THE STILLNESS OF THE NIGHT WAS SHATTERED AS TWO FIGURES EMERGED FROMTHE DARKNESS, their lanterns squeaking and flames dancing as they walked. These were no ordinary individuals; they were Dread Hunters—notorious beings who prowled the shadows, seeking treasures and victims to sell on the black market, whether it be for bounty or slavery. As long as it paid well, it was of no moral dilemma to them.
But tonight, these two hunters faced their most peculiar assignment yet. The job had come directly from the top brass of the black market, known only as The Marketeer—a name respected by all Dread Hunters. Their mission tonight was to capture a demon, a task that stretched the boundaries of their grim expertise.
Theo, the more talkative of the pair, attempted to go over the plan once more. But his words were left hanging in the air, ignored by his older brother, Neil, whose vacant gaze hinted at a mind lost to some distant realm. Frustration crept into Theo's voice as he futilely attempted to gain Neil's attention.
"Are you listening to me, Neil? I'm not sure what exactly we're after, but we can't afford any mistakes. The Marketeer said this was a high-priority job," Theo reinforced, his rugged country drawl making itself known.
Neil, seemingly oblivious to Theo's words, abruptly silenced him with a firm grip, covering his mouth. His intense look pierced his younger brother Theo's eyes as he warned him about speaking too loudly.
"Keep it down, or it'll hear us, Theo."
Perched on the highest deck of the three-story boat, Noir observed the glow of the Dread Hunters' lanterns from a distance. Silent and still, he waited patiently to see what move they would make.
Finally heeding Neil's warning, Theo nodded in agreement. Momentarily subduing his exasperation, he muttered. "Right, let's just get this over with so we can get paid."
Pulling out a worn, folded map with pictures roughly sketched onto it, Theo continued on. "So we started here," he indicated, pointing to the map where he had written the word start, "and now we're here." His finger traced the river from top to bottom, where they were now, which was marked with a childlike drawing of a ship wreckage.
As the two peeked through the brush at the boat, Neil stated the obvious. "That doesn't look like the drawing on the map. Are you sure you got this map from The Marketeer?"
"Yes, I'm sure. He handed it to me himself," Theo replied, annoyed. "His specialty is information. He's not an artist."
With a sharp fold, he tucked the map back into his pocket. "Let's check over our gear again," he suggested. "Whoever or whatever we're here to capture probably won't go down easy."