Welnar would walk along a dirt road for 2 days with nothing of interest. Every so often he’d see a carriage trucking along, but other than that the walk is rather barren. When night fell, Welnar would set up camp and rest up until the sun rose. Then, it was right back to it…

  But on the third day, as Welnar was travelling through a sparse forest the sound of rustling a bit off the side of the road would catch his attention. Then… “Get the fuck off me!” A woman would yell. Welnar is sprinting through the forest in the blink of an eye towards the scuffle that sounds as if it’s quickly grown violent… But what he finds surprises him.

  Blood glistens amidst the grass as a group of what looks to be bandits is strewn about, most of them only barely living. A woman stands over one of the bandits, her body clad in some mix of half plate armor, and leather or chainmail covering what the plate doesn’t. She also seems to have foregone a helmet entirely, with her blonde hair done in a pony tail. Did she put the armor together herself?

  Blood gushes into the air in front of the woman as she stabs a sword straight into the throat of the bandit she stands over. Then she turns to face Welnar…

  “Ooh. You guys got a sorcerer too… My favorite!” She yells, suddenly throwing a dagger from her belt! Welnar narrowly moves his head to the side to avoid the dagger, but just as he does the woman has quickly closed the distance, slashing upwards with her still bloody sword! He steps back from the slash, and as the woman quickly brings the sword back down on Welnar, he motions with his hand… And the scarlet knife moves to action, floating in front and blocking the sword. In that same instance, he backs away. “I’m not with these guys!”

  “Bullshit!” The woman yells with fury in her eyes, knocking the scarlet knife to the side and continuing her assault with a flurry of slashes. Welnar ducks and weaves as best he can, having to coat his chin with mana to avoid getting nicked as he sways back from one slash, the minor collision creating sparks between the mana and the sword. As he does, the scarlet knife teleports to his side with a mental command, and with another it strikes the woman in the head with the handle! She staggers momentarily, quickly taking a defensive stance and recovering… But she looks confused as Welnar doesn’t strike, instead holding out a card. “I’m a bounty hunter, seriously! Chill out!” He yells. She slowly inches forward, holding her defense before swiping the bounty hunter card out of his hands. She inspects it for a moment, her eyes widening as they land on his ranking, before carefully handing the card back.

  “Okay, fine, I believe you mister special S grade… If that’s what you are though, then why the hell did you even waste your time huh? Could’ve just killed me instead of convincing me.” The woman says, a fury still burning in her eyes even with her weapon lowered.

  “Because I’m a hero, duh!” Welnar responds. The woman scoffs, rolling her eyes. Then she sees how serious he is, and laughs. “Don’t be stupid, sorcerer. You aren’t fooling anyone… There isn’t a place for heroes in this world.”

  “Then I’ll just have to make a place for myself. And I’m not just a sorcerer you know! I used to be a Normal like you, until I found a special artifact. I’ve been through hell just like you, okay?!” Welnar yells. It’s obvious enough she’s a Normal… Yet her demeanor to sorcerers is like his. Welnar can relate to her, how she feels.

  The woman stands there silently, her face contorting in a mix of emotions. Then she sighs. “Okay, okay… Sheesh.” She sheathes her sword. “I guess that halo is your artifact? Or is it that weird dagger?”

  “It’s uh. Both, technically. They’re the same artifact.”

  She slowly nods. “Well, thanks for trying to help, but I don’t need any. Damn thugs aren’t anything I haven’t handled before.”

  “Are you a bounty hunter as well?”

  “Yeah, I am.” She flashes her hunter card as she says this. Kali Iksal, D grade… “All Normals who do bounty hunting start at F grade, unlike sorcerers who get determined by their magic. But, we can climb the ranks slowly but surely if they continue doing bounties and proving their skills. Like yours truly.” She pats her chest with a proud look on her face.

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  That’s pretty impressive, he can’t lie. “Well in that case, I guess I won’t hold you up any longer! Probably got a bounty to catch, right?” Welnar waves and turns, starting to head back to the path…

  “Wait. Where are you headed?” Kali calls out, causing Welnar to pause. “Heading east. Why?”

  “For a bounty?” Kali questions further.

  “No, not exactly… It’s complicated.”

  Kali seems to think for a few seconds… “Well, I got something you could help with, Mr. Hero. A job.” Now she has Welnar’s attention. “Say no more! Whatever it is, I’ll help, no payment needed!” He quickly says, Kali visibly cringing.

  “Dude, you don’t even know what it is yet.” She says.

  “Well… Tell me then.”

  “There’s a village I’m heading to, full of Normals. It’s… It’s my home. Some damn sorcerer came in a few months ago and decided it was his village though, and basically took it over all by himself. He’s called the Phoenix.”

  Welnar nods in response, and Kali continues. “He’s damn insane though, and every week he takes a couple of the normals and… Forces them to fight him. Sick bastard just wants to feel strong, and make sure others know it too… Makes everybody else watch as he brutalizes them.”

  “Mind if I ask… How do you know all of this?” Welnar asks. It certainly sounds grim… And Kali’s face only turns darker. “My family… Is there.”

  Welnar gives a slow, solemn nod. “We shouldn’t waste any time then. Take the lead.”

  “Thanks.” Kali says, and she heads past Welnar back to the road with him following behind. The newly acquainted pair would travel in silence for a couple minutes until…

  “So, if I said no would you have just…” Welnar says.

  “Fought the Phoenix on my own? Yeah.” Kali cuts him off, finishing the thought for him.

  “That sounds seriously reckless… Aren’t you scared at all?” Welnar knows damn well he was scared of just about any sorcerer not too long ago…

  Kali chuckles. “Scared? I’m fucking terrified. Even fighting you… I was scared, Welnar. But that doesn’t stop me from fighting. Because fighting is the only thing I can do.” The determination in her words resonate with Welnar. Even as a Normal, even when afraid of sorcerers she still chooses to fight…

  “Cool…” Welnar says out loud, broadcasting his thoughts into the world. “Excuse me?” Kali gives him a confused look. Welnar’s cheeks flush red as he stammers. “I-I just- I think that’s… Really brave!”

  {“Oh you poor thing.”} Monarch says in a teasing tone.

  “Is that so? Alright then Mr. Prince Charming.” Kali doubles down on the teasing, without even realizing it. Welnar just looks to the floor, his cheeks still flush. After that though, the pair would quickly grow more comfortable with each other, making small talk and banter as they walk.

  Welnar tells Kali a bit about himself, and in turn she does the same. Apparently she’s been doing bounty hunting for about a year, trying to get enough coin to get her family somewhere better… And when word came of the Phoenix taking over, then it became preparation to get her family out by any means necessary.

  Eventually, night falls and the pair set up camp. Some more small talk is had over a humble dinner of jerky at a campfire, and soon after the pair prepare to sleep in their own separate tents. Just before Kali enters hers though… “Hey Welnar. You try anything, I’ll gut you.” She says, catching Welnar totally off guard. “Wha- I-I would never do something like that!!” He yells, getting a laugh out of Kali.

  “Yeah I know, you’re too scared for that. Night.” Then she heads into her tent, Welnar entering his own and slapping his beet red cheeks.

  {“Your new friend is quite nice Welnar.”} Monarch says.

  {“I like her. She seems… Cool.”} Welnar responds.

  {“Looks pretty good too, don’t you think?”} Monarch giggles.

  {“Oh come on Monarch, that doesn’t matter!”}

  {“But I’m right.”}

  {“Okay, well… Yeah I guess… But we have more important things to worry about.”}

  {“Fine, fine… Just don’t forget I know your thoughts.”}

  {“I try to actually… Now let me get some sleep.”} Welnar grumbles mentally, Monarch abiding by his wishes and leaving him be.

  …

  A man stands in a field just outside of a small, once nameless village of Normals. The field is lit with standing torches, groups of people off to the side looking in horror at the man, his clothing stained with blood. On his back, two wings made entirely of flame burn and crackle, and in one hand he holds a partisan spear. In the other, a wounded man is held in the air by his neck. The Phoenix stares into his eyes, full of fear. The wounded man’s eyes dart around in search of anybody that could help, but none of the other fighters are standing. There aren’t even corpses to gaze upon, just ash.

  Flames coalesce at the Phoenix’s shoulder, two beams of flame slowly spiraling around his arm as they climb up it towards the wounded man. He helplessly tries to struggle, but there’s no hope. Even if he did somehow break free, his shattered legs wouldn’t take him very far. The flames grow closer and closer, dancing and twirling as a twisted grin forms on the Phoenix’s face.

  Then, like snakes, the two beams of flame pounce upon the man, his entire body catching alight in the blink of an eye. He screams and screams, yet none of the spectators dare move an inch. The Phoenix drops the burning man, and soon the screams stop. Leaving only ash. The Phoenix plants his spear in the ground, raising his arms as the flaming wings grow bigger and brighter, a declaration of his victory. Amidst the blazing glory, within the Phoenix…

  A Burning Heart beats.