Iron Wasteland

Chapter 12

Irons felt his blood run cold. The person in the darkness was slouched back in their chair, facing them. They were breathing softly, the sound sending chills up and down his spine. Even while sitting, the person was taller than Irons. The person also just had a presence, one that made the sheriff feel very small by comparison. He could hear blood rushing in his ears. Feel his heart pound in his chest. A million questions ran through his mind, but the idea of speaking and drawing any more attention to himself was petrifying. Everyone was still.

The man slowly leaned forward, letting out a sigh. Both hands came up to their face, and a brief spark flickered to life. Then another. In the small windows of light, Irons could make out the shape of a hood, but couldn't see the person's face. After a bit, the person groaned in annoyance.

"Well, that's unfortunate." They said, voice deep and gravel-y. "Don't suppose...you have a light?"

"...Yeah, yeah, I got a light." Irons said as calmly as he could. "Gotta get closer, though, sir."

"Heh...sir. So formal." The man shifted, removing something from his mouth and extending forward. "This, please."

Irons stepped forward, narrowing the flame in his hand to that of a lighter. The light revealed a long, stick-like object being clutched in a gloved hand. It looked like a distorted cigarette. Irons lit the end of the stick, then quickly stepped away. He increased the flamelight's radius, enough to make out some more features. It confirmed the man was wearing a hood, colored a fern green color. He had some sort of metal plate strapped to his chest, over what looked like a hoodie. He still couldn't see the person's face. However, that outfit felt familiar to him.

The man nodded, leaning back and bringing the stick to his face. There was a deep, ragged inhale, followed by an orange-tinted puff of smoke towards them. A long silence followed. Irons racked his brain, trying to figure out why this guy seemed so familiar.

"..,you're that guy. From the bar." He said quietly, finally remembering. "You warned me about those bounty hunters."

Irons couldn't see it, but he could feel the man smile. It sent a chill down his spine.

"Yep, that's me. You've accomplished quite a lot in the few weeks since we first met. You're quite the character."

The man stood, joints (or the chair) creaking loudly. They moved closer, stepping fully into the bubble of light. They towered over the sheriff, face still obscured by darkness. The stick object was still burning, poking from the side of the void where his face should've been. A strong scent of orange and cinnamon filled the space. The man was breathing heavily, sounding raspy and distorted.

"Wh–who are you?" Providence asked. "And how did you get down here?"

The man turned their attention to the god, a low rumbling sound coming from their throat. "You may call me Orion, in the few moments we will share. And, for how I got here, well...doors of any kind aren't really a problem, for someone such as myself."

"Don't like the way you worded that first part, Orion." Irons said, taking a step back and reaching under his shoulder cover. "What are you here for?"

The man returned his gaze to Irons. "Things have...changed, I'm afraid. An interested party wants me here, performing a quite simple task. You and I are no longer merely acquaintances."

The man removed the stick, letting out another puff. "We are now hunter and hunted."

Irons' instincts kicked in, flinging himself backwards and pushing Providence away. A clawed fist swung where he had been standing, the air ringing with the speed. He could feel the killing intent coming from this man. Irons scrambled to his feet, grabbing Providence's hand and bolting down the hallway. He could hear Orion coming up behind them, along with more crackling and snapping noises. He looked back briefly, just in time to see something shoot from the darkness right at him. He twisted, whatever being thrown grazing his leg instead of completely piercing it. Still, the slice sent a spike of pain up his leg, causing him to nearly stumble. Irons pulled them through the door into the mystery tunnel, teetering on the edge. He glanced back, seeing Orion still approaching. He was walking, like he was just going on a stroll. Irons hopped off the side, dragging the fire goddess with him. All senses in his brain were telling him to run.