Broken Dreams
Concisus Nostri
Chapter 2
"What on earth was that?" Jack asked as Squall came into the house.
Squall looked up at Jack and shook his head, "Nothing."
"Like hell it was." Said Jack. "You know what, sonny. You would make a good Demon Hunter."
"Demon Hunter?" Squall hesitated, wincing, his left hand holding his injured right shoulder.
"Yeah." Jack grunted, sitting down at the dining table, taking a drink of whisky Maria gave him to soothe his nerves.
"Those people who are contracted to kill demons for gold. A good bit of gold, too. I was a Demon Hunter in my younger days. Shame I spent those money gambling."
A few days later, when his injuries were less severe, Squall headed for the main town, Stella. Rows of old run down buildings flanked the deserted streets. Squall drew his leather jacket tighter around him as he marched up towards the only clean building in the centre of the town.
The building was known simply as the Ivory Tower due to its tall, white façade. Its true name was much simpler, The Demon Hunters Association. Anyone could go in, write on a notice board what demon they wanted killed and the reward offered for it.
Squall entered the sparse building, casting a glance at the notice board before striding over to the counter and rapped on it with his knuckles sharply.
Seconds later, a shapely attractive woman emerged from a room and went behind the counter. "Yes?" she said, in a soft demure voice.
"I'm Squall Leonhart and I'm here to register myself as a Demon Hunter."
"Oh." The girl said, her eyes widening. "Well, Squall, I'm Michelle, and all you have to do is fill up this form."
Michelle slid a form across the counter to Squall.
Squall filled up the form up till the category of "Weapons."
He looked up at the girl. She smiled sweetly at him, "Yes?"
"I don't have a weapon." Squall said, looking into Michelle's vivid green eyes.
"Oh." Repeated Michelle, her eyes widening even further, "Well, we do rent out equipment to new Hunters."
"That would be perfect."
Michelle walked to the room again before returning with a long, slightly rusty, sword and it's sheath. "There you go, Mr Leonhart. And you are now an officially recognized Demon Hunter of the Estrella Empire."
Squall took the sword silently and without thanks or acknowledgement of any kind, went over to the notice board.
Squall chose his first contract which required the killing of a pair of Geezards and proof of their death. It was relatively easy for Squall and would have been easier had it not been for his injuries. He collected the reward after depositing the proof of death with Michelle.
He brought the 5 gold pieces home and gave it to Maria.
"Thank you, Squall. This is enough to feed us for a week." She beamed at him.
Over the past few weeks, Squall completed more contracts and helped Jack's family, the Dawsons, move into a bigger house.
Meanwhile, Walt had taken an interest in Squall, and spent many nights asking him about the hunting expeditions. Squall, before he went to bed every night, would sit for a moment and try to remember something but all he could remember was a loud roaring noise.
One day, Squall walked into the Ivory Tower, greeted Michelle and headed straight for the notice board only to find someone there. In the 3 weeks Squall had come here, he had never seen any other Hunters. This man had short blond hair and was wearing a long white coat.
The man turned around when he heard Squall's greeting to Michelle. He, like Squall, had a long scar on his face and had an air of arrogance about him. "Hey." The man called out to Squall.
"You want to team up with me on the Granaldo contract? It says here it needs 2 Hunters. Ain't that right, Michelle?" The man smiled flirtatiously at Michelle.
"Yes, Seifer, that is right."
"So what about it, chump?" The man said, offering his hand to Squall.
Squall shook it and they both signed the contract.
"Seifer Almasy at your service."
"Squall Leonhart."
The 2 men departed for the forest in which the gargantuan bee, Granaldo, was said to be living.
Stepping cautiously through the woods, the 2 man hardly made a sound.
After 15 minutes of careful searching, Seifer spied it resting on top of a tree.
The 2 young men drew their rusty long swords. The sound of the unsheathing sword awoke the Granaldo, who charged angrily towards Seifer, it's scythe like forearms raised.
Seifer and Squall had no choice but to split up.
Squall ran through the forest quickly but tripped on a root.
One of his old injuries was killing him with the extreme agony, Squall staggered to his feet just at the moment the Granaldo burst through the forest in front of him. Squall turned and ran but fell after taking a few steps. Granaldo loomed over Squall, it's highly acidic saliva dripping and burning the leaves on the floor.
As Squall edged backwards, his hand found something hard and metallic. He ripped it out.
It was a blade, a shiny silver blade. The place where the hilt would be was replaced by a revolver.
As Squall gripped the awkward weapon, a sudden surge of memory and adrenaline rushed through his body.
He recalled a long time ago, in a yet unknown place, Squall had learnt the art of using this awkward weapon. A gunblade. His gunblade. The Lionheart.
Without thinking, Squall swung the weapon, squeezing the trigger at the same time the blade hit the great flying beast.
The beast staggered back from the impact.
Squall stood up and help the Lionheart firmly in his hands and felt the power coursing through him. He was in his element.
Squall raised the blade, and within the span of 5 seconds, had executed 24 fatal slashes on the Granaldo.
Squall stared, marveling at the blade as the Granaldo fell into multiple pieces.
Squall had found his weapon. Squall was whole again.
End of chapter 2
Author's note: Phew… Hope you guys like it.