I woke up in the medical ward once again. Nothing new, so we'll just skip this.
I eventually started training again. Heck, I rarely stopped. I had nothing else to focus on, except whenever Sarge decided to shove food down my throat; all I wanted to do was train. Run. Punch. Possibly maim. Anything to get my mind off of the weakness I had shown against a girl. I regained all of my weight, plus a bit more, most of it being muscle weight. I had been offered to move up the ranks, yet I refused. There was nothing there for me, except more chance of my daily torture increasing once again. The Privates were growing suspicious of my rising fame, and supposed I'd been bribing them, which I wasn't. What could I bribe them with, anyways?
I had been leading training one day, as I was the highest rank there. (The rest had abandoned for some mission, which apparently, was a code for 'escape training and go to a club to hit on women who we'd never had a chance with in the first place'. But, I don't judge...Much.) Most of the Privates were uncooperative, but I'd not the patience to deal with them today. Today was already going to be too eventful for my tastes. That I knew already. Today was the day that I had met Elanja the first time...Many years ago. The day she and her sister had nowhere to go. The day I took them in because I thought her sister was the attractive one. Oh, how that changed...
I sighed and paused, as my mind went back to that original time. I didn't even notice the sudden outbreak of chaos throughout the training grounds. The Warriors were hooting and hollering, yet at the same time, cowering away and blocking my path. I pushed past all the imbeciles, but not in enough time. Whatever was causing this...it was gone. All that was left was a shiny medallion attached to a piece of paper on the fence. I picked it up and opened it.
"DiEduardo,
Meet me at the temple tonight at midnight, got it? No sooner, no later. Midnight."
It wasn't signed...Strange, but effective. My interest was piqued. Who could it be? I'd not talked to anyone lately, with the exception of Sarge of course. Couldn't avoid him. Rarely anyone called me DiEduardo. Hell, no one did. So, the question remains:
Who was this?
Well, midnight came and I was determined to find out. I took all the precautions; Sword, gun paranoia..I was ready. I made my way towards the temple, hearing every step I made in the falling snow. Every breath grew heavier as I climbed the large hill, the crack of every branch as the wind kissed it harshly...I heard everything. And, to be honest, I didn't like it one bit.
The temple doors creaked open, as I rounded up the hill. I froze on the spot...I couldn't have done it...It had to be a gust of wind. Right? Right.
I had to stop thinking like this! I couldn't get myself worked up and then find out that nothing really is happening! But what if something was? What if something was waiting right past those doors and had a weapon and I was at risk and next thing you know they'd find me laying on the floor dead with a sword sticking out of my che-
Godammit, Nico! Stop this! Nothing was going to happen and if something did, it would’ve happened by now. But, just in case it was delayed, I’ll give it time.
See? Nothing happened. Now, calm down, Nico and just breathe in and out and calm your ner-
HOLY SHIT!
-------------------------------------------
I'm not quite sure what happened, but I woke up in a dark room, fit for any horror movie, with a pounding headache and a metallic smell filling my nostrils. I felt myself shaking, but I didn't know why. Was it fear? No..I know not to get scared that easily. I put my hand onto the ground, and felt something.. something...oddly sticky.
I willed my eyes to adjust, and I felt bile rise up into my throat. A vile, red liquid was coating my fingers, filling each crevice with its appalling shine. Was it..mine? It had to be, any other explanation would make no sense, unless I was in the home of some mass murderer...
No. Don’t think like that! You...You’re in a coop and sat on a chicken! Yeah! There is no chance you’ll die in a chicken coop...Unless you were being pecked to death while covered in grain, or..
I really need to have a less adventurous imagination. I mean, I was even hearing laughter! I shook my head, hoping to clear my thoughts, but the laughter remained. It was almost mocking me, as it came closer, daring me to think it wasn’t some fiction made up by my apparent psychosis.
“Welcome Back, DiEduardo.” A familiar female voice sneered. “I see you got my little letter?” She walked closer, fingers threading through my blood-smeared hair. So, it was my blood..”I was hoping you wouldn’t come, so I could track you down myself..” She frowned, pushing me down and straddling my chest. “You just take the fun out of every single thing, don’t you, Nico?” A crooning tone was accenting her voice, and it just made me wonder even more...
Who was she, and why was I here?
She was suddenly standing, and staring down at me with piercing, and glowing, yellow eyes. she stood there ominously for a while, then slowly, as if she were leaning against the wall, slid down into a crouch. She put her hand in my hair again, and twirled a few locks between her fingers, before tugging it harshly and tugging me up with her.
“See, you’re here for a reason.” She purred, clutching my hair tighter. “I need your...assistance, we’ll call it.” She pulled me up with her while she stood, forcing me into some crouch. Gods, she was small.”I need you..to help me..kill somebody. Alright?”
I coughed harshly, choking on my own saliva and a bit of my own blood. Did she just say what I think she said!? Killing!?
I hoped the fear on my face wasn’t too obvious, or else she’d pick up on it, and if I know her like I think I do...She’s one to enjoy using it against me. I swallowed my nerves, and looked straight at her.
“You want my help..To kill someone.” I clarified, my voice sounding completely opposite to what it’s normality was. It was gritty...worn, as if it was someone else’s. I watched her nod and smile a bit..an odd, quirky smile, that I’d surely seen before. “And how exactly would that work?”
She laughed, almost maniacally. “Well, you, Italiano, are going to be my husband.”
