The Hunters
A Countdown to Final Ragnarok short story
By Dan Wright
By Dan Wright
Baxter felt the sun against his face. It was a welcoming warmth – the likes of which he had not felt in a long time. His rusty armour creaked as he stretched out, standing up from the soft grass underneath him. The sky was a perfect clear blue, promising a day free from strife. The mountains to his side were the purest white.
I’m home, Baxter thought.
“Father?”
Baxter turned his head; but did not see the person whom that voice belonged to. He recognised the voice anywhere though.
“Father, hurry up and catch me!”
The voice sounded playful and Baxter couldn’t help but smile. He got to his feet and ran in the direction of the voice, the joints squeaking with each movement.
“You can’t catch me!”
Baxter couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms once again. His smile raised further as she playfully commanded him. He couldn’t wait to see home. A modest place with modest houses, made from modest wood. The people that lived there were the most modest that Baxter could call his friends.
“That’s it, Father. Come on.”
“Father?”
“Father?”
This time there was desperation in her voice. Baxter sense a deep-seated fear from within, willing him forward in terror.
“No, Daddy. Please!”
Baxter’s legs propelled himself forward as quickly as he could. With each step he took, the grass became darker, the sky turned red – and the mountains seemed to crumble into black dust.
“DADDY!!!”
The last one was a long scream and it shook Baxter to his core. He realised that he was running towards the edge of a cliff and he only just stopped in time before he tumbled over.
He saw the village.
A modest place with modest houses, now covered in modest fire. The corpses that would never leave here were at one time the most modest that Baxter could call his friends.
He fell to his knees, his tears streaking down his bushy beard.
I couldn’t save them.
He wanted to pull his eyes away from the fire – he wished could. But he could not find the willpower to do so. A low whine left his mouth; he couldn’t even find the strength to scream.
Despite the intensity of the flames, he felt a chill wind to his side. He turned round, his eyes bulging in fear.
“It wasn’t me! Please! I tried to save them.”
The figure pointed to him, as one would when accusing a witch.
“You!”
Baxter threw his head back and found the scream he couldn’t manage before.
A pain in the back of his head forced his eyes open once more. Gone was the vast land, the mountains, even the fire. All that surrounded him now was ocean.
He rubbed the back of his head where he had bumped it on the wood, his eyes straining to open. He yawned loudly, causing his bushy beard to tremble in the air.
“Oh, so you’re awake at last!”
Rowing the tiny boat at either side was a panda named Bey-Bey and a penguin named Win-Win. Both of them were at one time little more than stuffed toys – but magic had made them sentient. They had been with Baxter as long as he could remember, not that he cared to remember too far back.
Baxter’s mouth was dry, so he pulled the stopper of the top of his jug. He took a sip of the contents, the strong alcohol washing away the memories. “How are we doing, chaps?” he slurred. Not awake five seconds and he was already on his way to drunken stupor. Just how he liked it.
“You know, we did say we would all row at some point!” Win-Win grumbled. “Not just you sit back and let us do the work.”
“But you are doing fine, friends,” Baxter exclaimed. “It would be remiss of me to stop you two.”
“Look!” Bey-Bey said, pointing ahead. “I think I see land.”
The mist of the early morning sea parted, making way for land. Trees lined the shore near a beach. “Is that Brittana?” Bey-Bey asked.
“Can’t be too sure, but it has to be,” Win-Win said. “Although if Baxter hadn’t gotten us shipwrecked we’d be in a port like the other sailors.” She glared back at him.
“In my defence,” Baxter protested, “it is hard to see rocks at night.”
“It was daytime!” Win-Win corrected. “You were asleep!”
“Well that’s not how I remember it,” Baxter snorted.
Bey-Bey reached into his backpack, pulling out a sheet of paper. “Enjoy your time whilst you can, villain,” Bey-Bey said, “because we’re coming to get you!”
“That reward is as good as ours!” Win-Win sniggered.
From the poster, the picture of the alluring woman stared back at them with a wry smile, almost as if saying ‘You’ll never catch me!’ But the trio were determined to find her; and they knew this was the last place she was seen. They read the top of the poster once more, reminding them of their goal.
Wanted: Zarracka Dragonkin.
I’m home, Baxter thought.
“Father?”
Baxter turned his head; but did not see the person whom that voice belonged to. He recognised the voice anywhere though.
“Father, hurry up and catch me!”
The voice sounded playful and Baxter couldn’t help but smile. He got to his feet and ran in the direction of the voice, the joints squeaking with each movement.
“You can’t catch me!”
Baxter couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms once again. His smile raised further as she playfully commanded him. He couldn’t wait to see home. A modest place with modest houses, made from modest wood. The people that lived there were the most modest that Baxter could call his friends.
“That’s it, Father. Come on.”
“Father?”
“Father?”
This time there was desperation in her voice. Baxter sense a deep-seated fear from within, willing him forward in terror.
“No, Daddy. Please!”
Baxter’s legs propelled himself forward as quickly as he could. With each step he took, the grass became darker, the sky turned red – and the mountains seemed to crumble into black dust.
“DADDY!!!”
The last one was a long scream and it shook Baxter to his core. He realised that he was running towards the edge of a cliff and he only just stopped in time before he tumbled over.
He saw the village.
A modest place with modest houses, now covered in modest fire. The corpses that would never leave here were at one time the most modest that Baxter could call his friends.
He fell to his knees, his tears streaking down his bushy beard.
I couldn’t save them.
He wanted to pull his eyes away from the fire – he wished could. But he could not find the willpower to do so. A low whine left his mouth; he couldn’t even find the strength to scream.
Despite the intensity of the flames, he felt a chill wind to his side. He turned round, his eyes bulging in fear.
“It wasn’t me! Please! I tried to save them.”
The figure pointed to him, as one would when accusing a witch.
“You!”
Baxter threw his head back and found the scream he couldn’t manage before.
A pain in the back of his head forced his eyes open once more. Gone was the vast land, the mountains, even the fire. All that surrounded him now was ocean.
He rubbed the back of his head where he had bumped it on the wood, his eyes straining to open. He yawned loudly, causing his bushy beard to tremble in the air.
“Oh, so you’re awake at last!”
Rowing the tiny boat at either side was a panda named Bey-Bey and a penguin named Win-Win. Both of them were at one time little more than stuffed toys – but magic had made them sentient. They had been with Baxter as long as he could remember, not that he cared to remember too far back.
Baxter’s mouth was dry, so he pulled the stopper of the top of his jug. He took a sip of the contents, the strong alcohol washing away the memories. “How are we doing, chaps?” he slurred. Not awake five seconds and he was already on his way to drunken stupor. Just how he liked it.
“You know, we did say we would all row at some point!” Win-Win grumbled. “Not just you sit back and let us do the work.”
“But you are doing fine, friends,” Baxter exclaimed. “It would be remiss of me to stop you two.”
“Look!” Bey-Bey said, pointing ahead. “I think I see land.”
The mist of the early morning sea parted, making way for land. Trees lined the shore near a beach. “Is that Brittana?” Bey-Bey asked.
“Can’t be too sure, but it has to be,” Win-Win said. “Although if Baxter hadn’t gotten us shipwrecked we’d be in a port like the other sailors.” She glared back at him.
“In my defence,” Baxter protested, “it is hard to see rocks at night.”
“It was daytime!” Win-Win corrected. “You were asleep!”
“Well that’s not how I remember it,” Baxter snorted.
Bey-Bey reached into his backpack, pulling out a sheet of paper. “Enjoy your time whilst you can, villain,” Bey-Bey said, “because we’re coming to get you!”
“That reward is as good as ours!” Win-Win sniggered.
From the poster, the picture of the alluring woman stared back at them with a wry smile, almost as if saying ‘You’ll never catch me!’ But the trio were determined to find her; and they knew this was the last place she was seen. They read the top of the poster once more, reminding them of their goal.
Wanted: Zarracka Dragonkin.