As I walked away from the two corpses at my feet, I couldn’t help but sigh. This was already the third attempt at such a trick this week. I just wished that people would be innovative in their attempt to kill me. Sadly, that wasn’t to be. Everyone had more or less had the same trick up their sleeve.

You would guess I would be tired of such tedious attempts at my life almost every other day but you would be very wrong.

I loved it. The shot of adrenaline that burst through my veins when someone rushed towards me with the intent to kill, unaware of their own impending demise a few moments later. The exhilaration I felt when their blood struck my face, warming my being for a few brief moments.

The prey was coming to the predator and I was loving every moment of it. no longer did I have to wait for those pesky clients to satiate my ever-growing need for action and blood.

Being wanted was fun. To the others, it might seem a flipping of the tables, a reversal of roles if you will. The hunter had finally become the hunted and should be wary of the sheep that it was feasting off of just yesterday.

There was never such a problem with me. after all, being wanted had led to many advantages for me. People were actively looking for me in a desire for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I was literally the golden hen, destined to give my captor wealth and power that they could only dream of in this archaic world.

They ran into a snag pretty quickly though. No one had seen hair or hide of me. no one alive that is. There wasn’t a confirmed picture of me out there. In fact, forget a confirmed picture, there wasn’t a rough sketch of me to be found anywhere.

That was a dilemma that some people took to solve the only way they could. If you cant reach the prey, you make the prey come to you. They began hiring me with the intention of luring me into a trap. It was a sound idea, mind you. The only problem was it would literally take an army to take me down. An army that no one except the guild had.

The constant trail of blood that I was leaving in my wake was making an impact. People foolishly advertised their quest to hunt me down, only to turn up dead a few hours later. That gave me a reputation and credibility that was almost ironclad.

I was gaining notoriety and fast. I was the literal boogeyman. You didn’t see me, you never heard me, some didn’t even know if I existed or was just a myth perpetuated by a group of people to further their ends. The only thing people knew was that if you came in the crosshairs of the Bounty Hunter, you’d better say your last prayers.

Pretty soon, I learned that notoriety was good. Any kind of publicity was good. There’s no such thing as bad publicity, after all. no amount of word of mouth could have ever helped me build a client base as expansive as a simple wanted poster did. In a way, I was thankful for the guild, ‘The Roaring Dragons’. They had contributed to my now booming business in a major way.

The most significant help I had gotten by virtue of finding myself a wanted individual was the gain in strength. Anyone who was foolish enough to chase me and incur my wrath, all for the prospect of some riches was of a high enough level to contemplate capturing me. Plus, the loot and the equipment they invariably left in their wake only added to my power and riches. My life was near perfect, all things considered.

I was beginning to hear the noises of the now gathering public at the site of the fresh bodies. I wondered if they would figure out that it was my doing. Maybe I should get a memento or something, to place at the spots of my escapades, just so people know I was there. It might make it more fun for me and more disconcerting for the others. Hmm, I wonder what it could be?

Jordan was perplexed at the report he was hearing. He could feel that he wasn’t alone in feeling this way as he could hear the abrupt snorts of disbelief that Scott was emitting from just beside him.

Thirty people already dead but still no one could give a concrete answer regarding the Bounty Hunter’s real appearance. Not only was this turning the Bounty Hunter into an urban myth, but it was also resulting in a steady shift in public perception regarding the reputation of their guild. And not in the desired direction.

Some people had begun seeing this whole exercise as nothing but a way for their guild to serve up guinea pigs to test the might of the Bounty Hunter and reveal their identity. The lack of direct action on the part of the ‘Roaring Dragons’ had people turning away from them. Already, reports were filtering in of applications to their guild being withdrawn. No one wanted to be cannon fodder after all, even for a popular guild like theirs.

Jordan could take it no more as he spoke up, stopping the woman giving out the report mid-sentence, as he said, “That’s enough. I can’t take this anymore.”

“This whole fiasco with this Bounty Hunter incident has resulted in a loss in all facets for us. I had thought that the world had a few adventurers left who were competent and could take on this endeavour. Obviously, I was wrong. It’s firmly apparent that the top echelons of the adventurers have already joined guilds or worse yet, formed some.”

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Scott continued, “Yes, within just a week, the number of people trying to bring the Bounty Hunter to us has taken a nosedive. I suggest forming some groups from within our own members whose only task will be finding and apprehending the Bounty Hunter. Our reputation can’t afford to take more of a hit. We might be one of the top guilds in the nation right now but we must not forget that there is no lack of guilds willing and able to take our position away from us.”

Jordan nodded and said, “Yes, ask someone to get to that right away. And put all of our members on alert. If I have got any measure on this Bounty Hunter, I think he will retaliate in some manner. Tell our officers that their lives might be in danger and to look out for any suspicious members hanging around the guild.”

The woman who was giving the report left the office promptly and Scott proceeded to follow him before he was stopped in his tracks by Jordan.

“Scott, I have a task for you. Gather a few people you trust with your life and start checking the backgrounds of every member in the guild. Even the officers, if you must. I don’t want us to alert the whole town only for the Bounty Hunter to be in our own household.”

Scott laughed derisively at that and replied, “Your assumption is sound, no doubt but there is a problem.”

Jordan asked back, his eyebrows raised, “And what’s that?”

“I don’t trust anyone with my life, except you.”

Jordan shook his head in amusement at that. “Very well. You better do this whole background check thing on your own then.”

Scott could only sigh as he was faced with the prospect of what promised to be a humongous task. Jordan stood up and said, “Ask my bodyguards to come here as soon as possible. I am going out. It’s time we had some help with this whole fiasco.”

“And who do you think will be capable and gracious enough to aid us in our somewhat ego-driven endeavour?”

Jordan grinned as he replied, “Only a guild on our level can help us, my friend. I am asking one of our competitors and another of the top three guilds in the region. ‘The Wandering Phoenix.”

“And they will help us out of the goodness of their hearts?”

Jordan couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Of course not. If they did, they wouldn’t be our competitors. I am thinking of offering them the right of the first conquest on the Minotaur dungeon.”

Scott was astonished at hearing that. “That’s a heavy price to pay for what might turn out to be a fruitless endeavour. You sure want this guy, huh?”

Jordan nodded. “Yes, I do. The Minotaur’s exclusive loot is a small price to pay for that if it gets us this Bounty Hunter. His very existence proves to be a nuisance to me.”

Seeing Jordan so determined to catch the Bounty Hunter made Scott realise that no words could pursue Jordan to leave this matter alone.

“Well, you are the leader. I will gather up your four bodyguards. Then I will get started on these background checks of yours. Although I am not too optimistic about finding something there. The Bounty Hunter doesn’t seem like a person to make rookie mistakes like leaving tracks.”

“I know. I would still like to keep all my bases covered.”

Jordan was out of the guild building as inconspicuously as one could with four bodyguards hanging around, surrounding him on all sides. One was ahead of him on the lookout while two were flanking him on either side. The last and the strongest of the bodyguards brought up the rear.

They walked in the direction of the ‘Wandering Phoenix’ for about fifteen minutes before something with a pointy end struck Jordan on the back. Instead of penetrating his armour and skin though, it just stayed there, its threat lingering and ever-present.

Jordan made to turn around before an unfamiliar voice made itself known.

“Nuh, uh. No turning around, leader.”

“You are not my bodyguard! I am not your leader.”

The voice behind him lit up in a snicker as he said, “Right in one.”

Jordan tried to voice his situation to his other bodyguards but found the knife travelling a little further into his armour, making him stop.

The bodyguard ahead of him turned around at that very moment. “Is everything alright, sir?”

This time Jordan felt the cold steel against the skin of his back as he replied, his voice strained, “Everything’ fine. Don’t worry.”

As soon as the bodyguard turned to face the front once again, Jordan asked his attacker, “Who are you? And where is my bodyguard?”

“Hmm…..your bodyguard…now, where did I leave him? I remember killing him but after that, it is kind of hazy. Well, not my concern.”

“I have to say I am a little hurt that you don’t recognise me. After all, everyone knows that you are looking for me. Am I wrong?”

“So, you are the Bounty Hunter! Nice to finally receive some confirmation.”

“In the flesh, leader. In the flesh. You wanted me, so here I am. Are you pleased?”

Jordan was anything but pleased. “I must say I am impressed. I don’t often say this….. but your balls must clang.”

There was a moment of silence before Jordan received a light laugh in reply. “Now I see. Because my balls are made of steel. Sorry, it took me so much to catch up with your joke. I don’t have much experience with humour. Although, I guess humour is important in my line of work to maintain some semblance of sanity.”

“Your line of work?”

“You know. Making sure others can't laugh in the future.”

Jordan couldn’t help but release a snort at that. “You won’t survive this. But I could use someone like you in my ranks. Join me and this will all be forgotten. I will even promote you to a top five position within my guild. You deserve it.”

Suddenly, the voice lost all trace of its humour as he replied, “Thanks but I will pass. As for my survival, I am not the one seeking help from other guilds. Which reminds me, you have arrived at your destination. I don’t think you require your bodyguards anymore.”

Before Jordan could grasp any control of the situation, his knees buckled under him.

“Poison! The knife must be laced with some sort of poison!”

He tried to warn his bodyguards of the impending attack but words wouldn’t come out of his mouth as he found every single part of his body paralysed. He could only make out some noise there were three gentle thuds as he guessed that his bodyguards had met their end.

He heard footsteps approaching and he prepared himself for his inevitable end before he felt warm air striking his ear.

“Prepare yourself, leader. Next time, I will attack from the front. Your guild is counting on you.”

That was the Bounty Hunter said as he left with resounding laughter which would haunt his nightmares for some time.

As he lay on the ground, he couldn’t help but curse his powerlessness. He felt something wet pooling nearing and soaking his clothes.

“My bodyguards’ blood”, he vaguely realised as he felt his consciousness abandon him.

He heard shouts and noises all around him but he found himself too sluggish to care. The last thing he felt was someone lifting him as the sweet embrace of sleep welcomed him with open arms. He couldn’t help but hear the haunting laughter within depths of his mind as he cursed his own weakness one last time.