The Assignment

The sun has begun to set and it's time for me and my partner to get down to business. We met up at the dorm entrance and set off with our weapons and lanterns. I snuck a few crackers into my pocket from todays rations just in case. It's not like we can eat what we kill. Nothing worse then being hangry, well except for the tainted I guess. And the death of loved ones...but I digress.

We were assigned a particularly strong tainted located in the next village, along with two other groups. Only groups with a near perfect success rate are assigned to these types of tainted. Thanks to my partner, we have never failed to kill our target. He does all the heavy lifting and I just dodge and run like hell. Though we've never faced a mutant before I'm only a little worried. I have faith in my partner and the other teams should be just as good. I'm mostly curious about these abilities I have only ever heard of. I wonder if they're as great as they say or if the rumors are exaggerated by those who couldn't stand losing. Apparently human politics remain even when the world is ending. Who knows? I guess I'll find out soon.

The other two groups are meeting us there. They are supposed to be the best from their respective villages.
"Have you ever met the groups we're going to be working with?"
Normally we are silent when we travel but curiosity has gotten the better of me and I've decided to initiate conversation with mister mysterious.

"I've never met with them but I've heard of them. All of them had a reputation before things went to hell. Two were notable mercenaries. Of the other two, one is the second son of a prominent family and the other was a merchant known for dealing with some questionable people over seas."

"The mercenaries I can understand but a young master and a merchant? Shouldn't the young master be an official knight? And a merchant? What's he going to do, talk the tainted to death?"

"The young master had planned to enter the court but since he's from a good family he received proper sword training since young, regardless of his aspirations. That's just how noble families work. And the merchant is a talkative woman but she's not to be underestimated. She did all her dealings in person and unofficially the majority of her trade was done with pirates. She's used to taking care of herself and has the brains and skills to do it. I bet she could make even the devil sell his soul."

"For a quiet guy you sure know a lot."

"...it's easier to listen when you're quiet. Plus I've been around. You hear more when you travel."

"That's true. But what did you do before you became a hunter? Were you also a merchant? I would think your sword skills are too good for that. A mercenary maybe?"

"..."

Well I wasn't expecting an answer anyways. He's already said more than I thought he would.

The rest of the journey was done in silence. I didn't say anything more and he's never initiated a conversation, except for when we first worked together and he asked to be my regular partner. I was too busy trying to live to bother talking so that's probably why he asked. The person I previously worked with was the average joe who liked regular conversation. He, however, was caught off guard on our last mission and got his neck snapped by the tainted we were hunting. End of him and the end of conversation. I met my current partner while I was dodging the damn thing. He just swooped in and chopped its head off. We've been partners ever since. I don't know where he was before or what he was doing but he followed me back to the dorm and registered with our current guild. Sometimes I wonder if he just became a hunter on a whim that day. I was too exhausted, physically and mentally to ask about it back then and I promptly found out my new partner is not a fan of talking only after agreeing to pair with him. Too late now. It's not important anyways. Only surviving matters now. That and my sister.