Meanwhile, Freedom Lookout
~Selene’s Perspective~
“Here’s your payment,” says the officer, stiffly dropping a bag of lamina on the ground in front of me. I open it to find lamina of all values in it.
“It’s all in there,” she says, a hint of fear in her voice. “Don’t worry.”
It used to be normal to scam bounty hunters by giving them less than what was offered to save money. Then, a group of bounty hunters found out, spread the word, and a ton of people got pissed. Some powerful, retired ones formed an organization called the Guild of Adventurers, and with virtually every bounty hunter joining their ranks, the government caved, and the guild became an official organization spanning the Seven Seas, minus the 6th and 7th of course. Now, unless you wanted fines levied at your sorry ass, you paid full amount or suffer the consequences.
I nod at her and swing the bag over my shoulder. I walk to my ship, a caravel, and put the sack into the cargo hold.
I’ve been bounty hunting for a while. In that span, I garnered a reputation as one of the best out in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Seas. Usually, those kind of bounty hunters only take direct requests. Not me. I take whatever bounty catches my eye and hunt down my target.
Most of the time, I succeed. My teacher would’ve been proud.
A memory flashes as I slip into the past. The fires a hallucination from 4 years ago. The dead body of my master, the woman who taught me everything I knew about magic and helped me awaken my potential, lies in my hands, burns all over her visible body.
“No no no. Please wake up. Don’t die. Master Altia, please don’t go. DON’T DIE! PLEASE!”
I blink and shake my head. Damn it. That’s the first time this month.
I walk back off the ship and look at the bounty board. The poster of the Rebel 25 is there as always, but I ignore it again and look at the other ones. The last time I went after them, I failed, miserably.
No. Don’t think about him. Don’t think about what happened. Don’t think about what he did. Just take a bounty and go.
One of the bounties catch my eye. I pull the poster and read the list on the back.
WANTED
Abbey Aaio
For the following charges:
Murder
Arson
Theft
Assassination of a AG Admiral
Extremely Dangerous, Approach with caution
Reward: 1,000,000 Lamina
Holy shit, that’s a lot. And the list of crimes goes on even more.
I think about my sister and mother back home. Most of my money is given to them every time I come back. Especially for my sister, Pandora, who’s always sick.
I think for a moment before taking the poster and walking back to the ship. I’ll rest for a few days and then begin hunting her down.
But first, I should go home and give this money to my family.
End of Chapter III