Ill Met By Moonlight (Wanted: Jacob Goodnight)

As the moon looked down on her with an unblinking eye, Leona walked towards Hargeon Town's Lower Docks. She was tasked by the town guard with finding and either apprehending or killing a local serial killer named Jacob Goodnight. Both the town guard and the local rumor mill said that he tended to lurk around the lower docks. It was unknown how many lives had already been claimed by Goodnight, but it was believed to be at least a dozen.

Leona initially came into Hargeon Town to spend a night at an inn, then wake up the next morning and look for an easy and safe job to do. That all changed when she heard about the local serial killer. Leona knew that it would be another dangerous job. She did not care. She could not let innocent people suffer, not while she could do something about it.

She had wanted some experience fighting living opponents. Judging from his description, Jacob Goodnight promised to give more experience. Unlike with Ior Valdiir, she would have no regrets about killing him. She wondered if the old warrior had ever taken on any jobs like this. She would have liked some advice from a veteran like him.

The scent of salt water hit Leona's nose as she approached the Lower Docks. She was getting close. She walked down a wooden dock lit by what looked to be old-fashioned lanterns. If the information was accurate, soon she would be meeting her quarry. Seconds later she head screaming. Leona broke into a run.

The blonde ran down the docks, passing a brown-haired young woman. The young woman grabbed her and almost pulled her down. Leona barely recovered her footing when the brunette spoke.

"It's Jacob Goodnight! He has my younger sister! He's gonna kill her!" She exclaimed.

"Where? Where are they?" Leona asked. The screaming started again.

"THAT WAY!" She shouted while frantically jabbing a finger in the direction of the other end of the docks. Leona sprinted again, followed by the woman. At the end of the dock, a large, burly man was menacing a young blonde woman. Judging from the fresh blood on his apron and the way she was holding her arm, he had already cut her once.

"DO SOMETHING!" The young woman shouted. Leona needed no further prodding. She raced into action, pulling the young blonde out of the way of the descending knife. She then urged the other girl to flee as Jacob approached.

"I'll handle him! You two get out of here! GO!" Leona instructed her.

"You saved her! Thank you, thank you so much!" The brunette expressed her appreciation to Leona. She took her bleeding younger sister and fled. Jacob moved to go after them when Leona stepped into his path.

"Not so fast!" Leona exclaimed. The big man looked her over. He did not know what to make of her. Then he crossed his arms and gave a hearty laugh. He was clearly amused.

"So you wanna be a hero, huh? Well, if you wanna throw yourself at me, I won't turn you down. A victim's a victim. Let's have some fun!" Jacob Goodnight issued a challenge before uncrossing his arms and brandishing a large carving knife. It looked sharp and well-used. However, it would not help him tonight. The moon was in the sky and Leona was feeling the effects of the power increase. Leona was ready to meet the challenge.

[Word Count: 575]

"Bring it, Big Guy!" Leona issued a challenge of her own. She was not fighting the undead now. She was also not fighting an eighty-year-old warrior. She was fighting a big, burly serial killer. The blonde had to be ready for anything.

"OK." He said before flinging the meat hook on a chain at her and catching her around the ankle. He gave a sharp yank and Leona fell to the wooden planks that made up the floor. He began pulling Leona towards him. She responded by throwing a Wind Ball into his face.

Leona had the opening she needed to remove the hook from around her ankle. She quickly removed it just as Jacob yanked on it again. She quickly jumped to her feet. She heard hearty laughter. Hearty, mocking laughter.

Seconds later a gleaming carving knife whizzed by her head and embedded itself in a wooden post. Leona barely dodged it. She turned to look and heard thumping. Jacob was running right at her! Leona was plowed into and sent sprawling to the deck, landing on her back.

She felt like she was being hoisted into the air by her left wrist, which was confirmed when she came face-to-face with a grinning Jacob. Leona screamed. He had a large meat cleaver and gleefully waved the shining weapon in her face. Leona thought fast and used her Wind Claw spell on his chest. He screamed and flung her to the deck.

Leona landed on her arm. She tried to move it to no avail. Was it broken? She could not tell. Her left arm was not much use right now, but her Wind Claw did the trick... Jacob was bleeding from a chest wound.

She needed to quit playing around. She raised her right hand and concentrated. The Blade of the Goddess materialized into her hand. Now Leona was armed.

"Oh, so you're a mage, huh?" Jacob asked. He then smiled again. Leona did not like that. Why was he smiling?

"I've got a magic trick of my own to show you. But you'll have to pay attention. I'm only gonna show it once." He said to her. He then threw the meat cleaver right at her. Leona dodged it by ducking down. To her surprise and horror Jacob's meat hook landed around her right ankle. Jacob yanked on it and dragged her again.

"Here comes the fun part." Jacob said as he pulled her closer. When she was close, he quickly wrapped the chain around her ankles and used the meat hook to hang her from one of the wooden supports of the docks. Leona was upside down and growing disoriented.

"Now... let's cut to the chase." Jacob made a pun as he advanced on her with the gleaming carving knife. Leona groaned, and not just because of the awful pun. Her left arm was useless and her body was beginning to hurt from being slammed to the docks. She was also hanging upside down, which was seriously tampering with her equilibrium and her vision. Leona barely had enough focus to remain conscious, let alone wield the Blade of the Goddess with any effectiveness.

[Word Count: 525]
[Blade of the Goddess cooldown: two more turns remaining.]

Jacob was closing in while laughing at her. Leona hated that laugh. It was mocking her. In addition to disorientation, pain, and fear, she added a new emotion to the mix. Anger.

She was going to teach him to laugh at her. She wondered how long his mirth would last when the Blade of the Goddess cut into him. She could not wait to find out.

Leona closed her eyes. She might only have one shot at this. Focus was essential. The goal was to cut the chain holding her feet. The blonde closed her eyes and waited.

"Giving up already?" Jacob asked. Leona then sprung to life. She pulled herself up, then took a mighty swing at the chain. She severed it with one stroke and dropped onto her back. The landing hurt, but she was free.

"What the- how?" Jacob asked. He thought she was too weak to even try the stunt, let alone succeed. No one had broken free before.

"Because you made me angry. That's how!" Leona answered as she got to her feet and backed off a bit. The adrenaline was flowing freely. In between the fading disorientation and the flowing adrenaline, the blonde was experiencing a rush. Jacob Goodnight was in for it now.

"C'mon Big Guy. I've got a few magic tricks of my own to show you!" Leona challenged him. Jacob smiled as he ran towards her. Leona hit him with a Crescent Wave, sending him staggering. She then ran in and slashed his chest again. The giant roared in pain.

Leona punched him in the stomach. It was impossible to miss. It also did nothing to him. Instead she settled for cutting him again. Jacob swung at her with the carving knife, but she ducked and stabbed him in the right thigh.

Jacob bellowed and kicked at her, but she rolled to the side. He stomped forward and slashed at her, catching her across the left shoulder with the knife and inflicting a bloody gash. This was the third shirt that had been ruined during a job! Jacob was going to be dead. He was going to be so dead that not even a necromancer could bring him back.

Leona clenched her teeth. She was furious. Forget tactics, forget strategy. The only plan was to kill him. Judging from his bleeding chest and slower movement, she was starting to wear him down.

"C'mon Big Guy! We're not finished yet!" Leona shouted.

"You're damn right we're not finished! It's only gonna be finished when one of us DIES!" Jacob bellowed in agreement. Leona was pleased. He was a detestable person, but Jacob Goodnight was not a coward. This would be a good fight. This would be a fight to the finish.

Leona held the Blade of the Goddess in a defensive position. Jacob raised his carving knife in defiance. Who would attack first?

[Word Count: 480]
[Blade of the Goddess cooldown: one post remaining.]

For several tense seconds the pair stared each other down, daring their adversary to make the first move. It all ended when shouting was heard. It was the sound of a female voice and several male voices. Leona froze. The contract did not mention Jacob having any accomplices!

"I'm Jacob Goodnight! You're gonna remember me long after I'm dead!" Jacob bellowed before charging at Leona. Leona charged her foot and performed a Lion's Tail Sweep spell just as he ran by, his entire weight supported on a single leg. Jacob tripped and she heard a visceral sound that made her wince. It sounded like he had stabbed himself with the knife.

Suddenly the docks rumbled as she heard numerous footsteps moving at a running speed. Leona dropped her weapon when she spotted the blue uniforms of the town guard. They were not after her.

"Are you all right?" An older male officer with brown hair and a brown handlebar mustache asked her.

"Yes. I'd stay away from Jacob if I were you. I don't think he's dead." Leona opined. A couple of them ran by her and scooped up his meat cleaver on the opposite side.

"Why? Why don't you think he's dead?" The officer inquired.

"Have you ever heard the story about that guy in the mask who carries a machete? Kayson Warheezs? Remember how hard he was to take down, let alone kill?" Leona asked. The officer stared at her blankly.

"Oh. You must not have heard the story. Anyway, I wouldn't relax yet." Leona said.

"Don't worry, young lady. Jacob Goodnight's an ordinary man. I'm sure he's dead. You did Hargeon Town a service." He said to her. Suddenly Leona heard gasping and concerned murmuring along with footsteps going away from the docks. Jacob Goodnight was stirring!

"I'm not dead! I'M NOT DEAD! Not until I take someone with me!" Jacob roared, standing up and swaying until he got his balance. He seized the handle and pulled the blade out of the left side of his chest where the human heart was. Leona was puzzled. He should have died from that.

Leona scooped up the Blade of the Goddess and prepared herself as the officer drew his club. He was going to need a lot more than that. Jacob faced her with a scowl.

"YOU! You're gonna be my last victim! If I die, you're coming with me!" He declared, pointing at her. Leona was ready. Jacob bellowed and charged, easily swatting aside the town guard as he made his charge at her. Leona drew the sword back and stabbed him, this time in the right side of the chest. Jacob bellowed and toppled over, wildly slashing the air with his carving knife in his death throes.

Leona ducked and rolled out of the way. The falling serial killer missed her. He fell face forward and did not stir again. The blood pooled under him. It was over... Leona kicked the knife towards an officer, who obligingly collected it for evidence.

Leona dispelled the Blade of the Goddess. She turned to face the officer from earlier.

"I'm sorry I couldn't bring Jacob Goodnight in alive. I had no choice but to kill him. Nothing else would have stopped him." Leona apologized to him, gripping her bleeding left shoulder.

"It's OK, young lady. You completed the contract with thirteen witnesses present. You'll receive the 1,000 Jewel reward we agreed upon and the thanks of the town guard. Officer Callen's sacrifice wasn't in vain. Jacob Goodnight's finally gone." He said to her. Jacob's body was guarded by four officers in case he rose again. Leona had a feeling that this time he was really dead.

"Now go get yourself patched up. We'll take it from here." The officer said to Leona. Leona walked away from him and towards the brown-haired young woman from earlier. She looked at the blonde with concern and gratitude.

"My younger sister's going to be OK. All she needs is stitches and a day or two in the hospital. I can't thank you enough!" She said to Leona.

"C'mon, I'll take you to the hospital!" She stated as she helped Leona walk to the hospital.

[Word Count: 700]
[Total Word Count: 2280/1000]