Myrr: Reincarnated Timemage Assassin

Chapter 91: Karma

"Kisa! It's not what you think. Come with me!" Meera yells. My security is trying to stop this dangerous situation. However, I know the genie is out of the bottle. And curiosity kills the cat. I can't avoid this. Though Meera continues to tug, without Kisa's cooperation, her freakish Demi-Cat strength is immovable. I shake my head, putting up a hand. "Myrr?"

"Let her go, Meera." I sigh, feeling my stomach sink. The back of my neck is prickling with guilt. My head on fire with pain. It hurts to think, let alone speak. But I know I need to explain. Putting my head in my hands, I whisper hoarsely, "I'm sorry, Kisa. You weren't supposed to know."

"This is a bad idea," Meera says but lets her go anyways. "You're exposing us."

"It's more dangerous not to say anything," I reply, head still in my hands. It burns something awful. Quietly, I whisper the words for Chill and feel cool air spreading over my temples. The pounding subsides enough that I can talk. "Kisa, I came here to destroy Merekeep. The things you suspect...they're true-"

"We came here to destroy Merekeep," Meera interjects. I nod at her. "These honourless thieves and spineless weaklings who call themselves assassins. We're going to bring them down."

"D-Destroy?" Kisa's cat-like slit pupils widen. Whether in horror or amazement I can't tell. Her bottle-brush tail swishes from side to side, in a frantic rhythm. "Myrr...and Meera...want to destroy Merekeep?"

"Not just destroy." I shake my head. Chanting, I make a mini ball of compressed ice in my hands with Chill. For a second, the blue frosty orb swirls about with a howling wind inside. Then I let the magic go and it explodes, shattering into a hundred tiny snowflakes, scattering everywhere. Cold water splashes off my face and mana-made tears drip down my cheeks as I close my fists and bow my head. "We will tear it down. The Daggas Clan who rules this place. Those that oppress the Demi's and cause so much misery. I will take everything from them just as they have from me. However..."

"However?" Kisa's gaze is spellbound. I peek at her from the corner of my eyes, head still bowed. Her emerald eyes are locked on my hands as her tail swishes, swaying side to side like a giant tawny palm frond in the wind. She bares her teeth, unconsciously tensing as she waits for me to answer. I shouldn't be honest. But I don't want to lie about this.

"However...I'm not doing this for the Demi's. Not really..." I raise my head and narrow my eyes. Let her see some of the true me inside. It's always there, not quite anger, perhaps rage, but more like something else. Vengeance,justice, conviction, call it what you want. It's me. "They hurt someone who belongs to me. My sister...well Natalia would tell you that she's my maid. As well as other people, like my father. I just wanted you to know that. Don't mistake my reasons. This isn't a grand quest for your race. I am not a hero. Rather...we're not heroes." I nod to Meera who's been waving her hands irritably. She smiles as I acknowledge her. "It's just business for us. Personal business. Please leave and bring Nya with you tonight. Take whatever you want, money, supplies, any of the product. Your service to us has been invaluable, I want you to know that. We have connections outside the city who can set you up someplace safe for Demi's-"

"Leave?" Kisa's voice is louder than I expected. Her tail abruptly stops swishing. Slowly, she starts walking closer. Meera moves to stop her, but I shake my head. No...let her say what she wants to my face. "You want Nya and I to leave?"

"Yes. As I said, we can find a home for you-"

"But then who will run the shop while you kill the Daggas?"

Huh?

A half-transformed Demi-Cat hand slowly turns human before my eyes as Kisa sniffs and reaches into her pocket. Removing a handkerchief, she doesn't hesitate to bring it to my astonished face and dab at the watery remnants of my mini-Icebomb demonstration. Over in the corner, Meera has a perplexed expression to match mine. However, after a moment, it widens into a smile. To my surprise, she blurs, walking over and going out the front door.