Adventure of Exiles

What the fuck was that. Felix thought.

His brain was racing with so many different thoughts as his body moved on instinct to protect Emily. He saw the attacker move so swiftly from the top of the temple and down into the room.

The assassin was dressed in a dark hooded cloak.

The man moved quickly, like the wind.

Felix parried as a scythe swipe tried to cut down Emily.

The assassin backed away from Felix.

Felix was still reeling from the surprise attack.

The assassin attacked again.

Felix dodged and swung his sword.

He hit the assassin in the shoulder.

But it didn’t matter.

The man was moving so fast he just shrugged off the wound.

But Felix cut through the cloak. As the man leaped back it revealed who it was.

Isaac.

What the fuck was going on.

He checked from the top of the chamber to see, Commissioner Stephen emerge from the shadows,

“Thirteen. Complete the mission. Retrieve that staff and leave no survivors.”

Isaac stood there silently and still.

“Understood.” He spoke out in a monotone voice.

“Isaac! It’s us your friends! What are you doing?” Lisa cried out.

Isaac didn’t respond, he just charged knocking Lisa aside.

“It doesn’t matter! He’s trying to kill us...I’ll make it quick.”

Felix parried a swing of the scythe and countered.

Isaac blocked the strike, and the force knocked him back.

He quickly recovered and swung again.

Felix blocked the attack and kicked Isaac away.

Noah was on the side channeling a spell with his staff. Tears in his eyes,

“Don’t do this. I don’t want to fight you. You are my friend.”

Isaac didn’t response as he rushed toward Noah.

Noah threw his staff to the ground and conjured a bolt of ice.

Isaac swung his scythe and a wall of fire appeared.

It caught the bolt and Isaac pushed through the flames and slashed down at Noah.

Noah blocked with his staff and the staff was cleanly cut into two.

With a quick follow up Isaac pushed Noah back with the end of his scythe.

Noah hit the ground hard.

Noah held his arms up, “no please. Stop!”

“You are in my way. I will remove you.”

Isaac raised the scythe to finish him off.

Felix tackled Isaac to the floor.

“Fuck, what is wrong with you!”

“Unnecessary interference. You will die as well.”

Felix tried to cut down Isaac with his sword.

But Isaac was too fast and scrambled away from Felix.

Isaac moved forward and tried to slash at Felix.

But Emily stepped in and stopped the attack.

“I will not lose my family again!” Emily cried.

She held the staff out and it glowed a pale blue light. An aura of shadow hands emerged from the ground and pulled Isaac down.

Isaac’s eyes widened in shock as the shadows held him down, there was a ghostly wail.

Felix moved forward and smashed his pommel on to Isaac’s head channeling in Hrafnagud’s will to shock Isaac.

He collapsed to the floor.

“What did those sick fucks do to you?”

Stephen and Dietrich came down from the top of the chamber.

“It’s not my doing what Thirteen is.” Stephen replied.

“Bullshit.”

Stephen shrugged,

“I told no lies. Isaac is a very capable soldier. He was an assassin for the Military Grand Council and a valuable asset. Years of training and conditioning has turned him into what we needed to enforce a total and absolute peace on Lyris. A dog, unwavering loyal to the state and a perfect killer.”

“What did you do to him?”

“We saved him, his life, his purpose. Isaac would have lived a meaningless existence. In exchange we gave him a new life.”

“Fuck you!”

Felix’s mind was racing. He knew the Military Grand Council had been manipulating Lyris from the shadows, but this was something else.

Stephen smirked, “perhaps you shouldn’t be so distracted mercenary.”

Felix looked back to see Isaac about to strike down Emily.

How in the hells?

Felix turned to run towards them. But he knew he was too late.

“Are you alright?” Michael asked as he weakly grabbed at Isaac’s leg.

Isaac looked down at Michael.

Thank the gods…you are ok. We were so worried. This? This isn’t your fault…we are always here for you.”

“Brother...” Isaac muttered after what felt like an eternity.

He clutched his head and started screaming.

A pure wail of agony.

“What have I done?!”

He got on his knees and clutched Michael’s body, “brother...I’m so sorry. I...I can’t live like this anymore.”

“Thirteen! Complete your mission!” Stephen yelled.

"Gods be damned." Stephen let out a chant.

Isaac shook as it appears to be a wave of pain hit him. His eyes glowed red for just a moment.

“I’m not a weapon. I’m a human!” Isaac screamed.

Isaac clutched his head and his whole body began to tremble. His hands shook violently.

Felix stood close by unsure what will happen next but ready to move forward to protect Emily.

Isaac looked at Felix.

He was crying.

“There wasn’t anything good from learning about my past...I’m a monster...I’m sorry...”

Felix watched in horror as Isaac used his scythe to cut his throat.

He fell on his knees, bleeding out and choking on his own blood.