The Nightwalker

Prologue

Under the expanse of the starless night of Helios Prime, a leather-clad woman moved towards the barren lands. Cautious and weary, her eyes flitted from side to side and flicked her hand, which was a signal for someone to follow her track. A robed figure and a wolf stepped out, both have bows strapped at their sides.

The woman, Thane, led the moving formation. She was a lean muscled combatant and had already murdered three men—two with her dagger hidden in her cloak and one was from her bare hands. The other two, both who had yet to shed blood this bitter night, were nevertheless as vicious as her.

The three of them approached a boulder trapped between two bigger rock spires. It looked empty at first sight, but once her companion raised her lamp, a scream exploded and tore through the silent night like shards of glass. The moonlight shifted and draped itself onto another man, this one was older and tied to the boulder.

Any citizen of Helios Prime would immediately recognize the old man, if he was in his usual dark cloak. At the moment, Bumi Lao was unrecognizable; his once handsome, tanned face transformed into a gaunt and grotesque blob of flesh, indistinguishable by multiple wounds and lacerations. His naked torso was mottled with colors of dark purple and green. He looked as though he lived a life of agony and suffering.

"Should I put a gag on him?" Thane's companion asked. The elderly man looked at the robed figure, and when recognition sparked on his face, he began to scream again. His scream sounded of pure desperation and dread.

"You can shout all you want, Lao." The woman stepped forward and kicked him in his bruised belly. "No one's going to hear you."

"I should have known you're the same, Thane!" Bumi spat at the woman, his eyes brimmed with tears. "Indoctrinated!"

"I'm far from it," drawled Thane, her hands were placed on her hips as though anticipating an attack from Bumi. "Tell me, who discovered her? How much do you know?"

"I won't say anything," Bumi howled. "You're a disgrace to the Guild! They'll find you and this abomination—" his eyes flitted towards Thane's companion, and spat at their shoes, covering them with blood and saliva"—and they'll have your heads."

"Just tell us what you know and we'll let you go. I can erase your memories and Thane wouldn't have to kill you. Right, Thane?" Thane's companion asked.

The woman shrugged in response.

"Never!"Bumi yelled.

"We already have your plans, Bumi," Thane said, contempt dripped on her voice. "We know you're doing raids in three colonies just to find her. We just need that one crucial information: do you know who she is?"

"She's a filthy invader!" Bumi shrieked and Thane was tempted to cover her ears from the shrill sound of his high pitch brogue. "Hiding amongst us because of your associates. Oh, I know who's in your circle, Thane. It's only a matter of time before the crow carries the news back to the Citadel and we'll have all of you sympathizers obliterated."

"Is that right?" Thane cocked her head to the side.

"The Archangels will find you—"

Thane sighed, and for a moment, Bumi looked relieved. Then, out of nowhere, a flicker of bronze illuminated against the darkness. Thane, who had her hands on her hips,  was now holding a  dagger. She drove her weapon into his naked stomach and chest, and finally in the middle of his forehead. The man fell against the boulder, heaving severely. For a few seconds he looked up at the lone woman as though trying to curse. As soon as he tried to vocalize his thought, a heavy spasm shook his entire body. His beaded eyes dropped on their own accord.

"He doesn't know her, does he?"

"He would have bragged about it if he did," Thane grunted, her eyes still staring at the dead man before her. "Come on, let's move."

"Not yet," her companion said and threw the lamp on the floor. "We don't want him turning into... an invader, would we?"

Thane chuckled and for a moment the two of them just stood there with the wolf, unaware that they were being watched, unaware that they were followed, as they continue to gaze at the charring body of Bumi Lao.