Bad Blood

They slowly made their way out of the area. No one spoke. John still felt like throwing up, and it was only made worse every time he glanced at Albert. He decided to break the silence. "What was the smoke?" They both stopped in their tracks. "Burnt the place down-" Albert quietly spoke out until his mouth stopped moving. - Like time had frozen. John looked around. It was true, the fog had stopped moving, ravens were stuck in the air, motionless, like they were dolls floating in the sky. 

John was then teleported to a certain area… An area he hadn't been to in a while: The meeting room that the 'King' summoned him to. "Hello." Spoke the king on his seat. "It's been awhile. Have a seat." John noted that the 'King' was wearing a different outfit. With a cloak's hood covering the head of the 'King'. 

John shook his head. "I'd rather you tell me what you want first." He demanded in a firm yet soft tone. He had to be careful. He didn't know how strong the person in front of him was. The 'King' Clicked his tongue. "Fine, fine." 

"What I wanted was to congratulate you." John was confused. "For what?" The 'King' seemed to remember something. "For completing level two and three." Two and three? I thought I had only completed one? "You must be more confused than before…After you left, the 'Council' decided on your next two levels. To survive the traps set in the tunnel, and to aid in the death of those children." The 'King gave John a happy smile, almost giggling. John didn't see the humor in his words. "....How did I aid in their deaths? Albert was the one who killed them."

The 'King' gave a chuckle. "Your game with them pissed him off so much he killed them." W-what? How could a- "If you're wondering how, it was because of an order given to him by the deceased king of Pentas. One to kill said children on sight." John's thoughts slowly filled with different possibilities of why, and how. "Pentas' king had found out about his assassination. He figured out that it was an undisclosed organization that was raising children into assassins, not only to kill him.. But all high ranking nobles in every town." 

"B… But why!?" He yelled to the king. He was getting reckless.

The 'King' just shrugged. "Power is what I'd assume." John slowly nodded his head in understanding. "But that still doesn't change the fact that they were kids. I'm still going to kill him… Not only that, but he also didn't seem to care when the other four guys died." The 'King' nodded. "Good. Good. Well-" He looked at a solid gold watch on his right arm. "-Our time is being cut short. Uh…Hmm. Oh! A meeting will be soon, don't forget that, and... Levels four, five, and six are ready for you when you want to attempt them." 

John was starting to disappear. "Oh!" The 'King' dropped his smile a little. "Those titles that I mentioned at the first meeting, you remember them, right?" John gave a nod, he was already half gone. "Don't take them to heart. They're just titles. They don't mean anything, I was spewing bullshit from my brain. M'k?" John only had his head left when the 'King's' smile appeared back.

"I just really love chess."

John was fully gone now, reappearing right as Albert was finishing his sentence. "-For them to get the message." To John, this went in one ear and out the other. He wondered why the 'King' told him what he did. But Albert didn't know that he had been filled in. Right now. Play dumb. Best outcome, hopefully. "For who to get the message?" Albert went quiet and shot John a glare as he asked. "You don't need to know." Albert demanded harshly. 

They continued walking in silence. John was on edge - Albert wasn't exactly trustworthy at the moment. Only people he could trust were Vincent and Charles. Albert probably won't let me talk to Charles since he is an officer. And it's questionable if Vincent will trust me… He might. No, no. No one else needs to join this shit. Albert stopped behind John. "John." He stopped. "Hit the rooftops… You're still covered in blood." John looked to the buildings in front of him, then to his outfit. Oh. He nodded and made his way into an alley.

He spotted a ladder on the side of one of the buildings. I hate listening to him now, just makes me fucking sick. John was heading up the ladder, once again on the buildings, that seemed so much more familiar than before. 

The air was fresh at the top. Unlike every time before, he just wanted to stay there. Every single other time he rushed past. He wanted to get whatever he needed done over with. But… Even with what had just happened. It was peaceful. 

And then the sun started to rise. "Beautiful." John mouthed to himself. He didn't even realise it was that late.

It was also the first time he really took in his surroundings. Up to that moment he had rushed everything he did. He didn't want to do that anymore. He wanted to see all the details.

But even so, he was right. The sun was just rising against the buildings, making purple and orange flash across the sky, and the fog was still prominent in the town, covering most of the sunlight, with little bits of light flashing through. 

John removed his hood that he forgot was even on. Everything around him was so.. Calm. It was a stunning opposite to John, still in his dark and edgy clothing, with hints of a dried maroon liquid all on him. I wish the mornings could always be this nice. And then…

Everything stopped.

"Again? Really?" Time had frozen once again. The 'King' really sucked at timing.

And like that he was whisked away. He was back inside the meeting room, but this time in his seat. The others, who had also been summoned back, seemed too shocked to speak, and were surprised that it wasn't a dream. Looking around it seemed everyone still had their masks on. This man and his theatrics. He rolled his eyes away from the 'King' sitting beside him, and onto the masks. They were more detailed. With silver now lining the edges, and highlights. And, while looking at everyones, they all seemed to be color coded. 

"Wellcome. You might be wondering why I summoned you. And I can't exactly tell you the real reason. But look in front of you." They all did what he told them.

The 'King' waved his hand as black smoke appeared in front of each person. "I've decided that the nameplates are useless, and I've switched some of your titles around. So please put your hand inside the smoke and grab the piece inside. That's your title" They all hesitated. "Go on! Go on!" He sounds just like a child. Like those-..... He pushed his hand into the smoke to drown out the thought. 

He pulled out the piece.

The 'Rook.'

I got the rook huh… The others soon followed his lead. Next to him, a woman got the 'Queen'. Beside her Sat another young woman, who got the 'Bishop'. On the opposing side of the 'King' sat a man who pulled the 'Knight' out of the smoke. 

On the other side of the 'King' another man got a second 'Knight'. Beside him sat another woman, more like a girl becoming a woman, who got a 'Rook'. And one last man who got the second 'Bishop'. They all looked at each other, confused as there were duplicate pieces. "I thought there was another piece. The pawn I mean." The 'Queen' questioned the 'king'. "Ah…Yes. You see- None of you are worthy of that piece. So I didn't hand it out." The 'King's' Smile grew more and more. Covering what little of his face that wasn't covered.

They all looked annoyed at the answer, but none of them dared to speak out, except John. "What determines if we are worthy?" One of the 'Knight's' gave a small scoff. "Why do you ask? It's not like you're gonna get it anyway. You're probably as useless as the slaves in my mansion! I mean look at you! What even is that red stuff?" John opened his mouth to speak, but the 'King' answered for him. "That, mister 'Knight', is dried blood. Before this he went on a mission for me. So if anything, he's more of a pawn than any of you."

Was that supposed to be a compliment? He thought as the smugness on the 'Kight's' face dissipated, and was replaced with fear. "Well that's about all I can do for now, Don't worry, the next meetup will be longer." Everyone else disappeared almost as soon as he said that. But John remained. "You're a bad liar." The 'King' gave a small giggle. "What can I say, I'm inpatient." John sighed and stood up. "My 'King'-" He bowed to the side of the 'King's' chair. "I would like to start on my next 'levels', with your permission of course?" The 'King' nodded. 

"You have my permission, but no need to be so formal, you're making me blush. Plus I'm the one who arranged them anyway-" John wasn't paying attention to the 'King's' words, as he only had one thought on his mind.

Albert. No matter what you were asked to do, no matter who it was, no matter as to why you did it. For killing those you could have saved…

John's face turned to anger and determination. 

I'm going to end your life.