The Inquisitor's March
The sky over the Holy Empire was dark, a void of swirling clouds illuminated only by the flickering torches of the advancing convoy. Cloaked in heavy armor adorned with the sacred insignia of the Inquisition, the riders moved with an unshakable purpose. The ground trembled beneath the hooves of warhorses as the elite hunters of the faith rode through the thickening forest, their expressions grim.
At their lead, Grand Inquisitor Sylas rode in silence. His dark plate armor bore intricate etchings of divine scripture, each symbol a prayer against the unholy. A long sword rested at his side, its hilt shaped like the wings of an angel. The blade had tasted the blood of hundreds of abominations, and tonight, it would drink again.
Beside him, a lesser inquisitor hurried to match his pace, barely keeping up. "Grand Inquisitor, we received word that the unit sent to intercept the target has been annihilated."
Sylas did not react immediately. He exhaled slowly, watching the mist curl from his breath. "Expected," he muttered.
The inquisitor hesitated. "Your Grace?"
Sylas's eyes gleamed under the shadow of his hood. "An Executioner failed. Now an entire hunting squad is dead. That alone tells me this is no ordinary hybrid. This is something… worse."
The inquisitor swallowed hard. "Then should we request reinforcements?"
Sylas's lips curled into a smirk. "No need. I will handle this myself." He turned his gaze toward the distant horizon. "Let the boy run. Let him think he has escaped. When the time is right… I will show him what it means to be hunted."
____________
The Forest – No Rest for the Wicked
Alexis ran.
His breath came in controlled bursts, his muscles coiled and loose as he navigated the dense underbrush. The forest around him was thick with life, but he felt only the silence of the dead behind him. He had left bodies in his wake, the remains of those foolish enough to try and stop him.
> Remaining Distance: 15 miles
The system pulsed in his mind, the numbers ticking down with every step. His instincts screamed at him—he was being watched. Not by the scarred man, who still trailed behind him at a wary distance, but by something else. Something unseen.
The system confirmed his fears.
> Warning: New entity detected.
Power Level: ???
Status: Observing
Alexis slowed, scanning the treetops. The wind whispered through the branches, and for a moment, he caught a glimpse—shifting shadows, something moving faster than the eye could track.
He exhaled sharply. "They've sent someone new."
The scarred man, catching his breath a few feet away, frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Alexis didn't answer. He simply adjusted his stance, letting his body relax into a position that allowed for instant movement.
Then he heard it.
A single, deliberate footstep.
Not a mistake. A message.
They wanted him to know they were there.
Alexis's crimson eyes narrowed. "Come out."
Silence.
Then, without warning, the trees exploded.
WHOOSH!
A figure descended in a blur of motion, a blade slicing through the air. Alexis twisted, narrowly avoiding the strike as steel carved through the space where his throat had been a second earlier.
The force of the attack was monstrous—leaves were ripped from branches, the wind pressure alone sending a shockwave through the clearing.
Alexis landed smoothly, facing his attacker.
A man stood before him, dressed in obsidian-black inquisitorial armor, an insignia of the highest order branded onto his chestplate. His weapon, a long curved sword, pulsed with divine energy, glowing faintly with holy inscriptions.
His presence was suffocating.
The scarred man took a step back, shaking. "No… it can't be…"
Alexis stared at the man. "And you are?"
The inquisitor did not answer. He merely tilted his head, watching Alexis as if he were a puzzle to be solved.
Then he moved.
BOOM!
The ground shattered beneath his feet as he lunged.
Alexis barely had time to react before the inquisitor was on him, a series of rapid, calculated strikes forcing him back. Each swing was precise, controlled—lethal. Alexis deflected one, dodged another, but the third grazed his side, the searing heat of the blessed blade cutting through fabric and skin alike.
Pain flared, but Alexis suppressed it. He countered with a palm strike—THWACK!—but the inquisitor barely flinched, twisting away with inhuman agility.
Alexis clicked his tongue. "Fast."
The inquisitor spoke at last. His voice was smooth, almost amused. "You have no idea."
Then he disappeared.
Alexis's instincts screamed.
He spun just in time to catch the faintest blur—then a knee slammed into his ribs with bone-crushing force.
CRACK!
Alexis's vision flashed white. He was sent flying, crashing through the underbrush before slamming into a thick oak tree, bark splintering on impact.
He coughed, blood dripping from his mouth. His body screamed in protest, but he forced himself up.
The inquisitor stood where he had been a moment ago, his stance relaxed. "You're impressive," he admitted. "But you're still just a child."
Alexis wiped his mouth, exhaling slowly. "And you talk too much."
His fingers curled into fists.
The fire was rising again.
> Power surge detected.
Processing…
Bloodline Awakening at 6%...
The inquisitor's smirk faltered. For the first time, his grip on his blade tightened.
Alexis moved.
No hesitation. No restraint.
The world blurred.
The inquisitor barely had time to react before Alexis was in front of him, a punch already crashing toward his skull. He twisted away—just barely—but Alexis had already read his movement.
BOOM!
A second strike connected with his ribs, sending him skidding backward. The ground cracked beneath his boots as he caught himself, his expression darkening.
Alexis felt it now. His strength growing, his body adapting. The demon's gift… no, the curse… it was waking up.
The inquisitor exhaled sharply, assessing the situation. "You're more than I expected."
Alexis rolled his shoulders, smirking. "And you're not as scary as they made you sound."
The inquisitor's eyes burned with something unreadable. Then he raised his sword, leveling it at Alexis.
"This isn't over."
Then, without another word, he vanished into the trees.
Alexis didn't chase him. He exhaled, rolling his neck. He could still feel the fire burning beneath his skin, but he forced it down. Not yet.
The scarred man stumbled forward, still in shock. "That was… that was one of them."
Alexis turned, crimson eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
"Let them come."
> Remaining Distance: 12 miles.
The hunt wasn't over.
It had only just begun.