CHAPTER 3

Zephyr observes the group as much as he can. 

He identifies the assassin's weapon, a katana, which was commonly used in more eastern cultures generations ago. Only experts such as blacksmiths should be able to build and dig out these weapons, considering they have the monopoly on the market in this continent. The other way would be to export it from its original country by illegal means. After all, the United States, at least what's left of it, lost all forms of contact with outside civilization. Only Canada keeps its borders opened, but only under scarce conditions. Those details remain fuzzy, even for Zephyr.

The young man deduces that the assassin himself is far from peak condition. He runs fast, but something about his left leg feels awkward, almost like he hurt himself during the chase. The three animals are interesting but are even more fascinating when Zephyr looks at the doctor. The weird outfit and aesthetic makes it hard for him to identify the scientist. His motives on the other hand are obvious.

While Zephyr analyzes the situation, Riley finally arrives at destination, now a few meters nearby the edge of the daunting Bottomless Pit.

Its name really fits the description: like a giant crack on the surface of the earth that stretches for miles away. Its grandiosity is apparent when you are that close to it. Many went down into the pit. No one ever made it back, as far as legends go. What is inside stays a complete mystery to humanity. It's all just speculations.

The pit's exterior offers enough food for thought on its own. The more we approach the pit, the more sand turns to solid ground again, like a canyon sitting next to a desert. Some alien-looking pillars at the edge of the pit greets the observer but touching them will cause one to die, for reasons yet to be understood. They are a dozen times the size of a human being. Exposure to these artefacts put a halt on research and frightened enough to step away from the pit. Some have theorized that there's an abnormal concentration of radioactive waste, which causes the pillars themselves to be hazardous. Because of this, on top of the current state of the American continent, science has yet to decipher the truth behind them, if science can even be considered a factor at all. 

What is also threatening is the giant box that is installed near the edge as well. Doctor Riley stares at the thing with an awe inspired look in his eyes, as if he discovered the most precious artifact in his life.

It's a giant mechanical elevator, and Riley, even in his near-death state, is more than ready to take this bad boy for a spin to the Bottomless Pit. 

As he's about to press the button to open the door of this clearly broken machine, the bounty hunter arrives to confront that thought process.

"Doctor, If I were you, I would step away from this thing, now." Asserts the assassin with a menacing tone to his voice.

The doctor is so tired, the assassin can hear the pain in his voice when he breathes in and out. He's bending over to help his lungs grasp fresh air, but today is dry inside the borders.

"Damn it...Don't you know when to quit? Well...I will...find a way to...to make you taste defeat! I know you're not dumb enough to jump...into the depths blind folded, at least not for a quick buck!" Retorts the scientist about to die of exhaustion.

"Your point being?"

"Unlike you, I am prepared! I have...a special transportation device that only I know how to activate from the inside!"

The doctor, with the energy left in his gas tank, stands up and points, with the arrogance left in his arrogance tank, at the elevator that is two steps away from collapsing. The animals look at their master with genuine concern.

"I shouldn't care about your shit, but what the hell is that?"

"Are you blinded by your helmet!? This...This is an elevator!"

"We have different definitions of what an elevator is. That thing looks too dangerous to look at. I can see rust, broken tiles, and shattered glass from here."

"Silence! This is ingenuity and hard work that… that no one should have the right to criticize! I am… I am so close to reaching my goal, my purpose!"

"Ingenuity, hard work, purpose. Those are cute words. They won't help you run away from me." Finishes the assassin, while getting from his sheath the katana that will slay the doctor.

The hunter slowly advances towards Riley. He's good at hiding it, but he too benefits from this slowdown, limping on his left leg. The fact that he's forcing himself to run despite the damage shows his dedication to this quick buck.

Maybe he's too dedicated.

Other missions, if going to that scale, would have been a waste of time the moment he got himself injured. He would abandon ship, snatching another contract when his wounds are healed.

This is different.

Yes, this contract is paying handsomely, a grand five million dollars. In the hunter's mind, this is beyond the money. There is another motive that drives him to pursue this man as hard as he does. He himself can feel his fist clenching the katana in a way he hasn't done in a while. The last stretch of the expedition is in front of him, and he refuses to bend until that god forsaken scientist is dead.

"Hey! Pick on someone who can fight!" Screams Zephyr.

The boy reaches the edge of the pit before anyone has to die.

He drops his supplies on the ground and gets ready for a duel. He unlocks this unorthodox weapon from its specialized sheath made of metal and locks. The young man is pressing switches and buttons on this bizarre invention with such calm and finesse. It perplexes the hunter, who got caught daydreaming and turns around, surprised to be even challenged by a brat.

The two of them assesses each other.

"Okay. And you are?" Asks the hunter.

"The name is Zephyr. I got curious of your identity, as well as the reasons you're playing catch in the middle of a deserted area."

"Ha! Says the random ass kid who walks around with baggage near the Bottomless Pit. What, you live in that dumpster fire behind you or something?"

"I do. If you have issues regarding that 'dumpster fire', you talk to me about it."

This boy is serious. Barely a head and a half shorter than the assassin, this young blacksmith shows gusto. With that same tone, Zephyr completes the unlocking of his unorthodox sword. It seems mechanical, unrefined, and raw like pure iron. Gigantic, akin to a claymore. A teenager this blacksmith's size should not be able to wield something that heavy. A thick black layer coats the blade, and a large lighter is attached to the back of the weapon. Zephyr is ready for a fight. The assassin is not in the mood to deal with that obstacle.

"Look, I don't care for the reasons why you're going down there, but you better pack your stuff and go home. Your family wouldn't want your death by the hands of this guy." The assassin states as he readies his katana.

Zephyr barely reacts to this threat, if only for a grin before getting in battle position. 

The hunter is on his guard, confused by this child who can stand in this life-or-death situation without fear in his dark, sparkling orange eyes. 

Idiots walking around with a poker face, thinking they can get the best of him, is one type of scum the assassin despises. All of this progress and the goal post is going to be scrapped by some desert junky? Absolutely not. This Zephyr punk or whatever he's called can interfere in this conversation and claim to be toe-to-toe with the hunter all he wants. This doesn't justify his outrageous behaviour, not so close to finishing the contract. Under the helmet, the bounty hunter is angry and grimacing, ready to beat this kid until he falls unconscious, if it means getting to the doctor's heart.

Meanwhile, the doctor's attention is focused elsewhere. He is trying to understand why this busted elevator no longer works. Sure, it obviously got a few loose screws and a ton of dust piled in its mechanics. Hell, the brown-ish, almost black rust everywhere should be a solid indicator that this option is down for the count. Sadly, that's all the scientist remembers of Gallows which is intact.

He and the Gallows Knights built this thing! 

It's not just about pride. It's also bringing him back lots of memories he treasures, some more then others, while digging regrets and guilt buried six feet under. The last straw that breaks the camel's back is this elevator's state. It needs to work! It needs the ability to pull one last breath, one swan song that will send this brave scientist into an array of discoveries and amazement!

Alas, the elevator is dead, functionless. 

The only thing that works is the door and even then, it barely opens before stopping a third of the way.

The doctor shifts from joyful to hopeless. There is no other way to get inside the pit without jumping straight into the abyss of rock and death. The denial he expresses under his surgical mask is palpable, tears of sorrow are coldly leaking from his goggles, running through his cheeks.

Nil the cat looks at its master with a wistful look on its face and starts rubbing the poor Riley on the lower back of his leg with its left paw. 

Urth is Urth: a frog that couldn't care less about its creator's plight, as it is just watching this insane view of where the pit could finish. It can barely tell anything because it's been gifted with the worst eyesight of the trio.

The only one curious about the battle is Eylventh, who is flying around the warriors behind its master in a puzzled fashion, circling around atop of them as they already jumped into fighting.