Hunter's Bond, page 29
“Arheis!” he heard Zindar call for him before the Pruvari quickly came to his side.
But Arheis’ gaze was still focused on Mira. She and the shield were both bathed in that same light, and when the Queen finally unwrapped her vines from around the woman in favor of lashing at Higrem, neither dropped to the earth as swiftly as gravity dictated. There was still a slowdown to it all, giving him enough time to beg Zindar to act.
“Mira,” he croaked out. “She—”
The Pruvari turned, seeming to understand what he was getting at. It was easy for him to bound over to the base of the cliffs, though he barely had time to drop his weapons before catching Mira in his outstretched arms.
Arheis, meanwhile, was still fighting through the pain. Tears welled in his eyes and he couldn’t name a single inch of his body that wasn’t wracked with agony. It was worth it, though. Or it would be. So long as Mira wasn’t feeling any of this pain; so long as she was okay.
When the light faded from around her—and when his shield finally dropped to the ground—Arheis felt his energy return to him. It seeped into every aching muscle, every broken bone, as if it were piecing him back together bit by bit.
> You have performed a successful Bond Action.
> Your Morale has increased by 20%.
> You will do 20% more damage and heal 20% of your HP until combat has ended.
Holy shit. He’d suspected bonds were important when Mira accidentally activated theirs earlier in the day, but the system messages confirmed it. Nothing else in Apex had ever granted such a massive boost for an entire hunt, and that 20% bump in Morale put him over what he thought was the cap, even with the loss he’d sustained earlier.
He pushed himself to his feet with ease and dodged the Nepondus Queen’s paw as she swiped at Higrem. Right now, he couldn’t even spare a glance at the man. He was focused on his friends, the Pruvari putting a very stunned Mira back on the ground as she came back to her senses. Her gaze sought out Arheis, then slowly moved to his shield. She bent down to pick it up, said something to Zindar that Arheis couldn’t read on her lips, and then hurried over to him as the Pruvari retrieved his weapons and leapt back into the fray.
There was a battle raging just a few feet away from them, but Arheis still felt the impact of her teasing smile as it played across her lips. “I thought you might want this back.”
“Could be handy,” Arheis said, accepting the shield and strapping it to his arm once more.
And that was the end of it—for now, at least. Celebration could happen later. They had a Nepondus Queen to take care of.
Arheis joined Zindar, continuing to work around Higrem and his hunters. Some of them were injured now. One was moving incredibly slowly and was likely poisoned. Still another lay still in the sand, either dead or unconscious. That—and the fact that Higrem’s damn smoke bomb was the whole reason Mira had almost been killed—sparked Arheis’ rage like nothing else. He put it to use, jabbing at the Queen’s buds, striking over and over again until she staggered, the leg that sprouted from the bud giving out on her.
But Higrem was still at the top of her list, and she took out her blind fury on him with lightning-fast speed. Even while working with essentially three legs, she whirled to face him, her vines lashing out once more. Zindar jumped atop her and cut one of them at the base of her spine just like he’d done on that first day, but he wasn’t fast enough to stop the other one from wrapping around Higrem’s torso, lifting him off the ground, and then slamming him head-first against it—repeatedly.
Zindar cut the second vine, causing the once-green appendage to shrivel and die as it fell harmlessly around Higrem’s body. But he wasn’t moving in the slightest and blood was pooling beneath his head, staining the sands. As the other hunters began to realize what had happened, some tried to make their way over to him. Others stood in shock, unsure what to do now that the man organizing them was down.
Arheis had never been much of a leader. He was pretty sure Brad had made that point in a performance review once. But he saw the need for leadership now, and whether it was his boosted Morale or something else, he felt confident enough to assume that role.
“Everyone!” he called, keeping his eyes on the Queen as she started to go for Zindar’s spirit. “We’re never going to bring her down if we attack blindly. Aim for the buds and the chest—make every hit count!”
Sure, it wasn’t the most inspirational speech ever made, but he wasn’t leading an army at Pelennor Fields. He was in the middle of a hunt with a crowd of Guild hunters who had no idea who he was and probably didn’t care. But one by one, they listened to him. Wild, flailing strikes became more precise as the hunters aimed for her weakest spots. Whenever one person grabbed the Queen’s attention, another would steal it away with a well-timed hit to a critical area.
> You have learned Leadership. Issue tactical commands to your fellow hunters and lead by example.
The game’s acknowledgment of that ability helped bolster Arheis even more, and he attacked with renewed vigor. The hunters capable of fighting fanned out to either side of the beast, with Arheis taking point up front. He used his Shield Bash to get the Queen’s attention, and saw that murderous red glare he’d become so familiar with over the past few days.
That’s right. Bring it on.
She opened her large maw, corrosive saliva dripping from her teeth, and Arheis wasted no time. He thrust his spear forward, aiming for the back of her mouth. His spear pierced flesh, and—like an explosive charge lodged into a brick wall—it burst with sudden force, sending her reeling back. She reared up on two legs, but Zindar was ready and waiting. He climbed swiftly over her spine, sinking his blades into the back of her head, right at the base of her skull. Galen made the sands shift underneath the beast, trapping her in a cavernous hole she had to work to pull herself out of.
All the while the other hunters continued attacking the buds, further inhibiting her with every successful strike.
And Mira? Arheis caught her out of the corner of his eye during a well-timed dodge. The second their eyes met, she jerked her chin toward the cliffs, and he instantly understood. He felt that bond surging through him, and he used the Queen’s utter hatred against her, drawing her closer and closer to the rocks Galen had loosened earlier.
The Queen lunged for him, but Arheis was ready. He blocked at just the right moment and followed with a Counter-Thrust straight to the gaping chasm of her chest cavity.
> You have performed a Redemptive Action!
> Your Morale has increased by 10%.
Arheis’ confidence soared, and he brought the Queen those last few feet, until she was almost parallel with the cliff face. He didn’t need to give the signal. Mira saw her opening immediately and fired a bolt at a weak section of rocks. The bolt—already flaming thanks to the firestarter—exploded on contact like a charge of C4, and half the cliff came tumbling down.
Right onto the Nepondus Queen.
She let out a piercing wail, and Arheis knew she was close to death. He could feel it with every fiber of his being. There was one thing left to do. One pivotal action to take that would ensure she couldn’t fight her way out of this.
“Galen!” he yelled over the beast’s roars. “The crystal!”
Somewhere behind him, Arheis heard the sound of something fragile break into hundreds of pieces. The light dimmed, and the glow in the Queen’s eyes faded. Arheis prepared to rally the hunters for one last push, but his adversary had something else in mind.
Her survival instincts seemed to kick in, and she thrashed about with a strength unaided by the crystal. Hunters went flying, Zindar was slammed into the sand as a paw caught him, and Arheis was forced on the defensive.
But when the chest cavity opened and she extended the pitcher plant to take at least one of them down with her, Arheis seized the moment. In what was seemingly becoming a signature move, he abandoned his shield, gripped his spear with two hands, and thrust it through the flesh of the pitcher plant. It pierced the thick hide and sparked just as it was meant to, igniting the acid inside and creating a massive blast that threw him—and everyone else—backwards.
He landed in the sand, one arm braced over his face to protect himself. But the explosion didn’t persist like the Ignicris. It was concentrated inside the Nepondus Queen’s vital organ, and it wreaked havoc on her from the inside out. She let out a deep, keening sound of defeat, and then collapsed, unmoving.
As Arheis sat there, his body pumped so full of adrenaline that he was shaking, he saw the most gratifying system message he’d ever witnessed in his life:
> You have slain Nepondus Queen!
Chapter 27
Arheis didn’t even see the rest of the status messages at first. His brain was still wrapping itself around the idea that he wasn’t in mortal danger, and his rapidly tanking adrenaline levels left him feeling like he needed a two day nap.
But the messages were there as he shook off the wooziness, plainly written for him to see:
> You have slain Nepondus Queen!
> You gain 81 XP.
> Your quest The End of the Monarchy has updated.
You have completed a Hunt of Great Renown! Report to the Guild to claim your rewards.
Arheis still sat there in the sand, his spear and shield beside him as he tried to calm his racing heart. Hunters were cheering all around him, getting their knives ready for the rare carve, meanwhile it all felt a little surreal to Arheis.
Big hunts in Apex had always been heart-pounding affairs. He felt accomplished after felling a monster that gave him so much trouble in the past, and the knowledge of the rare materials he might be able to acquire and the augments he could make with them had always been enough to drive his actions.
But this was different. There was no completion screen. His health wasn’t magically reset. The NPC hunters who’d joined him didn’t disappear. A musical cue didn’t herald his success.
He felt it, though. He felt like he’d accomplished something amazing with the help of these people. It wasn’t just the pride of taking down a monstrous beast. It was the knowledge that he’d made a difference; that he’d worked hard and had actually accomplished something.
Still a little shaky, Arheis got to his feet and withdrew his hunting knife. He looked for his companions and saw two of them celebrating. Zindar was with the group of hunters, re-enacting some of the choice attacks while he waited for his turn to carve. Mira was listening and responding while she gave some healing potions to the other hunters.
Galen stood a fair distance away, though, several crystal shards in his hand. Arheis knew he would have to talk to the elf at some point, but now didn’t seem like the time.
Instead he hobbled toward the dead body of the Queen, lack of adrenaline making his injuries far more pronounced. Knowing there was still work to be done, he took a potion from his belt and quaffed it in one long swallow. Relief instantly flooded him, and he let out a soft sigh as the pain faded away.
It was fully night now, and though the moon cast light onto the beach, Arheis still had trouble seeing exactly what he wanted to carve. The other hunters made room for him, but he gestured for his companions to go first.
Zindar, Mira, and even Galen took turns carving before Arheis settled in with his knife. He stood over the beast for a moment in something akin to awe, unconvinced she was dead despite her sad state.
But when he thought about all of the people she’d killed, he felt little remorse. This was what needed to be done, and while she’d put up a good fight, ultimately her death would ensure the safety of Lacerda—for now, at least.
With those things in mind, Arheis carved as respectfully as he could. Even still, he came away with a ton of materials:
> You have carved:
[1x Nepondus Queen Tusk]
[4x Large Nepondus Fronds]
[6x Large Claws]
[3x Large Beast Bone]
[1x Large Necrotic Gland]
[10x Clump of Fur]
[6x Chunk of Meat]
Stepping back from the body, Arheis crouched to wipe his knife over the abrasive sand. When he looked up, he saw a group of Nepondus cubs on the ridge above. Or at least what he thought were cubs. Just their silhouettes were visible, their dark forms menacing from above.
As quickly as they arrived, they stalked away from the cliff and back into the jungle. Their Queen was dead. They didn’t have anything organizing them now, and Arheis suspected their numbers would continue to dwindle as the Guild posted bounties.
He went to check on the status of the other hunters, but Mira was approaching him. She wore an expression that seemed to Arheis like a mix between shyness and playfulness. An odd thing to consider, but he didn’t know what else to call it.
“So. The bond worked, I take it,” she said, keeping her voice low enough that only he could hear.
Cold remembrance flooded Arheis’ overwrought nerves as he pictured Mira being killed by the Nepondus Queen; slammed against the rocks repeatedly until she stopped moving.
“It did,” Arheis said, unsure how to state that he got a system message confirming it. “I saw her grab you and try to fling you at the cliff and… I had to do something.”
She let out a shaky breath and nodded softly, even as she stepped closer to him. “It was… very surreal. I could feel what was supposed to happen to me at first, and then it just… left. It was like all of that pain was transferred to someplace else.”
Dark blue eyes met his, and while Arheis didn’t look away, he could feel his nerves fire on all cylinders as she searched for the truth. When he didn’t do anything to dissuade her, she gasped.
“…or someone. Arheis, I…”
She lifted her hand to his face, and he could feel the caress of her fingers as she cupped and stroked his cheek. He had no idea how she intended to finish that sentence, but his heart thudded in his chest as anticipation raced through him.
Amira took another step closer to him, and he was all too prepared for her to finish that statement without saying a single thing. Before she could, though, fate intervened.
“The mayor’s not moving!”
In the span of several seconds, Arheis felt both crushing disappointment and a sudden burst of anger. Of course Higrem would be the one to ruin the moment. He’d ruined everything else so far.
When Arheis looked at the hunter who was trying to get Mira’s attention, though, he found she seemed genuinely distressed. He and Mira both approached where Higrem had fallen only to find the man still face down in the sand, unmoving.
Mira went to his side, kneeling down on the beach to turn him over. Arheis could still see the rise and fall of his chest—shaky as it was—but the mayor definitely didn’t seem like he was going to rouse any time soon.
He’d just assumed Higrem would get back up at some point, because of course he would. He thought himself indestructible, and usually people who thought like that only ever hurt those around them—not themselves.
But Higrem’s skull was cracked, and Arheis heard Mira mutter something about swelling.
“Is he going to make it?” he asked quietly, crouching down beside her.
“I’m not sure,” she admitted, “though he certainly won’t if we don’t get back to Lacerda in time. Everything I need to even begin to treat him is there.”
Arheis nodded, then rose to his feet. He addressed the hunters who’d gathered nearby, and those who were knelt in a similar fashion beside dead and injured comrades.
“We need to get everyone back to the village—no exceptions. If someone can’t walk, we carry them.”
The group—now including Zindar and Galen—confirmed their understanding, and everyone who was able began the careful process of helping those who were not.
The walk back to Lacerda must have taken several hours, at least. Though they traveled the beach as much as possible and thus had easy access to the moonlight, there were still dark patches here and there that made it easy to stumble.
Three hunters—not including Higrem—were completely unable to walk. One of them succumbed to his wounds before anyone could even lift him, and his head was covered in a clean sheet of cloth while two hunters carried him with the utmost respect.
For his part, Arheis was helping Zindar and Mira carry Higrem. Between his size and his armor, the mayor was insanely heavy. They’d even had to have another hunter carry his sword because there was just nowhere to put it.
Two of the hunters who’d accompanied Higrem insisted on cutting off and carrying the Queen’s head back to the Guild hall, as well. While Arheis thought there were far more important things to attend to right now, the two wouldn’t budge.
Thankfully they weren’t needed to help carry anyone, so their absence wasn’t as heavily noted. They all made it back to Lacerda sometime in the early morning. Still well before dawn, which was why Arheis was surprised to see people out and about—most of them lingering around the gates, waiting for the hunting party to return.
They had instant help getting the injured to the encampment, and while it was less productive, they also earned a round of cheering from the villagers when the two hunters proudly displayed the Queen’s head.
Higrem was by far the person who garnered the most attention, though. Alfin—who was still resting in one of the cots—woke with the commotion and flew into a quick panic when he saw Arheis and Zindar gently letting his father down onto a nearby cot.
“What happened?!”
“He took a pretty big hit from the Nepondus Queen,” Arheis said, deciding not to amend ‘for being stupid.’
