XXXIII: Remake

An assassin by the name, Render, prowled into the night. This was his fourth contract, the next victim is just a strand of hair compared to the piles of his covert kills in real life. The prize was good this time. He can finally afford to buy a freighter and traverse the galaxy at his own pleasure.

With his powerful legs, he jumped onto the next roof but one of his feet landed on a half planted nail.

"FUUCK!" He screamed and dropped on his butt--trying to ease the pain. Instead of taking off his boot and treat his wound, he took out a pill and tossed it in his mouth. A few seconds later, the pain subsided and he could only curse the person who half heartedly pounded on that nail and left it in that state.

Render's target was in the next building. Second floor and the only private room. Luckily, the guards posted there weren't alarmed but regarded his scream as a random drunk. He observed for a moment, timing the guards' routine.

The assassin jumped into the air and landed on the railings of the third floor. The upper floors lacked the security of the lower levels and it would grant him time to prepare his ambush. He unsheathed a dagger and started counting in his head.

"28...29...30!" Render dove down and defied gravity as he grabbed the balcony and propelled himself to the second floor. Two guards posted at the door of the private room were caught in surprise as Render sliced the throat of the one on the left and elbowed the one on the right, finishing him off with a vicious stomp to the head.

Render would have dragged the bodies into the next room before killing the occupants but he had other plans. He silently trailed a guard and upon reach, he stabbed the guard through the liver.

"Hey--" A guard yelled approaching from the opposite direction. When he saw that his comrade fell, he didn't even have the chance to raise his weapon as Render's dagger spun in the air and buried itself in his chest--piercing his heart.

Render massacred all the security forces on the second floor and proceeded to lockpick the door of the private room. With a clicking sound, he immediately swung open the door and entered--locking it behind him.

It was dark. However, rays of the third moon penetrated the curtains and Render can see a figure standing beside the bed. That was good. Killing a woman in her sleep is certainly not good to the mind but doing the deed itself is worse.

"Have you come to take me away?" The sweet feminine voice of the woman washed across the room like a gentle breeze.

"No!" Render corrected and unsheathed a sword this time. He would cut her horizontally on the waist. That would be a nice addition to his record. "I came to kill you!" The words left his mouth playfully.

The woman let out a gasp and took a step back--tripping on the bed and falling on it. She forced herself to a stand as the assassin closed the distance.

"Are you going to kill me straight and simple? Or are you going to enjoy me first?" The woman said in a lower tone.

Render instantly stopped on his track and stared at the woman in disbelief.

"You can't seduce me, w-woman!" Render's voice stayed unaffected but the last word gave him away.

"My life and body is not mine. The way people looked at me disturbs me, especially men. The priests always reminded me that my physical form is a tool for the reincarnation of our deity." Her long talk surprised Render that he let her get that far. He was clearly touched. Never in his real life did he witnessed a woman act like this.

Suddenly, someone contacted him telepathically.

"Ender! Did you do the deed or did something like a novel twist crapped the shit out of you and you fuckin' chicken out!" A raging voice thundered at the other end.

"Shut the fuck up, Bane!" Ender retorted with a sniff. He sheathed his sword and turned to the door. He and Bane teamed up in Infinity and both chose the Shinbi race. A forgotten race of assassins thought to have been wiped out centuries ago. The starting point upon choosing the race was a battle to decide extinction or evolution for the Shinbi race. The two found each other just like they planned and started their assassin career. Little did they know that Infinity featured realistic NPCs and environments. This was not the game they were expecting. It's like a second life.

"Where are you going?" The woman asked softly.

"You're not worth killing." Ender slightly tilted his head to the side in order for his eye to take a last glimpse of her.

"If you won't kill me. Then take me away!"

"Wha--" Render turned around and curiously summoned a mage light. The room was illuminated and he can see that the woman was dressed in white. Everything about her was pleasing to the eyes, except for the bruises, blood and whip marks.

"What did they do to you?" Render asked, his voice was cold.

The woman lowered her head, "I only tried to protect an innocent child being punished by the priests."

She started to sob and tears flowed down her delicate but bruised cheeks. "But they chained me up and gave me a hundred whips of absolution."

"If you won't kill me. Then give me your dagger. Perhaps in my next life, I'd be given a better one. Not like this. I don't have any voice nor will." The woman finally succumbed to her sorrow and dropped down on the floor covering her face with both hands.

Ender was silent. He can hear dozens of footsteps nearing his location with his enhanced hearing. He turned around to leave and swung open the door then jumped onto the railings. However, he cannot bring himself to jump. It's like something inside him would snap if he did.

He sighed and jumped down. Not outside the building but rather, back inside. He held out a hand and called out.

"Come!"