— Gerald Durnhart, “The Hunter’s Guide to the Elixars and Oils”, page 213
Emily sat in the loft with the hay doors swung wide open and her legs dangling over the edge.
She let out a tired sigh as the hazy orange sky gradually darkened. The air was warm and smelled of hay and dust. Below, the sheep shifted restlessly in their pens, their bleats rising up through the open loft.
Emily tried to focus on the open book in her lap, but the tension in her chest made it difficult. She ran her thumb along the illustration, tracing the inked shape of the monster that waited for them in the shadows beyond the fence.
The Sangrevoro.
It looked like a wolf, but leaner, and more twisted. Its fur was patchy and matted, and most unsettling of all were the twin tails curling behind its body. They bristled like a snake’s rattle in the drawing, and according to the text, when they shook them, it emitted a sound-killing field. It wasn’t a creature she wanted to meet at all. The Alpha was even more of a horror, a brawly sack of muscles and tattered fur. It looked more like an ape or a lion than a canine, and how exactly one evolved into the other, she had no early idea. The entry Mina had provided only got so detailed, and the way it described everything was just too boring to properly comprehend. The entry was between pages 230 and 235, but she could only get as far as page 233 before starting to zone out. She skimmed the last two pages, but they looked just as boring to read. It was getting late, she was too tired to study now.
Mina climbed up the loft ladder behind her, an oil lamp swinging from one hand. Gone was the usual trench coat. In its place, Mina wore a leather vest over padded leggings. Her sword was strapped to her back in Karaline’s bronze scabbard. A dagger lay across her chest, another tucked into her left boot. Twin revolvers hung at her hips, and the bullets reflected the lamplight from the bandolier wrapped around her waist. A rifle was slung over one shoulder, and a small pack over the other.
Emily stared, blinking. She’d never seen Mina so heavily armed before. There were at least ten or twelve things strapped to her body that could easily kill, and that wasn’t even counting her claws and fangs. Emily wouldn’t have doubted if there was something else literally up her sleeves, but from the looks of it, all there was were bandaged arms.
Mina caught the look and arched an eyebrow. “Something wrong?”
Emily shook her head quickly. “No. You just look… intimidating?”
“You will too one day.”
“Maybe when I get a trench-coat like yours.”
Mina set the oil lamp down. “Wouldn’t benefit me here like it does in public. A lot easier to keep people comfortable when they don’t see the weapons strapped to you. Makes them easier to handle when they think I’m less dangerous.” She glanced back, her gaze sharp beneath the brim of her hat. “Also keeps enemies from knowing what I’m equipped with.”
Emily grinned at the thought. “Suppose you’ve got a point.”
Mina unstrapped her rifle, and set it gently on the wooden floor. She reached into her pack and pulled out an attachment, clipping it to the front. Two slender rods extended beneath the barrel, forming a makeshift stand. She set the rifle near the loft’s edge, angling it down toward the pasture.
Emily frowned, leaning forward to study it. “What’s that?”
“Support. The steadier you are, the more accurate the shot.”
“Where did you get it?”
“Karaline made it for me. If you can, mount the rifle on something. It’s better than trying to hold it up for hours.”
“Hours?”
Mina nodded, her attention still on the rifle. “Could be a long night. And there’s not much up here we can use to brace the shot.”
Emily glanced back over her shoulder. The loft was filled with bales of hay, but not much else. “I suppose,” she muttered.
“Remember, further you are, safer you are. The magic in your veins may be healing you faster than a normal person, but its still not as fast as me. You can’t risk taking a hit. If it means waiting up here for hours where its safe, then its what you need to do.”
“So I’m just waiting here with you?” Emily asked. “I’m really not doing anything?”
“You’re observing.” Mina finished with the rifle and sat back, resting her hands on her knees. “Sangrevoro are smart. Pack hunters. If one of them goes down, the others react immediately. They’ll try to lure the attacker away, split them from what they’re guarding. A few will stay back, waiting for the opening. If there wasn’t bait, they’d come for me all at once.”
Emily’s brow furrowed. “But if we’re up here, what’s stopping them from just… ignoring us? Or worse, trying to get into the barn?”
Mina shook her head and glanced back toward the sheep below. “The bait will keep them focused.”
“And… if it doesn’t?” Emily asked quietly.
“It will. And remember, I’ll have to chase them down after the first spot, walk into their trap to ensure I get them all. I want you to stay up here where it’s safe. Wait for me to come back.”
“Sounds like you’ll be having a lot more fun than me,” Emily said with a sigh. “So all we do now is wait then?”
Mina nodded. “Quietly.”
“Can I at least try shooting them when they show up?”
Mina didn’t look up. “You’re here to watch and learn.”
Emily pouted but didn’t argue. “Alright.”
“The creature will be small. Fast. Hard to hit.” Mina’s voice stayed even. “And it’ll be dark.”
“You can see in the dark?” Emily asked, then gave a weak laugh. “Oh. Right. Vampire. Duh.”
“You’ll make better use of your time studying. Read while you still have sunlight.”
For a while, Emily did. She poured over the Bestiary, committing every word to memory as best she could. There was too much of it though, and not enough time. Soon, the last light faded, and darkness rolled in. Without much else to do, Emily lay back on the nearby hay and stared up at the sky. The stars blinked quietly overhead. The moon’s, silver light was veiled by thin, drifting clouds.
It was peaceful for a while. It was strange to think that somewhere in that tranquility, there was a pack of monsters lurking.
“Mina?” Emily whispered.
“Hm?”
“Where do monsters come from?”
Mina was silent for a moment. Then, quietly, she said, “We don’t know.”
“Not a very satisfying answer.”
“Some hatch from eggs. Some are born. But most just appear. There was no reason. No sign. One day, they’re just… there.”
Emily frowned. “Really?”
Mina’s gaze stayed fixed on the dark horizon. “There are stories of the air tearing open. Like a bloody, violent gash. And from it, a monster spills out. Then the wound seals itself, and the world is left with one more nightmare.”
Emily shivered at the thought. “Have you ever seen one?”
Mina shook her head. “It’s rare. Hard to prove. Some say it’s a myth. Others… know better.”
“Do we know why the rifts open?”
“No. They just… started. Elves called it ‘Iltharin.’ The Great Rupture. Thousands of rifts tearing open across Ageria. It lasted for months. And by the time it ended, the world wasn’t the same.”
“Do you think we’ll ever learn how it started?”
Mina shrugged. “Maybe one day.”
The air grew silent.
“So… monsters just appear?” Emily said after the pause.
“And it’s our job to make them disappear,” Mina said quietly.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“What if we killed them all?” she asked softly. “What if we rid Ageria of every last monster?”
“Then we can rest.”
Emily smiled faintly. “I wouldn’t mind resting now.”
“Not while we’re working,” Mina said with a firm tone. “You’ll need to learn to stay up late. There will be nights like this where you need to stay alert and focused.”
Emily nodded. “I’m used to it,” she murmured. “I’ve had plenty of sleepless nights.”
And beneath the watching stars, they waited.
The soft glow of the moon faintly illuminated the loft through the open doors. Emily lay on her back, her arms crossed over her chest, staring longingly at the mounds of hay spilling over each other like a waterfall. It looked far more comfy than the solid wooden floor she was lying on. Looked like it would be warmer too. That’s what she really needed right now. A soft bed, a blanket, and the warm glow of the fireplace. In her case, it was a couch, but she still took that over the hard floor. And here she was, half-frozen beneath a sky of stars.
She glanced toward Mina, fighting to keep her eyelids open.
Mina hadn’t moved. She sat like stone, her gaze locked on the darkness beyond the loft. She hadn’t shifted, hadn’t sighed. She might as well have been dead. The only sign of life was the occasional blink of her silver eyes.
Emily huffed quietly, rolling onto her stomach. She stared out over the edge of the loft, gazing at the ground below. The earth looked soft. It would be more exciting down there, fighting something real, feeling adrenaline burn through her body instead of fighting to stay awake.
It wasn’t like she was helpless. Mina had given her a gun, after all. Just in case. She’d practiced. She was a decent shot. Maybe even a good one. If she had a chance to stand and aim, she could hit the Sangrevoros. She could help.
Emily rolled onto her back again, staring up at the beams above. She forced her eyes to stay open, but they burned with exhaustion. Her body ached. She tried to listen to the night, hoping it would keep her mind busy, but all she heard was the low rustle of the trees swaying in the breeze and the soft bleating of sheep below.
It was peaceful. Relaxing.
Until it wasn’t.
Everything went quiet. It wasn’t like drifting into sleep, where the sound slowly faded. It was instant. One breath, the world hummed with life. The next, it was empty.
Emily sat up. Her heart hammered in her chest, but she couldn’t even hear that. She turned her head sharply, staring into the darkness, but the sound was gone. All of it. No rustling of the trees. No bleating of sheep. Not even the rasp of her own breath.
She tried popping her ears, but nothing came of it. It was like she had gone deaf.
Her heart pounded faster, like a trapped bird in her chest was trying to escape.
Mina reached out, and placed a firm hand on Emily’s shoulder, steadying her. Her other hand gripped the rifle, pulling it closer. She pressed her cheek to the stock, peering through the scope. She remained still.
Emily pushed herself onto her elbows, her breath shaky. She scanned the dark. Though her eyes had fully adjusted, the world beyond the barn still looked like an endless black void. The only sign of life was the distant lights from the gaslamps littering Cresthill’s streets.
But then something moved. It was a shadow against the backdrop of night.
The rifle fired but made no sound. Only the sharp recoil and the faint glow of the muzzle flash.
Instantly, all the world’s sounds crashed back into Emily. The bleating of the sheep, the soft rasp of the wind, and a low, guttural cry. It was like a gravily whimper.
Mina pulled the bolt back, and the bullet casing bounced on the floor with a clink.
Emily pressed a hand to her chest. “What… what just happened?”
“They were close enough,” Mina whispered calmly.
“I didn’t even see it.”
“It was stalking.” Mina glanced down the scope again. “It knew we were here.”
Emily peered out into the black, trying to spot what Mina saw, but there was nothing.
The Sangrevoro that she hit hadn’t stopped whimpering. It was becoming higher in pitch, like a dog in pain.
“There are more of them,” Mina said.
“How many?”
“Eight. They retreated into the treeline when the first one fell. One is staying behind, circling. Trying to lure me away.” Mina set the rifle down and stood. She stepped forward, leaning over the edge of the loft.
“You remember the plan?” she asked.
Emily nodded. “I stay here. You deal with them.”
“And?”
“Don’t climb down from the loft.”
“Good.” Mina nodded once. She turned, stepping up onto the edge. “You can use the oil lantern now if you wish. No point in keeping our spot a secret anymore.”
Emily felt around for the lantern until her fingers grazed the pockmarked metal. A moment later, the loft was illuminated with a comforting warm glow. “What if there is an Alpha?”
“I’ll take care of it. Just stay up here. I’ll be back soon.” She dropped into the night, vanishing into the darkness like a shadow swallowed by a deeper shadow. Not even her snow-white hair could be seen.
“Be careful,” Emily muttered.
And then she waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Emily lay on her stomach by the edge of the loft, staring down at the empty pasture below. Her heart was beating faster. She told herself it had only been a minute. Two at most. But it felt like time had slowed just to test her patience.
She listened for anything. Footsteps, a whisper, the snap of a twig, but all she could hear was the dull pounding of her heartbeat.
Where were the Sangrevoros that were supposed to come to the barn?
Emily’s hands trembled slightly as she reached for the pistol Mina had left her. She held it the way Mina had shown her, her fingers resting off the trigger, and pressed carefully along the side.
And then, just like before, it happened.
Silence.
It hit her like she had just run face-first into a wall. The sheep, the rustling trees, the creak of old wood beneath her, it was all gone. Swallowed in an instant by sheer nothingness.
Even the sound of her own breath was lost.
Panic surged through her. She sat up too fast, her pulse thundering in her ears, though she could hear none of it. The lantern at her side was illuminating the ground, and she scanned it frantically.
There was nothing at first. But then, the creature finally stepped into the lamplight.
Emily froze.
The Sangrevoro stood at the edge of the barn, half-illuminated. It was just as monstrous as the bestiary had described. Worse, even. Its matted fur clung to its gaunt limbs, thin enough to show bone beneath patchy skin. Its eyes glimmered red like rubies, and it’s twin tails coiled behind it, bristling and twitching like a rattlesnake ready to strike.
The Sangrevoro’s head lifted, and it looked straight at her. For a moment, Emily couldn’t move. She couldn’t think. The creature’s lips curled back into what looked like a snarl, but she couldn’t hear the low growl she imagined vibrating from its chest. She could see the tension in its muscles and the hunger in its gaze.
The Sangrevoro padded forward. It sniffed at the edge of the barn, pawing at the wooden doors with it’s claws, testing for weakness.
Emily’s grip tightened around the pistol. She tried to focus. She was safe up here. It can’t reach her. She repeated the words over and over, forcing herself to believe them, but some small part of her thought there was a sliver of a chance it might just leap up through the windows and maul her to death.
She glanced down at the weapon in her hand. Mina had given it to her for a reason. She wasn’t helpless. Not completely.
The Sangrevoro paced beneath her, its head tilting, sniffing at the edge of the barn. It scratched at the wood again, this more aggressively.
Mina should be back by now. The longer Emily waited, the more her nerves frayed.
What if something had happened?
What if Mina wasn’t coming back?
Emily forced herself to stay calm. She was safe here. Safe, as long as she stayed. She had the gun. She had the high ground. And the Sangrevoro was right there, clueless to the fact that she was armed.
She gulped as an idea wormed its way into her brain. If she killed it, Mina will see. She’d see that Emily was capable of killing a monster. She had to be, right? If she was going to be a monster hunter, then she needed to kill monsters.
This was her chance to prove that she could.
Emily stood slowly, her knees shaking. She stepped carefully to the edge of the loft. Her heart thundered so hard she thought it might burst. She took a breath, steadying herself, and leaned forward.
The Sangrevoro didn’t notice. It was still scratching at the door.
Emily raised the gun. Her hands were trembling. She took a deep breath and pulled the hammer back. She needed to focus.
The Sangrevoro looked back up at her, it’s eyes locking onto hers.
Emily’s breath hitched, and her whole body went tense with fear.
She pulled the trigger.
The gun flashed, but there was no sound. Just the recoil snapping through her arm. And then, all at once, sound returned.
The Sangrevoro let out a sharp, strangled cry, collapsing to the dirt in a heap. It didn’t whimper. Didn’t move.
It was dead.
Emily stood there, frozen, the pistol still raised. Her heart pounded in her ears, so loud it drowned everything else. She’d done it! She’d killed it!
Slowly, Emily lowered the gun. The silence was gone. She could hear the sheep again, hear the whisper of the trees, hear the wind stirring the grass. She could hear clearly. That meant there were no more Sangrevoros nearby, right?
It was safe.
Triumph surged through her body as she let out an excited breath. She had actually killed a monster! Emily stared down at the creature’s lifeless body. She wanted to get a closer look at it. Where had she hit it?
It was a bad idea. She knew that Mina had told her to stay, but she couldn’t help it. This must be what it was like to hunt a deer for the first time like her father had once told her. Now, it was time to go and inspect her buck.
Emily stepped back from the loft’s edge and turned toward the ladder. Her hand were still trembled as she grabbed the first rung, but she forced herself downward, climbing slowly. Emily hesitantly pushed the barn door open, and stepped out. The lantern’s glow stretched just far enough to give her a little light down below.
The Sangrevoro lay sprawled where it had fallen, completely motionless.
Emily stepped out slowly, keeping her gaze locked on it, the pistol tight in her hand. There was no breathing. At least, she didn’t think so.
It looked just as monstrous in death as it had in the bestiary. The bullet had struck just above its left eye, the dark fur torn where the round had punched through its skull. A thin trickle of dark blood stained the side of its face, pooling beneath its head, and soaking into the earth.
Emily gulped, her heart still thudding painfully in her chest. She half expected it to lurch up, and snap its jaws. But it didn’t move.
It was dead. She killed it. But it didn’t feel like a victory. She didn’t know what she felt. There was pride there, swirling around in her chest, but there was something else, and she couldn’t tell what it was. Fear? Guilt? Why was she feeling guilty for shooting it?
Emily crouched low beside the creature. She studied its face, its cleaming red eyes, its pointed ears, the shape of its snout. Even the way its twin tails lay behind it seemed so unnatural.
And then the world went silent again.
Emily’s breath hitched like all the air had just been sucked out of her. It was all gone.
Panic seized her chest, her eyes darting around, wide and searching. Her gaze fell back to the Sangrevoro. Its twin tails lay limp. They weren’t bristling. It wasn’t this creature’s magic that smothered the sound.
Which meant…
Emily turned. Slowly.
Just beyond the edge of the lantern’s glow, the monster’s body was cloaked in shadow. Only its eyes caught the light, two burning embers, glowing crimson beneath the dark. Drool dripped from its long, twisted snout, trailing down between jagged fangs. Its lip peeled back in a silent snarl, and its ears twitched as it crept closer.
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