Hunter

In the kingdom of Aranak, things were going pretty well, if the people said so themselves. Which, it had to be said, they often did. There were very few homeless people, food and jobs were in plentiful supply, they were placed in an un-strategic location so none of the large countries was very interested in conquering them, and they liked their ruler.

Of course, then again, most people did. Queen Fria was just the sort of person you looked at and thought ‘Now there’s somebody who’ll be a good ruler, even if she does need some experience’. The queen was young, only fifteen, but had no choice in taking the throne since her parents were dead and her twin brother had vanished over six before. Most considered him to be dead, and never really thought about him. Fria was one of them.

The girl did tend to annoy her advisors, though. They were a group of cranky old men, the kind who thought that a king or queen should listen to them and do anything they said, thus effectively letting them run the kingdom. Frustrating them at the moment was the fact that the girl would completely ignore their advice and do what she thought was right. However, the people loved her way of doing things.

Other then that, people just generally liked her. She was fair, she kept the taxes so light that the peasants actually stopped complaining and started praising, and she was good enough looking to catch some princes’ eyes. Namely, the eyes that weren’t already goggling at one of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed princesses that were so unlike Fria, who instead had pale violet hair and pure amethyst-colored eyes. Her unusual combination tended to take people aback, but most admitted it worked well for her.

Of course, every kingdom tended to have its share of problems for each ruler, and no matter how they nice they were none were exempt yet. Fate certainly wasn’t going to make things too peaceful yet.

Sorai City of Aranak was a good place to live. Mostly it was because everybody got a stone house, but a few people said that they’d have lived in pigs’ huts as long as they still got the bread. Unfortunately, there were no pigs in Aranak, so the whole debate on whether they’d actually do it or not was essentially moot. Privacy was deeply respected in the city, which meant it was among the best places in the world to be if you wanted to make a shady deal with a shady character. Or, depending on the circumstances, buy a bathtub.

Nobody ever asked why.

Towards dusk on a normal day, a cloaked and hooded man quietly slipped into a loud, noisy tavern and nodded with satisfaction. He probably wouldn’t be overheard. Chuckling, he strode over to the barkeeper.

“What can I get for ya?” the barkeeper asked, polishing a glass with a well-used rag. The man leaned over the counter.

“I’m looking for the one rumors call the Hunter.” He said quietly. To his surprise, the barkeeper didn’t scramble away in fear.

“Oh, that all? He’s in the back right now.” The barkeeper said, pointing to a door that most people were quite obviously staying away from. Thanking him, the man walked over to the door, knocked, and went in. What he found was a room that was half lit; he was standing in an illuminated section, but all he could see of the so-called ‘Hunter’ was a pair of boots resting on a table.

“…What do you want?” the Hunter asked, his tone low and dangerous. “Judging by your build, the steel chain mail armor, and the ruby-encrusted sword you have hidden under your cloak, you’re quite capable of killing people all by yourself.”

“…Not bad.” The man said, impressed. “How did you know they were rubies?” his sword, still sheathed, flew out from the shadows and fell at his feet. “When did—Wow. You are skilled, then. I didn’t even see you move.” The Hunter laughed, coldly. “I assume that means I should get straight to the point. I’m a castle guard, loyal to the ones who know best how to run our kingdom. My… true commanders are offering a sum of one thousand platinum pieces for the head of our dear Queen Fria.”

“The Queen, eh? Royalty’s tough. Plenty of guards around, and I assume you don’t want me to just go in and slaughter the castle. Make it a thousand and five hundred, and you’ve got yourself a deal.”

“One thousand two hundred and fifty platinum.” The man replied, bartering. A knife thudded into the wall neck to his neck. He hadn’t even seen it moving in mid-air.

“One thousand five hundred platinum pieces.” The Hunter said firmly. After a moment, the messenger gulped and nodded nervously. “Good. Oh, and remember, it’s not like I expect payment right now. If you look on the back of the door, you’ll find my policies, and one of them is to never take payment until completion of the mission.” The messenger nodded again.

“When will you be able to deliver her head?”

“Mmm… Two weeks, give or take two days.” The Hunter said, thinking. “That’ll be about the time it takes to get to her, kill her, and bring her head back here.” The messenger nodded.

“I’ll be going, then.” He said, moving out the door. When he looked over his shoulder, he found that the boots had gone. The Hunter was already on his way.

Six days later, Queen Fria of Aranak was getting ready for bed. It had been a long day, what with her advisors becoming strangely more insistent on listening to them, the argument between the castle guard, and the bonfire somebody had set in the yard. Yawning, the girl changed into a modest nightgown and looked at herself in the mirror.

Noting that she looked fine, the girl turned around and almost screamed. Or, to be a little more accurate, she tried to scream but was stopped by the hand that clamped firmly around her mouth as a knife was put by her throat.

“So… You’re Queen Fria.” The Hunter whispered in her ear. “Policy Thirty Six… Tell victims who’s killing them and why they’re dying. I am the Hunter. And you are a victim for a price of one thousand, five hundred platinum pieces.” Fria straightened and looked ahead, trying not to show any fear. She mumbled something. “What was that?” the Hunter asked, taking his hand slightly away from her mouth.

“I could pay you two thousand.” She said.

“Oh, really? I have no doubt that you can; you’re royalty. However, I don’t spare victims just for a larger sum of money.” The Hunter said, chuckling quietly. “However, I have a different policy which you should be thankful for.” A cloak was placed around the girl’s shoulders. She blinked and looked down at it, confused, and after a second fastened it. The Hunter grabbed the girl, and in seconds the two were gone. The door creaked open a moment later and a butler walked in, carrying a letter. He looked around in shock, then saw that the brush the Queen always used to braid her hair was lying on the floor. Her other things were left where they are.

“No…” he whispered, backing up as he realized what was going on. “Guards! GUARDS! The queen’s been kidnapped! Guards!” he yelled, running back through the halls. In seconds, the castle exploded into activity. However, the Hunter and his Prey were already far, far away.

Almost an hour passed before the Hunter stopped, and Fria finally got a good look at her kidnapper. Or, at least, a relatively good look. Not one inch of skin on his body was exposed. His face was covered with a mask, and some sort of hood kept his hair in place and out of sight. The rest of his body was covered in black clothes, black gloves, or black boots, depending on what part of the body it was. To top it off, he had on a black cloak. The effect generated was one of somebody who could step into the shadows and be essentially invisible.

However, the girl could still see his eyes; they were a bright, vivid red.

“Why did you take me with you?” the girl asked, sitting against a tree. She didn’t bother looking for an escape route. She wasn’t stupid, and this man had gotten between her and her dresser in under a second. She couldn’t escape, and they both knew it. After a moment, the Hunter looked at her.

“…I don’t know.” He replied calmly. Fria nodded and quietly watched the Hunter as he built a small fire and sat across from her. Yawning, the girl curled up by the flames and closed her eyes, tired. She had already lost an hour of sleep, and didn’t intend to lose any more.

The next morning, the girl woke up, looked around, and remembered what had happened.

“Get ready to go.” The Hunter said, looking over to her. Fria quietly dusted herself off and nodded. She caught a piece of meat on a stick that was thrown to her a second later, and noted that it was cooked with professional skill. Obviously, her abductor had done this before. After a moment, both cocked their heads as a sound echoed through the clearing. Scant seconds later, a group of royal guards burst into the clearing.

“There’s the Queen! Get her kidnapper!” the lead yelled. Moving faster then the guards could believe, the Hunter snatched up the Queen and began running through the trees. They quickly urged their horses into a gallop, intending to catch up and kill the Hunter.

“They’re on horses, you can’t outrun them!” Fria said. “Just stop; I’ll forbid them to kill you. You spared me, after all, I owe you that much.”

“Not happening.” The Hunter replied, glancing over his shoulder at the approaching riders. “…You’re not going back with them.” He kept running, and found himself going straight towards a cliff. “Heh..”

“Give it up! We’ll show you mercy!” one of the guards yelled. The Hunter neared the edge of the cliff, then jumped straight off. The guards slowed down, and looked over the edge as they heard Fria’s screams echo from below.

Smirking, the Hunter landed on the ground, bent his knees so they wouldn’t shatter, and took off running.

“How…” Fria whispered, shocked. “No human could do that… W… What are you?”

“I am the Hunter.” The Hunter replied, not seeming bothered by the impossible thing he had just done. It was about then Fria realized they had turned around. A few moments later, the two entered a hidden cave. Smirking, the Hunter hit the wall, and the entrance slid shut by magic. Light from moss illuminated the cave, which stretched further back. “They will not find us here. Nor will they hear us.” Fria tilted her head, thinking.

“…You’re an Ehtra.” She finally said. “One of the humans enhanced by magic to be an incredible warrior. That’s how you could survive a jump like that, and use this type of magic, and how you seem to be able to move so fast.”

“…Yes.” The Hunter replied. Fria watched him a little sadly, remembering what she had been taught.

The Ehtra had been originally created almost a hundred years before. An elite squadron of about twenty men and women, they had served in Loral’s army and decimated those who fought against them. However, they soon became hated and feared, because the government began revealing information about them. They were not normal; they were almost god-like in their powers. Not thinking clearly, citizens began mobbing them. However, the Ehtra never struck back, and were driven into hiding.

“…I’m one of the last.” The Hunter added a moment later. “You humans have hunted us almost to extinction.” Fria just looked downwards, ashamed for her whole race. The Ehtra had never really done anything to deserve the treatment they got, but were generally despised across the world.

“I’m sorry…” Fria muttered. “If it helps… I don’t think of you any less for it… You may have kidnapped me, but I don’t think you’re a bad person.”

“How touching.” The Hunter said, laughing a little mockingly. “I’m not a horrible, evil, wretched, bad person like in the stories your mommy told you when she tucked you into bed.” Fria flushed slightly. “I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you. I may not be evil, but I’m sure as heck not good. If anything, I’m neutral. But I kill people if the price is right and they don’t interest me. Men, women, even children. It doesn’t matter to me.”

“…Why?” Fria asked. “Did they deserve death?”

“How should I know? Their families were willing to pay obscene prices, so they obviously needed them dead and needed it done professionally.” The Hunter said, leaning against the wall. After a moment, Fria noticed a red stain on his right leg, and moved over to it. “What?”

“That’s… blood.” The girl said. “You were hurt.”

“It’s already healed.” The Hunter replied, shrugging. “Another little useful effect of being a monster.”

“You’re not a monster!” Fria said, standing up indignantly. “People are different! You’re just more so then most!” the Hunter’s left hand shot out and squeezed her neck. Fria began gasping for air in seconds, and the Hunter relaxed his grip a little.

“…Brat, I am a monster. I will do almost anything for the right price, or even for fun. Did you ever hear about the Mishak Massacre? An entire city’s population decimated. Men, women, children, babies, and even animals. That was all me.” Fria paled. “And you want to know why I did it? Money. I was paid five thousand platinum pieces to do it. You see, all of the cities residents were all of one big family, and their rivals wanted them out of the picture. And I had fun doing it. Convinced that I’m a monster yet?” Fria shook her head, and took a deep breath as she was released. “Heh… You’ll learn. The only reason you’re alive is because I feel like keeping you that way right now. If you become more of a bother then I feel you’re worth, you’ll wake up to find yourself in paradise with a gash across your neck.”

“…Why do you want money so much?” Fria whispered. “There’s other, much more humane ways to get it…”

“Money is power in this world.” The Hunter replied, chuckling. “And I need power right now. Go wash up, there’s a bathing area a little further in.” Fria nodded, and moved off to take a bath while the Hunter quietly relaxed against a wall and pulled out a book to read.

About half an hour passed before Fria walked back over, somewhat wet but smelling much better to the Hunter’s trained nose.

“Is this better?” the girl asked, fully conscious and embarrassed of the fact that her wet nightgown clung to her body in a very suggestive manner.

“…Much.” The Hunter replied, nodding. The two were quiet for a few long moments. “Let me guess… You’re wondering what I’m going to do with you?” the young queen nodded. “I don’t really know. I certainly can’t take you back to your home, and they’re probably already off to guard my homes. Hmm… Well, I suppose it can’t be helped.”

“W-what?” Fria asked, pale. The Hunter shrugged.

“I’ll just have to bring you to my real home, where nobody knows I live.” He said, sounding unconcerned. After a moment, Fria reached up and put a hand on his cheek. “…What?”

“It’s just… You feel warm.” The girl said, sounding concerned. “I know Ehtra are immune to major diseases, but you can still be affected by colds and such.” Before the Hunter could react, Fria pulled off his mask. And consequently stared as long red hair flowed downward, framing a distinctly different type of face then what the girl had been expecting. “You’re… A GIRL!?”

First Chapter: End