Tirus Severia (Discontinued)

Chapter 7

It's night when it's time for me to head out. I'm equipped with an earpiece so I'm able to communicate with Matzu. I have goggles on that are able to see in through thick fog and darkness. I'm wearing black clothing. "Ready?" Layla asks me, and opens the window. I nod.

I climb out the window and land on the ground outside. Immediately my throat is attacked by the polluted air, and I try to hold in a cough.  To protect myself from the foul air, I pull a black bandanna that's over my nose. 

Then, curious, I peer up to see what Raleshare looks like through the fog. When I'd bumped into the building, I'd wondered if there were others, and the building was a part of a city. I'd only been able to see that one building though, because the pollution made it impossible to see anything else.

What I see astonishes me. 

There are crumbling buildings made of rotting gray stone. Cracked sidewalks line dirt roads that are filled with weeds, and they both look like they haven't been used in years. Burn marks dot the dead brown grass that blankets the cracked earth. 

This place is so sad. How do people live in Raleshere? I think. 

I shake my head to remind myself why I'm here. To kill Matzu's foe and end the war. Maybe then things will be better here. I talk into my earpiece to make sure it's working. "What building am I sneaking into?" I ask.

"The tallest one in the area, north from your location." Matzu's voice crackles. "Got it." I say, and I begin walking. Grass crunches under my shoes, and I curse. How can I sneak around when I'm walking on this?

I continue until I reach a building that matches Matzu's description. "I'm here." I whisper. "Now what?" 

"Good. Now find a window that you can get into. If they're all locked, then melt the glass with the fire from your bracelets." Guilt comes over me. I shouldn't have told him about my bracelets, now he might try to steal them. I guess I just hoped he'd fear me more if he knew I had a weapon. 

I search the walls until I find a window. I try pushing it up, but it stays right where it is. "The windows are locked. I kind of don't want to use my fire, though, because isn't it kind of bright?" Matzu laughs. "In this smoke, we can barely see the sun. No one's gonna see your light. Remember, you have to be very quick."

I press my bracelets down and fire shoots from them. I aim the flames at the window and wait. It takes a minute before the glass starts dripping. The glass bends, and slowly starts to slide down. Like syrup or honey. 

I stop my bracelets blaze and I press the soft glass away with my heat proof gloves. I then step away from the window, and I take a small metal ball from my pocket. I aim it at the window on the third story of the building, just like me and Matzu planned. 

Then I throw it. It smashes through the window with a shatter, and I hear a child's frightened yelp. As soon as I hear people running to assist the child in that room, I spring into action. I race over to the melted window.

Then I climb in. It's silent inside, and there's a nice couch sitting atop a fancy rug. Whoever lives here is definitely more wealthy than most. 

There's a staircase leading to a higher floor. "Do I take the stairs?" I whisper so quietly I can barely hear myself. "Yes. He should be in the first door to your right." 

I climb up the stairs as quickly and quietly as I can, and see that our plan had worked. There were no guards on this floor.  

I slowly push the door open, and lock it behind me. Just in case. Inside, there's plush carpet and a nice fluffy bed. A mirror hangs above a dark wooden dresser, and on a desk next to the bed sits a wicked looking gun.

In the bed, I can see a lump. The person I'm about to kill. A sick feeling washes over me. I can't do this.

I creep over to the desk and take the gun. I put it away from the persons grasp, so that if they somehow are able to avoid me, they can't use it. I take a small knife from the boots I'm wearing. 

I stand over the figure in the bed, and slowly remove the blankets. I see a man peacefully sleeping, silk pajama's over his tall body. He has dirty blonde hair done in a buzz cut. I hold the knife up, then hesitate. 

I can't do this. My mind repeats. This is different from killing a Rift Eater. This is a living human, with a story, a life, friends, family, an empire he's built for himself in this world. How can I take that from someone?

"Is he there?" Matzu says in my ear. "Who is this man exactly?" I mutter. "Leader of the troops in this part of Raleshere. We'll get a huge advantage in war if we get rid of him."

The man shifts his bed, he must've heard me talking. His eyes flicker, and then open.

I curse, and hold the knives up. It's now or never. The man jumps up and reaches for the gun on the desk, which I took. He yells out for help. No, now the guards are going to realize my diversion!

Panic floods through me. I need to do this, and then leave. NOW. The man lunges at me, and I hold out the knives. I slash him on the arm, and he yelps and recoils back into the bed. Footsteps thunder, and they sound like they're coming in my direction. Aw man, that sounds like a lot of people. 

HURRY TIRUS! I scream at myself in my head. 

GO! NOW! I don't know what to do anymore. Emotions flood through my body, tearing me. Panic, fear, pressure, guilt... 

What do I do? I need to decide right now, before backup comes. I hear pounding on the door. 

No... 

The man cowers in the bed, fear in his eyes. He knows there's nothing he can do. He's trapped in the bed in the corner of the room, me blocking the exit.

So hopeless. 

So afraid.

 "Tirus? Are you still there? Is he dead?" Matzu whispers. "I'm sending backup!"

I need to hurry.

I hear people trying to break the locked door down.

"Tirus! Get out of there, I'm gonna blow the place up, with everyone inside!"

"No..." I mutter.

"Then I'll blow you up too!" 

Kill the man and escape, and save all the innocents from being blown up, or escape right now and save myself...

A sick feeling washes over me as I remember the room with the small child in it. I'd be responsible for it's death. 

DECIDE.

NOW.

The door breaks down and I do the first thing that comes to mind. 

I throw up.