#thehunterofall

    Deep inhale. He brushes a stray strand of hair away, squinting through eyes that started stinging if they were open for far too long. Something was wrong here. Where was everyone..? Scoots briefly lays a palm on a brick wall, staring up and down the empty town. This was Hometown, wasn’t it? Weren’t there supposed to be more people here?…. It’s only when he takes his palm off that he notices a layer of dust on his hand. Oh. The realization hits hard. The PLAYER ignores the bile rising in his throat, wiping his hand on his sweatpants.   

    Everyone was dead. That could be the only possible explanation of why everything in this place looked so…. dusty. Well then. Time to get the hell outta here. There’s absolutely no fucking way this kid is going to linger any longer in a literal ghost to–

    ….

    He failed to see the larger figure sneaking up behind him, the shadows of the wall obscuring most of the blood and dust that soiled their sweater and pants. It happens too quickly for Scoots to register, as he has no time to react as Kris (later known as Cavalier, perhaps even another name…) leaps at the PLAYER with a conjured knife, bowling over the tiny 4′11″ high schooler with ease. A shriek tears through the dead silence, the smaller of the two desperately thrashing against his attacker’s grip. What the fu–

    Cavalier merely grunts as their victim struggles within their vice-like grip, their free hand poised to strike him down. All they saw was the person who had possessed them and taken their freedom away from them. This was a revenge. Nothing more. Scoots just barely chokes out a single word, unable to speak when his windpipe was in the middle of being crushed. It was hardly audible. Cavalier raises an eyebrow, leaning in to get a better look at their PLAYER.

     “..Pardon? Speak up, PLAYER, I can’t hear you over the sound of you choking on your spit.” They snarled, too angry to notice that Scoots’s struggling was beginning to lessen.

    “I-I said….” He whimpers, desperately attempting to breathe. “Stop.”

    They pause, grip loosening on his neck. Were they seriously considering that option?.. It sure felt like it. He swallowed harshly, waiting for them to cease their attack.

    …….

    The knife sinks into his left forearm. All Scoots can manage is a panicked gasp, his struggles intensifying sharply. This catches Cavalier off guard, as they suddenly stand on instinct. Scoots scrambles away before they can do anything, his arm bleeding profusely. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck–

    There’s no time to think as Cavalier rushes at him once more, his arm dangling uselessly at his side. In the spur of the moment, he curled his right hand–and cast them a blow right under their jaw. They reel back as a result of their inattentiveness, scowling fiercely as they recover and readjust their grip on the knife. Cavalier lashes out, too fast for Scoots to react, and scratches him across the chest and upper right arm. He hardly notices, too busy trying to flee the dusty town and his assailant. 

    Once more, the taller tackles him to the ground, Scoots falling face first into the dirt. And drives the knife into his shoulder. He practically screams, turning around to throw them off. They both end up fighting for dominance, but in the end… Scoots loses. Again. Cavalier stabs him in his left arm again, drawing even more blood and a pained gasp from the PLAYER. They position themselves to stab him again, only for Scoots to halt their progress, sweat beading on his forehead. He’s in pain, so much pain. It’s almost unbearable... But he’s determined to persevere. 

    He hardly takes notice of his bloodied hands, which are now glowing with a sort of.. Reddish haze. Scoots doesn’t pay attention to anything except the knife--too close to his chest for comfort--and Cavalier, whose face is contorted in an animalistic rage. A voice in the back of his head suggests that they might’ve been the reason why the town was so dusty. After all, he’d seen the blood and dust that was already on their clothes.... Right?

    Cavalier’s glare drops to Scoots’ hands, but it’s too late. Magic he didn’t know he had erupts violently, engulfing his attacker in crimson light and tears them apart. He watches in horror as it eats away at their body, soon leaving nothing behind but a smoking corpse that collapses sideways onto the dead leaves.

    It’s a while before he makes a single movement.

    Once the implications sink in, Scoots scrambles to his feet and runs in a random direction.