Hunting The Hunter

Job Details:

Job Sign-Up: Page 4, Post Number 89

-Silent Glaciers, early afternoon-

Wearing her all-white winter camouflage gear with a face wrap to shield her from the worst of the cold, carrying Saint Sinner Valentine slung on her right shoulder, and wearing her SHG-IV Smart Glasses to communicate with Ami, Diana had already gotten across the frozen river thanks to Ami's help and was standing ten meters away from the frozen delta she had seen a few times before. She had seen it twice before, but even though she had seen it twice Diana could not help but to be captivated by it. The water shimmered in the sunlight and made Diana feel at peace. No picture or video recording could do it justice, so the huntress did not even try. Diana was looking at the delta when she heard crunching in the snow beside her and saw Ami land a meter away from her.

"Hey Diana, I haven't seen that guy we're looking for yet!" Ami informed Diana that she had not yet found the old hunter the blonde had been hired to find.

"I'm thinking that we're not going to find him out in the open. I think we're gonna find that guy in the woods! Ya know, where that crashed plane was?" Ami reminded Diana of her second trip to Silent Glaciers, the one where she had recovered Florence for Mister Burke and had encountered that paramilitary unit that may or may not have been "Raven Squad" in winter gear.

"I remember those woods. And you may be right, Ami. I think that he might have gotten lost in the woods." Diana said to her winged companion. She thought that polar bears lived in caves, but the hunter might have gone into the woods to look for one he could shoot before it got to the safety of its cave.

"So, do ya want me to fly ahead and look for him?" Ami asked Diana. Diana nodded. Once she had gotten past the river the terrain was a lot smoother and she would not need Ami's assistance to travel over it. Ami would be free to fly ahead of her and search for the missing hunter, then report the man's location so that Diana could get to him before the local wildlife did.

"OK then, I'll fly ahead and let you know if I spot anything!" Ami informed Diana just before taking off horizontally, leaving Diana alone in front of the frozen delta. Diana took a breath of cold air and exhaled, creating a cloud like an ice dragon before covering her mouth with her face wrap. Before she got moving towards the woods she took a moment to recall the reason she was here.

Diana had been hired by Agatha Wellington, the wife of an old hunter named Edgar Wellington. His wife was concerned that her husband, who was an avid hunter in his youth and had remained one well after most men would have given up the hobby, had gotten lost in Silent Glaciers and had hired Diana to find him and bring him back to Capital Crocus. Edgar had come to this frigid area to hunt a polar bear for his trophy room, but Agatha was worried that a polar bear might find him first.

Diana turned away from the frozen delta and began walking towards the forest, which was roughly one thousand meters away from her present position. There was still plenty of daylight, but the woods were far from here, so she had better get moving. Diana began putting one foot in front of the other and started the long walk towards the forest where she suspected that Edgar Wellington was.

-One hour later, outside the forest-

Diana stopped just outside the forest to take a short break before going into it. She did not remember the walk being this far, but then she remembered that she had gotten Ami to carry her over the trees the last time she was here. That had most likely affected her perception of the distance, but it was no matter. While she was taking a brief break she heard Ami ask a question.

"Hey Diana, are you at the forest yet?" Ami asked Diana, the sound of the wind barely audible in the background.

"Yes, Ami. I am standing just outside of it and I am taking a break before I go inside." Diana replied. Her legs were a bit sore, but she could manage. Getting a big paycheck for her effort had a way of soothing any pain the huntress endured over the course of a job. That went double for jobs that saved lives instead of taking them.

"I've been flying over the forest and I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary yet. It's just snow, snow, and more snow." Ami informed Diana of what she had seen so far. Diana was not surprised. The trees were fairly close together and had been dusted with snow, two things which made aerial reconnaissance a bit of a challenge. That was why she had went to the trouble to walk here instead of putting the burden of the search squarely on Ami's shoulders.

"I am about to enter the forest. Keep looking for him and let me know what you find." Diana requested.

"You got it!" Ami said before ending communication. Diana took a deep breath and went into the woods. Maybe this time it would be a peaceful stroll through some snowy woods instead of an intense run through the woods to escape a paramilitary group who wanted her dead. Maybe today her worst enemy would be the elements.

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-50 meters inside the woods-

After a "brief" break that turned into a fifteen-minute break, Diana had finally begun her walk through the dense woods and listened out for the hunter she was looking for. She looked all around her and paid special attention to the Smart Glasses, which she was relying on to pick up any lifeforms in the area. So far Diana had not seen any animals other than the occasional snowshoe hare cautiously making its way through the snow and watching for predators on the ground or in the air.

The sunlight filtered in through what openings there were in the branches overhead. Diana looked up and saw that it was little wonder that Ami had not seen anything from the air. The canopy was too thick to get a glance at anything below. It was a good thing that Diana was here to search the region on foot because if she had relied on only Ami the chances of finding the hunter would not have been good.

Diana kept walking through the forest and looked at the ground for footprints or empty shell casings from the hunter's weapon but found neither. Edgar Wellington must have gone deep into the woods... very deep. The huntress suspected that the man might have made camp in a large clearing somewhere beyond the forest. Perhaps he had even made camp at the old crash site where Diana had found Florence... and battled the mysterious paramilitary group.

-400 meters inside the forest-

Diana had been searching the forest for the hunter and had found no clues. Since he had been an avid hunter for several decades, Diana hoped that the man had the good sense not to go into caves where bears could be making their lair. She hoped that he had chosen to remain out in the open, but depending on how badly the man wanted a polar bear for his trophy room, he might have gone into a cave to find one.

Now would be a good time to ask Ami for a status report.

"Ami, have you seen anything from the air?" Diana asked her android companion. Diana heard the wind pick up on Ami's end before the android replied.

"Not yet. I'm over the old crash site and I'm not seeing anything unusual... wait a minute." Ami began her report, then interrupted herself. Diana focused on the headset and Ami's next report.

"I see something that looks like smoke. It's approximately 700 meters to your northwest. It's blending in with the snow, but I see someone sitting outside a tent... now I see a campfire. He's sitting next to a campfire." Ami reported. Diana started walking forward again and paid attention to what she had just been told. If there was a man sitting next to a campfire, it might be him. If the man was not Edgar Wellington, maybe it was someone who had seen him pass through the area. At any rate, it was a lead well worth checking out.

"Do not go in for a closer look. Just keep them in sight for me." Diana advised Ami. While she doubted that small arms fire could seriously hurt Ami, the huntress did not want to send her in for a closer look only for a lucky shot to seriously damage the android... or kill her. Diana would go in herself since she doubted that the man would shoot at her.

"OK. I'm staying well away from them!" Ami replied before ending communication. Diana continued walking through the forest until she reached a clearing that was just large enough for Ami to come through. She had an idea.

"Ami, could you come pick me up and give me a lift to the camp site?" Diana asked Ami. Ami took a moment to respond.

"Sure, Diana. But I can't see a thing down there! Where are you?" Ami asked Diana. Diana reached for her cargo pocket for her Urban Nights glowstick before realizing that it had been left at home. Diana frowned for a moment before looking in front of her and getting an idea. In this case the solution was literally right in her face.

She could use the lens of the Smart Glasses to signal Ami!

"Ami, look for a flashing light down in the forest. That is where I will be." Diana told Ami to look for the glint before taking off the smart glasses, walking over to the sunlight, and angling the lenses so that they caught the light of the sun and flashed it skywards.

"I'm... se-ing a flash... light." Ami said, the sound muffled and garbled by the distance at which Diana was holding the Smart Glasses in front of her. Diana kept moving the lenses back and forth until she got confirmation that Ami was coming in. The blonde saw something overhead and saw it begin to slowly descend towards her like an angel... or something else. Once the figure blocked out the sun Diana put her Smart Glasses back on and listened.

"Hey, I see you now! I was expecting you to use the glowstick again, but using those glasses is a neat trick!" Ami commented to Diana. Diana smiled a little.

"I left the glowstick at home. I should have brought it." Diana commented. Using the glowstick to mark her location would have been a lot quicker, but for some odd reason Diana had neglected to bring it today, probably because her past few jobs did not have a need for it. Before she went tromping into the wilderness again she would have to make the glowstick a part of the gear she carried.

"OK, Diana! Get ready because we're about to take off!" Ami advised her. Ami grabbed Diana tightly around the waist and began to left off with the huntress. Diana covered her face with her hands in case Ami got too close to the tree branches while ascending, but Ami got nowhere near them and Diana removed her hands from her face as soon as they were clear of the canopy. Once they were above treetop level Ami began to fly towards the area where the smoke was coming from.

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-690 meters away, at the campsite, twenty minutes later-

Once the pair got airborne and reached the campsite it was only a matter of minutes before they arrived at their destination. Once they were there Diana had Ami drop her off about ten meters from the campsite so that the man sitting near the fire would not take them as threats and shoot at them. Once Ami had dropped Diana off the android went airborne and flew overhead as a backup plan. Diana figured that if the person turned hostile she could call Ami for quick air support. That request would be easy to carry out, especially since the tent was situated in an open space with no cover.

Diana calmly approached the tent and approached slowly until the man sitting at the campfire noticed her. The man had a large-caliber rifle sitting next to him on the ground, but he did not go for it. Instead he waved at her and motioned for her to approach, which Diana did.

"Hey there, Mister!" The voice greeted her once she was standing next to the campfire. Diana smiled a little and removed her face wrap, revealing her hair and facial features.

"Oh! I suppose that since you're a woman I should change my greeting. Hey there, Lady!" The man calmly commented on Diana showing her gender. Diana did not take offense to the greeting.

"It is no problem. Are you the hunter Edgar Wellington?" Diana replied before asking the man a question. He nodded.

"Yes, I'm Edgar Wellington the hunter." The man said. He was an older gentleman dressed in all-white except for a safety orange armband around his left arm and a deerstalker hat. Diana looked at his eyes and saw that he was telling the truth.

"I am Diana Winchester. Your wife Agatha hired me to make sure that you were safe. She told me that you had come out here to hunt a polar bear for your trophy room." Diana told him her name and how she had known both his name and where to find him. He gave a small smile.

"Agatha... she's a good person and she worries a lot about me. She told me that at seventy-four years old I need to give up the hobby before an animal turns the tables and mounts me on a trophy wall. I don't want to give up the hobby, not while I'm still fit for my age." He praised his wife for her devotion before dismissing the notion of giving up his prized hobby. Diana looked at Edgar and saw that he was fit for his age. There was not much fat on him and he was mentally alert as well.

"I was under the impression that you were in need of rescue." Diana said to Edgar. He scoffed at the notion.

"I'm doing quite well out here, thank you. I've got my tent to sleep in, a campfire to stay warm, and my rifle. I know how to live off the land as well! I'm not some helpless old man!" Edgar said to her with genuine indignation. His response was so strong that Diana recoiled.

"I apologize if I offended you, Mr. Wellington. I was only acting off of what information I was given." Diana apologized. Edgar calmed down almost as quickly as he had gotten angry.

"Maybe I overreacted a bit, my dear. I know that my wife's right about me needing to quit while I'm ahead, but I've been hunting for decades ever since I was your age. Say, how old are you anyway?" Edgar asked Diana.

"Twenty-two." Diana replied. It was Edgar's turn to recoil.

"Good grief! I thought that you were in your thirties! No offense." He exclaimed in disbelief before quickly adding an apology for insulting her about her age. Diana smiled a little.

"It is no problem." Diana calmly replied. She had accidentally insulted him about his ability to take care of himself. He had accidentally insulted her about her age. As far as she was concerned no harm was done.

"I haven't had much luck finding any polar bears. I don't think that I'll find one either. I think that they're still in their dens for a few weeks more." He told her about how his hunt was progressing. Diana listened quietly and watched as he stood up, walked back into his tent, and brought out a pot of a brown liquid and two metal cups. The liquid smelled like coffee.

"I was thinking of staying for awhile and waiting for a polar bear to wander along, but I'm debating just giving up and going back to Capital Crocus." He said to her.

"Returning to Capital Crocus might be a good idea, Mr. Wellington." Diana agreed with his idea to give up and return to Capital Crocus. Edgar raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you say that, Miss Winchester?" Edgar asked her before pouring a cup of coffee for himself while awaiting her response.

"If you wait out here for polar bears, you could be waiting an awfully long time, Mr. Wellington. I think that they are all in their dens. I do not doubt your bravery, but I do not think that you would want to confront a polar bear in its den. That goes double if it has cubs." Diana gave her reasoning why leaving for the relative safety of the city was a good idea. Mr Wellington did not seem like he was buying that. Diana would need a stronger reason to get him to leave, but what reason could she have that would be stronger than telling him the facts about his chances of catching a polar bear out of its den?

The elderly hunter thought about what she had said, then looked at her and spoke.

"You seem like you're speaking from experience, Miss Winchester. You're also right about the danger of cornering bears in their dens. when I was thirty-one I chased a brown bear for two days right into a cave, then got so excited that I made the mistake of going in after it. As it turned out, I had chased it right into its den! I killed it before it could hurt me, but it was a very close call. Had I missed with my rifle I wouldn't be sitting here today." Mr. Wellington told her about a close call he had when he was younger. He seemed like his resolve to stay was wavering a bit, but Diana would still need to give him a gentle nudge to convince him to pack up and return to Capital Crocus.

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Diana tried to think of another good reason for Mr. Wellington to abandon his hunt for a polar bear but could not quite think of one just yet. She did not want to lie to the man nor did she want to physically force him to leave. She wanted to tell him something convincing and something based in truth that would make him pack up camp and set out for Capital Crocus of his own free will. What could that something possibly be?

Then Diana thought about something.

A short distance away from Silent Glaciers was Errings Rising headquarters, which was nestled in Mount Hakobe.

That was both a genuine threat and something that she could use to make her case. But she did not want to push the Errings Rising angle too hard because if she did Mr. Wellington might stay just to prove her wrong. Diana would need to choose her next words carefully.

"If I recall correctly, not too far from Silent Glaciers is a Dark Guild named Errings Rising. They may travel through this area and we do not want to be here if any of them see your campfire and come to investigate." Diana chimed in. Mr. Wellington did not look impressed. He sipped from his coffee mug and looked at her.

"I'm not worried about some Dark Mages tromping around here. They can die just like anyone else if you shoot 'em enough." Mr. Wellington replied. Diana could tell from his tone that he was not taking her seriously.

"That may be, but your weapon will not do you any good if you do not see them in time. Also, I doubt that they travel alone." Diana tried to get the elderly hunter to take her warning seriously. Again Mr. Wellington refused to budge.

"Then I'll just have to dig more graves for them, won't I?" Mr. Wellington asked Diana. The blonde was starting to get more than a little annoyed by the obstinate man. Diana did not want the man to die because he was too stubborn to listen to advice, but she was not going to throw away her life to try and save him. If he wanted to stay and fight a losing battle against Dark Mages to prove his masculinity, that was on him.

"You make it sound like they will take you on in a fair fight. Dark Mages will not fight fair. They have no interest in fighting fair." Diana informed him, trying to convince Mr. Wellington to leave by pointing out that he would not get a fair chance to defend himself. A fight with Dark Mages did not have the rules of an archaic honor duel. They did not observe rules when it came to attacking victims.

"How do you know this?" Mr. Wellington asked Diana.

"I have fought Dark Mages before, Mr. Wellington. They do not fight fair. They will use any and every trick in the book to win. Whether it is fighting five-on-one, dark magic, or anything else that will give them an advantage." Diana told him truthfully. The huntress had fought an entire temple full of them alongside Cassandra the vampire many months ago. She had also fought organized crime soldiers and despite their talk of "codes" and "honor" they were no better about observing the rules than Dark Mages. She was hoping that that would sway Mr. Wellington, but the huntress was getting nowhere.

"Who's to say that I don't have some tricks of my own?" Mr. Wellington asked her again, then taking another sip of coffee. Diana was getting tired of this game. She was trying to be nice about it but nice was getting her nowhere. If he wanted to stay and die in a hopeless fight, that was his choice, but she was not about to give up on him just yet. It was time to take the gloves off.

"Then what should I tell your wife when I go back to her without you?" Diana asked him point-blank. This was her last appeal to him, her last appeal to reason. If this one failed, she might just have to walk away from this situation and let nature take its course.

"What did you say?" Mr. Wellington asked her with an angry tone.

"What should I tell your wife when I go back to her without you?" Diana repeated her question without fear. If he would not listen to her when she was being polite, then he was going to listen to "Rude Diana."

"She hired me to bring you back home alive, Mr. Wellington. I cannot do that if you choose to stay and fight the Dark Mages who may pass through here." Diana said to him plainly. Mr. Wellington set down his coffee cup and looked at her.

"I want to bring you home alive, Mr. Wellington, but you will have to meet me halfway. I cannot do that with you being dead. I also cannot give your wife closure if you disappear at the hands of Dark Mages." Diana continued to talk to him plainly. Now Mr. Wellington was listening to her. Diana hated dealing low blows to win an argument, but if she was to save the man's life she would have to use low blows.

"Some Dark Mages take their victims alive. Some of the worst like to torture their victims and keep them alive for as long as humanly possible to drag out their suffering. As to what form that torture takes, I cannot say. All I know is that you certainly do not want to find out." Diana added, playing on the uncertainty that came with being captured by magic-wielding sadists. When he heard those words Mr. Wellington's resolve to stay was beginning to waver, but he needed that one last push to make up his mind.

"If you disappear, who is to say that there would be anyone brave enough to mount a rescue mission no matter how big a reward was offered? Who would be brave enough to risk going into a place full of Dark Mages and risking capture and torture themselves?" Diana emphasized the uncertainty of his fate and the remote possibility of rescue should Errings Rising take him alive. Mr. Wellington looked at her with a flash of fear on his face, then stood up.

"OK, OK, you've made your point. I'm not staying here any longer than I have to, but I've gotta break down my camp!" Mr. Wellington finally conceded. He went into his tent, grabbed a small shovel from within, and began shoveling snow onto the campfire to extinguish it.

"I would be glad to help you pack up if you would like." Diana offered to help him.

"I'll handle it. You just keep a watch for those Dark Mages!" Mr. Wellington instructed her.

"Certainly." Diana said to him. She turned away from the man and watched the surrounding area for any Errings Rising mages who either saw the smoke and came to investigate or who just happened to be passing through. So far the coast was clear, but Diana did not want to wait around forever. Mr. Wellington needed to get a move on because there was no guarantee that the coast would stay clear forever.

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-At the campsite, one hour and fifteen minutes later-

"Well, that does it. The campsite's been taken down and I'm ready to go, Miss Winchester." Mr. Wellington said to her. Diana turned around and saw that he was true to his word. His tent had been broken down, the campfire was out and all traces of it had been removed, and he had his rifle ready. He did not seem happy about being forced to give up his hunt for a polar bear, but perhaps he figured that getting a polar bear for his trophy wall was much less important than keeping his life.

"Let us go then." Diana said calmly. She then turned towards the woods and spoke to Ami.

"Ami, I have convinced Mr. Wellington to return to Capital Crocus. I will need you to follow us from above and watch for trouble until we get to Capital Crocus." Diana said to Ami.

"You've got it!" Ami said to Diana. Diana turned back to Mr. Wellington, who looked at her.

"You talked to someone just now. Are you tricking me?" Mr. Wellington asked with an angry look.

"No, Mr. Wellington. This is not a trick. Errings Rising is very real. I was talking to my eye in the sky, a friend of mine who made it possible for me to find you and to watch for danger." Diana informed him that he was not being tricked into leaving.

"If you would like, I could show you my friend." Diana offered. Mr. Wellington's response was short and sharp.

"Show me." He ordered. Diana nodded.

"Ami, could you please come down to us for a moment?" Diana asked Ami.

"Sure thing, Diana! Hold on!" She replied in the affirmative. About a minute later Ami circled around above their heads and eventually landed to Diana's left in front of an amazed Mr. Wellington.

"She's been here this whole time?" Mr. Wellington asked Diana before gawking at the winged android. Diana nodded. Ami gave the elderly hunter a thumbs-up.

"Yes, Mr. Wellington. Ami is my eye in the sky... and my friend. She is responsible for me finding you and for making sure that no Errings Rising mages were able to sneak up on us while you were breaking down your campsite." Diana replied. She made that remark to emphasize the point that it was a team effort to find him and to ensure his safety while he broke down the campsite. When he was told that Mr. Wellington was not angry anymore.

"Oh. Well then. I apologize for thinking that you were lying to me, Miss Winchester. We'll get moving right away." Mr. Wellington apologized for all but calling the blonde a liar, then vowed to get going while there was a window to do so. Diana was not upset by the

"It is no problem, Mr. Wellington. Let us go to Capital Crocus without further delay." Diana urged him. He nodded and together he and Diana set out for Capital Crocus. Ami took off and flew overhead to serve as both reconnaissance and as air support if the situation called for it. Diana hoped that Ami's help would not be needed.

-Capital Crocus, 1884 Prince Avenue, eight hours later-

It had been a long eight-hour hike from Silent Glaciers to Capital Crocus, but aside from the rigors of long-distance travel on foot there had been no danger to the hunter and huntress as they made their way home. Ami had reported nothing out of the ordinary during her flight. Diana liked boring and uneventful hikes home. Eight hours later the pair were standing outside of a two-floor mansion made in an old villa style with a brick path that led straight to the front door. Solar lights placed on both sides of the path lit the way.

"Well Miss Winchester, we made it safely thanks to you and your friend Ami." Mr. Wellington thanked Diana and Ami for their assistance.

"It is no problem, Mr. Wellington. I am glad that I could help." Diana said to him. While she regretted the low blows she had dealt him by mentioning his wife and how she would feel if Diana had to tell her that her husband was dead or missing, in the end throwing low blows was better than having to tell Agatha Wellington some very bad news. In this instance Diana could live with it.

"It's rather late. Would you like to spend the night at the Wellington estate, Miss Winchester?" Mr. Wellington asked Diana as they began to walk down the path. Diana looked at him and shook her head.

"No thank you, Mr. Wellington. I really need to get home, but I will walk you to the door." Diana politely declined the offer. The pair walked down the path and soon arrived at the front door, which was made of mahogany. Mr. Wellington knocked on the door and within seconds it was opened by an old woman wearing an old-fashioned blue dress and gray hair hanging down to her shoulders.

"Oh my... welcome back, Edgar!" The woman greeted her husband. Edgar wiped his feet off at the door and walked inside, setting the rifle aside in a corner and embracing his wife. Diana remained outside.

"I'm home, Agatha. I don't have a polar bear, but that can wait. I was told of a danger that made staying out there way too risky. A polar bear wasn't worth risking my life in a confrontation with a Dark Guild." He told his wife. Agatha looked at him, then looked to Diana for an explanation.

"I told him that there was a Dark Guild with a headquarters not too far from his location. The guild in question is not a loosely organized gang of bandits. They are a group of mages who are a serious threat even for someone as strong as I am." Diana told Agatha the truth. The old woman showed surprise for a moment. Diana was strong enough to give Wizard Saints a challenge and she could certainly fend off more than a enemy mages, but even she could not handle Errings Rising should they come after her in force.

"Well, I'm glad that you managed to convince my husband to come home, Miss Winchester. You did a good thing... and a brave thing. I'm sure that your parents are proud of you!" Agatha said to her. Diana kept a straight face but felt a little sad when the woman mentioned her parents. What did Diana have to be proud of?

"Here's the money I promised for bringing home my dear Edgar alive. Take it and take my gratitude!" Agatha told Diana before walking into the living room and picking something up, then walking over and handing Diana a heaping bag of Jewels. Diana accepted them and held them in her hands.

"Thank you." Diana thanked Agatha for the payment.

"Thank you, Miss Winchester. I'm just glad to have Edgar back." Agatha said to her. Edgar turned and faced her.

"Farewell, Miss Winchester! I hope that we'll meet again one day. Maybe we can even hunt together." Edgar said to her. Diana waved goodbye to the Wellingtons and turned around, walking away as the door was shut. She would just walk home for a change. Ami gently landed beside Diana and began walking with her owner. Diana probably did not need an escort, but she appreciated one.

Now to go home, sleep, and look for another job tomorrow morning.

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