Chapter 4: The Hunter and The Hammer
'Izaac are you stupid? Why'd you let her live?.'
'She's a teenager what was I supposed to do, ruthlessly kill her?'
'Yes.'
'It was a rhetorical question, and I am not a wolf.'
'I killed the old guy.'
'I would have too.'
'So, what's the difference?'
'She has not yet devoted her life to killing mythical creatures. There is a big difference between an experienced hunter and a newbie. Anyway, here comes Elizabeth.'
Elizabeth walked up to Lupus and Izaac with content and excitement.
'Izaac, Lupus. I would like you to meet my new friend.'
A girl stepped out from behind Elizabeth. She was wearing a coloured hat, black jeans and a casual zip up hoodie, it made her jewell green eyes stand out against her dark hair.
'Hi, my name is R- actually just call me Lovac.'
'Great, whatever happened to, 'trust no one son'?'
'Do I offend you?'
'No, he's just like that. Hi I'm Lupus, nice to meet you.'
Lovac smiled nervously and extended her hand out towards Lupus. Lupus returned the handshake with a smile on his face.
'So you are a new student?'
'Yeah, we moved here just the other day.'
'Oh well welcome to the neighbourhood, I'm Lupus and this is Izaac.'
'So what were you guys talking about?
'Oh nothing, just an art project, right Izaac?'
Lupus smiled and looked at Izaac.
'Yeah, just about an art project.'
'On a weekend? You two sure are strange.'
Izaac looked at Elizabeth, gesturing her to speak about where we are going.
'Oh right! I guess I should tell you guys what we are doing.'
'You think?'
'Be quiet Izaac. Now I thought that we could go to the park. It's a great place to go and relax after a long school week.'
Izaac looked annoyed, opposed to Lupus as he seemed excited to be going. Izaac remembered how much he disliked socializing. Looking over towards Lovac, Izaac noticed that she was almost as excited as he was, she was however, looking at both him and Lupus curiously, though somewhat nervous, it was difficult meeting new people and not being awkward.
'Izaac, are we going to tell Elizabeth about the hunters?' Lupus whispered discretely as they walked.
'No.'
'What about telling Lovac about us being mythical creatures?'
'Definitely no.'
'Then what are we going to do?'
'We are going to play our lives out normally, like we have been.'
Lupus looked at Izaac with a frustrated look, trying to figure out what was going on in his head and if he was serious about their situation.
'Hey Lupus, does she look familiar to you?'
'Nope, why?'
'No reason, it must be my imagination.' Izaac announced, and after a long pause they got closer to their destination.
'Alright guys, we're here, the park.'
Izaac scanned the area, a swing set, and a small jungle gym like structure stood in the centre of the small area, a set of monkey bars extending from one side and a slide going from the top of it right to the ground.
'Really? Here?'
'yeah, why not? I come here all the time.'
'Okay then.'
'What do you think Lovac?'
'I think it's great, I quite enjoy parks like this, it seems so tranquil.'
An hour had passed and Lovac and Lupus were on the swing set conversing about their interests, while Elizabeth and Izaac sat at the top of the structure, also talking.
'Look at them Izaac, they get on so well!'
'So?'
'I didn't think she'd be able to make friends this fast, but it's almost like she's accustomed to moving around like this, I wonder how often she moves towns..'
'Hmm, I guess.'
'What's on your mind Izaac? You seem out of it.'
'Oh I didn't get any sleep last night.'
'Nightmares?'
'You could say that.'
Elizabeth gave Izaac a worried look.
'You want to talk about it?'
'Not particularly.'
'Oh come on.'
'Fine, Last night Lup-'
'Izaac, get down here!'
Izaac looked towards Lupus and stood up. Izaac looked back at Elizabeth only to be given an evil look. Izaac slowly made his way to Lupus, Navigating the structure with caution.
'What is it Lupus?'
'See those guys over there?'
'Yeah?'
'They've been watching us this whole time. It's kind of creepy.'
'More hunters?'
'Possibly, just keep cool okay? Do you think they are here about that old hunter I killed?'
'If they are hunters, then most likely.'
Izaac and Lupus' gaze returned to the tree the two were standing at, the two guys were no longer there but already on their way towards the two, about halfway between where they started and the park. Moving slowly towards Izaac and Lupus.
'Here they come.'
The two arrived at the park, both were skinny but tall guys, both of them no older than Izaac or Lupus; one was wearing a silver sword on his belt and the other a katana.
'What would you two like?'
'Dragon boy and the wolf?
'Nope, are you two crazy? There's no such thing as dragons, and as far as I can tell, Lupus here is a human, not a wolf.' Said Izaac in a dismissing voice.
'You know exactly what I'm talking about.'
'No we don't, now if you don't mind, we'd like to be left alone.'
The boy drew his silver blade and glared at Izaac.
'Like hell, you guys aren't human, you both reek of myth.'
The boy lunged at Izaac with his sword, but Izaac was too quick and before he knew it Izaac planted his knee right in the boy's face, sending him flying across the park.
'You bastard!'
The second boy drew his katana and lunged at Izaac, but Lupus intervened and grabbed his face, slamming the kid into the ground face first with all of his strength.
'Newbies.' Lupus smirked, proud of himself.
'I told you two, we are NOT mythical creatures.' Although they just proved that to be false, he knew they'd be after them again.
The boys stood up. Dusting themselves off as they sheathed their weapons.
'You got lucky this time. But next time you two are ours.'
The two boys turned tails and began running back the way they appeared
'Where did you guys learn to fight like that?' Lovac eyed them both carefully.
'It's just something I picked up.' Izaac said cautiously, looking at Lovac with all the honestly he could muster up.
'Who was that Izaac?'
'No one, just some morons.'
'What is up with your attitude Izaac?'
'I grew up like this. Anyway, Liz I think we should go home now.'
'I have another Idea....'
Elizabeth looked at Izaac and smirked she was having so many good ideas lately, Izaac returned her look with discomfort and frustration.
'Sleepover at Izaac's house!'
'What!? Why my house?'
'Because I said so! Besides you have the biggest house. What do you think Lovac?' Elizabeth was seeking Lovac's approval, and most could tell.
'I think it'd be a great idea.'
'And Lupus?'
'Yeah, why not?' He seemed a bit anxious.
'But I, you, we... oh... fine.'
'Nice house you have here Izaac.' She smiled at him warmly.
'Thanks Lovac.'
'This is the lounge room, up those stairs are the bedrooms and bathroom, you can put your stuff in my room, and through there is the kitchen and then the laundry. Please... make yourself at home, just don't break anything.' Izaac said in a shrewd manner.
'How do your parents afford this?'
'Well Lovac, I have no idea.' Izaac hoped she could tell the difference between sarcasm and sincerity.
'Anyway, let me show you the backyard.'
Izaac showed them to the backyard.
'Izaac, why is there a guy sitting on your lawn?'
'My name is Troy, I am not just some guy. I am a master of hammers.'
'Well where are your hammers then?'
He laughed, 'you'll see.'
'Liz, don't be rude.'
'Oh, sorry Izaac.'
Troy looked the group over, but stopped when he got to Lupus, his ego took over his mouth, 'I want to challenge Lupus.'
Lupus stepped forward and snarled at Troy. Troy stood up and took a fighting stance; he positioned his hands as if he were holding something in each of them. Lupus charged troy, knocking him to the ground, pinning him against the ground with his knee. Izaac thought Lupus was overreacting.
'What do you want?' Lupus snarled.
'Only to have a little challenge.'
At that moment something hit Lupus in the side of his face, sending him flying across the backyard into a massive oak tree. Lupus emerged from a giant pile of broken tree and leaves.
'What hit me? It wasn't your fists.'
Troy stood up and dusted himself off.
'I did say I was a hammer master, didn't I?' Troy smirked mockingly.
At that moment two gold and white mallet-like hammers, connected by a chain, appeared in Troy's hands.
'Oh, he's a weapon master, I've heard of those guys.' Lovac knew, how much else did she know?
Elizabeth looked over at Izaac with a confused look, she had no idea.
'They are people with the ability to master specific weapons, usually it takes 25 – 30 years, but he's our age.' He hoped this would clear up some of her confusion.
Izaac looked over at Lovac, she didn't look confused at all, actually she was following everything perfectly, could her eyes follow traces of movement? She was more in tune with her senses than Elizabeth
'Is that all you got Lupus? From someone like you, I'd expect more.' Troy was taunting Lupus to get him riled up.
'I'll show you skill.' Lupus' face contorted into unrecognizable anger, he didn't like being insulted.
Lupus charged at Troy, swinging claw-like fingernails at him. Troy dodged every attack except the last one. Lupus' claw-like fingernails gashed Troy's stomach narrowly, the blood leaving a trail down his shirt and into the dirt.
'Well you're very quick, I'll give you that. Now it's my turn.' He smirked.
Troy began to throw his hammers at Lupus, one after the other, Lupus kept dodging them. Every hammer that missed made massive holes in Izaac's backyard.
'What are you two doing?! You're destroying my yard!'
Lupus and Troy were too focused on each other to hear Izaac's yelling. Lupus ran past Izaac, Elizabeth and Lovac as Troy threw his hammer, Lupus dodged the hammer letting it fly straight towards them.
'Lupus, you idiot!' Izaac yelled angrily. Izaac balled his fist and punched the hammer, meeting it with brute force, sending it flying back at Troy.
'Nice punch!' Troy yelled.
Izaac looked at Lovac, she had seen the hammer, and had already moved away from where it was going to hit. Her attention focused from the demolished hammer, to Izaac then back to the fight when he turned his head back.
'Darkness Blades!' Lupus yelled.
Izaac's attention turned from shock of Lovac's movement, to the fight between Lupus and Troy. Lupus swung his hand and three black crescent shaped blades flew from Lupus' hand toward Troy at incredible speeds, too fast to be anything natural. Troy blocked with the two hammers he was holding, pushing him back causing three large gashes in Izaac's yard.
'That's it! This has gone on long enough!' Izaac yelled in frustration.
Izaac intercepted the next clash between Troy and Lupus, kicking both of them in the jaw from the air, sending them both across the yard and headfirst into the dirt.
'You're stronger than you look.' Troy stood up, panting and brushed himself off, coughing up a little blood, and eyed his cuts along his stomach and held his jaw. He poked the cuts carefully, wincing slightly.
'What the hell Izaac, Why did you interrupt?' Lupus sat up, out of the haze of rage, also coughing up a little blood.
'Look around Lupus! Didn't it go far enough? Or do you want to destroy my house as well?!'
Lupus looked over the area, holes in the ground from Troy's hammer and giant gash marks from his Darkness blades attack. Izaac knew that made him feel guilty.
'Fair enough, sorry, but what do we do about Troy?! Are we including him in all of this?!' Lupus was scared of the dragon.
Izaac looked at Elizabeth then to Lovac, her gaze fixed upon him, Lupus and Troy. Whatever doubt she had at their normality was squashed, there was nothing normal about any of them save Elizabeth.
'Look, Troy did attack us, but with everything that we went through Lupus... We could use him in the group.'
'I would love it if I could join.' troy butted in cautiously.
Lupus looked at Izaac with an angry look, Izaac shook his head and then looked at Elizabeth.
'Liz, what do you think?'
'Why me?' Elizabeth said in confusion.
'Well it is you that brought us together, and I really have no interest in making this decision.'
Elizabeth mulled the question over in her head for a bit, then looking at Izaac with a decisive face spoke out.
'Alright, he's in, which means he stays here the night, like the rest of us.'
Troy walked over to Lupus, who was still sitting in the pile of dirt Izaac had put him in. Troy reached out his hand in a gesture to help Lupus up.
'Need a hand there Lupus?'
'Hah, sure.'
Lupus looked up at Troy and grabbed his hand, allowing troy to pull him from the dirt. Dusting himself off Lupus looked around the yard again, feeling some guilt and looking towards Izaac. Izaac shook his head giving Lupus a 'Don't worry about it' look.
'Right well It's getting late and I am pretty tired, Izaac where is your room again?'
'Up the stairs and right at the end of the hallway.'
Everyone began to walk towards the house, except for Troy and Lupus who began to limp towards the house.
Lovac's eyes were staring at the ceiling, she was wondering what compelled her to end up in this dragons house, was it because she's a hunter? Or was it because she was questioning the side she was on. Either way Lovac couldn't sleep, and she needed some air. Lovac slowly pushed the blanket given to her by Izaac to the side and stood up, making sure not to wake anyone. Lovac noticed that the window was slightly open and the roof is accessible from Izaac's window. Lovac slowly opened the window and climbed out onto the roof.
Sitting there, looking up at the full moon Lovac wondered how she had got there and what she was to do from here.
'Something wrong Lovac?'
Lovac's silence broken by the sound of Izaac's voice.
'Um, no... I just couldn't sleep.'
'Something is wrong then?'
'Ha well um, you guys aren't normal humans are you?'
'What gave it away? The fact that Lupus and troy fight like they have learnt every single martial art in the world or that I deflected a 30 kilogram maul on a chain with a single punch.'
'The latter was what gave it away, and that strange attack that Lupus used. What are you guys?'
Izaac looked at Lovac with a cautious look.
'Well Lupus, he's a Dire wolf, He is very fast and very strong. Troy is a weapon master, he is also very fast and very strong, although he has no mythical attributes his weapon imbues him with magical power also being able to bond with certain weapons, but that has nothing to do with the magic, im not quite sure how it works. Elizabeth is just a normal human... actually I'm not sure on that part, but she seems normal. Me, well I'm a dragon.'
Lovac looked at Izaac, giving him an interested look.
'Hah, I get it, you want to know more right?'
'Well yes, it's not every day that you get to meet an actual dragon.'
'Okay, well first things first, I look like I'm sixteen, right?'
'Yeah...'
'Well I am actually 250 human years old.'
Lovac looked at Izaac in disbelief.
'It's true, and I'll look this age for the next 100 years. It's kind of a shame, because, I have to keep moving around, in the next five years I'll have to move... again.'
Lovac returned her gaze to the stars
'What else is out there Izaac?'
'Who knows, I could give you a list, but we'd be here forever.'
'Izaac, how'd you end up in a small town like this?'
'So you want to know my history?'
'Yes.'
Lovac looked at Izaac with a serious look.
'Okay, I'll tell you.'
Izaac began talking, to explain everything about his past was going to take a while, and they both knew it.
