2 Burnt to ashes

I rise and stretch my legs, feeling somewhat refreshed after resting for those few minutes, then pick up the mercenary from the ground. I easily throw her over my shoulder and start down the path. The sun relaxes me, dryin my soaked clothes and warming me. Coming to a fork in the road,i head right, towards the soldiers' outpost. After several minutes, my arms sore from carrying the captive, Suddenly, the female mercenary awakens, squeaking, "Wait! I'm not guilty!"

I laugh inwardly at the notion. What an absurd idea!

There's no harm in humoring the good as dead girl and letting her attempt to explain her innocence.

"Really? Please, enlighten me," i say, smirking despite myself.

"I was possessed by a demon. He made me do those things against my will!" she cries dramatically.

"You're telling this to a rude hunter; I know all the signs of possession, and you exhibited none of them," i reply, unable to contain a chuckle.

"Oh, well...actually, it wasn't me whatsoever. It was my evil twin! And I only attacked you because you scared me," she continues hurriedly.

"I was directly tracked by the mercenary and their hounds, so no, it wasn't your twin, and I highly doubt you even have one. And do you usually attempt to decapitate anyone who frightens you?" I reply, arching my eyebrows.

"Fine! I'll tell you what actually happened...the mercenary and I were planning to trick and kill you," she responds, her voice high and desperate.

"You really aren't helping yourself, you know," i say, rolling my eyes.

"Well, maybe I'm a little guilty...but I don't deserve to be executed!" she practically yells.

I know her assumption about her punishment could well prove justified. Robbery and attempting to murder a licensed hunter are serious offenses. However, as a hunter, i can always offer your input as to what the criminal's punishment should be. Turning my head towards her, i ask, "little frightened girl, what is your name?"

"Emilia..but why do you care?!" she says suspiciously.

"Well, Emilia,I've decided to tell the soldiers that I suggest your penalty will be

Execution." Death by the sword .

Your crimes are indeed punishable by death," i finish.

Hearing this, Emilia roars in fury, ferociously struggling against the handcuffs and kicking wildly. However, her injuries and my superior strength ensure that nothing becomes of her outbursts. Rolling my eyes, I was relieved when i finally reach the old outpost. Striding out to meet me, a soldier in uniform recognizes me, saying loudly, "Ah, what brings you here? It's been too long!"

"Business, as usual," I reply, nodding to him.

Eyeing the girl on my shoulder, the soldier offers, "Here, we'll take her off your shoulders and then we can negotiate a price. By the way, what are the rougue mercenary crimes, and what would you suggest her penalty be?"

"She broke into a civilian s property, stole his belongings, and attempted to kill me when I apprehended her. I'd suggest execution," i reply curtly.

Nodding, the soldier barks a command to his junior officers: "Throw that menace into the dungeon, and keep her light on the rations. "

Exiting the small guardhouse nearby, a couple soldiers lift the girl from my shoulder. She growls menacingly but either out of wisdom or exhaustion, she does not struggle. After I have retrieved my handcuffs, they take her into custody. Turning to me the military officer says, "Now, my standard offer for a dangerous mercenary delivered alive is about ten gold bar.

"Five gold bar will do. I'm only doing what anyone should," I say, giving him a little smile.

That's a fair price, and i tell him so.

"What? That price is ridiculous. It's far too low!" I say, waving my hands. I was just joking. Now I became serious.

Raising my voice, I continue ranting, "I had to follow this mercenary up a precarious cliff. Then, I was nearly murdered in several different ways. Her partner was dead, but I had to struggle to killed him.Then, I had to carry her for hours! And now you're only offering me ten golden bar? I'll accept no less than fifteen! If you think I'll stand for this--"

"Fine, fine," grumbles the soldier dejectedly.

Tossing me a small bag of gold bar, the man curtly waves goodbye before heading back to the outpost.

Having finished here, I head down the path towards my village. I close my eyes for a moment, reveling in my victory: defeating a mercenary who had been terrorizing local people! The serenity of the area is interrupted, though, by a foul smell of burning woods. My eyes fly open in surprise,"THE VILLAGE!"

Clearly alert now, i rush forward, ascending the hill that will allow an overview of my beloved home, DUITHAN FALLS. I lay my eyes on the scene below, and what i see sends terror flooding into my body. The buildings below wither in raging flames, and the village itself seems to be caving in. My stomach jumps into my throat at this sight, and I race down to aid my village. I reach the entrance of the ruins and opaque black smoke blinds me, burning my throat. I struggle around frantically, looking for any sign of life, when I hear someone screaming my name.

GAARA PAMEI,Gaara Pameeeei

I hear it again, but more quietly this time: "Gaara Pamei...!"

I find the source of the voice amidst a pile of burning wreckage. It is one of my friends from duithan falls: the captain of the guard. I rushed towards him, freeing him from the wreckage despite the blistering heat and carefully carrying him a safe distance away. I set him down and retrieve my water bottle from my bag, telling my apprentice, "Judas, search for survivors!"

Judas is my apprentice,a faithful one but he not a human.

He gives ms a quick nod as he launches into the air, scanning the area. I turn to Captain Avian gently pressing the water to his mouth. He attempts to drink some of the water, but merely chokes, spitting it out. Shoving it aside, he gasps in a ragged voice, "Gaara Pamei! Don't go after him!"

"What happened?" I question worriedly.

"A demon. He...appeared out of a portal from the middleworld.

He pauses, coughing violently, blood appearing on his lips. It's obvious that he is dying.

I give him comfort in his last moments, and try to figure out what happened. And try to gain as much information as possible. And I don't bother being gentle with him. But It was his duty to protect the village, and he failed miserably! What a pity I said to my self.

I hand him a moistened cloth and in I presses it to his face, then continues, "A scout spotted him and I ordered the elders and children to evacuate, but the foul devil somehow shattered all of the lamps, setting the structures afire!"

"Where are the rest of the guards?" I say, taking his hand in mine and squeezing gently.

"I sent two of them to escort the villagers to safety, and the rest of us mounted a full assault on the demon. Before we could even get close, he caved in the entire area! The other guards were swallowed into the earth. I would've died, too, but he caught me by the neck before I was sucked into the ground. Then, he pulled me close and told me that the only reason he wasn't slaying me and keeping me alive was because he wanted to spare me ." To tell the tale, as dead man won't tell the tale and neighbours will spread false news .

Avian looks at me, tears in his eyes. "I was helpless, Gaara Pamei. He threw me like a rag doll into the burning wreckage. Please, Gaara Pamei, I beg you: don't go after him! He's much too powerful. He destroyed the entire village and killed all our guards like it was child's play! I..."

The captain struggles to breathe and i tell him, "Hush, Avian. Try to rest." It will be all right.

Moments later, he finally succumbs to his injuries, dying in my arms. Horrified, i whisper, "I will avenge you, and all the other lives this demon has so maliciously destroyed...I will banish this enemy back to the middleworld Avian!"

Now I'm faced with a dilemma. The demon clearly needs to be banished, and to accomplish that i must pursue and defeat him. However, Avian and more than twenty sentries have died, with no one present but i to honor them for their courage and sacrifice. Finally, the village would likely have something of value that I could salvage.

No one else is present, and there would be no repercussions for, ahem, happening to find someone else's belongings. Besides, everything is going to burn, anyway...

I decided my time is best spent paying your respects to the deceased and then leave immediately to pursue the demon.

After everything that's happened here, i wouldn't feel right unless I have honored the men and women who gave their lives defending the village. After folding the captain's arms across his chest and shutting his eyes, i seek a suitable grave stone. Salvaging an oddly soft rock from a smoldering building, i draw my dagger from my belt and carve, "Here lie the courageous men and woman who perished fighting to protect our village from a monster. May they be remembered." into the stone.

Not knowing what else to do, I shakily stand to my feet, wiping tears from my face. Turning away from the dismal scene,I run to my rooms on the far side of the village, hoping to salvage a few crucial items from my own home. By now, my house is in complete disarray, ravaged by fire and missing large parts of the side walls.

I burst through a collapsed wall, coughing violently. I'm well aware of the danger, but i need every weapon i possess to successfully battle this demon. I reach a certain drawer and retrievey

Three tear gas grenades. I prefer to create a disturbance and make a quick escape.

Two concussion grenades. They incapacitate without wreaking total chaos and destruction grenade. It's usually not enough to kill someone, but it's certainly effective and powerful.

I retrieve my grenades from my drawer and carefully place them into my bag.Fleeing the unstable building, i escape just as a support pillar caves in behind me. I watch, motionless, as several other buildings collapse onto their foundations. Quickly, as if the fire is eager to devour Duithan Falls, the sky fills with the embers of my community. I gather the courage to leave my ravaged home behind, running through the ignited village until my chest aches andy breaths come in ragged bursts.

As I finally stop at the gate of my village, Judas returns and lands tentatively onto my Pu shoulder, professing sadly, "There were no survivors..."

I stare into space, my eyes dark. I stride forward, forcing myself not to look backwards, and utter quietly to my apprentice, "Let's find this devil," as the remainder of my home is devoured by the roaring fire behind me.

The sound of crackling wood and flames seems to follow me for miles.