Miles walked up to the turn slowly and reached out his neck. There stood a guard with a similar gun in his hand. He then fished out an orb, but before Coin could activate it, Merlin held his arm. Then the older Cross dashed at the enemy and broke his neck before placing the guard down slowly.
“Charge it now. The electricity would draw the guard's attention.” Merlin whispered to his younger brother. Miles nodded and Coin charged the orb. A dagger appeared in his hand. It was only a low-tier orb, but since the enemies were normal humans, even regular knives could cut them, so the weapon was more than enough.
Two kept walking and kept on killing guards. Miles didn’t know what this place was, but he saw children stuck in a small room and armed guards were everywhere. He knew something was going on in here. Also, Merlin wouldn’t kill people without a good reason. So, he had no reservation in killing those guards.
When they killed more than ten guards, they arrived at a room where Miles spotted the locked children. In front of the door, stood a man with thick beards. He looked at the duo hatefully and he was holding a switch. He showed it to the duo and said, “The thing in my hand is a remote switch of a bomb placed in the room behind me. You should know what is in there, right?”
Miles frowned when he heard the man. But didn’t act on an impulse, if he were to act and fail, he would be responsible of death of dozens of children.
“Walk away now, and never come back.” Man said. Miles looked at Merlin while latter was smiling back at him.
“Why are you smiling?” He asked. They came all the way here, and now the man was holding children hostage. Miles didn’t think he could save them. Merlin on the other hand was strong and should have had a trick or two to save children.
“You said you are not a hero nor a traitor. Why are you helping these kids?” Merlin asked.
“What the hell are you talking about? Is it time for philosophical questions?” Miles lashed out harshly. “This is not fucking Trolley Problem!”
The life of children was on the line, was it time for these stupid questions? Even the man with the switch looked at Merlin weirdly.
The intruder was calm, so calm it made him feel dangerous. But he was holding the children’s lives in his hand. Doesn’t matter if these two were here to save the children or steal them for themselves, they wouldn’t risk their lives… right?
“I am fine with it, you can kill them all now.” Merlin looked at the man with the switch and said calmly with an easy-going smile.
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“Shut the fuck up!” Miles shouted and held Merlin at his collar. “What has gotten into you?” Miles looked at indifferent eyes looking down on him.
“You said you are not a hero, why act like one? If you are one, why not accept it?” Merlin asked, unbothered.
“You deny your true self, the mission of our family. You reject being a Cross and hero of Unity. So, why the fuck you are here now? Just go, and forget those kids. They have nothing to do with you right?”
The man with the switch shuddered when he heard the name Cross. His hands started to shake and shivered all over. He felt his back was wet with sweat just by hearing that cursed name.
“I am not a hero!” Miles shouted and took a step back, “I am not!”
“Then let’s go. We have nothing to do with these kids. I will blast this underground facility and they will be free of suffering. Death is also a liberation” Merlin said and took a step towards the door they came in.
“Wait!” Miles stopped him.
“Why? I thought you said you are not a hero.” Merlin asked.
“I am not a hero. But I will save the people suffering in front of me. I will not try to save the world, but anyone in trouble before my eyes will be saved by me. I will not be a fucking hero of the world, and my arms aren’t big enough to hold them all, but I will help every one of them I can. I will not step out of my path, but those destined to meet with me will be saved if I have the power.” Miles looked at Merlin with determination.
He always kept himself apart from the family, because neither saving Unity nor betraying its people had anything to do with him. He thought he wasn’t part of the Cross, and he was free of their mission. But he saved people before, and he killed before too.
He wasn't a hero, nor was he a traitor, but he helped people standing close to him and killed humans standing in his way. Now he felt that his mind had been liberated. His thoughts were clearer. He grabbed the dagger in his hand and looked at the man standing at the end of the corridor. His eyes turned red, and his aura turned sharp. The look he gave to the man scared the latter so much, he froze wher he stood. When he came back to his senses, Miles was standing in front of him.
Miles swung his dagger, painted it with blood and cut the man’s throat. With his other hand, he grabbed the switch from the falling, gurgling man's hand. Merlin watched everything with a smile. He had things under control ever since they walked into the room. His energy was at the enemy's throat, and he could kill him anytime he wanted. But that wasn't the purpose of this trip. He came here to help Miles get out of the prison he created.
“Nicely said. Neither are we.” Merlin said as he walked to panting and vomiting Miles and patted him on the shoulder.
“Grandfather, Father, Mother, Sister, and I, we all do what we can and help humans, and kill those standing in our ways. We are not traitors nor heroes. We do what we think is right and just. So, why should you deny your family? Your identity? The technique created by Cross?
Do you think just because you practice the technique, Cross will manipulate you to do things against your conscience? Do not deny the gifts and accept them wholeheartedly. In return, do what you can, and don’t worry about what you can’t!” Merlin said and opened the door. Inside, there were children varying from toddlers to teenagers, all looking dejected and lost.