PART V
The Undead Hunter had not been living in the cave long. It was still a mystery how it had taken over the cave. A skilled demon had once roamed the cave, only to be killed by the Hunter. Baron believed that it would be a very tough fight. He recalled the time when his hunting party had first come into contact with the Undead Hunter.
Zodack had played a vital role in the killing because his power was immense; Flare was merely an apprentice at the time although very powerful in his own right. The Undead hunter used a flail, which could deal heavy damage; Zodack had stood outside the cave entrance going reciting various spells whilst the others waited shortly behind. Zodack had dominated the mind of the Hunter to the point where it walked out unarmed into the middle of the hunting party and stood there. Baron and the others all drew their weapons to strike it down.
The Hunter had awoken from its domination as they all drew their weapons, only to find that it didn’t have its flail in its hand. Baron almost felt pity for the mighty beast, as it looked around at the warriors surrounding it. Baron had never seen such a strong look of sadness in a beast’s eye before.
Kenshin, one of the master swordsman in the party was first to raise his sword, he brought it down with mighty force, followed by multiple steel arrows from Evander and his master, Turon. Flare had already begun to burn the beast with fire. The other four members of the party didn’t even have to hit it. The beast was slain quickly, but slyly. Zodack walked over to where the dead body lay.
‘We have no time to waste, let us move on to the golem’.
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Obviously the Undead Hunter had a spawn or another one had travelled to take its place, but the Undead Hunter was waiting for them. Baron, Flare, Evander and Remora-all very skilled fighters, but the battle would be tough without Zodack to lead the beast out unarmed. The fight was going to be considerably harder.
‘Durah’
The Earth Elemental stood proud and began to make its way towards the first cave in the clearing. Flares eyes were almost red, this often happened to mages when controlling a summon. Evander already had a plan.
“This Hunter knows we’re coming, so I suggest that the Flare’s summon leads the assault. Baron, you and Remora flank the Hunter whilst it attacks the elemental. I’m sure it will want to take out its biggest opponent first.”
As the elemental strode through the cave entrance the Undead flew out of the darkness and stroke down the summon with its dark blade. The Earth elemental moaned then grabbed hold of the Hunter. Flare was conjuring various missiles at the Hunter and summoning melf’s meteors over and over. Remora realised how impressive it looked, a giant Earth Elemental holding an insane beast in the middle of a dark cave, only to be lit up by the falling of meteors upon the Hunter. The Hunter broke its arm free and raised its Dark Blade, and brought it down with such a force Flare’s elemental fell to the ground missing its right arm.
Meanwhile Evander was in the corner of the cave plunging steel arrow after steel arrow into the Undead Hunters back as it strode about the cave slashing the elemental. Baron threw his cloak off and stood ready to strike the hunter down, Remora looked at Baron in his armour for the first time.
He charged at the hunter, and the cave rumbled, Remora quickly followed suit and raised his Tetra Blade as he ran towards him preparing to jump and bring down his double edge. Baron brought his axe down with a crunch into the Hunters ribs, it stumbled backwards- winded from the blow. Remora slashed again at the hunter’s side, and blood began to pour from the beast.
The Hunter once again struck down the elemental, and this time the elemental lay down on the floor without moving. The Undead hunter, with multiple wounds launched himself at Flare, but was quickly thrown sideways by the strike of Barons axe. Evander conjured a petrify arrow and raised his impressive Elven bow. His eyes focussed incredibly as the hunter became crystal clear in his line of sight. He struck the beast exactly where he had wanted, in the throat.
The Undead Hunter stumbled as its neck began to harden and it’s breathing halted, its eyes bulged as it held its throat. Its dark blade fell to the floor and began to fade with the life of the beast. Baron looked over it as it crumbled to the floor, it had managed to take several axe and sword wounds to the side, various meteors to the torso, but the petrify arrow had finished it off.
Flare was next to his earth elemental; it lay there groaning, as it spoke to Flare through their bond.
“I’m s..sorry…m..mast…er”
“You have served me well my friend”
It faded away into the ground to where it would once again be called upon one day.
The battle had been won, as Baron had anticipated but Remora certainly felt that they were lucky to have suffered no major injuries. They certainly wouldn’t be able to use Evander’s petrify arrow against the Flaming golem.
They remained in the cave only a few minutes before they exited, leaving the fading body of the Undead Hunter….
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Many thanks to my good friend Josh Parke for the artwork =)
