"It's him! Get the Reaper!"

"Don't let him get away!"

The voices sound distant as I'm running through the dense trees of the rainforest. The night air is cool and damp, sticking to my lungs as I run from my pursuers. The rotting stench of the Gate leaves a dead flavour in my mouth as I gasp for air.

"There, I see him!"

The voices are closing in on me.

"Hei! Are you near the rendezvous?" the squad leader's voice reaches through an ear piece that is half loose.

"Almost, but I have few on my tail, closing in," I reply as I continue to dash through the dark forest.

"Can you make it?"

"I will."

"Alright, come back in one piece," the assurance in her voice tells me that the last part could be treated as a joke.

"Roger," the communication comes to an end.

The clearing comes in to view as I pass the last inch of the forest and enter a river. The warm, tropical water envelop me as I submerge into its depths. The distance across is about a hundred feet, less than thirty second swim if not for the current. The violent pressure is starting to sweep me away, making me use every last bit of energy I have and resurface.

"Shit he's in the waters!"

Coming up for air seems to have been my downfall. I swim faster, not bothering to go down. Gunshots roar through the air as they aim their shots at me. Bullets glaze by, missing only by inches. I am but a few feet away from the shore when a piercing pain makes my left leg immobile. The water is being dyed red and I can see from the corner of my eyes that a few of them have entered the river.

I can no longer swim; only stay afloat while the flow of the river sweeps me away. Using whatever strength I have left, my arm desperately throws the metal wires. The drifting stop as the wires grapple on to the tree branch on the shore, but I have lost too much blood and the consciousness is fading away.

"Looks like he is unconscious."

My vision is blurry but I can see that they are nearby. The tension on my arm releases and I can no longer feel the current trying to sweep me away. Faint blue light captivates my seeping eyesight. Synchrotron light; a Contractor is using an ability. The water around me starts to becomes thick/ The substance did not change, the taste is still that of a river water, but it has turned syrup like in texture.

"Hurry up and finish, I can't hold this much for a long time," the words are coming from the direction of the azure light.

"Don't worry, this guy is not going anywhere," the second one mocks me as he punches me in the solar plexus.

Another one grabs a wad of my hair pulls it towards his face, "Look, the so feared Grim Reaper is nothing but a boy," the stench of his breath is repulsing.

"I wonder if the rumour about him being powerless is true."

"Hey," the man yanks my hair harder and I wince in pain, "Are you really the feared hunter, Black Grim Reaper? So how are you going to kill us? Aren't you supposed to take our souls?"

"Souls? Kill?" I smile at their stupid comments as I slightly tug on the metal cable, "I am the messenger of death, it is not my job to kill, only to collect. Captain, it's time."

I pull on the cable once more, and the built in motor winds the cables in a blinding speed, propelling me out of the water.

"Shit, get him!" Bullets are flaring past me once more, but this time none of them hits. All of their attentions are on me, the distraction, and not on the girl who is standing on the shore, just a few feet away from them. Her short black hair transcends the night sky and her lucid eyes stare blankly at her targets. Translucent light surround her child like body, followed by a crackling sound. The girl leaves the water and lies down on the grassy land, dreaming away, while the river reverts back and swallows the three bodies that ceased to function.

I am dangling on the tree branch, blood running down my leg, and my consciousness continues to countdown towards its inevitable zero. My chest is tightening up and breathing is difficult. The night air is warm but I am freezing. The pain in my arm transforms into slumbering numbness. Before I close my eyes and sleep, I can see her running towards me. I can't see her face clearly, but her emerald green hair is all the clarification that I need.

"Hei! Hei!" she is calling out to me, but I cannot answer her back. She reaches for the knife on my pack, and struggles to cut the wires. Her struggles are not met in vain, as I can feel my self descend slowly to the ground, supported by her thin arms.

"How is Bai?" I speak the first thing that comes to mind.

"She's alright, the guys from the squad are looking after now," she speaks softly as she strokes my hair back. I feel warm moisture dripping on my face, and the warmth of her hand feels nice on my frozen face. "Just hold on Hei, we will get you treatment as soon as possible."

"Thanks for looking after her," I smile at her with the last of my strength, "Amber."