The Curator
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Chapter 13: The Hunted Glowhorn
🕑 Added 2024-10-10 15:57:34 +0000 UTC
The last two days had been the same for him, waking up and leaping from tree to tree in search of delicious moonberries. Then he would transform into his massive Glowhorn form and indulge, munching on the berries to his heart’s content. However, the landscape had become more crowded recently; he often spotted groups of people traveling nearby. Most of them were between Level 6 and 9, not too dangerous. He typically acted like the dumb beast they expected, either pretending not to notice them or simply ignoring them while devouring berries.
A few times, he had to flee from stronger parties. He would escape their line of sight, transform into a Shadowstalker, then climb a tree and watch as their frustrated leader berated the group for their incompetence. The best experience he’d had so far was when a group of four orcs got so angry at each other that, after a round of insults, they started fighting. The battle grew more brutal by the minute until only one badly wounded orc remained. Thalion almost laughed out loud at the sight. At first, the orc celebrated, loudly cheering his own name. But as the realization of his situation set in and the joy drained from his face, Thalion leaped from the tree and bit off his head, killing him instantly. After a quick feast, Thalion gained three strength from this highly entertaining encounter.
His level had increased rapidly; he was now Level 19 in his human form, with the Glowhorn at Level 18 and the Shadowstalker at Level 16. He had also permanently gained 25 intelligence from the berries and 3 strength from orc meat. As he leveled up, his Glowhorn form unlocked a new skill: Tectonic Slam. This skill allowed the creature to slam its massive limbs into the ground, sending shockwaves in all directions that topple enemies and create fissures in the earth. He hadn't had a chance to use it yet, but it sounded promising. He was a bit annoyed that he didn’t get to choose a skill, but what could he do?
In his human form, he got an upgrade to his shapeshift skill: Shapeshift: The user’s body dissolves into a swirling cloud of gray smoke. In the blink of an eye, the smoke condenses and reshapes into the desired form, completing the transformation almost instantaneously. This was great and made it easier to escape if he was hunted again. The Shadowstalker’s Bite skill had evolved into Savage Bite, a stronger version of the original.
Today, life was good. He was standing in the middle of a Moon Berry patch, thoroughly enjoying himself—but what would happen next was something he could have never anticipated.
The night before:
Nestled in a clearing, shielded by towering trees, the camp was a makeshift haven in a world turned hostile. Over 130 survivors had gathered here, drawn by a shared desire for safety and companionship. At the center of the camp, a large bonfire provided warmth and light, serving as a focal point for shared stories, strategies, and dreams of a better future.
The de facto leader of the camp was a grizzled veteran named Kael, a man of few words but sharp wit. His reputation as a skilled hunter and tracker had earned him the respect of his fellow survivors. Under his guidance, the camp had managed to thrive, establishing a fragile sense of order in the chaos of the wilderness.
A chill was in the air, a stark contrast to the growing tension among the gathered adventurers. The Wanderers, the Misfits, the Renegades, and the Scholars had come together, their shared frustration with the elusive Glowhorn a common ground.
The Glowhorn had become a frustrating enigma. They'd encountered it multiple times, each sighting more infuriating than the last. It was a colossal, emerald behemoth, a gluttonous menace ravaging the Moon Berry fields. Oddly, it never fought back. Instead, upon sensing danger, it would flee with an almost comical haste, disappearing into the dense undergrowth. Yet, like a relentless phantom, it always reappeared where the sweetest Moon Berries grew.
"It's like it's taunting us," Kael muttered, his voice laced with frustration. The ranger had been particularly eager to test his skills against such a formidable opponent, but the elusive creature had always managed to slip through his grasp.
Thorvald grunted in agreement. "Smart, green bastard," he growled, nursing a fresh bruise. Their last encounter had ended with the warrior being sent flying by a mana wave.
Elara, the party's seer, studied the fading light. "Perhaps it's not just about the Moon Berries," she mused, her voice filled with contemplation. "Maybe it's protecting something, or someone."
"Or it's just really hungry," Zog suggested bluntly.
Pixie rolled her eyes. "While that's a possibility, I think we need a more strategic approach. We could use this opportunity to test some new gadgets."
"Or a well-placed arrow," Kael countered, a hint of bitterness in his voice.
Sarah, the alchemist, raised a hand for silence. "We need to focus on the practical. If it's consuming Moon Berries at this rate, I can’t make any more mana potions. We need to act, and we need a plan."
"I don't know why you make things so complicated. That thing is stupid. I got almost within striking distance before it used that skill," Atlas, the hulking berserker from the Renegades, growled, his eyes lighting up with predatory excitement. "We just need more than one group so it can't run away."
"You're absolutely right, Zog," someone agreed. "We need those credits to upgrade our camp when the store opens in two days."
A murmur of assent rippled through the crowd.
"So, who's in for the hunt tomorrow?" Kael asked, his voice cutting through the low hum of conversation.
Over sixteen people around the fire nodded in agreement, their faces illuminated by the flickering flames. They would track down the Glowhorn tomorrow and bring it down.
As Thalion was enjoying his berries, he noticed a group of humans hiding behind a bush out of the corner of his eye. He didn't like the way they were looking at him. Oh, he remembered that guy. The last time they clashed, he sent him flying with a mana wave. The heavy warrior had a vengeful look on his face, but Thalion was confident in his abilities. A group of hunters with no one above Level 12 wasn’t a threat to him. He’d even level up again if he managed to finish the bush in front of him, so he sped up his eating.
Thorwald seethed with anger as the beast noticed them, even giving him a look. There wasn’t a trace of fear in its eyes; instead, it just intensified its feeding frenzy. The others had better hurry up, he wanted to kill this stupid beast.
As Thalion watched the group while finishing his meal, something felt off. Why were they just waiting there? The answer came in the form of an arrow hitting his right side. It barely penetrated his hide, but at that moment, the group behind him charged, and another group emerged from the direction of the arrow.
Wait, they had teamed up to kill him? A lot must have happened in the last two days. When he was still with his former team, they never encountered humans from Earth, only those with blue robes and an emblem. Clearly, he had missed out on many things while hunting down Moon Berries. For a moment, he considered shifting into his human form, but no, he didn’t know these people, and he wasn’t about to negotiate from a position of weakness. For all he knew, they could be bandits, and revealing his abilities would mean losing a significant advantage if it came to a fight.
With that, he played the part of the stupid beast they expected. First, he turned around with feigned panic in his eyes, behaving as he usually did when attacked. But this time would be different. Before the two heavy warriors could get in range, he released another mana wave, which didn’t hit anyone, of course. He saw the warrior from last time with a sinister smile on his face as he charged forward. The other melee fighters, encouraged by the experienced warrior, charged without fear, likely believing they had already won.
Thalion continued to play the panicked animal, turning around and tossing his head from side to side. This served two purposes: it lured the melee fighters closer and made it harder for the archers to aim at his eyes.
The heavy warrior, now glowing with a red hue, swung his sword at one of Thalion's legs. Thalion chose this moment to activate Tectonic Slam. He stomped the ground with all his weight, causing the earth to tremble violently. The warriors around him lost their footing and fell. Immediately, Thalion began charging up a mana wave, power gathering around him as his skin burned with a blue glow. He released the devastating attack, sending the melee warriors flying in all directions. He saw at least three of the ten warriors slam into trees, their bodies snapping like twigs. With some annoyance, he noticed that the heavy warrior didn’t hit a tree; instead, he was flung into a clearing roughly 50 meters away.
There was no time for regrets, Thalion had to press his advantage. He charged at the archer, who was still shooting arrows at him. The archer, an experienced fighter, used a jumping skill to escape Thalion’s reach, landing on a branch while reaching for another arrow.
Time for a different tactic. Thalion sped up considerably and rammed the tree with full force. The tree shook violently, and the archer lost his footing, nearly falling. At the last second, he managed to cling to the branch but had to let go of his bow, which fell to the ground. Not the ideal outcome, but good enough. Thalion stomped on the bow, shattering it completely.
While he was occupied with the archer, the two healers had revived the surviving warriors, and another round of medium and light fighters was coming at him, with all the heavy warriors either dead or out of commission.
Natural Resistance was working at full capacity, healing the damage he’d taken. Then, a fireball and a lightning bolt struck his side, another group had appeared. How large was this alliance? It was time for an emergency escape plan, but first, he needed to thin out the waves.
This was easier said than done. The warriors were cautious now, only committing occasional stabs or slashes before retreating while the two mages bombarded him with spells. So, Thalion charged at the only two people who couldn’t easily avoid him, the healers, who stood with wide eyes not too far from his position.
The two women screamed in fear as they tried to escape. Thalion wasn’t particularly interested in them; he just wanted to bait the warriors into attacking. After a few steps, they tried to cut his legs with clearly charged attacks. Thalion released a light Mana Wave, primarily to push them back, and then repeatedly used Tectonic Slam, kicking up dust that blocked everyone’s view of him.
Once he was obscured by the dust cloud, Thalion used his Shapeshift skill, transforming into his Shadowstalker form. Fully utilizing his agility, he sprinted in the only direction from which no humans had yet come. In seconds, he shot up a tree, watching the battlefield as the dust settled.
