Unfiled Prologue


Prologue

The prey ran desperately through dense trunks, his form appearing and disappearing under the bare moon light penetrating the thick rooftop of leaves above. His breath was tainted with sweat from running countless miles, but he couldn’t afford to stop. No, that was too risky. Instead his boots snapped the twigs beneath him as he rushed on, terror overwhelming his heart as he realized that the killer behind was still in pursue. He spun around and pulled out the revolver from his belt, firing twice blindly into the darkness, and then kept running on.
The prey’s HAZE smoke bomb was wearing off as he tired; the spell taxed his body thoroughly. The mist set over the forest started to purify and he was sure the killer had him locked-on. There was no way out.
Just a bit more, The prey thought as he cursed. He was just two hundred meters before he breached the borderline where his companions hid. The killer may have taken out every one of his teammates, but I have to live on!
“It’s no use.” a cold voice stated from the shadows behind him. The prey felt his heart sucked in fear for a split second before he turned and shot again, eyes wide open in search of the enemy. His ankle suddenly twisted and he crumpled to the ground, shouting in agony as he finally saw-
THE KILLER
The hooded figure stood within the canopy of countless branches, his slender form impossible to tell whether male or female. The prey cussed; No wonder I never hit. Now only two bullets remained in the barrel as he watched in despair, the killer raised his weapon calmly.
A gun? A sword? The prey was about to aim before the revolver was knocked out of hand by an invisible bullet. Lightly the hooded figure descended to the forest ground, his black robe spread out behind him like trailing shadows. Silent as a ghost he walked forward, allowing the prey to draw out his last dagger as the last line of defence.
The prey was smashed into the earth within a blink, leaving him staring breathlessly at the starry sky.
The killer’s weapon took dead aim at the prey’s skull, the bladed barrel pointed between two eyes. The prey finally saw the killer’s face. The last face.
“Farewell.”


Warming up

“Goddamnit Leon!”
Eric’s voice rang throughout the training hall as I raised the gunblade to his brow after pursuing him with a quickened jump. Around the room other practice pairs halted their fights in response, the rookies staring with disbelief, the seniors nodding in approval. The big-screen TV replayed our last two minute combat in high definition; Eric and me assaulting in slow-motion so everyone could analyze each blow.
“And the Killer has done it again,” Jess whistled from the right of us. She leapt off the bleachers and pulled her greatsword out of the floor, which she just used as a footrest, swiveling it twice before pointing it at me. “My turn.”
“I’m not done yet,” Eric growled. I released him from the wall.
“Fine, one more run.” I turned and walked back ten steps, then faced him once more. My gunblade, the Kirasoul rested on my shoulder loosely. Eric bent down and retrieved his dual blades, then raised them before his face in defense.
“Bring it,” he called. I reloaded Kirasoul with plastic bullets and took a deep breath-inhale-exhale.
I pulled the trigger twice before I pouncing forward.
Eric struck down the two bullets midair before I broke his defense with an upward slash. The world around me blurred as I surged forward and bashed him with my shoulder, throwing him backwards as I raised Kirasoul above my head. He leapt back just in time as the blade was brought down, easily cleaving through the floor.
The two of us glared at each other.
“This is taking far too long,” Jess grumbled. Not waiting for us to finish she flew at me with the greatsword tailing behind her, closing in from the back of me.
3…2…1…Now!
I spun and cut Kirasoul horizontally, knocking her weapon off course and throwing her back staggering. Instinctually I brought the gunblade to her stomach, taking dead aim.
“Have patience,” I pulled the trigger, shooting an impact bullet that through her into the wall with a boom. Ducking from Eric’s sneak attack I tripped him and launched him flying above me, to which he solved with a seamless forward roll. The dual knives assaulted me from ground level, forcing me to leap back as I dodge.
I caught a chink in his assault pattern and took advantage with a downward jab, halting his movements. Kirasoul came to rest upon his spine.
Frozen.
Eric dropped his weapons and grinned. “Well played.”
“You too,” I swung Kirasoul to my right shoulder. “I’ll catch you later at the bar?”
“Sure. I’ll get your drink. Same old?” He stood up as he picked up his weapons.
“Yeah,” I answered as he walked towards the showers. Then I turned to Jess who was frowning from the bleachers. “You ready?”

I dodged out of Jess’s furious cross slashes one by one barely, escaping her rage.
“Don’t you ever tire?” I taunted after a backflip, then parried a downward smash. “Get a new weapon.”
“Shut. Up.” She growled out of gritted teeth, the drove the weapon downwards, closer to my neck.
I glared and kicked her off of me, launching her to the ceiling. Leaping after her I drew my arm back, allowing my bones to lock together to charge.
Jess gasped as she recognized the stance. She rose the greatsword to block.
“Correct,” I unleashed a series of multi-jabs, raining down on the flat side of the blade. Bit by bit I shattered her block as the two of us pummeled, then hurled her straight down with a quick barrage that threw her to the floor. Like Eric, she smashed hard.
I landed a split second beside her, my boots pinning her greatsword down, the Kirasoul aimed at her vulnerable neck.
“That will be enough.”
The broad voice made all of us turn in attention, the task at hands stopped. At the doorway stood Madam Anna Reasono (MAR for short). Dressed in her usual blouse and skirt she held her beloved clipboard in hand as she looked around the room. Her eyes locked with mine as I released Jess.
“HQ has new orders pending,” as she undid the lock on the clipboard and drew out our packets, then, with a flick of her wrist she sent them at us with blinding speed. I caught mine easily as Jess fumbled with hers as her eyes were glued to my slip. The Blackslip.
I turned to MAR for explanation, but she was long gone.

“Tell me if you need help with that.” Tony said.
Sitting between him and Eric at our corner of the bar I gazed absent-mindedly at my drink. Naturally the mug of rancor vodka would kick my senses sharp, but today it just left my throat burning for more.
Tsay, the maid/bartender of the day, bent down to look at me from across the bar. The two of us stared at each other straight in the eye through the bubbling drink between us. Then she got up and downed my vodka.
“Hey!” Eric protested, but I shook him off.
Tsay ignored him and turned away from us for a moment. With expert skills she mixed a new drink for me-her personal favorite. It was her way of expressing care, though I never found the Cherrywine mix very appealing. She set the glass before me, the red liquid taking up my view, tinting my world red.
On regular days you could count on Tsay to cheer you up. If it was slow at the bar she would challenge me a chess match. She never beat me at it though; she played too reckless, too emotional. During her break time one could still catch her around the common room, naturally reading some weird book she borrowed from the research unit. Her entire life revolved around these two factors: Books and Bar, Bar and Books. Jake once told me Tsay used to be a fighter like us before she found out how pleasant it was to work at the bar, but I never got her to confirm it. I doubt she ever would.
“Well, it could be an easy mission. Madam likes to trick people, especially rookies,” Tony jabbered in. “But, you are no newbie in my book.”
“We lost Caleb during the last order. He was given a Black Slip too,” Eric took a sip of his blackbeer, the murky color impossible to guess the formula. Nonetheless he found it fit for his appetite. I once found him chewing on a baked cactus. Brilliant tongue he’s got.
“But it’s not a joke.” I laid down the slip for all to see. Under the dim light Tsay took a minute to take in all the information on the card, including the bounty number and deadline.
“This was Caleb’s order.” She made out after the silence. Eric and Tony gave each other grave glances.
“Count me out, sorry.” Tony mumbled.
Eric took another slip. I grabbed a straw and blew bubbles in my cherrywine.