,,Brothers" On The Hunt [Soth, Chase, Cyno W.I.P. Fanfic Scene]
[TW: graphic description of violence, animal death, blood, implications of animal experimentation]
(Note 1: Chase is the other OC of @sothera the person i'm collabing with. However, his page is catering more towards older audiance, so keep that in mind if visiting his page!)
(Note2: This is still a rough draft, bound to change!)
Dry air scratching his throat, holding wind pushing hot sand particles against his skin, burning its surface. Nothing that Cyno isn't used to by now. Just his usual routine.
Collecting enough information on his target.
Planning out his whole line of next moves well ahead.
And, probably the easiest part, luring the rat out of its hole.
A tiring, taxing job, acknowledged by very few. But, he couldn't care any less. This is what keeps Sumeru safe. This is what keeps his friends safe. This is what keeps his new family safe.
This is what makes him feel accomplished. Like fulfilling an ancient duty. Albeit with a partially selfish undertone, he's a human after all. A selfish creature by design. Enacting a selfless, praiseless duty.
It may be praiseless for others. But it is fulfilling for him.
Seeing all those criminals tremble in fear. Fearing for their worthless little lives, yet never consider the lives of others. Seeing their fall is ever so satisfying every time. Making them experience the same horror and terror they brought upon the innocent.
Uprooting every filthy rat plaguing the land, and making them crumble in the claws of the law, like sand particles in an hourglass. It is exactly what he was born to do.
He had quiet the fallback. But he's back on track again. He really wishes it wasn't by being the burden for others, but, he'll make it up to them somehow.
But for now, he needs to focus on the task at hand.
A mildly frustrating group of criminals, with a hefty track record consisting of robberies, assault, and, among others, the reason why he's the one specifically responsible for dealing with them: breaking 3 of the 6 cardinal sins of the Sumeru Akademiya.
No. 1: interfere with human evolution.
No. 2: tamper with life and death.
No. 6: attempt the forbidden and fear none.
Even with those 3 sins broken, they were already on his priority list. But with such a long list of wrongdoings, they have nowhere to run. Judgement will find them. The claws of death will find them.
And just as he predicted, his current preys took the bait, presenting themselves on a silver platter.
<Cyno> ,,Hm, an ambush. In the middle of the desert. In broad daylight. Really? How creative."
5 perople, out of the 20 in total. The blood of 15 already staning his claws. Although, the creatures surrounding the criminal group and him…might be a bit of a problem. At least two or three dozen of bionic dogs waiting to snap his bones, dig their claws into his flesh. Unfortunate for them, his own claws are just as ready, thirsty for the fresh blood.
<Cyno> ,,At least you've made my job easier. Hand over the Crimson Marrow Crystals, and MAYBE i'll show mercy and let you chose how you want to die."
<???> ,,You? Mercy? Hah, don't make me laugh! Don't you see? This thing can easily be humanity's next step towards obtaining the favor of the Gods!" The biggest one of the 5 starts.
<Cyno> ,,Unless you serve the Abyss, no God will ever give their blessing for such cruelty!"
<???> ,,And how do you know that, spawn of a Godless land?!" Interestingly, the weakest looking is the one taking on the role of being the chatterbox.
<Cyno> ,,Sumeru has a God. It always had. Wether it's Al-Ahmar, the Goddess of Flowers, or the Lesser Lord. The only thing you're achieving here, is making me losing my patience and get the Crystals back by force. And i am sure neither of you want that."
<???> ,,Don't be so c o c k y, General Mahamatra!"
Now who's the one talking… How pityful.
<Cyno> ,,Last warning. Hand over the Crimson Marrow shards, or else your punishment is immidiate death."
Arms hanging by his side, Cyno lets his claws out, as a signal. He's already way too generous for giving such a group of prey this many warnings. Yet they still do not heed any of it.
<???> ,,You talk too much, filthy desert worm!"
Suddenly, the biggest of them all, most likely the sort of leader of this small bunch, throws the Crimson Marrow shards against a rock. All the while keeping a wide, amused grin across his face, as the shards shatter into tiny pieces, emitting a way too familiar, dark green smoke.
Cyno's vision is enveloped with dark green.
His sense of smell overpowered by the stomach churning odor of decomposing human flesh and blood.
And in an instant, like one big hivemind, the bionic dogs swarm around him rapidly in a centrifuge, quiet a few of them showing clear signs of Marana infection too, noticing the black goo oozing from them.
He needs to neaturalize the Marana- But there are way too many bionic dogs attacking him from every turn, leaving him no room to pull out the needed special Dendro bomb! In a counterattack to solve the problem, Cyno unleashes his haunting ancient power, to aid him in serving judgement over these worthless souls.
Thundering howl echoes across their surrounding, like an otherworldly warning. A warning that these fools did not heed at all. A warning, that is considered a luxury, or even an honor, when a criminal is faced with him. If these *di**s can't respect judtice and law, how do they think a God of all beings, would give them their blessing?
Aiming at creating himself a window for motion, he zaps through the bionic beasts, like lightning in a thundercloud. Menacing claws ripping thru flesh and bone, like knife through butter. Cold, almost metallic slashes, with sizzles of electricity, thundering of rapid gunshots, screaming, snarling, roaring of bionic dogs, bones breaking, skulls crashing.
Until, he finally gains the much needed miliseconds to fish out the Dendro bomb, holding Tighnari's antidote. Tossing it on the ground, it causes soft, light shades of Dendro green to sprout from it. Just in time, when a certain, familiar combination of scent gets carried by the wind, towards the chaos.
Chancing the quickest glance to the spot where the scent came from, he notices…two figures? So both of them are here it seems. And they seem to be ready- Oh no!
While slashing down another dog, he yells up behind his shoulder, to their general direction.
<Cyno> ,,DON'T COME HERE! AT LEAST- WAIT A MINUTE- OR SO!"
Continues to slice and slash, and dodge the bullets. At least, now their, seemingly leader, is down. That both makes his job easier, but harder at the same time. Seeing the cowards running away, like the flock of prey they are.
One of the pair, the younger of the two, says nothing; instead, he simply slaps his right hand against his now bare chest, which makes a deep, echoing whoomping sound, nodding, and using the same hand to draw a circle in the air, one that encircles the dogs. The other, a man wearing only an old style Assassin’s cloak and a pair of black cotton pants, simply stares at Cyno, pointing at Cyno's Human adversaries, and arching an eyebrow.
<Cyno> ,,No!, the rats are mine, just the dogs!”
The pair simply nodded, wordlessly, watching him go.
After parting ways, he only takes one single glance back to check on them, out of habit.
<Cyno> ,,Don't Feed on the ones with Marana, the black stuff leaking from them!"
The pair simply bows their heads in compliance; the desert taking on an eerie red glow as the elaborate runes in the center of each of their chests began to shine…
Their respectful compliance, something that the Matra recruits could learn too, gives him the peace of mind he needs, while focusing on his pursue after the rest of the coward rats. Once he's able to, he'll explain them properly why. But his targets are much more urgent than formalities.
And pursuing 4 filthy, coward rats all at once is no easy feat. Not to mention, they're most likely hiding something, since they all run in the same direction, instead of scattered around, like one would do, to evade one single person.
Luckily for his thinning patience, he's able to catch up to one of them, using the ghostly transparent, yet fully manifested clawed arm to reach forward, and stab it right through the prey's body. Blood spilling out of them, like a popped water balloon.
And just like that, he continues his menhunt.
Another one staggers behind from lack of energy. To then be sliced in half with one single slash.
The remaining two, albeit the most coward ones, they surprisingly almost even outrun him. Almost. But they can never really outrun their inevitable death.
Within minutes, they arrive at a natural rock formation, where both prey are quiet literally cornered.
<Cyno> ,,You really think you can outrun judgement?!" Although he himself, is on the verge of panting like an overheated dog. ,,End of the road."
<???> ,,I don't think so!"
With that, one pulls out a pistol, which he DID anticipated they would, but what he didn't forseen-
Is that the other takes advantage of his detered focus, to get into his periferial vision and shove some kind of cloth into his face… It reeks of Marana!
Holding the prey'r arm with one hand, he pushes his other, clawed hand right into the attacker's body. A quick cracking sound of bone can be heard, then a meek inhale of an air that won't fill the rat's lung. And just like that, they drop to the ground. And the whole scene unfolded so fast, the last one standing can't even process it, before Cyno slashes their pistol. Cowering in hear, the prey succombs to his jelly-legs, sliding firther and further away from the General. Who's merely hovering over them, slowly inching towards their way.
Stepping right on the leg of the criminal, he restricts their one and only way of escaping, before grabbing the prey by the neck, hovering them above the ground. Not much, because of his own height, but enough to make the other feel powerless. Before slashing the criminal's throat. Severing their head from the neck.
After dropping the limp corpse on the ground, Cyno quickly drops another antidote-bomb near the previous corpse, then limps his way a bit further away from the Dendro-mist, but still staying in the shades.
Deactivating his power, he then dropping to his knees from the sudden rush of exhaustion, pain, and dizzyness. Back against the rock formation, while searching through his strap-on pocket that's on his pants. Pulling out Tighnari's antidote…basically stabbing it into his own upper arm, not a care about the pain it brings. Just in time, before the real hallucinations would start. Now, he just has to wait out for it to work… Breathing still laboured from the whole events, but it's slowly starting to stabilize. He feels so dizzy from that sudden whiff of Marana directly inhaled… Luckily, it wasn't enough to cause actual damages…but it still makes his vision all blurry and washed together…like if looking into a cup of drink, while lightly stiring it… Just closing his eyes for a bit is a good idea…before he actually gets sick…
Meanwhile back at the scene of carnage that he left…
<Chase> ,,The technique you showed me is quite a time saver."
Holding a dog's tail in each hand, swinging each of them first backwards, he then forwards into each other.
The thump caused by their bodies slammed into each other is felt as much felt as heard. The metallic, cybernetic parts shattering and flying in different directions. The bones crunching and smasing, leaving little internal structure to see.
Within ten minutes, all but four of the dogs remain, as Soth looks at the two he held by the scruff of the neck. Chase doing the same, then asking the obvious question.
<Chase> ,,Should we? I'm not that hungry, and these creatures, quite frankly, are not that appetizing.” Metallic parts, wires…he'll pass.
<Soth> ,,They're more machine than living thing; most of their strength comes from the mechanical system.” He points out, holding his last two above his head.
<Chase> ,,Then we find food elsewhere; they seem to let the Prey just roam around here."
Why though? It is very much dangerous to let such beasts roam their land just like that. Especially given that this Sumeru place is human-dominant, with very few of them having proper tools to eliminate these creatures.
<Soth> ,,The cave systems here are not as extensive as they are in Agartha; which makes it easier for us."
He's still casually holding up his pair of dogs.
<Chase> ,,No sense in prolonging this…”
With supernatural precision, both Soth and Chase flipps their dogs around, grabbing them by their tails…the sound of flesh hitting flesh combined with a pained yip from the dogs as their bodies shatter, literal bags of bones.
After hearing Chase sigh…
<Soth> ,,A quick, painless end is the best we can offer them."
Poor creatures… They didn't deserve the pain they went through. And all for what? To be tools of further destruction…
<Soth> ,,This looks like a two vial job."
They both retrieve a small bottle from their EternaBags, pouring a drop on each dog; there's a brief flash as the bodies vaporize.
<Chase> ,,Now, the important question, should we offer to help?"
<Soth> ,,No…not unless he asks, it would only distract him…besides, we should observe our handiwork."
<Chase> ,,He is progressing well; his strength increases with each sparring session.
It won't take long to restore him to the level he was before, the one he wishes to be at for combat.” The sounds of intense, but fast combat a distance away pruves his statement. ,,I have a session planned with him for later today, which is why I'm so eager to Feed, I want to show no sign of weakness in front of him.”
<Soth> ,,Don't worry, Brother Chase, we will both taste strength…soon." He already has an idea where to start. And is eager to experience their taste. ,,Your decision to speed up Cyno's recovery was the correct one; thank you for showing me the technique you use.”
<Chase> ,,I'm pleased I was finally able to show you something you weren't familiar with."
<Soth> ,,There are many things you can teach me, Brother Chase…those needles, for example.”
As Chase studies the younger man; not that much younger than he, but so different, so…open to others… The difference between Cleaner and Assassin.
<Chase> ,,The Goal Is All…” A grinning draws itself onto his face.
<Soth> ,,The Hunt, Always…” Answers with a grin of his own.
<Chase> ,,One of the scorpion things, perhaps?”
<Soth> ,,Think larger, brother…" He can almost feel himself drooling just from the thought. Thankfully, it isn't happening literally.
<Chase> ,,The crocodile creatures? You know where one…” He begins, gears already turning.
<Soth> ,,Two, two alphas, twice as strong as their kindred." His grin spreading even more.
<Chase> ,,We will feast…” He says, thumping his hand to the center of his chest…the sound echoing through the desert.
Soth repeats the gesture and with it, the sound, like two thunderclaps at the same time.
<Soth> ,,I enjoy the look on Cyno's face as I drain the Prey completely; watching his fear of those creatures lessen as I pull the last of its strength into me is as satisfying as the meal itself.”
That terrified look…hewill never be able to forget it. Soth never seen the man be so scared of anything. Be it a whole hoard of these experiment-victim dogs, the most horrid criminal possible, or those gigantic Wenuts, that would view a human as a mere snack, rather than a full-on meal.
<Chase> ,,Then he will be quite pleased with us soon.”
<Soth> Nods. ,,Yes, after all he's been through, he deserves at least some joy in his life, and if we can provide that so simply, then so much the better." Concludes, while finding a comfortable spot to sit.
Chase sits next to him, listening to the sounds of the desert, and to the sounds of death, for once not coming from him or Soth.
