A promise abandoned
It’d be better just to die, Smoke thought. If I die now I won’t have to keep fighting Mideus, I won’t have to kill him.
His body sank further and further into the lake, down below the fish, below the rocks, below all. It is better to perish than live without purpose. Mideus, if you die what would I do?
‘’You may not know it yet, Mr. Smoke, but you are among the most important people alive,’’ The golden haired woman’s words sprung into his mind. ‘’Above lords and kings and emperors. One day you will know this, your destiny is written in the stars.’’
Vixen, you never understood me, did you? The pain from his wounds ceased, he felt nothing now, except… I already knew, from the day I was born I knew my destiny. I ran from it, but in the end, we are the world’s puppets.
Smoke’s heart pounded furiously, deep with a burning sensation. He cleared his mind. Or perhaps you already knew. You cruel woman, you dared me to hope. Why did you? Was it punishment? Or…
Smoke suddenly drew breath. In his surprise he gasped rapidly. He felt his feet on solid ground as streams of water from his wet clothes cascaded to the ground. He looked around to meet the faces of dozens of dumbfounded assassins, confused as he was.
‘’How did I-,” Smoke said aloud, hoping for an explanation, but deep in his mind he already knew that answer.
‘’The Myriad,eh?,” A slight smile formed on his lips. ‘’So it was out of mercy, vixen?
‘’So you aren’t dead yet, my friend?’’ Mideus’ voice brought back Smoke to his current reality.
Smoke looked to a rising platform among the assassins. Mideus stood there, pure glee on his face. His blade still red with Smoke’s blood.
‘’Mideus,’’ Smoke’s words came out in like a calm breeze, tinged in sorrow and melancholy. ‘’We once made a promise, remember? We were children back then, but I still hold my vow to my heart.’’
‘’You,’’ Mideus’ expression morphed to that of childlike fear. ‘’What do you mean?’’
Smoke cracked a chuckle, as if this whole situation was no more than a babe’s mistake. ‘’Back then, I swore that if you ever needed my help, no matter how dire the situation, no matter how hopeless we became…’’
Smoke reached into The Myriad and began to draw power. ‘’I would save you!’’
‘’Hehe….,” Mideus whimpered out a laughed as he clenched his blade with anger. ‘’So how would you save me, eh?’’
‘’Through death, so I swear on my name,” Mist formed around Smoke.’’ The name of Ignamiz Smoke!’’
A pillar of ice rose around Smoke, the glittering ice causing the mass of killers to stumble back. Smoke summoned a blade of pure ice, white as the freshest snow, and teleported next to his oldest friend.
‘’Too bad, Smoke,’’ Mideus twisted around onto Smoke’s location and lounged his blade like a rapid lance. ‘’You can’t save me, no one can!’’
Smoke reached out to the blade and in an instant produce a scabbard along the blade’s edges. Mideus’ screamed out as his weapon became locked in Smoke’s hand.
Smoke looked into his friend’s eyes, a deep mixture of anger, pain and sadness within. He took a deep breath and swung.
Just before the blade touched Mideus’ neck Smoke saw a smile on his face. Mideus whispered a message. He could not hear it, but he swore his lips said ‘’Thank you, goodbye.’’
In one swift motion Mideus was decapitated, his headless corpse falling to the ground in a miserable thump.
For what seemed like an eternity, Smoke was blank. No breathing, no thinking, no feeling. But reality sunk, and Smoke gave out a spine chilling scream, a sound that reached beyond the lake and mountains and even the heavens themselves.
Smoke fell to his knees and wept. For his friend, for his enemy and for the curse that is his fate. He wept and wept, until the sound of footsteps reminded him he was not alone.
He looked around to face the remaining assassins. Some were sad, some confused. Most of them showed pure bloodlust towards him. Some didn’t even show any emotion, none at all. But the situation was clear: They wanted revenge.
“What will you do?,’’ Smoke said, his voice emotionless. “”Your leader is dead; you no longer have a purpose here.”
Smoke turned to face them. “Leave now, take your leader’s corpse for proper burial and never face me again.’’
Smoke took a small pause, deep in thought, and then continued. ‘’Or stay, fight for vengeance and die. Let me be clear, you might kill me, but it will cost you all your lives. What will you do?’’
Without hesitation the mob drew their weapons. Smoke gave a saddened smile. ‘’Very well…’’
TO BE CONTINUED
