The Primal Hunter

They had just made it above the clouds as Jake felt a ping by Villy. “Hey, Jake, can I borrow you for a second?”

“Sure, what’s up?” he asked.

“No, I mean in a more literal sense. Can I borrow your body to do something?”

“I guess?” Jake kind of agreed.

“Great!”

Jake felt the Viper descend. It was like Jake’s aura got mixed with something else, and he then felt a third presence enter, confusing him even more. At that moment, was very happy that he had a strong soul before he felt the sheer level of pressure upon it as he channeled but a fraction of the Viper’s aura. Sandy also noticed as the worm stopped in mid-air before asking him in a confused tone.

“Uhm, I just got some weird pop-up, and I think it might be a scam?”

“What is it?” Jake asked curiously, soldiering through. Had Villy decided to bless Sandy? That would actually be awesome, and he was mentally slapping himself for not having thought of giving the worm one earlier.

“You see, I got this Blessing thing offered like you have, right?” Sandy asked with doubt.

“Yeah?” Jake asked. So it was Villy giving a ble-

“And… well, I just feel like if you have to include that something is True in the description, isn’t that kind of red flag that it isn’t? Like, if it is real, why do you need to put so much emphasis on it you know?”

Wait, what? Jake asked himself, utterly perplexed at what Sandy was asking. Include True? Did it maybe say something about it coming from someone with a True Blessing?

“Can you explain what it says in detail?” Jake asked Sandy.

“Okay, it asks if I want to talk to this god or something about receiving a True Blessing? It is very weird,” Sandy answered.

Jake, even more confused, asked: “What is the name of this god?”

“The Boundless Hydra.”

Who the fuck is that? Jake asked himself for a moment before a lightbulb went off. Sandy: likes eating stuff. Snappy: likes eating stuff. It all suddenly made sense; they were a match made in heaven.

“Hey, Villy, is Snappy really offering Sandy his True Blessing?” Jake asked the Viper.

“Yes, but an emphasis on offer. It will be up to them to reach an agreement if your wormy friend agrees to a conversation on the topic,” Villy explained. “You will have to function as a conduit during this process, and it will be a bit straining, but you should be fine.”

Jake nodded, totally fine with that, before talking to Sandy: “Yep, I know who the Boundless Hydra is. The offering is a True Blessing, the same as what I have but from a different god. I would recommend for you to have this talk with the guy, okay?”

“Oh, okay,” Sandy agreed. “As long as it isn’t a scam.”

Villy’s presence intensified as Jake felt the god channel power through him. He allowed it all to go through as he got a slight headache. Jake closed his eyes as Sandy had also completely frozen in the real world as the Hydra and Cosmic Genesis Worm spoke.

Then again, giving a True Blessing could not be done the usual way. The two souls had to meet as the transference was more intimate and intense than any other Blessing. Doing it in the divine

what kind

Worm and Hydra met.

– also known as the Boundless Hydra – had assumed his true form. A mass of heads too difficult for a mortal mind to

few seconds before the worm opened its mouth and

“This place tastes weird.”

energy. I am known as the Boundless Hydra, Lord Protector of the

said, impressed. “That is such a long name! I am just Sandy, pleased to meet you, the Boundless Hydra, Lord Protector of the

after. Sandy just sucked in some more of the atmosphere and

Why do you travel with the Chosen of the Malefic Viper?” the

question,”

a Path of conquest and power. He will grow in power without end, and his true stage is not your small planet but the multiverse as a whole. Are you willing to follow him that far? Are you willing to do what is necessary to

say do what is necessary? I am just doing what I do. I eat stuff, grow and get stronger and better

mean that you intend to abandon the Malefic’s Chosen if you find it convenient?” the

that friends don’t owe each other anything. They help because they want to, not because they have to. Also! I remember him once saying never say never, so I am never going to say never. Wait, I did just say never a lot of times… anyway! Jake is my friend, so that is that. Stop talking about silly stuff like abandoning others. If anything, he was the one about to abandon me just now!” Sandy said with much gusto,

seconds, seeming to contemplate the answer. “Would you give your life for the

that would kill me, and

the choice of betraying and backstabbing the Malefic’s Chosen for a

perfectly answered. “Also! I am pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to stab him in the back even if I had teeth. He is mega good at knowing

will be sated? When will you be satisfied with devouring treasures? Is it truly a Path you want to follow for eternity? A never-ending cycle of consumption?” the Hydra kept

to lay around and digest and stuff. But after that, I will definitely need to head out for a snack. Why would someone not want to keep eating stuff? Eating stuff is the best. Oh! And I can even find different ways of eating things, like making food-making stomachs and stuff by eating living

the only one asking me questions? So, why are you called the Boundless Hydra? Did you

heads we have, and

fine with only one head,

there are differences. Nevertheless, my Records do compliment yours. So, finally… would you, Sandy, the Cosmic Genesis Worm, have the honor of

Yeah, we can totally be friends

to go further, but should you fall, it will, in turn, harm me. It

a lot of things just for becoming your friend, but I guess all that stuff is fine. Though, actually, can you explain it all a bit better? Jake did also mention that only idiots don’t properly take their time to understand an agreement before accepting it. That is how you get scammed, and I am not here to get scammed. So! Details, please?” Sandy did ask, showing a bit of

the Hydra answered in

Sandy’s body had gone entirely limp. He instinctively knew their soul

was unable to move or do anything, he just had to ask Villy how

are those two having a nice chat?” Jake asked the

probably wondering why Snappy is suddenly here talking about giving away a True Blessing. Snappy has not given out his True Blessing for many Eras by now; he has barely given any Blessings out, in fact. Firstly it is not really part of his Path, and secondly, there is

would be a good candidate. Like, I see it kind of, but have you not talked repeatedly about how giving

Blessing. What I did suggest to him was that maybe the worm was worth gambling on. So yes, it is a massive gamble,

“I guess,” Jake semi-agreed.

of being Jake thought of when someone mentioned a

said. “Okay, finally, I will admit that I want to see what exactly a Cosmic Genesis Worm can turn into as it grows in power. It is an interesting beast and one I think can be useful to you for

Sandy also wants it,”

jump at the opportunity of a True Blessing. Anyway, the worm can just choose to throw it away if it turns out to be something they