Smart Kid

“This life ain’t fer you kid”

Such simple words that slid from Veritas’ lips like water from the spout. The young shadow of a person stood before him. Panting and furious. Mist caked the air, giving the pair privacy, not that either needed it. Veritas was fine with this. Meant he could do his work nice and proper.

The woods at this time of night were as black as pitch. But the older man, the veteran to this sort of work was used to this. Reminded him of hunting, and he was this time. Told to kill some one eyed freak causing problems.

The one infront of him wasn’t a freak, it was a kid. In the ways that counted at least. A sharp face and an angry one, thin arms and body, and head of purple hair that hadn’t seen a single knot in its life. But the kid had some issues too. A single eye, there was an eyepatch on his right eye. Then there was the magic. Filthy stuff he’d seen it plenty times before. Never was impressed by it but he knew enough about it from his travels, kid was brimming with it.

“What’s yer name kid?”

“I’m not a kid bounty hunter,”

“Yer younger than me kid, what’s yer name”

“You don’t deserve it”

The way the shadow moved it was like an acrobat. Veritas admittedly had a hard time tracking him in the mist. His moves were low to the ground, honestly he was surprised he had found him in the first place.

In the middle of his thinking something wizzed by his head, he only narrowly moved out of the way on instinct. Kid was good, no wonder people wanted him dead. When he looked to where it came from there was nothing, not even an outline of a person. Stupid magic. Veritas calmly reached into his jacket, his fingers brushing past the axe handle, then the hook and line, then finally, the brass knuckles, perfect.

As he slipped the knuckles onto his fingers, he noted the lack of sound. Could be more magic, but he could still hear the wind and the distant cries of crows. The kid was good at this sneaking thing. Not his sort of deal but- his thoughts were interrupted as something heavy and sharp entered near the top of his spine. For someone else, a death blow. To him? Well it hurt that was for sure.

He grabbed at where he thought someone would be if they still clung to whatever hit him. When he did not find purchase he instead pulled the knife from his body. Looking at it, it was beautiful like a feather and shaped like one too. He stuffed it away into his coat to put on display later.

“What are you?”

“Bounty hunter, after yer hands”

“Don’t you mean head, they can’t even send educated hunters anymore. Freak”

“No need to be so rude. Smile some more kid”

Veritas reached out to his right, as he did more knives struck him, this time in his arm. His hand found purchase around the shirt collar of the shadow. He got too close, but he still hit the right places. Elbow and wrist, kid knew how to kill good. He gave the shadow a wide toothy grin, he almost drooled a little bit.

The shadow however scowled at him and pulled another dagger from seemingly nowhere to throw straight into Veritas’ right eye. When it struck it was more shock than anything that got Veritas to release the shadow from his grip. He grabbed the knife and pulled it from the socket, within a few moments vision returned to his eye and the knives in his arms has been pushed out.

“What magic are you using-“

“None, I’m just born this way kid”

The shadow had moved away from Veritas and stood primed to strike again. But there wasn’t a cruel scowl, more a look of demeaning curiosity. Still Veritas smiled back. This made the shadow falter just a bit, but he still looked ready to strike again. Kid was determined, Veritas would give him that.

He cracked the knuckles which his his brass knuckles were placed on. Giving a chuckle.

“Still wanna go kid?”

“I won’t be losing to someone who’s nothing but a hobo who doesn’t know how to die”

“Suit yerself kid, but this life ain’t fer you. Take up gardenin er somethin”

The shadow launched himself at Veritas, a cry of rage at a perceived insult. But still Veritas laughed. Little guy had potential, he’d give him that.