To Hunt A Magick

Chapter One: Jack the Magicks Hunter

"Please, we are not Magicks. Please believe us. They will kill us. Please you have to believe us." The man begged, straining against his chains.

Jack looked down at the man and woman with disdain, "Be quiet, or you will meet your end, here and now. I saw you create fire with my own eyes, and I saw her make berries grow from the earth. You will receive the punishment you deserve for your unnaturalness."

The man continued to beg, but it made no difference to Jack, it never did, and never would. This part was the hardest part of his job as an M.H. or Magicks Hunter, listening to the dogs beg for mercy, they should count their blessings that he did not want to dirty his hands and kill them himself. After about another half hour the Magicks Authorities or as everyone called it, the MA, arrived and collected the filth from him.

With some gold tinkling in his pockets, Jack strolled towards the nearest town, after all his hard work, he needed a drink and maybe a reward for cleaning up the world. It was not long before Jack came upon one of the poorer towns around, the town of Damnum. The locals say that the town is cursed because in the ancient days a great evil was committed there, and all who dwell there are doomed to die a painful death.

The only curse Jack ever spots in the place is the filth that lives there. Damnum is a Hunter's gold mine, most Magicks are born there, and can be found in the woods surrounding the little town. Since the hunting is always good there, Jack calls Damnum home.

After grabbing a bite from the local tavern, Jack decided to plot his next hunt. Should it be a local hunt or should he travel to the hills of Veracity near the Temple of Truth, there were always some interesting dogs near there. Jack was sitting in the center of town near the busted well when something caught his eye. Near the edge of town, a woman and a child stood. The woman was examining some fruit a farmer was selling, but the child was dancing around, the way children do when they are bored. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except the way the light around the child seemed to dance. It looked almost like the sun wanted to join in the child's fun.

Instinct taking over, Jack got up and moved towards the child. Just as he was getting closer, the woman suddenly turned, spotted the child, and called to her. The child froze mid-dance, and with her head slightly hung, walked back over to the woman. Moments later the woman and child paid for their fruit and headed out of town.

Target in sight, Jack followed them. When he came to the edge of town, he took to the cover of trees and stalked their steps. He had many years of practice and could move without being heard or seen. He stayed close enough to see them and hear their faint snatches of conversations, but far enough away to where they would not sense his presence. Magicks can always sense danger, the scar on his cheek would forever be his reminder of that.

After what felt like ages of wandering through the woods, they finally came upon a small wooden hut near the riverbank. The hut almost looked abandoned, pieces of the roof were missing, the door was nothing more than withered vines strung together, and it was leaning slightly to the right. Trees grew up all around the hut and the grass out front was overgrown, if he had not seen them enter the hut, or the faint curl of smoke rising from the chimney spout, Jack would have never known that someone lived there.

Jack waited and watched the hut for hours, but no one came in or out. If he had not been used to sitting and waiting, he would have left his hiding place minutes after they had entered the hut. But his patience paid off, just after the moon had risen into the sky, the vines on the hut were parted, and out came the woman and child. The child seemed to be carrying some kind of candle or something, for a small glow flickered in her hands. Jack watched as they approached the riverbank, buckets in hand, their soft voices carrying on the wind.

"What will we do if she passes? Will we stay here?"

The woman shook her head, "No, Dawn. This area is too dangerous for us. If Gran Ivy had not been settled here since her childhood, we would have long left this place. We have only stayed for this long because this is where her family is laid to rest, and she wishes to lay with them when it is her turn to rest."

Dawn shook her head, "What will we do without her? I do not want to lose Gran Ivy. Rainie, is there not something you can do?"

The woman stopped and kneeled in front of the child, "Dawn, as unfair as it feels, this is a part of life. Gran Ivy has lived many, many years, and she has seen many of her loved ones come and go. She is tired, and her heart is ready to rest. If she was not ready for rest, I would stop at nothing to heal her, for I owe her my very life, but she is ready. Even though we are not, she is, and I will not see her suffer."

The sound of sniffling reached Jack's ear, he realized the child, Dawn, must be crying. He understood the feeling of loss, he himself had felt it keenly before. He bowed his head, perhaps he would let this one go. He had no proof they were what he thought they were. He was about to get up and leave when the woman, Rainie, spoke.

"Go back inside Dawn, I will fetch the water and herbs I need for Gran's tonic. I will not be long."

Sniffling Dawn said, "But you will not be able to see without the light. I can stay with you while you gather what is needed."

Her comment struck Jack as odd, why not leave the candle? She would have to make more than one trip with the buckets, but she would be able to see."

Rainie replied in a soft voice, "I will see just fine. The hour is late, and you need to rest. We will be making rounds to the less fortunates tomorrow, and I will need you to keep pace with me."

Dawn hung her head, "Yes Ma'am."

"Good night Dawn. I will see you in the morning."

"Good night Rainie," Dawn whispered, walking back to the little hut.

Rainie waited for the little girl to enter the hut, before kneeling by the edge of the river, Jack moved closer, careful to not make a sound. In the faint moonlight, he could see her kneeling with her face hidden in her hands, the very faint sound of her sobs could barely be heard over the gurgling of the river. Jack looked down, yes, he would leave them alone, they were suffering enough.

He turned to fully walk away when a sweet sad sound met his ears. Turning back, he saw Rainie had stopped crying, her eyes were trained on the swirling river, and she was singing softly.

"Another season has ended, another night has faded away, and with the morning light comes the hope of a new day. Nothing stays the same, each day brings us something new, and I'll never be alone as long as I have you. As long as I have you- "

Her voice stopped, and in a choked sob she whispered, "Gran needs me to let her go. She has given everything for me, so I will let her go. Dawn needs me to be strong and to keep her safe. She has lost everything and everyone, so I will be strong and keep her safe. I just pray I can find the strength to face each day, and to be enough for them. Please, help me be enough."

Jack watched as she dried her eyes, scooped up the buckets of water, and headed back towards the hut, stopping only briefly to pick something up from the ground. When she was safely back in the hut, Jack walked away. He had never before been conflicted about his job, he had seen many dogs cry for mercy before, what made them special?

Jack stopped and turned back to the hut, why now did he hesitate? He knew, even without proof he could feel their magick, he knew, so why did he hesitate? They had magick, he would get proof first, he always did, and when he had it, he would do his job. Magicks were nothing more than wicked monsters, who lived for the suffering of those around them, and he would see them all in the Pound or he would die trying.