The red light of sunset is upon the little hamlet as the young man enters it. He walks the abandoned dirt streets with a growing curiosity, passing the windows of shingle-roofed bungalows with undisturbed ease. A hot wind blows, remnant of the day, and some tumbleweed roll by, but otherwise he encounters nothing in the obviously populated town. He shakes his head in puzzlement and makes his way to the inn at the edge of the square.
He is a boy in his late teens, slightly shorter than average, with dark blue eyes which shine with vitality, yet seem to conceal a deep pool of sadness behind that light. His bushy brown hair falls in three prominent spikes over half of his forehead, their tips brushing against his left eyebrow and partially obscuring one eye. The orange turtleneck he's wearing is covered in dust, as is the white jacket he has tied around his waist, the faded insignia sewn on the back threadbare and almost coming off. Likewise, his monster-hide pants and hiking boots show signs of heavy travel. A large twin-hilted broadsword is sheathed at his left hip; he carries it effortlessly despite his moderate frame. He pushes open the inn's saloon-style double doors, and is greeted by the owner, a clean-shaven man wearing an unexpectedly clean apron. "Welcome to Mekiv's tavern and inn, I'm Mekiv. What can I do for you, stranger?"
"The name's Allion. I'm looking for a place to stay the night."
"Then you've come to the right place." Mekiv casts an appraising glance over the young man. "Are you a Merc?"
"I'd prefer the term Dream Chaser." Allion corrects. He seats himself at the long counter of Mekiv's bar, looking around and noting that the room is empty, floor spotless and chairs still upturned on their tables as if the business day had yet to begin. "No customers today, neighbor?"
"None since the Mist Monster appeared." Mekiv confirms sadly, pouring Allion a mug of cider out of habit. "They've all shut themselves in their houses afraid to be eaten. The only customer I get these days is that die-hard alcoholic Jim from the other side of town."
Allion's eyes light up with interest. "This monster-- is it strong?"
Mekiv shrugs. "Nobody's ever seen it. It comes after sundown, hidden in the mysterious mist that's been appearing every night after it came. All I know is, anyone that goes out in the streets at night, even the Mercs I sent out after it, never return alive."
"That's impressive." Allion comments after a big gulp. He turns his head to check the light outside. It is nearly dark: the last vestiges of sunlight are filtering out of the sky.
"You aren't planning on going out there, are you?" Mekiv says, concerned.
"It's a good night for a walk under the stars. A good night to chase dreams."
"Dreams! What is your dream anyway, that it drives you to do the insane?"
Allion chuckles darkly as he stands up. "Do you really want to know?"
Death.
I've been chasing it from one end of the planet to the other, and still it escapes me. A way to die; the creature strong enough to end my life and bring to a halt all the suffering living has for me. This is why I left the Peacekeepers. This is why I became a Merc, to run in the field of dreams.
As the boy turns to leave, the innkeeper lays eyes on the symbol stitched on Allion's jacket. "...A Peacekeeper?" he mouths in quiet wonder.
Allion patrols the town, ears intent for the least sign of noise. But all he hears in the all-encompassing silence is his own footsteps, until late in the night, when he stops to rest at the fountain in the middle of town square, hoping for a drink but finding only a stagnant pool overgrown with duckweed.
"Diz fountain uzedta pray clear water in the old days…" A drunken voice sputters then drifts off into gibberish. Allion turns around to come across Jim, who hadn't seen him. Is that so? I'll fix it in the morning.
Jim stands up on the elevated edge of the pool. "Hic! Heh, I think I'll do a little spraying m'self…"
The young man's eyes widen as Jim pulls down his pants. "HEY!"
Allion rushes to the man and grabs him by the scruff of his neck, roughly pulling him down to the cobblestone square. "Stop that. I was going to fix I in the morning."
"Eh?" Jim looks up to Allion's face. Then his eyes go wide and his expression becomes one of shocked fear. "Ahh! Mist Monster!"
"Come on, my face isn't that bad." Allion pouts.
"No! Behind you! Mist Monster!" The drunk points to a space behind Allion's back.
"What!" Allion whirls around and leaps back, narrowly dodging a piercing spiked tail. He turns to the drunk, who'd apparently wet his pants. "Hey you! Are you all right?"
"W-w-w-w-whoa! I'm going home!" Jim stands up and runs away at a speed not likely for a drunk. The Mist Monster tries to follow him, but is stopped by a sound blow to its scale-armored neck. "Hey ugly! You're fighting me!" Allion shouts, arms spread wide.
The monster bellows in anger. Allion takes advantage of the moment and gathers force. He traces a symbol of power with his left hand while holding his sword firmly in his right. A powerful wind blows, clearing the mist from the square, and a shining pentagram forms on the ground around him. The pentagram rises from the ground and breaks into pieces, which scatter and vanish.
Now the Mist Monster could be seen. It is a turtle-like thing with a flattish, elliptical shell that is covered in glowing mushrooms, a long, thick, scaly neck terminating in a triangular head, showing glowing red eyes and a cavernous mouth with razor-sharp fangs and a tongue that flicks in and out like a serpent's. The monster has a long, spiked tail used for stabbing at the enemy or like a thorned whip, and walks on four elephantine legs encrusted in barnacles.
Allion shifts into a fighting stance, holding his sword in both hands. Taking a moment to think, he plans his attack. I can go for either the tail or the head. If I take out the head it dies, but if I get the tail first I'll probably have less trouble. But, if I figure my technique right I'll be able to hit both.
In the meantime, the turtle is not waiting. It breathes a blast of high-pressure acid mist on him, knocking Allion back into the fountain and out of breath. The acid burns into the young man's skin and clothing, as well as his sword. He grits his teeth against the pain, and stands up despite extensive injury. "You'll pay for that." He executes a perfect running slash which passes through the length of the monster's neck to its tail, ripping through the mushrooms but leaving nary a scratch. "Damn, it got blunted!" Allion gestures again, calling the power of lightning. "Purple Electric!" And a huge bolt sizzles the turtle. It roars in pain, and the mushrooms burst aflame.
But its attacks become more menacing than ever. It uses its tail to scoop up and throw flaming mushroom bombs that spread poisonous spores where they explode.
Allion weaves a spell that takes moisture from the air and forcibly dumps it over his opponent. The bombs are put out, but the creature actually seems to enjoy it. Allion narrowly dodges a fierce bite.
What does it take to kill this thing? Is it finally the demon that kills me?
As he reaches into his jacket's left pocket for a Heal Berry, being chased all along by a stream of mist breath while he runs around the monster, his fingers brush against a concealed weapon.
Energy Crystal ARM. This bullet's a chip off the Argetlahm. But it never worked, no matter how-- The turtle stabs with its tail, forcing him to jump to the side. It hits the wall of a small house, which is promptly demolished. Allion catches a glimpse of the family of three quavering inside, praying desperately for safety. People. I forgot about them. The weapon starts shaking, resonating with the force of a wish… I-It's active!
He draws the ARM out and aims it at the giant turtle. Then he pulls the trigger and sends the energy shot flying. Faster than anything, it buries itself in the monster's shell. The monster screams, a piercing death cry, before succumbing to the earth. The young man is left to heal himself as the effects of his original spell wane and the mist monster dissipates, becoming one with the mist that was once its slave.
The fog eventually clears. The stars shine through. The moon has set, but the sky is unimaginably beautiful.
The townspeople venture out of their houses and find a young man sitting at the edge of a water fountain, which is spurting clear water into a small pond overgrown with duckweed. He is staring at the small area of mist remaining, waiting for it to clear out. He stands expectantly as the last of it vanishes, but instead of treasure he finds a human boy lying naked there, still breathing but not quite alive. The women gasp while Allion throws his jacket over the still form and makes gestures over him, casting a healing spell. Then he takes the boy in his arms and carries him to the inn.
"The poor boy. He must have been one of those youngsters the Mist Monster ate!"
"But he's not from this town. I wonder who he is?"
"Forget about him! Have you ever heard of that Allion? He took on that monster alone-- and won!"
"He's got the Peacekeepers' sign on his jacket. Maybe General Eleazar sent him."
"But aren't Peacekeepers knights? Don't they wear armor?"
"Some of the old Peacekeepers left and became Mercs at the end of the war. Maybe he's one of them."
"Maybe he's a fake!"
"Fake or not, he's better than a Peacekeeper! He's a hero!"
Talk is brimming in the tavern, and drinks are going around faster than a sleepy Mekiv could pour them. Allion is not among the townspeople, but up in one of the inn's rooms, watching the boy as he slept. He fiddles with his ARM's clip to look at the fateful shell, but it is gone.