n

n

nNathan pierced the sleeping figure in his sight as he stared hard at the young man's body. He removed his blade with surgical precision, showing he was used to this very well. Immediately, blood came forth from the gaping hole in the dead man's chest. The bedsheets, the covering, the mattress… Blood soaked the bed of the one whom Nathan looked at with great sadness and guilt.

n

"When last have I felt this way?

" He asked himself as he unsheathed his blade.

n

"At least he didn't suffer

"

nThat was the thought Nathan used to comfort himself and ease his guilt even though he knew he was just giving excuses for his wrongdoing. Rio was the most innocent and good natured person he had encountered in a long time, yet he didn't hesitate to cut him down. Was he this far gone? Did he truly deserve happiness? Myriads of like thoughts plagued his mind as he tried to shake them off.

n

"I'm scum

" He admitted to himself.

nHe decided to return to their rendezvous spot. The sooner he left the room, the sooner he would forget the guilt in his heart. Besides, wasn't he already prepared for this much? If he didn't do the needful, it would come to bite him later in the future… In his and Marie's future.

nHe opened the door to Rio's room which also served as an exit and left, stealing a last glance before quickly shutting the door and returning to the parlor where everyone was supposed to meet up.

n

"Looks like I'm the first

" He muttered to himself, not noticing any of his colleagues within the area.

nHe decided to rest himself a bit while he waited for his comrades.

nOne minute passed. Two. Five… Still no sign of them. Nathan was not worried, but he started to get suspicious. There was no way his plan was flawed, the ones in the house couldn't fight back against him and his colleagues, who were all professionals. So what could be causing the delay?

n

"Don't tell me… Those bastards didn't…

" Nathan said to himself, his eyes suddenly bulging.

nWhat if everyone else decided not to stick to the plan and had straight up started to search for Relic for themselves while he was busy waiting for them. That meant that he would be cheated out of any potential profit they would all gain thanks to their greed. But…

n

"No, there's no way they would resort to that. We've done many jobs in the past, plus they know they're screwed if they pull anything

" Nathan reasoned, calming himself down.

nHe didn't even know why he had suspected them of that, perhaps because he was on edge. But why was he having these awry vibes? Maybe he was being too impatient, or maybe he was overreacting?

n

"Maybe I should check on them

" He muttered to himself.

nHe grunted as he rose from the soft couch in the parlor and ascended the luxurious stairs. As he climbed, his fingers tapped on the railings unconsciously, hinting some degree of impatience emanating from him.

nNot long after, he was already on the first floor. His eyes darted across the passage as he saw the four doors leading to the various room situated on the platform where he stood.

nHe went to the one closest to him, on his right, and saw that the door was not entirely closed. The hinge was bent and the door was partly open. Nathan peeked through the slightly opened door… What he saw shattered his earlier confidence and absolute trust in his flawless plan.

nBlood.

nOne could assume it was the blood of one of their targets, but it was not just blood he saw. Severed hands and fingers were dipped in the red liquid, but that wasn't all. The dark fabric they all wore in uniform was already dyed with red, and then there was the mask. While Nathan couldn't see the exact designs on it, he recognized the mask as one of theirs. It was shattered to pieces as the fragments all drowned in rouge… Then there was that. An eyeball that seemed to gaze intensely at Nathan, strands of nerves and flesh were still attached to the ball, as it floated in the pool of blood.

n

"N-No… That eye…

"

nHe recognized the eye… It belonged to Karl, his closest comrade amongst the Adventurers, and one of the people who went above to kill off their targets.

n

"Karl… No way…

" Nathan stuttered unbelievably, stunned beyond words.

nSuddenly, he heard a creak as the door seemed to move slightly.

n

"Uahhhhh

" He yelled in fright, taking several steps back and accidentally bumping into the next door opposite the one he just checked.

nAs he bumped into the door, it swung open, and he fell into the room by mistake, unable to control the momentum of his movement.

nAs his buttocks fell upon the hard ground, he felt something warm beneath him. A fluid began to permeate throughout his trousers, seeping deeper into his undergarments and touching his skin. It was blood.

nHe lifted one of his hand, which was also covered in the blood that was on the floor. A look of terror covered his face as he shrieked in absolute fear.

nA large puddle of blood was on the floor he sat on. He gasped as he felt nauseous and lightheaded. He glanced beside him and his eyes widened.

nThe dead bodies of two of his companions were hung on the wall in the room. Their blood dripped from their corpses, flowing to form the puddle he was sitting on.

n

"Uarhhhh… Uuu… Uahhhhh

" He yelled, his gaze transfixed on such inhumane display of their bloodied corpses as they dangled and seemed to give him a deathly glare.

n

"No… No, this can't, this can't be!

" He quickly said to himself, standing from the bloody mess he was in and ran out of the room, nearly falling as he did so.

nHe ran into the hallway and didn't even bother checking the other rooms. He had to get away, he had to escape. He ran down the stairs, forgetting treasure or money. He wanted to live.

nKarl, Bulok, everyone… They were all dead. He had to live! He ran to the main entrance and tried with all his might to pull the entrance and leave, but the door wouldn't budge.

n

"Why won't it…

" He grunted as he tried with his might to open up the door.

nHe had unlocked it from within, he would be able to leave, so why? Why couldn't he leave? Was this the work of a Relic? No, they had monitored the house for nearly two days. There was no trace of a Relic used in the house. Yet… He couldn't go out. Now he had no doubt, he was trapped.

n

"I… I…

" He stuttered, trying to apply his reasoning to find a way of escape

nSuddenly he remembered the Relic one of his comrades had. The Sifting Stone. He could pass through the walls and leave this wretched house if he had it. He also wasn't among the dead bodies he saw earlier, that means… He was in one of the remaining two rooms.

n

"Does that mean… I'll have to go back up… Please, no…

" He shrieked in fear.

nHe gazed at the stairs and where it led. It suddenly looked gloomy and dark. Nathan began seeing red as his vision made him hallucinate bloody stains everywhere. His heart raced faster than he could manage and his entire body trembled without end.

nBut

n

"I have to go. If I don't… They'll catch up to me soon. And then it'll be my turn. No, I'll definitely survive. I'll live!

" He said with a frightened tone.

nIn the end, he had no choice but to retrieve the Relic that would allow for his safe escape.

nHis clouded thinking and overwhelming fear didn't even allow him to think about using any of his Relics to create a blast big enough to open the hole in the wall and make a break for it. Perhaps even the Blade of Rupture he had strapped around his waist.

nThose thoughts were unconsciously pushed down and choked with the fear of their failure.

n

"If I fail to make a hole for my escape… I'll make a loud noise that they'll be aware of my location. Once that happens, I'm done for.

"

nThis ideology worked in his mind without his knowledge, making him see only one option left. To leave without making as much as a sound.

nHe forgot the noises he made earlier, he forgot the bangs he made when he ran down the stairs and his frightened screams. His narrow mind only thought of a single thing.

n

"That Relic… Must get that Relic…

"

nHe slowly climbed the stairs, looking around him in fright. As he reached the hallway, he looked at the doors in the hallway. They were all closed.

nThis meant one thing... Someone must have done it. The only question was....

nWho?

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