One coin

"We must kill Angelo."

Eryda's voice was cold as dry ice, and her eyes were deep, like a still lake.

She sat upright, her wet hair falling down in heavy cascades like streams of pouring rain.

As soon as she was sure of something, she changed. The shy, stammering girl disappeared without a trace. In her place was a tough, confident young woman who spoke with icy calm.

Morvian looked at her intently, then leaned back against the wooden wall, tucking his legs under him.

He looked at Erida again from under his brow, and a different, darker shade appeared in his sun-colored eyes.

"Do you think that's the purpose of the test? Where does that confidence come from? And why him?"

Erid wanted to look away, but she didn't, continuing to speak. 

"I studied history extensively before the test and learned a lot about Angelo."

Morvian was slightly surprised, and his gaze became more distant, his thoughts drifting slightly.

An unpleasant feeling of disorientation settled in his head, and the world before his eyes swam slightly.

Frowning, he touched his temple with his finger to focus. However, he couldn't concentrate.

His vision blurred, but he could see that Erida was still talking.

And her delicate lips formed words that he was unable to understand. 

'What the hell?

Cold sweat appeared on his back, sticking to the wooden wall. And a slight dizziness and nausea filled his thoughts.

Morvian clutched his mouth, trying to hold back the urge. However, he couldn't and vomited the contents of his stomach right onto the floor.

Eridas fell silent and jumped up as if scalded. Her eyes narrowed to the size of pins and she quickly rushed to Morvian, grabbing him by the shoulders.

The boy in the girl's body was trembling and staring at the floor. His sun-colored eyes were shaking, and his golden hair hung down.

The words fell on his ears like stones thrown from a height, deafening him for a brief moment. 

Eridas was shouting something at him, but he couldn't make it out.

Morvian's mouth moved, but no words came out. It was as if his mouth had been taped shut and he couldn't say anything. 

In the next moment, darkness fell.

The smell of burning hit Morvian's nose as he looked at his mother's smoldering skeleton.

The raging fire completely engulfed the blackened bones, turning them to dust. And the hair gave off a disgusting smell, making him wrinkle his nose.

However, the tearful boy did not do so.

He tried to remember every detail of today so that he could keep it in his heart for the rest of his life.

For if he forgot this day, he would never be able to take revenge on this man.

Little Morvian looked to his right.

A few meters away from him stood a tall young man with short golden hair. 

A tight-fitting black suit with baggy trousers highlighted the man's steel muscles. And the white cloak on his shoulders made him look even more formidable against the backdrop of the flames that engulfed the entire Winchester family estate. Morvian's house. 

The sound of footsteps quickly approached them. And Morvian saw a short boy who approached the man.

He was about the same age as Morvian, but looked completely different.

Confident blue eyes with a hint of admiration watched the man's every move, and his light hair fluttered in the wind.

He was dressed in light blue leather armor, and his belt was adorned with a slender scabbard that reflected the flames.

Despite his young age, the boy calmly walked over the charred bones and finished off some of the survivors.

When he was done, he looked at the man in the white cloak, his eyes burning with determination.

"Master! I have defeated all the remaining monsters!"

The golden-haired man came to his senses and looked at his apprentice, then sighed heavily.

The little warrior was slightly confused by this reaction and asked uncertainly.

"Is something wrong, Master Viren?"

The man stared at the little man for a moment. His golden eyes carefully studied every movement of the muscles on his body, as well as that which was hidden from the ordinary gaze.

After finishing his examination, Viren shook his head.

"Nothing, you're doing well. It's just... I think I forgot someone."

The apprentice looked questioningly at his teacher, but decided not to ask any unnecessary questions. 

Morvian stood a few meters away from them, staring intently at their throats.

In his gray eyes flashed images of each of them dying a painful death. One that would terrify anyone.

However, he continued to stand still.

Cold sweat ran down his body, and his dirty clothes restricted his movements. 

Morvian didn't understand why he continued to stand there. And watch as the murderers of his family calmly talked right in front of him.

His heart pounded in his chest, and his fingers dug into his legs, trying to get them moving.

But he remained standing. 

Animal fear gripped his body, preventing him from moving. After all, he didn't want to die.

Morvian knew perfectly well that there was nothing he could do to them. He couldn't even touch these people.

All he could do was stand and watch them. While the bones of his loved ones burned in the family estate.

Morvian woke up in bed.

The wooden ceiling and the cold sweat soaking his clothes were the first things to greet him in reality.

A slight dizziness made him grimace, but he still sat up to look around.

He was still in the rented hotel room, but Erida was nowhere to be found.

Dust particles glowed in the morning light streaming through the open window.

The snow-white curtains slowly fluttered in the wind, trying to fill the room.

Morvian covered his face with his hands, placing his bare feet on the floor. 

"That dream again..."

After sitting there for a while, he got out of bed, pulled back the curtains, and walked to the door.

The dizziness intensified, and the fragile female body swayed from side to side before he fell to the floor.

Quiet curses came from the floor, and at that moment the door to the room opened.

Erid entered the room and, seeing Morvian lying there, quickly ran to him and helped him up.

"You can't get up! You're exhausted, so lie down."

After putting him to bed, the girl carefully examined him for bruises and, finding none, calmed down. Then she sat down on the bed, sighing. 

"You scared me so much yesterday... I thought you were going to die. Thank the goddesses that everything turned out all right."

Morvian lay silently, staring at the ceiling.

His golden hair spread out on the pillow like ears of wheat.

Eridia sat there for a few moments, then remembered something and got up from the bed. 

Approaching Morvian, she placed something cold on his forehead.

The boy reached for his forehead with his pale hand, but Erida stopped him.

"It's a cold compress. It's necessary for your recovery."

Sitting back down, she suddenly burst into complaints.

"This is just awful! I watched over you all night, and you didn't wake up! But as soon as I left to change the compress, you woke up! Have some conscience!"

Hearing this, Morvian turned his head slightly to see the girl.

"Are you angry with me because I didn't wake up on time?"

"Exactly!" she said, frowning.

Dark circles stood out under her delicate skin, and her tousled hair stuck out in all directions. 

Morvian looked at her for a moment, then turned away, muttering under his breath.

"Thanks."

Eridah waved her hand dismissively, leaning against the wall. 

"About yesterday."

Morvian replied without turning around.

"I felt sick after you started talking about Angelo. So I don't remember anything."

Eridah sighed, then said.

"Let's... discuss it later, when you feel better..."

Her steady breathing filled the room, then turned into snoring.

Morvian stared silently at the ceiling for a while, then fell asleep again. 

A cool breeze blew into the room, filling it with air. The sniffling of the two young people adorned the silence.

When Morvian woke up, the first thing he heard was a rustling sound.

He turned his head and saw a broad but short male back looming over Erida.

Thin hair hung down, and thick hands touched the girl's body in various places. Carefully, trying not to wake her.

Fingers the size of sausages carefully pulled each button one by one. Thus gradually exposing the young body.

A sly chuckle escaped the man's mouth when he finally finished the job. Ready to reap the rewards of his laborious work.

However, a heavy blow struck his head, knocking him to the floor.

The man clutched his head, overcome with agony and panic.

Roaring, the hotel owner looked ahead to see his opponent. However, he was only thrown into a tremor.

Eyes the color of the sun stared straight into his own, like the fangs of a dog. It felt as if he was being devoured from within, but without being touched. The mere thought of touching such filth was repulsive.

Holding the revolver in his hand, Morvian aimed it at the hotel owner.

Something inside him gave way the moment he saw the scene a minute earlier.

It was a feeling similar to what he had experienced that day. When his family had been completely slaughtered, but he could do nothing about it.

However, something had changed. 

Having gone through a lot of shit during his ordeal, Morvian had gained experience and had already killed before. So this piece of cholesterol couldn't do anything to him. If he was in good shape.

However, weakness and dizziness took over again, and Morvian fell to one knee. 

Seizing the moment, the fat man ran up to him and knocked him to the floor.

A dull thud echoed through the room, and the revolver fell from Morvian's hands. It slid across the floor under the bed.

Morvian began to struggle, but the difference in size and weight made itself felt.

"You little bitch! I wanted to save you for later, but you asked for it!"

The man brought his hands together to hold both of Morvian's wrists with one hand. Then he got to work on the other.

Morvian growled and began to kick even harder. 

Blue shavings appeared from his ring and a dagger appeared in the air. But the weapon fell helplessly to the floor. 

He was about to use the explosive dragonfly, but a dull blow with his heel to the temple shattered the skull of the fool. 

The hotel owner froze, and his gaze froze with cold anger and lust. 

A few splashes of blood decorated the floor before the man fell sideways, slipping off the heel.

A scarlet pool began to spread in all directions from his head, and Morvian quickly crawled away from it.

Then he looked at Erida, who was sitting on the bed with her leg raised.

Blood and pieces of brain dripped from her heel onto the floor. Her ragged breathing and rapidly rising chest showed her shock.

The girl's blue eyes trembled slightly as she stared at the bloody mess of the man's head without looking away.

Overcoming his dizziness, Morvian stood up and took Erida by the hand, leading her out of the room. Then he kicked off her heel, which ended up staying in the room. 

Leaving the hotel, the couple walked quickly down the street, but did not break into a run. Then they turned into narrow streets, hidden from prying eyes.

Going a little deeper, Morvian finally let go of Erida and leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.

The blue-haired girl followed his example, but did not take her eyes off her bare foot.

They stood there in complete silence for another twenty minutes. Then Morvian finally spoke, albeit quietly.

"We need to find another place to live... no, we need to start looking for other candidates. Instead of engaging in such nonsense."

Erid shuddered at his last words and stared at him.

Her eyes were empty and darker than before.

"Nonsense... Morvian, I just killed a man..."

The girl's voice trembled, but did not turn into a scream. That was what was important now.

Morvian ignored her, trying to come up with a plan for what to do next. 

His head was throbbing from hitting the floor, but he tried to think clearly.

Meanwhile, Erida stood quietly opposite him, trembling and holding her face in her hands.

Morvian finally noticed this and said.

"Don't worry so much."

Eridah stared at him, then quickly approached and grabbed his shoulder with one hand.

"Don't you understand?! I just killed a living person!"

She was breathing heavily, and steam was coming out of her mouth. The trembling of her body spread to Morvian. 

So he pushed her hand away and replied. 

"That's not true. He's just a fragment of the past that only exists during the trial. He would have disappeared anyway after the mission was over."

Eridan sobbed. 

"That's what you think, trying to distance yourself from the fact. He's still alive, even if he's only a part of the past. Just ten minutes ago, he was alive, and I... killed him."

Morvian barked irritably.

"So what?! You did what you had to do. If it weren't for you, he would have raped us! Would you have wanted that?!"

Eridan grabbed Morvian by the shoulders, but did not look him in the eyes. Warm tears fell on his skin, and his golden gaze looked at the girl.

"That's not the point... w... why do we have to kill people? Isn't there another way? Why do people become revenants? For the sake of killing? Morvian... why do you want to become one?!" 

The boy was silent, looking at the crying Erida, who couldn't stop her trembling and emotions. 

Two pale hands reached out to Erida. And pushed her away.

The blue-haired girl took a couple of steps back, looking at Morvian with tear-filled eyes.

He turned away, his gaze hidden by his golden hair. Just like his heart.

"Are you stupid? It's the law of life... either you kill, or you get killed. What's so hard to understand?" 

Erid turned her head and stared at Morvian.

Something had changed in her gaze. It became deeper, and the transparent tears disappeared, ending and falling to the ground.

Her lips no longer trembled, and her body was as hard as stone. Carved by the destructive sea.

"I can't accept this..."

The girl's voice was melancholy and sad, but at the same time it had a hard core.

"I... will find another way that does not require killing other people. A way that will give life, not take it away. A way that you will eventually take as well."

Morvian stared at the girl with wide eyes. He couldn't say anything, so he just remained silent. But inside, he was a storm of emotions.

How could she dictate to him how to live?

Morvian frowned, his gaze darkening, his hands clenching into fists. 

A terrible feeling settled in his heart as he looked at the girl in front of him.

"Do you really think you have the right to dictate anything to me? I won't let you, or anyone else. If you want to, then leave and find yourself a fool."

Eridas fell silent and looked at Morvian. Her posture was firm, and her blue hair fluttered slightly in the wind.

The noise of the street came from the end of the alley, and an endless stream of people passed by them, unaware of their existence.

Morvian..."

The girl's voice was like dripping water, which, even after centuries, would carve out an entire mountain. 

"...how can I say such loud words and not even try to reach you? We are completely different and strangers, even though we have gone through some trials together. I don't know you, and you don't know me. Our stories were separate... until today. Isn't that amazing? Every random action we took slowly brought this day closer. So how can we just part ways now?"

Morvian wanted to say something, but Erida continued speaking, looking straight into his eyes.

"I don't want to change you... just let me try to prove to you that there is another way. Please." 

He looked at her. For a long time. Silently.

Then he turned abruptly and walked away.

"Another way?"-he muttered under his breath. "Don't make me laugh."

He didn't turn around.