The Price of Being Certain | The Baddie Hunters | Vespera

The Price of Being Certain

There is a particular moment in every war when a country decides that victory is worth paying for.

The order is placed.

The bids arrive.

And somewhere among them are the usual names, offering the usual promises, at the usual prices.

Then there are https://app.warera.io/mu/69e0756f964098bcb034e9ce. We have never been especially interested in being the cheapest people in a war.

There are others quite happy to compete for that distinction.

Our business is somewhat simpler… We fight.

Countries have their armies.

Commanders have their plans.

Mercenary units have their prices.

It is an old arrangement, and a remarkably efficient one.

When the right contract appears, we bid what we consider it worth. If that number happens to win, the Hunters go to war.

No grand bargain is required.

No elaborate introduction.

By then, the name should already be familiar.

There are, of course, moments when a contract arrives rather later in the story.

The battle is already being fought...

The lines have already been drawn...

The outcome, perhaps, is beginning to look rather settled.

The enemy has held long enough to become comfortable.

And then the Hunters arrive.

What might have been another battle on the map becomes something more interesting:

the Hunters enter the fight and turn the tide.

For the country that calls upon us, the result is simple enough.

The battle is won.

That,

Perhaps, is the more interesting part of mercenary work. A contract lasts for a battle, but a reputation lasts considerably longer.

So, we are less concerned with being everywhere than with being remembered wherever we have been.

For the countries that have fought beside us, there is little need for an explanation.

For those that have fought against us, probably even less.

And for everyone else?

Well, there is always another war…

https://app.warera.io/mu/69e0756f964098bcb034e9ce will be there when it is worth our while.

The price had been paid.

The battle was won.

Upon the western shores of the Resplendent Island, the banners still flew.