Elzan travels through the woods, along the tree line. He folds the map, tucks it into his coat, and keeps the river to his right. Every now and then, he glances back, making sure no one's behind him.
After a long walk, he has finally reached the destination. He looks at the surroundings but sees no signs of the two criminals. Seems that he has arrived at the place first. He looks at his pocket watch and it is almost 2 in the afternoon. According to what the two wanted men said, the revenant will appear at 4 in the noon.
Elzan: "Alright… 2 more hours you can do this…"
Elzan encouraged himself. He then climbs on a tree and finds a steady spot for him to hide.He spends the 2 hours drawing a portrait of the Revenant.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of a wood stick being clenched. He immediately gets in position to peek from above. The two criminals have arrived. Elzan observes them, assuming they would be preparing for a trap.
Daren: "Kall… are you sure he's coming to this place? I mean… this place is only ashes and dirt… who would even want to come here in the first place?"
Kall: "Don't say that too loud. If he is coming, I'd rather not give him a reason to change his mind."
Daren scoffs, scanning the dead landscape. The sun above struggles to break through the reddish haze, warped shadows across the burnt ruins. A strange, uncomfortable silence fills the air. There are no birds, no wind, just the occasional crack of scorched wood underfoot.
Daren: "Still gives me the creeps. This place looks like death… smells like it too."
Kall: "I don't want to be here either… Remember, we're just here for the bounty, we'll leave immediately after it's done."
He tosses his bag down and starts unpacking a small device, four thin metal rods and a rune-etched stone. He jams the rods into the ground in a square and places the stone in the center.
Daren: "What is that thing?"
Kall: "An old tech. Ancient bounty hunters used it to detect presence. It reacts to spiritual energy… if the Revenant's really as cursed as they say, this thing should go off like wildfire."
Up in the tree, Elzan narrows his eyes.
Elzan (thinking): "Spiritual energy detectors? That kind of tech is a black magic related and illegal in most kingdoms. These two were more prepared than I expected."
Elzan carefully takes out his telescope and takes a closer look at the two men below. As he was observing, a chill ran up his spine.
The air drops in temperature. The shadows stretch unnaturally. The rune-stone glows a faint blue.
Kall: "He's here…"
Daren instinctively draws his blade and backs up, scanning every direction.
Daren: "I don't see anything…"
Suddenly, a heavy gust sweeps through the area, kicking up a spiral of ash and dust. It rushes in fast, then stops just as suddenly. And standing in the center of the swirl.
The Revenant…
Cloaked in dark fabrics, face hidden beneath a mask of dull metal. A long sword strapped to its waist, etched with runes older than the kingdom itself.
Kall: "No sudden moves…"
The Revenant doesn't speak. It only stares.
Then, slowly… it takes a single step forward.
The rune-stone explodes in sparks.
Daren: "Kall… this was a BAD idea!"
The Revenant unsheathes the sword, dragging it slowly across the ground. The metal doesn't ring but growls.
From above, Elzan watches, breath caught in his throat.
The Revenant lifts its blade with one hand, no flourish, no intimidation tactic, just a dedicated motion, slow and steady, like it has done it countless times before.
The two criminals began to shake. The fear overcomes their mind as they begin to panic.
Daren: "Kall… he's drawing the blade! DO something!"
Kall, with shaking hands, pulls out a short crossbow from his bag and fires without warning. The bolt whistles through the air.
"CLANG!"
The revenant tilts its head slightly. The bolt snaps against its shoulder plate, barely making it flinch.
The two men glance at each other in despair. Daren then charges recklessly. Kall tries to follow, fumbling to reload. The Revenant stands still… until the last possible second.
He sidesteps. One smooth motion. The blade tears across the ground with terrifying speed. Ash bursts upward. Daren spins to avoid the slash, but he was not fast enough. A deep gash slices across his side. He stumbles back, blood spraying against the gray dirt.
Kall: "Daren!"
He fires again. The revenant lifts a gauntleted hand, catches the bolt mid-air and snaps it in two.
From the tree, Elzan watches with wide eyes.
Elzan(thinking): "He's not just skilled… he's reading every move before it happens."
Kall panics and pulls the other man to his side.
Kall: "Keep it together…"
Daren is on the ground, a sword wound across his chest. He's still breathing, but barely.
Kall: "Damn it…"
Kall looks at the opponent, but it is gone on his sight. He searches around but see no signs. Until he noticed a cold catch behind his back. He slowly looks his back and sees The Revenant standing with the sword in its hand.
Shivers ran down their spine, they could not do anything but accept their faith. But when Kall was about to raise his arm to stab with his knife, The Revenant's sword has already penetrated through his chest. Daren watches in terror, he couldn't get up and help his partner but witness him slowly dies.
Daren: "N-No… please… I'm begging…"
His voice tore through the air as he clawed at the ground, trying to get away. He could only crawl away as his legs had no strength left to get up.
The Revenant remains unbothered by his crying for mercy. It slowly walks toward Daren, every step deliberate, giving a cold and shivering atmosphere. The wind howls softly through the burnt trees, the scene gets more intimidating as the Revenant takes out the sword.
Daren: "S-Stay back! Please… We didn't mean to disturb you!"
His nails dig into the dirt as he desperately tries to crawl away, leaving a trail of blood behind him. His breaths come in sharp, ragged gasps. Elzan's eyes flick between the crawling man and the figure moving like a phantom.
The figure doesn't stop there as it keeps on approaching the helpless man. Daren sees his reflection on the sword. Taking this as a sign of his final moment he takes out his knife, glances at it for a moment before finally ending himself.
Above the tree, Elzan watches in despair. He looks at the Revenant, but it doesn't seem bothered by the incident. It remains silent for a moment before turning back. It walks towards the burnt house, which is only ashes now. Elzan takes out his telescope and observes the situation.