It is said that we all have our allotted time on this mortal world. That when our time is used up, She will come for you. Many fear Her and the end that She represents. But those who fear Her are told that something even worse might befall them were they to try to cheat Her. They talk of the one who hunts those who run. She who swears allegiance to She who comes at the end. You may live past your time, but what kind of life can it be, if you must forever be on your guard? For this one will not stop looking for you, if it take a day, a month or a year or more, she does not rest until you are found. She was known by many names over the years. Some good and some not so good. But one name stayed the course of time. The one name that struck as much fear in the hearts of man as did the name of She who is feared most.The one name it is said she gave herself. She became known simply as Hunter.
1. The hunt begins.
Maria stepped from the portal into the house she had grown up in and called home for 19 years of her life. Her aunt was there lying in a patch of sunlight, her mouth open and her tongue hanging out as she panted to cool herself down. This was something she liked to do periodically and no one ever said anything about it. Maria squatted down near her.
"Hello aunty," she said "nice to see you relaxing on such a beautiful day as this."
She reach down and rubbed the canine’s stomach, causing an involuntary leg twitch, that got Maria giggling. This had kept her amused for hours when she was a child and was glad her aunt was patient enough to have let her do that. Now, though, she was more grown up and her aunt had a little less patience for this reminder of her canine heritage. She let out a low growl that meant
"Cut it out or I’ll make you cut it out."
Maria stopped and left her aunt lying in the sun. She came here for a reason other than just a social visit, and so she headed down the stairs to the lower floor and walked up to the door of the room she was sure someone was patiently waiting in. She opened the door, stepped in and looked around. The room was the same as it always was, for this room was where every souls time was counted. Each soul was a candle that burned down over time. When the candle reach its end then the person whose soul that was, would get a visit from She who is feared. Maria looked at Death as she stood in the room and stared off into the infinite distance of the room and all the countless candles that it held.
"Hello, mother. How are you?"
"A little tired as always." Her mother answered. "No matter how much time I take for myself, it never seems to be enough."
She walked over to her daughter and kissed her. "Welcome home. I wish it had been under better circumstances."
"So do I." said Maria. She looked into the face she knew as her mother and smiled. It was the same as always. Unchanging, forever until the end of time. Her short dirty blond hair, her blue eyes and small mouth that nearly disappeared when she was angry at either Maria, Maria’s aunt, or both. exactly the same as the first memory that Maria had of her. To think that this woman could make men tremble in fear because of who she was. Where others could only see Death, Maria could only see the woman who raised her.
Death stepped back to let her daughter go deeper into the room. Maria walked over to the multitude of candles. She found the one she was looking for. There was only the wick left. All the wax was gone and yet the candle still burned. Someone had found a way to extend their life and now it was her job to set things right. She reached out to the flame and touched it. The flames never burnt her or her mother but when they touched it they knew where and who the person this soul belonged to was.
At least that is how it normally worked. But when someone tried to cheat death they would invariably block themselves from Her sight. But it was harder to do that to Maria who could get a better feel for the person even through the magical haze, since she was Death’s daughter of her heart, not of her blood.
She concentrated and got a picture of a city. She was sure she could find it but that was as close as she was going to get.
"I can only see a city." She told Death. "It could be the one I seek is in there or near there. It is going to take some investigation."
"I suppose you are going to go alone?" Said a familiar voice from the doorway.
Maria looked up to see her aunt standing in the doorway, She was wearing her black pants and white shirt she tended to wear around the house. Her long black hair untied and flowing around her head, nearly to her waist. Her dark brown eyes looked at her with the concern one has for family when they are going off to do something dangerous yet necessary.
"Finished lying around?" asked her sister.
"Yes thank you. I need to do that every once in a while. But I have asked my niece a question and I am waiting for an answer."
"Aunty." said Maria, "I can’t ask the others to come with me."
"Why not? they are nearly as good at taking care of themselves as you. I don’t like you going into this one alone. I have a feeling that it is not as simple as a regular hunt."
Maria knew better than to dismiss her aunts feelings as just unnecessary concern for her only niece. But she was not going to ask any of the others to endanger themselves. They had not accepted this job. She had.
"At least ask Theodore to go with you." Her aunt continued, "He still owes me for services rendered. Tell him this will help to begin to pay it off." She smiled crookedly at this last statement. Maria always suspected that no matter what he did for her, Theodore would never be rid of his debt.
"Fine", replied Maria "I’ll tell him when I go back for supplies and to let the others know I am going."
"Good," Said her mother. She hugged her daughter. "Be back soon."
Her aunt kissed her and stepped back. Maria concentrated and opened the portal through the ‘tween and stepped through to her other home. She had preparations to make.
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