The Deity (Hiatus)

Chapter Five - The Hunter and Huntress: Amalia the Bounty Hunter

A man in a black cloak flees from his pursuer. Creeping chills that are not of the night air crawls down his spine. His heart beats like pounding drums as his steps echoes throughout the silent streets. Seeing an alleyway, he turns down it. A burning sensation slowly crawls up his legs. His movements become wobbly. He throws garbage cans down behind him as he searches for a safe haven. He finally takes it behind a big dumpster. Cold air rushes in and out of his lungs with each breath. Trimmers traverses through his body.

"Maybe I lost her."

He hesitantly peeks around the corner of the dumpster. A sky blue arrow whizzes past his head, slicing through his cheek.

"Curse you woman!"

The cloaked stranger releases a black smoke. He stands in its cover and kicks down the door to the building next to him. He pulls out a small flash light as he enters. He realizes it's a diner.

"There's a lot of cover here. I'll lose her for sure," he says as he moves for the counter. Before he can hop over it, another sky blue arrow pierces his shoulder.

"Ah!" he yells in pain, slumping over the countertop. The arrow fades away.

He turns to face his chaser. She grabs him in the collar and throws him to the ground on his back. She repositions herself and puts a boot in his chest, shooting him in the shoulder and pinning down.

"Did you think you could get away from me?"

"Dammit, Amalia!" he cries. "How can you see me in the dark!?"

"I have the eyes of a hunter you idiot." Another arrow forms in her crossbow. "I'm going to ask you one question. If you answer correctly, I may let you live. You hold out, well, you know where this goes."

"There is no use torturing me Amalia! I won't tell you anything!"

"Oh, I beg to differ." Amalia says as she aims her crossbow. She shoots him in the left shoulder.

"Argh!! You vile woman! I hope ashuri leave your body a mangled mess!"

"That's just the tip of the iceberg. If you don't tell me what I want to know regarding the increasing ashuri activity here in Wolfswood, I will make you suffer an extremely painful death." Amalia bends down to touch the back of the arrow, making it glow bright hot.

"Ok! Ok! I'll tell you," the man yells through the pain. "The Dark Order is looking to increase its strength. So we made a deal with some of the stronger rogue devourers, giving them free passage here if they agreed to work with us."

"I know there's more to your lame story," Amalia says, looking unimpressed.

"I swear. It's the truth. If there's anything else the Dark Order is planning, I wouldn't know. I'm just a grunt!"

"Well, that's a start I guess."

"Will you let me go? I told you everything."

Amalia stares at him for a moment. "My contract with the Viridian states that I eliminate all members of the Dark Order. Sorry pal." Amalia shoots him in the head. His body goes limp.

She reaches in her pocket and takes out her phone. She sweeps a few strains of her long brown hair behind ear while she calls her contact. "Roman? This is Amalia. I have some good news for you. The Dark order is responsible for the increased devourer attacks. But I have a feeling there is more to the story. I'm on my way back to base to plan out our next move."