Chapter 3

I walked into the large building, my hood covering my face, my dagger pressing against my leg as I clutched it both my hands sunk deep into my pockets. My footsteps echoed in my head. The noisy room was silent as my muffled steps retreated up the wooden stairs. The only sound was my breathing and my heartbeat, the pounding ringing through my head as I stepped each flight of stairs seemed like it stretched on for an eternity. My breathing was rapid and my palms were sweaty. Time seemed to freeze as I pressed my hand on the cold oak door, the heavy entrance giving way. My body began to shut down as I entered. The cold oak mimicked that cold glass. The sight of my brother flooded back to me. His cold dying body lying on that white bed. Then I saw his smile, my former best friend as he laughed about leaving him to die. The fear was gone, my palms dried and my breathing steadied. My heartbeat slowed until it was practically gone. My dagger fell out of my pocket hugging my wrist as I pushed the door open. The creaking was the only sound as I walked into the office.

"Huh, so this is what you chose? Assassination, not unexpected, honestly I thought you were too much of a pushover."

I walked over to him not saying a word. My dagger gleaming in the light, I crossed past the desk, my knuckles white from gripping the blade and then I rushed forward, my blade sinking into his chest, the crimson blood flowing from the cut. My blade sliced through his shirt and into his stomach. His head slumped to my shoulder as he died, blood slowly dripped from his mouth as his body turned cold and his heart stopped beating. His final words echoed through my head.

"I….. Really….. Di...d…..Lo…..ve…...you"

My heart raced, my breath was heavy as tears streamed from my eyes.

Why?

What is this feeling?

I HATE HIM!!!

I hate him!

I hate him…

Right?

He's been my best friend forever. We were the best combo. He was the head and I was the sword and together we were the strongest. Why would he leave me? Why would he turn his back on me and my brother? What happened to us?

Years ago when we were just kids playing in a small farming village we decided to become adventurers and set off into the world, he always handled the money and business whilst I just fought and fought killing monster after monster. As our guild grew I stopped listening to him and started seeking adventure leaving for months to fight colossuses and angels. And whilst I was off in my own world I couldn't see that times were changing. The days of small farming villages with a small guild were over, we should've expanded, we should have grown into something more powerful but instead I just kept chasing adventures and idyllic bulshit. It's my fault right? I should've been a better guild master.

My memories keep driving and pushing me to the day it all started the day we met and the day we saved each other. The day my journey to this point began, to the day that led me to standing in this room my dagger lodged inside my best friend. The arms wrapped around his cold, dead body and his last breath lingering on my face.

The day I was walking down the lane careless as ever. To the day I saw a kid being bullied outside a shop. Three bigger kids were shoving him around and asking for money. I remember walking up and tapping the first on the shoulder, a silver coin in my hand.

"Hey if you want money you can have mine."

The big guy grabbed at the coin as I flipped it into the air, I jabbed my elbow into his stomach and pushed my knee up into his face as he dropped onto the paved street. The next two walked towards me standing above me like giants to an ant. I dashed to the side of one and fitted the coin in between my knuckles punching him in the jaw, he slumped to the floor sobbing as I stepped over his body. I flicked the coin at the last kid's face, bouncing it off his nose as I jumped forward, my foot kicking into his leg as he dropped to his knees. I put the coin back into my pocket and started walking again, my hands resting in the back of my head as I whistled. I remember wanting a challenge, someone who could fight me. I remember looking back at the smaller kid as he adjusted his glasses, he followed me until I turned around my arms falling to the sides.

"You need something? A fight?"#

"No not that, it's just that.."

"Oh well spit it out kid."

"Please let me be your friend! I don't want to be weak, I want to be like you!"

"Nah sorry you can't be like me."

"What! Why?"

"Cuz I'm me dummy, you need to be you"

I smiled a cheesy smile and walked away.

"Oh and about the other request, I want to be your friend too."

We walked up to the hill at the end of the village, a huge green mass. We walked up to the top and sat looking over the fields and people, the mountains in the distance.

"Wow you killed him."

I snapped back to reality, my eyes hollow as I pulled his body to the address. The masked man was there with a crew behind him that took his body from me.

"Good job, we'll contact you with the next job."

And then they were gone. The darkness lifted up by the rising sun, the orange glow raising the entire city as the burning ball rose above the wall. The same sun that shone over us that day, that day on the hill.

"Hey Sam, what do you want to be when you're older, a farmer?"

"Hell no. I'm going to be the greatest guild master. I'm going to become a great warrior that is known as the best across the world."

I opened the door to my flat and sure enough on my bed a huge stack of one million was laying there, tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Then I will help you, I Shaun will be your Vice master. We will become the best together."

We smiled so much on that hill as we planned the future.

I dropped to my knees alone in that hollow room, it was then that a hand touched my back and a gentle presence warmed me.

£1,000,130