Pursued

"This hasn't been natural," he muttered to himself.

He had been examining the hole for hours, to look for any hint, any clue.

He was near the area when he had heard about that hole, so he had come to investigate. The level 82 bounty hunter had found nothing except tons of dirt, until he had stopped to rest on a nearby tree. There, he had realized something.

"This root has moved. Someone has made it move, and it's gotten into the hole," he deduced.

He had been frustrated at not being able to participate in the hunt for that elf, as he was far away when it was announced. The hunter had been almost glad to learn that she had escaped them, both because he still had a chance, and because others didn't get any prize.

He had been racking his head, as wondering where she could have gone, while listening to all the rumors and hints. However, either they couldn't to be trusted, or they pointed too far away to make it in time.

Yet, that hole was there only for him. The news would take a long time to get out of there. Despite being passing through a nearby city, he had barely found out by chance, when listening to a conversation between two elves who were talking in low voices. It seemed clear that it would take time to spread.

"I don't know if she has something to do with it, but that would explain why no one has found her. If she has been buried, there's nothing to do, but if she's gotten out, where has she gone?" he reflected.

It was true that he had no assurance that it was her. In fact, there were dozens of other bounty hunters examining other more or less unusual phenomena, and thinking that the elf had something to do with them. However, only he had been lucky enough to get it right.

"If she goes to the border, they'll catch her, I won't have a chance. If she's hiding around here, it'll be very difficult to find her, they're all elves. They'd even help her. Although it would also be dangerous for her. A traitor or a slip would be enough for her to be discovered. If she's managed to escape so far, I don't think she's risking that. So, where could she have gone?"

All indications suggested that she was heading to the elven kingdom, especially since that border was the most guarded. On the other hand, it was clear that it would be foolhardy to go to Engenak. Also, if she went to other areas where elves were less common, she could be more easily identified.

"Suppose she goes to Narzerlak. How will she get there? By the border, it's impossible. By climbing the mountains? That wouldn't be easy at all, and very dangerous. Wait… Maybe… There was a pass…" he kept talking to himself.

He started pulling the contents out of his backpack until he found an old map. There, the entrance to an old pass under the mountains was indicated, a dangerous pass if your level wasn't very high, but that shouldn't be any problem for him.

"It's worth a try," he told himself.

Several days later, he had reached the entrance of a cave. The hunter couldn't help but burst out laughing after discovering several tracks, including those of a feline.

"Ha, ha, ha. It's fate! The gods are with me!"

Without hesitation, he entered the cave, while pulling out a magic lamp that got stuck to his clothes.

He barely flinched when he came across a newly woven spider web, whose owner made the mistake of trying to hunt down the allegedly trapped prey.

The centipedes that attacked him lasted only a few seconds, as they were unable to face who was almost 30 levels above them. Their inert bodies were left behind, as they were abandoned by the bounty hunter. Although they had some value, he couldn't afford to waste time on them, something other predators appreciated.

He didn't even flinch when he arrived at a huge room. His only concern was to confirm when he could the footprints that were marked in some small clumps of dirt, which were found from time to time on the rock floor. A huge smile formed every time he spotted them.

"I'm getting closer and closer," he told himself.

It was when he entered a huge grotto that he could hardly contain a laugh. There was a lake there, and the ground was clay. So, the elf and lynx footprints were more than evident. Besides, they didn't look very old.

From the hole, he had pushed his endurance to the max to get there as quickly as possible, thus gaining ground day after day. He was getting closer and closer. He couldn't help but lick his lips and daydream at the juicy reward.

The hunter kept running, while following the footsteps without stopping, unaware that the lake was getting wider and wider. It wasn't until he heard a loud crash that he turned toward the water. Just an instant later, two powerful fireballs slammed into the wall, one ahead and one behind him, though at a further distance than Goldmi's.

He gulped as he discovered the two heads of the mighty being which were staring at him.

"You're not a visitor, are you?" asked a head.

"No, no, majestic being. I'm not. I didn't want to disturb you. I'll be leaving right away," the terrified bounty hunter replied.

"Sure? You better not lie," it wanted to make sure.

"Sure!"

It was then that a cold and cruel smile appeared on each of the heads, the eyes of which seemed to sparkle with anticipation.

"It's good that it's so. The other has been frustrating," said the second head, in a tone that expressed fierce joy.

The bounty hunter felt a deep chill at the words and looks from those two heads. Knowing that he was in danger, he activated his skill to increase speed, and started running in the direction the footsteps indicated.

However, the distance that separated him from the exit not only seemed immense, but it was. An unexpected wave pushed him against the stone wall, and drenched him.

He tried to react by getting to his feet and pushing himself forward again, but a huge jaw closed on him. The head of the hydra lifted him, with half its body out that still seemed to be resisting and kicking.

"Hey! I want it too!" the other head protested.

It pounced on the first one, so digging its teeth into the protruding half. They both stretched him, thus fighting over the food that would eventually reach the same body, until finally their victim split in two.

Each of the heads rushed to secure their share, to not waste the dripping blood, to savor a delicious delicacy they rarely had access to, and to ignore the bloody scene they had starred in.