Andres pushed open the heavy crypt door, the low growls and groans from within instantly assaulting Jason's ears. The Hunter's Mark on his arm burned with an escalating, intense heat, a warning of the potent dark energy nearby. The initial wave of putrid, cloying stench hit Jason like a physical blow. He staggered back, gagging until he dry-heaved.
"Don't think less of yourself, I've seen braver men crumble after what we're about to experience," Andres said, patting Jason's back with a surprisingly gentle hand. "Truly brace yourself, Jason!"
Jason forced himself forward, stepping into the dark, damp room. It was the place Andres and the Head Priest had hastily designed to contain these re-animated horrors. Hastily constructed benches, rough to the touch, lined the space. On them, bodies lay strapped with twine, crudely bound to keep them from rising. Their eyes were clouded and grey, and guttural noises constantly rumbled from their decaying throats. Nothing the villagers had tried could make these monsters display any shred of intelligence.
His Hunter's Mark was going wild, a searing beacon on his arm. Jason slowly approached the largest of the "ghouls." Its chest rose and fell with an unnatural, raspy breath. Taking a deep breath, Jason pressed his mark directly onto its forehead. An intense heat left his arm, flowing into the monster. The effect was instantaneous and dramatic. As if a puppet's strings had been cut, the body went completely limp, and the feral look in its eyes slowly faded, replaced by the vacant stare of a regular corpse. It was still mutilated and decomposing, but the monstrous energy that animated it was gone.
The energy drain from the process was immediate and heavy. Jason felt a profound weariness wash over him; he knew he could probably only repeat that feat twice more before collapsing.
Chief Andres stared at Jason, his expression a mixture of awe and disbelief, as if he were looking upon the Goddess of Creation herself. "Jason, please tell me what it is you just did! You could save us all! This unbelievable nightmare can finally be over, this must be a blessing from the Goddess... Praise be her Holy Name!"
Jason steadied himself, the weariness from using his Mark still clinging to him. He met Andres's awestruck gaze, choosing his words carefully.
"Chief Andres, what you witnessed was not a common trick, nor just a blessing for this moment, but a truth woven into my very being," Jason began, placing his marked arm before the Chief. "This mark," he gestured to the glowing compass on his forearm, "is a sign of my purpose. I am a Hunter, one meant to seek out and sever such unnatural perversions. It guides me, just as it allowed me to cut the strings of that… thing."
He paused, letting the words sink in, then continued, his voice taking on a graver tone. "These bodies are not simply cursed or restless spirits. There is a blight on the land itself, a dark energy twisting the very essence of life and death, turning the departed into these gruesome husks. It's an abomination I have been tasked to confront."
Jason looked directly into Andres's eyes. "My Mark burns for a reason, Chief. It tells me the source of this corruption is close by, radiating this sickness through your village. The church itself, sacred as it is, likely sits atop or very near to the point where this blight is strongest."
He took a step forward, emphasizing his resolve. "I offer you not just relief from what you've seen here, but the chance to end it. My path is clear, guided by this Mark. I must go to the heart of this corruption and cleanse it. I understand this is much to ask of you, but the longer this blight festers, the deeper its roots will grow into Eden."
Andres looked baffled, but a flicker of hope ignited in his eyes. "A Hunter, huh? If you think you can end this twisted nightmare, quite frankly Jason, you would be this village's hero. You tell me what you require and I will see it done."
"Chief Andres," Jason replied, hearing the hope in the Chief's voice. "My mark points me in the direction I am needed most. It is pulling me Northwest, towards the mountains, more than likely a cave with some foul energies. I only ask for a guide, as I should be able to find most of the way myself. I just don't know the flora and fauna of this area that well."
Andres raised his eyebrows, a silent question in his gaze, but said nothing. "I will see it done, Jason. Just give me one moment... Cynthia, come here please."
It took a few moments, but a red-haired, pale-skinned woman entered the church. "Yes, Chief Andres, what can I do for you?" Her green eyes locked with Jason's red ones, a spark of curiosity in their depth.
Andres wasted no time responding. "I need you to take Jason in the direction he tells you. He can end this cursed nightmare we have been experiencing. You are our best scout by far, and you have been all over Eden; if anyone can do it, you can."
Cynthia held Jason's gaze even while the Chief spoke. "Of course I can, Chief! I can take him anywhere he wants to go. I have been traveling these mountains since I was a child."
Andres's face split into a grin, relief pouring out of him. "Perfect. Let's get you two fully equipped, and then you can be on your way if that's okay with you, Jason. I know you just got here, but like you said, the sooner we can cleanse this blight, the better off Eden and its people will be."
"Chief Andres," Jason declared, understanding the weight of the moment. "I swear on my life I will purge this evil from your lands. In return, will you please allow me to make Eden my home and raise more generations of Hunters here?"
Andres's eyes widened slightly at Jason's bold declaration. To offer to purge the evil was one thing, but to ask for Eden to be the home for future generations of Hunters? It was a profound commitment, a promise of a protector lineage. He studied Jason's determined expression, then his gaze flickered to the glowing Hunter's Mark on Jason's arm. The relief that had begun to settle on his face deepened into a profound sense of hope.
"To purge this evil, and in return, to anchor such a crucial purpose in our home..." Andres's voice was quiet, almost reverent. He nodded slowly, a deep, satisfied smile spreading across his face. "Jason Blood, you have my word. If you succeed in this task, Eden will open its arms to you and your future generations of Hunters. You will be revered as a guardian of our people."