The Hrafn: Oden’s Will

Muninn's taunt hung in the air for only a moment before the Enforcer roared. He focused his mana into a chantless spell. Chains materialized from his mana and with just a flick of the wrist flew towards her with blinding speed. Ferrokinetic chain's were made directly from his mana as a construct instead of actual metal which gave him full control of them. The metal surged forward, alive and serpentine, aiming to ensnare her. Muninn sidestepped on the ball of her feet brushing the edge of the rooftop. The chain struck the chimney behind her, shattering bricks into a cascade of dust and rubble partially obscuring her form and giving her time to reposition.

The world slowed down as her processing speed accelerated far beyond the mortal ranges. In the stillness of space, she answered a call from Huginn without distraction.

"Don't use your guns, they would be too identifiable." Huginn's voice entered her mind.

"No guns, no electricity, you really like to make a girl work, slave driver." Muninn chided.

Huginn sighed, "Is this going to be a problem?"

"What, for these guys?" Muninn said, "No, they need the handicap."

The world sped back up as she ended the communication and focused back on the fight at hand. She moved swiftly, flirting with the edge of the roof, her body a blur, closing the gap between herself and the nearest lifeforce user. He swung a short sword, but she ducked under it, driving her palm into his wrist. The impact hit like a warhammer shattering the bone. The weapon clattered to the rooftop, and before he could recover, she hooked her leg behind his knee and yanked. He fell with a grunt, and stilled. She stepped on his neck to make sure he was dead and in the same motion was already moving to the next.

The second man lunged with a dagger glowing faintly with his lifeforce. Muninn almost scoffed at the pathetic excuse for power these humans had, weren't they supposed to be monster hunters? She pivoted, catching his wrist and twisting sharply. He howled, the sound cut short when her elbow drove into his throat. He stumbled back, clutching at his neck, choking on his own breath. A second hit to the throat ended him.

"How in the world did you survive this long as a monster hunter," she chided, her voice cold.

A flash of movement caught her eye, and her instincts screamed a warning. The third lifeforce user, a woman, materialized from behind using Flash Step, her longsword gleaming in the moonlight. The attack would have been too fast had Muninn been organic, but unluckily for the hunter she turned at the last moment. Muninn caught the blade between her palms.

The force of the impact jarred her muscles, or whatever she had instead of muscles. She quickly dismissed the page of text Huginn sent her explaining her body's composition. She knew he was being an ass on purpose to get back at her for bursting his bubble with the map. She put her mind back on the fight, her grip held firm on the blade. With a sharp twist, she wrenched the weapon free, the metal singing as it left the woman's grasp. The hunter's momentum carried her forward, and Muninn spun, using the motion to step clear.

Without hesitation, Muninn flipped the weapon into a half-sword grip and slammed the crossguard into the side of the hunter's head. The satisfying crunch of bone gave her a grim sense of finality as the woman's body went limp. For a moment, she hung precariously over the edge of the roof before gravity claimed her, sending her tumbling into the darkness of the alley below.

Muninn turned to the last hunter, her movements as smooth as silk. He stood frozen, ax in hand, his knuckles white as his gaze flickered between her and the bodies of his fallen comrades. His hesitation was palpable, and she almost pitied him. Almost.

 The cloud of debris cleared enough for the Enforcer to see several of his men downed. He snarled, his chains weaving through the air toward her again. The ends of the chains changed mid flight into long spear blades.

"You think you're clever?" His voice was almost guttural. "You think you can win?"

Muninn didn't reply, as she dodged each point by inches. Her focus shifted to the harpy woman still trapped in chains. Olivia struggled, her taloned hands clawing at the metal.The Enforcer yanked his hand, and the chains tightened, forcing a cry of pain from Olivia. Her wings beat furiously, but the bindings didn't budge.

Muninn narrowed her eyes and dashed forward. The Enforcer lashed his chains at her again, but she leapt over them, landing directly in front of him. He barely had time to react before her fist slammed into his jaw with enough force to send him staggering. Unlike the others he was a mage and far more durable than his minions. She turned her head toward Olivia as the Enforcer stumbled back.

"Break free," Muninn ordered, her tone clipped.

Olivia nodded and closed her eyes, she took in the moonlight which seemed to focus on her. It went so far as to bend mid air to grace her skin and feathers. Ki surged into her sharp talons as she found purchase on the enchanted chains. She took a second deeper breath and the moon ki became visible now as a faint, silver glow. She let out a guttural cry and tore the chains apart, the remnants clattering uselessly to the rooftop.

Freed, Olivia spread her wings wide, her piercing gaze locking onto the Enforcer. Her hand grazed her sword hesitantly then shifted to her parrying dagger instead. The blade gleamed faintly with her moonlight ki. The ferrokinetic mage glared at her but hesitated when his attempt to manipulate her weapons failed.

Muninn smirked. "Looks like you're losing your edge, Enforcer."

Olivia focused entirely on the fight. She moved to intercept the one remaining lifeforce user who was creeping toward Muninn with a raised ax. She was a blur of speed, like a gail of wind set free. She was so fast that even Muninn could barely follow her movement. Olivia's dagger flashed in the moonlight as she deflected the blow, then spun gracefully to slice across his arm. He yelped in pain, the weapon dropping from his hands along with a few fingers.

"Stand down," Olivia demanded, her voice firm but not cruel. 

The man ignored her, drawing another blade. She sighed, blocking his next strike before kicking him square in the chest. Her taloned feet raked across his leather armor and managed to draw blood. He toppled backward, sliding toward the edge of the roof.

Meanwhile, Muninn engaged the Enforcer again. His chains swirled protectively around him now, like venomous serpents. She weaved through them, dodging each strike with uncanny precision. Even before she became a hrafn this fight would have been painfully easy. A sharp kick to his knee sent him stumbling, and she seized the moment, aiming a palm strike for his sternum. He gasped as the blow landed, his chains faltering for a brief moment.

Olivia's battle was all but over; her dagger glowed brighter as she faced the remaining lifeforce user. He hesitated, his missing fingers, sight of her wings and her weapon's silvery glow caused him to take a step back. She was hopeful he would run. When it looked like he would, she turned ready to assist Muninn when her instincts screamed to turn back. 

The man had pulled a dagger from his boot and used a Flash Step to reach her in a blink. Unfortunately for him she was faster. She pulled out her sword and with a decisive strike deflected his attack easily. She put the sword to his heart. If she wanted it could easily penetrate thanks to her talons opening up the armor earlier. Instead of delivering a killing blow, she pressed the blade against flesh drawing blood against his ribs.

"Leave," she said quietly. "Now."

The man glanced at the Enforcer, who was struggling to fend off Muninn's relentless attacks, then turned and fled, disappearing over the edge of the roof. The Enforcer let out a furious roar, his chains lashing wildly, but it was no use. Muninn ducked under one last swing and drove a knee into his stomach. He crumpled to the ground, coughing blood violently. Muninn knew she ruptured a few organs and internal bleeding would take him out as long as know one helped him. Muninn glanced at Olivia who didn't say anything. 

"Did you want to be the one? He's all yours," Muninn said, her tone devoid of emotion.

Olivia sheathed her weapons. "Enough. He's beaten."

Muninn's eyes narrowed, her tone sharpening. "Are you serious? He was going to torture and kill you. Now you want to... what, let him go? Show him mercy?"

"Mercy." The Enforcer begged.

"No," Muninn said, crouching down to grip his collar. Her voice dropped to an icy whisper. "No, I don't think so. One survivor, one messenger—as promised." 

Without hesitation, she dragged him to the roof's edge. His struggles were weak, his protests drowned out by the ragged sound of his breathing. With one final shove, she sent him plummeting to the cobblestones below. The sickening crunch of his skull splitting against the street echoed through the quiet night. She peered over the edge, watching the twitching body settle into stillness next to the woman that fell earlier.

Cognitive Data Relay… Scanning… Object Description

Item: Cadaver

Quality: Poor

Magic Potential: Magic conductivity: Excellent

Composition: Long Pig [Select for full breakdown]

Description:

The cadaver exhibits multiple fractures, extensive internal organ trauma, a shattered skull, and severe brain damage. Magic conductivity remains excellent.

"Ah, excellent. Mages have a nasty habit of surviving falls. Luckily this one was really weak." Muninn said.

Muninn walked over to the dead man on the roof and kicked his body. The contact was all she needed for it to disappear into her magic storage. She then found the fingers Olivia severed from the man she let go taking them as well. She knew she would also have to collect the last two bodies.

Olivia looked at her warily. "Who are you?"

Muninn wiped her hands on her pants, turning toward the harpy with a faint smirk. 

"Just someone passing through." Muninn said, only her smirk was visible under her hood. "If you're curious, meet me tomorrow at Spider's Nest Inn. Lunch is on me."

Without another word, she walked to the opposite side of the roof and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Olivia alone under the moonlit sky. 

***

Around that corner," Huginn's voice echoed in Muninn's mind, his guidance as precise as ever.

She found the last of the Monster Hunter Guild members slumped in an alley, desperately tying off a makeshift bandage around his arm. His curses echoed off the brick walls as he fumbled with the blood-soaked cloth.

"Are you okay?" Muninn asked, her voice light and disarming.

"Mind your business!" he snapped without looking up, his tone sharp but panicked. "Guild business."

"Oh, I know," she replied, her crooked smile visible even in the dim light.

The man froze mid-wrap, the realization hitting him like a blow. He glanced up, his face paling as he recognized her voice. She loomed over him, her silhouette blending with the shadows, and his breath quickened as he realized he had no escape.

"I-I don't want any trouble," he stammered.

Muninn sighed dramatically. "Did you just wet yourself? Relax. I'm not going to hurt you—unless you make me. I just need to ensure you remember your part of the deal."

She tossed a small vial at his feet. "Drink that. Enough to stop you from bleeding out."

The man hesitated, glancing at her before downing the potion. He coughed, his hands trembling as his wounds healed. He would have to go to a really good healer to regrow his fingers though.

"You're going to tell your guild exactly what I say," Muninn continued, kneeling to meet his terrified gaze. "And then you're going to leave this city. Do that, and you get to live."

The man's voice cracked. "I have a family. I can't just leave! When the guild finds the—"

"Bodies?" Muninn cut him off with a dark chuckle. "Don't worry. I took care of them. As for your family…" She pulled a small bag of coins from her belt and dropped it into his lap. "Consider this travel money. But listen closely—disobey me, and I won't come after you." She leaned in, her voice a venomous whisper. "But Julie, Bart, and Kyle? They'll wish you had just done what you were told."

His eyes widened, horror flooding his expression as she named his wife and children. Huginn's voice hummed softly in her mind. Always efficient, she thought, marveling at the raven's knack for ferreting out information. She refocused on the trembling man, spelling out every step he'd take tomorrow. Shame so many people died on a monster hunt but that's the life of a monster hunter.

"Now, be a good little survivor. Do as I say, and maybe—just maybe—you'll get to see your family again."

Muninn rose to her feet, watching as the man clutched the coins like a lifeline. Then, with a final glance, she melted back into the shadows, leaving him alone with his fear.

***

Muninn stretched out on the bed in her room at the inn, letting out a contented, entirely irrelevant sigh. The muffled sounds of music and laughter from the floor below filtered through the wooden planks, a faint hum of life she didn't plan to join. At least the speaker had stopped making those suggestive sounds in her voice. She doesn't think she would have been able to handle the embarrassment and was more than happy to leave that memory behind.

Her gaze drifted to the man sprawled awkwardly on the floor, exactly where she'd left him. His limbs were tangled in a mess of drunken stupor and bad luck, and he was snoring faintly. She sighed again, this time with exasperation, rising from the bed.

"If I'm going to sell the illusion," she muttered to herself, "I might as well commit."

She stripped him down, removing only enough of his clothes to paint the picture she wanted but leaving enough to maintain a shred of dignity. Then, with an impressive lack of effort for someone of her size, she hoisted him into the bed and arranged him like a trophy.

Muninn stepped back, surveying her handiwork. The story he would spin tomorrow was already clear. He'd wake up, aching and confused but undoubtedly smug, ready to tell anyone who'd listen about the mysterious woman who'd given him the night of his life. Her lips curled into a small, mischievous smile as she slid back onto the bed and stretched out again, claiming the comfort she'd earned.

"Huginn, is there anything else I need to be awake for?" She asked mentally.

Huginn responded. "No, I will shut you down for now and wake you in the morning. Sweet dre—"