Searching for the Key

Chapter 15

Nathan and Katia quickly ran towards Celia and Damien as the six Hunters formed a loose circle around them. The four of them stood back to back and held their weapons up.

Katia hoped that they couldn't tell her sword was shaking slightly. These Hunters were huge. They had giant muscles and long limbs. There were four men and two girls who were just as large. The girls had long, coal black hair with streaks of gray in it and odd looking jewelry adorning their necks.

Katia could feel the adrenaline and nervousness coursing through her veins as the Hunters approached slowly in a graceful and unnerving manner. She knew the Hunters would find them eventually and was surprised it took them this long. With the four of them together, they were a beacon for any Hunters within a hundred mile radius. But she still dreaded the moment this fight would come and it was finally here. Now it was time to put all her training to the test.

The Hunters pulled out their long black knives as they surrounded Katia, Nathan, Celia, and Damien.

"How come you guys always have to outnumber us? You scared to have a fair fight?" Nathan mocked.

He was trying to buy them as much time as possible while the rest of them tried to desperately think of a plan.

"We're not here to talk," the girl said with a sickening sneer as she approached closer, easily towering over them with her long limbs. She twirled her knife between her fingers and Katia could tell was itching to get a stab at one of them.

"How about me and Celia get the big ones while you guys split the other four?" Katia whispered quickly as they backed up towards each other.

"Sounds good," Nathan answered back quickly.

"Okay, go!" Damien whispered to them.

They all launched towards the Hunters except for Celia who seemed frozen in place with fear plain in her eyes. She lacked her usual fierceness which was instead replaced with pure terror. Celia frantically backed up while holding her sword in a shaking hand, and the rest of them were too preoccupied to notice Celia was in trouble.

Katia used all her strength and summoned the snow from the ground and melted it. Soon she was surrounded in giant swirls of water. Before the biggest Hunter could close the gap between them, she directed the water at him, drowning him in a sphere of liquid. Then she concentrated as she tried to freeze the water, something she was going to learn if she didn't leave Aevria.

The sphere didn't entirely freeze but it was enough to hold the Hunter. He tried to break free, and Katia saw cracks quickly spreading across the thin layer of ice. Katia took out her sword and stabbed him before he could get out. The Hunter let out a pained yell as he turned into black smoke and blew away in the wind.

Meanwhile Nathan summoned the wind and it began to roar around them. It was so strong that the two Hunters Nathan cornered had a hard time approaching him. He somersaulted gracefully through the air and easily swiped his sword through the body of a Hunter.

But while he was preoccupied with the one, the other lunged at his back with his knife. Nathan was able to turn in time and was barely able to dodge the stab. He flipped over backwards with his sword raised and brought it through the head of the last Hunter, watching as it turned into smoke.

While Katia and Nathan were battling, Damien was fighting two fast and skilled Hunters. He was a good fighter too, but he wasn't using his power and was only dodging and attacking with his sword.

The Hunters jumped at him with their knives raised. Damien raised his sword and deflected the attack. Then he quickly punched the girl Hunter square in the jaw. She stumbled back but recovered quickly. She took one step back before lunging again. Damien crouched low and threw her over his shoulder.