Cyrus darted through the crystalline forest, his chest heaving with each labored breath. The pain from the bracelet was intensifying, a cruel reminder of the hunt's mechanics. He realized that the device worked both ways – as a hunter, straying too far from the prey triggered a discharge, and as prey, proximity to hunters yielded the same agonizing result. His mind raced, wondering how Tirag had managed to withstand such punishment while under assault from everyone. The man's resilience was nothing short of miraculous.
The chaos of the earlier confrontation had left Cyrus wounded, but survival instinct propelled him forward. Hot sweat slid down his face as he pushed his body to its limits. Leaning forward, he narrowly avoided a precise blast that shattered a nearby crystal tree. No matter how he tried, he couldn't shake off his pursuers. They seemed to have an uncanny ability to track his movements.
As desperation set in, Cyrus's mind ticked with an idea. He spotted one of the glowing mushroom trees and made a split-second decision. Leaping onto its trunk, he began climbing higher, using the alien flora as makeshift platforms. To his relief, the higher he ascended, the more the pain from the bracelet subsided.
"They haven't figured it out yet," he muttered to himself, allowing a moment of respite. "But it won't last long."
Cyrus knew he couldn't remain hidden in the treetops indefinitely. His pursuers weren't fools; they'd soon discover his trick. As he caught his breath, he assessed his dire situation. How could he possibly defeat them? Leora and Tirag were formidable adversaries, and he stood no chance in a one-on-one confrontation. His broken arm was a stark reminder of the gap in their abilities.
Time for some reconnaissance, he thought. To win, he needed to find a way to outsmart and defeat them all simultaneously. It was his only shot at survival, but the question of how to accomplish such a feat loomed large.
His gaze darted to a fluorescent river cutting through the forest below. A smile crept across his face as an idea formed. Without hesitation, he leaped down from his perch.
No sooner had his feet touched the ground than Leora appeared, having already caught up by traversing the mushroom plants. She lashed out with her whip, the golden rope cutting through the air. Cyrus bent low, feeling the void snap above his head as he narrowly avoided the strike.
"It's just a hunt, not a war!" he cried out, his legs never stopping their frantic pace.
Leora's voice echoed from behind, cold and determined. "War or not. No pity for the enemy."
Though Cyrus managed to temporarily shake off his immediate pursuer, it wasn't long before they all caught up again. Hidden within the river, he waited, teeth clenched against the searing pain coursing through his body. The hunters were extremely close now, intensifying the bracelet's effects.
Biting his lips to stifle any sound of agony, Cyrus watched as the hunters cautiously entered the water one after another, lured by the decreasing discharge from their bracelets. Leora approached confidently, moving forward with a total disregard for any potential trap.
Tirag was the last to arrive, hanging back on a mushroom tree and eyeing the scene suspiciously.
Come on, Cyrus thought desperately. I can't hold on anymore. Will you fucking enter this water?
His mind was going numb, veins bulging as adrenaline coursed through his system. Leora frowned, sensing something amiss, and flashed her whip towards the water.
Cyrus's heart skipped a beat as he emerged from his hiding spot. The hunters were shocked but reacted swiftly. However, before they could act, a white-blue wave rippled through the water. Deafening cries filled the void as they fell numb, one after another.
Leora's eyes sharpened as she tried to step back, but the ripple of lighting moved too fast. She whipped at the water, causing it to splash and rise. A confined circle around her pushed the water away, sealing it mere inches from her body.
"Good try," she said, her whip lashing out once more. Cyrus, already under immense pain from the bracelet, was sent crashing back into the water, blood trickling down his chest.
Tirag finally joined the fray, landing with style in the water. "You really think such a petty trick would have worked?" he taunted, raising his rifle as Leora readied her whip.
Cyrus, despite his pain, managed a devilish smile. "It actually did," he said, then shouted, "Levitate!" He waved his hand downward, shocking both Tirag and Leora. They glanced at the void below them as a bubble of water splashed over their bodies. Cyrus madly pounded his bracelet against the water's surface, sending ripples of lightning snaking through the air.
The duo reacted swiftly, jumping back, but their wet bodies conducted the electricity. The lightning streaked through the air, landing squarely on them and sending them crashing to their knees.
"I did it," Cyrus smiled weakly at the void, his head dizzy and vision blurry. At least now the queen wouldn't rip his head off. Leora was defeated.
"Well done," Tirag's voice cut through Cyrus's moment of triumph. "I never thought you could have pulled something like that. Considering how shamefully you failed in the entrance exam."
Cyrus stepped back in fright as Tirag rose to his feet. The man's body dangled slightly, like a drunkard, but he was far from incapacitated. "I don't understand how you failed the entrance exam," Tirag continued, advancing. "Why did you allow your parents to go through such hell?"
"Shut up!" Cyrus dashed towards him, his fist zooming in. Tirag easily evaded and retaliated, sending Cyrus crashing back into the water with cracked ribs.
"You could have avoided them such pain," Tirag pressed on, his words cutting deeper than any physical blow. "Such a shame. Do you really think winning the annual hunt will change who you are? You're nothing but a failure, long before you could even think for yourself."
Tears slid down Cyrus's face as he charged at Tirag once more, only to be badly beaten again. "I am not!" he yelled between sobs. "It wasn't my fault! I gave everything, I tried my best. What was I supposed to do when destiny itself is against me? I never wanted that. I-I never wanted that. It's all their fault. It's Arkania's fault!"
Tirag laughed coldly. "Arkania's fault? Who are you trying to deceive – you or us? The Arkania, for all endeavors, has existed for centuries. It's the rule: if you're not educated, you go to the mines unless you enter a magic school. Which you failed miserably at."
"It's not my fault," Cyrus whimpered. "I-I tried, but it was useless. I love my family. I loved my mother..."
"Still living in denial after all these years. What a pity," Tirag sneered, continuing to pummel Cyrus mercilessly.
Leora, her body still trembling from the earlier assault, managed to stand. "Enough, Tirag. You're going too far!"
Tirag turned his attention to her, his voice taking on a mocking tone. "Oh, come on, Leora. You know I'm right. He can't save us all. Look at him. Is this really the hope of the bite? Come on, we aren't that desperate, are we?" His words seemed directed not just at those present, but at some unseen audience.
Leora's face flashed with anger, her features turning bestial as her golden eyes flickered dangerously. "You'd better not insult us. Have you forgotten where you come from?"
In a flash, Tirag's eyes turned bloody. He moved with inhuman speed, sending Leora flying with a devastating blow. The sound of bones cracking echoed as she slammed into the ground.
"You don't mind if I go all out, my dear Leora?" Tirag said, a wicked smile spreading across his face as he pointed his rifle at her. "With someone like you, pity would be signing my own death warrant."