Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

The group ran, stumbling over thick roots and branches that intertwined like claws. The sky, already plunged into the deep blue of night, reflected the distant flames in reddish hues. The roar of the fire mingled with the hurried sound of footsteps behind them.

The wind carried scattered, chaotic shouts. Hunting orders.

Irelia increased her pace, pulling the princess firmly by the arm. "Faster!"

The young woman almost fell, but kept her balance. She didn't complain. Her cold eyes merely narrowed, fixed in the direction Sylphie pointed.

Amélia was right behind, carrying the nearly fainting mage. Sylphie's weight made her shoulders ache, but she wouldn't let go. Her fingers dug into her friend's shoulders, as if they could transmit strength through mere contact.

Sylphie, even semi-conscious, mumbled disjointed words, including "roots," "light," and "rivers." Sometimes, the golden glow still appeared in her eyes, flickering like dying embers.

The silence of the forest wasn't silence: it was tense, suffocating, filled with shallow breaths and branches creaking beneath hurried feet.

Suddenly, Irelia looked at her hand, signaling for them to stop. Everyone frozen, gasping, hearts racing.

"What is it?" whispered Amélia, her eyes wide.

Irelia put a finger to her lips, signaling for silence. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Her trained ears picked up what she was searching for.

Footsteps. Not behind them—ahead.

The forest seemed to breathe along with the hunters and the hunted. Between the distant roar of the fire, the crackling of branches, and the muffled shouts, there was a rhythmic, coordinated beat. The group was advancing.

Irelia turned to the others, her blue eyes shining with concern.

"They're already ahead."

Amélia almost dropped Sylphie. "How?!"

"By the road," the princess replied coldly. "Of course. If Kael distracted the group behind, the rest had a clear path."

Silence fell like a blade. Even Amélia couldn't argue.

"So we're trapped?" she said, her voice trembling.

"Not yet," Irelia said resolutely. "We'll go by the river. The current might confuse your tracks."

Leaving no room for debate, she summarized her march, pulling everyone along with her.

The trees grew denser, the ground damper. The smell of wet earth and moss began to replace the suffocating odor of smoke. Gradually, the distant roar of rushing water became audible.

The river.

A glimmer of hope shone in Amelia's eyes. She pressed Sylphie against her chest, almost betraying her.

But before she could reach the bank, an associate cut through the air.

Irelia reacted instinctively, raising her sword. The blade deflected an arrow that would have pierced the princess's neck. The spark of metal on metal illuminated her eyes.

"Archers!" "Against Irelia." "Run!"

The trees exploded into movement. Shadows leaped from behind the trunks, armed men emerging like ghosts from the darkness. Some carried short swords, others light crossbows. The cold gleam of their blades reflected the distant light of the flames.

The group was surrounded.

"Damn it..." Amelia grew, already raising her free hand, even though exhausted, to form a circle of ice around Sylphie and the princess. But her magic failed, terrifying, like glass exploding.

Irelia stepped forward, sword in hand. Sweat dripped down her face, but her eyes were two daggers.

The leader of the hunters stepped forward. A tall man with a scar running from his chin to his ear, his leather armor marked by fresh burns. He was elegant, with a dirty smile, full of yellowed teeth.

"Look what we have here..." His voice was rough, full of malice. "The princess."

The word fell like a stone. All the hunters tried to cheer themselves up, hungry eyes gleaming.

Irelia stepped forward, blocking the way. "If you want to pass, you'll have to kill me first."

The leader laughed. "That can be arranged."

He slapped her hand, ready to give an order to attack.

But before we could do so, a new ecological path or through the forest. The ground shook, the leaves swayed. A wave of red smoke rose along the ground, followed by a flash.

Everyone freezes for a moment, even the enemies themselves. Kael's fire was still spreading.

The distraction lasted only a few seconds.

Irelia took advantage. With a scream, she advanced on the leader, sword in hand. The man extended his blade to parry, but Irelia dodged at the last instant, cutting his arm. He roared in pain.

"Now! Run!" she shouted, without pausing.

Amelia didn't hesitate. She pulled the princess and Sylphie along and ran toward the sound of the river, ignoring her heart that seemed to want to escape her chest.

The arrows flew, some ricocheting off the trees, others barely missing her back. One pierced the princess's cloak, ripping the fabric inches from her skin.

Amélia sent a blast of ice behind them, freezing part of the ground and sending two hunters slipping.

Irelia was still fighting three men, blocking, dodging, slashing. Her sword was swift and precise, but with each movement the circle tightened. She knew she couldn't hold out much longer.

The roar of the water grew closer. Amélia nearly cried out as she saw the silvery reflection of the river emerging between the trees.

"We're coming!" she said, even though her voice sounded more like a solution.

The princess remained silent, simply running beside her, her face pale and her eyes fixed on the horizon.

Sylphie was muttering something incomprehensible, but suddenly her hand trembled, pointing toward the shore.

"There..." she whispered, almost voiceless. "The cave... under the roots..."

And there it was. Barely visible among the moss and wet stones, a dark opening beneath the roots of a massive willow tree, its branches bending over the water like a veil.

Amélia staggered to the entrance, pushing the princess inside first, then Sylphie. The mage nearly fell unconscious, but Amelia held her until she was safely nestled in the shadow of the cave.

Finally, Amelia entered, panting, bracing herself against the damp stones. The sound of rushing water muffled the noise of her pursuers.

Irelia arrived soon after, bloodied, her breathing ragged. She entered the cave and fell to her knees, still clutching her stained sword.

Silence returned, broken only by the sound of the rushing current.

Amélia looked at Irelia, tears in her eyes. "And Kael...?"

Irelia closed her eyes, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. "He... is still there."

The princess moved through the entrance, surveying the flame-lit forest beyond. Her cold eyes reflected the red light, and her expression was impossible to decipher.

For a moment, no one said anything. Only the river spoke.

And the fire, in the distance, continued to roar as if it wanted to devour the entire world.

The inferno roared all around. Burning trees toppled like colossi in agony, sending sparks and smoke into the already dark sky. The heat was suffocating, every breath searing from within. Sweat streamed down Kael's face, mixing with the blood dripping from his courts.

His sword was red, not only from the flames reflecting off the steel, but from the blood still dripping from it. His amber eyes glowed amidst the smoke like two incandescent sculptures.

And then they appeared.

Seven shadows broke through the clouds of ash and soot. Unlike the common hunters who had fallen before, these were more agile, more silent, more lethal.

Assassins.

Their faces were covered by black masks, their bodies shrouded in light clothing that allowed for swift movement. Each wielded a curved blade, ideal for slicing flesh and throats. They moved like specters, almost soundless except for the soft rustle of their charred cloaks.

Kael swung his sword slowly, preparing himself. He felt exhaustion eating away at his muscles, but he also felt fury pulsing in his chest.

"So... you are the real dogs," he muttered, spitting blood onto the ground.

None of them responded. They simply spread out in a circle, trapping him in the flames. Their eyes, invisible beneath their masks, glowed with the certainty that this would be the end.

Kael took a deep breath. The air burned, but it didn't matter. He chose his sword and took his stance.

The first movement was swift. Two assassins advanced simultaneously, one from the front, the other from the rear. The timing was perfect.

Kael twisted, blocking the front blow with his sword. The metallic clash vibrated in his arm. Without hesitation, he kicked back, hitting the other in the stomach. The impact staggered him, but didn't knock him down.

Another came from the left. Fast. The curved blade slid toward Kael's neck. He tilted his head at the last instant, slicing through a few strands of his hair with the blade. Before we could retaliate, two more advanced together.

Steel flashed in three specific directions at once.

Kael roared. His sword danced, blocking one blow, deflecting another, but the third connected. The blade sliced ​​into his shoulder, tearing through armor and flesh. Hot blood gushed.

He took two steps back, breathing heavily. The pain throbbed, but his eyes didn't twitch.

"I'll have to do better than that..."

The assassins wasted no time with provocations. They attacked again, three at a time, while the others flanked them.

Kael extracted his free hand and, with a roar, summoned fire. A blast exploded from his palm, hurled at one of the assassins. The man reached it as the flames engulfed him, rolling on the ground in agony.

But the opening cost him dearly. A blade grazed his abdomen, leaving a deep gash. Blood flowed in waves, wetting the ash-covered ground.

Kael staggered, but swung his sword in a wide arc, striking his assailant in the hip. The blow was so brutal it nearly split the man in half.

There were five of them now.

They didn't hesitate. With every second, the smoke thickened, making the air unbreathable. The scorching heat stung sweat on Kael's cuts, but the assassins were indifferent, advancing like relentless predators.

One of them launched himself from a burning tree like a swooping eagle. Kael thrust out his sword, and the impact resounded like thunder. The assassin fell to the ground, rolled, and attacked again in one fluid motion.

Kael blocked another blow, then another. The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed through the flames like war bells.

A blade grazed his face, slicing his cheek. Another struck his arm, and another nearly pierced his thigh. Blood already stained every part of his body.

"Hurry up... I need to go protect my future wives," Kael said as his eyes glowed and thousands of magic circles began to appear.

"It took me a while to prepare this..." he muttered.

[5th Tier Magic - Hellfire Gale]