The rain had started shortly after sundown, sprinkling at first but then a torrent kicked up in mere minutes. Visibility dropped to the barest minimum and the streets I’d only learned this last year became as much an enemy as the prey I was hunting. I eventually boosted myself up onto a rooftop to try and figure out a way to get my bearings again.

As the frigid droplets hit my skin in waves, my mind began to clear once more. I tried to center myself, breathing slowly and focusing, I could all but count the raindrops as they hit my body. I then dispersed a wave of energy from my body that forced a momentary blast of wind outward to stop delay the rainfall. I could see around me for about ten seconds, which was all I needed to figure out where I needed to go.

Off on my left I saw a building begin to sag and heard a crashing noise, I assumed it was my target. So I shot off across the rooftops, closing in on the beastly behemoth that was my prey. I could just make out smoke when my redirection of the weather finally wore off. It was the most powerful clue I had right now, so I followed the direction it was coming from.

My comm crackled to life, “Child, you need to cross over and return after twenty feet.”

Vinnia throwing out commands again, and not just any order, but demanding I jump to the Abyss and back again after a very precise time. Yeah, it’ll likely get me there a little faster, but if I did that…

“My comms would be down during that time, can’t risk it.” I called back.

“Bex, we can handle the minute or so it would take you. Just do what she says. I’ve got this thing just about cornered, and Vinnia is only a second or two behind me, so don’t worry.” Xet called over the comms, her voice waivered a little. Was it fear, uncertainty, or just the cold?

I focused for a second on the space just ahead of me, then a portal opened up and then… I was greeted by the red sky and blackened earth in this part of the Abyss. I ran the half the steps and opened the portal at the end of the required run and shot through again.

Suddenly I was on the ground and just about to turn a corner when-

“Run, we’ve been betrayed! Bex-“ Xet screamed over the comms before… 

*BANG*

The discernable noise of gunfire around the corner and over the comms came at the same instance. I rounded the corner to see Vinnia standing, smiling, over Xet. The pistol in Vinnia’s hand was aimed right at Xet’s chest, and it was still smoking. I saw the metga peel itself from the wall and… was that laughter? The deep, throaty, growling laugh was coming from the metga; and it was echoed by Vinnia half a second later.

I’m not certain what exactly happened next; I know I attacked both Vinnia and the metga head on, and I know I killed them both without using magic or bullets or any tools beyond my bladed gauntlets, but the whole thing was a blur of red and screaming. I couldn’t say how much was my voice, screaming for revenge… screaming in anger… and how much was the two of them screaming in agony and fear.

When the blind rage left, I felt so empty. I turned, the rain mixing with the blood covering my person and moved over toward Xet. I discarded my gauntlets and pulled her in close to me, assessing the damage. One bullet wound to the chest, too close to the heart to operate for any doctor, the bullet hole smells faintly of necrotic tissue, likely poisoned to finish the job in case the shot somehow went wide.

Just that cursory glance gave me all the information I needed; even magic couldn’t save her now.

I started to feel tears welling up, because as much of a royal pain in my neck as she was, Xet had given me a chance to be something more than a killer. As a mentor, she had lacked a lot of positive qualities. But as a friend, I don’t think I could have asked for much more… not with my past anyway.

“You know kid…” a shaky voice said from my arms. “A girl might get the wrong idea if you break down and cry.”

I blinked back the tears as best I could, and laughed in spite of myself. “I don’t see any girls here, just an over-confident bounty hunter and her failure of an apprentice.”

“You wound me, “ Xet said, “and here I thought we were going to have a moment. Stay strong, huh?”

She exhaled one more time and went limp. I pulled her even closer than I had held her when doing my investigation and let the tears run freely this time. I sobbed for Xet’s passing, I sobbed for the useless healing powers I had, I sobbed for how useless I was to my mentor and friend when she needed me most, and I sobbed for all that I was worth because I knew there was no power in the universe that could restore this life to the semblance of normalcy we had attained before Vinnia had shown up.

I eventually stopped sobbing, and eventually the rain stopped too. As the clouds parted and sunrise hit the little back alley that we had been in, I stood up. I went and found a cart on one of the side streets that had been empty and piled the bodies of the fallen in it. I trudged along toward the hunter’s association, not seeing my surroundings nor hearing the noises of the city in the morning. The scents from the baker’s oven, the songs of the birds, the bustle of the city at dawn… all was lost and muted.

I guess I also lost my sense of direction for a while, and carting three dead bodies is bound to draw a crowd, so when I was approached by a member of the Association and guided to their base of operations it finally dawned on me that I had been wandering for hours a trek that should have taken mere minutes. I filled out the report to the guild, and the receptionist put it as a priority mail to the head office due to the nature of the report, and slid me a bag and some papers. Her face, all the while, never registered a single emotion. And that infuriated me.

I left, not wanting to harm the girl behind the counter, and headed home with everything I had been given. When I opened the door, I broke down and started sobbing again. I couldn’t just pretend Xet had never been here, and the evidence of her living was everywhere. Anywhere I looked I could see a spectre of her, anywhere I turned there was another reminder of her, and I could hear her voice echoing on the rafters as I begged the ghosts to go away. I eventually got through the doorway and closed it, which was enough for me, and I collapsed to the ground. I had become a pulsating ball of pain and misery, the jagged edges of what was once my heart were no more than a maw that swallowed all the good in life.

I don’t remember how many days passed with me living in this state, and I didn’t honestly care. I was as dead inside as Xet was outside. At some point however, a nagging at the back of my mind told me I had to do something. But what was it? Did it have to do with Xet? What was I forgetting?

A paper swished past me, and I remembered what it was. I had that thing Xet told me to look at if she should… well you know. And so I went to hunt it up. It wasn’t long before I did manage to locate the damn parchment, and when I did I wasn’t certain I could open it and see Xet’s writing again. But I knew she would make fun of me if I didn’t, and as much as I wanted the sound of her voice back again, I knew she would be right about it.

Bex,

If you’re reading this, we both know what’s happened is bad. Like really bad. So I guess I should try to make things a little better. Or at the very least, I should give you some information on what to do next. You’re too young to be living on your own just yet, but if anybody can do it, it’d be you.

First off, there’s a stash I’ve kept squirreled away for just this occasion hidden in my closet. You’ll find it if you remember your training when I had you start cleaning the house. It’s only three or four golds or silvers from each mission we’ve tackled since you got here, but it should get you some seed money for whatever you set your mind to.

Second, I know you think you’ve seen everything I have to offer in the garage, but there’s a panel behind Reina’s tool chest that will open up and give you access to my secret workshop. Inside there are four boxes on the right hand shelf. Those four weapons are for specific people who will pay monumental prices for them. In each box you’ll see a name and a general location. I need you to sell them off, keep the money, and get yourself a better life.

Lastly, I need you to deliver a message to my baby sister. Tasha is a handful, and she can kick butt with the best of them, but she and I didn’t part on the best of terms. I don’t know if she’s settled somewhere in Scion, or if she chose to go back to our mother’s birthplace in the Abyss, so you may be looking for a while. When you do find her, tell her that Lindsey says she’s sorry.

You can sell the house or keep it, as is your preference. Reina is yours, so you better take good care of her. Be strong, even with me gone. And stop by the hunter’s association when you leave the city, I’ve put in a special request with them about your standing.

Love,

Big Sister Xet

I laughed a little. She was so matter-of-fact about her own passing and what needed to be done, and here I was moping around the house like a child who lost their favourite toy. Xet knew she was going down and set me up to rise from her ashes, which made me wonder how much of her death was planned and what was coincidence.

I crumpled up the paper and started going about the task list Xet had lain out in her farewell. It was going to hurt, and I was going to feel like crap for a while, but I knew I could overcome it all. That’s what I had to tell myself as I sold off the things in the house, the excess weapons and gear, and eventually the house itself. I had Reina, I had the gear I would need to survive, and I had a small fortune with which to see the world.

I stopped by the Hunter’s Association on the way out of town, figured I’d see what Xet was talking about.

“Mister Chaotix? We’ve been hoping you would show up soon.” The receptionist said, bowing a little as I entered the door.

I nodded and walked to the desk.

“First off, I would like to congratulate you for passing your field examinations and becoming a registered hunter. Secondly, I hereby bestow upon you this Hunter Identification Card which displays hunter rank and points collected thus far that may be later redeemed at any other Association outpost. Lastly, I regret to inform you that the request of your previous partner, Ms. Linger, was denied due to the report submitted. You will not be entering at Rank 9 per her request; instead, due to your own merit, you have been inducted as a hunter as an Unres. Congratulations once again.” The receptionist said quickly as she passed me a black and silver card with a gold streak on it.

Well that certainly opened a lot of doors for me, maybe I’ll be okay after all.