Assassin's Joy

Growing Up

"Welcome to your new home, young one."

Cole woke up slowly, rubbing his eyes with his small hands. He looked around and found there were a lot of older people, all with some kind of weapon and in black. Everyone had some sort of scar and/or missing limb.

"Are they all like me?"

"What do you mean?"

"They all live badly."

The man chuckled and nodded. "Then, yes. They all are like you. Now, you're going to meet the Big Man. I won't suggest you talk out of line. The Big Man has a short temper and we don't want you to get hurt on your first day."

He carried Cole to the office. Cole gripped his shirt, getting nervous the closer they got to the big, black office. He was put down and the man knocked.

"Come in," a raspy, deep voice came from the office. 

The door opened and Cole walked inside. A man sat at his desk, his hands forming a triangle (the picture at the top is this guy). He was big and scary looking, causing Cole to step back and whimpered quietly.

"Alek, who's this?"

Alek, the man who brought Cole in, patted Cole's back. "He's a potential recruit."

The man at the desk stood up and walked toward Cole. He knelt down and grabbed Cole's chin. "How wonderful. What is your name?"

"C-Cole."

"I'm the Big Man. You'll fit right in. Welcome to Assassin's Joy."

Cole stood in a line of six. They were all around six to eight years old, brought in by members of Assassin's Joy.

"You six were chosen to join our ranks. Here, you win or you die. Failure is not an option. Remember that." Alek walked down the line, pushing down on each kid's head. "Stay in the shadows, don't get caught."

Cole looked at the boy next to him before looking forward and straightening his back. His heart pounded in his ears and his hands shook.

"Your training begins now. Pair up and fight. Winner gets dinner, the loser has to scrub three sinks." Alek smirked. "Good luck."

"Sleep," Alek demanded. He slapped Cole harshly when Cole failed to listen. "Sleep!"

Cole tried to fall asleep when he heard the word, but he wasn't tired. The loud sound of the hand connecting to Cole's cheek rang loudly in the air.

"Sleep!"

He didn't fall asleep, once again being slapped.

Cole stared with wide eyes at the body that laid broken in front of him, his hands red from her blood. He didn't stop looking until he was dragged away.

"I'm so proud of you!" Big Man shouted at him. "First kill and you've been here for a week!"

"But, she-she was my age."

"That doesn't matter. Training is designed to flush out the weak. She was weak and you were strong." Big Man knelt on one knee in front of him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You keep this up and you'll do just fine."

Cole stared up at him, tears falling down his cheeks, and nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good boy."

"Chen, I would like you to meet my top recruit. He's only ten, but he's far better than any one else," the Big Man bragged, his hand gripping Cole's shoulder. "I believe he will fair well for whatever needs you might require of us."

Chen laughed like the manic he was. "Perhaps he and Skylor will unite and grow both of our empires."

Chen's daughter, Skylor, peeked her head from behind her father's throne. She made eye contact with Cole, her eyes shining brightly and grin displaying widely on her round face. She giggled and went back to hiding behind the golden chair.

Cole's eyes were dull, his face slack, and his posture painfully straight. 

Cole gripped his scythe, now thirteen, and smirked to himself. This was too easy; killing someone while they're asleep. He knew nothing about this man, nor did he care to know. He didn't know why he was sent to kill him, but he didn't care. 

He raised the blade above his head and quickly brought it down. The head fell to the ground with a sickening thump, but Cole showed no reaction to it. He bent down and picked it up. He quickly and quietly left, the only sign of anyone else being there was the decapitated body, taking the head with him as a trophy.

"Young one, the Big Man needs to speak to you," Alek told Cole. 

Cole looked up at him and nodded. He hopped out of his steel bed and followed him out. He only had a room to himself because all the other recruits that had been brought in with him were now long dead.

They walked through the maze that was the main base of Assassin's Joy and into Big Man's office. It hadn't changed much throughout the last eleven years, the only things changing was a framed photo or two of his top members, Cole being in the two most recent ones.

"Ah, Cole. I believe you are ready for your first big assignment. You're my top assassin, so I have a job for you."

"What is it, sir?" Cole's voice was flat and his eyelids half lidded, the irises behind dull with no emotions.

"This old man, Wu, is making a team. I fear that, if allowed to grow, this team will threaten not only Chen's empire, but my own. I want you to go get intel on these people then after a few months, kill them."

Alek handed Cole a small stack of photos, showing him the three targets he had with names written on the bottom of the polaroid pictures; Wu, Zane, and Jay.

"How will I meet them?"

"You'll 'accidentally' fall and break your arm on your way to the monastery. The monastery is atop a mountain. You'll claim that you saw the house and were hungry, so you climbed the stairs in hope of asking for a plate of food and a place to stay for a night."

Cole was perfect for this job. He was the only member who was the same age as the other ninja, so it wouldn't raise any suspicion. Of course, Cole would never be told the real reason why he was the one sent on this mission.

"They'll pity me and take me in?"

"Yes."

Cole nodded numbly. "Shall I leave?"

"Yes. Make sure you look like rags to see this more. Bring no weapons."

"Of course, sir."

Cole turned on his heels and walked out. He went back to his room and grabbed his dirty night clothes. He tore the shirt up a little then put the outfit on. 

He reached out to grab his scythe, but stopped himself. He then left the room, shutting the light off. 

Cole was halfway up the steps when he saw an old man walking down them. He recognized him as Wu, so he made himself trip on his own feet while making it look like an accident.

He bit his tongue so he wouldn't make a sound as he landed on the stairs, flipping sideways so he arm took the full brunt of it. He could feel the bone snapping. 

Wu shouted when he saw the scene and ran down to help the man. He helped Cole stand up.

"Are you alright?"

"I think my arm's broken..." Cole's voice was laced with pain, something he hadn't allowed himself to do in years.

"Here, my student, Zane, should be able to help. He's taught himself how to do first aid and we have all the supplies we would need to make you a cast."

Cole nodded. "Lead the way, sir."

"Oh, call me Wu." Wu smiled at him. "I've been waiting for you, Cole."