*Rustle* *Rustle*
"Viel, can we please go back home..." A young boy said, moonlight gleeming off his exposed fingers as he proded at the foliage around him.
"No Veo, didn't you say you wanted to be strong like me, like dad? If you can't handle this, there's no way dad will let you hunt with us." He peered through the bushes, scaning the forest for any sign of their target.
"I feel like i'm going to throw up, can we please go-" his body shifted to the right as he felt an elbow jab against the smooth golden surface of his arm.
"*Shhh* There it is." Veo peered through the greenery, it took him a momment to notice the large frame of the creature dozing before them.
"Viel, please." Viel sighed in response.
"Fine but you better not ever ask me to take you anywhere else ever again."
"No!" Viel punched his arm, pain shooting through the warm metal.
"Then be quiet, your gonna wake it up early."
"Okay, okay!"
"Alright then, remember, your not trying to kill it, just, you know, knock it out. Thats how we maintain the balance. Go on, show me that "warriors spirit" dad's always talking about." He pushed him forward and through the bushes, sweat rolling past his bushy brows and dark skin.
*Okay... I'm strong. It's asleep so I should be able to do this no problem.* Each step he took was labored, heartbeat snuffing out the silence. As each foot fell, the size of the beast grew, it's massive frame towering above him. Tusks like sharpened javelins and thick as logs stood between him and the behemoth.
*Okay....okay I can do this... I know I can this... I... I can't-*
"Just grab him already Veo!"
The boar shot up, its hooves digging into the the mud as he raised his front legs.
"Viel!" He screamed in fear as it's body fell forward.
"I hope you don't think i'm coming to save you!" Veo pushed against the boar with all his might as it crashed down down to the forest floor.
"*Raaagh!*" With one final push he sent the boar back up onto it's hind legs.
"Keep going Veo!" Panicked, he rushed forward again, clamping the beast's hindlegs together with flesh and metal.
"I got him!" He said, voice quaking.
"Shit, Watch out! Its front legs are still free!" Veo's world turned upside down as the beast raised its hindlegs, shooting them forward into the thick trunk of a tree, snapping it in two. His vison went blurry as he crashed to the ground. Words, vison, thought, all stuck in a state of paralysis. Viel felt his heart drop as he watched in horror.
"Dammit Veo!" He grabbed a nearby rock, flinging it across the beast like a cannon ball. It grazed it, leaving a long bleeding gash across its back.
"*Sniff*" Veo's eyes widened, moonlight pouring past his crimson irises. The red crystal peered from the gaps in the pulsing gold that was his shoulder. It shimmered brilliantly from within.
"Use your Ano!" The world went silent as he stood up, wiping the blood off his forhead. The boar contorted his body backwards sending a boney spear shooting through his shoulder. He grabbed onto the tusk as the beast trampled forwad with reckless abandon. With a sickening crunch he snapped the boney tube in half and wrapped his arms around its neck.
Blood from its wound flowed into the crystal as he latched on, metal spreading from his arm to his chest. The forest shook as the boar slammed into forest floor, but his grip was iron clad. As it charged forward once more it's body failed, stumbling forward before crashing into a nearby stump. With a final whimper and twitch, it fell silent on the cold forest floor. Viel ran forward, shaking his brother.
"Veo, Veo! You can let go now!" Veo dropped to the ground, his body shaking. "How's your wound, Did it close up?" Veo tried to speak but the words couldn't escape through panicked breaths. Viel inspected his brother's shoulder, finding a mostly shut wound still leaking blood.
"I- I did it..."
"*Chuckle* yeah man, you did it!" Viel held his brother tight, smiling as began to laugh. "You scared me half to death man!"
"I... almost died!" Viel helped him off the ground.
"Yeah, well we'll just have to leave that part out then won't we?"
"Yeah... I guess we will." He said with a smile. "So where's the holder?"
"Right here." He tossed off his holder from the strap, revealing a large clear container. A large golden needle jutted from one end, flecks of dried blood still clinging to its edges. "I'll even let you do the honor."
"Thank you so much, How could i "ever" repay you." He snached the holder from his hands. "Hey, you know your supposed to clean these right?" Viel shook his head.
"Just hurry up and get the blood. Unless you want me to wake it up again."
"Okay, okay!" He jabbed the needle into the beast's thigh causing it to twitch slightly. Blood began shooting into the container as Veo watched in silent satisfaction.
"Yuck man, why would you get it from right there? Oh, I get it, you like drinking butt blood!"
"What the hell are you talking about Viel?"
"Don't worry man, your secret's safe with me... and dad and mom and-"
"Do you ever stop talking..."
The sounds of snapping branches filled the forest as the two made their way forward.
"So how'd it feel?"
"Huh, What are you talking about?"
"You know, getting your Ano dirty." Veo probed at his shoulder, the wamth of the crystal easing his shallow wounds.
"It was... weird."
"Bad weird?"
"I wouldn't say that, i'm just used to drinking blood the normal way."
"Ahh, your just soft! You know, dad said we just started drinking blood fourty years ago. If anything, we're the weird ones. I mean, I heard we used to absorb human blood too. I wanna try some but dad won't let anyone bring back human blood anymore. Said something about a treaty or something. You know what I think?"
"What?"
"I don't think we should even to talk to the humans, let alone make deals with them. I heard they eat their own kids and slaughter animals! Anyone that evil doesn't even deserve to breathe around us."
"You really belive that stuff? I mean, be serious. Nosphims and Humans don't even look that diffrent from what I hear, they just live shorter lives."
"Yeah, they live shorter lives, can't absorb blood, all meat and no bio metal-" he knocked his fist against his thigh, clinks echoing through the forest. "And they eat kids."
"Whatever man, if anything, they probably have some strange sayings about us too. Expecially if we used to drink their blood."
"Like what? Ahh watch out the human-eaters are coming or ohh no, the bone-eaters are here!" Viel burst out laughing.
"Maybe!"
"Oh really? Well, I guess we'll just have to ask dad then won't we?"
"I guess we will!" Viel placed a hand on his chest.
"Where are you going? The entrance is right here."
"You know i've never been out hunting before... nitwit..."
"What was that?"
"Huh? I didn't say anything..."
They crouched down, checking their surroundings. Once they were sure it was safe, they pulled a faded wooded handle hidden beneath the leaves, revealing a set of firelit stairs.
"After you Warrior Veo." Veo rolled his eyes before decending down to the depths.