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.

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 realm of a

smirked as he wondered what kind of monster

Worm and Hydra met.

assumed his true form. A mass of heads too difficult for a mortal mind to comprehend appeared before the insignificantly small Cosmic Genesis Worm. The Hydra soon collected its form to only be a nine-headed

figures simply existed for a few seconds before the

“This place tastes weird.”

realm, and what you are consuming is my energy. I am known

I am just Sandy, pleased to meet you, the

sucked in some more of the atmosphere and looked around, clearly unsure how to act or what to do. The Hydra, on the other

Chosen of the Malefic Viper?” the Hydra asked the worm after

silly question,” Sandy scoffed.

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 remain someone useful to him even as he soars towards

and get stronger and better at eating

if you find it

knows? We are friends, and Jake says 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

few seconds, seeming to contemplate the answer. “Would

I am pretty sure that would kill

the Malefic’s Chosen for a tremendously powerful treasure, would

when all my teeth are gone?” Sandy perfectly answered. “Also! I am pretty sure I wouldn’t be able

sated? When will you be satisfied with devouring treasures? Is it truly a Path you want to follow for eternity? A never-ending

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

you the only one asking me questions? So, why are you called the Boundless Hydra? Did you use to be bound or something?” Sandy

I expanded every part of myself and grew. We Hydras tend to be more powerful the more heads we have, and my goal was to reach the apex.

I am fine with only one head,

do share the Path of consumption, even if there are differences. Nevertheless, my Records do compliment yours. So, finally… would you, Sandy,

Jake and his friend Villy!? Yeah, we can totally be friends if you want to! You seem like an

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

idiots don’t properly take their time to understand an agreement before accepting it. That is how you get

answered in a pleased

ways about it. He felt his body flooded with the two presences as Sandy’s body had gone entirely limp. He instinctively knew their soul had been projected elsewhere,

unable to move or do anything, he just had to

having a nice chat?”

now; he has barely given any Blessings out, in fact. Firstly it is not really part of his Path, and secondly, there is risk and responsibility tied to having blessed ones out there.

be a good candidate. Like, I see it kind of, but have

and he may just decide on only giving a lower-level Blessing. What I did suggest to him was that maybe the worm was worth gambling on. So yes, it is a massive gamble, but one I think is worth taking for him. Plus, it will give him a stronger connection

“I guess,” Jake semi-agreed.

not exactly the kind of being Jake thought of when someone mentioned a Chosen. Not

It is an interesting beast and one I think can be useful to you for a long time if it can keep up with you. A

also

one I know who would not instantly 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 don’t want,” Villy reminded him. “The bond between a Chosen and their god is not one of