In the end, she was alone, in pain and very aware that she had failed.



-"Not bad, kid," he punctuated the compliment with a pat on the back. Amy just stared at the Sun Hunter. Her first mission and she'd done almost nothing. Tyler had done all the work. "Ha! Don't worry!" he seemed to read her thoughts, "You got the barrier up, that was more than enough. Not bad for your first time out."

Amy gave the Sun Hunter a small smile.



She truly had been able to do nothing in the end.



-The sunset had painted everything red.

"And if I go with you, I can never come back?"

The stranger nodded.

She looked down to the fresh grave. It had been filled just this morning. "Okay," Amy nodded, then turned and followed the stranger out of the cemetery. She never looked back.



She didn't regret it. Just...for a moment, she wished it would have ended differently.



-"Don't you die on me, Nathan! That's an order!"

"Just because you have the fancy coat doesn't mea--," he coughed and she watched the blood run down his chin.

"That's exactly what it means!" She tried to stop the bleeding, but the blood was already everywhere. She knew even the Life Hunters couldn't help him now.

"Did we win?"

"Yeah, kid. We killed it. We won," she forced a smile.

"Good," he coughed again, and then no more. It had been his third mission.

Amy cried.



Even though she knew that Hunters rarely chose their time.



-"Ha!" she smiled back at Tyler. That could make anyone laugh.

"Oh, I'd best give you this now, before I head out." She watched as he reaching into his bag and pulled out a book. "For your birthday, since I'll likely still be gone."

Amy was surprised. She'd told no one when her birthday was. "How did you know?"

He grinned at her. "I have my ways." And then he kissed her. It was their first kiss, but she'd dreamed of it for ages. "I'll see you soon," he whispered. Then he left her standing there, clutching a book in her hands. She never saw him again.



She knew that was the way of it. Hunters died.



-She was five. The moon shone silver through the window. There was something under her bed. She was sure of it. If she went to sleep, it would get her. So she didn't.



Sometimes it seemed like the monsters always won.



-She felt the dagger sink deep and saw the anguish on the monsters face. It's Fear shield had fallen. She twisted the blade and pulled it hard to the right. The beast dissipated.

Amy took a step back, and almost collapsed. Another Hunter ran towards her. She knew it looked bad. The beast's claws had left deep gashes most of the way down her back. Almost killed her. "Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades," she grinned wickedly.



But she knew that was wrong. The monsters didn't always win. The Hunters won, too.



-She pulled the bandages tighter. They were already soaked through.

"Don't worry about me," the bleeding hunter rasped. "Go make sure the barrier stays up."

"But..." Amy began. "But you...you're..."

"Do it, trainee! If today is my day, then it's in your hands. Don't fail. Protect your team, complete the mission. Or die trying," the elder hunter winked.

Amy nodded and turned back to the battle. She would carry his words with her. They would become her life.



Every death was a sacrifice. A casualty of war.



-"It's beautiful!" Amy stared out at the sight below her. Two years ago she'd never been more than 200 miles from home. Now she was half a world away, looking down on one of the prettiest cityscapes on the planet.

"Amazing!" A Mist Hunter agreed.

"Yes. It is gorgeous," their team leader stepped up. "Now what do you say girls? Ready to hunt some monsters?"

"Always!"



It was a war she'd never backed down from.



-Her good arm reached down and pulled her dagger out of the ground. The barrier fell. "Nice work, team."

"We rule!" "Whoo-hoo!" "Good job, gang!"

"How's that head of yours?" Amy asked the Mist Hunter.

"Just fine. All show, no damage," she smiled through the blood running down her face. "How's your arm?"

Amy looked down. "This? Just a scratch," she grinned at the blood pooling by her feet. They had done well that night. And they'd survived.

Somewhere, a clock chimed midnight. "Merry Christmas!" She would spend her last Christmas celebrating in the infirmary.



Even lying helpless and broken on that roof, she didn't regret it. She had failed, and she was dying. But she'd done her best. That was all a Hunter could do. Fight, die, and pass the torch. This was war, and her battle was over.

The pain had stopped.

Amy Bennett left this world with no regrets. She only hoped that those left behind would be strong enough to carry on.