• This is the second book of The Collected series •
"Those who bring pain are here to save, and those who bring hope will bring death. A great evil rests on the horizon, eating away at each setting sun. Nothing is as it seems while you beg for salva...
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Nicholas.
That was a name I'd never heard before. It felt weird to be called something more than a number, more then death. If felt good. In a scary way.
Mark said they'd try to trick me, pretend they were my friends. Either they were really good actors, or I've been protecting the liars.
Either way, I couldn't focus on that now. They got away, and that meant I may not even get the chance to go back out after them. I stood alone, waiting. Tusks, Tuskless and Mark were speaking with the head, deciding what they were to do with me.
The door opened with an irritating screech, Tusks in the doorway. He looked weary and nervous as he looked at me.
"They have given you permission to take a ship and go after them. But if you fail-" he scratched the top of his head, "well let's just say they have a motive for you." He waved his hand, beckoning me to follow.
We entered another room where Tuskless and Mark stood waiting. They weren't the only ones. Another figure stood in the centre of the room.
"Number Four," Mark's smile was disturbing, "meet Number Eight, the defender."
"How many of us are there?" My head snapped towards them. I was the guardian, Number Four, this was the defender, Number Eight.
"That is information for us to know." Tuskless announced, "The two of you will be hunting down the red monsters, the first one to do so earns a place in the head. You leave in five, you are to wait here until we return."
This Number Eight hadn't moved a muscle since I'd entered, and they still didn't move as the Collectors left. Once we were alone, I returned my gaze back to them.
They wore a black cloak and armour like mine. Instead of a red x on their chest, there was a red eight. Their form appeared to be female but I couldn't tell for sure, as their face was covered by a metal mask.
"They call me death you know." I warned.
"And I the opposite. Resurrection, life." Definitely female, but of what species, I didn't know.
"I'll take off my mask if you remove yours?" I took a few steps closer. Still, she didn't move.
"Why." She snapped, "you already know who I am."
"Curiosity?" I offered hopefully. At her lack of movement, I assumed her answer was a no. "If we're going to be working together, I'd like to know who you are."
"We are not working together. We are working against each other for the same people." Somehow I could tell she was grinning under that metal mask. "And I already told you. I am Number Eight."
"Don't you hate being called that? A Number, like you're not important enough to have a name." I sighed angrily, the name 'Nicholas' echoing in my head.
