The Primal Hunter

Jake didn’t know how much time had passed before he opened his eyes once more. Or, to be more accurate, he saw out of his already open eyes. He found himself in a rather lovely-looking room. Scratch that understatement; it looked like the presidential suite of some over-the-top fantasy world.

Gaudy, clearly magical, chandeliers hung from the ceiling, with every piece of furniture overly ornated with extremely detailed carvings - all of them depicting a snake.

“So, how long ya gonna stand in the middle of my bedroom before saying hi?” a voice said, startling Jake out of his stupor.

Turning around, he saw a scaled man, now wearing quite a nice-looking outfit. It was a combination of a modern suit and a more old-school style. If he had to put his hand on it, it looked like something Dracula might wear.

“How did I get here?” Jake asked frowning. He couldn’t remember what he was doing before this and got a headache whenever he tried to.

“Now, this is where it gets interesting. Our connection from the blessing is two-way, you know? Though this is a first for me for someone to appear like this. Just know that you did this,” the Malefic Viper said, chuckling as he added. “Though I did help a little bit.”

Bringing a hand to his head, Jake still had no idea what the hell had happened. Turning to the Viper, he asked. “Where exactly are we?”

“My bedroom,” The Malefic Viper said, still smiling. “More accurately, we are in the headquarter of my little Order. The great, the magnificent Order of the Malefic Viper!”

Spreading out his arms with a goofy smile, Jake could only chuckle a bit. “Very humble of you.”

“Well, a certain amount of ego is certainly required for one to ascend to godhood,” the Malefic Viper said, as he took a seat at the table. “Come on, take a seat, and calm down a bit.”

Following the advice, Jake sat down on the chair as he rested his head in his hands. What exactly was he doing before he got here? He remembered wanting to meet his colleagues. But after that, everything seemed all murky to him.

He had made contact… met them… ambush… Jake suddenly opened his eyes wide as he remembered. He had been betrayed. He had run. He got through a barrier, and the final thing he remembered was charging into a group of three raptors before he blacked out.

“I died,” Jake muttered as he looked towards the ground. “I fucking died.”

The Malefic Viper looked at him a bit as he laughed out loud. “So, is this the afterlife you expected?”

Jake, still somber, looked up at him. “So… this is what happens when you die? You appear in a gaudy room with a god cracking jokes?”

“Well, that entirely depends on a lot of things, but yes, a blessing can affect where your soul ends up after death,” he answered. “Though no, unless extraordinary circumstances represent themselves, death means death. End of story.”

“Does dying during the tutorial count as such extraordinary circumstances?” Jake asked bitterly.

“Sadly not. At least I have never encountered it,” the Viper said. “Death, no matter how it happens, will result in you leaving the tutorial for good and all rewards lost. Besides anything directly related to circumventing death, dying in combat results in just that: Death.”

He made a big silly smile at Jake as he finished, the archer looking back confused at him. Until it finally hit him.

“Wait, what the fuck, I'm not dead?” Jake asked as he perked up, staring daggers at the Viper. “What the hell, man?”

The Malefic Viper answered by laughing hysterically at Jake's outburst. “You should have seen yourself! Pure gold! Pure gold!”

His amusement was shortlived, however, as he turned severe. “This doesn’t make your situation good, though. Your body is in a shitty state, and your lifeforce is unbelievably weak. Your physical body is likely in a very vulnerable state right now.”

Jake, hearing that, also turned serious. “What can I do? And how the hell am I here if I am not dead?”

stress and inhibit said regeneration. As to why you are here… because you chose to. Or at least part of you did. Not something I have experienced before with someone of

the karmic bond created by the blessing I gave you last time we met. I would recommend not doing it this way

a bit scared upon hearing that. “How the hell did I manage to sever a part of my soul and send it

do things like that are not exactly common knowledge,” the Malefic Viper said as he shook his head. “Perhaps you simply sought to

desperation, somehow managed to do it. Which also kind of was an example of how his instincts were just that: Instincts. It was fast kneejerk reactions and a powerful sense of intuition. This meant that he far from always made the best decisions when he relied purely on his instincts.

least Jake didn’t think the Malefic Viper had any evil intentions towards him, so he shouldn’t be in any danger.

somehow? Or is my consciousness

your body is ready, you will naturally return. I made sure of that. It’s also just a small part; it ain’t like you made a

get why the guy was still in such a merry mood despite his possible

small cloud of smoke appear

death?” Jake asked, sour at the showoff in

“Though don’t worry, I have a feeling you'll be

him for now. “So…

the least you can do is to entertain me a bit,” the Malefic Viper said jokingly. “What have you been up to

guess It was decent…” Jake began as he explained what he had been doing since their last meeting. To his surprise and embarrassment, the Malefic Viper had heard his small prayer before ingesting the unholy amalgamation of poison he used to pass the challenge

but quickly found that there really wasn’t much to talk about, so

handle the Malefic Viper’s

chuckle a little at the thought of the ignorant ones that the Malefic Viper had talked to the day prior and their surprise upon discovering that they had conversed directly

Master after all. The Lord Protector had returned to his realm and had begun making his own preparations together

hall, she eventually ended up close to her Patron's chambers. Not wanting to disturb him,

idiotic of you,” an unknown

Master stayed to listen. She knew of everyone with access to this area of the Order, and yet she didn’t recognize this one. She considered scanning the room with her mana but

Importantly,… who was this person speaking to? Could it be their god? No, impossible, no

sounded like a great plan at the time,” she heard the

slapped across the face, then sure,” she heard the other person

without her knowledge? But what god

depended on it. Perhaps it was a test to see her devotion by not allowing slights to his

She already decided to enter,

happenings within. Two people were sitting at a small table. No, one god and a… projection? She felt the faint aura of the Viper himself coming from the conjured image, but the aura it gave off was of a different

included. Boss of the mortals, I guess, would be most accurate,” he said, as the projection

the woman looked at each other as

any model from Earth to shame. Quite frankly, she looked far too perfect for it to

for that, so he

the man was weak, but she got a weird feeling as she looked into his eyes. She couldn’t quite describe it, but if she had to compare it to something, it would be a lesser feeling of reverence, not unlike what she felt when she was in the

Blessing without a doubt. The blessing on top of the massive benefits it already granted was also a message. That he was chosen. Most holders were known as popes,

meet you,” Jake

chosen one,” Viridia said as she knelt, surprising

“Come on, take a seat. We were discussing how to handle

people I thought were my friends,” Jake added, as he seemed a bit downtrodden. “Though I still

his head. “What’s done is done; the goal now is to move forward. And get your sweet revenge, of course. You fucked up this time, stupidly walking into an obvious ambush like a moron,

I just

so naive and trusting.