My form hadn’t returned to normal, but if I was being honest, I liked the white my hair had become with the red tips. It felt different, a bold statement.. As I stepped into the safety of the doorway, my gaze locked onto the small, mousy-haired girl with a cuff in her ear. She looked oddly like the boy I had just faced. Although abraxes was no longer controlling my actions he was still very much present and acting as a mouth piece. She stood frozen, her eyes wide with surprise, while the boy beside her, preparing to step onto the bridge, seemed equally taken aback by my presence.
Their jaws dropped in absolute shock, reflecting the mix of emotions swirling within me. This was not the response I expected; I had hoped for indifference or perhaps a slight nod of acknowledgment, but their expressions made me feel suddenly exposed, like a spotlight had been turned on just for me.
The atmosphere on the other side of the door seemed electrified with unspoken tension as I continued to hold their gazes. "What?" I asked, my tone more defensive than intended. This was my moment of boldness and I refused to have them take it from me now.
I rolled my eyes and narrowed my gaze at her. “Didn’t think I would survive? Sorry to disappoint. It’s clear you know my goddamn name, so fucking record it and stop gawking like you didn’t know I was the superior opponent.” I stepped closer to her, my eyes boring into her light hazel eyes. “Little secret love, Next time you send a friend to their death, be sure they understand the full extent of their opponent’s abilities.” I tapped her cheek and smiled. I shook my head watching as she quickly scrawled my name on her paper, tears flooding her eyes.
“It’s Kirishina. One R,” I called over my shoulder, the satisfaction curling my lips.
As I walked away, I sensed someone approaching. A blond boy stepped forward, sorrow and anger written all over his song. “Are all you Darksbanes lacking in emotions? Or any kind of compassion. That was her brother you just murdered! Have a heart!”
My eyes widened, and a smile stretched across my face at the thought. As i let out a laugh that made my stomach ache"Emotions? Compassion? heart? Please,” I retorted, leaning into the thrill of it all. “In this world,that kind of talk will get you killed. emotions are a distraction that will only hinder you on a mission. Maybe if he had trained harder and maybe opened a book and studied, they wouldn’t have ended up as another casualty.”
I took a step closer, relishing the boy’s shock. “Welcome to the real world, darling. This is what it means to be an assassin, steel yourself and make note of my power and don't underestimate me next time. Perhaps, if she cared so deeply for her sibling she shouldn't have sent him out on that bridge to meet me in the middle.”
I was inches from the boy’s face as I tapped his cheek with my finger clicking my tongue as I waved my finger back and forth. tsk tsk. “All of you betrayed are the same, you know. You judge me and look upon me with disdain, all for the mistakes of my parents. Maybe try getting to know who I am before making your snap judgments.”
The boy recoiled at my remark, his eyes wide with terror. I turned away, a chuckle escaping my lips as I walked off, relishing the power I felt. The transformation and bond between me and Abraxes was now complete. All I had to do now was eat food from the netherworld, and there was no going back. Each step I took felt lighter, fueled by the thrill of having embraced my true power, is this what it felt like for my father with Achron? i couldnt help but wonder..
“no, Achron is the demon of madness and more abrasive than I am, and a good friend to me.”
Abraxes' words became my very own thoughts, intertwined until we were one mind. Friend? Of course he was your friend; you seem like the type to befriend a demon that incites madness,* I mused, fully aware he would catch the thought. There was a dark thrill in acknowledging our connection. Despite the chaos that surrounded us, I felt an unsettling comfort in knowing that I wasn’t alone. The world may judge us, but in this twisted alliance, this was freedom.
I found my place against the wall on the far side of the vast cavern, sheltered from the snow and cold that swept through the metal bridges. From my vantage point, I kept a watchful eye on each doorway, waiting to see who would emerge from their own dark passage.
One by one, 3 initiates entered through different doors, the knowledge sat in my head that only some would return—or perhaps none at all. My gaze fixed on Kaleigh as she stumbled down the steps of her own entrance, the man at her doorway catching her and helping her find her footing taking her name with an insouciance glance.
Her blond hair hung matted against her face, stained with blood from a gash across her cheek and another over her brow that were definitely going to scare. It was a sight that tugged at something deep within me her face was now permanently marked from this day.
Her gaze finds mine, and through what I am sure is agonizing pain, she smiles at me and limps to my side holding her leg. “You bonded with the demon prince finally! God, that white is bold. But you did it! You said it was impossible but here you are!.” she exclaims excitedly, she had been waiting. She wanted to see if my father was the only one whose hair turned white its been a curiosity for many years.
I giggled at her excitement as if now was the time for laughter with so many dying on the bridges just beyond the wall of the cavern across from us. "Yeah, I did. I don't know how proud my father would be knowing his daughter killed a child he had granted mercy to, but I wasn't getting through that without Braxes' help." I sighed, the weight of my thoughts heavy. "The Academy is already going to strip us of everything that makes us well, us. But in this form, I…"
How do I tell her I couldn't feel regret or guilt or really anything meaningful at all? The truth settled like a stone in my stomach. It was as if emotion or feeling of any kind was just beyond reach, leaving me empty, caught between the exhilaration of survival and the numbness of what I had done. "But in this form, it’s like I’m just… here,” I finally managed, my voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t tell if I’m alive or just existing.”
Kaliegh’s gaze softened as she pulled me into a hug, her warmth wrapping around me like a protective shield. “You are both, existing and alive,” she whispered, her voice steady and comforting. “Telmyths are told a different story when it comes to your father... it’s your mother they hate. You were in her belly when they began that war. It wasn’t until an arrow fired at your mother grazed the armor knocking it loose over her belly that Orin Darksbane lost control. It was understandable to the parents; the life of his child was threatened, and even though you almost died before you even had the opportunity to live, he still fought Tynon for the mercy of all of us here.according to what we are taught tynon was so furious with the rebellion of his own son that he placed the contract on him and Nyreah himself…forgive me… i have no proof of that, i cannot-” i held my hand up to stop her and shook my head “ In our family, Tynons word is law anyone who would disobey his direct order would meet death, his son or otherwise.” i smiled softly at her.
Her words struck a chord deep within me, stirring emotions I’d buried beneath layers of doubt and fear. “Orin would be proud of you, Kiri. Today, you showed resilience and strength, defying all odds and crossing that bridge. You have come into the Darksbane abilities and solidified your bond with your demon. If I was him, I'd be very proud of the person my daughter became.”
She cupped my face, her thumbs brushing lightly over my cheeks, grounding me in the moment. I looked into her green eyes, overflowing with care and compassion, while I felt my own azure eyes reflect only emptiness. How could she see something so pure in me that even I myself could not?
“You’re not just a part of that fucked off family, you are my bestfriend kiri and that should speak volumes” Kaliegh continued, sensing my uncertainty. “ I am a betrayed child of the kingdom of telmytherin. You are the next generation The choices you make from here on out are yours alone do not let anyone dictate who you are and what you will do, not even that demon in your head”i hugged her taking in the smell of lilac and vanilla.
I looked past Kaleigh for a moment, seeing a man standing against the wall. He was dressed in tight-fitting armored assassin's garb, sleek and menacing. He appeared to be a fourth year, as indicated by the blue ties around his waist, neck and mask. Navy blue leather belts crisscrossed his torso, holding at least a dozen sheathed daggers, along with two swords strapped along his back. His hair was black, partially concealed beneath his hood, and sitting right above the edge of his face mask were a pair of steel-grey eyes that watched my every move.
I glanced back at Kaleigh, who looked at me with concern, her eyes twitching half-closed for a moment. "Who is that?" I asked, nodding in his direction. Kaleigh sighed and turned me away, pressing my back against the wall. "Listen to me, stay away from him. I won't warn you again. That is Azune Stone, Your mother put his mom on a saltire cross and peeled her flesh off in front of him and his father, who’s ironically your grandfather's right-hand man, azure stone wants nothing more than to kill you." Her voice was low and trembled with fear, i swallowed and nodded “okay, fine by me avoiding him shouldn't be hard we are not in the same year our classes will be different”
Great, not only was I forced to be in this fucking academy, but now I had a greater enemy—a highly trained assassin who could kill me before I even set foot through the academy doors. Just fantastic! As if my life didn’t suck enough already. The weight of it all felt suffocating. It seemed like I was being set up for failure at every turn.
"Great, so my parents are the reason he's mostly an orphan. My grandfather keeps Torence Stone busy—busy minds can't cause mischief, that's what he says," I grumbled. Just then, a woman of the same rank as Azune came down the line, her red curls bouncing in a tight ponytail as she organized us into single file. "My name is Parker Silverwind," she announced, I studied her waiting for her ears to catch the light just right and there it was—the cuff in both her ears. She was a betrayed, just like so many others here. Of course, it made sense; it was the anniversary of the war just a week ago. These kids were either born right before I was or were just infants back then. Great.
Parker cleared her throat, her eyes narrowing on me as a malicious smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. "As we walk out this door, you will realize that on the other side of those bridges, the numbers of you initiates have significantly dwindled. Half of you are dead. Lesson one: don’t make friends or relationships you’re not willing to lose. In the academy, many of you will die! Even if you make it through, each and every mission you are assigned comes with its own dangers and must be treated the same as the bridge—like it’s the last, as if you can die at any moment."
She leaned in, her gaze piercing through me. "Many of you earned your place here trained hard and tirelessly; some of you are council kids pushed into this life. I am sorry i do hope you still try just as hard as if you chose to be here , and others... well, you're just here to become weapons of mass destruction, capable only of killing." I felt the chill of her stare, and I knew she was speaking directly to me.
"I am delighted to announce we have a bit of a celebrity here with us today—" Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. No. Please, God, no. "Kirishina Darksbane is here with us today, and it seems she has passed the test. We all recall her mother, Nyreah the Dragon, and if you don’t, let me remind you: she rode on the back of a dragon as she burned the entire kingdom of Telmithryn to ashes and unleashed her demon-possessed husband to slaughter all who hid and resisted the punishment of treason for hiring a contract on the king's head. Let’s give her a round of applause for her parents, the conquerors of Telmithryn!"
I was mortified. No... well, if I had any chance of making friends, it was gone now. A round of applause? My ass. It felt more like a cue for everyone to know that I was fresh meat. I could hear the whispers and judgment brewing around me.
I was so screwed. Although some of the initiates didn’t exactly look angry... almost intrigued. A boy with short red hair behind me and light brown eyes and a gap-toothed grin tapped my shoulder. “Hi, my name is Ryan. Your dad is fucking awesome, by the way,” he said quietly.
I glanced up to check his ears. There were indeed two golden cuffs. My lips parted as my brows knitted together. “Awesome? He was a fucking murderer. But I am grateful you don’t hate me. You can Call me Kiri,” I said, giving a half-smile and shaking his hand.
He smiled back, “My father’s story paints him as a protective father. He also said to become your friend, that I’d never find one so loyal.” Ryan blushed a bit. “By the way, the white hair is super cool.”
Parker's throat cleared, shattering the tense silence. "Are we done having our own conversations? We have better things to get to." The disdain in her tone was palpable, and I couldn’t suppress the anger bubbling within me. I hated her. Abraxes felt it too; I could feel the heat of his rage tingle up my skin, “can we kill her?” he requested through the bond “ perhaps we will get our chance one day for now, no.” I replied telepathically, feeling about the same way he felt right at this moment.
"You will all be paired with a Rafiq, which is a rank 4. This person is to be solely responsible for you until you become a master assassin," she continued, devoid of the slightest hint of empathy. "All disobedience and rule-breaking will not be tolerated. These are the individuals who will make and break you. They are the people you answer to—nobody else. They are your boss."
Great. So, we were stuck with people at the same rank as Parker. The thought sent a wave of dread through me. Please, for the love of God, don’t let me get paired with her. Images of different ways to kill her surged in my mind like a chaotic slideshow, rats strapped to her belly using a torch to force them to gnaw their way through impaling her on a spike and shoving her down till the spike came out her throat each image darker than the last. I forced myself to focus, pushing the cruel fantasies away as I tried to breathe through the knot of anxiety tightening in my chest.
Parker turned to an informant who stood there shaking in a deep purple robe, while adjusting his metal, full-circle glasses on the bridge of his nose. As he unfurled the document, I caught a glimpse of her expression as she read over his shoulder, and my stomach dropped. The moment she saw the first name on the page, her face blanched, and her icy gaze shot directly toward me. There it was, clear as day in her light green eyes: an unmistakable loathing. I fucking hate you. It was written all over her pretty little face. It was evident she wanted me dead.
“Azune Stone, you are hereby tied to Kirishina Darksbane for the next five years. She will be your shadow until she can become her own,” the informant declared, his voice dripping with malice as he articulated my name, almost as if it were poison on his tongue. Well there goes my plans to avoid him.
Without missing a beat, Parker spun on her heel, gripping the little man in his deep purple robe. “I told you my boyfriend doesn’t get paired with that thing!” she barked, her rage evident in her tone. The little man clutched at Parker’s hand, clawing at it in desperation. Oh, I see now—she was Azune’s girlfriend. That explained the animosity radiating off her. It felt as though she were the one carrying the weight of that old tragedy like it was her mother who had been killed right in front of her.
The air between us thickened, laden with tension. I knew this wasn’t just a simple pairing; it was a battle line drawn in the sand. She would take the first shot she could at me. I was sure of that. Azune pried himself off the wall and approached Parker, and shook his head at her rolling his eyes as she glanced at him, her face drained of color, she carefully placed the tiny man in purple onto his feet and immediately began apologizing profusely “Shit, Parker, I’m sorry. It’s not up to me; this was the Council's choice,” he said, his voice laced with fear.
As Azune walked past them, his piercing gaze never allowed me out of his sight even for a moment. My heart raced; his eyes were captivating. His cut jawline and strong features seemed to pull me in, despite my better judgment. I shook my head, trying to shake off the unexpected attraction. But the way he moved was so graceful i caught myself transfixed in awe of him.
He bowed his head slightly, a small grin breaking across his face as he took my hand and kissed it with another hand behind his back as he bowed. “I am pleased to accept,” he said, his voice smooth and confident. My heart felt like it was going to break my ribcage at any moment. I swallowed and met his gaze as he rose to his feet.
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