Gasoline

Immortality

"Just accept the offer, Anne!"

Anneliese groaned. "Carson, I can't! I... I shouldn't. It's wrong!"

Carson stepped forward and cupped her head in his hands. "Love, who cares about us. Nobody knows. Just... Please."

She looked up at him for a moment before signing. "Fine... I accept the role of Head Guard. I still think it's a bad idea though."

He chuckled, shaking his head, before placing a soft kiss to the top of Anne's head. "Go out and relax for today, alright? You can start tomorrow. You deserve a day of rest."

"B-but..."

"Anne."

"... Fine." The woman pushed herself to her feet and kissed Carson before leaving the home, walking through the village. She nodded to the guards standing post at the village gate as she passed by, heading to the small pond in the woods.

As Anne sat at the pond's edge, she hard the crack of a twig behind her. She spun around, swords drawn, only to be slammed back against a wall by two figures. She knew instantly by their strength that they were Shadow Knights. A third came before her, chuckling.

"Turned to the life of good, have you?"

"No," Anne spat. "It gives me shelter and a full stomach at night. That's all."

"Oh? So... You haven't befriended the Lord I would assume?"

She narrowed her eyes. "What do you want."

"It's more or less what Zenix wants. He wants you back. And we plan to take you to him. Unless..."

"What... No! Unless what, name your price!"

"/Unless/ you can prove to us that you haven't become some softy. Kill the lord. Get your immortality. Then we will leave you alone."

Anne shoved one of the Shadow Knights off into the pond, running the other's sword through himself. She turned to the third and knocked him out with a hard fist to the temple before retrieving her discarded swords and heading back to the village, instantly going back to the house, entering without knocking or calling to Carson.

He turned around, shocked to see her. "Anne! I... Is everything okay? You weren't gone very long."

Anne stared at him with a broken expression before rushing forward, clinging to the man as tears streamed down her cheeks. "No... Nothing is okay.."

Carson placed a kiss to the top of her head. "What is it, love?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?"

"Even with your life?"

"Anne, I asked you to be my head guard for a reason. I have no reason not to."

A broken cry escaped her lips. "Carson, I'm so sorry..."

"Anne? Wha-" His voice cut off with a gurgle as Anneliese thrusted one of her swords through his abdomen. Carson's eyes widened in shock as she stepped back, holding him upright still. One of his hands rose to gently caress her cheek, realization evident in his pained expression as she blinked and her eyes suddenly became a vibrant red. Anne slowly lowered his form to the ground as the light faded from his vision, retrieving her sword, wiping it clean on the nearby bed sheets. She sheathed it and wiped her eyes before striding out of the house. She snuck out of the village unseen, escaping out to the forest, tears streaming from her eyes. After a distance as slowed and shed her guard armor, pulling the hood up on her jacket so that it would help her bangs to hide her blinded right eye. Anne swallowed down the pain in her throat, starting her life as a mercenary. She had no purpose anymore. Or so she thought.

The woman led this life for years. One day, she overheard a group talking about the Tyrant of Falconclaw. She instantly jumped on them for information. The group told her that when the previous lord passed away, his son took over. The son wasn't his usual self though, and in the end, killed the village. Rumor has it that the loss of his sister drove the lord mad.

Now with a new spark of hope, Anneliese traveled back to her village. Her heart dropped as she saw the gate in shambles, and as she stepped through the forest inside, she was heartbroken to discover that the village was in ruin.  Anneliese remembered, however, that something had been mentioned of a new risen village called Phoenix Drop. There had been a man spotted traveling with the lord and her guards who was extremely skilled with a long sword.

The woman made her way to Phoenix Drop, using what money she had managed to scavenge to help her along the way. Once again, though, she was met with a broken gate. She passed into the land cautiously, both hopeful and afraid, following the path. Even the path was overgrown, though it did its job in leading her to a village; what was left of it, at least. Anne cautiously approached the ruined entry, when she heard a faint sound from behind her. She recognized the running of steps instantly, and turned, drawing her swords, to defend herself from her attacker. It was a man with... Blue hair? He was strong, she had to give him that. "Nice to see a fellow duel-wielder. Most go for a sword and shield."

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" The man clearly wasn't having it.

Anne scoffed at his hostility before suddenly crossing her swords, suddenly forcing his from his grasp. He gasped, eyes widening, and she sent a knee to his stomach. "I'm looking for a family member. Tall man, black hair, dark grey eyes. You seen him?"

The man was forced to his knee, and as he looked up with gritted teeth, his jaw opened slightly in shock. "You- You're one of them..."