ind. lit. oc: Ignis Amicielo L'APPEL âą DU âą VIDE
(n.)that tiny voice that tells you to jerk the steering wheel just to the right and take a flying leap off the ledge...that inclination to walk right into the ocean and never return... the call of the Siren song. "When you look into the abyss, it's not supposed to wave back.â â Terry Pratchett
Ignis thought, at first, that Trapper was trying something new. The rope traps were something heâd seen before, but that was outside of the fog. Gods that alone felt.. so long ago.
That line of thought was stopped by a crow that came cawing down, landing on an outstretched hand and letting them know about a caught wolf.
Ignis, after walking, looked up at Jake, trying to muffle laughter as they do. âAre you sure? It would only take a second.â They are trying so hard not to laugh. Itâs not going well.
Ignis sat by the light of the campfire, eyes closed as they hummed. They remembered it, vaguely, a lullaby that their mother had sung to them, once upon a time. They closed their eyes, stretching their hooves out as familiar words slipped from their mouth.
âFar beneath the rolling tides, where the sunbeams cannot go-
Gilled and scaled with sightless eyes, monsters down belowâ
They remembered their mother. Her shining golden hair, the warmth in her eyes and smile. They remembered her voice, the soft lilt she had when she sang to their brother and them.
âLurking in the icy deep, where the sea is black as ink-
Swimming horrors lie asleep, dreaming you will sink.â
It was Jake who heard the music first, his hearing was always better than most due to his unique features. He sat up from where he was slouched against the log at Fancyâs right. At first he thought it might have been The Huntress, but the voice was too deep for the bunny-masked killer.
âSo keep your feet fast on the land, never you go too far-
Or feel the clutch of icy hands, and never again see stars.â
Curiosity killed the cat dog, so he stood, making the Dwights look over in confusion. âI hear something.â That.. was concerning. The campfires were the one safe place the survivors had to go. Jake took a few steps towards the source of the noise, which made Fancy stand, because he wasnât going to let Jake go alone.. which made Elf stand, because he also didnât want them to go alone, which made Pizza follow because he didnât want to be alone. Not after the cold reception heâd gotten just last week after the trials he didnât remember.
âShould you hear a sweet refrain, turn away, my son and flee-
Do not heed the distant strain, calling you to sea.â
Following the deep melody through the fog and trees was.. terrifying, at least to Pizza. There was no idea where they were going, but Jake was following the song. Soon it began to prick at the ears of the others, a deep baritone that filled the fog in this almost.. heavy way.
âShould you give her what she craves, you will pay an endless toll-
She is waiting in the waves, hungry for your soul.â
It was Fancy who first noticed the flicker of firelight through the fog. The familiar crackling just barely under the voice, like an accompanying harmony. Then they saw it. Or rather, them.
Ignis had their back to them, tail lazily draped over the log they leaned against. Their eyes were closed, head lifted slightly as they sang to no one.
âSo keep your feet fast on the land, never you go too far-
Or feel the clutch of icy hands, and never again see stars.â
It was Fancy who took the step forward, leaves and twigs crackling as he goes to take a seat on one of the logs. Thereâs no reaction from the friend-turned-killer, but their tail flicks, an almost.. greeting. The rose-clothed Dwight motioned the others over, and they slowly took seats around the fire. It was almost like before, before Ignis took the plunge, turned into someone who had to hunt and kill.
âWhen one day we're far apart, and you hear that melody-
Keep this song beside your heart, come back home to me.â
Ignisâs eyes open, golden glittering stars along the darkness of their body. They scanned the four before relaxing. Their tail flicked again as they looked up at the fake moon in the sky, letting the crackle of the fire take the place of their song.
If they closed their eyes and pretended long enough, they werenât in the fog, just five friends sitting around a campfire, having told stories around it in the darkness. Empty snack wrappers in a bag to dispose of, maybe a beer or two. Ignis would invite them to meet the kids the next day. Robyn would love Fancyâs outfits..
âYes, her. From what Iâve heard, My Lady takes different forms depending upon who she calls into her fog. Mine was a woman, dressed all in black, with hair that faded to an almost fire at the ends.â They started leading the other, tail swishing back and forth as they thought about it.
âTo be fair, if I was to be stuck in an eternal hell, at least, my friend, there is alcohol.â Thereâs a laugh from them, their hand moving to wisp something from the air and hold it in their hand fondly. A simple circle of gold, with a broken chain dangling from the top over their hand. It opened, and they relaxed as their thumb passed over it.
It was nice to be reminded that at least their family was safe.
âSander, Durkos, Alejandro, and then Tarhos.â The match each name as they searched the others, before smiling themself. âAlejandro reminds me of my own son, Aurum, boy had enough sunny disposition that even at night I felt like the sun was on me.â
âYeah, thatâs.. what My Lady calls me. The simplest name, I should say. How you are the Knight, and others are simply.. Trapper, Wraith, I am the Demon.â They sigh, the multitude of eyes that littered their body closing for a moment as they took a breath. âIf you donât mind, would you and your men like to at least come to the bar My Lady let me refurbish? There all Hunters are allowed to at least have a drink or two, it helps relax, after a long day.â
They jump a little as the three were summoned in the flame, before pausing and stretching, shrinking down to the smallest they could go (it was still seven feet but-)Â to offer a hand to each of them to shake.
âA lucky man then, Sir Knight, to at least have proper company in a place that I wouldnât even send my worst enemy to.â Thereâs a pause from the other before offering the hand to the knight himself, then preforming a slight bow.
ââspose I should properly introduce myself. Ignis Amicielo, Bartender, Father of two, and the local.. demon.â
âYou could say that.â They frown, tail swishing back and forth as they do. âIâve been told a lot that I am a demon, but I prefer the term Voidling, seeing as I donât.. come from infernal roots.â
âBut you didnât.. come alone, from what Iâve heard. I.. donât.. wish this place upon any I find close but.. it would be nice to have some of them to be able to talk to.â
Ignis, everyone seems to have a special entity, what does yours look like?
"I know she didn't look the way the normal ones do, but she came to me as I lay there, dying once more. And she whispered to me in a voice soft and warm..
"Aren't you tired of being hunted? Killed like prey among the trail grounds? I can take that feeling away from you, I can give you power."
..and I said yes. I am no longer prey, no longer hunted. I am a hunter."
They looked down at a hand, at blood-tipped claws that glistened in the faux moonlight that radiated down from the Entityâs sky. They watched as the other sat, as the question left the otherâs lips, and they shook their head, chuckling.
âNo, it probably wonât, but..â They look down. âIâve been a good person for centuries, Jake. Took the high ground. I look like a monster. I am a monster. But no matter how many people I help, how much good I do, people will always judge me because of things I cannot control.â
âIt reminds me of a picture that a friend of mine showed me once. It said.. Arenât you tired of being nice? Donât you just want to go ape-shit?â
They look back up at the sky, trying to place constellations theyâd looked at with their brother and mother, once upon a time.
>>catch me imagining Killer Ignis (Who ranges between 7-12 feet tall) With a Dweet dangling from each arm and Fancy on their shoulder like: "They wanted to feel tall."
It's apparently Dwight hunting season and Ignis has gotten a good haul
this is with Ignis at 10ft btw XD big lad absolutely dwarfing the boys
Jake was smart. They didnât want to hurt him, but the Entity wanted them to, and that annoying voice in their head sounded just like their last partner. They grimaced before looking up at him and they smiled.
âNo. Technically. This is.. me, under the illusion of a funny meat suit.â They chuckle, the noise.. tinged with sadness. âIâm a demon. Not from hell, mind you. Lower then that but thatâs.. a long, long story spanning generations and I donât.. really have the time to get into it now.â
âBut I got.. so tired of being left behind by the others, sans you, a couple of Dwights.. A couple Leons, Claire...â They sighed. âI just.. gave up. I got tired of being ignored and abandoned so when I was slugged out for the.. billionth time, she offered me a deal. To become a hunter.â
They smile and chuckle. âIf they even want to see me.. like this.â They frowned again, looking down and wincing. Their body tenses before they suck in a deep breath. âNot.. losing control.. now.â
âMy family was my life. Them and my bar.. fuck I hope that place is being held together. I had protocols in place but.. Itâs tough running a bar built for Params and not normal mortals like you.â They smile. âMaybe one day, if we get out, you can come by. Iâd give you a discount, of course. You could meet my kids, and..â
They didnât want to kill Jake. Jake was nice to them. They remembered. A bit untrusting but.. they werenât unsurprised. They focused on the others. On the prey that still roamed this trial grounds.
Jeff was the first to go. They found him, cornered him, and threw him on the closest hook, a snarl in their throat before they push past the scream. The anger burning in their eyes. They slash across him with their claws, snarling before turning and hunting down the others. They donât remember who they put on a hook next, but their eyes snapped over to the local rabbit, Meg, and they pounced, chasing her down.
The mori theyâd brought was a godsend as they brought Megâs head up, and then there was a sickening crunch. Their hunger satisfied as they dropped her to the ground before turning and listening. Their ear flicked as they heard it. The Hatch.
They made their way over and simply.. sat down next to it, looking down at their hands before sighing. Then they waited. If Jake wanted to do the gens and leave that way, they wouldnât stop him, they wouldnât stop him from going this way either. They were just.. tired.
Ignis grinned as the prey fell, eyes lighting up as he towered over the other. Then he paused as the name left Jakeâs lips. Their hands stopped where they were about to pick up Jakeâs body, and then they backed up.
âYou remembered. No one else did. No one questioned where I disappeared to.â
They frowned before hearing a gen ping in the distance, before they hoisted Jake up. âIâm sorry. I must do this. But after this is over.. if youâre willing to talk.. I will explain.â
They started making their way towards the closest hook, snarling as he fought back before placing him upon the hook and turning to chase down another survivor.
They tilted their head one way, then the other, thinking for a moment.Â
âThe taste does not matter. It is the sustenance that I crave. The crunch.â
They took the bait, looping around the right side before making their way inside. They snarled at the trickery and moved to follow, pausing at the pallet and cursing their own reluctance for pain before making their way out to follow his trail further.
He was tricky. The few times theyâd been in a trial together, theyâd known how hard he was to catch, it was a benefit, more time for gen work and flashbang making to help the team their way. Maybe they rescued Jake once. They were decent at the rescues. The used to be.
Hunters didnât need rescuing.
They tensed before rushing forward, skidding past Jake in an aim to cut him off. Their eyes locked on him.
âYouâre tired Jake, arenât you? Just rest for a moment, let the venom course through you.â
They then slashed out at him, aiming for injury. Just to get him on the hook, hear the sweet scream that leeched from his throat.
"I still would, at least. Even if from a distance. Just to.. see them again." They note the grief, and they reached over to gently pat his back, smiling a little.
"I understand. But we have each other, at least. For as long as we both have our sanity...." A pause.
âNever knew my dad, my mom raised me n my little brother by herself. Sheâs the sun, you know. Every time the sun crosses the sky, sheâs there. And then thereâs me, âm the oldest, I took more after my dad. And then thereâs my little brother. He takes more after our mom. He kinda.. reminds ya of a candle. With glasses.â They sketch a little picture in the dirt. âWith the candle flame as his head, n the wick is his neck, itâs cool.â
âMy kids arenât mine. I adopted both of them, by chance really. My oldest is Aurus, we call him Bumbles because heâs a bee. Heâs got the biggest blue eyes and little wings, and heâs so sweet.. He likes honey and making me flower crowns. His mom.. ended up giving him over before she disappeared. My youngest is Robyn. Sheâs a Voidling, kinda bird-like. With long dark hair and bright red eyes and the biggest smile. She likes to climb and perch on my shoulder.â