Summary of Ch1 and Ch2.1: The Hunter was out doing his job, happened to take a nap in a quiet alley, and after being startled out of a strange dream, was awoken by a demon attacking. He quickly dispatched it. He was then approached by a woman named Vivian Redstone to retrieve an "assignment" from the Abandon (what they call our world).
Then, in the Abandon, Elise, an eighteen-year-old girl was having a family conflict when her brother came home, closely followed by a demon. They tried to run after Elise's father was the first one killed.
Ch 2.2: The Hunter came and reluctantly rescued Elise from a Wraith (Elise is the Assignment). They were on the run from the Wraith and Chuck's bike was headed for the wall of a concrete tunnel.
Ch.1 is on page 6, Ch 2.1 is on page 7. Ch 2.2 is on page 8
CHAPTER TWO
(2.3)
Once we pass over the speed-bump like entry into the Seam (scared ya for a second there, didn’t I?), I release my grip on the throttle. The Wraith can’t follow us beyond the Abandon. I pull over to the side of the tunnel, finding a spot that doesn’t have some sort of exit on it. I notice that the Assignment is still gripping my shoulder.
I get off the bike, but let her sit there for a few more minutes. I need another smoke. And maybe somethin’ to drink. Yeah, somethin’ to drink is definitely in order. Once I’ve got my cigarette lit up, I go searching around the Seam vendors.
The Seam is like the Interstate between the Abandon, Edge, and the State, complete with horrible food and creepy homeless guys trying to sell you random crap you don’t want. The whole thing is a giant tunnel with various exits. No one really knows just how far it extends, although the majority of the exits go to the Abandon, simply because there are so many more places to exit to. I don’t think I’ve mentioned that Edge isn’t all that big. And the State isn’t exactly a monstrous expanse of development either. All together, Edge and the State are probably about the size of South America in the Abandon. And that’s our whole world, aside from the Seam. Hell, for all we know, the Seam could be even bigger than Edge.
While I’m making my way down the road, searching for some booze that’s to my liking, I notice something odd. There’s almost no traffic. There should be heavy traffic here right now, yet aside from a few ancient vendors who would be too stubborn to leave their stands even if you bodaciously lit a fire under their asses, everyone’s gone. Some of the vacant stands even still have the goods in them.
Unfortunately, One-Eye Weezie is still attending her booze stand. daisies. I’ll only get away with one free bottle today.
“Hunter,” she greets me without looking up from her sewing. I look down to see what her latest project is. This week, it’s her Doll.
Oh, right. I forgot to tell you, Weezie is a witch. No one really knows what her specialty is, mostly because everyone’s too scared to tempt her to use magic. Occasionally she’ll do a little something here or there, but it’s usually just little things when age and fatigue get the best of her. Her Doll is actually true to its name. It’s a doll that Weezie made when she was a little girl (if Weezie was ever young, that is), and then she managed to animate it.
“Heya Weezie. Rough week. I need to grab my shit and run.”
She nods understandingly and digs out the bottle of Aelheim Original. She always saves me one. I don’t know why, but for some strange reason, Weezie likes me. And she’s the only person who does, which makes it even more strange, considering that she hates everyone else.
I nod a quick thanks and crack the top before asking, “Wait, Weezie… It’s not that I really care, but just out of curiosity, where the hell is everyone?”
Weezie shrugs. She says that it had something to do with a sudden increase in Wraith just outside of the Seam, and Opacus specters hiding in the Seam.
There are a lot of superstitions surrounding Wraith. Opacus specters are the harmless baby forms of Wraith, so, naturally, they are also seen as a bad omen. Most people, however, have no idea that this is the reason. And nobody knows what exactly causes an Opacus to become a Wraith.
Anyway, now having my daily ration of alcohol, and all the information that I’m going to get out of anyone in this place, I head back over to the Assignment. I’m pleased to see that she’s standing on her own.
“Is that armor actually bolted to your face? And what’s up with your right arm?” She asks these first two questions as if she were simply thinking aloud. Then she continues “Anyway…now that we’re out of danger, I want to know who you are, what that thing was that was after us, and why it‘s so imperative that I go with you.”
Aw man, not now… “Sorry, princess. Answers take time that we don’t have. Get back on the bike. We’re heading out.”
“No.” she refuses quietly. “Not until you answer.”
I pull my hand down my face in an exasperated fashion. “You are so lucky that I’m getting paid to save your booty…” I take a deep breath before covering the basics as fast as possible. “Alright… The thing that was after us was a Wraith, which is a kind of shapeless demon whose goal in life is to feed on the Fire of humans in the Abandon, which is what we call your world. It is currently after you, dunno why, don’t really care. I am the Hunter, a guy who goes around killing demons and collecting hellfire. I also do some other mercenary crap on the side, in order to pay off my enormous and still growing debt. You need to come with me because you are my assignment, again, dunno why, don’t really care, and if you don’t come with me, you will die. And I don’t wanna hear any whining and sniveling about the horror of how your poor family is gone and you’re all alone and life sucks and boo hoo. Got it? And it would be really nice if you could hurry, ‘cause I got some ice-cold booze waitin’ for me, and it’s meltin’ to lukewarm. Now get on the daisies bike!”
The Assignment nods and agrees as she starts to get on the bike. That was too easy
“That’s it? No arguing? No crying about how you wanna stay with your family and you just went through a terrible loss?”
“I told you that I just needed you to explain before I would come along. Besides, you said that you didn’t want to hear--”
“Yeah, yeah,” I interrupt, “I know what I said. But aren’t you even a little upset? I mean, you watched your entire family get slaughtered by demons for the love of God! Any other human girl would be in hysterics…”
“Well, of course I’m upset.” she retorts with an ever polite tone. “But if I were to break down and start crying, you would just tell me to suck it up and get over it, correct?”
Yeah, that sounds about right. I cannot believe my luck right now. I was kinda worried about this being a difficult Assignment before, but now, I’m thinking she may not be so bad. In fact, this girl is--dare I say it?-- badass. Even if her near silence is jsut because she's in shock.
This may be one of the few Assignments that I don’t actually hate.
((Ame, I edited the story a bit from when I sent it to you.))
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