Cutlass Sharpened (29 page)

“
Shutting up.”

For three minutes it was silent till she said
“No lasting damage and your blood work is fine too. Medically I
can’t find why you’re so off in the head. But you caught onto the
sickness quickly before you poisoned your own body. Go sniff around
somewhere else and get back to me when you return.”

He got up and paused. “Renee, one question.
Why do your eyes glow and hair rise when you use your power.”

“
That was actually two, but
my eyes glow as a result of the gathering. At the ninth class it
shows itself. If the entirety of my eyes, and not just my irises
light up, I’m gathering for a tremendous release that can level
cities at my full power. As for my hair, it’s simple static
electricity build up. Most of it will be gone when you get back.
I’m cutting it because the static reduction conditioner isn’t
working with the length. It’s too long already.”

“
I’ll be back
soon.”

“
No more showing off!” She
yelled as he left, laughing along the way.

Outside though Oliver’s
smile was great. Cloud nine was not high enough for how he felt. It
was similar to zero gravity.
Renee wasn’t
aroused till I showed off and landed. She didn’t even shift her
weight when I jumped off the cliff to land by her. The crowd though
stepped back and gasped. She just rolled her eyes. She may have
been mean, but I smelled her arousal for me. All the males nearly
as large and more handsome than me didn’t spark her interest. I
must make the date perfect. She will be my mate. I’ll settle for no
less than her. Anyone who tries can kiss my ass.
He decided with finality.
Now I must tread carefully. I cannot ruin my chances next
month, if all works well.

Amber irises turned to the large approaching
group led by Elder Scythe and Javelin. Fifteen Hunters followed,
Stone, Steven and Deegen were included. More than half had wolves
proudly walking with human intelligence. Bell seemed to be pack
leader by how the others glanced to her often. Both elders had
large black wolves with them. The leader of the village adjusted
his glove saying “We just received word, Bother. There was an
attack at the last plantation left with the smallest grove of ripe
fruit remaining in our lands. Follow.” Four birds of prey took
flight while everyone began jogging northwest.

Oliver took a bend and they headed down
towards the space port, a massive valley with a crystalline docking
bridge. The valley was more than twenty kilometers wide, nine deep
and natural. It was a canyon made by a rushing river. The river
that cut through the village spilled over a cliff to add to the
grand view.

Behind though came Renee’s voice yelling “I
heard there was an attack! Why wasn’t I notified.”

Elder scythe said “The body is on its way,
Ms. Dorgen. I’ll need a full autopsy done.”

“
Then tell whoever it is to
leave them at the scene. I’m coming.”

“
The body isn’t human. It is
a native lioness… or what is left of her. Remain.”

“
Fine. I’ll give you a
preliminary as soon as I can. But take Sparky with you.”

The Drake came soaring over a building as she
stopped and didn’t wait for a response from the running group.
Scythe smiled. “An honor, Great Drake. See the location in my mind
and see if you discover anything before we arrive.” Sparky hissed
and suddenly his four wings slapped down and he flew much higher
and faster.

Oliver wanted to go faster and be able to
keep up with the Drake, but he knew that the wolves could also pull
ahead, but didn’t for a reason. Safety in numbers.

They passed by the planetary starship port
and ran through an open gate, plunging deep into the woods. Oliver
stayed in the back, watching how the Hunters all breathed deep and
slow to maintain the grueling pace. As he adopted it he found his
steps get more languid and effortless. Despite the heavy footed
pace, they made little noise down the trails.

They didn’t pause as they passed a single
woman carrying a bag of the dead animal.

One three minute rest at a stream to get a
drink is all they spared before they arrived just before noon in
front of a relatively young plant nursery. Little more than ten
cleared acres of open space lay before them. Only a dozen and a
half mature Inferno trees grew in the center with many planted
saplings lined up in the remaining space.

Waiting to the tree line on the left were two
tan women with long flowing hair. They walked over and one was
pointed saying “Elders, we were alert all night, but saw nothing.
We heard the lion’s short fight for life. When we returned the
fruit was gone. Vanished into thin air…”

“
It was here.” Oliver said
as he lifted his nose and sniffed loud enough for all to hear. “I
must find it. I must… I must eat…”

“
Brother, what is wrong?”
Stone shook his shoulder and snapped him out of whatever had taken
hold.

“
Stone… it was here.” Oliver
recovered and none needed heightened hearing to listen to the loud
growl his stomach made.

“
What was here?” Elder
Javelin asked as she and her wolf arrived.

“
A Beast I
must
have. I’m starved for
it. It’s a hunger I haven’t to compare with. Its drawing
me.”

“
Calm yourself,
Oliver.”
Sparky landed and filled his
entire vision with his bright green head.
“Do as I taught when you get overwhelmed. You are making
little sense to them.”

The caped man in brown and
black closed his eyes and took slow, deep breaths and let them out
slowly. When Sparky taught etiquette he also taught how to control
anger and uncertainty with simple meditation. No one spoke as he
did this, nor made signals in fear some vital clue would be missed.
At last he opened his eyes to tell the Drake “The scent I found is
less than a day old this time. When we initially left the ship I
smelled it then, but it was weeks old. Whatever
it
is, I
must
hunt it down
right
now. Its taking everything to
stand here and talk… and I must go alone.”

“
No, Brother. Not…” Sparky
lifted a deadly claw to Elder Javelin.

“
The scent is weak to me.
Are you certain it calls? Is it wounded?”

Oliver sniffed the air deeply and moved
around the crops and came up close to the trees and licked the
bark. No one stopped him, so captivated as he went on tracking as
an animal would rather than as a human.

Each person saw a predator at work.

A half hour later he said “You’ve been going
about it all wrong. Instead of hunting the creature, you should
scent for the lion’s blood if you can’t track it.”

Bell loped forward and scented and licked
near where he did on the tree to bark “Re’s rrright. Rood is raint,
rut there. Reast is like Ralamander and not at rame time.”

Elder Scythe came forward and asked in
complete seriousness “Brother, you do not know these lands and they
are deadly. I cannot just let you go without a Second to watch over
in event of injury. It’s why we have companions.”

“
I’m
not
asking, Elder. I’m telling you I’m
leaving to sate my gnawing hunger. It’s got more than a half day on
me and standing here talking won’t help me get it. If all the fruit
in the area is gone and you don’t have a spare supply at the
village to keep it close, it’s leaving the area and none of you can
keep up with me on foot.”

Scythe’s jaw muscle twitched as he could not
dispute such a fact after seeing it personally in the trials of
strength and speed earlier. “Alright.”

“
No. He cannot…” The
youthful female elder stopped as Scythe held up his
hand.

“
But, we need to give you a
monitor to see what you do. Your armor doesn’t have cameras like
ours does. It’s mandatory. If you are slain none will know how you
fell so the same mistake isn’t made again.”

Oliver came forward and took a close look on
the right shoulder where at least one micro-camera was imbedded in
the man’s shoulder. “Hold still.” He warned and Scythe did as
Oliver’s right hand came forward and a tendril enveloped the camera
and saturated deep in the airtight compartment that found a crystal
storage device that recorded during times of great activity and was
powered by the most miniscule amount of psionic energy the body
manufactures naturally. The technology came alive within Oliver’s
mind and could be copied and enhanced.

The tendril came away and speared itself into
the ground to search for the natural ingredients found everywhere.
No need for mining when a multi-tool can gather what it needs. A
pea sizes bulge was sucked up like a straw before being remade at
the atomic level into a camera more robust, smaller and more
powerful than the original that was scanned. It was then integrated
into the malleable armor and a tiny bulge appeared over his right
shoulder. Oliver could sense the camera working through the
portable manufacturer upon his body to say “Pull up your data
screen.”

Scythe did and gasped “By the stars!”

“
What is it?” someone
said.

“
He’s transmitting images
like our own recorders, straight to my relay.” With the screen
still over his left eye he said “Go with my blessing, Brother. Hunt
relentlessly.”

“
I shall feast well.” He
replied to the Hunter’s code of honor.

With that Oliver let go and allowed his
hunting instincts to guide. His mask encased his entire head before
everyone lost sight of him. He cut through the jungle in pursuit of
what drew him like nectar to a bee. It was a call he could no
longer deny and nothing would stop him.

Scythe stared dumbfounded as he watched
Oliver tearing across his lands he’d known for more than two
centuries. His speed was one thing, to watch trees blur on screen
and not crash headlong was another issue. As he and others watched
on he was contacted. “Elder, I’ve finished my report on the
remains. It was a Beast as few animals exist which can cut a lion
completely in half with one bite. I’ve scraped cell from the bone
to discover the Beast is a quarantined S-Rank Fire Wyrm that is not
registered on this planet. I repeat, get the hell out of there. You
are unprepared to face a Fire Wyrm. Psionic class nine Hunters
only. Pull back. Pull back now!”

“
Er… Ms. Dorgen.” Scythe
began.

“
Oh, why do I get the
feeling Oliver is involved?”

“
Your instincts are
honed…”

“
Don’t bother explaining.
Sparky just told me.” Renee ran a hand over her face as Scythe’s
gaze turned to the Drake still with them. “Whatever. I’m initiating
quarantine procedure till the Wyrm is killed. You better also send
for extra Hunters incase Oliver bites off more than he can chew.
It’s too late to track him down now so don’t bother. The jungle is
too thick and he’s way too damn fast. Worry about yourselves if the
Beast laid a false track and is still in the area. Oliver’s
olfactory receptors are good, but not infallible. I’m
ordering
you to get your
asses back to the village pronto! I’ve already convinced Elder
Pilum to permit the release of drones to aid in the search. This is
a priority command, Elder.”

“
We’re on our way. Send one
in our direction.” She promised it was already done as he turned to
the unaware group. “We return to the village. No breaks. Weapons at
the ready and initiate battle mode formation.” Metallic plates in
the collars transformed into a full helmet as weapons were out and
cackling. Companions ran in the safe center as the armored humans
set up a barrier perimeter and ran back at a faster
pace.

Late afternoon showers proved to be a
blessing and problem. Blessing as it cooled Oliver’s body and
problem as it washed and diluted the scent. But it was eventually
picked up. The hunger would not be denied. Oliver would not leave
Zerika without it or him becoming the prey.

But even hunting had limits and the body
needed rest. Oliver chose to do as before and sleep in a tree, but
contacted Renee first. As expected she was on the warpath telling
him how stupid he was, but didn’t once tell him to get his sorry
ass back to the village. She knew he wouldn’t let this go and
didn’t bother. Renee knew she found someone more stubborn than she
could be at times.

After an hour of yelling and him not
apologizing she decided to give lessons as promised. They were
similar to Scythe’s, but she was more vocal, explaining how
synaptic responses could be willed or given. Pain though was how
she was taught. Pain ignited the entire brain into ready response
to defend itself. It was a proven fact pain made the whole brain
feel and react equally. So Oliver used the sharp Salamander spine
around his neck to stab the backside of his hand enough to draw
blood and visualize the sensation he was given the night
before.

No results were made other than multiple
puncture marks on his hands.

As soon as sleep recuperated the body’s
functions Oliver was back on the prowl. The Fire Wyrm Renee warned
him all about was no slow Beast and didn’t go in a straight line,
but a pattern led him further and further northeast.

Day after day passed in the difficult
pursuit, as if the Wyrm knew it was being hunted, but such was not
the case. Rain fell off and on and ate up more time in recapturing
the scent. It did help to find fresh drinking water, but streams
and stagnant pools that didn’t smell right were not drank from.