The Farm

Chapter 6

His name was Quill and for the past hour he had them running through The Catacombs with minimal breaks. During the short brakes they did have he'd actually explained a lot more than Kiran had felt he'd be willing to, the answers she got were very helpful. Apparently they were members of a black market showcase of abilities and powers, or at least that's how he explained it. People from all over the country paid top notch to see them fight to the death, but the doctor's main business came from the government itself. Who was willing to pay for The Doctors to design and sell individuals with specific abilities. These games were just a way of the military deciding whose abilities they wanted to see in their soldiers.

"Quill. How do you know all of this?"

Quill paused a minute before answering, attempting to catch his breath, "Last year "The Doctors" told me that I was going to be flown out to personally showcase my capabilities to the military. Apparently I played well enough to be considered a crowd favorite. Point is, during that outing I learned quite a bit about how this whole operation works."

"And you said it's possible for a player to become a hun-," Just then her body went cold. Something was grabbing her. She wanted to scream but there was a hand covering her mouth.

" –A hunter?" Quill finished, glancing over his shoulder to find out why she hadn't completed her statement. Kiran stood stark, gazing wide eyed at the wall. "Kiran? What's wrong? What are y-," and then he noticed it, the silver gleam of a thin blade hovering at her neck.

Quill quickly jumped into action bolting towards Kiran. Kiran watched from the corner of her eye as Quill lunged past her and pulled one those long thick hairs from his arm, it instantaneously stiffened and he twisted his body around throwing it as a dart. Kiran felt a weight shift behind her and the dart sailed past hitting the wall before falling to the ground. All of Kiran's attention went back to the blade which was now moving across her neck. As the blade finished its motion along her skin Kiran was fully released from the grasp of what ever had been holding her, but the blade continued arcing through the air straight towards Quill who effortlessly side stepped it. Kiran, not knowing what else to do, sprinted for cover behind a boulder-like stone against the wall of the corridor. Nearly seconds afterward she felt a hard thud rock through the ground and watched as the dirt kicked up next to her. She barely noticed the storm of darts sailing through the air above the stone. She was much too focused on the physical form the dust seemed to be collecting on in the middle of its cloud. It was staring at her with its head cocked to the side as if confused. Kiran had no time to respond as she noticed a new dagger driving towards her abdomen in the vague silhouette of a dust covered hand. So, she closed her eyes and screamed.

The spot where the blade struck felt heavy, but she hadn't felt much else outside of the rest of her skin tightening as if it was being stretched. She searched for a wound and found nothing, and in that moment it dawned on her. She searched her knee for any scars or scabs from when she stumbled and fell in the forest. Nothing. She looked up needing to say something, to someone. Excitement coursed through her. Then she heard the pitter patter of fleeting footsteps and was brought back to the reality of her situation.

"Quill! He's getting away," her voice was loud but waivered slightly

"I can't see him!" The figure had cleaned themselves of the dust they were covered in and completely disappeared again.

Then there was silence. The sound of its footsteps had ceased. Both Kiran and Quill stared into the empty hall ahead of them entranced by the red stream drizzling into a puddle in the middle of the room. Then, a thud. They noticed as the form of a tall, lean, man shimmered into existence around a previously floating dagger hilt, blood still pouring over the side of his chest.

"Thanks for making my job so easy, guys." A short military build man chided as he strolled in from around a corner. "I don't think I would have found this guy if it wasn't for that one's screaming," he stated as he pointed out Kiran, " Then again, even with his camo he couldn't have hid from me for long with my infrared vision. Still, you made this a lot easier for me. So, once again thanks. I guess I'll return the favor by telling you maybe you should get out of here. I know I'm not going to be the only one who chose to follow your scream down here. Hunters still gotta kill. Anyways, gotta go. I'll talk to you guys later, I guess." And he was off, running back into the darkness.

"He talks too much." Kiran jumped, she hadn't noticed Quill was right next to her. "Kiran, are you alright?" All agitation from his previous statement washed away to concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. The blade bounced of my skin."

"What do you mean bounced off?"

"Quill I think I finally know what my ability is and what each of my experiments was designed to test."

Quill wanted to inquire further but his opportunity was stolen by a faint scream and the sound of very distant footsteps somewhere in the Catacombs. "Do you hear that?"

"Not really," Kiran responded straining to hear what he was listening into.

"They're footsteps, moving quickly towards us. We have to go"

"Quill how do yo-"

"Enhanced hearing. It's one of my abilities. Helps me to be more aware of my surroundings which in turn ensures I don't waist any of my Quills, cause they don't grow back easy. Now come on."

"Wait, Quill. We still have to kill a hunter, right?" Quill nodded, "So why don't get to them before they get to us?"

"Kiran, I really appreciate the way you think."