Sorry for the slow update'; final's week was approaching, lots to do. Anyway, Chater 2's up and finished, Chapter Three is on the way.

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A blade whirled through the air and embedded itself inside a musty and peeling wall. How long had this wall been here? Did it ever know when its peaceful state of decay would be disturbed? Only when something is gone does one realize how important it was.

This was how it was for Jessica as she watched Altair strike knives into the wall. It was all she could do to muster herself to stand and watch without breaking into sobs. They had gone so fast. Tiffany, Yoona, Tae-yeon, Seohyun, Yuri, Sunny, Hyo-yeon... before she knew it they had all dropped like flies. Now there was only Sooyoung left...and she had to be strong for her. Altair strode over and placed a knife in Jessica’s hands. “Do as I just did. The first step to perfection is to copy, and then eventually you will find your own path…” Her master’s droning words were all that rang through Jessica’s head as she slipped the knives into the targets with ease.

“Is it inappropriate to talk about your own death?”

“I don’t know. Have you ever asked?”

“I just did, you sod.”

Jessica was roused from the confines of her memories when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Sooyoung grinned and enclosed her in a hug.

“Isn’t it great? We’re going to get the band together again.”

Jessica smiled and held her back, but now she could think of were John’s words: There will be a price.

“Novice!” Altair barked. “Get over here!”

Sooyoung frowned, abruptly reminded that their deceased band members were not the only problems they had at the moment.

“We’re leaving as soon as I get the all-clear from Malik. Be prepared to say goodbye to your friend.”

“Just a minute now.” One of the Beatles spoke up from where they had been arguing earlier. “We’re not going to let any of you leave just yet.”

“Yes, what Bongo said.”

“Hey, you’re not supposed to agree with me!”

“Anyways, you can’t leave,” another lilting voice added.

“I just reiterated that!” Altair turned away before his anger could further escalate. He was not a patient man, and these men with their riddles and enigmatic talk were irritating him enormously. Suddenly his phone rang and Malik’s gruff voice gave the all-clear.

“Does it bother you Santa Claus didn’t call you by your name?”

“No--”

“If you want me to respect your name then you should respect mine first!”

“Guys, hush!” Jessica snapped. “I think I hear something.”

In the confines of the secret training complex, the rabbling voices fell silent. Indeed there was some sort of noise...a whirring kind of noise.

“That’s our ride,” John announced.  The seemingly decrepit barn wall began to rise. It revealed a massive wall of yellow.

“A- a submarine?” Sooyoung gasped, confusion coloring her words. And indeed a submarine it was. It rose into the air, propellers spinning away, the periscope twisting to take in the surroundings. “But who is piloting it?”

“Nevermind that! Let’s get your friends back first--we can discuss the finer points later.”

“Hold your hands together, and think about them.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes, and close your eyes. Think about your love for them. That’s all you need.” Sooyoung and Jessica tightened their grip and squeezed their eyes shut, letting the memories of the past flood through them. They were in the dressing room again, laughing and chatting without a care in the world. Taeyeon flipped her hair back just the way she always did, and Yuri was beginning another retelling of her famous spaghetti story. Tiffany’s light giggles pierced the air as the whole group indulged in living in the moment.

Meanwhile, Altair tapped his foot impatiently and glared at his two assassins with ambivalence. He sure was getting bored of this frivolity. When he felt a hand creeping behind his shoulder, Altair spun around and caught one of the funny men in a death-grip. When he felt another reaching for him, he raised his hand to strike but instead found it stopped in its tracks by two other hands. Altair attempted to move, but found he couldn’t.

“Alright, I listened to your offer--now just what kind of are you trying to pull here?”

“Don’t say it like that! It’s not very nice.”

“Oh, would you cram it? I can say whatever I damned want!” Altair continued struggling and glanced back at Sooyoung and Jessica. A bright, searing light was engulfing them.

“What are you doing to them?” the assassin spat.

“Are you talking to me? Because you’re the one who’s doing the doing.”

“What!?”

“We’re your soul energy, love.”

“But don’t worry, it’s all in the mind, y’know.” The forms of seven other figures began to manifest around Altair. His eyesight was getting spotty and his legs were beginning to tremble. He made a final attempt to wring himself free from this hellish scene, but instead collapsed to his knees.

“Remember, Altair!” he cackled. “All you need is love!”

The last thing Altair saw before everything went black was the submarine rising slowly into the air, accompanied by laughs of delighted joy, and, oddly enough, someone calling his name.

Altair woke with a throbbing head and no idea where he was or how he had gotten there. Someone was standing over him with a concerned look on his face. The instant he saw Altair was awake, his expression immediately changed to one of anger.

“Altair, what on earth were you thinking? I warned you not to antagonize those men! They were clearly using some kind of dark magic.”

“Safety and Peace, Malik.” Altair muttered.

“Safety and Peace indeed!” Malik snapped. “Not only did you fail the mission, you compromised the Brotherhood and nearly got yourself killed! Those people you allowed to escape know far too much about us! Just how long do you think it is going to take to track down and deal with all of them? And lie down!” he added as Altair attempted to struggle to his feet. “You’re in no condition to be walking around.”

“Safety and PEACE,” Altair repeated, his eyes beginning to glow.

“This magic.” Malik gasped. “It can’t be...”

Altair had somehow managed to stand. He reached for Malik, eyes glowing brighter every moment. Somewhere deep in his mind, a tiny voiced screamed for him to stop... stop... he couldn’t do this to Malik, his closest friend. His only friend. But much stronger was his urge to devour, to consume. He wrapped his hands around the other man’s neck, feeling his soul energy leaving his body and flowing into him. His strength... was returning. But it wasn’t enough. He needed more. He dropped the limp body and staggered away in search of another life to away, the thought never once crossing his mind that, if he had woken up hungering for souls, so might others whose souls had been taken.“Is it inappropriate to talk about your own death?”

“I don’t know. Have you ever asked?”

“I just did, you sod.”

Jessica was roused from the confines of her memories when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Sooyoung grinned and enclosed her in a hug.

“Isn’t it great? We’re going to get the band together again.”

Jessica smiled and held her back, but now she could think of were John’s words: There will be a price.

“Novice!” Altair barked. “Get over here!”

Sooyoung frowned, abruptly reminded that their deceased band members were not the only problems they had at the moment.

“We’re leaving as soon as I get the all-clear from Malik. Be prepared to say goodbye to your friend.”

“Just a minute now.” One of the Beatles spoke up from where they had been arguing earlier. “We’re not going to let any of you leave just yet.”

“Yes, what Bongo said.”

“Hey, you’re not supposed to agree with me!”

“Anyways, you can’t leave,” another lilting voice added.

“I just reiterated that!” Altair turned away before his anger could further escalate. He was not a patient man, and these men with their riddles and enigmatic talk were irritating him enormously. Suddenly his phone rang and Malik’s gruff voice gave the all-clear.

“Does it bother you Santa Claus didn’t call you by your name?”

“No--”

“If you want me to respect your name then you should respect mine first!”

“Guys, hush!” Jessica snapped. “I think I hear something.”

In the confines of the secret training complex, the rabbling voices fell silent. Indeed there was some sort of noise...a whirring kind of noise.

“That’s our ride,” John announced.  The seemingly decrepit barn wall began to rise. It revealed a massive wall of yellow.

“A- a submarine?” Sooyoung gasped, confusion coloring her words. And indeed a submarine it was. It rose into the air, propellers spinning away, the periscope twisting to take in the surroundings. “But who is piloting it?”

“Nevermind that! Let’s get your friends back first--we can discuss the finer points later.”

“Hold your hands together, and think about them.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes, and close your eyes. Think about your love for them. That’s all you need.” Sooyoung and Jessica tightened their grip and squeezed their eyes shut, letting the memories of the past flood through them. They were in the dressing room again, laughing and chatting without a care in the world. Taeyeon flipped her hair back just the way she always did, and Yuri was beginning another retelling of her famous spaghetti story. Tiffany’s light giggles pierced the air as the whole group indulged in living in the moment.

Meanwhile, Altair tapped his foot impatiently and glared at his two assassins with ambivalence. He sure was getting bored of this frivolity. When he felt a hand creeping behind his shoulder, Altair spun around and caught one of the funny men in a death-grip. When he felt another reaching for him, he raised his hand to strike but instead found it stopped in its tracks by two other hands. Altair attempted to move, but found he couldn’t.

“Alright, I listened to your offer--now just what kind of are you trying to pull here?”

“Don’t say it like that! It’s not very nice.”

“Oh, would you cram it? I can say whatever I damned want!” Altair continued struggling and glanced back at Sooyoung and Jessica. A bright, searing light was engulfing them.

“What are you doing to them?” the assassin spat.

“Are you talking to me? Because you’re the one who’s doing the doing.”

“What!?”

“We’re your soul energy, love.”

“But don’t worry, it’s all in the mind, y’know.” The forms of seven other figures began to manifest around Altair. His eyesight was getting spotty and his legs were beginning to tremble. He made a final attempt to wring himself free from this hellish scene, but instead collapsed to his knees.

“Remember, Altair!” he cackled. “All you need is love!”

The last thing Altair saw before everything went black was the submarine rising slowly into the air, accompanied by laughs of delighted joy, and, oddly enough, someone calling his name.

Altair woke with a throbbing head and no idea where he was or how he had gotten there. Someone was standing over him with a concerned look on his face. The instant he saw Altair was awake, his expression immediately changed to one of anger.

“Altair, what on earth were you thinking? I warned you not to antagonize those men! They were clearly using some kind of dark magic.”

“Safety and Peace, Malik.” Altair muttered.

“Safety and Peace indeed!” Malik snapped. “Not only did you fail the mission, you compromised the Brotherhood and nearly got yourself killed! Those people you allowed to escape know far too much about us! Just how long do you think it is going to take to track down and deal with all of them? And lie down!” he added as Altair attempted to struggle to his feet. “You’re in no condition to be walking around.”

“Safety and PEACE,” Altair repeated, his eyes beginning to glow.

“This magic.” Malik gasped. “It can’t be...”

Altair had somehow managed to stand. He reached for Malik, eyes glowing brighter every moment. Somewhere deep in his mind, a tiny voiced screamed for him to stop... stop... he couldn’t do this to Malik, his closest friend. His only friend. But much stronger was his urge to devour, to consume. He wrapped his hands around the other man’s neck, feeling his soul energy leaving his body and flowing into him. His strength... was returning. But it wasn’t enough. He needed more. He dropped the limp body and staggered away in search of another life to away, the thought never once crossing his mind that, if he had woken up hungering for souls, so might others whose souls had been taken.