Chapter 37

Thirty-Seven

Asurge of absolute power and adrenaline raged through every inch of my body, seeping into my muscles and flowing through my blood. I felt unstoppable, thriving in the unnatural high John's magic granted me. It was addicting. I didn't care if it bubbled beneath my brain and clawed at my consciousness, slowly draining me of life. The deadly cost was worth it.

My legs swung, moving faster than ever before as I sprinted through the dark woods. Despite lingering branches and vines scraping across my bare chest and arms, I felt nothing. The only discomfort I experienced was John's chaos gnawing at my existence, my fate a ticking bomb.

I continued to run, my hands ignited in green fire as they swayed. The rain has lightened, the threatening storm dissolving into the night, leaving only a simple downpour. It was the perfect setting for our hunt. Do you smell that? John questioned as I halted.

My chest raised as I inhaled the cold night, noting a faint trail of smoke. "Fire." I exhaled, my hot breath fogging the air that hung around the skull mask.

Where there is fire, there is life. We must find it.

I did as I was told, tracking the scent as it casually grew, thickening every few feet. "It must be close," I whispered, observing as the night had become hazy from the smoke. "I can taste it."

John glanced around the forest, pondering our next move. The trees. Climb high into the trees and search the sky for the smoke trail. It will lead us to them.

I grunted, tucking my blade into the back of my jeans as I gripped a hanging branch from the tree next to me. I began to pull myself up, scaling the wooden limbs and leaves, John's power allowing me to quickly ascend with grace. The scent of the fire solidified as I neared the sky, breaking through the overhanging canopy of partially dead leaves.

The night sky was a deep blue, streaks of onyx and sapphire painted across the endless cloudy atmosphere. The wavering storm clouds hovered above, hiding the stars as the rain fell to the earth below. A cold breeze whisked through the air, shaking my hair as the heavy smell of smoke filled my nostrils. I inhaled once more. "The fire is near."

John and I both searched the partially dead forest below, barely spotting the blackened trail of smoke. There. I tilted my head, unsure of where exactly the smoke was coming from.

"We need to get closer." I scanned the horizon, seeing a potential path through the trees. "It'll be easier to hunt when we can see our prey."

Indeed. But we must hurry. Time is fleeting, dear Cain.

Understanding his words, I gracefully slithered from the tree where I was perched, vigilantly moving to the next, carefully planning my steps, repeating the action until the haziness of the smoke was close enough to touch. Crouching, I stared through the scattered layer of leaves, spotting a burning tree below. It looked as though it had been struck by lightning, falling onto the main path that led from the cemetery towards the cabin. The fire had died down, leaving the charred tree to be consumed by faint, orange embers.

"They must've broken from the trail and wandered into the woods." A sinister smile curled my lips, my cheeks rubbing against John's skull. "Which means they must be lost."

There. John whipped my head, forcing it down as I noticed a large disturbance in the cakey mud near the fallen tree. Our game is afoot. Follow their trail. Grunting, I continued to move through the woods, growing excited at the idea of finally torturing my ‘friends'. It was finally my time.

The heelof my boot wobbled as my weight swayed, unbalanced. I swung my arm and clung to the nearest branch, nearly missing. "Shit!" Green fire poured from my fingers, strengthening my grasp, allowing me the flexibility to perch myself with stability.

Careful, Cain. We are a long way off the ground. It would be a shame to make such a foolish mistake, resulting in your early death. I scoffed, ignoring his words, seating myself on the tree limb. I moved my lips, silently mocking him, when a low grumble vibrated through the woods, distracting my focus. The sound was immediately followed by the foulest odor. "What the f—"

Do not speak!My head ached as John tugged at my voice. It pulsated, a stabbing sensation curling behind my eyes, like an ice pick that was jabbing my brain, causing me to wince. We are not alone. He paused, listening to the sounds of the woods below. Crunched leaves and snapping twigs could be heard not far from where we were perched. Let me handle this. John released my consciousness, taking full control of my body while my existence helplessly huddled in the shadows of my skull.

The eerie sound repeated, louder than before, shifting into a high-pitched screech. It was unnatural and eerie, something you'd expect from a horror movie. The ground trembled, the trees behind me shuddering as something large stalked near in the woods below. I could feel John's muscles flexing, tensing with anxiety. The strange presence lurked closer, the revolting odor gripping our senses. What is that? I asked. John clung to the branch, bracing himself as the mysterious thing sidled through the foliage, partially revealing itself. Together, John and I watched what appeared to be a starved looking bear-like animal crawling below. That's not a bear. The darkness and rain made it difficult to identify the animal. I wasn't sure what it was but, regardless, it wasn't a bear and seemed to be wearing a large deer skull with a broken antler. Strange. The odd beast peeked through the shrubs as if sneaking around the woods. What is it doing? I asked John.

John squinted his eyes, peering closely as the animal huffed, its spine protruding from its fur-covered back, slouching as it stood poorly on its back feet. It seems to be searching for something, dear Cain. It was difficult to fully see the beast's features through the dense smoke and rain, but enough of the animal was visible as we continued to watch. The strange looking creature lingered, sniffing the air, seemingly following an invisible trail.

What is that thing?I asked John.

He watched the animal closely, curiously enticed by its odd behavior. He observed it as it stepped forward through the trees, following the scent of something. The creature chittered, crouching as it lowered to all fours, and began to frantically search the wet ground. Unfortunately, I am at a loss, dear Cain, but I am intrigued. What is our friend here searching for?

The starved animal began to scuttle along the mud, madly trying to locate something. It traveled a few feet, scraping the skull it wore through the dirt when its head suddenly rose, releasing another screech. The high-pitched sound was followed by a low octave chitter, somewhat resembling the laughter of a hyena tainted with a deep snarl. The nose of the deer skull dipped into what appeared to be a shallow puddle. What is it doing? I asked, still unable to comprehend what the creature even was.

A loud whistle pierced from the opposite direction, quickly followed by a second further inside the woods. The animal's head shot high, dark red dripping from the skull atop its face. It tilted its head, listening to the sounds of nature before turning and facing the direction of the whistles. It was enamored by the sound, curious.

Interesting. John leaned down, gripping the branch. Absolutely intriguing. He searched the scattered trees, looking for something, listening as a third whistle pitched. Aha, there you are.

Who? I asked.

John pointed in the opposition direction of the beast, motioning to one of the many identical trees that poked through the canopy of foliage. There.

I struggled to see what he saw, confused by it all. I don't see anything. A flicker of light glinted in the area he pointed out, revealing a tall, faint figure of a person. It was crouched, much like John, holding something. Why is there a person in the trees? A fourth whistle carried in the air, and the animal below snorted, standing on its hind legs, its breath fogging the air around its face as it grunted.

Think. What is it that we are doing in the trees, dear Cain? John asked. I didn't respond, genuinely perplexed by everything. The creature hesitated, lingering for a moment before galloping towards the sound of the whistles. Do you understand what is happening? It aimedin the same direction of the dark silhouette that remained seated in the trees. I wasn't sure what any of it meant. They are tracking and guiding the beast. Corralling it.

Who? I felt lost.

"The Triad," John whispered aloud, smiling.

The putrid odor drifted away as the animal ventured further into the woods, unknowingly obeying the command of the whistles. John waited a few moments before carefully lowering himself, descending the tree. He hopped from a lower branch, landing in the mud below. What're you doing?

"If the Triad are luring that beast away, that must mean there is something they do not want it to stumble upon." He pointed towards the trees ahead. "And your friends" tracks dallied in this direction, which means we are gaining on them." He slowly began to trek ahead, stopping as he sniffed the air.

What is it? I asked.

John's eyes glanced around, probing the woods, following whatever phantom scent was luring him. He stumbled as his feet halted before the same puddle the animal had been so enamored with before. He tilted his head, studying the flippant pool, bending down to one knee, reaching his hand forward. He dipped his fingertips into the liquid, raising it high.

"Just as I expected." John examined the dark red water as it ran down his skin. "Blood." Rain trickled down his hand, running along the blood, causing it to streak across his skin. He brought his finger to his mouth, tasting the mixture. Faint moans fell from his lips, seemingly enjoying what he was consuming. "You simply must try hexer blood, dear Cain. It truly has such a marvelous taste."

Hexer blood? You mean witches" blood. I stopped, realizing there were two possibilities as to whose blood it might be. Whose blood is it? It could only belong to two people: Alaska or Ruby.

"This," he ran his index finger through the puddle, rippling the surface, "belongs to our fiery friend, Ruby, and it is relatively fresh. She is near." He sniffed again, scanning the ground closely. "Wait, there is more." He ran his other hand along the damp dirt, touching a small droplet, raising it closely to his face as he examined the blood. "Alaska," he breathed her name, licking the single bead from his fingertip. A whimper, followed by satisfying sounds, rumbled in his throat. "My my." He licked his lips. "Dear Cain, you did not tell me your sweet little hexer had the most exquisite blood. Oh, what a pleasant surprise this is."

My anxiousness bubbled as I fought to regain control. I didn't care what the reasoning behind their blood being here was; I simply wanted to try their blood myself. I want to taste it. My existence slammed into his, straining to be set free. An unnatural craving took over, possessing me as I continued to claw for control. Let me try it!

"I'm afraid that was all your sweet Alaska left for us to enjoy. But alas, you may quench your thirst with dear Ruby's. I do say, she must be severely injured as she has left an abundance behind. Plenty for us to share." John's existence stepped aside, allowing me to slither back into my skin alongside him, regaining control.

I fell to my knees, eagerly pressing my hands into the bloody puddle and raising them to my face. Deep red dripped from my fingers, running down my bare arms. I inhaled, the smell of her blood tainted with a foul scent as it filled my lungs. Cain, John tugged at my consciousness. Cain. I ignored his pestering, consumed with the idea of what her blood might taste like. Cain!

"Shut the fuck up!" I snapped back, closing my eyes as I ran my drenched finger along my tongue. "Let me enjoy this," I breathed, savoring the sticky substance. My tastebuds exploded with euphoria, the tang of her essence waking a new hunger within. John was right: her blood—hexer blood—was unlike anything I had ever consumed. It was nothing like what I expected, filled with saccharine. The flavor palate of my mouth ruptured, the after taste of her lingering on my tongue. I reached my hand back into the withering puddle, desperately craving more. The blood rippled as the ground quivered.

Cain, you imbecile! John's power yanked at my skin, forcing my head high as my gaze locked with another's. Straight ahead, peering through the trees, was a set of red glowing eyes. Do not move.

What's happening? What is that?My questions quivered within my mind.

John whispered his response back to me. It seems we are once again being hunted, but by what, I am not sure. I remained quiet and still, frozen in my position.

The source of the unnaturally red eyes moved, a large, bone-like claw stepping forward as the same blood dipped deer skull appeared. The glowing eyes were seeded within the empty sockets of the skull itself. The skeletal face tilted as the broken antler rose. The boney jaw of the skull trembled, a low chitter drifting from the skullcap.

"That's not possible," I whispered, alarmed by what I saw. The animal stepped forward, its malnourished body moving from the trees and into clear view, petrifying my nerves. The skull wasn't sitting on top of its head… No, it was its head, and it wasn't a bear, or an animal. It was a demon.

My hand slowly lowered, reaching for my knife, tucked safely into the back of my jeans. Careful, Cain. We do not know what might trigger its instincts.

The demon huffed, fog gathering around the damaged skull as it sauntered near. The beast's umber fur-covered body rose, standing about seven feet high with a slouched posture. Its long, boney hands scratched its deer-like ears, its red eyes fixated on me as my fingers curled along the handle of my knife, ready to attack.

A loud, nearby whistle caught me off guard, my eyes moving to the corners of my sockets as if it were a reflex.

Do not look away! My attention snapped back to the beast, but it was gone. Fear weighed me down, my heart pounding as I frantically searched the woods, desperately trying to spot the animal.

"Where is it, John? Where did it go?"

Snap.

I whipped around at the startling sound. The beast sprung at me, its boney jaw extended, growling as its peckish frame pinned me to the ground, knocking my knife away from me. "Shit!" I yelled, its claw-like hands weighing mine down. The demon's mouth was dripping with saliva, a long, snake-like tongue wiggling from behind its yellow stained teeth as its jaw inched towards my face. The wet textured tongue scraped across my neck and face, licking the slightly dried blood that soaked my skin. My strength fought against its heavy weight, struggling to break free. I yelled, straining to shove the creature from my body, kicking my legs, but to no avail.

Let me take control, Cain. I can use my power. Let me out!

My body surged with power as John stepped forward, taking absolute control. He clenched his teeth, biting back a growl as his hands began to glow. His fingers curled around the creature's claws, forcing them to remain locked with his as his magic fire burned its limbs. The beast raised its head, screeching into the night as John grappled with it, forcing it to endure the pain. I curled into myself, shocked by the sheer evil John possessed. He grappled with the demon, pulling it closer as it screamed, its ear-piercing shriek filling the night. Green fire slithered along the beast's claws, burning up its fur covered arms. He was torturing it.

A gunshot blasted from our left as a bullet whizzed above the animal's head, missing. Both John and the beast turned their attention, still tangled together. A second shot echoed, piercing the creature's neck, knocking it to the ground. John's magic faded as he quickly stumbled to his feet, gripping my nearby knife.

A tall, slender woman dressed in hunting gear was frantically reloading her shotgun, dropping the empty shells as she watched John sprint towards her. Her paint-smeared face was drenched in panic. She fumbled a handful of ammo, struggling to place two in the barrel.

"Shit, shit, shit!" she cried hysterically. John raised the knife as she closed her eyes, swinging the weapon as she pulled the trigger.

John's ears were filled with a high pitch ringing as he stared at the woman. Her wide eyes stared back, her lower lip quivering as she dropped her gun. Her hands trembled, reaching for the knife seeded deep within her gut, her blood dripping down her lower abdomen. Tears flowed from her fear stricken eyes, lowering as she tried to pull the blade out.

John tsked, leaning closer as his hold tightened. "I am afraid that will not do." His hand glowed as he grunted, ripping the blade up and through the woman's chest. Blood seeped from her gaping mouth as her body swayed, her soul barely hanging on. John leaned in, inhaling deeply as his lips brushed her cold cheek, and the woman withered in pain. "I want your soul," he growled, kissing her open mouth, his tongue running along her blood as her eyes drifted back into her skull. He sucked on her lower lip, releasing it with a moan. The woman's body fell limp, sinking further into the blade. He kicked her corpse aside, wiping the knife across his wet jeans. The injured creature groaned, struggling to its feet as it locked eyes with John. "I do not know if you possess a soul, demon," John carefully positioned his stance, readying himself, "but I shall find out."

The beast huffed, shaking its head, as if simply brushing off the bullet wound. Are you sure you can kill it? I asked, worried as I looked at the large animal, stalking nearer.

The two began to circle the other, moving in an odd unison as they both waited to strike. "Everything dies at some point, dear Cain."

The animal's skull widened, releasing a terrifying roar as it jumped towards John. He quickly rolled to the side, the teeth of the beast cutting his arm, a thin bead of blood dripping down his skin. The animal froze, frantically sniffing the air. It whipped its skull around, standing on two feet, its red eyes surging as they stared at John, breathing heavily. The same chittering from before returned, its head tilting again. It remained in that position, smelling the air, its tongue dripping from its mouth tasting it. What's wrong with it?

John glanced at his arm, peering back at the animal. "It smells my blood." As the words fell from his lips, the demon sprinted towards him with a crazed, feral hunger. John ran, trying to escape but it was no use.

The animal lowered its skull, swinging its damaged antlers, knocking John to the ground as his body rolled. He quickly scrambled to his feet, the knife gone from his hands, his breathing rapid. The animal rose, growling as it stood near.

"Enough of this!" John flexed his arms and raised his hands as blistering fire surged from within. The green flames seeped from his skin, slithering to the demon, taking hold of it. I watched in awe, enamored as John's power engulfed the creature. It screamed, hysterically flailing while the fire consumed it, burning it alive. The animal fell to its knees, gripping its skull as it shrieked its high-pitched cries. John's hands curled as he stepped closer and smiled, watching the beast wither away. "As I said, Cain," he clutched his hands into a fist, the demon disintegrating into ash, "everything dies."

His power faded away until all that remained was a pile of black soot. Rain fell onto the ashes as the wind blew and carried them away into the night.

Snap.

John whirled around, catching a glimpse of a silhouette amongst the trees in the distance. "The Triad know we are here." He searched the dirt, finding my knife, raising it to glance at his reflection. "Your friends must've stumbled upon them as well, which means they must be near."

My eyes stared back at him. Find them.