Truth Hurts

Donovan Hart

"The plan was to take the head of the Queen right?" I asked Cleave, our family's caretaker and personal driver.

"Yes sir." He replied with a monotonous tone while driving the car.

"After this, I'll be set free from the family's obligations right?" I said while unfolding the floor plans that I've prepared.

"Correct, I'll be waiting from the further south of the mansion." He quickly replied as if he doesn't want to talk about my choice in leaving my family just to choose a different and normal life.

"Are you upset? Don't worry I'll visit everyone during my free time." I said as I look and analyze the floor plan for the second time.

After checking everything, I kept it in my side pocket and brought my mask out.

"No sir, it's your own choice and we respect it as much as we respect you." He replied but this time, he's looking at me through the mirror of the car.

My family is a famous underground assassin where I, Cleave, Mom, and Dad are the members. Our family is hired by many people ranging from politicians, people with deep hatred, and even people that want their family members dead. Our job is basically to assassinate someone regardless of their age or position in society. If the person who hired us tried to trick us - they are no exception as well.

Looking back when I was a kid, I've dreamed of becoming an idol because they looked so cool whenever they appeared on the television or even when I see their posters every time we go outside. This made me want to become an idol and I carried this ambition while growing up. I changed my hairstyle for fun, act as if I'm one as well, and even imitates their actions. However, on my eighth birthday, I was introduced by my family to the dark side of the industry and the dream that I once had was destroyed at that exact moment where I wished it was only a dream - I was forced to be one of them whether I want it or not.

Moving forward, I was taught Martial Arts by my father. While my mother taught me basic education and a good mindset - a mindset of a killer. I despised them as they seem to not care about their son's needs. They worked so hard that they've looked like a robot waiting for orders to kill by the higher society. I don't understand the reason why they had to pursue this career instead of working like a normal person.

Every time I asked them for a reason, they always eluded me by pretending to not hear me or sometimes, hit me.

As I progress in my training, I finally got the chance to offer them a deal, an offer that I'll work hard for the family as long as when I reached twenty years of my age, I'm going to quit and live a normal life. After hearing me, they looked straight into my eyes and pondered it for a moment then they set a condition that if I will not become one of them until the deadline of my offer, I will work with them for the rest of my life. I agreed to their condition as I strengthened my resolve to become an assassin.

As time goes on, our family created an organization where I was a member as well and we recruited more members in it. My steeled resolve made me worked harder and it did pay off. In my twelve years of age, I was nicknamed, the Prodigy.

It is not because I'm the son of the family but because I worked very hard in order to gain that name. I've gained my name after debuting on my first mission. Remembering my first mission made my stomach curl up. Everything is still fresh in my mind, the smell of blood as it ripples down my blade and the picture of the cold body of the child that I've killed.

Blood was splattered everywhere, in the walls, clothes, and in my face as well. I've mustered myself to not cry as Cleave suddenly appeared in the shadows clapping his hands and smiling at me as if I was a kid that successfully does his homework by himself.

Even though they've celebrated my first mission, I'm not able to enjoy this celebration as they do. I can't even bring the food I had to my mouth as my senses recall everything that happened during the task. Now, I'm a wicked person and I'm going to set things straight after I get out of this hell.

"Sir? Are you alright? We've already arrived at our destination. We can't move closer since it can catch the attention of the guards." Cleave said as he looked at me wearing his usual face.

Remembering my past suddenly drew tears on my face and if Cleave didn't mention that, I'll not be able to recognize it.

"Oh sorry, don't mind me." I replied as I swiftly raised my sleeve to wipe my tears.

He opened the door for me and waited for me to come out. As I slowly walk away from the car he called out to me just to say, "Please be safe sir." The exact words that he told me when I first carried out my mission eight years ago.

I looked at him and smiled, waving my hands as I turned my back to go and finish my last mission.

"Let's go and be an idol." I declared with a smiling face.

***

After successfully entering the mansion unnoticed. I took my emergency small bag and hid it in the bushes. I have some sort of ritual in myself before carrying out a mission, it is to always bring my favorite knife that I had when I entered this world. I always kissed my blade for no reason, maybe because I was still trying so hard to regain my conscience.

I glanced through my dark surroundings before heading out for the kill.

As I change my pace from walking and running stealthily, something seems off about the security, there's no guard in the corridor, and the lights are even turned off.

"Tsk, what in the world is happening? Did they anticipated my arrival?" I muttered under my breath.

I hurriedly walked down the corridor until I reached the two doors where the Queen stays.

The door creaked for a moment until I completely opened it revealing the Queen looking back at me.

"I've been waiting for you, Prodigy. Or should I say, Donovan?" The Queen said without even moving an inch.

I removed my mask and revealed my face. "I know that you're aware of my presence, now if you'll let me do my work, I'll be able to walk away from the sins that I've done."

"I assume that this is your last mission?" The Queen asked in a calm demeanor.

"And what if this is my last mission?" I replied.

She laughed so hard that tears started to become visible at the side of her eyes.

"I've been hiring your family for years and I know many things about you. No, I know many things about your family." She said as she stands up and walks towards the window.

I gripped hardly to the sword's handle as I blankly stared at her, illuminated by the moonlight.

"I don't understand." I said right back at her.

"Do you know your past comrades that left the family's organization?" She replied as she looked at her shoulder and meeting my gaze.

"They are freed and they never came back at the organ...." I cut off my words as I suddenly realized the words that she really meant.

"Yes, Donovan. Your former comrades are killed after succeeding in their final mission." She said as she turns her back to look at me again.

"Now, if you kill me, you will be killed. However, if you will not kill me and go back to your home then your life will be spared. That's the reason why I instructed the guards to go somewhere else so that you can get hold of this opportunity. An opportunity that you might regret if you made the wrong decision." Her face does not show any kind of fear or any feeling, it contains truth and loneliness.

I felt my body go numb upon hearing her words, my hands were shaking but I disposed of my feelings. I glared at her and motioned my sword towards her.

"Looks like you've accepted your fate, Queen." I said as I walk towards her to finish what I came for.

"It's your choice kid." She said as she turns her back again at the window, accepting her death, without any resistance or words.

As I stand before her, I wear my mask and slashed her back with all of my strength. She stumbles down and leans towards the window. Her shaking body turns right back at me - teary eyes and blood coming out of her mouth.

This is the second time I felt pity towards a person that I kill. I walk forward and positioned my sword at her chest, and slowly, puts hard pressure down on her. She groaned weakly as I ended her life. Her teary eyes no longer contain the life that she had before, I closed her eyelids with my hands as I cut her head and kept it in a container.

I stand up in the pool of blood and pondered for a moment. Is this the right thing to do?

As I was preparing to head back, I suddenly heard footsteps from the darkness where I came in. The moonlight was getting stronger that it reached the door where I came in and reveals Cleave wearing an outfit that he uses when he is tasked to assassinate someone.

"The mission is done, Cleave. Let us head back right now." I said with lingering confusion in the back of my head.

"Congratulations sir. Now, I'm going to take back the head to your Father." He said with his usual tone.

"No, it's fine. I'll be carrying it." I said with a strong, commanding tone.

"I'm the only one going back, Donovan." He said as he brings out two of his swords and taking an offensive stance. His words were cold as if I'm a stranger that's been ordered to kill.

"It seems that everything the Queen said is true huh?" I asked Cleave in a calm voice.

"I pity you for not listening to the Queen's story. That opportunity only comes for you yet you've wasted it. You're called the Prodigy but you lack wisdom." Cleave leaves this statement as he runs toward me.

I drop the head as I prepared my sword but his quickness got ahead of me. He aimed at my throat but I managed to dodge it but the blade caught my left shoulder. His betrayal made me mad that I don't even notice the pain that I sustained. During that moment, I managed to take hold of his wrist with my left hand and used my right hand equipped with my sword to cut his right hand.

He withdraws and puts pressure on his hand to stop the bleeding and looked back at me with bloodshot eyes. I threw his dismembered hand to the ground and painfully removed the sword stabbed on me. "Gahhh! You will pay Cleave." I shouted as I prepared for the next round.

"Don't worry, I can still kill you even with my eyes closed." He replied instantly.

Cleave removes his cloaked revealing his hair and dashed in my direction.

I steadily controlled my breathing and threw my mask to the ground. I concentrated my mind on my blade and enemy as I lunged forward my enemy, Cleave.

At that exact moment, I managed to slashed his neck down to his chest as he falls down looking at me while holding his neck dripping with blood.

As I rejoiced to my victory, my eyes blurred and my knees felt weak, sending my back on the ground. I looked at my stomach and saw his sword penetrated from my stomach to my lungs. Looks like Cleave used my left opening to insert his sword towards me. Cleave lost a large amount of blood as he stopped his movement revealing his dead body in his own pool of blood.

My visions were starting to go away as I looked in the window where the moonlight is shining over my nearly dead body.

My eyes were teary as I realized that I'm... dying.

"So, this is the feeling huh?" I muttered while crying over myself.

I thought that I can walk out of this life that's why I did everything I could. However, death's door awaits me.

"I guess... this... is the end... of my... dream. *cough*" I said as much blood rushed with my cough.

Is this really it? My last words are full of sadness and regret as my body felt the sheer coldness.

"No, please."

The time I have left is very little as darkness enveloped my body.