The Legend of the Hunter

Belac had been feeling unfriendly eyes upon him for a while, even before Rhinihr had left, but he was unable to find the source of his agitation. He had quietly mentioned to Lathlin to be especially alert since he felt that they were being observed, thus he was not unprepared when Talat exploded into the clearing, immediately followed by the stark scream of a man being killed.

Talat stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Belac standing with an arrow pointed straight at his heart. He immediately held up his hands and practically screamed, “Hollow People! They are upon us!”

Behind him, the two Hollow People stepped into the clearing. They paused to assess the situation, and then one of them addressed Belac.

“Well met, Hunter. Lower your weapon, please, for we are no threat to you. This man and his fellows were on their way to attack you, and we intervened because we are very interested in your companion. We did not want any harm to come to him,” he ended.

Belac said tersely, “I shall do no such thing. I won’t simply take your word that you aren’t here to harm or kill us. Move away from him over to the tree on your right,” he instructed the duo.

To Belac’s surprise, they instantly did so and then calmly squatted, their hands folded in their laps.

“Why the interest in me?” Lathlin asked, turning his blind eyes to where the Hollow People were.

Talat had moved towards Belac and Lathlin, and he also fixed his wide-eyed gaze on his pursuers. While his attention was occupied by the Hollow People, Belac silently stepped up behind him, twisted his arms back in a flash, and bound his hands with a thin piece of rope he always carried with him. Talat could only glare at Belac, who forced the Thug to sit down.

“We have great need of your healing power,” the Hollow Person who had spoken earlier now told Lathlin. “We had intended to capture both you and the Hunter, but when we saw this one and his men furtively approach your camp, we saw the need to change our plan,” he admitted frankly. “He is fortunate he ran to you for help, for we had intended to slaughter him as well.” Both Hollow People turned gazes devoid of mercy upon Talat, who squirmed uncomfortably at their pronouncement.

“So you just assumed Lathlin and I would willingly help you?” Belac asked, his tone conveying his anger and incredulity.

“It was a logical assumption,” the second Hollow Person stated. “We reasoned that since we had averted a disaster from befalling you, you would feel more inclined to listen to our request and accede to it,” he added.

“A request, is it? Doesn’t sound like one to me. More like a demand,” Belac said. He walked closer to the two, his hand on his dagger and his body ready for anything. “Better start explaining, or I won’t hesitate to kill both of you on the spot,” he said vehemently, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind that he meant every word.

“Hold, friend Hunter,” Lathlin unexpectedly intervened. “Their behaviour is quite unusual for Hollow Ones. Had they wanted to, we could have been taken prisoner by them even now, for you must know that they are considered highly expert at covertness, capture and carnage.” To the Hollow People he said, “Why do you need my healing skills?”

Belac stepped back apace to stand next to Lathlin as both men stood up. He surreptitiously kept one hand on his bow slung across his back.

“I am known as Void. My companion is Abyss. We need you to trust us and accompany us to our Shrine at the heart of this forest. We give you our solemn promise that we will not harm either of you, and once we are at the Shrine, we will reveal why your skills are desperately needed,” Void stated.

“Lathlin, wait,” Belac cautioned. “How do you know they aren’t lying and that once we are at their Shrine, they won’t cut us up for their filthy experiments? All of us know that they only live to mete out suffering and horror,” he spat out fervidly. It was the most he had said since meeting the Elfling, and it emphasised just how perturbed he was.

Lathlin looked long at Belac with his blind eyes before turning again to face the Hollow People. Then he said something that made the Hunter curse himself yet again for being a fool.

“I can see that they have no evil intent, and that they are being truthful. The colour surrounding both of them is completely white.

“You need not berate yourself, Belac, for forgetting that I see what others cannot. But I am willing to go with them to the Shrine, for it is my sworn duty to help anyone in dire need,” he concluded.

“Then I shall be your companion, and trust that your sight of colours has not failed you,” Belac said and finally lifted his hand from his dagger. “What do we do with him?” he asked and gestured at Talat.

“We can use him; our surgeons are always in need of fresh subjects. His dead companions will be collected by other Harvesters, as their corpses will serve our purposes, too,” Abyss stated callously.

“Hunter, no! You can’t let them have me! I beg you! Better to slit my throat now than let this filth take me!” Talat roared in fear.

Belac paused and looked at the Hollow People before he said, “No, you can’t have him. I can’t allow that, even if he came here to capture us. We will leave him here.”

“As you wish, Hunter, but know that he cannot escape from the forest. He sealed his fate the second he stepped into our domain in pursuit of you,” Void declared dispassionately.

“No, he comes with us and you will guarantee not only his safety, but ours, too. In addition, you must vow that all of us will be allowed to leave unmolested from the Shrine once we have concluded our business,” Lathlin stated in a firm tone. “He only followed orders, and he does not deserve to be slaughtered for that. In any case, Belac had already decided to take me back to Ragar so that he could ensure that the Brute will not continue to try and capture me,” he added.

“Correct. So he might as well accompany us back to Queleuq,” Belac said tersely. “What’s your name, Thug?” he gruffly asked the bound man.

“Talat,” the would-be-snatcher said angrily, until he remembered that his life might just be spared, thanks to the Hunter and the Elfling. He repeated his name, but this time with humility.

“Well, Talat,” Void said, “it seems like this is the luckiest day of your life.” To Belac and Lathlin, he said, “I agree to all your conditions. We guarantee your safety and that none of the Hollow People will prevent you from leaving the Shrine alive.”

Belac gave both Hollow People a steely look before he threatened, “We’ll hold you to your word, but if you go back on it – or try to – I will put an arrow through what passes for your hearts without the slightest hesitation.”

Lathlin gestured to the clearing which was quickly being overcome by the approaching night, and said, “We will camp here tonight and set off for the Shrine at dawn. I ask you to maintain your distance to prevent us from misunderstanding any of your intentions or actions during the night.”

“Agreed,” Abyss said and both settled themselves within the thick spreading roots of a tree. They wrapped their cloaks around themselves and shifted about until they felt more comfortable.

“I will take first watch,” Belac stated and took up a defensive, alert stance at the edge of the clearing.

“Thank you,” Lathlin said. “Wake me when it is my turn. I think we should be safe tonight though. So many of us in one place will certainly deter any predators from attacking.”

“True, but I for one would rather not chance it,” Belac said before he started to take a slow walk around the campsite.

Within minutes, full night fell across the forest, which came alive with the sounds of nocturnal animals. Within the clearing though, all was quiet, but nobody was asleep…