I sprinted forward to follow up my offensive, my muscles tensing with each step, with Allison standing back and just observing, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Tony quickly shot up his leg and stood back up, the superman punch not doing much. Sweat glistened on his brow, reflecting the overhead lights. I pivoted my foot and threw an oblique kick to his knee, my mind calculating every possible counter. Tony sacrificed his stance's stability by twisting his knee, dropping his center of gravity. This fight's over. I whispered to him, "Let this hit you." Tony eyed me with intensity, his chest heaving with deep breaths, and closed his eyes. It was going to be hard on him, but this would end it decisively. I threw a roundhouse to his liver, extending my toes to pierce his skin. Blood shed and Tony whelped in acted agony, the sound echoing off the walls, and fell down to the ground. I raised my fist as if I was going to hit him again, my eyes locking onto his for a brief moment, but stopped midway. Tony closed his eyes, pretending that he was knocked out, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

I turned and told Allison, "He's done. Let's go." Allison complimented me, her eyes gleaming with admiration, "He looked strong, yet you took him out in two attacks." I explained, wiping sweat from my brow, "I beat Oren the same way." Allison stood over Tony, her posture radiating dominance as she towered over him. She raised her leg, showing off her high heel, and I marveled at how she was able to balance on that. Allison's face contorted in rage, her features twisting into an expression of pure fury. "Take this!" she shouted. She stomped his thigh, the heel causing significant bruising and eliciting a muffled cry of pain from Tony. From where Allison was standing, she couldn't see his face. I saw Tony grimace, his jaw clenched tight as he held in the pain. I yelled to Allison, desperation creeping into my voice, "He's not worth it!" She ignored me, her focus entirely on Tony as she continued to stomp him out, her voice rising with consecutive obscenities, not caring at all. The room filled with the sickening sound of her heel striking flesh. She continued for a dozen seconds or so until her heel was stained red. She only targeted his legs, but... Jesus Christ... I need-

No. I can't help Tony. I told Allison, my voice unable to hide the empathy I held for Tony, "Are you done?" Allison exclaimed, "Yes!" with a twisted sense of joy, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. She got a kick out of doing that. I stood there dumbfounded until Allison linked elbows with me and teased, "Lead the way." I took a step, my feet feeling heavy, and left Tony there to bleed. I regret doing this, but he's not going to die. I will make it up to him later. Me and Allison continued to the car, the adrenaline from the plan going awry not subsiding. That was the end of our date, and the end of her wrath.

In the car as I was driving her home, I asked her something pressing on my mind, "Why were you so angry just then?" She snapped her finger on her lap, the sound sharp and startling, "Do you really want to know?" I stopped at a red light and faced her, my eyes searching hers, "Yes. I do. I care." She sighed, the weight of her emotions evident, "Alright, let me tell you the story." She explained, her voice tinged with pain, "A week or so ago, someone attacked us." I asked, already knowing the answer but needing to hear it from her, "Eclipse?" I know she's talking about me. She said, her voice trembling, "Yes. They were successful and killed a Prophet." I feigned surprise, my heart pounding, "A Prophet?! That's the highest rank." She shed a tear, the drop reflecting in light of the car, "Yes. Well.. he was a Prophet to me. He was technically a Liberator rank. Anyways, he was a dear friend of mine. He was only in high school, damn it! How could you be so heartless?" My eyes drowned in agony, the depth of her grief pulling at me. I shouldn't be surprised at their audacity anymore. I said, my voice softening, "I'm sorry for that. Have you figured out anything yet?" She explained further, "No. He covered up his tracks well. We are trying to narrow down the suspects, though. We have someone coming back from an overseas mission. He's one of the other Prophets. He should be able to help, his name is Olly." The diary mentioned him. He's the one that committed the worst sin against Amy.. I tightened my fist on the steering wheel, my knuckles whitening. The light turned green, and I took her home successfully, the tension in the car lingering as we drove in silence.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

At her house, I asked, "Do you want me to help with anything before I go? Like I don't know... housework? I got time." Allison denied my advances, shaking her head with a smile, "Nah. I don't need it. Thanks though, my knight in shining armor." She leaned over the middle console and kissed me on the cheek, her lips warm and slightly wet. She opened the door and walked back to her house safely, her silhouette disappearing into the darkness. When she was out of the immediate vicinity, I called Tony immediately. The phone rang for a whole thirty seconds, each second feeling like an eternity, but he did not answer. Instantly, I got a text from him. It stated, "Do not call me. I'm going to miss a tournament due to this. Goodbye." Damn it! I thought for a moment, my mind racing with what to say. I will not make excuses. I typed out my response, "She will pay for that. Trust me." Sadly, the text did not go through, as he blocked me. I stared at the screen, wrath boiling over. I stomped on the gas and peeled out of the lot.

One month later..

For the last month, Allison and I have grown even closer. Beyond participating in those pagan rituals, we've spent countless hours talking, going on dates, and deepening our bond. I have also helped the cult in numerous ways—clearing debts, intimidating those who go against us, and more. Miyako sometimes stares at me in contempt, but it's fine. I can tell she's jealous. Like she said, God will forgive me if I do great things. In general, the cult has been much more accepting of me. I was even offered the chance to handle some important documents for them, a sign of their growing trust. Right now, I'm just relaxing in the lobby, the hum of activity around me almost soothing. I ponder whether I should ask to go to Allison's house and actually start it. I've been playing passive, and technically it's been working. I laid back, letting my guard drop. They don't suspect a thing.

The next day..

When I was preparing some food in the kitchen, chopping vegetables on the wooden cutting board and humming to myself. My phone rang, interrupting my rhythm, and I picked it up, glancing at the caller ID. Allison's voice came through, slightly breathless, "Hey, Jake." I greeted her with a smile, "Hello, Allison. What's up?" She whispered something that I couldn't quite make out, the words lost in the faint static. I was about to ask what she said, but she suddenly yelled, "Come to my house, please!" Her urgency startled me, and then she hung up. Yes! My heart was racing with excitement. I dropped what I was doing, carefully putting away the perishables so they wouldn't rot. I went upstairs, two steps at a time, and grabbed my backpack, which held four essential items I needed. I ran out of the house, making sure to lock the door behind me. I cannot get spotted by any CCTV.

Sprinting all the way to her house, my lungs were burning with the effort, and I knocked on the door, my knuckles rapping sharply against the material. It was dark inside her house, the glow from the porch barely illuminating the interior. She opened the door, dressed in a pink turtleneck that was snug against her body, accentuating her curves. It was the only way I could describe it. It showed off her cleavage, though, which was hard to ignore. Allison was sweating, perhaps even more than me, despite the fact that I had sprinted all the way here. I stammered, "Uh, what did you need? My car's battery is dead right no—" She grasped me by my shirt and pulled me inside with surprising strength. I let her do so, not sensing any malice in her actions. She sat me onto her couch like I was a doll, her movements hurried and almost frantic. I might have been a midget by her standards. I placed my backpack onto the table, the contents shifting. Allison sat on the couch perpendicular to me, her eyes intense as she said, "Sorry for doing that. I just wanted to tell you something."

My curiosity piqued, "Me too." She leaned in, her voice trembling slightly as she confessed, "I love you!" She moved in for a kiss. Before she could close the distance, I blurted out, "I killed Jordan." Our lips touched, and in that moment of contact, I bit off part of her lip. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as she recoiled, her instincts sharp. She jumped back, stuttering over and over, unable to form coherent words. Tears started to form in her eyes as she tried to comprehend what I had just said. I explained, my voice cold and detached, "You heard me right. I killed Jordan." It's now or never. I won't get a chance like this again. I rolled down my sleeves, feeling the fabric slide over my skin as I held her torn lip in my mouth, savoring the taste of her fear. "You watched our love burn bright over the past month, now you'll have to watch yourself burn."