The Nameless Hunters in White Chapter 1

The Nameless Hunters in White.
Chapter one: Waiting
         It was a small tavern much like any other in the slums of Alden they sat and waited. The decor was covered in grime evidence of years of neglect. The air hung heavy with acrid smoke from to many pipes and the stale smell of beer well past its prime. The tavern was always quite filled with the mutters of those who where fed up with their lives as cogs in the machine that was this great city of Alden. The first time they entered a hush fell over the crowd they did not seem the type to frequent such an establishment there clothing was not dirty and stained it was pristine and white. The woman entered first her eyes quickly scanning those gathered her hand inches from the sword at her side. Her dress as white and pale as her skin. After a moment the man entered a rather large gun at his side he laid a reassuring hand upon the woman's shoulder allowing her to relax. His coat long and white one you would expect to see worn by a doctor. They made there way to a table in the middle of the tavern and sat. The man ordered two beers that sat untouched before them but he placed a gold upon the table and there they waited.

         It had been that way for a month now every night the two would enter sit and wait. They never spoke to any other patrons and would talk only quietly to each other. They became  the subject of much drunken speculation why where they here, where they hiding something, or where they looking for something. Several men swore up and down that they had seen the woman with blood on her lips thus began more grim and serious discussion of what they where doing. Several disappearances of the locals where brought up but never to the strangers. They simply sat and waited.

         It was in the sixth week of there waiting that it happened. It was inevitable really the patrons where scared and filled with liquid courage and the biggest among them stood up and with a yell demanded to know who they where and what they wanted with this place. After a moment the man looked up turning his head to the man "We are waiting." He then turned back to his partner.

         "Waiting for what!?" The drunk roared marching up to the man and reaching to grab him as his hand came down there was a blur from the table and a sword held by the woman was at the drunks throat a thin trickle of blood flowed from the tip of the sword pressed just into his neck. 

         "What we wait for is none of your business."  The drunk returned to his seat but at this point the owner had enough he demanded they leave and no amount of words or money from the man would change his mind. The man shook his head but they left without trouble.

         It was a week later before they returned now though the tavern was much changed. Changed by one hand a hand the man and woman knew well. The inside had looked as if it had been given a fresh coat of red paint much of the furniture that had once been haphazardly scattered about lay broken and splintered. That was nothing though compared to what remained of those who once patronized this place there bodies ripped and shredded as if by some wild animal. Only one table truly remained intact and upon it the body of the drunk who had once accosted that laid upon it though in many more pieces than he once was.

         "We missed him." the woman whispered.

         "Yes" said the man.

         "What shall we do now?" she said looking away from the mess.

         "We wait." said the man now turning to leave.