CW// pretty graphic violence, lotta blood, lotta fire
The fire crackles quietly as the sun sets. A man nudges the embers with a stick, while his companion fidgets with some device.
The man looks up with a quiet grunt.
"I've a strange question."
"You're full 'o those, Markus."
"Yes, well… what does Death look like to you?"
The man is taken aback. It takes him a moment to respond. "I can't… rightly say, if I'm honest."
Markus nods. "I understand. Not too keen to show you, if I'm honest, but I am curious."
"Well, it's not a him, it's… lots of things. Usually birds. Sometimes a man, I think, I'm not sure he's…"
He takes a breath to reorient himself. "When I die, say from a shot, the world just… stops. A moment before the final blow, the bullet hanging in the air. There's always a bird, and it's singing, though the tune escapes me like grasping at a dream. It leads me to the edges of the Hunt, and I just… wake back up in my room."
The two are silent for a while, the dying flickers of the fire the only interruption. The birds have long since nested for the night, and the shambling corpses that dot the Hunt had all been cleared out, or wandered off. Even the wind faded, as if it were listening to Markus' story.
"...Well, Markus, as I say, you are a strange one. Tell you what, if ever anyone manages to take me down, I'll be sure to tell you what I see."
A soft chuckle from both. A somber, somewhat knowing chuckle.
"You'd best. The Hunt is awful lonely without you, Hunter."
"Same goes for you, cat. The world's not got enough of you. Too much evil, and selfish intentions. Not enough people to sit and watch a fire die in peace and quiet, when it doesn't profit them."
Markus scoffs quietly. "Well, I wasn't… always like this. I've done a lot I regret."
They sit in silence for a moment more.
"You're a good man too, Hunter."
"You always call me that, why? You know my name, it's-"
"It's more proper." Markus says firmly. "…I'm sorry, that was harsh. It feels wrong, every time I try to refer to a Hunter by any other name, I feel… a hitch, in my throat. I don't know how you manage to call me by name without it, but it's… nice."
"Well, I say again, you're odd."
Another chuckle. In the distance, a furious scream shatters the silence. An Immolator, likely.
"...I'd best be going." The Hunter said, getting to his feet. "Nights out here aren't kind."
"I do think I'll stay a little, honestly. You know the horde tends to avoid me."
"Well, you take care then, Markus. The world needs more like you. Be a shame to lose you."
He shoulders his rifle, and heads off.
He stops, looking back. "Yeah?"
"...I'd better see you tomorrow."
"...Wouldn't miss it for the world, friend."
It's quiet in the swamp. It's never quiet, so it's an oddly refreshing change. No gunfire in the air, no screams of the undead or the dying, just… the breeze, and the birds.
Off in the distance, a brief exchange of gunfire, the sounds of a Bounty being claimed. Customary. Oddly comforting, almost. That is the order of things here.
Another burst of gunfire, what sounds like three or four guns. Likely a squabble over something. Some Hunters are vicious.
Markus keeps moving. The Hunt is all he remembers, and he's seen enough Hunters that the vast majority see him as an ally, or at least to be ignored. Still, there are a handful that thirst for more bloodshed than even this hellish career gives.
Hours pass. He's set up shop, same spot as always, against a copse of trees, where plenty can see him. His wares keep many alive, and kill many others. Traps and devices to feed the Hunt.
It's quiet again. Must be a smaller hunt today.
A heavy thump in the trees behind Markus startles him from his sunbathing. A body, the weight of someone exhausted, or dying, or dead.
A deep groan, a familiar one, but one of deep pain, labored breathing.
He's on his feet in a moment, running to help the man from where he'd collapsed.
"Oh Christ, what the fuck happened?!"
The man is drenched in blood. Bloody holes have his torso emptying into the grass.
The Hunter coughs heavily, a spray of red that hangs in the air for a moment. "Got a Bounty. Some others… weren't a fan of that."
"Christ, Hunter, just, just hold still, are they near?"
He holds up his hand, showing a black, swirling mark on his palm, and grins. Teeth stained red. "Nope."
"Damn you, you stubborn bastard." Markus says, tears blurring the gorey sight before him. "Those things are worth dying for?"
"Worth taking a few with me for."
Markus knows there's nothing he can do. Those healing syringes are miracles, but… it was already a miracle the Hunter had come this far, missing so much of his midsection.
"I… I see the bird you were talkin' about."
A full sob rocks Markus' chest.
"Markus, p… promise me. You'll keep goin'. This place needs… more like you."
He nods. "I will, I promise I will."
"Good… good… I've… done a lot I regret. I hope I've done… enough good."
"...I hope… I see you tomorrow…"
With that, a single hitched breath passes his lips.
"...I wouldn't miss it for the world, friend."
He sits like that for a long time. He does eventually lay the body down, but he still doesn't move, not for hours.
A party of three emerges slowly from the trees, their weapons trained on Markus. All they see is him covered in blood, with a dead man soaking the dirt before him.
Markus rises to his feet, his eyes downcast. Facing the men, but not looking at them.
They don't fire. They recognize him, this is Markus, there has to be a misunderstanding, he wouldn't kill a Hunter. Not without reason.
Markus draws a pistol from his vest.
Something… changes, in Markus' stance. A twitch, so slight, before he raises the pistol to his eye level. From inside the barrel, a swell of flame erupts, tracing back down the weapon to his body, and in moments, his black fur is aflame, a roiling inferno hot enough to burn from where they stood.
The men stumble back, one tries to flee. The last thing they ever saw was a pair of eyes opening from within the flames, and a geyser of fire erupting from the barrel of his gun, setting them all ablaze.
Many Hunters died that day. Many of them saw a bird, one that led them away from the Hunt, and far away.
But first, they saw a Phoenix.
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