Hunt

Six months ago before Chella sets foot on the surface and starts journey, there was someone who had been wandering on the borderlands for a while, all by himself. He walked and walked until he could find his loved one, he travelled places, asked people and even hitched a ride with a merchant.

On a night, he and the old merchant were camping in a ruin. The place was once a city centuries ago. The old merchant was lighting up fire while the lad was preparing some cans of food. For the night, that would be all they ate. The fire was warm yet it didn't melt the cold exterior the young man wore on the outside.

"Lad, if I remember right, you told me that it was 2 months ago when they came and took her form you."

"..."

"Don't you think you deserve a rest? What's the point worrying like that?"

"Thank you for your concern but...I must find her no matter what."

The campfire spread its light on the young man's face. He had dark-green hair thick as a small bush yet short, his eyes had the same color as well. It was unclear if the fire in his eyes were an extension of his will or a mere reflection of what he was supposed to be looking at. His mind at the moment showed a faint image of a woman with a ponytail for her hair. Wanting to stop him from his thoughts, the old but wise merchant spoke up.

"I won't force you to stop, just don't overdo yourself. I wouldn't want to see another youngling die before my eyes."

"Look, the food is overcooked now."

"Gah! Look what worrying on you made me do!"

The food was a bit burned when the merchant focus his attention on the young man. But it was still edible so they both ate it with no issues. Afterward, each of them slept on their own sleeping bag. The young man closed his eyes, again he had a dream about the ponytail girl. He saw her in front of his eyes but couldn't move an inch of his body, when he saw some bandits carrying her away he couldn't even scream. The woman had tears in her eyes as she was taken away.

"Gah!"

He woke up in the middle of the night, he looked next to him and saw the old merchant snoring peacefully as he always did at night. It wasn't the first time he had a nightmare like that, it happened every night for 2 months straight. In each of those nightmare, it would end with a huge amount of golden dust surrounding him and covering his eyes but recently that part was gone. Wanting to clear his mind, he went somewhere meters away and sat on a stone looking at the night sky as he vowed to himself to get her back.

In the next morning, both he and the old merchant woke up and continued on their path. The old man drove a small truck carrying his wares in the back. It was sunny but not too hot. The young man checked the water bag he hid inside his black leather clothing while the old man whistled to himself. They didn't say anything for the whole trip. Soon they arrived at a town full of machinery. They got off the truck and entered the town, embraced by the greetings of the mayor.

"Hello there, welcome to the humble Metaltown. What do you need here? If you want to buy a machine, then you're in the right place."

"Nah, I'm just here because I heard people frequently come around this town so I plan to sell some stuff here."

"Then let's meet in my office later. What about this lad?"

"I come to hear about...The Falcon."

"!"

What he said surprised the mayor as well as the locals that happened to eavesdrop. The Falcon was known in the underworld as the leader of a group of bandits. He had been terrorizing in the lands far West. However, a rumor was spread that he camped somewhere in the Eastern region recently. Coincidentally the one who spread it was someone hailed from Metaltown. In order to find him, he planned to wait at the said town to meet him.

The mayor became nervous and sweated a bit, he never expected someone to come here with the intended involvement with a dangerous individual. But he didn't want to look rude in front of the old man standing next to him. However the merchant himself was oblivious to the atmosphere. The mayor quickly regained his composure and led the merchant to where he worked. In the meantime, the young man would walk around town and explore a bit.

The surrounding were all filled with mechanics walking around. The town was quite lively though it didn't distract him from looking at some stands with machines displayed as trading wares. However, what he was hoping to see is an organism, a human that possessed the intel he wanted. Some sellers were trying to invite him to buy stuff but intimidated by his aloofness. In truth, he wanted to buy some but remembered that he had not a single penny in possession. The only tech he had on his body were a pocket gun and a watch on his right wrist. An A.I was installed inside the watch which he called Digit.

At night, the merchant was having fun with the mayor inside a bar while the young man was on the street looking around to see if there was anyone suspicious. He leaned on a light pillar as he watched the street with people walking around.

"You've been sleeping even less recently."

"I'm fine, Digit. My body still functions well at least."

"But you always had a nightmare every night. This could be a potential danger to the future."

"Don't be like that old man. It will work out when I will it."

As he made a brief talk with Digit he noticed someone sneaking into an alley and immediately followed him. The suspicious figure sensed someone following him and moved faster but the green haired young man wouldn't let him get away. He later cornered him by taking an alternative route. The suspicious figure was caught and had a gun aimed on his head.

"Are you the one spreading that rumor? If you want to live, tell me where you last saw The Falcon."

"I-I don't know anything."

"And yet you spread your words. Answer now or die."

"Okay, I'll talk. Last week I saw him leading his men Northeast. Maybe he decided to camp somewhere there. I swear that was all I knew, please let me go."

He let go of his captive and he immediately ran on his feet, not looking back. At least he learned that Falcon was in somewhere not to far away. He walked out of the alleyway and bumped into the drunk merchant. The mayor was leading him to his home after agreeing to let him do business in the town. The young man waved goodbye and walked away. He planned to leave the town at midnight after biding farewell to the merchant.

At midnight, while everyone else slept, he took his personal belongings out of the truck and started going on his own once again. But this time he had a hoverboard with him, it was given to him as a thank for helping the old merchant with carrying his wares. He went away from the town, riding the hoverboard under the clear night sky like a predator looking for its prey.

As he flew 5 meters above ground, he found a cave and decided to stay there for the night due to having travelled midway. He takes out a sleeping bag from his backpack and slept. The usual nightmare started once more, this time one of the shadowy figures that took his loved one away from him revealed to be a tall man wearing a red jacket with blonde hair, no other than The Falcon. He woke up again, vowing to kill Falcon for taking his woman from him.

The morning after, he continued on his path to the Northeast. He just needed to go through another haft of the path and he would arrive. Then, he arrived at the town but it was damaged just recently as he could see. Lots of people laying on the ground, wounded and those who could walk had to carry them to the town hospital. He approached a woman and asked about the situation.

"Can I have a minute? What happened here?"

"Bandits, they wrecked the town and wounded anyone standing up against them."

"What were they like?"

"Those hooligans all wore the same shirt with the symbol of a red falcon in the center."

"..."

His senses were tingling, his mind was screaming. His prey was here, The Falcon was here. Suddenly a cry for help snapped him out of his mind. A little girl was crying next to a wounded man. She told him to help her father, he carried her father to the hospital. The staffs were busy with a huge amount of patients. He left the place as he asked if someone knew where the bandits were headed.

After someone told him that they headed East, he got on his hoverboard and went Eastward. As he went further and further he felt something boiling within. He had waited for this particular day for as long as he still breathed. Soon it would be known if he was heading into the tiger's den or his enemies would face a wolf with immense bloodlust.