Summary
Under the blanket of stars, there sat a lone assassin, forgotten by the world and to remember alone. Assassin femalexHunter Male.
Wavering Illusions
By: Tori-no-Miko
All love that has not friendship for its base is like a mansion built upon sand.
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Stars danced across her vision as she stared off into the vast space above her. She sighed into the cold air, leaving faint remnants of her spirit. Remembering the earlier incidents of the day, she quickly rubbed her eyes. A lone assassin sat under the darkest shadow of the fabled cherry blossom tree in the land of destiny, Amatsu.
The cool wind brushed her dark hair back, as if comforting her. Once again she sighed, tears almost gaining access to the outside.
"Hello." A warm hand stretched out in acceptance. "Do you want to party with me?" A kind smile, a smile like no other she'd ever remember greeted her as she had been resting in the shade of Payon's famous Archer Village. She stared at him with a look of uncertainty as if saying, 'why aren't you afraid of ME?'
"Wh-" She growled while being cut off by the oblivious archer.
"You are a thief aren't you?" Suddenly his calm smile was replaced with an evil smirk. "I wonder what the Pronterean Chivalry would do to you if I had told them you had been stealing off merchants." The thief gave a nervous glance at the merchants happily selling their items off burning holes in most normal people's pockets. He sensed her nervousness and added "you do know at a confused state Midgard is in, they will never believe what thieves say."
She gulped and on that day an unwilling thief and a deceitful archer had formed an unbreakable partnership.
It was only several days, or several hours after that matter, the thoughtless archer had gotten the duo into a predicament that could have meant their lives or maybe a limb or two…not much…
"MAN! Are you ALWAYS this useless?" the thief growled at the wounded archer. Herself being attacked from all sides by a mob of Munaks and Bonguns.
"Oh be quiet." He snarled back at her. He glanced at the girl and noticed her throw a dirty at him, even in this kind of situation. Suddenly another Munak came at him. He couldn't help but call out in pain as the monster rammed its fist into his stomach. "Nng!" A Bongun raised its fists to launch a final blow; he could only close his eyes in unresponsive anticipation.
The blow never came.
It was really surprising to him how despite knowing the thief for a meagre 10 hours she had taken a deadly blow for him. Before he had comprehended what had happened to his blackmailed party member, a party of priests discovered the fallen thief and archer. Healed and bandaged they were warped to Prontera Sanctuary.
Once she had woken up, he interrogated her with questions such as "Why did you take that hit?", "How strong are you? Not to die from a hit like that". The girl had been unaccustomed to the new surroundings and confused about what had happened, fell unconscious once again.
That was probably the beginning. The feelings that never should have been, or more or less, feelings that never were. Those troublesome nights, those memory filled days, all were part of a plan to ultimately in the end, bring suffering to the beholder.
It was only a month after the life changing event where she and he had travelled to Morroc. Just for her Assassin examination.
"Bleraaagghh!" The thief ran past the sandmen straight through the entrance of her soon to be new Job Guild.
"Hey-!" the surprised guards gasped seeing an archer and a thief run straight at them- or more importantly, the mounds of sand people that followed them.
"Sorry! You can handle this right? Ahaha…Small fry for people like you? 'Kay thanks bye!" The thief leaped over the two guardians. An archer promptly followed.
"AHHHH!" their screams echoed into the quiet stone dungeon.
"That wasn't very nice…" the running archer sighed to his companion. "And with that kind of personality, they will never let a rowdy person like you in here."
"…Really?" She said almost with a sad note. "I've got an idea!"
No one knew why or how they put that kind of plan to work. But one thing struck the examiners hard on the head-literally.
"OK! This is a stick up! Change me into an Assassin or the guild leader gets it." The little thief-girl motioned to her wasted archer friend who held a peculiar looking dagger at the assassin leader's neck.
"…?" all the guild members stared at her courage, and pitied the poor boy with her.
In the end the girl became an assassin much to the leader's protests.
She smiled. These memories were her fondest. Once again, she felt the tingling sensation behind her eyes. She brushed it away.
A few days after her successful hijacking of the assassin guild, her friend had to break some terrible news to her.
"Hey…" He started while on thief walk through the bushy forests of Prontera. He took note of the girls smile as she acknowledged his uncertainty. "I'm going to go take my hunter examination."
"GREAT! We can go together!" a swift reply came.
"I don't think you'd want to come with me." His eyes were downcast and he slowly brushed his hair out of his eyes. The new assassin gave him a puzzled look. "I..I..I love you." With that he had a quick glance at her face. She seemed shocked, but in a way told him she didn't return his feelings. "Sorry!" and with that, he took off into the dense forest.
"…" the girl made no action to chase her long time partner. "He loves…me?" and that was the last time she saw him.
She frowned. Why did she remember that?
It was a year later- today to be precise, when she received a guild invitation to help secure a Guild Castle in AL De Baran. Her nights were plagued by her friend's confession. She never knew, but with that edgy feeling in her heart ever since, she kept denying it. That was, she finally realised she had also, loved him back.
She glanced at the merchants and chattering people. Upon arrival into the centre of Prontera, she took a seat in front of the fountain. The assassin breathed in deeply and stared into the sky with a sense of contentment.
"Hehehe! Thanks so much for this!" She heard a feminine voice call out from her right.
"It's no problem." A stronger male voice answered. "…"
"Hey…what's wrong..?" The female voice stopped. With curiosity the assassin turned her head and looked at the owners of the voices. A dancer and a hunter. Fairly slim dancer, nice complexion; every girl would die for her looks. Tall and idol like, the hunter had a face she could no longer forget.
"It's…you…" The former thief-girl stuttered at her long lost companion. She quickly jumped into his arms and hugged him.
"Erm, hi…" the dancer waved slightly with a stunned look.
The assassin could no longer hold back, she ignored the dancer. Breaking her embrace she held a joyful look on her face.
"I…Could never forget you. This past year- no, all the times, I- I love you too." She held her mouth; her outburst caused the dancer to look at her even in more shock, passer Byers stared on in wonder.
"…I'm sorry…" With that, the hunter took the dancers hand and held it tightly. "She's my fiancée."
Tears almost escaped her eyes, but she held back. She gave them a weak smile.
"Oh congratulations. I'm really happy for you two!" With that the assassin took off with her great speed.
My God…What has been happening throughout this year? What had she missed? Why didn't she ever use her brain to examine her situation first? The lone assassin sat under the blanket of stars, usually there was a moon to light her way and guide her. But tonight, there was no moon.
A rustle of wind brought her back to the recognition of reality. Life was cruel. No one was there for her. There would never be salvation for her painful heart. A shadowy figure drew closer to the assassin. She looked back at the familiar person. Her former companion. Her former admirer. Her still aching heart longs for him.
"I'm sorry about today. Can we still be friends?" He said with a kind smile, the same kind from her first memory with him. Outstretched hand drew out for her.
She smiled politely and took his hand. It was him. She wanted to see him one last time. But why had her tears that she held back all day, block her vision now?
Dedicated to my best friend and him, who have both now probably forgot about me.
Please review if you liked it. Thank you.