Objective: Fire

Old days part 1

6 years ago
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"Kill an elemental master..."
A gasp escaped her mouth as He told her what his next mission was. Whatever she was holding, dropped to the ground, breaking into millions of pieces, spreading across the floor. The look on her face told him everything. She didn't like it.
" Brine... you.. you can't do this.." she quietly whispers as her eyes saddens. They both knew very well that this mission wasn't a choice, and that the dark lord wouldn't accept a no for an answer. Brine has to complete the mission to be promoted to the complete rank as Renegade. But this didn't change Pipers opinion. She knew this was wrong, she knew that the world needed the elemental masters, that they perhaps could save them from the hell they were living in now one day...
" you know I don't have a choice..." Brine replied, slowly kneeling down to help her pick up the poses of broken glass from the ground. Piper didn't move. Her eyes were on her feet. She cared for Brine, she really did, and she knew deep down that if he killed someone... something inside of him would break... he would change...he could turn into... a monster...
" See...? This is exactly what I've been trying to tell you... the league is bad Brine... we.. we shouldn't be here, we're only 17 and we're not supposed to kill people! We're supposed to be at a home with loving parents, friends and a normal life!" Unlike many others, she and Brine were close friends, perhaps Best friends would be a more fitting word, but that being illegal within the league, they had to keep it secret.
The two of them had known each other and grown close through the years, them actually being allowed to work together on some missions sometimes. Piper being the greatest hacker in the world and Brine being the infamous Renegade. Yes, they were a perfect team, even the dark lord wouldn't have denied that.
"Piper..." Brine stood up from the ground, quietly reaching out for her hands, grabbing them into his as he got eye contact with the girl he knew so well.
" I won't change... its just a mission... even though I hate it, I must do it. I can't disobey my master... he would kill me... maybe even you... and I promise you, I won't allow anything to happen to you..." he tried to smile, hoping it would cheer her up a bit.
Piper lowered her head, her eyes looking down to their hands. She felt safe around Brine, she sure did, but she didn't want to live this life... being held as slaves to the dark lord, their only purpose being to serve him..
" why... why don't we run away? The two of us... together? We could make it, just the two of us, up in the mountains or something!" She didn't dare to look up at Brines expression. She knew he would be shocked that she would suggest something so dangerously stupid.
" w..what!? Are you mad...?" Brine burst out, but he didn't let go of her hands.
" no! I'm dead serious! Brine! We could do this! I found my dad!" The last part came out of her unexpectedly and she quickly covered her mouth as she realized what she had just said.
Brine was shocked. How in the world had she managed to find her... parents..? Was she really that good of a hacker..?
" H..how..." Brine whispered. He had always wondered who his parents where, why they had let the league take him... why they had given him up..?
Piper didn't know where to start. There was so much to tell, but she had to tell him...
" the league has a file on each kid they have brought in here... who their parents are, where they come from, potentially powers, if they have and pretty much everything... everyone has a file except... you.." she mumbled the last part. She didn't understand why Brins had no files about his past in the database of the league, it only said that he was the first kid to arrive at the league, earning the number 01 and later the title Renegade. Chosen by the dark lord himself.
Brine had expected the worst, but the news still hurt..
" but you found your father...?" Brine quickly tries to change the subject.
Piper now allowed her lips to turn into a small smile. After all this time, she had. " I did... I actually did.. and he lives up into the snowy mountains.. not to far away from Sticks" her eyes sparkled with joy. Even through she couldn't remember him, she knew he was going to be overwhelmed with joy when they finally met again. At least she would. But she knew she couldn't leave the league alone... yes, she was fully capable to escape on her own and get away with it, but she couldn't leave Brine behind. She was his only friend, his only source to joy in this world... she was the only thing holding him back from not being a monster... and she needed him as well.. without Brine, she wouldn't feel right. She would also feel guilty about leaving him behind, letting them turn him into a cold hearted weapon for the league... no, she couldn't allow that, she wouldn't allow them to use Brine like this. Neither was she going to let them use him as their Renegade. They have ruined enough lives already.
" I'm... im planning on visiting him.. as in.. leave the league and never return." She finally confessed. She had suggested earlier to just run away, but now that she had a real reason behind it, and a place to go, Brine felt himself calm down a bit. She was right after all... they could make it, they could settle down somewhere hidden, somewhere far away from the league, but the thought of leaving scared him. He had grown up here, he had been trained to kill and to serve the league... he didn't know how a normal life felt like... he had no idea how it felt to be loved... the closest to family he had was Piper, and he was the same for her, except that she had a parent out there. Unlike him, she had someone out there. His relatives were gone, they didn't exist... at least not in the database of the league, and that itself is very strange.
" Brine... please... please come with me... we could run away and stay with my father... I really want you to come with me" she took his hand in hers, her dark brown eyes staring into his deep blue ones...
" I... I don't know..." he mumbled. How was he supposed to tell her? He didn't know how to be different... especially not out there...

" Renegade!" Clouse, one of Brines masters called out for him through the hallways, not to far from where they stood now. Piper and Brine quickly let go of each other before Clouse got the chance to expose them.
" right here master" Brine replied, turning away from Piper to face the dark haired man behind him.
" The dark lord has summoned you. It's time.. hurry now so I don't get late for my next training session with my team." Clouse spoke, now realizing that Piper was there as well, shyly looking away. The two of them standing there alone got Clouse a bit suspicious, but he didn't dare to ask. Brine wasn't his student, even though he had been training him in combat some few years ago. The boy had impressively improved a lot, and he was afraid to admit that the boy he once trained, may be more powerful that him. But this didn't badger him at all, in fact, this was only a result of his well training methods.
He hoped his present students would grow up to become just as good as the Renegade himself. After all, his team also possessed  special abilities.
As he turns to leave, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong, and it had something to do with the brown girl that Brine kept hanging around. She was well known for her hacking skills, but she should be careful. The league doesn't approve of attachments.

" I guess I will see you later, let's talk more then alright?" Brine spoke as Clouse had left them.
Piper only nods in reply. It was obvious that she didn't want him to go, but Brine knew she could be in trouble if she tried to prevent him from attending his mission. If she got caught doing it though.
He gave her a small smile before he turned to leave, letting her stand in the dark hallway alone, watching his back as he quietly walked away.
She couldn't help but feel worried for him. This mission... this mission could destroy him.. and she couldn't do anything to prevent him from attending it. All she could hope for now was that he would return without complaining the mission... but then again she knew he wouldn't.. he was the best agent here at the league... he couldn't fail.. he wasn't allowed to...
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Blood was all over the place... the smell.. the color...
The snow that once had been pure and white were now drained in blood..
The snow storm surrounding him now started to slow down as the old man in his arms slowly started to fade away...
" I'm... so....sorry..." Brine whispered, as he watched the face of the old man slowly turn pale. The elemental master of ice was quietly laying in his arms as he slowly died. Regrets and pain ran through Brines head as he watched what he had just done... he had killed a man... a human being...