As a single carriage made its way across the barren landscape, one could not help but notice a lonely gentleman seated inside. His attire was meticulous, with not a single crease to be found. His short brown hair was neatly parted, and his light brown eyes were fixed on the ever-changing scenery passing by the window. Despite the rhythmic clatter of the carriage, he appeared lost in thought, deep in reflection and only sinking further as his pristine eyes began to glaze.
The man sighed as his eyes began to focus once again. The gentleman sitting so lonely in the carriage was none other than Alim, the would-be master assassin who had just recently completed the longest and most difficult assassination of his career. The sigh that kept escaping his lips was because of his current circumstances.
Alim looked at the item in his hand, a black mask with no holes, the opposite of what that Feyrishian woman was wearing. He had no idea why he was given such an item, but it must be significant to be given to him.
“Sigh, I just wanted to go home…” Alim whispered with an exhausted breath.
Alim's carriage came to a slow stop, and with another sigh, Alim looked at the barren view of a lone house, smoke billowing from the chimney. He opened the door to the carriage and carefully made his way toward the house, waving to the carriage driver as they looked on with their white mask.
Alim's hand trembled as it hovered close to the door. Uncertainty and fear gnawed at him, making him hesitate before he could knock on the door. His hands moved slowly, and a quiet knock echoed from the door.
The sound of shuffling could be heard from the inside of the house. It grew closer to the door before a feminine voice echoed from behind the closed door.
“Hello? Who is it?” the voice asked, nervousness clear in her shaking tone.
Alim did not know how to respond to the voice on the other side, so he stood silently and waited for the door to open.
The door creaked as it opened, and Alim’s gaze locked onto the person who opened the door, a woman with long brown hair and bright blue eyes that glistened in the light cast from behind him.
“Uhh… Hello,” Alim’s said, his voice cracking from his nervousness.
“DARLING!” The woman screamed as she latched onto Alim.
Alim stood rooted as he let the woman hold him tightly. He could feel the sensation of moisture on his chest where the woman’s head lay.
“Please come in,” the weak voice of the woman said, her face still buried deep in Alim’s chest.
The woman grabbed Alim's arm and rushed him inside the house, forcefully shutting the door behind them. She guided him to a seat next to a table before running out to another room. After a short while, she came back carrying two plain cups and a white envelope.
She sat down at a seat close to his and slid a cup and the envelope to him.
She took a slow sip of the liquid inside her cup before slowly opening her mouth, “They said that I needed to give it to you…” she said, staring at the rippling liquid in her cup.
Alim silently stared at the blank envelope on the table. His eyes rippled like the liquid in the cup placed before him.
“They said that they could help…” the woman spoke in a wispy voice, “I-I couldn’t say no…”
Alim opened the envelope and saw a few folded pieces of paper. He opened them slowly; most of the pages had strange drawings of different people, some he knew, others he did not. The last piece he opened was the only one with words, so he began to read, ‘Dear New Recruit’; Alim instantly recognized this letter as something from that masked Feyrishian woman.
‘As you can see by these drawings, we know a lot about you, Alim Brook.’ Alim began to sweat, returning to look at the drawings again. The more he looked, the more he realized that all these drawings were of people he considered close to himself.
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Alim swallowed the lump in his throat. His plans of running were now cut off, so he went back to reading, ‘Our youngest has revealed to us your talent in espionage, which is precisely what we require. We covet information and must obtain it to accomplish our objectives. The specifics of the information we seek are irrelevant to you, who is not a true member. That is why your mission is simple. Infiltrate the upper echelons of the Alchemic Race's high society and feed us what you see and hear. Nothing is to be deemed insignificant; we would like anything and everything. We require certain insights from them, and we need to maneuver situations in our favor to accomplish our goals, and we trust that you are up to the task.’
Alim put down the letter as he looked back at the drawings, “What is your part in all this?” Alim asked
The woman was silent for a moment, “My son, he is very sick…”
“Seedlings are not like Feyrishians. We do not get sick.” Alim snapped at the woman.
The woman ducked her head down before she continued, “That is the only way I can describe it… No-No one… No one knows what is wrong with him. It is neither a poison nor is it a mutation or defect. They said it was a mystery…” The woman stopped there, tears flowing down her face
“They said they could help. I-I had nowhere to turn to. Everyone abandoned me and my son. They left us to die. They…”
“Mother…” a weak voice drifted into the room
As Alim turned around, his eyes fell upon a boy who stood in the doorway behind him. The child's skin was so pale that it resembled the paper Alim held, and his frail and withered body seemed light and brittle, as if just looking at him could break the poor child. Alim couldn't help but notice the boy's dark and weary eyes, which gazed at him with confusion, uncertainty, and defiance. It was as if the child was questioning Alim's presence and trying to make sense of the situation.
“Who are you, and what are you doing to my mother?” The boy spat his words like venom.
The boy tried to run between Alim and the woman, but just a simple step, and the boy was out of breath. With wheezing breaths, the boy charged at his mother, latching onto her before glaring at Alim.
“Go away, we don’t need you!” The boy screamed through his deep breaths
Alim could only stare at this strange child. Many questions popped into his head, but they all caught in his throat at the following words the child shouted.
“Stupid old man, you made my mother cry!” The boy screamed, his eyes now glowing in anger.
“Theo, enough… go back to your room and let me talk with him,” The woman said calmly as she kissed the boy’s head.
“No! What if…”
“Theo, please.”
“Yes, mother,” The boy trudged out of the room in defeat.
“He is usually not so hostile to those who visit.” The woman said with a smile, but Alim could tell that the smile was just an act.
“It is fine,” Alim said, taking a sip from the cup, “He is a smart boy if what you say is true.”
“Why do you say that?” The woman asked
“Because I am a very dangerous person,” Alim said, looking at the woman.
A smile blossomed from her mouth again, “Then that is good. It means that we will be safe if we stay near you.”
“That is not what I meant,” Alim jumped to say
“Please let me think what I want. It makes this easier,” The woman said, shaking her head.
Alim could only sigh as he finished his drink.
“Should we go and pack now or later?” The woman asked
“The sooner we leave, the better,” Alim said
The woman nodded before walking off to gather her things. After a few hours, the trio walked outside.
“I don’t like you,” Theo said, glaring at Alim, who stood beside the carriage.
“Theo!” The woman shouted, reprimanding the child, “Behave!”
“It’s fine,” Alim said, not even turning to the child, more focused on loading the luggage than anything else.
“Is this everything?” Alim asked
“We don’t really have many things. Most of the things will be sold by your people to pay for Theo’s treatment.”
Alim nodded, not really paying attention to the words that were said.
“Um, we haven’t introduced ourselves to each other, have we?” The woman asked
“Alim,” Alim said, staring at the woman.
“Clover, and this is my son Theo.” Clover smiled at Alim, “It is nice to meet you, husband.”