Spring the Trap
Destined One x OC Jen
(Prompt - Hunt)
Next
“No way!”
“It’s true! I had one!”
“Yeah right, a moving cart with no horse. What next?”
“Well,” Jen said with a smirk. “We have flying ones, too.”
“Now you’re just making things up!” Bajie scoffed, glancing back at Monkey with a raised brow. “Don’t tell me you actually believe this!”
Monkey looked between Bajie and Jen, both waiting expectantly for him to side in their argument. He only shrugged and stared upward to avoid further involvement.
“See? Even Nephew doesn’t believe your world’s magic stories!”
Jen huffed. “It’s not magic, it’s technology. We use lightning to power everything.”
“Humans wielding lightning, ha!”
While their bickering continued, Monkey noticed something strange dangling from the tree just ahead. Thin, nearly invisible strings stretched from the top branches and buried themselves down to the ground. The same patch of ground Bajie and Jen were walking into.
Monkey screeched in warning, snagging Jen’s bag and yanking her back. Just as he tried to reach for Bajie, the earth under the boar sprang up, surrounding him in a tangle of rope and hoisting him into the air.
“Uncle!”
“Bajie!”
“Get me down!”
“Damn pig!” a new voice shouted. “The net was meant for the woman!”
A figure stepped into the road; a human, dressed in simple traveling robes and carrying a sack. His hands clutched a bundle of darts while a sword hung from his hip. Monkey growled and pushed Jen behind him, summoning his staff in a flash of gold. It wasn’t until the man held up a paper talisman that she also recognized him.
“Not you again!”
“Who exactly is this guy?” Bajie asked from above. He swung back and forth, squinting through the gaps of the net. “Friend of yours?”
“He’s a demon hunter,” Jen explained, quickly scrambled for her bow. “We met in Old Gao Town and he attacked us when we tried to leave.”
The hunter scoffed in disdain. “And now I’ve returned to finish the job! You may have escaped me once but this time, I’ve come prepared to defeat you, demon!”
In a blur too fast to follow, the hunter’s darts were hurled at Monkey. He spun his staff, deflecting all but one that jabbed into his shoulder. He flinched and hissed at the sting, keeping his glare focused on the hunter’s smug face. But when Monkey reached to pull the dart loose, a dizzying wave of vertigo suddenly blurred his vision. The ground under him became unsteady and he stumbled to his knees. Numbing cold slowly spread through his body like the water of a snowmelt stream. He shivered and swayed, brow beading with sweat and breathing growing labored as an icy weight pressed upon his chest.
“Nephew!”
“Monkey!” Jen had an arrow nocked and aimed at the hunter. “What did you do to him?”
“It’s too late; his fate is already sealed!” The man smirked, pulling a coil of rope from his bag next. “You won’t escape either, woman.”
“Jen, run!” Monkey rasped out just a moment too late.
The cord was tossed into the air, coming to life like a woven snake. It flew forward and wrapped itself around Jen, tying her legs together and sending her crashing to the ground.
“Once I’ve slain these demons, I’ll exorcise their spell over you and take you back to your village.” The hunter brandished his talisman and approached Monkey, still dazed and huddled on the ground. “You can thank me later.”
“You keep away from my Nephew, ya hear!” Bajie cried from above. The net was swinging wildly as he thrashed and fought to escape. “Just wait till I get my hands on you–!”
“Don’t think I forgot about you, pig!” the hunter called up, unbothered by Bajie’s threats. “You’re next once the monkey has been dealt with.”
The talisman hovered closer, giving off an ominous crackle as it sensed demonic aura. Monkey growled but could do little more than clumsily swipe his claws to warn off his opponent. “Don’t bother fight it,” the hunter said, keeping just out of range. “Once you’re weak enough, your energy will be easy to exorcise.”
While the hunter was distracted, Jen wiggled her hands free and fumbled for her fallen bow. She barely had room but managed to set an arrow and pull the string back. “We told you to stay away!” Jen shouted, taking aim and firing.
The arrow missed the hunter completely but nicked the corner of the talisman. A tiny spark jumped at the rip before engulfing the ruined paper and turning it to ash. Flailing his hand, the hunter tossed the fireball to the ground with a yelp. He rounded on Jen, fury in his eyes and hand reaching for his sword.
“I tried to save you, woman, but my patience has reached its end! If you love your precious demons so much, you can die with them!”
He drew his weapon and managed a single step before Monkey lunged. He snarled and slashed at an ankle, claws tearing flesh and drawing blood. The hunter screamed and stumbled back, limping on one leg as he brandished his blade.
“You’re only delaying the inevitable,” the hunter spat. “If I don’t kill you, the poison will finish you off soon enough. Surrender now and I promise a painless death.”
As he raised his sword, a thunderous crack echoed through the forest. The tree Bajie had been dangling from crashed to the ground in an explosion of leaves and splintered wood. With it came the net trap, torn and ripped to shreds by the tusks of an enormous and enraged boar.
“I’ll give you death but it won’t be painless!” Bajie roared, charging at the hunter.
With a shriek and a graceless scramble, the human threw himself out of the path of the beast. Bajie paused, snorting as he watched the hunter disappear into the woods. Slow and careful, he hooked one of his tusks in the ropes binding Jen and cut her loose.
“Take Nephew and get to safety,” he ordered, turning back to the fleeing human. “I’ll deal with our wannabe hunter and catch up later.”
Jen only nodded, watching as Bajie charged into the trees, following the trail of blood and cries of terror. Once they were gone, she shrugged off the last of the ropes and hurried to Monkey’s side.
He was on his hands and knees, barely keeping himself from collapsing to the ground. Gently, Jen helped him sit up, leaning his trembling form against her. His face was pale, sweat dripping down his chest and dampening his fur. The quiet, raspy breaths in his chest sent a quiet dread through Jen but she smiled softly when Monkey’s dazed eyes focused on her.
“Hey,” she cooed, pressing a hand to his feverish cheek. Face pinched and teeth gritted in pain, Monkey whined and nuzzled into her touch. A pang of protective panic shot through Jen as she hugged him close. “It’s okay, I’m right here. Just stay still and let me help.”
When Jen tried to remove the dart stuck in his arm, Monkey snatched her wrist, his grip weak but unrelenting. “Don’t touch,” he wheezed. “Poison.”
Glancing around, Jen settled on tearing a strip of cloth from her own robes. She used it to grab the dart and swiftly pulled it free. Monkey flinched and yelped before collapsing back into a weary heap. It was long and pointed like a needle, the poisoned tip stained red with blood. Carefully, Jen wrapped it in the fabric and shoved it in her bag for later.
“Do you think you can stand?” Jen asked, watching his every move with concern.
Monkey swayed in place but eventually nodded his head, shakily getting to his feet. He kept an arm draped over Jen’s shoulders, leaning most of his weight against her as he fought to stay balanced. Slowly, one step at a time, they shuffled off the path and into the safety of the forest.
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AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/62162575/chapters/164393788
