Chapter 6: Hayeon

The man held out his hand, and I immediately knew he was Revien's father. His presence radiated power and authority, demanding respect. Reluctantly, I placed my hand in his, stepping into the warm water of the ceremonial pool.

"Today, we will put another outsider through our test," he announced, his voice booming through the chamber.

"To become anew, one must face and conquer their greatest fear," one of the men standing nearby echoed, his voice filled with reverence.

I glanced at Revien, confusion etched on my face. He gave me a faint nod, silently urging me to trust him.

"Trust me, my child," Mikha'il Ra Gual declared.

I frowned but obeyed, though unease crept into my chest.

Suddenly, the doors burst open, slamming against the walls with a loud crack. Everyone turned to the entrance, and a man in a black hood stepped inside, dragging a pale, near-lifeless woman by the arm.

"Mikha'il Ra Gual!" the hooded man bellowed.

"Bring her," Mikha'il ordered, his voice cold and commanding.

I quickly stepped out of the way as the man carried the woman into the water, laying her down at Mikha'il's feet. Revien moved beside me, his hand on my arm to steady me.

"What's going on?" I whispered, my voice trembling.

"Watch," Revien murmured, his tone unreadable.

Mikha'il knelt beside the groaning woman, lifting something small and wriggling from a silver platter. He pressed it to her lips, forcing it into her mouth. Her body convulsed violently, and just as her spasms stopped, Mikha'il grabbed her head and, with one swift motion, snapped her neck.

I shot to my feet in horror. "What is wrong with you people?" I screamed.

All eyes turned to me, their expressions eerily calm, as though I were the one behaving irrationally.

"Child," Mikha'il said, shaking his head, "you will understand soon enough."

I laughed bitterly, disbelief flooding my chest. "Understand? Is that what you were planning to do to me? Kill me?"

Revien looked at me but said nothing. His silence stung more than I expected.

Mikha'il ignored my outburst, his gaze fixed on the woman. She lay motionless on the water, her body unnaturally still. Then, her fingers twitched.

I blinked, unsure if I was imagining it, but before I could speak, the woman jolted upright, a bloodcurdling scream tearing from her throat. She reached out, clawing desperately at Mikha'il.

He reacted instantly, slamming her back into the water with a forceful hand. "Calm down," he commanded. "You have survived. You are now reborn."

"She's alive," I whispered, my voice shaking.

Revien's hand tightened on my arm. "He didn't kill her," he said softly. "He saved her."

Saved her? I stared at the woman, now weak but walking with the help of the hooded man. My mind raced, struggling to process what I'd just witnessed.

Mikha'il turned to me again, extending his hand.

I didn't move.

"What will happen to me?" I asked, turning to Revien.

"Everyone sees different things," he said carefully. "They face different trials. But if you succeed, you'll be stronger. Better."

His words offered little comfort, but I nodded, lowering my gaze to the water. Slowly, I stepped forward. This time, I ignored Mikha'il's outstretched hand and lowered myself into the pool.

If I died, I thought, I would be with my mother again. That thought didn't scare me.

Mikha'il approached, holding a writhing, six-legged creature in his hand. My stomach churned as he gripped my chin, forcing my mouth open. The creature slipped down my throat, its slimy body wriggling all the way.

Then the pain began.

It started as a burn in my stomach, growing hotter and hotter until it felt like my insides were being torn apart. I screamed, trying to claw my way out of the water, but Mikha'il's hand held me down with inhuman strength.

I thrashed wildly, my vision blurring as the pain consumed me. The last thing I saw was Mikha'il's face, shadowed and grim. He looked like the Grim Reaper, escorting me to my death.

When my eyes opened, I was standing in a field of flowers.

My mother was there, smiling at me. She reached out, her warm hand cupping my cheek. Tears streamed down my face as I threw my arms around her.

"Mommy," I sobbed.

Blood began to seep down her face, and my heart clenched in panic.

"Let me go," she said gently, her voice wavering.

"No!" I cried, holding her tighter.

The field dissolved into flames, and a dark hand gripped my mother's hair, yanking her away from me.

"Let her go!" I screamed, turning to face the figure.

It was my father.

"Are you going to kill me?" he sneered. "You've tried before. Or are you too weak, just like you've always been?"

My mother wept, her broken sobs slicing through me. "Don't do it, Hayeon," she pleaded.

I looked down and saw a sword in my hand.

My father laughed, spreading his arms wide. "Go ahead. You think a little toy like that will stop me?"

Rage boiled in my veins, drowning out everything else. I rushed at him, the sword slashing through his gut, his chest, over and over again.

By the time I stopped, his body was unrecognizable, his blood pooling around me.

I dropped to my knees, panting. The ground beneath me shimmered like a mirror, and my reflection stared back—covered in blood, yet smiling.

"I saved her," I whispered, glancing around for my mother. She was far away, her figure fading into the distance.

"I did it!" I yelled, running toward her.

But the farther I ran, the farther she drifted.

Her figure vanished into darkness, and a hand closed around my throat.

When I woke, I was back in the chamber, gasping for air.

Applause echoed around me, and I reached out, grabbing the first thing I could.

It was Mikha'il.

"Easy, child," he said, his hand steady on my neck.

I blinked, disoriented, until I saw Revien standing nearby, his eyes glowing with pride.

"You are anew, my child," Mikha'il said. "Welcome to the Guild of Assassins."