Hunter of Legends (Fate of Legends Series Book 1)

by Clayton Wood

  “Sure is,” a voice replied from behind.

  Hunter turned around, seeing a young woman walking toward him. She was barely over five feet tall, with lightly bronzed skin and long dirty-blonde hair tied into thick braids. She had striking blue eyes, and she smirked at him as she approached. She wore heavy boots and a tight black shirt and pants, revealing that she wasn’t lacking in the curves department. She stopped a few feet from him, looking him up and down.

  “Well ain’t you crispy,” she murmured, still smirking. She extended a hand. “Name’s Sukri,” she introduced.

  “Hunter,” Hunter replied, shaking her hand. Her grip was firm, and even a little painful, and he was glad when she let go.

  “These lily-white wanna-be’s giving you trouble?” she inquired, glancing at the people around them. Most of whom were, Hunter realized, similar to Trixie…not quite as pale, but still blonde-haired and blue-eyed.

  “Little bit,” he confirmed.

  “Don’t mind ‘em,” Sukri instructed, glaring at the crowd. “Just pretend they’re not there. None of them has the balls to go near you.” She grabbed Hunter’s hand, pulling him toward the double doors. The people ahead of them parted to either side, giving both of them a wide berth. Sukri stopped by the doors, glancing at Hunter. She cleared her throat then, glancing at the door handles.

  Hunter hesitated, then pulled one of the doors open. Sukri smiled at him, stepping through. He followed behind her, finding himself in a large room. It looked very much like a run-down cafeteria, with rows of what looked like picnic tables bolted to the floors. Tables covered with food lined the walls.

  “Best part about being you,” Sukri declared, gesturing at some empty tables, “…is you get any table you want.” She glanced at him again. “So where we gonna sit, crispy?”

  “They’re all the same to me,” Hunter replied. She smirked.

  “Ain’t that the truth.”

  She led him toward one of the tables, gesturing for him to sit down. Then she left for the tables filled with food, making two plates and bringing them back, setting one in front of him. She sat opposite him then, eyeing him critically.

  “Never seen you around before,” she stated, digging in to her food. “When’d you get here?”

  “Yesterday.”

  “Wait, you’re from outside?” she exclaimed incredulously.

  “I came through the Gate,” Hunter answered. Her eyebrows rose.

  “No shit,” she said, chewing absently. “Really?”

  “Yup.”

  “You’re an Original?” she asked. “Damn.” Then she frowned at him. “You gonna eat or what?”

  Hunter glanced down at his plate. There was meat there that looked like chicken, and something that resembled rice, but with much longer grains. He went for the meat, finding it bland but palatable. Typical white-people food.

  “So what’s the deal with them?” he inquired, gesturing at the double-doors in the distance. A few people had ventured inside, and were staring at both of them. Sukri gave them a sour look.

  “Those assholes?” she asked. “They’re afraid we’re contagious.”

  “Contagious?”

  “Yeah,” she said. Then she gave him a conspiratorial grin. “We are, you know.”

  “We’re what?”

  “Contagious,” she answered. She took another bite of her food, chewing it slowly. Then she wrinkled her nose, giving him an odd look.

  “What?”

  “You smell like piss,” she explained. He blinked, realizing that she was right; he was wearing the same clothes as yesterday…the clothes he’d pissed himself in. He felt his cheeks flush, and was about to respond when he heard footsteps approaching from behind. He twisted around, seeing a very large man approaching their table, a plate of food in each hand.

  “Hey Sukri,” the man greeted, sitting beside Sukri, facing Hunter. He glanced at Sukri, then at Hunter. “Who’s this?”

  “This is…what’s your name again?” Sukri asked.

  “Hunter.”

  “Right,” she agreed. “Hunter, this is Gammon,” she added, gesturing at the big man. He was easily over six feet tall, and built like a sumo wrestler. He had short blond hair and blue eyes, with slightly tanned skin. He smiled at Hunter, his clean-shaven cheeks dimpling.

  “Nice to meet you,” he greeted. “You’re very dark,” he added, staring at Hunter.

  “Uh, thanks?”

  “Where’s Kris?” Gammon asked Sukri.

  “Late as usual,” Sukri answered, giving Gammon a wry smirk. “Probably slamming the brains outta that whore he brought home last night.”

  “Right,” Gammon replied. “Forgot about her.” He smiled. “She was nice.”

  “She’s paid to be,” Sukri retorted.

  “Oh, I don’t think he paid,” Gammon countered. “He never pays. He doesn’t have the money.”

  Just then, a second man approached their table. He was of average height, but broad-shouldered, with short dark hair and lightly tanned skin. He had a well-manicured beard, with a huge tattoo running from his right shoulder all the way down to his wrist. He grinned, sitting down at Sukri’s other side, setting his plate of food on the table.

  “God I’m starving,” he declared, digging into his food.

  “You just ate last night,” Gammon protested. Kris grinned impishly.

  “Sure did.”

  “Kris,” Sukri interjected, gesturing at Hunter. “This is Hunter.” Kris turned to Hunter, then did a double-take.

  “Damn you’re dark,” he blurted out. Then he held up one hand. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

  “Jesus,” Hunter grumbled. “Has anyone here ever seen a black guy before?” Kris paused, then shook his head…as did Gammon and Sukri.

  “You’re the darkest person I’ve ever seen,” Gammon admitted. “But I wouldn’t say you’re black,” he added. “More like a nice brown.” He smiled. “Like toasted bread.”

  “Gee thanks.”

  “It looks cool,” Kris opined. “I like it.”

  “So,” Hunter said, taking another bite of his food. “What’s wrong with all these people? And why are you guys sitting with me?”

  “Oh, we’re not sitting with you,” Gammon countered, gesturing at Sukri. “We’re sitting with her.” He smiled. “She’s sitting with you.”

  “We’re together,” Sukri explained. “But not like that,” she added hastily when Kris arched an eyebrow at her. “We work together.”

  “We’re going to be Seekers,” Gammon stated rather proudly. He shoveled food into his mouth then, chowing down with unfettered glee.

  “It’s not going to run away from you, you know,” Kris stated, staring at Gammon with a mixture of awe and disgust. Gammon swallowed.

  “I’ve never given it time to try,” he replied with a grin.

  “So what exactly are Seekers?” Hunter asked. Kris frowned at him.

  “You don’t know?”

  “He’s an Original,” Sukri explained. Kris’s eyes widened.

  “Whoa, really?”

  “Yeah,” Hunter confirmed. Kris gave a low whistle.

  “Damn man,” he murmured. “An Original!”

  “To answer your question,” Sukri interjected, returning to the original subject, “…it’s complicated. But suffice it to say it’s the only way outta this dump,” she added, gesturing around her.

  “Damn right,” Kris agreed. “The Outskirts are a dead end for people like us.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “People that don’t fit in,” he answered. Then he gestured at Hunter. “Like you.”

  “Finish up guys,” Sukri ordered, finishing the last of her meal. Gammon obeyed with remarkable speed, leaving Kris to struggle to finish his. By that point, Hunter was done. All three of them stood, while Hunter stayed seated. Kris arched an eyebrow at him. “You coming or what?”

  “With you guys?”

  “You wanna go with them instead?” she pres
sed, gesturing at the other people around them. The tables closest to them were empty, the other residents giving them plenty of room.

  “Where we going?” Hunter pressed, standing up.

  “To our place,” Sukri answered. “Come on.”

  “I gotta take a piss,” Hunter said, his bladder near to bursting now.

  “You smell like you already did,” she replied with a smirk. “That way,” she added, pointing to a door at the other end of the room. He hurried to it, opening it to find a large room beyond, with a long row of holes in the floor.

  “Classy,” he muttered, stepping through the doorway. He did his business, then returned to the others. Sukri led the way, Gammon and Kris following behind, and Hunter taking up the rear. They left the community center, exiting the double doors and walking across the docks to a large apartment complex on the other side of the Outskirts. Hunter noticed a few men in chain-mail armor patrolling the area, one of them exiting an apartment, then going into another.

  “What’s with them?” Hunter asked, nodding at the guards.

  “They’re searching the Outskirts,” Sukri answered. “Couple of nobles from Hightown went missing recently.” She gave a sour look. “Of course this is the first place they’d look.”

  “What, they think someone here kidnapped them?”

  “We’re always the first to blame when anything goes wrong,” Sukri explained. She reached a door in the large apartment complex, unlocking it and leading them inside. Hunter found himself in a large room – easily four times as big as his entire apartment. There were three bedrooms off the main room, but again, no kitchen or bathroom.

  “This is our place,” Sukri stated, gesturing at the room.

  “Nice,” Hunter murmured. “Hell of a lot bigger than mine.”

  “We split the rent,” Sukri explained. She sat down on a large U-shaped couch in the center of the room, and Kris flopped down next to her. She shoved him away, and he moved to the opposite end of the couch. Sukri patted the center cushion. “Come on Hunter,” she said. “Sit with us.”

  Hunter complied, sitting down between the two. Gammon sat down cross-legged on the floor, facing them.

  “So what’s your story?” Sukri inquired, gazing at Hunter. He gave a quick recap of his journey, starting with his mother’s disappearance. All three listened to him, remaining silent until he was done. Then Gammon shook his head slowly.

  “Wow,” he breathed. “You really are an Original.”

  “Guess so,” Hunter conceded. “And now I have no idea where my mom is, or if she’s even alive.” He glanced at Sukri. “If she isn’t here, where could she be?”

  “Hell if I know,” Sukri answered. “No one is allowed to leave the city but the nobles and the Seekers. And the military, of course.”

  “Wait, I can’t just go out and find her?” Hunter pressed. Sukri shook her head.

  “Sorry.”

  He lowered his gaze, staring at the floor.

  Great.

  “Never thought I’d live to see an Original,” Kris piped in, shaking his head. “It’s been what, half a century since the last one?” He grinned at Hunter. “Nobles must be shitting their pants right about now.” Hunter glanced up at him.

  “Why do you call us ‘Originals?’”

  “Because you’re from the original world,” Kris explained. “Like Tykus.”

  “Tykus?” Hunter asked. “That’s the name of the city, isn’t it?”

  “And the guy who founded it,” Kris added. “The city was named after him. He was an Original, like you…and a legend.”

  “Yeah,” Gammon agreed. “Everyone here worships him.”

  “You mean they want to be him,” Sukri added, her expression souring. “Which leaves people like us shit out of luck.”

  “Why’s that?” Hunter asked.

  “We got no money,” she answered. “And no way to make money…not enough to leave this dump.”

  “Well, there is one way,” Gammon corrected. They turned to him. “The try-outs tomorrow,” he added.

  “Yeah,” Sukri conceded, “…but even if we become Seekers, we’re still not gonna be allowed in the Acropolis. And there’s no guarantee we’ll pass the test.”

  “You nervous, Sukri?” Kris teased. Sukri rolled her eyes at him.

  “Do I look like I’m nervous?”

  “I am,” Gammon admitted. They both turned to the big man.

  “Why are you nervous?” Kris retorted. “You don’t even want to be a Seeker.”

  “Yes I do,” Gammon insisted. “And I might not make it,” he added. “Even if I do, all of us might not,” he continued, glancing at Sukri.

  “Wait,” Hunter interjected. “Make what?”

  “The Seeker try-outs,” Kris explained. “The Seekers are having their annual try-outs for new recruits tomorrow. We’re all going now that we’re old enough.”

  “So what exactly are Seekers again?” Hunter asked.

  “They’re friggin’ awesome is what they are,” Kris replied with a grin. “They’re basically bad-ass bounty hunters.” He winked. “And they get all the pussy.”

  “Ignore him,” Sukri grumbled. “Seekers mostly go out and find artifacts for the kingdom,” she explained. Hunter frowned.

  “Wait, they get to go out of the city?” he asked. “I thought you said…”

  “No one can go out but nobles and Seekers,” she interjected. “Seekers can go outside whenever they want.”

  Hunter sat up straighter.

  “So they’re having tryouts for people who want to be Seekers tomorrow?”

  “Yup,” Gammon confirmed.

  “It pays really well if you’re good,” Kris added. Sukri nodded.

  “And the best part is,” she said, “…you get to spend some quality time with the artifacts before you drop them off.”

  “Okay,” Hunter stated. “So…what do you do at these try-outs?”

  “Well,” Gammon answered, “…first they test your will. That’s where most people fail.” He crossed his arms over his huge chest. “Not us, though.”

  “That’s for damn sure,” Sukri agreed. “That’s why we can hang out together and still be our awesome selves.” Then she turned to Hunter. “After they test your will, they’ll bring you into the guild compound and finish the testing there.”

  “Then they have the Trials,” Kris piped in. “No one knows what they are,” he added. “Guess we’ll find out soon.” He gave a sour look. “Anything is worth getting out of the shitty jobs we have now.”

  “Ain’t that the truth,” Sukri agreed.

  “What jobs do you have now?” Hunter inquired.

  “We’re all in waste management,” Sukri answered. “It’s exactly like Kris said…shitty.”

  “Ekrin said he’d find a job for me today,” Hunter offered. “The guy who met with me when I first got here.”

  “Yeah, good luck with that,” Sukri muttered. “Guarantee they put you in waste management too. Everyone like us works there.”

  “Awesome,” Hunter grumbled. “My life just keeps getting better and better.”

  “Hey,” Gammon interjected, putting a meaty hand on Hunter’s shoulder. “Why don’t you come with us?”

  “Where?”

  “To the Seeker try-outs,” Gammon clarified. Sukri nodded.

  “Not a bad idea,” she agreed. “It’s not like you have any other prospects. You up for it?”

  “Yeah, I’ll do it,” he replied. After all, if Seekers could leave the city at will, that meant he could go after Mom. “What do I have to do?”

  “Just come with us,” Gammon answered.

  “The try-outs are tomorrow,” Sukri said. “Why don’t you meet us for breakfast at sunrise, and we’ll all go together from there?”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Well guys,” Gammon stated suddenly, standing up. “We’d better get to work.”

  “Oh, right,” Kris said, glancing at something on the windowsill. It looked like a sun
dial. “Shit, we’re gonna be late.”

  “All right,” Sukri declared, standing up from the couch. “Nice meeting you Hunter,” she added. “But we’re kicking you out. See you tomorrow?”

  “Sure thing.”

  They all said their goodbyes, Gammon giving Hunter a hearty – and bone-crushing – handshake, and then they pushed Hunter out of their apartment, hurriedly making their way to wherever it was they had to go. Hunter watched them leave, then looked around. The docks were mostly empty, only a handful of people walking to and fro. Anyone who happened to make eye contact with him gave him a nasty look, hurrying away.

  Well great, he muttered to himself.

  Hunter sighed, walking across the docks, eventually finding his way back to his apartment. He would’ve liked to explore the rest of the city – and not just hang out in the Outskirts – but he had a feeling no one there would be particularly happy to see him. Climbing the stairs to his door, he unlocked it, then flopped unceremoniously on his bed. According to Ekrin, that girl – Trixie – was supposed to stop by later on today. With nothing else to do, he might as well just sleep.

  Luckily, sleep was something he was extremely good at…like his mother.

  He closed his eyes, picturing the photos he’d seen of his Mom on her phone. There was still a chance…however small…that she was out there somewhere, still alive after all these years. He’d come here to find her, and now he had literally nothing else to do. If he gave up now, he’d end up like his Dad, destroyed by regret, wondering what would’ve happened if he’d taken a chance. Taken a risk.

  And he’d vowed years ago to never, ever end up like his Dad.

  Hunter sighed, rolling onto his side. He felt sleep coming for him, pulling him down into its dark, otherworldly embrace. Random images appeared in his mind’s eye, and within moments, he was asleep.

  * * *

  There was a knock on the door.

  Hunter groaned, lifting his head off his pillow and peering at the door to his apartment. He must’ve slept for quite a while; the room was darker than before, and he was starving. He heard a second knock, and sighed, sitting up. His back was aching from the overly-firm mattress, and the rest of him was sore, probably from running away from those monsters – the Ironclad – yesterday.