SEVEN: Cursed Souls

CHAPTER 34: X MARKS THE SPOT

The Book of Shadows is Ryder and James new mission, but it is no easier because James knew that he cannot use his own power to navigate through the maze that the Witch had told them.

"Why not?" asked Ryder.

"Because the maze changes every time someone enters it. And it is highly dangerous to be inside that maze because if Assassin catches us, then it would be the end of everything for us."

"Then be it something or nothing, if that book truly contains most answers to our questions then we'd better get a hold of it."

"If that is what you think then let's go there tomorrow, I know a way to navigate through it."

The next day, James and Ryder found themselves at Assassin's maze, feeling the walls every time they meet an intersection or turns, because in those walls lies the direction to either Assassin's room or the podium where the book is placed. Two marks can be felt in the walls of intersections and end points where one is a circle and the other is an X, it is the X that marks the spot which will lead them to the direction of their goals.

The two went on without too much problem, but they would both soon regret not planning well of their mission because they reached a point where both directions now contains the X mark.

"What do we do now? I can't let you be on your own, Ryder!" James asked.

"Worry for yourself. We must find that book fast so let's split ways, it would be hard for us when Assassin enters this maze again."

James hesitated but Ryder seemed firm to his decision so they went on opposite directions. Now that both of them are alone, they felt the sadness that may have been contained when both of them are still by their side to ease the loneliness they both feel. James thinks of Steve who had been with him for a long time, who had been a brother to him more than just a companion, and who had become his savior after he sacrificed himself for that bullet that should've been for him.

Ryder on the other hand thinks of Logan who had also been his crying shoulder. He knew how it felt to lose a loved one but it is worse for Logan who lost all his family members but one, who he cannot even share his feelings to because his only family member left is but an innocent toddler. "I'll succeed for you, Logan!" a thought of Ryder.

Back at the Skull's lair.

"Logan, I know how hard this is for you. But someone wants to meet you, he is the person who sacrificed his own tongue so that we wouldn't cut yours," Hope told Logan who had been looking straight at the walls for long hours already.

The person who can no longer speak smiled before extending both of his arms to sign Logan if he could have a hug. Logan did not answer and the man took this as an answer, so he went on and hugged Logan tight. Unexpectedly, Logan hugged him back before bursting into tears.

"I...I thought that I was the only one who was meant to die that n-night," he sobbed, "but my whole family, I could've saved them all after they were also poisoned, I never deserved to survive being poisoned nor being burned to death, a-and my Uncle Javier," his body started to involuntarily let loose of his hug due to emotional exhaustion, "my poor Uncle...Uncle Javier. He had been cruelly chopped, frozen, then shattered. My poor Uncle was the only one who showed that he cared for me, even if we are not blood related he made me feel like I was his own son! Oh, my poor Uncle."

Logan burst out crying again before suddenly turning pale white, then he breathed  heavily. He was no longer able to resist his eyes from closing and all of what he can see turned black before he could even fully close his eyes. After that instance, his mind was taken back to the memory of seeing his Uncle's chopped torso, suddenly remembering seeing a mark that he had never seen in his Uncles body--an X mark in his shoulder.

***

Days before Logan's house and family burned, at Assassin's room.

"We can't interfere with those missions, Assassin. You know that!" Anonymous said.

"But Non, that family had long been on my list and only Logan and Luster should be saved from them."

"Why do you detest them that much, Assassin?"

Assassin sat down at his throne. "Well, all of them are sinners, it is not only Logan who had been callous about others and only thought for himself. The old woman, Ramona, had gambled all her money because of her greed, but it isn't her who suffers, instead it is her family members who are working day and night just to provide them their necessities. Elena and Javier who are the ones who works are unappreciated by that woman.

"It is Emily who is her favorite, not Elena and most certainly not her son-in-law, but what have Emily done in their family but to slack off or go outside to meet with her friends and gossip about others. Ramona is so fond of her that all efforts of Elena had never been recognized by her mother. To Ramona's eyes, Elena was nothing but a mistake that ruined her life.

"That family is more torn that it already seems, because Emily's son, Elvin didn't experience a similar attention that his lazy mother had. Elvin felt like his mother never loved him, but he can't even have that love that he longs for from his Aunt Elena who detest them so much. But Elvin saw how much attention his cousin, Logan, had. He saw how even if Logan gets food from their store without permission, his Aunt and Grandmother rubs it off after they scold him, while if he do the same thing, not only will he receive the same scolding but he would also feel the heavy hands of his own mother.

"Elvin coped up with such treatment by having bullies aim for Logan who never did him anything bad, it may be hatred but it was mainly his jealousy that caused him to hate his own cousin.

"You already know Logan's story too but it is rather outweighed by the sins of his other family members so I never thought of reaping his soul," Assassin told Anonymous.

"And Luster is just a child, I think we both agree that he don't deserve to die, but how about Javier and Elena? What did those two do that made you think you can reap them?" Anonymous asked.

Assassin stood after hearing Anonymous' notion, laughing from what he is asked. "Those two?" he laughed harder, "Javier grew a hatred towards his mother-in-law and his wife because of his mother-in-law's doings. Javier never had the courage to confront his mother-in-law but he had the guts to turn his own wife black and blues every time that Elena would give Ramona money. He is wise though, because he hits his wife in spots where they could be hidden. Maybe if he never grew fond of Logan then he may have left that family long ago, and maybe if he and Elena never had Luster which softened his heart for a while then he may have killed her long ago.

"Elena on the other hand, even before the time Javier started to hurt her, had been sleeping around with other men. It was not simply Ramona's fault for asking them money that Elena soon started to become Javier's punching bag, but because she was caught having sex with her coworker. Elena never learned her lesson, but would rather use the beatings that she got to motivate her lustful desires, because she finds arousal in the thought that she avenges herself by sleeping with more men.

"It was a cycle between the two that could only have been stopped if both Elena's lust and Javier's anger had been given attention to, but it never happened, so Elena continued to sleep with other men while Javier would beat her every time she sleeps with other men or when she gives her mother money that is wasted in gambling. Javier's breaking point though was when he caught Elena having sex with another man in their own room, with their only two-year-old Luster almost drowning from the bottle of milk that Elena left carelessly in the crib. Javier was already triggered by Elena's sin itself, but he was more enraged to see his son almost dying because of his wife's negligence. He started beating her, not caring anymore to where his fist would land. If it was her head, stomach, or even her private part were not exempted from his beating."

Anonymous stopped Assassin because of his laughter. "Then what a fruitful family of sinners they are. I'll let you off then, just don't meddle with Logan."