A Hunter's Tale, goldfishlover [electric book reader .TXT] 📗

you. Eventually. Besides, there’s more in it for you than a sack of gold coins and a magic map. Don’t you wish to know where you came from? Who your father was? Why your mother died?” That bastard, a little devil caged in the very back of my mind snarled.
“Don’t you dare bring my family into this!” I growled. I became a demon hunter because of my family. When I was little, demons took my mother away from me. They left me to die on the streets of Selentia. It wasn’t long before a woman came to my rescue and offered me a place to stay, a job to make a living, and food to eat. At first I was grateful, for her so called ‘generosity’, and as the years went by, I grew to hate the woman that made me call her “Master.” When I was old enough to leave that nest of Hell, I made a vow to avenge my mother’s death by seeking out and killing every demon I saw. I became a mercenary along the way. A girl has to make a living somehow and what better way than to kill those that threatened to stop me in my quest for justice? And though my career was based on a decision that revolved around my family, I didn’t like it when my clients brought them up. My family was my business; not theirs.
Samuel hid a slight smile. “Yes, I see. I know you’re curious. The very mentioning of your family makes your blood boil, doesn’t it?”
“How do you know my family?” I hissed. “Dammit, tell me or I won’t hesitate to kill you where you stand!” My knife was out and pointed at Samuel’s chest before he could do so much as blink.
Samuel nodded. “Fine. I’ll tell you, but if only you accept the mission. Feel free to decline… if you wish to forever live your life in the dark as little girl who knows nothing of her family. It’s your choice.” He sat down at the table and motioned for me to do the same. “Have a seat if you accept the mission. If not, take your things to the spare room, where you may stay for the night. I expect you gone in the morning.”
Dammit, I thought I was good at bartering. “What about the mission then? It’s obviously important to you. A blind man could see that.” I growled.
Samuel chuckled. “Observant, aren’t you? You needn’t worry about that; it’s none of your concern. I’ll simply find someone else to take on this mission, though I will be rather disappointed; you are the best there is.”
“I’m going to kick myself in the ass for this, but, what the hell. I’ve nothing to lose. If I die, I die. If I win, I get a sack of gold coins, a magic map, some life threatening injuries, and information that’s just going to bring me heartache.” I sat down in the nearest chair.
“Thank you.” Samuel said.
“Don’t thank me yet. Now tell me about my family before I change my mind.”
This was going to be a long night.
Chapter 8

“

L

isten to me Victoria,” My mother said, holding my chin in her strong, yet delicate fingers, “Very soon, too soon, I’m afraid, I must leave you. There are bad people after you- because you are a very strong, very special person- but I’d rather die than give you away. I’d rather Ageria crumble to pieces than give you away to bad people. Promise me, Victoria, that you will never be a bad person. Promise that you’ll always do the right thing- even if means going against other people.” I nodded as best as I could, and tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall down my face.
“Please mommy, please! Don’t leave me!” No matter how hard I tried, my body betrayed me and the tears I had been holding in for so long cascaded down my cheeks like miniature waterfalls. But my mother wiped them away and held me close to her breast, just as she did when I was a baby. Despite her kind and loving words, I refused to accept the truth and denied the inevitable.
“There, there, don’t cry. If it were my choice, I’d rather burn at the stake than leave you to fend for yourself. The world, I’m afraid, is a dangerous place. But you are strong- you are special. You will find salvation. You’ll find others, just like you, who will love and protect you. This is my promise to you.”
“Mommy, why do you have to go?” I sobbed into her shoulder.
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you, Victoria. But when the time is right, you will know. If ever we meet again- and I’m positive we will, one day when the world is safe- I will tell you everything.”
“Where will I go?”
She stroked my hair, patted my back, and said calmly, “I don’t know. That’s what I’m scared of. But I believe in you. You’ll find salvation; I promise. Someone, somewhere will take you in and they’ll love and protect you with their lives. Everything will be alright, Victoria.” We stayed like that for the rest of the night, crying, sniffling, and making false promises that neither of us could keep.

She failed to keep her promises and at the same time, I failed to keep mine. I’ve killed, stole, coveted, lied… I did a good number of things I, nor my mother, would ever be proud of. Setting my flashback aside, I directed my attention to Samuel. “I accept your mission. Now tell me more about my family before I change my mind.”
Samuel grinned, exposing straight, white teeth- a trait unheard of in any human. “Yes. Where do I begin? Your family tree is complicated, I’m afraid.”
“Tell me about my father. Who was he? Is he dead? Why have I never met him?” I asked.
“A respectable question. A dark and twisted man, if man at all he was. Your father was what you would call a Necromancer. He held power among the Skell Marshes in the South. He ruled with an iron fist and struck fear in the hearts of his people. Those who threatened to oppose him, he killed. Well, killed wouldn’t be an appropriate word… let me rephrase that: those who threatened to oppose him, he tortured to death. Slowly and painfully, prolonging their agony for years before he saw fit to kill them.”
“How did you know my father?”
Samuel hesitated for a moment. “He… he… he was my brother. I pleaded with your mother, begged her to stay way from Cyrus, but, she wouldn’t listen to me. She was so stubborn… she insisted that there was a soft spot in his heart and that she could find it.” He rested his head in his hands in a universal symbol of defeat. Realization, like a demon hell-bent on destroying everything he could get his hands on, hit me. At first, there was nothing. After getting over the initial shock, I felt a very sharp pain in my chest that gradually descended to my stomach until I felt as though I would throw up. I held the bile and my tears, back. I didn’t like crying- but I could yell.
“That means… you’re my uncle… and you knew my mother…” I paused for a long time, composing myself, holding back the tears and loud choking sobs that would engulf my body and leave me crying on the floor, a crumpled mess, and hollow shell of my former self. When I was positive I wouldn’t cry, I continued, “Dammit! Where were you when I needed you? Where were you when those demons took my mother? I could’ve used your help! I was seven years old when they took her away from me. They left me to fend for myself on the streets. Dammit, they took more than my mother; they took my childhood, they took my chance a normal life! If you knew me where were you?”
Samuel shook his head no. “You don’t understand; Victoria, I didn’t know anything until it was too late! I was in Gallia when I received news that Cyrus’s lover- your mother- was pregnant. I did not know if you were a boy or girl. I did not know if Cyrus was pleased or outraged. I did not know anything.”
“Then what happened? Why did they take my mother?” I growled. I felt more like a child- weak, helpless, and naïve- then than I had in years; at first, I thought I could take everything in and still stay cool and composed. Now, I was having doubts, not just about my twisted life, but also about myself. Was I as badass as I liked to think? Was I as tough as I wanted to portray myself? Did other people see me as a strong fighter, or did they see me as an insecure little girl? Samuel, it seemed, saw through my bravado and I didn’t know if I respected or hated him for it; I didn’t like feeling weak, but at the same time, I kind of respected him, acknowledged him as my elder, my superior. But I wouldn’t let him, or anyone else know it.
“Calm yourself Victoria. If you kill me now, you’ll still be in the dark. They took your mother, because as I later learned, Cyrus was scared she’d have a son who would overthrow him. Victoria that is why your mother fled. She left when she was pregnant with you so that if you were a boy, your father would not kill you. When you turned out to be a girl, she felt so ashamed she couldn’t face Cyrus to tell him why she left. She stayed with you for as long as she could before Cyrus eventually summoned a pack of demons to track down and bring back your mother. She kept you hidden so that Cyrus would not kill you as punishment for leaving him.”
I was still angry, but no longer fuming. I thought myself composed enough to continue interrogating Samuel. “How do you know?”