"Dad!" A terrified voice cried out, the little hand reaching helplessly as a monster seized him.
"Nathan!" He shouted, his outstretched hand unable to save his son. As he watched the monster take Nathan away, his expression hardened, his eyes darkening with a burning hatred.
That day, vengeance consumed him. He would hunt down every Monarch, every monster in their army. Never being satisfied until he put a barrage of lead into their bleeding corpses. He pulled his mask over his face and grabbed his shotgun from the steps, ready for battle.
The attic shook as the monsters burst through the house, while the blue compound could stifle them from entering certain places, it wasn't guaranteed. As long as they didn't ingest it, they could easily break through if they felt food was on the other side.
"Hide. Do not come out unless I say so!"
He grunted as he leaped from the attic, shoving the steps aside and sprinting into the kitchen. With the monsters tearing through the living room and hearing the attic door slam shut, he needed a diversion.
Click.
He fired at the kitchen door, the sharp crack of the gunshot instantly drawing the attention of the two beasts. They turned toward him, their hulking forms towering in the darkness as they rushed toward him.
Their bodies were scantily covered in a thick, dark exoskeleton, a natural armor that covered their heads and arms like a shield. Their eyes, glowing a deep red, locked onto him with a predator's focus.
Their monstrous fangs, as large as his head, eager to tear into him.
He kicked the dining table in the corner of the kitchen, sending it crashing into the path of the beasts. Tossing his shotgun toward the living room, he sprinted away. Since the Great Lament, hunters had developed methods to deal with these seemingly invincible monsters.
From bullets to the head, multiple stab wounds to their hearts and enough blunt force trauma, hunters had tried it all. But he didn't need any of that. As a monster charged at him, he quickly turned, grabbing his arm and releasing the belt tied around his elbow.
As the monster burst through the wall, he leaped onto its back, wrapping his arms around its neck in a desperate attempt to strangle it.
The monster growled and quickly enough the second one ran toward them, grabbing him off the beast's back, chucking him through the wall and onto the floor of the living room.
"Fuck." He uttered as he tried to stand, his black hunter gear coated in cement dust and his eyes smeared with a red liquid—his own blood.
The monsters growled as they dashed toward him, he stood there, both legs planted on the floor, his arms dropping down, one of them broken. This was it, the end of the line.
The monster flung its clawed hand, sharp as metal and capable of slicing through flesh effortlessly. As it swung through the air, he envisioned it tearing his flesh apart. He closed his eyes, bracing for impact.
A second passed, and nothing happened. He glanced at the monster, which had shifted its attention to the attic. He squinted, seeing Katherine on the stairs, screaming at the top of her lungs.
A distant memory resurfaced: his son, murdered before him; his wife, taken in the same manner. He had vowed to become a hunter, to get his revenge, but now he found himself accepting death without resistance.
He laughed audibly, watching as the monsters turned back. Katherine screamed again from the stairs, but the monsters ignored her and in an instant, one of them fell.
"You shouldn't have chucked me into that wall." He laughed, raising his shotgun toward the second beast. "Angelo was a smarter man than I gave him credit for, having shotgun shells lying on his counter? Even in death, he finds a way to help in more ways than one."
The beast screamed, dashing side to side as it charged him down. He set his sights on it but it moved too fast and the dust made from its brutal landings wasn't helping.
The beast dashed to his side, it was close enough and now it was time for the final push, it swung its claw at full speed, aiming for his head, but in the blink of an eye. He raised his hand toward the beast's claw, blocking its fist in mid-air and with his other hand.
Click.
Another shot echoed in the house, the monster tumbled backward, its gut leaking a dark liquid. Quickly he flicked down the barrel of his shotgun, feeding it four more rounds and with another flick of the wrist he unloaded two more shots into the beast.
As the monster fell to the ground, it let out its final growl. He walked over to it, taking out a vial and collecting a bottle of its blood, downing it quickly. Katherine approached him cautiously. "Are you okay?" She asked.
"Few broken bones, a couple of fractures, you know, nothing your unlicensed doctor couldn't fix." He joked, falling to the ground, reaching in his coat pocket and fishing out a belt, tying it around his elbow.
"I'm sorry," Katherine spoke, her gaze fixed on the ground. "I knew I should've hidden but... I didn't want you to die."
"I won't sit here and tell you your help wasn't needed but-" He groaned as he stood up. "This could've ended very badly if I didn't win."
"I know..."
"Don't worry, cheer up kid." He put his hand on her hair, ruffling it. "You might be brash, but trust me. You did good."
She raised her head, tears in her eyes as she smiled warmly. "Now, we gotta get outta here." He said looking around.
"Wait!" She ran toward the attic, coming back with a box, sealed tightly with tape.
He looked at the box, taking out a knife strapped to his trousers, cutting it open. Within it were research papers, vials of Valotane, and just like his source told him. One vial of Constalin.
"He said if he didn't come back. That I should take this away, give it to someone."
While there was no certainty that Constalin could kill a Monarch, it was worth trying. He took the contents from the box, stashing them in his coat pockets. He had found what he was looking for.
He glanced at her, knowing she wasn't part of his mission and that taking her with him would only endanger her further. Yet, he couldn't just leave her behind. He sighed and knelt.
"You ever heard of ice cream?" He asked, a playful glint in his eye.
"No... What's that?" She replied, her curiosity piqued.
With a grin, he teased, "You've never heard of ice cream? How is that even possible? Oh my goodness!"
She pouted, clearly wanting answers about this mysterious treat. Amused, he continued, "Alright, alright... if you come with me, I can take you to this magical place where you can eat tons of ice cream. Deal?"
Katherine glanced around the house, her once-perfect home now in ruins, destroyed by the monsters. Deep down, she knew there was nothing left for her here. She nodded in agreement.
"Great then, Katherine. I believe we have a deal," He smiled, standing up.
"What's your name?" She asked quietly, looking away from him. "You know mine, but I never asked yours."
"You're a good kid," He said softly, patting her brown hair. "I'm Victor, your loyal escort to the land of cones and delicious whip."
For the first time in three years, Katherine's face lit up with a bright smile, and she laughed, a sound she had long forgotten.