Listen to the audio version: https://soundcloud.com/zivivi32/dust-and-fire
Dust.That would have been a proper name for this place. It used to have luxurious green grass and trees. Now, it's just dust everywhere. Even the animals fled the place. The only source of humidity would come from his breath, but even that was dry. The gorgeous city of Vellacity now reduced to ruins. The sun being the light scorching the whole city and the stone that used to be walls were so hot that his sweat instantly turned into steam.
Vellacity used to be a loud place. That day, it was as silent as a tomb. His boots were the only thing making noise. No leaves, not even dry ones. Not a single carcass found, or dead body in the ruined city. 'Could it have been that violent?' he thought to himself.
His name, Vincent Connor. A bounty hunter known for his particular set of magical skills. His immobilising magic was one of the most powerful known in the land. He used to be in the authorities of Bellfire, a city in the north from where he was. Turned rogue because of political issues. He left the force and became a bounty hunter. Quite a successful one.
Not only was he able to get his prey still, but used destructive magic to crush the bones if the target would get away. More like tried to get away though. No one has ever got away from Vincent. This magic made his forearms larger than usual and his fists harder than they would look.
He stopped at the ruined city gates, and took out from his pocket a piece of paper describing his next target:
'Brown hair, hazelnut eyes, and the birth mark on the lower neck in the shape of an Angel. Looks more like a tattoo than a birth mark. Last seen in Vellacity. To be brought alive if possible.'
'I like the if possible,' he smiled to himself, 'makes it easier for me to lie if things get messy!'
He scratched his messy beard, while putting back the piece of paper back into pocket, and a readjusted his white scarf to cover his strong face. The wind was picking up. 'Sandstorm's ahead.'
He slowly made his way into the city to find a place he could lay down and wait for the storm to pass before looking for clues if this new target. Sand covering the tracks was not a problem. He was the head of the tracking division back in the days. This would be a piece of cake and He would be back to Bellfire shortly to very soon and deal with someone who messed with him at the bar. He never turned down out a fight, but he was paid good money for this job and would be free from those gang scum who holds him on a leash. For good this time.
He found a small supermarket, with closed windows but open door. He went in and closed the door so that the sand does not get in easily. He took a look around to see if he could find something to eat. He found old canned food. 'Still good I suppose,' he thought.
He took some supplies and found some magic lamps for the night. He sat down and ate what he found. He would not be able to do anything anyway as it was. The storm was too strong. Waiting for the storm to pass was the only option. It was not like the target was going anywhere in this storm.
Those storms were pretty deadly. If you got caught in one, you were most probably dead. Vincent turned on the magical lamp. He found it nice. It had a flame texture and mimiced fire as it was turned on. Looking at those fake flames made him lost in his mind. They took him back to those days he was with her.
His wife was everything he had before the war broke. The same war that tore down Vellacity. He reached into his satchel he brought with and took out a picture of them together while they were dating. He looked at it for some time, smiled and turned to read what was written at the back.
'If you were a flower, I would never pick you up. I would nurture and watch you grow and bloom into a marvellous flower. I love you. Vincent'
A tear rolled down his cheek. He quickly dried it and put away the picture.
It was not time for him to get soft.
He was on a job and was about to be free from those scumbag gangs.
Sun rose back up and the bounty hunter woke up. It was time to start looking. He started to walk around the city. It was ruins everywhere.
Not a single sound.
Not a whisper.
Even the wind went dead.
Something, however, made him feel like he was not alone. He pulled out a cube from his satchel and blew on it. It glowed red.
'Well, there is life in this city,' he said to himself, 'but where?'
The small cube started to glow orange and turned yellow. 'Multiple lives?' Vincent thought, 'I am definitely not alone then. Neither is my target.'
The cube levitated in the air and flew in one direction. Vincent followed it through the city. Vincent was surprised that there would still be people living in this deserted city. That did not make sense at all. No water, almost no food and this scorching sun were no environment for one to live. However, he trusted the small cube. He used it back in the force as a life-detector when they had to investigate abandoned buildings.
He followed it to a small concrete house. It was all torn down but the door still up. He opened the door and there was a little boy kneeling down and crying holding a frame. He slowly came to him while scanning around.
'It is not a trap,' Vincent thought.
The kid saw the big man and looked at him with his big eyes full of tears.
"Are you okay kid?" Vincent asked.
The boy did not reply and kept sobbing. Vincent surveyed the kid to make sure he was not hurt. The boy had brown hair and hazelnut eyes. Vincent lifted an eyebrow when he saw the angel on the kid's neck. 'That's my target?' he thought a little confused, 'They sent me after a kid?'
He turned to the kid and said: "Kenny?"
Then suddenly the kid stopped crying and looked to the broken upper floors of the building. Scared. Terrified.
"They found me," the kid said.
Rattles started to make their way towards Vincent and the kid. Soon enough there came reafters. Half Wolf, half coyote. 'Of course, they would be here,' Vincent thought. He knew these creatures live out of the sun's heat. The heat actually makes them more aggressive. The hotter it gets, the wilder and the more aggressive they get. Vincent and the kid were surrounded.
"Stay behind me kid," Vincent said placing the scared kid behind him. The reafters usually attack in pack and they were numerous.
'Why is there so many reafters?' Vincent asked himself, but there was no time to think. The reafters launched their attack. They jumped from the roof and windows bringing out their claws ready to slice the two human beings they just encountered.
Vincent closed his eyes and focus. Wind started to grow around him while he spread his arms. With a strong and swift movement, he made violent clap. The gravity around the reafters suddenly changed and pulled them down. The force was so great that the creatures crashed downwards almost instantly. The spell still on them they could not move. He quickly picked up the kid and started running towards the exit.
"More?" Vincent said.
The kid was so scared that he covered his ears. "Make them stop!" he shouted.
Vincent ran faster. He suddenly saw what looked like an old frozen good store. 'That is convenient,' he thought, 'I am not going to complain though!'
He ran to it as fast as he could to enter the building locking the door behind him. The reafters banged on the door and windows started to crack.
"Where is the power switch," Vincent said looking around, "there's bound to be some kind of power in here." He placed the kid down and found the power switch for the main source of power. He flicked the switch and was relieved to hear a soft rumble as the generator surged to life that there was still power. The room started to cool down. The reafters did not go away however.
'It's not fast enough,' Vincent thought. He reached into his satchel and pull out a blue tube. He threw it at the door and ice instantly formed on the door and windows freezing the whole wall instantly. The rattling stopped.
Vincent let out a sigh. The kid kept clutching to his ears sobbing with more tears.
"It's okay now kid," Vincent said kneeling down to the kid, "What is your name?"
"Ke.. Kenny," the kid replied sobbing.
'It is him,' Vincent thought disappointed.
He felt guilt quickly coming up, but suppressed it. This kid was going to be his freedom.
"How old are you, kid?" he asked.
"I – I'm three," Kenny said slowly releasing his ears as he realized that the rattling had stopped.
"It's going to be okay," Vincent said, "I will get you out of this place."
"I cannot leave this place," Kenny said.
"Why?"
"Because I live here," Kenny replied resting his face on his knees, "My mom will come get me."
"Your mother?" Vincent asked.
"Yes," Kenny said firmly, "She promised."
Vincent started to think if it was the woman he found a couple of miles from the city.
"Where did your mother go Kenny?" he asked.
"She told me she went to get the soldiers to help," the little boy replied, sobbing.
'So, it was his mom,' Vincent thought. He knew he could not just tell the kid his mom was dead. That would have to wait. However, he had to get the kid out of Vellacity. It was not safe for him either.
"I met your mom," he said placing his enormous hands on Kenny's head, "I will take you to her."
Kenny lifted his head, stopped sobbing and pulled out a small smile. "Really?" he asked as his eyes widened.
"Yup!" Vincent replied.
Kenny hugged Vincent tightly and thanked him
"Thank you, mister..." He paused realized that he did not know the name of the enormous man he was thanking. "What is your name?" Kenny asked.
"Vincent," the bounty hunter replied. "And what do you do?" Kenny asked.
"I search for people," Vincent replied careful with the words he used, "And I have been looking for you."
Kenny's face scrunched in confusion. "Why me?" he asked.
"To bring you to your mother," Vincent replied smiling gently.
Kenny's eyes brightened. He was going to see his mother again. Now he was full of joy and excitement.
Vincent did not like it. He was feeling guilty of lying to a kid who he knew just lost his mother to the reafters by the looks of the wounds he saw.
With the power back on, the room got colder and colder.
Reafters would not come close to this building now. The problem now was to leave the city.
'Night time is probably the best time to leave,' Vincent thought.
"We will leave tonight," he told Kenny.
"But why?" Kenny asked with an innocent voice, "Night time is potty-story-sleep time."
"Those bad animals will be asleep," Vincent said reaching into his satchel and pulling out a bag of biscuits handing one to the kid, "We will be able to get out without those scary animals seeing us."
"Like hide and seek?" Kenny said biting into the biscuit.
"Like hide and seek," Vincent replied smiling biting into his biscuit.
Night time came and Kenny fell asleep.
Vincent turned off the power and nudged to wake the kid up.
"Kenny," he whispered, "Time to go."
"Hide and seek time?" Kenny said with a small smile as he was rubbing his eyes. Vincent nodded.
Vellacity was really quiet at night. A shy wind was blowing and it was refreshing knowing that the heat was still present, but way less than Vincent expected. The bounty hunter kept a sharper eye out for reafters that might appear any moment, now they knew there was fresh meat to hunt. Kenny was trying to follow Vincent with his tiny legs.
"You walk too fast," Kenny said stopping all of a sudden, "You are too big. Carry me."
Kenny extended his tiny arms out to Vincent. The bounty had to harden his heart. No matter how much he wanted to help the little guy, he had to remain cold. The thought of his wife flashed into his mind.
They never had children. Five years of marriage, not a single child. She was fine though. As that thought built up in his mind, his heart sank. He wanted to turn away and just keep walking and let the kid with his struggle. But, how could he? The thoughts of his wife kept haunting him.
He picked up Kenny and placed him on his large shoulders and started walking towards the city gates. He was hoping that the sand and dust would have covered the corpse of the lady by now. He really did not want the kid to see the dead body and might recognize his mother. The slow walk of Vincent rocked Kenny to sleep on his head. Blood rushed through the bounty hunter's body. He was having a soft spot for the kid.
'What did the gangs want with the kid,' Vincent thought, 'Why did they want that kid so badly?'
Something was definitely not right. Normally the gangs just cared about money and military power. The kid, however, was too fragile, unless the kid was special in some way. He knew for a fact that the kid's dad was dead. One of the bounty hunters working for the gangs did it. If the corpse outside was his mother, then this kid was just an orphan. Even less value for the gangs.
He could not think about it too much. He had to keep his eyes on his freedom that this kid, no matter what the gangs wanted with him, would give him. He would be free to walk in the streets without having to watch his back with that bounty on his head. The gang leaders placed a bounty on his head and a hold on the trigger whenever he was on a job for them. That way, he would stay on a leash. Like a dog. This job was his last. He would have paid the debt. He would be free.
As they arrived at the exit, the sun rose up. Vincent was surprised that the scorching heat instantly came back on the first rays. The exit was very close. All of suddenly, Vincent heard growling from behind. He turned back, his features darkened.
'Not again,' he thought.
Vincent started running. Reafters were on his tails. The violent swing woke up Kenny who looked back. His eyes widened in horror seeing a pack of Reafters running after them like a pack of hungry wolves.
"Big man!" Kenny shouted pointing at them.
"I know, Kenny," Vincent replied and started to run faster to the exit. It was the only thing he could do. Outrunning them was folly, but he could do it. To save his life. To save the kid's life.
Vincent focused his magic around himself. The gravity field around him felt lighter. He steps were lighter and started to gain on speed. That is why nobody could outrun him. He could make people slower and himself faster, despite his massive structure.
Kenny held on tight to Vincent's head as the big man was moving even faster. He was running so fast that the kid barely could open his eyes because of the wind when everything came to a sudden stop. The city gates were crowded with reafters. They were surrounded. Vincent analyzed around. No exits. The reafters were closing in slowly and just stopped. They were not attacking, just growling.
"Well, well, well," a voice on the roof made itself heard, "So nice of you Vincent to bring the boy to us!"
A thin figure revealed itself. A skinny man, worn out clothes covered with what looked like mechanical armor. He gave Vincent and Kenny an evil grin as he removed his gas mask.
"Raffletop," Vincent said as his expression got more serious. Raffletop was another bounty hunter and a good one. He never had to show himself to his targets except on retrieval duties. He had the ability to control the fauna of the environment with hypnotic magic. Then again, this magic could only be used on creatures without consciousness of themselves unlike human or other civilization. Reafters were part of that group.
"Give me the boy Vincent," Raffletop said, "The gangs want him."
"It's funny that they sent you to get him," Vincent replied, "You can't hurt me while on a job."
"Oh, that changed," the skinny bounty said, "They want you dead now." He threw a piece of paper to Vincent. It showed a picture of Vincent with the writings:
"To kill, and bring back the package he is retrieving. He will be at Vellacity."
Vincent could not believe it. The gangs turned against him. They were ready to kill him now. That is what they meant by his last job.
"Now kid," Raffletop said turning to Kenny, "Come with me."
"No!" Kenny said, "Big man is taking me to my mom."
Raffletop let out a vile laugh.
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
Kenny, confused asked, "Why are you laughing, skinny tin man?"
"Are you talking about this mom of yours?" Raffletop said with a wider grin holding a dead woman by the feet and throwing her on the ground in front of them. Kenny eyes widened in horror as he saw his mother falling to the ground. Lifeless.
Vincent looked at the corpse. It was not same corpse he saw outside the city. He was partly relieved but even angrier. Now, he had a reason to kill Raffletop. Kenny jumped from Vincent's shoulder and knelt down to his dead mom and started to cry.
"You killed his mother?" Vincent asked looking back to Raffletop.
"Of course, I did," Raffletop replied, "How else would I make the kid scared and bring him back to the gangs."
"What do the gangs want with him," Vincent asked, clutching his fists.
"Now," Raffletop said,"That is none of your business." Turning to Kenny, "NOW COME KIDDO!"
Kenny could not believe what he was hearing. 'Skinny tin man killed mommy,' he thought, 'Why?' Kenny closed his eyes. The tears kept flowing. He could not control any of it. He was only three. Vincent stood at proximity and walked slowly to Kenny. A sudden gush of wind blew around Kenny. The wind was so hot and so violent that Vincent had to shield his face with big arms.
Kenny was still crying his lungs out. The louder his cry got, the stronger the wind around him became and the heat around him became even greater.
'It triggered it,' Raffletop said. He jumped from the roof to land in front of the crying little kid. The wind built even stronger and hotter by the second. Vincent saw Raffletop and quickly started to make his way to Kenny.
"KENNY!" Vincent shouted, "Listen to me! Come to me!"
Kenny did not seem to hear anything. The wind was getting really strong and it moved the dust even more and more around the boy. The reafters, with the heat, got even angrier and more excited. Raffletop made them stand still and approached the kid.
He was within reach when Kenny let out a shout of heartache. The gush of wind and heat exploded throwing Raffletop and Vincent a few feet away. The boy opened his eyes, turned his gaze to Raffletop who was getting up. Kenny's eyes glowed bright yellow.
He stood up and walked to the skinny bounty hunter. Around him the heat and wind grew even stronger that fire sparked around.
Raffletop smiled and "Yes come with me!"
Vincent started run to them. Raffletop look at the other bounty hunter with a killing gaze. The reafters jumped in front of Vincent preventing him to go forward. They were too many to fight. He just could not move. If he did, he would die by the time he tried to reach Kenny.
The boy was still walking to Raffletop. He had stopped crying and his gaze intensified. Fire started to twirl around Kenny. Raffletop knew there was something wrong. The heat was too great as Kenny approached. His metallic equipment was getting hot and his skin scorched.
Kenny arrived in range of Raffletop. The bounty hunter quickly took out a diamond knife, and threw it to Kenny's feet, trying to immobilize him. A gust of wind and fire exploded again throwing the knife a distance away. Raffletop got angry.
"You little brat!" he shouted.
He charged towards Kenny and tried to grab him, but the heat around the kid was too great that he could not lay hand on him. Kenny looked at the skinny bounty hunter with so much anger that the fire around him became intense and even hotter. Raffletop let out a scream of pain as his equipment turned into white hot melted metal instantly. His clothes instantly took fire and his face burned.
Raffletop tried to run away. Kenny let out a shout of rage and a ball of fire formed on top of him and fell on the bounty hunter instantly consuming. Only ashes remained. The reafters were even more excited and angrier. Not being under the controlled of Raffletop anymore, they jumped to attack Vincent.
'Crap!' Vincent thought.
A yellow shield suddenly appeared around him and exploded, throwing the reafters away. Hurt, they fled.
Vincent turned to Kenny and saw that his hand was extended to him. 'He saved me,' the big man said.
Kenny started to walk towards Vincent. It felt different however. The heat and the wind had died down. The little boy innocent face came back with the tears. He ran and hugged Vincent and cried.
"It is okay big boy," Vincent said, "You cry."
Vincent now knew what they wanted with the little kid. Use him as a weapon. Brainwashing him, they could use some hypnotism and therefore control Kenny. He now knew that they also wanted him dead. Going back to them was not an option – even if he had the kid. The kid was not going to be leverage. He could not use the kid. He would not. The gang would not lay hands on him.
He knew one thing. He would keep the kid with him. He would protect him. He would adopt him. He hugged the kid back and said, "You are safe now, Kenny. Big man will protect you."