A villain's secret

Chapter 11: Death is always the answer

Nox POV
Present day

(⚠️⛔️⚠️)

"We finally meet." The red headed man's words were melodic and soft. His lips curling into a warm, white smile.
"You know out of all the men our master has under his command, we were the only ones willing to track you down." He didn't take his focus off Nox for a moment. His demeanour calm and playful, despite the fact he was standing before his death.

"So you're all suicidal." Nox let himself tilt his head, playing along with the jovial tone the other man was trying to keep up.

"Ha, So death has a sense of humour." The man huffed a laugh.

"Sometimes." Nox replied sharply.

"We're here to deliver a message. Well more of a proposition..." His words trailed off in a long exhale.

Nox replied with silence as he stared the man down.

"Our master wishes to recruit you. As I'm sure you've heard, there is something stirring in the people, a change is brewing. People are taking sides and it won't be long before our homes become a war zone." His voice changed, hardening to something cold as he continued,
"Come with us now and join us. Fight with us against the king and all the rest of them that treat us like dirt, killing us off one by one. Fight for a better existence than this miserable one."

"And if I refuse?" Nox asked without a hint of emotion. Curiosity filling his mind with the boldness of these people.

"Then we take you by force." At those words Nox's eyebrows raised as he looked to every person assembled in their rag tag team of thugs. Before Nox could say anything the man spoke up once more,

"Verne over there is three times your already massive size, with strength you've never seen before and the training of an ex royal guard. Elex here is special like you, with powers that had the reaper's guild breaking down his door and slaughtering his entire family for. Azra up there is the best archer this kingdom has; she never misses. And Mina-" He paused to pull the fragile child against his side.
"Well she's also special. And if you haven't noticed, she's been slowly stealing your energy and stifling your own abilities. The mysterious Grimm and his mystery power."

Nox absorbed the information he had just been handed. A royal guard was an impressive title and not something to ignore, neither was someone with a gift interesting enough to be hunted for by the guild. His eyes drifted to the shaking girl with mild interest. He'd met a man with a gift similar to hers once. It had been a hard fight at first. Before the man had collapsed, seizing on the floor. Nox could only imagine the fool had touched the darkness of his soul that made Nox the monster he was. The girl looked half dead already and if somehow she was strong enough to endure taking all of Nox's power, leaving only the shadows. He had no doubt she'd die too.

Nox turned his aura off completely, watching as relief flooded the girl when the evil in Nox stopped flowing through her.

"So will you join us willingly?" Pretty boy stood taller, squaring his shoulders ready to fight.

"No." Was the only answer Nox gave.

The man nodded and nudged the girl at his side towards the protection of the buildings. Nox tracked her with his masked face until her walk turned urgent and she took off running into the street. The man named Elex went to follow her but was stopped by pretty boy's raised hand.

No one moved. No one breathed. The air was strained and so tense a drop of rain could have shattered the whole world into a million pieces.

A tickle of darkness touched his spine before Nox was reaching for the sword at his shoulders in time to deflect the arrow flying towards his exposed back. With a tang the arrow hit the sword and clattered to the ground. Nox hadn't moved an inch, with his arm and sword angled behind his back the only sign he'd even reacted.