ã€ŠThe Main Character Legendary Origin Stories: Broad-Spectrum Assassinã€‹


 The Gateway to the Truth

    Black shreds fells from my tattered body and were consumed by the past. By the time my awareness stopped spinning, I found myself in a depressed cave. My sense of feeling gave me all the information I needed. The creatures of this place were massacred.

    I alter my vision to detect life, but saw nothing. Even the insects have left this tunnel.

    The tunnel is wet and drips with misery. The damp despair gives it a rather alluring shine along the purple walls, creating a simple source of light. The back of the tunnel, like the past is itself is a meaningless swirl of darkness.

    My head is turned. I adjust my sight to see a grinning girl. I make note of her features: hair as blinding as the sun, pigtails shaped like arrows and a mouth like a predator from the deepest waters. Despite her short stature, she is brimming with confidence, rather like my dear daughter.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to tell the deity everything you know. Confess!¡± She shakes my ragged body.

    My memory slowly fills my mind, like a poison filling its target. I was beaten and captured. This little ball of energy must have taken me away from my captors, a mysterious group of different species known as Shadow Truth.

    Perhaps I can strike a bargain with the little creature.

    ¡°Great Deity, if I give you the information you seek, will you take me away from this place?¡± I ask.

    ¡°This is where the party is gonna happen. No way am I gonna miss the party.¡± She hops in excitement.

    ¡°Shadow Truth is dangerous. They may bring you to the Nothing along with me.¡± I cradled the little one in a weak embrace.

    The girl pats me. ¡°Poor unfortunate non-believer.¡±

    ¡°A belief in nothingness after death is still a belief. Save your pity for the poor souls who are duped with the hope of rewards for a heroic death.¡±

    Heroes die. Assassins survive. Such is the way of things.

    ¡°You will bless the deity with story time and in return the deity shall give you the gift of faith.¡± She sits cross-legged and rocks back and forth.

    I¡¯m too weak to escape and she¡¯s too simple-minded to bargain with. All I can do now is buy time for my daughter to flee.

    TomCat steps into the cave, bringing my back to awareness. ¡°Dere Dere, you better be here.¡±

    ¡°Yay! Friendship time! The deity demands snuggles.¡± Dere Dere hops into TomCat¡¯s arms and nuzzles her breasts.

    I had thought this CatBoy general was killed, but some unknown events had her traveling alongside my darling cupcake. The CatGirl shifted allegiance to Shadow Truth so that she could kill me.

    Vengeance is a gift that cheers us on but it cannot exist in the absence of hope. This hot-headed feline foolishly takes that hope for granted.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± she asks, her steamy muscles growing in her arm as she clenches her fist.

    The vengeful soldier had a toned body, the eyes of a trained killer and cute fluffy kitty ears. Perhaps if they were sliced off her head, they would make for a nice gift for my sugar pumpkin.

    ¡°Stop staring!¡± She kicks me, causing me to collapse into a puddle of my own purple blood. ¡°I would kill you but I want to know every word they said before you ruthlessly slaughtered them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to remember but the screams always get in the way.¡± I scratch my head with a black tendril from my cloak.

    Her eyes heat up like forest fires. She removes her heavy gauntlets with feline features before battering my body with her fists.

    Such fiery emotion. I envy that determination. Wow. This actually hurts. I must be truly ravaged if I actually feel pain despite it being dulled by my form. Oh, but perhaps a bit of screaming will help satiate her lust for vengeance.

    I cry out as best I can but she suddenly stops.

    ¡°It¡¯s already on the brink of death. If it dies before we get our information, so does your friend,¡± says an approaching voice.

    The dark angel before me is clad in her own shadow both literally and metaphorically. My body naturally sharpens to defend itself as she approaches nearer.

    TomCat growls and turns to Shade. ¡°I¡¯ll behave.¡± She sits down and crosses her arms.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    The last two members of Shadow Truth come in together. One is a fungal woman whose exact species is unknown to me. She is under a haze of pink fumes and giggling.

    The other is a renegade Rift Ripper who must be brought to justice. His cloak has been vandalized with a white hue, paying insult to the entire Assassin¡¯s Guild.

    A third figure is being carried by the Rift Ripper and is muttering to herself.

    Must be Fruity. The precognitive seer with the scent of fresh fruits and a personality the flavor of a lemon.

    Betrayer turns to Shade. ¡°How will we make it sing?¡± The Rift Ripper¡¯s body contorts in into a spiraling blade the hovers over me.

    ¡°Sound is only a slice of the truth. A melody does not show the choreography.¡± The fungal woman¡¯s eyes gaze into me.

    Never before have I seen a creature made up of so many lives.

    Shade summons up a fiery red book with an angry cat on the cover and a border of black energy. She scans the recent pages and goes to TomCat. She pets her lovingly and whispers in her ear.

    TomCat smiles but it dies when her eyes meet mine.

    Shade then pulls out my sunshine¡¯s journal. ¡°Before we begin this vision quest, lets review the story so far.¡±

    Wait. It¡¯s her. Of course it¡¯s her. My mind is failing me.

    ¡°Luna.¡±

    The angel¡¯s shadow ears stand up. ¡°My name is Shade.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re my muffins sister. She¡¯s been looking for you for years.¡±

    ¡°Then you best behave,¡± she smiles wickedly.

    Would she really hurt her sister? My intuition is weakened. I mustn¡¯t test her patience.

    ¡°I want to know what your fascination with her is. Let¡¯s see if this helps.¡± She glares at me as she opens the journal. Her eyes soften and she touches the page. She takes a moment and then begins the rundown. ¡°Annolette lived with her mother and sisters.¡±

    ¡°Sisters!¡± The deity cheers. ¡°Who are the sisters?¡±

    ¡°Tumble and me,¡± says Shade, turning away from the deity¡¯s gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt again.¡± She looks back to the book. ¡°When mother didn¡¯t return, we went to the slave auction to save her. It was there that we were separated.¡± Luna turns the pages till she reaches new content. ¡°My sister is abandoned by the hero who saved her. Well, he was kidnapped, but I suppose she didn¡¯t know that. My sisters were taken to Sunny Village where she meets with Braven.¡± Shade¡¯s eyes are pierced with fear.

    Ah, so she won¡¯t hurt my daughter, after all. There¡¯s no mistaking the look of a worried sibling.

    Shade gulps as she reads. ¡°He sells off Tumble and tortures Annie before my shadow pups can save her. I should have known it was him.¡± She nibbles on her thumb as she reads more. The angel then looks up at me. ¡°You saved her. Why is that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s in our nature to protect angels,¡± I tell her, lifting up my body as it falls apart.

    ¡°And why do you want Betrayer dead?¡± she asks with a dark glare.

    The deity pops up. ¡°No spoilers! Continue the story!¡±

    ¡°Ugh. Fine.¡± Shade opens up the journal. ¡°My sister befriends a Cuckatrice.¡± A small smile graces her otherwise terrifying face. ¡°That¡¯s just like her. Oh, and she meets up with a girl hero. Those are rare.¡± Her eyes flare up. ¡°This Poppy was picking on my little sister. Betrayer, go out and find her. Bring her here.¡±

    The Rift Ripper bows and heads out.

    Why is Betrayer listening to her? Is it fear or something else? Couldn¡¯t be romance. An assassin must cut out hearts not open their own. To do so is to show weakness and weakness means death.

    ¡°So she learned how to bond. Hmmm. I¡¯ll have to test her power later.¡± Shade paces around as she continues to read. ¡°My little sister, going against a Wood Primordial to save a girl she just met. So foolish. Hmmm, I may not have to defeather that bird after all.¡± Shade¡¯s face goes pink.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask.

    ¡°What my sister does with her hero is none of my business,¡± says Luna while gazing intently at the pages.

    ¡°No censoring! The deity demands you reveal the juicy details!¡± yells Dere Dere.

    ¡°Demand all you like. This is her special moment.¡± Shade closes her eyes and moves past the next couple pages. ¡°First kiss and first kill one after the other. Didn¡¯t know my little Sheepy had it in her.¡± The shadowy angel smiles with pride.

    ¡°Stop, heathen! You have dishonored story time!¡± Dere Dere lunges for the book but is yanked out of the air by shadows and held to the ground.

    ¡°The Hero¡¯s Militia came to her rescue. Not bad.¡±

    TomCat¡¯s ears shoot up. ¡°Wait, she met with them. My brothers are members of the militia. What does it say about them?¡±

    Shade reads silently. ¡°They took over a CatBoy camp and freed the captive heroes. Aha! That¡¯s why she was at the Village of Doomed. The Hero¡¯s Militia brought her along for their suicide mission. They did it to save their sister.¡±

    TomCat¡¯s eyes water up before she starts bawling. ¡°My stupid brothers recruited a whole army to save me. I love those crazy bastards.¡±

    Dere Dere comforts her. ¡°They will surely be rewarded with eternal bath time in the Blue Beyond for their bravery.¡±

    Shade¡¯s eyes widen with shock. She looks to TomCat and decides to stay silent. ¡°The journal only has one of their deaths. And it ends soon after. It ends the moment you capture her.¡± She glares at me. ¡°You slaughter the militia heroes and then capture my little sister.¡± Her shadow encroaches toward me and pulls at my body with its black roots.

    ¡°He¡¯s mine to kill!¡± yells TomCat with eyes flaring with rage.

    ¡°Yes¡­of course. He¡¯s going to tell us all about the plot involving my sister and reveal the location of the Portal. Within that thing¡¯s twisted memory is the gateway to the truth,¡± says Shade, pressing me against the ground and flattening my body.

    ¡°Wait, aren¡¯t they insane? Is a Rift Ripper¡¯s memory even reliable?¡± asks TomCat.

    The mushroom woman¡¯s fingers turn into syringes and take a bit of Fruity¡¯s blood.

    ¡°What are you doing to her?¡± TomCat pushes the mushroom off her friend.

    ¡°Mixing precognition with visualization.¡± She pours the blood onto a shroom on her body and then collects the dust with her webbed fingers. ¡°The spawn of both shall reveal all to us.¡±

    I don¡¯t get to choose what to hide, but I can do my best to delay them. They want my story, they¡¯re going to get it from the very beginning.

    The mushroom woman rubs the powder into my head and then pulls out a hazy image.

    ¡°All the secrets of the world lie in the roots of its denizens,¡± she says, wrapping my memory around her arm before firing it into the ground.

    My very first memory appears as a hazy mist around us.

    The mushroom woman pours everyone a drink.

    Shade signals everyone to drink and they all enter a trance like state.

    They won¡¯t just see my memories; they will experience it for themselves. Perhaps I can win them over. Within the dark cave of my past may be a light of opportunity after all.

 Memory 1: The First Memory

    Memory 1

    It is uncommon for one to recall the memories of their own birth, though I have heard that the Psyren Frog is one such creature that can, at least the sounds of it. As an assassin, I of course had two births, but my memory only goes so far.

    My oldest memory was of me as a boy of around four years of age.

    There is no killer or predator with a larger track record than time itself. And no slower form of death than aging. There was a time when I aged. I forgot what that was like. Change itself is something I witness but never feel.

    The memory playing right now was one I couldn¡¯t even recall. I suppose that Flash Powder knows more about me than I do.

    Mother and Father are hiding behind couches. Only the tops of their heads are visible. I asses the situation and toss my weapon their way.

    Wait. It¡¯s not a weapon. It¡¯s soft. A pillow? Can one even kill with a pillow?

    Father uses the weapon he¡¯s holding to protect mother and then races after me.

    Fear pumps blood in my heart but it¡¯s a sort of warm fear, or perhaps that¡¯s just the dose of nostalgia giving it that feeling.

    I slide into my bedroom, tossing my weapon, and only means of defense, to block father¡¯s attack.

    ¡°Hiding only limits your escape options,¡± said Father with a smile on his face.

    I close my door to dodge mother¡¯s pillow and find myself momentarily calmed by the sanctuary of my room.

    This is my land now. I have the upper-hand.

    I grab the pillows from my bed and then open my closet. I climb into a basket of plushies that my parent¡¯s gift me weekly.

    Using their own gifts to protect myself. He was indeed a clever boy.

    I open my door just enough. My closet door has a mirror attached to it, which allows me to watch the entrance to my room.

    He was a rather short fellow. Soft pale skin, white hair like a creature at the end of its life¡­it¡¯s a surprise I ever became so skilled at killing. Or perhaps his weak frame was my motivation to perfect our craft.

    My indigo eyes shine in the mirror like blades as I watch the door.

    I waited inside the basket till nighttime.

    They were patient but patience dulls vigilance. Then again so does hunger and I can feel the rumbling of his stomach. Such an odd sensation.

    Unable to silence my hunger, I slowly open the door and head to the kitchen.

    I¡¯m suddenly lifted up from behind.

    Amateur! He should have sensed her presence. I apologize you have to see me in such a pitiful stage in my life.

    Mother tickles me, and I drop my pillows in reaction.

    Father then walks up, taking his time while spinning the pillow around.

    Arrogance has no place on a mission.

    I catch the pillow as it comes down and twist it out of his grip. A sense of pride wells up inside me.

    Foolish boy. He allowed you to rend it from his grip. But for what purpose?

    Mother drops me, yanks the pillow from my head and drops it on me.

    I giggle and roll around with joy.

    How failure brought about such joy in me is something I cannot fathom.

    ¡°I win so I decide your fate.¡± Mom leans down and grins at me but without a threatening aura somehow. ¡°You¡¯re going to help me make cookies in the kitchen.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    This warmth. It must have kept this memory alive. The fire of love kept it kicking deep in my subconscious. My parents were so loving and yet I nearly forgot them.

    I sped through the other memories. My father teaching me to swim, my mother taking me to her bed whenever I had a bad dream, the two of them reading me stories of brave prophets and soldiers. The list goes on and on. When one of us did argue, the other two would just tickle them until they were smiling again. My family spoiled me with gifts and affection. Oh, and they also showered with me. It was just me and my parents, every day all day. We never left home. In fact, the home I lived in had no windows nor a front of back door. It was a box where I had no choice but to be spoiled and adored.

    Oh, my eighth birthday is here. Let¡¯s see that memory. I have a feeling something interesting will happen.

    A spoiled stupid child, by which I mean me, is wearing a sweater with the words ¡°you are my world¡± sewn into it. It¡¯s a sweater the boy made with his mother after losing another game of Death Pillow. I eat the celebration pie at a gradual pace, likely trying to stretch my moment of joy out like some addict.

    Mother and Father mutter to themselves as I¡¯m licking my plate clean. Father looks distressed and she looks excited.

    I open my gift which is a small pink Weech. I cautiously poke the slimy creature, which would have been something I would have regretted had it been alive.

    I look up at them. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. What is it?¡±

    Mother smiles. ¡°It¡¯s your new name, sweetie¡± pie.¡±

    I look at the animal¡¯s corpse curiously. ¡°My name?¡±

    She suddenly zooms behind me and lifts me into a hug. ¡°You¡¯re going to be Weech from now on.¡±

    Even the dull boy I was back then could sense something was amiss.

    ¡°I love it.¡± I embrace her back.

    Father approaches slowly and pats my head.

    I release mom and hop into an embrace with dad.

    He beams at me. ¡°If hugs could kill, you¡¯d be a little ninja.¡± He ruffles my hair playfully.

    Stop!

    I freeze the moment and wrap my tendrils around them but they slip through the figments of my past.

    They aren¡¯t there anymore. I know this for certain.

    My parents set me on the couch and then hand me another present.

    I open it excitedly, tearing the wrapping off like a predator hungry for the flesh within. I remove the lid to see a silver knife with a scythe emblem on its grip. I pick it up and swing it around.

    ¡°Careful, pumpkin. That¡¯s a real knife.¡± Mother ruffles my already messy hair.

    Father stays her hand. ¡°Yes, Weech. That isn¡¯t a toy.¡±

    I look up at father. ¡°Am I going away somewhere?¡±

    He holds my hand steady and tightens my grip on the knife. ¡°We can no longer keep you safe.¡±

    I drop the knife and hug him. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me.¡±

    Mother combs my hair. ¡°We aren¡¯t leaving. Weech, you¡¯re special. Your father and I know it and one day everyone will know it too.¡±

    Father picks up the knife and dusts it off. ¡°Your mother and I are assassins.¡±

    Wow! My parents are heroes!

    Of course that would be my thinking. His little head was filled with heroic stories of assassins ending oppressive regimes. The truth is not so simple but it¡¯s not something a child would understand.

    Mother sets me on her lap. ¡°You¡¯re going to come home every night but in the day time, you¡¯ll be at school. You¡¯re going to be a great assassin just like us. No. You¡¯ll surpass us.¡± She grabs my hands and looks to my father.

    He looks down nervously and then nods. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy.¡± He pauses. ¡°It will be terrifying at times. The whole world will be coated in despair, but as an assassin you will learn to concentrate that despair into a silent blade of truth.¡± He grabs my shoulders. ¡°You will be the unspoken hero in children¡¯s stories, known by his actions not his name.¡±

    Mother kisses my forehead. ¡°You¡¯ll be a shadow of truth in a world blinded by lies and deception.¡± She lifts me up. ¡°Get some rest. Your teacher will be here to fetch you first thing in the morning.¡±

    My parents carry me into bed.

    I¡¯m unable to sleep that night. My child mind is filled with rainbows of fanciful heroic exploits.

    There¡¯s a knock at my door.

    I cover my head with my Sleepy Sheepy plushy. ¡°Let me sleep a bit more.¡±

    My body suddenly starts shaking.

    A shadow crawls under my door and then spreads along the floor of my room.

    I pull out my knife from the top of my dresser and hold it out.

    Only an amateur reveals their weapon before striking. Hmmm. I¡¯ve come a long way, haven¡¯t I?

    The shadow crawls up my bed post and I try to scream but the terror clogs my throat.

    Blades come out from the shadow as it wraps around me.

    I stab my knife through it but my weapon is pulled in. It flows through the living shadow, as if traveling down a river, before being pressed against my throat.

    ¡°One must go today. Is it mother, father¡­¡± The shadow binds my arms and legs and its body becomes as sharp as a sword. ¡°Or child?¡± asks the distorted wispy voice.

    I soiled myself and cried.

    ¡°Answer or I will take all.¡± Its cloak extends out of my room, likely searching for my parents.

    I gulp and feel the fear surround me.

    My vision blurs and I grab the knife. I swing it around in a frenzy, cutting the creature as fast as I can.

    It collapses to a puddle and then reforms at my doorway. It takes a more human shape. ¡°Interesting.¡± A scroll comes out from its sleeve. ¡°I¡¯m actually not here to kill you. Aren¡¯t you a lucky little bean? No. No. No. You¡¯re a student. I¡¯m here to take you to class.¡±

    ¡°If my parents knew you threatened me, they would end you.¡± I glare at the creature.

    ¡°Your parents are no match for me. They are quitters. Got lucky is all. Let¡¯s see if you picked up more than luck from them.¡± He tosses a knife at me and I freeze up.

    It cuts into my leg.

    This feeling. It¡¯s horrible!

    Ah, it¡¯s so refreshing to feel fresh pain.

    A tendril comes from the creature¡¯s sleeves and grabs onto the knife.

    Its arm distorts to a blade and shakes before cleaving through the air.

    Is this really real or some crazy dream?

    The cut is pulled open by two blades, creating a rift.

    The monster enters and drags me by its tendril.

    I grab onto my blade and start cutting at the tendril with my knife.

    Just before I¡¯m pulled in the knife cuts through the tentacle.

    I have to hide.

    The creature comes back through the portal. ¡°This stubbornness will keep you alive on the field, but the disobedience will end you before you graduate.¡± Tendrils pour out from beneath him and lift up the bed. They wrap around my entire body until all I see is black.

 Memory 2: The First Lesson

    When the darkness leaves, I find myself in a silver room with other kids my age and no escape.

    A boy with long black hair that covers his eyes was in the corner of the room, muttering to himself.

    Hovering over him and yelling at him is a kid with bright red spiky hair and an angry face.

    A short girl with a brown pony tail paces around the room, clenching her knife.

    The final student, a girl with messy short black hair approaches me. She grabs my hand and presses her lips to mine. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be my boyfriend.¡±

    Huh? Who is she and what does she want?

    A portal appears in the center of the room.

    My maybe girlfriend hides behind me and raises my arm.

    The dark figure turns to us. It has no face, only a collection of stars beneath its hood. ¡°Eager to volunteer?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you harm my girlfriend,¡± says the girl behind me, poking my neck with her needles to make my mouth movements match her words.

    She is suddenly lifted from the ground and into the air.

    ¡°Should she be rewarded for her cleverness or punished for her disloyalty to the team?¡± The figure gazes at the other students and then turns to me. A tendril goes into the back of her shirt and pulls out her knife. The creature places it in my hands. ¡°I¡¯ll let you decide, Weech.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s just scared. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s mean,¡± I say, trembling in place.

    ¡°Fear is for the weak.¡± The creature grabs my arm with its lengthy appendage and makes me cut the bottom of her shirt. ¡°And romance is forbidden.¡±

    My hand carves a heart on her belly.

    He tosses her aside and she hits the wall.

    I release the knife and cry.

    She didn¡¯t deserve to get hurt.

    The shadowy figure bends its body around the room while its feet stay in the center.

    If it even has feet under that cloak.

    ¡°I am KillStreak, your teacher. You will address me as such. You are my students. Let¡¯s do roll call, shall we? Now, each of you little beans is named after a fearsome predator, so you best live up to that title. Who¡¯s first. Ah yes, BunBun.¡± It looks around the room at us.

    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± says the girl with the heart mark, wiping her tears away.

    ¡°An assassin named after a meal; your parents were wise.¡± Teacher¡¯s body arches into a smile.

    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± She bows. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    Teacher stares at her for several seconds before speaking. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind. I became a teacher because I was no good at killing. Took to much time torturing my patients.¡±

    The girl shivers and grabs onto my hand. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about before.¡±

    I swallow my fear and give her a friendly smile.

    Teacher drills a black tendril into its head. ¡°Goopy. Who is goopy?¡±

    The sobbing kid in the back raises his hand.

    ¡°Goopies eat heroes and the last Goopy we had turned against the hero he was supposed to defend. Best make sure you don¡¯t follow suit.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± says the boy softly.

    ¡°I¡¯m BladEagle,¡± says the red head kid, sharpening his blade on his tooth.

    A tendril comes out from teacher and whacks the boy¡¯s legs.

    He falls over and blood drips from his mouth.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t flaunt your weapon.¡± Tendrils jut out from Teacher¡¯s body and cut each of us on the leg. ¡°Think of each cut as a lesson. By the time it heals, the lesson should be carved forever in your mind.¡± Teacher¡¯s tendrils come back into him like noodles being slurped up.

    I¡¯m hungry.

    I forgot what this felt like.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    I raise my hand. ¡°Umm. When can we eat?¡±

    Teacher¡¯s body twitches. It hunches over and starts muttering to itself. ¡°Boy interrupted me. Should be punished. But! Boy asked important question related to survival. Should be praised. Punish or praise. Which is it?¡±

    The girl who was pacing around suddenly turns and tosses her knife at our captor.

    Teacher catches the blade while still muttering. It then turns to her. ¡°Throwing your weapon should be a last resort, not the first move.¡±

    The girl steps up to him with intense energy.

    Acid drips from the blade and teacher drops the knife.

    The girl grabs the blade as it falls and then plunges it into his head.

    Teacher¡¯s body morphs into a cage around her. ¡°Well played but you guessed my weak point wrong. You¡¯re dead.¡± The cage recedes on her, crushing her body.

    She exhales sharply but says nothing.

    Suddenly every thing looks so bright. Her features, from her little nose to her fierce eyes all radiate together. My heart starts racing.

    She¡¯s beautiful.

    Eyes appear all along the cage, starring at the girl. ¡°You must be WarWolf correct?¡±

    She nods.

    ¡°Your parents named you after a cursed abomination.¡± Teacher releases her. ¡°You¡¯ve got talent.¡± His tendrils grab her legs and a loud snap is heard.

    She screams out in pain and tears fill her fierce eyes.

    ¡°Consider that your handicap.¡± A crying face grows from Teacher¡¯s back and gazes at me. ¡°You must be Weech.¡±

    I nod and back up toward the wall.

    A fan of black gooey hands come out from teacher¡¯s cloak and then come together. ¡°The classes are getting smaller every year. As pathetic as most of you are, you should take respite in knowing that you are all special. You were selected for your gifts but these gifts do not guarantee survival. Not once has every member of a class survived up to graduation. But if you¡¯re the first then I¡¯ll get so much praise!¡± Teacher bounces with joy and then turns to blades. ¡°That means if you fail, then I¡¯ll be washed down the drain with you. Were connected.¡± His shadow stretches out and wraps around our hands. ¡°Don¡¯t think of failing on purpose to spite your teacher. Do that and I¡¯ll cut myself free of you tumors. Well, my little killers in training. Your first task is to uncover a secret from one of your class mates. Best have a secret ready by the time I return.¡±

    ¡°When will you be back?¡± asks BunBun, looking to the floor.

    ¡°That will be a surprise as will your punishment should you fail.¡± Teacher carves a portal in the air and crawls inside.

    ¡°Umm, so maybe we can trade secrets,¡± says BunBun, looking at the other kids.

    BladEagle glares at her. ¡°Did your parents drop you?¡±

    ¡°Leave my parents out of this,¡± she says, waving her knife at him.

    WarWolf, who is sitting due to her broken legs, beckons the other girl to her. ¡°I¡¯ll trade with you.¡±

    BunBun wiggles in excitement and then whispers in WarWolf¡¯s ear.

    WarWolf nods then whispers to the shy girl.

    BunBun blushes and turns away.

    She looks at me next. ¡°You want to trade too?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any secrets,¡± I say, backing up.

    Goopy dries his eyes. ¡°Do you think if we don¡¯t have an answer, he¡¯ll kill one of us?¡±

    ¡°Stop being so pathetic! We all get punished if one of you fails,¡± says BladEagle, pulling Goopy by his hair. ¡°Tell me your secret.¡±

    ¡°I like getting hurt!¡± he yells, loud enough for everyone to hear.

    BladEagle lets go and wipes his hands on his pants. ¡°Little freak.¡±

    WarWolf yells at the two bickering boys. ¡°You¡¯re both incompetent. What do you want in exchange for your secret?¡±

    I move to BunBun while the others argue. ¡°What is her secret?¡±

    BunBun blushes. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t say.¡±

    ¡°Please. I don¡¯t want to get punished.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you my secret.¡± BunBun looks down. ¡°I¡¯m the reason my parents fight.¡± Her body shakes.

    I seize her in a big warm hug. I nuzzle her affectionately.

    Finally something I¡¯m good at.

    She cries on my shoulder.

    Time slips by as my warmth comforts her.

    Mom, dad, I¡¯m going to be okay after all.

    A portal opens and Teacher enters.

    ¡°Time¡¯s up. Let¡¯s see how your first mission went. BunBun, you seem rather relaxed. Why don¡¯t you tell us the secret you obtained?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­someone likes girls.¡±

    ¡°WarWolf likes girls. Hmm, valuable intel. You pass.¡±

    BunBun releases me and pats her cheeks. ¡°Yes. I did it.¡±

    ¡°Broken legs, what about you?¡± asks Teacher.

    ¡°Goopy blackmails his father for books that are off limits,¡± says WarWolf, applying a salve to her legs.

    ¡°Does he now? Most interesting. That¡¯s certainly worth points. And did you get anything from one of your comrades, Goopy?¡± Teacher teeters back and forth.

    ¡°I¡­tried to.¡± He hides under his hands and cries.

    ¡°If you try to defend yourself and fail¡­you die.¡± Tendrils come out from teacher

    ¡°He found out my secret.¡± I step in front of Goopy.

    I¡¯m not going to get hurt because of him. We have to find a way to work together.

    ¡°I pee myself in bed when I have nightmares.¡± I announce it with pride despite my embarrassment.

    Teacher¡¯s body jiggles and makes a strange sound. ¡°Your intel is absolutely worthless.¡± It approaches me and clangs its blades together.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. It brought you a laugh. You are laughing, right?¡± I ask with a nervous look, tripping when I step back in fear.

    ¡°Joy has no value.¡± A blade slices my mouth and then they all recede back into Teacher. ¡°Remember that lesson, child.¡±

    WarWolf beckons me to her.

    I walk to her and she pads my cheeks.

    It stings. It¡¯s a nice stinging though.

    ¡°Stop starring at me, Weech,¡± she says, turning my face away.

    Teacher points a single knife at BladEagle. ¡°What secret did you obtain?¡±

    ¡°Goopy blackmailing his father,¡± says BladEagle.

    ¡°Intel I already have is worthless.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair.¡± BladEagle yells out.

    ¡°Fair? Nothing is fair! Nothing!¡± Teacher¡¯s blade thrusts as BladEagle who jumps out of the way.

    Teacher pulls the blade in and grabs BladEagle with a tendril. ¡°Don¡¯t ever talk to me about fair. If you have time to complain, you have time to refine your craft. Don¡¯t waste your talents.¡±

    ¡°Hold up.¡± Goopy wipes his eyes. ¡°The test wasn¡¯t just about gaining secrets. It was about keeping them too. Nobody found out his secret, so doesn¡¯t that count for anything?¡±

    ¡°Standing up for him, the one who bullied you. Glad to see one of you was paying attention. Very well, he shall be exempt from the punishment.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± asks BunBun, clenching onto my hand.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out later. This concludes your first lesson.¡± Teacher creates a portal. ¡°Follow me into the classroom so we can continue your studies.¡±

    BladEagle helps WarWolf into the portal.

    Bunbun holds onto me.

    Goopy steps in front of us. ¡°We won¡¯t all make it out of here. The three of us are the weak links. The other two will kill us when the time comes.¡±

    I shake away my fear. ¡°We¡¯re a team. As long as we look out for each other, we¡¯ll all make it through this.¡±

    We all enter the portal together.

 Memory 3: His First Class

    As each memory passes by I feel myself unable to remember my present existence. How did I become so tattered? Who attacked me? What do they want? Why can¡¯t I remember?

    I exit the portal and arrive in our classroom.

    It has mirrors instead of windows, exercise equipment instead of chairs and blood stains on the polished marble floor. I look down to see my face, reflected with blood on it.

    Cool! I¡¯m really going to be an assassin. Mom and dad are going to die of pride!

    Teacher opens his cloak and something within spits out several books.

    ¡°Finally, its study time!¡± exclaims BladEagle with a prideful grin.

    WarWolf looks at the treadmill attached to her desk. ¡°I need a chair since my legs are broken.¡±

    ¡°Why are your legs broken!?¡± screams Teacher in horror.

    BunBun raises a single finger. ¡°Umm, Sir, you broke them actually.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Teacher¡¯s body bends as it thinks. ¡°I don¡¯t recall that.¡±

    WarWolf seethes and growls, nearly slipping out of BladEage¡¯s arms to attack Teacher.

    ¡°Teacher is not lying,¡± says the voice of a boy.

    Or is it a girl?

    We turn to the source of the voice, which is a wall in the back of the room.

    ¡°Ghosts are real!¡± cheers BunBun, lifting my hands in the air.

    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but still¡­it¡¯s terrifying.¡± Goopy hides under his hands.

    A blade comes out from teacher and slices the air in front of the wall.

    Apparently what was actually cut was a sheet of camouflage. A boy or maybe girl was beneath with long blonde hair in the back and no bangs in the front. His eyes were indigo like mine but she had long silver eyelashes. Though his arms were strong looking, she had a very slender tall build. His teeth were sharp like a Shocks and she radiated charisma.

    ¡°Who¡¯s the fruitcake?¡± asks BladEagle with a glare.

    Teacher turns its head, scanning us and then shrugs. ¡°Maybe an intruder. Maybe not.¡±

    ¡°My name is StarBorne!¡± He points at teacher with a knife, showing his muscle with the firm movement. ¡°You¡¯re the one who intruded into my room.¡±

    ¡°His secret is crossdressing,¡± says BunBun, raising her hand up suddenly.

    ¡°An assassin must be like a liquid,¡± she says, her voice¡¯s grit replaced with sensuality. Starborne removes her own skirt with gentle movements, revealing shorts underneath.

    ¡°Yep. I¡¯m right.¡± BunBun nods to herself.

    Teacher coils around the new student or possibly a potential intruder. ¡°The room was empty. It¡¯s impossible to hide from a RiftRipper.¡±

    ¡°Yet you went right past me and allowed me to slip into your portal.¡± She slides out from Teacher¡¯s coils. ¡°Our first assignment is to discover a secret about one of our members. Well, we¡¯re connected, aren¡¯t we?¡± He grabs Teacher¡¯s tendril and squeezes it. ¡°Your secret is that you can¡¯t detect life like the other RiftRippers. That¡¯s the only explanation of how I hid from you.¡±

    Teacher¡¯s tendril grows a blade that cuts StarBorne¡¯s hand. ¡°Exceptional espionage, but remember your place, child.¡±

    ¡°I have a gift, gives me insight on the future. In a few years, I¡¯ll be your boss.¡± StarBorne cleans the wound and sucks out potential poisons before spitting.

    BunBun raises her hand and hops up.

    Teacher rolls its head. ¡°What is so important that it warrants interrupting me?¡±

    ¡°Umm, what is a RiftRipper? It sounds scary.¡± She scoots behind me.

    ¡°You will get your answer in due time. This delinquent has postponed todays lesson for long enough. Get into positions. I¡¯ll return with another desk.¡±

    StarBorne hops onto a desk. ¡°I¡¯m going to be team leader.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m team leader!¡± yells BladEagle.

    WarWolf puts a knife to BladEagle¡¯s throat. ¡°And I¡¯m second in command. So if you die, I¡¯m the leader.¡±

    BladEagle gulps. ¡°She¡¯s actually the leader. Despite her, umm, injury.¡±

    StarBorne shakes his head. ¡°That won¡¯t do at all. A leader doesn¡¯t rule by force.¡± She looks at WarWolf. ¡°I¡¯ll never be as strong as you or as creative. WarWolves are a blend of muscle and machinery. I want to help you become your namesake.¡±

    WarWolf blushes.

    ¡°Hey, she confessed to me!¡± yells BunBun, shoving StarBorne.

    At first losing his balance, she suddenly dances on tip toe and spins around BunBun. ¡°You¡¯re soft, small, and quiet. And just like a BunBun you can seduce prey and predator. I¡¯m far too spectacular to ever be as stealthy as you.¡± He taps her nose.

    BunBun covers her flushed cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Wolfy, my thoughts cheated on you,¡± she cries.

    BladEagle stomps his foot. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know anything about us! He¡¯s just relating us to our animals. Goopy, you¡¯re umm whiny and treacherous. You have an insatiable appetite and will eat your own family if it would help you survive. Your skill is deception.¡±

    ¡°I care about my parents! How dare you!¡± yells Goopy, punching BladEagle in the face.

    The hothead boy holds his nose. ¡°Its bleeding. Did you break my nose?¡± His eyes go hollow.

    StarBorne cleans the bloody mess with his long white sleeves. She then rubs some ointment on his injured nose. ¡°Brash, fights any predator no matter the size and a master of all weapons. But you¡¯re not limited to just your animal. WarWolf is a loner unlike her beast. BunBun isn¡¯t sacrificial, rather she would throw someone else in the crossfire to keep her safe.¡± Our new leader grabs BladEagle¡¯s hand and looks at his palm. ¡°Hmm. It appears that you love to read.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    BladEagle crosses his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy reading. I do it to make mother proud. A skilled assassin wastes his talents if he doesn¡¯t learn all he can.¡±

    Come to think of it, they all have assassin training. What about me? My only training was Death Pillow and that won¡¯t exactly give me an edge here. I¡¯m already way behind everyone.

    StarBorne approaches me and stares at me for a while. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I can¡¯t figure out. I get that you¡¯re cute and cuddly like a Weech but you lack their determination. Do you even have a useful talent?¡±

    I don¡¯t like this new girl.

    ¡°He made me feel better,¡± says BunBun, shifting in place.

    Teacher returns with scars on its body and dripping purple blood.

    ¡°What happened?¡± asks BunBun, rushing to help our teacher.

    ¡°Mrs. BladeStorm really didn¡¯t want to give up the extra table.¡± Teacher opens its cloak and shoots out the treadmill desk, having it land with the others.

    They make a perfect circle.

    Teacher sinks into the ground and then pops up in the center of the desk circle. ¡°By the way I am Mr. KillStreak. A lot of you look at me like I¡¯m some sort of monster. But I was once a gifted child like you all.¡± He spreads out his form along the ground to be roughly our size.

    BunBun reaches out to pet teacher. ¡°I like you when you¡¯re not so scary.¡±

    Teacher looks down to the ground. ¡°I hate that I care about you fodder. But enough moping around. Collect your textbooks and start your machines.¡±

    We get into position and open our ¡°Assassinations for Kids¡± book.

    Teacher sets our machines to a low setting and we have to walk in place as we read. ¡°Muscle memory is the most important kind. It is an assassin¡¯s reflexes that allow him or her to take down much stronger targets.¡± He flings a knife at me.

    I gasp before it hits my chest and then falls to the ground.

    ¡°That was plastic but¡­¡± Teacher makes a small cut on my arm ¡°you will be penalized for not deflecting them. Be aware at all times, understood.¡±

    That stinging¡­it¡¯s kinda nice. Makes me think of her.

    BunBun pokes me. ¡°You were spacing out. We¡¯re learning about history, okay? The Assassin¡¯s Guild is part of Isekai.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s Isekai?¡± I ask.

    ¡°It¡¯s an organization created by village chiefs in order to¡­¡±

    Teacher throws a knife at BunBuns desk. ¡°It should go without saying that talking during class is not permitted!¡±

    BunBun hands the knife to WarWolf. ¡°I got it back for you, sweetie.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thanks Bun,¡± says WarWolf, taking the blade from her.

    BunBun turns to me, rubbing her hand. ¡°They touched.¡± Her eyes go wide.

    BladEagle glares at the book. ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± he says softly.

    Teacher pops his head out from the boy¡¯s book, freaking him out. ¡°No whispering allowed either.¡±

    BladEagle looks to teacher with an annoyed look. ¡°It says the Assassin branch is the first branch of Isekai, but that isn¡¯t true. The Archivos were the first to join them. It¡¯s not improper to say that the Archivos and Wood Primordials are both the founders of Isekai.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s an Archivos?¡± asks teacher, drool dripping from his blank face.

    StarBorne smiles. ¡°I guess you¡¯re just not high enough on the blood-soaked ladder to have that information.¡±

    BladEagle shuts the book. ¡°This crap isn¡¯t just basic. It¡¯s misinformation. I became an assassin to learn about the truth, not get propaganda.¡± He pulls out a notepad from his pocket and begins reading it.

    ¡°Oooh, there¡¯s a section on being invisible!¡± exclaims BunBun, hopping on her treadmill.

    ¡°No skipping ahead!¡± yells Teacher.

    StarBorne closes her book with her hand with the sparkly nail polish. ¡°Today¡¯s lesson is about the history of Isekai and the Assassin¡¯s Guild, correct?¡±

    Teacher nods.

    ¡°I motion that our hot boy teach us today¡¯s class instead.¡± She winks at BladEagle.

    WarWolf snarls. ¡°The close quarter¡¯s combat section is missing the best moves too. We don¡¯t need this book.¡±

    Teacher shrivels up. ¡°There¡¯s a certain standard to be upheld. If word got out that I was teaching off book¡­¡± Teacher paces around, gnawing on his tendril ¡°there would be consequences.¡±

    BladEagle opens the book. ¡°Then I¡¯ll teach both. I¡¯ll read the rubbish and then share the truth.¡±

    ¡°How do you know so much anyway, boy? You¡¯re just a brat and a bully at that.¡± Teacher glares at BladEagle with ten eyes.

    BladEagle¡¯s eyes ignite. ¡°My beautiful mother was a historian. The Archivos on campus personally tutored her. She may not be good enough for your people, but once I¡¯m in charge hard-working people like her will be given proper respect in the guild.¡±

    ¡°The guild is a body, there are many vital organs to tear out and devour! Ehahahahaha!¡± Screams teacher in a manic rage.

    BunBun grabs onto my hand.

    Oh great. I¡¯m needed, aren¡¯t I?

    I move to the center of the table and hug teacher.

    Please don¡¯t kill me.

    Teacher stops screaming and looks down at me. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°You were uh, rambling.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry about that.¡± Teacher scratches his head with a knife, accidently cutting into it. ¡°My point is that your parents may all be miserable failures, but they are still doing their duty. They are an integral part of the guild, as are teachers. Well, teachers are actually the most important part, but you wouldn¡¯t know that by looking at our salary. I demand a raise!¡± yells Teacher before slicing up the ceiling. ¡°Phew, alright. I¡¯ll concede. BladEagle will be your teacher today.¡±

    Class went on for way too long. I nearly fell asleep while walking and my arm is covered in cuts because of all the questions I got wrong. BladEagle specifically kept choosing me to answer just so I¡¯d mess up. Thankfully, teacher realized we were tired and Goopy reminded him that living beings need food.

    ¡°Victory is an assassin¡¯s only meal.¡±

    ¡°You mean, you don¡¯t eat? You¡¯ve never had cake?¡± asks BunBun with a look of horror.

    ¡°I eat pain and piss punishment!¡± exclaims Teacher, flailing his blades around.

    WarWolf slams her hand on the desk. ¡°Well we need to eat. I¡¯ll cook it myself if you give me some ingredients.¡±

    BunBun snuggles WarWolf. ¡°You like cooking! I love eating! We¡¯re the best couple ever.¡± She kisses her cheek repeatedly. ¡°From now on we¡¯re inseparable.¡±

    WarWolf pats her head. ¡°Yeah, heheh.¡±

    ¡°Oh lunch time! Yes! It¡¯s on the schedule.¡± Teacher looks at the illegible scratches on the back wall. ¡°Only the students who didn¡¯t fail the first test get to eat. BladEagle, StarBorne you two get to enjoy. Everyone else, contemplate on the consequences of your failure.¡±

    WarWolf shakes BunBun off her. ¡°I didn¡¯t fail. Only a simpleton would reveal the truth to a potential enemy.¡±

    ¡°You mean you don¡¯t love me?¡± BunBun¡¯s cheeks puffs up and her eyes water.

    ¡°I never even said that I did.¡± WarWolf rolls her eyes.

    ¡°Breaking her feelings just for a bite. You are indeed a savage one. But you¡¯re also lying,¡± says Teacher.

    WarWolf glares at him and then pulls me up to her.

    She kisses me harshly and then pushes me away. ¡°There. Happy. Now give me food!¡±

    Teacher giggles. ¡°Alright, no need to get mad.¡±

    ¡°While everyone else is getting exercise, I¡¯m stuck on the floor with broken legs and it¡¯s your fault!¡± She glares daggers at Teacher.

    ¡°You can all share your meal.¡± Teacher coughs up a big plate and then coughs up a dead Cuckatrice.

    BladEagle rolls his eyes. ¡°Ninjas, assassins from another world, they eat only fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and legumes. Do you know why that is?¡±

    ¡°Uhhhh because they fear the taste of blood?¡± asks teacher.

    ¡°No, because they need to be at optimal health and stamina.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± says WarWolf while gnawing on the bird¡¯s head.

    She looks so pretty when she eats.

    BunBun pulls me aside and glares at me.

    ¡°Umm, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°You stole a kiss from my girlfriend! I¡¯m taking it back.¡± She grabs and pulls on my lips.

    ¡°Owww. Hey, relax. Maybe Teacher is right about romance.¡±

    BunBun holds her fingers to her head. ¡°I don¡¯t even like girls, but she made me feel loved.¡± She sobs into my chest.

    Teacher carves several portals out for us in a circle, matching our desks. ¡°Class dismissed. You can return home. I¡¯ll be at your place at six thirty in the morning so we can continue the lesson. Till then my little warriors.¡±

    Goopy runs into his portal as soon as it opens.

    BladEagle takes his book with him into his portal.

    StarBorne blows everyone a kiss before she enters his portal.

    BunBun glares at me as she walks back into her portal, accidentally tripping and falling on her butt before scooting back into it.

    I help WarWolf to her feet.

    ¡°Hey, I can still crawl my way home. Don¡¯t pity me.¡± She glares at me.

    She¡¯s breathtakingly pretty!

    I help her into her portal.

    ¡°Well, go on, scurry back to your loving family,¡± says Teacher, sinking into the floor.

    ¡°An assassin must take every opening he sees. I¡¯m going in!¡± I rush into WarWolf¡¯s portal.

    I¡¯m gonna be a great father and she¡¯ll be a lovely mother! I hope mom and dad won¡¯t worry too much.

 Memory 4: His First Love

    I run face first into a wall and fall backward.

    WarWolf leans over her bed and points her knife to me. ¡°Why did you follow me?¡±

    ¡°Because I want to learn from you.¡±

    She blinks and her grip softens. ¡°You want to learn how to get your legs broken.¡±

    Her tears drip on my face.

    Before I realize it, I am hugging her tightly.

    She pushes me off. ¡°No touching. I don¡¯t need affection. I don¡¯t need anything from you.¡± She turns away.

    ¡°Sorry. Umm, I¡¯ll go tell your parents about your injury. Maybe they¡¯ll know what to do.¡± I head toward the door.

    She throws a knife at it as I open it. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. My parents won¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°But mommies and daddies all love their children.¡±

    ¡°Your parents lied to keep you safe. You¡¯re not like us. You¡¯re not ready for the truth of things.¡± She turns her gaze away from me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll prove to you that they love you.¡± I open the door and leave her room.

    The layout of her house is identical to mine, only all the chairs have been removed in the living room and replaced with pillows. Beakers filled with unknown liquids and other sciency stuff are on a small table.

    This must be where she makes those potions.

    A shadow descends upon me. My vision is blocked by a cloth of some kind. I feel something sharp at my neck.

    ¡°You have one sentence to explain why you¡¯re here before your blood ruins my carpet,¡± says the woman behind me in a shrill rushed voice like a dagger through the wind.

    I take a deep breath to calm my shaky hands. ¡°Your daughter was injured in class. Her legs are broken. You¡¯re her mom, right? You have to help her.¡±

    I hear footsteps. ¡°He lacks the instinct to kill. You can release him,¡± says a gentlemanly dark voice that¡¯s slow and deadly as poison.

    The mother removes the cloak from my eyes and I see both parents.

    Her mom looks jittery and her hair is a mess. While the father has a groomed goatee, calm demeanor and is wearing shades.

    I look to her father. ¡°Her legs are broken. She needs her parents. She¡¯s just too proud to admit it.¡±

    The father raises his nose. ¡°She can fend for herself.¡±

    Does he really not care?

    ¡°A mouse does not heal the cat who hunts it,¡± says the mother before wandering off.

    I step up to her dad. ¡°Well can you at least give me a leg brace or something?¡±

    ¡°You know nothing of my daughter. There are consequences to killing a KIT. Test me again and I will gladly brace those consequences.¡± He carves on my cheek.

    ¡°Stop it father!¡± yells WarWolf, bracing herself against the bedroom door.

    ¡°Your legs were broken. You were overconfident, weren¡¯t you?¡± he walks past me and steps to her.

    ¡°I was scared,¡± she looks down.

    ¡°Fear is a poison. You¡¯re an assassin. Use that poison,¡± he says grabbing her cheeks.

    WarWolf nods.

    ¡°Killing the boy now would be merciful. He won¡¯t last,¡± he says, speaking loud enough so I can hear.

    He¡¯s right. What chance do I have? All the other kids are more experienced than me. The thing I cherish more than anything: my parents¡¯ overflowing love. That is what is going to be the death of me.

    WarWolf uses a sword like a walking stick and comes up to me. ¡°Let¡¯s go cook something in the kitchen, alright?¡±

    She nearly falls over but I catch her.

    ¡°Insulting. You should let my daughter fall. I won¡¯t let you undo all my hard work with your coddling,¡± he spits as he speaks down to me.

    WarWolf grabs my hand and squeezes it hard. ¡°Let go. You¡¯re just causing more problems.¡± Her nails dig into my wrist.

    I hold onto her tightly. ¡°This is what it means to love someone! Holding onto them even when it hurts. Supporting them no matter the circumstance.¡±

    The father removes his shades, revealing injured pale eyes. ¡°How did such a naiive boy get chosen to be an assassin.¡± He leans toward me.

    ¡°Enough! I¡¯m hungry! Leave now, father!¡± She growls at him.

    He smiles. ¡°Don¡¯t let that boy remove your bite. A growling dog can only defeat cowards.¡± Her father retreats into his bedroom.

    ¡°What happened to his eyes. Was he born that way?¡± I ask, walking with her into the kitchen.

    ¡°He was punished for being too fearless.¡± WarWolf cringes in pain as her foot bumps into the wall.

    ¡°You really are his daughter.¡± I smile at her.

    She growls at me and then grabs onto the fridge for support. ¡°You hungry too?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    Minutes feel like seconds as I see her prepare our meal. Her precision with a blade, the violent way she tears the skin off an orange and the slight smile she has when she samples the meal¡­everything she does is just so beautiful. And she leans against me the entire time. She tells me things about recipes and nutrition but my ears hear nothing as my eyes gaze upon her lips.

    WarWolf pops a strawberry in my mouth. ¡°Is it good or too much syrup?¡±

    It¡¯s the greatest thing I¡¯ve ever tasted and her fingers touched it. It¡¯s like I¡¯m licking her fingers! This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    I start crying and nod.

    She smiles. ¡°That good, huh?¡±

    ¡°Did your momma teach you how to cook? My momma taught me the basics but that¡¯s all she really knows.¡±

    ¡°My parents didn¡¯t feed me so I learned on my own. Cooking is like chemistry, mixing different compounds together to create something new.¡±

    I grab her hand. ¡°Do you think we could maybe make something new together someday?¡±

    ¡°You mean like cooking or¡­?¡± Her cheeks go red.

    Too cute!

    I suddenly find myself on the hard floor. I¡¯m on top of her and kissing her lips in a frenzy.

    She shoves me off. ¡°What are you doing? Try that again and I¡¯ll cut out that tongue!¡±

    I scratch my head and help her back to her feet. ¡°I lost control. You just looked so pretty. I¡¯m probably gonna drop out of school soon so I got scared of never kissing you.¡±

    ¡°Just stop talking.¡± She shoves a banana in my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s got a coco butter coating. Yummy, right?¡±

    ¡°Mmmrrhmm,¡± I say, melting with bliss.

    She pushes off the counter with the fruit bowl and lands in a chair.

    I sit next to her and stare at her pretty face.

    ¡°Hey Weech. I¡¯m kinda scared. Don¡¯t tell anyone, okay?¡± She solemnly nibbles on a banana.

    ¡°When I get scared I give a big smile. That way the joy dust in my brain makes me happy.¡±

    ¡°Endorphins? Maybe your parents did teach you something.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t talk about them if it makes you jealous.¡±

    She looks at her banana and takes a big bite. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not jealous. I¡¯m strong because of their neglect. I do the cooking, dishes, wash, everything. I don¡¯t need them for anything, and most of the time they stay out of my way.¡± She turns the banana to mush as she tightens her grip.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re strong but having broken legs is gonna slow you down. I¡¯m gonna tell my parents that I¡¯ll be coming here every day so I can help you heal faster.¡±

    ¡°Why do you care what happens to me?¡± She stabs a strawberry with her fork.

    ¡°I wish I was like you. You¡¯re so strong and brave. Plus, we¡¯re a team.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not good enough for me. Come back here again and I will kill you.¡± She glares daggers at me.

    I¡¯m really in love.

    My heart races.

    She scoots her chair back. ¡°Eeesh, what¡¯s with the creepy smile?¡±

    ¡°Heheh. Told ya.¡± I scratch my head.

    She laughs nervously. ¡°Hey, I felt something¡­when you smiled.¡± She looks down so I can¡¯t see her pretty face.

    I lean forward. ¡°What did you feel?¡±

    She holds herself in her arms. ¡°Fear.¡± She takes a deep breath and then looks back up at me. ¡°You¡¯ve got that killer instinct in you. It¡¯s just buried.¡±

    I bounce in excitement. ¡°You mean it!¡±

    She shoves an orange slice in my mouth. ¡°Not so loud, alright. And you still owe me a better explanation. We¡¯re all a team, right? So why me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so strong already. Like I said, I wish I was strong and smart like you. I may end up a failure but I will do what I can. I won¡¯t let a gifted girl like you fall behind because of some injury! I want you to be the best you can be!¡±

    Her hand moves like a whip and grabs onto mine. ¡°I¡¯ll accept that answer.¡±

    ¡°Are you afraid your legs will never heal?¡±

    ¡°No. That¡¯s not it. I just felt like I¡¯d be the greatest assassin, that way all the neglect from my parents¡­it would all have meaning. But now that I¡¯ve seen StarBorne, I guess I feel like you did when you saw me.¡±

    She loves StarBorne. Oh no. I can¡¯t compete with him even if he is really a girl.

    ¡°He¡¯s not so great.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she really is. I can sense it. She¡¯s going to be the next top assassin.¡±

    ¡°Not if I kill him.¡± I smile wide.

    ¡°What?¡± she laughs. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s just like in the story Blood Love, the smitten assassin murdered every enemy of his beloved until he was the only one in the castle.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like he killed more than enemies then,¡± she pops a grape in her mouth. ¡°StarBorne is no pushover though. You sure you can take her down?

    ¡°I know I¡¯m not as skilled as him, but I¡¯m also not as arrogant. If he¡¯s out of the way, then you¡¯ll be leader again! And you won¡¯t be scared!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d really kill someone for me?¡± she asks, biting her thumb while blushing.

    ¡°I¡¯d stab him all day if it made you smile.¡±

    She giggles again, but then covers it up with a growl. ¡°You¡¯re bluffing.¡±

    ¡°Hey, if StarBorne is dead, maybe we could celebrate? You could come to my place and meet my parents. I bet they¡¯d love you!¡±

    ¡°Alright, fair enough. But what if she kills you?¡±

    ¡°Well then my worries are over.¡± I smile at her.

    Her eyes go blank and she shivers. ¡°You don¡¯t fear death.¡±

    ¡°Come on. I got the fairy tail ending already. I got a kiss from a fierce girl!¡±

    ¡°Hey, you stole that kiss.¡± She growls.

    ¡°My parents would be sad for a while, but they¡¯d make a new child and then raise them with love. My death would bring about new life.¡±

    WarWolf flicks a grape at my eye. ¡°Who¡¯s gonna keep me steady while I cook, if you die?¡±

    ¡°Oh, good point. I¡¯ll kill StarBorne once your leg has healed. Yeah! And then people will think I¡¯m a good assassin too. Do you think they¡¯d write a story about me?¡±

    ¡°Nope. The best assassins have no stories. We excel to the point of non-existence. My parents haven¡¯t spoken to me in months. That must make me a master assassin already.¡± She smiles through her tears.

    I get out of my chair and crouch down to embrace her. ¡°They don¡¯t read you bedtime stories?¡±

    She shakes her head.

    ¡°Or bathe with you?¡±

    She giggles. ¡°You still bathe with your parents? Aren¡¯t you a bit old for that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m too lazy to bathe myself. And hey! I¡¯ll read you a bedtime story! Every night!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to it.¡± She leans on me and we head to her bedroom.

    ¡°You said you¡¯re so skilled because you learned everything on your own.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Then your parents must love you lots and lots! They just show it a different way!¡±

    She holds onto me and sobs on my shoulder. ¡°I tell myself that every single night¡­but when you say it¡­it feels like it¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°It is true. I¡¯ll prove it!¡± I set her on the bed and rush to the kitchen. I grab the sharpest knife and then go into the parent¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Go tell your daughter you love her or I¡¯ll kill you both!¡± I exclaim with a big smile like a fairy tail assassin while I hold the knife out.

    The mother grabs throwing knives from the table, but the father stops her.

    ¡°I heard every word you said in the kitchen.¡± He approaches me and runs his finger up my knife. ¡°Every single word.¡±

    Fear seizes me and I start swaying the knife around in a frenzy.

    I cut his arm before he slams me to the ground.

    He steps on my hand but I won¡¯t release the knife. ¡°You do have the spark, after all. Let go or I will break your fingers.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead, the pain makes me think of your daughter.¡±

    Owwwww! Too much pain! What did he do?

    I start sobbing in agony.

    He raises his foot.

    My fingers are broken.

    Her father smiles at me and removes his shades again. ¡°She¡¯s the reason I¡¯m blind. WarWolf will kill you if you cross her.¡±

    I give him a thumbs up with my other hand. ¡°That¡¯s fantastic.¡±

    The father loses all intensity. ¡°You¡¯re mad.¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding! I¡¯m super happy. When you kill someone, they stay with you forever. I¡¯m going to be with your daughter one way or the other.¡±

    The mother throws a knife but the father catches it. ¡°What are you doing? He¡¯s a crazy KIT. Kill him. I¡¯ll take the blame.¡±

    ¡°No. He¡¯s good for her.¡± The father pulls me back to my feet. ¡°It¡¯s true what you said before: broken legs will stunt her progress. She needs to heal. If you¡¯re willing to help her recover, then you will be¡­permitted to visit.¡±

    I smile. ¡°I knew it. You do care. You don¡¯t want to help her because you¡¯re afraid of spoiling her. You need me.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± He picks up the dagger from the ground and puts it in my good hand. ¡°I need you to help her past this impediment. My hands are indeed tied.¡± He growls.

    ¡°Okay, but on one condition.¡±

    ¡°You know I could kill you right now. With a single finger no less.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but you won¡¯t. I want you to tuck her into bed tonight. You don¡¯t have to say anything. You¡¯re not spoiling her or hurting her growth. You¡¯re just showing that you love her.¡±

    The mother stands up. ¡°You need to learn your place boy.¡±

    Father gives her a killer stare and she freezes in place. He fixes his tie and turns to me. ¡°I accept your terms.¡±

    He walks with me to her room.

    ¡°Dad, you know you¡¯re not allowed in my room,¡± says WarWolf with a growl.

    He says nothing as he pulls the sheet up and places a hand on her head.

    ¡°Huh?¡± She looks at him with disbelief swirling in her hazel eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re the fiercest beast in all of Steam. A mere leg injury won¡¯t stop you. Heal swiftly so you can chase down your enemies.¡± He smiles and then walks out of the room.

    I slide inside after he leaves. ¡°Told you I was right.¡± I grin.

    WarWolf hops out of bed and lands on me. She leans in and kisses me. Her teeth nibble on my bottom lip and she growls as she snuggles up to me.

    She feels so warm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t expect another kiss like that. I just¡­lost control.¡± She sits up on my lap and smiles at me with teary eyes.

    ¡°Well then I¡¯ll just have to get you to lose control again! But right now, you need to rest. Your dad would kill me if I kept you awake with kissies.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± she says with a giggle.

    ¡°I really like your laugh. It creates a false sense of security. Great for an assassin.¡±

    ¡°I will sleep but only after you tell me a story. You can¡¯t refuse.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then how about the story of Kira, the beautiful assassin who eats her enemies.¡±

    WarWolf grins. ¡°You¡¯re spoiling me.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. I love you.¡± I sit at her bed side and kiss her forehead.

    Well played. I¡¯m starting to see how this clever boy became the assassin I am today.

 Memory 5: His First Lie

    <h1><u>Memory 5</u></h1>

    I woke up in a warm, wet embrace.

    ¡°A successful infiltration. You make your teacher proud.¡± He pats me with his tendril.

    I wiggle out, careful not to wake up WarWolf. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°When will you KITs stop treating me like your enemy?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you and what is a kit?¡± I ask, checking for potential escape routes.

    ¡°A killer in training. Didn¡¯t I already tell you that?¡±

    I shake my head.

    ¡°There will be a time where you¡¯ll have to choose who you trust?¡±

    ¡°You broke her legs. I don¡¯t trust you.¡±

    ¡°She was overqualified. I was just balancing the roster.¡± He shrugs.

    WarWolf rises out of bed. ¡°When does class start?¡±

    ¡°Five minutes,¡± says teacher.

    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll pack some lunch.¡± She takes a sword out from beneath her bed and uses it like a walking stick to the door.

    Teacher takes it from her grip. ¡°Everyone eats the same. It creates a feeling of equanimity.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make extra,¡± she crawls out the door.

    Teacher turns into a ball and rolls on the ground. ¡°She handles lunch, BladEagle teaches the class¡­it¡¯s like you KITs don¡¯t even need KillStreak.¡±

    ¡°You said you were like us before. What happened?¡±

    ¡°Ding dong. Class time.¡± Teacher cuts a portal into the blanket and traps me in it.

    I come out, falling on my butt in the classroom.

    BunBun picks me up and pulls me aside. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re friends right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, of course.¡± I rub her head.

    BunBun melts with joy and then pats her cheeks repeatedly until she snaps out of it. ¡°If you tell anyone my weakness, I¡¯ll smother you until your eyes go white.¡± She looks at me with wide eyes and what she thinks is a scary smile.

    ¡°Secrets are an assassin¡¯s currency.¡±

    BunBun wiggles in excitement. ¡°Oooh, you¡¯re so smart. Okay, here goes.¡± She takes a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m in love with you!¡± Her little hands shove a box into my chest.

    I open it up to see a heart-shaped cake with the red icing that says ¡°I¡¯m Your Bunny.¡±

    Wow. Here I thought she was just scared when she called me her boyfriend. What do I do? I can¡¯t break her heart.

    ¡°So, umm, what do you think?¡± BunBun wobbles in place.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s wonderful and you¡¯re such a likeable girl.¡± I smile at her.

    ¡°Yeah. Yeah. But then I thought that¡¯s not enough. Mom says that true love is sacrifice. Do you wanna know how she got my dad¡¯s attention?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! I love stories.¡±

    ¡°Her hand was stuck and the enemy was coming so she cut off her hand. Dad was so turned on that they made love right then and there. I was made on the battlefield! Rawr!¡± BunBun pats her chest with pride.

    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s incredible. My mom and dad had me in secret.¡±

    ¡°Oh wow! I love romantic stories.¡± BunBun pats her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m getting distracted. Okay, so to show my feelings I made my own sacrifice.¡± She lifts up her shirt.

    Her belly has been carved up by a knife. It says ¡°Be My Wolfy.¡±

    BunBun beams at me.

    She wasn¡¯t confessing to me. She was asking me if this would work to win over WarWolf. Things are getting so complicated.

    Teacher enters with WarWolf. ¡°Apologies for the delay. I got lost in a pastime.¡±

    BladEagle points and laughs.

    ¡°You dare mock me, child?¡± asks Teacher, looming over him.

    BunBun rushes to Teacher. ¡°I think it looks cute on you.¡± She hops up and kisses his face.

    ¡°What does?¡± Teacher looks down, seeing the pink apron. ¡°Oh.¡± He mutters to himself in embarrassment and swirls out of existence.

    ¡°Did I kill him?¡± BunBun¡¯s eyes quiver. She looks out at us and grins. ¡°Fear my kissies of death!¡± The little ball of joy runs to WarWolf and tickles her.

    WarWolf shoves her off. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±

    BunBun falls over, scrapping her arm on the ground. She lowers her head and sobs.

    Teacher returns, not wearing an apron this time. ¡°Today you will be sworn in. Line up!¡±

    We get in a single file line as teacher sharpens his tendril blade.

    BladeEagle buts ahead of the line. ¡°I am a blade. A weapon of truth. I cut through the lies. I serve till I die. Heroes are gifted. Angels are sacred. We are cursed. Assassins eat pain. It sharpens our blade. Glory to the guild. Glory to Isekai. Glory to the chief. Hero¡¯s are numbers. Angels are blessings. We are nothing. May my knife cut until my body is dust. A life of dark service is a life that is just. I pledge my blood, bones and soul. I burn my love, dreams and fear. Killing is my dharma. Truth is my fuel. Death is my gift. Glory to Isekai!¡±

    Teacher checks the scroll in his grip. ¡°That¡¯s all correct.¡±

    ¡°Of course it is.¡± BladEagle smirks.

    Teacher lifts up BladEagle¡¯s shirt and we all watch as he carves a scythe emblem on the skin above the boy¡¯s heart.

    ¡°And so it begins,¡± says BladEagle with a grin.

    One by one we recite the oath and receive our mark. BunBun pushes me in front of her and scurries to the back of the back of the line. She runs when its her turn and teacher has to drag her in.

    ¡°You will either say the words or die here and now,¡± says teacher.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna die either way.¡± BunBun sobs.

    StarBorne grabs her hand. ¡°You can make it through this dear. It¡¯s just a little cut.¡±

    BunBun nods and reads the oath. She whacks teacher¡¯s tendril away as he tries to lift her shirt.

    ¡°You should be grateful to be given this mark. Hero¡¯s get branded with numbers like slaves. This is a mark of pride.¡± Teacher holds her arms back and lifts up her shirt.

    BunBun cries as we all see her carved belly.

    WarWolf turns away with flushed cheeks.

    ¡°Oh my, such passion,¡± says StarBorne, holding her cheeks.

    WarWolf looks up at her. ¡°Love is a poison. Don¡¯t succumb to it.¡±

    BunBun sobs in her hands.

    Teacher finishes the mark and sets her down. ¡°Anyone who mentions what they just saw will be punished severely.¡±

    ¡°What, you going soft on us, Teach?¡± asks BladEagle with a grin.

    Teacher¡¯s tendrils come out and wrap around his arms. ¡°Watching you turn the pages of your beloved books with only your mouth will be quite the spectacle.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    BladEagle pees himself in terror.

    If we¡¯re gonna be a team. I gotta make an effort.

    I tear off a piece of her shirt and hand it to him once he is set down.

    ¡°What the hell is that for!¡± he yells, kicking me.

    Teacher separates us. ¡°No fighting! This is a school not a playground!¡±

    Once teacher got us organized class began. After class I went back home. My parents must have been so worried about me.

    I fall into my bedroom and everything feels quiet.

    I raise my knife and open the door.

    Colors assault my eyes as tiny shreds of paper fall on top of me.

    ¡°Welcome home, plumpkin pie!¡± Mom rushes up and picks me up. She kisses my cheek repeatedly.

    Dad smiles at me, holding two balloons with a scythe emblem.

    Mom lifts up my shirt. ¡°He has it!¡± She turns to father. ¡°It¡¯s official!¡±

    Dad runs up and joins in the group hug.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going to be a great killer,¡± I say with a firm look.

    Momma blows on my belly. ¡°But you¡¯ll stay my cute little boy, won¡¯t you?¡±

    I giggle and struggle to escape her hold. My hand goes to her neck. ¡°Stab. I got you.¡±

    She falls over while laughing and making blood spray sounds. Momma then pops back up. ¡°You sure did, sugar bell.¡±

    Father puts a party hat on my head. ¡°You seem different.¡± His fist tightens. ¡°Did your teacher hurt you?¡±

    Mom pulls up my sleeves to see cut marks. ¡°Oh no. What happened?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t paying attention in class. I try to want to, but I just get bored.¡± I pull my sleeves down. ¡°Mom, Dad, how come the other kids got assassin training but not me?¡±

    Mother leans down and kisses the top of my head. ¡°You don¡¯t need to compare yourself to the other kids. You¡¯re going to be stronger than all of them.¡±

    Father smiles at me. ¡°That¡¯s right. Our love will nurture you into a fine killer.¡±

    I beam back at my parents. ¡°I don¡¯t regret a minute of the time we spend together.¡±

    Mom and Dad pick me up and take turns hugging me before it ends up in a group hug.

    ¡°My little treasure, you were supposed to come home last night. Did you stay with your teacher for extra credit?¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°There¡¯s this girl.¡±

    Dad looks at me with concern on his brow. ¡°Romance isn¡¯t something assassins have.¡±

    Mom snuggles up to him. ¡°It¡¯s something we had.¡±

    The two of them start kissing. And what starts out as cuddly romance quickly evolves as they start taking off their clothes and grinding into each other.

    Will WarWolf and I ever make love?

    Mom stops and looks up at me, pulling her bra back up. ¡°Sorry, puppy. You were talking to us. I want to hear all about this girl.¡±

    ¡°She got hurt by teacher and I really like and I kinda promised to help her recover.¡± I run into a hug with momma and bury my teary eyes in her bosom. ¡°I promised I¡¯d go to her house after school. It will only be until she recovers.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. You should be here with us. It isn¡¯t safe in assassin¡¯s home,¡± says father.

    ¡°Your father is right. You can see her at school.¡±

    I grab mom¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯m in love with her.¡±

    She grabs my face. ¡°Does she love you?¡±

    ¡°I think she likes me.¡± I smile.

    I really hope she likes me.

    ¡°Oh no no no. This is not good,¡± says Father, pacing around.

    ¡°You need to let her know how you feel.¡±

    ¡°I told her. And I kissed her.¡± I look down with flushed cheeks.

    Mom picks me up and pulls me into her embrace. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of my shining StarBorne.¡±

    My smile goes across my entire face. ¡°She kissed me too.¡±

    Mother squeals in delight. She then turns to Father with a stern look. ¡°We have to let him go.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. We must stay firm.¡± He pulls mother aside and talks to her out of my earshot.

    Mother nods with remorse and then looks back at me. ¡°Your father is right. You are to come home every night. End of discussion.¡±

    But I¡¯m always allowed to discuss things. Why are they acting so weird?

    Father comes up to me and grabs my hand. ¡°Please, my little sprout. Have faith in us. You know that everything¡­absolutely everything we do is for your sake. Tell her that your parents forbid you from going to her house.¡±

    Why are they being like this?

    I opened my mouth to speak but Mom put her hand over my mouth. ¡°Please, just nod and we can get back to the celebration.¡±

    I nod.

    All the things I loved doing with my parents felt empty that night. I couldn¡¯t get WarWolf out of my mind.

    Class that day was boring and I got fresh scars from not paying attention again. I of course was paying attention, but not to the lesson. WarWolf has my heart. There¡¯s no getting it back. And I don¡¯t even want it back. I just want to be near her again.

    After class, BunBun approaches WarWolf. She picks up that big package she had brought to school that day and then drops it in front of the girl.

    ¡°Please, just stop. You don¡¯t need to get me any gifts.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know you were lying about not liking me. My mom says that I¡¯m so loveable that any one would fall for me.¡±

    ¡°Then that means she loves you, silly.¡±

    ¡°Duh, all moms love their kids,¡± says BunBun with a grin.

    ¡°Okay, what is it?¡±

    ¡°I had to whine for a whole three hours, constantly annoying dad until he gave in. But I got you something so amazing that you¡¯ll have to admit your secret feelings to me.¡±

    WarWolf chuckles. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll open it.¡± She uses her knife to open the package as BunBun leans against her. Once it¡¯s open, she looks at the strange device. ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s imported and super expensive!¡±

    ¡°Some kind of weapon?¡±

    BunBun giggles. She holds the device up to WarWolf¡¯s legs. ¡°It¡¯s for you. So you can walk again.¡±

    If she has that then she won¡¯t need me anymore.

    WarWolf starts crying.

    BunBun looks at her worriedly. ¡°Are those happy tears or sad ones. If they¡¯re happy then you can say I love you BunBun. And if they¡¯re sad, say¡­I still love you BunBun.¡±

    WarWolf growls. ¡°I¡¯m not so weak that I need this. I can heal on my own!¡±

    BunBun hides under her hands. ¡°Why do you hate me?¡±

    ¡°Take it back. I don¡¯t need these things.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not something I can just return.¡± BunBun sniffles.

    ¡°I don¡¯t love you. Just leave me alone. I¡¯m not taking your gift.¡±

    BunBun sobs.

    StarBorne runs to her side and then pulls her into a gentle embrace. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so cruel.¡±

    ¡°If I don¡¯t stop her now, she¡¯s only going to get more attached,¡± says WarWolf.

    BunBun holds onto StarBorne. ¡°Will you be my girlfriend? Or boyfriend? Please. I don¡¯t want to be alone.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry dear, but a leader mustn¡¯t involve himself romantically with his comrades.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you so flirty?¡± BunBun pads his chest with furious punches.

    ¡°Well, I had hoped to court you all.¡± He taps her nose. ¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t be playing favorites.¡±

    BunBun blushes.

    A shadow suddenly looms over us.

    Teacher forms above WarWolf. ¡°Who dares make BunBun cry?¡±

    Goopy raises his hand. ¡°You¡¯ve done that, many times already.¡±

    ¡°The past is dead and I am it¡¯s reaper. BunBun is precious now and will not be harmed.¡±

    BunBun slips out from StarBorne¡¯s embrace and hugs teacher. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll be your girlfriend.¡±

    Teacher stares at her and then sets her down. He then sinks into the ground.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run again.¡± BunBun cries.

    StarBorne wipes the tears from her eyes. ¡°Your confessions are like daggers. You wield such powerful emotion.¡±

    Teacher pops up and covers BunBuns mouth with a tendril while he carves our portals. ¡°Stop kissing it.¡±

    BunBun nibbles on his tendril.

    Teacher picks her and tosses her into the portal.

    ¡°Congratulations on your first girlfriend,¡± says BladEagle with a grin.

    ¡°Second!¡± yells teacher.

    BunBun pops her head out from the portal. ¡°You mean you accept me?¡±

    Teacher pushes her head back in and closes her portal. ¡°I¡¯m not going to last the year.¡±

    The other kids leave. It¡¯s just me, WarWolf and Teacher.

    ¡°So, what did your parents say?¡± asks WarWolf, looking up at me with flushed cheeks.

    I grab her hand. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what they said. I made a promise to you.¡±

    Teacher creates thirty eyes on his body just to roll them. He then pulls WarWolf up to him. ¡°You have no idea how blessed you are to have a girl like BunBun in love with you.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said love was a poison.¡± She grins.

    Teacher crosses his arms. ¡°Death by poison is my favorite method, I¡¯ll have you know.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡±

    ¡°The last thing I need now is nasty rumors about me and a student.¡±

    ¡°You sound afraid.¡±

    ¡°I am. Death is an illusion. But having my reputation smeared. That is something that truly rattles my body.¡± He leans over. ¡°Do you need me to carry you home?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take her,¡± I say, standing up.

    ¡°As your teacher, I can¡¯t permit that.¡±

    I stand tall. ¡°You let me go with her and I¡¯ll get BunBun to back off.¡±

    ¡°Striking a bargain with your teacher. Keheh. You¡¯re a brave boy indeed.¡± He shakes my hand. ¡°I won¡¯t be a part of this. From now on I¡¯ll leave after the portals are made. Clueless idiot, that¡¯s what they called me. Heh. I¡¯ll prove them right.¡± Teacher mutters to himself before swirling out of existence.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to disappoint your parents?¡± She looks at me with eyes of worry.

    ¡°Think about todays lesson. A hero moves straight. An angel moves up. But an assassin zigzags.¡± I lift her up and carry her to my portal. ¡°It was Goopy¡¯s idea actually. He says that a true assassin can take all that he wants if he¡¯s smart enough.¡±

    WarWolf arrives in my room. She sniffs it cautiously.

    ¡°You¡¯re safe here. Relax.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Good point.¡± She sniffs the air again. ¡°You smell nice.¡±

    I smile back at her. ¡°Thanks! I gotta introduce you to my parents.¡± Stay here I say, making sure she¡¯s got a good grip on my nightstand before going to the door.

    The door opens. ¡°You¡¯re home!¡± Mom picks me up in a big hug. ¡°We were worried you were going to rebel against us.¡± She pinches my cheeks.

    Father notices WarWolf who is leaning against the wall. ¡°Welcome to our humble home.¡±

    WarWolf looks at him with a scrutinizing gaze.

    I step in between them. ¡°She¡¯s nervous around strangers.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my apologies. I¡¯ll go make dinner.¡±

    ¡°Hey, maybe we can all cook together. She loves to cook.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I need to rest. It was a long day,¡± says WarWolf, falling to my bed.

    Mother pulls Father out the door. ¡°Why don¡¯t we make dinner for them.¡±

    WarWolf looks at me than looks away. ¡°Does you know about Lunar Moths?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they come out after a battle and eat the skin off the dead. It¡¯s really cool. Dad loves them. He talks about how they never hurt anyone and just clean up the mess of other people. He also says half the job of an assassin is cleaning up other people¡¯s messes. Mom and dad always read me assassin stories. I really should have figured it out sooner.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s true. LunarMoth was your father¡¯s name before he retired.¡±

    ¡°You know stories about my dad? Did he eat flesh too?¡± I nibble on her neck.

    WarWolf purrs and then growls, pushing me off. ¡°Are you strong enough for the truth?¡± She takes a moment and looks me over.

    I grab her hands. ¡°I have to be. The truth is my blade, right?¡± I grin.

    ¡°Your father was top of his class, the same class my mother and father were in.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so awesome! You think I¡¯ll be like him one day.¡±

    She grabs my shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know the detail but he¡¯s betrayed the guild. Was almost executed too. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s really your father.¡±

    I tap her nose. ¡°No way. You¡¯ve gotta be wrong. My dad is loyal to the guild. He loves assassins.¡±

    WarWolf pulls me up to her.

    Our lips nearly meet.

    ¡°If he tries to kill me, what will you do?¡±

    I hug her. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you from anyone.¡±

    WarWolf puts on a fake smile as she eats dinner with my family and I can¡¯t help but think about what she said about my father.

    Nothing feels real anymore.

    WarWolf has me bring her to my bedroom as soon as our meal is done. ¡°I don¡¯t think there was poison.¡±

    I set her on the bed. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine.¡± I grab a pillow and lay on the rug at the foot of the bed.

    I fall asleep but am woken up. ¡°What time is it?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s going to come in.¡± She cuddles her pillow.

    I crawl into bed with her and hold her close. ¡°I promised I¡¯d take care of you. I¡¯ll find out the truth about dad. For now, get some rest. You have to heal.¡±

    If father is a traitor, then what is mother?

 Memory 6: His First Battle

    I wake up the next morning in class. WarWolf and Teacher come around twenty minutes after my arrival, bringing with them cucumber sandwiches for all the students. I tell BunBun that she was being too forward with teacher and that catching him in her web of love would need a more gradual approach. We learn about different weapons that day, and although BladEagle demonstrates the history of each weapon, it is Goopy that discusses strategies for each weapon¡¯s use. This of course makes BladEagle jealous and I end being the one who steps in, getting punched in the process. Teacher slices one of the bully¡¯s fingers off as punishment and class ends soon after that. In the end I decide that knives were the only weapons I liked. Everything else was either too flashy or too impersonal for me. WarWolf pulls me into her portal. I cook with her at home, managing the simple cutting of vegetables. I zone out a bit and cut my hand so she takes over from there. I sleep on the floor that night and then the next day we went to class again.

    Teacher refuses to let BladEagle teach today after his recent bullying and taught us about the religion of assassins. We were all chosen by the ancestor of all angels, known as Archai Prima. We were gifted with special insight and the fortitude to act upon the truth. Death is the end and only darkness awaits. When teacher tells us this, BunBun starts crying and grabs onto him. Teacher reassured her that master assassins can transcend death itself. We close the class off with a prayer, thanking Archai Prima for blessing us with her eyes. We follow up the prayer with an hour of total darkness. Teacher tells us that we will experience death each day so that we no longer fear it. He gestured to the marks on my hands, reminding me that I¡¯ve died many times before. I tell WarWolf that I¡¯ll talk to my dad and she reluctantly agrees to follow me home. While she cooks, I meet with father one on one. He tells me he was indeed Lunar Moth but that he was no traitor. He assures me he will give his life for the guild. WarWolf and I share what we learned in class that day. Our family prays together. Mom teaches WarWolf how to apply her poisons to different weapon and father passes on his quick draw technique to me. ¡°A murderer kills for joy, an assassin kills for duty,¡± he tells me. ¡°If someone feels your killer intent, then you¡¯ve already lost.¡± His hand moves like a moth with an enchanting beauty. A single slice appears on my throat. I stay up all night trying to learn the new technique.

    I zone out in class again, thinking about that technique and how WarWolf will reward me for mastering it. BunBun makes a deal with teacher that if she¡¯s at the top of the class in terms of grades, then he must date her. Teacher swirls out of existence to escape the dilemma. BladEagle calls Teacher a coward and agrees to tutor her if she teaches her special technique to him. She laughs saying she has no technique and then the two of them whisper to each other until Teacher returns. He gives us a pop quiz that BunBun and I both fail. Teacher pats her head and says he agrees to her conditions. StarBorne asks to close the class with poetry. She performs a short poem for each of us, comparing us to our animal namesakes. After class I go with WarWolf to her home. She shows father what my mother taught her about applying poison to weapons and I decide to talk to her mother. The mother is jittery but allows me to sit, as long as its on the opposite side of the room. I ask her about my father and she freezes up in terror. The father senses this and comes to her aid. All the worry about my father keeps me unable to sleep that night.

    Sensei comes again the next morning and the three of us cook together. We spend the entire class practicing jabbing motions while being taught about the perks and risks of daggers.

    Days become weeks and weeks become months. It¡¯s almost 6 months later that my darling WarWolf walks on her own. She comes to me, going from a walk into a sprint and kisses me.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been there for me. I couldn¡¯t have healed without you,¡± she says, nuzzling my cheeks.

    I gulp and take out my father¡¯s specialty knife. ¡°I want you to have it.¡±

    WarWolf freezes up. She cries. ¡°That¡¯s the weapon that killed my aunt.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    She cups my hands. ¡°You should have it. Clear her innocent blood off by washing it with the blood of the wicked.¡±

    I hug her. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a different gift.¡±

    She kisses my lips and then nibbles on my neck. ¡°Every day you¡¯ve supported me, brought my family closer to me¡­that¡¯s been the greatest gift I could ask for.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s all going to end now. Your father only agreed to let me stay until you were fully healed.¡± I rest my forehead against hers.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. But it¡¯s not his decision. It¡¯s mine. I¡¯ll show him I¡¯m stronger than he is. Let¡¯s take him down together.¡± She pours her paralyzing potion into the open tips of her throwing knives before sealing them.

    ¡°How are we going to get the jump on him?¡± I ask her, grabbing her hand.

    ¡°That knife you have¡­it will lower his guard if he sees it. Only reveal it when the time is right.¡±

    I nod.

    We step out of her bedroom. The entire living room has been booby trapped.

    ¡°How did he know?¡± I ask, turning to her.

    ¡°He was paying more attention to my healing than I had thought. Must have been the tempo of my walking that gave it away. But he should know I¡¯m too smart to fall for these. How many locations could he be hiding behind?¡±

    ¡°Well, there are two couches and maybe that chair.¡± I look up at the ceiling which has small cannisters attached to strings.

    ¡°We have to limit his potential hiding spots,¡± says WarWolf, taking a potion off her belt. She takes aim and then tosses it behind the first couch. ¡°Not there.¡±

    When she grabs the next potion grenade, something slams into me from behind.

    I tumble forward, my mind trying to make sense of what happened. My arm hits the first trip wire. I brace for an explosion but instead hear a small ringing.

    He set up the wires not as traps but as a way of pinpointing our locations.

    WarWolf wrestles with the person behind the door, dodging the sword strikes while pushing the door back.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    A small knife pierces my side.

    Wait, there¡¯s a string attached to it.

    I follow the string with my eyes, realizing it¡¯s coming from the kitchen.

    My body suddenly surges with electricity.

    ¡°They know our location. We have to retreat for now,¡± says WarWolf, using a rag to wrestle the sword out from the hands of her unseen attacker.

    I tear the knife out. ¡°I¡¯m not running.¡±

    Suddenly the canisters from the ceiling drop down.

    ¡°Hold your breath!¡± yells WarWolf, kicking open the door to her bedroom.

    Smoke rushes out from the spinning canisters, completely masking the floor.

    He¡¯s leveling the playing field by blinding me. I¡¯m in a real battle! This is incredible!

    A small needle attaches to my legs and I¡¯m suddenly pulled to the kitchen. Knives come out from the fog and hit my body. I shield my face and chest as best I can.

    He¡¯s controlling my movements. I have to throw him off. But how?

    Before I realize it, I¡¯m running toward the kitchen, the knives stop coming and he pokes his head out to see what¡¯s wrong.

    I slam my knee into his face, getting pierced by more tiny knives in the process.

    ¡°A RiftRipper would see your actions as careless, but I see the cleverness behind them.¡± He ducks under my kick and pushes aside my knife strike. ¡°A split second decision cannot have hesitation, but a true killer discerns during that split second.¡± He steps on a trigger on the floor, sending electricity through the knives.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Remote activated. When I started classes I was called Psyren Frog because I¡¯d always repeat what others said, but after my first graduation, I had earned myself a new name.¡± He steps on the trigger again, frying me. ¡°SparkuPine.¡±

    Now¡¯s my only chance.

    ¡°You took up your sister¡¯s name after my father killed her.¡± I grab onto the moth dagger and press it to his cheek.

    SparkuPine shivers and falls to his knees.

    ¡°Goopy helped me uncover the truth. You¡¯re the traitor, aren¡¯t you?¡± I look down at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re ruthless.¡± SparkuPine grabs my arms and squeezes till I release the knife. ¡°But as long as you ruthlessly stand by my daughter¡­you can stay. You have beaten me. Don¡¯t get cocky. You¡¯ve bested a rusty knife. That¡¯s all.¡±

    I rush to WarWolf¡¯s side, she must be fighting the mother.

    They roll out of the bedroom, clawing at each other.

    ¡°Don¡¯t interfere!¡± yells WarWolf, slamming her head against her mother¡¯s.

    A bell is heard from the kitchen.

    SparkuPine peeks out. ¡°Dinner is served. I cooked it myself.¡±

    WarWolf and her mother stop clawing at one another.

    I walk to my beloved and smile as she gets back to her feet.

    The mother whimpers. ¡°War, please help your mother up. My adrenaline is gone so your toxins have paralyzed me.¡±

    WarWolf smiles and helps her mother back to her feet. She nearly topples over before I offer her support.

    SparkuPine comes out, holding a deadly sharp kitchen knife. ¡°We really look like a family now. Don¡¯t we?¡±

    That night we all sat down and ate together. Any ill intent between us had been carved out with my father¡¯s weapon. I stay behind to help clean the dinner table while WarWolf tends to her mother¡¯s wounds and her own.

    Sparkupine twirls the plates as he pours water on them. ¡°You can come and visit whenever you like, but you must leave that knife behind. It brings back things I could have forgotten.¡±

    I nod. ¡°SparkuPine, I don¡¯t care if you were a traitor. You¡¯re helping the girl I love become the greatest assassin.¡±

    The father scrubs the dish in my hand with a sponge, using way too much soap. ¡°My father would beat me when I was growing up. It was just me and him. He had such high expectations and my rank as second best in the class was never enough.¡±

    ¡°Assassins are tools. We shouldn¡¯t give rank that much thought.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. The competition serves only to better us as assassins. It¡¯s a philosophy we have to abandon once we evolve.¡± He holds my moth knife out and examines it.

    When did he swipe it from me? I wanna learn that!

    ¡°Weech, you¡¯re not your father and his actions aren¡¯t yours to amend.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t make the same mistakes he did. I promise.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a mistake. Traitors are killed. We knew what we were getting into. Don¡¯t bring WarWolf down the same path I went. Listen to your father. Be obedient and resourceful.¡±

    I hug him.

    Tears slip down his cheeks and he drops the dishes. They shatter against the ground but he doesn¡¯t flinch. ¡°Why¡­are you hugging me?¡±

    ¡°My body just acts on its own. But now that it has. I won¡¯t let go. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me.¡±

    He suddenly grabs my head. ¡°Are you willing to give up your life for my precious little monster?¡±

    I take a deep breath. ¡°If I am, then I won¡¯t be strong enough to protect her. I¡¯ll gladly gamble my life, but I won¡¯t surrender it. Surrendering is a hero¡¯s way of life. Not an assassin¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°All those story books have made you wise.¡± He looks at the knife in his hand. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind staying up a few hours later, I can teach you a technique I call the Spark.¡±

    I release him from my loving embrace. ¡°I¡¯d be honored.¡±

    I of course wasn¡¯t able to learn it in one night, but I gained something more. A bond with SparkuPine.

    WarWolf gave me a kiss on the lips that night before drifting to sleep.

    The next morning came and I was ready to prove my love to her.

    Teacher brought us his freshly baked raisin bread and explained why today¡¯s class was in a different area.

    This room was much wider and had an entire obstacle course.

    Teacher shoots confetti from his sleeves. ¡°Six months have passed since we first became a class. You¡¯ve all grown in knowledge but now it¡¯s time to give that knowledge practical value.¡±

    BladEagle looks out at the field. ¡°What happens if we fail the obstacle course?¡±

    ¡°This is the first day so you¡¯re all bound to fail. I failed several times myself when I was your size.¡±

    BunBun pats her cheeks. ¡°If I win, you have to kiss me,¡± she says, grabbing onto Teacher¡¯s tentacle.

    I grab her hand. ¡°Come on, ease up on him a bit. You¡¯re scaring him.¡±

    ¡°Pah. Those are shivers of arousal,¡± she says with a cheeky grin.

    Sensei hands everyone a slice of the warm dough. ¡°Finish your bread and then jump into the obstacle course. First one to finish will get to talk with one of our school¡¯s talent scouts.¡±

    StarBorne refuses the bread. ¡°I¡¯ve been letting my own skill keep me from blossoming into a true leader. I¡¯ll make sure I don¡¯t let any of you down again.¡± She rushes ahead and gracefully vaults over the barricades, WarWolf quickly rushes to catch up.

    Goopy sits down and pays close attention.

    BunBun climbs onto Teacher¡¯s shoulders so she can get a better view.

    I watch from behind teacher.

    Gotta find some sort of way to sneak past.

    I make it to the left corner of the room. I close my eyes and take one careful step after another.

    My mother used to sneak up on her enemies by walking toward them. If she can do it; then so can I. I¡¯m gonna succeed and then I¡¯ll officially ask her to be my girlfriend.

    I keep walking in silence. I think of nothing but my goal and steady my breath.

    StarBorne¡¯s radiance is keeping the classes eyes focused on him or her. Not sure which is surfaced at this moment.

    I bump into the backwall. I open my eyes and gauge the distance to the finish line.

    56 steps¡­I think.

    I end up overstepping it, but I still arrive before StarBorne does.

    I stand entirely still, a mere meter in front of the finish line.

    StarBorne will have to get past me to reach the end.

    I feel my father¡¯s knife in my grip.

    StarBorne comes running toward me.

    I can do this. I will prove myself here and now.

    StarBorne doesn¡¯t feel anything from me. ¡°Come to greet me at the finish line. I¡¯m moved.¡± She bows.

    Her eyes are down. Its time. Kill!

    I rush in and pierce my dagger all the way into her chest.

    StarBorne gasps and looks at me with a sad look.

    I don¡¯t like that look.

    My left hand grips the knife and starts stabbing the class¡¯ shining star.

    I¡¯m suddenly tackled and fall to the ground. I slice my attacker until they retreat.

    WarWolf, her body with scars that I gave her, looks down at me. ¡°What were you thinking?¡±

    I drop the knife. ¡°I did it. I killed StarBorne. You¡¯re the best assassin in the class now.¡±

    Teacher pops up behind me, tears leaking from his body. ¡°No. No. No. You¡¯re the best.¡± His voice cracks. ¡°Congratulations, Weech. You¡¯ve become a cold killer.¡±

    I did it, Father! I''ve proven myself worthy of being an assassin.

 Memory 7: His First Breakdown

    Teacher carves a portal and takes me in. I fall out onto hard gravely floor and slowly get up.

    The room is pure white. There are pictures of bodies with their skin torn off and various torture devices on a metal table.

    Am I going to punished?

    Teacher sets StarBorne¡¯s body on the table. ¡°Stay with me. The nurse will be here any moment.¡±

    The curtain behind me opens up.

    A woman with long flowing purple hair, and a white face mask, walks past me. ¡°I told you before, KillStreak. Only come to me if you are on your death bed. I¡¯m not here to coddle you.¡±

    ¡°StarBorne is dying.¡±

    She rushes to my target and examines the wound carefully.

    I step up to teacher. ¡°You wanted me to be an assassin. Why are you trying to ruin my first kill?¡±

    KillStreak sinks down to my level. ¡°StarBorne is your classmate. I never meant for this to happen.¡±

    The nurse spits on the wound. Her saliva glows with a magical energy. ¡°It may already be too late.¡± She closes her eyes, forming wings of energy.

    ¡°You must be an angel,¡± I say with eyes of wonder.

    ¡°How can such a sweet boy be capable of such cruelty?¡± she closes off each individual cut I gave him with her wet fingers.

    ¡°I did it for love,¡± I say with a warm smile.

    Teacher shivers and steps away from me.

    The nurse smiles. ¡°I¡¯m starting to wonder if saving this child is the right thing to do after all.¡±

    ¡°You must.¡± Teacher carves a portal and leaves.

    I climb up onto the chair. ¡°I¡¯m Weech. What is your name?¡±

    ¡°Tempera. And this child is?¡± she asks, continuing to seal the wounds.

    ¡°StarBorne.¡±

    A portal appears and teacher enters, alongside another RiftRipper.

    It looks identical to teacher, but it has no presence.

    This was where we first met. I had forgotten. And now we meet again for the final time.

    The new RiftRipper spreads out its form around Tempera. ¡°That child is the grandson of the king. You must heal them.¡±

    ¡°He was attacked for the sake of love. I won¡¯t go against my nature out of fear.¡±

    The RiftRipper glares at me with bright eyes. ¡°Love is a poison. It will ruin you.¡± He turns to teacher. ¡°How did you allow this to happen?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir. I knew about them. I just couldn¡¯t break them apart.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re attachment has put this child in mortal danger. Let me tell you something, outcast. StarBorne is the most important student of this generation. Could be the weapon we need to overthrow the tyrant king. Your failure would tarnish your entire family line. Do you understand.¡±

    Teacher¡¯s body bends forward and bows repeatedly at weird angles.

    I look up at the RiftRipper. ¡°Someone like me could have destroyed our best chance at victory?¡± I hold myself in my embrace.

    The RiftRipper encases me in an orb of its body. ¡°You¡¯re the one who did this?¡± Blades come out all around me. ¡°Either convince the nurse to save that student or you will be killed along with him.¡± The black goop around me pulls back into the RiftRipper.

    ¡°Tempera, StarBorne deserves to live. Please save him.¡±

    ¡°Why the sudden change of heart? What did the Department Head tell you?¡± she asks, eyeing the RiftRipper.

    I swallow my nerves down. ¡°I made a mistake. StarBorne is my friend.¡±

    The Department Head looks at me with a single eye. ¡°The child of intuition was unable to sense your intent. KillStreak!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir?¡±

    ¡°You never mentioned anything about him in your reports.¡±

    ¡°There was nothing to mention before this.¡±

    ¡°Who are his parents?¡±

    ¡°LunarMoth and ToxiCroak.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°If Weech survives the first exam, we will discuss his future.¡±

    ¡°How should I punish him for attacking his fellow student?¡±

    ¡°Teach him where the heart is. The dagger missed the vitals.¡± The Department Head swirls out of existence.

    Tempera comes to me. ¡°If you had pierced the child¡¯s heart, then there would be nothing I could do. Your classmate should be back in action in a few days.¡±

    Teacher grabs onto me and brings me back to the obstacle course. ¡°If you try to kill another of my students, I will end you myself.¡±

    I stare at him with no fear. ¡°What would your boss do to you if I was harmed?¡±

    Teacher starts cackling as he tears his body to pieces. ¡°Clever boy! So rebellious! Let¡¯s see if that fire can survive the coming storm.¡±

    The class rush up to us.

    ¡°Is StarBorne okay?¡± asks BunBun.

    Teacher pats her. ¡°Yes, just needs a week to recover. WarWolf, you¡¯ll be team leader until he returns.¡±

    I grab WarWolf¡¯s hands. ¡°I messed it up. I didn¡¯t hit the heart. But now everyone is going to see what a great leader you are. So it still kinda worked out.¡±

    She pulls her hand out from my grip. ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡±

    ¡°I did it for you. Don¡¯t you remember?¡±

    ¡°I thought you were joking back then. And we barely knew StarBorne. She has helped us all grow and you selfishly tried to kill her.¡±

    ¡°I just wanted you to be the best.¡±

    ¡°Then you should help me surpass StarBorne. This is a hollow victory.¡±

    ¡°Assassins are hollow, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the problem.¡± She walks off.

    WarWolf doesn¡¯t follow me home and she won¡¯t allow me to come along either. We still work together in class when doing group training but she barely speaks to me. Everyone feels that her leadership skills are lacking, but it¡¯s not her fault. What I did took away her drive. I¡¯m to blame.

    A week later StarBorne comes back to us.

    BunBun hops onto his back and nuzzles his cheek. ¡°I practiced every day. Are you impressed?¡±

    StarBorne rubs her head. ¡°You¡¯ve taken my breath away.¡±

    Goopy waves at StarBorne. ¡°I researched the exam. Let¡¯s discuss it later.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± says StarBorne.

    ¡°That hook kick technique¡­I can¡¯t quite figure it out. Can you train me some more?¡± asks WarWolf.

    ¡°Your strength is the strength of our team.¡±

    BladEagle was the last to approach him. ¡°I made up some new moves with the sai and tonfas. Wanna see later?¡±

    StarBorne breaks out into tears. ¡°Thank you all for being so welcoming to me.¡±

    Teacher fans away StarBorne¡¯s tears. ¡°I¡¯m blessed to have the honor of teaching you.¡±

    I swallow and then stand on my desk. ¡°Why are you all praising him? I beat him! I¡¯m a better assassin. I could have killed him.¡±

    StarBorne looks at me and shakes her long locks of hair. ¡°You have a silent madness. It¡¯s not something you¡¯ve cultivated; it¡¯s merely a talent. An unfair perk like my foresight.¡±

    ¡°My talent overcame yours. Why does nobody care? My parents were proud of me, but you all¡­avoid me now. We¡¯re supposed to be assassins. I¡¯m ahead of the curve!¡±

    Why are they being so unfair?

    ¡°You tried to kill me just to stand out? And you think that makes you a great assassin.¡± StarBorne places her hand to my cheek. ¡°How have I failed you so completely?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need you! All you do is make us feel good about ourselves. As assassin¡¯s power is his misery. That¡¯s what father told me.¡±

    ¡°Polluted by your parent¡¯s lies. How can I undo your upbringing?¡±

    My mind goes blank and I suddenly lunge at StarBorne.

    I¡¯m torn off him and my nose is punched in.

    ¡°We¡¯re done, Weech. Don¡¯t ever talk to me again.¡± WarWolf spits on me.

    I glare daggers at StarBorne.

    Everything ruined. Why is my life falling to pieces?

    Not even my parents could comfort me that night.

    The determination that WarWolf had cultivated in me was gone. I didn¡¯t care to focus in class and would always hide in the morning from teacher to avoid going to school. Seeing WarWolf and the way she looked at me¡­that apathetic look¡­it was a poison that bore into me deep and cast my resolve into a void. There was no point in trying anymore. Days went past, the lessons meaningless. Teacher eventually stopped punishing me for not answering when asked. I became like a ghost in the class. I learned nothing and couldn¡¯t will myself to beat anyone in the physical lessons, not even Goopy. Before I realized it, the year was coming to a close. Our first-year graduation exam was coming up.

    BunBun flicks her eraser at my head. ¡°Please, focus. Teacher said if we don¡¯t all pass, then we all fail. I¡¯ve worked super duper hard to get this far.¡±

    ¡°Why should I care if any of you fail? Just kill me.¡± I cough until blood comes out.

    BunBun looks at me. ¡°That looks bad. How long have you been sick?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Does it matter?¡±

    ¡°Of course it matters. You¡¯re my friend.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you try to help me? Why did no one try to help me?¡± I bury my face in my hands.

    ¡°We were scared of you. And I did try¡­lots and lotsa times.¡±

    I look up at her. ¡°I¡¯ve really let everyone down, haven¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Will you study with me?¡±

    ¡°What ever happened with you and teacher?¡±

    ¡°Teacher¡­killed his first relationship. I don¡¯t know what that means, but¡­I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll ever love me.¡± BunBun starts crying.

    I suddenly find myself holding her in a warm embrace.

    She cries and cries¡­finally I cry too.

    ¡°Why did you really try to kill StarBorne?¡±

    ¡°WarWolf hated him. Felt like she would always be second best. I made a promise to her.¡±

    BunBun¡¯s eyes shimmer and she nuzzles my cheek. ¡°That¡¯s super romantic.¡±

    ¡°Back then, I¡¯d do anything to make her smile. But now, her smile hurts me. I saw BladEagle and her kissing. What does he have that I don¡¯t?¡±

    BunBun pets me. ¡°You gotta love yourself. If you look for others to love you, it will destroy you. I¡¯ve thought of ending it all¡­lotsa times. But I kept hugging myself till the bad thoughts went woosh!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not as strong as you.¡± I grip her tightly.

    BunBun blushes. ¡°You think I¡¯m strong?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I always have.¡±

    She leans forward and kisses my lips. ¡°I love you too!¡±

    We fall to the ground as she kisses me over and over.

    By the seventieth kiss, I start to feel something. I look at her and notice just how lovely her little hair tuffs are.

    All the sudden I realize we¡¯re rolling on the classroom floor and kissing.

    I feel love again.

    After she takes a breath to cool down, she grabs my hands. ¡°So, ready to study?¡±

    I snuggle into her lap. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    We spend all night in the classroom.

    Teacher taps me awake. ¡°If you break BunBun¡¯s heart, I¡¯ll carve yours out.¡±

    I smile at him. ¡°You had your chance.¡± I stick out my tongue.

    BunBun rolls in my arms and yawns as she wakes up. She notices teacher and leans into a kiss with me. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell anyone about us.¡±

    Teacher smiles. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you. Just be careful around him.¡±

    BunBun salutes.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you get the other students?¡± I ask.

    ¡°They¡¯re already at the exam center. Oh, by the way your team name is the Assailants.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my favorite story!¡± I perk up.

    ¡°That¡¯s what StarBorne said. Now go out there and make teacher proud. You will be competing against three other classes in your division. Remember, they have worked hard to be great assassins too. Slice their dreams into bits! Kehehehahaha!¡±

    BunBun and I both hug Teacher.

    It¡¯s time for all we¡¯ve learned this year to come together.

    I wonder what would have happened if things turned out differently.

 Memory 8: His First Exam

    I arrived in a room of at least forty students. Teacher guided me to my chair and a few minutes later the exams were passed out. Unlike teacher¡¯s tests, there were no multiple choice answers. Everything was fill in the blank, which made narrowing down the truth difficult.

    There were some I knew the answer to, but others had at least two proper answers and I wasn¡¯t sure which to go for.

    As soon as we finished the tests, we were divided back into our original teams.

    WarWolf looks at BladEagle nervously. ¡°I got mixed up. I think I put your answers for some of the questions instead of the text book¡¯s answers.¡±

    He puts his arm around her. ¡°It will be fine. They¡¯re looking over our tests now.¡±

    BunBun scoots up to me after making sure the others aren¡¯t looking. ¡°Did you remember what we studied?¡±

    I nod. ¡°Thanks for helping me.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re totally going to pass this together.¡±

    About half an hour later, the teacher had finished grading our papers. The first to have their test results was Goopy.

    ¡°Goopy, fail,¡± says the teacher.

    He holds his shameful face in his hands and sobs.

    BunBun pats him on the back.

    ¡°BunBun, fail.¡±

    ¡°What? But I studied. I tried really hard! Was I close?¡±

    The teacher doesn¡¯t even turn to her direction. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how close you were. You failed.¡±

    ¡°Weech¡­utterly failed.¡±

    BunBun holds my hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t blame yourself. We¡¯ll study more next time.¡±

    ¡°WarWolf, pass.¡±

    WarWolf smiles big but then tries to hide it when she notices the rest of us looking at her.

    BladEagle hugs her tightly.

    ¡°StarBorne, perfect score.¡±

    BunBun turns to him. ¡°We studied together. How did I fail.¡±

    StarBorne holds her hand like a big sister. ¡°If anyone failed you, it¡¯s me.¡±

    BladEagle looks solemnly at the ground. ¡°No it¡¯s my fault. I taught you what I knew. I didn¡¯t mean to confuse everyone. I really messed you all up.¡±

    My chance at being a master assassin is gone. He stole the love of my life and my dreams. I want his blood to coat the classroom floor.

    ¡°BladEagle, fail.¡±

    BladEagle stands up. ¡°I would like to defend my answers.¡±

    ¡°The truth is clear cut. One truth. There¡¯s nothing to debate.¡±

    ¡°I know all the answers! I just can¡¯t¡­write down lies.¡±

    ¡°Silence or you will be punished.¡±

    ¡°Give me a blank test. I¡¯ll prove I can pass right now.¡±

    The teacher signals her assistant to hand BladEagle another test sheet and he gets to work.

    Teacher comes to us, dripping with depression. ¡°I¡¯ve failed as your teacher.¡±

    BunBun climbs on the desk and pats his head. ¡°You did great. I¡¯m just dumb.¡±

    ¡°Four of my six students failed. We¡¯ll never see each other again.¡±

    BunBun grabs onto him. ¡°No. I¡¯m never letting you go.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have been more motivated,¡± I say to Teacher with my head lowered.

    ¡°You¡¯ve already won favor with Department Head VirtueVice. Your future is secured. BunBun, Goopy and BladEagle have no future as assassins now.¡±

    Am I really safe if I utterly failed the test?

    ¡°Done!¡± BladEagle approaches the test instructor and hands her the paper.

    She flips through the pages in absolute silence. Once finished she looks up at him. ¡°Perfect Score?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. And give me three days to tutor the kids who failed. I guarantee they will all pass. If they don¡¯t then you can fail me.¡±

    ¡°Why risk yourself for the sake of others?¡± asks the instructor.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to run this place someday, so I¡¯ve got to prove myself.¡±

    ¡°I will discuss it with the Department Head. Take your seat.¡±

    BladEagle bows. ¡°Thank you, instructor.¡±

    Teacher trips BladEagle and drags him into an embrace. ¡°You may have just saved my life.¡±

    ¡°You mean your job and all I did was try to fix a problem I created.¡± He scratches his head in embarrassment.

    Teacher hugs all of us. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll put what you learned to good use. The practical exam will begin as soon as the final test score has been evaluated.¡±

    The other teachers look at KillStreak curiously.

    ¡°Hugs are a form of positive reinforcement!¡± he exclaims, squeezing us tightly.

    They turn away and continue to discuss with their class.

    ¡°You never mentioned a practical exam,¡± says Goopy, wiping his nose.

    ¡°You¡¯re KITs. You have to be prepared for unexpected confrontations. I¡¯m only allowed to explain the basics. Eight classes of six students each. No outside help. No weapons. Three points for each student defeated¡­one point for those killed.¡±

    BunBun chirps in surprise. ¡°Killed?¡±

    Teacher looks at her and pets her lovingly. ¡°Killing is discouraged, but it¡¯s not forbidden. You all need to be wary of your surroundings. Getting knocked out is negative 5 points. There are no rules beyond that. Of the eight teams, only the top four will pass. Get as many points as you can quickly or try to survive to the end to avoid point loss. No matter what happens, I¡¯m proud to have taught you all.¡±

    StarBorne bows to teacher. ¡°I¡¯ll ensure we all return safely.¡±

    Teacher nods and then carves us open a portal.

    I hold BunBun¡¯s hand and we enter together.

    The long green trees we¡¯ve only seen in textbooks appear as far as I can see. The bottom of the floor is coated in mist, making me think of the smoke that coated the floor when I fought SparkuPine. There was a small lake behind us that had algae floating on the surface.

    Every thing about this place is a new experience! A perfect site for my first date with BunBun.

    StarBorne took in a deep breath. His muscles tense up as he stands tall as our leader. ¡°BunBun, you will be in charge of providing us with clean water. BladEagle, we will need you to gather food for our team.¡±

    ¡°I can go with him,¡± says WarWolf.

    ¡°We need someone going out to gather points for the team. With no weapons, you¡¯re our best bet.¡±

    Goopy wipes his eyes and sits up. ¡°We can make weapons. No rules against that.¡±

    ¡°Always thinking outside the box. You truly have mastered that skill. Can you carve weapons for the team?¡±

    ¡°Yeah but I don¡¯t want to be alone. I¡¯ll go with BunBun.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°I¡¯m actually going with BunBun,¡± I say, grabbing her hand.

    ¡°You¡¯re staying with me and digging for bones.¡±

    ¡°What? Why are we doing that?¡±

    ¡°To create a means of distant communication. I believe we can carve whistles from them.¡±

    ¡°Then everyone would know where we are.¡±

    ¡°Oh, good point.¡± StarBorne scratches her cheek.

    For a prodigy, she sure can be dense sometimes. I guess we aren¡¯t really all that different.

    Goopy stands up. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s our edge. Making a ton of noise. If everyone hears us, then they¡¯ll know that others will be there to get the points. That means we¡¯ll only have to face the hot-headed assassins and avoid encounters with the cautious ones, as well as the traps they set.¡±

    ¡°In that case, Weech, you will stay with Goopy and I¡¯ll join BunBun in surveying the area. Leadership isn¡¯t my only talent.¡± He pulls out a piece of paper and a pencil and begins mapping out the area. ¡°We will meet back here in an hour.

    Goopy and I carve bones into whistles and test them out.

    ¡°You seem to be doing better,¡± says Goopy, using one bone to carve the other.

    ¡°Yeah. I was in a real dark place but BunBun pulled me out.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really fortunate to have someone. Nobody really talks to me in class. I don¡¯t think anybody would care if I died.¡±

    I give him a sudden hug.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to stab me too, are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure your parents would care.¡±

    ¡°Nope. Raising me is torture for them.¡± His eyes go wide.

    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± he asks.

    I pick up a rock and throw it at a tree.

    The bushes rustle nearby.

    Goopy grabs onto me. ¡°What if they try to kill us?¡±

    ¡°Then we kill them.¡± I place the bone knife back in his hand.

    Why did I get stuck with the coward? I should be with BunBun.

    Someone stands up from the bushes, they raise their hands. ¡°Two classes can pass right? So if we work together then we can insure we both have enough points to win.¡± The girl has long blonde hair but her face isn¡¯t nearly as cute as BunBun¡¯s.

    Goopy wipes his tears as he approaches the girl. ¡°You mean¡­you¡¯re not gonna hurt us?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the team with StarBorne, right? How about I help you win and you hook me up with a date,¡± she smiles and offers Goopy her hand.

    ¡°You¡¯re definitely gonna help us win. Where is the rest of your team?¡±

    ¡°Not too far. I can lead the way.¡±

    ¡°My name is Goopy and you¡¯re really pretty.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m BlasToad. I like explosions.¡± She giggles and Goopy takes her hand.

    He slides his blade up her body, cutting her shirt open.

    She freaks out and covers her chest, allowing him to put a blade to her throat.

    ¡°Kills are worth extra points, right?¡±

    She gulps and shakes her head. ¡°No. They¡¯re less points.¡±

    ¡°Too bad because my blade is soooo itchy.¡± He cuts her arm.

    What the hell is he doing?

    I stand up. A knife suddenly zooms by me.

    ¡°Her whole team is here. She was trying to get us to lower our guard. Hey! Either you give up or she dies!¡± yells Goopy with a face full of tears.

    Idiot! He¡¯s escalating the situation. They might kill us to keep their classmate safe.

    ¡°Go ahead and kill her,¡± says a tall boy in the tree above me. He has an arrogant look like BladEagle. He drops down on me and holds his knife to my throat. ¡°We don¡¯t need her to win.¡±

    Goopy took a moment to wipe his eyes.

    BlasToad suddenly throws him to the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s knock these creeps out and get our points.¡±

    No way. I failed already. No. No. No. No!

    Blood sprays my face.

    Whose blood is that?

    I look at the tall boy¡¯s face, it¡¯s twisted with fear.

    He¡¯s looking at me with blank eyes..

    I look at him curiously. ¡°Did I do that?¡±

    He faints in terror.

    Goopy takes the moment of surprise to plunge his knife into the girl¡¯s hand. He then swipes her knife from her hand and slices her. ¡°How many more are nearby?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just us. We were going out to get points. But I meant it. We really can work together.¡±

    ¡°Yep. I actually have a great idea how you can too.¡± He grabs her head and rams it against a nearby stone repeatedly. Once she¡¯s knocked out, he exhales sharply. ¡°Geez that was terrifying. Hey, do you smile on purpose when you cut people?¡±

    ¡°Heheheh. It¡¯s nothing creepy I promise. I just smile when I¡¯m nervous. I¡¯m going to try and seal his wounds. Don¡¯t want him bleeding away our extra points, right?¡± I use some of the big leaves to wrap his wounds. ¡°The air here is so amazing, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re really amazing.¡± Goopy smiles. ¡°Okay so let¡¯s bend the rules a bit.¡± He takes the unconscious girl and drags her to the river by the rocks. ¡°Oh, I should check if she¡¯s hiding any other weapons.¡± He checks her pockets and finds a sling shot made from wood and a few rocks in her pocket. Goopy lifts her skirt and underwear. ¡°No way someone would ever strip for me. Oh, and yeah, no other weapons.¡± He blushes and puts her skirt back on.

    I practice with the slingshot while he dunks her underwater. ¡°What are you doing? Killing is only worth one point, remember? Plus, I think maybe you and her could hook up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting us a new recruit.¡± Goopy gives me a thumbs up.

    The girl coughs underwater and he brings her up. ¡°What the hell did you do?¡±

    ¡°I accept your offer to join teams.¡±

    ¡°After you nearly kill me?¡±

    ¡°Well, it was the only way I knew how to knock you out. But hey, now you¡¯re up again and can still win points for your team.¡±

    ¡°We lost ten points already because you defeated me and DandyLion.¡± She looks down.

    ¡°Not necessarily. You only lose points for KOs right? Well if DandyLion happens to die, then you only lose five points for your loss,¡± he says.

    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a great point. If she really wants her team to win, she could get a bunch of points and then kill herself to keep her team from losing points!¡± I exclaim.

    ¡°You two are insane! Just leave me alone.¡±

    Goopy presses the knife to her back as she gets up to leave. ¡°You¡¯re the runt of your team too¡­aren¡¯t you?¡±

    She nods. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, just please don¡¯t kill them.¡±

    ¡°Why not? They don¡¯t care about you, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah but¡­we¡¯re still a team. Please, I don¡¯t care if we lose anymore. I just want all my classmates to come out of here alive.¡±

    ¡°Your team can still pass without having to sacrifice anyone. They only lost two members and you can still gain points for them. Two knockouts will put you back on the board. But really the whole point system is a rouse. We¡¯re assassins. The top two teams pass and if only two teams survive, then they become the top two.¡±

    My body starts shivering. I swallow my fear.

    Remember what Mother said. When you get nervous, think of killing like a game. No consequences. Urgh! It¡¯s hard, Mother! They¡¯re kids too. Can I really kill them just to win?

    I step up to Goopy. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be a part of that. You have your partner. I¡¯m going to track down BunBun, alright.¡±

    ¡°Okay! I already thought of a great way to get another teammate!¡± Goopy ties a slippery animal to the back of DandyLion.

    ¡°He¡¯s a BlasToad. They are amphibians that explodes when they feel threatened, but they¡¯re resistant to their own heat so they miraculously survive the blast. They can repeatedly burst up to five times a day.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the smartest person I know, Goopy.¡± I smile at him.

    Goopy blushes. ¡°I¡¯m so scared. Being in this jungle with KITs after me, but at least here I can really shine. It¡¯s kinda refreshing. I¡¯ll whistle if I¡¯m in danger okay. You¡¯d come rescue me, right?¡±

    I smile. ¡°Of course I will!¡±

    The tension leaves Goopy¡¯s face and he then turns to the girl. ¡°Help me out and I won¡¯t blow up your friend.¡±

    She nods with tears and a terrified face.

    Everyone in our class is amazing.

    I meet back with StarBorne on the hill where he watches over us. ¡°Where is BunBun?¡±

    ¡°She told me she wanted to be alone and that I should watch over everyone from here.¡±

    ¡°Contact me if you find her and give these to the others.¡± I offer her three bone whistles.

    StarBorne gracefully takes them from my hands. ¡°You¡¯re injured.¡±

    ¡°Goopy and I got two enemies. He actually woke them up and is now using them to help us get more points. But he also figured something out. If six teams are dead, then the last two remaining teams automatically pass.¡±

    ¡°How absolutely dreadful. We must be extra cautious in case another team takes up that strategy. One whistle blow will mean you took down an enemy. Multiple will mean you¡¯re in danger.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to find BunBun. Do you know where she is?¡±

    ¡°She went past the river and into the misty portion of the swamp just north of here. I¡¯ll give BladEagle and WarWolf their whistles and share what you told me.¡± StarBorne holds my hand. ¡°Don¡¯t put gaining points above your safety, understood?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± I nod.

    ¡°Oh, and here¡¯s the map so far.¡± She hands me one of three drawings she¡¯s holding. ¡°If you¡¯re being chased, head to the misty section here. I assume that¡¯s why BunBun went there.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for everything. I¡¯m sorry for stabbing you. WarWolf just felt like she¡¯d never beat you and I wanted to make her happy.¡±

    StarBorne holds my hands to her rosy cheeks. ¡°Well now I don¡¯t feel so bitter about it. Love gently, Weech. Attachment is dangerous for an assassin.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m in love with BunBun now.¡±

    ¡°No you¡¯re not, sweetie. You¡¯re just afraid of being alone.¡± He releases my hand.

    I rush down the hill.

    I do love her! He doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about. I love her and I¡¯m going to rescue her.

    I find BunBun near the misty zone. She is holding hands with some boy I don¡¯t know while two other guys watch the area around them cautiously.

    Oh no. She got captured.

    BunBun blows kisses at the other two guys and then leaves with the first guy into the bushes.

    Those bastards are making her kiss them!

    I rush down.

    The two guys jump me and start beating me with the large sticks they are holding.

    BunBun tiptoes behind them and then stabs two thick thistles into their necks.

    The boys fall down unconscious.

    I lift her up in a tight embrace. ¡°I was so worried! If I hadn¡¯t come along¡­¡±

    BunBun blushes. ¡°I didn¡¯t get captured. I came to them.¡± She lifts her shirt, showing cuts. ¡°I hurt myself so they would think I was attacked. And I told them all sorts of false information about my team. I was so scared but they had no idea. I¡¯ve become such a great actress!¡±

    ¡°But why would you run off? It¡¯s not safe.¡±

    ¡°Assassins tend to work alone, so I thought I¡¯d see how I¡¯d do.¡±

    I grab her hand. ¡°From now on we stick together.¡±

    ¡°But what about the points?¡±

    ¡°I care about you. Not the points.¡± I kiss her deeply.

    She loves me and I love her! StarBorne is wrong.

    BunBun zones out.

    I pat her cheeks and we both giggle.

    BunBun then hops. ¡°I forgot to tell you! Okay. Don¡¯t freak out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine as long as you¡¯re fine.¡± I pat her head.

    My girlfriend zones out and then pats her cheeks to come back into awareness. ¡°StarBorne is in danger. That boy I was pretending to like, he told me about a plan. Two of the classes are planning to kill StarBorne.¡±

    ¡°Why would they want that?¡±

    ¡°This is gonna sound crazy but¡­they got hired.¡±

    ¡°By who?¡±

    ¡°I dunno.¡±

    ¡°Those idiots are being tested and they don¡¯t even realize it. We gotta save StarBorne.¡±

    BunBun hugs me tightly. ¡°How are we gonna save him? I only split up cuz I knew I could seduce this team. But no way am I gonna fight people who actually want to kill.¡±

    ¡°Wait you took out the whole team?¡±

    BunBun nods. ¡°Yeah. It all started with a teary-eyed tackle hug. A lot of them were scared so I offered emotional support in return for protection. I never kissed the guys cuz you¡¯re my guy. But I kissed the girls a few times before taking them down. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Using your lips as a weapon. You¡¯re truly a unique assassin.¡± I rub noses with her.

    ¡°We both are, Weechi.¡± She snuggles my cheeks.

    I hand over her whistle. ¡°Blow into it six times. One for each enemy you took out.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­I really did it. I guess I am good enough to be your girlfriend.¡± She holds her cheeks.

    I place my hands on her cheeks. ¡°We¡¯re both awesome and we¡¯re absolutely going to rescue StarBorne! The Assailants aren¡¯t just going to win, we¡¯re going to dominate!¡±

    ¡°They could kill us if we get in the way. Do you really love StarBorne enough to die for her?¡± BunBun looks down with teary eyes.

    ¡°Nah. I just want to impress you. This may be our only chance to go on a date.¡±

    BunBun flares up and hides her piping hot cheeks.

    I pat her cheeks but she doesn¡¯t wake up. Only when I tickle her does she pop back to awareness.

    ¡°We¡¯re really on a date?¡± She leans against me.

    ¡°Yeah. And what¡¯s more romantic and awesome than saving our great leader!¡±

    BunBun chirps and snuggles me. ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡±

    We¡¯re all going to make it out of here alive.

    I was so hopeful back then. So happy, hopeful and utterly blind to the truth.

 Memory 9: His First Date

    We make it to the top of the hill but StarBorne isn¡¯t there. I take a few steps forward and suddenly feel the ground slip beneath my feet.

    A trap. And now BunBun is alone up there.

    A familiar face looks down at me and grins. ¡°Great job ruining our trap,¡± says BladEagle.

    WarWolf tosses me down rope.

    I grab onto it and pull myself up.

    ¡°How many have you two taken out?¡±

    ¡°Only three. Would have been five but we lost them in the mist around back.¡±

    BunBun grabs WarWolf¡¯s hands. ¡°StarBorne is in danger. Two teams are gonna ambush our leader and kill them!¡±

    I pat her back. ¡°It will turn out alright. We¡¯re gonna protect StarBorne.¡±

    WarWolf turns away from me. ¡°You still trying to make up for almost killing him?¡±

    ¡°Sorry for trying to help you.¡± I stick out my tongue.

    BunBun kisses me and sucks on my tongue. She then pulls away. ¡°Sorry. Just uh¡­couldn¡¯t resist.¡±

    I pat her head. ¡°We¡¯re going to need to work together if we¡¯re going to save StarBorne. Have either of you seen Goopy?¡±

    BladEagle looks down. ¡°Goopy is gone.¡± He clenches his teeth. ¡°All my hard work bullying him into a strong killer and the idiot gets himself blown up.¡±

    WarWolf grabs onto me. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to stay with him. Did you let him die so you could go on a date?¡±

    He can¡¯t be dead. I just saw him. I¡¯m going to see him again. They¡¯re wrong. They have to be.

    BunBun wipes her tears. ¡°He was my first real kiss.¡±

    He must have been there for her when I wasn¡¯t. I¡¯m not letting anyone die!

    I grab BunBun¡¯s hands. ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, we¡¯re all a single unit. Losing any of you is the same as death!¡±

    WarWolf smiles. ¡°I missed you.¡±

    BladEagle steps in between us. ¡°Charisma with no plan. You can¡¯t shank your way out of every dilemma.¡±

    ¡°Of course not. But I got the expert who took down a whole team on her own.¡±

    WarWolf growls. ¡°I told you I tried but they escaped.¡±

    BunBun giggles. ¡°He¡¯s talking about me.¡±

    WarWolf stares blankly at her.

    ¡°Regretting your romantic decisions, aren¡¯t you? Sorry, but Weech is my boyfriend forever now! So no taksies backsies!¡±

    We hear a whistle in the distance.

    That¡¯s either Goopy or StarBorne.

    I wave to the Assailants. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving. Every second counts.¡±

    WarWolf shakes her head. ¡°We set up traps all along the South side of the hill and the surrounding area. You have to bring StarBorne here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stand guard.¡± BunBun salutes. ¡°You all need to catch up to my points anyways.¡±

    BladEagle hoists WarWolf into his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving.¡±

    I hurry after them down the hillside, avoiding traps by following in his footsteps.

    We find the whistle but not the person who was holding it.

    WarWolf carefully makes her way down the rocky steps to the whistle. ¡°I don¡¯t care if this is a trap! Come out and face me!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can beat the Shok!¡± The biggest kid I¡¯ve ever seen comes out from behind some rocks and charges at WarWolf.

    BladEagle blocks me from interfering. ¡°This is her fight.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! He¡¯s mine!¡± WarWolf runs on all fours to the big kid.

    Pride should be saved only for after the job is finished. I can¡¯t believe I dated someone so arrogant.

    The boy headbutts her and then sits on her, repeatedly punching her face.

    ¡°He¡¯s dead!¡± yells BladEagle, rushing down the stones.

    WarWolf bites the boy¡¯s arm and tears off flesh.

    The boy screams and cries. BladEagle then whacks the boy¡¯s head with a wooden tonfa, knocking him out cold.

    ¡°I had him!¡± yells WarWolf.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Wasn¡¯t worth the risk.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    I climb down to meet up with them. ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± I see a figure from the corner of my eye.

    StarBorne! And he¡¯s holding Goopy¡¯s body. Oh no.

    StarBorne smiles upon seeing WarWolf. ¡°Out little tactician needs some first aid.¡±

    WarWolf nods and rushes to Goopy¡¯s side, applying some salve to his burns.

    I¡¯m the last one to reach them. I look down at Goopy.

    Nearly half his body is scorched.

    ¡°Can you talk?¡± I ask as BladEagle tells StarBorne she¡¯s being targeted.

    ¡°She¡¯s dead and its all my fault.¡± Goopy mutters to himself.

    ¡°No. We¡¯re all fine. We¡¯re going to make it through this together.¡±

    ¡°BlasToad. The girl we met. I used her as a hostage. Once she was in range, the perfect range, of the enemy¡­I threatened to blow her up.¡± He starts sobbing. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t really do it.¡± He wipes his tears. ¡°There was a BlasToad on the tree nearby. We set it there so it would make the tree fall on them and we could take them out. But one of those morons saw the BlasToad on her back. He didn¡¯t believe me that it would explode and he hit it.¡± Goopy pulls out a black bone from his pocket. ¡°This is her. I saw her flesh burn away.¡±

    ¡°You ran in to try and save her. You¡¯re smarter than that. Your life isn¡¯t worth the points.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t about the damn points! You people are crazy!¡± He thrashes around.

    WarWolf whacks me. ¡°Stop agitating him, Weech. It makes it hard to apply the medicine.¡±

    Goopy covers his teary eyes. ¡°I know I¡¯m a bad kid, but she wasn¡¯t. She was a good girl. Her team bullied her. Her own teammate got her killed.¡±

    ¡°How did you escape them after the blast?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t. They all freaked and ran off. They left her alone.¡± He nuzzles the bone. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving her.¡±

    The thought of BunBun being burned to bones flashes in my mind. Wait, that¡¯s not BunBun¡­it¡¯s WarWolf. But I love BunBun not her.

    BladEagle hits my head.

    ¡°Ow!¡± I hold my forehead.

    He grins. ¡°What? I thought you wanted some help with the self-punishment.¡±

    StarBorne crouches down to Goopy. ¡°They want to kill me. At least two teams are coming for my beautiful head.¡± She holds Goopy¡¯s hands. ¡°You¡¯re the cleverest of us all. What should I do?¡±

    ¡°You could¡­¡± Goopy stops. ¡°No. I won¡¯t get anyone else killed with my stupid ideas.¡±

    WarWolf wraps Goopy¡¯s scorched arms. ¡°She¡¯s waiting for you in Paradise. Don¡¯t you want to meet her as a success, not a failure.¡±

    ¡°What Paradise? There¡¯s nothing after death. Just a meaningless void.¡± Goopy¡¯s eyes go dry with fear.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s not what I believe. My aunt is there and I¡¯m going to join her. But I¡¯ll do so after a long successful life as a master assassin.¡±

    StarBorne opens her eyes. ¡°I have a plan. WarWolf. You need to stay with Goopy. He¡¯s in danger if I¡¯m near him. I¡¯ll whistle my way up the hillside where you put the traps. Whoever is still standing¡­I will deal with.¡± She clenches her fist.

    BladEagle nods. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡±

    I look down at my injured ally. ¡°I¡¯m staying with Goopy.¡±

    WarWolf gets up and kisses BladEagle. ¡°Don¡¯t die or I¡¯ll deface your corpse.¡±

    ¡°Heheh. Noted,¡± he says with a nervous grin before running off.

    After a couple minutes of silence, I lean toward WarWolf. ¡°Need any help with anything?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, actually.¡± She scratches her chin, looks at me and then groans.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I just want to be friends with you again but I don¡¯t know how.¡±

    I embrace her suddenly, making her jump in surprise. ¡°You did just fine.¡±

    She lightens up a bit and finally smiles at me again.

    That smile still makes my heart race.

    WarWolf blushes when she feels my heartbeat and breaks the hug.

    ¡°So, do you forgive me now?¡±

    ¡°Look, I just¡­you¡¯re too unpredictable. Sometimes you can be the most loving person but other times you can be so cold that it makes my bones shiver. I don¡¯t even know which one is the real you.¡±

    ¡°Well sometimes you¡¯re incredibly fearsome and other times you¡¯re like a cuddly puppy.¡±

    WarWolf laps. ¡°For some reason I don¡¯t want to punch you right now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you know I¡¯m right.¡±

    She slugs me and then gets back to healing Goopy.

    I hold my hand to my heart.

    Is StarBorne right? Do I still love her?

    By the time Goopy has recovered enough to move, the moon is in the sky.

    I look up at the light in the sky of darkness. ¡°I was supposed to spend my first night with BunBun.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I hope you aren¡¯t disappointed,¡± says WarWolf, gently lifting the stretches we made from vines and wood.

    I lift the other side. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m sure you pictured it differently too.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I thought it would just be kinda dull, but the moon is so beautiful.¡± She smiles and her hair glistens in the moonlight.

    Climbing up rocks while carrying someone and sporting a boner is not something just any assassin can do.

    When we do make it to the top, we notice an enemy student.

    ¡°He¡¯s the one¡­the one who killed them!¡± The girl points at Goopy while holding out her knife in fear.

    We gently set Goopy down.

    I whisper to WarWolf. ¡°Let me handle this. I¡¯ll be quick.¡±

    I approach the girl and grip the knife with my hand, cutting it. ¡°You must hate him. Want him dead, right? Well then give up right now. No assassin can let emotion control them. Your blade is shaking.¡± I wipe my bloody hand on her face and she screams. ¡°If you were calm, this would have been a clean cut. You have to focus on surviving and winning for your dead allies. Show everyone that just because you¡¯ve suffered some losses that you can still fight.¡±

    ¡°Huh? You mean the test is still going on even after she died? I should have spoken to her. I picked on her like everyone else. Please, BlasToad, haunt me so I can apologize.¡±

    I smack her. ¡°Get real. She¡¯s gone forever. Your worries don¡¯t do anything but make you an easy target. I could have killed you so many times already, but instead I want your help. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°An assassin never reveals their name!¡±

    ¡°Good answer. Look a bunch of people are coming to kill our leader. You can come with us and help us take them out so your team gets points.¡±

    ¡°No. This is some trap.¡±

    I hug her and take in all her worries. ¡°Her death wasn¡¯t planned. My friend is broken up about it too. We made an alliance with your side, with BlasToad. If you want to honor her, then do so by helping her pass. If not, then don¡¯t pretend you ever cared about her just because you¡¯re feeling guilty.¡±

    When the girl finishes crying, she nods. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m CamOctopus. Dumb name, but basically, I¡¯m great at hiding.¡±

    ¡°Well you were standing out in the open like an idiot, so how about you focus and use your talent.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! I will.¡± She nods and follows me up the hill.

    WarWolf groans when she hears me. ¡°That wasn¡¯t quick.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but I got us a new ally at least.¡±

    ¡°Nice work. You two can carry the stretcher. I think I heard movement.¡±

    Goopy mutters with his eyes closed. ¡°Two, six, three, one, one¡­add them together and that¡¯s thirteen. We¡¯ve taken down more than two teams worth of students. There¡¯s forty-six in total competing. And we have seven on our side. That means at maximum, we will be fighting twenty-six students and at the very least twelve.¡±

    Ugh. I hate math more than ever now.

    WarWolf rushes ahead and indicates us to follow. ¡°Yeah but we set booby traps all around the hillside. That¡¯s bound to take down at least a handful of them.¡±

    CamOctopus looks around nervously. ¡°Maybe we should just hide till it¡¯s all over.¡±

    Goopy sighs. ¡°Not an option for you. The kids who don¡¯t pass¡­they¡¯re killed. Don¡¯t ask me how I know that. Either you get the points in battle, die fighting or die a coward. Not a hard decision if you ask me.¡±

    Goopy lies so fluidly. Unless that¡¯s true. But it can¡¯t be. We¡¯re all special. Why would they waste our potential?

    We make it to the top of the hill where the entire team is waiting.

    ¡°Thank you all so much. The enemy is already coming.¡±

    ¡°Great! They¡¯ll all get to see firsthand what the Assailant¡¯s are made of!¡±

 Memory 10: His First Sacrifice

    I get paired up with CamOctopus and we hide in the trees near the bottom of the hill.

    Three enemy students begin the ascent, but one of them steps into a trap.

    The leaves give way beneath them and they fall into a pit.

    While the two other students try to calm their trapped ally, CamOctopus crawls through the grass, blending in perfectly.

    Once she is close enough, she leaps into action, jumping down and slamming a rock against the trapped student. The other two freak out, giving me my opportunity to move in.

    I am blindsided by a sudden elbow to my face and then I get sliced by the other student. They both then kick me into the pit.

    Not good. Everyone is counting on us!

    CamOctopus helps me to me feet. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the stinging feels kind of nice.¡±

    ¡°Get on my back. I¡¯ll climb us out of here.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re strong enough?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I love climbing. I gotta survive this so I can climb the highest mountain in SteamPunk.¡±

    I grab onto her back. ¡°What¡¯s the point of that?¡±

    She begins climbing, stabbing her fingers in the dirt. ¡°I never asked to be an assassin. None of us did. Killing people is scary.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s thrilling.¡±

    ¡°Oh really, how many people have you killed?¡± She makes it to the top.

    I point to a girl caught in a leg trap on the left side of the hill. ¡°She¡¯s all yours.¡±

    CamOctopus nods and we race up to the girl.

    ¡°It hurts so much. I give up! Please don¡¯t hurt me.¡±

    ¡°Why are you all after StarBorne?¡±

    ¡°You mean you weren¡¯t told? If anyone kills him, then our class passes. And if we don¡¯t¡­we die.¡±

    I step on the trap, digging the wooden teeth deeper into her leg. ¡°Didn¡¯t they teach you about loyalty? How is killing a fellow student helping the Assassin¡¯s Guild?¡±

    ¡°We were taught to succeed any mission we are given. The mission comes before everything.¡±

    I look to CamOctopus. ¡°Is this true?¡±

    ¡°Our class wasn¡¯t given this mission. Ugh. None of this makes any sense.¡± She whacks the girl upside the head with a rock.

    After the third heat and lots of screams, the girl passes out.

    I hug CamOctopus. ¡°Why are you crying?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like hurting people,¡± she says, burying her face in my shoulder.

    I pat her head. ¡°Thanks. I don¡¯t feel like a pathetic assassin around you.¡±

    She pushes me off. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°You can climb, camouflage and you¡¯ve got a strong arm, but you lack the heart of a killer so it¡¯s all wasted.¡± I continue the trek up the hill.

    ¡°My parents say that killing people isn¡¯t normal!¡±

    ¡°Who wants to be normal. I want to be a hero. A killer whose deeds are his legacy, whose stories inspire many more kids to be great assassins. I want to be a beacon. You want to climb big hills.¡± I snicker.

    ¡°Mountains aren¡¯t hills. And yeah. I feel free when I¡¯m climbing. It¡¯s the only time I¡¯m not overthinking things.¡±

    We find WarWolf and BladEagle fighting off four other assassins.

    CamOctopus and I slowly approach.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    WarWolf lunges to bite one and gets a knife in her chest.

    My mind goes blank and I¡¯m suddenly rushing to her.

    BladEagle takes a club to the face and then smashes his head against his attacker. He then takes the club and slams it into his other attacker¡¯s weapon.

    I stab WarWolf¡¯s attacker in the back. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    She holds her side in agony. ¡°The knife went in deep but I¡¯ll survive. Your girlfriend and StarBorne are at the top. Go and assist them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get overwhelmed here!¡± I exclaim, noticing a figure coming up the hillside.

    CamOctopus knocks out the attacker. She grabs WarWolf. ¡°I¡¯ll get her to safety.¡±

    BladEagle¡¯s hand is sliced and he drops the club. ¡°Damn it!¡±

    I rush in to stab the last enemy from behind but get kicked off my feet.

    The enemy takes a step back immediately afterward to dodge BladEagle¡¯s sai thrust. ¡°With StarBorne dead, no doubt you would lead your class. You¡¯re a great fighter like me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Nice to finally meet someone who can knows the difference between a spear and a halberd.¡± BladEagle catches the enemy¡¯s sword with his the prongs of his sai.

    I throw my dagger into the enemy¡¯s leg, giving him the opening he needs.

    The sword breaks and BladEagle slams the back of the sai into his enemy¡¯s leg.

    Once he¡¯s on his knees, BladEagle picks up the club and slams it into the downed enemy¡¯s chin.

    The last attacker tumbles down the hill and I rise to my feet.

    ¡°Weech, move it!¡± BladEagle shoves me out of the way.

    Three daggers hit his chest and then burst with electricity.

    Wait. I know that technique.

    I turn around and look up to see SparkuPine, WarWolf¡¯s father. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    I roll on the ground to dodge his incoming knives.

    ¡°I apologize for my daughter¡¯s behavior. She had no right to dump you. Please don¡¯t give up on her.¡± He wraps a wire around my leg and thrashes me about.

    ¡°She was almost killed because you sent these kids to kill StarBorne. It was you! Wasn¡¯t it?¡± I rush toward him, ready to draw my father¡¯s knife.

    ¡°You began this. Gave me hope that the gifted child can die. If only you had better accuracy. I¡¯m here to finish what you started.¡± His hand moves in a flash and stabs me multiple times.

    ¡°My father isn¡¯t a traitor. You are!¡± I whip out the knife and use my father¡¯s technique.

    SparkuPine grips my arm and squeezes until I drop the blade. ¡°He betrayed us all to uphold a system of deception.¡± He twists my arm behind my back.

    BladEagle throws a dagger at his arm. ¡°You¡¯re just bitter because you¡¯re a failure. Once I beat you, everyone is going to realize who the real star of this school is.¡±

    SparkuPine pulls me close and uses me as a hostage as he closes in on BladEagle. ¡°So you¡¯re the boy she¡¯s dating now.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you talk about my girlfriend!¡± BladEagle rushes in.

    SparkuPine tosses me into him and then electrocutes us both. ¡°I can see why she never brought you home. You¡¯re all practice and no talent. A single drop in a rainstorm of mediocrity.¡±

    BladEagle grabs me by my collar. ¡°Hurry and protect StarBorne. This might be my only chance to talk to my girlfriend¡¯s dad.¡±

    I nod and stumble a bit as I run up the hillside.

    I hear BladEagle screaming but I don¡¯t look back.

    When I make it to the top is see StarBorne. She is fighting a swordsman with a rock, slamming it against the blade to deflect each strike.

    ¡°How do you keep predicting my attacks?¡± yells the enraged enemy.

    ¡°I see your violent energy like strands in the air, they tell me everything I need to know.¡± StarBorne cringes when an arrow hits her back.

    ¡°The moment I fall, they will swarm you. You¡¯ll see it coming, but you won¡¯t be able to stop it.¡±

    Goopy, who is leaned up against a rock and is fully bandaged up, opens his eyes. ¡°There were four archers originally based on the frequency of the arrows. Now there¡¯s only two. I wonder why that is.¡±

    BunBun must be taking them out.

    I stagger toward the one attacking StarBorne but my leg gets snagged by some wire and I trip.

    StarBorne pushes back against her foe and then runs off.

    The enemy follows and runs into a pitfall trap. ¡°Why is it so deep?¡±

    StarBorne twirls to dodge two incoming arrows. ¡°These traps were already put in place by assassins of the past. I¡¯m simply making use of the ingenuity of my assassin ancestors.¡±

    When I get up, I see that SparkuPine is coming up the hill at a rapid pace, alongside four other students.

    ¡°Run to the mist forest! They have an actual assassin with them!¡± I yell to StarBorne.

    She comes up to me and grabs my hand. ¡°Only if you come with.¡±

    StarBorne and I race down the hillside. She pulls me close occasionally to dodge incoming arrows from unseen attackers. ¡°How many more remain?¡±

    I try to think but my head gets jumbled with the numbers. ¡°I don¡¯t know but they¡¯re being led by SparkuPine. He uses knives attached to wires that he sends electricity through.¡±

    ¡°Why is WarWolf¡¯s father trying to kill me?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a damn clue!¡±

    Two assassins flank us, throwing down a smoke bomb.

    ¡°That¡¯s poison! We have to go around,¡± says StarBorne.

    We take a turn and get sliced by the sharp thorns in the prickly part of the woods.

    An arrow hits my back leg, but StarBorne pulls me through it.

    She¡¯s not giving up on me. Even though I tried to kill her.

    SparkuPine climbs up the trees while his goons get cut up following our path.

    We hear an explosion and a tree falls down. The path ahead of us is blocked by flames.

    StarBorne¡¯s perfect facial features become distorted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡±

    I go to hug her but my body freezes up.

    A hug can¡¯t save my leader. Nothing can.

    StarBorne¡¯s leg gets tangled in the sharp vines.

    SparkuPine drops down from above and swipes my knife from my hand. ¡°So many years I¡¯ve waited.¡± He lunges at our leader.

    I¡¯m suddenly hugging StarBorne. I feel the knife pierce. My back explodes with pain.

    Why did I do that? I knew what was coming! Why did I save her?

    StarBorne throws a burning branch at SparkuPine and sets his cloak aflame.

    The four other attackers make it through the brambles and surround us.

    Space is distorted before my eyes.

    Am I dying?

    A RiftRipper emerges from the distortion. A single tendril comes out, decorated with blades. The blades vibrate and rotate as they do a wide sweep, toppling the nearby trees onto SparkuPine and the others. One of the students rushes forward only to be have his arm sawed off.

    ¡°Teacher, is that you?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I am now.¡± The RiftRipper pulls StarBorne and me into his cloak and space distorts once more.

 Memory 11: His First Legend

    I open my eyes to see Tempera. ¡°And so the hero awakens.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I ask drowsily.

    ¡°You put your life at risk protecting your friend. And here I thought I was the only angel on campus.¡±

    A dark figure approaches the hospital bed.

    It¡¯s the department head again. I think his name was VirtueVice.

    I look up at him. ¡°Were you the one who saved me?¡±

    ¡°I should have intervened sooner. My apologies.¡± He bows to me.

    ¡°Is StarBorne okay?¡±

    Smiles appear on VirtueVice¡¯s body. ¡°You surrendered your life to protect the same person you tried to kill. You¡¯re truly an enigma.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t plan it. Just sorta happened.¡± I scratch my head, accidentally agitating my wound.

    ¡°You¡¯ve proven yourself worthy. I¡¯ll be giving you special courses to refine your ability.¡±

    ¡°What ability? I just freak out and stab things.¡±

    ¡°Yet you do so without intention. Your attacks are unreadable. We will need to balance the muscle memory with proper accuracy and precision. Not all jobs have a single target. You could be our broad-spectrum assassin.¡±

    I sit up despite the pain and stare at his blank face. ¡°You really believe in me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve given me every reason to. You parents have already been informed that you will be spending the next year with me. As will BunBun.¡±

    ¡°BunBun? Not StarBorne?¡±

    ¡°All will be made clear soon enough. The results of the exam have been postponed it until you made a recovery.¡± VirtueVice casts his shadow over my head, forming it into a black crown. ¡°You are going to be the idols of the school.¡±

    ¡°What about WarWolf? Will I still be able to see her? Did all my classmates make it out okay?¡±

    ¡°There were two casualties caused by your friend Goopy. All other students are either in recovery or back home. With exams over. The students have a week break before the test results are revealed. You¡¯ve been out for ten days.¡±

    ¡°Did you find out who organized the attack on StarBorne?¡±

    ¡°Such information is classified.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t kill him. He¡¯s not a bad person. He¡¯s just confused.¡±

    VirtueVice¡¯s head coils up to me. ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡¯s bad even though he¡¯s a traitor.¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°Things aren¡¯t so simple. He¡¯s just lost and feels helpless.¡±

    ¡°That small sentiment could allow the small embers to burn down Isekai.¡± VirtueVice¡¯s body moves like a flame.

    ¡°If you kill him, then I¡¯ll kill myself too.¡±

    VirtueVice¡¯s head becomes a spear and presses against my chest. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t willingly throw your life away.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about him! His death would create a ripple that would destroy WarWolf¡¯s life!¡±

    ¡°Loss can make an assassin stronger.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t with her. She¡¯ll shut down. She needs support.¡±

    ¡°The punishment has already been decided. Rest for now. Tomorrow you will return to school as a hero!¡±

    Tempera rubs her finger on her tongue, heats it and then places it to my mouth. ¡°Rest little angel.¡±

    I awoke with less pain then before.

    VirtueVice carves open a portal and guides me in.

    I step out onto a stage. All the students of the school are standing at attention.

    A RiftRipper with a bowtie comes to me from behind the podium. He takes my hand and carves into it with his golden blade, creating the Assassin Guild symbol. ¡°Take a bow, Assassin Hero.¡±

    I¡¯m an assassin hero? But I didn¡¯t do anything.

    ¡°That¡¯s the School¡¯s president, DeathDream. You should be honored to have his praise.¡±VirtueVice¡¯s tendril slowly lowers my back.

    My eyes water up. When I raise my head, I see nearly fifty students raising their hands in salute.

    This is¡­real.

    BunBun is at the front, blowing me kisses.

    I catch one and hold it to my cheek.

    Without her I would never have had the strength to get this far.

    DeathDream turns to address the crowd. ¡°Department Head VirtueVice will now proceed to give out the results of the exam.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­I wanna say something.¡±

    The Principal spits out a microphone from cloak and holds it to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m really nothing special. I¡¯m just a kid, like all of you. I got this far because my parents believed in me¡­and so did my dear friend.¡± I look at BunBun and blush. ¡°My class inspired me with their dedication and skill. To be honest, there were many times where I felt out of place amongst them. I¡¯m only here now because of others believing in me. My family gave me heroes to look up to and I hope that I can inspire you to aspire to be a great assassin hero too. Long Live Isekai!¡± I raise my hand with firmness.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Nearly everyone joins in.

    They believe in me. Even if what they think isn¡¯t true, the inspiration I¡¯m giving¡­that¡¯s real.

    VirtueVice approaches the podium. ¡°The final exam results have been tallied. I, along with department heads of three other branches, have examined each and every one of your performances. You¡¯re not assassin¡¯s yet so even if your team did not gain enough points, you may still qualify.¡±

    The students murmur amongst each other.

    ¡°Before I reveal who passed, I want to inform you that the culprit who placed the false mission of killing StarBorne in the test sheets of certain students has been captured.¡±

    I wipe my eyes to see WarWolf.

    Her eyes water up despite her trying to stay strong.

    ¡°The culprits actions led to the death of two students and he alone is to blame. However if another student comes across anything suspicious and does not report it, then they will be excommunicated from the guild.¡± VirtueVice calms the ripples on his form. ¡°Now, for the students who passed. The Assailants scored far beyond any team. They displayed remarkable bravery and teamwork. Weech, BunBun, StarBorne, WarWolf, BladEagle and Goopy¡­you¡¯ve all exceeded expectations and passed the test.¡±

    ¡°I got her killed. I don¡¯t deserve to pass!¡± yells Goopy.

    ¡°An assassin¡¯s first mistake is often fatal. You¡¯re lucky your mistake did not cost you your life. You are only undeserving of the passing grade if you do not use your failure as a springboard. Hold it close and let it temper your blade into one of glory.¡±

    Goopy bows. ¡°Thanks so much for accepting me.¡±

    ¡°I can only do so if you accept yourself. Before we reveal the other class that passed, I want to announce that my own record has been surpassed. She scored nine takedowns for a total of twenty-seven points. Not only is that the highest score this year. It¡¯s the highest score of the decade. BunBun has scored more than any KIT in over a decade, taking out an entire team and a half using her stealth, kindness and pinpoint precision.¡± VirtuVice¡¯s body bends till his head presses against the floor and disperses into a puddle.

    BunBun overheats and faints.

    I hop off the podium and lift her to her feet. I pat her cheeks until she comes back into awareness. ¡°Are we really the stars of the school?¡± she asks, leaning on me.

    The students mutter amongst each other.

    WarWolf starts clapping and soon the entire school is cheering her on.

    BunBun buries her face under my hands. ¡°I¡­I couldn¡¯t have done it without StarBorne¡­and my teacher, KillStreak!¡±

    VirtueVice beckons KillStreak to the stage.

    Teacher fumbles up to the podium. Turning into a ball and then reforming behind BunBun. He pats her. ¡°I¡¯ve never been prouder to be a teacher. There is no class I cherish more than the one I have now. We are family. I look forward to nurturing them for the next five years.¡±

    VirtueVice nods to Teacher. ¡°You¡¯ve done a praiseworthy job. Now, I¡¯d like to announce the second-place class. Stampede, a single member of your team moved beyond grief and put her life on the line to protect a fellow student. CamOctopus, BlasToad, ToxiCroak, WhipWasp, BongoBear and SnakeSword¡­you¡¯ve all passed. CamOctopus has a speech prepared for everyone.¡±

    She nods, wipes her tears and steps up. ¡°BlasToad died never knowing friendship and BongoBear died never helping anyone but himself. I could have spoken to her, befriended her, but I didn¡¯t want to get outcasted. I was a coward. We¡¯re all assassins, whether we like it or not, we¡¯re going to have blood on our hands someday. Let us remember those we lost. I ask that each of you make an effort to be kinder to your fellow KITs. Share a dream or a moment together. What happened to them could have happened to any one of us. We need to let go of grudges and jealousy and support each other. Darkness awaits us all, but while we live we can pass on our light to everyone. Goopy.¡±

    He looks up, wiping the tears from his eyes.

    ¡°Come up here.¡±

    He nods and walks up the steps.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault they died.¡± CamOctopus embraces him. She looks out to the students. ¡°No matter what class we belong to, we are all assassins, we are family!¡±

    Sobs could be heard around the room.

    To think she was so frightened before. CamOctopus has truly come so far and I¡­I helped her. That may never be in the stories they tell about me, but it¡¯s special. It wasn¡¯t a mistake or an automatic response. I chose to help her. My words inspired her and now she¡¯s inspiring others.

    The standout student of each class was told they had passed, along with a few others that made an impression. The new class rosters were revealed. The original six classes had been brought down to three. And StarBorne wasn¡¯t in any of them. Instead CamOctopus was moved to our class. The top students from the classes that didn¡¯t pass were moved into another class and the rest were moved into Stampede. The other students were informed that they would be put back into the beginner¡¯s course and be given a chance to pass next year. Those involved in the attack against StarBorne were then brought to the stage.

    VirtueVice circles around them as he talks. ¡°A skilled assassin is worthless without loyalty. Whether you were deceived or not, the fact remains that you tried to kill your fellow student. CatBoys make sacrifices for power. They are the enemy.¡±

    Wait so BladEagle wasn¡¯t making that up?

    VirtueVice opens his cloak and spits out a naked man.

    I¡¯ve never seen SparkuPine look so terrified and pathetic.

    I notice WarWolf clenches BladEagle¡¯s hand roughly and bites her lip.

    I go to hug her but she stops me.

    ¡°He¡¯s a traitor¡­he deserves this.¡± She says with deep sorrow in her eyes.

    VirtueVice turns his gaze to WarWolf. ¡°Indeed he is. Come to the stage.¡±

    WarWolf nearly topples over as she climbs up.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes are on her.

    ¡°This man not only conspired against Isekai. He tried to murder your leader and he spread a lie to make innocent¡¯s follow his mad quest.¡± VirtueVice sets a knife into her hands. ¡°Show every student in our department that you are not your father.¡±

    WarWolf¡¯s hands tremble. ¡°I¡¯m¡­not¡­¡±

    ¡°Hush. Hush. No need for words. An assassin speaks through their blade.¡±

    WarWolf presses the knife to his chest.

    SparkuPine looks at her. ¡°What will you do when you have your dream and nothing else?¡±

    ¡°The words of a traitor are weightless. They are dust. Gone and forgotten.¡± She cuts deep into her father¡¯s emblem, defacing it with a second mark.

    ¡°Do you all know what your next final exam is? You¡¯ll have to mmmmrph!¡± SparkuPine¡¯s mouth is covered by WarWolf.

    ¡°Silence, traitor.¡±

    ¡°Well done.¡± VirtueVice puts a gag in SparkuPine¡¯s mouth. He then pulls a whip out from the void in his chest and hands it to one of the students who tried to kill StarBorne. ¡°His life is in your hands. Whip until you are satisfied. Release your anger so you may be centered once more.¡±

    WarWolf cringed at each strike. Her father¡¯s muffled screams rattled her body.

    When the last student had finished lashing the traitor. WarWolf spit on her father and made her way back to us.

    BladEagle offers her a hand and she whacks it aside.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say¡­anything.¡±

    VirtueVice ends the ceremony and students disperse. A heavy sense of dread weighs up on the room. He stops our class when we head to the exit.

    BunBun raises her hand. ¡°Where is StarBorne?¡±

    ¡°Being kept safe. You all need to be more vigilant than ever. Your lunch breaks and after school activities won¡¯t simply be amongst the six of you, but rather the whole department. You¡¯re stars now, idols to your fellow KITs. With that rank comes higher expectations. You¡¯re all targets now and the true ringleader, the one who brought SparkuPine to the arena has yet to be uncovered.¡±

    ¡°It must have been a RiftRipper.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, but this is a truth that only you six are worthy to bear. Disclosing it to anyone else means treason.¡±

    I gulp. ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°Go with your teacher, he will guide you home safely. And be wary of everyone.¡± VirtueVice grows eyes of malice that swirl and distort. ¡°There are many who will try to end the destiny of living legends. Don¡¯t let them succeed.¡±

    Everyone? Even my own parents? No. That¡¯s impossible. I know my father is loyal to the guild. But what do I really know about mom?

    I shake away my worries.

    An assassin uses trust as guise, but there¡¯s no mistaking the love they have for me. I¡¯m going to give them a big hug and thank them for every second of joy they¡¯ve carved into my life.

 Memory 12: His First Truth

    The next day in class was a big information dump. I remember only the most important bits. There are five years before our next final examination which will involve students from all the four divisions which is a total of¡­I¡¯m not sure. Also, everything from here on out would be a test of some sort. I didn¡¯t know what that meant until I sat down in the lunch room that day.

    Each class chose a student to cook so WarWolf and some lesser cooks made us this incredible Bambloom soup. You could feel the love in every spoonful, but back to the point. There were these two girls were flattering BunBun, trying to befriend her for some edge in the competition. I had a number of admirers myself, but if they got too close a simple pierce of my fork gave them the message. The peculiar thing is that one of the girls starts vomiting out of nowhere. Turns out some of the meals are given trace amounts of poison after being cooked and it¡¯s our job to detect which ones have them. The poison wasn¡¯t fatal, but we were told the next day that it would become more potent as the months passed by.

    Of course BunBun and I had extracurricular training after class. I barely had time to catch my parents up on my legendary status before VirtueVice showed up and took me away. The place was long but narrow, almost like a train. It would even bend, twist and rumble. I¡¯ve read many books about different locations but the DeadWomb, as he called it, was unlike any of them.

    BunBun and I really looked out for each other when we trained with the Department Head in the DeadWomb. She¡¯d always tickle me whenever I lacked motivation and I¡¯d give her comforting hugs when she cried. We weren¡¯t just taught advance techniques, but we were given new truths as well. Despite being taught that we¡¯re the arms of Isekai, VirtueVice explained that we are also the heart. A hero¡¯s unique powers aren¡¯t the result of them or of the angel¡¯s who accompany them. I don¡¯t remember the rest of the details but somehow RiftRippers are the actual source. Whenever we were injured, Tempera would heal us. We got hurt a lot, especially when we did the daily throwing knife dodging challenge.

    On the fifth day of the new year, VirtueVice gave us some pillows to sit on and he shared a chapter of his story with us. He must have noticed my disinterest in both the practical and analytical training because he promised that I¡¯d only be given the next chapter if he deemed my efforts worthy at the end of each week. He knew me so well and he even allowed BunBun and I to snuggle between lessons. He was someone who upheld the virtues of the school, all the while allowing a few vices to keep us motivated.

    At the end of the week we were taken outside the stuffy classroom. BunBun and I rolled on the grass together until we were called to action. We were paired up with a random student from another class and then had ten minutes to extract information from one another. The students who failed didn¡¯t get to eat lunch that day.

    Thankfully BunBun and I both got paired with some fans who talked all about themselves out of pure excitement. WarWolf wrestled her opponent to give up information. BladEagle played a stabbing hand game to gamble personal data. CamOctopus stayed silent and simply observed her partner to secure the win. Only Goopy failed, but even that was a forfeit to get something in return. What that something is I may never know. All the winners had a picnic together. I remember one of the smallest KITs walking up to me after we ate and telling me ¡°I thought you were some perfect hero, but you¡¯re kind of an airhead and a bit of a dork. You¡¯re just another KIT. So maybe I can be like you too.¡± Inspiring others was my dream. For some reason that was the day I really realized that my dream had been obtained.

    The following week was uneventful until BunBun finally convinced her parents to let me come over. Of course we both also convinced VirtueVice to give us a day off. Too bad that day was the fifth of the week.

    BunBun¡¯s room has even more stuffed animals than mine and there were clothes all over the place. Everything was coated in her sweet scent. I got a bit dizzy just being in the room.

    BunBun grabs my hand and pulls me to the living room. ¡°Come on, I want to introduce you!¡±

    A dangerously attractive woman with bird-feather¡¯s in her hair stops knitting and looks at me. She covers her eyes. ¡°You told me he was handsome, but never this pretty!¡±

    Pretty?

    I¡¯m suddenly lifted off the ground into a big hug by the woman.

    ¡°I¡¯m Weech. It¡¯s very nice to meet you, BunBun¡¯s momma.¡±

    ¡°So polite too. I see why you chose him. The sweet ones are always the best. I¡¯m Cuckatrice.¡± She kisses my cheeks repeatedly.

    BunBun climbs onto the sofa and kisses my other cheek.

    I see where she gets her personality from.

    When she sets me down, she drops a basket of flowers to the floor and looks through them.

    ¡°BunBun, is your dad home?¡±

    She shakes her head solemnly.

    Cuckatrice picks up her daughter and holds her close. ¡°He died to give me this little doll. The day we made hot love in that warzone was the day his life came to end. I¡¯d rather not say more than that.¡±

    I bow repeatedly. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I never knew.¡±

    BunBun wipes her eyes. ¡°I should have told you before. I just don¡¯t like sharing the sad stuff.¡±

    Cuckatrice tickles BunBun¡¯s feet. ¡°That¡¯s right. Sadness isn¡¯t cute. And you¡¯re the cutest little doll, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    I join in and tickle BunBun alongside her mother. ¡°Mrs. Cuckatrice, did you hear? BunBun scored the highest in the exam.¡±

    ¡°And to think I get to dress up this little killer every day.¡± She pokes BunBun¡¯s belly and then she pokes my belly. ¡°I hear you¡¯re quite the hero yourself. Would you have stepped in the way of death¡¯s maw if my doll was in peril as well?¡±

    I nod. ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trusting you to look after her. She¡¯s a fragile thing.¡± Her mother pats my head.¡±

    BunBun pats her cheeks and then pops up. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go shower.¡±

    ¡°Good thinking.¡± Cuckatrice pinches her daughter¡¯s tummy. ¡°The only good sticky bun is the one in my tum tum.¡±

    BunBun giggles and then leaves.

    ¡°Mrs. Cuckatrice. You¡¯re an assassin, right? Is there any wisdom you can pass down to me?¡±

    ¡°Not for free.¡± Cuckatrice grins and picks up a flower from the floor. ¡°It¡¯s a ClearLily. Invisible to the eye if it is clean.¡± She blows the orange dust off it and places it in my hair. ¡°You and her are around the same size.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the gift and thanks for making BunBun.¡±

    ¡°Assassins often trade in secrets, but honestly that just means they trade in lies. Not many remember her, but the second principal of this school - oh my, it must have been several hundred years ago - she only used one weapon.¡± Cuckatrice takes out a needle. ¡°As long as the needle can pierce the skin, even the strongest warrior can be weakened.¡±

    ¡°Is that what she believed?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what she proved. She didn¡¯t have the best scores either. In fact, she barely passed. One thing she mastered was pity. Those who took pity on her brought her close. And once she was close enough.¡± Cuckatrice stabs the pink dress she is knitting with the needle. ¡°The principal was dead.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°And she got away with it?¡±

    ¡°Back then nobody really knew who the principal was. It was a time before RiftRippers too. So much simpler. When it was discovered who she was and what she had done, the entire school tore her to pieces. Discovery means death. It¡¯s what I¡¯ve taught my daughter and I hope you will think about it too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an incredible story.¡±

    ¡°Shush. Not another word. It¡¯s your turn to repay me. Take off your clothes.¡±

    What? Did I just fall into some sort of trap? VirtueVice told me to be wary. Either her mother is trying to romance me or she¡¯s trying to kill me. Both are unsettling.

    I reach for my knife but my hand freezes up.

    BunBun comes out from the shower in just a towel.

    Wow. What was I thinking about again?

    ¡°Are you sure you cleaned yourself thoroughly enough?¡± asks Cuckatrice.

    ¡°Yep! As clean as a BunBun¡¯s conscience.¡±

    Her legs are so soft and cute. Wait¡­there are scars on her thighs. But teacher wouldn¡¯t do that. And she never mentioned any wounds from the test.

    I look back at the mother and see her smile in a new light.

    I think I just discovered something. And if discovery means death, I must plan my next move very carefully.

    I smile at BunBun. ¡°Can you take me to the kitchen? I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing!¡± BunBun grabs my hand and we rush to the kitchen.

    VirtueVice is sitting, pouring all his focus into slicing bread.

    ¡°Why are you in my kitchen?¡± asks BunBun with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°I¡¯ve taken you two under my care. I was simply making sure you are safe.¡±

    ¡°And the bread thing?¡±

    ¡°Memories. Oh, but not mine.¡± He waves his bladed tendril, nearly cutting me. ¡°Apologies.¡±

    BunBun¡¯s mother nearly faints when she sees the Department Head and then cleans the kitchen in a hurry. After dinner she thanks him for letting us visit and then we follow him back to the secret training center. I had trouble sleeping that night. Wasn¡¯t sure if I should ask BunBun about the scars, confront the mother or try to avoid the mother entirely.

    The day when a KIT learns their parent is an assassin is known as First Truth. When BunBun¡¯s First Truth came, well, I had to follow her home to celebrate. Danger or not I wasn¡¯t going to fail as her boyfriend.

    The mother won¡¯t make a move as long as I am near BunBun. Without the option to kill though, it¡¯s a matter of surviving the night.

    I refused the Plumpkin pie offered to me by Cuckatrice and always kept a respectful distance from her though out the celebration. I must have been rather obvious because BunBun knew something was wrong.

    ¡°You¡¯re bothered by something. Let me rub those worries away.¡± She puts her hand on my cheeks and rubs them.

    ¡°Here¡¯s my truth.¡±

    She holds the letter to her heart and then reads it.

    Now she¡¯ll know that I never meant to save StarBorne.

    BunBun looks up and pats me.

    Space distorts before my eyes and teacher, with a party hat and streamers, forms from the distortion.

    BunBun¡¯s eyes shimmer. ¡°You knew it was my birthday?¡±

    Teacher spits out a note. ¡°No day is etched deeper into my memory.¡± He removes his hood and shows the glowing date on his head before making it vanish.

    BunBun reads the note and cries. She leaps into him and is greeted by his multi-appendaged embrace. They then sob together.

    Teacher pets her lovingly. ¡°Wherever you want to go, just let me know.¡±

    ¡°A secret date on Truth Day. So scandalous,¡± says the mother, slicing vegetables with absolute accuracy while looking at him.

    ¡°I assure you maam it¡¯s nothing vulgar. Why it¡¯s as platonic as a father treating his daughter to a night of theatre!¡± Teacher¡¯s blank face grows a drama mask. ¡°And the boy will come along too, of course.¡±

    The mother grabs a lovely pink bonnet and puts it on her daughter. ¡°There. Now my doll is ready for her big night. My apologies about the boy though. He¡¯s staying with me.¡±

    ¡°You mean I get to be with teacher, alone.¡± Her cheeks flare up and she starts snuggling his tentacles.

    I should be upset that Teacher stole my flair and is getting a date with my girlfriend but I can¡¯t be¡­BunBun looks so happy. I don¡¯t care if it makes me a bad partner, I¡¯d rather her be with the one she loves most tonight.

    ¡°You two have fun. I promised I¡¯d help Miss Cuckatrice with something anyway.¡±

    BunBun waves me kisses. ¡°Aww, you¡¯re the best Weech.¡± She then leaves with him through a portal.

    The mother stops cutting vegetables immediately. She moans and licks her lips. ¡°It was torture waiting for them to leave wasn¡¯t it? Naughty toy, I can¡¯t get you out of my mind even on my doll¡¯s Truth Day.¡±

    I put my hand to my knife and step back with each step forward she takes toward me.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going to put up a fight I see.¡±

    ¡°Nope. I¡¯ve already won.¡± I pull out a BlasToad from my pack.

    ¡°That seems a bit extreme.¡± She tosses a needle, knocking out the creature instantly.

    Not good.

    Cuckatrice throws the kitchen table cloth into the air.

    I see where she is and stab it with my knife.

    A hand comes out from the left-side and pierces my neck.

    She pulls the cloth down and I see that I only cut into her hand.

    ¡°That was thrilling. Now, give in to the toxins. Enjoy your weakness.¡± She pokes my neck in various places.

    My legs don¡¯t collapse but it takes all my strength just to stand.

    ¡°If an angel uses the power of emotion, a hero uses the power of the elements, then an assassin uses the power of nature. With a single peck, a Cuckatrice can defeat even the mightiest of predators.¡± She removes my clothes as she speaks.

    My body feels so weak, but my awareness has been heightened. I can feel the brush of my clothes against my skin with such detail.

    ¡°How did you fail? Or were you a traitor?¡± My eyes stare into her, making her freeze.

    My only option now is to scare her off with my intensity.

    ¡°Neither. I simply wanted a daughter so I quit. I accepted the risk and the sacrifice. And just like me she¡¯s a girl who desires what she can¡¯t have.¡± She unfastens my pants, leaving me in my underwear.

    Why strip me just to kill me?

    ¡°And you punish her for that? For wanting what you want? Is that why she has those scars?¡±

    Pain explodes through my arm as her needle pierces me.

    My eyes explode with tears.

    Breathing through this agony is unbearable.

    ¡°Never mention those ugly scars ever again.¡± She removes my underwear and smiles. ¡°Such a cute body. I always wanted a cute son, but it just wasn¡¯t in the cards. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± She walks out of the kitchen, leaving the needle in my arm.

    Gotta focus on breathing or I will die. In and out. In. Breathe in! It¡¯s not working. I can¡¯t die here. If I do then, my dream will¡­die with me.

    Things start to go hazy.

    I want to see her one last time. That smile. No. Not her. Why does WarWolf keep showing up. BunBun is the one I love.

    ¡°BunBun is the one I love!¡± I yell out.

    My eyesight comes back into focus and I find myself in the mother¡¯s bedroom.

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to steal you from her. But I can¡¯t resist such a golden opportunity either.¡± She puts a blindfold over my eyes.

    I can¡¯t feel anything now. She could be cutting me open and I wouldn¡¯t even know.

    She takes off the blindfolds.

    I¡¯m in front a massive mirror and I¡¯m wearing a frilly pink dress. I even have a matching bonnet like BunBun.

    I look adorable. I was so cautious that I failed to see the option that she just wanted to dress me up.

    ¡°You look even more precious than my doll.¡± Cuckatrice takes my hands and dances with me as I drowsily follow along.

    I¡¯m unable to speak as I¡¯m put in so many different dresses, all of which smell like BunBun.

    The door suddenly opens and BunBun looks at me nervously. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I knew she¡¯d do this, but I¡­I wanted someone to understand me.¡±

    No idea what she¡¯s talking about but girls underwear is so much softer than boys.

    Cuckatrice hands her a letter.

    BunBun reads it and tries to keep a stoic face. ¡°May I have my boyfriend back?¡±

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s your special day, after all.¡±

    BunBun takes me to her room and hands me my clothes. ¡°I won¡¯t look. You can put them on.¡±

    ¡°Who cares about that. I know it¡¯s your First Truth, but I have to know the truth about something.¡±

    BunBun gulps. ¡°We didn¡¯t kiss. Teacher and I just went to his home. We shared stories and snuggled a bit, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Why are there scars on your thighs? Does your mother punish you for being a girl?¡±

    ¡°Mother loves me. It¡¯s¡­I¡¯m just weak.¡±

    ¡°Is that what she told you?¡±

    ¡°Stop. You don¡¯t understand.¡±

    I grab her hands. ¡°I want to understand.¡±

    ¡°I barely made it through the year. You weren¡¯t my first kiss. Goopy was. But that was before we got together. It¡¯s not easy for me.¡±

    I hug her as she tries to push me away. ¡°Just calm down and tell me.¡±

    ¡°I do this to myself. I just feel sad sometimes. I don¡¯t even know why. Mom makes medicine but my body because more and more resistant. It won¡¯t be long before the darkness takes me.¡± She cries on my shoulder. ¡°This might be my last First Truth.¡±

    ¡°You hurt yourself because you¡¯re sad?¡±

    She nods.

    ¡°Am I not enough?¡±

    BunBun leans in and kisses my lips. ¡°You¡¯re plenty. It¡¯s nothing that makes sense. It¡¯s just me. They say BunBuns cry because their mothers never wanted them.¡±

    ¡°But all mothers love their children.¡±

    ¡°My mom loves me and she hates that I hurt myself. Weech if I get taken in by the darkness, will you promise me you¡¯ll still go on?¡±

    I firmly shake my head. ¡°The moment you go, I go. That¡¯s my promise to you.¡±

    BunBun slams her tiny fists against me. ¡°That¡¯s no fair.¡±

    ¡°If you have a problem with it, then do everything you can to not hurt yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve tried but it¡¯s hard.¡±

    ¡°You just need a goal.¡± I pick up a pencil from her desk. ¡°We¡¯re hero¡¯s right? Inspirations to KITs everywhere. Let¡¯s write a book together. You can¡¯t die before it finishes because then I wouldn¡¯t just kill myself but I¡¯d be heartbroken too.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to write stories.¡±

    I grab her hand. ¡°Then I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    ¡°Weech¡­if I ever feel like that, can I ummm give you a signal and you hug me? I don¡¯t think I can ever hurt myself if you¡¯re holding me.¡±

    ¡°Anytime. Anywhere.¡± I hold her hands and smile.

    That night I didn¡¯t dream of WarWolf. I dreamt of me and BunBun raising our own KITs and growing old together.

 Memory 13: His Final Tests

    Each day I was growing stronger.

    About a month into the new year our weekend challenge was bomb training. One team made the bomb and the other had to disarm it. BladEagle was making sure every step he made to disarm it was correct but Goopy¡¯s crying was agitating him. He suddenly started punching Goopy¡¯s face. Before I knew it, I had stepped in and slammed BladEagle to the floor. My muscle memory had truly evolved. Thankfully CamOctopus stepped in and disarmed the bomb.

    The month¡¯s end came with a surprise and a secret. VirtueVice had convinced the president that StarBorne would be safe with him. BunBun and I were so happy to see our leader. We tackle hugged him to the ground before we all trained together. BunBun had difficulty keeping his whereabouts a secret from the rest of the class, but I always managed to cover for her.

    The weeks continued to go by with new challenges every weekend and we nearly always pulled through in the end. I ended up taking StarBorne¡¯s place as our leader, with everything he taught me after class, leadership became second nature to me. BladEagle didn¡¯t like this of course and challenged me for the position. He still had more skill than me with a knife, but I had mastered distraction and disarmament.

    His knife spins in his hand before striking like a falcon with incredible speed.

    I dodge his strikes without thought.

    The daily knife dodging has really paid off.

    I throw a bit of sand in his eyes and then position myself behind him with the Fluffy Slide technique BunBun taught me. A well-placed hand chop to the back of his neck makes him lose hold of his weapon. My dagger then comes out from my sleeve and moves in a flash.

    His shirt and pants are sliced off, leaving him only in his underwear.

    To think I could defeat the weapon master of our class so easily. And since the duel was on the weekend, all the KITs in our division witnessed his humiliating defeat.

    The feeling of victory was like being bathed in light.

    ¡°How does a lazy good for nothing like you defeat someone like me? I never rest. I¡¯m always training. How the hell are you so talented?¡±

    ¡°Focus.¡± I take a bow and walk off.

    He grabs his knife and rushes at me from behind.

    My leg swipes him off his feet. ¡°You¡¯ll never surpass me.¡± I smile at him.

    WarWolf helps him to his feet and leaves with him.

    Goopy looks up and smiles at me. ¡°Thanks, Weech.¡±

    The year came and went. We had a practical exam of tag, but it was more of an endurance test than anything and nobody failed. BladEagle barely talked to me after that. Same with WarWolf. But Goopy and I talked a lot more. He even read the story BunBun and I wrote. CamOctopus and him were good friends too and she helped him have more confidence.

    VirtueVice was very impressed with my victory and challenged me to a fight. I lost in a split second when his blades covered me like a cage. He told me that one day I would surpass him.

    At the end of the next year, we made it to the chapter of his story where he took his first final exam. He used lies and trickery to gain the upper hand, making alliances with several teams. When the teams went in combat with one another, he activated the trap he set and then began taking them out. What he hadn¡¯t counted on was a member of his own team taking him out. Apparently their vendetta against him for exposing a secret relationship was enough to have them sabotage their own teammate. It made me wonder if BladEagle would do the same to me.

    The final was more intensive and highly focused on teamwork. It was all pointless though since there was no way to fail. BunBun and I decided to run off on a date. The others pulled through alright, captured the enemy¡¯s flag and brought it back to base. VirtueVice was very disappointed in me and refused to continue training me or tell me any more stories until my grades improved.

    StarBorne tutored me instead and with his help, and BunBun¡¯s empowering snuggles, I managed to improve my grades in class dramatically. WarWolf was really upset when the Midterm came and I had a higher grade then her. She¡¯d growl a bit every time she saw me for the next couple of days.

    The final exam for year four was a bizarre one. We had only one hour to scour the entire campus for a hero. The school was filled with civilians that day and we weren¡¯t given any clues as to what exact individual we were looking for. We could only return with one, which meant a lot of bickering between the Assailants. Of course we had to capture the hero without bringing attention to ourselves, which made things even more annoying.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    We were all huddled together behind CamOctopus¡¯ camouflage sheet.

    ¡°Go for the one with the spiky hair,¡± says BladEagle.

    WarWolf shrugs. ¡°He looks kinda dumb. Maybe the quiet girl in the corner over there. Geez, why are there only two girls out of like thirty people?¡±

    ¡°A cute hero will be underestimated,¡± says BunBun, bouncing against me.

    CamOctopus points to the one with the big muscles. ¡°Can¡¯t go wrong with strength.¡±

    I sigh. ¡°So none of us agree.¡±

    What would StarBorne do in this situation.

    I turn to Goopy. ¡°Let¡¯s follow your plan.¡±

    BladEagle grimaces. ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything. And you¡¯re not our leader.¡±

    WarWolf looks to Goopy. ¡°You do have a plan, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Goopy nods. ¡°Courage is very important. A novice can outmaneuver an expert if he psyches him out. We should¡­do the opposite of our mission. We should create a disturbance and see how they react.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s our tactician.¡± I smile and ruffle his hair.

    He always blushes when I do that. It¡¯s nice to see my friend smile.

    We follow Goopy¡¯s plan and move into position.

    BladEagle tosses a rock at the BlasToad that CamOctopus had placed on the ceiling of the main hall.

    The girder comes crashing down which puts the teenagers in a panic.

    BunBun, wearing a camouflage cloak, sneaks up behind some of the cowardly students and knocks them out with her needles.

    This increases the panic and causes a stampede toward the exit.

    The students who get trampled are picked up by BladEagle and brought to WarWolf who gives them medical attention. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor! Bring the injured to me.¡±

    Five of the teenagers actually listen to her.

    Finally it¡¯s my moment.

    I rush out from behind cover and fake stab WarWolf in the back. ¡°Leave now if you don¡¯t want to die.¡± I hold out my dagger to the remaining teenagers.

    All of them flee but one.

    ¡°You killed the people of my village. And if I leave, then the injured will die. I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m not a real hero. I¡¯m going to fight you.¡± He stares at me defiantly before falling over.

    BunBun removes her camouflage cloak. ¡°Looks like we have a winner!¡±

    I give BunBun a nod. ¡°Perfect, now rush out with him and meet us at the rendezvous point.¡±

    BunBun salutes and then acts terrified as she flees the building.

    BladEagle glares at me.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask.

    ¡°You were right to listen to Goopy¡¯s plan. Don¡¯t think that means I accept you as the leader.¡±

    I seize him in a big hug. ¡°Awww. You¡¯re really adorable when you¡¯re shy.¡±

    WarWolf giggles and my heart is set at ease. She then growls to hide her laugh. ¡°We should get moving.¡±

    Being the stars of the school, we were of course followed by some others who felt their best chance at winning was stealing our target. Thankfully, WarWolf and BladEagle were apt to keep them off our trail. When they were getting overwhelmed, BunBun left the hero with me and snuck up behind the enemy students to take them down. We all met up at the finish line, but that wasn¡¯t even the end of the test.

    The heroes we chose had to fight each other the following week. So those next seven days were spent training our hero. It was really frustrating dealing with someone who knew nothing about fighting, but at least our hero had good muscles. When the day of the test came, we told our hero to go for the dagger. He won the first two rounds by getting injured to close the distance on his enemy. When the final round came, things were tense. We all had grown attached to him and really wanted to win. Our hero was up against a quiet, cute spiky haired boy with muscles.

    They combined all our suggestions into one. I didn¡¯t even notice anyone was listening in on us.

    The injuries our hero sustained were too much. He was overpowered and beaten down in a matter of seconds. Courage wasn¡¯t enough. Our hero had the heart but lacked the skill. Hopefully if I ever get tasked with protecting a hero, I¡¯ll get someone who isn¡¯t all courage and no talent.

    When the fifth year was near its end, we were informed of what our true final exam would be. The last day of class we had to write down what we would aspire to be if we weren¡¯t assassins. For WarWolf it was ¡®chef¡¯, BladEagle put ¡®scholar¡¯, CamOctopus wanted to be an ¡®explorer¡¯, Goopy a ¡®general¡¯, BunBun an ¡®actress¡¯ and I left my paper blank. There was nothing I¡¯d rather be. We were then instructed to cast our dreams of another into a raging fire. CamOctopus was brought to tears, along with Goopy, but the others watched their dreams turn to ash with a composed demeanor.

    Teacher informed us that if we pass the final that we would officially be assassins and the remaining six years of schooling would be paired with actual missions. This got us all really excited. But the excitement left when teacher informed us that this may be the last time we see him. I had grown more attached to VirtueVice of course, but that doesn¡¯t mean a part of me wasn¡¯t going to miss teacher. Though I certainly wouldn¡¯t miss him cutting me all the time when I was sleeping in class.

    Before class ended, we all got together for a group photo. StarBorne joined in too, under the protective watch of VirtueVice. Everyone was so happy to see him again. It was CamOctopus¡¯ idea and it turns out she was an artist so she had us all pose while she painted us. Teacher stood behind us, arching his body to both be close to BunBun and have his head appear at the center. BunBun was snuggling teacher¡¯s tentacle, WarWolf was showing off her claws, StarBorne was flaunting both his feminine and her masculine physique, I pointed my father¡¯s knife, BladEagle posed arrogantly and Goopy was just crying with his hands over his eyes. It was strange to think I might not see some of them again.

    When the picture was done, Teacher brought us all together and gave us an envelope. We were then all instructed to drink a cup of blackish red liquid. Teacher had to force Goopy to down his which made the rest of us very nervous. The last thing he said was ¡®failure means death¡¯ before sending us home.

    Did we drink poison? That means only those who pass get the antidote. I¡¯m not afraid. I¡¯ve come so far.

    I arrive at my room to see VirtueVice.

    He towers over me. ¡°Your true test begins now. I cannot interfere. Stay strong, Weech. Remember everything you¡¯ve learned. When next I see you, you shall become a true assassin.¡± The Department Head carves a portal and enters.

    I sit on my bed and open the envelope to read the instructions for my final exam.

    ¡°This week, at any time, assassins will come after you. You must kill them and bring their heads to your instructor. This mission is not to be discussed with anyone. Failure to comply means death. Burn this paper when you finish reading. Long live Isekai.¡± I read it out loud and then jumped for joy.

    An assassin who doesn¡¯t end lives is like an angel that doesn¡¯t save them. In one week, I¡¯ll be a real assassin. Whoever got tasked with taking me out is really going to regret it.

 Memory 14: Our First Kill

    My parents wanted to congratulate me on making it to my final exam. To celebrate we all cooked together. There was a bit of tension at first. After all, the celebration should normally come after the exam, not before. They must know there¡¯s a chance I won¡¯t pass the test.

    I wonder if the exam is the same for everyone or if its individualized. I can¡¯t ask them about it, though. Or else I¡¯d fail.

    The pasta salad was complete and mom had me sit in her lap.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t our PeachBerry too big for that?¡± Father smiles as he chuckles.

    Mother kisses my cheek. ¡°He¡¯ll always be our little boy.¡±

    ¡°Mom, Dad. I want you to be careful, okay? I can¡¯t say anything more than that.¡±

    Father pinches my cheeks. ¡°Thinking of us even now.¡±

    Mother feeds me a forkful of the yummy veggie pasta. ¡°Thanks for making time to visit us on every weekend. We know you¡¯d much rather be training.¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°That¡¯s not true. I explained it to VirtueVice. Being around you two renews me. You give me direction and courage.¡± I turn around and hug Mother. ¡°Thanks so much for everything. I¡¯m going to continue to make you proud.¡±

    Mother kisses my forehead. ¡°I¡¯ve never been more proud of anyone.¡±

    Father ruffles my hair. ¡°You¡¯re getting to that age. Don¡¯t get your little bunny pregnant. Doing so could get you excommunicated.¡± He lowers his head. ¡°Or worse.¡±

    I smile to relieve him of his worry. ¡°I¡¯m not ready for that anyway. You two had me after you dropped out of school, right?¡±

    Mother nuzzles me. ¡°That¡¯s right. To think was over thirty years ago.¡±

    ¡°Why did you wait so long to have kids?¡± I ask.

    Father looks to mother solemnly.

    Mother hugs me tightly. ¡°How about I get us some dessert?¡± She sets a plate of agave coated ChocoBerries on the table between us.

    Father pauses and then looks at me. ¡°You¡¯re our third child, Weechy Peachy.¡±

    ¡°I have siblings?¡± I ask with wide eyes. ¡°Where are they?¡±

    ¡°I failed the other two. That¡¯s why they¡¯re no longer here.¡± He grabs my hand. ¡°We won¡¯t fail you.¡±

    This explains the early celebration. They¡¯re afraid of losing me.

    I close my eyes. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t blame yourself. You taught my siblings everything you knew. You did your best. They¡­didn¡¯t pass the final exam, did they?¡±

    Mother pats my head. ¡°You will pass. You¡¯re more incredible than both your siblings combined.¡±

    I get up from my chair and embrace Mom with all my love.

    She starts weeping against my shoulder.

    Father joins in the hug and cries on my other shoulder.

    ¡°Thank you both for everything.¡± I send them all my warmth.

    When the tears stop, we take turns feeding each other the ChocoBerries.

    When I finish, I look up at them with resolve. ¡°Mom, Dad. I¡¯m going to need you to stay in your bedroom tonight. I¡¯m going to set some traps around the house.¡±

    They give me one last kiss before I leave to make preparations.

    I¡¯m up till way past dark, making the preparations. When everything is done I sit down and write in my journal.

    This is so familiar.

    I write about how lovely tonight was, and how it¡¯s the last night of peace before the assassin legend¡¯s final exam.

    My ears perk up.

    A noise.

    I close my eyes and listen to the footsteps.

    They¡¯re so quiet. The assassin must have overhead about the traps. Wait, could they have been watching me while I set them up?Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    The door makes the slightest creak as it opens.

    I have to remain absolutely calm.

    I continue writing while counting the steps they make.

    They¡¯re here!

    I don¡¯t have to plan my attack. My fear takes over me as I whip around and thrust my pencil through my attacker¡¯s chest.

    I see myself through the attacker¡¯s eyes for a split moment. I feel the pencil pierce my heart.

    What is happening?

    The clang of the attacker¡¯s weapons dropping¡­brings me back into awareness.

    The hooded figure tries to grab onto me but I slam my foot against theirs and they topple over.

    You were unlucky to have me as your target. I bear no malice toward you. One day I may be given the same task.

    ¡°Peach Pie. I¡¯m so proud of you.¡±

    Chills run up my spine.

    That voice.

    The figure removes her mask. My mother¡¯s warm smile greets me.

    No. No. No. No.

    I stand there. I¡¯m gripping the pencil¡­the murder weapon with both hands.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± She looks at me with love. ¡°Smile for me, sweetie pie.¡±

    I force a smile as tears rush down my face. The quivering smile is twisted by my misery.

    The whole room seems to bend as my awareness fades.

    I wrap my tentacles around my past self in an embrace, but they simply pass through. ¡°This is it. My first memory. Our first memory. And¡­our first kill.¡±

    Mother looks down at the hole in her chest, her heart, and goes pale. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you have to see me like this.¡± She grabs my sheep angel plushie from the floor and holds it against the wound. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to say. I¡­planned out everything but I¡­just don¡¯t know what to say.¡±

    My favorite plushie turns red.

    Everything is turning red.

    I embrace her in desperation. ¡°It¡¯s not too late. There¡¯s an angel! Tempera can save you. You¡¯re going to be okay.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s the same exam as before, you need to present my head to pass.¡±

    ¡°Why is it you?¡± I hold her as tight as I can.

    ¡°Your father will explain. We decided¡­it¡¯s best if I go first.¡±

    First? Nothing makes sense.

    ¡°Mom. You¡¯re going to make it through this. You have to see me graduate.¡±

    She holds my hands and the tension in her face leaves. ¡°I will see you graduate. I¡¯ll be with you till the end of time.¡± Her hand wipes my eyes before going limp. ¡°This misery you feel¡­is transformative. Promise me you¡¯ll hold onto your life and become a good assassin.¡±

    I hold her head to my chest and sob. ¡°I¡¯ll be the greatest assassin ever. Whoever decided this¡­I¡¯ll kill them too.¡±

    Mother looks up and smiles. ¡°You already have.¡±

    Her body went limp in my arms. No matter how much I shook her, she didn¡¯t wake up.

    I look around my room and see dark shadows crawling along the walls.

    I have to get out of there.

    My bedroom, the place I once felt was my sanctuary, was now a graveyard.

    I rush out and slice my foot on the trip wire I set.

    Pathetic. I¡¯m pathetic.

    I hear a chair in the kitchen screech across the floor.

    The sound rattles my body.

    Father sees me and glass shatters. Shards of the broken bottle cut his legs. ¡°So, it¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°You let her¡­¡± My voice gave out as misery took hold of me.

    ¡°We decided it was best for her to go first.¡±

    ¡°First? What do you mean first?¡± I crawl across the floor toward him.

    ¡°Failure is punished. Even those who survive¡­we have to do this.¡± He picks up a large piece of broken glass and licks the alcohol off of it.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t have to die.¡±

    Father sobs in his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t say it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°It was quick, right?¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°Just long enough for her to say farewell.¡±

    ¡°I was supposed to stand by the door, to hear her final words to you, but I couldn¡¯t do it.¡± Father covers his tear-stricken face with his hand. ¡°I can¡¯t take another step.¡±

    I crawl toward him, taking an arrow to my leg when I trigger a trap I had set.

    I deserve it. I deserve to suffer through every one of these.

    ¡°Teachers are killed when their class fails but that¡¯s not so bad. We chose to be parents. It was the one thing the guild never let us have. We were both quitters and met the day we were assigned as parents. We were so happy when we got our children. BouncyBeetle and BayonetFly. A girl and a boy. Those children brought us together. They made us a family. We didn¡¯t think about the exam, the exam we both had passed before. That didn¡¯t stop it. The final exam came, I chose your mother¡¯s life over my daughter¡¯s¡­over my son¡¯s. I killed them both.¡±

    ¡°Father, please stop crying.¡±

    He takes a step forward, through the broken glass. ¡°I expected the guild to end my life for what I did. I wanted them to make me pay. But they didn¡¯t. They said that if those children died, then they weren¡¯t worthy of being assassins.¡± He tears off his shirt, showing me his chest covered in scars. ¡°They were worthy in my eyes.¡±

    ¡°Why kill them?¡±

    Father wipes his eyes and looks at me. ¡°If we keep killing our kids, then we get another fifteen years to live.¡±

    This guild is pure evil. Everything is a lie.

    Father looks at me with hollow eyes. ¡°It was our job to love you. Misery is what fuels a RiftRipper. That¡¯s what all this is for. It¡¯s the cursed pillar of your transformation. The more you love us, the stronger you¡¯ll be.¡± He rushes to me and picks me up in his arms, getting shot by the traps in the process. ¡°You¡¯re going to be the strongest RiftRipper the guild has ever seen.¡±

    I hug him with all my love. ¡°No, I¡¯m not. You¡¯ll have to kill me¡­because I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡±

    I¡¯m never going to hurt father.

    ¡°She went first because we felt it would be easier for you that way. If you don¡¯t kill me, then what did she die for?¡± He starts shaking me. ¡°What do I matter? I killed my own parents. I killed my children!¡±

    ¡°Then do it again!¡± I push him off.

    ¡°I can¡¯t. I still hear them scream sometimes. Trapped inside me.¡± Father holds his chest tightly. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t want you to kill me. You have your mother, that¡¯s enough.¡± He lifts up the moth dagger. ¡°I¡¯ll be free and hopefully my parents and kids will be free too.¡±

    I try to stop him, but he triggers a net trap by throwing his wine glass at the trigger.

    I¡¯m feel the ground sink beneath me and am caught in my own metal net. I reach my hands through the net, slicing them up on the serrated edges.

    ¡°I don¡¯t regret having you as my son. Neither did your mother. You¡¯re the greatest blessing in our life. Don¡¯t let this miserable day bury all our happy memories.¡±

    I nod. ¡°I won¡¯t. Now please stop. I need you. If she¡¯s gone, I need you more than ever.¡±

    Father smiles at me through his tears. ¡°We¡¯ve played our part. I know it seems like the end, but this is really just the beginning of your story. We¡¯re proud to have been a part of it.¡±

    The knife cuts flesh. The sound of the blood spraying makes my mind go blank.

    I look up at us. We look so helpless and lost. This memory¡­this wretched memory. It¡¯s only the beginning.

 Memory 15: Our New Understanding

    The image of my mother¡¯s pale face haunts me when I close my eyes. I lie in the barbed net, not wanting to do anything. I don¡¯t know how many hours pass before someone appears to fetch me.

    Teacher slices the net and catches me in his tentacles. ¡°Looks like it was a close call.¡±

    I say nothing. It takes all my strength just to hold back my tears.

    Teacher gestures to my father¡¯s body.

    Father is smiling. Even dead¡­he¡¯s cheering me on.

    ¡°Take me away from this place. I don¡¯t¡­ever want to return.¡±

    Teacher gently takes hold of my hand. ¡°You need the heads, remember.¡±

    I look up at him and my tears flow.

    Teacher cradles me by turning his tendrils into a hammock. ¡°Please stop. You¡¯re going to make me sad too.¡± Tears leak from his body and wet my clothing. ¡°Tell you what. I¡¯ll cut off the heads for you. It can be our little secret?¡±

    ¡°I killed them!¡± I yell, causing teacher to drop me. ¡°It¡¯s my burden to bear.¡± I grip father¡¯s knife and freeze up.

    I was supposed to clean the innocent blood from this blade by washing it with the blood of the wicked. Now¡­I can hardly touch it. It feels cursed.

    ¡°It happened the moment you came home, didn¡¯t it?¡± Teacher looks at me with a sorrowful aura.

    ¡°No¡­we had a meal together. We could have had seven days together. Why didn¡¯t they just stay with me for one last week?¡±

    ¡°I doubt they could bear it without breaking down. The fact that they were able to have one last meal. That¡¯s a testament to their love.¡±

    ¡°What does it matter now? Nothing matters.¡±

    Teacher squeezes my cheeks. ¡°When I¡¯m grumpy, eating helps! I¡¯ll go make breakfast!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat.¡± I clench my teeth and move the blade up and down.

    The sound of father¡¯s flesh being cut shakes me to my core.

    Teacher spits out a blanket and wraps it over me. ¡°It helps me when things get scary.¡±

    I stop cutting for a moment and turn to him. ¡°So even after your transformation¡­you still get scared?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t rest a moment last night. Was so concerned for you all. The Assailant¡¯s have become family to me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± I turn back to father and see the blood dripping down from the hole in his neck. ¡°Don¡¯t mention family.¡±

    Teacher nods.

    I keep cutting till Father¡¯s head leaves his body.

    He¡¯s really gone.

    Teacher brings me back into awareness by handing me a black bag.

    I pick up Father¡¯s head and hold his forehead to mine.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a happy corpse.¡± Teacher pats me with father¡¯s hand.

    I plop the head into the bag and clench the knife tightly.

    ¡°What was the secret you gave BunBun that first Truth Day?¡±

    ¡°The secret is supposed to be between only the giver and the receiver.¡±

    ¡°I can only heal by helping someone. If I can¡¯t help you¡­right now. I might end up¡­¡± I look at the knife in my hand ¡°doing something I can¡¯t take back.¡±

    I embrace teacher tightly.

    ¡°I was once in love.¡±

    ¡°Did the guild find out? Did they punish her?¡±

    Teacher picks me up and brings me to the door to my room. ¡°They never found out. I just¡­when I became like this¡­a RiftRipper. She no longer loved me. We grew apart and she quit the guild. I lost my will to be an assassin but they found a place for me. I¡¯m the one chosen to teach the most special of children.¡±

    ¡°You mean StarBorne?¡±

    Teacher nods.

    ¡°But if we failed, you¡¯d be killed.¡±

    ¡°Inspires one to truly be the best teacher they can be, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Teacher chuckles. ¡°Now, let¡¯s move things along, shall we?¡±

    Just putting my hand on the doorknob fills me with dread.

    Teacher pets me until my breathing returns to normal. ¡°Thank you for bringing joy into her life.¡± His tendril coils around my arm and we open the door together. He moves to Mother¡¯s body and gently touches her face. ¡°She¡¯s grown even more beautiful.¡±

    ¡°I should have been the one...¡± I look down and gag on my misery.

    Teacher grabs my head and gently shakes it. ¡°You¡¯re their legacy. She lives on within you now.¡± He puts a tendril to my chest. ¡°I can feel her.¡±

    I look at the body¡­her body. ¡°Then that¡¯s just a husk?¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Teacher makes me nod.

    ¡°Okay.¡± I grip my knife and approach her body. ¡°I¡¯m going to pass. Just a few cuts.¡± I put the knife to her throat and stop.

    ¡°How did you do it? How did you keep on going after killing them?¡±

    Teacher grabs his head and shivers. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±

    I force a smile as I press the blade into her neck. It stops at her bone.

    My body starts shivering.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do this. She¡¯s my momma. I love her. I can¡¯t hurt her.¡±

    Teacher holds me close. ¡°I don¡¯t remember my exam. But I do remember how I lived afterwards. Give into the madness. It¡¯s the only way to stay sane.¡±

    I start laughing. I laugh louder as I cut deeper. The blood sprays on my face.

    It feels warm. Yes. It¡¯s mother¡¯s love.

    My mind goes blank.

    Teacher pulls me away.

    My mother¡¯s body is covered in scars.

    ¡°What did you do to her?¡± I slash at teacher with Father¡¯s knife.

    ¡°Weech, you did that.¡± Teacher puts the head in the bag and hands it to me. ¡°I¡¯ll come back when you¡¯ve calmed down a bit.¡±

    I grab onto him. ¡°Please. Take me out of this hell.¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡± Teacher holds up the angel doll, the one that mother used to hide her wound from my sight. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my favorite plushie. When I was really young, I used to imagine her talking to me.¡±

    ¡°This plushie is a mission assignment. Your mother was tasked to accompany me on a special mission: to protect an angel. The mother angel had us look after her daughter. This doll was the payment we received from the child as thanks for protecting her.¡±

    I hold the doll to my face. ¡°So assassins don¡¯t just kill?¡±

    Teacher nods. He carves a portal and pulls me in.

    I¡¯m dropped off at the lunch room. A few students from different classes were sitting but even fewer were eating.

    I can¡¯t eat either.

    I spot BladEagle and follow him out of the lunch room.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the first one in our class to pass,¡± I say, coming from behind him.

    BladEagle keeps walking.

    I rush ahead of him and turn around. I catch a peek at his eyes.

    They were hollow, like Mother¡¯s angel doll.

    Did he do it too? Is he a monster like me?

    ¡°What do you want?¡± He turns his gaze from me. ¡°I¡¯m not going to help you cheat to pass the exam. Not like you need it.¡±

    He used to look down on me for being lazy and unfocused. But the past year I really applied myself so he sort of respected me, which made him hate me even more. Either way I could tell he needed a hug right now.

    I approached him and embrace him with my long-sleeves.

    ¡°Let go of me.¡± His voice was dead.

    I used to think about killing him all the time. Made me nervous. Now it¡¯s kinda of exciting.

    Time to wake him up!

    Rather than release him, I decided to engage my wrist dagger and stab him in the back.

    He grabbed his own knife but lost his grip when I twisted the blade in his back.

    Oh wow! I must have hit the nerves near his spine. I¡¯ve really come a long way! Go me!

    He steels himself. ¡°If you¡¯re going to kill me¡­go ahead.¡±

    I have to know the truth. If he went through this¡­then so did BunBun.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you as long as you explain things, okay?¡± I made my voice extra calming to dull the pain of his bleeding back. ¡°You wanted to be the next president of the school. Where did all that charisma go?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t threaten me.¡± He takes out a dagger and grips it hard.

    I stab another dagger on the other side of his back, keeping things symmetrical of course.

    Balance. Balance. Balance.

    His grip tightens around the blade, cutting his hand, but he doesn¡¯t drop it. The sharp slab of metal presses against his own throat. ¡°My life is my bargaining chip. Not yours. Did they send you to test me? Haven¡¯t I done enough?¡± His hand was shaky as his ambition wavered.

    ¡°I¡¯m just curious. And you know the rules¡­¡±

    ¡°You can only ask questions about tests when you threaten someone. But you stabbed me, twice!¡± he yells and glares at me.

    ¡°Just wanted to make sure you weren¡¯t dead.¡± I smile.

    A walking corpse, what a paradox!

    ¡°You¡¯re such a freak.¡± He laughs nervously.

    I joined in, accidently cutting in deeper.

    ¡°I want to die, so killing me isn¡¯t exactly a threat.¡± His voice darkens like the powdery LunarMoth in the sunlight.

    ¡°But you¡¯re too brave to kill yourself.¡±

    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll tell you what you want but then you¡­have to kill me!¡±

    ¡°Wow. Why are you being so nice to me now? I¡¯ve wanted to kill you for so long. It¡¯s so funny. Now that you want me to kill you, I don¡¯t want to.¡± I begin to pull the blades out.

    He backs into them but stops once the pain is too much. ¡°You had better not wuss out!¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll kill you but I¡¯m going to drag it out okay? I want to get past all this bad karma between us by making you suffer till I feel guilty.¡±

    Make him bleed.

    ¡°You really are an odd one.¡± He drops his blade. ¡°Mother and I¡­we were lovers.¡±

    ¡°Why not father too?¡± I ask with a grin.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. She never loved father. She was assigned to him. Everything in this damn place is a set up. We¡¯re all actors playing with deadly props.¡±

    He¡¯s lying, right?

    I clap by chattering my teeth since my hands are full. ¡°You should be a poet.¡±

    ¡°Shut it! Ugh! You¡¯re so annoying. Ow!¡±

    ¡°Sorry. My hands get shaky when I¡¯m bored.¡± I chuckle a bit. ¡°If what your saying is true, then you¡¯ve been cheating on WarWolf for¡­five years?¡±

    ¡°Shut up! You don¡¯t understand anything. WarWolf was fun, but I never really loved her.¡±

    He took her from me but never loved her.

    Liar! Make him pay!

    ¡°So she dumped you and that¡¯s why you¡¯re so pathetic now. Or did your mother dump you?¡±

    ¡°Mother and I made love, almost every night father was off on a mission. But last night¡­they must have found out. I think they tortured her. Her wrists were cut and her eyes were full of fear. She told me that she only pretended to love me. She said so many terrible things. That I¡¯m unlovable.¡±

    Hmm. Maybe she was just telling him the truth. He is a rather prickly pear, only he¡¯s sour on the inside too.

    ¡°You¡­killed her¡­didn¡¯t you?¡± I ask softly.

    He nods. ¡°I just wanted her to stop saying awful things. And afterwards¡­father he told me¡­I passed the exam. Nothing makes sense anymore.¡±

    Why did he only have to kill one? I have to suppress the urge to kill until his guts are spilt.

    ¡°That¡¯s all you know?¡± I ask.

    He nods and cries.

    I suppose it will remain a mystery for now. I best be extra vigilant.

    I pull the blades out and hug him.

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re supposed to kill me now! What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Empty threats are just as effective as real ones.¡± I pat his head.

    ¡°You lied to me! You tricked me!¡± he yells, trying to escape the warm fuzzies of my hug.

    ¡°Assassins are masters of deception. Maybe you¡¯re just not cut out for this, after all.¡± I chuckle.

    ¡°I hate you!¡± he yells, slamming his leg into me.

    ¡°Nope. You hate yourself. If you can just project that hate on your targets, you¡¯ll certainly make a passable assassin.¡± I pinch his cheeks.

    ¡°Let go of me! Why are you so strong?¡± he asks in tears.

    I have to be strong for them.

    Yes. Strength.

    ¡°You¡¯ve just become weak, that¡¯s all.¡±

    He suddenly grabs my hand and plunges the dagger its holding into his chest. ¡°You¡¯ll be killed for treason. I¡¯ll see you very soon.¡±

    Hmm. Now I kinda want to kill him again. Oh, but that¡¯s what he¡¯s trying to make me do.

    I see a shadow coming down the dark hallway.

    I stab the blade deep in his heart to kill him quick and put his hands on the weapon. I then push him off and let out a terrified scream. ¡°He¡¯s dead!¡± I hold myself in tears.

    That was so easy. Every kill from now on will be a breeze.

    Death is like a breath. Gone and forgotten.

    VirtueVice looks at me. ¡°You found him like this?¡±

    I peek out, nod and then hide my face again.

    Crisis averted. I¡¯m no good when put under pressure. I just go berserk and start stabbing things.

    The class supervisor¡¯s body bends around me.

    The room distorts around me.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± An eye peeks out from beneath his hood and gazes into me.

 Memory 16: Our New Burden

    <h1><u> </u></h1>

    I thought of just allowing myself to be struck down by VirtueVice. Then I heard my mother¡¯s gasp¡­the same gasp as when I stabbed her. It rang in my head and reminded me I needed to live.

    ¡°Hold yourself together. You¡¯ve spent years raising me. Are you really going to let all that go to waste?¡± I step back as the floor becomes like blades.

    VirtueVice sucks in all the darkness. ¡°If anyone found out. Death would be all that awaits you. Killing a classmate is forbidden.¡±

    ¡°Speaking from experience?¡± I ask, taking a step forward.

    VirtueVice pulls in BladEagle¡¯s body. ¡°You found the body and came to inform me. Simple as that. I¡¯ll inform the other teachers of this incident.¡±

    ¡°Did you know about the exam? You killed your parents too?¡± I feel a shiver as I say it.

    Can they really be gone?

    VirtueVice¡¯s body tilts. ¡°Is that¡­?¡± Tendrils come out from him and take mother¡¯s angel plushy from my hand.

    My body reacts on its own and slices the tendril.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take her away from me!¡± I grab onto the doll in desperation and shield it with my body.

    ¡°Child of destiny! Lamby of Archai Prima!¡± VirtueVice¡¯s body juts out like spikes.

    I leap out of the way. ¡°Are you trying to kill me?¡±

    VirtueVice¡¯s body trembles as he pulls himself back together. ¡°Where did you get that doll?¡±

    ¡°My mother.¡±

    I feel empty just thinking about her.

    ¡°Must discuss later. Can¡¯t be late.¡± VirtueVice carves a portal. ¡°The students who pass are to meet up. We can chat later.¡± He shoves me inside and seals the portal.

    I arrive in a cushy white room. The floor is bouncy and the only color is the fresh blood dripping from some of the disturbed students. I move through the crowd, looking for BunBun.

    Someone grabs onto my hand.

    I turn to see StarBorne. Neither his masculine strength nor his feminine charms are on display. Our star pupil looks weak and hopeless.

    ¡°Weech, is my life worth it? Two students died in the first final exam and now¡­¡±

    I hold onto StarBorne and send out loving energy. ¡°You have to continue now. Otherwise it¡¯s all pointless.¡±

    StarBorne pulls away and takes the angel plushie out from my pocket. ¡°Did you have a sister too?¡± The fallen star sobs.

    ¡°What about your parents?¡±

    ¡°I never knew my parents, remember? VirtueVice has been raising me since the beginning.¡± StarBorne grips my shoulders. ¡°She didn¡¯t fight¡­she didn¡¯t do anything. I killed her. My little sister. This isn¡¯t a school; it¡¯s a testing facility.¡±

    I hold StarBorne tightly. ¡°We¡¯ll make it through this. We¡¯re assassins. Hey, have you seen BunBun?¡±

    ¡°I can¡­hardly see anything right now.¡± StarBorne sits down and curls up. ¡°Please, leave me alone.¡±

    I nod and look through the crowd. BunBun has her back to everyone and is pouring bottles of water over her hands.

    I come behind her and gently hug her.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± She flips around and holds out her dagger to me.

    ¡°It¡¯s me Weech.¡±

    BunBun chirps and drops her knife. ¡°S-Sorry. Shaky hands. Everything is shaking.¡±

    I look at the black bag at her feet.

    Did she do it too? Did she kill her mother?

    I grab onto her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you till the shaking stops.¡±

    BunBun pulls away and scratches her hand. ¡°Dirty. Still red. Gotta clean. Clean hands like a pretty doll.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not a doll. You¡¯re my girlfriend.¡± I seize her in an embrace.

    BunBun claws at me as she whines. ¡°Stop. I¡¯ve been naughty. Don¡¯t deserve it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re always deserving of love.¡± I kiss her cheek repeatedly.

    ¡°It was a lie, Weech. She¡­wasn¡¯t my mom. I was kidnapped from my real parents.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy. Who said that?¡±

    BunBun digs her nails into me and sobs. ¡°I don¡¯t have a daddy. And now¡­Mommy is gone too.¡± She looks up at me.

    Her once shimmering eyes look hollow and pale.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I made a drink, mixed the poison in. Something quick like a BunBun but deadly too. But I messed it up. I accidentally said it was poison. Momma got so upset.¡± BunBun holds her head.

    I grab her arms and press them to her chest. ¡°Your momma isn¡¯t gone. She¡¯s with you.¡± I place her hands on my chest. ¡°My momma is with me too.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    BunBun sniffles. ¡°I can¡¯t hear her anymore. I can¡¯t even touch her.¡±

    I brush the hair out of her eyes. ¡°When you¡¯re ready to kill again. When you make your move. You¡¯ll hear her again. She loves you.¡±

    BunBun cries. ¡°Even though I stabbed her eyes? Even though I mushed her brains?¡±

    I shiver and sob. ¡°She knew what was coming. If she could have responded after, she would have told you how proud she was.¡±

    BunBun nods in tears. ¡°Kill them beautifully. That¡¯s what she said.¡± She hits her head with her knuckles. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t pretty. Blood everywhere. I tried to clean it, but it wouldn¡¯t go away.¡±

    ¡°When the day is done, I¡¯ll shower with you, okay? I¡¯ll make sure to clean every spot.¡±

    BunBun nods. ¡°It¡¯s all black but I feel a bit of light. It¡¯s thanks to you.¡±

    You¡¯re the one who gives me light.

    ¡°Look at me, BunBun. I¡¯m smiling despite everything. It¡¯s a real smile. It¡¯s for you.¡±

    BunBun¡¯s mouth quivers into a smile. Her hands go to my cheeks and feel my face. ¡°You are.¡±

    No. She¡¯s¡­blind.

    I silently sob but keep smiling.

    BunBun pokes my cheeks. ¡°You must be so happy. Thanks for cheering me up.¡±

    How is she going to be an assassin without sight?

    ¡°I found StarBorne already.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is he doing okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. StarBorne is fine. I¡¯m going to go look for the others.¡±

    BunBun holds onto me. ¡°If you leave, then everything will go black.¡± She sniffs me. ¡°Her perfume. Mom must still be here! She¡¯s alive! We gotta find her!¡±

    I gulp and whimper silently. ¡°BunBun, we can¡¯t find her. She¡¯s with you, remember?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I can be a bit forgetful. Can I help you find the others?¡±

    ¡°Okay sure.¡± I walk with her and she nearly falls over.

    ¡°Stay steady, okay? You¡¯ve got this.¡±

    BunBun nods. ¡°Hey Weech, are my feet pretty?¡±

    ¡°You always have them in those fluffy bunny slippers but they look so small and cute.¡±

    BunBun nuzzles me. ¡°Momma made them extra cute. It hurt and I¡¯m a bit clumsy because of it but¡­wanna see?¡±

    ¡°Now isn¡¯t really the time.¡±

    ¡°I tried to end it by drinking the poison. I felt so bad. But then I couldn¡¯t see and I didn¡¯t know where my weapon was.¡±

    She blinded herself?

    BunBun sucks on her thumb. ¡°Teacher found it for me and he helped me get back on my little feet. But I¡­don¡¯t know how long I can keep going. I want you to see them.¡± She grabs my hand.

    ¡°Then you can show me after we both graduate for real. Just six years to go, right?¡±

    BunBun nods. ¡°Umm¡­I¡¯ll try.¡±

    I guide her through the crowd and go to the back corner to see Goopy.

    He appears nervous but not disturbed like the others. ¡°What do the star students want with me?¡±

    ¡°We want to make sure you¡¯re okay?¡±

    Goopy stands up. ¡°Of course I¡¯m okay! We¡¯re assassins! It was a job just like any other. This shaking¡­is adrenaline! It¡¯s excitement from the kill. I¡¯m not afraid!¡± He yells before turning away and trembling.

    Lies!

    I step back and grab my head.

    That voice won¡¯t go away. What is it?

    VirtueVice swirls into the room. ¡°Congratulations to all who passed!¡±

    Wait. This can¡¯t be everyone. I didn¡¯t see CamOctopus or WarWolf.

    ¡°Where are the others?¡± I yell but my question is drowned out by the flood of yelling coming from the students.

    ¡°Talking over me¡­¡± VirtueVice¡¯s tendrils sharpen and point at the crowd ¡°will be treated as failing.¡±

    I raise my hand.

    VirtueVice chuckles and points to me. ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re missing three classmates. BladEagle, CamOctopus and WarWolf. Shouldn¡¯t we wait for them before the ceremony?¡±

    I know BladEagle is gone, but WarWolf has to be okay! She¡¯s way too strong to fail!

    VirtueVice looks out at us with the eyes on his tendrils. ¡°There are some students that passed but are in need of immediate medical attention. Those students have been brought to the infirmary.¡±

    The floor moves before my eyes and CamOctopus stands up from it. ¡°Heya. Sorry for worrying you guys.¡±

    Goopy turns away. ¡°I wasn¡¯t worried.¡±

    As VirtueVice talks about the importance of courage, sacrifice and other things, I walk off with CamOctopus.

    ¡°Did you kill them?¡± My throat goes dry.

    She lowers her head. ¡°Both my dads are dead. It was so quick I barely noticed it. But you look pretty bad. This whole thing is crazy, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    It¡¯s madness.

    I shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s for our sake. They¡­gave us everything. That means we have to give our all too!¡±

    Teacher pops up behind me. ¡°Do you want to see her?¡± He asks in a whisper.

    ¡°Yeah. I need to make sure she¡¯s okay.¡±

    Teacher slowly carves a portal when nobody is looking.

    I slide right in, bringing BunBun with me.

    BunBun wanders around the infirmary. ¡°Where are we?¡±

    I spot WarWolf on the operation table. Tempera is above her, pouring her energy into her patient.

    Her legs¡­are missing.

    ¡°What happened?¡± I ask, holding BunBun close to me.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± asks BunBun.

    Teacher puts a tendril on our shoulders. ¡°Her mother attacked while she was sleeping, cleaved a leg off in a single slice with WarWolf¡¯s favorite kitchen knife. When she was screaming from the pain, her mother cut the other leg.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean she failed?¡± I ask, swallowing my fear.

    ¡°Not yet!¡± Teacher ruffles my hair. ¡°Our feral fighter bit her mother¡¯s hand and then clawed open her chest. All that time spent creating potions and poisons ended up doing nothing to help. It was her madness that saved her.¡±

    Yeah. My madness¡­it helped me pass too. But if we pass sacrificing ourselves, then¡­what is the point? I want to be an assassin, not a mad killing machine.

    ¡°She was weak!¡± WarWolf yells. ¡°My mother could have cut my head off, but she was afraid to kill me. I showed no hesitation. Father prepared me for any scenario.¡±

    Teacher carves a portal. ¡°Well then, are you ready to finish your exam?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? I cut her head off. I¡¯m done.¡±

    ¡°Your father still lives.¡±

    WarWolf¡¯s eyes lose their strength. ¡°Both have to¡­¡±

    I step in front of teacher. ¡°She¡¯s done enough! And she¡¯s in no condition to fight!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± WarWolf growls at me. ¡°I¡¯m not weak. I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll prove myself right now!¡± She crawls off the bed and stops her fall with her hands. ¡°Bring me to him.¡±

    Teacher carves a portal. ¡°Weech, you should stay here with BunBun.¡±

    ¡°No. Tempera can stay with her. WarWolf needs me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone!¡±

    Teacher carves open a portal. ¡°I wish there was another way.¡±

    ¡°Wishes are for those who can¡¯t accept things. I¡¯d rather kill my parents than dishonor them with hesitation.¡± WarWolf crawls into the portal.

    SparkuPine nearly cries upon seeing her. ¡°What have they done to you?¡±

    ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m here to end you. Nothing more.¡±

    I step in between them. ¡°Wait! He knows who tried to kill StarBorne.¡±

    Teacher shrugs. ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t. If he had, then he would have told us years ago.¡±

    SparkuPine smiles at WarWolf. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you who it is. With that information, you¡¯ll be in a place of great power, but also danger.¡±

    WarWolf scowls through her teary eyes. ¡°How can I trust a traitor?¡±

    ¡°Being a rebel is my life, not yours. You can do with the information what you want. Trust that I¡¯m telling you as a father.¡±

    WarWolf nods and leans in.

    He whispers to her and then bites his tongue.

    ¡°What are you playing at?¡± asks Teacher, putting bladed tendrils to SparkuPine¡¯s throat.

    ¡°He¡¯s trying to make me fail the test. No. He knows better.¡± WarWolf exhales. ¡°He¡¯s getting rid of my hesitation. He¡¯ll die even if I do nothing.¡± She glares at him with watery eyes. ¡°How dare you give me a handicap.¡± She grabs a knife but then drops it mid motion.

    His eyes go wide as her claws pierce his throat. She keeps clawing until his head is severed from his neck.

    My arms are around her before I can even register what¡¯s going on.

    ¡°Let go of me!¡± WarWolf claws at me, slicing my arms but I just hold on tighter.

    ¡°Cry now so you can let it go and move on.¡±

    WarWolf growls through her tears. ¡°What about you? You¡¯re holding back too. I¡¯ll do it¡­if you do it.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± I hug her as tight as life itself.

    We sob in each other¡¯s arms.

    When the tears finally stop flowing, WarWolf smiles at me.

    That smile is the most beautiful thing in the world.

    ¡°We did it Weech, we graduated. The Assailants are going to climb all the way to the top. All of us!¡±

    BladEagle¡¯s dead and I can¡¯t even tell her. He doesn¡¯t deserve her¡­but I don¡¯t either.

 Memory 17: Our New Hope

    We head back to the infirmary and set WarWolf back down on the medical bed.

    BunBun suddenly bounces in excitement. ¡°Miss angel lady. Umm, thanks for saving me from dying from the poison.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my religious duty to do what I can to help.¡± She examines WarWolf¡¯s legs.

    ¡°Teacher said you can heal anything! Can you, umm, make it so I can see again?¡±

    Tempera rolls her eyes. ¡°My powers are for life and death scenarios only. Assassins are shaped by their wounds. I wouldn¡¯t rob you of that opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Please! You¡¯re going to help WarWolf grow her legs back, right? Why can¡¯t you help me too?¡±

    ¡°I only stopped the bleeding and sealed the wound. She¡¯ll have to live like this from now on.¡±

    WarWolf grabs BunBun¡¯s hand, startling her. ¡°Looks like both of us will just have to try extra hard to be great assassins.¡±

    BunBun wipes her eyes. ¡°I want to go home. Teacher?¡± She feels around till she grabs his tendril. ¡°Can you take me back? I miss my momma.¡±

    Teacher¡¯s body shivers. ¡°I can bring you back for only a bit. The graduates are supposed to stay together.¡± He carves a portal.

    I lift BunBun into a hug. ¡°I¡¯ll come along too.¡±

    BunBun pulls her hand away. ¡°WarWolf needs you right now.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I promised to help you shower.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care! I can manage. Just have to walk more carefully. She¡­can¡¯t walk at all.¡±

    WarWolf whimpers a bit and then growls. ¡°I don¡¯t need my legs to hunt down my enemies.¡±

    I look at WarWolf and then back to BunBun. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stay. Teacher, that means you¡¯ll have to clean her for me.¡±

    Teacher¡¯s body distorts in and out of existence. ¡°That¡¯s really something a parent should do.¡±

    BunBun sniffles. ¡°You¡¯ve been my papa for years. I love you.¡±

    Teacher¡¯s face splits into a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of her.¡± He carves a portal and the two leave.

    WarWolf covers her face with her arm and cries into it. ¡°What am I going to do?¡±

    ¡°Hey, now the enemy will underestimate you. You¡¯ll be an even better assassin.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the kind of assassin I was raised to be. It¡¯s not the one I want to be.¡±

    I lift BunBun into a hug. ¡°I¡¯ll come along too.¡±

    VirtueVice appears between us.

    WarWolf¡¯s eyes widen.

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve recovered nicely.¡± He smiles at her with his cloak.

    ¡°Am I in trouble for sneaking off?¡± I ask.

    ¡°No. I went looking for you two because something wretched has befallen one of your classmates.¡±

    WarWolf looks up at him. ¡°Don¡¯t mince your words. We can handle the truth.¡±

    ¡°BladEagle has been¡­¡± his shadow cloaks us ¡°murdered.

    WarWolf goes pale.

    I cover my face. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡±

    Lying to her feels so wrong. But what else can I do?

    ¡°Come along with me. It¡¯s time to send off the dead.¡± VirtueVice creates a jagged portal and tears it open. ¡°So many dead every year.¡±

    We didn¡¯t have a ceremony for the students lost in our first final exam so we didn¡¯t know what to expect.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    The bodies of the fallen students were laid out before their class on a pure white sheet.

    I lift WarWolf onto my shoulders and we meet up with the rest of our class at BladEagle¡¯s body.

    WarWolf glares at the corpse.

    Goopy notices and smiles at her. ¡°There¡¯s no way he died without a fight. I bet whoever did this to him is on their last legs.¡±

    WarWolf slides off my shoulders. She growls at him and he jumps back.

    CamOctopus holds Goopy and comforts him.

    StarBorne looks at the body inquisitively. ¡°Teacher told me that it was likely another attack from that traitor. Makes sense. Only a RiftRipper could defeat him.¡±

    WarWolf turns to StarBorne. ¡°We spared for five years. Nearly every day after class, we would compete. We didn¡¯t keep track of every win to loss, but it was by no means a clear victory for either of us. He was supportive of me as a boyfriend, a friend and most importantly a rival.¡± She whimpers. ¡°How am I supposed to grow without him?¡±

    I crouch down and pet her. ¡°You don¡¯t need him or any of us. We¡¯re only hear to give you a little extra support. But if we were all dead, you¡¯d still be strong. Nothing will ever change that.¡±

    WarWolf embraces me and sobs.

    I don¡¯t deserve this but maybe that doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s not about me. It¡¯s about helping her. I didn¡¯t just kill BladEagle, I took up his responsibilities.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to become president of this school and change the exam so nobody has to lose their parents ever again.¡±

    I¡¯ll take up his dream too. This resolve I feel¡­is it him?

    VirtueVice¡¯s head moves off his shoulders into his hands. ¡°That¡¯s quite the aspiration you have.¡± He hands me a pure white knife. ¡°The dead are the steps we climb to reach the truth.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t recall that phrase,¡± says Goopy.

    ¡°It¡¯s what my mother told me¡­¡± VirtueVice splits in two ¡°before I strangled the life out of her. I fought to survive despite not wanting to live. Deep within that paradox lies true strength.¡±

    WarWolf shakes her head. ¡°It¡¯s deception. There¡¯s no meaning. The only message is that a moment of weakness means death.¡±

    ¡°Its truer for some than others.¡± VirtueVice turns to me. ¡°The heart is where a hero¡¯s power resides. For angels it is the fluids. For assassins¡­¡± he takes my hand and points the blade to the body¡¯s head ¡°it is the mind.¡±

    WarWolf snatches the knife from me. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    VirtueVice nods and opens up a vortex within his cloak. ¡°Cut out the brain and cast it into the void. Memory is a world without life. Let him fade into darkness.¡±

    Is darkness really all that awaits us in death?

    I feel someone¡¯s arms around me.

    ¡°You were shivering,¡± says BunBun, escorted by Teacher.

    ¡°You¡¯re not responsible, VirtueVice.¡± Teacher opens up his cloak. ¡°BladEagle was my student. I¡¯ll shoulder the responsibility.¡±

    ¡°This is pointless.¡± WarWolf bites her lip.

    Goopy shudders but looks at her. ¡°It¡¯s not. If he was already killed by a RiftRipper, then his mind won¡¯t be absorbed now. And if he wasn¡¯t, then they can find the culprit and bring him to justice.¡±

    I¡¯m so confused. Is that what¡¯s going on with me? Is mother¡¯s mind inside me. But I¡¯m not a RiftRipper. I have so many questions.

    WarWolf glares at Goopy. ¡°Even if the killer dies, BladEagle will just sink into darkness. There¡¯s no undoing this. This ceremony is to give us hope.¡± She stabs the knife into the body¡¯s head and punches it till the skull cracks. ¡°Hope is a lie. Despair is truth.¡±

    BunBun squeezes me. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°BladEagle is dead.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s so strong.¡±

    ¡°Mortal strength can only get one so far. Right?¡± I look up at VirtueVice.

    He nods. ¡°Even the most skilled mortal assassin can do nothing against a RiftRipper.¡±

    Goopy looks up. ¡°But we aren¡¯t fighting RiftRippers¡­so why do we have to become them?¡±

    ¡°Sacrifice is the source of power. We must shed everything so that we can melt into proper weapons.¡±

    BunBun sobs. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose everything.¡±

    VirtueVice pats her head. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. The greater the hope, the stronger the despair. And the stronger the despair, the more powerful the RiftRipper.¡±

    WarWolf holds up BladEagle¡¯s brain. ¡°The smartest person I¡¯ll ever know. And all that knowledge is gone now. Or worse¡­taken up by a traitor.¡± She places the brain in Teacher¡¯s void.

    Teacher sinks as he sulks. ¡°Nothing. His mind has already been seized.¡±

    CamOctopus looks up at VirtueVice. ¡°This test wasn¡¯t about our skills. It was about¡­despair.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and sad to say but you¡¯re lie has been discovered.¡± VirtueVice¡¯s form extends and grips CamOctopus.

    Goopy tries to pull him off. ¡°She wasn¡¯t lying. We already agreed the killer has to be a RiftRipper. She didn¡¯t do it. She doesn¡¯t even want to be a killer!¡±

    ¡°I felt it only fair to allow you all to send off your classmate. CamOctopus didn¡¯t pass the exam. She was knocked out by her fathers and they ended their lives to cover up her failure.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t her fault! It doesn¡¯t make her a traitor.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t about traitors or blame. She¡¯s not even going to be punished for lying. She simply lost her opportunity to become a RiftRipper.¡±

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this.¡±

    CamOctopus smiles at Goopy. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not going to be punished. I¡¯ll just end up a teacher or a parent. It¡¯s what I prefer honestly. Maybe my fathers died to give me the opportunity for a different life.¡±

    Goopy lowers his head. ¡°It¡¯s not an opportunity. It¡¯s a deadly gamble.¡±

    ¡°Say any more and you¡¯ll be seen as a traitor,¡± says VirtueVice, pointing his bladed tendrils at Goopy.

    WarWolf stands up. ¡°Who determined the result of the exam?¡±

    ¡°What are you getting at?¡± VirtueVice pulls in his blades.

    ¡°You must have watched it happen.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I saw it. I had a feeling they may cheat.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±

    CamOctpus shakes her head. ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth. I did fail to kill them.¡±

    ¡°My father told me who orchestrated the attack on StarBorne. This isn¡¯t about avenging BladEagle. That¡¯s pointless. This is to protect CamOctopus.¡± She turns to Teacher. ¡°VirtueVice is the traitor.¡±

    Teacher goes pale. ¡°Y-Y-You shouldn¡¯t make such accusations.¡±

    The room distorts and all the other students are hidden under black fog. ¡°All you have is the word of a dead traitor to back up your accusation. The words of a traitor are dust. Gone and forgotten.¡± He turns to Teacher. ¡°Take CamOctopus away. Put her with the other failures and quitters.¡±

    Can VirtueVice really be a traitor? And if so, then what is he fighting against?

 Memory 18: Our New Fears

    Teacher looks at VirtueVice curiously and then shakes his head. ¡°SparkuPine seeks to create chaos in the guild. There¡¯s no one more trustworthy than you and he wants our fear to control us to attack you. It¡¯s such an obvious trick. There¡¯s no reason for him to sell out his own ally.¡± He floats directly up to VirtueVice. ¡°But I¡¯m a teacher first and I absolutely cannot allow my student to be put in danger. I outright refuse to throw away CamOctopus. And if I must fight you to protect her, then so be it.¡± The black cloak on teacher spreads out as bladed tentacles.

    ¡°Even if you somehow manage to kill me, you¡¯ll be executed for treason.¡±

    Teacher¡¯s tentacles bounce as he laughs. ¡°I¡¯ve been dead for so long. Only as a teacher do I feel alive. So, what is your answer?¡±

    ¡°The moment you attack me, I will treat you the same as the traitor who dared to attack our star pupil.¡± His form sinks into the floor like a shadow.

    ¡°Kids, stay back. I¡¯m going to have to give this every drop of my madness.¡± Teacher¡¯s body contorts to dodge VirtueVice¡¯s sawblade tendril.

    I grab hold of BunBun¡¯s hand.

    No matter who wins¡­I lose someone precious to me. There has to be some way to save everyone.

    VirtueVice follows Teacher along the ground and becomes paper thin to dodge the sharp blades that drag across the floor.

    A separate set of tendrils are making cuts in the air above Virtue Vice.

    He must be limiting VirtueVice¡¯s maneuverability options. Can Teacher really win this?

    The dark fog around the area closes in, bringing us all dangerously close to the battle.

    I touch the fog and it eats away at my fingertip.

    VirtueVice knows that Teacher can¡¯t go all out without harming us.

    ¡°What difference does one student¡¯s passing make? Is it really worth the loss of a RiftRipper?¡± Teacher¡¯s tendrils act in tandem and carve out the floor with VirtueVice¡¯s shadow. Rather than follow up by slicing the floor, they slice the air in front of teacher.

    ¡°The truth we¡¯ve made can be broken by a single lie.¡± VirtueVice grows out from the slab and lunges at Teacher, turning his body into blades.

    His body is suddenly torn apart by invisible blades.

    The tatters of his body become bladed and spin through the air like discs, slicing Teacher to pieces.

    I look to StarBorne.

    If I attack him, then maybe I could end this battle. Is that really my only option?

    Teacher tries to protect himself from the saw discs, but after he deflects each one, it comes back around and cuts into him.

    While I try and figure out what to do, CamOctopus rushes ahead. The discs slice her arms as she tries to shield Teacher.

    Teacher drops his defense. His tendrils all fall to the ground.

    ¡°So you surrender now?¡± asks VirtueVice.

    All of Teacher¡¯s tendrils then shoot into a single sheet of VirtueVice¡¯s body.

    They stab into it and then carve out a glowing ball of discordant reddish black energy.

    That¡¯s the same color as the drink we took.

    The tatters of VirtueVice come together around the glowing ball and carve out a portal while defending the core from Teacher¡¯s assault.

    A single tendril then pulls Teacher and CamOctopus inside the portal.

    Goopy rushes in after them.

    I grab his shirt and pull him out.

    Only his hand is in the portal before it closes.

    ¡°I could have saved her!¡± Goopy backhands me with his bleeding stub.

    WarWolf pins him down and wraps up his wound.

    The fog disperses around us, but it brings us no clarity as to the outcome of the battle.

    The students from the other classes make no notice of what we witnessed.

    WarWolf cries as she wraps the wound. ¡°I thought I was doing the right thing.¡±

    StarBorne wipes her tears. ¡°Your pure intentions are right no matter the outcome. I should make something clear to you though. VirtueVice is the one who has kept me safe and trained me ever since our first exam. I know beyond any doubt that he isn¡¯t the traitor.¡±

    WarWolf growls at him. ¡°And you¡¯re only telling me this now!¡±

    ¡°Just like you I wanted an opportune time to reveal my slice of truth. The truth that can take a life at one moment can save a life in another moment. As assassins we must use truths carefully.¡±

    A portal appears and Teacher comes out, oozing black goop with only tatters shielding his body and his core exposed.

    VirtueVice reemerges. ¡°Tell your truth now.¡±

    The students from all classes gather around to see what happened.

    Teacher struggles as he turns to WarWolf. ¡°Your father wasn¡¯t lying when he said VirtueVice was the traitor. I¡­was the one who told him to tell you that.¡± Teacher¡¯s tendrils reach out to StarBorne but are sliced by VirtueVice. ¡°I¡¯m the one who sent SparkuPine and those students to kill you.¡±

    BunBun runs toward the sound of his voice and hugs him. ¡°That¡¯s not true! You wouldn¡¯t ever do that!¡±

    I don¡¯t want to believe it either. I refuse to believe it until I can figure out why Teacher is saying this.

    Teacher creates arms that fall off, too weak to embrace her. ¡°If StarBorne succeeds then¡­¡±

    VirtueVice slices off Teacher¡¯s head.

    BunBun hears the head fall and goes on her hands and knees, searching for it.

    I turn away.

    How can I still suffer after all that¡¯s happened? Why aren¡¯t I numb?

    Suffering is not an obstacle we can overcome. It is a fuel we must use.

    VirtueVice looks at WarWolf. ¡°You¡¯ve helped uncover the true traitor. This deed shall never be forgotten.¡±

    WarWolf wipes her eyes. ¡°Then please spare CamOctopus.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Not possible.¡± VirtueVice looks at the crowd around him. ¡°Disperse!¡±

    The students run off in terror.

    Goopy stands his ground. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not possible? Please, I¡¯ll do anything.¡±

    ¡°She was sliced apart trying to defend the traitor. All I can do now is bury that truth. Her honor won¡¯t be tarnished. That¡¯s¡­all I can do now.¡±

    Goopy whips out his knife. ¡°You caused this! Fix it!¡±

    VirtueVice¡¯s head arches all the way back and frowns, giving Goopy a smile. ¡°Use that misery to become a powerful RiftRipper.¡± His head snaps back into place. ¡°I¡¯m taking this traitor away. You¡¯re all assassins now. Your woes have only begun.¡±

    BunBun runs to stop VirtueVice, accidentally tripping on Teacher¡¯s severed head. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill him.¡±

    ¡°I assure you he won¡¯t be killed until he¡¯s told us every detail of his plans.¡±

    I grab BunBun¡¯s hand and hold it firmly. ¡°Why would¡­a traitor tell us he¡¯s a traitor?¡±

    VirtueVice carves a portal. ¡°Even RiftRippers are not beyond fear. When our core is exposed, we do everything in our power to keep ourselves alive. Our subconscious spills our truths.¡±

    BunBun grabs my knife and holds it to her throat. ¡°Take him and I¡¯ll kill myself.¡±

    ¡°Such a shame to lose such a talented Assassin.¡± VirtueVice pulls Teacher into the portal and vanishes.

    I grab BunBun¡¯s hand and take my dagger away from her.

    ¡°Why did you stop me?¡± She punches me in tears with her soft hands.

    I kiss her but she bites my lip.

    ¡°No! No more love. Just leave me alone!¡± She rushes off and StarBorne stops me from following.

    ¡°She needs her space.¡± StarBorne hugs me with his strong arms in a gentle embrace. ¡°We all need time to recover.¡±

    Another department head teleported into the room. ¡°Congratulations to everyone here. For those of you who don¡¯t know me, I am SoulHook You have all passed the test. The next five years will transform you in ways you cannot begin to imagine. There is no escaping this fate. This school is a prison and only the strongest among you will emerge. Sharpen your truths with your misery and together we shall carve the path for a new future.¡±

    We all follow SoulHook into a portal and arrive in a dark damp forest.

    Water crawls up the tall trees, moves through the branches and then falls down upon our heads.

    ¡°This is where the guild was founded. Several assassins decided to come together to defend the villagers from their oppressive government.¡± He leads us into a dark cave and uses his hook tendrils to scare off the ShadowPups who are guarding it.

    ¡°To creatures who feed on misery, we must be like a walking buffet,¡± WarWolf says as we go in deeper.

    SoulHook stops when we arrive at a smooth rock wall. ¡°This is where the name of every assassin the guild has ever known lives.¡±

    WarWolf searches the wall.

    Must be searching for her father¡¯s signature.

    SoulHook gestures to the wall. ¡°It is time for all of you to leave your mark on history.¡±

    Goopy starts to cut but stops. He turns to StarBorne. ¡°If CamOctopus isn¡¯t worthy, then how can I be?¡±

    StarBorne places her hands on Goopy¡¯s chest. ¡°Seems to me she has already left her mark.¡±

    Goopy smiles and together with StarBorne, they carve their names.

    BunBun carves her name into her leg instead of the wall and the RiftRipper pulls her aside to console her.

    WarWolf looks up at me. ¡°Notice how some of the names are scratched out. My parents aren¡¯t here. Damn fools. I¡¯ll make my own legacy.¡± I lift her up and she carves her name above StarBorne¡¯s.

    I grab my dagger and start to carve my name in.

    I have to write the new chapter of my story. Of how¡­I killed the ones who raised me. For now I¡¯ll just write about this moment. The moment my name is inscribed among every assassin that ever lived.

    I take out my notebook and grab my pencil.

    My mother¡¯s screams echo in my mind and I drop the murder weapon.

    I grab my notebook and sob.

    I can¡¯t do it. Writing and being an assassin are my two favorite things. They were joined and polluted. Now¡­I don¡¯t know if I can do either ever again.

    WarWolf grabs my shaky hands and together we inscribe my name into the slab with the dagger that killed her aunt and my father.

    After the ceremony, each class was split up for lessons. Every student was paired with a teacher and only the best of us were paired with a RiftRipper. The students only meet up to eat together in the lunch hall. BunBun didn¡¯t speak at all for the next four weeks. She refused to train under VirtueVice which gave me more time alone with him.

    VirtueVice would never tell me anything about Teacher¡¯s fate, but he did explain that the skill Teacher used on him was called the Time Slicer. By harnessing his misery, Teacher was able to create cuts that existed until they were found. The slices were like mines that could be placed anywhere. Such a technique was difficult to master, but it was also the perfect skill to use to end someone¡¯s life without any evidence.

    StarBorne, who is sitting cross-legged next to me, looks at VirtueVice. ¡°Teacher could have killed me during the battle. Why didn¡¯t he even try?¡±

    ¡°It has been four years since the incident. My theory is that you students changed him. He knew that killing you would put the class in great chaos. He only struck down BladEagle after the boy discovered his secret I presume. When he fought me it was to save CamOctopus. He fought as a teacher not a traitor.¡±

    He knows I killed BladEagle. He must be trying to protect me still.

    ¡°Whose to say others won¡¯t follow in his footsteps?¡± I ask.

    If Teacher hates the guild, I understand. They took away my parents, my classmate and my teacher. But what beyond sabotage was his goal?

    Such a conundrum.

    I shook my head to dispel the voice and then stood up. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I should visit her. Can I be excused?¡±

    VirtueVice nods. He carves me a portal to the medical facility.

    WarWolf looks up at me from the bed and smiles. ¡°You¡¯ve came to visit me every day.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ll continue to do so.¡± I hold her hand.

    She shakes her head. WarWolf slides off the bed and stands on her own. ¡°Back up.¡±

    I take of few steps back.

    Legs of rusty metal support her as she steps toward me. She grabs my hands and smiles. ¡°A month of recovery, just like last time.¡± She leans in and kisses my lips.

    I blush but gently break the kiss. ¡°What¡¯s that about? I¡¯m just here to support you¡­as a friend.¡±

    ¡°I¡­talked to BunBun. She¡¯s afraid of falling in love. I guess her fear of losing you has¡­well, made her lose you. She still cares about you though. She wants you happy. That kiss was her idea. But it¡¯s what you deserve. You took care of me just like you promised my father.¡± She grabs my hand and pulls me into another kiss.

    So warm, but I can¡¯t do this.

    This time I shove her off.

    WarWolf nearly topples over but her mechanical talons dig into the ground to keep her steady.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what she and your father want. If you don¡¯t want to kiss me, then don¡¯t. If it¡¯s not what you want, then what¡¯s the point.¡±

    WarWolf sprints up and tackles me to the floor. ¡°Of course it¡¯s what I want. I¡¯m just shy. You know I love you.¡± She punches my chest.

    I roll over so we¡¯re side by side and I kiss her deeply.

    The fear and dread¡­it feels so far away when we¡¯re this close.

    ¡°So, now that I¡¯m back in action, are you finally going to tell me how you convinced VirtueVice to gather the funding for these incredible legs?¡± WarWolf jumps to her feet and kicks the air.

    ¡°I just¡­talked to him. About you and how I feel about you.¡±

    A voice comes from above us. ¡°Telling her our little secret, are you?¡±

    I smile at VirtueVice. ¡°I don¡¯t get why you want it to be a secret.¡±

    VirueVice falls from the ceiling onto my shoulder, weighing me down. ¡°Perhaps I was just testing you.¡±

    I scratch my head. ¡°Whoops. I guess I failed then.¡±

    ¡°Not all tests are so black and white.¡±

    WarWolf looks up at him. ¡°Thanks for helping me get past this. I know even the smallest slab of metal is incredibly expensive.¡±

    ¡°But no price can be put on the future of a gifted child. Your parents gave you the perfect upbringing.¡±

    WarWolf smiles. ¡°Yeah, they did. And thanks to mom, I¡¯m faster and stronger than ever.¡± She runs in place.

    VirtueVice splits to face each of us. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to share with the two of you. And only you two. Is that clear?¡±

    ¡°I can tell StarBorne, right?¡± I ask.

    Teacher stares at me.

    I step back. ¡°Yeah. Understood. Just between the two of us.¡±

    ¡°Teacher is dead.¡±

    I grab WarWolf¡¯s hand, though more for my own support than hers.

    It doesn¡¯t seem real.

    ¡°I won¡¯t tell a soul,¡± I say, my voice like a whisper.

    WarWolf nods. ¡°Did he reveal anything?¡±

    VirtueVice pulls himself back together. ¡°Nothing. The rebellion died with him.¡±

    ¡°What did he fight for?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Such questions are very dangerous.¡± The room darkens as VirtueVice turns to me.

    WarWolf slugs me. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Stop being so curious all the time.¡±

    VirtueVice¡¯s upper body circles around us as his lower body goes counterclockwise in the same circle. ¡°There are still traitors among us. I will need the two of you to act as my spies. You will be interning with different teachers in the coming months. Help me weed out the traitors as only you can.¡±

    ¡°I knew these legs didn¡¯t come without a price,¡± says WarWolf with a smirk.

    ¡°They are the price I pay to make sure my spies are well equipped for their mission.¡± VirtueVice pulls us into his grasp. ¡°Every day from here on will be a struggle against the darkness. Your memories will be eaten along with your skills. You must fight to survive. Your greatest enemy is yourself. You are your own assassin. Be wary of your thoughts. Stay focused. Together the three of us can end this rebellion.¡±

    WarWolf looks up at him. ¡°Why can¡¯t StarBorne help us?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to put our star pupil in danger. StarBorne will remain with me.¡±

    ¡°When we find out who the traitors are, what do we do?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re assassins. You know the answer.¡±

    WarWolf nods without doubt.

    I nod with hesitation.

    If I find a traitor, I¡¯m going to get the truth from them. And from there¡­I¡¯ll decide where I stand. My parents were loyal assassins. WarWolf¡¯s father was a traitor. Both were truly great assassins who gave everything for what they believed in. I¡¯m going to be a great assassin too¡­no matter what.

    I look at VitrueVice.

    If I decide to be loyal to the guild, then I¡¯ll be a legendary assassin that will inspire all who come after.

    I turn and smile at WarWolf.

    If I decide upon being a traitor, then I¡¯ll be a legendary traitor who makes sure that no more have to suffer as I have.

 Memory 19: Our New Mission

    The daily routine changed after we graduated. First, I wake up from a wretched nightmare¡­either killing my parents or my classmates. Then I meet with VirtueVice, WarWolf and StarBorne for Hasha yoga. It is a combat training and mind centering exercise used by assassins before RiftRippers were a thing. Before our first session began, VirtueVice told us to call him Guru, an otherworldly word for teacher. WarWolf would always one up me in the yoga exercises but it didn¡¯t bother me considering she was wearing very tight stretch pants and StarBorne was given an entirely different exercise entirely due to his or her flexibility. The part I dreaded most of each day was the meditation. It always brought up disturbing thoughts and it was different for both of us. VirtueVice had her meditate on concepts such as truth and loyalty, StarBorne often focused on intuition or nature but I had to focus on my fears and guilt.

    Why was Guru torturing me?

    Thankfully after meditation came personal time. Now that I was unable to write, I had to record my story with a PsyrenFrog, which WarWolf would then write down for me. After a few months of logging it was no longer my story. It was the story of our class, the Assailants. I of course omitted BladEagle¡¯s final scene to protect both him and myself.

    Eating became more challenging now. Not only were there more poisoned meals, most of which were lethal, but the kitchen was guarded by teachers and anyone caught wouldn¡¯t be permitted to eat. All the students had to work as a unit every day and then distribute the food amongst each other. When someone was poisoned, we had our best healers take care of them. Even though most of our day was spent one on one with a teacher, either training or as a support unit, we really felt like a family. I made it my mission to learn everyone¡¯s names and their expertise. Our loss brought us all to common ground and we greeted each other with dignity and pride.

    ¡°Weech, killing by hugging,¡± I would say to any new assassin.

    Of course this greeting was reserved for assassin to assassin encounters. Secrets were our weapons after all.

    For WarWolf it was ¡®killing by clawing¡±. Goopy was ¡®killing by crying.¡¯ StarBorne was ¡°killing by sparkling¡¯. Sparkle was apparently the name for his special gift of emotional insight. BunBun didn¡¯t speak to me still, but WarWolf told me hers was ¡®killing by poking¡¯. I¡¯m sure if BladEagle was alive he would say ¡®killing by slicing¡¯ or something like that. As for CamOctopus, ¡®killing silently¡¯ seems appropriate.

    When we finished breakfast, we would join back with Guru for training. Close-quarters training was WarWolf¡¯s expertise but after Guru teaching me for five years, she didn¡¯t really stand a chance against me. I of course kept my true skill a secret and she had too much pride to call me out on it. That said, there were a few times her metal legs sudden movements caught me off guard. Weapon training always made WarWolf a bit sad. Sometimes she would turn, expecting to see BladEagle, but he wasn¡¯t there. Durability training was always painful but physical pain, after four years of having daggers thrown at me, didn¡¯t bother me. The pain felt more like signals and those signals alerted to my attacker¡¯s location. Team training was last and this always made me miss BunBun. WarWolf would always hold my hand while Guru instructed us. She knew that I felt a void without BunBun.

    Guru no longer shared a new chapter of his life with us. I wonder if that was because killing his parents left such an impact on him.

    After we ate lunch, we got paired up with a teacher or even an assassin that lived outside school grounds. It hadn¡¯t sunk in that we were real assassins until my first night out with a nameless veteran who hid their identity under an OniGiri mask. When I first saw them, I had thought they were an actual dark realm creature, but that proved false. My very first official mission wasn¡¯t an assignation at all. We simply had to escort a client to his destination. Other than a raid from some Goblis on the road, the mission was finished without any danger. And even when we were attacked, just the sight of the OniGiri mask sent them fleeing.

    Almost all my first missions were escort missions or even what the hero¡¯s called ¡®fetch quests¡¯. The missions weren¡¯t hard, but really, they weren¡¯t all that important either. My main mission was to uncover who among these assassins was a traitor and it was hard getting any of them to talk.

    Sometimes the mission would last for over a week and some of the assassins I was paired with only saw me as baggage. One particularly muscular assassin even beat me up when the person we were supposed to escort got captured. I took the hits without complaint. When we finally found our client, an informant with information on the new CatBoy General, his throat had been slit.

    ¡°You incompetent little shit. Do you know what this means?¡± he asks, glaring at me with those ugly bushy eyebrows.

    ¡°That you lost some money. Look, I¡¯ll be sure to stay focused next time. I didn¡¯t know they were waiting inside the bar. I stood watch right where you said to.¡±

    He took out his knife, a Shocku shaped blade that was all red.

    ¡°CrimsonShocku was my name before I became a nobody.¡±

    Wait up. We lose our codenames when we become assassins? That¡¯s lame.

    CrimsonShocku swung his blade at my throat.

    I squeezed the PsyrenFrog in my pocket and tossed a DustMeowz to the ground.

    The creature squeaked before creating a smoke cloud.

    ¡°You can¡¯t run, Weech. I¡¯m going to kill you.¡±

    Teacher once said a dying man spills all secrets. Let¡¯s test that theory.

    ¡°I¡¯m a traitor to the guild. Failed the mission on purpose just so I¡¯d get you to say this.¡± I tap the PsyrenFrog and roll him along the ground.

    The frog responds in his voice. ¡°You can¡¯t run, Weech. I¡¯m going to kill you.¡±

    ¡°A traitor and an amateur!¡± he yells, rushing to the source of the sound.

    I rush to attack him from behind and shield my throat with my arms when he suddenly flips around and slices.

    Kill! Kill!

    The voice in my head makes my vision go blurry.

    I suddenly feel myself being stabbed over and over. The pain is overwhelming to my senses.

    I then see myself stabbing me with a pencil.

    When will this wretched memory let me be free?

    I cough and fall over backward. When my vision returns and the fog disperses I see my target covered in blood and stab wounds.

    I felt his wounds, but why?

    Screams ring in my head and I slam it against the wall to silence them.

    ¡°You¡­¡± The assassin coughs.

    ¡°If you¡¯re a traitor, then there¡¯s no need to hide it anymore. I lied before. I¡¯m loyal to the guild.¡±

    CrimsonShocku chuckles, flashing his sharklike teeth. ¡°I¡¯m no traitor. Please, save me. I don¡¯t want to be lost in the darkness.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no saving you but don¡¯t worry. Thanks to you attacking me, I found a great way to track down the traitors.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°By bringing them¡­to the brink of¡­¡±

    ¡°Death! Yeah! That¡¯s right. I¡¯m kinda socially awkward so this seems like a good ice breaker.¡± I smile at him.

    ¡°Freak.¡± He smiles back. ¡°Kill them all. If the traitors win, then all our sacrifices¡­pointless.¡± His eyes go clear.

    I look up at the night sky. A single full moon and one that is just a crescent. StarBorne would say that nights like these are special, that they make one live in both the present and the future. I don¡¯t have a clue about star study but I do wish WarWolf was with me to see this lovely sight.

    Guru isn¡¯t happy when I report that I killed an assassin in self-defense. Even so, the internships continue and so does my mission.

    My next mission is with the OniGiri mask assassin and it is my first truly dangerous one. We are tasked with infiltrating a slave auction and stealing an angel.

    Street Trash is the name of the city run by bandits. It¡¯s a dusty place filled with unsavory fellows from many different species. Almost every building as tall as a mill and all the windows were made from the skin of a Drakin, which made it so the people inside would see us but we couldn¡¯t see them. The road was in the process of being paved with shiny rocks, but I noticed a small MounTroll girl steal one and add it to her already shiny arm.

    Wait up. I don¡¯t remember learning about Drakins before. What is it?

    ¡°Hey, you ever remember something but you don¡¯t know how? Is that like tapping into the Source? That¡¯s what my friend Goopy says.¡± I smile at my partner.

    Though he hasn¡¯t really spoken to me since he lost his hand. Are we still friends?

    ¡°You see those flowers on that plant woman? I had a target who absolutely adored flowers. I set fire to her home and she rushed in to save the potted plants. With her hands full a single jab to the heart was all it took and the fire burned all the evidence.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really awesome!¡±

    And you ignored my question but at least you¡¯re talking to me.

    ¡°Do you know what I did after the kill? Haha! I rushed in to save the flowers.¡±

    ¡°Is that some sort of code of honor?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Not looting the dead is part of a code of honor. This is something called Death¡¯s Acquisition. Now it doesn¡¯t happen always, but sometimes we get lucky and take a bit of the target¡¯s memory. Can lead to some important intel. Other times we just pick up their habits. It¡¯s taking everything in me to not go up to that flower and sniff it.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s not just RiftRippers who do that?¡±

    ¡°RiftRippers have a much stronger version of Death¡¯s Acquisition called Soul Claim. It¡¯s not so finicky as what we have but it¡¯s also more taxing on the mind.¡± The assassin with the mask suddenly grabs me and rushes down the alleyway.

    ¡°Were we spotted?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Nope, but looks like another assassin is here.¡±

    ¡°For the angel?¡±

    ¡°Possibly.¡±

    ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t we join up?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. They could be hired by a different client or even compromised.¡±

    ¡°Hey, umm. How come you¡¯re talking to me now?¡±

    ¡°Hear you killed CrimsonShocku. Really hated that guy. Always beating up on the new recruits. I don¡¯t think every assassin lost is a loss. Sometimes Punk is better off without some of us.¡±

    Is that something a traitor would say, or a loyalist?

    The masked assassin leads me through the crowd to the front of the slave auction.

    The massive stage has cages with all sorts of beings inside, but not our angel.

    ¡°This auction wasn¡¯t always a part of Street Trash. There was a time before the guild, before integrity, that this was a city of assassins.¡±

    Is my partner trying to cover up her true feelings about the guild or is she finally opening up to me that she¡¯s a loyalist? I guess I¡¯ll just have to get us in danger if I want to find out.

    Even when the angel was being sold I was told to stay my ground. The poor angel was so frightened. She kept hiding her face under her racoon tail. We followed the rich MounTroll who bought her to his rocky carriage.

    ¡°What does he want with her?¡±

    ¡°A resale most likely. Killing him is against code, so we have to get her out without being found out. Keep in mind that violence between scum is prohibited in this place. So we have to get her before he exits the city. Also, no doubt the other assassin wants her too so be on the lookout.¡±

    The MounTroll merchant is kicked out of the carriage as soon as he steps in. The other assassin leaps on top of him and uses golden claws to tear out some stones from the troll. They then take those stones and sharpen them with their tendrils.

    A RiftRipper! We¡¯re competing with a RiftRipper.

    The masked assassin takes the angel out of the carriage and sneaks up to me.

    The RiftRipper slams the sharpened stone into the MounTroll¡¯s throat while another tendril stabs into the masked assassin. My partner turns around and tears open her cloak, revealing the guild mark to her attacker. ¡°We¡¯re on the same side.¡±

    ¡°Should have said so sooner. Take the angel. My mission was to kill whoever bought her. The MounTrolls have been price gouging the Village Elders lately and need to be reminded how important balance is.¡± The RiftRipper then devours the MounTroll and then slinks away through the shadows.

    The masked assassin follows me into a nearby hut with the angel in tow.

    An actual OniGiri spots us in her home and her skin flares up as her muscles bulge.

    The angel pops up and gives her a kiss, putting the OniGiri in a bliss-like state.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t know¡­angel kisses did that.¡± The masked assassin forces a smile but it¡¯s clear she¡¯s dying.

    Now that her cloak is torn its quite clear that my partner is a woman.

    The racoon angel stands on her tip toes and raises her head. ¡°I¡¯m not just any angel!¡±

    ¡°All angels can heal, right? Can you save her?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I was on a super secret recon mission and you assassins messed it up. Saving one of you just means more dead.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, more bad people,¡± I say, glaring at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my place to judge.¡± She shrugs and then walks off to the bath.

    I go to my partner. ¡°Were your vitals hit?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Sorry about that. This is really going to ruin your record, kid?¡±

    This is my chance. Hope it works.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about my record. I hate the guild.¡±

    ¡°Be careful, that kind of sentiment will get you killed.¡±

    My eyes widen. ¡°The troll wasn¡¯t his target. You were. He knew you were a traitor. That RiftRipper was sent to kill you.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t call ourselves traitors. I¡¯m part of the Red Guild. And that¡¯s all the information you¡¯re getting from me.¡±

    I grab her hands. ¡°Please¡­I don¡¯t know what side is right. Why did you join the Red Guild? What is your goal? Did you know SparkuPine?¡±

    ¡°We call the Assassin¡¯s guild the black guild. They make us kill our parents, isn¡¯t that reason enough. I don¡¯t have a goal, I just do what I¡¯m told. But even so, I feel like it has a purpose. SparkuPine got captured trying to kill the school¡¯s star pupil. Both sides kill for our own reasons. It¡¯s up to you to decide what the right path is.¡±

    ¡°I¡­hate the guild for taking my parents away but what else is there? And I want to make my parents proud of me.¡±

    ¡°Then bring my head to the guild. I noticed you recording me. I have faith that the Red Guild will prevail with or without you. One assassin makes no difference. Only together can we smear the future red.¡±

    My chest hurts and I notice a potted plant behind her. I bring it to my partner and she nuzzles it.

    ¡°Thanks, Weech. So, are you going to kill me?¡±

    I don¡¯t even think to lift my blade on her.

    ¡°I know all about the Black Guild. Maybe it¡¯s time I find out about the Red Guild firsthand.¡± I rush off to the bathroom of the building.

    The water is crystal clear and has the small racoon angel resting comfortably.

    ¡°Oh, came to sneak a peek? I know, I¡¯m irresistible.¡±

    ¡°I came to make a trade.¡±

    ¡°Amorita doesn¡¯t negotiate for tricks. Love is free.¡± She winks at me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you back this bottle of¡­whatever this is and you¡¯ll heal my friend.¡±

    Amorita¡¯s eyes sparkle. She hops out from the bath and rushes past me bare naked.

    I follow her along and see her drooling on my partner¡¯s wound.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let the Red Guild know what you did for me,¡± says my partner, smiling at me through her mask.

    ¡°There we go! All done! And I am not fickle or anything. Assassins are worthless! Buuuuut he loves you enough to steal from me so I decided to help. Love and peace!¡± Amorita hops around as she slides back into her clothes.

    This angel is nothing like Tempera.

    ¡°Here¡¯s your bottle.¡±

    ¡°Nope. I don¡¯t negotiate.¡±

    ¡°I know that. But I don¡¯t need it anymore.¡±

    Amorita takes it and smiles. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to get captured again. Tell your bosses not to rescue me this time or I¡¯ll get really mad.¡±

    ¡°Haha! Sure thing.¡± I smile at her.

    Amorita then rushes back to the bath. ¡°Tanewki Transform!¡± The bath bends and shrinks until it becomes a leaf. She shoves the leaf in her pocket and then speeds out of the hut.

    Guru comes to pick me up at night. When I see WarWolf, she looks very excited.

    ¡°Did you find a traitor?¡± asks Guru, wobbling side to side but keeping his vocal composure.

    ¡°I sure did.¡± WarWolf reaches into her bag and pulls out a man¡¯s head. She then taps her PsyrenFrog which says ¡®I admit it! I¡¯m a traitor! I¡¯m on your side!¡¯.

    ¡°Your side?¡± asks Guru.

    ¡°Yeah, I lied and he fell for it. Then I slit his throat. Still bloody. Not sure I want to shower just yet.¡± She licks the blood off the top of her hands.

    Guru turns to me. ¡°Did you find a traitor yet?¡±

    If going against the guild means going against Guru, then can I really do it? I can¡¯t sell off my partner either way. She may think that one assassin doesn¡¯t matter but I disagree.

    Guru leans in closer to me. ¡°Weech, did you find a traitor?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯ll keep searching.¡±

    Guru smiles through his whole cloak. ¡°You¡¯re lying again.¡±

    How can he tell.

    WarWolf steps in front of me. ¡°Calm down! I lied too! I made them say they were a traitor. I just wanted to learn more about what my father fought for. If you kill him, then you¡¯ll have to kill me too.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re both traitors, yet you are so loyal to one another. That makes you a true threat to the Black Guild.¡±

    ¡°What is the Black Guild?¡± asks WarWolf.

    ¡°My sworn enemy. Apologies for the test but I had to make sure our views were in alignment. I am the founder of the Red Guild. I am the traitor general the school is no longer searching for.¡±

    Wait! He¡¯s the traitor!? Does that mean we¡¯re safe or in danger!?

 Memory 20: Our New Purpose

    WarWolf turns to me. ¡°Don¡¯t say a word, Weech. This could just be another test.¡±

    StarBorne approaches her and smiles. ¡°I can assure you that he is indeed speaking the truth.¡±

    ¡°How long have you known?¡± I ask.

    ¡°After our first exam he felt he owed me an explanation.¡±

    WarWolf steps up to him. ¡°Everyone was after you. If you were killed, then what would he do?¡±

    Guru turns to her. ¡°StarBorne would have been brought to Tempera if mortally wounded. There were doubts among the other RiftRippers if I had been compromised and my rescue of StarBorne put me in good favor with the other department heads.¡±

    WarWolf glares at me. ¡°My father was captured just so you could get the heat off you. What kind of leader are you?¡±

    ¡°SparkuPine volunteered for the mission.¡±

    ¡°I¡­killed him.¡± WarWolf clenches her fist till it bleeds.

    ¡°Yes and now it is your decision if you will take up his cause.¡±

    I pull at Guru¡¯s cloak. ¡°What about Teacher? He wasn¡¯t a traitor, was he? You made him confess and then¡­you killed him.¡±

    I¡¯m suddenly lifted up by a tentacled embrace.

    ¡°With my apparent death, the search for the ringleader of the Red Guild came to an end. Things are going splendidly!¡± Teacher spins around with me.

    He¡¯s really alive.

    ¡°You have to tell BunBun that you¡¯re okay!¡± I exclaim.

    Teacher sets me down. ¡°BunBun is lost. Revealing myself to her now is too risky.¡±

    ¡°What if she ends up killing herself? You¡¯ll always regret not telling her the truth.¡±

    Guru looks to me. ¡°I can request OniGiri to test her as I did you.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please do! I¡¯m sure she¡¯d join our cause if she just understood it.¡±

    I don¡¯t even understand it yet, but showing doubt could be dangerous at this point.

    ¡°I trust your judgement.¡±

    ¡°Wait, there¡¯s something I didn¡¯t tell you about. OniGiri and I were spotted by an enemy RiftRipper.¡± I lower my head in shame.

    Teacher raises his tentacles. ¡°All part of the test and you passed with flying daggers!¡±

    WarWolf steps up directly in front of Virtue Vice and stands tall. ¡°No more secrets from now on. That¡¯s my condition. I want to know everything you know.¡±

    Teacher pats her. ¡°You must have faith that Guru will lead us to victory. He tells us only what we need to know.¡±

    Guru removes Teacher¡¯s tentacle. ¡°She¡¯s absolutely entitled to the truth. You all are.¡±

    WarWolf nods. ¡°My mother, after she cut off my legs and I stabbed her¡­she said they never should have taken me in. What did she mean by that?¡±

    Guru lowers his head. ¡°Our parents, the one¡¯s who raised us into great warriors, they aren¡¯t our actual parents.¡±

    Teacher looks at Guru nervously. ¡°Are you sure you should say that?¡±

    ¡°The Black Guild sends RiftRippers out to acquire special children. Every assassin student is an indigo child, seen from the coloration of their eyes. You were then assigned parents based on your archetype, determined by our resident Arvhivos, Libras Historium. Weech needed parents who would nurture with love above all else while WarWolf required parents who would help her become independent.¡±

    WarWolf looks at Guru with a pale face. ¡°My father didn¡¯t want me attached so that I wouldn¡¯t become a RiftRipper. So, what happened to our real parents?¡±

    ¡°They were murdered.¡±

    The guild stole me away from my family. What value is there to this truth? I think I was better off not knowing.

    Guru looks up at the black ceiling. ¡°Teacher was assigned to kill them and take their child to this world.¡±

    Teacher bows to me. ¡°I can never redeem myself for my actions.¡±

    WarWolf sobs. ¡°Why not just take us away? What does killing them accomplish?¡±

    I embrace WarWolf with all my love, but I feel like it¡¯s already been drained from me.

    What does being an assassin even mean?

    Guru¡¯s coat spreads out as intersecting threads. ¡°Truth threads join together to create the Archivos Web, a subconscious storehouse for all information in existence. The Black Guild are firm believers in the Archivos Web. Before your true final exam, they will reveal to all the students this truth to bring them even more despair. They feel a lie isn¡¯t quite as potent as a truth.¡±

    I stifle my tears. ¡°So the Black Guild killed our parents just to cause us misery? That¡¯s insane.¡±

    ¡°Misery is how they create RiftRippers. Killing your parents isn¡¯t a test so much as it is the beginning of your transformation. The black liquid you ingested before that dreadful day is the seed of a RiftRipper. Your thoughts, skills and memory are being muddled by that liquid. That is why I specifically gave you muscle memory training.¡±

    Teacher paces around in a circle. ¡°Parents and teachers are given impossible tasks. If a class fails, then it is that teacher¡¯s duty to kill them, this is meant to encourage teachers to help their students pass. My last class¡­I can never get their screams out of my head.¡± He turns to us and smiles. ¡°Thank you all for saving me from killing you.¡±

    WarWolf wipes her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know anymore about the truth of our past.¡±

    ¡°Tell us about our future. What is the plan?¡± I ask, holding her close to me.

    Guru signals Teacher to let him talk. ¡°The Black Guild believe that RiftRippers are the true assassins will do whatever it takes to create stronger RiftRippers to destroy their enemies. The Red Guild believes that assassins should be nurtured with experience, not misery. We denounce RiftRipper transformation and the sacrifices it demands. Sacrifice is meaningless without intent.¡± He grabs WarWolf¡¯s hand. ¡°Your father refused to be sacrificed by the guild. He gave up his own life and his legacy by his own choice.¡± Guru salutes by making an x cut in the air above his chest.

    ¡°Then I will offer up the same.¡± WarWolf salutes in the same way.

    VirtueVice turns to me. ¡°Your parents¡¯ love for you is so genuine that not even the Black Guild could fabricate it. I ask that you make them proud by choosing to live a noble life for the sake of your fellow assassins.¡±

    I gulp. ¡°If this fails then my dreams of being a legendary assassin will forever be lost. But if I succeed then I¡¯ll be more than a hero, I¡¯ll be a prophet who changes the meaning of what an assassin is.¡± I grin. ¡°Sounds like a fair gamble to me. I don¡¯t know if my parents would want me to be a part of the Black Guild or the Red Guild, but I know what feels right to me.¡± I salute. ¡°I offer up my services to the Red Guild.¡±

    ¡°I am forever grateful. Welcome to the Red Guild.¡± Guru salutes both of us and bows. ¡°The final stage of the plan will take place during your true final exam.¡±

    WarWolf holds out her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the matter at hand. What is your mission for us?¡±

    ¡°You all have now been armed with the truth. Go out and determine which students would join the Red Guild. I will then send OniGiri to test them.¡±

    ¡°If they are loyal to the Black Guild, do we¡­kill them?¡± I ask.

    Guru smiles. ¡°All assassins are our brothers and sisters. This is the old way, the teachings of the Black Guild. We will kill if we must, but our enemy is the Black Guild ideology itself. All the students and teachers are its victims. If the Archia Prima wills it and our actions follow the path she has given us, then all can be saved.¡±

    I make each move carefully. My missions working alongside other assassins lose their meaning to me. Every moment I spend there is a moment I could be spending learning more about my fellow students and their potential allegiance to our cause. StarBorne would be perfect for this mission but his safety is top priority. Despite us being told we are assassins now, not a single mission has been a kill quest. When I brought this detail to WarWolf¡¯s attention, she simply said that we¡¯re better off not knowing why. I had thought that sharing the secrets of the Red Guild and working for a common cause would bring us closer, but those truths had shaken her to her core. Since Teacher and Guru both allowed her father to die, she felt resentment towards them. I fear that resentment has clung onto her and made her lose her grasp on happiness.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Since the Black Guild didn¡¯t want to shake the truth regime they had established, they decided to paint CrimsonShocku as a traitor and me as the noble assassin who took him down. They told the students to be wary and watchful for traitors which made my investigation all the more tricky. On the bright side, the fake story they spun put me at a high level of trust among the whole school. This allowed me to be the first student to be assigned to protect a hero.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit young to be an assassin?¡± asks the hero, who was only older than me by at few years. He had long flowing blond hair and a rounded face. The rest of his body was clad in shiny armor.

    OniGiri pats my head. ¡°Be careful. Insult him and he might stab you on impulse. He¡¯s a dangerous one.¡±

    The hero looks up OniGiri up and down. ¡°So he¡¯s just here to take notes. You¡¯re my real bodyguard and such a lovely body you have, my lady.¡±

    OniGiri tosses a line of knives about an inch in front of the hero¡¯s feet. ¡°My name is OniGiri. I never said I was a girl.¡±

    ¡°And yet you are. The WhiteKnight is only smitten with women, so you have to be one. Why don¡¯t you remove that mask and show me the angelic face beneath?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an assassin not an angel. Comparing to me an angel is blasphemy.¡±

    ¡°Then I am indeed a heathen.¡±

    I step in between them and look at WhiteKnight. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. What makes you special?¡±

    I know why assassins are chosen, but what is it that Isekai believes is needed to be a hero?

    ¡°My heroic spirit and my infinite love for women. Once I¡¯ve killed the dictator and take the throne of this kingdom, I shall make arranged marriages illegal. It should be every woman¡¯s choice to be with me.¡±

    OniGiri crouches down to me. ¡°How upset you think the guild would be if we were unable to protect him?¡±

    ¡°Hey, creep or not, we have a mission.¡±

    ¡°Right you are.¡± OniGiri turns to the hero. ¡°If we¡¯re going to keep you safe, you need to listen to our instructions. If we say move, you move. Got it?¡±

    WhiteKnight grabs her hand and places a kiss upon it. ¡°Your word is my mission, my lady.¡±

    ¡°Good. Now what is your mission?¡±

    ¡°As a noble and great hero I¡¯ve been tasked with going to Another Village; that¡¯s the actual name by the way, and rescuing the damsels. You will keep me protected until we make it a secret location where the women can spend the rest of their lives in peace.¡±

    ¡°So there¡¯s an entire village of women?¡± I ask.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct and its location has been entrusted to me.¡±

    Why does Isekai put so much faith in this egotist?

    OniGiri bows to him. ¡°I pledge my truth in service to you, hero.¡±

    WhiteKnight lifts her head. ¡°Never bow your head to a mere man. This mission may seem small, but its importance cannot be understated. Even in a society rotting with patriarchy, there can matriarchal havens. I will crush the man ruling this garden, but in the meantime I will make sure to save every flower I can. You hear that, that¡¯s poetry,¡± he says, raising his eyebrows at OniGiri.

    His backpack opens up and a small angel with bunny ears raises her fist. ¡°Down with the patricity!¡±

    Wow. He has an angel. That¡¯s incredible.

    He looks up and smiles. ¡°That¡¯s pronounced pay-tree-r-key.¡±

    She nods. ¡°Men suck.¡±

    He nods his head with pride. ¡°They do indeed.¡±

    OniGiri looks at the girl and then back at him. ¡°You were assigned an angel?¡±

    ¡°Nope, this pure girl was being abused by the previous number one hero. I rescued her and reported him.¡±

    ¡°He named me Cinnamon Roll.¡± The angel hugs him with her BunBun ears.

    WhiteKnight holds her ears and smiles. ¡°The abuser was stripped of his title and not even the village elder could convince her to leave my side. With angels so scarce and wanting to keep up the false power of the image of their male driven society, they decreed me as the new number one hero.¡±

    It¡¯s just like how I was given praise for killing CrimsonShocku. Isekai will spin the truth in whatever way suits their purposes.

    OniGiri took off her mask and smiles at WhiteKnight. ¡°I apologize for earlier. I misjudged you.¡±

    ¡°Think nothing of it, my beautiful rice ball. Before I was born my soul chose to be a male in this life. I tell myself that was so I could use my privilege to help the fairer sex but my entitlements nonetheless are reason alone to judge me harshly.¡± He takes her hand and she smiles.

    Cinnamon Roll raises her fist. ¡°Let¡¯s save some hot dames!¡±

    WhiteKnight wipes a tear from his eye. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have said it better myself.¡±

    We journey together through the forest of Broken Dreams, following the river of Lost Causes and finally arrive at Another Village. The buildings look lopsided, tilting forward.

    ¡°Even the towers of men bow to me! Ha!¡± exclaims WhiteKnight, standing tall.

    The floor is paved but there¡¯s some sticky goop between the tiles. Something about the place feels off.

    OniGiri takes a look at the map. ¡°The village is supposed to be past that hill over there. Where are we?¡±

    WhiteKnight turns around and spots the sign. ¡°It says Another Village right there. Lay your worries to rest. Wrinkles have no place on your smooth skin.¡±

    The doors to the houses open and several women come rushing out to greet the hero.

    WhiteKnight¡¯s eyes pratically pop when they start pulling on him.

    ¡°You must be tired.¡± ¡°Come with us.¡± ¡°Thanks for coming to our village.¡± They say as they pull him inside.

    OniGiri steps in their path. ¡°Where is your village elder?¡±

    The eldest of the women steps up to the assassin. ¡°She fled when the CatBoys attacked our village. We are a village with no leader. The Legendary Hero rescued us back then but word is he¡¯s gone rogue. If the CatBoys attack again, we will all be slaughtered.¡±

    WhiteKnight puts his arms around the girls. They smile so he starts fondling their breasts. ¡°There¡¯s no telling when they might return. I know you¡¯d all love to have passionate sex with me, but that must wait. I need your help.¡±

    ¡°The hero needs our help?¡± asks one of the girls, snuggling him.

    He nods. ¡°Absolutely. I need you to round up everyone in the village as soon as possible. Bring them to the front.¡±

    The girls nod and rush off.

    WhiteKnight turns to me. ¡°As long as there are women in this village, it will be attacked. We can protect them and their home by relocating them.¡±

    We take a bread break while the girls round up the entire village. Once they are rounded up he takes a look at each and every one of them. From there he decides who will come along with us. When he¡¯s done there are around fifteen villagers selected.

    OniGiri approaches him. ¡°Not to question you, but why are half of them boys? Aren¡¯t we only rescuing the women? Why some boys and not others?¡±

    ¡°Female is more about identity than biology. However, those who wish them harm can only see skin deep. In this oppressive world, girls dress restrictively and hide their endowments. Those boys are all Tomboys, females who must act as males in order to stay safe from the dictator¡¯s raids.¡±

    I look at him curiously. ¡°Is your ability to decipher their sex the reason you were chosen as a hero.¡±

    WhiteKnight grimaces. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I was chosen, but I was chosen nonetheless.¡± He turns to the villagers. ¡°Prepare a wagon! We leave immediately.¡±

    While on the journey to Vaginos, which according to WhiteKnight is the name of the village of females, we hear a lovely melody.

    I look up drowsily at OniGiri. ¡°Did you play music when you lived with your parents?¡±

    Her face lights up. ¡°I absolutely did, but this music isn¡¯t from me.¡± She peaks out for a few seconds and then looks back at me. ¡°I don¡¯t see any other carriages on the road.¡±

    The women are all huddled around WhiteKnight, whose face is painted with their gracious kisses.

    Hero¡¯s aren¡¯t some mythic beings of perfection or moral paragons. They are flawed but they try to do the right thing regardless. The courage to help others is the only true requirement for hero and WhiteKnight is full of courage.

    Cinnamon Roll looks up at me curiously. ¡°I don¡¯t hear any music.¡±

    OniGiri suddenly grabs the girl. ¡°If you start to lose yourself, run as far away from her as you can. We can¡¯t risk losing an angel.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask, holding Cinnamon Roll tightly.

    I won¡¯t let anything bad happen to this BunBun.

    ¡°We¡¯re under attack. That music is death itself.¡± OniGiri grabs WhiteKnight¡¯s hand.

    The girls in the area suddenly start screaming in agony. They then claw at each other, tearing skin and shedding blood.

    Is this real?

    WhiteKnight pushes OniGiri off him and runs into the bloody mess, doing his best to defend the women from each other.

    ¡°We have to kill them.¡± OniGiri whips out and knife. She tosses it at one of the girls.

    WhiteKnight¡¯s hand reaches out, getting stabbed in it¡¯s place.

    ¡°You stubborn idiot! They¡¯re going to tear you to pieces!¡± yells OniGiri. ¡°Weech, help me kill them. Defending the hero is our mission.¡±

    I look at the girls stabbing WhiteKnight¡¯s armor with the knife he just protected them from and then back at OniGiri.

    I don¡¯t know what to do?

    Then let me do it.

    I shake away the voice in my head.

    When OniGiri moves in and starts cutting down the girls, WhiteKnight kicks her off.

    She tumbles off the carriage and grabs onto him, pulling him along.

    I simply watch as the girls we just rescued tear each other to fleshy bits.

    The moment the last one dies, the melody stops.

    WhiteKnight climbs back into the carriage and is overcome by tears. ¡°This is all my fault.¡±

    I embrace him tightly. ¡°What are you saying? You did your best to save them. You¡¯re a hero. I¡¯m the one who froze up. I didn¡¯t protect you or them. I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re worthless males and cowards. I¡¯m no hero. I¡¯m cursed. My power is to automatically move to defend when someone is in danger. I didn¡¯t think to save those girls, my body did it automatically. And even then¡­they were all killed.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s OniGiri?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I knocked her out. I¡­punched a woman.¡± He holds his fist in misery. ¡°I¡¯m a total fraud. Do you know what I did before I was brought to this world. I dressed up as a knight to play board games and flirt with girls. The village thought that meant I have a strong desire to be a hero. But all that is just fantasy roleplay. Nothing about me is heroic. I should have been the one who died.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. There wasn¡¯t a way to save them. You can still be a hero. I¡¯m praised as a legendary assassin at my school, but my body acted on impulse too. My status is a lie, but the belief the people have in me, the faith those girls have in you, that is absolutely true.¡±

    WhiteKnight touches his cheek, which know has a bloody scratch on it from the dagger cut. ¡°Who will have faith in a person like me? I don¡¯t even have my good looks now.¡±

    ¡°We need to be more than people. We need to be a symbol.¡±

    Cinnamon Roll takes a helmet out from his bag and hands it to him. ¡°You¡¯re my hero.¡±

    WhiteKnight puts on the helmet and sobs. He then stands tall. ¡°Justice has no face. If my curse is to save others than I shall make it my gift!¡± He turns to me. ¡°To think I needed an assassin to help me overcome my male weakness.¡± He places his hand on my shoulder. ¡°I hope I have inspired you as well. Use your privilege as a male icon to help bring equality to the oppressed minorities. Let their deaths be fuel for our noble missions.¡±

    I give him a teary smile. ¡°I absolutely will. Hey, why do you think we weren¡¯t targeted?¡±

    ¡°A hero¡¯s heart can¡¯t be swayed by evil!¡± WhiteKnight exclaims proudly. He breathes in and then throws up in his helmet. ¡°We should leave this carriage. It¡¯s eating away my charisma.¡±

    Cinnamon Roll pokes at one of the corpses. ¡°Why is she quiet?¡±

    WhiteKnight lifts her up. ¡°She¡¯s sleeping.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± She grabs at his helmet.

    ¡°It will heal on its own.¡± He turns to me and hops out of the carriage.

    I follow along.

    OniGiri is a little ways down the road. I shake her to her senses.

    ¡°That¡¯s a hell of a punch you got there.¡± She says, smiling at WhiteKnight.

    ¡°Your mission is over. I¡¯m safe. The girls didn¡¯t make it. I¡¯m sorry for hitting you.¡±

    ¡°Hey you did it with determination and you just wanted to help those girls. That makes you a hero in my eyes.¡±

    WhiteKnight stares at her. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to say something poetic and flirty right now, but I don¡¯t have it in me.¡±

    ¡°Get some rest. We¡¯re getting picked up in the morning. And don¡¯t worry. That song won¡¯t work on Weech or me. We¡¯ve got a little seed that will protect us from being hypnotized.¡±

    Is that true? Did you protect me? Can you¡­hear me?

    I protected us. I will always protect us.

    I give myself a big hug.

    Looks like no matter what, I¡¯ll never be alone.

 Memory 21: Our New Responsibilities

    Upon meeting with Guru, I asked him about the attacker.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories of villagers tearing each other to bits in a bloodbath of madness. The Sound of Slaughter is believed to be an ability of a CatBoy General.¡±

    ¡°I heard it too, but it did nothing to me. Is that because of my Black Seed?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡±

    Am I? If I wasn¡¯t part RiftRipper, I would be dead right now. I¡¯m starting to understand why the Black Guild felt the need to evolve. Even so, there¡¯s no excuse for what they put us through.

    Guru pats my head. ¡°You should rest.¡±

    ¡°Wait. One last thing. Is Tempera with us?¡±

    ¡°She knows of both sides but is tied to neither of them. Weech, doubt is absolutely vital to growth. It¡¯s okay to doubt me and the Red Guild, but I hope you still trust me.¡±

    I smile at him. ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°If you have any questions. I¡¯m always happy to answer.¡±

    My mind drifted to WarWolf.

    ¡°Have you ever been in love?¡±

    ¡°Only once.¡±

    ¡°I think that¡¯s the difference then. The Black Guild¡­doesn¡¯t know what love feels like.¡±

    ¡°Things aren¡¯t so simple.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. How do you do it? Deal with the loss?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t deal with it. Every assassin lost fuels my goal all the more. A true sage can turn misfortune into a blessing. It took me many years to master this art. Don¡¯t worry if you don¡¯t understand it yet.¡±

    ¡°I do understand. BladEagle¡¯s death and CamOctopus too. Wait. Is she dead?¡±

    ¡°She is safe. I cannot say more than that.¡±

    I beam at him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to! And I¡¯ll keep it a secret. Thanks to you, I think I can cope with the loss. I¡¯ll help you usher in a new age of assassins!¡±

    ¡°I expect nothing less from my star pupil.¡±

    Over the years I recruited nearly a dozen students to the Red Guild. Though they were never trusted with knowing the true ringleader, OniGiri took them on several side quests in service to our guild. Recruiting teachers was still too risky but Guru was more focused on the students anyways. After about four years, I knew about every student in the guild. Their hobbies, woes and secrets were all given to me willingly. And though BunBun and I were no longer a couple, we were still good friends.

    Friends aren¡¯t the only thing I gained from those four years. The knowledge of Steam I acquired from BladEagle was now healthily supplemented by my actual experience in the many villages, forests, swamps and even mountains. Both the Red and Black Guild agreed on one thing: this was a world worth protecting. I no longer saw the Black Guild as my enemy or even as misguided. They simply had a viewpoint that I strongly opposed.

    As for skill, I no longer dodged Guru¡¯s throwing knives. I could snatch them from the air without a scratch. WarWolf and StarBorne got stronger too, of course. Her mechanical legs had truly become a part of her and one that she had mastery over. As for StarBorne, well, apparently gifts can be nurtured too. Even with eyes shut he or she could read the arc of an incoming attack and dodge accordingly.

    WarWolf and I grew closer over the years. What had started off as passionate Pup love, had evolved into a deep understanding of one another. We could convey things to one another without saying a word. And there were times when we just spent hours in the others embrace. About two months before our true final exam, she asked VirtueVice to take the two of us to her home.

    ¡°Are you certain you want to return there? If there¡¯s something you need, I can retrieve it from you.¡±

    I grab her hand. ¡°The only thing that remains there is sad memories.¡±

    She looks at me and I nod.

    I turn to Guru. ¡°Please, take us.¡±

    He carves a portal and we enter.

    WarWolf lies on her bed and takes a deep breath. She holds up the blanket. ¡°I¡¯m surprised they changed the sheets.¡±

    The door opens and a five-year old girl with indigo eyes looks at us with shock. ¡°Why are you in my room?¡±

    WarWolf hops off the bed. ¡°Oh, I used to live here. This was my room before.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for all the cooking stuff!¡± She bows to WarWolf.

    WarWolf smiles at her. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re putting it to good use.¡±

    ¡°Why did you leave your home?¡± asks the girl.

    WarWolf looks at me.

    I signal her to lie.

    After all, when we succeed, no child will have to kill their parents.

    WarWolf grins. ¡°Just got a new place. Hey, is it alright if we stay here for just a few hours?¡±

    The girl thinks to herself and then nods. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the kitchen.¡± She then rushes off.

    WarWolf gives me a look and I sit on the bed next to her. ¡°I want to¡­I want to be a mother.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°No way too risky. Plus you worked too hard to be an assassin to just drop out.¡±

    She grabs my hands and looks at me with flushed cheeks.

    Oh. She wants to¡­make a baby.

    I pull away and keep my eyes to the ground. ¡°Is that why you wanted to come here?¡±

    She nods. ¡°This is where I fell in love with you. So¡­it just seems right.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t we get discovered?¡±

    ¡°Nobody will notice if I¡¯m two months pregnant. Please. I¡¯ve waited so long for this.¡±

    ¡°Is it safe raising a kid in a crazy world like this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­but I still want to. The choice is yours too.¡±

    I hug her. ¡°I want to. Of course I want to be with you and to be a father too. Okay, let¡¯s do it before doubt takes over.¡± I start to remove my cloak.

    WarWolf blushes and then tears off my clothes.

    ¡°Haha! Careful. I don¡¯t want them torn.¡±

    ¡°BunBun can sew them back up like she always does.¡±

    I take off WarWolf¡¯s leggings and her top. ¡°We¡¯re no longer kids anymore, are we?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever was. My parents treated me like an adult since I was old enough to walk.¡±

    ¡°Yeah and mine spoiled me into becoming an idealist. They really loved us. I think they¡¯d be happy seeing us like this.¡±

    WarWolf slugs me. ¡°Eww. I don¡¯t want my dad seeing me naked.¡± She giggles.

    I giggle too and then we both stop.

    ¡°I¡¯m nervous too,¡± she says.

    ¡°Should I start?¡± I ask, taking a gulp.

    WarWolf pins me to the bed and grins at me. She then hesitates. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t do it. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I hold her cheek. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±

    ¡°Weech, after BladEagle died¡­you knew things that he knew. Not just facts about things but even things I told him. Sometimes the way you touched me¡­it was just like he did.¡± She holds back her tears.

    Not knowing what to say I lean in and kiss her. ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°And I feel the same, but I can¡¯t go through with this until I know the whole story. I¡¯ve been terrified to ask but its even scarier not knowing. Did you do it. I know you did. Known for so long, but¡­why?¡±

    I look directly in her eyes and solemnly nod. ¡°He was overcome with guilt. His mother was his lover too. He said she was his real love. It made me angry how he used you and¡­he wanted to die. I¡­never wanted to tell anyone the truth about it, but you¡­deserve the truth.¡±

    She nods in tears. ¡°We used each other. I never loved him. What he and I had wasn¡¯t real, at least not like this.¡± She leans in and kisses me.

    ¡°You don¡¯t hate me?¡±

    ¡°Never. I feel the only blockade between us is gone. I love you more than ever.¡± She wraps her hands around mine and kisses my neck.

    I squirm around and giggle.

    ¡°You¡¯re too cute.¡± She removes my underwear with her feet and then twirls them around.

    ¡°And you¡¯re too sexy.¡± I grin.

    WarWolf lowers herself onto me. Her cheeks go red and she growls a bit as we become one.

    ¡°I¡¯m really inside you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± She smiles at me. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt anything so amazing.¡±

    I look at her beautiful bare body.

    Blood.

    Flashes of my victims¡¯ death torment my mind.

    ¡°Are you okay? Did I hurt you? I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    She puts her finger to my lips and gently pumps my member in and out of her garden. ¡°Assassins must spill blood to reach their goals.¡±

    ¡°But not your blood. Never your blood.¡± I start to pull away.

    ¡°Relax. It¡¯s natural. I¡¯m not hurt. No more words, okay? Let¡¯s just be in the moment.¡±

    My whole body heated up as her body went up and down on me. Every time we parted our reunion felt all the more incredible. My seed went inside her four times. We only stopped because my secret dagger wouldn¡¯t stand up for her.

    She clenches as she pulls out, keeping my essence from spilling out. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to blank out the last three rounds. Was it too much?¡± Her hands move to her tan breasts and pinch her perky pink nipples.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t blank out. I was fully in the moment all four times.¡±

    WarWolf giggles. ¡°Four? You filled me seven times.¡±

    ¡°Seven?¡±

    Keheh. Had to help us out a bit.

    My face goes red.

    I never want you touching my girlfriend. I swear if you hurt her¡­

    I only assist us, never impede.

    WarWolf puts her clothes back on and puts the blanket over me. ¡°I¡¯ll go see what¡¯s in the kitchen. Get your clothes on and rest up, okay?¡± She leans down and kisses my lips.

    Still just as warm as our first kiss.

    After waking up I meet with them in the kitchen. We enjoy a meal together and everything about it feels so magical.

    I have a family again.

    When Guru comes to pick me up, he doesn¡¯t ask me what happened. He simply gives me a thumbs up with his tendril.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I ask with flushed cheeks.

    ¡°Congratulations to both of you.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever wanted to be a father?¡±

    ¡°I am one.¡±

    We hug him. ¡°You sure are.¡±

    ¡°You are my new family. But I was a father long ago.¡±

    WarWolf¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°You never said that before. What is the child¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°Not important. Ah, her mother and I went our separate ways. Each fighting to save our people. The reinstating of the Red Guild is only the beginning. One day, the two of us will join again and bring about global change.¡±

    WarWolf smiles. ¡°And we¡¯ll help you.¡±

    Guru turns to me and smiles. ¡°Yes you will.¡±

    The final exam was fast approaching putting the entire school on edge. Guru said he¡¯d tell us what it was if we asked, but WarWolf and I decided that knowing may just cause us more dread. No secret the Black Guild kept was ever pleasant when revealed.

    The day before the exam I was pulled aside by BloodBlade, another Department Head.

    ¡°How may I be of service?¡± I ask with a bow.

    ¡°Usually it is the teachers who manage the failures, quitters and the traitors, but we¡¯ve decided to do something different this year.¡± She carves a portal and gestures me to enter.

    So many new faces greet me and a few familiar ones. The room itself is almost blindingly white.

    ¡°Ten percent is all we need.¡± BloodBlade puts my father¡¯s knife in my hand.

    I look at her but say nothing.

    ¡°There are seventy here so¡­¡± She moves her bladed fingers in a rotation.

    ¡°Seven,¡± I say.

    My stomach sinks.

    BloodBlade clangs her knives together. ¡°Bravo. You choose which seven live. Some will be teachers, the others parents.¡±

    This is what happened to my parents. They gave up being assassins knowing that they only had a ten percent chance of survival. They gambled so much for their dreams and now I¡¯m supposed to¡­decide who gets a future.

    I look around. There¡¯s no exit. No escape.

    ¡°Weech, it¡¯s me VigorViper. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Only seven of you will be allowed to live!¡± I look at all the faces in the room. ¡°That¡¯s what my mission is.¡±

    The room goes completely silent. It then explodes with sound. Some of the students scream. Some turn on each other. Others come after me.

    I clench my knife and slice my cheeks.

    The guild wants the leftovers to be pawns for them. I can put an end to it. They¡¯ll regret trusting me with this assignment. Take over.

    Time for our blades to sing a song of suffering.

    My vision leaves me.

    An assassin with a black cloak embraces me as he pierces his blade in my throat. As the pain from the blood comes out like a fountain, I¡¯m suddenly stabbed through the heart in another body. Death never reaches me as he slaughters my new forms one after the next, embracing each with warmth before the kill. When only eight of us remain, he cuts us until we all go into a corner. The dark aura surrounding him then juts out, embracing us before the tips become blades and slice their heads off.

    My awareness returns to me. The vertigo makes me wobble in place. I keel over and nearly vomit but stomp my foot down.

    I look around me to see windows of space, tiny portals. Inside are the watchful eyes of the students.

    Everyone was watching.

    Good. They saw our dance.

    I use all my strength to keep my hand from shaking. ¡°All those who fail or who dare to stand against the guild¡­they are not worthy of the truth.¡±

    The Black Guild wants me to be their icon, then I¡¯ll bring them down by becoming their monster.

    Blood-drenched and with a mad grin I raise my father¡¯s tainted dagger into the air.

    ¡°Glory to the assassin guild. Glory to Isekai!¡±

    ¡°W-Why?¡± asks one of the dying students.

    I step up to them, my vision still hazy. I then plunge my dagger all the way in.

    I feel the blade enter me, but something else too. My hand reaches out and touches my attackers face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± she asks, choking on blood and misery.

    My mind is a blur. I don¡¯t even recognize myself.

    BloodBlade appears before me.

    I leave the red room.

 Memory 22: Our Final Sacrifice

    Nobody spoke to me when I came out of the portal. I walked past familiar faces with screams ringing in my head. All the time I had invested, getting to know each and every one them¡­it had all been swallowed into a void.

    I grabbed my head and pushed through the silent crowd as the agonized voices of those I had freshly killed rang in my head. Some were my age and some were as young as I was when I had my first exam. All those futures had been devoured by me. That was my truth and nothing could change that.

    BladEagle¡¯s desire to die made perfect sense to me now. What awaited me in the future but more voices clawing at the back of my mind?

    WarWolf came out from the crowd and grabbed my hand. She pooled her power into me and she placed my hand on her.

    That¡¯s right. I have her and a child. I have to keep going. I have to pass the exam.

    The sixty-nine screaming voices tore at my psyche, but no longer would I let them weaken my resolve.

    BloodBlade throws a knife to the ground, gathering everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°There is but one final preparation before the exam. Single file line. Alphabetical order.¡± She slices the air and carves a portal.

    We all line up and enter. I¡¯m the last to enter, barely able to walk without WarWolf¡¯s support.

    ¡°No matter what they make you do¡­I love you.¡± She holds my hand to her cheek and kisses it.

    My hand comes out of its numb form from her heat and touches her cheek. I try to say the same but my shivering makes my words a jumble.

    BunBun comes out from the line and pats my cheeks till life returns in them. She then pokes my forehead. ¡°Looks like you got a lot of new friends with you. All I have is momma right now but one day I¡¯ll get way more than you so don¡¯t feel so bad. An assassin should be proud of his kills.¡±

    I nod.

    I did the right thing, didn¡¯t I?

    Right or wrong? Who knows? Natural though. Bloodshed is our life.

    StarBorne spoke from behind me. ¡°When cornered, a Weech will use its teeth to kill despite only needing some blood to live. You were cornered. Either way, the exam is nearly upon us. You must focus.¡±

    They¡¯re right. I need to calm myself.

    Together, the Assailants enter the portal.

    Jagged rocks, a red pool and a crack in the cave¡¯s opening, letting in just a bit of sunlight greet us on the other side.

    BloodBlade acknowledges that we are present. ¡°There is said to be a crimson pool on the other side of the world brought about by the repeated slaughter of Water Primordials. Legend says the Primordials¡¯ blood turned the entire pool red and gave it mystical properties. Kings are said to have bathed in this Fountain of Eternal Denial to avoid that which they sought to escape. Some say it is the reason why the dictator of this land retains his youthful visage despite the generations that have whisked by since his acquisition of the throne.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Is it safe?¡± asks a student.

    ¡°Well the legend says that those who regret living even a bit are absorbed by the waters and add to its magical capabilities.¡±

    Our final exam is a test of our will to live. BunBun won¡¯t survive this. I don¡¯t think I will either.

    I look out at the students.

    Only the true loyalists will survive. This isn¡¯t a test. It¡¯s a culling.

    BloodBlade clangs her bladed fingers together. ¡°Before the last decision is made, there is one final preparation.¡± She slices the ground, forming a portal. ¡°One at a time.¡± She looks over a scroll and closes the portal once the first student enters and then carves another portal.

    BunBun waves us farewell when she is called upon. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    I hope those aren¡¯t the last words I hear from her.

    WarWolf holds my hand tightly. ¡°We should have asked Guru what the test was.¡±

    ¡°He has faith in us. We¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    Goopy didn¡¯t say a word and entered as soon as the portal opened. StarBorne simply flashed us a smile.

    WarWolf releases my hand when she¡¯s called upon.

    When it¡¯s my turn, only a handful of students remain.

    BloodBlade looks at me. ¡°State your name for the last time.¡±

    The last time?

    ¡°Weech.¡±

    BloodBlade carves me my portal. ¡°Kill yourself and you may return.¡±

    More cryptic nonsense from the Black Guild. Am I going to fight my own shadow?

    I enter a space of total darkness.

    Is this the realm between realms? What was it called? I can¡¯t remember. Too many voices.

    I feel something crawl up my leg. Then another and another. The creature sinks its suckers into me.

    Weeches?

    I look down at the glowing parasites and grab one. It gazes into me, making my hand freeze in place.

    Too cute to remove. I won¡¯t let my story end here.

    I close my eyes, erasing the cute afterimage of my attacker in my head. I then pull out my father¡¯s blood-soaked knife.

    I take you into me, not out of malice but out of devotion.

    Twenty-one Weeches are dead and I¡¯m left in total darkness.

    If I had to face Weeches, then that means WarWolf is in danger. And there¡¯s nothing I can do.

    Their screams are the cutest I¡¯ve tasted.

    Eventually a RiftRipper appears to fetch me.

    Guru.

    ¡°The exam has been moved up a day, but that won¡¯t affect the plan.¡±

    ¡°What is the plan? I want to know now.¡±

    ¡°No. You must stay focused. All you must do is survive. Trust in me.¡±

    ¡°I do. But what about the pool of blood? If I go in it, I¡¯ll die.¡±

    ¡°The Black Guild¡¯s weapons are its lies. Seize the truth and carve the illusion.¡± He forms a portal and beckons me to return to the cave.

    ¡°I won¡¯t see you until after the exam. Will I?¡±

    Guru embraces me. ¡°I wish there was another way.¡± He then pushes me into the portal.

    I arrive back in the cave with the red pool and immediately search for WarWolf.

    I¡¯m feel a warm hug from behind.

    ¡°Glad ya made it through.¡± BunBun pats me. ¡°Hey, I found a cheat. If you kill them when they¡¯re happy then they sing instead of scream. I hear lotsa little dead BunBuns squeaking a symphony in my head.¡±

    ¡°Where is WarWolf?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Oh, right. She made it, but she¡¯s not doing so well.¡± BunBun led me to the back.

    WarWolf had a cut on her stomach and she was patching herself up. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Just didn¡¯t expect a third one to come out from behind me.¡±

    We hear the clang of metal and BloodBlade speaks. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve shed your identity and become nobodies. Your transformation is nearly complete. Now. Enter the pool. Those who refuse will be discarded.¡± The RiftRipper¡¯s shadow becomes jagged.

    BunBun¡¯s eyes shine with fear.

    I hold her hand and StarBorne helps WarWolf into the pool of red.

    Some of the students scream.

    Bodies.

    Appendages, chunks of flesh and even a few heads float in the pool.

    These bodies¡­

    We hear the clang of blades again. ¡°The location of the Fountain of Denial has been kept secret by only the most powerful monarchs. The pool you see before you is where the students who fail come together. Cleanse yourself quickly. Then get dressed. Your true final test is at hand. Fight well and you won¡¯t be brought back to this pool of blood.¡±

    All the Department Heads appear and create portals.

    I splash the blood on my face.

    This is the blood of those I killed. This is my sacrifice. I will make sure it is not one made in vain.

    I am the last to exit the red pool.

    ¡°State your name,¡± says Guru, looking at me as if I was a stranger.

    ¡°Weech.¡±

    ¡°State your name.¡±

    I put my hood over my head. ¡°I¡¯m nobody. I have no name.¡±

    ¡°Enter.¡±

 Memory 23: Our New Battlefield

    We found ourselves shivering the moment we arrived. BunBun steps up to us only to lose her footing and falls flat on her face.

    StarBorne helps her to her feet, looks at me, and smiles. ¡°We¡¯re all together.¡±

    WarWolf hugs me from behind. ¡°Five of us can pass. If we all cooperate, we can all ascend.¡± She then nibbles my ear and whispers ¡°I asked Guru what the plan was. He only asked that we stall and keep as many students alive as we can.¡±

    StarBorne looks at her. ¡°There¡¯s no need to whisper.¡±

    WarWolf lets go of me and addresses the Assailants. ¡°I suggest we try to keep as many students alive as we can. The more allies we have, the longer we¡¯ll last.¡±

    She¡¯s being careful not to mention Guru or the Red Guild. She¡¯s as clever as she is beautiful.

    Goopy rolls his head back and groans. ¡°You want us to run into danger? The best plan is to hide until barely anyone is left.¡±

    BunBun raises her hand. ¡°We should go to the peak. That way nobody can ambush us.¡±

    StarBorne turns his attention to the group. ¡°BunBun is right. The peak is our destination.¡±

    ¡°Looks like the students won¡¯t be our only problem.¡± WarWolf points at a protruding rock ahead of us.

    There¡¯s a bird with silver feathers as sharp as a blade. The bird squawks at WarWolf before flying toward her.

    She slams her palm into the bird, getting her hand sliced in the process.

    The bird crawls along the ground, winded from the attack.

    Goopy steps up to the bird. ¡°Don¡¯t attack her. We¡¯re supposed to make allies, right?¡± He takes out some bread and offers it to the bird.

    The bird cautiously eats the bread.

    StarBorne pulls Goopy out of the way of a wooden arrow. She scans the tall white trees. ¡°We¡¯ve already been spotted. I¡¯ll distract them. Keep moving.¡± She swerves to dodge another arrow.

    I run as fast as I can to the tree, redirecting all fire on me.

    No way am I losing anyone else.

    An arrow hits my shoulder but my Black Seed eats my pain.

    Do you see where the enemy is?

    Too high up. Must improvise.

    My mind is suddenly flooded with the death cries of those I slaughtered. I clench my head. My shadow expands and slices around me in a frenzy.

    The tree collapses, taking the target down with it.

    I see him limp away from me.

    I exhale sharply and bring my mind back into focus.

    ¡°I won¡¯t die like all the others!¡± He pulls out his knife.

    I try to focus on his face but its so hazy. ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you.¡±

    ¡°Lies!¡± He rushes at me and I swipe his feet. My attacker falls face first into the snow. ¡°I¡¯m just the distraction. Your team is surrounded.¡±

    I look ahead, squinting through the snowy winds to see my allies engaged in combat with at least eight other students.

    I smash his wooden bow to pieces and then rush after them.

    When I arrive, the attackers flee.

    WarWolf coughs up blood. ¡°Shit. I think I opened up the wound.¡±

    StarBorne looks at me. ¡°I told you I would take care of the archer. Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±

    ¡°Everyone saw me kill those students. They¡¯re going to be after me. I need you to promise me you¡¯ll keep WarWolf safe. I can¡¯t stay with the group.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± He nods.

    WarWolf grabs my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. You go out there on your own and they¡¯ll ambush you.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    Goopy looks at the three students who they knocked out. ¡°We should kill them. They¡¯ll only come after us again. Weech, you already have blood on your hands. What¡¯s a few more bodies?¡±

    WarWolf glares at him. ¡°It¡¯s not his responsibility to.¡± She looks at the knocked-out students in the snow. ¡°They¡¯ll likely die from the cold anyway.¡±

    Goopy drags one of the students onto a rock. ¡°We should figure out just how many of them are targeting us.¡± He cuts off the student¡¯s finger. ¡°Good morning.¡±

    The student reaches for a knife, but it¡¯s already been removed.

    ¡°How many are after us? Cooperate and I won¡¯t kill you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lie. Only five can live. That¡¯s the rules.¡±

    Is this the way the guild plans to get rid of the traitors? Is this massacre my fault for recruiting all those kids to my side?

    Goopy puts the knife to his throat. ¡°You make a good point.¡±

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll tell you. You can¡¯t stop it anyway. We¡¯re all coming after you! Your death is certain. No way are we letting a monster like that win.¡± He points at me with a shaky finger.

    The Black Guild chose me to kill those students to paint me as the target, but they mistakenly put StarBorne in danger. How can they be so sloppy?

    BunBun looks at StarBorne. ¡°What are we going to do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± StarBorne bit his lip.

    Goopy looks around. ¡°There¡¯s less snow up there. If we find a cave, we can reduce their options to approach us.¡±

    I approach the hostage. ¡°Go back to your team. Round them all up. We¡¯ll be waiting.¡±

    Goopy groans. ¡°Now that you told him that, we have to kill him.¡±

    StarBorne grabs Goopy¡¯s arm. ¡°No, Weech is right. This is the best way. If we get everyone gathered in one place, we can end this.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Whatever.¡± Goopy lowers his weapon.

    The hostage runs off.

    I turn to BunBun. ¡°Wake up the others and tell them the same thing.¡±

    ¡°Ummm. Okay. Really hope this doesn¡¯t backfire.¡±

    WarWolf holds onto my arm. ¡°Does this mean you aren¡¯t leaving us?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not going anywhere. If we split up, we die.¡±

    On our way up the mountain, we had no encounters. We found the cave, just as Goopy suggested and prepared for the enemy.

    ¡°This is suicide,¡± says Goopy, setting some tripwire near the entrance.

    ¡°It¡¯s our best chance at making it out of this alive.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s someone else here. I hear them,¡± says BunBun.

    I spin around. An Ursa with beady eyes, stubby legs and fearsome claws is standing on hind legs above her.

    ¡°TedUrsa!¡± I toss a knife at him or her to distract from BunBun. It works and the massive mammal comes rushing after me.

    WarWolf slides to the sides and then activates her legs once the Ursa is within range. Her razor kick slices off one of the creature¡¯s arms. ¡°Leave us and I won¡¯t kill you.¡±

    The Ursa growls at her and then backhands her.

    ¡°Incoming enemies!¡± yells Goopy from outside the cave.

    Damn it. We¡¯re being flanked from both sides.

    StarBorne approaches the bear with long swords in each hand.

    Each strike the bear makes is parried perfectly by his swords.

    ¡°I can keep this one at bay. Stay focused on the students coming for us.¡± StarBorne says, reading the emotional aura of the Ursa and making thin cuts whenever she saw an opening.

    I help WarWolf to her feet. ¡°You should rest. We can handle the attackers.¡±

    ¡°We have to hold them off till they all arrive. No way can you do that without me.¡± She grins.

    Goopy throws knives at the approaching enemies and then flees when a hail of arrows launch. He hides inside the cave, which blocks the assault.

    ¡°How many students did you count?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know like fourteen.¡±

    Damn. That¡¯s not even half of them.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t falling for the traps we set,¡± says BunBun, peeking out for a moment.

    I look back to see StarBorne still fighting the bear. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy us some time. I¡¯m their main target. BunBun, follow me and hide behind the trees. Then strike when they pass by.¡±

    ¡°Good plan!¡± BunBun follows me before WarWolf can protest.

    The group of students, now around twenty strong, split their forces.

    Damn. I was hoping to get them all after me.

    BunBun and I slide down the mountainside and take cover from the arrow fire in the trees.

    ¡°Stay here. I¡¯m going to get their attention and then bring them back.¡±

    BunBun hugs me. ¡°Thanks for being my friend! I know I¡¯m difficult, but you were always so sweet to me anyway.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯m dying here.¡±

    BunBun gives me a head pat and then I rush off.

    I¡¯m going to need you to cut down some more trees.

    Fine! But you owe us later!

    Once I¡¯m within range, I throw some daggers and then immediately retreat back into the trees.

    Twelve students follow me.

    Now!

    I try to stay focused on running as bloody images assault my mind. My cloak moves around at incredible speed, creating a barrier around me that slices everything I touch. As I run around the main forces, my Dark Seed slices the trees.

    The trees collapse, dispersing both my attackers and those attacking my team.

    My vision comes back into focus. I turn to see that there are only seven students chasing me.

    BunBun is as reliable as ever. Just need to loop around a few more times.

    As I run, I see the last group of students join up with the others.

    That should be everyone. The Red Guild will have to act fast to save them. We¡¯ve given them the perfect opportunity.

    I turn around to see that my seven pursuers are no longer chasing me. They are searching the trees for BunBun.

    One of them finds her and tosses her to the snow.

    Black tentacles come out from the ground and lift up the students before they can attack her.

    BunBun¡¯s empty eyes are flooded with tears. ¡°Teacher, is that you?¡±

    He lifts her up in an embrace and cradles her. ¡°You¡¯re safe now.¡±

    Teacher then sinks into the ground and pops up in front of the students chasing us. ¡°There¡¯s no need to die here. The Red Guild is here to bring you to safety.¡±

    OniGiri and several other assassins of the Red Guild round up the students, promising them the same thing.

    Did we really do it? Did we win without anyone dying?

    Teacher carves open a portal to safety.

    Something pulls on me and lifts me into the air.

    I look around to see that all the students have been lifted off their feet by some unseen force.

    A figure holding a spinning parasol slowly descends. He lands gracefully on the snow. ¡°Every year the school¡¯s best students are sacrificed in a grand game of bloodshed! All that misery and suffering, just so you have a chance to kill me.¡±

    The man we¡¯ve only seen pictures of in books is standing before us. He is sporting a pink tuxedo and has a multicolored scarf around his neck. His slender build and colored fingernails gave him a feminine charm.

    He licks his lips. ¡°I won¡¯t let you weak-willed rebels spoil this joyful tradition.¡±

 Memory 24: Our New Tragedy

    Teacher¡¯s tendrils shoot out at the true enemy.

    The Dictator¡¯s scarf moves on its own, slicing the tendrils and then coiling around them. ¡°I¡¯m not here for you.¡± His scarf moves in a flash, slicing Teacher in two.

    My hands are tied. Help me!

    Blood! Thirsty!

    Fine.

    I bite my lip and the Black Seed consumes enough blood for a single swipe that cuts the thread suspending me.

    The Dictator turns to me while his scarf deflects Teacher¡¯s bladed assault. ¡°Oh my. Neither RiftRipper, nor human. Teetering on the edge between two realities. Ah, such a wonderful metaphor for youth.¡±

    I grab my knife and slice my arm.

    Slurp!

    The Black Seed consumes the blood as it pours out and then thrusts at the Dictator.

    He grabs the tendril, turning it to stone. ¡°It¡¯s impolite to try and kill someone before a proper introduction. Though I suppose you¡¯re an assassin, so it can¡¯t be helped.¡± He sighs and grabs my tendril, freezing it along with my body.

    Only my face is free from the stone curse.

    ¡°My enemies know me as the Love Dictator, but my true name is Flam. Do you have a name?¡±

    ¡°I am Weech. I won¡¯t let you kill Teacher.¡± I try to summon up my Black Seed, but nothing happens.

    ¡°You¡¯re just darling. Didn¡¯t know they had such cute boys with cute names. It would be an absolute crime to allow this baby face to be swallowed up by the darkness.¡± Flam pats my cheeks.

    Teacher slices Flam¡¯s back. ¡°Stay away from my student.¡±

    ¡°Both of you assume the worst of me. I didn¡¯t come here to kill anyone.¡± Flam grips his heart as his scarf unravels into a barrier of ultra-sharp threads. ¡°I¡¯m here to visit my family.¡±

    Can¡¯t you eat the stone?

    Not tasty.

    Do it anyway!

    The rock around me is dissolved and I whisk blades at Flam.

    The Love Dictator catches one and uses it to deflect the others. ¡°Don¡¯t assume I¡¯m not a warrior just because I¡¯m fabulous. Look, I¡¯m very busy so¡­¡± He tosses one of my daggers at a suspended student.

    The blade cuts their head clean off.

    Flam blushes and puts his hand to his mouth. ¡°That was meant to be a slow death. Blood gushing from the lungs as life¡¯s regrets gnaw at the mind. Whoopsie. I guess I just don¡¯t know my own strength.¡±

    Teacher slices the air repeatedly to create a trap for Flam.

    ¡°Too obvious.¡± Flam clenches his fist, pulling Teacher into the slices he had planted.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    My eye glimpses his core tumble out into the puddle of his black muck.

    He¡¯s going to kill Teacher.

    I grip my father¡¯s dagger and plunge it into Flam¡¯s back.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be enough to kill me.¡±

    Kill! Kill!

    My sight leaves me as darkness takes over. My tendrils shoot out and fly in all directions.

    My awareness splinters into several students before they are cut into slabs of flesh by my rampage.

    No more death¡­please.

    ¡°Stop!¡± yells StarBorne.

    Flam slices my tendrils and holds me down with his threads.

    My vision returns to me but my mind is in a jumble.

    Flam nearly trips as he makes his way to StarBorne. ¡°You have your mother¡¯s cheeks.¡± His voice loses all intensity and softens like a pillow. ¡°Is she safe?¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, please. Just tell me what you want.¡±

    ¡°Isekai sought to turn you into a weapon against me.¡± He embraces StarBorne. ¡°I¡¯m here to rescue you, of course.¡±

    Flam breaks the embrace and steps away. ¡°If I go with you, they¡¯ll kill my sister.¡±

    Didn¡¯t Starborne kill his sister? Is she lying?

    ¡°Well if you don¡¯t, then I¡¯ll have your friend kill everyone here.¡± Flam smiles warmly.

    WarWolf steps in front of StarBorne. ¡°You¡¯re not taking our leader.¡±

    Flam smiles. ¡°I already have your sister back at my castle, safe and sound. They have nothing to threaten you with.¡±

    ¡°Every word you say is a lie.¡± WarWolf bars her teeth at Flam.

    StarBorne places a hand on her and looks into her eyes. ¡°This is my only option.¡± She pulls out a dagger with grace. He clenches it with power. ¡°If I stay, I¡¯ll only be a tool a tool for the guild. I want to die paving the path for your future. Find a way to stop the madness of this exam.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a chance. But I¡¯m willing to take that chance.¡±

    Flam smiles. ¡°If anyone destroys me, I want it to be you.¡± He grabs StarBorne¡¯s cheeks and kisses her forehead gently.

    RiftRippers appear in a circle around the Love Dictator.

    Guru is here! I hope he can save us.

    Flam looks at all them and grins. ¡°Now this is a proper welcome. What took you all so long to greet me?¡±

    ¡°Step away from the Shining Star,¡± says the Principal.

    ¡°You must be the leader of this cruel establishment. Was it your decision to take my grandson away from his peaceful life?¡±

    ¡°We will cut down the Star if it means your death.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s quite the gamble.¡± Flam giggles and then turns StarBorne into stone. He flings him into the air.

    The RiftRippers all reach for him at once, leaving them all open to attack.

    Flam¡¯s scarf unravels itself, slicing all the tendrils. He then leaps into the air, grabbing his grandson.

    The RiftRippers try to slice his body, but the scarf redirects the attacks toward the RiftRippers who initiate them.

    ¡°I must take my leave but not before a quick song!¡± Flam creates a harp by combing strands of fabric and strums it. He dances around, gracefully dodging the onslaught of RiftRipper attacks.

    ? ¡°The children of assassins blood must be shed!

    Till all but one seed succumbs to death.

    This is the song. The wondrous song.

    That carves the future with blood.

    The red stain.

    Makes all in vain.

    Become what must be done.

    Let your inner seeds.

    Stretch themselves and sing.

    But if black must cover red.

    Then all traitors end.

    Without treason, sin or vice.

    There exists nothing but lies.

    Virtue and vice.

    Sought to bring new life.

    By sacking the black.

    And spreading the red.

    Secretly the rebellion spread.

    This is the song. The wondrous song.

    That one can hear only once!¡±

    Flam slides into a portal along with StarBorne. ¡°Hope you enjoy my gift.¡±

    I understand now. With StarBorne¡¯s ability, he or she could predict Flam¡¯s movements. Our leader truly is the key to killing the Love Dictator. But now, StarBorne is gone.

    BloodBlade looks at Guru curiously. ¡°Why were you mentioned in that song?¡±

    ¡°You actually understood the lyrics? I just heard malicious gibberish,¡± says Guru.

    The Principal turns to Guru with blades at the ready. ¡°I saw it¡­you created that portal! Kill the traitor!¡±

    Why would Guru do that? Flam is his enemy too.

    Guru defends himself from all angels with his vibrating blades. The blades eventually are overpowered. He flees into the portal before closing it.

    With Flam gone, I can move and so can the other students.

    What are they doing?

    The students who were determined to end the Assailants a moment ago, were now slaughtering each other.

    ¡°You have to save them! That song drove them mad!¡± I exclaim, running to the Principal.

    ¡°No point. The red pool you all bathed in was poisoned. There¡¯s no antidote. The only survivors will be those who become RiftRippers.¡±

    The students were doomed before the exam even began.

 Memory 25: Our New End

    Do you want them to fade into nothing?

    Better than being swallowed up by you.

    Us! To kill a RiftRipper, we must become one. Our union brings strength.

    You want to kill them for strength? Is that all they are to you?

    Food. Souls are food to us. We eat and become. The strength of their souls can be ours. But only if we act.

    Why don¡¯t you just do it then? Why do you need my permission?

    We can only become one if we learn to agree. Surrender brings union.

    I look out to see my fellow classmates.

    Never eat another face. Understood? It isn¡¯t right.

    Eating is transference.

    Promise me.

    We promise us to never eat the sad faces.

    Very well. I surrender to you.

    Keheh. Surrender your morals but kill with resolve.

    Black goop coils around my arms, pooling into my hands and making them blades.

    We kill together.

    I step into the crowd. ¡°Soul Claim.¡±

    My mind is in a jumble, and though I¡¯m bleeding out my body still moves. Rage courses through my blood as I stab my knife into the boy I had a crush on for years. Unable to stop my own body from moving, I bring down the blade along with it, seeking to make him stay with me forever. My arm explodes in pain and falls to the floor. A black blur then pierces me, lifting me off the ground.

    I look up at a black blur killing a girl whose face I no longer recognize. I see the monster for a moment. He¡¯s as tall as a boy, but darkness covers his body like a fog. A black appendage emerges from the fog and my head goes spinning.

    While screaming at my body to defend myself, I see my friend¡¯s head in the air. It took me a moment to realize the odd thing about it. There was no body. Pain runs up my spine and my vision splits.

    Blood sprays on me from the student in front of me. That monstrous child killed him. I pray with all my heart that the rebels burn the school and its twisted ideologies to the ground. The monster approaches me and pierces his knife into my chest. I was already dying before. Why¡­

    The floor turns black. After each kill, the Monster devours the body with a mouth of darkness, eating flesh and memory. I tell my body to run, but it instead chokes my classmate. He was always a show off, but I never wanted to kill him. Screams erupt as the black fog becomes blades, slicing us to pieces in an instant.

    We see the Monster from a panorama of different angles. Death does not simply seize us with its blades, it devours our flesh and blood. Even our screams are pooled into the creature, leaving our last moments in silence.

    I no longer recognize my body. My arms and legs have been swallowed by black fog, hiding my true form under a cloak of guilt.

    We no longer recognize my mind. Screams are all we hear in our head. Our identity is drowned beneath them.

    We no longer recognize anything. The ground is caked in white something. There are objects that erect from it, but we can¡¯t recall their names. Two spheres, one rising and one setting¡­the name is lost to us.

    The black cloaks around us slice apart the darkness and pull out a body of flesh.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Is this our flesh? Or theirs?

    One of the black hoods looks down at me. ¡°Every one of the Assailants survived. I¡¯m very impressed. Round them up. It¡¯s time for them to return home to claim victory.¡±

    We see figures leave a cave and approach me. A hand pulls me out of the muck.

    ¡°Pull it together. We¡¯ve won.¡± Her lips touch mine and though I can¡¯t recall her name, I can feel her love.

    She¡¯s important to us.

    Another figure pats my cheeks over and over. ¡°Wake up, Weech.¡±

    Is that our name?

    We reach out and pat her head.

    She smiles at me.

    The first figure kisses me again. ¡°Say something.¡±

    We smile. ¡°If I speak¡­you¡¯ll stop kissing me.¡±

    The two girls embrace me with their warmth.

    The black hood cuts the air and tears it open into a portal. ¡°Enter now. There¡¯s no time to waste.¡±

    We all step through the portal, hand in hand.

    We find ourselves in a classroom.

    Teacher¡¯s classroom¡­where it all began. My memories¡­are coming back.

    WarWolf hugs me. ¡°You¡¯re looking better already.¡±

    Yes! Me not us. I¡¯m someone. I¡¯m Weech.

    I grab her as tight as I can. ¡°I almost lost it¡­but you¡¯re my anchor. You saved me.¡±

    WarWolf rubs her knuckle against my forehead. ¡°BunBun helped too, you know.¡±

    Goopy grins. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be okay.¡± His hand was shaking.

    I hold my head. ¡°Did I really kill them all.¡±

    WarWolf kisses my forehead and holds my hands. ¡°Feeling guilty about it what they¡­it isn¡¯t what your parents would want. They were already dead. We all were.¡±

    BunBun pulls everyone into a group hug. ¡°We did it!¡± She kisses my cheek. ¡°Way back when my mom warned me. Said I should get a shield to die for me, that¡¯s why I first became your girlfriend.¡± She blushes. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t necessary! We made it! We all made it together! Friends forever and always! Go Assailants!¡±

    The Principal¡¯s voice echoes throughout the room. ¡°One last sacrifice is needed. Glory to the Guild! Glory to Isekai!¡±

    No¡­no more. Eat my tears, please.

    Mmm. With pleasure.

    Goopy looks up at us with swirling eyes. ¡°Why does it have to be this way. I knew it was coming. The final test, my parents told me too. After I blackmailed them. It¡¯s obvious who you¡¯re all going to pick.¡± He whips out his blade. ¡°I¡¯m not just going to accept death.¡±

    BunBun steps up to him. ¡°We¡¯re friends; we wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Stay away!¡± Goopy slashes her hand and she cries.

    WarWolf pulls BunBun aside and growls at Goopy. ¡°Nobody said we¡¯re killing you.¡±

    Goopy kept his knife out. ¡°Then step back. If we¡¯re going to talk about this, do it fairly. Then I get to cast my vote. Weech should die! He killed the quitters. He killed CamOctopus and he didn¡¯t even realize it! He¡¯s already a walking corpse.¡± He stares at me with hate in his eyes.

    That girl¡¯s voice. Back when I killed the quitters and traitors. It was her.

    I ate her face for us. I ate all their faces. Did it for you, for us!

    I turn and throw up. ¡°I¡­agree with him. I should die.¡±

    BunBun stomps her feet. ¡°No! No! No! I¡¯m going! I¡¯ve held it back long enough. I¡¯m not the great assassin I used to be. I lost all that when I killed Momma. I can¡¯t even see. I¡¯m not gonna survive out there. They¡¯ll probably use me to hurt the rest of you. If I can die for my friends, then I¡¯ll be a happy girl. Momma and the BunBuns in my head will be free.¡±

    WarWolf restrains BunBun. ¡°Goopy should go! We barely know him! For all we know he could be a traitor.¡±

    She¡¯s protecting me. That¡¯s right. I owe it to her to live.

    I gulp.

    The exam has only begun and we¡¯re already at the edge of despair. If I don¡¯t act soon, I¡¯ll lose someone precious to me.

    I silence my breath and hide my presence as I approach Goopy.

    ¡°Turning invisible just like CamOctopus! Great trick!¡± Goopy points his knife at WarWolf. ¡°You love her, Weech?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do. That¡¯s why we need you to die. We¡¯re like a family. We wouldn¡¯t do this if we didn¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°I loved CamOctopus. She was my best friend. You killed her. Forget the sacrifice. This is payback.¡± He rushes at WarWolf but I kick him back. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you too!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to before I let you hurt her.¡±

    Goopy lunges at me with his knife. I let him cut me. My darkness eats his knife. My hand holding his throat then grows the blade.

    He falls back, blood squirting from his neck.

    BunBun screams and sobs. ¡°I could have saved him.¡±

    Goopy glares at me as he dies. His cloak distorts and then juts out.

    WarWolf deflects the first six hits.

    Must protect her!

    My darkness comes out of me and slices the air.

    I see black tendrils flailing around. They look so close. I look down to see my fingers fall off my hands. Then my legs fall apart.

    It doesn¡¯t hurt. Weech, I forgive you.

    My awareness returns to me in a jumble. Goopy is blood-soaked. A pile of flesh lies before him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what happened. I¡­don¡¯t want to know.¡± BunBun sobs in her hands.

    I turn around. I don¡¯t see WarWolf anywhere.

    What just¡­happened? Oh¡­

    I spot her head and pick it up.

    Smile for me, sweetheart.

    ¡°You¡­you don¡¯t look so good. I¡¯ll put you back together.¡± I take the slabs of flesh and start putting her back together as my mind wanders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, BunBun. WarWolf is going to be fine.¡± I stifle my tears.

    Goopy holds himself shivering. ¡°You killed her! You¡¯re a monster!¡±

    I look at him with empty eyes. ¡°You¡­pulled her in. Used her as a shield.¡± I step to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be another of your victims!¡± Goopy plunges the knife into his own chest. ¡°Who will you blame now?¡±

    I pick up another piece of WarWolf but my hand freezes.

    She¡¯s really gone. And so is our baby. There¡¯s nothing left to lose.

    BunBun touches my cloak and then gropes around until she finds my hands. ¡°Weech¡­you want to die¡­don¡¯t you?¡±

    The darkness can¡¯t eat my tears faster than they flow. It eats my legs.

    I¡¯m becoming a RiftRipper.

    ¡°Yeah¡­if she¡¯s gone¡­what is the point. You have to end me. You won¡¯t get another chance.¡±

    My legs are already gone, taken over by the Black Seed.

    There is no becoming one is there? You just eat me like all the others.

    So cynical.

    BunBun pats my cheeks, bringing me back to awareness. ¡°If I do it¡­do you think I¡¯ll be able to see again?¡±

    I set down WarWolf hand and grab BunBun¡¯s.

    It¡¯s shaking.

    I steady her hand and move the needle to my neck. ¡°I don¡¯t think it will work if you don¡¯t push it yourself.¡±

    BunBun sobs. ¡°Will you stay with me forever?¡±

    I force a smile. My eyes are as dry as a dessert. ¡°I won¡¯t have a choice. And as long as you live on¡­we all do.¡±

    BunBun presses the needle into my neck but I feel nothing.

    The walls turn black. She gets swallowed up by darkness.

    Everything goes black.

 Memory 26: Our Final Form

    The darkness stuck to my feet like a Spyder¡¯s web. I took a step forward, but it only led to more goopy darkness. My memories fell from their place above me and were consumed by the black muck. I tried to pull them out but the darkness took form around them. The new shape points at me.

    I nearly forgot I had killed him.

    ¡°Let me out of here!¡± BladEagle¡¯s face emerges from the goop and his arms turn into swords.

    I try to shield myself from his knives but they cut my arms.

    A hand grabs my foot. Then another grabs my leg.

    Swallowed up by my own darkness. I deserve it. She¡¯s gone because of me. I¡­can¡¯t even remember her name.

    The darkness on my body takes form as the love of my life and kicks away the hands grabbing me. ¡°This is your mind. Take command!¡± She kicks BladEagle aside with her metal legs.

    She¡¯s right. I¡¯m in control.

    I place the muck to my forehead.

    This is me. Everything here is me.

    I throw my hands to the side, willing the black goop to shoot up like geysers.

    My enemies shape it into projectiles but I open my arms and heart, fusing with the projectiles they attack me with.

    I direct my hand at them one at a time and send out a black arrow.

    The arrow pieces through them. The faceless students scream in agony, making the realm quake. Eyes and mouths appear on them as they truly die, returning with it all their memories.

    To emerge as a RiftRipper I must kill them all a second time.

    I will the muck on WarWolf to jut out, piercing more enemies that crawl towards me.

    So many lives sacrificed to create me. If I lost now, I¡¯d be disappointing all of them.

    I turn the geysers into spikes, killing over fifty students at a single moment.

    The simultaneous screams crack the realm, distorting space.

    The once distant enemies crawl through the distortions, arriving instantly and clawing at me with their black fingernails.

    Without even thinking, I jump from one to the next, hugging them before pooling the darkness around them into a knife and piercing their heart.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them make you a monster,¡± says CamOctopus with a look of desperation.

    ¡°It¡¯s the only way to survive in this world of insanity.¡± I pull the blade out before I¡¯m lifted off my feet.

    A massive black golem has me in its palm. The form it takes is undeniably familiar to me.

    Mother.

    I scream as my body is being crushed.

    Mother wouldn¡¯t hurt me. It¡¯s guilt. The darkness is misery and guilt.

    I pool the darkness beneath me into a thin blade, focusing it as it elongates. I slice the arm off and collapse toward a special distortion.

    WarWolf grabs my hand and pulls me up. ¡°We¡¯re shaped by your dark feelings. Your mother is in there. I¡¯m only able to help because I just arrived here.¡±

    I look out at the dark golem. ¡°It¡¯s mine to bear! Not yours!¡±

    The darkness explodes and my mother lands.

    I approach her as I pull the darkness off her with my willpower. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can be that great assassin you always wanted, mom.¡± I crouch down to look at her and wipe the muck off her eyes.

    She looks up at me with tired eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you.¡± She grabs my hand. ¡°You have to do it, just one more time.¡±

    ¡°Will I still remember you?¡±

    She nods. ¡°We will all be a part of you.¡±

    WarWolf wraps her hand in mine.

    We shape the darkness into a blade.

    I stop in place and cry. ¡°I can¡¯t do it again. I never meant to hurt you.¡±

    ¡°Tears are a RiftRipper¡¯s fuel. That void you feel is your power. If you¡¯re strong enough, you can do anything.¡±

    ¡°If I let you kill me, will you be in control?¡±

    ¡°If I killed my son, I¡¯d lose all control. You have to do it with intent this time.¡± She touches my cheek.

    I drop the knife and grip her neck. ¡°I¡¯ll suffer for you. I¡¯ll get so strong that I can save everyone!¡±

    Mother smiles at me as I wring the life out of her.

    All the darkness pools toward me.

    I turn to WarWolf. ¡°Is it over?¡±

    She holds my quivering hands. ¡°Not yet. You have to finish us too.¡± She places my hand on her stomach.

    I punch the floor. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. You should take over. You should be the one to live.¡±

    WarWolf grabs my face. ¡°We all live inside you. We¡¯ll suffer inside you and we¡¯ll torment you. Are you really going to just throw that responsibility to someone else? The one I fell in love with was strong. He was the leader of the Assailants!¡±

    I gulp.

    I¡¯m an Assailant.

    I hug her.

    I¡¯m an Assailant.

    I press my lips to hers.

    This will be the last time.

    I grab her head and smash it against the ground.

    Everything distorts with each slam. My mind goes into a swirling loop.

    I¡¯m an Assailant.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Her head cracks open.

    I¡¯m an Assailant.

    ¡°We are Assailant.¡± The black goop condenses in front of me and takes form as a single ball of discordant energy. ¡°The more you resist, the more you will lose.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t resist. But I just want to know¡­will I still be myself?¡± I steady my breath.

    The goop changes form into me. ¡°You¡¯ll evolve. The way you see the world, feel the world will change.¡± The goop¡¯s black claw pokes my forehead. ¡°Your goals will remain.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­even know what I want.¡±

    The gooey body overlaps mine. ¡°Then we will discover it together.¡±

    The faces off all those I had killed flash in my mind. Their screams fold upon one another in a symphony of misery. As the orchestrator of this musical madness, I don¡¯t fight the screams. My flesh boils like fire and my mind feels as its being pierced from a thousand angles. My bones break before being consumed by the ravenous muck. Whatever lofty goal I had in life becomes buried beneath the waves of suffering. With each wave I lose a vital piece of myself and even the pieces I retain become corrupted. My only mission is to escape the agony. The pain eventually merges with me, pulsing like a heartbeat. Each pulse takes me further away from what I once was. My limbs are gone and yet I find a way to rise myself from the floor.

    ¡°Congratulations on a successful awakening,¡± says the voice of an old man.

    My hearing isn¡¯t what it once was. Layered along with the sound of his voice, I feel his heartbeat and feel the emotional strings of his words.

    His joy is genuine.

    ¡°The idea of the school is to prepare the few special students for evolution. Though somethings must be learned first-hand. Are you able to walk?¡±

    I will myself forward, my lower half bending before my upper half recoils to meet it.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t my first time witnessing a rebirth. Always such a miracle. Can you see me?¡±

    Sight? How to see? I don¡¯t remember.

    I thrash around as the agony returns.

    ¡°RiftRippers are all about harnessing the power of focused chaos. Concentrate on my voice and then broaden your perspective.¡±

    ¡°Blood. Organs. Wood. I can sense it all.¡±

    ¡°Already found your voice. Very good. Now combine those features together.¡±

    The blood flows to the organs to support the wooden frame. What is that thing? Alive. Yes. Alive.

    ¡°You¡¯re a WoodPrimordial.¡± My head tilts toward the form.

    ¡°Very good. You can call me Old Dude.¡±

    Name. What is my name?

    ¡°As¡­Assail¡­Assailant. I¡¯m Assailant.¡±

    ¡°A splendid name. Now, I want you to look beyond me. Broaden your perspective more.¡±

    My mind focuses beyond Old Dude and harvests the details around me.

    ¡°Plants?¡± I ask, my head tilting.

    ¡°A garden actually. When a WoodPrimordial feels true happiness resonating with them, they can sometimes create flowers. This flowerbed is a result of my pride in you overcoming every obstacle before you.¡±

    Screams ring in my head and I thrash around to escape them.

    Old Dude plucks a flower and brings it to me. ¡°Can you tell me what it smells like?¡±

    I make all sorts of attempts to sniff the flower, but nothing comes of it. I lower my head.

    ¡°No need to get down. RiftRippers can¡¯t smell. The most vital sense is lost in transit, but something else emerges.¡±

    ¡°Pain?¡± I ask, my body distorting as it writhes around.

    ¡°Permeation. You can¡¯t see the color of the flower or enjoy its fragrance. The world is only black and red to a RiftRipper, but you can feel the vitality in it. Which of the flowers here is soonest to die?¡±

    ¡°The one¡­you¡¯re holding?¡± I ask.

    I feel slight joy from Old Dude.

    ¡°That is correct. It¡¯s been severed from the earth.¡±

    ¡°Earth¡­that¡¯s where I¡¯m from.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± The ancient one¡¯s breath stops. ¡°Who told you that?¡±

    Who was it? Someone¡­important¡­I think.

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t remember.¡±

    ¡°Not to worry. I assure you that whoever said that was lying. Your world is Punk, I assure you. All assassin children are pulled from the always declining stock of new babies. They are taken under new parents to be trained in the sacred arts and are kept safe from the village¡¯s enemies. Your home is and always will be ISEKAI.¡±

    New parents. Mom. I miss you.

    ¡°This world¡­is home?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. I¡¯ve heard that teachers often make up stories to create discordant energy in the students, but there¡¯s no need for that now that you¡¯re transformed. Focus is what matters now.¡±

    ¡°What is Earth?¡±

    ¡°Maya, a world of illusion. Some use it put our world on a pedestal, others use it as some ideal utopia for which we are to strive. It is a place bereft of consequence. Some say death can bring you there, but that¡¯s only to pacify their fears.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid!¡± I yell in a sudden outburst. My cloak elongates into a spear.

    The wrinkles on Old Dude¡¯s skin reverberate and redirect the attack. ¡°Be careful. You are capable of great destruction. Your entire body is a weapon now.¡±

    ¡°A weapon?¡± My cloak shifts into a fan of blades.

    ¡°Heheh! Your bonds must have been strong with those who met your blade, well, at least judging by your prodigious skill. The severing of bonds creates voids in RiftRippers, strengthening them on all levels. Think of them as ethereal chains that support the influx of misery and give it form.¡±

    ¡°What am I capable of?¡± I feel the fan of blades rub against itself, sending shivers through me.

    ¡°Your body has two powers in particular worth noting.¡± Old Dude touches the spear, creating vines to grip and crush it.

    ¡°Transformation?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Bingo! That¡¯s what the hero¡¯s say.¡± He emanates pride. ¡°Your body is fully transformative. If you think it, you can become it. The more complex the form, the more difficult the transformation. It¡¯s also difficult for RiftRippers to maintain the transformation for long periods of time due to their chaotic minds. But that same chaos can turn a spear into an axe in an instant.¡±

    I will the broken spear to change but it instead juts out as spikes.

    Old Dude is overcome with an unpleasant sensation. He wrinkles space and whacks me. ¡°Be careful. Just because I¡¯m immortal doesn¡¯t mean I want to get impaled. Pain is unpleasant by design.¡±

    ¡°I¡­didn¡¯t mean to.¡± My cloak breathes in the red sensation wafting in the air, giving me a sudden burst of agony. I scream out and writhe around.

    ¡°There you go! Your second special power is absorption. A RiftRipper¡¯s negativity is focused into their core. Now, the core is multi-dimensional in the sense that it exists in more than one dimension and must be hit from multiple dimensions simultaneously before sustaining damage.¡±

    What?

    I look at him curiously.

    ¡°Too many words. My apologies. Age is a crutch at times.¡± Old Dude¡¯s wrinkles focus on his hand. He then raises it at me and closes his fist.

    My entire form is taken from me and I fall to the floor.

    I¡¯m a ball?

    ¡°The Black Seed is the RiftRipper¡¯s core. While the Black Fluid can alter the form of a host to a degree, only a proper Black Seed offers a chance for a fusion.¡± Old Dude lifts the spear from earlier with vines that come out around him. The spear then plunges into me.

    I absorb the weapon automatically.

    ¡°There you have it. The Black Core, the evolved form of a Black Seed, is invincible to conventional attacks. Black Seeds require nurturing before transforming into Black Cores and each Black Core can only ever create one Black Seed. Dealers of death shouldn¡¯t succumb to death themselves. That was the consensus from the Council of Old Fossils when we created the RiftRipper curriculum. We wanted to have willful reapers to cut down our enemies.¡± He glows with pride.

    I turn away from the glow, but I still feel it on me like some sticky substance.

    Old Dude returns my form to me and I slowly reorient myself as he talks. ¡°A RiftRipper can absorb things into their Black Core and store them in a place called the Void Armory, which is actually the second layer of the Black Core. There is no limit as to what can be stored in the armory, but there is a limit to how long it can remain there. Living things in particular don¡¯t fare well inside, so it¡¯s best not to be used as a form of transportation.¡±

    ¡°I can absorb objects and transform into them?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re on the brink of discovering it. A RiftRipper can only transform into items stored in their Void Armory. Without a sword in your armory, you cannot become a sword. The Void Armory is a unique storehouse of memory. It¡¯s also important to note that memories of living things can be stored, allowing for permanent additions to your transformative arsenal. Theoretically speaking a RiftRipper can become anything, but the Void Armory creates a zone bereft of chaotic thought where the RiftRipper can truly find focus.¡±

    ¡°Can I gain their powers too? Every creature is blessed with its own unique abilities.¡±

    ¡°Sadly, we have yet to perfect the RiftRipper recipe to absorb powers. But there is a way to gain a special ability. Each RiftRipper has the potential to gain a third power unique to their core.¡±

    ¡°How do¡­I claim that power?¡± My body trembles in excitement despite me feeling nothing.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to get used to your new form before that.¡±

    ¡°And then¡­what?¡±

    ¡°You hope the process of attaining it doesn¡¯t destroy you.¡± Old Dude beams positive energy at me.

    The energy gnaws at my form.

    Old Dude tosses me a sphere.

    It has juice inside.

    I examine it curiously, finding pockets filled with fluid layered together.

    ¡°It¡¯s called an Orange. Got them imported from Maya. You can¡¯t enjoy the taste, but you can use it as a bargaining tool. Absorb it and find someone in the village who will trade it for information. RiftRippers aren¡¯t mere killing machines, you¡¯re agents of ISEKAI. We¡¯ve got to build you up from the roots.¡±

    Roots.

    The entire area became known to me. Not just the flowers and the brown earth, but the roots beneath. They travelled out, tunneling around the entire village and they all originated from a single source.

    Old Dude. It¡¯s not just this place¡­he¡¯s connected to everything! He¡¯s the one who did orchestrated. He made me kill them. All of them! Him and his kind created the Black Guild. They created the monster I am now. My goal is clear in me. It is what cloaks me.

    ¡°You seem lost in thought. Do you need me to show you the exit?¡± asks Old Dude.

    I must destroy the roots of ISEKAI to free the assassins from a curriculum of misery. To do so I must know the roots and dig until I find their weakness.

 Memory 27: Our Final Failure

    Exchange an Orange for information. Sounds easy, doesn¡¯t it? My mind would go in and out of consciousness as I strolled through the village. I nearly forgot my mission so I decided to carve it into a wood block. That was problematic as well. When I tried to write I heard my mother screaming out in madness inside my head.

    ¡°Is everything alright, sir?¡± asks a young man behind a produce counter.

    ¡°Not afraid?¡± I ask, turning to the source of the sound.

    ¡°I¡¯d be unable to bring the most exotic fruits to my shop if I had even a sliver of fear. I couldn¡¯t help but notice that orange fruit in your hand. What is it?¡±

    ¡°Not sure.¡± I spin the sphere in my hand.

    So, it¡¯s orange.

    ¡°They say eating fruit from another world doubles your lifetime. There¡¯s no proof of that of course, but it sure does help with sales.¡± He grins. ¡°How about we make an exchange?¡±

    ¡°Fruit for information?¡±

    ¡°Yes! That way we can both be happy.¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Fruitastic! What would you like to know?¡±

    Was there anything specific? I can¡¯t remember!

    I grab my head as my body goes into a frenzy.

    The young man holds up a Mellown as a shield, having it get sliced in half. ¡°That¡¯s a really impressive blade you got there!¡±

    I bow repeatedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to kill you.¡±

    ¡°Well I¡¯m alive so no worries. You¡¯re an assassin, right?¡±

    I put my tendril over my face.

    ¡°Oh, my apologies. It¡¯s supposed to be a secret. Well, making a living isn¡¯t easy. Running this fruit stand isn¡¯t enough to provide for my wife so I¡¯ve become a quest broker as well.¡± He hands me a Coconaught. ¡°Break it open when you¡¯re alone.¡±

    I hand him the fruit. ¡°Thanks, sir.¡±

    ¡°The people call me the Fruit Man; Isekai has a different name for me though.¡± He tosses a Melowon up and cuts it open with a hidden blade. ¡°The Produce Pirate.¡±

    My body folds in on itself to make an applause sound.

    ¡°Such a friendly RiftRipper. Be careful out there. Just because you are immortal, doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t suffer. It¡¯s a dangerous world. But the most dangerous locations often hide the greatest of treasures.¡±

    I bow repeatedly to my new friend as I back up.

    After slinking into the shadows, I open up the Coconaught.

    Inside is a drawing of a young man with the words ¡°KILL¡± on it.

    I open my cloak and absorb the quest poster. The image of the target is absorbed into me.

    Where to find the target?

    For weeks I slinked through the shadows, always avoiding discovery as I scanned the village for the target. I actually ran into him while at an inn outside the village. He took a seat next to me, fully unaware that I had been tasked with killing him.

    ¡°Are you a litch? There are so many crazy creatures in this place!¡± he exclaims, exuding positive emotions.

    ¡°You seem nice. Why would someone want to kill you?¡± My body bends around him, searching him for flaws.

    ¡°You must have the wrong guy. I¡¯m just a normal person. Never made an enemy in my life!¡± He tries to squeeze out of my hold.

    ¡°Not sure why you¡¯re the target. Doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯re going to die. What you tell me is up to you.¡± His arms snap under my constriction.

    He starts screaming.

    A crowd gathers but they do nothing to help him. They simply watch with a feeling of surrender.

    ¡°I just wanted to be free! I¡¯m not strong enough to be a hero so I ran away.¡± He looks out at the crowd. ¡°Please save me!¡±

    ¡°A hero who quits is nobody. No need to grieve if nobody dies,¡± says an elder man.

    Assassins are nobodies too. Do our lives not matter?

    I look out at the crowd as my bones break and my neck snaps.

    Screams echo in my head. My body pulses with agony and lashes around. My consciousness jumps from villager to villager until it returns to me.

    I feel damp.

    My cloak is wet with their blood. I succeeded in killing my target, but was unable to stop slicing.

    The room was silent. I was the only one there.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    My cloak expanded and grew teeth, devouring the bodies and sucking up the blood in a vacuum.

    I left the inn, looking cleaner than it had when I had entered it.

    I return to the Produce Pirate and open my cloak.

    He examines the head and then nods. ¡°That¡¯s the guy. Well done.¡±

    ¡°Why did you want him dead?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know the guy and I don¡¯t hate anyone. If I harbor hate in me, that could spread to the fruit and that¡¯s just irresponsible. Anyone can make a quest request, but assassinations aren¡¯t usually on the board. If they were, then the target would find out and flee. Don¡¯t worry though, assassin requests have to be approved by the village elder. The boy must have done something truly reprehensible.¡±

    Old Dude. He killed the hero for fleeing. Is that how he keeps them in line, through fear?

    The Produce Pirate puts my fruit on a cutting board and cuts in half. ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate your first successful mission with Orange!¡±

    ¡°I¡­can¡¯t taste.¡± I point to my face.

    ¡°Then I guess we¡¯ll be enjoying a memory together instead.¡± He hands me the slice and we eat together.

    I examine the fruit before chomping on it.

    This memory tastes warm.

    ¡°All these little juicy cocoons come together to create something vital. Kind of like ISEKAI, isn¡¯t it?¡± he asks, eating his Orange piece by piece.

    Will all of ISEKAI need to be destroyed, or can just the core be cut out? I still know so little.

    The next ten years come in blurry flashes. As a RiftRipper, my consciousness fades in and out. There are times where my mind is lucid, but it never lasts. Even important information I try to keep often breaks out my mind cage and flies away. Sometimes I sink into the shadows and lose my sense of self. I just stay there as a meaningless spot until my mind jumpstarts itself. Other times another part of me, a buried consciousness from those I killed, surfaces and I live as them for a few days. I wouldn¡¯t even know what happened if not for the villagers telling me of my bizarre behavior. One time my inner BladEagle took root and I boarded myself in the library. The village elder himself had to break me out. There of course were some eventful missions that float around as more than flashes in my mind. Some bandits raided the village. The elven bandits took some villagers hostage. The hero was among the hostages too, so it was my responsibility to rescue him.

    I snuck into the Angel Temple where the hostages were held. The sacred structure was heavy with dark emotions, which for a RiftRipper meant it was easy to move about in.

    I focused my mind on the targets specifically. My body dispersed into small bug like fragments that crawled up to my targets. We all bit their necks together and though the elven bandits tried to pull us off, they only caused themselves more pain as their essence was drained.

    As they died my consciousness jumped to their perspective. I felt more than their fear and pain. With their last moments came a higher sense of clarity. Their mission was revealed to me. They took hostages so that they could exchange them for the freedom of their own people.

    All my victims acted with purpose, which made my meaningless slaughter of them feel even more empty.

    Their thoughts of rage and agony took hold of me and my body jutted out as spikes.

    I just can¡¯t seem to enter a room without killing everyone in it.

    Word of my slaughter quickly spread through the town. The villagers I had spent years protecting turned against me. Unauthorized to exile me, they instead decided to ignore me. The Village of Doomed¡¯s news man rang his bell that morning, decreeing me as the Broad-Spectrum Assassin. By the next day, the lively village I called home was now like a ghost town. I felt like a being trapped in a separate dimension, unable to reach those I cared for despite them being right before me.

    I had killed villagers before and even those who knew accepted it. A young boy at his father¡¯s funeral bowed to me, knowing I was doing my part and stood for something greater than any single person. It was the fact that this mistake cost the life of a hero that made them despise me. It wasn¡¯t that they were even fond of the hero himself. Simply put, heroes were a symbol of hope and had snuffed out that hope.

    When word of my failure reached the village chief, I was ordered to meet with him. I waited at the meeting place but there was nothing there.

    Space distorts and stretches until the chief¡¯s hut appears.

    Could be my last chance to kill him. He may try to end me. I must act quick.

    The wooden hut opens automatically and inside is a garden of tall flowers. Old Dude is nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°I heard about the temple massacre.¡± His voice comes from all angles.

    I turn and scan the area, searching for his presence.

    All of it. The entire hut is him.

    ¡°I try to stay calm. I try so hard. But I lose control so easily. Focus is an ordeal.¡± I feel dizziness overcome me and my body spins with my mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m not blaming you, but not even the word of the village chief can change the way the villagers see you now. Not to worry though, a proper RiftRipper can harness the energy from his failures. Ironically it¡¯s because of your pathetic feeling that you¡¯re now able to take the next step.¡±

    ¡°Did you send me into that hostage situation just so I would fail? So they would hate me? Hate! Hate! Hate!¡±

    My mind burns as a fiery emotion ignites it. My tendrils thrash around, slicing the hut.

    Old Dude distorts space, reducing my attack range to less than a few centimeters. He then emerges from the ground. ¡°A failed RiftRipper can be turned into a weapon, but this is no failure you can¡¯t overcome. The time has come for you to go to the world bereft of consequence. Despite the world having no real purpose, there is a very important mission that awaits you. With the loss of our local hero, we¡¯re going to need someone to replace them. You¡¯re going to journey to Maya and kill a hero for us. Discretion is of absolute importance. If the people of Maya catch sight of you, it could have disastrous consequences for our world.¡±

    ¡°I failed. Failed! Failed! Failed! I¡¯ll only fail again and again and again and again.¡±

    ¡°Silence! Wear your negativity as a cloak but don¡¯t let it cloud your mind. Negative emotions should be stored like ammunition. We mustn¡¯t waste time. No doubt the other villages seek the same heroes. Create a portal.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t make a portal to a place I¡¯ve never been.¡±

    Old Dude whacks me with his cane. ¡°Make a portal as far from here as you can.¡±

    There was that time I went to a swamp on another island entirely to preemptively kill a squad of CatBoys. Yes. I¡¯ll try that.

    I focus my thoughts on that place.

    Old Dude places his hand on my tendril. ¡°Good. Now pierce it with your despair. Harness your desire to escape this world. There¡¯s no shame in having regrets; you¡¯d be useless without them.¡±

    This is the place I lost everything. If I can leave it, maybe my misfortune will stay behind as well. I want to go away! I have to leave! This place is poison! I hate it! I hate it!

    ¡°Good. Keep focused on that feeling. Interdimensional portals aren¡¯t easy to form. They take time and dedication.¡± Old Dude distorts the portal, stretching it and twisting it. ¡°If something breaks, then it creates an opening.¡±

    He bends the portal while I fill it with my negativity. The sun abandons us five times before a wretched sound fills the room.

    The portal finally breaks and spawns a vortex.

    My body juts out, trying to keep itself from being swallowed up by the space-bending vortex.

    Old Dude stands his ground. ¡°Hurry on in. Oh, did I mention that staying in Maya for too long will end you?¡±

    ¡°I thought RiftRippers were invincible.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, so did I before we lost one. Just hurry on back and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°How will I make the portal to return?¡±

    ¡°The rift will be open on the other side! Just hop in and don¡¯t let anyone find out about it.¡±

    ¡°Why did you wait till now to tell me all this!?¡±

    ¡°Fear jogs the memory. Without emotion behind them, memories and information sink in a RiftRipper¡¯s mind. Okay¡­honestly I¡¯m just getting old.¡± Old Dude¡¯s positive energy is sucked into the rift. ¡°Go on! Find the hero and bring him back.¡±

    As I¡¯m swallowed up in the vortex a single thought occurs to me.

    I have no target and no clue where they could be.

 Memory 28: Our Final Journey

    The vortex tears at my body, slicing my cloak as I venture through it. The swirling distortion pulses, stopping me in my tracks. When I finally breach the other side, I fall out as a tattered mess.

    ¡°Piece it back together. Just back off if it gets hostile.¡±

    I sense forms and hear sound but I¡¯m too disoriented to make anything out.

    When the figures get too close, I turn my skin into blades and flail them around.

    ¡°Back off! It¡¯s attacking.¡±

    How was I captured? What am I even doing here?

    I dive into my memory but just uncover misery and cries of agony.

    ¡°Old Dude sent you here. We¡¯re on your side. Welcome to the Interdimensional Standardized Education Killer Assassin¡¯s Incorporated Earth Branch Alpha. Whew, what a mouthful. Let¡¯s go with ISEKAI Branch Alpha from now on, ¡®kay? Great.¡±

    Words come from him but they mean nothing.

    Wait¡­Old Dude. I know him. ISEKAI¡­that¡¯s¡­enemy or friend?

    ¡°Friends?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Well we only just met, but sure. I¡¯m an assassin, just like you. Work for the same side, just in a different realm. My name is Python. Look, you got really torn up by the dime jump, that¡¯s short for dimensional jump, catch up on the lingo quick ¡®kay? We¡¯re probably going to be working together a lot in the future.¡±

    ¡°Mission.¡±

    ¡°Right to the point, I like that. Information gathering has been revolutionized by social media, making finding heroes easier than ever.¡±

    ¡°Who is my target?¡±

    ¡°Well, from the intel I¡¯ve been sent, you¡¯re not really a one target kinda killing machine. But that¡¯s no problem. It will be super easy. Barely an inconvenience. There has been a huge surplus in potential heroes. The third spidey movie is coming out in just a week so lots of kids are dressing up and getting excited. Hard to determine which ones really have what it takes to be a hero though, so your job is to, well, kill them all. No biggie. Just kill everyone in the building and we¡¯ll be poppin¡¯!¡±

    ¡°No! I can do it! I can kill just one. Nobody else, has to die.¡±

    ¡°Well, good luck with that. All we have is a location.¡± He hands me a picture. ¡°Just go to this Middle School and kill the students.¡±

    ¡°If they die¡­how can they be heroes?¡±

    ¡°Weapons shouldn¡¯t ask questions. Just have faith in us smarter people and do your damn job, sir.¡± Python emits joyful energy despite his harsh words.

    I absorb the picture. As it dissolves inside me, I see different sections of the school.

    I grab Python¡¯s arm with my tendril.

    ¡°Release him now!¡± yells one of the guards, raising a small silver weapon.

    ¡°Relax, everyone. Guns won¡¯t do shit to this thing. Do you have something to say RR? That¡¯s short for RiftRipper. Aren¡¯t acronyms fun?¡±

    ¡°When there is danger, the hero will stay to protect. It¡¯s simple. That¡¯s the one I kill.¡±

    ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll let you do your job. But the more that die, the better the payment, so just keep that in mind.¡±

    If I do as they say, then I¡¯ll lose what remains of my focus. I¡¯ll just be a weapon of death.

    One of the assassins takes me in a metal vehicle to my destination. ¡°May your misery carry you to victory. Glory to the guild. Glory to ISEKAI.¡±

    I slide out of the vehicle and approach the structure, quickly sliding from shadow to shadow to avoid detection.

    The buildings here are so different. Is this really the world I was born in?

    I slide my way into the school and slide into a hole in the wall.

    When the coast clears, I slide down the hall to the auditorium.

    Big room, full of students, this is the place. If ISEKAI never existed, would I be among this class?The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    A human is on the stage, talking about courage and future and other meaningless words.

    How to create a panic? Oh, simple.

    I delve into my inner armory and pull out a throwing dagger.

    Some of the students notice a black puddle in the corner, but by the time they do, the man on the stage is screaming in agony with knives in his legs.

    Perfect shot! Yay me!

    As the students run for the door, I throw more daggers at legs, slinking around the room so nobody gets a good look at me.

    Many of the students flee, but a few stay behind to help their classmates.

    Targets located.

    I slide across the ground and sharpen my body.

    One of the student¡¯s shield¡¯s himself with a hefty bag. Or at least, that was his intention.

    My blade slices open his stomach.

    ¡°Get away from my Richie!¡±

    I¡¯m sprayed by some foamy substance which slightly disorients me but causes no harm.

    The boy then heaves the big metal canister at me.

    My tendril comes out and crushes the canister before slamming it into the boy.

    ¡°Yuki is the best of us! No way am I letting you kill him!¡± The third student takes out a knife and slashes me.

    His blade cuts me before it¡¯s absorbed. I then bring out the same blade and pierce it into his throat.

    I feel the blade pierce my flesh and I feel the potent anger as my target dies.

    The more they suffer, the stronger they¡¯ll become.

    More figures enter the room and attack me with metal pellets.

    My body absorbs the bullets and pulls them through before firing them back at my attackers.

    My mind splinters into the attackers but I quickly call it back.

    Why is it the world only has color when I¡¯m dying from someone else¡¯s perspective?

    Yuki is holding his dying friend. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    My blades quiver. My body distorts.

    Why¡­am I doing this?

    ¡°Take my life you damn monster but don¡¯t you dare kill anyone else!¡± yells Yuki.

    That conviction! I must have it!

    My cloak sharpens and cuts off the boy¡¯s head. My body devours all three bodies.

    The misery suddenly overcomes me.

    My body expands as it lashes out.

    My tendrils slice through the walls of the room, claiming more victims.

    I feel death over and over. Blades cutting my body to pieces. Before I can focus myself and stop the slaughter, I¡¯m pulled to the perspective of another victim.

    When I finally come to, everything is red.

    How many lives did I take? Why can¡¯t I focus!? It isn¡¯t fair!

    As my mind screams, I devour the bodies and the blood, but the marks I left on the building can¡¯t be absorbed.

    I meet up just beyond the school and get taken back to Branch Alpha.

    ¡°I made a real mess,¡± I say, scratching in embarrassment.

    ¡°Just as we expected. Now hurry on back. Gotta turn that meat back into heroes on the other side.¡± Python leads me to the rift where I entered from.

    ¡°Will their families miss them?¡± I ask.

    Maybe it¡¯s best to kill the parents after all. That way they won¡¯t worry and give me more tasty screams.

    ¡°It¡¯s not about them. These kids are given a chance to make a real difference. Nothing else matters.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± My body bends around. ¡°Forgetting something¡­fruit! Yes fruit!¡±

    ¡°Umm, I wasn¡¯t aware you things eat.¡±

    ¡°Name fruits.¡±

    ¡°Apples, oranges, bananas.¡±

    That¡¯s the one!

    My body bounces like a spring. ¡°Need to bring bananas back!¡±

    ¡°Sure thing. Hey Wolf, go get him a bushel,¡± says Python.

    ¡°Your word is law.¡± The muscle man leaves the room.

    Wolf. That makes me think of her. Every day I carve her name into myself. I will never forget my darling.

    I embrace myself.

    ¡°Yo, kitchen rag. I got you a bag of bananas.¡± Python opens my cloak and pushes them in.

    ¡°Why do you work for ISEKAI?¡± I ask, my head bobbing back and forth.

    ¡°We work for a brighter future for both worlds. Can¡¯t say anything more, cuz confidentiality rules. You best be on your way. Sometimes those rifts close early and staying here just a few hours can kill you. Best of luck out there.¡± Python opens the special barrier and the vortex pulls me in.

    Is ISEKAI enemy? And how can I kill a rotten tree whose roots cross between worlds?

    Once inside the void, I shift my form to protect it from the spatial chaos.

    Old Dude greets me with overwhelming positive energy after closing the rift. ¡°Well done! Now spit out the bodies. Cinnamon Roll will take it from here.¡±

    I spit out the devoured students, all sixty of them.

    Cinnamon Roll uses her angel powers to mend their wounds and resurrects them one by one.

    Angel¡¯s heal. Assassin¡¯s kill. I guess it¡¯s just how things are.

    I loom over Cinnamon Roll.

    Such determination and focus. She¡¯s aware that every second is the difference between life and death, yet she is without tension.

    ¡°Yay! Big brother is waking from nap time!¡± She hops in the air after the first hero awakens.

    Her innocence shields her. How fortunate. Nothing protects me.

    Old Dude appears in front of me and emits pride and happiness. ¡°You¡¯ve brought back quite the bounty. Any in particular I should be paying attention to?¡±

    I point to the three boys who stayed behind and fought against me.

    ¡°Cinna Bun, those heroes need to get wakey wakey first, okay?¡± Old Dude ruffles her hair.

    ¡°Sure thing, grandpa.¡±

    Tears flow from Old Dude¡¯s eyes. ¡°Angels truly are a blessing. But enough about that. You survived the Cross Over. That means you¡¯ve achieved step one for acquiring your special power.¡±

    ¡°How do I awaken it?¡± I ask.

    ¡°All in good time. For now just keep completing missions. The first of which will be escorting these heroes to the edge of the village for a trade.¡±

    ¡°Wait. They aren¡¯t going to work for our village?¡±

    ¡°At the moment we need supplies more than heroes. We¡¯ll take one of them just to fill the gap. Sunny Village needs them more than us anyway. They have a severe monster problem.¡±

    Pain suddenly seizes me. My body feels like it¡¯s on fire. I scream out and my form melts.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s just a bit of dime lag. Happens when you travel between worlds alive. Get some rest. We¡¯ll discuss the details of the mission when you wake up.¡±

    As my mind fades, I suddenly remember something.

    Bananas.

    I open my cloak and pull out weapons and fleshy chunks until I find the Bananas. ¡°Give to the Fruit man.¡±

    Old Dude molds space between his hands and then coats me in it like a blanket. ¡°Give it to him when you wake up. It will mean more to him coming from you. The Produce Pirate is a friend to ISEKAI. The lives of everyone in this village depends on your success. Truth is your weapon, but loyalty must be your wet stone. Don¡¯t overthink things. Use chaos but don¡¯t be controlled by it. Think upon these words as my Time Blanket gives you rest.¡±

 Memory 29: Our Final Friend

    When I awaken, the heroes are gone.

    ¡°Did they all survive?¡± I ask, rising up.

    ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± asks Old Dude.

    ¡°The heroes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that was over a week ago. You shouldn¡¯t concern yourself with them. You did your job.¡± Old Dude hands me the bundle of Bananas. ¡°You¡¯re the delivery man. What happens after the package arrives is not your concern.¡±

    I feel the fruit¡¯s vital energy.

    When my awareness comes back into focus, I am handing the otherworldly fruit to the Produce Pirate, I felt a warmth come over me.

    He let his tears flow freely as he held the fruit.

    ¡°What color is it?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Yellow. A beautiful lively yellow.¡± He removes the skin with religious conviction. ¡°Tonight we live as kings, and tomorrow I will bring this royal food to the people.¡± The man splits the fruit and removes the seeds. With glowing warmth, he hands me my portion.

    ¡°There aren¡¯t any screams when I¡¯m around you.¡± I open my face and let my energy slowly devour the special fruit.

    ¡°It¡¯s not me. It¡¯s all the Mellowns. They calm the nerves. Legend says that those fruit stopped a civil war with their calming aura.¡± The Produce Pirate places his hand on my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re not defined by a single action and you should never judge others by one misdeed. Do that and the whole world will be your enemy.¡± He looks out at the sky above.

    He¡¯s right. All those lives I ended, all that blood spilt, and all the blood that will be spilt in the future by me¡­it¡¯s not my full legacy. I¡¯m not only an assassin. I¡¯m an explorer and hunter of exotic fruits. I bring new life to the community. I¡¯m¡­not just a death machine.

    My body leaks tears of blood that spreads to the ground.

    ¡°If you ever need a good release, you can always stop by this palace of produce.¡±

    The merchant¡¯s joy hits me like a wave. My body doesn¡¯t shrivel up or feel weighed down by the positive energy. It accepts it.

    I¡¯m worthy of happiness.

    My tendrils wrap around me and give me a warm embrace.

    ¡°Now you¡¯ve got it. The key to control is surrender.¡± He hands me a Coconaught. ¡°Your next mission is a dangerous one. Be sure to return. I want you to meet my daughter sometime.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a father?¡±

    I search in my mind for a memory of my father, but I only find darkness.

    ¡°She turned six just a while ago. There is nothing in the world more precious to me. This isn¡¯t a safe world to raise a little girl so keep it a secret for me.¡±

    I bow to him. ¡°She must be happy to have such a wise father.¡±

    ¡°Ha! I wish. She¡¯s always complaining. Poor girl resents me for keeping her from playing with the other kids.¡±

    ¡°Where is the harm in that?¡±

    ¡°There are spies among the villagers. I can¡¯t trust anyone.¡±

    ¡°But¡­you trusted me.¡±

    ¡°Anyone who brings new products to my store is worth the risk.¡±

    I clasp his hand with my tendril and then leave.

    The inside of the Coconaught didn¡¯t have a picture of someone. Instead it had a location. There was a forest of brambles called Cherry Thicket to the south of the village. It was there I met my informant, a man clad in white armor.

    ¡°Greetings, ally. I am White Knight. Wait¡­or are you the enemy who has come to strike me down?¡± The hero assumes a defensive stance.

    So familiar. Have I met this one before?

    I hold up the map parchment that gave me my mission.

    White Knight looks over me carefully. ¡°Are you male or female? Hard to tell with your kind.¡±

    A muscular woman comes out from the brambles, her chest bleeding from a fresh wound. ¡°Matter¡¯s not.¡±

    The knight points at me dramatically. ¡°I refuse to work alongside a worthless man. State your gender! If you don¡¯t identify as female, then you¡¯re no ally of mine!¡±

    I loom over him. ¡°Swirling inside this polymorphous body of madness are the souls of both boys and girls, men and women.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The frightened hero takes a step back. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the mission. There are reports of a murder spree in Poor Village. I, White Knight, the number one hero in all of Punk, have been tasked with bringing the killer to justice! This strong female leader, the Static Huntress, is my bodyguard and you¡¯re the one who is going to kill the killer. If that¡¯s too complicated for you, just ask one of the lovely ladies trapped in your mind to explain it to you.¡±

    The elven warrior woman looks my way. ¡°Back up only. Can handle cowardly killer by self.¡±

    ¡°You need healing. Cinnamon Roll, lick this hot momma.¡±

    The little angel from before hops out from behind a rock and runs at the elven warrior.

    ¡°Disrespectful to WarWolf that caused harm. No heal!¡± Huntress holds the girl back from licking her with one hand.

    There are WarWolf¡¯s here! How exciting.

    Cinnamon Roll notices me and waves. ¡°Hello again.¡±

    I wave back, letting her energy calm my mind.

    White Knight bows his head before the huntress. ¡°Please, I beg of you to heal yourself. To see such a beautiful and powerful woman injured¡­it hurts me.¡±

    ¡°Fine, big baby. Little baby can heal wound.¡± The Static Huntress rubs her hand on Cinnamon Rolls tongue and then applies the saliva to her gaping wound.

    When we arrive at the village, we hear screams coming from several locations.

    The huntress sharpens her arrow on her teeth. ¡°More than one killer. Good. Hoping for challenge.¡±

    White Knight puts his hand up. ¡°Stop right there, my muscular maiden.¡±

    Huntress glares at him. ¡°No more flirting. Will only ever love one woman. For all time.¡± She sobs into her arm.

    White Knight punches himself in the face. ¡°I will use all my strength to resist showering you with the affection you so deserve, so please, dry your eyes.¡±

    ¡°Strong woman can cry!¡± she yells at him, baring her fangs.

    ¡°Yes of course, but watery eyes muddle vision. I¡¯m going to draw out the enemy so you¡¯ll need to take the shot.¡±

    White Knight runs past all the huts and then back to us. ¡°Phew. Well, I¡¯m stumped. They¡¯re all screaming but none of them are under attack. If they were in peril, then my heroic spirit would have willed me to their side.¡±

    I zoom into one of the homes, slicing open the wooden walls. A man with flesh torn and limbs mutilated is strung up over his bed.

    ¡°What happened?¡± I ask, cutting him down.

    He screams upon seeing me.

    The huntress knocks him out and Cinnamon Roll starts healing him.

    White Knight lifts her up. ¡°He¡¯ll live. You shouldn¡¯t waste your powers on a male when there could be females in danger.¡±

    ¡°Does before bros.¡± Cinnamon Roll gives White Knight a salute.

    ¡°I¡¯ve taught you well!¡±

    We rush into the next house to find a whole family as a bloodied mess.

    They scream upon seeing me.

    White Knight sends suspicious energy my way. ¡°Were you the one who harmed this lovely woman.¡±

    ¡°Must have been another RiftRipper.¡±

    Did one of us lose control and become a true killing machine?

    ¡°Tongues cut. Only can scream. Annoying.¡± The huntress knocks them out one by one.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I examine the bodies, reading their faint vital energy. ¡°All alive. It couldn¡¯t have been a RiftRipper.¡±

    Cinnamon Roll drools into the woman¡¯s mouth to heal her tongue. ¡°Who attacked the hot dame?¡±

    ¡°That monster right there! They can¡¯t be trusted!¡±

    ¡°Keep screaming and I hit you again.¡± The huntress glares at her. ¡°Explain story.¡±

    ¡°It worked with us, a RiftRipper. But last night it came in here and tortured us. It didn¡¯t ask for anything. Just kept muttering to itself. Please, you have to protect us.¡±

    We stayed with the villagers for the next week, there was no sign of the RiftRipper and the villagers were fully healed, so I returned home. The idea of one of my kind being so cruel terrified me and the focus it showed to be able to cut so precisely without killing made me jealous. It didn¡¯t want to kill them¡­it just wanted to cause pain. Every night when I carved ¡°WarWolf¡± into my body I was plagued by the thoughts of losing who I was.

    The fear of the rogue RiftRipper took hold of me. I became sloppy and unfocused in my work. Later that year when I was tasked to return to Earth to kill a specific hero, I ended up slaughtering a whole city of people. Worst yet, the hero got away. The ghosts of the dead clawed away my awareness and sanity. After my failure, Old Dude lost faith in my abilities and I was assigned basic assassinations ever since. Four years went by without any meaning. Even the Produce Pirate¡¯s words of encouragement were swallowed up the doubt that grew inside me like a tumor.

    My lucky break came when White Knight took me on a secret quest. Despite being ordered to wait for the CatBoys to attack the village, we ambushed them. He spoke out on my behalf to the people of my village and for the first time in years they spoke to me again. That heroic influence is beyond anything I could ever achieve.

    Old Dude met with me during the festival, taking a seat at the Produce Pirate¡¯s fruit stand. He gulps down a keg of Grope wine and looks at me. ¡°Some villages celebrate the new year. Some have a party in honor of an ancient tradition. My village, my people, aren¡¯t so fickle. We only celebrate when a battle is won. But when we have a festival, it goes on for weeks.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t promise you I won¡¯t fail again.¡± I bow to him, my head swirling with shame.

    ¡°Failure builds character.¡± He looks out at the paper lanterns and kids running around with sparklers. ¡°It¡¯s these joyful times that pose a threat to you. They can dull your blade.¡±

    I feel the energy of the village. ¡°Great Elder, I think this celebration will strengthen my resolve to protect these people.¡±

    Old Dude whacks me with a stick. ¡°Leave the idealism to the heroes. You¡¯re a killer not a protector.¡±

    ¡°Why does the ruler of the lands kill his own people?¡±

    ¡°Out of some twisted sense of responsibility, I think. Best not to delve too deep into a madman¡¯s mind. As for why the recent attack, well it appears that he knows about the fruit of the village.¡±

    ¡°Because of the Bananas? Then it¡¯s my fault.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Produce Pirate¡¯s daughter. She¡¯s a special one, more special than even you. The Source gifted her to our village and the Love Dictator wants that gift for himself.¡±

    ¡°I will protect her for an eternity, even if she is a brat.¡± I chuckle.

    ¡°You¡¯ll need to get stronger. It¡¯s time for you to awaken your special power. Your Cross Over Catalyst will be necessary to fight the armies that will attack us.¡±

    ¡°How do I activate it.¡±

    ¡°Well for heroes, it¡¯s the Angel¡¯s Kiss that serves as a catalyst. For RiftRippers, it¡¯s a bit messy. You have to devour the heart of three heroes and an angel. Heheh! You already have one hero due to that hostage mess those years ago.¡±

    I look at Cinnamon Roll who is biting the long Grope line one by one. I feel the pure energy from her and then see her covered in blood.

    I thought my suffering was over. Killing an angel¡­I don¡¯t think I can bare it.

    ¡°Heheh, don¡¯t be so glum. I wouldn¡¯t allow you to harm a hair on her head. You¡¯ll be killing an angel you¡¯ve never met. You¡¯ll have to make the journey to Sunny Village alone. They have two angels apparently so I doubt they¡¯ll miss one all that much.¡±

    Will this power even be enough to stop ISEKAI? If not, then can I live with the consequences? Do I even want to stop ISEKAI anymore if it costs the lives of these people?

 Memory 30: Our Final Feast

    The good thing about being a psychotic mesh of screaming ghosts that claw away your awareness is that it makes traveling much quicker. Creating a portal would leave a residue that other RiftRippers could follow so I had to make my way to the distant village by other means. I let my inner CamOctopus take the helm, she always wanted to see the world anyway so I felt it was a good deal for the both of us.

    Upon arrival I was overcome by a sickly feeling. It seems even the building exuded joy like toxic fumes that permeated my cloak and danced around my mind. I couldn¡¯t risk detection, so I sank into a shadow.

    Everything then went dark. My awareness abandoned me like an unloved child.

    My mind restarts slowly, revving up at a leisurely pace like a CheetahCycle. First comes feeling. The air is heavy with negativity. It clings to the ground totems which are lined up. Though I sense bones beneath the soil, I don¡¯t sense any large lifeforms.

    Wait! An angel! No wait, two angels!

    A short angel is crying, looking up at an angry hero. The even smaller one glares at the hero.

    I¡¯m still too weak to attack. Just have to wait till my strength returns.

    The hero knocks out the larger angel with his mace. The smaller angel bites him before he knocks her out too.

    He lifts the little one over his shoulder and then carries her beyond the graveyard.

    Yes. This is a graveyard! The negativity must keep this place sheltered.

    I try to follow but my body is drawn to this place.

    I¡¯m trapped her until I can reform myself.

    ShadowPups emerge from the ground.

    That¡¯s it.

    I bite onto his leg. The pup¡¯s form bends like my own and we¡¯re caught in a battle.

    The other pups move on ahead.

    This is wrong! ShadowPups always stay together. Wait. Why do I care about this so much?

    I expand my form and devour the ShadowPup in a single bite, seizing its form.

    My body reshapes itself and follows the footprints of the hero.

    Why would a hero attack an angel?

    When I find him, I see him talking to a MounTroll. I hide in the shadows and listen in.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®ave the stomach to kill her yeurself, do ya? Maybe ya ain¡¯t worthy of yer name, after all.¡± The merchant grabs the girl¡¯s face and muffles her screams.

    Kill an angel. That¡¯s right. I need to¡­kill her.

    ¡°She¡¯s¡­different than the other one.¡± The hero¡¯s charisma drops. ¡°Just get her out of here.¡± He throws a bag of CatCoin at the merchant.

    ¡°Paying me ta take expensive product off yer hands. Yer the best customer I ever ¡®ad.¡±

    ¡°I just want to protect my village. Keep her away from here. Her fate is up to you.¡±

    No! That morsel is ours!

    I shoot up like a water sprout and snatch the girl from the merchant.

    I shove the girl in my Void and rush off.

    The hero chases after me while the merchant counts his coins.

    He throws a dagger at me before I disappear into the shadows.

    ¡°Come out here! She¡¯s just a child¡­it¡¯s not her fault for being born a monster.¡±

    Monster? I¡¯m¡­the monster. I¡¯m going to devour this girl for power. I don¡¯t even have a firm goal in mind. Do I want to protect ISEKAI or destroy it?

    My body thrashes around, slicing the trees in the area.

    Wait! A hero! I need three hero hearts! I doubt I¡¯d even be in trouble for killing a hero that sold off an angel.

    I chase after him all the way back to the graveyard.

    The hero suddenly turns around rushes at me with a heated dagger. It burns my cloak and makes me tingle a bit.

    ¡°You seem familiar. Oh! I remember, I picked you up from school.¡±

    ¡°You murdered me and my schoolmates! You took us away from our homes and brought us into this world as prisoners. I am Braven and I will carve their suffering into you.¡±

    I did. I thought we were giving these kids a chance to reach their true potential¡­but that¡¯s the same reasoning that took me from home.

    I look at my body, not knowing where it begins or ends.

    How engrained have I become in ISEKAI? I was once a rebel¡­but what am I now?

    He slashes at me repeatedly while I gather my thoughts.

    I pick him up off the ground. ¡°I need a moment.¡±

    He slices my tendril. ¡°Yuki gave me his weapon so that I could kill you. You see these graves here? These are the graves of those students you killed. They weren¡¯t strong enough to be heroes! Your system is broken.¡±

    I dodge the swipes as he screams at me. ¡°My apologies. It was only supposed to be three of you. I got¡­carried away.¡± I turn pink from embarrassment.

    ¡°You¡¯re not fuckin¡¯ sorry! I¡¯ll make you sorry!¡± He stabs into my cloak over and over. ¡°Once I do, they¡¯ll finally be able to rest.¡±

    I look at him curiously while parrying his assault. ¡°There aren¡¯t any ghosts with you.¡±

    ¡°I hear them, screaming for vengeance. They live inside these totems.¡± He points to his belt. ¡°Each one is a soul that was lost to this hell because you brought them here!¡±

    Hmm. Perhaps this is his way of coping. I shouldn¡¯t judge.

    I knock the knife from his hand. ¡°Oh yes. In the totems. But they aren¡¯t screaming, they¡¯re cheering you on.¡±

    There we go, that should get rid of his sour attitude.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mock me!¡± he yells, punching me with his fists.

    This is quite the predicament. I don¡¯t want to absorb all his hatred. Having him bounce around inside my head must be bad for my mental health. Maybe I should just wait for him to get killed and then collect.

    Shadows suddenly spring up around me, forming into three RiftRippers.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°He¡¯s the one who took the angel! She¡¯s still inside him!¡± yells Braven.

    I toss him into the RiftRippers and then speed out of the graveyard.

    There¡¯s no running from them. They can sense me. I¡¯ll have to fight my way out. Then I¡¯ll track down the angel and have an important feast.

    I feel my head throbbing. My body moves like a wave.

    Fear. Yes. I had almost forgotten what it was like. They can kill me. But is death really bad? What am I saying? If I die, then all their deaths lose meaning. My life only has the meaning that it stole from its victims. That is what it means to be an assassin. I¡¯ll show them what I¡¯m made of!

    I slice one of the trees and heave it at the first RiftRipper.

    It knocks into him or her but the phantom simply rides up the tree like a shadow and then slashes me.

    I guard with my tendrils only to be ambushed from behind by the other two.

    I focus my efforts on the RiftRipper in front of me, allowing my subconscious to fend off the attacks from behind. ¡°Would you believe me if I said the angel got away?¡±

    The RiftRipper¡¯s blade liquifies, coils around my weapon and then slices me.

    Such a remarkable technique.

    The phantom assassin¡¯s tendrils thin out and dig beneath mine to remove my blades.

    Wait. This level of control. It must be him.

    ¡°You¡¯re the RiftRipper who skinned those villagers!¡±

    ¡°They were ungrateful! Everyone is so ungrateful!¡± His blades reverberate with pinpoint accuracy, cutting open a hole in my cloak. He then dives inside me. ¡°I am the gloom that will drown this ungrateful world!¡±

    The other two split, now attacking me from four angles, but I repel their assault with ease.

    I was the prodigy assassin of my school. They can¡¯t compare.

    I send tendrils into my own void and search for the RiftRipper who had entered me.

    I can¡¯t just spit the assassin out. His will is too strong.

    I grab hold of the RiftRipper and yank it out.

    It holds the angel in its arms.

    I want arms! No fair!

    ¡°Great work, now let¡¯s return her to the village,¡± says one of the other RiftRippers.

    ¡°No! I¡¯m done with you all.¡± The focused RiftRipper rushes off with the angel and the others follow.

    No clue what¡¯s going on. But just gotta stay focused. There¡¯s another angel nearby. Just have to find her and then¡­what was I supposed to do? I¡¯ll just take it one step at a time.

    I locate the angel rather easily. There¡¯s a sudden blindingly bright presence resonating from the local temple. She¡¯s just outside, hugging her injured hero.

    Wait¡­that¡¯s not what¡¯s going on.

    There is joy coming from the angel, but it¡¯s of a lustful carnal type.

    Is she eating him? Not allowed! His heart is mine!

    Her white shadow rises up and takes the form of a RiftRipper. ¡°Hard to watch, isn¡¯t it? These poor creatures have been cultured into protecting their natural prey.¡±

    Angels eat heroes? So this is¡­normal?

    ¡°It¡¯s natural. Not normal. And yes, before you ask. I can read your thoughts, but only when you shout them.¡± The white RiftRipper lifts the angel up.

    ¡°Are angels monsters like us?¡±

    ¡°The heroes are the monsters.¡± A nearby ShadowPup takes form as a black angel, wearing her own shadow as clothing.

    ¡°So that¡¯s where you were. A troublesome hero like him could be useful. Heal him, won¡¯t you?¡±

    The angel sends rude vibes his way. ¡°How about you don¡¯t interrupt my little sister while she¡¯s eating?¡±

    ¡°Her food could help bring ISEKAI to its knees, after a proper awakening, that is,¡± says the white RiftRipper. ¡°It was I that gave you an awakening. Before that you were a bundle of hate, just as this hero is.¡±

    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll heal him! But when he¡¯s no longer useful, I¡¯m going to carve out his heart!¡± she growls and spits on her hand.

    I raise my tendril. ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble, I¡¯d like to eat the heart when you¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°After power even now. Hmm, the reasoning for that desire will determine whether I¡¯ve failed you or made you a thrashing success!¡± The white RiftRipper turns into a massive eye and examines me.

    ¡°Can you see color?¡± I ask.

    ¡°The only color with weight is red. Shade, I¡¯d like to have a moment alone with my student.¡±

    ¡°Then go! If I move this sack of flesh it will die.¡± She shoves her hand inside and mends an organ.

    I¡¯m suddenly back at the graveyard.

    ¡°What do you see?¡±

    ¡°I feel sadness in this place. Who are you? You said you were my teacher.¡±

    Teacher was a black RiftRipper I think. Aren¡¯t they all black?

    ¡°I see promises. Each gravestone is a promise toward a better future. Empty or not, their significance remains as steppingstones.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Assailant¡­the Broad-Spectrum Assassin. It¡¯s rude not to introduce yourself.¡± I cross my tendrils and turn away.

    ¡°Has my greatest pupil lost sight of himself from the weight of so many promises? You should recognize your guru.¡±

    My body moves on its own and seizes him in a hug. Bloody tears drip from me.

    ¡°There¡¯s the Weech I know.¡±

    Weech? Cuz I¡¯m cuddly? I¡¯m so confused.

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know what to do anymore.¡±

    Guru wraps my tendrils in his own. ¡°I¡­feel the same.¡±

    ¡°How can you be lost? You set me on this path. You made me a rebel.¡±

    ¡°You chose to be a rebel. I simply opened the door of opportunity. It was your courage that had you step through. I need some of that courage.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some victim in my head with some inspirational words to uplift you.¡±

    ¡°Only your words can uplift me. How did you do it¡­kill the woman you love?¡±

    My mind catches aflame and I scream.

    White smoke emits from Guru and calms my nerves.

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± I ask.

    ¡°You knew they would only permit a single survivor. But you didn¡¯t sacrifice yourself for her. It wasn¡¯t for a selfish reason. I know you too well for that. It must have been done with conviction. You were fully confident that her sacrifice would become a promise that would lead to the end of the black guild. And you struck her down!¡±

    I¡­I did. I can¡¯t remember.

    My mind dives into the memory.

    No! I don¡¯t want to remember.

    ¡°Another truth buried under misery. You¡¯ll never take down ISEKAI if you¡¯re afraid of your own past.¡±

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know if I want to anymore. There are good people in ISEKAI. What happens to them when it falls?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve become short-sighted. It¡¯s not your fault. They train you to think in steps. One mission at a time. Never seeing the grander picture. I don¡¯t know if I can help you anymore, but I hope you can help me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you dying? Is that why your cloak is white?¡±

    ¡°No. The White Shadow is a symbol to assassins that we can live in the light and still be hidden. They branded me as the Betrayer after they discovered I was the head of the Red Guild. One of my trusted RiftRippers went berserk and slaughtered my closest allies. I¡­had to continue the rebellion under a new identity.¡±

    All his words swirled in my mind but one question, one I had kept buried was pushed to the surface by the whirlpool of questions.

    ¡°If I have power¡­the uhh¡­Cross Over Catalyst¡­will I still be in control?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s entirely up to your conviction. Oh. How serendipitous¡­¡± Guru¡¯s body distorts before returning to its stable shape. ¡°We both have the same dilemma.¡±

    ¡°You want to kill an angel too? There¡¯s another one, stolen by a RiftRipper.¡±

    ¡°Well, then I should reclaim her. But that¡¯s where we differ. I don¡¯t want to kill her. It¡¯s the last thing I want. But alas it must be done.¡±

    I poke him with my tendrils. ¡°Easy solution! I kill her for you! I don¡¯t know her so it¡¯s no bother for me.¡±

    ¡°No! No! No! No!¡± Guru loses control and becomes a mass of revolving blades. ¡°I won¡¯t take the easy way out. I must suffer her loss! I¡¯ve already decided upon it. Annolette will die by my hand!¡±

    ¡°Okay! Not a competition. I only need to eat one angel.¡±

    The white mist comes out from Guru and calms him down. ¡°More power doesn¡¯t always make one¡¯s goal easier to grasp. Too much of it and you¡¯ll crush the very thing you seek to claim.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what¡¯s happening with you? You want to be miserable for power so you¡¯re going to kill her. What is she to you? An old ally?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it in front of her sister. There¡¯s a cave not too far from here. Bring her there tomorrow night. It will bring back memories.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s the right choice?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the proper decision. That¡¯s all that matters. Can I trust you to help me one last time?¡±

    ¡°I can only remember a fraction of our time spent together, but every fragment empowers me! If ISEKAI wants me to eat an angel, then¡­I won¡¯t do it! Talking to you has cleared the path for me.¡± I split up as much as I can so I can bow with all of my being. ¡°I promise to help you.¡±

    ¡°I wish I could say the same. It¡¯s going to be incredibly painful for both me and my darling little lamb.¡± He returns the bow. ¡°I¡¯m going to rescue her little sister. It¡¯s the least I can do for that poor girl plagued by destiny.¡±

    Destiny. What is my destiny?

    I look to Guru for advice, but he¡¯s already gone.

    My mind goes blank.

    I made a promise to him. But what was it?

    I spend the night within my mind, trying to find the memory that was taken from me. I deep dive, past the dark encasing and find the ghosts of all I¡¯ve killed.

    ¡°It was one of you. Who took my promise?¡± I look out the distorted memories, most shrouded in darkness.

    Time for another cleansing.

    I tug at the darkness around them as it bites at me. ¡°This is my mind! Guru is counting on me!¡±

    A single ghost steps out and dispels the darkness. It was WarWolf.

    She looks directly at me. ¡°He¡¯s counting on you to help him kill a child, an angel. I won¡¯t let you do that.¡±

    ¡°I trust Guru.¡± I approach her. ¡°Please, return the memory.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry.¡± She turns away from me. ¡°If you remembered, you¡¯d understand.¡±

    I put my hand to her belly and hold her close. ¡°You had a child in you. I¡¯d never forget. I can¡¯t undo that. But this angel. We don¡¯t even know her.¡±

    ¡°Her sister does. She loves her. You were too focused on your mission to see it. You have tunnel vision, but I saw through your peripheral vision. I saw their love. Angels are the purest beings in existence. Getting splashed with their blood¡­I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll ever be rid of the stain on your conscience.¡±

    I hold onto her and sob. ¡°Thank you for being my guiding light.¡±

    She slugs me and grins. ¡°Well I¡¯m stuck here. Gotta make myself useful.¡± She kisses my lips. ¡°Were soulmates now and always. It takes a lot of energy to come out here like this and you won¡¯t remember the encounter. But that¡¯s okay.¡± She places a bright light in my hand. ¡°I trust you with this memory. You need to save Guru from drowning in the black muck he seeks to destroy.¡±

    I nod and return to my consciousness.

    I look out at the village and see smoke.

    How long was I out? In the blink of an eye, the world catches aflame. No. It¡¯s those blinks that create the sparks. If everyone was aware, there would be no fires.

 Memory 31: Our Final Promise

    The madness and screams make it hard to navigate through the village to find the angel. The little gift is being used as a chair by a CatBoy General.

    How dare they treat the sacred ones like items!

    I rush in but am suddenly blinded by the angel¡¯s light.

    The CatBoy general tumbles back and the angel soars to a weak old man.

    Wait. That aura. I¡¯ve never seen a Primordial in such a weakened state. Can they be killed? I must learn more.

    The Primordial directs his rage at the girl and carves some wooden rubble into spears.

    No! He¡¯s going to kill her.

    A sharp thin weapon then pierces through the angry ancient.

    I focus on the wielder of the weapon.

    So many souls wrapped up in one body. No wait, they¡¯re being worn like clothing.

    I hear the voice of the girl¡¯s savior and it stops me like a fatal poison.

    The Love Dictator was here and he was strangling the life out of the angel.

    I speed behind him as a small shadow, praying to the Archia Prima to keep me unnoticed. Once within range, I slide beneath his legs and took form.

    The sharpest blade I could imagine erects from my back and slices the scarf. I catch the girl with my tendrils and pull her into me.

    It didn¡¯t take much focus to create a portal.

    We arrive at the farthest waypoint I had stored in my memory. It¡¯s a quiet forest where she will be safe from that madman and from Guru.

    By the time the angel got back on her feet I was already moving away.

    ¡°Wait up!¡± she rushes after me.

    What was her name? Annolette! Yes. She has a name.

    I turn around and look into her.

    I sense incredible love, power and a growing darkness.

    Why would Guru want this girl dead?

    Annolette takes a step back and shuffles her feet. ¡°Thanks for saving me.¡±

    I approach her and extend my tendril out to pat her head. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure, dear.¡±

    Whoops still has a blade out. How embarrassing.

    I turn around.

    She grabs onto my cloak. ¡°There¡¯s a big cloak guy like you. He has my sister. Do you know where he is?¡±

    ¡°No. I am searching for him too.¡±

    ¡°If you find him, can you bring her back?¡±

    I crouch down. ¡°I would not dare make a promise I cannot keep. What I can promise you is I will lay down my life to retrieve her.¡±

    The thought of dying sends a shiver through my form.

    She stands on her tip toes and pats my head. ¡°You¡¯re a good guy. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    There was a girl who used to give me head pats. Why can¡¯t I remember her?

    I look at the angel and realize I haven¡¯t given her an answer. ¡°I discarded my name when I took up this duty. My enemies call me the Broad-Spectrum Assassin.¡±

    ¡°Oooh, fancy, hee-hee,¡± she says, beaming positive energy.

    Yeah. That was really smooth. She must see me as a real badass! Hold on. Betrayer is waiting for me at the cave. I must still honor my promise to him.

    ¡°Staying near me puts you at risk. I must go.¡± I sink into my own shadow and leave the girl.

    It takes me a few tries to create a portal back. Escapism is the name of the technique for portal carving, but the only place I seek to escape to is by that angel¡¯s side. The thought of returning to that burning village terrifies me, but I have a responsibility to my guru.

    I finally carve the portal and enter, arriving in a burnt mess of a village.

    The Love Dictator is sitting on some corpses and drinking a glass of wine. An army of CatBoys are behind him, rounding up the survivors.

    I freeze up in fear.

    The dictator raises the glass to me. ¡°Do you believe in destiny?¡±

    Do I? Should I? Wait, that¡¯s for others to concern themselves with.

    He pulls out an eyeball from a dead villager and examines it. ¡°The same night that I come to retrieve the angel, the night where the cowardly old man finally stands up for someone other than himself, that¡¯s the night that you send the RiftRippers out of the village on a hunt. I must thank you for your contribution.¡± He opens his arms, gesturing to the chaos around us. ¡°You¡¯ve helped make this possible.¡±

    I never once considered the consequences of stealing an angel. Maybe he¡¯s right. I am to blame.

    The dictator paces around me. ¡°There¡¯s something familiar about you. Oh, you¡¯re the one who tried to keep me from rescuing my grandchild.¡±

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes you do. Does the name StarBorne ring any bells?¡±

    StarBorne¡­those are creatures. Did I know someone named StarBorne?

    Flam grabs my face. ¡°You really don¡¯t recall. You RiftRippers only hold onto the negative memories. Such a pathetic existence. I prefer to focus on success rather than failures. I could beat myself up for failing to claim the angel, but instead I¡¯ve decided to celebrate my victories. I have so many new recruits, and I¡¯ve found a way to make the immortal mortal.¡±

    He knows the secret.

    ¡°How did you do it?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Oh, planning a coup yourself, are you? How delectable.¡± He licks his lips and exudes a twisted joy that coils around me like a Snake. ¡°Sadly, I won¡¯t exchange that information for nothing. We can negotiate at a later time if you¡¯d like.¡± He turns away.

    I send out all my blades at once.

    Flam¡¯s scarf moves with perfect precision and slices my tendrils. ¡°Attack me again and I¡¯ll go after the girl. You do care about her, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Do I? I have a responsibility to protect her. But do I care.

    My mind jumps to the warm memory of her giving me a head pat.

    She touched me. Even though I¡¯m a monster. She saw something in me that I don¡¯t even see.

    ¡°Where is StarBorne? I don¡¯t remember him or her, but if StarBorne was my friend before, then I have a responsibility to protect.¡±

    The dictator chuckles. ¡°Trying to save a friend you don¡¯t even remember. That¡¯s both painfully pathetic and soothingly inspiring! I assure you my grandchild is safe. We can discuss more next time. I have a meeting with the Village of Doomed.¡±

    My village.

    ¡°If you attack them, I¡¯ll tear you shreds.¡±

    ¡°Empty threats aren¡¯t as cute as you think. Is just a meeting, not a party. Toodles.¡± He snaps his fingers and leaves the burning village with his army.

    I do what I can to help the people of the village, lifting rubble, putting out fires, but without an angel I can¡¯t heal any of them. Brining Annolette back would only put her in danger, so I just save who I can. The villagers are bizarrely chipper despite the calamity. Their aura is woozy as if intoxicated. They praise me for my efforts and though it lacks a genuine core, the compliment branches still caress me in a way I find most delicious.

    The promise!

    I rush to the cave to meet up with Betrayer, blaming myself for being sidetracked by hero¡¯s work.

    Dual responsibilities are a burden to contend with.

    I enter the cave and he seems unphased by my tardiness. He moves in deeper, calming the resident ShadowPups with his white mist.

    ¡°Is that your Cross Over Catalyst?¡± I ask.

    Guru speaks to me as we journey deeper into the darkness. ¡°The Catalyst is the seed, an ethereal force that clings to the body when traveling between worlds. When Heroes awaken it, it becomes a Hero¡¯s Miracle. It¡¯s often just called a Miracle. When they say Angel¡¯s bring about miracles, it has multiple meanings. I theorize the Catalyst only enters the heroes because their bodies are in the RiftRipper¡¯s Void. We plant the seeds for Miracles, but only the angels receive praise for bringing those Miracles to light.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°But with RiftRippers it¡¯s different. How so?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Guru takes my tendril and places it on a cold stone. ¡°Do you remember this place?¡±

    ¡°It feels nostalgic but I don¡¯t know which part of me knows it.¡±

    ¡°This is where the name of every assassin the guild has ever known lives. The names of traitors are scratched out. Here¡¯s your name.¡±

    ¡°Weech?¡± I ask, feeling the indentation.

    ¡°Yes. And the names of your classmates are here as well.¡± He moves my tendril ever so gently.

    WarWolf, love of my life. With me now and forever.

    BladEagle. He still causes me problems even after his death.

    BunBun¡­that¡¯s the girl who gave me head pats. I can almost recall her face.

    CamOctopus. I stole her future from her, like I¡¯ve done to so many others.

    StarBorne. The Dictator wasn¡¯t lying. He was someone I knew.

    The final name is impossible to read.

    ¡°Goopy, your final classmate. They found out he was a traitor. After I end the angel¡­my Annolette. I ask that you help me track him down.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re hungry.¡± I pull out a Banana from my cloak. ¡°All the way from the other world.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have the girl.¡± He feels me with his power. ¡°You¡­betrayed me.¡±

    ¡°She was under attack and I protected her. I don¡¯t remember where she is.¡±

    Thanks for snatching that memory, my darling. Now she¡¯ll be safe for sure.

    ¡°You sent her away. I can feel it. Wasted effort. I can track her down by following the residue left by the portal.¡±

    ¡°The what?¡±

    ¡°I doubt your decision was personally against me. I deeply trust you.¡± White fumes emit from him, calming my nerves. He then flees the cave to chase after the angel.

    I¡¯m sorry, my darling. I¡¯ve failed you.

    A shadow rises up the stone slab and takes shape. ¡°I should have recognized you.¡± The RiftRipper juggles his head.

    His tendrils become thin like noodles but retain their sharpness. They surround me from all angles.

    I ignore the blades and tackle my old friend in an embrace. ¡°I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re alive.¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t alive and you were never my friend! You never believed in me, but you know who did? The Principal of the school. Yeah, bet you¡¯re jealous. Apparently being pathetic and hating everyone made me the real prodigy of that backwards school.¡±

    I pat his head. ¡°You should be proud.¡±

    ¡°You thought you were so special. But Betrayer took me in before you. Yeah, I was a rebel before you. Bet you never saw that coming.¡±

    I stare at him blankly.

    ¡°Yeah. Overheard him talking about you. How it was time to see how his back up had turned out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m no back up! I¡¯m the prodigy of both ISEKAI and the Red Rebellion.¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re still in there somewhere. As arrogant as always. I¡¯ve hated you for so long.¡± Tears leak out from my old classmate.

    I clench him with all my strength. ¡°I thought I was alone. But you¡¯re here. We can work together and take down ISEKAI with Guru!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m no longer associated with the Black Guild or the Red Guild. I am a renegade. I am Gloom.¡± My old friend gazes into my being. ¡°You still trust him, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s about to make a terrible decision. If we work together, we can stop him.¡±

    ¡°All he knows is misery. That¡¯s how we connected. He gained my absolute trust because I was pathetic. He said he¡¯d give the rest of my life purpose. But he was just using me. I¡¯m always going to be alone.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not alone. You have your parents with you, right now.¡±

    ¡°CamOctopus didn¡¯t kill her parents. They ended their own lives so she wouldn¡¯t have to. They loved her. I didn¡¯t kill my parents either, told her we went through the same thing. I lied to her just so I didn¡¯t feel alone.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel guilty about it. You didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±

    ¡°BladEagle¡¯s mother coaxes him into killing her. WarWolf¡¯s father sabotages his own faction out of love for his daughter. Your father ended his life so you wouldn¡¯t have to. Even BunBun¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t kill her daughter directly. Poison was all she could stomach. They all had someone who loved them. The truth is my parents never truly loved me. I figured out it was just their job long before the rest of you. I had them kill themselves. Killing is easy, but holding back that burning urge and making them end themselves with just your words¡­it¡¯s empowering!¡± His body glows with pride and his tendrils undulate. He starts crying. His head droops. ¡°I tell myself that lie all the time, because the truth is more pathetic. I wanted to be a successful assassin. I tried to kill them but couldn¡¯t. They told me to do it while they were asleep, but I just stood there over the bed with a dagger and froze up. Turns out that even though they were put there to love me¡­and despite all the blackmail and times I hurt them, they were proud of me. They believed in me and that made it impossible for me to kill them.¡±

    His sadness wills me to envelop him in an all-encompassing embrace.

    Gloom doesn¡¯t fight it. He gradually returns the embrace.

    ¡°My parents decided the only way to motivate me was to ingest poison. They thought that by hearing them scream in pain, by seeing their suffering, I¡¯d muster up the courage to put them out of their misery. But I just stood there for hours as they died. I knew if the guild ever found out about it, I¡¯d be dead. Even when they had died¡­I couldn¡¯t cut their bodies. I just stood there, blowing into my whistle for help over and over. I¡¯m the most pathetic assassin every. I couldn¡¯t even pretend I had killed them. Betrayer said he would protect me and CamOctopus, but then he told the guild that she never passed. I should have figured it out. I was so stupid.¡±

    ¡°You still have your memory of them. Of their love.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but only because it¡¯s tied to their misery. Your mother is suffering inside you alongside so many others, but at least you can feel them. The only thing from my parents that stayed with me is the stench of their dead bodies. RiftRippers can¡¯t smell and yet it still clings to me.¡± He shivers and claws his body.

    ¡°They would want you to be a great assassin. You can still return to the rebellion. I¡¯ll vouch for you.¡±

    ¡°Betrayer did give me one gift.¡± Gloom points to the necklace around him. ¡°This bone is from BlasToad and this¡­is CamOctopus. I blow the whistle when I want to remember them. As for my parents.¡± He pulls out a sheet from his Void. ¡°Their skin keeps me warm when I feel the shivers. It takes great focus to keep it from being dissolved in that black space.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m envious of your focus.¡±

    ¡°Well you can be envious again. Because after they died, Betrayer adopted me as a rebel soldier. He said that the hesitation I felt was doubt and it took great strength not to kill them. I believed him.¡±

    I give Gloom a blank stare. ¡°Guru did lie to us.¡±

    ¡°So you finally accept it.¡±

    ¡°He took me in after the first exam when I protected StarBorne. He lied to you that you were a rebel before me.¡±

    ¡°He made us both feel important and we listened to him because of that.¡±

    ¡°His love was genuine.¡±

    He claws at his head. ¡°Things all sort of fell into place for Betrayer. Should have figured it out.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°BladEagle was told the truth about his family right after he killed his adoptive mother. The truth that his real parents were killed before he even arrived at school. Betrayer tried to drive him to suicide to weaken the Black Guild. That bastard bully never got the chance at becoming a rebel. For the first time, I felt pity for him.¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t want BladEagle¡¯s knowledge to go to waste and he wanted to bring fear of the Red Guild to the school so he had you kill him.¡±

    ¡°I killed BladEagle on my own. It wasn¡¯t him. He had nothing to do with it. He¡¯s always truthful to me.¡±

    ¡°He tells you the truth so much that you never question what he isn¡¯t telling you. I was the same. I was so lonely, I just believed everything he said.¡±

    ¡°Always seeking more power. Is that why you killed CamOctopus?¡±

    ¡°It was for the rebellion. You¡¯re a rebel too, right? That¡¯s why they scratched out your name.¡±

    ¡°I scratched it out. I never wanted to be an assassin. For prodigies like you, that school was an opportunity but for me¡­it was a death sentence.¡±

    A memory of me slicing Gloomy to blood bits dances around my head.

    I look at him with pain in my body. ¡°Wait¡­I killed you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­you sliced me to pieces but just like you I had a cheat. Before the exam, I was given a black seed. It brought me back from death as this¡­thing. I was so scared. So pathetic. All my life.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not pathetic. And we were all scared.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t last past my twenties, had some sickness that not even the angels could remove or maybe she just didn¡¯t care enough to try. This whole world is built on corpses buried under lies!¡± He thrashes around but I hold him steady. ¡°I was doomed from the day I was born, whether I was brought here or not. They said my only chance was to become a RiftRipper, but I said no. I only found out about the Black Seed implant after the final exam was over. They never should have taken me. I¡¯d rather die with my real family, then live as this abomination. You only see two options in life because that¡¯s how he raised you. There isn¡¯t just black and red. We can live freely but we must fight for it!¡±

    Something in my mind clicks.

    ¡°You were the one who betrayed him. You killed the other rebels.¡±

    ¡°He betrayed me! He was¡­¡± Gloom¡¯s body distorts and reverberates. ¡°He was supposed to protect CamOctopus.¡±

    ¡°Her death¡­was my fault.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember where the final exam took place?¡±

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t. Everything is a blur.¡±

    ¡°It was a snowy mountain. If she survived to the exam, her dream of climbing a mountain could be achieved. Even if she died in the exam, she would have died happy. Instead she died afraid and betrayed by a classmate who didn¡¯t recognize her as he struck her down.¡±

    ¡°You have every right to hate me.¡±

    ¡°And I do! I hate you soooo much!¡± He slashes at me with tiny knives.

    I try to repel his controlled frenzy of an assault. ¡°You can¡¯t blame Guru for what happened! I¡¯m to blame!¡±

    His blades stop. The RiftRipper¡¯s body drips in misery. ¡°He¡­put her there. For you. To make you stronger. She died as just another catalyst. He may speak out against the Black Guild but his methods are the same: lies and misery.¡±

    ¡°This is a big misunderstanding. Guru would never do that.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t any sacrifice too great for his cause.¡±

    I could feel hatred oozing from Gloom.

    ¡°Is that why you attacked those villagers? You were trying to lure him to you?¡±

    ¡°They were ungrateful. So many ungrateful villages. That wasn¡¯t the first I found. See, I was Betrayer¡¯s spy at first so I acted as ISEKAI¡¯s pet, just like you. Those worthless villagers, after all I had done to keep them safe¡­just because of one failure¡­one dead hero¡­they turned against me. But I didn¡¯t kill them, I reject both guilds so I don¡¯t kill! I don¡¯t want all that trash swirling around in my mind! It¡¯s toxic! Look what all the killing has done to you. You can¡¯t remember anything but your biggest mistakes.¡±

    ¡°Killing is what we are.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not what I am! I didn¡¯t want those villagers dead. I made them feel just a taste of what we feel. Just wanted a little gratitude, that¡¯s all. Never got it and I got exiled from ISEKAI. They sent you to come after me but I had a place to return to.¡±

    ¡°The Red Guild.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I came in on him conversing. After hearing that he had put her there to die¡­my world came crashing down. I lost control of myself. Went on a rampage and slaughtered a few rebel assassins. OniGiri was always nice to me¡­she didn¡¯t deserve what happened to her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll confront Guru about what you told me. I¡¯ll discover the truth about CamOctopus.¡±

    ¡°Weech, do you hate me?¡±

    ¡°Why would I hate you? I don¡¯t judge you for what happened. I¡¯m just happy to have a friend. I have a question though. Why did you take the angel from me?¡±

    ¡°My time playing both sides allowed me access to lots of information. Learned about a group of rebels, not allied with the Red or Black guild. I¡¯m with them now. I can¡¯t say anything more than that. They need an angel and so do I. I haven¡¯t been able to think clearly in so long. I¡¯ll take care of her. Better to be with them than be devoured by you. I never want to see you kill ever again.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t kill her. If you hand her over to me, I¡¯ll bring her to her sister. I promise. They need each other.¡±

    ¡°WarWolf put you up to this, right?¡±

    How did he know that?

    ¡°Weech, does she hate me? I mean when they aren¡¯t screaming in pain, there are times where you can talk to them. Did she send you to kill me?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t even mention you, but why would she hate you?¡±

    Gloom falls into a puddle and bows his head. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Weech. I¡­regret it every day.¡±

    I pull him back up and he takes form as a drippy mess. ¡°What did you do? Why would she hate you?

    ¡°Because I got her killed.¡±

    Flashes of Goopy pulling her body into my blades assault my mind.

    My body contorts and slashes at Gloom. He doesn¡¯t even dodge.

    ¡°I was so angry with you for killing Camo. She was my best friend. Betrayer told me that hate was my power. That I should cultivate it. He told me that her death was necessary for you to evolve.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you lie!¡± My blades slice him into fragments.

    ¡°He is off, searching for his grandchild so he can kill her! You know that! Think about it! It all makes sense. StarBorne was the one he protected. Never had a bloodstain on his or her mind. But we¡­we were just weapons. Things he created to make the people lose faith in the Black Guild!¡±

    My decision to kill those traitors and failures¡­it wasn¡¯t my decision. Has anything I¡¯ve done been my own choice or was there always a puppeteer in the shadows setting up my every action?

    My mind is screaming but I pool that pain into a desire to escape.

    I carve a portal to where I dropped off the angel. ¡°Reunite the angel with her sister. I¡¯m going after Betrayer! Once he¡¯s dead! You¡¯re next! That is my promise!¡± I hear Gloom whimper and sob before I dive into the portal.

    My body has ignited. Fiery vengeance is fueling my whole being.

 Memory 32: My Final Stand

    RiftRippers can¡¯t see the colors of the world but our feeling is our form of sight. When I was blinded by rage, I couldn¡¯t even feel the world around me. I glided through the area in a mad daze, slicing everything I came across.

    Colors suddenly explode around me. The colors splash on me, dousing the burning fire in my mind.

    When awareness returns to me I notice a small angel, gazing up at me curiously.

    She must have broken me out of my rage. I¡­can¡¯t even remember what triggered my state of being.

    The angel walks off.

    ¡°Hold on!¡± I pick her up. ¡°You have a sister, right?¡±

    She nods.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to see her.¡±

    The angel emits beams of positive energy.

    When I return to the place where I dropped off Annie, she is nowhere to be found. I decide upon dropping the angel just outside the closest village. Dark and Broody may sound like an ominous place, but it¡¯s her best bet at returning to her sister. Not knowing what else to do, I make my way back to Doomed Village.

    I am overcome with a sense of vertigo upon arrival and collapse.

    ¡°I take it you failed the mission,¡± says Old Dude, poking me with a walking stick.

    ¡°What mission?¡± I ask in a daze.

    ¡°To devour an angel.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t want to do that.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back. Though we could use all the help we can get.¡±

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± I ask, erecting and at attention.

    ¡°Rather than answer that I think I¡¯ll keep you on edge by telling you a story. Do you know how this village got its name?¡±

    ¡°I often forget my own name. I doubt I¡¯ll remember this story.¡±

    ¡°We were once the Village of Hope. Thought the name gave us power to stand against the enemy. But it didn¡¯t. Our greatest hero fled and we were nearly decimated. I wasn¡¯t going to make the same mistake again. I christened this place as the Village of Doomed to remind the people of the ever-present threat that looms over us. We find strength in our fear¡­at least that¡¯s how I feel.¡±

    ¡°When are we being attacked?¡±

    ¡°Time is meaningless to a RiftRipper. But it will be soon¡­very soon. Fret not. The preparations have already been made. You need to rest.¡± He places a Time Blanket over me.

    When the Blanket is removed, I hear screams, metal clashing and feel mist encroaching throughout the village.

    The village has become a battlefield.

    The Produce Pirate pops out from behind the cover of his fruit stand and fires at the enemy army.

    I think it¡¯s the enemy. They¡¯re all heroes¡­fighting each other. What do I do?

    I focus on the auras of each fighter.

    Angels!

    I track down Annie to see a hero blindly protecting her. He moved like a puppet, blocking attacks directed at her with his own skin and flesh.

    Was he bewitched? Are Angel¡¯s capable of such things?

    ¡°Stay focused,¡± says a familiar voice. The Huntress places three arrows on her bow, crouches and waits for an opportunity. When the heroes take a breath before attacking, she launches three arrows.

    ¡°Why are heroes attacking?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°Not important. They are rebels. Must be killed.¡± She loads up another arrow and fires at another hero.

    White Knight teleports into the projectile¡¯s path, holding an injured girl in his arms. ¡°There are too many projectiles! I can¡¯t do anything here!¡± He teleports around the battlefield, thoughtlessly protecting both friend and foe.

    I speed up to him and pull him into my Void. I then race outside the village and spit him out. ¡°You¡¯ll be safe here.¡±

    ¡°I was just in the way¡­wasn¡¯t I?¡± He holds his hands to his helmet and sobs.

    ¡°All I saw was a hero protecting other heroes, regardless of sides. There¡¯s a village not too far from here to the East. These people will need medical help. You can help after the battle is over.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not very flashy, but¡­yeah¡­you¡¯re right.¡± White Knight salutes me and rushes off.

    As I head back I see a giant rise up from the battlefield. I speed on ahead.

    Annie. She¡¯s alive¡­but in danger.

    The angel is in the hands of a rebel hero who has grown to massive size.

    If I strike now, then I could end up putting her in more danger.

    I sense anger from the giant. He releases the angel to punch the massive wooden structure in front of him.

    Even Old Dude is fighting on the front lines. He truly cares about this village.

    I glide across the ground and catch the angel in my arms.

    She is coated in terror. I have to help.

    ¡°Welcome to my village, little angel.¡±

    Old Dude creates a spatial distortion to repel the massive fists. ¡°We have no need for a hero who abandons his people for selfish reasons. Chop him to pieces. Save the heart so we can pass on his powers.¡±

    That¡¯s why he wanted me to eat hero hearts. It¡¯s not about me getting more powerful¡­it¡¯s about him having more supped up heroes! Either way, any hero who would harm an angel deserves to die.

    ¡°As you command.¡± I extend my tendril to the top of a nearby building and set the angel down. I fill my mind with violence and climb the fallen Hero, slicing his body in the process.

    When the giant sends his arm crashing into the building, I keep my ground by becoming a shadow. As the building falls to pieces, I jump from the rubble until I have a clear shot.

    Die!

    A single tendril comes out and slices into the giant¡¯s throat.

    To kill a hero, I¡¯m going to have to go all out.

    ¡°With a target this large, I think I can avoid unneeded casualties. Misery Clad.¡± My body unfolds into spinning blades as I zoom toward the throat of the behemoth.

    A white shadow rides up the giant¡¯s belly and blocks his throat. The shadow creates a portal and sends a bladed tendril into it.

    Multiple portals spawn around me and the single blade parries my attack.

    The shadow takes form.

    Betrayer! It¡¯s really him! You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Finally! I found you!¡± I yell, getting sliced while sending multiple bladed tendrils into the portals.

    A single bladed tendril comes out from the portal in front of Betrayer. He slices it with ease, cutting off all of my tendrils. ¡°Did you come after me as a request or is this personal?¡±

    ¡°Die!¡± I pull out a metal spear from my Void and slam into Betrayer.

    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s personal. Your hatred is misdirected.¡± The murderer pulls me into a violent embrace with the tendrils coming out of his body. ¡°I gave you everything.¡±

    ¡°Then why do I have nothing?¡± Tears rush out from my body. My back shifts into a saw and elongates into the Hero¡¯s throat.

    ¡°Dios has nothing to lose. For the first time he is fit to lead the rebellion. I won¡¯t let you kill him,¡± says Betrayer, struggling to pull out his tendrils.

    My cloak kept the tendrils locked in place with hooks.

    Yes! I can do it! I can kill him!

    I feel my throat aflame, the pain enhanced by my size. I watch myself saw through my target¡¯s throat. Rather than toxic thoughts of rage filling my mind in my last moments, I think of my dear sister who was held captive by the village.

    The blood splatters my cloak and puts me into a frenzy. My blades chop the giant to pieces.

    Old Dude appears before me and calms me with his overpowering aura. ¡°Good work dealing with the leader of those detestable rebels. Now drive your bladed truth into the hearts of the other rebels. Kill every single one of those weeds.¡±

    The heroes were misguided¡­like I was. If I can just appeal to his reason¡­maybe I can save lives with my truth.

    ¡°Their leader is dead. We can round them up and bring them back into the light of ISEKAI,¡± I say, exuding positive energy.

    Old Dude places a hand on my shoulder. ¡°A free thinker. We¡¯re fortunate to have you.¡± The building of the village come to life and start attacking the rebels. ¡°Three brothers run this branch of the Mortal¡¯s Militia. One of them is with the prickly angel. Track him down first. Once he¡¯s dead, I can call a ceasefire but until then¡­every second is a life.¡±

    I bow and speed off.

    I have to kill to save lives. Finally. This is what an assassin is meant to do.

    As I search for the hero, I spot Annie being carried away.

    I won¡¯t let them take her!

    I follow them to the clearing.

    If I just kill one, the others will disperse.

    A blade emerges from my puddle and bursts out from a hero¡¯s chest.

    The violence triggers screams in my head. The ghosts of those I slaughtered circle around me, screaming in agony.

    I send my blades every which way, trying to dispel the ghosts from haunting me.

    Mental clarity returns to me when the hero holding the angel¡¯s hand is cut down.

    I look out at all the bodies.

    What have I done?

    There isn¡¯t even a way to determine how many rebels I killed. The fleshy chunks decorate the grass in a heap of bloody chaos.

    Is bloodshed all I¡¯m capable of?

    I look at the Angel.

    Warm blood had splattered on her face; I was drenched in it.

    Poor girl looks terrified.

    I lift her up and hold her tenderly. ¡°No worries, little angel. I¡¯ll keep you safe. The wise elder has assigned me to watch over you.¡± I try to wipe the blood off her cheek, accidentally cutting her.

    Everything I touch ends up in pieces.

    Annie looks at me in a fearful daze. Her eyes shine with purity.

    Not everything they taught us at that school was a lie. Angel¡¯s are truly blessed creatures and they must be protected.

    ¡°You can stay with me. Think of me like your papa.¡± I send out what little warmth I have remaining.

    She grips onto me and cries.

    She¡¯s alone. Betrayed by her own grandfather¡­the same man who betrayed me. I will protect her against Betrayer and ISEKAI. I¡¯ll be her guardian.

    She falls fast asleep. ¡°Sorry, blessed child. I have to return to the battle. My village needs me.¡± I set her down in the bushes. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as the blood stops dripping.¡±

    I return to the warzone. Even with the leader dead, the fighting continues.

    Why are the Heroes rebelling? They are revered and respected. It doesn¡¯t make any sense. If I kill the Hero who abducted the prickly angel, will the fighting stop?

    The Produce Pirate guns down enemies as he makes his way to me. ¡°You have to help! My daughter was taken. A CatBoy Commander took Fruity!¡±

    I¡¯ve never felt the Produce Pirate be so desperate and weak. It sickens me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find her.¡± I speed along the battlefield as a shadow, ignoring the cries of heroes from both sides.

    She couldn¡¯t have gotten far.

    I sense a CatBoy presence inside a building.

    The teenage CatBoy is holding the eleven-year old girl hostage. ¡°Back off! I¡¯m not going to hurt her. This is a fetch quest. I¡¯ll be back to burn this village to the ground later.¡±

    Wait, that¡¯s a girl. I didn¡¯t know there were female CatBoys.

    ¡°I said back off!¡± She growls at me.

    Fruity looks up at me. ¡°She isn¡¯t kidnapping me. I¡­want to go with her.¡±

    The enemy gave off the red energy of anger, but I could feel the sorrowful waves flowing inside her. Are even CatBoys victims? And why would the Produce Pirates daughter want to leave?

    I turn the tips of my cloak sharp while chattering teeth throughout my body.

    The enemy must have threatened her. Wait a moment¡­she¡¯s the one that massive Hero traitor wanted to save. Did he know she was already transformed into a cat of the Dictator?

    A shadow arises between me and the enemy Commander.

    Damn I¡¯m not strong enough to kill him yet.

    My blades move on their own slicing at the detestable traitor.

    Betrayer gets sliced several times before his cloak becomes revolving blades that deflect mine.

    The Commander rushes off with Fruity as we fight.

    I could go after her¡­I should. But he¡¯s here now. I need to end him.

    ¡°We should hurry before she escapes with the child.¡± He maneuvers around me with blades at the ready.

    My tendrils become black snakes and bite at the murderer.

    Betrayer¡¯s shadow spreads out and then forms into massive axes. He slices at the walls of the building, having it topple on top of me.

    I speed after him and slice at the fleeing shadow.

    As my blades sing a song of rage a voice breaks through and reaches me.

    Annie.

    The Angel is two feet off the ground, ensnared in vines of the toughest wood.

    Old Dude appears at her side. ¡°Surrender if you don¡¯t want every bone in her body grinded into sacred powder. Funny how Angel¡¯s are actually more expensive when sold in parts.¡±

    The vines pull at her limbs.

    ¡°No! Stop!¡± Betrayer lunges at Old Dude, but his attack is distorted and misses entirely.

    I slice his back and turn him to face me. ¡°Your granddaughter is in danger. Die now and I¡¯ll have time to save her.¡± My black snakes are neutralized by his White Mist.

    A Hero in a costume, guided by an angel, fires wind sickles that free Annie.

    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± Old Dude vanishes and begins fighting the Hero.

    I turn back to Betrayer. ¡°Only I can save her from him.¡±

    ¡°I¡­want her to die. I tried to do it myself. Tried to convince myself that she was impure and selfish¡­but she wasn¡¯t. She¡¯s a true blessing but one that must be put out.¡±

    ¡°Do you resent angels?¡± I ask, pulling my tendrils in and waiting for the White Mist to clear.

    ¡°I pity them. Having the burden of carrying a responsibility they didn¡¯t spark. For Heroes, the Catalyst is activated by a small amount of Angel¡¯s Soma, the special blend of all of an angel¡¯s fluids. Any more than a small dose means certain death and sometimes even a drop can be too much for those mortals. With RiftRippers a single drop would just be diluted in the vast world within us. We need an entire angel.¡±

    ¡°Not just the heart? Old Dude said that¡­¡±

    ¡°Old Dude believes we only grow from failures. He doesn¡¯t want you to have a power. He wants you to fail at claiming it and become even more miserable. He knows that those who are desperate will continue to serve him. It¡¯s the basis for ISEKAI.¡±

    ¡°What about hero hearts, do I need those?¡±

    ¡°Not until you¡¯re cursed. See, RiftRippers don¡¯t receive Miracles like Heroes. We aren¡¯t so fortunate. Power comes to us at a cost. After devouring an angel, if they survive, a RiftRipper will gain a Curse. My White Mist is my Curse.¡±

    ¡°And the only way to overcome a Curse is with another one, I take it.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. You know, she¡¯s going to be killed regardless. You might as well put her to good use.¡±

    Betrayer really doesn¡¯t care about anyone but himself!

    ¡°That isn¡¯t true. Everything I do is a sacrifice,¡± he says, his voice unnaturally soothing.

    ¡°You pretended to love me, but Goopy and I were just pawns to you.¡±

    Betrayer opens up his cloak and shows me his core. ¡°I gave you my Black Seed. We are bonded. If I die, so will you.¡±

    My tendrils shoot out to destroy my core but are sliced to ribbons. ¡°You misunderstand. The connection is not equal. Your death would merely allow me to bond with another.¡±

    Then my only option really is to kill an angel. But if I sacrifice an Angel to kill him, then I¡¯ll die following in his footsteps.

    My mind catches fire. I no longer see vital energy. Everything is just a torrent of flames. My body bends and lashes around, killing everyone in the area.

    I feel the vibrations in the air suddenly shift.

    The prickly Angel is dancing through the battlefield. Not only do my attacks stop but the fear and anger coating the warzone disperses. Even Betrayer is unable to attack as she hops and skip around.

    Such power. I had no fathom that peace could be such a potent force.

    There is only one whose rage and sadness is not alleviated by the Angel¡¯s Dance, the cat-girl commander.

    She grabs onto the costumed hero and sobs against his chest. When she looks up at me, her eyes are filled with the same toxic hate that plagues me.

    Pure vengeance.

    ¡°My brothers¡­because of you. Monster!¡±

    Her hatred clings to my cloak, giving me the fuel to act.

    If I eat that Angel now, I can kill Betrayer.

    The revenge-fueled commander is pulled away by her squad of CatBoys.

    I approach the little Angel.

    All I have to do is put her in my void and I can¡­

    My body freezes.

    Despite her exhaustion and injuries she¡¯s giving all her energy to healing the costumed hero. She collapses but her wings come out and have her continue to pool energy into him.

    Even if I mustered up every trace of darkness from all the tortured souls within me¡­it wouldn¡¯t be enough to snuff out her light.

    White Knight arrives on the scene with some medics. ¡°Tend to the Angel¡¯s first! Then the women. If there are any men with missing limbs, then they can be healed last. The rest of them can just get over it!¡±

    A Hero girl shakes Annie to her senses. ¡°Wake up! Come on! Get up!¡±

    Her shadow rises up from behind her and slices her sides. ¡°Gloom, we¡¯re on the same team.¡± She glares at him.

    ¡°Still just as defiant as the day I killed you.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re the one who skinned me alive back at that convention.¡±

    Gloom cuts her cheek. ¡°Does that terrify you?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± She leaps into a hug with him and nuzzles him while shivering.

    ¡°Oh¡­umm¡­you¡¯re warm.¡± Gloom holds her close.

    ¡°Warm like blood!¡± She beams erotic waves at him.

    What a strange Hero.

    I slide across the ground and pull in Annie into my void.

    ¡°Hey! Give her back!¡± yells the Hero girl, chasing after me.

    Gloom carves a portal and tosses her in. ¡°Better hurry before I close it.¡±

    The Mortal Militia pools into the portal.

    Old Dude waves at them as they flee. ¡°You¡¯ve been given a chance. We¡¯re going to wipe out every traitor the next time we meet. Best to leave the militia before then.¡± He gestures to the bodies. ¡°We have plenty of job spots that just opened up.¡±

    Despite the obvious threat, I feel nothing by kindness and compassion beaming from the Primordial.

    Old Dude turns to me. ¡°Now then, hand over the Angel.¡±

 Memory 33: Fathers Love

    I approach Old Dude and bow. ¡°I¡¯d rather not hand her over, if that¡¯s okay?¡± I give off politeness.

    ¡°That girl is both a fugitive and a terrorist. She is dangerous.¡±

    I stand tall. ¡°It is my sacred duty to defend Angels.¡±

    ¡°Oh that? That¡¯s just something ISEKAI created to control your kind easier. There really is no bond between Angels and RiftRippers.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to protect her. Please, she¡­she¡¯s been through enough as it is.¡±

    Old Dude¡¯s wrinkles all frown together. ¡°You should know that trying to appeal to a Primordial at an emotional level is meaningless. Especially when concerning something as important as this. Hmmm¡­did Betrayer perhaps ask you to protect her?¡±

    ¡°Betrayer wants her dead. If you kill her, then he wins!¡±

    His vines pull Annie out from my grip. I try to cut her free, but the wood is stronger than steel.

    ¡°There¡¯s an old myth about why the Primordials are blind. The humans feared our power so they gouged out the eyes of every Primordial and their children in order to control them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Just¡­don¡¯t hurt her.¡±

    ¡°If you interrupt again, you¡¯ll see her become a red puddle.¡± Old Dude¡¯s dark energy is whisked away with a wave of his hand. ¡°Now, where was I? Oh yes. That myth is something we told the humans. Elevates us as beings worthy of being feared and softens us into those worthy of pity. The truth is simple. Wood Primordials are the wisest of all beings. When something impedes our growth, we cut it out.¡± The wood keeping his eyes scrunched opens up, revealing a black void. ¡°I once spared an angel because I was young and foolish. My eyes saw an innocent child. That innocent child brought death and suffering across the land in unimaginable ways. Pity only leads down a crimson path. I¡¯d rather walk in total darkness then live in a world painted by violence.¡±

    I say nothing. I simply embrace the girl as the vines spread around her body.

    Old Dude¡¯s energy erupts like an electric storm. ¡°This girl is nothing to you! And if Betrayer wanted her dead, her body would be eviscerated. You think that by saving her, you¡¯re saving a piece of yourself, or perhaps your trying to undo a mistake you made in the past.¡± He steps up to me. ¡°Mark my words, boy. There is no greater mistake than making a Wood Primordial frustrated.¡±

    Space bends around me, the ground tears as a torrent of rifts appear.

    I only have one shot at convincing him not to kill her. Wait, that¡¯s not what this is about. It¡¯s a test.

    I release her and lower my entire body to the ground. ¡°If you wanted her dead, her bones would already be dust. You¡¯re testing my loyalty.¡±

    The rifts close up.

    Old Dude smiles. ¡°RiftRippers are so chaotic, makes them hard to read. The angel will be imprisoned, of course. She has important information on the enemy. And since torturing angels is unsettling for all those involved, not to mention unethical, I¡¯m assigning you as her prison guard. Friendship opens the doors to all secrets. Find out what she knows. If the information is useful enough, we can discuss a pardon.¡±

    I shake his hand repeatedly, bowing over and over.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. You can talk again.¡± He releases the vines and let¡¯s Annie fall to the grass. ¡°Be careful that her sweetness doesn¡¯t deceive you. In the meantime, I¡¯m going to track down Betrayer so we can put an end to his madness.¡±

    I follow Old Dude into the secret entrance inside the village¡¯s temple. Once the girl is secure behind bars of the strongest wood, he leaves us alone. I prepare a meal for her and then wait.

    No thoughts come to me as I wait for her to awaken. My awareness abandons me entirely before her yawn brings me back.

    She awakens with a stretch and looks around the place.

    I slide the cold vegetable soup to her.

    She lifts it gently and then smiles at me. ¡°Bring the injured here. I can heal them.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°I know you killed them and¡­maybe you¡¯re going to kill me too. But at least let me die as a hero.¡±

    I chuckle. ¡°Angel¡¯s are not heroes. Heroes brave battles and die. Angel¡¯s must be protected.¡±

    Annie slurps up the soup and then fills the bowl with her drool. She hands it to me through the small opening flap. ¡°Bring this to them.¡±

    ¡°The other Angels are already healing our injured heroes.¡±

    ¡°What about the rebels? The one¡¯s you didn¡¯t kill?¡± She glares at me.

    Angel contempt isn¡¯t like regular negative emotions. It shoots a hole in a RiftRipper¡¯s psyche.

    ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t mean to kill them. I just lost control a bit.¡±

    ¡°What kind of excuse was that? I thought you were the RiftRipper who saved me from the Love Dictator, but he was brave and kind. You¡¯re¡­just a killer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to save you.¡±

    ¡°I can take care of myself.¡± She crosses her arms and turns away.

    I wait in silence until she speaks up again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cooperate with you.¡±

    I pop up out from my black puddle. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful to hear!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it for you or for ISEKAI. I will cooperate as long as it ensures the safety of my little sister, my hero¡­and the other heroes too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who gets to decide that. Old Dude has a tendency to eliminate any threats to the organization.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Then let me talk to him. If he knew why they are fighting¡­then surely he¡¯d understand.¡±

    This little angel has so much charisma. Getting her out of here safely will be no small feat. A prison break will only put her in harm¡¯s way. I need to wipe her charges out entirely.

    Annie focuses her energy and forms a book. ¡°Good. She¡¯s alive.¡± She says to herself, hugging the book and sobbing.

    ¡°Have you ever killed?¡± I ask her, gazing into my own guilt-ridden thoughts.

    Annie pulls in her legs and nods. ¡°I¡­did it to save my hero. I don¡¯t feel good about it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel good about it either. Each kill is a scar in my mind. Those scars are constantly aching, causing me pain and I¡­deserve it.¡±

    Annie pats the space in front of her, beckoning me to sit with her.

    I pass through the bars and sink to her level.

    She reaches out and touches my cape. ¡°You are a monster¡­but it¡¯s not your fault.¡± She leans forward with tears in her eyes. Her cheeks go pink.

    Even in sadness, Angels are majestic.

    She peers into me. ¡°Don¡¯t you see? It¡¯s ISEKAI who made you what you are. Forcing you to follow orders you don¡¯t believe in. It¡¯s the same for the heroes. This system where they are killed and forced to work for villages¡­it only causes problems. Braven went mad because of it. It turned him into a monster.¡±

    ¡°So, the Mortal Militia wants to end ISEKAI?¡±

    ¡°No. They just want to free the other heroes. Give them back the freedom that was stolen from them.¡±

    ¡°They are just running away from their responsibilities. Just like Gloom did. They are afraid.¡±

    ¡°Of course they are, but that doesn¡¯t mean they are cowards. Their mission is what drives them to risk their lives. It empowers them as heroes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not strong enough to make a difference.¡± I lower my head.

    Annie pats me, filling me with not just joy, but hope. ¡°Of course you are. When you saved my life, that wasn¡¯t because of an order. You did it because you wanted to do something good.¡±

    My head pops up. I feel her presence with all my focus. ¡°There isn¡¯t any way to hide things from an Angel, is there?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to hide it. I¡¯m grateful¡­really really grateful. But there¡¯s something else that¡¯s on my mind.¡±

    ¡°How to escape the pool of guilt without casting aside your moral frame and becoming a mindless puppet that feels nothing as it kills?¡±

    She giggles nervously. ¡°Nope. It¡¯s what you said after you killed those heroes. You¡­wanted to be my daddy?¡±

    I slide back but she grabs onto me.

    ¡°Hey, no need to be shy. I just wanna know why you¡¯d say that.¡±

    ¡°I¡­you were scared. I just wanted to calm you down. Think nothing of it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never had a dad, but I have a mom and she¡¯s really awesome! If dads are half as cool as moms, then that¡¯s super duper okay with me!¡± she beams as she bounces in place.

    ¡°You¡¯re okay with having a monster for a father?¡±

    ¡°Well, if you were my pops, then you¡¯d have to set a good example for me. Wouldn¡¯t want your little girl ending up a delinquent.¡± She grins.

    ¡°You¡¯re a rebel¡­just like I was.¡±

    Annie pops up. ¡°You were with the Mortal Militia!?¡±

    My tendrils come out and push her back to the ground. ¡°Shhh. Not so loud. And no, I wasn¡¯t. Just as the Heroes have their rebel group, so do the Assassins.¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t like your job either? I knew you were good.¡± She high fives the air. ¡°Ugh. I miss Tumble.¡±

    ¡°I like killing but not mindless killing. The feeling of taking lives without premeditated thought or even an ounce of my own will¡­it¡¯s frightening. I want to chose who I kill and do it with all of my love.¡±

    Annie wipes her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s awful, but also really sweet!¡±

    I pull her into a hug. ¡°There¡¯s more to it. I¡­wanted to be a father¡­but that was taken away from me.¡± My body leaks misery.

    Annie pokes me all over, sealing my leaking pores with her kindness. She then grabs my tendril and places it on her head. ¡°From now on you have a daughter.¡± She hugs me with all her strength. ¡°And I have a papa!¡±

    I turn pink and my tendrils wave around.

    ¡°You can¡¯t die from kindness, can you?¡± She asks, a bit nervous.

    ¡°If I did, it would be absolution not damnation.¡± I nuzzle her.

    The pain melts away when I feel her warmth. Life has meaning as long as she is with me. Must protect.

    ¡°Hey, you said you umm lost control and that¡¯s why you killed those Heroes. Control is important for Angels too. An Angel¡¯s Kiss can end up killing a potential hero and trying to save someone¡­it can turn them into a sacrificial puppet.¡±

    To think Angels have problems just like RiftRippers. She too is frightened of her power. If we lose focus, innocents end up dying because of it. I always thought they were perfect beings, but that¡¯s just another lie. The truth, this time, is something heartwarming.

    ¡°It¡¯s tricky, isn¡¯t it? Not going into a mad screaming frenzy of bloodshed, but a wise fruit seller told me a secret.¡±

    ¡°Oooh! I love secrets!¡± Annie bounces up and down.

    My mind flashes images of BunBun, making me feel fuzzy all over.

    I pat her head and bow. ¡°Being polite! I go out of my way to be courteous and think of others so that my blades don¡¯t slice them into crimson memories. It¡¯s not perfect but it¡¯s helped many times.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you seemed so timid. You were trying to protect me.¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Aww, you¡¯re the sweetest papa.¡±

    ¡°Nah, you¡¯re the sweetest, ApplePlum.¡± I pet her with love.

    ¡°Cute nickname! I love fruits!¡±

    ¡°My parents would always give me cute nicknames too. They loved me so much.¡± I pop up. ¡°I¡­I remember them! You helped me remember them!¡±

    This gift from the Heavens is the key to everything!

    ¡°You¡¯re so cute, poppa bear,¡± she says with a giggle.

    ¡°Aww, thanks, sweetie pie.¡±

    The two of us laugh.

    I¡¯m not worthy of her kindness.

    I release her. ¡°Sorry. I shouldn¡¯t touch you. Could corrupt you. Can¡¯t let that happen.¡±

    ¡°Hugs never corrupt.¡± She nuzzles me.

    ¡°The first time I went out, to get heroes¡­I slaughtered a whole city¡­and the hero got away.¡±

    At least I think that was the first time.

    Annie laughs and rolls around in my lap. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re terrible at being an assassin.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­I am.¡±

    ¡°Not to brag, but I¡¯ve lost five heroes already. Six if you count Racheal.¡±

    ¡°Why would you brag about your failures?¡±

    ¡°Well, not much else we can do but laugh and squeeze every ounce of joy we can out of those bad memories. We¡¯re both really bad at our jobs.¡± She punches me playfully.

    I cover her in my cloak and tickle her. ¡°Hey, at least I have a cool nickname: The Broad-Spectrum Assassin.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a moronic nickname. Oxymoronic,¡± she says, sticking out her tongue.

    ¡°Hey¡­is it really okay to laugh when our failure led to the deaths of others?¡±

    ¡°Honestly this is my first time doing it, but you just make me happy even when we aren¡¯t talking about happy stuff.¡± She chops my head lightly with her hand. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve now been accepted as my eighth hero.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m an assassin. I can¡¯t be a hero.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m my own fifth hero, so you¡¯ll just have to accept it.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you agreed to help us, right? That Hero Diary¡­it¡¯s for the red-head girl, isn¡¯t it? You can find out the location of their base.¡±

    ¡°And you promise to save her if I do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk with Old Dude. I¡¯ll get your sister out safely too. But the other heroes¡­¡±

    ¡°They want to go home. If they go home, they won¡¯t cause trouble here. Maybe he¡¯ll understand that.¡±

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Are you afraid of him?¡±

    ¡°No. Honestly there¡¯s just so many things I¡¯m unsure of.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I can help.¡±

    ¡°How can we go against an organization so powerful?¡±

    Annie looks up and goes into deep thought.

    I pat her cheeks, bringing her back into awareness.

    ¡°Aww, that was sweet.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s what BunBun did when she zoned out.¡±

    ¡°Well your BunBun must have been one clever little rodent. I¡¯m totally going to use that from now on.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to carry on her legacy?¡±

    ¡°Am I cute enough to do that? She sounds uber adorable.¡±

    I nod. ¡°She¡¯d be happy to pass on the baton of preciousness to you.¡± I hand her an imaginary rod.

    Annie takes it and salutes. ¡°I accept this great honor.¡± She giggles. ¡°You know, I should be scared, but I can¡¯t be around you.¡±

    ¡°Am I that unthreatening?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Well you are a big fluffy Beary without the claws, but that¡¯s not it. You¡¯re just so sad and scared. It brings out my middle sister blood and makes me strong so I can be there for you.¡± She holds my tendril to her cheek.

    WarWolf, we ended up with a child, after all. And now I realize more than being a legendary assassin¡­I want to be a loving parent.

    I hold her with all the love I have. ¡°Together, we¡¯ll save all the heroes.¡±

    ¡°Really!¡± She scoots around to face me, beaming joy.

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    Lying to her hurts me like no weapon can. I no longer seek power to end ISEKAI. Doing so will only put her in harm¡¯s way. I will do whatever I must to protect this little light. Even if that means snuffing out every other light in this world.

 Memory 34: Fathers Mission

    Annie promised to serve as the village¡¯s Angel and I swore to do as I was asked, but even that wasn¡¯t enough to sway the Primordial to release her from prison. It wasn¡¯t until White Knight was sent on a confidential mission, that he needed Annie. After that, he agreed to my offer. The little Angel was forbidden from leaving the village and if she showed any signs of treachery, Old Dude would no longer feel compelled to protect her sister once we recovered her.

    Old Dude himself escorts us to our room on the second floor of the temple. There are two other rooms there, each with a sacred rune on them.

    The other Angels must live there but I only know of Cinnamon Roll.

    Annie doesn¡¯t have to stretch since the doorknob is at the lower part of the door. She swings it open and her energy spikes. ¡°This is amazing!¡± She jumps on the water bed, bouncing around and giggling. ¡°Wow, look at the colors!¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­they look lovely,¡± I say, moving my head around to act like I¡¯m scoping out the room.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like it here?¡± she asks, pulling on my cloak.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­I just¡­can¡¯t see color.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± She blushes before running off. ¡°We have a mini hot spring! How is that even possible?¡±

    Old Dude¡¯s wrinkles smile for him. ¡°Space Share. It¡¯s a costly ability but well worth the effort. This exact onsen is in Cherry Thicket. Don¡¯t want our beloved angel getting hurt trying to get a rejuvenating bath.¡±

    Annie runs up and hugs Old Dude. ¡°Thanks so much!¡±

    ¡°To receive thanks from an Angel is truly a blessing. I¡¯ll leave you two be. Expect some exotic fruits delivered at lunch and dinner time.¡± Old Dude sinks into the ground and leaves us be.

    ¡°Yo, pops! There¡¯s plenty of room on the bed for two.¡±

    ¡°I can¡­rest on the floor.¡±

    Annie bonks me. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re equals in my eyes and since I outrank you that means you have to agree.¡± She sticks her tongue out.

    ¡°I¡­can¡¯t argue with that.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. You just need to relax. Oh, I know! Music!¡± Annie takes a bowl and grabs a thick stick. She makes circles around the bowl which creates a pleasant rhythmic sound that calms my nerves. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s working! Oh wow! There¡¯s a whole shelf of books here! Once we rescue Rachie and Tumble, we can all live together!¡±

    I¡­want her to be happy. But what if I mess up? What will I do if my darling daughter hates me?

    We lived together in that lavish room. I never even had a place to sleep before, so it took some getting used to. She hung up her belt at the entrance and bowed to it every time she entered. The belt had once belonged to Braven, a commander for the Mortal Militia. Apparently each totem on the belt belonged to a hero he knew that lost their life...all of which I had brought there.

    I was the one responsible, so why was she the one muttering heavy words of regret?

    Despite our pleasant accommodations, Annie wanted to leave the village. Each day stuck there meant another day her family and her Hero was in danger. Whenever I was sent out, I¡¯d try to collect information on Hero¡¯s Militia. Together my darling daughter and I dutifully completed any quest on the quest board, and every day she attended the temple ceremonies.

    Why does she never let me go to the ceremony with her? Am I not worthy?

    Annie holds out a book as she walks into the room in her sheep jammies. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re totally worthy.¡±

    ¡°What is that book? Why does it feel familiar?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your Hero¡¯s Diary. I can only make one for the people special to me. Most of the pages are blank but every so often, your thoughts and actions appear on it.¡± She lies in bed and then shivers. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go take a bath.¡±

    I sing her a song about BunBun¡¯s frolicking as I scrub her down with my many appendages. Unlinke most fathers I can give her a full scrub in seconds. We often spend the other fifteen minutes with me holding her in a loving embrace. I like to think that when I zone out, WarWolf takes over and feels Annie¡¯s warmth herself.

    That night she was carrying a heavy burden of sadness.

    I felt her, staring out the window, wearing only a towel. There was a pink ethereal string that traveled to through the wall to some unknown location beyond and another string that connected to me. ¡°Why has sadness attacked you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a full moon. You see it up there?¡±

    I move my head in the direction she points, but I see nothing but darkness. ¡°I once shared a moon lit night with someone very special to me.¡±

    Annie grabs my cloak. ¡°Rachie is out there. So is Tumble and Luna and my mom. And I¡¯m just stuck here.¡± She sobs. ¡°I can only pinpoint there location on a full moon. I wanna run away and find them¡­but I won¡¯t put you in danger because of what I want. You¡¯re my huggie rock and I¡¯m you little pebble, right?¡±

    I hold her with all my appendages, sending all the positivity I can to her.

    The following morning, while she is doing her temple ceremony, I meet with Old Dude to discuss allowing her to leave the area with me.

    ¡°Every time you visit me, it¡¯s for something you want. You never stop by to just chat. Breaks my immortal heart.¡± He sulks.

    ¡°Please, she misses her family.¡±

    ¡°And that longing gives her strength.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s be stronger if she was fighting to protect.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°But not as complacent.¡±

    ¡°We can track down Mortal Militia, but only with her help.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m no longer concerned with them.¡± Old Dude twiddles a flower between his fingers.

    ¡°Annie can find out their plans with her Hero¡¯s Diary techinique.¡±

    ¡°You must think me selfish, but it¡¯s nothing of the sort. She is someone who must be protected at all costs. I will not allow a gift like her to be trampled on by the dangers of the outside world.¡±

    ¡°I can keep her safe.¡±

    The room distorts and the flowers are all plucked and fall from the air. ¡°You can¡¯t even stop yourself from killing. You¡¯re a loose cannon. My decision is final.¡±

    ¡°Please, just give us something. She needs hope or she will break from the tears.¡±

    ¡°Alight. I never meant to make her cry. I¡¯ll assign her a hero tomorrow. You can go out on quests but nothing too dangerous. If you had any idea how important she is¡­¡±

    ¡°I know how important she is to me. She¡¯s my daughter.¡± I pick out the most vital flower to give to her.

    ¡°This peaceful lifestyle you have¡­it¡¯s like poison to a RiftRipper. You¡¯ve been starved of real conflict for so long you hardly remember what it tastes like. But I¡¯d poison you to death if it meant protecting her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d slice you into thin paper shreds to keep her safe.¡±

    Old Dude emits positive energy and fist bumps me. ¡°Then we¡¯ve reached a true understanding. Now go.¡±

    Over the next three years, Annie was assigned four heroes. The first was a low-level hero. No powers, not much of a heroic spirit either. Lasted four months. When we were scouting the area for CatBoy spies, he went missing. We found him on a tree branch, hung by his own intestines with a love letter in his hand.

    Apparently, he had to turn Annie in to Flam in exchange for his life. He seems to have refused. I had no idea he cared for her. Was I really that blind to his emotional attachments?

    Annie was devastated by his death. At his funeral, she talked about the time he rescued her from a TedUrsa. I don¡¯t recall the event at all.

    Even with her at my side, days go by like minutes. But¡­they are happy minutes.

    Old Dude wasted no time assigning her to a new hero. While the other one was cautious, this one was overly adventurous. He went off mission and we followed along, all the way to Glam Castle, the home of the Love Dictator.

    The fortress unraveled its tongue bridge and Flam came out. I remember fighting him but being overpowered. He threatened to hurt Annie which made me go berserk. Next thing I know, the hero is sliced to bits. I killed him.

    Ashamed of my failure as an assassin, I fled the fortress with Annie and told her to return without me.

    She told me that I wasn¡¯t responsible and that Flam just made me think I killed him. The little Angel then fed me a MemShroom to help me forget.

    Unbeknownst to her, RiftRippers can¡¯t lose their memory. But I acted as if I forgot the whole thing. No doubt I¡¯d forget it in a week anyways.

    The third hero was smitten with Annie. He was a short boy about her size. One of the very few grade school heroes I¡¯ve seen. He barely survived the Angel¡¯s Kiss, but when he did, he gained a special power. He could mark targets, creating weak points as soft as rice paper. Annie called his ability the Weak Point.

    Rather than being sent out on real quests, we were assigned to the mines. His ability made for a handy tool. He could poke through the hardest of stones. And I could already cut anything, so it wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad fit for me.

    We were all stationed at a nearby village called Slave Town. Heroes didn¡¯t have powers in this place and instead were employed as unpaid servants. Many of them died in the mines and once they had died, the Town¡¯s RiftRipper would go out the next day to recruit some more.

    Annie kept plotting on a way to free the heroes, but I told her we must comply so that she could see her girlfriend again.

    Not sure if their relationship was moot at this point. Annie and the Hero Boy would stay up night after night just chatting. He too had a fascination with mythical creatures. Unlike me he could tell her about the wondrous colors they had.

    Did I ever see the world in color? Or was it always black to me?

    The revolution happened without our intervention. Apparently spies from the Mortal Militia made their way in and one day they caused a mass revolt. Annie¡¯s hero got taken in the confusion and we had to return to our village without him.

    Upon arrival we are informed that Cinnamon Roll was assigned to a girl hero by White Knight. Annie, despite the heroes that have been lost under her protection, is assigned to the number one hero.

    For a year and a half, we complete quests all the while investigating the whereabouts of the Mortal Militia. Old Dude is aware of Annie¡¯s abilities and always makes sure she stays at the village whenever there is a full moon.

    Annie¡¯s twelfth hero, White Knight, only selected quests where people were in peril. If those in trouble had the unfortunate circumstance of being male, we would quickly move on to our next destination to rescue what he felt were more worthy victims.

    Our exploits garnered our village more wealth, and instead of raising the standard of living or fortifying the buildings, Old Dude hired a special spy to assist the village. This spy was a shy girl with the power to phase things in and out of existence. It wasn¡¯t long before her and Annie¡¯s hero fell madly in love with each other. It was a good thing that the shadow tent I formed for Annie to rest in was sound proof.

    Eventually the day came when we would finally have our chance to infiltrate the Mortal Militia. It had been three years since I first talked to Annie in that prison cell. All our hard work and loyalty was finally being paid off.

    At the meeting, White Knight informs us of the Mortal Militia¡¯s growth and lists off every female casualty they¡¯ve caused. Despite him knowing their good intentions, he agrees that rebellion is a man¡¯s job. He opposes the Mortal Militia for having female soldiers.

    Old Dude approves of our offer to steal one of the militia¡¯s top commander¡¯s: Racheal. Regrettably Annie was unable to summon up her girlfriend¡¯s book. We had no choice but to wait for a full moon.

    The day before we headed out, Old Dude pulled me aside.

    ¡°This is going to be a dangerous mission, but it is of great importance. Betrayer has been spotted at several of the militia¡¯s raids.¡± He leans in toward me. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s working with them, but he¡¯s using them for something.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not strong enough to defeat him. I¡¯ll never be strong enough.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not, but your Angel is. This isn¡¯t just about putting an end to his mad rebellion though. This information is classified, but I have decided to share it with you. Don¡¯t make me regret my decision.¡±

    I bow repeatedly. ¡°Thank you, great elder.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Yeah. StarBorne, the leader of your class, was supposed to be the very last KIT.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Killer in Training. How could you forget that? Anyways, the point is that Betrayer and Flam are the only ones who know where your classmate is. And once he¡¯s returned safely to ISEKAI, we can stop raising children unwillingly into assassins. Everybody wins!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to convince me. Fighting against ISEKAI will only put Annie in danger. I¡¯m at your command. Still¡­I do want to help those kids. They should have a choice to live how they want.¡±

    ¡°While you¡¯ve been away, we got a new Hero and a new Angel too. This Nasuke hero is on his way to becoming the number one Hero. They both will be accompanying you to make sure everything goes as planned.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t trust me?¡±

    ¡°Heheh! Of course not. But this isn¡¯t just about trust. Judging by the pattern, this village will be the next one they try to attack. They want to redeem themselves for their failure. We have to cause turmoil within the group to delay the attack. And when it does come. I won¡¯t hold back.¡±

    ¡°Why did you hold back last time?¡±

    ¡°We had the upper hand. It¡¯s important for heroes to feel needed. If they knew I could wipe out an army with a few waves of my hand, well it would be demoralizing. They¡¯re used to old people dying for the next generation to take over. Don¡¯t wanna shake up that dogma.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and one last thing. That Angel you¡¯ll be working with, she¡¯s a tricky one. Used to belong to a village that willing worked with Flam. If she tries to run off, cut off her wings please. We¡¯re going to need every angel we can get.¡±

    ¡°Your whims are my duty.¡± I bow repeatedly and leave.

    I wake up Annie who is snuggling up to a BunBun pillow in her bed.

    ¡°Heya, pops! Is it time to leave?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re meeting up with our team before nightfall comes to save time. Pack anything you would miss.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Staying in this village will only put you in danger. I¡¯m going to set you and your Hero free.¡± I pat her head.

    ¡°Okay! You get packed too, okay?¡±

    I pick her up and hug her tightly. ¡°I have my most cherished treasure right here.¡±

    Annie nuzzles me affectionately. ¡°And I have the greatest papa in all the worlds!¡± She beams at me.

    I would bathe villages in violence, make the rivers run red and black out the sun just to protect my dear daughter.

 Memory 35: Fathers Promise

    Our team assembles as the full moon shines in the sky.

    White Knight gazes over the hillside to see our approaching allies. ¡°Looks like we have two lovely ladies joining us on our quest. Assailant, I expect you to be extra vigilant. No doubt our enemies are planning to commit despicable acts on these fair maidens.¡±

    The bird angel lands and glares at Annie.

    White Knight steps in front of her. He crouches down on one knee. ¡°Psyren of the Darkness, won¡¯t you please bless my ears with a lovely song?¡±

    ¡°My name is Poppy. And all I feel right now is an urge to claw out that traitor¡¯s eyes.¡± She growls at my little angel.

    I loom over Poppy, making my body like knives. ¡°Each scratch for her is a missing limb for you.¡±

    Poppy¡¯s Hero steps in front of her. ¡°Bloodshed among allies only creates pools of regret. We have a mission to do. You can work through your emotions by punching each other later.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, big sis,¡± says Poppy, snuggling her hero.

    ¡°What gender do you prefer to be addressed as?¡± asks White Knight to the hero.

    ¡°I¡¯m a guy. Believe it!¡± says the hero, crossing her arms over her breasts. ¡°My name is Nasuke. And one day it will be etched into legend!¡±

    ¡°White Knight at your service, my Prince,¡± he says, kissing her hand.

    Nasuke pulls away. ¡°The only way I¡¯d ever have kids is to continue my bloodline.¡±

    Poppy rolls her eyes. ¡°Enough roleplay. When are we gonna get our asses in gear? The less time I have to spend with that treacherous Lamby angel, the better.¡±

    Annie points to her Pink String of Fate. ¡°Umm, are we gonna teleport in that direction, or walk?¡±

    Nasuke sighs. ¡°If we teleport, we¡¯ll lose the element of surprise. But that¡¯s my way of the ninja! So let¡¯s do it!¡± The Hero gives a thumbs up.

    Annie smiles at the Hero. ¡°You remind me of my Rachie.¡±

    Nasuke scratches her nose nervously. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    I teleport the team in the direction of the string. My first jump is past the destination. But my second drops us in the proper spot. Everything feels delicate and fluffy, must be some sort of tundra.

    ¡°That¡¯s a pretty useful jutsu,¡± says Nasuke with a grin.

    ¡°A RiftRipper¡¯s teleportation range is linked to their desire to leave this world of misery.¡±

    ¡°I can relate,¡± says Nasuke with a somber look.

    I lift up Annie. ¡°That¡¯s what I was always told, but this time I created that portal to help you.¡± I tickle her and she giggles.

    White Knight suddenly teleports in front of Nasuke. He grabs a stone from mid-air. ¡°Looks like someone was waiting for us.¡±

    A CatBoy general hops down from a tree. ¡°If you turn back now, I won¡¯t tuck you into the bed of eternity!¡± His fingers emit sparkly dust.

    Annie steps back. ¡°He works for the militia. We must be close.¡±

    ¡°CatNap is my name. I doubt you¡¯ve forgotten me.¡± He smiles and takes a step forward.

    Nasuke tosses an electrically charged kunai at his feet. ¡°Take one more step and I¡¯ll make sure your life is a never-ending nightmare.¡±

    ¡°Heroes playing dress up? Is that what the villages are doing now? Cosplay? How childish.¡±

    Nasuke¡¯s voice changes into that of an angry young woman. ¡°Hey! Cosplay is a serious commitment!¡± She throws a kunai at CatNap, who dodges. ¡°Electric Bonds.¡± A line of electricity shoots out from the first kunai and connects to the other, zapping the CatBoy general in between them.

    White Knight then rushes in, slamming into the CatBoy general before falling asleep.

    I pick up Annie and slid past the fight.

    Their base must be close. The others can keep him busy.

    Annie¡¯s string leads us to a snowy hill and is pointing directly beneath us. ¡°The entrance could be anywhere.¡± She sifts through the snow.

    I focus my awareness to find some sort of entrance, but the snow muddles everything. ¡°I¡¯m not thinking clearly.¡±

    Annie grabs my cape. ¡°It¡¯s fine, poppa bear.¡±

    I send out a single tendril and sharpen it with my mind. It pierces through the roof of the fortress and I cut us an opening.

    The snow pools inside, dragging us along with it.

    I feel the wind pressure change. An invisible blade cuts my cloak.

    ¡°Come out now,¡± says the Hero with an intense edge to his voice.

    Annie tumbles out from the snow and onto the metal floor of the spacious room.

    His emotional energy shifts. Joy now coats the hero¡¯s body like a warm blanket of flesh. ¡°You¡¯re alive.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were dead too.¡± Annie hugs him. ¡°We¡¯re here for Rachie and Tumble. But you should escape too. The Mortal Militia is going to be attacked. You¡¯re the new leader, right? You can disband the militia. It¡¯s the only way to protect the heroes.¡±

    I crawl out from the snow and offer my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve been properly introduced. I¡¯m Assailant.¡±

    The Hero shivers. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re the one who nearly killed me.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Oh, did I? I don¡¯t have the best memory.¡± I scratch my head. ¡°Sorry for doing such a sloppy job.¡±

    The Hero grabs my tendril. ¡°I¡¯m Luchador Espada. I hope you¡¯re not here to finish that sloppy job.¡±

    ¡°Not unless you want me to.¡± I carve a smile into my cloak and chuckle.

    The Hero pulls Annie in close and whispers. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not the leader. Braven took over.¡±

    Annie¡¯s joy abandoned her like an unwanted child. ¡°Is Tumble in danger!?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s safe¡­I promise.¡±

    ¡°What about Racheal?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the second in command. Always with Braven. She believes in what we are doing. Why don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I just¡­can¡¯t lose her. I¡¯d save everyone, if I could. But if I can¡¯t, then I have to at least rescue Tumble and Rachie.¡±

    ¡°We need them both. If you want to help, then come back to us. Braven won¡¯t hurt you as long as Racheal is with him. We can figure something out.¡± He grabs her hands.

    ¡°Dios Gigante, your brother, got so many Heroes killed. He used them to bargain for your sister¡¯s safety. How many more heroes have to die?¡± Annie looks up at him in tears.

    ¡°I could hardly believe it myself. Braven found out and he staged a mutiny against me and my brother. If I lead you to Racheal or Tumble, then he¡¯ll kill me. Join us and you can see them both.¡±

    ¡°Your sister is alive,¡± I say.

    ¡°Then why can¡¯t we find her? We¡¯ve liberated over a dozen villages, but nobody has seen her.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re looking in the wrong place. I could slice you to pieces but that would make my sugar puff sad. So, you let us pass and I¡¯ll tell you where your sister is. We can rescue her together once Annie has who she came for.¡±

    Luchador Espada points to a collar on his neck. ¡°I leave and Braven blows me up. This militia doesn¡¯t have a prison. Instead Braven uses fear to turn prisoners into warriors. I can¡¯t go with you. But I won¡¯t stop you. So please, tell me where she is.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s in Glam Castle most likely. Your little sister has been turned into a CatBoy soldier.¡±

    Luchador Espada cries into his cape. ¡°Then there¡¯s no way of getting her back.¡±

    I circle around him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware they made cowards into Heroes. Very interesting indeed.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Racheal and Tumble?¡± asks Annie.

    ¡°Tumble is in the medical bay. All the way down the hall. Racheal is likely at the control room. There¡¯s a meeting going on right now.¡±

    ¡°Thankies!¡± Annie puts her hands over the Hero¡¯s ears and emits a powerful boom of sound.

    He falls over unconscious.

    Annie spreads open my cloak and hops inside. ¡°Be sneaky ¡®kay. Everyone is counting on us.¡±

    I slide across the ceiling past many rebel soldiers. I make my body even thinner to squeeze through the opening of the medical bay.

    The room is sparkly clean, unlike the rest of the base. There¡¯s a single file line of rebels getting treated by the Angel one by one. Around the prickly Angel¡¯s neck is a collar.

    Annie peeks out from my cloak, a bit dizzy from being inside my void. She watches as the rebels pat her head to relieve stress. The particularly disturbed rebels are hand fed Memshrooms to forget their pain. ¡°We can¡¯t help her until we disable the collars. We have to find Braven first.¡±

    I grab Annie¡¯s hand and wave at her little sister.

    The little Angel notices and smiles up at us.

    Annie hugs me tightly. ¡°Thanks for everything. We¡¯re gonna save her for sure.¡±

    We make our way to the control room and thankfully, the meeting is at an end. Once the rebel commanders leave the room, I slide in with Annie.

    ¡°I¡­wanna talk to him alone. We were close once.¡± Annie climbs out of me. ¡°Braven!¡±

    The rebel leader turns around and finishes up his cup of ginger tea. ¡°I thought they had killed you. But no.¡± He raises his hands and summons up a small rainstorm indoors.

    Annie stands on the table, knocking over some of the war table battle figures. ¡°I¡¯m not here to cause trouble. I just want Rachie.¡±

    Braven takes off his shirt. ¡°Rings can be lost. But ink is forever.¡±

    ¡°A wedding tattoo! But she¡¯s my girlfriend!¡±

    ¡°Three years is a long time. My Ginger is now an obedient pet. We would already have kids, if her home village didn¡¯t taken precautions.¡±

    Annie wipes her tears. ¡°I need to speak with her.¡±

    ¡°We staged the coup de tat together. Got our hands a bit bloody. What¡¯s a few more dead heroes anyway? Ginger was really aroused after taking their lives.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not like that. She¡¯s a hero.¡±

    ¡°You just don¡¯t know her like I do. Such a beast in bed!¡±

    ¡°Why do you hate me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m actually thrilled to see you!¡±

    ¡°So you can kill me?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! Annie, we were friends once. And you brought me the love of my life.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you talking like a villain?¡±

    Braven slams his fist on the table, making the figures jump out of formation. ¡°She won¡¯t forget about you! No matter what I try. A piece of you is lodged in her heart. Killing you will only make that glass shard pulse. I need your help and you need mine. So, let¡¯s put aside our feelings¡­¡± He climbs on top of the table and looks down at Annie. ¡°And get to business.¡±

    ¡°I want Tumble and Racheal to be safe.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve kept them safe for three years. Not sure what you were doing.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Annie gets on her tip toes to intimidate him.

    ¡°I want to wipe out every last one of your kind. And I¡¯m going to start with your sister, Shade. She¡¯s going to tell me where your mother is hiding and then the cleansing will begin!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not helping you hurt my family!¡±

    ¡°Thankfully I don¡¯t need your consent. Gloom, you can handle the rest, can¡¯t you?¡±

    The shadow beneath the table comes to life.

    I¡¯ve waited long enough.

    I dive into the shadow.

    Annie blasts Braven with a sound wave off the table.

    The door swings open and a hero girl rushes in. She stops when she sees Annie.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­alive!¡± The hero girl picks up my daughter and snuggles her affectionately. ¡°You found her! On our anniversary.¡±

    Braven turns red with embarrassment. ¡°Yes¡­that¡¯s exactly what I did.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come here, hubby.¡± The hero girl pulls him into her.

    Gloom whispers to me. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Fulfilling a promise to my daughter.¡±

    Annie looks at the hero girl. ¡°Rachie, it¡¯s not safe here. Umm, all the rebels are in danger.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s sweet of you to worry, but my hubby and I can handle anything.¡±

    Braven glares at his crotch. ¡°Not now! You will obey me!¡±

    Annie buries her face in Racheal¡¯s chest. ¡°Please. I miss you. Just come with us.¡±

    Racheal looks at me. ¡°Is he your boyfriend? A RiftRipper for a boyfriend! That¡¯s super hot!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m her father!¡± I yell.

    ¡°Oh¡­well that¡¯s sweet. Sorry.¡± Racheal scratches her head. ¡°Oh Annie, guess what!? Turns out Gloom was the RiftRipper that skinned me alive! Isn¡¯t that awesome!?¡±

    ¡°We have to go now! The others that came with us. They¡¯re here to kill everyone in the chain of command.¡±

    What? Where did she get that idea!?

    ¡°You¡¯re making this too easy,¡± says an edgy voice from the shadows. ¡°Chidoriken!¡± Nasuke flings an electrically charged shuriken into the small pool of water surrounding the room.

    Braven, Racheal, and Annie all scream out as they¡¯re electrocuted.

    ¡°Hey, Angel killer!¡± Poppy lands on Braven. ¡°The attack has already begun. Your rebellion ends today!¡±

    Time to go!

    I rush by, taking Annie and Racheal in my appendages and then cleaving us an exit.

    ¡°You have to save Braven!¡± yells Annie, tugging on my tentacle.

    ¡°He wants to kill every angel. I welcome his end.¡± I turn my tendrils into fans and with a powerful wave I launch the heroes and rebels fighting in the hallway off their feet.

    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a jerk, but Rachie worked so hard to get a boyfriend. I don¡¯t want her sad.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll forget in time. Everything fades.¡±

    I¡¯m suddenly pulled back by hooks.

    A sickle emerges from my back and slices the tendrils holding me back. ¡°I¡¯m a father on a mission. Get in my way and I will kill you, old friend.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m running out of time! They need a RiftRipper to sacrifice and I¡¯m not gonna be it!¡± His hooks grab heroes and rebels and then slam them into me like battle clubs.

    Killing could put me in a frenzy. Have to improvise.

    ¡°A sacrifice for what?¡± I ask, turning my blade tendrils blunt to deflect the attackers.

    White Knight suddenly slams into Gloom. ¡°According to my hostage, it¡¯s the key to a safe passage to Earth.¡±

    ¡°Racheal can return home!¡± cheers Annie. ¡°New promise. We bring her home!¡±

    The ceiling is suddenly lifted from above us by a massive hand.

    How can Dios Gigante still be alive?

    The massive figure isn¡¯t Dios. I can sense his vitality. Braven is the one looming above us.

    How did he acquire Dios¡¯ ability?

    His hand slams down on Gloom. ¡°Get her out of here! That¡¯s what you¡¯re here for, right? Keep my wife safe. Gloom, follow him. Bring her back to me when this whole mess is over.¡±

    Annie tugs on my tendril. ¡°We have to get Tumble to safety. Then we can leave.¡±

    Braven turns his attention to Poppy who is flying down the halls and signing her enchanting song. ¡°I¡¯m going to tear off those wings, damn demon!¡±

    I speed down the hallway and back to the medical bay where Tumble was.

    The room was void of life. There were bodies on the ground. I couldn¡¯t determine the cause of death. One thing was certain, Tumble was nowhere to be found.

 Memory 36: Fathers Madness

    ¡°Where is my lil sis?¡± asks Annie in tears.

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know.¡± I lift up the bodies to see if she¡¯s somehow hiding beneath.

    Not even a trace. She was taken by a RiftRipper. Must have been Betrayer!

    My tendrils shoot out and slice the room.

    White Knight grabs my bladed tentacles before they stab Racheal. ¡°Your rage almost hurt this noble rose. Keep it together. We have what we need.¡±

    I shiver as I hold back my rage. ¡°Not everything.¡± I carve a portal. ¡°Go on ahead. I¡¯ll meet you there.¡±

    White Knight takes the girls into the portal.

    Gloom enters the room. ¡°You waited for me.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be one of us. We can use Betrayer as the sacrifice to open the portal. It¡¯s what we both want.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll never be strong enough to overcome him. Consider this one last final exam.¡± His hooks come out from his back.

    ¡°Wait. I¡¯ll leave a trail. We can end this at that place. Try to save as many heroes as you can.¡±

    ¡°I never cared about the heroes or the villagers. They¡¯re all so privileged!¡± His claws pierce the bodies and throw them at me.

    I am buried under the corpses.

    Killed by their own friends. The cycle continues.

    ¡°That¡¯s where you cowards ran off to!¡± Poppy zooms into the portal.

    I sink into my own shadow and slide into the portal during the distraction.

    I arrive at our forest meet up point.

    White Knight¡¯s shy girlfriend waves at us awkwardly. ¡°Umm, was it a success?¡±

    The Hero knight looks down. ¡°Not exactly, my sweet flower. We weren¡¯t able to save Tumble.¡±

    ¡°Oh no. I should have been there! It¡¯s all my fault!¡± she pulls at her hair.

    White Knight hugs her. ¡°I would never put you in harm¡¯s way.¡±

    ¡°Please blame me!¡± she cries, sobbing against his shoulder.

    ¡°Gloom will come after us. And I will cut him down.¡± I say, facing the portal with blades at the ready.

    ¡°But he¡¯s your friend,¡± says Annie, tugging on my cloak.

    ¡°You¡¯re my daughter. I want you to be safe too. You and your girlfriend have a chance to be free from the madness of this world. I¡¯d give everything I have to make that journey home possible.¡±

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t see why I should help you,¡± says a voice in White Knight¡¯s armor.

    The knight¡¯s girlfriend shrieks in surprise.

    ¡°Calm down, my sweet. This is what we were sent to retrieve. He opens up his armor and out pops a young boy.

    ¡°If this was Akashia you would be sentenced to death for your brutish behavior! Ugh! So uncivilized.¡± The boy glares at White Knight as he adjusts his glasses. ¡°My name is Sir Henrich Von Edelgaurd. Prince of the Edelgaurd kingdom on Akashia.¡±

    White Knight flicks the boy¡¯s forehead. ¡°If your sky world is so great, why did you come down here, little brat?¡±

    ¡°To track down a friend. And if I help you land dwellers, he will be handed back to me. Don¡¯t think me weak with the sickness of charity. Charity is something only the guilty give. Akashia only became the grand world it is today because we let go of such illogical tripe.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an empty person!¡± yells White Knight¡¯s girlfriend.

    ¡°Exactly! We can only tap into the collective mindscape if we discard all emotional data. You¡¯re rather astute for a Blink.¡±

    The girl hides her face in embarrassment. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t tease me like that. Saying nice things in a two-faced way.¡±

    The boy with the long arrogant name scoffs. ¡°Sarcasm is strictly forbidden in Akashia. It¡¯s a vulgar practice for cowards afraid of the truth.¡±

    White Knight takes the glasses away from the boy. ¡°You really love to talk, little brat. Just tell us where we need to go.¡±

    The boy wanders around in a daze. ¡°My eyes! Give them back to me!¡±

    ¡°Where are we headed?¡± asks White Knight, dangling the glasses just beyond the boy¡¯s reach.

    ¡°The Great Chasm. The Barrier of Chrono Archai.¡±

    ¡°Chrono Archai. The Primordial of Time?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Congratulations, you can do basic translations.¡± The boy claps emotionlessly.

    ¡°That¡¯s sarcasm!¡± yells White Knight.

    The boy blushes. ¡°Damn! Been stuck here so long my perfection has been poisoned.¡± He gags.

    ¡°Umm I¡¯ve never been there. I can¡¯t take us. Sorry everyone.¡± I bow in embarrassment.

    The boy grins. ¡°Never met an Archivos before, have you? We created history. Knowledge is our weapon!¡± He pulls words out from his head and flings them to me.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I have it. It¡¯s almost like I¡¯ve been there!¡± I exclaim.

    Colors. I see colors. It has such a brilliant purple hue.

    ¡°Indeed. That is the Archivos¡¯ Gift. Used only for scientific ventures of course. And not those childish Memshroom experiments. Damn traitor turned so many of us into Dims.¡± He clenches his fist. ¡°But enough of that. Bring us there, KuroKira. That¡¯s the scientific term for a RiftRipper by the way.¡±

    I carve a portal to the Barrier of Chrono Archai.

    I come out in a daze. We¡¯re all disoriented from the massive distance traveled.

    The air feels heavy in this place. The chasm before us is emitting a radiant light that breaches the sky.

    White Knight holds his lover close to him. ¡°Romantic, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Annie wakes up Racheal with a gentle kiss. ¡°Morning, Rachie.¡±

    ¡°Oh hey, morning. Where are we?¡±

    The kid with the glasses speaks before I can explain. ¡°We are at the end of the world! The barrier of time cleaved in the ancient battle of¡­¡±

    ¡°Nobody cares,¡± says White Knight, taking away the kid¡¯s glasses again. ¡°Here¡¯s what you need to hear, fair maiden.¡± He offers her a hand.

    Racheal takes it and hoists herself up. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°This is your chance to return home to the life you had before. Take your time and think over this decision.¡±

    Racheal turns to Annie. ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to come along?¡± asks Annie, fiddling with her fingers.

    Racheal picks up my little angel and holds her like a loving big sister.

    ¡°Are you all quite done yet?¡± asks the kid with the glasses, rolling his eyes. ¡°We can¡¯t open a Pure Portal without a worthy sacrifice.¡±

    ¡°I will kill Gloom when he arrives.¡± I nod.

    Racheal looks over at me. ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t want to go back if it costs him his life. He¡¯s a friend, kinda. Look, Gloom is just messed up in the head. He¡¯s not evil¡­well at least not always. The point is that we¡¯re not killing him, okay? I¡¯m not sure I even want to leave.¡± She turns away. ¡°Sure I miss my mom and my fans and well everything there. But I¡¯ll miss this place too. Braven needs me and so does the militia! Plus Annie needs to find her sister Tumble.¡±

    I bow to my sweetie¡¯s sweetheart. ¡°I¡¯ll send Tumble your way as soon as I retrieve her. I promise you.¡±

    ¡°And die in the process, right?¡± Nasuke rushes up to me and punches me in the face. ¡°Stop being an idiot! I refuse to sacrifice anyone!¡±

    ¡°When did you show up?¡± asks the Archivos to Nasuke.

    ¡°Been here the whole time. Learned to hide my presence from a true professional.¡± Nasuke smiles at White Knight¡¯s girlfriend.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t compliment me. I don¡¯t know how to respond.¡± She sobs in embarrassment.

    Nasuke glares at us. ¡°All I see are a bunch of cowards. This place is dangerous and miserable, but that¡¯s what makes it a playground for heroes. Yeah, we might die. Our friends and loved ones might die. But we can¡¯t just send them away to safety! That peril, that loss is what drives a true hero forward. Let¡¯s just forget this whole dumb mission. We got the Archivos. We don¡¯t need anything else!¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t want to run away. I have an obligation to fight.¡± Racheal raises her fist.

    ¡°That obligation was forced on you by ISEKAI!¡± I shake her in a frenzy. ¡°Keep my daughter safe by getting out of this place! Betrayer wants her for some wicked plan. You¡¯re a hero by running away!¡±

    Nasuke looks at me curiously and shrugs. ¡°Well in that case, get moving. Let¡¯s just kick Gloom¡¯s ass and open the portal!¡±

    The Archivos climbs atop the firm shell of a wandering Sturtle. ¡°Gloom can¡¯t open the portal. A Pure Portal needs at least a hundred souls to open. Their mental energy stabilizes it. It¡¯s not magic! It¡¯s science! Got it!¡± He sends information to the Sturtle to have it slowly crawl up to me. ¡°How many kills do you have? At least a hundred, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Guess I¡¯m a pretty good assassin, aren¡¯t I?¡± I scratch my head.

    ¡°Smash his core and the portal will be purified. Oh, but firsts you¡¯re gonna have to kill everyone that isn¡¯t gonna cross over. Pure Portals are kept in the mythic section at libraries for a reason. They have the potential to throw everything into chaos if used by those with ill intent. By chaos I mean war! Do you have any idea how many books have been lost to wars? Such an imbecilic way of solving problems! Barbarians are pathetically insipid problem solvers.¡± He scratches his head. ¡°Oh, well not to seem hypocritical, but umm¡­violence is sometimes a good option.¡± He speaks into his cupped hands. ¡°Info Overwrite!¡± He flicks the new information into my head.

    I look over my team with a new understanding.

    Slaves of ISEKAI! All of them! Taking them down will bring me one step closer to ending that corrupted organization.

    I shoot my tendrils out at White Knight.

    Nasuke unsheathes her katana and slices my tendrils before they can cut him.

    Annie rams into the Archivos. ¡°What did you do to my papa!?¡±

    ¡°Just gave him a bit of refresher. Nothing false. Just data.¡± He shrugs.

    My body contorts into a scythe and clashes against Nasuke¡¯s swords.

    Hero¡¯s are just soldiers for ISEKAI.

    I will my tendrils to come out to stab Nasuke¡¯s arms and legs.

    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for seeking to harm my fair prince!¡± yells White Knight, getting cut in her stead.

    The Archivos sits on the Sturtle. ¡°I used to hate watching morons fight. But it¡¯s actually kind of entertaining. Maybe I should go to the Grand Olympuseum when I return home.¡±

    Annie grabs on to me. ¡°Daddy stop! They¡¯re our friends!¡±

    ¡°They work for ISEKAI. They can¡¯t be trusted!¡± I yell, bringing White Knight to his knees.

    Racheal grabs my head and plays a soothing lullaby in my head.

    Can¡¯t focus.

    My blades dull and White Knight slams into me. ¡°This brave assassin is trying to get us to kill him to open the gateway. Otherwise he would have ended me in an instant. You¡¯re a true hero.¡±

    No I¡¯m not! It¡¯s just hard to focus when my mind is screaming at me.

    Nasuke looks down at me and gives me a toothy grin. ¡°I guess I judged you wrong. You¡¯re a hero! Believe it!¡±

    I feel so misunderstood.

    The Archivos points at a portal behind us. ¡°Can we cut out the sappy speeches? Enemies are coming and fighting is at least fourteen point six five three two four kilometers beneath me.¡±

    Goopy followed my trail. I¡¯ll need him to kill me and have to convince him to help Tumble cross-over too. This won¡¯t be easy.

    A beaten and bloodied bird angel is the first thing to come out from the portal.

    ¡°You monster!¡± yells White Knight, rushing toward the portal to punch the culprit.

    Braven¡¯s hand grows out from the portal and grabs White Knight. He slams him to the ground and tosses him aside. ¡°That thing is the monster.¡± He glares at the Archivos. ¡°Why are you helping them?¡±

    ¡°You ever tried explaining the origin of the universe to a wall?¡± asks the Archivos.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Of course you haven¡¯t. It¡¯s a complete waste of energy. Explaining things to people about to die is equally superfluous. Well, approximately equally. True equality only exists in the hallowed grounds of mathematical equations.¡±

    Racheal grabs Poppy¡¯s wing. ¡°You¡¯ll live. We¡¯ll get you to a healer!¡±

    Poppy pulls away. ¡°I don¡¯t want help from a blackmailing boyfriend stealer! Or a traitor!¡± The bird angel coughs up blood.

    ¡°Braven, there¡¯s no need to fight. These are Annie¡¯s friends.¡±

    ¡°The hell I am!¡± yells Poppy.

    ¡°Her friends made our people slaughter each other. The Sunbleached Island branch is done for. I¡¯m just here to take my wife.¡±

    The Archivos claps. ¡°Okay! I¡¯m only going to explain this once so everyone pay attention.¡±

    The Static Huntress comes out from the portal. ¡°Am here! Got left behind but here now.¡± She lowers her head in shame.

    Another rebel hero comes out from the portal. ¡°I¡¯m only here so this puta frees my little brother. Hey everyone, Matador Muchacho. We need the sheep angel and the ginger. Then we¡¯ll be on our way.¡± He tips his sombrero to us.

    ¡°Great! Everyone is here. I¡¯m going to explain this very simply but if you hear it, then you¡¯re going to have to die later too. But pay attention anyway. The True Portal which can bring you home to Earth. That can only open if a RiftRipper with at least one-hundred souls has its core smashed. So let¡¯s focus on that, alright?¡±

    Braven turns to Matador Muchacho. ¡°You heard him. Bring down that monster. I want my wife to return home safely.¡±

    My shadow releases hooks that tear at my cloak.

    If I die, then she¡¯s safe. Why even bother resisting anymore?

 Memory 37: Fathers Struggle

    Water shoots out from my daughter like blades, piercing into the shadow beneath me. ¡°If you die, then I¡¯ll kill myself! So don¡¯t you dare think about dying!¡±

    My responsibilities are clashing! Curses! What do I do?

    ¡°Stop fighting!¡± Racheal approaches Braven. ¡°Call off this attack before someone ends up dying!¡±

    Braven bites his lip. ¡°There¡¯s was an assassin at our base! We left a trail! How long before they track us down.¡±

    ¡°All the more reason to split up.¡± She grabs his hand and holds it to her cheek. ¡°You know I can¡¯t just leave you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to come with you. But for that to happen he has to die!¡± Braven points at me as I fend off Goopy¡¯s assault.

    I¡¯m not doing this. My subconscious mind must be protecting me.

    Racheal grabs my little sheep¡¯s hands and rubs noses with her. ¡°We¡¯ll stop you then.¡±

    Annolette¡¯s energy shifts as she transforms. Clothing spawns around her and ethereal musical notes dance around her wrists.

    Braven grimaces. ¡°A loud enough storm drowns out all sound.¡± A concentrated stream of water slams into my daughter.

    My tendril reaches out to her but is sliced. Hooks then pierce me and hold me in place.

    ¡°He won¡¯t kill her. Calm down.¡± The matador hero deflects White Knight¡¯s punch with an ethereal cape dangling from his sword. ¡°Misdirection.¡±

    White Knight¡¯s fist follows a series of ethereal arrows and slams into the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard all about your teleportation power, but you have no control over it. My ability is all about control.¡± He whips his sword, causing White Knight to charge head first into the distortion.

    The Static Huntress slams into White Knight, knocking him off his feet. ¡°Since when listen to men?¡± She grins.

    My back expands into a fearsome WarWolf that bites Gloom in two.

    Like his old namesake, the miserable assassin spreads apart into puddles.

    I deflect two massive hooks at my sides but the third pierces my back. With my will I shape my back into a hand and yank Gloom out from the ground.

    I notice Nasuke is fighting an invisible opponent and being flung around like a rag doll.

    So there¡¯s another enemy. I should be extra vigilant.

    A massive foot then kicks me and I tumble across the rocky cliffside.

    I feel my daughter tear through the air and redirecting the giants own water shots back at him.

    ¡°Dios hadn¡¯t unlocked this move¡¯s potential!¡± Braven grabs a pebble, grows it into a rock and then whacks my daughter with it.

    Kill!

    My body becomes blades that shred Goopy apart.

    I¡¯m suddenly pressed to the ground.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    A small creature approaches me. ¡°Didn¡¯t even notice me, did you? There are tiny enemies all around you. The Mortal Militia¡¯s SunBleached general is quite handy with his powers.¡±

    My blades shoot out but are brought down by a heavy gravity.

    More blades come out and slice the air.

    Vanished! He¡¯s too tiny for me to focus on! Who else is here? White Knight¡¯s girlfriend is asleep. CatNap must be nearby. Nasuke is wounded on the ground. Did CatScratch get her or someone else?

    The Static Huntress fends off a sudden squad of warriors that revert to normal size around her. ¡°How hero have two abilities?¡±

    ¡°Been asking that for years!¡± yells the Matador, making White Knight swerve away whenever he teleported to defend an ally.

    Racheal, holding my injured sweetheart in her arms, focuses her energy in her lungs. ¡°Hurt her again and I¡¯ll make you deaf!¡± She flicks off the giant, oozing rage.

    The Archivos¡¯ finger glows and he writes in the air ¡°For a hero to gain a second power, he must eat the heart of another hero.¡±

    Racheal blushes and glares at Braven. ¡°Why the hell didn¡¯t you tell me you did something so cool? I¡¯ve always been curious about cannibalism.¡±

    ¡°You ate my brother¡¯s heart!¡± yells Matador in a torrent of confused rage.

    Braven tries to squash White Knight who throws a stone at me and then catches it instantly to dodge the deadly stomp. ¡°It was absolutely disgusting. I barely survived it, but I knew I had to grow stronger.¡±

    ¡°You really have the nerve to complain about it.¡± Racheal twitches with annoyance. She then punches the air, aiming her sound waves at Braven¡¯s ears.

    He shrinks to dodge and then expands again. ¡°Why are we fighting? I hate it.¡± His face leaks with sadness.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t make me feel guilty. You¡¯re the one being stubborn. You know I can protect myself!¡±

    ¡°After we lost so many allies to her, I went after Shade. She had my girlfriend! Shade had her attack me until her body broke. Her death went on for hours! Do you have any idea what that experience has done to me? I was afraid to love again but you¡­opened up my heart.¡± He shrinks down and hugs Racheal. ¡°I will sacrifice anything for you.¡±

    ¡°Awkward time for a heart to heart.¡± She kisses his forehead gently. ¡°You¡¯re acting out of love. I get it. But look at what you¡¯re doing. I know you¡¯re not a bad person. We¡¯ve all made bad decisions.¡± She looks at Poppy with regret. ¡°When we first met I didn¡¯t want to work with Poppy. Wanted a hunky hero. We got off to a bad start. Things only got worse. Poppy and I fell in love with the same guy. I blackmailed her, threatened to tell him that she was actually a boy. I was selfish and nasty then. I was greedy and just terrible. And I got what I deserved. Apparently being a boy made Poppy even more of a goddess to the heroes of the village. Despite my mistakes I became a good person. It¡¯s because the people of the village believed in me that I became a great hero. You have so many people who look up to you. Don¡¯t you want to be a beacon of hope for them?¡±

    White Knight plants his feet into the ground. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right.¡±

    Racheal looks over. ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t allow my self to be thrown around.¡±

    ¡°Hey dude I wasn¡¯t talking to you.¡±

    ¡°The voices of women of all ethnicities and backgrounds, I can hear them cheering me on.¡±

    ¡°Great, only I was talking to my husband.¡±

    ¡°It was my dream to give every lonely girl a night she¡¯ll never forget!¡±

    ¡°Umm, that¡¯s great and all, but¡­you know what. Forget it.¡±

    Matador Muchacho waves the flag but White Knight doesn¡¯t budge. ¡°How are you denying my power?¡±

    ¡°With the Spirit of the Hero! A true hero can brush off any villainy!¡± White Knight flings a rock at the matador. He then grabs him and slams him to the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t break anything. Don¡¯t want cowards joining the sacred class of the handicapable!¡±

    He sure is a strange guy. But maybe I have a hero spirit too! Maybe I can escape this gravity field.

    Screams of agony are heard. A shadow slides by and their bodies fall.

    Dead. But where was the attack. That¡¯s not Gloom. It¡¯s another RiftRipper. The one who took Tumble.

    White Knight¡¯s emotional energy plummets. ¡°My powers¡­why aren¡¯t they working? Those women¡­I should have saved them.¡±

    Braven puts his hand on the hero. His body grows and he picks him up. ¡°You should have been with the militia.¡± He flings White Knight into the clouds.

    The shadow slinks toward me. Two black appendages bob back and forth on it like bunny ears. ¡°Be my friend!¡± Needles come out from the ears and kill more of Braven¡¯s warriors in an instant.

    She is a RiftRipper. But how?

    A body emerges from her back. It¡¯s another child that oozes arrogance.

    Another Archivos?

    ¡°A RiftRipper is always bonded to another RiftRipper. Betrayer to you. The principal to Gloom. Come on, it¡¯s obvious that the one you call Teacher would bond with the teacher¡¯s pet.¡± He pushes up his glasses and grins.

    ¡°Who are you!? How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just a soul in search of the secrets of the universe. And I know it because I was the one who rescued BunBun.¡± The Archivos removes his glasses dramatically and stares at me.

 Memory 38: Fathers Sacrifice

    BunBun her name was BunBun. Yeah¡­I think I remember her.

    BunBun crawls along the ground sending tiny needles into me. ¡°It won¡¯t hurt. Promise and then we¡¯ll be friends forever.¡±

    My tendrils whip around her and pull her into an embrace. ¡°We are already friends, BunBun.¡±

    The RiftRipper¡¯s head spins around. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    The Archivos on the Sturtle points at the newly arrived Archivos. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Well, you were looking for me. So, I kept tabs on you. RinguWorms are special creatures that send radio waves to each other. These waves are then interpreted by the hosts brain. Couples in the Northern islands often get them implanted upon weddings. It¡¯s an Elfen tradition.¡±

    ¡°All traditions are inferior to ours!¡± yells the glasses brat.

    ¡°It¡¯s exactly that closemindedness that kept you from finding me.¡± The clever Archivos cleans his glasses on his shirt.

    ¡°Why are you even here? No. It doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯re coming back with me.¡±

    ¡°I have a RiftRipper and a warrior Elfazonian on my side. What do you have?¡±

    ¡°I have the mystic powers of our people! I can bend the minds of everyone here! You never finished your training! You can¡¯t overpower me.¡± The bratty Archivos starts chanting and his hands begin glowing. He then grabs his chest and falls off the turtle, bleeding.

    ¡°Oh and I have a Pistol Wasp. Nearly forgot.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so familiar?¡± I ask, creating Spyder legs to retreat from BunBun¡¯s assault.

    ¡°Must be because I taught BladEagle. Hmm, so it¡¯s not just a memory transfer, but a transfer of feeling as well. Very interesting indeed.¡± The renegade Archivos looks at me with wonder.

    ¡°Please, tell her to stop.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, can¡¯t do. I need to lie low for a bit. Isekai has been hunting me down for fleeing and I¡¯m running out of places to hide. Figure I can win back their favor and continue my research after a few years.¡±

    ¡°Your name it¡¯s Logos Archai. You¡¯re a primordial.¡±

    ¡°Ha! You have his memories too. Kids will believe anything you tell them. Just Logos is fine. Despite me being the one who rescued her, ISEKAI sent your little BunBun to kill me. We worked out a deal though. I help her get friends and she doesn¡¯t kill me. She nearly has a thousand now. Needs a new friend every day.¡±

    BunBun zips around me and traps my legs. She then assaults my body with her needles.

    ¡°I¡¯m not alive. You can¡¯t kill me. BunBun. It¡¯s me, Weech. Don¡¯t you remember me?¡±

    ¡°Please be my friend. It¡¯s a party every day inside my mind. Nobody ever fights. We¡¯re all together in one big cuddle puddle.¡±

    I feel terror behind me.

    Annie is in danger. And the one holding a knife to her throat is CatScratch.

    ¡°I heard it takes years for an Angel to regrow her wings.¡± He slides his blades up and down her black wings.

    ¡°Huntress! Save her!¡± I yell, trying to shove BunBun off of me.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Busy with old friend,¡± says Huntress, wresting another Elfazonian warrior.

    ¡°Friend!? You abandoned people! Left to die!¡± the Elfazonian shoves a curved knife into the Huntress¡¯ back.

    ¡°Was unfit to protect them.¡± Huntress tightens her back, shattering the weapon.

    CatScratch puts the knife to her gentle cheeks.

    Racheal, who is caught in Braven¡¯s hand screams out. ¡°Tell that damn cat to let her go!¡±

    Braven lifts Rachel to his face. ¡°With that demon gone, we can start a new life together. We can return home and get married all over again.¡±

    BunBun sobs as she stabs me. ¡°Weech, why won¡¯t you be my friend? Is it because I¡¯m scary looking now? I just wanna snuggle you forever and ever! You have lotsa friends inside you! We can all live inside my mind! Hop! Hop! Hop!¡± She jumps around me, her cloak emitting a black fog.

    A curse?

    The fog eats away at my cloak.

    CatScratch tosses Annie to the ground and steps on her. ¡°Two friends killing each other! This is such fun!¡±

    ¡°Now Nasuke!¡± yells Annie.

    Nasuke throws an electric shuriken at the bloody puddle, zapping both Annie and the sadistic CatBoy.

    ¡°Sound Shot.¡± Annie absorbs the sound waves from both their screams and the electricity and then fires it off directly at the General¡¯s head.

    BunBun¡¯s body twists toward Annie. ¡°She¡¯s super cute. Is she my replacement?¡±

    I grab BunBun and pull her toward me. ¡°She kept me sane in a crazy world¡­like you used to.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll be my cutest friend ever! I can snuggle her in my minds eye forever and ever.¡± The black smoke eats away my cloak and BunBun escapes my grip.

    Annie!

    My tendrils shoot out and cleave BunBun to shreds.

    ¡°You really do love her more than me! You big meanie!¡± BunBun¡¯s body emits darkness.

    The rocks around her deteriorate at it consumes everything.

    ¡°What angel did she kill? Was it Tumble?¡± I ask the Archivos.

    The Archivos clenches his little fists. ¡°Focus on the matter at hand! Are you really going to let her kill your angel? Hey, Hoppy! If you kill her, then I¡¯m done helping you! The Angel lives! We¡¯ve been over this!¡±

    Gloom shoots hooks into the ground around BunBun and lifts it up. ¡°We have to kill her Weech. This isn¡¯t murder! It¡¯s survival. She¡¯ll kill everyone here!¡±

    Annie looks up in tears. ¡°My little sister¡­she¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, doll. Everyone will be friends inside me. No pain. No fear. Just joy forever and ever and ever and ever.¡± The darkness expands further, becoming a massive BunBun.

    She leaps off the air at us. We flee as we strike her but all our weapons are eaten by the corrosive energy.

    ¡°Careful! If I get teleported into that, there will be so many women who will weep at my funeral,¡± yells White Knight, running along with us.

    The Huntress fires a volley of arrows while wrestling her enemy. ¡°Moves too fast. Can¡¯t aim.¡±

    The black energy stretches out as the massive BunBun strikes at us.

    Goopy and I sink into the floor to dodge, but even the ground starts breaking apart.

    ¡°I need to get to Annie!¡± I rush toward the BunBun, distracting it from my allies.

    The BunBun leaps at me, leaving a back pool of sludge where it kicked off from.

    Invisible blades cleave through her darkness and slice her to pieces.

    A shadow grows out from the ground. ¡°I always knew I¡¯d be the one to end you.¡±

    Teacher is here!

    I turn to the Archivos who looks equally shocked. ¡°Oh, your bond led you to her. Of course! Why wait so long to intervene though?¡±

    ¡°A teacher must keep his students from fighting each other.¡± He lifts up BunBun¡¯s tattered body.

    ¡°It¡¯s you. Will you be my friend? My old friends¡­they don¡¯t want me anymore.¡±

    Teacher holds her tightly. ¡°I know what rejection is like. When she saw me as a RiftRipper. My wife to be¡­she had no spark of love in her eyes. Just disgust and fear. I ate up that fear and let it take control. She screams her final screams every day inside me. But if anyone can calm her. It¡¯s you.¡± He caresses her with his knives, slowly revealing her core. ¡°Weech, Goopy. Create the portal. Dig into your oldest memories. You came from Earth, from a house with a loving family. Desire to return there with all your strength. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±

    Gloom turns to me.

    Our tendrils fuse together, becoming a single blade. The rest of our body exists solely to support that blade.

    Mom. Dad. I don¡¯t remember you. I want to see you again. But more than anything. I want my daughter safe! I want her free from this cursed world!

    A third blade joins ours.

    BunBun¡¯s.

    ¡°One last mission for the Assailants?¡± she asks, her tattered body leaking tears.

    I feel WarWolf¡¯s spirit, BladEagle¡¯s too. Camoctopus and every other soul inside me are thinking the same thing.

    Annie brought them all peace inside my corrosive mind. They want to help her now.

    The wall of light in the chasm fuses with the portal as we carve it.

    BunBun turns what remains of her cloak into ears and holds onto Teacher. ¡°What happens when a RiftRipper dies?¡±

    ¡°Total darkness¡­¡± Teacher trembles as his blades pierce her core.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s no biggie. I¡¯m used to that.¡± Her ears give one last smile before her core shatters.

 Memory 39: Fathers Farewell

    The rift¡¯s power saps away my strength. I fall to the floor as melting puddle, barely able to inch forward. The other RiftRippers do the same.

    Is it safe to cross over? And if Tumble is gone¡­should I go with Annie?

    Annie stands up despite her broken bones. Tears are in her eyes. ¡°She¡¯s not gone. I can feel her. I can¡¯t leave without her. My little sister is out there.¡±

    The clever Archivos walks up to her. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s incredible meeting you in person! Your mother sends her warm wishes.¡± He embraces my darling song.

    Annie weakly holds onto him. ¡°My mother. She sent you here to rescue me?¡±

    ¡°Never met her just wanted a hug.¡± He grabs her hand. ¡°I went through quite a bit of trouble to get this portal purified. And honestly I¡¯ve only done this once before so I¡¯m nervous.¡± He scratches his head.

    The other Archivos looks up at him. ¡°Crossing over is forbidden! Archivos¡¯ must remain where they are stationed!¡±

    ¡°When something is forbidden, it just makes me all the more curious. You wouldn¡¯t understand. You and the other Archivos are bound by your own system. You¡¯ll never gain ultimate knowledge if you¡¯re weighed down by rules and morals.¡±

    ¡°Then why not come back to change the system?¡±

    ¡°I was cast out! If I ever return it will be to bring those uppity scholars crashing down!¡±

    ¡°We will track you down and kill you! I¡¯d kill you right now if I wasn¡¯t wounded.¡±

    The clever Archivos reaches into his bag and shoves a mushroom in the boy¡¯s mouth. ¡°You won¡¯t remember anything that happened today. If you don¡¯t find some swamp muck to dilute the effects, you¡¯ll keep forgetting until you no longer remember how to breathe.¡±

    The wounded Archivos runs off with tears in his eyes, leaving a bloody trail.

    My Annie goes up and heals him. ¡°You¡¯ll be okay now.¡±

    He pushes her away and runs off.

    The clever Archivos laughs heartily. ¡°I think he actually bought what I said about the swamp muck. People will believe anything when they¡¯re afraid.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Racheal holds Braven¡¯s hands, which like him are now normal sized. ¡°If we run away, who will stand up against ISEKAI?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not our problem anymore.¡±

    White Knight tosses a rock at Braven and then catches it. ¡°You¡¯ve led so many women to their death. And now, you¡¯re going to just let their deaths be in vain? How dare you call yourself a hero.¡±

    Braven grips his face. ¡°I¡¯ve been chasing a shadow so long that I¡¯ve become a shadow of my former self. It¡¯s true. But let¡¯s be honest. There never was a chance at stopping ISEKAI. They control everything. The game where heroes are pawns will go on until humanity is extinct. I¡¯m tired of fighting it.¡± He grabs Racheal and kisses her deeply, shedding tears. ¡°We¡¯ll go to Earth and come back with a whole army!¡±

    Teacher points to the portal. ¡°It won¡¯t stay stable for much longer.¡±

    I hold Annie as my body falls apart, no longer remembering the form it once had. ¡°BunBun died so you could be saved. Please, go. I beg you.¡±

    ¡°You have to come with.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll find Tumble.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not your job!¡±

    Braven releases Racheal from the kiss and they walk together to the portal.

    Racheal blushes, looking up at him. ¡°When we married, at that village overrun with zombies.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the proper name, my dear.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. But they were zombies. We said our vows to each other as we fought and then when the battle was over, we got our wedding tats.¡± She giggles. ¡°It was the most amazing day of my life. I told you I¡¯d follow you anywhere. If you¡¯re really sure¡­that you want to leave this place and go back home.¡± She kisses his lips. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go.¡± She turns to Annie. ¡°You can come with us if you want. But I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡±

    ¡°I never deserved you. But I always loved you.¡± Water leaks from Braven¡¯s hands. He releases Racheal and then sends her into the portal with a blast of water.

    He dries his eyes, making his face even more wet. ¡°I¡¯ll join you when the last angel dies.¡± He turns his violent energy at Annie.

    Annie looks between the portal and me.

    The portal distorts and flickers.

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know what to do,¡± my angel cries in her little hands.

    Neither do I.

    Braven lifts her up.

    White Knight rushes after him and I will my body forward.

    ¡°Keep her warm.¡± Braven tosses Annie into the portal.

    ¡°Is the battle over?¡± asks Gloom.

    The Archivos looks to Braven. ¡°If you know about the portal, then the other Archivos will find out.¡±

    Braven turns away. ¡°There¡¯s no hiding things from your kind. I have to end myself. You have to kill us all, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t see how you¡¯re going to manage.¡±

    The Archivos goes to the Huntress and offers her a MemShroom.

    ¡°Is gift?¡± she asks, surprise changing her posture.

    The Archivos nods and approaches Braven. ¡°The secret of this portal and how to open it must never be discovered.¡±

    ¡°Then how will I meet with her?¡± asks Braven.

    ¡°You won¡¯t. You¡¯ll die in a battle beyond your capabilities. But is that really so bad?¡±

    Braven radiates a little joy and takes the MemShroom. ¡°I suppose not. The RiftRippers will forget on their own. Leave me some. I¡¯ll give it to the others.¡±

    ¡°To think you would be so helpful.¡± The Archivos hands him his whole sack of MemShrooms. He then pulls one out. ¡°Best to be prepared.¡± The Archivos stares at the portal, waits for the final flicker and then enters.

    There goes my last chance. She¡¯s only been gone a moment and yet the whole world feels dark.

 Memory 40: Fathers Hope

    After the portal closed, I left. I had to get away from the place that took away my daughter. I moved for days. Going nowhere in particular. Eventually I found myself at the edge of the island. A white shadow was waiting there, gazing up at the full moon.

    ¡°Tumble is indeed alive.¡±

    ¡°I¡­never mentioned her name.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in need of an angel. I won¡¯t ask for the details. But¡­is she safe?¡±

    I nod.

    ¡°Annolette is actually not a destined child. Destiny is just a tool used to invigorate heroes and create false hope.¡±

    ¡°You yourself said she was. Isn¡¯t that why you wanted her dead?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a powerful child. With the kind of power strong enough to change history, maybe even bring about a new era. But that decision was always up to her.¡±

    ¡°Then why try to kill her?¡±

    ¡°Because I love her. Weakness can¡¯t be permitted when walking my path. So many are counting on me.¡± Betrayer turns around. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you attacked me?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I have no will to do anything.¡±

    ¡°Follow me.¡± Betrayer carves a portal and I enter.

    We arrive in a kingdom of water. The buildings themselves come from water bent into structures that outcrop from the ground. The water has a high level of purity. My senses aren¡¯t able to penetrate it to see what lies beyond them.

    ¡°Wood Primordials aren¡¯t the only ones who can create villages.¡±

    The air itself has layers of water with fish swimming in it.

    I want to show my darling daughter this place someday.

    Betrayer stops and releases tears. ¡°So do I.¡±

    I should want to kill him. After all he¡¯s done to me. He deserves to die. But there¡¯s a part of me that just can¡¯t help being there for those in pain.

    I embrace him. My nemesis. The one whose death I covet like nothing else. I send him my warmth without a thought. By the time I realize what I¡¯m doing, I decide to continue.

    Betrayer sobs in my embrace. ¡°Will the struggle ever end?¡±

    I hold him tightly. ¡°The struggle is what keeps us alive.¡±

    He gently leaves my embrace and leads the way.

    A waterfall of stairs becomes solid and we climb it together. Once we reach the top of the mountain, we arrive at a lake filled with minerals.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± I ask in wonder.

    ¡°Mages, tired of society, come here to gather materials to create the core for their staffs. The waters here are so pure, that one cannot help but tell the truth when submerged in them.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    I put the tip of my tendril in the lake.

    ¡°Do you still wish to kill me?¡± he asks, entering the lake.

    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t. Not right now.¡± The truth flows out from me and I pull my tendril out.

    This could be a trap.

    ¡°Ask me anything. I know you don¡¯t trust me. It¡¯s why I came here. I feel you deserve an explanation.¡±

    ¡°What was the name of the woman you fell in love with?¡±

    ¡°Archai Prima, the first angel. It was my job to bring her in, subdue her for ISEKAI. But I couldn¡¯t. She was so pure. When I drew out my blade to sever her wings, she looked at me curiously. She asked ¡°what do you like to do for fun?¡± I had never given it much thought before. She helped me become more than a weapon. With her I discovered my identity as an individual. I thought when I became a RiftRipper and returned to her all those years later that she wouldn¡¯t recognize me¡­or she¡¯d call me a monster. Instead she just held me in a deep embrace. All my pain was whisked away in an instant. We made love right here, sharing our deepest truths to each other.¡±

    ¡°Is she still alive?¡±

    ¡°The Archai Prima is beyond death. Her children are her and their children are her. She lives through all angels. A part of her sleeps inside Annolette.¡±

    ¡°Is that why she is a Child of Destiny?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my understanding.¡±

    My body tenses up.

    Do I really want the answer to this next question?

    ¡°What did you want from me?¡± I ask in a whisper.

    Betrayer falls silent.

    ¡°I deserve to know!¡±

    ¡°I wanted you to be the ultimate monster. To make the other assassins see where the Black Guild¡¯s path ultimately leads.¡±

    ¡°You had me kill WarWolf. Why?¡±

    ¡°I needed you to hate the Black Guild. To turn their own monster against them. What I did for you¡­it was a gift.¡±

    My cloak becomes like blades. ¡°It¡¯s the greatest loss! It is not a gift!¡±

    The fish in the lake and air turn their attention to me.

    They¡¯d only get caught up in it if I tried to kill him here.

    Betrayer stands firm. ¡°Sacrifice gives us strength. It¡¯s why I wanted to end Annie. But¡­I couldn¡¯t do it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve become a monster. Don¡¯t you see that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll become whatever I need to be. The goal is freeing our people. I no longer need your help to achieve it. I¡¯ve found others who share my vision.¡±

    ¡°Did you kill my parents? My parents back on Earth?¡±

    ¡°No. I stole you from them, but I didn¡¯t end them. There¡¯s no going back for us though. We can¡¯t turn back the clock to when we were mortals.¡±

    They¡¯re still alive. I want to see them. Just once.

    ¡°Well then you best return to your masters. Good luck creating a cross-over portal without the help of a primordial.¡±

    I enter the pool now. ¡°The next time we meet¡­I will end you.¡±

    Betrayer nods. ¡°Then we will perish together.¡±

    I can¡¯t kill him. Not until I send Annie¡¯s sister to her.

    I point a single blade at Betrayer. ¡°The more you fight ISEKAI, the stronger they become.¡±

    Betrayer emerges from the lake of truth. ¡°You always were special to me. I gave you my wisdom. Why squander it?¡±

    ¡°My loyalties lie with my daughter. Everyone else is expendable.¡±

    ¡°It seems we¡¯re both monsters.¡± Betrayer carves me a portal back to the Village of Doomed. ¡°History cannot be changed by one individual. Only when those with shared dreams venture together, can they carve the stones of fate and forge a new future.¡±

    ¡°Our future is an empty death.¡± I enter the portal.

    Four years pass before I am reunited with my daughter. Four years of fulfilling the whims of the village chief. Each time I get sent out to bring more heroes I stay as long as possible, searching for information about Annie and my own family. When my body is at it¡¯s limit, I crawl back into the portal and get swept up in darkness.

    Hope is a path that leads only to darkness. Even so, it¡¯s all that I have left now.

    My memories of Gloom as a friend fade with time and soon I only see him as an enemy. By the end of the first year my memory of her fades away. I become a mindless tool of ISEKAI. But still my purpose guides me, a purpose so strong it has become muscle memory.

    After four years, the day arrives when I¡¯m sent back to Earth to bring back the Hero of Destiny. It¡¯s then that I find my daughter.

    The warmth of her embrace melts away all my pains, all my guilt. We stay in that embrace till our bodies go numb and our tears run dry.

    She looks up at me and smiles. ¡°You didn¡¯t forget me.¡±

    I pat my daughter¡¯s head. ¡°I can feel our history together¡­even if it is lost in darkness.¡±

    Annie touches my head. Her fingers feel like pure unfiltered light. ¡°Let¡¯s catch up.¡± She smiles at me with a love I had forgotten existed.

    Family is hope that you can touch. It¡¯s hope that can hold you.

 Living Memory: The Heros Epic Journey Ends: Assassins Truth

    The world of my past fades. The mist around us clears as it is sucked into a pipe held by my fungal captor, simply known as Kuu. She was the one who initiated this journey into my memories. I slowly come into awareness, recognizing the others one by one.

    The small deity looks at me in daze. Her energetic will having her bob side to side. DereDere may be my only chance at surviving this encounter.

    The one in the white cloak is Betrayer, my nemesis. His expression is impossible to read. The man who was once my guru has achieved a mastery over his abilities.

    Muttering to herself next to him is an angel who wears her own shadow as clothing. She has puppy ears of darkness and is the elder sister of my dear daughter. My pudding puff calls this girl Luna but most know her as Shade.

    The fruit-scented fortune teller with the sour attitude was once a friend of mine. To think I forgot about Fruity and the Produce Pirate. Now that her mind has been fragmented, she¡¯s hardly recognizable.

    The last of my captors is TomCat, the sister of three brothers who were all rebels. Her eyes are glazed over. Looks like she¡¯s still processing information.

    I feel my own form. I¡¯m still in tatters. Not enough time has passed to allow me to rejuvenate. But my memory is so clear now. Everything that happened is so clearly in my mind.

    Is this a result of that strange memory mist?

    DereDere perks up. ¡°Happy ending! Happy ending! Yay!¡±

    I can¡¯t help but feel her warm energy. To think this gentle heat was once toxic to me.

    She looks at me with a scrutinizing gaze. ¡°When is the sequel? The Deity demands to know what happened to your daughter after she hopped worlds!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about it if you help me escape. You can even experience it yourself.¡±

    ¡°Ooooh!¡± DereDere bounces up and down with anticipation, creating a surge of electricity.

    Luna looks up. Her emotional body is caked with uncertainty. ¡°The Hero of Destiny¡¯s journal is with my sister. She¡¯ll be here shortly. Sent Yuki to find her and he¡¯s reliable for a hero.¡±

    I turn to Betrayer who is as still as a statue. ¡°What you did to WarWolf¡­it imprinted on me. Even when I forgot all the details, just being in your presence ignited my hatred for you. It¡¯s a burning feeling and with my memory restored it¡¯s stronger than ever.¡±

    ¡°The past is holding you down. You¡¯ll never open the door to the future like that,¡± he says, not moving a centimeter.

    Kuu starts dancing around. ¡°Ah but the past is the heart of the future¡¯s body. Memories are the blood that give it function.¡±

    TomCat sobs into her hands. She tries to growl to cover it up but ends up breaking out into tears.

    My body moves to comfort her, but is too weak.

    DereDere grabs the CatBoy general¡¯s head and smothers it against her chest. ¡°The Deity accepts your tears as an offering.¡±

    TomCat pushes away. ¡°I felt it. His last moments. I felt so many things.¡±

    They didn¡¯t just peep on my past, they lived it through me. Even my most intimate moments are no longer secret. I feel so embarrassed.

    Shade bites her lip. ¡°I felt it too. But we need to stay focused. How did my little sister get back to Earth?¡±

    DereDere rubs TomCat but then her ears perk up. ¡°No spoilers allowed!¡±

    ¡°Ignore her!¡± Luna glares at me. ¡°What happened after that? I didn¡¯t know she had left.¡± She wipes her eyes. ¡°I thought she was killed. When her book faded from my hands¡­I thought my sister was gone.¡±

    DereDere looks up at her and then at TomCat and nods. She speeds back and forth between the two, offering them her divine comfort.

    I steady myself as best I can, trying to form a solid shape for strength. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t remember. It¡¯s all a haze.¡±

    Kuu stops mixing herbs in a wok and turns to Shade. ¡°Shall we embark on another journey through the blood of the past?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll just figure it out when she gets here.¡± Shade glides on her shadow up to me. ¡°I thought you kidnapped her.¡± She gulps and bows. ¡°Thank you for protecting my little sister.¡±

    She¡¯s the ringleader and she feels indebted to me. Perhaps I can escape this twisty predicament.

    TomCat pins DereDere down, stopping the onslaught of emotional support. She growls at me. ¡°Well you better remember something! Luchador Espada is he alive? And what happened to Matador Muchacho after you left? Did that nasty old man have you track them down and kill them?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t remember.¡±

    ¡°Urrgh! Well someone has to know. Don¡¯t you have an Archivos on your side?¡± TomCat asks Luna aggressively.

    ¡°He¡¯s running late.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go get him.¡± TomCat growls.

    Betrayer releases some calming mist on TomCat. ¡°All secrets reveal themselves in time.¡±

    Shade turns to him with flushed cheeks. ¡°You mean like how you¡¯re Annie¡¯s grandpa! When were you going to tell me? And how about the fact that you tried to kill my sister! Kept that secret a long time, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Oh that. Forgotten. I tend to forget unnecessary things. I decided to allow her to live. It¡¯s irrelevant now.¡± He folds his sleeves on top of each other.

    ¡°Urrrgh! Well I¡¯m never forgetting!¡± Shade hisses at him.

    ¡°Does the shadow puppy want some Divine daijobus too?¡± asks DereDere with a tilt of her head.

    ¡°I want a damned apology!¡± She grabs Betrayer. ¡°You said we wouldn¡¯t keep secrets from each other. I even told you my tickle spots!¡± Her voice cracks.

    Betrayer scratches his head. ¡°Oh, must have forgotten that. Wasn¡¯t important.¡±

    ¡°Then what the hell is important?¡± She growls at him with teary eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t I important to you?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s important is our mission. You¡¯re of vital importance to me.¡± His tendrils become a web that pulls her into a hug.

    ¡°Yeah. We got the information. Let¡¯s review it when the rest of the team arrive.¡±

    DereDere speeds off.

    ¡°Shit! She¡¯s getting away! I had my shadow holding her but it must have went lax when you pissed me off!¡±

    ¡°Your rage is spicy,¡± says Betrayer with warmth.

    Shade blushes.

    DereDere returns with two others. The glasses brat who used to work with Mortal¡¯s Militia and a hero of some sort.

    The glasses brat is holding his face which is covered in blood. ¡°What just happened? Where are we?¡±

    The hero pats the brat¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re back with Shadow Truth. Shade, can you heal him? Some Elfizonian warrior smashed his glasses into his face.¡±

    ¡°I will smite that impure filth as soon as I can see.¡± The brat slams his hand against the cave wall. ¡°Oww!¡±

    ¡°Come on, sweetie. Just lie down and Shade will take care of you.¡±

    TomCat steps in the way. ¡°First I want answers! What happened to my brothers? Do you know anything?¡±

    Shade pushes her aside with her shadow. ¡°Calm down kitten. Spectacles can tell you what he knows after I get him to stop whining.¡±

    TomCat shrugs. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair.¡±

    Shade¡¯s shadow crawls into the brat¡¯s face and fills his pores, pushing out the glass. ¡°Healing your eyes will take time. I¡¯m a combat angel, not a medic.¡±

    ¡°Then get your sister!¡± he yells.

    Shade looks up at Yuki. ¡°Did you find my little lamby?¡±

    ¡°I did and she¡¯ll be here soon. Just needs some time to grieve. Her hero died.¡±

    TomCat shudders. ¡°He¡¯s gone. But, he¡¯s the Hero of Destiny!¡±

    Betrayer looms over her. ¡°Destiny is not an all-powerful force. It is another lie of ISEKAI.¡±

    Luna glares at him. ¡°You even said that my sister was a Child of Destiny.¡±

    ¡°Oh that. Well that¡¯s different.¡±

    TomCat grabs the Archivos brat. ¡°Do you know where my brothers are?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know who they are. I can search the mindscape, but I need to be of sound mind. Until I get new glasses, I can¡¯t do anything.¡±

    TomCat grins. ¡°Great! We¡¯ll just pick some up at the next town.¡±

    ¡°Ha! An Archivos¡¯ Specs are like a wand. Special prescription energy concentration spectacles. That¡¯s the acronym by the way. Funny thing about acronyms. They don¡¯t exist in my kingdom. See acronyms are for lazy people and simpletons who can¡¯t deal with using the entire name for something every time.¡±

    TomCat twists his arm. ¡°Get to the point.¡±

    ¡°Owww. Special prescription energy concentration spectacles focus both an Archivos¡¯ eyes and his mind. And each one is custom forged. There are so many procedures involved in their creation!¡±

    ¡°Where can we get you new glasses?¡± TomCat rolls her eyes as twists his arm.

    ¡°Only at my kingdom! We have special examiners who do Spec tests.¡±

    She releases him.

    The Archivos brat spits in disgust. ¡°Ugh, my tongue feels all slimy because of that filthy acronym.¡±

    Shade pets TomCat¡¯s shadow, making the CatBoy shiver with goosebumps.

    ¡°Eeesh, that feels weird.¡± TomCat¡¯s tail coils.

    ¡°Sorry kitty. No time for a detour like that.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t your RiftRipper take us?¡±

    Betrayer moves to TomCat. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to teleport there. The kingdom of Akashia is beyond our reach.¡±

    The Archivos sits up. ¡°And I¡¯m not allowed back unless I bring back Glasses Kid. But I decided to just kill him instead.¡±

    TomCat growls. ¡°You killed the only one who knows where my brothers are! Wait, if he¡¯s dead then¡­¡± She rushes to Fruity¡¯s side. ¡°If she dies, I¡¯ll rend your flesh from your bone. Glasses Kid linked their bodies with some weird parasite.¡±

    ¡°Fret not! I¡¯m alive!¡± Glasses Kid walks into the cave. He breathes in the air. ¡°Ah, so much history here.¡± He turns to Shade and Betrayer. ¡°A spot of great importance to you both.¡±

    TomCat picks him up. ¡°Look here, twerp! You¡¯re going to tell me what happened to my brothers.¡±

    Glasses Kid shrugs. ¡°I was gone for four years. There¡¯s no way of me knowing. Most likely Old Dude sent some assassins after them. Which means they are very likely dead.¡±

    TomCat slams her fist to the ground and cries. ¡°I could have done something. I should have saved them. I¡¯m going to kill that Old Dude! But damn it! Wood Primordial¡¯s are immortal.¡±

    Glasses Kid grabs her chin and lifts it. ¡°Look outside. All that remains is ash. Looks like your old boss figured out a way to kill them.¡±

    Shade looks outside. ¡°He¡¯s right. The village is dust. This is fantastic news.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ll commit it to memory,¡± says Betrayer.

    Shade snaps her shadow¡¯s fingers. ¡°Alright, the whole team is together now. Kitten, kill Glasses Kid so we can discuss our plans.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    TomCat turns to shade with clenched fists. ¡°If you kill him, Fruity dies. I won¡¯t let that happen.¡±

    ¡°Actually I have a question for him. Did that RiftRipper who worked with you eat Tumble? Did she kill my baby sister?¡±

    ¡°Nope. She got her power years before that. Made friends with her hero¡¯s angel and then killed and ate them both. It was very exciting to witness firsthand! That¡¯s actually when we first met. I was so annoying she didn¡¯t want me to join her friends inside her mind.¡± Glasses Kid laughs arrogantly.

    ¡°Then she¡¯s still out there someone.¡±

    ¡°Or dead.¡±

    Shade glares.

    Glasses Kid steps back. ¡°What it¡¯s just a possibility.¡±

    DereDere hops on Glasses Kid¡¯s shoulders and leans over to gaze into him. ¡°What about the ginger girl? Where is she?¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­I have no idea. I¡¯m ashamed to admit that I¡¯m truly stumped on that one. Even the ISEKAI earth branch offices were unable to locate her.¡±

    DereDere bites into her clothes. ¡°This mystery must be solved!¡± She hops off him.

    TomCat removes his glasses and then hits him in the back of the head. ¡°He won¡¯t overhear us now and without these he can¡¯t access the mindscape, right?¡±

    ¡°A very clever kitty indeed.¡± Shade grips TomCat with her shadow and rubs her body. ¡°You get a reward.¡±

    Betrayer turns to Kuu, who is having an out of body experience. ¡°I¡¯ll surmise what we now know. The Pure Portal can only be opened with a sacrifice of a RiftRipper with at least one-hundred souls inside. It must be carved by another RiftRipper at the Chrono Fissure. Even then, there is a risk of obliteration.¡± He turns to DereDere. ¡°That Ginger girl was obliterated by the portal. We cannot suffer the same fate. We¡¯ll have to head to Archai after all. We need to uncover more information on Pure Portals. Glasses Kid will come as our hostage. Assailant will be the sacrifice we make to open the portal.¡±

    Shade picks up the Archivos brat. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us you witnessed the Pure Portal opening? Why didn¡¯t you tell me what happened to my sister?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± He shields his face.

    ¡°Forgetful shrooms! Weren¡¯t you paying attention?¡± asks DereDere.

    Shade glares. ¡°Tch. This is all Glasses Kid¡¯s fault. How I wish I could have his own shadow enter his throat and steal his breath.¡±

    Betrayer pats her. ¡°Business before personal.¡±

    ¡°I know. I know.¡± Shade stops. She stares at a spot beyond my range. I feel her energy soften.

    ¡°Big sis!!!¡± Stalker flies into her sister, knocking her over. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see you again.¡±

    Wait, her real name. I remember it now. Does that mean the hero truly is dead?

    Shade turns away from her sobbing sister. ¡°It has been a long time.¡±

    DereDere hovers over my daughter. ¡°Hand over the hero¡¯s journal so the Deity can imbibe in the second act of the sacred ceremony of story time.¡±

    Annolette wipes her tears. ¡°I can¡¯t. He¡¯s dead.¡±

    DereDere¡¯s face darkens. She holds herself and trembles. ¡°Storytime is dead?¡±

    Shade gets up off the ground. ¡°Hero¡¯s die. It¡¯s part of the job. You shouldn¡¯t get so attached.¡±

    ¡°What happened after you were taken? Did you find mom?¡± Annie snuggles her sister. ¡°We have so much to catch up on.¡±

    ¡°I took care of myself. And I thought Yuki would take care of you.¡±

    Yuki lowers his head. ¡°I told you I was kidnapped. Annie is strong enough to take care of herself. You¡¯re together now, so I guess I was right.¡±

    Annie hugs her sister tightly. ¡°We are together.¡±

    Shade tries to keep her sadness and relief buried but I can sense it.

    She loves Annie dearly. Then again. It¡¯s impossible not to.

    Shade turns away. ¡°We can¡¯t go looking for your mom.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Shade turns to her with tears in her eyes. ¡°If we find her, then the Archivos¡¯ will find out through the mindscape. She¡¯s only safe if we never find her. Only after ISEKAI burns can we finally be reunited.¡±

    Annie wipes her eyes. ¡°I¡­I lost Tumble. A RiftRipper came in when the Mortal Militia¡¯s base was ambushed and she¡­she¡¯s gone.¡± She sobs against Shade.

    ¡°The RiftRipper didn¡¯t kill her. She¡¯s still out there somewhere. When we meet with you mom I¡¯m sure we can track her down.¡± Shade grabs Annie¡¯s hands. ¡°We need your help to take them down. You can fulfill your destiny of destroying ISEKAI.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a Child of Destiny. Your mother told me. I¡­can only do great things with your help. I¡¯m not special.¡± She cries as her shadow holds her.

    ¡°I never knew. The Hero of Destiny¡­he was supposed to end the war. Then ISEKAI could become a force for good. That¡¯s what I wanted. But that¡¯s no longer possible.¡±

    I focus my energy to speak. ¡°Annie.¡±

    My snuggle muffin gasps and turns to me. Fear and dread coat her like muck. ¡°Daddy?¡± Her voice rings with pain.

    ¡°I¡¯ll survive. And we can still stop Flam. We don¡¯t need the Hero of Destiny. We can still win without him.¡±

    Annie hugs me, my black sludge defiles her sacred dress. ¡°Daddy. What happened to you?¡±

    Shade swallows and straightens her back. ¡°We need him to open a Pure Portal.¡±

    ¡°What? Why do you even need a Pure Portal?¡± She points at Betrayer. ¡°He¡¯s been using you.¡±

    Shade shakes her head. ¡°He hasn¡¯t. Look, if you join us then we¡¯ll find another RiftRipper.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to let him go now!¡± yells Annie.

    I muster my strength to form the smallest hand. It grabs onto my angel¡¯s pinky. ¡°I never got a chance to show you this place.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Daddy, don¡¯t talk like you¡¯re gonna die. Luna, help me heal him.¡±

    ¡°Only time can heal a RiftRipper. There¡¯s no Wood Primordials nearby so there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±

    ¡°Shade, I want to show her something. Can I?¡± I ask weakly.

    ¡°Yeah¡­that¡¯s fine.¡± Shade nods.

    I slowly move deeper into the cave.

    Annie follows along, sending me all her positive energy through her pinky.

    I feel so much sadness from her. She truly cares deeply for me.

    I take her to the stone slab of the assassins.

    Can¡¯t remember the true name. Are my memories fading again?

    I release her hand and point. ¡°You¡¯ll find my name here. This is where I first became an assassin. Close your eyes and feel it.¡±

    She beams at me through her tears and places her hand on the slab. Guided by my energy she finds the inscription. ¡°Weech. Was that your name? It¡¯s such a cute name.¡±

    ¡°I used to be really cute. You¡¯d hardly recognize me.¡±

    Annie hugs me. ¡°You are still really cute. Hey, a Weech is the first animal my mom ever showed me. I was just a baby then. She told me to be wary of them cuz I was extra susceptible to cute things.¡±

    I reach out to grab her pinky but my hand is too weak.

    It keeps going through. Why can¡¯t I touch her? Why can¡¯t I feel my daughter?

    Annie tries to smile through her tears. ¡°I feel your love, Daddy. I feel it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t regret meeting me, right? You enjoyed adventuring with me.¡±

    Annie falls to her knees and hugs my core. ¡°Yeah and we¡¯re going to have many more adventures. So stay with me.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Pudding plum¡­a voice in my head wants me to tell you something.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing.¡±

    ¡°He wants his sister home safe and sound. The tomboy catgirl¡­I forgot her name.¡±

    ¡°TomCat? Umm yeah. We can bring her to Earth together ¡®kay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­that¡¯s nice. Oh and tell White Knight I¡¯m sorry for forgetting about him. Apparently we were really close.¡±

    ¡°Silly Daddy, apologies have to come from the person who is sorry.¡± She sticks out her tongue playfully.

    ¡°Hey, the names of my other classmates are there too. On the slab. War¡­ummm. I can¡¯t remember. I can¡¯t remember her name!¡±

    I can¡¯t remember any of them. Everything is vanishing and I can¡¯t hold on. I¡¯m so scared.

    Annie¡¯s voice pierces through the darkness. ¡°I¡¯ll say every name on the slab until you remember. I want to hear all about them! I want to know all about your cool assassin life!¡±

    ¡°O-O-Okay.¡±

    Annie¡¯s voice cracks. ¡°Daddy. They¡¯re all animals.¡±

    ¡°Oh, they are. That¡¯s cute.¡±

    If I go away, they can¡¯t use me. Betrayer¡­he loses.

    ¡°Dad! There must be like thousands of animal names on this slab! I can use this for my Monsterpedia! This is incredible! I¡¯ll add any I¡¯m missing to my journal!¡± She crouches down and hugs me. ¡°I can accomplish my dream! It¡¯s all thanks to you! This is the greatest gift of my life!¡± Her energy drops. ¡°My journal¡­must have misplaced it.¡±

    Thank you for letting someone like me¡­have a chance to be a father. My parents died so I could become strong. I want you to become strong too.

    A figure walks past me but I¡¯m too weak to discern who it is. ¡°Here, Sis.¡±

    Annie opens the journal with shaky hands. Her hand trembles and tears drip down her notebook. ¡°I¡¯m writing them down right now Daddy.¡±

    You were my¡­guardian angel.

    I wipe my tears and drop my journal.

    Daddy?

    I hug his core. I try to put the muck back on it. ¡°His core is the real him. Why don¡¯t I sense anything?¡±

    My sister puts her hand over her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    I look up at her but can¡¯t see through my tears. ¡°Everything is dark. First I went colorblind¡­then Main died¡­and now that Daddy¡­everything is dark.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so so sorry.¡± Luna cries.

    ¡°Help me! We have to heal him! Help me!¡± I yell.

    Luna crouches down and puts out her hands.

    ¡°Lick them! Our saliva heals, remember.¡± I slobber all over my hands.

    Luna does the same. We then hold them out again.

    Why isn¡¯t anything coming out?

    ¡°I¡­can¡¯t use my energy. Luna¡­I¡¯m broken.¡± I grab onto my sister and sob.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. I¡¯m here for you.¡±

    I unleash all my tears and misery onto her.

    Denial is supposed to be a stage, right? Why did I skip it? I should be in denial right now. I shouldn¡¯t be hurting.

    I lift my head and lash out at the first person I see. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you protect him! You say you¡¯re a god, right? Then save him! Heal my daddy!¡±

    DereDere lowers her head. ¡°The Deity¡­I¡­can¡¯t help. Was too late.¡±

    I turn to the RiftRipper in the white cloak. ¡°You! You¡¯re the one he hates! Did you do this! Did you kill my daddy!¡±

    ¡°I only meant to incapacitate him. This is¡­not what I wanted.¡± Tears leak from him.

    No! You don¡¯t deserve to cry.

    I stand up, letting my rage guide me. Water comes out from me and lifts me into the air. ¡°Die!¡± I fire shot after shot into the monster who took my daddy away.

    As my water beams tear him apart, I turn to TomCat. ¡°You! You wanted this too? Is that why you¡¯re here with them?¡±

    ¡°He killed my brother. I thought he killed them all but maybe their alive. And yeah, I wanted to kill him, but I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t know how I feel now.¡±

    ¡°Main trusted you! Daddy trusted you too! You don¡¯t deserve to live!¡± I sharper my water beam and fire it right at her head.

    White Knight teleports in front of it and DereDere emerges from his chest, eliminating my attack. ¡°What in the glorious name of Durga is going on here?¡± he asks, looking up at me with terror.

    ¡°She let my daddy die! Move or you die too!¡±

    How dare he protect her!

    White Knight looks up at me. ¡°You know for the first time ever, you look ugly.¡±

    What?

    He removes his helmet, revealing long locks of yellow hair and a scar-ridden face. ¡°Revenge isn¡¯t who you are! Assailant is the greatest RiftRipper I ever had the honor to work with. He said your cuteness kept him going. Well right now you¡¯re ugly. He wouldn¡¯t want that.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what he wants anymore!¡±

    Shade reaches out and touches me.

    ¡°Get away! You killed him too! You¡¯re not my sister!¡± I yell, firing a water bullet near her feet that pierces through the cave floor.

    Kuu exits her trance. ¡°The one who ended the shadow man¡¯s tale¡­is you.¡±

    What?

    ¡°How dare you!¡± I shoot at her but her mist melts my attack. ¡°You were involved too, weren¡¯t you? Did you poison him, traitor?¡±

    A kid with glasses sits up. ¡°You did. He was weak. Very weak, but his condition was steady. Kindness is like poison to RiftRippers. Sure in his normal state an angel¡¯s energy is calming. But calm a RiftRipper when they¡¯re in critical condition and¡­they die.¡±

    I¡­killed daddy?

    My energy erupts out of me, shooting upward and causing the cave to collapse.

    Everyone rushes out.

    I deserve to die.

    Something slams into me as I form a water dagger.

    ¡°Bad friend! No die!¡± yells the Static Huntress, twisting my arm.

    I see someone in the back get buried under the rubble.

    Yu-ki!

    I fly to his side and lift him to his feet. ¡°Moron! You should have headed to the exit like everyone else. Why didn¡¯t use your barrier power?¡±

    ¡°Had to bring you back somehow.¡± He smiles at me with a bruised face.

    It doesn¡¯t hurt so bad right now. I thought everything would be pain from now on.

    White Knight lifts us both up. ¡°He was so brave, that my ability didn¡¯t even activate. If he was afraid, I would have gotten in the way and protected him.¡±

    I look toward the voice but I can¡¯t see through my tears. ¡°Daddy said you¡¯re a great friend¡­and he¡¯s sorry for forgetting you before.¡±

    ¡°Friendship is something eternal. No doubt he gave his life away so those fiends couldn¡¯t complete their dastardly plan.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he was always willing to give. He just¡­gave to much this time.¡± I choke on my tears.

    ¡°And he will continue his legacy of benediction! That valiant assassin lives on in both us! We are his living memory!¡± White Knight places his hand to my heart.

    I put my hand atop his. ¡°He¡¯ll be with us forever.¡± I wipe my eyes as I see the moonlight from outside.

    A full moon.

    ¡°Are we going to track down those criminals and bring them to justice?¡± asks White Knight.

    Yu-ki turns to him. ¡°She needs rest. I¡¯m not leaving your side ever again, okay? So don¡¯t ever worry about that kay.¡± He smiles with watery eyes.

    I look up at them. White Knight is carrying me. The Static Huntress is wiping my tears. Yu-ki is holding my hand. Even Dandy is trying her best to cheer me up by popping out from White Knight¡¯s armor and making funny faces.

    They¡¯re all here for me. I still have someone.

    Glasses Kid scurries up to us. ¡°I got his core. They can¡¯t use him like they planned to now.¡±

    I hold the core to my cheek and send it my warmth.

    I¡¯ll be okay, Daddy. They won¡¯t let me stay sad.

    I look up at them and smile, sending a wave of relief through all my friends. I look back at the cave. ¡°I left my journal in there back with the slab. Buried everything, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m a real screw up of an angel.¡±

    White Knight shakes his head. ¡°Not to worry. You¡¯re twelfth hero can retrieve it.¡± He hands me to Yu-ki.

    ¡°Wait¡­I don¡¯t need it anymore. That was a childish dream. I¡¯m an adult now.¡± I hop out from Yu-ki¡¯s arms and stand up on shaky legs.

    I hold out my pinky and a pink string appears. It feels so familiar.

    My eyes tear up with joy.

    ¡°Does that lead to Luna?¡± asks Yu-ki.

    ¡°Nope.¡± I smile and hold the string to my face.

    Tumble. She¡¯s alive.

    ¡°Go wherever decide,¡± says the Static Huntress with a big grin.

    ¡°Let follow it and find my little sister.¡±

    ¡°Tumble? That¡¯s hers.¡± Yu-ki beams at me.

    I turn to him and smile. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s her.¡±

    Yu-ki bows. ¡°Then we are at your command.¡±

    I turn to them all and grin. ¡°We¡¯re going on an adventure! But first I gotta fix up my hero.¡± I grab Yu-ki¡¯s hand.

    It¡¯s so warm. He was my first hero. My first love.

    I look over the horizon.

    I wonder if Racheal is okay too. Every day after I crossed over to Earth, I prayed for her, Tumble, Momma and¡­Luna to be safe. My prayers worked for Tumble. Maybe they protected her too.

    I look up at the moon and at my friends again.

    If she is alive, then we¡¯ll track her down together too.

    Annolette, Yuki, White Knight, Dandy, Glasses Kid, The Static Huntress and others will be returning for <u>The Main Character!: Archetypal Anxiety</u>

    Assailant will not be returning

    <u>The Main Character!: Archetypal Anxiety</u> 1st chapter releases Fall 2020!

    Did you like Racheal and want to see more of her? I know I adore her! If you want to discover what happened to my goth girlfriend after she crossed over to Earth, you can find out in a special chapter!

    It''s available only in the ebook and print versions of Broad-Spectrum Assassin and to all Patrons as well.

    Also if you want to help shape this guardian angel''s destiny and support her friends, then join the Patreon subscription. There are bundles of perks!

    Patreon.com/sphere_of_compassion

    Oh! If you enjoyed my daddy''s story then you''ll love the Of The Exps serieis (5 sci-fi/fantasy books are currently available in eBook and print form on amazon).

    And subscribe to the website too!

    Sphereofcompassion.com

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Alexander McCarty is an animal born on Earth who actively seeks freedom for his fellow animals. He enjoys watching anime, playing video games, reading books by other independent authors, being an activist, writing anime-style stories, and living a vegan life. Having graduated from college with a focus on Asian and Religious Studies, he now spends his time as a writer and as an abolitionist vegan advocate. He listens to any and all comments, suggestions, reflections and criticism.

    Please contact me with a link to where you placed a review for any of my books (Of The Exps/ The Main Character) and I will answer any single question as one of my characters for FREE. If you do a review (and point out where) in addition to submitting fan art, I will write a FREE short 2¨C4 page story (with my characters) in a scenario of your choosing. =(:3)*

    Bloggers who wish to review Exp 8: Rebellion of the Exps or The Main Character: The Hero''s Epic Journey Begins Part 1 or Guardian Angel may request "Review Copies".

    Stalker''s Special Message

    Animals have families just like we do! You wouldn''t want to hurt an animal if you didn''t have to, right? Great news! You don''t have to. You absolutely have the power to live Vegan! Vegan living means no buying animal products whether they are food, clothing or cosmetic related. It also means not supporting places that exploit animals for entertainment like zoos and aquariums. Be my hero by living Vegan and inspiring others to do the same!

    If you need resources, the ones below are the absolute best.

    In this world there are the victims and the victimizers. If you believe it''s wrong to harm the innocent, then don''t do it. Animals of all species have cherished families. Freedom is their birthright. I don''t want Main''s fans to cheer on his heroic acts while hypocritically contributing to needless animal exploitation and death. Be your own hero and live with integrity. Live vegan.

    If you need resources, the ones below are the absolute best.

    veganeducationgroup.com

    adaptt.org