Chapter forty one: end of the hunt
What was it? What gave the fragile humans of dharti the courage to face lions, the fiercest predators of Dharti?
It was the blessing given to and carried from their ancestors. A blessing that separated them from ordinary men, giving them the capabilities to overcome the predators.
That blessing was exactly the golden eyes, the golden eyes of the golden-eye bloodline.
Granted by the creator generations ago, the eyes had golden a hue so ethereal, it could be nothing short of mesmerizing.
The golden eyes sharpened sight beyond natural limits. Providing the ability to process visual information at a much higher rate, it was akin the eyes of eagles or flies.
Movements that to others seemed instant were broken down into clear fragments. To them, the pounce of a lion was not so fast that they could not avoid.
With those eyes, the humans, more specifically the golden-eye bloodline could slip from claws, angle their blades, and strike where beasts were weakest.
Because of this, the golden-eyed bloodline stood as hunters of lions rather than prey.
Swwos—
The sound of air splitting as claws cut through space can be heard, missing the flesh by inches.
Two lions lunged and swung wildly, aiming to shred the men before them.
"These beasts are stronger than the last ones we faced," Orefi evaluates as he as he twists his body aside. His blade catches a glint of light as he skillfully dodge.
"Indeed, they aren't half bad," Rev'dalto replies, making his sword flow in quick arcs, each step carrying him out of danger.
Both of their movements looked less like dodging and more like a rhythm both had long mastered.
The two spoke as if testing practice dummies, not creatures that could end lives in a single strike.
"Grrrrr—"
The lionesses stood back, shielding the cubs, but their eyes followed every motion of the fight. The longer it dragged, the clearer it became to them.
Their males alone could not overpower these creatures called humans.
A quick glance passed between both the lioness. Then, as if they had made their decision. Both lionesses leapt forward, extending their claws, joining the battle with a furious roar.
Thus the two on two fight became four on two.
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Rev'dalto bent low, forcing his blade to scrap sparks off the ground as he parried a lion's strike, the weight of the beast pressed hard against him. He twisted his stance, forcing the paw aside, then slashed upward, the edge made a deep cut across fur but not deep enough to kill.
The lion roared in fury, and lunged again.
On the other side, Orefi rolled twice under a sweeping paw, stabbing at the lion's belly as he passed. His blade cut skin, but the beast's thick muscle turned it shallow. Orefi barely pulled his weapon back before the lion's tail whipped, smacking him across the shoulder and knocking him two steps back.
"Persistent things!" Orefi spat, tightening his grip on the blade.
Before either man could press further, the two lionesses joined. One bounded straight at Rev'dalto, widening her jaw, while the other darted low for Orefi's legs.
Rev'dalto jumped back, but the lioness's claws scraped across his arm, drawing blood. His eyes glowed sharper with golden light, his footing steadying to strike the lioness dowm. He ducked the next swipe and slashed across her muzzle, making the lioness flinch and stumble aside.
Orefi, meanwhile, barely lifted his blade in time. The lioness's claws raked against his steel, forcing him down to one knee. The male lion he had wounded earlier took the chance, circling with bared fangs.
The two were Surrounded by Four lions pressing at once.
Steel and claws crashed, golden eyes and natural predators clashed.
Each strike slowly became louder and louder than the last. Rev'dalto cut a clean arc that sliced through the air.
Orefi gritted his teeth, blocking blow after blow, his arms shaking under the weight of beasts far larger than himself.
"Stay sharp and focus, Orefi!" Rev'dalto shouted as he looked at orefi getting cornered, spinning past a paw and slashing at a lion's flank. Blood sprayed from the beast, but it's rage
The roars of lions shook the clearing, echoing through the dark forest.
The fight had already stretched far longer than either man expected. Their breath became ragged, sweat poured down their faces, even their blades were little bit heavy.
It had been more than thirty minutes since the clash began, and though their strikes remained sharp without wavering, the truth was clear: human stamina could not rival beasts built for endless chase and brute survival.
Orefi staggered back from the two lioness charging at him, barely managing to slip away with from the sharp claws. Rev'dalto held ground against two lions, his blade flashed with each strike, but he couldn't stop his arms from trembling after each block. Blood already streaked across his tunic where claws had grazed him.
The golden glow in their eyes gave them speed, focus, and vision sharper than any other creatures. But the glow did not refill their lungs or lighten their muscles. Their bodies started screaming as the fight went on.
Rev'dalto's face hardened. He had no luxury to drag this out further. The two lions bled from deep cuts he had inflicted, he could tell they were in pain as even their roars weakened.
The lions movements were not as fierce as before. The lionesses, however, fought with near untouched strength, driving Orefi into a corner.
'If I unleash everything left… I won't be able to move my body afterwards,' Rev'dalto's mind raced as another paw swung for his head. He slid under it, easily dodging the paw. 'But if I strike with all I have, I can cut both down before they tear me apart, and by doing so, I can hopefully distract even the two lioness for a second or two.'
His vision sharpened further, the golden hue in his eyes started blazing brighter than ever.
Every twitch of muscle, every breath of the lions, every tiny change in position became clear in his sight.
'Yes… both of them are already in much pain from all the wounds, They're slowing down, This is the only chance.'
He tightened his grip, channeling every drop of strength into his stance. His body screamed in protest, but he refused to waver.
This strike would decide if he and Orefi could hunt four lions alone, or if they would need help from the other members of the hunt party.
Rev'dalto steadied his breath, there was a metallic taste of blood in his mouth. The two lions lunged again, but their roars couldn't shake the ground like before.
Rev'dalto twisted his body to the side, feeling the rush of air from a missed claw swipe graze his shoulder. Using the opening, he drove his blade straight into the first lion's left eye then the right eye.
A harsh cry echoed through the clearing. Rev'dalto didn't relax. Pulling his blade free, he pivoted on his heel and struck the second lion, stabbing through both its eyes in clean thrusts. Both beasts stumbled, their roars broke into strangled growls.
Rev'dalto was shaking now, his muscles screaming from strain, his lungs burning for air. The glow in his eyes flickered; the golden-eyes that guided his strikes was pushing his body beyond its limit.
The lions still twitched, refusing to fall. Rev'dalto forced himself to move again, stabbing deep into the already deep wounds along their necks and sides. Hot and heavy blood spilled onto his arms.
Finally, the lions dropped to the dirt with a dull thud, their chests barely moving.
Rev'dalto fell to one knee, panting, even his vision dimmed quite a bit. He turned toward Orefi, who was locked in a struggle with both lionesses.
"These two won't move again! Infact! They will die on their own!" Rev'dalto shouted using all his might. "Finish the others quickly!"
Orefi quickly risked a glance back, dodging another claw. Without hesitation, Rev'dalto hurled his blade toward him. The handle spun through the air before Orefi caught it mid-motion.
With that, Rev'dalto's strength gave out. He dropped his arm, watching as Orefi gripped both blades and rushed toward the lionesses, roaring louder than the beasts themselves.
The moment the two male lions hit the ground, a sharp growl echoed through the clearing. The lionesses, realizing what had happened, looked at their males with a look of pain.
Orefi didn't let this opening go to waste, He quickly rushed twords the distracted lionesses until they were close enough, then pushed forward with a burst of strength.
His first blade cut deep into one lioness's neck. Before the second could react, the blade Rev'dalto had thrown found its mark, buried in her belly. Both beasts staggered, snarling weakly before collapsing beside the males.
It was already over. The lions had been subdued , the humans stood victorious.
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"Waaah!" Estelle's voice could be heard, as she ran out from the bushes, her small face was bright with excitement.
She, her father and the other hunters all found it entertaining to watch rev'dalto and orefi fight, but Estelle couldn't control her excitement.
The chief ruler gestured quickly. The other members of the hunt party rushed after her, making sure she didn't get too close to the fallen beasts.
The air smelled of blood and dust. Rev'dalto leaned against a nearby rock, forcing himself upright. "These two will die soon from the wounds," he said with his strained voice. "Finish the lionesses properly. Make sure none of them suffer."
The others nodded, moving to carry out the task. But before they could finish the work....
"I want!" Estelle's sudden shout stopped everyone.
They turned to her. She was pointing at the group of cubs trembling near a tree, their small bodies pressed together, their eyes wide with fear.
"I want these small kids!" she said again, she sounded firm but innocent.
The chief ruler let out a sigh, looking at the scene: his daughter's bright eyes, the terrified cubs, and the hunters standing silently around them.
'What a hunt' he thought.
[A/n: this small episode of dharti is over, ofcourse it took time since I'm quite busy irl.]