Hunter

A Contract's End

The only place left was the roof. Everything led to this spot but the inside was bare. The roof access door was stuck. One full-body throw was enough to break through.

There he stood in the same clothes she last saw him in. The black suit, the red shirt collar showing, with his hands folded behind his back covered in those blood-ruby rings. His voice carried through the still air, "Of everyone I thought they would send to come stop me, I wouldn't have imagined it would be you." He didn't turn to face her. He kept himself looking out over the hellscape that the city had turned into.

"No one sent me. I came on my own." He lifted his head, turning it to his right, "Oh? You did? What is your end goal then?" Everyone kept asking her what her plan was. "I... I don't know."

He snapped around facing her full on, "You braved the deadly hellscape of another worldly power, riding in on a dragon no less, to come here with no plan. No direction. No end goal." He took a second to pause, "I thought I taught you better than that."

Juliet's face lit up with a smile. "You're still you!"

"I am." He looked down at the rings on his hands, "At least mostly. I'm not sure."

His facial expression didn't change. He kept the same bland look as he spoke as though he just wasn't emotionally connected. There was still a sense of safety with him though. Juliet stepped closer until she was in front of him. "What is this? Why is this happening?" And that was the million-dollar question.

"This is the result of a deal I made to come back. Trapped in the depth of a world I had no knowledge of for an unspeakable amount of time, a voice called to me to bring me back but I was not allowed to leave. A man approached me claiming to have dominion over the realm that I was in and offered me a deal. I had seen death in my life, what would more be? 10,000 wandering souls and my debt would be paid. I agreed in desperation to return, marking one of the many off as Cooper's grandfather traded himself for me. But I failed to pay before my debt was due."

His story didn't make sense. Pieces were starting to align but it didn't make sense. This isn't something that Hunter would do. "By wandering souls you mean..."

"Anyone whose life I take by any means. The Pig Man and his smuggling crew, the poor memory therapy girl who dug too deep, and I'm sure you remember the security guard who harassed our client."

He watched as she pulled back at his words. "I thought you saw. But because you never said anything, I was able to trick myself into thinking it was hidden. I guess that means that Hanson knew as well. He took it to the grave with him." This was the only sign of emotion that he had shown. It was subtle but he rolled his lips in as the muscles tightened. "Well, we're here now. You know for sure. What do we do about this?"

His words cut deep. He seemed to just not care. No amount of fighting herself would work. Her tears began to well up as her face began to show her pain, "We looked for a way to help you but we had no idea. We could have never guessed this."

"No, as far as I know, this is the first case ever. And look where we are."

He gestured out to the city covered in the crimson red. "I failed to pay my debt, so I became the catalyst for him to collect. You probably didn't see anyone as you made your way here, did you? Well, I have to say that was my doing. Not willing, however. And I'm still short. By a lot."

"Are you going to kill me too?"

"...No. I refuse. And I will fight to not. But I will need your help to do it."

"I'll do anything to help!"

His eyes blinked a few times, "Would you even kill for me?"

His request was out of the question. Juliet was not a killer by nature. Her love ran deep, her want to help him was strong but not that strong. She could not take a life. "Hunter, I..."