The Unkillable in the Moonlight

Movement to the left…

Movement to the right…

Then silence - branches sliding back into place with no sound, then disappearing into the darkness again.

The forest had a heartbeat, and it sang to the sound of a hammer in the hunt - a haunting melody that would bring the hardiest of heroes to their knees, the bravest souls searching for the light before they were consumed.

Then silence. No grass swaying, no branches cracking and no wind. Only the fire’s light reminded Arata he was still alive. But, it would not be the only red that would rip through the curtain of nightfall.

They spotted him, not his massive frame or his wicked smile, not even the hammer he was synonymous with. It was blood moon red eyes, cutting through the thin mask and revealing yet more malice.

Arata had the urge to run just at the sight of him, but his legs didn’t have the strength to move. His hand shook in the air, a shiver that felt as if he was frozen - even as the flames bit at his cloak.

“Hunt…” It muttered. “Hunt…”

And then, its silhouette revealed itself, backlit from the fire in full glory. “Ehehehehe…” It giggled, like a fiend from the devil’s nightmares. The wooden monstrosity in his hand was slick with red goop and flocks of white hair, sodden in the red and sunken in with chunks of flesh. The putrid stench of iron dominated the area and Arata had to fight his own body to not release his last lunch.

“That’s from-” Elara noticed.

“Skotta.” Arata interrupted as his retching stopped. “That explains the announcement earlier.”

Drops of the red trailed behind him, he was fresh from his kill. Arata’s focus locked on the remnants of that poor huntress. His mind took him to places he couldn’t see without his already weak resolve crumbling anymore. Elara’s broken corpse smashed against the trees, bent backwards. Mayumi, hung from the top of the weapon with blood dripping from her lifeless face. And then himself, watching the hammer fall on top of him.

The air in his lungs seemed to escape every time he inhaled. It felt as if there was a hole in him, and each breath wasn’t enough. He doubled over, clutching his heart - hyperventilating.

“Arata!” Elara shouted.

“I… I can’t do this… I-” Before he could even finish, Mayumi slapped him across the cheek, leaving a dark red hand print on his face. For a moment he just held his hand to the pain, staring wide-eyed to his pseudo daughter who looked calm and collected on the surface but screaming internally.

“Elara’s got the front, I have the back. He WON’T reach you… that I promise. Now, get ready…” She paused, collecting her strength and glaring at their predator - the fire in her eyes burning him like a jet engine. “There’s no running now!”

It took a step closer. Arata’s mind faced the ultimatum, and through the fear, he felt their strength. “Tonight we end this.” The pen in his hand glowed, dimly at first but almost as bright as the moon seconds later.

Then, like a tiger in the brush, wooden stakes fell from either side of the Hammer - digging into its flesh. The monster grunted and side stepped to avoid the damage. The pen was the focal point now… it took his vision from the thin board beneath his foot. With the slightest pressure it broke beneath him and dropped him deep in the soil - only his chest and up could feel the cold air. But it wasn’t just a drop… spikes dug into the monster’s legs, and the hammer fell from it’s meaty grip.

Mayumi seized her chance, releasing a slow volley from her new bow crafted of inky black wood. Eldritch in design, its arrows were more like tendrils. Each one dug deep in his arms. Blood seeped from each seething bite and the monster howled.

The volley stopped, now it was the time for Elara. She glided across the ground and swung her spear to the beast’s neck, once again his arms were tribute.

The plan was working. Arata’s fear was diminishing. Elara would continue her assault as the Hammer was pinned in place by their spike fall trap…

The beast was laughing. Quiet and low, like the distant charge of a thousand army - shaking the world to its core. It stopped Elara mid swing, left Mayumi without an arrow to nock.

…

“Hunt…”

Not a single second later, and it’s fist slammed into the ground - making solid seem almost liquid. Elara slightly lost her footing but managed to keep her legs beneath her. However, the Hammers hammer had bounced closer, now within its reach. One moment his hand was against the floor, the next, he swung his hammer Elara’s way.

One slip up, and the upper hand was well and truly the Hammers.

And now, seeing Arata and Mayumi cry out to her but not hearing their voices, time seemed to slow.

“What does that make me?”

Dolos was dead in her arms again, serene - as if he was still sleeping. She held him close, with tears falling that would never stop. Hatred had filled her, hatred for one man.

There he was, Elysian. Tall and muscular, regal blue fabrics behind the shiny white armour. His golden bangs that normally covered his face were tattered, his hands covering his eyes.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry” he whimpered.

No blade pierced his skin, no blunt weapon smashed his bones. What killed her beloved, was his own mistakes. Mistakes that consumed her, pushed her over that cliffside into the sea, and now here, hoping for vengeance against a killer that did not exist…

“What does that make me?” She heard once more…

“Empty.”

As the hammer swung close, and her body leaned into it.

…

No pain, no darkness. As the giant gavel collided with the earth, she was beyond its reach - unsure of what had pulled her away from certain death, but knowing it was not of her own strength. Instinctively she turned back, wondering which of Arata and Mayumi had been her saviour… they were both still too far away.

The Hammer was now focussing on freeing itself and Arata took the time available to quickly draw clones and carry Elara away before the beast attacked again. The fakes dropped her beside their original and she looked at her own body as if it belonged to another - confused as to what had pushed her body to safety.

The Hammer’s laugh continued in spite of his condition. Arata sent more of his soldiers to their deaths, hoping to at least slow the beast down. “It’s not working.”

“No shit!” Mayumi snapped as she fired another volley that did land; however, like the rest, didn't seem to affect the hammer at all. ”Got anything else? Arata?!”

With a flick of his hand the waters of the falls nearby split open, bringing ink monsters with jet black wings soaring through the air. The Hammer smacked one from the air, another clamped its jaws around his shoulder, and the third took grasp of a boulder and dropped it from upon high.

Still, the beast refused to fall, refused to silence his laughter.

——-

While still behind the water veil, the trio slumped into the corners of their hideout. “Seriously, this is all we have? A stupid trap?” Mayumi complained.

“How much time do we have left?” Arata mumbled, wiping the drool from his open mouth.

“Five hours.” Elara clarified. “Even if we come up with something soon we’ll have to rush to get it set up before the final hour.”

They were completely defeated. This was a beast beyond comparison, fighting it was suicide, running from it was an endless struggle that also ended in death. “You knew me and the others… is he also from another story?” Elara asked, now clutching at straws.

“I… I think so, I feel like I’ve seen him before but…”

“You can’t remember.” Elara answered and Arata nodded sadly.

“This guy’s tougher to beat than Täter…” he whimpered, recalling the old gang with a tear in his eye.

“Täter?” Mayumi asked.

“Yeah. He was the villain of the last world I was in, he was…” Arata paused, eyes wide.

The girls looked at each other, confused. “…who… what?” Elara asked.

“… oh my god…”

Without a proper explanation, Arata began drawing like his life depended on it, leaving his companions bewildered.

“You wanna spill the beans there chief?” Mayumi asked, a tinge of annoyance in her voice.

“My pen is a sword of creation. But, for a beast of limitless power… defeating it requires… DELETION!”

In his hand, Whiteout.

Once again, the girls were confused.

“Behold, UNLIMITED POWEEEEEERRRRRR!” The brush danced in the air.

…

Now the wall had some small white lines…

It didn’t work. And Arata’s sudden confidence died with any sense of aura.

——-

The clock chimed, down to one final hour to survive, to defeat this monster and reach the end. Yet, nothing was working.

The moon crept past the clouds, illuminating their battle for a mere moment. Arata desperately drawing more warriors. Elara rushing to the front, and Mayumi launching another volley knowing it would fail.

They all knew it but could not say it. Eventually the distance would close, and their survival would be forfeit. This was it, the end of it all.

But like a gift from the gods, a single arrow would shine a light on everything. Literally, the moonlight cascaded from the arrow mid flight, and caught the Hammer’s blood red eyes. A normal person would blink and continue on.

The Hammer cowered, just for a moment - its eyes closed and its arms guarding from the light.

That light, unveiled the shadows of identity.

A manga he hadn’t seen for eight years, a failure by all standards, but a story nonetheless. And inside, a monster with limitless resiliency… and a weakness to sunlight.

Arata’s balled up fist pumped back, no longer shaking, no longer numb.

For finally… he had an answer.

“There you are… Martel.”

*-*-*

He watched from the cliffside with great curiosity, a jagged knife by his side and the last of his water falling down his face. “The Hammer… against the Spear and the Bow. Show me the strongest, show me who is worthy”

In the treeline, just beyond the battle - closer to the centre of the woods, another figure rushed towards the endgame.