Chapter Four (bedazzled)

        A tense few seconds passed between the now doubt-ridden teen and the oddly calm adult. Though, it was a staring contest Xeno wanted no part of. With the walls molding from their wooden texture to tall trees and screams of agony, Xeno was back at his home all over again. Watching as he could do nothing to save his home, his family. Howling in victory as he stomped his way and tore his path through Xeno's home, the monster showed not an ounce of remorse. Stuck where he was, Xeno watched from the window by his door as the feral beast destroyed everything in his path while getting closer and closer to Xeno's home. Its talons extended a few inches from their fingers, a mere slap could slice someone's entire face open like a slice of cake.

        There was a voice in the back of Xeno's child mind that only seemed to strain its voice screaming at the top of its lungs for him to move from the window and for him to look away from Neo. Neighbors were torn into multiple pieces of different sizes as the beast ravaged their homes. Sitting at that window, a feeling engulfed him until it was the only thing fueling him.

        Fear?

        Panic?

        Anger?

        None of those felt right. He didn't think he'd be able to pinpoint it then and there but he did. It was hatred. At the pit of his stomach, boiling up like stew in a cauldron, an overwhelming feeling of hate for the disastrous beast blossomed at that moment and only continued to build since. Just like before, Gin snapped Xeno out of his trance. "Xeno, don't let them get to you."

        Unbeknownst to Xeno, Neo already looked away. In fact, almost everyone had left already.  The only ones remaining with Xeno were his brother, his best friend, and a mysterious yet muscular man. They couldn't see his actual face but instead, a box that hid everything from his chin up. Xeno shifted uncomfortably being the center of the man's attention. "You look a little lost, young fellow. Why don't you two run along and I'll accompany Mr. Spooked to the arena?"

        Skepticism poured onto Gin and Nere but they decided not to argue with the instructor. Instead, they left through the same door Xeno never noticed everyone else leave through.

        "My name is Mr. H. Everyone else has gone off to start their exam but you got left behind. Come with me to the gates." Mr. H held out his large hand for Xeno who was at first, reluctant to take it.

        "Xeno," was all he murmured. When his large hand wrapped around Xeno's entire hand, his entire body tensed. Something about the dark drawn-on circles on his box made Xeno feel all the more uncertain.

        "Any reason in particular you chose the daggers?" The two started walking, the heavy thumps of Mr. Hermy's steps almost shaking Xeno off balance. The two could feel the vibrations of his steps echo under the ground. It felt familiar to Xeno but he shook it off as nerves.

        "N-No, I got a little distracted," Xeno answered. He noticed that they'd entered a tunnel at some point. "It was the first thing my brain thought would work."

        The giant instructor laughed at Xeno's answer though, Xeno chuckling awkwardly with him. Once more, Xeno shook it off as nerves but something didn't feel right to him. "Well, don't forget young fellow. Those daggers aren't your only weapon."

        Xeno looked up at his instructor, his curiosity building like the stew of hatred in his stomach. However, the moment the two shared was over a lot faster than Xeno wanted it to be when they both paused outside an oval opening in a stone wall There were so many questions he found building in his head and some of them didn't even make sense to him. Why did this instructor feel so familiar? The way he spoke, the way he carried himself, the way he seemed to have an odd amount of confidence in Xeno.

        "Good luck young hunter!" Xeno was taken entirely off guard when Mr. Hermy slapped his hand against Xeno's back, shoving him through the open hole. Stumbling forward and almost crashing face first, Xeno managed to catch his balance just as a scrapping slam sounded behind him. Flicking his head over his shoulder, he was more than surprised to see multiple thin steel bars blocking Xeno's path to return to Primary City. Mr. Hermy was gone too.

        "Now that all participants are here, we may begin." There was a voice coming from a speaker out of sight to the participants.

        "All; they tossed in more than us?" Now aware of the other hunters that were outside with him, Xeno turned his head to the right to face his partners. Though, when he and the hot-headed cupcake fiend made eye contact, it was clear the feeling of distaste was mutual. "You've got to be kidding me!" Tow exclaimed while throwing her hands up in disbelief. Partnered with the two, Rufo, the third member of the older trio. Unsure of how these battles would work, Xeno decided to stick in the back of the group until he was sure he needed help from the two. "Come on, Rufo! This weakling won’t be able to help us." Tow’s aggressive stomps left her footsteps melted into the leaves and stone path under her feet. The sharp twigs and jagged thorns didn’t seem to faze her.

        Xeno stole one last glance at Rufo who seemed hesitant to leave Xeno behind but ended up following Tow.

        Once more, Xeno was left behind. He began hyper focused on most insects and bugs flying by his face along with any woodland critter skittering past his feet. It felt unreal, almost like a simulation. The beauty was like nothing he'd ever seen before. The trees that surrounded him were taller than the ones he grew up around but similar to the ones he and his siblings traversed through. There was one bug that seemed to be circling Xeno, a gentle but almost drone-like tone emitted from the bug.

        "Round three finished, now starting round four."

        "Oh, damn!" Xeno spun around one more time to get a good look around before taking off in the same direction he saw the others go in. It was frustrating, watching everyone one-up him and prove their points about him. Gin being a weakness was a point Xeno refused to admit to. Even just the thought of it being remotely true made almost every underlying doubt crawl through his skin and cover every inch of his body in the form of goosebumps.

        It took him longer than he would’ve liked, but eventually, he made it to the closest circle clear of trees where he could see Tow already in action. Captivated by the agility and almost carelessness of Tow's movements, Xeno did nothing as Tow stared head-on at two of the drooling beasts that looked more than enthusiastic to eat her. It was no larger than a lion but it looked far more rabid. A sharp gulp painfully traveled down Xeno's throat. Seeing a monster in person after so long took a moment for him to adjust to.

        With the three of them in the form of a triangle, Xeno was intrigued in seeing how Tow planned on taking them down. Rufo was nowhere in sight, which Xeno assumed was part of their plan. The monster to Tow's left came at her first, its smaller back legs giving it the strength to close the distance between them in a single lunge. Ducking almost a second too late, the beast soared right over Tow's head. It landed on all fours with ease and pivoted, ready to attack again. But Tow was no longer concerned with that one. Instead went to the other who tried to attack while Tow was crouching.

        She moved quickly, quicker than the monsters did. Xeno was taken off guard when Tow ran straight for the monster who patiently waited for her to get close enough. The moment she did, it swiped its filthy talons at her. Almost like she expected it, Tow dropped and slid under its enormous paw and to the belly of the beast. Confused, the creature scanned the area, looking for the hunter.

        No longer able to see Tow, Xeno instead watched the monster's reaction to whatever it was she was doing under him. The furry beast shot up on its hind legs and let out a deep roar that shook the trees, scaring away any winged wildlife. Only then could Xeno see Tow holding onto the stomach of the monster, the bloodlust seeping off of her, and the grin on her face.

        Like it had no other care in the world, the beast started jumping and flopping around, trying almost everything it could to get the excited hunter off him. The ground broke, dust flying everywhere. It started to irritate the other monster which Xeno found interesting.

        Do they want them to fight each other? It's not a terrible idea... Unless you get stuck between them. The male hunter stayed where he was, taking mental notes on Tow's abilities. Just as it looked like the other monster had had enough of the distressed dance, it stopped all movements. In those few seconds it froze, Tow dropped to the ground and sped away from the scene as quick as she could. Once that very small time frame was up, the beast looked around frantically for five seconds at most. Without any warning, it dropped to its side and started shaking violently. Even from where Xeno was, he could hear the deep howls of pain trying to escape past the saliva and a slimy beige liquid pouring out of its mouth. Just as confused as Xeno, the other monster watched just as intently until the injured beast stopped shaking altogether.

        But it was still alive. Rising and falling rapidly, it looked like it was hyperventilating. Slowly, Xeno started putting pieces together.

        Seizure, vomit, confusion... Is it... having a heatstroke? 

        Just as quick as the movements started, they stopped.

        "Round four finished, now starting round five." In the open area, the announcement was louder but a lot more confusing. The other beast -now over the loss of its friend- located Tow to the far left of the open circle.  

        Finished? There's still a beast left. Damn it, I need to get in there! Tired of being a spectator, Xeno shot up from his safe seat and ran straight into the battlefield. Not bothering to acknowledge Xeno, the beast ran straight for Tow. Xeno wasn't as fast as Tow but he did have a good arm. Equipping his daggers, he slid to a stop and chucked both his daggers at the monster. The two hunters on the field shared the exact surprise when both landed in the beast's side. Though, Tow recovered quicker than he did. Once she got to the beast, it became clear Xeno had struck its heart.

        "You shouldn't do that. Throwing both your weapons leaves you vulnerable," she spat. Not too shocked but still annoyed by her response, Xeno scoffed.

        "A thank you would be nice."

        "Round five finished, round six starting."

        "What; no that's not right. Rufo's still fighting the other two monsters of round five," Tow muttered. Xeno followed her gaze and sure enough, across the field, Rufo seemed to be having just as much fun battling two of the same monsters Tow and Xeno killed.

        "Uhm, are those more level ones?" Xeno raised his hand, pointing to the trees behind Rufo's fight.

        "Oh no, Rufo, the trees! Run!" The moment Rufo noticed the rest of the monsters, he ran back towards Tow and Xeno. "Get back to the tunnel, go!" Before following Tow and Rufo, Xeno stopped to retrieve his daggers from the monster.

        However, no matter how hard he pulled, the dagger wouldn't come out.

        "Idiot, what're you doing?" Tow stopped just outside the edge of the circle and turned back to Xeno. "They won't come out! You're not strong enough to pull them out of its skin alone. OG S'TEL!" Giving it one last exasperated tug, Xeno gave up and ran towards Tow. The monster leading round six sprung right for where Xeno was standing but missed him by a mere inch. Only when Xeno made it to Tow did she continue running.