Eleven years ago

Dragon Realm Scorch

Avalon dashed into her apartment and locked the door behind her. She dropped her coat on the floor and grabbed a traveler’s bag from under her bed. She flew to the cupboards, snatching several days’ worth of food to stuff in the large backpack. Taking out her sword, she jammed it into the ground and pried up the floorboard; unearthing a black lock box. She shook the contents out into a large coin purse until the silver sendetti overflowed from the pouch.

A short rap came from her door.

Avalon tied the coin purse to her belt and picked up her sword. “Krew, is that you?” she cautiously asked.

“No Krew, just Guster.”

Avalon walked closer to the door. Another knock.

“Don't you have any manners, girl? Open de door, we have business to discuss.” The smooth voice grew louder from the other side.

Avalon stood motionless in front of the wooden door, breathing deep. before letting out a short roar. She kicked the door forward having it fly off its hinges. It slammed the stranger into the wall across the hall. Without taking a moment to see who he was, Avalon darted past him and leaped down the stairwell onto the ground floor.

Guster pushed the loose door off of him and smirked. “Dey never want to talk,” he said quietly to himself.

Avalon burst through the complex gates and into a parade of travelers walking the crowded streets. A quick glance behind her found the bounty hunter not too far behind. He wedged his way through the crowd, hot on her trail.

Avalon slid into an alleyway and crossed into the bazaar. Sprinting at a breakneck pace, she crashed crates of mangoes and melons onto the street to inhibit her pursuer. Taking a moment to catch her breath she jumped upwards and jammed her fingers into the shallow cracks of one of the neighboring walls. Like a cat, she scampered up to the roof of a temple.

Avalon hurdled and slid down the various slopes and tiles of the building and bounded across a wide gap to another rooftop. She ended her chase by shimmying down a long Issian banner before ducking into a dead-end.

Avalon gathered her breath and wits. She had to have lost this Guster, whoever he was.

An Airenfal stooge, no doubt.

She took the time to count her sendetti, hopeful despite what she already suspected. Not enough for passage to Jedeoheim. But perhaps enough for Alva? a free state in Scorch. She could find work there; work that didn't involve killing.

“You're a tough one to catch, girl,” came a familiar voice from around the corner. Guster had found her. Guster tried to walk towards Avalon, but halted in his tracks at the sight of her sword. He instead put up his hands. “We can make dis real simple. You'd like to get away from ole’ Guster, I can understand dat, but I got a job to do and a rep to keep. Tell you what, you beat me, you can go on your merry lil' way.”

Avalon narrowed her eyes. “And if you win, Airenfal has me buried in the sands.” “Not at all. He wants you in de pits, to teach you de meanin’ of the word 'obey'.” Avalon examined him. Medium build, athletic, and well-armed by the looks of his many

daggers dangling like icicles within his duster. The light scars on his face suggested he could take a beating, and the marks on his knuckles told her he could deliver one too. The fact that Airenfal only sent this one man demonstrated his confidence in the hitman’s skill. “Who are you?” she asked, ripping her sleeve from the dagger.

“Guster Laroux, my blueberry.”

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‘Let’s get this over with!”

She kept her movements swift, wasting little energy with tricks.

She threw a sharp jab, following it with a thrust of her blade. Both attacks were sidestepped by Guster, who bounced around on his feet, juking his movements and ducking around his head looking for his opportunity to strike back.

Avalon swiped at his dancing legs again and again. Each evasion forced Guster a few steps back, until the wall stopped his retreat. Then she sprung into a flip, whipping both feet under his jaw.

Guster's teeth crunched together as he slammed against the alley wall, but he shook off the daze in time to duck. Avalon's sword sparked and carved a groove across the stone behind him.

The Bounty Hunter shouldered the Black Rabbit in the gut, driving her across the alley while pummeling her with kidney shots.

Avalon winced as her tender side started to bruise. She returned several hefty elbows to Guster's upper back until he growled and lifted her into the air.

Avalon squirmed, trying to get loose by battering at his face. Her attempts were in vain as she was thrown to the ground with a shattering body slam. Rolling to the side, she recovered her blade.

“Had enough of ol’ Guster, blue?” he said between labored breaths. He lowered his hands to the knives hanging in his jacket.

Avalon had only moments to react as Guster whipped a handful of daggers towards her, his hands a blur. She flicked her wrist and deflected the daggers in midair with a spin of her sword. Sparks flew and metal rang as she swatted each blade.

Guster’s movements became erratic, harder to predict. He spun around, danced from side to side, anything to foil Avalon’s counters. Finally she slipped. Missing one as it burrowed into her shoulder, the impact of the throw caught her off guard as her sword went flipping backwards

“Damn it!” she spat.

Reaching for the collar of Guster’s jacket, Avalon pulled it below his shoulders and constricted his arms. Before the bounty hunter could wriggle free, she bashed her forehead into his face. Guster's nose splintered in a spurt of blood.

Guster stumbled backwards, blood pouring out of his nostrils and splashing onto the street.

He firmly held both sides of his broken nose and snapped it back into place.

“Ya-ow!” he cried. “You went and did it now, blue. I ain't goin’ easy on you no more!”

Avalon checked on the dagger in her shoulder, her arm tingled with pain and became limp, refusing to move. Clenching her teeth, she ripped the lodged knife from its wound. A wave of agony swept through her body, but she pushed it back down.

Both fighters shuffled wearily towards each other. Avalon's fought the burning pain in her right arm and willed it to move, a tear rolling down her cheek as she did so.

“Let's end dis lil' dance,” smirked Guster. He raised his hands to guard his face, his fingers fidgeting.

Avalon struggled to keep her guard up with her left arm. She could almost feel her muscles grinding against her bones. Guster's dagger did a worse number than she first perceived. It didn't matter, she had a few other tools in her arsenal. As they inched closer to each other, Avalon made her move. She lifted her knee and flashed a series of solid kicks into Guster's thigh, shoulder, and face.

Guster stumbled sideways as another flurry of kicks came his way. He raised his hands to protect his nose, but took heavy shots to his ribs. The combination wrapped up with a strike to the inside of his knee, dropping him. “Shit!” he grunted.

Avalon drew a dagger from Guster’s jacket and slid it underneath his jaw. “I win.”

Guster did his best to smile between the welts on his face. “Not quite.”

Avalon dropped the dagger as her left arm went completely numb. She grimaced as she turned to face her new assailant. A bounty hunter in a matching white cowboy hat and leather duster.

She tipped her hat sending three more needles into Avalon’s calf. “She giving you too much trouble, Guster?”

Avalon growled falling to her knees, struggling to fight against the urge to sleep.

“Where you been, Siv?”

Avalon mustered all of her strength to grasp onto Siv’s boot.

“I got lost!” Siv kicked Avalon’s hand away. “No one told me that this bitch could jump a twenty-foot gap!”

Guster wobbled as he pulled himself to his feet. He nudged Avalon onto her back. “Fair.”

Avalon fiercely fought to stay awake. To move. To escape. But it was impossible. She was

beaten and captured.