three
Crimson Rogue
INITOLIA
The candlelight flickered and the gauzy curtains fluttered every now and then through the flung-open windows of Azure’s study. There was barely any light outside as the moon was obscured by thick clouds. No stars twinkled. They haven’t been visible. Not for the longest time. Azure slouched over his dark desk in mock frustration. “Impatient as always,” he drawled. He pushed his hood back and locked eyes with the Rogue. “Geez, Aya. You could’a left him alive. As sickenin’ as he was, we had him right where we wanted.” He shook his head and toyed with the bloodied pouch before storing it away in a metallic chest.
Because there’s no more room in this world for trash, the Rogue thought. But instead of retorting, she simply rose from her seat. “We should head out soon. Our next target is hours away.” Azure sighed, but a ghost of smile lingered on his lips. “You go on ahead, Aya. I hafta get rid of the corpse ‘fore we leave and report back. We can’t have the White Ravens hankerin’ after us for more business. We’re too busy as it is.” He leaned over to muss her hair and laughed outright when she evaded him with a glare. Azure clucked his tongue and shrugged his shoulders as he sat back down.
Azure knew. He knew of her hatred. The poor little girl whose clan his parents helped eradicate from the living world. He almost participated too, but was a year too young. Thinking back, he was glad he was. This job, this life they were forced to live in was much too dirty. He felt it his responsibility to atone for his parents sins by aiding her. Unfortunately, it seemed as if the seeds of resentment had already blossomed and bore fruits of vengeance.
The Rogue was on a hopeless quest to rid the world of evil. She was no longer the helpless girl of the purged clan, but instead the fearsome assassin and captive of the Black Crow clan. It was only a matter of time until she the Black Crows; a fact the Elders were aware of and dread.
The Rogue headed for the door. The Black Crow clan’s insignia hung loosely down her bicep and completely untied as she exited. A soft humming filled the darkening room as the cat-like amber eyes went back to work.
Aya dangled her legs over the ledge of Azure’s rooftop as she stared out into the silhouette of the forest landscape. Below, the hiri of the Black Crows was bustling with life. It was nearly midnight, the prime time for Initolians to be out. The wind carried the scent of freshly made food and the brisk chatter of the passersby. The evening breeze nipped at her nose and caused her scars to itch.
What I did to that rebel wasn’t noble--nothing I’ve ever done in this world was. But it was for a cause. Mother said there was a time long before I was born that peace existed in reality; peace between the three kingdoms, peace between the clans, peace between the Gods of Uma. But that was long, long ago, and those who lived during those golden times are long gone. For as long as I can remember, wars and bloodshed plagued our lands. No one remained innocent. Friends became potential foes. Families became distant. Neither trust nor love truly existed in these kingdoms. Only violence and hatred were constant.
I was only fifteen at that time… The time my clan was attacked. I was stained with the hue of our enemies and burdened with the enid of my clan. We were attacked by the fabled beings of the Outer Realms; creatures which were never meant to venture into the Inner Realm. Someone had allowed them in and sent them after us. That day, I was a coward. That day, I had to flee. Flee right into another trap. That day I became the Crimson Rogue, the prisoner of the Black Crow Clan. But someday I will uncover who was behind that attack. And they will pay.
Azure joined her on the rooftop, grimacing at her astute senses. She didn’t turn to acknowledge his presence-- she didn’t have to because he knew she was aware of him even before he made the first step on the stairs.
“Are ya ready, Aya?”
“Shut it, Azure.”
---
The summoning for the next mission came without its usual fanfare. Mino handed Azure a scroll and disappeared without even a footprint imprinted on the dust. He was ten but already nursed a hard glint in his gaze; the Elders were really too much.
“Well?” Aya asked.
“When the sun rises and all are asleep, head towards the forest. The remaining details for this mission will be supplied by the client,” Azure read out loud. His voice was low, but was as clear as the spring that bubbled in the outskirts of the hiri. The furrows in his forehead deepened as he read the remaining of the letter to himself, and nearly crumpled the paper until a last second thought stopped his action with a jolt. “Aya…” he began. Aya arched a brow.
“Well?” she repeated.
“The Elders want you to have a chat with them before we leave. By yourself and with your…”
“They want me paraded, no? With my hands bound, my feet fettered, and my eyes blindfolded.” Her voice was calm and steady. But inside, oh how she boiled inside. Anger gnawed on reason, violence threatened to rip her apart. He looked up from the paper and gave her a solemn look-over. There was that expression on his face that grated on her nerves. She didn’t need his pity. “And they want it done immediately, not before we leave. Seriously, Azure, stop withholding information.”
“We don’t have to do it…”
Aya laughed. A harsh sound that cudgeled her skull and reverberated in the empty air. The previous chattering became incessant ringing to her ears, and she longed to set fire to the hiri, to watch them all burn and die.
“Let’s get… this over with,” she replied through clenched teeth. Aya isolated herself in her head. In a few hours she would officially have been awake for twenty four hours. Not that that it mattered. Azure led the way down and they walked together to the dungeons in the middle of the hiri. In a few minutes, she would make her daily round in her tattered cloak and rusted shackles while the clan jeered and threw whatever they can reach. Sometimes they were rocks. Most of the time they were spiteful words; and those dealt the most damage. This was the Elders’ way of punishing her for a sin her ancestors had committed against theirs.
"This is so wrong," muttered Azure. Aya didn't react.
It was to keep the balance.
It was to remind Aya that she was a captive.
It was to remind the clan that she was an enemy.
**for some reason, I can't remove the indentations from the first few paragraphs-- heol...
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