1 One Sin

I was bleeding but I couldn't stop moving.

I didn't know how many people were chasing after me. I ran into the forest in hopes that I could lose them. The sun still pierced through the foliage of the trees. I tore off a piece of my shirt and tied it around my forehead. The warm blood was trickling down my face. My once dark attire could be seen now covered in blood, sweat, and dirt. Frantic was the pace I moved at.

Gods, she almost killed me! I should have never gone to that town.

A knight in white armor suddenly appeared to ambush me and bashed his shield against my skull. My ears rang and my vision went a blur but I held onto his shield. As he jostled with me, I lifted my dagger and stabbed him in the eyes. I pulled out my bloody dagger and twirled around him. He screamed until I use my blade to snuff out the sounds that came from his throat.

Another knight with a mace stumbled through the forest and finds me only a few meters away from him. They just keep coming, I'm going to be cornered here if I keep fighting everyone. I flipped the dagger in my hand and threw it at him. He easily deflected it but I ran away while he did. I still had my short sword by my side and wasn't totally defenseless. At this time, I stayed away from the roads, so deeper into the forest, I went. The sun was going to set and I would be in the element I'm most comfortable in.

Metal clanking echoed through the forest. They wouldn't stop pursuing me, not until I was dead and buried. The air that filled my lungs was hot as my temperature rose significantly. My long brown hair fluttered for a moment and I saw a fireball coming at me. I ducked down instinctively not before some strands of my hair get burnt to a crisp.

Damn! They have Mages with them too!

I saw a mage in front of me, his robes looked and moved like a starry night sky. He must've used magic to get ahead of me. He looked as if he was going to cast another spell but I wouldn't let him. My legs moved with a jolt and I dashed straight for him. The mage was mumbling some words and mana was swirling around the air. I jumped toward him and rolled on the ground. Grabbing some dirt off the ground, I stuffed it into his mouth. He choked and gagged as the spell canceled. I used my sword to cut his stomach open and watch him bleed out. He wasn't going to speak ever again.

I inhaled the air as I tried to catch my breath. I prayed that this was the only Mage here. They all die just the same but they were the most troublesome I had to deal with. If it became a ranged battle, I was most definitely going to lose. I quickly checked his body and found some minor potions. I didn't hesitate and I drank them all in one gulp.

Disgusting! Forgot how minor potions tasted like.

My wounds healed slightly but my stamina was shot. I was getting physically exhausted and I didn't have anything to heal that with. Paranoia mounted on me as I set forth through the forest. I knew why they wanted me dead. They would have chased me to the ends of the world if they could.

"Look! He's over there!"

"He killed another one!"

"Gods they just won't stop," I muttered and run again.

Bushes, shrubs and low branches covered this area of the forest. It seemed like the vegetation wouldn't let me go away safely either. I became frantic as I shook through bushes, jumped over plants and tore away branches with my hands. I went through another bush only to come faced to faced with a mountain.

"No…no…no!" I slammed my fists on the side of the mountain.

It looked like everything hated me and wanted me stopped. I had to move back toward the direction of my pursuers. I broke back to retrace my steps and then I saw them. Three white armored knights and one other girl I knew very well. I saw the look on her face when she peered at me and it was dangerous. She almost had me earlier in town if I didn't feel her blood lust.

My eyes scanned the surroundings for a way to get out. They were in front of me and my back was against a wall. The sun was still setting to the east and it would be better if I ran towards the light. The Knights watched me and held out their weapons. I still had a trick up my sleeve but it would've been better to get them grouped together as close as possible. As they came closer I threw a bag from my side to the ground and it exploded with smoke. I saw an opening and my body moved instinctively.

I sprinted even faster as I dodged obstacles only to look back and saw her chasing me. She wasn't tricked, she expected my smoke bomb. Her white armor shone through the gray dark smoke. Even with her face scowled, her beauty would not leave her. Her contorted face was mad with anger and her golden hair violently shook in the wind. I saw that with every step closer she came towards me the rage in her ocean blue eyes deepened. I always knew her as a cheerful kind hearted girl. I never imagined she would've become this wretched and wicked looking. It's probably my fault and I knew it.

"Demitri! You Traitor! Stop running and fight!" She yelled.

I ignored her and kept running. She's a much better fighter than I was. I didn't know if I could fight her head on and come out alive. Then up ahead I saw an exit opening in the forest and my body moved that much faster. As I came to the exit I was stopped dead in my tracks, it was a cliff.

"By the gods," I exhaled.

I turned around almost immediately and met her face to face. She was shorter than me physically but when I looked at her, she was much more imposing. I stood my ground and tried to catch my breath. I had no way out, maybe I could talk to her.

"Long time no see Cassandra," I said. "Didn't think I would meet you in town."

"Stop your filthy mouth from uttering my name," Cassandra said.

"Is that a way to talk to an old friend?" I replied with a smile.

Cassandra's eyes were cold when she looked at me, I could guess I was no longer a friend in her eyes.

"Draw out your weapon! I will kill you myself!" Cassandra held onto the hilt of her sword while waiting for me to make a move.

"So will I expect your honor to a one on one duel?" I throw my hands up and give her a kind gesture.

"Unlike you," Cassandra said. "I do have honor!"

Cassandra drew her sword and pointed it at me. I readied my own sword and widened my stance. I knew this wasn't going to be good. She was a genius swordswoman, a prodigy from a great house. I was an orphan, a back-alley street rat. My skills were mostly self-taught while she studied from great warriors. Sweat was still dripped down my face and I waited for her to make a move.

The sword in her hand moved and thrust towards me. Her movements were elegant but still fierce. All I could do was dodge. Another sword swing came at my head, a killing blow. I blocked it with my short sword but my muscles tighten from the impact. She swung her fist at me and her gauntlet connected with my jaw. My bones rattled and I staggered backward. I could feel the blood swirl in my mouth and I thought she broke some teeth as well.

"That's not enough for you," Cassandra said with fury. "I'll make you suffer!"

Adrenaline pumped through my veins and I chopped wildly at her. She blocked everything as her defense was like an iron wall. She slipped past me and slashed at my back. I cried out in my pain when her blade met my flesh. I turned around and faced her, she still stared coldly at me. She slashed at me again but I guard it this time with my sword.

Our swords locked and I could only grit my teeth. I couldn't overpower her for some reason. She pushed my sword down and head butted me. Blood gushed out from my nose as she knocked away the sword from my hand. I touched my face and saw the red blood on my palm. I stood up tall with my hands to my side and I looked at her, resigned to my fate.

"Didn't I tell you I was going to hurt you?" She said.

Cassandra sheathed her sword in a scabbard and threw it away at her side.

I charged at her trying to take her down but received a knee to the stomach and an elbow to the back of the head. The sound of my bones crackled as I fell over gagging in pain only to witness a boot come to my face. I fell over backward from the impact and my body was screaming in pain. I staggered back up to see her with raised fists.

She came at me and I dodged mildly, my stamina was already low. I tried to uppercut her chin only to receive a counter to the liver. I couldn't fight her, whoever said women were weaker than men never fought her. She moved too quick and was too agile for me. I couldn't evade her swing and I took a hook to the ribs. My breath was knocked out from my lungs and I desperately gasped for air. It wasn't long before her fists connect with my face again.

Fist after fist hit my face as her white gauntlets became stained red. My face was bruised and my left eye was swollen shut. I crumpled down to one knee and looked her in the face. Yet her eyes showed no remorse. She grabbed me up by the collar of my cloak and propped me up against a tree with a thud.

"So how?" Cassandra said. "How does it feel to know that someone you care about can hurt you so much?"

There were tears in her eyes as she looked at me. She was holding onto me but I can feel the ease of her grip as she started to cry. I could only stare at her in pity and I started laughing hysterically. I knew what I'd done, but to me, I did the right thing.

I spat my blood into her face and held in her arms as I smashed my bloody face unto hers. How many men would dream of touching her face with theirs? But I was going to make her face a bloody mess. I released her from my embrace and punched her in the face. She stumbled backward and then lunged a kick to my gut. I toppled over and vomited blood to the ground.

"Mongrel, now you die!" She said as she moved to get her sword.

Night finally came and a darkness enveloped us. My body couldn't hold up for much longer. I felt weak, exhausted, and feverish. I could tell that Cassandra earned her fearsome reputation. My body was bleeding, I could barely see, and some of my bones were broken. I stood up as my pride wouldn't let me die as I looked up from the ground.

Cassandra had gotten her sword and pointed it at me. I saw no way out but my eyes wandered over to the cliff. I wasn't going to let her kill me. Friends killing friends always leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. So I ran towards the cliff and I felt my muscles explode, with one last effort I leaped.

Cassandra couldn't reach me in time, all for the better. I was free falling as I heard a raging sound beneath me. I looked at the ground and saw nothing but pitch black darkness. Maybe I was falling straight into the underworld for what I've done. As I began to accept my end, I plunged deep down into the water below.

Everyone once called me the King of Thieves, now just say, Assassin, I never denied those things. All I wanted to do was save the Kingdom. I used to wish for fame and glory, I got that now. Just not in the way I expected. I didn't have the luxury of living a normal life anymore. I had to run, they would have never stopped chasing me. I had become marked for death. My name is Demitri, and my sin? I killed the Hero.

~ Cassandra followed the Hero as closely as a puppy would and she loved him as dearly as anyone could ever love. ~