Chapter 6: Money to Kill
(Deianira Point-of-View)
I am Deianira Fox, a thief, an orphan after my parents passed away from a pandemic that hit our village. It causes me and my siblings to move to a nearby town. When we got there the lord didn't help the common people who struggle. He took the money for himself. My people, my siblings and I were forced to live in the slums. Most people die from disease, or from thieves who want to rob them of their belongings. A village of 100 villagers end up to only 25. Most of them are women who sell their bodies to earn money to continue living day by day. It has been six years, but the lord doesn't seem to come to help the people. I am now a thief in this slum and was taking up illegal tasks from strangers for a few silver coins or sometimes copper coins. One day, I was going into a tavern and saw a man in hood talking with four bandits. I went to them and leaned in to listen to the talk.
"Ok, I have a job for you, people. I pay you 5 silver coins each if you complete it"
"So, who do you want us to kill?"
"I want you to make sure this guy is completely erased from this world."
The man reaches into his cloak and shows a picture of a boy about 18, one age older than me. He had short black hair short hair and black eyes. The man in the hood seems to notice me, so he raises his head and looks at me.
"So, you want in."
I look at him.
"So, will I be paid?"
"Yes, I will"
One of the bandits looked up at me.
"Are you Deianira?"
"Yes"
"I heard a rumor that you are a well experienced assassin and will kill everyone for money."
"Yeah, what about it"
The bandit smiles at me.
"Why don't you show us what you got?"
"Ok"
"The man in the hood looks at me. If you can finish leading a successful task. I will fully pay you the five silver coins. If you don't, then I will find you and kill you and everyone around you."
"Ok"
I give the man a smile.
The man nods.
I found the village where he lives and tracked him to his work. It sees him working with a girl with long black hair and it ties up with an orange ribbon. I sit down with the bandits and plan out a way to kill him. One of my accomplices hand a bottle of very strong poison that it impossible to remove when it gets into the blood or flesh. I look at the bottle of poison and think on how simple easy one can take a life.
However. In Reality.
"Who is this guy? I hear only level 10 and his stat are in the 100. How can 3 level 20 bandits have died in one strike."
I see that guy is chasing the last bandit in the forest. It is my last chance to go away, but I can. I am a level 25 thief; how can I have lost.
"No No No, I can lose my life, I need money for my brother and sister. No no no."
I hear a scream in the forest. The sound snaps me back.
"No, I can't die."
He returns with blood on one of his legs. I know what is going to happen next.
"Please don't kill, I need money to help feed my brother and sister. I don't want to die."
"Too late, I will kill to avenge Lisa."
I ask, but he begins to walk toward me. Suddenly, the girl I stab by accident, when she walks in front to block him from my attack. She was holding on to his leg. He seems to listen.
"Please let her go, she just needs the money to feed her brother and sister."
"But she stabs you. She is the reason your poison now."
"It's fine. I understand Deianira needs the money to feed her family."
I begin to think about what to do with my little brother and sister, when I am gone. I begin to cry. Suddenly I hear him.
"How much money do you need"
I answered him.
"About 5 silver coins."
"Ok"
He begins to walk over to the bandit's body and take the loot they have and then walk over to the basket of iron ore. He was seen pressing something in thin-air and the loot disappearing. A moment later, he walks back.
"Here"
He throws 10 silver coins in front of me.
"Take it and go."
I nod and quickly collect the coins. I stand up and begin to run. Then I didn't know why, but I turned around and spoke.
"Thank You."
It takes me three days to come back home. When I open the door.
"Welcome back sister."
Two twin children, a boy, and a girl about 6 years-old came to greet me. My younger brother and younger sister.
"Sis, I was worried that something had happened."
"Don't worry Adam and Elis. I'm fine, I got 9 silver coins now."
I show them the silver coins that I got.
"Wow sis, you earn a lot from this task don't you."
"No, I earn from the victim that I trying to kill"
Adam and Elis look stunned by my answer. So, I explain to them my story and how instead of killing me. He can even give double the amount.
"Sis, do you think he is good?" (Adam)
"Yeah, he sounds like a monster." (Elis)
Yeah, sis, the real hero is Lisa" (Adam)
"Yeah, you right now that I have failed the mission. The man in the hood will not leave me alone. I think we need to move"
Adam and Elis start to look at each other and then at me.
"No worries, where my sister goes, I'm going."
"Me too."
"Okay, we need go and pack up. We are leaving right away."
I look out the window. I ponder if he will help me. Back 4 years ago, I heard a rumor that the pandemic was not caused by any means, but by the Lord, himself. I hear that he wants more money; he created a disease with the help of a magician. He uses it on one of his villages, my home. I want to kill him, but I can't. I was weak and I started to cry. I clench my hand. I wished I was strong like that guy, then I could avenge their death.
"I wonder if I should persuade that monster to kill the Lord Easter. It doesn't matter how I make him attack, but if I have not killed that girl, Lisa. She can persuade him to help me."
I clench my teeth.
"I must do whatever it takes to persuade. I will offer him anything to do so. I will do it. For my father, for my mother, and for our village."
I smile and raise my hand to the night sky.
"Mother, Father, everyone, I have found a way to avenge you all."
I calm down and wipe away my tears.
"Sister, we are done."
Adam and Elis return with their supplies and my supplies as well.
I pet them on their head.
"Let go"
I begin to turn.
"Where to, sister."
I turn around and smile at them.
"To Setsu Village."