The Hunt for the Night-Cursed Crone

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Onyx had returned from his long trip away, following a possible business lead for Kivo. The news he bought home was some good, some bad. It pained Kivo to even think about leaving Faline at this time but he couldn't ignore this. Failure to pursue could lead to Kivo losing a valuable opportunity. He set things into motion, preparing the saloon for being without him. It was hard to find someone trustworthy enough for the job but his head barmaid, Fran, was the one he often turned to for support in these situations. She was honest and hardworking, simply happy for the job. The money was good, the customers tipped well and Kivo was always happy with her work. Fran wasn't knowledgeable in everything that happened in the club but she knew enough to keep the place ticking over whilst he went of his journey south. Before leaving, he scribbled a few last-minute instructions on a notepad for her then grabbed his bag to leave. His panther familiar walked alongside him, matching his pace, as they followed the path out of town.

There was a long road ahead of them. Kivo had packed his saddlebags full of necessities, including food, water and protection. He jingled as he walked, the many bottles and cans clinking together. He hoped they didn't break on the way - one would hate to be covered in sticky substances. They skirted round The Whispering Sea, hugging the western border by following the bay down. The ground was marshy underfoot, the mud squelching with every step. By the end of day one, they had barely made a dent in the journey. Kivo set up camp in an irked manner while Onyx gathered firewood. He had hoped to see a little more progress but the sludgy conditions made it difficult to make any sort of quick advancement. It was also the quickest route - following the trodden path through Mead and Namarast would have added at least another day to the journey. At least I could've stayed in a nice, warm inn, he thought to himself. He tightened his coat around him as the chilly night air set in. Onyx took up camp in the branches of a nearby tree to avoid sleeping in the filth. Unfortunately, Kivo hadn't the ability to do that so he slept standing up, one back leg cocked in a resting position for comfort. They slept lightly, wary of predators around. You never know where they could strike from.

The blinding sun awoke them as it broke the darkness on the horizon. It scattered varying colours of blue, pink and orange across the sky and clouds. If he had the time, he'd admire the beauty of the sunrise. Alas, he did not stop to see the views and quickly began to ready for the next leg of the hike. He was determined to make more headway today, wanting to cover at least half of the distance they had left to travel. Packed up and ready to go, they both set off at a good speed. Once again, the trail was boggy and thick with mud. The ground sucked at Kivo's legs as if attempting to trap him forever in its grasp. He waded through it, splashing murky water and specks of dirt all over them both as they went. The second leg was just as difficult as the first and when the sun began to set once more, Kivo was furious with how little they had achieved. One more night was spent in squalor and the black stallion found it hard to rest this night. He fidgeted constantly, unable to stay still. His mind was racing, doubting that this trip was even worth the effort. Thinking like that would allow the enemy to swoop in and take it. It wasn't the attitude to have.

The next morning, they were on the road even before the sun rose. Kivo downright refused to spend another day sleeping among the critters who revelled in the inhuman surroundings. They marched onwards, no words spoken between the pair. Onyx was quite simply terrified to even make a sound in fear he'd receive a swift kicking from the winged stallion. Thankfully, the journey's end was nearing. The land began to break up, becoming a weaving web of flooded streams and rivers. At this point, he was past the point of caring about getting his feet wet and sploshed through the puddles.

The weather here was bad. It was dark and gloomy, the air electrifying. A storm must be brewing. He thought little of it, continuing on towards the sparse houses that were dotted randomly throughout the valley. If it were to rain, it would just be the cherry on top of this pile of shit. There wasn't much else that could sour his already foul mood.

It was only with a tug on his tail, he'd realised his companion had stopped. He turned around, ready to snap at him but the expression on his face stopped him before he could say anything. The panther looked terrified, the whites of his eyes showing. He was backing up, pulling on strands of hair to try and drag Kivo with him.

"What's wrong?"

Kivo needn't of asked though as the guttural, earth-shaking rumble answered the question for him. He turned back, looking at the sky. It wasn't a storm that was brewing. Something much worse stirred the air into a frenzy with darkness seeping out of the crack above them. They reached down to the ground, pressing down on the earth with an oppressive feeling. Another rumble shook the ground beneath their feet followed by the almighty wail of pain. A creature rose up from out of the misty gloom, rearing its ugly head towards its creator. Without any thought, Kivo charged at the beast, screaming a battle cry as he galloped. He churned up the soft ground, chunks of earth flying behind him. He opened his wings, stretching them wide. It felt good to feel the wind in his feathers - he rarely took to the sky these days. He kicked upwards, flapping his wings gracefully to soar through the air. He circled above the monster, analysing his choice of attacks tactically. Onyx was slinking in the shadows on the ground, using any hiding spot to his advantage. In the darkened daylight, he camouflaged well, sneaking closer undetected. The bird-octopus-dragon hybrid was too busy noticing him anyway to seek the little familiar. It squawked at him, snapping its raven beak towards him. He swooped and dodged, a feather coming loose as he did so. The feather glided down towards it and it landed on its back harmlessly. However, this tiny act riled the monster even more and this time it attempted to leap high, wanting to snatch Kivo mid-flight. Once again, he dodged its attack, looping back around to land his own strike. The creature was heavier and larger, so therefore it was slower and less agile. As Kivo lunged to bite, it attempted to move out of the way but failed. Teeth sunk into the flesh of his victim, causing the crone to flail its wings wildly around with the intent of shaking the parasite free. The pegasus clung on, cutting deeper. The warmth of blood pooled on his tongue. It tasted revolting. This alone was enough to make him let go of his own will and he flew high into the air once more.

He rummaged through his saddlebags that were still attached to his back. They were lighter now with most of the provisions used up on their three-day trek to get here. However, what he had left was useful in this situation. Of course, he didn't know what sort of trouble he may run into and he hadn't wanted to carry a visible weapon. He couldn't show up to a potential client's home with a broadsword strapped to his back! That didn't mean he had to walk around unprotected. Instead, he had bought with his something that had been gifted to him not so long ago. An acquaintance he'd made a few months back had shared with him his magic in the form of five, small, glass balls. They were filled with a glowing gold liquid that had dazzled him at first sight. They had explained briefly how it worked but Kivo didn't know the finer details. What better way to test its full capabilities. He grasped one and, with all his might, he dropped it down. It struck its target, shattering immediately with a loud, explosive bang. The liquid oozed out over the creature, sizzling the skin like lava. Kivo watched in delight as it burned, the gruesome abomination writhing in agony. It backed away slightly, lowering its head in retreat. But the jet-black stallion wasn't going to allow it to run away that easily. He pursued it, flying to attack once more. The beak opened, wailing towards him. It was ear-splittingly loud, stopping Kivo in his tracks for a moment. His face crinkled with pain, afraid that his eardrums may burst. Every googly green eye was trained upon him now, analysing his every move, ready for the counter-attack.