His father grabbed his hand and pulled him into a run. At the age of 10 he had no idea what was going on. Why those people dressed in graphite green, they called them assassins, suddenly broke into the place and began killing everyone they encountered?

They ran through the rooms, the corridors, the backyard so familiar. Light cast by the fire consuming his home illuminated their way. Their shadows were like haunting figures pursuing them.

All the way he could hear sounds of battles. He heard people screaming, crying, , rushing, falling, breathing their last breaths. He heard clanking of swords, murmurings of alchemists as they cast their spells, buzzing of particles when alchemistic power cut through the air, and finally the sound of ruthless blades piercing through human flesh…

And then he heard no more. Those sound waves continued to ripple into his ears. But he was like immersed in water. He didn’t hear them anymore. He couldn’t hear them anymore.

It was just…horrible…

He didn’t remember he had closed his eyes. When he realized they had come to a halt he opened his eyes and blinked.

They were in a cottage hut the whereabouts he couldn’t tell. Swiftly his father opened a trapdoor hinged on the floor. The next instant his father kneeled down on one knee, cupped his face and looked straight into his eyes.

He couldn’t help shuddering looking into his father’s eyes. They were sending a cruel message. They were sending the message so true yet so hard to believe. This was it. This would be the last time they saw each other.

“Do not come out until you hear absolutely no sound. No matter what happens live! Live for us! Live for appa! OK?” His father spoke with a voice so desperate it crushed his heart immediately.

He found hot tears trickling down his cheeks. Choking on his own tears he shook his head. Why? Everything was normal and beautiful until yesterday. Why all of a sudden? Why was his father leaving him and begging him?

Sounds of rushing footsteps paralyzed their veins. His father stamped a deep kiss onto his forehead. And then he was roughly shoved into the underground space through the trapdoor. Before he could utter a word the trapdoor was closed and covered with hay on top.

The boy climbed up and peeked through the slit. Everything was happening so fast he couldn’t believe those were indeed taking place right in front of his eyes.

A dark shadow flickered. A dagger flashed. A red line crossed his father’s throat. His father collapsed.

In the blink of an eye it all finished. The next thing he knew was his father’s blood streamed through the trapdoor slit and dripped onto his face. Quickly he clapped his hands over his mouth to mute his gasp or whimper. He squeezed his eyes shut and at the same time trying every might to stop the chattering of his teeth, and shuddering of his body. His heart was beating too loudly… Some bitter liquid entered his mouth… That was his tears mingled with his father’s blood…

He heard more people enter the cottage. He heard sounds of rummaging.

……

“Pinqmeng. Shall we leave?”

Probably that Pinqmeng nodded. He didn’t hear any answer but footsteps rustling away.

……

Maybe it’s curiosity. Maybe he wanted to know who killed his father. He risked a glance through the slit.

The dark shadow, dressed like a ninja, all in black, was just walking out of the cottage’s door.

Without warning that assassin turned his head over his shoulder. The boy shuddered.  His hair prickled. It’s like those indifferent eyes could see through the trapdoor and were staring right at him.

……

Smirk on his face, the assassin left.

The boy would never forget that indifferent stare, those eyes full of arrogance and ruthlessness. They effectively stopped his heart.

He didn’t know. The next time he saw that pair of eyes again, his heart would be broken.

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A/N: Hi all it's me again!! I did write a lot this week right? Really a lot!! *exhausted and fainted* Everytime a story ends I hv to complete the ending chap and the beginning chap of my next FF!! But I do enjoy writing!! ^^

A/N2: Hi guys. Pls vote for SJ to get GDA!!! I encountered some technical difficulties and was feeling down for days. But now there's a solution. VOTE VOTE VOTE!!! ELFs Hwaiting!!!