Peace be with you, Soul Devine

500 years ago, humanity was erased from the world, leaving only the monsters and cursed to roam the lands. At least, that was how Ender remembered it after the accident. During the first four years, he had lived alone in his village, not bothering to look for other people, and tried to understand just what gift he was given.

It took him a while, and a few bruises, but he had figured out what he could do; teleportation. Depending on where he wanted to go, he could teleport to the location. However, he had to keep the location in his head, otherwise he would appear somewhere else, like on top of a tree. Yeah, no that was painful.

Ender sighed as he walked around the forest with his crossbow, glancing at his acting major general, Shozu, in front of them. It was all too sudden, but somehow he had been found by other cursed people after one of them tried to set fire to his own house.

The moment they noticed him, they had taken him to the "city of curses" if he remembered correctly, also named Hunachai. After they learned of his gift, they decided to make him a hunter, someone who killed the cryptiens that roamed the Earth.

It took him around 300 years, but he managed to earn himself a lieutenant rank, though he still preferred to stay out of the battlefield as much as he could. That was another thing that confused him; along with the fact his body would heal his injuries faster, Ender also didn't age after 20 years.

He assumed it was a rare gift, until he noticed everyone amongst the city had the same ability after around 20 as well, so he didn't pay much attention to it. One of his teammates spoke up, Tyler, he believed. "So uh, how much further is the other team, major- ?"

Oh, yes there was one thing Ender learned not to do when he was with the acting lieutenant- general. Shozu stopped walking and turned around, giving Tyler an icy glare while not saying a word. Never ask them any questions while on duty. "Terrence, was it?" Oh, so he was wrong, huh. "I thought it was clear when I picked you that you were only here to help me search for the others, and if the case, kill any cryptiens that interfere with our job. Nothing more."

They took a step towards Terrence, their eyes never leaving the staff sergeant. "Unless I'm missing something, keep your mouth shut until I say you can speak again. Understand?" Terrence quickly nodded and looked to the side. It was rare to see Shozu calm, much less happy.

But no one cared and they continued walking through the forest looking for a team. In short, a group of hunters had gone missing and since too many others were busy at the moment, only four of them could help the lieutenant- general. Ender just kept looking around until he smelled something awful.

On instinct, he and the others covered his nose and looked around to find it's source. "Well . . ." Shozu began and they continued walking. "I suppose it will just be us four leaving this forest alive." Confused, they followed him, and as Ender did, he regretted his decision.

Bodies lay all over the area, limbs torn apart, guts spilling out. The red-head stared at each one carefully. Why he forced himself to do that he never knew. He glanced at one of the hunters on the ground with their torso ripped open, the entrails glistening in the faint sunlight like fresh meat, the blood only disgusting him more. Another one that was lying nearby was missing his head, the bone sticking out of the red, distorted, bloody flesh.

Ender felt something fall on his cheek, and when he went to clean it, he saw red on his fingers. Blood. The red-head looked up immediately and stared in horror at the bodies hanging up there, like wind chimes that would hang out on the porches of most houses in the city. He saw the head that was missing, torn halfway and stuck onto a branch, the wood jutting out of one of their eyes as the face cried out blood in silence.

Many of the former hunters up in the trees were missing limbs; some of them without arms, others without legs. He heard a snap come from behind him and heard Farhan, another hunter amongst them, yelp as a body came crashing down and painting blood all over the ground and Ender's back.

Shozu just looked around nonchalantly, barely sparing a glance at the body that fell and sighed. "Regardless if they're dead, we still need to bring them back to the city."

"What for?!" Terrence yelled, terrified. "To traumatize the others?!"

The white-haired hunter looked at the brunet coldly, an emotionless look casted upon their face. "Well we can't just bury them here now can we? They may have been terrible in battle, but they deserve a proper burial, and with the other hunters. Now, I need-"

A growl could be heard nearby, shutting up the lieutenant- general. They all looked ahead and froze at the sight of the cryptien in the distance, as it roared and clawed at the ground, furious. Shozu just walked towards it, tugging their rubber gloves off and pulling out a pistol.

"What is he doing?" Farhan whispered to Ender.

"I think," He stared at his superior as they raised the gun to the air and shot at the sky three times. "I think he's trying to agitate it."

"Why-?" He couldn't finish his sentence as another roar erupted from the cryptien and charged at them. Shozu just kept walking, putting his pistol away while watching the cryptien before bursting into a sprint. The cryptien jumped and started running on all fours, raising it's hand in the air once it was within reach. The lieutenant- general crouched and skidded across the dirt, raising their glove-free hand and setting the cryptien's belly aflame.

The cryptien screeched loudly and thrashed over the ground, banging into trees and knocking them over as it tried to remove the fire. In the distance, Ender could see Shozu putting his rubber gloves on and pulling out his pistol, aiming at the cryptien's head, the faint sound of a gunshot heard as the bullet broke through the skin and shattered the skull, putting the monster to sleep.

The lieutenant- general looked attentively at the body, before looking at the three hunters. "Farhan." The young hunter looked scarily calm and listened carefully. "I need you to help me pick up the bodies here so we can bury them in the city." They looked at Terrence and Ender. "You two, check the area together. If I find out you went separate ways and one of you got killed, I will bury you where you died so no one can find you. Got it?"

The two of them nodded quickly, still scared of the white-haired hunter. "Good. Get to it then." Terrence immediately walked past them and the cryptid, the red-head following closely behind.

After a while of walking, the brunet spoke up. "You go that way, and I'll go this way."

"Wait what-" Ender began.

"Don't worry!" He smiled and gave the red-head a thumbs up. "If one of us gets in trouble we can holler out to the other. That way we can keep each other safe and Shozu won't know we split up!"

"I don't think-"

"Great! See ya!" Before Ender could actually get his opinion, Terrence disappeared, leaving him alone.

In a forest filled with cryptiens.

With nothing but a crossbow and limited arrows.

"We're so screwed."