The Hunter's Run ~ RP

[HobomasterXXX]

The putrid smell of the sewers seeped into Trent's nostrils. And as he turned the corner, he noticed the almost perfect white walls shift straight into cold hard stone. He had found one of the sewer entrances. Hopefully it was near Mirdoran or his assailant.
As Trent descended the stairs, he could hear heavy breathing. He gripped his gun tightly and attempted to walk as silently as possible. He snuck up to the source of the heavy breathing and spotted its head. Trent was behind it. It was crouched over/ He pressed his gun's barrel against the back of it's head. It raised it's hands. Trent could tell it was human. It was not Mirdoran.

[Dominicy]

Something was pressed against the back of my head... I didn't like the feeling."Think about pulling the trigger.  I beg of you." I pushed myself to my feet, keeping one arm crossed over the other, my pistol held tightly in my right hand, pointed straight for my assailant's stomach."Sure, I'll die, I'll die real fast, but what about you?  You'll bleed to death over the course of a few hours." turned my head, staring at him out of the corner of my eye, unable to hold back a wide, perhaps what could be called 'cruel' grin.

"Sound good to you?" I slowly, fearlessly turned my head, running both hands over the grip of my pistol, keeping it locked on his stomach, eyes locked on his aged features."Hm.  Perhaps you wouldn't even survive a few hours.  I might just not feel quite to so bad in that case..." I flashed a slow smirk, which quickly faded back into an almost neutral frown.  Almost.

[HobomasterXXX]

Trent thought about the situation. There was no point shooting. He couldn't die yet. That would screw up everything.
Trent: When you put it that way....
Trent swung the ancient rusted blade in his hand around and hit his assailant in the temple with it. Given the bluntness of the blade, no blood was drawn, but a heavy blow was still dealt. The man fell, giving Trent enough time to disappear into the darkness.
Trent(thinking): Damn it! I shouldn't have been so careless. I could have damaged the blade. And if that happened, I would not be here right now.

[Weerd Thing]

Something was watching the altercation between the two... It did not please it to not see blood spilled. However, the captive was still alive. That was good. Whatever this thing was slipped into the shadows and disappeared from the scene.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mirdoran was still at the ready. Somehow, shadows were coming from everywhere, crawling on the floors, taking shape and form into something hideous.

Mirdoran (on the communicator): Trent, get your lily-livered behind over here. Something's going on.

As the amorphous blackness coalesced into shape, a voice was heard...

Shadow: Hello there, my pet. How doesss it feel-

Not wasting time, Mirdoran shot a single shot into it, to no avail. It simply dispersed, scattering into nothingness. One bullet wasted on imaginings.

Shadow: -to become the hunted?

Something descended from the ceiling, and hung right beside Mirdoran's own head. He dared not look.

Shadow: What a bloodsssport this isss... Your handsss mussst be irrevocably ssstained by now...

Without thinking, the man lashed out at nothing, in furious anger. It was as if the shape was never there.

Shadow: Crusssader of ssstrength... you will sssoon join the prey in the Run... of thisss I am sure.

The presence then vanished, as if it were never there.

[HobomasterXXX]

Trent heard a message through the communicator. Mirdoran needed him. If only Trent knew where the hell he was.
Trent: Fuck, where the hell am I?
The shadows seemed to shift in reaction to Trent's words.
???: I can help with that....
Trent: Show yourself!
Again the shadows shifted. What the hell was happening?!
???: Merely close your eyes and I shall guide you.
Trent: You wish! I'm not even blinking!
???: Very well. If you will not go willingly....
The shadows began to move towards Trent, and suddenly his eyelids closed. When he opened them, he was standing next to Mirdoran.
Trent: Don't ask me how, but I'm here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cyrus wandered the white halls. He found it very boring. Every once in a while he'd run into some captives, but the battles were fast and easy. As he was walking the halls, he noticed something very odd. A door that was painted jet black.
Cyrus: What's 'dis then? Can't say I've seen this before. May as well check it out.
Cyrus pushed the door open and walked through. The room he arrived in was painted the same shade of dark black with no lights. Cyrus fumbled around and stumbled in to a tied up, blindfolded captive on the ground. A fluorescent light suddenly flickered on. It was not very bright, but it was enough to cast ominous shadows across the room. The shadows seemed to form strange shapes and then return to nothingness. Cyrus was very confused. One of the shadows in front of him formed the shape of a slightly humanoid creature, but it was too black to see any features.
Shadow: Hello Cyrus. I've been waiting for you.
In an almost instinctive response, Cyrus emptied a 2 shotgun shells and a whole clip of pistol bullets into the shadow. It did not even waver.
Shadow: Ah, such aggression. What did I ever do to deserve that? I just wish to talk.
Cyrus: Then talk!
Shadow: Very well. I wish to test your abilities. You see our friend here? The tied up one? I want you to end his pitiful life.
Without even speaking, Cyrus lifted the man up by the collar and ripped off his blindfold.
Cyrus: Good night.
Cyrus headbutted the man into the wall and picked up his shotgun. He pressed it up against the mans heart and fired. A large gaping hole was made in the man's chest. Blood spattered across the wall.
Cyrus: That was fun.
Shadow: Perfect....
Suddenly the lights went out, and the shadows became invisible.

[Weerd Thing]

Mirdoran was still wildly shaking his head, before he had taken notice of Trent.

Mirdoran: There's something else here. Something evil.

Almost in response, the shadows shimmered slightly, then began to coalesce into one form.

Shadow: Evil? Why... I have only the bessst interesssts of the Huntersss in mind...

Mirdoran eyed the shape warily. It looked humanoid, yet it was easily taller. Something about its head, hands and feet put him off... and then there was the tail...

Mirdoran: Speak! Who do you serve? Only Hunters have authorized access to these zones.

The shadow moved slightly, and a rasping sound could be heard from it. Laughter. So inhuman...

Shadow: Lossst one, I cannot tell you who I am, or who I ssserve... yet. Be it known to you, however, that I am alwaysss here...

It turned its featureless head to 'look' at Trent.

Shadow: And here we have Trent, our creme-de-la-creme, the bessst of the bessst...

The voice was condescendent, almost as if it spoke to please a child.
Suddenly its tone soured and its words stung like a plague.

Shadow: But he isss NOT!

As it uttered those words, the blackness on its form parted to reveal something monstrous, albeit for a split second.
Its face was like a demon's, sharp, cruel, evil.
Its head was like a reptile's, long, scaly, animal-esque.
It had a crown of long bone spines where hair would be.
And in the center of its face... a single, malevolent eye.
The shadows crept again over these features, masking them completely, as if they weren't there.

Shadow: Hold, friendsss.... we are misssing a guessst... It'sss like the old sssaying: two'sss company...

It raised its 'hand' into the air, then Cyrus appeared out of nowhere, just as Trent had previously. He was obviously shaken.

Shadow: ...but three'sss a crowd.

It then made a few motions across the floor. Mirdoran tried to get up, and then move, to get away from this thing... but grasping hands kept him immobile, clutches of pure shadow that made escape impossible. When he looked at the others.... the same was happening to them.

[HobomasterXXX]

The shadow creature's face was fixated on Trent's sword. Trent tightened his grip on it.
Shadow: Ssssuch a unique weapon you hold. It looks as if it is not of thiss world.
Trent: What concern is it of yours?
Shadow: I love such eccentric itemssss. They interessssst me.
The shadows again shifted, and lifted the sword straight from Trent's hand, and guided it towards the demon.
Trent: GIVE IT BACK!
Trent's expression went from being very neutral to pure hatred
Shadow: Such hatred... sssuch anger. I only wish to examine this blade of yours.
Trent: I SAID GIVE IT BACK!!
Cyrus and Mirdoran noticed a bright purple light glowing in Trent's pocket.
Shadow: Calm yourself old one. I will give thisss sssword back in due time.
The light in Trent's pocket got more intense. Trent started to struggle against the grip of the shadow..... And broke free. As he broke free, the beast returned to it's true grotesque form.
Shadow: STOP!!!
Trent began to run circles around the beast. He raised his gun and fired off a whole clip at the creature's head. Most rounds bounced off the demon's skin, but 2 shots got the beast in it's eye. It's head reared back and it let out a blood curdling scream. The shadows released their grip on Mirdoran and Cyrus. Trent grabbed his sword and began to run.
Trent: Run! To the upper levels!
Before Trent even finished his sentence, the 3 ran towards the stairs and escaped into the light... for now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cyrus: What the **** was that retarded thing? Let's go back and fight it. My shotgun will carve it a new ass hole!
Trent: That's not really a good idea. If we fight that thing down there, it'll just manipulate the shadows and snare us again.
Cyrus: Oh yeah. Maybe we should get it up here.
Trent: I have a feeling it won't come into the light any time soon. We may as well just try and avoid it. The less shadows and darkness there is, the less it has to use against us.
Mirdoran: How do you know so much about this thing?
Trent: I've dealt with similar things before.
Cyrus: What if the lights go out up here?
Trent: ....I didn't consider that.
Suddenly the light all began to go out, leaving just one very dim light, just enough to cast shadows.
Cyrus: Uh.. this is bad isn't it?
Cyrus felt a cold finger poking on his shoulder.
Shadow: You don't know the least of it.

[Weerd Thing]

Demonic laughter followed them wherever they went, for there was no place in the Run that was out of its reach.

Shadow: It seems you do not realize what I am capable of... And I merely wanted to talk.

A deathchill that seemed tangible dripped from the words.

Shadow: The blade holds much...

Again, shadows snatched away Trent's sword and pulled them towards the demon. Again, the glowing light in Trent's pocket grew fiercer.

Shadow: THAT WILL NOT WORK.

Suddenly, pure blackness enveloped that zone, like a blanket of ink, essentially covering the light.
Trent was furious. In a bid to reclaim what was his, he lunged at the shadow, preparing to strike. However, as he connected, it dispersed into nothingness, before reappearing on the ceiling, clutching the blade still.

Shadow: Your anger feeds me, old one... so long as you anger when I hold this item, I will not relinquish it.

It turned its 'face' towards Mirdoran.

Shadow: And you, my lone crusader... you must have a suitable offering for me...

Mirdoran (raising his own blade): Stay back, demon. Unless you don't like your left arm.

The creature looked him over. Such a fine servant should he need one... yet he could not serve until he had proven his worth.

Shadow: In due time, unfortunately.

It turned its head once more, this time towards Cyrus... and was met with a shotgun blast to the face. For a few seconds, its entire head was missing. Then, slowly, but surely, it began to reconstruct, using the omnipresent shadows to carve itself a new form.

Shadow: Tsk tsk tsk... that's no way to treat a guest, my friend. Would you enjoy it if I did that?

There was no movement from it, but what seemed like a powerful force slammed right into Cyrus, shoving him backwards onto the floor.

Shadow: You offer violence... and nothing else. I pity you. I could make you... so much more...

It turned its gaze towards the whole group.

Shadow: There's one captive left. One. Whosoever fulfills his duty, by slaying this captive, will earn my favor. The rest... well, nothing will happen to them. Are we clear?

Without waiting for an answer, the shadow vanished, taking away the darkness. The lights went back on... but Trent's sword was still in its clutches.

[HobomasterXXX]

Trent didn't want to give this beast what it wanted, but he had no choice. It had the sword. Trent needed the sword.
Cyrus: Why's that sword so important? It's just a rusty old chunk of metal.
Trent: I really don't think your small mind could really handle it.
Cyrus: Fuck you man! Fuck you.
Mirdoran: Why so damn hostile Trent?
Trent: All my fucking work up to this point in my life goes down the goddamn drain if I don't get that sword back.
Trent thought if there was a way to take out this beast.... He highly doubted it. Last time he fought something like this one of his comrades lost their lives.

[Dominicy]

I could feel something.  The sweet kiss of consciousness, was it?  I could barely tell, all I knew is that I had something throbbing in the back of my head, what I prayed to whatever being may be looking down on me was my brain."Damnit..." He mumbled out to myself, lifting to my feet before wiping free I had hoped was some form of alcohol or vomit... No such luck... What had happened, what felt like a dozen hours ago, was no drunken dream-sleep.

"Where the hell are you!?" I barked into the depths of the darkness, reaching down blindly to tear my gun from the floor, aiming it into the infinite darkness.  Taking several steps forward, I shifted my eyes from one end of the blackness to the other. "Where is this place..." I moaned in a low voice, grabbing my head in pain as the sudden impact of what felt like a thousand beats of a hammer and a thousand years of emotional torture hit me.  I was alone, and whether I admitted it or not, I didn't like it...

[HobomasterXXX]

Trent: Well, I don't see any alternative, so I'm gonna go look for that captive.
Trent walked away from the group and proceeded down into the sewers. He stopped and put his hand in his pocket, pulling out a dull purple gem.
Trent: Why has it been activating recently? It doesn't even have a damn power source.
Trent heard rustling in the shadows. Could it be the captive? Trent turned around to face it and let off 2 deagle rounds at it. It was a simple sewer rat.
Trent: Damnit. Gotta stop being so careless.
Trent continued to traverse the vast sewers. Eventually he spotted a glint of red and ran towards it. It was blood. Fresh blood. The captive was near.

[Dominicy]

Bastard... He managed to draw blood... Who-ever 'he' was...

I halted in my tracks, taking note of the distant sound of footsteps.  A pang of fear, paranoia rang true in my chest, made only more evident by the sudden tension I could feel in my beating heart.

Do I run or hide?

I asked myself a thousand times, coming no closer to an answer from the invisible aid at my side, perhaps more visible than I'd like to think...  I took a close look throughout the wide halls, parenthetically marked by two running sewer lines flanking either side of the path.  There was no where to hide, running it was.  I took to my feet, running as quickly as what I'd like to humor as my tall, muscular build would carry me.

I kept my gun cautiously locked in hand, the choice suddenly seeming like the only thing left to do as I realized that I had reached a dead end, the end of my almost tragic attempt at escape only punctuated by the painful sight of a wall, mocking me from all sides, sickeningly laughing at my imminent encounter.  There was nothing left to do, I turned, extended both my arms, and faced my incoming attacker.

[HobomasterXXX]

Trent could hear the man's footsteps, and the sound of the splashing water in the distance. He was running scared. And now he was cornered. Trent continued walking along the passage until the man could be seen from a distance. Trent continued until they were mere meters away from each other.
Trent: Someone wants you dead. And that someone has something of mine.

[Dominicy]

I could feel my lip tremble, I liked the feeling, in some sickening, perhaps masochistic way.

Anticipation?  Fear?  I can't tell...

I fired several bullets at the imminent threat that still dared to approach me."Back off." I ordered. "That's none of my business." I barked in a low tone, dropping into a low, defensive stance.  Firing several more bullets, I loosened myself, ready to dodge, ready to retaliate, ready to die...

[HobomasterXXX]

Trent began to run around the room, trying to keep moving as much as possible.
Trent: I should tell you.....
Trent dodged a barrage of fire from the man and fired of 3 of his own bullets.
Trent:..that I do not wish death upon you...
Trent launched himself into the air to dodge some more gunfire and loaded another clip into his deagle
Trent:...but it is a necessary sacrifice for the world to live on.