Royal Mafia

Chapter 5: Memento Mori

I went to the training ground and prepare myself in front of Zinnia, I bend my knees and I am now in battle stance, Zinnia lunge forward with incredible speed, but I react fast enough to go to astral form, Zinnia can't see me while on this form, I conjure water arrows around me and launched them towards Zinnia.

Zinnia smirked and deflected it with spell shield, I use water barrier and the clash of both magic made an explosion. Throughout my training I have been taught on the ways on how to be an assassin, and now I get to exercise on that.

It all happened so fast, I know it was an accident, I thought she would dodge it, I thought she was able to read my mind and predict my movements, after the explosion, I went to astral form and throw a water dagger towards Zinnia and landed a shot on her neck. I thought she would dodge it.

"This is not me, this is not my fault" I started to hate myself as to what I had done, I let out a scream of pain that is filled with tears. Nox then comes in and soon the rest of the Diopadre family comes in. I told them it was an accident but all I see in their eyes are hatred and disappointment.

For months I live with that guilt, the guilt that I killed Zinnia, and it continued to haunt me to this day, I begin to hate myself. I lay restless at most nights thinking of what I have become. A murderer. I am beginning to lose my mind, I am in constant battle with my own conscious, the fact that I can see Zinnia's face in my dreams and her corpse laying in front of me, reminds me of my guilt over and over again.

It wasn't long until the Delise called in on a meeting. The Diopadres were summoned by the Godfather on the main entrance, Nox then opened a portal and led us into the house of the Delise, they look down on me, and in their eyes scream the word murder.

I look down on the ground, disappointed in myself. Their house is huge, different design from the Diopadres but also huge. Jacques greeted us and led us towards the meeting room, it was there that the meeting is being held.

Jacques said that their will be a 2-day meeting, the first meeting will be to find a proper burial place for Zinnia, the second meeting's topic will be me. The first meeting began with the introduction of both families and their members, they then agreed that Zinnia will be buried on top of a hill, where a strong tree stands and a perfect view from the ocean.

When that day finally came, we were all gathered, some tears were shed, some were not. I shed tears, I bawl out a bucket of tears, asking for forgiveness in front of her grave, the families look at me and their eyes are filled with pity. After a few hours we all went back home and prepare for the second meeting.

The second meeting began 2 weeks after the burial of Zinnia, and the topic is me. Some of the family members defended me and some didn't; Tenoshi and Nox were on my side, while Aciano and Fleur weren't. Both families were arguing whether they should let me live or not, a life for a life, as to what they say. Right now, in this moment as I sat there watching them argue, it all comes down to one conclusion in their mind they scream 'war'.

After the meeting was concluded, both families went back to their own base of operations, I stayed with the Delise in one of their guest rooms, despite the fact that they want to kill me. Fleur has been kind to me, although at the meeting she resent me, she somehow found it within her to forgive me.

"I know it's not your fault, it was an accident" Fleur spoke in a calm voice. "Soon there will be a war and you will be the one to decide on the battlefield, whether you will join the fight or not or spectate and watch as both families fight for their lives in order to protect you or kill you, always remember, I am fighting to kill you, and I won't be holding back." She tells me while smiling.

"I understand, I will do my best to choose the perfect battleground." I replied.

"Good, since the war isn't around yet, I figured that I should teach you basic hand to hand combat. Zinnia taught you how to use magic, I will teach you how to fight with no magic." Fleur said with pride backing it up.

I accepted the offer; I took her kindness of teaching me the ways of fighting hand-to-hand. The war starts two months from now and I must prepare myself as to what will face me in the battlefield. The training was harsh, I was taught how to parry, read movements, attack with self-made weapons and block unavoidable attacks. However, with all this training, I still can't forgive myself for the death of Zinnia.

"You have improved much in just one month, I am impressed." Fleur said impressed.

"Thank you, Zinnia said I was a quick learner." I replied panting, tired from the intensive training.

I continued my training, both in magic and in hand-to-hand combat, I also trained my mind in order to avoid distractions in case I will be thrown in the battlefield to fight for my life. Fleur said that if ever I would encounter Aciano in a fight, I should be careful, his magic is different and tampers with the mind of the enemies.

"Miss Fleur, what do you know about Nox?" I asked.

There was a pause in the room, her smile fades away, she looked at me and spoke.

"Nox is an entity, he is not from this world, he does not belong here, a being like that shouldn't exist." She said but her words are filled with rage.

"He plays with faith and is one of the most powerful weapons that the Diopadres have, you are so very lucky that he is on your side, because if he wasn't, the war is pointless." She said with a smile on her face.

"Have you ever seen him without the mask?" I asked again.

"Yes once, I fought against him once, he gave me a scar at the back of my shoulder. I promise myself that I will get him back for it." She replied with a serious voice.

She left me alone to train and train I did, I train the rest of the month, and the day has finally come as to both families gather in the middle ground and I will decide on the battlefield. This chain of events happened, because of what I've done, for the murder I commit against Zinnia "Diopadre" Delise.