Magnus moved his body forcing himself into the next position, floorboards creaking under his bare feet.
He had been training relentlessly, since the late morning. Repeating the determined sequences of movements precisely, from one of the Assassin League's arcane martial arts routines.
His muscles trembled with exertion, burn and ache under the intense exercises, his breath coming in and out, in short puffs. Sweat running down his temples dripping onto the dark wood floor, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.
Although he trained regularly since childhood, his body was struggling today with the hours-long training. Magnus welcomed the pain, it distracted him from last night's failed mission, but only intermittently.
His mind went back to last night, while he moved through the room smoothly. After he left the duke's apartment he'd paced through the deserted streets of Idris' capital for hours, trying to figure out what had happened in the duke's bedroom; as the night's darkened shadows surround him. His mind kept returning to the incredible kiss, while he wondered, considering why he had failed and not been able to complete his mission.
He knew by trusting his instincts, that he'd hesitated, and that's what had stopped him from taking Alexander Lightwood's life. Only when Magnus had been sure he had the answer to his misery, the assassin returned to his father's house in the early morning hours.
Exhausted and soaked, he'd rushed to his room falling head-first into his bed after ridding himself of his drenched clothes. His head had barely touched the soft pillows as a dreamless sleep overcame him.
Magnus had hoped that he might have gained some distance from the memory of the kiss by the next morning but as soon as he'd opened his eyes, his mind went back to the duke's bedroom, feeling the ghost of Alexander Lightwood's lips on his own again. Frustrated, he'd dragged himself out of bed and had taken a simple breakfast, heading to the training room afterwards hoping a hard, punishing training routine would repress the consuming thoughts of the young duke. That had been hours ago.
A hushed harrumph pulled him out of his thoughts. Magnus skillfully executed the last exercise in sequence and turned towards the door. Dot, his father's assistant, was standing at the entrance to the training room, waiting for him to finish his workout. She was dressed in the order's official black clothes. Although she wasn't an active member of the assassin's order, she knew the family secret; she managed and supervised his father's business in the background.
Magnus walked over to her, grabbing the towel he'd left on the small bench beside the entrance.
"Hey Dot, what's up?" The towel he used to wipe the sweat from his face muffled Magnus' voice. Although he already knew the answer and Dot confirmed his suspicions only seconds later.
"Your father wishes to see you in his office," she told him.
Magnus let out a deep sigh. He'd known that a conversation with his father couldn't be avoided but he'd hoped that he would have had more time, at least a few hours before his father would have summoned him. Normally they would discuss order-related matters only in the hours after nightfall, being the respectable family Bane and rulers of the dukedom Edom during the day. But when night falls he and his father become assassins of the Bayang Hitam. When the night's darkness falls over Idris, Magnus takes on the guise of a 'Dark Shadow,' feared by all, citizen's of Idris and the world alike. At night he was Ajan Hitam.
Magnus tried to suppress his inner turmoil, which was simmering inside, brought on by his father's request for an audience with him earlier than he expected. It spells trouble. Magnus sighed again. He was sure that news of his failure had reached his father already because as the leader of the Assassin League's and Duke of Edom, Asmodeus Bane had eyes and ears everywhere. Nothing would stay hidden for long.
"Is everything ok with you, Magnus?" Dot asked when he didn't reply.
Magnus sat down on the bench, wrapping the towel around his neck. Then he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thigh, his hand dangling between his legs.
"I'd aborted the mission last night," He whispered, almost fearing that his father would emerge into the training room at any minute.
Dot drew in a breath with a hiss.
"How could this happen? You have never ever failed on a mission before."
Magnus winced at her words. She was right. Since he officially became a member of the Assassin's order he'd successfully executed every mission they had assigned him, but last night he didn't kill the Duke of Alicante as ordered. He had failed for the first time, knowing full well that it would cause trouble for him.
"It didn't feel right this time. I couldn't kill him." Magnus explained.
"I hope for you, you'll be able to convince your father." Dot said.
"I hope that, too, Dot," Magnus whispered.
He could hear her footsteps coming near, a few seconds later, feeling her hand on his shoulder. Without looking up, he put his hand onto hers and squeezed slightly. Dot was the only friend he had had in his entire life. She was - besides his father - the only person he trusted.
Leading a double life had always been an obstacle to his life, making it almost impossible to have any real friends outside of the order. He had always had to be careful so that no one would ever discover his second identity. It could mean the death of them otherwise.
Magnus could feel the knot in his gut tightening, remembering how lonely he often feels, how he would love to find someone he could share all the secrets of his life with and be able to tell them about his fears and concerns.
"I will let your father know that you'll see him shortly. Don't take too long. You know how he hates to be kept waiting."
Magnus nodded as Dot leaves the training room, leaving him alone to deal with his unpleasant feelings. Tired, Magnus went upstairs to his room and jumped under the shower to wash off the sweaty traces of his training.
Afterwards, he slipped into the same official clothes Dot had been wearing: black cloth pants which didn't restrict his movements, a fitted tunic made of the same material, a belt with a knife hanging from it and black leather boots. Lastly, he clasped the amulet adorning the order's sigil around his neck. Leaving off the black coat with the wide hood, he only wore it when he is on a mission at night.
Magnus also refrained from putting on his usual make-up, knowing that his father didn't like it when he would appear made-up. Magnus felt unprotected and vulnerable without it though, but he didn't want to risk making his father any angrier. He had to explain to his father that killing the Duke of Alicante would have been a mistake and he hoped that the solution he had concocted will convince him.
Taking one last glance at himself in the mirror, making sure that his clothes were sitting perfectly before heading out of his bedroom to meet with his father. The manor they lived in was huge and it took Magnus a few minutes to get to his father's office, which was on the opposite side of the building in the west wing. With firm steps he walked along the long corridor, stopping once he is in front of the office's door.
He stood there for a moment, gathering his thoughts and putting on the emotionless mask he used in his role as Ajam Hitam which Magnus had fashioned to perfection. To everyone he would seem confident and unperturbed, he knew that for certain, but on the inside, hidden somewhere deep down, there would be insecurity; his heart would pound incredibly fast. He drew in a deep breath before knocking at the door to his father's office.
Seconds passed by before he heard his father's voice.
"Come in."
Although the words were muffled by the door, they radiated with an authority which Magnus had rarely perceived from any other. The assassin opened the door and stepped into his father's office. He went straight to the middle of the room, spotting Dot out of the corner of his eye but he didn't dare look in her direction. Instead, he kept his gaze lowered and kneeled down on one knee.
He waited once more but this time many minutes passed by before his father spoke again. This was when Magnus realized that the older man was furious, because the longer Asmodeus made someone wait in this position the worse was his mood.
"Stand up, Ajan," Asmodeus said after a lengthy time.
Magnus followed his father's order, standing up with his back straight, he squared his shoulders and interlocked his arms behind his back. He looked up to his father who was sitting majestically behind a huge desk, watching Magnus with no sign of emotion on his face. Anyone, who saw his father like this, would presume that everything was fine but Magnus knew better. He looked directly at his father's, noticing the dangerous spark in the older man's eyes. Oh yes, his father wasn't just angry but royally mad.
"I'm listening," Asmodeus eventually said. Nothing more. His calm voice belied the anger raging inside him. So, his father already knew. Magnus' hunch had been confirmed.
"I failed you, Tuan" Magnus used the official title for his father's lofty position as head of the order. "Alexander Lightwood is still alive."
He said nothing more. No excuses, no apologies for his behavior, no begging. His father would meet that only with incomprehension. Magnus had made this mistake once before and had sworn to himself never to do it again.
His father said nothing and the silence which had spread through the room sits heavily in the air between them. It seemed like an eternity to Magnus, standing in front of the desk, waiting for his father to say something, anything. When Asmodeus finally raised his voice to speak it was ice cold, cutting through the silence like a knife.
"Since the order's founding, there has never been failures of the Bayang Hitam. Not once. So, how could it happen that my son, the feared Ajan Hitam, has failed on such a simple mission? How can this be, after the years of training and experience you've had, that Alexander Lightwood is still alive? Please explain it to me!" His father was banging his fist on the desk furiously, stressing every single word which he was throwing at him.
It took all of Magnus' self-control not to wince at the loud pounding, but he managed. The younger assassin waited a moment, just to be sure that the older man would not continue speaking before he answered the questions. Magnus had chosen and composed his words carefully, hoping to calm his father's rage. He hoped that he could explain to his father that he had made the right decision last night.
"You taught me that being an assassin of this order doesn't just mean to kill without rhyme or reason, only because someone gives us an order to do so. You taught me that an assassin has to choose wisely, when to kill and when not too. And you taught me we, the Bayang Hitam, take lives only to save others' lives and to stop a greater evil. We kill only those who are thoroughly evil." Magnus took a deep breath before speaking again. He knew that he was going out on a limb with his next words but he would have to try nevertheless. His instincts had not abandoned him before and he hoped that it wouldn't be any different this time.
"The accusation against the Duke of Alicante provided by our client, can't be true. I'm certain about this. Despite that, we have received hard evidence. I believe... No, I know that Alexander Lightwood could never be capable of doing such horrible deeds. I know, I'm standing here in front of you holding no evidence to the contrary in my hands; but I'm asking you to believe me, it would be a mistake to carry out our client's order."
Magnus interrupted himself, looking directly into his father's eyes the same way he had looked in Alexander Lightwood's last night. As a small boy, he already had an ability to read people by looking into their eyes, much like reading a book. For him, it had been like looking into a mirror to their souls, which showed him everything he needed to know about people.
He didn't know exactly how he could do this but until this day his ability hadn't disappointed him and his father appreciated his special endowment. Knowing this, Magnus gathered enough courage to speak his next words, because what he was about to say to his father, could mean not only death for Alexander Lightwood but death for himself, if, in fact, he was wrong this time.
"Last night I looked into the soul of Alexander Lightwood and it is pure, innocent and special. Therefore, I'm vouching for the duke's innocence with my life, I also take him under my protection. In case I'm mistaken and the accusation against him is proven itself to be true, I will kill him with my own hands fulfilling the mission. If I'm wrong, I will choose death from your hands, Tuan."
Magnus heard Dot take a sharp breath, but he ignored her. The assassin swallowed heavy, closing his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them again, his father stood up, walking around the desk, supporting himself heavily on his walking stick. Magnus knew that an old wound was causing the older assassin more trouble today due to the wet weather. His father came to a halt close to him, looking Magnus in the eyes, searching for the truth.
"So, you're telling me that your instincts stopped you from killing this man?" Asmodeus questioned.
"Yes, father. My endowment induced me to make this decision," Magnus confirmed.
His father glanced at him seriously, still looking him straight in the eyes. Minutes passed by in which neither of them moved an inch or said a thing. Magnus forced himself to hold the older man's gaze.
"All right," Asmodeus eventually said. "I trust your decision."
Magnus let out a breath slowly. He realized how tense he has been the whole time. He resisted the urge to wipe his sweaty palms on his pants.
"Did he see your face?" The older assassin asked.
Magnus hoped his ability at deception wouldn't abandon him at this moment, because he would now have to lie to his father. Asmodeus couldn't know that the duke had seen him, otherwise, he would immediately force Magnus to carry out the mission. They permitted nobody outside of the order to know the true identity of its members. That was the foremost rule. Magnus sent a quick and quiet prayer that Alexander had told nobody of his secret yet.
"No, Tuan. He couldn't see my face."
When his father finally nodded, it took a weight off Magnus' mind. He had done it. His father believed him.
"I give you thirteen days to get all the necessary pieces of evidence to prove the duke's innocence. Not a single day longer. If you can't convince me that Alexander Lightwood is innocent by then, I will..." His father left the rest of the sentence unspoken, but he didn't need to say anymore. Magnus knew what his father wanted to tell him. In case he didn't get the evidence in time, his father would kill him.
Magnus took his knife and cut himself on his right palm. It burned, blood welling around the wound instantly from the cut. His father mirrored the action, offering Magnus his bloody hand which he took with no hesitation. They clasped each other's hand firmly; the pact was now sealed and only success or death could dissolve this blood oath.
Magnus tried to withdraw his hand from his fathers' grasp but his father tightens his grip and pulled him closer. Surprised, Magnus looked at his father as he bent down towards him getting as close to him as possible.
"I hope you know what you're doing my son," he whispered so that only Magnus could hear his words. Then Asmodeus turned around towards his desk without a second glance in Magnus' direction.
The assassin was dismissed. Magnus could feel Dot's gaze on him while he promptly left his father's office.
He hoped that he really knew what he was doing; he had to trust that his instincts and his endowment would help him as always.