Chapter 1 - From Caged Bird To Murderer
I have been here in this wet, dark, humid, stinking dungeon ever since I was ten. . I have no clue how old I am, but if I had to guess it would be 17, how I look I don't know, the reason being I have been blindfolded for all this time and because of that I really know nothing about my physical appearance. What I do know however is that all this time I have been thinking about a few things. First off I want revenge on whoever put me in this dungeon. Second off I want to find out who murdered my family. This last one is a little more complicated, I have thought about this one a lot. whenever a person gets revenge it ends up bittersweet. They always end up without a further purpose in the end. That is what I want, a purpose.
Suddenly I heard something that sounded like a footsteps coming towards me. Then I felt a small and smooth hand run through my hair and a girl's voice say.
"You are Hiro correct?"
" Y… Ye… Yes I am. Are you here to save me?" I had some trouble talking I was weak for several reasons. It's been a while since I have spoken to anyone, I was felt nervous talking to someone I did not know, and I was physically weak I was fed and given only enough to survive on since I was put in here.
"I am here to take your life, I am the what mortals call the Grim Reaper or Death. But if you want to live I am willing to make a contract with you" She continues brushing my hair with her hand.
I didn't know what to think after hearing that so I just went with it. I thought it would be best not to anger her, and if I played my cards right I could get out of this dungeon unharmed.
"Before we continue with this contract thing can you take this blindfold off me"?
I felt her hand touch the back of my head and then the cloth being pulled from my face. The first thing I saw was her long silvery white hair, and violent blood red eyes, She wore a form fitting black dress with intricate white laced designs all over, I saw strapped to her back a long black giant scythe. She reached over my shoulder and touched the chains that bound me to the wall and before my eyes the chains turned to dust. I didn't ask her to free me but seeing as she did I felt kind of grateful.
I got to my feet and walked over to a puddle in the corner to look at my own reflection. I had short brown hair put in a ponytail; my eye's the color gold, I was pale and looked underfed to no surprise, my clothes a ragged brown T shirt and pants.
"Ok so about this contract, explain it to me" I said turning and looking at the girl before me. What surprised me was how young she looked. I thought someone representing the Grim Reaper would look old or just anything except young.
"It's relatively simple to understand you become my pet and I will keep you from dieing at any cost."
"So your saying I will become immortal?"
"Sort of. The type of immortality I can give you will only prevent you from dieing of natural causes."
"Anything else I should know?"
"Several things: first off call me Rin, Second you will do whatever I tell you to do when ever I tell you to do it. Finally, whatever you want to do will be done on your time and if I decide to help you will let me. Any questions?"
" Why should I believe you are who you say you are?"
"I am not surprised you asked that. Actually I have nothing to prove I am the Grim Reaper. I really don't care if you believe me either I am just a goddess of death doing my job".
Suddenly things went back to the way they were before Rin arrived, I felt as if it was all just a dream. The door opened and I heard loud footsteps. Silently my wrist was uncuffed and I was thrown over a persons shoulder.
"Your being sentenced to a public execution so the villagers stay in line," the person explained to me in a strong masculine voice before I could ask.
As he was walking up a flight of stairs I must have hit my head because I blacked out and woke up in a guillotine in front of the king with my blindfold removed.
"Everyone here understands that this will happen to you if anyone gets out of line."
My first instinct was to blame this man for everything unfortunate that had occurred in my life. I was absolutely furious because I was staring at a man who could have been involved with the murder of my family.
"Now boy before I have you beheaded do you have any final questions or statements"?
" Yes I have to ask why was I put in jail? Why am I being executed for doing nothing?"
"The answer is simple. It is because you are weak and pathetic like the rest of your family and now I have finally received order from the high king to have you killed".
I felt angry, more than I have in a long time because I knew he knew about my family and I wanted him dead, simply for knowing about it.
Suddenly everything went gray as if all the worlds color had been sucked up by some imaginary force and everything stopped moving. Rin walked out of a crowd of people surround the guillotine. I was pleased to see her and from then on I knew she was who she said she was because only gods can stop time like she did.
"Have you made you decision yet Hiro, I have things to do and have little time?" she asked me impatiently tapping her foot while standing in front on me.
"Yes I accept your offer, as long as you can add one more thing to the contract?"
"What might that be?"
"Give me the ability to kill others at will."
"If that's what you want then you can have it my pet."
"No way. It's that easy? You're not going to even question why?"
"No I am not. It makes sense to me. My pet should have the same ability as I do."
Rin reached out and put her hand to mine and I suddenly felt a shock going throughout my body and a black heart appeared on my hand as she pulled her hand away.
"Before you ask what the mark is I will tell you. It is my mark that proves our contract with one another exists."
"Ok so Rin lets get on with the performance, what must happen here for me to escape alive?"
"Simple. I will let you out of this guillotine and you will kill everyone, as I cannot. I can only kill mortals with the ability when they are close to death of other kinds; you however are not restricted in such a manner so you will kill everyone here. Is that understood?"
"No. I will not kill anyone who is innocent."
"If I tell you to, you will. I make the rules Hiro."
I knew arguing about that any further would be pointless so I stopped and just went with her command. Breaking my rule of not killing innocent people once will not matter.
"Rin, just killing the king will be boring if you do not mind I will make this a little showy."
"If you want. As long as everyone dies, I don't care."
She went back into the crowd and unfroze time as I instructed her to do.
"Well then, enough talking. You must die now. I am tired of talking," State's the king as time unfroze.
"Wait. Before you kill me I have something to say" Rin received the verbal cue I told her to listen for. She walked out of the crowd and as everyone gasped she let me out of the guillotine in front of the entire crowd.
"King you have no right killing something that belongs to a goddess" Rin had her scythe out and ready to swing. She was playing along with my theatrics quite nicely. From what I could tell she was enjoying herself.
"You are no Deity. They do not exist. Guards kill them," the King gestured for the guards surrounding him to kill us, but none of them moved because they were all dead.
"Hiro very good. You are learning to control the power already. I am impressed," Rin joyfully stated.
"Rin, can I please just get on with this? You ruined the fun."
"Fine then I will shut up Hiro"
"Now then King, you previously stated that I was put in jail and treated unfairly because I was weak. Well look who is weaker now. Before you die I have a few questions to ask you." I walked forward, I was trying to keep my cool but I kept feeling angrier and angrier.
" Before you kill me. That is most entertaining. Villagers attack them."
"Sorry," I whispered.
It went against my beliefs but I had to do it I killed everyone. All the villagers suddenly dropped dead.
All was left was the King, Rin, and I in a room filled with dead bodies.
" King back to my questions I ask you this. If being powerless is so terribly wrong then does having power make you right? Do you find vengeance evil? I would ask you about justice but you know nothing about it! Your corrupt like all the other nobles!"
I gave him no time to answer. My anger got the better of me and I killed him. I was meant only to scare him and ask about my parents, but I lost control of the ability at the time. After that event I was in a state of mental chaos and just needed some time to think. Eventually I came to this simple conclusion, there are things in my life that need to get done and they will get done, my way. More importantly, I came to another realization that I was no longer alone, I had a friend and something in my heart kept telling me to keep her happy. Maybe it was purpose I could follow? Only Time would tell