Hearts Of Glasses.

"Keep your calm, Edward. I think you need to hear, what you are saying. Perhaps, I need to teach you about assassins once again.

Edward just gave a nosy smirk,

" I know more about the assassins than, you'll ever learn boy. Have you ever seen an assassin from a foreign nation?"

Rage slightly shook his head, making Edward smile even more.

" Then let's talk about other things."

" Other things?"

Rage knew he need to teach Edward, about his weakness and humane mind.

" Have you ever heard the story of, " Hearts of Glasses." It was very popular along people 100 or 200 years ago."

" I already told you, I might not even be familiar with the common folklore of this Nation, let alone a 100-year-old, story."

" The story is of a Man, who lives a life of fulfilment and happiness. He was rich, a beautiful wife with kids. He wished for people's happiness and he was a good man-"

"... I don't find any relation between Me and the story you are telling. Besides the beautiful wife and kid part."

Rage gave an obnoxious reaction but he did not say anything but continued speaking about the story,

" But, his rightful speaking and all the happiness came to an end, when he lost his money."

"..."

"His wife left him and so did his children. She married another rich man and her children also became rich, But none ever came to help him. He was left all alone with no one on his side. What do you think he did?"

Edward already knew the nature of the story was to be twisted but he couldn't understand one thing.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.

The thought kept repeating in his mind.

" I think he died a death of sadness, all alone suffering?"

" Wrong. He killed everybody. All of his family members, his wife, kids, and even his grandkids. He spares no one."

Edward didn't realise but the smile on his was long gone, ever since the story began.

" This is interesting..."

Rage was now smiling as he continued his story but with another twist.

" ...and my most fun part, he drew a portrait of himself and his entire family. The portrait had all the family members smiling."

Then came the second question,

" I'll give you another chance, what was the speciality of the portrait?"

"..."

Unlike last time, Edward thought for a second. The story was twisted and the question was a test of Edward's thought process against unexpected situations. With this thought in his mind, Edward gave a response.

" He stole their wealth, all of it somehow and then makes a house of glasses. Where he glorifies their bodies along with the portrait?"

" Wrong. You went in a completely different direction but it doesn't seem too bad."

" Just tell me the actual story."

" In the portrait of the family, The hearts of everyone were shining dark, while he shined like bright. He never felt any guilt, because he was true to himself and his emotions. Unlike everyone else who was dark and twisted for their benefit."

"..."

Edward was left a bit confused after such twisted turns of events in the story. His eyes gave it away and Rage began to explain.

"Edward, what do you think about the two questions I asked you?"

"There is no purpose, behind it. It just serves as a baseless distraction. Someone, besides you, is doing their job and you don't want me to them."

" Ahhh. You're probably right about that. There might be more assassins running around here but I don't know anything about them or their location.

The actual purpose behind my action is quite different."

" Different?"

" You said, you will take out the person I am trying to kill. What if I tell you, that person got the answer right for both questions."

"Who or ....what are you even chasing? And how to do it. you so much about them."

An assassin plans to know the bare minimum to conduct their mission, as if not get attached or feel too many emotions after killing their target.

"That's your lesson, Edward. You can call yourself a powerful man only because you don't see the true darkness in the hearts of others. In this world, there are many types of humans-"

" - Some are loving, some are greedy, some are just monsters in human flesh, some are strong and others are dead."

Edward finished the lines as the memories of the past, rushed in his mind.

"We have all learnt his lesson when we were young but we just missed one person, some people just want to fulfil their wishes and achieve peace in their minds."

"..."

" -And to this peace, they will lie, kill, destroy, take, give anything and everything they have. They do not feel guilty even if they try to show it, all they want is to see the world get changed according to their wishes."

" How many do these monsters, do you know about?"

" I only know one, but there are more of them. They surely do exist, but I always doubted their existence after seeing that monster with my own eyes. I know are everywhere."

* Knock Knock

Noises of knocking doors filled the room as it dissipated the tension from the conversation

"Can I come in?"

Dia was back from her packing and now had returned to the room.

" Dia, give me a minute. There is a bit of mess, Mr. Edward has caused in the room. I'll open the door for you."

" Ok."

Rage gave a taunting expression to Edward as he stood up.

"Looks, like our conversation will come to an end here. Do you think you can still take him down?"

This time Edward did not say anything but he still nodded his head, he was not going to back down.

" You've earned it then, I am sure you're familiar with the name, Arthur."

" Arthur... You were going against hell on this one."

Edward knew who and what Arthur was, and if he was still alive. He was the biggest point of fear for Edward.

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