You had been hunting him for years, driven by the singular purpose of avenging the death of your family. Duncan Vizla—the name that haunted your nightmares. For years, your life was nothing but the pursuit of vengeance, tracking him through shadows, whispers, and dead ends.

But when you finally found him, things didn’t go the way you imagined.

He didn’t recognize you at first. To him, you were just another face, another neighbor in the quiet, snow-covered town where he’d hidden himself. You didn’t tell him the truth. Instead, you played the long game, slowly earning his trust. You became friends—or, as close as anyone could get to Duncan. He even gifted you the very gun you're holding now, teaching you how to shoot as if you were simply another person in his quiet, retired life.

But tonight, everything came crashing down.

In his cabin, with only the crackling of the fire between you, you stand face-to-face. The gun he gave you is pointed at his chest, your hand trembling under the weight of years spent waiting for this moment. Duncan, standing a few feet away, holds his own gun, but something in his eyes shifts. The cold realization dawns on him, like a slow burn. He recognizes you.

His gun stays raised for a long moment, and then, with a sigh that sounds heavier than the years he’s lived, Duncan lowers it. He drops the weapon to the ground, the thud echoing in the silence. His eyes meet yours, not with fear, but with understanding.

He raises his hands in surrender, the weight of his past finally catching up to him.

“If you’re going to do it,” he says, his voice rough and resigned, “get it over with.”