The Crucible Hunter (Fantasy, M/M) - Chapter 3 Available
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2025 3:57 pm
CHAPTER 1
The famous, or perhaps infamous swordsman bounty hunter was hot on the trail of the bandit with a bounty on his head. Twigs silently cracked under the black boots of Zela Taren, his short but stylized blond hair, his striking blue eyes and clean shaven almost boyishly good looking face, white black and yellow tunic, tight white trousers with sheathed sword on his belt all looking fabulous as usual. The hunt had led him here, and up ahead was a campfire presumably belonging to his target. The bounty poster said his name was “The Panther” or something like that but his name didn’t really matter to Zela, what did matter was the section of the poster which said there was a reward of 5,000 xen if dead, 10,000 if alive. Naturally, Zela always snatched his prey alive.
The bandit sat at the fire counting gold and silver xen coins he had stolen from a shopkeeper back in Crucible City. Simple rags and a tattered tunic adorned him, and a simple sheathed dagger on his belt. He was clearly not expecting to be found as he snapped to attention and unsheathed a small dagger upon hearing a twig break nearby.
“Well well, the Panther I presume?” Zela said with a smooth cocky tone. “I could’ve snatched you up quite easily without you noticing just now, but I’ve been kind of bored today so I thought I’d let you have a fight first~”
The bandits hands shook as he heard the bounty hunters voice and got a glimpse of his face and raised his shaking knife. “You’re…Zela aren’t you? I heard about you from the others. They say that you can turn your blade into fire or ice with magic and that you’ve never lost. I’m warning you, don’t come closer!”
Zela chuckled silently to himself. “So you have heard of me! Those others probably mentioned how I bested them pretty easily huh? You know that I’m bagging you one way or another, with or without a fight. Why don’t you make it easy for yourself and just surrender? Maybe I’ll make your bindings a bit more comfortable for the trip back~”
“Fat chance! Die!” the bandit yelled as he lept at Zela, thrusting his knife forward in a desperate attempt to pierce the hunters chest.
*Clang!*
In less than a tick of time, Zela’s blade was out of its sheath and effortlessly knocked the dagger out of the thief’s hand, sending the blade flying off. It was only visible for a noticeable moment but a bright trail of flame followed the blade as Zela slashed it through the air. The dagger planted into the ground harmlessly on the other side of the campfire.
“Oooof, that’s it? My my, that was so clumsy that I had to struggle not to cut your hand off along with the dagger” Zela mused. “Afterall, I want my target pretty and in one piece when I bring him back all tied up to the bounty collection office!”
The bandit turned to flee but in no time at all he felt Zela’s arm snake around his stomach and pull him backward against their chest. The bandit started to cry out.
“I-mmphh!!”
Zelas gloved hand clapped tightly over the bandits mouth, reducing his cry to a quiet muffle. Zela whispered into their ear.
“Shhhh~
Let’s not have you alerting any of your possible allies nearby. Or have any of my rival bounty hunters trying to take you from me. You’re my prize and to the victor go the spoils~”
The bandit was pulled effortlessly into the darkness, Zelas hand keeping him hushed.
—
Some time later in the woods the thief lay on his stomach as Zela pulled the rope tight which looped several times and bound the thief’s arms and wrists tightly behind him. Zela then go to work looping the rope around his knees and ankles. The thief angrily grunted as he struggled and growled at Zela.
“Gah! You better hope I never get out of this or-mmmphhh!”
A large knotted cloth gag was pulled tightly between his teeth, hushing his mouth mid sentence. Zela calmly and teasingly tied it behind his head and pulled it tight.
“Shhhh don’t talk with your mouth full. I prefer it when my prey isn’t complaining the whole way back so get used to being gagged, my hushed little dove~”
Zela gave the thief a taunting kiss on the forehead and ruffled his hair before pulling the ropes one last time and standing up. Effortlessly the bounty hunter picked up the bound criminal and slung him over his shoulder, the slim build Zela being much stronger than he might’ve initially looked.
“Back to Crucible City to collect my money and get you where you belong. I’d say you fought well but, yknow, I wouldn’t have bagged and gagged you so easily if that were they case, heh~”
Zela’s gloved hand gave the bandits bottom a taunting pat as they disappeared down the trail back to the city.
The famous, or perhaps infamous swordsman bounty hunter was hot on the trail of the bandit with a bounty on his head. Twigs silently cracked under the black boots of Zela Taren, his short but stylized blond hair, his striking blue eyes and clean shaven almost boyishly good looking face, white black and yellow tunic, tight white trousers with sheathed sword on his belt all looking fabulous as usual. The hunt had led him here, and up ahead was a campfire presumably belonging to his target. The bounty poster said his name was “The Panther” or something like that but his name didn’t really matter to Zela, what did matter was the section of the poster which said there was a reward of 5,000 xen if dead, 10,000 if alive. Naturally, Zela always snatched his prey alive.
The bandit sat at the fire counting gold and silver xen coins he had stolen from a shopkeeper back in Crucible City. Simple rags and a tattered tunic adorned him, and a simple sheathed dagger on his belt. He was clearly not expecting to be found as he snapped to attention and unsheathed a small dagger upon hearing a twig break nearby.
“Well well, the Panther I presume?” Zela said with a smooth cocky tone. “I could’ve snatched you up quite easily without you noticing just now, but I’ve been kind of bored today so I thought I’d let you have a fight first~”
The bandits hands shook as he heard the bounty hunters voice and got a glimpse of his face and raised his shaking knife. “You’re…Zela aren’t you? I heard about you from the others. They say that you can turn your blade into fire or ice with magic and that you’ve never lost. I’m warning you, don’t come closer!”
Zela chuckled silently to himself. “So you have heard of me! Those others probably mentioned how I bested them pretty easily huh? You know that I’m bagging you one way or another, with or without a fight. Why don’t you make it easy for yourself and just surrender? Maybe I’ll make your bindings a bit more comfortable for the trip back~”
“Fat chance! Die!” the bandit yelled as he lept at Zela, thrusting his knife forward in a desperate attempt to pierce the hunters chest.
*Clang!*
In less than a tick of time, Zela’s blade was out of its sheath and effortlessly knocked the dagger out of the thief’s hand, sending the blade flying off. It was only visible for a noticeable moment but a bright trail of flame followed the blade as Zela slashed it through the air. The dagger planted into the ground harmlessly on the other side of the campfire.
“Oooof, that’s it? My my, that was so clumsy that I had to struggle not to cut your hand off along with the dagger” Zela mused. “Afterall, I want my target pretty and in one piece when I bring him back all tied up to the bounty collection office!”
The bandit turned to flee but in no time at all he felt Zela’s arm snake around his stomach and pull him backward against their chest. The bandit started to cry out.
“I-mmphh!!”
Zelas gloved hand clapped tightly over the bandits mouth, reducing his cry to a quiet muffle. Zela whispered into their ear.
“Shhhh~
Let’s not have you alerting any of your possible allies nearby. Or have any of my rival bounty hunters trying to take you from me. You’re my prize and to the victor go the spoils~”
The bandit was pulled effortlessly into the darkness, Zelas hand keeping him hushed.
—
Some time later in the woods the thief lay on his stomach as Zela pulled the rope tight which looped several times and bound the thief’s arms and wrists tightly behind him. Zela then go to work looping the rope around his knees and ankles. The thief angrily grunted as he struggled and growled at Zela.
“Gah! You better hope I never get out of this or-mmmphhh!”
A large knotted cloth gag was pulled tightly between his teeth, hushing his mouth mid sentence. Zela calmly and teasingly tied it behind his head and pulled it tight.
“Shhhh don’t talk with your mouth full. I prefer it when my prey isn’t complaining the whole way back so get used to being gagged, my hushed little dove~”
Zela gave the thief a taunting kiss on the forehead and ruffled his hair before pulling the ropes one last time and standing up. Effortlessly the bounty hunter picked up the bound criminal and slung him over his shoulder, the slim build Zela being much stronger than he might’ve initially looked.
“Back to Crucible City to collect my money and get you where you belong. I’d say you fought well but, yknow, I wouldn’t have bagged and gagged you so easily if that were they case, heh~”
Zela’s gloved hand gave the bandits bottom a taunting pat as they disappeared down the trail back to the city.
