After a long series of relentless gunshots, the situation finally began to calm down.
"Are you alright, kid?" asked the man who would now look after me.
I remained kneeling, my gaze fixed on the lifeless bodies of my parents. The man approached gently, his steps heavy with a compassion he struggled to express.
"I'm really sorry about your parents... isn't that the letter your father wanted to give you?" he said, hoping to find the right words to comfort me.
But I didn't respond, my lips sealed by a pain too overwhelming to be expressed.
Seeing that I was ignoring him, the man desperately searched for the right words, the ones that might pierce through the bubble of grief that isolated me.
"Tashi, do you want to avenge your parents' death? We just subdued those who attacked us."
These words, both harsh and kind, snapped me out of my stupor. For the first time since my parents' death, I turned my eyes away from their bodies and looked up at the man.
He might have been immoral in his intentions, but this time, his words were sincere, marked by a cruelty that hid a form of compassion.
"Yes," I replied in a low voice.
"Good," he nodded before calling one of his soldiers. "Akan!"
He spoke in a language unknown to me, but his clear gestures were enough for me to understand: he wanted Akan to bring the hostages.
A few moments later, two bound people were dragged in front of me.
"Take this, Tashi," the man said, handing me a gun, a weapon I could barely hold properly in my trembling hands.
I slowly advanced toward them, feeling the weight of the others' gazes on my shoulders. They were waiting for me to shoot, to avenge my parents.
When I finally pulled the trigger, the sharp sound of the gunshot echoed in the air. The two criminals collapsed heavily, their heads hitting the ground before their bodies rested in a pool of their own blood.
"So, Tashi, how do you feel right now?" asked the man, his voice as gentle as possible under such circumstances.
"How do I feel?" I repeated, tears beginning to well up in the corners of my eyes. "Nothing... I feel nothing!!!" I cried out, bursting into tears.
Why? Why did I feel no joy, no sadness, no relief, no anger? I had avenged my parents' death, and yet there was nothing inside me, just an immense void. And despite this emptiness, the tears flowed, even though I couldn't fully understand why.
It was as if all my emotions had been extinguished, leaving behind only total darkness, a chasm where nothing made sense anymore.
"Come here, kid," the man said, taking me in his arms, ignoring the bloodstains on my clothes.
"Don't try to understand," he murmured softly, rocking me as one would a child who had just had a nightmare. But I knew that this nightmare wouldn't disappear upon waking.
…
…
2 years later
"Thank you for supporting me all these years, boss."
"The pleasure was mine, Tashi. You know, you're really mature for your age."
"Do you think so?"
Since the death of my parents, the boss had taken care of me. Initially, he had planned to make me a mercenary, training me himself because he was the only one who spoke my native language.
But over time, he changed his mind. He decided to send me to an orphanage, believing that a child like me should grow up normally, far from the world of violence.
To that end, he taught me the local language so I could integrate into society.
"I hope you don't get air sick, otherwise this could be tricky, haha!" he joked, before adding more seriously, "By the way, you haven't forgotten, have you?"
"Are you talking about this?" I said, showing him an old worn-out piece of paper.
It was the letter my father had wanted to give me before he died. Pleased to see that I still had it, the boss nodded in approval. He had told me that once I was at the orphanage, I would be taught to read, and then I could finally discover what my father had wanted to tell me.
"By the way, Tashi, you should change your name once you arrive at your destination."
"My name? Why?"
"It will help you integrate more easily into society. A local name will help you blend in."
Throughout all these years, the boss had given me good advice. I assumed he was right this time too.
"Alright," I replied, accepting his suggestion.
"Excuse me, is this the child I'm supposed to accompany during the flight?" asked a man who had approached us.
"Yes," the boss replied.
"What's your name, young man?" the man asked, turning to me.
"Me? Uh... my name is William," I said, glancing at the boss, a small smile forming on my lips.
The boss burst out laughing. "Excellent choice, Tashi... no, I mean William."
"See you later, boss," I added as I prepared to leave.
As I boarded the plane, I looked back one last time. The boss was waving at me, a kind smile on his face.
"Thank you for everything, boss," I thought as the plane took off.
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* * *
From the ground, the boss continues waving goodbye to the plane as it fades into the distance.
"Boss, are you sure you're alright?" asks Akan, who had approached unnoticed.
"Oh, Akan, I didn't see you," the boss replied with a faint smile. "Don't worry, he can use my first name as much as he wants."
The boss's real name was William, a name that Tashi had chosen to adopt as a way of expressing his gratitude to the man who had taken care of him all these years.
"No, that's not what I was talking about," Akan continued. "I was talking about the fact that you let someone leave our mercenary group when he was one of the best. That's not like you at all."
The boss's smile slowly faded, replaced by a more serious expression.
"Trust me, Akan, I sent him there not only for his own good but also for yours."
"Can you clarify? I don't understand what you're getting at."
The boss let out a long sigh, considering how best to explain.
"As you know, I personally trained that kid, and he overcame every challenge I put before him."
Akan nodded in agreement. He remembered well the rigorous training the boss imposed on newcomers.
"So, what's the problem?" he asked, puzzled.
"Akan, that kid went through the same training as you did back in the day when you were still a rookie," the boss replied, his tone grave.
At these words, a terrified expression appeared on Akan's face. He instantly understood the gravity of the situation.
"You mean that…"
"Exactly," the boss interrupted. "Even though it took him longer than you to complete his training because he's still a child, I never once heard him complain. Not once. That kid is like a sleeping wild beast. For now, he follows my orders, but one day, when the thirst for power awakens in him, he will become uncontrollable."
The boss paused, gazing at the horizon where the plane had disappeared, as if contemplating how things would unfold.
"I sent him far away to give him a chance at a normal life," he continued softly. "But it was also to protect our group. He's dangerous, Akan, more dangerous than you can imagine. He needs time, distance... maybe one day he'll find another path. But if he had stayed here, he would have eventually surpassed us all, and that could have ended badly."
Akan remained silent, realizing the weight of the boss's words. Tashi, or rather William, wasn't just a talented boy; he was potentially a force of destruction, a being with a potential that no one, not even the boss, could control.
"You made the right choice, boss," Akan finally said, his voice filled with respect.
"I hope so," the boss replied, his eyes still fixed on the horizon. "For him, for all of us... I hope so."
* * *
"Madam Director, here is the child. Say hello, don't be afraid, William," said the man, gently placing his hand on the boy's shoulder.
After a long plane ride, they had finally arrived at their destination. The man who had accompanied William throughout the journey introduced him directly to the director of the orphanage.
However, William remained silent.
"Let me take that from you, shall I?" the director said, noticing the old piece of paper that William was holding tightly in his hand.
She reached out to take it, but William quickly pulled back, his eyes flaring with sudden anger.
"Don't touch it!"
The director, surprised by this reaction, was momentarily speechless.
"What's going on?"
The man who had accompanied William gently approached her and whispered in her ear, "It's the last message from his parents."
The director felt a pang in her heart upon hearing those words. Realizing her mistake, she immediately turned to William to apologize. But the boy, still silent, did not respond.
Without further insistence, they continued their way inside the orphanage.
Once they arrived, the director introduced William to the other children. But, true to himself, William remained mute.
"I think it will take him a bit of time," the director thought, observing his distant behavior.
A few days later, while she was in her office, someone knocked on the door. It was William.
"Oh, it's you, William. Don't be afraid, come in," she said with a smile, thinking he was there to ask for advice on making friends.
She then remembered that all the other children had shown similar behavior when they first arrived, though William seemed different.
"I want you to teach me to read."
"To read?" The director was surprised, but recalling the words of the man who had accompanied him, she quickly understood the reason for this request.
"If you want, I can read it for you," she gently offered.
"No! I'd like to do it myself, please," William replied, his voice betraying an almost desperate urgency.
The director then understood that it wasn't just the desire to learn to read that motivated him, but a deep, almost visceral need to discover for himself the contents of this last message. Seeing that he wouldn't budge, she nodded.
"Alright, if you insist. Anyway, you're old enough to learn," she said kindly.
...
In just a month and a half, William had not only mastered reading but also writing. His commitment and determination had impressed the director, who saw in him an exceptional student.
One night, as she was walking through the dark hallways of the orphanage, the director spotted William, sitting alone in front of a fireplace, holding the paper preciously in his hand.
She immediately recognized the letter that William had kept since his arrival. Without making a sound, she approached slightly, curious to see the boy's reaction.
William, absorbed in his thoughts, didn't notice her presence. The director, respecting this intimate moment, kept her distance, wondering what this young boy would discover as he finally read the words left by his parents.
* * *
Dear Tashi,
If you are reading this letter, it means you finally took the time to learn on your own, without the support of your incompetent father, and for that, I am truly sorry. If one day your mother and I leave this world, we want you to find a friend, a brother. Use the skills you've acquired with the mercenaries to protect what you love.
However, if you insist on finding the last member of your family, your grandmother is currently located at XXX-XXX-XX. She will surely teach you the culture of your homeland. See you later, Tashi. Take good care of yourself, and above all, stay true to who you are.
As I read these words, a sense of accomplishment washed over me. But there was no one beside me to share this moment, to congratulate me.
Suddenly, I sensed a presence. Someone was watching me. Normally, I would have gone to check, but this time, I had neither the desire nor the will.
Now that I had memorized every word of this letter, it was time to let it go.
Without hesitation, I tossed it into the roaring flames of the fireplace. My father's words slowly burned, turning into ashes.
...
A month later, I was settled under the shade of a tree in the orphanage courtyard. Lying on the grass, I savored the calm of that peaceful afternoon.
"Hi, do you want to play with us?" A child's voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned my head and saw two children, twins, looking at me with curiosity.
"My name is Kim, and the shy one behind me is Luca," said one of them with a bright smile.
"Hi," Luca murmured timidly, half-hiding behind his brother.
"Can you tell us your name?" Kim asked enthusiastically.
"My name?" I repeated, caught off guard.
"Yes," they insisted in unison.
After a brief moment of reflection, I calmly replied, "William. Yes, call me William."
"Nice to meet you, William! I hope we can get along, right, Luca?" Kim said, turning to his brother.
"Yes," Luca answered with a shy smile.
I had chosen the name William to leave behind the painful past that my real name evoked.
Boss, who bore that name, was someone I deeply admired. Despite his difficult life, he always kept smiling. I hoped to be like him one day, to smile no matter what.
[You have just completed the fourth trial of the sanctuary, and you will now be directly teleported to the fifth and final trial.]
"Finally," I murmured, feeling a mix of relief and tension rising within me.
"Did you say something, William?" Kim asked.
"No, no, I was just talking to myself," I quickly replied, trying to hide the pain that coursed through me.
When I looked at Kim, a deep sadness engulfed me. I knew what awaited him in our previous life: at 16, he had succumbed to a brain tumor, and I hadn't even been able to attend his funeral.
Luca had gone through that ordeal alone, devastated by the loss of his brother, while I was far away in my homeland, learning from my grandmother and reconnecting with my roots.
But this time, everything would be different. Luca, I swear that in this new life, I will be there for you, no matter what. I will protect you, whatever the cost. You will never have to go through such pain alone again.
Suddenly, a strange sensation came over me. My body began to disintegrate, as if every particle of my being was being sucked away by an invisible force. I felt my consciousness waver, fragmenting, as the sanctuary prepared to transfer me to the final trial.
The world around me became blurry, the edges of things gradually fading. The memories of Kim and Luca flashed before my eyes, their images superimposing onto the reality that was slowly crumbling.
"This time, I won't leave you alone, Luca," I whispered one last time before my mind sank into darkness.