Where he was from, morals were a hated thing, and chaos was law. One such as he would never be accepted, and there was no such thing as a parents love for their child, only the parasitical relationship where the parent would profit as the child suffers. Many were sold to slavery. many were sold to brothels.
He was kept in the hopes that he would work for his father, and steal for him.
He had gone with it against his own personal feelings for he knew his father was not merciful. he had become a master thief by The time he was merely six years old, and by the time he was twelve, He had accumulated enough riches to make the wealthiest man pale. His father couldn't believe his aptitude, and when he was 16, his father had a new kind of task for him.
His mission this time was to kill.
He had spent his last sixteen years making himself believe that those he stole from had wronged someone, though he never met them in person.
But this new task of his would change that.
His first target was a man who had been reputed of pitting children that he bought against each other. His father had told him the man was evil and needed to be killed. And when he saw the man, he wasn't dissappointed. the man was indeed true to his reputation, and he was even hosting a match as he arrived, with many spectators to the cruel game. They were all so engrossed with the match they didn't even notice as their host slumped back in his chair, as a bullet silently passed through one ear out the other, as the shadowed form silently picked the bullet up from the ground across the room.
And by the time someone noticed the man was dead, he had already reported his success to his father. What he didn't know was that the man he killed was not what his father said he was. the man had trained his son to be a great fighter, and it was not his choice, but his sons own decision to be the best. To make his father proud.
In his moment of victory against his opponent, he looked to his father, to see him smile in pride at him, to hear him say his usual "great job son."
His father did nothing that night.
But the assassin never knew. He was only glad to kill one as evil as he, glad that his father had set him out on a righteous mission for once.
He did not know that his father was the one who truly held the tournament he believed he ended, That his father had the man killed simply because less people were coming to his
because the other mans son had become the greatest fighter around and was getting great fame, stealing his customers.
Things were rarely black and white.
He was 20 when he was given the one mission he could not accomplish.
His father had told him of a young man who had murdered several children for no reason other than his own amusement, and he was liable to continue his murderous streak unless he was stopped. His father had twisted the story, of course, for it was he who had killed the children. He had killed them simply to watch their expressions as they died. He decided to also conveniently place the blame on the young man who had dedicated his life to finding his fathers killer. He was the one shred of justice in a world that was so corrupt, and that disgusted the young assassins' father more than anything.
But when the young assassin came upon the young man, he hesitated. Had he seen this one before? He didn't look the murderous type. But his father hadn't lied to him ever before. so he waited for an opportune moment, to finish the job. But he was still curious, so he didn't kill him right away but rather, observed his actions for a while. When the young man went home, the assassin followed, and discovered the truth. This was the boy who was Fighting in that "horrendous" tournament 4 years ago. He also learned the truth of that man he killed and his tournament.
He had killed a good man.
His father lied to him. he ran back to his home as fast as he could, to where his father waited eagerly to hear his success. He was not pleased to hear what his son learned, And he then realized that he could no longer use his son anymore. "No matter" was the only word he said as he pulled out his gun and killed his son.
"I can always sire another."
And there was blackness. How could he have possibly followed someone so evil for so long? how could he not see? Every day of his life had seemed nothing but a lie now. How many more innocents had he killed while thinking them evil?
Why did everything seem so black and white?
It all seemed so wrong. Was there nothing he could do now? what was going to happen to him now?
"What's the point? It's too late to change what I did."
"But It's not too late to change the future."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Your father will not let your failure end his ambition."
oh.
"I would gladly kill him, but he trained me. I know how powerful he is."
"he is indeed powerful, but so are you."
"But my last encounter was not in my favor. when compared to him, I'm still lacking."
"That can be changed"
"Oh, really now?"
"The darkness was your greatest ally before death, let it become a part of you now."
"Is there a price? what must I do?"
"It will be very painful. If you wish to change, all you must do is close your eyes."
"not much to see here anyway" he closed his eyes. he felt as though he was on fire, and his skin was melting, his blood was boiling, and his bones shattered like glass in his body. it stopped as abruptly as it started. he felt different, though he didn't know in what way.
"Do you wish to return?"
"May as well."
The darkness around him disappeared, and he was once again outside his home. his fathers Kingdom. once again, he entered. Would this time be different? What had he gained in death that he didn't have in life? No turning back now though, and he climbed the stairs, Not even noticing his reflection in the mirrors on the wall. If he had, he definitely would have been surprised by the change. But he was too focused on the task at hand. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, or lack thereof, but many of the decorations and paintings in the place seemed not to have their usual hue.
He reached the room where he last saw his father and closed his eyes. beyond this door was the man who had ruled his life for twenty years. twenty years of lies.
twenty years of being used.
when he opened his eyes, he was facing his father.
Why wasn't he surprised to see his son back from the dead?
Why didn't he seem to even notice him at all?
why didn't he have any color?
he was looking down at something on the floor. The his son looked down with him to see his own body on the floor, bullet through his forehead, Black blood oozing down his white face.
He could not see color. everything was black and white.
he looked up at his father.
"how fitting." he said.
he put his hand around his neck. His father instinctively went for his gun, but his son yanked it out of his hand and threw it across the room. "What...are...you?" his father coughed.
He lifted his father off the floor, his arm appearing as a smoky darkness. So this is how he changed. the darkness has indeed become a part of him, as the voice said.
"you know who I am" he said, making sure his fathers' torment was slow and painful.
"What?"
"I'm insulted you don't recognize me....Father"
He watched the surprised expression in his face with satisfaction, then snapped his neck. He let his fathers limp body fall to the floor, and once again, he closed his eyes.
What now? He had killed his father, but what was there for him now? His whole life he had dedicated himself to eradicating the evils his father had told him about, But his father was the true evil.
He opened his eyes.
"Nothing is black and white" he said.
He looked out the window, his reflection slightly obscuring the view.
"Except me." He corrected.
He had decided. He would Make sure that he would never err so horribly again. He would find the evil people of the world and judge them. He would determine if they were good inside or truly evil. He would be the justice the world so desperately needed. He would be the peoples' hero. He would be their savior.
He would be their executioner.
There was goodness, surely there was, But it's not an easy thing to find, for it is always laced with evil. And he would never again allow himself to fall victim to the belief that everything was as black and white as it appeared.
Nothing is ever Black and White.
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