Dungeon Hunters

Into the Forest of Talking Trees

"It can't be him," Eden said. "There's just no way. It couldn't possibly be him."
The four were once again in the back of Haze's cab, speeding and bumping along across the desert sands.
"Either that was one hell of a look-a-like, or that was the real deal," Michael said.
"He did bear an awfully strong resemblance to the man in the poster," Daemeon said.
"He was just so...so..." Eden paused, thinking for a moment.
"Weird?" Riley said.
"Exactly. There's no way a guy like that could accumulate a bounty that high."
"Wonder what he did," Michael said, "to get a bounty that high to begin with."
"It wasn't him," Eden said.
"We can debate this later." Riley said. "Are you sure we're going the right direction, Eden?"
Eden was holding the key Mr. Fournier had given them in her palm. She focused her energy into the key. It moved for a second, the floated into the air and the head pointed in the direction they were going.
"Yep, this is the way alright."
"How are you even doing that?" Michael asked.
"It's just an extension of my sensory ability," she replied. "There are trace amounts of magic on this key. I can read that magic and trace it to its origin. Hopefully, that's the Dungeon."
"So, where did you learn to do this anyway?" Michael asked.
"When you spend enough time surrounded by books, you start to read them. All of them."
"Wait, Hopefully?" Daemeon said. "What do you mean 'hopefully'"
"I've never done this with a dungeon key before. I've only ever read the magic energies of people and buildings. I don't know if it'll lead us to the Dungeon or to the place this thing was made."
"So, am I going the right way or not?" Haze said from the front.
"Well this is the only way we know of right now," Michael said. "So I'd say yes."
"Well, Mr. Fournier said that the Dungeon was in the Ironwood Forest," Riley said. "So if we see a lot of trees, I'd say we're in good shape."
"The Ironwood Forest is the biggest and thickest forest in the world," Daemeon said. "We're going to be hard pressed to miss it."

They spend along, across the desert, bumping along in the cramped back seat of the cab for about three hours until it suddenly came to an abrupt stop.
"Sorry kids, end of the line for me," Haze said.
The four of them climbed out of the back of the cab. The cab had stopped just on the edge of the desert, where the grass and sand joined together.
"Thanks for the ride Haze. How much do we owe you?" Michael asked.
"Nah, man, it's all good. Mr. Fournier covered the fees for you four."
"Well, how generous of him," Michael said.
Michael closed the door to the cab. The vehicle did a circular turn and sped off, back into the desert.
"Well that cut our time down quite a lot," Riley said.
"Yeah, and hey look," Michael pointed off in the distance. Just off the horizon there was what appeared to be a small town.
"Great, a place for us to rest," Eden said with a sigh. None of them had actually realized how tired they were until that moment.
"Well then, we'd better get moving," Riley said. "It doesn't look like we've got much sun left."
She was right. Off to their left, the east,the sun was beginning to fall lower, casting longer shadows behind the four.
"Well then, let's get going," Daemeon said.

Back in the desert, Christian and Grimloc were walking along in the desert with packs on their shoulders.
"Man, this sucks," Grimloc said. "We didn't even get paid."
"Yeah, I know," Christian replied. "Guess we'll just have to move on to the next job. Shame too, we're running a bit low on cash as it is."
"Well, damn it, what are we going to do?"
"I don't know little brother," Christian said, "but don't worry. We'll think of something." Christian smiled at Grimloc. He smiled back.
A click of a gun was heard from behind them. They both whipped around to face the sound.
Behind them stood a man dressed in a long red coat the swept to the ground with a pair of long black pants. He had spiky blond hair and yellow tinted, wire rimmed glasses pushed to the top of his nose, concealing his eyes. In his hand was a massive, silver pistol that had the function of a revolver, but it's design was the strangest thing with the barrel being designed rectangularly around a circular chamber. The gun was pointed directly at Christian.
"Who the hell are you?" Grimloc barked out.
"A man looking for answers, not trouble," He responded.
"Well you've found some damn trouble buddy," Grimloc said.
Christian held up his hand, silencing his brother.
"What do you want?" Christian asked.
"Oh, I just have some very simple questions. Number one, you two were recently in a bit of a scrap with some kids, yes? Did either of you happen to fight a young man, long black coat, short spiky orange hair, large sword?"
They both shook their heads no.
"Right then. What about a young boy, messy, spiky silver hair, prison markings up his left eye, strange marking up his right arm, real devil-may-care attitude?"
"Yeah, I did," Christian said.
"Excellent. So then, tell me everything about the fight. Be as specific as possible."
"Well, I opened with my signature attack, which almost always gets people the first time."
"The one were you shadow sneak behind them, then strike a vital organ, killing instantly? Yes, I am familiar with your work. What else can you tell me?"
Christian got a surprised look on his face but continued. "When I went to attack him from behind, it was almost as if he was expecting it. He just evaded it like it was nothing. He was fast too, and strong. He lifted me over his shoulder like I was weightless."
"Did it seem like something was almost, 'off' about him?"
"Yeah, it kinda did. Like, it's hard to describe. Just in the way he acted and talked. It was almost like he was in control the entire time and he didn't even know it."
"Well, that should be all I need," the mystery man said, "thank you for your time. Now, I want both of you to turn around, close your eyes, count to three all I'll be gone."
The two did so, very slowly. As they reached three, they heard a loud swish. They both turned around and the man was gone.
"What is with all the weirdos today?" Grimloc asked.
"I don't know," Christian said. "Maybe they were all near a radiation leak or something."