Cutlass Sharpened (31 page)

“
How can you be so happy he
attacked?” Renee was flabbergasted kicking the slumbering giant
over and checking his wounds didn’t reopen. Some did and clotted
right away.

The eldest said “I was sending murderous
intent. Most would run away in sheer terror. He didn’t. His fight
response is quite powerful even in his condition. Greater than
flight for sure. Even trained Hunters would flee before my intent
to kill… yet he hesitated not. His intent switched to attack and
was marvelous.” The woman let him walk ahead, taking the arm off,
and he knelt at Oliver’s head. “Take your Booster Oil to your ship.
We have private Hunter business to deal with, Ms. Dorgen.”

“
Not before my exam is
complete.” She knelt at his side.

“
I said…” the eldest
began.

“
And
I
basically told you to kiss my ass
and let me do my job.” Her green eyes flared bright in
warning.

The eldest responded by turning his own
bright electric blue and he said slowly and in control “You dare
threaten me?”

Renee raised it to the max and her whites
blazed green. Lightning from the cloudy sky slammed down on her
with a deafening thunderclap to arc around her body and mentally
she picked the elder up like a toy. He smiled disarmingly and her
anger dropped as she realized she could be killed for that. She
sent it away and dropped her chin as the night took command. “I’m
sorry, Grandest Elder Claw.”

“
Few can overpower me. You
do take after you father. In more than gathering I mean. You’ve
inherited his stubbornness. Good for you. Finish the exam with my
apologies. Afterwards, you
will
refrain from doing it again won’t you?”

“
Yes.” She held his
gaze.

“
Get to it. When you clear
him, we are taking him to the lodge for private matters you are not
privy to.”

Renee’s hand shook slightly as she worked,
catching hands return weapons to sheathes. She berated herself and
not even Sparky could deny how much she fucked up and got away only
by a whim. “Carry him gently, he is as heavy as he looks. On this
world he’ll be about one thousand sixty eight kilos. Well over a
ton. I’ll go give Papa the oil. And please, no more tests till
wounds heal.”

“
My word is given, Child.”
The man’s eyes lit again and Oliver arose off the landing area and
was mentally carried safely away.

Renee shuddered as she grabbed the canister
and Sparky flew her to the ship to deliver their cargo.

Chapter 8

Howling of wind whistled in unnatural ways
that first began to pull the haze of sleep back. Oliver had no
memory or even a vague feeling of dreams this time. That passed as
he remembered the barest prickling in his neck before forgetting
everything. The sharp whistling further pulled him from the deep
slumber.

Bright light stung Oliver’s eyes as he felt
overheated and his skin sizzled. Sucking in a breath he sat up with
hands over his eyes for shade to find he was outside.

Sound still drawling attention, he looked to
find the man he last saw before collapsing swinging his cutlass
around in spiraling patterns so fast the rent air actually made
haunting music. He seemed to dance with the cutlass as his partner,
an extension of himself. The dull blackness made the blade seem
larger and more menacing, leaving a long shadow behind it. Yet
despite the speed of the half naked slightly tan man, he was
graceful and serene. Oliver was instantly jealous of the Hunter not
only using his own blade without permission, but using it with more
beauty and skill than he could ever imagine.

But they weren’t alone outside under the
oppressive sun. All the elders and animals were out lounging in the
courtyard watching him do the deadly dance. Every woman wore either
a bra or bikini top, but everyone wore comfortable pants.

Embarrassingly it was only Oliver who laid
buck naked.

“
Alas, the lumbering giant
awakens.” The swordsman stopped the dance as eyes turned completely
on Oliver as he willed some blue jeans on and grimaced. “Better get
naked again and rub this over yourself.” He bent over and tossed a
bottle at him.

Instinctively Oliver caught it to ask him
“What is it?”

“
A specialized lotion
that’ll draw the heat burned into the skin and keep sunburn from
making your skin peel. You needed the vitamins sunlight gives
rather promptly.” Said the eldest.

Oliver got up and began rubbing the lotion
over and the effect was immediate. The deep sunburn soaked into him
was being drawn out, leaving a crisp, healthy tan behind. He
especially sighed when applied to the privates and sitting area.
While working he noticed all the wounds on his chest and arms were
mostly healed, but were pinker than the surrounding tan tissue. The
manipulative fabric inside the vambrace made it possible he didn’t
need to go far to put it on. Elder Scythe got up and said “I’ll
apply some to your back.”

“
Appreciate it.” And meant
it as he worked the faintly minty lotion in his own face, neck and
arms.

They were out in the crystalline courtyard
behind the lodge of the village on the cliff. Only there was no one
else in sight. The courtyard was cleaned of blood from sparring
Hunters and children and now was filled with over four hundred
cushions where Hunters and companions relaxed casually. As usual,
weapons were always near.

As Elder Scythe applied the soothing balm
Oliver turned to the unassuming man who was far more than
appearance. Even being nothing but hard lean muscle while shirtless
made him look nothing like the large bred people surrounding him.
“Before I ask you to please teach me how to move with my sword so
inspiringly… why was I naked outside?”

“
How about we start over
completely, My Brother.” The man’s arm tensed and he threw the
cutlass over the relaxing elders. Left hand stretched out faster
than the eye could blink to properly catch the meter long weapon
which burst into twinkling stars. “First, my apologies for
threatening you two nights ago
and
for borrowing that amazing weapon without
permission.”

“
Two?”

“
Alas, Ms. Dorgen used a
rather
potent
tranquilizer upon your person when I tested your instincts. I
must admit I’m not often impressed, but you’ve done a thorough job
thus far. After the hunt I decided to let you rest the effects off.
Your body apparently needed it after all the running and tracking
of recent.”

Forgetting etiquette, Oliver shook his head
from the jumble of thoughts. “I’m sorry as well. Forgive my lack of
manners, Elders. I’m Oliver Void.”

His slight bow had the youthful crowd
smirking humorously or darkly. Mostly the vibe was positive. Living
an extended and harsh life split people three ways. To enjoy life
and its simple pleasures. To become numb. Or be spiteful and
critical of everything. The short man was in the first category
thankfully. “A true pleasure it is to meet you, Brother Oliver. I
am Grandest Elder Vanishing Claw. Most call me Elder Claw or
Vanishing Claw or just Claw for short. Or use some combination to
their liking. I must admit that I’m curious about your unique
memory and wish to test it. This is my wife, Grand Elder Talon…” He
gestured to the bikini topped muscular giantess laying on her side
nearest him and every elder thereafter, counting three hundred and
seven elders plus an equal number of neural enhanced animal
companions.

He randomly repeated everyone’s names
afterwards after sheathing his blade.

“
Truly a marvelous day
indeed.” Vanishing Claw said as he stepped forward. “Brother, I’m
sorry for putting you in the sun naked, but it was for your
benefit. Sunlight is far better than tanning booths for those of us
who regularly consume Beast. And do not be shamed of nudity. We are
all too old to care unlike the fools who think they are more
civilized.”

“
It doesn’t bother me. I
clothe myself to not upset others.”

“
If I had been kicked in the
balls as you had I would be wary as well.” The eldest living Hunter
admitted.

“
You saw that
huh?”

Vanishing Claw’s wife Talon smirked. “When my
lover and I watched that part after we were given the data, he
cupped himself like I’m sure every man here did when they saw
it.”

“
Damn straight. I whimpered
right along with you, Brother.” A hazel eyed elder named Pike
raised a glass with a grimace as every woman and a few men
chuckled.

“
So you all are up to date
on my circumstances?”

“
We are. Please, sit with me
and Talon.” Vanishing Claw led Oliver through the minefield of
lavish oversized pillows to sit with the blonde woman. “But many of
us would like to hear it from you. It is more personal so we can
associate with you.”

“
How about a trade? My story
for teaching me how to move like you do and make my sword make that
hauntingly beautiful sound.”

“
Bargain stuck.” The man
said and leaned back to rest his head on Talon’s washboard feminine
abdomen.

The overhead sun dropped halfway down the sky
before he finished. Silent, contemplative minutes passed before
Vanishing Claw spoke. “An impossible tale to believe had I not
witnessed it all. The speed at which you move is unlike any I’ve
witnessed. We all watched daily as you relentlessly tracked down
the Wyrm. I’ve already got Splicers researching ligament and tendon
manipulation to graft to every Hunter after seeing your speed. If
we can move like you, we will not die so easily. The way you
snatched the sword from the air when I threw it earlier solidified
my need to have it done personally. It should be possible and my
hope is it can save many young ones who find themselves too slow or
psionically deficient to create even a barrier.

“
I was amazed by how you
began to adapt to the Zerikan jungle so well you avoided whole
hosts of Beasts that would have hindered your way. You took Elder
Scythes single expedition to hunt Moles to heart and learned
methods along the way. You made plenty of amateurish mistakes, but
you corrected them as you went. Had your sense of smell not been so
acute I still believe you would have been able to still track the
elusive Beast down.” Vanishing Claw sat up, speaking far beyond his
appearance as a breeze tussled his ebony mane. “And we all watched
as you stalked the Fire Wyrm. You were too stubborn and foolish to
take it on alone.” He smirked when Oliver didn’t look even remotely
offended. “You should have listened to Ms. Dorgen and let more
experienced Hunters at least throw up a shield around you as
backup.

“
But never in my life had I
seen anyone get
so
close to a Fire Wyrm. They are highly sensitive to ground and
air vibrations. Not even I can boast to have snuck up on one
without levitation. And not only that, you survived its hypersonic
scream
without
any
psionic shielding. Yes, the tree took the brunt, but still you
should have hemorrhaged without a barrier. That’s why no less than
a psionic class nine Hunter can hunt them. Anyone less can’t hold a
shield solid enough to deflect the sound.

“
If that wasn’t enough, your
armor proved it isn’t infallible as wood splinters penetrated. Ours
is more robust for just such a purpose. Add to it Inferno sap and I
can say even I would find it hard to move. I do know how much the
sap burns. It is
far
from pleasant. But then you were smothered in a Fire Wyrm
volatile gastric juices enhanced by Inferno Fruit and you should
have been cooked alive. Not even our armor can stay off that kind
of punishment and still you were bathed in it
without
a protective
barrier.

“
Then you lured it in and
finished it off. Honestly, I was sitting at the very edge of my
seat.”

“
Raise your hand if you
weren’t?” Said a smartass elder, but no one lifted a limb. Even the
wolves, dogs and birds were still.

“
As I was saying, your
entire presence has shaken the very Hunter foundation I believed
had settled long ago. But I must ask, do you find the brains as
sweet as the finest wine like I do?”

“
Hold on! You’re a
Beast-eater, Grandest? When?” One startled woman voiced as a tremor
rolled through the courtyard of bodies.

“
Coming on thirty three
years now. I’ve become tolerant of the poison and I can no longer
eat anything
other
than raw Beast. Cooked no longer is appetizing.” He
shrugged.

Talon sat up to voice “It sickened me at
first to see him go for the brain first, but he has eaten Beast
longer than any living human. And my own tastes are gradually
changing. I eat the meat rarer, but the poison is still deadly to
me.”

“
Then our brother must truly
be older than you, Grandest Claw. If you can no longer eat other
meats other than Beast raw, just as he didn’t eat a single meal for
weeks till two nights ago… eating like we all saw him enjoy as if
having sex, he’s a predecessor.”

“
I’m inclined to agree.”
Vanishing Claw said aloud quite clearly. “It is the most logical
reasoning anyone with half a brain could surmise. He carries the
blade of the ancients, a multi-tool and eats his hunts completely
raw like I must now.”