A Villain's Handbook

Chapter One • Motivations

A villain's motivations are usually very predictable. Revenge, love, death of their enemies etc. Acacia Avalon may be just as predictable as the others, but no one has figured her out yet.

Acacia hated ogres. You know that? They were vile, slimy and fat. Who would want those as their henchmen? This guy apparently.

Acacia leaped backward, her head ricocheting off of the trunk of the tree. "Bastard!" She screeched, rubbing the back of her head.

She stepped out of the way just in time so the ogre's club doesn't shatter her skull. She rolled across the grass and towards their master.

He was a wannabe villain, obsessed with the spikes, the colour black and maniacally laughing. He went by the name Ogre Tamer. Honestly, was he trying to a cliché? Acacia thought.

"What kind of hero are you anyway?" He sneered, signalling for one of his ogres to attack her. "I've never heard of a cursing hero such as yourself."

She just laughed lightly and jumped out of the way once more before making her move. She snapped her fingers and felt the power flow through her. Electrifying her veins and making her blood sing.

The ogres froze in mid charge, an aura keeping them in place, a magic circle underneath their fleshy feet. The Ogre Tamer kept trying to command the green skin ogres to attack Acacia but to no avail. He then turned to her, his eyes were wide with anger and shock.

Acacia removed two crystal handled daggers from under her skirt. Her steps were slow and calculated, her expression relaxed. "You should really know who you're picking fights with."

He was paralyzed in fear as Acacia pushed him against the tree, her dagger to his throat, drops of blood hitting the blade. "I'm no hero. Nor am I human."

She slashed my blade across his skin, his blood splattering her face. She let him collapse to the ground and flicked the blood off her dagger. "God, I hate getting blood on my face." She sighed.

§ § §

The day was windy, very windy. The trees were bent over and blowing in multiple directions. Acacia was trying her best to not tumble through the town, her dark auburn hair blowing over her face. The small town was made up of one long strip of street. There was shop owners living on top of their stores and the occasional apartment complex.

She felt a strong hand grab at her wrist and pull her into the nearest alleyway. She struggled, bringing up her hands to defend herself but they were quickly shackled and she was helpless.

"Unhand me or I'll-" A hand was clasped over her lips and she was silenced.

"Be quiet or I'll kill you, right here, right now." The man had medium length white hair and incredibly blue eyes. His chiseled features and tight muscles would have most girls weak in the knees, Acacia however, just scowled and stilled.

"You're Acacia Avalon, correct?" He questioned. He took his hand off her mouth but kept her pinned to the brick wall.

"Who wants to know?" She spat, her mix match eyes gleaming with hatred.

"Julien Frey. Are you her?" He growled, pressing on her harder, causing the air to huff out of her lungs.

"If you know who I am, then you should know that you'll be punished for this." She hissed, staring straight into his eyes. The entire situation was strange, everyone who's anyone should know who she was and know not to mess with her. Even Julien Frey. Acacia knew who he was. A Hero that served a well known new noble blood family.

"I'm here to offer you a job. I've been asking around for the best Villain around, and they all pointed to you." Julien said, sounding almost impressed.

"A job? Why would a Hero offer me a job? What are you? A traitor?" She scoffed, her nostrils flaring.

"I'm no traitor, I just need the best Villain in Primaterra to do something for me. Kill someone, a couple people actually." He sneered, sounding dead serious.

Acacia considered his statement, kill someone for a hero? It did sound intriguing. Killing always gave her a thrill that she had difficulty explaining. This world was divided into Heroes and Villains and then there was just everyone else. She was considered the worst of the Villains, the evilest and most wicked person alive according to most. She killed Heroes and Villains alike, just for the fun of it.

"What would I get out of it?" She inquired, cocking an eyebrow. She always wanted something out of it.

"Most Villains in this world want revenge and death of Heroes. Then there's you," He said, his face getting closer to her's. "You don't want any of that. You don't want power or love. You just want everyone dead. Including myself I'm sure."

Acacia brought her knee up, kicking him in the groin. Julien groaned and fell to his knees. Acacia stepped away from the wall, the shackles around she wrists falling to the ground.

"Let my tell you something, Jules," She brought her arm up and Julien's body rose with her hand. His body inched off the ground and dangled there as he struggled for breath. "You were born of Noble blood, Hero. I hate nobles." She released him and walked out of the ally and laughed at the sound of him gasping for breath.

Acacia doesn't go looking for death, but she does enjoy befriending it.