Erzeban Francis was planning to kill a man today.
To him, that was just a normal day. Today was different. Erzeban walked down the streets of Damsguard, surveying the place he was to infiltrate. It was a place made of black stone, charcoal color and it was three houses wide and two houses high.
Of course, a regular house is just too mundane huh? He thought as he sighed and looked around. Some houses were normal and proper but that was a minority. Everywhere you went you’d see slums, and people hungry. While the elite feasted and lived in luxury. He scoffed and now bore a frown, determined and extremely excited. This was no normal man he was to kill. He walked up to the castle and brought out a blue knife.
He whispered, “Cut Beyond Which We Cannot See.” The blue knife erupted with a power that glowed blue and crackled like electricity.
Then Erzeban Francis cut through reality. More accurately, he created a crack that he walked into, going into the “Outer World” as he called it. It was a world identical to his own, but where he could move in the real world and not be seen. He moved past the guards in front of the place swiftly, not wanting to waste time, and went straight to his target’s room. He had been monitoring the place before, no need to loiter. He only had a few seconds left. He got onto the right floor, and his time was up, as his body flashed blue and he returned to the real world. He felt a bit woozy as usual after leaving the Outer World but he fought it off. He spotted two guards at the door.
Two guards, armed with swords in iron armor, with no helmets. Easy peasy.
He ran at them quickly, surprising them. The first guard swung his sword and missed Erzeban horribly, as he stuck his knife into the guard's eye, kicking him back simultaneously. The second guard was shocked, and Erzeban needed no extra invitation as he threw his knife into the neck of the second guard. Blood squirted out until the guard dropped down, unmoving. He held out his hand and his knife appeared there. He checked on both guards, made sure they were dead, and then moved into the room. He spotted a man with greying hair and a beard. The man looked up in confusion.
“I told the guards to let nobody in, useless men,” he said irritated, “leave, I’m not to be interrupted.” He waved his hand and turned around.
“Erzeban Francis,” Erzeban said, “ring a bell?” The man froze in his place and looked back with a shocked expression, sweat racing down his face.
“Nobody should know about that! Unless…” he thought for a moment. “You survived! I thought you had died!”
“You thought wrong,” Erzeban said holding up his knife, “and now you’ll pay for taking my father’s life!” The man dropped down to his knees and bowed his head.
“Have mercy please,” he said as he looked up, tears in his eyes, “I have wife and child.”
“Did you consider that when you put a knife through my father’s heart? Huh?!” Erzeban thundered.
“I’m sorry, I made a mistake!” the man pleaded.
“I guess I made one too.” Erzeban stabbed the man right through the heart until he saw the life drain from his eyes. The man flopped down face forward. Erzeban stared at him for a moment, then spit on him.
Time to go.
Erzeban left the room in the hallway and looked left and right.
Nobody here. Good.
He brought out his glowing blue knife, crackling like electricity.
“Cut Beyond Which We Cannot See,” Erzeban whispered. He cut a crack into reality and entered the Outer World. He moved out of the castle and just like that the job was done. He walked up to a bar and put his hand on the side and sighed.
“I did it, all those years of pain for this day,” he said with a smile on his face, “now my father can rest in peace.”
Finally! Time to…
Erzeban stiffened.
What do I do now?
……………………………………………………………………
It was the next day and Erzeban rolled out of bed, feeling unmotivated. He went to the mirror in his house to check on himself.
I have always liked my yellow hair.
He measured himself at 6’2 as he did every morning then he got ready for the day. He wore a black shirt and a black dams jacket which is a stiff jacket with three pockets on each side and the collar popping out. He matched that with black dam pants. He stepped out of his house to meet a hot and blinding morning sun. He frowned and walked out of his one-story house. He walked through the market place focusing on his thoughts.
So I got revenge. Great! What now is the issue?
Erzeban could just continue to be an assassin, but when he thought of that his expression saddened. He didn’t exactly know why. He’d been an assassin all these years just fine. While stuck in thought he bumped into this kid who couldn’t be more than twelve. He watched on curious as she sprinted past him. She had long dark hair with red highlights but was wearing a raggedy shirt that went down to the legs.
“Get out of the way!” He heard from behind him.
Typical. The child probably stole some food and now the guards have come to beat her.
It happened more often than he thought it should, but he had ignored it before.
No time for that, I have to get reven-
Erzeban stiffened.
Oh yeah, almost forgot.
He felt oddly hollow when it sunk in. He had expected to feel energized. Alive. He had worked tirelessly day and night for a noble cause. But he felt nothing. He saw the guards run after the girl and started. He sighed then ruffled his messy hair. He then dashed after the way the guards had gone and found them in the alleyway with the kid. The guards were beating her with the handle of their swords.
“Hey!” he screamed. The guards and the kid looked back. “I will pay you the cost of the food.”
The guards looked at each. One of them, a man with a brown beard, walked up to Erzeban.
“Sir, this girl has been stealing food from the market workers for weeks now,” he said pointing at her, “we have to punish her, unless you pay for all the food she’s stolen.” Erzeban brought out his pouch of money. The guards looked at each other incredulously.
“Sir, I have to ask your relation to this girl,” the other guard said.
Ugh, what sounds believable?
“I’m just a friend who helps out her family,” he said with a smile. The two guards looked at each other and shrugged.
“That will be three rubies,” the guard with the brown beard said, reaching out his hand. Erzeban promptly got out thirty gold coins, which were worth the same as three rubies. He handed the money to the guard with the brown beard and walked to the girl. She looked at him cautiously. She couldn’t have been more than 5’4. Erzeban gave his most trustworthy smile.
“Let me get you outta here at least, deal?” Erzeban asked holding out his hand. The girl stared at it for a bit then grabbed it. Erzeban quickly pulled her away and they started walking towards the market.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The girl took a big bite out of some chicken. It was green, meaning it was a Lifespread chicken. She was munching on it while Erzeban was humming. He glanced over at her and she glared. They were a fair distance apart on a metal bench at the marketplace.
“So,” Erzeban said putting his hands behind his head,” where’s your mom and dad?”
His response was a glare.
“Well, what’s your name?” He tried again. His response was a glare again.
Well, that was awkward.
They sat there until she finished eating her chicken. She threw it into a trash bin and then started to walk off.
“Hold up,” He said as he ran in front of her, “are you going to be okay?” She gave a glare.
“What do you want from me?” She said moving past him, “what do you have to gain by helping me?” Erzeban stiffened.
What do I have to gain?
“Uh..nothing, I’m trying to..change,” He said scrambling to find words, “I’m not going to do anything…” He took out Verito (his Artifact) and gave it to her. “That’s my only weapon and you can check if you want to,” he said raising his hands, “I have nothing left to hide. I know you don’t want my help but I think you need it.” She glared at him again.
What am I doing? This is just some random kid.
She then looked down at her clothes.
“I have a lock in my house,” Erzeban said smiling, “I can lock my room door and give you the key, and I will walk in front of you so you have the advantage. Let me give you some clothes and a place to stay. Let me help you.” She didn’t glare. Just stared.
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“Yes,” was all she said. Erzeban put his hands down and sighed. He went in the direction of his house and she followed.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
They got to the house and Erzeban opened the door and walked into the house. The girl still had the knife to his back. Whenever he moved a bit too much she would press it harder.
Can’t fault you really.
He got the lock and put it on the outside of his door then gave her the key. He then showed her how to open and close.
“There are some clothes there, some food there, and the other room and bed are there,” he said pointing around the place. He then went into his room to sleep.
“Don’t you need your knife back,” she asked. “Keep it,” he said walking to his room and not looking back, “it makes you feel safer.” He walked into his room and closed the door, hearing the lock get in place.
I could always just summon the knife anyway.
He got ready to get to sleep and sat on his bed waiting.
Should be about time.
And then he heard them. Screams of pain, agony, anger, desperation, sadness. He heard them all around him loud and incessant. He grabbed his head and he started to sweat. His heart rate started to increase rapidly.
ARGH!
And then suddenly it stopped. Erzeban moved his hands from his head slowly.
It usually lasts for longer.
It wasn’t like Erzeban was complaining. Today he got to sleep just a little nicer.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Erzeban woke up and yawned.
Well time to summon it.
He summoned his knife towards him, and then cut through the lock quietly. He opened the door and the sun’s light spilled throw the windows as he made his breakfast. He looked to the side and found that she was still sleeping soundly. He walked over to grab something from his cupboard and felt something sharp at his back.
Not this again.
“Kid, I could’ve killed you one thousand times over if I wanted to, calm down.” She continued to hold it for a breath and then she pulled it away and went back to her room to sleep. He got out a batch of chicken and baked some while the rest he fried. He got out two different bowls and mixed the chicken for each bowl. He went and knocked on the girl’s door even though there was no lock on her door.
“Kid, you want some breakfast?”
No response.
“I’m gonna leave it outside your door get it when you are ready.” Erzeban then went to eat at the kitchen table. An hour goes by, and the door opens and she peeks out. The girl then took the plate inside. Minutes later she drops the plate outside the door empty. Erzeban placed more chicken on the plate and she took it to her room once again. She placed the plate outside her room but this time Erzeban put the plate beside him and filled it. She came out the door and stared at the plate. She started to walk towards the plate and then sat right next to him. They ate in silence until the girl looked at him.
“You an assassin, old man?” she said as she ate her food.
“What gave it away?” Erzeban replied without looking at her.
“You have a sacred artifact, which is rare for anybody, but not for top-level assassins and kings,” she took a bite and swallowed, “and your definitely not a king so your probably an assassin.”
Erzeban chewed for a second then looked back at her, “How do you know so much about sacred artifacts kid? They are supposed to be a secret to the public.” The kid went completely still as if sherememberedg something, then she took a long breath.
“The king is my dad and she killed my mom three years ago, and I will take revenge one day.” Erzeban almost choked on his food.
The king??
“I’m going to become an assassin too and kill him one day,” her face morphed into a horrible frown, and her eyes burned with rage.
Now, who does this remind me of?
“You don’t have to kill him.” She looked at him sharply and glared.
“I mean you can expose him, but do you really have to kill him?” he sipped on some water, “take it from me, it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be." She squeezed her hands and looked him in the eyes.
"I. WILL. KILL. HIM." Erzeban eyed her then drank his tea.
"Alrighty, I will tell you what, I'm going to help you kill the king."
"And why in hell would you do that?" Erzeban put the cup to his lips and then stopped.
"Boredom." The girl studied his face then raised her hands in defeat.
"Whatever, old man what's the plan?"
A grin spread through Erzeban's face.
……………………………………………………
Erzeban and Kid (Erzeban nickname) went up to the castle and looked it up and down.
"Kid, this will only take a few minutes as I am the best assassin in the na-,"
"Enough bragging, old man, let's go."
Not much of a conversationalist huh?
He stepped forward and whispered, "Cut Beyond Which We Cannot See," and then Erzeban cut a path into the Outer World, which he and the Kid moved through up to in front of the chamber. The king has scouts scattered throughout his castle but has guards outside and inside his chamber. He can employ many guards since his chamber spans an entire hallway. When they exited the Outer World, Erzeban put his hand to his head as he felt slightly woozy as Kid walked up to the door.
That's right, only affects the user.
Erzeban looked around.
Where were the guards? Maybe the king moved them all into his chamber.
Kid moved to enter the door but Erzeban immediately grabbed her shoulder.
"You do know your walking straight into a trap right?" She took in a deep breath.
"Yeah, I'm ready." Erzeban studied her eyes for a moment.
"Ok, so you're going to stay back and I'm going to defeat all the guards, and then I'll let you kill the king with the dagger I gave you."
They looked at each other and nodded then walked in.
Empty.
Erzeban tensed.
"Cut Beyond Which We Cannot See!" He then took Kid and threw her in then closed it. He got into a battle-ready pose and then looked around.
Where is h-
The bullet pierced into Erzeban's arm. Hot pain flared into his arm. Erzeban ground his teeth.
Where is he?
It was dark all around Erzeban so he couldn't see a thing.
Damn, I should've known they would pull something like this!
The king would want to keep assassins on their toes, by not keeping the defense system the same. Erzeban focused in and heard footsteps and then a gun firing.
Amateur.
He swung his knife and then the bullet curved into his shoulder
Wha-
Another bullet came in and this time Erzeban dodged but it followed him
It's a sacred artifact! Is it homing or does he manually control it?
Erzeban continued to run and eventually timed his swing correctly to hit the bullet out of the air. Erzeban focused again and then heard the bullet fire. He whispered the activation words than ran through the Outer World toward the sound and immediately attacked the direction when he got out. Erzeban has swiped at air.
Damn it he moved!
Another bullet came in and this time Erzeban wasn't fast enough as it pierced his knee. He fell to his knees and opened up the Outer World again to think for a few seconds.
How can he see me? Probably with a sacred artifact. Two? One that can see through the darkness and one which you can control. How to defeat this?
He exited the Outer World as his time had run out. He heard the gunfire and he started dodging and running away. The bullets were grazing him and opening skin, but he was just preventing them from piercing him, but with enough time he would get tired. Erzeban took in a deep breath then focused again. He heard a bullet sound then immediately opened up the Outer World and then moved through it. He exited and then swiped at the air as another bullet sounded. He turned in that direction then opened up the Outer World and ran towards the sound. It was taxing but he had to push himself. When exited the Outer World he swiped at air but he heard footsteps close and then dashed towards them. He fired a bullet but Erzeban raised his right hand and the bullet went through his hand as he grabbed the neck of the enemy and stabbed him in his heart, neck, and head. The enemy immediately fell and stopped moving. Erzeban collapsed to the ground and started breathing heavily.
Now time for the final stage.
He entered the Outer World with the last of his strength and pulled Kid out. She immediately helped him walk as they walked past the chamber into the other room where the king was on his bed and was coughing.
"Are you the assassin or the guard?" The king forced out through a cough.
"I'm your daughter," Kid said as she stepped forward dagger in hand. The king looked around and studied her features.
"Maizia daughter?" The king said. Kid stilled then clutched the dagger with both hands
"I always knew my sins would catch up to me, so do it, child. I've not much to live for anyway." Kid walked up and with both hands lifted the dagger above the king. She stilled herself, closed her eyes, and then drove it down towards the king's heart. She opened her eyes to find it had been stopped by Erzeban.
"What are you doing?
"Stopping you from making this mistake," he said as he still held onto the dagger with her
"Let me avenge her please!" Kid plead. Erzeban went deadly quiet and his eyes died.
"Do you understand what it means to have blood on your hands?" Kid had been tearing up, but looked towards him.
"What?"
"You can't bear this burden. The screams, the pleading, the voices."
"I don't care! Get your hand off me!" Erzeban took in a deep breath.
"Kid, please calm down and look at him." Kid stared at him.
"Please." Kid moved her head toward the king just as he coughed up some blood.
"Look at his sorry state. What justice do you get from taking his life? All you gain is the burden. The voices. Let him wallow in his misery for these hours until his death."
"Then how do I get justice for her? HOW?" Kid thundered.
"You aim at what matters most to scum like him. His reputation, his legacy." Erzeban looked toward the king. "You can make royal announcements right? Write in paper right now officially, the acts you've done towards her mother and then call one of your servants to announce it."
The king put on a defiant look.
"And why would I?" Erzeban summoned his knife and pointed it to his chin as if he was thinking.
"Oh, I don't know, as a way for me to prevent slaughtering the Queen, your heir, and everyone you've loved."
The color drained from the king's face. He, with great effort, moved his hands to this drawer next to his bed and got a paper. He held it up for them to see.
"This paper is for royal announcements." He wrote on it and after a few minutes, he finished. He moved to give it to Erzeban but he pointed to Kid.
"It all depends on her." Kid moved her dagger away from hovering over the king and put it by the side of her waist. She then read the letter. She looked up and she seemed distressed.
"Make sure this gets announced," Kid finally said, handing the paper back to the king.
"Or else," Erzeban said as they turned to walk away.
"Oh and don't tell anybody we were here or," he made the slitting a throat sign. They walked back into the chamber in silence as Erzeban picked up the enemy's body to dispose of evidence.
……………………………………………………
The next day Erzeban woke up and yawned then walked through his door to find Kid already up. She was making food for him and her, at least that's what Erzeban wanted to believe. He sipped on some tea as they didn't talk for a few minutes.
"Do you regret me stopping you?" She continued to cook.
"No," Kid said as she looked toward him
"I realized I didn't want his blood on my hands," she said as she smiled for the first time in front of him. He smiled right back.
"Anyway," she said as she took the food off the fire and put it in two bowls for them, "here's your breakfast." He took it hungrily and ate it. His expression turned to one of disgust.
"Kid, you NEED to learn how to cook!"
She pouted at him and crossed her arms. "That was my first attempt!" Erzeban burst out laughing.
"Kid, next time I'll show you how to make some food."
"It's not Kid."
"What?"
She sat down at the table.
"My name is Mai, named after my Mom." Erzeban grinned and so did Mai in response.
"Well, I would like formally welcome you to the household of Erzeban Francis!" They started chucking together and Erzeban felt like now, he had a new goal.
The End