The Hunter, Story 2

The second story, Flynn meets an old companion.

Prologue

Interplanetary public guide 

Section 6, article 14: Twolings

Twolings are a malicious type of possessive spirit. A soul removed from it's body finds it can inhabit the body of any Mortal being. It often uses this ability to pursue a target to kill. It can observe and feel everything the being can. It is only able to seize control and use it's abilities, if any, once the being is asleep or incapacitated. Sometimes a twolings emotions can seep into the victim. Strong mood swings and blackouts are noticeable symptoms of twoling inhabitance. Other symptoms include but are not limited to: headaches, inconsistent sleep schedule, sleepwalking, dizziness, sleepiness and subconscious affinity to the twolings element (if any is present). Twolings are notoriously hard to fight and even harder to spot. If suspecting a twoling is stalking you, trust no-one and be prepared for an attack at any time. Be especially cautious of anyone you know is sleeping in your vicinity. If the situation has gotten out of control it is best to contact either your local hunter or the G.A.P.A. 

End prologue

The children looked over as the door opened. Flynn entered the classroom, positioning himself in the back. The teacher was standing to the right of the board, she and Flynn had met before. She knew who, and more importantly, what he was. An elderly man stood in front of the board, educating the class about the various troubles of being a doctor. The board behind him read "Job day". It explained why other parents stood by their children. The doctor finished his monologue about open heart surgery. The teacher signalled for applause, then recognized Flynn in the class.

"It seems we have a special guest!" She gestured at Flynn. "Flynn, why don't you tell the class what you do for a living? I need to go grab something anyway." She left the classroom, leaving everybody focused on Flynn. 

"Very well." He made his way to the front of the classroom. The scabbard by his side spread unease in the adults and fascination through the children. "Where do I begin…" Flynn thought out loud.

"How about explaining why you need a sword!" An adult shouted from the crowd. 

"To use it, why else would I have a sword?"

"That's dangerous, you shouldn't go near children with those dangerous weapons!" A middle aged woman from the crowd, sounded like she was about to faint.

"Trust me, if I had any intent to use it, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now." 

"What's your job?" A girl with glasses asked in the first row. He appreciated not being berated for his sword.

"A lovely question..." He leaned over to read the name tag on her desk, "Anissa. You see I'm something of a bounty hunter…" He was interrupted by a boy in the middle of the class first.

"Like Boba Fett. He's from Star Wars."

"Something like that I suppose, what I do is fully legal though."

"You don't work at this city's station!" The parent of the child wore a full cops uniform said toward the back, he continued talking. "So where do you work." Flynn locked eyes with the man. "Hey buddy, I'm a cop and…" 

"And I'm a bounty hunter, welcome to jobs day, now sit down and talk to your child about jar jar Binks." The cop reluctantly sank into his chair and muttered, "Witty b*****d."

 "Now where is that teacher of yours." As if on cue the teacher burst into the room. Flynn went to sit down, he hated entertaining any crowd, especially children. The teacher dragged him back up though.

"Me and Flynn actually know each other." She said cheerfully to the class, she stretched her arm around his shoulder. Flynn was about to protest when he felt the cold steel of a knife blade being pushed into the back of his neck, the teacher was holding it awkwardly. He reached his arm around her shoulder too. On his way he briefly pinched her neck in 2 pressure points, forcing her arms to tense and her hands to release instinctively. The pocket knife slid down his back, he caught it with his free hand, closed it and tucked it into his back pocket. Smiling awkwardly he backed out of the teacher's arm. The bell rang across the school. The students gathered their materials and shuffled toward the door. The teacher shut the door after them.

"Why are you here!" She yelled at Flynn.

"Good to see you too." He said, dismissively. He pulled the knife from his pocket and shook it as if scolding a child. "Is this any way to greet an old friend."

"You're not a friend, and I think a knife is rather appropriate, actually."

"Is your name still Lydia?" Flynn asked

"No, thanks to you I've been dodging in and out of the witness protection program.  I'm not even sure I remember my own name. This would never been the case if I hadn't agreed on that stupid plan if yours!"

"Vlor-aa, that's your name. And if it weren't for me you would probably be dead." 

"It's all in the past now, what do you want, Flynn."

"I have very good reason to believe one of the students in your class aren't who they say they are. They are out to hurt you."

"And what are you going to do, send me to enroll on witness protection again." She spoke with an uninterested tone.

"That won't solve this problem, I believe this student is one of us, a twoling, specifically. They will find you no matter what your name is." Vlor-aa Scooped dirt from one of her many plant pots. She opened her hand and a purple lily sprouted from the dirt and grew to full height. Flynn knew this to be her favorite flower. 

"So they finally found me, how do you know they are here." Despair pictures itself in her eyes.

"A credible source, this isn't the first time they've struck either. That hiker died in the desert due to a sinkhole about 6 days ago. It could be any of your students. The students wouldn't have any idea they were possesed by this stupid elder..."

"Superia." Vlor-aa corrected him.

"Whatever you call them, a rogue soul has taken residence in one of your students to try to kill you. But don't worry, I already have a plan lined up."

"Don't say it involves using me as bait again."

"I have these surveys we can print out." Flynn ignored her comment. "Say they are from some official sounding name. They are going to ask some very pointed questions. Anything that can narrow our list of possible twolings. It isn't the greatest but all I could come up with on short notice."

"I appreciate your help, I really do, but I think I can handle myself. Especially after last time." Flynn grimaced, "With all due respect, I highly doubt that. And last time was a mistake, plus you survived did you not?" Flynn was starting to raise his voice above his almost constant conversational tone.

"Don't you think I can fight." She retorted 

"I think." Said Flynn. "That it's my job to catch rogues like this. Now you are going to give your students this survey tomorrow. Show me the results. I will be there, maybe I'll talk to them again." His voice became hardened and demanding.

"Flynn I don't think…" Vlor-aa started to plead.

"I wasn't asking." He said, coldly. A myriad of emotions played out on Vlor-aa's face, but she eventually relented.

"Very well."

"Tomorrow." Flynn gave a slight nod and stormed out of the room.

Flynn took residence at a nearby friend's house, he had done a favor for him. He was a water elder, had a problem with someone he thought was an elder stalking him, turns out he just owed some money to the wrong people, Flynn took care of it anyway. Albas made his way from the kitchen with a steaming plate, he set it down in front of Flynn. 

“My favorite.” Flynn smiled, fresh smoked salmon. “Easy for you to get I suppose.”

“You have no idea how well fresh fish sells here.” Albas let out a hearty laugh. “But tell me about this contract of yours, I hadn’t heard a twoling case in years.”

“Certainly a strange creature, this case is a bit more… personal.” Flynn stared at his food, avoiding eye contact. “It's hunting an old associate of mine. Hunted someone for her” He spoke his words carefully, as if trying to avoid a slip up.

“I'm guessing that hunting didn't go the greatest.” Albas shovled his food, almost.

“I got him in the end. But my methods were questionable to her. It ended in her losing someone she really cared about, and got her on some shady organizations hit list.”

“Not eager to work with you again huh, what did you do?”

“I told you…”

“Specifically.” Albas interrupted.

“Want the long version or the short one?” Flynn asked. Albas mimicked looking around with binoculars, exaggerating his movements.

“It seems we’ve got time.”

“Very well, her name is Vlor-aa. I happened to be chasing a metal elder across the nation, turns out they were hunting her. I warned her and insisted she briefly flee while I actually got rid of the rogue. Her mortal sister, not blood related of course but adopted, was upset. The sister knew about… well.” He gestured around him. “Everything. The sister decided for Vlor-aa, decided that she would stay and not let me displace her, even if it was only temporary. I tried at first to ignore that. Treat it as a minor setback, but I soon realized that isn't the way it worked. The only way I was going to be able to get this rogue is  moving Vlor-aa, which was clearly not going to happen. I thought of another option, perhaps I could work with them, lay a trap with Vlor-aa as bait. She agreed to the idea, reluctant but agreed to it. Her sister insisted on coming, I tried all that I could save freezing her in place until the entire operation was over. I arranged to meet the metal elder anonymously in some abandoned construction site, told him I would bring Vlor-aa. When I showed up with her sister too, he attacked. Brought the entire metal scaffold down on our heads. He ran afterward. I had to make a choice then between saving Vlor-aa’s sister's life and chasing down my bounty. Here is where I make the mistake. I…” 

“You didn’t, no, not you.” Albas sounded shocked. “That's why this girl don’t like you, you killed her sister, man.”

“Thanks for the commentary but I realize that, thanks.”

“Sorry.” Albas looked dejected

“And I know I've only myself to blame, but all this just leaves me wanting stuff I don't have, almost like i'm the victim.”

“Wadda ya want? A sister?” Albas grinned, Flynn promptly shot it down with a glare across the table.

“When we learned to become hunters, many of our normal abilities were heightened, my eyes adjust to the dark really fast, for example. But in our mission to be the perfect hunter, many things were removed. Chief of which is my emotion. I can't feel anything. I was made to be a perfect impartial voice. A merciless hunter, sparing no sympathy for my targets. Always choose the path that leads to the target is a principle so ingrained in my mind it's impossible to disobey.” Flynn sighed, looking helpless. “It can't change though, I've grown to accept it.” Albas looked somber, considering what Flynn had said.

“I can't imagine what that must be like.”

“I'm going to bed.” Flynn announced.

“Why a bed, you don’t even need it?”

“I enjoy it, as useless as it might be, plus it gets me out of this awkward conversation.” Flynn turned to walk away.

“Need anything from me, man?” Albas asked after him.

“Yeah, if you could tuck me in and read a bedtime story.” Flynn left the room. Albas sighed.

“And here I thought telling me that would change him, same old, same old.” Albas grinned and began to clean up his empty plate and Flynn’s partially uneaten salmon.

Flynn marched through the front doors of the school. As he walked through the halls the clack of his boots drew some attention from the students wandering the halls. When he entered the room the cop and his star wars loving kid sat opposite the teacher. No-one else was in the room.

“Why the hell is he here! Why is anyone here?” The cop shot to his feet.

“Who do you think you are, huh?” He was grabbing Flynn’s shirt now, putting his face only inches from Flynn’s. “Who do you think you are, just marching into places uninvited.”

“Actually.” Vlor-aa spoke up. “Not uninvited, I asked him here, we needed to discuss some things.”

“Indeed.” Flynn agreed, pushing away the cop, who was still seething with anger.

“But if you could wait outside, Flynn. Mr. Murray just wanted to talk before class.”

“Of course.” Flynn said in a mock kind tone. As soon as he closed the door, he heard the cop screaming about how unsafe Flynn was to the children, sparing no curse words in the process. 

“I'm outside the door Mr. Murray, not across the country. I can hear you! But maybe yell a bit louder, I don't think they heard you in russia.” A flustered silence from inside followed, Flynn giggled. Minutes of angry whispers from inside later, the cop stomped out of the room. He shot Flynn a piercing glance, who lended him a smile and a casual wave.

“Great, that was a complaint, a complaint about you. You seriously could get me in trouble.” 

“Rather that than you being dead.” Flynn leaned against a desk against the wall. “I trust you have the surveys ready.”

“Yes but, this is ridiculous Flynn. Have you ever felt like you’re being possessed or have had someone living inside you.” Vlor-aa quoted from the survey. “What the hell is this. Any twoling that sees this is either gonna kill me tonight or move halfway across the country by dawn.” Flynn cringed at his own words. 

“Maybe the person that doesn’t show up will give us a hint?”

“I'm sure that line of thinking made perfect sense to you.” She glared at him over the paper. “But this!” She held up his survey. “Is ridiculous.” She tossed it in the trash. “I’ve made my own surveys, still asking pointed questions, but less obvious. Based on your copy of this interplanetary guide you gave me.”

“You kept that?” Flynn’s eyes lit up. Vlor-aa raised her eyebrows and stared at him with an almost inquisitorial gaze. “Right, sorry, not the point. What questions are on there?” 

“Questions about frequent blackouts, sleepwalking. That one includes waking up away from where you fell asleep. Some headaches, I’ve added that all this points to a strange form of epilepsy. You are going to present the questions, maybe even pose as my substitute. Ooh, our story could be that I have it so they need to take the survey too!” Flynn raised his eyebrows. He was impressed at her willingness to help him, especially after her past experiences with him. Perhaps she just thought that if it were her plan it would go well. 

“That's a… better plan. But I hate entertaining children.”

“Just bite the bullet. For me.” She looked at him with what he understood as ‘puppy dog eyes’.

“Fine, but I best get paid.”

Vlor-aa was already on her way out. “I’ll see what I can do. Class starts in 30 minutes, Better get ready.” Flynn unfastened his scabbard and set it under his desk, buttoned his cloak over his armor and wrote ‘Flynn’ in large letters on the white board behind him. As the bell rang, signalling the unlocking of the schools doors, he breathed a deep sigh and attempted to prepare himself mentaly for the torture about to follow. 

He could tell it was going to be a long day even when the first students entered the room. He decided to take an observant approach, examining how each student took the survey, he noted any unnatural tendencies. In about each class it appeared as a few kids had headaches and a couple suffered from possible blackouts, one child even fell asleep. Nothing exciting happened, the only excitement during the entire day was when a cop entered the room. Seems Mr. Murray had followed through on his threat. Of course the encounter yielded nothing of importance. 

“And how did it go?” Vlor-aa walked into the room, Flynn sat in her chair, his feet propped on her desk.

“Awful. I hate kids.” He slid the chair back and stood up straight. “And these surveys, useless beyond belief. Take a listen to this, he riffled through the stack and selected a random paper. ‘Sometimes I dream I am on the potty and I wet the bed. Does that count?’ Or here is another. ‘Sometimes when I'm tired I skip time. Is that virus?’' Flynn opened his arms. He was very clearly exasperated. “No results, and the twoling probably suspects we are onto him.” He threw the papers onto the desk. Some fluttered into the air and slowly landed on the floor. He angrily got up, throwing a pen to the floor with such force it broke in two. He stormed out of the room again. 

“Didn’t that go well!” Albas taunted him.

“No kidding.”

“Well, planning anything else.” Albas asked, wearing a smile, cheerful as ever.

“I do, but Vlor-aa doesn't know, and frankly it will only work if she doesn't.”

“Gonna spill?” Albas sat across him, sliding a plate across to Flynn.

“The twoling is almost certainly going to attack, tonight. For Vlor-aa’s sake and the contract’s. I’m going to hide near her house, and hopefully it all goes downhill from there.”

“She is going to kill you.” Albas commented.

“Only if she finds out. I’m a hunter, I spent countless years of my life learning how to stay hidden. It may be creepy but my only option.” He checked his watch and stood up. “About time I got going.”

“Good luck!” Albas called after him, "and Flynn. Are you going to finish the food?” Gesturing to Flynn’s plate.

“All yours.” 

Flynn lay in wait, creeping around the bushes surrounding Vlor-aa’s house. As his training dictated, he remained completely soundless. The only sounds to be heard were crickets in the distance and cars racing by on a highway. Flynn had been trained to block out background noises such as these, which hindered him from possibly hearing an enemy approach. His sensitive hearing occasionally picked up the sound of a tap turning on in the house or an automatic AC switching on and back off. He heard Vlor-aa snoring, he hoped this meant she was a deep sleeper, noise from a fight wouldn't wake her. He felt the approach before he heard it. The ground shook beneath his feet, barely noticeable. In the distance a large thud rang out. Fynn sprung into action, moving fleet-footed, careful not to make a noise. He quickly dodged in between twigs and bushels of dried grass, hoping the creature wouldn’t hear his cautious approach. He found a spot on a hill, covered by a large tree. He observed what the creature was. A boulder, a monster that looked more or less like a giant human shaped pile of rocks. It stomped closer to Vlor-aa’s house, he crouched under the tree, like a panther preparing to strike. When the boulder finally blundered near Flynn’s hiding spot. He dashed out, impossibly fast and soundless. The boulder caught the movement and turned to intercept an attack, much too slow. Flynn dashed by, a slash from his sword cut into the boulders thigh, the trick to hitting them was slicing in between the rocks, there hid delicate flesh. The rocks around the wound began to freeze due to Flynn’s new sword, made of the very power of ice. He caused the frozen rock to explode, crippling the boulder. Flynn doubled back and attacked again, making a very precise cut above its knee, prone to the ground. The boulder saw his next move, Flynn barely managed to avoid the sweeping backhand of the boulder. He evaded another slow attack and bolted away. The boulder stumbled to its feet, and began to wobble toward Flynn. Flynn dashed toward it, evaded another sweeping strike and rolled between its feet. He used the rocks lining its back as footholds, sprinting up the boulder’s back. He noticed a chink in its rocky plating right beneath the left shoulder. He proceeded to sheath his sword into the creatures back. It cried out in pain, Flynn vaulted over its shoulder. Just as he was about to retrieve his sword mid-air he was greeted with the creature's powerful fist. He was propelled 20 feet away from the boulder. He landed gracefully but not in time to prevent the creature’s escape. The boulder was standing over a ledge overlooking a fairly large city, Flynn summoned the sword to his hand. The ice stone powering it immediately flew to his hand. The creature was caught off balance and tripped over the edge. When Flynn approached the edge, he found no 10 foot tall mass of rocks. Instead a crowd of people. The twoling had taken its human form again. This disguise rendered any amount of searching Flynn could do useless.

“I have good news!” Vlor-aa greeted him cheerfully at the entrance to the school.

“Oh really?” Flynn raised his eyebrows.

“I know who the twoling is!” 

“Oh…” Flynn searched for words to explain what had happened last night.

“And even better news, she is out for today. Because…” She searched for an email on her phone. “2 severe cuts and a stab wound?” Vlor-aa grimaced and Flynn cringed.

“Onto my news, it um, involves that.”

“What do you got?” 

“Well I know what the twoling used to be. A boulder, mean creatures, those boulders.” He laughed nervously. 

“How do you know?” Vlor-aa asked him.

“Well, to keep it simple, I know where those stab wounds came from.” He slid his sword out of the scabbard slightly and gestured toward it. Vlor-aa’s eyes went wide with understanding.

“I guess it’s time to visit our boulder. Just to confirm, of course. It will recognize me and attempt to gain control.” Flynn explained.

“I guess…” Vlor-aa still didn’t know how to respond to what Flynn had said.

Vlor-aa was allowed access to the hospital room. She dragged Flynn behind her. Hospitals always made Flynn uncomfortable, as an ‘immortal’ he saw no need for them. They made it to the room, Vlor-aa quickly confirmed that the parents weren’t present. Occupied with jobs. When the teacher entered the room the child smiled and greeted her kindly. Flynn delayed his entrance a minute or so. When he entered the room the little girl locked eyes with him. It didn’t take long before she was shaking, convulsing in the bed. This only lasted for a few seconds but her eyes shut. They jolted back open, she sat up quickly.

“You!” She spoke to Flynn in a voice that was barely human. Her head slammed into the pillow again. She awoke her normal self, but Flynn and Vlor-aa had already left the room.

“I guess that settles it.”

“It sure does.”

“How are we gonna catch it now? It's gonna run, it doesn’t need anything.” Vlor-aa sounded desperate again.

“Not quite true.” Flynn interrupted. “It wants, nay, needs 1 thing. That being your death, by its hands. You're going to hate me. But we only have one option, the same option we had last time.”

“I can’t, not again.” Vlor-aa shook her head vigorously

“You know it's our only option, the only thing that will keep it here.”

“Yes I know, but I wish I didn’t.”

“We need this monster gone, and you're the key.” Flynn goaded. Vlor-aa slumped to the floor, her head buried in her hands.

“I don’t know if I can do it, Flynn. Not after what happened.”

“Yes you can, I’ll protect you. No matter what happens.” He crouched to face her at her level. His voice was surprisingly warm. Vlor-aa didn’t know what changed, but she decided that she would put her trust in Flynn, either he would earn it back, or it wouldn’t matter anyway.

Vlor-aa pressed her finger to her ear.

“Is everything in place?” She stuttered into the microphone.

“Don’t even worry about it.” Flynn responded confidently. “I cut the hospital power 20 minutes ago, and administered the tranquilizer around the same time. Our boulder should be on his way, I should stay silent now though, he’s suspecting me. I will still hear you, remember the phrase, Good luck.” With a short period of static noise, the line went quiet. Flynn began to clamber up the ruins of the factory. Vaulting from one piece of broken concrete to another, expertly making his way toward the top of the factory. A vantage point almost directly over the makeshift campsite he constructed for Vlor-aa He overlooked the flat plains around him. His eyes darted around, scanning for movement. The twoling boulder would be more cautious this time, an assault would be hard. Flynn still spotted it though, lurking at the edges of the factory, examining every hiding spot, hoping to find Flynn. Flynn reached his hand into his pocket, retrieving a silver-colored coin. He stretched his arm and opened his hand, the coin fell and clattered on the ground next to Vlor-aa, she jumped, startled but continued to pretend to be unaware of the boulder. The boulder seemed to look around, still paranoid of running into Flynn. Its thoroughness irritated Flynn, of course it had good reason, but that didn't change the fact. Flynn began to creep down through the ruined levels, careful again to remain completely silent. He chose the perfect moment and dropped from his concrete perch. He impacted with the ground gracefully and struck, The boulder was better prepared than Flynn expected. It caught the sword mid-swing, stopping it completely. It pulled on the sword, meaning to either break the sword or pull it from Flynn’s hand. It underestimated both Flynn’s expert grip and the sword’s magical durability, failing to move it. Flynn let go of the sword, the boulder, who had been straining itself to disarm Flynn, didn’t expect it, his massive hand flew away, slamming into a concrete pillar with all it;s force. Flynn cooled his hand until it was shrouded with an impossible cold. He lunged forward and pressed it where he had shattered the rock the previous night. The skin beneath turned black and died, The boulder cried out again, this cry however was blended with another. Vlor-aa had been struck with a falling piece of concrete, when the boulder had hit the pillar it caused a massive slab of concrete 2 floors above to slide toward Vlor-aa and the campsite. In his distraction, the boulder stumbled from his position, struggling to walk but managing in the end. The boulder jumped from the factory, running at his top speed along a river bank. Flynn knew it would be an easy task to catch it now if he chased after him. But Vlor-aa couldn't save herself from the massive concrete floor that would be upon them soon. Flynn decided, he fought every bone in his body, Actively fighting his own willpower with his willpower. He rolled over the concrete floor, scooped Vlor-aa up in his arms and slid as far as he could, toward the end he rotated and pushed Vlor-aa away. The end of the concrete caught his leg, he was unable to move. Vlor-aa, visibly in pain, raised her hands. A green glow emerged from inside, vines sprouted from the ground. They moved across the concrete and it cracked and fell apart before him. He pulled his leg out from under the rubble, shaking it.

“You chose to save me.” Vlor-aa was covered in dust, coughing in pain. Her use of magic also drained her.

“Some things are more important than getting the bad guy.” He was inspecting her for any open wounds as he talked. “Are you okay?” He asked her, locking eyes.

“I’ll live.” She smiled. “It can’t have gone far, go get that b*****d.” Flynn tipped his head, without a word he stepped back and faced the direction in which the monster had run. He held his hand above his head, the rubble shook and his sword emerged and burst forth, he caught it. He dashed into the direction of the boulder with explosive energy, the boulder had escaped using the river bank. Flynn darted in that direction, ignoring the solid land entirely, the water beneath him froze as he stepped on it. The boulder was slow and crippled, Flynn caught up with it quickly. Flynn knew how twolings worked, he would try to run unless he had no other choice. Another danger of this fight was that Flynn had to instantly kill the boulder, anything less and it would have time to become the human again, killing that human and the soul would be released again. Boulders were notoriously hard to kill, repeated injury may be the only way. Flynn still trailed the boulder, using the water. He slashed the tip through the surface of the water, the sword froze the water into shards of ice. He used his powers to manipulate these, using them essentially as projectiles. Few actually hit the boulder, but the ones that did slowed him considerably. Flynn about matched his pace, jogging comfortably beside the boulder. He suddenly got an idea, for you to eliminate the boulder instantly, he noticed it was constantly looking for an opportunity to attack, Flynn was too careful to ever present one but it gave him an idea. Flynn overtook the boulder, but the moment he did a he was caught off balance by something that startled him. He dropped his guard. Or so he made the boulder think, clearly it worked. The boulder made a leap for Flynn. Who nimbly evaded across the water, the boulder plunged under the surface with a massive splash. Flynn dived in after him and jabbed him with a shard of frozen water. The monster inhaled for air, the natural response to pain. Instead of oxygen that filled his lungs, water streamed in. Flynn propelled himself out of the river. He closed his fist. All the water in front of him froze. Including the water inside the boulder’s body. Flynn took advantage of the water's property to expand when frozen. The burst of ice did not just immediately wreck its lungs. The surge of ice must have ripped through its entire system. Beneath the water, the boulder now writhed and convulsed. Flynn backed up, knowing what was happening. The surface of the river erupted, large rocks exploded through the air. Flynn waited for them to settle to the ground. He dove into the stream, retrieving the small girl now suspended there. He swam her to the surface of the water, joining her on the sandy banks of the river, exhausted. 

“Mr. Flynn?” The child had woken up.

“Just Flynn, and we should get you home, where do you live?”

"Sound advice, I'm with your teacher. Let's get you home."

The sight of your child -soaking wet and shivering- accompanied by her teacher -beaten, bruised and covered in dust- and the teacher's friend, also soaking and carrying a sword by his side is a strange one. But the parents took it surprisingly well, they thanked Flynn and Vlor-aa with a conveniently fresh baked batch of cookies. They sat in her car together, eating the cookies. It was silent for a long time but Vlor-aa spoke up.

"What you did today, thanks." She spoke quietly and slowly.

"Least I could do." 

"You know Flynn, especially after today there is a connection between us." The atmosphere in the small car grew awkward, Flynn refused to respond. "Don't you think we could be something more than… friends."

"Tempting, but It wouldn't mean anything. I'm a hunter, Vlor-aa. Every emotion I have is just cellular memory of a time long ago, as happy as that would make me, it would just be simulated happiness." He lowered his head. Vlor-aa was on the verge of tears. "I'm sincerely sorry. I will be back." Flynn uttered a few words under his breath, gesticulating with his hands. The temperature in the car dropped dramatically. A bright light blinded Vlor-aa. When she managed to see again, Flynn was gone. 

Author's Note

Is the prologue good?