—— ? ——

  Simon stared at the creature that watched them. There had been no movement from either group since Kaelalin and he had noticed it.

  His lenses focused in, and he was able to get a better look at it. It was massive, almost twice his height and wider across. It reminded Simon of a gorilla… if a gorilla had been dunked in nightmares and given knife tipped tentacles. Dark tar-like material flowed across it’s entire body and dripped off, smacking into the snow. The globs would evaporate as if they were being boiled, leaving behind a soot like residue.

  All in all, a horrifying nightmare incarnate, and the damn thing seemed to be just sitting on its back haunches.

  As if it was waiting for them to move.

  Fuck.

  This wasn’t good.

  “Simon.” Kaelalin’s frantic voice echoed in his head. “What are we going to do ? What do we do? What… What.”

  “I don’t know. Why is it just watching us still?

  Simon glanced between the creature and the portal. It had put itself directly between them and their goal.

  Simon might have found it almost funny, if death wasn’t staring him in the face.

  He had to do something. Soon that thing would get bored, frustrated or who knows. Then it would move, and that would be the end of it.

  Simon was sure he could out run it. He had done it before.

  Then he glanced over to Kaelalin. Her face was locked in a mask of terror, and concentration.

  She was probally thinking up a plan to deal with this.

  But there was no plan. If they both fought, there was only one outcome.

  Death.

  But what choice did they have? Stand here until it engaged on its terms?

  No.

  They had to fight.

  More specifically, Simon had to fight.

  “Kaelalin. Here’s what we’re going to do. This is my… plan.”

  “What is it?”

  “I’m going to fight it.”

  “What?!” Kaelalin's reply was so loud, Simon swore she had spoken out loud. “Simon there is no way that’s the plan. You can’t. It almost killed you, and you were just running away. I can–”

  “NO.” Simon blasted the thought to her. Kaelalin physically recoiled. “Remember when you said ‘where’s that Simon?’ well guess what. He’s here. “

  Kaelalin looked pissed.

  He could live with that.

  “Here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to charge in. Once I have its attention, the MOMENT it isn’t paying attention to you, you’re going to sneak to the portal.”

  Kaelalin squinted her eyes, her jaw stiff. “Simon, that's a stupid plan. How long can you even keep that up? What, Seconds? Look.” Her nimble fingers spun, near her chest and an explosive construct appeared in them. “I can help.”

  “No.” Simon’s tone was iron. “Kaelalin, right now that thing only knows who I am. It’s chased me before, it knows I'm a threat. It doesn’t know what or who you are.”

  He flicked his eyes to the creature.

  “I know I can get it’s attention. It won’t have a choice.” He turned his eyes back to Kaelalin. “Please. Kaelalin this is the only way. I promise, the moment you’re inside and safe I’ll run like I’ve never run before. That thing won’t even be able to catch sight of my stupid floppy ears on the horizon.”

  Kaelalin’s eyes softened. “So, I run into the portal. You run into the night?”

  Simon nodded. “Excatly. But remember, this doesn’t work if you attack. If it knows you can hurt it, it’s going to go straight for you. My skill takes too much time to charge up. Hopefully, I won’t have to fight it that long.”

  His eyes flicked to the portal, then back to Kaelalin. “Just get to the portal, and I’m out. Got it?”

  Kaelalin was hesitant, and quiet. She had no response and the seconds ticked by.

  “Come on Kaelalin, just listen to me.” Simon pleaded. “I’ve followed your plan, now you get to follow mine. Agreed?”

  In the corner of this eyes, he caught the slightest movement. The creature had tensed its giant back legs. Simon shifted his focus to it, his gaze locked on.

  “We don’t have time for this. Say you agree.” Simon insisted. Across from them, the creature lazily leaned forward dropping on all four of it’s trunk like appendages. It began to slowly move towards them.

  Simon risked looking at Kaelalin, doing his best to transfer his resolve to her.

  She gave him a stiff nod. Then with rapid movements, she withdrew a bandiloer of glowing red potions. Kaelalin slowly, and carefully, passed them over.

  “Take these. You’re going to need them.”

  Simon nodded his thanks and quickly strapped the sash of healing tonics to his chest.

  “Drink enhancement potions. Green is speed, blue is a magical shield. I don’t know if you need the latter one.” She paused, then added. “Brown sludge one is Brian’s brew for the speed potion toxicity. Let’s hope you don’t need that.”

  Simon’s hand shot to his waist and he thumbed through a pouch. He had memorized the positions of the enhancement potions within, not willing to fumble and repeat his mistake from days ago.

  He pulled the green one out, uncorked and chugged in one gulp. The potions effect took hold, and he faced the creature. It had taken multiple steps forward, then paused. It’s head cocked to the side as it watched them.

  Now that it was closer, Simon saw something unsettling. Was this thing… smiling?

  God damn. What horrifying god came up with this thing. He had to know.

  “Identify.”

  —- SYSTEM NOTICE—-

  This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

  > IDENTIFICATION SUCCESS.

  > Aurora Stalker

  > Level: ??

  > Type: Creature - Aberrant Beast

  > Disposition: Relentless Predator, Violent

  > Description: The Auror Stalker is an aberration originally brought to reality in the realm ‘Galgoraun’. A secret society lost their home to an unceasing tide of Aurora Hoppers. Furious at this, the leadership devised a plan. They would fusion alchemy, monster breeding, and dark arts to create an Apex predator that would feast on the lagomorph plague.

  Through their arts, they created a hunter specifically adapted to track, pursue and kill the threat. This abomination of violence, has a singular goal:

  To toy with then consume any touched by the Auroras light. Regardless of source.

  > Known traits:

  >> Aurora Vulnerability: Their natural affinity causes them to be unable to hunt during Aurora outbursts. This resistance lessens the more aurora-touched prey it consumes.

  >> All other traits Unknown.

  ——————————

  You know what? Reading is so overrated.

  It was time to act.

  Simon stepped forward. The creature’s eyes snapped to his foot, then slowly rose to meet his eyes. A sickly, tar-lined smile gleamed towards Simon.

  Holy Shit.

  Simon felt his blood chill to ice. It was time to fight a god damned nightmare.

  He took another step.

  The creature let out a cackling howl, then crouched. It’s bright orange glowing eyes watching every single movement.

  Simon glanced down at his instrument, feeling its time beginning to wane.

  For the love of all that is holy. DO not give me a fucking kazoo. He dismissed the instrument and summoned another.

  *pop!*

  The same flute appeared in his hand. Simon squinted at it.

  “Are you that anxious to be stuck in that thing?” He unconsciously whispered to it, shaking his head. “Good enough.”

  Simons eyes snapped back to the creature. It was just crouching there like a dumbass, waiting for his first move.

  Simon hated this. He knew there had to be some tactic here to increase his odds. Some great battle plan that would level the playing field.

  Instead of some grand plan, Simon had a dumb one.

  But, hey? Maybe being stupid is what he needed right now.

  Totally.

  Before he lost his nerve, Simon coiled his leg muscles then stared the stupid shit brained monster down.

  He inhaled.

  “HEY, ASSHOLE!” Simon bellowed, tapping the flute to the ground.

  Well, the creature sure looked surprised.

  Although, he was probably thinking. “What the hell is this moron doing?”

  Simon didn’t care. “Mr fucking uggo over there!” He tapped the flute again. “That’s right, I’m talking to you, you lump of tarry snot!”

  Simon’s voice trembled, but he made up for it with pure volume.

  Snow exploded around him as he launched forward.

  “You came the wrong fucking valley, you tar infested shit bag!”

  Simon catapulted across the snow, his legs pumping beneath him. The distance between the two vanished as he charged.

  Look, in Simon’s head, he hoped for one fantastic amazing outcome.

  Maybe the creature would be intimidated by his mad charge? It was intelligent, right? Maybe it would go “Wait, why is this guy charging at me screaming obscenities? Is he actually really strong? Oh shit, I better be cautious.”

  With that faint hope, Simone charged across the snow, tapping his flute the entire way. His bunny ears flapped in the wind, reducing the cool factor of his heroic act by a significant margin.

  “Simon! What the FUCK are you doing?!” Kaelalin screeched in his head.

  “Improvising!” Simon replied, a mad grin crossing his face. “Just get to the portal!”

  Turns out, the creature was in fact, not intimidated by its meal charging at him. It exploded forward as well. The two beings charging towards each other at maximum speed.

  Shit!

  The creature lunged towards Simon, but he dove to the side at the last moment. He slid under its outstretched claw.

  “HAA-GAHHHHH!” Simon’s triumphant exclamation turned to pain as he felt the sensation of something sharp sear into his shoulder. A whipping tendril, zipped in then out.

  “God damnit! The freaking tentacles!” He screamed, backing away from it. The creature spun towards him and lunged again.

  Simon backstepped.

  Then nearly slammed into the ground as the force of his step carried him farther than he should have.

  A claw whistled through the air he had just occupied, and the creature lunged forward again. Simon backpedaled and practically launched away from it.

  What the hell!?

  It felt like he was being blasted back by dynamite with each step he took away from the creature. An unnerving feeling, but the only thing keeping him alive has he dodged backwards. He stumbled, and rolled, unfamiliar with his how his footing should be.

  Shit.

  He jumped to his feet, and stepped back again, but he was too slow.

  Pain rocketed through him as another tendril snaked out and stabbed the same shoulder.

  He hissed as his eyes snapped down, taking in the yellowed, bone-like thorn that protruded from his shoulder. That black tar oozed around it, causing him to recoil.

  His eyes snapped back up, catching sight of the retreating tendril. A new spike was growing out of its tip.

  This loss of focus almost cost him, as the creature moved faster then it had. It lunged forward with it’s claws out. Simon instinctively swung his flute. “Anima Control” he muttered at the last second.

  His arm glowed gold and wrapped the instrument at the last moment.

  There was a metal scraping sound as he deflected its claws, but one nicked his hand drawing blood.

  “OW, fuck!” Simon screamed, but backed away. His eyes had barely caught a shadow from above. A tendril whizzed through the air, missing him by inches.

  His steps were disorienting. He needed a moment to think. To breathe. To do anything!

  The creature howled again, moving forward at speed. Simon growled in return, dodging to the side. Instead of trying to step back, he sprinted away.

  It was like he was weightless, each step magically extending past any limit he had ever known.

  Right. I got a skill from running away from this dick.

  Reckless Retreat. The skill made Simon the perfect bunny cosplayer as he made distance between them. He tapped his flute, chiding himself for not remembering to keep up the rhythm.

  Simon spun around, now a dozen feet away from the monster. The creature looked frustrated, and started to turn it’s head in Kaelalin’s direction.

  “Oh, no you fucking don’t!” Simon yelled, sprinting back in. The creature's attention had completely left him.

  Fuck it!

  Simon lunged forward, swinging the flute hard. “Anima control!” His arm glowed and instrument glowed.

  The flute collided with the back of the creature.

  *thunk!*

  Wow. That was useless.

  The Aurora stalker whirled instantly, catching Simon off guard. Even with a hasty backstep, it’s claws raked his chest.

  Simon screamed as his brain exploded with pain, but he instantly slammed his jaw shut. His mind went to razor focus as he shakily stepped backwards three times in quick succession.

  Despite his mental clarity, the pain made his vision swim. He swept his empty hand over his chest and snagged, uncorked, and chugged a red potion.

  He heard a whistling sound. Simon spun on his heel, and stepped forward. Wind ruffled the floppy ears on his hood and one was batted to the side as tendril barely missed him.

  Pain was overwhelming him, but heat from his gut fought with it. He focused his senses, taking the smallest step back. The moment he didn’t feel the effect of Reckless Retreat, he shifted his body and charged forward instead. Tap, went the flute to the ground.

  He blasted across the snow.

  Simon’s vision cleared just in time to see the creature had turned back to him early. Simon slammed his right foot down, shoving into a sideways roll, his arm flailing at the maneuver.

  But he was still too slow.

  His other shoulder seared with pain as a bone barb stabbed in. Simon swung his flute. Maybe it was luck, maybe Simon had reacted in time, but the result was the same.

  The flute nicked the tendril as it retreated.

  The Aurora hunt let out a scream of pain, stumbling back. Simon leaned back, it’s outstretched claws flashing past his face.

  Shit. That would have cut my head off.

  The creature actually retreated, its tendrils disappearing behind its bulk. Simon took the moment to tap his flute, then grabbed one of the barbs with his empty hand. With a grunt, he yanked it out. His eyes locked on the creature, who for the first time was cautious, Simon uncorked a health potion and dumped it on the wound.

  Heat exploded from the wound, but Simon felt his mind clear even further, the pain numbing.

  He grit his teeth, holding back a moan of pain. The orange eyes studied him, flashing from toe to head, then focusing on his flute.

  Simon tapped it again.

  “You like my flute big guy?” Simon grinned wickedly at it. “It was so determined to meet you that it showed up twice.”

  The monster howled back at him.

  Then it launched forward, closing the distance between them in an instant. Simon tried to step back, but a tendril extended to almost three times its length and whistled through the air.

  It snarled his leg, causing Simon to stumble.

  He fell backwards into the snow,

  The creature’s shadow fell over him.

  Several hundred pounds of black awful violence descended.

  —— ? ——