• 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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It was dark. So terrifyingly dark. The worst thing was, I couldn't remember why. I couldn't remember why I couldn't see or why the place where my eyes should be felt so odd. By now I should by panicking, yelling for help. Something kept me silent and still. A thought tugged at the back of my mind, don't move. You're not among friends.
Why, I didn't know. Where I was, I didn't know. Who I was, I wasn't quite sure.
"I'm glad you're awake, Number Four." A female voice spoke, too close to my ear. I flinched, that voice was familiar. How has I not noticed they were there?
"Where-" My voice was hoarse and I frowned, unsure of how I was going to fit all of my questions into one sentence.
"What do you remember?" This time I didn't flinch, not even when their cold fingertips trailed down the side of my face.
"I was going to kill." The words tumbled from my mouth. I felt like I was trying to build a puzzle with my scattered thoughts, only too many were missing. "I was trained to kill my enemy, this was my chance. What happened? Did I succeed?"
"I'm sorry, you did not." They pulled their hand away and I slowly sat up.
"You're Number Eight, aren't you?" Things were coming back, slowly. Glimpses of her mask, the training, my task to kill the red blooded monsters.
"I am."
"Did you kill them?" I grit my teeth, wishing I could remember what happened after the Collectors sent me off.
"No." She answered and I couldn't stop my smirk, "However I did kill one of their strong allies. The shapeshifter."
"What happened to me? Why can't I see?" I questioned, not caring about her successes.
"They tortured you for information and when you didn't give any- even when they stabbed out your eyes- they proceeded to wipe your memory. Lucky I arrived in time and only your recent memories were wiped." I felt her wrap something around my head, covering whatever scars replaced my eyes. "The Collectors wish to speak to you. I'll alert them that you've awoken."
I nodded, trying not to snarl at the thought of what Tusks and Tuskless were going to say. I listened to the sound of her footsteps walk away, a door slide open and two pairs of heavier footsteps enter. I grunted a hello.
"How are you feeling, guardian." I could tell it was Tusks who spoke, he was not happy. I simply curled my lip in response.
"This is twice you failed. We thought you would bring death to our enemies, as that's what you are after all." Tuskless took a different approach- disappointed- like a mother speaking to her disobedient child.
"Whose really to blame, considering you trained me?" I snapped back, anger dripping from my tongue.
"Did we not train you well enough?" Tusks scoffed.
