Betrayal in the Shadows

Zephyrion gazed at Smith's pale face, feeling quite depressed inside. "Damn It! Now that I think about it, where is Varian, and why hasn't he arrived yet?" Zephyrion looked helpless upon hearing the trembling man's question.

In many of their missions, when the target was terrified or on the brink of death, and asked them who they were. They would pretend to act cool and say their signature names, well-known in the criminal world.

"When questioned about their identities, Varian would begin their tale with a flourish, declaring, 'In the mysterious organisation of the Shadow Syndicate Clan and the criminal underworld, they hailed us as the.' Then, with an air of intrigue, Zephyrion seamlessly picks up the narrative, uttering, 'Venomblade and Shadowstrike.' Finally, Varian concludes with a touch of mystique, 'Behold, the plague twins.'

The two assassin brothers always enjoyed the shocked and horrified expressions on their target's faces when they revealed their signature names in this manner.

While some target may have called them childish on many occasions on how the two brothers playfully shared their identities, the siblings simply shrugged it off with a knowing smile. 

After all, when your target is on the brink of death, there's no point in holding onto grudges toward a fading ember.

"I'm called Venomblade.' Zephyrion could only reveal his name now that Varian was nowhere to be found.

Lord Smith's entire being was horrified, and his body trembled. "What is so important about this information that can make the rare Venomblade show up in person for it?"

Thanks to his unwavering confidence in the past, he had comforted Mr. Gary, banishing his fears slightly. But now, he wasn't even sure if he could survive this night. 

A soft chuckle escaped Lord Smith's lips as his gaze fixated on the gleaming Katana, still glistening with the blood it bore, held in Venomblade's hand.

"Okay, no more nonsense. Let me send you on your way now." Zephyrion said and with a skillful twist of his Katana, he moved.

PUFFFFFF

As if cutting through butter, Lord Smith's head was cleanly severed, and blood immediately sprayed out, painting the wall red.

The head spun in the air for a few seconds before landing on the ground with a thud.

Lord Smith didn't put up any resistance. It was useless to still try to fight at this stage. All he was just bitter about was what kind of bad luck and misfortune he had tonight.

"Ahhhhh!" Mr Mark, who was on his knees, was scared silly as the head of Lord Smith roll to his side. Although he was just a business owner, he still managed to gather information and knew what was going on in the criminal underworld.

The name Venomblade. He was very familiar with it. One of the best assassins in the Shadow Syndicate Clan. A very ruthless assassin that leaves no one alive on a mission.

Having dispatched the extras, as often seen in countless novels, Zephyrion shifted his focus to Mr. Mark, the central figure and main target tonight. 

To him, individuals like Lord Smith, agents and Mr Mark were but mere extras character in the grand narrative of his life.

"Jack Mark, Heaven has a path you won't take, Hell has doors you can't open. Tonight, let me send you to the grim reaper."

Zephyrion was about to slice Mr Mark head off when suddenly, a series of clap sounded from behind.

PAH PAH PAH PAH PAH!

"Who?" Zephyrion was busy turning around, ready to throw some shrunken to the source where the sound was coming from.

"Worthy of being among the elite assassins in the Shadow Syndicate Clan. He not only excelled in eliminating his targets but also found moments to share timeless proverbs."

Picture an elegant old man, flanked by two vigilant bodyguards, no, they can't actually be call bodyguards because the old man's aura alone was more powerful than the two of them combined, strolling gracefully through the room entrance.

Zephyrion was stunned and dumbfounded, with how high he can sense things from long distance, he actually didn't sense it when three people enter the room.

"Who are you? You better answer me now or I will kill you." Although he was saying this and threatening the old man, his hand was already holding the metsubshi (smoke bomb), ready to escape anytime.

The oppressive feeling oozing out from the old man was only marginally inferior to that of his master, the leader of the Shadow Syndicate Clan, just only weaker. So, he is ready to escape anytime and leave after finding Varian.

The old man then sneered playfully, "Planning to kill me, are you? Have you asked your brother for his approval?"

PUFFFFF

Zephyrion spurt out a huge amount of blood and when he turn his head to look down, there was a sword coming out of his body, piercing through his heart from behind.

The assailant skillfully withdrew the blade from his body, causing an immediate rush of icy sensation and a fresh red crimson flow of blood. His legs gave way, and he crumpled to the ground, overwhelmed by the chilling embrace of pain.

Harnessing his inner vitality with lightning speed to slow down the flow of blood and life force away from his body, Zephyrion couldn't fathom the incredible feat. 

"How had someone managed to sneaked up behind me undetected, and even inflicting a wound upon my very heart?"

He was busy looking up to see who injured him and when his gaze fell on the assailant. He understood the reason, the reason he didn't notice someone was behind him.

The assailant was none other than his own flesh and blood, Varian! Zephyrion couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief, struggling to accept the figure before him as his true brother. 

"Perhaps the haze of my injuries clouds my vision, preventing me from seeing clearly. Or maybe I've been caught in a dream all along, the only explanation for someone slipping behind me unnoticed."

But reality seems cruel. As he felt the pain and as more blood keeps flowing out of his body, he realised he wasn't dreaming at all. Varian was the one who attack him.

"Why? Why do you betray me, your own blood? Why do you betray the clan? Zephyrion's lips tremble as he asked with misty eyes."

Varian just stood there, not moving and not speaking. His indifferent and cold red eyes were always on Zephyrion, watching his every move.

Then the old man spoke up. "You want to know why? But I won't tell you, I want you to die in pain and frustration, not knowing why your dear brother kill and betray you. Hahahaha, I love this kind of ending the most"

AHHHHHHHH!

Zephyrion yell out loud, his voice filled with a mix of pain, anger, frustration, disappointment and betrayal. 

The feeling of not understanding why he was killed and betrayed by his own brother was so painful and incomparable. His yell increase the flow of blood away from his body as he felt that he didn't have more time left to live, but he couldn't care much for that now.

He wouldn't understand, although many assassins in the clan saw him as the favorite to potentially inherit the position of the clan's headmaster in the years to come.

Those who are considered close to him and his brother knew he wasn't even seventy percent fit to be the clan head.

He always read novels and was not always serious with his training and cultivation, he flirt with girls regularly and didn't take the organisation matters and problems into consideration at all. He never attend any meetings related to the clan and never participated.

While his brother, Varian, was always in the training room, cultivating hard to raise his strength. He was always there when the organisation has any problems or crisis and even suggested some valuable solutions to solve them.

He already made it clear to his brother and clan master that he wasn't interested in any clan master position, he wants to be free from any organisation stress and all he want was to read novels all days along and maybe do some missions along the way.

The clan's leader had warmly embraced and has promise him of crowning Varian as the future head, and he himself pledge undying loyalty to his brother's rule. Vowing to be his unwavering shield. 

Yet, the sudden betrayal of his own flesh and blood left him utterly baffled.

"Hmmm!" The old man sigh deeply and said in a low voice." So, this is how the famous Venomblade died, killed by his own brother in cold blood. I wonder how the Shadow Syndicate Clan would react when they learn of your death, one of their best youngest assassins."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. The Shadow Syndicate Clan hasn't suffered such a blow since its creation, losing an heir to the throne on a seemingly simple mission like this, hehehehe."

"By the way, I am the leader of the 'Abyssal Assassins,' the second most formidable assassin's guild in the world, although it pales in comparison to your esteemed organization." The old man lick his dry lips and spoke with a sly grin.

Zephyrion paid no heed to the old man's words, his gaze fixed upon Varian with a mixture of resentment and sorrow in his eyes. 

"My time is fleeting, and I yearn for a peaceful farewell," he murmured amidst his struggles, before shattering the smoke bomb concealed in his grasp earlier, vanishing into the obscurity of the night.

One of the men who accompanied the elderly man had a strong desire to accompany Zephyrion, but was stopped by the quiet Varian who finally decided to broke his silence and said with a gentle touch. 

"No one should trail my brother, let him savor a moment of silence before his death". Besides, he can't move far, he will still die within the mansion surroundings.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Zephyrion came to a dark corner and rest his back against a wall, the internal energy that was keeping him alive until now was already depleted. 

He estimates that within thirty to thirty-five seconds, he would surely die.

He wouldn't help but recall the past events of his life as the time pass. He actually didn't believe that his life will end like this.

"Is this how I, Zephyrion, died without knowing the reason for my death? Ahhhh! I'm not willing, I'm not willing and not happy! Zephyrion said bitterly as he took his last breath.

But in that very instant Zephyrion drew his final breath. He didn't know why but he was mystified by an inexplicable urge that pushes his thoughts to suddenly remembered and embrace the thirteen words- 'Reincarnation!' - His long time obsession.

And then Zephyrion died.