Crossing Illusion: Reflection (Book 1) #Wattys2017

Chapter 41: Ricardo, The Opportunist Man

Lizzie's POV

Seeing the death of my two allies made me remember the day....

Five years ago, I was in Middle Eastern countries, moving from one place to another. Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, and many more. My group is paid mercenary, killing for living, regardless to whom. Whoever paid us, get our service. That's our motto.

Me and the rest of the kids around my age is stolen children from war-torn world, raised as soldier, taught how to survive the wilderness, and given mindset that killing for living, is okay. That's how we become such weapon. Raised as professional killer.

One day, however, we're fooled. Our own client who paid us, turned out to be double agent for our enemy, and they bait us into the site where they hail us down with rifles, machinegun and army chopper. Only 1/3 of our group survived, and among the survivor, only half unharmed. I'm severely wounded on my leg, but with some medication, it healed.

I'm quite depressed. I can only stay as sniper, meanwhile our power dwindled. Soon war tone down, and slight dawn of peace come. Temporal, and it's all good since not like we desire war, but our job get into crisis.

Then he come.

A dangerous man. Perhaps, more dangerous than us.

He offer me, instead of any other, chance of survival. Chance to prove my worth by serving on his side.

"So, you guys had motto that whoever paid, get the service.... Then I'll pay it all. You serve me for lifetime, be my sniper, assassinate my enemy, and I'll pay for your whole living, plus total recovery of your legs. Sounds good?"

That's the day I meet Ricardo Velazquez. That cheeky bastard, but he did save my life and he fulfill my promise.

And so, like my promise, I'll be his eye. The eye of death that snipe all.

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Ugor's POV

Long ago, people on the village worship me as a wise, powerful man. Wizard capable to learn all spells! Wizard that read all the spellbooks there! Wizard that fend of threat and tame down beast! And I've known to be the most sacred one there, until one day, they banish me.

They label me as traitor, as heretic, just because of my curiosity. I entered the forbidden room in seek of knowledge and formed lifelong-devotion, a pact, with a dark spirit, Geryon.

With force of the deity, I travel and I shamble, yet I had no destination. I ruin all those who against me, but I had none. Everyone avoid me. Every known magician around shunned and judge me. So, I took a journey to another land. Miles to miles, beyond these mountains.

I found a small village. Not much of a place, but good enough for living.

I stay there for weeks, for months, and start forgetting my actual origin as a wise mage. Serving on a tavern, the merry, diverse customer that come here everyday soothe my wounded soul. It lighten me, giving me false peace as I forgot everything, until a year later, a peculiar guest visit the tavern at midnight.

He doesn't drink much. He talk quite much, though. He tell tale, his goal, obsession, and everything. He's an interesting folk to talk, until he spill out his actual objective.

"Have you ever heard of man called Ugor? He's a powerful mage from the neighboring hidden village. He was banished for a forbidden treachery and he carry a pact with.... What the creature called again...."

I froze, and my lips naturally spoke, completing his sentence.

"Geryon...."

He look at me with a smile. He know it all long.