Seraphina moved with a cautious grace, her glowing sword now sheathed on her back, though her hand remained close to its hilt.
Her golden eyes scanned Owen's prone form amidst the rubble, taking in his tattered clothes, his injuries, and the faint red glow that still emanated from his eyes, even in his unconscious state. It was an unusual luminescence, not typical of the abyssal creatures they hunted.
She knelt beside him, her armor clinking softly against the debris. Her gaze lingered on his face, noting the dirt and grime, but also the lingering fear etched in his features. He was young, likely no older than sixteen or seventeen.
A civilian, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or perhaps… something more.
That red glow was definitely peculiar.
"He's alive, but unconscious," she stated, her voice clear and commanding. "Borin, check for any immediate life-threatening injuries."
The hulking Hunter lumbered over, his heavy plating crunching on the rubble. He knelt beside Owen, his large, gauntleted hands surprisingly gentle as he began a quick assessment. "Bruises, cuts, looks like a couple of broken ribs. Nothing immediately fatal, though he's taken a beating."
Lyra and Kael approached, their weapons still held loosely in their hands, their eyes scanning the surrounding shadows for any remaining threats. Elara remained slightly apart, her emerald mists still swirling, her senses probing the area.
"That glow in his eyes," Kael murmured, his own glowing eyes narrowed in curiosity. "I haven't seen that before. It's not the usual abyssal energy."
"Agreed," Seraphina said, her gaze still fixed on Owen's face. "It's… different. Almost… resonant."
Borin grunted as he finished his initial check. "He needs medical attention. We can't leave him here."
Seraphina nodded. "Agreed. Elara, can you sense any residual abyssal taint on him?"
Elara focused for a moment, her emerald mists swirling more intensely.
"Faint traces of Tier One energy, likely from those smaller creatures he encountered.Nothing significant. No sign of direct corruption."
Seraphina stood up, her expression thoughtful. "We'll bring him back to the outpost. We need to understand what's going on with him." Her gaze swept over the ruined city, the crimson light of the moon casting an eerie glow on the devastation.
"This incursion is getting worse. More high-tier creatures than we've seen in months, and now this…" She gestured towards Owen with a tilt of her head. "Something is changing."
Borin carefully scooped Owen up in his massive arms, his movements surprisingly gentle for his size. "Let's move out then. This place gives me the creeps."
The five Hunters, their golden light a beacon in the ruined city, began to move away, carrying the unconscious form of Owen with them. The dawn was still hours away, and the red moon hung heavy in the sky, casting its oppressive light over a world teetering on the brink of chaos.
The arrival of the Hunters had saved Owen from certain death, but his journey was far from over. He was now in the hands of beings with powers he could barely comprehend, and the strange red glow in his eyes held a secret that could either save him or mark him as a threat in this terrifying new world.
The secrets of the abyss were vast and unknowable, and Owen was about to be drawn deeper into their heart.
<------>
The journey back to the Hunter outpost was a tense affair. Even with the immediate threat of the Tier Six Devourer neutralized, the ruined city remained a treacherous
landscape.
The crimson moonlight cast long, distorted shadows, making it difficult to discern real threats from mere rubble. Every creak and groan of the decaying structures sent a ripple of unease through the group.
Borin, ever vigilant despite carrying Owen's dead weight, kept his electric hammer charged and ready. His massive form moved with surprising agility through the debris-choked streets, his senses constantly scanning for any sign of lurking abyssal creatures.
Lyra, nimble and silent as a shadow herself, scouted ahead, her glowing blue daggers held low, her movements fluid and watchful. Kael, his glowing eyes piercing the gloom, maintained a constant awareness of their surroundings, ready to unleash a barrage of runes at the first sign of danger.
Elara, her emerald mists swirling around them like a protective shroud, used her enhanced senses to detect any hidden threats, her ethereal form gliding effortlessly over the uneven terrain.
Seraphina led the way, her golden eyes constantly assessing their route, her mind already racing with questions about the escalating abyssal activity and the unconscious young man in Borin's arms.
The increased presence of high-tier creatures was a worrying sign. The incursions were becoming more frequent and more intense, stretching their resources thin. And now, this boy with his unique energy signature… it felt like another piece of a puzzle she didn't yet understand.
Owen remained unconscious, his body limp in Borin's grasp. Occasionally, a low groan would escape his lips, a testament to the beating he had endured. Seraphina glanced back at him, her brow furrowed in thought. The red glow in his eyes had dimmed slightly but was still undeniably present.
It wasn't the chaotic, malevolent energy of the abyss; it felt… contained, almost like a banked fire.
As they moved deeper into what was once the city's residential district, the signs of the cataclysm became even more pronounced.
Homes were reduced to piles of rubble, personal belongings scattered amidst the destruction – a child's doll, a broken photograph, a water-damaged book. These silent reminders of the lives lost served as a stark testament to the tragedy that had befallen this place.
Suddenly, Lyra signaled a halt, her hand raised in warning. She crouched low to the ground, her blue daggers held ready.
"Movement ahead," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Small group, Tier Twos, scavenging."
Seraphina nodded. "Avoid direct engagement if possible. We don't want to waste energy on low-tier fodder. Kael, create a diversion."
Kael nodded, his glowing eyes focusing. He extended his hands, and a cluster of bright, crackling runes formed in the air before him.
With a flick of his wrists, he launched them towards a cluster of collapsed buildings to their left. The runes exploded on impact, creating a series of loud bangs and flashes of light that startled the scavenging Tier Two creatures. They hissed and scattered, their attention drawn away from the Hunters' path.
The group continued their journey, moving swiftly and silently through the ruined streets. The air grew cooler as they moved further from the heart of the devastation, a faint breeze carrying the scent of damp earth and something else… a metallic tang that Seraphina recognized as the faint residue of concentrated abyssal energy. They were getting closer to the edge of the city, closer to their outpost.
The Hunter outpost was located in the skeletal remains of what was once a large industrial complex on the outskirts of the city. Its sturdy, reinforced structures had withstood the initial cataclysm and had been further fortified by the Hunters, creating a relatively safe haven in the midst of the chaos.
As they approached the outpost, the golden light surrounding them intensified, acting as a signal to those within. A series of flickering lights responded from within the complex, guiding them towards a heavily fortified entrance.
The massive steel gates, reinforced with glowing runes of protection, slowly creaked open as they approached. Several figures, clad in similar golden armor, stood guard, their weapons held ready. They lowered their guard in recognition as Seraphina and her team approached.
"Report," one of the guards, a woman with stern features and a heavy crossbow held across her chest, said to Seraphina.
"Successful hunt," Seraphina replied. "Tier 2 Devourer neutralized, along with two Tier Three Shadow Stalkers. We also found a survivor." She gestured towards Borin, who carefully carried the unconscious Owen.
The guard's eyes widened slightly as she took in Owen's appearance and the faint red glow emanating from him. "That one… he's different."
"Indeed," Seraphina said. "We need to get him to the infirmary. And then, we need to understand what he is."
Borin carried Owen through the gates and into the relative safety of the outpost. The air here was cleaner, the sounds of the ruined city muffled by the reinforced walls. Other Hunters moved with purpose, attending to various tasks – maintaining equipment, studying recovered artifacts, and tending to the wounded.
Seraphina led Borin towards a section of the complex that had been converted into a rudimentary infirmary. The room was dimly lit by glowing crystals and contained several cots, some occupied by injured Hunters. A woman in white, her face etched with weariness but her eyes sharp and focused, approached them.
"What have we got here?" she asked, her gaze immediately falling upon Owen.
"Survivor found near the city center," Seraphina explained. "Heavy injuries. And… he has a unique energy signature. Red glow from his eyes."
The medic, whose name was Anya, raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "Red? That's… unusual for a survivor."
Borin gently laid Owen down on an empty cot. Anya immediately began her assessment, her skilled hands quickly checking his pulse, his breathing, and the extent of his injuries.
Seraphina watched, her mind still preoccupied. The successful hunt was a small victory in a larger, losing war. The increasing strength and frequency of the abyssal incursions were a worrying trend. And now, this boy… he felt like a wildcard, an unknown factor in a game with increasingly high stakes.
The red glow in his eyes….