Red Shadow in the Swamp

It was a rainy day, such as today (it was raining when I thought of this -_-" ), in a distant land, distant time, distant world.

It was a land where men lived amidst harsh environments and where beasts, insects and reptiles and vegetation grew to larger proportions compared to that of our own. It was a time when civilizations were small in number and much of the land was untamed. It was a world where men and women took up arms not only to defend against dangerous creatures but also to survive. Many took up the call to be a "Hunter"; to gather resources from the land or to repel any feral invader that dare to threaten the human way of life.

It is in a world such as this that this story takes place...

A young hunter was taking cover from the rain underneath a giant leaf. He crouched low as he tried to see beyond the pouring rain. He was eyeing a cave. A cave which he knew well as he had often surveyed the area for tracking his prey.

He had taken up the notice from the local guild to slay a creature that had been feeding off the cattle herds of the nearby townsfolk. Reports have indicated that it was during rainy days such as this that the creature came out to hunt. From the description given to him by the townsfolk, he knew from experience that he was up against a formidable foe. A creature that resembles a giant, featherless, headless chicken, there was no doubt, it was a khezu.

The hunter slowly inched his way toward the cave trying to make as little noise as possible. khezus are known for their excellent sense of smell and acute hearing which have been heightened by the nature that they have not been blessed with the sense of sight. However, eye-less as these creatures may be, their extraordinary sense of smell more than makes up for their seeming handicap. It is through their sense of smell that they sniff out potential prey and with their serpent-like heads they swallow any unsuspecting prey whole.

He felt his equipment one last time to make sure that he had all that he needed. His hand stayed on longer on the hilt of his long sword. For a moment, he felt reassured knowing that his trusty sword was with him. The blacksmith called it the "Blango Destroyer", which was ironic because it was created with materials obtained from the ape-like blangos and the the larger more fearsome blangonga.

The cave was illuminated from cracks in the ceiling and it was enough to light up the general area. As the hunter walked slowly deeper into the cave, all he could hear was the drops of water from the rain dripping into the cave. He came across a clearing and he saw a small lake. He ducked back into the walkway when he realized that further down by the shore of the lake, a large figure was drinking from the waters. From the its silhouette he could see a long neck stretching down to the clear waters. There was no doubt that it was the khezu.

With its mouth near the water, the khezu would not be able to smell him instantly. It was a good chance to catch the monster off guard. The hunter took a deep breath as he prepared his assault. He could have held his breath forever if it meant that he would be guaranteed survival in this hunt, but he knew that it was not only his own livelihood that hung in the balance. He exhaled and the moment his breath left his mouth he dashed out towards the unsuspecting creature.

As he neared within a few feet of the monster he reached out for his long sword that was strapped to his back and he leapt as high as he could and prepared to swing down with all his might. His sword slashed against the creature's rubbery hide and it made the creature scream a loud piercing shout. The hunter fell back and instinctively shut his eyes as his hands covered his ears to try and muffle the scream. The creature became silent after what seemed like an eternity. The hunter immediately rolled himself further away and raised his sword on guard.

It was then that he realized that he might be in more danger than he realized because as the creature walked slowly into the light, he saw that it was not the usual pale-coloured khezu but the more ferocious, blood-clad variety; the Red Khezu.

----- (to be continued... probably...) -----

On another cryptic note, I feel like I've snapped out of it for the time being... I hope it stays that way...