Chapter 3 Siphon

I glance at my clock. It is about 10 pm now, and I am still awake. I wasn’t planning to sleep just yet. 

What I plan to do right now is to hunt. 

I need to siphon a talent that I would have to show as my own. If I don’t have a talent, I doubt that my parents would take me seriously as a huntress. I’m not sure what type of demons are lurking in the city at this hour, but I just hope that there are some valuable demons out there.

My siphon is a little tricky. It can only absorb talent from a demon with unique abilities. Thankfully, I already have one in mind. It’s not the talent that I plan to showcase as my own, but it would assist me in future events.

There have been rumors about a woman behind the abandoned theaters who would randomly tell someone the date of their death. But the woman only appears when she wants to. Sometimes, she does not appear at all. It is a long shot, but I figure she must be a demon if all she can see is death.

Nonetheless, it would not hurt to dig more into it. If that demon’s skill can vaguely see the future, I need to have that ability.

My family lives in a high-class apartment in the city, where most of the other hunters live. Sneaking out of my room's window is not a problem. I need to be wary in case other hunters would spot me.

I wore black jogger pants and a baggy hoodie to hide my face and my frame. My hair is tied to a ponytail hidden by my hoodie. I check myself in front of my mirror before putting on a black face mask.

I look stupid. Well, more like I look like a robber, but I don't have a choice if I want to hunt tonight.

My room is on the third floor. I could use my balcony to sneak out, but it was too open, and there was nothing that I could use to get down. My only option is to head to my window and use the fire escape there. If only my body right now is as conditioned as before, I wouldn’t have any problems jumping down from the third floor.

But there is no use moping about it now. I have to go and hunt.

I opened my window and started using the fire escape to climb down slowly. When I reach the bottom, I fix my hood to cover my hair and face before running to cross the road. I open my phone. I check my GPS to ensure that I am on the right track. It seems like I still have a long way to go. Damn it.

***

In the end, due to my poor planning, I had to ride a cab. Thankfully, I always bring some cash and store it in my sock. 

So much for being a sneaky huntress. My old self would be ashamed.

“Keep the change,” I say, and I close the door of the cab.

“There’s barely enough change, but thanks, lady.” The taxi driver says. I want to deck him and demand that he hand me back my change, but that would make me sound less cool. Besides, I don’t want coins in my socks while I battle. It would be uncomfortable.

“Thanks for the ride,” I mutter.

“By the way, lady. Are you here because of the rumors about this area?”

“What rumors?” I already have a hunch of what it is, but I just want to confirm it myself.

“Rumor has it that there’s a stranger somewhere in this area who, if you meet with her, will tell you the date on which you will die. To be honest, I thought that you’d be the end of me.” I ignored his last comment and decided to press him more about the matter.

“You sound like you’ve met this prophet. Can you give me directions on where she is?”

The cab driver gives me an insane look, “Do you have a death wish or something? Trust me, it is better off not knowing when you’ll die.”

“I already knew when I died.” My response shocked the cab driver, and he looked stunned for a brief moment, like he didn’t get my words. I can’t blame him because, to others, it sounds like a misunderstanding. “Please point me in the direction of the prophet.”

The cab driver goes silent for a few seconds and stares into my eyes like he's trying to read me. When he sees that I am serious, he nods and points in a direction leading towards a narrow alley between an abandoned construction site and a shabby hospital, which is ironic for one who prophesied death.

“Thanks,” I say and start to head towards the direction where he points at. When I got a few distances away from him, I heard him wishing me good luck before driving away.

Honestly? I needed that luck because I was not sure whether I would get to meet this prophet. I’m nervous that this demon prophet will see that I am going to kill it when it appears before me but ends up not showing up in the end.

The area is damp and smells badly of trash, grease, and rat pee. It is nauseating, but it makes me glad that I wore a mask to at least block the scent a bit. All the weapons I have with me right now are pocket knives. I just hope that the demon’s gem is within plain sight so it will be easier for me to kill it.

“Welcome. I’ve been expecting you.” The words sounded like two voices were speaking them, and it sent shivers all over my body.

I drew my knife and faced the voice that I heard. Before me is a woman cloaked in black. At first, I thought that the hood shadowed her face. But then I realized that it wasn’t the hood’s shadow but her face. 

A demon. This prophet, as the other people call her is really a demon. And it seems like she is a high-ranking one if she can pose like a human - at least in form and size.

“There will be no fighting.” The demon calmly says with a raise of her pitch-black hand.

“You said you were expecting me. Why is that?” I do not trust the words of a demon, so I never relax my stance. 

The demon removes her cloak and openly displays her demon gem on her forehead.

There it is. If I break it, she dies, and I get her power. But why is she showing it to me? Surely this demon must know what happens when we break their gems.

“You hesitate.” The demon observes.

“Why are you showing me your gem? Aren’t you aware of the consequences when a demon shows a huntress their gem?” I may not be a huntress in this lifetime yet, but my skills and past experiences more than qualify me for it.

“I am aware. Do what you must.” I got perplexed when I saw the demon kneeling and lowering her head to make it easier for me to break her gem. When I did nothing, she adds, “I have foreseen my death, and it is within your hands. My powers are yours to use.”

“Is this a trick?” I ask suspiciously.

“No tricks. I simply submit to my fate.”

“If that’s the case, then don’t blame me for this because I will not hold back. As gratitude, I’ll make sure that it is painless.”

In my years of killing demons, I never witnessed a demon submitting to me. This is a first, so it took me a while to move. And when I did, I did not lower my guard, nor did I hesitate to strike the blow on the gem on her forehead. I thrust my knife forcefully into the gem on her forehead. The jewel shatters when it meets the tip of my blade.

“May my powers aid you. And may the powers of the seventh prince help you on your quest, little huntress.” The demon says carefully and turns to ash. I fall to my knees as I  gasp heavily while my power awakens, siphoning the essence of the demon’s magic to make it my own.

Finally, I have collected my first talent.