-George's POV-
"Alright, I'm listening."
I keep an eye on the darkening sky above us, looking slightly over Skeppy's head. It's weird to be taller than someone, but the height difference doesn't make me feel any more comfortable. He's still an elite assassin, who could easily take me in a fight.
A memory of the one in the market square forms at the back of my mind, reminding me of the first time Illumina attacked. I'd seen Skeppy fight then, watched him defend his soulmate with his life.
He killed someone for him.
Someone he didn't need to.
I remember seeing their body, cold and lifeless at the bottom of the stage. Seeing the assassin who'd killed him, blood smeared across his face with nothing but anger in his eyes. No regret, not even the slightest hint of guilt that he'd just murdered someone, especially in front of a crowd.
This is the same person who stands before me now, the same person that just told me they have no intentions of trying to get their soulmate back.
"What could ever make someone say that their soulmate is better off dead?" I breathe out bitterly when he doesn't respond, half certain I heard him wrong.
"You killed someone for him, I watched you do it. You murdered one of Illumina's assassins in front of a crowd full of people to protect him. So why don't you care anymore?"
"I do care!" Zak retorts furiously, spitting the words through gritted teeth. "I do, I swear. I care about Darryl more than anyone could ever know. I still do now." There's still a passionate flame in his eyes when he talks about the medic, identical to one I often see in Nick's when he talks about his soulmate.
"But you don't understand, George. Something changed, and it was out of my control. There's people in this city that are stronger than Techno, and I'm not talking about Dream."
"There's this group that hides on the outskirts of Central City. They stay out of everyone's way, unknown to most. I don't even know what to call them, they never gave me their name. But they're powerful, I just know it."
Zak stumbles over his words, stuttering out information in clumps. "Those people tried to use me. Threatened me, claiming they'd kill Darryl unless I helped them."
I've heard about this before.
About a meeting that Clay oversaw Zak attending, one that wasn't with Techno. It was with a different group of people, the ones he said he could see in colour. Black and red, with headpieces that looked like halos. People he said were threatening Zak for information on the elite assassins and their associates.
Knowing that Skeppy is unaware I have this information, I decide to keep it to myself. It'll only raise more questions, of a meeting Clay shouldn't have seen. "What did they want help with?" I ask instead, giving the trembling assassin a moment to steady himself.
"They wanted information. On you, and especially on Dream. Techno too, basically anything I could get my hands on through being an elite assassin." His explanation matches up with Clay's, confirming this is the same group.
"I'm no use to them anymore. No longer an elite assassin, I think, and they don't have anything to hold against me anymore. No way to hurt me." Skeppy pauses for a second, gaze dropping to the floor. "Or him," he adds quietly.
"Nobody can hurt him now."
I nod, trying to sift through information as it's given to me. That must be why Skeppy said that Darryl was better off dead. That group has nothing to use against him anymore, nothing that Zak is afraid to lose.
"They're probably looking for their next victim as we speak," Zak mutters bitterly. "Preferably an elite assassin, I'd guess, or someone who has connections to them."
I make a mental list of the possible targets of this group, infuriated that Tubbo would fit the criteria. To take advantage of an already vulnerable teenager would be sadistic, but definitely looks the most likely. Strong connections to elite assassins, as well as Dream and I.
"They also need someone who has something to lose, so they can have power over them. Manipulate them, the same way they did me." Tubbo suddenly seems a less likely target, as I think through the list of people he has to lose.
Fundy, most likely, but he's far less vulnerable. An ex-elite assassin, who would be hard to manipulate into working for them unless they got hold of Tubbo first.
"I'd watch your back if I were you." Skeppy quips suddenly, picking at his nails as he waits for my response. His eyes drift to the sky at the same time as mine, and I decide there's enough sunlight to stay here a little longer.
"Why me?" I ask, going back to my list of possible targets and rearranging it. "And why did you stop me of all people? Surely this is something you should've said to the elite assassins."
"Techno wouldn't believe it," Skeppy laughs, a bitter and hollow sound. "That guy thinks he's on top. He'd refuse to accept that there's a stronger group who's managed to live in the shadows for who knows how long, while he's in charge. Would disregard the idea immediately."
It's then that I realise just how much knowledge Zak has kept from these people. He was clearly forced to work for this group for a while, and has managed to keep it a secret from everyone, even his own soulmate.
"To answer your second question: I came here to warn you," he continues absentmindedly. "You're known to somehow have connections to Dream, as well as the elite assassins. You have something to lose too; your boyfriend can't be revived if he dies again."
There's a casual shift in Zak's demeanour now that the information is out there, the assassin seeming to take on the more relaxed persona he's used to playing.
"To them, I'm sure you sound like the perfect target."
"In that case, I'll have to work around them the same way you did," I reply slowly, realising that it would make sense for them to come after me next. So this is why Zak stopped me, to try and prevent someone from feeding this hidden power.
"You managed to get away from them, how?"
Zak stops completely for a few seconds, a psychotic smirk tugging at his lips. He points over his shoulder in the direction of the northern sector.
"I gave them what they deserved."
It takes me a minute to join the dots together, realising he's pointing to the scorched building beside where Tubbo stays.
"So you burnt the old camp three weeks ago," I mutter, glad to finally have an answer. The elite assassins have spent weeks trying to work out who could've done it, only for me to discover it was one of their own members.
"Yes, I did," Zak deadpans, a sarcastic tone lacing his words. That smirk doesn't leave his face, matching his eyes that have glossed over with hazy flames.
"And if I could, I'd gladly do it again."
"So you didn't manage to kill any of them?" I ask, cringing at the question. At the fact I'm hoping Zak managed to kill people in his crazy stunt, lowering the number that I could now be forced to deal with.
"I don't know. Maybe one or two if I was lucky, but I doubt it. Definitely not the leader, though. Unfortunately, I've seen them since. Heading towards the west sector, most likely to find their group a new headquarters."
There's an evil glint lingering in Zak's eyes, once that makes me suspect that if he'd found the new base, it'd currently be in the same condition as the first one.
"But why?" I ask, trying to distract myself from that thought. "Why do they do this, and how?"
"I'm just as clueless as you are," Zak shrugs, still not shifting his gaze away from the west sector. "But personally, I think they're trying to take down the elite assassins. Would make sense as to why they're always looking for information specifically on them."
"As for how, I've never known. Through getting people to do their dirty work for them, I guess. Using Techno's own assassins against him. I've always wondered how they've got around Techno though, he's never spoken of them. Sometimes I wonder if he even knows about them at all."
I nod silently, noticing that the sun's final minutes of light are dwindling. The state Zak is in looks near psychotic, crazed with a delirious hunger. Most likely wanting revenge, for the suffering that group has forced him to endure for who knows how long.
His eyes drift up to the sun, and he seems to understand me wanting to leave. I watch him leave first, disappearing back into the shadows with a final warning. "Just be careful, George," he says by means of goodbye.
"If they have any sense, they'll come for you next."