Crimson Rose

~Chapter Two~

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"If he tries to scream, slice his throat."

The rebel leader stares straight into my eyes as the tip of my knife traces across his neck. His mouth was firmly pressed against each other, and in the dim moonlight, I could almost see the blood rushing away, leaving them pale and white.

"If he threatens you, stab his chest."

But his mouth was still in a tight lock. And his eyes sent a vibrating chill down my spine, leaving my muscles to twitch at the slightest gust of wind between the dark alleyway.

"Demand his pledge of loyalty to the King for his repentance."

"Under the silent witness of the moon, pledge your loyalty back to King Damon Savabri and surrender yourself," I said in the most vicious way; cold and without a hint of mercy.

"And if he fails to do so, end his life."

His mouth cracked into a smile, and he heaved out a hoarse laugh. Then in an instant, he untangled himself from my grip, weaving just away from the swing of my arm, and threw me hard into the wall. Spots blurred my vision as my head collided into the brick walls, followed by the clack of boots running away in urgency and desperation.

How absolutely, definitely, and utterly impolite of you.

I blinked furiously in an effort to regain my vision as I followed the sound of his fading footsteps blindly. And as quickly as he ran, my legs seemed to fly through the night, giving an effortless chase on my part. His breaths became uneven, and exhaustion evidently began to fatigue his muscles before I deftly kicked off the wall and knocked my heel onto his back. The sudden unbalanced force jerked his body forward, and unable to catch up with his falling body, his leg tripped over the other, and he tumbled down. His face skid onto the concrete floor and ripped a shred of skin off his face, but other than the bloody gash, nothing was more horrifying than the look of utter terror in his eyes.

It's in moments like these when I hesitate on the responsibilities of my duties. It was painful to watch the life drain into oblivion. But yet, I never forgot the day Caelum's glory and peace fell into a heap of disorder. In an effort to restore the golden age, people have committed themselves to tend to the needs of the kingdom.

And I must play my own role.

The rebellion is a threat to the king, and whether they come with enemies or allies, they are to be stopped before they can intercede our progress of rebuilding national unity.

I guess, with that mentality, I justify my actions.

"It will be painless."

As silent as I struck, Death whisked his life away until he slumped onto the pavement, bleeding out a pool of red. He wasn't my first victim, but every time, I still feel the pang of guilt throbbing in my chest. Yet, I still remember the one thing that motivates me to continue. The thought of him seems to make everything reasonable, and to see him smile and alive every day washes away all the blood from my hands.

"Do you know why such measures must be taken?"

"No, sir."

"Caelum trusted too many. Our former King gave too much and asked for too little. Do you understand?"