First decision: Those wearing black

"Oh, the children! ... Children never grow up, either they are slaughtered ... or they are enslaved, caught between death and dreams... But with dreams ... despair follows, with hatred and fear, men will fall, blood will rain, and then ... the ravens ...will hunt and feast, the owls will starve and Scavengers will wait ... in the midst of all it, more children will be born straight from this madness, the hunger-borns, more to be slaughtered, more to be enslaved, but never ... to grow up.... Oh! The hunger-borns"

These words were carved on the trunk of an antient, great, pale and leafless tree, Water droplets clung to its branches exactly like crystal clusters of grapes. This kind of trees is called the sobbing trees, and standing before it, there was a man reading this aloud, he wore sunglasses, and despite being in his early thirties, they called him''Jasper the Old Man". 

Nearby, an old guy and four young men listened. And just like Jasper, they were bounty hunters, dressed in all-black cowboy outfits with dog tag chains bearing their names, they were quiet and stoic, saving their energy.

the old guy approached jasper and asked:" you sure we will find 'em in this town? we done come a long way... "

Jasper smirked: "aw! come on now chief, I have been trackin' preys for almost ten years, you know that …"

"And yet, you still ain't got no title, no fame. Like a damn loser." the chief said.

Jasper chuckled nervously: "well, guess I tracked down more than I hunted"

Then The Chief glanced at one of the younger men, a blond fifteen years old boy was sitting apart staring at the ground, the old man asked again: "what's goin' on with the creepy kid you brought along, he said no word all the damn trip."

Jasper said: "Miss Katlyn gave me a job, said the boy needs some trainin' ..."

"Aw hell, I know that dumbass, I get paid to train hunters "the old man interrupted "I'm askin' what's wrong with him, not why he's here "

Jasper shrugged :" I was getting' into that … miss Katlyn told me he only talk when we want him to do."

The Chief whistled sharply, getting the attention of the others. "time to go" .The group stood up and followed. Without another word, they headed toward the town ahead.

*****

It was noon when little Lucy sat by the window. After a few moments, she noticed her older brother "Jackson" sneaking around the house, approaching her carefully. He was hiding a beer bottle under his shirt, exciting to share this new experience with his sister …or at least, that's what he thought.

"Where did you get this?" she asked, looking at the bottle suspiciously.

Jackson glanced around nervously before whispering in her ear, "Dad gave it to me... told me to leave him alone."

Lucy warned: "you can't drink that; you are only seven"

"of course, I can and you can too" he said

"Mom will kill you if she catches you drinking that," Lucy said.

"Only if she finds out," Jackson smirked. " you won't tell her, will you?"

Little did he know, their mother was already standing behind him. A pregnant woman with one eye, she had seen the bottle the moment he pulled it. she went mad as she grabbed him by the cheek.

"Where the hell did you get that, Jackson?" she interrogated.

Even under pressure, Jackson is no snitch. He refused to answer.

"Leave him, Ma!" Lucy shouted. "Dad gave it to him!"

The moment she heard these words, without hesitation, she grabbed both her children by the wrists and headed straight to the town bar like a raging bull. Gorgie was a crippled, drunken, gambling addict, and right now, he is playing a game of blackjack with his friends at the bar. One of the men stood up and walked over to the waiter, ordering a glass of rum.

"Bring one for me, will ya?" another gambler shouted.

"Make it two!" called another.

"Hell, make it three!" added a third.

A total of four glasses were ordered. As the man was heading back to his group, he spotted the mother and her kids approaching the bar. He smirked and looked at the table.

"Oy!, Gorgie!" he shouted. "you're in trouble boy! your wife's here!"

One of the men chuckled mockingly. "Oh, come on, what's he gonna do? Run?"

The table burst in laughter.

Another man raised the stakes. "Hell, he can barely walk!"

A third one smirked. "Stop it, you jerks. Can't ya see he's tryin' to remember what he done this time?"

Gorgie was already fed up with friends. "Cut it out, bastards. Play it cool now." He said.

The men laughed, but they calmed as the woman entered the bar. They greeted her, but she ignored them, walking toward her husband, ready to make a scene.

The whole bar watched, amused, laughing as the argument between Gorgie and his wife escalated. Within seconds, both of them were yelling madly at each other. The mother still holding both of her kids ,the boy was embarrassed, hugging his crying sister .

She called Gorgie every name in the book, a bastard, an irresponsible scumbag and he throw back insults, calling her a whore, a stupid cow, and worse.

One of the gamblers drunk his glass in one shot, then stood up, grinning as he looked toward the raging woman.

"Well, well, easy now," he said mockingly, "you know Gorgie better than anyone. Why be mad at him? Just call it a day and go home. We'll take care of this. usually, I'd say close an eye and pretend nothin' happened, but, well... you're already halfway there!"

The bar erupted into laughter as the woman's face twisted with fury. Without a second thought, she slapped him, the man's grin faded. He raised his hand as if to strike her back, when suddenly… BANG!.

The man dropped dead…Another gunshot rang out…Gorgie collapsed, dead on the floor…Three bandits stormed into the bar. It was a robbery,"Everyone on the ground! Now!" one of them barked.

A man in the bar tried to reach for his gun, but he never got the chance. One of the bandits pointed his finger at him, and suddenly, his eye popped right out of his skull, rolling onto the floor. The man screamed in agony and pain as blood poured down his face.

The same bandit which is the leader stepped forward "I ain't sayin' it twice…we're armed, we got powers, and we ain't playin'…if anyone moves, they die."

Each of the three bandits pulled out empty sacks. The leader ordered "Fill 'em up. Money, jewelry, anything of value.", While outside there was a fourth bandit stood guarding.

they had powers unlike ordinary folk here, in fact ,in this world , the only way to get powers is to verify some conditions , which most people don't .

desperation filled the air as the bandits moved through the crowd, collecting their loot, the patrons of the bar didn't dare resist, they simply handed over their money and valuables, knowing there was no other choice, across the bar…

The mother held her two crying kids tightly, her breath quick but hard. One of the thieves approached her, shoving a gun in her face and tossing a bag at her feet.

"Fill it," he ordered.

She had nothing to give. Trembling, tears dropped as she cried and begged , offering herself in exchange of leaving her kids be…

But then…silence…fell in the bar…the kind that makes you forget how to breath...an absolute silence … except for a faint rattle of chains, the steady clatter of heels...everyone knew what's next, fear turned into pure terror, and on the thieves' faces, it tripled…somewhere in the room, a whisper cut through the dread.

"The Ravens… The Ravens are here."

Before anyone could react, a thief dropped dead….

Gunfire followed …

Glass exploded as four figures jumped in through the broken windows…

 the other two robbers run for the door, but only the bandit leader who could get out alive, that when he joined the last thief who stood guarding and flee away…

The men who entered wore long black coats, dusted from the trail. Their boots were worn, their belts lined with weapons, and dog tags hung from their necks. Bounty hunters…The Ravens.

Their leader , the old raven stepped forward, calm and collected: "Cut off their heads. Put 'em in bags." He ordered one of the young hunters who nodded and got to work, cutting the thieves heads.

Then he turned to the other two and said: "check all the corpses and Loot whatever's valuable. Even the intact parts." And they got to work...

He glanced toward the other side of the bar, his gaze landing on the mother and her two kids. The moment their eyes met, she froze…but only for a second, she shoved her children toward him, her body trembling.

"They're yours! Do whatever you want with them, just leave me alone!" she cried.

The leader crouched down, studying the siblings closely. He examined them from head to toe, checking for scars, missing limbs, or any unusual features. He frowned as he found a scar on the boy's neck.

Then he laughed…a deep, satisfied chuckle after examining the girl. He straightened up, his amusement clear. "Well, well. The girl is a winning ticket to a decent life in the capital of Ravens." The old raven said, then as he glanced at the woman's belly "And if the third one turns out like her, even better.", the woman finally relaxed, and she laughed as her kids still in shock of her sacrificing them.

Moments later, the front door of the tavern creaked open, and a fifth hunter stepped inside. He was wearing sunglasses, a cigarette dangling from his lips. It was "Old Jasper". Taking a final drag, he put out the cigarette and walked up to his leader.

"The other two bandit got away," he said casually.

Before the leader could snap at him, Jasper continued, "Relax, old man. The new boy went after them."

The leader frowned. " the new boy? You gotta be jokin'!, you sent the creepy kid."

Jasper pulled out a chair, sat down, and smirked. "I'm dead serious."

***

The two criminals had bolted into a field of tall, dry grass, creeping as far away as possible. The stalks were high enough to hide a grown man.

 the thieves tensed as they felt something moved in the grass. It was fast, too smooth and too quiet . The movement was malicious, no... predatory, like a wolf on the hunt. But there were no wolfs here…only stalking death … The criminals froze, gripping their guns, getting ready for the fight.

***

Back in the bar, the leader slammed a fist on the table. "What in the hell is the rookie goin' to do?"

Jasper stood, strolled over to the bartender, and snatched a bottle of rum from his hands. "Hunt," he said, uncorking the bottle. "Isn't that why I brought him?"

the leader exhaled sharply, trying to convince himself. "Maybe... but I'm not going to risk it. I should send the others."

Jasper placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "No. You won't." He took a swig from the bottle and smirked. "Miss katlyn said the boy is a hunting machine. I don't think he needs your doubt."

***

A tense silence stretched through the field. The only sounds were the wind and rustling grass. The thieves held their breaths, fingers on their triggers.

Then…BANG!

The bandit leader cried out as a bullet tore through his right hand, forcing him to drop his gun. He barely had time to register the pain before panic set in. They couldn't tell where the shot had come from…

At that moment, they realized, hiding in the field was a terrible idea…whoever was hunting them could see through the grass.

Without hesitation, they bolted for the edge of the field.

***

As Jasper poured two glasses, The old raven stared into his drink. "You're putting a lot of faith in him, who the hell is this kid to you? Or to Katlyn?"

 "No one. I've only met him twice, once five years ago, once five days ago." jasper swirled the drink in his hand. "As for Kaytlen... hell if I know."

***

Somehow, they made it out of the tall grass alive… but the moment they did…

"Stop!"

A young voice rang out behind them.

The two bandits turned slowly, And then, the boy came out of the grass…dressed in black, heavy boots, golden hair catching the dim light, cold, dead blue eyes staring them down.

He walked forward, slow yet menacing.

The leader twitched, trying to raise his left hand. His partner aimed his gun.

But The boy fired first, striking both before they could react, leaving them clutching their wounded hands.

Then, suddenly… the leader laughed…

the boy cleared his throat:"Uhm… exc… excuse me, sir… I mean…wait, no, that's not right…"

He fumbled over his words, nervous and unsure. But after a deep breath, he tried again.

"Y-you two… please surrender. I don't want to kill you…that would lower the bounty on your heads. A-and I w-would really appreciate your cooperation…"

***

The old raven downed his drink, taking the bottle from Jasper. "the boy must have some insane power, then?"

Jasper squinted, trying to recall. "Not that I know of."

The leader paused mid-drink. "Wait, what?"

Jasper, unbothered, took the bottle back. "No. He got no powers."

***

The bandit leader's laughter died down as he sneered:"You shouldn't have stepped out of the dry grass, you bastard."

He crouched, brushing his hand over the ground founding a few green plants. A smirk crossed his face.

"The roots of the Sobbing Tree end where you stand… and where you stand… it's your end"

The second bandit smirked and let out a sharp whistle.

From nowhere, a beast lunged out of the darkness, snatching the boy in an instant, and throwing him at the field…

***

The old raven nearly choked. "You're telling me I left my damn dinner in the hands of a kid, I could sent anyone beside him?!"

Jasper sighed, rubbing his temple. "Relax, you idiot. Katlyn sent him with us. If he screws up, it's on her."

***

A hideous abomination of a creature throwed the boy into the field. It looked like a mix of crocodile, human, and some kind of furry beast … a disgusting mix.

The beast dashed through the tall grass, charging to finish the job.

The boy hit the ground hard, but he got up just as fast, ignoring the pain. Brushing the dust off his coat, he let out a sigh

"So… being dead it is. Alright then," he said casually.

He reloaded his gun, the mag marked with the words "Kraujo Ašaros." Then, tightening a belt around his right arm, he steadied himself.

The beast spotted him, then…it pounced.

A single gunshot rang out…

A screech of agony…

The thieves snapped their attention forward…only to see a dark figure dropping onto the beast's back, dragging it down every time it tried to rise.

***

"Screw up!!" the old raven shouted "you sent a normal human being…and you expect him to just screw up !!"

Jasper stare at the old man: "I never said he's normal"

***

The leader, despite his injury, tried to use his power one more time. He raised his trembling hand toward the boy…

But he missed…

A sickening tear filled the air as the beast's head was ripped apart. Its body collapsed to the ground.

the two thieves scrambled toward their fallen beast…only to find its severed head lying in a pool of dark blood. The creature's body twitched, spasming as its nerves failed, leaving a circle of flattened grass.

and by standing in exposed area, the rustling around them returned…quick, erratic, impossible to track.

The criminals turned left, then right, panicked. Their eyes darted wildly, but they saw nothing…

Without warning, a leather belt shot from the grass like a striking snake, wrapping around the leader's neck and yanking him into the tall grass. His partner barely had time to react before his companion vanished.

The last thief stood frozen. His body refused to move.

Then…a severed head rolled to his feet.

His partner's lifeless, hollow eyes stared up at him. A soundless scream formed in his throat.

Fear. Helplessness. Isolation.

The crushing weight of the unknown.

He finally lost it.

***

"What do you mean he's not normal?" the old man asked

Jasper stare at him "well, when Kaytlen talked about him, she talked casually like the boy is going on a trip... like the kid is already experienced with hunting" 

***

the criminal fired wildly at everything… at the shifting grass, at crawling insects, at the clouds above. He screamed , screamed like a deaf man desperately trying to hear his own voice.

Click…his ammunition ran out.

And then…the boy stepped out of the grass, with bloody hands..

The thief fell backward, scrambling away, his breath ragged, his eyes locked onto those cold, lifeless blue orbs.

Then…a sound behind the boy.

He turned…the headless corpse of the beast was standing.

For a moment, relief flickered in the bandit eyes. He let out a shaky, delirious laugh, thinking he was saved.

Crack!…The boy broke his leg, the thief screamed in agony, he wont run nowhere now.

The boy turned his back to him…his gaze now fixed on the beast…

***

"So, you are saying the boy only need tutoring about the job!" the old raven exclaimed

***

"DAMN YOU!!" the thief cried.

The headless beast somehow can spot the boy.

He fired a shot…but the monster didn't flinch.

It charged...The boy dodged, then jumped back to create space.

"How is it moving without senses?" he thought.

The beast rushed him again. He leaped into the tall grass to hide, but the creature still tracked him effortlessly.

It swung…he dodged,then…an upward slash.

The beast's claws tore through his chest.

The impact sent him sprawling backward, blood soaking his coat…a deep wound split across his torso.

But…he got up…like nothing happened.

His fingers curled around a black steel dagger at his belt. He drew it.

***

Inside the bar, the old raven took the bottle from Jasper's hand and threw it on the ground and shoved him: "None of this makes sense! Katlyn had never sent anyone! and there is no way, you don't know what's going on here!!"

Jasper, looked at the broken bottle with sadness and raised his hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. All I know is…"

***

The fight continued…dodge, swing, stab.

Then,the boy noticed something…the beast was slower to react when he attacked from behind,where its back fur was wet with blood.

But it still found him…too fast, too precise.

"Reflexes? No, it can't be" the boy thought to himself

Then,it hit him…he figured it out.

The monster wasn't sensing him with sight or sound…its fur.

Like an insect's bristles, the beast's body was covered in specialized hairs,detecting humidity changes and air pressure.

The boy pulled out his water flask and splashed the creature.

Not enough to blind it… enough to confuse it.

The beast froze…disoriented.

The boy walked forward slowly.

Then…he plunged his dagger straight into its heart.

***

"She owns him" jasper said

***

The boy returned back to the criminal who was crawling away.

the boy stepped on the criminal's chest with his foot and put the muzzle of his gun to his head pushing it to the ground.

he thief cried out, "Alive! Alive! I surrender! I'm choosing to cooperate!!"

"Nein" said the boy, his voice devoid of emotion, simply replied "Niemand kann zweimal frei entscheiden"

***

Back in the tavern, Jasper lit another cigarette.

"Yes…" As he struck a match ,he muttered. "He is a slaved hunter."

The sound of a gunshot echoed in the distance.

Everyone in the tavern turned toward the sound.

Jasper glanced the old raven.

"Well," he said, smirking. "Looks like you'll have your dinner after all."

But before jasper could take a drag, the cigarette slipped from his fingers, the ember falling onto the table.

***

the boy didn't take a good breath yet …but the beast's corpse… stood for the second time…