4 The Hunter

Stood on top of his school's roof. Iseul could do nothing as he was punched in the face by a boy twice his size. Unable to see due to being blind since birth, Iseul was defenceless as he recoiled from a second punch into his guy.

Falling onto his knees, Iseul felt tears come to his eyes as fumbled to get his phone out of his blazer pocket, attempting to call someone for help. Iseul's efforts were wasted as his phone was yanked out of his hands.

Looking at his phone, the bully who had punched Iseul showed it off to his friends. "Hey guys, look at Iseul's phone, swear I've only seen this thing on tv."

"Yooo!" One of them hollered. "That looks like the latest Banana phone. "His parents must be loaded if they've got enough money to send him to school and give him that kind of phone."

Rubbing the side of his cheek. Iseul blindly reached out for his phone, only to be punched again.

"Ugh. Isn't it creepy how he acts." Looking at him, the bully prodded Iseul with the poor boy's own cane. "Like, he can't see us, and he can't even respond to us."

Jokingly hitting his friend's head, the main bully snatched the cane out of his hand. "Of course he's not going to be able to respond to us, you moron. He's blind and deaf." Turning back to Iseul, he pocketed the boy's phone.

"And now this is how it's going to happen. I'm going to keep your phone since my parents would never be able to afford something this expensive and you." Crouching down, he grabbed a bunch of Iseul's hair. You're going to start bringing me your allowance, I bet your parents give you a good sum from the looks of your phone."

Letting go of Iseul, the bully stood up. Turning to leave, the bully looked back at Iseul. "Don't hit my leg with your fucking stick." Snapping the cane in two, he threw it in Iseul's face.

Reaching around for his broken cane. Iseul had enough of being treated like dirt just because he couldn't see or speak.

Standing up, he charged at his group of bullies, wildly swinging the bits of broken cane.

Seeing this, the main bully instinctively reacted. Punching Iseul in the face, the boy fell backwards. His head made a sickening crack as it hit the roof's concrete floor.

In a state of shock, Iseul felt something warm spread across his hair, weakly pressing his fingers against his hair. The boy felt something warm and slightly sticky.

Blood pooled out from a wound on the back of Iseul's head.

The bullies jumped, seeing what just happened.

"I- I didn't mean to do that-"

"Come on, let's go."

The bullies left, running away from the scene. Leaving Iseul alone on the rooftop.

Clenching his jaw, Iseul wanted to shout for help, but all he could do was silently cry.

Unable to get up, unable to move, unable to call for help. Iseul felt a burning rage start inside himself. Cussing at the people who did this to him.

Iseul's grip on his cane fell limp as his jaw loosened.

~~ One Year Later

"Come on Neia. This is him." Stepping into the room, Rio gestured to something inside.

Following after him, Savina paused once she was inside.

A man sat on a chair, wrapped in chains. His head hung low, looking at nothing as his eyes were closed. A look of hate for his current situation was evident.

Approaching him, Rio put a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry I took so long." Looking up, the man looked at Savina without opening his eyes. "See, I made a new friend."

The man stared at Savina for a few moments before looking back to Rio, shaking the chains wrapped around his body.

"Oh right sorry." Kneeling next to him, Rio started on trying to unlock the padlock which kept his friend bound to the chair.

Having an unnerving feeling about this man, Savina moved places. "So this is your friend? Why is he chained to a chair again?"

"Oh well, that's because-" Rio abruptly stopped as the man suddenly looked at the door. "Shoot, are we really already out of time. I wanted to save my uses', but there's no better time than any."

Putting a hand on the chains, they disappeared.

Standing up, the man started stretching before turning to Rio.

Staring at him, Rio nodded. "I guess it's time."

More confused than before, Savina stood between the two. "Time for what? Rio?"

"Basically, Neia, I don't know if it was the slavers I let runoff or the slavers we put locked in the cell. But," Putting his hands together, Rio produced a small portal which swirled with an orange energy. "They've figured out our prison break."

Two large blades dropped out of the portal, piercing the ground. The two swords stood upwards, dropping onto the floor with a clatter. Reaching into the portal, Rio brought out what looked like a helmet.

It had large plumage running along the back of it from a beast Savina couldn't recognize the fur but could tell that it matched the same armour that the man silently staring at Rio wore. As Rio handed it to his friend. Savina looked at the two swords on the ground.

Attempting to pick one up, Savina struggled. "This sword is giant, there's no way one man can wield one of these, never mind two." Savina thought as she barely picked it up.

Putting his helmet on, the man walked over to Savina. Putting one hand on its grip, he easily picked it up. Resting it against his shoulder, he crouched down, picking up the second sword. Dragging it along the ground, he would walk towards the doorway.

Rio nudged Savina. "So, what do you think?"

Looking at Rio to his friend and then back at Rio, Savina rubbed her forehead. "Rio. If you're done doing things. Who is that guy, how could he possibly carry those swords like they were nothing?"

Beaming, Rio put his arm around Savina's shoulder, bringing their heads together.

"That Savina is my best friend, Iseul. Champion of the Hunt."

Watching Iseul go, Savina could hear the clatter of footsteps followed by shouting as Rio's best friend turned the corner.

"He's got free!" "Call the captain!" "Come on, boys, we can take him."

"We need to help him!" Savina urged. "It sounds like there's a lot of them." Seeing Rio only smile at her, Savina ducked out of his hug, running towards the door. Just as she stepped outside, an armoured body flew past her, crumpling on the floor with a thud. Looking at the body, the dead man's armour had a large slash across its side.

Savina turned to look the other way, she felt her mouth open slightly in amazement.

Bringing one of his mighty swords down, Iseul easily cleaved through a sword held up to stop him lodging in the man's shoulder. Iseul brought his leg up, kicking the man into his friends.

As another moved behind him, Iseul didn't even look at the man, bringing up the broadside of his blade to parry the blow. Ducking, Iseul swept his other blade, cutting the man's legs off with minimal effort.

As the man started screaming in agony, Iseul silenced him, driving his blade through the man's armour into his chest.

The remaining men hesitated as Iseul tore his blade out of the man's body.

Savina was more than impressed. "He can't be more than seventeen? Nineteen at most? So this is the power of a Champion. Taking on groups of fully armed men without breaking a sweat." Gritting her teeth, Savina felt her body shake as she clenched her fists. "So that's why Vesh was able to beat me."

Watching Iseul leap into the air, he sunk his blades into two more of the men, landing a kick to a third's head, knocking him into a wall.

"If I can reclaim the strength of my first life, and figure out what powers are granted to me as the Champion of Wisdom…" Savina whispered as she watched Iseul slam a man into a nearby wall. "Maybe I will be able to beat Vesh… and save this kingdom before it's too late…"

Savina jumped as someone grabbed her shoulder. "What're you muttering about?" Rio asked. "Champions are really something, wouldn't you say?"

As one of the men attempted to flee, Iseul brought his sword up, throwing it with deadly precision; it cut through the man's back, pinning him to the wall.

"Does he have to be-" Taking his remaining sword in both hands, Iseul started cutting through the remaining men like they were made of sticks. "-so chaotic with it?"

Rio sighed as Iseul decapitated the last slaver. "Iseul is very angry. He's been this way ever since I met him. I first found him surrounded by dead bears… beating one to death with his bare hands- he's, he's a very angry person."

Walking to the end of the hallway, Iseul retrieved his sword from the wall. The man's corpse dropped onto the floor as Iseul flicked the blood off. Looking back to Rio and Savina, he nodded up the hallway with his head, signalling for them to move.

Making their way down the hallway, Savina asked. "So, what's the plan now that they all know we're here?"

Reaching another corner, Iseul brought his blade up, a slaver turned the corner unaware of what was about to happen. Iseul's blade thudded into the man's head, causing his body to slump onto the floor.

"How is he able to do that?!" Savina partially shouted. "I thought he was blind or something?"

Chuckling, Rio peeked around the corner. "It's one of Iseul's unique skills. Hunter Sense."

Champion Skill - Hunter Sense: The user is able to discern their surroundings through an advanced form of echolocation. With this, the user is able to hear movement through walls. Its effects can be amplified with magic.

"And in answer to your question, Savina. The next thing we need to do is-" Reaching the end of the long hallway, Savina was met with a sound she hadn't heard in many years. The sound of splashing waves.

Stood on the deck of a large vessel, the sound of the birds squawking above them almost distracted from the fact a number of slavers stood in front of the trio, their weapons already drawn.

"-We need to get off this ship."