The Primal Hunter

Hm, should I go for human-form Villy looking silly? Nah, that would be boring. Small snake eating a mushroom? That could be funny. Oh, what if I added a plaque below saying ‘danger noodle’? Yeah, that could totally be funny, Jake thought as he considered his options while waiting for the two men to wake up.

His hands were weaving different figures of stable arcane mana as he tried out a few shapes he thought could be funny.

After fifteen minutes, Chris woke up. Felix was still out, as it seemed like being possessed by that god had done a number on him. Without the healing potion, he would have 100% died. Again, that Eternal Servant guy was a major asshole.

“What happened?” Chris asked as he woke up. He didn’t even try to stand up right away but stayed on the ground as he rubbed his head.

“Felix got possessed by a god, and the aura knocked you out. I heard that can happen, so no reason to feel bad about it,” Jake explained.

“Oh…” Chris answered. He sighed as he sat up and stared at the floor as he muttered: “Why do I keep being mentally assaulted and knocked out all the time today?”

“Sorry, that’s on me,” Jake apologized. “On a positive note, that should be the last time. I hope it is, at least.”

Chris nodded. He looked at Felix also lying on the ground and saw the bloodstains from the possession earlier. The missing eye was still being regenerated, but it wasn’t exactly visible. “What happened to him!? Is he dead!?” Chris yelled as he got up in a jiffy and backed away from Felix.

On a second look, he did look like a corpse. His entire body was bloody from his cracked skin, blood had flown from every opening, and he didn’t look healthy at all. If one looked a bit closer, one could see that no actual injuries besides the still healing eye were present, but Chris hadn’t done that.

“I told you, divine possession. Apparently not the healthiest of things to engage in. Don’t worry, Felix should be fine. Physically at least. I think he’s already a bit out there mentally,” Jake patiently explained. Not like he had anything better to do, and Chris was a nice guy who just seemed to accept all the fucked up shit he told him without question. Quite refreshing.

“I hope he’s okay,” Chris said, clearly worried about the sculptor.

“He’ll wake up eventually. Anyway, while we wait, do you know where Hank is these days?” Jake asked. He had been meaning to ask for a while, but things kinda happened.

“Hank and Louise went to the Fort. They’re always super busy there, and he needed to help them out and handle some issues. There are a lot of new settlers because of the increasing presence of beasts, and people feel unsafe due to the lack of a physical barrier between the outer parts of the Fort and the surrounding plains,” Chris explained, sounding more confident than before.

I guess it helps to talk about things you actually know about, Jake chuckled internally. “Has there been any major issues with beasts?”

The Minotaur Mindchief was still on his mind, and Jake wondered if something similar had happened. Anton and Neil were there, both D-grades, so they should be able to hold enemies off. Neil, at least, should be able to put up lots of resistance. Jake didn’t know if Anton could really fight, but he had a feeling the man wasn’t defenseless.

“Not as much as elsewhere. I heard a lot of the smaller settlements are struggling, but the attackers only hit the places with Pylons. Apparently, Neil is in communication with some other space mages, and they let us know. I’m not sure about the details, though…” Chris said, looking apologetic.

just have Miranda fill me in; we’re meeting

about the young man. He looked a bit meek and nice, but he was also headstrong and determined. Jake learned even more information he frankly didn’t need or

day getting his revenge for what they did to his sister. He had outwardly looked loyal, but when he talked, Jake saw the pure hatred in his voice, coupled with the elation when he spoke of that one time he got one

at someone’s calf as he tried to dodge a charging beast. Jake liked him more and more as they talked. However, there were

when Jake had ended up ‘saving’ him, Chris had decided that he would gladly use his life to repay that favor. It wasn’t normal at all, but the man had clearly been fucked up mentally by what he had gone through and had a weird mindset now… no matter how normal he could seem most of the time.

to accomplish, Chris?” Jake

why do you ask? What do you mean?” the

wanna do still. What you want to be. So, what do you see yourself doing in a decade? A century?” Jake asked. It was something he had been meaning to ask, because besides “repaying Jake,” Chris didn’t

mean?” Chris asked, his confusion growing. “I’ll just keep working, I guess. Do my best. I think I’m

do? Seriously, nothing’s holding you back. Do whatever you want to, and as long as you don’t piss off people you shouldn’t piss off; no one that matters will judge you for it. So I ask again, what do you want to do?” Jake reiterated. He himself had thought a lot about it. He knew exactly what he wanted to do and the way to reach that goal. Even if it was a simple

staring down onto the floor. He was silent for several seconds as he looked deep in

expect the young guy to figure out his entire path of life on the spot like that. Jake should have known better. Of course, that kind

don’t owe me anything. I helped you because Donald and Abby were pieces of shit and invaded my territory. That you also got

get a blessing from a god that the title description made clear was very powerful. Now he was even worse. Jake didn’t want that; he wanted Chris to be his own man. If he then decided to still be on team Jake? At least that would be his own decision, not

answer but just sat there in thought. Jake kept playing with his mana strings, making small funny-looking miniature statues of Villy

groan was heard from Felix. The resident sculptor looked to be in immense pain as he struggled to sit up. His one eye was still regenerating, and his

are my man-“ halfway through the sentence, he got a coughing fit, spitting out a glob of blood, before continuing: “-ners…

by your Patron,” Jake said, shaking

a sculpture to the best of my abilities! Even if it isn’t able to display even a fraction

But he had made a mistake. For

conjuring?” he asked as he

with sculpture

get further than that before Felix prostrated himself on the ground, as he proclaimed loudly. “The depiction of a Primordial!? I’m so sorry for my arrogance and disrespect! To not be kneeling… I… I swear I will

big cough, spat out a

Chris just looked down at the sculptor who

seconds as it became clear Felix wasn’t getting back up any time

“No.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah.”