Path of the Assassin
Narrative:
Young Jack was playing outside when it happened. His village was attacked by raiders in the night. Houses burned, blood pooled, and the streets were full of bodies. The sight was enough to scar any poor young boy. The sight of his parents slaughtered right in front of him drove him into insanity. His emotions: gone, his ideals: gone, his mind: closed off from society. He wandered the rodes with an old hunting knife. Any person that came near him was either cut, stabbed, or killed. He didn't want to kill. He wanted to be a happy little boy with a mother and a father. He wanted a family to treat him with love and affection, but the only things he received were fearful looks and hostility.
As the years passed by, Jack became more and more closed off. He took on silence as his mask. He wanted to return to what was warm and safe; his mother's womb. His twisted mind and desire to return to his mother's womb is what drove him into a killing spree of both human women and Mamono. These women were usually middle-aged and had children of their own, but were sometimes young single women who desired a child themselves. He would usually attack at night and seemingly only those that weren't capable of protecting themselves. After killing the father and the children, if there were any, Jack would disembowel the women and wrap himself in their intestine and sleep like that for the night. He would continue killing every night, sleeping in the still warm insides of the mothers and young women.
This lasted for years without getting caught until Jack ended up killing a high profile Order family that was supposed to be targeted by a Kunoichi in training. This Kunoichi went on a secondary mission to capture and detain Jack.
Live Story:
Jack walked down an alley, looking for his next "mother". Instead, a Kunoichi dropped down in front of him. He looked at her in silence.
"You are to come with me."
Jack pulled out a knife and rushed the Kunoichi at break-neck speed.
The Kunoichi barely moved out of the way in time. He's fast! Almost as fast as me! I have to be careful.
Jack threw a knife at the Kunoichi.
The Kunoichi dodged to the left. He just wasted his weapon. Now's my chance! She ran at Jack and went for a diaphragm punch.
Jack side-stepped and pulled out another knife and stabbed the Kunoichi in the stomach.
The inside of the Kunoichi's mask became soaked with blood. He had another knife?
Jack ripped out the knife and stabbed the Kunoichi again.
The Kunoichi spat blood through her mask before elbowing Jack in the side of the head.
Jack let go of the knife, leaving it inside the Kunoichi and went up against the wall of the alley before sliding down to the ground.
The Kunoichi slumped up against the wall and held the area around the knife, which was now soaked with red liquid. She looked at Jack. This child... He managed to... She passed out before she could finish her thoughts.
Jack woke up to having been strapped into a bed. He struggled with the restraints for several minutes before giving up. He looked around and noticed the Kunoichi in another bed, her wounds treated. There didn't appear to be anyone else in the room at the moment, so he attempted at his binds again, but to no avail.
"You are a survivor, aren't you?" A male voice said from the shadows.
Jack looked around, but didn't see anyone.
"I'm right next to you."
Jack looked to his other side again to see a man in a black robe and dark red sash. He wore what appeared to be a Zipangu demon mask.
"My name is Enigma. I will be your teacher."
Jack was confused at first, but seeing his situation, he nodded.
"First, you must escape from your restraints. Think of it as your entrance exam to this school of ninjas." The man turned and left the room, leaving Jack alone again.
Jack looked around the room again. It was mostly empty, aside from the Kunoichi in the bed next to his own. He started working with the restraints again.
Days passed by as Jack struggled with his restraints to no avail. He was never brought any food or water. It seemed as though getting out of the restraints were the only way that he was going to survive. However, this never fazed him. He didn't fear death; not after what he had already experience. Even after the Kunoichi was discharged, he didn't give up. He continued to fight. One day, the ninja that was supposedly his teacher showed up again.
"Still not giving up? Do you fear death?"
Jack looked at the man in silence.
"No. You do not fear death. You have already experience death a long time ago. What you fear is living, yet you fight. Is there something you must still achieve?"
Jack remained silent, his gaze unwavering.
"No. You don't even know why you fight for your life. If it fear of pain?" The man quickly pulled out one of Jack's knives and stabbed him through the leg.
Jack gritted his teeth and glared at the man.
"Pain is not your enemy either. Everyone fears something. Perhaps... it's loneliness."
Jack's gaze wavered ever so slightly. He could almost feel the man smile from underneath the mask.
"So that's why you fight." The man gripped the knife and pulled it out of Jack's leg. he then released Jack from his bindings.
Jack immediately launched at the man and used his own hand to plunge the knife into the man's throat. He then searched the body and reacquired his knife belt and knives. He then ran out of the room and down a hallway. He turned a corner and was immediately slashed across the chest. Jack hit the ground and looked at his attacker. It was the man he thought he had just killed.
"You are a particularly violent one, aren't you? You will make a fine assassin."
Jack suddenly felt nauseous and passed out.
The man cleaned off his blade and sheathed it.
A little girl walked out from the shadows, her short white hair and silver eyes glowing in the darkness of the hall. She too wore a black ninja suit and a belt with seven large knives sheathed in it. "Is this my new master?" Her voice was cold and distant.
The man nodded. "Yes, he is."
The girl walked over and squatted down next to Jack. "Are you worthy? We shall see."
Jack woke up in the bed again and looked around to see the little girl standing next to his bed, looking at him with a dark stare. He gave her the very same stare. After several moments, the little girl smiled cheerfully and hugged Jack.
"Hello, my master!"
Jack quickly pushed her away and got out of the bed, but got light-headed and stumbled, falling onto his rear.
The girl walked over and spoke in a cold tone. "You shouldn't move so quickly. You were poisoned after all."
Jack glared at her.
"Such an angry look. I wasn't the one that did it, master."
Jack's eyes didn't change from their hostility.
"Our teacher is waiting for us in the courtyard. We shouldn't keep him waiting." She walked out of the room.
Jack forced himself to stand up and followed her. They arrived in a large training courtyard, where the man that was supposedly their teacher waited for them.
"Looks like you came. You will come to regret that decision."
Narrative:
Years of brutal and painful training toned and scarred Jack's body into a machine. He was taught how to kill with deadly efficiency. His relationship with his partner also improved. Jack's mind opened up to her and they became closer than Jack had ever been with another being. Their thoughts and souls melted together and became all but one. In the end, however, Jack betrayed his teacher and what his teacher stood for. He followed his own path and his weapon followed with him. They now travel together for as long as they have left to live, using the skills they have to survive.