” I asked Simon. He turned to look away from us.

“Truth be told I would kept you all here, you’re the best hunters I have seen and I’ll be a fool to let you all go, but this isn’t an order that you can’t refuse, I can’t even refuse it.” he explained.

“What are you talking about?” Mouse asked. He looked at all of us before speaking.

“This came from The Father.”

Those words made everyone silent for a long minute. We were all in shocked that The Father, the one that found all of us when we were young and haven’t spoken to any of us for many years finally spoke out just to send us to another world.

“Is this true?” Mouse asked, eyes wide. Simon nodded as he looked at all of us.

“I know that it been years you all talked to him but the fact is that he sent me a message that said to send you all to a world and that the way is already set up.” he explained. We all looked at one another in silence as we thought about it.

“Well… we can’t disobey The Father, can we.” Sam said, pushing off the wall.

“Yeah…” Bordan said with a sigh. “I’ll go pack then.”

“Hold on.” Simon said. “There are two more things to say, one is that when you get there you’ll be met by a being named…” he looked at a piece of paper he had. “Azura Blood… weird name. And when you get there your forms will change.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Simple, you’ll be under a spell that makes you all look different. You’ll have ways to revert to your normal forms but as is when you walk around you’ll look like whatever you look like.” Simon explained.

We all nodded before Simon let us go pack. When I was about leave Simon stopped me.

“Viri… I don’t know what The Father is planning but I have a feeling that it’s going to be big.” he explained. “Stay safe, I don’t want my best Hunters to die not on my watch.”

“We just bring you lots of money.” I said with a smile.

“You know it.” he said with a chuckle. I chuckled as I headed out to pack.

After a few hours we were all standing in the teleporting room with a lot of other people. I saw Liz with her team and Rose.

I walked over to Rose to see how she’s doing. Rose was a the same height as me with a figure that any woman will kill for. How she’s able to move with a rack that large I have no clue.

She wore some simple clothing with her choice of weapons; a long bow and two sickles. Her skin was fair and pale but seem to have an air of nobility about her.

“Hey.” I greeted her. She smiled as she looked at me.

“Hey V, you heard the news?” she asked. I nodded.

“Yeah, The Father is sending us out, to a new world.” I said. She frowned and looked away, making me remember that she came here through something similar but her way exploited and put her into a coma until she was treated by The Father. Sometimes she comes with us for hunting and her skills with a bow almost match Sam’s skill with a rifle. “Sorry.”

“It’s… fine… it been long enough and… just forget it.”

I nodded and saw a portal opened up. I headed over to my group as we got ready.

“Into the breach?” I asked them.

“Forward!” Bordan yelled as he soon ran into the portal with a few large trunks behind him. I sighed as we all followed him in.

Ugh, teleporting is much better than using a portal, too much spinning. I groaned as I opened my eyes to see that I was in some forest place. I sat up to a sitting position to collate myself as I figured out what was going on. Oddly enough, I felt… fuzzy.

I put my hand up to my head and saw that instead of skin I had grey fur. “The fuck?” I said as I saw a pond nearby. I crawled over to it and saw the form I tool: a gray furred horse being with a black and white mane and bat wings. I started at myself as I opened my mouth and made faces.

“Okay, what the fuck?!” I yelled, waking the others around me.

“Oooo, what happened?” Bordan asked as he sat up. I looked back at him as he checked himself out.

“WHOA!!!!!!! I’M A DRAGON!!!!” He yelled as he bolted up to look at himself. Looking at him I saw that he grew as well, about six foot eight to me. “I. LOOK. GLORIOUS!!!!!!!”

“Bordan, shut up!” I yelled at him. He flinched as he looked at me.

“Viri? Is that you?” he asked as I sighed.

“Yeah… it seems like I turned into some kind of bat horse.” I told him.

“Thestral.” Roses voice said. “You’re a Thestral.” The two of us looked at Rose and saw what she looked like.

Bordan whistled as I rubbed my eyes. Rose blushed and covered herself up, even though she’s wearing armor. Soon the other woke up along with Liz and her team, her team turned into anthro horses as she turned into more or less the same.

Nakin turned into a minotaur creature, kinda fitting if you ask me.

Sam turned into an anthro griffon being, who looked really beautiful if you ask me.

And mouse… turned into an anthro cute mouse girl.

“Really! A mouse girl!” Mouse yelled.

“Well, your name is mouse.” Rose pointed out. Mouse huffed and crossed her arms as the rest simply got used to their new forms. I soon heard rustling from behind us. My hand went to my weapons as an anthro horse woman walked out of the brush. She wore a business suit and had white fur with a pink blonde mane. She cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention.

“I’m guessing you’re the beings that I was told that would be coming?” she asked. She looked at all of us and raised an eyebrow. “Hmm, more than I thought.”

“Who are you?” I asked, my hand still on my weapon.

“My name is Azura Blood, I was told to come here to meet some beings that will help us with some… monster problems.” she told us. I narrow my eyes and saw no signs of her lying.

“She is the one that we were told about.” Rose said. We looked at one another and nodded.

“Alright miss Azura, we are maybe the beings that you’re looking for since we were told that we’re meeting you when we got here.” I said to her. She nodded at me.

“Well, I do want to start talking but this isn’t the place for it.” she turned away from us and looked back. “Follow me and we’ll discuss what the future will hold.”