Each year the Kingdom of Khearia throws a festival in remembrance of one of their most beloved kings who had tragically perished along with his wife and second son. His first son, Prince Fabian, was the only one to survive. Witnesses claimed his cro...
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"Who are you? Why are you doing this?!" the man wailed, horror rasping his quaking voice.
ㅤAt James' feet, the man dragged his terrified body along the floor, the rough stone banging and scratching his broken legs. Such desperation and fear.
ㅤIt did nothing to excite him.
ㅤ"Why?" James echoed.
ㅤThe question was funny, for they were in the dark damp depths of this man's dungeon; a space where petty thieves and trespassers were kept. Where such people would normally be reported to the knights of this territory's king, instead they laid dead; their tortured bodies fermenting and oozing an acrid stench.
ㅤThe answer was an obvious one.
ㅤThis particular job had been a tricky one, solely for the fact this man was the son of a noble. His client had asked him to make this assassination painful, and that would normally be a lot more difficult because of the noise. However, the guards must have become used to hearing screams from under the house, knowing what their young master was getting up to, none would dare check nor interrupt.
ㅤJames wondered how long it would take for them to find his body.
ㅤ"The 'why' doesn't matter."
ㅤJames had become tired of listing sins to scum a long time ago. They always knew why and they wouldn't feel guilt either way, telling them the reason never led to sincere remorse. He thought it was more tortuous to let them die without hearing the confirmation.
ㅤHe played with the body for a bit, knocking him around, breaking a few bones, and finally surrendering to boredom after accidentally knocking the guy out.
ㅤJames sighed.
ㅤ"Alright, your turn, Eris."
ㅤJames stabbed the limp body in the heart and watched as Eris' blade ate away at the flesh around her blade, charring and sucking the life force from the man, leaving solid black ash in its place.
ㅤHe took her out before she ate too much of it.
ㅤ"I'll give you a proper meal later," he promised, "the client wants this one thrown where the other bodies get left."
ㅤSo, he dragged the body through one of the cells, which already had three rotting corpses inside, and dumped the young master on top of them. Just as he was asked to do.
ㅤIt was repulsive.
ㅤAs always, the same thoughts passed through his mind.
ㅤHow many more times could he do this?
ㅤThe escape wasn't a difficult one, the guards hadn't even realised what'd happened. It was a boring getaway to match the boring job. The only challenge in this case was the location of the estate. The rich and noble kept their mansions near, but away, from major cities. This one had broad mountains bodied in its path under a blanket of sinister forest. James would have to return to the city by foot, quickly tie up loose ends, and then flee for his next adventure. Those Ankaid guards had got him too spooked to overstay his welcome.
