Episode 3A: His Apprentice Hunts

A Chapter by Xerclipse

Now we have got into Ryan's first hunting. Will this be an exciting adventure for him?

Episode 3
His Apprentice Hunts
Part A

They were both standing ontop of a roof. The distance was so widespread and so vast. Ryan and Logun both had their weapons on their hands ready for action. The sun was bright and the noise of the city was below. Sure they heard cars and the wind but it was silent enough for the both of them.

“Ryan, remember what I have told you!” commanded Logun to Ryan.

“Yes....Yes Logun.” responded Ryan. He couldn’t identify whether he was excited or nervous. Oh well.

“It’s time!” said Logun.

He then jumped off of the edge. Logun had traveled through the free fall very quickly as the gravity gave him a ride. His body was stiff and smooth to cut the wind. Of course, Ryan put his weapons in his holsters and then stood back ready to run. He gave out his breath and then woosh!

Ryan had sprinted blindly but did not let that sweat give in. Once he had jumped over the edge, his voice screamed. It was that natural instinct of his to scream whenever he fell from a long altitude. He was losing balance through that free fall. It was as if the force was toying with his body like a ragdoll. Once he had gained balance of the free fall, he saw Logun dive into a glowing pentagram, but then Ryan was about to collide with that pentagram as well.

Woosh!

Ryan had sprung out of that pentagram at the inverse side of the surface.

Cling, Clang, Boom, Pow, Sprat, Ching!

The buildings around him had twisted. The backs of them had now faced the front. The sidewalks have curved and flipped over. The lamp posts have vibrated and then scattered away.

“Whoa! This never gets old! Cool!” said Ryan who always enjoyed the twisted side of Acrisius.

There was Logun who already had his knives in a building. He was at the middle of climbing that building but he turned to check on Ryan as he was still hanging.

“Ryan, you might want to get going!” said Logun.

Then Ryan Gillard ran towards the door but did not arrive there to enter the building. He jumped on it to use it as his first step to climbing. Now you thought that was weird right? Come on haven’t you been paying attention right now, this is the underworld!

His climbing skills was slightly slower than Logun’s climb skills but he never let that get to him.

Boom!

One window had shattered and then furniture blasted outside of it. The animated city did have potential to kill anyone, especially Ryan. A tunnel has formed right where Logun was at. He dived into it and then stood there to wait for Ryan to arrive there. It was as if it were a game of follow the leader.

There he was. Ryan had pulled himself together into that tunnel.

Clank, Pow, Boom!

The floor underneath then had ruptured and parted. That didn’t stop them at all so they quickly leaped across the platforms that levitated. Logun pulled out his pistols to shoot the large doors on front of him. BLAM BOOM BLAM BOOM! Then they were open.

They rushed through the hallway as it quickly grew narrower. The hallway seemed to bend as if it had a mind of its own. The straight path was blocked by a wall that was so far away but was less than several feet on front of them. Logun tilted his body to the right and then used the wall to run on. Ryan mimicked Logun’s action to survive that tricky hallway. It was until there was one window that was so clear and bright that they were ready to exit.

Bam bam bam bam bam!

The two pistols were fired and Logun jumped right out of the window. Ryan also did the same but what else did he have to do?

They had both landed harshly after they opened up a path for the both of them. But where were they? They were in an enclosed part of the city where all of the roads and sidewalks were blocked off. The center of that area was a water fountain but around it were roads and sidewalks that were curved but then blocked by debris. They could only go in a certain area of the radius but it was the area they could only occupy.

What’s this, two girls? They were so young in their ages of thirteen to fourteen. One of them had such a cherubic face with blonde hair who wore a white and yellow dress. The other was a girl who had black hair, a decorated but elegant sweater and jeans. However, both of their faces were frightened once they saw both the two hangmen. They didn’t have the nerve to scream, in fact, they were frozen by fear. The two girls held hands which had a tighter grip.

Logun then stood back and saw the two targets. His eyes were wide open and his mouth was one as a frown. His jaw hanged out of his mouth as if he were having alternate thoughts about the targets. Ryan stood back breathing heavily.

“There they are Ryan! Those are your targets!” shouted Logun who turned to Ryan.

Ryan pulled out his shotgun and ran closer to the girls. The girls leaned back at the fountain and then they held each other. He pointed his shotgun at one of the girls. The trigger finger shook in an indecisive matter. It didn’t pull the trigger but Ryan was having some.....trouble.

“Ryan, shoot them both.” commanded Logun in a softer tone who progressively stepped closer. “Ryan, what the hell are you doing?”

Ryan’s eye dropped a tear but that wasn’t different from what Logun had. Logun then heard the voice in his head from that masked figure that was aligned with the Ascension. He heard.

“One that would not be afraid to kill is one who has already lost innocence.”

Another he heard was

“Tell me how many times have you smiled when you executed your missions as a hangman?”

Ryan stepped backwards but also toned down his threatening pose.

“Ryan, what the f**k are you doing? Pull the trigger!” shouted Logun whose emotions made his body animated.

“I’m gonna do it! I’m gonna do it!” repeated Ryan who eventually became nervous of what was to come. He was a broken record when he said that, but after his fifth time of saying that....

Blam, Splat.

The blonde haired girl jerked backwards with her forehead spraying blood. That bullet went clean through her head but caused the blood to splatter all over her face and the fountain behind her. But don’t forget that the blood also splattered on the other girl’s clothes. She screamed so heavily in grief and agony over that girl's body. Ryan could feel those emotions after he got jumped by the death. He turned to Logun who had his pistol pointing at the girls. Logun’s hand was shaking. All that girl could do was cry and weep over the dead girl.

“Do her a favor and shoot her!” commanded Logun who looked away. He did try to shout over the girl's crying.
Ryan heard the command but chose to ignore it and walked backwards.

“Do it!” shouted Logun who wasted several bullets on the air. Then...

Boom!

Ryan had fired his shotgun and got pushed back by the force of the gun. The black haired girl collapsed onto the ground with blood gushing from her chest. She then fell onto that blond hair girl.

“Congratulations Ryan. You are officially a hangman!” stated Logun in a soft tone.

Ryan grew curious but saddened by the actions he had caused. He came closer to take a great view of the two girls. The girl that Ryan had shot had no chest. There were only ribs and exposed flesh. Her lungs were covered by the shrapnel. This forced Ryan to jump and collapse backwards uncontrollably. He had sobbed and regretted what he had done. It couldn’t be more obvious to notice what he was thinking.

“Ryan, aren’t you proud that you are a hangman?” questioned Logun.

Eventually Ryan Gillard had to break down mentally.

“Why did it have to be them? Why? They were just two young little girls not that far from my age! They looked only four years apart. Four years! What did they do wrong Logun? What did they do wrong?”

Logun then threw a punch on Ryan’s jaw. He then knelt down holding that blood that was dripping from his mouth.

“They were damned Ryan. They were lovers!” said Logun in a angier tone. “It is the law for man and woman to only love each other. Not man with man, and not woman with woman! You see Ryan, we have to kill people who disobey the law. Whether they are unlawful lovers like them, thieves, people who hold illegal records, and people who speak out against the government. I have started to kill many of these people and it didn’t matter how evil they were, they just made the wrong choice. A good hangman enjoys killing people and I hope that is what you learned from this. A person like you would eventually become that good hangman Ryan. Don’t worry, you won’t be sobbing like a b***h when that comes! Now let’s carry the two bodies and bring them back to Carnegie Spree.”

Ryan did what he was told as he picked up both bodies. He felt overcumbed but he felt how weightless the girls really were. Suddenly that voice from above began to speak.

“Pay the debt!”

Logun and Ryan looked upon the broken sun that had the eye. It gazed upon them as that sun vibrated to match its emotions.

“D****t, don’t get caught in the horizon!” commanded Logun. “Run straight ahead, then turn left, and jump into the split road!”

So they had both ran ahead quickly. Ryan still looked upon those two girls but his hand was yanked by Logun. Ryan was pulled to sprint away from that mouthlike horizon. It ate up and sucked all of the debris behind them. Once the buildings had crumbled and got vacuumed in segments, Logun and Ryan turned to the left. Suddenly the road ahead of them parted like the sea. Underneath that road were the sewers that had no irrigation system. The tubes and tunnels were dry and empty but that was convenient for the both of them. Once they had both jumped, Ryan fell into the sewers and then saw a red pentagram on the wall. Once it was glowing yellow, he proceeded through it with the use of his adrenaline that never rested.

Smash!

A piece of debris blocked the entrance to the pentagram. What will Logun do now?

Ryan Gillard had exited the portal with the two dead bodies. He fell out of a wall and into a dry platform of the tunnels. He found himself alone with the two dead girls and looked around the place.

Who was there? Who was his company? Who else was on his side? Could there be anyone? But here was the biggest question, where was Logun? At least he was out of the underworld but he screamed out.

“Hello?”

The voice had echoed back

“Logun? Where are you?”

Ryan banged at the pentagram with his hands and arms but then came to realize....

“Oh right! Pentagrams that are on the floor are the ones used for entering, but pentagrams on the wall like this one are used for exiting! Come on Logun, you gotta come out?”

Woosh! Logun had then sprung out of the wall and crashed into a rail that held him back from the stream. Clank! Thank god Logun was alive. He got up and saw that Ryan was still physically okay from the underworld.

It was an hour now that Logun and Ryan were both in Carnegie’s office. There were two body bags laying on the floor that were covered in blood. Carnegie then stood between the two bags.

“Ryan, you are such a good boy. And must I also congratulate Logun too for showing him the ropes?” praised Carnegie who jumped up and down clapping his hands. He turned to Ryan gillard and also said.

“Come on Ryan, aren’t you such a happy boy now that you have went out to your first hunting. I mean, it’s okay that you didn’t kill both of them but shooting one is the best thing you have done for the day. We have to celebrate the victorious rites of passage of becoming a hangman.”

Sure let’s celebrate over the ones who shot two harmless lovers. It was the right thing to do in terms of Acrisius and Carnegie Spree. Now Carnegie Spree then went closely to the two bags and then unzipped them both. He then saw the blonde hair girl’s face which was covered in blood as those eyes were wide open. It was as if she teared blood. See this was when he got excited as he was clapping his hands.

“Aaahhhh, isn’t she so beautiful? Logun, you and your friend have hunted such a pretty butterfly!” said Carnegie Spree with excitement.

His finger caressed her lips and those cheeks of the dead but yet still beautiful. Ryan stood still and looked down, for he could not bare to think about what he had done. Carnegie then switched to the other bag and then unzipped it too. The face was preserved except for the blood that came out of her mouth. He saw that the girl had an open chest that had both lungs exposed.

“Now, judging by this one, you are the one that shot the girl. Because you have your own favorite toy....the shotgun!” stated Carnegie Spree with a passion.

“Yes...Yes boss. I was the one that shot her.” responded Ryan Gillard with a stutter. He clearly wasn’t excited at all.

“Little Ryan....Little boy....? Aren’t you a happy being?” asked Carnegie Spree who walked closer to Ryan’s face. This was the first time Carnegie had frowned, well maybe he did before but not for a long time. This brought Logun’s attention immediately.

“Yes boss, I am happy!”

“Aawww, aren’t you such a sad little thing?” asked Carnegie Spree. “Can I sing a lullaby for you?”

Logun then nudged Ryan to capture his attention but Ryan still paid attention to Carnegie. But then Ryan shouted out and screamed.

“I’m sorry boss, I couldn’t do it on my own. They were two little girls who only had each other for their dear lives. I’m sorry, I wish I couldn’t have done that as a hangman. Please boss, you gotta do something!”

Logun was completely dissapointed which was why he facepalmed himself and looked away. But then he had something in mind and turned to Ryan and Carnegie.

“Ryan....!” said Logun.

“Oh no....it’s okay” said Carnegie Spree who looked upon Ryan’s sobbing face.

“I didn’t know who they were, I just shot one cold blooded!” continued Ryan whose voice was bothered by his emotions.

“See, this is why I am going to sing you a lullaby.” said Carnegie Spree who pulled out a music box from his desk. He then placed it on his own desk, cranked it up, and walked slowly to the crying Ryan Gillard.

“Boss, please!” said Logun. “He’s just being immature today, let him go. Don’t do this!”

“Little boy, if you are going to continue to resist my lullaby, then please leave the room.” responded Carnegie Spree.

Logun didn’t seem to have a choice so he walked out the door and looked back. He paused for a moment when he saw that sad face of Ryan’s and Carnegie’s lovely smile. Logun was sure to be sorry to leave the room but what else he could do?

Creak....Slam!

The tune was playing. It was so smooth, lovely, light hearted, and ambient. The chings and the sounds have brought Ryan’s attention. Carnegie then began to sing a song to blend with the instrumental music box.

“A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain
Softly blows o'er lullaby bay.”

This had reduced Ryan’s tears and sobbing voice. He was still a crybaby but Carnegie smile with his hands up as he came closer.

“It fills the sails of boats that are waiting--
Waiting to sail your worries away.
It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain
And your boat waits down by the key.”

Carnegie’s voice was so soothing to Ryan’s ears. His pose was feminine as he circled around Ryan.

“The winds of night so softly are sighing--
Soon they will fly your troubles to sea.”

Carnegie then knelt down with Ryan and held his hands as if he were comforting a child. His face was so friendly that reflected a mood of nurturing.

“So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain.
Wave good-bye to cares of the day.
And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain
Sail far away from .........”

Raaaauuuggghhhhh!

Carnegie’s face then transitioned instantly from that harmless and childlike face to a demonic one with white wide eyes with no pupils. There were a bunch of veins that covered around his eye sockets that bleed red. The mouth size grew larger and the teeth became sharp. His cheek bones were larger and his snake like tongue whipped around. His skin texture was a lot rougher than of one face that would be young. His hair suddenly went into a mess. Well, imagine all of that right onfront of your eyes, not greater than half a foot away from you. He screamed at Carnegie’s new form wildly under that endless fear.

He clutched onto Ryan’s jacket and placed him on the ground. Under those black fingerless gloves, Carnegie’s hands had long black nails with hard texture. Of course this wasn’t gonna help Ryan’s psychological health. Ryan was tossed around violently as his face was smashed onto the floor repetatively by that brute strength.

Logun sat back outside closing his eyes as he folded his arms. His fingers tried its best to dig under the flesh but by telling from how much wrinkles were created, he was making progess. He could hear everything clearly behind those doors. He even felt the vibrations. He heard a couple of punches and snaps behind that door. He also heard Ryan’s screams along with Carnegie’s roars and anger. When would all of this stop? When was Carnegie going to stop? How will this end?

Bam!

The door was opened and Ryan flew onto a wall covered in scratch marks and blood all over him. He slid down onto the floor and collapsed like a rag doll. Logun then picked Ryan up and ran away from the angry Carnegie Spree. He arrived into an elevator and threw him in. He pushed the button once he had also entered in. The rush was so hastily but necessary for the both of them. Well, Carnegie wouldn’t be so happy, in fact he wasn’t happy in the first place.

The doors have shut, they descended downward and there they were. Logun sat down who saw that bloody face of fear by Carnegie Spree’s anger. Ryan cowered away and laid down in a fetal position. He was biting his own fingers and mumbling to himself with his eyes wide open. Of course he was shivering but he couldn’t bare to stand up.

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© 2013 Xerclipse

Author's Note

Well what do you think of Carnegie right now? He sure is Mr.Nice guy. Now was this disturbing or what? :P But nonetheless I hope you enjoyed.

My Review

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Featured Review

Writer #00

His climbing skills was slightly---> were
right where Logun was at---> had been
The floor underneath then had ruptured and parted--> underneath them?
he turned to Ryan gillard---> Gillard?
imagine that all right onfront of your eyes-->infront

OH. MY. GOSH. *0*

This chapter was more than amazing!!! I loved Ryan's hesitance and fear--very different from the other hangmen, it seems--and it was interesting to see Logun in a mentor-y light. Poor Ryan! Poor lovers (you made a good point with this chapter in that sense, how is homosexual love sinful?)! Carnegie Spree...his music box...the transformation (didn't see that coming...it thought he was going to hypnotize Ryan, but you surprised me with an old-fashioned demonic torture session).

Great Chapter!!!

+3000/100